Hybrid bikes are a great choice for those who want a versatile bike that can handle a variety of terrains and riding styles. They offer a mix of features from road and mountain bikes, making them perfect for commuting, fitness riding, and recreational riding. With so many options available, it can be difficult to choose the best hybrid bike for your needs. In this article, we will highlight some of the top options available in 2023 and provide a guide on how to choose the best hybrid bike for all-purpose riding.
BENEFITS OF HYBRID BIKES
There are many benefits of owning a hybrid bike, including:

• Versatility: Hybrid bikes can be used for commuting, fitness riding, and recreational riding.
• Comfort: The wider tires and more upright riding position make hybrid bikes more comfortable than road bikes for longer rides.
• Durability: Hybrid bikes are designed to handle a variety of terrains and are built to last.
• Affordability: Hybrid bikes are typically less expensive than road bikes and mountain bikes.

FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING A HYBRID BIKE

When choosing a hybrid bike, there are several factors to consider. The first is the frame material. Hybrid bikes can be made of aluminum, carbon fiber, or steel. Aluminum is the most common material used for hybrid bike frames due to its lightweight and durability. Carbon fiber frames are also lightweight but are more expensive. Steel frames are durable but heavier than aluminum or carbon fiber.
The second factor to consider is the size of the bike. It is important to choose a bike that is the right size for your height and body type. The third factor is the type of brakes. Hybrid bikes typically have either rim brakes or disc brakes. Disc brakes provide better stopping power and are better for wet or muddy conditions.
The fourth factor to consider is the tires. Hybrid bikes have wider tires than road bikes, providing more stability and traction on different surfaces. The fifth factor is the suspension fork. A suspension fork can help absorb shocks and provide a smoother ride.

It's blizzard conditions and just southeast of Brooklyn Park there's massive power outages and ice under snow on every single road. We got dumped on for every single part of the cities.
I haven't gotten a cancellation notice for a 6:15 block I have booked, are they seriously not going cancel the blocks?

The following events happened on this day in history!

• 04/01/1989 - World Championship Wrestling - World Championship Wrestling S1989E91
  
• 04/01/1990 - WrestleMania - WrestleMania 6 S1990E1
  
• 04/01/1991 - Global Wrestling Federation - Global Wrestling Federation 1991
  
• 04/01/1991 - USWA Challenge - USWA Challenge S1991E14
  
• 04/01/1995 - Superstars - Superstars S1995E13
  
• 04/01/1996 - Raw - Raw S1996E14
  
• 04/01/1996 - WCW Monday Nitro - WCW Monday Nitro S1996E13
  
• 04/01/1997 - ECW Hardcore TV - ECW Hardcore TV S1997E14
  
• 04/01/1999 - WCW Thunder - WCW Thunder S1999E13
  
• 04/01/2000 - ECW Hardcore TV - ECW Hardcore TV S2000E14
  
• 04/01/2001 - WrestleMania - WrestleMania 17 S2001E1
  
• 04/01/2002 - Raw - Raw S2002E13
  
• 04/01/2004 - SmackDown - SmackDown S2004E14
  
• 04/01/2006 - WWE Hall Of Fame - WWE Hall of Fame 2006 S2006E1
  
• 04/01/2007 - The Legends of Wrestling - Rivalries 1 S2007E3
  
• 04/01/2007 - WrestleMania - WrestleMania 23 S2007E1
  
• 04/01/2008 - WWE ECW - WWE ECW S2008E14
  
• 04/01/2011 - SmackDown - SmackDown S2011E13
  
• 04/01/2011 - The Legends of Wrestling - Canada S2011E6
  
• 04/01/2012 - WrestleMania - WrestleMania 28 S2012E1
  
• 04/01/2013 - Raw - Raw S2013E13
  
• 04/01/2014 - Main Event - Main Event S2014E14
  
• 04/01/2014 - WrestleMania Rewind - Game Changer S1E6
  
• 04/01/2014 - WWE Main Event - WWE Main Event S2014E14
  
• 04/01/2015 - Main Event - Main Event S2015E13
  
• 04/01/2015 - WWE Main Event - WWE Main Event S2015E13
  
• 04/01/2015 - WWE NXT - WWE NXT S2015E15
  
• 04/01/2015 - WWE Top 10 - Top 10 WWE Raw Moments: March 30, 2015 S2015E34
  
• 04/01/2015 - WWE.coms 5 Things - 5 Live TV Fails S2015E12
  
• 04/01/2016 - WWE NXT - WWE NXT TakeOver: Dallas S2016E14
  
• 04/01/2016 - WWE NXT - WWE NXT TakeOver: Dallas Pre-Show
  
• 04/01/2016 - WWE Superstars - WWE Superstars S2016E14
  
• 04/01/2016 - WrestleMania - Sting on the unthinkable moment of going into the
  
• 04/01/2016 - WrestleMania - Dusty Rhodes statue unveiled at Axxess
  
• 04/01/2016 - WrestleMania - Charlotte on her rise; Flair on Stings induction
  
• 04/01/2016 - WrestleMania - Reigns on his WrestleMania match against Triple H
  
• 04/01/2016 - WrestleMania - Stephanie McMahon on giving back to the community
  
• 04/01/2017 - WWE NXT - WWE NXT TakeOver: Orlando S2017E15
  
• 04/01/2017 - WWE NXT - WWE NXT TakeOver: Orlando Pre-Show
  
• 04/01/2017 - This Week in WWE - April 1, 2017 S2017E13
  
• 04/01/2017 - WWE Top 10 - Dominating Moves that Defeated The Undertaker S2017E51
  
• 04/01/2017 - WrestleMania - The New Day gives a sneak peek at the WrestleMania
  
• 04/01/2017 - WWE NXT - Beth Phoenix and Edge sit ringside at NXT TakeOver
  
• 04/01/2017 - WWE NXT - The new NXT Title is revealed: WWE.com 4K Exclusiv
  
• 04/01/2017 - WWE NXT - The new NXT Tag Team Titles are revealed: WWE.com
  
• 04/01/2017 - WWE NXT - The new NXT Womens Title is revealed: WWE.com 4K
  
• 04/01/2017 - WWE NXT - Fans salute Nakamura after WWE Network cameras sto
  
• 04/01/2017 - WWE NXT - WWE NXT General Manager William Regal makes a majo
  
• 04/01/2017 - WWE NXT - Aleister Black vanishes into the night after his N
  
• 04/01/2017 - WWE NXT - Paul Ellering declares The Authors of Pain a dynas
  
• 04/01/2017 - WWE NXT - Who is next to challenge Asuka?: WWE.com 4K Exclus
  
• 04/01/2017 - WWE NXT - #DIY continues to search for their moment: WWE.com
  
• 04/01/2017 - WWE NXT - Drew McIntrye reveals he has signed with NXT: WWE.
  
• 04/01/2017 - WWE Now - Reactions to Beth Phoenixs Hall of Fame Induction S2017E26
  
• 04/01/2017 - WWE Now - NXT Superstar Enters Andre the Giant Battle Royal S2017E28
  
• 04/01/2017 - WWE Now - DDP Yoga Hits WrestleMania Week S2017E27
  
• 04/01/2018 - WWE NXT - Bobby Fish suffers a knee injury at NXT Live Event
  
• 04/01/2019 - Raw - Raw S2019E13
  
• 04/01/2019 - WWE Ride Along - Kofi Appreciation Night S4E1
  
• 04/01/2019 - Superstar Picks - Cole Picks: Eddie vs. Rey 1997 S5E7
  
• 04/01/2019 - Superstar Picks - Cole Picks: Michaels vs. Angle S5E8
  
• 04/01/2019 - Superstar Picks - Cole Picks: RVD vs. Jerry Lynn S5E9
  
• 04/01/2019 - Superstar Picks - Cole Picks: Rock vs. Austin I S5E1
  
• 04/01/2019 - Superstar Picks - Cole Picks: Rock vs. Austin II S5E2
  
• 04/01/2019 - Superstar Picks - Cole Picks: Michaels vs. Flair S5E3
  
• 04/01/2019 - Superstar Picks - Cole Picks: Shawn vs. Bret 1996 S5E10
  
• 04/01/2019 - Superstar Picks - Cole Picks: Austin vs. HHH S5E4
  
• 04/01/2019 - Superstar Picks - Cole Picks: Angle vs. Mysterio S5E5
  
• 04/01/2019 - Superstar Picks - Cole Picks: Savage vs. Steamboat S5E6
  
• 04/01/2019 - Raw - Mickie James celebrates the release of her new sin
  
• 04/01/2019 - Raw - Dana Brooke gives an update on her condition: WWE.
  
• 04/01/2019 - Raw - Bayley & Sasha Banks prepare to make history
  
• 04/01/2019 - WWE Now - Raw Preview: April 1, 2019 S2019E69
  
• 04/01/2019 - WWE Playlist - Randy Ortons WrestleMania Victories S2019E16
  
• 04/01/2020 - WWE Top 10 - Brock Lesnar s Greatest WrestleMania Moments S2020E88
  
• 04/01/2020 - WWE Playlist - Randy Orton destroys Legends: WWE Playlist 2020
  
• 04/01/2020 - The Best of WWE - Charlotte Flair s 8 Most Memorable Matches S2020E10
  
• 04/01/2020 - The Best of WWE - Triple H s Best WrestleMania Matches S2020E9
  
• 04/01/2020 - WWE Playlist - John Cena s Biggest WrestleMania Wins 2020
  
• 04/01/2020 - WWEs The Bump - April 1, 2020 S2020E14
  
• 04/01/2020 - WWE NXT - WWE NXT S2020E15
  
• 04/01/2020 - WrestleMania - Rob Gronkowski ready to be host with the most
  
• 04/01/2020 - WrestleMania - Rheas social distancing WrestleMania Workout
  
• 04/01/2021 - WWE Playlist - The Great Khali s Greatest Moments 2021
  
• 04/01/2021 - WWE NXT UK - WWE NXT UK S2021E13
  
• 04/01/2021 - WWE Top 10 - Top 10 NXT Moments: March 31, 2021 2021
  
• 04/01/2021 - WWE NXT UK - Exclusive: Kenny Williams explosive diatribe
  
• 04/01/2021 - WWE NXT UK - Exclusive: Turner is thrilled to be in NXT UK
  
• 04/01/2021 - WWE NXT UK - Exclusive: Amir Jordan is at a loss for words
  
• 04/01/2021 - This Week in WWE - April 1, 2021 S2021E13
  
• 04/01/2021 - WWE NXT - Exclusive: Gonzalez s message for Shirai
  
• 04/01/2021 - WWE NXT - Exclusive: Jordan Devlin s TakeOver promise
  
• 04/01/2021 - WWE NXT - Exclusive: Gargano is dumbfounded by Theory
  
• 04/01/2021 - WWE Main Event - WWE Main Event S2021E13
  
• 04/01/2022 - WWE Playlist - AJ Styles vs. Edge: Road to WrestleMania 38 2022
  
• 04/01/2022 - WWE 24 - Royal Rumble 2022 S2022E1
  
• 04/01/2022 - WWE Now - Full WrestleMania 38 Sunday Preview 2022
  
• 04/01/2022 - WWE Now - Ricochet faces huge title test: April 1, 2022 2022
  
• 04/01/2022 - NXT Level Up - NXT Level Up S2022E7
  
• 04/01/2022 - WWE Hall Of Fame - WWE Hall of Fame 2022 S2022E1
  
• 04/01/2022 - SmackDown - SmackDown S2022E13
  

What event was your favorite in this list?

I'm looking at a bike on Marketplace and I know it might sound dumb, but is it standard practice to ask the seller if I can take the bike to a shop to be looked over before I buy it? It's not a super expensive bike, it's about 7 years old, and due to the road conditions where I live (snow), I would need to load the bike into my truck to take it to the shop.
I've been burned in the past when buying used bikes and it turned out they had maintenance issues I didn't catch. I don't want to scare the seller off, but I also do not want to buy something I regret. What has been everyone's experience when buying/selling a used bike? have you as a buyer done this or as a seller had a potential buyer do it?

When it comes to maintaining your car, one of the most important things you can do is make sure that you get regular lube, oil, and filter service. While this may seem like a small task, it can have a huge impact on the performance and longevity of your vehicle. In this blog, we’ll discuss why getting your lube, oil, and filter service regularly is so important and the benefits you’ll reap from doing so.
The first benefit of getting regular lube, oil, and filter service is that it will help keep your engine running smoothly. Over time, dirt and debris can build up in your engine, causing it to run inefficiently. Regular lube, oil, and filter service will help keep any dirt and debris from building up and clogging your engine. Additionally, this service will help keep your engine lubricated, which will reduce friction and wear and tear on your engine.
Another major benefit of regular lube, oil, and filter service is that it will help keep your car running longer. By regularly changing your oil and filter, you’ll be able to keep your engine in top condition. This will help reduce the likelihood of major repairs and breakdowns, allowing you to get more miles out of your car. Additionally, this type of service can help reduce the amount of fuel your car uses, saving you money in the long run.
Not only will regular lube, oil, and filter service help keep your car running longer, but it will also help keep it running more efficiently. Over time, dirt and debris can build up in your engine and affect its performance. By regularly changing your oil and filter, you’ll be able to keep your engine clean and running as efficiently as possible. This will also help reduce the amount of emissions your car produces, making it more eco-friendly.
Finally, getting regular lube, oil, and filter service is important for your safety. By regularly changing your oil and filter, you’ll be able to make sure that your engine is running as efficiently as possible. This will help reduce the risk of your car breaking down while you’re on the road, which is always a danger. Additionally, this type of service will help make sure that all of the other parts of your car are in good condition, reducing the risk of an accident. For those living in Thane, there are many reliable services available to give your car the routine maintenance it needs.
Overall, getting regular lube, oil, and filter service is an essential part of vehicle maintenance. This type of service will help keep your car running smoothly, efficiently, and safely. Additionally, it will help keep your car running longer, saving you money in the long run. So, if you want to get the most out of your car, make sure you’re getting your lube, oil, and filter service regularly.

Strap into your red leather bucket seats, this is a doozy. tl/dr at the bottom.
So, I got word the other day that my '08 Element EX AWD 5sp is on its last legs. A fairly long laundry list of repairs, that would likely cost me more than the car is worth. And that's on top of a phantom cooling issue that hasn't truly been pinpointed by any mechanic, and has caused some pretty frustrating moments. It's likely salvageable, but it won't do for what I need a car for.
What do I need a car for you might ask? I'm not a daily driver. I bike to work, and can walk or bike for most errands. I likely drive less than 10 miles a week, usually.
However, when I do drive, it's typically for weekend trips to go camping, mountain biking, skiing, fishing, whatever. I also do one or two longer road trips around the West a year to see family. I live in Colorado, and spend most of my time outside of there in Utah and Montana. I need a vehicle that is good in snow, can handle bad dirt roads, and is safe and competent on graded dirt roads. I also want to feel safe on the highway, but not totally bored.
You're probably thinking "Get an Outback, RAV-4, or CX5". That's also what I was thinking.
My budget is a max of 15k. I could probably do 20k, but with how infrequently I actually drive for day to day stuff, and the fact that I don't depend on my car to commute, I'd prefer to not spend too much. I'm also working with a teacher salary in a high COL area.
Most of the abovementioned cars I have been seeing within that budget are 5-10 years old, and have roughly 80-120k miles on them. I don't see many RAV-4s for less than 17. I also grew up with a bunch of Subaru people, and know (anecdotally ) that around the 100k mark things start to need more frequent repairs. (Correct me if I'm wrong here).
Then I remembered an old friend that had a 1999 Isuzu VehiCROSS, the Iron Man edition.
(Link: https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a35873856/1999-isuzu-vehicross-by-the-numbers/ )
He's a very meticulous car nerd. Between that, his Subaru Baja, FJ Cruiser, Miyata, WRX, and RV (plus his wife's Tuscon), he had his hands full. He's willing to part with it.
He's offering me 8k for it.
It's a 1999 Iron Man edition. 170k miles (20k less than my Element) 80% Tires, just replaced water pump, timing belt, brakes, filters, etc. He is also the kind of guy who washed and detailed his cars monthly, and was always a step ahead of maintenance. Other than some sun bleaching on the Iron Man logo, it's in near pristine condition with wear items replaced.
Upon reading that review, I noticed them talking about braking performance being stellar, and a stiffer suspension feel. While the mileage isn't amazing, it's not far from my Element, and around what a Tacoma that costs 4x as much would get. I feel like it wouldn't be a bore on the highway, but I'd also feel pretty safe in it.
The drawbacks for me are cargo space and the cramped rear seat. But, it's usually just my girlfriend and I, and I can get a roof box. We are small people, and could pack lighter anyway. She also has a boner for the car, but she owns a '98 T100, so her taste is good but not practical =)
TL/DR:
In short, I'm totally in love with the idea of this car, and other than a couple of practical quirks, I feel like it's not a terrible choice. Even if it's less convenient, I feel like the joy I would have with owing and driving it would outweigh those things, and I must admit, the cool points of showing up at a trailhead with a Japanese James Bond moonrover make me giddy.
So. On one hand, I could do the "responsible" thing and get a newer Outback or something comparable. It would be likely medium high mileage and could possibly need expensive work in the future. Most of those worth getting IMO are pushing the limit of my budget.
Or, do I do the fun thing and get my dream car for well within budget, and assume the risk of repairs with an older, exotic car with higher mileage? Sure, it's been very well taken care of, but it's still almost my age. But. Just look at it.
Any advice would be very welcome. If it seems like I've talked myself into this, you aren't entirely wrong, but hearing others opinions really does help.

First time ever using this but the situation warrants it & hence it being a throw away.
So Big Sis & BIL are having car troubles and it's currently being fixed by our dad & a mechanic. Dad & BIL were talking about the situation and BIL stressed about having to commute to work for an event that required his immediate presence at work (keep in mind his job is no more than 20 min away from where we live/ were neighbors).
For context, I live with my parents and they don't own a car so I let them have free range of my car; no questions asked. The car and the insurance are both under my name, no co-signer. So dad offered to let BIL use the car ONLY if I was ok with it, since it's legally my car. Now I'm just at home knocked the f out on my bed oblivious to the whole situation. Big Sis comes in and I jolt awake, completely out of it. She asks me if BIL can borrow car and that wakes me right up.
My first reaction was hesitant AND LET ME EXPLAIN WHY. BIL has a history of ROAD RAGE, IF YOU WERE TO LOOK UP ROAD RAGE IN THE DICTIONARY HIS FACE WOULD BE SMACK DOWN UNDER THE DEFINITION. I immediately started getting Nam flashbacks to this man literally holding down his fist on the horn every time someone takes a millisecond too long when a light turns green or making a turn. I started making this evident to Big Sis and telling her my only problem would be him trying the wrong person in MY car and ending up having a Monster Jam show go down. All the while I'm expressing my concerns, Big Sis is frantically miming at me that BIL is right outside my room and can HEAR US, but my dumbass was oblivious since I didn't have my glasses on and couldn't make out what she was doing.
I immediately paled and almost pissed my pants, shut my mouth and tried redeeming myself. I ultimately said yes with the condition that our dad was on board (once again wasn't aware of their Convo) since I plan on giving him the car anyway. This is also why I was hesitant about BIL using car because I still haven't finished paying it off it off and if anything happens to the car not only am I SOL but so are my parents. I could sense that BIL was upset by what I said & it was confirmed by my Mom as she came to ask me why he looked like someone took a shit on his face as he left.
This was a couple of hours ago but I feel extremely guilty for making him feel like shit. I want to defend myself by emphasizing that it wasn't the fact that he was going to use the car but rather his road rage possibly being the reason I would no longer have a car. I've been debating on how to handle the situation, should I let it go or should I try and talk to him about it...but I that he'll disregard my worries and just make it seem like I didn't want him to drive my car. I would really appreciate any and all comments on the whole ordeal because I don't want to be the reason why there's unnecessary tension between me & BIL. (´༎ຶོρ༎ຶོ`)

Wondering if a low clearance can make it up to where the road closes

i need help choosing between these two BA/MD programs. vote on the poll if you're familiar. if not, read these facts about each first
UMKC BA/MD: University of Missouri Kansas-City
pros:

• no mcat
• MD done in 6 years
• docent program (built-in shadowing + patient interaction)
• large cohort of 100 kids
• close to home/3hr drive

cons:

• rigorous (1/3 of the kids fail at least one class)
• expensive, almost 60k more expensive than OU MHSP
• dingy campus, location (missouri part of KC not so great)
• only vacation is 4 weeks out of the year

-----
OU MHSP: University of Oklahoma, Medical Humanities Scholars Program
pros:

• get to explore the humanities
• warmer weather + nicer environment
• get to choose the level of rigor
• get to apply to other medical schools while having OU's medical school as a conditional offer (contingent upon MCAT score of 509)
• National Merit Finalist scholarship package during bachelors and one year of med school
• 60k less expensive (dependent upon mcat)

cons:

• mcat required
• 7 year MD
• far from home, have to take flights with halts/8 hr drive
• homesickness likely
• no cohort (5-8 scholars working independently)

​
View Poll

I just drove from New Hope to Edina on HWY 100 S and it was the worst road conditions I have ever been in and I have lived here a while at this point. Not to mention the fear of not being able to see potholes. 😭😭
Pretty sure I just aged myself 10 years.
Y’all be careful out there.

BTW this takes place in Upstate NY.
My scenario is kind of complicated so I’ll try to keep it short. I am a very tired nurse working very long hours. I have a sick father to care for when I’m home. I get burnt out. This is extremely embarrassing but I fell asleep AT THE HOSPITAL and no one could wake me up. I was out. My director of nursing came in (this was about 2am so she wasn’t happy about it) and said I needed to leave and it was unsafe for me and my patients to continue the rest of my shift. Understood and agreed, although embarrassed. I had many offers to take me home but “no, no, I’m fine it’s only 10 min I can make it!”
(Narrator:) She didn’t make it.
I was somehow so zoned out on side roads NEAR the lake I live on but wasn’t sure exactly where I was. Also… you know when you’re really tired and your eyes start burning? Well I’m blind as a bat and should not have put my glasses on my forehead to receive some relieve. So I’m glasses-less, dark roads, saw a sign for a main road and got a little overzealous (ok a lot overzealous) and made a hard right turn… right into a Rocky ditch. I had AAA on the way and was waiting in my dads truck (bless him. He’s waiting for a heart transplant and got to me in 5 min.
Suddenly two police cars showed up and I barely said two words to her but she wanted me to step out the the vehicle. I’m not giving a sob story, it really felt like they wanted to arrest me from the jump. First they we’re CERTAIN I was drunk. Terrible balance and overall body coordination over here! Did not pass the heel to toe or balance and count. I’d like to see them so that after 3 16 hours shifts in a row! So anyway, they brought out the breathalyzer wish I couldn’t wait for because I knew I wasn’t drinking. And of course, I blew .0000. I was SO happy! Thought the ordeal was over.
(Narrator: It was not.)
So they kind of murmured together a little bit and came back and said “well, you are at least high (may eyes were insanely bloodshot from the burning tiredness. (Should’ve heeded Ben Stein’s advice a little better back in those old commercials) so we need to take you back to the hospital to get blood work. Excuse me, MY HOSPITAL!!!!?!! My place of employment that I just got sent home in back with shackles, cuffs, and escorted by deputies? That’s a nightmare I could never go through! I asked if a lab person could come to the precinct because I WAS SOBER. Or any other hospital. Nope. Then I asked her “ Listen, I do have THC in my system. It is legal now and I partake in edibles on my days off and weekends frequently. I will have THC in my system but it’s not from today will that give me a DUI? And the woman responded “If you are found to have THC in your system you’re getting a DUI because I know you’re high.” I wasn’t.
I’ve never went through anything like this and weighed out my options as much as I could with all the commotion. I felt like it was damned if I do and damned if I don’t. My court hearing is the 10th and the women officers that arrested me claimed that I was kinda all over the place. Without getting too deep into my medical history, my lawyer said that if I can get a letter from my my doctor clarifying some of my actions it could really help my case. I have zero prior convictions literally a squeaky clean record with the law so I hope this helped get, and the note from doctor might help turn this into a DUAI which would be excellent from what one reading about it. Any experts out the that might have helpful tips/feedback/advice. I’m terrified of this ruining m nursing career and life
Okok sorry , I know I’d try to keep it short so here’s a TLDR: Crashed into ditch tired as hell. Stone sober but there was THC in my system definitely because I have been partaking on weekends and days off pretty frequently. Im a nurse working long night shifts and Director of nursing sent me home due to the condition I was in. I fell asleep at nurses station! We’re all so damned overworked! Two cops pulled up to the scene and basically accuse me of being drunk, I blew 0.00. Then they wanted to bring me back to my place of employment where I was just sent home from in shackles and handcuffs to get a blood draw. I asked if we could go anywhere else and they said no. I told the officer I will have THC in my system but it’s not from today will that be an automatic DUI? She said absolutely because I believe you are high right now
Should I have taken the test and gotten an automatic DUI? Although weed IS legal in New York it’s still considered driving impaired. Did I do the right thing by refusing after she flat out told me I will get a DUI in it’s in my system.
Advice, experience, constructive criticism, even some “girrrrlllll the nave made a huge mistake” all are welcome. Thanks in advance advance guys and Val.

Armenia and Greece sign military cooperation plan for 2023

The program for 2023 includes 21 activities, of which 15 will take place in Greece and 6 in Armenia:
• Joint training of Special Forces – Special Operations Forces.
• Co-training on Electronic Warfare.
• Participation in the Multinational Training Centre for Peace Support Operations.
• Exchange of experiences and lessons in Air Defence Systems.
• Staff exchange and visits to schools and multinational schools, as well as seminars.
• Staff meetings and talks on matters of mutual interest, with special emphasis on the field of Military Intelligence.
The signing of the Program confirms the strong military ties of the two countries and further strengthens the operational capabilities and the level of interoperability of their Armed Forces, contributing to the strengthening of the role played by Greece and Armenia in ensuring stability and security in the wider region.
https://en.armradio.am/2023/03/30/armenia-and-greece-sign-military-cooperation-plan-for-2023/

Cabinet approves military-technical cooperation agreement with Czech Republic

The Government of Armenia on March 30 approved the agreement on military-technical cooperation with Czech Republic which was signed in 2019.
The agreement envisages cooperation in military education, defense industry, military history and museology, as well as participation in peacekeeping missions abroad. It will be sent to the Constitutional Court to determine its compliance with the constitution, and in the event of receiving a positive response the agreement will be submitted to parliament for ratification.
https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1107571

Border guards to take over the protection of road connecting Lachin Corridor to Armenia – PM

“But since the road connecting the Lachin Corridor to the Republic of Armenia was not completely ready, a temporary route was launched that entered the territory of the Republic of Armenia through the Kornidzor Bridge, then again into the territory of Azerbaijan, then again into the territory of the Republic of Armenia. According to the agreement reached, this route was supposed to operate until April 1, 2023,” the Prime Minister said.
He emphasized that the border guard troops will be stationed at the state border of the Republic of Armenia in the same positions where the units of the Ministry of Defense were stationed until now.
PM Pashinyan said the Azerbaijani side tried to present the situation as another “blockbuster.”
“This approach is at least not constructive. No change in the Armenian positions has occurred as a result of all this, with the difference that we intend to protect the area in question, unlike before, through Border Guard troops. In other words, the change that takes place is as follows: from the same positions along the state border of the Republic of Armenia, the units of the Ministry of Defense will withdraw according to the plan, and units of the Border Guard troops will be deployed in their place. We made the same proposal to Azerbaijan as well, so that the same would happen on Azerbaijan’s side. I hope that this process will take place without provocations,” Nikol Pashinyan stated.
https://en.armradio.am/2023/03/30/route-of-lachin-corridor-changes/

I have great hopes that the Azerbaijani forces will return to the designated places. Governor of Syunik

According to him, there is no panic in the border communities, but people are worried about the created situation.
Syunik Marz Governor Robert Ghukasyan has been in Tegh community for two days already. According to the report of the National Security Service, from April 1, the road connecting the territory of the Republic of Armenia to the Lachin Corridor will pass through the Kornidzor-Tegh route, only through the territory of the Republic of Armenia. According to the agreements reached yesterday between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the border guards of the two countries were to be deployed on both sides of the border along the above-mentioned section in the last days of March. According to the calculations of the Armenian side, the Azerbaijani side was located 100 to 300 meters ahead of the border at five points. "Radiolur" talked with Syunik Marz Governor Robert Ghukasyan.
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Against all challenges, we should not deviate from the development agenda of Armenia for a single moment. PM Pashinyan

Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan received the President of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France, Laurent Wauquiez, and the delegation led by him, who were on a two-day visit to the Syunik Province, ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister.
"Of course, we are in a very difficult period, and our country and the region are experiencing very difficult times. In this sense, such visits are also very important in terms of conveying moral strength and support, including political. I would like to emphasize the importance of your visit to the starting point of the Lachin Corridor and the Syunik Province and, of course, your messages regarding the existing situation."
"I would also like to hear your impressions from the visit. I hope you have noticed that despite all the problems, we are making very serious investment projects in the republic, including in the Syunik Province. massive construction works are being carried out: roads, schools, kindergartens, other infrastructures, because our approach is that despite all the challenges, we should not deviate for a moment from the development agenda of Armenia. Recently, the European Union's investment and economic plan was launched in Syunik Province, which is extremely important. We also hope that the presence of the EU civilian mission along the Armenian-Azerbaijani border will become an additional factor contributing to stability and security. I welcome you once again."
The President of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France said,
"Thank you very much, Mr. Prime Minister.
This is the second time we are meeting, and I have the greatest respect for what you are doing for Armenia in this very difficult period. Last time I was very impressed with your strength and your will to move forward with very specific plans.
You are asking about my impressions from this visit. first of all, I want to say that it was very important for us to go to the Syunik Province and be the first French local authority to establish cooperation with the region, because we understand very well how important Syunik is for the territorial integrity of Armenia."
The parties emphasized the consistent efforts of the international community towards stability and peace in the region.
The interlocutors also discussed the prospects for the development of multi-sector partnership and the expansion of trade and economic ties. In this regard, the signing of the Cooperation Agreement between the Syunik Province and the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region on March 29 was highlighted.
The Prime Minister noted that the Armenian Government consistently continues the policy of balanced territorial development, and in this regard, attached great importance to the strengthening of decentralized cooperation with France and the exchange of experience between regions. Nikol Pashinyan referred to the reform agenda of the Government of Armenia, measures being implemented to improve the investment environment. Laurent Wauquiez thanked for the information, noting that French companies are interested in doing business in Armenia.
The sides exchanged ideas on opportunities for implementing joint projects in the fields of agriculture, healthcare, education, infrastructure, and renewable energy.
https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1107672.html

Whoever attacks Syunik will be attacking Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, says Laurent Wauquiez

“That’s why we decided to have a cooperation agreement between our region and Syunik province. The agreement was signed in a very meaningful place, in the Tatev Monastery. Cooperation will relate to healthcare, agriculture and education. I’ve said that whoever attacks Syunik will be attacking my region,” Wauquiez said, repeating his statement made at the signing ceremony earlier.
“This isn’t a dispute between two countries where borders aren’t clarified and it could last forever, this is a total disregard for human rights that are protected under all international conventions, this is a desire to destroy a nation, its culture and history, its memory. This is certainly Armenia’s struggle, Artsakh’s struggle, but this is also a bigger struggle, this is a struggle for all the values that we bear. This is a struggle for civilization and democracy. Protecting you means protecting all these values,” the French politician added.
He called for stronger reaction by the international community and international sanctions against Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.
“It was decided not to buy Russian gas any more after the occupation of some parts of Ukraine, but is the Azerbaijani gas more acceptable? Why weren’t there any consequences for what happened, why are there no sanctions against the Aliyev regime? I share these questions with you and I am equally angered,” he said.
Wauquiez said that together with his 40-member delegation he visited Syunik province. “All members of my delegation can now say, I have been there, I have seen what’s happening, I know what’s happening. The Azerbaijani troops came and captured the parts from the sovereign territory of Armenia where we went just one day earlier.”
https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1107640.html

Nagorno Karabakh FM meets with Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes President Laurent Wauquiez in Yerevan

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1107631.html

France’s Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region to attempt humanitarian convoy passage into blockaded Nagorno Karabakh

“In 2019, we met with representatives of Artsakh and signed a cooperation agreement between my region and Artsakh. We’d adopted a political position in my region to confirm Artsakh’s right to independence, which led to serious pressures by Pan-Turkist terrorist organizations against me and my family. Why am I here today? Because I am well aware that the entire international attention is on Ukraine and there is a serious danger for Armenia and Artsakh to be forgotten in all of this. I am here to say that we are not forgetting you, you are not alone, and we shouldn’t allow the violations of international law in Armenia, Artsakh and Lachin Corridor to go unnoticed in silence,” Wauquiez said.
The President of the Regional Council of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes visited the entrance of the blockaded Lachin Corridor in Syunik to show to his countrymen the violations of international law, that 120,000 people on the other side are deprived of basic human rights.
“I was with the Governor of Syunik the moment he was notified that an advance had taken place the day before where we were located at that time [Tegh village]. I have witnessed and can testify about the violation of international law. I have also seen the Azerbaijani flags hoisted on the heights located in Armenian lands. And I had the chance to speak with displaced persons of Artsakh, whose words were deeply touching. As a politician, it is my duty to take action and be able to help you,” he said.
Wauquiez said that they want to organize a humanitarian convoy jointly with the organizations representing the Armenian community of France and try to deliver humanitarian aid to Artsakh.
“The convoy will be organized with our region’s support and will bear our region’s flag. It will approach the Lachin Corridor and we will demand passage to Artsakh. Either the convoy will pass and we will have a ray of hope, or the convoy will be barred and it will give us the opportunity to present this issue before international and European organizations, that once again the international law is being violated, and that actions must be taken,” Wauquiez added.
https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1107638.html

Laurent Vauquier, President of the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes Region of France, visited the Armenian Genocide Memorial

link

Azerbaijan has advanced troops 100 to 300 meters in five points, Armenia’s National Security Service says

After August 2022, a part of the road connecting the Lachin Corridor to Armenia was still passing through the Azerbaijani territory after the Kornidzor Bridge. That part of the road and its adjacent territory were controlled by the Russian peacekeeping forces.
According to the agreements reached yesterday between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the border guards of the two countries were to be deployed on both sides of the border along the above-mentioned section in the last days of March.
According to the NSS, there has been “misreading of maps” and in some places, the Azerbaijani side, without waiting for pre-arranged adjustments, started positioning and carrying out engineering works.
“According to the calculations of the Armenian side, there are five points, where the Azerbaijani side has advanced troops 100 to 300 meters further from the border. It has now been agreed that cartographers from both sides will correct the situation,” the National Security Service said.
“The Armenian side approaches the situation with the logic of not allowing escalation,” it added.
“The Armenian army did not have positions in the area in question, because positions are not located on the border line, but on the nearby strategic heights. And the protection of that part of the border should be transferred to the border guard troops, according to the agreement mentioned above,” SNS stated.
https://en.armradio.am/2023/03/30/azerbaijan-has-deployed-troops-100-to-300-meters-across-the-border-in-five-points-armenias-national-security-service-says/

Azerbaijani forces block Aghavno-Tegh section of Goris-Stepanakert highway – Police

According to the Ministry, the new Tegh-Kornidzor dirt road of Syunik marz bypassing the closed road, which connects to the new Kornidzor-Hin Shen road put into operation in August 2022 (Lachin Corridor), is already ready. Asphalting works of the Tegh-Kornidzor road are in progress.

Farmer in Artsakh comes under Azerbaijani fire

On March 30, the Martuni regional police department reported that at around 10:35 a.m. Hayk Zargaryan, a 29-year-old resident of Berdashen community of Martuni region was attacked by the Azerbaijani army while carrying out agricultural work with his “Belarus” tractor in the administrative area of the village.
No casualties were reported. Agricultural work was forced to stop. The information about the incident was passed on to the Russian peacekeepers.
https://en.armradio.am/2023/03/30/farmer-in-artsakh-comes-under-azerbaijani-fire/

Armenia, Malta keen to deepen bilateral relations

Ararat Mirzoyan briefed his counterpart on Armenia’s vision on the normalization of Armenia-Azerbaijan relations and on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue as well as the efforts of the Armenian side to strengthen stability and peace in the South Caucasus.
Both sides emphasized the need to settle the existing issues exclusively through peaceful negotiations.
Minister Mirzoyan briefed the interlocutor on the humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh resulting from the illegal blockade of the Lachin corridor by Azerbaijan. He stressed the importance of taking practical steps in accordance with the targeted statements and calls already made by international partners. The implementation of the decision of February 22 of the International Court of Justice as well as the imperative to send an international fact-finding mission to the Lachin corridor and Nagorno-Karabakh was emphasized.
https://en.armradio.am/2023/03/30/armenia-malta-keen-to-deepen-bilateral-relations/

Armenia names Ambassador to Singapore

Armenian Ambassador to Indonesia Serob Bejanyan will from now on also cover Singapore.
https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1107665.html

Iran appoints new Ambassador to Armenia

The Islamic Republic of Iran will appoint Mehdi Sobhani, the country’s Ambassador to Syria, as new envoy to Armenia, Iran’s Foreign Ministry informs.
Sobhani is described by the Ministry as an experienced diplomat.
Iran’s current Ambassador to Armenia Abbas Badakhshan Zohouri was appointed in 2019 and assumed his mission in early 2020.
https://en.armradio.am/2023/03/30/iran-appoints-new-ambassador-to-armenia/

CSTO Secretary General warns of “risk of destabilization” due to situation in Nagorno Karabakh

“The tension in the Caucasus region persists as a result of the many years of disputes between Armenia and Azerbaijan,” Interfax news agency quoted the CSTO Secretary General as saying.
He warned of a serious risk of destabilization because of the risks relating to the situation in Nagorno Karabakh and the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.
“The situation in the Central Asian region is also tense, the threat of infiltration of extremist ideology and terrorist groups into the territory of CSTO allies is growing. The difficult threats coming from the territory of Afghanistan are especially concerning,” he said, adding that the organization is working to perfect its mechanisms of withstanding challenges and threats.
https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1107647.html

CSTO “always ready” to send mission to Armenian-Azerbaijani border

“Regarding the Caucasian region, the organization is always ready to send a CSTO mission to the Armenian-Azerbaijani border pursuant to the interests of ensuring Armenia’s security, as well as to provide other assistance,” TASS news agency quoted CSTO Secretariat representative Yuri Shuvalov as saying after a joint meeting of the CSTO Secretariat and Joint Staff.
The assistance mechanisms are included in the CSTO Collective Security Council’s draft decision, which is pending, he added.
https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1107650.html

Mher Sahakyan approached me and hit me without saying anything. Vladimir Vardanyan about the incident in the parliament

"The session of the committee was proceeding normally, at one point the process of discussion was disturbed, the MPs started talking quite loudly and I tried to urge Artsvik Minasyan and the rest of the MPs to return to the substantial discussion. After that, in response to my legitimate demand, MP Mher Sahakyan said that I cannot raise my voice against them, and I said that I was conducting the session and continue to conduct it. He approached me (we were already standing) and attacked me without saying anything, hit me and ran away," said Vardanyan.
According to Mher Sahakyan, as a result of the blow, a rather significant cut occurred in the eyebrow area. Vardanyan does not rule out that the blow was made with some kind of tool.
"It was quite a hard blow. I haven't passed the forensic examination yet, I will probably do it tomorrow," concluded Vardanyan.
https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1107687.html

MP Mher Sahakyan was arrested in connection with the incident in the National Assembly

After the incident, Sahakyan was arrested and taken to the Police Department of the RA Ministry of Internal Affairs on the basis of a reasonable suspicion that he had committed a criminal act.
NA deputy Vladimir Vardanyan was taken to the "Nairi" medical center in order to receive medical treatment. The latter was recognized as a victim within the proceedings, and a forensic medical examination was appointed. A number of people who witnessed the incident were interrogated, the necessary investigative actions are also being carried out against the arrested M. with Sahakyan.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1107678.html

Armenian Prime Minister participates in opening of Summit for Democracy 2023

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan participated on March 29 in the Plenary Day of the official opening of the Summit for Democracy 2023 held online.
The Summit for Democracy is held at the initiative of United States President Joe Biden.
On Wednesday, March 29, the Summit for Democracy’s five co-hosts — the United States, Costa Rica, Netherlands, Republic of Korea, and Zambia — officially kicked off the Summit, with each co-host leader hosting a live, fully virtual, thematic, Leader-level plenary session. Plenaries will be interspersed with “spotlight interventions” by leading activists and civil society figures.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres also delivered remarks.
https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1107478.html

Armenia remains committed to the peace process with Azerbaijan’ – PM Pashinyan at Summit for Democracy 2023

"Along with strengthening the democratic institutions in our country, in September, 2022, we had to encounter an aggression against the internationally recognized territory of the Republic of Armenia, which resulted in the occupation of part of our sovereign territory by Azerbaijan. It was back in September that we felt the union of democracies and the clear condemnation of aggression against Armenia. I want to take this opportunity and extend our gratitude to the United States and other partners that helped us stop the further incursion through diplomatic engagement."
"Armenia feels strongly about the human rights violations across the world and there is a lot that we need to do together to prevent genocides, ethnic cleansings and atrocities. Whatever is happening with Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh today, the blockade of the Lachin corridor by Azerbaijan and the humanitarian crisis resulted by it, is definitely an attempt of ethnic cleansing of Armenians in NK. And we cannot turn a blind eye on that. At the same time, I reiterate that Armenia remains committed to the peace process with Azerbaijan. We are convinced that there is no alternative to the peaceful development of the region and that sticking to democratic values will help us find a way to peace."
https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1107479.html

Speaker Alen Simonyan might need second surgery on arm

Simonyan fractured his right arm on March 20 while training. He underwent surgery for the injury and was seen wearing an arm brace during his March 28 visit to Germany.
“The Speaker of Parliament might undergo a second surgery,” Simonyan’s spokesperson Tsovinar Khachatryan told ARMENPRESS, adding that the Speaker is feeling well.
https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1107626.html

I am ready to serve in Artsakh, regardless of any post or position. Artur Davtyan's interview

Read the full thing at the link vv
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1107709.html

Lithuanian officials have expressed their readiness to support Armenia in the security sector

The Secretary of the Security Council thanked the Lithuanian authorities for supporting the presence of the EU mission in Armenia.
Secretary Grigoryan presented to his Lithuanian colleagues the security environment created around Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, the concerns about the possible escalation of Azerbaijan, as well as details about the humanitarian crisis in Lachin, stressing the urgent need to send an international fact-finding team to Nagorno-Karabakh and the Lachin corridor.
Lithuanian partners have expressed their readiness to support Armenia in security matters, especially in the field of cyber security.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1107690.html

The issue of Armenia's accession to the ICC will be resolved in an alliance way. Zakharova

The Russian Federation expects that the situation related to Yerevan's possible accession to the International Criminal Court (ICC) will be settled in an allied and mutually acceptable manner.
"This topic is a subject of discussion both in Moscow and during high-level contacts in Yerevan. I do not consider it necessary to publish the details of those contacts. Of course, we assume that this issue will be resolved in an allied and mutually acceptable way," Zakharova said in the briefing, answering the question of how Moscow views the fact that the Constitutional Court of Armenia has recognized the Rome Statute as compatible with the Armenian constitution.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1107602.html

Within the framework of the "Armenian Business Corner" project, 20 Armenian companies and 16 services were officially introduced to the American market

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1107651.html

More than 100 companies representing real estate and construction sectors under one roof. "Home-Expo" exhibition has started

RA Minister of Economy Vahan Kerobyan, highlighting the implementation of such measures, emphasized that last year in Armenia, a record 322 thousand square meters of building utilization rate was recorded, which is the highest rate in the history of independent Armenia.
The government and the Ministry of Economy cooperate in a special format with the "Armenian Association of Builders" and state and non-state organizations in the construction sector with the aim of making the sector more attractive and making investments more profitable," Kerobyan said.
The main sponsors of the exhibition are Red Invest Group, Defense Housing and ASEDL companies.
Marina Babakhanyan, marketing director of Defanse Housing, mentioned that at the "Home-Expo" exhibition, Defanse Housing is presenting the residential district in the adjacent part of the North-South highway, which is the largest development in the history of Armenia.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1107689.html

The NATO Secretary General intends to achieve Sweden's membership of the alliance by July

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1107648.html

Turkey approves Finland NATO membership bid

Any NATO expansion needs the support of all its members.
Finland will now be formally admitted into NATO at its next summit, taking place in July in Lithuania.
In a statement following the Turkish vote, the Finnish government said joining the alliance would strengthen the country's security, and improve stability and security in the region.
But his ongoing hostility to Sweden was clear - as he again accused the country of embracing Kurdish militants and allowing them to demonstrate on the streets of Stockholm.
Finland, a country with a 1,340km (832 mile) border with Russia and one of the most powerful arsenals of artillery pieces in Western Europe, is ditching its neutrality and joining the alliance in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which Moscow describes as a “special military operation.”
Russia's foreign ministry earlier condemned Finland's decision, saying it was ill-considered and based on Russophobic hysteria.
https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1107633.html

14 medical patients were transferred from Artsakh to Armenia through the mediation of ICRC. 11 people returned

Planned surgeries continue to be suspended in the medical facilities operating under the Artsakh Ministry of Health.
5 children are in the neonatal and resuscitation department in "Arevik" medical unit.
At the "Republican Medical Center", 5 patients are in the intensive care unit, 1 of them is in critical condition.
Until today, a total of 229 patients have been transferred from Artsakh to Armenia with the mediation and accompaniment of the International Committee of the Red Cross
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1107373.html

Tightened blockade of Artsakh discussed at Security Council sitting

Issues related to the defense of the Artsakh Republic, ensuring the security and the life-activity of the population of the Artsakh Republic under the conditions of the tightening of the blockade and unceasing provocations by Azerbaijan were on the agenda. State Minister Gurgen Nersisyan and Defense Minister, Lieutenant-General Kamo Vardanyan delivered reports.
President Harutyunyan underscored the close and coordinated cooperation between the law enforcement agencies and civilian structures, public administration and local self-government bodies in the solution of urgent and long-term problems.
The President gave a number of instructions to the authorized bodies in the context of the discussed issues.
https://en.armradio.am/2023/03/31/tightened-blockade-of-artsakh-discussed-at-security-council-sitting/

Azerbaijan confirms participation European Weightlifting Championships 2023 in Yerevan

Azerbaijan will be represented by five athletes at the event.
The EWF European Weightlifting Championships 2023 is scheduled to take place 15-23 April in Yerevan, Armenia.
https://en.armradio.am/2023/03/31/azerbaijan-confirms-participation-european-weightlifting-championships-2023-in-yerevan/

Armenian PM, EU’s Michel discuss ongoing crisis caused by Azerbaijan’s illegal blocking of Lachin Corridor

The interlocutors discussed issues related to the ongoing crisis caused by Azerbaijan’s illegal blocking of the Lachin Corridor. The sides exchanged thoughts on recent developments, Armenia-Azerbaijan negotiation process, peace agenda.
Nikol Pashinyan and Charles Michel emphasized consistent efforts to ensure stability and peace in the region.
https://en.armradio.am/2023/03/30/armenian-pm-eus-michel-discuss-ongoing-crisis-caused-by-azerbaijans-illegal-blocking-of-lachin-corrido

Donate to help our Soldiers and Heros

https://www.1000plus.am/en/

Reminder to not give any of these posts reddit premium awards, Donate that money to our Soldiers and Heros who need that money the most

Another reminder to please jot spread any misinformation and to not cause panic for no reason, read everything and understand everything correctly, our enemies want us to panic and to be stressed which will cause internal problems

From 'Zen Letters: Teachings of Yuanwu' translated by J.C. Cleary and Thomas Cleary
"Completing the Task
Awakening on your own without a teacher, before the primordial Buddha, you proceed straight to transcendent realization, on the same road as the thousand sages. You are able to let go and act freely, able to hold fast and be absolutely still, able to act the master. The Whole appears before you in all its completeness- without needing to be refined, it naturally becomes pure and ripe.
When it comes to after the Primordial Buddha, though you have your own independence which you directly accept to arrive at the stage where there is no doubt, you still should rely on a teacher to make sure and to approve your enlightenment and make you into a vessel of the Teaching. Otherwise, there are sure to be demons who will malevolently ruin the correct basis.
For this reason, ever since the ancestral teachers, the apprentice receives and the teacher transmits, and the teacher's teaching is of the utmost value. This is especially true with this matter, which is not something that can be comprehended by worldly intelligence or confined within perception and knowledge.
Unless you have the bold, fierce spirit of a person of power, and manage to select a genuine enlightened teacher as your spiritual friend, how can you cut off the flow of birth and death and break out of the shell of ignorance?
If you investigate and inquire diligently for a long time and with singleminded concentration, the time of fruition will come- suddenly the bottom drops out of the bucket and you will empty out and awaken to enlightenment. After that, you work wholeheartedly to weed out what's wrong and make sure of what's right, for experiential proof of your realization. Then it will naturally be like a boat going downstream- no need to work at rowing. This is the true meaning of teacher and disciple.
Once you have attained the essential gist of the teaching, concentrate continuously so there are no breaks or interruptions, to enable the embryo of sagehood to grow and mature. Then even if you encounter bad conditions, you will be able to melt them away with true insight and the power of concentration, and fuse everything into one whole, so the great changes of birth and death will not be enough to disturb your heart.
Nurturing your enlightenment over many years, you become a greatly liberated person who is free from contrived actions and obsessive concerns. Isn't this what it is to have accomplished what was to be done and completed the task of travel?"
---
Me: Here Yuanwu seems to place emphasis on an awakening without a teacher but also that a genuine teacher and spiritual friend should still be relied on to "approve your enlightenment."
What do you look for in a genuine enlightened teacher as a spiritual friend?
I am wary about there being something to attain and someone else to confirm it. How do you begin to know for yourself and then trust someone else to approve of it?

I live in rural Oklahoma and while driving through the country recently I saw a raccoon on the top of an electric pole. It was obvious he was dead and it looked like his hand was stuck in something on top of the pole. Fast forward a couple weeks- while driving down the same road, I noticed that the raccoon was still atop the pole in the same position. No decay notable. The buzzards haven’t even touched him. I looked through binoculars and I was so confused when I saw he looked as fresh as the day I had first seen him. No hair slippage, nothing. Does being electrocuted cause some kind of preservation of a mammal body? Or is it possible that he’s positioned so that if something were to touch him it would also be electrocuted? I know nothing about electricity..

Great news! Interest rates fell and cash buyer boomers from NOVA have all been ground into soylent you should have no problem snatching up that cute turn key move in ready ranch with a nice yard walking distance to bars and coffee shops for $200k (25k under list full inspection seller covers all repairs) in the Munford school district!
 
.......Ok lmao yeah April Fools let’s just get that shit out of the way now.
 
I’m a real estate agent working all over the entire Richmond area. I’ve been involved in real estate over ten years in one form or another and am in the top 5% of agents in my company nationwide. With my boring whack ass credentials out of the way welcome to my Q2 real estate update where I want to look back on how far we've come in the last three months. We’ll do a quick primer on the current banking crisis that’s been making headlines and what that means for the coming economic collapse (lololol). I also want to walk you through what it’s been like on the ground with some buyers of mine and highlight some events during the course of finding them a home. We’re also going to have some guest commentary by /rva’s resident lender u/gracetw22 with her take on the mortgage side of the business.
 
I’d like to apologize a head of time because I’m going to be jumping into and out of things as I’m writing all of this so the main thread of the post is going to zig zag a bit. Just think of it more like a journey > destination type thing. I’ll try to make this as guided as I can but will probably spend more time fucking with reddit post formatting than drawing up a proper outline so uhhh let's jump in.
 

Days of Whine and Roses

For those joining us for the first time here is the post I made at the start of the year. This covers a lot of basics about where we have come from, answers some FAQs about appraisal gaps/cash buyers/home prices skyrocketing, and is generally just a good starting point for everything I’m going to discuss in this post. Much of this is still valid today and I have been told this is an extremely pro click:
 
RVA Real Estate Outlook 2023 - Behold a Pale Gray House
 
Housing has been in a recession since June/July of last year. The increase in mortgage rates have really put a damper on the market. In some ways that’s a good thing. Things were getting a little too crazy. It sucks for affordability, but homes were flying on and off the market way too fast. Many people couldn’t afford them even because so many people had cash on hand to bid over asking, which is different from an all-cash sale (see my previous post for a more detailed explainer on this), and the list price of a home doesn’t mean shit if it sells for an entirely different and much higher price.
 
The price of the home is what the invisible hand of the market doing jerk off motions says the price is. You can list a trash heap with no central air in Highland Springs for a million but that doesn’t mean you will get it. Conversely you can list some gorgeous updated home in the near west end for a ridiculous amount under recent comps in the last 90 days and pretend like you’re the hero when it falls in line with everything else as it goes under contract. Guess what real estate agents absolutely love doing to artificially boost their credibility?
 
Side note: occasionally in real estate posts someone on here will share a Zillow link to a home pending for like I dunno 350k that looks absolutely magnificent and almost every single time that happens I inevitably look it up, pull comps, and go “yeah this is underpriced by 50-100k.” Ya’ll please stop allowing yourself to be catfished. It’s a deliberate ploy and agents have been shamelessly doing it for the past 2 years. If it looks too good to be true, it more than likely is. Here is an example that caught everyone’s eye listed at 349k closed at 405k: 8016 Burrundie Drive
 

Nobody move there’s blood on the floor

Anywho I mentioned the R word and by that I mean a recession in housing. What you have to remember is that if you’re going to pack your shit up and sell your home you are almost always going to become a buyer unless you’re also being packed up in a coffin or urn on your way out in which case you don’t care where you go. If you’re looking to sell you are looking at what you think you’re going to net for your home as well as what your all-in and monthly payment is going to be on your next home. A lot of sellers are sitting pretty right now flush with equity. The vast majority are holding onto rates of 4.5% or lower. Why give that up unless you absolutely have to? Keep in mind a metric fuck ton of people refinanced in 2020 when rates cratered. Yeah you can bend a buyer over a barrel and get top dollar for your place now, but for many it’s a wash because they’ll have to pay that much more for their next place, go through what they just did to Mr and Mrs Buyer, and end up paying way more for the same thing they just gave up. When rates were low this was easier to stomach, but when they started skimming 7% the value proposition just wasn’t there. This caused a pretty substantial drop in inventory nationally because everyone stayed put. The issue of inventory has been the main driver of why housing sucks the last few years so even though we have less of it there is still upward pressure on pricing just due to the fact that there isn’t enough to go around.
 
Fewer homes being listed means fewer buying opportunities for everyone. The whole system kind of seized up. That being said there are still a lot of renters and first time home buyers trying to break into the market because the rental market fuckin’ suuuuuuucks regardless of what rates are doing. I got a text from someone who I didn’t really expect to hear from until later this year tell me his rent is being jacked up 17% because “reasons” according to his landlord. When people are faced with that kind of increase suddenly purchasing becomes a lot more enticing. You aren’t at the whims of the rental market, you can bank some equity, and you can (mostly) do what you want where you live.
 
If you go back to 2018-2019 which were the last time the world looked ::finger quotes:: “normal” you would see inventory was pretty flat until late Feb and then rose to a peak in the summer. This year has followed the same pattern we’ve had in 2021 and 2022 except we still aren’t seeing the flatline into growth we should be seeing right now. Inventory continues to fall and if that tracks we may not see “peak” inventory until August. There is no hard and fast rule on what the new normal is so this is something I’m going to continue to keep a close eye on city wide and will try to update everyone that’s interested accordingly. For now (In an Extremely Kai Rysdall Voice) let’s do the numbers.
 
Active listings around this time last year hovered around 351k total available units nationwide. It was 438k in March of 2021 and 934k units in 2020. Currently it is at 562k-ish. If your memory is hazy I’ll just point out that March of 2020 was really before COVID hit the US and went gangbusters which is when inventory dropped like a rock and everyone thought housing was going to crash. This week last year we had 93k new listings but substantially higher numbers of immediate sales. Those are homes that go on the market and go under contract within a day or two. We have 68k new listings now with around half as many immediate sales. Again all of this is nationwide so take it with a grain of salt when trying to draw a conclusion using those numbers and comparing them to Richmond. We’re a different market than San Francisco or Denver and what is happening locally here vs there isn’t reflected in this data. Some parts of the country are seeing big increases in inventory and considerably higher vacancy rates on rentals that we don’t have here. I’m just sharing this because it’s interesting from a birds eye perspective.
I think this is a pretty good time to point out the obvious that there is a lot going on in the world feeding into this that isn’t housing specific. It’s as good a time as any to segue into how dumb and bad Silicon Valley bank was at being a bank so let’s fuckin go.
 

Do Re Mi, ABC, SVB baby u and me

Silicon Valley Bank mostly served VCs and the tech sector. That’s been their bread and butter for a while now. Banks typically like to keep portions of their investments tied to relatively safe assets or securities like bonds. If you are watching JP at the fed turn the dial on rates up those bonds you now hold are not worth as much. A good bank will diversify the types of bonds (ie a bond ladder) they hold so that they can let some of them grow to maturity while cash out others but not at SVB. So as the rates went up their bonds became worthless right around the time a lot of VCs and tech companies were feeling the pinch and in need of more cash. SVB said they were going to sell some assets at a loss, people got spooked and there was a run on the bank. Within a short time SVB was toast. Luckily there was a bailout that lots of people are claiming was not a bail out because SVB executives weren’t being saved (there was a bailout) so most depositors will be made whole. Since then Janet Yellen has been going “Wow there certainly a lot of questions about my ‘the banking system is sound and secure’ t shirt I’ve been wearing all week”.
 
There were other banks and institutions that have bit the dust or been on shaky ground like Silvergate with their disproportionate exposure to dogecoine or whatever the fuck crypto nonsense they were up to. Credit Suisse had some shitty fund management issues going back years and some absolutely insane storylines involving the Belgian gang cocaine money laundering, the Saudi’s refusing to back it on reports of mismanagement, etc. The point is this is a crisis in the ability of some banks to do very basic bank things. It’s not the same thing as Lehman Brothers, CDS, AIG, credit availability to the average consumer with a pulse being approved for “sky is the limit” loans without asset verification. This is a case of some banks screwed up how they hold bonds which is one of the most boring things to fuck up in that world. They didn’t get struck by a moving vehicle out of nowhere. They put their car in neutral on a .05 degree decline, laid down 20 feet away, and let it roll over them at a snails pace.
 
Fun fact: the CEO of SVB was actually the CFO of Lehman Brothers in the 2008 GFC so lol man oh man talk about falling up.
 
“But gowhatyourself, what does this have to do with housing in Richmond?” You know I’m glad you asked that question Rhetorical Device thank you. It doesn’t directly, but it has introduced a degree of volatility to the bond market and in turn interest rates that, again, has given sellers pause and some lucky buyers a great opportunity to get in at lower rates as they time the fluctuations. I have more to say on that later on.
Markets do not like volatility. Line must go up and in the absence of “up” it must stay flat or decline in a predictable way so that there is enough breathing room to make money on the way down. The house always comes out ahead but when conditions are uncertain things get dicey. That’s part of why SVB went under. The house (Peter Thiel) coordinated a bank run. The economy, just like real estate, is often governed by “vibes”.
 

You get a good job with more pay and you're okay

“So what are the vibes in Richmond gowhatyourself? Home prices are declining! I saw they dropped precipitously in Sacramento!” Yes no kind of not really. Much like politics real estate is both national and hyper local. Trends in inventory and home prices can be looked at broadly as a measure of what the economy is going through as a whole, but it lacks context. Prices have fallen in areas with a lot of tech exposure which have seen layoffs and slow downs so people aren’t paying the same premiums they once were. Again though, it’s context dependent. We didn’t experience the same price shock as some other metro areas. We didn’t see the absolutely bonkers price increases you saw in Austin or Des Moines for example. We also aren’t seeing the same type of correction either. Our home prices have actually stayed relatively flat or have even gone up in some areas of town since last summer. I’m still regularly seeing homes go for some pretty eye watering prices in the fan and near west end, but not so much in say Moseley. Short Pump still has some wild shit happen from time to time too. I, much like many others, cannot for the life of me figure out why 12 Westham Parkway went for 400k over asking.
 
For reference here is a great article on where the current housing correction is most pronounced broken down by different geographical areas. You can go in and select the Richmond region (unfortunately not down to a really granular level to just RVA). The link below bypasses the paywall. The article with the paywall is linked below that just to show it’s something I didn’t mock up out of the blue.
 
Fortune Housing Market Update
https://fortune.com/2023/03/13/housing-market-update-home-price-correction-told-by-six-charts-and-maps-data-real-estate/
 
Again, context matters. Scarcity matters. Buyer appetite and their motivations matter.
The motivation matters because some buyers aren’t entirely on board with getting the process started, but have their hand forced because landlords think they can squeeze more out of their tenants. I cannot count the number of people I’ve spoken to in the last month that have told me their rent is being raised by some obscene amount with landlords giving the excuse of “Oh yeah my costs are rising”. Buddy your costs to do what refuse to replace air filters or something because you aren’t doing shit in the best of times? Buyers just take a deep breath hold their nose and start making the necessary moves to purchase a home. Landlords don’t care because they can and will raise rent even more if those people bail so it’s a win for them regardless. At least for now until vacancy rates start to rise like they are in other parts of the country where people decided that building more housing was a thoughtful prudent thing to do.
 
I know landlords read these real estate threads and I’m not trying to paint you all with the same brush I’m kind of sure that not all of you are blood sucking sociopaths. AirBnB owners can get fucked though.
 

'Till the tears run down from my eyes, Lord

At this point I’d like to walk you through the process for one of my buyers (With their permission!) that started their journey back in December. I think it took a rather interesting arc that illustrates a lot of trends going on in real estate right now. When we first spoke they gave me their list of wants and needs so I did the usual thing of sending them things to look over and then put them on an automated search that went out daily. I was still checking on the portal every day and tweaking things here and there (“Hmm what if we go back a few years on the build date or look a little more east…” that kind of thing). We were casting an extremely wide net. South of the river from 288 all the way down to around Courthouse Road at 288 out west to about the Richmond Zoo. 500k or less built in the last 25 years. That is an absolutely massive area. They had certain preferences for what they wanted in the home of course. Some natural light, a halfway decent kitchen, and some square footage to spread out in but there was nothing they told me that was so hyper specific that it should have been difficult to find anything. Boy I was wrong.
 
We would go weeks without seeing anything come on the market. I think we only went out maybe once in January because there was just nothing and even then what we toured wasn’t worth the drive for either of us. When something did go live we’d go take a look at it and jointly agree that it just wasn’t even worth offering on. Usually it was because the home had not been kept up with which is something you find more often than you’d think. People buy/build new homes then assume they don’t need to do anything to it so they never change their air filters, clean the gutters, etc. There was one home we saw that was built in 2017 and I swear to god I don’t think they had ever changed the air filters anywhere. The HVAC system sounded it like it had been chain smoking Marlboro reds for the last 5 years and when I popped open the air return dust and dirt had completely caked over causing a near total blockage of air flow. Sometimes we’d go and find out a home had solar panels that had not or would not be paid off at closing. What buyer is going to cover $40k worth of solar panels at closing? The point is they weren’t being picky or anything there just wasn’t anything that really worked.
 
Weeks and months went by with nothing to really put an offer on, but at the same time we also weren’t losing out on anything either. Homes were still going under contract quickly we just didn’t see a reason to bite on any of them. The week SVB went under I started watching the 10 year bond dip and poking around just outside the MLS area they had been looking at because I felt if there was ever a time to stretch the parameters it’s now if rates drop abruptly over the weekend. Bingo. I found something that checked almost all of their boxes. We toured the home. They loved it. I hit up their lender to see where rates were and if he was seeing movement trending down. Between the beginning of the week and when we went under contract their rate had gone down almost a full percentage point. After months of wandering the stars aligned and we were set. No escalation clauses, no waiving inspections or waiving the appraisal. Just a fair purchase price on a cleanly written offer and a 30 day close.
 
The listing agent tried to do the whole “My sellers are out of town and need to review in two days” and I just went “nah lady you used Authentisign for the DPOR form you can present this now thanks.” So she caved and she did. For the record it was almost impossible to bully sellers like this last year. They’d just tell you to pound sand and get in line.
 
Some of what I mentioned above wasn’t really the case a few years ago. There was a lot more competition and even though right now the data was clearly showing there were more homes being listed nationally than there had been in previous years we just weren’t seeing it where we were looking. That whole part of town either locked in their purchase around 3% or they re-financed and planned on staying put. That’s just how the burbs be sometimes.
 
The point of all of this isn’t to say “WoooOOOwww I’m SUCH a good agent” it’s that the market is doing really funky things and ultimately it’s possible to get into something you want if you are patient and strategic. Plan accordingly! If you are thinking of doing something this year get your ducks in a row now so that when opportunities like that present themselves you know what you want and you can act decisively. Talk to Grace and sort out what your financing is going to be. Figure out if you want to break a lease early and if there are any penalties or if you’re free and clear with 60 days notice. Confirm with your soulless middle manager at cap one that you are locked into WFH so you can shop south of 288 without fear of reprisals via shit traffic engineering.
 
One last thing I want to cover before I turn things over to Grace is what happened with new construction following my last post in January. At the time what we were seeing in the industry were home builders struggling to make their numbers because longer lead times vs resale were hampering their ability to keep fidgety buyers watching rates rise under contract. Homes were being cancelled and people were backing out at alarming rates. So here I have to hand it to the builders. They saw where they had leverage and pounced in some pretty creative ways. Many builders have in house financing (NVR Mortgage and Ryan Homes for example) so some of them started doing things like aggressively offering free rate buy downs, or holding steady on pricing and offering deep incentives like hey sign now and you get 15k in free kitchen upgrades (at 2k cost to us). I saw home builders offering free trips to resorts to agents who brought them a buyer who signed on the dotted line. Commission offerings from builders went up. They pulled all the right levers and captured a lot of people who had been sitting on the sidelines through the winter. Some builders found that fairly mild price cuts were all you needed to do to get people through the door again. The builders just have leverage in ways traditional sellers either are unwilling to take advantage of or simply cannot compete with.
 
As promised here are some Deep Thoughts with our lord and savior of rva lending u/gracetw22 :

Just some quick thoughts for where I see mortgages moving:

1. After the most recent federal reserve meeting, Jerome Powell’s comments seemed to indicate that they were slowing down the rate of federal funds increases, and believes that the current amount of credit tightening is more than the current inflation data shows, so the fed intends to wait to see what the current changes cause before continuing on. The fed indicates to expect one additional rate increase this year and expects slightly lower rates next year. This does NOT directly impact your mortgage rate, but it does tend to follow similar patterns to what DOES impact your mortgage rate. Love to hear it.
   
2. Getting MUCH less press but what will be MUCH more impactful to your mortgage rate is the strong stance the federal government is taking in policy as it pertains to mortgages. Remember, the only reason that a 30 year fixed rate mortgage exists is BECAUSE of the secondary market for them and the government entities that manage that. Private loans that are not sold on these markets are historically 2-3% higher. The federal housing finance agency and house finance committees have made a number of decisions lately that signal the government is moving their policy on mortgages away from a risk based model: the riskier the loan, the more expensive, and more toward a social service type model: the less help you need from us, the more expensive. As of right now, someone making less than 80% of the area median income is getting the same rate that someone with an 800 score and 50% down would receive REGARDLESS of credit score, down payment, property type, etc. Someone with a 740 score who makes over that 80% limit is paying a higher rate comparatively than they were 2 months ago. More detail here: https://www.reddit.com/RealEstate/comments/10kc155/new_loan_level_pricing_adjustments_fo Where do I see that going? Higher earners are going to increasingly have the best available rates from banks that are lending their own money or brokers that run with very minimal overhead.
   

 
So that’s a wrap. If you made it this far thank you very much for your time an attention. I hope this was an entertaining and informative read. I’ll answer questions where I can and you all can advocate about how we should line 95 with the crucified bodies of would-be carpetbaggers from NOVA pricing everyone out of the market. You can howl into the nothing about how we need zoning changes and higher density residential construction. Housing bears feel free to doom-say away and everyone who hates real estate agents get in line behind me because you don't hate them more than I do.