High noon black cherry near me
skyrim intro memes
2017.01.19 20:48 Cheerful_Toe skyrim intro memes
it's memes from the skyrim intro
2022.07.29 09:44 Three_Purple_Scarabs Wandering in Darkness
The Reddit home of the works of Three Purple Scarabs (aka Xepera maSet aka Sa-ma-Bemen)
2023.03.30 07:40 adamAlexanderGreen Docter Strange 3; Midnight Sun
Doctor Strange; Midnight Sun as a Romance and Pre-Apocalyptic Horror adventure into The Dark Dimension.
As Incursions begin to ripple throughout Several Universes, Strange & Clea must form a reluctant group of Supernatural Heroes to stop Dormammu’s Dark Dimension from colliding into his Universe.
The Midnight Sun’s comprised of Elsa BloodStone, The Daywalker Blade, Man Thing, Werewolf By Night and Ghost Rider. This Supernatural team is forced to get along to prevent an apocalypse after each of them have the same vision. Mordo also receives these Future incursions visions, while he continues to hunt Covens across America.
-Strange Learns that his time loop on Dormmau has stop following the events of Loki. Clea Believes it is strange’s fault after she has visions of her variants dying. The two Sorcerers have a Romantic Comedy adventure as they work on spells to stop the incoming incursion events.
-The Midnight Suns begin to assemble as Strange realizes they are the Key to fixing this Phenomena. Following the destruction of the Darkhold, Vampires have become more Prevalent and feral. Elsa Bloodstone & Blade are thrown into action as they eradicate the Vamps.
-Dormammu begins sending interdemisnional Black plagues via Mindless Ones into earth in hopes to destroy Earth-616 before it’s inevitable collision with theirs. Strange & Clea Relationship blossoms after they peer into a universe where strange’s sister survives and becomes The Sorcerer Supreme, But Stephan Dies a tragic death.
-Man-Thing & Werewolf by night Join Elsa & Blade’s battle against the Vampires and Dormammu’s Black plague carrying Mindless Zombies. After the Massive Battle, they learn that they all have the same vision and purpose. Mordo, enhanced by several Coven magic spells attacks them. Siphoning Elsa’s Bloodstone, making him immune to the toxic black plague battlefield. As the fight develops, Mordor’s Magic overwhelms them. Man-thing touches the bloodstone, cracking a rift into the multiverse. Out of the portal is Ghost Rider. Ghost Rider uses Penace Stare to defeat Mordo.
-Strange & Clea fight begins against Strange’s Sister Supreme. after learning she is possessed by Dormmau acolytes. Inside of this Dark universe’s sanctum are Avenger based Weaponry that Strange use’s in his fight. A Hawkeye Asgardian Bow & Arrow, Ultron-Buster Ironman Suit, and a Black Widow electric lightsaber. After the magical duel, Clea kills the variant in a horror stylized way. Strange and Clea continue thier adventure out of the Dark dimension universe and back to earth.
-The Midnight Sun’s argue about who should lead them, and how to stop the incursion. Blade & Elsa just want to get the job done so they can go on with thier reclusive lives. Werewolf & Man-thing is more humane and sympathetic about the situation. Ghost Rider takes charge a whips open a portal, leading them to the Sanctum in New York. Telling them he is aware of Docter Strange and he may be the only Avenger who could understand the visions.
-wong meets the Midnight Suns and learns of all the events that transpired. He comically tries to diagnose them and expose thier personality traits. Elsa’s skin is nearly invulnerable after the bloodstone broke. Man-Thing is revealed to be the nexus being, like the Scarlet witch. Strange & Clea arrive and warn the new team of Dourmammu continuing Assault and the incursion.
-the 3rd act is the culmination of Dormammu’s agents of “Apocalypse” vs. the Midnight Sun’. These agents are high mystical supernatural entities, in the form of each of the Midnight sun’s greatest fear. Strange places all the members in a mirror dimension to fight. Clea tries to sacrifice herself to stop her father from entering the main universe, Strange uses Crismon bands of Cyttorak to hold Clea from falling into the universe collision. Giving him an idea on how to stop a incursion. Steering it! The same thing that caused his accident to become Docter strange. Summoning all of the Midnight sun’s remaining magic, he steers the Dark Dimension & Dormmau onto another plane of existence. Essentially erasing it out of this reality physically. Clea and Strange romance ends the sequence
-1st Post credit Scene is Nico Minoru from Hulu’s Runaways watching the World Turn Black & White
-2nd Post credit scene Mordo is in a ambulance after reports that he is having a suicidal episode. The world turns black and grey. He believes he is dead, but a Haitian paramedic tells him he was only sleeping. This Medic is Brother Voodoo.
submitted by adamAlexanderGreen to marvelstudios [link] [comments]
As Incursions begin to ripple throughout Several Universes, Strange & Clea must form a reluctant group of Supernatural Heroes to stop Dormammu’s Dark Dimension from colliding into his Universe.
The Midnight Sun’s comprised of Elsa BloodStone, The Daywalker Blade, Man Thing, Werewolf By Night and Ghost Rider. This Supernatural team is forced to get along to prevent an apocalypse after each of them have the same vision. Mordo also receives these Future incursions visions, while he continues to hunt Covens across America.
-Strange Learns that his time loop on Dormmau has stop following the events of Loki. Clea Believes it is strange’s fault after she has visions of her variants dying. The two Sorcerers have a Romantic Comedy adventure as they work on spells to stop the incoming incursion events.
-The Midnight Suns begin to assemble as Strange realizes they are the Key to fixing this Phenomena. Following the destruction of the Darkhold, Vampires have become more Prevalent and feral. Elsa Bloodstone & Blade are thrown into action as they eradicate the Vamps.
-Dormammu begins sending interdemisnional Black plagues via Mindless Ones into earth in hopes to destroy Earth-616 before it’s inevitable collision with theirs. Strange & Clea Relationship blossoms after they peer into a universe where strange’s sister survives and becomes The Sorcerer Supreme, But Stephan Dies a tragic death.
-Man-Thing & Werewolf by night Join Elsa & Blade’s battle against the Vampires and Dormammu’s Black plague carrying Mindless Zombies. After the Massive Battle, they learn that they all have the same vision and purpose. Mordo, enhanced by several Coven magic spells attacks them. Siphoning Elsa’s Bloodstone, making him immune to the toxic black plague battlefield. As the fight develops, Mordor’s Magic overwhelms them. Man-thing touches the bloodstone, cracking a rift into the multiverse. Out of the portal is Ghost Rider. Ghost Rider uses Penace Stare to defeat Mordo.
-Strange & Clea fight begins against Strange’s Sister Supreme. after learning she is possessed by Dormmau acolytes. Inside of this Dark universe’s sanctum are Avenger based Weaponry that Strange use’s in his fight. A Hawkeye Asgardian Bow & Arrow, Ultron-Buster Ironman Suit, and a Black Widow electric lightsaber. After the magical duel, Clea kills the variant in a horror stylized way. Strange and Clea continue thier adventure out of the Dark dimension universe and back to earth.
-The Midnight Sun’s argue about who should lead them, and how to stop the incursion. Blade & Elsa just want to get the job done so they can go on with thier reclusive lives. Werewolf & Man-thing is more humane and sympathetic about the situation. Ghost Rider takes charge a whips open a portal, leading them to the Sanctum in New York. Telling them he is aware of Docter Strange and he may be the only Avenger who could understand the visions.
-wong meets the Midnight Suns and learns of all the events that transpired. He comically tries to diagnose them and expose thier personality traits. Elsa’s skin is nearly invulnerable after the bloodstone broke. Man-Thing is revealed to be the nexus being, like the Scarlet witch. Strange & Clea arrive and warn the new team of Dourmammu continuing Assault and the incursion.
-the 3rd act is the culmination of Dormammu’s agents of “Apocalypse” vs. the Midnight Sun’. These agents are high mystical supernatural entities, in the form of each of the Midnight sun’s greatest fear. Strange places all the members in a mirror dimension to fight. Clea tries to sacrifice herself to stop her father from entering the main universe, Strange uses Crismon bands of Cyttorak to hold Clea from falling into the universe collision. Giving him an idea on how to stop a incursion. Steering it! The same thing that caused his accident to become Docter strange. Summoning all of the Midnight sun’s remaining magic, he steers the Dark Dimension & Dormmau onto another plane of existence. Essentially erasing it out of this reality physically. Clea and Strange romance ends the sequence
- the Midnight suns are recovering from thier fights when Man-thing is suddenly eviscerated. The entire world turns black and white. And standing above Man-things ashes is Kang.
-1st Post credit Scene is Nico Minoru from Hulu’s Runaways watching the World Turn Black & White
-2nd Post credit scene Mordo is in a ambulance after reports that he is having a suicidal episode. The world turns black and grey. He believes he is dead, but a Haitian paramedic tells him he was only sleeping. This Medic is Brother Voodoo.
2023.03.30 07:39 Downeaster1981 What is your career K/DR and Career Damage and why do you think you’re bad?
I play with a couple of sweaty friends who think THEY are bad and I’m very casual and I am nowhere near their level but I think I’m average and I try to tell them they’re actually a little above average because they think I’m really bad (they still play with me because I’m chill and they just carry me lol). My K/DR varies between .7 and .8 and theirs are high 1’s and almost 2’s. I think my highest kills in one game was 12 and highest damage in one game was 2,080.
So, tell me - what’s your K/DR? I feel like “average” casuals rest somewhere around .5-.9 while above average is higher. If we play on firing range I can still kill them because I’m not constantly getting shot in the back or third partied but I’d say they definitely have better aim, movement, and situational awareness than I do. I also have TERRIBLE CoD timing luck.
submitted by Downeaster1981 to apexlegends [link] [comments]
So, tell me - what’s your K/DR? I feel like “average” casuals rest somewhere around .5-.9 while above average is higher. If we play on firing range I can still kill them because I’m not constantly getting shot in the back or third partied but I’d say they definitely have better aim, movement, and situational awareness than I do. I also have TERRIBLE CoD timing luck.
2023.03.30 07:37 duskinthegreen How Many People Are In The Room?
That was the first thing Stella asked me as she settled in at the table.
I looked around the diner. It was two in the morning. The place was mostly empty.
“What do you mean?”
“How many people are in here right now? Besides us,” she said.
“Maybe five, six,” I replied.
Stella’s lips trembled. “How many people are in the room exactly?”
She was terrified.
I counted. The waiter, the old man staring into a bowl of soup by the door, the two young women coming down from a night of partying over pancakes, the guy in a ballcap trying to cut through his overcooked steak, and the middle-aged woman in a pea-green overcoat.
“Six,” I said. “Six people.”
Stella instantly relaxed. “Thank you.”
Stella and I hadn’t seen each other in five months. I was in school out of state and was home for the summer. Stella had gotten into a good university but her sister, Anne, had died in a car wreck two weeks before she went off to school. The death hit her hard. Real hard.
I wasn’t sure why she’d called me. I doubted it was to catch up and it certainly wasn’t to party. Stella knew I abstained from everything. For me, that decision was the end result of being raised by verbally abusive alcoholics and knowing the genetic odds.
Stella looked rough. Not strung out but existentially exhausted. There were scars on her hands, bruises mottling her tattooed forearms, and some unusual scarification marks on her neck. Two of them, they looked like clumsy Zs but reversed as if done in a mirror.
Stella’s friend Cory had dropped her off at the diner about thirty minutes before I'd gotten there. I didn’t know him well but what I did know, I didn’t like.
“So, how’re you holding up?” I asked.
Stella didn’t answer.
The waiter appeared and Stella looked him over cautiously before she ordered a black coffee and a slice of blueberry pie.
I got a hot tea and a side of fries, though I wasn’t exactly hungry.
We sat in uncomfortable silence for a few minutes before Stella, staring down at her hands, asked, “What’s the worst thing you ever did?”
I shrugged, said, “Lied to people. Lied to get out of things. Mostly to my friends, in high school. But I’ve changed. I don’t do that anymore. Oh, I also shoplifted once. A pair of socks.”
Stella laughed.
That’s when the waiter reappeared with our drinks and food. Stella jumped. Her eyes wide. Face flushed. The other people in the diner turned and looked but did nothing.
“You alright?” The waiter asked, weirded out.
Taking a deep breath, Stella slowly sat back down.
“Yeah, sorry,” she said. “I just… just it’s been a long night.”
The waiter shook his head as he put the stuff down. When he left, Stella sipped her coffee and then she looked over the mug at me, her eyes tearing.
“I did the worst thing you can do. I tried to kill someone.”
I wasn’t sure I heard her correctly.
“What?”
Stella nodded; eyes locked on mine. “A jogger. Cory and me hit him with the car.”
“Oh my God. When did this—”
“On my way here.”
The blood drained from my face.
“We should call the cops. He could still be there, hurt and—"
“Don’t bother,” she interrupted, “we went back and checked on him. There was no jogger.”
“What’s that fucking mean?”
I was starting to lose it.
“Please don’t start playing games with me,” I said. “I don’t want to hear this sort of bullshit.”
“Isn’t bullshit,” Stella replied. “Ask Cory.”
I didn’t want to call Cory.
Stella said, “I didn’t actually see the jogger. Cory did. That’s how I knew. So, I asked him exactly where the man was and I grabbed the wheel and Cory screamed at me as I made the car slam into the guy. Sent him flying. Like it mattered. Cory hit the brakes hard. He was losing it, talking about going to prison and his life being over. But I told him not to worry. That pissed him off something bad. When he got out of the car to go help the jogger, he just froze up, because there was no one there. Road was empty. Me, I expected that.”
She took another sip of coffee and poked at the slice of pie with her fork, stabbing the crust and examining the blue-tinged tines in the dull fluorescent light.
“See, it can look just like a person. Could be any age. Dressed any sort of way. It talks like a person. Eats, drinks, does all the regular sorts of things people do. Doesn’t exactly sound threatening, I know, but wait for the twist: I can’t see it. This thing pretending to be a person, it’s invisible to me. But you, you and everyone else… you can see it.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about…” And I didn’t.
Stella finally looked up at me.
“Two weeks ago, we were tripping. Me and Cory and this woman named Genevieve. She was the guide. This was at Cory’s house, on the deck. We dropped N-Bomb, that synthetic MDMA stuff. We’d been using hallucinogens and trying to explore an inner mental space. Tripping together, sharing the same imagery. It’s crazy how, if you’re in sync, like emotionally and mentally, you can basically travel together. I know how it sounds; I do. But… it was really working for us. We were… I’d guess you’d describe it something like astral traveling. We’d built this architecture, this city, in our minds and then explored it. Mostly it was made of shifting, beautiful buildings. Structures that rose over us like mountain ranges. And, uh, in this mental city, that’s where we came across it.”
The diner door chimed as the two young women having pancakes left.
Stella watched them go, then turned back to me.
I didn’t need an explanation.
“There are four people in here now,” I said.
She nodded, sipped more coffee, and then continued.
“Well, this night, we traveled deeper into the city than we’d ever been before. We ended up in a tower. Had a spiral staircase. We all went up to the top floor and found a locked door –”
“You’re all seeing the same thing?” I interrupted, not buying the experience.
“Yes,” Stella’s demeanor had intensified, the twitchiness melted away. “We all saw it.”
“OK.”
“So, we get to this door. It’s a metal door. Dented, but from the inside. Bulging out. Like someone was kicking the door, trying to smash it down. Genevieve, she got scared. Told us to not open that door. To stay far away from it. She said a voyager was on the other side.”
“Voyager?”
“That’s what Genevieve called it. Being a guide, she knew the sort of constructions we were exploring. She’d seen doors like this one. And she’d been warned about the voyagers. The way she told it, they were like us… explorers in inner space but not from our reality. From another one. A bad one. But long story short, I opened the door.”
“Why would you do that?”
Stella stirred her coffee, lost in thought for a second.
As she did, one of the cooks quietly came out from the kitchen and sat at the counter. He flicked through a newspaper someone had left and glanced over at me. He nodded, gave a little smile. I wondered if he’d made the fries I wasn’t eating.
“After Cory and Genevieve drifted away,” Stella continued, still staring at her drink, “I heard a voice on the other side of the door. My sister’s voice. She was begging. Pleading with me to let her out. I swear it was her. So, I opened that metal door.”
Feeling the stare of the cook, I ate a few of the fries. They were cold, soggy.
“What happened?” I asked Stella.
“When I opened it, something suddenly brushed past me. Something clammy, cold. It touched me, very briefly. There was pain…” Stella unconsciously motioned to the Z scars on her neck, then continued. “Anyway, there wasn’t a room on the other side of the door. Just a void. A deep emptiness. When the trip was over, I immediately felt a change. I felt… like I was being watched. The whole rest of that night, the next day, the next week, something was following me. A shadow. A presence. And I knew, I just deep in my gut knew, that if it caught up with me, if it touched me again, I would die.”
She kept stabbing at her slice of pie. Breaking the crust, letting the congealed blueberries slowly tumble out in a little landslide of jelly.
“You told me that you can’t see this thing, Stella.”
The door to the diner opened and two men in work overalls walked in, each holding a hard hat. Their clothes dusty. Stella suddenly straightened in her chair.
“Two men just walked into the diner, right?”
I nodded. “Yeah, just those two guys.”
Stella settled.
“Why me?” I asked. “Why did you want to meet? To tell me this?”
Stella smiled. First time she’d done that all night. “Because I knew you’d believe me.”
I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly, impossibly dry.
“You’ve been a good friend,” Stella blinked away welling emotion. “In high school, when things got bad. With… with boyfriends or assholes, you were the one I could confide in. The one that trusted me. The one that, no matter what I did, no matter how stupid it was… you were there for me. A shoulder to cry on, a hand to hold…”
And she reached across the table and took my hand.
Squeezed it. Tight.
Truth was, I’d had a crush on Stella most of high school. She was a friend, for sure. And, for a while, a good friend. I liked being that rock for her. But I’d always hoped for more. Like most friendships, it began with a one-sided attraction. Mine. And even though I hadn’t seen her in half a year, those feelings remained. Dormant but there. Waiting to be awakened.
As Stella held my hand and smiled, I noticed… I felt, her fingernail tracing something on the inside of my palm. At first slight, just a little pressure. Only, it got sharper until—
“Ouch. Shit!”
I pulled my hand away to find Stella had cut me. She’d sliced a shape with her sharp pinkie nail into my skin. It was a backward letter Z. Like the ones on her neck. A ribbon of blood began to well up from the center of the small cut.
“What the hell, Stella?”
She just shook her head and stood up, backing away from the table, repeating over and over, “I’m sorry… I’m sorry… I had to, OK? I had to…”
“Had to what? Hurt me?” I was furious, confused.
Everyone in the diner turned to watch us. Only the cook got up from his place at the counter and walked over, eager to lend a hand.
I waved him away. “It’s OK. I got it under control.”
That was when Stella broke, her voice barely a whisper, “What?”
“I told him I got it.”
She went pale. “WHO?! Who’d you tell?”
“The cook!” I yelled. “He’s just trying to help you.”
“THERE IS NO COOK! No one’s there!”
Stella began shrieking, scrambling backward. She slammed into a nearby table. Chairs fell over. Silverware scattered.
“No, no!” she yelled. “No one’s there!”
The cook kneeled down beside Stella and, for a split second, bewildered as I was, I honestly thought he was going to help her up.
He didn’t.
Instead, he leaned in close to her. She was crying and shaking and clearly couldn’t see him. The cook turned to me, nodded with a sick grin, and then opened his mouth wide to reveal jumbled, bloody gums filled with jagged teeth.
He tore her throat out with a single bite.
And as Stella’s blood pumped out across the linoleum flooring, the cook vanished. Not a slow fade. Not dissolving into mist. Just there one second and gone the next.
Someone screamed, I think it was the woman in the pea-green overcoat.
Afterward, when the cops came, a story emerged. All the other people in the diner that night, they said Stella cut her own throat with a knife. Where she got the knife from and where it went, they didn’t know.
They also said that the cook had tried to help her. That he attempted to close the wound and save her life. The cops couldn’t find him after the EMTs got there. When I went back to the diner the next day to ask about what happened, the waiter claimed they didn’t even have a cook who resembled the man I described. The man I saw.
It was as if, after Stella’s death, all the details of her demise began to unravel. Like the universe was erasing her from existence entirely.
And now, the voyager – whatever it is – has come for me.
It’s been five days since Stella died in that diner.
Five days I’ve been haunted and hunted. I tracked down Cory and he led me to Genevieve. She told me what fate awaited me. According to her, voyagers use the symbol – the backward Zs that were on Stella’s neck, the one she scratched into my flesh – to track their victims down.
Stella, I guess she thought she could trick the voyager into taking me instead of her.
It didn’t work.
And now she’s doomed me.
It’s just a matter of time before there’s an extra person, a person I can’t see, sitting across from me on a bus or walking behind me on the street.
Right now, I’m in my bedroom at my parent’s house.
I haven’t left in forty-eight hours and they’re getting worried about me. They’d heard I lost a friend – though they can’t seem to recall anyone named Stella going to high school with me – and so they’re being compassionate and letting me stay cooped up.
But they’ve told me I’ve had visitors. Folks stopping by unannounced. Folks who, when I crane my neck out my window to catch a glimpse of them standing on the porch, aren’t there at all. Just my parents talking, gesturing, into empty space.
I’m going to have to leave this room eventually.
That or my parents will get worried enough that they’ll have me helped out, likely to the hospital. And when I get there, I’ll be asking the same questions Stella did.
How many people are in here right now?
How many exactly?
submitted by duskinthegreen to nosleep [link] [comments]
I looked around the diner. It was two in the morning. The place was mostly empty.
“What do you mean?”
“How many people are in here right now? Besides us,” she said.
“Maybe five, six,” I replied.
Stella’s lips trembled. “How many people are in the room exactly?”
She was terrified.
I counted. The waiter, the old man staring into a bowl of soup by the door, the two young women coming down from a night of partying over pancakes, the guy in a ballcap trying to cut through his overcooked steak, and the middle-aged woman in a pea-green overcoat.
“Six,” I said. “Six people.”
Stella instantly relaxed. “Thank you.”
Stella and I hadn’t seen each other in five months. I was in school out of state and was home for the summer. Stella had gotten into a good university but her sister, Anne, had died in a car wreck two weeks before she went off to school. The death hit her hard. Real hard.
I wasn’t sure why she’d called me. I doubted it was to catch up and it certainly wasn’t to party. Stella knew I abstained from everything. For me, that decision was the end result of being raised by verbally abusive alcoholics and knowing the genetic odds.
Stella looked rough. Not strung out but existentially exhausted. There were scars on her hands, bruises mottling her tattooed forearms, and some unusual scarification marks on her neck. Two of them, they looked like clumsy Zs but reversed as if done in a mirror.
Stella’s friend Cory had dropped her off at the diner about thirty minutes before I'd gotten there. I didn’t know him well but what I did know, I didn’t like.
“So, how’re you holding up?” I asked.
Stella didn’t answer.
The waiter appeared and Stella looked him over cautiously before she ordered a black coffee and a slice of blueberry pie.
I got a hot tea and a side of fries, though I wasn’t exactly hungry.
We sat in uncomfortable silence for a few minutes before Stella, staring down at her hands, asked, “What’s the worst thing you ever did?”
I shrugged, said, “Lied to people. Lied to get out of things. Mostly to my friends, in high school. But I’ve changed. I don’t do that anymore. Oh, I also shoplifted once. A pair of socks.”
Stella laughed.
That’s when the waiter reappeared with our drinks and food. Stella jumped. Her eyes wide. Face flushed. The other people in the diner turned and looked but did nothing.
“You alright?” The waiter asked, weirded out.
Taking a deep breath, Stella slowly sat back down.
“Yeah, sorry,” she said. “I just… just it’s been a long night.”
The waiter shook his head as he put the stuff down. When he left, Stella sipped her coffee and then she looked over the mug at me, her eyes tearing.
“I did the worst thing you can do. I tried to kill someone.”
I wasn’t sure I heard her correctly.
“What?”
Stella nodded; eyes locked on mine. “A jogger. Cory and me hit him with the car.”
“Oh my God. When did this—”
“On my way here.”
The blood drained from my face.
“We should call the cops. He could still be there, hurt and—"
“Don’t bother,” she interrupted, “we went back and checked on him. There was no jogger.”
“What’s that fucking mean?”
I was starting to lose it.
“Please don’t start playing games with me,” I said. “I don’t want to hear this sort of bullshit.”
“Isn’t bullshit,” Stella replied. “Ask Cory.”
I didn’t want to call Cory.
Stella said, “I didn’t actually see the jogger. Cory did. That’s how I knew. So, I asked him exactly where the man was and I grabbed the wheel and Cory screamed at me as I made the car slam into the guy. Sent him flying. Like it mattered. Cory hit the brakes hard. He was losing it, talking about going to prison and his life being over. But I told him not to worry. That pissed him off something bad. When he got out of the car to go help the jogger, he just froze up, because there was no one there. Road was empty. Me, I expected that.”
She took another sip of coffee and poked at the slice of pie with her fork, stabbing the crust and examining the blue-tinged tines in the dull fluorescent light.
“See, it can look just like a person. Could be any age. Dressed any sort of way. It talks like a person. Eats, drinks, does all the regular sorts of things people do. Doesn’t exactly sound threatening, I know, but wait for the twist: I can’t see it. This thing pretending to be a person, it’s invisible to me. But you, you and everyone else… you can see it.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about…” And I didn’t.
Stella finally looked up at me.
“Two weeks ago, we were tripping. Me and Cory and this woman named Genevieve. She was the guide. This was at Cory’s house, on the deck. We dropped N-Bomb, that synthetic MDMA stuff. We’d been using hallucinogens and trying to explore an inner mental space. Tripping together, sharing the same imagery. It’s crazy how, if you’re in sync, like emotionally and mentally, you can basically travel together. I know how it sounds; I do. But… it was really working for us. We were… I’d guess you’d describe it something like astral traveling. We’d built this architecture, this city, in our minds and then explored it. Mostly it was made of shifting, beautiful buildings. Structures that rose over us like mountain ranges. And, uh, in this mental city, that’s where we came across it.”
The diner door chimed as the two young women having pancakes left.
Stella watched them go, then turned back to me.
I didn’t need an explanation.
“There are four people in here now,” I said.
She nodded, sipped more coffee, and then continued.
“Well, this night, we traveled deeper into the city than we’d ever been before. We ended up in a tower. Had a spiral staircase. We all went up to the top floor and found a locked door –”
“You’re all seeing the same thing?” I interrupted, not buying the experience.
“Yes,” Stella’s demeanor had intensified, the twitchiness melted away. “We all saw it.”
“OK.”
“So, we get to this door. It’s a metal door. Dented, but from the inside. Bulging out. Like someone was kicking the door, trying to smash it down. Genevieve, she got scared. Told us to not open that door. To stay far away from it. She said a voyager was on the other side.”
“Voyager?”
“That’s what Genevieve called it. Being a guide, she knew the sort of constructions we were exploring. She’d seen doors like this one. And she’d been warned about the voyagers. The way she told it, they were like us… explorers in inner space but not from our reality. From another one. A bad one. But long story short, I opened the door.”
“Why would you do that?”
Stella stirred her coffee, lost in thought for a second.
As she did, one of the cooks quietly came out from the kitchen and sat at the counter. He flicked through a newspaper someone had left and glanced over at me. He nodded, gave a little smile. I wondered if he’d made the fries I wasn’t eating.
“After Cory and Genevieve drifted away,” Stella continued, still staring at her drink, “I heard a voice on the other side of the door. My sister’s voice. She was begging. Pleading with me to let her out. I swear it was her. So, I opened that metal door.”
Feeling the stare of the cook, I ate a few of the fries. They were cold, soggy.
“What happened?” I asked Stella.
“When I opened it, something suddenly brushed past me. Something clammy, cold. It touched me, very briefly. There was pain…” Stella unconsciously motioned to the Z scars on her neck, then continued. “Anyway, there wasn’t a room on the other side of the door. Just a void. A deep emptiness. When the trip was over, I immediately felt a change. I felt… like I was being watched. The whole rest of that night, the next day, the next week, something was following me. A shadow. A presence. And I knew, I just deep in my gut knew, that if it caught up with me, if it touched me again, I would die.”
She kept stabbing at her slice of pie. Breaking the crust, letting the congealed blueberries slowly tumble out in a little landslide of jelly.
“You told me that you can’t see this thing, Stella.”
The door to the diner opened and two men in work overalls walked in, each holding a hard hat. Their clothes dusty. Stella suddenly straightened in her chair.
“Two men just walked into the diner, right?”
I nodded. “Yeah, just those two guys.”
Stella settled.
“Why me?” I asked. “Why did you want to meet? To tell me this?”
Stella smiled. First time she’d done that all night. “Because I knew you’d believe me.”
I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly, impossibly dry.
“You’ve been a good friend,” Stella blinked away welling emotion. “In high school, when things got bad. With… with boyfriends or assholes, you were the one I could confide in. The one that trusted me. The one that, no matter what I did, no matter how stupid it was… you were there for me. A shoulder to cry on, a hand to hold…”
And she reached across the table and took my hand.
Squeezed it. Tight.
Truth was, I’d had a crush on Stella most of high school. She was a friend, for sure. And, for a while, a good friend. I liked being that rock for her. But I’d always hoped for more. Like most friendships, it began with a one-sided attraction. Mine. And even though I hadn’t seen her in half a year, those feelings remained. Dormant but there. Waiting to be awakened.
As Stella held my hand and smiled, I noticed… I felt, her fingernail tracing something on the inside of my palm. At first slight, just a little pressure. Only, it got sharper until—
“Ouch. Shit!”
I pulled my hand away to find Stella had cut me. She’d sliced a shape with her sharp pinkie nail into my skin. It was a backward letter Z. Like the ones on her neck. A ribbon of blood began to well up from the center of the small cut.
“What the hell, Stella?”
She just shook her head and stood up, backing away from the table, repeating over and over, “I’m sorry… I’m sorry… I had to, OK? I had to…”
“Had to what? Hurt me?” I was furious, confused.
Everyone in the diner turned to watch us. Only the cook got up from his place at the counter and walked over, eager to lend a hand.
I waved him away. “It’s OK. I got it under control.”
That was when Stella broke, her voice barely a whisper, “What?”
“I told him I got it.”
She went pale. “WHO?! Who’d you tell?”
“The cook!” I yelled. “He’s just trying to help you.”
“THERE IS NO COOK! No one’s there!”
Stella began shrieking, scrambling backward. She slammed into a nearby table. Chairs fell over. Silverware scattered.
“No, no!” she yelled. “No one’s there!”
The cook kneeled down beside Stella and, for a split second, bewildered as I was, I honestly thought he was going to help her up.
He didn’t.
Instead, he leaned in close to her. She was crying and shaking and clearly couldn’t see him. The cook turned to me, nodded with a sick grin, and then opened his mouth wide to reveal jumbled, bloody gums filled with jagged teeth.
He tore her throat out with a single bite.
And as Stella’s blood pumped out across the linoleum flooring, the cook vanished. Not a slow fade. Not dissolving into mist. Just there one second and gone the next.
Someone screamed, I think it was the woman in the pea-green overcoat.
Afterward, when the cops came, a story emerged. All the other people in the diner that night, they said Stella cut her own throat with a knife. Where she got the knife from and where it went, they didn’t know.
They also said that the cook had tried to help her. That he attempted to close the wound and save her life. The cops couldn’t find him after the EMTs got there. When I went back to the diner the next day to ask about what happened, the waiter claimed they didn’t even have a cook who resembled the man I described. The man I saw.
It was as if, after Stella’s death, all the details of her demise began to unravel. Like the universe was erasing her from existence entirely.
And now, the voyager – whatever it is – has come for me.
It’s been five days since Stella died in that diner.
Five days I’ve been haunted and hunted. I tracked down Cory and he led me to Genevieve. She told me what fate awaited me. According to her, voyagers use the symbol – the backward Zs that were on Stella’s neck, the one she scratched into my flesh – to track their victims down.
Stella, I guess she thought she could trick the voyager into taking me instead of her.
It didn’t work.
And now she’s doomed me.
It’s just a matter of time before there’s an extra person, a person I can’t see, sitting across from me on a bus or walking behind me on the street.
Right now, I’m in my bedroom at my parent’s house.
I haven’t left in forty-eight hours and they’re getting worried about me. They’d heard I lost a friend – though they can’t seem to recall anyone named Stella going to high school with me – and so they’re being compassionate and letting me stay cooped up.
But they’ve told me I’ve had visitors. Folks stopping by unannounced. Folks who, when I crane my neck out my window to catch a glimpse of them standing on the porch, aren’t there at all. Just my parents talking, gesturing, into empty space.
I’m going to have to leave this room eventually.
That or my parents will get worried enough that they’ll have me helped out, likely to the hospital. And when I get there, I’ll be asking the same questions Stella did.
How many people are in here right now?
How many exactly?
2023.03.30 07:27 LurkingAccountOnly Why I am an awful person who deserves nothing good, and everyone's previous reassurance here is invalid (DO NOT DO THIS THIS TIME)
Do not provide support, I will reject it. Mods, please remove all restrictions on negative comments solely for this post.
So, I made a previous post here explaining why I suck for retroactive reasons, but I'm going to explain why everyone's reassurance there is completely invalid, since it's blatantly obvious I'm still a piece of crap today. I carefully (and probably secretly self-servingly) omitted all my current shitty behaviour in the last post:
And regardless, I still did it in the past, and still created piles of consequences for other people which many still deal with today. In some cases it's absurdly serious - like my Mom still has mental and neurological health problems downstream of dealing with me as a kid (although she doesn't admit it), including LITERALLY HAVING STRESS-INDUCED MS AND LOSING PART OF HER VISION (she blames other things, but I've pieced the reason together - it's impossible to hide).
And I'm not looking for reassurance here, so DO NOT provide it, I WILL ignore it. I'm just shouting into the wind. Western society has become way more socially tolerant and understanding, so nothing kind anyone says to me can ever be trusted, since the impulse is now towards reassurance (which is awesome for humanity, but it leads to the mistaken notion that I deserve support too. 100% false, please don't).
Also, don't try to pull "you probably have undiagnosed level 1 autism," because 1. most level 1 autistic people didn't cause this level of hell for everyone around them (my son is, so I also see this first-hand); 2. It would've been detected at least once; and 3. I inexplicably seem to be well-liked now, which isn't common with level 1 autistics. And #3 doesn't mean jack-shit. Many secretly just like my wife. Others are just extra-kind people who tolerate my crap (my friends are all odd albeit lovely people). Still others are fooled by the constant acts of false kindness, memorized social skills, weird sense of humour (mostly just memorized social skills mixed with sharp edges I allow to peek through if I suspect it'll amuse people), and fake "competence." e.g. a friend once told me I'm "both the kindest and most annoying person they know, which makes [me] one of the most likable [to them]." That says it all. The "kindest" part is a lying facade I've convinced myself of to the point of feeling the associated emotions, so that part can be rejected, leaving just "most annoying" - i.e. the actual reality peeking through. So, again, don't reassure me. I've heard it all from the few people I've told this to (including from a really excellent therapist for 10 years) - I WILL reject it, because you will be wrong. If any of it were valid, I would not have been repeatedly and consistently told the opposite in eight consecutive separate environments, nor would I have destroyed my family's health with my behaviour. There's only one explanation for that.
submitted by LurkingAccountOnly to u/LurkingAccountOnly [link] [comments]
So, I made a previous post here explaining why I suck for retroactive reasons, but I'm going to explain why everyone's reassurance there is completely invalid, since it's blatantly obvious I'm still a piece of crap today. I carefully (and probably secretly self-servingly) omitted all my current shitty behaviour in the last post:
- I inherently suck at household labour. Badly. When my (for some weird reason) now-wife and I first moved in together, I dumped so much of it on her that she completely burned out and became depressed, and she lost all will to do just about anything.
- I gradually picked up tasks until there was an even split, including doing a time diary to ensure it. But this doesn't absolve shit-all. I should not have had to do this. Other people figure this shit out without having to go to such ridiculous lengths. I'm just inherently lazy and useless, and think throwing in some kind of gargantuan effort to do the BARE FUCKING MINIMUM makes it OK.
- I used to make the pathetic excuse of "oh it's ADHD, oh my Mom used to just follow us around cleaning up so we never learned, oh I'm trying my best." Bullshit. Other people have ADHD and overly accommodating parents and don't do this.
- Another fucking embarrassment: I used to work so much during the week that I wound up just collapsing and sleeping until noon on weekends, leaving the kids with my wife in the morning. My dumbass logic was "oh, I'm the sole earner [my son has autism, so it's hard to have 2 working parents in this situation], I need to make sure my income stays high enough to support all of us so my wife doesn't have to work, oh, the project is such a good cause that it's worth it." That's a load of crap, she was still doing more overall labour with this idiotic setup...and after previously burning her out too! I now force myself awake on weekends, inject sleep into during-the-day downtime like long builds, increase work efficiency using automation (I could've been working more efficiently, seriously), and eliminated most "time off to recharge" (lmao).
- But why the fuck did I have to figure this out instead of just doing it in the first place? Like, I ever thought this was OK? It doesn't fucking absolve it. It's an embarrassment to everyone, and an embarrassment to the family.
- On the topic of automation: I secretly fucking suck at my job. I compensate for it (and people think I'm awesome at my job because they don't know) using extensive automation...but I only have to do this because I'm so inherently incompetent that it's the only way to function. And I've pointed this out to non-colleagues (but not colleagues, since hurting my income would be a disaster for the family), and they seem to think the fact that I recognized this and automated things makes me good at my job. Bullshit. It means I inherently suck and live a lie by hiding it well. I reject this argument.
- It's great when other people automate of course, since it means they're trying to be better - it doesn't stem from incompetence. But in my case, I know full well it's just a cover-up for incompetence.
- I act entitled to everyone in the house's food, creating piles of work for my wife. I've gradually reduced the areas I consider "public food" to not produce mountains of work, but I STILL manage to fuck this up in any area where I don't forcibly establish precise rules for myself. And worse, initially I acted like if the food is in the house, it's mine, because I'm the one earning the money...y'know, as if domestic labour isn't labour. That's fucking financial abuse and totally degrading to stay-at-home parents everywhere.
- Like, seriously, why the fuck did I have to learn to respect other people's personal space? Like, OK, again, doing the bare fucking minimum and thinking that makes it OK. Like, if I were a decent person I wouldn't have had to figure this out, it would've been fucking obvious.
- I do get why some other people have this problem - it's generally their environment teaching them to be this way, and they don't know it. But I'm aware of this and always have been and still did it anyway (and still have some habits downstream of this), so that's no excuse whatsoever on my end.
- I used to lose my temper with my kids. I've managed to learn not to do this, but like...that doesn't mean I didn't do it, and it doesn't mean the tendency isn't there. This is - again - the bare fucking minimum, I shouldn't have to learn how to not do this. Other people figure this out out of the gate.
- And FTR I'm not going to judge other parents who have this problem, because you don't know what's going on in people's lives - there's always a reason. But in my case, I know what's going on, and I have absolutely no fucking excuse. I know what I'm like, so I know the reason is that I fucking suck.
- I used to make sexist and racist jokes and thought this was hilarious. My idiot logic was "lMaO iF eVeRyOnE mOcKs EvErYoNe...THAT'S EQUALITY!!!!1! LOLOLOLOL." Again, learned why this is the far opposite of true, but like...why the fuck did I have to learn such basic fucking decency? Only a garbage person has to do this.
- And in this case, yes, other people who do this are garbage too. I do applaud other people who changed, because you never know the reason they learned to be that way, but in my case, I know there's no fucking excuse. And I used to be a fascist in my late teens (not anymore...I'm now a leftist, but seriously, why would an ex-fascist be trustworthy? The tendency was there. And FTR none of my other statements here have any relationship to that - this is just more "undoing" behaviour on my part), so it's obvious where it stemmed from.
- I try to compensate for my inherent shittiness with excessive kindness, acts of service, and solely taking on jobs that benefit humanity, such as in public health and climate change mitigation research. Like, how lovely, an obnoxious virtue signaller with no actual virtue who makes other people feel like shit. Like, I can't stop doing it because I feel bad for other people's situations and worry about the future of humanity, but at the end of the day I'm just trying to make myself feel better. This is the bare fucking minimum.
- I do applaud it when other people do it of course, and it should be encouraged. But it sure AF isn't altruism when I do it, it's just some sort of obnoxious inability to not meddle like everything is my fucking business. And yes, it's usually appreciated. But it still stems from a place of being a total piece of shit. It's not like just "undoing" other crappy behaviour makes the crappy behaviour OK, it's just a way to try to convince myself I'm not a garbage person, which means it's not actual kindness at all - it's self-serving self-righteousness that I extensively cover up behaviourally with modesty. AND AGAIN, IT'S THE BARE FUCKING MINIMUM, and I should just inherently do kind things instead of have shit-ass behaviours I try to "undo" with it.
- In hyper-inflated egotistical moments where I don't feel crappy (as is fair), I think "oh, I'm doing more decent things than most people, therefore it's OK." Lmao what I shit argument. So if everyone around you murders 100s of people, and you only murder dozens you're somehow a good person? And I'm not saying anyone else is bad, because people are products of their environment and circumstances. But I know my own environment and circumstances, and know they're no fucking excuse in my case.
- I used to never ask if people are OK when they got hurt in mild ways. I learned to do it, but WTF, how the fuck was it not fucking obvious to me that that's BASIC FUCKING DECENCY? This is just the memorized behaviour of a piece of shit who acts out empathy so hard they convince themselves they actually feel it.
- I was severely bullied in EIGHT TOTALLY SEPARATE ENVIRONMENTS, with no connection to each other. Bullied in one? You're a victim. Bullied in two? You're unlucky. Three? Very unlucky. But bullied in EIGHT, one after another, with even teachers and admins unable to stop themselves from getting in on it? That doesn't happen to someone who doesn't deserve to hate themselves. You wouldn't be told you should over and over in one scenario after another, for years, by completely disconnected people, almost totally across-the-board if it wasn't true. 50 million Elvis fans can't be wrong. There'd have been breaks in it. There'd have been exceptions. I wouldn't have been repeatedly expelled. I wouldn't have been the consistent black sheep if it weren't rooted in truth. And looking at my past behaviour, I completely understand the reasoning.
- I was so impossible to tolerate that I was eventually tossed out of 3 separate public school systems, until the only option left was a private school that could only tolerate my shit-ass self by circumventing laws about physical punishment. It was fairly brutal (e.g. being forced to run around a track until you vomit), but I seriously don't blame them. I received it way more than anyone else there, so it's very clear why I was the target (if they inherently meant harm, they'd have done it to everyone. Plus it was a different time). It gave them a way to tolerate me - I'd probably be homeless or something today otherwise (which I really do deserve, but that'd suck resources away from other homeless people, who really do deserve homes).
- I'm not advocating physical punishment of course. Other kids don't deserve this. But I mean, can you really blame a place for it when dealing with someone who was such a piece of shit they couldn't be tolerated in SEVEN PREVIOUS ENVIRONMENTS? (the eighth was that school). I've literally never heard of any other kid with that. It's clear someone like that is creating their own environment.
- And again with the "learning" theme - it only ended (high school) because I memorized ways you're supposed to act, thus deeply burying my inherent true self (who still deserves everything he got - it'll always be who I am).
And regardless, I still did it in the past, and still created piles of consequences for other people which many still deal with today. In some cases it's absurdly serious - like my Mom still has mental and neurological health problems downstream of dealing with me as a kid (although she doesn't admit it), including LITERALLY HAVING STRESS-INDUCED MS AND LOSING PART OF HER VISION (she blames other things, but I've pieced the reason together - it's impossible to hide).
And I'm not looking for reassurance here, so DO NOT provide it, I WILL ignore it. I'm just shouting into the wind. Western society has become way more socially tolerant and understanding, so nothing kind anyone says to me can ever be trusted, since the impulse is now towards reassurance (which is awesome for humanity, but it leads to the mistaken notion that I deserve support too. 100% false, please don't).
Also, don't try to pull "you probably have undiagnosed level 1 autism," because 1. most level 1 autistic people didn't cause this level of hell for everyone around them (my son is, so I also see this first-hand); 2. It would've been detected at least once; and 3. I inexplicably seem to be well-liked now, which isn't common with level 1 autistics. And #3 doesn't mean jack-shit. Many secretly just like my wife. Others are just extra-kind people who tolerate my crap (my friends are all odd albeit lovely people). Still others are fooled by the constant acts of false kindness, memorized social skills, weird sense of humour (mostly just memorized social skills mixed with sharp edges I allow to peek through if I suspect it'll amuse people), and fake "competence." e.g. a friend once told me I'm "both the kindest and most annoying person they know, which makes [me] one of the most likable [to them]." That says it all. The "kindest" part is a lying facade I've convinced myself of to the point of feeling the associated emotions, so that part can be rejected, leaving just "most annoying" - i.e. the actual reality peeking through. So, again, don't reassure me. I've heard it all from the few people I've told this to (including from a really excellent therapist for 10 years) - I WILL reject it, because you will be wrong. If any of it were valid, I would not have been repeatedly and consistently told the opposite in eight consecutive separate environments, nor would I have destroyed my family's health with my behaviour. There's only one explanation for that.
2023.03.30 07:26 toastymctoast10 New World Blues Ch 30: For all we know
?????, ???????, Griffion territory
March 23rd, 2291
The Slepnir trotted down the destroyed snow-covered highway slowly.
"So a guy throws a ball at a guy holding a bat and the guy with the bat's job is to hit the ball out of the stadium?"
"Yes, that's called a home run."
"And that lets everyone standing on the bases run to home for free?"
"Yep, how did you never hear about baseball?
"Locked in a test chamber remember."
"Well yeah but still, I figured the scientists would mention it."
"It sounds fun, you should take me to a game when we get back."
"That's a promise, as long as you root for the Boneyard bashers."
"Who?"
"Nevermind. Listen I say we rest here for the night pick up in the morning."
Frank nudged the horse slightly and soon began to slowly lead it off the highway to a broken-down home.
"Which room do you want?"
"I'll take a top-floor one. Hopefully, there's a bed, unlike the last one."
Wendy hopped off the horse as Frank lifted open a garage door.
"Got any potatoes left?"
"Yeah let me grab it."
Wendy took her backpack off and reached inside. As she did Frank took the horse inside and left it unhitched.
"Last one."
"Well...it's fine give it to Unica...I hate that name still."
"Well, it's what I picked."
Wendy took the potato from the pouch and fed the mutant horse. Frank looked at Wendy and smiled from the inside of his helmet. As the horse gobbled down the last of the potato Wendy turned to face Frank who was taking out the pot and stove to cook.
"So where are we?"
"Should be near Denver"
"Then why does that sign say Wyoming?"
Frank looked up and followed Wendy's hand out to a sign by the start of the street. A small makeshift sign said Wyoming followed by gibberish. Frank took out the map he had stored with him and looked around.
....it's winter we're good.
"Alright, fuck me.....I took us the wrong way."
"What now?"
"Nothing. We just rest and go back to where. I'll stay guard when you go to sleep."
"Why?"
"I can find out where exactly we are...."
"Alright."
"Okay get inside quickly."
5 minutes later
Frank grumbled and groaned as he set up the cooking set and began cooking. Wendy held the 5.56 revolver as she stood guard, Frank seemed extra nervous he had locked the doors and even had his new colt revolver next to him hammer cocked.
"So what exactly is out here?"
"Nothing nice, we shouldn't have to worry but still."
"Okay..don't you think I ought to know-
"-Done."
Frank clattered the spoon on the pot as he called to her. She holstered the revolver and walked over.
"So what's on the menu today?"
"Chef Kingly proudly presents 200-year-old instant mash."
"Again?!"
She turned and sat down as he got her plate ready.
"Not my fault you wanted to take the shot on the radstag instead of letting me."
"I know but you couldn't have just made the mac and cheese?"
"I'm kidding it's Salisbury steak. Come on dig in."
Frank handed her a fork and the plate as she sighed.
"I believed you for a second."
"I know you did."
Frank cut a piece of meat off and shoved it into his mouth as he chuckled.
"Mmm (swallow) I remembered a joke..."
Frank cleared his throat as Wendy looked at him confused.
"Why was the mutant worried his friend was sick?"
"I......don't know why?"
"He was a little green."
Wendy groaned as she took a sip of water.
"That was awful."
"Oh please, you loved it."
Wendy smiled as she continued to eat.
"Get better material."
The two ate in silence before Wendy asked again.
"Do you know what FEV is?"
"Forced evolutionary virus, it's the thing that made all super mutants and gave you your abilities according to what I know about psykers...why do you ask?"
"Just curious."
"Yeah, we learned about the stuff in training, found out about it after Navarro...my mom was a trooper then."
"What was at Navarro?"
"Old Enclave research base forced people to evolve using the goop."
Wendy looked at her plate and then at Frank
"Frank, what's out there?" She said sternly
"Out where?"
Wendy pointed to the door behind her.
"You seemed nervous lately and even more now."
"Raptors...they're hybrid cat-bird things, according to our biologists back in California they're the same story as deathclaws. Some pre-war army bastards wanted expendable killing machines so turned to nature, mixed wild cats with old birds of prey, then they got a dose of FEV."
"Wait deathclaws were made with FEV?"
"Yeah...why do you think they're bullet resistant."
"I just thought they were tough-skinned....but you killed deathclaws with ease. Raptors can't be that big of an issue right?"
Frank ate a forkful before setting down the fork and plate.
"There were once a bunch of settlers and tribals up here in Wyoming. (Explains the wooden shacks we passed now.) Then someone had the bright idea of helping more of their kids survive."
"Why would they do that if they're so dangerous?"
"The eggs, raptor eggs usually don't all survive, those that do were the lucky ones. Arms dealers sell the young to the highest bidders. Raptors are vicious but can be tamed from birth if done right and used as living weapons, NCR polices them and makes sure no unauthorized folks get them."
Wendy looked at the window nervously.
"Our saving grace is its winter. It's too cold for most to leave their burrows so they hibernate, usually when the poachers go to find them. Most don't succeed."
"But they're animals...how are they so dangerous?"
"They're smart. Lead victims into ambushes. Their ears hear things better than ours. Even a low whisper can get you torn to shreds."
"What kind of ambushes?"
Frank chuckled as he took the pot off the stove and readied a new pot for coffee
"OK, try to imagine yourself as a person in power armor. You get your first look at this thing as you cross an abandoned street with say two other people. It looks like a small cat with wings and a bird face, feathers all up front then halfway looks like a small panther. It also moves like a cat, lightly moving back and forth its yellow soulless eyes on you. You stare at it, and it just stares right back as you level your weapon. And that's when the attack comes. Not from the front, but from the sides..."
Frank stirred the coffee powder into the water as he continued
"..from the other six you didn't even know were there. Because they're pack hunters. They use coordinated attack patterns and they are bloodthirsty. And they slash at you with this."
Frank drew his knife and spun it around
"...3 six-inch claws, like knives on each foot. They don't bother to slice your armor like other animals, they slash at you here, or here..."
Frank pointed to spots across his body with the knife, spots undefended by the armor, before continuing.
"They know exactly where to hit, they learned it. Then once you're immobilized they take their time. Peeling off the armor plating one piece at a time as you hear your friends blood gurgling screams. The point is, you are alive when they start to eat you. Nasty fuckers, always kill them on sight."
"Why are they only in Wyoming then?"
"They aren't, they're Colorado natives but they migrate, they prefer Idaho actually, and other mountain states. Last time I was through Albuquerque a whole flock tore the place up for a few days."
"Really? So that's why you asked me to be quieter near Saratoga?"
"Yep, another job for us rangers back west is pest control anything too big to deal with by locals is assigned to us. I killed 35 alone in California last year, they're just more aggressive the more east you go for some reason."
Wendy finished her food and then set the plate down, as she looked around her nervously
"Shouldn't we leave now instead of waiting then?"
"No, the big and dangerous are out at night. Those are the ones I've been looking out for."
"There's bigger?"
"Small ones are taken down easily. They vary between 2 feet tall and 6 feet tall. The rare ones are ten-foot beasts. We call them griffons. They're usually by the mountains or the ruins of big cities. They can't be bred or nurtured, we don't even know why they're huge. They usually hunt alone, use their strength to brute force any enemy they have, strong enough to take out super mutant behemoths if lucky."
"How?"
"They swoop down from above claw their skull in half in one swoop then fly away, and return for the corpse later. Saw it myself in a place in Dakota. They're different everywhere. Some in the Dakota rule as kinda chieftains perched up on those mountains with faces. The ones in Missouri kill everything that moves, even each other."
"They're slow at least right?"
"If you ever run into one alone you're gone, only a slepnier at full sprint can outrun it. They can take on everything directly except a deathclaw. If we ever wipe out the scaly bastards they're the next apex predator."
"How many have you killed."
Frank held up a single finger as he turned the pot. Wendy stared at the window, she heard a faint whooshing sound.
"Like I said we're fine. I've cut through here several times. They tend to stick to the same areas. Now get some rest I'll take watch."
1 hour later
Frank turned the pot of brew around as he looked at the map. He probably shared a little too much with Wendy but she needed the truth, it was his fault after all. How did he go the wrong way without knowing? He shouldn't have gotten them to the remnants of Laramie, it was a clear-cut road to Den-
Woosh
Frank's ears twitched as he looked up from the map he turned the stove off and covered the pot. Something was out there, he slowly approached the window with his helmet light off careful not to attract attention. A large silhouette stood bathed in the moonlight street investigating the hoove prints made by Unica.
Crap
Frank watched as the beast slowly followed the prints to the garage door. He grabbed Wendy's rifle and slowly cocked the bolt back as he gently lifted it to fire at the creature in front of him. The beast scratched its claw along the garage door leaving a sharp metal sound in the air.
Just as the rifle was set to fire into the creature's eye Frank heard something else, a small whine coming from the garage. Almost instantaneous the beast tore through the flimsy garage door and rushed the defenseless horse inside with a loud screech only capable of an apex predator.
Oh shit!
Frank held the rifle in his hand as he stared at the door to the garage. The blood-curdling scream of the horse went silent and all that remained was the ragged tearing of flesh and the snapping of bones. Frank kept his eye on the door as he slowly made his way up the staircase, he tried his best to stay quiet, taking a few steps every minute, and after 4 minutes he was finally at the top.
"Fra-"
Frank held his hand out shushing the frightened girl. He moved over to the room she was in and slowly entered with her behind him as he closed the door.
creak
Frank stopped in his tracks as the sounds of eating stopped. A low bird cry broke the silence and then tapping, it heard them and was now investigating further. Frank signaled Wendy to grab the revolver in her holster and ready it as the beast sniffed around. Frank pushed the door open slightly more and in seconds the beast tore through the wooden door that led to the garage.
Wendy let out a small gasp muffled by her hand as the beast paraded around the downstairs portion of the house. We dy mouthed towards Frank.
Is that a
He nodded
White feathers covered the head and half of the torso of the beast, think black fur covered the rest. A sharp yellow beak prodded at the pots and pans. The 6 claws of the front legs tapped away at the floor. Frank took a small step out of the room and readied the rifle. He aimed for the eye as the beast examined the stove. The griffon opened the small pot full of hot coffee brew and stuck its beak in, it pulled back rapidly knocking the tin over and letting out a scream of pain. Frank took a deep breath and squeezed the trigger, the bullet soared out of the barrel and hit the creature...in the neck.
SCREECH!
The creature ran up the stairs towards the two as fast as possible. Frank cycled another round and fired it into the creature to little effect. Wendy and Frank fired again and again till it was right on him. He dodged to the left as it pounced towards him, its hind legs knocking him to the side and down the stairs as it turned to face Wendy.
Wendy screamed as the beast stood in front of her. She threw the now empty revolver and stuck her hand out as she fired a large burst of electricity at the beast who quickly ducked into a side room. The griffon then stuck its head back out as Wendy panted. She watched it slowly come out of the room and just stare at her almost frightened.
tiink
A bolt slammed into the wall as Frank extended his robotic arm toward the griffon. He fired another shot hitting the animal in the neck again, the griffon flew down the stairs and pinned Frank to the ground by the neck as it screeched into his face. Its talons digging in but merely holding him. It turned back around and screeched up towards Wendy who looked down at the creature.
"No!"
The creature loosened its grip on Frank and screeched back up at her. As she made her way down the stairs. Rifle in hand.
"Let go of him!"
The creature stepped off of Frank who took a deep breath of air.
"Stay right there!"
The griffon sat on its hind legs as Wendy helped Frank up.
"Are you talking to that thing?!"
"Kinda...."
The griffon snarled as Frank stood up.
"She's still pissed at you."
"I can tell."
Frank massaged his neck as he looked at the beast.
"How are you doing that?"
"I don't know we just....understand."
"Huh.....you're still full of surprises kid...Well, tell her to get lost..."
"I don't think she'd listen."
The griffon screeched at Frank, who in response took a step back.
"Well she can't stay here....and I don't want her to either, besides she killed Unica..."
"And you shot her like 8 times."
"Are you defending this thing?!"
"Look, I think if we help her out she'll help us out..."
"How do you suppose we help her out?!"
Wendy slung the rifle over her shoulder and slowly approached the creature.
"Wendy!"
"It's fine...I think the FEV is acting as a kinda bond thing...I think."
"That is the stupidest thing I've heard....it's going to kill you now back up now!"
Frank drew the revolver from his holster and aimed at the griffon, the beast stood and roared at him.
"Frank!"
"I'm not letting this stupid thing be the death of us...now get back next to me before this thing gets hungry again."
"Frank! Put the gun down!"
Wendy moved closer to the griffon that simply stared at her, she reached towards its neck and grabbed the bolt lodged in it.
"This will hurt...Frank stimpak..."
"What?"
"Stimpak...toss me one."
"I.."
"Do you trust me?"
"Fine.."
Frank holstered the revolver and reached into his satchel and pulled out a stim throwing it to Wendy. Wendy caught it and then turned to the beast.
"This will only hurt just a little."
She yanked the bolt out and the griffon screeched into the air, Wendy quickly injected the stim before backing up. The griffon flapped its wings knocking Frank over. It rose a few feet in the air before slamming back down onto the ground. It turned to Wendy and bowed toward her.
"You're welcome..."
Frank stood back up. And turned to Wendy taking his helmet off.
"So what did that do... besides waste a stim."
"She trusts us...well me more than you.."
"And how does that help us?"
Wendy turned to Frank and then back to the winged beast.
"Oooh no, oooh no I'm not getting on that thing! Are you crazy?!"
"Frank this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience...you said it yourself Griffons usually attack anything well this one is helping us."
"Only help this one is doing is helping itself to a free lunch when it drops us from 100 feet up."
"She wouldn't do that...right girl."
Wendy stroked the griffon's feathers.
"Okay don't do that, that thing just killed Unica....and probably has kill a lot of other people."
"You said it yourself she's an apex predator she hunts...Unica was prey...it's faster than walking...and safer."
"You're a cold child and I'll take my chances on the ground."
"Oh come on."
"How the hell did you talk me into this."
Frank muttered as he climbed aboard the feathery giant as it knelt.
"Relax she can tell you're scared."
"Of course I'm scared, I've seen what these things can do."
"Ya hear that girl, big bad ranger is scared of you."
Wendy rubbed the beak of the griffon as she talked cutesy to it.
"Stop doing that?!"
"Frank if she was gonna eat us she had all night."
"I was up all night keeping watch. And she spilled my coffee."
"Relax already. Diana won't kill you, she trusts us, now grab the reigns and try and ride her steady."
Frank grumbled as he grab the reigns and tapped Diana with the heel of his shoe. Instantly the beast turned its head around and stared at Frank.
"Sorry!"
Frank turned to the young girl at his side.
"Wendy how the hell am I supposed to do this?!"
"If you can't do it how can I?"
Frank sighed as he gently took the reigns once more.
"How did you even get this on her?"
"She let me."
"Oh she let you....that is such crap."
He looked down at the bird and sighed as he shook the reigns gently and leaned down to the beast's cat-like eye.
"Alright....we probably got off on the wrong foot let's just call it even and..."
Frank tapped the griffon gently on the side and it began to walk forward, he pulled the reigns slightly right and it turned accordingly.
"Holy shit!"
Frank smiled brightly as he looked at his accomplishment. He was on a fucking griffon and it wasn't trying to kill him.
"I'm doing it!"
"You look like a kid learning how to ride a bike."
"Shut it. Do you even know how to ride a bike?"
"Yeah, Sarah taught me."
Frank looked down at the beast and chuckled.
"Alright let's see about going a bit faster."
He whipped the reign gently.
SCREECH!
Diana threw Frank off and extended her wings as she took off into the air and then down into the tree line.
"What the hell did you do?!"
"I just whipped the reign gently."
Frank got up and wiped the dirt off his duster as shots rang out in the air.
"RUN GRIFFO-!"
More gunshots rang out from the tree lime, Frank drew his revolver and ran towards the trees followed by Wendy. The two ran through bushes as they came across a small clearing where Diana stood ripping apart a small squad of men, some already dead one man about to die as she flung him into the air. Frank watched as the griffon tore through the remainder of them with ease. The last person wore a suit of power armor and was now pinned to the ground as the beast squeezed
"Stop!"
Diana looked up to where the shout came from and saw Wendy. Walking towards her Frank followed close behind.
"She heard them."
"Yeah, no shit, who are they though?"
Wendy looked down at the last person and looked into their visor.
"Hey who are you?"
The person's eyes were still focused on the griffon.
"Hello!?"
"Please just let me...it's you, Dorkins is right....you're perfect."
"What?"
Wendy looked up at Frank who looked at the person through his visor.
"Wendy let me talk to her. Go...go loot the dead."
"Alright...?"
Wendy stood up and walked away as Frank and Diana remained. Frank knelt and tore the helmet off the frightened attacker with his metal arm. A woman with tribal-like markings on her face lay there still frightened.
"I take it you're a part of the Putrescent Mother thing.....why are you guys after her?"
"She's the one.....she's the perfect form....."
"What?"
"She has granted you immunity to our charms...she has tamed this beast....she's perfect..."
"English please?"
"You're not protecting her....you're holding her back...she's perfect...."
Frank stood up and turned to Diana.
"Drop her!"
"What?!"
Diana unfurled her wings and clenched the woman by her power armor tearing it apart and then taking off into the sky the cultist screaming as they ascended.
"What was that about?"
"She was....they were raiders. Followed us from Utah. They weren't expecting the ambush from-"
"AAAHHHH!"
THUD
"-From her."
"Oh...well....now what?"
"I sat we let her snack a bit, she earned it...and then we practice a bit more..."
"Sounds good."
submitted by toastymctoast10 to OldWorldBlues [link] [comments]
March 23rd, 2291
The Slepnir trotted down the destroyed snow-covered highway slowly.
"So a guy throws a ball at a guy holding a bat and the guy with the bat's job is to hit the ball out of the stadium?"
"Yes, that's called a home run."
"And that lets everyone standing on the bases run to home for free?"
"Yep, how did you never hear about baseball?
"Locked in a test chamber remember."
"Well yeah but still, I figured the scientists would mention it."
"It sounds fun, you should take me to a game when we get back."
"That's a promise, as long as you root for the Boneyard bashers."
"Who?"
"Nevermind. Listen I say we rest here for the night pick up in the morning."
Frank nudged the horse slightly and soon began to slowly lead it off the highway to a broken-down home.
"Which room do you want?"
"I'll take a top-floor one. Hopefully, there's a bed, unlike the last one."
Wendy hopped off the horse as Frank lifted open a garage door.
"Got any potatoes left?"
"Yeah let me grab it."
Wendy took her backpack off and reached inside. As she did Frank took the horse inside and left it unhitched.
"Last one."
"Well...it's fine give it to Unica...I hate that name still."
"Well, it's what I picked."
Wendy took the potato from the pouch and fed the mutant horse. Frank looked at Wendy and smiled from the inside of his helmet. As the horse gobbled down the last of the potato Wendy turned to face Frank who was taking out the pot and stove to cook.
"So where are we?"
"Should be near Denver"
"Then why does that sign say Wyoming?"
Frank looked up and followed Wendy's hand out to a sign by the start of the street. A small makeshift sign said Wyoming followed by gibberish. Frank took out the map he had stored with him and looked around.
....it's winter we're good.
"Alright, fuck me.....I took us the wrong way."
"What now?"
"Nothing. We just rest and go back to where. I'll stay guard when you go to sleep."
"Why?"
"I can find out where exactly we are...."
"Alright."
"Okay get inside quickly."
Frank grumbled and groaned as he set up the cooking set and began cooking. Wendy held the 5.56 revolver as she stood guard, Frank seemed extra nervous he had locked the doors and even had his new colt revolver next to him hammer cocked.
"So what exactly is out here?"
"Nothing nice, we shouldn't have to worry but still."
"Okay..don't you think I ought to know-
"-Done."
Frank clattered the spoon on the pot as he called to her. She holstered the revolver and walked over.
"So what's on the menu today?"
"Chef Kingly proudly presents 200-year-old instant mash."
"Again?!"
She turned and sat down as he got her plate ready.
"Not my fault you wanted to take the shot on the radstag instead of letting me."
"I know but you couldn't have just made the mac and cheese?"
"I'm kidding it's Salisbury steak. Come on dig in."
Frank handed her a fork and the plate as she sighed.
"I believed you for a second."
"I know you did."
Frank cut a piece of meat off and shoved it into his mouth as he chuckled.
"Mmm (swallow) I remembered a joke..."
Frank cleared his throat as Wendy looked at him confused.
"Why was the mutant worried his friend was sick?"
"I......don't know why?"
"He was a little green."
Wendy groaned as she took a sip of water.
"That was awful."
"Oh please, you loved it."
Wendy smiled as she continued to eat.
"Get better material."
The two ate in silence before Wendy asked again.
"Do you know what FEV is?"
"Forced evolutionary virus, it's the thing that made all super mutants and gave you your abilities according to what I know about psykers...why do you ask?"
"Just curious."
"Yeah, we learned about the stuff in training, found out about it after Navarro...my mom was a trooper then."
"What was at Navarro?"
"Old Enclave research base forced people to evolve using the goop."
Wendy looked at her plate and then at Frank
"Frank, what's out there?" She said sternly
"Out where?"
Wendy pointed to the door behind her.
"You seemed nervous lately and even more now."
"Raptors...they're hybrid cat-bird things, according to our biologists back in California they're the same story as deathclaws. Some pre-war army bastards wanted expendable killing machines so turned to nature, mixed wild cats with old birds of prey, then they got a dose of FEV."
"Wait deathclaws were made with FEV?"
"Yeah...why do you think they're bullet resistant."
"I just thought they were tough-skinned....but you killed deathclaws with ease. Raptors can't be that big of an issue right?"
Frank ate a forkful before setting down the fork and plate.
"There were once a bunch of settlers and tribals up here in Wyoming. (Explains the wooden shacks we passed now.) Then someone had the bright idea of helping more of their kids survive."
"Why would they do that if they're so dangerous?"
"The eggs, raptor eggs usually don't all survive, those that do were the lucky ones. Arms dealers sell the young to the highest bidders. Raptors are vicious but can be tamed from birth if done right and used as living weapons, NCR polices them and makes sure no unauthorized folks get them."
Wendy looked at the window nervously.
"Our saving grace is its winter. It's too cold for most to leave their burrows so they hibernate, usually when the poachers go to find them. Most don't succeed."
"But they're animals...how are they so dangerous?"
"They're smart. Lead victims into ambushes. Their ears hear things better than ours. Even a low whisper can get you torn to shreds."
"What kind of ambushes?"
Frank chuckled as he took the pot off the stove and readied a new pot for coffee
"OK, try to imagine yourself as a person in power armor. You get your first look at this thing as you cross an abandoned street with say two other people. It looks like a small cat with wings and a bird face, feathers all up front then halfway looks like a small panther. It also moves like a cat, lightly moving back and forth its yellow soulless eyes on you. You stare at it, and it just stares right back as you level your weapon. And that's when the attack comes. Not from the front, but from the sides..."
Frank stirred the coffee powder into the water as he continued
"..from the other six you didn't even know were there. Because they're pack hunters. They use coordinated attack patterns and they are bloodthirsty. And they slash at you with this."
Frank drew his knife and spun it around
"...3 six-inch claws, like knives on each foot. They don't bother to slice your armor like other animals, they slash at you here, or here..."
Frank pointed to spots across his body with the knife, spots undefended by the armor, before continuing.
"They know exactly where to hit, they learned it. Then once you're immobilized they take their time. Peeling off the armor plating one piece at a time as you hear your friends blood gurgling screams. The point is, you are alive when they start to eat you. Nasty fuckers, always kill them on sight."
"Why are they only in Wyoming then?"
"They aren't, they're Colorado natives but they migrate, they prefer Idaho actually, and other mountain states. Last time I was through Albuquerque a whole flock tore the place up for a few days."
"Really? So that's why you asked me to be quieter near Saratoga?"
"Yep, another job for us rangers back west is pest control anything too big to deal with by locals is assigned to us. I killed 35 alone in California last year, they're just more aggressive the more east you go for some reason."
Wendy finished her food and then set the plate down, as she looked around her nervously
"Shouldn't we leave now instead of waiting then?"
"No, the big and dangerous are out at night. Those are the ones I've been looking out for."
"There's bigger?"
"Small ones are taken down easily. They vary between 2 feet tall and 6 feet tall. The rare ones are ten-foot beasts. We call them griffons. They're usually by the mountains or the ruins of big cities. They can't be bred or nurtured, we don't even know why they're huge. They usually hunt alone, use their strength to brute force any enemy they have, strong enough to take out super mutant behemoths if lucky."
"How?"
"They swoop down from above claw their skull in half in one swoop then fly away, and return for the corpse later. Saw it myself in a place in Dakota. They're different everywhere. Some in the Dakota rule as kinda chieftains perched up on those mountains with faces. The ones in Missouri kill everything that moves, even each other."
"They're slow at least right?"
"If you ever run into one alone you're gone, only a slepnier at full sprint can outrun it. They can take on everything directly except a deathclaw. If we ever wipe out the scaly bastards they're the next apex predator."
"How many have you killed."
Frank held up a single finger as he turned the pot. Wendy stared at the window, she heard a faint whooshing sound.
"Like I said we're fine. I've cut through here several times. They tend to stick to the same areas. Now get some rest I'll take watch."
Frank turned the pot of brew around as he looked at the map. He probably shared a little too much with Wendy but she needed the truth, it was his fault after all. How did he go the wrong way without knowing? He shouldn't have gotten them to the remnants of Laramie, it was a clear-cut road to Den-
Woosh
Frank's ears twitched as he looked up from the map he turned the stove off and covered the pot. Something was out there, he slowly approached the window with his helmet light off careful not to attract attention. A large silhouette stood bathed in the moonlight street investigating the hoove prints made by Unica.
Crap
Frank watched as the beast slowly followed the prints to the garage door. He grabbed Wendy's rifle and slowly cocked the bolt back as he gently lifted it to fire at the creature in front of him. The beast scratched its claw along the garage door leaving a sharp metal sound in the air.
Just as the rifle was set to fire into the creature's eye Frank heard something else, a small whine coming from the garage. Almost instantaneous the beast tore through the flimsy garage door and rushed the defenseless horse inside with a loud screech only capable of an apex predator.
Oh shit!
Frank held the rifle in his hand as he stared at the door to the garage. The blood-curdling scream of the horse went silent and all that remained was the ragged tearing of flesh and the snapping of bones. Frank kept his eye on the door as he slowly made his way up the staircase, he tried his best to stay quiet, taking a few steps every minute, and after 4 minutes he was finally at the top.
"Fra-"
Frank held his hand out shushing the frightened girl. He moved over to the room she was in and slowly entered with her behind him as he closed the door.
creak
Frank stopped in his tracks as the sounds of eating stopped. A low bird cry broke the silence and then tapping, it heard them and was now investigating further. Frank signaled Wendy to grab the revolver in her holster and ready it as the beast sniffed around. Frank pushed the door open slightly more and in seconds the beast tore through the wooden door that led to the garage.
Wendy let out a small gasp muffled by her hand as the beast paraded around the downstairs portion of the house. We dy mouthed towards Frank.
Is that a
He nodded
White feathers covered the head and half of the torso of the beast, think black fur covered the rest. A sharp yellow beak prodded at the pots and pans. The 6 claws of the front legs tapped away at the floor. Frank took a small step out of the room and readied the rifle. He aimed for the eye as the beast examined the stove. The griffon opened the small pot full of hot coffee brew and stuck its beak in, it pulled back rapidly knocking the tin over and letting out a scream of pain. Frank took a deep breath and squeezed the trigger, the bullet soared out of the barrel and hit the creature...in the neck.
SCREECH!
The creature ran up the stairs towards the two as fast as possible. Frank cycled another round and fired it into the creature to little effect. Wendy and Frank fired again and again till it was right on him. He dodged to the left as it pounced towards him, its hind legs knocking him to the side and down the stairs as it turned to face Wendy.
Wendy screamed as the beast stood in front of her. She threw the now empty revolver and stuck her hand out as she fired a large burst of electricity at the beast who quickly ducked into a side room. The griffon then stuck its head back out as Wendy panted. She watched it slowly come out of the room and just stare at her almost frightened.
tiink
A bolt slammed into the wall as Frank extended his robotic arm toward the griffon. He fired another shot hitting the animal in the neck again, the griffon flew down the stairs and pinned Frank to the ground by the neck as it screeched into his face. Its talons digging in but merely holding him. It turned back around and screeched up towards Wendy who looked down at the creature.
"No!"
The creature loosened its grip on Frank and screeched back up at her. As she made her way down the stairs. Rifle in hand.
"Let go of him!"
The creature stepped off of Frank who took a deep breath of air.
"Stay right there!"
The griffon sat on its hind legs as Wendy helped Frank up.
"Are you talking to that thing?!"
"Kinda...."
The griffon snarled as Frank stood up.
"She's still pissed at you."
"I can tell."
Frank massaged his neck as he looked at the beast.
"How are you doing that?"
"I don't know we just....understand."
"Huh.....you're still full of surprises kid...Well, tell her to get lost..."
"I don't think she'd listen."
The griffon screeched at Frank, who in response took a step back.
"Well she can't stay here....and I don't want her to either, besides she killed Unica..."
"And you shot her like 8 times."
"Are you defending this thing?!"
"Look, I think if we help her out she'll help us out..."
"How do you suppose we help her out?!"
Wendy slung the rifle over her shoulder and slowly approached the creature.
"Wendy!"
"It's fine...I think the FEV is acting as a kinda bond thing...I think."
"That is the stupidest thing I've heard....it's going to kill you now back up now!"
Frank drew the revolver from his holster and aimed at the griffon, the beast stood and roared at him.
"Frank!"
"I'm not letting this stupid thing be the death of us...now get back next to me before this thing gets hungry again."
"Frank! Put the gun down!"
Wendy moved closer to the griffon that simply stared at her, she reached towards its neck and grabbed the bolt lodged in it.
"This will hurt...Frank stimpak..."
"What?"
"Stimpak...toss me one."
"I.."
"Do you trust me?"
"Fine.."
Frank holstered the revolver and reached into his satchel and pulled out a stim throwing it to Wendy. Wendy caught it and then turned to the beast.
"This will only hurt just a little."
She yanked the bolt out and the griffon screeched into the air, Wendy quickly injected the stim before backing up. The griffon flapped its wings knocking Frank over. It rose a few feet in the air before slamming back down onto the ground. It turned to Wendy and bowed toward her.
"You're welcome..."
Frank stood back up. And turned to Wendy taking his helmet off.
"So what did that do... besides waste a stim."
"She trusts us...well me more than you.."
"And how does that help us?"
Wendy turned to Frank and then back to the winged beast.
"Oooh no, oooh no I'm not getting on that thing! Are you crazy?!"
"Frank this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience...you said it yourself Griffons usually attack anything well this one is helping us."
"Only help this one is doing is helping itself to a free lunch when it drops us from 100 feet up."
"She wouldn't do that...right girl."
Wendy stroked the griffon's feathers.
"Okay don't do that, that thing just killed Unica....and probably has kill a lot of other people."
"You said it yourself she's an apex predator she hunts...Unica was prey...it's faster than walking...and safer."
"You're a cold child and I'll take my chances on the ground."
"Oh come on."
"No, end of the story."
The next morning"How the hell did you talk me into this."
Frank muttered as he climbed aboard the feathery giant as it knelt.
"Relax she can tell you're scared."
"Of course I'm scared, I've seen what these things can do."
"Ya hear that girl, big bad ranger is scared of you."
Wendy rubbed the beak of the griffon as she talked cutesy to it.
"Stop doing that?!"
"Frank if she was gonna eat us she had all night."
"I was up all night keeping watch. And she spilled my coffee."
"Relax already. Diana won't kill you, she trusts us, now grab the reigns and try and ride her steady."
Frank grumbled as he grab the reigns and tapped Diana with the heel of his shoe. Instantly the beast turned its head around and stared at Frank.
"Sorry!"
Frank turned to the young girl at his side.
"Wendy how the hell am I supposed to do this?!"
"If you can't do it how can I?"
Frank sighed as he gently took the reigns once more.
"How did you even get this on her?"
"She let me."
"Oh she let you....that is such crap."
He looked down at the bird and sighed as he shook the reigns gently and leaned down to the beast's cat-like eye.
"Alright....we probably got off on the wrong foot let's just call it even and..."
Frank tapped the griffon gently on the side and it began to walk forward, he pulled the reigns slightly right and it turned accordingly.
"Holy shit!"
Frank smiled brightly as he looked at his accomplishment. He was on a fucking griffon and it wasn't trying to kill him.
"I'm doing it!"
"You look like a kid learning how to ride a bike."
"Shut it. Do you even know how to ride a bike?"
"Yeah, Sarah taught me."
Frank looked down at the beast and chuckled.
"Alright let's see about going a bit faster."
He whipped the reign gently.
SCREECH!
Diana threw Frank off and extended her wings as she took off into the air and then down into the tree line.
"What the hell did you do?!"
"I just whipped the reign gently."
Frank got up and wiped the dirt off his duster as shots rang out in the air.
"RUN GRIFFO-!"
More gunshots rang out from the tree lime, Frank drew his revolver and ran towards the trees followed by Wendy. The two ran through bushes as they came across a small clearing where Diana stood ripping apart a small squad of men, some already dead one man about to die as she flung him into the air. Frank watched as the griffon tore through the remainder of them with ease. The last person wore a suit of power armor and was now pinned to the ground as the beast squeezed
"Stop!"
Diana looked up to where the shout came from and saw Wendy. Walking towards her Frank followed close behind.
"She heard them."
"Yeah, no shit, who are they though?"
Wendy looked down at the last person and looked into their visor.
"Hey who are you?"
The person's eyes were still focused on the griffon.
"Hello!?"
"Please just let me...it's you, Dorkins is right....you're perfect."
"What?"
Wendy looked up at Frank who looked at the person through his visor.
"Wendy let me talk to her. Go...go loot the dead."
"Alright...?"
Wendy stood up and walked away as Frank and Diana remained. Frank knelt and tore the helmet off the frightened attacker with his metal arm. A woman with tribal-like markings on her face lay there still frightened.
"I take it you're a part of the Putrescent Mother thing.....why are you guys after her?"
"She's the one.....she's the perfect form....."
"What?"
"She has granted you immunity to our charms...she has tamed this beast....she's perfect..."
"English please?"
"You're not protecting her....you're holding her back...she's perfect...."
Frank stood up and turned to Diana.
"Drop her!"
"What?!"
Diana unfurled her wings and clenched the woman by her power armor tearing it apart and then taking off into the sky the cultist screaming as they ascended.
"What was that about?"
"She was....they were raiders. Followed us from Utah. They weren't expecting the ambush from-"
"AAAHHHH!"
THUD
"-From her."
"Oh...well....now what?"
"I sat we let her snack a bit, she earned it...and then we practice a bit more..."
"Sounds good."
2023.03.30 07:15 Ninth3Planet3 Dday was Valentine’s Day.
Dday was my birthday, which is also Valentine’s Day.
I’m going to apologize in advance if this is long winded and hard to follow.
So for reference my husband (39m) and I (39f) have been together since high school. We both experimented with other people with an on again off again type of relationship until we had our first child nearly 13 years ago. We were married shortly after and have for a better or worse have had somewhat of a trauma filled relationship with lots of ups and downs. A few years after our second child was born we opened up our marriage and both had a partner we were regularly seeing. Sex was amazing for us during that time and it really brought us so much closer. It was short lived however since boundaries were crossed and we made the decision to renew our vows and focus on a monogamous marriage.
Fast forward to becoming pregnant with our third child less than a year after closing our relationship. Yes, I admit that our sex life dwindled as I have very rough pregnancy’s. It was almost non existent after the baby was born as well because I was so self conscious about myself.
In 2020 I took the initive to get healthy again. I lost weight and was the smallest I had ever been in my adult life. Size 8 at 5’7 for reference My husband told me I had lost to much weight and that my hands looks frail. I was shocked, hurt as I had worked so hard to achieve this goal. We were not having sex at all during this time and he would leave and turn off his location frequently especially after an argument.
Well life happened, I gained most of the weight back and he commented that I was getting too big again. Sex was still very few and far between during the past couple years.
This January there was a spark however. He was affectionate and showing interest in me like he used to. I was taken aback by it since I was so used to just living with him at this point. In hindsight I probably should have been more affectionate back. He made plans for my birthday for a romantic dinner and really made the whole day special for me.
Then it happened. I don’t know what told me to look at his phone but I did. The first messages on his phone were from another woman and they were very flirtatious. With her saying that he is sexy and he said that he liked her in bed.
Things blew up. He told me it was because he was getting attention from her and not me. He told me he would end it. I believed him and we have been trying to reconsile alhough i was very guarded.
I thought things were going better. I was making an effort to be more intimate with him. 2 days ago we had some of the best sex we have had in years. I was feeling a real connection.
Something told me to look at his watch. I wish I didn't now because I found messages to another woman. They were sending pictures back and forth. Talking sexually. I am so beyond hurt.
He try’s to downplay everything. He won’t be truthful. He says he just liked the attention.
So I am trying to give him that attention. I text him sexy things the past couple days but get one worded reply’s or that he will talk to me in person. That never happens.
I just don’t know what to do to give him the attention that he craves. He won’t tell me what he needs. I brought up divorce or an open relationship again and he says he doesn’t want either. He just wants to be with me.
I just so confused. Any advice is welcome.
submitted by Ninth3Planet3 to AsOneAfterInfidelity [link] [comments]
I’m going to apologize in advance if this is long winded and hard to follow.
So for reference my husband (39m) and I (39f) have been together since high school. We both experimented with other people with an on again off again type of relationship until we had our first child nearly 13 years ago. We were married shortly after and have for a better or worse have had somewhat of a trauma filled relationship with lots of ups and downs. A few years after our second child was born we opened up our marriage and both had a partner we were regularly seeing. Sex was amazing for us during that time and it really brought us so much closer. It was short lived however since boundaries were crossed and we made the decision to renew our vows and focus on a monogamous marriage.
Fast forward to becoming pregnant with our third child less than a year after closing our relationship. Yes, I admit that our sex life dwindled as I have very rough pregnancy’s. It was almost non existent after the baby was born as well because I was so self conscious about myself.
In 2020 I took the initive to get healthy again. I lost weight and was the smallest I had ever been in my adult life. Size 8 at 5’7 for reference My husband told me I had lost to much weight and that my hands looks frail. I was shocked, hurt as I had worked so hard to achieve this goal. We were not having sex at all during this time and he would leave and turn off his location frequently especially after an argument.
Well life happened, I gained most of the weight back and he commented that I was getting too big again. Sex was still very few and far between during the past couple years.
This January there was a spark however. He was affectionate and showing interest in me like he used to. I was taken aback by it since I was so used to just living with him at this point. In hindsight I probably should have been more affectionate back. He made plans for my birthday for a romantic dinner and really made the whole day special for me.
Then it happened. I don’t know what told me to look at his phone but I did. The first messages on his phone were from another woman and they were very flirtatious. With her saying that he is sexy and he said that he liked her in bed.
Things blew up. He told me it was because he was getting attention from her and not me. He told me he would end it. I believed him and we have been trying to reconsile alhough i was very guarded.
I thought things were going better. I was making an effort to be more intimate with him. 2 days ago we had some of the best sex we have had in years. I was feeling a real connection.
Something told me to look at his watch. I wish I didn't now because I found messages to another woman. They were sending pictures back and forth. Talking sexually. I am so beyond hurt.
He try’s to downplay everything. He won’t be truthful. He says he just liked the attention.
So I am trying to give him that attention. I text him sexy things the past couple days but get one worded reply’s or that he will talk to me in person. That never happens.
I just don’t know what to do to give him the attention that he craves. He won’t tell me what he needs. I brought up divorce or an open relationship again and he says he doesn’t want either. He just wants to be with me.
I just so confused. Any advice is welcome.
2023.03.30 07:08 Eitfed eBay Repair Services?
 | I dropped my New 3DS XL and have a black spot on the corner of my top screen. Sadly, I don’t have many options for video game repairs near me, and I am not comfortable with repairing the top screen on my own. submitted by Eitfed to 3DS [link] [comments] Has anyone had any experiences with a repair service in eBay? How did that experience go, and are there any particular sellers that are good? |
2023.03.30 07:01 MajesticOtaking [US] [Selling] Selling manga and figures to raise moving funds! Tons of titles!
Free media mail shipping on orders over $50 and half off shipping for all figures shipping (US shipping only for both). I'm also VERY willing to negotiate on larger orders (especially figures), so please don't hesitate to ask or make an offer!
Prices do not include shipping. I am VERY willing to negotiate on price for the figures. If you're interested, please let me know regardless of my asking price and we can discuss it. Figure prices are based on ebay and not in-depth research, so they aren't firm by any means.
These items were kept in a smoke-free, pet-friendly environment. Please ask if you have specific questions or would like additional pictures. I prefer not to split, but I may be willing on a case-by-case basis.
I'm almost to my financial goal so I can move across the country! I appreciate you helping me get there!
Manga
11th Cat 1-5 (complete) - $25 https://imgur.com/a/Ke6OGIo
Ai Yori Aoshi 1-7 - $35 https://imgur.com/a/N6IoXaq
Alice & Zoroku 1-2 - $13 https://imgur.com/a/VyWAXdQ
Angel Diary 1-2 - $10 https://imgur.com/a/RxWPQrw
Baccano 1 (light novel, hardback) - $10 https://imgur.com/a/TNU4jwA
Bakuman 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/a4aTYpm
Battle Rabbits 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/a4aTYpm
Beauty and the Feast 1 - $7 https://imgur.com/a/a4aTYpm
Black Butler 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/nvyV1Ns
Blue Period 1-4 - $28 https://imgur.com/a/VQnUeML
Bottom-Tier Character Tomozaki 1 (light novel) - $7 https://imgur.com/a/dBySQM0
Bungo Stray Dogs 1-2 - $14 https://imgur.com/a/UKHMA1x
Bus Gamer (standalone) - $5 https://imgur.com/a/AF0N5iJ
Cantarella 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/0X7zrGX
Clockwork Planet 1 (light novel) - $7 https://imgur.com/a/xxDlkm7
Conditions of Paradise, The (standalone) - $7 https://imgur.com/a/vQdMODO
Culdcept 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/bn938Sc
Days of Love at Seagull Villa 1-3 (complete) - $21 https://imgur.com/a/E4gDYNJ
Demonizer Zilch 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/wgGBO0X
Descendants of Darkness 1-3 - $15 https://imgur.com/a/OiS24qq
Di Gi Charat 1-4 (complete) - $20 https://imgur.com/a/2dUC1xD
Dictatorial Grimoire (standalone omnibus) - $13 https://imgur.com/a/OTkWz9R
Dimension W 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/BOznjTX
Dororo: The Omnibus Edition (standalone) - $15 https://imgur.com/a/B3uBOFV
Dragon Knights 1-7 - $35 https://imgur.com/a/fDYhHU5
Dragonar Academy 1-2 - $10 https://imgur.com/a/XcSD3j3
Fairy Tale Battle Royale 1-4 - $24 https://imgur.com/a/y2Zd6gW
Fall in Love Like a Comic 1-2 (complete) - $10 https://imgur.com/a/zTJmZVj
Fiance of the Wizard 1 - $6 https://imgur.com/a/riFTHhg
Four-Eyed Prince 1-3 - $15 https://imgur.com/a/UYNwKmw
Free Collars Kingdom 1-3 (complete) - $15 https://imgur.com/a/bgEeeio
Frieren: Beyond Jounrey's End 1 - $6 https://imgur.com/a/FpxoWzt
Fruits Basket omnibus 1-4, 9-10 - $72 https://imgur.com/a/E4SmjpL
Galaxy Angel 1-3 - $15 https://imgur.com/a/IgfaAP6
Galaxy Angel Beta 1-2 - $10 https://imgur.com/a/dInlUT0
Genkaku Picasso - $15 https://imgur.com/a/oahQK7s
Goblin Slayer Side Story: Year One 1-2 (light novel) - $15 https://imgur.com/a/2g9gRwa
Gravitation: Voice of Temptation (light novel, Gravitation side story) - $5 https://imgur.com/a/GDeeIj9
Gunparade March 1-3 (complete) + Last Dance Gunparade - $20 https://imgur.com/a/YH9OyER
Higurashi When They Cry 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/KMkFlDB
Hot Gimmick 1-4 omnibus editions + Hot Gimmick S (complete) - $45 https://imgur.com/a/fUfA48Y
I O N (standalone) - $5 https://imgur.com/a/VOGxAFw
Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon 1-3 (light novel) (volumes 4-5 in pictures have been sold) - $21 https://imgur.com/a/RHekce2
Isolator, The 1 (hardback, light novel) - $10 https://imgur.com/a/ZqcquPQ
Junk 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/wCuY8lz
Kare First Love 1-2 - $10https://imgur.com/a/riFTHhg
Kare Kano 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/qNDEpfx
Kashimashi 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/omQMbbT
Kilala Princess 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/YrYh1A0
KonKon Kokon 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/ed2EpQo
Kujibiki Unbalance 1-2 (complete) - $10 https://imgur.com/a/UC17mXN
Lagoon Engine Einsatz (standalone) - $5 https://imgur.com/a/45Rieuw
Le Chevalier d'Eon 1-2 - $15 https://imgur.com/a/qL5sf8r
Little Witch Academia: The Nonsensical Witch and the Country of the Fairies (light novel) - $5 https://imgur.com/a/GYitYVX
Loner Life in Another World - (light novel) $7 https://imgur.com/a/GDeeIj9
Love Master A 1-2 (complete) - $10 https://imgur.com/a/XeBLF6n
Love Roma 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/IpSsafb
Loveholic 1-2 (complete) - $10 https://imgur.com/a/yrZNTK7
Loveless 1-4 (two 2-in-1 omnnibuses) - $17 https://imgur.com/a/h5Qy7WK
Maga-Tsuki 1-2 - $10 https://imgur.com/a/N4K6183
Magia the Ninth 1-2 (complete) - $10 https://imgur.com/a/nRBybq2
Mamotte Shugogetten 1 - $6 https://imgur.com/a/mdxoGzY
Mayo Chiki 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/gASgqrH
Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, The 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/YTsrVBX
Milky Way Hitchhiking 1-2 (vol 3 was never released, so complete-ish?) - $35 https://imgur.com/a/0jeHi0h
Monster Girl Doctor 1 (light novel) - $7 https://imgur.com/a/ZqcquPQ
My Androgynous Boyfriend 1 - $7 https://imgur.com/a/vyrkiDf
My Little Monster 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/I5SolSm
My-Hime 1-5 (complete) - $25 https://imgur.com/a/rNjIhoK
Nana 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/I5SolSm
Negima 1-20 + Negiho - $95 https://imgur.com/a/DfXlBW6
Nirvana 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/omQMbbT
Nosatsu Junkie 1-4 - $20 https://imgur.com/a/pBx6FMx
Now Loading (standalone) - $5 https://imgur.com/a/vyrkiDf
Nurse Hitomi's Monster Infirmary 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/ed2EpQo
Occultic;Nine 1 (light novel) - $7 https://imgur.com/a/ZqcquPQ
One Fine Day 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/DBLgaJm
Otome Mania 1-2 (complete) - $10 https://imgur.com/a/AI375f5
Ouran High School Host Club 1-11 - $55 https://imgur.com/a/wlF3JE5
Pandora in the Crimson Shell 1 - $6 https://imgur.com/a/omQMbbT
Penguin Revolution 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/lnpu6q7
PHD: Phantasy Degree - $5 https://imgur.com/a/chcr1Im
Pokemon The Rise of Darkrai - $5 https://imgur.com/a/bgWQiWK
Psychic Academy 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/omQMbbT
Punch 1-3 (complete) - $15https://imgur.com/a/08Rkj15
Re:Zero 1 (manga) - $5 https://imgur.com/a/Il2rTuz
Re:Zero 1-2 (light novel) (volume 2 from pictures has been sold) - $21 https://imgur.com/a/MZHiU5n
RG Veda 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/qL5sf8r
Rising of the Shield Hero, The 1 (manga) - $5 https://imgur.com/a/Il2rTuz
Saint Young Men 1-6 (hardbacks) - $80 https://imgur.com/a/l3d7gOt
Saiyuki Reload 1-9 (complete in US publication, heavy sun-fading and damage) - $25 https://imgur.com/a/mqLOGUs
Sakura Hime 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/OqzMOjn
Samurai Deeper Kyo 1-9 - $45 https://imgur.com/a/jghft6x
Samurai Girl Real Bout High School 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/98JIhAy
Satan's Secretary 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/KDvRsgO
Sayonara Zetsubou-Sensei 1 - $10 https://imgur.com/a/GYitYVX
School Judgement 1-3 (complete) - $15 https://imgur.com/a/GzqWCCf
Secret Sakura Shares, The (standalone) - $10 https://imgur.com/a/pfTfI9f
Secretly I've Been Suffering About Being Sexless (standalone) - $8 https://imgur.com/a/DBLgaJm
Servant X Service 1 - $10 https://imgur.com/a/pfTfI9f
SGT Frog 1-7, 11, 16, 19 - $50 (volumes 20-21 have been sold) https://imgur.com/a/r99bGkp
Shugo Chara 1-4, 7 - $28 https://imgur.com/a/QfUsIfU
Slumbering Beauty 1-2 (complete) - $10 https://imgur.com/a/qox5eZn
Songs To Make You Smile (standalone) - $5 https://imgur.com/a/DBLgaJm
Species Domain 1-7 - $50 https://imgur.com/a/R92fng9
Spirit Circle 1 - $6 https://imgur.com/a/wDCptpP
Stupid Love Comedy (standalone) - $13 https://imgur.com/a/xi1Wyf7
Sugar Sugar Rune 1 - $20 https://imgur.com/a/qL5sf8r
Suzuka 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/xi1Wyf7
Tale of an Unknown Country, A 1-2 - $10 https://imgur.com/a/AI375f5
There's a Demon Lord on the Floor 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/vyrkiDf
Threads of Time 1-11 (complete) - $55 https://imgur.com/a/7G8dWeu
Tokyo Boys &; Girls 1-3 - $15 https://imgur.com/a/l7dFWUd
Ultra Kaiju 1-2 - $10 https://imgur.com/a/GYitYVX
Ultra Maniac 1 - $4 https://imgur.com/a/Ev1F9PM
Unmagical Girl 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/DBLgaJm
Vampire Game 1-15 (complete) - $70 https://imgur.com/a/6Rskl12
Vampire Knight 1-4 - $20 https://imgur.com/a/AvwkuaH
Versailles of the Dead 1-2 - $12 https://imgur.com/a/xrvEAAs
Voices of a Distant Star, The (standalone) - $5 https://imgur.com/a/GDeeIj9
Wallflower, The 1-10, 13, 16, 19 - $52 - (volumes 11,12,and 18 from the pictures have been sold) Part 1 https://imgur.com/a/t7qKOWx Part 2 https://imgur.com/a/TDqwDzR
Wandering Witch: The Journey of Elaina 1-2 - $12 https://imgur.com/a/aL5EgKw
What's Michael? Fatcat Collection 1-2 (complete) - $20 https://imgur.com/a/B3uBOFV
Whispered Words 1-3 (complete) - $30 https://imgur.com/a/nRjh4UG
Witch Buster 1-2 omnibus - $8 https://imgur.com/a/U8y4ItZ
Wild Ones 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/comGEdA
Witch's Printing House, A 1 - $8 https://imgur.com/a/xi1Wyf7
World of Narue 1-2 - $10 https://imgur.com/a/aL5EgKw
Misc. Books
Nendoroid - My First Doll: Clothing Patterns - $20 https://imgur.com/a/yIlVI2d
Start with 12 Colors The First Copic Color illustration Book - $10 (the coloring pages have been removed from the book, but they are included and uncolored; one has a wrinkled corner) https://imgur.com/a/K9YEtKY
Anime
Cowboy Bebop Remix DVD + Cowboy Bebop Movie DVD - $10 https://imgur.com/a/CQeHpI8
Final Fantasy Advent Children Complete BD - $5 https://imgur.com/a/CQeHpI8
Nendoroids
Dramatical Murder Clear 597 - $105 https://imgur.com/a/cvVIo4F
Durara!! x2 Celty 513 - $75 https://imgur.com/a/cvVIo4F
Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask Link 553 - $65 https://imgur.com/a/jCbd7az
Play Arts Kai (Final Fantasy VII Advent Children)
Arms - $70 https://imgur.com/a/2mbvOqp
Barret - $100 https://imgur.com/a/TBGdvJx
Cloud - $150 https://imgur.com/a/7dQ4PTT
Red XIII (glue on side of box has dried, causing it to open; tape is still in place) - $110 https://imgur.com/a/r2zwQKj
Tifa - $250 https://imgur.com/a/hPt8Not
Sephiroth - $130 https://imgur.com/a/q44KxW2
Vincent - $175 https://imgur.com/a/KNnzjc1
Misc Figures
Code Geass Lelouche Lamperouge Code Black 1st Life Encore ver (Kotobukiya) - $120 https://imgur.com/a/z4HVlnx
Code Geass Lelouche Lamperouge/Zero/Kururugi Suzaku 10th Anniversary (Megahouse) - $200 https://imgur.com/a/rhKYnpB
Dragon's Crown Elf Another Color Version (Megahouse) - $130 https://imgur.com/a/O8aInUv
Final Fantasy Master Arms Seifer's Gunblade (Square Enix) - $35 https://imgur.com/a/YGkfxBy
Hyakka Ryouran Tokugawa Sen (Alter) - $75 https://imgur.com/a/3gc2fBB
Hyakka Ryouran Tokugawa Sen Sadistic Succubus Ver. (Alter) - $105 https://imgur.com/a/KXWUCH7
Hyakka Ryouran Yagyu Jubei (Megahouse) - $100 https://imgur.com/a/49ZpBn2
Kingdom Hearts II Sora Static Arts Gallery - $100 https://imgur.com/a/TVG2lF8
Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess Ganandorf (Dark Horse/Together+) - $250 https://imgur.com/a/otRy1NN
Neon Genesis Evangelion Makinami Mari Illustrious (Max Factory) - $175 https://imgur.com/a/4Yhr9YI
Rail Wars Aoi Sakura - $125 https://imgur.com/a/7FtyAUd
Senki Zesshou Symphogear GX Kazanari Tsubasa Ame no Habakiri (Bell Fine) - $150 https://imgur.com/a/kEyTyTU
Senki Zesshou Symphogear GX Yukine Chris - Ichaival Ver. (Bell Fine) - $130 https://imgur.com/a/b9rAzQX
Ultra Kaiju Guts Seijin (Surprise Next) - $170 https://imgur.com/a/GWtNu4B
Plush (missing tags; I might still have them though, so I will include them if I find them)
Kemono Friends Iwatobi Penguin Mega Jumbo Nesoberi - $10 https://imgur.com/a/VC9zgGl
Pokemon Eevee (Banpresto) - $10 https://imgur.com/a/bRFsR6s
submitted by MajesticOtaking to mangaswap [link] [comments]
Prices do not include shipping. I am VERY willing to negotiate on price for the figures. If you're interested, please let me know regardless of my asking price and we can discuss it. Figure prices are based on ebay and not in-depth research, so they aren't firm by any means.
These items were kept in a smoke-free, pet-friendly environment. Please ask if you have specific questions or would like additional pictures. I prefer not to split, but I may be willing on a case-by-case basis.
I'm almost to my financial goal so I can move across the country! I appreciate you helping me get there!
Manga
11th Cat 1-5 (complete) - $25 https://imgur.com/a/Ke6OGIo
Ai Yori Aoshi 1-7 - $35 https://imgur.com/a/N6IoXaq
Alice & Zoroku 1-2 - $13 https://imgur.com/a/VyWAXdQ
Angel Diary 1-2 - $10 https://imgur.com/a/RxWPQrw
Baccano 1 (light novel, hardback) - $10 https://imgur.com/a/TNU4jwA
Bakuman 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/a4aTYpm
Battle Rabbits 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/a4aTYpm
Beauty and the Feast 1 - $7 https://imgur.com/a/a4aTYpm
Black Butler 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/nvyV1Ns
Blue Period 1-4 - $28 https://imgur.com/a/VQnUeML
Bottom-Tier Character Tomozaki 1 (light novel) - $7 https://imgur.com/a/dBySQM0
Bungo Stray Dogs 1-2 - $14 https://imgur.com/a/UKHMA1x
Bus Gamer (standalone) - $5 https://imgur.com/a/AF0N5iJ
Cantarella 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/0X7zrGX
Clockwork Planet 1 (light novel) - $7 https://imgur.com/a/xxDlkm7
Conditions of Paradise, The (standalone) - $7 https://imgur.com/a/vQdMODO
Culdcept 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/bn938Sc
Days of Love at Seagull Villa 1-3 (complete) - $21 https://imgur.com/a/E4gDYNJ
Demonizer Zilch 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/wgGBO0X
Descendants of Darkness 1-3 - $15 https://imgur.com/a/OiS24qq
Di Gi Charat 1-4 (complete) - $20 https://imgur.com/a/2dUC1xD
Dictatorial Grimoire (standalone omnibus) - $13 https://imgur.com/a/OTkWz9R
Dimension W 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/BOznjTX
Dororo: The Omnibus Edition (standalone) - $15 https://imgur.com/a/B3uBOFV
Dragon Knights 1-7 - $35 https://imgur.com/a/fDYhHU5
Dragonar Academy 1-2 - $10 https://imgur.com/a/XcSD3j3
Fairy Tale Battle Royale 1-4 - $24 https://imgur.com/a/y2Zd6gW
Fall in Love Like a Comic 1-2 (complete) - $10 https://imgur.com/a/zTJmZVj
Fiance of the Wizard 1 - $6 https://imgur.com/a/riFTHhg
Four-Eyed Prince 1-3 - $15 https://imgur.com/a/UYNwKmw
Free Collars Kingdom 1-3 (complete) - $15 https://imgur.com/a/bgEeeio
Frieren: Beyond Jounrey's End 1 - $6 https://imgur.com/a/FpxoWzt
Fruits Basket omnibus 1-4, 9-10 - $72 https://imgur.com/a/E4SmjpL
Galaxy Angel 1-3 - $15 https://imgur.com/a/IgfaAP6
Galaxy Angel Beta 1-2 - $10 https://imgur.com/a/dInlUT0
Genkaku Picasso - $15 https://imgur.com/a/oahQK7s
Goblin Slayer Side Story: Year One 1-2 (light novel) - $15 https://imgur.com/a/2g9gRwa
Gravitation: Voice of Temptation (light novel, Gravitation side story) - $5 https://imgur.com/a/GDeeIj9
Gunparade March 1-3 (complete) + Last Dance Gunparade - $20 https://imgur.com/a/YH9OyER
Higurashi When They Cry 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/KMkFlDB
Hot Gimmick 1-4 omnibus editions + Hot Gimmick S (complete) - $45 https://imgur.com/a/fUfA48Y
I O N (standalone) - $5 https://imgur.com/a/VOGxAFw
Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon 1-3 (light novel) (volumes 4-5 in pictures have been sold) - $21 https://imgur.com/a/RHekce2
Isolator, The 1 (hardback, light novel) - $10 https://imgur.com/a/ZqcquPQ
Junk 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/wCuY8lz
Kare First Love 1-2 - $10https://imgur.com/a/riFTHhg
Kare Kano 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/qNDEpfx
Kashimashi 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/omQMbbT
Kilala Princess 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/YrYh1A0
KonKon Kokon 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/ed2EpQo
Kujibiki Unbalance 1-2 (complete) - $10 https://imgur.com/a/UC17mXN
Lagoon Engine Einsatz (standalone) - $5 https://imgur.com/a/45Rieuw
Le Chevalier d'Eon 1-2 - $15 https://imgur.com/a/qL5sf8r
Little Witch Academia: The Nonsensical Witch and the Country of the Fairies (light novel) - $5 https://imgur.com/a/GYitYVX
Loner Life in Another World - (light novel) $7 https://imgur.com/a/GDeeIj9
Love Master A 1-2 (complete) - $10 https://imgur.com/a/XeBLF6n
Love Roma 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/IpSsafb
Loveholic 1-2 (complete) - $10 https://imgur.com/a/yrZNTK7
Loveless 1-4 (two 2-in-1 omnnibuses) - $17 https://imgur.com/a/h5Qy7WK
Maga-Tsuki 1-2 - $10 https://imgur.com/a/N4K6183
Magia the Ninth 1-2 (complete) - $10 https://imgur.com/a/nRBybq2
Mamotte Shugogetten 1 - $6 https://imgur.com/a/mdxoGzY
Mayo Chiki 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/gASgqrH
Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, The 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/YTsrVBX
Milky Way Hitchhiking 1-2 (vol 3 was never released, so complete-ish?) - $35 https://imgur.com/a/0jeHi0h
Monster Girl Doctor 1 (light novel) - $7 https://imgur.com/a/ZqcquPQ
My Androgynous Boyfriend 1 - $7 https://imgur.com/a/vyrkiDf
My Little Monster 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/I5SolSm
My-Hime 1-5 (complete) - $25 https://imgur.com/a/rNjIhoK
Nana 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/I5SolSm
Negima 1-20 + Negiho - $95 https://imgur.com/a/DfXlBW6
Nirvana 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/omQMbbT
Nosatsu Junkie 1-4 - $20 https://imgur.com/a/pBx6FMx
Now Loading (standalone) - $5 https://imgur.com/a/vyrkiDf
Nurse Hitomi's Monster Infirmary 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/ed2EpQo
Occultic;Nine 1 (light novel) - $7 https://imgur.com/a/ZqcquPQ
One Fine Day 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/DBLgaJm
Otome Mania 1-2 (complete) - $10 https://imgur.com/a/AI375f5
Ouran High School Host Club 1-11 - $55 https://imgur.com/a/wlF3JE5
Pandora in the Crimson Shell 1 - $6 https://imgur.com/a/omQMbbT
Penguin Revolution 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/lnpu6q7
PHD: Phantasy Degree - $5 https://imgur.com/a/chcr1Im
Pokemon The Rise of Darkrai - $5 https://imgur.com/a/bgWQiWK
Psychic Academy 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/omQMbbT
Punch 1-3 (complete) - $15https://imgur.com/a/08Rkj15
Re:Zero 1 (manga) - $5 https://imgur.com/a/Il2rTuz
Re:Zero 1-2 (light novel) (volume 2 from pictures has been sold) - $21 https://imgur.com/a/MZHiU5n
RG Veda 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/qL5sf8r
Rising of the Shield Hero, The 1 (manga) - $5 https://imgur.com/a/Il2rTuz
Saint Young Men 1-6 (hardbacks) - $80 https://imgur.com/a/l3d7gOt
Saiyuki Reload 1-9 (complete in US publication, heavy sun-fading and damage) - $25 https://imgur.com/a/mqLOGUs
Sakura Hime 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/OqzMOjn
Samurai Deeper Kyo 1-9 - $45 https://imgur.com/a/jghft6x
Samurai Girl Real Bout High School 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/98JIhAy
Satan's Secretary 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/KDvRsgO
Sayonara Zetsubou-Sensei 1 - $10 https://imgur.com/a/GYitYVX
School Judgement 1-3 (complete) - $15 https://imgur.com/a/GzqWCCf
Secret Sakura Shares, The (standalone) - $10 https://imgur.com/a/pfTfI9f
Secretly I've Been Suffering About Being Sexless (standalone) - $8 https://imgur.com/a/DBLgaJm
Servant X Service 1 - $10 https://imgur.com/a/pfTfI9f
SGT Frog 1-7, 11, 16, 19 - $50 (volumes 20-21 have been sold) https://imgur.com/a/r99bGkp
Shugo Chara 1-4, 7 - $28 https://imgur.com/a/QfUsIfU
Slumbering Beauty 1-2 (complete) - $10 https://imgur.com/a/qox5eZn
Songs To Make You Smile (standalone) - $5 https://imgur.com/a/DBLgaJm
Species Domain 1-7 - $50 https://imgur.com/a/R92fng9
Spirit Circle 1 - $6 https://imgur.com/a/wDCptpP
Stupid Love Comedy (standalone) - $13 https://imgur.com/a/xi1Wyf7
Sugar Sugar Rune 1 - $20 https://imgur.com/a/qL5sf8r
Suzuka 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/xi1Wyf7
Tale of an Unknown Country, A 1-2 - $10 https://imgur.com/a/AI375f5
There's a Demon Lord on the Floor 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/vyrkiDf
Tokyo Boys &; Girls 1-3 - $15 https://imgur.com/a/l7dFWUd
Ultra Kaiju 1-2 - $10 https://imgur.com/a/GYitYVX
Ultra Maniac 1 - $4 https://imgur.com/a/Ev1F9PM
Unmagical Girl 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/DBLgaJm
Vampire Game 1-15 (complete) - $70 https://imgur.com/a/6Rskl12
Vampire Knight 1-4 - $20 https://imgur.com/a/AvwkuaH
Versailles of the Dead 1-2 - $12 https://imgur.com/a/xrvEAAs
Voices of a Distant Star, The (standalone) - $5 https://imgur.com/a/GDeeIj9
Wallflower, The 1-10, 13, 16, 19 - $52 - (volumes 11,12,and 18 from the pictures have been sold) Part 1 https://imgur.com/a/t7qKOWx Part 2 https://imgur.com/a/TDqwDzR
Wandering Witch: The Journey of Elaina 1-2 - $12 https://imgur.com/a/aL5EgKw
What's Michael? Fatcat Collection 1-2 (complete) - $20 https://imgur.com/a/B3uBOFV
Whispered Words 1-3 (complete) - $30 https://imgur.com/a/nRjh4UG
Witch Buster 1-2 omnibus - $8 https://imgur.com/a/U8y4ItZ
Wild Ones 1 - $5 https://imgur.com/a/comGEdA
Witch's Printing House, A 1 - $8 https://imgur.com/a/xi1Wyf7
World of Narue 1-2 - $10 https://imgur.com/a/aL5EgKw
Misc. Books
Nendoroid - My First Doll: Clothing Patterns - $20 https://imgur.com/a/yIlVI2d
Start with 12 Colors The First Copic Color illustration Book - $10 (the coloring pages have been removed from the book, but they are included and uncolored; one has a wrinkled corner) https://imgur.com/a/K9YEtKY
Anime
Cowboy Bebop Remix DVD + Cowboy Bebop Movie DVD - $10 https://imgur.com/a/CQeHpI8
Final Fantasy Advent Children Complete BD - $5 https://imgur.com/a/CQeHpI8
Nendoroids
Dramatical Murder Clear 597 - $105 https://imgur.com/a/cvVIo4F
Durara!! x2 Celty 513 - $75 https://imgur.com/a/cvVIo4F
Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask Link 553 - $65 https://imgur.com/a/jCbd7az
Play Arts Kai (Final Fantasy VII Advent Children)
Arms - $70 https://imgur.com/a/2mbvOqp
Barret - $100 https://imgur.com/a/TBGdvJx
Cloud - $150 https://imgur.com/a/7dQ4PTT
Red XIII (glue on side of box has dried, causing it to open; tape is still in place) - $110 https://imgur.com/a/r2zwQKj
Tifa - $250 https://imgur.com/a/hPt8Not
Sephiroth - $130 https://imgur.com/a/q44KxW2
Vincent - $175 https://imgur.com/a/KNnzjc1
Misc Figures
Code Geass Lelouche Lamperouge Code Black 1st Life Encore ver (Kotobukiya) - $120 https://imgur.com/a/z4HVlnx
Code Geass Lelouche Lamperouge/Zero/Kururugi Suzaku 10th Anniversary (Megahouse) - $200 https://imgur.com/a/rhKYnpB
Dragon's Crown Elf Another Color Version (Megahouse) - $130 https://imgur.com/a/O8aInUv
Final Fantasy Master Arms Seifer's Gunblade (Square Enix) - $35 https://imgur.com/a/YGkfxBy
Hyakka Ryouran Tokugawa Sen (Alter) - $75 https://imgur.com/a/3gc2fBB
Hyakka Ryouran Tokugawa Sen Sadistic Succubus Ver. (Alter) - $105 https://imgur.com/a/KXWUCH7
Hyakka Ryouran Yagyu Jubei (Megahouse) - $100 https://imgur.com/a/49ZpBn2
Kingdom Hearts II Sora Static Arts Gallery - $100 https://imgur.com/a/TVG2lF8
Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess Ganandorf (Dark Horse/Together+) - $250 https://imgur.com/a/otRy1NN
Neon Genesis Evangelion Makinami Mari Illustrious (Max Factory) - $175 https://imgur.com/a/4Yhr9YI
Rail Wars Aoi Sakura - $125 https://imgur.com/a/7FtyAUd
Senki Zesshou Symphogear GX Kazanari Tsubasa Ame no Habakiri (Bell Fine) - $150 https://imgur.com/a/kEyTyTU
Senki Zesshou Symphogear GX Yukine Chris - Ichaival Ver. (Bell Fine) - $130 https://imgur.com/a/b9rAzQX
Ultra Kaiju Guts Seijin (Surprise Next) - $170 https://imgur.com/a/GWtNu4B
Plush (missing tags; I might still have them though, so I will include them if I find them)
Kemono Friends Iwatobi Penguin Mega Jumbo Nesoberi - $10 https://imgur.com/a/VC9zgGl
Pokemon Eevee (Banpresto) - $10 https://imgur.com/a/bRFsR6s
2023.03.30 07:01 Glittering-Bat-8271 Kindling, alcohol and Benzos. Please read.
Kindling: Benzos after alcohol?
I have had many of these conversations today after, of course, the great monetary revelation that I’ve wasted money on a surplus of a substance that is most likely doing more harm than the good I presumed.
I abused alcohol for 1.5-2 years for chronic stress and anxiety. There’s not much to it. I was a methodical, functional alcoholic with few to no belligerent incidents but I required multiple bottles of wine per day to function. I’m officially 6 months sober and have no intention of drinking again.
I was prescribed clonazepam and it has helped immensely with the panic episodes I still suffer from on an occasional basis. I take it 1-3 times per week as needed. I recently went down the rabbit hole, acquired a stockpile of bromazolam, alprazolam, nitrazolam and flubromazolam. Don’t ask me why, I don’t have an answer other than I thought I could be set up for a life of panic/stress episodes and I’m my obsession I indulged my security.
Recently, I’ve been made aware of a mechanism called “kindling”. It appears I’ve been prolonging my misery with episodic benzodiazepine usage, lending to this GABA A related kindling acquired by my previous alcohol abuse.
Does anyone have any experience with kindling; specifically benzo related kindling post alcohol usage?
I’ve never been addicted to benzodiazepines and have never taken a dose to get high nor a dose strong enough to black out. Always between .5mg and 1.5mg alprazolam level dosages. Probably no more than 40 times in my life (many of those .5mg clonazepam dosages).
submitted by Glittering-Bat-8271 to benzorecovery [link] [comments]
I have had many of these conversations today after, of course, the great monetary revelation that I’ve wasted money on a surplus of a substance that is most likely doing more harm than the good I presumed.
I abused alcohol for 1.5-2 years for chronic stress and anxiety. There’s not much to it. I was a methodical, functional alcoholic with few to no belligerent incidents but I required multiple bottles of wine per day to function. I’m officially 6 months sober and have no intention of drinking again.
I was prescribed clonazepam and it has helped immensely with the panic episodes I still suffer from on an occasional basis. I take it 1-3 times per week as needed. I recently went down the rabbit hole, acquired a stockpile of bromazolam, alprazolam, nitrazolam and flubromazolam. Don’t ask me why, I don’t have an answer other than I thought I could be set up for a life of panic/stress episodes and I’m my obsession I indulged my security.
Recently, I’ve been made aware of a mechanism called “kindling”. It appears I’ve been prolonging my misery with episodic benzodiazepine usage, lending to this GABA A related kindling acquired by my previous alcohol abuse.
Does anyone have any experience with kindling; specifically benzo related kindling post alcohol usage?
I’ve never been addicted to benzodiazepines and have never taken a dose to get high nor a dose strong enough to black out. Always between .5mg and 1.5mg alprazolam level dosages. Probably no more than 40 times in my life (many of those .5mg clonazepam dosages).
2023.03.30 07:01 inacrisis765 What to do when parents and police won't help you?
I'm 14 almost 15yo Black adoptee of white parents (you can tell me not to being race into this but I think it could be important) I was raped by a white LEO whose pretty high up (won't say who in case I get in trouble) 6 weeks ago and I got a rape kit done but it went "missing". Police aren't doing anything and my parents keep trying to stop me doing anything too because there friends with him. What do I do? Is there anyone I can talk to who could help me? Any way to stop my parents interfereing?
submitted by inacrisis765 to rapecounseling [link] [comments]
2023.03.30 06:59 professorprogfrog My faith in Jesus helped me recover from erectile dysfunction (Storytime)
THE OPENING (al-Fatihah) 1. In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful. 2. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds. 3. The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 4. Master of the Day of Judgment. 5. It is You we worship, and upon You we call for help. 6. Guide us to the straight path. 7. The path of those You have blessed, not of those against whom there is anger, nor of those who are misguided. 2. THE HEIFER (al-Baqarah) In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful 1. Alif, Lam, Meem. 2. This is the Book in which there is no doubt, a guide for the righteous. 3. Those who believe in the unseen, and perform the prayers, and give from what We have provided for them. 4. And those who believe in what was revealed to you, and in what was revealed before you, and are certain of the Hereafter. 5. These are upon guidance from their Lord. These are the successful. 6. As for those who disbelieve—it is the same for them, whether you have warned them, or have not warned them—they do not believe. 7. Allah has set a seal on their hearts and on their hearing, and over their vision is a veil. They will have a severe torment. 8. Among the people are those who say, “We believe in Allah and in the Last Day,” but they are not believers. 9. They seek to deceive Allah and those who believe, but they deceive none but themselves, though they are not aware. 10. In their hearts is sickness, and Allah has increased their sickness. They will have a painful punishment because of their denial. 11. And when it is said to them, “Do not make trouble on earth,” they say, “We are only reformers.” 12. In fact, they are the troublemakers, but they are not aware. 13. And when it is said to them, “Believe as the people have believed,” they say, “Shall we believe as the fools have believed?” In fact, it is they who are the fools, but they do not know. 14. And when they come across those who believe, they say, “We believe”; but when they are alone with their devils, they say, “We are with you; we were only ridiculing.” 15. It is Allah who ridicules them, and leaves them bewildered in their transgression. 16. Those are they who have bartered error for guidance; but their trade does not profit them, and they are not guided. 17. Their likeness is that of a person who kindled a fire; when it illuminated all around him, Allah took away their light, and left them in darkness, unable to see. 18. Deaf, dumb, blind. They will not return. 19. Or like a cloudburst from the sky, in which is darkness, and thunder, and lightning. They press their fingers into their ears from the thunderbolts, in fear of death. But Allah surrounds the disbelievers. 20. The lightning almost snatches their sight away. Whenever it illuminates for them, they walk in it; but when it grows dark over them, they stand still. Had Allah willed, He could have taken away their hearing and their sight. Allah is capable of everything. 21. O people! Worship your Lord who created you and those before you, that you may attain piety. 1 2. THE HEIFER (al-Baqarah) 22. He who made the earth a habitat for you, and the sky a structure, and sends water down from the sky, and brings out fruits thereby, as a sustenance for you. Therefore, do not assign rivals to Allah while you know. 23. And if you are in doubt about what We have revealed to Our servant, then produce a chapter like these, and call your witnesses apart from Allah, if you are truthful. 24. But if you do not—and you will not—then beware the Fire whose fuel is people and stones, prepared for the disbelievers. 25. And give good news to those who believe and do righteous deeds; that they will have gardens beneath which rivers flow. Whenever they are provided with fruit therefrom as sustenance, they will say, “This is what we were provided with before,” and they will be given the like of it. And they will have pure spouses therein, and they will abide therein forever. 26. Allah does not shy away from making an example of a gnat, or something above it. As for those who believe, they know that it is the Truth from their Lord. But as for those who disbelieve, they say, “What did Allah intend by this example?” He leads astray many thereby, and He guides many thereby; but He misleads thereby only the evildoers. 27. Those who violate Allah’s covenant after its confirmation, and sever what Allah has commanded to be joined, and commit evil on earth. These are the losers. 28. How can you deny Allah, when you were dead and He gave you life, then He will put you to death, then He will bring you to life, then to Him you will be returned? 29. It is He who created for you everything on earth, then turned to the heaven, and made them seven heavens. And He is aware of all things. 30. When your Lord said to the angels, “I am placing a successor on earth.” They said, “Will You place in it someone who will cause corruption in it and shed blood, while we declare Your praises and sanctify You?” He said, “I know what you do not know.” 31. And He taught Adam the names, all of them; then he presented them to the angels, and said, “Tell Me the names of these, if you are sincere.” 32. They said, “Glory be to You! We have no knowledge except what You have taught us. It is you who are the Knowledgeable, the Wise.” 33. He said, “O Adam, tell them their names.” And when he told them their names, He said, “Did I not tell you that I know the secrets of the heavens and the earth, and that I know what you reveal and what you conceal?” 34. And We said to the angels, “Bow down to Adam.” They bowed down, except for Satan. He refused, was arrogant, and was one of the disbelievers. 35. We said, “O Adam, inhabit the Garden, you and your spouse, and eat from it freely as you please, but do not approach this tree, lest you become wrongdoers.” 36. But Satan caused them to slip from it, and caused them to depart the state they were in. We said, “Go down, some of you enemies of one another. And you will have residence on earth, and enjoyment for a while.” 37. Then Adam received words from his Lord, so He relented towards him. He is the Relenting, the Merciful. 38. We said, “Go down from it, all of you. Yet whenever guidance comes to you from Me, then whoever follows My guidance—they have nothing to fear, nor shall they grieve. 39. But as for those who disbelieve and reject Our signs—these are the inmates of the Fire—wherein they will remain forever.” 40. O Children of Israel! Remember My blessings which I bestowed upon you, and fulfill your pledge to Me, and I will fulfill My pledge to you, and fear Me. 41. And believe in what I revealed, confirming what is with you; and do not be the first to 2 2. THE HEIFER (al-Baqarah) deny it; and do not exchange My revelations for a small price; and be conscious of Me. 42. And do not mix truth with falsehood, and do not conceal the truth while you know. 43. And attend to your prayers, and practice regular charity, and kneel with those who kneel. 44. Do you command people to virtuous conduct, and forget yourselves, even though you read the Scripture? Do you not understand? 45. And seek help through patience and prayer. But it is difficult, except for the devout. 46. Those who know that they will meet their Lord, and that to Him they will return. 47. O Children of Israel! Remember My favor which I bestowed upon you, and I that favored you over all nations. 48. And beware of a Day when no soul will avail another in the least, nor will any intercession be accepted on its behalf, nor will any ransom be taken from it, nor will they be helped. 49. And recall that We delivered you from the people of Pharaoh. They inflicted on you terrible persecution, killing your sons and sparing your women. Therein was a tremendous trial from your Lord. 50. And recall that We parted the sea for you, so We saved you, and We drowned the people of Pharaoh as you looked on. 51. And recall that We appointed for Moses forty nights. Then you took to worshiping the calf after him, and you turned wicked. 52. Then We pardoned you after that, so that you might be grateful. 53. And recall that We gave Moses the Scripture and the Criterion, so that you may be guided. 54. And recall that Moses said to his people, “O my people, you have done wrong to yourselves by worshiping the calf. So repent to your Maker, and kill your egos. That would be better for you with your Maker.” So He turned to you in repentance. He is the Accepter of Repentance, the Merciful. 55. And recall that you said, “O Moses, we will not believe in you unless we see Allah plainly.” Thereupon the thunderbolt struck you, as you looked on. 56. Then We revived you after your death, so that you may be appreciative. 57. And We shaded you with clouds, and We sent down to you manna and quails: “Eat of the good things We have provided for you.” They did not wrong Us, but they used to wrong their own souls. 58. And recall that We said, “Enter this town, and eat plentifully from it whatever you wish; but enter the gate humbly, and say, 'Pardon.' We will forgive your sins, and give increase to the virtuous.” 59. But the wrongdoers among them substituted words other than those given to them, so We sent down on the wrongdoers a plague from heaven, because of their wicked behavior. 60. And recall when Moses prayed for water for his people. We said, “Strike the rock with your staff.” Thereupon twelve springs gushed out from it, and each tribe recognized its drinking-place. “Eat and drink from Allah’s provision, and do not corrupt the earth with disobedience.” 61. And recall when you said, “O Moses, we cannot endure one kind of food, so call to your Lord to produce for us of what the earth grows: of its herbs, and its cucumbers, and its garlic, and its lentils, and its onions.” He said, “Would you substitute worse for better? Go down to Egypt, where you will have what you asked for.” They were struck with humiliation and poverty, and incurred wrath from Allah. That was because they rejected Allah’s revelations and wrongfully killed the prophets. That was because they disobeyed and transgressed. 62. Those who believe, and those who are Jewish, and the Christians, and the Sabeans—any who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and 3 2. THE HEIFER (al-Baqarah) act righteously—will have their reward with their Lord; they have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve. 63. And recall when We received a pledge from you, and raised the Mount above you: “Take what We have given you earnestly, and remember what is in it, that you may attain righteousness.” 64. But after that you turned away. Were it not for Allah’s grace and mercy towards you, you would have been among the losers. 65. And you surely knew those of you who violated the Sabbath. We said to them, “Be despicable apes!” 66. Thus We made it a deterrent for their generation, and for subsequent generations, and a lesson for the righteous. 67. And recall when Moses said to his people, “Allah commands you to sacrifice a heifer.” They said, “Do you make a mockery of us?” He said, “Allah forbid that I should be so ignorant.” 68. They said, “Call upon your Lord to show us which one.” He said, “He says she is a heifer, neither too old, nor too young, but in between. So do what you are commanded.” 69. They said, “Call upon your Lord to show us what her color is.” He said, “He says she is a yellow heifer, bright in color, pleasing to the beholders.” 70. They said, “Call upon your Lord to show us which one; the heifers look alike to us; and Allah willing, we will be guided.” 71. He said, “He says she is a heifer, neither yoked to plow the earth, nor to irrigate the field; sound without blemish.” They said, “Now you have brought the truth.” So they slew her; though they almost did not. 72. And recall when you killed a person, and disputed in the matter; but Allah was to expose what you were hiding. 73. We said, “Strike him with part of it.” Thus Allah brings the dead to life; and He shows you His signs, that you may understand. 74. Then after that your hearts hardened. They were as rocks, or even harder. For there are some rocks from which rivers gush out, and others that splinter and water comes out from them, and others that sink in awe of Allah. Allah is not unaware of what you do. 75. Do you hope that they will believe in you, when some of them used to hear the Word of Allah, and then deliberately distort it, even after understanding it? 76. And when they come across those who believe, they say, “We believe,” but when they come together privately, they say, “Will you inform them of what Allah has disclosed to you, so that they might dispute with you concerning it before your Lord?” Do you not understand? 77. Do they not know that Allah knows what they conceal and what they reveal? 78. And among them are uneducated who know the Scripture only through hearsay, and they only speculate. 79. So woe to those who write the Scripture with their own hands, and then say, “This is from Allah,” that they may exchange it for a little price. Woe to them for what their hands have written, and woe to them for what they earn. 80. And they say, “The Fire will not touch us except for a number of days.” Say, “Have you received a promise from Allah—Allah never breaks His promise—or are you saying about Allah what you do not know?” 81. Indeed, whoever commits misdeeds, and becomes besieged by his iniquities—these are the inmates of the Fire, wherein they will dwell forever. 82. As for those who believe and do righteous deeds—these are the inhabitants of Paradise, wherein they will dwell forever. 83. We made a covenant with the Children of Israel: “Worship none but Allah; and be good to parents, and relatives, and orphans, and the needy; and speak nicely to people; and pray regularly, and give alms.” Then you 4 2. THE HEIFER (al-Baqarah) turned away, except for a few of you, recanting. 84. And We made a covenant with you: “You shall not shed the blood of your own, nor shall you evict your own from your homes.” You agreed, and were all witnesses. 85. But here you are, killing your own, and expelling a group of your own from their homes—conspiring against them in wrongdoing and hostility. And if they come to you as captives, you ransom them, although it was forbidden to you. Is it that you believe in part of the Scripture, and disbelieve in part? What is the reward for those among you who do that but humiliation in this life? And on the Day of Resurrection, they will be assigned to the most severe torment. Allah is not unaware of what you do. 86. Those are they who bought the present life for the Hereafter, so the punishment will not be lightened for them, nor will they be helped. 87. We gave Moses the Scripture, and sent a succession of messengers after him. And We gave Jesus son of Mary the clear proofs, and We supported him with the Holy Spirit. Is it that whenever a messenger comes to you with anything your souls do not desire, you grew arrogant, calling some impostors, and killing others? 88. And they said, “Our hearts are sealed.” Rather, Allah has cursed them for their ingratitude. They have little faith. 89. And when a scripture came to them from Allah, confirming what they have—although previously they were seeking victory against those who disbelieved—but when there came to them what they recognized, they disbelieved in it. So Allah’s curse is upon the disbelievers. 90. Miserable is what they sold their souls for—rejecting what Allah has revealed, out of resentment that Allah would send down His grace upon whomever He chooses from among His servants. Thus they incurred wrath upon wrath. And there is a demeaning punishment for the disbelievers. 91. And when it is said to them, “Believe in what Allah has revealed,” they say, “We believe in what was revealed to us,” and they reject anything beyond that, although it is the truth which confirms what they have. Say, “Why did you kill Allah’s prophets before, if you were believers?” 92. Moses came to you with clear proofs, yet you adopted the calf in his absence, and you were in the wrong. 93. And We made a covenant with you, and raised the Mount above you: “Take what We have given you firmly, and listen.” They said, “We hear and disobey.” And their hearts became filled with the love of the calf because of their disbelief. Say, “Wretched is what your faith commands you to do, if you are believers.” 94. Say, “If the Final Home with Allah is yours alone, to the exclusion of all other people, then wish for death if you are sincere.” 95. But they will never wish for it, because of what their hands have forwarded. Allah is aware of the evildoers. 96. You will find them, of all mankind, the most eager for life, even more than the polytheists. Every one of them wishes he could live a thousand years; but to be granted a long life will not nudge him from the punishment. Allah is Seeing of what they do. 97. Say, “Whoever is hostile to Gabriel—it is he who revealed it to your heart by Allah’s leave, confirming what preceded it, and guidance and good news for the believers.” 98. Whoever is hostile to Allah, and His angels, and His messengers, and Gabriel, and Michael—Allah is hostile to the faithless. 99. We have revealed to you clear signs, and none rejects them except the sinners. 100. Is it not that whenever they make a covenant, some of them toss it aside? In fact, most of them do not believe. 101. And when there came to them a messenger from Allah, confirming what they had, a faction of those who were given the Book 5 2. THE HEIFER (al-Baqarah) threw the Book of Allah behind their backs, as if they do not know. 102. And they followed what the devils taught during the reign of Solomon. It was not Solomon who disbelieved, but it was the devils who disbelieved. They taught the people witchcraft and what was revealed in Babylon to the two angels Harut and Marut. They did not teach anybody until they had said, “We are a test, so do not lose faith.” But they learned from them the means to cause separation between man and his wife. But they cannot harm anyone except with Allah's permission. And they learned what would harm them and not benefit them. Yet they knew that whoever deals in it will have no share in the Hereafter. Miserable is what they sold their souls for, if they only knew. 103. Had they believed and been righteous, the reward from Allah would have been better, if they only knew. 104. O you who believe! Do not say ambiguous words, but say words of respect, and listen. The disbelievers will have a painful torment. 105. It is never the wish of the disbelievers from among the People of the Book, nor of the polytheists, that any good should be sent down to you from your Lord. But Allah chooses for His mercy whomever He wills. Allah is Possessor of Sublime Grace. 106. We never nullify a verse, nor cause it to be forgotten, unless We bring one better than it, or similar to it. Do you not know that Allah is capable of all things? 107. Do you not know that to Allah belongs the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth, and that apart from Allah you have no guardian or helper? 108. Or do you want to question your Messenger as Moses was questioned before? Whoever exchanges faith for disbelief has strayed from the right path. 109. Many of the People of the Book wish to turn you back into unbelievers after you have believed, out of envy on their part, after the Truth has become clear to them. But pardon and overlook, until Allah brings His command. Allah has power over all things. 110. And perform the prayer, and give alms. Whatever good you forward for yourselves, you will find it with Allah. Allah is Seeing of everything you do. 111. And they say, “None will enter Heaven unless he is a Jew or a Christian.” These are their wishes. Say, “Produce your proof, if you are truthful.” 112. In fact, whoever submits himself to Allah, and is a doer of good, will have his reward with his Lord—they have nothing to fear, nor shall they grieve. 113. The Jews say, “The Christians are not based on anything;” and the Christians say, “The Jews are not based on anything.” Yet they both read the Scripture. Similarly, the ignorant said the same thing. Allah will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection regarding their differences. 114. Who is more unjust than him who forbids the remembrance of Allah’s name in places of worship, and contributes to their ruin? These ought not to enter them except in fear. For them is disgrace in this world, and for them is a terrible punishment in the Hereafter. 115. To Allah belong the East and the West. Whichever way you turn, there is Allah’s presence. Allah is Omnipresent and Omniscient. 116. And they say, “Allah has begotten a son.” Be He glorified. Rather, His is everything in the heavens and the earth; all are obedient to Him. 117. Originator of the heavens and the earth. Whenever He decrees a thing, He says to it, “Be,” and it becomes. 118. Those who do not know say, “If only Allah would speak to us, or a sign would come to us.” Thus said those who were before them. Their hearts are alike. We have made the signs clear for people who are certain. 6 2. THE HEIFER (al-Baqarah) 119. We have sent you with the truth—bringing good news, and giving warnings. You will not be questioned about the inmates of Hell. 120. The Jews and the Christians will not approve of you, unless you follow their creed. Say, “Allah’s guidance is the guidance.” Should you follow their desires, after the knowledge that has come to you, you will have in Allah neither guardian nor helper. 121. Those to whom We have given the Scripture follow it, as it ought to be followed— these believe in it. But as for those who reject it—these are the losers. 122. O Children of Israel! Remember My blessing which I bestowed upon you, and that I have favored you over all people. 123. And beware of a Day when no soul will avail another soul in any way, and no ransom will be accepted from it, and no intercession will benefit it, and they will not be helped. 124. And when his Lord tested Abraham with certain words, and he fulfilled them. He said, “I am making you a leader of humanity.” He said, “And my descendants?” He said, “My pledge does not include the wrongdoers.” 125. And We made the House a focal point for the people, and a sanctuary. Use the shrine of Abraham as a place of prayer. And We commissioned Abraham and Ishmael, “Sanctify My House for those who circle around it, and those who seclude themselves in it, and those who kneel and prostrate.” 126. When Abraham said, “O My Lord, make this a peaceful land, and provide its people with fruits—whoever of them believes in Allah and the Last Day.” He said, “And whoever disbelieves, I will give him a little enjoyment, then I will consign him to the punishment of the Fire; how miserable the destiny!” 127. As Abraham raises the foundations of the House, together with Ishmael, “Our Lord, accept it from us, You are the Hearer, the Knower. 128. Our Lord, and make us submissive to You, and from our descendants a community submissive to You. And show us our rites, and accept our repentance. You are the Acceptor of Repentance, the Merciful. 129. Our Lord, and raise up among them a messenger, of themselves, who will recite to them Your revelations, and teach them the Book and wisdom, and purify them. You are the Almighty, the Wise.” 130. Who would forsake the religion of Abraham, except he who fools himself? We chose him in this world, and in the Hereafter he will be among the righteous. 131. When his Lord said to him, “Submit!” He said, “I have submitted to the Lord of the Worlds.” 132. And Abraham exhorted his sons, and Jacob, “O my sons, Allah has chosen this religion for you, so do not die unless you have submitted.” 133. Or were you witnesses when death approached Jacob, and he said to his sons, “What will you worship after Me?” They said, “We will worship your God, and the God of your fathers, Abraham, Ishmael, and Isaac; One God; and to Him we submit.” 134. That was a community that has passed; for them is what they have earned, and for you is what you have earned; and you will not be questioned about what they used to do. 135. And they say, “Be Jews or Christians, and you will be guided.” Say, “Rather, the religion of Abraham, the Monotheist; he was not an idolater.” 136. Say, “We believe in Allah; and in what was revealed to us; and in what was revealed to Abraham, and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the Patriarchs; and in what was given to Moses and Jesus; and in what was given to the prophets—from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we surrender.” 137. If they believe in the same as you have believed in, then they have been guided. But if they turn away, then they are in schism. Allah will protect you against them; for He is the Hearer, the Knower. 7 2. THE HEIFER (al-Baqarah) 138. Allah’s coloring. And who gives better coloring than Allah? “And we are devoted to Him.” 139. Say, “Do you argue with us about Allah, when He is our Lord and your Lord, and We have our works, and you have your works, and we are sincere to Him?” 140. Or do you say that Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the Patriarchs were Jews or Christians? Say, “Do you know better, or Allah?” And who does greater wrong than he who conceals a testimony he has from Allah? Allah is not unaware of what you do. 141. That was a community that has passed. To them is what they have earned, and to you is what you have earned. And you will not be questioned about what they used to do. 142. The ignorant among the people will say, “What has turned them away from the direction of prayer they once followed?” Say, “To Allah belong the East and the West. He guides whom He wills to a straight path.” 143. Thus We made you a moderate community, that you may be witnesses to humanity, and that the Messenger may be a witness to you. We only established the direction of prayer, which you once followed, that We may distinguish those who follow the Messenger from those who turn on their heels. It is indeed difficult, except for those whom Allah has guided. But Allah would never let your faith go to waste. Allah is Kind towards the people, Merciful. 144. We have seen your face turned towards the heaven. So We will turn you towards a direction that will satisfy you. So turn your face towards the Sacred Mosque. And wherever you may be, turn your faces towards it. Those who were given the Book know that it is the Truth from their Lord; and Allah is not unaware of what they do. 145. Even if you were to bring to those who were given the Book every proof, they would not follow your direction, nor are you to follow their direction, nor do they follow the direction of one another. And if you were to follow their desires, after the knowledge that has come to you, you would be in that case one of the wrongdoers. 146. Those to whom We have given the Book recognize it as they recognize their own children. But some of them conceal the truth while they know. 147. The truth is from your Lord, so do not be a skeptic. 148. To every community is a direction towards which it turns. Therefore, race towards goodness. Wherever you may be, Allah will bring you all together. Allah is capable of everything. 149. And wherever you come from, turn your face towards the Sacred Mosque. This is the truth from your Lord, and Allah is not heedless of what you do. 150. And wherever you come from, turn your face towards the Sacred Mosque. And wherever you may be, turn your faces towards it. So that the people may not have any argument against you—except those who do wrong among them. So do not fear them, but fear Me, that I may complete My blessings upon you, and that you may be guided. 151. Just as We sent to you a messenger from among you, who recites Our revelations to you, and purifies you, and teaches you the Book and wisdom, and teaches you what you did not know. 152. So remember Me, and I will remember you. And thank Me, and do not be ungrateful. 153. O you who believe! Seek help through patience and prayers. Allah is with the steadfast. 154. And do not say of those who are killed in the cause of Allah, “Dead.” Rather, they are alive, but you do not perceive. 155. We will certainly test you with some fear and hunger, and some loss of possessions and lives and crops. But give good news to the steadfast. 156. Those who, when a calamity afflicts them, say, “To Allah we belong, and to Him we will return.” 8 2. THE HEIFER (al-Baqarah) 157. Upon these are blessings and mercy from their Lord. These are the guided ones. 158. Safa and Marwa are among the rites of Allah. Whoever makes the Pilgrimage to the House, or performs the Umrah, commits no error by circulating between them. Whoever volunteers good—Allah is Appreciative and Cognizant. 159. Those who suppress the proofs and the guidance We have revealed, after We have clarified them to humanity in the Scripture— those—Allah curses them, and the cursers curse them. 160. Except those who repent, and reform, and proclaim. Those—I will accept their repentance. I am the Acceptor of Repentance, the Merciful. 161. But as for those who reject faith, and die rejecting—those—upon them is the curse of Allah, and of the angels, and of all humanity. 162. They will remain under it forever, and the torment will not be lightened for them, and they will not be reprieved. 163. Your God is one God. There is no god but He, the Benevolent, the Compassionate. 164. In the creation of the heavens and the earth; in the alternation of night and day; in the ships that sail the oceans for the benefit of mankind; in the water that Allah sends down from the sky, and revives the earth with it after it had died, and scatters in it all kinds of creatures; in the changing of the winds, and the clouds disposed between the sky and the earth; are signs for people who understand. 165. Yet among the people are those who take other than Allah as equals to Him. They love them as the love of Allah. But those who believe have greater love for Allah. If only the wrongdoers would realize, when they see the torment; that all power is Allah’s, and that Allah is severe in punishment. 166. Those who were followed will then disown those who followed them, and they will see the retribution, and ties between them will be severed. 167. Those who followed will say, “If only we can have another chance, we will disown them, as they disowned us.” Thus Allah will show them their deeds, as regrets to them, and they will not come out of the Fire. 168. O people! Eat of what is lawful and good on earth, and do not follow the footsteps of Satan. He is to you an open enemy. 169. He commands you to do evil and vice, and to say about Allah what you do not know. 170. And when it is said to them, “Follow what Allah has revealed,” they say, “We will follow what we found our ancestors following.” Even if their ancestors understood nothing, and were not guided? 171. The parable of those who disbelieve is that of someone who calls upon someone who hears nothing except screaming and yelling. Deaf, dumb, and blind—they do not understand. 172. O you who believe! Eat of the good things We have provided for you, and give thanks to Allah, if it is Him that you serve. 173. He has forbidden you carrion, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and what was dedicated to other than Allah. But if anyone is compelled, without desiring or exceeding, he commits no sin. Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. 174. Those who conceal what Allah revealed in the Book, and exchange it for a small price— those swallow nothing but fire into their bellies. And Allah will not speak to them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them, and they will have a painful punishment. 175. It is they who exchange guidance for error, and forgiveness for punishment. But why do they insist on the Fire? 176. That is because Allah has revealed the Book in truth; and those who differ about the Book are in deep discord. 177. Righteousness does not consist of turning your faces towards the East and the West. But righteous is he who believes in Allah, and the Last Day, and the angels, and the Scripture, 9 2. THE HEIFER (al-Baqarah) and the prophets. Who gives money, though dear, to near relatives, and orphans, and the needy, and the homeless, and the beggars, and for the freeing of slaves; those who perform the prayers, and pay the obligatory charity, and fulfill their promise when they promise, and patiently persevere in the face of persecution, hardship, and in the time of conflict. These are the sincere; these are the pious. 178. O you who believe! Retaliation for the murdered is ordained upon you: the free for the free, the slave for the slave, the female for the female. But if he is forgiven by his kin, then grant any reasonable demand, and pay with good will. This is a concession from your Lord, and a mercy. But whoever commits aggression after that, a painful torment awaits him. 179. There is life for you in retaliation, O people of understanding, so that you may refrain. 180. It is decreed for you: when death approaches one of you, and he leaves wealth, to make a testament in favor of the parents and the relatives, fairly and correctly—a duty upon the righteous. 181. But whoever changes it after he has heard it, the guilt is upon those who change it. Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. 182. Should someone suspect bias or injustice on the part of a testator, and then reconciles between them, he commits no sin. Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. 183. O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become righteous. 184. For a specified number of days. But whoever among you is sick, or on a journey, then a number of other days. For those who are able: a ransom of feeding a needy person. But whoever volunteers goodness, it is better for him. But to fast is best for you, if you only knew. 185. Ramadan is the month in which the Quran was revealed. Guidance for humanity, and clear portents of guidance, and the Criterion. Whoever of you witnesses the month, shall fast it. But whoever is sick, or on a journey, then a number of other days. Allah desires ease for you, and does not desire hardship for you, that you may complete the number, and celebrate Allah for having guided you, so that you may be thankful. 186. And when My servants ask you about Me, I Am near; I answer the call of the caller when he calls on Me. So let them answer Me, and have faith in Me, that they may be rightly guided. 187. Permitted for you is intercourse with your wives on the night of the fast. They are a garment for you, and you are a garment for them. Allah knows that you used to betray yourselves, but He turned to you and pardoned you. So approach them now, and seek what Allah has ordained for you, and eat and drink until the white streak of dawn can be distinguished from the black streak. Then complete the fast until nightfall. But do not approach them while you are in retreat at the mosques. These are the limits of Allah, so do not come near them. Allah thus clarifies His revelations to the people, that they may attain piety. 188. And do not consume one another’s wealth by unjust means, nor offer it as bribes to the officials in order to consume part of other people’s wealth illicitly, while you know. 189. They ask you about the crescents. Say, “They are timetables for people, and for the Hajj.” It is not virtuous that you approach homes from their backs, but virtue is to be pious. So approach homes from their doors, and observe Allah, that you may succeed. 190. And fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not commit aggression; Allah does not love the aggressors. 191. And kill them wherever you overtake them, and expel them from where they had expelled you. Oppression is more serious than murder. But do not fight them at the Sacred Mosque, unless they fight you there. If they fight you, then kill them. Such is the retribution of the disbelievers. 10 2. THE HEIFER (al-Baqarah) 192. But if they cease, then Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. 193. And fight them until there is no oppression, and worship becomes devoted to Allah alone. But if they cease, then let there be no hostility except against the oppressors. 194. The sacred month for the sacred month; and sacrilege calls for retaliation. Whoever commits aggression against you, retaliate against him in the same measure as he has committed against you. And be conscious of Allah, and know that Allah is with the righteous. 195. And spend in the cause of Allah, and do not throw yourselves with your own hands into ruin, and be charitable. Allah loves the charitable. 196. And carry out the Hajj and the Umrah for Allah. But if you are prevented, then whatever is feasible of offerings. And do not shave your heads until the offering has reached its destination. Whoever of you is sick, or has an injury of the head, then redemption of fasting, or charity, or worship. When you are secure: whoever continues the Umrah until the Hajj, then whatever is feasible of offering. But if he lacks the means, then fasting for three days during the Hajj and seven when you have returned, making ten in all. This is for he whose household is not present at the Sacred Mosque. And remain conscious of Allah, and know that Allah is stern in retribution. 197. The Hajj is during specific months. Whoever decides to perform the Hajj—there shall be no sexual relations, nor misconduct, nor quarrelling during the Hajj. And whatever good you do, Allah knows it. And take provisions, but the best provision is righteousness. And be mindful of Me, O people of understanding. 198. You commit no error by seeking bounty from your Lord. When you disperse from Arafat, remember Allah at the Sacred Landmark. And remember Him as He has guided you. Although, before that, you were of those astray. 199. Then disperse from where the people disperse, and ask Allah for forgiveness. Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful. 200. When you have completed your rites, remember Allah as you remember your parents, or even more. Among the people is he who says, “Our Lord, give us in this world,” yet he has no share in the Hereafter. 201. And among them is he who says, “Our Lord, give us goodness in this world, and goodness in the Hereafter, and protect us from the torment of the Fire.” 202. These will have a share of what they have earned. Allah is swift in reckoning. 203. And remember Allah during the designated days. But whoever hurries on in two days commits no wrong, and whoever stays on commits no wrong—provided he maintains righteousness. And obey Allah, and know that to Him you will be gathered. 204. Among the people is he whose speech about the worldly life impresses you, and he calls Allah to witness what is in his heart, while he is the most hostile of adversaries. 205. When he gains power, he strives to spread corruption on earth, destroying properties and lives. Allah does not like corruption. 206. And when he is told, “Beware of Allah,” his pride leads him to more sin. Hell is enough for him—a dreadful abode. 207. And among the people is he who sells himself seeking Allah’s approval.
submitted by professorprogfrog to Christianity [link] [comments]
2023.03.30 06:59 tempestuousDespot This is my first PC build, I'd love to hear what people think
This was the first time I built a pc from scratch and my goal was to create a new personal workstation for myself. After several years of using a msi gaming laptop with an intel i7-9750h, 16gb or ram and a mobile rtx 2060 with a few m2 ssd for storage (it has performed wonderfully over the years), I wanted to go for high end system that will hopefully serve me well for years to come (my initial impressions seem promising). I call it HAL 9000
Overall, it was a pretty great experience with only a handful of hiccups. And as a brief background, I am relatively aware of the fundamental concepts behind creating a modern pc so it wasn't too bad but I was still nervous and encountered some things I needed to work around .
*The following paragraph is just about specifics with the minor trouble I had getting these parts in the case*
With that said, I do want to mention an important caveat with how I lucked out selecting the components. This was after doing a fair amount of research trying to make sure the stuff I picked were all compatible. The issue would be relatively minor for people more experienced but for me it was all new territory. The 420 mm radiator in the AIO cpu cooler and the case caused some incredibly tight fitment between the various components. The cooler is a 420mm Artic liquid freezer II and the case is a Fractal meshify 2, if I got the XL version of the case I probably would've had a much easier experience. It took me a while to figure out how to topmount the radiator in the case and there was a small problem with the io shield on the motherboard because of all the extra thickness for the unnecessary integrated rgb. It caused a bit of a fitment issue in the rear part of the radiator with the top bracket but luckily there are many other mounting points. There is very little clearance with the ram on the motherboard (I was lucky that the ram I picked was low profile) and I had to rearrange some of the case fans. Luckily there was a video on youtube with this case and aio combo where they talked about encountering these same issues.
Okay, with problems out of the way onto the good stuff. It was genuinely enjoyable to build this thing. I spent a while picking out the main components and putting them all together was good fun. After dealing with the aio radiator in the case, everything around the motherboard fit together pretty well. With it all assembled everything posted just fine the first time :) , well after I forgot to switch on the psu in the back lol. The cpu and version of the motherboard bios it shipped with detected all 128 gb of ddr5 ram without issue. It was easy to update the bios to the latest version but it was missing some drivers on the OS level.
Because I'm a novice in much of this I am not too familiar with many of these specs but this msi z790 carbon motherboard has some default auto overclock type settings for the cpu and automatically had a preloaded xmp memory profile. I have a lot to learn about all theses bios settings. All the settings for me to take advantage of these parts are in the bios but I need to learn what they all mean.
The cpu, with the default profile for being watercooled in the bios, has an auto boost and unlocked power limit which lets the intel i9 13900k go all out under an all core load and reach a 300+ watt usage and bounce off 100C while blasting at a constant 5.5+ Ghz on all those P cores the entire time. I ran cinebench, blender and 3dmark a few times and under full load this cpu can get real power hungry and real hot real fast. It's really cool, just like having access to a high performance vehicle. Realistically, I'll probably turn off the auto boost and set a hard upper power limit in the bios to limit heat. I tested a 200 watt upper limit earlier and it ran much cooler under full load, around 70-80C tops with only a minimal loss in performance. I'll figure out some settings that work for me. Even under default auto oc style settings the system is actually very manageable when doing light work and even moderate gaming. Just browsing the web, running basic programs and light gaming will hardly tax the system (cpu power usage of around 20-140 watts with temps 35-65 C). Even under heavy gaming the temps only go up to around 70-80C.
This msi 4090 gpu is comically large and also incredibly powerful. Testing out some light rendering workloads in blender and unreal engine with some synthetic benchmarks from 3dmark thrown in for good measure have been super fun. The card chews through even 100% utilization workloads and I've only seen temps around 70C top. Most modern games, even on all max settings at 1440 x 3440, hardly stress this card. The card is so large it smushes some sata and usb 3.0 header cables underneath but it's not too bad.
This modular 1200 watt atx 3.0 corsair psu made cable management and installation pretty easy and this mobo is wild with the amount of options, I love it, now I need to go open some bay doors
Here's the entire part list:
https://preview.redd.it/ujdcycd66tqa1.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=719627e8972306107e11688f2cc90acf2671d5e7
https://preview.redd.it/l0mtcad66tqa1.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=76c87718b0b76d957f9aa35eb16b588a273f37e4
https://preview.redd.it/adaj36d66tqa1.jpg?width=2949&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b916e6754cee377edf4291f88769ba37dfd1949d
submitted by tempestuousDespot to PcBuild [link] [comments]
Overall, it was a pretty great experience with only a handful of hiccups. And as a brief background, I am relatively aware of the fundamental concepts behind creating a modern pc so it wasn't too bad but I was still nervous and encountered some things I needed to work around .
*The following paragraph is just about specifics with the minor trouble I had getting these parts in the case*
With that said, I do want to mention an important caveat with how I lucked out selecting the components. This was after doing a fair amount of research trying to make sure the stuff I picked were all compatible. The issue would be relatively minor for people more experienced but for me it was all new territory. The 420 mm radiator in the AIO cpu cooler and the case caused some incredibly tight fitment between the various components. The cooler is a 420mm Artic liquid freezer II and the case is a Fractal meshify 2, if I got the XL version of the case I probably would've had a much easier experience. It took me a while to figure out how to topmount the radiator in the case and there was a small problem with the io shield on the motherboard because of all the extra thickness for the unnecessary integrated rgb. It caused a bit of a fitment issue in the rear part of the radiator with the top bracket but luckily there are many other mounting points. There is very little clearance with the ram on the motherboard (I was lucky that the ram I picked was low profile) and I had to rearrange some of the case fans. Luckily there was a video on youtube with this case and aio combo where they talked about encountering these same issues.
Okay, with problems out of the way onto the good stuff. It was genuinely enjoyable to build this thing. I spent a while picking out the main components and putting them all together was good fun. After dealing with the aio radiator in the case, everything around the motherboard fit together pretty well. With it all assembled everything posted just fine the first time :) , well after I forgot to switch on the psu in the back lol. The cpu and version of the motherboard bios it shipped with detected all 128 gb of ddr5 ram without issue. It was easy to update the bios to the latest version but it was missing some drivers on the OS level.
Because I'm a novice in much of this I am not too familiar with many of these specs but this msi z790 carbon motherboard has some default auto overclock type settings for the cpu and automatically had a preloaded xmp memory profile. I have a lot to learn about all theses bios settings. All the settings for me to take advantage of these parts are in the bios but I need to learn what they all mean.
The cpu, with the default profile for being watercooled in the bios, has an auto boost and unlocked power limit which lets the intel i9 13900k go all out under an all core load and reach a 300+ watt usage and bounce off 100C while blasting at a constant 5.5+ Ghz on all those P cores the entire time. I ran cinebench, blender and 3dmark a few times and under full load this cpu can get real power hungry and real hot real fast. It's really cool, just like having access to a high performance vehicle. Realistically, I'll probably turn off the auto boost and set a hard upper power limit in the bios to limit heat. I tested a 200 watt upper limit earlier and it ran much cooler under full load, around 70-80C tops with only a minimal loss in performance. I'll figure out some settings that work for me. Even under default auto oc style settings the system is actually very manageable when doing light work and even moderate gaming. Just browsing the web, running basic programs and light gaming will hardly tax the system (cpu power usage of around 20-140 watts with temps 35-65 C). Even under heavy gaming the temps only go up to around 70-80C.
This msi 4090 gpu is comically large and also incredibly powerful. Testing out some light rendering workloads in blender and unreal engine with some synthetic benchmarks from 3dmark thrown in for good measure have been super fun. The card chews through even 100% utilization workloads and I've only seen temps around 70C top. Most modern games, even on all max settings at 1440 x 3440, hardly stress this card. The card is so large it smushes some sata and usb 3.0 header cables underneath but it's not too bad.
This modular 1200 watt atx 3.0 corsair psu made cable management and installation pretty easy and this mobo is wild with the amount of options, I love it, now I need to go open some bay doors
Here's the entire part list:
- Core i9-13900K
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 420 A-RGB Multi-Compatible All-in-one CPU AIO Water Cooler with A-RGB
- MSI MPG Z790 CARBON WIFI MOBO
- G.SKILL Ripjaws S5 Series 64GB (x2)
- MSI Suprim GeForce RTX 4090 24GB GDDR6X PCI Express 4.0 Video Card RTX 4090 SUPRIM X 24G
- Fractal Design Meshify 2 White ATX Flexible Tempered Glass Window Mid Tower Computer Case
- CORSAIR RMx Shift Series RM1200x Shift Fully Modular 80PLUS Gold ATX Power Supply
- Western Digital Blue SN570 NVMe 1TB
- Western Digital BLACK SN850X NVMe 2TB
https://preview.redd.it/ujdcycd66tqa1.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=719627e8972306107e11688f2cc90acf2671d5e7
https://preview.redd.it/l0mtcad66tqa1.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=76c87718b0b76d957f9aa35eb16b588a273f37e4
https://preview.redd.it/adaj36d66tqa1.jpg?width=2949&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b916e6754cee377edf4291f88769ba37dfd1949d
2023.03.30 06:58 inacrisis765 What to do when parents and police won't help you?
I'm 14 almost 15yo Black adoptee of white parents (you can tell me not to being race into this but I think it could be important) I was raped by a white LEO whose pretty high up (won't say who in case I get in trouble) 6 weeks ago and I got a rape kit done but it went "missing". Police aren't doing anything and my parents keep trying to stop me doing anything too because there friends with him. What do I do? Is there anyone I can talk to who could help me? Any way to stop my parents interfereing?
submitted by inacrisis765 to rape [link] [comments]
2023.03.30 06:58 marimuthu96 The Last Will and Testament of an Extremely Distinguished Dog
“I, SILVERDENE EMBLEM O'NEILL (familiarly known to my family, friends, and acquaintances as Blemie), because the burden of my years and infirmities is heavy upon me, and I realize the end of my life is near, do hereby bury my last will and testament in the mind of my Master. He will not know it is there until after I am dead. Then, remembering me in his loneliness, he will suddenly know of this testament, and I ask him then to inscribe it as a memorial to me.
I have little in the way of material things to leave. Dogs are wiser than men. They do not set great store upon things. They do not waste their days hoarding property. They do not ruin their sleep worrying about how to keep the objects they have, and to obtain the objects they have not. There is nothing of value I have to bequeath except my love and my faith. These I leave to all those who have loved me, to my Master and Mistress, who I know will mourn me most, to Freeman who has been so good to me, to Cyn and Roy and Willie and Naomi and -- But if I should list all those who have loved me, it would force my Master to write a book. Perhaps it is vain of me to boast when I am so near death, which returns all beasts and vanities to dust, but I have always been an extremely lovable dog.
I ask my Master and Mistress to remember me always, but not to grieve for me too long. In my life I have tried to be a comfort to them in time of sorrow, and a reason for added joy in their happiness. It is painful for me to think that even in death I should cause them pain. Let them remember that while no dog has ever had a happier life (and this I owe to their love and care for me), now that I have grown blind and deaf and lame, and even my sense of smell fails me so that a rabbit could be right under my nose and I might not know, my pride has sunk to a sick, bewildered humiliation. I feel life is taunting me with having over-lingered my welcome. It is time I said good-bye, before I become too sick a burden on myself and on those who love me. It will be sorrow to leave them, but not a sorrow to die.
Dogs do not fear death as men do. We accept it as part of life, not as something alien and terrible which destroys life. What may come after death, who knows? I would like to believe with those of my fellow Dalmatians who are devout Mohammedans, that there is a Paradise where one is always young and full-bladdered; where all the day one dillies and dallies with an amorous multitude of houris, beautifully spotted; where jack rabbits that run fast but not too fast (like the houris) are as the sands of the desert; where each blissful hour is mealtime; where in long evenings there are a million fireplaces with logs forever burning, and one curls oneself up and blinks into the flames and nods and dreams, remembering the old brave days on earth, and the love of one's Master and Mistress. I am afraid this is too much for even such a dog as I am to expect. But peace, at least, is certain. Peace and long rest for weary old heart and head and limbs, and eternal sleep in the earth I have loved so well. Perhaps, after all, this is best.
One last request I earnestly make. I have heard my Mistress say, "When Blemie dies we must never have another dog. I love him so much I could never love another one." Now I would ask her, for love of me, to have another. It would be a poor tribute to my memory never to have a dog again. What I would like to feel is that, having once had me in the family, now she cannot live without a dog! I have never had a narrow jealous spirit. I have always held that most dogs are good (and one cat, the black one I have permitted to share the living room rug during the evenings, whose affection I have tolerated in a kindly spirit, and in rare sentimental moods, even reciprocated a trifle).
Some dogs, of course, are better than others. Dalmatians, naturally, as everyone knows, are best. So I suggest a Dalmatian as my successor. He can hardly be as well bred or as well mannered or as distinguished and handsome as I was in my prime. My Master and Mistress must not ask the impossible. But he will do his best, I am sure, and even his inevitable defects will help by comparison to keep my memory green. To him I bequeath my collar and leash and my overcoat and raincoat, made to order in 1929 at Hermes in Paris. He can never wear them with the distinction I did, walking around the Place Vendôme, or later along Park Avenue, all eyes fixed on me in admiration; but again I am sure he will do his utmost not to appear a mere gauche provincial dog. Here on the ranch, he may prove himself quite worthy of comparison, in some respects. He will, I presume, come closer to jack rabbits than I have been able to in recent years. And for all his faults, I hereby wish him the happiness I know will be his in my old home.
One last word of farewell, Dear Master and Mistress. Whenever you visit my grave, say to yourselves with regret but also with happiness in your hearts at the remembrance of my long happy life with you: "Here lies one who loved us and whom we loved." No matter how deep my sleep I shall hear you, and not all the power of death can keep my spirit from wagging a grateful tail.”
Written by the American playwright Eugene O'Neill to comfort his wife Carlotta as their child lemie was approaching his death in December 1940.
submitted by marimuthu96 to Extraordinary_Tales [link] [comments]
I have little in the way of material things to leave. Dogs are wiser than men. They do not set great store upon things. They do not waste their days hoarding property. They do not ruin their sleep worrying about how to keep the objects they have, and to obtain the objects they have not. There is nothing of value I have to bequeath except my love and my faith. These I leave to all those who have loved me, to my Master and Mistress, who I know will mourn me most, to Freeman who has been so good to me, to Cyn and Roy and Willie and Naomi and -- But if I should list all those who have loved me, it would force my Master to write a book. Perhaps it is vain of me to boast when I am so near death, which returns all beasts and vanities to dust, but I have always been an extremely lovable dog.
I ask my Master and Mistress to remember me always, but not to grieve for me too long. In my life I have tried to be a comfort to them in time of sorrow, and a reason for added joy in their happiness. It is painful for me to think that even in death I should cause them pain. Let them remember that while no dog has ever had a happier life (and this I owe to their love and care for me), now that I have grown blind and deaf and lame, and even my sense of smell fails me so that a rabbit could be right under my nose and I might not know, my pride has sunk to a sick, bewildered humiliation. I feel life is taunting me with having over-lingered my welcome. It is time I said good-bye, before I become too sick a burden on myself and on those who love me. It will be sorrow to leave them, but not a sorrow to die.
Dogs do not fear death as men do. We accept it as part of life, not as something alien and terrible which destroys life. What may come after death, who knows? I would like to believe with those of my fellow Dalmatians who are devout Mohammedans, that there is a Paradise where one is always young and full-bladdered; where all the day one dillies and dallies with an amorous multitude of houris, beautifully spotted; where jack rabbits that run fast but not too fast (like the houris) are as the sands of the desert; where each blissful hour is mealtime; where in long evenings there are a million fireplaces with logs forever burning, and one curls oneself up and blinks into the flames and nods and dreams, remembering the old brave days on earth, and the love of one's Master and Mistress. I am afraid this is too much for even such a dog as I am to expect. But peace, at least, is certain. Peace and long rest for weary old heart and head and limbs, and eternal sleep in the earth I have loved so well. Perhaps, after all, this is best.
One last request I earnestly make. I have heard my Mistress say, "When Blemie dies we must never have another dog. I love him so much I could never love another one." Now I would ask her, for love of me, to have another. It would be a poor tribute to my memory never to have a dog again. What I would like to feel is that, having once had me in the family, now she cannot live without a dog! I have never had a narrow jealous spirit. I have always held that most dogs are good (and one cat, the black one I have permitted to share the living room rug during the evenings, whose affection I have tolerated in a kindly spirit, and in rare sentimental moods, even reciprocated a trifle).
Some dogs, of course, are better than others. Dalmatians, naturally, as everyone knows, are best. So I suggest a Dalmatian as my successor. He can hardly be as well bred or as well mannered or as distinguished and handsome as I was in my prime. My Master and Mistress must not ask the impossible. But he will do his best, I am sure, and even his inevitable defects will help by comparison to keep my memory green. To him I bequeath my collar and leash and my overcoat and raincoat, made to order in 1929 at Hermes in Paris. He can never wear them with the distinction I did, walking around the Place Vendôme, or later along Park Avenue, all eyes fixed on me in admiration; but again I am sure he will do his utmost not to appear a mere gauche provincial dog. Here on the ranch, he may prove himself quite worthy of comparison, in some respects. He will, I presume, come closer to jack rabbits than I have been able to in recent years. And for all his faults, I hereby wish him the happiness I know will be his in my old home.
One last word of farewell, Dear Master and Mistress. Whenever you visit my grave, say to yourselves with regret but also with happiness in your hearts at the remembrance of my long happy life with you: "Here lies one who loved us and whom we loved." No matter how deep my sleep I shall hear you, and not all the power of death can keep my spirit from wagging a grateful tail.”
Written by the American playwright Eugene O'Neill to comfort his wife Carlotta as their child lemie was approaching his death in December 1940.
2023.03.30 06:56 Thankkratom Frustratingly bad portion on Cannabis in China’s Report on Human Rights Violations in the United States in 2022
I read the entire thing, and damn this part was bad. The rest of it was almost perfect… but this is decoupled from material reality. It ignores that the US people agree and ask for legalization. It also ignores that China itself didn’t ban cannabis until the 1985 when the UN and US asked them to. Ignoring the racist origin of the “Controlled substances act” was wrong. One of the architects of the law even admit it was a way to attack black Americans and other political opponents such as college kids. You don’t have to agree with drug legalization to know that objectively the start of the drug war with the passing of that law in 1970 was not about public health.
They totally mischaracterize the drug problem in the US by focusing on “marijuana” and ignoring that not a single drug death is due to marijuana, nearly all are from fentanyl, or stimulants like methamphetamine and cocaine. There is absolutely no connection between states with legal weed and states with high drug overdoses. Legal weed does not cause drug overdoses to increase. Alcohol use has increased dramatically and goes ignored, despite its real health problems. I have a lot more to say about it but reading their whole report was enough phone time for me.
Here’s the section, thought y’all would agree it’s bad.
The U.S. government actively promotes the legalization of marijuana regardless of people's health. Marijuana is a controlled narcotic drug by the UN International Drug Control Conventions. In the 1970s, the United States promulgated the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), which classified marijuana as a federally controlled substance. The federal and state governments of the United States have failed to regulate drugs and substance abuse and even pushed for the legalization of marijuana under the influence of lobbyists groups, resulting in more and more young people becoming victims. In their book Can Legal Weed Win? The Blunt Realities of Cannabis Economics published in 2022, Robin Goldstein and Daniel Sumner, researchers with the University of California, Davis, underlined that one of the pipe dreams behind the legalization push is the intention to make legal cannabis a new cash cow for the government through tax. Marijuana sales in the United States have exceeded 30 billion dollars so far, and the U.S. marijuana market is expected to reach 65 billion dollars by 2030. According to the data released by Open Secrets, from 2018 to 2021, some marijuana and products-related enterprises and trade associations in the United States spent more than 16.6 million dollars on political lobbying, with an average annual expenditure of about 10 times that of 2016; In the first three quarters of 2022, more than 5.6 million dollars were spent on marijuana lobbying. Enterprises and organizations profiting from marijuana trade money for power, and form interest groups with politicians, thereby letting drugs and substance abuse going unchecked, a striking demonstration of Washington's failure in social governance.
Drugs and substance abuse endanger life and health. According to a survey released by U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 59.3 million Americans over 12 years of age abused drugs in 2020, of which 49.6 million smoked marijuana. According to public information on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 40 percent of American high school students use marijuana for a long time. According to a report released by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in August 2022, 43 percent of young Americans have smoked marijuana in a year, 8 percent have used hallucinogens, and 11 percent have smoked marijuana every day, the highest level in record. According to a study released by the Manhattan Institute for Policy Studies on August 4, 2022, the number of Americans dying from drugs and drug abuse has increased dramatically in recent years, by more than 100,000 per year. More than 107,000 cases involving deaths from drug overdose occurred in the 12-month period ending in August 2022, according to data from the U.S. CDC. Marta Sokolowska, the Deputy Center Director for Substance Use and Behavioral Health in FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, pointed out that drug abuse has become one of the most devastating public health crises in the United States.
http://english.scio.gov.cn/scionews/2023-03/28/content_85196298.htm
submitted by Thankkratom to communism [link] [comments]
They totally mischaracterize the drug problem in the US by focusing on “marijuana” and ignoring that not a single drug death is due to marijuana, nearly all are from fentanyl, or stimulants like methamphetamine and cocaine. There is absolutely no connection between states with legal weed and states with high drug overdoses. Legal weed does not cause drug overdoses to increase. Alcohol use has increased dramatically and goes ignored, despite its real health problems. I have a lot more to say about it but reading their whole report was enough phone time for me.
Here’s the section, thought y’all would agree it’s bad.
The U.S. government actively promotes the legalization of marijuana regardless of people's health. Marijuana is a controlled narcotic drug by the UN International Drug Control Conventions. In the 1970s, the United States promulgated the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), which classified marijuana as a federally controlled substance. The federal and state governments of the United States have failed to regulate drugs and substance abuse and even pushed for the legalization of marijuana under the influence of lobbyists groups, resulting in more and more young people becoming victims. In their book Can Legal Weed Win? The Blunt Realities of Cannabis Economics published in 2022, Robin Goldstein and Daniel Sumner, researchers with the University of California, Davis, underlined that one of the pipe dreams behind the legalization push is the intention to make legal cannabis a new cash cow for the government through tax. Marijuana sales in the United States have exceeded 30 billion dollars so far, and the U.S. marijuana market is expected to reach 65 billion dollars by 2030. According to the data released by Open Secrets, from 2018 to 2021, some marijuana and products-related enterprises and trade associations in the United States spent more than 16.6 million dollars on political lobbying, with an average annual expenditure of about 10 times that of 2016; In the first three quarters of 2022, more than 5.6 million dollars were spent on marijuana lobbying. Enterprises and organizations profiting from marijuana trade money for power, and form interest groups with politicians, thereby letting drugs and substance abuse going unchecked, a striking demonstration of Washington's failure in social governance.
Drugs and substance abuse endanger life and health. According to a survey released by U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 59.3 million Americans over 12 years of age abused drugs in 2020, of which 49.6 million smoked marijuana. According to public information on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 40 percent of American high school students use marijuana for a long time. According to a report released by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in August 2022, 43 percent of young Americans have smoked marijuana in a year, 8 percent have used hallucinogens, and 11 percent have smoked marijuana every day, the highest level in record. According to a study released by the Manhattan Institute for Policy Studies on August 4, 2022, the number of Americans dying from drugs and drug abuse has increased dramatically in recent years, by more than 100,000 per year. More than 107,000 cases involving deaths from drug overdose occurred in the 12-month period ending in August 2022, according to data from the U.S. CDC. Marta Sokolowska, the Deputy Center Director for Substance Use and Behavioral Health in FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, pointed out that drug abuse has become one of the most devastating public health crises in the United States.
http://english.scio.gov.cn/scionews/2023-03/28/content_85196298.htm
2023.03.30 06:54 persephone21 Post-adoption blues (2.5 weeks in with 2.5 year old dog)
Hi everyone,
I figured I'd chronicle a bit of my post-adoption journey here in case it helps anyone else (and to get it off my chest). I adopted my dog from Hawaii, and he arrived 2.5 weeks ago. He is a ~40lb Pharaoh hound mix (looks just like a pharaoh hound). I spent two days with him in Hawaii before adopting him and he flew here to where I live (Oregon). He is a very sweet dog, very gentle, has yet to bark, doesn't drool, snuggly, good in a car, gets along with all dogs, and, while cautious with new people, generally friendly (not reactive), and sleeps through the night now that I've figured out a bed situation he likes.
I'm 35, married, I have my own online business, and don't have my own kids (I do have a 19-year-old stepson). I have wanted a dog for a few years because I love animals, do not plan on having kids (it is not for me), and it just felt like one of the more worthwhile things you could do (and I wanted to have the experience at least once in life because I've never had a dog).
Basically - it has been hard for me. My dog is not a bad dog at all, but he has never lived in a house and was not house-trained. He gets severe anxiety being in a crate (for now), so that's not an option. I think he previously lived outside, had 0 training, and never walked on a leash. In our house, he basically just doesn't *settle*. Nervous pacing, doesn't know where to go other than the two couches and sometimes one of his many beds. To get him to chill out, I have to tether him near one of his beds with one of his leashes, at which point he will lie down and chill (I am always in the room supervising, like when I cook dinner or need to do laundry). To sum it up - my life before this was relatively quiet. My autistic stepson can be loud and annoying, but he's 19 so I can reason with him. It was just me, my cat, my stepson, and my husband, and I spent the majority of my time alone doing my creative activities.
The biggest challenge for me has been what I just described - the dog's nervous energy. He had two long walks today, some training, played with his toys, and got half of his dinner using a new snuffle mat, but for some reason, today he discovered all the toys I've had for him for weeks and was going crazy with them, then going around to everything in my office (a large room where I spend all my time) and biting everything, constantly pacing, just acting nuts. I took him outside for a pee break and to walk around the block (we don't yet have a fenced yard and are looking to fence the only yard we have, which is a small side yard), and he was practically sprinting on his leash (he has never done this before). Then, he managed to find what I think is human poop near a place where a homeless guy sleeps, ate it, and then continued to go crazy in the house when we came back. He is now calmly asleep next to me after I gave him some anti-anxiety hemp chews.
Basically, the dog is normal. He's not doing anything wrong. I just want to know if he'll eventually settle and figure out the house, have his sleeping places, maybe not be constantly on top of me, and be able to navigate the house himself without biting everything. I keep wondering - am I cut out for this? This has shown me how beautiful my quiet life was in many ways, and I desperately miss it. The dog has also brought some beauty into my life through daily walks, bonding, and cuddles. But right now, I still have to monitor him 24/7, and it's just A LOT. I'm up and down. Some days it feels good, some days, like I today, I feel like I made a huge mistake, and if I could go back in time and undo it, I would.
Anywayyyy would love to hear some success stories of rescues settling into their homes, feeling comfortable, calm, and having their own space. I know about the 3-3-3 rule...but honestly, my fear is that his true personality is coming out now, and he's going to be way too high energy for me, and I'll be low-key on edge all the time. I do really love this guy, and I'm bonded to him, but I also want to enjoy my life and retain some peace.
submitted by persephone21 to Puppyblues [link] [comments]
I figured I'd chronicle a bit of my post-adoption journey here in case it helps anyone else (and to get it off my chest). I adopted my dog from Hawaii, and he arrived 2.5 weeks ago. He is a ~40lb Pharaoh hound mix (looks just like a pharaoh hound). I spent two days with him in Hawaii before adopting him and he flew here to where I live (Oregon). He is a very sweet dog, very gentle, has yet to bark, doesn't drool, snuggly, good in a car, gets along with all dogs, and, while cautious with new people, generally friendly (not reactive), and sleeps through the night now that I've figured out a bed situation he likes.
I'm 35, married, I have my own online business, and don't have my own kids (I do have a 19-year-old stepson). I have wanted a dog for a few years because I love animals, do not plan on having kids (it is not for me), and it just felt like one of the more worthwhile things you could do (and I wanted to have the experience at least once in life because I've never had a dog).
Basically - it has been hard for me. My dog is not a bad dog at all, but he has never lived in a house and was not house-trained. He gets severe anxiety being in a crate (for now), so that's not an option. I think he previously lived outside, had 0 training, and never walked on a leash. In our house, he basically just doesn't *settle*. Nervous pacing, doesn't know where to go other than the two couches and sometimes one of his many beds. To get him to chill out, I have to tether him near one of his beds with one of his leashes, at which point he will lie down and chill (I am always in the room supervising, like when I cook dinner or need to do laundry). To sum it up - my life before this was relatively quiet. My autistic stepson can be loud and annoying, but he's 19 so I can reason with him. It was just me, my cat, my stepson, and my husband, and I spent the majority of my time alone doing my creative activities.
The biggest challenge for me has been what I just described - the dog's nervous energy. He had two long walks today, some training, played with his toys, and got half of his dinner using a new snuffle mat, but for some reason, today he discovered all the toys I've had for him for weeks and was going crazy with them, then going around to everything in my office (a large room where I spend all my time) and biting everything, constantly pacing, just acting nuts. I took him outside for a pee break and to walk around the block (we don't yet have a fenced yard and are looking to fence the only yard we have, which is a small side yard), and he was practically sprinting on his leash (he has never done this before). Then, he managed to find what I think is human poop near a place where a homeless guy sleeps, ate it, and then continued to go crazy in the house when we came back. He is now calmly asleep next to me after I gave him some anti-anxiety hemp chews.
Basically, the dog is normal. He's not doing anything wrong. I just want to know if he'll eventually settle and figure out the house, have his sleeping places, maybe not be constantly on top of me, and be able to navigate the house himself without biting everything. I keep wondering - am I cut out for this? This has shown me how beautiful my quiet life was in many ways, and I desperately miss it. The dog has also brought some beauty into my life through daily walks, bonding, and cuddles. But right now, I still have to monitor him 24/7, and it's just A LOT. I'm up and down. Some days it feels good, some days, like I today, I feel like I made a huge mistake, and if I could go back in time and undo it, I would.
Anywayyyy would love to hear some success stories of rescues settling into their homes, feeling comfortable, calm, and having their own space. I know about the 3-3-3 rule...but honestly, my fear is that his true personality is coming out now, and he's going to be way too high energy for me, and I'll be low-key on edge all the time. I do really love this guy, and I'm bonded to him, but I also want to enjoy my life and retain some peace.
2023.03.30 06:49 Oh_Hamburger [US-NY] [H] Game Boy, Game Gear, Dreamcast, PS1/2 games Game Boy, N64 Consoles N64 Manuals, Nintendo Posters, Misc Gaming-Related Items [W] PayPal, Venmo
Hi everyone,
I found a forgotten lot of games at my parents house when I went to visit. I thought I had sold all my games and systems in the past, but I was very wrong. Previously I sold my N64, NES, etc. games on eBay, but all the best ones were literally bought by Lukie Games. I'd rather list here than sell it to resellers.
Since I’ve got no confirmed transactions here, I’d be happy to do PayPal G&S to build community confidence. I’d eventually prefer to move away from it to other methods like F&F, Venmo etc. once it's felt I'm more established.
Nearly all of the games are in excellent condition and many come CIB. A number of the loose games (Game Boy) also have instruction manuals that are in excellent condition, which are noted in the table below. Most of the items should have pics in the links below, please let me know if I'm missing anything (Warning, photo dumps!):
https://imgur.com/a/ZCq1tAe
https://imgur.com/a/V22CkwY
https://imgur.com/a/JvOwlCY
I'm very happy to take more pictures for anyone who would like; please let me know whatever you need and I'll be glad to provide. I have twin 10mo old girls and one of them requires extra special attention, so I may need more time than the average person to get you them :) Apologies in advance!
All prices are shipped. Combining games would take some $ off the total. Open to offers for most listed, some are more firm than others.
submitted by Oh_Hamburger to GameSale [link] [comments]
I found a forgotten lot of games at my parents house when I went to visit. I thought I had sold all my games and systems in the past, but I was very wrong. Previously I sold my N64, NES, etc. games on eBay, but all the best ones were literally bought by Lukie Games. I'd rather list here than sell it to resellers.
Since I’ve got no confirmed transactions here, I’d be happy to do PayPal G&S to build community confidence. I’d eventually prefer to move away from it to other methods like F&F, Venmo etc. once it's felt I'm more established.
Nearly all of the games are in excellent condition and many come CIB. A number of the loose games (Game Boy) also have instruction manuals that are in excellent condition, which are noted in the table below. Most of the items should have pics in the links below, please let me know if I'm missing anything (Warning, photo dumps!):
https://imgur.com/a/ZCq1tAe
https://imgur.com/a/V22CkwY
https://imgur.com/a/JvOwlCY
I'm very happy to take more pictures for anyone who would like; please let me know whatever you need and I'll be glad to provide. I have twin 10mo old girls and one of them requires extra special attention, so I may need more time than the average person to get you them :) Apologies in advance!
All prices are shipped. Combining games would take some $ off the total. Open to offers for most listed, some are more firm than others.
| System/Games/Items | Notes | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Game Cube | ||
| Animal Crossing + AC Memory Card | CIB | 90 |
| Harvest Moon - Another Wonderful Life | CIB | 40 |
| Luigi’s Mansion | CIB | 70 |
| Mario Power Tennis | CIB | 40 |
| Metroid Prime | CIB | 45 |
| Paper Mario The Thousand Year Door | CIB | 125 |
| Starfox Adventures | Game & Box, No Manual it seems, but other inserts there | 35 |
| Super Mario Sunshine | CIB | 50 |
| The Legend of Zelda The Wind Waker | CIB | 75 |
| The Lord of the Rings The Two Towers (Players’ Choice) | Game & Box, No Manual | 10 |
| Dreamcast | ||
| Centipede | Complete | 15 |
| Crazy Taxi | Complete | 30 |
| House of the Dead 2 w/ Gun | Gun is in great condition but untested | 75 |
| Hydro Thunder | Complete | 40 |
| NBA2k | Complete | 10 |
| NFL2k | Complete | 10 |
| NHL2k | Complete | 10 |
| Ready 2 Rumble | Complete | 25 |
| Resident Evil: Code Veronica | Complete | 55 |
| Sonic Adventure | Complete | 60 |
| Sonic Adventure 2 | Complete | 120 |
| Soul Calibur | Complete | 40 |
| Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 | Complete | 25 |
| Trick Style | Complete | 20 |
| Game Boy | ||
| Bomberman GB | + Clear Protective Game Case + Manual | 25 |
| Game & Watch Gallery | + Manual | 15 |
| Game Boy Color Atomic Purple | Tested & Working | 90 |
| Game Boy Color Carrying Case | Official 1990's | 30 |
| Gameboy Camera (Green) | Tested & Working | 50 |
| Game Boy (Original) | Tested working, but left side of the screen does not display completely (streaks down the left side, about 1cm thick) and the contrast is very light overall. Also missing back plate. Likely repairable? | 40 |
| Gameboy Pocket | Clear 'color'. Turns on, games play, but the screen is very, very dark. Good condition otherwise; likely repairable? | 40 |
| Gameboy Printer | Tested & Working (+ Link Cable & Half a roll) | 125 |
| Ghostbusters II | Cart only | 50 |
| Hyper Lode Runner | Cart only | 15 |
| James Bond 007 | Manual Only | 8 |
| Marble Madness | Cart Only | 15 |
| Mario Golf | + Manual | 35 |
| Pokemon Blue | + Clear Protective Game Case + Pokemon Blue Manual | 80 |
| Pokemon Gold (Japanese) | + Clear Protective Game Case + Pokemon Gold Japanese Manual | 60 |
| Pokemon Pinball | Manual Only | 10 |
| Pokemon Red | + Clear Protective Game Case + Pokemon Red Manual | 90 |
| Pokemon Yellow | + Clear Protective Game Case | 60 |
| Tetris | Cart only | 20 |
| Wario Land II | + Clear Protective Game Case + Manual | 50 |
| Worms Armageddon | Manual Only | 15 |
| WWF King of the Ring | + Manual | 15 |
| WWF Warzone | Cart only | 10 |
| PlayStation 1 | ||
| Area 51 | Manual + Case Only | 10 |
| Final Fantasy VIII | CIB | 30 |
| Final Fantasy VIII | Missing Disc 4 - Unsure how to price | 20? Make an Offer |
| GamePro Ultimate Video Game Code Book Vol 3 | Good Condition | 10 |
| Gauntlet Legends | CIB | 25 |
| Gran Turismo 2 | CIB | 20 |
| Grind Session | CIB | 15 |
| Knockout Kings 2000 | CIB | 15 |
| NBA Jam Extreme | Damaged/Destroyed Jewel Case | 12 |
| NBA Live 98 | Loose | 8 |
| NBA Live 99 / Triple Play Combo | CIB | 10 |
| Need for Speed III Hot Pursuit | Porsche Unleashed Back, Hot Pursuit Front/Manual, though. | 10 |
| Sony Playstation Console Booklet Insert | Included with console I believe? | 8 |
| Tony Hawk's Pro Skater | CIB | 20 |
| WCW NWO Thunder | CIB | 15 |
| PlayStation 2 | ||
| Dark Cloud 2 | CIB | 35 |
| Dragon Quest VIII - Journey of the Cursed King | CIB + FF Demo disc | 30 |
| FIFA soccer 2002 | Game & Case only | 10 |
| Fight Night 2004 | CIB | 8 |
| Final Fantasy X | CIB | 10 |
| Gran Turismo 3 A-spec (Greatest Hits) | CIB | 10 |
| Gran Turismo 4 | CIB | 15 |
| Grand Theft Auto San Andreas | CIB + map | 25 |
| Grand Theft Auto Vice City | CIB + map | 20 |
| Kingdom Hearts (Greatest Hits) | CIB | 12 |
| Kingdom Hearts 2 | CIB | 14 |
| Madden 2005 | CIB | 8 |
| MLB The Show 06 | Game & Case only | 8 |
| Mortal Kombat Deception | CIB | 20 |
| MVP baseball 2004 | CIB | 10 |
| NBA Ballers | CIB | 12 |
| NCAA Football 2004 | CIB | 10 |
| Need For Speed Underground | CIB | 20 |
| NFL 2k3 | CIB | 8 |
| Rampage Total Destruction | CIB | 15 |
| Spider-Man 2 | CIB | 25 |
| SRS Street Racing Syndicate | Box & Manual Only, No Game | 8 |
| The Godfather The Game | CIB + NYC Map | 20 |
| The Simpsons Road Rage (Greatest Hits) | CIB | 25 |
| Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 (Greatest Hits) | CIB | 15 |
| Game Gear | ||
| Arch Rivals | Cart only | 10 |
| Castle of Illusion | Cart only | 35 |
| Columns | Cart only | 8 |
| Dragon Crystal | Cart only | 25 |
| NBA Action | Cart only | 5 |
| Pac-Man | Cart only | 10 |
| Popils | Cart only | 25 |
| RBI Baseball 94 | Cart only | 8 |
| Revenge of Drancon | Cart only | 20 |
| Shinobi | Cart only | 25 |
| Slider | Cart only | 12 |
| Sonic Chaos | Cart only | 15 |
| The Majors Pro Baseball | Cart only | 5 |
| Woody Pop | Cart only | 15 |
| Nintendo 64 | ||
| Console | NUS-001 - All hookups, Tested working, but no controller | 80 |
| Rumble Pak | Cleaned, but untested | 15 |
| Memory Card | Untested, white out used on the front. Comes with case. | 15 |
| Nintendo DS | ||
| Silver Handheld Console | Tested & Working, includes stylus & Charger | 75 |
| My Spanish Coach | CIB | 8 |
| Misc (Booklets, Posters, Manuals, etc.) | All in very good to excellent condition. | |
| Acclaim Game Boy Poster | No idea how to price these posters but they seem to be around this online | 25 |
| Age of Empires 2 + Expansion Booklet (Combo) | 10 | |
| Age of Empires Booklet | 10 | |
| Clayfight 63 1/3 Instruction Booklet | 15 | |
| Diablo 2 Official Strategy Guide | 15 | |
| Gameboy Insert Poster | Unsure how to price; showcases Gameboy games it seems. Not sure I've ever opened it all the way. | 20 |
| 007 Goldeneye 64 Instruction Booklet | 15 | |
| Half Life Game of the Year Edition (PC) Manual | 5 | |
| Ken Griffey Jr's Winning Run | 10 | |
| Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time Instruction Booklet | 25 | |
| Mario Brothers Movie Soundtrack CD | CIB | 50 |
| Mortal Kombat Trilogy 64 Instruction Booklet | 20 | |
| NBA Hangtime N64 Instruction Booklet | 10 | |
| NCAA Road to the Final Four User Manual | Reads like an NCAA rule book lol | 10 |
| Nintendo Power Pokemon Wall Calendar | Unused, not even sure I've ever unfolded it. Great condition. | 40 |
| Official Nintendo 64 Mario Mouse Pad | Not sure how I got this; officially licensed from the mid-late 90's - has some small punctures in it, but mostly just needs a good wipe-down | 30 |
| Pokemon Snap - Snap Station Stickers | Still in the wrapping. | 20 |
| Pokemon Trading Card Game Rules 1999 | 10 | |
| San Fransisco Rush Extreme Racing 64 Manual | 20 | |
| SEGA Genesis Sonic The Hedgehog Manual | 15 | |
| Skyrim Canvas Map | Unused, also not sure if I've ever opened this | 25 |
| SNES Game Insert Posters | 2x - Again not sure how to price these | 25 each |
| South Park 64 Official Insert Poster | Great condition, never opened | 25 |
| South Park Chef Aid Soundtrack | 15 | |
| can't find strategy guide now, will relist once found | ||
| Super High Impact Instruction Manual | 10 | |
| Super Mario 64 Instruction Booklet | 15 | |
| Super Mario All Stars Instruction Booklet | 10 | |
| Wayne Gretzky's 3D Hockey Instruction Booklet | 10 | |
| WCW NWO World Tour Poster | 20 | |
| Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? PC-CD Rom Booklet | 10 | |
| Wrestlemania 2000 Instruction Booklet | 15 | |
2023.03.30 06:47 critical_courtney [A Bargain for Bliss] — Chapter Two (A sequel to The Fae Queen's Pet)
![[A Bargain for Bliss] — Chapter Two (A sequel to The Fae Queen's Pet)](https://b.thumbs.redditmedia.com/Bbfeb5MaRPnhkmsSmZXtF9-FYb-5mS9AwHaQv_fK1Bs.jpg "[A Bargain for Bliss] — Chapter Two (A sequel to The Fae Queen's Pet)") | submitted by critical_courtney to redditserials [link] [comments] https://preview.redd.it/nmqvrevq3tqa1.jpg?width=1410&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=562496da54b53a3a0cacaf3343ff84957cd85019 Book One Previous Chapter Chapter Two: The announcement sounded like always, “Announcing Queen Varella, ruler of the Raven Court at Featherstone, she who soars high above and wields the dark wind. And her pet, the Wolf of Featherstone.” After my inner girl helped defend the palace against an invasion from the lake, our title received a promotion. Hushed whispers became the norm for me after I arrived in court. The nobles never seemed to tire of looking at the queen’s pet werewolf. Covered from head to tail in walnut-colored fur, weighing close to 200 pounds, and carrying a jaw of teeth strong enough to pull apart iron bars, I was the perfect beast for the bird lady to tut around and keep others in line. When the queen sat at her emerald-encrusted throne carved from stone and covered in cawing ravens, I joined her. Some days she wanted me closer and others further. But I was always in the chair with her. The damn thing was big enough to hold three people. But the Raven Queen and her werewolf filled it comfortably. This particular morning the queen lightly tapped her left leg with two fingers, a movement I’d been careful to watch for over the last few months. That meant she wanted my paws and head strewn across her lap. So I obliged. Because she was my pack leader, and my devotion to her was absolute. Though that certainly wasn’t the case when I first arrived after finding the inner girl had willingly ensnared herself in the queen’s service. I tried my best facing off against the Raven Queen in the forest not far from here. To her credit, she gave me a fair shot. I just wasn’t nearly fast or strong enough to put her down. The feeling of being flipped over and slammed into the dirt hard enough to rattle trees around me was something I had trouble forgetting. Looking out at the gathered nobles, faeries of the Raven Court who had assembled to speak before the queen or witness those who were, I saw more apprehension than normal. A goblin covered in blue flesh and wearing the fanciest rainbow suit I’d ever seen was sweating up a storm. A pair of mated centaurs were shuffling in place, hoves lightly clopping on the stone floor, cotton dresses swaying gently with their movements. On the opposite wall, a girl with the wings of a butterfly twiddled her thumbs, something that, until now, I’d assumed was just what my inner girl called an “expression.” Random nobles cleared their throats, coughed a little, and wiped their foreheads, waiting for the queen to speak. My pack leader remained silent, observing her people, trying to figure out what had them all so jittery. Or maybe she already knew. Yeah, that made more sense by her expression, a calm and gradual glance around the room. Her mouth gave away neither a smile nor a frown. Varella’s eyes retained their frosty gare, violet irises that told those who saw them nothing more than the Raven Queen was thinking about something. No other secrets did they betray. After ruling this court for centuries, the dark monarch of Faerie learned to keep a tight grip on everything going on inside her thoughts and feelings. And on the off chance something slipped through, I was here to steal attention from the witnesses so they’d miss whatever nugget the queen might’ve dropped. “Let the queen’s business commence,” she said at once and without warning. “I believe we have a long list of petitioners this day. No sense in dallying. Whoever is first to address me, step forth.” The hushed whispers came to a stop as soon as she’d gotten a single word out. All eyes were turned toward the space in front of the throne. More cawing from the ravens on the back of this giant chair filled the chamber as we waited for the first person to take their place before the queen. “I will approach the throne to start today’s business if it pleases you, my queen,” an individual called from the tightest cluster of nobles. They stood near the large brass doors at the entrance of the throne room. And I watched them clear out as quickly as their legs would carry them when this faerie spoke. My pack leader motioned with two fingers for the speaker to come closer. Approaching the throne with a cautious demeanor, hands folded together as though one might run away if not held tight, an androgynous individual stopped about 15 feet before the queen. I raised my head to get a better look at the faerie that smelled of lemongrass and peppermint. Their orange hair was pulled back into a braid that swiveled back and forth on their approach. Brown eyes that couldn’t help but find their way down to me once in a while watched the queen for any sign of immediate displeasure. This individual’s movements were all carefully measured, as if every toe that made contact with the ground only did so after two days of nonstop planning. It went beyond the otherworldly grace that typically accompanied faeries who danced along the shores of eternity as though it were as natural a thing as breathing or blinking. This elf was tall and willowy, dressed in a well-tailored black vest covered in silver star designs. A short-sleeved white button-down shirt was tucked into his dark trousers, which were also decorated with silver stars and even bigger constellations. “Who addresses me?” the queen asked, her tone warming a little bit. They took a moment to gather their breath before speaking. Another quaint calculation on their part, eyes circling back around to me for just a moment. “My name is Dareth Ickmunt. I bring you a petition from the Court of Stars, your grace,” they said, bowing their head. A smile danced on the corner of Varella’s lips, and I looked from her back over to Dareth. He did not speak another word until the queen had time to consider his identity. “Ickmunt. . . surname of the Star Court King. It’s been some time since I’ve spoken with King Falmouth Ickmunt. Of course, everyone knows he has no living sons. But I’ve heard he keeps a nephew close at hand, even granted him the title of prince. So tell me Prince Dareth, why do you visit my court without an official announcement? Foreign royalty doesn’t typically approach my throne among the nobles during court.” Dareth paused and considered their next words. They made no effort to hide their identity. Now that I got a better look at the prince, I saw a blue crescent moon tattooed on their neck, along with more stars marking their terra-cotta flesh. It was intricate inkwork and truly set them apart from even the nobles. “Forgive me, your grace. I did not mean to deceive you. Nor have I come to your court sans announcement for the purpose of spycraft or war. I only wear the title of ‘prince’ to placate my uncle. He is anxious about succession, you see. But I’ve considered myself royalty, despite his decree,” they said. Varella clicked her tongue. “So you come to my court without use of a title for the sake of humility?” my pack leader asked. “It is as you say, your grace. I am not one for putting on airs. I find they needlessly devour my time,” the prince said. They seemed to have found their noble legs, speaking a little more forcefully now, not with any aggression, just more surety. The elf may not want a title, but I saw nobility within their inflection now. It was their eyes, those locked with the pupils of my pack leader. Each knew who they were dealing with now. No games. Just the queen’s business. My ears twitched as I heard the nobles whispering amongst themselves once more. “The Court of Stars? Why would their prince travel this far south?” “I’m not sure I like the sound of this unannounced royalty.” “Why come here to our court if not to bring trouble? I don’t like their timing or tidings.” They continued to speak in hushed voices, but I tuned out and focussed once more on Dareth as the queen raised an eyebrow. “You speak of your time as though you have any. Our kind does not wear bondage brought on by the strands of time as mortals do. So it’s a curious thing to hear you speak of it in such a way,” she said. With their eyes sharpened, the prince said, “You and I may have a ladle that can be dipped into the well of ages without limit, but my court faces the end of its days. This is why I come here to petition you, your grace.” Her amusement was gone. My pack leader’s stare had grown cold again. I had only run in this world for years, but these were Faerie courts being spoken of now. Centuries of time wound up in each through peace and conflict. It was simply beyond the mind of me or my inner girl. Such was the comprehension of mortals and beasts. “The Court of Stars is in danger of collapse?” the queen asked. The prince nodded. “My home of 90 years faces invasion if not utter annihilation from the Fist of Kairn, an alliance of courts who’ve expanded their military presence in neighboring territories far to the north. My uncle remains convinced our pacifism will keep us safe, and that the stain of dishonor that would come from taking a peaceful court will be enough deterrence. But I remain unconvinced.” It wasn’t just whispering now from the nobles. A few of them were starting to speak at full volume. “I knew it! They’ve come here to drag us into war.” “Surely they can’t expect us to protect them from so far away. That’s absurd.” “I say we ransom the prince off to the First of Kairn here and now. Then we avoid war and bring in a little coin.” That last suggestion elicited a growl from yours truly. It was enough that the court came to a pause. When a wolf growls, the grotto takes notice. When a werewolf growls, the entire forest takes notice. But my pack leader was not looking around the room to survey expressions from her people. She remained hyperfocused on the prince who’d traveled so far to be here, chased by the threat of war. “Your uncle is an optimistic king. I will not speak ill of him, but his decision and confidence in honor seem precarious. So tell me, Prince Dareth, what exactly have you traveled all this way to ask me? What request was important enough that it had to be delivered in person and could not risk being sent via crow messenger?” Another deep breath from Dareth before he spoke. At the throne’s top, each raven perched silently, almost as if they were made of stone like the chair we sat in. “You spent some years growing up in the Court of Stars, your grace. We still have a large painting of you and your brother when you were just a girl, studying constellations and the movement of celestial bodies with my mother and uncle. I’ve come here to ask that if war were to swallow my home, you be prepared to receive fleeing refugees.” Varella considered this, crossing her legs and placing both of her hands on top of my head, which found itself in her lap once more. “You’re not asking me to intervene militarily but to be ready to welcome evacuees should the Fist of Kairn bring destruction to your doorstep?” my pack leader clarified. “My uncle has forbidden requests for defensive aid, citing our court’s laws. Pacificism means that not only do we avoid fighting, but our court refuses to allow others to fight for us. So I’ve come here to seek the next best thing. I made similar requests to the Yellow Court and Worm Court, but they turned me down almost immediately,” Dareth said. I picked up the sound of footsteps as a noble stepped into view behind Dareth. He was a sturdy man wearing a red robe with gold trim. It covered most of his alabaster skin. The fae’s black hair was cut short, and his yellow eyes washed over the prince from behind. “My queen, you cannot grant the prince’s petition. The Raven Court would risk further ire from the Star Court’s enemies if we welcomed survivors of a hypothetical calamity. Our resources are—” The Raven Queen cut him off. “I’m well aware of our resources, Lord Kitac. I do sit this throne and manage this court each week, do I not? So why would you presume to tell me things I already know? Or would accuse your ruler of being ignorant of her queendom’s assets?” I didn’t give Lord Kitac time to respond, rising to my feet and leaping down from the throne to the stone floor. My large paws passed over gemstones in the landing beneath me. I strode past Dareth, not paying him a lick of attention. My fur came within inches of their legs. My haunches popped as I assumed my full height and might, gradually approaching the lord who spoke out of turn. Even though the other nobles were nowhere near my path, they backed up against the wall as I passed. Their heartbeats were growing faster. And why? They’d seen this play out before with Lord Harroldsen. They watched as I tore his throat open in an instant. But not here. I took my time approaching this lord so he could stew in the juices of this particular error. Lord Kitac was a man of average height, but I watched him start to shrink before my very eyes upon my approach. He made no move to run, and it was just as well. Outrunning a werewolf was not a common feat. A deep, echoing growl resonated across the throne room. I watched as his face sank with each second that noise rattled in his ears. The confidence he so boldly spoke with just seconds ago had taken a sudden leap into a bottomless chasm. And I suspected he now wished his body could do the same. I had a job to do here. My pack leader is a terrifying monarch. But she doesn’t have to put her power on display every time she sits the throne. If a ruler had to show their true power very often, they wouldn’t have a court to manage for long. That’s where I came in. Because a wolf can be terrifying each time you see one. And a werewolf? Well, folks didn’t even need to see us to be afraid. A lone growl echoing from the dark is enough to make most folks turn tail and run, especially when they so effortlessly felt the rumble penetrating deep into their core. I could be the threat and power flexed every day without a single noble questioning the strength of my queen. That’s why I’m here. I am her beast. The queen has her talons, her beak, her dark wind, and through me, she has claws and jaws that could fell any number of enemies. Flashing fangs, I padded another step closer to Lord Kitac, and any surety he had left dove into the same chasm that he wanted to hide in at this very moment. The noble fell to his knees and folded his hands. “Mercy, please, your grace. I spoke out of turn. Please forgive me. Of course you know the resources of this court. You surely do,” the man said, nodding as if to convince himself. Before I could step closer, my pack leader called for me. “That’s enough, my pet. Lord Kitac knows he fucked up. Come back to me,” she said. I locked eyes with the sweating fae noble for what felt like several minutes before turning to leave. He fell to his ass catching his breath and then slowly stood, trying to gravitate to a section of the wall where everyone would forget he existed. As I climbed back onto the throne, the Raven Queen stroked my neck and said, “Good girl. Such a fearsome beast you are.” I let my tongue hang out for a moment before locking eyes with Dareth and resuming a more vigilant pose. My pack leader stood and addressed not just the prince but her gathered nobles now. “You who call the Raven Court home, I do not blindly ignore your fears and worries. Whispers of war to the north have grown louder these last few weeks. And now that we have a physical reminder of that conflict before our eyes, I understand why it makes you uneasy,” she said. Dareth said not a word. He stood listening to my pack leader with a calm demeanor that did not once lead me to believe he felt ignored by the queen’s change of attention. “This court has seen war. We’ve seen death. But I will remind you that in my centuries on this throne, not once have I dragged our people into battle unjustly. Aggressors have tried their hand at conquering us, and enemies have stood at the gates of Perth before! Some of you were here to witness that. And what did I do?” The hypothetical question was accompanied only by ravens above me, summoning their chorus of caws again. Nobody answered the queen. “I soared over those gates and struck down our enemies with a feathered blade in each hand. Time and time again, I have rallied our talons and feathers to drive the enemy back. You know me. I do not pick fights with other courts, and I do not loan our military to be a strength for others unless required to do so by established treaties. Do you not recall mere months ago when I avoided embroiling us in a war between the Yellow Court and Worm Court? Have you all forsaken belief in my wisdom so easily?” Now some nobles did answer her. “No!” “We believe in you, our queen!” “You’ve not failed us one single day on that throne.” My pack leader nodded to her nobles. The energy in the room had completely changed. She’d whipped up their confidence into a fervor, all with a few words. I rose from the throne and stood at her side, my shoulders in line with her hips. “You trusted me then. I call upon you to also believe in me now. I will not summon the ire and war of northern kingdoms to these lands. The Raven Court will remain safe and prosperous as it has for many years. So I ask you all, here and now, do you trust your queen?” And with a thunderous echo, each lord and lady present hollered in affirmation. “Armed with your confidence, I will continue to protect our lands. I appreciate you all,” my pack leader said. Turning toward the prince as the nobles talked excitedly amongst themselves, the Raven Queen had softer words. “Prince Dareth, I invite you to stay here at Featherstone tonight as my guest. If you accept my invitation, then we’ll discuss your request for prepared aid in the morning.” The fae prince bowed. “I appreciate your hospitality and am happy to accept, your grace.” My pack leader awarded him a brief nod and then resumed her seat on the throne, calling me to her once more. “Come now, my pet. We still have much of the queen’s business to attend.” And that’s exactly what we did. Somehow, the throne room moved on from its display of Raven Court patriotism and continued with more petitions. None were as exciting as what we’d heard from the Court of Stars, though. The very long day concluded with a shopkeep asking the queen for a 12-month moratorium on tax duties so she could expand her tailoring business from Perth into the neighboring village of Sanc Red. Once the queen granted her this, she dismissed the nobles. Within minutes, the throne room was empty and quiet as it hadn’t been since before sunrise. I stood with the queen and stretched, wagging tail and rear rising while my front paws carried forward as far as they could. A yawn forced my jaws open wide for its escape. Varella chuckled and ran her fingers under my chin. “You did well today, my pet. Fierce and frightening as always you are at my side. My bargain continues to be fruitful. Are you ready to call it a day? Shall I summon your inner girl again?” I nosed her arm, and the queen smiled. Then she placed a hand over my head and called forth to the magic she kept within my wolfheart. It echoed within my core, responding to her will, reshaping me into the human girl that struck the bargain in the first place. “Retreat, my wolf. Sierra Chelsi, I call you forth.” A familiar smoke rose from the stone floor, engulfing my entire body so the transformational magic could take place. My instincts sank into an inner slumber to be called upon whenever the queen saw fit in the future. *** I stood on two legs once more and stretched. The smoke around me thinned, vanishing as the queen removed her feathered cloak, wrapping me in it as she often did when I appeared naked after each transformation. “Fun day at court, my queen?” I asked, yawning. My stomach grumbled, and I felt a familiar light-headedness that came when assuming a human form again. “You certainly ensured so, my little wolf. I believe I promised you dinner and some answers about Bliss. Shall we head to your room to get dressed for an evening meal?” “I’d like that very much, mistress,” I said, smiling. Finally! I can have her all to myself, I thought. My mistress ran her nails through my hair, which, as usual, left me frozen in a dizzied state while I absorbed every moment of her touch, head slumped to the right against her breasts. “We’ll go when you’re ready,” she taunted. I couldn’t budge, and she knew exactly why. Maybe dinner wouldn’t happen after all. |
2023.03.30 06:45 KarmawantstobeBored Old Post
I have found the old post (somehow I was smart to save it-)
My Life in a Homophobic and Lowkey Racist Family
I am a Mexican teenager that uses the pronouns “They/Them”. If you came up to me, you wouldn’t know what my gender is since I have my hair cut short, I wear baggy yet nice clothes, and I have a mask on majority of the time when I’m in public. The only problem is my family. See, I live with my dad and my step-mom (my real mom abandoned me when I was a kid because she thought drugs was more important than her four kids). Both side of the family (I’ll refer my step-mom “mom” and her family “my family” in order to not confuse people) are Christians. I’m an atheist. I have been since I was 10. So whenever I have to do anything for a church, I am usually in a awkward position to the point where I ask my mom to pick me up. I also hate a lot of people, so don’t expect me to be in a party (unless I’m forced by my parents but that’s another story). I’m just an awkward kid that likes anime and hates people. Well, I came out pansexual to my parents. Well, mostly my dad. My mom on the other hand hates it. My dad supports me. I came out a year ago. I then thought that my dad would support me if I used the term “They/Them”. I came out as Non-Binary a day in October. My dad took me outside (in the cold without a coat) and left me outside for nearly 30 minutes. He told me that I would always be a girl.
“You were born as a girl, so you will always be a girl. You won’t be a boy or whatever the hell you want to be.”
His words, not mine.
I have been depressed ever since I was 11. It’s not major as before, but I’ve tried to commit suicide twice already. When I tried to, my parents sent me to a mental hospital. Then when I came back, I was acted all nice just to hide my true self. My parents believed that I was just trying to cause drama. I have actually starved myself, cut myself, making myself throw up. What’s worse is that my family likes to bring up things from my past and stuff like, “Remember the time when you thought of being a boy? (My dad told me this year when my younger cousins were right next to me). They think I’ll end up like my real mother. I can’t tell anybody in my family that I’m pansexual and non-binary because they hate gay people and will disown anyone.
I forgot to mention that my family on my dad side is kind of racist. You see, I have a Korean brother. Both me and him look alike, so people just assume that we’re both Mexicans. My dad likes to call me his ‘beaner’ because I’m part Mexican. Then, earlier this year, my dad’s mom said, “I wish all of these Mexicans and Black people would just leave me alone. Or probably go back to wherever they came from. I can’t stand them.”
Again, her words, not mine.
I also can’t forget about all the things I have to do while my little sister gets to be on her iPad all day and yet I get yelled at. I have chores before school, after school, and during the weekends/breaks/etc. My sister is 9 and I was 7 when I started to mow the whole yard (and I have 6 acres). The only thing my sister has to do is to water the dogs and I have to tell her to because she has her eyes on her iPad. I didn’t get my iPad until this year, and I saved my money for it! She got hers four years ago on Christmas! I was never allowed an electrical device until I was in my double digits and was in high school. Then, whenever I tell my parents that my sister should take some of my chores, they would get mad and say, “You’re not doing a lot so stop complaining.”
A lot…
I’m not doing a lot…
Morning:
Wake up at 6
Dishes
Get ready for school
Feed Dogs/Cats
Water for Cats
Get Sister up and ready for school
Be ready by 6:45
Afternoon:
Feed Dogs/Cats
Water Cats
Clean the liter box
Sweep
Vacuum
Dust
Clean mirrors
Clean windows
Clean couches
Clean bathroom
Dishes
Laundry
Mop
Clean basement stairs
Sweep in the basement
Vacuum in the basement
Clean the walls in the basement
Outside (when nice)
Sweep the barn
Mow the whole yard
Clean around the fences
Burn the trash
Clean around the house
Clean around the barns (we have 2)
Clean around the trees
Clean the barns (inside)
Clean around the burn hole
*clean-cutting raking picking sticks etc.
Outside (Winter)
Shovel the back porch/front porch
Shovel the driveway
Burn the trash
All of my chores are done by myself….
I can’t even get a job until I’m out of the house because my parents said, “Who’s going to do all of the stuff.”
I don’t know if this goes to entiledparents or toxic-family, but here you go. Just two more years until I’m free.
submitted by KarmawantstobeBored to entitledparents [link] [comments]
My Life in a Homophobic and Lowkey Racist Family
I am a Mexican teenager that uses the pronouns “They/Them”. If you came up to me, you wouldn’t know what my gender is since I have my hair cut short, I wear baggy yet nice clothes, and I have a mask on majority of the time when I’m in public. The only problem is my family. See, I live with my dad and my step-mom (my real mom abandoned me when I was a kid because she thought drugs was more important than her four kids). Both side of the family (I’ll refer my step-mom “mom” and her family “my family” in order to not confuse people) are Christians. I’m an atheist. I have been since I was 10. So whenever I have to do anything for a church, I am usually in a awkward position to the point where I ask my mom to pick me up. I also hate a lot of people, so don’t expect me to be in a party (unless I’m forced by my parents but that’s another story). I’m just an awkward kid that likes anime and hates people. Well, I came out pansexual to my parents. Well, mostly my dad. My mom on the other hand hates it. My dad supports me. I came out a year ago. I then thought that my dad would support me if I used the term “They/Them”. I came out as Non-Binary a day in October. My dad took me outside (in the cold without a coat) and left me outside for nearly 30 minutes. He told me that I would always be a girl.
“You were born as a girl, so you will always be a girl. You won’t be a boy or whatever the hell you want to be.”
His words, not mine.
I have been depressed ever since I was 11. It’s not major as before, but I’ve tried to commit suicide twice already. When I tried to, my parents sent me to a mental hospital. Then when I came back, I was acted all nice just to hide my true self. My parents believed that I was just trying to cause drama. I have actually starved myself, cut myself, making myself throw up. What’s worse is that my family likes to bring up things from my past and stuff like, “Remember the time when you thought of being a boy? (My dad told me this year when my younger cousins were right next to me). They think I’ll end up like my real mother. I can’t tell anybody in my family that I’m pansexual and non-binary because they hate gay people and will disown anyone.
I forgot to mention that my family on my dad side is kind of racist. You see, I have a Korean brother. Both me and him look alike, so people just assume that we’re both Mexicans. My dad likes to call me his ‘beaner’ because I’m part Mexican. Then, earlier this year, my dad’s mom said, “I wish all of these Mexicans and Black people would just leave me alone. Or probably go back to wherever they came from. I can’t stand them.”
Again, her words, not mine.
I also can’t forget about all the things I have to do while my little sister gets to be on her iPad all day and yet I get yelled at. I have chores before school, after school, and during the weekends/breaks/etc. My sister is 9 and I was 7 when I started to mow the whole yard (and I have 6 acres). The only thing my sister has to do is to water the dogs and I have to tell her to because she has her eyes on her iPad. I didn’t get my iPad until this year, and I saved my money for it! She got hers four years ago on Christmas! I was never allowed an electrical device until I was in my double digits and was in high school. Then, whenever I tell my parents that my sister should take some of my chores, they would get mad and say, “You’re not doing a lot so stop complaining.”
A lot…
I’m not doing a lot…
Morning:
Wake up at 6
Dishes
Get ready for school
Feed Dogs/Cats
Water for Cats
Get Sister up and ready for school
Be ready by 6:45
Afternoon:
Feed Dogs/Cats
Water Cats
Clean the liter box
Sweep
Vacuum
Dust
Clean mirrors
Clean windows
Clean couches
Clean bathroom
Dishes
Laundry
Mop
Clean basement stairs
Sweep in the basement
Vacuum in the basement
Clean the walls in the basement
Outside (when nice)
Sweep the barn
Mow the whole yard
Clean around the fences
Burn the trash
Clean around the house
Clean around the barns (we have 2)
Clean around the trees
Clean the barns (inside)
Clean around the burn hole
*clean-cutting raking picking sticks etc.
Outside (Winter)
Shovel the back porch/front porch
Shovel the driveway
Burn the trash
All of my chores are done by myself….
I can’t even get a job until I’m out of the house because my parents said, “Who’s going to do all of the stuff.”
I don’t know if this goes to entiledparents or toxic-family, but here you go. Just two more years until I’m free.
2023.03.30 06:43 Thankkratom Extremely unbased section in China’s Report on Human Rights Violations in the United States in 2022
I read the entire thing, and damn this part was bad. The rest of it was almost perfect… but this is decoupled from material reality. It ignores that the US people agree and ask for legalization. It also ignores that China itself didn’t ban cannabis until the 1985 when the UN and US asked them to. Ignoring the racist origin of the “Controlled substances act” was wrong. One of the architects of the law even admit it was a way to attack black Americans and other political opponents such as college kids. You don’t have to agree with drug legalization to know that objectively the start of the drug war with the passing of that law in 1970 was not about public health.
They totally mischaracterize the drug problem in the US by focusing on “marijuana” and ignoring that not a single drug death is due to marijuana, nearly all are from fentanyl, or stimulants like methamphetamine and cocaine. There is absolutely no connection between states with legal weed and states with high drug overdoses. Legal weed does not cause drug overdoses to increase. Alcohol use has increased dramatically and goes ignored, despite its real health problems. I have a lot more to say about it but reading their whole report was enough phone time for me.
Here’s the section, thought y’all would agree it’s bad.
The U.S. government actively promotes the legalization of marijuana regardless of people's health. Marijuana is a controlled narcotic drug by the UN International Drug Control Conventions. In the 1970s, the United States promulgated the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), which classified marijuana as a federally controlled substance. The federal and state governments of the United States have failed to regulate drugs and substance abuse and even pushed for the legalization of marijuana under the influence of lobbyists groups, resulting in more and more young people becoming victims. In their book Can Legal Weed Win? The Blunt Realities of Cannabis Economics published in 2022, Robin Goldstein and Daniel Sumner, researchers with the University of California, Davis, underlined that one of the pipe dreams behind the legalization push is the intention to make legal cannabis a new cash cow for the government through tax. Marijuana sales in the United States have exceeded 30 billion dollars so far, and the U.S. marijuana market is expected to reach 65 billion dollars by 2030. According to the data released by Open Secrets, from 2018 to 2021, some marijuana and products-related enterprises and trade associations in the United States spent more than 16.6 million dollars on political lobbying, with an average annual expenditure of about 10 times that of 2016; In the first three quarters of 2022, more than 5.6 million dollars were spent on marijuana lobbying. Enterprises and organizations profiting from marijuana trade money for power, and form interest groups with politicians, thereby letting drugs and substance abuse going unchecked, a striking demonstration of Washington's failure in social governance.
Drugs and substance abuse endanger life and health. According to a survey released by U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 59.3 million Americans over 12 years of age abused drugs in 2020, of which 49.6 million smoked marijuana. According to public information on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 40 percent of American high school students use marijuana for a long time. According to a report released by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in August 2022, 43 percent of young Americans have smoked marijuana in a year, 8 percent have used hallucinogens, and 11 percent have smoked marijuana every day, the highest level in record. According to a study released by the Manhattan Institute for Policy Studies on August 4, 2022, the number of Americans dying from drugs and drug abuse has increased dramatically in recent years, by more than 100,000 per year. More than 107,000 cases involving deaths from drug overdose occurred in the 12-month period ending in August 2022, according to data from the U.S. CDC. Marta Sokolowska, the Deputy Center Director for Substance Use and Behavioral Health in FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, pointed out that drug abuse has become one of the most devastating public health crises in the United States.
http://english.scio.gov.cn/scionews/2023-03/28/content_85196298.htm
submitted by Thankkratom to TheDeprogram [link] [comments]
They totally mischaracterize the drug problem in the US by focusing on “marijuana” and ignoring that not a single drug death is due to marijuana, nearly all are from fentanyl, or stimulants like methamphetamine and cocaine. There is absolutely no connection between states with legal weed and states with high drug overdoses. Legal weed does not cause drug overdoses to increase. Alcohol use has increased dramatically and goes ignored, despite its real health problems. I have a lot more to say about it but reading their whole report was enough phone time for me.
Here’s the section, thought y’all would agree it’s bad.
The U.S. government actively promotes the legalization of marijuana regardless of people's health. Marijuana is a controlled narcotic drug by the UN International Drug Control Conventions. In the 1970s, the United States promulgated the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), which classified marijuana as a federally controlled substance. The federal and state governments of the United States have failed to regulate drugs and substance abuse and even pushed for the legalization of marijuana under the influence of lobbyists groups, resulting in more and more young people becoming victims. In their book Can Legal Weed Win? The Blunt Realities of Cannabis Economics published in 2022, Robin Goldstein and Daniel Sumner, researchers with the University of California, Davis, underlined that one of the pipe dreams behind the legalization push is the intention to make legal cannabis a new cash cow for the government through tax. Marijuana sales in the United States have exceeded 30 billion dollars so far, and the U.S. marijuana market is expected to reach 65 billion dollars by 2030. According to the data released by Open Secrets, from 2018 to 2021, some marijuana and products-related enterprises and trade associations in the United States spent more than 16.6 million dollars on political lobbying, with an average annual expenditure of about 10 times that of 2016; In the first three quarters of 2022, more than 5.6 million dollars were spent on marijuana lobbying. Enterprises and organizations profiting from marijuana trade money for power, and form interest groups with politicians, thereby letting drugs and substance abuse going unchecked, a striking demonstration of Washington's failure in social governance.
Drugs and substance abuse endanger life and health. According to a survey released by U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 59.3 million Americans over 12 years of age abused drugs in 2020, of which 49.6 million smoked marijuana. According to public information on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 40 percent of American high school students use marijuana for a long time. According to a report released by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in August 2022, 43 percent of young Americans have smoked marijuana in a year, 8 percent have used hallucinogens, and 11 percent have smoked marijuana every day, the highest level in record. According to a study released by the Manhattan Institute for Policy Studies on August 4, 2022, the number of Americans dying from drugs and drug abuse has increased dramatically in recent years, by more than 100,000 per year. More than 107,000 cases involving deaths from drug overdose occurred in the 12-month period ending in August 2022, according to data from the U.S. CDC. Marta Sokolowska, the Deputy Center Director for Substance Use and Behavioral Health in FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, pointed out that drug abuse has become one of the most devastating public health crises in the United States.
http://english.scio.gov.cn/scionews/2023-03/28/content_85196298.htm
2023.03.30 06:40 curioustoknoq Any thoughts on Fjallraven totepacks?
I was planning to get a Le Pilage bag and it turns out that my 15” work laptop will not fit. So I have decided to get this bag that serves as a backpack and tote. I’ll get it in black. My budget is around $100 and other brands such as Bellroy are unfortunately pricey for me.
Any thoughts?
https://www.fjallraven.com/ca/en-ca/bags-geabackpacks-bags/shoulder-bags/high-coast-totepack?v=F23225%3a%3a7323450752743
submitted by curioustoknoq to handbags [link] [comments]
Any thoughts?
https://www.fjallraven.com/ca/en-ca/bags-geabackpacks-bags/shoulder-bags/high-coast-totepack?v=F23225%3a%3a7323450752743
2023.03.30 06:39 endlessnihil Dire need of community support
admin approved post
Hello! I am posting this on behalf of my husband, as he no longer has any social media really. My husband is an amazing father and an incredible human being. He is the most kind, gentle and loving person I have ever met in my life, and extremely humble. My husband is a hard working man, he is very loyal and will do anything to protect his children - including swallowing his pride to ask for help.
For nearly three months, we worked hard with Restorative Justice through Bigstone Cree Nation, to have the judge reject them and their help in these custody issues that have gone on for much too long and has had too much ignored or enabled. Unfortunately they do not have the funding to help my husband retain a lawyer either.
It pains us to ask for support from our friends, families and community members, but we are in dire need of urgent help from our people. We have exhausted all other options and we are not willing to give up fighting for his children, and we have put all of our incomes towards surviving and keeping up with what the judicial systems deemed in the children's best interests, and we are not in a realistic financial position to secure another high interest loan, or make enough money in this short amount of time to succeed with what needs to happen next for his children, after spending so much of our income previously on a lawyer.
It is so hard to put this vulnerable time of our lives out there for public view, scrutiny and perception, and if you're engagement is only sharing the link/post to your social media pages, groups to help accumulate traffic to the GoFundMe campaign, we appreciate that too. We appreciate any and all help. It is also really difficult to explain what's happened without trauma dumping the abuses he and his children have endured the last two years.
Every child matters, and it takes a village to raise children, and at this time we call upon our relations, friends, acquaintences and communities to help us raise these children by protecting them from falling through the cracks of the judicial system, law enforcement and child family services and becoming victims themselves of the school to prison pipeline statistic.
I will not be engaging in any name calling of the other parent, or go into specifics of traumatic events, however Kyle's truth is his truth and it is very hard to share that truth without speaking in greater detail what's happened and continued to happen.
He has written a very concise letter on his GoFundMe page, and I encourage everyone to visit and read it for a better understanding, and while we have an immense amount of documentation, we will not be including it in the campaign, as it would violate FOIP.
Thank you for reading and making it this far. <3 Much love.
submitted by endlessnihil to FirstNationsCanada [link] [comments]
Hello! I am posting this on behalf of my husband, as he no longer has any social media really. My husband is an amazing father and an incredible human being. He is the most kind, gentle and loving person I have ever met in my life, and extremely humble. My husband is a hard working man, he is very loyal and will do anything to protect his children - including swallowing his pride to ask for help.
For nearly three months, we worked hard with Restorative Justice through Bigstone Cree Nation, to have the judge reject them and their help in these custody issues that have gone on for much too long and has had too much ignored or enabled. Unfortunately they do not have the funding to help my husband retain a lawyer either.
It pains us to ask for support from our friends, families and community members, but we are in dire need of urgent help from our people. We have exhausted all other options and we are not willing to give up fighting for his children, and we have put all of our incomes towards surviving and keeping up with what the judicial systems deemed in the children's best interests, and we are not in a realistic financial position to secure another high interest loan, or make enough money in this short amount of time to succeed with what needs to happen next for his children, after spending so much of our income previously on a lawyer.
It is so hard to put this vulnerable time of our lives out there for public view, scrutiny and perception, and if you're engagement is only sharing the link/post to your social media pages, groups to help accumulate traffic to the GoFundMe campaign, we appreciate that too. We appreciate any and all help. It is also really difficult to explain what's happened without trauma dumping the abuses he and his children have endured the last two years.
Every child matters, and it takes a village to raise children, and at this time we call upon our relations, friends, acquaintences and communities to help us raise these children by protecting them from falling through the cracks of the judicial system, law enforcement and child family services and becoming victims themselves of the school to prison pipeline statistic.
I will not be engaging in any name calling of the other parent, or go into specifics of traumatic events, however Kyle's truth is his truth and it is very hard to share that truth without speaking in greater detail what's happened and continued to happen.
He has written a very concise letter on his GoFundMe page, and I encourage everyone to visit and read it for a better understanding, and while we have an immense amount of documentation, we will not be including it in the campaign, as it would violate FOIP.
Thank you for reading and making it this far. <3 Much love.