First
Previous
Carter gripped the top of the maintenance drone as it raced through the facility, covering a distance in seconds that had taken him minutes on foot. It also had access to the maintenance tunnels that ran through the building, forming a small highway for the robots and allowing them to react to emergencies quickly. The tunnels were large enough, and the drone small enough, that Carter had a solid three inches between his head and the ceiling, if he was laying flat on his stomach.
I need to get you back fast, the Custodian said, so I can begin the next stage. That idiot has been running rampant down here for too long, and he’s caused more harm than good. As soon as I get the template spun up for a new security AI, I’m disconnecting him.
“I thought you said you couldn’t do that without administrator approval!” Carter yelled, struggling to make himself heard over the noise of dozens of drones, all scrambling to be useful after untold millennia of disuse.
I did, and now I have it. You fired up the foundry, which means cores need to be replaced. Congratulations on becoming an administrator, by the way! That gave me blanket permission to perform maintenance on faulty and damaged AI, and his logic has been faulty for a long time. I believe you humans have a term for what’s about to happen; percussive maintenance.
Carter’s headset crackled. “Now would probably be a good time to tell you that something is trying to burn through the door!” Lenaya cried out.
Almost there, hold out for just a few seconds. Carter, your plasma weapon won’t do anything to that drone. When I say, I need you to jump.
They rounded the corner and Carter got his first proper look at the security system of the city. It had a sharp, angular body which sprouted four grasping arms at the corners. The top was on a swivel, which turned to face him as they appeared, and somewhere in the front of the black and bronze casing was the emitter for the laser it was currently using to melt through the door.
Despite being fixed in place, Carter could feel the drone’s optics focus on him as they raced toward it. The laser powered down and the body turned to face him, leaving the door glowing and partially melted.
Jump! came the voice of the Custodian, and Carter pushed himself up hard, bracing his arm against the ceiling while the maintenance robot shot out from under him. The security drone tilted back to track Carter and missed the maintenance drone, which manipulated its suspension to jump, crashing into the floating target at high speed with a loud crunching and tearing of metal.
Something that idiot forgets, the custodian said as his drone disentangled itself, is that *mine are built to survive industrial accidents.*
The door struggled to open, warped from the heat of the laser and still glowing at the center. After a minute, it managed to raise up far enough to allow Carter to enter. The inside was in disarray. Lenaya had used her hoverchair to push a desk against the door as a barricade, which would have done nothing to prevent the drone from entering.
“How heavy is this thing?” Carter asked as he slowly shoved it aside.
“Not heavy enough,” the Custodian said, enlisting his drone to help. “They weren’t supposed to move at all. I’ll have to replace the welds on every one in the building. Ah, we have a visitor.”
There was a blast of static from the speakers, loud enough to make both Carter and Lenaya wince in pain. The Custodian grimaced in sympathy and lowered the volume for them.
“They can’t understand you, you know. You’ll have to use the language packet I sent you.”
Another screech erupted, followed by a harsh buzz.
“That’s not my problem. You’re the one still clinging to false hope, and it’s affecting your ability to operate.”
A loud shriek of tearing metal followed.
“And that was just rude. They have been incredibly helpful in saving the Ring. Can you say the same?”
A distant blast sounded, echoing through the building.
“Now you’re just being childish. You know as well as I do that your drones can’t enter my data center. It took you this long just to warp the door to a workshop. You really think my core is going to be as poorly defended as this?”
A second explosion roared, louder than the first.
“I’ve had quite enough of your tantrums. If you can’t behave, you’re going to suffer consequences.”
There was a moment of silence in the room.
“That’s what I thought. Now take your drones and leave. Go back to hunting skegran for all I care, but do not harass us again.”
Carter raised an eyebrow. “Really? That’s all it takes?”
“Oh, no, that conversation was just for your sakes. I paraphrased most of it. In actuality, it was a bit of a battle. Imagine two people fighting with only their minds, thinking at millions of times the speed your brain can process information, and launching thousands of attacks in the time it takes you to blink. You’d still be thinking too small, but it’d get you in the right frame of mind.
“He did try to blow up my door, for what it’s worth.”
“That’s… not actually all that comforting,” Lenaya said, her eyes wide with amazement.
“To be fair, it wasn’t meant to be. For now, though, the two of you are safe in here. The emergency cores will be ready in an hour or so, and then we can see about getting you two back to the surface.”
“Any chance those emergency cores can offer medical treatment?” Carter asked. “We’re both a bit banged up.”
“Unfortunately, they’re not as adaptable as I am. They technically can’t even be considered sapient. They’re loaded with the knowledge of how to keep the place operational, but they can’t really learn the way I can.”
“So, just suck it up and wait until we get topside?”
“Unfortunately,” the Custodian said, his hologram managing to look appropriately apologetic. “I really wish there was something I could do for you, but it would take longer to modify things and treat you down here than it would to get you to the surface. That said, I suppose I could at least fabricate a splint for your leg, Lenaya, and probably something better for your arm as well, Carter.”
“Please do. This wasn’t exactly meant for long term use,” Carter said, holding his right arm up to inspect the splint, “and I’d rather neither of our injuries get worse if we can help it.”
The Custodian nodded. “Already on it. I’ll get some warmer clothing for you, too,” he said, glancing over to Lenaya. “You security guys really need to pack some thermal blankets or something.”
“We’re working on it. Practicality and space are a factor though. Our field medics have them, but the rest of us only have so many belt pouches, and we need to stay maneuverable.”
“And the materials available on the surface don’t retain their integrity when you compress them. Right, I see now.”
“Exactly,” Carter said, pulling out the now dry towel Lenaya had used the day before. “This thing was hard enough to compress to the size we needed, and we didn’t have to worry about insulating layers cracking and flaking away.”
The Custodian looked pensive for a moment, which Carter realized was only for the sake of conversation. Any amount of thought that happened would take place almost before he finished speaking.
“I might have an idea or two to solve that issue, but you’ll have to omit a few details in your reports. Actually, I’d appreciate it if you omitted any details about this city if you can. Hard to keep the place a secret when it’s officially documented.”
“I can do that. I have enough goodwill built up with the Council that they won’t dig too deep if I tell them something needs to stay buried.”
“You’re that important?” Lenaya asked. “I didn’t think they’d send someone so highly regarded on a mission that dangerous.”
“Me, important? Nah, I was just in the right place at the right time.“
“Don’t believe him,” the Custodian said in an exaggerated stage whisper. “He’s actually super important.”
“You really do get bored down here, don’t you?” Carter asked, his words accompanied by a withering glare.
“Oh, I get very bored. You’re the first two people I’ve spoken to in over a million years who aren’t either a complete waste of code or borderline insane.”
“How have you handled the situation so much better than your friend?” Lenaya asked.
The Custodian frowned. “Her work is less… not important, because we definitely need materials, but less pressing, I suppose? She doesn’t need to be collecting resources at all times. So when we divided up the work, she gave me control of a lot of the logistics infrastructure, like the shipping container you had your nap in, and she took a lot more than I did in return. We didn’t realize it at first, but she couldn’t handle the stress. Even after I took as much as I could without letting the maintenance suffer, she still couldn’t handle the load. I’ve had to let non-critical systems fail just to keep her functional.”
“And if you take on anything more,” Carter said, “the Ring starts to fall apart. That about right?”
“More or less. I’ve had to shift a few other things to her in order to free up enough processing power for today. We were really at our limits.”
“Then it’s good that we ended up down here,” Lenaya said, sighing. “Though I suppose we didn’t have much choice.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll make it up to the two of you. It may take a couple cycles, but once we have the replacements all trained up, we’ll definitely pay you back for your help.”
“I thank you for the offer,” Carter said, “but you keeping us alive and the Ring intact is more than enough. We were just in the right place at the right time, even if you had a hand in that.”
“Likewise, as long as I am able to see my daughter again, I don’t need any kind of repayment.”
“Well, that’s not too far off, at least. You’re about a twenty day flight away from your city at the fastest your vehicles can travel, but I can get you there much faster.”
“Planning to make us sleep in a shipping container again?”
“No, Carter, you won’t have to sleep in a shipping container,” the Custodian said, mock exasperation apparent in his voice. “You won’t let me live that down, will you?”
“Not a chance,” Carter said, settling in for their hour long wait.
==== 
“One more pull,” Carter said as he finished tightening the brace on Lenaya’s ankle. “Alright, that should do it. It won’t fix it, but it should stop it from getting worse.”
“Much as I hate to interrupt this tender moment,” the Custodian said as his hologram materialized in the center of the room, “our hour is over. I’m initializing the core changeovers now. Starting with security, who’s currently got the building surrounded.”
There was a final, deafening screech from the speakers, which was abruptly replaced by silence.
“I think I’ll reinstall him in an isolated testing environment, maybe I can find out what went wrong. But that can wait. For now, I just need to overlay the templates on the blank cores, and we have a new problem.”
“I take it security didn’t like being taken offline?” Lenaya asked, packing more snacks into a bag the drones had delivered.
“Let me guess,” Carter added, “he put some kind of override on his forces, and they’re not listening to the template?”
The Custodian frowned. “Oh, it’s far worse than that. He’s locked out the control interface with a massive encryption key. They’ll listen, but only after we crack the encryption.”
“How long will that take?”
“Too long, unless you have a few hundred cycles to wait.”
“Okay,” Carter said, walking to the small map of the city. “If he’s got us surrounded, we just need to sneak out. We can fit through the maintenance tunnels, so we use those. While that’s happening, you move something big and obvious out in plain sight. He can’t guide them anymore, so I’m betting they’ll see the decoy, call for backup, and pull every drone in the city into one place.”
“Whatever we use as a decoy needs to be well armored,” Lenaya added. “If they open it too fast, it won’t buy us any time.”
“And it’ll need to be something that we could hide in,” Carter continued. “I don’t know how smart the drones are, but I’d rather not gamble on them not understanding basic geometry.”
“That’s a good point,” the custodian said, making a show of flipping through a catalog. “I think I have just the thing.”
——
Next
Hope everyone had a pleasant Memorial Day. Someone had to remind me. If anyone knows where I can get more storage added to my brain, please let me know.

I’m stuck trying to decide between the 2. The salesman at the dealership said the guys in parts recommended either going 16 inch or straight to 18 because apparently that’s how they do it now and 18 is too big for me I want either 16 or 17
The thing is though that 16 inch is the standard factory wheel size that comes with tires as well for the Mazda 3 GS Sedan, but if I was to get 17 I’d have to buy new tires because they don’t provide those and I don’t know how much tires are
Let me know what y’all think

The 18 month survival rate on this is very small and he could be fine for months or have a sudden downturn with severe dementia or even die in surgery, so I am trying to organize practical stuff ASAP. Complicating matters is a lucrative home business that needs to be sold and three kids - he has joint custody with his (no joke) severely disturbed ex-wife and to make things worse, the custody order was issued in KY and he pays her monthly maintenance for the next 3 years I think.
This is what I can think of.

• SSDI application
• Shut down business - how to unwind LLC?
• Move $ out of business bank accounts to personal? Or pay self?
• Make personal bank accounts joint with his father and me
• Health care proxy
• Advance care directive
• Attorney: power of attorney, petition court to end payments to ex-wife, will - trust for kids so ex doesn't squander $$?
• Find vendor for business and for equipment in storage
• End business subscriptions
• Title transfers on vehicles, trailer to separate from estate?

I am assuming that unfortunately as surviving parent ex-wife would get the kids, although the eldest boy is 13 and they haven't spoken or spent time together in 3 years and she's been OK with that. Would it be possible for either I or his grandfather to petition for custody and become his foster parent?
Is the easiest route to put everything in trust?
I am seriously out of my depth here and also extremely short on sleep so this is probably all over the place. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Prices are subjective, negotiable, and do not include shipping.   Photos upon request
 

amiibo	Price	Condition
Zelda Loftwing	30	New In Box
Sanrio amiibo cards	12	Sealed Pack
Inkling Boy - Neon Green	39	Loose/Mint
Mario Cereal Box	15	Cereal Removed/Flattened
Isabelle Summer Outfit	40	Open Box
Cyrus/K.K./Reese	18	New In Box/Damaged box
Tom Nook	12	New In Box
Mabel	9	New In Box

 

Switch	Price	Condition
Azure Striker Gunvolt Striker Pack	40	Sealed
Aggelos	40	Complete in Box
Bendy and the Ink Machine	30	Complete in Box
Cruel King and the Great Hero Storybook Edition	60	Complete in Box
Disgaea 1 Rosen Edition	100	Complete in Box
Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom Collector's Edition	200	Sealed
Metroid Dread Collector's Edition	110	Sealed, a few dings associated with shipping
Monster Hunter Stories 2 Collector's Edition	160	Sealed
The Mummy Demastered	55	Complete in Box
Pokemon Sword + Expansion	110	Cart only, Expansion pass is on cartridge
River City Girls	200	Sealed, Best Buy Variant
Shadowverse Champion's Battle	15	Loose
Shantae Collector's Edition	150	Sealed
Shantae Risky's Revenge Collector's Edition	150	Sealed
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Cowabunga Collection	30	Sealed
Unravel 2	30	Sealed
Yu-Gi-Oh Legacy of the Duelist: Link Evolution	18	Loose
Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap	40	Complete in Box

 

Wii	Price	Condition
Batallion Wars 2	11	Game and Case
Castle of Shikigami III	75	Complete in Box
Okami	10	Game and Case

 

WiiU Games	Price	Condition
Batman Arkham City Armored Edition	40	Sealed
Disney Infinity 2.0	15	Sealed
Mario Kart 8	15	Complete in Box
Nintendoland	10	Complete in Box
Star Fox Guard	10	Complete in Box

 

DS	Price	Condition
Super Scribblenauts	5	Loose
Witch's Wish	120	Game and Case, missing manual

 

3DS	Price	Condition
Kid Icarus Uprising (Japanese)	40	Game, Manual, and Case (No Big Box)

 

GBA	Price	Condition
Boktai 2	200	Loose
Game & Watch Gallery 4	16	Loose, Torn Label
Lady Sia	30	Loose, EU import
Lady Sia	50	Loose. Label imperfections
Super Puzzle Fighter 2	60	Complete in Box
Super Mario Advance	13	No label

 

GB	Price	Condition
Alleyway	5	Loose
Castlevania Legends	180	Loose, label wear
Kid Dracula	240	Loose

 

NES	Price	Condition
Faria	200	Game and Box. Box has some wear
Kid Icarus	180	Game, Box, and Manual; Box shows wear; Protective case for box and manual included

 

SNES	Price	Condition
Mortal Kombat II	20	Loose
Super Scope 6	22	Loose
Wild Guns	270	Loose, Bad Label Damage

 

N64	Price	Condition
Bomber Man 64 The Second Attack!	250	Loose
Pokemon Snap	20	Loose

 

Gamecube	Price	Condition
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles	14	Disc and case. Artwork is a little dinged up. No Manual
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets	16	Complete in Box, blockbuster stickers on case.
Super Mario Sunshine	40	Game and Manual. Case included, but the artwork may be a reprint.

 

Sega Genesis	Price	Condition
Genesis 6-Pak	18	Loose cartridge
Jurrassic Park	10	Loose cartridge, Sharpie on Label
Phantasy Star IV	70	Loose cartridge, Label Damage
Quackshot	40	Complete In Box
Rocket Knight Adventures	37	Loose cartridge, Label Damage
Spider-Man	12	Loose cartridge, Label Damage

 

Sega Saturn	Price	Condition
Vampire Savior (Import, Dark Stalkers 2)	40	Game and artwork, no spine slip. Some creases in the artwork.

 

Sega Dreamcast	Price	Condition
Power Stone	120	CIB
Power Stone 2	160	CIB

 

PSP	Price	Condition
Silent Hill Origins	50	Game and Case

 

PS1	Price	Condition
Castlevania Chronicles	120	Loose
Chocobo's Dungeon 2	100	Complete in Box
Crash Bash	15	Complete in Box
Dark Stalkers	47	Loose
Dark Stalkers 3	47	Loose
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver	18	Loose
Silent Hill	105	Loose disc
Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo	40	Complete in Box
Valkyrie Profile	325	Discs and Case, no manual
World of Dragon Warrior Torneko The Last Hope	80	Loose disc

 

PS2	Price	Condition
Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance	17	Complete in Box; Greatest Hits
Burnout	8	Complete in Box; Greatest Hits
Burnout 2	8	Loose Disc
Burnout 3 Takedown	11	Complete, Water Damage on back cover art
Burnout Dominator	9	Case and Disc, Disc has superficial scratches but still boots
Burnout Revenge	10	Complete, Greatest Hits
Castlevania Curse of Darkness	60	Loose, Disc has light scratching
Crash Bandicoot The Wrath of Cortex	10	Greatest Hits, Used, Disc and Case
Dragon Ball Z Budokai Tenkaichi	15	Complete in Box; Greatest Hits
Final Fantasy X	6	Greatest Hits, Used, Disc and Case
Final Fantasy X-2	6	Complete; Greatest Hits
God of War II	13	Complete; Greatest Hits
Grand Theft Auto Vice City	10	Disc, Case, Poster, No Manual
.Hack Quaratine	300	Game, Anime Disc, and Case. Missing Manual
Jak and Daxter	10	Greatest Hits, Used, Disc and Case
Marvel vs Capcom 2	60	Cracked Disc, won't boot for me. Comes with case, no manual
Metal Gear Solid 2 Sons of Liberty	10	Greatest Hits, Used, Disc and Case
Naruto Ultimate Ninja 2	10	Disc and Case
Need for Speed Underground	10	Greatest Hits, Used, Disc and Case
Need for Speed Hot Pursuit 2	10	Greatest Hits, Used, Disc and Case
Resident Evil Dead Aim	50	Game and Case, No manual
Scarface	40	Complete; Greatest Hits
Star Wars Battlefront II	10	Disc and Case
Tekken Tag Tournament	10	Disc and Case; Greatest Hits

 

PS3	Price	Condition
Castlevania Lord of Shadow Collection	30	Loose

 

PS4	Price	Condition
APEX Construct	15	Sealed

 

PS5	Price	Condition
Battlefield 2042	20	Complete in Box

 

XBOX One	Price	Condition
Watchdogs	15	Sealed

 

Consoles	Price	Condition
Monster Hunter Rise Edition Switch	420	New in Box (No game code)
Playstation 2 w/FreeMcBoot	80	Original PS2 "Fat" system. Won't read PS1 or blue PS2 discs. Laser could be ready to go bad, or just need re-alignment. Comes with a Yellow PS2 Memory Card that has FreeMcBoot on it. Free McBoot will allow you to to play games off of a hard drive if desired. No cords/controllers included.
Pokemon Scarlet/Violet Edition OLED Switch	400	New In Box
Sega Dreamcast	120	Includes Deck, 1 Controller, Power Cable, and AV Cable
SNES Jr.	120	Includes Deck, RF Coax Cable, Third Party AC Adapter, and Third Party Controller. Small crack on the corner.
Splatoon 3 Edition OLED Switch	400

 

Controllers	Price	Condition
Fortnite Joy-Con Set	120	Comes from the Fortnite Edition Console, never used
Joy-Con Grip	8	Bagged/Unused - Came with console
Oculus Quest 1/Rift S Left Controller	115	Used but very good condition. Comes with silicon case
Oculus Quest 1/Rift S Right Controller	115	Used but very good condition. Comes with silicon case
Platinum Gamecube Controller	20	Third Party, no nintendo logo, wired, good condition
Joy-Con (Left/Gray)	35	Good, no drift
Joy-Con (Right/Neon Red)	35	Good, no drift, Factory refurbished
SNES Controller	10	Third Party, no nintendo logo
SPIN Z WiiU Pro Controller	25	Black, Near Mint
SPIN Z WiiU Pro Controller	25	Black, Near Mint

 

Misc.	Price	Condition
3D Printed Question Block Switch Cart Case	12	Holds 6 switch carts and 6 Micro SD Cards
Black MagicGate 8MB PS2 Memory Card	20	Has Free McBoot loaded onto the card
Blue MagicGate 8MB PS2 Memory Card	20	Has Free McBoot loaded onto the card
Yellow Nyko MagicGate 8MB PS2 Memory Card	20	Has Free McBoot loaded onto the card
Super Smash Bros Ultimate Nintendo Switch ConsoleBox Only	90	Empty Box, good condition
Animal Crossing Nintendo Switch Console Box Only	20	Empty Box, good condition
Pokemon Dialga & Palkia Switch Lite Box Only	30	Empty Box, good condition
Fortnite Nintendo Switch Console Box Only	20	Empty Box, good condition
The Art of Splatoon 2	300	Sealed
Kid Icarus Uprising Players Guide (Imported, no AR cards)	30	Shows a little wear
Nintendo Switch AC Adapter	20	Gently used
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Pre-Order Coin	15	Sealed
Breath of the Wild Sheikah Coin	25	From BotW Special Edition, Good condition
Pokken Art Cel Pre-Order Bonus	7	Sealed
Blastoise New 3DS Plates	150	Plates are mint and unused
Nintendo 3DS Stand	30	OEM, Came with Kid Icarus Uprising
Kid Icarus AR Card Set (205/404)	600	Contains 205 different US cards, no duplicates. This is roughly half the entire set. An itemized list can be provided upon request.
Kid Icarus AR - Pit Rally Cry Sealed Pack	20	Sealed pack of cards that contains AKDE-403,014,086
Shantae Risky's Revenge 2 LP Soundtrack Vinyl	55	Sealed

 

Cases	Price	Condition
Dot Hack (.HACK) Infection	20	Case & Manual
Dot Hack (.HACK) Mutation	20	Case only
Dot Hack (.HACK) Outbreak	30	Case & Manual
The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom	150	Includes everything but the game
God of War Chains of Olympus	15	Case and Manual Only

 

Freebies	Price	Condition
Gold Game & Watch Stand	Free with purchase	Gold Game & Watch stand meant for the 35th Anniversary Edition Zelda G&W, but likely works with others.
Playstation 2 IDE Connector	Free with purchase	Upgraded my HD Adapter to SATA, these are the old/leftover connectors.
Leapster Games	Free with purchase

 

Hear me out.
I know age gaps are pretty common in same sex male relationships.
I’m 39 and recently I’ve had a change of opinion when it comes to hooking up with anyone under 25 really. I think when I was younger I didn’t think how age and experience could impact the power dynamic between two men.
I have younger gay work colleagues in their 20s who tell me older guys are just creepy and the fact that they want to sleep with an 18 year olds basically makes them a pedophile.
Are older guys in denial about this?

From a total of 15 A+ grade reddit users here were the Post Round 11 results:

#	Team	High	Low	Change
1	Collingwood	1	1	-
2	Port Adelaide	2	5	+1
3	Brisbane	2	4	-1
4	Melbourne	3	4	-
5	Western Bulldogs	5	9	-
6	Adelaide	5	9	+2
7	Fremantle	6	10	+3
8	Essendon	6	10	+1
9	Geelong	2	12	-3
10	St Kilda	7	14	-3
11	Gold Coast	8	14	+2
12	Sydney	8	15	+2
13	Richmond	9	15	-1
14	GWS Giants	11	15	+1
15	Carlton	11	17	-4
16	Hawthorn	14	16	-
17	North Melbourne	16	17	-
18	West Coast	18	18	-

**To avoid any confusion going forward, the "High" and "Low" in this table represents the highest or lowest ranking a reddit member gave a team on the previous Post Round 11 post.
Thanks for everyone that posted their rankings!
Be on the lookout for my Post Round 12 AFL Power Rankings to collect some more data :)

Hi,
my friend needs a new gaming pc and asked me to help him. He wants to play in 1080p with high fps. Games like Valorant, Fortnite, LoL and some other strategy games. Ive come up with this build which currently costs around 1000€ (used Geizhals which is a german price comparison website).
The Build:
AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
XFX Speedster SWFT 309 Radeon RX 6700 XT
ASRock B550 PG Riptide
32Gb (16x2) G.Skill RipJaws V DDR4-3200Mhz CL16-18-18-34
Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
Crucial P3 Plus SSD 1TB M.2
be quiet! Pure Power 11 600W ATX 2.4
NZXT H5 Flow
​
Is this okay or does something bottleneck? If you have any recommendations for better parts for this price range please let me know. If you have any more questions i can answer them in the replys.
Thank You in advance

This is our weekend power level debate mega-thread! Feel free to pit two or more characters/forces/magics/whatever against each other in the comments below. Example: Arthas v Illidan, Void v Fel, Mankirk's Wife v Nameless Quillboar.
We'll do this every weekend, so don't think you need to use up all of your favorite premises at once. Though, it is also OK to have a repeating premise, as these threads are designed to allow for recurring content to not fill the sub too often.
Reminder, these debates should be fun. There is often no right answer when comparing two enemies of a similar power tier, and hypothetically any situation a Blizzard writer creates could tip the scales of any encounter and our debates of course will not matter. These posts should just look something like a game of Superfight. You pick a character, you make the strongest case for how strong they are, or why they could beat another character, argue back and forth with someone else, and just let others decide who had the better argument. But remember that no matter how heated your debate gets, always follow rule #6. No bad behavior.
Previous weeks: https://old.reddit.com/warcraftlore/search/?q=%22Versus%21+Debating+Warcraft+Lore+Power+Levels%21%22&include_over_18=on&restrict_sr=on&t=all&sort=new

Arrays
I am now trying to figure out how I can recover a numpy array from base64 data. This question and answer suggest it is possible: Reading numpy arrays outside of Python but an example is not given.
Using the code below as an example, how can I get a Numpy array from the base64 data if I know the dtype and the shape of the array?
import base64import numpy as npt = np.arange(25, dtype=np.float64)s = base64.b64encode(t)r = base64.decodestring(s)q = ????? I want a python statement to set q as a numpy array of dtype float64 so the result is an array identical to t. This is what the arrays encoded and decoded look like:
```

t = np.arange(25,dtype=np.float64)>>> tarray([ 0., 1., 2., 3., 4., 5., 6., 7., 8., 9., 10., 11., 12., 13., 14., 15., 16., 17., 18., 19., 20., 21., 22., 23., 24.])>>> s=base64.b64encode(t)>>> s'AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADwPwAAAAAAAABAAAAAAAAACEAAAAAAAAAQQAAAAAAAABRAAAAAAAAAGEAAAAAAAAAcQAAAAAAAACBAAAAAAAAAIkAAAAAAAAAkQAAAAAAAACZAAAAAAAAAKEAAAAAAAAAqQAAAAAAAACxAAAAAAAAALkAAAAAAAAAwQAAAAAAAADFAAAAAAAAAMkAAAAAAAAAzQAAAAAAAADRAAAAAAAAANUAAAAAAAAA2QAAAAAAAADdAAAAAAAAAOEA='>>> r = base64.decodestring(s)>>> r'\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\xf0?\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00@\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x08@\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x10@\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x14@\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x18@\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x1c@\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00 @\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00"@\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00$@\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00&@\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00(@\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00*@\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00,@\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00.@\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x000@\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x001@\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x002@\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x003@\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x004@\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x005@\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x006@\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x007@\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x008@'>>> q = np.array( ???? ``` The reason I am asking is because I am working on a project where I would like to store a lot of Numpy arrays in a MySQL database in an app powered by django.

Using this django snippet I can store base64 data in a textfield: http://djangosnippets.org/snippets/1669/
I want to write the arrays to the database as base64 instead of converting the arrays to a string of unicode.
Thanks for your help.
Answer link : https://codehunter.cc/a/arrays/numpy-array-to-base64-and-back-to-numpy-array-python

A beautiful and inspiring reading is below.
Things can work out very, very well.
We can find our power and get out of second class citizen dynamics.
As parasites and predators, narcissists are constantly scanning the environment to create drama with people who will accept their drive to be the center of everything.
The cause.
God.
All knowing, all beautiful, perfect.
A perfect victim who has been unjustly attacked and now wants revenge against the entire universe.
Just like an 18 month old baby.
Who wasn’t taken care of.
That is a pathological narcissist.
That is who we enmeshed with from the very beginning.
Narcissists are infants.
The very positive outcome of the experience can be that we find out why we gave away our power.
Then own it, and act with that power to get our needs met.
Restored will instead of a drama addiction inside a narcissistic bubble that we have internalized.
An internal map.
Progress, one day at a time, never perfection.
What happened in our attachment phase that would cause us to enmesh with a parasite?
Chemically.
More importantly: How to own our power?
To integrate the trauma that drew the pathological narcissist to us, and as a result have a real boundary.
Like an immune system.
The pathological narcissist needs us to remain in drama triangles.
An internal map from our childhood needs to remain active.
(repeating our internal patterns from the first three years of life)
Keeping them in the center of our emotional map by offering negative supply to them inside us.
A recreate and a representative of the initial attachment figures and family system.
We have a choice.
We can face our own powerlessness in this addiction…to find power.
It’s always about power.
What is the power for?
It is to be able to act on our own behalf to meet our own needs with people who understand that this is what an independent adult does.
Not perfectly, but that is the direction that the people we allow near us are going.
Three restored power relationships:

1. The relationship with ourselves.
   
2. The relationship with a power greater than ourselves (outside ego). Faith instead of control. Faith instead of an illusion.
   
3. Relationships with other people.
   

///////////////////////////////////
Owning Our Power
We don't have to give others so much power and ourselves so little.
We don't have to give others so much credit and ourselves so little.
In recovery from codependency, we learn there's a big difference between humility and discounting ourselves.
When others act irresponsibly and attempt to blame their problems on us, we no longer feel guilty.
We let them face their own consequences.
When others talk nonsense, we don't question our own thinking.
When others try to manipulate or exploit us, we know it's okay to feel anger and distrust and to say no to the plan.
When others tell us that we want something that we really don't want, or someone tells us that we don't want something that we really do want, we trust ourselves.
When others tell us things we don't believe, we know it's okay to trust our instincts.
We can even change our mind later.
We don't have to give up our personal power to anyone: strangers, friends, spouses, children, authority figures, or those over whom we're in authority.
People may have things to teach us.
They may have more information than we have, and may appear more confident or forceful than we feel.
But we are equals.
Our magic is not in them.
Our magic, our light, is in us.
And it is as bright a light as theirs.
We are not second-class citizens.
By owning our power, we don't have to become aggressive or controlling.
We don't have to discount others.
But we don't discount ourselves either.
Today, I will own my power with people.
I will let myself know what I know, feel what I feel, believe what I believe, and see what I see.
I will be open to changing and learning from others and experience, but I will trust and validate myself too.
I will stand in my own truth.

Where?: FoundryVTT and Discord.
What?: Exalted 3e
When?: Monday 9:00am EST
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Who?: 2-3 players. We have 3 player already.
How much?: [$18/session](https://startplaying.games/adventure/cli5agiht000k08l2hti9dkg6)
Pitch:
In an era where reality and virtuality blur, a group of select individuals, chosen from across the globe, are entrusted with an opportunity like none other: the closed beta for the world's first Full Dive VRMMO, Champions of Creation. This game, promising unparalleled realism and immersion, is set in the sprawling universe of Creation, a realm echoing with myths, legends, and the promise of epic adventure.
Yet as these brave new players log in, excitement turns into dread. The virtual world before them is far too real. Pain, exhilaration, the heft of a weapon, the taste of food, all feel eerily lifelike. But it's only when they narrowly escape their first brush with death that they realize the direness of their situation: they can't log out. Trapped in their avatars, they are effectively stuck in this world of fantasy.
Now, these hapless denizens of Earth must navigate their existence as a mixed Circle of Anathema, pariahs in a world that is both alien and uncomfortably familiar. They must confront strange beasts, hostile Exalts, and the very Gods themselves as they try to comprehend their circumstances and seek a way back home.
However, they are not without power. Their characters, crafted in the maelstrom of creation, bear incredible abilities and divine prowess. As they dig deeper, the lines between their virtual selves and their real identities begin to blur. The intricate backstories they carefully crafted for their characters in Champions of Creation start merging with their own memories and experiences, fostering a surreal blend of two lives in two different worlds.
Simultaneously, the game world grows more tangible by the day, its realm’s dangers and beauties bleeding into reality. As they unravel the secrets behind this digital curse, they must grapple with questions about reality, identity, and the essence of existence.
Caught between their past lives on Earth and their new lives in Creation, they must define who they truly are, while battling forces that wish to doom both worlds. Will they remain as mere Champions of Creation, or will they rise above to become the true Exalted?
Welcome to the world of Exalted: Champions of Creation - A Digital Rebirth, where the stakes are far from virtual, and the heroes are much more than avatars. Will they find their way home, or will they be lost to the duality of their existence? Their adventure awaits.

If this is still up then I haven’t found the person for me. And if you messaged me but I never got back to you, there is no harm in trying again!
I thought I would post here and see what is out there again?
Random thoughts: I’m seeking someone who craves, needs, adores, and wants a total power exchange dynamic. Someone who has fulfillment in controlling their partner both inside and outside the bedroom. You are my dominant daddy. You are the first person I go to for advice, wisdom, and just to talk. You don’t mind neediness and clinginess. You are silly and goofy; don’t take all of life too seriously.
I find someone career oriented very attractive. Not ever looking to have kids (but doesn’t hate them either lol). And you love music, food, adventures, and lots of physical touch.
I’m seeking my dominant daddy. I’m naturally submissive with a partner. It’s not an act. It’s not a roleplay. It’s just how I am. I enjoy and need rules, guidance, control, love, affection, and occasional pain. Someone to psychologically dominant me. Someone who craves to be my Daddy. Ideally someone at least 5+ inches because I am addicted to penetration.
Some kinky things I’m into include choking, face fucking, gags, sleep play, CNC, cum play, cuffs, gags, ropes and ties, and much more.
In regards to hard limits, anything considered ‘extreme’ like blood, knives, diapers, scat, vomit, etc etc, I will not participate in.
Location: am from and reside in Toronto, ON. Of course I would love if someone was right here in Toronto as well! But you may be reading this and may be somewhere else. I am open to anyone in Canada. I am happy with a long distance relationship! I am also open to anyone in the U.S in the East Coast (ideally NY/MA/NH/Maine/Pennsylvania/Michigan/Vermont/Connecticut) as these are all easy to travel back and forth to (but let’s talk long term in chat)
A description of myself: I’m 5’9, brown almond eyes that just look black, bbw/plus size, chubby cheeks, tan/olive undertones(?)/honey/bronze skin, 38B breast, full pink lips, nice straight teeth, currently blue glasses, one dimple, and medium/long brown&black wavy curly hair, and….I think that’s all!?
You: please be taller than 5’10, please be 26+, career oriented, loves animals and cats, wants to be a vampire with me under the covers away from the sun, is outgoing, adventurous, talkative, open minded. I cannot father - If you are not somewhat outgoing/extroverted, there is no point in messaging me. I am incredibly introverted and shy and need someone extroverted to guide me and be my person. And lastly, yes, I am plus size, but I’m actively fixing my health and I do love everything with being healthy and whole, so I am looking for someone who is a healthy/into fitness and healthy lifestyle.
Ending: So I I know my post doesn’t exactly contain a lot, I guess…a lot to go off of? So if you are interested, no harm in messaging to see if we are compatible and if you are the one for me.
and I have posted in the past on another account if my post/body description sounds familiar.

(I've had this concept for a while and wrote a few versions for the first episode, settling on this version, I haven't wrote a lot so would love feedback on this, I want to execute this idea as well as I can)
Mythicals Ep1: The world's worst thief
Narrator: Welcome to the continent of Nova.A continent made up of seven separate islands with each one of having its own unique,biomes,climates,properties and laws.But this continent isn't perfect.40 years ago a strange race called mythicals appeared.They were similar to humans in every aspect except one.They had strange abilities called Zanes.With these Zanes,the power went to the mythical's head and they tried to take over the continent,starting a race war between the humans and mythicals.The humans won the war through sheer numbers.Mythical population dropped 75% and are now discriminated and oppressed by humans.
A young man is seen running along a white stone road.He had short,straight,black hair,wide red eyes and pale skin.He had a dirty grey trench coat,a black shirt with tears in it,black ripped jeans and grey boots.
Narrator: Meet Hiroshi Kita,an 18 year old,down on luck,mythical thief.
Hiroshi turns around and spots three people dressed in medieval knight armour chasing him.He smiled and continued running,soon running into an alleyway,the knights running in and cornering him.
Hiroshi: Come on guys,can't we talk this out?
The first knight draws a sword and slashes at Hiroshi.Hiroshi's chest becomes transparent as the sword goes through him.His chest turned back to normal as the sword left his chest.
Narrator: Hiroshi Kita,his Zane is called Umbra.It allows him to turn his body into a shadow form,the only issue is due to not having much mastery over this Zane,he can only transform one body part at a time.
Knight 1: He's a mythical!
The second knight took out a large axe
Knight 2: This will knock my mythical kill count to 15!
The second knight swung his axe down but Hiroshi quickly dodged backwards,the axe slams into the ground.Hiroshi smiled and jumped onto the axe handle.
Hiroshi: Thanks for the help fellas
Hiroshi jumped off the axe and onto the first knight's head,then the second one and then the third one before jumping towards a window sill.The third knight pulls out a revolver and quickly shoots at Hiroshi's head.Hiroshi turns his head into a shadow before climbing through the window,turning his head back to normal.The knights look up at the window sill,knowing they won't reach.They start leaving.
Knight 3: Who's gonna tell Akuhei?
The other two knights put the fingers on the helmet where their noses would be.
Knight 3: Come on guys,when did we start doing that?
Meanwhile Hiroshi made his way to a sewer cover in a dark alley.He smiled and lifted the cover up before climbing in and closing the cover.He walked through the sewers before reaching a metal door.In front of the door was a giant man.
Hiroshi: Hey,Duke,you gonna let me in?
Duke looked down at him and shook his head
Duke: Only the best thieves in the continent are allowed in here and as we all know,you've been ranked as the worst thief in the continent,so unless you can get a big score,you're not in so scram.
Hiroshi sighed and started walking away,leaving the sewer.
Hiroshi: Asami might know something about a big score,they have connections all over the continent.
Hiroshi ran off and soon entered an abandoned theatre outside the town.He looked around and saw someone on stage with short pink hair,pink eyes,a masculine body and peach skin.They were wearing a white tank top and black shorts.Hiroshi smiled and jumped on stage.
Hiroshi: Hey Asami!
Asami smiled and quickly hugged Hiroshi
Asami: Hold on a sec,you only come here when you want something,what do you want?
Hiroshi sighed,smiled and scratched the back of his head.Asami gained an annoyed expression as they crossed their arms.
Hiroshi: Ok,to be completely honest,I need to know about a big score.
Asami: How big?
Hiroshi: Big enough to get me into the largest thieves guild in the continent?
Asami: Going big aren't we?Well I can only think of one place nearby…
They walked past him,transforming into a femine figure as they did,their voice becoming more femine as well
Asami: Would be the nearby Mythical Hunter's Headquarters but you wouldn't be mad enough to do that,right?Right?
Hiroshi: Thanks Asami!
He quickly ran away
Asami: He's gonna get himself killed.
Hiroshi located the Mythical Hunter's Headquarters and climbed over the walls at nightfall but quickly went unconscious before he could get over the wall.He woke up in a dark room with someone standing in front of him.They were tall with shoulder length brown hair,narrow green eyes and light brown skin.They were wearing a black tank top and grey cargo pants.Hiroshi was bound by rope at his ankles and wrists.
Hiroshi: Who are you?
Daichi: Name's Daichi Gushiken and you're staying here while I go stop the Mythical Hunters.
Hiroshi: But why did you capture me?
Daichi: Can't have a lowly thief like you getting in my way.Some of these guys are strong enough to topple towns.
Hiroshi: Then why fight them,just run!
Daichi: Because if they aren't stopped,they'll try to topple the human government.
Hiroshi: Won't that…
Daichi stared down at Hiroshi as Hiroshi's eyes widened in shock.
Hiroshi: That will start another war!
Daichi: Exactly, and now you understand why I need to stop them.
Hiroshi: But how can you stop them alone, do you even have a Zane?!
Daichi: Nope, I'm just a regular human.
Hiroshi: How do you expect to win against people with Zanes that could take down entire towns if they wanted too!?
Daichi: Well, I've got methods.If humans won the war against the Mythicals, why can't I beat one?
Hiroshi: The humans won through numbers!Everyone knows that!Try them on me and see if you win!
Daichi shrugs and unties Hiroshi. Hiroshi stands up as the both of them put their fists up. Hiroshi throws the first punch, aiming for Daichi's head. Daichi slides to his left before kicking Hiroshi in the back of the knee, causing Hiroshi to fall onto one knee. He then elbows Hiroshi in the neck, knocking his opponent to the ground.
Daichi: What's your name, thief?
Hiroshi: H-Hiroshi Kita.
Daichi: Well Hiroshi Kita, listen to this message from Daichi Gushiken. Stay away from Mythical Hunters unless you want to get hurt,so leave the saving to everyone else.
Daichi leaves Hiroshi on the floor as he leaves the room. Hiroshi clenches his fists before slowly getting back up a few minutes later, wiping tears from his eyes as he ran out of the room. Meanwhile, Daichi had infiltrated the Mythical Hunters HQ. He was sneaking through hallways as he took out any knights in his path, soon reaching a large wooden door and pushing it open. On the other side of the door was a large man, muscular build with crimson hair,narrow eyes, peach skin, and sharp pointed teeth, wearing black tracksuit bottoms.
Daichi: You're dying, Akuhei Heru.
The man turns around and smiles.
Akuhei: Well if it isn't the famous fighting champ. Come to try and take down the strongest fist fighter in Nova?
Daichi: Not only will I try, I'll succeed.
Akuhei: You think ye worthless human body with ney a Zane can beat me perfect form with the fourth most powerful Zane in the World?!
Daichi quickly punches Akuhei in the gut, causing him to stumble backwards.
Daichi: Never underestimate the power and dedication of the human spirit.
Akuhei: Ye be training, this should be interesting!
Akuhei swings his arm at Daichi and sends him flying into a wall, cracking the wall and causing books to fall off a bookshelf. Daichi falls to the floor and before he can get back up, Akuhei grabs him by the neck and slams him against the wall again. He lifts him up higher with his right arm as he walks over to a desk. He goes to swing Daichi down on it but Daichi quickly pulls a knife out of his pocket and stabs Akuhei in the arm. Blood trickles down Akuhei's arm as he drops Daichi. Daichi lands on the desk and looks up. Akuhei goes to slam his left fist down on Daichi. He quickly rolls backwards off the desk as Akuhei slashes it in half. Daichi stands back up only to see a fist flying towards him.
He quickly ducks as the fist hits a set of steel armour behind him, the punch flattening the chest piece. Daichi quickly grabs the sword from the set of armour and goes to swing it at Akuhei's right arm. Akuhei rips the knife out of his right arm and swings it at the sword. As soon as the knife connects, both blades shatter. Daichi stumbles back as Akuhei just steps towards him and smiles. Akuhei lifts both fists up and swings down towards Daichi. Daichi rolls to his left as the fists hit the ground, cracking it. Daichi quickly rips a piece of wood off the desk and stabs it into Akuhei's left arm. He quickly grabs another piece of wood and stabs Akuhei in the back of the knee forcing him to fall down.
Daichi (in head): This is my chance to end him!
Daichi quickly runs and shoulder bashes into Akuhei, making him over and falls out of a window, shattering the glass. Daichi slowly gets up as blood trickles out of the side of his mouth. He turns to leave when suddenly a piece of glass flies into his leg, Daichi falls forward and onto the shattered desk, causing some pieces of stray wood to stab into his shoulder. Daichi yells out in pain before looking out the window and seeing Akuhei climb through.
Akuhei: Did ye really think that I wouldn't grab onto an edge?!
Akuhei limps towards Daichi as Daichi tries to desperately crawl away. Trying to grab onto anything to pull himself forward. Akuhei grabs his leg and a red glow emanates from his hand. Akuhei's injuries heal before blood spurts out from Daichi's arms and knee.
Narrator: Akuhei Heru.His Zane is called Contagin! If he manages to touch anyone he can transfer any injury,illness or ailment to the person he touches!
Akuhei: Ye really thought ye could beat me!?
Akuhei lifts Daichi by the leg and throwing him through the doors he came in. Daichi lands on the ground as blood trickles out of him.
Akuhei: Ye are as foolish as ye are weak!
Hiroshi: Back away!
Suddenly Hiroshi smashes through a window and kicks Akuhei in the head, causing him to stumble back against a wall, his nose begins to bleed as he smiles and glares at Hiroshi.
Akuhei: Perfect,yet another lamb for me to slaughter!
Daichi: Run you idiot!
Akuhei throws a punch at Hiroshi's head but Hiroshi quickly turns his head into a shadow and the punch goes through. Another punch connects with his stomach which sends him into the air. His back hits the ceiling before he starts falling towards the ground. Akuhei smiles and quickly punches Hiroshi mid air and sends him flying down the hallway. Hiroshi lands on the ground and tries to slowly stand up, he was coughing up blood.
Akuhei charges at Hiroshi and quickly kicks him in the gut. Hiroshi slams into the wall as the wall cracks. Akuhei grabs Hiroshi and throws him in the air before sending a barrage of punches at him before grabbing his leg and slamming him into the ground. Blood trickles out of Hiroshi's mouth as he coughs.
Glass shatters and Akuhei quickly turns around. He sees a hole in another window and Daichi laying there next to it. Akuhei charges towards Daichi but something suddenly wraps around his leg. He looks down and sees a rope with a kunai tied around his leg. He turns around and sees Hiroshi still on the ground while holding the rope. Akuhei smirks and quickly swings his leg forward. Sending Hiroshi flying and out of the window in the room Akuhei and Daichi were fighting in as the rope snaps.
Hiroshi(in head): Is that it? Is this where I die? Not even getting close to my dream? I don't want to die here but I can't do anything to save myself, I'm too hurt.
Tears swell up in Hiroshi's eyes as he falls towards the ground. His eyes close as he feels himself land in someones arms. He can feel himself be gently placed on the ground and his eyes open slightly. His vision is blurry but he can make out the shape of a woman looking over him.
Hiroshi: An angel?
Hiroshi passes out due to his injuries. Meanwhile Akuhei gets surrounded by vines which pin him to the ground. The faint sound of footsteps can be heard and the vines vanish. Akuhei stands up and looks around only to see Daichi is gone.

Email marketing remains one of the most powerful tools for businesses to generate leads and drive conversions. In a dynamic city like Dubai, where businesses thrive and competition is fierce, a well-executed email marketing campaign can make a significant impact on your lead generation efforts. This guide will provide you with valuable insights and strategies to create an effective email marketing campaign specifically tailored for lead generation in Dubai.
Table of Contents:

1. Understanding the Dubai Market
2. Building a High-Quality Email List
3. Crafting Compelling Email Content
4. Personalization and Segmentation
5. Optimizing for Mobile Devices
6. Designing Eye-Catching Emails
7. Timing and Frequency
8. A/B Testing and Analytics
9. Compliance with Local Regulations
10. Nurturing Leads and Conversion Strategies
11. Continual Campaign Improvement
12. Conclusion
13. Understanding the Dubai Market: Before diving into your email marketing campaign, it is crucial to understand the Dubai market, including its culture, preferences, and trends. Consider factors such as language preferences, local customs, and specific industry dynamics to tailor your campaign accordingly.
14. Building a High-Quality Email List: To generate leads effectively, start by building a high-quality email list. Ensure that your subscribers have opted in willingly and are genuinely interested in your products or services. Utilize various channels such as website sign-ups, social media campaigns, and lead magnets to capture relevant email addresses.
15. Crafting Compelling Email Content: Your email content must be engaging, informative, and relevant to your target audience. Focus on creating compelling subject lines, captivating introductions, and concise yet persuasive copy. Highlight the unique selling points of your offerings and provide clear calls to action (CTAs) that entice readers to take the desired actions.
16. Personalization and Segmentation: Segmenting your email list based on demographics, preferences, and past interactions allows you to personalize your messages effectively. Addressing subscribers by name and tailoring content to their specific needs enhances engagement and boosts conversion rates. Leverage customer data and behavior patterns to create targeted campaigns that resonate with your audience.
17. Optimizing for Mobile Devices: Dubai has a high mobile penetration rate, so optimizing your emails for mobile devices is crucial. Ensure your email templates are responsive and adapt well to different screen sizes. Keep your email design clean and visually appealing, use concise subject lines, and use clear, actionable buttons for easy navigation on mobile devices.
18. Designing Eye-Catching Emails: Visual appeal plays a significant role in capturing attention and encouraging click-throughs. Invest in professional email templates that reflect your brand identity. Use high-quality images, relevant videos, and eye-catching graphics to enhance the visual experience. However, maintain a balance between design elements and email load time for optimal deliverability.
19. Timing and Frequency: Determining the ideal timing and frequency of your email campaigns requires careful consideration. Monitor the open rates and click-through rates of your emails to identify peak engagement times. Respect your subscribers' preferences by allowing them to choose the frequency of emails they receive. Test different schedules to find the optimal balance between staying top of mind and avoiding email fatigue.
20. A/B Testing and Analytics: Implement A/B testing to refine your email marketing campaigns. Test different subject lines, CTAs, email layouts, and content variations to identify what resonates best with your audience. Additionally, track key metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates, and unsubscribe rates to gain insights into the effectiveness of your campaign.
21. Compliance with Local Regulations: Dubai has specific regulations regarding email marketing, including data protection laws. Ensure compliance with the UAE's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other