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religion-is-a-mental-illness · 2 years ago

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By: Matthew Gault

Published: Feb 6, 2023

The Taliban may have won the war in Afghanistan, but the jihadists who once spent their days riding horses in the countryside are now stuck behind a desk, lamenting their boring computer jobs, spending all their time on Twitter, high rent, and commutes to work.

It’s been almost two years since the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan and the Taliban took over. In that time, the country’s new leaders have had time to take over its industries, occupy its buildings, and get very bored of the day-to-day drudgery of running the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

In a series of interviews with five former mujahideen turned government functionaries and police officers, the Afghanistan Analytics Network shed light on the inner lives of the men who spent a lifetime fighting an empire only to win and have to run a country.

The Afghanistan Analytics Network is a non-profit research agency. Researcher Sabawoon Samin conducted the interviews in person, primarily in Kabul. He interviewed five members of the Taliban to see how they’re adjusting to victory. “They ranged in age from 24 to 32 and had spent between six and 11 years in the Taliban, at different ranks: a Taliban commander, a sniper, a deputy commander and two fighters,” Samin said in his piece. After the fall of the Islamic Republic, the men secured jobs for the new government in Kabul. Two got civilian jobs and the other three got security positions.

Huzaifa, a former sniper, said life was simple and free during jihad. “All we had to deal with was making plans for ta’aruz [attacks] against the enemy and for retreating,” he said. “People didn’t expect much from us, and we had little responsibility towards them, whereas now if someone is hungry, he deems us directly responsible for that…the Taliban used to be free of restrictions, but now we sit in one place, behind a desk and a computer 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Life’s become so wearisome; you do the same things every day. Being away from the family has only doubled the problem.”

“I sometimes miss the jihad life for all the good things it had,” said 25-year-old Abdul Nafi. “In our ministry, there’s little work for me to do. Therefore, I spend most of my time on Twitter. We’re connected to speedy Wi-Fi and internet. Many mujahedin, including me, are addicted to the internet, especially Twitter.”

None of the interviewed men are native to Kabul, they’re all men from the provinces who moved into the city after the U.S. left. “I haven’t brought my family to Kabul, Omar Mansur told Samin. “The rent of houses is very high for us since our salary is no more than 15,000 afghanis [roughly 180 USD]. It is fully sufficient for Yahyakhel but not for Kabul. As soon as, God willing, I have a good salary, I will bring my family here.”

Mansu also complained about the traffic. “Last year, it was tolerable but in the last few months, it’s become more and more congested,” he said. Then he lamented the freedom he lost when the Taliban won the war.

“In the group, we had a great degree of freedom about where to go, where to stay, and whether to participate in the war,” he said “However, these days, you have to go to the office before 8 AM and stay there till 4 PM. If you don’t go, you’re considered absent, and [the wage for] that day is cut from your salary. We’re now used to that, but it was especially difficult in the first two or three months.”

A man named Kamran also lamented office life. “I’m sort of happy with my job but often miss the time of jihad. During that time, every minute of our life was counted as worship,” he said. “We used to live among the people. Many of us have now caged ourselves in our offices and palaces, abandoning that simple life. I’m very concerned about our mujahedin. The real test and challenge was not during the jihad. Rather, it’s now. At that time, it was simple, but now things are much more complicated. We are tested by cars, positions, wealth and women. Many of our mujahedin, God forbid, have fallen into these seemingly sweet, but actually bitter traps.”

Peace and civilization has its drawbacks, and the warriors of the Taliban have spent more than a generation fighting. It’s hard to flip the switch and make the transition. It’s still difficult not to miss the days of the jihad,” Abdul Nafi, a farmer, said, lamenting the pursuit of money that’s coming to dominate life in Afghanistan.

Nafi has also realized how replaceable he is.“There is a proverb in our area that money is like a shackle,” he said. “Now, if we complain, or don’t come to work, or disobey the rules, they cut our salary. Unlike jihad, now particularly, when the battles are long gone and the risk is zero, the Emirate could find countless people to work with them in return for a salary.”

Be careful what you wish for. This is like an SNL skit parodying "The Office."

I don't know whether access to Twitter is a good thing - exposure to western ideas, criticism of Islamic doctrine, etc - or a bad thing - war-like agitation among war-prone barbarians.

Who knows? The Taliban might become infected with an Intersectionally Transmitted Disease and implode in a frenzy of identity politics. Can postmodernism deconstruct even the Taliban?

#Afghanistan #Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan #Taliban #islam #jihad #jihadis #office jobs #religion #religion is a mental illness

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brascu · 2 years ago

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I’M SO GLAD I HAVE A COLD LOL

these past few days I’ve been feeling sick and coughing and sneezing and stuff. And, I don’t know if you know, we just had carnaval.

The first carnaval since 2020!!!!

I HAD to go. I HAD to go dress up and dance and yell and have fun and, GOD, I really needed it. I’m a new person (And I’m still dealing with some body aches after dancing non stop on the sun for 6+ hours a day lol)

but, hey, ITS FUCKING DANGEROUS IF YOU THINK OF COVID

but I went anyway. I’m vaccinated. We had the other day 0 new cases (for one day, but anyway lol)

And it rained everyday this past carnaval. Like, we were all dancing semi-nude and it rained like hell.

and THAT’S WHY I’m coughing and sneezing! NOT COVID.

I don’t even remember when was the last time I got sick over walking in the rain ç.ç

I had a fever last night and still I’m happy about it lol

ALSO I managed to go and not have my cellphone stolen and spent only R$40 (something like 8 USD) in beer/water

God bless the farra! god bless carnaval and the saints and the rain that kept us from overheating <3

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playapotrero · 23 days ago

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SEGURIDAD | What everyone is talking about behind closed doors and offline.

In our small fishing and farming village—turned gringo hotspot—beyond the fight for water, the exponentially rising costs of living, and Ticos getting pushed out by foreigners, crime is a very real and growing side effect of its gentrification, or what more and more are referring to as neo-colonization (1) (2).

Yesterday morning, Tuesday the 5th of November, the OIJ (the primary law enforcement agency of Costa Rica) carried out several raids in San Jose and Guanacaste. These raids resulted in the arrest of six suspects of a criminal group dedicated to house robberies, with “what is believed to be up to an economic loss of ₡1,000 million” (3) (just under USD$2 million).

Specifically, in one of the raids, the suspects were apprehended from an AirBnB they were renting in the neighborhood of Surfside, Potrero (4). According to US Embassy officials, it is not unknown that areas with a concentration of AirBnBs and short-term rentals, like Surfside, are incredibly vulnerable to this type of crime, especially when it’s easy to discover what items are—and potentially are—inside for the taking (5).

LOOKING AT THE BIG PICTURE

While the unprecedented growth in our region (6) has made it clear there has been a huge injection of money to our beach town and neighboring poblados, it is arguable if the flood of new money has actually brought better infrastructure, diverse culture, and (as we are talking about it) reduced crime—the core “pros” of gentrification, as many champion.

By way of illustration:

Our unregulated roads, although now paved because of growth, are too narrow and unsafe (7) for the large population of those without the luxury of vehicles, among other factors like poor planning for drainage, resulting in the floods we are experiencing today.

The threat of the irreversible salinization of our aquifer becomes more real (8) (9) with more green lights given for continued development, all the while water shut offs are still real when the rain stops in dry season.

More historical locations and local identity is actively being torn down (10), in the same breath as new laws are proposed to allow fresh businesses in their place (11), and furthermore, those in local seats denouncing these acts are stripped of their titles (12) .

Locals are being outpriced and displaced from their community (13), replaced with 2nd homes used for financial gain by foreigners.

Our local police do not have the money for their own station, let alone could justify asking for more reinforcements, as their pleads to get support and real documentation on crime (14), like denuncias, are swept under the rug.

It seems like what we used to experience as local petty theft in hard times is turning into a social desperation and crime epidemic. Not to mention, right or wrong, the palpable animosity towards the foreigner influx and domination of these targeted regions, seems intrinsic to this growing problem.

HOW DO WE MOVE FORWARD? HOW DO WE STAY SAFE?

It is critical, more so than ever, that everyone in our community not only be aware of these issues and take them into consideration, but also have open and transparent communications with a shared goal of preserving the safety of the people, land, and wildlife of our beloved poblados: A concerted effort by everyone, old and new, together.

This includes making sure to integrate with your community and hopefully full-heartedly. We offer the following suggestions:

Know your neighbors. A friendly “Upe” can bypass the lack of doorbells, and allow for an introduction to a relationship along the lines of a Gump to your Forest. Small towns are incredibly conducive for neighbors looking out for you in times of need, and vice versa, even if you don’t like each other.

Connect with your community. Join your local ADI (Associacion Desarrollo Integral de [insert town]). They are the only legally recognized, government sanctioned organization at the community level (in accordance with Law 3859 (15)). Each town has different projects and priorities, therefore it’s important to join in the local conversation; so you not only know what’s going on, but can be a part of the solution with suggestions, attending important town halls, volunteering, voting for your representatives, etc.

Potrero: [email protected]

Flamingo: [email protected]

Brasilito: [email protected]

Huacas: [email protected]

If you don’t see your town listed, give ‘em a google, or reach out to us. We are connected with the Unión Costera, the association of ADIs from Potrero down to Junquillal (currently).

Speak Spanish, or at least try. It can be challenging to learn a new language, but not only is it the national language, it is the language of your neighbors. Trying to speak Spanish, shows respect and good faith to the community you are a part of, and goes noted.

Know your surroundings. We covered neighbors, but do you know where your local police are? Do you know their limitations, needs, asks…you name it? Please read some outlined points from one of the important meetings with government representatives, OIJ, local police (Fuerza), local organizations and the community back in February, when a resident of the area was critically injured from a brutal robbery walking on the streets of Surfside.

Most importantly, in cases of emergency, call 9-1-1 first. All calls are recorded and can be used as data points. The operator will connect you with the appropriate party. For local office numbers, see the following:

Fuerza Flamingo: 2654-5086 | 2654-6136

Coast Guard Flamingo: 2654-5033 | 2654-6193 | Canal 16

Fuerza Brasilito: 2600-2086

OIJ Santa Cruz: 2681-4062, 2681-4099

For more local authorities, Upe is a great one stop resource for our and surrounding communities (see the bottom of their homepage for Police, Fire, Medical, etc).

Network online for safety. ADI Tamarindo, one of the highest performing ADIs in CR, has been able to vet and impressively connect their community to the local police on the ground with an app called SoSafe. It costs them $1 per year, per user. While Potrero has not been able to make the direct connection yet, the app is free. As a user, you can receive/make notifications on robberies, suspicious activities, water breaks, even lost dogs. While of course it is not optimal for the community that the police in Flamingo/Potrero/Brasilito are not directly connected and held responsible to reports on the app yet, it is worth noting SoSafe is a useful data source with metadata attached, especially since there is a tendency to refrain from filing (desperately needed) official police reports, denuncias.

We whole-heartedly love our community and want to move forward safely, and in peace with all our neighbors. Please let us know if you have additional suggestions for the safety of your community members, so they can be shared with your neighbors.

Moreover we have provided outside resources for reference on many points. We invite the sharing of more information with a multitude of resources, so we can more clearly see the big picture from more sides. Feel free to share more with us, if you feel we missed any.

Juntos podemos. Ya, vamos!

Amor, amor, amor,

Potrero Post

[email protected]

{Miér. 6 Nov 2024 | 15:15 }

#gentrification #nocolonization #potrero #safety #Youtube

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goldenhour-studies · 2 months ago

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As I've mentioned in my pinned intro post, I'm seriously considering becoming an ESL teacher (ideally for adult learners). With that in mind...

I started the free Coursera program Foundations of Teaching for Learning: Being a Professional which is presented by the Commonwealth Education Trust—an Australian organization, I believe. This is the first of nine programs in the “Foundations of Teaching for Learning” series. This series seems to be geared towards grade school teachers (what would be K-12 education levels in the USA) for professional development. I’m taking these programs as a prospective ESL teacher, because I want to find out whether or not teaching is a good fit for me before I drop 800 USD on a TESOL certification program.

I have a hunch that I’ll enjoy being an ESL teacher, though; being a DM for D&D + an assistant dog trainer has shown me that I really enjoy helping people succeed in their lives, meet their goals, and learn new things. Thanks to my personal experience having friends & partners who are neurodivergent, I tend to be good at keeping calm during emotional crises and helping folks come out of anxiety attacks—so those are also points in my favor, I think. But I’ve never taught human beings as my job before, and I must admit that I’m kind of nervous about it. I don’t want to burn out!

Anyway, the first discussion post for Week 1 of the first “Foundations” program has this prompt:

One of the issues for teaching is that many responsibilities that were once taken on by parents and communities are now being passed on to the school and to teachers. Is this reasonable? Do families and communities have the right to be involved in the education of their children? What are the advantages and barriers to this?

I'll share my thoughts below the cut, but for organizational purposes this is:

Foundations of Teaching for Learning 1/9: Being a Professional

Week 1/6, discussion post 1/3

Schools and teachers are part of their surrounding communities, not separate entities. When I was very young, my elementary school’s librarian was my neighbor! (And I had the fright of my life when she came to my parents’ house one day to ask why I hadn’t returned my overdue books, haha).

If you believe that “it takes a village to raise a child” (which I do) then you should also believe that the work of raising a child cannot fall solely on the shoulders of their immediate blood relatives. I, personally, do not believe that the nuclear family is a good child-rearing unit all on its own. Children are intense and have a ton of needs—physically and emotionally—that 1-2 parental units cannot adequately provide for without a lot of support from figures like the childrens’ grandparents, uncles and aunts, youth group leaders (scoutmasters, coaches, tutors, religious authority figures, etc) and, yes, teachers as well.

I would also argue that families and communities are already involved in the education of their children, even if we follow the worldview that schools and teachers are indeed separate entities from the rest of the child-rearing ecosystem. At least in the US (where I am from & currently live), residents of a county within a state elect the members of the school board by way of the popular vote.

This is admittedly somewhat limited, since the school board’s decisions only affect public K-12 education (private and charter schools are beyond its purview), but the parents and the larger community have the power to elect the representatives who oversee the allocation of the county’s education budget and who create its policies. Should the school libraries have their print collections expanded? Should certain books be banned from those libraries? Should the schools’ arts programs receive more funding, or should the sports programs receive more? These decisions all affect the education and opportunities that the children within the US public school system receive.

Moreover, are not teachers, principals, and professors members of their communities? Do they not go to the same grocery stores and food markets, attend our sporting events, watch the same movies in our theaters, and walk on our streets? Of course they do, because they are us. They are just as much a part of our community as anyone else, and they most likely carry the same biases and cultural attitudes as other members of the community.

For example, many decades ago, what we would now call domestic abuse used to be referred to as “home discipline” in the US. Parents could and did intentionally physically harm their children, and that abuse could and was likewise carried out by teachers upon their pupils (read more on this topic here, but MAJOR CONTENT WARNING for child abuse). Now, however, American culture is losing its blasé attitude towards corporal punishment of children. A teacher hitting a student in 21st century America would most likely be seen as (at best) disgustingly unprofessional, and would result in swift and severe disciplinary action—upon the teacher! With all of that said, I believe it is clear that communities are already influencing the way their children are being educated.

Lastly, I will argue that there are advantages to the extant community members influencing the way its children are educated, as well as disadvantages and barriers. For a start, a community of people is never a monolith; there are Black, Asian, Latinx, and Native people living cheek-and-jowl with white people in the US, just as there are Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Zoroastrian, and pagan folks rubbing elbows with Christians of various denominations. However, at least in the part of America where I grew up, the dominant cultural group was very WASP-y.

The result of that kind of dominance within education is that things are fine and dandy if you and your children either are part of or assimilate to that dominant cultural group—nothing is amiss, everything agrees with your sensibilities, and all is well. If you are not a member of that dominant group and refuse and/or are unable to assimilate into it, however, suddenly you are a square peg in a round hole. Until recently, my local public school district didn’t give any vacation days for the Jewish High Holy Days… but it has always provided vacation time for Christmas and the Gregorian calendar's new year. Muslim holidays have yet to be acknowledged in any way, shape or form.

This discussion post has grown very long, and I want to stop here before I end up writing a book. However, since I spent the better part of two hours typing out my thoughts like this, I would sincerely love to hear yours in return. Please tell me your thoughts on the original question above, and/or my response to it.

#golden hour teaching thoughts #teaching #education

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mint-moon25 · 9 months ago

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GOOD - MORNING - KOREA

PRAY - LOTUS HOUSE - 2 - HELP - ME

AS - I - LAUNCH - MY - SHOPIFY

ONLINE - STORE - ALSO - SHARED

WITH - FEMALE - OFFICER - THAT

TRY VIRAL VAULT . com

1 MALE - 1 PRODUCT - SHOPIFY

MADE - $1 MILLION - LESS THAN

1 YEAR

SHARED - KAI - 1 MALE - TIK TOK

FREE - ADDED - 2 VIDEOS DAILY

NOT - LONG - MADE - PROFIT OF

$4,000 - DAILY - NEVER - WENT

LOWER - THAT’s - MORE THAN

ENOUGH - BRICKELL - APARTMENT

APARTMENT - APP - 1 MONTH FREE

FREE - ELECTRIC - PLUG

FREE - OVER - 3 HRS - RIDE

NO 1 - ASIAN - ELECTRIC - CAR R - SIDE - DASHBOARD - VOICE

COMMAND - YOUTUBE

NCT 127 - ‘BOOMBOX’

AUTO - REPEAT

AS - U - CONTINUE - 2 - DRIVE

VOICE - ACTIVATED - CHEAPEST

CAR - IN - UNITED STATES

ESURANCE - CHEAPEST - CAR

INSURANCE - CREATED - BY

ALLSTATE - ‘YOU’RE - IN - GOOD

HANDS’ - YOU’RE - SET - IN MIAMI

2 - IKEA - BY - 2 BUSES

1 HR - 41 MIN

LARGEST - MALL - FLORIDA

AVENTURA MALL

OVER - 1 HR - ALSO

ELECTRIC - CAR - FASTEST

FREE - ELECTRIC - PLUG SO

FREE - RIDE - 2 - AND - FROM

ELECTRIC - CAR - MY - FUTURE

WHAT - A - LIFE - AND - STARTS

WITH - SHOPIFY

$4,000 - DAILY - IS - MORE THAN

ENOUGH - $1 MILLION - LESS THAN

1 YEAR - PAY - IN - FULL - ELECTRIC

CAR - NO - REPOSSESSION - PAID 2

WHAT - A - LIFE

REMINDED - HER - BRICKELL

SW 13 ST - MY - LARGE - PUBLIX

SELF - SERVICE - CHECK OUT

1 EXIT - METRORAIL - BRICKELL

2 - THE - LEFT - 2 - SW 13 ST

SHARED - AGAIN

NEW - SOMA - AT - BRICKELL

CHEAPEST - AND - BEST

BROWN - COLOR - ALSO

MOST - BEAUTIFUL - KITCHEN

NEW - LARGE - WASHER AND

DRYER - 1 BEDROOM - 1 BATH

MY - FUTURE - BRICKELL

SHARED - AGAIN - SO I’M

LEAVING - SOON

GOOD - MORNING - KOREA

PRAY - 4 - ME - HOORAY - 4

LOTUS - HOUSE

WOMEN - AND - CHILDREN

HOMELESS - SOUND GOOD

9P - CURFEW - DAILY - TRUE

HOORAY

UNTIL - THEY - FIND - HOUSING

4 - ME - I STAY - SHELTERED BY

THEM - HOORAY - PRAY - 4 - ME

MIAMI - FLORIDA - 5:55P EST

SUN - 10 MAR 2024 - FL - USA

#youtube

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first-impressions-gaming · 1 year ago

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Mineko's Night Market

Developed by Meowza Games

Published by Humble Games

Release Date 2023

Tested on Xbox Series X

MSRP 19,99 USD

youtube

Chill games with minimal complex gameplay mechanics and a nice story always warm my heart, sometimes I feel “Okay this game must felt great on paper, but didn’t turn out as a well execution”, sadly, Mineko’s Night Market is one of those games, and it saddening to see and recognize that the game tries hard to catch you and your attention, but it falls into the worst pitfall in gaming, repetition with zero meaning and drive force.

Let’s recap everything to the beginning: we are playing as Mineko, a young girl, who is moving to a new town with her dad. The day we move in, a young kid in the town, Bobo, welcomes us and introduces us to locations, people and what’s going on lately in the town. He acts like a guide, but very lightly, early in the game. After the first hour we don’t see or meet Bobo that often and this really puzzled me, there is this young boy who wanted to establish a close friendship with us, then he simply disappears, or does not show up at all. In our first interactions Bobo talks about agents in suits who are caging cats all over the town in numerous places, such as forests, the dock. And Bobo says they are up to something and we gotta rescue the kittens at all costs. Let me stop you right here, I got Beacon Pines vibes up to this point, because there is conspiracy like plot going on, unusual sighting of agents really encourage us to go bottom of all these on-goings, in other words Bobo and Mineko will be the ones who are going to unravel all this mystery, but the game’s promise and what it is building so far does not live that long. You are going to ask “okay, there is this plot, which sounds like the main story because the game, via Bobo, is putting emphasis on this, why doesn’t the game focus on this?” The game tries to juggle two things simultaneously: first, there is overarching story concerning agents in black suits, and whatever they are up to God knows, and Mineko as a merchant at the night market (which is held on every saturday). As Mineko, we collect and craft numerous things, first and foremost flowers.

This’s how you craft items with flowers:

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Briefly, the main quests progress as you purchase new items or interact with certain characters, which enable you to unlock new locations on the map that you can visit whenever you wish to do so. To purchase required items (from Tool Shop), you need to earn money, and to earn money you have to sell your crafts or other collected items (such as fish you catch). The thing is, you can sell your crafts or belongings only on Saturday nights at night market, meaning that you need to make use of 6 days in a week, prepare yourself, and sell them on Saturdays. For example, I needed to acquire Axe for 600 dollars to unlock a new location for main quest, but I was short of 16 dollars and it was only Monday. I collected items, crafted items using flowers etc until Saturday night and earned the needed money and more, then I was able to purchase the Axe and move on with the quest. What I’m getting at is that, the game, in an unintended way, punishes and forces you to go with the game’s founded mechanics with zero compromise, you need to earn money to buy items, and you can only earn money on Saturday. Just do what you gotta do and pass your days until Saturday, the game basically does not flow at its pace, the story progression relies upon how much money you have, and when you can earn the money and finally buy the items. As a player, I don’t understand why you feel the need to put pressure on the player in such a chill game. This unintended pressure is the result of the game trying to balance and juggle two sides of the game. The reason behind is the game cannot decide what’s its primary direction: is it story or being a merchant?

This is how you are selling items on night market:

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You can also purchase items on night markets, you can display them in your room on shelf:

youtube

Let’s roll the tape a bit, and allow me to walk through you. First mechanic you will learn is picking flowers which are commonplace in town and The Garden. Picking flowers and other activities, such as chopping down tree trunks and fishing deplete your energy which can be replenished with drinks and food that your dad, rarely, provides you or can be purchased at Bobo’s mom’s shop.

In the first main quest, you are to release caged cats by sneaking under the nose of agents. Once you complete the quest, this location, aptly named Garden, will be accessible to you all the time and you can visit this location (and other locations) by bus and collect flowers daily as long as you have energy.

In the second quest, you are tasked with rescuing caged cats (once again, are you surprised? Not me), once all of them released, Birch Forest is accessible to you permanently, where you can collect paper by chopping tree trunks. Before you ask, yes, in the third quest we are to rescue caged cats in the docks. I am detecting a pattern here, and it is not enjoyable after the first one.

So, what is it like to be in the town besides the main quest and story? When you wake up, you always encounter your dad in the living room at the table, he just…sits there, you can assume he is dead inside to some extend because he doesn’t actually do anything in the town, he doesn’t even work, he doesn’t interact with people in day to day life. When you interact with him, either he says something about the mission has given you, such as collecting 10 papers, or saying something very mundane other times. It feels like he is out of context, and does not add anything to the game. You can find every character in her/his usual location every day, the town feels dead because these characters are always in the same place and location whenever we leave the home in the morning and we return to home from Garden or Forest. The town would have felt “alive” if the characters had interacted with each other or at least moved, or walked to somewhere and didn’t stay put at the exact same place. Playing this game is like an experience, you are waking up every morning, getting out of home and every person on earth is in pre-determined place, like Truman Show. Interactions with children and adults are not bright either. In each interaction, the characters request you to purchase or provide items for them, such as buying food, beverages or bringing items which can be earned without money, such as fish or flowers. I am just…baffled here because you are not interacting with these citizens beyond providing items for them, can’t I just say “Hello fellow town-dweller, good morning to you, too!” casually? There isn’t even any dialogue option, as soon as you interact with them they request and ask for you to provide their wishes. Furthermore, there is a section in menu which shows how close you are to characters, which are shown with heart icons, and you earn those “hearts” by fulfilling characters’ requests. Does the game indirectly imply that ‘you cannot be close to somebody or acquainted with a person without material goods’? Why, as Mineko, am I not able to interact with these young kids without having to purchase beverages for them? Is this how Mineko seen from outside? Like a human ATM machine?

From the clip below, you can see interaction:

youtube

Mineko’s Night Market does have a promise and foundations, that’s for sure, but the execution, additional mechanics, misguided story progression and the way interactions are handled with questionable, unpleasing and disappointing designs offer a subpar experience at best.

#games #gaming #game review #xbox #playstation #nintendo #mineko's night market #Youtube

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vietnams-visa · 2 years ago

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Vietnam Visa Processing Time: How long is the wait?

Vietnamese authorities recently launched the eVisa program to simplify the entry requirements for foreign travelers. Before this program was launched, travelers had to get a Vietnamese approval letter to receive a visa on arrival. But from now on, they can easily apply for the Vietnam Visa completely online. Moreover, this process can get even easier when using iVisa.com.

However, we know that most travelers tend to ask themselves how long they should wait to get the actual Vietnamese visa online (Vietnam eVisa). That’s why we bring this article with the essential details about the Vietnam Visa Processing Time and its price.

What are the Covid restrictions to enter Vietnam?

The Covid-19 entry requirements vary on a day-to-day basis, This way, you can be ready with any entry requirement needed, including PCR tests or vaccine certificates if necessary.

To learn more about the Vietnam Visa Processing Time, read below.

What is a Vietnam eVisa?

The Vietnam eVisa is a type of Vietnamese Visa, but instead of a physical stamp at the embassy, you receive it online through an electronic link in your passport. This document allows you to visit Vietnam for 30 days per visit, and it has a single entry.

What items or requirements do I need to apply for this document?

Before completing the online form to get this document, we highly recommend you to have these items on hand first:

Your passport (valid for at least 6 months after arrival in Vietnam).

A Credit/debit card for payments.

A scanned copy of your passport’s information page.

A scanned copy of your Digital ID or passport image.

Continue reading to see more info about the Vietnam Visa Processing Time.

What is the Vietnam Visa Processing Time and price?

You don’t need to wait long to receive the Vietnam eVisa, especially when using our services. You decide how much you can pay depending on how fast you want your eVisa.

These are the processing times and prices we offer:

1 month single = $11.99 USD

3 months single = $ 19.99 USD

· 1 month multiple = $14.99 USD

3 months multiple = $33.99USD

Do you want to see more info about the Vietnam Visa Processing Time? Keep reading below.

How to apply for a Vietnam Visa online

Forget about visiting the embassy! Now you can apply for your visa 100% online by following these steps:

First, fill in our online application form with general information about yourself like your full name and your passport ID. Then, select the processing speed.

Second, verify the information so that there are no mistakes or typos. Then pay for your eVisa using your debit or credit card.

Third, upload and add the copies of the documents required (scanned copies of the passport) and click on ‘submit’ to finish.

Lastly, please wait for your Vietnam eVisa via email inbox, and that’s it!

Feel safe at all times with our website. Our platform is well-protected, so your private details won’t get leaked that easily. Additionally, we are very transparent with the services we offer. Check our comment section to learn more.

Where can I see more information about the Vietnam Visa Processing Time?

Do you still have doubts about the Vietnam Visa Processing Time? Don’t worry, we’ve got your back this time! Contact our agents via chat online to get more information about it!

Vietnam is a popular country located in Southeast Asia. It is famous for its beautiful beaches, rivers, Buddhist pagodas, and crowded cities. Its capital city is Hanoi, and it pays homage to the nation’s iconic Communist leader, Ho Chi Minh, through a huge and intimidating marble mausoleum. Besides, there’s a city with the name of this leader, known simply as Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon). This city has notorious French colonial landmarks and also numerous Vietnamese War history museums. This place is also very popular for the Cú Chi tunnels, used by Viet Cong soldiers.

One place that always attracts curious visitors is Văn Miếu. It is a temple dedicated to Confucius, and you can find it in Hanoi. This temple is also home to the Imperial Academy, which is Vietnam’s first national university. This iconic temple was built in 1070 when Emperor Lý Thánh Tông was ruling the nation. Therefore, this temple is already part of the well-known Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long.

.Content Source: iVisa

#vietnam visa #Vietnam Visa Online #vietnam visa application #Vietnam Visa On Arrival

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bayrut · 4 years ago

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Hello Tumblr, I think most of you have heard by now, but if not: there has been a huge explosion in Beirut, Lebanon on August 4 2020. It was caused by 2,750 metric tons of explosive ammonium nitrate stored at a warehouse at the port of Beirut, but it's still unclear what initiated the explosion.

These are just the current estimations but more than 135 people have died, more than 80 are missing, 5,000 injured, and 300,000 people are now homeless. The explosion did not only cause damages in Beirut, damages were reported in cities even 10 km away, and the explosion was felt and heard all over the country. People in Cyprus and Greece (more than 270 km away) have felt and heard it too. Experts are estimating that the damages are worth 10 to 15 billion dollars (USD). The explosion was so powerful that it created seismic waves equivalent to those of a magnitude 3.3 earthquake

A few big hospitals are located in Beirut, and were hit by the explosion. People are running from one hospital to another, they’re rejected in 6, 7, 8 hospitals before finding a place where they can be treated. Some people are being treated on the streets on plastic chairs because the hospitals are overloaded. Pharmacies are being used as makeshift hospitals. Med students, who haven’t graduated yet, are being called to help in hospitals. People are finding people that they do not know on the streets, and are carrying them to hospitals.

The government literally does not care, and their negligence has led to the explosion: the chemicals have been stored at the port for seven years. The president waited more than 14 hours after the tragedy to address the people, when leaders from other countries had already addressed it and started organizing help (For example, Emmanuel Macron, the president of France, was awake at 2 AM yesterday to work on sending aid).

The Lebanese government hasn’t cared for a long time. Since October 2019, people have been protesting over the unfair treatment. The country has fallen into an economic crisis (you can read more about it here). Since then, the local currency has lost 86% of its value, and because most food is imported, the prices have tripled everywhere. Approximately 39% of the people had lost their jobs, most of the rest have been working on half of their usual salary. A lot of people literally cannot afford food anymore, and even those well-off can only afford basics. This is a twitter thread with the most important details. The situation is only going to get worse now.

In addition, right before the explosion happened, a second wave of COVID-19 was starting in the country. Cases have already started to increase dramatically after the explosion, and will probably keep increasing.

Beirut isn’t only home to 300,000 people, it is the economic center of the country. Most of the people work in Beirut, most of the universities and schools, (and big hospitals, as I already mentioned) are located in that city. All of this is gone. The pictures are horrifying, it looks like a war zone. The port itself is very pivotal for the country’s economy, which makes the disaster way worse.

Petitions do not work in the area, and donations cannot be sent to the government, because they cannot be trusted (even during this year’s economic crisis, many countries had refused to help because they do not trust the Lebanese government). If you can help financially, please consider donating to these trustworthy sources:

Lebanese Red Cross: they have been providing medical aid and helping to treat people. They are probably the most trustworthy source possible. All of the money from the donation goes to this non-profit organization.

Impact Lebanon: this non-profit organization has been raising money for disaster relief, but there is a processing fee that goes to the fund-raising website anytime a donation is made.

DAFA: this local NGO has been providing help since the beginning of the economic crisis. They don’t have a donation section on their website, but this link is to their official GoFundMe page (I called to make sure). Since it’s on GoFundMe, a processing fee does to the website.

Caritas: this local NGO also has been providing help. The donation directly goes to them.

These two carrds have links to more local NGOs, which are helping after the recent events but are not specific to the explosion aftermath.

If you can’t donate, please please please reblog this. Likes do not help, but reblogs do. When you reblog this post, someone who can help might see it, and I really mean it when I say that every bit of help counts. If you can’t donate, you can also help by watching this video on YouTube, all the money from the ads is going to the Lebanese Red Cross. There is no sounds, but please play it on full volume for it to actually help.

Also, you can help by reading about what is going on, but not only in Lebanon. Lots of countries all around the world are going through crisis, and we often don’t hear about any of these unless the country becomes on the verge of collapse. Please try to keep up with recent news, try to read headlines about what’s going on around the world, try to learn and educate yourself. Those are the first steps to real change.

Thank you for bearing through my long post, I hope it made sense, I am still overwhelmed. It’s been a bit over 24 hours, but I am still in shock, and a lot of information might be missing. Feel free to add to this if you have relevant information.

#if you follow me please reblog this i am literally begging #lebanon #beirut #lebanon explosion #beirut explosion #beirut blast #august 4 2020 #death tw #hospitalisation tw #hospitalization tw #disaster tw

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mandana-the-service-pup · 3 years ago

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Tips for chew toy safety:

Feel free to add your own experiences & advice

1. Don’t be stingy with toys. Expect to spend a minimum of about $14 USD per toy. A lower price often does mean lower quality. Just remember, its cheaper to replace toys every month than a single vet bill from ingested materials. ($1000-$5000 for emergency vet is common for ingested toy issues and you could have bought 50-100 $20 toys for that price)

2. Just because they haven’t done something before doesn’t mean they won’t. Often times changes in schedule or stress levels will cause a change in behavior. Last thing you need if you are having an acute illness or injury is to have your pup decide that is the day they are going to eat a toy, bedding, etc. INCREASE SUPERVISION AND LIMITATIONS DURING TIMES YOU ARE STRUGGLING!!! (And don’t trust other people to be as perceptive & concerned as you. It’s nice to have people help with your pup, but you still need to increase limitations to prevent unfortunate accidents)

3. Toy Hazards:

>> stuffing is difficult to pass because the GI tract has difficulty pushing against it

>> foam expands and can cause blockages

>> strings & fabric can get caught & tangled inside which pulls the GI tract inside out (NOT GOOD!) Thin strings can also wrap around teeth or tongue and cause necrosis

>> hard materials can break teeth or the shards can cut up insides

>> thin hard toys can impale when carried & played with

>> balls and similar shaped objects can be swallowed & choked on

>> things with holes/tunnel shapes can get stuck on teeth and/or jaws and need to be cut off

4. Toys should be supervised at all times for safety and for maintaining the value of toy play & engagement. Cycle through them to keep from getting bored. Allow the pup to choose between two toys for play sessions to satisfy desire for freedom/choices. When not in use, keep toys away in a safe place (be careful of where you store them because some dogs will be tempted to climb furniture or shelves to get to them which is dangerous)

5. I keep chew toys in a box next to my bed. She has full access to them at all times (and has really started to enjoy being able to go “shopping” for which chew she wants 😂). If I notice a chew toy being problematic I throw it away and buy something else. Which toys work for you depends on your dogs chew style. We like the pet qwerks brand. Playology is also good but expensive. The bark box have a tendency to be too soft for us. IMO, Gorilla Chew is the only wood I think is safe enough because it gets soft instead of splintering.

6. Modern chew toys are often designed to “shed” safely a little at a time. Even so, watch out for splintering, sharp pieces, larger chunks, no give and/or weird shapes which teeth slip off (both of which can lead to breaking teeth). If you notice any of those signs, throw it away. Even if it’s a good chew, throw away if it gets too small for them to “hold” or starts to look like it could impale them if they were running with it.

7. Teach your dog that when they bite off chunks they can exchange them for treats. This is my opinion, some may say it encourages them to destroy toys but I would rather them bring chunks to me for a treat instead of feeling like they “won” the chew toy by breaking it and can now swallow the chunks as their reward.

8. Safer Alternatives:

Dog bed ➡️ pile of blankets (fleece doesn’t fray like other materials)

Plush toys & rope toys ➡️ braided fleece tugs

Sticks ➡️ teak wood? (Gorilla Chew is brand name)

Antlers ➡️ yak chews (some brands are poorly stored & can cause sharp splinters. We use Himalayan Pet Supplies brand. I spoke to them personally about the issue and they said they recently made packaging changes to prevent this and I haven’t had any issues with the XL size since then. You can also microwave smaller pieces to prevent choking hazard just be sure the inside has cooled off completely)

Tennis balls ➡️ durable rubber balls with holes in them to prevent airway blockages (tennis balls can also collect sand/dirt and sand down teeth over time)

Hard Synthetic Chew Bones ➡️ I’ve had success with Playology and Pet Quirks (which does shave down but doesn’t crack into sharp pieces as much as some other brands)

9. DONT FORGET YOU CAN WASH DIRTY TOYS! (squeakers can hold water & get moldy so toys with squeakers usually have to be hand washed instead of submerged)

#belgian malinois #service dog community #dog training community #positive reinforcement #balanced dog training #dog sports #sport dog #service dog #dogblr #service dogblr #dog training #dog toys #chew toys #pet emergency #vet #vetblr

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allthecanadianpolitics · 3 years ago

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1. Summer Solstice Indigenous Festival – June 1-21

Established in Ottawa in 1996, the Summer Solstice Indigenous Festival (SSIF) is a multi-disciplinary arts festival that brings together Indigenous artists, performers, educators, students, and community members to share knowledge and celebrate Canada’s diverse Indigenous cultures. The former 4-day live event takes place in June: coinciding with National Indigenous History Month and closing on National Indigenous Peoples Day (June 21). This year’s virtual programming includes The SSIMAs a new national Indigenous music awards program as well as Education Days, streamed performances, interactive family activities, arts and crafts, culinary and cultural workshops including the popular Pow Wow now socially distanced.

Twitter https://twitter.com/ottawasolstice/

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/solsticefestivals/

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/solsticefestivals/

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYnmJlZdwcGa-6nB6L4mJqA

Website: https://summersolsticefestivals.ca/

2. Stop Insuring Trans Mountain: Week of Action – June 14 – 21

Online and in-person

Join us for a week of action from June 14 – 21 targeting the insurance companies enabling the continued operation and expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗠𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻? The Trans Mountain expansion project would transport an additional 590,000 barrels of tar sands oil per day from Alberta to British Columbia, and lead to a 700% increase in oil tankers in the Salish Sea. Many Indigenous communities have consistently and repeatedly rejected the Trans Mountain pipeline and tanker project – but the Canadian government continues to plough ahead with construction.𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲? Current insurers of the pipeline are complicit in violating Indigenous rights and driving climate change through providing $500 million USD in coverage. Without insurance, the pipeline cannot keep operating, and its expansion can’t be constructed. That makes un-insuring Trans Mountain a critical way to stop the pipeline once and for all.Last year, Indigenous communities and activists pushed three insurance companies to cut ties with the pipeline: Zurich, Munich Re, and Talanx. We are not letting up the pressure.Trans Mountain is currently seeking insurers to back the project in the year to come, with a deadline of August 31. Right now we have a critical window in which to pressure insurers to rule out coverage for the pipeline and make Trans Mountain uninsurable.𝗪𝗲’𝗿𝗲 𝗰��𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗠𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻:

Liberty Mutual

Chubb

AIG

W.R. Berkley

Lloyd’s

Starr

Stewart Specialty Risk Underwriting

Marsh

𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝘂𝘀! We will turn up the heat on these companies during the Week of Action through protests at office locations, digital actions, and more. Find your local or virtual event below.

Stop TMX Week of Action Supporter Toolkit:

http://bit.ly/TMXToolkit

https://forms.gle/LrrDdu8P62bir7eM7

𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 (𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲!): Berlin, Bristol, Charlotte, Denver, Eagle River, Fairbanks, Fremont, Kaneohe, Ottawa, Montreal, Portland, Seattle, Rochester, Thunder Bay, Toronto, Vancouver, Victoria

3. COVID-19, Social Safety Nets, and Sex Work in the Capital Survey – June 5 – June 30

The “COVID-19, Social Safety Nets, and Sex Work in the Capital” survey is a joint research project between University of Ottawa researchers and Prostitutes of Ottawa-Gatineau Work Educate Resist (POWER). This survey of sex workers in the capital region seeks to better understand the economic impact of COVID-19 on sex workers and how they navigated social benefit programs created in its wake. The confidential and remunerated 10-12 minute online survey will remain open thru to June 30, 2021.

For more information about the research or to take the survey, please visit https://www.powerottawa.ca/covid19

4. Protest at Ottawa CBC – Tuesday, June 22, 4:30PM

Rally Point: Sparks St. and O’Connor St.

OTTAWA!

We are calling on you to join us Tuesday June 22 at 4:30 PM at CBC offices to protest CBC’s anti-Palestinian biases and dishonest reporting on Palestine.

CBC has refused to report on the 2021 Human Rights Watch report highlighting Israeli crimes of apartheid: https://www.hrw.org/report/2021/04/27/threshold-crossed/israeli-authorities-and-crimes-apartheid-and-persecution

They have reprimanded their journalists for signing an open letter to newsrooms asking for fairer coverage of Palestine.

And they have banned the use of the word “Palestine” in their broadcasts and digital media.

We demand change!!!

NOTE: Please abide by all COVID19 guidelines and social distancing measures. See you there!

Hosted by: CBC Palestine

5. OCAP Solidarity Speaker Series: Long-Term Care – Thursday, June 24, 11AM-12:30PM

Hosted by: Ontario Coalition Against Poverty

Join us again Thursday June 24th for our Solidarity Speaker Series event. This month’s spotlight is on Long-term Care and will feature speakers from Ontario Health Coalition, the EMPOWER network, and York University. Come learn about how the government has allowed this sector to be woefully neglected with deadly consequences and what we can do to improve legislation and shift away from the for-profit model of senior care.

Who you’ll be hearing from:

Pat Armstrong, Sociology Professor, York University

Cindy Huggins, PSW, EMPOWER network

Natalie Mehra, Ontario Health Coalition

The OCAP Solidarity Speaker Series is a recurring event, taking place on the last Thursday of the month, to spotlight rad organizations and individuals and highlight ongoing issues from an anti-capitalist perspective. We aim to educate, spark dialogue, and call folx to action in diverse and meaningful ways.

Hope to see you there!

More info and event link here.

6. Learning from the Movement OGs – Thursday, June 24, 4PM-6PM

Nothing happening in this historic era of protest has come from nowhere. This two hour panel will highlight the wisdom of movement OGs who have been doing the work—and are still doing the work—of Black liberation, Indigenous anti-colonial struggle, and migrant justice struggle, which has laid out the conditions of possibility for this political moment.

Panelists: Bridget Tolley, Lynn Jones, Beverly Bain, Harsha Walia

Facilitators: Robyn Maynard, Pascale Diverlus

Hosted by: Building The World We Want

7. Justice for Workers Outreach at Britannia Beach – Saturday, June 26, 12PM – 2PM

Join us for this community canvass at Britannia Beach where we will be speaking out about the need for paid sick days, fair wages and decent work for all.

This will be the first Ottawa outreach action for the Justice for Workers campaign and we would love it if you came by to help us collect signatures on our new petition!

Look out for our tent and volunteer team. Make sure to dress appropriately for the weather, and don’t forget to bring water and snacks.

Materials and location info at this link.

8. Stories from Insider Spaces: Exploring AGM Intervention as an Activist Tactic – Monday, June 28, 6:30PM – 8:00PM

Hosted by: Mining Injustice Solidarity Network

Registration information below!

Have you ever wished you could look the CEO of a harmful company in the face and say your piece? Want more information about a corporate project that’s impacting your community and wish you could get some answers? Come to this event and explore the strategic possibilities of Annual General Meetings (AGMs) with the Mining Injustice Solidarity Network (MISN)!

All publicly traded companies are legally required to hold Annual General Meetings (AGMs), where shareholders are able to attend, ask questions, and vote on important decisions.

This means that, once a year, companies with significant influence (including mining companies) are compelled to open up a space that is much more accessible to the public than many industry gatherings that happen behind closed doors. AGMs allow shareholders to hold company executives accountable. They can also be an important opportunity for activists and impacted communities.

AGM interventions have been an important part of MISN’s strategic toolbox . We’ve attended AGMs to take notes for impacted communities, asked questions to unmask the misleading information shared by mining companies with their shareholders, hosted rallies outside of AGMs, led disruptions inside the meetings themselves, and more. Here are some examples: https://mininginjustice.org/archive/pastprojects/spring-into-action/

During this event, MISN members and allies will share their experiences attending AGMs, outline some of the different intervention tactics that we’ve used in the past, and provide some practical information on how you can research and buy a share in a company so that you can also attend its AGM.

The format of this event will include multiple speakers, video documentation of AGM interventions, and some opportunities to engage in small group discussion with other participants.

We hope you’ll attend if you are fighting a publicly traded company or are impacted by a company and want to add one more approach to how you organize against it.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!: http://bit.ly/StoriesFromInside

9. Status For All March – Ottawa Rally – July 25, time tbd

In person, place tba

Join the rally in Ottawa on July 25th to welcome the arrival of the historic March for Status for All from Montreal! Across the country migrants have been organizing for full and permanent immigration status for all. Massive wins have been secured, but there is still a crucial final step to win. We will not stop until everyone has full and permanent immigration status, with no exceptions. We will leave no one behind.

From July 18 and to July 25, migrants and their allies will march from Montreal to Ottawa, led by Solidarity Across Borders / Solidarité Sans Frontières, demanding that Justin Trudeau’s government grant full and permanent immigration status for all.

Join us in Ottawa to welcome the march! Time and exact location will be confirmed closer to the date.

RSVP here: https://migrantrights.ca/marchtoottawa/

This rally will be in accordance with COVID safe guidelines: we ask all attendees to wear a mask and respect social distancing guidelines

#Ottawa #june 2021 #submission #cdnpoli #canada #canadian politics #canadian news #canadian

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cheri-translates · 4 years ago

Text

[CN] Victor’s Birthday R&S

🍒 Warning: This post contains detailed spoilers for an event which has not been released in English servers! 🍒

Victor’s 2021 birthday collection:

🐼 r&s ♡ l belonging date l video call l moments and texts l asmr

[ Released on 8 January 2021 ]

[ CHAPTER ONE - Special Present ]

Victor is about to welcome his 15th birthday.

This year, the first birthday present he receives is, as usual, from Little Vick’s zoo. Standing in his room and seeing the box filled with animal plush toys, Victor frowns in slight resignation. When he was young, his parents asked him which was his favourite animal. Without putting much thought into it, he gave the panda as an answer. Since then, he’s been constantly receiving all sorts of presents featuring pictures of pandas from his parents. When he was 9 years old, he even “owned” an actual panda.

As what his father says, since it’s rare for Victor to express that he likes something, there’s definitely a need to fulfil his wish.

Even though he doesn’t dislike this gift, he finds it a little difficult to handle when the zoo sends him a huge box of souvenir plush toys since he shares the same birthday as Little Vick. Other than these, the box would also contain photographs of Little Vick’s everyday life, taken by the rearing staff. Victor would keep them, and send the plush toys to the children of relatives.

[Note] In CN, the panda’s name is 言言 (Yan Yan). But MC used the name “Little Vick” in an EN Moment post, so I’m using it too!

This year, he plans to follow the same routine. Just as he tidies up the items in the box, a knock comes at the door.

“Please come in.”

He turns his head, watching as his father walks in and leans next to the door, a coat draped over his arm. It looks like he just returned from work.

“Are you done with work?”

“Mm. Dad freed up his weekend. Since your birthday is coming, why don’t we head out together?”

Victor looks at his father’s slightly fatigued expression, and contemplates for a while.

“Okay, as long as it isn’t too noisy.”

The man casts a fleeting glance at the cardboard box in front of his son, then offers a suggestion.

“Want to see Little Vick?”

“There are a lot of people in the zoo during the weekend.”

Victor answers very quickly. As such, the man recollects the places he’s taken Victor to in the past, attempting to find a location his son would like.

“What about the countryside park?”

“Okay.” Victor agrees, then raises his head to look at him. “Dad, has Aunt been at home recently? I’m thinking of sending these plush toys to her.”

Seeing the man nod, Victor takes up the adhesive tape and re-seals the box. Watching his actions, the man sighs in his heart.

Trying to figure out what this kid likes - it’s truly a difficult question.

[ CHAPTER TWO - Growing Up Problems ]

It’s a pretty long journey to the countryside park. Victor stuffs this year’s pictures of Little Vick into his backpack, preparing to flip through them along the way.

Actually, ever since adopting it, he’s never visited the zoo to see Little Vick.

He doesn’t really know how to define the relationship between himself and that panda. His neighbours call their three dogs “Boss”, “Second Boss” and “Third Boss”. The moment they’re called, they would rush to the owner, and are as close as family. But Little Vick needs to be meticulously raised by professional staff. Even if it’s given a name, it doesn’t mean it has become someone’s pet, much less a “family member”.

Moreover, everyone knows that a little kid can’t afford to rear a panda. Even if the adoption certificate has Victor’s name on it, he hasn’t offered anything personally. This makes him feel that his connection to Little Vick is even more indiscernible.

Precisely because of this, Victor is always a little surprised whenever he flips through the album featuring its growth. In just a year, Little Vick has grown by quite a lot, and looks like an “adult” - but it’s only 6 years old this year.

The car halts before the traffic light. The man leans over to look at the photographs in Victor’s hands.

“It’s grown quite a lot again. Animals always grow up more quickly than humans.”

“Mm.”

After a short silence between the two, Victor mutters softly.

“...I also wish to grow up quickly.”

Hearing Victor say this suddenly, the man is a little shocked, turning his head to look at him.

“Why?”

“Because there are many things I can’t do right now.”

The man deliberates on his choice of words. “The reason why Little Vick can grow up so quickly is because its lifespan is relatively short. But you're different - you have sufficient time to live out every stage properly.”

After the man finishes speaking, he doesn’t get a reaction from Victor for a long time. From the rearview mirror, he discovers that Victor seems to have sunk into a deep contemplation.

Could talking about such things be too heavy for his son’s birthday? The man lifts his hand to loosen his tie, planning to change the topic.

"But there’s still a chance for you to do things yourself if you want to.”

“For instance, you could try paying for Little Vic’s adoption fees.”

Seeing Victor raising his head, he continues.

“The adoption fees for Little Vick are in yearly instalments. Once you have the ability to do so, Dad won’t help you pay for them.”

Victor hesitates for a moment. “Doesn’t that still require me to wait till I’m older?”

“As long as you're able to earn money from me, it doesn’t matter how old you are. Didn’t you learn about the stock market simulator from Dad recently? I’ll let you use the profit in exchange for an equivalent value.”

Victor straightens up slightly in his seat, and asks in slight anticipation. “How much is it every year?”

"A hundred thousand yuan.”

[Note] Approximately USD$15,500

Victor lapses into silence for a while. To a kid, a hundred thousand yuan is indeed not a small number. Seeing his expression, the man prepares some words of comfort. However, he suddenly speaks.

“Okay, I’ll give it a try.”

[ CHAPTER THREE - The Moment of Meeting ]

The car stops at the entrance of the park. Within it, father-and-son look at each other in dismay.

Five minutes earlier, the two of them were notified by the carpark staff that the park has temporarily ceased operations due to some internal revisions. As such, they have no choice but to head to another place.

“Looks like we should have given them a call to check first.”

Seeing the rare expression of vexation on his father’s face, Victor retrieves a map from the storage compartment. The both of them stare at it together, and it seems that the Loveland City zoo, which is only dozens of kilometres away, is the most suitable replacement.

“Shall we take a look?”

Sensing that his father is waiting for his answer, Victor hesitates for a moment before nodding in agreement.

After registering the adoption certification, the staff of the panda area enthusiastically receives the father and son.

“Little Vick’s birthday is coming soon. It’d definitely be very happy to see the two of you.”

Walking into the warm venue, there are excited visitors everywhere. With such an atmosphere, Victor starts feeling slightly expectant too.

“The one at the front is Little Vick.”

The staff brings the two of them before a glass room. At the front is a panda which is hugging a ball and amusing itself. Victor leans closer to the glass, giving it a detailed look. Little Vick seems to have been taken cared of very well. Its fur is fluffy, it looks sturdy, and refuses to let go of its favourite toy.

The man laughs inwardly as he watches his son subconsciously draw nearer to the glass. He even thought Victor didn’t like such adorable animals - it turns out he just refused to admit it. The phone in his pocket vibrates unceremoniously, and he signals to Victor, turning around to answer the call in a corner.

When it’s time for the pandas to eat, the rearer brings a large bundle of bamboo into the glass room. Seeing the look of anticipation on Victor’s face, the rearer specially brings a small bamboo leaf close to the glass. As expected, Little Vick sets down its toy and paces over. After circling the bamboo leaf twice, it suddenly lifts up his front paws and plops onto the glass. Victor is stunned, subconsciously bending down, reaching out to attract its attention.

The staff smiles as he looks at the boy and panda. “Looks like Little Vick really likes you!”

“...”

Saying that he wasn’t pleasantly surprised would be a lie. Victor looks at its slightly curved lips, and smiles along with it.

Should he greet it, or should he just stay like this quietly?

While he’s struggling internally to come to a decision, Little Vick slides off the glass, plopping its bottom onto the ground. Finding a comfortable position, its back faces Victor as it starts gnawing on the bamboo.

...as expected, eating is more important.

Victor hurriedly retracts his smile, straightening up to look at the back of its head. In order to alleviate the embarrassment from earlier, he broaches a new conversation topic.

“May I know,” he turns to the staff member at the side. “If it’s considered an adult now?”

“Yes, it’s already at an age where it’s seeking a spouse.”

“In that case, will it live together with its family in the future?”

“Pandas are very solitary, and Little Vick’s a boy. Even if it has children, it’d still lead a solitary life.”

As though in deep thought, Victor nods. Although these animals look charmingly naive, they aren’t as weak as imagined, and don’t need to rely fully on those around them.

As compared to them, perhaps he truly hasn’t grown up yet.

[ CHAPTER FOUR - Repaying Love ]

Returning from the call, the man sees Victor staring at the back profile of Little Vick. Even after leaving the panda area, he doesn’t speak.

“Why aren’t you talking?”

After a while, Victor responds.

“It doesn’t seem like it’d remember us.”

The man recollects the image he saw earlier. With some understanding, he nods.

“If we visit it a few more times in the future, it might remember.”

“But... so many people visit the pandas every day. I’m just one of them.”

“Victor, let Dad ask you something.” The man pauses in his footsteps and looks at him. “Without considering other factors, do you like Little Vick?”

Victor nods very quickly. The man continues with another question.

“After knowing it wouldn’t respond to you, do you still like it?”

After thinking about it for a while, Victor nods again. The man laughs slightly, bringing him towards the resting spot near the lakeside.

“Not being able to return the same emotions yet not affecting your liking towards it - isn’t this very good?”

“But it’s usually living in the zoo. We can't rear it personally. This kind of liking can’t establish any connections.” Victor seems to hesitate. “I remember you mentioning that the reason for “liking” is to establish connections with other people.”

The man pauses in his steps, turning his head to meet his son’s puzzled gaze. He sighs softly.

“What Dad tells you is not necessarily always true. You need to learn how to assess the appropriate occasion and target. You and Little Vick aren’t able to understand each other. Protecting it from afar like this isn’t a bad choice.”

Victor frowns slightly. These words are slightly confusing, and seem to contain things he has yet to understand.

“In that case, what if there’s mutual understanding?

A cool breeze brushes past. He watches as his father blinks, concealing a very small emotion in his eyes.

“A person who is willing to understand you is someone who is wiling to walk down the same path as you. If you meet that person someday, you must definitely cherish them.”

Because their original plan was to visit the countryside park, the man also brought the cake along. Since the scenery by the lakeside isn’t bad, the both of them select a bench and sit down. The man hands the cake box to Victor.

“Do you mind eating the cake a few days in advance?”

“I don’t mind.”

Victor takes apart the ribbon. Inside is a very exquisite cake, a small brand logo printed on the bottom right side of the chocolate sign. Perhaps noticing his slight pause, he quickly hears his father’s voice.

“...this year’s cake was bought.”

“It looks very nice. Thanks, Dad.”

“The zoo doesn't allow for the lighting up of candles. So we’ll blow out the candles and make a wish at home.”

“Okay, it’s all right.”

Victor carefully cuts out two slices of cake, handing one to his father. The two of them sit next to each other, eating cake while staring at the lake, neither of them speaking.

[ CHAPTER FIVE - Important Person ]

After returning home and having a bath, Victor walks towards his room with relaxed steps. While passing by his father’s bedroom, he vaguely hears him talking to someone over the phone.

It’s so late. Is he still working? Victor is about to continue walking, but his ears suddenly catch a few special words.

Weather, zoo, birthday... His father doesn’t seem to be talking about work, but about very trivial topics to someone. Just as he’s about to step away from the door quietly, his father calls out to him.

“Victor, come in.”

“It’s late and you aren’t asleep yet.”

His father sets down the phone, not giving him a reply. Victor glances at the screen which has yet to dim, and it displays that he isn’t currently in a call. His father doesn’t seem to know how to explain that “phone call”. After a moment of silence, he suddenly broaches another topic.

“Dad didn’t give you a present this year. You’re going to be 15 soon. Do you want something different?”

“You’re referring to...”

“For example, a present belonging to an adult.”

“Anything is fine?”

“Tell me what it is first.”

After giving it some thought, Victor scans his father’s room. Most of the items are either things he already owns, or things he doesn’t need in the far future. After taking a look around, his eyes fall back onto his father - to be more precise, the dark coloured tie he’s wearing.

“I want to buy a tie.” Victor pauses, then adds on. “One with a darker colour.”

Actually, there have been many occasions when he’s needed to wear a tie, and he doesn’t lack them. But most of them cater to his age, or are for school performances, and he doesn’t have one which is formal. Also, considering his mother’s preferences, the colours and patterns of the ties in the closet are very outlandish. One of them even has panda badges on it.

Perhaps thinking about the same image, his father suddenly laughs.

“Okay, you’ll pick one yourself tomorrow. But I have a condition.”

“Go ahead.”

“The reason why we didn’t light candles or make a wish this year is in hopes that you’ll say it directly when you want anything in the future. Especially when it comes to important wishes - you need to tell them to important people as soon as you can.”

“However, if it’s something I can do, I don't want to trouble someone else.”

“To some people, it isn’t troublesome.”

After saying this, he tousles Victor’s hair. Victor seems to comprehend it vaguely. In the past, he used to teach Victor how to be independent, so why is he suddenly changing his attitude?

Could it be that someone like his father has moments when he wishes to rely on someone else too?

Returning home the next day after buying the tie, Victor is once again called into his father’s bedroom. The two of them stand properly before the full-length mirror.

“The pattern of a tie is very critical, but tying a suitable knot is also very important.”

He watches as his father retrieves a tie from the closet, turning around to face him.

“Today, I’ll teach you how to tie a formal knot.”

“Okay.”

Before being taught, Victor never expected that such a complicated knot existed. Even though he follows his father step-by-step, the final knot ends up being crooked. Refusing to give up, he removes the tie, giving it another try.

“Does this knot have a name?”

“Eldredge Knot.”

“What occasion requires such a knot?”

His father doesn’t give him a direct answer. “The more complicated the knot, the more important the occasion. Even if you were to only use it once, it’s worth preparing for it.”

Victor watches his father in the mirror. He doesn’t say more, and simply tells him to practise by himself before turning around and leaving. Victor spends an incredibly long time in front of the mirror before he finally ties it into shape.

When he turns around, wanting his father to check it, he sees the wedding photograph of his parents out of the corner of his eye. This photograph isn’t foreign to him, but he still takes a curious, careful look at it.

With this, he finally understands what his father meant by “occasion”. In the photograph, the knot the father tied is the exact same one.

[ CHAPTER SIX- A flowing love ]

One more photograph of Little Vick nibbling on bamboo appears on Victor’s desk. Even though there’s a huge “generation gap” between him and Little Vick, the way it eats seriously without being picky is worthy of acknowledgement. Victor thinks - if he can fork out the adoption fees and enable it to lead a healthy and happy life, it counts as a one-sided, reasonable expression of liking it.

Aside from studying, Victor spends a lot of time over the following days researching stocks intensively. After a couple of transactions, he manages to recoup more than his original investment. This sale enables him to accumulate enough to cover the adoption fees. With the success of the stock market simulation, his father, as agreed, deposits the money into Victor’s savings account.

“Next year, you can see Little Vick with pride.”

“It’s fine as long as I can continue providing it with a good life.”

The man sighs in his heart when he looks at Victor’s small, deliberately stern face. It appears that he’s still troubled by Little Vick not remembering him.

"However, I heard that it could have its own children soon. Could I continue adopting its children?”

The man is a little surprised, but responds seriously.

“It’s your own decision. You have to ensure that you have the ability to do so in the future.”

“I’ve done some calculations. Before I turn 25, I can repay you for all the adoption fees over the years.”

“Does this count as your wish?”

“No, it’s a plan.”

The man chokes up for a moment. Even though Victor is at an age where nothing daunts him, he rarely boasts. If he can truly walk down the path he has planned, it’s truly worthy of admiration.

There may still be much his son has to learn, but he’s wiling to believe in him. But before that, he still has to return to the previous question.

“So what's your wish?”

The self-assured mini adult suddenly grows uneasy after hearing this question.

“I wish... that you’ll see me as an adult next time.”

“Hm?” The man displays an amused expression.

“If there are certain things I can do, you can let me shoulder them for you.”

At the sight of Victor’s resolute expression, the man can’t help but laugh.

"I could consider it, but you have to first learn how to not wear your tie crookedly.”

He looks down. Without realising it, his tie has become loose, and hangs on him crookedly. He hurries to the mirror to straighten it, but still looks in the direction of his father out of the corner of his eye.

The call which didn't get through in the bedroom earlier - Victor knows who it was made to. A proper calculation of the time differences , and the gentle tone used to talk about trivial matters - he’s already heard it for many years.

Certain things can’t be re-lived. But at least, they can continue through other means.

As a person who is about to become an adult, he believes he can do it.

Fun fact: Victor tied the Eldredge knot in his Deep Love Date T^T

🐼 Support the cafe by dropping by the tip jar!

#mlqc #mlqc cn #mlqc spoilers #mlqc victor #CRYING

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ftmtransthings · 4 years ago

Text

Greyson’s Guide to Binding

i get a lot of questions about binding, and what methods are best. i used a lot of diy binding methods before getting a real binder, and since getting one i’ve tried a lot of brands. hopefully, this post will give you some insight into what will work for you, based on your needs.

for contex, i have a bigger chest. what works for me might not work for you, and it’s all about experimentation. that being said, i have a friend with a smaller chest, and she was kind enough to try chest binding for the sake of experimentation and different perspectives (thank you talia)

this does not encompass every brand of chest binder out there, or every method. these are popular ones and/or ones i myself have tried

disclaimer: do your own research, read reviews, and be very conscious of healthy binding

diy methods

swimsuit binding

this is a method of chest binding in which you take a smaller, one-piece girl’s swimsuit and use it to compress your chest, we tried athletic grade swimsuits.

talia: her chest wasn’t very compressed with the swimsuit. it was a little flatter, but if she were trying to pass for male it would not work.

me: my chest was honestly more pronounced with the swimsuit, and it didn’t do anything to help me bind. after about an hour of wearing it around my apartment, i also noticed that i had harsh red lines where the swimsuit dug into my skin. it also generally triggered my dysphoria

comfort: 7/10

effectiveness: 1/10

cost: 4/10

safety: 7/10

would you pass: no

would i recommend: no

tank top binding

for tank top binding, you take a tight camisole with a built-in bra and wear it backwards. you position yourself in the camisole, and then fold it up once or twice to form a binder.

talia: talia actually got really flat with this method. if she were trying to pass as a male, this binding method would get her flat enough.

me: this wasn’t terrible. i had a little trouble securing myself at first, but once i did, it was decent. i wouldn’t trust it with a t-shirt or something, but if i was in a pinch i would probably leave the house in a big hoodie. i also didn’t notice any pain, discomfort, reddening, etc. while wearing this for about 8 hours around the house

notes: the binder was REALLY visible under my clothes, and it liked to try and unfold throughout the day

comfort: 10/10

effectiveness: 5/10

cost: 10/10

safety: 9/10

would you pass: maybe

would i recommend: probably, yeah

double bra binding

this is a super popular makeshift binding method. with the double bra method, you wear a compressing sports bra, and then a second sports bra backwards over top of it

talia: she was completely flat with the sports bra method. for someone with a small chest, this would work for passing

me: this was my go-to method before i got a binder. it was fairly effective, but if you don’t position yourself right then you have a weird lump in the front of your chest. my chest also shifted a lot in this. after a couple hours i felt kind of overheated and short of breath, and i vividly remember that i used to get really severe bruising on my ribs doing this.

comfort: 4/10

effectiveness: 7/10

cost: 4/10

safety: 5/10

would you pass: mostly

would i recommend: if you’re careful about how long you bind.

ace bandages

this is a method of binding that is proven to be dangerous, and you shouldn’t do it. you wrap ace sports bandages around your breasts to compress them

me: i struggled to even wrap my chest. it immediately dug into my ribs and restricted my breathing

notes: this method is extremely dangerous and can damage the breast tissue and may make you ineligible for top surgery.

comfort: 0/10

effectiveness: 0/10

cost: 7/10

safety: 0/10

would you pass: yeah, you’d pass out

would i recommend: no. do not do this.

legging binder

in this method, you take a pair of leggings and cut the legs off to make them into shorts. you cut out the crotch and you cut and resew the legs to be straps. you can google tutorials

me: this really didn’t work for me. altering the tights was a challenge, and there was essentially no compression. after wearing it for a few hours, i will admit that there was no physical discomfort

comfort: 10/10

effectiveness: 0/10

cost: 6/10

safety: 7/10

would you pass: doubtful

would i recommend: no

actual binding

kt tape - $10.99 USD for 20 strips

this method uses kt tape to pull your chest back and flatten it

talia: talia was perfectly flat using kt tape, and she found it reasonably comfortable

me: i had a little trouble figuring out how to use the tape, but once i got myself taped, i was surprisingly flat. the feeling was a little weird, but certainly not uncomfortable

notes: you have to keep buying the tape, it’s not a one-time purchase, if you use it every day, then it adds up very quickly

comfort: 8/10

effectiveness: 9/10

cost: 4/10

safety: 8/10

would you pass: probably

would i recommend: yes

amazon binder - $10 USD

the binder i bought was a jarazin clasp binder, but this is more a general review of clasped binders from amazon

me: i wasn’t very flat with this binder, and after a few hours of wearing it, i was extremely out of breath and in a lot of pain

notes: clasp and ziper binders are restricting on your lungs and not safe to use. i would not personally recommend anything with clasps or zippers to bind

comfort: 2/10

effectiveness: 3/10

cost: 7/10

safety: 2/10

quality: 4/10

would you pass: i doubt it

would i recommend: no

gc2b half tank - $33 USD

gc2b half tank binders stop at the bottom of your ribs. they’re a spandex type of material, and the front is a canvas panel

me: i’m not super font of the half tank binders. i know people with smaller chests really like them, but i always find myself unable to get super flat with them because the lack of support makes my chest shift to much. these are, however, what i use for swimming (under a swim shirt, over a one piece). i was fine after a day of wearing it, but when i used to wear one every day i would feel a lot of pain

notes: the material in the back of the binder will stretch out over time. you also can’t put this binder in a dryer really, or it will shorten its life. the stitching also tends to fray and unravel in places. the canvas is nice though, because it can’t stretch or move

comfort: 6/10

effectiveness: 5/10

cost: 7/10

safety: 9/10

quality: 8/10

would you pass: probably

would i recommend: yes

gc2b full tank - $35 USD

this is the same as a half tank, but it goes all the way to your waist. the canvas in the front still stops at the bottom of your ribs

me: this was my go-to binder for a long time. i like the full tank because i can roll up the bottom and place it under my breasts, and that support keeps me from shifting too much during the day. i do get a little breathless eventually, but other than that they’re usually fine

comfort: 7//10

effectiveness: 8/10

cost: 7/10

safety: 9/10

quality: 8/10

would you pass: probably

would i recommend: yes

underworks tri-top - $29.99 USD

this binder is a sports mesh with a compressing cotton panel in the front

me: i was really surprised by this binder. it didn’t seem like it’d be effective when i took it out of the packaging, but it made me very flat. i feel a little winded, but there’s no pain and it’s really breathable fabric

notes: the back of the binder is a really thin mesh, and the front is a soft, flexible cotton. i didn’t think it would work, but it’s actually my favourite method here and the mesh makes it really breathable and cool

comfort: 8/10

effectiveness: 9/10

cost: 7/10

safety: 9/10

quality: 9/10

would you pass: probably

would i recommend: yes

summary

least favourite diy: ace bandages

favourite diy: double bra

least favourite binder: amazon

favourite binder: underworks

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ka-za-ri · 4 years ago

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Obey Me wants to do Too Much and in an attempt to please the fans, it’s failing them instead.

Based on the post @1abbie7 made regarding the common complaints players seem to have with OM and its choices as a game. I just wanted to put my two (very long) cents in while looking at OM as if it is the gacha game it truly wishes it was.

MAJOR DISCLAIMER: this post is based on my experiences and is not a reflection of the community as a whole. These are observations and personal thoughts and should be taken with a grain of salt. Also, please feel free to discuss or correct me if I have any of the information wrong. For reference, I’ve reached 5-3 in OM!, 9-2 in AL, and 6-17 in AK.

Now that we have that out of the way… ON TO WHAT I WANT TO SAY. Buckle in folks, I’m rambly and I have a lot to say. Obey Me! Has a lot of potential, and it’s a shame that a lot of things Solmare does are not helping it grow in a way that it could.

So this post is MOSTLY going to be comparing Obey Me!’s (OM) gacha and gaming experience with Azur Lane (AL) and Arknights (AK) since I feel like both those games have a very good f2p model and don’t really have any PvP/Ranking system that affects the main gameplay. I will have other examples from other games that I’ve played before as well.

Ignoring any issues with storytelling and plot holes, since I feel like there are people who are much more qualified to speak upon that than I am, I’m just going to look at the more game and gacha experience.

EVENT SPACING, GAMEPLAY, STAMINA REFRESHES:

OM! As far as I know, is marketed as an Otome game with gacha and … Rhythm??? Game??? Elements? (I’m not quite sure how to even describe the ‘battle’ stages tbh) to break up the story stages. With the battle stages being the main way you can farm for materials to power up your cards, the bottlenecks that are built into the game are surprisingly super frustrating.

OM! Does not have an auto battle option, but it does make up for it by allowing you to sweep the stage once you’ve received 3 stars. This does make resource farming much quicker, but this also means that your stamina will disappear faster than ice in a desert. Coupled with the fact that the battle stages don’t really have much interaction or strategy for a good portion of the beginning of the game, there’s no real replay value in trying for older stages unless they have the resource you want to farm.

I guess I can let this pass since interaction isn’t what’s really marketed, but it IS important to keep your audience logging in and eager to play. At Level 40-ish, my current stamina cap is around 70. WIth the average stamina cost of a regular stage being 5 AP, and the hard stages being 8. This means you’ve got 14 normal stages and less than 10 hard stages in a full bar of stamina. Assuming I log in twice a day to get the bonus AP, that’s really not a lot of stamina to work with and just enough to maybe get through my dailies.

Having that little stamina makes farming resources exceptionally difficult especially for the high requirements needed once you get about half-way through a devil tree. Add that to dealing with farming event points almost constantly, with your limited stamina pool, you’re pretty much forced to purchase extra stamina to meet the requirements to finish said events to get the rewards. Assuming you spend all of your daily Devil Point reward on Stamina, that’s only 180 stamina a day which makes for a really tight run IF you’re aiming to get everything in an event.

ADDITIONALLY, this is also the fact that events and new lessons don’t seem to be announced prior to them dropping. Almost every gacha game I’ve played before will give you a few days notice before an event drops whether it be via Social media or through in-game mail. This is to mainly generate excitement and allows players some time to prepare, whether it be hoarding what stamina refreshes they have or saving premium currency for gachas to hopefully get the chase card/unit that they’re looking for. Not being able to prepare makes it difficult to stay engaged considering you CONSTANTLY have to have resources/stamina to partake in all the events and you can’t plan accordingly.

AK announcing the current event two days prior to it starting in game and on twitter:

AL’s announcement on the 12th, almost a week prior to it starting. Maintenance was on the 17th when the game reset.. (In game notices update regularly and I don’t have a screenshot of what it would look like since maintenance has already passed.)

OM! basically giving people on twitter about 24 hours notice of a new event dropping followed by announcing that the new lessons are available on the day it drops:

I understand that OM! Devs may want to keep the new cards a surprise to players. If stats and skills played a more prominent role in the game, maybe there would be a better way to tease these events to build up hype. As of right now though, it feels like a surprise slap in the face to force players to purchase currency in order to maintain that stamina requirement. IF Solmare is adamant about having back-to-back events, at least provide players with a roadmap or a calendar so they can pick and choose what’s important to them.

Just… Don’t let it become like the FEH calendar…

Please, do not let it become like this.

In my opinion, it feels like OM! Has a bit of an identity crisis. It sorely wants to bank on the money making powers of a gacha game while also clinging to the claim that they’re an otome game revolving around the plot. It’s hard to really promote the plot when it’s locked behind a power requirement that a majority of players will not be able to reach.

With how difficult it is at the end game, players are most likely going to look for transcripts or screenshots of new lessons instead of playing the main storyline in order to save what little they have for the constant limited events. Either give the players time to recoup resources to prepare for your events so they can pull for all your new cards or lower the difficulty cap to give players the story you’re emphasizing so much.

Tl;dr: back-to-back events will burn out players and not announcing them prior does not allow players to prepare resources, forcing them to drop money on the game. The amount of stamina it takes to complete an event AND level your cards does not make it f2p friendly.

GACHA RATES AND PITY SYSTEM:

Call me spoiled, but I feel like OM! ‘S banner rates are too low. Consider the following image for the current banner pool:

That’s a combined 1% to get your UR and that’s still not going to be guaranteed to get what you want. Consider the following rates from other games:

Azur Lane:

(Ultra Rare was a new rarity that was added with this new banner. Before that the highest rarity you could pull is a Super Rare)

Arknights:

Fire Emblem Heroes:

Final Fantasy Brave Exvius: War of the Visions

For a game that’s always introducing new cards, you’d think that OM! Would maybe consider raising those rates so people won’t be so heartbroken when they don’t have enough currency for a 10 pull. (Especially if they have been spending what Devil Points they have on stamina to complete event stages) Yes, a majority of banners have bigger pools and the chance for a specific 6*/UR/SSR is ultimately lower; but considering in OM!, you have stories and characterization locked behind devilgrams connected to these cards, the rates are pitifully low. At least in the other games listed, the units/cards/operators/ships aren’t tied to stories.

I will say, the pity system isn’t absolutely abysmal. Keep in mind though, this is based on the assumption that you’ve saved up for 100 pulls. Considering how difficult it is to save that much currency while being f2p 100 pulls per banner is a tall order and impossible without the help of goldie or somethin. The frequency of new cards along with the difficulty obtaining gacha currency creates an extremely predatory model of currency purchase. With no guarantee of when event banners will be rerun, you’re pretty SOL if you make it half way through this pity system and you’re sitting on shards you can’t use.

Players will get tired of this model mega fast. Especially with these kinds of rates. Assuming that your luck is the worst on earth, you need 2,700 Devil Points to reach the pity breaker. That’s more than two packs worth of Devil Points. So we’re looking at over $160.00 USD to get a guaranteed UR. Seeing as new banners come what feels like every two weeks or so, you’re looking at over $300.00 USD a month JUST for the gacha. If OM! Was purely a gacha game without such a heavy emphasis on the characters and the stories/scenarios they unlock, I might be able to overlook it. However, since the cards themselves unlock cheats for events and outfits and devilgram scenarios, that’s a steep price to pay, so I kinda just have to say… Yikes.

Tl;Dr: For a game that has so much content tied to limited cards and events, gacha rates for OM! Feel too low. Pity system is average as long as you have the currency to complete all 100 pulls. The reason to purchase premium currency is predatory and likely will not be sustainable in the long run.

MONTHLY PACKS AND PREMIUM CURRENCY

So, we can agree that if you don’t have some cash on hand, it’s not going to be a real fun time to play OM! So, where do you spend your money? Let’s take a look at what they offer in terms of premium currency and how far that will get you. It’s also almost 3AM here and I’m losing my patience and filter, so excuse me if I sound more angry here than in the rest of the post.

So, here’s the basic Devil Point Shop for reference:

If we equate Devil Points to stamina, you’re looking at about 100 stamina per dollar you spend. But let’s be real, Solmare makes their money off of gacha and them pretty pngs ‘cause y’all want those spicy devilgrams and sweet outfits for your secretary.

To even get a 10 pull, you’re looking at $22.00 USD worth of premium currency. (Why they didn’t make the $19.99 pack a full 10 pull is BEYOND me tbh.) Now most gacha players that I know who are willing to go all in on a specific banner will want to spend a pack, which means they’ll go for the most expensive option as it is the most bang for your buck. That’s an $80.00 pack for approximately 4 10 pulls and some change. Let’s compare that to the price of some Originite Prime from AK:

It takes approximately 33 OP for one 10 pull in AK. 1 OP = 180 Orundum (currency used for gacha) Keeping this in mind, if you don’t count the first time purchase bonus, at first glance, it’s overall more expensive to purchase this currency SOLELY for gacha purposes.

Here are the packs offered for AL:

If you’re using gems to purchase the cubes needed for the gacha, it takes about 600 gems for 1 10 pull. One pack will net you about 8 10 pulls. Out of all the models we’ve looked at, this is honestly the most value for your dollar specifically for gacha purposes.

Take into consideration what the premium currency is used for. As stated above, 1 DP = 10 stamina. 1 OP = 1 Full stamina refresh in AK, so that’s a pretty equivalent exchange rate. (I won’t go into the AL stamina and gacha system since it differs too much from OM! To really make a good comparison.)

But, what else can DP do? A quick glance under the “Items” tab in the shop, you’ll see that it can also purchase Keys to read your devilgram stories (integral to your gaming experience), Demon Vouchers for summoning, Glow Sticks to help you in battle (Integral to gameplay), and consumables for your Surprise Guests to raise intimacy (arguably connected to gameplay). Compare this to what you can purchase with your OP outside of summoning currency in AK: Furniture (cosmetic) and Skins (Cosmetic). That’s it.

What I’m trying to say here is that Solmare has made DP the currency for so many things that affect the game itself. This subtly pressures the players to purchase DP in order to maintain the same quality of life that they might have experienced at the beginning of their gaming experience when the level ups came fast and when the rewards were plentiful for completing all the beginners quests.

“But wait!” you say. There’s ways to earn DP passively through dailies! You’re right! You’re given 18 DP per day for completing your dailies. That equates to 1 10 pull per 2 weeks if you’re diligent in keeping up with all your quests and log in daily. Comparatively, AK will give you 2,800 orundum per week for completing all your quests and the weekly annihilation runs, so just short of 1 full 10 pull in the game. However, AK gives you the specific currency used exclusively for gacha. This leaves your OP relatively free to be used for stamina refreshes, or you can hoard them for when new skins come out, or you can use a few to supplement your missing orundum for a banner pull.

Without knowing what could be coming up next in terms of events and banners, OM! Makes it very difficult for you to hold onto your DP due to the sheer stamina sink that events can be. Unless you’re really good at optimizing your resources, you’re likely going to be spending DP on things outside of gacha, making it difficult to save those 20 pulls in a month.

Tl:dr: DP is used for too many things that aid in gameplay which leaves less for gacha, forcing players to make a choice between moving forward in harder story stages or unlocking card specific stories.

Alright, but let’s say you don’t have enough for packs, but you still want to support a game. You don’t wanna whale ‘cause you got bills to pay, but maybe you’ve got enough to be a minnow or a very sad and small dolphin. For this, most people turn to those delicious monthly packs. Usually, the monthly packs or subscriptions are really a good bang for your buck. Usually, the bonuses that these packs provide will add up to a value that is much more than your initial investment in them. So, let’s look at what OM!, AK and AL offer, shall we?

Let’s break down what the VIP gives you since there’s quite a bit and it’s presented in a less condensed format. So, at first glance, I have to ask… “VIP login bonus?” What does that even mean? When you look at the details the description is as follows:

I’m sorry, what? This vagueness will not help sell this pack to me. Most monthly packs will give you premium currency right away that is equivalent to the amount that you paid. You can see that both AK and AL list this and also let you know exactly what else you get for the next 30 days. There’s no vagueness in what these packs provide.

Next thing to look at:

I’m sorry. What? I don’t understand why a max AP increase is the choice for a VIP perk here. This is banking on the fact that you’re going to be playing at max efficiency and will be under max stamina in order to take advantage of the refill timer giving you the extra AP. Why OM! Doesn’t just give you the stamina in your mail is beyond my comprehension. This is just saying “yeah, you could have more stamina if you’re playing this game and making sure you’re below your cap. I … no. Just why.

NEXT PERK:

No. This is useless for higher level players. Perks should benefit all players, not just your new players that you’ve tricked into spending money ‘cause this pack is only $9.99 a month. I’m so angry at this I don’t want to look at this anymore. NEXT.

This is a fine perk. Paying for easier passive resources is fine. I don’t have anything to say.. Next.

Oh thank fuck. An actual good perk. Passively getting the harder to get resources which cuts down on your already limited farming? Hell yeah. Also fine in my book. NEXT.

“Spend money to spend more money! Because we know this monthly deal ain’t shit!” is all I’m getting out of this.

Finally, I need to talk about this:

So… you’re telling me that for $10.00, I’m going to get $6.00 worth of DP and I won’t get the full value unless I STAY subscribed? If I cancel and then resubscribe, will that go back to 60 DP when I subscribe later? Why would you do this other than to give your players less than what they deserve? These packs are supposed to be designed to give you the value of your purchase and some extras as incentive to keep playing and coming back to pay. This just… as a first impression leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

Also, let’s talk about the fact that you’re BILLED MONTHLY? Listen, I get that they’re trying to be ‘convenient’ so you can set this up and forget about it and reap the benefits, right? It’s about the same cost as a Netflix subscription, no big deal. But listen, that means they’re also banking on you to forget you even have this subscription if you’re a casual player and you’re going to continue to give them money Stop that Solmare. Bad.

I’m too tired to look at sales. Just as a quick glance. the discounts and deal are meh at best.

Tl:dr: Monthly pack is underwhelming and likely not worth it. Automatically being billed monthly is the worst thing I’ve seen all week and this was written in 2020.

SOME SUGGESTIONS? IT’S NOT ALL BAD, I PROMISE.

So, how can Solmare improve? OM! Is honestly one of the most stylish otome games I’ve seen and has a lot of potential to continue growing its player base if the devs directed their energies in the right direction. Right now, OM! Suffers due to the fact that it’s trying to do too much in too little time. For a game that’s less than a year old, it’s pushed out enough content in the last three months to last six. Dialing back the gacha and collecting elements to focus on the story and a slower pace would really help, if you ask me.

OM! Really needs to slow its roll. Events are losing their impact from being rolled out at such a quick pace on top of current pop quizzes, new lessons and banners. Every week I feel like I’m watching the more hardcore players yell at having too much to do when everything is layered on top of one another. This is not inherently a bad thing. Having a lot to do keeps the player base engaged and excited for your game.

The problem arises when you’re not giving your players any time to recover from events and just throw things at them all the time. Finding a good balance between events and downtime is difficult and it likely won’t happen overnight, but it would be nice to see them maybe give a week or two to really let the impact of events sink in and let players really find time to nurture or use the new cards/rewards they just got.

First step in the right direction would be giving more notice prior to events and lessons. Just something more than 24 hours before, or the day of. Not providing a notice makes it feel like these things are being rushed.

If Solmare is adamant about keeping the pace it’s set up, then give us a roadmap or event calendar of when new lessons or pop quizzes are coming. They can keep the details of the lessons and quizzes limited until closer to the actual dates, but at least this will let players prioritize where they want to put their resources.

Gacha rates for URs being raised to 2% would likely make a reasonable difference. When so much story and cosmetic content is tied to a UR or SSR cards along with their frequency, it serves to likely benefit them to make it more accessible to players. Locking so much behind luck and a paywall makes it more obvious that they only care about the money that they can get from the diehard collectors in the game.

Make skins obtainable by DP. Stop locking them behind event cards. Allow players to have easier access to cosmetic features. It’s a less predatory model than what they’ve got right now. Granted, Lonely Devil has sort of helped this issue considering they’ve grouped event reruns all in one place to play at your leisure, and if I remember some of the event cards have skins tied to them. Still, just… idk sell the skin on its own. It makes more sense than to pray that you roll that UR with the one 10 pull you have.

Make resources easier to obtain passively. I’m sure I sound like a broken record, but limited resources make this game difficult to enjoy. You’re barely through doing one thing to level up a card and you’re met with a giant wall of requirements for the next step. AL has commissions and the dorm, AK has the base. OM! Has Jobs, which gets you grimm and some items if you’re lucky, but it definitely needs expansion considering the power checkpoints late game.

Hell, just making some of those DP purchasable items actually farmable might help.

Get a publisher to work with you. I know Solmare has been around the block and this isn’t the first otome game they’ve made, but I definitely think working with a publisher who’s familiar with the ins and outs of a proper gacha helping them will benefit them. Having a publisher will help ensure that there’s adequate funding for the game to be as good as it can be. Not only that, you’re looking at a better social media presence which the player base can interact with and get more attached to.

Literally, having a publisher could solve so many pacing and announcement issues since they would be in charge of when events come out and likely has a better eye on how players react. This way, Solmare can concentrate on making the content as quality as they can and not inundate people with a new lesson or event as soon as it’s done.

Tl:dr: Solmare, please get a proper publisher so they can help with quality control and balancing your game. Please. I’m begging you. You have so much going for you please don’t let this game die before it turns a year old.

Ok. it’s 4 AM and I spent most of the day writing this post. If you’ve made it this far, congrats and I’m sorry for being so rambly. I’m so sorry if none of this made any sense in the end. I’m sure there are points that I’ve missed out on like stage replayability and a more engaging battle mode, and the lack of any sort of meta which makes the lower rarity cards you pull feel completely useless… but uh… I can’t think anymore and I haven’t had time to farm in my horny ship girl game. Feel free to let me know your thoughts or discuss!

Thanks for your time and I hope y’all have a good day. Happy romancing some demon boys!

#Obey me!#Some long winded critiques #this is barely edited I'm sorry for any errors you might find

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