#commercial vehicle tickets

[maryse127]

List of changes I hope to see in Xenoblade X Definitive Edition :)

I am hopeful because last time we got a definitive edition Monolith adressed basically all my issues with the original

LARGER TEXT. For fuck's sake please. I love this game, I would love it even more if I could fucking read!

Better online servers. I have no experience with Nintendo Switch Online but please let the online be more stable. The constant disconnects were so annoying. Especially because the only way to reconnect was going back to the title screen and loading back in. Which took forever with the loading times.

I never got to experience the game during the Miiverse days so I hope they bring the Miiverse features back to some degree just like they did with Splatoon

Change it so that the flight music only kicks in after flying for about 10 seconds instead of the instant you jump. And also the option to turn it off completely. I love the flight theme but it sucks you basically never get to hear the area themes again while travelling once you unlock flying.

Considering they didn't listen to the complaints about the vision reacts music in DE I am Very Skeptical about a flight music toggle tho :(

Hot take but I actually like talking to characters in NLA to put them in your party. However I HATE it when I cannot find them because they are not in their usual spot. Please mark their current locations on the map!!

Rebalance the audio and/or add audio options to the settings because I would love to hear the characters talk over the music

Wild card that won't happen but that I have always wanted: add a fashion boutique to the commercial district where you can buy fashion gear. And add more of it. I love the casual clothes in this game. I just wish it was easier to get specific things than randomly getting it from the basic mission board

Improve follow ball. That thing gets lost and confused when you fly

Better quest tracking for collectibles. Would love to be able to find my quest items without having to consult the wiki where they spawn.

Honestly, add better quest tracking for enemies as well. I have spend way too much time searching for tyrants despite having their basic mission active. Just anything that makes me use the wiki less while playing.

Offline option to gain reward tickets. I love the online but it would be so much better and more fair to all players if you could get the reward tickets offline as well. Being stuck in collection quests or grinding all materials for creating skells amd augments is just so bad without the tickets.

I feel like the map could use a bit more location names and would also really appreciate it if it would show exactly where the landmark/probe is in the sector. Because I have had moments where I warped and ended up being a lot farther away from where I wanted to go than I thought.

Option to change time from the menu instead if having to find a base camp or bench!!!

Better tutorials. Like they have to because the manual is gone. But even with the manual I felt like explanations were lacking at times. Especially when it comes to overdrive.

Not a change rather a very heartfelt request to NOT change how stupidly broken overdrive is. Infinite overdrive strats my beloved.

Option to quit out of a story or affinity mission. I never did get stuck in one. And I know there's an option to lower boss difficulty if you die a few times. But I just never liked the restricted feeling of not being able to give up and retry it later. Especially ones where you need items which can be a Pain without reward tickets.

Game is probably gonna get an easy mode anyway but I would really appreciate the option to quit a mission.

Make the skells easier to control in vehicle mode?? I don't know how this could be achieved. Maybe it's just a skill issue on my part (rather than a skell issue)

Unlikely but please: multiple save files per user. The whole reason I have a second profile on my Switch is Xenoblade 2 (and BotW) not allowing multiple savefiles per profile.

Maybe have inactive party members gain some exp? Like after you unlock overdrive you can basically solo the game anyway but it would be nice to not have a character stuck at level 20 when you are in late game grinding affinity for affinity missions

Somehow make it so that the Prospectors aren't constantly dominating the leaderboards. I too want salvage tickets for my skell :(

[gachawolfiebloom]

Two Hearts In The City of Love

Chapter 1: Summer Destination

Tags: Love, Love Confession, Romance

"MAARRRIIOOOOOO HEEELLLLPPPP!!!"

Luigi burst through the door of his house to find his brother, casually eating spaghetti at the table. He looked up from his favorite food with an annoyed expression. "What do you want Luigi!? Can't you see Mario is busy right now!?" Luigi tackled Mario and began shaking him while yelling "I GOT FIRED FROM MY JOB! PLEASE HELP!"

Mario didn't see what the problem was. "Pfff, what does Luigi need a job for? Stay home and be a bum like Mario!" He struck a cool pose and put sunglasses on before Luigi nervously walked past him. "You don't understand Mario! That job was supposed to cover our life savings. If I can't find another one..."

He opened a closet that was supposed to hold coins and bags of money in it, but only cobwebs and dust was inside. "Then we might be EVICTED!" Mario squinted his eyes and raised a hand up to his chin as he peeked inside the closet. "Mario thought he saw some money in here yesterday..." Luigi sighed and told him "Don't you remember what happened yesterday?"

~Flashback~

Mario was taking a walk through Mushroom City, but looked incredibly exhausted. He panted and croaked out "Mario's so hungry..." He then spotted a spaghetti truck that was delivering to the Fresh Spaghetti Tubbie factory. His eyes lit up and was determined to give chase to that truck so he ran into the road and punched a driver out of his car. He then proceeded to run a red light, go over the speed limit, and when Frankie was crossing the street, the last thing he heard was the honking of a horn before Mario ran him over.

The truck driver was going on his merry way, until Mario drove out in front of him. "AHHH!" The driver slammed the breaks, but it was too late. Mario hopped out of the car at the last second and danced while the two flaming vehicles behind him were sizzling in smoke. He opened the storage compartment and...

"WHAT!? JUST TUBBIE CUSTARD! THIS IS BULLCRAP! WHERE'S MARIO'S SPAGHETTI!?"

Just then police sirens flared and several officers came out of the cars. "STAWP RIGHT THERE!" A few hours later, Luigi enters the police station and waves to the receptionist. "Hello Luigi! Here to bail out your brother again?" He sighed and nodded. "How much?"

"All of your life savings."

~Present Time~

"Ooooo right." Luigi took a deep breath and looked his brother straight in the eye. "I can't keep bailing you out all the time. We need to find me a job and find you a way to stay out of trouble." The two boys tried to think of a solution until Mario was about to say something. "Mario, if this has anything to do with Spaghetti or your deals with Bob, I don't think that's gonna work."

Just then the TV in their living room started playing static and then a weird ad started to play. It described that there was a lottery going on and the winners would be announced tomorrow. Mario seemed convinced, but Luigi had his suspicions. "This doesn't sound right Mario...are we sure that this isn't a scam or something?" Mario brushed it off and convinced him "Relax Luigi! You wanted money right?"

"Yes, but-"

"THEN LETS-A GO!"

He grabbed Luigi and sped off to a store where the commercial said the lottery was being held. The two boys went to the counter when a familiar ally waved to them. "Shroomy?" The two said in unison. "Well golly gee! Hello boys!"

"You run the lottery?" He nodded and handed them a ticket. "There you go! We'll announce the winner tomorrow afternoon!" Luigi took the ticket and saw that their number was lucky 21, one of the digits that was considered to be good luck by superstitions. "O-o-okay thanks." He gave Shroomy a few remaining dollars and the two them headed back home and awaited the drawing of the winning ticket.

~The Next Day~

Mario was vibrating in excitement on the couch while Luigi held tightly onto the ticket. The suspense led up as the announcer said "And the winner is...LUCKY NUMBER 21!" Both men gasped as they looked down at the ticket and sure enough, it was their's. "YIPPEE!" Mario cheered while Luigi stood in awe. "Wow! We did it. I wonder how much money we won."

"Congratulations number 21! You win 8 tickets to Paris, France!" Mario stopped celebrating and Luigi's eyes widened. "WAT!" Mario ran up to the TV and shook it. "YOU STINKY ANNOUNCER! MARIO THOUGHT HE WAS WINNING INFINITE SPAGHETTI! MARIO WANTS A REFUND!" Luigi was lost in thought with what to do with this until he cried out "Mario wait!"

"What? Mario wants his money back!" Luigi placed a hand on his shoulder and said "This might not be a bad thing. It could actually be great for all of us!" Mario's brain caught on fire because he couldn't understand the nonsense from Luigi's mouth. "We could invite our friends to come with us on a vacation! I could look for a job and there's plenty to do there so you stay out of trouble."

Mario actually did like the idea of a vacation. Last year's was definitely not as relaxing considering they had been trapped in a western simulation. There was just one last thing to convince him. "Will there be spaghetti?" Luigi smiled and said "I'm sure we could find something." That was enough for the fat Italian to hear. He gave his brother a thumbs up and replied "Okey dokey!" Luigi couldn't wait to show the tickets to their friends. "I'm sure they'll love the idea!"

"YOU WANT US TO DO WHAT!?"

All of the crew had came over to Smg4's castle and were sitting on the couch in the game room. Turns out, they weren't as impressed with the tickets as much as Luigi hoped for. "Isn't Paris really far?" Meggy asked. "And very crowded?" Tari also added. "Well yes, but I thought a vacation would benefit us all."

"Benefit us? Remember how beneficial our last vacation was?" Three shot back. Just the thought of it made Meggy shutter. "Mario promises it won't be anything like that! You're onboard right Smg4?"

Four looked up from his computer and made a wincing face at his best friend. "I don't know Mario. We're all a bit busy right now." Mario was not going to miss out on his spaghetti so he slid down to Four's feet and put on his best puppy dog eyes. "Pleeeaaasseeee Smg4! You never hang out with Mario anymore." He began tugging on his overalls and crying all over the floor. The whole ordeal was making Four uncomfortable.

Luigi pulled out a pamphlet that he had gotten with the tickets. "There's many things to do there like a GameStop store, Olympic Games on July 26, Casinos, and many historic sights." Once Luigi mentioned casinos, Bob didn't even think twice. "HELL YEAH! I'M GOING TO GO PACK RIGHT NOW!" Tari did think that a gaming store would be pretty interesting. "That does sound cool. What do you think Meggy?" She stood up and said "Well Wren has already been defeated and I have been wanting to go see the Olympics in person."

Tari squeezed Meggy's hand as if to tell her not to worry about Wren. Meggy offered a small smile in return and said "Count us in Luigi!" Boopkins wasn't sure himself, but he did like spending time with his friends. He tugged on Luigi gently and asked him "Will there be anything on anime?"

"I guess?" Boopkins cheered and pulled out his body pillows. "Did you hear that girls? We're going to Paris!" Mario rolled around on the ground and cried "You don't want to hang out with Mario or let him have spaghetti!"

"It's not that. I just..." Four sighed and rubbed his temples. "Fine Mario. I'll come. Just please stop acting like a 5 year old." Mario immediately sprung up and hugged his best friend. "Thank you Smg4!"

Four looked up and saw Three, crossing his arms and pretending not to care. "So what about you Three? You in?" He sneered and said "NO! I HAVE WORK TO DO AT THE CAFE!" Luigi showed him the tickets and said "But there's 8 tickets."

"Then get one of these chicks to go with you!" He pointed behind him, where Saiko was practicing her guitar and Melony was taking a nap. Saiko looked up and shook her head. "Me and Kaizo are practicing for our upcoming show and I think she's going to be out for a while." Melony surely was a heavy sleeper.

"Then find somebody else Luigi!" Three was about to leave when Mario tried the same schtick that he had with Four. He clung tight to Three's overalls and would not let go. "What the hell!? Get off me idiot!" He tried to shake Mario off, but it was very ineffective. "Pleeeeeeaaaaasssseee Smg3? It won't be the same without you!" Three tried pulling him off with no success.

"FINE! Just let go!" Mario instantly threw himself around Three, except he wasn't as much of a hugger as Four was. "Personal space Mario!" Luigi looked at the tickets and said "Alright well it says that our flight is at 8:00 AM tomorrow morning so we all have to wake up early."

Everyone was advised to start packing and go to sleep early so they would be ready to go. As they all left the room, Meggy and Tari chatted about what they were going to do there, Bob bragged to Boopkins about all the loot he was going to earn, and the brothers were figuring out the arrangements for where to stay and what to sign up for. "Don't forget the all you can eat Spaghetti buffet!"

"I'm...not sure they have that." Mario then noticed the two boys and rushed up to them. "This is so exciting for you two!" They both had confused glances on their faces. "Why's that?" Mario explained "Because Paris is the most romantic city in the world!" His face changed into a smug grin and said "Mario can't wait to see Smg4 and Smg3 wooing over each other!"

They both blushed and Three shot back "NO WERE NOT!" Four flustered backed him up by saying "Right! This is just a vacation amongst friends. Nothing else." Mario wasn't buying it. "Surreee." Luigi called out for him and he said goodbye. He loved seeing the two develop feelings with each other over the years, but they never admitted it to one another. "Maybe Mario could help set up a date for the two." As he walked back home, he figured that he could try helping the two confess while they were up there.

Four could tell that Three was still pretty red so he tried to help. "Sorry about him. I don't know why he does that." Three muttered "Uh huh." The two stood in silence till Four spoke up. "Well I guess I've got to get ready. See you tomorrow? He gave a patient smile to Three which made him even more flustered. "Whatever..." He covered his face with his hand and left before his cheeks became more hotter.

Three had went back to managing his cafe and once it was closing time, he put up a sign that said the cafe was going on break. He didn't want to do it, but thanks to that stupid Italian's efforts and that cute annoying smile of Four's, he had no choice. Before bed, he made sure to call Karen to dog-sit Eggdog and pack for the trip.

Four was not so focused on the trip. He said he was going to get ready, but instead he got sidetracked and went back to making videos. All he had remembered to do was take out a suitcase. By the time he was finished, he looked at the clock and was certainly not expecting this time. "12:00!" It was very late and he hadn't even started packing. He sighed and it seemed that the best course of action was waking up early so he could pack before everybody else got here.

He set an alarm on his phone and got into bed. Actually confessing to Three in Paris. The idea made him laugh. Sounded like a cheesy movie type thing. Besides, he didn't really like Three like that...did he? The idea wandered in his mind for a while before his eyelids gave out and he slowly drifted off to sleep.

Chapter 2: Another Crazy Plane Trip

[horny4hetfield]

Rockies Christmas - Day 1

Oops! This should have gone up yesterday!

Here goes:

Warnings: NSFW, Sex, Shameless Product Placement

The flight from NY to Vail was a little bumpy.  I held James’ hand a little tightly.  I still am not used to the smaller planes.  James had insisted on the private flight as commercial airlines would have to make a couple of stops and take about twice as long.  He just smiles and let me cling.

Once landed, our luggage is shifted from the plane to his big ass truck.  I gladly climb into the passenger seat.  James climbs in and the big truck rumbles to life.  After getting us on the main road, he drops his hand on my thigh, “You ok?”

“Better.”

“We’ll be home in about 40 minutes.”  His fingers gently pat my thigh, “You want to stop on the way for dinner?”

“Did we leave anything in the fridge that will still be good?”

James considers a moment, “Probably not.”

“Then we should kill two birds with one stone.”

He cocks a smile at me, “Sounds like a plan.”  I interlace my fingers with his on my thigh.  “What are we serving for Christmas Day dinner?” he asks.

Shaking my head, “I have no clue.”

“I’d like to do a prime rib.”

Smiling up at him, “I’ll leave the meats to you.”  He grins and pats my thigh.

We’ve spent the last month in my apartment in NYC for Thanksgiving.  James had never seen the Parade live.  Using my Grandmother’s tickets, I’d taken him to the Rockettes Gala performance and used her seats at the Parade.  We’d quickly become the top fodder on all the gossip pages in the NY papers.  I’d given one of the bedrooms in my apartment to James to make into a studio.  He’d already put together three songs in it.  When I thought about it, it still blew my mind that with his bandmates scattered all over the world – California to Hawaii to New York to Denmark – they could work together on their music.  And what I could hear, it is amazing!

It had been James’ decision to spend Thanksgiving in NYC.  It is mine to spend Christmas in Colorado.  I am slightly nervous as his kids will be coming to visit.  They’d spent Thanksgiving with their Mom.  At least in James’ place in Colorado, there’ll be enough beds.

James pulls into the shopping center and parks his truck.  As we met at the front of the massive rig James holds his hand out to me.  I have grown to like shopping with James.  He’d gotten used to having groceries delivered – especially during lock down - so wandering the aisles with him is fun.  He makes a stop at the butcher’s counter to place his order for Christmas dinner.  We select some sliced meats and cheeses for sandwiches.  Then wandering the aisles filling the cart.  I was glad that I’d selected the larger cart as he stocked up on the Liquid Death tallboys.  A quick run through the deli counter and we each selected something to go for dinner.  Checking out, we deposit the bags into the bed of the truck.  James holds the passenger door for me as I clamber into the big vehicle.  Moving quickly to the driver’s door, he steps easily in.

“What?” he asked, seeing the look on my face.

“You and those damned long legs.”

“I don’t hear you complaining when we’re in bed” he chuckles.

“I’m not complaining.”  I give him a sidelong look, “Just jealous.”

He just laughs with me.  “But you’d look funny with long legs.  I rather like your height.”

“Why?” a grin still lifting my lips.

“It makes it easy flipping you over in bed.”  His grin becomes wicked, his fingers grip my thigh a little tighter.

All I can do is whimper softly and smile at him.

A short time later, the truck rumbles into his garage.  He kills the engine and opens the door.  He’s careful to not clip my parked Shelby.  I carefully open my door making sure to not ding it against the wall.  “Kind of a tight fit in here” he grins. 

I go to help grab bags from the bed, and he grabs me around the waist, “Speaking of tight fits!”

I grind back against him, “I can still feel you from this morning!” I purr at him.  He rumbles into my neck.  I giggle, “There’s no doorman here to help unload the groceries.”  He sinks into my shoulder mumbling.  “C’mon.  This won’t take long.” 

He grabs several bags and unlocks the door entering the house.  I hear the security system beep off as James enters his code.  I collect as many bags as I can and head inside.  James passes me in the hallway.  I put my bags on the counter and head back to the garage.  “That the last of them?” I ask him as he kicks the garage door closed.

“Yes.”

I go collect several from him.  It takes us a few minutes to at least put away the cold things.  He wraps his arms around my waist, “I can’t wait any longer!” 

He pulls me from the kitchen up to our bedroom.  I giggle the whole way as his fingers gently work my sides, his mustache tickling my neck.  We barely make it into the bathroom before he’s stripping our clothes off.  He picks me up and puts me into the shower.  The hot water coming from the multiple heads feels wonderful.  His hands roaming my body feel better.  My hands roam his arms, chest, shoulders, neck, face.  His lips find mine in a gentle deep kiss that weakens my knees.  His strong arms wrap around my body, one around my shoulders, one around my waist, one of his long legs slowly presses between mine, spreading them.  I groan into his lips, my right hand pulling his head closer to my body, my left grabbing his hip.  The water pouring over us adds a sensual slick to our bodies.  He grunts into me.  I can feel his erection growing into my hip.  His fingers tangle into my wet long hair, tugging gently.  I pull back slightly.  He knows I don’t like my hair being pulled.  His fingers loosen their grip, but his hand still holds my head keeping my lips locked with his.  His other hand grabs my ass cheek tightly as he pushes me up his thigh.  My head rocks back as a loud moan escapes my lips.  His lips find my neck.  His arm around my shoulders keeps me locked to his body.  I grab his head tightly to me.  I whimper as he leaves his love marks on my neck and shoulder as I grind into his thigh.  Moving us, he pins me to the wall.  He lowers his shoulders a moment and hooks my right knee with his arm.  I gasp as he stands.  He widens his stance.  I wrap my left leg around his waist.  Reaching between us, I manage to position his cockhead at my entrance.  With one slow thrust, he seats himself balls deep into me.  My mewlings only make him grow inside me.  He pulls his face from my neck, the water pouring over his face.  He looks totally feral at me.  I grab his head and kiss him passionately.  He starts thrusting into me.  Hard.  My weight dropping down his length forcing him deeper into me.  My vocalizations get louder.  It’s a vicious cycle that I adore.  The louder I get, the harder he thrusts into me, his own grunts urging me to be louder.  Panting into his ear, “You feel so big in me.”  He bucks his hips harder.  “don stawhp … don stawhp” I lay my head on his shoulder.  He slowly lowers us to the stall floor.  Leaning over me, he goes totally beast on me.  I can only lie on my back and enjoy him ravaging my body.  My hands clinging to his arms, his hands on the floor over my shoulders, my legs wrapping around his waist pulling him impossibly deeper into me.  He finds that one magic spot deep inside me that makes stars burst behind my eyelids.  I cry out as I fall over the edge into my orgasm.  He chases his release with several powerful thrusts pushing us across the tile floor.  Our voices echo around the tiled stall loudly for a moment.  Then he collapses on top of me panting.  I wrap my arms around his head and shoulders panting myself.  I kiss his soaking wet hair, his temple, his ear.

He slowly raises himself to his elbows, “That felt good!” he purrs at me.

“mmmhhmmm” is all I can answer.

He gently slides out of me and kneels up between my legs.  His hands slowly run over my body from my breasts to my hips.  Gently pressing my thighs wider, he gives me a look.

“What?”

“I love making a mess of your pussy!”

I hook a foot around his neck and topple him onto me, “I love that you make a mess of my pussy!” as I wrap an arm around his neck.  He kisses me deeply.  I can feel him wince, “You ok?”

He slowly shifts and sits on the floor, “I really need to put bigger tiles on the floor in here.”

Looking at him, his knees are red with imprints of the little one inch square tiles that make up the shower floor.  “Ohhh!” I reach out to cup them gently.  He pulls me up to sit next to him and wraps his arms around me.  I can feel our mixed fluids seeping out of me. 

James stands and pulls me to my feet, “I suppose we should actually shower now” he laughs out softly. 

My legs are still a little wibbly as I put a hand on the wall, “You might have to hold me a bit.”

Keeping me close to his body, “Sure thing” he rumbles into my ear.  He tenderly washes and rinses my hair.  He gently washes my body as I get steadier on my legs.  I grab the scrubbie and use it on his body.  He rests his arms on the wall of the shower as I scrub his back, “Aww man, that feels so good.”  Then I wash his hair.  He rinses the conditioner from my hair and I rinse his.  He turns off the water and reaches for towels.  I wring as much water from my long hair as possible, then take a towel from him and wrap up my hair.  He wraps a bath sheet around me.  He’s already got a towel wrapped around his waist.  As I step out of the shower, my stomach gurgles.  He huffs a smile at me, “I guess we haven’t eaten yet, have we?”  He pulls me into his body.

I kiss his chin, “Not yet.”

He pats my towel covered ass as his stomach rumbles, “Maybe we need to get that taken care of!”

Minutes later, we are dressed in comfy jams grabbing our deli meals.  Collecting our plates, we make our way to the table.  James pops on the TV.  The local news is just starting.  The usual items – Parking lot car prowls where gifts have been stolen from vehicles, Christmas lights start a house fire, local store sued by customer who slipped on ice.  The weather report is a mixed bag.  The only common factor: COLD.  James turns it off.  I stretch and yawn.  He yawns, “Stahp dat.”

“Sorry, the alarm went off a little early this morning.”

He stands and collects some of the plates, “Yeah it did.”  He kisses the top of my head.  I collect what’s left on the table.

After tidying up the kitchen, he laces an arm around me, “C’mon.  Bed.”

“Yes, please.”  I let him lead me to his bedroom.  Our bedroom.  We both shed our clothes.  He flips back the covers, almost tackles me into the bed while rolling over me yanking the covers over us both.  His arms wrap around me, pulling my body into his.  I curl up around his arm.  I have become used to his arm being my pillow.  His nose is buries in my hair.  His breath warming the back of my neck.  “Good night, James” I breath out.

“Good night, Kira” he kisses my shoulder.  “Welcome home.”  He snuggles up a little closer, “Home Colorado home.”

I just snort in soft laughter.  His arms wrap tighter around me. 

We are both snoring minutes later.

[ingek73]

Extremist or mainstream: how do Tim Walz’s policies match up globally?

Ed PilkingtonFri 16 Aug 2024 12.00 CEST

Within hours of Minnesota’s governor, Tim Walz, being chosen by Kamala Harris to be her Democratic presidential running mate, Donald Trump and team began attacking him as a “dangerously liberal extremist”.

Trump surrogates seized on Walz’s record of expanding voting rights for former felons, combatting the climate crisis, and other measures as proof that Harris-Walz would be the “most radical ticket in American history”.

If you step back from the melee, and look at his gubernatorial acts through a global lens, they appear anything but extreme. From the perspective of other industrialised nations, what Trump denounces as leftwing radicalism looks little more than basic public welfare provisions.

Far from being militant and revolutionary, initiatives such as paid family leave, free college tuition and rudimentary gun controls – all championed by Walz in Minnesota – have long been regarded as middle-of-the-road and unremarkable in large swathes of the world. Through this frame, it is not Walz who is the outlier, but his Republican critics.

Here are how some of Walz’s most impactful reforms compare with the rest of the world.

Free school lunches

View image in fullscreenTim Walz gets a huge hug from students at Webster Elementary in Minneapolis after he signed into law a bill that guarantees free school meals on 17 March 2023. Photograph: Star Tribune/Getty Images

‘On fire with excitement’: Tim Walz’s former students react to nominationRead more

Walz’s record: “What a monster! Kids are eating and having full bellies so they can go learn.” That was Walz’s sardonic reply to CNN when he was asked about having introduced free breakfast and lunch for all Minnesota schoolkids. The 2023 measure puts Minnesota among just eight US states that offer school meals at no cost to all children, no matter their family’s income.

Around the world: Several countries provide free lunches for their children nationwide. Sweden, Finland and the three Baltic nations all provide meals at no cost for all schoolchildren irrespective of income, and many more European countries provide targeted or subsidised meals. Even a developing country such as India ensures access to lunch for more than 100 million kids daily.

“The idea of offering free meals to all students during the school day is hardly new – many countries already do so,” said Alexis Bylander at the Food Research and Action Center, a US anti-hunger organisation. “Numerous studies show the benefits, including improving student attendance, behaviour and academic success.”

Combatting the climate crisis

View image in fullscreenPublic works employees run a water pump to prevent flood waters from coming up through the storm drains in Stillwater, Minnesota, in 2023. Photograph: Nicole Neri for The Washington Post via Getty Images

Walz’s record: In February 2023 Walz signed legislation committing Minnesota to having all its electricity produced by wind, solar and other clean energy sources by 2040 – an even more ambitious timeframe than adopted by California, America’s sustainable energy leader. The legislature also passed more than 40 climate initiatives, including expanding charging infrastructure for electric vehicles and introducing a new code for commercial buildings to cut energy use by 80% by 2036.

Around the world: By global standards, Minnesota’s ambitions do not stand out. Some 27 countries have written into law target dates by which they will become net zero – that is, stop loading additional greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. In the developed world, Finland is leading the way, pledging to be net zero by 2035, and to begin absorbing more carbon dioxide than it produces by 2040. In December, almost 200 countries at the Cop28 climate summit in Dubai agreed to call on all countries to transition away from fossil fuels and for global renewable energy to be tripled by 2030.

Child tax credit

View image in fullscreenTim Walz reads a story to a group of kindergarteners in St Paul on 17 January 2023. Photograph: Glen Stubbe/Star Tribune via Getty Images

Walz’s record: Last year the governor signed into law a child tax credit program for low-income Minnesota families. The measure sought to fill the hole left by a federal scheme that expired in 2021 after Congress failed to extend it. The Minnesota plan is the most generous of its type in the US, offering $1,750 per child and reaching more than 400,000 children.

Around the world: The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the forum of high-income democracies, reported in 2018 that 34 of the 35 countries with available information provided their people with some form of family benefit including tax credits. The OECD compared the value of family benefits for two-child families, measured as a percentage of average earnings, across 41 countries and found that the US came in at No 40, with only Turkey being less generous in its support.

Basic gun controls

View image in fullscreenTim Walz hands out pumpkin bars to a gun safety advocate before the first day of the legislative session in St Paul in 2023. Photograph: Abbie Parr/AP

Walz’s record: The governor identifies as a proud gun-owner and hunter, and he accepted Harris’s invitation to be her running mate wearing a camo hat. That didn’t stop him in May 2023 enacting a slew of gun safety measures, including requiring all private sales of handguns and semi-automatic rifles to go through an FBI background check that looks for evidence of criminal or mental health risks. The changes also introduced a “red flag law” that allows relatives and other interested parties to intervene when someone is in danger of injuring themselves or others with guns.

Around the world: International comparisons show that Americans own vastly more guns than civilians in other rich countries – 121 guns per 100 Americans, compared with five guns per 100 people in the United Kingdom. The number of gun killings per 100,000 people is also vastly higher: 4.12 in the US, 0.04 in the UK.

Other countries also have much tougher gun controls that make those introduced by Walz look weak by comparison. Canada requires gun buyers to wait 28 days before acquiring a firearm, and imposes mandatory safety training and a ban on military-style rifles that does not exist in the US. The UK also bans some semi-automatic rifles and most handguns. Japan tightly restricts gun ownership, banning most guns other than air guns and a few other special categories and even then requiring owners to submit to annual inspections.

Paid family and medical leave

Walz’s record: House File 2, enacted by the governor last year, gave Minnesotans access to up to 20 weeks in every year of partial wages to cover medical leave after a life-changing diagnosis, mental health leave, or time off to care for a new baby. “Paid family and medical leave is about investing in the people that made our state and economy strong in the first place,” Walz said as he signed the bill.

Around the world: The US is the only OECD member country without a national law giving all workers access to paid leave for new mothers. Thirty-seven out 38 OECD countries offer national paid maternity leave – the only exception being the US. France, which holds the top spot, allows mothers and fathers to take paid leave until their child is three years old.

The US is also one of only six countries with no form of national paid leave covering either family or medical leave in the case of a health concern.

Voting rights for former felons

Walz’s record: The governor signed a bill that restores the vote to more than 50,000 Minnesotans who have been convicted of a felony. The Trump campaign denounced the measure as evidence of Walz’s “dangerously liberal agenda”, which is ironic, given that Trump himself, as a convicted felon, will only be able to vote for himself in November thanks to a similar reform in New York.

Around the world: A report released by Human Rights Watch (HRW) in June concluded that the US was an “outlier nation in that it strips voting rights from millions of citizens solely on the basis of a criminal conviction”. In 2022, more than 4 million people in the US were disenfranchised on those grounds. By contrast, when HRW surveyed 136 countries around the world, it found that the majority never or rarely deny the vote because of a criminal record, while those with restrictions tend to be much less draconian in their approach than US states.

[elf-kid2]

Listen.

People who do things like make Very Unsafe & Poorly Made Submarines, and then charge thousands of dollars for tickets to ride in their Underwater deathtraps for "Adventure Tourism" do not care about their customers.

They don't care if the customer is an Evil Billionaire spending pocket-change for extravagant indulgence, or an Average(ish) Joe spending their life-saving on the "Adventure of a Lifetime."

They don't care if the customer lives or dies, as long as they get that $$$$$.

If you take anything away from this... If there is anything that must be changed...

Put more regulations on Submarines. Put more safety regulations on all passenger vehicles, for land, Sea, air, space... Anything. Everything.

That submarine should not have been allowed for commercial use. I don't care what kind of waivers the passengers signed; they should never have been put into that situation, with the Deathtrap Submarine, in the first place.

Let's make safety-regulations about this.

[black-paraphernalia]

Getting Pulled Over for “Fitting the Description” and What You Should Do by thedailyjournalist.com

What Fitting the Description Means

 Police can’t pull you over based on a description that’s too vague. For example, if they have a suspect description that only includes “black” and “male,” they can’t legally pull you over just because you’re a black male. They must have sufficient details to reasonably identify the criminal in question. Just as you can fight traffic ticket Los Angeles if you feel it’s been issued unjustly, you can fight being arrested for “fitting the description” if the description is too vague.

Probable Cause vs. Reasonable Suspicion

If an officer can support stopping you because you fit the description of a suspect, he or she may conduct a pat-down search on you to determine that you aren’t carrying a firearm. If you have any passengers, they may also be searched.

If both probable cause and exigent circumstances exist, the officer may search your vehicle. Exigent circumstances include anything that would cause a reasonable person to believe they must take action to prevent physical harm to themselves or other persons, the escape of the suspect, or the destruction of relevant evidence.

An officer can’t do any of these things if there is no reasonable suspicion or probable cause. If you ever feel like your rights were violated and you’re facing criminal charges, contact a commercial vehicle attorney or ticket attorney. Every driver in California has rights, and officers must respect those rights and follow the law whenever they pull over or detain drivers. (excerpts from thedailyjournalist.com)

BLACK PARAPHERNALIA DISCLAIMER - PLEASE READ

They did not have any right to confront that child and I hope there is some discipline actions taken on them cops and the father sue sue sue sue sue. (in my opinion) *BP*

[sofiadragon]

I use this sewing kit.

I inherited this gently used sewing set from my great-gran. She wasn't very crafty, so it didn't see much use until it reached my hands. The set has held up well, though it is clear that some bits have gone.

This is interesting to me because it is an advertisement. This was free, not purchased, for attending some event. I don't know a lot about the history of it aside from "it came from Southern or Central New Jersey" and what is written on it.

It shows how the party has moved, how the values have changed over time. Now big Republican donors are citing the way party funds were (mis)used over the last few years to explain why they aren't donating. Lavish election-night parties for people who lost. Unspecified fees in the millions per state. Vague categories where there used to be line items... and they used to be so down to earth and about the little guy. I look at them now and see them only helping millionaires.

It's just so practical. A tool, a useful (if sexist) gift given to active political women.

Looking at the rest of my blog it might shock people to know I started out Republican. I hated the nanny state, and bluer areas of my home state seemed to have more troubles. Why, Atlantic City had that cheapskate Trump who failed to pay good hard working construction contractors for the work they did on his hotels and those corrupt liberals from up near NYC let him get away with bankrupting working class folks.

They left me behind as they shifted the goal posts. I don't want to ban all guns, I just want them registered like cars because too many people are getting killed by them. The same way I want commercial vehicles driven by people with CDLs I want people carrying in public to have had additional training. Do what you like in your own home, but your freedom stops at the bridge of my nose. That's not removing my rights as a law abiding citizen, that's gatekeeping supply from those who aren't so law abiding. Adding more guns to schools to fix the problem of people shooting up schools missed the entire point, and voting to defund mental health programs makes the current Republican stance on gun control hypocritical as well as too lax.

It was one part libertarian and one part practicality. Like this sewing kit, I want people to have the tools and if they don't use them that's their fault. Democrats wanted to tear down so much and rebuild it to fix systemic inequality, but lots of people would be hurt if it was done all at once and are we going to compensate them? Then as I approached voting age the Republicans started advocating, not for measured responses to problems and slow change over time, but to bring things back to how they were when this sewing kit was made. I was never an Evangelical Christian or a millionare and as the party moved to cater more and more to the former in word and the latter in deed I got left behind.

I don't want my politicians to have punishing sexuality -related sins as a top ten priority. When it was plank number 597 on the platform I ignored it, because when it came time to write laws I knew they would ignore it. That libertarian foundation I had said that what happenes between consenting adults is between them and whatever God they have, and I expect the same courtesy for everything I do in my home that doesn't affect anybody outside it.

But that's not even the main reason I flipped. I'm a history nut, born and raised by a family of Daughters of the American Revolution, Veterans, and teachers, with a pagan/Christian fliwer child turned finacial planner for a mom and a draft-doging conscientious objector nerd for a father. The family voted red down ticket and third-party up ticket through my childhood. When George Bush Jr started talking about Iraq, my father and I looked at each other and called BS. We knew, because we knew our history, that Saddam Hussein and the terrorists who attacked us would rather rip out each other's entrails than work together. We were being lied to.

And they kept lying. Sure, fine, all politicians lie, but historically they promise the moon and deliver a glow in the dark sticker. They say A is their top priority and then mostly work on B and C - and that's lies but it's an acceptable sort of lie. Expected. Less a bold faced falsehood and more a confrontation between ideas and reality. Recall what I said about the anti-gay political adjenda for my home state politicians? Yeah, priority number 597 was only brought up to drive certain people to the polls, but nobody was going to do anything about it on either side of the aisle back then.

There was no way Afghanistan radicals and Iraq were working together. Hussein had been killing them to keep them out of his country for years before 9/11. History nerds knew. Immigrant families from the Middle East knew. Most Americans just believed, because why make a lie so huge? We thought that the truth would out, Bush would look like a nincompoop out to avenge daddy, and we would course correct.

Obama was actually pretty good, too. The ACA wasn't a Medicare buy-in like the poorer parts of my family would have liked to have, and my eyes and teeth are somehow not parts of my body still according to medical insurance, but at least my uterus finally was! The filibusters were out of line - that silent version has to go - and the Republican led Congress passed the fewest number of bill in the history of the institution, to the point of not being able to keep their own lights on, to coddle the racist demographic.

While I was personally shedding the racist framing I grew up with, the Republican party was pulling on extra layers of hate. They didn't talk about their ideas anymore, just all what they didn't want. No this, no that, and when Obama shrugged and started writing executive orders just to keep the wheel turning they hated that too.

Then, Republicans went full ugly. They blocked a Supreme Court nomination, not on the merits of the nominee, but only on the basis of the president's skin color. Just sat on their hands and refused to do their job for the best part of a year. The constitution says they should have a hearing and talk about the merits, they just didn't.

You know how fast anybody would be fired for not handling a project like that in any other context? Just don't make any fries at a fast food job. Just don't file your quarterly reports at an office job. Just don't conduct any interviews for a new CFO as a CEO. This was a major obligation and they just dropped it. Like the constitution was just a suggestion. As if the second election of Obama wasn't legitimate.

And I was out. I was in a different state then, but the people I voted into state and federal office supported this nonsense. I would have liked several people other than Clinton on the ticket- I thought Trump was too old then and wanted someone younger and more willing to call a spade a spade. Clinton was too savvy, too deep into the delicate political dance to be rude about the lies. Trump also lied "bigly" and constantly. Pence was a floorboard - bland and easily stepped on.

I don't see them getting my vote back, even downticket. Biden has salvaged our international relations - I consider the president's primary job to be running the State Department and filling our embassies with competent patriots. Bush and Trump were both international laughing stocks, and in the vein of Republicans not doing anything Trump seemed to have forgotten that appointing people to a lot of necessary positions was his job. Whatever you want to say about Obama's or Biden's relation to the Ukraine, at least they didn't leave an empty chair in the embassy.

I used this sewing kit today. It's a tool, a needful thing that wants use and facilitates productivity. It gets a job done. I think it is ironic.

Republicans, for most of my voting life, have been the party of doing nothing. Filibusters instead of arguing your case. Blocking nominations and then not filling empty posts. Doing less and less of the essential parts of governing the country, while digging more and more into our privacy. It is Republicans who want to know what my genitals look like, who I sleep with, and all the bloody details of my multiple miscarriages. They want to restrict what books I am allowed to read in my local library. They want to pass nanny state laws so restrictive to "protect" the children from seeing two men holding hands that the mention of adultery gets anything with the ten commandments in it banned from all school district funded libraries. Actually, Republicans are really into nanny state laws lately. It's the only thing I hear them talking about on a national stage. Infrastructure? Nope, that's a Democratic issue now because all the big projects are woke green stuff like hydroelectric gravity batteries for wind farms and mass transit.

Democrats want to make it illegal to be a dick for racist or queerphobic reasons. I think we have laws for that already, but there is no harm in clarifying that you should believe people when they introduce themselves as a woman or man and not harm them because you think their genitals might not look 'right' according to your personal standards. We had to clarify that black people and women were also to be treated with respect and decency, so let's make it clear that you don't have the right to assault someone. Democrats want Universal Healthcare, and I'd be happy with a medicare/aid buy-in where I can pay extra taxes voluntarily to get coverage, but I wouldn't be upset if they took it to the next step. Like Bernie said, ask for a whole loaf and negotiate for half. Biden would like to get Putin out of office, and I'm all for that. Our foreign relations are awesome right now. We're trying to claw back component manufacturing for national security reasons because we can't have the military dependent on circuit boards and component parts that are all imported.

What I care about that both sides ignore?

Nationalize the rails (and make it stick this time, codify that under interstate commerce the way we did highways.) It's getting to be a national security issue that freight shipping is so gas-dependant so we need to build nuclear power and modern electrified rail systems.

Right to Repair needs national attention too. There is no reason my phone is constructed in such a way that a handy person like myself can't safely replace the battery.

Recycling in the USA is a joke that stopped being funny around Y2K. Why are we shipping our Recycling overseas? Garbage collection and processing is one of those things I expect my taxes to pay for - stop requiring Recycling plants to pull a profit. That's idiotic hyper- capitalistic nonsense; trash collection does not need to be profitable to be a public good.

Make police academy training require/include a 2 year college degree based on law, history, and conflict resolution/psychology. Many other countries have 4 year programs and we're over here clowning like this is an easy job you can learn by doing after less than 6 months of training in much of the USA. Some state police programs are already at this standard, others need to catch up.

And closer to home? One school district per county in every state. Period. Let the kids mix, let the funding comingle. A more level playing field is beneficial to society as a whole, everyone deserves access to the tools. In fact, bring a lot of small town home rule shenanigans up to the county level. More daylight there to catch corruption and embezzlement because more people show up to watch or stream county meetings than do the same for small town boards. Again, some states already have this on lock, but boy do some others need work. Finally, if you won't forgive loans then let people lose them if they go bankrupt. You tried, you failed, let's cut that dead weight loose so you can try again. It hurts the economy to have so much student loan debt on people who never got a high value 4 year degree - which is where a lot of the people struggling with the loans are. Sometimes random shit happens through no fault of your own, and you bail out into a working class job to avoid something worse. That's where a lot of the old SL debt is sitting, so just let people drop the debt if they fail that hard the way they can for everything else.

[adamwatchesmovies]

The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)

While I didn't enjoy this film, that doesn't mean you won't. No matter what I say, the people involved in this project did it: they actually made a movie. That's something to be applauded. With that established...

The Super Mario Bros. Movie may be the most literal adaptation of a video game I’ve ever seen. I can just picture an emergency meeting at the studio where Matt Fogel told some executive “We have a problem. I’ve written the plot but I’m pretty sure it's only about 45 minutes' worth of movie. Also, the characters are thin and obvious”. The response? “Well then, cram in as many references to the Super Mario movies as you can and keep cramming until you have a product that meets our 92 minute quota. This should also take care of that 'character' problem you've foolishly highlighted”.

Mario (voiced by Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) are “The Super Mario Brothers”; the plumbers Brooklyn calls when the day needs saving. At least that’s what they’d like to be. When Mario and Luigi get sucked into a warp pipe, they land in the middle of an impending war between Bowser (Jack Black), his army of Koopas and the nearby Mushroom Kingdom. Worse, Luigi falls into Bowser's clutches. Desperate to save him, Mario goes to the Mushroom Kingdom’s Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) for help.

I vividly remember seeing the 1993 Super Mario Bros. Movie for the first time and feeling so disappointed that it looked and felt NOTHING like the games. I hated it and wished it was different. Well, that finger on that monkey’s paw menacingly curled alright. Be careful what you wish for.

Brought to us by Illumination, this is a good-looking movie. I can also praise Jack Black as Bowser, who is clearly having a blast, particularly when his character expresses his love for Peach through song. This is not a musical but the picture makes a great effort to give Bowser some much needed personality and it accomplishes this by giving him a few key eccentricities. Even if you know the incoming tune, it’ll still have you laughing out loud. I wish I had more good things to say. It moves at a fine pace? Kids watching won’t be bored? Sure. Let’s go with that.

For many years, you could count the number of good video game-based films on a single hand. The Super Mario Bros. Movie shows why. I’d wager that Mario is the most recognizable video game character of all time. Nearly every game featuring the Italian-American plumber would still be fun today. What the games do not have, however, is a story. There’s an objective, there are enemies and there’s a distinct visual style. That’s not enough and the source material isn’t an excuse. The Lego Movie proved even a no-story property can make for interesting characters and an intelligent plot with something to say. Super Mario Bros. is closer to Playmobil: The Movie. Not THAT bad, but so much of it feels like a commercial.

The story is so basic and the jokes aren't innovative but that's "ok" because they're slathered with endless references/easter eggs. Some are subtle, like background graphics that reference Jump Man. Others are so painfully in-your-face you groan. It’s not enough for the heroes to race to their destination; they have to be inside the same vehicles players use in Mario Kart, on a rainbow road like you would see in the game. Then the characters at the front of the group have to be taken out by a blue, flying shell. We know it's a blue flying shell because the character who “throws” it tells us it's a blue flying shell. It’s as if Nintendo was scared all of their games would suddenly vanish from existence so they had to write down reminders for themselves of everything featured in all of them.

You might argue those references are what we came here to see. I suppose you're partially right but so much of the film is spent reminding us of why we bought our tickets it forgets to do anything else but the bare minimum. You'll remember you've seen this picture but you won't learn anything new from it about any aspect of the franchise, its fans or creation.

I’m probably being harsher on this film than I should be but here’s the thing. There are so many other, better things you could be doing instead of watching this The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Playing any Mario game, for instance. At least there you’re actively participating and developing your hand-eye-coordination. You’ll probably laugh harder and have more fun too. The Super Mario Bros. Movie is just a way to exploit an already-existing property - and audiences. (Theatrical version on the big screen, May 12, 2023)

[travelnew]

Rajdher fort trek on Friendship Day!

On 6th August 2023, 8 friends decided to visit Rajdher fort, around 140 km ahead of Nashik. This is a non-commercial TTMM activity. The experience in shared in 5 parts: HOW DID WE GO, TIME LINE, EXPERIENCE IN PHOTOS, EXPENSES & VIDEO.

HOW DID WE GO?

Base railway station: Kasara.

Base village: Rajdherwadi (140 km away from Kasara).

Route: Kasara > Rajdherwadi > Kasara.

Tip: Vadbare village, which is the base for Indrai fort is on the opposite side, though Indrai fort can be seen from Rajdherwadi.

TIME LINE:

5th August 2023, Saturday.

11:05 pm train from Dadar to Kasara.

6th August 2023, Sunday.

01:30 am reached Kasara.

02:00 am - travel in hired non-AC 10-seater jeep from Kasara railway station to Rajdherwadi, the base village.

5:30 am - reach Rajdherwadi.

Sleep for an hour.

06:30 am to 09:00 trek - ascend & reach the top. The grade seems to be easy, gentle, gradual. We go safe and slow.

10: 45 am - descend starts.

12:00 pm reach Rajdherwadi again.

12:30 pm to 3:30 pm travel back to Kasara station in hired vehicle.

4:15 pm return train journey.

6:30 pm reach Dadar.

7:30 pm Home sweet home.

EXPERIENCE IN PHOTOS:

EXPENSES:

25/- rickshaw from home to station.

70/- return railway ticket.

800/- travel in 10-seater non-AC hired vehicle from Kasara to Rajdherwadi & back. We were 8 friends (6000/- + 410/- toll separate). 90/- snacks.

35/- rickshaw from station to home.

TOTAL = 1015/- in TTMM as common expenses shared equally in group of 8 friends.

VIDEO:

[9jaboizgistworld-blog]

Work in Canada: Delivery Driver Jobs with Visa Sponsorship

Dreaming of a fresh start in Canada? Here’s your chance! With the explosion of e-commerce and logistics, delivery driver jobs in Canada are hotter than ever—and many of them offer visa sponsorship for international workers. Imagine earning a solid income while exploring one of the most beautiful countries in the world. Sound too good to be true? Keep reading to find out how you can turn this dream into reality. I’m about to walk you through everything you need to know, from the qualifications you’ll need to the best companies hiring right now. Stick with me until the end—you won’t want to miss the insider tips to land that job and kickstart your Canadian journey!

Why Delivery Drivers Are in Demand

Delivery drivers are the unsung heroes of Canada’s booming economy. With online shopping growing like wildfire, companies need reliable people to keep their supply chains running smoothly. Picture this: you're the person making sure a family gets their groceries on time, or helping a small business ship products across the country. It’s a critical role, and the demand isn’t slowing down anytime soon. What’s even better? Employers are rolling out the red carpet for international talent. Many are offering visa sponsorships to bring in skilled drivers, and that could be your ticket to a new life in Canada.

What You Need to Qualify

Think you’ve got what it takes to be a delivery driver in Canada? Let’s break it down. 1. A Valid Driver’s License - For smaller vehicles, you’ll need a Class 5 license. - If you’re eyeing bigger trucks or long-haul routes, a commercial license like Class 1, 2, or 3 is a must. 2. Driving Experience Most employers want to see that you’ve spent some serious time behind the wheel. Whether you’ve worked as a courier or driven big rigs, highlight your experience. 3. Clean Driving Record No one wants to hire a reckless driver. Make sure your driving history is squeaky clean—no accidents or violations. 4. English Proficiency Good communication is key. From following GPS instructions to chatting with customers, you’ll need solid English skills. 5. Physical Fitness Let’s face it: this job can be physically demanding. You’ll often be lifting heavy packages or working in all kinds of weather. 6. Eligibility for a Work Permit This one’s a no-brainer. To snag a visa-sponsored job, you’ll need a job offer and meet Canada’s immigration requirements.

What Does a Delivery Driver Actually Do?

If you’re wondering what a day in the life of a delivery driver looks like, let me paint you a picture. Pickup and Drop-off Your main gig is simple—pick up packages or goods and deliver them on time. Sounds straightforward, right? But there’s more to it than meets the eye. Route Planning This isn’t just about driving from Point A to Point B. You’ll need to map out efficient routes to save time and fuel. Handling Packages with Care Ever gotten a smashed package? Don’t be that driver! It’s your job to ensure everything arrives in perfect condition. Customer Interaction You might have to chat with customers, collect payments, or answer their questions. A friendly attitude goes a long way. Vehicle Maintenance No one wants to break down in the middle of a delivery. Regularly checking your vehicle is part of the gig. Flexibility is Key Expect to work nights, weekends, and even holidays. The upside? Overtime pay and flexible schedules can make it worthwhile.

Top Companies Offering Visa Sponsorship

Now, let’s get to the good stuff—who’s hiring? Here are some top-tier companies that are actively recruiting international delivery drivers. UPS Canada UPS is a global powerhouse. They’re hiring for both local and long-haul routes and often offer visa sponsorship. Get Here Amazon Canada You know the name, and you’ve probably shopped with them. Amazon needs drivers for last-mile deliveries and frequently supports visa applications. Get Delivery Driver Job on Amazon Canada here FedEx Canada FedEx is all about fast and reliable deliveries. They’re always on the lookout for skilled drivers to join their team.

Canada Post

As the national postal service, Canada Post has delivery jobs galore. They even offer sponsorship for hard-to-fill roles. How to Land the Job Ready to throw your hat in the ring? Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you stand out. 1. Search for Openings Check career portals, job boards, and company websites for positions labeled “visa sponsorship.” 2. Tailor Your Resume Highlight your driving experience, language skills, and customer service abilities. Make it clear you’re ready to relocate. 3. Apply Online Submit your application through official company websites. Don’t forget to include a killer cover letter! 4. Ace the Interview Be prepared to talk about your driving history, route-planning skills, and how you’d handle customer interactions. 5. Secure Visa Sponsorship Once you’ve got a job offer, work with the employer to complete your visa application.

What’s in It for You?

Besides the chance to live and work in Canada, delivery driver jobs offer competitive pay. Most drivers earn between CAD 30,000 and CAD 50,000 a year. With overtime, you could make even more. Plus, these roles often come with benefits like health insurance and vacation time. But here’s the real kicker: after gaining some work experience, you may qualify for permanent residency through programs like the Canadian Experience Class or the Provincial Nominee Program. Talk about a win-win!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What’s the average salary for delivery drivers in Canada? Delivery drivers typically earn between CAD 30,000 and CAD 50,000 annually. Long-haul drivers or those working overtime can earn even more. The exact salary depends on the employer, location, and type of deliveries. 2. Are delivery driver jobs in Canada in high demand? Absolutely! With the growth of e-commerce and logistics, delivery drivers are essential to keeping goods moving. The demand is especially high in urban areas and during peak shopping seasons. 3. Can I apply without a commercial driver’s license? Yes, you can. For local deliveries or smaller vehicles, a standard Class 5 license is sufficient. However, if you’re interested in driving larger trucks or taking on long-haul routes, you’ll need a commercial license (Class 1, 2, or 3). 4. Are these jobs available for international workers? Yes! Many Canadian companies welcome international applicants and offer visa sponsorship to qualified candidates. This is a fantastic opportunity to start a new life in Canada. 5. Is it possible to transition to permanent residency as a delivery driver? Yes, it is. After gaining work experience in Canada, you can apply for permanent residency through programs like the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) or the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). These pathways make it easier to settle in Canada long-term. 6. Do delivery driver jobs come with benefits? Most reputable employers offer benefits such as health insurance, paid time off, and overtime pay. Some companies even provide vehicle maintenance allowances or additional perks like flexible work schedules. 7. How physically demanding is the job? The job often requires lifting and loading packages, working in various weather conditions, and being on your feet for long hours. Physical fitness is definitely a plus, but the work is manageable with the right mindset. 8. How can I increase my chances of getting hired? - Highlight your driving experience and clean driving record on your resume. - Showcase any customer service or navigation skills. - Tailor your application for each job and include a strong cover letter explaining why you’re the right fit. 9. What are the working hours like? Delivery drivers often work flexible schedules, including nights, weekends, and holidays. While it can be demanding, many drivers appreciate the variety and opportunities for overtime. 10. Are there any hidden costs when applying for a visa-sponsored job? Most companies offering visa sponsorship cover the major costs, but you may need to pay for additional expenses like medical exams, travel, or document preparation. Always clarify this with your employer during the hiring process.

Let’s Get Rolling

So, what are you waiting for? The demand for delivery drivers in Canada is sky-high, and the opportunities are endless. Whether you’re delivering packages for Amazon or driving cross-country for UPS, this could be the start of an exciting new chapter in your life. If you’re ready to hit the road and make Canada your new home, don’t hesitate. The time to act is now. Your dream job—and a brighter future—are just a few steps away! Read the full article

[improve-battery]

Lithium battery vs sodium battery

Interest in developing batteries based on sodium has recently spiked because of concerns over the sustainability of lithium, which is found in most laptop and electric vehicle batteries.

Developed in the 1980s and recognized by the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, the lithium-ion battery has become one of the most commonly used batteries in the world. It powers most phones and laptops, and it has driven the surge in electric vehicle production. Like most batteries, a lithium-ion battery consists of three main components: a positive electrode (cathode), a negative electrode (anode), and an ion-transporting medium (electrolyte) in between the two. There are various choices for the materials used for each component, but the most common design has an anode made of graphite (carbon); a cathode made of a lithium-containing metal oxide, such as lithium cobalt oxide or lithium manganese oxide; and an electrolyte that combines a lithium-based salt and an organic solvent.

A lithium-ion battery consists of an anode, a cathode, and a liquid electrolyte between them. Lithium ions move toward the anode when the battery charges and then move back to the cathode when it discharges. Electric current flows into and out of the battery through the wire connections at the two electrodes.

When the battery is working (discharging), lithium ions come out of the anode and move through the electrolyte to the cathode where they are absorbed. When the lithium ions enter the cathode, a chemical reaction occurs that essentially “draws” electrons into the cathode from the connecting wire. During charging, electrons flow out of the cathode, freeing the lithium ions so that they flow back into the anode.

Lithium-ion batteries have a number of attractive attributes. First and foremost, they are rechargeable and have a high-energy density of 100–300 watt hours per kilogram (Wh/kg), compared to 30–40 Wh/kg for common lead-acid batteries. That high density means your laptop or cellphone can have a battery that lasts throughout the day without weighing you down. In the case of electric vehicles, a typical battery can weigh around 250 kg and supply around 50,000 Wh of energy, which is typically enough to drive 200 miles (320 km). Many environmentalists see this capability as our ticket for transitioning away from fossil fuels.

However, not everything about lithium-ion batteries is an environmentalist’s dream. The main issue involves the materials, since the extraction of lithium is resource intensive, and the mining of some of the metal ingredients is polluting. There is also a lack of recycling infrastructure for today’s lithium-ion batteries, Meng says.  “The carbon footprint and the sustainability of the current way of making lithium-ion batteries is less than ideal.”

In addition to environmental concerns, the battery market is highly volatile, in part because the world has a limited number of lithium-rich regions. During the COVID pandemic, for example, the supply chain was cut off, and the price of lithium shot up. There are similar concerns over other lithium-ion-battery materials, such as nickel, copper, and graphite, which are also limited resources.

Lithium-ion alternatives include solid-state batteries (in which the liquid electrolyte is replaced by a solid one) and magnesium-ion batteries (in which magnesium ions replace lithium ions). Most of these options are still under development. And some of them also have issues concerning the availability of resources.

By contrast, sodium is abundant in seawater (although a more usable source is sodium ash deposits, which can be found in many regions of the world). And because sodium shares so much chemistry with lithium, sodium-ion batteries have been developing quickly and are already being commercialized.

However, sodium and lithium atoms have differences, two of which are relevant for battery performance. The first difference is in the so-called redox potential, which characterizes the tendency for an atom or molecule to gain or lose electrons in a chemical reaction. The redox potential of sodium is 2.71 V, about 10% lower than that of lithium, which means sodium-ion batteries supply less energy—for each ion that arrives in the cathode—than lithium-ion batteries. The second difference is that the mass of sodium is 3 times that of lithium.

Together these differences result in an energy density for sodium-ion batteries that is at least 30% lower than that of lithium-ion batteries. When considering electric vehicle applications, this lower energy density means that a person can’t drive as far with a sodium-ion battery as with a similarly sized lithium-ion battery. In terms of this driving range, “sodium can’t beat lithium,” Tarascon says.

The energy density is also a problem when considering the overall environmental impact of a battery. Weil and his colleagues performed a comparison of sodium-ion batteries to lithium-ion batteries, looking at a number of environmental factors such as greenhouse gas emissions and resource usage. Although sodium-ion batteries do not require as many of our planet’s limited resources, they currently release more greenhouse gases during production than an equivalent energy’s worth of lithium-ion batteries. The reason is that larger quantities of materials need to be processed into batteries to produce the same amount of energy.

Weil says that this report provides a current snapshot, and in time, the environmental impact of sodium-ion batteries will likely improve. “We are convinced that they could have an even better overall performance than present lithium-based systems,” he says.

A comparison of lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries. From left to right the columns show abundance of lithium and sodium in Earth’s crust (in parts per million), energy density (in watt hours per kilogram), battery lifetime (in number of charging cycles), greenhouse gas emissions from battery production (in equivalent kilograms of carbon dioxide emissions), and resource usage (in equivalent grams of the element antimony, based on a calculation that accounts for all of the abundances of the batteries’ materials). Values apply to certain battery designs and may not be correct for every battery.

There are other differences between the two elements, some of which work in sodium’s favor. For example, sodium ions can travel faster through the battery materials than lithium ions, which might seem counterintuitive, given that sodium is heavier. Tarascon explains that a sodium ion has a diffuse electron cloud that allows it to slip between atoms more easily than a lithium ion, with its highly concentrated charge. The faster motion of a sodium ion can lead to higher power and faster charging in sodium-ion batteries.

[speedingticketkc]

What is the statute of limitations on traffic tickets in commercial vehicle in Arizona?

[centralcarolinainsurance]

Tips To Buy Auto Insurance in Concord and Kannapolis, NC

Being at the wheel of an automobile is exciting for young people who have just earned their driver’s license. Additionally, being able to afford a self-owned vehicle makes life exciting, with fun-filled rides and essential commutes being taken care of. It is important to understand that simply paying for the vehicle is not enough. Buying the relayed auto insurance in Concord and Kannapolis, NC, is a must-do as well.

It helps to be informed about the state rules as most states mandate carrying basic auto insurance coverage. Again, trying to save money by purchasing minimal coverage as per the state requirements is a strict no-no. Instead, the new auto owner must check various facts and be covered for all possible risks that may be financially too demanding for comfort.

· The first-time auto buyer will likely be confused about the dos and don’ts. Gaining knowledge by asking parents or friends can be effective for them, enabling them to invest in auto insurance, which reduces the financial impact substantially. Some of the primary aspects to note and be prepared for before signing the insurance documents include the following: - ​ l It is important to have the following information handy before applying for auto insurance:

l Full Name

l Address at which the vehicle will be parked

l Date of birth

l Vehicle identification number (VIN)  

l Driving license number.

l Driving history, including tickets and records of accidents.

l Information that qualifies the insurance buyer for discounts, such as GPA or proof of successful completion of a driving course.

l Vehicle mileage

l Type and amount of coverage required

l Desired deductible

· The first-time car owners and auto insurance buyers need to pay a higher rate imposed due to their inexperience which aggravates the risk to insurance carriers.

· Students may hope to buy insurance at a lower rate when they buy the coverage under their parent’s policy.

Failing to buy enough coverage is likely to be counterproductive. All states mandate basic coverage that includes liability. It is important to think of self apart from compensating the injured person during an accident. Some of the additional coverage that is sure to be beneficial in the long run include: -

· Collision Coverage- Pays for the repair of the damaged vehicle of the insured party after a mishap

· Comprehensive Coverage- The insurance company pays for the repair of vehicular damage from non-collision events such as theft, fire, inclement weather, or natural disaster

· Personal Injury Protection (PIP)- Covers the medical expenses as well as partially lost wages for the driver and passengers in the auto during the time of the accident, regardless of being at fault

· Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage- Offers Protection to the insured party involved in an accident with another vehicle being driven by a person who does not carry auto insurance or is inadequately covered.

Commercial truckers and trucking companies can successfully reduce their risks by choosing to buy well-designed truck insurance in Harrisburg and Concord, NC, that perfectly meets both legal and financial requirements. 

[inoppositionflorien]

People keep saying that "police isn't top ten most dangerous jobs" and "it's not even that dangerous" but pretty obviously it is. Per 100k (in the US as of 2011 but I imagine it hasn't changed much, job safety usually doesn't, Though I heard logging got way safer since then) it's the 9th most dangerous job, between electricians and long haul truck drivers. (All of which are way behind commercial fishing, the ocean hates you and always has). The point is being police is an incredibly dangerous job by most metrics, considering there's literally hundreds of jobs.

The funny thing is nearly all highly dangerous occupations have the leading cause of death being "the vehicle of the job crashed", and this includes police. Of course most workers don't consider this, aside from maybe truckers and taxi drivers (both of which make top 15). The police imagine they're under threat from being shot or stabbed, and they are! Many do get shot or stabbed, but they tend to survive because those are very treatable injuries. But by far the most likely thing to kill someone of basically any profession while on the job, police included, is a car accident.

This is, of course, poorly understood by many police training courses (presumably the popular third party ones more than government ones). That said, the police belief they have a dangerous job is accurate, it ranks very high in injuries and deaths per employee, and minimizing this because the police tend to suck is ignoring facts in a way convenient for the police, because they get to control the narrative of why their job is dangerous (violence) instead of dealing with the actual reason it's dangerous (unnecessary high speed chases against speeders or minor traffic violations done by undertrained pursuit drivers, instead of just identifying the car owner and ticketing them via mail)

In fact, the vast majority of people killed by police are killed in high speed chases that end in crashes too, not by being shot or choked or beaten. (At that point it's more debatable if that's entirely the police's fault, but they bear some responsibility because they pursued when most of these cases don't require pursuit to enforce. Also often bystanders and civilian drivers get injured or killed in these crashes, so it's clearly far more dangerous than it's worth often.)

The point is the police are right their job is very dangerous and the numbers largely support this, but it's dangerous foremost because of insufficient training for pursuit driving and excessive use of pursuit driving when it's not strictly necessary, and only secondarily because of violence directed at them (at least in the US.)

[rkingmadeeasy]

Finding Convenient Parking in Adelaide, Kogarah, Surry Hills, and Sydney: A Guide to Monthly Options

Finding a reliable parking spot in bustling urban areas can be challenging. Cities like Adelaide, Kogarah, Surry Hills, and the broader Sydney area face high demand, with limited parking spaces available for rent. If you frequently drive or need a designated spot for work or personal activities, securing a spot can save time, reduce stress, and enhance convenience. Here’s a guide to help you find parking solutions tailored to each of these areas.

Car Park for Rent in Adelaide

Adelaide’s city center and surrounding neighborhoods can be particularly congested during business hours and weekends. If you’re tired of endlessly circling blocks or getting costly parking tickets, consider looking for a dedicated car park for rent adelaide. Many rental options are available, from private property owners who have spare spaces to commercial lots designed for long-term renters. Renting in advance ensures you’re always covered and gives you a dependable location each day. Monthly rentals are particularly popular as they’re both budget-friendly and convenient.

In Adelaide, long-term parking often comes with security features such as CCTV and gated access, offering peace of mind for your vehicle’s safety. Popular locations to consider include the Adelaide CBD, North Adelaide, and nearby suburbs. You can find parking spots close to shopping centers, workplaces, and entertainment hubs, making it easy to access all the city’s amenities.

Rent Parking in Kogarah

The bustling suburb of Kogarah is known for its hospitals, shopping precincts, and various business hubs. For those who frequent this area, finding convenient parking can be tricky. With Kogarah’s limited street parking options, renting a secure space is a practical choice. Opting to rent parking in Kogarah allows you to avoid daily parking hassles and eliminates the risk of parking fines.

Monthly parking rentals are ideal if you live in or frequently visit Kogarah for work or healthcare appointments. There are various options, including underground and outdoor parking spaces. Secured lots around key areas like St George Hospital, Kogarah train station, and shopping centers offer accessible locations with the added benefit of controlled access. Monthly parking rentals in Kogarah are a cost-effective solution for those tired of paying high hourly rates or dealing with street parking limitations.

Monthly Parking in Surry Hills

Surry Hills is a lively inner-city suburb known for its vibrant food and cultural scene, making it a highly sought-after location for residents and businesses alike. However, finding parking here can be challenging, particularly during peak hours. Renting monthly parking surry hills can offer a practical solution for residents, workers, and frequent visitors. Monthly rentals are an excellent choice, as they typically provide designated spaces and reduce the inconvenience of looking for parking daily.

For those who work in Surry Hills or enjoy the area’s nightlife, monthly parking rentals mean guaranteed access to parking close to your destination. Popular areas within Surry Hills include the Crown Street shopping and dining precinct and various art galleries. Renting a space ensures that your vehicle is secure and accessible whenever you need it.

Rent Parking in Sydney

Sydney’s CBD and inner suburbs are some of the busiest areas in Australia, making parking a valuable commodity. Whether you need a space near work, close to entertainment venues, or simply want the convenience of a designated spot, rent parking in Sydney options are plentiful but highly sought after. Monthly parking rentals are particularly advantageous in this high-demand city, providing regular access and often reducing costs compared to daily or hourly rates.

Options are available throughout the city and surrounding suburbs, with many lots offering features like 24/7 access, secure entry, and surveillance systems. From Darlinghurst and Pyrmont to the CBD itself, you can find a range of parking options that cater to all needs. Monthly parking rentals in Sydney simplify life for those who commute into the city or live nearby, ensuring that parking is one less thing to worry about.

Find Your Parking Spot Today

With the ever-growing demand for parking spaces across Adelaide, Kogarah, Surry Hills, and Sydney, securing a monthly rental can provide peace of mind, cost savings, and ultimate convenience. From car park for rent in Adelaide to rent parking in Kogarah, you have options to fit your lifestyle and budget.

[foodsupply]

Automatic Car Parking Barrier Price in Bangladesh: A Comprehensive Guide

In an era where efficient parking management is essential for commercial buildings, shopping centers, office complexes, and residential areas, automatic car parking barriers have become increasingly popular. These systems not only enhance security but also provide an organized way to manage parking spaces, prevent unauthorized access, and streamline traffic flow. If you are in Bangladesh and looking for an automatic parking barrier, this guide will help you understand its features, uses, and most importantly, the price range.

What is an Automatic Car Parking Barrier?

An automatic car parking barrier, often referred to as a boom gate or parking barrier gate, is a motorized gate that controls vehicle access to a parking area. These barriers are typically mounted on an arm that rises to allow cars to pass and lowers to block unauthorized vehicles. They are integrated with automatic systems that can be controlled via remote, RFID card, ticketing systems, or even mobile apps.

These barriers are commonly used at:

Commercial buildings and shopping malls

Toll plazas

Airports

Residential complexes and private parking lots

Industrial areas

Educational institutions

Benefits of Automatic Parking Barriers

Enhanced Security: Automatic barriers restrict unauthorized entry, ensuring only authorized personnel or vehicles have access to the premises.

Efficient Traffic Management: Helps manage traffic flow by controlling the entry and exit of vehicles, reducing congestion.

Convenience: Automated systems save time for both operators and users by eliminating the need for manual intervention.

Cost-Effective: Reduces the need for manual security personnel while providing robust protection.

Durability: Modern parking barriers are designed to withstand harsh weather conditions, making them long-lasting in various environments.

Factors Influencing the Price of Automatic Car Parking Barriers in Bangladesh

The price of an automatic car parking barrier varies depending on several factors. Here’s what you need to consider:

Type of Barrier: There are different types of barriers such as boom barriers, swing gates, sliding gates, and bollards. Boom barriers are the most common and usually the least expensive. Prices increase if the system is more complex or includes additional features.

Material Quality: The build quality, durability, and materials used in the barrier system influence its price. For example, stainless steel barriers tend to be more expensive than those made from aluminum or iron due to their corrosion resistance and longevity.

Automation Level: Fully automated systems that integrate with advanced technologies such as RFID, license plate recognition (LPR), and IoT are generally more expensive than basic remote-controlled barriers. The automation level can significantly affect the price.

Additional Features: If the parking system includes advanced features like ticketing systems, payment integration, or solar-powered operation, the price will naturally increase.

Brand and Warranty: Premium brands that offer longer warranties, better after-sales service, and superior technology tend to charge more for their products. However, investing in a well-known brand often ensures quality and reliability in the long run.

Installation and Maintenance: The cost of installing the system, as well as any potential maintenance or servicing fees, should also be factored into the overall price.

Average Price Range of Automatic Car Parking Barriers in Bangladesh

The price of an automatic car parking barrier in Bangladesh can vary widely, depending on the factors mentioned above. On average, the cost can range from BDT 30,000 to BDT 200,000 or more, depending on the complexity and features.

Basic Automatic Boom Barrier Systems: These typically cost between BDT 30,000 and BDT 60,000. Such systems are suitable for small parking areas or residential use. They often feature basic remote control or manual override mechanisms.

Mid-Range Automatic Barriers: These systems, which may include additional features like RFID card readers or ticketing systems, can range between BDT 60,000 and BDT 120,000. Mid-range barriers are usually more robust and designed for moderate to heavy traffic flow in commercial areas or office complexes.

Advanced and High-End Barriers: For large commercial or industrial applications where advanced security and automation are required, the price can go beyond BDT 120,000, reaching up to BDT 200,000 or higher. These systems may include features such as vehicle counting, license plate recognition, or integration with building management systems.

Where to Buy Automatic Car Parking Barriers in Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, several local and international suppliers offer automatic parking barriers. You can purchase these systems from specialized companies that deal in security solutions or automation technologies. Additionally, many suppliers provide after-sales services, including installation, maintenance, and repair.

Some well-known vendors in Bangladesh include:

Techno Automation Ltd.

Secura Bangladesh

S R Gate Automation

Auto Secure Solutions Ltd.

These suppliers often provide customized solutions based on the size of the project and specific customer needs.

Final Thoughts

When considering an automatic car parking barrier in Bangladesh, it is crucial to factor in not only the initial cost but also the system's quality, features, and long-term reliability. While the price may vary, investing in a high-quality, automated system can save time and enhance the security and efficiency of your parking facility. Be sure to compare quotes, check for warranties, and look for trusted suppliers who offer robust after-sales support for a worry-free purchase.