#need for speed 4 high stakes

[newfalco]

Need for Speed 4 High Stakes en Windows 11

[doginprogress]

Ok. Let’s talk lure coursing safety.

A pretty awful accident occurred during the lure coursing at UKC Premier this past week. I wanna make it clear that I cannot and will not be passing any kind of judgement on what happened. I was not there, I do not know many details other than the owner themselves called it a freak accident.

And the truth of lure coursing is that even if/when things are done perfectly, this kind of accident is always a possibility. There is a certain amount of risk you must weigh and decide to take when you decide to let your dog lure course.

1. Mechanical Risks - like with this accident, there is always the possibility for injury when coming in close proximity to a thin, tensioned wire running at speeds upwards of 30+ mph. Line burns on paws and lower legs are not uncommon, and many dogs run muzzled to prevent them from cutting their mouths when trying to bite a moving line. Azula has gotten tangled and line burnt after the line, loosened by wet conditions, popped off a pulley mid run. I myself have scars from some pretty awful line burn after a freak accident while setting up the field.

To help mitigate this risk, the huntmaster should always have a knife or scissors on hand and should be closely watching the dogs running so they can cut the line and release tension at any sign of a tangle. The lure operator should be highly trained and also be keeping out for any sign of danger so they can stop the lure when needed. As a competitor, make sure you are aware of the line at all times. Not only where it is, but when it is and isn’t moving. I try to never move my dog over a moving line, and when I am moving over a line, I am either taking extra tall steps or stepping on it to make sure I don’t trip (but, DO NOT step on a moving line). Try not to grab a line unless absolutely necessary and never ever ever grab a moving line - you will cut through your hands.

2. Other Dogs - lure coursing is one of the few (maybe the only?) dog sports where multiple dogs are competing at the same time potentially hundreds of yards away from their humans. It’s a high arousal and highly competitive environment, and this can lead to conflict between dogs. Sometimes this can be mitigated with muzzles and sometimes the dog should simply not be participating in lure coursing. If it is your dog that is aggressive and putting others at risk, please do not run them in the Open or Specials stakes. Dogs can have just as much fun running in singles and no title is worth potentially endangering your dog and others by running a dangerous dog.

However sometimes the risk comes simply from dogs running together at high speeds. Dogs can unintentionally bump into or trip each other, I’ve seen dogs leap over another in the field, tumble into each other while slowing down, and run into each other when they’re paying too much attention to the lure and not enough to the other dogs on the field. Sometimes unintentional contact happens and it’s important to recognize that too. There’s really not much that can be done in those cases.

3. Field Conditions - heat, rain, snow, height of grass, dry ground, rocks, trees, and the course plan itself can all pose issues when running. The club running the event should be continuously assessing these and doing what they can to alleviate the effects, but there’s a lot that you have to judge for yourself and what you know about your own dog. Wrapping paws or soaking them in water can help minimize injury due to dry ground, soaking a dog in water can help keep them cool on hot days, and knowing how your dog may handle tight turns can help you evaluate whether you should enter based on the plan for the course.

Fields with numerous trees or other obstacles are dangerous for dogs who may be paying more attention to the lure than their surroundings. If you’ve never been to the field before I highly suggest talking to someone was has to get a feel for what to expect.

4. Honest to God Freak Accidents - sometimes shit happens. A dog steps into a hole no one noticed and breaks their leg. A group of deer pop onto the field and your dog takes off after them, disappearing for hours. A dog with no prior indications has a cardiac event mid run, and is gone before anyone can even process that they’ve stopped running.

Sometimes there is absolutely nothing that could have been done differently and things just happen. It unfortunately is part of life and something that can be so hard to accept. Occasionally, there is no rhyme or reason, no blame to lay. When you go to that coursing event and run your dog, you’re entrusting that a lot of the risk has been mitigated for you by those running the event. That’s why it’s so important to know who that is and what experience they have.

But beyond that, you are assuming some amount of gambling by participating in lure coursing. The sport itself has dangers that cannot be managed away. But so does agility, and flyball, and disc, and dock diving, and any other sport of any kind. This does not mean that any of these things should be discontinued, but that you should not take any of these lightly and consider the risks vs the rewards, both personal and for your dog. Lure coursing has unfortunately become fairly available to do on a whim in recent years when it is truly something you should be heavily educated about before choosing to participate.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Rebecca Roque’s “Till Human Voices Wake Us”

I'm touring my new, nationally bestselling novel The Bezzle! Catch me in TOMORROW (Apr 17) in CHICAGO, then Torino (Apr 21) Marin County (Apr 27), Winnipeg (May 2), Calgary (May 3), Vancouver (May 4), and beyond!

"Till Human Voices Wake Us" is Rebecca Roque's debut novel: it's a superb teen thriller, intricately plotted and brilliantly executed, packed with imaginative technological turns that amp up the tension and suspense:

https://www.blackstonepublishing.com/till-human-voices-wake-us-gn3a.html#541=2790108

Modern technology presents a serious problem for a thriller writer. Once characters can call or text one another, a whole portfolio of suspense-building gimmicks – like the high-speed race across town – just stop working. For years, thriller writers contrived implausible – but narratively convenient – ways to go on using these tropes. Think of the shopworn "damn, my phone is out of battery/range just when I need it the most":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIZVcRccCx0

When that fails, often writers just lean into the "idiot plot" – a plot that only works because the characters are acting like idiots:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idiot_plot

But even as technology was sawing a hole in the suspense writer's bag of tricks, shrewd suspense writers were cooking up a whole new menu of clever ways to build suspense in ways that turn on the limitations and capabilities of technology. One pioneer of this was Iain M Banks (RIP), whose 2003 novel Dead Air was jammed with wildly ingenious ways to use cellphones to raise the stakes and heighten the tension:

https://web.archive.org/web/20030302073539/http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.03/play.html?pg=8

This is "techno-realism" at its best. It's my favorite mode of storytelling, the thing I lean into with my Little Brother and Martin Hench books – stories that treat the things that technology can and can't do as features, not bugs. Rather than having the hacker "crack the mainframe's cryptography in 20 minutes when everyone swears it can't be done in less than 25," the techno-realist introduces something gnarlier, like a supply-chain attack that inserts a back-door, or a hardware keylogger, or a Remote Access Trojan.

Back to Roque's debut novel: it's a teen murder mystery told in the most technorealist way. Cia's best friend Alice has been trying to find her missing boyfriend for months, and in her investigation, she's discovered their small town's dark secret – a string of disappearances, deaths and fires that are the hidden backdrop to the town's out-of-control addiction problem.

Alice has something to tell Cia, something about the fire that orphaned her and cost her one leg when she was only five years old, but Cia refuses to hear it. Instead, they have a blazing fight, and part ways. It's the last time Cia and Alice ever see each other: that night, Alice kills herself.

Or does she? Cia is convinced that Alice has been murdered, and that her murder is connected to the drug- and death-epidemic that's ravaging their town. As Cia and her friends seek to discover the town's secret – and the identity of Alice's killer – we're dragged into an intense, gripping murder mystery/conspiracy story that is full of surprises and reversals, each more fiendishly clever than the last.

But as good as the storytelling, the characterization and the mystery are, Roque's clever technological gambits are even better. This book is a master-class in how a murder mystery can work in the age of social media and ubiquitous mobile devices. It's the first volume in a trilogy and it ends on a hell of a cliff-hanger, too.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/16/dead-air/#technorealism

[il3x]

Worm OC Tumblr I would like to present my silliest most self-indulgent OCs:

They're a largely non-violent villain duo known for high-profile thefts. I keep them around because a) fun to draw, and b) if I ever need a few low-stakes enemies to throw at other OCs they work pretty well.

Power details (a lot of details...) below the cut.

NU11 (Alicia Lee, she/her)

Age: Early 20s

PRT Classification: Tinker/Stranger 4.

Affiliation: Villain

Null is a Tinker who specialises in breaking or "nullifying" other technology, including Tinkertech. The more complex, the easier to nullify, though some tech requires specialised tools or conditions. PRT have her down as an infiltration/countersurveillance Tinker, and there's some debate online as to whether she's actually a Thinker.

Null uses her powers for infiltration, hence the Stranger rating. She "nullifies" such things as cameras, security systems, and locks. Her power sabotages a device's intended function, so if a lock is intended to stay closed, Null can get it open. Again, the more high-tech, the easier; Null learned mundane lockpicking to use on simple mechanical locks, since that's easier and less intrusive than trying to Tinker them open.

Null can only create tech if the result is solely for tech nullification, e.g. her EMP cannon. She approximates other gadgets by starting with a complicated piece of technology and selectively nullifying its functions. This is how she got her goggles' attachments. Her power sometimes manifests in combat-Thinker-esque ways, like "I want to nullify that load-bearing wall, on top of those people, using, oh, this handgun". (It gives her the necessary mental facilities to use her "tools" for the nullification, which can include perfect aim if the "tool" is a weapon. She is still limited by her body, though, so things like hand tremors will get her. Someone like Tattletale could tell her aim was due to one-off power hax.)

These two don't have much backstory, but Null triggered from being stalked.

-----

Void (Undecided, he/him)

Age: Undecided (adult)

PRT classification: Breaker (Mover) 7-ish

Affiliation: Villain

A shameless Kurogiri expy. Void's Breaker state is purple-black fog that acts as portals; Void can split himself up into blobs of fog (usually roughly door-sized) and anything or anyone entering one blob is instantly teleported out of another. Void chooses the exit point.

His fog acts like normal fog, can be kept out of a room by airtight sealing, can't really interact with solids in a meaningful manner. He has telekinetic control over his 'true consciousness' blob. Portals are anchored in place, so you can't blow them away or disperse them.

He can have a (seemingly) indefinite number of portals open at once, and a (seemingly) indefinite distance between portals, but there are some limitations:

He can only leave a portal somewhere he is, and he has to move conventionally. He can telekinesis himself along at up to his top human running speed, without exhaustion.

He produces more fog at a fixed rate, so there's a time delay between making portals

Portals vanish when Void exits breaker state, meaning he has to spend a lot of time in his fog state to use his typical M.O. (multiple portals far apart to get rid of enemies and/or retreat). He can't speak in fog state, or interact with solids objects much, and his senses are limited.

Void can also swap his consciousness, and effective respawn point for his human form, to any of the portals. Tldr: teleport himself and any people and loose and less-than-door-sized objects pretty much anywhere. Justifies a 7+, I think?

Physical engagements with Null and Void tend to end with being shoved in a portal and finding yourself in Australia. Void also leaves portals open to their HQ, so you're fighting a Tinker with a shortcut straight to her workshop. Fun!

Void is the powerhouse, but his weaknesses make him pretty useless without a partner. He flows in around the vault door or whatever, the safe is there, and... now what? The way his portals work, you have to enter them with some velocity, and he can't push the safe in himself - he's barely corporeal. Exiting Breaker state kills all the portals, leaving him Just Some Guy locked inside the vault for the cops to find.

-----

Fun Facts:

One of them chose their cape name as a pun on the other's. Null would be more in-character, but Void would be funnier, so I can't decide which.

Null does not need her EMP emitter to be that big, or to look like a weapon. She's just extra (and the look on her enemies' faces when she levels a gigantic Tinkertech cannon at them, albeit as a bluff, is well worth the cost in subtlety).

Null (or rather, Nu11) has never had a copyright suit from the Yangban. She's never had ANY contact with the Yangban. She's just covering her bases.

I don't have much backstory for how they got into villainy, but I reckon one or both of them worked for hire on the Blacklist, and they ended up hired for the same job. Power and personality synergy led to them striking out as a team.

Void has more of a serious backstory and motivation, though I don't have any specifics in mind. Null is here to break shit because she gets happy shard feedback from breaking shit. The pay and cool outfits are a bonus. (She also kind of turbo-nuked her civilian ID, but she wouldn't admit to that.)

Void helps with evacuation at Endbringer fights.

Void exists for the pun and cool power synergy. Null exists for me to draw in fun sexy outfits (at least, I think they're sexy? I'm aro-ace, so not really qualified to judge). In-universe, Alicia partially created the Null cape persona to wear fun sexy outfits, as a fuck-you to the people who insinuated that if she looked or dressed differently she wouldn't have been stalked and harassed (and a fuck-you to her stalker: "I do dress slutty, just not for you").

[powdermelonkeg]

Ask anything? I gotchu Pookie.

In Skyward Sword, in the part where Link is fighting Demise in that water mirror dimension (Idk what its called, if someone knows do tell me) do you think that time passes by slower in there? While out in the past and feature it speeds up?

Like, take Voltron for example, the fight with the prince in that dimension that left the gang away for (4-8 years was it?)

Do you think that if Link were to fight Demise, and finally end him (Being cursed, blah blah blah) but when he leaves he ends up in the past with no one there, the portal had closed but opened up (or something idk yet) and when he goes though, he's still the same age ‘n shit but everyone else is like- adults? And he's not sure how to take this, everyone else is not sure how to take this yet wants to constantly be around their follow friend (Teenager friend) who might not even wanna be around them bc of the situation he's in?

Would love to hear your thoughts on this idea.

I think time definitely passes slower in there, actually.

The stakes are high at the end of Skyward Sword, with Demise digesting Hylia's soul to regain his full might. Impa actually tells Groose about it.

This implies that there's a timer. You save her, now, or you lose her forever. Yet Demise seems completely unbothered when he gives you his ultimatum.

How long is a few moments?

As long as you need it to be. Theoretically, enough to upgrade all your gear, complete every sidequest, and stock up on as many potions as possible. No matter what you do, though, Demise doesn't even seem bored when you come to see him. There's no impatience in him, and Zelda's still not forfeit.

So yeah. Time definitely passes slower in the storm puddle dimension.

This whole 5-minute fight might have taken days. I think we can rule out anything longer, though, or else Zel would have died of starvation in the meantime and/or Groose would have been more freaked out and exhausted.

(Side note, though, how does Demise know he's been waiting for eons? In THIS part of the timeline, he's been waiting for like...a week. This is right after Hylia sent the humans to the sky. Skyward Sword does NOT care about its time travel consistency.)

[leynaeithnea]

Who am I to deny you the joy of listing all your favorite lines from the musical? Bestie go nuts bc now I really want to know your favorite lines ( if you want to add the reason why they make you insane I will not be complaining) ( but like , a keysmash for each line is good too )

OKAY so

Ill go through it song by song I guess because thats the easiest way

1. Horse and the Infant

GREAT opening song; amazing; so good, from the set up, references, singing, sound design, music everything

My favorite part in it is when Odysseus tries to bargain with Zeus for Astyanax (totally didnt have to look up the name again) because musically??? And story wise??? Im on phone rn so maybe if we do these types of interactions more often i can go moee into deepth at some other point but for rn ill keep it semi short BUT ITS SO PERFECT (mortius and caspers reactions tend to break down things really well so bascially what they say, most of the time)

2. Just A Man

Tears, i loveeeeeeee Jorges falcetto voice, the desperation when he sings "whos fighting for his life" and then the drop that goes into "but when [...]" etc, it kind of reminds me a bit of the shift of pace in "Wait for It" in Hamilton? Which is def one of my favorite songs in that musical

As well as whe musical design of the men picking up the chorus when Odysseus steps closer to the wall and all eyes are on him and the question of when does a man become a monster, when does the reason become the blame gets echoed...

3. Full Speed Ahead

UNDERRATED SONG

I absolutely loveeeeee the theme of "We're up,we're off and away we go" followed by "full speed aheeeead" ANd agaiIN JORGES VOICE WHEN IN THAT omg its so gooooooddddddddd, also, ody being stern when he talks with eudy and then lighting up the second Polites approaches him, one of my favorite songs

4. Open Arms

We need more Polites.

When i first listened to it the first times I thought Polites was already high on Lotus....well

Also odys "im fine polites" -> huge liar

Does it show that I have a thing for Ody? He is the perfect kind of angsty character that I loveeeeee so deeply, Jorges voice acting in "STAY BACK", and Polites being completly unbothered fjsidksks also lotus winions!!!

A cave!

East; that way

5. Warrior of the Mind

personally actually one of my less favorite songs for some reasons? Probably bc its not angsty enough in this case, but i really love athenas voice in the new remastered versions even more than before. "Hahahahaha" is amazing tho, also I FEEL ROBBED in the new versions you cant confuse "Enlighten me" with "you lied to me" anymore ~yes i totally was convinced its "you lied to me" for weeks~

....this is really long that was only the troy saga oh well

6. Polyphemus

"Theres been a misunderstanding" line; the vocals in that, so good, as well as the threadenung drum sounds and all

Also great sound scape and everything

The "WATCH OUT"

7. Survive

Oh my

I CAN PICK UP THE DANGER MOTIF THERE im so happy that im getting better at this, ive been tone deaf all through high and middle school and it makes me so haopy to actually get better at this now

When the crew joins in with "sixhundred lives at stake" etc its sooo good, I loheee the choir/ensemble parts so much, in this musical and generally THE DELIVERY OF "push foooooooOOORward" omg

...also...rip to pancake boy...i love how w can see/feel in the musical how in shock Odysseus is until Polyphemus passes out

8. Remeber Them

ALSO UNDERRATED probably the only song where i rllyyy prefer the first version and dont like the remastered one as much because i love how it goes from shock and grief to slowly arising anger and determination while still hearing the hurt in his voice, in the new version we go straight into anger, which is fineeee but I always loved the way I imagined it before that

I loveee the chorus lyrics too

And then WHEN ODYS ANGER AND PRIDE AND GRIEF TAKES OVER AND HE DOXXES HIMSELF TO POLYPHEMUS, the delivery of these lines ----- love it so much

9. My Goodbye

Grown to love it even more lately, just because again, i think this is a trend but I love it when Ody is just kind of...suffering x)

The "Hey" is such good voice acting in that moment, its so good, just Ody being hurt and griefing and Athena bring frustrated with human reactions and man such a greattt song

10. Storm

"We're going to shoot for the sky" "What?"

...thats all I have to say for this one

11. Luvk runs out

...all the themes this sets up for thunder saga oml....

also, ody pretending to be fine and confident and all and the second hes alone with eury his fascade drops...he must be so angry that Eury called him out in public haha...ha...

Okay so, my hands are dying from typing but I totally want to finish this for the rest of the series, if you also want the second part of this please send me another ask so I can reply to it! 🙈

Good night for now :3

[charles-leclerc-official]

Hi Luci! What are your thoughts on opinions that Ferrari should be more aggressive with their development? (see: https://x.com/brakeboosted/status/1800189877675241860?t=dB1v-0fWyQZHGRgin0-4-w&s=19)

And I was also curious if Canada was just an outlier for us, if it's easy to recover from and there's nothing to really worry about fundamentally. I wasn't able to watch the race but I heard Charles' pace was good before the engine issue. I also heard Ferrari still can't warm their tyres in cooler conditions? The guy from the tweet speculated that they might not have been able to solve it yet because "the car is not allowing them to explore certain setup changes, or it doesn't really give the desired outcome."

I am going to disagree on a few fronts with Mr Brakeboosted.

First Ferrari need to be methodical about development this year. People don't like waiting, but this is the base going into 2025 and will heavily inform 2026 development. I am okay with the team taking their time.

Also Ferrari have accelerated the upgrade timeline.

I also disagree with his assessment of the warming issue. It's not as severe as it was and I think we have a good chance of seeing it vanish more with upgrades in Silverstone, the areas those are targeting are likely going to take it out on the tyres. And we have seen a step up in performance in that area.

I also will explain that there was a lot more that went into the tyre warming than the issue we saw earlier in the season this race.

I think that this had similarities to China in the sense that both tracks had just been resurfaced and that was really more of the issue rather than the more fundamental warming problem we saw earlier in the season. It may be the SF-24 is not as good on track surfaces like this, and that would explain why we saw Mclaren and Red Bull stronger and even Merc, because we saw that in China as well. I think it was a track condition thing more than anything else Because we have seen that the warming problem has been improved. For example in Monaco there was no problem at all, which means that there are ways to set up the car to get around it. And additionally removing downforce and certain other aero upgrades that will be harder on the tyres will likely change this as well.

It is my feeling that this was a one off. I don't think this race exposed anything deeply fundamental to worry about. The mixed conditions and a lot of other factors were at play with regards to the tyre issue. And Ferrari are about to become a lot more aggressive I think with the upgrade path. We have only done one set of upgrades and I do think the upgrade path has been pushed forward. And I think we will continue to see that throughout the season. It's way too early to claim they aren't being aggressive. They were certainly conservative in their approach to be the last to bring upgrades, but I think that was for the best considering we got the best understanding of the base we could.

We need to remember this is a car development season, we are doing well and ranking high in both championships but there is a lot of work to be done and a lot to be learned. Rushing will likely lead to bigger missteps than waiting. And this is a season where the stakes are crucially about the next two years as well as this year.

I expect that Ferrari will be bringing rear and front wing upgrades to help improve straight line speed to Silverstone(if I had to guess) as well as other components.

But yes, Canada was an outlier pretty much on all fronts as far as I can tell.

[alargehunkofdebris]

S3 Won't Be Like S2, and That's Not a Bad Thing

So after the absolute cheese and crackers of this second season (plus that whollup of angst at the end) many Good Omens fans will be waiting for that next level of fluff and angst come S3. Don’t blame you at all.

However.

I think, should we be fortunate and get a new season at all, we must all be prepared for the reality that S3 is not going to be like S2, and remember too that this is not a bad thing.

Middle seasons/movies/books are notoriously tough to get right. Though they function as their own story, they’re also the middle part of an overarching plot. They are, in the plotting world (if you use Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat plotting structure terminology) the “fun and games” part of the plot. You get neither the interesting introduction of all character/plot/main conflicts, nor the highest stakes/climax/resolution of the end. So it’s really hard to keep that level of interest in a season that has no solid beginning or solid end of the main plot.

However, in this particular instance, Neil Gaiman and Co. have the absolutely wonderful benefit of having two main characters that most fans are content to watch paint dry with. The characters and their dynamics are the jewels of this story. So, this second season had another function. It was a “treat” season, in a way, because it slowed everything down and really let us indulge in the little, joyful things – aka, the developing relationship of Crowley and Aziraphale. Season One gave us a lot of that, too – but a great deal of that development was added for the show. With just the book as reference, it was a very plottish story. That’s why it required a season to pull off and not just a movie. On the other hand, if you took the events of S2 and converted it to a book of the same style (aka, focused mostly on the plot and the overall cast of characters, not as much on the main two) it would be significantly shorter.

Now, back to the subject of S3. This future season will be going back to the roots of Good Omens, because a big chunk of that plotting was done back when the original book was created. The major beats have been in place since 1990. So, it would probably be a fair bet to say that there will be a lot more plot-heavy beats, with less laser-focus on the relationship. Where S1 had several plots with one major one involving Adam as the antichrist, S2 was literally a romance story with a mystery element. S3, on the other hand, will likely be a return to form, and this isn’t a bad thing whatsoever. Many will be happy about this, because while it would be lovely to have an infinite amount of time just seeing the domestic side of an angel/demon relationship, we absolutely need some gritty, high-stakes plot points to round off this massively ambitious story.

It doesn’t mean we won’t get a lot of relationship things. We need it too, considering the build up we got S2. It is the heart of the whole story. I just think that S3 will be a perfect balance of what we liked of both S1 and S2. Where some would find S2 a little lacking in speed and stakes, S3 will be faster paced with bigger conflict. Where some find S1 to spend too much time away from the main relationship, S3 will absolutely focus on this as one of the two major plots of the story (S1/the book, on the other hand, had at least 4 plotlines that we switched between somewhat equally.)  

So, when we think of S3 and theorize on its plot, we must think of it more in the context of S1/book rather than S2. We have to imagine that the major beats were figured out in the 90s, and focus on those unresolved setups we got in S2. So, we have the Book of Life, the Memory Wiping, and the Second Coming. I may also suggest the 25 Lazareth Miracle Concept, though I’d probably guess that it’s a modern Gaiman addition/enhancement with its focus on Crowley and Aziraphale’s “stronger together” theme (this theme enhancement was mostly a Gaiman addition in S1, remember, with the Ep 3 cold open and The Switch at the end). I’m still not positive whether this is going to end up being that an angel and demon working together makes the most powerful miracle (which would probably be more in-line with the original 90s plot) or if it’s specifically Crowley and Aziraphale; there would be very different plot possibilities with either. With the first, we could potentially have a return of Beelzebub and Gabrial as an Act 3 saving grace, and with the second they could literally have a “true loves kiss that saves the world” kind of thing, which I don’t think will happen (but Lord, can you imagine?)

All I know is that when a large chunk of S3’s original plot was conceived, the authors had no idea just how popular the angel and demon duo would be. It was written without that influence in mind. And I think this is a Good Thing. Because as much as we all want infinite content of Crowley and Aziraphale, there is always that danger of “too much of a good thing.” In getting only what we want, we would lose all those other parts that makes this story beloved.

Neil Gaiman said it himself, so many times. S2 is the “gentle and romantic” season. It is, in other words, the one that focussed on Crowley and Aziraphale’s relationship. He said also that he can’t guarantee the fans will even like season 3, and I don’t think that is because he’s going to do anything awful to our beloved characters. I think he’s simply being wary of fans who might take for granted that S3 will have that same level of fluff (affectionate) as S2, and this just won’t be the case. And I very much guarantee that even if we have a perfect level of relationship focus in S3, the sheer glut of it in S2 will create some disappointment and bitterness indeed.  

In short: we are absolutely, without a doubt, NOT going to get that same level of sweet, domestic relationship stuff in Season 3 as we did in S2, and we all should try to avoid throwing undue expectation (and potential bitterness) at Neil Gaiman if there’s that distinct change of pace/tone. Because it doesn’t mean we won’t get a huge amount of relationship stuff in general (we could even get more); it just means it won’t be the sole focus, and it won’t be “gentle and romantic.” There won’t be plots about trying to put on a Jane Austin ball, or trying to play matchmaker for a local couple. There are going to be much higher stakes, with a lot more stuff happening. And this isn’t a bad thing. It’s what’s needed to make a well-rounded trifecta of seasons. So be prepared, set expectations, gird your loins, have a ton of fun in the meantime, and—most importantly—pray that S3 will be renewed at all.

[shadowfaxnews]

Festive Rush Sparks Speed War: Quick Commerce & E-commerce Battle For Fastest Deliveries

SUMMARY

Same-day and next-day deliveries have grown 4–5X during peak periods, now accounting for 12–15% of total ecommerce deliveries, which is a big leap from almost zero just 18 months ago

While fast delivery services are in high demand, they come with operational challenges. One of the biggest hurdles is optimising inventory placement

As the industry stands at the precipice of super-fast deliveries, building an efficient supply chain will be the most critical element for the long-term sustainability of India’s quick delivery realm

This festive season will be all about the need for speed, as ecommerce majors have now entered the paradigm of swift deliveries (same day or next day), pivoting from their earlier timeline of 4–5 days.

Making the game of deliveries insanely difficult to play will be quick-commerce players that are expected to capture the majority of the customer base seeking instant gratification. All in all, ecommerce platforms will be seen upping the ante in staying ahead of the delivery curve and ensuring that no shopper is left craving amid the festive rush.

However, this shift in ecommerce behavior has been in the making for some time, and the trigger has been the maturity of the Indian quick delivery ecosystem, which currently drives 40% of online grocery sales.

Over the past year, ecommerce marketplaces have made significant strides in enhancing delivery speed, introducing same-day and next-day services to cater to customer demands. A vibrant example is Flipkart, which, at the start of the year, announced that it would offer same-day delivery across multiple product categories at no additional cost.

With the market at stake, Amazon followed suit, while beauty platform Nykaa and fashion site Myntra began testing same-day delivery options. Witnessing this, many D2C brands are also adapting to remain competitive.

While they may not match online marketplaces in order volume, they’re eager to offer quicker delivery options to stay competitive. A case in point is GenZ-focused fashion startup NEWME, which recently launched 90-minute delivery for its products in select Delhi NCR areas.

“Speaking with Inc42, logistics experts said that the demand for fast delivery has surged dramatically compared to last year’s festive sales. Same-day and next-day deliveries have grown 4–5X during peak periods of festive sales, now accounting for 12–15% of total ecommerce deliveries, which is a big leap from almost zero just 18 months ago.”

This surge comes as ecommerce firms like Amazon, Flipkart, and Meesho are expected to register a 20% year-on-year rise in gross merchandise value, generating sales in the range of INR 1 Lakh Cr to 1.2 Lakh Cr this festive season, according to Redseer Strategy Consultants. Quick commerce is anticipated to contribute around 8% to this overall growth.

Festive Rush Paves The Way For 5X Surge In Same-Day Delivery

Speaking with Inc42, COO of Ecom Express, Vishwachetan Nadamani, said that during the festive season, the speed of deliveries naturally improves due to increased demand, with line-haul trucks operating more frequently. However, the surge in fast delivery requests is more pronounced this year.

Therefore, the executive added that the company has rolled out same-day delivery and next-day deliveries in India’s top 10 metro cities, with the infrastructure fully established to support these services.

Meanwhile, Shadowfax’s cofounder and chief business officer, Praharsh Chandra, said that the company is well prepared to tackle the same or next-day delivery rush.

“We started focussing on fast delivery with both brands and marketplaces about a year and a half ago. Back then, the industry had 0% same-day delivery, but now 10–14% of all intra-city orders are delivered the same day,” Chandra said.”

Chandra noted that this trend is gaining momentum as we are nearing the peak sales season. “In fact, our same-day delivery channel saw five times growth in just one day, on the second day of the sales. We experienced some very high peaks,” he said.

Chandra sees a clear shift in consumer behaviour here, with more and more customers now wanting instant gratification. “Even for nearby zones, like orders from Bangalore to Mysore, which used to take two days, people now expect next-day deliveries,” he said.

The sentiment is being echoed across the industry. For instance, Zippee’s founder & CEO, Madhav Kasturia, sees registering 6–8X growth as all its partner brands continue to scale during the festive season.

Fast Delivery Fever Grips All Categories

Fast delivery demand has risen across categories this festive season. Electronics, beauty and personal care, fashion, and home goods have seen strong interest, with mobile phones being the most popular choice. Interestingly, on the first day of sales, Shadowfax delivered 15,000 iPhones.

However, the demand landscape is not solely dominated by electronics. Categories such as beauty and personal care, fashion, and home goods are also seeing high demand, with brands like Decathlon experiencing increased sales of sports goods, showing that consumers are diversifying their purchases.

“There’s demand in various categories. However, it’s crucial to focus on where the concentration of that demand is and whether brands have optimised their supply chains with warehouses in these top metros,” the Ecom Express COO said.”

So far, demand for fast delivery is highest in metro cities like Bangalore, Mumbai, and Delhi. However, this trend is not limited to urban areas. Brands are now stocking inventory in Tier II and Tier III cities like Patna, Jaipur, and Guwahati to offer faster delivery options in these regions as well.

Navigating The Complexities Of Fast Delivery

While fast delivery services are in high demand, they come with operational challenges. One of the biggest hurdles is optimising inventory placement. Quick deliveries not only require faster transportation but also strategic positioning of inventory closer to customers.

This requires maintaining fewer pin codes per dark store, which complicates logistics, Zippee’s Kasturia said, adding that the logistics startup was addressing it by establishing localised inventory hubs, enabling quicker access and more streamlined delivery routes.

Additionally, the rising demand for same-day deliveries translates to an increased need for delivery riders, resulting in escalating costs month after month. During peak seasons, the volume can increase by 4–5X, necessitating supplementary capacity through hyperlocal delivery fleets.

“Historically, logistics have a rigid model where shipments from multiple clients are picked up, sent to a central sortation centre, and then dispatched to last-mile hubs. That entire process used to take around 16 hours. But for same-day delivery, we can’t afford that kind of delay. So, we have restructured the supply chain to bypass certain nodes when possible. This is both a technology and operational shift,” Shadowfax’s Chandra said.

While same and next-day deliveries typically carry a premium — around 25% higher than express delivery — logistics startups are actively working to optimise operational costs. By increasing order volumes and refining their processes, many have reduced the cost difference to approximately 5–10% compared to regular delivery.

Now, as the industry stands at the precipice of super-fast deliveries, building an efficient supply chain will be the most critical element for the long-term sustainability of India’s quick delivery realm. Visit Website For More Details: https://www.shadowfax.in/

[bjrcrecruiting]

Top 10 Benefits of Working with a Finance Recruitment Firm

In the dynamic world of finance and accounting, securing top-tier talent is more than just filling vacancies; it's about finding professionals who can drive your business to new heights. The stakes are high, and the recruitment process can be intricate and overwhelming. However, partnering with a specialized recruitment firm can transform this challenge into a strategic advantage.

At BJRC Recruiting, we leverage our expertise and extensive network to connect businesses with exceptional finance professionals. Here are the top 10 benefits of working with a finance recruitment firm, demonstrating why this partnership is essential for your success.

1. Access to a Vast Talent Pool

One of the primary benefits of working with a finance recruitment firm is access to an extensive network of qualified candidates. Specialized firms have cultivated relationships with top finance professionals, enabling them to tap into a broad talent pool. This access is particularly valuable in a niche field like finance, where highly skilled candidates are often in high demand and low supply.

2. Industry Expertise

Finance recruitment firms specialize in the finance sector, meaning they have in-depth knowledge of industry trends, salary benchmarks, and the specific skills required for various roles. This expertise allows them to provide valuable insights and advice, ensuring that your recruitment process aligns with the latest industry standards and practices.

3. Time and Cost Efficiency

Recruiting the right talent can be a lengthy and costly process. A finance recruitment firm streamlines this process by handling everything from candidate sourcing to screening and interviewing. This efficiency not only saves time but also reduces the overall cost of recruitment by minimizing the risk of a bad hire.

4. Thorough Screening and Assessment

Recruitment firms conduct rigorous screening and assessment processes to ensure that candidates meet your specific requirements. This includes evaluating technical skills, experience, and cultural fit. By providing a shortlist of pre-vetted candidates, firms save you the hassle of sifting through countless resumes and conducting initial interviews.

5. Faster Hiring Process

In the fast-paced world of finance, filling vacancies quickly is crucial to maintaining operational continuity. Recruitment firms have the resources and networks to expedite the hiring process, often filling roles much faster than in-house recruitment teams. This speed is particularly beneficial for critical positions that require immediate attention.

6. Reduced Hiring Risk

Every hire carries a risk, but partnering with a finance recruitment firm can mitigate this risk. Recruitment firms offer guarantees on their placements, meaning that if a candidate doesn't work out within a specified period, they will find a replacement at no additional cost. This assurance provides peace of mind and protects your investment in new hires.

7. Market Insights and Salary Benchmarking

Understanding current market conditions and salary benchmarks is essential for attracting and retaining top talent. Finance recruitment firms provide valuable market insights, helping you stay competitive regarding compensation and benefits. This knowledge ensures that your offers are attractive to high-caliber candidates.

8. Confidentiality

Sometimes, businesses need to fill roles confidentially, whether for a high-profile position or a strategic new role. Recruitment firms offer the discretion required to manage sensitive recruitment processes without publicizing the vacancy, protecting your company’s interests and reputation.

9. Specialized Recruitment Strategies

Different roles require different recruitment strategies. A finance recruitment firm tailors its approach to the specific needs of each position, whether it's temporary, contract, or permanent. This customized strategy ensures you attract the right candidates for your specific needs.

10. Long-Term Partnership

Working with a finance recruitment firm like BJRC Recruiting fosters a long-term partnership that benefits your organization beyond immediate hiring needs. Firms get to know your company culture, values, and long-term goals, enabling them to consistently provide candidates who are qualified and aligned with your organizational vision.

Finding the right finance and accounting talent is critical to your company's success, but it doesn't have to be daunting. By partnering with a specialized finance recruitment firm like BJRC Recruiting, you gain access to a wealth of benefits, from industry expertise and a vast talent pool to time and cost efficiency.

Let us help you confidently and easily navigate the complexities of finance recruitment. If you have recruitment needs, contact BJRC Recruiting for a consultation and discover how we can help you find the best talent for your organization.

Know more https://bjrcrecruiting.com/2024/05/28/top-ten-finance-recruitment-firm-benefits/

[i-love-you-all]

cypher?

So much of how I see him is just to do with his role in Valorant. That, and his relationships with other people. I haven't ever really thought about him as who he is, as sad as that is. I think writing When Will My Blood Turn to Ichor was the only point where I thought about him past his job, and even then, he was very much tied to his work or his relationships with other people. I guess that and chess lol

Idk those are my overall thoughts about him. If anyone has characters they would like me to do this for, feel free to send in an ask! Hope you enjoy :))

5 things they usually see:

Screens. So many of them too. Whether it's a security feed, his own phone, a laptop screen, his actual eyes (which I see as a screen or some sort of display - I mean... they look like fly eyes up close)

Checkered, wooden squares of a chessboard and the finely kept pieces that get placed on the board.

Blueprints, pictures, and the notes he makes for himself. (Physical is best sometimes when it comes to secrets and the not so secret like his little to do list Brimstone assigns him)

Fluorescent lights above his head as he does all his monitoring. This includes the cold wash of light they give everything around him.

Kingdom logos. They're hard to avoid when they're on every window, building, and even the weapons they use. And each time he sees the 'K', he's reminded of how his home is being torn apart for some radianite.

4 things they usually feel:

The steady motion of his tripwire as he spins one around his fingers as he's lost in thought.

The sleek feel of his Ghost. Sometimes it's in his hand, but oftentimes, it's along his chest, easily reached yet out of sight.

The slight resistance of his keyboard as he flies through the web. His typing speed is particularly useful when it comes to the paperwork that comes with his position.

The warm noon heat of a Moroccan sun. Depending on the time of year or where exactly he is, this is sometimes accompanied by the rising humidity of moisture meeting the same temperatures.

3 things they usually hear:

The faint humming of machinery all around him at all hours of the day. Whether it's the clicking of his suit, the clacking of his keyboard, or the buzz of a security feed, he's constantly reminded of what he surrounds himself with.

The voices of all the agents around the base. After all, it is his job to keep track of them. More than once, he's heard something he wishes he didn't (things that are terrifying, disgusting, and embarrassing)

The high pitched laughter of a child. When he desperately looks around for the source, he realizes it was all just a dream. One he still needs to work to attain. (and if he gets there, will it be in time or will he have sacrificed so much that he loses his chance at fulfilling the dream, so by doing his job to secure the future, he ends it?)

2 things they usually smell:

Stale air that hangs around in his office like a slow alarm reminding him that there is life outside his walls and door.

Sweet jasmine candles that he'll light when he's in his room (on the rare occasions he sleeps there). A small reminder of his home. Sometimes, when he smells it in combination with something else, often random and unpredictable, it unlocks memories. Of Nora holding his hand as they walk a long a dim street, of street vendors who shout out to those who pass by, of a room in which he saw someone... Blood was never really meant to smell that sweet.

1 thing they usually taste:

A good green tea with mint, freshly brewed, or just prepared. The sharpness along with the general earthiness of the drink grounds him to what is at stake: his home, and by extension, his family. Refreshing :))

[charlesandmartine]

Thursday 25th April 2024

I think we were up before the animals this morning when an over vigilant ranger tapped on our door at 5.30am. If fact we were up before the sun too which was reflected in the outside temperature. As soon as we hit the trail in the Toyota, things began to improve and the morning sunrise was glorious. Impala were up of course. I don't expect they sleep much since they have breakfast tattooed across their forehead. Breakfast that is for most other animals out there. Their main line of defence is to move around in large groups reducing the odds of being eaten somewhat, but of course the old, frail and sleepy will have reduced odds entirely. The dominant male has even more to worry about. There's always a challenger. In fact he may only hang onto the gold sticker for one day before another male sees himself as top dog. The stakes are high but so are the prizes. He gets the pick of all those women and with childbirth occurring in November onwards with a six month gestation, about now he has a great deal to do!

The radio squawked and Bella our ranger said hold on tight, we need to shift. And so it was that this Toyota was reaching unimagined speeds 2 wheel, 4 wheel drive along the deep sandy tracks. We came eventually to a bit of a clearing to meet another Toyota and two nursing lionesses; one with three male cubs which were likely a few months old and another with a tiny cub probably just a matter of weeks old. Male cubs are not as desirable as female of course since one dominate male will perform the necessary task whilst the female will propagate the species. The air hung heavy with a recent kill.

The saddest image was of a dead elephant lying where he fell, by a well trodden path close to the river. He would have been an excluded old male. Elephants have six sets of teeth which are worn and replaced throughout their life. When the last set are gone, with no more replacements available, they die of starvation, as this one most likely did.

Also on the viewing list this morning was a brown snake eagle and a yellow billed stork.

Chobe is a national park and so our lodge is one of many. However, because it's a national park there is no fence and the animals roam as they should. Not only in Botswana, but we saw elephant moving across national borders yesterday moving from Namibia and into Botswana.

We were back at the lodge by 9 and were able to tuck into a huge carnivore breakfast before taking to the boat at eleven.

Bella drove an entirely electric boat up and down the Chobe River whilst we chatted to the 2 Americans and one Australian and animals such as Trump were discussed at length. The temperature is telephone number territory so most respectable animals were having a bit of a quiet time indoors. However, elephants and baboons can be relied upon to keep the party going. Crocodiles are party animals too, although they kept pretending to slip down into the water where they could cool off. Baboons when not nitpicking sit and sip the water; one with child needed to be extra vigilant not to drown the clinging child beneath her when dipping her head into the water. We were returned to the lodge after an hour and a half on the water in time for lunch! It's a hard life. We said no, we will just have a drink of water, but before long found ourselves tucking into a plate of cold beef and salad.

We were allowed a brief time off before high tea and then the 3.30 safari.

Bella our ranger rounded us up and shoved us into the Toyota ready for the three hour safari. I said to her, now come on Bella, be honest, when did you last seen a leopard? She was quiet for a moment and muttered, about two weeks ago. Well I said, I really want to see one, it's the only one of the big five I haven't seen. Well off we went, we looked under every bush, up every tree, do you think we could find one, NO. Bella said she thought she saw a tail. Big disappointment I can tell you. We did see the usual bunch of elephants, a bent giraffe, Kori Bustard, a large wart hog and several hundred impala. No leopard. We did however stop for a sundowner; a gin and tonic washing down a bag of biltong. Very sophisticated. Well to be honest it was only me and the American ladies that had the biltong. Then came the magnificent sunset and back to base just in time for 6.30 pm. Apparently the rangers turn back into Cinderella if you miss this deadline and they get fined by the national park.

Tomorrow we have one opportunity from sunrise to see the leopard, then Trailfinders shall scoop us up and take us to Victoria Falls.

[thequietmanno1]

TheLreads, Vigilantes ch 97, Replies Part 1

1) “Now it is time to return to our headache, it’s a vigilantes chapter! We’re about to the see the humiliation of tensei (I fucking love tensei) by the hands of Koichi. Let us see how many seconds this high-speed chase will take, on Chapter 97: Pursuers”- About 10, if we’re not counting the failed talk-down attempt Tensei made which took longer than the actual pursuit.

2) “And look at that, it’s the emissary of hell himself. Alright Koichi, you don’t even know what’s coming your way, but trust me, you’re not gonna like it”- Not even just dealing with the usually-competent Tensei, it seems Koichi’s also gotta deal with most of the top pros out hunting him, hamstrung as they may be by Furuhashi’s writing.

3) “Ok… This is not the neighborhood, because everyone in there knows Koichi vigilante name, but this imply that he’s well-known enough outside of Naruhata? Right. I hope I’m merely misinterpretating this.”- Koichi’s fame appears to have been spreading by his more visible acts of do-gooding, but that’s also the same reason he’s being chased right now, having gained a rep for both good and bad reasons. I guess we could have seen more of this in prior chapters if the series had lasted longer.

4) “Dammit Koichi, pay attention, we don’t want to add vehicular manslaughter to your criminal record.”- ….does Koichi himself now count as a high-speed vehicle when he’s in motion? Like, he could always compete with them, but would a collision still be filed under “bodily harm” if he ran over somebody?

5) “THERE IS OUR MAN, THE LEGEND, THE ENGINE

TENSEI

AND HE’S ALREADY BEING A NARC TELLING KOICHI TO SLOW DOWN, BASTARD WANTS TO GIVE HIM A TICKET”- Koichi’s casually broken more speeding laws than hero laws, and now it’s all catching up to him….literally.

6) “Now Tensei, although I fucking love you, I have a feeling that Koichi does not feel the same to trust you. You know, it’s not like there was almost three years of story to show you two being friends and bonding while jogging to justify this

but then again, nothing important happened on that timeskip”- I’m starting to feel like the words “three-year timeskip” will become your version of the “Bat credit Card” skit whenever somebody brings it up….so I hope your sister continues to mention it at every opportunity

7) “And Koichi of course doesn’t trust him, because being honest, why should him? From what we know they met like, twice, this has all the emotional impact of two acquaintances by name meeting after three years.”- I appreciate Koichi having the brains to not immediately turn himself in to the official heroes, but still not casting off his goodwill with them by continuing to flee, instead taking on a third choice of using the truck to maintain his escape velocity whilst also letting him have a conversation with Tensei and letting him argue his case. Even if it was a doomed attempt, Koichi isn’t as Pro-vigilante as Soga, Knuckles and the others (ironically) and does want to believe in and trust the official heroes. It’s just that this time, the stakes are too high and personal for him to take that chance, so however reluctantly, he’s gotta break the law to keep their illegal operation running until Pop’s safety is secured. 8) “Don’t even waste saliva Tensei, he won’t stop, the fact you allowed him to roam free for those last three years don’t necessarily mean much much considering that every single hero in town also never batted an eye to him, even though he technically is famous.”-  Everybody being willing to let Koichi “play hero” does make them mighty hypocritical now the situation’s turned dire enough they need to step in and preform actual hero work in his stead. In that respect, Fires Georg actually kept the correct attitude up towards Koichi the entire time. 9) “Can you, Tensei? Can you really? Because I wonder for how long you would be able to.

Here’s the thing, why don’t you prove you’re capable of by catching Koichi first? If you can’t catch a single measly Vigilante, what shot you have of protecting Pop from a villain?”-  Koichi’s rise in competency against (furuhashi-nerfed) heroes does unfortunately highlight Soga’s point about how their group is needed on this operation, because if the heroes aren’t capable of stopping Koichi, then Nomura will easily penetrate their defences – and the fact that there’s multiple heroes in play hero only increases his chances, because we’ve seen how expertly he infiltrated that big hero operation against Bee Pop.

10) “Yeah see, this was a good reason for not trusting the cops and the heroes but it pains me to have to swallow the fact it’s once again Soga being the voice of reason.”- At this point, what’s one more pain to the list? Might as well grin and bear it, cause we sure aren’t getting a sudden switch over to Bakugo being Koichi’s helper, funny as that would have been. 11) “Also, he probably could’ve already done that if he wanted, I think he’s planning something. That’s the only explanation for him not going up a building and then legging it the opposite way since you can’t do sharp turns easily.”- Since a lot of heroes, especially pros, tend to use Ariel support or parkouring around the city rooftops to get around whilst on patrol, Koichi going up high only makes him a visible target and puts him in their preferred hunting grounds, as shown by both Edgeshot and best Jeanist, whose ability let them semi-spiderman their way around. Sticking to the dark streets lets Koichi move quickly and mostly undetected, but with Tensei covering the ground he’s forced to go high or order to avoid the net.

12) “Huh, guys, a net? He can jump over it

and even if that fucking creppy-ass girl tries I doubt she’s fast enough to catch him 

what is going on”- Tensei and his sidekicks are cutting off Koichi’s avenues on escape on the gorund whilst letting other, more mid-air capable heroes monitor the area from above in case Koichi tries to go vertical as an escape. Demonstrating teamwork and trust even between different groups of heroes, just like a proper Pro should.

13) “And there he goes… Yeah, I knew that would be the case, they didn’t even stood a chance

Really, no air support to intercept him even though everyone by now knows he can jumps around and is just a minute away from actually being able to fly. I retract my statement Tensei, turns out you are an idiot.”- Tensei’s group is highly-skilled at cooperating in large-scale operations on a level ground floor, but we’ve not really seen many of them that can fly well, if at all. In which case, Tensei’s ok with allowing other pros who have skills that cover that gap to step in to subdue Koichi if words or force won’t convince him to submit. It’s honestly not that different from the kinda tactics Izuku’s pulled off with 1A and their varied abilities before, showing how success requires more than one superhero who’s capable of covering all possible types of situation. 14) “TENSEI PLEASE DID YOU SERIOUSLY CAME ALL THIS WAY TO CATCH HIM AND YOU DIDN’T EVEN BOTHERED TO GET SOME INTEL ON WHAT HE CAN DO NOW?

HE WAS INVOLVED IN THE SKY EGG AND FIRES GEORG RAMPAGE, THE HEROES SHOULD HAVE KNOW WHAT HE CAN DO ALSO, WHO ELSE DID YOU RECRUIT FOR THIS”- The heroes did know what Koichi can do. That’s why Tensei outsourced some extra help this time around….

@thelreads

[shadowredfeline]

Two in One Post

Response to my P-Pal

Well I do know Turok is for the Nintendo 64, but what I did hear is that they rereleased their three Turok games on Modern Consoles. Just only 1, 2 and 3. Like it's on Steam, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch. But maybe you can check out the 3 Turok games on Steam once your computer has a brand new GPU installed. And also I have played Dino Crisis before and so did my dad. I own the first one since that's what I wanted to start with. And it's one of the only 1999 PS1 titles I play alongside Gran Turismo 2, Pac-Man World, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, Medal of Honor, Crash Team Racing, Silent Hill, Spyro 2 Ripto's Rage, Pepsiman, Gex 3, Need for Speed High Stakes, Resident Evil 3 Nemesis, and Bugs Bunny Lost in Time. Also I downloaded Dino Crisis on the PlayStation Store which I still have on my Vita since I don't have my PlayStation 3 anymore and wanting to get another one or if I have enough money, I can get another PlayStation Plus Premium when I have enough money.

And for my A-Pal's On this Day Post

I do enjoy Smash Bros Ultimate too. Since I got that game for Christmas around 2018 and I do enjoy the story and the game itself. I have played online with Smash Bros a lot. But not too much because I don't want to get myself overpowered with my temper. Because normally with Mario Kart, I always like to do it in Simpsons Hit and Run Style and that's how I don't rage in Mario Kart. And also for Smash Bros, since we have all the Characters, it would be nice for Nintendo to start an RPG where our players get to use Cards when you use characters like Spirits. But it stinks that Smash Bros can't make trophies anymore because I really love the Trophies. But with Spirits, it kinda reminds me of using cards like trading cards. That's the reason why I was thinking I came with Kingdom Smash because it's a mix between Smash Bros and Kingdom Hearts, and also other Square Enix titles. That's what I thought if Nintendo were to collaborate with Square Enix again since I know they already remastered Super Mario RPG which I'm so glad they did. Because it makes a whole lot easier then just putting it on Nintendo Switch Online for Super Nintendo.

[fireh0es]

ok so post episode reflection time. i wanted to like the episode but it just wasn't as memorable as other finales, which is weird for me because it was meant to be the 'last' before the move to ABC happened. this episode felt bungled, let me go into why.

1.) okay so this sounds weird to complain about but that bridge collapse sucked. nobody was in true peril, there never felt like there was stakes honestly other than brief scenes with hen and chim. i wanted there to be a serious injury, i cannot lie. i'm tired of the 118 being fine after these things and just bouncing back like nothing happened. it's too episodic, if that's the word. things aren't lasting

2.) speaking of no stakes, bobby was heavily implied to be hurt. he was not. all we hear is that he hurt his shoulder and needs scans. chim was completely harmlessly impaled pretty much, just walk it off. that whole thing was traumatic in many ways and bobby and chim should not have been so scot-free in an episode that required high stakes

3.) chimney had gloves on and wasn't wearing The Ring of Power. -1000 points from Gryffindor for that one babes sorry

4.) i'm not super against buck/natalia as a couple but it felt weirdly rushed because she came in literally last minute for the birth then started dating buck. maybe it's just because i wanted her to show up at lucy's doorstep because i'm a garbage eating goblin with no self control

5.) the eddie/marisol thing. i really really really wanted to hold out hope that she would defy the trope of 'firefighter gets the girl after saving the day'. i genuinely thought she'd be involved in this 'mass casualty accident' that was over in like ten minutes. seriously wtf was this bridge collapse??? where is the drama, i can't see it???

6.) what in the world was that meditation scene? why did we time skip so far ahead that the flashbacks seem like flash forwards??? what is going on with this pacing it's like being dragged behind a truck with a drunk driver at the wheel

7.) the fucking speed they tore through every plot line this episode was unreal. the bridge collapse served us a nothing sandwich in ten minutes flat, the 118 checked in and checked out of the hospital before i could blink. the relationships were slammed in in such short fast scenes they felt forced and sudden. they did the time warp and blew through weeks of development and the birth of a baby that honestly happened so fast idk how much time went by between that and the cute little bwidge cowapse. seriously the pacing sucked, really girl give us nothing

8.) the episode was pretty much only saved by the cast. i cannot describe how disappointed i felt about this finale. despite amazing work from the actors, things flew by too fast, the tone was all wrong from a directorial and production standpoint, relationships felt mishandled. like i'm sorry, henren are going to have another baby in the house and we get... a hug? a time skip and a h u g??? buck has this super moving scene getting to see the life he gave to his friends to nurture and is able to let go and does the time warp into a new relationship, eddie is pressured by chris to call marisol, who didn't even appear until the last 2 minutes (??????????) now they're going on. a date??? bobby is totally fine after being pinned in a metal bin by an suv and an ambulance and a bunch of concrete because apparently bobby has fucking adamantium bones and has +100 resistance to crush damage. like literally i'm not even a little nervous when bobby gets pancaked because he's literally that cartoon character that pops up from being flattened like 'i'm ok!' *insert clown silly noises* where is the writing, sis? where?????

9.) where was the wedding? we get a rooftop meditation flashback/flash forward thing with weird thoughts from all the characters but not the fucking madney wedding???? i wanted to see chim barely survive that bridge collapse and have the viewers thinking he was going to perish before seeing him at the parish in a boyle style butt cast or something marrying maddie because literally being strapped to a flaming gurney wouldn't stop him. instead chim is magically fine and there isn't a wedding. i'm going to eat glass

10.) lucy: i have a sprained ankle *gets in a helicopter and flies out of the series* WOULD YOU LET THE FEMALE FIREFIGHTERS STICK AROUND AND DO THEIR JOBS PLEASE??

god it was just so unsatisfying. imagine if the tsunami episodes plot was over in 10 minutes with no stakes at all. like really?? idk what it is but the stakes in this season have literally never been lower. the earlier seasons had me INVOLVED in the emergencies. things have gotten so goofy lately. most emergencies are comedic and unserious, the writing isn't taking the characters as seriously as their actors, it feels like one of those happy AU fanfics that I just struggle through reading because you know it's going to be saccharine and there's nothing that's going to happen that's gripping which you would expect in a drama series.

[feltpool]

Pattern forming

We essentially get one less episode this season than last time since S1 E1 was a double length episode.

So if we ignore Cut and Run in this comparison, because it predominantly dealt with scene setting which doesn’t need its own episode this time around - the Batch’s predicament, that they knew Cut and Suu but pretty much no one else, the chain codes being implemented, Hunter trying to ditch Omega at the first available opportunity, Wrecker’s head banging Rex-ness, and several other details which can be accommodated elsewhere if and when they’re necessary to bring up again.

So if we have Aftermath (double length) vs Spoils of War and Ruins of War they both stand as a double length intro to their respective season.

Both Ep 3′s, Replacements and The Solitary Clone, caught us up with what Crosshair was up to.

Ep 4′s, Cornered and Faster, both heavily relied on the high speed, high stakes chase/race where losing would have cost someone their freedom.

So... since Rampage was the episode with Muchi and the Zygerrian slavers, will Entombed be about the Batch getting trapped/captured and having to subdue/outwit a creature in order to win the day?*

And if so, just how much of the rest of the season can we roughly predict the contents of? Because it could well be all of it.

And I'm not really sure how I feel about that.

.

*Maybe somewhere between Indiana Jones and the Lost Arc’s ‘trapped in a tomb and having to find a way out without everything collapsing on them’, with bonus points if they specifically reference 'The Honourable Ones' which previously did IJ&tLA’s ‘trapped underground with a dwindling heat/light source and needing to climb big pillars to escape from creatures’.

And Clone Cadets - having to work together properly for a change, to share ideas by actually talking to each other instead of only doing what Hunter tells them to. To get creative and find an alternative way to succeed.