Opm two step rule

Hi.
So after a few years of thinking about it, I've made a massive, knockout-style tournament to determine my personal favourite TMG songs and discover some new stuff along the way. The idea was that I'd have a giant group stage, move the best songs from there into a knockout bracket, and whittle it down to the very best song. I've been working on it for a couple of months, and thought some of y'all might appreciate it!
Step one was making a massive list of every Mountain Goats song I could possibly find where there seemed to be a recording - while I think it's inevitable that I've missed a couple, I've been as thorough as possible, including all the unreleased songs, covers that were released on albums, little twitter soundbites, as well as all of the music John's released as part of other projects from The Extra Glenns to The Bloody Hawaiians (who are terrible and only tangentially related). I have a list of all his songs broken down by category/album here and a pure list of songs here.
Next I randomized all of the songs and put them into 170 groups. The vast majority are groups of 5 with 3 songs moving on, but to make the numbers work some groups only have 4 songs and two groups have 4 out of 5 moving on, which gets us to the magic number of 512 that can enter a group stage (512->256->128->64->32->16->8->4->2->1). I'm working my way through those groups slowly, but (as you can imagine) it's a MASSIVE project and I won't finish anytime soon. Maybe ever.
BUT I figured that if anyone was interested, it would be you people! If you're interested in running through your own bracket, you can obviously make one and modify it to your needs and what you think counts as a TMG song, or you can follow this blank template in the same order that I've been using. If you're curious, my version is here.
Hope you're having a good day! :))

I've been working on a way of analysing a page of text stored in image format (a PNG file) to try and break the text up into normal text, separated text, mathematical equations and things that are just diagrams. I post it here so that hopefully I might get some feedback. I wasn't sure whether to post this here or in javascript but the latter seemed to be more for more complete polished projects and this is neither.
I am by no means an expert in Javascript. My language of choice has been in Python but there was no good way of getting visual feedback quickly and easily as to how well my algorithm was working.
At the moment the whole thing is experimental and more of a proof of concept. In the future I am hoping it will be able to analyse uploaded PDFs and convert them to a combination of paragraph text (possibly using something like Tesseract) and for the mathematical equations to AsciiMath or Latex using something like MathPix. Then I would be able to pass it into some kind of text to speech engine.
I am still at the preliminary stages but a working demo is on https://jsdemo.kiwiheretic.xyz/
Source code is accessible from there but is also on https://github.com/kiwiheretic/textextract
Someone, after viewing an earlier version of my project, suggested that Tesseract should already do this. However, as far as I can tell, Tesseract only gives the location of decipherable text on the page and not things like diagrams.
It was written initially in Python but I converted it to Javascript because it was far easier to debug visually with Chrome developer tools. As a side benefit it also seems to run much faster. It's not particularly optimised so I am sure it could even go much faster.
The process of boxing the characters and rows of text but is probably grossly inefficient but the basic idea is as follows:

• Pixel data is converted into horizontal line segments by the data_to_raster function. The line segments being stored in an array of the format [y, [x1, x2], [x3, x4]. [x5,x6].... ] where y is the height offset of that particular image pixel row and data like [x1,x2] says that all the pixels from x1 to x2 are coloured in.
• Then find_boxes attempts to reread that array and turn it into boxes containing individual characters. It returns an array of arrays where the inner array takes the form [x1, y1, x2, y2] which describe the bounding box for the character inside. I initially thought it should try and find glyphs (character shapes) by working out how the individual dots were connected to make up a character. However this doesn't apply for the small letter "i" which contains a small dot at the top, for example. Therefore what I opted for in the head is that that a given character is anything that overlaps with its horizontal space. This does render the occasional false positives (like on the first line of the demo where "Ch" are wrongly guessed as one character) but doesn't seem to cause any real problems.
• The get_row_sorted function, which is rather badly named, is to sort the boxes of the characters in the array to the order that they would appear in the page from left to right.
• The stepBoxes.step function is then used to pull all the characters out of a two dimensional array (called rowData) where the major index refers to which "line" the characters are onand the minor index is the position of that character on the line. Then I try to do some crude statistical analysis on the median and upper quartile spacing on the spacing between characters in order to further break up a row into independent segments. (You can see this in the demo on the first line and also with many of the lines containing mathematical equations.) This method is pretty crude and there is probably a better way of doing this. This whole function runs on a timer callback for the purpose of running it slower to make it easier to see what is happening in practice.

This code is by no means work of art. It needs to be refactored. I am just not 100% sure yet where that refactoring should occur. Certainly it could be made more Dry. The code could contain Javascript generators instead of loops in some places. However I think there are also places where it is unavoidable to run through an array or list twice. For instance in computing the median spacing between characters which also requires a sort. I probably also need to do the same thing for the text rows in order to identify where the paragraphs are.
Anyway, constructive criticism and advice are welcomed.
Thanks

So I came out of a manic delusional episode like a couple weeks ago and am now seeing a therapist who said that until I officially get diagnosed, they'd be treating me as if I had bipolar. I don't know how to feel and I don't know how to deal with the fallout of the episode, as I also experienced some hallucinations/psychosis symptoms that have significantly alienated me from peopl in my life especially family.
I'm staying with my dad now but feel really icky about everything because during the episode, my actions caused some trauma in the lives of those two and I don't know how to make amends in an appropriate way because I don't want to use the pending diagnosis as an excuse and also I don't think that me attempting to make amends will help them in the long run so I will just take a step back and let them decide how they want to handle it. Honestly my sense of identity seemed so sure during the episode but now that it's over and I'm looking at the carnage and the therapist said it was likely bipolar I don't really know who I am or what kind of person I am anymore.
I was sometimes curious about the possibility of a mood disorder when I was in high school but having a professional tell me it's likely feels like a whole nother story, as well as seeing the carnage unfold. I've never really done anything like this before - stealing my housemates things because I was sure they were secretly mine/sure that that housemate had it out for me and had done terrible things to me with no evidence. A lot of thieving and having angry, screaming outbursts in the streets over perceived slights as well as having some sort of delusion that that would solve world crises.
I was convinced that everything I was doing was for some perceived righteous cause and that everyone pushing against me were trying to silence me as some sort of conspiracy. I got banned from my old college campus and sent to a therapists office, but then I just took my umpulsive crime spree elsewhere and got arrested twice - one for setting a fire on the highway, and one for setting onein the rental property of my front yard. It sounds ridiculous now but at the time it made sense.
Honestly, I don't know what to do with my life. I completely blew everything up and I know it's my fault but I can't fathom for the life of me what the fuck came over me. Where does the sickness (if it's bipolar) end and I begin? How do I bounce back from the consequences? I'm embarassed and ashamed and every morning I wake up and feel depressed and anxious over all this stuff. As I should, I guess. It feels like a righteous karmic principle that I should be in this situation after my actions, especially considering that my former housemate may end up having trust issues over the stealing and privacy invading. The othr side is that I don't want to feed into stigma against bipolar people when/if tht's the diagnosis that comes up? I just don't know how to feel about all this honestly.

Started as Stannis. Had a son. Son quickly lucked into inheriting the seven kingdoms. Dissolution war. Realm shattered. No matter. Through multiple generations of marriage and murder, I unite the stormlands, the reach, and my own small kingdom in the crownlands. Now I am the most powerful empire again. Dissolution war. Realm shattered. No matter. Now I'm getting the hang of things. Through multiple generations of marriage and murder, I'm the heir to the Vale and married to the Queen of the Rock, the two largest kingdoms left standing, and I'm working on having a son to marry to the heir to the iron islands. Not only that, but I've obtained a consecrated bloodline and I've learned to keep my vassals happy to prevent a dissolution war by giving all of my titles to my shady aunt. Soon, I will again rule the world.
Choke on duckbone at 25. All relationships with all major kingdoms dead instantly. Shady aunt (who may have murdered me?) is my new player character.

Hi,
I'm looking for a software or way (e.g. MS Forms) to visualize simple geometries based on parameters. E.g. I type in length of hypotenuse and two angles and get a picture of a triangle with the according lengths. It should be as idiot proof as possible, so that only the required values can and need to be put it.
As it needs to be available without requiring expensive licenses (and due often being to complicated for user who are not using it regularly) I have to rule out CAD software.

****WARNING****
***
Body Horror, bugs, death, gore. Attempted horror.
By my own standards, this is fairly tame, your mileage may vary, content advisory.
***
Captain Van’tu, the Garaboosian commander of the Alliance of Free Stars light scout cruiser Mandrake, frowned, in the way of his species, and gestured with a lower lefthand at his human science officer to continue.
The woman turned back to her console, to peer into the hood of her ‘scope and minutely adjust a control.
“The ship is an old Terran Alliance Explorer class, the TAN Nebula Star. She was reported overdue for resupply a little over a hundred years ago, exact details are spotty as the station she was supposed to report to was destroyed in the Terran civil war. By modern standards she was little more than a heavy cruiser with an oversized jumpcore, and limited weaponry. The Terran Alliance Navy was very much focused on exploration and first contact, and several of their vessels vanished without trace only to show up decades later in pirate hands. However, this does not seem to be the case with the Nebula Star…”
The image on the holotable was mute testimony to this information. The old starship, much more massive than the Mandrake, but significantly less well equipped, looked derelict. Several holes gaped in her once-pristene white hull, the smooth lines marred and crooked, and the jumpcore bulb near the stern showed a terrible, blasted crater, black with soot and melted steel.
Captain Van’tu scrolled the smooth wheel of the holo controls, swivelling the image and zooming into the damage.
“What do we think of this, Sasha, that looks like an internal explosion, not battle damage.”
“Yes Captain.” Sasha, the science officer, agreed. She manipulated a pad on her side of the console. Several sidebars lit up. “Here, here and here. Chemical signatures we’ve picked up in the dustcloud around the wreck, and the blast pattern, indicates a high yield chemical explosive was utilised, we would need to get a scan from inside the wreckage to be certain, but I think I can confidently say this was caused by a c4 package commonly kept as part of ship inventories of that era. We carry a similar type of explosive even now, it has uses in a number of emergency protocols.”
The captain nodded. “I’m familiar with Human paranoia, ‘better to have and not need than need and not have’, which is why I learned to carry a backpack heavier than myself at the academy.” He smiled at the woman, who grinned back in that wolfish human fashion.
Commanding a Terran vessel as part of the Alliance Navy was a high honour for a non-Terran, and he’d earned it the hard way, he’d actually completed his officer training on Earth itself, heavy gravity, lethal flora, fauna, and practical jokes be damned, he’d always dreamed of command, and he had never planned to settle for anything less than the best ships of the fleet.
Somehow his determination to ‘make it’ had actually impressed his trainers and teachers, and earned him the interest of a senior Admiral, which explained his current command. And he was no ticket-puncher, his crew was, in his opinion, the best in the fleet, and if his ship was small, he was so proud of her, some days he could almost burst his hearts from it. She was his first, and with luck, not his last, and while scouting duty following pre-war exploration routes was far from glamorous, it was essential work for the Alliance, following up first contacts, reopening lost trade routes, and, now and then, coming across relics, and giving closure to the descendants of those vanished vessels.
“Alright. She looks cold, and her reactor is dead, but we don’t know what happened to her, she could have run afoul of pirates, or been captured and misused for decades, or been left boobytrapped, so pack up a SAR shuttle, and give them a leader drone, they don’t enter unless the drone clears the way in.”
“Aye aye Captain, I’ll get them on their way. Sidearms?”
“Yyy…esss. Yes. And overarmour. If someone’s left any surprises, it will help.”
Sasha turned and walked off, already tapping her communicator to summon the personnel she’d be sending.
He frowned again, looking into the depths of the hologram. Something was bothering him, the same sensation he’d felt while visiting a zoo on Earth. Humans around him grinning, nodding to one another, and the confirmation of his worry came as a boom of hundreds of pounds of apex feline carnivore crashing against the high density crystal he’d been standing with his back to…
Something was creeping up on them, he could feel it.
***
The shuttle launched from the brightly lit boatbay of the Mandrake, arcing smoothly through the glittering blackness towards the cruelly murdered starship. In front of it zipped the mote of the drone, its scanners and sensors slaved to the shuttle, giving the drone specialist on board an instant feed to all his senses, feeling, experiencing everything the drone saw.
It zipped around the gaping hole where the jumpdrive had once been housed, then around in a helical pattern, scanning every micron of the lost ships hull, mapping it in complete three dimensional perfection, then tracking towards the boatbay. Inside, two, much older, versions of the Mandrakes shuttle rested, crooked against their davits, the bay airlock doors lying open.
The drone slowly crept inside the dark corridor as the shuttle followed it in, nestling into an empty davit. Power hookups, identical after a century thanks to long ago agreed standardisation, marry up, pogo pins compressed and energized, drawing trickle power from the shuttle to latch securely.
The crew debark, except the probe operator who remained strapped in his jumpseat, guiding the drone deeper into the derelict.
Suited figures follow its path, jumping from the shuttle hatch to the airlock. They don’t bother trying to seal it, it had been lying open for a century, there was no air left within to preserve. The drone met a cross passage, and moved right, headed towards the bridge, following schematics downloaded from Mandrake’s computer. The scout crew followed, alert, and making note of damage to bulkheads, the carpets that once covered the floors looking torn, dark stains telling a worrying story.
The probe entered the bridge of the Nebula Star and paused. The LIDAR scanner illuminated the space in a slow pass of green laser light, left to right and back again. The chamber was empty, save the various consoles and chairs the crew would have used, and the lone figure of the Captain, in his central command chair.
To Captain Van’tu, observing the time delayed remote feed on his own bridge, it was remarkable just how similar the darkened derelict wreck was to his own vessel, down to the arrangement of bridge consoles and type of carpeting used. He’d read, in one of his intro to ship design classes, that Terran bridge layout owed much to speculative fiction of pre-spaceflight eras, and a lot of experimental wet-navy designs.
He'd brought it up once with his chief of engineering, who had responded with a ridiculous approximation of a Scottish accent, “Aye laddie, we Terrans owe an awfy lot tae an auld lass called the Enterprise!” and laughed, continuing his explanation in his more natural German accented standardised Terran. Van’tu had spent several informative evenings with his console, soaking up ancient Terran entertainment as a result.
The drone circled the bridge, slowly, keeping its thruster exhaust well clear of the mummified body in the central chair, making its way to the science console. A small arm popped out and slotted into the consoles data port.
Several lights flickered on the antique panel, the probe powering up the cold circuits to read the datalogs, then around the room, dim red lights came to life, as more of the bridge woke up. Through the hull itself, a faint whine transmitted, the probes oversized fusion battery providing enough current to trigger the startup of a backup generator below the bridge.
The scouting party stepped in, peering around. One, her grey skinsuit marked with a red stripe down the arms, moves across to the captain, a medical scanner in her hand.
“I’m reading significant trauma throughout the corpse, but remarkable preservation as well. Life support must have been glitching badly for a long time after… Wait…” She smacked the side of the scanner, then passed it back across the corpse. “Scanner keeps picking up my own heartbeat, trying to tell me this guys still alive, fucking thing.” She put it away in the side pocket of her suit and pulled out a smaller device. “I kept my old one, should be good enough to… Fuck me sideways…”
“Maybe later Carol, what’s the script?” A green stripe on the party leader’s arm. He was looking around, feeling… itchy, between his shoulder blades. Something wasn’t right, and not just the dead ship. He’d been lead on two other derelict searches, and they never went like this. Accidents happened, people died, usually horribly, and you always found, well, bodies. Whole or otherwise. Yet, aside from the clearly traumatic bloodstains on the floors, soaked long before the artificial gravity had failed, this ship hadn’t shown them a single body, nothing, not even fragments.
Not only that but he could swear he’d seen movements. No-one else had, but he also knew that his reflexes tested significantly higher than average, he was seeing something the others were simply not noticing.
Carol stepped away from the corpse.
“My old scanner says this guy’s alive Mark. Heartbeat, brain activity, oxygenated blood. He’s not breathing and he’s a fucking corpse, but both my scanners say he’s gooey in the middle. And I’ll be honest I don’t want to be here, send probes back across on AI control and let them explore, this is too freaky. I know you’ve been seeing shit, well, I’ve been picking up weirdness all along, and this is too much. We should leave!”
Mark bit back a curse. He agreed, but he was also supposed to be a professional, and as the leader of the scout team who first boarded the derelict, he’d have been slated for command of the ‘prize crew’ to bring her home. At the same time, he was holding back a growing uneasiness, his other two team members were shuffling nervously, and Carol was on the edge of panic.
“Alright, we head back to the shuttle and leave the probe to grab the logs. Something’s weird here, might be the atmosphere on this thing, I admit it’s spooky, but we all know I see weird bugs and things other folk miss, and Carol, you’ve had that personal scanner since high school, if it’s saying something weird, something weird is going on. If Captain… Morrison, is still alive after a century in vacuum, he can keep a few more hours until the AI probes can collect him. We’re not equipped for medical evac anyway.”
They stepped back through the hatchway, leaving the probe to its work. Emergency lighting flickered into life, adding a lurid red glare to the tableaux, Mark, last to leave, sharply snapping his head back around as something… He was reminded of a time as a child, he’d turned over a log in his parents’ yard, and hundreds of inch-long centipedes had scurried in panicked circles to escape the sudden glare of sunlight.
Nothing moved, aside from the slow pulsing of rebooting computers.
He followed his people towards the shuttle.
One by one, they made the leap back to the shuttle davit, and boarded, cycling back aboard, and taking their seats. The drone pilot barely moved to acknowledge them, clearly lost in the datefeed from the old computers, and aside from a quick glance across readouts to ensure the data was flowing cleanly to the Mandrake, Mark didn’t disturb the man.
He hit the switch to release the davit clamps, and the popped free. The shuttle turned, and smoothly glided out, aligning with the mothership and headed home. He blinked and shook his head. That motion again, out the corner of his eye. He glanced over, seeing the drone pilot’s faceplate swarming with legs for a fraction of a second.
“Uhh, Josh, you alright there?” He hated breaking into drone pilot concentration, but this wasn’t right, and Carol was gesturing desperately at him from her chair. He reached across, and nudged Josh’s shoulder, the skinsuit collapsing under his fingers and the skull clacking loosely against the faceplate.
***
Captain Van’tu listened to the soft report coming from Sasha, the scout crew had found the captain of the derelict but were returning early due to some unsettling information they’d found. He didn’t like it, but he also respected human instincts. If skilled officers felt there was a reason to withdraw before mission completion, he knew better than to override the human-on-the-spot.
He’d have a word with Mark later, in private, if necessary, but the man had never been wrong before.
Across the communicator, there was a sudden eruption of yelling, the shuttle on the holo spiralling wildly. Sasha was demanding a clear response from the screaming communicator.
Mark came over the channel. “Abort mission, contamination, alien threat…” His words ended in a gurgling scream, the kind that began high and ended, eventually, in a growling snarl of mortal agony. The line remained open, however, and the entire bridge crew turned to stare, mouths agape, as into the silence the faint sounds of gnawing began to echo.
Sasha shut off the feed with a shaky finger. “Captain, I…”
“I know. Arm several probes, get them to the shuttle, find out what happened and…”
Once more, attention fell to the holo display, as on it, the icon of the shuttle winked red. Sasha motioned, and the focus zoomed in. Where the shuttle had been, a spreading scatter of debris remained.
She pulled up the sidebars again.
“Right before Mark, uh, died, his authorisation codes were used to trigger an overload on the shuttle reactor. We didn’t pick up the feed in real time, they were returning after all, but all of them suffered catastrophic biological distress immediately before their lifesigns cut out. Mark was the last one alive, and severely injured when he triggered the reactor.”
Captain Van’tu shook out his lower hands with a stress-shedding gesture. “The shuttle reactor is in a sealed compartment. He had to get from his chair to the access panel and enter his code, while suffering life threatening injuries which had already killed the rest of his crew?”
“Yes, Captain. I’m sorry, I missed it, my team is still processing the data, but it looks as if the drone pilot ceased responding several minutes before the shuttle departed the wreck. At five minutes into the flight, the three junior officers began exhibiting distress, but gave no verbal alerts. Mark seems to have reacted to something that triggered a fight or flight response, but within a few seconds was exhibiting the same injury markers as the others. At the six-minute mark, he sent his warning, while moving. It appears as if the cessation of his vocalisations was not the end of his life, almost thirty seconds later his code was entered into the shuttle reactor, and it detonated.”
Captain Van’tu moved to his command chair, and sat down, lower hands grasping the armrests, upper hands folding under his chin. “Helm, chart course back to the nearest Alliance outpost, and warm up the jumpcore. Tactical, bring shields to standby and start charging the grasers, I don’t like what’s happening, and I do not want to be caught with our backs turned.”
His crew moved into action, tactical alerts bringing various stations to readiness.
“Sir! We’re receiving a communications request, uh, from the Nebula Star.”
He stared at his communications officer, who looked equally shocked.
“Please, Jen, put them through to the main holo.”
The hovering image of the wreckage that had once been a shuttle vanished, replaced by the familiastrange image of the old bridge, and its captain.
The man was a corpse, there was no debate. The papery skin had pulled back from his eyes and teeth, his nose collapsed inwards, decades of icy coldness and baking heat as the derelict tumbled slowly from shade to sunlight had freeze dried the body, yet, it moved. The jaw flapped open, and the sticklike arms gestured against the command chair arms, clawed fingertips clicking uselessly.
“Gree. Tings. Un. Known. Vess. Sell. I. Am. Cap. Tan. Morr. Iss. Son. We. Come. In. Peace.”
The corpse in the holo quivered and twitched in some horrible mockery of life, the bared grey teeth clicking as the jaw spasmed open and closed, not, Van’tu noted, in time with the words being spoken. Inside the jaws, he also noticed, something black and shiny and segmented.
“I highly doubt you come with any sort of peace in mind, what are you really, and what did you do to the crew of the shuttle who boarded the ship you are on.”
The body twitched, a trickle of black ooze popping free from the corner of the sunken eye socket. Under the dried up eyelid, something squirmed around, curling with segmented motion, a few pointed claws poking briefly free before vanishing once more.
“I. Am. Cap. Tan. Morr. Iss. Son. We. Come. In. Peace. We. Rek. Wire. Ass. Iss. Tan. Sse. Let. Uss. Board.”
An alert flashed from Sashas direction. A gesture diminished Captain Morrison to a corner of the holo and expanded the view of the derelict. Two shuttles of archaic design had just launched from it and begun making their way towards the Mandrake. He muted his pickup and turned to his tactical officer.
“Jeff? They do not get close enough to board.”
“Aye aye sir, tracking has them locked and my grazers are charged.”
“Very good.”
He returned to the holo and reopened the grisly view of the dead man being puppeted on his display.
“You will not be permitted to board my ship. I demand to know who you are, what you represent, and why you are trying to impersonate Captain Morrison.”
“You. Are. Food. You. Have. Use. Full. Tech. Nol. Ogy. We. Will. Take. It. We. Will. Use. You. We. Will. Mul. Tip. Lie. This. Vess. Hell. Came. To. Us. In. Peace. We. Took. It. We. Came. For. Ter. Rah. We. Became. Trapped. We Became. Lethargic. We have waited. Now you have brought us. A new vessel to carry us. To Terra.”
Captain Van’tu shook his head. If these things were familiar with humans, they’d recognise the gesture. For the sake of understanding he’d long ago learned to at least emulate some human body language.
“You will not be allowed to go any further. I have a duty to safeguard the people under my command, and to the people of… Terra.” Whatever this species was, it was not something he wanted anywhere near a colony or, worse, defenceless homeworld, of any of the Allied or friendly species he knew lay between here and Terra herself. Best for all they only had Terra in mind.
“Sir! The incoming shuttles are not going for docking, they’re on a ramming approach! Firing solution lost on bogey one!” The Mandrakes grazers were firing, gunnery crews managing their weapons as they tracked automatically and fired, spearing one of the wildly corkscrewing shuttles with lances of gravitationally focused gamma radiation. The second shuttle however spun, and fell downwards, smashing into the still warming shields, and through, impacting the Mandrakes hull with tremendous speed.
The scouting vessel shuddered. The shuttle had breached through the outer hull and spilled into a mess area.
Thanks to the alert condition, all crew had been in skinsuits, not that this helped the two cooks who had been finishing off the lockdown of the mess kitchen.
Fresh alerts sounded, the sound of which sent crewpeople to arms lockers. Mandrake had been boarded.
Captain Van’tu pointed to his tactical officer. “Destroy that wreck! vaporise it!”
“Sir! Weapons are offline, on-mount crews are reporting power losses.”
Across the bridge, the communications officer looked up. “Reports coming in, boarders are breaking out of mess two!”
The captain snarled. Ancient Garaboosians had warded off predators with that sound, and his teeth bared in an animalistic threat display. He slammed a finger into the appropriate button on his armrest.
“All hands, all hands, defence stations, repel boarders!”
His head snapped around. “Sasha, do we still have telemetry from the drone on the Nebula? If so, I want it to shut that shitheap down, or overload its reactors!”
His science officer acknowledged with an “Aye captain!” and turned to her console.
He returned to his holo. Removed the mute. “You have attacked an Alliance of Free Stars vessel, while using a Terran Alliance vessel reported lost to causes unknown. I am hereby declaring you to be pirates, and you will be treated accordingly. Surrender now and you will be returned to your government or homeworld after serving a prison term to be determined by Admiralty courts.”
He did not expect the thing pretending to be Captain Morrison to surrender.
“There will be no surrender. We will take all you have and all you are. You will be ours to consume and use.”
His tactical alert flashed, somehow, the older ship was charging its weapons systems. He flicked a gesture, and the old vessels appeared, with sidebars. The weapons were underpowered, and normally not really a threat to a modern vessel, but the Mandrake had just been rammed by a shuttle, cutting power to her own weapons, and disrupting her shields, it would take several more minutes to regenerate them.
He glared at the grinning visage of the corpse which was still mimicking life. The left arm was still quivering against the rest, fingertips drumming against a keypad almost identical to his own. From the bottom of the sunken belly of the dead man, a slowly undulating shape crawled, a thick-pincered head, followed by a segmented body flowing with sharp-tipped clawlike legs. It moved upwards and climbed back in through Morrisons throat.
“Captain, boarders have been destroyed. Sir, they were humans, but they were dead. Like mummies. They had some kinds of bugs inside, we had to go in with plasma to clear them out.”
“I see. Ensure all the bulkhead seals around the messhall compartment are still green, and pull everyone back, full medical scans on exit. Once everyone is clear, blow the compartment.”
“Uh, yes, sir, understood. Engineering teams are saying they’ll have full weapons restored in eight minutes.”
“Good. We can’t allow any of these things to get back to inhabited space. I want that wreck vaporised. Mess compartment too.”
He continued to watch the dead mans fingers rattle against the old command chair. And nodded.
“Captain Morrison, it has been an honour. Captain Van’Tu, out.”
In the holo, the corpse finally went still. The creatures which had inhabited him began to swarm, black blood and ichor bursting from his skull as the mother of the monsters which had ridden his body and his ship since they had tricked their way aboard a century before, burst free from her manipulating, feeding grasp in his skull.
“Captain, the drone has fully copied the Nebula Stars database, but is unable to access any critical systems. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay Sasha. When we have weapons available, we’ll finish whatever is left.”
“Sir? I don’t understand what…”
The holo tank cut her off. The Nebula Star had fired its engines, angling towards an intercept with the Mandrake, it needed to be much closer to engage with its much more primitive weapons. As the engines flared to life, fire blossomed across the aft hull. Multiple explosions rippled through it, billowing outwards from within, as the reawakened fusion reactors, initially stirred to life by the probes batteries, then by crawling undead crew hidden in the ships dead spaces, all overloaded, and detonated in a final orgy of self-annihilation.
There was a shudder again, as the Mandrakes crew activated the emergency charges that blew an entire section of the ship into space, carrying with it the bodies of dozens of the Nebula Stars crew, hundreds of incinerated and still crawling parasitic alien monsters, and the corpses of two unfortunate cooks.
“Begin sweeping everything in range with fire, maximum power and aperture, everything must burn. I want medical and bio survey teams going around the clock scanning for any trace of those things that might have breached containment. For the record, I will be recommending the Mandrake be scuttled once all crew are cleared and disembarked. Needless to say, we will not be making any landfall or station docks before then.”
He sat down in his command chair. He couldn’t remember standing up. He stared down at his armrest, and the keypad on it. With the fingers of his bottom left hand, he began typing, sending the results to the main holo where Sasha watched, curious.
ENMY HMWRLD r41429.135 i334451 b-1.791 KILL BURN QURTN
The rest of the sequence was the override code that would trigger the Nebula Star to overload its powerplants and blow itself to pieces before it could be used against its creators.
“Captain? How did you get that message? The log entries are still being processed, but it doesn’t look like anything coherent survived, there’s no co-ordinates in them.” Sasha was confused, and Captain Van’Tu smiled.
“Humans, you’re all the same when it comes down to the wire. Mark blew his shuttle rather than let it dock with those things on board. Even while they ate him alive, he crawled through his command, to do his duty to his species, and to the galaxy. Captain Morrison held off death, kept those things guessing, somehow, as they tried to use him, his ship, to reach Earth, made them keep him in some sort of horrific half-life, until they were distracted enough that he could get back control of his hand. His chair Sasha, same as mine. Probably came out of the same factory, a century apart, and he was typing, while they tried to speak to us, while they tried to board us, shoot us, while we distracted them, he set them up to give us the knowledge he knew we would need to ensure they would never threaten anyone again.”
Fire was still blossoming across the larger area of the holo display, graser weapons detonating fragments of hull with nuclear fire.
“Once we’ve cleared the skies here, we head to an outpost, and start warning the Admiralty. Jobs not over until these things are completely contained.”
***
103 Years, 4 months, 5 days before.
Jack staggered, his leg still bleeding from where a crewman had slashed at him with fingers broken into sharp bone claws. He’d stamped the mans head until the skull popped, rupturing the centipede thing curled inside. He was close. The familiar, once comforting hallways of the Nebula Star had become nightmarish, red lighting and blotches of gore, streaks of blood on the pristine walls, he was living in a horror game, but he had a job to finish.
He pushed off the wall he’d leant against. Behind him, he could hear screaming, and begging. He didn’t stop. It was a trick. They found the noises amusing, and mimicked them, discovering that it could draw in ‘helpers’ they could ambush.
Aft section, frame fourteen, jumpcore bay. He slapped the button, and fell through the door as it slid open. Inside, the bay was immaculate, no-one had been in here since this had started. How they had gotten aboard, he didn’t know.
Inside the skull of a landing team member, he could guess.
He knelt beside the humming machinery. His vision was going grey around the edges, he could feel dripping around his knees, he was kneeling in a pool of his own blood after only a few seconds, he didn’t have long.
He pushed his burden against the drive casing, the chem-catalyst agent on the back bonding it to the drive with a molecular weld.
He pressed the keypad of the emergency c4 cannister, the detonator arming with a beep, and a green telltale.
He typed in a code, short, sweet, he’d forgotten it by the time he reached the end, it didn’t matter. The disarm code was only for when you wanted to be able to stop the countdown. Ten seconds.
They reached him, before it finished counting. Inside his brain, they couldn’t find the code to stop the bomb.
The Nebula Star would not reach Terra, he made sure of that.
As the jumpcore failed, blowing a ragged hole out of the sleek hull, a single shuttle spun away from the boatbay, damaged, lifeless, cold and drifting outwards into the depths of space, the mutilated human corpse within stirring once with scurrying life, then going still.

Please help! My printer (an Ender 5+) prints a bunch of layers completely fine but then suddenly the hot end gets clogged causing severe under-extrusion for the next few layers, after which it rights itself. But after the print is done, I can just snap the object in two where the clog occurred. I've replaced the nozzle, calibrated temperature and e-steps, installed an all metal extruder, and flashed the software. Nothing has worked. Any thoughts?

System: 5th Edition Dungeons and Dragons
Platform: Discord (Voice) + Foundry
Time: 7:00AM Central, Sunday mornings
Age: 30+
Prior Sessions: 5
Level: 3
Party comp: An assassin, a hexblade and a war cleric walk into a bar...
Blurb: A democratic state is wedged between two restive nations, maintaining independence through delicate balance of power and keen diplomacy. To the North the tyrant king expands his reportedly undead reach. To the South a thousand year dynasty faces upheaval as the royals fall in battle and allegiances are shaken. Elves meddle, dwarves raid, gnomes boil children and halflings boil potatoes. Amidst this turbulent backdrop, you, noble adventurer, seek to exterminate rats and fetch macguffins for a few silver more.
World: Homebrew window dressing on a popular third party setting.
Game type: Fairly-classic-fantasy, fiction first with a little bit of crunch. Low-moderate lethality - death is a possibility but not a certainty.
DM: 42/he/him, only played the last 5-10 years. Pretty well grounded in mechanics, not so much with the lore. There may be discrepancies between my characterization and DnD canon; I’m okay with that.
Party: Heroic/good leaning. 4 is ideal. 50% is quorum. Present players may pilot absent players’ characters. Frequently absent or late players will be replaced.
Players: 30+, punctual, attentive, team oriented. Should be willing to do a little work out of session to be prepared for their role in session.
Content: There will be violence and a bit of foul language, but let’s not get too descriptive in that vein. Rape, racism, and sexual assault aren’t themes I’d like to explore. Everyone at the table should feel comfortable.
Maps: Always for battle. I find theater of the mind combat arbitrary and capricious. Battlemaps will be 25% gorgeous maps that I sourced, 50% crummy maps that I’ve made, and 25% grid and rough sketches because I wasn’t expecting things to happen. I’m not a fan of world maps. I mean I love them, just not as party GPS. No hex-crawling here.
Character Creation:

• Point buy
• +3 max ability mod at lvl 1
• Approved Sources: PHB, SCAG, XGTE, most TCOE
• Some exceptions apply
• Material from other sources may not be accepted
• Feel free to ask
• Don’t feel free to haggle
• Map out character progression in spreadsheet or document
  • Race/Class/Subclass/Scores/Skills/Features/ASIs/Feats/Spells, all of it
  • Informs players on character mechanics
  • Informs DMs on player intentions
  • Helpful for narrative purposes, foreshadowing, loot, and boons. Foreknowledge makes party/encounter balance easier Informs DMs on player commitment
  • Character Progression Example

House Rules
Fractional Rest Variant: Allows casters to recover a portion of expended resources every day rather than weekly (gritty) or between arcs (safe haven).

• Fatigue and environment affect long rest quality
• There are 5 rest levels: none, minimal, poor, adequate, and full.
• No rest accrues levels of exhaustion
• Minimal rest does not dispel a level of exhaustion
• Fractional rest recovers a fraction of expended hit dice
  • None 0, Minimal 25% Poor 25% Adequate 50% Full 50%
  • Fractional rest recovers a fraction of a casters expended spell slot points
  • None 0, Minimal 25% Poor 50% Adequate 75% Full 100%
  • Slots are recovered from lowest to highest
  • Spell slot points = (spell level) x (slot quantity)
  • If all spell slots are not recoverable, and all spell points are not expendable (i.e. lowest open slot is level n and ≤n-1 points remain) the spell point balance remains for 24 hours, and can be used to restore spell slots on a short or long rest
• Extended Casting Time:
  • Higher level magic takes longer to cast. Attacks during casting triggers concentration checks. On a failed concentration check the spell is not cast, and the slot is not consumed.
  • Most Lvl 3+ spells with a casting time of 1 action take 1.5 rounds
    • Bonus action round prior begins cast
    • Action following round completes casting
  • Most Lvl 5+ spells with a casting time of 1 action take 2 rounds
    • Action to begin casting, next round action to complete casting
  • Most Lvl 7+ spells with a casting time of 1 action take 2.5 rounds
  • Most Lvl 9 spells with a casting time of 1 action take 3 rounds
  • Casters may be granted rapid casting (1 action) on a few select higher level spells as a boon
  • Healing Spells are exempt
• Exhaustion
  • ~DND One style: -1 checks, attacks, DCs, and saves per level, -5 feet movement
  • Lesser Restoration removes 1 level exhaustion
  • Greater Restoration removes exhaustion
  • Hit zero save against exhaustion
• Death
  • Scaling resurrection DC
  • Whisper death saves
• Teleporting
  • Teleports that cross ley lines get swept along with them, and can only conclude along the line.
  • Leylines can be used for fast but not instantaneous travel through the shadow realm, covering hundreds of miles per day. There are risks.
• Shield Spell
  • Ceiling: Max AC=15+Ability Mod+½ Spell Level
  • Range: Touch

How to apply Send a message here or an email to my gmail. Tell me enough about yourself to get a sense of you. Bonus for commentary/criticism/concerns regarding the house rules. I'll do an interview on the weekend. You interview me, I'll interview you. Applying that mindset -that it's not about getting accepted but about finding the right match for all interested parties- to any interview, job or game, typically means people interview better and enjoy themselves more, and with any luck find the right match for all involved parties.

Hi there,
It is most likely you are either panicking or frustrated after not being able to fix your CGM readings. If you have restarted your pump and re-entered your transmitter ID and code and the same issue is occurring (first seeing an out-of-range alert and an invalid transmitter ID alert), then there is no option but to call Tandem (Head Corporation and Press 2). They will ask you minor questions to make sure there are no mistakes like making sure you entered the right ID, etc. They will have you restart your pump again and do the same process. There might be an awkward moment during the phone call as you have to refill your cannula and then restart your CGM. Make sure to wait about 5 -7 mins to make sure the same alerts don't appear. I had a kind and patient lady who was willing to wait with me to make sure the issue was resolved however it wasn't. Unfortunately, got the same two alerts. Following that I was transferred to Dexcom to receive a new transmitter as it could have been defective ( I had worn it for a week so I'm quite confused about that). Hoping this resolves the issue, however, I will post an update if even in this step, the issue isn't resolved! Good Luck!

Hello! I hope this is allowed, I only saw the two sub rules.
I need a little help with something small for a friend. I use clip studio paint to sketch but I'm not strong with all its features and a rampant Google search yielded me a lot that I couldn't quite make sense of.
I am trying to edit something for a friend by placing an image inside a square without it sitting on top of a smaller square within the same frame. Is there a special trick to this that isn't just erasing a small part of the copied image?

I (trans man) came out to my husband (cis male) in March. I had been battling the dysphoria and basically fighting my trans-ness for two years before I came out to him. I have known since I was very very young though. We have been together a bit over five years at this point. Admittedly I was not sure he would ever accept me. When we married he was Christian, close minded, and right-wing. He has changed remarkably, we both have. We are both leftists, we are politically active, we are atheists. But still, I wasn’t certain that he could come to terms with “his wife” transitioning. That was on part of why I kept it to myself for so long. I do not have debilitating body related dysphoria thankfully, but the social dysphoria was becoming too difficult and I was becoming more and more agoraphobic. That with COVID meant I was losing a lot of my hobbies and a lot of my personality. So I decided it was time to come out. When I told him, it wasn’t easy, but his response was still loving. He had some hesitations in regards to our relationship. He was not completely sure if he’d be attracted to me as a man, and he felt that it was a very complicated life change so he was pretty nervous. However, after lots of conversations about what our future looks like now (especially regarding children and our family’s reactions) he is completely on board haha. He bought me an MLM Pride flag and a Trans Flag and hung them up in my desk space. To celebrate the first day of pride month he took me to buy Men’s clothing. He helped me clear out my old wardrobe. He is taking extra time off to celebrate at the Pride Festival. And he goes with me everywhere, because we are not in a safe state.
He loves to see me find joy in a tank top of wearing all of his clothes all of the time haha. We have been working out together for over a month now lifting weights, we play Basketball on the weekends, and I’m learning his favorite video games. It’s wonderful. I thank him often for accepting me. I told him once during our life conversations that it’s okay if he isn’t into a man and I wouldn’t hate him if he decided it wasn’t for him. He told me that, although he appreciates the acceptance for him he feels like he fell in love with who I am and he is all in and committed to us. He told me he would explore his sexuality as he hadn’t considered before (and I did not want to be the exception to the rule if you know what I mean) and now he tells me when he sees cute men in public and we chat like the best friends that we are.
For context we are both vers. I had asked him if it’s harder to view me as a man after we engage with my reproductive organs and he said of course not. He then proceeded to tell me that for one marriage he has got a lot of experience and he said “it’s like getting a free trial and then upgrading to premium” 😂

I (26F) and my husband (28M) recently welcomed our first child into the world last month and I am currently on maternity leave and expected to return to work in mid July. I’ve had a history of bad anxiety and difficulty holding a decent job until the place I currently work at now, and I am really stressed about returning to work so having those first couple of weeks as low stress as possible is really important to me. Prior to giving birth, we had planned to have both his parents and mine alternate watching our baby girl each week (three days a week since I am only part time). Recently his step brother, who is in the military and lives a few states away from us, found out he and his family are getting moved to CA to be stationed on the coast. (We live in the midwest). My husbands family has offered to help them move and is spending two months of the summer helping them and their two kids which just so happens to overlap with me returning to work. As far as I know, they offered to help us out before finding out about this big move for the military. My main problem is his family told us multiple times they would help us out “whenever we needed night or day” and now that offer has been pushed aside to help their golden child move states. Although my parents are happy to help, they live two hours away (compared to his family only living 40 minutes away) and need to get a pet friendly air bnb each time they visit for their two dogs, which can get pricey after a while. My parents have already helped us so much financially over the years and have changed their retirement plans in order to stay closer to where we live, and I don’t want them to feel like they need to cancel more plans and spend more money to fill in the child care gap even though I know they love seeing her. My husband told me I am being childish and immature, but I would have been looking into other childcare options months ago to prepare if I knew plans were going to change. I feel his family could’ve split their time more evenly between us and his older brother’s family, and my husband could’ve received a more definitive time commitment from them months ago. Because his parents bought a house close to the base in the state his brother and his wife were stationed at when they had their first child to help out, my husband had assumed they would go above and beyond for us too which is clearly not the case. My husband didn’t know his dad growing up until he was around 10-12 years old so now he is very defensive about his relationship with his dad even though I feel justified in being upset that helping us out is clearly not a priority for them. Yes we chose to have a child and finding care is on us, but the same could be said about my husbands brother and wife who just had a baby a few months before me. My husband says it’s more important for his dad and stepmom to help them move than it is to help us right now , but as a first time mom, I’m honestly offended that he is minimizing my need for support during a time when I feel like I’ll need it most.

I (trans man) came out to my husband (cis male) in March. I had been battling the dysphoria and basically fighting my trans-ness for two years before I came out to him. I have known since I was very very young though. We have been together a bit over five years at this point. Admittedly I was not sure he would ever accept me. When we married he was Christian, close minded, and right-wing. He has changed remarkably, we both have. We are both leftists, we are politically active, we are atheists. But still, I wasn’t certain that he could come to terms with “his wife” transitioning. That was on part of why I kept it to myself for so long. I do not have debilitating body related dysphoria thankfully, but the social dysphoria was becoming too difficult and I was becoming more and more agoraphobic. That with COVID meant I was losing a lot of my hobbies and a lot of my personality. So I decided it was time to come out. When I told him, it wasn’t easy, but his response was still loving. He had some hesitations in regards to our relationship. He was not completely sure if he’d be attracted to me as a man, and he felt that it was a very complicated life change so he was pretty nervous. However, after lots of conversations about what our future looks like now (especially regarding children and our family’s reactions) he is completely on board haha. He bought me an MLM Pride flag and a Trans Flag and hung them up in my desk space. To celebrate the first day of pride month he took me to buy Men’s clothing. He helped me clear out my old wardrobe. He is taking extra time off to celebrate at the Pride Festival. And he goes with me everywhere, because we are not in a safe state.
He loves to see me find joy in a tank top of wearing all of his clothes all of the time haha. We have been working out together for over a month now lifting weights, we play Basketball on the weekends, and I’m learning his favorite video games. It’s wonderful. I thank him often for accepting me. I told him once during our life conversations that it’s okay if he isn’t into a man and I wouldn’t hate him if he decided it wasn’t for him. He told me that, although he appreciates the acceptance for him he feels like he fell in love with who I am and he is all in and committed to us. He told me he would explore his sexuality as he hadn’t considered before (and I did not want to be the exception to the rule if you know what I mean) and now he tells me when he sees cute men in public and we chat like the best friends that we are.
For context we are both vers. I had asked him if it’s harder to view me as a man after we engage with my reproductive organs and he said of course not. He then proceeded to tell me that for one marriage he has got a lot of experience and he said “it’s like getting a free trial and then upgrading to premium” 😂

The more rules get slow rolled out and the more I learn them the more I've been picking apart the faction focuses and looking at all the different options, it's a little overwhelming.
There are enough differences in playstyle between each army that it's really tough to narrow down just what kind of game I'd like to play, let alone what kind of models I want to stare at for awhile given the financial investment.
So far Thousand Sons, Chaos Daemons and Adepta Sororitas seem to be in the lead but I still see a lot of potential in CSM, Chaos Knights, GSC, Grey Knights or maybe one of the other factions with a primarch like World Eaters or Dark Angels.
It's also hard because I'm torn between my two loves, an obscenely tactical hyper utilitarian playstyle and an unga bunga smash face go hard hyper specialization playstyle.
Both appeal to me for different reasons, and being such a heavily mechanics focused player in every other game I frequent makes the whole "just play what looks cool" mentality rather hard to adhere to.
What did you all pick as your first army and why? Did you regret it? What did you wish you knew about it beforehand?

If you have any specific questions about your sub-sign, please ask those in comments below!
♈️ Aries: Single Aries should be on the lookout for an electric connection with Taurus and Cancer signs. Those in relationships can revel in the stability and confidence of their bond. Jupiter's energy is a great opportunity to save or invest wisely. Health-wise, prioritize active lifestyle over screen time to combat stress and sleeplessness. Travel-wise, Slovakia is the ideal destination for an enchanting experience. Luck-wise, baby pink and lime green are your talismans today, and you may want to consider testing your luck in the stock market. Emotionally, patience and tranquility are your allies, so try to let go of unnecessary worries.
♉️ Taurus: Single Taureans should be ready for a touch of nostalgia to fill their day, and consider exploring the world of online dating. For those already in a relationship, meaningful conversations about family expansion or new places to call home lie ahead. At work, engaging in lively conversations with colleagues will help uncover their unique personalities, and may even present an opportunity to pocket some extra cash. To tackle stress, prioritize relaxation and mindfulness to counter its impact on physical health. For travel, Los Angeles is the perfect destination to sweep you away in its mesmerizing charm. Embrace the energies of numbers 61, 2, 33, 59, and 6, as they hold your luck today, but approach the stock market with caution. Finally, cherished memories from your childhood may bubble to the surface, bringing warmth and smiles. If revisiting some of the more challenging pieces from the past becomes overwhelming, seek the guidance of a therapist.
♊️ Gemini: Single Geminis, today is the day to embrace your craving for passion. Long-term couples should be prepared to tackle important decisions that will shape the future of your partnership, uniting you in strength. Professionally, it's time to be extra vigilant at work and stay alert to make a difference in your bottom line. Health-wise, be cautious with physical exertion and allow your body the rest it needs to maintain optimal well-being. Travel-wise, discover the wonders of a Canadian city for an invigorating and unique experience. Luck-wise, envelop yourself in the hue of yellow to bring a surge of luck to your day. Emotionally, be gentle with yourself as unresolved feelings resurface and seek the support of a therapist to help illuminate your emotional journey.
♋️ Cancer: Single Cancerians, Leo companionship will bring sparks of excitement into your life today. For those already in a relationship, it is important to refine your communication style to ensure your partner truly understands your message. Professionally, it may be difficult to stay productive and motivated, so be sure to stay vigilant and avoid being caught slacking off by your superiors. Health-wise, take advantage of the vitality and strength your body offers you, but be mindful of any potential emotional turbulence if you have previously dealt with depression or anxiety. Travel-wise, Ankara, Turkey awaits your arrival for an unforgettable journey. Luck-wise, the numbers 8, 22, 10, 42, 92, and 85 will bring you good fortune. Avoid gambling to protect your valuable luck. Emotionally, the Moon's influence will tug at your feelings. Take some time to reflect on your emotions and practice self-compassion.
♌️ Leo: Today is a day to bask in the glow of your ruling planet, the Sun! Whether you are in a place of joy or sorrow in your personal life, you can rest assured that today will bring you warmth. Your unrelenting drive at work will be admired by your peers and your financial status is improving, giving you a more secure foundation. Make sure to stay hydrated and treat yourself to a vitamin C serum to keep your skin looking radiant. If you're feeling adventurous, consider a trip to Bosnia, where locals and beauty will make for an unforgettable journey. Let the vibrant shade of turquoise guide your luck today and expect serendipity to grace you in social gatherings. To manage stress, find healthier ways to cope such as exercise, and nurture your emotional well-being to watch your potential soar.
♍️ Virgo: For those in a partnership, today is a great day to have a meaningful dialogue about finances. Let honesty and partnership guide the conversation. For those flying solo, watch out for sparks as captivating Scorpio vibes fire up your allure. Professionally, use your ingenuity to come up with money-saving tactics like swapping restaurant fare for homemade meals. Your workday should be smooth sailing with gentle waves of productivity. Health-wise, if you're feeling signs of depression or anxiety, reach out to your therapist. Remember, seeking assistance is vital to mental wellness and a commendable step. Travel-wise, explore the vibrant culture of São Luís, Brazil. A beautiful city bursting with life, it awaits to leave you awestruck. Finally, embrace a rush of good fortune as lucky numbers 8, 22, 49, 93, 85, and 12 dance throughout your day, sprinkling blessings every step of the way. You're also finding solace in your newfound skin, so bask in the pride of your magnificent metamorphosis.
♎️ Libra: Today is a day for romance and contemplation for solo Libra signs. Long-term unions should prepare for loving discussions to evolve to a deeper level. Financially, it's time to create a strategy to ease your monetary management, as an increased workload may come your way. Health-wise, be mindful of skin sensitivities and hydrate generously. Travel-wise, Nauru is calling your name and promises to be an enchanting journey. Lucky numbers 38, 92, 3, 19, and 6 are here to bring you luck, so don't forget to clutch your talisman for an extra dose of fortune. Finally, banish self-doubt and step into your power with confidence and daring. Unwind and recharge by exchanging inspiring conversations with kindred spirits.
♏️ Scorpio: Today is a day to focus on communication and connection. United Scorpio signs should take the time to express their feelings and let their partner know what is on their mind. Financially, things are looking up, so if you have been considering a career change, now is the time to explore your options. Health-wise, it is important to prioritize an eye exam and make sure to get some exercise before bed. Travel-wise, Serbia is calling your name and offering a chance to explore its captivating wonders. Lucky numbers 9, 3, 20, 92, 33, 49, and 5 are in your favor, but the stars advise against any gambling pursuits. Lastly, if you have been thinking of a beloved family member, make sure to reach out and cherish the moments spent together.
♐️ Sagittarius: Single Sagittarians should be on the lookout for fiery connections, while committed archers should take a step back and focus on their own internal stability before attempting any heartfelt conversations. Financially, it may be a difficult day, so it is important to seek advice from trusted confidants before making any decisions. Health-wise, it is important to avoid excessive consumption of alcohol or caffeine in order to maintain equilibrium. Travel-wise, Ravenna, Italy is a great destination to explore and experience its captivating charm. Luck is on your side today with numbers 64, 22, 2, and 88, so take advantage of this prosperity by looking into stock market opportunities. Finally, revel in the joy of your newfound life path and embrace the personal power that the stars have illuminated for you.
♑️ Capricorn: Today is a day of magnetic attraction for solo Capricorns, as enigmatic water signs draw near. Those in committed relationships can rest assured in the stability and trust of their past experiences. At work, you may be challenged to collaborate with a less-liked colleague, but your finances remain solid. Health should be a priority today, and if any toothaches persist, make sure to schedule an appointment with your dentist. Traveling to the resplendent city of Fuji, Japan, is highly recommended to ignite your sense of wanderlust. Numerical synchronicities 12, 84, 3, 2, and 59 will bring luck and deeper meaning to your day. Finally, feel the tides of improvement swell within you, a testament to your growth and revelations. Embrace your ever-evolving nature with courage and grace.
♒️ Aquarius: Venus is blessing you with harmonious energy, so it's the perfect time to make plans with your love. If you're single, you may find yourself drawn to Gemini charmers. Professionally, focus on productivity and don't let perfectionism get in the way. Health-wise, take care of yourself and don't forget to look after your teeth. Travel-wise, Columbus is calling you with its vibrant experiences. Luck-wise, Jupiter is sending you good vibes and the numbers 5, 84, 10, 21, 38, and 43, as well as the color yellow will bring you extra fortune. Emotionally, the Moon's influence means your emotions will be on a roller coaster ride today, so buckle up and enjoy the ride.
♓️ Pisces: For those who are single, a harmonious connection may form with stylish Taurus individuals. For those in relationships, communication hiccups may arise, so it is important to navigate them with patience and understanding. Pisces in retail should brace for a busy day and take breaks and snacks to prevent burnout. Health-wise, dental care should be taken seriously and black coffee should be consumed in moderation. Austria is calling for a visit, offering remarkable experiences and picturesque landscapes. Lucky numbers for today are 73, 99, 10, 32, 64, and 20, so keep an eye out for financial fortune. Lastly, embrace the healing power of quality time with friends and family, sharing heartfelt hugs and making cherished memories.

Check out today's Hora

Recently I asked what teams people have been making in preparation for regulation D. Now that we have the actual rule sets and it’s been a day or two, I want to see how the metas developed since then and what teams people have come up with.
So what teams have you made?

My husband and I adopted a dog a few months ago. He was a stray found on a farm in our town, and the woman who found him couldn't keep him. We don't know what breed he is exactly, but he is about the same size as a small golden retriever. I always say he is a pure bred good boy. So long story short, after making sure he was good with our kids, we brought him home. When we had him checked by a vet, we were told he was about a year old, give or take a month or two. He still has a habit of gently gnawing on your hand like puppies tend to do, and he follows me EVERYWHERE.
This weekend, my mother in law came back to live in our town. We have been helping her unload her Uhaul, and thankfully finished getting everything into her new house. My husband's uncle also came to help. I'd never met the uncle before today, and my husband, while civil with him, doesn't care for him too much.
The uncle stopped by our home this morning without letting us know he was coming. We live in a house that my MIL owns, so it was very easy for him to know where we were. Anyway, he claimed to be there to meet our new daughter, who was in the middle of her morning nap at the time. But our dog came to the door to greet him. Tail wagging, lots and lots of kisses, a little jumping and a little gnaw here and there, but overall just friendly behavior. This dog does not have a mean bone in his body, and even acts as a foster dad to some kittens that my sons cat suprised us with.
Since my daughter was asleep, uncle left to go see my MIL. About 45 minutes later, MIL calls me and says "why is (insert uncles name) telling everyone your dog bit him?" I asked her what she meant by that, and she told me that uncle is going around telling everyone that he came by our house and he was bit by our dog. She said he wouldn't show her the bite or tell her where he got bit. Just that our "f-ing dog" bit him. Now, MIL has met our dog plenty of times. She's stayed the night with us on a few occasions, and our dog loves to cuddle up to her when she's here. So she knows he doesn't bite, and she told me that she doesn't believe a word her brother is saying. But while she knows he's lying, others might think he's telling the truth.
My concern is this. From what I've been told, this uncle is a serial liar. He steals from family, "borrows" money but never pays it back, and passes his kids off onto other people. About a year ago, when my MIL still lived in the house we are in, he broke in while she was on vacation and trashed it while he stayed in it for a few nights. I'm told he's supposed to be on a few different medications for some mental issues, but refuses to take them, claiming medications kill you.
This man is also wanting to move into a house he owns which is only a few blocks from us. Us moving isn't an option at the moment for several personal reasons.
What are the steps I can take to protect my family and my dog? We are already looking into getting security cameras installed. Should I alert my local police of his accusations? What do I need to do legally to keep us safe.

I didn't have time to think, as soon as I heard the words, saw the flash of light, I ran at them, tackling them to the ground. The searing pain that coursed through my body was unimaginable, and for a moment, I was numb, my friend screaming my name as she pushed me off and wailed with sorrow.
Shit, dying sucks.
At least, that's what I thought before I suddenly gasped for air, coughing as sensation crashed back into my body. Alessa stared at me with wide eyes before she hugged me, thanking the Gods I was alive.
The spell was known as 'Soul Trap', it was a spell only taught to those who were both licensed and responsible to use it. I didn't know why Aleksei used it on Alessa, and nobody could fathom how I wasn't dead, my soul bound to a gemstone.
I mean, it was fine by me, it meant I wouldn't need to be slotted into a golem to have movement. I was studied, of course, and I accepted it because, well, I was literally the only person who survived.
That was when the smell became noticeable. It was the stench of death, like flesh rotting, which was bizarre since I was clearly alive, my heart was beating, nothing marked me as suddenly undead.
But concerningly, when a healing spell was used on me, the smell went away.
It became a recurring problem, every few days I needed to be healed so people didn't throw up around me, it actually got to the point where I went out of my way to learn a spell I could barely use just to do it myself.
That was when someone tried Soul Trap on me again. It hurt like the last time, flung me down the hall, knocked the breath out of me, but I got back up again. He kept hitting me with the spell, clearly terrified I was going to kill him.
I didn't have any offensive spells on me, I was under excruciating pain and, well, I snapped.
I didn't like the sensation of killing someone, and as I learned shortly after, my deed wasn't necessary, a teacher had been rushing to my aid.
An exception was made for me, in that one instance, of using that spell, but I had to apply for a license, had to go through the proper training, which I did. Hell, I found that Necromancy was a lot easier than I remembered it being.
Actually, a lot of my magic was stronger, now that I thought about it.
The final test for learning Soul Trap is to use it on a condemned criminal, so that you know the weight of taking a life, so you understand what it is exactly you learned.
It was easier to use than I expected, I looked at the gem I'd been provided for the test, and that's when I realized what had happened to me.
"The gem?" My instructor prompted. I laid my wand down, which confused the instructor, then he grew concerned when he saw the gem was still empty.
"I think my own body is where my soul is trapped." I said. "I think I'm actually dead."
It was unthinkable, of course, but the evidence was there. I could still feel pain, I still needed to breathe... but I was clearly rotting, my flesh only persisting because I was healing it.
Decaying is painful, and it comes with the most horrendous stench. I volunteered, of course, I was still a sapient being, just, my body wasn't a golem. Losing my sense of smell was a blessing, and being reduced to magically animate bone was novel. Incidentally, the closer to death I was, the more powerful my necromantic talent grew.
But there was no way I could just go out into the world, so even though I unnerved everyone, I continued my studies, continued trying to understand why this had occurred to me.
We replicated the circumstances of my death, bringing two prisoners who were known to be loyal to one another. The terms were very clear, they were both to be executed, starting with the more innocent of the two. If the other prisoner protected them from the spell, he would live.
The experiment went off without a hitch, the more guilty one did not even hesitate to protect his friend. He too was rendered undead like me. They were terrified, of course, when I stepped out, but I explained to them that their sacrifice had brought answers.
I apologized for forcing him to experience the same thing as I did, but we gave him an enchanted item that would passively heal him.
Last I heard of them, they settled as farmers, but that wasn't as important to me as figuring out what the specific cause was. I was offered a teaching position, since I'd done all of my requisite classes. When I received word that the two former prisoners had passed away, I left to confirm, and indeed, they were both dead, with one of them rotting faster than the other.
I wondered why that was, why I was still animate when he wasn't. The answer, ironically, came to me when a zombie attacked me. The undead were attracted to life force, since I attracted it, I was still full of life force.
Which meant the two people I killed had added their life force to mine.
I posited my findings, requesting an experiment to prove it. Which they granted. My life force was measured before and after the execution of a particularly heinous murderer, and my hypothesis was confirmed.
This raised several ethical questions, of course, namely what to do about me since my lifespan was directly tied with execution and murder.
I simply replied, "If my being alive is a problem, then I'll simply die." This had surprised them, so I continued. "My existence is a complete accident, and it's clear that I'll persist beyond my natural lifespan. Even if they're murderers, killing people to keep myself existent is- at least in my view- wrong. I will gladly continue teaching, but when it is my time, then it will be my time."
I didn't listen to their arguments for or against my decision, I had made up my mind. I continued to teach, and even took the time to learn some offensive spells in case anyone got any bright ideas about replicating my condition. I only needed to use it once, to get rid of a mage who had orchestrated events so as to achieve immortality, I reminded him that the skull is still fragile, and that he can't have a good life without a good head.
Nobody tried after that, and I deliberately went to pains to hide that knowledge, simply because it unnecessarily risked innocent people.
It's been three hundred years, however, and for one reason or another, my power hasn't waned at all. I am the current headmaster, and have been for over one hundred years.
I've decided, if someone is absolutely worthy, I'll let them join me, as a treat.

Had it working. Finally working. I made a new load order almost 2 weeks ago. Nothing in it that should have been a problem. First it crashed as soon as I loaded the game. Then it crashed as soon as I loaded a save after an hour or two of play. I fixed something, it worked, started a new save to be safe, then crashed when loading the save. Fixed something else, the save would load, start a new save to be safe, played just a tiny bit, crash on loading. It's been nearly 2 weeks now.
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It was finally working as of yesterday. I played a whole 20-30 minutes! Today I played maybe two minutes, but then I noticed my computer was working kind of hard and the computer fans were blowing on max, so I went in the graphics settings of the skyrim launcher (not through SKSE) to turn things down just a tiny bit. I tried to reload my save, aaannnddd crash. Took out the bashed patch and the "mod" I created from the overwrite files generated during play, and still could not load it. Tried a few other things to no avail. I can no longer load my game at all, again.
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It's always the same crash, right after a full-length loading screen of loading a save. The loading screen music cuts out, it's a silent black screen for a while, then crash to desktop. It's always the same line on the crash logs: "Unhandled native exception occurred at 0x7FF640CA86F0 (SkyrimSE.exe+3386F0) on thread 18516!" It's always "3386F0" but I cannot figure out what that means.
If anyone wants to help, I'd appreciate it, although something tells me there is nothing left to do. Here's the crash log nonetheless, but it's cool if no one can help: https://pastebin.com/crZLTAjK
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The crash log has the plugins but let me know if I should also write out my full list in the left pane of MO2.
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I'm not very savvy with this stuff, but over the past couple weeks I have tried EVERYTHING I know and more. I'm at my wit's end, unless anyone has ideas. Otherwise, I should probably force myself to step away from this game.