Great wolf lodge paw points balance

Sevierville, Tennessee

2018.09.10 04:55 AbsolutTBomb Sevierville, Tennessee

A subreddit for Sevierville, Tennessee
[link]


2023.05.28 05:10 KirkHammettJigsaw Booking the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship From Wrestle Kingdom 17 Part I Can We Give Joshua Epps The World Title?

Booking the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship From Wrestle Kingdom 17 Part I Can We Give Joshua Epps The World Title?
Divas Title.
The IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. It doesn’t matter that it doesn’t have the same lineage as the belt that came before it. It doesn’t matter that it killed the Intercontinental Championship and buried it deep into the ground to rot. It doesn’t matter that it looks like if the Divas Championship got railed by the Big Gold and spit out a little premature bastard failed abortion six excruciating months later. It’s still one of the most prestigious championships in professional wrestling. Just look at the lineage. Kota Ibushi. Will Ospreay. Shingo Takagi. Kazuchika Okada. Jay White. Kazuchika Okada again. Ignore what happened after that please, that doesn’t need to happen and it won’t happen here.
It’s one of the most sought-after belts, and yet the current champion is SANADA. All of that talent vying to hold that gold, and the main event scene is SANADA and Yota “Good But Not There Yet” Tsuji. Nobody wants to see that, and it certainly doesn’t help the perception of the championship. That’s what I’m here for. A championship with a lineage like that deserves much, much better, and so that’s what I’m going to try and give it. We start back at the beginning of the year, at Wrestle Kingdom 17, with The Rainmaker and The Switchblade going to war in our main event.

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17 - January 4th, 2023
Kazuchika Okada vs. Jay White (c) - IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
We just came off of one of the best matches in pro wrestling history, Kenny Omega vs. Will Ospreay, and White and Okada must do battle on a canvas now stained with blood, a testament to what kind of stuff these competitors must do to attain glory. It’s a great match, very counter-heavy, as both men are some of the best reversal artists that the sport has ever seen. Jay White wrestles like his usual sneaky self, but there’s just a foreboding sense that his time in NJPW is up. His glass jaw takes one too many dropkicks and he starts to fade. King Switch attempts to reverse a Rainmaker with a Blade Runner, but Okada muscles out of the counter, hits a Discus Rainmaker, and then follows it up with the real thing to seal the deal and take the title!
Kazuchika Okada def. Jay White in 33:03 to win the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship

NJPW New Year Dash!! - January 5th, 2023
Kazuchika Okada and Kenny Omega vs. United Empire (Will Ospreay and Aaron Henare)
Before this match, Ospreay is in the ring, bandage on his head, ready to take it easy in a pedestrian tag as he casually talks to Henare. Okada steps into the ring, and then his surprise tag partner’s music hits. The moment that Devil’s Sky begins blasting through the arena speakers, the look on The Commonwealth Kingpin’s face changes immediately! Okada and Omega, members of perhaps the greatest feud in wrestling history, are teaming together tonight! Ospreay wants his revenge for the loss last night, and he gets in Kenny’s face. The Cleaner responds by putting his recently won IWGP United States Championship right in his face.
The match is fun, as Okada and Ospreay, like always, have some very fun sequences. They look pretty evenly-matched, and Henare also looks pretty damn good against two of the best wrestlers of all time. Outmatched, sure, but good. Better than expected, even if he isn’t the other three men in the match. Ospreay constantly tries to go after Kenny, but the Best Bout Machine always tags out like a dickhead. He’s not letting Will get his revenge that easy. At one point, Ospreay lets his anger get the best of him and he knocks Omega off the apron, before hitting a beautiful dive, and continuing to beat on him outside!
The downside of Ospreay’s reckless attack, however, is that it leaves Henare all alone in the ring with the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. Aaron shows some heart, but heart don’t mean shit when you’re up against Kazuchika Okada. Okada eventually gets the better of him, and has him in position for a Rainmaker. However, Kazu shakes his head, basically saying that The Artist Formerly Known As Toa Henare isn’t even worth a Rainmaker! He transitions into The Money Clip, locking it tight right in the middle of the ring, and Henare eventually has no choice but to quit! Okada and Omega pose cockily in the ring with their respective titles, seemingly carrying a little bit of extra swagger into the new year.
Kazuchika Okada and Kenny Omega def. United Empire in 14:36

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17 In Yokohama Arena - January 21st, 2023
Kazuchika Okada and Togi Makabe vs. Kaito Kiyomiya and Yoshiki Imamura
This match is pretty pedestrian at first. Of course, like in real life, shit gets crazy fast. Makabe tags out after a fun sequence with Kaito, and Kaito brings in Imamura. Imamura isn’t exactly a top level guy, and Okada gets the better of him. He starts challenging Imamura to wake up, slapping him in the face and locking him in a Chinlock, and Kiyomiya sees this as disrespect, which brings him into the ring. He kicks Okada hard in the head, which leads Okada to brawling with him on the outside! The fight devolves, and the two men kick the shit out of each other while Makabe and Imamura try to play peacekeeper. The match is called off as Okada and Kiyomiya get pulled away from each other.
No Contest after 6:35

NJPW Road to The New Beginning: Night Five - January 30th, 2023
On the post-show press conference, after CHAOS, Taguchi and Tanahashi take a loss to Los Ingonerables de Japon, Kazuchika Okada speaks to the media. He gets asked about his small change in attitude as of late. The dismissiveness towards Aaron Henare, the way he threw around Yoshiki Imamura. It almost seems like he’s been giving the next generation the cold shoulder. Given this, how does he respond to young stars racking up wins on this tour, such as Ren Narita? Okada sort of shrugs it all off. He says that it feels weird that all of the names he usurped to get to the top are beginning to die off, and now HE’S the veteran. He’s been waiting for the next Okada, and nobody has come along yet. Why are we talking about Ren Narita getting a win on the undercard, when Shingo Takagi just pinned YOH to win the match tonight? He thinks that Takagi looked dangerous tonight, and Okada wants to face him at The New Beginning in Osaka.

NJPW The New Beginning in Osaka 2023 - February 11th, 2023
Shingo Takagi vs. Kazuchika Okada (c) - IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
Shingo Takagi had a good string of Road To shows leading up to the event, being responsible for every LIJ win, and it earned him this match tonight, a rematch of Wrestle Kingdom 16’s main event. This one is an incredible battle, Shingo doing his absolute best to come back from the KOPW level and get back to being at the very precipice of the company. Unfortunately for The Last Dragon, though, Kazuchika Okada is in rare form, and after suffering through a fair share of huge Lariats, Okada hits a Spinning Tombstone and follows it up with a devastating Rainmaker to close out this absolute belter of a main event.
Kazuchika Okada def. Shingo Takagi in 32:07
After the match, Ren Narita comes out and confronts Okada! He says that he racked up just as many wins as Shingo leading up to tonight’s show, and yet the champion completely snubbed him and didn’t even entertain the possibility of defending against him. Why? Is it because he’s young? Okada says that it’s because he’s simply not ready, but if Narita wants to learn exactly how unready he really is, then he can face Okada at Battle In The Valley. The match is set, and the young Ren Narita will have the biggest match of his career as he tries to shock the world and take the belt off of The Rainmaker in San Jose!

NJPW Battle In The Valley - February 18th, 2023
Ren Narita vs. Kazuchika Okada (c) - IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
A week after his last defense, Kazuchika Okada is back at it again, putting his IWGP World Heavyweight Title up for grabs against one of NJPW’s most promising prospects, Ren Narita. Narita has looked good as of late, but it’s a whole different ballgame when you’re standing across the ring from the greatest wrestler of a generation, the face of the company. If Narita wants to win tonight, he has to be better than he ever has been.
The young member of Strong Style tries to strike from distance early on and also grapples with The Rainmaker in an MMA-like way. Given Okada’s struggle to defeat Shibata back in the day, we know that this is a bit of a weakness for him. Okada’s getting more and more frustrated as Shibata Jr. continues to pepper him with strikes, and at one point, Narita throws a Palm Strike that lands a bit more like a snap. It’s like you can see Okada’s ego getting wounded, and he snaps. He immediately decks Narita with a Forearm and begins stomping on him.
From there, Okada takes most of the offense, though Ren does show flashes of fire that the Champion has to fight to weather. Kazuchika Okada is NJPW’s ace for a reason, though, and he begins to grind Narita down. Mockingly, he cracks The Son of Strong Style with a Penalty Kick, laughing. He looks right at Minoru Suzuki, Narita’s factionmate in Strong Style, at ringside, and drives Narita into the mat head-first with Suzuki’s finish, the Gotch-Style Piledriver. Finally, he mercifully decides to end things with a Rainmaker. After landing it, instead of going for the pin, he just rests contemplatively, hands on his knees. Then, he impulsively and quickly bursts to his feet, pulls Narita back up, and puts him down with a second Rainmaker! He makes the cover, not even bothering to hook the leg. One…Two…Three!
Kazuchika Okada def. Ren Narita in 28:11 to retain the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
After the match, El Desperado slides into the ring and puts a cold pack on Narita’s neck. Suzuki isn’t concerned with all that. Instead, The King walks up to Okada, hands behind his back, and stares him down. We can’t hear what he’s saying to the champion, but it must be some sort of remark about respect. The lack of respect that Okada showed Narita by hitting him with two Rainmakers. The lack of respect that he showed Shibata and Suzuki himself by ripping their moves. The lack of respect he showed the new generation by implying that they’re below him, and the lack of respect he showed the old generation by not mentioning them whatsoever. Okada doesn’t say a word, he simply raises his championship high in the air and dips out of the ring.

NOAH Keiji Muto Grand Final Pro-Wrestling Last Love Hold Out - February 21st, 2023
Kazuchika Okada vs. Kaito Kiyomiya
Tonight, Kazuchika Okada is in enemy territory. Keiji Muto’s career is ending tonight, and, as NOAH’s Ace, Kaito Kiyomiya is looking to capitalize on this incredible spotlight by taking out The Rainmaker and cementing himself as the premier champion in all of Japan. The two men have a much more back-and-forth affair than in real life, and with the crowd firmly against Okada, he almost seems to be drowning towards the middle of the match. Kiyomiya gets the nearest fall of the match with a beautiful Lifting DDT from the top rope, and when Okada kicks out, the GHC Heavyweight Champion knees him HARD right to the jaw.
The knee strike bloodies Okada up a little bit, mashing his lips against his teeth. He checks his mouth for blood, and when he notices some, it seems to wake him up a little bit. From there, Kaito, who expended a lot of his energy trying to put the match away earlier, seems like he’s having trouble dealing with a revitalized IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. Okada puts him down with a beautiful Dropkick and smiles, waiting for Kiyomiya to get to his knees. Once he does, Okada rushes forward AND TAKES HIS HEAD OFF WITH A SHINING WIZARD! THAT’S KEIJI MUTO’S FINISH! The crowd seems shocked at this move theft, and Okada picks Kaito up, before planting him with The Rainmaker for the One…Two…Three!
Kazuchika Okada def. Kaito Kiyomiya in 34:46

NJPW New Japan Cup - Overview
I don’t even really want to touch SANADA’s side of the bracket, but with the crazy fucking push that New Japan is giving him, I don’t despise the idea of him making the finals, so we’ll keep that as is. Let’s talk about the other side, though. The one that David Finlay made it through in real life, though? Nah, let’s not have any of that. Instead, after taking out Yujiro Takahashi in the opening round, Minoru Suzuki also eliminates Finlay in the second. After dealing with two current Bullet Club members, Suzuki faces off with a former one in Tama Tonga. They have a back-and-forth match, but Suzuki reverses a Gun Stun and latches on a Sleeper Hold to secure victory.
The semi-finals end up being a huge test for The King, though. He has to deal with perhaps the greatest member of Suzuki-Gun, his former stablemate, the Front Man of TMDK himself, Zack Sabre Jr. Despite the fact that their alliance is dead, and their character alignments don’t match up anymore, the two still shake hands before the match begins. It’s a very difficult match for both men, because they know each other so well. However, once ZSJ’s submissions get reversed, he has to fall back on his striking, and Suzuki has him beat there. Sabre goes for a PK, gets tripped up, and Minoru drops some ground and pound on him, before lining up and connecting with a PK of his own! He picks the Technical Wizard up and plants him with a Gotch Piledriver for the win! Somehow, Minoru Suzuki has made it to the finals of the New Japan Cup!
In the finals, two men that have scores to settle with Kazuchika Okada have to battle it out. SANADA has tried to defeat The Rainmaker countless times, and has only succeeded once, back in 2019’s G1 Climax 29. Suzuki, on the other hand, also has history with Okada, but his beef with the champion is much more recent, dating back to Battle In The Valley, where the veteran felt that Okada had disrespected STRONG STYLE. Suzuki and SANADA are both weathered from a long, grueling tournament, and it feels like any big move could finish the match. The finish comes when SANADA goes to the top rope and tries for a Moonsault, only for The King to get his knees up and capitalize by driving his opponent into the mat head-first with a Gotch-Style Piledriver! Cover! One…Two…THREE! Against all odds, Minoru Suzuki will face Kazuchika Okada at Sakura Genesis!

NJPW Sakura Genesis - April 8th, 2023
Minoru Suzuki vs. Kazuchika Okada (c) - IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
Kazuchika Okada has been acting a little bit differently, and that means that he has rubbed a few people in the puro world the wrong way. One of those people is Minoru Suzuki, the oldest member of STRONG STYLE, who, after years of villainy, has dedicated himself to helping the next generation of puroresu. Okada embarrassed Ren Narita, Suzuki’s protege, and now The King is here to make The Rainmaker pay. Can he embarrass the champion in return, and collect a prize that has eluded him forever in the process, or will Kazuchika Okada do what he does best and win? The entrances have happened, the announcements have been made, the bell has been rung. None of the talking matters anymore.
They meet in the middle of the ring and engage in the traditional collar-and-elbow tie-up. However, neither man is able to force the other to the ropes! They’re locked in a stalemate right in the centre of the squared circle, both competitors refusing to take a single step back! To move backwards is to concede, even just a little bit, and in a battle of iron wills like this, nobody is willing to concede! Okada tries to knock Suzuki off balance by poking at his knee with his boot, but Suzuki stands his ground and releases his left hand grip to hit the champion in the ribs a couple of times, just looking to chop the tree down slowly and methodically. They both realize that they won’t be able to push the other man to the ropes, so instead of dragging this out, they release the tie-up.
They both re-centre themselves, and after circling The King, Okada goes for a single leg takedown. He almost gets it, but Suzuki remains standing. Minoru takes a couple of swings, but The Rainmaker trips him up and wrenches on the ankle! Suzuki rolls onto his stomach and gets to his feet, and Kazuchika decides to keep him low by moving into a Headlock! Headlock Takeover now, and Suzuki automatically grabs a Headscissors, which doesn’t faze Okada, who breaks and gets to his feet. Suzuki gets up too, and Okada goes for another takedown, but he eats a knee to the head! He’s stunned and pops back to his feet, and Suzuki throws a barrage of slaps! SPINNING CHOP! CHOP TO THE FACE! BIG BOOT! He makes the cover! One…and a kickout, but Okada’s still rocked despite the early kickout!
Okada gets on all fours and starts crawling away, but The King won’t let him get away that easy, and he hits an Elbow Drop to the back of the head! Suzuki transitions right into a nice Bulldog Choke, reminiscent of the other man that Okada is feuding with, Jon Moxley! Okada doesn’t want to stay in this hold for too long, though, so he starts powering to his feet! Lifts Suzuki straight into the air! BACK SUPLEX! Okada gets up, and he wants to put this match away right this instant! Picks Suzuki up! Go-behind! HE’S LOOKING FOR THE RAINMAKER ALREADY! RIPCORD! BUT SUZUKI IS STILL VERY CONSCIOUS, AND HE HITS A BASEMENT DROPKICK ON THE REBOUND TO KNOCK OKADA TO THE MAT!
Suzuki knows that Okada’s overzealousness is a sign that the challenger is getting to him, so he decides to toy with The Rainmaker a bit more. He grabs Okada’s wrist and positions it so that his wrist is folding his fingers into the mat, and he proceeds to grind his boot onto the wrist to attack the fingers! Okada is shrieking in pain, and he fights to a standing position! Suzuki maintains control of his digits though, bending and twisting! Okada can’t withstand the pain anymore, HE GOES FOR A CLOSED FIST PUNCH! SUZUKI DUCKS IT, KEEPS CONTROL OF THE FINGERS, GOES BEHIND, AND PERFORMS A RIPCORD! ONCE OKADA IS EXTENDED, HE SNAPS THE CHAMPION’S FINGERS! SUZUKI LAUGHS AT OKADA’S PAIN, AND THEN KNOCKS HIM DOWN WITH A HEADBUTT! COVER! ONE…TWO…AND A KICKOUT!
Suzuki smells blood in the water, and he takes full mount! The King starts dropping Elbows, and he’s absolutely relentless with these! Okada is covering his head, he can’t cope with these strikes, but Minoru Suzuki doesn’t give a fuck! He stands up AND STARTS STOMPING ON HIS SKULL! OVER AND OVER! PRIDE NEVER DIES, BUT KAZUCHIKA OKADA JUST MIGHT! Blood is leaking down The Rainmaker’s nose, and it seems like that’s exactly where the challenger is aiming! Knee Drop right on the face! Okada has been knocked loopy, and Suzuki drags him to a sitting position. He tells him that he’s responsible for all of this, slaps him in the face, AND RUNS THE ROPES! PENALTY KICK! NO, OKADA KIPS UP AT THE LAST SECOND AND HITS HIS SIGNATURE DROPKICK! RIGHT ON THE BUTTON! COVER! ONE…TWO…AND SUZUKI GETS THE SHOULDER UP!
Okada looks absolutely shocked that he didn’t close things out there, and he gets to his knees and checks for blood. To his horror, his palm is stained red, and he’s ANGRY. He starts laying in stomps of his own, STRAIGHT TO THE SKULL OF MINORU SUZUKI! HE’S SWEARING AS HE STOMPS! DRAGS SUZUKI TO HIS KNEES! GOES TO THE TOP! MISSILE DROPKICK TO THE BACK OF SUZUKI’S HEAD! Okada is still pissed right off, and he drags Suzuki to his feet. Goes behind, poses, RIPCORD, AND HE GOES FOR A DISCUS RAINMAKER! SUZUKI COUNTERS WITH AN INCREDIBLY HARD SLAP, AND OKADA IS STAGGERED! SUZUKI SEES HIS OPENING! KICK TO THE GUT! GOTCH-STYLE PILEDRIVER, IT’S GOOD! HOOKS THE LEG! ONE…TWO…THREE!!! HE ACTUALLY DID IT! AFTER YEARS OF GRINDING, MINORU SUZUKI CAN FINALLY CALL HIMSELF NEW JAPAN PRO WRESTLING’S WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION!
Minoru Suzuki def. Kazuchika Okada in 29:23 to win the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship

AEW Dynamite - April 12th, 2023
Orange Cassidy is interviewed by Renee Paquette after a successful defense of his AEW International Championship. She talks about how he’s been so busy lately, and it seems like he’s faced everybody that there is to offer. She asks him what he wants to do next. He thinks for a moment. “I don’t know, really. I’m in CHAOS and that Suzuki guy took the IWGP World Championship from my friend. I think I’ll go for that. Unless, uh, he doesn’t wanna face me. Then I’ll just go home, I guess.” The very on-brand callout by “Freshly Squeezed” is accepted before the night is out, and the match is made for NJPW Collision in Philadelphia!

NJPW Capital Collision - April 15th, 2023
Tom Lawlor vs. Orange Cassidy (c) - AEW International Championship
The night before challenging for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, Orange Cassidy does a very Orange Cassidy thing and defends his AEW International Championship against the leader of Team Filthy himself, Tom Lawlor. Minoru Suzuki is on Japanese Commentary for the match, and Cassidy proceeds to have an absolute banger with the former UFC fighter. He eventually manages to put him away with a Beach Break from the middle rope, and Suzuki then comes down to the ring. OC and Suzuki shake hands, but Mr. Citrus can’t take his eyes off of the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.
Orange Cassidy def. Tom Lawlor in 16:09 to retain the AEW International Championship

NJPW Collision in Philadelphia - April 16th, 2023
Orange Cassidy vs. Minoru Suzuki (c) - IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
This match was supposed to happen on a GCW show before the pandemic, back when Suzuki was a cold-blooded machine and Orange Cassidy was comic relief. Now, both men are champions, and both men are cheered by the fans. They have a very fun match. Early on, Cassidy hits Suzuki with his mock kicks, and The King answers back with some of his own! Orange is younger and faster, and as the match goes on, the more it feels like he MIGHT just get the job done somehow! However, Suzuki starts going after Orange’s ribs, and with how often the International Champion has been competing, they’re already not at a hundred percent. The challenger makes a last-ditch effort and goes for an Orange Punch, but Suzuki lands a Spinebuster, a short PK followed by a Running PK, and then a Gotch-Style Piledriver to close out a banger of a contest.
Minoru Suzuki def. Orange Cassidy in 21:30 to retain the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship

NJPW Hirooki Goto 20th Anniversary Event - April 22nd, 2023
STRONG STYLE (Minoru Suzuki and El Desperado) vs. CHAOS (Hirooki Goto and Kazuchika Okada)
Hirooki Goto is, of course, main eventing his own Anniversary Show, but before the match Suzuki asks for a microphone. He talks about the battles he’s had with Goto in the past, including their Hair vs. Hair match back in the day. As a show of respect, he wants to offer Goto a shot at the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestling Dontaku, should CHAOS get the win tonight. The two teams have a crowd-pleasing contest, with Suzuki and Okada barely interacting. At the end, though, Goto catches Despy with a GTR. While he pins El Desperado, Okada prevents Suzuki from getting into the ring, levelling him with a Rainmaker that might have connected just a LITTLE bit after the bell. Nevertheless, Hirooki Goto has secured himself a shot at the biggest title in the sport! It’s been a happy Anniversary for him!
CHAOS def. STRONG STYLE in 12:37

NJPW Wrestling Dontaku - May 3rd, 2023
Hirooki Goto vs. Minoru Suzuki (c) - IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
Two NJPW legends do battle in tonight’s main event. Until recently, they were perhaps the greatest NJPW competitors to never win World Title gold for the promotion. Suzuki checked it off the list, and perhaps Goto will do the same tonight. They have an absolute banger of a match, including a chop battle that leaves both of them with bloody chests. Goto has a very impactful moveset, and he tries desperately to fire off moves that could probably shatter Suzuki’s neck at this point, but the champion has him scouted throughout, peppering him with strikes.
Eventually, with Suzuki countering all of his shit, Goto breaks an older move out of his arsenal! He lifts Suzuki up and plants him with the Jigoku Kuruma! Cover! One…Two…AND A KICKOUT! Suzuki is still conscious, somehow, and Goto’s frustration is palpable! With YOSHI-HASHI, his Bishamon tag partner, at ringside cheering him on, Goto picks Suzuki back up and goes to the well again, trying for another Jigoku Kuruma! Suzuki knees his way out of it, landing in perfect position for a Gotch-Style Piledriver! HITS IT! COVER! ONE…TWO…THR-NO! GOTO KICKED OUT, BUT HE’S RUNNING ON FUMES! Suzuki lifts him to a sitting position and runs the ropes multiple times, HITTING A COLOSSAL PENALTY KICK! TAKES HIS BACK! SLEEPER HOLD, AND HE’S ALREADY OUT! RED SHOES HAS TO CALL IT, SUZUKI RETAINS!
Minoru Suzuki def. Hirooki Goto in 25:01 to retain the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
At the post-show press conference, Kazuchika Okada talks about how Suzuki has only faced CHAOS guys since winning the championship. Why not go for the leader! Okada has had his number countless times in the past, and even beat him on Goto’s Anniversary Show, putting him out cold with a Rainmaker. If Suzuki wants to prove himself as a champion, then Okada is the man to face at Dominion. Suzuki responds later on, saying that he already beat Okada, so he HAS proved himself as a champion. However, the reason he wanted to face Okada in the first place was to teach him to respect STRONG STYLE, and obviously that hasn’t happened yet, so he’s happy to run it back. Dominion. June 4th. Osaka-Jo Hall. Suzuki will once again stop the rain.

NJPW STRONG Resurgence - May 21st, 2023
Kazuchika Okada vs. Wheeler Yuta
Wheeler Yuta, with Jon Moxley at ringside, is looking to get a statement victory against one of wrestling’s top stars and prove that he truly is the best. He puts up a hell of a fight, even out-grappling The Rainmaker! He very nearly manages to get the pinfall victory with The Seatbelt, but Okada barely manages to touch one of the ropes with his boot. Wheeler’s offense ends up dying out after he gets knocked loopy by a Dropkick, and then he takes three consecutive Rainmakers just because Okada wants to prove a point! Of course, Yuta isn’t kicking out of that.
Kazuchika Okada def. Wheeler Yuta in 20:52
Following the victory, Okada poses like a conqueror, foot on the unconscious Yuta’s chest, and this seems to hurt Moxley’s ego. He hops into the ring and kicks Okada’s foot away, talking shit. Okada slaps him, and Moxley immediately takes him down! They're throwing bombs on the ground, and a bunch of officials, security guards and producers rush into the ring to separate the two former World Champions!

NJPW Dominion 6.4 in Osaka-Jo Hall - June 4th, 2023
Kazuchika Okada vs. Minoru Suzuki (c) - IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
The last time these two faced off, Minoru Suzuki pulled off the upset of the year and managed to unseat the ace of New Japan, claiming his very first IWGP World Heavyweight Championship when everybody thought that he was in his New Japan Dad phase. Kazuchika Okada’s ego didn’t appreciate the hit that it took against The King, so after two defenses, Suzuki is giving The Rainmaker another go at things. The opening of the match is void of any respect at all, both men slapping each other in lieu of allowing clean breaks.
Okada is perhaps more aggressive than ever before, but in a way, that plays into the skill set of the Pancrase-hardened champion. He even hits a PK early on in the match, but Kazuchika kicks out of it. After a war that leaves both men with some battle scars, we enter the closing stretch. Suzuki seems to be suffering from the length of the match, while Okada’s cardio is intact. Minoru reverses a Rainmaker by booting Okada in the gut and going for a Gotch-Style Piledriver! Okada kicks his way out of it and throws a wild strike that Suzuki ducks. He goes behind and locks in a standing Sleeper! Okada drops down and backs through Suzuki’s legs, maintaining wrist control, before flipping the champion into Piledriver position! Spinning Tombstone! Picks him up! Ripcord! RAINMAKER! HE CONNECTS! GOES FOR THE PIN! ONE…TWO…THREE! KAZUCHIKA OKADA IS BACK AT THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN!
Kazuchika Okada def. Minoru Suzuki in 33:38 to win the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship

NJPW New Japan Road: Night Two - June 11th, 2023
CHAOS (YOH and Lio Rush) vs. Blackpool Combat Club (Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli)
The BCC is in Japan, and they’re here to send a message to CHAOS. In our second-to-last match of the night, YOH and Lio Rush put up a hell of a fight, with Lio nearly getting the win with a beautiful Frog Splash on Claudio, but the BCC puts them through the wringer. At the end, Moxley plants YOH with a Death Rider, and he’s more than done, but The Sick Guy decides to roll through and bring YOH to his feet, before spinning him around and hitting him with a Rainmaker! He makes the cover and picks up the win, sending a HUGE message to the newly-crowned IWGP World Heavyweight Champion by doing so!
Blackpool Combat Club def. CHAOS in 8:43

AEW Dynamite - June 14th, 2023
On Dynamite, Wheeler Yuta and Bryan Danielson pick up a victory over the Best Friends, and afterwards, Jon Moxley gets in the ring and grabs a microphone. He talks about how he is a man that never forgets, and he hasn’t forgotten how Kazuchika Okada tried to embarrass the BCC at Resurgence. He has now made it his mission to rip the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship away from The Rainmaker, and show him exactly why the Blackpool Combat Club is NOT the group to fuck with. He gives the microphone back and prepares to leave the ring…until the coin drops.
The crowd loses their shit, Kazuchika Okada is here! Not only that, he’s not on the ramp…he’s behind the Death Rider! Okada spins Mox around and hits him with a Dropkick! Wheeler and Danielson converge on The Rainmaker, and Claudio Castagnoli runs down the ramp, but the Swiss Superman is intercepted by an Orange Punch from CHAOS member Orange Cassidy! Wheeler Yuta is attacked by Trent and his former trainer Chuck Taylor, and Bryan Danielson gets dragged out of the ring by one of his opponents at Forbidden Door, IWGP United States Champion Kenny Omega (they’re in a Triple Threat with Will Ospreay)! Okada picks Moxley back up and puts him out cold with a Rainmaker! Toronto is going to be treated to one hell of a show when Forbidden Door 2 rolls into town, and Moxley vs. Okada is one of the most can’t-miss matches on the entire card!

AEW Collision - June 24th, 2023
Kazuchika Okada vs. AR Fox
It’s the second edition of Collision, and the night before Forbidden Door 2. Kazuchika Okada has his first ever match on AEW television, against the talented AR Fox. Fox knows that pulling this off would make him one of the biggest stars in wrestling, and he empties the tank early, but after weathering the storm, Okada is able to take advantage of an exhausted AR and hit him with The Rainmaker. However, just to pay Moxley back for his finisher theft on New Japan Road, Okada picks Fox up and plants him with a Paradigm Shift before making the match-winning cover!
Kazuchika Okada def. AR Fox in 11:54
Jon Moxley doesn’t appreciate the disrespect, and he immediately storms out! Okada meets him on the ramp, and it’s hands on the spot! The two men exchange haymakers, leveling each other, not willing to wait for tomorrow night! The crowd here in The Six is loud for this brawl, and officials flood out of the backstage area to stop this! The two men get separated, but they’re giving each other Stone Cold Salutes as they get ushered to the back, obviously from separate sides!

AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door - June 25th, 2023
Jon Moxley vs. Kazuchika Okada (c) - IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
We’ve got a certified banger in the cards here, folks, because in one of the most intense feuds of the night, Jon Moxley challenges for Kazuchika Okada’s IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, looking to expand the Blackpool Combat Club’s trophy case even further. It’s Okada’s first defense, and there’s no love lost here, as we don’t see any clean breaks. Instead, each man slaps the other hard across the face, and the early goings of this one quickly devolve into a bit of a brawl. Moxley does his damndest to bring things to the outside, where he has a distinct advantage, and he eventually does, wrecking Okada out there.
However, Okada is a tremendous counter-wrestler, and he manages to reverse a Paradigm Shift attempt into a beautiful Arm Drag, followed by a Dropkick, a German Suplex, a Tombstone Piledriver, and a Discus Rainmaker! That barrage somehow isn’t even to keep Jon Moxley down, but it does turn the tide significantly, and Okada is eventually able to hit a regular version of The Rainmaker to secure the victory, coming out of the match worse for wear, but still the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion.
Kazuchika Okada def. Jon Moxley in 28:59
submitted by KirkHammettJigsaw to FantasyBookingElite [link] [comments]


2023.05.28 05:00 Kazevenikov Cryptid Chronicle - Chapter 30

A special thanks to u/bluefishcake for the wonderful original story and sandbox to play in.
A special thanks to my editors LordHenry7898, RandomTinkerer, Swimming_Good_8507, CatsInTrenchcoats, and KLiCKonthat.
And a big thanks to the authors and their stories that inspired me to tell my own in this universe. RandomTinkerer (City Slickers and Hayseeds), Punnynfunny (Denied Operations), CompassWithHat (Top Lasgun), CarCU131 (The Cook), and Rhion-618 (Just One Drop)
Hy’shq’e Ay Si’am (Thank you noble friends)
Chapter 30: A Promise Kept
Kalai stepped off the shuttle to the Vaida’s headquarters and into a running tackle-hug from Sitry. “Oh Kalai, I could kill you right now! You got to see the Great Barrier Reef in person, you bitch!” Sitry’s cheerful voice was muffled from where she was still buried in her chest. Kalai staggered backwards a pace or two, happy to be back from her whirlwind adventure around Earth with her father.
Naranjo and Papa Rhaxiid were there on the platform to welcome her back too, but their welcomes were more sedate.
“Not to mention you got out of work for half our damn trip. Ugh, it’s so not fair!” Naranjo huffed as Kalai gave him a sisterly hug.
Papa Rhaxiid reached up and chucked her chin before turning to lead the way back inside from the forested platform. “Welcome back, sweet-sprout, we’ve missed you. Come on, we’ll get you settled again and off to work. There’s quite a bit you need to catch up on if you want your credits.”
The chuckles from the twins behind her were full of sibling malice, but she knew how to shut the pair of them up. “Papa Rhaxiid? I’ve got the paper on Biodiversity in the Reef you asked for, along with the dissection report and stomach content analysis of the tuna we caught. I want to put the finishing touches on it and do a final proofread first before I send them to you.” The man turned and gave her a warm smile as they entered the building.
“Good, why don’t you go take your things back up and say hello to Andy? I’ll give you an hour and a half to get freshened up, then I want you to report to Aquarium 12 with Dr. Sor’ansa. You can put your snorkeling practice to work there.” Papa Rhaxiid walked the three of them to the residential elevator. “I’m heading back to my office. Andy’s been requested by Maetro Pae’ella to work the kitchens for something called ‘Bison burgers'. Apparently it’s a type of indigenous bovine that the eastern Bands raise. That and something from Europe called ‘French Fries’.”
Kalai couldn’t help but get excited as she and her siblings piled into the elevator back to their little shared apartment. Sure the food she’d had all over the place was good, but so far nothing had been able to compare to Andy and his Salishian cooking.
“Nerd, I can’t believe you cheated and did work on your vacation." Naranjo broke the silence of the elevator after a little bit and stuck his tongue out at her.
Spit to windward, you vain little weed. Don’t hate me because I’m awesome.” Kalai’s riposte caused Naranjo to fold his arms and huff. Sitry simply ambushed her with an ear flick.
The elevator door opened to their floor before Kalai couldn’t bear the silence from Sitry any longer. “So, did you bag him yet, you lucky bitch?”
“No she hasn’t!” Naranjo’s singsong mockery of his sister interrupted Sitry’s response. “Papa hasn’t let Sitry even NEAR Andy without one of them around!”
“Rub it in, you snitch, besides, he did kiss me first,” Sitry preened happily as she playfully shoved Kalai’s shoulder.
Kalai pretended to stumble and almost caught Sitry’s foot, but she was just a hair too slow. “Yeah, and then you gave him a black eye, you clod.”
“Will you let it go? It was an accident!”
“It’s not even the only one he got either." Naranjo’s interjection stopped her right in front of their door.
“Wait, what? Who hurt him this time?” Kalai let her bag thunk to the floor as she turned to look accusingly between Sitry and Narny.
Sitry folded her arms and her ears twitched back as she shot a dark look at their door. “He ‘fell down’ yesterday while out at one of the Hatcheries we gave to the Hwatcoms. Mrs. Toloui nearly had a fit! She said she could smell another human on him and that he was covered in blood!”
Narny nodded primly as Kalai tried to process what they were telling her. “WHAT? Did she call out the militia? Track down whoever hurt him?”
“No, and he refused treatment and insisted that no one did it to him! When papa tried to talk to him, Andy said some stupid human macho shit about pain healing and birds liking scars. I don’t know, sometimes humans… they’re frickin’ insane!”
The door shot open and there stood Andy. His left eye was an angry puffy yellow and blue mess, and there were three points on his lips where a dark cinnabar line marked a crack. Kalai and her siblings stood in wide eyed shock at his sudden appearance and the only sound was the music emanating from the common room behind him.
Andy looked up and down at the three without saying a word. He cocked an eyebrow and snagged Kalai’s bag before any of them could react and cleared the doorway for them.
Kalai sputtered at the impropriety but Naranjo and Sitry just shrugged and walked in after Andy. “Femboys, am I right?” Narny whispered to Kalai as he passed. Kalai followed behind and was greeted by the white fluff-ball, Puck, who hopped up and down, whining for attention. She bent down and started scratching his ears and back. While Puck rubbed up against her hands, Andy settled back down at the table where his omnipad was hooked up to a keypad. Her heart started to sink a bit and Kalai shot Sitry a jealous look before the music came to a sudden halt and Andy interrupted the beginnings of her pity party.
“Ok, Kem’ira, I got the pics now and I’m telling you to declare yourself to the farmers first! I guarantee if you tell them you’re with the new DNR and you’re there to kill all the Scotch Broom in their pasture lands, they’ll stop trying to shoot you for trespassing!”
Kalai’s mood jumped up a bit. It’s not that he doesn’t care to see me, he’s in a meeting!
“No, no I’m not coming out to talk this over with them, I’ve got my own work to do! Either you start talking to folks like I showed you how, or ask the militia to give you one of their armored catsuits to wear under your uniform… Uh-huh, good luck." Andy hung up on the call and leaned back as Puck scampered over and hopped up in his lap.
Andy rubbed his temples before shaking his head. He seemed to relax a bit and Puck slid off to follow Sitry to the kitchen. Andy looked over and gave Kalai a happy smile that made her flush. “Welcome back! So how was the land down under? That tuna was fan-frickin’-tastic, if you aren’t sick of seafood I’ll do something fancy with it tomorrow to celebrate your coming back. Can’t tonight though, I got volun-told to be head chef tonight and I… Oh damnit! I’m late! Come to dinner, burgers and fries Indian style tonight. Gotta run!” With that, Andy went dashing out the door with Puck barking and scrambling along after him.
Kalai felt her heart sink back down again, as he left. “Andy I-” She started but he was gone.
“Yeah, it’s been like that for the whole week. The only time we get to hang out is dinner.” Sitry commiserated as she took Kalai’s bag into their room. “On the other hand, we might get to catch up during the family meal tonight.”
The dinner was delicious, though a bit weird. It tasted alright, but there was a certain aftertaste on the sandwich that just didn’t sit right with Kalai. She just couldn’t put her finger on it. The french fries more than made up for it though, and Mama Sakalbi had to hold a science trivia contest to see who got the last little handful.
Kalai and Narny were already silently plotting with each other for their revenge against their sister who had won and refused to share the last few matchsticks when Andy finally joined their table. He was sweaty and he smelled of woodsmoke and french fries. Kalai jumped up and offered him a seat next to her with a nervous smile. He took it gratefully and seemed to sag a bit as he gulped down a glass of water.
“Andy, I think you may be finding your calling as a culinary ambassador,” Mama Aftasia beamed. “A toast to the chef!”
Andy gave a shy smile and looked down as Kalai and the rest of the family gave a hearty ‘Here, here!”
“It’s a simple enough recipe; it’s just using bison instead of cow, that’s all, and I don’t know anyone who’d turn down hand cut fresh fries. It’s kind of hard to screw up.”
“Young man, you are speaking to a woman who found a way to take cold water and dried wumpa flakes and wind up with a Class-4 fire. Cooking has always seemed like ‘blight mysticism’ to me, and these foods? These flavors? Nothing short of a Greenwood miracle in my opinion." Mama Aftasia continued her praise of Andy, which only caused him to shrink even lower in his seat.
“To be honest, I like your salmon better,” Kalai said, and the whole table went silent. Kalai held her ground though, and was rewarded with a tired but genuine laugh from Andy that brought him back out of his shell.
“You know, I do too. My Clan were fisherpeople, not buffalo chasers.” Andy gave Kalai a cheeky grin, which she returned happily, her heart glowing. Mama Aftasia and Mama Sakalbi both blinked in bemusement at Andy’s statement while Sitry just giggled.
“Speaking of which, Andy, I received a call from Elder Alex Hwatcom.” Papa Rhaxiid’s change of subject instantly perked Andy up, and he stared silently, waiting. “He extended an invitation to our family to attend his family gathering this Friday-”
“Alex said that? He used those words?” Andy shook his head in shock as he interrupted Papa Rhaxiid. The table went quiet and everyone held their breath as they looked between the two men.
Papa Rhaxiid adopted as good an impression of the human Elder as he could. “I’d like to extend an invitation for you and your family to be guests at our family gathering this saturday up at the White… something… lodge-”
“The White Ram Lodge?” Andy sat forward, interjecting again as the color drained from his face.
“Yes, that’s the one! I asked if we could bring anything since the last time they hosted us they put on that wonderful spread. He said if we could bring a few salmon for the family, that would be wonderful.”
Andy leaned back and took another sip of ice water before holding the glass to his blackened eye. “Alex Hwatcom… just invited you… to a gathering… and he told you to ‘bring a few salmon’? Do you realize what a huge honor this is?”
Rhaxiid looked from his wives to his children with mild concern. “Um, I thought it was only dinner, but your reaction tells me there’s more significance to this than I originally thought. I was thinking about our stocks of adult Sockeye, but then I remembered in his story how important King Salmon are. Of course, I’d like to defer to you for the choice since you know these animals and the cultural expectations with this invitation better than we do.”
Andy was silent for a moment before he put the glass down. “I’d recommend a ‘hard no’ to all your clone stock!” Now it was the Vaidas’ turn to be shocked, as each of Kalai’s Erbian family’s jaws dropped in synch. Before anyone could say anything, Andy continued, “You need to bring wild-caught. Farm-raised salmon wouldn’t… well we can tell, and you can taste the difference between them. We need to go fishing!” Kalai leaned towards Andy slightly as he lowered his head and started mumbling to himself. She was just able to make out what he was saying to himself as Mama Sakalbi and Mama Aftasia began whispering to each other. “...need to get the Gillnetter out of storage, check what’s running and select the mesh. I’m gonna need a deckhand too.
Kalai reached a hand out but stopped short of touching him. “Andy?”
He popped up and spoke for the whole table to hear. “I need a shuttle to the mainland and a waiver against the fishing ban. I’ve got to get my boat and the drum ready for sea ” Rhaxiid and Aftasia sputtered in confusion, but Mama Sakalbi had a shadow fall over her, and her ears pulled back.
“Do you mean to say you want to go out on the water? Risk the ecological balance for… dinner?”
Andy looked Sakalbi dead in the eye and gave her a firm nod. “Why don’t you come out and see how we did this before you got here. Think of it as a chance to see the way we’ve fished for the last hundred or so years, and then I can explain the way we used to fish before that.”
The offer snapped Rhaxiid out of his confusion and he brightened. “A learning experience? Wonderful, we’ll make a day of it!” His hands shot out to grab both his wives’ and Kalai could feel the vibrations in the floor from where he was excitedly tapping his feet.
“If you don’t mind hard, smelly work. Uncle Willy always called it ‘the worst desk in the prettiest office.' It’ll be a bit cramped, but I’ve got room on the boat for a few guests and observers; four I think would be ok. She’s a working boat, not a pleasure cruiser,” Andy explained. That sent the whole lot of them excitedly talking among themselves.
Kalai was about to lean in to talk to Mama Aftasia, but Andy caught her attention first. “I don’t suppose you’d want to go back out on the water, given you just got back from pleasure-boating-”
Kalai’s heart nearly jumped out of her chest. “I wouldn’t miss it for my own colony planet!”
--------------------
Kalai stood on the pier, bundled in her thermal sailor’s coat. It was still dark and the wind blew from the north in a cold little morning breeze. Kalai took a deep breath and reveled in the smell of the fresh sea air. The soft chattering of Mama Sakalbi’s teeth broke the silence. “It’s a bit chillier than it said it was going to be.”
“The water always does that. It’s never as warm as the lubbers say it’ll be,” Papa spoke as he handed her back her thermos of hot chocolate.
Papa stood next to Kalai and nudged her with his elbow. Even in the dark, Kalai could see him smile up at her and jerk his head at the shivering Erbian. He was also wearing a thermal sailor’s coat, and his hands were stuffed in his pockets to keep them warm, just like Kalai’s. “Landswoman,” he whispered to her and the two of them shared a knowing smile. It was strange, but welcome when she'd told Papa about her upcoming day fishing with Andy, and he’d politely requested to join them. Papa Rhaxiid had graciously given his spot up to accommodate her birth father. Narny was all for it until Andy had explained what they were going to do, but then surrendered his challenge to the fourth guest space, not wanting to go anywhere NEAR anything that could see him come face to face with a Lion’s Mane Jelly. Sitry had done a happy little dance when she found out, but only yesterday had come down with Thistle Fever, and was bundled off to bed by her parents. It left Kalai, Mama Sakalbi, and Papa to accompany Andy on his fishing trip.
The water brushed against the shore behind them quietly. In the gloom, Kalai could just barely make out the outline of the nearest island mountain, but only because the stars had disappeared behind it. It was almost four in the morning, but Kalai had managed a catnap on the shuttle to the empty little lot that had been the boat launch. Aside from the water, the world was silent. Even the breeze made almost no noise and a sense of peace surrounded them. Everything was so calm, Kalai felt like she didn’t have a care in the world.
In the distance, a low rumbling sound of a motor rose from being almost imperceptible to a rolling drum of thunder. From around the point, two green floating lights sped through the darkness, and a spotlight turned on. The beam of light moved jerkily until it came to rest on the pier where they were standing and Kalai started waving her arms. Sakalbi’s omnipad rang, and Andy’s voice shouted over the speaker and the background noise for them to shine a light on the edge of the pier to help him park the boat.
Kalai and Papa moved closer and turned their omnipad flashlights on and waved them as the boat swung gracefully around and glided in alongside them. Kalai caught the rope that flew over the railing of the boat and she heard more than saw Andy moving around on the deck as she tied off on one of the mooring cleats. Several lights clicked on and the deck was bathed in light enough for Kalai to get a clear view of the boat they’d be spending the day on.
Andy hadn’t lied. Kalai saw that this little vessel was a working boat with no frills at all. When he’d told her they’d be going fishing, she’d envisioned something like the charter boat papa had taken her on out of Nantucket. Sporty, fast with a nod to comfort and function. This was not that at all. A giant wheel as wide as Kalai’s outstretched arms that looked like a sideways spool of thread was secured to the deck amidships and dominated the deckspace. Wrapped around it was a fluorescent green tangle with a line of oblong white and yellow corks and rope. There was a covered hatchway sitting behind the drum in front of the raised step to the enclosed cabin. Two large windows let the light out to two children’s bunks, a little table with a booth seat and a raised captain’s chair in front of the helm and engine controls. Andy shut down the engine and that peaceful stillness returned.
“Oway there!” Kalai called, “ship oway! Request permission to come aboard.” Kalai gave the traditional greeting of a Shil’vati sailor.
“Permission granted! Anyone need a stepstool?” Andy finally stepped into the light and Kalai got a look at him. He was wearing a hooded sweatshirt and the same bright orange coveralls she’d seen the fishmongers wearing on their date.
“I wouldn’t mind a hand, Mr. Shelokset.” Papa He’osforos braced a foot on the railing of the boat and Andy pulled him up.
“Just call me Andy, Doc, and welcome aboard. Jackie should be along any minute now with the day’s groceries, and the cabin’s out of the cold. You can get yourself set wherever you find comfortable.” Papa nodded and disappeared around the other side of the wheel moving towards the bow.
Kalai helped Mama Sakalbi into the boat next, and she quickly ducked into the cabin that took up the entire stern section save for a little ledge that ran along the outside. Andy gripped Kalai’s hand and she smiled as he pulled her deftly aboard. The boat rocked a little on its mooring, and Kalai almost fell into Andy, who wordlessly put his arms around her waist to catch her as she lost her balance. She flailed for a moment before she steadied herself against him.
“Gotcha,” Andy smiled, and Kalai could see him flush almost as much as she could feel herself doing as their noses almost touched. Those big dark brown eyes surrounded by white orbs drew her in and she felt she could lose herself in them. Kalai started as Andy danced her around him and moved her towards the cabin door.
“It might be a little cramped for you in there, but the Mary Jean wasn’t built for pleasure boating, she’s a working girl. Sit tight, I gotta check a few things in the back.” Andy patted the railing affectionately before he hopped up and scooted along the outside of the cabin towards the stern. Kalai couldn’t help the little longing groan that came out as he left her there on the little tiny quarterdeck. Her heart was hammering in her chest as half formed fantasies danced at the edges of her mind.
“I saw that, little minnow.” Papa’s voice was soft, but his tone and the sudden broken silence nearly gave her a heart attack.
Kalai could only stammer as her father stared at her with a cocked eyebrow. A thump from the cabin window behind saw an amused Mama Sakalbi daintily sipping at her thermos with her ears twitched forward in interest, staring out at her. “Papa I… he-”
Papa moved carefully around the covered hatchway to stand next to her, leaning back against the cabin window and heaved a sigh. “I must say I’m surprised. This lovely man’s got good clean lines and is very well cared for. It speaks well of his Skipper.”
It took a full minute for Kalai’s brain to process that he was talking about the boat and not Andy. “And the way Andy brought him in smooth in near complete darkness? It gives me confidence in his abilities.”
Kalai breathed a silent sigh of relief and exasperation. Although she was happy to be spending more time with her father, bringing him on what she’d hoped would be a sailing date wasn’t exactly what she’d had in mind for ‘family time’. He wants me to find a nice young man and spend time with him on a boat, but the first chance I get Papa decides to clam-jam me.
From up on shore, the sound and lights of a large human vehicle screeching to a halt heralded the last of their party to arrive. Kalai heard the clomping footsteps coming down the pier and moved to the railing to lend a hand.
“Ahoy Mary Jean! Raggedy Andy, you there?” Kalai stared with wide eyed surprise to see a human female, loaded down with plastic bags and sporting two human weapons on her shoulder. The two of them locked eyes, and while Kalai didn’t understand everything the girl shouted in surprise, she had caught and understood the phrase, “What the fuck?”
“Easy now, they’re my guests, and the one inside is the boss!” Andy appeared on the pier instantly before either Kalai or the woman could react further.
“Ya didn’t tell me we were having pur-” The woman glared at Kalai and her father. She had switched to Vatikre thankfully, but her tone was hostile as she dropped everything but her weapons. “I mean, hwun’eetums, aboard. A gal could get the wrong idea pretty quick in the dark when there’s no warning.”
“Knock it off Jackie. Let’s get the grub aboard and shove off.” Andy picked up some of the bags and took the guns as Kalai offered a helping hand over the railing. “Oh, Kalai, this is Jackie. Jackie? Kalai. That’s her dad over there, Doc He’osforos. He saw and treated Kay Tee a few years back.” Andy jerked his head towards the direction of Kalai’s father as she held out a hand to the human girl. On a quick inspection, she appeared to be about the same age as her and Andy. She had a round face and was about as dark complected as Andy was. She was shorter, only a few inches taller than Papa, but when Jackie grabbed Kalai’s hand to hop up onto the rail, she could feel the strength and the compact muscle hidden by the baggy sweatshirt and pants.
“Wait a minute, did you say Mini-Me over there saw Kay Tee? You’re fuckin’ with me!” Jackie stumbled a bit as she hopped down onto the deck with a loud thunk and advanced on Papa who shrank away at her advance. “You saw li’l Kay Tee? Where the fuck is he? Is he alright? Is he still fighting the good fight?”
“Last I saw, yes, he was ‘fighting the good fight.’” Papa looked over at Andy with a slightly worried expression. Andy smacked the girl in the back of the head, causing her to flinch and she opened the door to the cabin for Andy to go inside.
Jackie rubbed the back of her head and laughed. “Well that’s a little bit of alright, innit? Maybe today’s gonna be a good day after all!”
“Jackie, get suited up and get on the bow. I need a good pair of eyes on the roller horns,” Kalai heard Andy shout from the cabin, followed by a whole lot of thumping and banging from cabinets being opened and closed.
“You got it, ol’ man. We going to your place or mine?” Jackie sidestepped in and opened a tiny little closet and pulled out a set of rain gear that was identical to what Andy was wearing. Kalai collected herself and stood in the doorway next to her father as they both leaned in.
“Mine; Chuck said the Yaw’much are running from the South. We’ll do a set nor’west of Lummi in the Rosario and see if we can get some Fraser Kings,” Andy replied as he turned the engine back on and the vessel roared to life.
“Chuck? Isn’t that one of your cousins? I didn’t know he could keep track of the movements of Salmon, may I ask how he does it?” Mama Sakalbi perked up as she pulled a set of earplugs out of a pocket and inserted them.
Andy prevaricated a bit, looking from Jackie back to Sakalbi then to Kalai and Papa. “I’d rather not answer that-”
“Breakin’ the law, breakin’ the law! Breakin’ the law, breakin’ the law!”
Jackie began singing a human song, and Andy threw her the dirtiest of looks as she finished getting into the orange coveralls. Mama Sakalbi sputtered as Andy shrugged apologetically.
“Make a hole!” Jackie called, and she and Andy came back out as Kalai and Papa made room for them. Andy hopped back onto the dock to cast off while Papa ducked into the cabin.
“Can I help?” Kalai offered as Andy shoved the vessel off and leapt the gap over the black water below.
“You want to be useful? Come forward! I could use an extra set of eyes!” Jackie called back, and Kalai felt a slap on her shoulder from the boisterous human woman.
------------------
Andy stood at the helm, watching Jackie and Kalai as he leaned to get a better view of them past the Net drum. The bow was lifting up again, and the gentle little swells became like speed bumps, jostling them up and down in a predictable bouncing rhythm.
“Are you sure you couldn’t slow down, Andy? It’s a bit rough, don’t you think?” Sakalbi was hanging on to the table and her thermos with a worried expression on her face.
“I could, but we’ll miss the morning set. We want to bomb out the buoy right when the tide changes. If we’re lucky, then we’ll get around seventy or eighty by slack tide this afternoon and call it a day.”
“How do you know where to fish?” Dr. He’osforos was making a good show of standing and maintaining his balance with his hand on the booth.
“Well, there’s two ways you know. The first is you fish the spots your family’s fished since time began. Every family has about two or three different secret spots that we know there’s fish in, and we’re pretty defensive about their locations. The second is by smell. Right now it’s the tail end of the King season, and you can smell them in the water.” Andy turned and saw the incredulity etched on the faces of the two aliens.
“No, I’m serious! King Salmon slime is really pungent, and you can smell them when they’re close to the surface. We get to the fishing spot and take a deep whiff. If we smell them, we’ll set the nets.” Andy laughed at the disbelief on their faces as the GPS on his omnipad beeped and he turned to sail around the last buoy and head for the fishing ground.
“I’ve never noticed that in any of the Kings we’ve raised-”
Andy suppressed a laugh as they caught a larger swell as they left the lee of Lummi Island. Andy reveled in the feeling of weightlessness as the deck rose up and fell out from underneath their feet, leaving everyone suspended for a moment in midair before falling back down. A massive spray of water rose and washed over the deck, drenching Kalai and Jackie, who were still forward. “Cloned and farmed Kings don’t have that same smell. Wild ones smell and taste different, I’m telling you!” Andy pulled back slightly on the throttle as they climbed the next swell. “Brace!” he called as they climbed and fell once again.
There was a look of fear on Sakalbi’s face as she gripped the table for dear life, but to Andy’s surprise, the Doctor looked completely unfazed, and was handling the rise and fall of the deck like an old salt. “You look like you’ve done this before, Doc.”
“I’ve done a stint or two at sea before,” he spoke, in the same tone Andy would have used when trying not to sound too confident, and Andy smiled.
“Kalai keeps talking about loving the sea and sailing. Did you teach her to sail?”
“Yes, me and her mothers. When they were home, we would take the family yacht out in the Vaascon Straits and sail around the Occidiens. Kalai practically spent all her early childhood on a sailboat.”
“And almost every waking moment on one in Junior Academy. I swear you couldn’t dig her out with a trowel when she wanted to go sailing,” Sakalbi managed to add in a word as the boat slowed, and the dramatic rise and fall of the deck slowed with it.
“What about you, Mr. Shelokset, did your father teach you to sail too?”
“I was too young before he passed. My Great Uncle Willy taught me after I came home, and Grandma took me out to the family fishing sites when she wasn’t busy with the Council. For the first two or three years after they let us come home, fishing was the only way to feed our families, but the Militia and the Cambrians would try and sink our boats or arrest us whenever we tried to go out.”
“And that’s why you’re so good at maneuvering your vessel in the dark with no instruments?” Mrs. Vaida had folded her arms, and her voice twinged with that imperious tone she’d had when they’d first met.
Andy huffed a dry laugh. “I did what I had to for me and my people and to survive, Ma’am. I don’t like breaking the law or dodging lasers and gunfire, but there’s a lot of poor families that need to eat.”
The GPS beeped, and Andy gave Mrs. Vaida a slightly defiant look to counter her furrowed brow. “We’re here,” he said as he threw the engine in neutral and opened the cabin door.
Andy walked out and took a deep breath, but all he could smell was the net and the exhaust from the engine. “HEY JACKIE! WE SMELL MONEY?” Andy yelled out as he took stock of the sky. The first signs of sunrise were chasing all but the morning stars away and a light fog was rolling in from the north.
“FUCK YEAH I CAN SMELL ‘EM, ANDY! LET’S BOMB OUT AND GET BREAKFAST GOING!” Jackie looked slightly manic as she smiled brightly. Kalai, on the other hand, looked wet and miserable as she shivered, arms wrapped around herself. Andy gave his cousin a disgusted look as he pieced together what had happened. Every deckhand learned when to duck behind the raised bow and the roller horns that guided the nets so as not to get a faceful of spray when cutting through a swell. It was also a classic hazing trick for Senior Deckhands to let Junior Deckhands learn this the hard way.
Andy moved forward to stand in front of the two of them. Kalai was trying to squeeze her coat dry, but Andy knew it wouldn’t do much good until the sun came out. Jackie at least had the sense to look a little remorseful. “Kalai, why don’t you go sit in the cabin and get out of that wet coat. It’s cold enough out here even for us-”
“No way, Andy. Junior deckhand Kally here wants to impress you and get her dainty soft hands dirty! She’s been bragging about being a sailorwoman and wants to learn to fish ‘your way!” Jackie gave Kalai’s shoulder a wet slap as the poor alien woman went blue. Out of cold or embarrassment, Andy couldn’t tell.
All Andy could do was shake his head and huff. “Ok then! Secure the buoy and sling on my mark. I’ll get us in position!” Andy couldn’t help but chuckle as he heard Jackie start ordering Kalai about. Andy went back into the cabin and looked in the closet/bathroom to see if there was anything hanging up that he could give Kalai. There was only the one rain slicker and a few of Andy’s old sweaters from when he was a lot smaller. Well, looks like I’ll just be cold today. He quickly stripped out of his sweatshirt and grabbed the slicker before throwing a switch on the main control. Dr. He’osforos and Mrs. Vaida threw him quizzical looks as he went back outside wearing less than when he came in. He was down to a sleeveless shirt and his coveralls, and the morning breeze cut right through him and he braced his jaw to keep it from chattering.
“We’re ready to go- Andy, why are you practically naked from the waist up?” Kalai was staring wide eyed at him as he approached her and Jackie was on the bow. Jackie had everything ready; the buoy line was strung through the horns and ready to toss out. A giant orange and blue beach ball sized float hung at the end of the line to mark the end and make it easier to pick up later.
“Trade me your coat for these. If Jackie’s putting you to work, you’ll need these to keep warm.”
“I’m alright, I can-”
“I’m the Skipper of this boat, and I’m ordering you to take off that wet coat and put these on; and Jackie?” Andy gave his cousin a long and piercing look. “Give her the elbow gloves, not the halfsies.”
The scoff and the muttered Salishian profanities meant he’d read the next prank she’d had in mind right. She was planning on giving her the cloth gloves with only the palms and fingers coated in rubber. While perfectly fine for fishing, Andy knew they tended to get soaked through very quickly and did nothing to keep jellyfish stingers and fish slime off your hands. Kalai sputtered for a moment before she complied gratefully and she accepted the dry clothes and rain slicker.
Andy saw Jackie give him a strange look before looking back at Kalai, but he paid it no mind. He walked back to the controls on the drum and switched off the hydraulics, placing the mechanism in neutral. “SLING IT!” Andy called as he took the small jerry rigged steering wheel and threw the boat in reverse. Kalai jumped as the line started unspooling the net into the water at a rapid pace.
Andy set an ‘S’ bend in the quarter mile long net, zigzagging backwards until they came to the end of the line. Andy stopped the boat as Jackie tied off the other large buoy and tossed it over the side, unstringing the cork-line from the roller horns in the process. He pulled hard over and put a bit of distance from the net before shutting the engine down. The line of white and yellow corks marking the net bobbed lazily with the swells as silence settled over the water again. The waves rocked the boat gently as Andy found his sea legs again.
“Alright, I’ll get breakfast going. Jackie, Kalai? Post the watch for seals,” Andy called as he walked back into the cabin to fire up the tiny little gas stove.
Sakalbi, having found the confidence to stand at last, poked her head out of the cabin and stood on by the hatch to the fish hold. “Seals? Why would you need to watch for seals?”
Andy grit his teeth and looked over from where he was cracking open and scrambling eggs. “They’re the spawn of Satan and we hate their guts!” Andy bit out. Jackie came back and pulled the two shotguns and a pair of binoculars from the closet. Andy reached over to a side cabinet and pulled out a box of shells for them. Both his boss and the Doctor’s eyes got wide.
“Seals are the enemy of our blood. Were it not for the invasion, our unending war against these vermin would continue to this day!” Jackie growled as she loaded one for herself and rested the other on Andy’s seat at the helm.
The look of growing horror on Sakalbi’s face towards their facetious declarations caused Andy to chuckle a bit, before launching into an explanation. “We’re not fans of the species because they’ll wait until a fish gets caught in the net and then they’ll steal it, costing us a fish AND ripping a big hole in our nets that we then have to take time to repair. We use the shotguns and buckshot to give them a nice welt and convince them not to hang around, because they’ll wait up on the surface and watch the buoys, just like us. A single seal can and will take between five and ten fish. The worst is when they start getting full, they’ll just bite out the bellies of a salmon in the net. We can’t really do anything with that fish once it’s ‘seal-bit’. So yes, as fishermen, we hate them.”
“Learned opportunism in apex predators as a response to human activity… I think I’ll go see this behavior for myself!” Sakalbi practically rushed out the door towards the bow where Jackie was sitting on the roller horns explaining to Kalai how to spot the bastards, leaving Andy alone in the cabin with the Doctor while he cooked breakfast for them all.
Dr. He’osforos sat down heavily in the booth and pulled out his omnipad. “I’ve had a word with my friend in the Interior. She’s pulled the warrant for your brother, and I’ve withdrawn the charges I filed.”
Andy froze and turned around slowly. The only sound was the sizzle and pop of the eggs and chorizo that he’d added to them in the skillet. “You mean… it’s done? He can come home?” A wave of light headed euphoria swept over Andy and he swayed with the gentle rocking of the boat. “I will pay you back, Doc-”
The doctor held up his hand and stopped Andy. “We’ll call it even, but there’s something… I was able to get my hands on this,” Andy watched as the doctor swiped something towards his omnipad and it dinged. “What is it if I may-”
“Are you really asking an Indian to tell you a story? Because it’s going to be a long one if you are.” “I’m Sevastutavan, young man; we invented long stories.”
Andy froze and stared at the screen of his omnipad. The Vatikre was heavily accented, and Andy had a bit of trouble with the unfamiliar accent, but centered in the frame in a hospital room, sitting in a wheelchair, was a Salishian boy. Andy blinked in surprise as he stared at the screen. “Is that-”
“I am Ikw’is’hi’ehlah, and this bearer is… of the Orca Clan Sheloksets. I drove our Haida enemies onto the rocks and took many heads when they attacked our winter village on Orcas Island. I signed the Treaty with the Great White Father and I fought against the slavers of the south-”
Andy wanted to grab the omnipad but the smell of overcooking eggs brought his attention back to breakfast and Andy stirred and scrapped the food quickly, trying to save it.
“I asked her for any materials she could give me on your brother. Pictures, recordings, anything. This is what she gave me. It's the last known recording of your brother during an interrogation conducted by a Navy Commissar prior to his escape. It seems he made friends with a Pod of Deaths Head Commandos. Quite a bit of the recording has been redacted, but… there are portions of it where he talks about his family and his history. I thought you might like to have it.”
Andy hurriedly pulled out paper plates and a slice of bread for everyone and scooped a heaping portion of the chorizo eggs onto them. He handed the doctor his before leaning out the cabin door. “Slop’s on, come and get it!”
Andy sat down after moving the shotgun out of the way and started the video over again as the three women came back to grab their plates and lost himself watching his brother start telling his story.
“What’s that?” Andy heard Kalai ask over his shoulder, and he paused the video.
“That’s my brother! That’s Kay Tee!”
“Holy shit, what?” Jackie nearly shoved Kalai into Andy as she jammed her bread slice down her gullet and crowded in to see the screen.
Andy started the video over a second time and they watched in silence. “God, that brings back memories. Back when mom was still alive and before we broke up the warband. I can’t believe that slippery little punk ghosted a pod of Commandos for two fucking years! Holy shit, that’s badass!”
Before Andy could say anything, Sakalbi started coughing and brought the binoculars up. “Uh, Andy? Jackie? What do we do about sharks?”
Jackie looked at Andy in confusion. “Sharks? There’s nothing but Dogs around here.”
“Well those are shark fins and they’re charging the net!” Sakalbi pointed and Andy looked up to see dorsal fins charging the center of the net.
Andy looked at Jackie and spoke the same words in tandem, “Oh shit!”

First:
https://www.reddit.com/Sexyspacebabes/comments/yz0u3h/the_cryptid_chronicle_chapter_1/
Previous:
https://www.reddit.com/Sexyspacebabes/comments/13nh0oe/cryptid_chronicle_chapter_29/
Next:
To be posted 6/4/23
submitted by Kazevenikov to Sexyspacebabes [link] [comments]


2023.05.28 04:48 moe_master The world longest joke (Pt 1)

So, there's a man crawling through the desert.
He'd decided to try his SUV in a little bit of cross-country travel, had great fun zooming over the badlands and through the sand, got lost, hit a big rock, and then he couldn't get it started again. There were no cell phone towers anywhere near, so his cell phone was useless. He had no family, his parents had died a few years before in an auto accident, and his few friends had no idea he was out here.
He stayed with the car for a day or so, but his one bottle of water ran out and he was getting thirsty. He thought maybe he knew the direction back, now that he'd paid attention to the sun, and thought he'd figured out which way was north, so he decided to start walking. He figured he only had to go about 30 miles or so and he'd be back to the small town he'd gotten gas in last.
He thinks about walking at night to avoid the heat and sun, but based upon how dark it actually was the night before, and given that he has no flashlight, he's afraid that he'll break a leg or step on a rattlesnake. So, he puts on some sun block, puts the rest in his pocket for reapplication later, brings an umbrella he'd had in the back of the SUV with him to give him a little shade, pours the windshield wiper fluid into his water bottle in case he gets that desperate, brings his pocket knife in case he finds a cactus that looks like it might have water in it, and heads out in the direction he thinks is right.
He walks for the entire day. By the end of the day he's really thirsty. He's been sweating all day, and his lips are starting to crack. He's reapplied the sunblock twice, and tried to stay under the umbrella, but he still feels sunburned. The windshield wiper fluid sloshing in the bottle in his pocket is really getting tempting now. He knows that it's mainly water and some ethanol and coloring, but he also knows that they add some kind of poison to it to keep people from drinking it. He wonders what the poison is, and whether the poison would be worse than dying of thirst.
He pushes on, trying to get to that small town before dark.
By the end of the day, he starts getting worried. He figures he's been walking at least three miles an hour, according to his watch for over ten hours. That means that if his estimate was right, he should be close to the town. Unfortunately, he doesn't recognize any of this. He had to cross a dry creek bed a mile or two back, and he doesn't remember coming through it in the SUV. He figures that maybe he got his direction off just a little and that the dry creek bed was just off to one side of his path. He tells himself that he's close, and that after dark he'll start seeing the town lights over one of these hills. That'll be all he needs.
As it gets dim enough that he starts stumbling over small rocks and things, he finds a spot and sits down to wait for full dark and the town lights.
Full dark comes before he knows it. He must have dozed off. He stands back up and turns all the way around. He sees nothing but stars.
He wakes up the next morning feeling absolutely lousy. His eyes are gummy and his mouth and nose feel like they're full of sand. He’s so thirsty that he can't even swallow. He barely got any sleep because it was so cold. He'd forgotten how cold it got at night in the desert and hadn't noticed it the night before because he'd been in his car.
He knows the Rule of Threes - three minutes without air, three days without water, three weeks without food - then you die. Some people can make it a little longer, in the best situations. The desert heat and having to walk and sweat isn't the best situation to be in without water. Unless he finds water, he figures, this is his last day.
He rinses out his mouth with a little of the windshield wiper fluid. He waits for a while after spitting that little bit out to see if his mouth goes numb, or he feels dizzy or something. Has his mouth gone numb? Is it just in his mind? He's not sure. He'll go a little farther, and if he still doesn't find water, he'll try drinking some of the fluid.
Then he has to face his next, harder question - which way does he go from here? Does he keep walking the same way as yesterday (assuming that he still knows which way that is), or does he try a new direction? He has no idea what to do.
Looking at the hills and dunes around him, he thinks he knows the direction he was heading before. Just going by a feeling, he points himself somewhat to the left of that, and starts walking.
As he walks, the day starts heating up. The desert, too cold just a couple of hours before, soon becomes an oven again. He sweats a little at first, and then stops. He starts getting worried at that. He knows that when you stop sweating, you’re in trouble. It’s usually right before heat stroke..
He decides that it's time to try the windshield wiper fluid. He can't wait any longer - if he passes out, he's dead. He stops in the shade of a large rock, takes the bottle out, opens it, and takes a mouthful. He slowly swallows it, making it last as long as he can. It feels so good in his dry and cracked throat that he doesn't even care about the nasty taste. He takes another mouthful, and makes it last too. Slowly, he drinks half the bottle. He figures that since he's drinking it, he might as well drink enough to make some difference and keep himself from passing out.
He's quit worrying about the denaturing of the wiper fluid. If it kills him, it kills him. If he didn't drink it, he'd die anyway. Besides, he's pretty sure that whatever substance they denature the fluid with is just designed to make you sick: their way of keeping winos from buying cheap wiper fluid for the ethanol content. He can handle throwing up if it comes to that.
He walks. He walks in the hot, dry, windless desert. Sand, rocks, hills, dunes, the occasional scrawny cactus or dried bush. No sign of water. Sometimes he'll see a little movement to one side or the other, but whatever moved is usually gone before he can focus his eyes on it. Probably birds, lizards, or mice. Maybe snakes, though they usually move more at night. He's careful to stay away from the movements.
After a while, he begins to stagger. He's not sure if it's fatigue, heat stroke finally catching him, or maybe he was wrong and the denaturing of the wiper fluid was worse than he thought. He tries to steady himself and keep going.
After more walking, he comes to a large stretch of sand. This is good! He knows he passed over a stretch of sand in the SUV - he remembers doing donuts in it, or at least he thinks he remembers it; he's getting woozy enough and tired enough that he's not sure what he remembers anymore or if he's hallucinating. He thinks he remembers it, so he heads off into it, trying to get to the other side, hoping that it gets him closer to the town.
He was heading for a town, wasn't he? He thinks he was. He isn't sure anymore. He's not even sure how long he's been walking anymore. Is it still morning? Has it moved into afternoon, and the sun is going down again? It must be afternoon; it seems like it's been too long since he started out.
He walks through the sand.
After a while, he comes to a big dune in the sand. This is bad. He doesn't remember any dunes from when he was driving over the sand in his SUV. At least he doesn't think he remembers any. This is bad.
All the same, he has no other direction to go. Too late to turn back now. He figures that he'll get to the top of the dune and see if he can see anything from there that can help him find the town. He keeps going up the dune.
Halfway up, he slips in the bad footing of the sand for the second or third time and falls to his knees. He doesn't feel like getting back up, since he'll just fall down again. He keeps going up the dune on his hand and knees.
While crawling, if his throat weren't so dry, he'd laugh. He's finally gotten to the hackneyed image of a man lost in the desert, crawling through the sand on his hands and knees. It would be the perfect image, he imagines, if only his clothes were more ragged. The people crawling through the desert in the cartoons always had ragged clothes, but his have lasted without any rips so far. Somebody will probably find his dessicated corpse half buried in the sand years from now, and his clothes will still be in fine shape - shake the sand out, give them a good wash, and they'd be wearable again. He wishes his throat were wet enough to laugh. He coughs a little instead, and it hurts.
He finally makes it to the top of the sand dune. Now that he's at the top, he struggles a little, but manages to stand up and look around. All he sees is sand. Sand and more sand. Behind him, about a mile away, he thinks he sees the rocky ground he left to head into this sand. Ahead of him, more dunes, more sand. This isn't where he drove his SUV. This is Hell. Or close enough.
Again, he doesn't know what to do. He decides to drink the rest of the wiper fluid while figuring it out. He takes out the bottle and starts removing the cap when he glances to the side and sees something. Something in the sand. At the bottom of the dune, off to the side, he sees something strange. It's a flat area, in the sand. He stops opening the bottle and tries to look closer. The area seems to be circular, and it's dark: darker than the sand, and there seems to be something in the middle of it, but he can't tell what it is, so he looks as hard as he can but still can't tell from here. He's going to have to go down there and look.
He puts the bottle back into his pocket, and starts to stumble down the dune. After a few steps, he realizes that he's in trouble; he's not going to be able to keep his balance. After a couple more sliding, tottering steps, he falls and starts to roll down the dune. The sand it so hot that he thinks he's caught fire on the way down - like a movie car wreck flashing into flames as it goes over the cliff, before it ever even hits the ground. He closes his eyes and mouth, covers his face with his hands, and waits to stop rolling.
He stops at the bottom of the dune. After a minute or two, he finds enough energy to try to sit up and get the sand out of his face and clothes. When he clears his eyes enough, he looks around to make sure that the dark spot in the sand it still there and he hadn't just imagined it.
Seeing the large, flat, dark spot on the sand still there, he crawls towards it. He'd get up and walk towards it, but he doesn't seem to have the energy to get up and walk right now. He must be in the final stages of dehydration he figures as he crawls. If this place in the sand doesn't have water, he'll likely never make it anywhere else. This is his last chance.
He gets closer and closer, but still can't see what's in the middle of the dark area. It’s hard to focus, and lifting his head up to look takes so much effort that he gives up trying. He just keeps crawling.
Finally, he reaches the area he'd seen from the dune. It takes him a minute of crawling on it before he realizes that he's no longer on sand - he's now crawling on some kind of dark stone. Stone with some kind of marking on it - a pattern cut into the stone. He's too tired to stand up and try to see what the pattern is, so he just keeps crawling. He crawls towards the center where his blurry eyes still see something in the middle of the dark stone area.
His mind, detached in a strange way, notes that either his hands and knees are so burnt by the sand that they no longer feel pain, or that this dark stone, in the middle of a burning desert with a pounding, punishing sun overhead, doesn't seem to be hot. It almost feels cool. He considers lying down on the nice cool surface.
Cool, dark stone. Not a good sign. He must be hallucinating this. He's probably in the middle of a patch of sand, already lying face down and dying, and just imagining this whole thing. A desert mirage. Soon the beautiful women carrying pitchers of water will come up and start giving him a drink. Then he'll know he's gone.
He decides against laying down on the cool stone. If he's going to die here in the middle of this hallucination, he at least wants to see what's in the center before he goes. He keeps crawling.
It's the third time that he hears the voice before he realizes what he's hearing. He would swear that someone just said, "Greetings, traveler. You do not look well. Do you hear me?"
He stops crawling. He tries to look up from where he is on his hands and knees, but it's too much effort to lift his head. So he tries something different: he rolls over and leans back trying to sit up on the stone. After a few seconds, he catches his balance, avoids falling on his face, sits up, and tries to focus his eyes. Blurry. He rubs his eyes with the back of his hands and tries again. Better this time.
Yep. He can see. He's sitting in the middle of a large, flat, dark expanse of stone. Directly next to him, about three feet away, is a white post or pole about two inches in diameter and sticking about four or five feet out of the stone, at an angle.
And wrapped around this white rod is what must be a fifteen foot long desert diamondback rattlesnake, with a hovering tail and rattle seemingly prepared to start rattling, looking directly at him.
He stares at the snake in shock. He doesn't have the energy to get up and run away. He doesn't even have the energy to crawl away. This is it: his final resting place. No matter what happens, he's not going to be able to move from this spot.
Well, at least dying from a bite from this monster should be quicker than dying of thirst. He'll face his end like a man. He struggles to sit up a little straighter. The snake keeps watching him. He lifts one hand and flicks it in the snake's direction, feebly. The snake watches the hand for a moment, then goes back to watching the man, looking into his eyes.
Hmmm. Maybe the snake has no interest in biting him. It hasn't rattled yet - that’s a good sign. Maybe he isn't going to die of snake bite after all.
He then remembers that he'd looked up when he'd reached the center here because he thought he'd heard a voice. He is still very woozy; he feels like he might pass out soon. The sun still beats down on him even though he is now on cool stone. He still doesn't have anything to drink. Although maybe he had actually heard a voice. This stone doesn't look natural. Nor does that white post sticking up out of the stone. Someone must have built this. Maybe they are still nearby. Maybe that was who talked to him. Maybe this snake is even their pet, and that's why it isn't biting.
He tries to clear his throat to say, "Hello," but he’s too dry. All that comes out is a coughing or wheezing sound. There's no way he's going to be able to talk without something to drink. He feels his pocket, and the bottle with the wiper fluid is still there. He shakily pulls out the bottle, almost losing his balance and falling on his back in the process. This isn't good. He doesn't have much time left by his reckoning before he passes out.
He gets the bottle open, manages to get the bottle to his lips, and pours some of the fluid into his mouth. He sloshes it around, and then swallows it. He coughs a little. His throat feels better. Maybe he can talk now.
He tries again. Ignoring the snake, he turns to look around him, hoping to spot the owner of this place, and croaks out, "Hello? Is there anyone here?"
He hears, from his side, "Greetings. What is it that you want?"
He turns his head back towards the snake. That's where the sound seemed to come from. The only thing he can think of is that there must be a speaker hidden under the snake, or maybe built into that post. He decides to try asking for help.
"Please," he croaks again, suddenly feeling dizzy, "I'd love to not be thirsty anymore. I've been without water for a long time. Can you help me?"
Looking in the direction of the snake, hoping to see where the voice was coming from this time, he is shocked to see the snake rear back, open its mouth, and speak. He hears it say, as the dizziness overtakes him and he falls forward, face first on the stone, "Very well. Coming up."
A piercing pain shoots through his shoulder. Suddenly he is awake. He sits up and grabs his shoulder, wincing at the throbbing pain. He's momentarily disoriented as he looks around, and then he remembers: the crawl across the sand, the dark area of stone, the snake. He sees the snake, still wrapped around the tilted white post, still looking at him.
He reaches up and feels his shoulder, where it hurts. It feels slightly wet. He pulls his fingers away and looks at them - blood. He feels his shoulder again - it feels like his shirt has two holes in it - two puncture holes. They match up with the two aching spots of pain on his shoulder. He has been bitten. By the snake.
"It'll feel better in a minute." He looks up - it's the snake talking. He hadn't dreamed it. Suddenly he notices - he's not dizzy anymore. And more importantly, he's not thirsty anymore - at all!
"Have I died? Is this the afterlife? Why are you biting me in the afterlife?"
"Sorry about that, but I had to bite you," says the snake. "That's the way I work. It all comes through the bite. Think of it as natural medicine."
"You bit me to help me? Why aren't I thirsty anymore? Did you give me a drink before you bit me? How did I drink enough while unconscious to not be thirsty anymore? I haven't had a drink for over two days. Well, except for the windshield wiper fluid... hold it, how in the world does a snake talk? Are you real? Are you some sort of Disney animation?"
"No," says the snake, "I'm real. As real as you or anyone is, anyway. I didn't give you a drink. I bit you. That's how it works, it's what I do. I bite. Plus I don't have hands to give you a drink, even if I had water just sitting around here."
The man sat stunned for a minute. Here he was, sitting in the middle of the desert on some strange stone that should be hot but wasn't, talking to a snake that could talk back and had just bitten him. And he felt better. Not great - he was still starving and exhausted, but much better - he was no longer thirsty. He had started to sweat again, but only slightly. He felt hot, in this sun, but it was starting to get lower in the sky, and the cool stone beneath him was a relief he could notice now that he was no longer dying of thirst.
"I might suggest that we take care of that methanol you now have in your system with the next request," continued the snake. "I can guess why you drank it, but I'm not sure how much you drank, or how much methanol was left in the wiper fluid. That stuff is nasty. It'll make you go blind in a day or two, if you drank enough of it."
"Ummm, n-next request?" said the man. He put his hand back on his hurting shoulder and backed away from the snake a little.
"That's the way it works. If you like, that is," explained the snake. "You get three requests. Call them wishes, if you wish." The snake grinned at his own joke, and the man drew back a little further from the show of fangs.
"But there are rules," the snake continued. "The first request is free. The second requires an agreement of secrecy. The third requires the binding of responsibility." The snake looks at the man seriously.
"By the way," the snake says suddenly, "my name is Nathan. Old Nathan, Samuel used to call me. He gave me the name. Before that, most of the Bound used to just call me 'Snake'. But that got old, and Samuel wouldn't stand for it. He said that anything that could talk needed a name. He was big into names. You can call me Nate, if you wish." Again, the snake grinned. "Sorry if I don't offer to shake, but I think you can understand - my shake sounds somewhat threatening." The snake give his rattle a little shake.
"Umm, my name is Jack," said the man, trying to absorb all of this. "Jack Samson."
"Can I ask you a question?" Jack says suddenly. "What happened to the venom...umm, in your bite. Why aren't I dying now? How did you do that? What do you mean by that's how you work?"
"That's more than one question," grins Nate. "But I'll still try to answer all of them. First, yes, you can ask me a question." The snake's grin gets wider. "Second, the venom is in you. It changed you. You now no longer need to drink. That's what you asked for. Or, well, technically, you asked to not be thirsty any more - but 'any more' is such a vague term. I decided to make it permanent - now, as long as you live, you shouldn't need to drink much at all. Your body will conserve water very efficiently. You should be able to get enough just from the food you eat - much like a creature of the desert. You've been changed.
"For the third question," Nate continues, "you are still dying. Besides the effects of that methanol in your system, you're a man - and men are mortal. In your current state, I give you no more than about another 50 years. Assuming you get out of this desert, alive, that is." Nate seemed vastly amused at his own humor, and continued his wide grin.
"As for the fourth question," Nate said, looking more serious as far as Jack could tell, as Jack was just now working on his ability to read talking-snake emotions from snake facial features, "first you have to agree to make a second request and become bound by the secrecy, or I can't tell you."
"Wait," joked Jack, "isn't this where you say you could tell me, but you'd have to kill me?"
"I thought that was implied." Nate continued to look serious.
"Ummm...yeah." Jack leaned back a little as he remembered again that he was talking to a fifteen foot venomous reptile with a reputation for having a nasty temper. "So, what is this 'Bound by Secrecy' stuff, and can you really stop the effects of the methanol?" Jack thought for a second. "And, what do you mean methanol, anyway? I thought these days they use ethanol in wiper fluid, and just denature it?"
"They may, I don't really know," said Nate. "I haven't gotten out in a while. Maybe they do. All I know is that I smell methanol on your breath and on that bottle in your pocket. And the blue color of the liquid when you pulled it out to drink some let me guess that it was wiper fluid. I assume that they still color wiper fluid blue?"
"Yeah, they do," said Jack.
"I figured," replied Nate. "As for being bound by secrecy - with the fulfillment of your next request, you will be bound to say nothing about me, this place, or any of the information I will tell you after that, when you decide to go back out to your kind. You won't be allowed to talk about me, write about me, use sign language, charades, or even act in a way that will lead someone to guess correctly about me. You'll be bound to secrecy. Of course, I'll also ask you to promise not to give me away, and as I'm guessing that you're a man of your word, you'll never test the binding anyway, so you won't notice." Nate said the last part with utter confidence.
Jack, who had always prided himself on being a man of his word, felt a little nervous at this. "Ummm, hey, Nate, who are you? How did you know that? Are you, umm, omniscient, or something?"
Well, Jack," said Nate sadly, "I can't tell you that, unless you make the second request." Nate looked away for a minute, then looked back.
"Umm, well, ok," said Jack, "what is this about a second request? What can I ask for? Are you allowed to tell me that?"
"Sure!" said Nate, brightening. "You're allowed to ask for changes. Changes to yourself. They're like wishes, but they can only affect you. Oh, and before you ask, I can't give you immortality. Or omniscience. Or omnipresence, for that matter. Though I might be able to make you gaseous and yet remain alive, and then you could spread through the atmosphere and sort of be omnipresent. But what good would that be - you still wouldn't be omniscient and thus still could only focus on one thing at a time. Not very useful, at least in my opinion." Nate stopped when he realized that Jack was staring at him.
"Well, anyway," continued Nate, "I'd probably suggest giving you permanent good health. It would negate the methanol now in your system, you'd be immune to most poisons and diseases, and you'd tend to live a very long time, barring accident, of course. And you'll even have a tendency to recover from accidents well. It always seemed like a good choice for a request to me."
"Cure the methanol poisoning, huh?" said Jack. "And keep me healthy for a long time? Hmmm. It doesn't sound bad at that. And it has to be a request about a change to me? I can't ask to be rich, right? Because that's not really a change to me?"
"Right," nodded Nate.
"Could I ask to be a genius and permanently healthy?" Jack asked, hopefully.
"That takes two requests, Jack."
"Yeah, I figured so," said Jack. "But I could ask to be a genius? I could become the smartest scientist in the world? Or the best athlete?"
"Well, I could make you very smart," admitted Nate, "but that wouldn't necessarily make you the best scientist in the world. Or, I could make you very athletic, but it wouldn't necessarily make you the best athlete either. You've heard the saying that 99% of genius is hard work? Well, there's some truth to that. I can give you the talent, but I can't make you work hard. It all depends on what you decide to do with it."
"Hmmm," said Jack. "Ok, I think I understand. And I get a third request, after this one?"
"Maybe," said Nate, "it depends on what you decide then. There are more rules for the third request that I can only tell you about after the second request. You know how it goes." Nate looked like he'd shrug, if he had shoulders.
"Ok, well, since I'd rather not be blind in a day or two, and permanent health doesn't sound bad, then consider that my second request. Officially. Do I need to sign in blood or something?"
"No," said Nate. "Just hold out your hand. Or heel." Nate grinned. "Or whatever part you want me to bite. I have to bite you again. Like I said, that's how it works - the venom, you know," Nate said apologetically.
Jack winced a little and felt his shoulder, where the last bite was. Hey, it didn't hurt any more. Just like Nate had said. That made Jack feel better about the biting business. But still, standing still while a fifteen foot snake sunk it's fangs into you. Jack stood up. Ignoring how good it felt to be able to stand again, and the hunger starting to gnaw at his stomach, Jack tried to decide where he wanted to get bitten. Despite knowing that it wouldn't hurt for long, Jack knew that this wasn't going to be easy.
"Hey, Jack," Nate suddenly said, looking past Jack towards the dunes behind him, "is that someone else coming up over there?"
Jack spun around and looked. Who else could be out here in the middle of nowhere? And did they bring food?
Wait a minute, there was nobody over there. What was Nate...
Jack let out a bellow as he felt two fangs sink into his rear end, through his jeans...
Jack sat down carefully, favoring his more tender buttock. "I would have decided, eventually, Nate. I was just thinking about it. You didn't have to hoodwink me like that."
"I've been doing this a long time, Jack," said Nate, confidently. "You humans have a hard time sitting still and letting a snake bite you - especially one my size. And besides, admit it - it's only been a couple of minutes and it already doesn't hurt any more, does it? That's because of the health benefit with this one.
submitted by moe_master to copypasta [link] [comments]


2023.05.28 04:30 AutoModerator [HAVE] Joel Kaplan 7 SMMA 7 Figure Agency , Cold Email Masterclasses , Bulletproof Agency , Steal My Ads (COMPLETE + HIGH QUALITY ) CHEAP!!! DM me for further information 99% OFF original price Quick Sale Telegram: t. me/PliatsikG Discord: PLIATSIK#0227

[HAVE] Joel Kaplan 7 SMMA 7 Figure Agency , Cold Email Masterclasses , Bulletproof Agency , Steal My Ads (COMPLETE + HIGH QUALITY ) CHEAP!!! DM me for further information 99% OFF original price Quick Sale Telegram: t. me/PliatsikG Discord: PLIATSIK#0227
The Courses include:
All files and materials as they originals
Proper organisation so you can smoothly watch them
You can find all of them on -
  • Our Discord Server
  • Discord: PLIATSIK#0227
  • Telegram: t. me/PliatsikG (Remove the space between "t." and "me" for the link to work properly or search directly for my telegram name: PliatsikG*).*
250+ Positive Reviews from REAL CLIENTS NOT BOTS ( you can message them to verify yourself)

https://preview.redd.it/i7y530sbtg2b1.png?width=2486&format=png&auto=webp&s=f380b384e177b132032a7caa6200d2da21bf64e6
Feel free to dm us about anything you would like. We are more than glad to share as much proof as you want :)
submitted by AutoModerator to BestCoursesCommunity [link] [comments]


2023.05.28 04:01 WoefullyIneptPigeon A Guide on Nyx

First off this is going to be a bit long because I'm trying not to leave anything out. I also play her primarily as a point tank because she benefits from being near where the fight is centered around. If you don't want to read all of it, there's one thing I'm trying to spread about her that's super cool in the Royal Presence section that I bolded. I was just answering another post and it ended up being way too long so I'm putting this here since I haven't seen many guide on her around.
On to the guide and feel free to correct me on things or put your own ideas of the character in the comments!

General
Nyx is a much better point tank than a lot of people think. Being patient also really helps with her; not just in learning her, but also in stealing the point. She's not broken or the best, but she's good and can be pretty versatile when you get her down. It just takes bit of time to get a playstyle that works with her down.
The first thing to know is that she does a LOT of damage, but it's slow. You have to play point patiently with her and take your opportunities when you see them. She's great at denying space and dealing wide areas of damage. Even if that damage seems small, it adds up. Which you'll see me say over and over again. Instead of holding point more defensively than offensively like say an Inara would, Nyx does the opposite. She uses slow sneaky damage to steal the point and try and angle herself where she can poke a little close, but safe. You always want to be where your support can see you and protect them even more than another tank would. They're your lifeline and only source of healing.
When you use either her shield or presence and don't have a need for it to be active anymore, then re-activate them to end the effect so that you can get your cooldown back faster.
Last thing is that if your support isn't very good you're going to have a ton of trouble staying up so you have to play a lot safer and use your poison, rift slash, and poke to try and steal what space you can. If your dps isn't very good, then a lot of the slow damage you're doing is going to get wasted. It's your job to weaken the enemy and their job to finish them off. Not that you can't still get picks and burst people down, but bad dps is really going to make things much harder on you than another tank would especially if their target priority isn't good. Making enemies back up or just die is how you're going to survive along with knowing when to back yourself. But if your dps and/or your support is at least decent you can create so many opportunities for your team, which makes the character a lot of fun.
Weapon
Her weapon shots gets +75 damage within 20 units, which is not far at all. It's essentially nose to nose, but when you think it's within survivable space, try and get into that range for the extra dps. She goes from ~483 dps to ~608 dps if she hits all bonus damage shots in one combo (about 3 seconds when I timed it. Someone could correct me if I'm wrong there though.) It will really benefit you to move strafe forward and then back a little when you fire to try and get that bonus damage, but also maintain a little space. Mess around with it in the shooting range to get used to that if you don't already do it.

Abyssal Fortress
I have four tips for for the shield:
1.) When using it to protect yourself try to keep it close to you and of course strafe through it if enemies try and walk through to hit you. You can look a bit in front of you or straight down at the ground, but just remember 30 units isn't far and 1500 less shield is best to avoid when you can help it.
2.) Place the shield facing towards where the danger is. If most of the damage is in front of you, then place it there. If you're dueling the enemy tank because they're killable and there's two dps to your right, then place it towards them to block their damage.
3.) If you seen a teammate (especially your support) in need of protection don't be afraid to place the shield farther away near them to keep them from dying or to aid their retreat. If you're fighting point and think the save is more valuable, then retreat off point and protect the teammate by throwing a rift slash at whoever is chasing them or poking with your weapon if you can. But get away from the point if it'll kill you.
4.) If the enemy tank (like Barik, Ash, Atlas, or another Nyx) places their shield down before you do, don't be afraid to walk forward and put your shield past theirs to negate their value if you think it's survivable space.

Rift Slash
Rift slash isn't just good for damage or trying to get picks. It's also a great zoning/area denial tool. Don't be afraid to use it to keep people from being in a certain spot if you think you'll find more value than just damage. Also great for pushing the support from line of sight from their tank.
Also don't just use it for yourself. It can really help your flank get that pick if you notice it.
Using it is easier when you charge it for distance instead of damage. The distances are 25 units for 0-49% charge, 50 units for 50-99% charge, and 100 units for full charge. The damage increase is on the initial hit only and you can add more with your weapon than charging will and some players (not a lot, though) will hear the charge and know they need to dodge it, so faster is also better. Additionally, the hitbox when it's a projectile is smaller than the hitbox when it's stationary, so Show of Force cripple is easier to hit as well if you place it correctly. You'll still want to aim directly for enemies, but knowing this can make it a lot easier to hit. You also sometimes want to walk forward or back to get the the area where the slash will stop.
Pre-firing Rift Slash can be a good idea, especially if you know the enemy is going to be near a certain distance. But if the charge will go farther than the enemy you want to hit you have three options:
1.) Hit the enemy with the claw projectile
2.) Hit an object ~15 units near them (includes deployables)
3.) If you're on high ground, aim at the ground near them.
Last thing I'll add on this is that if you need to retreat, hit enemies with the slow or put it in a spot that'll get in their way so you can get out of trouble more safely.
FOR ENEMIES WITH SHIELDS: Fire your rift slash above them at roughly the units you would need to diagonally to get that initial hit damage (and cripple on Show of Force.) Sometimes you'll still hit the shield, but hey we tried. They'll still take the pulse damage like they would have if you just hit the shield.

Royal Presence
For Royal Presence (her F,) don't think of it as just a defensive ability that makes the damage you take slower. It's great for that, but it's also a great offensive ability for punishing enemies for grouping up near you and racking up that ult charge! You'll be surprised how fast you'll get it with Abyssal Authority and Center of Combat. Sure the damage on the poison is slow, but you don't have to aim it and it can only really be cleansed by ethereal like Grohk & Seris' movement abilities, Zhin billow, and Koga dash.
The poison can also be re-procced, so if you touch an enemy with the aura again near before it ends, they take double damage. Meaning with Center of Combat 5 they can take a total of 30% health over 12 seconds. That's 3 times the damage at base and 6 times if you just got it one them once! People will really just stand in it and not respect the slow damage, but even if it can seem minimal it really does add up; damage is damage after all!
The pull is also really useful for getting a support out of position and then throwing Rift Slash on them, stopping the momentum of an enemy trying to run away, or trying to get an enemy off of one of your teammates. The hitbox for it is a small cone in front of you and it also does 100 damage when you activate it, which the in-game description doesn't mention.
If you didn't know, you can cleanse all temp damage from Presence with her ult. But a really cool thing about Royal Presence is that there's a small window where any damage you would take as purple health is automatically healed back up; without even having to use your ult for it. This window is less than a second and basically where her wings go in front of her right when you first activate presence. You don't need to activate the chain pull at all, so you still also get all the other perks of the ability and can save your ult! This means that you can run into Drogoz ult and right before he hits you, pop presence and you'll take no damage. Good Drogoz players will adapt and choose a different target or dodge you, but it's an awesome counter to a death sentence. This also works for tanking Jenos ult, Skye ult, etc. Any big burst damage, but also really any damage in that small window. You can practice this against the Cassie bots in the shooting range. Just wait before one of them fires at you and pop the first activation of Presence. Of course this doesn't work against Vora ult. No idea about Maeve's Street Justice talent however, but to me that's nearly impossible to time.
Funny enough KamiVS just did this in a video he posted yesterday: https://youtu.be/H8gOxFzkTy8?t=125
Last two things to touch on for Presence, but important is you can use it to retreat to get back to your support. You can also touch the enemy tank and hopefully the support with the poison, throw a rift slash if you need to, back up and heal/poke, and then re-proc the poison to add more damage and point pressure. The ability is really a nice mix of offense and defense.

Ultimate
For her ult you almost always want to use it while using Presence. You can pop Presence and run into the enemy and ult to cleanse all that damage you took and to make space or punish them for being too closely grouped up and then put rift slash on whoever got caught up in it. Also don't be afraid to use the cleanse from her ult defensively just to survive! Sometimes an enemy will still get hit by it or get pulled out of position. There's also three other things you can do with your ult I'll add:
1.) Use Rift Slash before ulting to slow enemies so they can't just run out. This is also way better in Show of Force since anyone you hit with it will be crippled and unable to use a movement ability to dodge the ult. This also works with Subjugation's root on Presence pull.
2.) Use the chain pull from presence right before ulting so their momentum is going towards you or to try and get an additional enemy into it. This ends your aura early, so any damage you take after the initial cleanse from your ult will be taken normally. Use this when you know it's safe too.
3.) If your shield is off cooldown, you can put it in front of you before you ult to block damage or pull them through it if you run the Abyssal Breach talent (you can do the same with chain pull.) You can also just put the shield down just before enemies come out of stun to block their damage and keep space/retreat.

Items
As for items the best items in my opinion for her are:
Chronos - She's really depends on her cooldowns both defensively and offensively. A lot of my damage is often half ability damage or more.
Rejuv - She gets a scaling 20% healing bonus near the objective. So 20% on it and still a bonus even if you're just a bit away from it. I'm still not sure where that bonus ends, but both of these together also stack against caut. So at Rejuv 3 on point and 90% caut, you're only in 40% caut. Still try to get out of combat (ideally still near the objective, but out of enemy sightlines) to get healed up by your support. But if you have to fight on point in caut, then you have to wait until you can use your shield to cleanse it.
Nimble - No movement ability means you need faster movement speed to get in and out of fights. A lot of value for not a lot of credits, but there are situations where you might not have space to buy it
Haven - Less damage better. Especially in Royal Presence.
Resilience - CC can really mess up your day, so resi is a must buy for her in those situations.
Points if you noticed that three of her items (Nimble, Resi, Rejuv) are actually pretty low cost, so getting your build up can be pretty fast sometimes.
As for her best item starts (if your support is something like Jenos or Corvus or a solo damage furia, start a Rejuv build):
1.) Chronos + Nimble - If you buy this, your third buy should almost always be rejuv unless there's a situation that calls for something else like something that needs counter or your support is just cracked and doesn't need it quite yet. But Rejuv is inevitable on this character.
2.) Rejuv + Resi - Best start when there's CC you don't want to deal with. Once Resi is at 2 you can start building out more, but rush that unless your opponent isn't very good with CC.
3.) Rejuv + Nimble / Rejuv alone - You need more healing
Redundant items for her are:
Illuminate - You can actually just track enemies that are invisible with the tick damage from royal presence and then throw rift slash on them, hit them with your weapon, and either kill them or push them out. It takes some getting used to for you to hit your shots just tracking the numbers, but it's nice to have the item slot freed up.
Morale Boost - You get so much ult charge from Presence ticks if you have her build set up right with Center of Combat and Abyssal Authority, so only reason to really buy this is if you really need your ult and your build doesn't include those.
Last thing about items is that while she isn't great with Wrecker, if your team is low on it and you feel like you need it: get it.

Cards
Onto her cards, I'll preface by saying that strong card go brrrr isn't always the best option on this character. She's got a lot of stuff that's a little weak in base kit, but much stronger when you buff it. So a balanced spread can help you out a lot. But also some of this is my opinion and you do you; if you want a card at 5 then that's your expression of the character. Remember that you should try to build characters to suit your own playstyle.

Best (No particular order):
Abyssal Authority - Getting more enemies in your aura means more passive damage. That means more ult charge, damage numbers for credits, and adding kill potential to your team even for enemies you aren't actually looking at. It doesn't seem like a lot at first, but it adds up as I mentioned above. If you're point tank you want this card at 3-4. 5 is kind of overkill, but do you.
Center of Combat - This is where a lot of your damage numbers will come from. Boosting aura damage is great. I have this at 4 on my main build which can rack up to 26% max health on a single target over 12 seconds. There's still a good benefit to 5, but I like to put that point elsewhere to balance my build out. Except in a Nyx mirror. They go 5 then you go 5 on this card.
Forever Changed - HP adds to your bulkiness which can really help you out. But if you'd rather go for something else, totally respectable. But have at least one build that has this card at 4 or 5 if you notice you find yourself in a situation that demands bulkiness.
The Little Things - Rift Slash is a hugely important tool on this character, so reducing it's cooldown is fantastic. Personally I have this at 2 because I have my points elsewhere and at this level I rarely don't have slash when I need it. But it still happens now and again. 4-5 is kind of overkill unless you're going off-tank though.
Devastating Blows - This card is amazing when you need it. You'll find yourself against enemies that usually won't be close to you though. Which negates the benefit of the card. That's why I have a build that just uses this as a filler card. I find that at 3 you're generally in the space you would be fighting another tank on point, but if you find that space to put it at 4 then go for it! 5 isn't too far off from 4 though, so the benefit in a point in another card is a little better, but that's just my opinion.

Pretty Good:
All Will Kneel - Rift slash is amazing at denying space, so adding some radius to it's pulses. That's 200 damage total over 2s or 300 over 3s in Show of Force, but the slow is the biggest benefit.
Unchecked Power - I've faced Nyx's that send this card and ngl it can be pretty annoying at start until resil is up. Even at just 2-3 there's value in this card, but I personally don't use either this or the previous one because I find more than enough value with base rift slash and I like buffing other things better for my playstyle.
Brutal Pursuer - This card is ONLY good if you're going off tank. Otherwise you're better off putting points elsewhere. The value of the move speed just isn't high enough on point tank.
Unyielding Advance - This is a pretty good filler card. If you find it suits you, then go for it! But it doesn't have a lot of value past 1-2 compared to others.
Frontline Commander - This card is amazing! On another character. Nyx's base kit needs too much boosting to justify space for this at a level where it's really useful. She's pretty CC heavy, so the move speed decrease just gives resi more value against her. But still give it a shot if you like it, despite what I said it's a pretty fun card. Just remember that my take on this card is an opinion despite me wording it like it's a fact.

Meh:
World Torn Asunder - When you get used to Rift Slash, it's not super hard to hit even at 100 units as long as you space yourself correctly. So the real value in this is hitting agile enemies like Vatu, Maeve, or VII. But it's not a card you want to put a lot of points out of, and you can still work around having it. Not a bad idea to have it as a 1-2 pointer to deal with champions like that though if you find it helps you! I'm just saying in general there's much more value elsewhere. Personally I don't use it at all, but give it a shot still to draw your own conclusion.
A Swift End - Devastating blows gets you way more value. It's there all the time and this is only usable on shield. At level 5 this adds ~360 damage to a single combo (3s), but that number really isn't exact and is likely a little lower. Just an estimate. Biggest argument for this card is you can re-proc it by strafing your shield, so it's shield duration + 3s. But if an enemy shield is in your way then you lose value unless your aim is to try and burst down the shield. The card is still fun though. So if you're not looking to be optimal, go for it! Same applies to some other cards above.

No:
True Freedom - If you take one thing away from this comment. Don't use this card. It's a scrub trap. There's better one pointers and when you get used to the character you'll find this card is just training wheels that don't even really need to exist. Even if you miss a hit on your weapon or hold it for a bit longer, the value is just too small.
The New Order - Not as bad as True Freedom is, but the value is way too low and other cards are just way better. Most chains will hit 1-2 enemies max. Even at 5 that's a 150-300 shield for way too many points.
Unyielding Advance - It's like using Guardian as an item: don't. People will buy wrecker and decimate your shield even with this at 5. And if they don't your shield will last more than long enough.
Face to Face - I mean, you can kind of meme with this, but even then the value is just bad. Base pull does it's job just fine, and using this to soften the blow from the other team building resi doesn't help a whole lot in comparison to other cards.

Builds
If anyone wants my builds for reference, I'll put them here. Just remember this is for how I play the character and what personally found me the most success:
AA= Abyssal Authority, CoC = Center of Combat, FC = Forever Changed, TLT = The Little Things, DB = Devastating Blows, BP = Brutal Pursuer
Balanced - CoC 4, AA 3, FC 3, DB 3, TLT 2. Main build I use almost all the time.
Bulky - FC 5, CoC 4, AA 3, TLT 2, DB 1. I use this build either when I need more health, or more often when I know enemies are going to be farther from me so I won't get value out of DB.
Damage - CoC 5, AA 4, DB 3, TLT 2, FC 1. I use this build when facing another Nyx or really bulky comps. Especially with Lilith as the support with 2 tanks. Really messes with her resources.
Off-Tank - CoC4, DB 4, TLT 3, BP 3, AA 1. As off tank you need that extra bit of movement speed. Even though it isn't substantial, it helps a lot. You're not the center of the fight as off-tank, so AA doesn't get as much value, but CoC adds to your damage. DB is at 4 so you can get stronger pokes from a bit farther and TLT 3 lets you rift slash more and keep that move speed up. Don't use it exclusively for the speed though.

Talents
Show of Force - This is my favorite talent for her by far. The extra second lets you deny more space and the cripple increases pick potential for you and your team. Biggest downside if there's a lot of CC on your team you'll lose value so you might be better off going Abyssal Breach in those cases. But you can definitely still work around it even then.
Abyssal Breach - The talent I used on point before they buffed Show of Force. Having your shield more often on point is really helpful and it punishes anyone trying to push past your shield in narrow spaces or catch you while you're strafing it in open ones. Great if your team has a lot of CC like I pointed out above. Also don't forget you can use your chain pull to bring people through the shield for that extra damage if you find a good chance for a pick. This goes for pulling enemies through it with your ult as well, but if resi is up it's not nearly as viable tech.
Subjugation - A lot of people say it's her best, but I say it's situational. If you end your aura early with it, you lose a lot of that nice damage and ult charge. But this talent is still really useful. Great as an off-tank talent if your team doesn't have a lot of useful CC so you get more value out of this from forcing resi or someone on the enemy team ignoring resi. Make sure to track who has it for you picks. On point you would only use this if you know the enemy has an agile champion your comp isn't equipped to deal with and you know you won't hit those Show of Force cripples. If your team has a lot of CC then Show of Force is the better off-tank talent.

Well, that's the end of the guide. I know that was a lot of text, but so are her ability descriptions in game lol. I hope that some of the info that I put here was found useful by someone. Take care and glhf!
submitted by WoefullyIneptPigeon to PaladinsAcademy [link] [comments]


2023.05.28 03:46 YandereLobster Lone Wolf

One week prior to the repair of Bracco Village.
For as far as Bianca Nero could see, red littered the landscape. Nothing but red and orange. An always-autumnal path in the pilgrimage she’d taken so long ago, when she set off for Beacon. But for better or worse, she didn’t feel like the same person she was when she’d taken this path so long ago.
Leaves crunched beneath her feet, a cool breeze bristling against her cheek as her white cloak gently swayed in the breeze, making her stand out like a white blot on a red canvas. She was alone, but never felt lonely here. Just a little further and she’d be home again, catching up with her grandparents and telling them how Beacon was going.
It wasn’t an easy trip per say. If it was, she would’ve come back more often. But seldom were the times that she actually could make a trip like this without missing a day of classes, and the shoddy connection on her scroll way out here in the wilderness made it particularly difficult. It’d taken more than a little struggling just to message Russet to let him know the trip had gone well.
But slowly, the crunch of leaves slowed to a halt. Bianca’s eyes shifted skyward, staring up at the treetops as the wind bit against her canine ears. Something wasn’t right. There was a chill in the air, and not the same as the cold wind. It was difficult for her to put her finger on just what was bothering her, in fact. Like feeling a change in the weather in one’s bones. But this was Bianca’s home, so what could there be to worry about? She’d come all this way, and now it was just a half hour walk until she was finally back.
And so the girl continued on to Bracco.
Bianca’s single, bright blue eye gazed numbly at the old watch-tower. It was one of Bracco’s oldest landmarks, an old stone watch-tower from the Great War, left behind and abandoned. She used to climb it all the time as a kid, to get a good look over the forest.
But now, the stone tower lay crumbled and broken, toppled over by damage to one of its now ancient supports. It was old and fragile, but to collapse like this? Bianca knew without a second thought it wasn’t an accident or coincidence.
The overgrown stone bricks finally led Bianca to her destination as she reached the tip of a rather bumpy hill, her heart filled with worry rather than nostalgia. On the very edge of her sight lay the familiar red and white tents that littered the market, always enticing the travelers that passed through Bracco on the way to Vale. But it wasn’t like she remembered, not in the slightest. Gone were the echoes of carts clattering and the commotion of conversation, replaced with dead silence save for the hissing wind. Like a nightmarish reflection of her most treasured memories.
Her ears perked up as she turned back and forth, but the stalls were empty. No proof they’d ever been full, save for the tracks of carts against the road. But what’s more odd was the contents of the stalls. The produce hadn’t been set out, but many of the supplies and registers were still locked. Only the essentials were gone. Which meant, if Bianca’s assumption was correct, that they’d left in a hurry. But it was what awaited her in the square that terrified Bianca the most.
Just past the market and between the somewhat narrow paths, Bianca found herself in what should’ve been the busiest part of this small town. A simple gathering in the middle of Bracco, with a bar, some local government related buildings, and a fountain situated on the edge of the Ghiaccio River — right across from the farmstead she’d grown up on.
The roof of the old bar had been caved in by something heavy, the entrance torn open as if by a feral beast. The fountain cracked from something impacting against it, with a dark red stain about its edges. Like the ruins of some battlefield rather than the homely town she’d been expecting. It was gone. Even if she found where the people had gone, if they had in fact survived, Bracco was in ruins. Her entire purpose in becoming a Huntress, destroyed before she’d even had a chance to try.
“Anyone!?” Bianca called out as loud as she could. “Is anyone here!?”
Worry caught in Bianca’s throat. “Rosso!? Rosa?” Bianca called out again, her voice shaky with concern for her grandparents. “...Anyone? Please...”
But no one replied.
Until something did.
Bianca turned sharp towards one of the collapsed houses as the sound of wood creaking echoed out. White claws emerged from the darkness, old bits of red stained against the tips as black furred legs emerged, bone plating littered across its body, forming a mask with red accents - pristine save for a long crack down the side of it’s mask — and a tiny knife still embedded within it’s eye socket, though it didn’t seem to be able to feel it. Bianca’s old knife.
It was a Grimm Bianca knew all too well. An old, local legend nicknamed Belial by the towns that had been victim to it. One of those victims being a much younger Bianca, and it’d cost her an eye. But why here? It was true that Bracco was rural, but they’d never had Grimm in town before. And this damage couldn’t possibly be the work of a single Beowolf, alpha or not. Something had drawn them into town. But there was a more pressing matter than that.
Bianca’s heart ached for her home, but rage made for an excellent painkiller.
The Beowolf growled menacingly, only for the gnashing of teeth to be overpowered by the deafening, echoing burst of aura engulfing Bianca as her semblance practically erupted from her. The ringing howl of her semblance betrayed the pure fury that filled Bianca, her teeth clenched tight and the claws of her gauntlets begging to tear into the creature. For a Grimm that could only see negative emotion, the sight of the young huntress was like looking upon a bonfire of nothing but anger and hate, and only moments later would it all be directed upon the beast.
Bianca leapt forward like a crazed, feral animal, her claws tearing into the Beowolf’s arm as she opened the brawl with a series of feral slashes from her claws. Aggressive and fast, far more so than she even knew she was capable of. More than she’d ever put to use at Beacon. But those were training, just practice against other huntsmen. This, on the other hand, was a raw desire — or even a need, to kill no matter what it took.
Even as the Beowolf’s claws lashed out at Bianca, blue sparks of aura fluttering off as it impacted against her aura, there was no flow of combat. No ebb and flow of attack and defense, just raw aggression tearing into the opponent, the pain barely registering in Biana’s mind. But soon she was forced to confront it as the beast rammed its full force against her, slamming against the berserk huntress as she was hurtled backwards, crashing through wood as what was left of the aura shielding her dissipated.
Bianca winced as she stood, quickly recognizing the old inn. Pain was beginning to set in as she looked down, a bit of wooden shrapnel having embedded itself loosely in her side, blood pooling against the black fabric. A surface wound, but a warning of what would come if she kept this up. Her eye shifted to check the dust chamber of her left gauntlet, a vicious smirk breaking her composure. ‘Thanks, Firnen. Worked out perfectly.’
The already precarious roof of the inn shifted and creaked as the Beowolf violently bashed aside one of the bits of lumber blocking the entrance, only to be met with a volley of bolts from Bianca’s crossbow. Only it wasn’t to cover her retreat, but the opposite. By the time it had caught a glance of her, she’d already closed the distance again, the claws suddenly lifting away from the hand just a bit, the circuit connecting as a sharp, crackling sound filled the room, lighting up the darkness of the entryway in an instant as the electrical dust sparked to life. Shock coursed through the Beowolf’s body, numbing it to the sensation of Bianca gripping the knife embedded in its blind eye, tearing it from the socket. No sooner had her childhood knife returned to her grip than she embedded it in the creature’s neck. But what would’ve been a fatal blow for another Grimm was far too shallow for Belial.
Just as she was about to press the assault, pain filled Bianca’s mind as she let out a harsh cry, the Grimm’s maw biting down desperately on her arm, cracking through the dust chamber as it sparked, burning against Bianca’s shoulder. Floorboards cracked beneath them, liberating Bianca from its grip only to fill her with the brief terror of falling, as the two opponents fell to the basement below. And while Bianca was able to land on her feet, it may have been for the worse, as a barely audible ‘crack’ seemed to send pain up her leg. Burning, agonizing pain from her ankle, but even still she was determined to fight through it. The creature had taken her eye, and now her home. No matter what it took, it wouldn’t take more.
Belial looked up to meet its opponent just as a flash of white appeared before it. But what it slashed at wasn’t a huntress at all. Rather, Bianca’s thrown cloak in a last ditch effort to distract the creature. And that sheet of white would be the last thing the beast saw.
With a cry of both pain and rage, Bianca threw herself at the Grimm, ready to kill or be killed as she tore her gauntlets into its neck. The moment the claws connected, the damaged dust-chamber sparked to life. Pitch black fur split aside as the Grimm’s head separated from it’s body, propelled by the imminent blast of sparking and combusting dust blowing open the side of Bianca’s gauntlet.
The sounds of battle faded, as did Bianca’s anger. And all that replaced it was emptiness, and pain.
Even once she’d dragged herself out of the ruins, Bianca could hardly walk. It took an old piece of wood just to balance herself enough to walk on her broken ankle.. No sooner had she been greeted by the empty silence of a dead town than familiar howls rang out in the distance, a shiver running down the Faunus’ spine. She knew one Grimm couldn’t have done all of this, but even with all her desire for vengeance, she wouldn’t last through another fight. And Bracco needed help more than she did.
Her mind felt light and dazed, practically dragging herself along as she made her way back down the road and into the familiar red forest. Desperately she stared at her scroll. And the moment there was even the smallest bit of a signal, her shaky hand began sending an SOS to Beacon, even as the pain from her combusted gauntlet began to set in along the burned arm.
No sooner had it gone through than Bianca collapsed against a tree, her lone eye watching the red canopy of leaves above. Finally, she had a chance to breathe. Her reason to hunt had been destroyed, and in turn she’d burned her anger and every last bit of effort she had to destroy one of the creatures responsible. But now the deafening anger was gone, and she could hear again. But the only sound she heard was unbearable loneliness.
By the time Bianca was found by the huntsmen that Beacon sent, she was barely clinging to life. A makeshift bandage made from her sleeve was all that kept her from bleeding out, although even then it wasn’t clear if she’d really survive. But days came and went, and with time, Bianca found her strength returning. But even then, her purpose was still gone.
But a purpose was something Bianca could find with time. It would take more than one loss to break the young wolf.
submitted by YandereLobster to rwbyRP [link] [comments]


2023.05.28 03:41 palocci The Brazilian "Secular Stagnation" and what Lula can do about it

The Brazilian
Introduction
Here's another effortpost on Brazil! This time I'll be talking about why the Brazilian economy stagnated, and what we can expect from Lula in terms of economic policy (I've talked about this in the past but now I'll go into more detail).
Between 1920 and 1980, Brazil was a clear economic success story. For 60 years, our GDP grew at an average of 4% a year. This 'golden age' ended in a hyperinflation crisis, which made the 1980s become known as a 'lost decade', and since its resolution in 1994 with the Plano Real, our economy has experienced minimal growth: from 1980 to 2020, the average GDP growth rate was only 0.7%.
Evolution of the Brazilian per capita product, at 2010 prices, from 1900 to 2021. The scale of the graph is logarithmic in base 2.
In this post, I'll try to explain the reasons for Brazil's low growth in the last four decades and what Lula's plans are to address them.
The debate
Before delving into the actual causes of the "semi-stagnation", I would like to explain the economic debate in Brazil. This debate revolves around two major groups of economists: the "developmentalists" and the "liberals." The term "developmentalism" may be unfamiliar to many people here, but it is very present in Latin America. A decent explanation for it could be "dirigisme with Latam characteristics."
In short, liberalism in this context is associated with economic orthodoxy and a pro-market orientation in economic policy, while developmentalism leans towards economic heterodoxy and advocates for direct state interference in the economy. This debate is, in theory, separate from the traditional right versus left political divide, as we have had governments from both ends of the political spectrum adopting policies aligned with either school of thought. For instance, Lula I (2003-2007) represented a left-wing liberal government, while Geisel (1974-1979) presided over a right-wing developmentalist government. However, in practice, liberalism is associated with the right-wing while developmentalism is associated with the left-wing.
One area of major divergence between those two groups is full employment. Liberals argue that the Brazilian economy generally operates at full employment, which means that there are well-defined supply-side limits and restrictions in the economy, whereas developmentalists believe it tends to operate below that level. This implies that the economy's natural state is one of perpetual aggregate demand deficiency, and thus the government could just increase spending to mobilize idle production factors and stimulate economic growth.
Furthermore, liberals typically view direct state intervention in the economy with distrust, opposing increased public investments in infrastructure and most forms of industrial policy. Their preference generally leans towards reducing government spending and relying on a 'crowding in' effect, together with supply-side reforms. Conversely, developmentalists perceive state intervention as a necessity to stimulate the economy, favoring a robust industrial policy and increased public investments.
Those are significant oversimplifications, and many economists do not align themselves with either group. In any case, I would say this categorization reasonably represents the current debate.
It's a tradition in Brazil to divide ministries between liberals and developmentalists to ensure a balance between the two. The current Finance Minister, Fernando Haddad, believes in a middle ground approach, with some of his secretaries (e.g., Guilherme Mello) leaning more towards developmentalism, while others (e.g., Bernard Appy) lean more towards liberalism. Planning Minister Simone Tebet and Industry and Commerce Minister Geraldo Alckmin are firmly in the liberal camp. However, due to the nature of his ministry, Geraldo Alckmin will probably concede more to developmentalist policies (as he's already doing). Aloizio Mercadante, the President of the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES), is considered the leader of the developmentalist branch of the government, along with Workers' Party President Gleisi Hoffmann (some people jokingly refer to her as the main opposition to Fernando Haddad and the 'Twitter Shadow Finance Minister' due to some of her tweets).
Without further ado, let's get to the causes of Brazil's stagnation.
Guido Mantega (Finance Minister between 2006 and 2014) and Antônio Palocci (Finance Minister between 2003 and 2006). Mantega is associated to developmentalism and Palocci to liberalism.
Education
First of all, the significant growth of the 20th century left a terrible educational legacy. Brazil only began to have a somewhat consistent educational policy in the 1990s and 2000s, when basic education was universalized. To put it into perspective, in 1990, the average number of years of schooling in Brazil was 3.8 years. Even Sub-Saharan African countries like Congo, Zimbabwe, and Zambia had higher average schooling levels than ours. Approximately a quarter of the population were illiterate.
The key change came with the 1988 Constitution, which decided that Brazil would try to become an European-style social democracy. Since then, considerable progress has been made, but clearly not enough. The main educational bottleneck lies in Elementary School II, which typically spans the ages of 12 to 15. It is during this stage in Brazil that the discrepancy between age and the appropriate grade level drastically increases, leading to higher rates of grade repetition and students falling behind in their education.
This problem is probably related to the transition from a single teacher trained in pedagogy in Elementary I to several specialists teaching only one subject. This transition also occurs at the onset of adolescence, which is naturally a turbulent phase already, with the introduction of drugs, alcohol and various forms of prejudice being normal. The result ends up being a distancing of the student from school.
Two Brazilian states, which have been governed by center-left parties for many years, serve as examples in Brazilian educational policy: Pernambuco and Ceará.
A highlight in Ceará is the Programa de Afabetização na Idade Certa (Program of Alphabetization in the Right Age), which aims to ensure that all students in the state's public school systems achieve literacy by the age of 7. The plan was based on the following pillars: (1) the elaboration of a specialized literacy curriculum that was adopted in all the municipalities, with structured materials for teachers and students containing a daily routine of classroom activities and homework assignments; (2) pedagogical practices to encourage reading in the classroom; (3) financial incentives for the municipalities that achieve better results in education; and (4) evaluation and monitoring of the program, with a census and diagnostic test that is applied at the beginning of every semester.
Pernambuco has implemented a Full-Time High School system that stands out. The system is based on the following pillars: (1) the introduction of a subject called "life project," which encourages students to create plans with goals and objectives for their lives; (2) guided study, providing a space for autonomy in learning and fostering self-directed learning skills; (3) hands-on, practical classes that combine theory and practice; (4) youth clubs, where collective interests of young people are pursued; (5) tutoring, where teachers (tutors) interact with students to support their development; and (6) full-time education, of course.
Both plans have been tremendous successes and could be implemented nationwide. The Member of Parliament Tabata Amaral has proposed the program "basic education like Ceará's, high school like Pernambuco's." We might see that put in practice. Izolda Cela, the mind behind Ceará's basic education plan, is the Executive-Secretary of the Ministry of Education, and the current Minister of Education is Camilo Santana, the governor of Ceará between 2014 and 2022.
Izolda Cela (Executive-Secretary of the Ministry of Education) and Camilo Santana (Minister of Education).
Public Investments
Furthermore, there is a general consensus that the significant decrease in public investment since 1980 explains part of the problem. During the Golden Age of Brazilian growth, public investment mounted to about 6% of GDP, whereas it currently stands at approximately 4% since the lost decade. Liberal economists tend to attribute this to the expansion of the welfare state, that came with a substantial increase in the tax burden (from 25% of GDP in the 1970s to 35% in 2000). On the other hand, developmentalist economists point to the decline in public savings due to the privatization of state-owned enterprises in the 1990s.
In his second government, Lula created the Programa de Aceleração do Crescimento (PAC) (Growth Acceleration Program), whose objective was precisely to expand public investments. Unfortunately, the plan ended up with highly controversial results, primarily due to the low administrative capacity of the Brazilian State and corruption (some like to call the plan the Corruption Acceleration Program!).
But now the Workers' Party has gained new experience. Many of its state governments became famous for extensive investment programs in partnership with the private sector, delivering positive results. Chief of Staff Rui Costa, in particular, had a successful experience with public-private investments during his tenure as the governor of Bahia. He is now expected to lead the "New PAC", which will probably be announced at some point between today and July. (The project still has no name and is provisionally being called "New PAC").
Here's what Rui Costa has said about the project: "We will have, in an unprecedented way, investments with Public Private Partnerships (PPIs) at the federal level. Many states, including Bahia, have made PPI projects. [...] We are negotiating with the Ministry of Finance the conditions for guarantees so that we can leverage these projects."
Lula wants to meet with the 27 state governors to determine which state projects the Union should prioritize for its investments. In recent weeks, Costa has held individual meetings with the state governments to define which projects will be included in the new PAC. In all, eight governors have already been heard.
In a speech on the May 1st holiday, Lula said the following about the project: "We are inviting foreign businessmen to invest in Brazil and we are showing them the great projects that we are going to present in the third PAC. It will be the largest infrastructure project in this country."
Former Governor of Bahia (2014 - 2022) and current Chief of Staff Rui Costa.
Deindustrialization
Another problem is the early deindustrialization that is taking place in Brazil: we are losing our industry before becoming rich. In the beginning of the lost decade, the industry accounted for one-quarter of the Brazilian GDP, whereas today it represents around one-tenth. The reason for this process is complex, and once again, economists disagree. Liberals point to the new form of production organization that emerged with globalization, where the manufacturing of goods was fragmented into different stages, each executed in different countries. According to this line of thinking, Brazil failed to adapt to the new industrial configuration and remained stuck in an unrealistic autarkic dream. On the other hand, developmentalist economists usually argue that after the end of hyperinflation, Brazil fell into a trap of having an overvalued currency and high interest rates, demolishing the industry's competitiveness. (I am more inclined towards the first thesis, although it is a fact that the Brazilian exchange rate was detrimental to the industry after the Real Plan).
Now I want to talk a little bit about the Brazilian industrial bourgeoisie and its problems. In the 1960s, the then sociologist and future president Fernando Henrique Cardoso published his thesis on the Brazilian industrial entrepreneurs. Based on his research, he concluded that Brazilian industrialists did not have any national project, and (1) "only cared about their personal interests when speaking on behalf of the class" and (2) "[their] political action consists of personal participation in the patrimonialist game." Brazil has a serious problem related to what we call 'patrimonialism,' which refers to the capture of resources from the Brazilian state to benefit private interests.
Unfortunately, industrial policy in Brazil often results in tax exemptions, subsidies, tariff protections, etc., for an inefficient, patrimonialist, and somewhat broken industry that was developed in the 20th century. The Workers' Party itself fell into this outdated corporatism while in power, especially during the first Rousseff administration (2011-2015). It is a shame that advocating for greater state involvement in the economy ends up becoming a defense of those interest groups.
In this sense, I find myself opposed to both liberals and developmentalists. While the latter end up promoting an agenda that only benefits private interests, albeit with good intentions, the former dismiss any state planning, believing in an 'economic abiogenesis.' Since 2016, we have been reducing the role of the state and waiting for a crowding in effect, but with no success. We need strong a industrial policy, but it has to be transparent and not perpetuate the old game of patrimonialism.
In the words of the brilliant economist Laura Carvalho: "We want a State that identifies ways to stimulate technological innovation and product development in partnership with the private sector. But this policy cannot become hostage to the existing private sector. We have remnants of our industry of the 20th century, for example the automobile industry, and when we do industrial policy, we end up just giving incentives to them. This is a state that does not choose winners, but rather is chosen by losers. Those who are struggling in the industry try to eat the resources of the state to survive."
Unfortunately, the signals from the new Lula government are quite negative. Industry and Commerce Minister Geraldo Alckmin recently announced a plan of incentives for the automobile industry, which is essentially the same program that has failed several times in the past. There are positive things coming from his ministry, but few of them have much to do directly with a well-made industrial policy. It's a shame.
His plans beyond industrial policy appear positive, as shown in the following excerpt, at least: "Brazil had an early deindustrialization. Europe also deindustrialized, but ours was precarious and severe. More than reindustrializing, we need a neo-reindustrialization. A central issue is the competitiveness agenda. There is a principle in medicine that says: suppress the cause and the effect ceases. We have to act on the causes of low growth. Our tax model generates an absurd cost for companies. It is not fair. We have an absurd judicialization that leads to legal insecurity and hinders exports. The whole world has a VAT (value added tax. I defend it. I think Haddad is doing well and I am a great enthusiast of the tax reform."
Probably more than any other politician of expression today, Haddad positions himself as a republican and talks about reducing the patrimonialist distortions of the Brazilian public budget. He talks about "closing the drains of what is called Brazilian patrimonialism" and "ending a series of abuses that have been committed against the fiscal base" of the country. He says that many sectors have been "overly" benefited "with rules established over the decades and that have not been reviewed by any outcome control. Many have expired from the point of view of efficiency, and need to be revoked."
Former Governor of São Paulo (2001 - 2006; 2010 - 2017) and current Vice-President of Brazil and Minister of Industry and Commerce Geraldo Alckmin.
Business Environment
Brazilian productivity has been stagnant for decades. What is causing this? The main suspect is the Brazilian tax system. There is an enormous complexity in the various indirect taxes (ISS, ICMS, PIS/Cofins, and IPI), which forces every company to have an excessively large department dedicated to tax payment. Additionally, numerous divergences of interpretation arise between the Federal Revenue, state authorities, and businesses. On every corner of our cities, there is a specialized tax law office to assist companies in dealing with the extremely high level of litigation in our taxation system. To make matters worse, our indirect taxes discourage investment in locations with higher social returns, as the tax complexity and special tax regimes artificially alter the profitability of investments and production. A general simplification of these taxes, with the adoption of a Value Added Tax, could have an impact on the economy's efficiency equivalent to the Plano Real, which ended hyperinflation.
Even beyond the tax issue, the Brazilian business environment is terrible. According to the World Bank's Doing Business 2020 report, which measures the ease of doing business in 190 countries, Brazil ranks 124th. This problem is related to excessive bureaucracy, unexpected judicial decisions, loopholes in regulatory frameworks, and disrespect for contracts.
The Tax Reform is going to be the government's main priority after the approval of the New Fiscal Anchor. Planning Minister Simone Tebet summed up the reform as follows: "The Tax reform is the only silver bullet that we have to save Brazil."
And here's what Finance Minister Fernando Haddad has said about it: "There is no way to grow Brazil's productivity with this tax system [...] We are developing a tax reform that is even more modern, because it introduces in the national tax system a Value Added Tax that solves a good part of the flaws of the current system that, in my opinion, is the great villain for the low growth rates of our productivity." The idea is to approve the Tax Reform still this year (Haddad talks about doing it in the first semester!).
Special Secretary for Tax Reform Bernard Appy.
Economic Isolation
Brazil has a very closed economy. Among the 160 countries analyzed by the World Bank, the Brazilian economy is only less open than that of Sudan. The average protection applied by Brazil to capital goods is 14 times higher than in Chile and 25 times higher than in Mexico. This is probably the most expressive cause of the low productivity and deindustrialization in Brazil, together with the tax system. Here, I quote the brilliant economist Edmar Bacha: "[The closure of the Brazilian economy during the Geisel government (1974 - 1979)] caused a tremendous drop in the economy's productivity and an increase in the cost of capital goods. And this, I believe, is what lies at the root of our stagnation after the so-called economic miracle (1968-1974). Our industry became unable to compete internationally. And we were forced, because the industry has this extraordinary lobbying capacity, to prevent the redesign of the Brazilian industry to participate in global value chains."
Bacha's argument makes sense: the collapse of GDP growth coincides with the collapse of capital accumulation (the growth rate of the capital stock) after Geisel's government. Why did capital accumulation collapse? Bacha explains that using a decomposition of the investment = savings relationship: K' = s(1/p)v - δ, where K' = capital accumulation, s = savings rate, p = relative price of investment, v = output-capital ratio, and δ = depreciation rate.
Between 1950-1980, the "golden age" of Brazil, K' grew at nearly 9% per year. Between 1981-2014, this number was 3%. Why? Looking at the historical series, the difference is not in savings or depreciation. What happened was that the output-capital ratio fell by about one-third, and the relative price of investment increased by one-third. In other words, the capital requirement per unit of output increased significantly, and at the same time, the price of investment goods rose significantly. According to Bacha, this process occurred between 1973 and 1983, a period in which the Military Government pursued an autarkic economic policy.
The ideal scenario for Brazil would be to open its economy and have an export-oriented industry. The industry we have developed is heavily reliant on our domestic market, without external competition. In the words of economist Nelson Barbosa: "Brazil cannot produce ships, but it can produce airplanes. Brazil does not have car manufacturers, but it has bus manufacturers. Brazil cannot have a domestic production of microelectronics, but it has a good domestic production of electric motors. So we need to study what worked in these sectors to see if it can be replicated in other sectors. All these successful sectors, Embraer, Weg, Marco Polo, are sectors that are competitive in Brazil and in the world. Here is the first clue: correct industrial policies create domestic production that competes domestically and internationally. They are integrated products that import and export extensively. Value chains."
However, an open trade policy without a plan may not be positive either. In Nelson's words: "Development always means increased productivity. Opening the economy can stimulate productivity, but it can also lead to a negative specialization. You can open your economy and become a country that only exports commodities, with an inflated services sector that only sells domestically, with a significant portion of your population relying on informal jobs. Which is what happens in Brazil. So I think trade openness is inevitable, more developed countries are more open, but thinking that just opening up will automatically lead to development is naïve and something we shouldn't do in the 21st century. I believe that strategic trade integration is crucial and necessary for development. Unilateral openness, without any plan, will only reinforce the specialization we already have today."
In any case, it is certain that the current excessive protectionism cannot be maintained. Opening up would allow broader access for companies to (1) cheaper and higher-quality inputs and (2) foreign-produced capital goods and technology, (3) create significant competition effects to invigorate the economy, and (4) create a 'selection effect' that would eliminate losers and favor winners.
But this is the agenda that I am least hopeful about. Trade openness is a topic that faces strong opposition from the Brazilian left and would likely only occur under a moderate center-right government. I hope, at least, that some trade agreements can be reached to open up the economy. The European Union-Mercosur trade agreement would have a significant impact and would be very important but I'm not very hopeful that it'll be approved.
Haddad is still optimistic, though! He said that a more emphatic diplomatic effort will be made starting in the second semester, in a movement that will take advantage of Brazil's leadership in Mercosur and Spain's leadership in the European bloc.
Simone Tebet (Planning Minister) and Fernando Haddad (Finance Minister).
Interest Rates
Interest rates in Brazil are much, much higher than the global average. Our credit is scarce and dysfunctional. Lula likes to repeat that Brazil is a capitalist country without capitalism because there is no credit.
Brazil has the second-highest bank spread in the world, second only to Madagascar. This means that banks in Brazil charge very high interest rates for lending money. To give you an idea, Brazil's bank spread is higher than the average observed in countries at war. There are several reasons for this, but some stand out: (1) savings in Brazil have historically been very low (around 20% of GDP), (2) the government consumes a significant portion of savings to finance itself, and (3) the Brazilian banking sector is extremely concentrated, with a few banks dominating the entire sector.
The other issue in this discussion is the current policy interest rate set by the Central Bank. Brazil currently has the highest real interest rate in the world, at around 9%. The debate about whether this interest level is correct or not is quite active in Brazil, with its proponents arguing that the current Brazilian inflation is demand-driven and pointing to inflation in the services sector and core inflation, while its critics argue that inflation is not demand-driven, pointing to the fact that Brazil has had a negative output gap since 2015 and that supply shocks can explain the inflation in services.
This debate is complex, and it is hard to determine definitively which side is right. Nevertheless, the Central Bank is strongly adhering to the first thesis.
The current Chairman of the Central Bank, Roberto Campos Neto (RCN), is the grandson of an economist of the Military Dictatorship and was appointed by Bolsonaro. He will remain in his position until 2024 due to the new autonomy granted to the Central Bank in 2021. In this scenario, Lula engaged in a public war against RCN, urging him to lower interest rates. The situation became tense, but Lula never showed any willingness to take effective action to remove him, remaining only in rhetoric. Throughout the conflict, Haddad positioned himself as a moderate, playing a certain "good cop, bad cop" game with Lula and gaining trust in the financial market. Apparently, Lula intends to nominate former executive-secretary of the Finance Ministry Gabriel Galípolo to replace RCN in 2024. He was recently appointed as director of monetary policy at the Central Bank, and is widely identified as a heterodox economist.
Haddad's current plan is to stabilize Brazil's deficit to allow for a monetary loosening. Here's what he said: "We are not at a point where fiscal expansion is going to help the economy. If there is room for any stimulus, it will be monetary. If we know how to make the transition, there is room for a lower interest rate, you just have to give security to the monetary authority." He does not seem to be concerned about banking concentration, though.
Chairman of the Central Bank Roberto Campos Neto.
TL;DR
The Brazilian economy has seen very little growth since the the lost decade in the 1980s. One of the primary factors contributing to this stagnation is the economy's low productivity. There are several reasons behind this low productivity, including:
  1. Inadequate infrastructure and insufficient investments in its development.
  2. A significant delay in comparison to other countries in terms of investing in education.
  3. Unreasonable economic protectionism.
  4. Private groups exerting undue influence and capturing the Brazilian state (patrimonialism).
  5. Failure to adapt our industry to a globalized world.
  6. Excessively high bank spreads.
  7. A terrible business environment, particularly due to the tax system.
There are other reasons for sure, but I'd say most people would agree those are the most important ones. Also, here's my effortpost on the Workers' Party, in case you haven't read it.
submitted by palocci to SocialDemocracy [link] [comments]


2023.05.28 03:31 PersonalityVisual182 My Second Run (New Version)

These are the characters + classes they will be using. I would like your opinion. (DLC is being used & all characters will get starsphere at some point in the run) Normal Casual.
Alear-Divine Dragon- Mauvier-Royal Knight- Vander-Martial Master- Veyle-Fell Child(V)-
Chloe-Wyvern Knight (Sword & Lance)- Louis-Great Knight (Lance & Axe)-
Diamant-Successor- Alcryst-Tireur d’élite-
Ivy-Lindwurm- Hortensia-Sleipnir Rider- Zelkov-High Priest-
Fogado-Cupido- Merrin-Wolf Knight (Sword)- Bunet-Mage Canonner-
Rafal-Fell Child(R)- Madeleine-Paladin(Axe)- Gregory-Griffin Knight(Sword)- Nel-Fell Child(N)- Zelestia-Melusine-
submitted by PersonalityVisual182 to FEEngage [link] [comments]


2023.05.28 03:02 ElvinaWhitten Best Wireless Earbuds

Best Wireless Earbuds
Cowin Wireless Earbuds are a great option for those looking for a comfortable and affordable pair of wireless earbuds. They offer a long battery life, clear sound quality, and a secure fit.Cowin Wireless Earbuds are a great option for those looking for a comfortable, affordable, and reliable pair of wireless earbuds. If you are looking for a great pair of wireless earbuds at a great price, I would highly recommend Cowin Wireless Earbuds.
Here are some of the key features of Cowin Wireless Earbuds:
  • Long battery life: The earbuds offer up to 6 hours of playtime on a single charge, and the charging case provides an additional 30 hours of battery life, for a total of 36 hours of listening time.
  • Clear sound quality: The earbuds produce clear and balanced sound, with deep bass and crisp highs. They also have a built-in microphone for making phone calls.
  • Secure fit: The earbuds come with three different sizes of ear tips to ensure a comfortable and secure fit. They are also IPX5 water-resistant, making them perfect for workouts or running in the rain.

Cowin Ky02 Wireless Earbuds




https://preview.redd.it/kczdginemt1b1.png?width=1000&format=png&auto=webp&s=f367d9c7fba2b1c993734c06309557bc2c730c1a
The KY02 True Wireless Earbuds are a great choice for anyone in search of high-quality audio and ultimate freedom from wires. Designed to be used during physical activities, these earbuds offer a range of features intended to fit the needs of people with an active lifestyle. In this review, we will take a closer look at the KY02 True Wireless Earbuds and explore their design and build quality, performance, charging and recharging capabilities, as well as their pros and cons.

Design and Build Quality:

One of the first things you will notice about the KY02 True Wireless Earbuds is their sleek and modern design. The earbuds come in black or white colors, with a minimalist appearance that appeals to many users. They have a slightly angled shape that fits comfortably in your ears, and come with three different sizes of silicone ear tips for a secure and comfortable fit.
The earbuds are made from high-quality materials, which makes them durable and long-lasting. They are also sweat- and water-resistant, which means they can withstand even the most intense workouts without any damage. Additionally, they are lightweight and portable, which makes them easy to use on-the-go.
See Price

Performance:

In terms of performance, the KY02 True Wireless Earbuds deliver exceptional sound quality. They have a dynamic speaker system that produces clear and crisp sound without distortion or interference. The earbuds feature Bluetooth 5.0 technology, which ensures a stable and reliable connection with your mobile device up to 33 feet away.
The earbuds also come with touch controls that allow you to manage your music playback, answer phone calls, and activate your phone's voice assistant without having to use your device. The controls are intuitive and easy to use, and you can customize them according to your preferences.

Charging and Recharging:

The KY02 True Wireless Earbuds come with a compact charging case that provides up to six full charges for the earbuds. Each charge provides up to four hours of playback time, which means you can enjoy up to 24 hours of continuous playback on a single charge.
The charging case is easy to use and features LED indicators that show you how much battery life is remaining. The case itself can be charged using a USB-C cable, which provides fast and efficient charging times.
See Price

Pros:

  1. Excellent sound quality with clear and crisp output.
  2. Bluetooth 5.0 technology for seamless connectivity.
  3. Comfortable fit with soft silicone ear tips in three sizes.
  4. Long battery life with up to four hours of continuous playback and additional charges from the case.
  5. Waterproof design with IPX7 rating.
  6. Intuitive touch controls for easy operation.
  7. Compact and portable charging case.

Cons:

  1. The earbuds do not come with noise-canceling features, which may be a drawback for some users.
  2. The touch controls may require some getting used to, and accidental activation can occur.

Conclusion:

Overall, the KY02 True Wireless Earbuds are an excellent choice for anyone who wants high-quality audio and comfortable wireless earbuds designed for physical activities. They offer exceptional sound quality, reliable connectivity, a variety of sizes of silicone ear tips to ensure a perfect fit, long battery life, and intuitive touch controls.
Additionally, they are sweat- and water-resistant, making them durable and suitable for use during intense workouts or outdoor activities. Although they do not come with noise-canceling features, the overall performance and affordable price make them a great buy for people who prioritize functionality over extra features. If you're looking for a pair of reliable, high-quality wireless earbuds, the KY02 True Wireless Earbuds are definitely worth considering.
See Price

COWIN Apex Pro Active Noise Cancelling True Wireless Earbuds


https://preview.redd.it/d9tp7ivhnt1b1.png?width=1000&format=png&auto=webp&s=65edc5ad537503297135cb75ae8a9101277b78d6
If you're in the market for earbuds with top-notch noise-cancelling capabilities, look no further than the Cowin Apex Pro. These true wireless earbuds boast active noise cancellation technology that can block out a significant amount of external noise, making them perfect for use during commutes or in noisy environments. But noise cancelling is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the features and performance offered by these earbuds.

Design and Build Quality:

The Cowin Apex Pro earbuds are sleek and modern in design, with a black matte finish and small, compact size. Each earbud features an ergonomic shape that fits comfortably in the ear and provides a secure fit, even during movement. The earbuds come with three different sizes of ear tips to ensure the perfect fit for any user. The earbuds are also sweat and water-resistant, which means they can withstand intense workouts and outdoor activities without fear of damage.
One unique feature of the Cowin Apex Pro earbuds is their touch control operation. The earbuds feature touch-sensitive panels that allow users to control music playback, adjust volume, take phone calls, and activate voice assistants with a simple tap or swipe. This feature is intuitive and easy to use, making it a standout feature of the earbuds.
See Price

Performance:

The Cowin Apex Pro earbuds deliver excellent sound quality, thanks to their 10mm dynamic drivers. The earbuds produce a balanced sound profile, with crisp highs, rich mids, and deep bass. The sound quality is impressive, even in noisy environments, thanks to the active noise cancellation technology. The earbuds also feature Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, which allows for quick and stable pairing with smartphones, tablets, and other devices.
The active noise cancellation on the Cowin Apex Pro earbuds is top-notch. The technology is capable of blocking out a significant amount of external noise, including background chatter, traffic noise, and other environmental sounds. This makes the earbuds ideal for use during commutes, flights, or in busy offices.

Charging and Recharging:

The Cowin Apex Pro earbuds offer an impressive battery life of up to 7 hours on a single charge. The charging case provides an additional 30 hours of playback time, which means users can enjoy music and phone calls all day without worrying about running out of battery. When it comes time to recharge the earbuds, they can be fully charged in just 1.5 hours, thanks to the fast charging technology.
The charging case also features a USB-C port for quick and easy charging, as well as wireless charging capabilities. This allows users to charge the earbuds on-the-go, without needing to carry around a charging cable.
See Price

Pros and Cons:

As with any product, there are pros and cons to consider when it comes to the Cowin Apex Pro earbuds. Here are some of the most notable:

Pros:

  • Excellent active noise cancellation technology
  • Sleek and modern design
  • Touch control operation is intuitive and easy to use
  • Impressive battery life and fast charging capabilities
  • Sweat and water-resistant for workouts and outdoor activities

Cons:

  • Some users may find the touch controls too sensitive
  • The earbuds may not fit comfortably in all ear shapes and sizes

Conclusion:

Overall, the Cowin Apex Pro earbuds are an excellent choice for anyone in need of high-quality true wireless earbuds with active noise cancellation technology. The sleek and modern design, along with the touch control operation, make these earbuds stand out from the competition. The sound quality is impressive, even in noisy environments, and the battery life and charging capabilities are top-notch. While there may be some minor drawbacks, such as sensitivity with the touch controls or possible fit issues for some users, the pros of the Cowin Apex Pro earbuds far outweigh any cons.
See Price

Cowin Apex Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds


https://preview.redd.it/nz4gdpeunt1b1.png?width=1000&format=png&auto=webp&s=eeeb76bdbab3c9157c8060cb65933661a5a4ef3b
If you're looking for a reliable and affordable pair of wireless earbuds with active noise cancelling technology, the Cowin Apex earbuds may be just what you need. These earbuds offer a sleek design, impressive sound quality, and long battery life at a fraction of the cost of other high-end models. In this review, we'll take a closer look at the Cowin Apex earbuds and evaluate their performance in key categories.

Design and Build Quality:

The Cowin Apex earbuds have a simple, understated design that is both sleek and modern. They come in black or white, with a matte finish and metallic accents. The earbuds themselves are lightweight and compact, making them easy to carry around. They fit comfortably in the ear and come with multiple sizes of ear tips to ensure the perfect fit for any user.
One potential drawback to the design of the Cowin Apex earbuds is that they don't feature touch controls. Instead, users must control music playback and phone calls using physical buttons on the earbuds. While this isn't as intuitive as touch controls, it's a minor inconvenience given the affordable price point of the earbuds.
See Price

Performance:

The Cowin Apex earbuds deliver impressive sound quality, thanks to their 6mm dynamic drivers. The earbuds produce clear and balanced audio, with crisp highs, detailed mids, and punchy bass. Additionally, the earbuds offer active noise cancelling technology that blocks out external noise to create an immersive listening experience.
The noise cancelling technology on the Cowin Apex earbuds is effective, but not as powerful as some higher-end models. It does a good job of blocking out background noise, such as traffic or chatter in a coffee shop, but may struggle with extremely loud environments. However, given the affordability of the earbuds, the noise cancelling capabilities are impressive.
When it comes to connectivity, the Cowin Apex earbuds use Bluetooth 5.0 to provide stable and fast pairing with smartphones and other devices. The earbuds also feature a built-in microphone that allows for clear phone calls and voice assistant control.

Charging and Recharging:

The Cowin Apex earbuds offer up to 5 hours of battery life on a single charge, which is impressive given their compact size. The charging case provides an additional 15 hours of playback time, bringing the total battery life to 20 hours. When it's time to recharge the earbuds, they can be fully charged in just 1 hour, thanks to the fast charging technology.
One potential drawback of the Cowin Apex earbuds is that they use micro-USB instead of USB-C for charging. While this isn't a major issue, it may be an inconvenience for users who prefer the newer USB-C standard.

Pros and Cons:

As with any product, there are pros and cons to consider when it comes to the Cowin Apex earbuds. Here are some of the most notable:

Pros:

  • Affordable price point
  • Impressive sound quality and active noise cancelling technology
  • Lightweight and compact design
  • Fast charging capabilities

Cons:

  • No touch controls
  • Noise cancelling technology may not be as powerful as higher-end models
  • Charging case uses micro-USB instead of USB-C

Conclusion:

Cowin Apex earbuds are an excellent choice for anyone looking for affordable wireless earbuds with active noise cancelling technology. While they may not have all the bells and whistles of higher-end models, they deliver impressive sound quality and decent noise cancelling capabilities at a fraction of the cost. The lightweight and compact design makes them easy to carry around, and the long battery life and fast charging technology ensure that you won't run out of juice during the day. While the lack of touch controls and use of micro-USB for charging may be minor inconveniences, they're a small price to pay for such an affordable and effective pair of wireless earbuds.
See Price

Cowin Apex Elite Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds


https://preview.redd.it/hotew0akot1b1.png?width=1000&format=png&auto=webp&s=73aa3a5618bffec1a610b69dc93c2194179169d0
Wireless earbuds have become increasingly popular over the years, with more and more people opting for the convenience of wireless headphones. Cowin has been one of the leading brands in this space, producing a range of affordable yet high-quality wireless earbuds. In this review, we'll take a closer look at the Cowin Apex Elite Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds and evaluate their performance in key categories.

Design and Build Quality:

The Cowin Apex Elite earbuds have a sleek and modern design that is both stylish and functional. They come in black or white, with a matte finish and metallic accents. The earbuds themselves are lightweight and compact, making them easy to carry around. They fit comfortably in the ear and come with multiple sizes of ear tips and ear wings to ensure the perfect fit for any user.
One standout feature of the Cowin Apex Elite earbuds is their touch controls. Users can control music playback, phone calls, and access voice assistants using intuitive touch gestures on the earbuds. This makes it easy to adjust settings without having to reach for your phone or fumble with physical buttons on the earbuds.
See Price
The earbuds also feature active noise cancelling technology that blocks out external noise to create an immersive listening experience. The noise cancelling technology is effective, but not as powerful as some higher-end models. It does a good job of blocking out background noise, such as traffic or chatter in a coffee shop, but may struggle with extremely loud environments.

Performance:

When it comes to sound quality, the Cowin Apex Elite earbuds deliver impressive results. They use 10mm dynamic drivers to produce clear and balanced audio, with crisp highs, detailed mids, and punchy bass. Additionally, the earbuds offer active noise cancelling technology that blocks out external noise to create an immersive listening experience.
The Cowin Apex Elite earbuds also feature Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, which provides stable and fast pairing with smartphones and other devices. The earbuds also have a built-in microphone that allows for clear phone calls and voice assistant control.

Charging and Recharging:

The Cowin Apex Elite earbuds offer up to 7 hours of battery life on a single charge, which is impressive given their compact size. The charging case provides an additional 28 hours of playback time, bringing the total battery life to 35 hours. When it's time to recharge the earbuds, they can be fully charged in just 1 hour, thanks to the fast charging technology.
One potential drawback of the Cowin Apex Elite earbuds is that they use micro-USB instead of USB-C for charging. While this isn't a major issue, it may be an inconvenience for users who prefer the newer USB-C standard.
See Price

Pros and Cons:

As with any product, there are pros and cons to consider when it comes to the Cowin Apex Elite earbuds. Here are some of the most notable:

Pros:

  • Sleek and modern design
  • Intuitive touch controls
  • Impressive sound quality and active noise cancelling technology
  • Lightweight and compact design
  • Fast charging capabilities

Cons:

  • Noise cancelling technology may not be as powerful as higher-end models
  • Charging case uses micro-USB instead of USB-C

Conclusion:

Overall, the Cowin Apex Elite Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds are an excellent choice for anyone looking for a high-quality pair of wireless earbuds. With their sleek and modern design, intuitive touch controls, and impressive sound quality, they offer everything you could want in a pair of wireless earbuds. The lightweight and compact design makes them easy to carry around, and the long battery life and fast charging technology ensure that you won't run out of juice during the day. While the noise cancelling technology may not be as powerful as higher-end models, it's still effective enough to block out most external noise. The use of micro-USB for charging may be a minor inconvenience, but it's a small price to pay for such an affordable and effective pair of wireless earbuds.
See Price

Cowin BT618 Wireless Earbuds


https://preview.redd.it/7pvqgqc6qt1b1.png?width=1000&format=png&auto=webp&s=351392b91f956ba0bbed2a795a82fbdb5e39eae7
The Cowin BT618 Wireless Earbuds are an impressive addition to the wireless earbud market, offering active noise cancelling technology and a sleek design. In this review, we will delve into the design and build quality, performance, charging and recharging capabilities, as well as the pros and cons of these earbuds.

Design and Build Quality:

The Cowin BT618 Wireless Earbuds boast a sleek and modern design that is both stylish and compact, making them perfect for on-the-go use. The earbuds come with three different sized ear tips to ensure a comfortable and secure fit. The ear tips are made from soft silicone material which provides a comfortable fit and helps to block out external noise.
The earbuds themselves are lightweight and easy to wear for extended periods of time. They have a matte black finish which adds to their overall aesthetic appeal. The earbuds also feature touch controls on the surface which makes it easy to control music playback, answer calls, or activate the voice assistant.
The charging case of the Cowin BT618 Wireless Earbuds is also quite impressive. It has a slim and compact design that can easily fit into a pocket or bag. The case has a matte black finish which complements the earbuds nicely. It is easy to open and close and has a magnetic closure which ensures that the earbuds do not fall out.
See Price

Performance:

The Cowin BT618 Wireless Earbuds offer active noise cancelling technology which helps to block out external sounds. The noise cancelling feature is quite effective in muffling ambient noise, making it easier to focus on your music or podcast. During our tests, we found that the noise cancelling feature worked well for low-frequency sounds such as traffic noise, but struggled to block out higher frequency sounds like voices.
In terms of sound quality, the Cowin BT618 Wireless Earbuds offer a rich and balanced sound. The bass is punchy and deep without overpowering the other frequencies. The mids and highs are clear and detailed, making it easy to distinguish individual instruments in a song. Overall, the sound quality of these earbuds is impressive and should satisfy most users.
The Cowin BT618 Wireless Earbuds also feature Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity which ensures a stable and reliable connection between the earbuds and your device. We did not experience any dropouts or connectivity issues during our testing.

Charging and Recharging:

The Cowin BT618 Wireless Earbuds come with a charging case that provides up to 24 hours of total playtime. The earbuds themselves offer up to 6 hours of playtime on a single charge. The charging case can recharge the earbuds multiple times before needing to be recharged itself.
The charging case features a USB-C port for quick and efficient charging. It takes approximately 1.5 hours to fully charge the earbuds from empty and approximately 2 hours to fully charge the charging case from empty.
See Price

Pros and Cons:

Pros:

  • Sleek and modern design
  • Effective active noise cancelling technology
  • Rich and balanced sound quality
  • Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity
  • Comfortable and secure fit
  • Charging case provides up to 24 hours of total playtime

Cons:

  • Noise cancelling struggles with higher frequency sounds
  • Touch controls can be finicky at times

Conclusion:

Cowin BT618 Wireless Earbuds are an excellent choice for anyone in the market for a pair of wireless earbuds with active noise cancelling technology. They offer a sleek and modern design, effective noise cancelling technology, and rich and balanced sound quality. While the noise cancelling could be better for higher frequency sounds and the touch controls can be finicky at times, these minor drawbacks do not detract from their overall performance. We highly recommend the Cowin BT618 Wireless Earbuds to anyone in need of a reliable and high-quality pair of wireless earbuds.
See Price
submitted by ElvinaWhitten to motionview [link] [comments]


2023.05.28 02:56 Swimming-Ad2480 My thoughts on overwatch

I've always thought of overwatch as a casual game, that's how it was initially designed and built. 6 players play whatever characters appeals to them, loosely based around an objective and let em' go at it. Some overwatch 2 players may not remember that when overwatch started, it was 6 players that could play any role, character and as many duplicates of the character as you wanted. 12 Wintons at once? Possible. 12 dva ults being launched one after the other making point A hanamura look more bombed than Iraq? Plausible.
The thing about that ruleset was that by default it made the game feel more casual, better. With the addition of role queue and restricting hero choice forced the game to be more competitive than it was created to be. This is why I defaulted to open queue, arcade and custom games in the twilight years of ow1 and more recently overwatch 2. In these modes, overwatch just feels right . Not restricted by silly rules and limitations.
Overwatch was never a competitive game, and it should have never been changed to try and suit the competitive audience and therefor esports.(One reason why OWL was a massive blunder, doomed from the start.) Overwatch was always a game about self expression, teamwork (synergy), and player fantasy. You don't get an edgy bowman that controls twin spirit dragons in other games, at least none with the charm hanzo has. You don't get a gay supersoldier in valorant. You don't get a floating sentient robotic monk that bashes you In the cranium with his balls for 10-50 minutes in apex.
Overwatch had a character for all types to identify with ( whether the character behaved like them, looked like them, came from the same background as them or dealt with the same issues as them or wanted to be more like them, everyone had someone they liked in ow1) also, the player could easily tell what most hero's do and their personalities just by looking at them or how they play Ingame (another reason why overwatch characters are so memorable and great)
No other games have that kind of expression mixed with intuitive design quite like most of the overwatch cast do (TF2 has great, memorable characters that are very intuitive to play, but not as varied.) making each character just have a charm to them that other games can't mach. You can't look at omen from val and think "oh this guy does X." rein? If you CANT tell what "big German hammer man in rocket propelled power armor with a massive shield" does you've got issues bigger than what reddit can help you with. The incredible VA work also helps bring the characters to life. (especially the ram, sigma, rein, ana and widow VAs...just so damn good)
The restrictions placed in how you play the game, the removal of a tank, and the poor balance work have all worked to stifle the spirit the game used to have, its still there in brief moments (more specifically when everyone in the lobby is on King's Row playing legacy OW1 characters) it's mostly been stamped out in a more modernised, more "BaLaNcED" experience. While it's upsetting to see you can always adapt and overcome the challenges presented by poor balancing, no matter how boring the "double sniper funymonkhero" meta gets. But it's the removal of a real Pve that's been the thing that's made me consider leaving the game for good.
I've never really voiced it but I was always a lore goober for this game, I was always so interested in a campaign type gamemode, as overwatch does not only have a great setting and great, expressive, beloved characters. It's backed by the BEST when it comes to making excellent PvE stories PvE games. (Or...was, we will see when D4 is playable) the fact that we were promised a real story mode if not pve mode was secretly the biggest driver for me to keep playing the game and sticking with it through thick and thin. Now that that's gone? I'm just feeling a bit betrayed, that this original vision of something I supported with my time and my money was just thrown away by the vocal minority of competitive players, poor balancing and terrible mismanagement on part of the blizzard execs.
Overwatch was always a game I could go to and play whenever I wanted to escape the world for a bit and pretend I was a cybernetic ninja. Nowadays it just feels more like a product (I know it IS a product, well done sherlock) than an experience , the overwatch that took me through some of the tougher times in my life thus far and gave me something I could enjoy at least for a while. Now it just feels more like one of those shitty assembly-line marvel movies that are just flashy colours, costumes and actors with shit scripts. ( a way of saying a low quality rehash of what we've seen before, just another low effort money grab )
Overwatch will never have the same profound effect it once had on us in the old days and it likely never will. Don't take the game too serious and you'll have a good time. And don't quit the game because some idiot on YouTube/reddit told you that leaving the game would make positive change. If you enjoy the game, keep playing. You're not "part of the problem" for playing a game you like. (Besides, we all saw what happened to ow1 when the game died down in popularity).
Cheers for reading all the way through, hope this resonated with some of you.
submitted by Swimming-Ad2480 to Overwatch [link] [comments]


2023.05.28 02:28 LubraesRuin Radiant Dance Machine’s are a useless exotic.

Recently Bungie removed RDM’s synergy with Strand where you could do the suspending slam three times in a row. It also has no synergy with the new hunter artifact for Strand, or the Winters Shroud artifact in Stasis. The most useful synergies it has are with Void and Solar allowing you to continually go Invisible and in the case of Solar you can use Acrobats Dodge continually. But even with those two synergies we have other exotics and builds that do those jobs better so it kinda defeats the point of the exotic.
If you want a build where you’re invisible all the time you’re gonna put on Gyrfalcon’s or Omnioculus. No need to RDM’s.
You want a lot of radiance? Caliban’s Hand and Ember of Torches work great together and cause a lot of chaos.
You want to dodge more? Sixth Coyote is already good for that and doesn’t need you to be in range of enemies to activate the main point of the exotic AND IT HAS SYNERGIES WITH ALL OF THE ABILITIES RDM’s DOESN’T!
On a quest for balancing Bungie has left us with another less than appealing exotic. And so the question remains: What is the point of RDM’s? The only uses they have that makes them even somewhat of a thought are gamblers, marksman, and acrobats dodges, and it’s still lackluster compared to other exotics despite all that.
I have only two suggestions for a buff: Give it synergy with ALL of our dodges, nothing held back. Or spec into it’s potential uses for Gamblers, Acrobats, and Marksman dodges, for example: Using gamblers dodge increase melee damage, using marksman increases weapon damage. And for Acrobats it increases the radiance time.
submitted by LubraesRuin to destiny2 [link] [comments]


2023.05.28 02:03 ElvinaWhitten Best Wireless Earbuds

Best Wireless Earbuds
Cowin Wireless Earbuds are a great option for those looking for a comfortable and affordable pair of wireless earbuds. They offer a long battery life, clear sound quality, and a secure fit.Cowin Wireless Earbuds are a great option for those looking for a comfortable, affordable, and reliable pair of wireless earbuds. If you are looking for a great pair of wireless earbuds at a great price, I would highly recommend Cowin Wireless Earbuds.
Here are some of the key features of Cowin Wireless Earbuds:
  • Long battery life: The earbuds offer up to 6 hours of playtime on a single charge, and the charging case provides an additional 30 hours of battery life, for a total of 36 hours of listening time.
  • Clear sound quality: The earbuds produce clear and balanced sound, with deep bass and crisp highs. They also have a built-in microphone for making phone calls.
  • Secure fit: The earbuds come with three different sizes of ear tips to ensure a comfortable and secure fit. They are also IPX5 water-resistant, making them perfect for workouts or running in the rain.

Cowin Ky02 Wireless Earbuds




https://preview.redd.it/kczdginemt1b1.png?width=1000&format=png&auto=webp&s=f367d9c7fba2b1c993734c06309557bc2c730c1a
The KY02 True Wireless Earbuds are a great choice for anyone in search of high-quality audio and ultimate freedom from wires. Designed to be used during physical activities, these earbuds offer a range of features intended to fit the needs of people with an active lifestyle. In this review, we will take a closer look at the KY02 True Wireless Earbuds and explore their design and build quality, performance, charging and recharging capabilities, as well as their pros and cons.

Design and Build Quality:

One of the first things you will notice about the KY02 True Wireless Earbuds is their sleek and modern design. The earbuds come in black or white colors, with a minimalist appearance that appeals to many users. They have a slightly angled shape that fits comfortably in your ears, and come with three different sizes of silicone ear tips for a secure and comfortable fit.
The earbuds are made from high-quality materials, which makes them durable and long-lasting. They are also sweat- and water-resistant, which means they can withstand even the most intense workouts without any damage. Additionally, they are lightweight and portable, which makes them easy to use on-the-go.
See Price

Performance:

In terms of performance, the KY02 True Wireless Earbuds deliver exceptional sound quality. They have a dynamic speaker system that produces clear and crisp sound without distortion or interference. The earbuds feature Bluetooth 5.0 technology, which ensures a stable and reliable connection with your mobile device up to 33 feet away.
The earbuds also come with touch controls that allow you to manage your music playback, answer phone calls, and activate your phone's voice assistant without having to use your device. The controls are intuitive and easy to use, and you can customize them according to your preferences.

Charging and Recharging:

The KY02 True Wireless Earbuds come with a compact charging case that provides up to six full charges for the earbuds. Each charge provides up to four hours of playback time, which means you can enjoy up to 24 hours of continuous playback on a single charge.
The charging case is easy to use and features LED indicators that show you how much battery life is remaining. The case itself can be charged using a USB-C cable, which provides fast and efficient charging times.
See Price

Pros:

  1. Excellent sound quality with clear and crisp output.
  2. Bluetooth 5.0 technology for seamless connectivity.
  3. Comfortable fit with soft silicone ear tips in three sizes.
  4. Long battery life with up to four hours of continuous playback and additional charges from the case.
  5. Waterproof design with IPX7 rating.
  6. Intuitive touch controls for easy operation.
  7. Compact and portable charging case.

Cons:

  1. The earbuds do not come with noise-canceling features, which may be a drawback for some users.
  2. The touch controls may require some getting used to, and accidental activation can occur.

Conclusion:

Overall, the KY02 True Wireless Earbuds are an excellent choice for anyone who wants high-quality audio and comfortable wireless earbuds designed for physical activities. They offer exceptional sound quality, reliable connectivity, a variety of sizes of silicone ear tips to ensure a perfect fit, long battery life, and intuitive touch controls.
Additionally, they are sweat- and water-resistant, making them durable and suitable for use during intense workouts or outdoor activities. Although they do not come with noise-canceling features, the overall performance and affordable price make them a great buy for people who prioritize functionality over extra features. If you're looking for a pair of reliable, high-quality wireless earbuds, the KY02 True Wireless Earbuds are definitely worth considering.
See Price

COWIN Apex Pro Active Noise Cancelling True Wireless Earbuds


https://preview.redd.it/d9tp7ivhnt1b1.png?width=1000&format=png&auto=webp&s=65edc5ad537503297135cb75ae8a9101277b78d6
If you're in the market for earbuds with top-notch noise-cancelling capabilities, look no further than the Cowin Apex Pro. These true wireless earbuds boast active noise cancellation technology that can block out a significant amount of external noise, making them perfect for use during commutes or in noisy environments. But noise cancelling is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the features and performance offered by these earbuds.

Design and Build Quality:

The Cowin Apex Pro earbuds are sleek and modern in design, with a black matte finish and small, compact size. Each earbud features an ergonomic shape that fits comfortably in the ear and provides a secure fit, even during movement. The earbuds come with three different sizes of ear tips to ensure the perfect fit for any user. The earbuds are also sweat and water-resistant, which means they can withstand intense workouts and outdoor activities without fear of damage.
One unique feature of the Cowin Apex Pro earbuds is their touch control operation. The earbuds feature touch-sensitive panels that allow users to control music playback, adjust volume, take phone calls, and activate voice assistants with a simple tap or swipe. This feature is intuitive and easy to use, making it a standout feature of the earbuds.
See Price

Performance:

The Cowin Apex Pro earbuds deliver excellent sound quality, thanks to their 10mm dynamic drivers. The earbuds produce a balanced sound profile, with crisp highs, rich mids, and deep bass. The sound quality is impressive, even in noisy environments, thanks to the active noise cancellation technology. The earbuds also feature Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, which allows for quick and stable pairing with smartphones, tablets, and other devices.
The active noise cancellation on the Cowin Apex Pro earbuds is top-notch. The technology is capable of blocking out a significant amount of external noise, including background chatter, traffic noise, and other environmental sounds. This makes the earbuds ideal for use during commutes, flights, or in busy offices.

Charging and Recharging:

The Cowin Apex Pro earbuds offer an impressive battery life of up to 7 hours on a single charge. The charging case provides an additional 30 hours of playback time, which means users can enjoy music and phone calls all day without worrying about running out of battery. When it comes time to recharge the earbuds, they can be fully charged in just 1.5 hours, thanks to the fast charging technology.
The charging case also features a USB-C port for quick and easy charging, as well as wireless charging capabilities. This allows users to charge the earbuds on-the-go, without needing to carry around a charging cable.
See Price

Pros and Cons:

As with any product, there are pros and cons to consider when it comes to the Cowin Apex Pro earbuds. Here are some of the most notable:

Pros:

  • Excellent active noise cancellation technology
  • Sleek and modern design
  • Touch control operation is intuitive and easy to use
  • Impressive battery life and fast charging capabilities
  • Sweat and water-resistant for workouts and outdoor activities

Cons:

  • Some users may find the touch controls too sensitive
  • The earbuds may not fit comfortably in all ear shapes and sizes

Conclusion:

Overall, the Cowin Apex Pro earbuds are an excellent choice for anyone in need of high-quality true wireless earbuds with active noise cancellation technology. The sleek and modern design, along with the touch control operation, make these earbuds stand out from the competition. The sound quality is impressive, even in noisy environments, and the battery life and charging capabilities are top-notch. While there may be some minor drawbacks, such as sensitivity with the touch controls or possible fit issues for some users, the pros of the Cowin Apex Pro earbuds far outweigh any cons.
See Price

Cowin Apex Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds


https://preview.redd.it/nz4gdpeunt1b1.png?width=1000&format=png&auto=webp&s=eeeb76bdbab3c9157c8060cb65933661a5a4ef3b
If you're looking for a reliable and affordable pair of wireless earbuds with active noise cancelling technology, the Cowin Apex earbuds may be just what you need. These earbuds offer a sleek design, impressive sound quality, and long battery life at a fraction of the cost of other high-end models. In this review, we'll take a closer look at the Cowin Apex earbuds and evaluate their performance in key categories.

Design and Build Quality:

The Cowin Apex earbuds have a simple, understated design that is both sleek and modern. They come in black or white, with a matte finish and metallic accents. The earbuds themselves are lightweight and compact, making them easy to carry around. They fit comfortably in the ear and come with multiple sizes of ear tips to ensure the perfect fit for any user.
One potential drawback to the design of the Cowin Apex earbuds is that they don't feature touch controls. Instead, users must control music playback and phone calls using physical buttons on the earbuds. While this isn't as intuitive as touch controls, it's a minor inconvenience given the affordable price point of the earbuds.
See Price

Performance:

The Cowin Apex earbuds deliver impressive sound quality, thanks to their 6mm dynamic drivers. The earbuds produce clear and balanced audio, with crisp highs, detailed mids, and punchy bass. Additionally, the earbuds offer active noise cancelling technology that blocks out external noise to create an immersive listening experience.
The noise cancelling technology on the Cowin Apex earbuds is effective, but not as powerful as some higher-end models. It does a good job of blocking out background noise, such as traffic or chatter in a coffee shop, but may struggle with extremely loud environments. However, given the affordability of the earbuds, the noise cancelling capabilities are impressive.
When it comes to connectivity, the Cowin Apex earbuds use Bluetooth 5.0 to provide stable and fast pairing with smartphones and other devices. The earbuds also feature a built-in microphone that allows for clear phone calls and voice assistant control.

Charging and Recharging:

The Cowin Apex earbuds offer up to 5 hours of battery life on a single charge, which is impressive given their compact size. The charging case provides an additional 15 hours of playback time, bringing the total battery life to 20 hours. When it's time to recharge the earbuds, they can be fully charged in just 1 hour, thanks to the fast charging technology.
One potential drawback of the Cowin Apex earbuds is that they use micro-USB instead of USB-C for charging. While this isn't a major issue, it may be an inconvenience for users who prefer the newer USB-C standard.

Pros and Cons:

As with any product, there are pros and cons to consider when it comes to the Cowin Apex earbuds. Here are some of the most notable:

Pros:

  • Affordable price point
  • Impressive sound quality and active noise cancelling technology
  • Lightweight and compact design
  • Fast charging capabilities

Cons:

  • No touch controls
  • Noise cancelling technology may not be as powerful as higher-end models
  • Charging case uses micro-USB instead of USB-C

Conclusion:

Cowin Apex earbuds are an excellent choice for anyone looking for affordable wireless earbuds with active noise cancelling technology. While they may not have all the bells and whistles of higher-end models, they deliver impressive sound quality and decent noise cancelling capabilities at a fraction of the cost. The lightweight and compact design makes them easy to carry around, and the long battery life and fast charging technology ensure that you won't run out of juice during the day. While the lack of touch controls and use of micro-USB for charging may be minor inconveniences, they're a small price to pay for such an affordable and effective pair of wireless earbuds.
See Price

Cowin Apex Elite Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds


https://preview.redd.it/hotew0akot1b1.png?width=1000&format=png&auto=webp&s=73aa3a5618bffec1a610b69dc93c2194179169d0
Wireless earbuds have become increasingly popular over the years, with more and more people opting for the convenience of wireless headphones. Cowin has been one of the leading brands in this space, producing a range of affordable yet high-quality wireless earbuds. In this review, we'll take a closer look at the Cowin Apex Elite Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds and evaluate their performance in key categories.

Design and Build Quality:

The Cowin Apex Elite earbuds have a sleek and modern design that is both stylish and functional. They come in black or white, with a matte finish and metallic accents. The earbuds themselves are lightweight and compact, making them easy to carry around. They fit comfortably in the ear and come with multiple sizes of ear tips and ear wings to ensure the perfect fit for any user.
One standout feature of the Cowin Apex Elite earbuds is their touch controls. Users can control music playback, phone calls, and access voice assistants using intuitive touch gestures on the earbuds. This makes it easy to adjust settings without having to reach for your phone or fumble with physical buttons on the earbuds.
See Price
The earbuds also feature active noise cancelling technology that blocks out external noise to create an immersive listening experience. The noise cancelling technology is effective, but not as powerful as some higher-end models. It does a good job of blocking out background noise, such as traffic or chatter in a coffee shop, but may struggle with extremely loud environments.

Performance:

When it comes to sound quality, the Cowin Apex Elite earbuds deliver impressive results. They use 10mm dynamic drivers to produce clear and balanced audio, with crisp highs, detailed mids, and punchy bass. Additionally, the earbuds offer active noise cancelling technology that blocks out external noise to create an immersive listening experience.
The Cowin Apex Elite earbuds also feature Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, which provides stable and fast pairing with smartphones and other devices. The earbuds also have a built-in microphone that allows for clear phone calls and voice assistant control.

Charging and Recharging:

The Cowin Apex Elite earbuds offer up to 7 hours of battery life on a single charge, which is impressive given their compact size. The charging case provides an additional 28 hours of playback time, bringing the total battery life to 35 hours. When it's time to recharge the earbuds, they can be fully charged in just 1 hour, thanks to the fast charging technology.
One potential drawback of the Cowin Apex Elite earbuds is that they use micro-USB instead of USB-C for charging. While this isn't a major issue, it may be an inconvenience for users who prefer the newer USB-C standard.
See Price

Pros and Cons:

As with any product, there are pros and cons to consider when it comes to the Cowin Apex Elite earbuds. Here are some of the most notable:

Pros:

  • Sleek and modern design
  • Intuitive touch controls
  • Impressive sound quality and active noise cancelling technology
  • Lightweight and compact design
  • Fast charging capabilities

Cons:

  • Noise cancelling technology may not be as powerful as higher-end models
  • Charging case uses micro-USB instead of USB-C

Conclusion:

Overall, the Cowin Apex Elite Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds are an excellent choice for anyone looking for a high-quality pair of wireless earbuds. With their sleek and modern design, intuitive touch controls, and impressive sound quality, they offer everything you could want in a pair of wireless earbuds. The lightweight and compact design makes them easy to carry around, and the long battery life and fast charging technology ensure that you won't run out of juice during the day. While the noise cancelling technology may not be as powerful as higher-end models, it's still effective enough to block out most external noise. The use of micro-USB for charging may be a minor inconvenience, but it's a small price to pay for such an affordable and effective pair of wireless earbuds.
See Price

Cowin BT618 Wireless Earbuds


https://preview.redd.it/7pvqgqc6qt1b1.png?width=1000&format=png&auto=webp&s=351392b91f956ba0bbed2a795a82fbdb5e39eae7
The Cowin BT618 Wireless Earbuds are an impressive addition to the wireless earbud market, offering active noise cancelling technology and a sleek design. In this review, we will delve into the design and build quality, performance, charging and recharging capabilities, as well as the pros and cons of these earbuds.

Design and Build Quality:

The Cowin BT618 Wireless Earbuds boast a sleek and modern design that is both stylish and compact, making them perfect for on-the-go use. The earbuds come with three different sized ear tips to ensure a comfortable and secure fit. The ear tips are made from soft silicone material which provides a comfortable fit and helps to block out external noise.
The earbuds themselves are lightweight and easy to wear for extended periods of time. They have a matte black finish which adds to their overall aesthetic appeal. The earbuds also feature touch controls on the surface which makes it easy to control music playback, answer calls, or activate the voice assistant.
The charging case of the Cowin BT618 Wireless Earbuds is also quite impressive. It has a slim and compact design that can easily fit into a pocket or bag. The case has a matte black finish which complements the earbuds nicely. It is easy to open and close and has a magnetic closure which ensures that the earbuds do not fall out.
See Price

Performance:

The Cowin BT618 Wireless Earbuds offer active noise cancelling technology which helps to block out external sounds. The noise cancelling feature is quite effective in muffling ambient noise, making it easier to focus on your music or podcast. During our tests, we found that the noise cancelling feature worked well for low-frequency sounds such as traffic noise, but struggled to block out higher frequency sounds like voices.
In terms of sound quality, the Cowin BT618 Wireless Earbuds offer a rich and balanced sound. The bass is punchy and deep without overpowering the other frequencies. The mids and highs are clear and detailed, making it easy to distinguish individual instruments in a song. Overall, the sound quality of these earbuds is impressive and should satisfy most users.
The Cowin BT618 Wireless Earbuds also feature Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity which ensures a stable and reliable connection between the earbuds and your device. We did not experience any dropouts or connectivity issues during our testing.

Charging and Recharging:

The Cowin BT618 Wireless Earbuds come with a charging case that provides up to 24 hours of total playtime. The earbuds themselves offer up to 6 hours of playtime on a single charge. The charging case can recharge the earbuds multiple times before needing to be recharged itself.
The charging case features a USB-C port for quick and efficient charging. It takes approximately 1.5 hours to fully charge the earbuds from empty and approximately 2 hours to fully charge the charging case from empty.
See Price

Pros and Cons:

Pros:

  • Sleek and modern design
  • Effective active noise cancelling technology
  • Rich and balanced sound quality
  • Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity
  • Comfortable and secure fit
  • Charging case provides up to 24 hours of total playtime

Cons:

  • Noise cancelling struggles with higher frequency sounds
  • Touch controls can be finicky at times

Conclusion:

Cowin BT618 Wireless Earbuds are an excellent choice for anyone in the market for a pair of wireless earbuds with active noise cancelling technology. They offer a sleek and modern design, effective noise cancelling technology, and rich and balanced sound quality. While the noise cancelling could be better for higher frequency sounds and the touch controls can be finicky at times, these minor drawbacks do not detract from their overall performance. We highly recommend the Cowin BT618 Wireless Earbuds to anyone in need of a reliable and high-quality pair of wireless earbuds.
See Price
submitted by ElvinaWhitten to motionview [link] [comments]


2023.05.28 01:56 Dear-You5548 29 [M4F] #Everywhere - Searching for a fellow curious cat who doesn’t take life too seriously, likes to ask questions, and only sometimes answer them?

Hello, I hope you are doing well as you are reading this!
Pic: https://imgur.com/a/SoKuZOQ
A few things about me:
I’m 5’11,” working in finance from home in NY. My favorite things to do is thinking, being outdoors in nature, listening to music, watching shows/movies, traveling (once a year), board & video games, and reading. (Pretty much in that order) 
Edit: If you saw the note left in Cinncy, I accidentally put 28 instead of 29. Just had a birthday, oops! 😅
If the title of this post intrigued you, then we probably have a lot in common. This is my semi-active reddit account. Feel free to look through my profile and comments.
The best way to describe me is that I’m like a sponge. I can fit into a lot of different environments, I’m adaptable and flexible, I like to absorb new information, and I take on the attributes of those around me.
Therefore, I’m eager to hear from all types of people, so please don’t hesitate to reach out as long as feel I’d make a good fit from reading the following.
I’m looking for are people who are also focused on growing these attributes of their character:
Bonus points if you’re interested in finance!
Studies show that people like hearing bad news first, so if my intro makes you think I may be a good fit, then let’s get some potential deal breakers out of the way first:
Cons:
…Still here? Great! Then hopefully the “good news” will clinch this!
Pros:
Favorite Bands:
Paramore Fallout Boy 
2 Truths, 1 Lie:
I made it to the district-wide Spelling Bee, my favorite movie is Godzilla 2000, I eat once a day 😉 
I hope this piqued your interest, and I would love to hear more about you and your passions.
If this sounds good to you, I look forward to hearing from you, and a short message is fine with me, I respect your time and I know I need to gain your trust.
Maybe we could share some music first? I like a little of everything, but right now I’m especially into K-Pop, Rock, Synthwave, and New Jack Swing. Tell me what genres you like!
All the best,
Dante
submitted by Dear-You5548 to u/Dear-You5548 [link] [comments]


2023.05.28 01:54 Jellie_Beanies Is it okay to spend every moment with your partner? Why and why not?

My husband and I spend every moment together. We both talked before hand that this is what we want to do. We both had issues in the past with people abandoning us and abusing us. We just don't see the need to be apart? Is that normal? So far we never really get in fights that are so bad to the point where we are hating each other. We resolve it and move on. We go to work together and we bring out the best in each other while there. We're great coworkers and we do our job. Then we come home and take care of our pets and go to sleep. I'm perfectly fine with that, so is he. He is a Taurus and likes to keep doing the same thing over with the occasional excitement. I'm a head strong Capricorn that likes the peaceful settling down life. We balance each other. We different but the same.
What about you guys? Would you be okay with this? Have you done this before? What was it like? Good or bad I wanna know, is this normal?
submitted by Jellie_Beanies to Marriage [link] [comments]


2023.05.28 01:51 KetoVeganHell Vegan and in ketosis

First let me start off by giving a couple disclaimers: made an alt to post here cause I didn't really want my main tied to this given the irrational hate directed at us vegans. Also despite the spicy user name I picked, I do actually love my diet and I've actually never felt better in my life. That being said, trying this really isn't for the faint of heart, it's squirrel mode all the time.
That out the way, I'm gonna share my experience and the ups and downs associated. First off, I'm in ketosis for some of its non-weightloss effects, I'm not attempting to lose any weight and I suspect I'd actually have an easier time with this if I had the extra body fat to run off, but alas my body fat percent is already right at target. I'm in ketosis for its regulating effect, having energy all day irrelevant to when I last ate, the neurological shift in GABA/glutamate balance towards GABA for anxiolytic effect (no medication has helped my social anxiety as much), and better sleep regulation. I recognize the reduced appetite that comes with ketosis has helped a lot of people with weight loss and that's great for them, but it's honestly a pain in the ass for me cause I have to constantly remember to be snacking through the day to make sure I get enough calories.
I am a squirrel. No two ways about it, I have nut and seed caches hidden everywhere. In my car, around my office, by my bed, in the pockets of every jacket I own. I get a lot of bulk calories from various coconut products, I make chia seed pudding with coconut milk and add MCT oil and berries in the morning, and I eat a hearty salad or cook up some veggies for dinner, but the vast majority of my nutrition and nutrient profile comes from nuts and seeds I snack on through the day which help me hit my target fat content (macadamia nuts are my saving grace) and get all the micronutrients I need.
If you thought going out to eat with friends was hard just being vegan, absolutely forget it this way. Once you eliminate flour, rice, and corn, and all their associated products, you are basically just left with places that have a decent vegan salad without a too sugary dressing. Going out is really just the bar at this point, where even there I'm limited to the hard liquors but at least I can enjoy myself the same as everyone else, and while they gobble up their nachos or breadsticks I produce a bag of nuts and seeds and get my squirrel on.
And forget any kind of product being tailored for your diet. All the ready made vegan meals are carby as fuck, and all the pre-made keto meals are meat and dairy as far as the eye can see. Costco actually has some nice options of tasty nut and seed clusters, chocolate deliciousness (with artificial sweetners like monkfruit) but that's snacking food, not a meal. I'm fortunate I can cook and have become very proficient at 1000 ways to grill up peppers, smoke mushrooms, and air fry Brussel sprouts, and recently I've even reached the point where I can make meals that even my non-vegan non-keto friends will compliment and seems like a real dinner, but there's just absolutely no way I can ever go eat at someone else's place and expect to get enough food.
I'm committed to being ethical in my consumption, I won't go back to animal products, and I absolutely love how being in ketosis feels (once I got past that first couple months for the liver to become adaptive) I can't imagine going back, everytime I've broken down and had some sticky rice or bread I regret it every time, I hate feeling my energy so dependent on when I last ate and my mood all over the place. But god fuck damn it all if the overlap of these two isn't the biggest pain in the ass to try and have a social life with. Can't go out to eat, can't have popcorn at the movies, and it really feels like everyone has something to say about my diet, some opinion on why I'm ruining my health or can't possibly be getting what I need. Even had fellow vegans get really mean to me about being in ketosis, I think they associate it with the idiots who eat bacon for every meal and don't seem to get that plant fats hit different. And the carnivores just get angry when they realize their go to line about vegans not getting enough fat and protein can't apply to me. Feels like everyone just hates that I eat this way even though it literally doesn't effect them.
Anyway, thanks for letting me get that off my chest.
submitted by KetoVeganHell to vegan [link] [comments]


2023.05.28 01:50 Axiomatis Report on Backline Construction

dI made a bunch of posts here and in the forums about the Fortification update.
Today I once again had ample opportunity to use the system inside a larger squad. I just wanted to leave some pointers here.
For background this was on Cobalt. Me and my TR outfit Terran Republic Legacy scheduled a "Cleanup Crew" Squad for today around 7PM CEST so Prime Time. The idea I as lead had, was to get behind enemy lines and destroy as many bases as possible and cleaning enemy spawns. Also in services of other factions so they don't have to deal with ghost bases.
First we were fighting on the last half an hour or Amerish, where we did okayish, but nothing to amazing.
We had someone start up on Indar early and they built a base close to NC warpgate between the VS/NC frontline, west of havar physics lab.
Despite having a somewhat full squad with 3ish construction enthusiasts it took us like 5 minutes to be setup properly. during that time the rest did some early havoc by spawning ligthnings skyguarding NC warpgate or just killing smaller bases under construction. Of building the base a majority of the time was slotting modules into all the walls, turrets and terminals. Bottom Line: Allow for preinstallation of modules. Saw some wonderful ideas for UI implementation.
Anyway the real fun started after someone spawned a collossus + amor column on NC warpgate. At this point we had taken out 2-3 bases using lightnings, siege ants (please add stealing cortium from silos for the siege mandibles and yellow yacket) and cortium bombs. I gave the order to get a sortie for rushing the big tank and before I even had time to get my own tank, my squad of 12 people just smashed the entire column to pieces including the golden goose. And in the process saving active TR bastion from being harrassed.
Someone in NC didn't like us ruining their fun and so they started assaulting us. I am talking ground farmers, valks hovering above us (since this was their space and respawning inside easy), infils coming on falshes from nearby bases as well as flail bases hammering us. In short we had to juggle keeping modules up (horray firewall), swap between skyguards and tanks to deal with aiflail bases and all that in the heart of NC territory with no backup from TR (reasonable)
And let me tell you, the 45 minutes we stood our ground in our shack of walls having infantry rain and atillery shells all around us was amazing. Easily the most fun and excitement I had for months and profitable too, for all the repairs, cortium and various kills. 10/10 would do again.
Of course I cannot see how Fortifications really skews the balance in favor of the first successful base. We didn't bother with flails of our own, would we, no assualt base could have setup in the time we would have rained hell on them. Instead we relied on our 12 people manpower, infinite lightnings and an all encompassing fortress shield to become an island of pain against the odds. Sure a more coordinated attack might have succeeded actually in a short period of time, but on the other side we were and open squad with 60% randoms and honestly very "open" base design.
But this isn't how it ended, after letting VS just plow through NC as we kinda did disrupted the latter a bit in that direction, we kinda decided to relocate. So we deconstructed our entire base including the silo before the eyes of our enemies (power move 101) and made a mad dash across the continent with enemies in tow using our last pulls for an amor and support column. We immediately found ourselves north of berjess still surrounded by NC, but got to work with the last suviving ANT carefully being guarded by repair sunderers, skyguards and a few heavy tanks.
Within 10 minutes thanks to cortium drill, we had an ample supply of cortium, a router for berjess and xeno labs plus infinite tanks. I directed my squad to take berjes by just shelling their position (I dunnow whoever had built there didn't bother making more than some walls and a rebirth center on the western edge of the silo range) This is the other extreme, if a base isn't properly considering fortress shields and the like, they get rushed so easily by an amor column.
We had it within minutes during which I already had a router placed in the corner of Xeno Labs far away from any door behind massive cover, right next to the point and called TR leadership and my squad to rush the base and we easily took it. Shame construction is still so expensive, waited since the annoucement for them to lower some prices, but because now that I no longer put this expenditure off, I can actually contribute massively to capture regular bases, protecting and assaulting construction. But just spend my last 10k Certs for it and still lack big walls to cover the Silo and the various items like tunnel, infantry tower or pillbox. And we will probably don't see an uptick in routers being used due to all the hassel they involve.
Oh by the time we captured both bases, a good deal of amor was busy witteling our base down, never bothering to take out the router. A fair trade I would say.
Anyway while our contribution to the Alert Victory for TR was perhaps minimal with just 2 captures and a lot of time spent in NC heartlands, we would like to think that helping VS to become the biggest threat caused NC and TR to team up with TR being able to get ahead thanks to the amazing work of other squads, while we secured the NC flank by kepping pressure on their bases from behind their own lines.
Honestly from what I've seen during that alert, the best base is one behind enemy lines. Build a base on your side of the battlefield and you might secure a capture or protect a position, but in case of the latter you might just as easily overun. Once your Team pushes down a lane, your base becomes irrelevant and you need to relocate. Meanwhile behind enemy lines, you are much less expected (literally had a valkery under fire from my skyguard turn towards me as they tried to safe themselves and didn't realize they were shot in the back) and seen as waste of manpower to assault. And best case your team pushes past you, which can take a while and gives ample opportunity to help with routers and vehicle spawns. Worst case of course if the enemy pushes away from you, but then you can still assault them from an unexptected angle or be much quicker on backcaps and the like.

But this was just the first alers. After Indar closed, we rushed to Esamir. Where VS had pushed us all the way to jaeger's fist leaving us with a tiny strip on the south. My team rolled out in MBT, Sunderer's and 2 ANTs. We found my new favourtie base building spot on western Esamir and got to work. Our ANT protection paid off as the enemy was trying something in the area either claim the spot for themselves or just setup a defensive line against the rest of TR, but we caught their 2 vanguards and sunderer by suprise and wrecked shop. By the time they came back, we had unloaded the 2 ANTs, built a rebirth center and vehicle pad plus some walls and just kept them at bay with lightning spam. Proving once again my point that construction operates under a somewhat unfair first come, first serve principle. Anyway while my squad just mucked around the base, killing vehicles or putting up more walls, I got into contact with TR leadership and coordinated the use of my router spire. And let me tell you, my spot was ideal as it covered containment site, tapp waystation and south bank. During all 3 captures I had routers up for the entire duration allowing a friendly platoon to just go to town, while we did our thing. Got a lot of positive feedback for that.
Seriously if there should be one item, everyone should be given for free or at least highly encouraged to buy, it should be the Router Spire.
Anyway while we didn't want to get involved in 96+ slaughterfests, we used our ample vehicle supply to rush the traverse and secure it. Afterwards, I got back into contact with TR Command and we devised a plan. Stop pushing direct pressure onto NC, so that they would team up with us on VS and then steal their southern flank, while being distracted. I offered to relocate my base during that cool down period, so we would once again have some routers up to hasten our demise.
Another great reason to built behind enemy lines. Because unlike prepping a base by blowing up generators and the like, unless enemy air is flying reconissance, a base without CC or Skyshield can be safely setup and provide devestating results (see router).
And while due us indulging a bit into recording the base design for future reference and keepsake memory, we arrived a bit to late to provide routers ahead of our last minute NC betrayl, my squad did manage to setup a small base northwest of yimir ruins, to supply routers to both containment side and crashsite and also wreck the nearby NC fortress (remember cleanup crew) on ruins to prevent NC from responding properly. And the BL crashsite router stayed for the rest of the alert and was actively used in both the attack and subsequent defense by friendly platoons.
While I don't mind the hijinks this allows: Having mutliple functioning router pads across different hexes even when the original spire has been killed/replaced, is a bug that should probably be fixed for the health of the game.
At the end, we rounded the Alert off with a mad dash on tapp waystation, which we no longer could use our old base for, because I was the only one with all the core buildings and we had reloacted earlier. Securing it with one second to spare, tipping the control ever so slightly into TR's favor.
While I alreadly left some pointers, here are some new thoughts in no particular order gathered since my last post in this manner.
submitted by Axiomatis to Planetside [link] [comments]


2023.05.28 01:29 CounterYolo Initial Thoughts of the Palace of Ice DLC

Hi everyone! I just finished my initial cataclysm playthrough of the Palace of Ice DLC. I will be doing more testing on the spells & subclasses, but here are my initial impressions about the campaign itself & the new spells. I am not good at doing the proper syntax for spoilers on reddit, so I have just put spoilers on the whole post itself. If you do not want spoilers for the campaign itself, do not read this post until later. I won't go into super spoilers on much of the campaign, but there will be some in there.

=====
New Spells (I plan to update these during the day next Monday -- be patient!!!)

=====
Palace of Ice Campaign Review

=====
Other updates

=====
Anyways, that's my initial impressions for now. After I get my thoughts finalized for all of the spells & subclasses, I'll start re-releasing all of the tier list posts for feats, spells, & subclasses again. Are there things I missed? Let me know below!
submitted by CounterYolo to CrownOfTheMagister [link] [comments]


2023.05.28 01:26 SorryForAnyTroubles [F4A] Not exactly what you wished for [Lonely listener] [Hellhound Speaker] [Magic] [Summoned Unintentionally(?)] [Loneliness comfort] [Strangers to ???]

Hey all,
Thank you all for your continued feedback and support. My last script was kinda serious-to-comforting, and this time I wanted to do some with a bit more of a silly intro and premise while still having a bit of a comforting presence to it.
I’m sure there are better ways of phrasing or wording the scenario into the dialogue, and I’m kinda unsure if the context-to-comfort ratio hits the right balance, but hopefully what I made works as a good baseline.
Like before, feel free to change any part of the script to fit your preference or comfort. Moreover, this work is free to monetize on platforms including but not exclusive to YouTube and Patreon. If you do post it on a public website, I would appreciate if you could send me a link so I may view commenter feedback to improve my writing.
Have a great weekend, and be sure to time to do something nice for yourself. You deserve it.
-Soz
Premise: You’ve been going through a pretty rough patch recently. You’ve been living on your own in your one bedroom apartment for a few months in a city you still find yourself getting lost in driving to work. Your coworkers, with their own friends and family, have given you few opportunities to build lasting friendships, and your schedule gives you even fewer chances to go around the city to socialize.
With a click of the lock, you return home to the familiar sound of the refrigerator and the air conditioner, too often the only sounds you hear in your apartment. You set down your computer bag, and set the most interesting thing you’ve seen all month on your counter. On your way home, you saw a curio store selling various books and items on the supernatural, and the item that caught your eye then meets it once again when you open the box.
An item resembling a paw of a stuffed monkey plushie is revealed, with two of the three fingers curled inward. The paw, curiously resembling something out of a story book, was oddly stiff, with the two strangely unmovable bent fingers as cold as the rainstorm outside. The vendor mention it is able to “probably” grant a wish, and with nothing better to do this weekend, you thought to give it a shot.
You long for companionship, something to make the empty moments at your home more joyful. Yet, you also consider you must be careful, as you are afraid you might not be able to adequately care and support a pet. Keeping these two things in mind, you get a clever idea, clear your throat, and make your wish, almost using the fabric paw as a microphone.
Shortly after you end your request, the storm crashes into your ears, and the item twitches before a figure walks through your front door. The only question you had other than how they got a key was what they even were. The question almost answers itself with one of its own, when the figure, a tall, strong and rather upset hellhound, quickly looks around and begins to speak:
“What in… Hey, you!”
SCRIPT: https://scriptbin.worksSorryForAnyTroubles/f4a-not-exactly-what-you-wished-for-lonely-listener
submitted by SorryForAnyTroubles to ASMRScriptHaven [link] [comments]


2023.05.28 01:10 semcdwes Style Roundup

Style Roundup
Style Key: R+D Moonstone, Explorer
This week started out great but by Thursday I think I was just over everything. I’m happy for the long weekend because I really needed to be able to focus on more relaxed clothing and some healing. You’ll probably see more of that on Sunday and Monday of next week’s roundup. Discovering Rita’s Style Key has really been life changing because it allowed me to understand how my style could beat support me on these low energy days. This allowed me to get dressed and look presentable in a way that I needed.
Sunday: This was just a chill day at home with my family, so I went with something super casual and relaxed. This is one of my favorite tees, featuring the well-known John Muir quote, “The mountains are calling, and I must go.” I paired them with these geometric print shorts in a soft pink, and threw a navy cardigan over for some coziness and a little extra finishing touch. I find that the neck of this shirt leaves a pretty large expanse of open skin, so I added a necklace with a mountain scene. Perfect outfit for a lazy day, but still nice enough for heading out. Keywords were Ease and Approachable.
Monday: I absolutely fell in love with both of these pictures and wanted to create an outfit inspired by them. As is often the case, I started with the color scheme, dark blue pants, green shell, and a luminous soft yellow jacket. I kept my accessories fairly simple with just a headband and bangles. While I really like the outfit, it feels like it’s missing that touch of whimsy to really connect it to these inspo pics. Keywords were Approachable and Luminous.
Tuesday: I shared this outfit previously for the floral challenge. And I’m still really loving it. The colors and styling are just right. It’s definitely got that Secret Garden vibe I was going for. Keywords are Dreamy and Approachable.
Wednesday: This is one of my favorite outfits that I wear frequently. For me it hits that perfect balance of classic and a bit of dark fairytale. A friend of mine used to jokingly call it my Satan dress, but personally for me it gives the Wolf disguised as Little Red Riding Hood vibes. I layered some necklaces and added a beautiful rose ring as accents. I think this red is a very flattering shade and I love the shape of it too. The relaxed fit of the blazer over it feels like a cloak. Keywords are Dreamy and Intuitive.
Thursday: I was absolutely exhausted by this point in the week. It showed in the amount of effort it took to get dressed that day. I went through so many outfit changes and finally settled on this one which fits my well worn uniform. It wasn’t what I wanted to wear that day, but I was comfortable and dressed which at that point was all that mattered. By the time I left work I was feeling overwhelmed by my clothing and jewelry and couldn’t wait to get changed. Keywords are Ease, Approachable, and Delicate.
Friday: I have a four day weekend and boy was I excited for it Friday. I spent the day running errands first with my husband, and then with my kids. I wanted to be comfortable and put together. I remembered how much I liked my blazer styled more casually so I layered it over a tee, with boyfriend jeans and Converse. I still wasn’t feeling excited about jewelry, so I kept it minimal. I wish I had skipped the earrings because they were really bothering me. Keywords were Delicate and Ease. Bonus dog tax.
Saturday: This one fits in with the Floral Challenge. I love this lightweight shell with its large tropical leaves. Despite how large the print is it has always felt very simple and understated to me. My husband I were heading out for brunch so I went with some casual shorts and sandals, and kept the makeup and accessories simple, with just a chain and diamond studs, and a couple small rings. Still feeling that overwhelm. I included a picture of my food here because it was sooooo good. We went to my favorite restaurant, and this Pork Belly Toast with Korean inspired flavors was incredible. Keywords today are Delicate and Approachable.
submitted by semcdwes to RitaFourEssenceSystem [link] [comments]


2023.05.28 01:02 ElvinaWhitten Best Wireless Earbuds

Best Wireless Earbuds
Cowin Wireless Earbuds are a great option for those looking for a comfortable and affordable pair of wireless earbuds. They offer a long battery life, clear sound quality, and a secure fit.Cowin Wireless Earbuds are a great option for those looking for a comfortable, affordable, and reliable pair of wireless earbuds. If you are looking for a great pair of wireless earbuds at a great price, I would highly recommend Cowin Wireless Earbuds.
Here are some of the key features of Cowin Wireless Earbuds:
  • Long battery life: The earbuds offer up to 6 hours of playtime on a single charge, and the charging case provides an additional 30 hours of battery life, for a total of 36 hours of listening time.
  • Clear sound quality: The earbuds produce clear and balanced sound, with deep bass and crisp highs. They also have a built-in microphone for making phone calls.
  • Secure fit: The earbuds come with three different sizes of ear tips to ensure a comfortable and secure fit. They are also IPX5 water-resistant, making them perfect for workouts or running in the rain.

Cowin Ky02 Wireless Earbuds




https://preview.redd.it/kczdginemt1b1.png?width=1000&format=png&auto=webp&s=f367d9c7fba2b1c993734c06309557bc2c730c1a
The KY02 True Wireless Earbuds are a great choice for anyone in search of high-quality audio and ultimate freedom from wires. Designed to be used during physical activities, these earbuds offer a range of features intended to fit the needs of people with an active lifestyle. In this review, we will take a closer look at the KY02 True Wireless Earbuds and explore their design and build quality, performance, charging and recharging capabilities, as well as their pros and cons.

Design and Build Quality:

One of the first things you will notice about the KY02 True Wireless Earbuds is their sleek and modern design. The earbuds come in black or white colors, with a minimalist appearance that appeals to many users. They have a slightly angled shape that fits comfortably in your ears, and come with three different sizes of silicone ear tips for a secure and comfortable fit.
The earbuds are made from high-quality materials, which makes them durable and long-lasting. They are also sweat- and water-resistant, which means they can withstand even the most intense workouts without any damage. Additionally, they are lightweight and portable, which makes them easy to use on-the-go.
See Price

Performance:

In terms of performance, the KY02 True Wireless Earbuds deliver exceptional sound quality. They have a dynamic speaker system that produces clear and crisp sound without distortion or interference. The earbuds feature Bluetooth 5.0 technology, which ensures a stable and reliable connection with your mobile device up to 33 feet away.
The earbuds also come with touch controls that allow you to manage your music playback, answer phone calls, and activate your phone's voice assistant without having to use your device. The controls are intuitive and easy to use, and you can customize them according to your preferences.

Charging and Recharging:

The KY02 True Wireless Earbuds come with a compact charging case that provides up to six full charges for the earbuds. Each charge provides up to four hours of playback time, which means you can enjoy up to 24 hours of continuous playback on a single charge.
The charging case is easy to use and features LED indicators that show you how much battery life is remaining. The case itself can be charged using a USB-C cable, which provides fast and efficient charging times.
See Price

Pros:

  1. Excellent sound quality with clear and crisp output.
  2. Bluetooth 5.0 technology for seamless connectivity.
  3. Comfortable fit with soft silicone ear tips in three sizes.
  4. Long battery life with up to four hours of continuous playback and additional charges from the case.
  5. Waterproof design with IPX7 rating.
  6. Intuitive touch controls for easy operation.
  7. Compact and portable charging case.

Cons:

  1. The earbuds do not come with noise-canceling features, which may be a drawback for some users.
  2. The touch controls may require some getting used to, and accidental activation can occur.

Conclusion:

Overall, the KY02 True Wireless Earbuds are an excellent choice for anyone who wants high-quality audio and comfortable wireless earbuds designed for physical activities. They offer exceptional sound quality, reliable connectivity, a variety of sizes of silicone ear tips to ensure a perfect fit, long battery life, and intuitive touch controls.
Additionally, they are sweat- and water-resistant, making them durable and suitable for use during intense workouts or outdoor activities. Although they do not come with noise-canceling features, the overall performance and affordable price make them a great buy for people who prioritize functionality over extra features. If you're looking for a pair of reliable, high-quality wireless earbuds, the KY02 True Wireless Earbuds are definitely worth considering.
See Price

COWIN Apex Pro Active Noise Cancelling True Wireless Earbuds


https://preview.redd.it/d9tp7ivhnt1b1.png?width=1000&format=png&auto=webp&s=65edc5ad537503297135cb75ae8a9101277b78d6
If you're in the market for earbuds with top-notch noise-cancelling capabilities, look no further than the Cowin Apex Pro. These true wireless earbuds boast active noise cancellation technology that can block out a significant amount of external noise, making them perfect for use during commutes or in noisy environments. But noise cancelling is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the features and performance offered by these earbuds.

Design and Build Quality:

The Cowin Apex Pro earbuds are sleek and modern in design, with a black matte finish and small, compact size. Each earbud features an ergonomic shape that fits comfortably in the ear and provides a secure fit, even during movement. The earbuds come with three different sizes of ear tips to ensure the perfect fit for any user. The earbuds are also sweat and water-resistant, which means they can withstand intense workouts and outdoor activities without fear of damage.
One unique feature of the Cowin Apex Pro earbuds is their touch control operation. The earbuds feature touch-sensitive panels that allow users to control music playback, adjust volume, take phone calls, and activate voice assistants with a simple tap or swipe. This feature is intuitive and easy to use, making it a standout feature of the earbuds.
See Price

Performance:

The Cowin Apex Pro earbuds deliver excellent sound quality, thanks to their 10mm dynamic drivers. The earbuds produce a balanced sound profile, with crisp highs, rich mids, and deep bass. The sound quality is impressive, even in noisy environments, thanks to the active noise cancellation technology. The earbuds also feature Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, which allows for quick and stable pairing with smartphones, tablets, and other devices.
The active noise cancellation on the Cowin Apex Pro earbuds is top-notch. The technology is capable of blocking out a significant amount of external noise, including background chatter, traffic noise, and other environmental sounds. This makes the earbuds ideal for use during commutes, flights, or in busy offices.

Charging and Recharging:

The Cowin Apex Pro earbuds offer an impressive battery life of up to 7 hours on a single charge. The charging case provides an additional 30 hours of playback time, which means users can enjoy music and phone calls all day without worrying about running out of battery. When it comes time to recharge the earbuds, they can be fully charged in just 1.5 hours, thanks to the fast charging technology.
The charging case also features a USB-C port for quick and easy charging, as well as wireless charging capabilities. This allows users to charge the earbuds on-the-go, without needing to carry around a charging cable.
See Price

Pros and Cons:

As with any product, there are pros and cons to consider when it comes to the Cowin Apex Pro earbuds. Here are some of the most notable:

Pros:

  • Excellent active noise cancellation technology
  • Sleek and modern design
  • Touch control operation is intuitive and easy to use
  • Impressive battery life and fast charging capabilities
  • Sweat and water-resistant for workouts and outdoor activities

Cons:

  • Some users may find the touch controls too sensitive
  • The earbuds may not fit comfortably in all ear shapes and sizes

Conclusion:

Overall, the Cowin Apex Pro earbuds are an excellent choice for anyone in need of high-quality true wireless earbuds with active noise cancellation technology. The sleek and modern design, along with the touch control operation, make these earbuds stand out from the competition. The sound quality is impressive, even in noisy environments, and the battery life and charging capabilities are top-notch. While there may be some minor drawbacks, such as sensitivity with the touch controls or possible fit issues for some users, the pros of the Cowin Apex Pro earbuds far outweigh any cons.
See Price

Cowin Apex Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds


https://preview.redd.it/nz4gdpeunt1b1.png?width=1000&format=png&auto=webp&s=eeeb76bdbab3c9157c8060cb65933661a5a4ef3b
If you're looking for a reliable and affordable pair of wireless earbuds with active noise cancelling technology, the Cowin Apex earbuds may be just what you need. These earbuds offer a sleek design, impressive sound quality, and long battery life at a fraction of the cost of other high-end models. In this review, we'll take a closer look at the Cowin Apex earbuds and evaluate their performance in key categories.

Design and Build Quality:

The Cowin Apex earbuds have a simple, understated design that is both sleek and modern. They come in black or white, with a matte finish and metallic accents. The earbuds themselves are lightweight and compact, making them easy to carry around. They fit comfortably in the ear and come with multiple sizes of ear tips to ensure the perfect fit for any user.
One potential drawback to the design of the Cowin Apex earbuds is that they don't feature touch controls. Instead, users must control music playback and phone calls using physical buttons on the earbuds. While this isn't as intuitive as touch controls, it's a minor inconvenience given the affordable price point of the earbuds.
See Price

Performance:

The Cowin Apex earbuds deliver impressive sound quality, thanks to their 6mm dynamic drivers. The earbuds produce clear and balanced audio, with crisp highs, detailed mids, and punchy bass. Additionally, the earbuds offer active noise cancelling technology that blocks out external noise to create an immersive listening experience.
The noise cancelling technology on the Cowin Apex earbuds is effective, but not as powerful as some higher-end models. It does a good job of blocking out background noise, such as traffic or chatter in a coffee shop, but may struggle with extremely loud environments. However, given the affordability of the earbuds, the noise cancelling capabilities are impressive.
When it comes to connectivity, the Cowin Apex earbuds use Bluetooth 5.0 to provide stable and fast pairing with smartphones and other devices. The earbuds also feature a built-in microphone that allows for clear phone calls and voice assistant control.

Charging and Recharging:

The Cowin Apex earbuds offer up to 5 hours of battery life on a single charge, which is impressive given their compact size. The charging case provides an additional 15 hours of playback time, bringing the total battery life to 20 hours. When it's time to recharge the earbuds, they can be fully charged in just 1 hour, thanks to the fast charging technology.
One potential drawback of the Cowin Apex earbuds is that they use micro-USB instead of USB-C for charging. While this isn't a major issue, it may be an inconvenience for users who prefer the newer USB-C standard.

Pros and Cons:

As with any product, there are pros and cons to consider when it comes to the Cowin Apex earbuds. Here are some of the most notable:

Pros:

  • Affordable price point
  • Impressive sound quality and active noise cancelling technology
  • Lightweight and compact design
  • Fast charging capabilities

Cons:

  • No touch controls
  • Noise cancelling technology may not be as powerful as higher-end models
  • Charging case uses micro-USB instead of USB-C

Conclusion:

Cowin Apex earbuds are an excellent choice for anyone looking for affordable wireless earbuds with active noise cancelling technology. While they may not have all the bells and whistles of higher-end models, they deliver impressive sound quality and decent noise cancelling capabilities at a fraction of the cost. The lightweight and compact design makes them easy to carry around, and the long battery life and fast charging technology ensure that you won't run out of juice during the day. While the lack of touch controls and use of micro-USB for charging may be minor inconveniences, they're a small price to pay for such an affordable and effective pair of wireless earbuds.
See Price

Cowin Apex Elite Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds


https://preview.redd.it/hotew0akot1b1.png?width=1000&format=png&auto=webp&s=73aa3a5618bffec1a610b69dc93c2194179169d0
Wireless earbuds have become increasingly popular over the years, with more and more people opting for the convenience of wireless headphones. Cowin has been one of the leading brands in this space, producing a range of affordable yet high-quality wireless earbuds. In this review, we'll take a closer look at the Cowin Apex Elite Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds and evaluate their performance in key categories.

Design and Build Quality:

The Cowin Apex Elite earbuds have a sleek and modern design that is both stylish and functional. They come in black or white, with a matte finish and metallic accents. The earbuds themselves are lightweight and compact, making them easy to carry around. They fit comfortably in the ear and come with multiple sizes of ear tips and ear wings to ensure the perfect fit for any user.
One standout feature of the Cowin Apex Elite earbuds is their touch controls. Users can control music playback, phone calls, and access voice assistants using intuitive touch gestures on the earbuds. This makes it easy to adjust settings without having to reach for your phone or fumble with physical buttons on the earbuds.
See Price
The earbuds also feature active noise cancelling technology that blocks out external noise to create an immersive listening experience. The noise cancelling technology is effective, but not as powerful as some higher-end models. It does a good job of blocking out background noise, such as traffic or chatter in a coffee shop, but may struggle with extremely loud environments.

Performance:

When it comes to sound quality, the Cowin Apex Elite earbuds deliver impressive results. They use 10mm dynamic drivers to produce clear and balanced audio, with crisp highs, detailed mids, and punchy bass. Additionally, the earbuds offer active noise cancelling technology that blocks out external noise to create an immersive listening experience.
The Cowin Apex Elite earbuds also feature Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, which provides stable and fast pairing with smartphones and other devices. The earbuds also have a built-in microphone that allows for clear phone calls and voice assistant control.

Charging and Recharging:

The Cowin Apex Elite earbuds offer up to 7 hours of battery life on a single charge, which is impressive given their compact size. The charging case provides an additional 28 hours of playback time, bringing the total battery life to 35 hours. When it's time to recharge the earbuds, they can be fully charged in just 1 hour, thanks to the fast charging technology.
One potential drawback of the Cowin Apex Elite earbuds is that they use micro-USB instead of USB-C for charging. While this isn't a major issue, it may be an inconvenience for users who prefer the newer USB-C standard.
See Price

Pros and Cons:

As with any product, there are pros and cons to consider when it comes to the Cowin Apex Elite earbuds. Here are some of the most notable:

Pros:

  • Sleek and modern design
  • Intuitive touch controls
  • Impressive sound quality and active noise cancelling technology
  • Lightweight and compact design
  • Fast charging capabilities

Cons:

  • Noise cancelling technology may not be as powerful as higher-end models
  • Charging case uses micro-USB instead of USB-C

Conclusion:

Overall, the Cowin Apex Elite Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds are an excellent choice for anyone looking for a high-quality pair of wireless earbuds. With their sleek and modern design, intuitive touch controls, and impressive sound quality, they offer everything you could want in a pair of wireless earbuds. The lightweight and compact design makes them easy to carry around, and the long battery life and fast charging technology ensure that you won't run out of juice during the day. While the noise cancelling technology may not be as powerful as higher-end models, it's still effective enough to block out most external noise. The use of micro-USB for charging may be a minor inconvenience, but it's a small price to pay for such an affordable and effective pair of wireless earbuds.
See Price

Cowin BT618 Wireless Earbuds


https://preview.redd.it/7pvqgqc6qt1b1.png?width=1000&format=png&auto=webp&s=351392b91f956ba0bbed2a795a82fbdb5e39eae7
The Cowin BT618 Wireless Earbuds are an impressive addition to the wireless earbud market, offering active noise cancelling technology and a sleek design. In this review, we will delve into the design and build quality, performance, charging and recharging capabilities, as well as the pros and cons of these earbuds.

Design and Build Quality:

The Cowin BT618 Wireless Earbuds boast a sleek and modern design that is both stylish and compact, making them perfect for on-the-go use. The earbuds come with three different sized ear tips to ensure a comfortable and secure fit. The ear tips are made from soft silicone material which provides a comfortable fit and helps to block out external noise.
The earbuds themselves are lightweight and easy to wear for extended periods of time. They have a matte black finish which adds to their overall aesthetic appeal. The earbuds also feature touch controls on the surface which makes it easy to control music playback, answer calls, or activate the voice assistant.
The charging case of the Cowin BT618 Wireless Earbuds is also quite impressive. It has a slim and compact design that can easily fit into a pocket or bag. The case has a matte black finish which complements the earbuds nicely. It is easy to open and close and has a magnetic closure which ensures that the earbuds do not fall out.
See Price

Performance:

The Cowin BT618 Wireless Earbuds offer active noise cancelling technology which helps to block out external sounds. The noise cancelling feature is quite effective in muffling ambient noise, making it easier to focus on your music or podcast. During our tests, we found that the noise cancelling feature worked well for low-frequency sounds such as traffic noise, but struggled to block out higher frequency sounds like voices.
In terms of sound quality, the Cowin BT618 Wireless Earbuds offer a rich and balanced sound. The bass is punchy and deep without overpowering the other frequencies. The mids and highs are clear and detailed, making it easy to distinguish individual instruments in a song. Overall, the sound quality of these earbuds is impressive and should satisfy most users.
The Cowin BT618 Wireless Earbuds also feature Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity which ensures a stable and reliable connection between the earbuds and your device. We did not experience any dropouts or connectivity issues during our testing.

Charging and Recharging:

The Cowin BT618 Wireless Earbuds come with a charging case that provides up to 24 hours of total playtime. The earbuds themselves offer up to 6 hours of playtime on a single charge. The charging case can recharge the earbuds multiple times before needing to be recharged itself.
The charging case features a USB-C port for quick and efficient charging. It takes approximately 1.5 hours to fully charge the earbuds from empty and approximately 2 hours to fully charge the charging case from empty.
See Price

Pros and Cons:

Pros:

  • Sleek and modern design
  • Effective active noise cancelling technology
  • Rich and balanced sound quality
  • Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity
  • Comfortable and secure fit
  • Charging case provides up to 24 hours of total playtime

Cons:

  • Noise cancelling struggles with higher frequency sounds
  • Touch controls can be finicky at times

Conclusion:

Cowin BT618 Wireless Earbuds are an excellent choice for anyone in the market for a pair of wireless earbuds with active noise cancelling technology. They offer a sleek and modern design, effective noise cancelling technology, and rich and balanced sound quality. While the noise cancelling could be better for higher frequency sounds and the touch controls can be finicky at times, these minor drawbacks do not detract from their overall performance. We highly recommend the Cowin BT618 Wireless Earbuds to anyone in need of a reliable and high-quality pair of wireless earbuds.
See Price
submitted by ElvinaWhitten to motionview [link] [comments]


2023.05.28 00:55 _Triple_ [STORE] 900+ KNIVES/GLOVES/SKINS, 50.000$+ INVENTORY. M9 Fade, M4 Poseidon, BFK Freehand, Crimson Kimono, Nomad Fade, Skeleton, Kara Lore, Bayo Autotronic, AWP Fade, Kara Damas, BFK Ultra, Kara Freehand, Kara Bright, M9 Damas, Omega, Tiger Strike, Flip MF, Bayo Tiger, Deagle Blaze, Talon & More

Everything in my inventory is up for trade. The most valuable items are listed here, the rest you can find in My Inventory

Feel free to Add Me or even better send a Trade Offer. Open for any suggestions: upgrades, downgrades / knives, gloves, skins / stickers, patterns, floats.

All Buyouts are listed in cash value.

KNIVES

★ Butterfly Knife Freehand FN #1, B/O: $2500

★ Butterfly Knife Ultraviolet FT, B/O: $822

★ Butterfly Knife Scorched FT, B/O: $616


★ Bayonet Tiger Tooth MW #1, B/O: $1300

★ Bayonet Autotronic FN, B/O: $1050

★ Bayonet Tiger Tooth MW, B/O: $629

★ Bayonet Bright Water FT, B/O: $326

★ Bayonet Safari Mesh BS, B/O: $233


★ Karambit Lore FT, B/O: $1110

★ Karambit Damascus Steel FT, B/O: $840

★ Karambit Freehand MW, B/O: $784

★ Karambit Bright Water MW, B/O: $759


★ M9 Bayonet Fade FN, B/O: $1801

★ M9 Bayonet Fade FN, B/O: $1801

★ M9 Bayonet Damascus Steel FN, B/O: $751


★ Nomad Knife Fade FN, B/O: $1156

★ Nomad Knife Slaughter MW, B/O: $544

★ Nomad Knife Blue Steel WW, B/O: $318


★ Flip Knife Marble Fade FN, B/O: $646

★ Flip Knife Doppler (Phase 4) FN, B/O: $574

★ Flip Knife Gamma Doppler (Phase 1) MW, B/O: $552

★ Flip Knife Case Hardened FT, B/O: $257

★ Flip Knife Freehand FT, B/O: $255

★ StatTrak™ Flip Knife Bright Water FN, B/O: $287


★ Huntsman Knife Lore FN, B/O: $461

★ Huntsman Knife Gamma Doppler (Phase 4) FN, B/O: $436

★ Huntsman Knife Doppler (Phase 3) FN, B/O: $353

★ Huntsman Knife Autotronic FT, B/O: $212

★ Huntsman Knife Bright Water FT, B/O: $129

★ Huntsman Knife Forest DDPAT MW, B/O: $129

★ Huntsman Knife Forest DDPAT BS, B/O: $123

★ StatTrak™ Huntsman Knife Rust Coat BS, B/O: $127


★ Bowie Knife Gamma Doppler (Phase 2) FN, B/O: $375

★ Bowie Knife Gamma Doppler (Phase 1) FN, B/O: $363

★ Bowie Knife Tiger Tooth FN, B/O: $269

★ Bowie Knife Crimson Web WW, B/O: $192

★ Bowie Knife Bright Water FN, B/O: $159

★ Bowie Knife Ultraviolet FT, B/O: $126


★ Stiletto Knife Slaughter FN, B/O: $616

★ Stiletto Knife Crimson Web FT, B/O: $412

★ StatTrak™ Stiletto Knife Night Stripe FT, B/O: $227


★ Falchion Knife Lore FT, B/O: $214

★ Falchion Knife Autotronic FT, B/O: $192

★ Falchion Knife Scorched WW, B/O: $105


★ Survival Knife Crimson Web BS, B/O: $216

★ Survival Knife Case Hardened FT, B/O: $198

★ Survival Knife Scorched FT, B/O: $111


★ Shadow Daggers Fade FN, B/O: $368

★ Shadow Daggers Doppler (Phase 3) FN, B/O: $228

★ Shadow Daggers, B/O: $201

★ Shadow Daggers Damascus Steel FT, B/O: $108

★ Shadow Daggers Ultraviolet FT, B/O: $105

★ Shadow Daggers Black Laminate FT, B/O: $99

★ Shadow Daggers Forest DDPAT FT, B/O: $85


★ Gut Knife Doppler (Sapphire) MW #1, B/O: $1700

★ Gut Knife Gamma Doppler (Phase 1) FN, B/O: $223

★ Gut Knife Marble Fade FN, B/O: $203

★ Gut Knife Doppler (Phase 2) FN, B/O: $191

★ Gut Knife Case Hardened BS, B/O: $127


★ Navaja Knife Doppler (Phase 4) FN, B/O: $199

★ Navaja Knife Doppler (Phase 4) FN, B/O: $199

★ Navaja Knife, B/O: $138

★ Navaja Knife Damascus Steel FN, B/O: $111


★ Classic Knife Urban Masked FT, B/O: $146

★ StatTrak™ Classic Knife Stained BS, B/O: $168


★ Ursus Knife Doppler (Phase 3) FN, B/O: $476

★ Ursus Knife, B/O: $375


★ Skeleton Knife, B/O: $1137

★ Talon Knife, B/O: $608

★ Paracord Knife, B/O: $305

★ Survival Knife Forest DDPAT FT, B/O: $97

GLOVES

★ Moto Gloves Transport MW, B/O: $204

★ Moto Gloves Polygon BS, B/O: $142

★ Moto Gloves Blood Pressure BS, B/O: $84

★ Moto Gloves Blood Pressure BS, B/O: $84

★ Moto Gloves 3rd Commando Company BS, B/O: $63

★ Moto Gloves 3rd Commando Company BS, B/O: $63


★ Specialist Gloves Crimson Kimono WW, B/O: $1215

★ Specialist Gloves Tiger Strike FT, B/O: $672

★ Specialist Gloves Lt. Commander FT, B/O: $305

★ Specialist Gloves Lt. Commander BS, B/O: $140

★ Specialist Gloves Crimson Web BS, B/O: $137

★ Specialist Gloves Buckshot FT, B/O: $75


★ Driver Gloves Crimson Weave FT, B/O: $359

★ Driver Gloves Imperial Plaid BS, B/O: $229

★ Driver Gloves Overtake BS, B/O: $77

★ Driver Gloves Racing Green FT, B/O: $48


★ Sport Gloves Omega FT, B/O: $739

★ Sport Gloves Amphibious BS #2, B/O: $733

★ Sport Gloves Arid BS, B/O: $292


★ Hand Wraps Giraffe MW, B/O: $212

★ Hand Wraps Leather FT, B/O: $160

★ Hand Wraps Desert Shamagh MW, B/O: $101


★ Broken Fang Gloves Yellow-banded MW, B/O: $185

★ Broken Fang Gloves Needle Point FT, B/O: $67

★ Broken Fang Gloves Needle Point WW, B/O: $59


★ Hydra Gloves Case Hardened BS, B/O: $65

★ Hydra Gloves Emerald FT, B/O: $65

★ Hydra Gloves Emerald BS, B/O: $62

WEAPONS

AK-47 Case Hardened BS, B/O: $130

AK-47 Bloodsport MW, B/O: $79

AK-47 Fuel Injector BS, B/O: $76

AK-47 Fuel Injector BS, B/O: $76

AK-47 Bloodsport FT, B/O: $70

AK-47 Neon Rider MW, B/O: $60

StatTrak™ AK-47 Aquamarine Revenge FT, B/O: $72


AWP Fade FN, B/O: $1039

AWP Asiimov FT, B/O: $139

AWP Asiimov FT, B/O: $139

AWP Wildfire MW, B/O: $95

AWP BOOM MW, B/O: $93

AWP BOOM MW, B/O: $93

AWP Duality FN, B/O: $81

AWP Asiimov BS, B/O: $79

AWP Asiimov BS, B/O: $79

AWP Chromatic Aberration FN, B/O: $60

StatTrak™ AWP Hyper Beast FT, B/O: $68

StatTrak™ AWP Hyper Beast FT, B/O: $68

StatTrak™ AWP Electric Hive FT, B/O: $55


Desert Eagle Blaze FN, B/O: $623

Desert Eagle Emerald Jörmungandr FN, B/O: $241

Desert Eagle Cobalt Disruption FN, B/O: $81

Desert Eagle Cobalt Disruption FN, B/O: $81

Desert Eagle Cobalt Disruption FN, B/O: $81

Desert Eagle Printstream FT, B/O: $54


M4A1-S Blue Phosphor FN, B/O: $434

StatTrak™ M4A1-S Bright Water MW, B/O: $55


M4A4 Poseidon FN, B/O: $1465

M4A4 Asiimov BS, B/O: $55

M4A4 Hellfire MW, B/O: $50


USP-S Kill Confirmed MW, B/O: $72

USP-S Printstream FT, B/O: $69

StatTrak™ USP-S Kill Confirmed FT, B/O: $139


AUG Flame Jörmungandr FN, B/O: $234

P90 Run and Hide FT, B/O: $147

Five-SeveN Candy Apple FN, B/O: $61

Trade Offer Link - Steam Profile Link - My Inventory

Knives - Bowie Knife, Butterfly Knife, Falchion Knife, Flip Knife, Gut Knife, Huntsman Knife, M9 Bayonet, Bayonet, Karambit, Shadow Daggers, Stiletto Knife, Ursus Knife, Navaja Knife, Talon Knife, Classic Knife, Paracord Knife, Survival Knife, Nomad Knife, Skeleton Knife, Patterns - Gamma Doppler, Doppler (Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, Phase 4, Black Pearl, Sapphire, Ruby, Emerald), Crimson Web, Lore, Fade, Ultraviolet, Night, Marble Fade (Fire & Ice, Fake FI), Case Hardened (Blue Gem), Autotronic, Slaughter, Black Laminate, Tiger Tooth, Boreal Forest, Scorched, Blue Steel, Vanilla, Damascus Steel, Forest DDPAT, Urban Masked, Freehand, Stained, Bright Water, Safari Mesh, Rust Coat, Gloves - Bloodhound Gloves (Charred, Snakebite, Guerrilla, Bronzed), Driver Gloves (Snow Leopard, King Snake, Crimson Weave, Imperial Plaid, Black Tie, Lunar Weave, Diamondback, Rezan the Red, Overtake, Queen Jaguar, Convoy, Racing Green), Hand Wraps (Cobalt Skulls, CAUTION!, Overprint, Slaughter, Leather, Giraffe, Badlands, Spruce DDPAT, Arboreal, Constrictor, Desert Shamagh, Duct Tape), Moto Gloves (Spearmint, POW!, Cool Mint, Smoke Out, Finish Line, Polygon, Blood Pressure, Turtle, Boom!, Eclipse, 3rd Commando Company, Transport), Specialist Gloves (Crimson Kimono, Tiger Strike, Emerald Web, Field Agent, Marble Fade, Fade, Foundation, Lt. Commander, Crimson Web, Mogul, Forest DDPAT, Buckshot), Sport Gloves (Pandora's Box, Superconductor, Hedge Maze, Vice, Amphibious, Slingshot, Omega, Arid, Big Game, Nocts, Scarlet Shamagh, Bronze Morph), Hydra Gloves (Case Hardened, Emerald, Rattler, Mangrove), Broken Fang Gloves (Jade, Yellow-banded, Unhinged, Needle Point), Pistols - P2000 (Wicked Sick, Ocean Foam, Fire Element, Amber Fade, Corticera, Chainmail, Imperial Dragon, Obsidian, Scorpion, Handgun, Acid Etched), USP-S (Printstream, Kill Confirmed, Whiteout, Road Rash, Owergrowth, The Traitor, Neo-Noir, Dark Water, Orion, Blueprint, Stainless, Caiman, Serum, Monster Mashup, Royal Blue, Ancient Visions, Cortex, Orange Anolis, Ticket To Hell, Black Lotus, Cyrex, Check Engine, Guardian, Purple DDPAT, Torque, Blood Tiger, Flashback, Business Class, Pathfinder, Para Green), Lead Conduit, Glock-18 (Umbral Rabbit, Fade, Candy Apple, Bullet Queen, Synth Leaf, Neo-Noir, Nuclear Garden, Dragon Tatto, Reactor, Pink DDPAT, Twilight Galaxy, Sand Dune, Groundwater, Blue Fissure, Snack Attack, Water Elemental, Brass, Wasteland Rebel, Vogue, Franklin, Royal Legion, Gamma Doppler, Weasel, Steel Disruption, Ironwork, Grinder, High Beam, Moonrise, Oxide Blaze, Bunsen Burner, Clear Polymer, Bunsen Burner, Night), P250 (Re.built, Nuclear Threat, Modern Hunter, Splash, Whiteout, Vino Primo, Mehndi, Asiimov, Visions, Undertow, Cartel, See Ya Later, Gunsmoke, Splash, Digital Architect, Muertos, Red Rock, Bengal Tiger, Crimson Kimono, Wingshot, Metallic DDPAT, Hive, Dark Filigree, Mint Kimono), Five-Seven (Neon Kimono, Berries And Cherries, Fall Hazard, Crimson Blossom, Hyper Beast, Nitro, Fairy Tale, Case Hardened, Copper Galaxy, Angry Mob, Monkey Business, Fowl Play, Anodized Gunmetal, Hot Shot, Retrobution, Boost Protocol), CZ75-Auto (Chalice, Crimson Web, Emerald Quartz, The Fuschia is Now, Nitro, Xiangliu, Yellow Jacket, Victoria, Poison Dart, Syndicate, Eco, Hexane, Pole, Tigris), Tec-9 (Rebel, Terrace, Nuclear Threat, Hades, Rust Leaf, Decimator, Blast From, Orange Murano, Toxic, Fuel Injector, Remote Control, Bamboo Forest, Isaac, Avalanche, Brother, Re-Entry, Blue Titanium, Bamboozle), R8 Revolver (Banana Cannon, Fade, Blaze, Crimson Web, Liama Cannon, Crazy 8, Reboot, Canal Spray, Night, Amber Fade), Desert Eagle (Blaze, Hand Cannon, Fennec Fox, Sunset Storm, Emerald Jörmungandr, Pilot, Hypnotic, Golden Koi, Printstream, Cobalt Disruption, Code Red, Ocean Drive, Midnight Storm, Kumicho Dragon, Crimson Web, Heirloom, Night Heist, Mecha Industries, Night, Conspiracy, Trigger Discipline, Naga, Directive, Light Rail), Dual Berettas (Flora Carnivora, Duelist, Cobra Strike, Black Limba, Emerald, Hemoglobin, Twin Turbo, Marina, Melondrama, Pyre, Retribution, Briar, Dezastre, Royal Consorts, Urban Shock, Dualing Dragons, Panther, Balance), Rifles - Galil (Aqua Terrace, Winter Forest, Chatterbox, Sugar Rush, Pheonix Blacklight, CAUTION!, Orange DDPAT, Cerberus, Dusk Ruins, Eco, Chromatic Aberration, Stone Cold, Tuxedo, Sandstorm, Shattered, Urban Rubble, Rocket Pop, Kami, Crimson Tsunami, Connexion), SCAR-20 (Fragments, Brass, Cyrex, Palm, Splash Jam, Cardiac, Emerald, Crimson Web, Magna Carta, Stone Mosaico, Bloodsport, Enforcer), AWP (Duality, Gungnir, Dragon Lore, Prince, Medusa, Desert Hydra, Fade, Lightning Strike, Oni Taiji, Silk Tiger, Graphite, Chromatic Aberration, Asiimov, Snake Camo, Boom, Containment Breach, Wildfire, Redline, Electric Hive, Hyper Beast, Neo-Noir, Man-o'-war, Pink DDPAT, Corticera, Sun in Leo, Elite Build, Fever Dream, Atheris, Mortis, PAW, Exoskeleton, Worm God, POP AWP, Phobos, Acheron, Pit Viper, Capillary, Safari Mesh), AK-47 (Head Shot, Wild Lotus, Gold Arabesque, X-Ray, Fire Serpent, Hydroponic, Panthera Onca, Case Hardened, Vulcan, Jet Set, Fuel Injector, Bloodsport, Nightwish, First Class, Neon Rider, Asiimov, Red Laminate, Aquamarine Revenge, The Empress, Wasteland Rebel, Jaguar, Black Laminate, Leet Museo, Neon Revolution, Redline, Frontside Misty, Predator, Legion of Anubis, Point Disarray, Orbit Mk01, Blue Laminate, Green Laminate, Emerald Pinstripe, Cartel, Phantom Disruptor, Jungle Spray, Safety Net, Rat Rod, Baroque Purple, Slate, Elite Build, Uncharted, Safari Mesh), FAMAS (Sundown, Prime Conspiracy, Afterimage, Commemoration, Dark Water, Spitfire, Pulse, Eye of Athena, Meltdown, Rapid Eye Move, Roll Cage, Styx, Mecha Industrie, Djinn, ZX Spectron, Valence, Neural Net, Night Borre, Hexne), M4A4 (Temukau, Howl, Poseidon, Asiimov, Daybreak, Hellfire, Zirka, Red DDPAT, Radiation Hazard, Modern Hunter, The Emperor, The Coalition, Bullet Rain, Cyber Security, X-Ray, Dark Blossom, Buzz Kill, In Living Color, Neo-Noir, Desolate Space, 龍王 (Dragon King), Royal Paladin, The Battlestar, Global Offensive, Tooth Fairy, Desert-Strike, Griffin, Evil Daimyo, Spider Lily, Converter), M4A1-S (Emphorosaur-S, Welcome to the Jungle, Imminent Danger, Knight, Hot Rod, Icarus Fell, Blue Phosphor, Printstream, Master Piece, Dark Water, Golden Coil, Bright Water, Player Two, Atomic Alloy, Guardian, Chantico's Fire, Hyper Beast, Mecha Industries, Cyrex, Control Panel, Moss Quartz, Nightmare, Decimator, Leaded Glass, Basilisk, Blood Tiger, Briefing, Night Terror, Nitro, VariCamo, Flashback), SG 553 (Cyberforce, Hazard Pay, Bulldozer, Integrale, Dragon Tech, Ultraviolet, Colony IV, Hypnotic, Cyrex, Candy Apple, Barricade, Pulse), SSG 08 (Death Strike, Sea Calico, Blood in the Water, Orange Filigree, Dragonfire, Big Iron, Bloodshot, Detour, Turbo Peek, Red Stone), AUG (Akihabara Accept, Flame Jörmungandr, Hot Rod, Midnight Lily, Sand Storm, Carved Jade, Wings, Anodized Navy, Death by Puppy, Torque, Bengal Tiger, Chameleon, Fleet Flock, Random Access, Momentum, Syd Mead, Stymphalian, Arctic Wolf, Aristocrat, Navy Murano), G3SG1 (Chronos, Violet Murano, Flux, Demeter, Orange Kimono, The Executioner, Green Apple, Arctic Polar Camo, Contractor), SMGs - P90 (Neoqueen, Astral Jörmungandr, Run and Hide, Emerald Dragon, Cold Blooded, Death by Kitty, Baroque Red, Vent Rush, Blind Spot, Asiimov, Trigon, Sunset Lily, Death Grip, Leather, Nostalgia, Fallout Warning, Tiger Pit, Schermatic, Virus, Shapewood, Glacier Mesh, Shallow Grave, Chopper, Desert Warfare), MAC-10 (Sakkaku, Hot Snakes, Copper Borre, Red Filigree, Gold Brick, Graven, Case Hardened, Stalker, Amber Fade, Neon Rider, Tatter, Curse, Propaganda, Nuclear Garden, Disco Tech, Toybox, Heat, Indigo), UMP-45 (Wild Child, Fade, Blaze, Day Lily, Minotaur's Labyrinth, Crime Scene, Caramel, Bone Pile, Momentum, Primal Saber), MP7 (Teal Blossom, Fade, Nemesis, Whiteout, Asterion, Bloosport, Abyssal Apparition, Full Stop, Special Delivery, Neon Ply, Asterion, Ocean Foam, Powercore, Scorched, Impire), PP-Bizon (Modern Hunter, Rust Coat, Forest Leaves, Antique, High Roller, Blue Streak, Seabird, Judgement of Anubis, Bamboo Print, Embargo, Chemical Green, Coblat Halftone, Fuel Rod, Photic Zone, Irradiated Alert, Carbon Fiber), MP9 (Featherweight, Wild Lily, Pandora's Box, Stained Glass, Bulldozer, Dark Age, Hot Rod, Hypnotic, Hydra, Rose Iron, Music Box, Setting Sun, Food Chain, Airlock, Mount Fuji, Starlight Protector, Ruby Poison Dart, Deadly Poison), MP5-SD (Liquidation, Oxide Oasis, Phosphor, Nitro, Agent, Autumn Twilly), Shotguns, Machineguns - Sawed-Off (Kiss♥Love, First Class, Orange DDPAT, Rust Coat, The Kraken, Devourer, Mosaico, Wasteland Princess, Bamboo Shadow, Copper, Serenity, Limelight, Apocalypto), XM1014 (Frost Borre, Ancient Lore, Red Leather, Elegant Vines, Banana Leaf, Jungle, Urban Perforated, Grassland, Blaze Orange, Heaven Guard, VariCamo Blue, Entombed, XOXO, Seasons, Tranquility, Bone Machine, Incinegator, Teclu Burner, Black Tie, Zombie Offensive, Watchdog), Nova (Baroque Orange, Hyper Beast, Green Apple, Antique, Modern Hunter, Walnut, Forest Leaves, Graphite, Blaze Orange, Rising Skull, Tempest, Bloomstick, Interlock, Quick Sand, Moon in Libra, Clean Polymer, Red Quartz, Toy Soldier), MAG-7 (Insomnia, Cinqueda, Counter Terrace, Prism Terrace, Memento, Chainmail, Hazard, Justice, Bulldozer, Silver, Core Breach, Firestarter, Praetorian, Heat, Hard Water, Monster Call, BI83 Spectrum, SWAG-7), M249 (Humidor, Shipping Forecast, Blizzard Marbleized, Downtown, Jungle DDPAT, Nebula Crusader, Impact Drill, Emerald Poison Dart), Negev (Mjölnir, Anodized Navy, Palm, Power Loader, Bratatat, CaliCamo, Phoenix Stencil, Infrastructure, Boroque Sand), Wear - Factory New (FN), Minimal Wear (MW), Field-Tested (FT), Well-Worn (WW), Battle-Scarred (BS), Stickers Holo/Foil/Gold - Katowice 2014, Krakow 2017, Howling Dawn, Katowice 2015, Crown, London 2018, Cologne 2014, Boston 2018, Atlanta 2017, Cluj-Napoca 2015, DreamHack 2014, King on the Field, Harp of War, Winged Difuser, Cologne 2016, Cologne 2015, MLG Columbus 2016, Katowice 2019, Berlin 2019, RMR 2020, Stockholm 2021, Antwerp 2022, Swag Foil, Flammable foil, Others - Souvenirs, Agents, Pins, Passes, Gifts, Music Kits, Cases, Keys, Capsules, Packages, Patches

Some items on the list may no longer be available or are still locked, visit My Inventory for more details.

Send a Trade Offer for fastest response. I consider all offers.

Add me for discuss if there is a serious offer that needs to be discussed.

submitted by _Triple_ to Csgotrading [link] [comments]


2023.05.28 00:54 Neat_Abbreviations_4 What can I do to help? (Greater Cincinnati Area)

I was raised by Freemasons. Lots of them. From the time I was a lost teen well I to starting my business. Many of them have passed away, they were all older guys.
I’ve been busy getting my business off the ground. I’ve opened multiple locations in the area. I’m finely at a point in my life I have enough employees to run my companies that I can make it to lodge and get togethers. So I’m ready to join now.
But the lodge I was joining is closed. A beautiful building in Hamilton, just outside of Cincinnati. I met all the guys there a couple years ago, I’ve been to most lodges in the area.
I know membership is way down. I know the problems, at least from what guys I know in my area. Have told me. There’s not a time in history we need Freemasons more than now. Men are lost, society is falling apart.
I’m not asking this out of my own ego, or to gain power. I owe a great debt to all these men that helped me throughout my difficult transition from “bum to businessman 😂”. In the world we live in we have access to more people than ever. The right influential men will easily attract millions into becoming Masons. Im sure the Freemasons have been through hard times before?
What do you think? I’m just trying to get my bearings on what’s going on.
submitted by Neat_Abbreviations_4 to freemasonry [link] [comments]