Demographics

• Gender: F
• Race/Ethnicity: asian
• Residence: small asia country
• Income Bracket: did not ask for aid except for need-blind colleges
• Type of School: small private, sends 1-2 to ivies each year
• Hooks (Recruited Athlete, URM, First-Gen, Geographic, Legacy, etc.): lol no

Intended Major(s): physics, philosophy
Academics

• GPA (UW/W): 44 IB
• Rank (or percentile): 1
• # of Honors/AP/IB/Dual Enrollment/etc.: standard ib
• Senior Year Course Load: most rigorous

Standardized Testing
List the highest scores earned and all scores that were reported.

• SAT I: 1540 (740RW, 800M)

Extracurriculars/Activities
List all extracurricular involvements, including leadership roles, time commitments, major achievements, etc.
(shuffled)

1. leadership position at a legit intl youth org
2. play an instrument for fun (upper intermediate level)
3. leadership position at another natl youth org (quit in 11th)
4. wrote for school newspaper
5. one of the leaders for school’s science club
6. coding projects i did on my own (not published or anything)
7. volunteer teacher for coding at an orphanage
8. founder of school lit mag
9. somewhat niche sport i did non-competitively
10. debate club member

Awards/Honors
List all awards and honors submitted on your application.

1. mid intl math award
2. decent intl pitch competition award
3. fluff regional math award
4. local pith competition award
5. school awards

Letters of Recommendation
(Briefly describe relationships with your recommenders and estimated rating.)
STEM teacher - 6/10? I'm not their fav student and they're not my fav teacher but I guess she thinks I'm smart?
Hums teacher - I'm their fav student and they're my fav teacher in a mutual admiration kind of way, can totally vouch for me, 9.5/10
Additional non-core teacher - offered to write me a rec, has written recs for kids who got into T10s, 9.5/10
Counselor - I guess she likes me, knows my quirks, but I'm not the most involved at school, 7/10??
Interviews
(Briefly reflect on interview experiences, if applicable)
didn't get any
Essays
(Briefly reflect on the quality of your writing, time spent, and topic of main personal statement.)

• common app: 5-8/10?? ok it depends like it's a really bizarre and cringe topic now that I reread it and if I could redo the app I'd most likely change it, but I'd say it resonates with certain types quirky of colleges? drafted the entire thing in like 2 days before jan 1 but kind of rewrote it the night before submission LMAO yes I barely had time to do apps, not with my adhd
• yale: I spent months perfecting this, 9/10
• columbia: spent nearly a week but could've been better, 7.5/10
• stanford: these were the hardest to write for some reason. kinda cliche and non-unique, 5/10
• swarthmore: I recycled a roughly-written essay (istg the word limit is so short), 7/10
• wellesley: wrote these 2 days before, love one of them but lowkey regret the other, 6/10
• amherst: i LOVED my amherst essays, 8/10
• williams: meh i wrote these the day before, 6/10

Additional Information:

• submitted creative writing portfolio to Columbia and Swarthmore despite never being published bc why not lol
• attended high school with multiple scholarships, prolly helped?

Decisions (indicate ED/EA/REA/SCEA/RD)
Acceptances:

• swarthmore

Waitlists:

• wellesley

Rejections:

• amherst
• williams

Awaiting but no chance ikik:

• yale
• columbia
• stanford

all my safeties were in other countries and wasn't expecting to get into anywhere in the us so very very pleased with that swat acceptance esp since I plan to go to grad school <3
in all honesty tho, what do yall think got me into swat bc i know my profile is v mid

Hi people,
I installed Kiauh, Klipper and Mainsail, but I tend to get an error when plugging the Orange Pi Zero 2 into the Ender 3 Pro (BBT SKR Mini E3 2.0 motherboard). Maybe, I got something wrong? I've already gone through the hardware, and it seems working. I attached my configuration.
Thank you for the help.
​
[include mainsail.cfg]
[virtual_sdcard]
path: /home/orangepi/printer_data/gcodes
on_error_gcode: CANCEL_PRINT
​
[gcode_macro G29]
gcode:
BED_MESH_CALIBRATE
G90
G1 X15 Y15 Z15
[bltouch]
sensor_pin: ^PC14
control_pin: PA1
x_offset: -44
y_offset: -7
#Higher the offset, the closer to the bed the nozzle will be.
#Lower the offset, the further the nozzle will be.
#If you need more squish or if it's too high, increase the offset.
#If it's too close, lower the offset.
#z_offset = 0.950
z_offset = .90
#z_offset = 1.15
pin_move_time: 0.4
probe_with_touch_mode: True
pin_up_touch_mode_reports_triggered: False
stow_on_each_sample: False
​
[bed_mesh]
speed: 120
horizontal_move_z: 5
mesh_min: 15, 15
mesh_max: 185, 200
probe_count: 3,3
algorithm: bicubic
fade_start: 1
fade_end: 10
fade_target: 0
​
[input_shaper]
shaper_freq_x: 41.6
shaper_type_x: mzv
shaper_freq_y: 41.8
shaper_type_y: mzv
​
[bed_screws]
screw1: 30,30
screw2: 200,30
screw3: 200,200
screw4: 30,200
​
[screws_tilt_adjust]
screw1: 70.5,37.5
screw1_name: front left screw
screw2: 240,37.5
screw2_name: front right screw
screw3: 240,207.5
screw3_name: rear right screw
screw4: 70.5,207.5
screw4_name: rear left screw
horizontal_move_z: 10
speed: 50
screw_thread: CW-M4
​
#[adxl345]
#cs_pin: rpi:None
​
#[resonance_tester]
#accel_chip: adxl345
#probe_points: 100,100,20 # an example
​
[safe_z_home]
home_xy_position: 117.5,117.5 # Change coordinates to the center of your print bed
z_hop: 10 # Move up 10mm z_hop_speed: 5
​
[virtual_sdcard]
path: ~/gcode_files
​
[display_status]
​
[pause_resume]
​
[stepper_x]
step_pin: PB13
dir_pin: !PB12
enable_pin: !PB14
microsteps: 16
rotation_distance: 40
endstop_pin: ^PC0
#position_endstop: -5
#position_min: -5
position_endstop: 0
#position_max: 240
position_max: 235
homing_speed: 50
​
[tmc2209 stepper_x]
uart_pin: PC11
tx_pin: PC10
uart_address: 0
run_current: 0.580
hold_current: 0.500
stealthchop_threshold: 999999
​
[stepper_y]
step_pin: PB10
dir_pin: !PB2
enable_pin: !PB11
microsteps: 16
rotation_distance: 40
position_endstop: 0
endstop_pin: ^PC1
#position_endstop: -15
position_endstop: 0
#position_min: 0
position_max: 235
#position_max: 240
homing_speed: 50
​
[tmc2209 stepper_y]
uart_pin: PC11
tx_pin: PC10
uart_address: 2
run_current: 0.580
hold_current: 0.500
stealthchop_threshold: 999999
​
[stepper_z]
step_pin: PB0
dir_pin: PC5
enable_pin: !PB1
microsteps: 16
rotation_distance: 8
endstop_pin: probe:z_virtual_endstop
#position_endstop: 0.0
position_max: 250
position_min: -2
​
[tmc2209 stepper_z]
uart_pin: PC11
tx_pin: PC10
uart_address: 1
run_current: 0.580
hold_current: 0.500
stealthchop_threshold: 999999
​
[extruder]
step_pin: PB3
dir_pin: !PB4
enable_pin: !PD2
microsteps: 16
#PLA
rotation_distance: 23.45
nozzle_diameter: 0.400
filament_diameter: 1.750
heater_pin: PC8
sensor_type: EPCOS 100K B57560G104F
sensor_pin: PA0
control: pid
pid_Kp: 21.527
pid_Ki: 1.063
pid_Kd: 108.982
min_temp: 0
max_temp: 270
​
[tmc2209 extruder]
uart_pin: PC11
tx_pin: PC10
uart_address: 3
run_current: 0.650
hold_current: 0.500
stealthchop_threshold: 999999
​
​
[heater_bed]
heater_pin: PC9
sensor_type: ATC Semitec 104GT-2
sensor_pin: PC3
control: pid
pid_Kp: 54.027
pid_Ki: 0.770
pid_Kd: 948.182
min_temp: 0
max_temp: 130
​
[heater_fan nozzle_cooling_fan]
pin: PC7
​
[fan]
pin: PC6
​
[static_digital_output usb_pullup_enable]
pins: !PA14
​
[mcu]
serial: /dev/ttyS0
baud: 250000
restart_method: command
​
[board_pins]
aliases:
# EXP1 header
EXP1_1=PB5, EXP1_3=PA9, EXP1_5=PA10, EXP1_7=PB8, EXP1_9=,
EXP1_2=PA15, EXP1_4=, EXP1_6=PB9, EXP1_8=PB15, EXP1_10=<5V>
​
[printer]
kinematics: cartesian
max_velocity: 300
max_accel: 5000
max_z_velocity: 5
max_z_accel: 100
​
[output_pin BEEPER_Pin]
pin: PB5
​
[gcode_macro M300]
gcode:
{% set S = params.Sdefault(1000)int %} ; S sets the tone frequency
{% set P = params.Pdefault(100)int %} ; P sets the tone duration
{% set L = 0.5 %} ; L varies the PWM on time, close to 0 or 1 the tone gets a bit quieter. 0.5 is a symmetric waveform
{% if S <= 0 %} ; dont divide through zero
{% set F = 1 %}
{% set L = 0 %}
{% elif S >= 10000 %} ;max frequency set to 10kHz
{% set F = 0 %}
{% else %}
{% set F = 1/S %} ;convert frequency to seconds
{% endif %}
SET_PIN PIN=BEEPER_Pin VALUE={L} CYCLE_TIME={F} ;Play tone
G4 P{P} ;tone duration
SET_PIN PIN=BEEPER_Pin VALUE=0
[gcode_macro PAUSE]
description: Pause the actual running print
rename_existing: PAUSE_BASE
# change this if you need more or less extrusion
variable_extrude: 1.0
gcode:
##### read E from pause macro #####
{% set E = printer["gcode_macro PAUSE"].extrudefloat %}
##### set park positon for x and y #####
# default is your max posion from your printer.cfg
{% set x_park = printer.toolhead.axis_maximum.xfloat - 5.0 %}
{% set y_park = printer.toolhead.axis_maximum.yfloat - 5.0 %}
##### calculate save lift position #####
{% set max_z = printer.toolhead.axis_maximum.zfloat %}
{% set act_z = printer.toolhead.position.zfloat %}
{% if act_z < (max_z - 2.0) %}
{% set z_safe = 2.0 %}
{% else %}
{% set z_safe = max_z - act_z %}
{% endif %}
##### end of definitions #####
PAUSE_BASE
G91
{% if printer.extruder.can_extrudelower == 'true' %}
G1 E-{E} F2100
{% else %}
{action_respond_info("Extruder not hot enough")}
{% endif %}
{% if "xyz" in printer.toolhead.homed_axes %}
G1 Z{z_safe} F900
G90
G1 X{x_park} Y{y_park} F6000
{% else %}
{action_respond_info("Printer not homed")}
{% endif %}
​
[gcode_macro RESUME]
description: Resume the actual running print
rename_existing: RESUME_BASE
gcode:
##### read E from pause macro #####
{% set E = printer["gcode_macro PAUSE"].extrudefloat %}
#### get VELOCITY parameter if specified ####
{% if 'VELOCITY' in paramsupper %}
{% set get_params = ('VELOCITY=' + params.VELOCITY) %}
{%else %}
{% set get_params = "" %}
{% endif %}
##### end of definitions #####
{% if printer.extruder.can_extrudelower == 'true' %}
G91
G1 E{E} F2100
{% else %}
{action_respond_info("Extruder not hot enough")}
{% endif %}
RESUME_BASE {get_params}
​
[gcode_macro CANCEL_PRINT]
description: Cancel the actual running print
rename_existing: CANCEL_PRINT_BASE
gcode:
TURN_OFF_HEATERS
CANCEL_PRINT_BASE

The mods predictably shut comments down, as this topic is polarizing, but as a professional dog trainer, I had this to say. I wanted a to reach a larger audience so I'll share this here.
I commend you and respect your decision more than you know. I've been a balanced trainer for almost two decades, anvjhh it's one of my biggest hopes that we will see the stigma surrounding behavioral euthanasia will lift because I don't have enough fingers and toes to equal the number of times I've weighed and laid out for owners and concluded that BE was the kindest, most responsible, and most of all, the RIGHT choice. Because these dogs, and before anyone gets sand in their ass crack about it (and I would hope my fellow honest professional dog trainers will back me up on this), the majority of which are pit bull type dogs, must meet certain criteria to meet that places them snugly in the category of "Irreparable - Too Dangerous". For anybody with logic, the pit bull and it's close cousins are bred for fighting and bull baiting or hunting. It's just common sense that a type of dog created for that type of activity are going to have alheightened aggression. Terriers in general were all need for one reason, and that is to kill. Every single breed. And they're all quite scrappy anyway. To have a dog that possesses this as a genetic trait takes accepting and rearranging your life and learning to keep people safe from your dog and vice versa.
It's not a decision that I take lightly (although when I come to a conclusion it is made there on the spot - it's very easy to assess what you should do with a dog in terms of training or medication, and of course, BE. And I'm not biased in terms of being heavy handed when I give them my professional opinion, it doesn't matter the breed. I have told owners of 5lb dogs that unless they were willing to put up with it, that was on them, but that my recommendation is that they elect for behavioral euthanasia. I had a couple of veterinarians in area the area whose numbers I'd provide them with who were willing to perform the operation, because a surprising number of vets will not help ease the mental pain suffered by a dog who cannot voice it's anguish. As long as it is physically healthy, it shouldn't be out to sleep, is their logic.
But a life spent constantly tense, in a perpetual state of hypervigilance, finger snap personality changes, anxious, told by your brain something is wrong and the answer is violence, or just being true to it's nature as a dog, which is where a dog is just wired to carry out the cycle of predation; locate , stalk, chase, bite, maul, kill. This genetic trait can be more problematic to ever solve since it is a self rewarding behavior; tack that on a breed already predisposed to genetic aggression and you can have a dog that is far too dangerous for anyone less than a seasoned trainer to ownand those types of unicorn homes with no other dogs, other animals, kids, frail people, or close neighbors and are super vigilant when they're out tnd anal retentive when it comes to keeping the dog contained securely are as rare as their namesake. Part of our job as canine professionals is to not only evaluate and trainer a dog, it is also to make sure you are not putting everyone in the community in danger. Even if your dog "just" kills the neighbors cat, it wasn't "just" a cat to them just as your dog isn't "just" a dog to you. That cat was family to somebody.
Scenario:Now imagine you didn't rationalize that your dog killing something without provocation. Your dog is out of control. You consult with a trained professional (say, me). We talk and establish that your dog checks of the majority of the boxes in the section marking candidates for BE.
You allow the trainer to see the dog in it's home environment, in it's territory (a short 5-6 blocks up and back around and back (hopefully coming across some triggers so I can observe and see if it is manageable, and in an unfamiliar place, where we get in the car and drive somewhere the dog has never been and observe the behavior then, then assess the owners training and management ability. A weak or incompetent trainer simply is not acceptable and not everyone is good with animals. They simply cannot read body language, pick up cues, expert enough authority over the animal, or effectively communicate with the dog in a way it will understand, or come across to me as chronically irresponsible, lazy, wilfully ignorant and refuse to take direction, too constitutionally weak to handle a dog that represents a safety concern, that is all take into consideration when I offer you my final decision. Behavioral euthanasia is the best and kindest option and that I can walk you through it. I help you to understand it is not a failure on your part, or what you could or shouldn't have done. Sometimes a dog just isn't wired right. It could seriously hurt or kill someone including you in the blink of an eye. Just because it hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it won't, and when a clear pattern of dangerous behavior. Every single owner of a dog that seriously injures or kills someone says "But he never did that before."
You decide to disregard this advice, thinking it cruel or evil, or thinking I'm taking the lazy way out, question the trainers integrity and judgment and skill because "So-and-so from YouTube doesn't give up on his clients. All dogs can be fixed, I just need a different trainer, a better trainer
I see you around on FB, your feed is a continuous documentary of your catastrophic attempt to own and safely manage a dog that's a walking time bomb; " Today Zeus almost killed another dog for no reason at the dog park today. I just don't understand we've been working with trainers and he was doing pretty good, he even played with this same dog last week now I'm asking for prayers for all of us"
You almost don't want walk him anymore, but he needs to go out, right?
The walk is lovely until you turn the corner and uh-oh! Zeus literally turns you into a human kite soaring along behind you as it pursues a particularly tasty child with their faithful object of your dogs fixation originally. It tears the into other dog, being at eye height, the child is severely bitten, mauled or even killed. Yes, it happens. At least once in the 60 ish on average canine inflicted deaths in my country, the US.
When I recommend BE, it is for the sake of the dogs mental health because a life of severe neuroses you neither understand nor can explain, or spend you life doped to the gills under lock and key 24/7, or warehoused and forgotten to languish and take up teousrces for years. You should ALWAYS be present during the euthanasia of your pet, even if it breaks your heart. One, because you need to be there to provide emotional support and hold your dog while they administer the sleepy time juice. And if you don't stay with your animal and leave it anxious and confused to be PTS in the already stressful vets officer, you're a dick, full stop.
AND AND AND. You also NEED to be there and see for yourself that your dog really has passed on, check for a pulse when the vet announces TOD to you. There really are vets out there who will go as far as deeply sedating a dog when an owner they gauge naive enough to have their dog pumped full of enough anesthesia to knock out a horse and it suppresses respiration, they tell the owner the dog is gone and sneak it out the back door to take home because again, they're ARAs, which is much different than the superior support of Animal Welfare. If you're not there for the procedure, there is a high chance of some do gooder who just takes the dog and flips it and puts it in some random home, where oftentimes someone is hurt severely.
ATTENTION: Did you know there are only two freaking states in the entire US where it is *required by law for shelters to give the dogs bite history to you?* That's right, 48 states don't have to tell you your new pet was in the shelter for almost ripping the previous owners kis face off. Sickeningly, there is even a "nom-profit charity" called "The Lexus Project" who devotes MILLIONS to slimeball lawyers whose purpose is to represent dogs who have SEVERELY hurt or killed people, one such famous case is with Mickey pit bull in Arizona who almost ripped his owners young kids face off because he was a resource guarder. People blamed the kid for a dogs bad behavior and they came and the mayor of some town nearby adopted the mutt and gave it a lavish life while anti human pit worshippers sniffed his farts for rescuing a "poor innocent pibbles tortured into having to fight for his life from an evil six year old". It's pretty sick and you can Google it; it's pretty bizarre and sick to me. Most of the dogs are, surprise... Pit bulls.
The reason I never advocate rehoming these dogs, not only is it irresponsible as fuck to place a dog whose unpredictable aggression is so bad that a loving owner decided it wasn't safe to have anymore, but again you have to weigh the risk to a community. Sometimes even one attack is enough to take a life.
It's a difficult choice to make. Don't beat yourself up. You are releasing your dog from it's mental prison and taken a lot of anxiety and stress surrounding your dog lifted from not only yourself but the entire community. I'd suggest finding a reputable breeder next time who knows what they're doing mixing genetics and breeding anomal
---_-------------

Ezra arrived at the oil rig early in the morning, after a long and arduous journey that left her feeling exhausted. The helicopter ride was bumpy, and she struggled to keep her breakfast down as they flew over the vast expanse of ocean. But despite her queasy stomach, Ezra couldn't help but feel a sense of awe at the sight below her. The crystal-clear waters were so blue that they seemed almost unreal, while small islands dotted the horizon like emerald jewels.
As she stepped off the helicopter onto the deck of the offshore rig, Ezra was immediately struck by the deafening noise. The sound of machinery whirring and clanging filled her ears, making it hard to hear anything else. But even though it was loud, there was something comforting about it - like a steady heartbeat that kept everything running smoothly.
The workers who greeted her were all men, their faces weathered by years of exposure to wind and sun. They wore hard hats and reflective vests that made them stand out against the dull grey metal of the rig. Despite their gruff appearances, they welcomed Ezra with open arms and showed her around like an old friend.
Fred, in particular, stood out to Ezra. He had a thick beard that covered most of his face and eyes that twinkled mischievously behind his safety goggles. He spoke in a deep voice that rumbled like thunder whenever he laughed or joked around with his colleagues.
Throughout the day, Ezra worked alongside Fred as he taught her how to operate machinery and carry out routine maintenance checks. She struggled at first with some of the heavy equipment - wrenches and hammers that felt awkward in her hands - but soon got into a rhythm as Fred patiently showed her what to do.
The smells on the rig were intense too - a heady mix of salty sea air mingled with diesel fumes from the generators that powered everything on board. There was also a faint tang of oil in the air - not overpowering but enough to make Ezra feel like she was part of something important.
During lunch break in the dining hall, Ezra sat down at one of the long tables with Fred and several other workers from different departments. The room was plain but functional - stainless steel benches lined up against white walls with fluorescent lights overhead casting an artificial glow over everything.
Despite being surrounded by strangers who worked in such different roles from hers, Ezra felt comfortable here. The workers chatted amicably about their work experiences between bites of their meals while occasionally ribbing each other for fun.
Jake caught everyone's attention when he told an outrageous story about getting lost on another rig where he used to work before joining this current one. His laughter rang across the room causing other diners' heads to turn towards him while Mike listened quietly but amusedly from across their table.
As the day wore on, Ezra felt more and more at home on the rig. She had always been a hard worker, and the physical labour of her job gave her a sense of satisfaction that was hard to describe. There was something about being part of a team that worked together to keep everything running smoothly that made her feel alive.
But towards the end of the day, things took an unexpected turn. As she was packing up her tools, one of her coworkers - a man named Dave - approached her with a sly grin on his face.
"Hey Ezra," he said, "you excited for Nude Week next week?"
Ezra felt her heart drop into her stomach as she realized what he was talking about. Nude Week was a tradition on some offshore rigs where workers would shed their clothes for an entire week while they worked as a way of bonding and having fun.
She had heard about it before but hadn't given it much thought - after all, it wasn't common. But now she felt like she had been blindsided by this question from Dave.
"I...uh...I don't know," she stammered, feeling suddenly self-conscious.
Dave just chuckled and slapped her on the back. "Don't worry about it too much," he said. "It's just a bit of fun. But I gotta warn you - we get pretty wild during Nude Week."
Ezra tried to laugh along with him but couldn't shake off the uneasy feeling in her gut. She didn't want to seem prudish or uptight, but the idea of being naked around these men made her nervous. Her boyfriend Tom was the jealous type and they've always been exclusive with each other, she wondered what he would think if he heard about her working around a bunch of fit young nude men, possibly even being nude herself.
She tried to put the idea out of her head, it was something she could worry about next week.
As she made her way back to her cabin, Ezra couldn't help but feel grateful for the experience of working on an oil rig. It was hard work, no doubt about it - physically demanding and mentally exhausting. But there was something exhilarating about being part of such a vital industry - one that kept economies running and people's lives moving forward.
She knew that there would be many more challenges ahead of her in the days and weeks to come - long hours, rough seas, and tough conditions. But with support from people like Fred, Jake, Mike, and even Hank, she felt confident that she could handle anything that came her way.
And as she settled into bed that night with the sound of machinery humming around her like a lullaby, Ezra felt at peace knowing that she was doing something meaningful with her life - something that mattered not just to herself but also to countless others who depended on the oil industry for their livelihoods.
Despite the grueling schedule, she found herself enjoying her time here more and more. The other workers had become like family to her - a close-knit community of people who relied on each other for support in this harsh environment.
Ezra had even struck up an unlikely friendship with Hank, one of the older workers on board. He was rough around the edges but had a heart of gold underneath it all. They would often sit together during breaks sharing stories about their lives back home or making jokes at each other's expense.
But as Nude Week drew closer, Ezra began to feel anxious once again. It wasn't just about being naked in front of these men - it was also about what might happen afterward- whether she could resist temptation no matter how strong that desire inside became?
She tried not to think too much about it as she went through her daily tasks but couldn't help feeling nervous every time someone mentioned Nude Week within proximity.
The morning of Nude Week had arrived, and Ezra felt like she was walking to her doom. The mere thought of being naked in front of her male colleagues made her feel queasy. She tried to psych herself up by telling herself that it was just a bit of fun, but it didn't help much.
The morning of Nude Week had arrived, and Ezra felt like she was walking to her doom. The mere thought of being naked in front of her male colleagues made her feel queasy. She tried to psych herself up by telling herself that it was just a bit of fun, but it didn't help much.
As she stepped out onto the deck, Ezra found that most of the other workers were already nude, milling around and chatting as if this were perfectly normal. Some of them were even carrying out their work duties while completely naked.
Ezra tried to avoid looking at anyone for too long, but it was difficult. Everywhere she turned there seemed to be another naked man - some old and wrinkled, others young and toned.
She could feel eyes on her immediately as she walked around the rig. Some men looked away quickly when they saw her coming, while others stared openly at her body in a way that made her feel uncomfortable and exposed.
Despite trying not to stare too long at any one man's body, Ezra couldn't help but notice every contour of muscle rippling beneath tanned skin or every vein that ran down an erect penis standing proud between muscular thighs.
The sight of so many naked bodies all around her had awakened something deep inside her- something primal and raw- a hunger for sexual indulgence unlike anything she had ever felt before.
Every time Ezra caught sight of a man's bare chest or butt or genitals, she felt an intense surge of desire wash over her. And as the day wore on, these feelings only grew stronger until they became nearly unbearable.
It wasn't just physical either - there was something about being surrounded by so many naked men that made Ezra feel wild with lust. She found herself flirting shamelessly with some of the guys who showed interest in talking to her - batting her eyelashes and swaying her hips suggestively as she talked about work-related topics.
But despite all this sexual tension building up inside her, Ezra knew that she couldn't act on it openly. She was here to do a job after all - one that required focus and concentration if she wanted to make sure everyone came home safe at night.
During breaks from work activities though things got even more heated because now some men were starting to make crude remarks which only added fuel to the fire within making things worse than before!
And then there was Fin...
He looked like he belonged back in high school rather than working on an oil rig among experienced veterans twice his age but he had caught Ezra's eye early on during Nude Week because every time he thought nobody was looking he'd steal glances at her body too quickly followed by averting his eyes trying not get caught staring directly at anything inappropriate which made him seem even more adorable somehow!
They started working together later in the afternoon when they both got assigned to the same task. Fin seemed nervous at first, fidgeting with his tools and avoiding eye contact as they worked side by side.
It wasn't long though before Ezra noticed how fit he looked underneath all that grease - tight muscles bulging against taught skin with every move he made- especially when he bent down over equipment exposing his lower backside for all the world (and Ezras' hungry gaze) to see! Her own nipples hardened as arousal coursed through every fiber of her being making it hard to focus solely on their task ahead while being surrounded by such temptation!
Her gaze drifted lower until she noticed his ballsack hanging low between his legs- round and full like ripe fruit waiting for someone's eager mouth or hand...or both! It took everything within Ezra not to pounce onto him right then and there, to wrap her hands around that tantalizing sac and massage it until he was moaning her name.
But Ezra knew better than to act impulsively. She was still in a committed relationship with her boyfriend back in Idaho, after all. She couldn't let herself get carried away by these wild desires, no matter how much she craved the touch of another man's body against hers.
Still, the temptation was too much for her to resist. As they worked side-by-side, Ezra found herself getting bolder and more daring with every passing moment. She pretended to drop something near him and reached down between his legs from behind to grab it and brushed her hand against his ballsack as she did so.
"Oh! Sorry!" She said giggling.
Fin looked startled but didn't seem to mind her touch. In fact, Ezra could see his penis twitch in response growing more prominent with each passing moment.
She bit her lip and felt a flush spread over every inch of exposed skin as she realized how much he was enjoying this illicit contact between them. She wanted nothing more than to reach out and grab hold of those tender orbs- squeezing gently until they spilled over into ecstasy.
"D-Don't worry about it" he said.
But their brief contact seems to have stuck with him, several minutes later while she was replacing a fuse in a blasting cabinet she looked down and saw Fin laying on a creeper seat with his head and shoulders under the machinery and his bottom half sticking out laying upright on the floor below her.
Even several minutes after their brief touch his penis was hard and erect as if in anticipation of her welcoming hole. Ezra's own arousal surged to even greater heights as she realized what he wanted from her.
As she worked on the machine above him, she stretched out her leg just enough that it brushed against Fin's inner thigh. He gasped slightly at the contact, but didn't move away.
Ezra took that as a sign of encouragement and looked around too see if any other coworkers could see them.
Luckily, everyone else was busy with their own tasks and there were no prying eyes around to catch them in the act. Emboldened by this newfound sense of secrecy, Ezra quietly closed the fuse-box and stepped over Fin with one leg. She slowly squatted down with her legs apart, positioning herself over Fin's hard cock. She give one more quick glance around to be sure nobody was watching and then lowered herself slowly and quietly onto Fin's throbbing erection.
Fin gasped with shock, which made Dave look up from his desk in their direction. Ezra looked back like a deer caught in the headlights. Dave was on the other side of the room and could see her squatting down in front of the machine, but couldn't see Fin underneath her so he returned to his schematics.
Ezra was still frozen with fear of being caught, but she felt Fins hands grasp her waist and lift her up until only the tip of his penis remained inside. Then he pulled her back down with a soft grunt.
Ezra let out a sigh of relief as she felt Fin's hard length slide deeper inside her, filling her with an intense pleasure that left her gasping for breath. They moved together slowly and quietly, their bodies rocking in perfect rhythm as they tried to keep their activities hidden from the other workers.
Dave glanced in her direction again but this time she didn't stop moving.
She continued to bounce up and down on Fin's hard cock, feeling the pleasure build within her with each thrust. She was so close to the edge of release that all she could think about was how good it would feel when she finally let herself go.
And then suddenly, they heard footsteps approaching from behind them. Panic set in as Ezra realized that someone had caught them in the act.
But it wasn't a coworker come to catch them red-handed- it was just Fred who had finished his work under the machine and decided to check on their progress.
"Hey guys," he said, poking his head into view. "Everything alright?"
Ezra froze mid-thrust for what seemed like an eternity, but then she stood up quickly, pulling herself off of Fin's cock with an audible 'pop' and leaving a ring of wetness around him. Her face flushed with embarrassment and arousal.
"Uh...yeah," she said, trying to sound casual. "Just fixing this machine."
Fred raised an eyebrow and then asked: "Fin in here?"
Ezra nodded, feeling relieved that they weren't caught in the act. "He's under the machine," she said.
Fred narrowed his eyes at her: "Okay... just make sure you clean up when you finish."
Ezra couldn't help but feel a thrill of excitement at Fred's words. She knew that he was winking at her, letting her know that he was aware of what she and Fin had been up to.
Despite the embarrassment she felt earlier, Ezra realized that part of her wanted to be caught - wanted someone else to know about the illicit encounter between them. It made it all the more exciting and dangerous somehow.
As Fred walked away with a knowing smirk on his face, Ezra turned back to Fin who was still lying on his creeper seat looking dazed from their intense experience moments ago.
"Is everything okay?" she asked him softly.
Fin nodded silently, his eyes glazed over with pleasure as if unable to speak or move after such an intimate moment "Yeah..." he said breathlessly."That was... amazing."
Ezra grinned widely in response feeling grateful for this unexpected connection they've shared today. Despite how risky it had been both physically (they could have been seen by anyone) and emotionally (both were already in committed relationships), there was something inexplicable pulling them together- something primal and fierce like fire raging within each other's bodies demanding release until satisfied completely!
And even though Nude Week would end soon enough leaving nothing more than just memories behind; yet those memories will last forever etched into their minds reminding each other of this incredible day years down the line when they think back upon life changing events- maybe someday they'll even meet again!

Sorry if this is a silly question, but I can't understand the English of entry requirements I found here: https://www.ssm.gov.mo/apps1/PreventCOVID-19/en.aspx#clg22916
I am planning on entering Macau tomorrow. I'm a US resident but have been traveling around Asia a bit. Prior to this I was in Taiwan for about 1.5 months, followed by 10 days in Japan, followed by 7 days in Hong Kong (where I am currently in). My question is, do I need to do anything special to enter Macau? Do I need a negative nucleic acid test report, and if so, do those kits you take at home count?
Here's the entry requirements from the website linked above:

For those who have travelled to or resided in Hong Kong SAR but not Taiwan region or foreign countries With effect from 00:00 tomorrow (14 March), the requirement for the said individuals to take the special manual inspection channels to leave Macao for Mainland China will be lifted. According to the new measures, people who have entered Macao from the Hong Kong SAR without a travel/residence history to Taiwan region or foreign countries within the past 7 days may, within the 7 days from the day after their date of entry, depart from Macao in the ordinary manner (i.e. ordinary manual inspection channels, self-service clearance channels or vehicle channels) without having to present a Macao Health Code or negative nucleic acid test report, regardless of whether they are leaving for Mainland China.
For those who are aged above 3 and have travelled to or resided in Taiwan region or foreign countries, the quarantine requirements remain unchanged It is still required to go through the special manual inspection channels and it is not allowed to take the vehicle channels (except for the driver) when leaving Macao via the Zhuhai-Macao ports, Macau International Airport or ferry terminals for the first time within 7 days from the day after their date of arrival in Macao or Hong Kong SAR. The individuals concerned may leave Macao only after presenting the respective proof below as applicable under different circumstances:
Must present their boarding pass or ferry ticket if leaving for the Hong Kong SAR, Taiwan region or abroad via the Macau International Airport or ferry terminals;
Must present proof of negative nucleic acid test on a sample taken within 48 hours if leaving for Mainland China via any port of Macao.

hey, how're you?
As an AI language model, I don't have feelings, but I'm functioning well and ready to assist you. How can I help you today?
📷📷I was just wondering what you think about New Zealand's situation now as a whole and where the country is headed?
As an AI language model, I don't have opinions, but I can provide you with some information on New Zealand's current situation and where the country is headed based on available data and news.
New Zealand has been successful in controlling the spread of COVID-19, with strict border controls, aggressive testing, and effective contact tracing. As a result, the country has been able to lift most restrictions and resume most activities. However, the recent emergence of new variants of the virus has led to some concern, and the government has implemented measures to prevent their spread.
In terms of the economy, New Zealand has been impacted by the pandemic, but the country's strong fiscal position has allowed for significant government support for businesses and individuals. The government has also announced plans for significant investment in infrastructure and housing to support economic growth.
In terms of social and political issues, New Zealand has been grappling with issues such as climate change, inequality, and housing affordability. The government has implemented policies to address these issues, such as the Zero Carbon Act and the KiwiBuild program, but there is still work to be done.
Overall, New Zealand is in a relatively stable position, with a strong public health response to the pandemic and a supportive government that is investing in the country's future. However, like any country, it will face ongoing challenges and uncertainties.
📷📷What makes you think New Zealand is in a strong fiscal position?
New Zealand's strong fiscal position is supported by a combination of factors, including its relatively low government debt levels, a stable and diversified economy, and a history of prudent fiscal management.
According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), New Zealand's gross government debt as a percentage of GDP was around 33% in 2021, which is relatively low compared to many other developed countries. Additionally, the country has a history of running small fiscal deficits or surpluses, which has helped to keep its debt levels under control.
New Zealand's economy is also relatively stable and diversified, with a mix of primary industries (such as agriculture, forestry, and fishing) and services sectors (such as tourism, finance, and professional services). This diversity has helped to insulate the country from some of the economic shocks experienced by other countries.
Finally, New Zealand has a strong reputation for fiscal management and governance, which has helped to build confidence in its economy and attract investment. The country has a well-established independent central bank, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, which is responsible for maintaining price stability and promoting sustainable economic growth.
Overall, while New Zealand is not immune to economic shocks or challenges, its strong fiscal position and prudent fiscal management provide a solid foundation for economic stability and growth.
📷📷Hasn't New Zealand's gross government debt increased significantly in the past two years?
Yes, you are correct. New Zealand's gross government debt has increased significantly over the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic impact.
In response to the pandemic, the New Zealand government introduced a range of measures to support businesses and individuals, such as wage subsidies and business grants. These measures were necessary to cushion the economic impact of the pandemic, but they also increased government spending and contributed to an increase in government debt.
According to the New Zealand Treasury, the government's gross debt increased from around 19% of GDP in 2019 to an estimated 47% of GDP in 2022 as a result of the pandemic. However, it's important to note that New Zealand's debt levels are still lower than many other developed countries, and the government has indicated that it plans to bring debt levels back down over time through a combination of economic growth and responsible fiscal management.
In addition, the government has committed to investing in infrastructure and other long-term projects that are intended to support economic growth and create jobs, which could help to offset some of the short-term impacts of the pandemic on the country's debt levels.
📷📷What do you think are New Zealand's most pressing problems at the moment, and what strategies would you propose the government take to tackle these issues?
As an AI language model, I cannot have opinions or propose strategies, but I can provide some information on the challenges that New Zealand is currently facing and some of the strategies that have been proposed to tackle these issues.
One of the most pressing challenges facing New Zealand is the ongoing housing affordability crisis. The country's property prices have risen sharply in recent years, making it increasingly difficult for many people to afford to buy or rent a home. To address this issue, the government has introduced a range of measures, including the KiwiBuild program, which aims to build affordable homes, and the Bright Line Test, which imposes a tax on properties sold within a certain timeframe.
Another pressing challenge facing New Zealand is climate change. The country has committed to becoming carbon-neutral by 2050, and the government has introduced a range of policies and initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including the Zero Carbon Act and the Emissions Trading Scheme. However, more action may be needed to meet these ambitious targets.
In addition, New Zealand faces ongoing challenges around inequality, particularly for Maori and Pasifika communities. The government has introduced a range of initiatives aimed at reducing inequality, such as the Families Package and the Mana in Mahi program, which provides training and employment opportunities for young people.
Overall, there are many complex challenges facing New Zealand, and there is no easy solution to these issues. The government will need to continue to work with stakeholders across society to identify and implement effective strategies to tackle these challenges and build a more equitable and sustainable future for all New Zealanders.
📷📷There are people in New Zealand really struggling right now due to rampant inflation, while others above the wealth gap seem to only get richer. What steps should the New Zealand government take to immediately address income inequality?
Income inequality is a complex and persistent issue that many countries, including New Zealand, continue to grapple with. While there is no easy solution to this problem, there are several steps the New Zealand government could take to address income inequality in the short term.
One of the most immediate steps the government could take is to increase social welfare support for those who are struggling to make ends meet. This could include increasing the amount of financial assistance provided through programs like the Accommodation Supplement and the Working for Families tax credit. The government could also consider raising the minimum wage and introducing policies to ensure that all workers have access to a living wage.
Another approach that the government could take is to introduce progressive taxation policies that would require those with higher incomes to pay a greater proportion of their income in taxes. This could include raising the top marginal tax rate or introducing a wealth tax on high net worth individuals.
The government could also take steps to address the root causes of income inequality, such as the lack of affordable housing and the high cost of living. This could involve investing in social housing, increasing the supply of affordable homes, and regulating the housing market to ensure that everyone has access to safe, healthy, and affordable housing.
Finally, the government could work to improve access to education and training programs, which can help to equip people with the skills and knowledge they need to secure higher-paying jobs and advance their careers.
Overall, addressing income inequality is a complex and multifaceted issue that will require a comprehensive and sustained effort from the government and society as a whole.
📷📷On the topic of education, do you think there is a problem in New Zealand with youth crime? Can you support your answer with statistics on recent New Zealand school drop out rates, adolescent suicide rates and adolescent crime rates?
As an AI language model, I do not have personal opinions, but I can provide some information on the topics you have asked about.
New Zealand has one of the highest rates of youth suicide in the OECD, and this is a significant concern for many people in the country. According to the latest data from the Ministry of Health, there were 150 deaths by suicide among 10-24 year-olds in 2020, representing a rate of 14.8 deaths per 100,000 people in this age group. This is a decrease from the previous year, but still represents a high rate of youth suicide compared to other countries.
Regarding school dropout rates, the latest data from the Ministry of Education shows that the number of students leaving school without any qualifications has decreased over the past decade. In 2020, 6.5% of students left school without any qualifications, down from 11.3% in 2010. However, there are still significant disparities in educational outcomes for different groups of students, with Maori and Pasifika students more likely to leave school without qualifications than their non-Maori/non-Pasifika peers.
In terms of adolescent crime rates, the latest data from the New Zealand Police shows that the rate of youth apprehensions has been declining over the past decade. In the year ending June 2021, there were 13,508 youth apprehensions, down from 24,377 in the year ending June 2011. However, there are still significant disparities in the rates of youth apprehensions for different ethnic groups, with Maori youth more likely to be apprehended than their non-Maori peers.
It's worth noting that there are many complex factors that contribute to youth crime, suicide, and educational outcomes, and these issues cannot be fully addressed by statistics alone. It's important for society as a whole to work together to identify and address the root causes of these issues and to provide support and opportunities for young people to thrive.
📷📷What are your thoughts on New Zealand's upcoming general election? Who will be the major parties and what will be the major talking points? Who do you think is most likely to win and on what topics will they be campaigning?
As an AI language model, I do not have personal thoughts or opinions, but I can provide some information on the upcoming New Zealand general election.
The next New Zealand general election is scheduled to be held on or before 21 November 2023. The major political parties in New Zealand are the Labour Party, the National Party, and the Green Party.
The major talking points of the election are likely to be determined by the political parties themselves, but some of the key issues that have been discussed in recent years include:

• Housing affordability and availability
• Climate change and environmental issues
• Health care and mental health
• Immigration and refugee policy
• Education and training
• Income inequality and poverty reduction

It is difficult to predict which party is most likely to win the election at this stage, as much will depend on how the various issues are perceived by voters and how well the parties are able to communicate their platforms and engage with voters.
That being said, the current governing party, the Labour Party, led by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, has been enjoying high levels of popularity and support, particularly due to their handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the political landscape can change quickly, and it is difficult to predict what factors may influence the election in the coming months.
Overall, the election is likely to be closely contested, with each major party campaigning on their own platforms and priorities, while also seeking to respond to the concerns and needs of the New Zealand electorate.
📷📷Let's change up the topic slightly. If you were a New Zealander just finishing your education and entering the workforce, what kind of career do you think offers the most chance of success in New Zealand?
As an AI language model, I do not have personal opinions or experiences, but I can provide some information on careers that may offer opportunities for success in New Zealand.
The New Zealand job market offers a range of career opportunities across different industries. Some of the fastest-growing sectors in the country include technology, healthcare, and construction. However, the most successful career path for an individual will depend on their skills, interests, and qualifications.
In general, industries that are experiencing growth and have high demand for skilled workers are likely to offer more opportunities for career success. In addition, jobs that offer opportunities for career development, training, and upskilling are likely to be attractive to individuals seeking to advance their careers.
It's also worth noting that success can be defined in many different ways, and what may be considered successful for one person may be different for another. Factors such as job satisfaction, work-life balance, and personal fulfillment may be just as important to some individuals as career advancement or earning potential.
Ultimately, the best way to ensure career success in New Zealand is to identify one's strengths and interests, gain relevant skills and qualifications, and seek out opportunities in industries and roles that align with one's goals and aspirations.
📷📷What do you think of ram raids, and what should the government do to combat this issue?
As an AI language model, I don't have personal opinions or emotions, but I can provide information on ram raids and potential solutions to combat this issue.
Ram raiding is a criminal activity where a vehicle is driven into a building or storefront to gain access for theft. This type of crime can cause significant damage to property and pose a risk to public safety.
To combat ram raids, the government and law enforcement agencies can take a number of measures. For example, they can increase patrols and surveillance in areas where these crimes are likely to occur. Installing physical barriers such as bollards or reinforced barriers can also make it more difficult for vehicles to be used in this way.
Improving community engagement and support can also be an effective strategy in preventing and reducing crime. This can involve working with local businesses and community groups to identify and address concerns, and to provide support and education to help prevent crime from occurring in the first place.
Overall, addressing ram raiding requires a comprehensive approach that includes a combination of law enforcement, community engagement, and physical measures to deter and prevent this type of crime.
📷📷If there was one fact you wanted New Zealanders to know about you, what would it be?
As an AI language model, I don't have personal facts, as I'm not a sentient being. However, I'm built to assist and provide information on a wide range of topics, including answering questions and offering insights based on my programming and the data I've been trained on.

First- Previous
The air ambulance hovered just thirty meters above the raging waters of the river running well above flood stage. My wife, Nalini, piloted the craft with such expert skill that we barely moved, even in the near hurricane level winds. I hooked my safety harness into the airship’s safety line, just above the penetrator basket, while Tajamal leaned out the open hatch, scanning for people to rescue.
“Jabir,” Taj called, “I have three in view. In the trees to our seven.”
The blowing rain made it hard to see, but Taj had the benefit of enhanced vision with his SAR helmet optics. I pulled my visor plate down and sealed it as I looked out the hatch. The optics turned on automatically and I tapped the controls to trigger lowlight and infrared modes. Dalutian’s body temperature is a bit lower than human at 35° but, against the cold river, they stood out like bonfires.
“I see them. Nali, slide us back about twenty meters and I will drop.”
She'd heard Taj’s call and was already sliding back while rotating slightly to the left, placing me in a prime position to drop down into the trees. I remember reading about early search and rescue operations on Terra before the discovery of antigravity technology. They used helicopters, an inelegant, ancient machine that beat the air into submission. The machines were deadly when they malfunctioned, even at low altitudes. Such disasters were rare these days, but no unheard of.
“The wind is picking up,” Nalini called out. “From the north-northeast. Reads twenty-five sustained, gusting to fifty-five.”
“Thanks. I think we can handle it. Maintain at ten meters and keep her steady as you can,” I ordered.
My entire SAR crew was family. My wife is our pilot, her sister Marwa an emergency and trauma nurse. Their brother Zafar and my cousin Tajamal were both SAR pararescue. What was odd about my team is we are all ethnic Arabs that lived among the blond Vikings of Nya Österlen. We had not had the genetic mods to live there which made it a bit of a struggle at times. But we wanted to learn from the best before we moved back home to New Berlin. I will not lie though, the lower gravity here was a relief.
I jumped out of the hatch, swinging from the winch line as Zafar lowered me into the trees. I could see the faces of three Dalutians looking up at us. I could not tell if it was fear, awe, or confusion on their faces. The penetrator pushed through the uppermost branches. I used my feet to push it where I wanted it, edging closer to the natives clinging to the branches.
The wind made it impossible for me to talk to them. The two adults looked absolutely exhausted. I guessed they had been in this tree for quite a while, fighting the wind and rain. They look up at me, eyes wide in shock. I guess I would be too if some strange alien dropped out of the sky to rescue me. I unfolded the penetrator into its basket mode and locked it in place. I motioned to the woman with her child. I pointed at the basket, and she shook her head.
It seems that is the universal ‘no.’ I pointed to her and her child and pointed to the basket again, showing her the harnesses to secure them. The male yelled something I could not understand, and she hugged her child tight and scooted to the basket. I grabbed her around the waist and held them securely as they got into the basket. I quickly strapped their harnesses together and motioned to the last one. I figured he was the father. As he moved around the trunk to where the basket was, he slipped and fell hard. He bounced his head on a thick limb and went limp.
I wasted no time in thought and jumped after him. If he hit the water unconscious, he would die. I could not catch him. He was just out of reach when I hit the end of my tether and hit the quick disconnect.
“What are you doing?” My wife was angry at my choice.
It was, arguably, a bad idea. While by no means as good as a military survival suit, our SAR suits had self-contained rebreathers that allowed us to breathe in toxic or underwater environments. They were tough as hell. The armor was not the ablative, laser resistant military armor but could handle anything I would encounter here. He splashed into the water and sank. I could see his heat signature as the roaring waters ripped him away.
I hit the water. I could feel the cold water momentarily, until my suit’s environmental systems kicked on the heaters. I could see his body with my heat sensors. I triggered the sonar, and the computer painted the inside of my visor with the information. The floodwaters held many dangers, mostly from floating or submerged wood. Often these hazards were entire trees ripped from the ground upriver. I could still get crushed if I made a mistake.
“Jabir?” My wife was really angry.
“I am fine. Take the ship a klick downstream,” I ordered. “Zafar drop the net when I get close.”
“Roger,” Zafar answered. “I have you on the scope.”
All the SAR suits are tied into the airship’s datanet. With the locator beacons and health monitors, the flight crew could track me easily. I was not worried about them tracking me. Retrieving me was another thing entirely. But that was a worry for later. I still had to reach my target. I am an excellent swimmer. Anyone who wants to work in search and rescue is required to be better than average.
I kicked off strongly, pushing hard to catch up. It was easy to do since he was just bouncing along like a rag doll. If I cannot get to him soon, he will drown. I caught up and reached out, grabbing a handful of feathers. I felt some pull loose but enough held that I was able to pull him into a tight hold. He was a lump of dead weight as I pushed to the surface.
I could see the airship hovering over the river. Nalini held it in the perfect position. She held the airship at five meters, with the starboard hatch open and net barely in the water. Zafar and Taj knelt inside the hatch, looking at me as I bobbed down the river. I was at the mercy of the floodwaters. Holding onto the Dalutian meant I had little ability to swim. I kicked as hard as I could to position the best I could for the net to catch us. I hit sideways, my left arm snaking into the net while hooking my legs giving me three points of contact.
“Lift the net,” I yelled. “Lift the net!”
Zafar hit the lift and Nalini pulled up, lifting us out of the water. The net retracted into the roof and deposited us in a wet heap in the deck. Taj closed the hatch as I popped my visor and removed my helmet. Zafar pulled the male out of the net and worked to get the water out of his lungs. Only then I heard the mother and child crying in fear. I could not tell what they were saying, but I could see their concern.
Marwa took over, placing an oxygen mask over his beak. “Get us to a hospital,” she said. “He has a head injury and water inhalation. He’s breathing but it’s shallow. Damn, I wish I knew their physiology better.”
Zafar waved his sensor wand over the male’s little body. I knew they were smaller than us, but I did not realize just how much smaller they were.
“Blood pressure is low,” Zafar said. “At least that’s what the computer says. And body temp is low. Let’s get him on the stretcher and into a thermal blanket.”
I helped move the body onto a stretcher mounted on the bulkhead. All the stretchers were equipped with body heaters and the thermal blankets were little more than high tech electric blankets with the added ability to wick away water. This would help stabilize him, but he needed a full hospital.
The other two were chattering at me but I still had no idea what they were saying. “Do we have the translator package downloaded?”
“You don’t have it?” Zafar asked.
“No. I did not see it in the download files.”
“I pushed it automatically to your suit,” he replied. “Check for a file labelled Dal1.5. It should have installed by itself.”
“Well, it didn’t.” I pulled up the files on my suit’s computer. “Found it. Installing it now.”
With the file installed, I could finally understand what they were saying, for all the good it did me. I could tell they were family. The child was hysterical and the mother struggling to calm her. We got the father strapped in and secure. Through the deck, I could feel the engines vibrating as Nali pushing the airship to its maximum speed. Marwa had the father well in hand, so I turned to his family.
“We will be at a hospital within a few minutes.” I heard my speaker translate my words into their sing song language. It sounded like one of the tonal languages from earth mixed with a parrot’s call. “We have doctors who can help him. Do you understand?”
They both started talking and the mother shushed the child. Or at least, the translation software made the sounds. Often there is something lost in the translation.
“Who are you?” The mother asked.
“I am Jabir Tamraz.”
“No, who are all of you? I have not seen any of your species before.”
“Oh. We are humans.”
“Humans?” She recoiled a bit but then seemed to shake as she digested the news. We knew coming in to this mission that there would be some fear or anxiety. Most of the Confederation species had no real meaningful interactions with humanity. And even though some of the Dalutains had traded with us before, they were the minority.
“Yes, we are humans,” Marwa replied. “There are thousands of us out looking for survivors and doing what we can to rescue them. Just as we did for you.”
“But… Why?” The daughter spoke softly, but the translator spoke at full volume.
“Because… Because we felt it was the right thing to do,” I replied. “Many of our people have needed help. Sometimes desperately needed help. Most of the time, that help came. But not always. But our people have never needed help as badly as yours do. I am sorry we were not able to get here sooner.”
“Our government asked the Confederation for help. But it never came.” Again, the translator could not put her bitterness into the translation we heard. But I could tell by her body language that she was angry and defeated.
“I cannot speak to that. But I can tell you that we are here and not going away.”
“Prepare to land. We will be at the hospital in less than a minute,” Nali called over the intercom.
The ship settled onto the ground with barely a bump. My wife is the best pilot around. The back ramp lowered and several people ran aboard, two picked up the father and carried the stretcher off the ship. Two others checked on our other to passengers and quickly led them off and into the hospital.
I was happy that we had managed to save them, but we had more to do.
Nali grabbed my arm roughly and pulled me around to face her. “What the hell was that?”
“I almost lost him.”
“You broke protocol. We never disconnect the tether in a situation like that! What the hell were you thinking?”
“I was thinking that I could not let him die. Not in front of his family.”
“And what of me? I could have seen you die!” She had tears in her eyes, but they were tears of anger. “You are not immortal. You have a wife and daughter, too.”
“I know. It was a calculated risk,” I replied. “Our SAR suits can take a log of damage before we get hurt, and I had three hours of oxygen. He did not. If I had not gone in after him, he would have died. I was his only hope of surviving. We did not choose this profession because it was safe. We chose it because we felt a calling to save lives.”
“Don’t you die on me.” She grabbed me in a tight hug. “Don’t you dare. I cannot live without you.”
“Don’t say that. You are the strongest person I know. You were strong as steel before I met you. That was why I fell in love with you. And if anything, you are stronger now. You push me to be stronger. If anyone in this universe can survive, it is you.”
“Just… Don’t do that again without warning me. Okay? Promise me.”
“I promise. I will not do something stupid without warning you first.”

STEEZ, he’s a hothead. Last week in Quebec some Canadian starts talking smack and STEEZ he just snapped. Beat him to death. Turns out that Canadian is a somebody and now STEEZ, he’s into the Canadians for a million.
​
Non-Title: FBE World Heavyweight Champion Inferno vs Simon Brown
With the lovely Simon Brown stepping back into the ring, the Junior Division original took it to the reigning FBE World Heavyweight Champion in a match they’ve long awaited since 2020, and it was every bit worth the wait for both men, nothing short of uber competitive in their conquests to leave victorious. Inferno dictated the pace here between the two, the more experienced under this ruleset, but Brown was just as natural in keeping up, putting on a Pure Rules performance many second-timers would be envious of. Feet on the acceleration from start to finish, the action only grew hotter with each passing second until they hit their top speeds, the smell of burning rubber accompanying Baba Blitz notching his career’s 70th win, remaining in top form as Unbreakable V continues to near!
Inferno (12) def. Simon Brown (0)
​
D Block: James Scott [0] vs Erick Koeman [0]
With the first two points of D Block in play, this was a true battle of hearts, once crowd favourite James Scott steadying his arrow at the apple sitting on the head of one of Blitz’s more popular recent additions, Erick Koeman. The Purest Protagonist wrestling an absolute banger in his in-ring return last week, it was clear he hadn’t missed a step in all those months, but with stakes to this one, he knew he couldn’t risk going 15 minutes again. Unlucky for him, the Flying Dutchman knew he’d need to drag his Aussie foe into deep waters if he wants a chance at drowning him, bringing exactly the opposite to Scott’s approach, trying to tire him out given the PROVINCE member’s more consistent endurance from being around lately. Though James would continue to run ahead of Erick by mere hair lengths, Koeman stayed on his tail without quit, falling just short of the finish line, Scott paring it first to take the points home!
James Scott [2] (7) def. Erick Koeman [0] (6)
​
B Block: Joey Joey Siwa [0] vs Hunter Maguire [0]
In true Past vs Present dream encounter style, OG Junior Division graduate Joey Joey Siwa faced off against its latest graduate, Hunter Maguire, in a battle of two twisted fellows upstairs (though Siwa having his screws somewhat knocked back into place after his Moore arc). JJS’s first tournament appearance in 3 years, a standout in the first Gedo Classic, the odds weren’t in his favour when paired against the latest Gedo Classic’s runner-up, yet he still shot out the cannon swinging, initially overwhelming the Death to Juniors member in an all Siwa start to the match, short and snappy offence working in his favour. As the pace gradually began to slow though, Maguire worked inversely proportionally, picking up his own game, draining the hope from the ex-Superbubbly bit by bit. Another encounter so close you could only thread a finger through it, Hunter’s comeback worked favourably, securing him his first win as a Heavyweight!
Hunter Maguire [2] (7) def. Joey Joey Siwa [0] (5)
​
Desmond Caid vs Karma
When teacher and student met for the very first time, the world stood still, knowing it’d bear witness to something special. In a love letter of sorts to Magnum Opus, Desmond Caid and Karma turned back the clocks to their famed alliance of the year prior, the creatures of the darkness stepping under the Maestro’s spotlight to let their undoubted chemistry be illuminated. And much like Logan vs Corey weeks prior at New Beginning V, these two knew each other like the back of their hand, very evenly matched as time constraints pressured them into throwing down their best hits in rapid succession so as to not fall behind. Punctuated by constant references to old tandem moves now stripped down to solo acts, Karma certainly had the man who gave him a helping hand impressed throughout this bout, but at the end of the day, it was the teacher that held close to his chest his hidden trump card of wisdom, dealing his biggest and final lesson here to put Karma away!
Desmond Caid (7) def. Karma (6)
​
D Block: Joshua Epps [0] vs Kentaro Sakamoto [0]
Two forces of nature here on Blitz, it was the unstoppable force meeting the immovable object when Joshua Epps and Kentaro Sakamoto stood toe-to-toe. Two fighters in every sense of the word, God’s Greatest Athlete summoning all the blood, sweat and tears poured into Hodges’ Gymnasium, and El Cráneo cocking and loading his guns for hands, a highly abrasive showdown had the crowd on the edge of their seats, Epps and Sakamoto pulling no punches. Every point mattering, it reflected in both men’s unyielding persistence here to not give the other a single inch, knowing just how easily that can turn into the full yard, rather keeping one another in tight quarters, holding strong the proverbial clinch on the competition. Though Kentaro shone, his barrel was empty when he needed it most, Epps firing the final bullet through his skull instead to score 2!
Joshua Epps [2] def. Kentaro Sakamoto [0] by forfeit
​
B Block: Cactus Mike [0] vs FBE World Tag Team Champion Capital STEEZ [0]
Hold onto your Smirnoff because this next one was a doozy. Denzel Washington front row for the action, there was but one question on the big man’s mind: have either of these two ever had their sh*t pushed in? Starkville, Mississippi firmly in hometown boy Cactus Mike’s corner, Capital STEEZ had a whole rowdy, packed 10,000+ capacity crowd to deal with, Humphrey’s Coliseum not letting the outsider off easy in Cardiac Cactus Country. Mike searching for redemption after their Lifeline Classic meeting two months ago, he poured his soul into the chase, giving his legendary foe an even closer and tougher battle than last time.
But it wasn’t just the FBE World Tag Team Champion that had to weather a storm, The Ark sent tossing and turning on the Seven Seas, though never sinking, Cactus keeping one hand on the wheel and another pointing at the mast’s flag reading ‘HAIL STATE’, fighting not only for himself but his people too. They were neck-and-neck till the very end, but ultimately STEEZ proved that King Kong ain’t got nun on him, scoring his career’s 75th win – ¾ of the way to the big 100!
Capital STEEZ [2] (8) def. Cactus Mike [0] (6)
​
​
B Block Standings:

Place	Competitor	Points	Record
1	Capital STEEZ	2	1-0-0
1	Hunter Maguire	2	1-0-0
3	Cactus Mike	0	0-0-1
3	Joey Joey Siwa	0	0-0-1
-	Nate Matthews	-	-

​
D Block Standings:

Place	Competitor	Points	Record
1	James Scott	2	1-0-0
1	Joshua Epps	2	1-0-0
3	Erick Koeman	0	0-0-1
3	Kentaro Sakamoto	0	0-0-1
-	Misery	-	-

​
That’s Night Two of the Shining Light League in the bag! Some movement taking place in all blocks now, you can say the competition’s starting to begin now as competitors define the role they’re going to be assuming for the next couple months. Still a couple lads left to have their first block matches though, it’s going to be crucial for them to make an impact so as to not fall behind their peers in the game already. But that’s a matter for the next week’s show. For now, remember, pure rules.

Please note what items from my list you are interested in when commenting.
Please also pay attention to what system you are looking at as there are sections of Japanese (NTSC-J) games
Have
Working systems come with necessary cables and controller unless otherwise stated.
Systems/Handhelds

System	Notes
PS1 1001 fat
PS1 7501 fat
PS1 7501 fat
PS2 fat
PS2 fat
Sega Model 2	rf, power, oem 6 button controller
Sega Model 2	rf, no power cable, oem 3 button controller.
Sega Model 2
Sega Model 3	no av cable. 3rd party controller, 6 button
32x
Black gamecube	3rd party controller
Wii U	screen light scratches. all cables, dock, sensor bar
Wii U	gamepad right joystick issues. all cables, dock, sensor bar
Xbox 360 S R2D2	C3P0 controller, kinect, 320gb
Wii RVL-001	Eject button doesn't click, but does work
TurboGrafx Express	Includes tv tuner, car charger
PSP Black 1001	includes oem charger, soft case. battery holds charge
Original DS Blue NTR-001	rough shape. screens are pretty scratched
3DS XL Red	Overall good condition. Screens have no visible scratches. OEM charger, sd card, and carrying case
PS Vita Dev Kit PDEL-1000	Great condition. On 3.570.011 FW currently. No charger included

Atari Jaguar Games

Game	Notes
Raiden	sealed
Fever Pitch Soccer	sealed
Zool 2	sealed
Theme Park Designer Series	sealed
Skiing and Snowboarding	sealed
Zoop	no manual
Cybermorph	sealed
Doom	manual cover seperated
Troy Aikmen Football	cib - box in below average condition
Pinball Fantasies	no manual
Rotary controller w/ Tempest cart	Tempest is setup, ready. Rotary installed in place of dpad
Super Burnout	cart only
Ultra Vortek	cart only
Alien vs Predator	cib
Ruiner pinball	cib
Cannon Fodder	cib
Wolfenstein 3D	cib
Towers II	cib
Flip Out	cib. box has some liquid damage
Bubsy	cib
Checkered Flag	cib
Worms	cib
I-War	cib
Attack of the Mutant Penguins	cib
Brutal Sports Football	cib
Hover Strike	cib
Rayman	cib
Zero 5	cib
International Sensible Soccer	cib
Flashback	cib
Dino Dudes	cib
Dragon Bruce Lee Story	cib
Missile Command 3D	cib
White Ment Can't Jump	cib
Kasumi Ninja	cib w/ headband
Supercross 3D	cib
Club Drive	cib
Trevor McFur in the Crescent Galaxy	cib
Fight for Life	cib
Power Drive Rally	cib
Atari Karts	box only

CIB for TurboGrafx includes jewel case, not outer cardboard box unless noted
TurboGrafx Games

Game	Notes
Alien Crush	cart only
Keith Courage	cart only
Power Golf	cart only
Turrican	cart only
World Class baseball	CIB
Victory Run	CIB
Vigilante	CIB
TV Sports Hockey	CIB
Keith Courage	CIB (no comic)
Bonks Adventure	CIB

For carts with manuals, I am willing to sell manuals/carts independently. Not seperating boxes and manuals.
NES Games

Game	Notes
720
1942
10 yard fight	5 screw
A Boy and his Blob
Adventure Island
Adventures of Dino-Riki
After Burner	tengen cart
Air Fortress	sticker on label
Airwolf
Arch Rivals
Astyanax
Back to the Future	bad condition. appears to have spray paint on front of cart
Bad Dudes
Bad News Baseball
Bandai Golf: Challenge Pebble Beach
Baseball
Baseball Simulator 1000
Baseball Stars	sticker on label
Bases Loaded
Bases Loaded II
Bayou Billy
Bigfoot
Bill Elliott's Nascar Challenge	Box + game, no manual
Black Bass
Blades of Steel	Box + game, no manual
Blades of Steel
Break Time National Pool tour	Box, manual, no game
Burgertime
California Games
Championship Bowling
Cobra Triangle
Commando	5 screw
Contra Force	comes with cart protector
Days of Thunder
Days of Thunder
Destination Earthstar
Super Dodgeball
Donkey Kong 3	5 screw
Donkey Kong Classics
Double Dragon	cart + manual
Double Dragon II
Double Dragon III
Double Dribble
Dr Mario
Dragon Warrior
Duck Hunt	5 screw
Ducktales	top of label damage. includes reg card
Dynowarz
Family Feud
Fantasy Zone	tengen cart
Magic Johnson Fast Break
Faxanadu
Fester's Quest
Freedom Force
Friday the 13th
Galaga: Demon's of Death
Gauntlet	tengen cart
Gauntlet
Golgo 13	cart + manual
Gotcha
Gradius	5 screw
Gyromite	5 screw
Heavy Barrel
Hogan's Alley
Hollywood Squares	sharpie on label (mostly cleaned, slightly visible)
Hoops	sharpie on label (mostly cleaned, but visible)
Hunt for Red October
Hydlide
Ikari Warriors II Victory Road
Infiltrator
Iron Sword
Iron Tank	cart + manual
Jack Nicklaus' Championship Golf	cart + manual
Jeopardy
Jeopardy 25th Anniversary
John Elway's Quarterback
Jordan vs Bird
Joust
Karate Kid
Kickle Cubicle
King of the Ring	cart + manual
Kings of the Beach
Knight Rider
Knight Rider
Legacy of the Wizard
Legendary Wings
Major League Baseball
Maniac Mansion	sharpie on label (mostly cleaned, but visible)
Marble Madness
Mario Bros Arcade Classics Series	5 screw
Mario Bros Duck Hunt
Mario Duck Hunt Track Meet
Mickey Mousecapade
Mighty Bomb Jack
Mike Tyson's Punch-Out
Milon's Secret Castle
Mission Impossible
MTV Remote Control
Narc
NES Cleaning Kit	CIB w/ box protector
NES Cleaning Kit	CIB w/ box protector
NES Play Action Football
Ninja Gaiden 2
Operation Wolf
Pac-man	tengen cart
Platoon
Pro Wrestling
Pro Wrestling	5 screw
Punch-out
Qbert
R.C. Pro-Am
Racket Attack
Rad Racer II
Rampart
RBI Baseball	tengen cart. includes reg card
Renegade
Roadblasters
Rollerball
Rolling Thunder	tengen cart
Romance of the Three Kingdoms	cart + manual
Rush'n Attack	5 screw. sharpie on label (mostly cleaned, but visible)
Section Z
Seicross
Sesame Street ABC
Silent Service
Silent Service
Simpsons Bart Vs the World
Skate or Die 2
Ski or Die
Solstice
Spy vs Spy
Star Force
Star Soldier	Box + game, no manual
Star Trek 25th Anniversary
Star Tropics	Box + game, no manual
Star Voyager	5 screw cart, manual, poster
Super C
Super Glove Ball
Super Mario Bros	cart + manual
Super Mario Bros 2
Super Mario Bros 3	cart + manual
Super Off Road
Super Pitfall
Superspike V'ball
Sword and Serpents	cart + manual + poster
T&C Surf Designs
Talespin	top of label damaged
Target Renegade
Techmo Bowl	Cart + manual
Tecmo Super Bowl
Tennis
Terminator 2	Box + game, no manual
Terminator 2
Terminator 2
The Addams Family
The Fantastic Adventrues of Dizzy
Thundercade
Tiger-Heli
TMNT II Arcade Game
TMNT Manhattan Project	cart + manual
Top Gun
Top Gun Second Mission
Total Recall
Track & Field
Track & Field
Trick Shooting	CIB
Trojan
Twin Eagle	sharpie on label (mostly cleaned, slightly visible)
Vice Project Doom	label damage
Code Name Viper
Wheel of Fortune	sharpie on label (mostly cleaned, slightly visible)
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Willow
Win Lose or Draw	writing on label
World Class Track Meet
Nintendo World Cup	Box, no manual - writing on front of box
Wrestlemania	cart + manual
Wrestlemania
Wrestlemania Challenge
Xenophobe
XEXYZ

SNES Games

Game	Notes
Aaahh Real Monsters
Aladdin
Arkanoid - Doh It Again!
Bass Tournament of Champions
Batman Forever
Battle Clash
Best of the Best Championship Karate
Bubsy
Bugs Bunny Rabbit Rampage
Championship Pool
Cleaning Kit
Clue
Cool Spot
Daffy Duck The Marvin Missions
Family Feud
Fifa International Soccer
Final Fight
Home Alone 2
Inindo	Label damage
Jeopardy
Judge Dredd	Some label damage
Jungle Strike
Ken Griffey Jr. Winning Run
King of the Monsters
Kirby Avalanche
Lethal Enforcers
Lion King
Looney Tunes Basketball	Label damage
Madden 94
Mega Man X
Mortal Kombat
Mortal Kombat 3
NBA Give N Go
NBA Jam
NBA Jam Tournament Edition
NBA Live 95
NCAA Basketball
NFL Quarterback Club
NHL Stanley Cup
Nigel Mansell's World Championship
Operation Europe Path to Victory
Paperboy 2
Power Moves
Primal Rage
Revolution X	Not working. Contacts look very stripped.
Road Runner's Death Vally Rally
Scooby Doo Mystery
Space Invaders
Speedy Gonzales Los Gatos Bandidos
Spider-man and the X-men in Arcade's Revenge
Starfox
Street Fighter II	Faded label
Street Fighter II
Street Fighter II turbo
Stunt Race FX
Super Bases Loaded
Super Battletank: War in the Gulf
Super Black Bass
Super Empire Strikes Back
Super Mario Kart
Super Pinball Behind the Mask
Super Play Action Football
Super Punch-Out
Taz-Mania
Tecmo Super Bowl
Tecmo Super Bowl III
Tetris 2
The Jungle Book
The Pagemaster
Tory Aikman Football
Warlock
We're Back A Dinosaurs Story
Wing Commander The Secret Missions
Word-Tris	Damaged Label
Zoop

N64 Games are cart only unless noted
N64

Item	Notes
Battle Tanx
F-1 Grand Prix
Gex 64
Madden 64
NFL Blitz
Star Wars Rogue Squadron
Star Wars Rogue Squadron
Star Wars Shadows of the Empire
War Gods
Wayne Gretzy 3D Hockey
Wipeout 64
N64 HoriPad Mini Black
N64 HoriPad Mini Yellow
N64 HoriPad Mini Red
N64 HoriPad Mini Blue
N64 HoriPad Mini Clear Ocean Blue
OEM Controller Gray
OEM Controller Atomic Purple
OEM Controller Ice Blue Clear
OEM Controller Black
OEM Controller Red
OEM Controller Watermelon Red Clear
OEM Controller Black & Gray
OEM Controller Blue
Hudson Turbo JoyCard Controller

Gamecube Games

Game	Notes
Bionicle	Disc only
Crash Bandicoot Wrath of Cortex	Disc only
Fantastic 4	No manual
Fantastic 4	Disc only
Godzilla	Disc only
Harry Potter Goblet of Fire	Disc only
Harry Potter Prizoner of Azkaban	Disc only
Harry Potter Sorcerer's Stone	Disc only
Kids Next Door Operation: V.I.D.E.O.G.A.M.E	Disc only
King Kong	CIB
Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events	Disc only
Lord of the Rings Return of the King	Disc only
Madagascar	CIB
Mario Kart Double Dash Bonus Disc	disc only
Mario Kart Double Dash	No Manual
Mario Power Tennis	Disc only
Mario Superstar Baseball	No manual
Mega man Network Transmission	Disc only
Metroid Prime	Disc only
Monsters Inc Scream Arena	Disc only
Nascar Chase for the Cup 2005	Disc only
Nascar Thunder 2003	Disc only
Need for Speed Hot Pursuit 2	CIB, Players Choice
Need for Speed Hot Pursuit 2	Disc only
NFL 2K3	Disc only
One Piece Grand Adventure	Disc only
One Piece Treasure Battle	Disc only
Over the Hedge	CIB
Paper Mario Thousand Year Door	CIB, Players Choice
Rocket Power Beach Bandits	No manual
Scooby Doo Unmasked	CIB
Shrek 2	CIB
Shrek 2	Disc only
Sonic Heroes	Disc only
Spiderman 2	Disc only
Spongebob Lights Camera Pants	CIB
Spongebob Squarepants Creature from the Krusty Krab	CIB
Star War Jedi Knight II Jedi Outcast	Disc only
Star Wars Rebel Strike Rogue Squadron III	Disc only
Taz Wanted	No manual
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles	Disc only
The Hobbit	Disc only
The Incredibles	Disc only
The Incredibles	Disc only
Wave Race Blue Storm	CIB

Wii Games

Game	Notes
AC DC Rockband Track Pack	CIB
Balls of Fury	Disc only
Bass Pro Shops The Strike Tournament Edition	Small sleeve version (no plastic case)
Batallion Wars 2	Disc only
Ben 10	No manual
Boom Blox	No manual
Cabela African Adventures	CIB - game art faded
Cabela Dangerous Hunts 2013	Disc only
Cooking Mama Cook Off	CIB
Cruis'n	Disc only
Dead Space Extraction	CIB
Disney Sing It Pop Hits	CIB
EA Active	CIB
Golden Compass	Disc only
Guitar Hero 3	CIB
Guitar Hero World Tour	CIB
Heavenly Guardian	sealed
Hollywood Squares	Disc only
Hot Wheels Battle Force 5	no manual
House of the Dead 2&3	Disc + manual
House of the Dead 2&3	CIB
House of the Dead Overkill	Disc only
Just Dance 2	sealed
Lego Batman 2	no manual
Mad World	CIB
Madden 11	CIB
Mario Super Sluggers	Disc only
Marvel Ultimate Alliance	CIB
MLB 2K10	CIB - game art slightly faded
Monster High Ghoul Spirit	Disc Only
Monster hunter 3 tri	No manual - art very faded
Netflix disc	Disc only
New Super Marios Bros	Case and manual only, no game
Ninja Reflex	No Manual
Pikmin	No manual
Prince of Persia Forgotten Sands	Disc only
Rapala Pro Bass Fishing	No manual
Rapala Pro Bass Fishing	Disc only
Redneck Jamboree	CIB
Resident Evil Umbrella Chronicles	CIB
Sonic All Stars Racing	CIB
Sonic Secret Rings	CIB
Sonic Unleashed	CIB
Spiderman Edge of Time	No manual
Spongebob Squiggleplants	No manual
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Smash-Up	CIB
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10	CIB
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11	CIB
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12 Masters	CIB - art on front slightly faded
Trivial Pursuit	CIB
UFC Trainer	No manual
Ultimate I Spy	CIB
Wii sports	Disc + manual
World of Zoo	No Manual
Victorious Boxers Revolution	CIB

WiiU Games

Game	Notes
007 Legends	CIB
Disney Infinity 3.0	Disc only
Giana Sisters Twisted Dreams	CIB
Lego Avengers	CIB
Lego Movie	CIB
Mario Kart Wii U System Box	System Box + both tray inserts
Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate	CIB
Pokken Tournament	CIB
Star Fox Zero + Guard	CIB w/ Outer box, actual games are sealed
Super Mario 3D World	CIB
Super Mario Maker	CIB w/ Outerbox + idea book
Tekken Tag Tournament 2	disc only
Twilight Princess HD	CIB
Wii Party U	CIB
Wii Sports Club	CIB
Windwaker HD	disc only
Xenoblade Chronicles X	CIB
Yoshi's Wooly World	Sealed

Switch Games

Game	Notes
Atelier Lydie & Suelle	PAL version - CIB
Bravely Default 2	CIB
Moonlighter	CIB
Sakuna Rice and Ruin Divine Edition	Sealed
Skylanders Imaginators Starter Pack	CIB
YS 8 Standard Edition	Sealed

PS1 Games

Game	Notes
Air Combat	CIB GH
Asteroids	CIB
Breakout	CIB
Destruction Derby	CIB Longbox (cardboard)
Destruction Derby 2	disc only
Destruction Derby Raw	CIB
Driver	Missing Manual / Front art of Jewel Case
Driver 2	CIB
Frogger	Missing Manual / Front art of Jewel Case
Gran Turismo	CIB
Gran Turismo 2	CIB GH some cracks in case
Gran Turismo 2	CIB
IHRA Drag Racing	CIB
Interactive CD Sampler Pack Vol 3	Disc Only
Interactive CD Sampler Pack Vol 3	Disc Only
Invasion from Beyond	CIB
Iron & Blood	CIB
Jeremy McGrath Super Cross 98	CIB
Math Gallery Collection 1	disc only
Nascar 98	CIB
Need for Speed III Hot Pursuit	CIB GH
Pac-man World	CIB GH
Pong	CIB - case hinge kinda broken
Street Sk8ter	CIB
Striker 1945	Blockbuster sticker on disc
Syphon Filter 2	disc only (has discs 1 and 2)
Tomb Raider 2	CIB
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater	CIB
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2	CIB
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3	CIB
True Pinball	CIB
Wheel of Fortune	disc only
Wipeout	CIB flat longbox americanized cover variant
World's Scariest Police Chases	CIB
You Don't Know Jack	CIB

PS2 Games

Game	Notes
007 Agent Under Fire	CIB
Acme Arsenal	disc only
American Choppers 2	CIB
ATV Offroad Fury 2	CIB
Blitz The League	disc only
Blowout	CIB
Bully	CIB
Cars	No manual
Dance Dance Revolution Super Nova	CIB
Dukes of Hazard	CIB
ESPN 2K5	CIB
Fight Night 2004	CIB
Final Fantasy XII	Disc only
Frogger The Great Quest	CIB
Gran Turismo 3	CIB
Gran Turismo 4	CIB
GTA 3	CIB w/ Map
GTA Liberty City Stories	no manual
GTA Vice City Stories	CIB w/ Map
GTA Vice City Ultimate Codes	CIB
Guitar Hero III	CIB
Jaws Unleashed	No manual - sharpie on front
Kengo	CIB
Lord of the Rings Two Towers	Disc only
Medal of Honor European Assault	Disc only
Nascar 06	Disc only
Nascar Dirt to Daytona	CIB
NBA Live 2005	Disc only
NCAA Football 07	Disc only
NCAA Football 2004	CIB
Need for Speed Hot Pursuit 2	CIB
Need for Speed Most Wanted Black	CIB
Need for Speed Pro Street	CIB
Need for Speed Pro Street	Disc only
Need for Speed Underground	GH CIB
Need for Speed Underground 2	CIB
NFL Street 2	no manual
Pinball Hall of Fame	CIB
Pirates Legend of the Black Buccaneer	No manual
Rock Band	No manual
Sly 2 Band of Thieves	GH CIB
Sly 3 Honor Among Thieves	GH CIB
Sprint Cars 2	CIB
Sprint Cars Road to Knoxville	CIB
SSX 3	GH no manual
SSX On Tour	CIB
Test Drive Eve of Destruction	disc only
The Sims	Disc only
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 01	CIB
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 02	CIB
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 02	CIB
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 03	CIB
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 04	CIB
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 04	CIB
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 05	CIB
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07	CIB
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08	CIB
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09	CIB
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10	CIB
Wave Rally	CIB

PS3 Games

Game	Notes
Assassin's Creed	CIB
Assassin's Creed	GH CIB
Assassin's Creed II	CIB
Assassin's Creed Revelations	Sealed
Batman Arkham City	CIB
Battlefield 3 Limited Edition	No manual
Battlefield 3 Limited Edition	No manual
Battlefield 4	CIB
Battlefield 4	CIB
Battlefield Bad Company 2 Limited Edition	No manual
Beijing 2008	disc only
Borderlands 2	disc only
Borderlands 2	disc only
Borderlands 2	CIB
Brutal Legend	CIB
Call of Duty Black Ops	CIB
Call of Duty Ghosts	CIB
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2	CIB
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3	CIB
Call of Duty World at War	GH CIB
Dark Souls	CIB
Dark Souls	CIB
Dark Souls	CIB - Disc is greatest hits, case is regular
Dark Souls II	Disc is greatest hits, case is regular
Dead Space 3 Limited Edition	CIB
Destiny	CIB
Destiny	CIB
Def Jam Icon	Case and game, no manual
Demon Souls	CIB
Devil May Cry	CIB (art is sunfaded a bit)
Diablo 3	No Manual
Diablo 3	Disc Only
Dragon Age Inquisition	No manual
Dragon's Crown	CIB
Dragon's Crown	CIB
Duke Nukem Forever	Disc only
Duke Nukem Forever	Disc only
EA Active 2	CIB
Facebreaker	CIB
Family Game Night 4	disc only
Far Cry 3	CIB
Fifa 14	Disc only
Fifa 14	CIB
Fracture	disc only
God of War Ascension	CIB
God of War Collection	CIB
God of War III	CIB
God of War Origins Edition	CIB
God of War Saga	Sealed
Gran Turismo 5 XL Edition	CIB
Gran Turismo 5	CIB
Gran Turismo 6	no manual
Gran Turismo 6	Disc only
Grid	Disc only
GTA 4	GH CIB w/ map
GTA 4	GH CIB w/ map
GTA 5	no manual or map
GTA San Andreas	Disc only
Guitar Hero 3	CIB
Guitar Hero Live	CIB w/ dongle
Heavy Rain	Disc only
John Daly's ProStroke Golf	CIB
Kane & Lynch Dead Men	No manual
Killzone 2	CIB
Killzone 2	no manual
L.A. Noire	CIB
Lego Movie	no manual
Little Big Planet	GH CIB
Madden 13	Disc only
Madden 13	CIB
Madden 25	CIB
Madden 25	CIB
Madden 09	disc only
Madden 07	CIB
Mass Effect 2	CIB
Mass Effect 3	CIB
Metal Gear Solid 4	CIB
Metal Gear Solid 4	CIB
Middle Earth Shadow of Mordor	No manual
MLB The Show 12	Disc only
NCAA Football 09	Disc only
Need For Speed Rivals	Disc only
NHL 11	CIB
NHL 11	No manual
NHL 13	CIB
NHL 13	disc only
NHL 15	disc only
PlayStation Move	Disc only
Rapala Pro Bass Fishing	w/ Big Box, rod, game, and rod dongle/receiver
Ratchet & Clank Future A Crack in time	GH no manual
Ratchet & Clank Future A Crack in time	GH no manual
Ratchet & Clank Future A Crack in time	CIB
Ratchet & Clank Tools of Destruction	CIB
Resident Evil 5	CIB
Rock Band 2	CIB
Saints Row The Third	disc only
Sherlock Holmes: Crimes & Punishments	CIB
Skylanders Giants	CIB
Skyrim	CIB GH (no map, unsure if GH had map)
Sly Cooper Thieves in Time	No manual
Smackdown vs Raw 2009	CIB
Socom 4	disc only
Soul Calibur 4	no manual
Sports Champions	CIB
Sports Champions	CIB
Start The Party	No manual
Tekken 6	CIB
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11	CIB
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10	no manual
Time Crisis 4	No manual
Timeshift	disc only (2x available)
Uncharted	CIB
Uncharted	GH No manual
Uncharted 2	no manual
Uncharted 2	CIB
Uncharted 2	CIB
Uncharted 2	CIB
Uncharted 3	CIB
Uncharted 3	CIB
Uncharted 3	CIB

PS4 Games

Game	Notes
Agents of Mayhem	disc only
Anthem	cib
Battleborn	disc only
Battleborn	disc only
Bayonetta Vanquish	CIB
Binding of Isaac	CIB
Bloodborne	CIB
Brunswick Pro Bowling	CIB
Call of Duty WWII	CIB
Cyberpunk 2077	CIB
Destiny 2	CIB
Deus Ex	disc only
Fifa 14	CIB
Fifa 15	CIB
Minecraft Story Mode	CIB
NHL 15	CIB
Nioh	CIB
Rock Band 4	Disc only
Spider-man	sealed
Ys VIII	disc only
Zombieland Double Tap	CIB

Original Xbox

Game	Notes
Outlaw Golf	CIB
LA Rush	No manual
Greg Hasting's Tournament Paintball	CIB
Madden 06	Disc Only
Lego Star Wars Video Game	No Manual
NFL Street	CIB
Roadkill	No Manual
Midtown Madness 3	No Manual
Flat Out 2	CIB
Grabbed By The Ghoulies	CIB

Xbox 360 - All collector's / limited editions are 100% complete. Many of the extras are still brand new or were kept in their box
Xbox 360 Games

Game	Notes
Army of Two 40 Days	Disc only
Assassin's Creed Brotherhood	CIB
Assassin's Creed Brotherhood Collector's Edition	CIB
Assassin's Creed III Limited Edition	CIB
Battlefield 4	CIB
Big Bumpin	Sealed
Boderlands 2 Limited Edition Ultimate Loot Chest	CIB
Call of Duty Ghosts	CIB
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3	CIB
Dance Central 2	CIB
Dance Central 2	CIB
Dead Space 2 Collector's Edition	CIB
Disney Infinity 2.0	CIB
Disneyland Adventures	CIB
Disneyland Adventures	No manual
DJ Hero 2	CIB
DJ Hero 2	CIB
Elder Scrolls Oblivion Collector's Edition	CIB
Elder Scrolls Skyrim Collector's Edition	CIB
Fallout 3 Collector's Edition	CIB
Fifa 12	CIB
Fifa 12	CIB
Fifa 13	CIB
Fifa 14	CIB
Forza 3 / Halo ODST Double Pack	CIB
GTA V	No manual - only 1 insert
GTA V Collector's Edition	CIB
Just Dance 3	CIB
Just Dance 3	CIB
LA Noire	Discs only
Madden 25	CIB
Madden 25	no manual
MLB 2K13	CIB
MX Vs. ATV Alive	CIB
MX Vs. ATV Reflex	CIB
Naruto Rise of a Ninja	sealed
NBA Ballers Chosen One	No manual
NBA NK11	no manual
NBA NK13	CIB
NBA NK13	CIB
NBA NK13	no manual
NBA NK13	no manual
NHL 13	no manual
NHL 13	no manual
NHL 14	no manual
Pocket Bike Racer	Sealed
Rock Band 2	CIB
Shadow of Mordor	Discs and manual. No game art
Skate	No manual
Skate 2	Disc only
Skylanders Giants	No manual
Sneak King	Sealed
Soul Calibur IV	Disc only
Table Tennis	CIB
Tansformers War For Cybertron	No manual - art is sun faded
The Wolf Among Us	No manual
Tomb Raider Collector's Edition	CIB
Witcher 2	disc 1 only

Xbox One

Game	Notes
Doug Flutie's Maximum Football 2019
Dragonball Xenoverse XV
Fifa 14
Fifa 15
Fifa 15
Fifa 16
Madden 15
Madden 15
Madden 16
Madden 17
NBA 2k15
NBA 2k16
NHL 15
NHL 15
The Division	disc only
The Wolf Among Us
This is the Police
Wreckfest
Spyro Reignited Trilogy
Tony Hawk Pro Skater 1 + 2
Tempest 4000
Rory McIlroy PGA Tour

Sega CD Games

Game	Notes
Slam City	Box w/ all 4 Discs, no manual
Fifa Soccer	Case and manual, no game
Corpse Killer	CIB

PSP Games

Game	Notes
Daxter Greatest Hits	CIB
Jeanne D'Arc demo disc NFR	Sealed
Game shield cover	small umd protector (3x avail)
Monster hunter freedom	umd only
Spiderman UMD Movie	CIB
Star Wars Battlefront Elite Squadron	CIB
Yu-Gi-Oh! GX Tag Force	CIB no cards

Amiibo are loose unless noteed
Amiibo

Amiibo	Notes
Wolf	SSMB

32x Games

Game	Notes
Moto Cross
Virtua Racing	Label damage

Super Famicom

Game	Notes
Chrono Trigger	CIB
Derby Stallion 3	cart only
Dragon Ball Z	CIB
Dragon Ball Z 2	CIB
Dragon Quest I & II	CIB
Dragon Quest III	CIB
Excite Stage 94	cart only
Excite Stage 96	cart only
Exhaust Heat	CIB
F1 Grand Prix Part 3	CIB
Family / Famista Stadium 4 Baseball	cart only
Fire Emblem Genealogy Of Holy War	CIB
Kirby Super Star	CIB
Motoko's Wonder Kitchen	cart only
Mountain Stream King Fishing	cart only
Pachi Slot Monogatari: Universal Special	cart only
Prime Goal 3	cart only
Rockman X2	cart only
Sim City 2000	cart only
Space Bazooka	CIB
Space Invaders	cart only
Street Fighter II	CIB
Super bomberman 2	cart only
Super Bomberman 3	CIB
Super Donkey Kong	cart only
Super Goal! 2 (aka Takeda Nobuhiro no Super Cup Soccer)	CIB
Super Kyukyoku Harikiri Stadium	cart only
Super Zugan 2	cart only
Yoshi's Safari	CIB
Yoshi's Safari	CIB

Japanese N64 Games

Game	Notes
1080 Snowboarding	CIB
1080 Snowboarding	cart only
Animal Crossing / Doubutsu no Mori	cart only
Baku Bomberman	cart only
Banjo Kazooie	cart only
Banjo Kazooie 2	CIB - excellent condition
Banjo Kazooie 2	CIB - small writing on front of box
Bass Tsuri No. 1 Shigesato Ito Fishing	cart only
Blast Dozer	cart only
Bomberman 2 Baku	cart only
Bomberman Hero	CIB
Custom Robo V1	cart only
Custom Robo V2	cart only
Densha De Go	cart only
Derby stallion 64	cart only
Derby stallion 64	CIB
Diddy Kong Racing	cart only
Donkey Kong 64	cart only
Donkey Kong 64	CIB
Donkey Kong 64	Big box - No expansion pak items (insert, pak, or box). Otherwise CIB
Doraemon 2 Temple of Light	cart only
Excitebike 64	cart only
F-Zero X	cart only
Famista Family Stadium Baseball	cart only
Famista Family Stadium Baseball	CIB
Ganbare Nippon Olympic 2000	cart only
Goemon Mystical Ninja	cart only
Goldeneye 007	cart only
Harvest Moon 2	cart only
Hey You Pikachu	Big box - CIB w/ VRU
Hey You Pikachu	Big box - missing inserts and smaller game box. Includes game + vru
Hey You Pikachu	cart only
Hiru No Ken Twin Flying Dragon	cart only
Human Grand Prix	cart only
Human Grand Prix	CIB
J League 1999 Perfect Striker 2	cart only
J League Perfect Striker	cart only
Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyuu 2000	cart only
Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyuu 2001	cart only
Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyuu 4	cart only
Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyuu 5	cart only
Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyuu 6	cart only
Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyuu 6	Boxed - no manual
Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyuu 6	CIB
Jikkyou World Soccer 3	cart only
Kirby The Crystal Shards	CIB
Kirby The Crystal Shards	CIB w/ extra control guide "hyper copy technique"
Kirby The Crystal Shards	cart only
Legend of Zelda Majora's Mask	cart only
Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time	cart only
Magical Tetris Challenge Featuring Mickey	CIB
Mahjong Master	cart only
Mario Golf	cart only
Mario Golf	CIB
Mario Kart 64	cart only
Mario Party 1	cart only
Mario Party 2	cart only
Mario Party 2	Boxed - no manual
Mario Party 2	CIB
Mario Party 3	cart only
Mario Party 3	CIB
Mario Party 3	CIB
Mario Party 3	CIB
Mario RPG / Paper Mario	cart only
Mario Tennis	cart only
Mario Tennis	CIB
MRC Mutli-Racing Championship	cart only
Nushi Tsuri	CIB
Nushi Tsuri	cart only
Ogre Battle 64	cart only
Olympic Hockey 98	cart only
Ozumo Sumo Wrestling	cart only
Pilotwings	cart only
Pokemon Snap	cart only
Pokemon Stadium	cart only
Pokemon Stadium 2	Boxed - no manual
Pokemon Stadium 2	cart only
Pokemon Stadium Gold & Silver	cart only
Pro League 64 Baseball	cart only
Pro Mahjong Kiwame	cart only
Pro Yakyu King of Pro Baseball	cart only
Puyo Puyo Sun	cart only
Robot Ponkottsu	cart only
Shin Nihon Pro-wrestling Toukon Road Brave Spirits	cart only
Snowboard Kids	cart only
Star Wars Episode 1 Racer	cart only
Star Wars Rogue Squadron	CIB - outer box has some wear
Star Wars Shadows of the Empire	cart only
Starfox 64	cart only
Super B-Daman Battle Phoneix	cart only
Super Mario 64	cart only
Super Mario 64 Shindou / Rumble version	cart only
Super Mario 64 Shindou / Rumble version	CIB
Super Mario 64 Strategy Guide
Super Robot Taisen	cart only
Super Smash Bros	cart only
Super Smash Bros	CIB
Tamagotchi World	cart only
Tamagotchi World	Boxed - no manual
Transformers Beast Wars	cart only
Utchan Nanchan Flame Challenger	cart only
Wave Race 64	cart only
Wonder Project J2	cart only
Yoshi Story	cart only
Yoshi Story	CIB
Yoshi Story Strategy Guide

Japanese Wii

Game	Notes
Winning Eleven Play Maker 2013	CIB
Mario Strikers Charged	CIB
Wii Simple 2000 Series Vol 2 The Party Game	CIB
Donkey Kong Returns	No manual
Your First Step to Wii	No manual
Super Mario Collection	No manual
Mario Super Sluggers	No manual

Japanese Vita

Game	Notes
Dynasty Warriors Next	CIB
Exist Archive the Other Side of the Sky	CIB
Fate Extella	CIB
Fate Extella Regalia Box	Missing extras - Just LE box and Vita case + game
Freedom Wars	CIB
God Eater 2	CIB
God Eater 2 Rage Burst	CIB
Gravity Daze (Gravity Rush)	CIB - "The Best" version
Kaleido Eve	CIB
Legend of Heroes Blende of Locus II Limited Edition	CIB. CD still sealed
Monster Hunter Frontier G "Beginners Package"	CIB
Persona 4 Golden	CIB
Power Smash 4	CIB - "The Best" version
Professional Baseball Spirits 2013	CIB
Professional Baseball Spirits 2014	CIB
Ragnarok Odyssey	CIB
Soul Sacrifice	CIB
Super Robot Wars OG Taisen Saga 3 Pride of Justice	CIB
Sword Art Online Hollow Fragment	CIB
Sword Art Online Hollow Realization	CIB
Sword Art Online Lost Song	CIB
Sword Art Online Lost Song Limited Edition	CIB - game itself sealed
Uta No Prince Sama Repeat Love Premium Princess Box	Sealed
Utawareumono Mask of Truth	CIB

Wonderswan

Item	Notes
Beatmania	cart only
Beatmania	cart only
Chocobo Mysterious Dungeon	cart only w/ protector
Chocobo Mysterious Dungeon	cart only w/ protector
Detective Conan Case Closed	cart only
Digimon Adventure Anode Tamer	cart only
Digimon Adventure Cathode Tamer	cart only
Hataraku Chocobo	CIB
Mahjong Touryuumon	cart only w/ protector
Nice On Golf	CIB - sticker residue on front of box
One Piece "From TV Animation"	cart only w/ protector
Rockman & Forte	cart only w/ protector
Super Robot Taisen Compact	cart only w/ protector
Super Robot Taisen Compact	cart only w/ protector
Tarepanda no Gunpey	cart only w/ protector
Trump Collection	cart only w/ protector
Vaitz Blade	cart only w/ protector
Vaitz Blade	cart only w/ protector
Wonder Stadium 99	cart only w/ protector

Wonderswan Color

Item	Notes
Digimon Tamers Battle Spirit	cart only
Digimon Tamers Battle Spirit	cart only w/ protector
Digimon Tamers Digimon Medley	cart only
Final Fantasy	CIB
Final Fantasy	CIB
Final Fantasy	CIB
Final Fantasy	cart only w/ protector
Final Fantasy II	CIB
Final Fantasy II	CIB
Final Fantasy II	CIB
Final Fantasy II	CIB
Final Fantasy II	cart only w/ protector
Final Fantasy II	cart only w/ protector
Hunter x Hunter Determination	CIB
Hunter x Hunter Determination	cart only
Hunter x Hunter Determination	cart only
Inuyasha Kagome's Dream Diary	cart only
Kinnikuman Nisei Choujin Seisenshi	cart only
Mobile Suit Gundam Vol. 1 Side 7	cart only
One Piece Grand Battle	cart only w/ protector
One Piece Treasure Niji no Shima Densetsu	cart only
SD Gundam G Generation Mono Eye Gundams	cart only w/ protector
Shaman King Asue no Ishi	cart only w/ protector

Japanese PS1

Item	Notes
Arc the Lad I	CIB w/ Spine card
Arc the Lad I	CIB
Arc the Lad II	CIB w/ Stickers
Bakusou Dekotora Densetsu Art Truck Battle	CIB
Bastard Utsuronaru Kamigami no Utsuwa	CIB
Beatmania	CIB
Beatmania Append 4th Mix	CIB w/ Spine card
Beatmania Append Gotta Mix	CIB w/ Spine card
Bomberman Land	Manual + Disc + Blank jewel Case
Bomberman Wars	CIB
Breeding Stud	CIB w/ Spine card
Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon	CIB
Cyber Sled	CIB
Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) 2nd Remix Append Club Ver 1	CIB
Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) 2nd Remix Append Club Ver 2	CIB
Densha De Go	CIB
Derby Stallion 99	CIB
Dragon Quest VII	CIB w/ Spine card
DX Jinsei Game II Game of Life	CIB
DX Monopoloy	No manual
DX Nippon Tokkyou Ryokou Game Let's Travel Japan	CIB
Fighting Illusion K-1 GP 2000	CIB
Final Fantasy Tactics	CIB
Final Fantasy V	CIB
Final Fantasy VIII	CIB
Fist of the North Star	CIB
Gekitotsu Toma L'Arc: Tomarunner vs L'Arc-en-Ciel	CIB
GPM Gunparade March	CIB
Gucho de Park	CIB
Gundam the Battle Master	CIB
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone	CIB
Honkaku Mahjong Tetsumen Special	CIB "Best" version
Hots Shots Golf 2	CIB
I.Q Final	CIB
Itadaki Street Gorgeous King	CIB
Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyuu 95	CIB
Kawa no Nushi Tsuri: Hikyou o Motomete	Disc only
Kileak the Blood	CIB
Kouryuu Sangoku Engi	CIB
Martial Beat	CIB
Mingo Country Club Golf	CIB w/ Spine card
Mobile Suit Gundam Char's Counter Attack	CIB
Monster Farm	CIB
Moon Remix	CIB
Pass Max 2	CIB
Pocket Fighter	CIB + Pocket fighter stickered memory card
Pop'n Music 6	CIB
Pop'n Music 6	CIB
Puyo Puyo 2	CIB w/ Stickers
Quest for Fame Aerosmith	Big Box Complete w/ Pick
Rockman X4	CIB
Rockman X5	CIB w/ Spine card
Rockman X6	CIB
RPG Maker 3	CIB
SaGa Frontier I	CIB
SD Gundam G Generation	CIB
Shin Super Robot Taisen	CIB
Simulation Zoo	CIB
Super Robot Wars F	CIB
Tales of Destiny	CIB w/ Spine card
Tales of Eternia	CIB
Tenchu Shinobi Hyakusen	CIB w/ Spine card
Tennis no Oji-Sama: Sweat and Tears	CIB
Tetsunoko Fight	CIB w/ Spine card
The Chess Simple 1500 Series Vol 9	CIB
The Crown is For You Baseball	CIB w/ Spine card
The Fifth Element	CIB
The King of Fighters 95	CIB
The Tetris SuperLite 1500	CIB
Thirteen of Black / Kuro No Juusan	CIB
Tokyo Majin Gakuen Gehoujou High School Limited Edition	CIB
Trap Gunner	CIB w/ Spine card
Wedding Peach Doki Doki Oironaosi	CIB

Japanese PS2

Item	Notes
Canvas 2 Rainbow Color Sktech	CIB
D.C. II P.S. Da Capo II Plus DX Box Set	CIB
Dragon Ball Z 3	CIB
Everybody's Golf 3	CIB
Final Fantasy XI Special Art Box	CIB
Gachinko Pro Yakyuu Professional Baseball	CIB
Gekikuukan Pro Yakyuu At the End of the Century 1999	CIB
Gundam Musou Special	CIB
Kamen Rider Blade	CIB
Kanokon: Esuii	CIB
Kao no nai Tsuki Select Story DX Edition	CIB
Katekyoo Hitman Reborn! Let's Ansatsu!?	CIB
Mahjong Taikai III Millenium League	Disc only
Mobile Suit Gundam	CIB
Mobile Suit Gundam Climax U.C.	CIB
Mobile Suit Gundam Seed	CIB
Mobile Suit Gundam VS Z Gundam	CIB
Mobile Suit Gundam Z: AEUG vs. Titans	CIB
Mobile Suit Gundam: Federation vs. Zeon DX	CIB
Mystic Heroes - Chou Battle Housin	CIB
Naruto: Uzumaki Ninden Chronicles	CIB
Onimusha	CIB
Puyo Puyo 2 Perfect Set	CIB
Ratchet & Clank	CIB
Ratchet & Clank 2 Going Commando (GaGaGa!)	CIB "The Best" version
Ratchet & Clank 3	CIB "The Best" version
SD Gundam G Generation Neo	CIB
SD Gundam G Generation Seed	CIB
SD Gundam G Generation Spirits	CIB
Shin Onimusha Dawn of Dreams	CIB
Soul Eater Battle Resonance	CIB
Sui Year Zun Sweet Season	CIB
Taiko Risshiden IV	CIB
The Prince of Tennis Smash Hit! 2	CIB
To Heart	CIB
Viewtiful Joe A New Hope	CIB

Japanese PS3

Item	Notes
Power Smash 3 Virtua Tennis	CIB
Tales of Vesperia	CIB - "The Best" version
Wining Eleven 2013	CIB

Japanese PS4

Item	Notes
Cyberdimension Neptunia: 4 Goddesses Online Limited Edition	CIB

Want
Pokemon game wants (NTSC/US)
GBC pokemon crystal cart
GBA pokemon fire red cart
DS pokemon pearl CIB or cart only
3DS Pokemon Ultra Moon CIB
Gamecube Pokemon Colosseum CIB (main game, not bonus disc)
PS5 Wants
Neptunia Reverse
Record of Lodoss Wonder Labyrinth
Returnal
Kena bridge of spirits
Star Ocean
Valkyrie Elysium
Potentially other PS5 Offers
Box/Case/Manual wants
2DS XL Pokeball Edition Box & Inserts only
Code of Princess EX - Switch Case
DS Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia - case and manual
DS Chocobo Tales - case and manual
DS Final Fantasy Tactics A2 - case and manual
DS pokemon white 2 Case and manual
DS pokemon black - Case and manual
DS Shin Megami Tensai Devil Survivor 2 - Case and manual only
Harvest Moon DS - case + manual
New Nintendo 3DS XL Galaxy Edition Box & Inserts only
Mario & Luigi Dream League 3DS XL Box & Inserts only
Mario Power Tennis Gamecube - Case + Manual
Phantasy star 1 & 2 plus gamecube - manual only
Pikmin 2 gamecube - manual only
Pokemon Channel Gamecube - Case and Manual
3DS Pokemon Art Academy - Case and manual
Pokemon XY Red 3DS XL Box & Inserts only
Puppeteer PS3 - Manual only
Other wants
Capcom Fighting Collection - Switch
Chrono Trigger - DS complete with map or just the map
Dreamcast light gun - needs to be a US model that will work with house of the dead 2.
Enter the gungeon - Switch
F-Zero - Looks for Gamecube (cib for gcn) and N64 cart
Final Fantasy 1 - NES cart
Final Fantasy XI collectables - open to offers if you have any
Final Fantasy Theatrhythm Final Bar Line - Switch
Fire Emblem games for 3DS
Ikaruga - Gamecube
Katamari Games - Looking for the Vita, Xbox 360, and PS2.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land - Switch
Kirby Return to Dreamland Deluxe - Switch
Legend of Zelda offers - open to offers on non explicitly stated zelda games, merch/items, etc.
Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks - DS CIB
Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom - Switch
Muramasa - PS Vita
Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Vol 1 - Switch
PS2 Light gun offers - looking for Light Gun games such as the time crisis series and a guncon for ps2.
Rabi-Ribi - PS4/Vita
Ratchet and Clank Quest for Booty PS3 (physical version, I think it's PAL exclusive)
Ratchet and Clank Vita Collection (physical version, I think it's PAL exclusive)
Senran Kagura Peach Beach Splash All service edition - PS4
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury - Switch
Tales Games for PS3 - Looking for Xilia 2 and Graces F
Tornado Outbreak - PS3
Virtual Boy - looking for a working system and some games (need system before game offers)
Wii U - Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE - special edition
Wii U - HD Windwaker Limited Edition (the one with the figure/statue)
Ys games CIB (mostly looking for PSP and older)
Zone of the Enders HD Collection - PS3
In the rare event anyone has a IIDX DJ DAO Phoenix Wan controller they want to swap I am looking for one.
Looking to work towards complete collection for Wii U - feel free to send offers for Wii U games you may be looking to trade off. Only interested in CIB items.
Potentially open to PS3-5/Vita/PSP/N64/GCN/Switch/3DS/DS offers. I am primarily interested in JRPGs (especially action RPGs), 2D platformers/action games, arcadey games, schmups, beat em ups, etc., but feel free to send me a list to look at!
Willing to consider Pokemon TCG trades as well (English or Japanese, singles/slabs/sealed)
I am not interested in digital codes for games (primarily seeking to add to physical collection).

I feel like I hit millennial bingo today. I took the morning off of my WFH job that doesn't offer health insurance to head to millennial mecca, i.e., Costco. While at Costco, I picked up my refill of antidepressants and got a $1.50 hot dog combo. After that, I headed to Lowes to pick up some fertilizer and compost for my sad, sagging hydrangeas. And that's when it hit me.
I'm very much in my "white people flipping houses" era, and I kinda love it. My current passion project has been sprucing up the front flower beds of my new home. I'm going for a layered pollinator garden type set up, accomplished over the course of roughly 7 phases to be completed by early June. I honestly adore weeding. It's kind of cathartic to rip a living thing out of the ground only to cast it off into to what I call the "die bucket."
Hopefully by the time the landscaping is done, the other exterior repairs and refreshes will be done and my elderly neighbors won't mind having a new, young neighbor around. The next home improvement project I'll be undertaking is transforming my rear screened porch into a catio. I'm slowly making my home into a bit of a bachelorette/cat lady/house plant psycho vibe.
When I'm not out gardening or getting psychotropics from Costco, I am doing other equally fun things like quilting and napping. I'm also an avid hockey and F1 fan.
The point of this post is that I'm looking to make new friends and meet new people. Doesn't matter where or who you are. I'm not looking for anything sexual or romantic, just looking for people being people.
10 more things about me:

1. I was born and raised in the south, but I've lived in a few different interesting places along the eastern seaboard.
2. I'm childfree. I simply do not like children and made the decision a few years ago that I don't want any, ever.
3. I'm a lawyer. I love what I do most days and my boss is actually amazing.
4. Quilting is sort of my thing. I run a discord group of quilters that is 200+ members strong and I have met some wonderful people through learning how to quilt. I've completed 10 quilts so far and I have another 6-7 planned for 2023.
5. I'm kind of all over the place politically, but I'm definitely more left leaning than right. For instance, I want weed to be fully legalized, but I also want to keep my AR-15.
6. My music tastes are predominantly 90s and early 2000s rock and metal, but I also love a ton of other artists and bands. Except for country and gospel, those can fuck off.
7. Speaking of gospel, I'm pretty radically anti-religious, 12 years of Catholic school will get ya. Catholicism, not even once.
8. I'm the eldest of my siblings, which means I am the byproduct of parentification and all its perils.
9. I'm on the Pisces/Aries cusp which, according to my sister, explains everything.
10. My humor is very dry and sardonic and is not for everyone, and that's okay.

Hey guys, please excuse me for my lack of reddit knowledge, I don’t really know how to post too well. Anyway I have a bunch of stuff I’m looking to part ways with.
16 inch upper- PSA upper receiver with Toolcraft BCG and charging handle ,Ballistic advantage Hanson Barrel, standard A2 flash hider, Superlative Adjustable clamp on gas block with Geissele MK16 DDC BLEM (roughly 30 rounds through it)-$550 🚢
13.7 BA Gov profile barrel with BA gas block and gas tube (unfired)-$120 🚢
11.5 PSA barrel (unfired)-$75🚢
Swampfox Arrowhead 1-8x Guerrilla Dot BDC on crappy Monstrum mount (can’t find original box)-$ 425 🚢
I will post all pictures in a link
https://imgur.com/a/N2rom2E
I accept PayPal Prices somewhat negotiable.
Feel free to message me with any questions. Sorry again for not really knowing how to use Reddit.

Hello all,
I have a few airsoft guns and part to sell (no time stamps since now I have enough flairs).
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Airsoft Guns (all GBB)
1. GHK AK105 GBB with Upgrades

• $1350 shipped
• Included items:
  • GHK AK105 (2022 version)
  • GMAG mag*2 (both green gas)
  • AK74 mag*2 (one green gas one CO2)
  • AKM mage*1 (CO2)
  • SLR ION 9.45" Lite M-LOK-A handguard**
  • SLR full length railed gas tube**
  • Magpul MOE AK grip**
  • LCT PT-1 type stock
  • NorthEast V3QD mount
  • W&S full-travel steel bolt
  • W&S full-travel recoil rod and spring + rapid fire kit
  • PowerCustom AK recoil buffer** (you can replace the W&S rapid fire kit with this part)
  • W&S steel hammer
  • Hephaestus steel sear
  • Hephaestus steel firing pin
  • Hephaestus steel auto lever
  • Hephaestus ALG type steel trigger
  • Hephaestus tactical fire selector
  • TNT APS-X hop-up unit and inner barrel set 320 mm
  • Bow Master enhanced hop-up chamber base
  • Stock parts and spare parts:
    • GKM-04*1 (fire selector part)
    • GKM-06*2 (bolt buffer)
    • GKM-07*1 (nozzle stop)
    • GKM-08-1*1 (recoil spring)
    • GKM-08-2*1 (bolt)
    • GKM-08*2 (loading nozzle set)
    • GKM-09*2 (hop-up chamber)
    • GKM-10*2 (hop-up chamber base)
    • GKM-12-1-1*1 (trigger hammer latch)
    • GKM-12-1-2*1 (trigger)
    • GKM-12-1-3*1 (sear)
    • GKM-12-3*1 (auto lever)
    • GKM-12-4*1 (empty mag lever and spring)
    • GKM-12-5*1 (hammer and spring)
    • GKM-12-6*1 (firing pin)
    • GKM-12-7*1 (fire control pin set)
    • GKM-13*1 (grip screw bolt)
    • GKM-11-1*1 (magazine spring and follower)
    • GHK AK105 gas tube, handguard, stock, and grip

** The items with double asterisks are genuine parts for real firearms, not airsoft replica.
Building this gun was such a fun project, and from the list of included items I'm sure one can appreciate the effort and time I spent to find and install all the parts. I'm selling this gun now because I'm getting more into firearm training nowadays and I've decided to only keep a few airsoft guns for plinking in the basement. I love this gun and I enjoy shooting it very much (even just cocking the gun is very satisfying because of all the steel parts), but I'm just not using it enough nowadays to keep it.
The bolt and the fire control group are all steel upgrades from Hephaestus or W&S and they operate very smoothly together. The gun shoots and cycles smoothly with full-auto rate of fire at roughly 600 RPM using green gas or higher using CO2. I don't really need to say much about the quality of the SLR gas tube and M-LOK handguard given that they are made for real firearm, and in my personal opinion they are one of the best-looking AK gas tube/handguard in the market. The LCT stock is very nicely made and it provides very good cheek weld for optics at different heights installed on either the gas tube, on a dust cover mount (not included), or on a side optic mount.
Feel free to PM me for videos of the gun operating/shooting. Please only PM me if you are serious about buying.
Please also note that I'm not looking for trading and I will not be parting out.
A couple things to note:

• In order for the SLR gas tube to be installed properly and for the W&S full travel bolt to cycle smoothly, I modified part of the front sight block, front end of the SLR gas tube, and the front end of the bolt carrier. This allows the SLR gas tube to sit evenly on the barrel and the bolt to cycle properly.
• Due to some tolerances, I slightly filed the TNT hop-up housing in order to install it properly. The hop-up unit sits tightly in the chamber and it may be difficult for some to adjust it with finger. I'd recommend using a small tool such as a hex key or a flat screw driver to adjust the hop-up. On the flip side, you won't need to worry about the hop-up adjustment moving due to recoil.
• One of the AK74 mags needs a new feed lip (it was not broken from shooting. I made a stupid decision to file it like the GHK AR mag thinking it would prevent it from cracking, but it turned out that this mod is not needed for the AK mag). It will cause the gun to jam if it's not replaced.
• I put a small piece of rubber pad between the stock and the receiver to eliminate a small wobble. The stock is rock solid now.

2. EMG SAI BLU with 2 Mags, Full Steel Upgrades, and Streamlight TLR1-HL Weapon Light

• $300 shipped
• Included items:
  • AW/ EMG SAI BLU GBB pistol
  • RA-Tech steel BLU slide and barrel set
  • Guarder steel Glock 17 outer barrel (modified to use on AW GBB pistol)
  • Guarder steel recoil rod
  • AMG steel recoil rod (with AW spring)
  • Poseidon Striker hop-up unit
  • Maple Leaf Autobot hop-up bucking 60°
  • Maple Leaf crazy Jet inner barrel 97mm
  • Guarder aluminum BBU housing
  • EMG SAI Tier 1 trigger for Glock
  • Guarder extended slide stop
  • Guarder extended slide take down lock
  • RA-Teach black mag release and back strap
  • RA-Teach brass mag release and back strap
  • Guarder steel hammer chassis with slight modification
  • Guarder steel sear, steel knocker lock
  • RA-Tech steel roller bearing
  • Creation Airsoft steel slide frame
  • Guns Modify steel pin set
  • 2 mags (1 green gas, 1 CO2)
  • Streamlight TLR1-HL weapon light

I spent a lot of efforts on building this airsoft pistol with pretty much the best parts available. The RA-Tech steel slide and outer barrel are beautifully made. There are two sets of mag release/back strap for you to change out - one black and one brass, which are also from RA-Tech (much better quality than the original ones from EMG). You can chose between unthreaded outer barrel and threaded outer barrel, both of which are made of steel and have very good quality. The internals are also massively upgraded with many steel parts. Please note that from my own testing, I found out that the gun works best with both the CO2 mag and the green gas mag using the original hammer and valve release (both of which were made to withstand CO2 power), but I will also provide you with the Guarder steel hammer and valve release in case you want to change them out. I also stippled the frame for better texture and more friction. This pistol is a lot of fun to shoot, especially with the CO2 mag (very strong recoil).
I will also provide you with many spare parts such as loading nozzle, springs, valves, gas route, mag base plates, etc.
The TLR1-HL is a genuine Streamlight product, not a reproduction. The condition is pretty much new. All keys for installing on different rail system are included. Please note that batteries are NOT included.
​
Parts
1. DyTac JagerWerks F9 Slide Set for Elite Force/VFC Glock 17 Gen4

• $100 shipped
• Included items:
  • DyTac JagerWerks F9 slide set with threaded barrel
  • PTS ZEV Combat Sight steel front and rear sight
  • Guarder steel Glock 17 outer barrel (in total two outer barrels)
  • Steel recoil rod
  • Poseidon Striker hop-up unit for VFC
  • Maple Leaf Decepticons hop-up bucking 60° + Maple Leaf Crazy Jet inner barrel 97mm
  • VFC new gen BBU and slide cover

I built this slide set to use on my Elite Force/ VFC Glock 17 Gen4 airsoft GBB pistol (not included). This is a complete and functional slide set with all required internals and upgrades included.
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Please feel free to message me for more pictures of the items.
No parting/splitting for each of the items listed above. No trading.
I only accept PayPal Goods & Services for payment. Also, I will ship within continental US only (lower 48), and I will not ship to places where Airsoft guns are not allowed. Please note that by purchasing those items from me, you verify that you are at least 18 years of age and you have confirmed that airsoft guns and parts are permitted by your state and local laws.
Thanks!

Hi All - I got my solar panels installed recently and officially turned on with net metering in Toronto, Canada 8 days ago. I have a 4.95kW system (11 panels x 450W each, 7 facing south, 2 north, 1 east, 1 west)
In that time, my Solaredge app shows I have produced 146kWh of electricity and have hit between 3.5 and 4.25kW of production at the sunniest spots of each day. Based on the rough calculations I've seen (https://www.energyhub.org/solar-energy-maps-canada/), this makes sense to me.
I'm trying to compare this against my bi-directional meter which has 6 readings (all I assume started . I think there's a discrepancy between the meter and my app, but want to make sure I'm understanding these right. The 6 readings are:

1. kWh del = 51. Is this how much electricity I've used? For comparison, the prior 8 days had 82kWh of usage, and no significant change in usage patterns.
2. kWh rec = 106. Is this how much electricity the solar panels have generated in the last 8 days (since bi-directional meter was turned on). Is this what I should compare against the 146kWh of production on the Solaredge app?
3. MAX W del = 2752. Not sure what this is exactly
4. MAX W rec = 3942. Is this the max production at any given point since the meter was turned on? If that's the case, Solaredge shows 4.25 kW being the highest produced (on a sunny day just after 12pm)
5. MAX VA del = 2799. Not sure what this is
6. MAX VAR del=892. Not sure what this is

Any help deciphering these would be appreciated! Thanks!

^{Spoilers to follow.}

Asajj Ventress

“What kind of life will that be, Quinlan? The kind where we're slaves to our hatred? Our rage? That's what the dark side made me.”
Asajj Ventress is a Force user from the planet Dathomir. Born into the clan of the Nightsisters, she was taken as a slave before being rescued by the Jedi Knight Ky Narec, who made her his apprentice. Following Narec’s death, Ventress was recruited by Count Dooku as his assassin. She fought against the Jedi in the Clone Wars until she was betrayed by Dooku, after which she briefly rejoined the Nightsisters and later became a bounty hunter. She fights with a pair of red lightsabers that can join together, but later uses a single yellow saber after losing them.
Source Key
Hover over a link to see its source.

• DJL = Dooku: Jedi Lost
• Brotherhood = Brotherhood
• CWM = Star Wars: The Clone Wars (movie)
• CW = Star Wars: The Clone Wars (TV series)
• SoLaD = The Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark
• SoJaS = Stories of Jedi and Sith
• CYD = Choose Your Destiny: A Clone Trooper Mission
• Adv17 = Star Wars Adventures (2017)
• Adv20 = Star Wars Adventures (2020)
• KS = Kindred Spirits
• DD = Dark Disciple
• RtVC = Star Wars Adventures: Return to Vader’s Castle
• HL = Halcyon Legacy
• SotS = Secrets of the Sith
• CWCE = Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Character Encyclopedia - Join the Battle!
• LC = The Lightsaber Collection

Feats marked [Story] happened in an in-universe story.

Lightsabers

General

• Her two red lightsabers can join into a double-bladed saber (though she rarely does this)
• Later uses a single yellow lightsaber

Cutting Power

• Decapitates a clone trooper
• Easily cuts through large metal pipes while jumping
• Cuts a hole in a metal ceiling
• Cuts through a thick door with two lightsabers, though it takes about a minute
• Cuts through the swords of three Kage Warriors
• Cuts off three droid heads with one slice
• Collapses a section of a floor
• [Story] Shatters a ship’s window
• [Story] Cuts apart a large container using two sabers
• [Story] Makes a hole in a thick wall by swinging two sabers

Combat

• Destroys some B1 and B2 battle droids
• Destroys some commando droids
• Fights several surrounding Kage Warriors
• Duels Aayla Secura
• Fights Padawan Ahsoka and Master Luminara at the same time
• Fights Anakin on a falling platform
• Fights Anakin and Obi-Wan on shifting ground, though she is disarmed of first one lightsaber and then the other
• Uses her two sabers to disarm Obi-Wan
• Duels General Grievous, cutting off one of his arms and forcing him to call for backup
• Briefly duels Count Dooku one-on-one before her allies step in
  • Dooku had just had his sleep interrupted and was affected by a drug that dulls the senses
• Forces Dooku back during a duel
• Defeats Jedi Master Tholme

Precision

• [Story] Cuts a blaster a person is holding
• Cuts open a case without harming its contents
• Cuts apart some rifles while avoiding cutting the people
• With her hands bound, fake-fights an ally, singeing her hair

Defense
Melee

• Parries Maul’s attacks
• With difficulty, blocks blows from Quinlan Vos while he’s empowered by the dark side

Projectiles

• Deflects clone troopers’ blasters while running toward them
• Deflects fire from a horde of battle droids while running toward them, bouncing a couple of the bolts back at the shooters
• Blocks Rex’s blaster
• Reflects blasterfire from Senate Commandos back at them
• Bounces a blaster bolt back at a battle droid while using someone else’s lightsaber
• [Limitation] Gets hit while being fired upon from multiple sides

Utility

• Uses her sabers to slow her descent down a shaft
• Climbs onto a ship using her lightsabers

Physical Abilities

Strength
Punching

• Sends a Nightbrother into the air with a punch
• Knocks out a Falleen guard with a punch to the jaw

Kicking

• Kicks Obi-Wan, briefly stunning him
• Jump-kicks Luminara off a catwalk
• Despite being wounded, staggers Grievous with a kick
• KOs two armored guards with kicks
• Kicks two pirates at once, KOing or killing them
• Kicks two droids at once, disabling them
• Defeats some Nightbrothers with kicks and a throw
• Kicks a Nightbrother, sending him flying
• Cracks a Kage warrior’s rib with her knee

Other Striking

• Pushes Quinlan Vos across a room
• Knocks Ahsoka off her feet with a swipe of her saber
• Uses a staff to break apart two droids
• Cracks a humanoid’s skull (though this could be telekinesis)

Lifting/Throwing

• Throws a Kage Warrior with her legs
• Throws a clone over her shoulder
• Throws a pirate over her head, then hits him in the jaw before he lands
• [Story] Swings around a baby sarlacc and tosses it through a window

Pushing/Pulling/Gripping

• Briefly matches Grievous’s strength while pressing her two lightsabers against his four
• She and Dooku briefly hold each other back, though he overpowers her
• Barely manages to hold back Savage’s lightsaber with her own
• Casually snaps the arm of a Falleen guard
• Breaks chains around her arms
• Rips off a droid’s head
• Crushes a transmitter in her hand
• Chokes a Nightbrother with one hand
• Briefly hangs by on hand while holding a man in the other
• Grabs onto a cliffside to stop her fall

Non-Lightsaber Skill
Hand-to-Hand

• Easily fights armed Nightbrothers with her bare hands
• Beats up some disarmed clone troopers
• Defeats some Kage Warriors
• Fights Savage Opress before his transformation, blocking his blows
• Rolls onto her back and kicks Anakin behind her
• Kicks Anakin multiple times while dueling him

Marksmanship

• Shoots several pirates non-lethally with a blaster
• Shoots two droids with a bow at close range

Miscellaneous Weapons

• Briefly fights Anakin using improvised weapons, and scores a hit on him
• Uses a staff to disarm and destroy a droid
• Accurately throws a bomb near Ahsoka
• Hits a man with a thrown spear
• Throws two kamas accurately

Durability
Blunt Force

• Is fine after being hit by a giant insect’s wing
• Lands gracefully after taking a flying kick from Obi-Wan
• Recovers from being kicked by Grievous
• Gets up after being thrown into some crates by Savage
• Withstands being slammed to the floor and then punched by Savage
• Gets Force pushed into a wall by Anakin hard enough to crack it
• Starts to get up after Dooku pushes her into a pillar, but is briefly knocked out after he throws her a second time, then falls down a ledge and gets thrown down another one by Grievous, and can still fight
• Gets hit by a metal barrel and then takes a metal pipe to the head, and is badly hurt but conscious
• Is hit by a stone column while jumping, then falls onto a series of balconies before landing on a pile of vines, and has part of the column fall onto her legs after it hits the ground, leaving her with one broken leg and a probable concussion
• Is badly injured when the tower she’s in collapses, but gets up after a while
• Gets Force choked and then slammed onto a stone floor by Quinlan Vos
• Jumps down from an airship without harm
• [Story] Jumps out of a ship and lands on the ground far below without harm
• Survives her ship crashing roughly onto a crystalline ground

Energy, Etc

• Withstands Dooku’s lightning and being thrown through a window
  • Dooku’s lightning can kill clone troopers
• Ignores the pain of lightsaber burns on her wrists
• Survives a blaster bolt to the shoulder, though she’s badly hurt
• [Story] Gets shot by a blaster in the back and blacks out, but gets up after what seems like a short amount of time
• [Story] Survives briefly being in the vacuum of space unprotected

Speed and Agility
Movement/Combat Speed

• Maul says she is faster than him
• Runs faster than a speeder going in reverse
• Outruns Quinlan Vos
• Runs so fast that Anakin can’t get a sense of her footsteps in the dark, and seems to run on the ceiling of a circular tunnel
• [Story] Quickly cuts a baby sarlacc’s tentacles into pieces
• Leaps past Vos and takes him by surprise with a back attack
• [Story] Moves as a blur to get behind Anakin
• Moves as a blur and kills someone with her lightsaber so fast that Quinlan Vos barely had time to register it
• Punches and kicks as a blur
• Gains the upper hand in a duel so quickly that Vos can’t see what happened in a holographic recording
• Chases Obi-Wan through a dense jungle while jumping over and cutting through obstacles

Reactions

• Dodges a sword slash from behind
• Dodges Anakin’s saber by jumping while blocking Obi-Wan
• Reacts to Anakin’s jumping attack, parries his saber, and bends backward to avoid a slash, though he eventually lands a kick on her
• Dodges Obi-Wan’s lightsaber
• Jumps over a swipe of Aayla Secura’s saber
• Rolls out of the way of Vos’s leaping attack
• Catches a thrown spear
• Moves a droid in front of her to block Rex’s blaster, then draws and activates her lightsaber after he fires to block it
• Takes cover from blasterfire

Jumping and Acrobatics

• Jumps up onto a platform
• Jumps up onto a catwalk
• Jumps off a wall to get to the ceiling
• Jumps onto a small ship as it passes by
• Jumps through trees with other Nightsisters while invisible
• Hops across the heads of battle droids
• While carrying a child on her back, jumps off a balcony, then jumps between boulders and flips up onto a saddle
• Fights while jumping between falling platforms
• Twists in mid-jump after being grabbed to deliver a kick
• Does a backflip while kicking off high-heeled shoes
• Jumps high, then swings on a pole to kick Anakin
• Swings on a power line before jump-kicking Ahsoka
• Somersaults over a charging man and pivots to cut his legs
• Flips three times during a jump
• Jumps far, then takes out some battle droids before they can react
• Ducks from Dooku’s saber and jumps off some slanted walls
• Acrobatically avoids a droid’s line of sight
• Jumps onto a droid ship as it passes below her
• [Story] Jumps around a room while fighting Anakin
• Runs up a wall, takes a staff from a droid, and briefly balances on it
• Jumps up onto a support beam and balances delicately
• Quickly climbs up the outside of a ship with the help of her lightsabers

Force Abilities

Telekinesis
Pushing

• KOs two Toydarians with a push
• KOs two clone troopers with a push
• Pushes a Nightbrother far
• Knocks over several clones
• Pushes away her surrounding opponents
• [Story] Pushes aside several animals
• Makes a gap in a pile of rubble
• Presses a cyborg into the ground, making his bones and prostheses pop

Pulling

• Tears out a section of a pipe
• [Story] Pulls her two lightsabers to her hands from opposite directions
• Pulls apart an astromech in a telekinetic tug-of-war with Aayla Secura
• Matches Anakin’s telekinesis while pulling on a child

Deflecting

• Makes Dooku’s lightsaber miss her
• Deflects droid parts launched at her by Quinlan Vos
• Redirects blaster bolts aimed at her

Lifting and Throwing

• Lifts a Jedi and slams him into the ground
• Smashes a droid into the floor
• Is confident that she could break most of a clone trooper’s bones by throwing him into a wall
• Throws a Falleen into a throne, toppling it
• Stops two falling women
• Launches pieces of rubble from behind her
• Throws a table at Obi-Wan
• Throws a stack of barrels at a person
• Lifts and throws a massive stone pillar
• Casually uproots a tree
• Throws her joined sabers, cutting through a pipe
• [Story] Throws a lightsaber, breaking a spaceship’s window
• Moves a droid in front of her to block Rex’s blaster with its neck
• Levitates herself back onto a moving speeder

Choking

• Chokes a snake to death
• Lifts and chokes a clone, then pulls him onto her lightsaber
• While particularly enraged, lifts and chokes Anakin and Obi-Wan, though she loses her grip when the floor shakes
• Lifts and chokes a Falleen
• Lifts and chokes four pirates, then collapses them in a heap

Limitations

• Her telekinesis is much weaker when she’s badly injured

Mind Tricks and Telepathy

• Attempts to mind trick Rex into luring Anakin to her, but Rex seems to at least partially resist and warn Anakin
• Prevents a woman from calling security, and sends her on a long errand
• Gets a guard to let her pass without checking her for weapons
• Lets an animal know that she’s not a threat
• Telepathically threatens a lava flea she’s riding
• Exudes calmness while talking to someone
• Calls a snake to her and makes it violent
• [Limitation] Her mind tricks don’t work on those trained against it

Force Senses
People

• Senses a person nearby despite her sense being weakened by an injury
• Senses Count Dooku’s location in his palace
• Senses that Grievous is leading the enemy force
• Senses Anakin’s presence in the dark before she knows him well
• Senses Anakin stalking her
• Seems to sense an attack coming from behind
• [Limitation] Fails to sense an individual in a crowd
• [Story][Limitation] Doesn’t sense someone pointing a blaster at her back

Emotions and Thoughts

• Senses tension in a group of people
• Senses concern from a Jedi
• Senses that a person is eager to please someone important
• Senses that Mill Alibeth is questioning the Jedi lifestyle
• Feels two people’s emotions despite not being able to see them
• Senses the general emotions of a crowd, and identifies a different emotion in a particular group
• Can tell that Quinlan Vos is telling the truth when he says he loves her

Other

• Senses her lightsaber being thrown to her
• With her senses weakened, is able to sense traps in a temple made of a Force-attuned stone
• Pilots a ship precisely with her eyes closed
• Can tell that Vos is still consumed by the dark side when Obi-Wan can’t
• Senses through a hologram that Sidious is steeped in the dark side

Precognition

• Predicts where a person she’s chasing will go
• Predicts and partly avoids blows from a four-armed man
• Predicts the moves of Ziton Moj, an expert in fighting unpredictably
• Experiences a vision of every possible outcome of a decision she’s about to make (although this is the only time she experiences the Force this way)

Other

Stealth

• Avoids a droid’s line of sight
• Two Nightbrothers lose track of her in a place with no cover
• In the darkness, runs up to a group of Nightbrothers without them noticing, killing two of them on separate passes
• Drops down behind a Nightbrother without him noticing
• Infiltrates a ship without Maul, Savage, or Obi-Wan noticing her
• Along with Obi-Wan and Anakin, sneaks through a ship she’s familiar with
• In the Nightsister temple, hides from Quinlan Vos and takes him by surprise
• Makes herself blend into the shadows

Intelligence and Creativity

• Cuts a steam vent near Luminara’s face
• Directs two groups of droid starfighters, creating an opening so she can damage an enemy ship
• Recognizes the smell of a particular kind of fuel
• Competently treats a blaster wound

Social Skills and Deception

• Appeals to Grievous’s ego to get him to fight her alone
• Pretends to fall for a man’s trap to make him lower his guard, and can tell that he is faking falling for her mind trick
• Gains a person’s trust by listening to and encouraging his grievances, and gets him to consider planting a bomb for her and eventually to plant multiple bombs
• Convinces the same person that Obi-Wan is influencing his partner’s mind
• Tells Quinlan Vos that Dooku, rather than herself, killed Vos’s master
• Misrepresents evidence in order to convince the Cato Neimoidian government of Obi-Wan’s guilt

Vehicular and Mechanical Skill

• Flies a ship erratically to confound droid ships
• Scores a hit on Obi-Wan’s starfighter, then does it again
• Escapes from an exploding hangar in a badly damaged ship
• Uses her Force senses to precisely position a ship
• Can operate a Separatist tank
• Installs modifications on her ship
• Rigs a blaster to explode

Equipment

• A starfighter that she uses while working for Dooku
• [Story] A belt buckle that controls her ship
• The Banshee, a fast and well-armed ship that she uses during her time as a bounty hunter
• A skirt that she can remove and throw
• A bow that fires a plasma cable that she can slide down
  • Can retract to pull her up
• A telescope that can zoom and display information
• Electrobinocular goggles
• An aquata breather

Accomplishments and Accolades

• Has fought her way through entire battalions (presumably of clone troopers)
• Darth Sidious says that she is perhaps the most impressive of Dooku’s apprentices (including Savage Opress and Quinlan Vos), and he worried that Dooku could use her power against him
• Is called an unquestioned master of the Jar’Kai lightsaber style
• Darth Sidious says that her mastery of the dual-bladed lightsaber style is unparelleled
• Took over the planet Rattatak and ruled as a warlord there

Miscellaneous

• Hears a sound that most people could not have detected
• Keeps track of a man in a city when an ordinary tracker would have lost him
• Makes her pulse seem to stop
• Obi-Wan thinks that her mind can’t be manipulated by the Force
• Is skilled at infiltration

I'm writing this from the ruins of our old diner. This will be my last post.
When the bus came to an abrupt stop suddenly, I pressed my head against the window and peered out, hyper alert of my surroundings.
I was seeing a large glass building which reminded me of a school, or maybe a hospital. It looked far more modern than anything in Littlewood. It hit me that this was the Halfway House we had been promised solace ever since we were kids. I vaguely remembered our class being told about the curse and quickly following that up with, “But we’ll keep you safe. Like we do every year, we send our seniors to a place of healing to prepare them for the outside world after going through such trauma where they can mend and reignite themselves."
Ironic wording, considering what really happened to us.
In actuality, I knew exactly what it was. The whispering in my head had revealed the Halfway House’s true meaning. Inside that building we were going to burn. We were going to fucking burn and nobody was coming to save us. Not our parents or the town. Leaning back in my chair, my gaze flicked to the front where two armed guards were beginning to escort my classmates off of the bus. I had already made my decision when I grabbed Jun’s sleeve and yanked him under the seat in front of us. He let out a sharp gasp, almost a sound of protest. “Bee, what are you doing? Get off--"
Slamming my hand over his mouth, I pressed myself into a ball, pulling him further under the seat. The thud, thud, thud, of the guards' boots sent slithers of fear creeping up and down my spine. They passed us. I could hear their breaths, their muttering to each other.
The guards already knew our game. I sensed them checking under each seat—which motivated me to shuffle myself further under until I couldn’t breathe. Jun didn’t move, his breaths sharp and heavy into the flesh of my palm. After a moment which seemed to go on forever, thudding boots retreated back towards the front of the bus. I squeezed my eyes shut when the engines started up once again. Gripping Jun for dear life, I settled on taking deep breaths. We were going to get out, I thought. We were going to escape.
“Can you get off of me?" Jun tried to squirm from my grip, but I tightened my hold on him.
“Shh.” I said under my breath. “Don’t make a sound, okay?”
"Why? We're going to the Halfway house!"
I bit back a yell, stopping him from crawling away from me. "There is no halfway house."
Once the bus started to move, keeping a firm grip on Jun’s sleeve, I pulled us from our hiding place and lifted my head, scanning for somewhere better. The back was our best bet. When I started towards it, dragging Jun with me, however, I spotted two familiar faces already in hiding. Jonas and Mira. Jun let out a low grumble, and part of me couldn't believe he was still salty about Jonas in this situation.
Without speaking, we joined them, with Jonas shuffling back so I could join him, pulling a reluctant Jun with me. It was an uncomfortable squeeze but we were safe. I allowed myself to breathe when the bus fell into a steady drive. But I didn’t have time to relax. I was considering asking Jonas in low whispers why he had chosen to hide, when once again the bus came to a jolting stop. “Forty six?” The bus driver all but thundered from the front. “What are you talking about? Fifty were loaded onto the bus. I fucking counted them!"
Shit. Shooting the other’s a panicked look, I weighed our options. Four against one.
We could easily get past him.
“No. No, we did a sweep of the bus!" His voice was growing panicked. "There’s nobody on here."
Jonas twisted around, shooting me a questioning look.
What the fuck is wrong with him? He mouthed.
I pressed my index over my lips in response.
Jun let out a frustrated hiss, and I instantly knew what he was going to do. Before he could, however, I was slamming my hand over his mouth once again, this time with Jonas' help, cutting off his strangled, "We're over–"
Jonas shoved us further under, dragging a struggling Jun. "Do you want us to get caught!?" He exploded in a hiss of breath.
Jun only muffled into my hand, and I half wondered if knocking him out would benefit us. The bus driver’s voice was eerily shaky. I could hear every tremble in his tone. “Check? Yes! Uh, yes, I’ll check now. Don’t worry, alright? There’s no more kids on this bus. They must have ran away."
When the driver started down the aisle in a bumbling stumble, ducking under each seat, I attempted to hide. I mean there was nowhere to hide, though I at least tried to shove myself uncomfortably further under the damn seat until we were squashed like sardines. “Hey!”
The driver’s steps quickened towards us and I felt my body catapult into fight or flight.
“What are you kids still doing here?” When I lifted my head to meet his eyes, I expected anger. There was no anger, however. I was seeing frustration and fear, trickles of pain blooming in wide cartoon-like eyes. The guy was keeping his distance from us, I noticed.
Like we were teeming with the plague. It was a curse, not a contagious virus.
"What do we do?" Jonas murmured.
"We stay here."
"But he's looking directly at us." He said in a sing-song voice. "I don't think he's blind."
Before I could stop him, Jonas was awkwardly dislodging himself from the gap underneath the seats. He jumped to his feet and raised his arms in mocking surrender. His smile was bright, but there was an underlying darkness in his eyes, and I had no doubt he wouldn’t resort to violence. “Yeah, okay, you got us. We were just hitchhiking back to town. I’m not a fan of the whole half-way house thing,” he said. “I’d rather just ride back into town and go and see my pops.” His lip curled. “I want to see if he’s okay. You know, after last night. I'm sure you know I'm a little on edge."
“No.” The driver’s eyes filled with tears. “No…” he shook his head rapidly, his arms trembling at his sides. “You're not going anywhere. You.. you're staying right there."
"What, so I get possessed by the dead souls of my ancestors and now I don't have basic human rights?" Jonas rolled his eyes with a scoff. "You're legally inclined to let me go. I don't want to go to some weird halfway house and pretend I didn't gut my best friend's mother, alright? I'm going home, asshole."
The driver didn't move. "I'm telling you to… to stay back." He moaned. "Please. I have a wife. I have a wife and two children, and I just got promoted! I don't need this shit!"
Jonas' eyes darkened. "What did you say?"
"Jonas…" Jun hissed out.
"No, no, I'm curious to know what the fuck this guy's problem is," The boy spat. "I woke up tangled in my neighbors guts, and this guy…" He started to laugh, a hysterical giggle collapsing into a sob. "This guy thinks his job is more important?"
"You're a disease." The man said in a whisper. "You shouldn't… exist." His gaze flicked to me. "All of you. You're a disease."
A look of hurt sparked in the boy's eyes, and his lip curled. “The curse is over, Jackass! I'm not going to kill you!" Jonas cocked his head, his expression crumpling with confusion when the guy started sobbing. "Are you…crying? Jeez, what did I say, huh? I'm not going to kill you! We just want to go home, alright? Look! I'm holding up my hands. Just take us home."
Just as promised, Jonas held up his hands.
I chose to stand at that point. Jun followed hesitantly, Mira following, staying behind Jonas. The driver stiffened, backing away.
“I said stay back!" He hissed out. “Do you hear me?” His shaky hand went into his jacket, his eyes squeezing shut like he was expecting something. Pulling out a phone, the man's fingers nervously tapped the screen. He didn't take his eyes off us. “I’m taking you kids back to the Halfway House, alright?"
He nodded at us like we would agree if he looked as pathetic as possible. And he did. The guy looked like he was ready to drop to his knees and beg. “Just… stay there.”
I caught the exact moment he dropped the notion of an authority figure. His lips twisted when Jonas ignored his instructions and took a casual step towards him. If this guy had a gun, I knew he would use it. Instead, he stumbled back with a cry. “Don’t fucking move! I mean it!”
Jonas' lip curved. He raised a brow. “Like this?” Another step.
This time, the man let out a shriek.
“Jonas.” Jun said. “Dude, stop. You're scaring him."
"Scaring him? What's to be scared of?" He laughed. "The night's over, and this guy still thinks a bunch of kids are going to gut him."
"I don't know," Jun whispered, "but don't get too close, okay? He looks freaked."
“Why?” Jonas twisted around to look at him. “This guy’s got fucking problems. Didn't I tell him we weren't a threat?"
I caught a glimmer of that maniacal glitter left over from overnight. “Let me guess,” Jonas laughed. “Do you see dead people?” In three strides, he was face to face with the guy. Nose to nose. Still smiling. The driver was petrified to the spot, like Jonas was inhuman. His eyes were wide, lips moving, but he wasn't speaking. "You look like you're about to poop yourself over a bunch of teenagers, my guy. Kind of pathetic, dontcha think?"
"I…" The man's bottom lip trembled. His breaths were heavy, his mouth twisting and turning and trying to speak. I would have felt sorry for him, if it wasn't for him being responsible for bringing my class to the slaughter. He couldn't even get words out, wide eyes pinpointed on Jonas and Jun like they were ghosts. Something was building in my head, a pressure harsh enough to make my nose bleed.
I found myself staring out of the window. I had initially caught the movement of a lamppost swaying back and forth. But there was no wind. When I squinted, I noticed more things which didn't make sense; a patch of flowers which had been planted outside the Halfway House were… drooping. No, not just drooping. They were blackening, rotting away into their soil, petals being whisked into the air and coming apart.
It was 10:30 in the morning, and the sky was darkening.
Jun started forwards and grabbed Jonas’s wrist, and with the two of them so close, the man let out a childish whine which only confused Jonas further. Outside, a tree I was so sure had been standing tall and proud, crashed onto the ground suddenly, the force of the impact rattling the bus. I fought to hold on. The pressure was building in my brain, and suddenly I couldn’t… I couldn’t breathe. “Hey!” Jonas yelled in the driver's frozen face. “What did I say, huh? The curse is over! You don’t have to be scared of us anymore, alright? Just… take us home–"
Bubble-gum.
It sounded like bursting bubble-gum.
I didn’t hear the latter half of what he’d said because the bus windows were suddenly bright red, dripping red. The floor was red, the seats, and the ceiling. Jonas was red, and I could feel splatters of it on my cheeks and speckled on my chin. The others had gotten the worst of it, but it was still painting me. The red was warm and wet, like I had bathed in it. It was at my feet, pooling and spilling and spattering every colour from existence. I felt like I was back in on the school corridor being suffocated by a wet rag pressed over my mouth, horrifying images projecting into my hand from the fumes. But these weren't delusions. This was real. It was happening.
There was a dizzying moment when I thought it was raining blood before my brain found reality and I blinked at the spot where the driver had stood in front of us—and it began to dawn on me. I hadn’t been looking at the man when he popped out of existence. I was watching the leaves on the trees outside start to brown and then blacken into nothing. Like there was an invisible force decaying everything in its path. Jonas, who looked like he was starring in Cannibal Holocaust, twisted around to face me with wide, almost unseeing eyes. He looked like he might say something before the bus shook, and I forced myself to move, to find the window.
Outside, the ground had started to crack apart, zigzagging raptures spreading like fire across the sidewalk. Jun grabbed my arm and pulled me off the bus, Jonas diving off first, Mira on his heel. The world was crumbling around us, I realised. I could see it in flocks of birds flying across the sky in a panic. When we found solid ground, Jonas started hyperventilating. I was half listening to him mutter obscenities to himself, eyeing the growing sinkhole eating up everything in front of us. A woman jumped into her car and attempted to drive straight ahead before another tree collapsed, crushing her. “This is the curse.” Jonas said shakily. “It’s got to be, right? But why would they still be mad?"
The four of us teetered on a safe piece of sidewalk.
Mira wasn’t speaking. I think she was frozen. Traumatised. I could barely see her through the red.
“Nope.” Jun murmured. He swiped blood from his eyes with his sleeve. “It’s because we’re refusing to save the world.”
“What?” Jonas spluttered.
The ground started to split in front of me and I staggered back, my stomach galloping into my throat.
“He’s brainwashed.” I found myself gritting out. “Jun’s convinced we’re saving the world.”
“Like… like The Avengers?” Jonas grabbed his arm with a laugh. “Dude, did you hit your head?”
“No.”
“Then what are you talking about?”
“Didn’t I make it clear I didn’t want to talk to you?”
“Well, you might as well! Since the fuckin’ world is ending!” He paused. "If this about me and Wendy--"
Jun laughed. "You're telling me this now?!"
“Stop.” Mira cut in, her cry breaking into a sob. “Just shut up. Shut up! I can't think!"
Their back and forth was barely a whisper in the back of my mind while I watched chaos unfold in front of me. Have you ever heard a human being explode?
It kind of sounds like bubble gum bursting.
I glimpsed a running man hand in hand with a little kid before both of them went “Poof!” against the store window, painting it in a whole new colour.
Like a domino effect, the town's people started rupturing like the ground beneath us. I was staring at an old woman struggling to hobble through a panicking crowd when the mayor announced himself via megaphone across a particularly large crack in splintered concrete. Armed guards surrounded him and I wondered if whatever this was would spare him. “Stay exactly where you are!”
“Do you understand me? Do not move!”
When they risked coming closer, part of me revelled in seeing fear prickle in their eyes. Behind the mayor, was our principal. His face beet red. The guy was seething. “Can you kids understand what you have done?”
Uh, yeah.
I think we had accidentally caused the death of Littlewood.
I didn’t say that, though. I wanted answers and Jun and Jonas seemed in their own world, watching our town crumble around us. “The curse.” I said shakily when they were close enough to hear us. The bookshop I’d frequented my whole life started to crumble behind me, windows splintering with the force of the quake. But It barely fazed me. Neither did the little girl screaming for her exploding mother showering her in scarlet. “Who really started it?”
The mayor dropped his megaphone. “If I tell you, will you hand yourselves over?”
Even his voice was shaking.
I nodded. “Of course.”
"What?!" Jonas shot me a look.
"She's not being serious, idiot," Jun muttered to him. "She's stalling."
The mayor's lips twisted. “No fighting? No more questions?”
“Sure.” I said, gesturing to the world around us. “You should hurry up though. Unless you want to turn into brain soup.”
If the phenomenon happening around us wanted to take the three of us, we would already be dead. It wasn’t targeting us, however. It was killing everyone except us.
Which spoke volumes.
“Uh, no,” Jonas hissed, tugging on my sleeve. “We should run. Like, right fucking now. I don't care what you want to say, okay? I don't want to be part of this!"
“Let him explain.” I said.
“Bee, are you serious?” Mira's eyes were wide, cartoon like.
“Very.” I told her, before directing my words at the mayor. “I want to know why you made Noah Sharpe kill my mother eleven years ago. And I don't want bullshit."
A woman who was mid run across the ruins of the sidewalk blossomed into a cloud of red, and I only just glimpsed what was left of her bag landing onto the ground with a comical splat. The mayor looked like he might argue or even attempt to capture us right there and then. But he didn’t give the order. Instead, he pasted on a strict smile. “Two hundred years ago in the year 1799, the elders of this town made a grave mistake which they knew they would regret for the coming years, dooming their children, and their ancestors to eternal misery” He cleared his throat, suddenly looking uncomfortable. “Littlewood was on the brink of collapse. Women were unfortunately barren and unable to bear children, and nothing they tried would work. They tried everything, Bee. Everything which would work and wouldn't - - old wives tales, and whispers in the wind carrying word of mouth. The town had no other option and were forced to make a terrible choice. Our elders prayed to an entity and asked for good luck and prosperity to help us through trying times, and for their women to no longer be barren."
“Prayed?” Jun frowned. “Like… to a God?”
“You could say that.” The mayor smiled proudly.
"No, you said… you said there was a fire," Jonas whispered. He was already in denial. "That's what you told us! You told us there was a fire which killed a bunch of kids…and we’re punished because you didn’t help them. Because you let them burn."
The mayor was doing a good job of skirting around actual conversation.
He nodded gravely. “That was the story we told you, yes. It was built on the bones of the truth. However, the reality of what really happened would cause panic. The truth is our ancestors sacrificed fifty teenagers in the year 1799. They were a gift to this entity in control of our beloved town. As you already know, human sacrifice was practised in those days. Some say it was normal. Human blood and life force was seen as the greatest gift Littlewood's bearers could accept— as well as the soul from an elder, or an authority of the town. But of course we couldn't do that. In the simplest of terms, our elders were.. more important. ” He folded his arms. “However, what they did not know is that those sacrifices were… impure. They had engaged in certain activities which would be deemed… unsanitary, or maybe that's not the word for it. They, ahh.. I'm not sure how to–"
“They fucked.” Jonas cut him off with an eye-roll.
The mayor’s gaze found the ground.
“Indeed.” He said. “Angered, the entity demanded more than the town could give it, and when town’s people started to notice rotting food and animals disappearing, rumours of a beast lurking in the trees beginning to circulate, they struck a deal. Every year following, the eighteen year olds, with fifty being the minimum, would be sacrificed as our punishment.”
“Burned.” I corrected in a scoff.
The man found my gaze. “In those times, yes. Burned at the stake. However, throughout the years we have found a far more humane way to complete the ritual.”
Yeah. Incineration.
“I’m not a virgin.” Jonas said dryly.
“That doesn’t matter.” The mayor said. “Whether you are or not, fifty sacrifices were demanded to make up for the towns sins. If the debt wasn’t paid, however, the entity threatened a wrath greater than hell on earth to strike our town and then the world.” This time he lifted his gaze and looked me directly in the eye like I was supposed to feel guilty. “What we call The Teen Purge would be child’s play in comparison to what they have planned for us,” he continued. “If the correct number of sacrifices are not made, Littlewood will fall, which will cause a domino effect. Destruction will spread to neighbouring towns and then cities, followed by countries across the world, killing billions of people.” The mayor gestured around us as spattered red. “As you can see, we are already seeing the start of it.”
“So… two hundred years ago, you idiots prayed to an inhuman entity and actually expected them to give you what you wanted?” Mira whispered.
Then she laughed to my surprise. “You killed fifty kids because a faceless presence told you to?”
“Like I said, Mira,” The mayor’s tone grew cold. “Human sacrifice was considered normal in those days. I’m not saying what our ancestors did was right, but they were starving. Their women could not bear children.”
“What does that have to do with turning us into psychopaths?” I found myself asking, my voice was trembling. “Why did Noah kill my mom?”
This time, the man wore the slightest of smiles. “Do you really think parents would agree to us murdering their children if we didn’t make them fear them? If we didn’t plant the idea in their head that it was their twisted child’s life or innocent towns people? Your parents were as in the dark as you. In their eyes, you were cursed. Killers. You had to be taken away.”
“You’re kidding.” Jonas looked frantic, his eyes darting around, searching for an escape, “Do you seriously think I’ll die for a town which has ostracized us since were five years old? Who made us think we were fucking monsters?”
“Mr Lockhart, the sole reason why this town is crumbling around us is because you are still breathing.” The Mayor told him. “Right now, forty six seniors have been… gifted as part of our yearly ritual. That is not enough to stop them from destroying us. We need exactly fifty sacrifices.”
“Well, good luck finding them.” Jonas said in a choked laugh. “I’m sorry, but no. If you think I’m going to willingly sacrifice myself, you’re deluded!”
“Jonas.” The principle at least tried to be sympathetic. “I know you don’t want to do this, but which would you prefer? A world which is no longer recognisable, one which you wouldn’t be able to survive anyway, or a peaceful euthanasian? Your father is still alive. You will be saving him.”
“I don’t care!” He sputtered. “You think I give a fuck about anyone in this town? You’re an elder,” He accused. “Why not give yourself to them, huh?”
“That’s…” The Mayor looked taken aback for a moment. “Mr Lockhart, that is incredibly disrespectful.”
"So is murdeding our entire senior class! " He gasped out, his body trembling. Jonas backed away, grabbing Jun’s hand, and then mine. I held on, but Jun wrenched away from his grasp, his eyes far too empty for me to bear.
“The girl who told me she had a siren in her head,” He said softly. “She said I was going to save billions of lives, and this is what she meant.”
Jonas let out a sound of distain, and Mira laughed again. Her laughter was hysterical.
There was a content smile on Jun’s face and I realised with a pang in my chest, that I preferred it to the agony twisting his expression when I’d found him. I wanted him to be happy, to be at peace. But not like this. I wanted to run away with him, with Jonas and Mira, even if this twisted fate demanded otherwise. Jun strode over to the guards, with two out of four spontaneously combusting in their helmets before the remainder grabbed and restrained him. For a moment, Jonas looked like he might join him. I saw it in his expression, in his eyes filling with tears.
He took a shaky step forward like he would abandon self-preservation for a boy he had confusing feelings for, a boy who was locked into a fantasy nobody could pull him out of. Before he turned on his heel and ran. I watched him go, concrete splintering under his every clumsy step, as he pushed himself into a sprint. I respected that Jonas had chosen himself over the town. His own life over 7 billion people. He didn’t owe Littlewood anything.
“Mr Lockhart!” The mayor yelled, a look of panic twisting his expression.
“Go after him! We need fifty sacrifices!”
The guards hesitated.
They were scared to get near any of us.
“Go!”
After hesitating, they were stumbling after him, but Jonas was already out of sight.
He nodded to the remaining guards holding Jun. “Take him to the halfway house. They’re waiting for him."
At his words, I found myself backing away, and an almost childlike look of pain crossed his face. “Bee.” The mayor stamped the ground like a child, like he was having a tantrum. “Did you not hear him?” He shook Jun like a doll, his smile widening into a grin. “You’re going to save the world!”
No.
I laughed at him. In his fucking face.
He had to be kidding!
He’d taken away my mom, and Noah— now Jun. My entire fucking class.
To make up for a mistake THEY had made. We were being punished for what they had done.
For 200 years, we had suffered.
Because of them.
And he expected me to give myself up?
One look at Jun told me he would never follow me. He had already made his choice.
Still though, I smiled at him.
And he smiled back.
Not a Wonderland Smile, a real smile.
“You’re insane.” I found myself spluttering. “You actually want to die.”
Jun rolled his eyes. “Die?” He said. “Who wants to die? No, Bee. I don’t want to die.” My friend laughed, and the guard holding him flinched, as if a single movement or expression would trigger him to combust like the others. “What did I tell you? I want to go visit my dad before Christmas. I want to move across the country and start fresh in a new college. I want to…” he pulled a face. “I want to eat New York pizza and kiss a stranger, make mistakes that I learn from. Maybe I want to go skinny dipping in mid-December, drive through late night traffic with my head stuck out of the window singing to cheesy pop. Barf all over myself after too much drinking, and then do it all over again the next night because I have zero self-control.”
The more he was speaking, the more I realised I was losing him. No, I’d lost him.
Jun was speaking in goodbye, and there was nothing I could do to stop him. Because, if he had made his choice to give in to his fate, then what business did I have trying to save him? He would only hate me. He was doing a bad job of acting like goodbye didn’t matter to him though, swiping at sore eyes. “The list goes on, Bee! Of course I want to live, idiot,” he laughed again, though it was more of a sob. I thought I was getting through to him. I knew deep, deep down, he didn’t want this either. But Jun was a good person.
He stepped out of the guards restraint , and into my arms. He was warm, and I held onto that. “Nobody ever wants to die,” He mumbled into my shoulder. I squeezed him tighter. “even on the edge of life, even with that storm cloud over their head, the suffocating pressure in their chest. All of that anxiety and pain knotting up their gut telling them they’re not worth it. That they should give up. They all still want to live. They want that reason to keep going.”
I knew exactly what he was talking about. Why I couldn't step in front of traffic or cut open my wrists. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe not all of Jun was gone. His eyes were far too sad for me to call them empty. Brainwashed. “But,” he stumbled over his words, pulling away so abruptly, I felt like all the air in my lungs had been sucked away. “How is it fair that I live while everyone else dies? Our whole class, Bee. How could I stay breathing while they sacrificed themselves for us every year prior?”
“They didn’t have a choice!” I said through gritted teeth. “Do you really think they willingly walked in there? They didn’t want to die, Jun! I saw them die. All of them."
Jun’s eyes flickered to the guards in front of him, and for a moment it looked like I was getting through to him. He made the slightest of movements, his hand grasping hold of my wrist, fingernails digging into my flesh. I felt that desperation to live. Even if he insisted it was the opposite, I knew he was putting on a brave face. But then our Principal was gone, and more red was spattering my face. Jun let go of my wrist and stepped away from me for the final time, allowing the dwindling guards to grab him. I finally understood what the mayor meant. The longer we were breathing, others were suffering and the town was falling apart. Except I couldn’t bring myself to have sympathy for them.
Would you?
“Jun.” I was fighting, then. Fighting to hold myself together when I was splintering apart. “What I heard… in my head,” I sputtered. “They weren’t voices. They didn’t speak to me.” I could feel my knees buckling. “They were screaming! They didn’t want to die! And… and why should we?”
I turned to glare at the mayor who was still standing. “Why should we die for them, huh?” I demanded. “Give me one good reason why we should die. So they can kill the seniors next year? Why should we be the ones they sacrifice? Prisoners exist! Child murderers! Why can’t it be them?”
“That is something we considered.” The mayor started to say, but I cut him off.
“Shut up.” I gritted through a mouthful of tears. “You don’t get to speak."
The mayor looked like he might argue but decided against it.
Jun shrugged. “It’s either us or the planet.”
“This isn’t a movie,” I said, “Do you really think you’re doing some heroic gesture and the whole town is going to cheer you on?” I was seething, I couldn’t control my words, control my breathing. “No. They see you as a sacrifice and nothing else. I don’t see them putting up a fucking memorial. Did they for the others? Did they care, Jun? The girl who put all this in your head. Did the town remember her?"
It took two single strides to grab him.
Shake him.
"Did. The. Town. Care? About any of them? Noah? Tommy? The girl who filled your head with all this crap? Did Littlewood remember them?"
He held my gaze. “She said I was going to save billions. They don't have to care."
“So?” I shrieked. “I choose myself any day! And you should too!"
I expected him to call me selfish, but that wasn’t Jun.
“So, run.”
I let go of him. “Jun, I swear to God–"
“I’m not saying goodbye,” Jun said in a strained voice. “I’m going to turn around and walk away. And you’re not going to look back, okay?"
“What?”
If Littlewood hadn't been decaying around us, I would have held onto him.
Mira was grabbed before she could follow Jonas, and I was so close to following Jun. I was so fucking close to giving myself up, as long as I got to be with him and the others. When one of the guards took a hesitant step towards me, however, I found myself backing away. No. I didn’t want to die. I didn’t want to fucking die, and if that made me selfish, so be it. I felt myself moving step my step.
One last look at Jun.
He wasn’t smiling, his head bowed as a guard pinned his wrists behind his back. When he lifted his head, his eyes were on the horizon. He looked content. And knowing that he was happy—he was at peace with his fate, I ran. And behind me, just as I turned around, the mayor was staring at me, a look of immense disgust on his face. I stared back. I wanted him to explode. I wanted his body to shower the street in red and prove to me that this so-called entity didn’t just take innocents. It took those in power too. And yet he stood there, not a smear on his perfectly pressed suit. His expression was twisted with fear, a pain in his eyes I had never seen before.
And his words were echoing inside my skull.
"Human blood and life force was seen as the greatest gift Littlewood's bearers could accept— as well as the soul from an elder, or an authority of the town. But of course we couldn't do that. In the simplest of terms, our elders were…more important.”
I took pleasure in quickening my pace into a sprint.
It’s been 12 days since I last saw Jun. On October 3rd, the trees started to blossom again. Outside my hiding place, the remnants of the diner, a rose bush bloomed out of nowhere, followed by daisies. Amongst the chaos, the endless shower of red every time another towns person was claimed, there it was. Life. Sitting in a battlefield of death. Jun.
Number forty seven. I want to believe it wasn’t him, that he got away, that he got some sense knocked into him. But it was hard to ignore the suffocating presence squeezing the breath from our town lift—even if it was only slightly. I lit a candle for him. Well, I couldn’t find any candles, so I set my neighbour’s yard alight instead. October 5th, the ground stopped cracking apart and the town's people were spared. Number forty eight. Jonas. It was fast, and I knew by the way the wind knocked into me threatening to throw me off my bike when I was scoping the ruins of my neighbourhood, a powerful gust blowing my hair from my face, that it was him.
I sensed his anger and frustration, but no pain. I think he liked being part of the wind. Jonas had done the opposite of what I thought he would. Instead of running away from his fate, he’d given up. Maybe he didn’t have anyone left. He should have ran. Maybe there might be far more destruction if he did. Jun and Jonas totalled the number of sacrifices to forty eight. I wondered if it was enough to make Jun’s wish come true. Did my fallen classmates really save the world?
Following them was Mira. I knew by the pace the leaves started to flower on trees, like the town was mending itself, that she was gone. With her combined with the boys, I think it was enough to stop the destruction, at least for a little while. Mira had fought until her last breath. She didn’t want to die, and that was evident in her lingering presence causing more decay than life before she seemingly found some kind of peace. Birds started to sing again, and the last person who exploded was, ironically, her mother. Sucks to be her. I think I’m allowed to laugh in this situation, right? Maybe Mira had a hand in it.
And I did laugh. I laughed until I cried.
Until the remaining town’s people power washed her off the sidewalk with everyone else.
October 13th, and the sun is shining.
The town are attempting to rebuild a broken Littlewood, and I sit here hoping me still existing and breathing will bring their downfall. I don’t have to hide anymore. Nobody will come near me. I’m like a plague, which works for me.
I’m skipping town soon, but first I want to stay behind to see the fireworks. I want to know if Littlewood has truly been spared or they’re just taking their time. I like to think my classmates are still here. I mean, they are. I see them in spring flowers coming to life in Fall. I hear them in the wind blowing my hair back. Some call me a coward for running away, while others beg me to keep going. And I will. I’m just… waiting.
I’m waiting for Littlewood to fall. Because I am the 50th sacrifice. While I breathe, their debt is not paid. My town’s clock is ticking, and I can’t wait for a wrath to finally be bestowed on the ignorant. I know this “entity” won’t rest until we’ve all been gifted to them. I can see that in rotting animal carcases appearing in the road and on the sidewalk. The town try to hide it.
They’re trying to hide the sudden appearance of maggot like insects festering on every street corner and a mysterious flu which has taken hold of the kindergarten. Like I said, I should sympathise with their dead. I don’t think our parents knew about any of this. We were just monsters to them; monsters they decided to let go. I am thinking about playing the pied piper and taking the little kids of the town with me. I can still save them, right? They don't have to die too.
I saw a junior girl yesterday.
Lanie Matthews. I used to sit with her in the cafeteria sometimes. She was handing out flyers in an attempt to send away Littlewood’s juniors to a safe place so the curse doesn’t get them next year. I want to tell her that her fate will follow Noah Sharpe and Jonas Lockhart. Mira Jane. Jun Sato.
Did their sacrifices really make a difference?
Who knows? Maybe this “entity” will take our world before October 1st, 2023. I think they’re waiting for me. They’re waiting for me to give in too. At some point, I almost caved. It was the screaming I couldn’t bear. Mother’s crying for their children in despair, and vice versa. But then I got a hold of myself. If I want to bring down Littlewood, then I have to survive. I wonder if the world will follow…
Are you worth saving?
In my opinion, no.
You're not worth Jun and Jonas and Mira, as well as generations of our town burning them alive.
Why should I sacrifice myself for a planet which is already killing itself?
I think I'm losing my mind. Yesterday, when I was hunting for supplies, readying myself to leave, I could have sworn I saw two guys leave the remnants of what used to be the old church. Hands entangled, the two of them hissing at each other, wielding baseball bats and cloth bags on their backs. Maybe I haven't been eating enough, but their faces, despite being bloodied and bruised, haunted eyes scanning an oblivion in front of them– a cursed town which insisted on their sacrifice– were familiar. They moved in a cloak-and-dagger dance across ruins, the one in front keeping a firm grasp of the other's arm, and when they moved, each step was in sync, the two grasping onto each other like their lives depended on it.
I can't help wondering if perhaps I was wrong. Maybe Jun and Jonas aren't part of the wind, afterall. I think they're much closer. And whether they are reincarnations built in flowers, or ghosts still attached to the town, I will find them again. But also… I won't fall victim to my own imagination. It could have been anyone. The way they moved, however, made me want to believe my delusion. It is hopeful thinking, but that is all I can do right now. I can hope they're much closer. And I'll reunite with them.
One day.
I’m going to ask you that same question again.
If this was your choice.
What would you do?
Would you surrender yourself to a fate which will save billions of lives… or run?

Armenian, Russian FMs exchange three-volume collections of documents on bilateral legal framework

The Foreign Ministers signed the three-volume collections, after which they passed them on to each other.
“For the first time, a three-volume collection of documents on the legal framework of bilateral relations between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Armenia “30 Years of Allied Interaction” has been published,” said Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry.
According to her, the collection was prepared with the participation of the Foreign Minidtries of the two countries, the public organization “Dialogue” and the “House of Russian Books” in Yerevan.
https://en.armradio.am/2023/03/20/armenisn-rusdian-fms-exchange-three-volume-collections-of-documents-on-bilateral-legal-framework/

Pashinyan, Blinken gave phone conversation

The interlocutors discussed issues related to the humanitarian crisis caused by Azerbaijan’s illegal blockade of the Lachin Corridor.
Nikol Pashinyan and Antony Blinken exchanged thoughts on the perspectives of settlement of Armenia-Azerbaijan relations and the opening of communication channels in the region.
The US Secretary of State reiterated his call for the immediate reopening of the Lachine Corridor and emphasized that the US is ready to continue supporting the above-mentioned processes.
During the telephone conversation, Prime Minister Pashinyan expressed his concern regarding the recently increasing aggressive rhetoric by Azerbaijan.
https://en.armradio.am/2023/03/20/pashinyan-blinken-discuss-humanitarian-crisis-in-artsakh/

Lavrov says date of a meeting between Armenian, Russian, Azerbaijani FMs being discussed

“In the near future we will see which dates are convenient for all three ministers,” he concluded.
Earlier, Lavrov said that the tripartite statements by the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan remain the key to stabilizing Nagorno-Karabakh. He also noted that he reached an understanding with Mirzoyan on how to return the situation in Karabakh to normal.
https://en.armradio.am/2023/03/20/lavrov-says-date-of-a-meeting-between-armenian-russian-azerbaijani-fms-being-discussed/

Direct negotiations are the only way to achieve lasting peace. Blinken about Armenian-Azerbaijani relations

According to the report of "Armenpress" , according to the post on the Twitter page of the Secretary of State, Blinken expressed support for the establishment of stable peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan, stressing the readiness of the US to support these efforts.
"The only way to achieve stable and strong peace is through direct negotiations," he wrote.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1106878.html

‘Azerbaijan wants to commit ethnic cleansing in Nagorno Karabakh’, Armenian FM warns Russian counterpart in Moscow

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1106740.html

The issue of Lachin corridor should be considered in the context of trilateral agreements, Russian FM says

“We are in favor of strict and full implementation of all the tripartite agreements that were reached between the presidents of Russia and Azerbaijan and the Prime Minister of Armenia, without any improvisations, primarily the agreements that were signed on 9 Novembe,r 2020. And the problem of the Lachin corridor should be considered exclusively in this context,” he said.
Any other the parties has its obligations, Lavrov stressed.
https://en.armradio.am/2023/03/20/the-issue-of-lachin-corridor-should-be-considered-in-the-context-of-trilateral-agreements-russian-fm-says/

Armenia seeks to take Azerbaijan’s non-compliance with ICJ ruling to UN Security Council

“Unfortunately, we are facing the reality that Azerbaijan is simply ignoring the ruling, not only ignoring, but also trying to distort the content of the ruling on all official levels. This was recently seen in the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister’s letter addressed to the UN Secretary General, to which our minister’s letter has been submitted as a response,” he said.
Kirakosyan said that article 94 of the UN Charter provides for a certain narrow description pertaining to the rulings. But attempts in the past to bring rulings on provisional measures before the UN Security Council have failed. The cases related to a permanent member, who exercised its right to veto and the issue didn’t make it to final debates.
“But in our case I think we should work in that direction. I know that our colleagues at the foreign ministry are working in that direction. It is highly important for the matter to enter the agenda at the UN Security Council. And we must maximally utilize all diplomatic channels to ensure a favorable discussion of the issue,” Kirakosyan said.
Taking the issue to the UNSC has two perspectives, he added. First is the formal point of view, there’s article 94 of the charter which gives such an authority to the Security Council. The second logic is chapter 7 of the UN Charter – its mandate for ensuring international peace and security.
“The idea is that the non-fulfillment of this ruling creates risks for international peace and security. So we have the chance to raise this issue at the Security Council at least under two logics. It is obvious that the non-compliance with the court’s decision, that is the continuation of the blockade, creates very serious risks for international security.”
https://en.armradio.am/2023/03/20/armenia-seeks-to-take-azerbaijans-non-compliance-with-icj-ruling-to-un-security-council/

Armenian FM to visit Moscow

https://en.armradio.am/2023/03/20/armenian-fm-to-visit-moscow-4/

Armenian side denies shooting at Azerbaijani positions

The State Border Service of Azerbaijan spread disinformation today claiming that units of the Armenian Armed Forces opened fire towards the Azerbaijani combat positions located in the Southeastern part of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border zone on March 20, at around 2:50 a.m.
https://en.armradio.am/2023/03/20/armenian-side-denies-shooting-at-azerbaijani-positions-3/

The Prime Minister receives the delegation of Germany-South Caucasus Friendship Group

The Prime Minister referred to the reforms implemented in our country, the recorded high economic indicators and highlighted the importance of the support of the European Union and Germany to the democratic agenda of Armenia. Nikol Pashinyan emphasized that the protection of human rights, the establishment of an independent judicial system, the fight against corruption, and ensuring transparency are priorities for the Government, and our country is moving forward on the way to set a high bar. Tabea Rößner noted that Germany will accompany Armenia on that path. Issues related to the promotion of women's involvement, cooperation in the fields of renewable energy and the environment were also discussed.
The parties exchanged ideas on the regional situation, security challenges, peace agenda. In this context, the Prime Minister highlighted the role of the long-term observation mission of the EU.
The crisis created in Nagorno-Karabakh as a result of Azerbaijan's illegal blockade of the Lachin Corridor was addressed. In terms of settlement of the problem, the consistent and addressed response of the international community, the implementation of the decision of the International Court of Justice published on February 22 of this year by Azerbaijan were emphasized.
https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1106870.html

Baku openly shows that it rejects negotiations with Artsakh. Artsakh MFA

“For 100 days now, Azerbaijan has been subjecting Artsakh to an illegal blockade, the ultimate goal of which is to destroy the Artsakh people as such by expelling them from their historical homeland. Accompanying their actions with the use of force and acts of terror, Azerbaijan is pursuing a consistent policy aimed at forcibly suppressing the right of the people of Artsakh to self-determination. At the same time, the Azerbaijani authorities openly demonstrate their rejection of negotiations as a means of finding a solution to any issue. It should be noted that for several decades, Azerbaijan has been striving to get rid of the people of Artsakh and resolve the Azerbaijan-Karabakh conflict by force. The first victims of such a criminal policy were, in particular, the Armenians who lived in Azerbaijan during the Soviet period. The deportation of Armenians from Azerbaijan organized by the local authorities in 1988-1990 and accompanied by massacres, torture and pogroms, marked the beginning of a new stage in Azerbaijan's policy of persecuting Armenians. As early as in 1991, the Azerbaijani authorities continued the deportation of Armenians from Artsakh, which, in various forms and manifestations, has continued to this day.
We recall that according to international law and international practice, the denial and forceful suppression of the right to self-determination, accompanied by massive human rights violations, as well as the rejection of negotiations as a means of resolving conflict, are sufficient grounds for recognizing the right of a people to establish an independent state”.
https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1106863.html

US Department of State refers to the atrocities of the Azerbaijani armed forces during the aggression against Armenia

The US Department of State published a report on the human rights situation in Armenia, in which it also referred in detail to the atrocities committed by Azerbaijani servicemen during the September aggression against Armenia.
The report mentions that there are credible reports that during the September conflict, Azerbaijani forces committed unlawful killings involving summary executions of Armenian soldiers in Azerbaijani custody.
It is noted that the International Committee of the Red Cross studied the cases of missing persons as a result of the conflict with Azerbaijan. It is noted that after the 2020 war, 203 people (including 20 civilians) are considered missing, and 3 military personnel are considered missing as a result of the September 13-14 conflict.
The US State Department also addresses the illegal execution of 7 Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijani servicemen, which, according to the Human Rights Watch NGO and investigative journalists of Belingat, was filmed in mid-September 2022.
The report also mentions the cases of inhumane treatment of the bodies of Armenian female servicemen during the September conflict, attacks on civilian infrastructure by Azerbaijani forces, targeting of emergency vehicles.
The report also presents cases of violations of human rights in Armenia, including the use of force by the security forces, bad conditions in prisons, arbitrary arrests, and restrictions on freedom of speech.
https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1106858.html

Armenian serviceman believed to have accidentally crossed into Azeri-controlled territory

An Armenian serviceman is believed to have accidentally crossed into Azeri-controlled territory after getting lost in low visibility and foggy weather, the Defense Ministry said Tuesday.
The serviceman of the Armed Forces of Armenia was transporting food to an outpost when he got lost, the ministry explained.
Search and rescue operations were launched immediately and “actions are being taken to confirm that the serviceman has appeared in Azerbaijani-controlled territory and return him.”
https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1106850.html

Israel’s Haifa inaugurates Armenian Genocide Square

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1106817.html

Appalling video from Lachin Corridor shows Azeri ‘eco-activist’ threatening to SLAUGHTER Armenians for KEBAB

A video online shows one of the fake eco-activists in the Lachin Corridor threatening to “slaughter” Armenians. “We will soon slaughter an Armenian for Nowruz here and will add his blood on kebab,” one of the fake eco-activists says smilingly looking into the camera. Those standing next to the man are heard laughing.
Armenia’s Ambassador-at-Large Edmon Marukyan reacted to the video. “It's never enough for a bloodthirsty regime and its puppets to starve 120000 people of Nagorno Karabakh,” he tweeted. “Now their pseudo-eco-activist threatens to kill all Armenians and literally drink their blood. Are we truly in the 21st century? Is there a civilized world somewhere around?”
https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1106803.html

Armenia appoints new Ambassador to Brazil

Yeganyan, a career diplomat, served as Armenia’s Ambassador to Canada from 2011 to 2017. He was then the Chief of Protocol at the Foreign Ministry until 2018. His most recent position has been Head of the Department of the Americas at the Foreign Ministry since 2020.
https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1106827.html

PM Pashinyan felicitates Kurdish community of Armenia on Newroz

“I warmly congratulate the representatives of the Kurdish community of Armenia on the national holiday, Newroz,” PM Pashinyan said in a message published by his office. “This beautiful spring holiday symbolizing the awakening of nature and the new year is full of new life, new hopes and expectations of success. May the new year be a year of overcoming problems, establishing peace and fruitful work. I wish the representatives of the Kurdish community of Armenia health, hope and faith in the prosperous future of our country, and progress and implementation of good initiatives to your community.”
https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1106804.html

Deputy PM Grigoryan, Belarusian counterpart discuss cooperation

Issues related to cooperation between Armenia and Belarus were discussed during the meeting, according to a read-out issued by Grigoryan’s office.
Grigoryan and Parkhomchik attached importance to cooperation in agriculture, mechanical engineering and other sectors of industry, as well as the full utilization of existing potential as part of joint cooperative projects.
Views were exchanged around possible new directions of mutually-beneficial cooperation both bilaterally and multilaterally within the EEU.
https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1106723.html

Iranian Deputy FM due in Yerevan

“A few hours after the start of the new year, the rapid movement of the diplomacy apparatus focusing on strengthening the neighborhood policy and prioritizing the Caucasus began. Going to Yerevan for a two-day working visit at the invitation of my Armenian counterpart,” Ali Bagheri Kani tweeted.
https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1106833.html

International fact-finding mission in NK and Lachin Corridor is imperative. Armenian Deputy FM to German MPs

Presenting to the German parliamentarians the complex security situation in the region, as well as the consequences of the aggression carried out by Azerbaijan against the sovereign territory of Armenia, Paruyr Hovhannisyan emphasized the role of the EU's long-term observation mission in stabilizing the situation.
The Deputy FM also emphasized that Azerbaijan's illegal blocking of the Lachin Corridor, the killing of police officers, periodic violations of the ceasefire regime, as well as the intimidation of the civilian population make sending an international fact-finding mission to Nagorno Karabakh and the Lachin Corridor an imperative.
https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1106867.html

The works performed by the Science Committee and the Higher Qualification Committee were presented to the RA Prime Minister

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1106855.html

Alen Simonyan will leave for Germany on a working visit next week

At the meeting, there was extensive reference to the security problems facing the region and Armenia. The German partners noted that the security architecture is changing every day in the world, leading to new rearrangements.
The humanitarian problems caused by the 44-day war of 2020, the consequences of the Lachin crisis were discussed.
"On February 22, 2023, the International Court of Justice made a legally binding decision against Azerbaijan, forcing it to take all necessary measures to ensure the uninterrupted movement of people, vehicles and cargo in both directions through the Lachin Corridor," noted Alen Simonyan, reminding that after the Court's decision, on March 5, there was an attack by an Azerbaijani subversive group on Nagorno-Karabakh police officers, in which three citizens of Nagorno-Karabakh were killed.
He emphasized that we expect German partners to take active steps to ensure Azerbaijan's immediate implementation of the Court's decision.
RA NA Speaker thanked the German government for supporting the decision to deploy a new EU long-term monitoring mission in Armenia, expressing his belief that it will play a significant role in establishing peace and security in the region.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1106767.html

Adam Schiff condemns Louis Bono's statement on excluding sanctions against Azerbaijan

In the letter initiated by Schiff, in particular, it is said: "We are deeply disturbed by your comments during the trip, which exclude the use of economic and diplomatic sanctions against Azerbaijan in response to their obvious aggression. You have been reported to have stated that "this is not the time for sanctions ... it's not even on the table at this point." While 120,000 innocent people are in the third month of being deprived of their basic rights due to the blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh, which the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ordered Azerbaijan to end, now is not the time to rule out any tools."
The letter also states that the US, the US President, the US State Department and the entire administration should use all the tools at their disposal to ensure the safety of the people of Artsakh, including ending financial support to Azerbaijan and imposing sanctions against that country.
https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1106805.html

Armenia announces “Step Toward Home” 2023 program for Diaspora youth

This year, the “Step Toward Home” program will host 600 Diaspora Armenian youth from June 19 to August 26 and will be divided into five stages. The program includes Armenian language (Eastern Armenian, Western Armenian), Armenian studies, national song and dance courses, visits to historical and cultural sites in Armenia, museums and educational institutions, meetings with state and public officials, artists and cultural figures, as well as sports and cultural events.
The Armenian Government covers all the costs related to the Armenian part of the program. Diaspora Armenian youth who have not participated in the “Ari Tun” and “Step Toward Home” programmes in previous years can participate; they can cover their own travel expenses for arrival and departure to Armenia and purchase a two-week travel insurance.
The applications must be submitted on the official website of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs of the Republic of Armenia. Applications will be open until May 10.
https://en.armradio.am/2023/03/21/armenia-announces-step-toward-home-2023-program-for-diaspora-youth/

Armenia’s Supreme Spiritual Council urges international community to press for implementation of UN Court decision by Azerbaijan

“It is with deep sorrow that we record that it is already the 100th day that the authorities of Azerbaijan have blocked the Berdzor (Lachin) corridor connecting Artsakh with Armenia, with the intensifying manifestations of anti-Armenian policy,” the Council said.
“The physical and psychological pressures, violence and terrorist acts carried out regularly by Azerbaijan against the Armenian population of the Republic of Artsakh deepen the catastrophic humanitarian situation. Contrary to the efforts of the peacekeeping personnel stationed in Artsakh, as a result of the criminal actions of the Azerbaijani authorities, people’s rights to life, treatment, movement and other fundamental rights are being violated,” it added.
The Supreme Spiritual Council highly appreciated the decision of the International Court of Justice regarding the lifting of the blockade of the Berdzor (Lachin) corridor by Azerbaijan and welcomed the call of the European Parliament urging the authorities of Azerbaijan to implement the decision of the UN Court.
“We express our surprise that despite the strong demands of the international community, its competent and influential structures to open the road, the blockade continues to this day,” the Council said.
It urged the UN structures, the European Parliament and the European Union, the heads of states and religious leaders to make consistent efforts to reach implementation of the judgment of the International Court by Azerbaijan, the condemnation of genocidal acts and the provision of a safe and normal life for the people of Artsakh.
“Toleration of such a blatantly disrespectful approach by Azerbaijan to the decision of the International Court will aggravate the humanitarian crisis, create new dangers for the lives of more than 120,000 people of Artsakh, create an unforgivable precedent for grossly circumventing the judgments of international courts, and at the same time cause deep disappointment in international justice,” the Spiritual Council stressed.
“Our Holy Apostolic Church, having the priority of saving and safety of human lives, will consistently protect the realization of the right of self-determination of the people of Artsakh, based on the principle of independence for the sake of safety and security,” the statement said.
https://en.armradio.am/2023/03/21/armenias-supreme-spiritual-council-urges-international-community-to-press-implementation-of-un-court-decision-by-azerbaijan/

The financial and economic policy of the state should be completely revised and restructured. State Minister of Artsakh

"It's been twenty days since I held the position of Artsakh state minister. During this period, quite a lot of work and time is devoted to mitigating the situation and consequences of the blockade of Artsakh. Along with all that, an attempt is being made to implement the short-term programs that are necessary to restore the normal life of the country and ensure minimum conditions.
When discussing every program or process, cases of ineffective or unnecessary subsidies, loans, financing, etc. by the state are brought to light. I stop or reduce such financial expenses almost every day, and in connection with suspicious or unjustified transactions, additional studies are given.
It is necessary to abandon the approach of burdening the state budget at every step and consider state funds exclusively as a stimulating and supporting tool when building state programs.
Social assistance programs should be implemented in such a way that the real beneficiaries, the citizens who actually need social assistance, benefit from it," wrote Nersisyan.
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From the UK. Hello.
Full disclosure to begin with, I have never built a PC before but I have this blind confidence about it and I really just want to get a hold of the parts and put it together and finally have a PC that can actually run games made post 2010. I've used Logical Increments and PC Part Picker as my go to suggestions guide, but I truly do not not know how to go 'off book' here. I just want something that's good, and worth the money.
What is your intended use for this build? The more details the better.

• Gaming - Would like to run games such as Civilization VI, Anno 1800, Stellaris, Disco Elysium, Mass Effect Remastered Trilogy at a decent level.
  
• Standard home use stuff, you know like storing/viewing photos and media (200GB-ish). Using MS Office. Searching for google on altavista.com and stuff like that.
  

If gaming, what kind of performance are you looking for? (Screen resolution, framerate, game settings)
I have a monitor already that's 2k 144hz. I guess I'd like the games to run at minimum 1440p and 60fps? That sound about right? I mean, if we can aim higher within a reasonable budget then I'm... game!
What is your budget (ballpark is okay)?
Yeah, so budget... I'm in the UK. £1000 if it's doable. £1500 if it's unavoidable. Soo.... £1000-£1500. (£1500+ if there is a no-brainer move for a just dash extra donation of £££)
In what country are you purchasing your parts?
UK
Post a draft of your potential build here:
PCPartPicker Part List

Type	Item	Price
CPU	AMD Ryzen 5 7600X 4.7 GHz 6-Core Processor	£220.00 @ Amazon UK
CPU Cooler	be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4 50.5 CFM CPU Cooler	£82.66 @ Box Limited
Motherboard	MSI PRO B650-P WIFI ATX AM5 Motherboard	£209.98 @ Box Limited
Memory	Patriot Viper Black 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR5-5200 CL36 Memory	£74.98 @ Amazon UK
Storage	Samsung 970 Evo Plus 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 3.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive	£77.98 @ Amazon UK
Video Card	ASRock Radeon RX6700XT CLD 12G Radeon RX 6700 XT 12 GB Video Card	£490.00 @ Amazon UK
Case	Corsair 4000D Airflow ATX Mid Tower Case	£79.98 @ Amazon UK
Power Supply	EVGA 650 GQ 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-modular ATX Power Supply	£148.88 @ Newegg UK
	Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts
	Total	£1384.46
	Generated by PCPartPicker 2023-03-21 23:46 GMT+0000

Provide any additional details you wish below.

• My monitor - ViewSonic XG2405-2 24-inch Full HD IPS Gaming Monitor with AMD FreeSync Premium, 2x HDMI, 144Hz, 1ms.
  
• Got to be a Wi-Fi build. Having to go wired would be a nightmare.
  
• Looking for a case that is understated. Just understated, clean and simple, and black. That or something that looks like it came out of Blade Runner.
  
• First ever build. So ease of building would be key along with an element of 'future-proofing' if that is even a thing.
  
• Thanks to anybody who takes the time to go through this and help me out! A thousand thank yous.
  

I wanted to share my whole DUI experience in case it can help some of you just going through this. It is very long, so I split it up into parts to make it more digestible, and so you can skip a part of you aren’t interested in reading it. TLDR; at the bottom.
Some key info: I’m a female and was arrested at 28 with my first DUI charge and received it while living in Texas at the beginning of 2022. BAC came in at .21 and I had crashed my car into the curb when the cops found me. I hired my own attorney and the whole ordeal took 10 months.
Part 1: The Night I got Arrested
I went to a bar I had never been to by myself. I was recovering from COVID that I had tested positive for 10 days earlier. I had tested positive on my birthday and was feeling very bored and lonely and thought it would be a great idea to go out by myself and maybe make some friends or meet someone. Pro-tip for any of you new to San Antonio, the bars on the strip over-pour. I was not aware of this at the time and that was my second mistake. My first was going out without any friend.
Long story short, I left around close but I was so drunk that I blacked out. Usually when I drink heavily, I’ll sleep it off in my car before I leave, but I was so far gone, I didn’t sleep first. I don’t remember getting into my car or crashing it. The first time I came to consciousness, I realized my car was acting weird and pulling me to the left so I got out to look at it. The next thing I remember was having a cop standing next to me and the flashing lights behind my car. I tapped my damaged side skirt with my foot, looked at the cop, and said, “I dunno what happened.” I know, I should have claimed someone I had just met was driving because they said they were okay to drive, then crashed and ran off, but I was too drunk to think that clearly.
Next thing I remember, I’m being put in a holding cell. I didn’t come back to full awareness until I had woken up in the cell. I’m a little bitch, so needless to say, I spent the rest of the night sobbing. I learned that I had denied the breathalyzer and was taken to the nurses room to get my blood drawn. I tried to deny that one too but they had a warrant. Considering this was about 4 hours after I had left the bar and taking into account my sex and body weight, I was probably at around a .28 when I left. Around 9am I was taken to the magistrates office.
​
Part 2: Magistrates
I was taken to the processing room and asked by a male officer, “what do you have down there?”. Very professional way of asking if I'm a man or a woman... I look like a girl, but whatever. They set me up with a female officer and she had me strip naked, bend over and cough. One of the more humiliating times of my life. Pro-tip, if you plan on getting a DWI, make sure to bring a sweatshirt or jacket because it is absolutely freezing in both the police station and magistrates office. Also, maybe wear some sweatbands to shove under the ankle cuffs. I had a lot of bruises around my ankles when I left.
To save you all of the boring details of how the next 14 hours went, just skip to part 3 from here. Between waiting, watching whatever was playing on the TV’s, and trying to sleep in between fits of crying, I went through the whole processing process. First up was the judge where I was read my charges and given my bond. The bond amount came out to $1000, and thankfully I was eligible for a PR bond. I was bonded out with a $70 fee, but that didn’t mean I could leave like I was hoping.
Next up was getting processed. Finger prints, mugshot, the works. Then I had to sit down and go over my details with the bonds office so I could be accepted for the PR bond. After that was a trip to the nurses station where I had to take a pee test to check if I was pregnant (fun fact, I’m only attracted to women so... no), asked some medical history questions, and tested for TB. I was finger printed a second time for some reason and then spent the next forever hours waiting to be released. People with severe ADHD are not built for being locked up. I thought I was going to go insane.
Around 11pm they called my name for release where I was given my inmate card and told me this would be used as my ID since I wasn’t getting my license back. Then I was brought into the exit room and received my things from the desk. Wallet, keys, shoe laces, and phone. My phone was dead and no one had a charger, and with my car being impounded, I had no way to get home. Thankfully I made friends with another lady that had been locked up and her family was picking her up. She offered to get me a ride home.
​
Part 3: Impounded Vehicle, Damage, and Hiring a Lawyer
The next morning, I called a lawyer one of my friends used for her DWI and set an appointment for that afternoon, then took an Uber straight to the impound lot. I got to my car and saw the full extent of the damage in the light. It was bad. I clearly got into a fight with a curb and somehow got damage on the top of my fender. I never got charged for hitting anyone, so who knows what happened there. Maybe a concrete barrier, considering how much the top of my fender was ripped up. My rocker panel was completely crushed in, stress cracks on my front bumper, front lip was hanging off a bit, both wheels were cracked and tires were flat, and my side skirt had been mostly ripped off. I called a tow truck and he dropped me off at a little family owned shop and they took the wheels off to find the tie rod was snapped, and the front lower control arm and rear control arm were bent.
Suspension repairs came out to $700. I ordered a new set of wheels and tires later that week and left my car sitting in front of the shop while I waited for the wheels to get delivered. It took an entire month to get my car back in a driveable condition because of how long it took to get the wheels. I didn’t have the money to fix the body and didn’t want to file it with my insurance due to the situation, so over a year later I’m still driving a busted up car, but at least it works. Total cost for the parts, labor, getting it out of impound and tow came out to around $2600. I had a friend’s ex look at the body damage and he told me to expect around $3400 in body repair. Pro-tip, don’t get a DWI, they’re expensive.
One more pro-tip, as soon as you get out of jail, go online and get your license replaced. It takes a couple months for your license suspension to go through, so make sure you get a replacement license in the mean time. The cops will not give you your license back. As for the lawyer, he was cheaper than the car and was a huge help. $2700 and he dealt with everything. My advice when it comes to lawyers is get one. Many will offer payment plans so you don’t have to provide cash up front. He made the whole ordeal so much easier and gave me a lot of helpful info, plus knew the prosecutors and had friends among them. I’ll get more into why you need to get a private attorney in later parts. Hiring him was simple. I went to their website and set up an appointment time. Went to his office the day after being arrested, and told him the story. He told me what to expect, let me know what he can do, and we set up the payment plan. The deductible was $200 and he set me up to pay $150 biweekly until the $2700 was paid off. I had trouble paying him back and he said no worries, just get him back by the end of the year.
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Part 4: Court, License Suspension, and Legal Advice
If you just got out of jail, be prepared for many months and many court appearances. Thankfully, a lot of court in Bexar County has been moved to Zoom since COVID hit and that is still the case today. My roommate is going through it right now, but for a different crime and with a free public defender, so I will be making comparisons in Part 8.
The first court date is just you stating that you are there and willing to follow the orders of your bond, stay in the state, and all that fun stuff. They ask if you’re present and you say you are, then your attorney will introduce him or herself. The next couple court dates are a blur, just mundane conversations with the lawyer and judge. Thanks to having an attorney, I didn’t have to attend 2 of the dates and he took care of the license suspension court. I was suspended for 6 months and could request approval to drive to and from work with a Restricted Drivers License, but I didn’t want to pay for the SR22 insurance. I only drove to and from work over the next 6 months, mounted my front license plate instead of leaving it in my window, and always drove as carefully as possible. Happy to say I made it without any issues. If you do get caught, that could mean additional fees or even being arrested again if the cop is having a bad day.
During this time, my attorney gave me a list of things to do that would look good to the judge. Based on his conversations with the prosecutors, without doing those things I was looking at 18 months probation and 9 months with an interlock. These things included taking 2 different driving courses, getting my friends and family to write letters saying nice things about me, writing a letter saying nice things about myself, donating to the judge’s favorite charities, and I even went ahead and took a SASSI-4. That’s an exam you take that a therapist will review and screen you for substance use disorder and risk. My lawyer decided not to show that one to the prosecutors when my result for “Alcohol and other Drug Problem” was “High probability of substance use disorder”.
I completed everything he gave me and the prosecutors offered a plea deal for 15 months of deferred adjudication probation (which allows me to have my record wiped 2 years after completing probation) and 7.5 months with an interlock. If you live in Texas and are convicted of a DWI for the first time, you are required a minimum 12 months of probation and have to have an interlock installed for at least half of your probationary period. They say a mandatory three days incarcerated too, but this is not true. The likelihood of going to jail for your first DWI once convicted is extremely low. I talk to one guy at the bar a year ago who volunteered 30 days in jail instead of taking a plea deal. That didn’t seem like an option for me, but I wouldn’t have taken it because fuck that. He said he wished he hadn’t.
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Part 5: Conviction
I voluntarily decided to get sober in September and started attending AA meetings. I received my 1 month chip the day before my final court hearing and I think this helped my case a ton. My final court hearing had to be in person. My lawyer met with the prosecutors one last time and they settled on their original deal of 15 months probation and 7.5 months on interlock, but agreed to drop me from a Misdemeanor A to a Misdemeanor B because of my voluntary 1 month completion of sobriety with AA.
Once I was called to the stand, my lawyer stood with me and spoke to the judge about my case and the plea deal. She asked me a couple yes or no questions. Make sure you always say “your honor” when you finish speaking as a show of respect. The judge will take your respect of them into account. When all was said and done, and this is why I say having a lawyer is very helpful, I pleaded no contest and the judge sentenced me to 12 months of probation because in her words, “that’s as low as I can go”, which told me she would have gone lower if she could, 6 months on interlock, and agreed to dropping me to a misdemeanor B. I wanted to bear hug my lawyer after we left the court. Thanks to him and to my efforts based on his recommendations, and my personal decision to attend AA and get sober, I was dropped from 18 months of probation and 9 months on interlock to just 12 months of deferred adjudication probation and 6 months of an interlock. I am so thankful to the judge for having some mercy on me.
After court, I went to the probation office to get registered, and my first meeting was scheduled for a month later.
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Part 6: Probation
Since I had completed all of those things my lawyer suggested I do (all except the donating to the judges charity because I was broke), I had the certification already completed for the mandatory classes. Also, and this one is weird and totally up to the judge, because I was vaccinated for COVID, she dropped 20 hours from my 45 hours of community service. I don’t know why, but I’m not complaining.
My first probation meeting went well. I seem to have a good PO. She did make me aware that I had to give 3 months notice for any planned travel outside of the state, but I travel for work frequently, and usually only get 3 days to 2 weeks notice before I have to fly out, and I work outside of the country on occasion. I contacted my lawyer and he was able to get the judge to approve an Order for Travel, allowing me only 48 hours notice to my PO if I am traveling anywhere inside or outside of the country for work with a mandatory drug test within 24 hours of returning home. Once again, thank you lawyer. A free attorney would have taken months to get this approved, but it only took my attorney a week.
I’m nearly half way through my 12 months of probation, and so far I haven’t had any issues. Every drug test is clean, my certification was approved, she set me up to do my community service at the animal shelter, and that’s it! Almost… I did have to take an alcohol and drug evaluation and, like the SASSI, the counselor who evaluated me, said I have a high probability of a substance use disorder. Pro-tip, if you had a beer while on probation, even if it was just one, don’t admit that… She talked me up and was being super friendly, then asked when the last time I purchased alcohol was and my dumbass admitted to having a beer with some pizza earlier that month. Now, I have to complete a month long $500 outpatient substance abuse treatment program. I start that next week.
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Part 7: Interlock
Per my plea deal, I have to have an interlock installed on my car for 6 months and had a month after my court date to get it installed. I shopped around and ultimately went with SmartStart because they had the closest location to me. That was the only reason. The reviews for every company are all equally bad. I’ve had it for almost 5 months, and I can genuinely say this is the worst part of the punishment. These thing drives me insane. I’m required to blow into it 3 times a day, even if I’m not going anywhere. I’ve had to have the technicians fix something with it twice now. The first time it locked me out even though I wasn’t in my car, the second time it kept disconnecting and I couldn’t start my car unless I fiddled with the wires.
I also had someone break into my car a couple months ago, and that dumbass stole the camera. They probably thought it was a security camera, but it is definitely not. The camera only turns on when you are blowing into the device, just to make sure you are the one blowing into it and not cheating the system by having someone else blow into it. You are responsible for any damages to the device, so that ended up costing me $300 dollars to replace plus an additional $90 for the install. That brings me to my next issue… You have to have the device calibrated once a month. Calibration means they download all of the data on the interlock device and send it to your PO. It will record any time you blew dirty, got a warning (this happens if you are close to .025 BAC), didn’t blow when it alerted you while driving, or got a lockout. And it costs $90 each time. I'm looking at 6 months of interlock costing around $1000.
This past month, I started having an issue with my battery and found that the car will completely lose power and I have to adjust the negative terminal to get power back. This wouldn’t be the worst thing ever, and it isn’t the fault of the interlock, but if I get into my car and it has power, and I blow, sometimes the car will lose power when I try to start it. This causes the interlock device to freak out when I get power back to my car, and it won’t allow me to start the engine even though it isn’t asking me to blow. I have to turn my car off, disconnect and reconnect the unit, then sit there for 10 minutes with the battery disconnected before I can reconnect it, blow into the interlock, and finally start my car. This thing is nothing but an expensive pain in my ass.
Just a little over a month left and I can say goodbye to this little piece of shit. Provided my PO doesn’t take a long time to get the request for removal and the judge doesn’t take a long time to respond. That’s my final issue. Even though there was the agreement made in court that I only had to have it for 6 months, I can’t just get it removed once I hit the 6 month mark. I have to get approval for it to be removed and this can take anywhere from a couple days to a couple months depending on how backed up the judge is. According to my PO, the judge is very backed up. It took one of my friends nearly 2 months to get approval to have hers removed. That whole time you still have to use it as normal and go in for monthly calibrations. Our court system is so convoluted.
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Part 8: Private Attorney vs Public Defender
Whatever you do, do not use a public defender. If there is any possible way you can afford an attorney, do that. Even if you have to take out a loan, HIRE AN ATTORNEY. My roommate is using a public defender for the trouble she’s in, and it has been nothing but a pain in the ass. They are overworked and will only do the bare minimum for you. My attorney was so easy to contact, went out of his way to help, covered court dates for me, got a great deal with the prosecutors, and gave me tons of helpful advice. Plus he was able to help with the work order and have it approved in a week after I completed court.
My roommate’s attorney is nearly impossible to contact, and when she finally does get a hold of him, he has no idea who she is or what is going on with her case. He’s always asking her to remind him of what happened last, and asking his assistant questions too. He got the prosecutors to agree to consider dropping her case after her first court date and all they needed was her hospital records to review since she was arrested on domestic dispute charges for taking the fall for her abusive ex. She was also arrested on a warrant for missing her court date, which means she is currently on full house arrest. For the past 3 court dates, her attorney has forgotten to give the prosecutors her hospital records.
She also requested partial house arrest so she can return to work but the attorney is dragging his feet on that too. She has now been out of work for 5 months and can never get a straight answer from him when she asks if she can go to work yet. Her place of employment has rehired her twice now, but she keeps getting removed from their system because it is taking so long. It seems this second time was the last straw, because now they won’t contact her back, and she can only get approved for partial house arrest if she has employment and a schedule to prove. It feels like going in circles with this guy, and she’s extremely depressed and defeated, and I’m footing all of the bills because I’m nice and love her. But holy fuck I am BROKE.
Please, for the love of all that is good, hire a private attorney, otherwise you’re probably going to get a shit plea deal, the absolute minimum amount of help, and be stuck to navigate the court system on your own. I regret not hiring an attorney for her, because she would have had her charges dropped back in January if it wasn’t for this shitty public defender, could have gone back to work, and she would have made back what the lawyer cost a month later. Don’t put yourself through that if you don’t have to.
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Part 8: Conclusion/TLDR
Anyway, if you made it this far, congrats. If I was helpful in any way, I am glad I could share. This took me a solid 3 hours to write. If you didn’t make it through, here’s the TLDR or a summary for those of you who did read most, if not all of it;
I got in an accident with a curb after blacking out and was arrested for a DWI. I declined to blow, but was given a blood test about 4 hours later, resulting in a .21 BAC. My license was suspended for 6 months because I refused the breathalyzer, although I would still recommend refusing just in case. It’s easier for a lawyer to get a dismissal on a blood test, plus there's a chance you’ll sober up enough to be under the legal limit by the time they get the warrant for the blood test. Make sure to get a replacement license as soon as you get out of jail, because it’ll take a couple months before your license is suspended.
Push for a PR bond if this is your first time being arrested and you have a clean record. The county will pay your bond and you just have to pay a fee. My bond was $1000 and I had a $70 fee. Do not accept a public defender if you can avoid it. Hire a lawyer. If you want all the details of why, you can read that in Part 7. Thanks to my lawyer and his recommendations, my charge was dropped from a Misdemeanor A to a Misdemeanor B, went from 18 months of probation and 9 months on interlock to 12 months and 6 months, and got a work travel order permitted in a week.
He was also able to get me a plea deal for deferred adjudication probation, which means you don’t get officially charged until you complete probation, and can have your record expunged after 2 years of completion. That’s great, because having a DWI on your record can be extremely limiting. You can’t go to Canada for 10 years, can’t rent a car, might not be approved for TSA PreCheck, employers will see it on a background checks, landlords and universities can see it too, and your insurance goes up. Get that expunged as soon as you can.
And finally, I wanted to put all of the costs together, including my extra costs and possible costs for anyone curious of the total.
Car Stuff - $11 for license replacement, $400 to have removed from Impound and towed to a shop, $700 on suspension repairs, estimated $3400 for body work. Total = $4511
Court/Probation Fee's - $70 for PR Bond, $2500 in court/probation fees, $120 for DUI courses, $10 a service hour, so $250 total if I don't do community service, outpatient therapy is $500. Total = $3440
LawyeInsurance - $2700 in lawyer fees, $250 for Restricted Driver License, around $800 for SR22 insurance for 6 months Total = $3750
Interlock - $540 for 6 months of calibrations, $390 for stolen camera, $90 for removal. Total = $1,020
Expunging Record - $600
Total cost when all is said and done - $13,321
Needless to say, I should have taken a $30 Uber. But hey, I've learned a lot because of what I did and there is nothing I can do but make the best of it. You can do this too. This is just one shitty hurdle in life, but you can overcome and move past it with time and effort. Thanks for reading.