Hi All,
Bought a Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i ProX - Intel i7 12700H, RTX 3050 (eww I know)
I am highly disappointed by 70 degree idle temperature and burning my fingers on my keyboard when opening 1 tab on Chrome.
Lenovo support says this is normal operation which I am struggling to believe. Anyway, rant over.
I am looking for:
14 inch - 15 inch preferable (would consider 16 but not sure about it)
AMD CPU (leaning towards the u series as my priority has really become temps and efficiency as I'm so shocked with the intel) dGPU for light gaming (1650, 3050 etc) Good cooling and good idle temps Good screen (must be 16:10, at least 2K etc) Decent battery (not main priority, would be helped by u series I presume) Not a gaming laptop as don't like the look/size of them unless it is veryyyyy low key £1000 ish budget (give me suggestions that are over this anyway if you really suggest them but not too far)
Main uses are: surfing web, watching youtube, light tasks, ms office, some gaming time to time (CK3, Project zomboid, witcher 3, Skyrim, some older titles, nothing too crazy)
Please give me your suggestions and why. Am a bit pissed with Lenovo but if anyone has experience with the Yoga Slim 7 AMD version please let me know if the experience has been different.
Cheers ❤️

When I switch to high beam headlights, the actually get slightly dimmer and vice versa. Barely noticeable difference. But the key thing is high beam = slightly dimmer, low beam slightly brighter. Swapped relay, verified it switches, replaced the bulbs (verified they're correct), replaced daytime running bulbs just in case, voltage to relay, battery new, alternator charging around 13.5 + volts, wiring seems fine, ground looks good tightened anyway but it's new no rust or corrosion. The only thing left is the switch on the column. Right? Ideas, anyone? They bulbs are 5 watt/21watt so I would think I'd see more of a change but I really don't get why it seems backwards. Let me know if anyone has any ideas. Thanks everyone

The FR955 retails for US$499 while the Fenix 7 Pro is $799.
I'm tossing up between the 955 and the 47mm Fenix 7 Pro. (I like accurate multiband GPS and can't fathom why it was previously limited to only the Sapphire).
Do I correctly understand the upgrades that would cost me 60% more:

• Newer MIP screen (crisper, better in low light)
• Greater battery life 42 vs 57 to 73(solar) hours GPS only
• More accurate HR sensor
• Possibility of ECG data. Sometime. Maybe.
• 3 LEDs

Breaking these down:
The LEDs (which hardware cost is probably about $2) seem to be the key differentiator. People say that these are very useful for visibility when running on roads in low light.
Does anyone have a video review that demonstrates the new display being significantly better than the old?
I've not had any issues with heart rate tracking accuracy on the Elevate 4 sensor. I'm yet to be convinced about any value added by a sensor with even greater accuracy.
Is the ECG on the Venu 2 useful if it requires a manual, intentional measurement? I guess it it saves your life it would be considered very useful, but apart from this extreme case, is there any day-to-day useful data that comes from it (if indeed it comes to the Fenix)?
I've heard that all the latest software improvements (eg hill fitness) will soon trickle down to the 955.
I'd like to splurge on the new hotness of the Fenix 7 Pro, but unless I'm missing something, it doesn't justify the 60% higher price tag over the 955.
Is there a significant difference in navigation? (I'm considering upgrading from a 255 for trail running purposes.)
What am I missing here?

Anyone have recommendations for a locksmith that will cut a key and program the fob for my car? I'll provide the blank. I have a working key, but the fob has stopped working despite replacing the battery. Dealership wants what I can only respectfully describe as an "disgusting assload" of money to provide me a new key.

After I fiddled with radio settings to change to 1 click unlock of all doors, the damn fob stopped working. Here's what Ive tried so far... 1) changed to fresh new battery 2) tried spare fob 3) reset system by unplug 12v 4) reprogram using sequence you know insert turn open door found on internets
Nothing works and I hate to visit a dealer over this.
Any suggestions?
P.s. H key is the non smart non push button

I locked my keys in my car, 2014. The car didn't register that they were in there. Once the door was open, I was able to use the fob to unlock the car again though. I did change the battery right away, but I'm wondering if this means I need a new key fob or will changing the battery fix it? I didn't get any warnings that the battery needed to be changed. I did have issues with it recognizing the keys were in the car to start it too sometimes.

Bloons TD 6 v37.0 - Update Notes!
Rolling out now on iOS, Android, Steam please restart your storefront or be patient if it does not appear for you, these updates can take some time to be rolled out to every region due to how the storefronts are set up.
Key New Features

• New Paragon - The Magus Perfectus! (loves casting spells) Some of you know we teased this last year, but we needed more time to balance the art and design required to make this extra special, so we are very pleased to get this live! Wizard Monkey’s Paragon is designed to be a higher level strategic Paragon with powerful ability usage similar to the Doomship.
  
  • The core of the Magus is a toggle to and from a Draining Beam which deals very small single target damage but absorbs graveyard mana as it damages and destroys Bloons
  • While toggled off from the Drain Beam, Magus attacks with a powerful Arcane Spike that deals massive damage to MOABs and revives Bloons it slays, while a Dark Phoenix circles overhead attacking with Firebomb breath and a radial fireball attack
  • Phoenix Explosion Ability: can be cast to consume the Paragon’s entire graveyard to set all Bloons on screen on fire for 30 seconds and summon one Zombie ZOMG for every 9000 graveyard mana consumed
  • Arcane Metamorphosis Ability: can be used to consume all graveyard mana and transform the Magus briefly into an alternate form which decimates everything with a flame cascade attack; Metamorphosis lasts longer the more mana it consumes
  • Magus was designed for armchair play so it will fill and consume graveyard mana on its own, but our goal was to create more actively controlled Paragon for those who will enjoy microing between Beam on and off and choosing which awesome Ability to unleash and when

New Awesome

• Happy Birthday BTD6 - On June 14th, BTD6 will celebrate 5 years of monkeytastic fun and strategy! We hope you’ll join us for the main menu changes, skinned Collection event, special Questing, and general celebration. Thank you for five amazing years and we’re looking forward to all the years ahead!
• New Hero Skin - Jiangshi Sauda, a fun new cross-cultural look for Sauda brainstormed by the art team, mixing inspirations from a favorite show and Chinese folklore
• New Map - Erosion
  
  • Community designed advanced map Erosion
  • TheWiseTroll’s original concept proposed land and water but when thinking about map colors and the little stories we think of behind each map, the concept of the polar bear walking back with the shrinking ice was too compelling to do anything else
• New Quests
  
  • Birthday Party - Pop the Party Bloon as many times as you can before it escapes
  • Blade Sauda Nowhere - Try out Sauda and learn some of her skills
  • Patch’s Cheap Chimps Challenge - Beat Logs with as little cash spent as you can
  • Striken Bad - Defeat the BAD on round 100 using First Strike. The spelling hurts us, too, you’re not the only one - but we had to do it!
• Least Cash and Least Tier Boss Events
  
  • We’ve heard feedback about and have been wanting to shake up Boss rules, so here we go!
  • Applying new victory conditions to Boss Events completely changes the focus while still needing the damage output and type to handle each Boss
  • Time still matters, as the secondary time score will break any ties
• New Trophy Store Items
  
  • Heroes: Geraldo Pack Mule pet, Quincy Spec Ops Drop In placement
  • Monkeys: Sweden Village Flag
  • Bloons: Party Hat Bloons
  • Game & UI: Vortex Avatar, Sunset Samba 64 Mix music track, Quincy Arrows banner
  • Nexus.gg Creator Supporter Avatar - show your support for Content Creators by using the Creator Support button on the Settings screen and purchasing any IAP
• Limited Time only {trophy items if there’s a seasonal}
  
• 5 Year Anniversary Avatar, 5 Year Anniversary Banner
  
• New CT Team Store items
  
  • Base Props: Treasure Chest
  • Icons: Overclock icon, Archmage Staff icon
  • Frames: Bloon From The Dead frame, Mage Hat frame
• New Slider
  
  • Everybody loves sliders, right?
  • After lots of discussion on the team and a fair few player requests, we’ve added a ‘Projectile and Effects Scaling’ accessibility option to main menu Settings
  • This is primarily for accessibility to minimize the size and brightness of projectiles and effects, especially when the screen is crowded with Monkeys and Bloons
  • This is not directly a performance improvement feature, so please do not expect the game to run noticeably better - just noticeably cleaner
  • We tried not to remove key game state indicators but this is ultimately in player control - if you adjust the slider and effects and projectiles make it harder to play the game, please reset the slider until the game is working the way you want
  • It’s also really fun for silly screengrabs, so please post your favorites!

​
Game Changes / Additions

• New Party Time game theme event!
• Refactored how leaderboard scores are stored so that we could add Least Cash/Tiers ranking options for Boss Events
• Bosses on spawn will now clear the map of all existing projectiles
• Highest Round profile stat renamed to Highest Round (All Time) & added in the new profile stat Highest Round (Current Version).
• The 4 different Highest Round profile stats are now grouped together near the top of the profile stats page
• Freeplay budget scaling reduced slightly (same speed/hp, but number of Bloons added per round will increase at a slower rate)
• Added a new Roundset with Income curve to be used by our events team; this customized income curve allows us more flexibility to make this roundset than would otherwise have been possible with existing roundset tools
• Translated game into Thai

Quest Changes

• Added a ‘Play Again’ button to the victory screen for quests
• Added a ‘Disable Dialogue’ checkmark for some quests after beating them
• Game hints are now hidden during Quests
• Story Quests now sort to the top of the quest list & completed Story Quests sort to the bottom

Bug Fixes & General Changes

• A large number of localization fixes - thanks for the player feedback on your pet peeves!
• Resolved a number of general crashes
• Number of additions/changes to improve existing quests, highlight scores to beat & increase our possibilities for quest creation
• Resolved an issue with abilities highlighted in quests remaining highlighted after restarting
• Holding down on a tower should correctly hide the UI again
• Quests no longer play placement effects for any pre-placed towers
• Resolved an issue that could prevent Total Damage from counting correctly to profile
• Resolved an issue where total insta monkeys profile stat would decrease if the instas were used
• Resolved certain very specific freeplay seeds causing crashes on certain rounds
• Bloons Leaked summary no longer gets cleared in co-op after reviewing map
• Stairs in the top corners on Resort are now placement blockers
• Resolved a crash that could occur when waiting on the events screen as events end
• Resolved a crash that could occur when the Hero Booster popup was canceling via any map mechanics forcing the player to deselect the hero
• Fixed some towers not targeting the test bloon when set to target type Strong
• Fixed position of the full patch notes link on update popups on some resolutions
• Midnight Mansion plays a fishie animation in the bloon exit on loading in
• Resolved an issue where placed items on the map lose their cosmetic skins after a resync occurs during a co-op game.
• Obtaining towers from redistribution on co-op that are still locked for you will now show messaging in the unlocks screen as to why you are not earning XP for it
• Pressing back from the avatabanner selection will now just back out of that selection
• Changed Pop Count on summary screen to Damage Count and added actual Pop Count
• Hero portraits no longer linger too long on the screen after exiting the upgrades menu in game
• Paragon art state changes moved from 22/42/62/82 to 20/40/60/80
• Resolved map-based buffs not inheriting to subtowers correctly
• Resolved an issue where an external proxy could sometimes cause the game to hang on loading forever
• Co-op red areas fade in more slowly when you cross the boundary
• Resolved online/Invisible profile setting displaying text incorrectly
• Audio polish when opening reward chests in the collection event
• Updated wording on logout screen to address some confusion
• Added a background to the rewards UI
• Added confirmation pop-up for In App Purchases added from outside the game
• Monklish font has been regenerated to include the Māori macrons

Tower Specific Fixes
Ice Monkey

• Resolved a number of cases of the xx2 Refreeze crosspath not re-freezing bloons when dealing certain numbers of damage.

Monkey Buccaneer

• xx5 Trade Empire should no longer buff too many merchants in co-op
• Resolved tower moving from flagship to navarch displaying vfx at the wrong scale
• Resolved "Paragon available" pip displaying for Buccaneer with only Flagship and Pirate Lord unlocked
• Resolved an issue where Navarch’s attack rate buff would not apply to Doomship in some cases depending on build order

Monkey Ace

• xx2 Centered Path ace no longer displays it’s placement target on screen initially when loading a save
• Upgrading to 002 Ace no longer refreshes the cooldown on the special toggle
• Resolved an issue with Monkey Ace jumping offscreen after a Retry Last Round

Banana Farm

• 5xx Banana Central no longer buffs other Banana Centrals in co-op

Engineer

• 1xx Engineers can now place their sentries correctly on One Two Tree
• Overclocking a 5xx Engineer’s sentry just as it starts exploding no longer crashes the game
• Engineer Paragon no longer crashes if created while a Bloontrap is being deployed
• Engineer Paragon no longer crashes when selling the main tower while it has a sentry moving through the air that has not landed yet
• Engineer Paragon should no longer throw sentries into the middle of the map due to techbots
• Resolved an issue where the Paragon’s permanent speed boost per round would not load until the end of the first round played after loading a save

Beast Handler

• 3xx Great White projectiles can no longer hit bloons far out of range
• 3xx Great White rare crash that could occur at end of rounds has been resolved
• 3xx Great White’s slow applied to grabbed target now expires correctly
• 310 Beast Handler now has eyebrows, just like that one map suggestion
• Corrected the splash asset for crosspathed 4xx & 5xx Beasts
• Merging an Orca into a Megalodon while it's taking out a bad should no longer cause a 2nd Megalodon to briefly appear
• x1x Microraptor no longer fails to attack in some cases when being moved to different heights
• x4x Tyrannosaurus Rex ability now scales with Challenge Editor ability cooldown slider
• Beast Handler's bird targeting no longer breaks when set to strong if bloons are leaving radius
• Resolved a crash that could occur when moving a beast to the screen boundary

Hero Specific Fixes
Obyn Greenfoot

• Resolved an issue where Obyn’s Wall of Trees when placed on an intersection looping back around on itself would not be able to hit the children of any targets that passed over it

Psi

• Resolved a crash that could occur when attacking glued Bloons

Geraldo

• Resolved an issue where selling Geraldo, and then re-buying him would show the description of the last-viewed store item from before selling him

Platform Specific fixes

• PC: Beast Handler’s hotkey in the hotkeys menu has been moved up near the rest of the support towers
• PC: Added a ‘ Monkey Special 2’ hotkey (for towers like Beast Handler, Necromancers & Ace Paragon). By default the Special 1 & Special 2 hotkeys have been assigned to PageUp & PageDown and ordered so that PageUp triggers the upper specialty, and PageDown triggers the lower one
• Arcade: Resolved a strange one pixel wide black line that can appear above some text characters on the arcade font
• Chromebook: Game no longer crashes if attempting to login via webview
• Chromebook: Resolved an issue with bluetooth mice being unable to scroll

Balance Changes
Boomerang Monkey
This part has to be included along with the Lych Soul rework with Paragons which is finally making it in this update after necessary delays. As Boomerang Paragon’s knockback hits so many times so quickly, we need to make it more reasonable when applied to targets that aren’t immediately destroyed.

• Boomerang Paragon knockback amount reduced 3 > 1

Bomb Shooter
MOAB Assassin fills a useful role of a pure long cooldown ‘single target assassination’ in the game, but when compared to something like First Strike it feels a little lacking that it is unable to carry damage through MOAB Layers

• x4x MOAB Assassin ability passes through MOAB layers
• x4x MOAB Assassin ability explosion centers around the impact target

Tack Shooter
Blade Shooter has always struggled to find much value without MK or as a step to Maelstrom, so to give it build value on its own we feel like this should be a part of the base value on the upgrade.

• x3x Blade Shooter pierce increased from 6 > 8

Ice Monkey
Lowest tiers of ice monkey are far too effective for their cost against ceramics, with this scaling well all the way to round 100, we feel like ice duration against ceramics needs to be reduced to counter this but for now this reduction will only apply until T3.

• 000 Ice Monkey freeze duration reduced by 50% on ceramics
• All T3 Ice Monkeys increase freeze duration on ceramics from 50 > 100%
• 203 Icicles crosspath now gains camo prio

Glue Gunner
The Bloon Solver’s rework has been very popular, however, we’d like to have a better lead up into the new mechanics by introducing this earlier at the tier 4 now.

• 4xx Bloon Dissolver now creates puddles on track leading up to Bloon Solver, puddles deal 1 damage, all other stats and crosspath benefits are the same.

Sniper Monkey
This will allow Cripple MOAB to take out regular MOAB layers in one shot until round 100; for such a slow attacking single target tower we feel this will help top path flex, even if mostly for show.

• 5xx Cripple MOAB damage increased from 80 > 280

Monkey Buccaneer
Reworking Grape Shot crosspathing as it gains far too much crosspath value by T2 but then is lacking in purpose at higher tiers, double shot will only work as one extra grape however Destroyer will now apply its full attack rate buff to the grapes and Flagship will equip aspects of Grape Shot on the mini planes.

• 210 Grape Shot total projectiles reduced from 10 -> 6
• 310 Destroyer also reduced from 10 > 6 grapes
• 310 Destroyer now increases grape attack rate twice as much, matching increase to the regular attack
• 410 Aircraft Carrier planes radial attack now fires an arc of grapes instead of darts
• 410 Aircraft Carrier planes radial Emission Angle 360 > 90
• 410 Aircraft Carrier planes radial projectile count 8 > 6
• 410 Aircraft Carrier plane grape projectile speed 100 > 200
• 420 Aircraft Carrier planes radial projectile art: dart > hot grape
• 420 Aircraft Carrier planes radial damage type Sharp > Fire
• 400 Aircraft Carrier plane radials damage 1 > 2
• 4xx Aircraft Carrier missiles now follow tower target priority

Monkey Ace
Spectre is shifting a little of the ceramic bonus around into basic all damage at the cost of reduced pierce, which should make up for lack of single target damage while also making the pierce crosspath more necessary when being used for cleanup focus.

• xx4 Spectre Dart damage increased 3 > 4
• xx4 Spectre Dart ceramic bonus reduced 2 > 1
• xx4 Spectre Dart pierce reduced 15 > 10
• xx4 Spectre Bomb damage increased 2 > 3
• xx4 Spectre Bomb ceramic bonus reduced 4 > 3
• xx4 Spectre Bomb pierce reduced 30 > 20

Heli Pilot
Even with the map-range advantage, rotors are weak compared to any other constant AoE circle like this. Chinook feels like it’s near a place we are happy with now, however we want another tiny nudge on cost while keeping cash generation value the same. Pushing some higher values on the last Comanche Commander changes as the missile attack is effectively such a small portion of the tower’s total damage late game.

• 302 Razor Rotors will now benefit from the faster firing crosspath
• 3xx Razor Rotors cooldown rate 0.75 > 0.5
• x4x Support Chinook price reduced from $10500 > 9500
• x4x Support Chinook supply crate cash generated reduced $1650 > 1,550
• x4x Support Chinook max uses per round reduced from 3 > 2
• xx4 & xx5 Comanche mini's follow the target priority set on their main Heli
• xx5 Comanche Commander missile damage 7 > 15
• xx5 Comanche Commander missile moab bonus 5 > 8
• xx5 Comanche Commander mini's missile dmg 5 > 15
• xx5 Comanche Commander mini's missile moab bonus 5 > 8

Mortar Monkey
As the Rapid Reload crosspath has actually fallen behind in value compared to Burny Stuff for top path Mortars we want to try a slight stun duration increase as this buffs the base path with a larger benefit to Rapid Reload mortars as a stalling option. Mortar consistency is lacking at x3x making it tough to spend on even though x4x is fairly good, so some of the T4 rate is shifting down to help out with this. As the camo property has grown quite weak and currently Signal Flare is considered the best decamo tool, we want to push back slightly on its cost and by reducing the blast radius of the decamo area while emphasizing crosspathing for effectiveness there.

• 4xx The Big One stun duration non-MOABs increased from 0.5s > 0.75
• 5xx The Biggest One stun duration MOAB increased from 0.3s > 0.5
• 5xx The Biggest One stun duration BFB increased from 0.2s > 0.3
• 5xx The Biggest One stun duration DDT increased from 0.2s > 0.3
• x3x Heavy Shells attack delay reduced from 1.08 > 0.81
• x4x Artillery Battery attack rate buff reduced from ¼ to ⅓ (remains the same rate: 0.27)
• xx3 Signal flare cost increased $700 > 800
• xx4 Shattering Shells price reduced from $11,000 > 10900
• xx3 Signal Flare decamo radius reduced from 50 > 43
• 103 Signal Flare decamo pierce increased by 5 > 10
• xx4 Shattering Shells burn DoT deals moab bonus +5

Super Monkey
As Engineer sentries do this already, newly spawned Mini Avatars from temples will now by default match the target priority of the temple.

• 4xx Sun Temple's Magic Sacrifice mini Sun Avatars when placed will spawn with the same target prio as their parent tower

Ninja Monkey
We’re changing the Ninja Monkey Paragon’s focus as a fighter against camo, as we feel like a greater strength and tactical value against camo will be the full reveal of all camos rather than all camo removal.

• Ascended Shadow now grants global camo detection for all your towers
• Ascended Shadow no longer strips camo from Bloons with every attack
• Ascended Shadow main attack gains bonus to camo +6
• Ascended Shadow Flash Bomb Explosion gains bonus to camo +20
• Ascended Shadow Flash Bomb Shurikens gains bonus to camo +16
• Ascended Shadow Sticky Bomb Projectile gains bonus to camo +3200
• Ascended Shadow Sticky Bomb Explosion gains bonus to camo +700
• Ascended Shadow now deals 25% damage to all non-Boss MOABs that spawn

Alchemist
Alchemist Transforming Tonic is in a weird spot with the transformation unable to attack through walls when the base alchemist is able to. Also with this, including a QoL fix for the T5 that currently prevents transformed towers from functioning with target priority.

• x4x Transforming Tonic transformed alchemist can now ignore line of sight
• x5x Total Transformation towers transformed by the x5x will keep their Target Priority

Druid
While the tornado doesn't do anything to MOABs, it still spends itself on them which wastes a relatively long cooldown, so addressing this flaw. Avatar of wrath doubles the base attack speed before any scaling is applied, but this hasn’t ever applied to the 205 Lightning, so taking care of that as well. Housekeeping - even deep in the forest, it does actually make life better.

• 3xx Druid of the Storm’s Tornado no longer targets MOAB-class Bloons
• x3x Druid of the Jungle no longer pops Lead Bloons without 130 crosspath
• x3x Jungle Vine follows target prio of tower instead of strong
• x3x Jungle Vine defaults tower to strong priority when purchased
• 205 Avatar of Wrath base Heart of Thunder attack rate increased 2.3s > 1.15

Spike Factory
We’ve heard the feedback, so Spiked Mines get a tweak to get more mines exploding but with less pierce on each, to overall increase quality of life in more frequent use but less wasted pierce. This will help out with some of the problems it has scaling into late game super ceramics.

• 4xx Spiked Mines pierce increased from 12 > 20
• 4xx Spiked Mines explosion pierce reduced from 40 > 30
• 4xx Spiked Mines DoT damage increased from 1 > 10
• 5xx Super Mines explosion pierce remains at 60
• 5xx Super Mines DoT damage increased from 1000 > 2500

Monkey Village
A minor QoL for cheap Monkeyopolis creation, we included a small base amount of cash production to the generation formula.

• xx5 Monkeyopolis income formula now includes a base +$2500 minimum

Engineer
The 005 crosspath fix in the last update left XXXL Trap slower than previously even if crosspathed to 205, so we are increasing that base 005 slightly to match up the 205 crosspath again so that it isn’t any slower than before.

• xx5 XXXL Trap attack cooldown reduced from 5.8s > 4.6

Beast Handler
As our newest tower to be added to BTD6, we went over feedback for every path and made a large number of adjustments addressing a variety of points.

• 3xx Great White thrash rate benefits from speed buffs
• 3xx Great White damage increased 4 > 8
• 3xx Great White max extra damage from merge increased 8 > 16
• 3xx Great White max attack rate buff from merge increased 0.20634 > 0.38
• 3xx Great White extra thrash knockback duration from merge increased 0.1 > 0.2
• 4xx Orca thrash damage increased 20 > 30
• 4xx Orca thrash max extra damage from merge increased 40 > 60
• 4xx Orca max attack rate buff from merge increased 0.37829 > 0.38
• 4xx Orca thrash radius increased 20 > 24
• 5xx Megalodon price reduced from 55,000 > 45,000
• 5xx Megalodon thrash radius increased 30 > 36
• 5xx & x5x Beast handler paths are now overclockable
• x4x and x5x Max Merge Bonus: Overkill damage on MOABs now distributes to the children of that target
• xx1 Gyrfalcon path deals +1 damage to Regrows to stop accidental infinite regrow farms
• xx3 Golden Eagle pierce increased 12 > 15
• xx3 Golden Eagle pierce range increased 24 > 30
• xx3 Golden Eagle ceramic pierce penalty reduced from +3 > 1
• xx3 Golden Eagle Max Merge Bonus: Now grabs MOABs with pierce penalty +14

Gwendolin
Removing the stacking aspect of Gwendolin’s burn damage over time, but increasing the damage as she levels up so that it actually scales up in power now.

• Lv6 Gwendonlin main attack DoT stack count 0 > 1
• Lv6 Gwendonlin main attack DoT damage increased from 1 > 2
• Lv9 Gwendonlin main attack DoT damage increased from 1 > 4
• Lv10 Gwendonlin main attack DoT damage now increases by 1 per additional level

Adora
While they are complicated individuals, Adora can now fully appreciate the sacrifice of the newest Monkeys in the struggle against the Bloons.

• Lv7 Blood Sacrifice can now be used on Beast Handlers

Admiral Brickell
We aren’t happy with strats that start looking like exploits with frequent sell-replace loops.

• Upon Selling Brickell - all of her placed Mines are now expired along with her as well

Psi
Psi’s stalling out of the end of round is an odd mix of useful / annoying / out of control, so we are for now capping this to a 3 seconds of overtime stalling. Psi’s Psychic Blast ability also has weirdly low pierce for a long cooldown ability with no damage, we are increasing the base pierce greatly but it no longer increases in pierce at Lv7 since the extra pulse brings more pierce anyway.

• If no Bloons are left unpopped on screen aside from ones Psi is currently holding & destroying, these Bloons will be destroyed after a maximum of 3 seconds
• Lv3 Psychic Blast pierce increased from 50 > 200
• Lv7 Psychic Blast pierce increased from 100 > 200

Event / Boss / Relic / Knowledge

• All Lych Soul variations can now be stunned/slowed by paragon tier upgrades

Looking Forward
Five months of 2023 done and dusted, which feels to us like it has zoomed by, perhaps because the Auckland office where the BTD6 team is based has only just reopened after the severe flooding at the end of January. All of Update 36 and the majority of Update 37 were completed while again working from home, but we’re very excited to have the office repairs done, the flood wall almost finished, and the ability to work shoulder to shoulder again on fun new things for the monkeyverse! Here’s the latest gaze into the crystal ball:

• Update 38 Key Content
  
  • New Boss - Phayze: another all new Boss concept and play style, not giving any other hints apart from the name itself
  • Summer fun: a new Brickell hero skin and a waterpark map aimed toward Intermediate to help keep northern hemisphere summer cool
  • Quests: continuing to build new quest system features and adding a few new Quests to the list
• Update 39 Key Content
  
  • Map Editor: under construction since last year with internal systems testing happening during 38.0 development, we are super excited to put map creation tools in player hands on as many platforms as possible when it goes live
  • New Hero - Spirit Walker: another unique design that we’re sandboxing already to make sure it has as much balance and art iteration as possible, again no hints other than the name
• Update 40 Key Content
  
  • New Paragon - Monkey Sub: we’ve tagged sub as the next Paragon, so tell the Navarch to stop hoarding all of the Portable Lakes!
  • Stretch Goals - Boss Rush Team Event and CT Themes: lots of unknowns 3 updates out but we have strong plans for a new Team event and new parameters for Contested Territory that will make each CT more dynamic - anything that we don’t get done by end of year will have strong groundwork for next year
• Console
  
  • Getting closer to submission on Xbox and PlayStation but this has been slow going. We’ve added another programmer and are working even more closely with platform partners to get through our last issues and launch as soon as possible, but that’s likely at least another 2 months. Switch is still a consideration depending on response to Xbox and PlayStation, as it will require additional bespoke development.

In the fast-paced world we live in today, technology continues to shape the way we live and interact with our surroundings. From smartphones to smart homes, innovations have revolutionized various aspects of our lives. One such innovative solution that has gained popularity in recent years is the vacuum elevator, redefining vertical transportation and becoming the new standard for modern living in Hyderabad.

Introduction to Vacuum Elevators

Vacuum elevators are cutting-edge residential elevators that utilize the power of suction to move passengers between different floors. Unlike traditional elevators that rely on cables, pulleys, and counterweights, vacuum elevators employ pneumatic technology to create a vacuum environment within the cylindrical shaft. This unique design allows for smooth and efficient vertical transportation.

Advantages of Vacuum Elevators

Space-saving Design

One of the key advantages of vacuum elevators is their space-saving design. Unlike traditional elevators that require a separate machine room and hoistway, vacuum elevators can be installed directly into the existing structure of a home, saving valuable floor space. This makes them an ideal choice for both new constructions and retrofitting in Hyderabad's urban dwellings.

Energy Efficiency

Vacuum elevators are known for their energy efficiency. The pneumatic system consumes significantly less energy compared to traditional elevators, making them a sustainable choice for environmentally conscious homeowners. By reducing energy consumption, vacuum elevators help lower utility costs and contribute to a greener future.

Smooth and Quiet Operation

Another notable advantage of vacuum elevators is their smooth and quiet operation. The absence of cables and pulleys eliminates the need for mechanical components that generate noise. As a result, vacuum elevators provide a peaceful and comfortable riding experience, enhancing the overall ambiance of a home.

Easy Installation and Maintenance

Vacuum elevators are relatively easy to install and maintain. Their modular design and minimal structural requirements simplify the installation process, reducing the time and effort involved. Additionally, vacuum elevators have fewer moving parts compared to traditional elevators, resulting in lower maintenance costs and improved reliability.

Safety Features of Vacuum Elevators

Despite their innovative design, vacuum elevators prioritize safety. They are equipped with various safety features to ensure passenger well-being during operation.

Over-Speed Governor

Vacuum elevators are equipped with an over-speed governor that monitors the elevator's speed. In the event of overspeed, the governor triggers safety mechanisms to bring the elevator to a controlled stop, preventing any potential accidents.

Emergency Battery Backup

To address power outages, vacuum elevators come with an emergency battery backup system. This ensures that passengers can safely exit the elevator even during electricity failures, providing peace of mind and convenience.

Air-Tight Structure

Vacuum elevators have an air-tight structure that ensures passenger safety. The vacuum environment within the elevator shaft creates a seal, preventing air leakage and maintaining the necessary pressure for smooth operation.

Automatic Safety Brake

In case of any unexpected power loss or malfunction, vacuum elevators are equipped with an automatic safety brake. This mechanism ensures that the elevator stops immediately, preventing any free fall or sudden movements that could endanger passengers.

Stylish and Versatile Designs

Apart from their functional advantages, vacuum elevators offer stylish and versatile designs that can complement any home decor.

Transparent Cabins

Many vacuum elevators feature transparent cabins, providing a visually appealing and modern aesthetic. These see-through cabins not only add a touch of elegance but also create an illusion of spaciousness, enhancing the overall design of the home.

Panoramic Views

Vacuum elevators with panoramic views are gaining popularity among homeowners in Hyderabad. These elevators feature large windows, allowing passengers to enjoy breathtaking views of the cityscape or natural surroundings as they ascend or descend between floors.

Customization Options

Vacuum elevators offer a wide range of customization options, allowing homeowners to personalize their elevators according to their preferences. From cabin finishes and lighting to control panels and safety features, customers have the flexibility to create a unique elevator that suits their individual style.

Accessibility and Convenience

Vacuum elevators are designed to enhance accessibility and convenience for residents of all ages and abilities.

Suitable for All Ages

Whether it's carrying heavy loads of groceries, moving furniture, or simply avoiding the strain of climbing stairs, vacuum elevators offer convenience for people of all ages. They provide a seamless and effortless mode of transportation within a home, eliminating the need for strenuous physical exertion.

Ideal for People with Mobility Challenges

For individuals with mobility challenges or disabilities, vacuum elevators offer an inclusive solution. These elevators provide a safe and reliable means of transportation, enabling individuals with limited mobility to navigate their homes comfortably and independently.

Vacuum Elevators in Hyderabad

Hyderabad, known for its rapid urbanization and modern infrastructure, has embraced vacuum elevators as a preferred choice for vertical transportation.

Growing Demand

With the city's increasing population and the desire for luxurious living spaces, the demand for vacuum elevators in Hyderabad has witnessed a significant surge. Homeowners are recognizing the value and convenience these elevators bring to their residences, making them a sought-after feature in modern homes.

Installation and Service Providers

To meet the growing demand, several reputable elevator companies in Hyderabad offer vacuum elevator installation and maintenance services. These experienced professionals ensure proper installation, adherence to safety standards, and timely servicing to guarantee the elevator's long-term performance.

Cost and Value

While vacuum elevators may require an initial investment, their long-term benefits make them a valuable addition to any modern home.

Initial Investment

The cost of a vacuum elevator can vary depending on factors such as the number of floors it serves, customization options, and additional features. Although the initial investment may be higher compared to traditional elevators, the benefits and convenience they provide justify the expenditure.

Long-Term Benefits

Vacuum elevators offer numerous long-term benefits that contribute to their value. These include reduced energy consumption, lower maintenance costs, increased property value, and improved accessibility, making them a worthwhile investment for homeowners looking to enhance their living spaces.

Environmental Friendliness

In an era focused on sustainability, vacuum elevators stand out as an environmentally friendly choice.

Energy Efficiency

With their energy-efficient operation, vacuum elevators help reduce overall energy consumption in homes. By using pneumatic technology and consuming less electricity compared to traditional elevators, they contribute to a greener environment and lower carbon footprint.

Reduced Carbon Footprint

The reduced energy consumption of vacuum elevators results in a lower carbon footprint. By choosing these elevators, homeowners in Hyderabad can make a positive environmental impact and contribute to the city's sustainability goals.

Maintenance and Service

To ensure the optimal performance and longevity of a vacuum elevator, regular maintenance and reliable support are essential.

Routine Maintenance

Vacuum elevators require routine maintenance to keep them in optimal condition. Regular inspections, lubrication of moving parts, and cleaning of the cabin and shaft are necessary to prevent any issues and ensure a smooth and safe operation.

Reliable Support

Choosing a reputable elevator company in Hyderabad ensures reliable support and assistance whenever required. Professional technicians can address any maintenance or service needs promptly, ensuring the elevator remains in excellent working condition.

Case Studies and Customer Testimonials

Numerous case studies and customer testimonials highlight the positive experiences and satisfaction of homeowners who have installed vacuum elevators in their Hyderabad residences. These stories provide real-life examples of the benefits, convenience, and added value that vacuum elevators bring to modern living spaces.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How do vacuum elevators work? Vacuum elevators operate by creating a vacuum environment within the cylindrical shaft. Air pressure differences allow the elevator to move smoothly between floors.
2. Are vacuum elevators safe during power outages? Yes, vacuum elevators come with an emergency battery backup system that ensures passengers can safely exit the elevator during power outages.
3. Can vacuum elevators be installed in existing buildings? Yes, one of the advantages of vacuum elevators is their space-saving design, which allows them to be retrofitted into existing buildings without major structural modifications.
4. Are vacuum elevators expensive to maintain? Vacuum elevators have fewer moving parts compared to traditional elevators, resulting in lower maintenance costs over time. Routine maintenance is required to ensure optimal performance.
5. Are vacuum elevators suitable for commercial buildings? Vacuum elevators are primarily designed for residential use. However, there may be specific models suitable for low-rise commercial buildings. Consulting with elevator experts can provide more insights for commercial applications.

Conclusion

Vacuum elevators have become the new standard for modern living in Hyderabad, offering numerous advantages such as space-saving design, energy efficiency, safety features, stylish aesthetics, and accessibility. With their growing demand, installation and service providers in Hyderabad ensure reliable support and maintenance. By choosing vacuum elevators, homeowners can enhance their living spaces, improve convenience, reduce energy consumption, and contribute to a sustainable future.

The lifespan of an inverter battery can be influenced by several factors. Here are some key factors that can affect the life of an inverter battery:

1. Quality of the Battery: The quality of the battery itself plays a crucial role in its lifespan. Opting for a high-quality battery, such as those provided by Leaptrend, ensures better performance and longevity. Quality batteries are built with reliable materials and advanced manufacturing techniques, enhancing their durability and overall lifespan.
2. Depth of Discharge (DOD): The depth to which the battery is discharged during each cycle, known as the DOD, can impact its lifespan. Generally, shallow discharges and avoiding deep discharges can help extend the battery's life. Deep discharges can strain the battery and reduce its capacity over time.
3. Charging Method and Efficiency: The charging method used for the battery can significantly affect its lifespan. Proper charging techniques and equipment, like intelligent chargers, can enhance the battery's efficiency and longevity. Leaptrend's high-quality inverters and chargers are designed to optimize the charging process and provide efficient power delivery.
4. Temperature Management: Extreme temperatures, both high and low, can have a negative impact on battery life. Excessive heat can accelerate battery degradation, while extreme cold can reduce the battery's capacity. Proper temperature management, including maintaining suitable operating temperatures and providing adequate ventilation, can help preserve the battery's lifespan.
5. Maintenance and Care: Regular maintenance and care of the battery can contribute to its longevity. This includes keeping the battery clean, ensuring proper ventilation, checking for any signs of damage or corrosion, and following recommended maintenance procedures.

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Hey y’all hopefully someone can help me get an idea what’s going on with my Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 2006 4x4 V8 4.7
Sometimes it won’t start up and I’ll need to turn the key to ACC position (or all the way off multiple times) for a minute or two then start again.
I’ll get a Trans Over Temp warning that comes and goes but engine temp gauge is fine and I’ve had the transmission checked with a laser thermometer which read normal. Also Service 4wd and Service Park Assist. All gears RNDP will be selected/circled on the dash.
Sometimes when this happens it will drive but in limp mode, sometimes it’s normal.
The battery is new (6 months) and got a new solenoid installed (6 months) which was supposed to fix the problem.
Most of the time she runs perfectly but this happens maybe every 10 days lately.

Imagine walking into a burning building, and everyone laughs and tells you the fire’s all in your head. When no one believes you, are you going to stay to burn up with them? Every passenger in that crowd waiting to embark on the luxury cruise was already dead—they just didn’t know it yet! I stared through the windows of the terminal at the magnificent Seastar, at the broken glass and spatters of blood that only I could see… and then I fled.
Without warning a single soul.
What would have been the point? My name is Cassandra—I see death six days before it happens, and can feel it if I shake a cold hand—but no matter what I do, I can never, ever prevent it.
My flight took me as far as the escalators before a flash of purple brought me screeching to a halt. Lily Tsuki? No—it wasn’t the purple-haired musician who’d given me with cruise gift card. But suddenly I remembered how I’d been looking forward to hearing her performance aboard this very vessel…
Oh God…
It was one thing to turn my back on doomed strangers. Terrible as it sounds, it’s a bit like reading about a catastrophe in the news. Quite another thing to abandon somebody I knew! Could I really leave her to become one of the bodies putrefying in the belly of the Seastar? Every time I ordered a drink at my favorite bar, I’d remember I hadn’t even tried to save her!
“Fuck!” I cried, fumbling for my phone. “Oh, fuck me sideways… how much time…?”
Ninety minutes.
Ninety minutes to get on board, find the musician, and… what? Convince her to disembark?
How?
And yet my feet were already turning toward the gangplank—because as it turns out, I would rather plunge headlong into a ship full of the rotting dead than face an empty piano bench and the guilt that no amount of alcohol would ever drown. But to have any chance at persuading Lily, I’d need to know how the passengers died. This meant that in addition to finding a purple-haired needle in a Titanic-sized haystack, a horrifying task loomed ahead of me. I was going to have to do something I had not done in a very long time—plunge directly into my vision. Walk into its very maw and face whatever gruesome horrors lurked at the source of that nauseating odor.
I was going to have to find the bodies…
… and whatever killed them.
Boarding
The stench was so overpowering after crossing the gangplank that I dropped to my knees and dry heaved. The flow of passengers moved around me past the concierge desk. I must have looked exceptionally sick, because a pretty girl in a suit skirt approached, asking if I needed assistance. She reached out a hand to help me up—cold!
I staggered away from her and inside. Then—because I felt I might throw up—quickly found my way out to the promenade deck and the blessed breeze.
Lifeboats hung overhead. Beyond the rail, the sea sparkled in the afternoon sun. Cushioned loungers lined the deck. None were in use, presumably because the pool, patio, spa, and other amenities on the upper decks had much more attractive areas for lounging. I leaned against the rail and gulped the air, listening to the waves splash against the side of the boat, noting blood spatters further down—but nothing signifying the cause of the blood. Just vague signs of violence.
After circling the entire promenade deck and spotting only the occasional bloody spatters, I gritted my teeth, pulled my shirt collar up over my nose, and plunged into the nearest door.
The Seastar’s interior had the atmosphere of a luxury hotel. People milled about the restaurant and shopping area, buzzing with excitement, talking about cabaret shows and fine dining, while perky crew members answered questions, all perfectly oblivious to the putrid sweet rotting stench. I’d most likely find Lily Tsuki at the piano lounge, but since I didn’t yet have any plausible explanation for what had happened to the passengers, I continued wandering, entering a bustling café overlooking the ship’s grand staircase. Stepping over an enormous blood stain on the carpet, I passed the counter, nauseated by the fancy pastries behind their glass cases, peering among the tables and chairs. Paused when I spotted an eyeball in a teacup. No trace of how it got there. No body with an empty socket. Just the eyeball, swirling in a congealed bloody jelly at the bottom of the cup…
I scurried away, snatching a cloth napkin to cover my nose.
The interior darkened as I ascended the central staircase. No electricity, I noted as I clutched the railing. Why would the power be cut? A storm?
But storms don’t scoop out eyeballs with a dessert spoon….
Coming onto deck 6, I peered down a long, dim corridor lined with passenger cabins. To passengers coming and going, the hall was illuminated by electric lighting—but since I was seeing the ship six days in the future, the narrow hallway vanished into blackness. With no way to enter the cabins, and nothing much to see here or in the other dimmed halls of the passenger decks, I ascended until I reached the pool.
Pool Deck
Deck 9 opened to wide panoramic windows, dining, a spa, and of course the pool. I emerged outdoors with relief, removing the napkin from my nose as the sea breeze gave some respite from the odor.
Around me, people partied in bikinis and beachwear and suits, sipping all manner of drinks around the sky-blue swimming pool. A young woman stretched on a blood-spattered lounger, oblivious to the gore beneath her tanned figure. A few bodies floated among the swimmers, bloated and discolored. My vision shimmered briefly as a teen boy swam right through one of the bodies, splashing as if it were not there. My heart lurched when I realized that it was his own, albeit dressed in different clothes—
“Oof!” I grunted as a small figure bashed into me, her arm grazing mine.
“Sorry!” cried a little girl in a pink swimsuit, bolting by as her mother yelled at her to watch out for people.
I tried not to think of how cold the little girl’s arm felt. Counted the bodies: eight in the pool. One by the towel bin, head caved in. I made a circuit of the pool, occasionally brushing against people—cold, cold, cold.
No survivors, it seemed.
But why?
That was when I spotted a shirtless old man sitting at a table under an umbrella. I froze, goosebumps prickling along my skin. Unlike the floaters, there was no obvious reason for his death. His back was to me, the bare skin of his shoulders gray and blotchy. In his hand he held a broken drinking glass. He was positioned in repose… so what killed him?
My heart quickened as I moved round to the front of him.
His mouth hung open, shards of glass and a mangled tongue lolling out, crimson trailing down his shirt front. The source of the chewed glass was obvious—the cup in his hand was broken, its jagged edges bloody.
He’d died choking on the glass.
“What the fuck is happening here?” I whispered.
Forward Stairwell
The jogging track and the sundeck—decks 10 and 11—offered a stunning bird’s eye of the pool and ocean, but I did not stop to take this in as I circled to the bow, opting to take the forward stairs down, rather than central.
The stench hit me like a cloud.
I had to stop as I descended into the dim stairwell, clinging to the railing, doubled over, gagging. It was so so bad. My eyes watered. My stomach bucked. And it was dark. Thank God for my phone’s flashlight. I fumbled it on and, napkin firmly over my nose, plunged down into the depths… The phone’s thin illumination flashed along the carpeted stairwell and the hall of the first of the passenger decks. I kept descending. Paused at an unidentifiable slick red mound. I was examining it under my light when a crewmember jogged up to me and asked, “Lose something, miss?” “Just my marbles,” I muttered, shooing the crew member away and inadvertently brushing his hand. Cold. I turned my attention back to the mound.
A slimy pile of intestines on the stairwell… trailing down to a disemboweled body.
Intestines… eyeballs… eating broken glass… nothing about this makes sense! I swiveled the beam to check further downward.
That was when I found the source of the odor.
My path down was obstructed by a mass of bodies. The ones underneath seemed to have been trampled, but the ones on top… I squeezed my watering eyes and retched against the wall. Some of the bodies bore horrible mutilations—fingers bent and twisted, joints out of alignment, faces smashed in and jaws torn open. Many more appeared to have been crushed in the press of bodies. Best guess, there was a wave of panicked people rushing upstairs from below, colliding with a wave of others fleeing down from above.
Why this staircase? What was near this part of the ship?
The cabaret lounge, I realized. No electricity. No elevators. This was the nearest stairwell to the auditorium.
Closer. I was inching closer to uncovering the fates of the passengers. And yet, I still had no idea what the passengers were fleeing from. Who were the attackers? Or… I thought of the eyeball. The glass chewed and swallowed.
An icy pinprick at the base of my skull whispered the question I didn’t want to ask…
Why? Why did some of the passengers go mad, and do it to themselves?
Piano Bar
I took the long way round to the cabaret theatre, going all the way back up the stairs and coming down on the central staircase, only to detour on hearing the notes of a piano. I found myself in a cozy lounge and spotted a purple-haired figure at the keys. And just in time—the ship was due to depart in less than half an hour!
“Lily!” I rushed over.
The musician’s face lit. “Oh it’s you, friend! You made it!”
“You’ve got to get off the ship!”
“Off the—”
“I know it seems crazy but you’ve got to! Everyone on board is going to die—I’ve seen it because I’m psycho!” I heard it a second later and smacked my forehead. “I mean—psychic! PSYCHIC!! I can see the future.” At her scrunched eyebrows, I burst, “Look I know how I sound, but I’ve been able to see things since I was a little girl, and I am telling you that this ship is going to go dark! The engines will cut out! People are going to flee and trample each other on that forward staircase…” Launching into a rapid-fire recounting, I was just getting to the eyeball in the teacup when she interrupted:
“You’re afraid of some sort of terrorist attack?”
“No, no! No! It’s almost like… a kind of madness, a contagion, that spreads through the ship—”
“A zombie apocalypse?”
“Not zombies…”
“Poltergeists? Possession?” She played a riff from a horror movie. “Should we call an exorcist?”
“We should leave!” I checked my phone. “Quickly!—"
“What an odd duck you are! I can’t imagine any sort of catastrophe as big as you’re saying. You know this ship has tons of safety protocols. And even if I did believe some disaster were drawing near—do you really think I could abandon crowds and crew?” She looked at me over her glasses, shimmering purple lips curving in a smile. “Listen friend, if this were the Titanic and I was the only one who could see the iceberg, I’d stay to steer us right, not run off leaving everyone to die!”
Icy fingers raked along my spine. Even if she wasn’t taking me seriously, she was right—I did have a moral obligation to save people. An obligation I’d been trying to fulfill ever since I was a little girl, until the attempt killed my brother, and even after, I kept trying for years and years…. until at last I realized that there is no way to change anything. That is why I call myself Cassandra. For the Greek prophet doomed to predict the future but never be believed. Try and prevent what I’ve foreseen? You might as well try and pluck the stars from the sky!
Every hand I’d touched was cold. Everyone on board would die.
My fists balled, fingernails digging so hard into my palms they bled. “You really have no idea what you’re asking of me…”
“Oh, I’m not telling you to stay. I’m just explaining why I have to. Besides, I’m under contract.” She winked and focused on her playing as guests entered and sat at nearby tables.
She had no idea! None whatsoever! If I thought there was even a sliver of a hope, I wouldn’t abandon people! Oh, if this happy-go-lucky musician understood the futility!!
But she will, came another, darker thought. She will know the full depth of the horror coming…
“No,” I whispered.
“Huh?” She shouted, “Wait—friend, where are you going?”
But I was not listening. The cabaret theatre—was the answer there? The reason for the crush of bodies in the forward stairwell? I rushed past the cafe with the eyeball in the teacup, through the grand doors into the cabaret hall—
—but the cabaret hall was surprisingly quiet, save for a light touch of classical music. A few passengers mingled here or there, unnoticing of the cadavers draped on chairs and tables. The stage itself was pristine, the wood smooth and polished in the fading orange light through the windows. Apparently, the origin of the panicked flight up the forward stairwell was not this grand entertainment venue—nothing here supported that theory.
Nonetheless, I gave the place a thorough search until my phone’s battery ran low, and then I returned to the grand staircase.
In one direction lay passenger cabins. In the other, the gangplank back to the port terminal and safety.
“It’s not too late to be a coward, Cass,” I said. “Run from the ship, run from the empty piano bench at the bar, find a different, cheaper hole in the wall to crawl into like—like the cockroach you are…”
Always the survivor, eh…?
Or… or, I could try just one more time. “‘Hope,’” my brother always said, “is the thing with feathers.”
And look what happened to him! flashed through my mind. My heart slammed against my ribcage. I’d just die too, unless I left in the next—how many minutes? I checked my phone, but it was dead. Like I would be if I stayed.
A horn sounded the Seastar’s departure. A distant cheer rose up from the upper decks and balconies. I felt a brief panicky impulse to run back out on deck and throw myself off the ship… but in truth, my fate had already been decided before the ship’s horn blew. I hadn’t been paying attention earlier, but I’d been rubbing and rubbing my hands, and finally realized they were cold. Probably had been since I’d boarded. I shuffled leaden feet toward the passenger cabins, guided by my phone’s light to the brass number plate for 4044—my cabin. Reached for the knob and stopped.
That smell—dread squeezed my intestines like a wet rag.
Smoke. Burnt meat.
I wrinkled my nose and opened the door.
Orange rays shone through the window, the sunset so vivid it almost gave the illusion that the room was on fire. The walls and ceiling were charred. The edges of the mattress and sheets a smoldered ruin. But the worst damage was the small sofa by the coffee table. Broken bottles scattered round. And there on the sofa—
My fingers went limp on the door handle as I stared into melted sockets of a body charred beyond recognition. A dark line encircled its wrist. The blackened remnants of a charm bracelet.
My bracelet.
While the man on the pool deck swallowed glass, I would succumb to the insanity here, dousing myself in alcohol and flame—
—immolating myself.
[Part 1]

All prices negotiable.

• 8-port USB HDMI KVM switch $125. MT-801HK-C. 4K30 resolution capable. Includes 8x cable sets, mini wired desktop controller and cable. Used but fully functional
• Elgato Wave XLR. $100. BNIB, still sealed sold to u/marks73345
• Elgato Stream Deck. $100. 15 buttons. BNIB, still sealed
• Elgato Stream Deck+. $175. BNIB, still sealed
• Elgato Wave:3. $100. BNIB, still sealed
• Elgato Facecam. $125. BNIB, still sealed
• Crucial P5 Plus PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 SSD 2TB. $100. BNIB, still sealed sold to u/19Lucien97 for $85
• Crucial P3 PCIe Gen3 NVMe M.2 SSD 4TB. $200 each. BNIB, still sealed. 2pcs. available.
• Intel Optane P5800X SSD 1.6TB PCIe X4 Gen4 NVMe U.2 interface. $2000. BNIB, never been used.
• Lenovo Legion 7i gaming laptop. 16ITHg6. Core i9-11980HK, RTX3080. 64GB DDR4-3200, 2TB NVMe SSD. Includes original power brick and AC cord. No OS installed, but Windows key embedded in BIOS. RGB keyboard and lighting around. When it was used, user disconnected battery (to not wear down battery), installed Linux, kept clean, no issues. $1800
• Intel Mini Gaming Desktop PC. NUC11PHKi7. i7-1165G7, RTX2060, 16GB DDR4, 1TB NVMe RAID-0 (2x SSDs in RAID-0), Windows 11 Home Activated. RGB skull on top. Low hours. $750
• Crucial 64GB DDR5-4800 UDIMM kit. CT32G48C40U5.M16A1 1.1V CL40. $130. New, never used. sold to u/Pwnster7757 for $120
• EK Quantum Delta2 TEC. CPU Water Block. BNIB, still sealed. $500

Photos: https://imgur.com/a/uClR0sg
All items ship free to USA 50 states via Fedex, but some places would require USPS instead. Most buyer outside USA 50 states will cost no more than ~$25 for International Shipping, but buyer will be responsible for customs duties. Open to reasonable local cash offers.

Found a gorgeous used 2020 Z4 M40i for less than $50k. I've been low-key looking for a fast convertible for the last year, and after test driving boxsters, miatas, and BMWs, I think this may be the one I want. While it car is gorgeous and less than 20k miles, it does have a lemon/buyback title. The CARFAX report reveals that it was reacquired by BMW, presumably for repair of "Steering Gear and vehicle battery permanent malfunction". No other details are available. I asked the dealership for detailed repair records, where and when and who did the repair, they state that with buybacks the repairs are legally required to be done by a certified specialist. I have had no success in acquiring any written records of the repair.
The dealer is not a BMW dealer, but of course they are amenable to a PPI. The vehicle is still within the 5 yea50k mile warranty period, can I assume that the repairs were carried out dutifully by a certified mechanic, and purchase the car with minimal worry? Thanks for your advice and opinions.

TLDR – The Jetpack is quite good for certain kinds of travel, offers some handy features, is not of particularly robust construction, and has a few minor design issues, but I like it for its intended use.
Now that I have completed about 40 dives with my Oceanic Jetpack, including many local dives and a few significant trips – I think it is time for a full review. I am not in any way affiliated with Oceanic – this is my review, and I’m going to give you both positives and negatives. My primary recreational dive gear includes an OxyCheq 18lb Mach V wing (no STA), on an aluminum backplate with a standard “Hogarthian” harness. Aside from the Jetpack and Accel fins discussed here, plus an FDX10 regulator I bought almost a decade ago, I don’t own any other Aeris/Oceanic products. I will also tell you up front that I have no plans of ditching my well-loved BP/W – but I now have another handy option for lightweight travel. The Jetpack has been available for about a decade now, originally under the Aeris brand, and now under Oceanic. They are no longer listed on Oceanic’s website, as the Biolite is their current flagship travel BC – but you can still readily find Jetpacks for sale. The list price is around $600 USD, but you can often find them for closer to $500, or even less. When they first came out, I wrote them off as a gimmick – not at all suitable for a Serious Scuba Diver™ *cough*. I only decided to buy it because I found a good deal on one, and I had some annual scuba budget to burn, and thought it might be handy for solo trips. However, as gimmicky as they are, I find they do fit an important niche: ultralight dive travel. All your dive gear trip can be packed in a lightweight backpack which can fit under an airplane seat! Cool, idea in theory – but how well does it works in practice?
First, let’s talk about what you get. The concept is this – a BCD that turns into a backpack. The actual implementation of this is a back-inflate BCD which allows you to remove the cummerbund/waist band and stow it, along with the wing, cam bands, inflator, inside a zipped compartment for travel. You can also stow other wet gear in that zip-up space when you disembark from the dive boat. It also comes with a semi-dry backpack to stow the rest of your gear. The backpack snaps onto the BCD portion for travel, but also has its own straps so it can be worn separately as just a nice lightweight day pack.
When my Jetpack arrived, and I opened the box, I was happy to see it came with two non-dump-able cam-band weight pockets, as well as the two quick-release weight pouches on the waist. I don’t know their official capacity, but you should be able to add around 10lbs on your hips, and another 6lbs on the cam-band. It also came with an appropriate length LP hose, which seems to be the standard these days, and is much appreciated. When all is said and done, you basically have a standard BCD which just packs up very cleanly, and a good backpack.
For the primary intent of this system – travel – it is quite a good system. I can fit my boots, regulator, and a shorty wetsuit (the wet stuff) in the BCD compartment, and the rest of my gear, including a small (SeaLife) camera and lights in the backpack portion, with room left over for clothes, snacks, and other travel necessities. While trudging through airports, I have found myself wishing they had included a mesh water-bottle pocket on one side like most backpacks have these days, but it isn’t a deal-breaker. I have now travelled to two Caribbean islands, and to Hawaii with it – and in all three cases I did not need to check any dive gear. My visit to Hawaii was a one-week solo business trip, and I didn’t check anything at all! My dive gear, laptop, camera, various batteries and electronics, and travel snacks all stayed in the Jetpack, while my clothes, fins, and other various necessities went into a roll-aboard suitcase. I managed to fit a week’s worth of business attire, casual attire, and all of my dive gear into my carry-on allowance! Beat that! For the other trips mentioned, I chose to check bags since I was traveling with family, and they were going to check theirs anyway – but for the first time in a while, my bags weren’t overweight since all my dive gear was carried on!
One word of warning – the backpack doesn’t fit “real” dive fins. Oceanic advertised the Jetpack with their Accel travel fins, which I went ahead and purchased when I ordered the BCD itself. I require the X-Large Accel fins, and they don’t really fit in the backpack. At least, not if I want to fit anything else in it. I imagine if you don’t have giant feet like me, you might be able to get away with packing your fins in the backpack. A quick note on the super lightweight Accel fins: I’ve worn them for every dive I’ve done with the Jetpack – I am mostly happy with them for low-current, easy, tropical diving. They aren’t quite big enough or stiff enough to provide the power I’d want for anything more advanced. I’m not giving up my Jet fins any time soon, but I will continue traveling with the Accel fins when it makes sense.
The biggest plus for the Jetpack, as far as I’m concerned, and every bit as important as the ease of travel – is the fact that I am just carrying a single, compact backpack onto the dive boat. I have ranted many times before about how much I loathe dive gear bags. On a cramped dive boat, big gear bags are a pain for everyone. There is no such thing as a dive gear bag that doesn’t suck (fight me!) I have tried everything from cheap mesh duffels to expensive fancy name-brand gear bags – and they have all let me down in one way or another. Even if gear bags weren’t a problem, carrying ONLY a backpack onto the boat – and nothing else – is so utterly wonderful I can hardly describe it. You are bound to get questions about it on the dive boat (“Are you renting gear? No? Well, where is yours?!”)
Above all, the Jetpack helps keep your space on the dive boat neat and tidy. I find that when I get on the boat, I’ll set up the tank with BCD and reg, clip my mask to a d-ring with a double-ender, stow the fins, don my wetsuit and boots… then the only “loose” item remaining is a small, handy semi-dry bag to stow odds and ends (phone, car keys, hat, sunglasses, dry clothes, etc.) The backpack easily stows under your seat or in a dry box on the boat – and even if it is somewhere wet, your stuff will stay (mostly) dry. No more mess, no more gear scattered around the boat, no more getting in the way of other divers, no more fighting over stowage space for gear bags. At the end of the dive, everything quickly stows back into the backpack configuration. With a Jetpack, you’ll probably be the first diver to be set up and ready to dive - and be the first one off the boat at the end of your trip.
Now let’s discuss fit, configuration, comfort, and in-water performance. The Jetpack is easier to adjust to different sizes than many BCDs - the shoulder straps, chest strap and cummerbund/waist strap are almost infinitely adjustable. As a BP/W fan, I usually take this for granted – but I know many jacket BCDs have limited size adjustment. I'm a big dude, and the fit is perfect for me... but my skinny 10-year-old son can comfortably wear it too after some minor reconfiguring. Setup and teardown are every bit as easy as they show in the YouTube promotional video (https://youtu.be/r9y5MOKn\_iM).
Now, after all this praise, there are also a few questionable design choices I’d like to discuss. The first ones that come to mind is that the zip-up compartment cover for the BCD rolls up and stays with the BCD when you dive. I prefer less “stuff” on my BCD which causes drag or can get snagged/tangled. It seems to me they could have just made the cover panel zip all the way off. Once you unzip the cover panel, you roll it up and Velcro it under the wing, and also Velcro the edges of the zipper compartment out of the way.
The other problem with setting up the BCD is installing/removing the waist strap. Let me be clear, it isn’t hard to assemble – but it does require some dexterity. To get around this, I have been happily wearing it, even in the airport, with the waist strap still attached. The weight pockets just become snack pockets while you are flying! Plus, if you leave the waist strap attached, setup on the boat goes from a few minutes down to a few seconds.
The biggest issue I have with the Jetpack is a lack of good attachment points. For instance, it is missing shoulder d-rings (likely to save weight and cost), which was very nearly a deal-breaker for me. What they give you instead is some fabric loops which are useless unless you are attaching something with a carabiner (known by ScubaBoard afficionados as “suicide clips”, but I don’t really want to have that fight here.) The loops might work for XL bolt snaps as well, but I prefer to use smaller bolt snaps unless I am wearing thick gloves. The good news is that you can add your own d-rings to the 1.5” webbing on the shoulders. I did that on mine (currently using 2” sliders until my 1.5” ones arrive in the mail) and replaced the inflator strap with a bungee loop while I was at it. Good to go! The second related issue here is that the hip d-rings suck. I keep my SPG clipped at my left hip, and the clip point on the Jetpack isn't quite where I like it. It also it isn't readily adjustable – without changing the fit of the cummerbund. If it were just the placement, it wouldn’t be a big deal. Unfortunately, it is also a flat plastic d-ring which flops around where it is stitched in, instead of a snug metal d-ring held by a slider. This makes one-handed SPG clip-off a bit trickier than it should be, which is annoying.
While diving, the BCD is, well... just a BCD. It works. The controls are exactly what you expect. The inflator hose is a pull-to-dump style, which is handy, but I mostly use the bottom (butt) dump - which is also fine. It has more lift than anyone would ever need for a single tank, although I expect it will almost exclusively be used with AL80s. I don't care for bungees on my wing, but they make sense on the Jetpack, given its purpose. If they bother you, they can be removed. It isn’t as stable as my beloved BP/W – no surprise - that's just the nature of a lightweight travel setup. Yet, it is still a back-inflate style BCD though, so I can deal with it a little floppiness (is that even a word?) and had no trouble getting my trim dialed in. Overall, it was comfortable on the surface, and (more importantly) while diving.
Next - the quality… The construction is very lightweight as expected, but that makes me a little worried about how well it will hold up. In the year I’ve had it, and the 40ish dives I’ve done with it, I haven’t had anything break/teafail/etc. but I still have some concerns. The most obvious weakness is the little fiddly Velcro hook-and-loop bits, such as the straps to hold the rolled-up cover while it is in BCD mode (and which hold the inflator when in backpack mode.) If those fail, you’ll be left with a huge waving flag of fabric during a dive. There are better options than Velcro for this component - perhaps some stainless grommets and bungee loops. In the 40 or so dives I’ve done, I have had no issues other than minor fraying of the edges of some of the Velcro, but we'll see how it looks after a few years. Simply put, like any lightweight travel BCD, you need to be gentle with the Jetpack. Unlike other travel BCDs, though, the Jetpack will be carried unprotected through airports, tossed in overhead bins, and dropped on hotel floors.
The last and final complaint I have is the construction of the shoulder straps. On any BCD, when the actual weight-bearing shoulder strap is separate from the padding, it is destined to be a little awkward. To make the BCD as adjustable as possible, the shoulders straps of the Jetpack are constructed from soft 1.5” webbing, with pads underneath the strap, which tuck into pockets below the shoulder strap attachment point. Generally, this works well – however, sometimes the shoulder pads slip out of their pockets. This mostly occurs when I don/doff the BCD, or when I have it packed to carry off the boat. The fix would be to add a pad of Velcro inside the pockets where the pads tuck in. I feel like Oceanic could have also used normal 2” stiff webbing. That might lessen the problem with the shoulder pads and make it possible to put on standard 2” sliders and d-rings.
Finally – for the price point, you can absolutely get a “better” BCD. You can certainly find a lightweight travel BCD for about the same price. Yet, you won’t find something else with these features - above all, the ability to walk on/off the dive boat with just a compact backpack. The Jetpack isn’t perfect – the construction could be a little more robust, and there are some design changes I’d love to see Oceanic make if they ever re-release it. It can’t and won’t replace my BP/W for most of my diving needs, and I never expected it to. It has a very specific purpose, perhaps even more specific than a typical “travel” BCD. However, the Jetpack allows me to pack up all my dive gear into a compact backpack for travel, which is a fantastic and mostly well-executed idea.