Recent special elections have resulted in Democrats overperforming expectations by a ton! Between Dems getting things done while in power, and the GOP going in an increasingly scary direction, voters can tell which party is looking out for them. Now our job is to get every voter to show up, every election.
Besides our well-known volunteer from home spreadsheet and weekly volunteer posts, we have some new initiatives to help you support Democrats across the country! Read on and sign up:
Introducing Campaign Central: a VoteDem VAN alternative project to help local campaigns organize!
Running for office is a major undertaking, and like any great journey, the first step is often the hardest. Our goal at VoteDem is to lower that barrier by developing a campaigning tool we can freely offer as a service to Democrats across the country. Campaign Central is a web-based platform that can load voter registration data, organize phone banking, text banking, canvassing, and much more! But to run this project, we need your help. We need volunteers to collect and upload voter registration data once per month (instructions provided), and a Python developer (preferably with experience using Odoo) to help build these tools.
Sign up for a state

State	Volunteers
Arkansas
Florida
Indiana	u/komm_susser_Thot
Massachusetts
New York
North Carolina
Ohio	u/aoi_to_midori
Oklahoma
Vermont
Washington	u/Snickersthecat
Wyoming

Interested in helping us develop the program? Send us a modmail describing relevant Python experience.
Adopt A Candidate is Returning!
Yup - we are continuing our Adopt a Candidate operations. For the moment, we’re largely focusing on upcoming special elections until the primaries for the November elections are finished.
When you adopt a candidate, you commit to volunteering for them at least once a week - in person or from home. Your efforts now could make the difference as these races will likely be very close and have generally lower turnout!
If you’d like to adopt one of these candidates, reply in this thread or send us a modmail. You can adopt a candidate not on this list if you wish, too. Just let us know!

Candidate	District	Election Day	Adopted by
Joshua Hicks	Jacksonville, FL At Large 2	Mar 21st	u/Hurrdurraj65
Charles Garrison	Jacksonville, FL At Large 5	Mar 21st	u/Hurrdurraj65
Alton McGriff Jr.	Jacksonville, FL City Council 1	Mar 21st	u/Hurrdurraj65
Ramon Day	Jacksonville, FL City Council 11	Mar 21st	u/Hurrdurraj65
Joyce Morgan	Duval County, FL Property Appraiser	Mar 21st	u/Hurrdurraj65
Tim Cox	Henderson NV City Council 1	April 3rd
Janet Protasiewicz	WI Supreme Court	April 4th	u/Reptorian, u/Lotsagloom, u/Hurrdurraj65, u/table_fireplace, u/SGSTHB, u/Wes_Anderson_Cooper, u/ornery-fizz, u/molybdenum75
Sara Geenen	Wisconsin Court of Appeals District 1	April 4th
Jodi Habush Sinykin	Wisconsin State Senate District 8	April 4th	u/SaltResearcher4, u/Pipboy3500
Brandon Presley	MS Governor	November 7th	u/ProudPatriot07

We’re looking for graphic artists and folks that understand how to run social media!
While we all like to jest that the mod team is able to do anything and everything, we have limitations. We are currently looking for individuals with knowledge and skill in creating Graphic Art as a way to further the community's image. Our main priority would be aiding in creating graphics akin to the following design that we’ve used for AMA guests.
We are also looking for someone that is more knowledgeable in how to properly create a social media following/interact in the social media spaces to effectively operate them. The mod team is not particularly knowledgeable, nor do we have the time to properly utilize those tools.
If you are interested in volunteering forhelping with either position, please send us a modmail and we will continue the conversation from that point. Note: neither of these positions are paid and would be done on a purely volunteer role.
Let’s make sure that the GOP knows the true power of grassroots action!

Are you planning a party or event and looking for the perfect North Carolina DJ service to take it to the next level? Look no further than BOOK. Our experienced DJs are guaranteed to get your guests in the mood to dance and have a great time. We offer top-notch sound and lighting systems, and we are dedicated to making sure your event is one to remember. So don’t wait any longer—BOOK with us today and let the fun begin!
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23 years ago, I spent a year teaching in North Carolina. I set up a Wales corner in my class, with a Welsh and English version of the anthem. It dawned on me that the English version rhymed. Thanks to Google, it seems to be that the anthem was indeed written in Welsh, but I'd be horrified to think it was written in a way that it would rhyme when translated to English. Maybe it's just the way it's translated? I've seen a couple of different English versions, and both seem to rhyme somehow. What do folk think?

I don't remember anything else about it. if it helps, i was in North Carolina at the time. we didn't have cable so it's possible people that people who weren't in north Carolina didn't see it?? idk. i don't know how that stuff works but PLEASE if anyone can find this that would be great !! i've been trying to find this for 10 YEARS

I’m a New Englander on assignment in a SNF in Eastern North Carolina. Although, I kind of love hearing “Thank you baby” and once I was told I was “sweeter than sweet tea,” I really am uncomfortable being “yes ma’am’d.” I hope I adjust to the politeness and not feel I’m dictating based on my accent. For the record, I was also told to “ go back to where you came from, we don’t need your kind around here!”

I spawned in with 3 active bleeds and fully vomiting blood! Had level 2 gas sickness, I was on chernarus map by the North police station! No where near gas. I didn't think that was possible? Moments before, I had fallen into the map which was the reason for respawn. Anyone experience this?

The unmanned traffic management market size was valued at 0.79 billion in 2020. The market is expected to rise from USD 0.92 billion in 2021 to USD 3.59 billion by 2028 at a CAGR of 21.4 % during the forecast period 2021-2028. Fortune Business Insights™ has deep-dived into these insights in its latest research report, titled, “Unmanned Traffic Management Market, 2021-2028.”
According to the study, unmanned traffic management (UTM) services have set the trend to streamline services, data exchange protocols, information architecture and software functions. Prominently, NASA has upped its efforts on research to explore UTM capabilities; other organizations are likely to follow suit. Stakeholders expect logistic transportation, oil & gas industry, defense sector and disaster management to seek UTM solutions.
Segments
Based on type, the market is segmented into non-persistent and persistent.
In terms of component, the market is segregated into software, hardware, and services.
On the basis of solution, the market includes navigation infrastructure, communication infrastructure, surveillance infrastructure, and others.
With respect to end-use, the market is segmented into surveillance & monitoring, logistics & transportation, agriculture & forestry, and others.
On the basis of geography, the market is segmented into North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Rest of the World.
Report Coverage
The report includes quantitative and qualitative analysis to provide a holistic view of the global market. The report also deep-dives into top-down and bottom-up approaches to provide a strategic approach on product mapping of leading players and new entrants. Primary sources, such as interviews with major stakeholders and opinion leaders, will validate the report’s authenticity. The report includes secondary sources, including annual reports, press releases, SEC filings and website reports to bolster the authenticity of the report.
Drivers and Restraints
Strong Demand from Defense Sector to Underpin Growth Prospect
Industry participants are likely to bank on the defense sector to foster the unmanned traffic management market growth. Exponential demand for UTM services will be pronounced across Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, and India. Besides, developments in air traffic management will expedite the penetration of next-gen military drones. To illustrate, in September 2021, the Indian Army inked a contract of approximately USD 13.7 million with Alpha Design for the procurement of more than 100 strike drones. The drones would be made and supplied by Alpha Design in a joint venture with Elbit Security Systems.
Stakeholders envisage media, advertisement, entertainment, and precision agriculture sectors to exhibit strong demand for technology. However, rigorous government regulations may challenge industry players gearing to expand their penetration.
Regional Insights
Rising Footfall of Drone Manufacturers to Propel Asia Pacific Market
Leading companies are poised to infuse funds into emerging and advanced economies in the Asia Pacific on the back of the growing penetration of drone manufacturers. So much so that the trend for crop monitoring and aerial photography has instilled confidence among stakeholders. The Asia Pacific unmanned traffic management market share will witness an upward growth trajectory due to increased demand for precision farming.
Major players project the U.S. and Canada to provide lucrative opportunities against the backdrop of investments in the defense landscape. The North America market size accounted for USD 0.30 billion in 2020 and will grow with the increasing penetration of drones across surveillance and logistic applications. Leading companies, such as Lockheed Martin and L3 Harris, are likely to expand their portfolios to gain a competitive edge.
The Europe market forecast will be strong owing to the rising penetration of navigation infrastructure, communication, and surveillance systems. End-users are likely to augment their investments across the U.K., France, and Germany following the demand from advanced agriculture solutions and surveillance systems.
Competitive Landscape
Leading Companies to Emphasize Strategic Approaches to Expand Footprint
Industry players are likely to bolster their portfolios, with mergers & acquisitions, product rollouts, R&D activities and technological advancements gaining traction. Current trends suggest key players could invest in strategic expansion during the forecast period.
Key Industry Developments

• January 2021- The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) selected Black Swift Technologies to develop commercially viable technology enabling GPS-denied navigation of UAS to leverage long distance, Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) flights.
• November 2021- Thales Group presented EagleSHIELD to protect and secure sensitive sites and large-scale events in urban areas.

Major Players Profiled in the Report:

• Frequentis (Austria)
• Leonardo S.p.A. (Italy)
• Thales Group (France)
• L3Harris Technologies Inc (U.S.)
• Lockheed Martin Corporation (U.S.)
• Airbus SE (France)
• Raytheon Technologies Corporation (U.S.)
• Nova Systems (Australia)
• Unifly (Belgium)
• PrecisionHawk (U.S.)
• Altitude Angel Limited (U.K.)

Browse Summary
https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/unmanned-traffic-management-market-106651

Car window tinting. There are many reasons for car window tinting. Some people like the tint to protect their car's interior from fading and sun damage. Tinting the windows could make it more difficult for potential thieves to steal cars.Window tinting serves the dual purpose of blocking UV rays and providing comfort, especially during the hot summer days.To make your eyes comfortable. Car Window Tinting Greenville, SC. We are a locally operated business. We have provided quality window tinting and window film installation services in the Greenville area with a long history of providing high-quality window tinting services. We're committed to assisting you in making the finest choice for your car window tinting requirements. If you need car window tinting in Greenville, South Carolina, you can depend on us to provide high-quality services at a reasonable expense. Dial 864-288-9999 to reach us.

Basketball icon Michael Jordan, a 19-year-old University of North Carolina freshman guard, authored the first chapter of his legend with a thrilling shot to beat Georgetown in the NCAA championship game on this day in history, March 29, 1982. The sweet 16-foot jump shot from left of the rim with 17 seconds left to play … Continue reading On this day in history, March 29, 1982, Michael Jordan hits winning shot in NCAA final, launching legend

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[REQ] ($700) (#Charlotte, North Carolina, USA) (Repay $800 by 02/20/2023) (PayPal, Venmo, Cash App, Zelle)

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So I work for a stupidly old attorney who pays me via check instead of direct deposit, and the guy accidentally left for a trip without paying me this week 🙄 My normal weekly paycheck is $706, but he offered to pay the interest on this for me because he forgot. So at least that's guaranteed.
But then in the state in which I live, SC, we have to pay property tax on our vehicles every year and mine is due on the 31st. I'd like to get that paid and have a couple of dollars extra to hold me over until the following week.
I am more than willing to also give you any personal information you might need as this is obviously a large amount of money.
I'd like to think I'm a responsible person and will always communicate with you. Please don't hesitate to reach out! Thank you in advance :)

Hello all,
I’m part of the UCNA Food Relief Centre in North Adelaide, and this week I’ve been designated as the can-vasser.
That is, I’m looking to buy some essential canned goods at the cheapest price possible!
Essential items are canned: Tomatoes Pasta sauce Sweet corn Spaghetti Baked beans 4 bean mix Chickpeas
We’ve been increasingly busy since covid, so we’re keeping it minimal and trying to be as thrifty as possible.
Would anyone have some good destinations for bargains of these items? I know some things like baked beans are much cheaper off-brand at Aldi, but otherwise any suggestions would be appreciated.
As for location, anything from the central Adelaide up to the Barossa is within range for me. If you know of someplace south, that could also be useful for my fellow volunteers!
Regards, Harry
PS: Mods, I think this doesn’t violate rule 5, but do let me know if not.

Predict, Discuss and Follow the Weekend's Events

Use these discussion threads to talk about matchups, share predictions, find stream info, react to results and more. You can also chat live in our discord channel. Feel free to discuss any event, not just the featured events!

Easterns

April 1-2 in partly cloudy Little River, SC
Livestreaming Schedule

Date	Local Time	UTC Time	Div	Matchup	Watch

Easterns is US Eastern time. Viewing requires a Full ($12.99/mo) or Plus ($19.99/mo) subscription. Games WILL have commentary. Schedule subject to change but won't be updated here. If the links don't work, try here.
Men's Pools – Schedule and Results

Pool A	Pool B	Pool C	Pool D
#1 Massachusetts	#2 North Carolina	#4 Vermont	#7 Oregon
#12 Pittsburgh	#11 Minnesota	#8 Cal Poly-SLO	#13 Carleton
#24 NC State	#18 Northeastern	#15 Tufts	#14 Brown
#21 California	#20 Ohio State	#22 Georgia	#17 Michigan
Auburn	UNC-Wilmington	Wisconsin	#25 South Carolina

Follow: Easterns Facebook, @Ultiworld, @UltiworldLive

Northwest Challenge

April 1-2 in rainy Seattle, WA
Men's Pools – Schedule and Results

Pool A	Pool B	Pool C	Pool D
#19 British Columbia	#16 Washington	Utah State	#23 Oregon State
#12 D-III Whitman	Utah	Western Washington	Victoria
Dartmouth	Washington State	Gonzaga	Chico State

Women's Division – Schedule and Results
The main women's division was last weekend, however, it looks like there will be at least one game between Portland and Whitman this weekend, as part of the Tier 2 division. Not sure if more teams are still to be added to the schedule.
Follow: @DiscNW, @Ultiworld, @UltiworldLive

Huck Finn

April 1-2 in partly cloudy O'Fallon, IL (near St Louis)
Men's Pools – Schedule and Results

Pool A (Tier 1)	Pool B (Tier 1)	Pool C (Tier 2)	Pool D (Tier 2)	Pool E (Tier 3)	Pool F (Tier 3)
Washington-St Louis	Iowa State	Wisconsin-Milwaukee	#10 D-III St Olaf	St Louis	Marquette
Emory	Missouri	#6 D-III Grinnell	Illinois	Boston University	Georgia State
Cincinnati	Purdue	Chicago	Kentucky	Arizona State	Illinois State
Notre Dame	Alabama	Florida State	#9 D-III Missouri S&T	DePaul	Central Michigan
Vanderbilt	Indiana	#8 D-III John Brown	Michigan State

All teams can reach the championship bracket, but more spots are allocated to teams in higher tiers.
Follow: Tournament Site, @HuckFinnTDs, @Ultiworld, @UltiworldLive

East Coast Scrimmage Weekend

April 1 in rainy Ardmore, PA (near Philadelphia)
Women's Pool – Schedule and Results

Pool A
#1 North Carolina
#2 Vermont
#5 Tufts
#15 Yale

Follow: @UNC_Pleiades, @AFDCJuniors, @Ultiworld, @UltiworldLive

B-Team Brodown

April 1-2 in partly cloudy Pittsburgh, PA
Men's Pools – Schedule and Results

Pool A	Pool B	Pool C	Pool D
Pittsburgh-B	Penn State-B	#21 D-III Franciscan	#23 D-IIII Messiah
Ohio	Lehigh-B	Michigan-B	Ohio State-B
#18 D-III Rochester	Carnegie Mellon-B	Shippensburg	Case Western-B
SUNY-Fredonia	Ave Maria	Dayton-B	SUNY-Buffalo-B

Follow: @PghUltimate, @PittUltimateM_B, @Ultiworld, @UltiworldLive

Atlantic Coast Open

April 1-2 in partly cloudy Axton, VA
Women's Pools – Schedule and Results

Pool A
Cornell
Liberty
George Washington
George Mason
Cornell-B

Men's Pools – Schedule and Results

Pool A	Pool B	Pool C	Pool D	Dev Round Robin
Penn State	Duke	Rutgers	Cornell	Maryland-B
#3 D-III Richmond	Virginia Tech	Lehigh	Georgetown	South Carolina-B
#5 D-III Navy	Temple	Connecticut	Liberty	Virginia Tech-B
Johns Hopkins	MIT	VCU	East Carolina	Cornell-B
George Mason	American	Charlotte YCC		Georgetown-B
				George Washington-B
				American-B

Follow: Tournament Site, @OakCreekUlti, @Ultiworld, @UltiworldLive
Top 25 Rankings from Ultiworld Top 25, but not yet updated for this week.

A good read - this resource has a lot of information on how indigenous movements have helped curb climate change.
"In late 2021, Indigenous Environmental Network and Oil Change International published Indigenous Resistance Against Carbon, a report examining 26 cases of Indigenous resistance to the fossil fuel industry that led to quantifiable and large reductions of greenhouse gas emissions. The report finds that Indigenous communities on Turtle Island (North America) have opposed 1.8 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, which is about 28% of pollution from the U.S. and Canada in 2019. Victories against fossil fuel infrastructure have blocked an amount equal to 12% of U.S. and Canadian pollution, or 779 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent"

We have a home, our kids are in great schools, until now we seemingly were okay.
I am a nurse and left a staff job to travel. They money was nice but I was miserable. After the assignment I have yet to find another permanent job. Everything is behind. Were about a week away from just selling the house and I can’t believe everything will be gone.
We can’t live off my husbands salary alone. I have 2 kids. 1 in grade school and the other is 2. I have a PRN job, but the cost of daycare doesn’t justify going to work. Add the skyrocketing price groceries, gas, our utilities have more than doubled in the past year. It has been like a domino effect and we can’t keep up. We have cut out everything possible from spending and it’s not enough.
I feel like a failure. I don’t want to move in with my parents. I feel like I could throw up. I hate that I work in healthcare because I work my ass off for nothing because I am disposable to the hospital system. They only care about their bottom line. I just want to live my life here but we can’t.
And the worst part… it costs more to rent than our mortgage. But add utilities, 2 car notes (we got the cheapest we could find) plus insurance. It’s too much.
How are other families doing it? I can’t figure it out anymore.

Frost collected on the windows as we drove further into the woods. Next to me, my wife of eight years and bringer of many headaches. Now I'll be fair, I contributed to some of those headaches for her as well. But let's face it, we were having marital problems. I know, a cliche sort of story, but a common one in today's modern society.
We were heading to my grandparents' old cabin up north. My aging ancestors said that it would be the best place for us to "reinvigorate the romance" as they put it. Lovely.
But that's not why I'm recording these papers. No, it was something far graver than a failing marriage.
It was 2012 and we had our typical routines. I was an entrepreneur, investing in the stock market with the hopes of making it big. To make the money in this risky scheme of mine, I had to work a regular job just like everyone else. I worked in a factory for cars while my wife, Cassie, was trying to become a hairdresser.
The topic of money was always a strenuous issue for us. Constantly we fought about where the money should be going. Cassie believed that we should save as much as we can, while I was more willing to take the plunge into the market and try to milk this capitalist engine for all its worth.
As you can see, putting those two together created a nasty scenario where two people who wanted to have the best of youthful intimacy, slowly got destroyed by the years of conflicting interests. I still thought she was the most beautiful woman in my life, but the way that she stood in the way of my goals for a better life was starting to make me question this relationship to go on. Hence the cabin.
Now it is December and it's getting close to that date everyone seems to be obsessed over. The end of the world. What a load of baloney.
So that's a little background as to why we're going out to the woods.
But the drive itself was unbearably quiet. Not once did Cassie say anything. She didn't put up much of a fight either when I suggested that we go out to the cabin. Deep down, I think a part of me wondered if maybe she thought this was all in vain and wanted to get it over with. I believe a part of me believes that as well. Perhaps this is all a wasted effort and the ending result will be our inevitable divorce.
But who knows, there's always that slim chance. And when I looked up at the sky, I saw that there was a meteor shower already happening above.
"Hey Cassie, look," I said with childish delight.
She looked up from her window with a stoic expression. But I noticed a slight twinkle in her eye. From what I could tell, she was surprised to see such a glorious display from the beauty of the stars above. Although astronomy was always more of her thing, I still found joy in the little things.
"I'll admit, I wasn't expecting that."
"Right, and once we're at the cabin, we could—"
It just hit me when I realized it. I had no plan going forward. My goal was to get her out of the house. What are we supposed to do the moment we get to that cabin? It's not like I'm going to ask to be intimate right then and there. You got to work things up to stuff like that; especially with how strained our relationship is.
This was going to be more debilitating than I thought. No matter what scenario I thought of, nothing seemed appropriately timed. Make her dinner, watching TV sounded kind of stupid considering that we did that a whole lot back at the house, and frankly I'm not the most creative when it comes to trying to mend a relationship.
"You want to go for a walk later?" she cooed.
My eyes drifted over to her. Looking at her as she fidgeted with her long, light blonde hair.
A small smile grew on my face. At least she was trying to make an effort too. Perhaps there is hope after all. "Sure thing Cassie. I don't mind."
Once we arrived at the cabin, it was within no time that we settled in. Although fully furnished, there was dust everywhere. Surprisingly few cobwebs, so spiders weren't going to be an issue. The old, cabin-like aesthetic with furniture that looked like it dated back to the 1800s and was handcrafted made the entire home feel like it was holding some dark secrets of a mysterious past.
Thankfully my grandparents had been smart enough to remove any food from the house before we arrived. The last thing I'd want is to see year-old spoiled food everywhere, forcing the two of us to clean up any more than we had to.
The only thing I was concerned about was that I spotted something in the closet of the bedroom. My grandfather's guns.
"Couldn't you buy a gun safe old man?"
Cassie peeked over my shoulder and said, "Ugh, why is that even here?"
"Hey, my grandpa was a gun lover. What did you expect to find here?"
"Those things should be melted down."
My wife, though I still love her, was heavily against guns. She believed that they could all be taken away from the civilian population.
Frankly, I thought the exact opposite. I believe that it should be every person's right to get one. Maybe not a semi-automatic or shotgun, a good pistol or revolver would be satisfactory enough for me.
I quickly moved her away from the stash and we returned to our usual business, not thinking about anything else.
The walk would have to happen tomorrow morning. And after driving for the last ten hours, I can safely assume that we wanted to sleep in.
As we were getting ourselves ready for bed, I looked at my wife with hopefulness bubbling in my heart. She always tried to do everything So graceful, considering she came from a family that was quiet, elegant, and frankly made more money than I could ever hope to. Why she wants to become a hairdresser, I had no idea. Perhaps a change of pace or out of spite for her parents.
I thought about saying something to remind her that I still loved her. But before the words could even escape my mouth, there was a flash of a bright light coming from the window.
She looked up and our eyes widened with a fearful stare.
I turned around, wondering what was causing that. It was too bright for me to even see out the glass. Then a loud bang followed afterward, making me believe for a moment that something disastrous was going on. Was it a nuclear war? A random volcano? A freak storm? My mind was racing with every possible scenario. But as quickly as it came, both the sound and the light vanished into the woods.
"Are you okay?" Cassie said, hunkering down behind the bed.
"Yeah— I was afraid I was going to go blind there for a moment."
"I tried to look away as quickly as I saw it. But I was afraid I might go deaf from that sound."
Despite it being freezing outside, I opened the window and looked around. There was no smoke anywhere. Nor was there even a remnant of the light flickering somewhere off in the distance.
I caught the smell though. It smelled like burning rubber. Or perhaps it was more like plastic burning. Either way, it was awful and I quickly shut the door, not wanting any of that to get in.
"That was weird,"
My wife agreed and surprisingly, she wanted me to come to bed. This was a bizarre turn of events for me considering that she never once cared. But perhaps it was because she was scared. Reasonable response.
The next morning, we went about our habits and freshened up. After eating a light breakfast, we finally managed to put on some snow clothes, and go for that walk.
The brisk air and gentle breeze was more than I expected to handle. But I feel like the nervous tension was definitely keeping us warm. I never realized how hard it was to talk to her.
"Cassie... what do you think was that strange light last night?"
Another brief moment passed before she replied, "I don't know. I couldn't get a good look."
Oh well, at least we got to go on this nice walk. Thankfully both of us wore boots because the snow was unusually high.
Not too far down the road though, we spotted a house. There was already a family outside. A man, a woman, and three kids. Two boys, one girl. They were playing in the snow, building snowmen and forts. They waved to us, and it was a bit of a bitter reminder about how we had squandered our marriage with our short-term goals in mind.
Cassie had this longing in her eyes. I could tell she wished that we would have done the same. And if I'm honest with myself, maybe parenthood would've been something nice.
We waved as we passed by, but neither of us wanted to talk about the matter.
Moving further down the road, I could spot some smoke rising from deep within the forest. I looked at Cassie, but she hadn't noticed it yet. I pointed it out to her and we were both curious about what could be causing a fire in the woods?
"Want to check it out?" she asked.
"Only if you want to?"
"Do you or do you not?" she said more forcefully.
"Yes! God all right," I replied back in my own angered way.
I led the way, she followed behind as we trudged through the snow away from the road.
As we got closer, I could smell that horrible stench again. Now I was certain we were getting close to whatever it was that caused that late last night. Perhaps it was a meteorite or a satellite.
Finally, we cleared past the last batch of pine trees and saw what it was. But a huge crater with something metallic in the center.
"Is that a ball?" Cassie remarked from behind.
I moved closer to the edge of the crater, looking down at it. Every time a snowflake touched the metallic surface of the orb, it instantly turned into steam.
I decided to circle the edge of the crater, willing to see if there was a way to get a full view of what it was. Just out of curiosity. I wasn't sure what it was actually; it was a gray orb, no unique details other than that it was 6 ft tall I believe, and that was it.
Well, that's what I thought until I moved over to the other end of the orb and saw that there is an opening to the inside. It looked like a seat. Which made me come to the conclusion that it was a space pod.
"Does NASA build space pods, Cassie?"
"Not to my knowledge. I don't keep up with space stuff."
As I kept inspecting the pod, I noticed that there was some green liquid that was trailing off into the snow up to the crater until it vanished into the woods.
"What in the world?"
Suddenly the piercing sound of children screaming as well as a man and a woman broke through the forest, causing my heart to beat erratically like a pounding drum. Those are sounds I never want to hear.
Cassie's face ran white like the snow around her. She looked almost like she was about to faint just from how sickening those screams were. They had such an oppressive fear behind them, something that may my blood run like freezing water through my veins.
I went back to Cassie and wrapped my arms around her as we kept looking around frantically. Both of our minds raced about what could have caused that sound. But then I remembered that the other cabin was not too far from us. The one with the family.
I managed to convince Cassie that we needed to run back to the house. But in actuality, I just want to get over to the other cabin to make sure that family was safe.
We kept running as fast as we could until finally when we reached near that cabin, I saw with all my despair-inducing horror why they made such a tormented display of shrieks.
Bile came fast up my throat, and I had to hold myself back from throwing up by the horrific display.
My wife also gave way to shrieking, so loud it was that it was actually more irritating for me but I couldn't blame her.
The poor family. That poor, poor family...
We moved on but I couldn't stop thinking about how every single one of them had been torn apart like mincemeat. Scattered about and indistinguishable. There was a hand here, a few toes there, something had shredded them until they were nothing more than a gruesome display of carnage.
We quickly left the scene.
When we got back to the house, I quickly decided to call 911. I told them everything about what we had seen and they said they would send over a squad car to the house.
But that wasn't the whole truth that I gave them. All I told them was about the massacre that happened over at that family home. I didn't tell him about the spherical thing that we found in the woods.
My wife was still anxiously walking around in circles, checking every window as she went.
I ran out to the car, thinking that it would be better if we just left right now. I tried starting the car, but it just kept sputtering but no life. Something was wrong, the car should work, I gave it a full tank of gas.
I got out and noticed that there were some bolts and scraps of metal half-buried in the snow. When I bent down to look underneath, I saw that the entire fuselage had been torn open. Something had deliberately destroyed the car.
Running back inside, I slammed the door shut, and locked it. I went even further to place a chair and wedge the doorknob. Now I was desperate. We had no car, and there was no way I was planning on walking out there again. All we could do was wait for help. At least I was able to make that call on a cell phone because when I went to turn on one of the lights, there was no electricity flowing through. The wires had been cut as well. Whatever did this, it was smart and it was targeting us.
Cassie had at this point started breaking down into tears. She was scared. I was scared. But I knew that I needed to be there for her. Even though our marriage isn't so good right now, there's no way I could leave her in such a vulnerable state.
I felt that maybe I should do something to comfort her, what else could I do? What could either of us do? The only thing that we were able to do was to wait for assistance.
I stretched my hands out to her and pulled her in towards my chest. She didn't even try to fight back, but rather she buried herself. This was probably the most affection I've gotten from her in a long time.
Hopefully, the police can handle this. I wasn't too sure if we could make it all night. Every little cracking sound from the cabin was enough to get my hair standing up. Nothing seemed to have been damaged, so I had to come to the conclusion that whatever "it" was didn't come inside.
It would seem that we were in for a night of no sleep.
The next day, there was a knock on our door. I was disturbed from my rest on the couch with my wife next to me.
I tried my best to get up without disturbing her and made my way towards the door. But I stopped before I went to open it.
"Who's there?"
"Police," a voice said weakly.
I took a deep breath and exhaled. How reassuring.
I opened the door and I saw that a bloody police officer was standing in front of me. He had his hand covering over his abdomen which was dripping with it.
"Geez, what happened to you?"
He was practically about the stumble over until I caught him. Wasting no time, I brought them over to the armchair and I knew my wife would not like to wake up to this.
"Cassie wake up," I ordered, panicking.
When she opened her eyes and saw who was sitting near her, she just about screamed but I quickly covered her mouth, much to her shock until she saw it was me.
"Ben, what is going—"
"No time to explain yet, I need you to go and get me some water!" I cut her off.
As much as I hated bossing her around, time was of the essence. I didn't want to say anything to her but I didn't think this poor fella was going to last.
She quickly got up and ran to the kitchen, faster than I would've expected her. Perhaps it was just the adrenaline rush.
I turned to the poor guy who was wheezing and coughing blood.
"Hey, pal listen, I'm going to need you to tell me what happened?"
"Don't worry, I know this looks bad but I didn't walk all the way over here for no reason. I need you to warn the station,"
"About what?"
Cassie came in with some rags that were soaked and gently pressed them onto his abdomen.
He winced quite loudly, but we both knew this was the best.
"Tell them it's a code Protectorate situation— I... me and my partner, we went to the house as instructed. When we got there, we both nearly lost our sanity. It was so gruesome what we saw.
I could relate to what he's describing. It was a messed up sight and I wished I could unsee that.
"When we went into the house to investigate, something lunged out from the darkness. It cut clean through my partner before he could even have time to react. I fired eight shots into that thing. It was so mortifyingly alien."
"So we're dealing with an alien?"
"I don't know if you can count that thing as one. It was so savage, so brutal. Naked and abominable. I quickly got out of there but that thing managed to get me in the stomach. I fired one more shot near its head and that seemed to scare it away. Then I came here."
Both my wife and I were awestruck. So there really was an alien in our area. And it's killing people, how original. But my biggest concern at this moment was the fact that we were now caught in the middle of it.
The cop coughed a few more times— drips of blood coming down his chin.
My wife quickly rushed over with the cloth to try to clean it out so that he could breathe properly, but he just grabbed hold of her wrist, and through more agitated coughing, he choked, "Leave if you can,"
His eyes quickly went lifeless and he fell limp in the armchair.
His hand released my wife and she quickly backed up into me. Held her in my arms as we both stared at the lifeless man who gave us the only advice I think he could say to us.
But I had to honor what the fallen cop had asked me and I got back in touch with the police to tell them that the cop died after investigating the murder scene. I gave them his name and they were ready to send more help until I cut the lady off and told her that he requested Protectorate. They cut the line after that and I had to deal with questions I had no answers to.
But then a new voice answered, " Please evacuate the area. Your area has been labeled by the Protectorate Extermination Committee as a targeted zone. You have less than one hour to comply with this direct order."
Well, that wasn’t what I was expecting to hear.
No sooner after hearing those words, Cassie ran back to the kitchen and started washing the blood off of her hands. I took a blanket and covered the officer. But I was going to heed his words.
I went upstairs and quickly started grabbing what I could and throwing them back into our bags. We were leaving and that was not up for any discussion. Thankfully Cassie was on the same page as me.
After about ten or twelve minutes had passed, I finished packing, only to hear the pounding beat of a rotor. That was a helicopter flying overhead.
Quickly I went outside and tried to get a good look at it. It was a Blackhawk helicopter flying rapidly.
Out of desperation, I started waving my hands, hoping that maybe they'd land and get us out of here much sooner than what my car could manage for us, but they flew off. I know they saw me, but they simply ignored me.
Cassie came out of the house and asked, "Did they just leave? I heard them flying by and thought that maybe they'd land?"
"I don't think they're looking for survivors. They don’t look like any military group that I recognize."
"What did they look like?" her voice trembled.
"I don't know who they are, but their helicopter was painted black and there was a symbol on the side. It looked like a shield with six wings coming out from the side and an eye in the center of the shield."
We heard the sound of distinct gunfire off in the distance. Whatever it was, I doubt it was military engagement. There was only one firing and it was followed by deafening screams of a man. Only to be drowned out by something unnaturally low and clicky. But this roar boomed across the land.
That was coming from another cabin not too far from us. Whatever it was, surely we were going to be next in the line of fire for this thing. It must have been going around destroying people's vehicles if there were still people around after what happened to that first. I can't imagine all of our neighbors still being here willingly.
I ordered Cassie back in the house, knowing full well that something bad was about to go down when I saw three more of those Blackhawks flying into one single location.
I shut the door again and told Cassie to get down as low as she could. I didn't want a stray bullet hitting either of us, but I couldn't help but remain curious to see if they could get it.
I was expecting them to rain down machine-gun fire, but instead, I saw three huge plumes of fire shoot out from each of the choppers. They were trying to burn this thing. They were hitting it hard too. The amount of flames coming down at such a rapid speed made me think that it could catch the entire woods on fire. Thankfully it's winter, so I don't think a forest fire is likely to happen.
But they never stopped firing and it also seems like they were chasing after whatever it was. My eyesight's not so good, so I wasn't able to get a visual of what it was. But I saw something running on all four, darting through the woods as the Blackhawks chased after it.
"What's happening!" Cassie cried.
I had forgotten about her. I was expecting bullets but I guess it wasn't so dangerous after all.
"They're trying to burn that sick monster."
"Is it working?"
I didn't have the heart to tell her that I think the thing is getting away. Whatever it was, it was weaving fast enough to where the helicopters couldn't keep up. But at least it seems like it couldn't hurt them either.
"They're driving it away. It's moving far away from us. Maybe we could leave right now."
Cassie started panicking and stuttered, "We— we are not going out there,"
"Cassie don't be stupid, we have to get out of here. That creature might come back for all we know—"
"And I don't want to be outside all vulnerable when it gets here!"
That was always something I hated about her. Once she made up her mind on something, there was no way you were going to get her to change her mind.
"It's always about your issues, it's always going to be your way! Don't you realize that there is something that we cannot handle, running around willy-nilly, we've got helicopters outside blasting it with fire that doesn't seem to be doing too much, and you want us to stay here like a bunch of sitting ducks because you're too scared to try and Escape like the officer who died for us, said so!"
"YOU THINK I WANT TO STAY HERE AND GET TORN APART BY THAT SAVAGE!" she got up from her hiding place and pushed me as hard as she could.
Don't get me wrong, I didn't fall down to the ground, but when she gets angry, she's a little extra forceful than you would expect.
She tried doing it a second time, but I caught her arms and threw her back, but not hard enough to make her fall.
"How about you calm down, and THINK!" I shouted back at her with increased ferocity. I was at my limit and I was having thoughts of leaving her here. We were on the verge of divorce anyway and the last thing I should care about is someone who will become a stranger to me and no time.
"I did, I want to hide and not be an open target!"
"And I don't want to sit here like an all-you-can-eat buffet for that thing!"
Before the argument could continue down this heated path, one of those flamers happened to be coming by, burning everything nearby. Thankfully it didn't hit the house or even the yard for that matter, but it was enough to leave me with a shaking stomach.
We both dropped to the ground but I was still curious about what was happening outside.
I crawled up to the front window again and my eyes went wide as I saw one of the helicopters blasting its flamethrower down. Inside the inferno, that creature was walking about untouched by the heat.
I whispered to myself, "It's immune to the fire? How?"
The flames eventually stopped raining down. I think they got the idea too.
I looked up at them as one of the soldiers was changing their weapon of choice from a flamethrower, to something a little more ballistic...
"Run!" I ordered. "To the bathroom!"
Both of us got up and as we got into the first-floor bathroom, the sound of explosions rained down from above. Small-scale explosives were now being used against this alien. It let out another one of those guttural bellows, apparently, this actually hurt it more. I also could hear the constant firing of bullets raining down.
But this was all that I could interpret. Cassie and I were both huddled in the bathtub, praying to whatever God exists that we don't end up being shredded by bullets in the process.
Already I could hear parts of the house getting hit by stray bullets as it seemed like the helicopters were moving more erratically as they chased after this creature again. At least it seems like they were moving away from us, but those were the most intense 30 seconds of my life.
Finally, everything fell silent other than the distant explosions that slowly toned down.
Both Cassie and I were breathing heavily, I even found myself wrapping my arms around her instinctively.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
She wouldn't quit crying. She never responded to my question. Granted it was a stupid question. Nothing about this was okay.
I decided to concede. Perhaps we should just hunker down and hope for the best. Although I was still completely on board with up and going, Cassie was partially right. We would be caught out there in the open and there was no guarantee that these people who were fighting the monster were even going to care about civilian casualties. They certainly didn't mind incinerating entire sections of the woods away, regardless of whatever houses happened to be nearby.
"Cassie, we'll stay here tonight. But I'm using my grandpa's guns."
"I don't care, I want that thing dead. I'll take one myself."
Well, this was a sudden change of heart. Someone who is always against this stuff suddenly wants one. Though I should have known better when I saw her only pick up the pistol.
"If you fail, I would much rather be able to take the easy way out of this mess."
Honestly, I'd rather have that option as well. But I have to try. Plus, if I was to die today, at least I can go down with this beautiful shotgun in hand.
So that would be the update so far. A black ops group is currently leveling the area as best they can to try and kill this thing, my wife is ready to do what she can to avoid a painful way of dying, and I've got a shotgun, scared out of my mind as I wait for this thing to eventually try and get us as well.
And thus began another long night of no sleep.
The clock had now turned to 12:43 p.m. I was dead tired and the exhaustion of staying up for two days without getting any consistent sleep was starting to take its toll.
Thankfully the sun had come up and this creature did not attack during the night. I'm telling you, that is probably the most luck we're ever going to get out of this.
Cassie was getting more sleep than I was, but she refused to leave the bathroom. She stayed in that tub the entire night, while I made myself a little pillow fort in the living room. And before you start getting judgemental of childish behavior, if I'm going to die, I'm going to die in comfort.
All throughout the night, I heard the occasional bursts of gunfire far off in the distance. I tighten my grip around the shotgun, preparing myself for whenever I would need it.
This particular shotgun was a special type that my grandfather was obsessed over. And it packed quite a wallop. A Browning BPS. With sleek, black metal, this high-powered shotgun is all that stands between a ravenous, deadly alien that came from outer space, and me getting torn in half.
And so began the wait.
Hours were going by. Every moment that I heard them chasing that thing out there, was another moment that told me that it wasn't over yet.
I was drenched in sweat, despite the temperature getting increasingly cold with every passing hour. How we managed to survive this whole time is beyond me. I guess the tension alone was enough to make sure that we stayed warm throughout the whole thing.
Then I heard a rumbling sound outside. Then I heard multiple rumblings. And then suddenly a blast of sound exploded so loud that it shattered all of the glass in the house. I was so scared that I almost fired off a shot.
I quickly got up from the pillow fort, Cassie was looking out the bathroom door. She was as confused as I was.
"What are they doing now?"
When I took a look outside, I had a surge of hope. Outside were 8 tanks, as black as the Blackhawks. They were firing off at a distance, firing off their machine-gun fire at the same time as they tried to destroy whatever this thing was with cannon fire from their turrets.
When I peered further out at the patch of woods that were being shredded to pieces by the barrage, I saw that the alien was moving as quickly as they could to avoid. But it kept stumbling around, and explosives kept burning away layers of its skin. There were more helicopters outside that were trying to flame it as well as firing explosive rockets at it.
I was cheering them on. The creature was definitely taking a beating from the constant attacks and it was only a matter of time before that thing would get too worn down. Already I could see parts of its flesh burning off.
"Come guys, get 'em!" I shouted instinctively by the hype of us actually winning. Maybe I would get out of this alive.
From my distance, I had to wear my glasses to get a better view. But my god the battle was intense.
"I think they've nearly killed it!" I shouted in early triumph.
Cassie came out of the bathroom and crawled next to me, wanting to join me and watching as they finally killed that alien. We both watched with anticipation as they finally seemed to be destroying its tough outer exterior.
The animal looked disgusting. That barbaric creature had two long arms with five fingers that looked about as long as a human forearm, it had a triangular-shaped head, rounded around the edges. I distinctly remember seeing it have bluish-gray skin earlier, but I guess after all of the flaming, bullets, and bombings, now it was reduced to a muscular frame.
It staggered after getting hit for over a day's worth and I was surprised that they were willing to keep pounding this thing so hard for that extended time.
Suddenly the sky overhead had a long, loud engine noise burst through the sound barrier.
We both looked up and my heart sank into what felt like ice-cold water because those were F-22s coming down fast from the sky.
I looked over to Cassie who looked like she had frozen over. Without much rational thought, I grabbed hold of her and we both ducked low to the ground.
The glass exploded above us as I heard missiles coming down, explosion after explosion detonating and leveling everything nearby. They were going to keep hitting this thing till it was either ash, or the entire area had been left in ashes.
Cassie kept crying but I also felt a huge overwhelming feeling of dread laying on top of me. I hugged her tightly, wanting to give myself some warmth from the otherwise cold, apathetic attack that we had found ourselves stuck in.
She kept whispering through choked up words, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry,"
"Cassie, listen, we're going to be alright. You hear that! We are going to live!"
The last explosion was so close to our house that I think part of it was coming apart at that point. The whole house shook violently and Cassie and I were even momentarily lifted off of the ground by how much power was behind that last explosion.
I slowly got back to my feet, my ears ringing exceedingly loud. I can barely hear whatever Cassie was saying to me. I still had the shotgun in hand. I was clutching that thing as my life depended on it.
Everything was a blurry mess, I was so dizzy I couldn't even focus entirely on anything.
Cassie was trying to tell me something. She kept pointing around me, her face full of fear.
Finally, things were going back to normal quickly and I was able to understand what she was trying to say.
"IT'S COMING THIS WAY!"
My eyes widened and as I turned around, the entire wall exploded inwards. I found myself being tossed over the couch and Cassie was quick to try and crawl back to the bathroom. I think she left her pistol there.
When I got a good look at it, I realized it was at death's door. It was all bloody, muscular, one of its eyes had fallen out. And it had this blood-filled shrill escaping from his mouth that made your skin curl in itself. Frankly, it sounded like no animal on Earth.
Bullets started raining in, a little too close for comfort for me.
I had to make a decision, the thing was eyeing down my wife. She turned around towards me, her eyes filled with tears.
Without much hesitation, I pumped the shotgun and unloaded an entire blast into its chest while it was distracted.
It screamed out in a horrific shrill, probably more stunned that a simple firearm is enough to finally get this thing injured at this point.
I kept blasting, pumping, blasting, pumping, repeatedly doing this while screaming as I kept shooting that sick animal. It swung its broken fingers at me, cutting a bit of my leg in the process. I fell down for a moment, but I knew I had to get back up for Cassie. It didn't do so well when I finally was able to get close enough to it, point the double-barrel right at its head, and blast straight into its mouth.
Strangely enough, that wasn't even enough to kill it. It fell back, squirming around in writhing pain, and I was shocked when I saw Cassie come out with her pistol and unload all eight bullets into the creature as well. I joined her in the attack, and we kept shooting at it until it finally stopped moving.
We both were out of breath, completely in shock, and frankly just wanting to go home. Maybe even see a therapist.
I rested on the floor next to Cassie who had lost her strength as well. We were just too tired to even run and I had no intention of getting out on my own.
Through the smoke, four soldiers in full body armored gear painted black entered through the gaping hole in the wall.
I was so tired I was sure I'd lose consciousness. Sure enough, everything faded to black. I could briefly hear the chatter of radios, but what they said I could not remember.
When I woke up, I was sitting in a hospital bed. I looked around in frantic movements, wondering where Cassie was— where my wife was?
I saw her completely passed out in the bed next to me. I was so relieved to see her safe and sound.
When I looked around, I saw that we were in a military infirmary tent. It was still snowing outside, but thankfully these tents know how to keep you warm.
But as I was about to get comfortable in my bed, two guys in suits- not black suits, thankfully they weren't going to be so cliche— walked in with two guards in uniform behind them.
The man who appeared oldest, complete with a bald head and big, bushy, gray mustache said, "Good morning soldier."
I chuckled a little bit. "Soldier? I wouldn't say I'm a soldier."
He had a charming laugh that I could tell you enough that he was more of a ladies' man in his spare time when he wasn't working to be some high-up government official.
"Ah, but weren't you the one who managed to kill that extraterrestrial?"
Clearly, he knew what I had done, so there was no point in lying. "Yes sir,"
"That makes you a soldier I guess. You may be just a civilian, but anyone who has the guts to take on something that took tanks and Blackhawks an entire day's worth of fighting to kill is deserving of such a title."
"I'm honored," I responded with unease.
"Well, I feel like it's the least we can do considering that even though we did most of the work, the fact that you managed to kill that thing with a shotgun and revolver is my definition of bravery. So we will be needing you to do a few favors for us in return for some added benefits for your heroism today."
I was well-versed in this kind of stuff. You watch enough movies, read enough books, you learn a little bit about what they're going to tell you next. Of course, I had to sign the documentation that neither of us would ever talk about what we had seen today. We were to never acknowledge any information that was related to what had happened today. And we were to tell anyone we came across that we had a lovely second honeymoon trying to rekindle our marriage.
But in return, I did get some financial help from these guys. They gave me a reward of $100,000 each. Although I'd like for more, I'm not going to pester them with that feeling. Beggars can't be choosers, right?
Although after all of that happened, I and Cassie did manage to recover somewhat of our marriage for the time being. What happened that day wasn't going to save it though. In 2018, we decided to go our separate ways. But we still get together occasionally to talk about what happened on that fateful winter day in 2012. She says that she still has nightmares of that thing chasing after her. I don't suffer from the nightmares of that thing, but I can understand where she's coming from.
The recent events have changed that. After everything that happened and now that I've been a single man for quite some time now, I recently became more interested in what's going on above us.
I started collecting information about aliens, thinking that they were nothing more than little gray men and the occasional giant monster creature. Oh, how I was wrong. I was extraordinarily wrong about what was really going on in the stars.
But I suppose that isn't relative to this story. Despite all of the horror that I experienced, the horrors I experienced now are far worse, but I think it's time I sign off on this message. And so I will go back to a night of no sleep.

Basically a copy of an earlier post because the format is great.
Very early on in the process, mainly interested in moving internationally (currently US based), looking for:

• Tips on how to strengthen profile before applying
• Realistic feedback on my list of schools

Background: 31 y/o white male, NYC based
Academics: 3.7 GPA (Finance), North Carolina state school (not UNC)
GMAT: 720
Work experience: 5 YOE, 2 promos, currently management at big tech firm (think Netflix, Stripe, Spotify, etc) - direct reports, running projects start to finish, typical finance/strat stuff
Extracurriculars:
Post-grad:

• Youth soccer coach (YMCA)
• Member of two ERGs at work (our ERGs don't really have roles, but could work on this if this is lacking)

Undergrad:

• Member of academic fraternity - involved in putting events together, no official title
• I worked full time and was an 'adult student' (not an extracurricular.. but potentially part of my 'story' ?)

Post-MBA goals:

• Short term: Potentially stay at current firm (if they're helping with tuition this will be required) and move into a more strategy oriented role.
• Long term: Potentially move away from the business side and move fully into consulting. Also open to just climbing the strategy ladder.

Schools (this is where I have no clue. As mentioned, I would love to move internationally for my schooling, so please tell me if these are even in the ballpark): LBS, Oxford, Cambridge, Trinity College (basically the highest ranked english friendly program I could get into with my profile. Open to UK, NE, DE, some others)
Thanks a ton for any insight <3