Bars leak cooling system repair reviews

Legacies RP discord.gg/legacies-rp [18+] Serious RP Realistic Economy Player-Owned Businesses Community Events Whitelisted Jobs Customized QB Core Framework legaciesrp.com

2023.05.29 03:22 shaggydrama Legacies RP discord.gg/legacies-rp [18+] Serious RP Realistic Economy Player-Owned Businesses Community Events Whitelisted Jobs Customized QB Core Framework legaciesrp.com

Legacies RP is a growing community with the main goal of making our server a place where everyone can be whoever and whatever they want to be.
We wouldn’t be where we are without our dedicated staff and development team who are working non-stop to ensure you have the best possible content we can offer you.
We pride ourselves in listening to our community feedback to help the server move forward. Our staff team is engaged with the community and very dedicated to the server to ensure we offer the best content possible.
So… you want to see what it’s all about? Then jump on over to our Discord to begin your new journey!
WHAT DO WE OFFER?
Our city offers activities of all types for all of our citizens. Whether you are looking to answer the call of duty, or find your next “family”, we have many jobs to help you make your dreams come true!
While we will not reveal all that the city has to offer, here are some of the activities and jobs you can expect to experience
WHITELISTED JOBS
As most other communities, we have our fair share of whitelisted jobs! Whether you are looking to fight crime, save lives, or defend those innocent (until proven guilty), Legacies RP has plenty to offer!
All of our departments are fully functional with a full structure and chain of command, Standard Operating Procedures, and the chance to advance through ranks to develop your career!
Law Enforcement
Are you interested in a career in law enforcement?
We have two departments available for you to pursue a career as a law enforcement officer within the great state of San Andreas!
Both departments have opportunities to progress up the ranks for those wishing to make a proper career for themselves. There are also specialism opportunities in both departments for those wishing to hone their skills in certain areas such as high performance vehicles, SWAT, Aviation Policing and other avenues.
Do you have what it takes? Sign up today!
We have the Los Santos Police Department whose main responsibility is to police the city of Los Santos and protect its lawful citizens. Based out of the Mission Row station, your duties will see you patrol all aspects of the city from the lights and dazzle of Vinewood, the beaches of Vespucci and the mean streets of Southside.
We also have the Blaine County Sheriff’s Office who patrol the North of the state. Although a slower pace of life in the north, it’s certainly not quiet! The deputies of the BCSO patrol the entire county from the sleepy shores of Sandy to the busy industrial industry of Paleto Bay.
Department of Justice
Defend the innocent, prosecute the guilty or preside as a judge. At the San Andreas Department of Justice, we are always fully invested in any cases whether criminal or civil. You will be treated with the most respect and will be given a fair chance to win your case.
Our team is dedicated to providing you with full support from the moment you are hired onboard. Whether you have done DOJ roleplay before or not, there is a place for you! You can start as a paralegal for the defense or the prosecution and work your way to become a private lawyer or a prosecutor.
While there may be times where you will have to face your peers on the bench, we like to end all trials with drinks at a local bar to celebrate the wins (whether big or small).
So, what are you waiting for? Ready to fight for justice?
San Andreas Medical Administration
San Andreas Medical Administration (SAMA) is a governing body that oversees both the San Andreas Fire & Rescue and the Healthcare Network in San Andreas. SAMA is responsible for ensuring the delivery of top-quality fire and rescue services, as well as healthcare services, to the citizens of San Andreas.
The administration works closely with both organizations to ensure that the necessary resources and personnel are in place to handle emergencies and provide medical care to those in need. The administration also sets standards for training, equipment, and response procedures, and ensures that these standards are met and upheld.
In addition to its operational responsibilities, SAMA also plays a key role in the development of new programs and initiatives aimed at improving the fire and rescue and healthcare services offered in San Andreas. With a focus on collaboration and continuous improvement, SAMA is dedicated to providing the citizens of San Andreas with the highest quality fire and rescue and healthcare services possible.
Come see if you have what it takes to rescue the citizens of San Andreas!
PLAYER OWNED BUSINESS
We get it… fighting crime or defending others is not your cup of tea. You’d rather be your own boss, make your own hours, and tell others what to do. Well, you are in luck. The San Andreas Business Bureau is currently accepting applications for businesses of all types, from mechanics to taxi companies, and everything in between.
All business applications are reviewed by a trusted member of staff on a monthly basis and are accepted based on server demands.
And, hey, even if you don’t want to own your own business (too much paperwork, am I right?!), the player owned businesses below will be open on launch and may have something for you!
Benny's Original Motorworks
Benny’s Original Motorworks are specialists in vehicle performance, tuning and bodywork. Whether it’s a new engine or new set of rims, this is THE place for you!
They offer a seamless experience, and you can leave their garage confident that you were serviced by some of the best in the business!
Come on down to the Southside of Los Santos on Innocence Blvd, and show off your ride today!
BurgerShot
Have the munchies for some artery-clogging, food coma giving food? Come down to BurgerShot! Located at Vespucci Canals in Los Santos, they offer a variety of burgers, sandwiches, and side dishes. With new specials every 48 hours ranging from flash meal deals to discounts, you will always find something to satisfy your hunger!
Come see what the fuss is all about!
Redline Customs
Here at Redline Customs, we offer you the best auto repair service in the industry and are known for providing the best quality and the most personalized service. Using the most up-to-date tools and techniques along with our state-of-the-art workshop, no idea or project is too big!
It doesn’t matter if you’re the biggest OG on Southside or the Sheriff of the BCSO. We strive to make YOUR experience with us memorable. Currently offering everything from automotive repairs to a full workover inside and… out.
Look out for our membership packages coming out very soon, as they will offer a range of discounts and offers that are only available to Phreakyest customers who walk into our shop. Located on Carcer Way in Burton Los Santos, you cannot miss us. You don’t want to! We are currently looking to hire mechanics with excellent customer service to join our team.
Vanilla Unicorn
Welcome to The Vanilla Unicorn, The Next generation of VIP entertainment & Los Santos’ most elite exotic dancing club. The venue boasts a platinum experience, with beautiful women to cater for all your entertainment needs.
Set in luxurious surroundings, with our prestigious stage and bar area and lavish private dancing areas, visit us on Elgin Avenue next to the Olympic Freeway in Strawberry.
The Sandwich Bar
The Sandwich Bar is a small, unassuming sandwich shop located on West Eclipse Blvd in Los Santos.
Inside, the Sandwich Bar is quite cozy and features a counter where customers can order sandwiches and other food items. The menu includes a variety of sandwiches, salads, and other fast food items, all of which are made to order. The shop is staffed by friendly employees who take pride in their work and are happy to make recommendations or answer questions.
While the Sandwich Bar may not be the fanciest or most high-end eatery in Los Santos, it is a popular spot among locals who appreciate its affordable prices, tasty food, and laid-back atmosphere.
MacLerie's Irish Pub
Welcome to MacLerie's Irish Pub, a cozy and authentic Irish pub located in the heart of LosSantos. Our pub offers a warm and inviting atmosphere, traditional Irish food and drinks, good music, and a friendly staff. Whether you're a local looking for a place to unwind after work or a tourist searching for an authentic Irish experience, MacLerie's Irish Pub has something for everyone.
​At MacLerie's Irish Pub, we believe that a pub is more than just a place to eat and drink. It's a place to connect with others, to share stories and laughs, and to feel at home. That's why we make sure that our staff is friendly, welcoming, and knowledgeable about all things Irish. We want our customers to feel like they're part of the MacLerie's Irish Pub family.
So whether you're looking for a pint of Guinness, a hearty meal, or a fun night out with friends, come visit us at MacLerie's Irish Pub.
Sláinte!
Legacies Treasures
Legacies Treasures a little boutique selling all of your flower and gift needs. Owned and operated by Willow Barrett. You can find everything you might need to remind that special someone, a family member, or a friend, just how much you care about them!
Pretty Baked
Pretty Baked is where Everly Fairbanks has combined her passion for baking and progressive views on cannabis. Our made-from-scratch pastries are infused with premium cannabis butter, and our freshly brewed hot teas are the perfect accompaniment. Come visit us and explore the wonderful world of cannabis-infused treats in a safe and welcoming environment.
Los Santos Accounting Firm
Los Santos Accounting Firm is a leading financial services provider in Los Santos, owned and operated by Teresa White, a talented defense attorney and experienced accountant. With her degree in business relations and accounting, Teresa brings a unique perspective to the financial industry, providing clients with customized solutions that are tailored to their individual needs. As a young and dynamic entrepreneur, Teresa is dedicated to delivering exceptional service and value to her clients, utilizing the latest technology and innovative solutions to streamline financial processes and provide real-time access to financial data and reports. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and experience the difference of working with a top-tier financial services provider.
CIVILIAN JOBS
Farming
San Andreas offers a unique opportunity for its citizens to experience the traditional yet innovative world of farming. With endless fields of fruits and vegetables waiting to be picked, individuals can engage in the rewarding work of harvesting crops. For those interested in the more technical side of farming, opportunities for crop dusting and animal husbandry are abundant in the countryside.
Come discover the beauty and bounty of this thriving agricultural community!
Deliveries
Los Santos is a bustling city with a thriving economy, and as such, there is always a high demand for reliable delivery services. GoPostal and Trucking are two of the leading delivery companies in the city, offering a wide range of employment opportunities for those looking for a fast-paced and challenging work environment.
Whether you’re driving a delivery truck across the city, or navigating the streets in a GoPostal van, there’s never a dull moment in these delivery jobs.
With competitive pay, a somewhat supportive team culture, and the satisfaction of knowing you’re helping keep the city running smoothly, a career in delivery with GoPostal or Trucking might be just the right fit for you.
City Maintenance
City maintenance is an essential part of keeping Los Santos running smoothly, and there are a variety of jobs available in this field. From ensuring the city has access to clean and reliable water and electricity through Water & Power, to keeping the streets clean and tidy through garbage collection, these jobs play a crucial role in maintaining the quality of life for Los Santos residents.
These positions offer competitive pay and the satisfaction of knowing you’re making a tangible impact on the community. Whether you’re interested in working with cutting-edge technology or getting your hands dirty, there’s a city maintenance job in Los Santos that’s right for you.
Hobbies
Los Santos offers a wealth of opportunities for those looking to turn their hobbies into jobs. From the rugged beauty of the mountains and forests, where lumberjacking, hunting, and fishing reign supreme, to the streams and rivers teeming with gold waiting to be panned, to the mines filled with precious minerals waiting to be extracted, there’s something for everyone in this diverse and exciting city.
These jobs offer the chance to work in some of the most breathtaking environments in the world, and to turn a passion for the outdoors into a fulfilling career. Whether you’re an experienced woodsman or a beginner looking to try something new, there’s a hobby job in Los Santos that’s perfect for you.
COMMUNITY EVENTS
Legacies RP has a strong focus on player interaction and collaboration, and as such, we hold several events each month to encourage participation and bring the community together.
Community Meetings
The monthly community meetings provide an opportunity for players to hear updates from the staff and voice their opinions on the direction of the community. These meetings are also a great chance for players to connect and get to know one another.
In Game Holiday Events
Holiday events are also a staple of the Legacies RP community. These events range from holiday-themed activities and contests to special in-game events that allow players to celebrate the holiday season together.
Player Led Events
Special player-led events are also a big part of the community. These events are organized and run by players and can be anything from birthday parties to weddings.
Business Grand Opening Events
Finally, grand openings are a special type of event that mark the opening of new areas within the virtual world. These events often feature special contests, games, and activities, and provide players with an opportunity to explore the new areas and meet other players.
Overall, the events and activities in Legacies RP are designed to bring the community together and foster a sense of camaraderie and collaboration among its members.
AND SO MUCH MORE
This is only a small taste of what Legacies has to offer.
We know that people like to know the ins and outs of the server, below are some other items you can expect:
If you are looking for a community that listens to its members in order to build a stronger server, then Legacies RP is the place to be!
submitted by shaggydrama to FiveMServers [link] [comments]

2023.05.29 02:36 AdamR46 FORMULA 1 AWS GRAN PREMIO DE ESPAÑA 2023 - Race Week Hub

Here's a place for random posts and questions and events going on during the week leading up to the race.
**This is not a place to buy/sell tickets. Buying/selling Comments will be deleted. Use the ticket thread.**
Share some Pics of your views from various grandstands and GA Spots!
Tickets still available through the circuit.
Circuit Map
Weekend Schedule
Circuit Website
Public Transport Info
Shuttles
FORMULA 1 BARCELONA VILLAGE
F1Destinations Travel Guide
Circuit Info Via Motorsportguides.com
2022 Race Week Hub - Comments with useful info and reviews
​
GrandPrixTravel Meetup hosted by FanAmp at Bollocks Bar, Gothic Quarter Saturday, June 3rd at 8pm
​
Radio Circuit
With audio in Spanish and Catalan (frequency 103.2), and in English and French (frequency 98) to follow all the Grand Prix information.
Parkings
The car parks open at 6:30 a.m. on Friday and at 6:00 am on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets cannot be purchased at the entrances to the car parks. Anyone wishing to park their vehicle must have purchased a parking ticket in advance. The car parks close at night and vehicles may not be left parked overnight.
For this edition of the F1 Grand Prix and in order to speed up the entrance to the Circuit, there will be no assigned car parks, but a dynamic parking system will be implemented. This means that, once you arrive near the venue, the controllers will direct you to the available area closest to the accesses according to the capacity in real time and the volume of cars.
Pit Walk
The Pit Walk will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., with access to any type of GP entry (Tribuna, Pelouse, Pelouse Jove, Circuit Members and Officials). On this day, the parking for vehicles will be free in the Circuit area.
WHAT YOU CAN BRING TO THE CIRCUIT
WHAT YOU CANNOT BRING TO THE CIRCUIT
submitted by AdamR46 to GrandPrixTravel [link] [comments]

2023.05.29 02:22 dragonagitator Bellingham-Area Mechanics Master Post

Since it seems that no one can be bothered to search the sub for the word "mechanic" before making a new post, I searched it for you and summarized two years' worth of posts below.
TL;DR the recommendation is almost always "Rising Sun Motors" unless you've got an unusual vehicle or situation. Also, apparently XSrcing has spent the past couple years quietly helping poor people fix their cars for free/cheap, so everyone be sure to buy that guy a beer next time you see him.
2023-05-23 Body shops that work on 90s Hondas
2023-05-17 Where's my Subaru Mechanic?!
2023-05-15 Mechanic for an 89 Trooper
2023-05-10 Volvo Mechanic
2023-05-09 Subaru Mechanic
2023-05-04 Chuck's Midtown Motors?
2023-04-29 Anyone know of a good mechanic around here?
2023-04-19 Local mechanics
2023-04-19 Classic Car Mechanic
2023-04-17 Bellingham Automotive is SLIMEY and will steal from you. They tampered with my car then gave me a nasty attitude about it.
2023-04-08 Looking for a diesel mechanic for 97 e350 short bus
2023-03-23 Classic car mechanic
2023-03-17 Pro/Amateur mobile mechanic?
2023-02-27 A trustworthy mechanic?
2023-02-21 ISO mechanic for classic Chevy pickup
2023-02-15 good mechanics?
2023-02-15 mechanics that do free / cheap diagnosis in town ? (not talking check engine lights btw)
2023-02-03 Mechanic Recommendation
2023-02-02 Car Problems
2023-01-30 22re yota mechanic?
2023-01-12 Seeking mechanic recommendations for 10 year old ford work truck. Computer is dying and it needs a junkyard transplant.
2023-01-12 Transmission Mechanic?
2022-12-30 Mechanic recommendations?
2022-12-05 Are there ANY decent auto shops in this town?
2022-11-25 Jurachic Auto
2022-11-11 Suzuki mechanic near bham
2022-10-22 How do I find a good mechanic?
2022-09-27 Garage/Mechanic Recommendation to fit a tall (9-10ish ft) camper van?
2022-09-19 Best Affordable Mechanic in Bellingham
2022-09-15 Is there a car repair shop that takes payment plans in or around Bellingham?
2022-08-29 Mechanic/someone who can diagnose a transmission sound for free, trying to get to a wedding.
2022-08-16 Mechanic shops
2022-08-06 Honest affordable mechanic?
2022-08-02 Oil change for prius
2022-07-20 Any recommendations for a good mechanic to replace a catalytic converter?
2022-06-13 Respectful/honest mechanic?
2022-05-30 Old Chevy Truck 88' best mechanic.
2022-05-30 Trustworthy/not scammy mechanics in the area?
2022-05-19 Anyone have a recommendation on a good mechanic to replace brake pads on an older Subaru? Thanks!
2022-05-04 Looking for a good mechanic!
2022-04-09 Motorcycle mechanic
2022-02-09 Prius mechanic
2022-02-02 Mechanic recommendation
2022-02-02 Auto Repair
2022-02-02 Any mobile mechanics/someone to check out a car tomorrow?
2022-01-22 Mechanic Recommendation
2022-01-20 Need help checking out a used car
2022-01-16 Diverter for exhaust
2022-01-14 Mechanic Recommendations?
2022-01-02 Does anyone here know a mechanic that can come to my place? My car won’t start.
2021-12-21 Car broke down - need advice
2021-11-30 In desperate need of a mechanic
2021-11-28 Car Mechanic Open on Sunday
2021-11-17 Looking for mechanic for '83 Ford ranger
2021-11-12 Subie Mech
2021-11-05 Looking for a Volvo mechanic
2021-10-15 Recommendations for experienced Element mechanics?
2021-10-04 FIAT Mechanic?
2021-09-30 Toyota Service Mechanic
2021-09-19 Subaru owners of Bellingham!
2021-09-13 Seeking car repair recommendations
2021-09-10 Keith Cox Autobahn? Mechanic recommendation?
2021-08-31 Anywhere in town work on Lexus vehicles?
2021-08-11 Looking for Subaru mechanic
2021-07-09 Car maintenance
2021-06-01 Local mechanic shops
submitted by dragonagitator to Bellingham [link] [comments]

2023.05.29 01:55 Other-Mousse-5441 What did I do?!

Just did a side job for a family member where I replaced the indoor coil on a 10 yr old 2 ton residential Rheem heat pump that was leaking.
The system was under charged to start from the leak,I pumped down what was in the system and replaced the coil
After doing the repair my pressures had seemingly increased, especially my head pressure
I had a high of 575! A low of 143 a subcooling of 75 a superheat of 16 and a Delta T of 2 in cooling mode.
Like I said the system was low to start, after pressure testing the system I had 0 psi and I pulled the system down to 280 microns 1400 after decay.
All I did was open the service valves and these readings were present.
A couple things to mention….
I did use a bi-flow filter drier, although there was what looked like a second filter drier on the discharge of the unit, which I did not replace… could that have been a muffler? Or should have I replaced it/ removed it if it was a second drier?
I also ran the system in heating and both the “liquid line” and “suction line” seemed to increase in pressure before the compressor started whining and I pulled the disconnect.
Any advice would be much obliged.
submitted by Other-Mousse-5441 to HVAC [link] [comments]

2023.05.29 01:49 KeLorean No leaks, so I'm celebrating with a Glenlivet 12

No leaks, so I'm celebrating with a Glenlivet 12
This weekend I foolishly decided to reroute my HOA controlled sprinkler system. What a back breaker! Today, the system fired up and there were no leaks, so my dad gave me a bottle of Glenlevit 12 to celebrate. This is my first 750ml bottle of scotch. My bourbon journey began a couple years ago, but about 2 months ago I discovered scotch, and I am a fan, even the heavy peated stuff. It's all good. Anyway, I have been going to bars that offer Taster prices to find what I like. I also spent too much money on a 1 year subscription to Flavair and I get 6 Taster viles once every 3 months. Anyway, here is my review of glenlivet 12. Awesome! I'm no tasting expert but I immediately got the citrus and toffee. Finish has strong vanilla and those wonderful butterscotch notes. Happy Memorial Day Weekend. Cheers!
submitted by KeLorean to whiskey [link] [comments]

2023.05.29 01:28 Willinthetown 2E83 & 2E85 Water Pump Codes

2008 335i N54 Sedan RWD MSD81 19T 6x6 Turbos, JB4 + MHD
Getting the codes
2e83 electric cooling pump, low-power mode 2e85 electric cooling pump, communication
Started after i replaced my OEM Bosch alternator with a rockauto TYC cheaper brand. Haven't been able to fully point the finger at the alternator although; as it seems to work fine.
My original alternator was fine, but was a fire hazard as it was drenched in oil from a previously leaking OFHG.
Changed the waterpump, thermostat, all the hoses, radiator, radiator fan
Car runs fine, cools down fine, bleed procedure is working fine.
The code comes back 20 minutes of driving after being cleared.
Battery is new and coded properly.
Power distribution box has not been replaced, IBS has not been replaced, The B+ to fuse box has also not been replaced.
Voltage is present on the water pump electrical connection, seems fine.
Fuse in the DME box is also fine.
There doesn't look to be corrosion on the body where the battery sits. Meaning the wire that travels under the car and back to the front - Should be okay.
Has anyone dealt with this? I'm a bit stumped and don't wanna throw money at random parts (as I just did with the new cooling system overhaul)
submitted by Willinthetown to E90 [link] [comments]

2023.05.29 01:22 Defiant-Skeptic Any lawyers out there?

I am considering filing a lawsuit I wrote. Do you think this has merit?
The Plaintiff is the proprietor of two businesses, namely [*], which is an electronic repair service, and [], an online retail business. Both of these businesses have a physical presence in [***].
In early 2020, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic triggered unprecedented economic disruptions globally. Both of Plaintiff’s businesses, [*] and [*], were heavily impacted by these disruptions and faced severe financial setbacks.
Given the distressing circumstances, the Plaintiff, in his capacity as a small business owner, applied for two separate EIDL loans under the provisions of the CARES Act in order to offset the economic hardships caused by the pandemic. It is important to note that the Small Business Administration (SBA) is responsible for the implementation and administration of these provisions.
On June 8, 2020, the Plaintiff received a notification from the SBA, stating that the EIDL application for [****] had been approved. This approval entailed an Advance Grant amounting to $1,000.00 and an EIDL loan amounting to $1,500.00.
On June 16, 2020, the Plaintiff entered into an agreement with the SBA by signing the Loan Authorization and Agreement (LA&A) contract. Subsequently, on June 18, 2020, the SBA transferred the EIDL loan amount of $1,500 into the Plaintiff's personal bank account.
On June 25, 2020, the SBA initiated the transfer of the Advance Grant of $1,000.00 to the Plaintiff's personal bank account. However, this transfer was not successful and was returned to the SBA by the bank.
On June 26, 2020, the Plaintiff was informed via an email from his bank that the deposit of $1,000.00 made by the SBA had been returned to the depositor. The bank attributed this reversal to a discrepancy between the name on the deposit and the name registered on the bank account. This happened despite the successful deposit of the EIDL loan amount on June 18, 2020, indicating an error from the SBA's end as no changes were made to the account details by the Plaintiff. Over the course of the two years, the Plaintiff repeatedly reached out to the SBA for a resolution to this problem, but his pleas fell on deaf ears.
Contrary to the treatment of the application of [*], the EIDL application for [*] was denied by the SBA. Plaintiff received the denial notification on July 6, 2020, Plaintiff received an email From the SBA which contained a decline letter which stated, "Unfortunately, although we have made every effort to approve your loan request, we are unable to offer you a Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) for the reason(s) described below. Not Eligible: The SBA has been unable to verify the existence of an eligible business as reflected in the application. The SBA has been unsuccessful in our attempts to obtain documentation from multiple sources (public records) and we attempted to obtain documentation from you that would validate the existence of your business." Plaintiff disputes the SBA's claim to have "attempted to obtain documentation" from the plaintiff. The only time the SBA had reached out prior to the decline letter was On July 2, 2020, Plaintiff received a voicemail from the SBA asking Plaintiff to select a loan amount and submit for final approval.
On July 21, 2020, the plaintiff initiated contact with the SBA regarding the returned grant and the declined EIDL appliction. In a conversation with SBA Disaster Customer Service Representative Rossana M. Nuno, she explained her inability to provide case-specific advice or information. Instead, she could only offer general information about the program. The Plaintiff was informed that due to the depletion of funds, the Advance program had been terminated on July 13, 2020. The money that had initially been allocated to the Plaintiff for the Advanced Grant was no longer available. Plaintiff contended that this was a failure on the part of the SBA, that they had made a mistake sending the deposit and that it was their fiduciary duty to correct it. Nuno promise to make a note of it and notify her supervisors of the issue. The plaintiff managed to update their bank account details during this conversation in hopes that further errors would be avoided, and Nuno instructed the plaintiff to reach out to the Reconsideration Department for inquiries about the declined application and potential adjustments to the existing loan agreement At this stage, the plaintiff emphasized to Nuno that the applications were for separate business entities. Further she emailed the reconsideration instructions to both business entities.
On October 6, 2020, the plaintiff sent the first request for reconsideration letter to the SBA, attaching the documents as instructed by Nuno. The letter detailed the plaintiff's newness to business operations, the mistakes they'd made in financial and bookkeeping aspects, and the rectification of these errors. It also declared the filing of an Amended Tax Return for the years 2018 & 2019, which was still being processed by the IRS. The plaintiff included various supporting documents, including Business Bank information, State Identification, Driver's license, Social Security Card, Business registration with the Oregon Secretary of State, and IRS Form SS-4 assigning the business an EIN.
The SBA began a cycle of communication with the plaintiff from October 13, 2020, often requesting documents already submitted or requiring additional ones. Despite providing the necessary paperwork such as tax returns, Form 4506-T, and proof of identity, the SBA seemed to overlook the prior submissions and requested them repeatedly. This pattern continued until late December 2020, leading to significant frustration on the plaintiff's part.
On November 8, 2020, and several subsequent dates, the plaintiff sought to inquire about the status of their applications. However, these efforts yielded no responses from the SBA.
On January 7, 2021, the SBA responded with concerns about perceived discrepancies between the two applications, including different financials, number of employees, and Employer Identification Numbers (EINs), and the reported revenue. The plaintiff clarified that the applications were for two separate business entities with distinct financials, employees, and EINs. The plaintiff speculated that the SBA might have been misled by the similarity in trade names of the two businesses.
The plaintiff's dissatisfaction with the SBA's treatment escalated by March 2021. They composed a detailed letter of appeal on March 25, 2021, where they voiced their struggles, highlighted the separateness of the two businesses, and expressed their irritation with the SBA's repetitive requests for already provided documents. This letter also contained a plea for the SBA to take their case more seriously and to expedite the application process.
In a disappointing development on March 28, 2021, the SBA sent another email requesting more documentation. Many of the requested items were documents that the plaintiff had submitted multiple times in the past. Feeling helpless and dissatisfied with the SBA's handling of their case, the plaintiff turned to the office of U.S. Congress Member Kurt Schrader. They submitted a comprehensive summary of their ordeal, detailing the SBA's apparent disregard of their explanations, the repeated requests for documents, and their overall grievances with the SBA's treatment of their businesses.
On March 29, 2021, the plaintiff received an email from Alvin Klausen, a Field Representative from the Office of Congressman Kurt Schrader. In his email, Klausen requested further clarification on the issues at hand and asked for supporting documents to bolster the plaintiff's case.
The plaintiff also received a somewhat reassuring email from Vanessa R., an SBA Customer Service Center Representative, acknowledging receipt of the plaintiff's documentation. She stated, "We have notated the file with the information provided. We forwarded your email and attachment(s) to our Processing and Disbursement Center for review and file association." Even so, the SBA continued to ask for documentation that they had already received.
Two days later, on March 31, 2021, the plaintiff sent another email to Alvin Klausen, this time detailing their grievances against the SBA. The email was a passionate plea for recognition and change, highlighting several key issues. These included perceived discrimination by the SBA against the smallest businesses, a 'delay and deny' tactic used by the SBA, and repeated requests for duplicate information that were both tiresome and confusing. The plaintiff also questioned the SBA's ability to manage information and records effectively, attributing their struggles to the organization's mismanagement. They expressed a desire for accountability and reform, making it clear that while they wanted their personal issues addressed, they also hoped for broader changes within the SBA to benefit all small businesses.
On April 3, 2021, the plaintiff was taken aback by an email from the SBA, which stated, "We have received multiple applications from your business for economic injury as a result of Coronavirus (COVID-19). Your earliest application will continue to be processed, and we have withdrawn application number *****1116 from active consideration." The plaintiff felt this statement was fundamentally incorrect, as they had applied for two distinct businesses, each with separate financials, employees, and EINs. They reiterated that both businesses were in operation before January 1st, 2020, and both had suffered economic injury due to Covid-19. The plaintiff insisted that according to the CARES Act, both applications were valid and deserving of consideration.
A promising development occurred on April 7, 2021, when the plaintiff received an email from Alvin Klausen, stating that a Congressional inquiry had been submitted on their behalf. This offered a glimmer of hope, indicating that their struggle was gaining attention at higher levels and might lead to some resolution.
On April 13, 2021, a communication came from the Small Business Administration (SBA) Loan Officer, Ayesha Babar. She requested additional supporting documents for the plaintiff's application, explicitly mentioning the application number *****0742. The language in the email underscored the urgent necessity for the plaintiff to complete a particular form, with a clear warning: failure to provide the requested Form 4506-T within a week could lead to denial of the plaintiff's aid request. This gave rise to questions about the SBA's policies, especially whether this time-constrained requirement was a standard SBA policy or the discretion of an individual loan officer.
Just a day later, on April 14, 2021, another email from Babar arrived. It sought further information to move forward with the loan modification process and, importantly, put forth a request for immediate communication, either via a phone call or an email response. The email contained an explicit timeline: a response was needed within two days, or else the plaintiff's request could be labeled as 'not interested'.
These interactions highlight the SBA's conduct, characterized by an exigency that seemed to border on the arbitrary, as per the plaintiff's perspective. From a seven-day deadline for document submission to a two-day ultimatum for a call-back, the SBA's approach was perceived as a high-pressure tactic. This conduct raised serious questions about the equitable treatment of loan applicants and the management of relief funds intended to support small businesses during the pandemic.
On April 15, 2021, the plaintiff was contacted via email by Anna Rose, an SBA Loan Specialist, who was appointed as an advocate for the plaintiff's case. Rose expressed her intention to address the plaintiff's increase request and suggested a direct phone conversation for further clarification on the outstanding issues.
A telephonic conversation between the plaintiff and Rose took place the same day, during which the plaintiff articulated the hurdles encountered in the reconsideration process. Rose admitted she hadn't previously reviewed the plaintiff's provided documentation or any prior emails related to the case, though she was aware of the congressional inquiry initiated on the plaintiff's behalf.
Throughout the discussion, the plaintiff reiterated multiple points, clarified the nature of their "Qualified Joint Venture" tax status as opposed to a 1065 Partnership, highlighted the separation of business entities, and raised several issues previously discussed with the SBA. The issue of the missing Advance Grant portion was frequently brought up by the plaintiff. Although Rose acknowledged this concern, she clarified her lack of involvement in the advance program and asked the plaintiff to be patient.
Rose, in her capacity as advocate, took on an advisory role, guiding the plaintiff through the process, and requesting various supporting documents, including the original 2019 Federal Tax Return, SBA Form 2202 Schedule of Liabilities, IRS Tax Form 4506-T, and a Partnership Agreement. The SBA appeared to be in a thorough review phase, trying to ensure that all the necessary documentation was in order.
A significant aspect of these interactions was the decision to request an updated 2019 Tax Transcript from the IRS. Rose, on April 20, 2021, indicated that the utilization of the amended tax return figures (as opposed to the original ones) could lead to a larger loan amount for the plaintiff. However, this move, framed by Rose as the goal, was made without explicitly providing the plaintiff an opportunity to make an informed decision or explaining the implications of such a request. It was clear that the objective of leveraging the amended tax return for a higher loan amount was initiated by the SBA, specifically Rose, and not the plaintiff. This suggests an attempt by the SBA to maximize the available support for the plaintiff, albeit with a lack of transparency in communicating the possible consequences and constraints.
As the discussions between the plaintiff and SBA Loan Specialist Anna Rose progressed in April and May 2021, the focus remained on the plaintiff's amended tax return and the corresponding IRS transcripts, pivotal elements in the loan reconsideration process. In these communications, Anna Rose called for the submission of multiple forms, including IRS Form 4506-T.
A crucial point arose on May 6th, 2021 when Rose falsely reported to the Plaintiff that the IRS hadn't processed the plaintiff's amended tax return. This assertion was in direct contradiction to the plaintiff's records showing the return's adjustment, finalization, and subsequent payment.
Furthermore, when the SBA received Plaintiffs tax transcripts on April 23, 2021, and May 3, 2021, they both showed that the tax return had been processed. This fact was withheld by the SBA and kept from the Plaintiff. It would only be revealed in the Freedom of Information Act Request that Plaintiff acquired in 2022.
Rose then suggested that the plaintiff wait for the processing of the amended tax return before incorporating the amended gross revenue numbers. Plaintiff is told by Rose, "you can wait a couple of months until the amended tax return has been processed. This is the only way we will be able to go off of the AMENDED gross revenue." Plaintiff is told this despite having satisfied the requirements as stated by Rose on April 20, 2021, "This transcript should show that an AMENDED RETURN was filed. That's all the information that I need in order to use your AMENDED Tax Return figures."
Most notably, Rose informed the plaintiff of a policy that limits the resubmission of Form 4506-T to every 60 days or a couple of months. However, neither the SBA nor the IRS has an established policy restricting the submission of Form 4506-T to every 60 days. This alleged policy seems inconsistent with the Covid Relief Acts' guidelines and raises questions about its applicability and fairness. As a result, the invocation of this policy by Rose marks a significant point of contention in the loan modification process with the SBA.
On May 7, 2021, the plaintiff forwarded a screenshot from the IRS website confirming the completion of their tax amendment and questioned whether this would influence the decision.
Ten days later, on May 17th, 2021, despite the plaintiff's evidence, Rose indicated that the agency lacked confirmation that the plaintiff's amended tax return had been processed. The transcript's absence resulted in a significant discrepancy in potential loan amounts based on the reported gross revenue. Rose restated the need to wait 60 days from May 6, 2021, before reordering the tax transcripts.
The next day, the plaintiff was informed by Rose that their file had been forwarded to another department for assistance with the requested increase. This abrupt transition was given without detailed explanation, leaving the plaintiff uncertain about the next steps in the process. In response, the plaintiff voiced their frustration and confusion over the lack of clarity, and the perceived lack of assistance from the SBA.
Finally, Rose clarified that the plaintiff's file had been forwarded to the funding department to handle the increase request, citing that she had no control over this change. For any queries related to the advance funds, she directed the plaintiff to the customer service department.
On May 25, 2021, SBA Loan Specialist Austin Ross communicated with the plaintiff via email, requesting further details about the partnership filing status on the recently amended Federal Tax Return. Ross specifically states that the loan modification could not be processed until there was clarification of his business's 1065 partnership tax status. This was despite the plaintiff having shared this information multiple times in prior communications with various SBA representatives.
In response, the plaintiff reiterated the pertinent details to Ross and sought a definitive list of remaining requirements to finalize the aid request. A phone conversation between the two provided an opportunity for the plaintiff to clarify multiple points around the amended tax return, the nature of the “Qualified Joint Venture” tax status as opposed to a 1065 partnership, separation of business entities and ownership, the completion of the tax return, among other issues.
Following this conversation, Ross sent a summary email presenting two courses of action: waiting for the IRS to process the updated tax transcripts or proceeding based on the existing application details. However, discrepancies arose in Ross' recounting of the conversation, primarily concerning the waiting period for tax transcripts, the establishment of a loan modification, and the plaintiff's interest in the Targeted Advance program. Contrary to the plaintiff's stated intent to proceed correctly with the loan process and accept a loan amount commensurate to their qualifications, Ross miscommunicated this as the plaintiff preferring to wait for the updated tax transcripts due to potential differences in loan amounts.
Additionally, Ross indicated that the SBA could create a loan modification based on the existing application data, while the SBA subsequently sent a decline letter for the loan modification on June 12, 2021. Moreover, Ross's assertion that the plaintiff showed interest in applying for the Targeted Advance program misconstrued the plaintiff's wish to address the issue of the returned EIDL grant.
In closing his email, Ross expressed enthusiasm to continue working with the plaintiff, but his actions did not align with these words. The plaintiff's subsequent attempts to reach Ross through phone calls, messages, and emails went unanswered. Over a period of the next three months plaintiff would call and email Ross multiple times only to be completely ignored by Ross. This pattern of discrepancies between Ross's written statements and the actual actions of the SBA amplified the plaintiff's frustration and perceived mismanagement of their case by the SBA.
On May 28, 2021,the plaintiff received a communication from SBA Loan Specialist Dave Dubois, demanding additional documentation that didn't pertain to the nature of the plaintiff's business. These included requests for proof of an active insurance policy and board resolution providing authorization for the loan. These requests were glaringly irrelevant, considering the plaintiff operated without a board of directors and did not require an insurance policy to conduct his business. This demonstrates an apparent lack of understanding or consideration of the plaintiff's business model by the SBA.
A significant development occurred on June 12, 2021, when the plaintiff received an email from the SBA, attached with a letter dated April 3, 2021, stating that his request for a loan modification had been declined due to "Unverifiable Information." The letter claimed that during the loan underwriting process, the SBA encountered issues with the validity of some of the information the plaintiff submitted. The plaintiff was particularly perplexed because the decision to decline the loan modification was apparently made on April 3, 2021, but was only communicated to the plaintiff over two months later, exposing an egregious delay of more than two months in the SBA's communication. This decision predates the assignment of SBA Loan Specialist Anna Rose as the plaintiff's case advocate.
Seeking clarification, on June 24, 2021, the plaintiff emailed SBA Loan Specialist Austin Ross, attaching the SBA decline letter and the letter from Dave Dubois, and asked for an update on his loan modification status. However, this attempt to gain insights into his application status was also met with silence; Ross never responded to the plaintiff's inquiry. This further highlights the communication inconsistencies and lack of transparency in the handling of the plaintiff's case by the SBA.
These events draw a critical spotlight on the SBA's handling of the plaintiff's case, particularly emphasizing the disconnect in communication, a failure to comprehend the business's nature, the delayed disclosure of vital decisions, and a persistent lack of response from SBA representative Austin Ross.
On June 24, 2021, the plantiff made an attempt to resolve the ongoing loan modification issues by reaching out to multiple SBA representatives, including SBA Loan Specialist Anna Rose. Rose's response, however, was perplexing. Despite her role, she expressed unawareness of the decline letter and shifted responsibility, putting the onus on the plaintiff for not accepting a purported loan increase — an offer that, to the plaintiff's knowledge, had never been formally made.
Most importantly, Rose laid down stringent requirements, instructing the plaintiff to provide a fully processed and IRS-stamped amended tax return along with an updated and signed 4506-T form, underscoring the red tape marring the SBA's process. Furthermore, Rose highlighted that 60 days had passed since the last transcript was received, implying that the plaintiff needed to hasten his interaction with the IRS — another burden imposed on the plaintiff.
The SBA on July 1, 2021 reiterated the loan decline decision — a decision made three months prior on April 3, 2021, but uncommunicated until June 12.
In response to the array of impediments, the plaintiff kept pushing forward, providing the requested IRS transcript to Rose on July 21 and formally objecting to the decline on July 22. This well-articulated objection included necessary documentation, a fresh IRS Form 4506-T, and a specific request to move forward with the loan modification.
Throughout this convoluted process, the SBA, particularly through the actions of Rose and Ross, demonstrated an alarming level of inefficiency, bureaucratic entanglement, and unresponsiveness. The persistent silence, stringent requirements, lack of clear communication, and the controversial 60-day waiting policy before resubmitting a 4506-T form, critically marred the plaintiff's journey with the SBA, ultimately reflecting poorly on the agency's commitment to aiding small businesses.
On July 26, 2021, a detailed account of the ongoing issues was provided to Alvin Klausen, a liaison from Congressman Kurt Schrader's office, and copies were sent to SBA Loan Specialists, Anna Rose and Austin Ross. However, it seemed this attempt at gaining resolution bore no fruitful response.
In further compliance with SBA's requirements, the plaintiff sent to Anna Rose on July 31, 2021, a range of documents including an IRS-stamped Form 1040X, an IRS-printed Account Transcript, and a completed IRS Form 4506-T. This move was in response to Rose's instruction from June 24, 2021, yet there was no acknowledgement or meaningful reply.
Persisting with the process, the plaintiff dispatched exhaustive document packages to the SBA via fax on July 30 and July 31. Despite containing all necessary material to overcome the loan decline, these emails seemed to fall into a void, receiving no response.
The plaintiff took a crucial step on July 31, 2021. A detailed complaint was submitted to the Small Business Administration Office of the National Ombudsman. This report illuminated the interactions between the plaintiff, Ross, and Rose, and presented an extensive analysis of the challenges the plaintiff was encountering. Yet, in the ongoing pattern of silence, the plaintiff received no follow-up or response to this complaint.
The communication gap continued as on August 3rd, 2021, the SBA reiterated the decline reason, citing a lack of verifiable information, while ignoring the submitted IRS-stamped documents. The plaintiff tried to overcome this by sending an objection email with additional IRS documentation on August 6th, 2021, yet there was no indication of SBA's receipt or review of this new information.
On September 9th, 2021 the SBA requested 2019 business bank statements. This was curious as the SBA bypassed the essential step of ordering the IRS transcripts using the 4506-T. Moreover, it neglected to consider that the plaintiff didn't have a business bank account in 2019 and relied on online payment processors like PayPal and Amazon Pay for business transactions.
The plaintiff expressed their frustrations and disappointment in a response on September 14th, 2021. This correspondence conveyed the sentiment of being systematically ignored, manipulated, and deceived by the SBA. The plaintiff's concerns about the agency's lack of intent to provide assistance and the perceived injustices were made clear. Despite their efforts, the plaintiff was left in a seemingly endless loop of unmet requirements and unanswered queries.
In the subsequent months, the plaintiff did not receive any further information or correspondence from the SBA concerning their loan modification request, causing additional distress. The plaintiff expressed their frustration and disappointment with the entire process in an email to the SBA, stating that the constant silence and lack of feedback from the SBA were indicative of gross negligence and a breach of the SBA's fiduciary duties.
On July 31, 2021, initiated a fresh application for their sole proprietorship, [*], heeding the guidance of SBA Loan Specialist Austin Ross. It is essential to underscore here that Ross, in his advisory role, inadvertently mischaracterized [] as a cellphone repair business. However, [***] is an online retail business. Another example of Ross's blaintaint inaccuracies.
This effort was met with a contradictory response. The plaintiff was informed that their reapplication had been withdrawn due to it being a duplicate application. Then in an abrupt about-face, the SBA invited the plaintiff to proceed with the withdrawn application, issuing successive reminders about completing the application process.
Despite reservations about the sincerity of the offer, the plaintiff accepted the proposed loan amount. True to their suspicion, a decline letter arrived on October 22nd, 2021, citing the inability to verify the existence of an eligible business.
On January 3, 2022, the Plaintiff sent an email to the SBA asking to address the $1,000 advance grant that was returned June 25, 2020. The SBA responded with these instructions, "To assist in processing your request please reply to this email with: A copy of your photo identification (front and back), A copy of a check with the word "VOID" written on it (please do not redact the routing or account number) and, If you need to submit an updated 4506-T, the completed and signed corrected 4506-T form may then be sent as a reply to this email or may be emailed to [email protected]."
On January 10, 2022, the Plaintiff sent another email to the SBA with all the requested documents and expressing his frustration over the lack of resolution to his issue and the impacts it had on his eligibility for the targeted advance and the supplemental advance.
The SBA remained unresponsive and the status of the Advance on the SBA Disaster Portal was changed from "error" to "declined" without any explanation. This exclusion from the Advance Grant portion of the EIDL program, along with the Targeted Advance Grant and Supplemental Grant programs, was conducted without any legal justification.
For the record, it's important to note that the applicants must receive an official email invitation from the SBA to apply for both the Targeted EIDL Advance and Supplemental Targeted Advance. Due to the aforementioned error, the Plaintiff was deprived of this opportunity and thus, was unable to apply for these programs.
The SBA's failure to adequately process the deposit for the Advance Grant, coupled with their refusal to rectify the problem despite the Plaintiff's repeated attempts to seek a resolution, is a clear violation of their obligations. The repercussions of this error not only prevented the Plaintiff from receiving the Advance Grant but also from applying for the Targeted EIDL Advance and Supplemental Targeted Advance.
It is pertinent to highlight that these grants were crucial for the Plaintiff's businesses to mitigate the devastating financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, the failure of the SBA to fulfill its duties has caused substantial harm to the Plaintiff and his businesses.
Moreover, the lack of communication from the SBA and the subsequent change in the status of the Advance from "error" to "declined" without any given explanation is unacceptable. This behavior demonstrates a blatant disregard for the dire financial circumstances the Plaintiff found himself in due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Not to be deterred, the plaintiff initiated a reconsideration request on March 1, 2022. In response, they were given a list of documents to submit, which they promptly did. Unfortunately, another decline letter soon followed, reiterating the inability to verify the business's existence.
The plaintiff sought a final reconsideration on April 2, 2022, asking for a comprehensive list of all requirements needed to overcome the stated reasons for decline. In a repetitive cycle, the SBA updated the application status on April 6, 2022, asking for a series of documents which, as per the plaintiff's account, had already been submitted numerous times.
Again the plaintiff submitted the required documents as per the updated request on the SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan Portal account. Despite this, it's important to highlight the plaintiff's firm belief that the SBA was employing tactics of constant delay or denial regardless of the file status, even when all necessary documents were submitted, and all discrepancies were addressed legally. The plaintiff contends that such an approach seems to be a systemic internal policy, serving to deter applicants until the SBA could close the program. Unfortunately, the plaintiff's diligent efforts were met with an insurmountable roadblock when the SBA announced the exhaustion of all funds under the EIDL program. This, sadly, left the plaintiff's persistent attempts to secure the loan unfulfilled.
CAUSES OF ACTION
FIRST CAUSE OF ACTION: BREACH OF CONTRACT
The Plaintiff repeats, reiterates, and realleges each and every allegation contained in paragraphs 1 through ** as if fully set forth herein.
The Plaintiff entered into a contractual relationship with the SBA when it accepted the terms of the EIDL program, which was manifested by the approval of the EIDL advance grant and signing the Loan Authorization and Agreement (LA&A) contract.
The SBA had a contractual obligation to provide the approved advance grant to the Plaintiff as well as process the Plaintiff's requests in accordance with its established procedures and guidelines.
The SBA breached this contractual obligation by failing to deposit the approved advance grant, changing the status of the advance grant from "error" to "declined" without due justification, and failing to rectify this situation despite the Plaintiff's attempts to seek resolution.
As a direct result of the SBA's breach of contract, the Plaintiff suffered significant financial harm.
SECOND CAUSE OF ACTION: NEGLIGENCE
The Plaintiff repeats, reiterates, and realleges each and every allegation contained in paragraphs 1 through ** as if fully set forth herein.
The SBA owed Plaintiff a duty of care to diligently review and process EIDL applications, provide clear and consistent communication, provide adequate customer support, and demonstrate transparency in decision-making.
The SBA breached this duty by their actions as outlined above.
As a direct and proximate result of the SBA's negligence, Plaintiff has suffered damages, including but not limited to lost opportunities for financial relief and detrimental effects on the business, in an amount to be determined at trial.
THIRD CAUSE OF ACTION: MISREPRESENTATION
The Plaintiff repeats, reiterates, and realleges each and every allegation contained in paragraphs 1 through ** as if fully set forth herein.
The SBA made representations to the Plaintiff regarding the processing of the Plaintiff's application and the subsequent steps needed to rectify the situation.
These representations were false, as evidenced by the SBA's subsequent actions, which included changing the status of the Plaintiff's application without due justification and requesting documents that had already been submitted multiple times.
The Plaintiff, relying on these misrepresentations, suffered substantial financial harm.
FOURTH CAUSE OF ACTION: VIOLATION OF DUE PROCESS
The Plaintiff repeats, reiterates, and realleges each and every allegation contained in paragraphs 1 through ** as if fully set forth herein.
The SBA violated the Plaintiff's right to due process under the Fifth Amendment by declining the Plaintiff's application without providing any legal justification or opportunity to rectify the issue.
The SBA's actions, including unresponsiveness and failure to provide a fair reconsideration process, deprived the Plaintiff of the opportunity to adequately address the issues affecting his eligibility for the grant and loan.
FIFTH CAUSE OF ACTION: VIOLATION OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES ACT (APA)
The Plaintiff repeats, reiterates, and realleges each and every allegation contained in paragraphs 1 through ** as if fully set forth herein.
The SBA, as an agency of the U.S. government, is subject to the APA, which requires federal agencies to follow certain procedures when making or changing rules.
The SBA violated the APA by acting arbitrarily and capriciously in its handling of the Plaintiff's application and its subsequent actions. This includes changing the status of the Plaintiff's grant without providing a reasoned explanation, unresponsiveness to the Plaintiff's attempts to seek resolution, and the failure to offer a fair reconsideration process in accordance with established rules and procedures.
Specifically, the SBA's refusal to rectify the erroneous deposit, even after being repeatedly informed by the Plaintiff, constitutes an arbitrary and capricious action under 5 U.S.C. § 706(2)(A). This statute allows courts to set aside agency actions that are arbitrary, capricious, or an abuse of discretion.
Furthermore, the SBA's failure to communicate effectively with the Plaintiff about the issue, followed by the unexplained change in the status of the Advance from "error" to "declined", are against the agency's obligation of providing 'reasoned explanation' for its decisions, a principle well established in the case law, see, e.g., Motor Vehicle Mfrs. Assn. v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 463 U.S. 29, 43 (1983).
As a direct result of these violations, the Plaintiff suffered significant financial harm and a loss of opportunity to benefit from the EIDL program, the Targeted EIDL Advance, and the Supplemental Targeted Advance.
As such, the SBA's actions were in violation of the APA, and the Plaintiff is entitled to relief under the APA.
submitted by Defiant-Skeptic to EIDLreturns [link] [comments]

2023.05.29 01:20 ShizTheOnceBanned Water Cooling?

I'm completely new to PC building. COMPLETELY.
Should I choose water cooling so I can get the powerful PC I want? I'm worried about damaging the systems with any leaked water. How do I prevent that?
submitted by ShizTheOnceBanned to buildapc [link] [comments]

2023.05.29 01:19 _prof_professorson_ WTT: WA ACS1, Nuenaber Iconoclast, Cioks, DOD 201, cheapies WTTF: Demedash T-60, tap tempo analog delay, power supply

WTT [Pedals]
Non Pedals
WTTF - Demedash T-60 (also looking to buy!); and also looking at Shallow Water, Pladask Falma, Julianna (LE preffered), Caroline Somersault, ect. - tap tempo analog delay - larger isolated power supply with 8+ inputs and high current - smaller looper, I will probably just buy a Nux Loop Core Deluxe but looking at that, Boss RC-3, Ditto Stereo, ect. - If you're looking at the Mic/Les Paul/UAD hit me up with anything cool/of value, but those are the main needs to finish my board otherwise
Can add cash to deals for sure
submitted by _prof_professorson_ to letstradepedals [link] [comments]

2023.05.29 01:07 BIGBOOSTING Sandals Royal Curacao Review

Just got back from Sandals Royal Curacao! This is a long review. I took over this subreddit to make it as informational as possible about the resorts, so here we go! Please feel free to ask any questions if I missed something.
 
Room:
We stayed May 22-27 in a Sunchi Swim-up Club Level room (HSUP). We were in Sunchi Building 8, which is the last building on one side of the resort. We stayed in 1253, which is the second-to-last room on the first floor. All that to say, Curacao is a long resort and you'll definitely get your steps in! But we were also right next to the dive shop, which was fantastic for us.
 
The swim-up room was amazing and highly recommended! We ended up using it more than the double infinity pool. They did a perfect job at keeping the in-room bar stocked with alcohol and juices/water (around 10am). We didn't have to call for anything once. So we would hang out in the pool (which connects across buildings 7 & 8, and there is a common area) and make our own drinks. Many times we were the only ones in the pool out of all the rooms. The swim-up pool is completely private, there is no entry except through a room, and there are a lot of gorgeous plants and flowers blocking it from the other side. Hummingbirds would be 1 foot away and were fun to watch. Floats are provided for each room. Use the ice bucket to keep bottles cool outside.
 
Ordering food from Room Service was consistently 40-45 minutes. At night it was quiet, as the music from the main area doesn't really reach building 8. No one would be in the swim-up pool after 10, it would start to get a little chilly with the wind. It gets very, very dark towards the Sunchi end of the resort. I recommend using the building side to reach your room, not the garden path.
 
Two subjective complaints:
(1) Housekeeping was very late. Some days they didn't come until 4-5pm, and the evening turn-down and towel replenishment didn't happen until 10pm. Between the swim-up and shower and wet floors, you NEED towels. We supplemented with the brown pool towels, grabbing them any time we went by the other pools. The late service could be because we were in the last building, but I'm not sure. The housekeepers did do a very thorough job and the rooms were clean and new.
(2) When we first checked-in, the back door's lock looked like it was forcibly broken and mangled. We had them replace it, but it still didn't lock. There is a second set of heavy wooden doors (blinds really) that do close and lock, so we weren't overly concerned. I don't think someone tried to break in, based on how the pool would make it hard to get to. But I can see someone getting locked out accidentally and having no other option but to break the door, since you can't get out of the pool area otherwise.
 
Restaurants/Service
The service across all restaurants and bars was outstanding. We never experienced a wait or long times to get our ordedrinks. The waitstaff were happy to talk to you and literally everyone says hello as you pass by. Concierge was perfect and accommodating as well. Restaurants had most of everything, and they would tell you what they're out of as you sat down.
 
Pietra - Our go-to breakfast buffet. At lunch they change the buffet to different food by country (Asian, Mexican, American, etc.). The food was all great at lunch. I ate too many fajitas.
 
Vincent - Reservation required. I recommend the Escargots and Foie Gras. They were out of the Cured Beef Bresaola.
 
Toteki, La Palma, Kishi - Food trucks. These were great for a snack. Get the cuttlefish and shrimp from La Palma, and the General Tso's Steak Bao Buns from Kishi.
 
Strand - For dinner, absolutely get the Snapper. It was my favorite meal of the trip. My husband liked the Surf & Turf at Strand better than Butch's. Strand also has a lunch menu with American-type items on it. The shrimp Caesar wrap was a nice light lunch.
 
Butch's - Reservation required. We went twice for dinner, once for breakfast. For dinner appetizers, try the Waldorf Caesar, Crispy Goat Cheese Salad, and Grilled Black Pepper Bacon (definitely that one). The Aged Prime Rib and Chargrilled Lamb Chops were great. We also had the Surf & Turf and Steak Diane which were very good too. Absolutely get the Willy Wonka Brulee - it was my favorite dessert on the resort.
 
Gatsu Gatsu - We went twice. The sushi here is so good. It's 4 pieces per roll. I recommend the Champagne Lobster and Caribbean Dynamite rolls. Shrimp tempura and crispy chicken karaage were our favorite appetizers. They were out of edamame and tonkotsu ramen.
 
Kanaal - Nice to pop into for a cappuccino or sweets.
 
Zuka and Aolo's - did not try.
 
Note: We wanted to order champagne (Veuve Clicquot) but the resort (or at least Butch's, Kanaal, and Pietra) was out of that and several of their Proseccos. We did end up getting 2 bottles of Prosecco though.
 
Scuba Diving
Scuba was great and the team was a lot of fun. You have to do a check-out dive if you haven't logged a dive recently (they do check your log book if you want to avoid the check-out dive). We did ours around 11am and were able to go on an afternoon dive the same day (we were waitlisted, but some didn't show up). You sign up for dives starting at 8am 2 days out, so if you want to dive Friday, show up on Wednesday morning at 8am to sign up. They do keep waitlists for each dive. The dive shop has lockers! Great for if your room is at the other end of the resort and you don't want to walk with your stuff every morning.
 
The dive schedule seems highly variable - while we were there, they did 2-tank morning dives Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and a 1-tank afternoon dive those days. Tuesday and Thursday they do a 1-tank morning dive, and 1-tank afternoon dive. I'm not sure about Saturday-Sunday since we weren't there. But, they said just a month ago they were only able to do 1-tank morning dives each day and no afternoon dives, as the water would get too choppy. And yes, the water was very choppy and it was windy all day. I saw a red flag or two at the resort while we were there. So you may want to check out the weather in Curacao the month you want to book.
 
They mentioned all the dive sites were 5-10 minutes away, but we were able to go Double Reef Thursday, the farthest site at 30 minutes. There were several turtles, a reef shark, squid, and a great variety of fish and coral. It was the best dive I've been in on years. However, they said it had been a month and a half since they'd been able to reach the site because of the choppiness. A couple on the boat had been able to go with an offsite-company and enter via shore, so that's an option as well.
 
City
You can take a cab from the resort to Willemstad for $49 each way. Our cab was private and air conditioned. The drivers were very nice. They dropped us off next to the CURACAO sign, and pickup was there too (they gave you a card and you call them 30 minutes before you're ready to leave). Right by the Curacao sign, there's a tiny alley with a white and blue cow - go down that alley for some great gelato. There's also an ice cream place near the sign that claims to give you an orgasm in less than a minute, but I didn't partake. There are lots of cafes and souvenir shops around Willemstad. There's a fresh fish and fruit market. You'll be near where the cruise ships dock. Check out the bridge and forts. Pop into a casino for some much-needed A/C. As an aside, a local man very persistently forced his help on us (where are you going, follow me down this alley, etc...) and wouldn't leave us alone and stop following us even after we said we knew where we were going, and ultimately asked for beer money, but the city seemed safe. There were several police officers around the streets we passed. Just be aware of your surroundings (as in any city).
 
Miscellaneous
The bus ride from/to the airport took us 40-45 minutes. It's a very nice and comfortable bus. You'll see a Sandals area at the end after you pick up your luggage. The airport was very nice and modern and quick to get through (we were first off the plane though). On departure, there seemed to be only one main hot food place after security, but they have a VIP/Priority Pass lounge that had some good light food on the buffet and a hot menu to order from as well. Check if your credit card has that as a perk to avoid the long line at the other restaurant. It opens at 1pm.
 
Spa/Gym - The spa was nice and clean. You have your own private bathroom/changing area in the table room versus a general locker room. The gym had a steady flow of people, but wasn't ever too crowded.
 
Curacao is HOT in May. Seriously. It was 86 every day, with a heat index around 96-97. Now, I was born and raised in South Georgia where it gets 95 with a 110 index in the summer, but this heat hit different. The UV index on my weather app said 11. Wear sunscreen and stay in the water. And get used to being wet - it'll either be pool water, ocean, or sweat depending on your location at the resort. It was mostly sunny every day, with a few clouds in the afternoon. No rain. At night it cools off well enough. Thankfully there's always a nice breeze going on. But stay hydrated and pay attention to your skin. Walking around the city with the heat was a bit much, we started at 9 and made it to 12 before calling it quits.
 
Tl;dr
I loved it! I highly recommend a Swim-up room, but maybe ask for a central building instead of on the edge of the resort (walking that far in the extreme heat with no shade gets old fast). Great service, wonderful staff. I would pick another month to go back though. May was just too hot for me!
 
Edited thoughts:
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2023.05.29 00:32 Virtual_Target_4681 2010 Prius II with replaced hybrid battery & fixed radiator

I am considering buying a 2010 Prius II for $7700 and 120k miles on it.
The hybrid battery was replaced in 2021 and the radiator was fixed after the owner hit a large pot hole (a claim was filed through their insurance)
My questions are, should I expect the replaced battery to last for a long time? Do replaced hybrid batteries have a higher rate of failure?
How serious is a repaired radiator? Is this something that might cause expensive issues for me in the future, and will the accident report make the car more expensive to insure?
From the service records the car seems to have been well taken care of, here is what I know so far:
Tires replaced in 2021 - Replaced spark plugs in 2022 - Fuel induction serviced in 2022 - Cooling system fully serviced in 2022 - Brake rotors, pads and fluid replaced in 2022 - Bumper replaced in 2023
submitted by Virtual_Target_4681 to prius [link] [comments]

2023.05.28 23:55 Bateman_Not_Batman #how to get ahead in ai.dvertising [SP]

The Future is Officially Canceled.
Dee had read articles like this before. He couldn’t remember if the future had ever been officially canceled. But it had been canceled. Unofficially, perhaps. Hence the need to do it officially.
He skimmed the first few paragraphs …the slow cancellation of the future… …pop culture is eating itself… …imitators are imitating an imitation… The ‘slow cancellation’ theory was first flung around in the early twenty first century, on the hypothesis that if you played 1970s music to someone in the 1950s, it would blow their freaking mind. And if you played music from the 1990s to someone in the 1970s, their mind would be equally blown. But if you played music from the ‘10s to someone in the 1990s it wouldn’t be that much of a stretch. In fact, that person may even think they had heard some of it before. The same thing with music from the ‘30s to someone in the ‘10s or music from now to someone in the ‘30s. That person might conceivably think they were even listening to music from a previous decade. Pop culture had referenced itself so many times over, it was now just a copy of a copy of a copy. Degrading every time.
Dee looked down at the article's credit, Dennis Bagley, Editorial AI Operator. He knew it, AI. No wonder it read so familiar. He looked up at the various awards on his top shelf. Dee knew he was different. Better. His AI operating skills were the thing of accolades. The thing of applause. Just last week he and his AI processor picked up Gold in Effectology for their Just Poo It campaign for Charmin. And Silver in Originology for their The Ketchup In The Rye commercial for Pepsi-Heinz, about a young guy who gets kicked out of school and stays out all night trying to find a bottle of ketchup. He looked down at his processor and beamed. Its glowing red light beamed back at him.
They didn’t just stumble into that kind of effectiveness. Campaigns didn’t even get greenlit unless they scored ninety or above on the Effectology meter. He and his AI were usually hitting ninety twos or ninety threes, even a ninety five for Here’s To The Lazy Ones for Caspar mattresses. That campaign killed.
But Dee held himself to that higher calling, Originology. The metrics of original ideas. Sure, the AI did most of the work but Dee was able to tweak his processor to go way beyond the requisite twenty five percent Originology score. Together they were nailing figures in the forties, sometimes even peaking into the fifties. Scores that were head and shoulders above the rest of the department.
That’s how he could afford the sweet ‘18 Jordans Reissues on his feet. He curled his luxe Loewe headphone cable through his fingers and wrapped it around his neck like a scarf. He scoffed at a time when people didn’t think they needed a headphone cable. And imagined having nothing to twirl while listening to reinterpreted rock, nothing to wind around his fingers while he fed the processor. How many headphones must have been lost forever, just because they weren’t plugged in? Like everything else in pop culture, what went around came around, and, relatively recently, headphone cables had come back hard as the status symbol. Today, you didn’t just have to have a cable to be considered cool, you had to have the cable. It had to be thick as a rope, plated with rare metals, and covered in a fancy leather sheath from a chic brand like Gucci or Loewe.
Dee beamed as he thought of all the cool historical cultural knowledge he had amassed. Not just advertising history like the dweebs in the cubicles around him, but film history, fashion history, art history, music history. If it happened in culture, he knew about it. And he used it. That’s how he scored so high on the Originology meter. It made him feel almost like a real writer. Though he would never say that out loud. He imagined being like the old timers, upstairs. The un.ai.ded human writers, that clients would pay a serious premium for. Then he wouldn’t have to work on ketchup and toilet roll. He could have a crack at the big dogs, like Googlesoft, United American Airlines or DoritosLocosTacoBell. For now though, he’d have to stick with clients more becoming of his position. This morning’s task was to create a campaign for Pepsi-Crest. A toothpaste. Not super interesting. But he knew how to spice it up. Instead of letting his AI go back through decades of toothpaste ads just to pump out tired old crap like the It Cleans Your Face While it Cleans Your Teeth campaign that Mike Bey pitched last week, Dee mixed in a little fast food inspo from one of his favorite eras and found himself at the highly original and equally effective Where’s the Teeth? campaign. He was stunned by his own brilliance. He patted his processor and imagined it congratulating him back, then he programmed it to write an epic fifteen second anthem film and a suite of six second pre-roll spots, then sent it off to the CG department to render in time to air that night. Dee’s colleagues often asked him how he and his processor were so good at what they did. How their campaigns always scored so highly in both Effectology and Originology. They all used the same machine learning. It’s what the agency sold itself on. Never wanting to sound aloof; even though he was, or like he was tooting his own horn; even though he often did, he would merely say, “I like to pepper a bit of non advertising data in there. A little hint of me.” It was enough to provoke gasps and even make his colleagues take a step back or two, they had all been programmed to do just one task, feed the machine with advertising data. They couldn’t fathom diverging. “The AI should be enough,” was the general understanding. “The machine has better knowledge of advertising history than we do,” and “knows the ins and outs of Effectology better than we ever could.” It’s even been “scientifically programmed to exceed all expectation of Originology.” Dee couldn’t be swayed by any of the standard reactions. He would just smile, and casually amble off. Knowing full well he was beating the machine. He was a rebel in his own right. That afternoon, his section boss leaned over his cubicle. “Hullo Tara.” “Keep it formal please, colleague,” she scolded, “call me Antino. What do you look so ruddy chuffed about anyway?” “I just came up with a brilliant campaign for a very dull toothpaste. You’ll see it on The Comedy Central Reruns Channel tonight.” “Yes, well, an upstairs project is running behind and they’re calling on us down here to pull together some inspo decks, help jostle something loose in those tired old brains.” “Wouldn’t that make them not human-made? What are their clients paying all that money for?” “Loopholes, colleague, loopholes. As long as one of them humans writes the final line, it doesn’t matter how much AI they used to get there. “ “I could do that. I could do better than that. Did I tell you about my toothpaste campaign?” “Yes you did. Twice now. Must be good.” “It is.” “Well, here’s your chance for a peek into the real writer life. I’m deprioritizing your regular workload and prioritizing this inspo creation.” “Yeahhh!” Dee punched the air and freeze framed like he saw in an old movie. “The brief is for Fiat Maserati Jeep Dodge RAM. It’s a car. The Fiat Maserati Jeep Dodge RAM Unica. Like a fancy off-roader, you know what I mean? They wanna sell it to people in cities who don’t drive. More of a status symbol, you know what I mean? Like park it in front of your house so people will know you could go off-roading if you wanted to. Audience archetype is Moms. You getting this?” Dee finally broke his freeze frame but his mind was already whirring. “Yeah, I got it.” “Alright then. Bon chance.” Dee jumped into action, flipped up his AI processor’s screen and started cross referencing old Land Rover ads with The Rock movies, some Nora Ephron classics, Michelle Rodriguez’s character from all twenty eight Fast & Furious movies; even the fully CGI’d ones, the scene from Mrs Doubtfire when she’s playing the broomstick like a guitar, some Bikini Kill records, a memory of his own Mom making him wait in the car while she went shopping at Bergdorfs, a bunch of cool off-roading stuff from Top Gear and a painting of a car he’d always loved by Robert Bechtle. The machine spat out fifteen possible campaign inspo starters and Dee ran-walked them to the inspo courier in the office atrium. Before the day ended, a synthetic orchestra sounded through the building, \Pah pahhh, pah pa pah pa pah pahhh** and the employees were called into the atrium. Office meeting. As Dee strolled in, he caught the rare sight of the last few human copywriters lined up around the balcony above them. They applauded the downstairs employees, theatrically, motioning with their claps as they walked in and took seats, stood awkwardly or otherwise congregated.
There was a dramatic hush before one of the last true human copywriters finally spoke. “Great inspo. Thanks.” Wow. Each word, each letter, worth its weight in gold. That's probably why they used so few, thought Dee. “Yeah, really really good stuff.” Said another. “AI did this?” Said a third as she held the sheets of inspo out. “Some of the best inspo I’ve ever seen in all of my career.” Coughed the oldest and most regal sounding.
Dee squinted and peered up at them. Was that his inspo deck they were flashing around? Was this whole elaborate ceremony all to celebrate his AI operating? He didn’t know whether to be chuffed or anxious. Did they know he was cheating the system? Did they care? These are some of the last true human copywriters in history. They have, and are encouraged to have, the unique thought. Their work isn’t judged on how similar-without-being-exactly-the-same it is to existing campaigns. It’s judged on how different, how breakthrough, how stand out it is.
“It was me!” Dee blurted out. Quite uncharacteristically. He was usually so cool with the compliments. So coy with the recognition. His whole angle required it.
The other AI operators standing around him took their requisite step back, though this time it was less in awe, more in disgust. The air in the room stiffened. AI had ruled his department, and most of the industry, for so long that people didn’t speak up anymore. They just quietly fed the machine. And the machine took all the glory. Dee felt instant ostracism from the colleagues he had worked alongside for most of his career. He immediately questioned his outburst and retracted his ownership claim, knowing that his inspo deck would have been one of many.
“Some of it, at least. My AI, I mean. Processor.” He said. Sheepish this time. Back in his place.
The last few human copywriters smiled, nodded, bowed, gave final congratulations to all from high up on their balcony and then shuffled away in single file. All but one, Sir Coughing-Most-Regal. He slowly made his way down the grand staircase, into the atrium. A man leaving behind his usual pomp and circumstance, bringing his rare ability of unique thought into a crowd of imitation suppliers. As he reached the bottom step, he lost all of his royal air and seemed suddenly so vulnerable, walking among the regular folk. Most of Dee’s colleagues had already left, gone back to their metal masters, but Dee stayed. He knew this old man was coming to see him. He thought he might be in for a dressing down but he hoped it would be the opposite. He manifested that this titan of singular thought, the rare, unique idea, was coming to congratulate him.
“Freedkin.” The old man shoved out his hand. “Pleasure.” Dee shook it. “You say you programmed this inspo deck, yes?” He flapped the pages around. “Yes.” “Ruddy good work, let me tell you.” “Thank you.” “In all my years, since this artificial thinking thing came in, I’ve never read anything so good. Inspired me all over. I’ve been positively bursting with ideas since.” “Thank… you.” “AI wrote this you say?” “Yes.” “Ruddy good for AI. Never read anything so ruddy good. And you processed it?” “Yes.” “What’s your name son?” “Dee.” “Dee what?” “Palmer.” “Pleasure to meet you, Palmer. How much did you… influence it, the AI?” “How do you mean, sir?” “Call me Freedkin.” “How do you mean, Freedkin?” “I mean… how much of it is yours and how much is the machine’s?” Dee didn’t answer. He was looking for the angle. This old man surely didn’t value what AI does. He’s one of the last bastions of actual human creation. What was he getting at? Freedkin reoriented his question. “Mostly the machine or mostly you?” Dee thought he might have a kindred spirit here, in front of him, for the first time. He was going to take a risk. Recognizing a willingness to open up, Freedkin leaned in and spoke quietly. “Did you write this inspo or did the machine?” “I wrote it.” Dee postured. “All.” “Thought so. Good job. Our secret.” Freedkin winked. “Jolly good.” The next day, as he fed his AI little snippets of unexpected data, Dee noticed a hush come over his floor. The usual keyboard click, clack and grumble of inter-colleague banter were dead silent. All that was left was the processors’ harmonic hum. He lifted himself from his expensive ergonomic office chair and peered over his cubicle wall, spying across the sea of operators that made up the AI.ded Creativity department. A hunched figure at the opposite end of the bullpen sauntered from operator to operator, swilling a cup of coffee, looking in at each workstation. Giving a “hello” here, a nod there, even the odd salute. It was Freedkin. A real writer. Down here with the machine feeders. The other operators seemed afraid to go near him. Worried they might infect him with their inability. Dee had never seen a real writer in the operators’ bullpen. Freedkin, already old by industry standards, looked positively ancient in these surroundings. A sepia photograph in a technicolor world. Dee watched him, wondering if he should call out. He felt bound by social etiquette to not foist another outburst onto his peers. So he just watched, for a number of minutes, until Freedkin was close enough that his old eyes could make out Dee’s visage.
“Palmer!” Bingo. The two sat in Dee’s cubicle. Freedkin in the expensive office chair, as was fitting, and Dee on the wooden footstool. “For a short time we all worked from home. At the start of my career. For a short time.” “Everyone?” “Most. Not everyone, I suppose. But it was the thing to do. Was deemed more productive. Until it wasn’t. Then when this thing became the norm,” he tapped on Dee’s tiny AI processor, its red light glowed, “there was a sort of an office renaissance. I remember the bigwigs back then didn’t really want us using AI for ideas. Like it was giving in to the machine. We slowly got called back to the agency so they could keep an eye on our output. Keep it human, I suppose. That’s when the separation happened. In the end, the agency had to start using artificial thinking to keep up with demand. What are you lot churning out these days? Three campaigns a day? Four? We used to get a whole week to come up with one idea. After a while, of course, it got squeezed down to a couple of days. To the point where we needed the machine to keep up. Not long after, the bigwigs realized they could actually charge more off of the ‘human’ written stuff. Anyway, enough of the history lesson, what.” “It’s very interesting.” “Yes well, what I really came down here for,” Freedkin paused and looked around, “was some of that… good… inspo.” “I hear ya.” Dee poised his fingers over his keyboard and looked into the air like he was about to write something un.ai.ded, cocksure in his posture. “What’s this one about then?” “Watches. For Googlesoft. ‘Time,’ I was thinking, means so much, yet so little. Where does it all go? You know? How do we make more of it? Watches are time machines. See?” Dee’s posture sank. He thought of all that, by himself? No machine? He suddenly felt very ineffective. Unoriginal. He saw only the red glow from his little AI processor, staring back at him. Taking all the credit. He imagined it laughing with his colleagues in a bar while he sat at the other end of the table, ignored. He imagined it accepting awards by itself. He felt weak. He felt useless without it. It just glowed. “It kind of flows better… when I’m alone.” Dee nervously mumbled. “Right. Don’t say another word. Right you are. ‘Time.’ Remember. Where does it all go? Ok, I go. Ta-ta for now.
Dee looked down at his processor, apologetically. He quietly admonished himself before it until he felt forgiven. Then he typed in a weak initial prompt, all he could muster, write an advertising campaign about time.
The AI spat back a perfectly crafted campaign idea, line and film execution almost faster than Dee hit enter. The Best Things Come To Bros Who Wait. Dee immediately recognized it as a Guinness Surfers imitation. Tick followed tock followed tick followed tock. Its Effectology score clocked in well into the nineties. But its Originology score barely scraped by, just making it into ‘passable.’ Dee silently sneered at his surrounding coworkers. Any one of them would submit this as is and call it a day. It’d be rendered in minutes, deals made with celebrities’ CG likenesses under the hour, a revered AI voiceover and stunning synthetic music that would leave audiences lining up for these passively useful timepieces. But that wasn’t enough for Dee. That’s why he was who he was, goddamnit. Why Freedkin came to him. Him! Not Buton or Deytoro or Heckering. Him!
He added more detail to his prompt. Meaning of time. How to get time back. Time Machine. Back in time. Michael J Fox. Einstein (dog). Time Bandits. Timecop. Van Damme. Kyle Reece. Time displacement. Uhhh huhhh this felt good again. This was working. Dee and his processor were back in sync. As though they were one. Of course, as far as Freedkin knew, they were one. As Dee typed away, he imagined him and his AI coming together. Two heads. Better than one. He lost himself in his prompting and pictured his processor sitting on his shoulder, a second head, right there, next to his own. A tiny, metal appendage. Sleek, gray, with its glowing red light. And, for some reason, it was growing a little mustache. Dee and the mustached machine were completely lost in their work over the next few days. They hardly wrote any of their own campaigns. It was all inspo, inspo, inspo for Freedkin. The good stuff though, Viking Space Cruises, 1900 Tequila, Acne Studios. Each time, Dee and his processor were pretty much writing the entire thing. Freedkin hardly needed to change them at all. Just put his old world tone all over it. Add all of his extra words and ‘personality.’ Dee’s two heads were coming up with the best campaigns in the agency. And no one knew it. Except Freedkin. By now, his second head felt almost as big as his first. He could see it in his periphery. When he looked to the left, it looked back at him. It smiled sometimes. And that little freaking mustache was starting to freak Dee out. That night, Freedkin invited Dee for a couple of drinks with the other real human writers at the fanciest DoritosLocosTacoBell on the Westside. They didn’t even have to wait in line. Dee marveled at the size of the place, the expansiveness. It was packed. They were led through by the greeter to a private table at the back with a leather rope around it. He sat on the edge of the booth as the others ordered various flavors of Gatorade-aritas. When it got to Dee, he said he would have the same as Freedkin, which turned out to be a Frost Glacier Cherry-arita, the classiest -arita of all.
The writers’ conversation was mesmerizing. Every word that came out of their mouths was a unique thought. An opinion. A point of view. Dee tried to join in by recounting the narrative of various movies he had seen. The more obscure the better, attempting to interact at their level. While telling the story of Mick Jackson’s Threads to Bigelo, he could feel her searching for a point of view or an opinion in what he was saying, but he couldn’t stir one. If only he had his processor right now. Its red light glowed comfortingly in his mind. He missed it. Slowly, the other writers left. Dee couldn’t help but think he had something to do with it. He was feeling so inadequate by the time everyone but Freedkin had gone that he just sat quietly and half-smiled at him. Both of them were five or six Gatorade-aritas deep, slumped in their private booth. “Do you like what you do?” Asked Freedkin. “I love it.” “Do you really?” “I don’t know.” “I hate what I do. But I’m good at it. Do you want to know the secret, Palmer? The secret to what we do?” Dee couldn’t do anything but smile a little bigger to communicate his response. Freedkin paused for dramatic effect. “If you love advertising, you shouldn’t work in advertising.” Did Dee love advertising? He didn’t even know. He knew he knew advertising. “You think your audience loves advertising? You think they want to see your tribute to that Googlesoft spot that was an imitation of an Apple spot that was inspired by a Brett Morgen film? No! They just want to see the Brett Morgen film! They don’t want to see your thing at all!” Dee slumped further down. “But if you’re lucky,” Freedkin continued, “if you’re really lucky, and you show them something they’ve never seen before, because you hate advertising too and you just wanted to make something that made you feel something, if they feel that same feeling, you’ve got gold. But you can only get to gold by summoning all of your experiences outside of advertising. You can’t just try to make the Nike of pimple commercials. You have to make the Palmer of pimple commercials. Do you see? That’s the problem with your AI. Your machine.”
The red light flashed again in Dee’s mind. Awakened by Freedkin’s heresy.
“The best AI will ever do is just show you a better version of something you’ve seen before. They call that effective? The numbers can say whatever they want them to, all they’re really doing is pasting wallpaper on top of wallpaper on top of wallpaper. Until eventually the audience ignores it completely. But you’re different Palmer. You and I are different. Different is what sells. I had a word with Simmons up on six. She’s agreed to give you a trial period on the human floor. At my behest. Don’t worry, I didn’t tell her you were already thinking for yourself. I just told her you had the potential to. You start tomorrow. Trial period. Tonight was about the other humans meeting you. I can’t tell you that they’re not skeptical. But they’re open to it. For me. What do you think?” Dee was nervous. He got off the elevator at the operators’ bullpen without even thinking about it. He walked all the way to the atrium and up the grand staircase to the human writers’ floor, instead of getting back on the elevator. He took each step steadily, taking it all in. He felt like a tourist. Like he was borrowing an identity. He imagined he was a young Freedkin and tried to put a confident stride in his step. It didn’t work. He put his hand in his pocket and felt for his AI processor. His second head. Mustached. He couldn’t turn it on because, as everyone knew, AI wasn’t allowed upstairs, in case the agency got audited. The cost consultants would be all over a human writing department that used artificial ideation. They’d be shut down. At the very least, they would lose their Un.AI.ded AI.dvertising license. The only reason for charging such a premium. Dee ran his hand along the balcony rail. He’d only ever seen it from downstairs, from the non-human thinkers’ floor. He walked from the balcony to the human writer’s work area. It was the exact opposite of what he was used to. No sea of cubicles. No click clack. No mechanized productivity. No hum. Just couches, writing desks and quiet.
“Morning.” Whistled Freedkin. “How are we?” “We?” “You.” “Wish I hadn’t drunk so much.” “Ohh, I know. Think of it as an initiation. Nothing wrong with it. Takes your mind off the job. Stops you from thinking for a minute. You need that after everything you’ve been pumping out. All that gold, that is.” “Right.” “Right. Well. Set yourself up wherever you like. First brief is for Coca-Cola. A new water! The freshest water they’ve ever sold, so they say. Tap Clear” Dee wandered over to a small writing desk and put his touchscreen down. He unraveled his headphone cable and felt for his processor in his pocket. When he found it, he rubbed it like a lamp, wishing for a genie. A couple of human writers who’d been deep in concentration when he first walked in, had been disturbed by his arrival. He didn’t recognize them from last night. They glared at him as he set himself up. He smiled in their general direction. They continued to glare. “Big Jim.” Whispered Freedkin. “Him and his team have been here three days straight, on a pitch. Don’t worry about them. They’re just under tremendous stress. This human work really takes it out of you, you know? ” Dee turned and sat with his back to them. He powered up his touchscreen and put his headphones on, draping his Loewe headphone cable around his neck and shoulders. He hovered his fingers over his keyboard, expecting ideas to come. Nothing. He skimmed the brief. Still nothing. He read the brief. Not a thing. A few of the other writers strolled in. Dee watched them find a workspace, sit down, start writing. One of them even used a pen! Dee loved this whole lifestyle. Turn up for work whenever, spout genius, have lunch, sell some billion dollar ideas, have a cocktail. The thought of it all spurred him on. He hovered his fingers over his keyboard again and braced himself for the idea flow. Nothing came. Nothing. All morning. His mind was blank. It felt like it was getting blanker. He couldn’t believe it. Even half thoughts were swimming away from him. Impossible to catch. Even just individual words. Gone. By the afternoon Dee was starting to freak out. He felt like an imposter. “Freedkin,” he hissed, “I can’t think. I can’t come up with anything.” “It takes time, my boy. Days. I told you, before we used to even have weeks…” “But my brain’s not working at all. It won’t… generate… anything.” “Relax your brain. Relax yourself.” “But Freedkin… Freedkin,” he hissed again, “I didn’t write any of that stuff. It was AI. All of it. No… I mean… I helped… but it wasn’t all me.” “Ok… hold on… boy… be careful. That kind of talk will get you killed around here. Try and make it to the end of the day. Try just writing some things down. Some thoughts. Some words. And if you still feel the same tomorrow, I’ll let the brass know it wasn’t for you. No harm.” Dee’s eyes hardened. “Do you hear me, Palmer?” Dee rubbed his temples. “Listen, this affects both of us. Yes, you, but also me… for recommending you. I’ll be out… Think!” Freedkin distanced himself. Hoping it would quell the panic. Dee stared at nothing for as long as he could. An hour, at most. Just stared. No thoughts came. No words. A blank screen. So he slipped his hand in his pocket, held his AI processor warmly, and turned it on. Instantly, an alarm sounded. “What's going on here, Freedkin?” Skewered Big Jim. “Is this your kid? What’s the big idea? Is he working for the machines? What is he…trying to infiltrate us? I can’t have this. I’ve got a family. I can’t be out of a job.” “It’s just a misunderstanding, Jim. He’ll be leaving now.” “No he won’t. Get back here, kid.” Big Jim grabbed at Dee’s shirt. Dee squirmed and tried to push him away. Big Jim got a hand on his neck instead, as some of the other writers tried to grab his arms. Dee instinctively swung his fists around. He got one of the writers, Bigelo, square in the eye. She roared “He’s blinded me!” Big Jim picked him up by his neck. Dee choked. He grabbed his touchscreen and swung it. The edge caught Big Jim on the side of the head. Big Jim dropped him and screamed. Freedkin put a hand on Big Jim’s shoulder. Big Jim swung his fist around and slammed it into Freedkin’s nose. Dee tried to slip away but Big Jim, raging, grabbed his headphone cable and dragged him back, winding the cable around his neck to try and hold on to him with it. The other writers stepped back as Dee kicked around in a panic. He got one of the writers in the stomach and another in the back. The headphone cable slipped out of Big Jim’s hands. Dee reached out for anything he could grab onto. He found a desk leg and pulled himself away from the melee as the gang of writers got him by his feet. They pulled off his Jordans and he crawled away as fast as he could, out of the writers’ area and onto the balcony. The writers caught up with him. He swung the few punches he could muster. He cracked one writer on the cheekbone as another reached for his headphone cable, wrapping it around the balcony rail to stop him from getting even further away. Big Jim steamed in, bleeding from his head, and slammed into Dee, launching him into the air with his sheer force. Dee reached for the rail but it slipped under him as he toppled over into the open atrium, between the floors. He felt a snap as the headphone cable went taut around his neck. A colleague standing in the atrium shrieked. Dee kicked his legs and wriggled about, trying to slip out. He clawed his hands around the cable and tried to loosen it but it just got tighter and tighter. He looked up to see the human writers peering down. Not helping. He could feel his consciousness slipping away. He looked to his left to see his second head staring straight back at him. As he hung, he could feel the metal head growing, exponentially, until it popped off, hit the ground and shattered. Shiny gray liquid metal spilled all over the floor and splashed up the walls. Its red light glowing all over as the metal spread around the room. Once it had flooded the entire atrium it enveloped Dee’s mind. And he was gone. The agency left his body hanging there for two days. They blamed it on a lack of janitorial availability. Everything in the office was automated, and cutting down a dead body wasn’t something their sanitation robots had been programmed to do. But, deep down, everyone knew that it was a message. That they should stay in the roles they had been assigned. So they did. So they wouldn’t end up like Dee.
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2023.05.28 23:39 Ambitious-Expert-728 Jiushark JF13K Diamond Review: Innovative Air Cooling, Ideal for SFF Systems

Jiushark JF13K Diamond Review: Innovative Air Cooling, Ideal for SFF Systems submitted by Ambitious-Expert-728 to u/Ambitious-Expert-728 [link] [comments]

2023.05.28 23:21 yahboyyah1 [HAUL 2] A 7.5kg HAUL FOR MY FRIENDS! (Jordans, Ralph Lauren, Yeezy, Palm Angels, Off-White, & More)

[HAUL 2] A 7.5kg HAUL FOR MY FRIENDS! (Jordans, Ralph Lauren, Yeezy, Palm Angels, Off-White, & More)
*THIS HAUL WAS DONE ONLY FOR MY FRIENDS (apart from the ralph lauren zip up)*
Hi, my name is yahboyyah and this is my second haul. I got all my items from this dope reddit and Pandabuy discord, and had to think of my friends interests lol - make sure to join for guidance!
These are my best friends and I have known them since I was around 5 years old lol - thought I'd surprise them with some stuff. They did already know about pandabuy and so they knew they were reps - still greatly appreciated it. I felt very good inside lol cant explain.
Thanks for the support on the previous post; I used the reward I received from the community to get myself a zip-up.
Budget: £150
Prior to my 1st haul, I have learnt much more and for future hauls coming, I am prepared much better - I have decided to get more quality less quantity (although there is still lots). I have 3 more hauls coming within the next 4 weeks.
My remaining w2c list (open to suggestions): Prada button up, LV trainers, (some sort of trousers no idea)
Stats:
Friend 1: Shoes, EU 45, UK 10, US 11
Friend 2: Slides: EU 46, Tshirts: Small
Friend 3: Slides: EU 44
Friend 4: Shoes: EU 43
Me: 5'10 (Clothing Medium)
Country: England (12$ per kg declared)
Shipping:
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Very good price and excellent shipping services - TOOK 7 DAYS ONLY VIA GD EEMS (System Declared 96$)
Just a side note: can I say, the packaging was immaculate - the corner protection + stretch film keeps everything unharmed, the packaging inside was insane too - extremely high quality and surprised my mum too!
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👟 👟 Shoes 👟 👟
Air Jordan 4 Retro Cool Grey [EU45] KX Batch
My 2nd purchase of the KX batch.
As I said before: The leather quality feels amazing, it passes all "TikTok" legit checks, passes my irl friends' legit checks, and came with paper inside as I requested (free) keeping the shoe unsquashed. It fits with a bit more space as I wanted as I went 1/2 size up so I'd say tts. Lovely batch and would recommend it! TTS. PRICE: 259¥ + 10¥ DOMESTIC SHIPPING
His current shoes were all black and grey so I decided to go with these as they are less common but still look really cool on him. W2C Direct https://shop857803151.v.weidian.com/item.html?itemID=6039092522&spider_token=4572 W2C PandaBuy https://pandabuy.com/product?url=https%3A%2F%2Fweidian.com%2Fitem.html%3FitemID%3D6039092522&spider_token=4572
https://preview.redd.it/k6wl4mbpjo2b1.png?width=660&format=png&auto=webp&s=30f8d50ddc19f2a7c74a5d28b5ca7ac6048d08a6
EU 45/ US 11 / UK 10
VT Batch Dunks (NBA 75th Anniversary Brooklyn Nets) [EU 45] I knew this was a complex shoe perhaps but I always saw my friend looking at it online so I had to go with it. Came out really well, I think it looks good and he likes it too. I didn't really know how to qc them so I just went with it since VT batch is known to be good. TTS.
PRICE: 169¥ + 10¥ Domestic Shipping W2C Direct https://shop338847680.v.weidian.com/item.html?itemID=5608879229&spider_token=4572 W2C PandaBuy https://pandabuy.com/product?url=https%3A%2F%2Fweidian.com%2Fitem.html%3FitemID%3D5608879229&spider_token=4572
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Yeezy Slides [EU 44, 46, 46] NO BATCH (x3, each for different friend) Solid - cant go wrong. My friends were very happy with these they can rock em with me at the beach when we on holiday in summer. Black was a bit too shiny but it doesn't really matter in the end! Comfy and 1 size up from them. One did come a bit creased which was a bit annoying but its fine in the end! PRICE: 59¥ + 7¥ Domestic Shipping W2C Direct https://shop1641289368.v.weidian.com/item.html?itemID=3653047183&spider_token=4572 W2C PandaBuy https://pandabuy.com/product?url=https%3A%2F%2Fweidian.com%2Fitem.html%3FitemID%3D3653047183&spider_token=4572
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Jordan 1 85 High Black White [EU43] I was thinking if he would like these. This friends outfits are normally just all black never something colourful so guess what - decided to go plain black and white. He loved em in the end :) TTS. Actual shoe is very good too, im not an expert at qc but looks good to me. PRICE: 250¥ + 10¥ Domestic Shipping W2C Direct https://shop1814230492.v.weidian.com/item.html?itemID=4428977916&spider_token=4572 W2C PandaBuy https://pandabuy.com/product?url=https://weidian.com/item.html?itemID=4428977916&spider_token=4572
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👕👕 TOPS 👕 👕
Palm Angels Tee x2 (S) Material is nice and comfy (according to him), got 2 for one of the friends, he loves palm angels so cant go wrong with it. Print is nice doesn't feel to cheap. PRICE: 48¥ Each + 6¥ Domestic Shipping W2C Direct https://detail.1688.com/offe667967725278.html W2C PandaBuy https://pandabuy.com/product?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdetail.1688.com%2Foffer%2F667967725278.html
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Off-White Black n Yellow (Idk what it is) This was also very nice and my friend likes it a lot. Sadly it is out of stock (oos) :( but a very nice shirt overall. Sick design IMO so i decided to go for an instant cop as it was cheap (it was around 70cny). It fits TTS in length but the sleeve length is a bit short for him. Also got an off-white hoodie from the same link, its very nice and good quality.
PRICE: 70¥ + 8¥ Domestic Shipping W2C: OOS :(
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Polo Ralph Lauren Zip Up White [M]
Atlast, one thing for myself! Turned out very well and thanks to you guys I got some reward on my previous review and used it to buy this haha, thanks a lot :). Very nice quality and got lotta compliments wearing it even though its just ralph lauren in the end.
PRICE: 168¥ + 5¥ Domestic Shipping W2C Direct https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=708959912959 W2C PandaBuy https://pandabuy.com/product?url=https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=708959912959
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Overall pandabuy rating:
  • Packaging: 10/10
  • Communication: 10/10 No delays in logging this time
  • Items (ik its not on Pandabuy but): 9/10 (i ordered some yeezy350s and had to return because they came wrong length)
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  • Shipping: 10/10 - ONLY 6 DAYS!
  • Pricing: 9/10 (shipping made some items overpriced)
  • Overall: 9.8/10
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DID NOT GO OVER BUDGET - made my bros happy which is all that matters. We have exams (GCSE) this year (currently happening as i make this) and after it, we chilling! Peace out :)
submitted by yahboyyah1 to FashionReps [link] [comments]

2023.05.28 22:20 nopardaz Shipping containers history

Shipping containers are ubiquitous parts of the shipping industry. More recently, shipping containers are being used as storage, habitable buildings and even as building material for larger structures, like restaurants or hotels. But shipping containers were not always the omnipresent cargo boxes that dominate the dockyards as they do today.
In fact, shipping was handled entirely without them for most of oceanic shipping’s history. Shipping containers and the resulting “containerization” of the shipping industry were both relatively recent innovations that transformed the global economy and allowed for unprecedented development, low shipping costs, and a complete reinvention of oceanic shipping.
Let’s break down the history of shipping containers and examine the figures, developments, and decisions that led to the intermodal and worldwide containerized shipping system that all developed nations use to this day.

The First Transported Container

On 26th April 1956 the ‘Ideal X' was the first freighter to transport goods using McLean's new shipping containers. The ship transported 58 of the shipping containers from Newark to Houston. Shortly afterwards the first ship designed purely for carrying shipping containers the ‘Maxton', which could carry 60 shipping containers as deck cargo, was put into service.
In order to ensure that's McLeans new shipping containers could travel across the globe, and be handled at every port, it was necessary for the containers to be built to a specific standard and that every container built the world over met this exact specification. Eventually after many negotiations, an international standard was agreed the ISO (International Organization for Standardization) which set the shipping containers at lengths of 10', 20', 30' and 40', a width of 8', and a height of 8'6”.

Early ISO Shipping Container Designs

Patented in 1956 after numerous tests, the first ISO container was born. It was stackable and built with steel. Reinforced corners made it possible to stack the containers without causing damage. They were uniform in size, theft-proof and easy to load.
Dockworkers at the time, known as longshoremen, went on strike. They realised loading containers onto ships would require a smaller workforce. It was this downtime that enable McLean to refine his designs.
McLeans big new idea was a success. He negotiated with the New York Port Authority to convert the New Jersey side of the harbour into a container port. The business would grow steadily over next ten years.
Rea more: How containers keep your goods safe during transit

WHERE TO FIND SHIPPING CONTAINERS IN RICHMOND,VIRGINIA AREA?

A used conex container is all you need if you’re looking for extra storage! Used Conex provides different grades of containers for different needs, and since purchasing shipping containers is sight unseen, we try to provide enough information for our customers to shop confidently. You can read our reviews or check out some of our recent deliveries on our social media channels and choose the type of container that suits you best. After selecting the size and grade of your container, you can check the price and find out the delivery cost by entering your delivery ZIP code in our quoting tool. Our quoting tool will search our inventory of used shipping containers in Richmond, and will give you the total cost, including delivery to your location. For more information, Call us at 1-800-230-7764, and our sales team will be happy to help you choose the best option.
We are a leading retail company supplying and delivering secondhand shipping containers all over the United States.
We work directly with the shipping lines and shipping container manufacturers who bring thousands of containers in the country regularly.
We buy new and used shipping containers in bulk and we store them at some of the biggest depots around the country and that’s how we can provide the best quality shipping containers at the lowest prices in the industry.
Our team works so hard to provide inventory near your city so everyone has access to the best deals available in the market.
We work with owner-operator trucking companies that not only have the best delivery rates, but also know your local area very well, and have years of experience in delivering shipping containers.
All our containers have been inspected by certified personnel at the depot as well as our drivers who inspect the container before pick-up to ensure that the container matches the condition mentioned on Used Conex’s inspection sheet they have on hand.
We also back up our customers with our 2-year leak-free warranty and a 6-year structural warranty as well as discounted container relocation services in case they’d need to relocate their container to a new home in the future.
submitted by nopardaz to u/nopardaz [link] [comments]

2023.05.28 22:13 Sekh765 Running Throne of Salt's Micro Scenario - Amphetamines and Bad Decisions (LONG)

So I ran throneofsalt micro scenario #1 this weekend for two of my players since our third player is sick and our 4th player is out. Since he said nobody had run one yet, here's my breakdown of how it went + what we added / removed to make it work! Also this was the soundtrack blasting during the entire session.
This is a long write up. Read it if you're bored at work.
https://throneofsalt.blogspot.com/2021/09/minimalism.html - The scenario
So with one of my players out and one sick, we had to reduce the number of people in the car down to two, the driver still high as fuck, and the passenger, wounded and bleeding amber liquid. Our sick player wanted to participate so he was "the guy on the phone" they could call to get SIGINT type stuff done. The game was done with new characters that they wanted to introduce to Iconoclasts, so I told them if they survived we could roll them into that upcoming campaign. Since it begins with a bang, we ran it as a very action heavy game with very little breathing room, as befits the original text.
So some changes / additions to make it work. Since we needed something chasing them, and a reason that one of the players is high as fuck, we had them playing as undercover FBI types that DG sent to investigate a sort of neo-nazi germanic inspired biker gang (Czernobog's Chosen) in Albuquerque NM. It fits with the chanting head idea, and also why one of them is super high (forced to take drugs to prove they totally aren't a fed), and why one is injured (shot as they tried to escape with the head). This also gives us a great set of threats to chase the players as they try and bomb down the highway at 120+ mph to get to Truth or Consequences NM, where DG has told them a greenbox awaits that will definitely have something to solve this problem.
So our two players are Agent DRACO (CIA Special Operations) and Agent URSA (US Army Medic), with Agent POLARIS (NSA) on the phone.
What followed was an awesome high speed chase down the highway, fighting off a biker gang armed with shotguns and pistols. The players made numerous navigation checks / drive checks, stealth attempts to throw off their pursuers. To keep action up and to keep the session short since it was a filler action game between our main sessions, I had the bikers all be sort of linked to the unnatural chanting head that was in the trunk and drawn to it so the players could avoid them, but not totally escape them. I also incorporated the blue white lights in the distance to be an unnatural storm also associated with the chanting head that approached and then centered over them to make their checks harder and keep things moving.
They swapped cars twice, once after a crit fail driving check lost their first ride at a big gas station, stealing the first car they could find and losing a tiny amount of SAN from helplessness. Agent URSA decided to try and deal with the chanting head thing and failed a SAN check while dealing with it and we decided he started seeing hallucinations that reinterpreted events around him as Norse / Germanic Myth. I've used this style of hallucinations in another game before and folks always enjoy having their characters seeing weird stuff and trying to deal with it.
The second car they actually had the great idea to call Agent POLARIS and have them search DMV records for a "fast car" and "one that has registered firearms would be great". They found a guy with a decently fast muscle car they could use to hopefully push around bikers and also the guy owned guns so they figure "lets rob him real fast". Queue our high on amphetamines Agent breaking into the place, successfully stealthing the keys and then deciding "lets push our luck". Massive fumble on stealth check leads to a shootout with an armed civilian defending his house, killing that guy and leaving tons of evidence behind for future problems. They definitely lost SAN for that one.
Agent POLARIS helps them avoid some ambush attempts by the bikers, and also helps coordinate highway patrol to take a few of them down. For the most part the players are doing pretty well. I wanted to throw just a little wrench in their plans though and when they drove through the national park right before the end of their journey I just had a plain old deer jump infront of the car. Failed driving check, failed luck roll, passed driving check, and then a 99 rolled for "hey did you put your seatbelt on earlier?" ended up launching the medic out of the car. The car survived, and our main driver only got shook up a bit, but the medic dies on impact with a rock. Bit tragic. But I was thinking about how the scenario wrote that one of the characters tried to commit suicide and failed earlier, and also that weird amber liquid instead of blood sooooooooo....
We decided Agent URSA now has a weird creeping amber "infection" that repairs his injuries, but calcifies that part of his body with amber. So basically, he's got no HP anymore, but is slowly being Amber-ified(?) and thats taking a toll on his SAN and overall just not a great thing to tell your bosses that kill Unnatural things. This let us keep the character, and have some interesting RP stuff to play out with the players that were missing this week.
Final part of the adventure and the climax of our chase ends up at a little shack outside Truth or Consequences, and of course our gang of unnatural bikers has to roll up for a dramatic showdown. Agent DRACO defends the house with their weapons they acquired from the place they robbed + what Agent POLARIS could stash. Agent URSA searches the green box and I used the greenbox generator to make a ton of weird stuff and shoved the item they needed into that and just let them start searching through it. Agent DRACO's extremely high shooting skill pays off and helps keep people at bay, though she ends the adventure with 2hp left (the rainstorm really helped keep the bikers shooting skill low so she didnt just get blown away). Agent URSA eventually located a Trepanning kit with weird germanic looking writing carved into it and Agent POLARIS assists in Trepanning our weird chanting skull, right about the time the Highway patrol respond to the shootout and help deal with the remaining bikers. One massive thunderclap later after a successful medieval surgical procedure and the players can breath easy.
They are able to HUMINT their way out of being instantly arrested using their cover story, but are unable to prevent the highway patrol from interviewing and capturing the wounded, amber-leaking bikers. DG has to send a cleanup crew a day or two later and the poor paramedics / patrolmen that responded to the scene met unfortunate ends. Agent URSA and Agent DRACO leave the country after leaving a fuckload of evidence behind that they probably shouldn't have. Caught on blurry cameras, probably some fingerprints, etc. It will bite them in the ass at some point. URSA lost enough san to gain the Delusion condition. POLARIS got away just fine. Czernobog's Chosen might show up in the future as well.
All in all, a really great 2 hour session for players that just wanted some quick action and gunplay since our normal party couldn't get together this week. Thanks for writing such a scenario with such cool vibes.
Also here's the Greenbox they left behind if anyone is ever running a mission in New Mexico and wants a Green Box.
  • 1x Mossberg 870 with 24 buckshot shells
  • 1x "Elephant Gun", 1 round
  • 1x Trepanning Kit (Runic Carvings)
  • 1x Flare Gun (2 flares)
  • 1x Set of Nunchucks (?)
  • 3x Authentic looking FBI Badges
  • 1x Vial of unknown amber liquid (Do not Drink! written on the side) - Would probably infect player with same infection as above.
  • 1x Ziploc Bag filled with white crystals labeled (JUST METH)
submitted by Sekh765 to DeltaGreenRPG [link] [comments]

2023.05.28 22:09 farkingidiot I wanna go biking on Memorial Day!! In Dayton!

My wife and I have been making an ever expanding bicycle tour of every trail system in our state (Indiana) we can. So far, we've done Fishers, Noblesville, Lafayette, Bloomington, Plainfield, Greenfield, Columbus, Kokomo, Carmel, Avon, Zionsville, Westfield, Shelbyville, Franklin, Anderson, Ft. Wayne...I think that's the tally, so far. Now we're hoping to make our first out of state trip.....to Dayton!!
I think we're parking at Wegerzyn Park, then plan to ride south through Triangle Park, Island Metropark, past Deed's Point Metropark, crossing over Mad River to Riverscape Metropark, then into downtown.
We usually go into a town/city, ride the trail and take a detour into downtown to see the sights. So, a few questions for you all, if you wouldn't mind helping out:
  1. We LOVE murals, sculptures/statues and public art. Seems like there are quite a few murals on fifth street downtown? I'm trying to do some last minute research, but is there anything special we should keep any eye out for? Especially downtown.
  2. I think I know the answer, but are there any pastries shops/bakeries downtown we can check out? We love getting macrons, cookies, lemons bars...you name it. In know it's a holiday, so we're keeping our fingers crossed.
  3. Any cool stuff on the trail we should watch for? Sculptures? Bridges? Anything?
  4. Any places downtown with outdoor seating for lunch?
We don't get to actually travel, due to commitments at home, so we've been making day trips while biking to serve as a stress reliever so we can get out of our heads and not think about things for a while. Any help anyone can give is VERY appreciated.
submitted by farkingidiot to dayton [link] [comments]

2023.05.28 22:02 drayrael "urgent repairs in a rental home" - as soon as practicable

So background. Living in a uni village, with probably 500-1000 people. Was a gas leak on friday arvo. So we've had no hot water in the entire village, no gas cook stoves etc. The gas leak and the broken hot water systems count as "essential services" - aka "urgent repairs"
So the consumer protection for rentals says: "Once a tenant notifies the landlord/lessor of the need for an urgent repair, the landlord/lessor must take action to contact a suitable repairer and arrange for them to fix the problem."
"The landlord/lessor has 24 hours to do this if the repair is needed to a defined essential service, and 48 hours for any other urgent repair. The repair does not need to be fixed within this time but the lessor must make an appointment with the repairer to fix the problem.
The landlord/lessor must then ensure the repairs are carried out as soon as practicable after the arrangements have been made."
So... They can contact some bloke friday arvo, tell them 'ye just come round to fix the shit... idk? maybe come tuesday? cant do that? hows about next friday?' So long as they actually made an appointment for someone to come fix it, fuck it, their legal requirement is met? Am I reading that wrong?
It says "as soon as practicable" but that's absolutely vague as fuck and gives REA's leeway to be lazy and tight when they have upto 1000 people having to have cold showers for a weekend when it's under 10 degrees every night..
https://www.commerce.wa.gov.au/consumer-protection/urgent-repairs-rental-home
Surely at some point we should be entitled to some kind of compensation considering that we do not have access to basic essential facilities...
submitted by drayrael to perth [link] [comments]

2023.05.28 22:00 popcodswallop [WTS] VINTAGE • Near-Mint 1910s-20s Hard Rubber Pens from My Collection (Flex-Wet Noodle): Parker Jack-Knife 20, Jack-Knife 20 1/2 Sheaffer Clip 3A, No. 2 "Changing Lanes" A.A. Waterman No 3 Twist Filler •

This week’s vintage batch features 5 BCHR FPs from my personal collection that are 100+ years old. Some of you might recall from years ago when I shared them over in fountainpens. They are the culmination of 20 years of hunting to find the cleanest examples I could short of NOS stickered. You’d be hard pressed to find nicer examples anywhere. All retain their factory back color with factory sharp chasing and knurling as well as minimal brassing – downright rare for hard rubber pens this old. Nibs range from Flexible to Wet Noodle. As always, all are fully restored and ready to write.
 
ALBUM & TIMESTAMP
 
Pastable link: https://imgur.com/a/nJEmzN7
 
Condition (n.b.): All pens listed below have been disassembled, cleaned and restored with new sacs installed in the last couple weeks. Each of these pens is guaranteed to fill and write as designed without leaks or other problems. Nibs have been adjusted when necessary to ensure that all lay down a smooth and consistent line.
THESE PENS HAVE NO CRACKS, CHIPS, PERSONALIZATIONS, LOOSE OR MISSING PARTS, BENT NIBS, MISALIGNED TINES, BROKEN/WORN OFF TIPPING, OR THREADING ISSUES.
 
Line Widths and Writing Samples: To provide buyers with as much information as possible, I have started to adopt the following line width standards: XXF (.1-.2mm); XF (approx .3mm); F (approx .4mm); M (approx .6mm); B (approx .8mm). Nib flexibility is determined by variation (max line width under pressure) and softness (amount of pressure). Flexibility designations based on variation generally run as follows for an XF/F nib: Semi-Flex (approx. 1mm); Flex (1.2-1.9mm); Superflex (>2mm). All line width measurements are taken with a digital caliper but should be considered approximations providing a general guide. Width may vary slightly depending on type of ink and paper used as well as amount of pressure applied. All writing samples are on Rhodia dot paper using Waterman Serenity Blue.
 
 
1. c.1913 Parker Jack-Knife Lucky Curve 20 (smooth HR, NPT, button filler, 14k Superflex nib). This full-sized model measures a hair under 5 1/4” capped. Manufactured roughly 3 decades after the company was founded in 1888, this early Parker features a Safety cap (marked "Jack-Knife Safety" with a 1912 patent date) designed not to leak when carried. Early, protuberant barrel-threads situate it’s manufacture shortly after that. It's made of smooth black hard rubber with nickel-plated clip. Knurled blindcap and cliplock and “X-mas tree” Lucky Curve feed. This pen is a button filler (see detail photo in album). To fill simply unscrew the blindcap, submerse the nib, and depress the brass button once. Super-Flexible 14k Parker Lucky Curve “Lazy S” nib lays down a smooth and consistent XF line that widens to a 4B+ (approx. 2.2mm) under light pressure (see WRITING SAMPLE). Thin hairlines, superbly responsive snap-back, and reliable flow over its full range of flex make it an excellent choice for calligraphic writing styles such as Copperplate and Spencerian. Condition: near mint [B+]. Hard rubber retains its factory black color with no discernible fading. HR surface is smooth and lustrous with no deep scratches or other notable blemishes. Clip is close to pristine with no brassing or other notable flaws. Knurling is factory crisp. Manufacturer imprint on the barrel and number stamp on blindcap are factory deep and fully legible (DETAIL PHOTO). Price: $370 SOLD
 
2. c.1915 Parker Jack-Knife Lucky Curve 20 1/2 (BCHR, NPT, button filler, 14k XF Flex nib). This full-sized model measures a hair under 5 1/4” capped. Although this pen never had a number stamp, it corresponds to a 20 1/2, the ‘1/2’ designation signifying a chased pen. Like the pen above, it features a Safety cap (marked "Jack-Knife Safety" with a 1912 patent date) designed not to leak when carried. It's made of chased black hard rubber with nickel-plated clip. Knurled blindcap and cliplock and “X-mas tree” Lucky Curve feed. This pen is a button filler (see detail photo in album). To fill simply unscrew the blindcap, submerse the nib, and depress the brass button once. Flexible 14k Parker Lucky Curve “Lazy S” nib lays down a smooth and consistent XF line that widens to a 3B+ (approx. 1.8mm) under light pressure (see WRITING SAMPLE - after taking measurements, I found that this nib is situated on the upper end of Flexible). Thin hairlines, strong snap-back, and reliable flow over its full range of flex make it an excellent choice for expressive and calligraphic writing styles. Condition excellent+/near mint [B+]. Hard rubber retains its factory black color with no discernible fading. Chasing and knurling are factory deep and crisp with no discernible wear. HR surface is smooth and lustrous with no deep scratches or other notable blemishes. Clip exceptionally clean with no brassing – just a pin-sized mark here and there.. Manufacturer imprint on the barrel is deep and fully legible. Price: $340 SOLD
 
3. c.1913 Sheaffer-Clip 3A (BCHR, NPT, lever filler, 14k XXF/XF Superflex/Wet Noodle nib). This full-sized model measures 5 3/8” capped. It was Walter A. Sheaffer who first patented the lever-filling fountain pen in 1908. In 1912 he founded the Sheaffer pen company and his revolutionary design was met with resounding acclaim. In the 1910s, when the pocket clip and lever filler were recent innovations, Sheaffer pens were typically marked "Sheaffer-Clip" on the clips and "Self-Filling" on the nibs to distinguish them from the oldfangled clipless eyedroppers of other makers. Most of their model lineup in this period – before stiff, manifold nibs became the rage in the mid-20s - was comprised of simple black hard rubber pens with long-tined gold nibs every bit as flexible as early Waterman's but known for their more responsive snap-back. This 3A is made of black chased hard rubber with nickel-plated furniture, epitomizing the simple, utilitarian aesthetic of the era. Oval barrel imprint including "Patents Pending" inscription pertaining to Sheaffer's first patent for a double (pressure) bar lever-filler, a patent that was granted in 1914. This and the protuberant barrel threads pin this pen down to the first couple years of production of Sheaffer's Self-Filling pen. So early is this example in the evolution of FP design that it bears the cap imprint of a hand pointing in the direction the cap is to be unscrewed (see album photo) – a relic of a time when most FPs were slip caps. 14k #3 Sheaffer Self-Filling nib yields Super-Flexible variation with softness verging on a Wet Noodle. It lays down a smooth and consistent XXF/XF line that widens to a 4B+ (approx. 2.3mm) under very light pressure (see WRITING SAMPLE). Close-to-needlepoint hairlines, superbly responsive snap-back, and reliable flow over its full range of flex make it an ideal choice for calligraphic writing styles such as Copperplate and Spencerian. Condition: excellent+/near mint [B+]. Hard rubber retains its factory black color with no discernible fading. Chasing and knurling are factory deep and crisp with no discernible wear. HR surface is smooth and lustrous with no deep scratches or other notable blemishes. Nickel-plated trim is exceptionally clean aside from a spot of wear on the top left corner of the clip. Manufacturer imprint on the barrel and number stamp on blindcap are factory deep and fully legible (DETAIL PHOTO). Price: $370 SOLD
 
4. 1920s Sheaffer No. 2 (BCHR - “changing lanes” pattern, NPT, lever filler, 14k XXF Needlepoint Wet Noodle nib). This full-sized model measures 5 3/8” capped. As Sheaffer entered the 1920s, they experimented with innovative materials and chasing patterns. Their hard rubber pens were generally more stable, i.e. less susceptible to oxidation. And they introduced eye-catching Art Deco patterns like the one on this HR pen, known to collectors as “Changing Lanes” for its resemblance to the painted indicators on the highway (even if this pen predates the US highway system by decades). Nickel-plated lever and clip simply marked ‘Sheaffer’s.” 14k Sheaffer #2 nib is a Wet Noodle in no uncertain terms with flow and doftness comparable to that of a dip pen. It lays down a smooth and consistent Needlepoint XXF line that widens to a 4B+ (see WRITING SAMPLE under minimal pressure (approx. 2.3mm). Needlepoint hairlines, phenomenally responsive snap-back, and reliable flow over its full range of flex make it an ideal choice for calligraphic writing styles such as Copperplate and Spencerian. Condition: near mint [B+]. +]. Hard rubber retains its factory black color with no discernible fading. Chasing is factory deep and crisp with no discernible wear. HR surface is smooth and lustrous with no deep scratches or other notable blemishes. Nickel-plated trim is pristine with no brassing or other noteworthy wear. Manufacturer imprint on the barrel is factory deep and fully legible. Price: $370 SOLD
 
5. c.1915 A.A. Waterman No. 3 (BCHR, NPT, twist filler, 14k XF Superflex nib). This full-sized model measures a lengthy 5 9/16” capped. Arthur Allan Waterman began his career as a traveling salesman for the L. E. Waterman Co. in the 1880s-90s. In 1897, he left L.E. Waterman to found his own company in Boston by name of A. A. Waterman Pen Co., under which several new patents were approved, including his innovative twist-filling system. For L.E. and F.D. Waterman, who had just lost one of their best men, “favorably known to almost every dealer in the country,” this was a bitter pill to swallow. To make a LONG STORY short, A.A. Waterman’s “betrayal” in the eyes of the monopolistic L.E. Waterman company, his use of the address formerly associated with L.E., as well as his appropriation of “Ideal” and “Waterman’s Ideal” to advertise his pens, culminated in a lawsuit against A.A. that was settled in 1898. A.A. would come to found and later be forced out of a new company named the Modern Pen Co., but he continued to be hounded by L.E. Waterman’s lawyers into 1912, when A.A. Waterman was now legally bound to imprint their pens “Not connected with the L. E. Waterman Company”. Much of this fraught history is included on the lengthy barrel imprint of this pen, which reads: “Arthur A. Waterman & Co. NY. / Modern Pen Co. Successor / Pat. Nov. 17. ’03. Oct. 11. ’04. Aug 31. ’15 / Not Connected with the L.E. Waterman Co.” A twist-filler with patented clip, this pen is the fruit of all A.A. Waterman’s efforts. It’s mad of black chased hard rubber with slip cap and nickel-plated clip. The filler operates on the same principle as other pens with sacs, except that one twists the sac instead of compressing it to create the necessary vacuum to fill with ink. To fill one simply twists the blindcap 1-1.5 turns, submerses the nib, and lets the blindcap twist back to its starting position. Super-Flexible 14k AA Waterman #3 nib with clover-shaped breather is a lovely writer. It lays down a smooth and consistent XF line that widens to a 4B+ (approx. 2.2mm) under light pressure (see WRITING SAMPLE). Thin hairlines, strong snap-back, and reliable flow over its full range of flex make it another excellent choice for calligraphic writing styles such as Copperplate and Spencerian. Condition: near mint [B+]. Difficult to repair and scarcer than comparable L.E. Watermans, these pens are exceedingly tough to find clean. The repair involves knocking a tiny pin out of the blindcap, removing the tiny section that’s been glued in from the factory, and attaching a sac cut at both end to length to the blindcap stem and the section. I repaired this one myself and am proud to say it works without a hitch and reliably fills to factory capacity. Cosmetically, this pen is also quite the gem. Hard rubber retains its factory black color with no discernible fading. Chasing is factory deep and crisp with no discernible wear. HR surface is smooth and lustrous with no deep scratches or other notable blemishes. Nickel-plated clip is pristine with no brassing or other noteworthy wear. Voluminous manufacturer imprint on the barrel is factory deep and fully legible. Price: $380 SOLD
 
 
 
Shipping: Pens purchased on the weekend are mailed on Tuesday. Otherwise they are mailed within 2 business days of payment. All pens that do not come with their original boxes are packaged in PVC or thick plastic tubes to protect them in transit. To CONUS locations the following shipping options are available:
  • USPS First-Class with tracking for $5 Due to the delivery delays that continue under postmaster general DeJoy, I strongly recommend that the Priority shipping option be chosen. All packages will include full insurance (covered by me). Rest assured that a full refund is guaranteed (issued through Paypal) in the event of a lost parcel and you will not have to wait until I receive a reimbursement from the USPS.
  • USPS Priority with tracking for $9
International Customers: Please contact me for shipping quote if located abroad (delivery confirmation required). (Note: due to the issues stated above, my international shipping options are currently limited. PM for more info). Please do not ask me to commit mail fraud by altering the declared value of a pen for customs. Not only am I registered as a business but shipping insurance is based on declared value.
New York Customers: For tax purposes, I am now required to add an 8% sales tax on any sale made in the state of NY. If your shipping address is in NY state, please let me know before payment to receive an adjusted total. Discounted shipping is included for NY State residents to help defray the extra cost.
Ordering: Pens are placed on hold for the first person to reply to the thread and PM me with firm request to purchase (no chat DMs please). A request with the words “I'd like to purchase [pen number]” would be best to avoid confusion), to which I’ll reply with payment details. Please note that a message inquiring into a price discount does not suffice to place a pen on hold. If I haven't received Paypal payment within 24 hrs after a hold is placed, then pen(s) may become available to the next person.
Payment, & Guarantee: Payment by Paypal only. All pens are guaranteed to be in the condition in which I've described them. If I've missed something objectionable or the filling mechanism is not fully functional, the buyer may contact me up to 7 days after receiving the pen for a full refund (issued once I receive the pen back in the same condition as sold). Buyer must ship the return no later than 2 weeks after it was delivered to receive a refund. I've sold pens online for over a decade. Please check my past listings here as well as on the classifieds and historical sales forums on FPN (username: Estragon) and FPGeeks (popcod) for some of my previous offerings.
 
 
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2023.05.28 21:45 stanja1 Samsung rf28hmelbsr factory reset code or button sequence?

My Samsung rf28hmelbsr is on the fritz. I tried all the recommended troubleshooting. Replaced a fan, the motherboard, the power board, etc. There was no ice on the coils. It cools the fridge. Sometimes the freezer and 4th drawer work. Sometimes they don't. Had a small appliance repair guy come out. He said it's not the compressor or a slow leak. He couldn't figure it out. I was hoping to do a factory reset, but can't find instructions for that. It's apparently not a super common model. It has a small led screen with apps and such, but factory reset. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
submitted by stanja1 to appliancerepair [link] [comments]

2023.05.28 21:21 francienolan88 Birth story - successful induction and positive outcome

TW for some scary (but ultimately fine) cord issues.
I'm writing this up with my baby in my arms. Contact naps are definitely the best part of the newborn experience.
We had to be induced at week 39 because of my gestational diabetes - he wasn’t trending large, but I also had a bilobed placenta with a marginal cord insertion, plus the standard of practice for GD here is induction at 39 weeks because the risk of stillbirth goes up. Since this was an IVF pregnancy, I was a) very risk-averse and b) completely fine with any and all medical interventions. I'm the type of person who is reassured by being surrounded by competent medical personnel and never considered a home birth in the first place.
On May 17, we waited around on tenterhooks all day until we got a call from the hospital, asking us if we could be there in the next half hour. This was to check my cervix (which hadn’t been done at all up to this point) and most likely get that process going, so they told us not to bring anything in with us. Once checked in and popped into a bed, they hooked up the NST monitors to my belly and we waited for an hour listening to the baby’s heartbeat. (In Canada regular NSTs are not a thing as much as they seem to be in the States, so this was my first one.) I read a bit and eavesdropped on the people in the beds next to us. One guy kept asking his wife riddles, I guess as a distraction method. Very annoying. There was another woman in for some kind of reassurance check, and all the doctors and nurses were so kind about it, telling her to absolutely come on in any time she had concerns. I found this reassuring!
My cervical check showed that nothing at all was happening, so the OBGYN on duty inserted Cervidil, which is basically prostaglandins on a shoelace that gets poked into my cervix. This process was pretty uncomfortable, given that I wasn’t dilated or effaced. Then we did another hour of NST, and were directed to come back the next morning at 7:30. “Don’t bring anything in with you,” they said, because most likely I wouldn’t be far enough along to be admitted, or would even need another dose of Cervidil. They also said I could come back any time if I needed pain relief, because while it was super rare to go into labour just from the Cervidil, it was not completely unheard of.
Went home, ate spaghetti, dropped the dog at the sitter, and started to feel kind of achey and uncomfortable, like a bad period. I woke up around 1:30 and wasn’t able to get back to sleep because of the cramping, but it wasn’t like contractions - just a constant ache with occasional ten-second breaks. I watched many episodes of Friends, feeling progressively worse. At 5 I woke my husband up and said I couldn’t take it anymore, we should go in before our 7:30 time for that pain relief. He got up and started making us eggs (the theory being I did not know when I would next be able to eat real food), and I went to the bathroom. After a bowel movement, my cramps started to lessen…at least at times. I began to wonder if I were actually having contractions, and the cramping from the Cervidil had been masking them all along. So at this point I was actually feeling a little better, because at least I was in less pain between the maybe-contractions.
I sat at the dining table waiting for the eggs and started to feel extra leaky, so I headed back to the bathroom, but I did not make it to the toilet before my water broke. So cinematic! And so much for my hospital sweatpants. This was 6 a.m. I managed a few bites of eggs and toast and we headed off to the hospital. By this point there was absolutely no doubt I was having contractions, so I started timing them with an app my husband had. To my alarm, they were a minute and a half apart (though only 30-40 seconds long). We put our bags in the car against instructions, because I was starting to think there was a non-zero chance we wouldn’t be coming back to the house today.
When we got to the hospital, they had me call my midwife, and set me up in the same bed I’d been in last night. Gloria, my midwife, called me back and said she’d head in once I’d had my cervical check, because for all we knew I hadn’t progressed much and it would be a while before they’d even start Pitocin. But when I got checked, it turned out I was already 5 centimeters dilated. This was a huge relief! All that morning’s pain wasn’t for nothing! I was definitely not going to be sent home! I was making amazing, if terrifyingly fast, progress, and I got to be one of those rare cases who went into labour just from Cervidil! So I hung out on the triage ward for a while, unpleasantly contracting and asking when I could get an epidural and when my midwife was going to get there, and being lectured about proper breathing technique by one of the nurses (this made me cry, ridiculously; she wasn’t actually mean about it but I felt criticized).
Then we headed up to my labour room to get settled in. On foot! The hospital here is not super nice, it’s very dated and too small for the population, but the room I was in was great - pretty large with two big windows. I was able to move around more here than I could in triage, so I did a lot of hanging onto things while bending over, vs. labouring in bed. Gloria showed up pretty soon after we got into this room, and helped coach me through the contractions I had before the epidural could happen (basically, squatting lower than I’d been doing). She tried to set up my IV but blew two of the veins in my left hand, so had the nurse try my right; the nurse blew a vein in my right hand. This process was much more painful than I would have expected. Fortunately, everyone knew their limits and decided to wait for the anesthesiologist, who placed the IV in my wrist instead in about five seconds flat. The backs of my hands are just enormous sensitive bruises now.
After all that, getting the epidural itself was almost nothing. I hunched over a pillow and pressed my head into my husband's chest, felt the freezing needle, but that was about it. The doctor wanted us to make a note that I had a “shallow” epidural for any future epidural needs. It worked incredibly well - I had a few more contractions, but then they petered out (I would just need to make a face to get through them), and then disappeared completely. I took a nap. That was always the part in other people’s birth stories that sounded unbelievable to me, but I had been up since 2 am and it was now about 10 or 11. I could still feel my legs and move them around - it felt like they had lightly fallen asleep, or like I’d been walking in the Canadian cold weather and they were slightly numb to the touch. “This isn’t your mama’s epidural,” somebody told me. Five stars for this part of the labour experience.
So we hung out for a while, rested, ate a little bit (a muffin and some yogurt), and chatted. Gloria checked my progress and unfortunately I was still just 5 cm. The OBGYN on call also checked, and she thought I was a bit more effaced, but still I had clearly stalled out since getting to the hospital, and since my water had broken on its own, I was on a ticking 24-hour clock. My fluids were all still clear and the baby's heart rate was great, so they weren’t too stressed, but they did think it was time to hang Pitocin after all. Since I had thought this was the plan all along, I was fine with it.
They started my Pitocin drip at the lowest possible setting and slowly dialed it up over the next few hours. I was starting to feel contractions again - mildly, then less mild. I had to get a catheter, which I was pretty nervous about, but it wasn’t too bad. Gloria said she didn’t want to do too many cervical checks - again, because of my broken water, they wanted to minimize infection risk - but that if I needed the epidural topped up, I should say so, not be a hero, and she’d go ahead and check me beforehand. Shortly after this I said yes, I would in fact like a top-up, so she checked me - and I was 10 centimeters and ready to go. This was about 4:30 pm. “Do you want to give a little push?” she asked, and I nearly panicked right there and then. I was not ready! And they also did not want to top up my epidural at that point, because I needed to feel the contractions in order to know what to do. Things got rapidly less pleasant from this point on. I threw up three times and the trainee midwife said that one good vomit is worth three contractions. I hadn’t thrown up in a decade before then.
I laboured on my knees for a while, my top half draped over the raised-up part of the bed, gripping my husband’s hands or the bed bars. I liked this position (and being fed ice chips) but my legs were getting tired, so I moved to lying on my right side, then my left. All through this entire process, I’d been getting hourly blood sugar checks. The hospital lancing device was way more violent than my home version, and my fingertips were basically all dripping blood, which the various staff members found mildly concerning. I cannot recommend being in labour with GD. Towards the latter stages when the trainee midwife came towards me with the lancing device I said “SERIOUSLY?” and yes, seriously, it had to be done. I also was getting pretty annoyed with the monitoring, just because it kept slipping out of position and I’d have to have it repositioned, and I was tired of all the fussing about my person.
I ended up in sort of a classic position, on my back with my legs in the air, the bed braced up behind me. I don’t know if I had “less” epidural because they didn’t top it up, or if this is the whole “you’ll feel the pressure but not the pain” thing, or if women who go without epidurals are actually insane superheroes, because this was easily the worst pain of my life (previous high water mark was my egg retrieval which gave me panic attacks weeks later). And it seemed to be going on forever. I was very purposely not asking for progress reports, because I knew it wouldn’t be as much progress as I hoped, and I needed to believe that my next push could be THE push. This was very much not the case. My husband said that Gloria was working super hard, her arms shaking as she tried to stretch out my vagina as much as possible, and she and her trainee were giving me all kinds of coaching about how and where to push and how to change my guttural moans to something more productive, and I was not paying a lot of attention to any of it.
I registered that things were perhaps not going swimmingly when there started to be more people in the room. The OBGYN came in and took over from my midwife (I drew the line at including her Doogie-Howser-esque resident), and I laboured with her for a while. She said perhaps I would want to think about using a vacuum, that I might just need a little help getting the baby out, and here were the extra risks involved, and it was totally up to me. It is hard to wrap your head around a list of risks in that situation, but we had covered vacuum extraction in my prenatal course. Maybe ten minutes later, she brought it up again, again emphasizing that it was up to me, but that I probably had another hour of pushing to go if I didn’t. At this point I’d been pushing for two hours and most of my pushes were ending on exhausted tearless sobs. My husband said he could see the point where people started to think the vacuum was a good idea, because after a contraction/push I just collapsed like a limp noodle.
What I really wanted to avoid was an exhaustion c-section, so I said yes to the vacuum, and a whole bunch more people streamed into the room. Because there are slightly more risks to the baby, they needed to have a pediatrician team in place. This was more people in the room than I planned on by a mile, but I could not have cared less. Gloria had to insert a new catheter urgently, which was significantly more unpleasant than the first time, and then the vacuum went in. And then…my contractions slowed right down, with major breaks in between them. It was weird to have these several-minute-long breaks all of a sudden, but it did allow me to catch my breath. Once the vacuum was in place, I think it took two more contractions - three pushes each - to get him out. On the last few I was just flat-out screaming. I heard them say that the cord was wrapped around his neck, but they seemed calm about it. After the last set my husband told me, “Look!” and I opened my eyes and there was a baby on my belly. Born at 7:16. He wasn’t crying at first so my midwife was giving him a vigorous towel rub, and I said, “Why isn’t he crying?” and they assured me he was fine, and then he cried. I wasn’t particularly emotional; I was mostly just relieved that the worst was over.
We had delayed cord clamping for about a minute but couldn’t do longer because he needed to get checked out by the pediatrics team. My husband had been semi-planning on cutting the cord, but because he’d seen the baby coming out with the cord around his neck and then not cry for a minute, he was too freaked out to do so. Also at this point I registered that the midwives were marveling at the “true knot” in the baby’s cord. It looked absolutely wild. I am so glad I didn’t know in advance. Both the neck loop and the knot were loose enough that the baby was fine, but how scary. It is very rare, less than 1% of births, and when I googled it later I cried for half an hour because of how much higher the stillbirth rates are (4x!!!), and how lucky I feel at every turn. I am keenly aware that things could have been otherwise at any point. I think a lot of us in infertility world feel a bit of survivor's guilt. But here I am, with a healthy baby.
Six pounds, eight ounces, and 22 inches long - a skinny baby, despite the GD. He looks like an old man turtle. While we did skin-to-skin, they were working on me - because of my bilobed placenta, they had to be super careful in getting it out; this part seemed to take a very long time. Then the OBGYN set about stitching me up; they claim not to count stitches, but I had a second-degree tear (skin and tissue), and they gave me a few injections of local anesthetic. The OBGYN said something about me having a fair bit of sensation still despite the epidural. I certainly did feel the anesthetic go in near my butthole, which I also don’t recommend as a feeling, but getting the stitches was basically painless, just a tugging sensation. I was very ready to get my vagina back to myself by the time all this was done.
Then Gloria took me on a tour of my placenta, showing me how the two lobes were connected by a few vessels, and where the cord was marginally inserted, and how it was a good thing my water broke on its own because manually breaking the water when you have a placenta like this carried a not-insignificant risk of hemorrhage. It looked like raw meat, which is of course exactly what it was. They asked if I wanted to keep it, which, no thanks. But very cool to see! There were parts of it they could not be 100% sure had all come out, though. They also had a few minutes of restrained panic while they counted up the gauze - they could only find nine pieces of the ten for a while - but then they found the tenth in the trash. I was just relieved nobody was going to have to touch my vagina again.
I don’t know the details, but it seems I had above-average bleeding, whether because of retained placenta or just one of those things, so they gave me a dose of misoprostal (sublingual) and TXA (IV). We tried latching and the baby did pretty well. Then my mouth and tongue started feeling weird, and then I started shaking - then I was shaking so violently I needed them to take the baby ASAP because I was afraid I would hurt him. I was also bawling in fear at this point because the uncontrollable shaking was like having a fully-aware seizure. Apparently this is a semi-common reaction to the miso but I kept thinking it meant something was seriously wrong, despite what they kept telling me. I got covered in many warm blankets (and they cranked up the room heat to the point the midwives’ masks were sweaty at the edges) but I kept shaking for about an hour.
Meanwhile the baby failed his blood sugar test and needed dextrose in his cheek. My husband was holding him for his own skin-to-skin while I shivered. Ideally, I would have breastfed him after the dextrose (or had stored colostrum, which I hadn’t done), but I was still shaking so badly and so freaked out that I clearly could not. My midwife said in this case, formula was medically indicated. Her tone was such that you’d think she was suggesting giving my baby heroin. I am strongly fed-is-best and anyway, it was clear that this is what he needed, so my husband gave him a tiny bottle.
Around 10 we were well enough to move to our postpartum suite. I stood on this fun little cart thing and they scooted me over. It was nice to be in a new room where nothing scary had happened. We ordered Harvey’s but I could barely eat it; I had talked a big game about all the GD-unfriendly things I planned to eat but I didn’t have much appetite. Still don’t, really. The baby stayed with us in his little bassinet, all swaddled tight, and we made it through the first night. Gloria wanted us to stay two nights because of my bleeding and complications and asked us to PLEASE not leave against medical advice. No chance we would have done that. I could barely get out of bed that whole second day. We just napped and did skin-to-skin and made it through. Lots of testing (blood pressure, temp, his various needs and blood sugar many times, poor thing). He had another borderline blood sugar reading and had to get some more dextrose just in case, but this time I could feed him afterwards. This was his last concerning reading.
In the afternoon/evening I noticed that I was having trouble peeing - while I fed him, I would get these strong uterine cramps, which is normal because the oxytocin of feeding was helping compress my uterus back to normal size, and then I would have the strong urge to pee, but when I went to the bathroom very little would come out. I could get a little more by leaning forward and pressing on my stomach with my hand, but still not much. I mentioned this to the nurse and to Gloria on the phone, but nobody seemed super concerned - Gloria figured it was irritation from the second catheterization.
Cut to: 2 a.m. I was feeding the baby and feeling that same strong cramping/urge, pretty painful, but I had nowhere to put the baby (he was loosely wrapped so I couldn’t safely put him in the bassinet) and I didn’t want to wake my husband, plus I knew from experience that only a tiny bit of pee would come out even if I did go to the bathroom, so I stayed in bed and applied pressure to my vulva to alleviate the pain of the cramps. When I took my hand away, there was a gush of fluid I could feel leaking through my diaper onto the bed. I assumed it was blood, but when I looked, it was just light pink, and after a minute of contemplation I realized I had peed myself, and what was more, I would need to call the nurses and tell them I had wet the bed.
The nurse who arrived to help was not very nice about it. She told me I should not be trying to hold my pee and if I wasn’t careful I would need major surgery when I was 40. It’s not like I intended to hold my pee, and also I was in a very vulnerable position and did not need a lecture at that moment. I said, should I try to empty my bladder further? and she said I might as well, so I went to the bathroom with the usual lackluster results. My husband was awake by then with all the commotion. I put on a new diaper, realized it was backwards, stood halfway up to swap it around, and something truly enormous slithered out of me into the toilet. For a few seconds I honestly thought my uterus had fallen out, but it was a blood clot the size of a grapefruit. Immediately after this I peed, involuntarily. I freaked out completely and my husband ran out into the hallway to get the nurse back. Fortunately the one who found me in the bathroom was a different, nicer one, who helped me get back in bed and try to calm down. I was hyperventilating and shaking again and my blood pressure was 166/something else startlingly high, but this came down pretty quickly. The nurses seemed to think my full bladder was impeding the blood from coming out, but I am confident that the blood clot was what was causing me to be unable to fully empty my bladder. After I had calmed down from this, I realized I was feeling a lot better; less cramping and so on.
Saturday morning was discharge day! We slowly got ourselves ready (I put on clothes for the first time in two days, I’d been living in a bralette and diapers, which my husband said “looked cute, like Mowgli”) and left the hospital with a bunch of paperwork. They do not send you out in a wheelchair anymore and frankly I could have used one. I didn’t really anticipate how difficult it would be just to move around, but I suppose it makes sense considering all my guts had been violently rearranged. Plus, either because of the shaking or the two hours of pushing, all my muscles were sore, including my arms.
And since then we have been home! The midwives have been a godsend, visiting every other day for the first six days, weighing him and checking his bili levels and taking my blood pressure and answering all our questions. Next time we see them we go to the clinic and it seems impossible to take this baby anywhere. I had another large blood clot a few days after coming home, this one the size of a lime, and it seems like I’m still bleeding a bit heavier than the internet thinks is right, but the midwives are not super worried just yet, though definitely keeping an eye.
Emotionally, it is a wild ride of hormones. I cry almost every day, whether it’s exhaustion/frustration or “I love him so much and cannot stand the thought of anything bad ever happening to him.” The juxtaposition between my bleeding, crying, beaten-up, exhausted state and everyone around me being like “omg a baby, the most wonderful thing ever” is quite remarkable. And honestly I think he’s a pretty easy baby (so far, anyway). Sleep obviously leaves a lot to be desired but he’s not overly fussy and I do not mind the daytime contact naps one bit. Breastfeeding is going well outside of nipple pain, and he's gained back an appropriate amount of weight. He is so soft and small and we love him so much.
submitted by francienolan88 to InfertilityBabies [link] [comments]

2023.05.28 21:10 bizude Jiushark JF13K Diamond Review: Innovative Air Cooling, Ideal for SFF Systems

Jiushark JF13K Diamond Review: Innovative Air Cooling, Ideal for SFF Systems submitted by bizude to hardware [link] [comments]