𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐨𝐫 𝐑𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐞𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞... 𝐓𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐚 𝐁𝐚𝐲 𝐑𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐑𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡... But admitted that the Rays' stadium funding situation is at an impasse. “𝐈 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐲 𝐬𝐨𝐨𝐧, 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫,” With NC's stadium funding plan making national news, Ron DeSantis was in Hillsborough County to announce $50M in the budget for a community college that would need to be relocated if the Rays were to finalize their stadium deal. But that doesn't solve the Rays' real issues, which are: 1⃣The Tampa CRA voted two weeks ago to delay consideration of a non-binding memorandum of understanding tied to the proposed Tampa Bay Rays stadium project until at least August. 🔗 2⃣Tampa Sports Authority drawing a letter urging county leaders to prioritize the Buccaneers stadium renovation plans over the potential Rays Stadium. 🔗 3⃣Florida potentially doing away with property taxes, which Tampa’s Chief Financial Officer Dennis Rogero Jr said would be “catastrophic” to the Rays stadium deal. But here is why Desantis says a decision is coming to a head in Tampa... 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐅𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐮𝐩 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟖, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐲𝐞𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧. North Carolina's discussion of a stadium funding plan is turning heads, and while it did not make it into this budget, 𝐥𝐚𝐰𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐖𝐑𝐀𝐋 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐛𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐛𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐭... ...𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐟 𝐚 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬. This is something to keep a close eye on if you want to put #RaleighonDeck and bring #MLB2NC.show more

Why Having a Satellite Network is So Important In... 2023, the Russians were about to close a deal with a certain North Korean MLRS, but the deal fell through exactly because the North Koreans, +20 years ago, had revolted against Russian opposition to their nuclear program and switched from GLONASS to BeiDou. Only few years ago, the NK returned to Glonass and started converting their equipment to work with dual GNSS guidance. But why did the deal sour? Because the Chinese did not authorize the use of their satellites in the Ukraine conflict. The same problem occurred with the Belarusian POLONEZ MLRS, which uses missiles based on Chinese technology. Today, Iran has switched from GPS to BeiDou, aiming for greater resistance to jammers and integration with Chinese systems. This shows that a missile program is much more than the missiles themselves. It is necessary to have one's own constellation, even if it is strictly military and regionalized, with resources for monitoring and target acquisition, in addition to the ability to deal with jammers and spoofers. When I mentioned Iran and BeiDou, it is the beginning and serves as a gateway that enables integration with Chinese networks, provided the Chinese decide to allow it. However, it is essentially a massive gateway, with numerous smaller, more specialized sub-channels operating underneath. For targeting moving objects, Iran would need to receive data from the Guowang or Yaogan networks. In the last six months, the Chinese could have provided partial integration. At this stage, since the Iranians are conducting their ISR primarily with drones, I believe the Chinese are not sharing data from the LEO satellites in those networks. Iran also has its own satellites, but the Chinese network is far more mature and likely equipped with a wide array of integration and data-sharing tools. While the Chinese are providing intelligence to Iran, I believe they are prudent in doing so to preserve the relationships they have built with other Arab states. At this moment, I believe that the sharing of intelligence from satellites isn’t in real time. For a country like Iran, it is crucial to have GNSS independence with its own program. The same applies to other medium-sized countries, which need at least an LEO constellation capable of providing the minimum ISR, and this is linked to security, but also a series of other factors. I'll give a practical example here. Drones usually lose link with 50% of their range in the Amazon due to weather conditions. With an LEO constellation, this would not occur. Today, to have independence, a constellation project is necessary.show more

My experiences at the stadium yesterday (I was tired... from same-day long flight so I may have missed a few things.): • There were lots of Shir-o-Khorshid flags and shirts in the stadium, which was great to see. Despite the “ban”, it was nice to see so many on display. Freedom of speech matters in the USA. • Compared to Islamic Republic-friendly Qatar in 2022, the difference was noticeable. Back then, I saw with my own eyes that there were binders at the admission gates listing prohibited items, including Shir-o-Khorshid flags. The security there was hostile and scrutinizing every flag and article of clothing. This time, there were no such binders or checks beyond normal security screening. • The fans carrying Shir-o-Khorshid flags were supporting Team Melli throughout the match. From what I saw, they were there to support Iran and enjoy the game. • The Islamic Republic anthem was loudly booed throughout the stadium. • I didn’t witness any major arguments or confrontations, although I know videos of disputes are circulating online. I’m only speaking about what I personally saw inside and around the stadium. • The only issue I witnessed involved an older Islamic Republic supporter sitting in the row behind me causing a disturbance and getting what I believe was his grandson to go to security and complain about nearby fans with Shir-o-Khorshid flags, claiming the flags were banned. Security told him to relax and made it clear they were not going to remove anyone’s flag. • Ironically, a few minutes later, those same Islamic Republic supporters were told to leave because they were sitting in the wrong seats. 👏 • The woman sitting behind me, wearing a regular Iran shirt, was ecstatic when they left. She told me she felt their presence beside her and her two sons had been a bad omen and was relieved to see them go. • The atmosphere was electric from start to finish. SoFi Stadium is one of the nicest stadiums I’ve ever been to and was an amazing place to watch a World Cup match. • Like what I saw in Qatar 2022, you can spot an Islamic Republic supporter from a mile away. Ugly to the bone. They always look mangled and angry (physiognomy is real in this case). A note - I encourage Iranian fans and Shir-o-Khorshid patriots to attend these matches and bring their flags. In my view, it’s a missed opportunity that some have chosen to boycott the national team when these events provide a chance to make their voices heard in front of the world. Boycotting only silences your own voice. It’s a self-inflicted loss of an opportunity to be seen and heard. Overall, it was a positive experience. Fans were there to support Team Melli. It was great to see so many Shir-o-Khorshid flags in the stadium and to see people expressing themselves freely without the issues we saw in Qatar. The result was disappointing, but the atmosphere and the passion of the Iranian fans made it a memorable.show more

Alaska. Putin and Trump. The meeting that was both... awaited and feared. The outcome. By Roman Alekhin To discuss this further, the key point to understand is this: Two and a half hours behind closed doors is too little for leaders of nuclear powers if they are just starting a conversation—but too much if they were merely posing for cameras. This means the real work happened earlier—quiet, working discussions “behind the door” that never made it into the official communiqué. These are what stopped Trump from imposing secondary sanctions; this is where the exchange of conditions took place, terms that won’t be disclosed until both leaders decide the time is right. I suspect Syria was discussed, as well as the “Trump Bridge” (instead of Zangezur), the Middle East, and much more that isn’t yet visible to the naked eye. The public part? Pure theater. The point wasn’t to negotiate in front of the world or sign something, like Trump did with Armenia and Azerbaijan—minor players, important only tactically. The point was to send a signal: the presidents of Russia and the U.S. are shaking hands and smiling again, no knives behind their backs. This signals that a new reality has arrived, one that Europe, Ukraine, and everyone accustomed to building their worldview around the idea of “Russia’s isolation” will now have to reckon with—including those within our own countries. Trump’s comments on Fox News were deliberately vague—he’s a master at leaving room for maneuver. But the key takeaway is clear: the pressure will now shift from Moscow to Kyiv and Brussels. This is evident even in the final format—not a word about a “no-conditions” ceasefire, which was Europe and Zelensky’s main demand. This means the discussion on a final peace has been postponed, but within a clear framework: Zelensky must exit the war in a way that lets Europe save face. Russia’s red lines have long been clear: non-aligned status for Ukraine, return of Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Luhansk regions within their administrative borders (not the frontlines), lifting of sanctions, and real democracy in Ukraine without persecution of the Russian language or the Orthodox Church. These conditions will prolong the conflict for some time. Zelensky will need to stage a fighting retreat to the administrative borders—this will allow Europe to save face. But the logic is already visible: Ukraine’s defeat will be framed not as a “crushing” but as a “peaceful settlement.” Six months—that’s the timeframe in which we’ll see the dynamics. If the front accelerates, the deal is working. If it stalls, not all pieces are in place yet. But the main thing is already done: Russia is back in the game, not through gray negotiating formats but through a handshake on American soil—even if it’s chilly Alaska. (Though we have warm ties to the region, as seen in the wreath-laying for the “Heroes of ALSIB” and the meeting with Archbishop Alexy of Sitka and Alaska.) For the world, this is an image where smiles are worth more than signatures. For Trump—a chance to show he’s the only one who can “make peace.” For Putin—a symbolic victory: Russia is not a besieged enemy but an equal player. For Europe and Ukraine—the beginning of a painful new phase where they’ll have to accept the inevitable. In these talks, there were no winners or losers in Alaska. In Alaska, both presidents won, while those who weren’t there—lost, or at the very least, didn’t win.show more

Officially moving on from Tech game after I get... this thought off my chest. I more than welcome anyone smarter than me in regards to the football to chime in. I truly, truly, truly cannot wrap my head around the thought process here. These two plays I'm sure anyone with brain can agree officially sealed KU's slim chances in having a chance to win this game. The play calling to me seems like completely flipped in logic at best? First one, you are down 4, on your own 30 so you are not going to go for this. Ignoring that we were getting dominated in the trenches in this game and that the 'obvious' play is a run, I don't get why we make the decision in a must get spot to take the ball out of our QB's (who at the time was rolling) hands. Jalon Daniels is our best player. In an absolute must get/need, we should be relying on him to make a play. Then the second one. I obviously don't know the answer here, but I feel somewhat confident that the reason we didn't run here was because of how the earlier 3rd & 1 run went. While I don't necessarily agree with the premise of decision making on this alone, I can appreciate the recognition that we are going to struggle to gain a yard in an obvious run situation. But the thing is, we are in go for it range so the one thing you absolutely cannot have is a massive negative play. Literally anything else is okay (obviously not a turnover). I truly don't think there's a good chance we run the ball on this attempt and get a yard. But THIS situation gives you a free shot at it if you want to take it. I think this play call would have worked if we didn't let their best player run at our qb freely but I'd just argue this play had a ton of potential risk that wasn't necessary. Hell even a play action pass out of out shot gun or something rolling JD out to the left would have given us a good shot at first down with an escape route to bail out on the play if something went wrong. I'm once again for the millionth time saying I know and understand that this entire staff knows more about football in their pinky than I do. But I do think the game has evolved and game + clock management doesn't really require football knowledge/have a direct correlation to one's football knowledge. It's not as simple as ESPN's graphic says GO so you should go etc, there are variables and human behavior etc to deal with and I understand that. But we are just getting these situations downright wrong. We are flipping a coin that has a 20 pound weight attached to the heads side and calling tails almost every single time. S/O anyone who read all this but would just love some insight if there's anyone who disagrees and is a lot smarter than I!show more

#MMTLP February 2nd, 2024: 479 days ago Dennis Kneale... interviewed Rep. Ralph Norman about FINRA's regulatory flup-up, better known as the #MMTLPFiasco. Dennis asks a lot of great questions, like asking the Congressman if he was aware that when shares move into an offshore account, FINRA stops counting them as short, to which Norman replies, "No, I was not." Dennis then mentions question 9 of the open letter, and cites FINRA's claim that they have no authority or data to obtain the information requested (which was a consolidated count of shares held long and short, from all financial institutions, foreign and domestic. While their answer "No" was not quite false it was also not quite true, either. It's a half truth. They DO mention their authority over their member firms but what they fail is to take the initiative and exercise their authority under their own rule 4140 (ironically called "Audit") and have their member firms take steps to get the data. Foreign brokers have American counterparts that have the role of "Custodian" for clearing purposes, so FINRA would have to exercise their authority over the custodian to obtain the data from foreign brokers. There are more steps than getting the data from a domestic broker that is a FINRA member, but it can be done. We live in a digital age where terabytes of information go back and forth every second of every day. The audits could be done in an afternoon. Additionally, Dennis asks Norman that if FINRA and the SEC don't play ball, will Congress subpoena the data to which Norman states that it has to come from a Chairman. "James Comer is the chair of oversight and he signed our letter". "I think we can". Finally, Dennis asks Norman if Congress should hold public hearings on this to which Norman replies, "Absolutely, and we're gonna lead the way on that because at the Financial Services Committee that's our job." July 10th, 2024: 320 days ago and 159 days since the Dennis Kneale interview, Ralph Norman appeared on Dan Ball's show. At this point, we have still not had a hearing or have had subpoenas sent out. We pretty much understood that if we didn't get anywhere by July, we were going to have to wait until the election was over. In this interview, Norman says we've had hearings on it, which isn't really accurate. We were mentioned in two separate hearings by Senator Mike Crapo and Rep Ralph Norman, but to say we have had hearings (pluralized), let alone A hearing on MMTLP is an exaggeration. Norman puts the former CEOs John Brda and George George Palikaras on blast and says "It's in the SEC's hands" but he also says "Were not gonna stop" and "Sooner or later we're gonna get to the bottom of it." I just want Ralph to live up to his word. He has always touted promises made, promises kept in regards to the President living up to his word. Why can't he lead by example, keep his promises to his constituents and those in the #MMTLPARMY that he claims to champion and let's get to the bottom of this once and for all. I want to see subpoenas. I want to see those involved come before the committee, under oath and get grilled. John Brda, George Palikaras, Greg McCabe, for sure. But I also want people like Patricia Casimates, Robert W Cook, Sam Draddy, Yvonne Huber, Jessica Hopper, Chris Stone and any person that was involved in the breaking of FINRA Rule 6490 by changing the language of not just the first corporate action, but the revision two days later. I also want anyone involved with the UPC committee that decided to implement the U3 trading halt. Jeff Mendl, the former VP of OTC markets who went a broadcast and kept saying over and over we will have access up until Monday. He should come before Congress and testify. We are ONE day away from 900 days since the halt. Is this a sick joke, and y'all gonna come to the rescue on day 911? People are sick, people are suffering, and PEOPLE HAVE DIED waiting for some sort of resolution. We're pot committed at this point.show more

Next up in the long line of right-wing media... figures lifting up Woke Right retards who waste our time, Patrick Bet-David just had on the spectacular retard Curtis Yarvin who said this idiot nonsense: America has always been a Leftist experiment. No it hasn't, except barely from the perspective of European reaction and counter-revolutionary thinking, which is part of what constitutes the European, but not American, Right. (I AM ONCE AGAIN TELLING YOU ALL THAT "LEFT" AND "RIGHT" ARE NOT ADEQUATE TERMS FOR POLITICAL DISCUSSION FOR A LOT OF REASONS, MOSTLY THAT THEY DESCRIBE LOCATIONS IN A PARTICULAR ROOM AT A PARTICULAR TIME AND NOT COHERENT POLITICAL PROGRAMS.) America is actually founded on a tradition completely alien and separate to either the "Left" or the "Right" as it is conceived of in the European mind. It is overwhelmingly something completely different that dispensed wholesale with all the idiotic Continental philosophies the European "Left" and "Right" relied upon. America was not "Leftist" because "Leftist" referred to Jacobinism specifically at the time of the Founding, in line with the thinking of Rousseau's esoteric French Romanticism, whereas America was founded on SCOTTISH COMMON SENSE. America's founders specifically REJECTED Jacobinism and built their system to reject and safeguard against it, but Jacobinism is specifically the thing called "Leftism" in the original context. If you go back to the National Assembly in France, where were the Jacobins? To the left of the king. Hence, "Leftism" for their philosophy and political program. Where were the Scottish Common Sense people? IN SCOTLAND AND AMERICA, doing something completely different and totally awesome, not in the room at all. If you look at what these guys were thinking, it was that Common Sense precedes all these idiotic European philosophical theories, but that the brain-genius philosophers of Europe were so smart that they got the relationship backwards. The Euros thought philosophy precedes common sense, but the Americans knew philosophy must begin with common sense or it's merely idle (and dangerous) speculation. The "Right," if we consider it the side that "resists the Left" (what a poor definition, but that's its definition, isn't it?), in revolutionary France was a motley mix of monarchists, counter-revolutionists, and theocrats. Those would be exactly the people Americans threw out and told to go f- themselves. The "Right," if we must use the term, in America is the side that defends the American tradition, which is based on Common Sense. Most Americans until quite recently were more or less mostly common-sense people in their general orientation to life, hence the long-standing saying that America is "a center-right country." That's what it actually means, outside of these dumb directional terms posing as political orientations. So, this is stupid. Just stupid, but look how much time and energy it takes to deal with the illiterate stupidity of a twelve-second clip pumped to a million viewers who don't have time, interest, background, or inclination to take it apart (because most of them are too common-sense to want to read all this crap but still tribal enough to fall for Yarvin's). Truly, it takes an order of magnitude (or two) more work to take apart bullshit than it does to produce it. Woke, both Right and Left, is such a waste of valuable time and always has been.show more

On the leg between Guam (PGUM) and Kalaeloa (PHJR)... we experienced a fault with one of our 2 AC packs. This left us a single point of failure away from de-pressurization, which would require a descent to an altitude where we could breathe without supplemental O2. Keep in mind, a lower altitude drastically increases fuel consumption. Of course a single pack can maintain cabin pressure all the way up to the aircraft’s service ceiling, but if that pack fails, the aircraft cannot be pressurized. The situation required that Bob Allen & I make a plan as to how to handle the potential loss of our remaining pack. This plan would be dynamic, as the action taken would depend where we were at the time of de-pressurization. Past the ETP (Equal Time Point) turning back to GUM was not an option; and continuing to JRF at a low cabin altitude was ALSO not an option - as we’d be short on fuel. PKMJ was a bit too far south to be of use, but PWAK (Wake Island) and PMDY (Midway) were valid alternates that we could use for diversion and still land with the engines turning. Even though we did have ETOPS planning info on our flight plan, we can’t always rely on it 100% because ferry flying creates some unique challenges due to the fact that we don’t operate the same aircraft all the time, and we have no operational history to set the burn bias. We need to be proactive in the cockpit so on the secondary FPL page of the MCDU, Bob and I played out a few scenarios at different points and compared fuel burns. We decided on a boundary where once crossed, the diversion alternate switched from WAK to MDY. In either case - we’d land with fuel, but it would be pretty minimal. Passing 170W would be the most critical point. The options would be MDY or LIH from there and both would land with under 800 KG of fuel. Because that didn’t inspire much confidence, we took some additional measures and brought 2 POBs (portable O2 bottles) up to the flight deck. This way, we’d have both the crew O2 from the pressure demand bottle (about 30-40 mins estimated) plus the O2 from POBs available to remain a bit higher longer in the event of a depress. Staying higher meant saving fuel and having more options - always a good thing. Anyway, the operational pack remained working, and we were able to get the aircraft to JRF before getting the bad pack back online for the next leg - so crisis averted, but the moral of the story is: you always need to have a plan! Especially when flying over remote areas of the planet..show more

Here’s my analysis on NotPixel Airdrop: - Mining phase:... it was entertaining to paint on the canvas alongside with many of you! Personally, I had fun drawing 🧡 together with you, just for fun, no competition. For that I will rate it a ✅ - Earn Launchpool: personally, I think this is great that there’s such a tool, that allows holders effortlessly farm tokens. For me it’s a ✅ - Distribution: the major frustrations has been caused by the overload of the smart contract for Airdrop claim, where the biggest frustrations came from the fact that many were not able to claim their tokens for long (Including me) and watched the price go from $0,5 to $0,8 & to $0,2. Personally, I think that if Airdrop claim was done prior to the launch, it may have been better. For that, I will put a ❌ - Launch: NotPixel decided to launch its PX token only on DEX’es on TON. the price at launch actually was at $0,5-$0,8 however, it shortly went down to $0,2 , causing frustration to the community & making them question “who sold?!” & “why no CEX listings?” Here, it’s important to understand the way Sasha & his team decided that they want to build the project. As they mentioned on X “start from the basics, start from 0.” While many dislike this approach, I personally believe that this is how the launches must be happening. Launch on DEX -> generate traction & volume -> go list on CEX’es -> create more news -> grow more from new ppl joining For that I will put ✅ - Team allocation: while many have speculated that “team sold”. this is completely not true. In fact, team has locked their allocation & it can be verified on chain. Which is ✅ for me. - Future plans: NotPixel will have a big canvas on which you will be able to paint, but this time, with some NFT mechanics & PX token integration. For which it is ✅ to me. Burning: NotPixel plan with the new update also includes a mechanism for Burning, which means that PX token will be deflationary. Which is ✅ - ownership revoked: meaning that PX token supply cannot be increased. Nor any modifications could be made to the smart contract at this point. Which is a big ✅ in my opinion - Community: while many are still frustrated with the current token price on the market, many express desire for token appreciation & further growth. One of the interesting feedbacks I saw on the timeline was “NotPixel forced us all to hold”. Which shows that there are ppl who are not willing to get less than their target. Also many express that they want to see PX on CEX’es. For it to grow even more. ✅ - Holders: as with any Airdrop, many have sold their tokens on the market, the volume also came down a bit. However, what’s interesting is that while ~200k ppl sold, the token still fluctuates between the lowest point $0,13 to $0,26. Which shows that there’s a demand & ppl are accumulating more tokens. Currently PX has 205k holders. Which is a ✅ - BuyBacks: the NotPixel team recently announced the buybacks with the money raised from the NotPixel stickers sale. Which created more support for the price on the market. ✅ - Expectations vs reality: Many community members said that they were expecting price to be above $1 as minimum, many were predicting as high as $10. In reality, the price at launch turned out to be much lower than many expected. Leading to the frustration being expressed on the timeline. Which is understandable. ❌ Conclusion: - Mining phase: ✅ - Earn Launchpool: ✅ - Distribution: ❌ - Launch: ✅ - Team Allocation: ✅ - Future plans: ✅ - Burning: ✅ - Ownership revoked: ✅ - Community: ✅ - Holders: ✅ - BuyBacks: ✅ - Expectations vs reality: ❌ This is not bad execution, not many ppl will be able to pull this off in crypto. No one knows the future, but I chose to believe that Sasha & NotPixel team has a plan. Currently they are not listed on any CEX’es, but I think that Sasha & his team could easily get there. Let’s see what the future holds for us 🙌show more

🚨BREAKING: THE COUP IS OVER | WAGNER’S RETREATING This... official statement from Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner group and the leader of this coup, says it all. I don't think anyone expected this: "They were going to dismantle PMC Wagner. We came out on 23 June to the March of Justice. In a day, we walked to nearly 200km away from Moscow. In this time, we did not spill a single drop of blood of our fighters. Now, the moment has come when blood may spill. That’s why, understanding the responsibility for spilling Russian blood on one of the sides, we are turning back our convoys and going back to field camps according to the plan." The President of Belarus, Lukashenko, has been in talks with Prigozhin all day and has taken credit for the peace agreement. Prigozhin accepted the terms of Lukashenko’s agreement and agreed to halt the movement of his forces and return back to his bases. The agreement also guarantees security for fighters of PMC Wagner. It seems that the attempted coup has come to an end, and Prigozhin, along with his men, will return to their bases. Reports of Wagner forces not only leaving Moscow Oblas, but also leaving Rostov. Russian media reports that criminal cases have already been dropped from Yevgeny Prigozhin and that Prigozhin and his forces will receive FULL IMMUNITY Restrictions on the movement of vehicles have been lifted from the Voronezh region which saw clashes earlier during the coup. MY THOUGHTS: - I did not expect this would end peacefully with a deal as it seemed both sides seemed at the point of no return - I have no idea how Prigozhin and Putin can both operate in Russia with what just transpired, and I also have no idea what will happen with the war in Ukraine but I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a space deal reached. - Today was another example of citizen journalism replacing mainstream media with UNBIASED and UNCENSORED live breaking news. - I am fried, been awake for more than 30 hours, initially doing a space with former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan before shifting to the Coup space which is at 21 hours and counting. Time for me to finally sleep!show more

Managed to get out of Dubai. The following is... my personal opinion & experience 🇦🇪 Everything went quite seamless. Careem cabs operate normally. The airport is extremely well organized, considering the circumstances. The world has changed since Saturday and unfortunately, the country I moved to 3 years ago has been under heavy attacks. Why? No one really knows. However, I find it extremely disturbing that most media - including our beloved CT - exploits that serious situation to take cheap shots at Dubai and people who moved here. There are real families and hard working people affected. Most are scared or feel extremely uncomfortable. It's a traumatizing experience to hear missile interceptions right above your house. Nothing I wish for any human to ever experience, no matter if you pay 0% or 50% taxes. I don't even know what the link between those two things should be?? If anything, it proves that the UAE cares about their people and is able to protect its residents. Even at 0% income tax. Dubai was not known for it's strong military. It was always portrayed to be bling-bling golden steaks and influencers. But the UAE has shown the entire world that it can defend 1,000+ drones and 200+ missiles from a direct neighbor. That is impressive, whether you love or hate the UAE. Many countries would likely not be able to absorb that. So, if anything: Dubai and the UAE have demonstrated that the system works. I have lived in multiple countries around the world and the UAE is by far the most capable of handling crisis. Why did I leave Dubai then? Because it's not a situation I want to be in. Missile interceptions and drone explosions are no joke. Besides the danger that debris could hit your roof, there's an incredible intensity in the air. Most describe it as "intense calmness". While the Government managed to keep everyone from panicking, it's impossible for everyone to stay fully calm. And you can feel that in the day to day. The first night I got virtually no sleep. The night of my departure neither. I haven't left my house at all after the attacks started. But I'm out now. I really hope that leaving the country wasn't necessary, and that I will be able to come back to Dubai as soon as possible. And no, I'm not paid to say this, nor did I sign anything. Maybe part of the truth why no one who lives in Dubai has bad things to say about it is because it's one of the rare places on earth where people actually trust the Government and respect them? Not only for creating wealth and understanding business, but for caring and communicating in a way most other countries are simply incapable of. Anyways, I guess the point of this post is to 1) Tell everyone in Dubai that it's possible to leave right now. I know many people are very scared and want to get out. Be persistent with the airline if they cancel your flight and push hard to get rebooked on the next available one. And maybe choose a destination that isn't Europe, considering most of these flights are overbooked already and impossible to get on. 2) Dubai's self defense is impressive and we should acknowledge that. At least this one time, let's not derail into irrelevant discussions but show respect to the leaders + express empathy for those affected. 3) As an expat living in Dubai, I can still feel proud of my home country and do not have to choose. This isn't a black and white situation. Dubai is a melting pot of cultures and great place for Business. Other countries have better nature, social life or other things. It's also up to individual preference. 4) If you hate Dubai, yalla you don't need to live here, visit nor speak about it. Enjoy the place you live in and focus on your own. No need to feel triggered and take cheap shots at hard working people and families that are currently under heavy missile attacks. One final thing that really became clear to me this week is that after all, safety, health and living in freedom are absolutely priceless. May this all be over with soon and for sustaining peace to come in 🤲🏼show more

Not long ago, Turkey was running a neo-Ottoman project... across the Arab world. The Muslim Brotherhood was the tool. Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, the Gulf media wars. Western analysts called it one of the defining threats to the regional order. They were right! That era is over! It did not end through Western pressure. It ended because Saudi Arabia spent a decade building the economic, religious and diplomatic weight that made accommodation with Riyadh worth more to Ankara than confrontation. Investment. Mediation. Religious authority. Doors quietly closed. Soft power in its least glamorous form, and its most effective. I think we should be grateful for that. We rarely are. Turkey is now moving toward the Arab world, not away from it. On 7 August, in Mecca, Erdoğan, Mohammed bin Salman and Shehbaz Sharif signed a joint defence agreement: an attack on one is an attack on all three. It did not come from nowhere. Ankara joined a Riyadh-led maritime coalition in late July, one of fourteen founding members. The 2023 drone contract was Turkey's largest defence export deal at the time. This is the Middle East Western analysts spent fifteen years asking for. Two days before the signing, Steven A. Cook published a column in Foreign Policy arguing that strategic blunders have plagued Saudi Arabia's approach to the region. The verdict arrived before the ink was dry. Read it closely and it collapses. Cook says Riyadh has no strategy. Then he lists it: protect the economic transformation, avoid a wider war, lower tensions with Iran, stop armed factions from imposing facts by force, tie normalisation with Israel to a Palestinian state. That is not the absence of a strategy. That is a hierarchy of priorities. His real objection is that it is not his strategy- one that would have Saudi Arabia tolerate the STC, hold the UAE partnership regardless of conflicting aims, welcome an Israeli foothold in Somaliland, and stand as the front line against Iran. He says the Sanaa runway strike was unnecessary. In the same breath he concedes Mahan Air is tied to the IRGC, and that the Houthi delegation may have carried more than pistachios and carpets. He accepts the violation, then faults the attempt to stop it. He also assigns the strike to Riyadh. Saudi Arabia never claimed it. Yemen's internationally recognised government announced it. Then the pattern. Restraint is weakness. Action is recklessness. De-escalation is buying calm. Interdiction is provocation. Cook recommends retreat, then cites the retreat as proof there is no strategy. And he blames Riyadh for the Houthi escalation - as if the Houthis had not been firing at Saudi cities for years, as if Iran's proxy project began this July. A possible Saudi miscalculation does not absolve Iran and the Houthis of their own violence! Underneath all of it sits the oldest false narrative in the file: that Saudi Arabia is weak. Remember Yemen. The Kingdom had the capability and the intent to end the Houthi project militarily. What constrained it was Western political pressure in the name of human rights - war powers votes, suspended munitions, withdrawn targeting support. Riyadh was told to stop. It stopped. Then it absorbed years of missiles and drones on its airports, its cities and its oil infrastructure while holding a truce it was never legally obliged to hold! You can argue the restrictions were right. You cannot impose them, watch the adversary rearm through the corridor you protected, and then call the result a Saudi failure. Restraint imposed by allies is not incapacity. Saudi Arabia is not the architect of this crisis. It is the state repeatedly asked to carry the cost of other people's strategies - and it is now building, with Ankara and Islamabad, an architecture that reduces its need to. The criticism came before the agreement was a week old. That says less about Saudi strategy than about how hard it is for some analysts to read an order they no longer write.show more

This grandad found a 500 year-old, 17ft deep well... under his living room in Plymouth, Devon, England. As well as, he also found a 16th Century BC, Bronze Age Sword and Coin from 1725 AD, inside the well :- The 70 year-old Colin Steer has spent last decade digging out well after he found it while redecorating living room of his home. He noticed a dip in floor while carrying out DIY, which led him to uncover well. While digging it out, Steer found what he thinks is the leather casing of a sword, which he believes could date the structure to 1500s. The 70-year-old said: "I found what seemed to be a leather casing of a sword when I was about 5ft into dig which leads me to believe that well could be medieval. "However it could date back to even earlier than that because we have no real way of accurately dating it at moment." He said that house was constructed in 1895 and he moved there in 1988 but it was 10 years ago while decorating that he saw the dip. "I immediately thought someone must have buried someone under there or that we had a sinkhole. "Since that moment, I decided I was going to dig it out and see what I would find. The hole is currently 17ft deep and there is about another 4-5ft that I want to dig out when I eventually get round to it. Since I began digging out well, I have also found a coin from 1725. In late 18th Century AD, during reign of George III, government issued large copper coins known as "Cartwheel" penny and twopence. An ancient sword was also discovered inside the well. Historically, sword developed in Bronze Age, evolving from dagger; earliest specimens date to about 1600 BC. The later Iron Age sword remained fairly short and without a crossguard. At the bottom of well the is about 4ft of water, so everything that I did out now will be wet and mucky stuff." Colin wants to go another few feet further down though before he finishes and although he is bringing up mud into his living room, he says that his wife Vanessa is understanding and is equally interested in the well. His plan is to then extend well wall up into his living room and use it as a coffee table which he thinks will make an attractive feature. He is also keen to find out why the well is actually there and consulting old maps have not given any answers. He said: "I would extend the walls of the well up through the floor and then add a round tabletop on top to make it into a coffee table. I think it would be a great feature for our front room. We still aren't really sure about why the well is there". The 17ft hole in the couple's living room is currently covered over by a sheet of Perspex and a trap door so that it is safe. Colin and Vanessa have grandchildren who love to look down the hole through the sheet of Perspex and they are very intrigued by unique feature in their grandparent's home. He added: "It is a good thing to show off to people as it is not something that you see every day. I have actually even tried some of water that is at the bottom of the well. It was really clear and tasted fine to me. I am going to get it tested for bacteria and if everything came back good then I could even bottle it up and sell it." According to the researchers, this well belonged to a wealthy or noble families, because only high status families could afford their own private well - most likely in the basement of your house, during medieval and late medieval times. Because, it was common for external wells to be poisoned in Medieval times, which is why castles would have them built internally. It could take decades to construct the well but it was worth wait to have your own clean water. To prevent well from collapsing, some were lined with stones, bricks or wood. Researchers also stated that, according to the preservation status of this well, it looks that the well was regularly maintained, to keep functional for long. It also involved periodic cleaning to remove debris, prevent contamination and maintain quality of water. #archaeohiatoriesshow more

Legacy Media Once Again Flails With 'Fake News' on... Trump Planning to Name WH Ballroom After Himself | Becca Lower, RedState When I first read this legacy media story about the ballroom being built at the White House on Friday evening, my first reaction was: "so, what?" I'll get to that in a minute. Incredible that this is still a story, but this is what the legacy media has devolved into. Little more than a weekly rag-level of reporting. The fact that Democrats have previously done extensive construction on the WH has barely fazed them. Notice how little interest they have shown for actual news about the renovation. I first wrote on the ballroom story in Aug., when President Trump took a stroll on the roof with the architect: On Friday, we learned in a piece by my colleague Brandon Morse that the WH shared a list of the donors who are paying for the massive ballroom addition. Here's the latest example of the old media forces of Fourth Estate continuing to underwhelm with their lack of professionalism. They just keep flailing. ABC News blasted out a headline on social media based on unnamed quislings in the White House on Friday: "Trump likely to name White House ballroom after himself, officials say." Luckily, the internet is forever: But once Trump got wind of the alleged report during a media gaggle, he swiftly shot it down as "fake news." I know you're shocked that this is contrary to what you can read from ABC News below: Earlier, senior administration officials told ABC News that some in the administration were already referring to it as "The President Donald J. Trump Ballroom" and that that name was likely to stick. The White House claims they have released the full list of donors to the project. On a list of those donors, provided to ABC News by the White House, the ballroom is referred to as “the President Donald J. Trump Ballroom.” "Well, we raised a lot. We've raised over $350 million, [the ballroom is] a beautiful room, a big room," the president said, then paused a beat as if considering his next words carefully, in answer to the reporter's question on reports he plans to name the ballroom after himself. "I don't have any plan to call it after myself, that was fake news," Trump said. "Probably going to call it the Presidential Ballroom...we haven't really thought about a name yet." Someone asked Trump as a follow-up what might be done with the extra $50 million, and he explained "it could possibly be used to help build a large triumphal arch -- modeled on the Arc de Triomphe in Paris -- that Trump has proposed constructing just outside Washington." Sure, that's as good of a use as any. But, this is minutiae. Here's the correct answer, Republicans: tell them it's none of their business! They're well aware this isn't being financed by public money. It has to be asked again why this is day four or five of this nothing burger story. Palace whispers picked up in echoing hallways of the People's House by liberal hacks, and viewing one internal document - with a nickname "DJT Ballroom" - does not make something true. At a moment when some Americans are worrying about when/if they'll get their next paycheck to pay their mortgage or buy groceries - c'mon, just this once, guys - do your jobs.show more

‡ Brant – Fast, Expensive, and Worrying In a... recent 2yo MSW race at Santa Anita, Brant, a $3m OBS March sales purchase, made a winning debut for his high-profile connections. Sent off at odds of 4/5, he tracked the pace before taking command on the turn, and drew off to win by 5 1/4 lengths. He recorded a very fast raw time, and a 101 Beyer figure. His high auction price was due largely to his having breezed an eighth of a mile in :09 3/5 at OBS. In the wake of the bidding, Amr Zedan, who purchased the colt on the recommendation of his trainer, Bob Baffert, and bloodstock agent Donato Lanni, was quoted in TDN as saying: "These horses are difficult to come by. He ticked all the boxes. He was a very precocious Gun Runner with a great pedigree. And more importantly, if you have someone like Mr. [Bob] Baffert in your corner, that gives you the courage and the guts to just go after quality. And you'll know they are in the best hands to turn them into champions. This one is for the team: Donato and obviously Bob and his ability to turn them into champions. So if you have the great team, the great training, the rest is easy. Was he pricey? Yes. But quality dictates price. So I never hesitated.” The hyperbole, and boilerplate optimism, are understandable, as even owners with very deep pockets prefer not to dwell on their inevitably long lists of expensive failures. But Zedan and their team have also enjoyed a number of high-profile successes, including Taiba, another Gun Runner colt, which won the Santa Anita Derby and the Malibu, both Grade I, before being retired to stud. Lanni, who has signed for at least some of Zedan's other good horses, was quoted as saying: "This is what the boss [Baffert] wanted and what Amr wanted. Gun Runner is a tremendous stallion and he worked really good and galloped out good. He did everything you want one to do.” Again, boilerplate, and if one were to take the reactions of the owner and agent at face value, it would be easy to arrive at the conclusion that the horse had no faults. But that would be naïve. So, let's first take a look at Brant's pedigree. Gun Runner is a "top" sire, and well-capable of getting high-class runners. It's a bit too early to fully judge him as a source of durability, but excluding his current crop of 2yos, his runners are only averaging 10 career starts. That number will rise, but likely not enough to reach, let alone exceed the contemporary industry average of ~15. In other words, though he himself raced 19 times, and won his swan song (the Pegasus World Cup) at five, there is no evidence to suggest that he is likely to eventually prove to be a particular source of durability. Brant's dam, Tynan, raced 13 times, and he is her first registered foal. His second dam, Pappascat, has produced at least five foals to have raced, and while only one has reached 20 starts, four of the five raced at least 12 times, which by today's degraded standards, isn't so bad. The fact that the coat color inherited by Brant, and his dam, can be traced to a notably unsound influence, Unbridled's Song, may or may not be meaningful. But I wouldn't ignore it as a potentially worrying connection. Brant's dam-sire, Liam’s Map, was lightly raced himself, and both his sire (US) and dam have poor records in terms of durability. As a sire, he has thus far produced numbers similar to Gun Runner. So while Brant's first two dams promise more than many that I have come across in similar assessments, and his sire displayed durability on the track, his overall pedigree suggests average durability at best. And what about the word that Mr. Zedan used twice in the above quote – "quality"? Well, Curlin is a quality sire, but in terms of bottom-line production, it leaves a lot to be desired. That's not to say that there are no good runners to be found, in fact the closely related Pappacap, under Brant's second-dam, was a Gr. III winner, and twice Grade I placed. However, through Brant's first six dams at least, I believe there to be just a single Grade I winner, Al Qasr, a Champion stayer in Peru, which appears under his fourth-dam. That is not, by any reasonable definition, a strong bottom-line, although it is fair to say that Brant's first dam is unproven. *** What might be learned from Brant's debut race? Everyone can see that he ran fast, and was much the best of that field, but I would say that there were some nuanced aspects of his performance that were both interesting, and worrying. Those nuances relate to his action, as viewed both through the pan shot, and head-on. Watching the basic (pan) view, Brant appears to display some "knee action". It isn't extreme, but also isn't the type of action that ideally suits dirt runners, and I wouldn't say that the colt appears totally comfortable. Here's a brief, related post on knee action, for reference: Then, we have the (embedded) head-on view, in which Brant displays seriously distorted action in his near-fore (left front leg; right when viewed head-on). It's a fairly extreme example of what is called "winging", and for a number of reasons, does not bode well for durability. Such action is never desirable, and is typically related to certain foreleg conformation flaws, which may include an offset knee, and/or toeing in or out, etc. Note also that under typical American racing conditions (i.e. tightly turning, left-handed tracks), the left front leg is subjected to the greatest torque, which amplifies the potential for injury. It should go without saying that there are occasional anomalies, horses with poor action that remain sound despite such flaws. But they are the exceptions, and it is not uncommon to find abbreviated careers associated with such action. For further reference, here is a link to a closely related post that I wrote after a filly named Amor Fati broke her maiden in eye-catching style in February of 2024. She has made just one further start, and hasn't recorded a work over the past 15 months. What's interesting about Brant is that there are two separate issues relating to his action, and that the some obvious mitigating steps that could have been, or should be taken, in efforts to keep him sound, were not, and are unlikely to ever be taken. First, with regard to his knee action, keep in mind that it is a characteristic that is more typically associated with turf horses. And guess what? Brant's dam was a turf horse. His second-dam was also at her best on turf, and was Gr. II placed on that surface. Also, in some respects, he physically resembles that female line more than his sire. Of course no one who spends millions on a horse that breezed exceptionally fast at a 2yo sale would be thinking "turf", given that the commercial market, and stakes schedules greatly favor dirt runners. But at the same time, it would be a mistake to assume that a fast breeze at OBS necessarily indicates that a given horse will be best suited to dirt. I say that partly because the OBS track features an all-weather surface called "Safetrack", which is far from being identical to dirt racing surfaces. While countless horses have gone through those sales and excelled on dirt, it should never been taken for granted that it will be a preference. And to further flesh out the point, take a look at Brant's breeze video through this link (his pedigree page can also be seen): Despite being rushed to cover a furlong much faster than he ever will again, I would say that he looks smoother, and displays slightly less knee action than in his recent debut race. Why? Could it be, perhaps, because he would prove more comfortable on turf and/or synthetic tracks, than dirt surfaces? Given how he ran first out, this is purely an academic point, as there is virtually no chance that his connections would consider switching surfaces, unless his form on dirt were to deteriorate badly. The second, more important point, relates to Brant's distorted action. I can't find a head-on conformation photo of the colt, but would be very surprised if he does not display flaws in his near-fore. Even in the very unlikely event that the leg were to appear correct, such distorted action would have been on display at the sale, as well as in pre-training at Eddie Woods' farm. And it defies belief that experienced horsemen who were prepared to purchase an extremely expensive horse for an important client would not have covered that base. Which in turn begs two important questions. First, why recommend the purchase of a very expensive horse, no matter how fast, that has yet to race, and displays such distorted action? Secondly, why choose to give such a horse to a trainer whose style and history suggest that injury risk would likely be amplified, rather than mitigated? The answers to those questions help to illuminate why the breed-to-sell paradigm is so insidious. As long as breeders and stud farms are willing to overpay for stallion prospects, and turn blind eyes to conformation defects, distorted action, lack of durability, and modest female families, the connections of horses like Brant need only hope that they hold together long enough to win one or two big races, enabling them cash in. These are the number of career starts made by Zedan's previous best (and expensive) male runners: 9 Arabian Lion 6 Arabian Knight 9 Muth 10 Medina Spirit 11 Hejazi And as long as the AGSC (American Graded Stakes Committee) continues to enable the paradigm through its dishonest KY Derby "prep" Grade I designations, the ultimately damaging feedback loop will likely continue. The answer to the second question is closely entwined, and should be obvious. For all of his faults as a trainer, Baffert has long produced results in stakes races that lead to valuable stud careers, so owners who wish to play the breed-to-sell game consider him to be a logical choice. Of course Baffert and Zedan are hardly alone in supporting the dubious paradigm. But that a horse like Brant could bring millions at a sale, and be given to a trainer who trains very hard, and has compiled a very poor safety record, underscores the extreme degree to which the value of durability has been marginalized by the industry. One final note, and it's a genuine qualification that I always make when producing this type of post, I hope that Brant will enjoy a long, injury-free career. But if I were a betting man...show more

Recently did an interview with the lead developer of... Knight's Path on the title's future release and the state of the industry. The Western AAA gaming industry has shifted its focus away from its core audience, favoring products for smaller, less engaged demographics. This shift has led to a noticeable disconnect between large publishers and their traditional fan base. This has, however, created an environment for indies to thrive. They can prioritize authenticity and community, crafting games that resonate with their players and that is exactly the case with Knight's Path. In December of 2023, Knights Path: The Tournament was released to Very Positive reviews on Steam. It is a short medieval RPG featuring challenging combat, an immersive progression system, and a nice little story. It served as an announcement, a combat concept demo, and a teaser for the forthcoming open-world RPG Knight's Path, which is currently in active development. I asked what their plans were regarding the scope of the full release. While you might get the impression that Knight's Path is an arena fighting game, that’s not the case with the full release. "Knight's Path will be a proper open-world, story-driven RPG. Of course, as a small indie team, we’re keeping the scope modest. The open world will be compact but dense, featuring one town, one village, castle ruins, forests, valleys, and other areas to explore." Many gamers would agree it is better to have a limited number of fully fleshed-out areas than to present a gigantic, empty world. This has been a major criticism levied towards recent releases like Pokémon Scarlet and Violet and even modern Assassins Creed, which tends to rely on repetitive gameplay loops scattered across an overly large map, which can feel more like busywork than meaningful exploration. I have always believed that quality over quantity is the best way to go. The team has also made this a priority with things such as the story and weapon types. "We plan to include three main weapon types: longsword, sword and shield, and bows. These will feature the full progression system seen in the demo, with skill levels such as Novice, Adept, Expert, and Master. Players will need to learn individual skills from different trainers to progress. In addition, we’re introducing secondary weapons like spears, halberds, and other polearms. These won’t have RPG-style progression but will still offer variety in combat." Regarding the story, they plan to be bold and strive to create a 16-28 hour-long main campaign. "The story will be divided into four chapters, with each chapter offering around 4–7 hours of gameplay. As in the demo, the player character begins as a nobody, slowly learning how to wield a sword and eventually becoming a knight. However, the progression will be much more realistic than in the demo, where the peasant hilariously transformed into a champion in just four days." This is a far cry from many games that are released nowadays. In just 2024 alone at a glance, the AA release Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn provided an average of 8 hours of content, Princess Peach: Showtime at 10 hours, Silent Hill 2 Remake at 15, and even the GOTY winner Astrobot holds an average playtime of 10 hours. A major issue within the industry is the way we are treated by the people who only have jobs because of our favorite hobby. In 2024 the gaming industry is forecasted to generate $208.7 BILLION dollars, up from 5.4% in 2023. Compare that to Hollywood, which is a measly $12.3 billion. The gaming industry employs 727,000 individuals in the United States alone. So, you'd think these people would have a little bit of respect for gamers, though so many who are vocal on social media show nothing but contempt for us. Perhaps this is because of fear if they do not show loyalty to a cause or "fit in" that they may not secure funding or genuinely believe in what they preach, but the team behind Knight's Path isn't worried about that. "We are independent developers, and we plan to stay independent so we can stay true to our vision. Knight's Path is a game made by gamers for gamers. We’re prioritizing fun gameplay above all, and we firmly believe this is exactly what gamers want." I also raised some questions about their big plans moving forward. In the demo, one of the major criticisms I had was with the voice acting. I had guessed it was done via AI, which was confirmed. "You guessed correctly– the voice acting in the demo was done by AI, and it was probably the loudest critique we received, and we totally understand why! Back then, we didn’t have much of a choice, but for the full game, we don’t plan to use any AI voices. Luckily, after the demo release, many voice actors reached out to us, volunteering to lend their voices to the full game. We absolutely plan to answer their call and give them that opportunity." AI can be a useful tool, especially for developers starting out who can't commit a lot of money to voice acting or just want to see a version of the product that's closer to what they envision the full release to be, but going from that to real voice actors will bump the experience to the next level. I myself played the demo in its entirety and really enjoyed my time with it! I thought the game was reminiscent of Gothic 2 and even The Witcher. I was happily surprised when I didn't encounter any bugs or glitches and while some areas have not been fleshed out like the voice acting, I would recommend putting the game on your wishlist to see what this team does in the future when they finally deliver their updated demo and the eventual full release of the game.show more

Unpopular opinion about El Salvador. A TON of workers... here are lazy as hell and i do hope this message reaches many Salvadoreños in the United States. You leave the job site, little will get done and yes tools and materials will disappear. I said it. If you’re going to build a home, start a business, or just hire a few helping hands for that side project, get ready to fire fast. Put in systems of checks and balances, hire solid management, use cameras, and lock up materials. If you have the time or money you or someone you really trust must manage the project on SITE. I’ve hired thousands of people throughout the last few 6 years while personally living in 9 Latin countries and El Salvador has been one of the hardest to work in. El Salvador also happens to be my favorite country at the moment with my favorite people. It’s beautiful, small, has a Chuck E cheese for my daughter but most important, it’s safe for my family. So why is it so damn hard to work with people here? I think it’s because of the civil war. This is going to sound crazy coming from a president of a non profit but free money destroys people. It enables them. It ruins their will to work ultimately creating a lazy and slothful person Over 2.5 million people from El Salvador live in the United States. MANY of them send money every 2 weeks to their aunts, uncles, brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews to “help” them. This has turned into dependency. It has created a cycle of entitlement rather than self-sufficiency. “Why would I work for 10 hours in the sun when I can tell my aunt that I need money for medicine?” There are kids here with no desire to self educate, no desire to work, because they’re sucking the tit of their families in the United States or Canada. 2 of my hardest workers who show up early, never miss a day are these two men in this video. No arms, and an elderly who just wants to work. Their speed compared to a young healthy man is slow in comparison but their will and desire to work is unwavering. They’re inspiring. They are happy at work. They don’t complain. They’re not rich working for me but they are ok. I believe they are hard workers because they were never a part of a welfare system given to them from family in the states. I also believe that the civil war has created a massive divide between the wealthy and the poor. Maybe this already existed but chatting with enough people you can put 2 and 2 together. The socioeconomic divides between the wealthy and the poor. Certain families growing incredibly rich over the suffering of the lower class. People have lost trust, they’ve lost hope. Their views on money and rich people are shaped by past experiences of being taken advantage of. People are sick and tired of making $75 per pay period in the farms of El Salvador. I know that’s a whole other discussion. How do we fix this? I don’t know but I know my mission with casa conejo is to inspire others to work their asses off and to get paid by the sweat of their brows. I want to create a micro economy that allows the poor of the poor to grow! To break the cycle of poverty. To shatter the idea of “we can’t make it in El Salvador” We can and we will by working our asses off and getting paid what we deserve. Once we’re open a percentage of profits will go towards these workers. The rest back into our projects of building schools, running our women’s shelters, feeding the elderly. Let’s do thisshow more

Instead of just talking about it, I wanted to... go through it and really break it down to figure out the exact reason for the difference in Jalen Duren's play between the regular season and the playoffs. *LONG BREAKDOWN COMING* First, lets list how much the difference was: Iso in RS: 82nd %ile Iso in PS: 21st %ile Post-ups in RS: 88th %ile Post-ups in PS: 59th %ile PPP on drives in RS: 1.18 ppp PPP on drives in PS: 0.80 Layups in RS: 79th %ile Layups in PS: 19th %ile It was a staggering drop off. Shocking to many of us who watched him all season. So, what happened? Well, #1 I think mentally he was letting his struggles get to him and he started to play out of control. Something that suggests this to me is this stat: He started to figure some things out himself in isolation over the last 2 games against the Cavs. He had six isolation possessions in the final two games against the Cavs; he scored on five of those possessions and drew a foul on the other. Game 6 he started to look confident and really made them pay out of isolation. I really think a ton of it was he got hit with a punch early against ORL and really struggled to handle the pressure and struggles after, and just kept stacking and stacking. So, him being in his own head is #1 for me. #2: His handle got exposed quite a bit. In the regular season, he only had a 4.2 TO% in isolation, which is incredible. In the playoffs, though, that spiked to 20 TO%. On drives in the RS, he had a TO% of 4%. In the PS, it jumped to 13.3%. The first clip below shows how the right-to-left cross he loved doing all season was really taken away from him. Too loose of a handle, and he often got his pocket picked trying this exact move over and over. I think having his go-to move taken from him shook him a bit and left him scrambling a bit in his head to find a counter. The second clip shows, imo, him starting to lose trust in his handle. He immediately turns his back to the defender, which is what you do when you're worried about losing the ball. But, even then, he loses control of the handle and it ends up in a turnover. If I'm the Pistons, I'm showing all his turnovers due to his handle and working with him on tightening his handle and also helping him get comfortable with a counter/second move so defenders don't just sit on the right-to-left cross. #3: I think he really struggled to adjust to the playoff whistle. In the regular season, he drew free throws on 21% of his isolations and 31% of his post-ups. In the PS, it dropped to 14% and 11%, respectively. There were many possessions where in the RS he would've got free throws, but did not in the PS and he was frustrated. In the third clip, you'll see how physical he was being played by Mobley (which we all want physicality in the game). But, in the RS, he probably is getting FTA's here. There are many examples of this where it felt like a lot of his value during the RS was being able to draw FTA's on his drives, and in the PS, refs just allowed more physicality, and he struggled to deal with it. #4: Ausar-Duren duo. I believe in this duo, and I do not think this was the main reason Duren struggled. However, I am not blind to the fact that there were obviously some possessions that hurt Duren. In the regular season, Duen actually got less efficient when Ausar wasn't on the floor. However, in the playoffs, Duren went from 51 TS% with Ausar on the floor (302 minutes) to 64 TS% with Ausar off the floor (121 minutes). In the 4th clip, you really see how the lack of spacing caused a tough shot from Duren. He gets a step on WCJ going right, and probably would prefer to then just use his strength to create spearation. However, he sees Suggs sitting in the right gap off of Ausar, which forces him to spin left. Once he spins left, Paolo is completely leaving Tobias open. This is one of the reasons I really think DET needs a spacing 4 because this should be an easy kickout from Duren to a shooter. He still should've made this pass to Tobias, but a legit shooting 4 I think would relocate to the corner and make an easier outlet/easier to see for Duren. But, he still coulda made the pass, tbf. Either way, you see how the lack of spacing from both Ausar and Tobias forced Duren into a really awkward drive where he was forced into an extremely tough shot. I think if the passing returned from Duren, some of these situations wouldn't happen. Hitting Ausar early as he cuts into the space would work, or hitting Tobias (who again shoulda be making himself more available) beyond the arc results in better offense. But, also, having better spacing probably allows Duren to just get to his original move once he beats WCJ off the dribble. and lastly #5: He really just didn't play well. I can't include any more clips (I'll put some in the immediate thread reply to display), but he really just didn't play well. Missed *a lot* of looks we're used to him making. His touch around the rim left him, looked like he really felt rushed in the paint. He was struggling to secure rebounds after dominating the glass all season (during the RS, he averaged 4.3 second chance points a game, in the PS it dropped to 2.3). During RS, he had a 22.0 DREB%, which dropped to 16.0% in the playoffs. So, I think a lot of factors played into why he struggled so much in the playoffs. My takeaway is I don't think these things are unfixable; actually, I think they're very fixable. Experience of dealing with what playoff physicality is I think is going to help moving forward. All young players have to adjust to that--I think Cade really learned that from NY series to this playoff run. Tightening his handle and just having a second move to go to is not something that should be considered impossible. I'd like to believe it's pretty likely with how much he works and the raw skill he already has with his handle. Pistons adding a legit spacer at the four I think solves a lot and will make Duren's life a lot easier. The most concerning part is mental. And we won't know an answer to that until the next playoffs. Did this experience help him on his journey towards becoming mentally strong and prepared enough to move forward? Did this run help him find a routine that helps him lock in mentally, as many players have said they had to discover? Or will the pressure from struggling last postseason get to him this upcoming postseason? Will he let mistakes get into his head, compound them, and start playing rashly? I don't think the second option will be the case, but no one will know until the next postseason. Honestly, I'm more concerned and critical of his defense in the playoffs (which at times was pretty good and at other times was an incredible struggle), but that would require its own thread. My ending thoughts: I still very much believe in Duren. This playoff run showed he has areas he must sharpen up and learn from, but at 22 that shouldn't be a shocker. He is incredibly talented and made a large jump during the RS. The PS posed challenges he didn't quite have answers to yet. But another run of experience, another offseason of training, and another year older should lead him down a good path. I am fully supportive of paying Duren and extending him. I am not at close to 50 million dollars. 35-40 million is where I think they'll settle on, and I'm fine with that. But, he's gotta learn from these playoffs! Every offseason he's gotten better, I don't have a reason to believe Jalen Duren won't learn and improve again this summer. He's only 22.show more

Nigel Farage and his Speculative Security Things we know:... 1) a few weeks ago, the Guardian dropped a smouldering grenade into the Farage campsite with their revelation that he had 'forgotten' to declare the paltry sum of £5M, given to him by Chakrit Sakunkrit [Christopher Harborne] — Thai businessman and crypto magnate. 2) Farage regularly 'forgets' to declare income from his myriad jobs outside Parliament. In the last reporting period he 'forgot' 17 outside jobs totalling around £385,000. His excuse. “I don't do computers”. 3) there are already donations and gifts missing from his last register update — see The Finance Guy for more on that. Things we've been told: a) the £5M was an unconditional gift. b) the £5M was a reward for Brexit. c) the £5M was to pay for his security — for life. Let's focus on the security aspect because, I believe, Farage is trying to construct a counterfactual and has been caught lying. Again. In October of 2025, Zia Yusuf, Satan's Head Boy, was sent cross all media outlets — and I do mean all of them — to talk about the government's removal of some of Nigel's security costs; up to 75% if you believe Yusuf. What has never been made clear about this claim are, one, if it actually happened, and two, if it did, what sums of cash were being forfeited? There are two videos below. One in which Zia Yusuf took to 𝕏 on October 1st 2025, in a very earnest fashion to make claims about his best friend's safety where he stated at one point, that if Farage was killed, he would blame Keir Starmer. Yikes! He talks about donors stepping up at that point to cover the security costs for Farage. The second video is the one which contradicts Yusuf. From BBC Newsnight earlier this month when Farage states that he was given the £5M back in 2024 as: “an unconditional, non-political, personal gift. And it will ensure I can be safe for the rest of my life.” So. Two things are clearly jumping out at me from these statements. Firstly, lies are being told by Yusuf and/or Farage. Secondly, in the BBC video, he makes the claim that the 'gift' is non-political but to protect him … as a politician. To me, this is definitive proof that he's lying about the donation. If he received this money in 2024 for a lifetime of private security, then why the need for 'donors to step up' and pay for it again in Oct. 2025? Which is it? Neither, I'd suggest. I think the entire thing is a shonky counterfactual, hastily cobbled together to cover up the fact that he's been caught out pocketing millions in undeclared donations. Thanks to Jim Nauseum 2.0 and Chris S for the video and nudge, respectively. I have supplied a new branch of questions that our broadcasters can put to Reform UK MPs. I hope that they do. Have a lovely sunny Friday. ☺️show more

Candace will be doing an exposé on Erika Kirk’s... past much like her “Becoming Brigitte” hit piece. I’m going to give her the same courtesy. At least there’s no glaring conflict of interest. It wont be pretty but there are a lot of lies that need debunking. I started doing a deep dive into her history a year ago. I still cannot see the bottom on her life’s shenanigans. It must be important to understanding who Candace is, if Candace believes it’s important to understanding who Erika is. Candace’s history is relevant because Candace herself says that it’s relevant. I find it really interesting Candy was a Young Steff groupie & tried to break into the hip-hop industry but failed. Something awful happened on that set. I don’t know what she did to get cut out of the video, all but .8 seconds. The artist hits her in the head while dancing & it looked intentional. Editing this in is a real insult. In a video on YouTube Candace tells us that an apology, from the boy who called her a racist name in high school, would have solved all of her problems and prevented her from making very destructive decisions, which led to her dropping out of college and starting a doxxing site called “social autopsy”. I imagine the embarrassment from this experience in the music industry was deeply scarring to her. Candace likely believes a young woman’s past is worthy of sifting through because her past is very checkered—going all the way back to high school. This video alone doesn’t prove as such but it does represent her abject hypocrisy and celebrity complex. It might explain why she latched onto Kanye and attacks celebrities. Obviously, I understand a lot more about her rejection from leftists politics than black culture. Media corruption & Politics is more my wheelhouse. She railed against “black culture” & “Marxism” only after being ejected from it. She was literally hating from outside of the club. Tree of Logic 🇺🇸 (a former police officer & black conservative YouTuber) was the first to call her out for being a nasty bully in 2017. Candace seems to run from other black women who call her out. 🧐 Tree was doxxed and harassed for months after calling out Candace Owens for doxxing and harassing people. Unfortunately, not many were willing to share arrows back then and it was just memory holed. Tree of Logic should have been platformed over Candace Owens and I will die on that hill. I’d love to hear what other SINCERE women think about the racial dynamics at play here. I have a limited perspective, clearly. She seems to be afraid of some women and just hates the rest. I don’t think there’s much in between. 🤷‍♀️ Just raising questions.show more

Today, I heard the most wonderful and uplifting thing.... Andrew Bragg gave a commitment to leave the Liberal Party if it dropped Net Zero and exited the Paris Accord. A treaty that should never have been signed. It is the shadowy figures behind Andrew Bragg, Alex Hawke and the rest of the useless Labor/Teal-“moderate”-left-faction of the Liberal Party that got the party and the country into this mess. They rolled Tony Abbott, who won a mandate, promising to scrap the carbon tax. They have betrayed that promise ever since. Our energy woes have been a long time coming. We didn’t just wake up one day in an energy poor and deindustrialised nation. We have been under sustained attack for decades, an attack that has been marshalled by the left of politics. They control Labor, they have ruined the Liberals and have overrun just about every institution in the country. It is why the business council, sounds the same as the Australia Institute, and they both sound the same as the Greens. We are a nation in a hole, and Bragg admitted as much in his interview on Insiders today. We really need more coal, because the energy transition is failing. It is worse than that, the transition has failed. It was a bad idea, just like the rest of Net Zero. Our predicament is the result of irresponsible governments across Australia. Labor and Liberal, both have set policies that destroyed coal as the backbone of our grid, as they duchessed the Green grifters around their respective states across Australia. They played along with whatever bad idea the Greens were spouting at the time. Close this facility, replace it with a windmill. No to nuclear. No to gas. Close it, shut it, and replace it with fantasy. Turnbull, Kean, Perrottet, Berejiklian, Andrews, Morrison Albanese, and all of the rest, on a unity ticket that flushed our energy future down the toilet. All because they were afraid to upset Greta Thunberg. Because they were afraid to upset a youth, that they allowed our institutions to indoctrinate into a cult of ignorance. The world is slowly pulling in a new direction. Because hard reality has chased down fantasy. They’re waking up to the monorail that is ‘green’ energy, and ripping out the tracks. The National Party spurred by One Nation have cottoned on, and the Liberals will be dragged into the modern era, kicking and screaming. There is no doubt that if they don’t drop the Net Zero cake, and all of the icing that goes with it, they will never be a party of government again. Which brings us back to Andrew Bragg. Australia would be better off if he was not pretending to oppose Labor from the Liberal benches. We need people in opposition that understand the problems we have as a nation, and how to solve them. Not people who have only ever worked in the industry of politics, sending happy snaps along the way. Bragg knows his only chance at a job in the red house is through the blue team. He knows that blue voters don’t prioritise action on climate. But he sits there wasting a space advocating against the things the people that vote for him want. So if he had any decency, he would go, today. Because with friends like Andrew Bragg, you don’t need enemies. I just want Australia back.show more