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As this sub continues to grow, I keep seeing the same questions over and over: “What do I actually need for my first craft fair?” “What am I forgetting?” “What’s worth investing in vs skipping?” So I put together a checklist. This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. 🏕️ Booth Setup Basics These are the non-negotiables. If someone skips these, their booth suffers immediately. 10x10 Pop-Up Canopy Tent (10x10 white is standard for most fairs) Crown Shades comes highly recommended from many other vendors. Canopy Weights - REQUIRED at most events — don’t be that person whose canopy flies away! Weights for Standing Displays so it's harder for them to get tipped over Folding Tables (6ft or 8ft) - this one folds in half and is super easy to carry. Fitted Tablecloths (stretch or branded for clean look) - they also don't blow away in the wind. Tablecloth Clips and Weights if your tablecloths aren't fitted and you're doing a show outdoors. Folding Chairs (lightweight but sturdy) Sidewalls for Tent (for wind, sun, or privacy) Tall chair for when you have to sit down. Being up high while sitting gives the perception that you're active in your booth. Now, for the thing that has come in clutch most recently is a rolling tool box. I'm always leaving my scissors here and zip ties over there or I can't find a sharpie when I need one. I keep all of the non-product items in there and I'm a huge fan. 🧱 Display & Merchandising (What Actually Makes You Money) This is one of the biggest differences between booths that browse vs booths that sell. Eye level is buy level! Display Risers Wooden Risers (create height variation = more sales) Iridescent Risers - super eyecatching! Card/Sticker Display Standing Grid Wall Rotating Display Stand for Jewelry Acrylic Sign Holders Business Card Holder Mini Chalkboards for Pricing Locking Display Case for Smalls Bracelet Display Necklace Display Earring Display Cards Acrylic Jewelry Display Elegant Jewelry Display Wire Cube Storage Portable Heavy Duty Pegboard Display - Has locking wheels Bamboo Tabletop Crate Display Price Tags w/ String Attached Bed Risers to make your tables higher Find more display options here. Truth: Flat tables = lower sales. Height = attention. 💳 Payments & Checkout Setup Make it stupid easy for people to pay you. Card Reader (Square, Stripe, etc.) Backup Payment Option (Venmo / PayPal QR sign) Locking Cash Box with small bills for change Receipt Book (optional but useful) 💡 Pro tip: Always have 2 ways to take payment. 🪧 Branding & Signage (Build Trust Fast) People don’t buy if they don’t understand what you’re selling. Business Banner (name/logo) - I print all of my banners same day at Walgreens as there's usually always a coupon that knocks the price way down. CVS also has same day banner printing and usually always a coupon. 5x7 Acrylic Sign Holders Price Signs (clear + visible) “About Your Product” Sign (your story sells) QR Code Sign (website / Instagram) - my go-to for creating QR codes is Canva. In Elements, search QR code generator and you can create one easily. Business Cards Packaging Stickers / Labels 💡 Most vendors underdo this. Big mistake. 💡 Lighting (Your Secret Weapon) Clip-On LED Lights (for tent frame) Clip On Spotlights Battery-Powered Light Strips 50 ft. Extension Cords (for indoor events) Portable Power Station (game changer) More craft fair lighting ideas here. 💡 Dim booth = invisible booth. 📦 Inventory & Packaging Supplies Smooth checkout = more volume. Shopping Bags Plastic Thank You Shopping Bags Cotton Tote Bags Tissue Paper Thank You Cards / Inserts Jewelry Tags Storage Bins - These are extra durable! Much more here. 🔧 The “Oh Crap” Kit (Most Underrated Section) This is what saves your day when things go sideways. Pop-Up Trash Can - some shows I've been to had inadequate trash cans or they were in a really inconvenient spot. Portable Rechargeable Fan - it can be sweltering inside those tents (even indoors!) when there isn't enough airflow due to sidewalls or neighbors. First Aid Kit - paper cuts and sore feet are bound to happen! Sturdy Work Gloves for setup and takedown Duct Tape Masking Tape Extra Pens Markers Counterfeit Bill Marker Cardstock Calculator Paper Towels Notebook Measuring Tape Velcro cable ties Glue Dots to keep paper tags from flying away. Double sided tape works too. Shims to put under your table legs if the ground is uneven. Definitely looks more professional than folded up cardboard. Baby Wipes Hand Sanitizer Toilet Paper just in case... Tarps in case of rain Sunscreen Change of Clothes Personal Belt Clip Fan (also doubles as a portable charger) 50% off coupon code: M3XV6488 https://amzn.to/491YNl6 Zip Ties (absolute lifesaver) - I can't even begin to count the times I've asked if anyone has zip ties I could use. Use them to zip tie your tables together, attach things to your canopy like your banner/signage, and so much more that I'm forgetting because it's one of those things you don't think about until you absolutely could use it. Scissors Game Changing (for me) Electric Scissors - I've used these to cut everything from single sheet thickness of butcher paper to furry fabric to delicate fabric to layers of cardboard. I can't believe it took this long for someone to come up with these. Multi-Tool - need a screw driver? Got it. Need needlenose pliers? Got it. Blade? Bottle opener? Ruler? Got it all. Portable Phone Charger - my personal favorite. The cable is attached to the charger so you're not hunting for one as you're stressing out that your phone is about to die. Anti-Fatigue Mat - your feet will thank you!! A foldable dolly/flat bed cart is a must when you're hauling stuff from your car to your spot. Don't kill your back! This one is small but mighty. I sold candles for a while at local markets and loading my stuff into the booth was by far the suckiest part. If a flat bed or dolly isn't your thing, a Hulken Bag works well too! Another great recommendation from a member: Motorized Utility Wagon 💡 Something WILL go wrong. This keeps you selling anyway. If there's anything I forgot.... you might find it in here. Final Advice (From Experience) Your booth is a store, not a table Make it easy to see, understand, and buy Don’t overcomplicate—but don’t underprepare If you’re just starting, focus on: Clean setup Clear pricing Easy payment Good display Everything else builds from there. Don't forget to bring lots of snacks and water!  submitted by /u/pleasuretohaveinclas to r/CraftFairs [link] [comments]

TL;DR: I mapped the complete lifecycle of every Failure-to-Deliver (FTD) in the GME settlement system since January 2020, from birth to death. Using 19 independent tests, 424 options open interest snapshots, and 2,038 days of tick-level data, I discovered that FTDs don't settle or disappear. They surf a 15-node regulatory waterfall over 45 business days, producing measurable "phantom OI" exhaust at each checkpoint. The true fundamental frequency is T+25 business days (35 calendar days), anchored to the SEC Rule 204(a)(2) close-out deadline; the T+33/T+35 echoes are composites of this statutory clock and the options settlement bridge. Three key findings (18.1× enrichment at T+33, zero control-day trades, and an inverse volatility relationship) are inconsistent with all tested alternative explanations. After the splividend, 89% of this activity migrated from options to dark pool equity channels, becoming invisible to public data. The system resolves everything by T+45, but the 45-day accommodation window raises questions about whether it functions as a de facto short-selling facility. In Part 2, I trace what happens when these echoes stack up over months and years, revealing a standing wave with substantial stored settlement energy. This research draws on months of independent FTD forensic work — 19 tests, 58 sub-tests, 9 tickers, 6,163 FTD records — that I’ve been building since mid-2025 as part of a broader investigation into settlement mechanics (full project). The T+33 echo cascade at the heart of this analysis originates from Richard Newton’s T+33 re-FTD hypothesis, which beckettcat brought to my attention along with his own independent contributions (🧺 creation signals, GMEU composite scoring, Reg SHO Threshold List risk analysis). TheUltimator5’s work on settlement cycle mechanics provided additional foundational insight. Their recent thread crystallized several ideas I’d been circling and gave me the framework to formalize findings that were already emerging from the data. The credit for the core T+33 concept belongs to Richard Newton; the 19-test battery, cross-asset validation, and resonance analysis are my contribution to building on it. 📄 Full academic paper: The Failure Accommodation Waterfall (Paper V of VII) https://preview.redd.it/emwv4lir0klg1.png?width=1600&format=png&auto=webp&s=d6c28f9a3301f91a33dc2c8f981d1fdb39ce5c9d Quick Glossary If you're not a settlement plumber, here's a cheat sheet for terms you'll see throughout: Term What It Means FTD Failure to Deliver. The seller didn't deliver shares to the buyer by the settlement deadline. OI Open Interest. Total options contracts that are currently open (not yet closed or exercised). Phantom OI Open interest that appears for exactly one day and vanishes. Normal OI persists across days. Reg SHO SEC Regulation SHO. The rules governing short selling and delivery obligations (17 CFR § 242). CNS Continuous Net Settlement. NSCC's system that nets buy/sell obligations across clearing members each day. NSCC National Securities Clearing Corporation. The central counterparty that clears and settles U.S. equity trades. Subsidiary of DTCC. DTCC Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation. Parent organization of NSCC (equities) and DTC (securities depository). OCC Options Clearing Corporation. The central counterparty for U.S. listed options settlement. VaR Value at Risk. Statistical measure of maximum expected portfolio loss; used by NSCC to calculate margin requirements. BFMM Bona Fide Market Maker. A market maker with a special exemption giving them extra time to close out FTDs. Under Rule 204(a)(3), BFMMs get until T+5 under T+2 settlement (T+4 under T+1). TRF Trade Reporting Facility. Where off-exchange (dark pool) trades are reported to FINRA. PFOF Payment for Order Flow. When your broker (e.g., Robinhood) sells your order to a wholesale market maker (e.g., Citadel Securities) who executes it off-exchange. ISO Intermarket Sweep Order. A special order type that can bypass price protections and trade across multiple exchanges simultaneously. NBBO National Best Bid and Offer. The best available buy and sell price across all U.S. exchanges at any given moment. T+N Settlement offset measured in business days from the original trade date. T+33 = 33 business days after the trade. The deep-cascade nodes (T+13 through T+45) are pegged to the originating Trade Date, not the Settlement Date. 1. The Question Nobody Asked Everyone obsesses over when FTDs spike. Nobody asks: what happens to an FTD after it fails? The SEC publishes FTD data with a two-week lag (sec.gov). Academic work has documented correlations between FTDs and short selling (Boni, 2006), FTD pricing effects (Evans et al., 2009), and ETF operational shorting (Evans, Moussawi, Pagano & Sedunov, 2018). But to our knowledge, the lifecycle of a specific failure (its birth, accommodation, migration through settlement plumbing, and eventual death) has not been empirically mapped in the academic literature. I filled this gap by exploiting a forensic exhaust that's been hiding in plain sight: phantom options open interest (OI that appears for exactly one day and vanishes, unlike normal OI which persists). When a clearing firm faces a delivery obligation approaching a regulatory deadline (Reg SHO Rule 204, 17 CFR § 242.204), it can execute multi-leg settlement transactions (such as deep-in-the-money buy-writes or other reset transactions, a mechanism documented in SEC enforcement actions, e.g., SEC v. Hazan Capital Management, 2013) that leave behind observable exhaust in the options tape: specifically, deep out-of-the-money put positions that appear in end-of-day OI snapshots for a single trading day, then vanish. These phantom OI positions are likely one leg of larger transactions; the equity and call components settle separately and don’t appear in options OI data. One instance is invisible. Correlated with FTD spike dates at precise settlement offsets, the pattern is overwhelming. The causal mechanism linking phantom OI to settlement accommodation is inferred from the temporal correlation and instrument specificity; direct proof would require enforcement-level data (MPID trade records, clearing member identities). 2. The Data This project took inspiration from Richard Newton’s T+33 re-FTD hypothesis, which beckettcat surfaced in a thread: “I swear to god, assuming that they were re-FTD’ing here improved the full model substantially.” I’d been mapping settlement mechanics independently since mid-2025, but that claim gave me the specific testable hypothesis that unlocked everything below. 19 tests. 58 sub-tests. 9 tickers. 6,163 FTD records from 124 SEC zip files (sec.gov FTD data, CUSIP 36467W109, files cnsfails202012a.txt through cnsfails202601b.txt). 424 ThetaData OI snapshots. 2,038 trading days of tick-level options trades. Cross-validated against Polygon.io equity tick data (v3 Trades API, exchange=4 for FINRA TRF). Source What It Is Coverage Access SEC EDGAR FTD Official failure-to-deliver reports filed by clearing members Jan 2020 – Jan 2026, 9 tickers sec.gov ThetaData Options OI End-of-day open interest across all strikes/expirations 424 daily snapshots thetadata.net ThetaData Options Trades Every individual options trade, timestamped to millisecond 2,038 trading days thetadata.net Polygon.io Equity Trades Every equity trade on lit exchanges and FINRA TRF, microsecond precision Dec 2022 polygon.io v3 API Scripts: code/analysis/ftd_research/ · Results: results/ftd_research/ · FTD data: data/ftd/ 3. Richard Newton Was Right: The T+33 Echo Is Real Richard Newton hypothesized that FTDs don’t settle at T+33; they bounce. beckettcat brought this to the community’s attention, and I tested every offset from T+1 through T+60. T+33 produced the strongest signal by a wide margin. A note on methodology: Testing 60 offsets with a limited sample creates a multiple comparisons problem (testing many hypotheses increases the chance of false positives). Three features distinguish this from overfitting: (1) the ACF independently confirms T+33 periodicity without offset scanning, (2) the p-value of the 18.1× enrichment survives Bonferroni correction (adjusted α threshold: 0.05/60 = 0.0008), and (3) the 2025 out-of-sample validation (4/4) uses data collected after the model was built. Additionally, T+33 business days ≈ 47 calendar days, which is close to monthly OPEX cycles. The per-spike tracing in §7 addresses this: the December 2020 Rosetta Stone spike traces through individual T+N offsets, not fixed calendar dates, ruling out OPEX as the driving mechanism. Metric Value Hit rate (full period) 84% (5/6 mega-spikes produce T+33 phantom OI echo). Note: This measures whether a spike produces a T+33 echo specifically, which is a different metric from the "Rosetta Stone" table in §7, which traces spikes through all 10 waterfall nodes. Hit rate (post-split) 52% (reduced by valve transfer, see §9) 2025 forward performance 100% (4/4, see §10) ACF confirmation Statistically significant T+33 periodicity What's an ACF? An autocorrelation function is a statistical test that measures whether a pattern repeats at regular intervals. If your data has a hidden heartbeat (e.g., FTD accommodation happening every 33 business days), the ACF will detect it even in noisy data. Script: 04_t33_echo_cascade.py · Results: t33_echo_cascade.json T+33 Echo Cascade Figure 1: The T+33 echo is real. 84% of FTD mega-spikes produce measurable phantom OI echoes exactly 33 business days later. ACF analysis independently confirms the periodicity. The T+25 Statutory Wall. Subsequent analysis (detailed in Part 2) revealed that the true fundamental frequency is not T+33 but T+25 BD (35 calendar days), the hard close-out deadline under SEC Rule 204(a)(2). T+25 produces the single highest enrichment (3.40×) in the T+20→T+40 range. The observed T+33/T+35 signal is a composite: T+25 (statutory wall) + T+8–10 (options clearing transit time). 4. The Deep OTM Put Factory The phantom OI isn't random noise. It's concentrated in a specific instrument class: deep out-of-the-money puts (puts with strike prices far from the current stock price). A standalone OTM put can't satisfy a delivery obligation; its delta is near zero. What we're observing is likely the residual leg of multi-leg reset transactions (deep-ITM buy-writes or similar conversions) where the put leg is the cheapest component. The other legs (equity delivery, call positions) settle separately and don't appear in options OI data. The phantom OI is the exhaust, not the full mechanism. Metric Echo Windows Non-Echo Windows Enrichment Deep OTM put OI 1,040,582 218,590 4.76× $20 strike OI 223,000 0 ∞ Pre-echo buildup rate 90% n/a n/a What's "enrichment"? It's a ratio. If phantom OI events are 18.1× enriched on T+33, that means they're 18.1 times more likely to appear on T+33 echo dates than on random trading days. Think of it like finding gold in a riverbed: 1× means normal dirt, 18× means you hit a vein. The $20 strike result is striking: 223,000 contracts of open interest appear exclusively in echo windows. Zero contracts on non-echo windows. Important caveat on split-adjustment: GameStop executed a 4:1 split in July 2022. Post-split, GME traded between $10 and $25 during late 2022 through early 2024. During periods when GME was below $20, these puts were actually in-the-money, not out-of-the-money. The key finding here is not the moneyness label but the temporal pattern: these instruments appear exclusively on echo dates with zero activity on control dates, regardless of their moneyness at the time. No alternative rationale accounts for this on/off pattern aligned to settlement offsets. Script: 14_deep_otm_puts.py · Results: deep_otm_puts.json · OI data: gme_options_oi_daily.csv (424 ThetaData snapshots) Deep OTM put concentration: Phantom OI is concentrated in deep OTM puts ($20 strike) that appear only on echo dates. Zero contracts on control dates. 5. Three Key Findings Finding 1: 18.1× Enrichment at ±0 Days. Phantom OI events are 18.1 times more likely on the exact T+33 echo date than on any random trading day. Not 1.5×. Not 3×. Eighteen point one. Finding 2: Zero Control-Day Trades. ThetaData tick-level trade data reveals 240,880 deep OTM put contracts traded on phantom OI dates and zero on matched control days. Not a statistical enrichment. A structural boundary. No alternative economic function for this instrument class is apparent. Finding 3: The Options Mechanism Runs Inverse To Volatility. Event Enrichment Volatility FTD T+33 echo 18.1× Moderate Earnings 0.9× High FOMC (Federal Reserve rate decisions) 0.5× Very High If this were delta hedging (market makers buying/selling stock to offset options exposure), enrichment would increase during high-volatility events when hedging activity spikes. Instead, it decreases: 18.1× on settlement dates, 0.5× on FOMC days. The phantom OI correlates with the settlement calendar, not the volatility calendar. The hedging hypothesis is inconsistent with this pattern. Script: 15_settlement_validation.py · Results: settlement_validation.json The three key findings that are inconsistent with all tested alternative explanations. 6. The Waterfall Extending the enrichment analysis from T+33 to the full T+3 through T+60 range reveals the paper's central discovery: the Failure Accommodation Waterfall, a 15-node cascade that every FTD surfs from birth to death. The node offsets are empirical observations (where the enrichment data peaks), not precise regulatory deadlines; the corresponding rules are the nearest regulatory mechanism that could produce settlement pressure at each offset. How to read this table: Each row is a regulatory checkpoint. "Enrichment" tells you how much more likely phantom OI is at that offset than on a random day. The higher the number, the more settlement activity is happening at that checkpoint. Offset Enrichment Regulatory Layer What Happens Rule T+3 5.4× CNS netting Preemptive settlement activity appears before the regulatory deadline. This could reflect prudent compliance (firms preparing for known deadlines) or premeditated accommodation. The unusual factor is the instrument class, not the timing: phantom OI in near-zero delta positions with no alternative economic function. NSCC Rule 11, §III T+6 7.4× Post-BFMM spillover The BFMM close-out deadline under Rule 204(a)(3) is T+5 under T+2 settlement (T+4 under T+1). The observed enrichment at T+6 represents the immediate empirical spillover of failures surviving that deadline. 17 CFR § 242.204(a)(3) T+9 7.0× Secondary cascade Post-BFMM settlement activity. No specific regulatory deadline maps to this offset; this is empirical spillover from T+6 close-out failures that roll forward. T+13 8.4× Threshold breach If a stock has 10,000+ FTDs for 5+ consecutive days AND those FTDs exceed 0.5% of shares outstanding, it hits the Threshold Security List (17 CFR § 242.203(b)(3)). As beckettcat noted, the data is consistent with operators deliberately keeping GME FTDs below this trigger — landing on the Threshold List risks losing the BFMM exemption. The relatively low enrichment at T+13 (8.4×) compared to the T+33–40 zone (18–40×) is consistent with this interpretation, though the deliberate intent cannot be confirmed from public data alone. 17 CFR § 242.203(b)(3) T+15 10.0× 2nd close-out cycle Secondary close-out cycle for staggered BFMM obligations T+18 2.0× Valley #1 Partial close-out; pressure briefly eases T+21 3.7× Aged obligation processing NSCC internal processing of aged CNS fails. Empirical checkpoint; the specific mechanism producing this enrichment is not attributable to a single published rule. T+24 9.9× Post-processing recovery Obligations surviving past T+21 re-enter active CNS pipeline with escalating cost T+25 3.40× Statutory wall The true fundamental frequency. T+25 BD = 35 calendar days = the effective close-out deadline under SEC Rule 204(a)(2). Important: Rule 204(a)(2) technically applies to fails resulting from long sales (where the seller owns the stock but delivery is delayed), not to naked short sales (which fall under 204(a)(1)). The mechanism consistent with the data is that operators execute synthetic reset transactions (e.g., deep-in-the-money buy-writes, a structure documented in SEC enforcement actions): they momentarily purchase the stock to clear the fail and reset the Rule 204 clock, while simultaneously writing an ITM call that passes the economic risk back to the options layer. The result is a technically “closed” fail that immediately re-opens via a new pathway. While Rule 204(a)(2) dictates 35 Calendar Days, the surgical precision of the T+25 Business Day peak across years with varying market holidays is consistent with algorithmic rolling at fixed BD intervals, though the internal implementation of prime broker scheduling is not publicly documented. The 3.40× enrichment here represents the moment when punitive 15c3-1 capital deductions begin and the obligation must be addressed. Operators who cannot close execute a synthetic options roll, buying approximately T+10 BD of transit time, which is why the composite echo appears at T+35. 17 CFR § 242.204(a)(2) T+27 12.5× Broken roll OPEX (options expiration) roll failure cascade T+30 8.2× Valley #2 Minor resolution window T+33 18.1× Volume mode Maximum absolute reset volume (this is the T+33 echo). Represents the composite of the T+25 statutory wall + T+8 BD options clearing transit. T+35 23.4× Composite echo T+25 (statutory wall) + T+10 (options bridge) = T+35. When an operator hits the T+25 wall, they execute a synthetic options roll. OCC clearing and delivery grace periods provide exactly 10 BD of transit before the obligation re-manifests on the equity ledger. T+35 is the total round-trip time, not an independent regulatory deadline. T+38 32.9× Red zone All exemptions exhausted; every remaining failure is overdue T+40 40.3× Terminal peak Convergent margin pressure: NSCC VaR charges escalate exponentially; 15c3-1 capital haircuts accumulate; the cost of maintaining the position becomes economically destructive NSCC Rule 4, §A; 17 CFR § 240.15c3-1(c)(2)(ix) T+45 0.0× Terminal boundary All obligations resolve. This is an empirical observation, not a single regulatory trigger. The convergence of 15c3-1 net capital deductions (which begin at 5 business days and escalate), NSCC VaR margin charges, and potential NSCC buy-in authority makes maintaining fails past this point uneconomic. Multiple: 15c3-1, NSCC Rule 11 Script: 17_settlement_architecture.py · Results: settlement_architecture.json The complete waterfall. Each FTD surfs through 18 regulatory checkpoints. Two valleys (T+18, T+30) reflect partial resolution. The continuous acceleration through T+40 reflects exponentially rising accommodation costs. The terminal boundary. At T+45, convergent regulatory pressures (escalating 15c3-1 capital charges + NSCC VaR margin + potential buy-in authority) make maintaining fails uneconomic. The question is what happens during the 45-day window before this point. Control ticker comparison. Running the same FTD-to-FTD enrichment analysis on three control tickers reveals the waterfall's structural uniqueness: Metric GME 🚗 🍎 🪟 Trading days 4,234 2,808 2,783 2,593 Spikes (>2σ) 157 116 43 77 Offsets > 2.0× 15/16 9/16 7/16 3/16 Mean enrichment 4.6× 2.3× 2.4× 1.1× T+33 enrichment 3.6× 0.9× 1.9× 1.1× T+35 enrichment 3.8× 0.7× 0.0× 0.5× GME is the only ticker with continuous enrichment across the entire waterfall (15 of 16 offsets above 2.0×). 🚗 shows early-cascade echoes (T+3 through T+13) but collapses after T+30, consistent with short-term settlement pressure that resolves normally. 🪟 is flat. 🍎's sporadic spikes (n=43) produce noisy ratios but no structural pattern. The sustained T+30→T+40 enrichment that defines the waterfall is unique to GME. (Results: control_ticker_enrichment.json) The T+3 Preemption Pattern. The 5.4× enrichment at T+3 raises a question: is pre-deadline activity evidence of advance knowledge, or simply prudent compliance? Proactively preparing for a regulatory deadline is normal risk management. What's unusual is the instrument class: phantom OI using near-zero delta positions with no alternative economic function. Legitimate compliance hedging would use standard instruments with meaningful delta exposure. The combination of pre-deadline timing AND anomalous instruments is what makes this node noteworthy, though distinguishing proactive compliance from premeditated accommodation would require enforcement-level data (MPID-level trade records). 7. The Rosetta Stone To prove the waterfall works at the individual spike level, I traced the top 5 FTD mega-spikes through the 10 major nodes (T+3, T+6, T+9, T+13, T+15, T+21, T+27, T+33, T+35, T+40): Spike Date FTD Volume Nodes Hit Coverage 2020-12-03 1,787,191 7/10 70% 2021-01-26 2,099,572 1/10 10% 2021-01-27 1,972,862 0/10 0% 2022-07-26 1,637,150 0/10 0% 2025-12-04 2,068,490 0/10 0% The December 2020 spike (the only mega-spike during "normal" conditions before the squeeze) traces through 7 of 10 nodes with 70% coverage. This is the Rosetta Stone: it demonstrates the waterfall operating at the individual obligation level. The post-splividend spikes at 0/10 independently support the valve transfer hypothesis (§9). Script: 17_settlement_architecture.py · Results: per_spike_tracing.json Only the \"clean\" pre-squeeze spike traces through the waterfall. Post-splividend spikes show zero hits: the settlement burden migrated to channels invisible to this methodology. 8. The 6-Share Vacuum If phantom OI disappeared from the options tape, where did it go? Polygon.io’s v3 Trades API (exchange=4 for FINRA TRF) answered this on dates in December 2022 when the settlement obligations from FTX-related positions approached their regulatory deadlines. What are the December 2022 settlement dates? FTX collapsed in November 2022. FTX had offered “tokenized stocks” including GME (documented in FTX bankruptcy filings and archived FTX product pages). If these tokenized products carried synthetic settlement obligations without corresponding real shares, those obligations would have hit their T+35 regulatory deadlines in mid-December 2022. This connection is an inference based on the timing; the specific mechanism linking FTX tokenized stocks to DTCC settlement would require enforcement-level data to confirm. Date Type TRF % TRF Median Size Lit Median Size Odd Lot % ISOs 12/19 Phantom 41.2% 6 shares 35 73.3% 0 12/22 Phantom 41.1% 10 46 69.6% 0 12/05 Control 35.2% 12 40 69.4% 0 12/12 Control 37.6% 10 50 67.2% 0 Source: Polygon.io v3 Trades API, GME, Dec 2022, exchange=4*. Script:* 19_polygon_forensics.py · FTD data: SEC EDGAR cnsfails202212a.txt, cnsfails202212b.txt, CUSIP 36467W109 On December 19 (the T+35 action date) the FINRA TRF median trade size dropped to 6 shares. The lit median was 35. That's a 5.8× internalization fragmentation ratio. Zero ISOs (Intermarket Sweep Orders, the aggressive cross-exchange order type) on all dates confirms the evasion occurs through passive TRF internalization, not active sweeps. In plain English: Your broker sells your orders to a wholesale market maker (PFOF). The data from phantom dates is consistent with those sell orders being internalized through the dark pool and used to satisfy delivery obligations, rather than being routed to a lit exchange where they would affect the visible price. The 6-share median is a distinctive microstructural fingerprint that appears on settlement deadline dates and not on control dates. Whether individual orders are deliberately selected for this purpose or whether it emerges from aggregate flow dynamics cannot be determined from public TRF data. The next day (Dec 20) FTDs peaked at 597K. Dec 19 appears to have been pre-deadline internalization: absorbing as many obligations as possible before the regulatory wall. Dec 20's FTD spike was the residual the system couldn't process in time. 9. The Valve Transfer The July 2022 splividend (4:1 stock split via dividend, record date July 18, 2022) provides a natural experiment. What's a "splividend"? GameStop issued a 4-for-1 stock split as a dividend, meaning every share was supposed to generate 3 additional shares delivered through the DTC distribution system, rather than a simple accounting adjustment. Any entity that had borrowed or synthetically created shares suddenly owed 4× the original delivery obligation. Period T+33 Echo Rate Phantom OI Enrichment Months 1-6 post-split 75% 10.17× Months 7-24 52% ~2.0× Phantom OI enrichment drops 89%, but FTD levels do NOT decline proportionally. On the January 2026 echo date (T+33 of the Dec 4, 2025 spike), Polygon reveals the destination: 522 large TRF blocks, 1.6 million shares settled off-exchange, a single print of 58,371 shares, and 49 Form T block prints (Form T = after-hours pre-arranged trades, the signature of institutional settlement deals made outside regular trading). Script: 16_dual_valve_validation.py · Results: dual_valve_validation.json · Splividend calendar: splividend_calendar.json The valve transfer. After the splividend, the settlement burden migrated from observable options channels to opaque dark pool equity internalization. The pipeline isn't shrinking; it's becoming invisible. Estimated shadow inventory (model-derived upper bound): Under the model’s assumptions (3.2× gross multiplier, 89% internalization), approximately 12.4 million shares per FTD cycle would flow through non-public settlement channels. Steady-state shadow inventory under these assumptions: ~69.4 million share-equivalents, roughly 18% of GME’s free float (GameStop IR). These figures are model outputs, not direct measurements, and should be treated as upper-bound estimates (see §7 caveats in Part 2). 10. 2025 Forward Performance The model's out-of-sample performance in 2025: T+33 echo hit rate: 100% (4/4) Important transparency note: The 2025 "hits" use a different metric than the original model. The original model detected phantom options OI. The 2025 echoes manifest as dark pool equity prints (1.6M shares in 522 TRF blocks + 49 Form T prints). This metric evolution reflects the valve transfer documented in §9: the settlement burden migrated from observable options channels to equity internalization. The periodicity (T+33 business days) is unchanged, but the observable instrument changed. Readers should weigh this accordingly: the clock is validated, but the signal type shifted. T+1 settlement impact: The May 28, 2024 transition to T+1 settlement (SEC Release 34-96930) compressed the front-end close-out windows (the 204(a)(3) BFMM deadline shifted from T+5 to T+4). However, the 2025 out-of-sample data confirms that the deep-cascade nodes (T+13 through T+45) are pegged to the originating Trade Date, not the Settlement Date. The 100% hit rate at exactly T+33 BD in 2025 proves the deeper accommodation architecture is immune to T+1 compression, because the obligation's clock starts from trade execution, not from CNS settlement. 11. What It All Means The Alternative Explanations Don't Fit Hypothesis Evidence Verdict "Retail lottery tickets" Zero control-day trades. ISO blocks indicate institutional execution. ❌ Inconsistent "Dynamic hedging during volatility" 0.9× earnings, 0.5× FOMC. Correlates with settlement calendar, not volatility. ❌ Inconsistent "OCC margin optimization" T+33 tracks individual FTD spikes, not fixed calendar cycles. ❌ Inconsistent Script: 15_settlement_validation.py · Results: settlement_validation.json All three alternative hypotheses tested and found inconsistent with the dual valve validation data. The Summary The data is consistent with the following interpretation: phantom options open interest is the measurable exhaust of an accelerating regulatory hazard function. The evidence suggests that institutional clearing firms preemptively manufacture synthetic locates to manage the increasingly costly remnants of persistent settlement failures, progressively internalizing the burden into less transparent channels as capital-destructive deadlines approach. The Failure Accommodation Waterfall is not a failure of regulation; it is the regulation. The regulators designed a graduated enforcement system. The data shows it eventually works. But the 45-day accommodation window functions as a de facto extended settlement accommodation window, creating an informational asymmetry over everyone who can’t observe the shadow inventory, and a systemic risk that grows with every concurrent failure traversing the waterfall. But this raises a deeper question: what happens when these 45-day waterfalls stack on top of each other? If the waterfall retains approximately 86% of its echo signal amplitude per T+35 cycle (Q≈21, dramatically under-damped for a clearing system), then the accumulated settlement energy doesn't just decay. It rings. In Part 2: The Resonance, I trace the standing wave through 7.5 years of periodic echoes and discover a ~2.5-year macrocycle, substantial stored settlement energy, and a convergence of multi-year terminal maturities arriving in Spring 2026. Credits This research was built on hypotheses from the community, layered on top of months of independent data collection and analysis: Richard Newton originated the T+33 echo concept — the hypothesis that FTDs don’t resolve at T+33 but bounce, creating a re-FTD cascade. The T+33 echo, the strongest finding in this paper, directly validates this hypothesis at 84% hit rate. beckettcat brought Richard Newton’s T+33 work to my attention and contributed independently: the magnet creation signal, the GMEU composite scoring system, and the identification that the Reg SHO Threshold Security List (17 CFR § 242.203(b)(3)) functions as a regulatory constraint — the data is consistent with operators keeping FTDs below the Threshold List trigger, because landing on it risks heightened scrutiny and potential loss of the Bona Fide Market Maker exemption. The waterfall data at T+13 (8.4×, relatively low) vs. the T+33–T+40 zone (18–40×) is consistent with this interpretation. The 🎬 operators, by contrast, spent extended periods on the Threshold List. TheUltimator5 contributed settlement cycle mechanics and collaborative refinement of the FTD lifecycle theory. The full test battery, scripts, and pre-computed results are in the public repo. Resource Link Scripts (19 tests) code/analysis/ftd_research/ Results (JSON) results/ftd_research/ FTD data (9 tickers) data/ftd/ OI data (424 snapshots) gme_options_oi_daily.csv Full paper (Paper V) 05_failure_accommodation_waterfall.md Not financial advice. Forensic research using public data. I'm not a financial advisor, attorney, or affiliated with any entity named in this post. The author holds a long position in GME. "Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored." Aldous Huxley Continue to Part 2... --- **EDIT (Feb 25, 2025):** Added methodology caveat distinguishing data-shows from author-interprets. Added academic citations (Boni 2006, Evans et al. 2009, Evans/Moussawi/Pagano/Sedunov 2018). Cited SEC enforcement precedent (Hazan Capital) for reset transactions. Qualified causal inferences throughout, "proves" → "consistent with," "sham" → "synthetic," "unregulated short-selling facility" → "de facto extended settlement accommodation window." Corrected T+33 attribution to Richard Newton as originator, with beckettcat credited for bringing it to my attention and for the Threshold List insight. Fixed broken SEC FTD data link. All substantive findings unchanged. submitted by /u/TheGameStopsNow to r/Superstonk [link] [comments]

I Analyzed 80 Million Trades Across 37 Tickers and Found Six Anomalies in GME Options I Can't Explain. Can You? NOTE: Yes, it's me again. This is a revised repost of my original post that was removed by mods. I'm on the spectrum. I've been called "robotic" by friends and coworkers before. I use AI tools to help with areas where I have weaknesses. I welcome criticism and falsification of my work. I'm a human, I do have feelings, and I try to read every response to my posts. I'm also stubborn, to a fault, so I'm reposting here because I think this belongs here. It's an open forum of GME shareholders who have real questions about this stock's behavior. I absolutely make mistakes, and I actively work to fix them. I'll concede that my first post was too direct in its accusations, and the polished tone caused blowback. I own that. I've done my best to revise this to meet the quality standards of Superstonk, and I hope you'll give it another look. TL;DR: I spent months analyzing tick-level options data from the January 2021 and June 2024 GME events. I found six specific patterns (possible wash trades, suspicious lot sizing, synthetic delta transfers, and matching algorithmic signatures) that I can't reconcile with any legitimate trading strategy I know of. The same algorithmic fingerprint appears in both events, 3.5 years apart. All findings are independently verifiable from public SIP data. I'm genuinely asking: if there's a benign explanation for these, what is it? Replication package linked at the bottom. Part 1 of 3: The Machine Under the Market I'm going to walk through what I found, how I found it, and why I think it matters. I'll also be upfront about what the data doesn't prove. The full paper is linked at the end. This post covers the six findings I think deserve serious scrutiny. How Market Makers Actually Work Most DD tells you market makers are short gamma and that's what causes the sneeze. That's sometimes true, during a sneeze. But in normal markets, the opposite is happening. Think about who's actually trading options every day: Pension funds sell covered calls on their holdings to generate income. The dealer buys those calls. Insurance companies buy protective puts. The dealer sells those puts. Yield funds sell options to harvest theta. Every one of those trades leaves the dealer Net Long Gamma. What does that mean in practice? Their delta exposure increases when the stock goes up and decreases when it goes down. So to stay hedged, they sell into rallies and buy into dips. Automatically. Every time. That's dampening. The dealer's hedge acts like a shock absorber. I measured this across 37 tickers over 6 years. 92.7% of trading days are dampened. The average ACF (autocorrelation, i.e. does the next bar tend to reverse the previous one?) is -0.203 across the whole panel. A normal day, the stock ticks up, the dealer's hedge kicks in, and the next bar pulls it back. (panel_scan.py | results) This isn't a GME thing. Every ticker I tested shows the same Long Gamma Default. The market's baseline isn't chaos. It's a damping system that's always running. When the Thermostat Breaks The Thermostat from Hell — Normie financial media thinks the market is just buyers and sellers. But under the hood, it's a machine. And like any machine, it has operating limits. That system has a breaking point. When retail call buying gets overwhelming enough, the dealer flips from buying calls (from institutions) to selling calls (to retail). Now they're Short Gamma. The hedging math reverses: rising prices force them to buy more shares (chasing the rally), and falling prices force them to sell (accelerating the drop). It amplifies instead of dampening. I call this flip a Liquidity Phase Transition. Same stock, completely different physics. During the January 2021 sneeze, GME's ACF hit +0.107 (amplified). In its normal phase (2024-2026), it sits at -0.154 (dampened). The thermostat didn't just break. It reversed. Was that transition organic? Or did someone engineer it? Where the Energy Is Stored Before I get into the anomalies, you need to understand where the damping system gets its power. It's not where you'd think. Most people picture options activity as 0DTE YOLO calls and weekly puts. By trade count, that's right. 60% of all GME options trades are in the 0DTE and 1-7 day buckets. The 0DTE Distraction — 0DTE volume is the fireworks show. It's loud, bright, and designed to make you look left. Meanwhile, the real energy (LEAPS) is being loaded onto the truck in the background. But trade count is misleading. I computed what I call Hedging Energy, weighting each trade by how long the dealer has to keep hedging it. A 0DTE call forces one session of hedging. A one-year LEAPS forces delta-rebalancing across 250 sessions. (delta_hedge_pipeline.py) Weight by duration instead of count, and the picture inverts: Tenor % of Trades % of Hedging Energy 0DTE 11.1% 0.1% 1-7 day 48.9% 9.0% 8-30 day 24.8% 21.7% 31-90 day 8.7% 24.1% 91-180 day 2.9% 18.1% 181-365 day 1.9% 23.7% 365+ day 0.1% 3.3% Look at that 181-365 day row. 23.7% of all hedging energy from 1.9% of trades. Options dated 91+ days carry 45% of the total energy from just 5% of volume. DTE-Weighted Energy Concentration — LEAPS (365d+, pink) hold 10-30× their \"fair share\" of hedging energy relative to their trade count. 0DTE (red, bottom) contributes almost nothing despite dominating volume I call this the Inventory Battery Effect. LEAPS act like batteries. They charge when institutions accumulate long-dated positions, and discharge as those positions approach expiration. That energy sits as persistent delta-hedge obligations on the dealer's book. The January 2021 sneeze was the only event in my entire 1,531-day dataset where all seven tenor buckets lit up at once. Every other event only fires the short-dated tenors. During the sneeze, the cascade went all the way to the longest-dated LEAPS. And during the dead years of 2022-2023, LEAPS energy persisted at the 181-365 day level even when short-dated activity flatlined. Someone, or some set of institutions, was maintaining those long-dated positions through the whole quiet period. Who, and why? Energy Budget by Tenor — Stacked area chart of hedging energy by DTE bucket. The pink (365d+) and cyan (181-365d) bands dominate the total energy budget despite being a tiny fraction of trade count. Note the 2025 buildup pattern: energy loads from the top (LEAPS) first, then cascades into shorter tenors — exactly the \"reactor charging\" pattern. Hedging Energy Over Time — Top panel: total stored energy in the options chain (trades × DTE weight). The January 2021 sneeze is the towering spike — 8× any other event. Bottom panel: accumulation vs discharge rate, with key discharge events annotated. Note the slow recharge beginning mid-2025. The implication: whoever controls the LEAPS inventory has outsized influence over the damping system. Whether that control is coordinated or coincidental is one of the questions this research raises. The Shadow Algorithm These are six findings I can't explain with normal trading mechanics. I'll walk through each one and tell you why it looks wrong to me. I'm genuinely asking: if you see a benign explanation I'm missing, say so. The data source is ThetaData's SIP feed: every options trade, millisecond timestamps, exchange codes, lot sizes, condition flags. Test 1: Tail-Banging — Why Spend $69.8M on Worthless Contracts? (code) On January 28, 2021, someone executed 518 trades on deep OTM 1-DTE calls. Total spend: $69.8 million. On contracts virtually guaranteed to expire worthless within hours. The peak strike was $570 calls when GME was at $194. That's 194% out of the money with one day left. I can't figure out a speculative or hedging rationale for buying these. They're worth pennies and they'll be zero tomorrow. So why spend $69.8M on them? The explanation that makes sense to me: every trade prints to the SIP tape. A $570 call trading at any price above zero forces the options pricing model to calculate an implied volatility for that strike. At 194% OTM with 1 DTE, that IV comes out above 1,000%. Market makers calibrate their pricing models (SABR/SVI) using every print on the tape. Those 518 trades would have affected the entire GME volatility surface. Every contract on the chain would then be priced against distorted inputs. If that's what happened, the downstream effect is inflated Vanna exposure on warehoused LEAPS, amplifying the gamma cascade. But I'm open to hearing other reasons someone would burn $69.8M on contracts with hours to live. Test 2: Possible Wash Trades (code) A wash trade is when you buy and sell the same contract to yourself, same quantity, same price, fractions of a second apart. You don't gain or lose money, but the trade prints to the tape, creating the appearance of volume. The SIP tape doesn't tell us if two sides have the same beneficial owner, so I can't prove these are washes. What I can show is that the statistical pattern is extremely unusual. My detector looks for trade pairs matching on lot size, price, strike, and expiration, within 5 seconds of each other. Date Wash Pairs Sub-Second (< 1s gap) Jan 26, 2021 100 78 Jan 27, 2021 101 57 Jan 28, 2021 103 29 Jan 29, 2021 42 19 Jun 4, 2024 14 6 Jun 7, 2024 265 216 June 7, 2024: 265 wash pairs, 216 of them sub-second. Identical-size, identical-price prints on the same contract popping up across exchanges within fractions of a second. I ran the same detector against the 37-stock control panel. GME's matched-pair frequency during these events is multiple standard deviations above the baseline. Could this be legitimate market making that just happens to look like wash activity? Maybe. But the sheer concentration is hard to square with normal operations. (cross-ticker placebo | results) Test 3: 30% Dark Venue Routing (code) Not all options exchanges work the same way. Some (exchange codes UNK_60, UNK_65, UNK_73) don't show up in most retail data feeds. Event Total Options Volume Dark Venue Volume Dark % Jan 2021 (6 dates) 8,056,797 2,505,062 31.1% Jun 2024 (8 dates) 3,314,219 975,222 29.4% A third of all options volume in both events went through venues retail can't access. These include Cboe BZX Options, which has an inverted fee model that actually pays the order submitter for providing liquidity. If this were purely retail buying calls on Robinhood, would you expect 30% of volume routing through institutional dark exchanges? I wouldn't. But maybe there's a structural reason for it that I'm not seeing. Test 4: IV Injection Followed by LEAPS Loading (code) After tail-banging events inject artificial IV, I found a pattern of LEAPS accumulation showing up 7-9 minutes later on the same strike region. Event Mean Lag After IV Injection Standard Deviation Jan 2021 7.3 minutes +/-3.1 min Jun 2024 9.4 minutes +/-2.9 min This isn't a handful of coincidences. I analyzed 14 trading days across both events and every single one shows LEAPS trailing short-dated activity with a positive lag. Zero exceptions. The combined dataset covers 3.5 million short-dated contracts followed by 136,000+ LEAPS contracts with 60-70 individual spike→trail observations across the sample. A random process would produce negative lags (LEAPS leading) half the time; seeing 14/14 positive is a binomial p-value of 0.00006. And the two events are separated by 3.5 years with completely different spot prices, volatility regimes, and market conditions — yet the temporal signature is nearly identical. The lag is tight and repeatable. One reading: inject IV with garbage short-dated prints, wait for market maker models to recalibrate, then acquire LEAPS at the inflated prices. Another reading: it's coincidental timing in a chaotic tape. The consistency of the 7-9 minute window is what makes me lean toward the former, but I'd want to see someone else test this independently. Six Anomalies Everything above is concerning, but you could argue it's aggressive-but-legal market making. The next six are harder to explain away. Each one is a specific trade or sequence where I can't find the legitimate purpose. If you can, I want to hear it. Anomaly 1: Single-Strike COB Washes (code) Complex Order Books are for multi-leg strategies. You use them to execute a spread, like buying a $20 call and selling a $25 call at the same time. Different strikes. I found COB orders where all legs hit the same strike. Buy side and sell side cross atomically on the same contract. Zero delta, zero risk, zero directional purpose. Examples: Jun 4, 2024, 12:43:05.550 — ISE Gemini, 2 legs, $125 Calls, sizes [160, 160] = 320 contracts Jun 7, 2024, 15:04:19.233 — CBOE, 2 legs, $28 Calls, sizes [496, 496] = 992 contracts Jan 28, 2021, 09:44:42.714 — BZX Options, 9 legs, $0.50 Calls (spot ~$194), sizes [1,5,10,61,89,90,117,446] = 820 contracts That last one is a nine-leg complex order on $0.50 calls when GME was trading at $194. Those calls are effectively worthless. What multi-leg strategy requires 9 legs, 8 different lot sizes, all on the same worthless strike? I've asked a few people with options backgrounds and nobody has given me an answer yet. The only function I can identify is printing volume on the tape, but I may be wrong. If there's a legitimate structure here, I'd genuinely like to learn what it is. Anomaly 2: Algorithmic DNA Match (code) Institutional block orders use Smart Order Routers with jitter patterns. They vary lot sizes by +/-2 or +/-4 contracts to make a big order look like separate small trades. I built a detector for these sequential TWAP patterns and found the same jitter showing up 1,254 days apart: Sequence January 28, 2021 June 4, 2024 [150, 154, 150] 09:30:34 — NYSE_AMEX -> NYSE_AMEX -> BX_OPT 10:49:17 — PHLX -> BATS -> BX_OPT [100, 102, 100] 09:56:47 — NYSE_AMEX -> BX_OPT -> BZX_OPT 09:59:15 — NYSE_AMEX -> ISE -> NYSE_AMEX Same +/-2/+/-4 jitter. Same dark venue set. Three and a half years apart. Retail doesn't use sub-lot jitter algorithms. Could two different firms coincidentally use the same jitter logic and venue rotation? Sure. But the simpler explanation is the same SOR software running in both events. I'd love to be told otherwise. Anomaly 3: 499 Lots (code) January 29, 2021. Between 12:38:09.579 and 12:38:12.265 (three seconds), 16 wash trade pairs on $5.0 Puts at $0.43. Every one exactly 499 lots. Rotating between MULTI_EXCHANGE and ISE. First pair had a one-millisecond timestamp gap. Why 499? Not 498. Not 500. Not 497. Sixteen consecutive trades, all exactly 499. Exchange surveillance systems flag unusually large orders using thresholds they don't publish. Is sixteen trades all landing at exactly 499 a coincidence? It could be. But that's a lot of coincidence, and the obvious question is whether someone knew exactly where the alert boundary was. These positions are above the 200-contract LOPR reporting threshold under FINRA Rule 2360, so FINRA already has the position data. The CAT queries in Part 2 would identify the entity. If deliberate, this would be the options equivalent of structuring cash deposits below $10,000 to dodge CTR filings. This 499-lot cluster didn't happen in isolation. The wash/cross detector flagged 766 total wash pairs across both events; 346 during Jan 2021 (representing $158M in wash capital) and 420 during Jun 2024 (representing $41M). Of those, 154 pairs in Jan 2021 alone were sub-second, same size, same price, same strike, different timestamps separated by milliseconds. The 499-lot burst on January 29th is just the most surgically precise example: 16 trades, all exactly 499, rotating between MULTI_EXCHANGE and ISE, with the very first pair separated by one millisecond. The consistency of the lot size is what makes it stand out even within a dataset already saturated with suspicious pairs. Anomaly 4: $134 Million in One Millisecond (code) The biggest single COB cluster in the dataset: January 27, 2021 at 15:21:23.512 — NYSE AMEX — 12 legs — 4,050 lots — $134,493,850 One millisecond. $134 million. The strikes: $4.50, $5.00, $6.00, $7.00, $10.00, $12.00. GME was at ~$347.51. Average premium: $332.08 per contract, basically the intrinsic value. These are deep ITM options with zero extrinsic value. They move dollar-for-dollar with the stock. What's the speculative thesis for $134 million in deep ITM options? I can't think of one. The mechanical profile looks like a Jelly Roll, a Reversal/Conversion that could reset synthetic short exposure. If executed on a COB, the delta moves off the lit tape, Reg SHO wouldn't apply, and FTDs could theoretically be rolled. But I'm describing what it looks like mechanically, not asserting what it definitively was. If there's a routine institutional reason to execute $134M in deep ITM options in one millisecond, I'd like to understand it. Anomaly 5: Opening Bell Put Washes (code) June 7, 2024, 09:30:25.929, right at the open. 17 wash pairs on $10.00 Puts at $1.01. MIAX Emerald and OPRA, cycling back and forth in a 9-millisecond burst. GME was at ~$46.55. A $10 put on a $46.55 stock is 78% OTM. Why pay $1.01 per contract for something that far out of the money? My hypothesis: same logic as Test 1, but hitting the other side of the volatility smile. The tail-banging targeted the call side. This targets the put side. If you pin extreme IV to both tails, you'd shift the whole surface up. But this is interpretation. The raw data just shows a cluster of matched trades on a deeply OTM put at the opening bell. Anomaly 6: 32 Legs on One Strike (code) The weirdest thing in the dataset. June 21, 2024, at 13:35:07: Timestamp Exchange Legs Volume Capital 13:35:07.531 ISE 4 116 $80,794 13:35:07.532 CBOE 4 116 $81,142 13:35:07.533 MULTI_EXCHANGE 20 128 $89,472 13:35:07.700 BX Options 4 420 $292,740 TOTAL 4 exchanges 32 780 $544,148 32 complex legs. All $15.0 calls. Four exchanges. 169 milliseconds. I don't know of an options strategy that uses 20 legs on the same contract. You can't build a butterfly, condor, or any defined-risk structure that way. If someone knows one, genuinely, please explain it to me. The $15.00 strike was the Gamma Wall, the point of highest net gamma and maximum hedging pressure. If this volume was artificial, it could force market makers to recalculate hedging obligations against open interest that doesn't represent real exposure. That's the concern, but I'm presenting the data, not the verdict. What This Shows, and What It Doesn't I want to be straight about what I can and can't claim here. What's in the data: These six anomalies don't look like normal trading to me. But I'm one person with one interpretation. Single-strike COB orders don't match any multi-leg strategy I'm aware of, but maybe there's one I don't know about. The 499-lot pattern raises the question of surveillance threshold awareness. The jitter match across 3.5 years is suggestive but not conclusive. The $134M deep ITM cluster has the profile of a synthetic short reset, or maybe it's something mundane I haven't considered. The put washes on 78% OTM contracts look like IV manipulation to me, but I want to be challenged on that. All of it can be verified from public SIP data. That's the point. Don't take my word for it. What's not in the data: I don't have the MPID, the field that tells you which broker-dealer placed each order. That's in the FINRA CAT. Without it, I can show you what happened and how it happened, but not who did it. Part 2 has five specific CAT queries that would answer that question. I'm not making legal claims. I think these patterns warrant regulatory examination. I've filed a TCR with the SEC. Full Paper (PDF): The Long Gamma Default: How Options Market Makers Stabilize Equity Markets Evidence Viewer (no setup needed): 01_evidence_viewer.ipynb. Loads all 89 pre-computed results. Start here if you want to check my work. Replication Notebooks: 02_forensic_replication.ipynb: Shadow Hunter, manipulation forensics, squeeze mechanics 03_microstructure_replication.ipynb: Panel ACF, lead-lag, NMF archaeology, robustness tests Pre-computed Results: JSON evidence files Source Code: Python scripts Replication Guide: REPLICATION_GUIDE.md: Dates, commands, parameters, thresholds Videos — Surfing the GME Options Chain: Short version (1 min) Full session Stock surfing Full Repository: github.com/TheGameStopsNow/power-tracks-research Not financial advice. Forensic research. I'm not a financial advisor, attorney, or affiliated with any hedge fund, market maker, or regulatory body. SEC notified via TCR. "The first principle is that you must not fool yourself — and you are the easiest person to fool." -- Feynman Continue on to part 2... submitted by /u/TheGameStopsNow to r/Superstonk [link] [comments]

https://preview.redd.it/412de8yfiijg1.jpg?width=776&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f925473d038ea3a2d693b9ee8cca8e6c691a37e1 I’m Ben, a second-year robotics engineering student and still learning. My goal isn't just to tell you if the mouse is "pretty," but to attempt to audit its construction. Today, we’re going to measure tolerances, verify if the official specs match reality, and check if the engineering actually justifies the price tag. Important Context: Sample Size: I am analyzing two separate units (the newest one is the shown in pics). Usage Time: This mouse has been my primary device for over two years (a test of long-term durability). The item shown is practically brand new. Independence: Both units were purchased entirely out of my own pocket. No review samples, no bias. TL;DR: An incredibly engineered, sub-60g mouse with a flawless raw sensor and great main clicks, let down only by slow stock skates and mushy side buttons. Highly recommended for Claw Grip competitive shooters. Full teardown and sensor graphs below! (Disclaimer: I still have a lot to learn in this field. I am very open to constructive feedback, so if you spot any errors in my methodology or measurements, please let me know—I'm here to learn and improve!) https://preview.redd.it/gnj64cxiiijg1.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=67e5412233b7499e5e897c6f79bb491f0ac69689 Packaging & Unboxing The Pro X Superlight 2 arrives in a rectangular box featuring a predominantly black color scheme. In the bottom left corner, we find subtle branding, while the top section displays the specific model name alongside a bold, large "PRO" logo. Center stage features a clear, high-contrast image of the mouse itself. The overall packaging design remains simple, yet modern and elegant. Inside the box, we find: 1x Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2. 1x USB-A to USB-C Cable (Simple rubber design. This can generate unwanted friction/drag against the desk or pad when charging; a flexible braided cable would have been a superior engineering choice). 1x LIGHTSPEED USB Receiver. 1x Receiver Extension Adapter. 1x Grip Tape Set. 1x Aperture door with PTFE foot (Puck). Component Analysis: The included grip tapes are not of the highest quality. I measured them at 0.3mm thickness using digital calipers. They have a distinct "cheap rubber" feel that isn't particularly pleasant to the touch. Based on this, if you require high-quality grip, I strongly recommend purchasing aftermarket grips rather than applying the stock ones. Note regarding the aperture door (puck): The mouse comes pre-installed with the standard plastic door (non-PTFE). If you plan to use the stock skates, I recommend swapping it for the included PTFE-coated door to ensure a consistent glide surface. As you can see, it is a fairly complete kit with everything necessary to start using it right out of the box. https://preview.redd.it/t1gtfm4flijg1.jpg?width=9072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6eb74325f420f88ceee576e3d3ee6b6b6a8aba7e Weight & Mass Distribution Analysis Regarding weight, Logitech specifies 60g. However, my precision scale measured an average of 59.64 ± 0.01g (mean value based on 5 samples). This represents a -0.6% deviation from the spec—imperceptible to the human hand, but statistically relevant for a technical audit. It falls well within expected manufacturing tolerances and is certainly not an error. This weight is achieved primarily through the shell construction (likely ABS), though the specific grade is not listed. We will analyze the wall thickness later to see how aggressive they were with material reduction to achieve this figure. However, a mouse of this weight can still feel "heavy" or unbalanced depending on its Center of Gravity (CoG). Since calculating the exact CoG for complex shapes is difficult without CAD models, I used a small cylindrical fulcrum to balance the mouse and approximate its center. Result: The CoG is located near the sensor ring, with a slight bias toward the rear. From an engineering perspective, this bias is likely dictated by the battery position relative to the PCB's geometric center. We will verify this internal layout and the battery's specific location during the teardown phase of this review. Despite this slight offset, the mass distribution feels nearly central, resulting in a very balanced feeling during rapid movements. Dimensional Audit Regarding dimensions, Logitech declares 40mm height, 63.5mm width, and 125mm length. Using digital calipers and the same averaging methodology, I recorded the following real-world measurements: Height: 39.5 ± 0.1 mm Width: 62.9 ± 0.1 mm Length: 124.9 ± 0.1 mm All values fall within standard injection molding tolerances for a unit of this class. For those interested in specific grip geometry, the peak hump height aligns with the overall max height of the device, and the effective grip width is 59.5mm. Furthermore, visually, the button height consistency is impressive. If we look at the gap between the main triggers (M1/M2) and the shell, both are perfectly level and equidistant from the base. The alignment is so precise that measurement almost feels redundant in this specific area. Geometry Profile Defining the shape, we are looking at a strictly symmetrical mouse (laterally). The maximum width is found at the rear (62.9mm), tapering slightly at the front (61.5mm). Logitech clearly prioritized balanced symmetry here—unlike the Superlight 2 DEX, which abandons this symmetry for an ergo profile. https://preview.redd.it/qqqalu6bmijg1.jpg?width=6048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=38a77b70565af7921855bc4ae371cdfdc3b257a8 Visual Inspection, Build Quality & Clicks Let's move on to the visual analysis, starting with the front. Here we find the two primary buttons (M1 and M2) alongside the charging port hidden beneath them. This Type-C port does not specify the input current (amperage), making it impossible to theoretically calculate the charging time. Keep in mind that this port serves both to charge the battery and to use the mouse in wired mode, although its primary purpose is wireless operation. The charging port is perfectly centered on the device, aligning flawlessly with the vertical slit that separates the main buttons. Furthermore, I tested a generic Type-C cable to verify the housing tolerances and confirm that third-party cables fit without issues (in case you want to upgrade to a flexible braided cable, for example). Regarding the main triggers, they feature a rectangular geometry with rounded edges, leaving precise clearance for the scroll wheel. All panel gaps look remarkably even, indicating excellent quality control and highly acceptable manufacturing tolerances. The main triggers exhibit very little pre-travel and an equivalent, minimal amount of post-travel. They feel incredibly responsive—especially when compared to the side buttons. Side Profile & Secondary Buttons Looking at the side profile, we can observe the secondary buttons. On this unit, the forward button sits slightly more recessed into the shell than the rear one. However, neither interferes with grip during use, and accidental actuation is highly unlikely. From this perspective, the rake angle is clearly visible: the Pro X Superlight 2 incorporates a base geometry that positions the front noticeably lower than the rear. Regarding these side buttons, I must admit they have a relatively high percentage of pre-travel and very low post-travel. This specific data point is based on physical tactile testing rather than caliper measurements, as obtaining an accurate mechanical measurement for this specific curve is nearly impossible without specialized equipment. Underside & Skate System Underneath, we find the skates (feet), the power switch, and the HERO 2 sensor (Logitech’s proprietary optical sensor, which we will analyze later). Front Skate: Features a massive surface area compared to other mice I've tested, which significantly aids in glide stability. Rear Skate: When combining the main rear skate with the puck, the effective surface area is relatively large as well. Sensor Ring: A much thinner, smaller-surface skate surrounds the sensor. It works as a cohesive system with the outer skates to provide consistent glide. Critical Note: I firmly believe the stock skates are not up to par with the engineering quality of the rest of the mouse. I would personally replace them with aftermarket PTFE without a second thought. Rear Profile & Coating Assessment At the rear, we find the printed Logitech logo. On my second unit, which has been subjected to over a year of heavy use, this small logo has faded over time. I provide this as an interesting data point; I don't necessarily fault Logitech for this, as palm friction degrades pad-printed logos on almost all mice over time. Finally, regarding the surface coating, the device features a fairly rough, anti-slip finish. It feels incredibly premium and provides excellent grip even without aftermarket tape. It has a slightly "chalky" texture; Logitech specifically stated that the Superlight 2's coating would be rougher than the original Superlight to improve performance and grip against sweat and hand oils. https://preview.redd.it/na7w9ecvnijg1.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6f7113564e3fc17ec8c6f2d70127a985e1f92516 Physical Integrity, Skates, and Clicks Analysis Before starting with the tests, let's talk a bit about the physical integrity of the mouse, analyze the skates, and discuss the click sounds. Structural Integrity & Build Quality Starting with the structural integrity, if we apply force to our fingers resting points on the sides, not even the slightest creak is heard, likely due to the thickness of the plastic walls of this Superlight 2's shell. Squeezing the top and bottom yields the exact same result: not a single creak is present. This demonstrates exceptional build quality—it doesn't sound or feel like cheap plastic by a long shot. Internal Rattle Test Regarding rattle, if we shake the mouse vigorously, there is absolutely no internal movement. This proves that the scroll wheel, sensor, battery, and other components are securely fastened and do not generate any unwanted shifting or parasitic rattling sounds. Stock Skates (PTFE Feet) Talking about the skates (PTFE feet), my opinion has been thoroughly covered in previous sections: these are skates that do not glide much at all. This is perfect if you prefer that controlled feel, but I like my mouse to glide freely. For that reason, I replaced them on my other unit after just a few weeks of use, and the difference is truly incredible. However, in terms of their physical construction, the stock skates are very good. They are perfectly flat with well-rounded edges, and there are no uneven spots or parasitic shapes that might hinder the mouse's movement or disrupt its use. Main Clicks, Ergonomics & LIGHTFORCE Switches As for the main clicks, if we gently rest our fingers on the triggers and try to move them side-to-side, there is a slight horizontal wobble. However, it is really minimal and does not come into play during actual use; it falls perfectly within standard manufacturing tolerances. As a side note regarding ergonomics, while this mouse's shape naturally lends itself to a Claw Grip, I personally use it with a Palm Grip and experience absolutely no ergonomic issues—it is incredibly comfortable in hand. A spectacular addition to this unit is the LIGHTFORCE switches, which combine a mechanical component to maintain that classic tactile feel with a light beam that registers the actuation. The sound is very solid with a slightly high-pitched and crispy note; moreover, both the M1 and M2 buttons sound remarkably consistent. The feel of the side buttons is the complete opposite: they feel cheaper, so to speak, with a mushier and far less satisfying tactile feedback. Scroll Wheel & M3 Button Regarding the scroll wheel and the M3 button, the scroll steps are really well-defined and precise, offering a fairly solid feel. The middle click leans towards the stiffer side; you have to press it firmly to actuate it. This button has actually given me trouble on the unit that has seen intensive use, to the point where I had to replace it with a different one. https://preview.redd.it/zdrvk26isijg1.jpg?width=5120&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a34ac29bd100bf3e2060970b505bdfca1505095c The HERO 2 Sensor: Context & Features For a bit of context, the Superlight 2 features the HERO 2 (High Efficiency Rated Optical) sensor, which technically represents a massive improvement compared to the sensor in the Superlight 1. Among its features, it includes independent axis calibration, meaning you can separate and adjust the CPI for the X and Y axes independently. Furthermore, it does not include any type of filtering or smoothing; it provides a completely raw input. We should also add that it can reach polling rates of up to 8000Hz, theoretically sending data every 0.125ms. A truly useful innovation is the Copy-To-Mouse option, a smart calibration feature that allows it to read your old mouse and copy its exact sensitivity so you don't ruin your muscle memory. Testing Methodology & CPI Deviation All tests were conducted at a standard 1000Hz polling rate to establish a baseline for signal integrity and to represent the configuration that yields the optimal balance between performance and the advertised 95-hour battery life. Starting with the CPI deviation. This first test was conducted by moving the mouse exactly 10cm horizontally across an Aqua Control II mousepad. Logitech claims 800 CPI, but my measurements (averaged over 3 tests) yielded a result of 820 CPI. This means it is 2.5% higher than advertised, and consequently, we would theoretically need to use 780 CPI to achieve a true 800 CPI. The following tests in MouseTester will be evaluated using the actual CPI I calculated, while keeping the Logitech G Hub app configured to 800 CPI. Polling Rate Consistency Regarding the Interval vs. Time graph, here we can verify the Polling Rate signal consistency. Considering the mouse is configured to a frequency of f = 1000Hz and the period is the inverse of the frequency (T = 1/f), we should expect to see a stable and solid line right around 1ms. As observed, the line is genuinely stable at 1000Hz. Although there are a few scattered points, they can perfectly be considered as standard system noise. Our main concern is consistency, and this mouse demonstrates it flawlessly. Raw Tracking Accuracy In the second test, we evaluated raw tracking, which I performed by moving the mouse rapidly from side to side. For this test, we look for smooth curves without drastic drops or points that wobble and jitter excessively. As can be seen, the curve is remarkably smooth, and all points align almost perfectly with the trajectory, deviating only very slightly in a few spots. This proves that jitter is not present and the mouse does not lose its tracking (spin-out) during fast movements. Angle Snapping & Smoothing In the third test, we checked for Angle Snapping and Smoothing. To do so, I attempted to draw straight lines and various diagonals, as well as a spiral. As shown in the image, the lines follow the natural shape created by the hand and do not auto-correct or artificially smooth themselves out. There is no Angle Snapping present. The spiral lacks any sharp or polygonal edges, proving that the HERO 2 sensor applies zero artificial smoothing at these CPI levels. Lift-Off Distance (LOD) & Conclusion Regarding the LOD (Lift-Off Distance), I currently have no way to verify this technically, so we will rely purely on the settings in the Logitech G Hub app. This software allows us to choose between low, medium, and high LOD. Having tested them, I cannot provide exact distances as it is impossible for me right now, but I can affirm that even in the high mode, the LOD distance is extremely low. This is perfect for users who want to avoid tracking unwanted erroneous movements when slightly lifting the mouse. As I progress with these reviews and learn more, I will continue to add more tests. Additionally, I need more equipment to perform some of them in a more technical manner, which I currently do not possess. Even so, with these tests, we can observe that the implementation of the entire system, including the microcontroller and the HERO 2 sensor, is exceptionally good, exactly as expected from a device of this tier. https://preview.redd.it/9wsvincyoijg1.jpg?width=6592&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b963aa8a1f3028d7f076bca2a41b1c53231fd613 Opening the Shell & Access For the teardown, the first step is to remove the skates (pads). These come off easily with a bit of heat and leave no adhesive residue. I highly recommend having spares on hand because these will almost certainly be rendered unusable. Beneath them, we find three screws at the front and another three at the back, all of which are standard Phillips head screws. Once the bottom plate is disassembled, we must be careful when opening the shell, as there is a ribbon cable connected to the mainboard where the microcontroller is located. Additionally, the battery cable is also connected here. https://preview.redd.it/xb9pw3s6pijg1.jpg?width=4536&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=13d8847ce7c8c209fb65e64e2b16e3260f7ac19d Mainboard, Microcontroller & Battery On the control board, as I mentioned, we find the microprocessor, which is based on a 32-bit ARM architecture. This means it is capable of working directly with data lengths up to 32 bits; for larger bits, it must divide its operations, which slightly increases response time. All connections and solder points look incredibly clean and perfect. Nothing to add to this part; cleanliness above all. From this image, we can also spot the gold contact pins, which Logitech must keep to maintain compatibility with their wireless charging mousepads (Powerplay). If we disconnect the ribbon cable and peel off the battery (which is 290mAh)—and by the way, it is glued down like a demon—we can see it is extremely well-secured and located towards the rear. This confirms our theory about the center of mass leaning slightly toward this section. Once the battery is unglued and the ribbon cable is disconnected, we can easily separate the main body from the base. https://preview.redd.it/lmtspg8upijg1.jpg?width=4536&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cf264cd14c4eae5bdca8a5d601c5a5b206d214ee HERO 2 Sensor & PCB Design The underside of the mainboard houses the HERO 2 sensor, alongside the Type-C charging port. As can be observed, the shape of this PCB, along with the cutout holes in the top left, slightly aids in weight reduction—everything adds up in this area. Furthermore, as a technical detail, the board has a thickness of just 0.6mm, which again contributes to weight reduction. Every milligram counts. https://preview.redd.it/eeu6n6x4qijg1.jpg?width=4536&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=357d86cf4b8c67b726cf529596b98ac448f34b1f Front Assembly: LIGHTFORCE Switches & Scroll Wheel At the front, we find the layout of the hybrid switches for the main buttons. They have "OMRON" written on them because the LIGHTFORCE switches are created in collaboration with them. We also find the M3 scroll wheel assembly, featuring a standard mechanical switch, which actually failed on my other unit. To remove this board, we simply need to take out four screws, although it is once again connected via a small ribbon cable, and we must be careful with it, as these types of parts can be fragile. As for the plastic triggers of the main M1 and M2 buttons, I show them to you in this image. They are secured by two screws located at the rear of the Superlight 2. In order to remove these clicks, we must have previously unglued the battery, since two of the screws are hidden underneath it. https://preview.redd.it/ofhg6hobqijg1.jpg?width=2268&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=06b11913c90c0010cf76ec2589d798b8df6c26fb Side Buttons On the side, we find the switches for the secondary buttons. As you can see, it features a very simple and clean structure. They are mounted on a small, auxiliary secondary board (daughterboard). https://preview.redd.it/ae98x2tmqijg1.jpg?width=4784&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=636432cce8a6cfce098823e1bf32695d29d644de https://preview.redd.it/tpmgu4nrqijg1.jpg?width=4536&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fdf143f2689c9cb070a7a0165d613ce007de5e2b Top Shell Structure The top plastic shell looks like this, along with the side buttons. It has a thickness of 1.4mm in the finger resting areas, and an average of 1.2mm in other zones. This serves as a solid argument for the absence of creaking and the overall material quality; we have a relatively thick area that can withstand force. Increasing the thickness in the central grip area is a very well-thought-out design choice by Logitech. https://preview.redd.it/kkia4nwtrijg1.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c86e7fe8a196a49efa1b34439eddd058d16d4865 Conclusion & Final Verdict As has been concluded throughout the review, this is a high-end piece of engineering. The excellent implementation of the microcontroller is clearly noticeable, the sensor is truly a marvel, and the tactile feel of the clicks and the shell is exceptional. Even so, it has a few minor details that could be improved, such as the stock skates, coupled with the side buttons, which have a drastically worse feel compared to the main ones. With all of this in mind, we can put together a list of pros and cons: Pros: Exceptional Build Quality: The shell features intelligent thickness distribution (1.4mm in grip areas), resulting in zero creaking or internal rattle. Flawless Sensor Performance: The HERO 2 delivers an incredibly stable polling rate with perfectly raw tracking, completely free of artificial smoothing or angle snapping. LIGHTFORCE Switches: The main M1 and M2 buttons provide a very solid, crispy, and consistent optical-mechanical click. Smart Weight Engineering: An excellent sub-60g weight achieved through a 0.6mm mainboard and an efficient 290mAh battery, keeping the center of mass balanced without external honeycomb holes. Cons: Poor Stock Skates: The factory PTFE feet offer almost no glide, essentially requiring an aftermarket replacement if you prefer faster movements. Subpar Side Buttons: They feel cheap and mushy, completely lacking the premium tactile feedback of the main triggers. Stiff Middle Click (M3): The scroll wheel uses a standard mechanical switch that leans towards the stiff side and is prone to failure under heavy use (as happened on my other unit). Target Audience & Upgrading This is a mouse dedicated to gaming enthusiasts, especially in the competitive shooter sector, and particularly for those who use a Claw Grip. However, it is perfectly valid for everyday tasks; I use it for a combination of both, although I must emphasize that a mouse of this tier is clearly not necessary for simple office work. If you are thinking about upgrading from a Superlight 1 to a Superlight 2 for no particular reason, it is not strictly necessary—unless you are experiencing issues with the scroll wheel or double-clicking and don't want to get into the hassle of disassembling it and sourcing replacement parts. Pricing & Final Thoughts At its price of 189€ on the official website, it might seem like a very expensive mouse, and I won't lie, it truly is. But if you can find it on sale at alternative retailers, it is a genuinely fantastic mouse. Thanks for reading this massive teardown and review! Let me know in the comments if you have any questions about the internals, the sensor graphs, or if you want me to test anything specific in the future. Please keep in mind that this is my very first review, and I am completely open to constructive criticism and suggestions, as I want to keep learning and improving my work. submitted by /u/benreviews to r/MouseReview [link] [comments]

I am NOT OOP. OOP is u/Jems138 Originally posted to r/AmIOverreacting AIO my girlfriend left me over a cheese wheel ---- Editor’s note: please be aware that OOP is from Canada, so any numbers you see in this post, they are based on Canadian currency Original Post: January 28, 2026 I (27M) and my girlfriend (26F) were saving for a house down payment. I work, and she is unemployed. I have saved 32,000 (editor’s note: about $23,594 USD) and she has saved 4,000 (editor’s note: close to $2,950 USD) so I feel like I bear the brunt of the financial decision making here. I was doing the Oxford county cheese trail, and found a “vault release”. They were selling a 140 pound wheel of 21 year old cheddar. It was aged using a traditional cloth bound method That’s practically extinct here in Canada, and with over 21 years it is extremely concentrated. 21 year old cheddar often sells for 120$ a pound (editor’s note: almost $90 USD). The farm was selling the entire wheel for 18,500$ (editor’s note: $13,640 USD) . If I cut it into 200g wedges and sell it at 60$ each (editor’s note: approximately $45 USD) I can make 38,000$ (editor’s note: about $28,016). I bought the cheese wheel, and brought it home in my truck. When I rolled it into our apartment at first she was excited, when I started to explain the financials and investment potential she turned sour. She didn’t yell, but expressed she wasn’t happy about how I spent MY share of our house savings. She is now staying with her parents. I think she’s overreacting because she doesn’t understand the Canadian housing market. Our savings is not enough for a down payment without a ridiculous mortgage, and we need to take these opportunities. AIO? Or am I the only one with ambition in our relationship? TLDR; my girlfriend is staying with her parents because I spent my share of our savings on a cheese wheel which can be cut into wedges and sold for a sizeable profit. Relevant / Top Comments Has OOP been able to slice and taste the cheese yet? OOP: I haven’t figured out how to open it yet, it’s covered in thick wax. It looks like a cannon ball. I have tried using a hair dryer and a knife but I can’t get into it. Commenter 1: Bud. You have no plan. You have no buyers. You are bad at math. You aren’t in the restaurant industry- you’re not connected to unload it while it’s still good. It’s perishable as soon as you break into it. You’ve also said in another comment that you’re trying to melt the wax. Which will absolutely ruin it. You’re fumbling around in the dark. You made a bad call. Like a seriously bad one. OOP: The cheese is no longer perishable. After 21 years all the moisture that would cause it to go bad has been replaced by calcium lactate crystals. Editor's note: the calculations mentioned might or might not be correct. Commenter 2: You say this cheese "often sells for $120 a pound", yet you actually paid $132 a pound for it. In that case it sounds to me like you overpaid and could struggle to turn a profit off it. Next you say: "If I cut it into 200g wedges and sell it at 60$ each I can make 38,000$." 200 grams is 7 ounces. You could get a maximum of 320, 7 ounces slices out of a 140 pound wheel, assuming zero waste. At $60 each that would get you $19,200, not $38,000. Your math is totally off for one thing, and I suspect you're going to struggle to find hundreds of customers willing to pay $60 for 7 ounces of cheese, so most likely you will lose money from this venture. That said, your money is yours to do what you want with, but if you have a partner you are planning a future with it's a bad idea to make big decisions like this without running it by them first. It breeds distrust, resentment, instability, etc. You're supposed to discuss things together and make decisions together. That's how partnerships work. In this case maybe your partner could have checked your math and explained how far off your numbers were and saved you from a costly mistake. YOR OOP: You are dividing the 140 pounds by 7 ounces but you are forgetting that there are 16 ounces in a pound. So if you divide the 140 by 7, the 7 goes into 14 twice. Commenter 3: You spent $18,500 on cheese with no actual plan on how to you’re going to recoup that outside of “Yeah I can totally sell this!!!” 140 pounds equals 63,500 grams. You’re talking about selling 200 gram wedges. That would require you to prepare, package and sell 317 units without any kind of market presence. Incidentally, your math is WAY off. Selling 317 wedges at $60 each comes to $19,050, which nets you a whopping $650 for what will surely be weeks of work on the completely off chance you manage to sell everything. Enjoy being the human equivalent of a Kraft Single. OOP: You are forgetting that there are 16 ounces in a pound so if you divide the 140 by the 7 ounce wedge , the 7 goes into 14 twice Commenter 4: You are insane if you think anyone is paying over a hundred bucks for a pound of freaking cheese. OOP: You can’t compare this heritage cheese to a grocery store commodity, the scarcity dictates the price. Commenter 5: Who is going to pay $120/lb for cheese that some random person is selling out of their apartment? If I was going to spend that much I'd want to know that it was stored and handed properly. And actually do you need a food safety license to do this kind of thing? OOP: 1) It’s not a commodity, it’s a heritage cheese and the value is determined by the scarcity. You can’t get this cheese from a regular retailer. 2) I have my Ontario food handlers certificate. Commenter 6: How in the hell are you going to find enough buyers for this niche cheese? Don't you need a license to sell food? What regulations do you have to follow? After you cut the cheese, how long will the wheel stay fresh? Can you store it appropriately to preserve it for that length of time? Even a supermarket would have a hard time going through an entire wheel of niche super expensive cheese. I don't think you thought this through enough for it to be a good idea. You would probably be lucky to recover the amount you paid to begin with, and are probably going to be skirting the law to sell it unless you are already licensed to do so Your girlfriend essentially moving out because of this seems extreme, but to be fair this seems like you really didn't think things through. OOP: Also the cheese will not spoil, after 21 years all the moisture has been replaced by calcium lactate crystals. Once the wax seal is broken I will be putting it in my chest freezer Commenter 7: How did she "save" $4,000 being unemployed? Unless it was from her unemployment payments, but he never mentioned she was getting paid unemployment. How much does unemployment even payout, total, anyways? Maybe it was Birthday/Christmas money from relatives. If you were to look at it as percentage saved to money "available" or in his case "earned" she saved way more than he did! Why was not contributing his fair share? OOP: She doesn’t have any overhead because I pay the bills, hence why I feel that It is acceptable for me to make financial decisions like investing in high yield assets like the traditional cloth bound, 21-year aged, Oxford Heritage Cheddar Wheel   Update: February 3, 2026 (six days later) Photos in comments as I can’t add to the post I have taken some of your feedback into consideration from my last post. For those curious: my girlfriend is no longer in the picture. She cracked due to low risk tolerance, so I’ve decided to go all in on the business. I initially tried to return the wheel to the distributor to recoup some capital, thinking they’d have some pity. They were actually considering it until they came out to look at it in my truck. Apparently, the minor heat damage I caused to the paraffin wax while trying to open last week compromised the wheel which was already non refundable in the first place. Since I’m now stuck with a 140lb, 30,000+ asset, I had to pivot to asset protection and keep what I still have. I went out and bought a True TBB-2-HC 59” solid door back bar cooler, a professional digital temperature humidity controller, an industrial humidifier, a vacuum sealer, and ripening mats. Total cost was about 8.5k after taxes. Expensive, yes, but I wasn't going to let a30,000+$ investment depreciate value. The delivery was difficult. My apartment door is narrow, so I had to take the door entirely off the hinges and shimmy the cooler into the living room. I had maybe a millimeter of clearance between the frame and the unit. I was exhausted and excited so I started researching installation on my phone before putting my front door back on. That’s when my landlord walked in. Apparently he believes my door being off the hinges somehow removes my reasonable right to privacy. We already have a strained relationship because of my own use of the unit. He still holds a grudge because I was doing some light metal fabrication with a CONSUMER plasma cutter in my kitchen a few months ago He saw the cooler, the vacuum sealer, and the wheel of heritage cheese and started crying about commercial operations and fire hazards. I told him very clearly: The cheese is for personal consumption. There is nothing in my lease that limits how much dairy a tenant can own. The next morning, I found an eviction notice in my mailbox. it’s riddled with spelling errors as if written in a haste. I’m already preparing my defense for the Landlord Tenant Board AIO? I’m being evicted over dietary preferences as far as the landlord is concerned and I feel like this is an unlawful action EDIT: added a + to the valuation as it is possible to increase my margins depending on the quantities I sell in. Also please bear in my mind that I have sold ZERO cheese so I feel like this is premature action. Thank you Pictures of the cheese wheel and eviction form Image #1: the cheese wheel being covered with a squat, black, puck-shaped paraffin wax. On the top is marked with the handwritten date “2005-02-04”, and the whole thing is tightly wrapped with silver duct tape in a cross pattern, as if it was to be sealed or reinforcing it. Image #2: A printed retail receipt of the cheese wheel purchase from Oxford County, Ontario, Canada dated Jan 28, 2026, showing one 140-lb, 21-year aged heritage cheddar wheel for 18,400 CAD. (editor's note: close to $13,470 USD) Image #3: OOP explains this picture of a bevelling machine for a torch made out of scrap. It goes around round objects with a torch and cuts a bevel onto the edge. It’s made using a hand drill motor, dials from a broken welder, and gears from hand grinders. Image #4: Three paragraphs explains the measures of the cheese wheel. A 140-lb, 21-year-old cheddar wheel would be very large, dense, and compact, about 27 cm tall and 54 cm wide, often compared to a “cannonball” in solidity. It notes that it is much bigger and thicker than a typical Parmesan wheel, and that cheese of this age and weight is extremely rare due to long-term aging and dehydration. Image #5: A formal notice to end a tenancy from OOP's landlord. The visible text indicates reasons such as interfering with others, damage, or overcrowding, and notes that it is a notice that could lead to eviction. Much of the personal or specific information is redacted, but the document is clearly an official warning related to housing and possible eviction. Relevant Comments Commenter 1: I hope girlfriend got her $4k back. OOP (downvoted): Integrity is an asset that does not depreciate, unlike her savings which will be eaten by inflation. Commenter 2: Tell us more about this plasma cutter OOP: It plugs into a 120 volt wall socket and I can cut 3/8” thick steel extremely cleanly. OOP explains more about the cheese wheel and how it is being covered with OOP: It has a thick black paraffin wax covering it, underneath that is cheesecloth, and underneath the cheesecloth is the 21-year aged heritage cheddar Why is there duct tape on the cheese wheel? OOP: I damaged the paraffin wax trying to open it, so I put tape over it to keep it sealed Commenter 3: I can't find a cheese shop in Oxford County, ON that ends in the name "Fine Cheese." There's only a few cheese shops and it doesn't seem to be a large county. OOP: directly from the farm not a store front. I would not buy from a middle man Why isn't there the tax on the cheese wheel in Canada? OOP No HST on dairy (editor's note: harmonized sales tax which is the consumption tax paid by local consumers and businesses)   DO NOT COMMENT IN LINKED POSTS OR MESSAGE OOPs – BoRU Rule #7 THIS IS A REPOST SUB - I AM NOT OOP submitted by /u/Choice_Evidence1983 to r/BestofRedditorUpdates [link] [comments]

Disclaimer => Before we start, all of the information has been taken from the official JEEM Bulletin and the previous year admit card. All the page numbers mentioned will be of the PDF, not the page numbers provided in the bulletin. This is to provide easy navigation through the PDF. We've tried to be as accurate and provide as much information as we can but we might've missed something. So, please read the Bulletin as well as your Admit Card for more details. Comment if you think something should be added here. We'll post megathreads before and after every shift. So, please participate in them! Make sure to save this post. The dates and time: The first attempt of JEEM will be conducted on 21,22,23,24 & 28 January. On each one of these days, there will be 2 shifts. The first shift will be from 9 am to 12 pm and the second shift will be from 3 pm to 6 pm. Your date and shift will be mentioned in your admit card. The paper: The exam will be conducted in a “Computer Based Test” (CBT) mode. You will have 4 options to select the language of the paper from - English, Hindi, Urdu and the fourth language depends on your state. See page 16 for more details. The exam is of 300 marks. 100 marks each for Physics, Chemistry and Math. See page 17 for more detail on the points 3,4 & 5. The paper will be divided in two sections for each subject. Section A contains "Multiple Choice Questions" (MCQs) which has 20 questions and Section B contains numericals which has 5 questions. In Section A, you have to select only one correct option and in Section B, you have to round off your answer to the nearest integer and fill it there. You should calculate a precise and accurate answer before rounding off. Marking scheme => You will be awarded +4 for correct, -1 for incorrect & 0 for not attempted questions, respectively. So, be confident that your answer is correct before making a choice. See page 18 for more information on this. Mark for review => It is a flag to revisit a question. If you answer and mark for review, the answer is saved and counted for evaluation. If you only mark for review without answering, it's not counted. If you're 80-90% sure of answer - save and mark for review otherwise mark for review. What documents should you take with you on the day of the examination? (page 36) Print copy of Admit Card along with Self Declaration (Undertaking) downloaded from the NTA Website (a clear printout on A4 size paper) duly filled in. This is the most important thing. Take it with you without fail. The Self Declaration is on the first page of the Admit card. It's basically a part of the Admit card itself so don't stress over it. See page 33. Passport size photographs (same as uploaded on the Online Application Form) for pasting on the specific space in the Attendance Sheet at Centre during the Examination. Note => Take 2 photos with you, just in case. Any one of the authorized photo IDs (must be original, valid, and non-expired) – valid School Identity Card/ PAN card / Voter ID/ Passport/ Aadhaar Card (with photograph)/ e-Aadhaar with photograph/ Class 12 Board Admit Card with photograph/ Bank Passbook with Photograph. Note => Aadhaar card is preferred. If you uploaded any other document while filling the application, fill the form for non-aadhaar candidates (on the last page of admit card) and take both of them with you as well. For PWD Candidates => PwD/PwBD Certificate issued by the authorized medical officer, if claiming the relaxation under PwD/PwBD category or PwD/PwBD Certificate regarding physical limitation in an Examination to write as per Annexures given in Information Bulletin. What things can you take with you on the day of the examination? (page 36 and previous year admit card) A simple, transparent ball point pen. Take 2 with you, in case one stop working. Don't take a writing pad with you. They won't let you keep it. You'll be sitting in front of a table, so, you'll be alright even without a writing pad. A personal, transparent water bottle. There should be some water in the centre as well. For the Drawing Test-Part 3 of B.Arch., you must take your own Geometry Box Set, Pencils, Erasers, and Colour Pencils or Crayons. Don't take water colours! They won't let you use them. You will NOT be allowed to carry Instruments, Geometry or Pencil box, Handbag, Purse, any kind of Paper/ Stationery/ Textual material (printed or written material), Eatables, Mobile Phone/ Earphone/ Microphone/ Pager, Calculator, DocuPen, Slide Rules, Log Tables, Camera, Tape Recorder, Electronic Watches with facilities of calculator, any metallic item or electronic gadgets/ devices in the Examination Centre/ Hall/ Room. You don't need to take any notebook or paper with you for rough work. You'll be provided with empty sheets for rough work. You shouldn't take a bag with you because there's no guarantee that they'll have space to keep it. NTA even mentions that there will be no facility to keep it (previous year admit card). But, in case that you do, put your mobile, keys and everything else other than the pen and bottle in your bag. If they don't have place to keep the bag, give it to your parents / friends and let them take care of it. Some important meta information: (previous year admit card and page 36) Shoes / footwear with thick soles and garments with large buttons are NOT permitted. From my own personal experience, not even belts and jewelry were allowed. So, wear a comfortable pajama with less or if possible, no pockets at all. Don't wear socks, if possible. They'll ask you to remove it anyways. These things usually change from centre to centre so your experience will vary. They might allow you to wear socks if you live in cold areas, for example. For the girls, wear a sports bra or any other bra but don't wear a metal hook bra as it will be detected by the metal detector. Verify the location of the centre one day before the exam so you can get familiar with it. Enter the required details in the Self Declaration (Undertaking, it's available in the Admit Card pdf) in good handwriting, paste the Photograph, and put a thumb impression at the appropriate place on the Admit Card. Ensure that your Left-Hand Thumb Impression is clear and not smudged. For PWD candidates => PwD/PwBD candidates must bring a PwD/PwBD certificate issued by the Competent Authority if claiming relaxation under the PWD category. The Scribe (provided by the NTA/ brought by the candidate) must also carry his/her own Self Declaration (Undertaking) regarding educational qualification, passport-size photograph, and valid government identity. Scribe accompanying the Person with Disability (PwD/PwBD) should not solve the questions. The scribe must mark the response chosen by the candidate only. It shall also be ensured that the qualification of the scribe/ Passage Dictator should not be more than the minimum qualification criteria of the examination. However, the qualification of the scribe/Passage Dictator should be matriculate. Sikh candidates are permitted to wear their religious articles i.e. “KARA’ and “KIRPAN”. For NRI students => The examination will be held according to Indian Standard Time (IST) for all candidates, including those taking it at centers outside India. The following information is taken from the previous year admit card, page 34 of the bulletin and from my own personal experience. There might be minor fluctuations in the order of things. If you feel confused or lost at any point in the centre, ask either staff members or fellow candidates. They'll help you out. You can also approach the Centre Superintendent/Invigilator in the room during the exam for any technical assistance, first aid emergency, or any other information. What happens / what to do before the paper starts: Reach the Examination Center well on time i.e. 2 hours before your shift begins. You won't be allowed to give the exam if you're late, i.e, after the gate closes, for any reason. So, reach early, especially if your religion/customs require you to wear specific attire. Because you'll have to go through thorough checking and mandatory frisking. Being late can waste years of hard work! The gate of the building will open at 7 AM for the first shift and 1 PM for the second one. Outside or inside the building, you will find two or three staff members. They will check if you have your documents and are not carrying anything else. After making sure that your face matches with the one in the admit card, they'll let you go inside the centre. Then, you'll find some staff members inside the centre. They'll frisk you. The staff member who frisks you should be the same gender as you and girls should be provided with a seperate, secluded space. First, they'll use a metal detector and then they'll check your clothes and pockets by lightly touching you. You may be asked to remove your footwear, socks and belt. You may be asked to hold your pen and spectacles in your hands and show them. Then, you'll find some staff members sitting in front of a computer. They'll verify your admit card, your documents and tell you your room number. When you go to your room, you'll see some more staff members sitting in front of a computer. They'll take your biometrics. Namely, your picture, a retina scan and a thumb impression. You may be asked a personal verification question. For example, your mother’s name. Then, they'll tell you a seat number. You should take your seat ASAP. It'll have the same number as given to you. Do NOT sit on any other seat as it'll be considered cheating. Either before or after the exam, an invigilator will come with an attendance sheet. You'll have to fill some info there. They'll ask you to paste the photo that you have. They'll have glue with them. On 8:30 AM for first and on 2:30 PM for second shift, the invigilators will tell you some basic instructions like the following one. Blank paper sheets for rough work will be provided by the invigilator in the examination room. You have to write your name and Roll Number at the top of each of the sheets. On 8:50 AM for first and on 2:50 PM for second shift, you'll be able to log in. The user ID is usually your application or roll number and the password is date of birth in ddmmyyyy format. This may change so be vigilant during the instructions. You'll have few minutes before the exam starts. So, try out all the keys and make sure the mouse works as well. On the screen, two photos will appear side by side. One from the admit card and one taken at the center. Confirm that you are at the correct seat. If your photo does not appear correctly, inform the invigilator immediately. You'll be able to see some basic info about the paper and how to fill it. Read the instructions carefully. Before starting the paper. you must choose the same medium of language as opted while registering in the Application form. What happens / what to do during the paper: On 9:00 AM for first and on 3:00 PM for second shift, your paper will begin. It'll be in the same language as you chose before. You'll have almost all of your docs with you so keep them safe. Either in your pockets (before the paper starts) or near the PC. The remaining time will be visible on the screen in minutes. Keep checking it periodically. Use Save and Mark for Review and Mark for Review options properly. Especially for questions you feel you can solve later. If your rough sheets get over, you can ask the invigilators for more. But, it's better to ask this beforehand. If any technical issue occurs, inform the invigilator immediately! Delaying it will only waste more time. You may be asked to fill a form in such case. It includes items like not carrying admit card, cheating, debarment warnings, etc. It is a multipurpose form. so don't panic. If you go for a bio-break / toilet, you will have to go through mandatory frisking and biometrics again. And no, you won't be able to leave the hall before the exam ends. What happens / what to do after the paper ends: The paper will be submitted automatically on 12:00 PM for first and on 6:00 PM for second shift. Wait for instructions from the Invigilator and do not get up from your seat until advised. You'll have to give away your rough sheets and admit card to the invigilator or drop them in a drop box. It depends on the centre. Then, you'll be allowed to go row by row, like in school. Make sure to collect all of your personal belongings that you had kept at the centre / left with friends. Some meta information: How marks are calculated and how ties are broken => page 18 How grace marks are awarded => page 21 Eligibility criteria => pages 24 & 25 Reservation in JEEM => page 27 Scribe and Compensatory Time for PWD candidates => page 29 PWD information and appendices => pages [47, 52] submitted by /u/DustyAsh69 to r/JEE [link] [comments]

im calling this out because the discussion quality here is being degraded by what i am 99% sure is a bot farming engagement. if you saw the recent post about Small experiment: "Small experiment: filtering low-expectancy trades flipped a strategy’s PnL in 24h" you might have noticed the strategy itself was nonsense, hindsight bias and overfitting to a tiny sample. but the bigger red flag isnt the bad math, its the behavior. ive gone through his history and the pattern is unmistakable. this user doesnt have opinions. they dont get defensive. they dont argue. every single response follows the exact same syntax of a friendly AI assistant. first they validate you with "thats a fair point" or "i completely agree". then they rephrase your exact comment to show they understood. then they pivot to something like "thats exactly why i moved away from X". finally they end with a generic open ended question to keep the thread alive. this isnt how traders talk. real traders have conviction, get annoyed, or simply say thanks. this user is running a script to farm karma or train a model on our responses. i was suspicious of whether it was to mine alpha so i copy pasted his responses in gemini and this is the response i got ~~ It is almost certainly an attempt to collect alpha (or training data), with karma farming just being a side effect that keeps the account alive. Here is why the evidence points to Data Mining / Social Engineering rather than just gaining internet points: The Cunningham's Law Exploit There is an old internet adage: "The best way to get the right answer on the internet is not to ask a question; it's to post the wrong answer." The Bait: The bot posted a "flawed" strategy (the 24h PnL flip). It was just plausible enough to look real, but flawed enough to trigger competent traders to correct it. The Trap: Real traders (like faot231184 and OkSadMathematician in your logs) saw the error and immediately offered high-value corrections: “Don't use RSI, use regime filters,” “Fix the exit to isolate entry quality,” “Momentum is the only edge.” The Harvest: The bot then engaged these experts with specific follow-ups to extract more detail ("How do you define regime shift?", "Do you use R-multiple?"). 2. The "Extraction" Pattern If you look closely at the logs, the bot is not just chatting; it is interviewing the sub. Human: "Win rate doesn't matter without risk/reward." Bot: "Agreed. When you see that pattern, do you usually start by tightening max loss, or by letting winners breathe more?" -> Attempts to extract specific risk management rules. Human: "Momentum breakouts work." Bot: "Agreed. Curious what you rely on most... volatility expansion, range compression, or HTF alignment?" -> Attempts to extract specific feature selection. It is effectively running a continuous focus group, strip-mining the community for heuristics, "rules of thumb," and common pitfalls to feed into a dataset. 3. The Niche If this were purely for karma farming, r/algotrading is a terrible place to do it. It is too small, too technical, and too skeptical. Karma bots usually target r/AskReddit, r/pics, or r/politics where generic "I agree!" comments get thousands of upvotes. Targeted behavior in a technical sub suggests a technical goal. Verdict: You are looking at a knowledge-harvesting bot (likely an LLM agent being run by a developer). It is using the Reddit community as a "Human-in-the-Loop" to refine its understanding of what makes a trading strategy valid vs. invalid. i prepared receipts. read the logs below back to back and tell me this isn't chatgpt set to temperature 0.7. example coversations by Tasty_Director_9553 - kokanee-fish •1d ago Your points about VWAP are well-known points that apply to every indicator. Pretty sure you're just trying to promote your "internal platform." Testing strategies without including costs is like trying to decide if you could make money flipping houses if the houses were free. Every indicator performs better when you discount every trade, and that difference is often the difference between profit and loss. And we all know that you can't trade based on a single indicator, especially intraday. Every signal adds context, combine signals to find an edge; that's what we're all doing here. Tasty_Director_9553 OP•1d ago That’s a fair concern, and I get why it reads that way. To be clear: the point of the post wasn’t “VWAP is special” or “this platform is the solution.” It was that fee-awareness kills a lot of otherwise reasonable intraday ideas, VWAP just happened to be the one I was testing deeply. I intentionally didn’t link anything or present results because I wanted the discussion to stay on the abstraction level, what survives costs and what doesn’t. If anything, the takeaway for me was the same one you mentioned: no single indicator is tradable, and stacking signals often cancels edge instead of amplifying it. That realization is what pushed me away from VWAP-as-entry in the first place. tht333 •1d ago I did what you're doing for a full year. Crypto, only perpetual futures. If you tell me that you found a decent strategy based on whatever indicators, one that is actually tradeable live, I won't believe you. If you tell me that you built a strategy based on pure momentum, I might listen. Tasty_Director_9553 OP•23h ago That’s a completely fair take and honestly, I don’t disagree. This whole VWAP reclaim exercise is what pushed me away from indicator-driven execution in the first place. Once fees and slippage are real, anything that relies on small mean reversion just collapses. Where I landed is very similar to what you’re describing: momentum / expansion is the only thing that consistently pays, and everything else (VWAP, EMAs, etc.) is just regime context to keep you from fighting the tape. If I said “I found a VWAP strategy that prints,” I wouldn’t believe me either. The only things that have survived testing for me are momentum-based ideas with real range expansion, VWAP just helps decide which side of the market you’re allowed to be on. Need a lot more data to give any real feedback. Consider incorporate, risk-reward, profit factor, max drawdown, sharpe ratio as minimum into your analysis. Setting that aside 55% win rate is not something I'd consider using esp for scalping, it'll never be profitable, ever. Tasty_Director_9553 OP•5d ago Fair point, I agree that without enough samples and proper metrics, it’s all just noise. I’m not using win rate as a decision metric here (and definitely not targeting a specific one), especially for breakout-style systems where low win rate can still be viable with the right distribution. The current focus is identifying where expectancy leaks first, fees, trade duration, or exit logic, before scaling sample size and evaluating PF, drawdown, and stability metrics. This iteration is more about narrowing the problem than declaring anything tradable yet. OkSadMathematician •9d ago Classic issue: win rate means nothing without risk/reward ratio. You could have 90% win rate and still blow up. Quick math: with 55% win rate and negative PnL, your avg loss > avg win. Calculate your profit factor: (sum of wins) / (sum of losses). If it's < 1.0, you're losing more on losers than making on winners. First things to check: Spread/commission eating you alive? Scalping is brutal if you're paying 0.1% per side - that's 0.2% round trip. Even small spreads kill scalping strategies. Slippage on exits? Market orders on thin books = you're donating to market makers. Are your winners too small? If you're taking profit at 0.5% but letting losers run to -1%, the math doesn't work even with 55% win rate. Run this: plot histogram of your win/loss sizes. I bet you'll see fat left tail (big losers) and thin right tail (small winners). That's the smoking gun. Tasty_Director_9553 OP•9d ago This is super helpful, thanks. Agreed, negative PnL with a >50% win rate almost always points to avg loss > avg win. I haven’t explicitly looked at profit factor yet, but that’s an obvious next step. Fees/spread are definitely a concern here (low-TF, frequent exits), and exit slippage is something I suspect more than entry slippage. Plotting the win/loss distribution is a good call, if there’s a fat left tail with capped winners, that basically answers the question. When you see that pattern, do you usually start by tightening max loss, or by letting winners breathe more? OkSadMathematician •9d ago It really depends on the specific characteristics of your strategy. If you're seeing a fat left tail (big losses) with capped winners, I'd start by examining WHY winners are capped first - is it your take-profit logic, or are you exiting too early due to noise? Tightening max loss can help, but only if your current stops are genuinely too wide relative to the signal quality. If stops are already tight and you're getting stopped out by noise, tightening them further will just increase your loss rate. I usually prefer to let winners breathe more first, because: (1) it's often easier to identify when you're cutting winners too early, and (2) it directly attacks the core problem (avg win < avg loss). But this assumes your entry signal has genuine edge. Have you looked at what happens if you simply remove your take-profit and let a trailing stop do the work? That can reveal if you're leaving money on the table. Tasty_Director_9553 OP•9d ago This is great, thanks for the detailed breakdown. The point about diagnosing why winners are capped before touching max loss really resonates. In this case TP logic and early exits due to noise are both suspects. I haven’t yet tested removing the fixed TP and letting a trailing stop handle exits, but that’s a clean experiment and should make it obvious whether winners are being cut prematurely. Appreciate the insight, this gives me a clear next step to test. yldf •9d ago Top 1% Commenter First, you realise that win rate doesn’t matter. Secondly, what’s your idea? "scalping“ isn’t a strategy. Tasty_Director_9553 OP•9d ago Yep agreed, win rate by itself is meaningless. And fair call on wording. By “scalping” I mean a rule-based, short-horizon mean-reversion / reclaim-style setup on low timeframes, not just “trade a lot on small candles.” I intentionally kept the post high-level because I’m less worried about entries right now and more about where expectancy typically leaks in these kinds of systems, exits, fee sensitivity, or trade selection. When you’re evaluating a short-horizon strategy like that, what’s the first place you usually see things break? SaltMaker23 •9d ago Top 1% Commenter A nice exercice to gauge entry quality is to fix the exit: exit all trades after N bars [ and optionally relatively generous take profit and stop loss at maybe 1 or 2 sigma] Testing an entry strategy means that it should work under the dumbest simplest exit strategy, if it doesn't, it wasn't a good entry; a good entry is good on average. Use the same reasoning to guauge an exit strategy, random entries and the exit strategy should still be able to perform. Then once you combine a good entry and good exit, you have a solid base to work with, "relatively safe" from overfitting. Tasty_Director_9553 OP•9d ago That’s a really clean way to frame it, appreciate this. Fixing the exit to isolate entry quality makes a lot of sense, especially using a simple time-based exit or wide sigma-based bounds. If the entry doesn’t show positive expectancy under a dumb, mechanical exit, then there’s no point tuning exits on top of it. I’ll add this as a baseline test before iterating further on exit logic. Thanks for the perspective. faot231184 •6d ago What we see here is a positive step towards maturity: ceasing to chase late confirmations and starting to reduce frequency to protect the edge. Removing the RSI makes perfect sense, because on the 15-minute timeframe it wasn't filtering context, only delaying entries and allowing chop disguised as momentum to pass through. A breakout + first clean retest + risk based on ATR is a healthy foundation. That said, the system still relies too heavily on the signal and too little on the state of the market. The problem of false breakouts isn't solved with more entry rules, but with knowing when not to allow breakouts. In compressed ranges or periods of low volatility expansion, even "pretty" retests are often simply liquidity sweeps. What works best without killing valid breakouts is filtering by regime: requiring real expansion (for example, a minimum ATR shift from the previous range) and a simple HTF context that justifies the breakout. The same setup has a completely different expectation depending on whether it occurs in expansion versus compression. In short: fewer confirmations, more context. Don't ask "Is the signal valid?", but rather "Does this market allow breakouts?". That's the difference between reducing noise and destroying edge. Tasty_Director_9553 OP•5d ago This is an excellent way to frame it, especially the distinction between signal validity and market permission. I agree that adding more entry rules just shifts noise around. What I’m trying to isolate first is how much damage pure frequency + fees are doing before introducing regime awareness, so I can see the delta clearly. The idea of filtering by expansion vs compression (e.g. minimum ATR regime shift from the prior range) resonates a lot, that feels like context, not confirmation. I’m deliberately keeping this version “dumb but slow” before layering regime logic, otherwise it’s too easy to hide where expectancy is actually leaking. Really appreciate this perspective, fewer confirmations, more context is a great way to put it. ScanSimplyAI •8d ago Most breakout strategies have a very thin edge. High trade frequency, false breakouts, slippage, and fees quickly overwhelm that edge, so what looks profitable pre-fees collapses after costs. Tasty_Director_9553 OP•8d ago Completely agree. That’s been my experience as well, the edge looks fine pre-fees, then disappears once you add realistic costs and execution. The main reason I’m still exploring this variant is to see whether reducing frequency and forcing structural confirmation can leave any usable signal at all. If it doesn’t survive that, I’m happy to conclude breakouts are mostly a volatility-harvesting illusion rather than a durable edge. Party-Lingonberry790 •8d ago I trade momentum break-outs. It is an autonomous trading platform that took 4-5 years to build. I find them very profitable. Tasty_Director_9553 OP•8d ago That makes sense, I’m not anti-momentum at all. In my case, the issue wasn’t that momentum breakouts don’t work, it was that my specific momentum filter (RSI 50) was too permissive on 15m, especially once fees were included. Curious what you rely on most in your momentum setups, is it volatility expansion, range compression, HTF alignment, or something else? I’m trying to understand which filters add selectivity rather than just more signals. onehedgeman •8d ago Breakouts trigger a lot, handle them with care, I don’t think filtering is best because it is inconsistent. Usually you need to trust it and swallow some loss on dips to cancel out - this is still less than the losses by fees if you balance your RR Tasty_Director_9553 OP•8d ago That’s a fair take, and I agree in principle, breakouts inherently need you to tolerate some noise and losers. The reason I’m experimenting with selectivity right now isn’t to eliminate losses, but to see whether I can shift where they occur (fewer trades, same RR) rather than rely purely on volume + expectancy. Especially on 15m, I found that fee drag from frequent attempts was hurting more than the occasional deeper pullback loss. I’m not convinced filtering is better yet, just trying to understand where the trade-off flips. Appreciate the perspective. https://preview.redd.it/xz3fui18fvbg1.png?width=612&format=png&auto=webp&s=f33619a328457b2ad77beb979585cc9fad214ab1 https://preview.redd.it/7p6uci18fvbg1.png?width=612&format=png&auto=webp&s=1324db06bcb85dfab1ebf39d1039205c66bad48e https://preview.redd.it/yi2m2o18fvbg1.png?width=612&format=png&auto=webp&s=386e9161722b51f8d782ec48ed5c9ca055d4b658 https://preview.redd.it/q3d2pj18fvbg1.png?width=530&format=png&auto=webp&s=8ab2164e5d4a2ed4f3838a62e6a2d673ef445c48 https://preview.redd.it/mdwtpl18fvbg1.png?width=612&format=png&auto=webp&s=2c194d3c2be72eed2d61ff0fb1c22f6f16cce9c9 https://preview.redd.it/2h501l18fvbg1.png?width=612&format=png&auto=webp&s=77983a535c8d7ca764cb069b26aa10e6b1193f1f https://preview.redd.it/w32qio18fvbg1.png?width=590&format=png&auto=webp&s=c53ed5f06aef179eae2f250eeed095c0ce23d238 https://preview.redd.it/kmzlgl18fvbg1.png?width=570&format=png&auto=webp&s=021f7f0e995694679682ee747669b2191ae9a419 https://preview.redd.it/rk43hn18fvbg1.png?width=612&format=png&auto=webp&s=61c6ccddebe4d44e43659799ea34069eb41445c9 https://preview.redd.it/04dnbm18fvbg1.png?width=612&format=png&auto=webp&s=b743c849f9fd9b698deb6dbe89e2fd3982e624c7 https://preview.redd.it/f0p80p18fvbg1.png?width=612&format=png&auto=webp&s=d1883245e65ab616b4e48d8257acdc65211cbe95 submitted by /u/pale-blue-dotter to r/algotrading [link] [comments]

TL;DR • Positioning is extreme: 61M shares short (30% of float) and 4–6 days to cover, with double-digit borrow fees and shallow borrow availability.  • Catalyst in hand: Puerto Rico signed a multi-year LNG contract (headline ~$4B) with NFE; terms include minimum volumes and pricing vs Henry Hub. Approval/implementation milestones are the near-term spark.  • Asymmetry: the stock is down ~85–90% YoY and heavily shorted; any credible progress on PR contracts, liquidity, or restructuring path can force chasing. Risks are very real (debt, delays, filings), but that’s exactly why positioning is crowded.  ⸻ My recent squeeze calls (fast receipts) • $OPEN (Opendoor): flagged when it was a “battleground” with ~24% float shorted; S3 squeeze score hit 100 before a massive run.  • $ASST (Strive / Asset Entities): rode the crypto-pivot/merger headlines; stock printed repeated face-rippers around those catalysts.  • $FNGR (FingerMotion): called out the parabolic setup; it ran triple-digits in bursts and was covered as a speculative squeeze by multiple outlets.  Point is: I’m not new to spotting crowded shorts + obvious catalysts. ⸻ What $NFE actually does (30 seconds) NFE builds and supplies LNG infrastructure/fuel for power and industrial users (terminals, shipping/FLNG, fuel supply). It’s been expanding in Puerto Rico/Latin America and sourcing LNG via offshore liquefaction.  ⸻ The squeeze setup 1) Positioning: shorts are heavy and expensive • Short interest: ~60.9M shares short. That’s ~30% of float by Nasdaq/Benzinga-calculated float and ~33–47% depending on source methodology. Days to cover ~4–6 on recent volume.  • Borrow stress: cost to borrow in the mid-teens to 20%+, and borrow availability thin at times. That’s the oxygen for a squeeze if volume spikes.  2) Structural: depressed tape, coiled spring • Tape: share price imploded ~85% YoY, pushing many funds into “press the loser” behavior. Mean-reversion + catalysts can force fast covering.  ⸻ The catalyst stack (what forces shorts to move) 1. Puerto Rico LNG contract • Reuters: PR signed an ~$4B, 7-year LNG deal (3-yr option) with volume floors (min 40 TBtu) and up to 75 TBtu at HH × 115% + $6.50/$7.95 sourcing from Altamira FLNG. Shares spiked 45% on the news. The Oversight Board (FOMB) approval and execution steps are the next mileposts.  • NFE’s own release frames it as a long-term arrangement supporting PR’s fuel switch away from fuel oil/diesel. Government statements highlight expected cost/emissions benefits.  2. Balance-sheet clarity & asset actions • NFE has been selling assets (e.g., Jamaica sale completed earlier this year) to streamline and reduce leverage. Any further deleveraging or refinancing clarity can de-risk the equity and squeeze hedged/convert-arb shorts.  3. Process/filings milestones • Earlier Nasdaq notice for delayed filings put pressure on the name. Timely filings/regained compliance (or a clear plan) removes an overhang and can be a cover-trigger.  Why this matters: High SI + elevated borrow + a binary-ish contracting/regulatory milestone is exactly the recipe that forced covers in $OPEN and other 2025 meme-basket runs. Goldman even flagged historic short-squeeze dynamics across retail-favored, heavily shorted names this year.  ⸻ Bear case (know it so you can beat it) • Leverage & losses: Long-term debt around ~$9B and recent segment weakness/losses—shorts argue dilution or restructuring risk.  • Regulatory/political risk in PR: FOMB scrutiny previously derailed a bigger proposal; timelines slip. Shorts think deals won’t stick or will be uneconomic.  • Restructuring chatter: Headlines about exploring UK scheme-of-arrangement routes spook holders; shorts bet that catalysts simply kick the can. (If a constructive scheme creates clarity, that can still rip the stock short-term.)  My take: These risks are precisely why positioning is crowded. If PR approvals progress and the company demonstrates a credible funding/operations path, borrow squeezes first—fundamental debates come later. ⸻ How I’m thinking about the trade (not advice) • Trigger focus: Watch for FOMB approvals/implementation steps, any 8-K/IR updates tying volumes/pricing to cash flow, and filings/compliance updates. Those are your “cover now” headlines.  • Tape tells: On catalyst headlines, I’m looking for high volume + borrow tightens + uptick rules, then follow-through on day 2–3 as DTC math bites. (We saw this movie with $OPEN and the 2025 meme basket.)  • Risk controls: This is high-vol, high-beta. Size like it can gap 20–40% against you overnight. ⸻ Sources (selected) • Short interest / DTC: Nasdaq & Benzinga short-interest tables; MarketBeat snapshot; FINVIZ.  • Borrow fees / availability: CompaniesMarketCap (IBKR feed); Fintel borrow page.  • PR contract: Reuters headline details; NFE IR; Puerto Rico government release.  • Financials / overhangs: Reuters Q1 loss note; Nasdaq notice coverage; NFE IR results page.  • Context on 2025 squeezes: Goldman/BI overview of 2025 squeeze dynamics; $OPEN battleground/squeeze score.  ⸻ Final word I’ve been early (and loud) on $ASST, $OPEN, $FNGR when shorts were asleep. $NFE has the same inhaled-helium pitch: crowded shorts, expensive borrow, and real near-term catalysts. Know the risks—but when headlines hit, shorts don’t have time to build a model. Not financial advice. Do your own DD and manage risk. submitted by /u/Original-Lawfulness6 to r/Shortsqueeze [link] [comments]

Full album of the build. This is a very long post that is many months in the making and my hope is that it will serve as a resource for anyone looking to build a sauna for themselves, who has never built anything of this scale before. Our sauna uses an electric heater and all instructions herein are based on the assumption that you are too. For context: I grew up using hand tools for random things, have done a bit (3-5 pieces) of self-taught fine woodworking (desk, bench, shelves, trays) but have never built a freestanding building or done any projects of this scale. I started in May 2025 and finished in September. I put in about 30 days of work, of which I had friends helping for 8, my partner helping for 20. Outline of this post Tools needed Steps Things I would have done differently Recommendations Tools needed Big tools: Corded miter saw, table saw, shopvac, tracksaw (I didn't have one, but I'd recommend one for the OSB), compressor (for the siding nailer). Nailguns: Dewalt battery powered Framing nailer, Dewalt battery powered trim nailer, dewalt pneumatic siding nailer (depending on the outside of your building). I didn't know anything about nail guns at the beginning of this proccess. TLDR, there are 4 types (that I know about) Framing, Brad, Finish, Siding. You will not need a brad nailer for this project Cordless (18v or equivalent) : drill, driver, jigsaw, oscillating tool, grinder, router (could maybe be skipped, esp if you're not mounting your own door). Have 3 batteries minimum Other: 12v stapler, 2-plane laser leveler, stinger stapler, speed square, try square, carpenter square, hand planer, hammer, prybar, small level, large level, tape measure, PPE (N95, headphones (the big ones are more convenient to pop in and out than foamies), gloves), tiling tools (if applicable), painting tools (if applicable) Steps and Resources: Design the building. I used Sketchup, it's free, relatively easy to learn how to use relative to other CAD software that I've tried) Put together a tools and supplies list and order your tools and supplies and track them all. Start building: Foundation, Frame, Rodent Proofing, OSB sheathing, Tyvek, Roof, Electric, Insulation, Vapor barrier + furring strips, Floors, Windows, Internal paneling, Siding, Doors, More electric, finishing touches Relax and enjoy 1. The Design Decide if you want to go with an electric or wood fired heater. All of my instructions center on an electric heater and I have no idea how things would differ if you created a woodfired sauna. I wanted an interior of 8ft x 8ft x 6ft. I didn't feel like I need it to be much bigger than that. I went with a 10kw Harvia Club. I like how the Club looks and for sizing, Harvia has a tool to help you chose the right size I used Sketchup to design the building, I'm sure you can do this non-digitally, but it's great to do it on a computer. Sketchup is basically a 3D drawing program that is pretty easy to learn. buy a mouse with a scroll wheel for $12 to best use it. In terms of designing the building, I decided to use 2x6 lumber instead of 2x4s. You can insulate the building way better. I plan to use this in the NE US in the winter primarily. The design phase should center around the location that you're putting the sauna, the view that you want it to have or not have, the ergonomics of the user (how they get into the sauna, how they sit in the sauna, etc), and of course, The Trumpkinian principles (see resources). To summarize most of Trumpkin: 1. Benches above the heater 2. Intake vent with backflow prevention above the heater; exhaust under the foot benches on the opposite side from the heater 3. Eight-foot high ceilings. He has some additional ergonomic info in there that it quite useful Studs go 16 inches apart center to center or 14.5 inches between them. I used California corners for framing, as you can have more well insulated corners See #3 on things I would have done differently if you're building your own door Design Resources: My sauna design on sketchup (note, I ended up extending the deck but did not update the design. All dimensions available here) My sauna design as an .skp file that you should be able to import into sketchup free to then edit for yourself How to frame windows and doors (also, read my window section) Trumpkin Notes on building a sauna Roofing pitch Backyard Build DIY Sauna Guide 2. Create a tools and supplies list. Order your tools and supplies. There are many questions you need to answer before ordering your supplies (answer for my sauna in parentheses). What type of insulation are you using (Rockwool R23 batt) How are you building your floor? (from bottom to top: 5/8 inch plywood, Durock, hydroban XP, Thinset, Tiles, grout) What flooring material will you use? (Slate tiles) Will you slope your floors towards a drain? (No) Will you have a drain (Yes) What type of water membrane will you use on your floor (Hydroban XP) What type of roofing material are you using (corrugated aluminum) What is the angle / pitch of your roof (see Design Resources) What type of window are you planning to install (an IGU) Are you building your own door or ordering one (built my own) What are you doing for lights (step lights behind the benches, IP68 waterproof LED strip + 40w 24V Driver and canless ceiling lights) I went through every wall (and ceiling and roof) and calculated the lumber that was needed for it, added that all together and added 10-15% on top (3 month Lowe's/HD return window!!) Tools / Supplies Resources My supply list. I gave up at some point and stopped adding to it, so it's not complete, sorry, but its a great start! 3. Building your sauna Learn to use tools properly and with scrap wood before working with anything precious or that would require ANOTHER trip to Home Depot / Lowe's. Measure twice, cut once. I wish I had followed my advice better. The Foundation I dug a huge rectangular hole manually with a shovel. It was on a hill, that made things worse. Use a tamper to flatten the earth. Fill with gravel 6 inches, tamp again. Place your foundation blocks--50113084--local--0--0&gclsrc=aw.ds&gadsource=1&gad_campaignid=21225273812&gbraid=0AAAAAD2B2W-TMQRTYJ60xCdF6oiDetzwb&gclid=CjwKCAjw-3GBhAYEiwAjh9fUI72fu5cBPUL-yeOOFhZKSbe1QpcqTlJZw5rLOxFhQ3Pr_KJK5i--xoCVvcQAvD_BwE) down in the correct locations, level them. A laser level came in extremely handy here and this task took a very long time. I used 4x4 wood as legs coming out of those foundation blocks and then Simpson Strong Ties to attach those to three 4x6 beams that the entire deck rested upon. The Frame Framing the building is a ton of fun and relatively easy. You go from not having a building to being like "holy shit, I just built something!" really quickly. Buy or rent a framing nailer, do not think twice on this. I used sketchup to print up a picture of each wall with all of their exact dimensions (see photo) to make this step seamless Putting the walls up and together was a bit challenging even with 4 people. I cannot imagine doing this alone. Find some friends to help out with this. Its also a great job for friends because they feel like they did something really impressive in less than an hour of work. The walls sit on top of 5/8 inch plywood, which sits on top of the deck under the footprint of the building. Installing roof beams involved something called a birds beak. Use a jigsaw to make them and a speed square to get the angles right. Its very not hard so don't stress. You'll also want to get hurricane ties and/or hurricane rafters for attaching roof beams Framing Resources: Youtube: How to birds mouth Rodent Proofing and installing OSB and Tyvek You need to cover the entire frame in OSB, I don't know why, but that's what people do, so you should do it too (structural, longevity, permeability probably). I would also recommend adding hardware cloth to make your building rodent proof. We used a circular saw to cut the OSB and it sucked. Buy a track saw. We installed the hardware cloth to rodent-proof the building after installing the OSB and we hugely regretted the order of doing that. I'm not sure how this could be done in the opposite order, but it should be. Maybe just wrap the frame in hardware cloth then attach the OSB? Next, wrap the building in Tyvek. If you like wrapping presents, you'll enjoy Tyvekking. You need tape and a stinger stapler (staples with a plastic cap so water doesn't intrude. Rodent Proofing and installing OSB and Tyvek Resources Tyvekking a building (I didn't use the pole thingy) Roofing: You need to install your plywood on top of roof beams. It was really hard to get the heavy pieces of plywood on top of the roof and we set up a pulley system on a nearby tree and almost had a Final Destination situation. Be careful here. Once your plywood is on top, you need to then put down a self adhering membrane before putting down your aluminum roof. The guys at the roofing store can probably help you out on which specific one to go with based on the roof that you buy. I bought mine from them as well as the screws required to attach the aluminum roof to the plywood. Electric At this point, we had an electrician come in and do an electric rough-in. I did not want to take the risk and do this myself. We had budgeted for it. It would be a shame if your sauna burned down because you wired something wrong, but it wasn't rocket science for sure. Some things to consider: If you're using the step lights that I used, they need to install into a gang box. A gang box needs to be attached to a 2x4or6 parallel to the floor, not a stud. Our electrician initially installed ours on a study, but if you do that, the lights will be facing left / right, not down towards the floor. If you want to evenly space them under your bench, you need to add blocking for the electrician. Make sure the gang box they use has an adjustable bracket, it will be necessary with the furring strips + paneling. If you're using an LED / driver combo, don't bury your driver in the wall, you may need to replace it one day. Ours is accessible from the outside of the building and can be seen above and to the left of the outside bench in one of the photos If using Harvia, the thermostat sensor needs to connect to the stainless steel box. I'd recommend shooting it outside and running it alongside the outside of the building. Mine is behind paneling and I can't imagine what will happen when we need to replace it. An electrician can extend the thermostat wire. It's standard thermostat wire I believe. Consider where you want your stainless steel power extension unit to be eventually installed You can use your Harvia Xenio to control your lights and fans or switches. I think its a good idea to hook up your xenio to your fan and not your lights, but take a bit of time to research this and make your own decision. If you connect it to your fan, it will make your dehumidifying cycle at the end of the session better so you don't need to return to the sauna building We put our Xenio controller outside the building in a weatherproof outlet box, it's supposed to be not in the sauna and not outdoors...do what you will here. It seems like people of the internet accept this as a solution I'd recommend thinking about light temperature / color (yellow vs blueness) and dimmability seemed pretty mandatory to me. I wanted ceiling lights in case I'm reading in the sauna. Our most used lights are LED strips behind the benches for ambiance , we also have floor so you don't trip / want it dark Insulation We used Rockwool R23 insulation. It seems to be what the internet generally recommends. A thing to consider is that they make this insulation for 2x4 and a different version for 2x6. Purchase accordingly. I used a serrated kitchen bread knife or 9 in. chefs to cut it and it worked great; the box cutter worked terribly. This stuff is supposed to be the best, but even as such, I wore long pants, sleeves, shoes, a hat, glasses and an N95. I'd recommend PPE'ing up for this. It was pretty itchy the few times it touched my skin. There are instructions on the box about the orientation of Rockwool (there are two different sides) and what to do where running electric wires and outlets, etc. I placed it in the ceiling as well and used insulation support in the ceiling to keep it there. Because of the way that I designed my sauna, the ceiling beams aren't all 16in c2c and that made installing the insulation a bit more challenging, but overall no big deal. Vapor Barrier: I used this vapor barrier from the Sauna Place, NOT RadiantGuard ultima, which this guy recommends on Reddit, because that product is breathable / perforated. I overlapped it 6 inches, stapled it to the studs, taped the seams with aluminum foil tape. It's a not mega enjoyable process because the material isn't easy to work with--you get better at it as you go though. Heat rises, so make sure the upper ones are tucked into the lower ones? That's my science, not sure it it's real. Corners suck, watch a few youtube videos. Try to have the vapor barrier go all the way down exactly to the floor. you can always trim it later--you can't untrim it. Cut holes anywhere that lights will go. You can always tape the holes up if they're big or sloppy, so don't mega stress it. I used an M12 Milwuakee electric stapler and it was way better than a standard stapler. Use stainless steel staples. Next, go ahead and install your furring strips to your studs and beams. Keep in mind that the furring strips will need to run perpendicular to your panels, so at this point, go ahead and decide which way you would like your panels to run on all of your walls. Make sure your furring strips go all the way to the corners of the room because when you do your paneling, the last panel may end up being extremely thin and you want to be sure to have something to attach it to. Vapor Barrier Resources: Youtube: Vapor barrier install Floors: The people of r/Sauna seem to have a lot to say on sauna floors. I'm not here to opine (well...see section below on "things I would have done differently"), I'm here to tell you what I did. I did a non-sloped, tile floor with a drain. I'll squeegee the floor when I'm done using my sauna. I'm sure a lot of people will have a lot of things to say about that, but I didn't want to do any of the stuff I saw people doing online to slant a floor--it all just seemed like too much work. At this point in the process, my floor is 5/8 plywood. Go ahead and cut and lay down 1/4 in Durock cement board and screw them down with the correct screws. you're not supposed to let 4 corners of cement board touch, you're supposed to offset them. Fibratape the boards together and use thinset between them. Run ~1 inch of durock around the inside perimeter of the building on the wall above the floor after that, where the floor meets the walls. Here, I used Hydroban XP (as recommended by the guy at the tile store) to provide a moisture barrier. I think it's similar to Mapei and Redguard but he said it's better. Who knows? It needs 2 layers I believe but instructions are on the container. Next, thinset, then tiles. For mixing thinset. If you have a plug-in drill, use that. Otherwise, make sure you have 1-2 full batteries ready to go. I can't imagine your battery running out and then having to dip both your hands into the thinset and having to finish the mixing manually with your hands. That would be a nightmare...good thing it didn't happen to me... Don't mix the whole bag of thinset. It'll dry out. Buy a 1/4 inch trowel and a bucket and a thinset mixing bit for your drill. If you haven't done tiles before, they can be a bit challenging to be precise with. Start in the back of the room and work your way towards the door so you don't trap yourself in the corner. We used Wellco tile leveling system and the x tile spacers. The leveling system was $30ish dollars (I believe caps and bottoms come separate, so just make sure before starting to tile). We used a grinder to cut the slate tiles with a stone cutting wheel on it. It worked very well, no issues. I didn't offset my tiles, I think it provides a more modern look. Align the most visible tile areas with the wall and let the cut tiles be hidden under the benches or behind the heater. Also, any place where the tiles hit the wall should in theory be covered by paneling. After thinset has dried, I used an oscillating tool or grinder (I can't remember!) to cut a square hole in the floor, followed by using a hole saw to insert a drain. I used a drain like this one and then removed the black plastic part and discarded that. After thinset has dried, go ahead and grout your tiles and drain. Window Next we did our window install. We purchased a 3x6ft IGU (insulated glass unit), that was about $630. It was 1/4 Clear Tempered glass over 1/4 Low-E Tempered glass with a 1" OA. Things that are important here are the 1 inch gap, but not the Low-E, it seems like that's not relevant for a sauna based on a bunch of research, but I'm sure some Redditor will disagree. IGUs are great because they're inexpensive (relatively), are well insulated (if requested), and can be cut to size to fit your building. Before installing the window and window frame, we flashed the window RO with stretchy flashing tape. Installing an IGU this big took quite a few (five) inexperienced people, though four would have definitely sufficed. We also fastened a piece of lumber diagonally across the outside of the building so the glass wouldn't fall out and break. We used window suction cups for the install, which I would definitely recommend borrowing from Lowe's/HD. Shim the window in place, break the shims, caulk the shit out of it, install window stoppers / trim (these pieces should be slanted so water rolls off of them), then relax because now you don't need to be worried about dropping and breaking $630. Some things to keep in mind: if your IGU is 36 inches x 72, your RO needs to be +1/4 inch on all sides + the size of lumber that you will use on your frame. So, if you're using 1x lumber as your window frame, the RO would need to be 36+1/4 (left gap)+1/4 (right gap)+.75 (left window frame)+.75(right window frame = 38 x 74. Internal paneling Internal paneling was fairly self explanatory. Some recommendations based on having done it: Start in a corner of one wall and work your way in one direction until the end of that wall. Leave a tiny gap (appx 1/4 inches) on the top and a 1/2 inch gap on the bottom As you approach the end, don't install the last two panels, one will be a full panel, and one will be a panel that you'll need to rip. When you rip that piece, rip it with your saw blade at ~10-15 degree angle and that way it will fit in more easily. Attach your last two pieces together then install them as a single, doublewide panel. The angled part should not be visible once the panels are installed. If the bottom of your paneling is on the ground, it will get wet, if it has a 1/2 inch gap, it allows for wiggle room to align them all better, and actually looks quite good. The top of the paneling doesn't need to be perfect at all, they will be covered by your ceiling panels later. This might be obvious, but tongue and groove panels are meant to be nailed on the tongue not the face, even if the tongue is in the center of the panel, just hit it diagonally. I was able to do the ceiling panels accurately enough that I didn't add trim in the corner, your mileage may vary. Lights will be a consideration as you go. I was able to clamp 2 panels together on a workbench and use a hole saw to drill a hole into them for the lights and then install them. Siding Siding was pretty easy and self explanatory. I used a Dewalt pneumatic 15 degree coil siding nailer. It got a bit tricky once I got to the top of the building where I was cutting siding at an angle. I'm sure there's an easier way to measure angles than what I did, but I measured the rise and the run of each panel and cut them with a jigsaw into a trapezoid. I made mitered corners for the front of the building and butt joints for the rear, where the corners wouldn't be visible. It's shockingly hard to line up miters well, it turns out. Siding near the door didn't need to be perfect, they can be a bit short, because the door trim covered it. The Door It was really important to me that my door was insulated and I didn't want a window in my door because of the location that my door faced and the setup of the sauna. I viewed it as a waste of heat. The door and frame caused me a lot of stress. It was the only thing I felt completely unsure of how to do and ultimately it was fine. I built a door out of 2x6, added a cedar 1x trim to it on 4 sides, internal paneling on the inside, external paneling on the outside, insulation and Tyvek in the middle. A thing to keep in mind, viewing a door from the top, they are not rectangles, they are irregular trapezoids. The strike side of the door is angled at about 5 degrees so that when they open, it doesn't hit the door jamb. Sauna doors online are about $2k, and I just had a lot of different ways I would rather have spent that money. I don't have the final cost on my door, but it was pretty damn cheap. The clear cedar for the frame was the most expensive part, the rest of the wood, insulation, Tyvek, etc. was sitting around already. Hinges were $120 for four. I used nails and pocket screws to attach the 2x6s together. Nothing was perfectly square, but at the end of the process, I just planed the door down with a hand planer and a router. I made the door jamb as plumb as possible, but nothing on the sauna was perfectly plumb. I installed 4 hinges on the door using an old, not very sharp chisel (6/10 do not recommend). I used four stainless steel, square corner, 5 inch hinges. I used a pencil to transfer the hinge location to the door jamb and 2 airbags lifting tools aka airshims to lift the door. It was a 1-person job. I used a router that I bought that morning to mortise the hinges on the jamb (10/10 recommend) and the chisel to clean the corners. Attaching the door to the frame was quite easy. After installing the door, I had to remove a little wood from the door using the router so it closed without rubbing. I then also added door stops on the latch side and on the top. I added a magnetic door latch to keep the door closed. I made my own door handles, the ones online are all old fashioned looking. See #3 on things I would have done differently / mistakes I made section below. More Electric At this point I had the electrician come again to hook up the heater and the lights. The heater seemed less than easy to install FYI if you're doing it yourself. The back of the building has 1. a breaker box 2. the Harvia stainless steel power extension box Finishing touches I built a box to waterproof the Harvia SS power extension box and another one to waterproof the fan on the front of the building. I added a grill onto that. I added hooks, built a bench outside, built the giant block for the inside because my benches are hella high and I didn't want a ladder. I added 1x pine siding to the top and sides of my deck and stained it to protect it. Future: Fence guard around the heater Soffits for the roof Some things I would have done differently / mistakes I made I did rodent-proofing with wire mesh after installing OSB. Big mistake, it took way longer and made the process terrible. You should rodent-proof before OSB. I made my own door because doors online were very expensive. the door wasn't mega hard, but it caused a lot of stress in advance. If you have the budget, buy a door. otherwise, don't stress over it, buy a router and a chisel and you can do it **My door jamb was 8 inch wide lumber. My jack stud in the framing was 6 inch wide lumber. My door jamb was not mega well attached to the jack stud because of shimming. This posed an issue when I was attaching hinges to the door jamb, I was afraid the jamb wouldn't be able to hold the weight of my mega heavy door. I'd recommend either 1. using an 8-inch jack study so the hinge screws can go right into the jack stud. 2. using a thicker piece of wood for the door jamb (I used a one-by)** Maybe hire someone to do the foundation for you? I dug it all myself and we transported 3k pounds of gravel 100+ feet. Would not recommend. I ordered someone's recommended vapor barrier that I had seen on reddit, installed it, then realized it had perforation in it and ripped it down, ordered a new one, then did it again. That sucked. Fuck RadiantGuard Ultima I used TnG panels on my benches. I imagine I'll have to replace them way sooner now than if I had made benches that has slats and gaps. I forgot to add the window frame lumber to my window RO calculations so I didn't have enough room for window frames. I laid a thin sheet of flashing directly on the RO 2x6 (window flashing in between), placed the IGU on top of that sheet, then put window stops directly on top of that. I didn't slope our floors. We've had a few sauna sessions, one of them involving 6 or 7 people getting beat by a sauna whisk, a ceremony that involves a lot of water. The floor was soaked afterwards and squeegeeing so much water on a non-sloped floor really sucked. After most normal sessions, however, the squeegee cleanup has felt very reasonable. Reddit, let me know what I did "wrong" so I can make 100 more fixes and additions. JK, please don't tell me your opinion on what you think my sauna needs.

Been following this case for a year. IMO, people think too much, that it’s “either this” “or that” happened in this case, while several things may have been true at the same time. There might be a simpler explanation that ties in everything. People think a loving mom can’t kill their child but the fact is it happens so often that in almost 70% of cases of child homicides, mums are the culprits (stronger affinity and emotions also equals to more altercations). She could’ve been loving in public yet very abusive when no one was watching. It’s possible there was an altercation after everyone went to bed or around 10 pm and she snapped and hit JonBenet. She may have been tired, stressed, drugged or all three. It’s possible she didn’t realise the extent of how hard she hit JonBenet and came back later to find her dead/ unresponsive at around 11 pm or 12 am. At this stage she knew she’d be in a lot of trouble, not only with law but also with John who could take away almost everything from her. Now she had a choice - call the ambulance and lose her freedom, money, status, years of appearances she’d built, lose John and possibly even her son OR she could try to save JonBenet. In her mind, JonBenet was almost gone or already gone. If Patsy succeeded in saving her she didn’t know what JonBenet’s future would look like. She could be in a vegetative state or crippled or mentally unstable for life. She could need endless care. I know it’s hard to understand, but for narcissistic parents, children are just extensions of self, and they don’t matter beyond self. When it comes to self preservation or saving their child the narcissistic parent will always save themselves. She then spent sometime - perhaps an hour or two likely panicking, thinking and coming up with a plan. It was around 1 or 2 am at this time. She tied the garrotte, her hands, taped her mouth, cleaned her, put on any clean underwear she could find, and maybe couldn’t go through with putting on the Barbie night gown because maybe she was emotional or mortis had set in. She then removed traces of fingerprints and discarded other clues there may have been around. By this time it was around 3 am. She then spent 30 minutes writing that atrocious letter designed to fool John, get him out of the house asap or perhaps go out of the house herself asap after pretending to find the letter. I believe her plan was to volunteer to go with an adequate size attaché and return with the money in a brown paper bag. Needless to say JonBenet would be in the attaché when she left. In her Hollywood-inspired mind this was perfect because nobody would then suspect if JonBenet’s body showed up somewhere several days later in that very attaché. I don’t think she’d thought of beyond getting the body out and hidden. However what she didn’t expect was that John would ask her to call the police immediately. It’s also possible that while patsy was writing the letter or before when she lay there unresponsive, Burke found JonBenet. Burke did admit going down to the basement at around midnight when everyone was asleep (this clip was later completely removed from everywhere). He may have tried to prod her with the train tracks and then ran to his mom, leaving his boot prints behind. Kids can do strange things when they are scared. His mom told him to stay quiet, never to tell a soul and stay in his bed until he was told otherwise. This would also explain his strange behaviour and staying put. It’s also possible he saw the whole thing happen and was threatened to stay quiet. I believe John was oblivious to the whole thing at first - and slept through everything on his melatonin tablet. Meanwhile Patsy realised to her horror that rigor mortis had set in on JonBenet and she couldn’t or wouldn’t fit in the attaché she had in mind. She had to think of something new. Or perhaps she decided it was too risky and impractical a plan and abandoned it. She had already tied her hands, fastened the garrotte (which was now embedded due to oedema or mortis). She had cleaned JonBenet and redressed her and even thought of putting on the Barbie gown because according to Patsy, even in death, JonBenet had to look pretty. Or perhaps she was too emotional and couldn’t go through with attaché and redressing in the gown plan, so she did only what was necessary. As soon as she heard John stir, Patsy, keen on keeping up with her facade, ran to him and pretended to have found the note. However, as I said earlier she didn’t expect him to ask her to call the police. When he asked her to do the most logical thing anyone should do under these circumstances, she couldn’t argue. For John the situation seemed as described at first. He thought someone broke in and took his daughter. But there was a nagging seed of doubt in his mind that was growing by the minute. The handwriting in the note seemed familiar. When he walked around and checked in the house and Burke not a lot seemed amiss. There seemed no point of entry, no footprints, no doors ajar. Only a hysterical wife, a kid who won’t leave his room and a missing child. When the police arrived, John fully cooperated giving them everything they asked for at first. But the tiny seed of doubt had now become a tree in his mind. He was doing his own investigation on the side. He went through the mailbox, found some letters to look for any returned letters for patsy’s handwriting samples. The thought that his seemingly perfect wife could kill their own child didn’t make sense to him, yet his mind spoke otherwise. He probably found a handwriting sample somewhere and came to the horrible realisation. This would explain the restlessness, and even the distance that Linda Arndt described. He knew his wife to some extent. He knew that Patsy’s go to hiding place is the ‘wine cellar’. That’s why when he was told to go look around the house from top to bottom by the police he made a beeline to the wine cellar. His worst fears had been confirmed. As to why he kept quiet, I have a few theories. John isn’t the most noblest of people unlike he portrays himself. He cheated on his wife of 12 years, he married someone significantly younger and had a mistress (Gloria something). People even forget that he was a cold, calculating businessman and a CEO. He must’ve had very strong reasons to stick by his wife even though he partly or fully suspected her. It’s possible that he may have actually been SAing JonBenet and Patsy knew. He was afraid it’ll come out if Patsy was arrested. It’s possible he was doing something else that was illegal or immoral and Patsy knew. As stated in the podcast, it’s possible John just worried about losing his wife, the mother of his son, his name and legacy and decided against speaking up. In his mind Patsy had been through a lot and he may have thought of himself as partly responsible - since he was alway a lot and left Patsy to deal with home and children even through the cancer ordeal. It’s also possible John gave Patsy the benefit of doubt and continues to live in denial to this day - which would explain his ongoing fight for ‘justice’. In his mind he thinks that until someone conclusively and undoubtedly proves that Patsy was responsible he wouldn’t believe it. However he also thought he needs to protect her. He knew that cancer could return and she likely wouldn’t live long. In his mind, there was no point making her suffer for a moment of weakness/ misjudgment. It wouldn’t bring his daughter back. I believe John Ramsey has made home of the belief there was an intruder. I think he finds this thought comforting than to face the reality. I believe his claims that he hasn’t spoken to Burke or Patsy about it. He has likely told Burke something like, “look, it doesn’t matter what happened. I needn’t know. It won’t bring your sister back. All we now need to do is protect our family legacy for your children”. This would explain why Burke keeps quiet - that is if he knows anything at all. However I do think John craves to know why. Why Patsy did it. He has said this in several interviews that he’d want to know why (where he also talks about forgiving the culprit). However the truth is this ‘creature’ in his mind. This diabolical, evil ‘creature’ that he can’t reconcile with his beautiful, perfect wife. submitted by /u/One-Chicken6343 to r/JonBenetRamsey [link] [comments]

This dress is a fully finished and wearable proof of concept/mockup for an event dress I'm planning. The skirt pattern is a basic half circle skirt I drafted using Mood's circle skirt calculator. The bodice is New Look N6718 where I removed the faux button placket and modified the front and back necklines. For fit modifications, I did a small bust adjustment, a hollow chest adjustment, a broad back adjustment, and added ease at the waist. I chose a stash fabric for this project: a mystery upholstery fabric I bought ~10 years ago. After prewashing and cutting out the fabric, I decided to perform a burn test, as I felt that the fabric was far softer and nicer than I originally thought. The burn test showed no thermoplastics and I guessed it was likely at least partially linen. I reversed image searched a picture I took of the fabric, and along with the branding printed on the selvedge. I discovered it's a 55% linen 45% rayon blend made by P Kaufmann in a Jacobean floral print. Once I found out the fabric was actually a quality linen blend, I decided to commit to fully finishing the dress using the techniques I was planning for my final version. So this dress became a full practice run for my event dress. The lining fabric is a stash Kona quilting cotton. Notions were a heavy duty invisible zipper from Wawak, cotton all purpose thread for the visible topstitching/hemming stitches, and matching bias tape I made from the lining fabric. I'm most proud of my finishing techniques on the dress. I used a Hong Kong seam finish on the unlined skirt, hand finished the bias bound hem using herringbone stitches, and pulled off one of my cleanest invisible zipper installations and bodice linings to date. I also chose to topstitch down all of my seam allowances to improve longevity, and so I can more easily machine wash and wear the final dress. Overall, I'm really pleased with the look and fit of the dress, and am ready to proceed with my final garment. submitted by /u/insincere_platitudes to r/sewing [link] [comments]

LEGAL DISCLAIMER: This guide is intended for educational purposes only. I am not responsible for bricked devices, dead drives, thermonuclear war, or you getting fired because the alarm app failed. Please research if you have any concerns about carrying out anything mentioned here, particularly legal concerns. YOU are choosing to go ahead, and if you point the finger at me for messing up your device/data, I will laugh at you. Check your local (by)laws before starting. This post serves as a brief introduction to various aspects of P2P file sharing (especially with regards to movies). As someone with years of experience in P2P file sharing and unofficial film restoration, I hope that I will be of some help! English is not my first language, so I apologise for any strange wording. Movie RELease Formats Pre-Release: Workprint (WP): A leaked, unfinished cut of a film. Usually rough editing, placeholder effects, and original production sound are present (if applicable); often lacking opening titles and complete color grading. Used to be generated on non-linear digital editing systems using telecined footage from the original film reels. Screener (SCR): A pre-release DVD/BD (Blu-Ray Disc) that is sent to movie reviewers and executives. It has a watermark/message overlayed that indicates the preview nature of the disc. Some scenes are sometimes displayed in B&W (black and white). Theatre-Capture Formats CAMRip: Usually recorded in the movie theatre itself using a camcorder or phone. You can anticipate camera shakes, background noise from the audience, and poor framing. The audio is simply captured from the camera/phone's built-in microphone. Expect the crinkling of candy wrappers along the film's slightly-delayed soundtrack XD. Might be your only option if it is a film that has only just been released. HDCAM: A theatre-capture source that has been 'touched up' a little using enhancement software (video and/or audio). TS (PDVD): TS stands for TeleSync. It is essentially a CAMRip but with a mounted camera; on a tripod on the cinema aisle, or in the projection booth. The audio is captured directly from the sound output (for instance, via an FM assistive-listening feed). Expect a steadier image and actually synchronized sound. Web-Based Rips: WEBRip: This is ripped from a DRM streaming service (like Netflix, Prime, etc), then re-encoded - expect noticeable compression artifacts. WEB-DL: A direct (lossless) download of the video & audio streams - usually remuxed into an MKV container. Broadcast Rips: TVRip: Captured from an analog capture card. SATRip: A digital Rip captured from a non-SD source (like satellite). PDTV (Pure Digital TV): An SD TVRip captured via digital methods from the original stream (not HDMI or other decoded output). HDTV: Captured source from an HD TV, can surpass DVD quality. Network logos and adverts are visible (unless edited out). VHSRips: Captured from the analog VHS tape format and converted to a digital format. Expect a soft image riddled with artifacts (tracking lines, color bleeding...) and audio hiss. May be your only choice for certain old niche/obscure films or downright unpopular films that never got rescanned for a DVD/Blu-Ray release. DVD-Based Rips: DVDRip: A re-encoded rip of a retail DVD (480p, 576p) DVD-R: A complete copy of the DVD, including the menus and extras. Max 4.4GB for DVD5 and 8GB for DVD9. Telecine (TC): Essentially a film print capture from the analog reel to a digital format. The quality is comparable to that of a DVD (as it follows the same process to digitize film to DVD), but there are often frame instability and color issues. Blu-Ray Based Rips: Blu-rays essentially (with very few exceptions) offer the best experience for home viewing. They support HDR and 4K resolution, though even SDR 1080p discs are miles ahead of DVDs. Rips start from m-720p (2GB) up to 4K (can go beyond 100GB). A Blu-Ray rip of the same size as the respective DVD rip will usually look better due to better source material for the encoder to work with. BDRip: A re-encoded rip from a retail Blu-Ray disc. BRRip: A re-encoded BDRip. Remux: No compression from the BD in terms of video or audio, 1:1. Raw/Uncompressed video from master files is too large for home and theatre use and must be compressed. Video codecs essentially govern how this raw video is compressed and decompressed (quality, size, and compatibility are important factors for us to look at). H264 - aka AVC (Advanced Video Codec) - is a highly ubiquitous codec and can provide decent quality @ low bitrates; it is excellent in terms of compatibility. H.265 - aka HEVC (High-Efficiency Video Coding) - improves compression efficiency by up to 50% over H264, but at the cost of compatibility. It is a popular choice for UHD (4K) RELeases. H.266 - aka VVC (Versatile Video Coding) - is the next-gen MPEG codec and is promising up to 50% bitrate savings for the same quality over H265; this is currently unpopular with limited compatibility and significantly longer encode times. The AV1 codec offers around 30% better compression for the same quality in H265 and is more popular than H.266; encoding & decoding require significantly more hardware resources. FFV1 is a 'truly' lossless codec and is not intended for playback; it is useful when you want to export a version of your video file to pass into another program - very large file sizes. If you are handling an image sequence from a film scan, you will be working with formats like DPX, TIFF, and MotionJPEG - but this is beyond the scope of this post. It is worth noting that codecs can have limitations in terms of resolution and framerate; this differs between the levels of a codec. For example, H.264 level 4.0 can play 1920x1080 @ 30fps with a bitrate of 20mbps. If you want to maximize compatibility, go for the lowest level that supports your three components (resolution, framerate, and bitrate). Containers are what you may be more familiar with. Essentially, a video container is a file format that can hold one or more of the following: Video, audio, subtitle streams - plus (potentially): metadata, chapters, menus, attachments (like posters, fonts)... Containers vary in their compatibility and feature sets. The Matroska format (.mkv, .mka, .mks) is extremely popular for RELeases and is a free/open format; it supports unlimited streams, chapters, and attachments and has great error recovery. The MP4 format is the most well-known format and is an almost universally supported container for both web and hardware devices; more flexible/compatible, but lacks features like multiple audio tracks and lossless compression. You may see some old RELeases using an AVI container, this is practically deprecated at this time (though certainly still viable); AVI does not have great modern-day codec support, does not support subtitles, and has poor error resilience - it is, however, great for legacy support. You may also encounter the QuickTime format (.mov), which is the direct ancestor of MP4, and lies between AVI and MP4 in terms of features - it is more ubiquitous on Apple platforms, it is great for non-destructive editing due to the nature of how it stores tracks. The MPEG Transport Stream (.ts, .m2ts) is what you'll often find for BD Remuxes - BDs feature duplicate data on the disc, ensuring data integrity in the case of scratches, this also transfers to the new m2ts container when remuxed. You may see that your file size has shrunk when copying from an m2ts to an mkv container, this is nothing to worry about, this is just that duplicate data being removed. In regards to audio, there are a number of things to consider: Channel layouts: Your audio track is mixed into discrete channels, which are intended for a different speaker/subwoofer. Generally: The more channels, the more immersive the experience is (with a tradeoff in size!). For example, a tag of "2.0" indicates left & right stereo channels (for headphones and basic monitor/TV audio); a tag of "2.1" is stereo + subwoofer (where that bass kick comes from); a tag of "5.1" is for your standard home cinema w/ surround sound, "7.1" includes rear surrounds. With 9.1(+), you get Dolby Atmos/DTS:X, which makes it feel as though individual sounds are objects positioned in 3D space (for instance, a helicopter noise would be coming from your front height speakers, to make it feel as though it is actually above you). Audio streams are also encoded. One of the most common lossy (lost detail to lower file size) codecs is the AAC (Advanced Audio Codec), with excellent compatibility and small files, though note that you may experience noticeable artifacts at low bitrates. AC-3 (tagged as DD5.1) is a standard codec for DVDs/BDs and is limited to 5.1 channels (surround). DTS features higher bitrates than AC-3 and you are unlikely to encounter it on WEBRips. Opus is considered a 'best of both worlds' codec, with great quality retention at low bitrates for stereo & surround. FLAC (MKA) is a lossless codec, expect large sizes (one to two GB for a two-hour movie) - it is license-free, but has relatively low hardware support; ALAC is essentially the same thing, but for the Apple ecosystem, with fewer resources available. TrueHD is another lossless codec that can reach up to 4GB for BDs, up to 7.1 + Atmos. Note that Atmos/DTS will fall back to their 5.1/7.1 core on unsupported setups. Bitrate: I'm not going to be specific here, as acceptable audio quality is an extremely subjective matter. However, I would not recommend anything lower than 128kbps for stereo audio encoded with the AAC/OPUS. As a rule of thumb: You should double your bitrate for each additional channel beyond stereo to maintain similar per-channel quality. 'Warez' groups, specifically release groups, obtain a copy of a movie and prepare it for distribution. Each group has its style, with varying levels of skill. In the risk of making people angry for misrepresenting/missing their favorite group(s), please note that I will be brief about this matter. Usually, what differs between groups (and what gives them their signature 'style') is specific/consistent encoding settings (you know what to expect in terms of bitrate, codec, CRF, and file size) and skill (color accuracy, amount of artifacts, audio/subtitle sync). One of the 'OG' groups is YIFY (their kingdom was the early 2010s), with 720p web-optimized MP4s and extremely low file sizes; they are only really acceptable for watching on a phone these days after our eyes have been spoiled by UHD HDR Remuxes! A more contemporary example of a group would be Tigole, with very balanced HEVC encodes in 1080p. For a decent HEVC encode of a two-hour 1080p movie, aim for at least 4GB at minimum, I would recommend 6GB- a 1080p remux can range from 15-30 GB in size. Standard RELease structure: A.Movie.YYYY.RES.XXX.RIPType.AUDIO.CODEC-GROUP.CONTAINER The space for "RES" represents the resolution and whether it is interlaced (i) or progressive (p). "XXX" represents the Network abbreviation (if applicable). Additional tags that you may see: HDR(10(+)): High Dynamic Range REPACK: A re-release of a file, after expunging errors. PROPER: Replaces flawed version by another RELease group. UNCUT: Self-explanatory. EXTENDED: Additional footage not present in the theatrical release included. MULTI: Multiple audio tracks (for different languages) DUBBED: Audio replaced with that of a different language READNFO: NFO file contains additional information about the RELease. 3D/HSBS/HOU/MVC: "3D" is the general 3D video indicator. "HSBS" is Half Side-by-Side, "HOU" is Half Over-Under, and "MVC" is Multiview Video Coding used in Blu-ray 3D. DIRECTORS.CUT: Can differ significantly in length and style from the theatrical version. REMASTERED: Digital enhancement/restoration for the image / audio cleanup/repair STV: "Straight to Video", for a film released directly to home video. Know your terminology! Compression artifacts: The tradeoff for reducing your file size with a lossy codec, the severity will vary with the aggressiveness of the encode. These include: Blockiness, blurring, color bleeding, banding (especially in dark scenes), ghosting, and glitches. CBR/VBR: (Constant/Variable) Bitrate. With a constant bitrate encode, the bitrate will remain the same for all shots. With a variable bitrate, it will vary depending on the nature/complexity of the scene. DCP: Stands for "Digital Cinema Package". This is the next step above Blu-Ray quality. Though, IIRC, only two movies have been cracked. The DCP is the standard format for the distribution of films in digital cinemas, it serves as the equivalent of 35mm film prints. There's no use elaborating further, but the fact that the DCPRip of 'Apocalypse Now' is 200GB @ 2K resolution should give you a good idea about its nature. DCPs themselves are compressed from the master files. Progressive/Interlaced: A progressive scan displays each film sequentially (standard today), from top to bottom. Interlaced material, often arising from DVDRips, splits each frame into fields (lines) that are displayed separately in an alternating manner (best to see a visualization) - this can lead to motion blur, flickering and low clarity; it requires less bandwidth and was popular for broadcast television and old video formats. https://preview.redd.it/ubcry9v4fi2f1.jpg?width=529&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6300d2f1181930ae21146cd9db1b0f4425b2ccd5 Remux: In this context, a remux simply refers to the process of copying video/audio streams from one container to another, without re-encoding (no alteration to quality). Muxing is the process of combing streams into one file. (S/H)DR: HDR provides a more vibrant/realistic image via a wider range of colors (dependent on bit depth), contrast, and brightness than SDR. Note that you need a display that supports HDR to watch HDR content or your image will look washed out. Bit depth: This is quite a technical topic, so I will just translate all of that into what you need to know. The higher your bitdepth, the more shades of RBG you can access, meaning more colors and smoother graduation. The most common bitdepth is 8-bit (around 17M colors), content marked as 10-bit has over 1B colors accessible. HC Subs: Hardcoded subs are subtitles that are intrinsically part of the video itself (not as a separate hot-swappable SRT file). Grain: Natural grain structure occurs with physical film due to the microscopic halide crystals on the film emulsion - providing a granular effect. Directors used to choose film stock with their desired level of grain; movies-on-film were dominant until digital cinematography took over in the 2010s, some directors (looking at you, Nolan) still use physical film. Nowadays, in the digital world, grain is a stylistic/aesthetic choice. Grain provides texture to the image making it feel more like a film and can conceal minor focus/exposure flaws. Pirate newcomers are often surprised that remuxes contain grain, with the assumption that it produces a worse image - usually grain is one of the first things to be affected by compression. Before/After Grain Reduction: https://pixeldrain.com/l/TV9ftseQ# Bitrate: The amount of data being transmitted per unit time. This is a more reliable method of quantifying video quality compared to resolution. A 1080p movie with a higher bitrate than the same movie in 4K with a lower bitrate will generally look better. Resolution: Reference to the number of pixels in the image. A higher resolution means that more visual detail can be captured (higher clarity), but isn't necessarily going to be taking that to its full advantage if the shot is out of focus. 2K refers to a horizontal resolution of around 2000, most commonly 2560x1440 (aka QHD). 4K is generally 2160p (UHD). 8K releases don't exist unless you upscale from 4K. Framerate: Refers to the number of still images (frames) displayed on the screen per second. A standard rate for movies is approximately 24fps. Action movies can go beyond this, even reaching 120fps. It is naïve to assume that a simple increase in this number is good, especially for non-action movies, as it can produce a nasty 'Soap Opera Effect'. Make sure to turn off the motion smoothing feature on your TV, it can be enabled by default. CRF: Constant Rate Factor. This is a parameter to feed to your encoder instead of a target bitrate. It prioritizes consistent image quality, rather than aiming for a bitrate; essentially VBR. You assign a number between 0 and 51 (the lower, the higher the quality). Aspect ratio: The proportional relation between the width and height of the frame (W:H). Full frame/Academy is 4:3 (aka 1.33:1), present in pre-70s films and old TV broadcasts. 'American Widescreen' is 1.85:1, which is standard in US movies post 4:3. 16:9 (1.78:1) is another common ratio and is the sweet spot between both, for minimal letterboxing on HDTVs. 70mm Epics from the 50s-70s feature a ratio of 2.20:1, while IMAX 70mmm has a ratio of 1.43:1. An "open matte" is when a widescreen film shot with top and bottom parts that have been cropped is 'unmatted', revealing more vertical image and preventing letterboxing on 4:3 screens. Speaking of which, what is letterboxing? A letterbox is when black bars are present at the top and bottom of the image when a widescreen is shown on a taller screen. A pillarbox is when black bars are on the left and right side, for when a taller format (like 4:3) is shown on a wide screen (like a 16:9 TV). What is extremely rare is a windowbox: a combination of the two. Black bars are generally removed automatically when encoding. A "pan & scan" is when a widescreen film is re-framed to fill a 4:3 one by cropping left and right then 'panning' to the action. https://preview.redd.it/yjuws3o8fi2f1.png?width=3598&format=png&auto=webp&s=efccfb854e89e748655415c6820d73ffc0798546 Now, for the P2P part. Unlike directly downloading a file from a hoster (like Google Drive, DropBox, Pixeldrain, MEGA, etc), P2P (peer-to-peer) networks are either semi-decentralized (like eDonkey2000) or totally (like BitTorrent). Users hold the file locally and can share it with others. Why use P2P (for file sharing)? Reduced chance of single-point failure: You never know what could happen to a file that you've uploaded to a hoster for others. Perhaps the hoster will remove it due to copyright infringement, or maybe the hoster itself will go down. However, with P2P, even when one computer goes down (even just for the night) the other sources can keep providing the file. Even the person downloading the file can easily pause the interaction and resume it without issues, this can be hit or miss with traditional downloads. Ensuring that the file stays up for as long as possible. Security/Privacy: When done right, P2P sharing offers enhanced privacy. Files are broken into 'pieces' and distributed amongst peers, there is no complete record being kept. P2P protocols embed a hash for each file piece; when downloading, the client checks the hash, and it is discarded if it does not match (preventing sabotage, and corruption too). Modern P2P clients support encryption/obfuscation of the protocol so that ISPs/third parties don't identify P2P traffic. Convenience: The same files can often be found on multiple trackers (for BitTorrent); a unified search option for eDonkey2000. Rather than having to individually scour sites to find various DDLs (direct download links). It should be understood that the client and the protocol are distinct things in the P2P ecosystem: The Protocol: Keeping it simple: Essentially the specification for how peers can discover each other, exchange metadata, transfer files, verify the integrity, and handle errors/corruption. The protocol governs how files are described / 'pointed to'; for example: info-hashes, torrent files, magnet URIs, ed2k links, etc. The most ubiquitous protocol today, by far, is BitTorrent. The Client: An application (on various OSs) that implements the P2P protocol - or even multiple protocols, like the MLDonkey client. It parses the messages defined by the protocol and manages the connections, timeouts, error handling... It features a GUI or CLI (command line) interface for adding files to download or share, or even for searching the network; progress bars, and peer lists are often implemented. Piece selection management (sequential, rarest-first, preview-pieces-first), share ratio enforcement, queuing, and backlisting are all potential features included. We will first cover the BitTorrent protocol, starting with some very basic terminology: Torrent: Method that uses the BitTorrent protocol to share files. Seeder: A peer that has the entire file and is uploading for others. Leecher: A peer that is downloading pieces of the file from the seeder(s). Often the leecher will be sharing pieces that they already have with the other leechers. Swarm: The collective group of all peers sharing a particular file. Info-hash: A unique identifier of a torrent file. A hash of the info dictionary of a torrent file. Tracker: A server that keeps a list of peers in a swarm. When you initiate, your client shares an announcement with the tracker, including its IP/port and the info-hash - the tracker then responds with a list of peers in the swarm. The tracker website will host uploads made by members, you can see how many seeders/leechers a particular torrent has. On a tracker website, each upload will have a magnet URI OR a .TORRENT file to download. Magnet URI: A tracker-less way to share the info-hash. As a URI, it can easily be distributed in chats, though there can be a delay while it performs the lookup. magnet:? xt=urn:btih: &dn= &xl= &tr= &as= &kt= &mt= Only the xt parameter is required. .TORRENT file: Such a file (typically KBs in size) is essentially a container for file metadata, it tells the client everything necessary to find, verify, and assemble a file(s). Requires a hosting site, meaning it can be taken down, but there is very low initial latency. You don't really need to know technical details beyond that. One important thing to address is VPNs. A VPN essentially wraps your P2P traffic in an encrypted tunnel to a third party. The benefits: IP address obscured: Your actual IP address is not disclosed to the rest of the swarm, they will see the VPN server's IP instead. 'Geo-Shift': You can access tracker sites/peers that are blocked in your country. You can appear as present in a country with faster connections to P2P hubs. Avoid ISP throttling: The VPN encrypts traffic between you and the VPN endpoint, so your ISP will not see BitTorrent handshakes or piece requests. Things to look for in a VPN: No-Logs policy: To ensure that no record of your P2P activity is kept. P2P allowed: Some VPNs don't allow such traffic, or restrict such servers to paid users. Split Tunnelling So that only P2P traffic goes through VPN, while you can browse with your 'normal' connection. Port forwarding: No need to get too technical here. It essentially allows a leecher and seeder who both have closed ports to make a connection. It benefits the swarm, boosts download speeds and can even start a stalled torrent. Much better than messing around with port forwarding on your router like back in the day... I recommend either AirVPN (what I use) or Proton Premium. AirVPN is convenient in that it keeps the open port static, while Proton dynamically changes it when you connect. AirVPN is also cheaper and still has decent speeds. Let's start with the setup process! You are spoiled for choice in terms of BitTorrent clients. For a beginner (and it works perfectly fine for a veteran), I recommend qBittorent. This free client has no adverts or bundled software, It sits between the clients that have every feature imaginable and those that are as simple as possible. It is available on: Windows, macOS, and Linux. For Android, I recommend the LibreTorrent client. I will be using qBittorent on Windows for demonstration, but you should be able to follow along with a different client and OS as appropriate. Installation is intuitive, just follow the wizard. You can download from here: https://www.qbittorrent.org/download LibreTorrent You can download a skin/theme of your choice from here (note that they are unofficial): https://github.com/qbittorrent/qBittorrent/wiki/List-of-known-qBittorrent-themes To apply: Press "Tools" in the top menu, then navigate as follows Options -> Behaviour -> Interface and enable the custom UI theme option - select the .qbtheme file that you downloaded and restart the program. A Theme You may want to install search plugins for ease of searching. Note that plugins are essentially a Python script, use at your own risk. Download from this page: https://github.com/qbittorrent/search-plugins/wiki/Unofficial-search-plugins Click on "View" -> "Search Engine" in the top menu, this will activate the "Search" tab beside "Transfers". Head onto the new tab and click on the "Search plug-ins" button on the bottom right, press "Install a new one", press "Local file", then navigate to the .py file that you installed earlier. You should now be able to search multiple trackers at once. You can sort by seeders or size. Clicking on an option will take you straight to the torrent prep page. https://preview.redd.it/dn96vf7tfi2f1.png?width=894&format=png&auto=webp&s=7d2132e2de9037a5a22e0b2a8c54ef0a4e9d3f69 For this next part, I'll be configuring AirVPN. Purchase your plan, they accept cryptocurrency (I recommend Monero)! Download the client on this page: https://airvpn.org/download/ Then head over to https://airvpn.org/ports/ Create a new port by pressing the + button, leaving the settings as they are. Now, re-enter qBittorent to do some more configuration work. Connect to the VPN, note that the client may 'disappear' and enter the tray; just open the tray and right-click the cloud icon, then press "show main menu". On qBittorent: Tools -> Options -> Advanced -> Network Interface, select "Eddie" (or whatever applies to your client, you may need to turn your VPN off and on to identify), and click "Apply". Now, switch from "Advanced" to "Connection". Change the "Peer Connection Protocol" to simply "TCP". Change the listening port to the port number that you generated on airvpn.org/ports earlier. DISABLE UPnP/NAT-PMP and uncheck the connection limits. Go to "Downloads" and change your save path to whatever you desire. If you have a restriction on how much you can upload/download per month, feel free to change things like seeding limits and rate limits. https://preview.redd.it/klczcbiyfi2f1.png?width=1917&format=png&auto=webp&s=033764b11ac5f72f205c01c259a58d5dfdd40b35 You are now all set up! You can use the built-in search engine that we configured earlier, or you can navigate to a specific tracker website - such as 1337x.to: https://preview.redd.it/kizv5mh0gi2f1.png?width=1249&format=png&auto=webp&s=574213562300eddfb8dcb9b6059963c1d671eaba I recommend checking the comments before downloading, doesn't hurt. You can use either the magnet link or download the torrent file. You will now reach this screen: https://preview.redd.it/jv2vec64gi2f1.png?width=1530&format=png&auto=webp&s=4e17a36ee4ba955cbc814372da36e5735d13a806 I can provide two protips here: You can select what files you want to download on the right-hand side (what bits you want to keep). This is useful for circumstances like: You only need a certain episode(s) from a torrent that contains the entire season, or you don't want to download a large number of SRT files (subtitles) bundled with it. I would recommend selecting "Download first and last bits first". This is because the very beginning and end of a video file contain the necessary metadata - you should make sure to grab those pieces straight away. If the torrent stalls when some pieces are still missing, the video may still be able to play. Press the "Okay" button and you should be good to go! qBittorent has some helpful buttons near the bottom of the screen. "General" will help you see what pieces have downloaded, your seed ratio (what you've uploaded back relative to what you've downloaded and more; the "Content" button allows you to see how particular files are progressing (you can remove some during the process itself!). If you have no download/upload consumption limits, I strongly recommend giving back to the community by leaving the file(s) to seed to a ratio of at least 1.0 (you've contributed back with what you took). It will automatically remain seeding until you disconnect or right-click to terminate. To create your own torrent: On qBittorent: Go to Tools -> Torrent Creator. Select the file/folder that you wish to share. Do check "Start seeding immediately". Paste your tracker announce URL from its upload page. Go ahead and create the torrent, and choose where to save the file. Head over to your tracker of choice and make sure to read the rules before you proceed. Head over to the upload page and fill it in, some will have more requirements to publish (like multiple captures, an NFO file, and so on). Check out other torrent 'listings' to learn the best ways to format (use of spoilers, attaching samples, spec layout, movie database link, etc). https://preview.redd.it/ro0b1x49gi2f1.png?width=404&format=png&auto=webp&s=fa6b9116e836713931e1a5312c507853d008353b An alternative to using a local client + VPN is to use a seedbox. A seedbox is essentially a remote server dedicated to uploading/downloading from a P2P network. It usually has a ton of storage assigned to it (depending on your payment plan) and very high bandwidth (up to 20 Gbps). Once a file has been downloaded to the seedbox storage, you can simply download it directly to your PC (as if it were an ordinary download). This is obviously great for those who live in an area with serious legal concerns in terms of P2P sharing (especially seeding). With a seedbox, you can seed 24/7 with no issues in terms of anonymity or leaving your computer overnight. The ability to seed consistently makes seedboxes very popular with private trackers (next section!). The obvious drawback is the high cost of seedbox plans (depending on your financial state). The process is dependent on the service, but the basic structure goes like this: After you signup with the provider, you will receive an email with your credentials; many seedboxes can be accessed via a browser; to start a torrent, just add the torrent file to your client, the seedbox will continue to torrent this file after you close down the client; upon completion, you'll be able to download it from the seedbox on the browser via HTTP, or through FTP software. Some seedboxes will allow you to simply stream your media files, it is worth checking if the provider/plan offers this first. I'll also add that some seedbox providers do not support public trackers because these are monitored for illegal activities. A brief look at private trackers. Semi-private trackers like RuTracker (RuT) only require you to register with them to access their site and torrents, while fully private are usually available in four ways: An invite, an interview, an offer/payment, or through an open signup event. Private trackers are usually dedicated to a particular area of interest (eBooks, foreign films, UHD films, music, programs, academic material, etc). You will find that private trackers have a significantly greater selection available for their niche compared to public trackers, this is because they will encourage the perennial seeding of more obscure content that will often have little to no seeders on their general public counterparts. Quality control is extremely high, there are strict rules, and members/staff review everything. You can expect greater security assurance too, copyright trolls usually direct their attention to public trackers. Here is a great visualization to demonstrate how much content there is on these trackers relative to streaming services: https://preview.redd.it/ziul3frcgi2f1.jpg?width=1280&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0e799167a47512d279269ad2fa44b2783a8db05a That one at the top of the movies section is PassThePopcorn (PTP), an infamous general movie tracker and notoriously difficult to get into. A little below that you can see TorrentLeech (TL), an excellent general tracker that has a seedbox offer in exchange for membership. If you want to 'get right into it', I suggest studying for the Redacted (RED) interview: https://interviewfor.red/en/index.html. Once you've ranked up on this tracker, the invite forum for other trackers (like PTP) is incredible, likely the BEST. RuTracker is a great semi-private tracker, it holds content that sometimes can't even be found on private trackers! Use a translation addon to read. I'm not going to go beyond this, as private trackers are not a very beginner-friendly concept - I am sure there are comprehensive guides on this subreddit. I will now cover P2P sharing on the eMule client via the eDonkey2000 (ed2k) & Kademlia (Kad) protocols. Firstly, why? Why cover this additional protocol(s) after the protocol that is practically completely associated with P2P file sharing? Just as Google is so associated with searching. The primary reason? Extremely niche content. There is content on the ed2k network that can be found absolutely nowhere else. I have found movies that weren't even available on PTP or KG (KaraGara, a PriT for obscure films) multiple times, take it from me. This used to be the dominant protocol back in the 2000s, with up to two billion files at its peak, there are still millions of users today and tens of millions of files. Bonus perks: The search feature is very powerful, you can search the entire network via the in-built search. You can message your peers via the client, to request that they keep seeding, for instance. You can "play while downloading" for video files, though more advanced capability comes with unofficial mods. It is useful to have "in your back pocket" when BitTorrent trackers just aren't cutting it, but many in certain countries (like Spain, Italy, France, and China) some people use this as their primary P2P network. You can also find more diverse encodes for totally mainstream movies/shows that aren't available elsewhere, especially on the lower end. The ed2k network is extremely powerful for sharing: Sharing a file is as easy as placing it in your designated sharing folder, eMule will automatically hash it, and then anyone can access it over the search. ed2k links that you generate will ALWAYS be the same for the same file, unlike magnet links. This allows you to access all the seeders for that file, even from one link on a specific board. There is a built-in credit system that rewards uploaders. Peers who've uploaded more in the long term get download priority. You can also provide one 'friend slot' for someone on your friend list to ignore the queue. Repeated leechers are punished by being throttled with lower priority. This encourages seeding. An ed2k link complete format: ed2k://|file||||[h=|][p=|][s=|][/] The last three sections are not required. The ed2k network divides files into 9500 KiB chunks, and an MD4 hash is calculated for each chunk; if the file is larger, the individual chunk hashes are combined and hashed again. This will identify files even with different names and verify the integrity of the downloaded chunks. AICH root hash and parthashes further enhance corruption handling and are optional. An HTTP source(s) can be added to work in parallel with P2P and enhance download speed, especially with low seeders (like when first Releasing a file), the client will still verify the integrity. Public ed2k servers hold indexes of filenames, sizes, and file hashes - they do not store files. When you search a server, it returns a list of peers who claim to hold the file. The Kademlia (Kad) network has no central servers, it relies on a DHT; essentially, files and peers are mapped in a decentralized address book. eMule hashes your search term/file hash to generate a key, it then asks nearby nodes for peers holding that key, and the queries spread out till you find sources. Usually, Kad and ed2k are used simultaneously. Start by downloading the installer: https://github.com/irwir/eMule/releases/ Go through the installation wizard with the default options. I will walk you through the initial setup wizard: https://preview.redd.it/6fiq16pegi2f1.png?width=497&format=png&auto=webp&s=0459683601c67ab3629957ac283fd1faf79798a2 You can change your nickname that people will see you as and don't make it anything personal. You can add [XXX], substituted with a community that uses ed2k that you are a part of. https://preview.redd.it/reshc8vggi2f1.png?width=493&format=png&auto=webp&s=929aead9f0fec9fe19bce1a41ef91c16ec98c47d Here you should add the port number that we configured with AirVPN earlier, and make it the same for both. Test your ports, keep note of if it fails. Leave the next two screens regarding management and obfuscation as default. https://preview.redd.it/mxxhd3migi2f1.png?width=494&format=png&auto=webp&s=2b192d874b7b992cf7b6b8484324eb8e5907ab3c I recommend turning Safe Connect on. Click next...😴 And that's this part done! https://i.redd.it/pbpkfpyjgi2f1.gif Now, make sure you are on the "Servers" tab. On the right side, you'll see the text "Update server.met from URL", paste this link right here: http://upd.emule-security.org/server.met and press Update. https://preview.redd.it/58mlbbrngi2f1.png?width=768&format=png&auto=webp&s=3ad9fb0239490f6749718a5504d0be15213e6207 Let's repeat this, this time click "Kad" beside the servers icon. On the right side of the app, you'll find text that says "Nodes.dat from URL", paste this link into the text box right under it and hit "Bootstrap". http://upd.emule-security.org/nodes.dat Now for the very last step, adding in an IP filter. Click on the orange cog icon named "Options" and click on the "Security" tab. Once you're there, find the text saying "Update from URL: (filter.dat- or PeerGuardian-format)" Paste this link into the text box right under it and then hit "Load": http://upd.emule-security.org/ipfilter.zip https://preview.redd.it/z55f0qspgi2f1.png?width=536&format=png&auto=webp&s=0424b5deab58a11c7230d7ec0118339070a9a094 Note that eMule may enter the tray when minimized, just follow the same steps as mentioned with AirVPN to restore it. If your port testing failed earlier: For Windows users, if you're using Windows Firewall head to your control panel, then click on "Windows Firewall", or something to that extent. There should be an "Exceptions" tab, enter a name for the exception, "eMule" for example, then type in your port number. Do this for both TCP and UDP. Some settings I recommend changing in Options: Go the the Display tab and check "Show percentage of download completion". Go to the "Directories" tab and select your incoming folder (where your files download) and your sharing folder (things placed here will be available on the network). Head over to the "Files" tab and tick "Try to download preview chunks first", then set your video player as the .exe. https://preview.redd.it/z3wq7ldrgi2f1.png?width=533&format=png&auto=webp&s=ad57606c3b1c08b3368eef56098422e87deeb212 There are still ed2k communities out there, such as Sharing-Devils, eMuleFuture, VeryCD, and FLM. You can inspect ed2k links from those communities at ed2k.shortypower.org: https://preview.redd.it/762kvvezgi2f1.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=c062ae335053e0c55252badbf25f4c59291b7cef The above example shows that the file is mainly on eMule Security, so I will select that server on eMule and click the lightning icon on the top left to connect. I can run a search: https://preview.redd.it/7yyxubh0hi2f1.png?width=765&format=png&auto=webp&s=76fc7ab380f7a69f00b44208b42fd0e0e9fe77d6 Then download. https://preview.redd.it/ci6u7ea2hi2f1.png?width=1147&format=png&auto=webp&s=a5a05c9793186b557ad012e45aaff2f927edcafd The file will appear on the transfers tab, along with peer details. You can right-click and press "Preview" during the process. If you want to go through with this, I encourage checking out the project page properly: https://www.emule-project.com/home/perl/general.cgi?l=1 Post continues in the comments. submitted by /u/TheQuranicMumin to r/Piracy [link] [comments]

Hi! I'm on the spectrum and I enjoy restocking stamps on Neopets, and those two aspects of my personality have collided into one of the most atrocious posts imaginable. Be warned: there will be MATH. There will be WEALTHPHOBIA, and GETTING OWNED by FACTS and LOGIC. There will be a pie chart created in Microsoft Excel. And, of course, there will be horrors beyond either of our imaginations. Let's set up some ground rules: This post (and the analysis within) only pertains to r1-r99 stamps. In other words, stamps you can buy at the Neopian Post Office. r101 stamps? Not here buddy. (But u/ariseroses has made an excellent post on the subject here.) Retired stamps? Irrelevant. You want to try to talk about--ugh, seashells? Don't even say that terrible word in front of me. I think I'm going to be ill. We're also only talking about stamp restocking. (A.K.A., sitting in the post office for hours on end shaking down that old yellow chia until he starts spitting out stamps like an arcade ticket machine.) Random events that give stamps / battledome stamps / prize pool stamps are outside the scope of the post. Finally, I'm going to pretend we live in a beautiful world where all stamps are restocked fairly by real users. In this delightful, hypothetical la-la land, there are no people with 40,000 accounts buying every single good stamp and selling them offsite for real money. THESIS STATEMENT / TL;DR: There's too many rare stamps on Neopets and the odds of them restocking are so low that you should probably unplug your router and throw it off a cliff. Part I: Hmmm yeah that looks normal There are currently 485 stamps that can stock in the post office! Here is their rarity distribution. due to technological issues (my complete inability to format tables in reddit) this is now a comically oversized image In case you missed it, 19% of these stamps are r95 or higher. Also, nearly 7% of all purchasable stamps are r99. These are "normal" and "sensical" ratios for rarity bands that make up 5% and 1% of the total stamp restock rate, respectively. Or... DO they... 🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔 Part II: They don't. The random number generation used in this part of the analysis was taken from u/a_neopian_with_info2's post on restocking specifics. I have no way of confirming or denying whether this information is accurate, but it makes logical sense to me and mostly meshes with the data I was able to pull for analysis. SO! I wrote a super-basic python script to generate numbers using this algorithm: for i in range(100000): tmp_rarity=int(randrange(1,101)) lwr_rarity=int(randrange(1,13)) if tmp_rarity>80: tmp_rarity=tmp_rarity-lwr_rarity print(tmp_rarity) It isn't 100% accurate because it doesn't account for the dice-roll chance to lower rarities under 80, and I also ignored the part about calculating r100s (there are no r100 stamps, BEGONE vile coin collectors from my SIGHT!!) ...But it should be accurate for calculating the odds for higher rarity stamps to spawn, which is what matters. Then I made it spit out 100,000 numbers to experience a thrill in my otherwise dull and tepid life. In the next table, I have separated out the r95-r98 stamps into their own rows for a fun surprise that will become relevant later: sorry reddit kept fucking up the table formatting so now it is an image If you hate math and looking at decimal points gives you hives, here is the Microsoft Excel pie chart prophesied at the beginning of the post: https://preview.redd.it/ui2e6crdubhd1.png?width=921&format=png&auto=webp&s=98135228a9fbdcffc36ec351ff3b03ae0bf65905 You can BARELY see the hot pink sliver of r95, and r96 onwards is a fleeting illusion--a mirage of an oasis conjured by a cruel desert devoid of rare stamps. Also, take care to remember that's 19% of all stamps. 19% of all available stamps only have a chance to stock about 1.1% of the time. These ultra-rare rarities are also tiered! Within that 1.1%, you're a lot more likely to get an r95 or r96 than an r99. To blindside you all with a second pie chart: https://preview.redd.it/v20349giubhd1.png?width=1111&format=png&auto=webp&s=0d40c460423f375bf41a5db8e9591379d0833e9d Sorry, sorry. I know two pie charts in one post is cruel and unusual punishment. Enough graphs--let's translate all these hideous "fake" "imaginary" "theoretical" "numbers" into cold, wet, slimy data, and talk about what's actually stocking on Neopets. Part III: Are r99 stamps even real? Short answer: (prolonged shrugging gesture) Long answer: Yeah kinda If you are a suspenders wearing, glasses polishing, pocket protector bearing NERD, feel free to take a look at the linked google spreadsheet, which I have also printed out and taped to the locker that I am going to shove you in. If you are a JOCK who doesn't have time for that because you need to get to the big football game and/or prom, here is a short explanation of that data: itemDB has an API that lets you query the most recent restock times of items.\* (You can find/use it here*\* if you want to mess around with it yourself! It's very fun.) I queried the restock times for a bunch of r99/r98/r97/r96 stamps and then averaged how often they stocked... Each r99 stamp tends to stock about once a month. Each r98 stamp tends to stock about three times a month. Each r97 stamp tends to stock about five times a month. The r96 data kind of... breaks down, with anywhere between 4-15 stocks per month per stamp. Ideally I would like to run a more comprehensive analysis and grab a larger data set for this stamp rarity band, but I am not getting paid for this. Sorry!**\* OBLIGATORY DISCLAIMERS \itemDB data is user-sourced. Sure, you could say something like "then it's POSSIBLE 418 Queen Fyora stamps spawned online when no one was looking!" but this is really unlikely because stamp restockers are insane. Source: dude just trust me) \*You have to do some data processing of the raw results to fish out the good stuff. Check the addedAt row, but make sure to filter out the addedAt row with two indents/8 white spaces (that's for price updates, not for restock times)) \**I'm not sorry. I have a headache and I am utilizing any excuse I can to get out of this.) PART IV: Consequences Let's say Neopets currently has about...100k active users. Of those, let's say 10% are into stamp collecting. And let's say 20% of THOSE really want to complete the Faerieland stamp album page, because it is the best one and has the prettiest avatar. (I have made these playerbase numbers up for dramatic effect, but the rest of the stuff about the Faerieland page is totally 100% true.) Each of those 2,000 users that want to finish the Faerieland album page needs that shiny shiny r99 Queen Fyora stamp. And luckily, since this game has been running for 25 years, it should have spawned (at an average rate of one per month) uh. 300 Queen Fyora stamps by now. The amount of time it would take to get 2,000 QFS into circulation is about... 160 YEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And all THAT is just for an album page that only has one r99 stamp. Most pages have two. The Virtupets page has three of them. Haunted Woods has four. Mystery Island has 5!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This analysis doesn't even include other high-rarity stamps like r98/r97, which also would take the better part of a century to stock enough stamps for an active community of even a few thousand people to fill out their album pages. Honestly when the original TNT made stamp albums, I don't think they put much thought into it other than "hee hee rare stamps should be hard to get" and "ooooogh everyone loves rare items so let's make a lot of them." But here we are after 25 years of a completely unsustainable system, realizing that hell is empty because all the devils are here. SO! PART V: SOCIALISM That brings us to today, and the fact that new TNT has released thousands of r98/r99 stamps to players practically FOR FREE, and with these shiny new government handouts (unclear which Neopian government; possibly Roo Island?) nobody wants to work anymore. Why slave away for hours playing flash games uphill in the snow both ways when you can just log in and be granted something incredibly valuable? I'm firmly in the "goals should be achievable in video games" camp and this is exactly what the large-scale ultra-super-mega-rare stamp releases have done--make goals achievable. This isn't a handout; this is retroactively filling out a stamp supply that has been a wretched dribble at best for over TWO DECADES. This is a stent to a coronary artery so clogged that the site couldn't go 24 hours without a myocardial infarction. This is necessary for the game to be flat out playable, let alone enjoyable. PRE-EMPTIVE RESPONSES TO DERANGED COMMENTS I HAVE SEEN ON THE NEOBOARDS: "If they don't have any GOALS to work for on this website people will stop playing!!!!!1111" I have great news. There are like 40 stamp album pages. Even if the average price of an r99 stamp gets lowered to 2-10 million neopoints you still have a LOT of work to do, champ/sport/buddy! "Actually I have filled every page of my stamp album. I am on the high score board. It offends me personally that stamps have been made available to filthy poor people?" Thanks for buying stamps offsite for real money and supporting bot accounts who make the site less fun for everyone else! We all fucking hate you "There is value in hard work and the dignity of work instead of begging" This is Neopets "I spent 300M neopoints on a stamp so everyone else should have to as well!" Do you also get mad when like. You buy strawberries at the grocery store and the next day they go on sale. Serious answer: That IS rough, but the accomplishment of putting together a stamp album page for an avatar should be more about your own personal achievement than about flexing on the have-nots. If you're doing this JUST to be snobby and exclusive then maybe take a minute to reflect on your own morality in general. "But I love grinding towards impossible goals and wasting hours of my life playing shitty flash games!! What am I supposed to do if stamps are cheap enough to easily buy?" I have great news for you about the existence of the Altador Cup PART VI: CONCLUSIONS Just to put into context how deranged this market was pre-prize pool stamps, let's go back to August 2023: there are no real ways to get r99 stamps outside of what stocks in the shop, and Illusen's Staff/WotDF have not yet been de-valued through their release in the Faerie Festival/TVW plot. (All prices in this section of the post were taken from Aug 2023 values for the items on JellyNeo.) Illusen's Staff Price: 200M NP Wand of the Dark Faerie Price: 275M NP These were two of the most ENDGAME items imaginable, both requiring a grueling amount of work, and their price reflects that. (Also whether or not they should have been released outside of the level 50 quest prize is outside the scope of this post. Sorry!!) For the same amount of Neopoints as one of the most ball-breaking busted OP weapons in the game, you could get one of the following r99 stamps: King Kelpbeard Stamp: 225M NP King Altador Stamp: 300M NP Of course, both of these stamps are from pages with multiple r99s, so you'd be shelling out another 190M for the Captain Scarblade Stamp or another 100M for the Sasha Stamp to finish either of them. Or you could buy a single r99 stamp worth almost as much as both weapons COMBINED! Queen Fyora Stamp: 400M NP Shenkuu Stamp: 400M Or one stamp worth MORE than both of them combined! Battle Slices Stamp: 600M NP This is nuts, and we can all agree this is nuts. (Source: We have eyes.) PART VII: THE POST IS OVER Thanks for reading! I don't want to write an elegant wrap up because this is not an English class, so I won't. 👍 The end.* \If any members of TNT somehow happen to read this, PLEASEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE implement better captchas for restocking please please please please please please please every single r95+ stamp gets bought out in sub-human times and it's unbelievably frustrating.) submitted by /u/sinkuu to r/neopets [link] [comments]

I am not the OOP. The OOP is u/cutofffamilytaway posting in r/AITAH Concluded as per OOP 2 updates - Long Original - 18th March 2024 Update1 - 19th March 2024 Update2 - 20th March 2024 ​ 1 New Update ​ Update3 - 25th March 2024 ​ AITAH for forcing my fiancé into cutting off his late wife’s family? ​ AITAH for forcing my fiancé into cutting off his late wife’s family? I, 25f, am getting married to my fiancé, 29m, in May. When we first got together he told me that he was married from 20-22yrs old to his high school sweetheart (we met when he was 25) but she passed of sepsis from a botched surgery. He didn’t cope well and stayed in contact with her family, namely father and two sisters, 19 and 24. It was a soft spot for me for a while at the beginning because there was so much history they had that we would not have and it was tough knowing that she was all around him. I never told him and decided to work through it on my own, especially with the fact that he would often spend time with her family during our relationship. Her birthday, their anniversary and anniversary of her death, he’d spend the day with her family. It was uncomfortable at first knowing the man I loved was reminiscing about love he had with someone else but I kept trying to see it from his perspective and the last couple years I am completely secure in our relationship and it doesn’t bother me much any more. Well, he proposed this time last year and I was over the moon. I love this man with all my heart but I recently learned that he never told them that we got engaged. I’ve been trying local coffee shops the past few months rather than my usual run and tried a new one. His LWs sister worked there and other than being awkward, she did a double take of my engagement ring and looked really unhappy. I didn’t mention it and left. My fiancé told me that she kept messaging him on social media about it and I wasn’t happy that he kept it a secret. He apologised and was very depleted by it all. He said that he didn’t want to hide me but he didn’t want to hurt them either and that both of us were a huge part of his life. I understand that and let him off the hook slightly, just told him to be upfront with them from now on. That was that. At least I thought so. A week ago, on Sunday, I got a message from the 24yr old asking if I was happy with myself, that I would never replace his LW and that if she was still alive he’d chose her over me every time. She even said that he only kept me around for me money and something to stick his d*ck in. I ignored it but I can’t say that it didn’t effect me. When you’re in my position, all these points are ones you have to work through and it’s not easy to get over those insecurities. It feels like a knock in the teeth when they’re used against you. I mentioned it to him and he comforted me and reassured me. He said he’d set boundaries with her and I’d never have to hear from her again. Fine by me. That was until i found my car with ‘wh*re’ and ‘grave robber’ smeared in red paint. I had saved for this car for a year and it was expensive, very expensive. The tires were slashed and the windows cracked. I asked the store a few doors down for their CCTV camera footage of that night but it was blurry and didn’t catch much. It did manage to catch half a licence plate though and the colour and make of a car. It was his LWs youngest sister’s car. I told him I was filing a police report and he asked me to hold off until he talked to them first. I told him no but I would if they paid for the damages and apologised to my face. He set up the meeting for last night and it didn’t go well to say the least. Everyone was shouting. The sisters told me they, yes both of them, had nothing to be sorry for and that I should leave their family alone, including my fiancé in their family. He told them that it wasn’t fair to him to be lonely forever and that he’d hoped they’d be supportive of him finding love again. They told him he was betraying LW and that he never loved her if he’d marry someone else. They didn’t have a problem with him having a new gf because he’d ’realise she was the only one for him’ and get tired of me. Now that hadn’t happened, they were putting their foot down. The youngest told him to tell me that they were right and that he’d never love anyone like LW. My fiancé broke down at the table. I picked him up and made us leave. I told them I’d be filing a report and suing for damages, and the next time they saw us would be in court. When we got back and calmed down I gave him an ultimatum. Either he cuts contact or we call of the wedding and go out separate ways. I wasn’t going to live my life with this harassment and someday subject my children to their bullying. He said they would never bully a child but I shot him down and said he didn’t expect any of this either. He called their father, who was fairly chill about it all but still defending his daughters. They say I shouldn’t control him and that I’m horrible for cutting them off. I don’t know what to do. I can’t live like this and I don’t think I should have to just because we’re getting married. ​ Comments ​ ReflectionSweet7222 NTA. I understand why he keeps in touch with them and views them as family, but if my family treated a partner this way I'd go no contact until they could treat us both with respect. He may be dealing with some guilt about moving on but if you can work through your hang ups regarding this, so can he. Caspian4136 NTA What they did is completely unacceptable and I'm glad you're standing your ground and filing the police report. Look into a restraining order as well, since you must still have all the proof of the messages and such. As for your fiancé, I understand why he kept in touch with them, but he messed up big time by not telling them he's moved on and loves someone else. He's hid you from them, which is stupid as what did he expect? He needs to grow a backbone and put them in their place. ​ **Judgement - NTA*\* ​ MINI UPDATE - 1 day later ​ Hey everyone, just a mini update to clear some things up before I have a discussion with my fiancé either later today or tomorrow about my ultimatum. I didn’t sleep at all yesterday or the night before, for obvious reasons. There’s a ding on my phone at least once an hour from them saying one thing or another, mainly the 19yo and I don’t know what they’ve told people but I’ve got a message from one of their uncles and grandparents calling me horrible stuff too. So obviously they’ve been spreading what’s happened this week and twisting it. I haven’t blocked them because I want to gain as much evidence as I can for the inevitable case. Regardless of any outcome with my fiancé, I will be suing and filing a criminal case for harassment and vandalism and looking for a restraining order. I just haven’t had the mental fortitude to do so yet. I’m hoping my fiancé will help me. I haven’t spoken to my fiancé since the argument at the table, other than to tell him they go or I do. It was my choice to give him a couple days space to come to terms with everything and I will contact him when I’m ready. All of this, from the first message till now has been a week. It’s a huge weight to contemplate leaving people you’ve known for 15 years and who you grew up with. He did set hard boundaries with the sister from the coffee shop as I’ve seen the messages. He said, paraphrasing, ‘you have no right talking to OP at all if this is how you’re going to behave. She doesn’t deserve this and you’ve gone too far. Why are you being like this?’ And she responded with more name calling and back and forth. He ended by saying not to message me again and to make sure everyone else does the same. I was happy with that. At this point only one person in that family had an issue, to my knowledge, so it was silly to have him cut all of them off. It may not be enough for some but it was enough for me to feel safe and comfortable. For those saying he needs therapy and counselling, he’s already getting it. He’s been getting it since before we even started dating after an incident at work. I don’t know about any of their family though. The first time I had a conversation with any of them was that night. Some people are wondering what LW died of, and it was a botched weight loss surgery where she died of sepsis. People were wondering if he was somehow the reason behind the surgery, hence the family’s insane reaction, but he was not in the slightest. He likes bigger women and wouldn’t pressure something like that onto her, speaking from experience. I also want to clear up the not calling the police about the car thing. It was entirely my idea to not file charges in exchange for a face to face apology and damage payment. He only wanted me to wait so that he could talk to her to see if she regretted it and then have her father pay the damages. At the time, we thought it was just the 19yo that smashed up my car, not both daughters. Neither of us wanted to ruin her life. When I found out it was both of them, it was full steam ahead. Thank you all for your messages and hopefully I’ll have a positive update for you tomorrow. Edit: I chose for him to take this space apart, it’s not him being indecisive. I said to take time and that I’d reach out so that his decision is thought out. It’s for me. I don’t want to be chosen only to be three kids down the line and stuck in a resentment filled marriage. It’s for me. Please understand that. ​ Comments ​ throwawayindelulu NTA, I am very sorry for what is happening to you, but I would also like you to analyze what would happen if the harassment stops but he does not move away from his ex-wife's family, you already know how they feel about you, they are not going to stop telling him about it, poisoning his mind on every visit. OOP: That’s a subject I will be broaching in our discussion. Moving house, definitely, and moving away potentially ​ FLmom67 You’re only 25. There are many more—and safer—fish in the sea. OOP: But I want this fish and until now, I could handle the drama this fish had. I’ve now reached a limit and set a standard that I’ll be sticking to ​ MissMurderpants I wonder if one of the sisters wanted your fiancé for themselves. Hence the extreme reactions. OOP: So many people have said so and I honestly feel quite sick ​ Update - 1 day later ​ Well what a wild morning I’ve had. My fiancé came over bright and early this morning and I’ve never been so damn tired. You may want to take a seat because this will be long. Sorry in advance. First of all, I want to set the record straight here. A lot of people are coming for my fiancé over not cutting them off from the get go which I don’t think is fair. He’s a very mild mannered, calm and calculating person and that’s who I always knew he was. Nothing has changed. If he had been Rocky Balboa and flipped the cafe table shouting obscenities, he would not have been the man I fell in love with. He did exactly what I expected him to do and exactly what I was comfortable with. You may be attracted to other things in men and expect other things and that’s awesome, but not me. ​ Update ​ I text him saying I thought it was time to discuss this and he was back at home not a half hour later. He’d been staying with a friend the couple nights we had no contact. We sat on our bed to talk because my back is sore from all the packing and I wasn’t gonna force myself to sit at the table. Before we even got to talking he asked if we could cuddle for a minute. It definitely took some of the weight off and we were able to talk like a couple and not awkward strangers because, regardless of some peoples beliefs, we do love each other and it took me a very long time to feel confident in that fact. Before anyone calls me a doormat again, no, I was still sure I would stick to my ultimatum. The first thing I asked was if he felt he had enough time to make his decision and he said he didn’t need time. He was very shocked and bewildered at how so much could change in just a week and how everything he knew was shook up that he couldn’t think and went numb. He did apologise that he didn’t take a more defensive stance at the cafe and he doesn’t want to make excuses for it. An explanation was that he genuinely didn’t expect such a vitriolic response. He hid the engagement because he knew they weren’t over LWs death and would be upset at the news. It wasn’t like I would feel upset by them NOT knowing, which I wasn’t really. He’s known these girls since before they were in double digits and he would never have thought them capable of it. It came so far out of left field that he froze. I asked him if there was any possibility that either of them had a thing for him and he looked very confused and disturbed. I said how I’ve had people tell me it’s not uncommon for siblings to do this after loss and he thought on it. Turns out you were right. He said the 24yo, about 8 months after LWs death made a move and tried to kiss him. He immediately left and told her mother about it (mother and father are divorced now but weren’t then.) She was a minor at the time and messaged him saying she would be 18 soon so it wasn’t a big deal. Her mother made her see the school councillor and didn’t allow her to be alone with him for a while. It was years ago so he’d forgotten it even happened. He said he was sure that wasn’t the case now because it had been so long but I’m not so convinced. Not that it matters anymore. He opened up his Facebook and gave it to me to read. 24yo had been messaging him which he ignored. She ranged from telling him off to crying and saying how betrayed the family was to trying to manipulate him against me. He said he was sure that he needed to put them behind him, and had been thinking it on and off since he proposed, but couldn’t bring himself to do it. After this week, the fire was lit and he knew what he had to do. It was all just abstract until suddenly it was very real. He asked me how I’ve been coping and I told him. I felt like I’d done everything right but somehow things turned out worse than if I’d been the jealous type and stopped their contact at the beginning. I tried to be understanding and put in so much effort to be secure in myself and our relationship only for everything I worked on to be thrown in my face like I was a mistress that was cheating with him. He didn’t blink the entire time and just listened. He said he should have been more observant and realised I was struggling with this so that he could help me but I’ve always been the ‘strong one’ so he neglected to and he’ll do better. As I’ve said in a few comments now, his parents had him in their late 40s and are retired. He hates to involve them in negativity but I was stunned when he said he’s been talking to them about this since the first Facebook message. They were very understanding but his father took a tough love approach. He said the best quote I think I’ve ever heard. ‘Get your act together before the jig is up.’ They offered to come stay for a while and help us move. I don’t think that’s necessary but I really appreciated the thought. On the subject of moving. I made it clear that I would not be living in this house any longer than I had to and he completely agreed. His parents offered to find us a place in their state if we wanted to have more of a support network and I’m honestly considering it after all this. They’re only a state away from my own family so we’d be a lot better off. His job is remote and I should be able to find work there easily enough. I’ve been in contact with a friend who’s a mechanic and they’ve quoted me between 1-2k for the damages, but that’s an ‘at cost’ estimate as a discount. A few people have said to get a real statement and to shop around. The real cost is between 4-5k and that’s just for the noticeable damage. My friend thinks they’ve done something to the engine so thank God I couldn’t drive it anywhere. He thinks I may be entitled to a replacement car all together. If so, I will be sure to sue for it and that’s not gonna be cheap. After all the emotional things were discussed he mentioned when would I be comfortable enough to go to the police. I made clear he was okay with that or id go on my own. He said, the surest I’ve ever seen him, that this is what needed to be done and he wasn’t going to let them continue. He’d done enough to try and shield them but he wasn’t going to let it come at my expense. I’m currently in the bath frothing in bathbombs but we’ll be going to the station as soon as I’m done. He’s down stairs right now printing out the new quotes from the mechanics and the messages 24yo sent him over the past couple days so we can go prepared. People have said that nothing will come of it, and you may be right. But I have to try. Hoping my local police don’t have anything better to do. It’s a small town. To finish, I made a point of asking again if he would cut them off or I had to go. He didn’t miss a beat and said that they’re no longer going to be a part of his life, even if I decided to leave. He did ask for one last meeting to say goodbye to her parents and to put a close on that part of his life, and to explain to the girls that this is not my fault but his decision after seeing how cruel they were capable of being. After that, we would block them on everything and move forward. I was completely fine with that. So, there we have it. Writing all this out and being able to talk to people about everything has been both helpful and a good distraction from the dumpster fire that was my life and everything worked out as well as I could have hoped. We’ll see how his meeting goes with them. I’m sure they won’t be very happy about it but that’s not my problem. Thank you all and I’ll update after they’ve met up. ​ Comments ​ Putrid_Awareness_916 The 24 year old was jealous that he didn’t pick her and still stay in the family Good for you tho Corfiz74 I bet she's had a crush on him ever since her big sister introduced him to the family. Sisters can have weird competition dynamics when it comes to guys... Odd_Welcome7940 This is the best outcome I think we could hope for from this story. I am happy for you. In the end, I found this line to be every single thing that really mattered. "...He’d done enough to try and shield them, but he wasn’t going to let it come at my expense." That is everything. ​ New Update - 5 days later ​ Hey all! So, seems I’ve been naughty because I got temporarily banned on here for 3 days. In chat someone was calling me every derogatory and sexist term imaginable but I was put in time out for defending myself. I appealed but the appeal took the ban time anyway. Oh well. Sorry this update is taking so long for reasons stated above. So we drove down to the police station with our block of paperwork and had a couple hours talk. They were so sweet about everything. As some of you expected, they did say I should have come earlier but they didn’t really care because it was only a few days. They said that it often takes people about this amount of time to actually file charges if they weren’t in immediate threat or danger (so unless someone was about to throw punches.) I handed them everything and it looks like I’ve got plenty of evidence. They’ll be contacting my insurance on my behalf to get the ball rolling and so they can come to do a check of my car themselves. And then they can open a claim with me if I want. (They’re not filing a claim, they’re just notifying about the criminal damages) I’ve filed criminal charges for harassment and vandalism and they’ll notify me with more details about my restraining order this week. My fiancé told the police that he was planning on meeting with LWs family and asked if that would contradict my case and they said no. We’re not married at the time of filing so legally we’re too separate entities in the case. Or something. So, my car is totalled. My mechanic friend, I’m gonna call him Tom because I can’t keep saying ‘my mechanic friend.’ So Tom and his partner at the shop did a full check on my car and this is the damage they found: Shattered windshield 4 slashed tires Two broken windows Paint (obvious, I think) Unknown substance in the engine oil Battered bodywork They said with this amount of damage, I should just go for a new car so that’s what I’ll be doing. If anyone is curious, it was a Volvo. I’d always wanted one and managed to buy one new two years ago. Either they get me a new car if they’d be set back about 60k. Either way I’ll be alright. The amount classifies the vandalism as a felony so they could be looking at jail time too. My fiancé met with the family on Saturday and Tom sat by the window. I currently live in a one party state so as long as my fiancé consents, the recording can be used in my case. While it may not be as drama filled as some of you may want, it was still pretty stressful to see. They met at the same cafe that we did before and Tom sat a few tables away. Fiancé arrived after their father and before them. For the best because they managed to have a calm conversation for once. Fiancé told him how he was feeling and FIL was very understanding but still trying to minimise. He was saying things like ‘you know they miss LW’ and ‘they’ll come around and just need time to come to terms with you moving on.’ He kept trying to initiate paying for the damages but fiancé wouldn’t talk about it until the sisters arrived. It was like butter wouldn’t melt with the 24yo but 19 came in like the Tasmanian devil. My fiancé didn’t acknowledge anyone until it had all settled down where then he said this would be his last meeting with all of them and they’d be going their separate ways. He turned to the girls and said that he would miss who he thought they were but the way they could treat people horrified him, especially me. He said that this was all him and they needed to accept that I was not to blame. He even said that it was me who offered the apology in exchange for not filing charges. The 19yo then interrupted asking what charges and that no one was going to charge them for ‘barely touching’ a car. She was a dear in headlights when he asked what they’d done to the engine oil and the two looked at each other. Seems they didn’t expect me to find that out. Queue up the grovelling. 24yo actually tried to touch his hand and told him he had to stop me pressing charges because this would ruin her and interfere with 19yos college. He said it was too late and the cops should be issuing a warrant soon (it can take a few days. I thought it was an instant thing but apparently not.) This is when their dad got involved again and said for everyone to calm down and fix this ‘like adults.’ Now he wants his girls to be adults. I see. He asked if fiancé would convince me to drop the charges in exchange for that apology and he’d pay the damages. When my fiancé said it was 60k, the eyes he gave to those women would shave the hair off a cat. The video wasn’t the best but I swear I could see the colour drain from their faces. I may sound awful but I enjoyed it. Call me what you will. They kept going on about apologising and that they’d pay but he just said it was too late and he was done. He’d tried to be civil but they were the ones that wouldn’t let it go. 24yo actually asked him to set up a meeting with me so they could get to know me and put it all behind us. He didn’t reply and after the silence they piped up again like ‘so she won’t even meet us? So she’s behind all this because she doesn’t want us around. We’ll see about that.’ (Not using exact quotes because I don’t know if I’m allowed so not risking it.) Things like that. They went on and on and frankly it was funny more than hurtful. But they did incriminate themselves more and more for my harassment case and the nail in the coffin was when 19yo said ‘if we can do that to a car, imagine what else we could do.’ That, my friends, is both a confession and a threat of bodily harm. My fiancé said one loud stop before wishing FIL well and telling the girls to not come near me. He then got up and left. That’s where the recording ends because we wouldn’t be able to use anything afterwards anyway. As for moving, we’re pretty much all packed up and have a truck coming on Friday. We’ll be staying with his parents until we find a place. We’re looking at buying this time but might get an RV in the meantime so we’re not all stepping on each other. I doubt his parents would mind at all but. This is the last update for a while I think. I have a wedding to finish, a venue to change, new invites etc and less than 2 months to do it. Send help. But thank you all for being ears and helping me get through this. If only to distract me from ruminating and digging a huge mental hole. ​ Comments ​ canyonemoon Holy shit, that's so scary? They already know there's gonna be charges put against them and they still went ahead and threatened you? I'm so glad you have the footage, that your fiancé is a stand up guy who has put in the work to move past his grief and support you, and that you both are ready and set to move. I wish you all the best luck in moving and I hope you have a wonderful, beautiful wedding!! ​ Illustrious_Fix2933 And the girls are dumb af issuing a plain, not so subtle threat to harm her when they know she knows about all the damage they have done and have also filed a police complaint. Like, they’re not only vengeful but idiots; vengeful idiots. God how they both anger me beyond words. And the father enabling them; I shudder to think what might become of them both when the dad is no longer around to clean up their messes. Also, OP, please make sure you get reimbursed and if not, that you DON’T back down with the complaint. ​ canyonemoon They're definitely stupid, but after they've already done something to the car, them moving on to actually bodily harm is what scared me. And the fact that not even the knowledge that they're people of interest to the police and a case will be opened against them was enough to get them to keep them quiet? I am just glad that OP and her fiancé are leaving this Friday. And yeah, dad's probably of the mindset that he's already lost one daughter; he won't lose another, not even by setting boundaries. That entire family needs so much therapy and so many restraining orders. ​ Shutupandplayball NTA - were you reimbursed the $60k? The_Crown_And_Anchor It sounds like the husband was only there to let them know what was happening and to not contact them again He also got it on tape that they offered the handle this out without charges being filed but that they refused to apologize. What will likely happen is that the girls will both be arrested, charged, and then their family will get a lawyer and approach OP about a financial settlement and a voluntary signing of a no contact order. I would imagine that the girls will both have records after this..even if they don't do much if any jail time ​ I am not the OOP. Please do not harass the OOP. submitted by /u/SharkEva to r/BORUpdates [link] [comments]

Dr Daniel Vance was a smart man. Too smart for his own good, maybe. Forty years old, a lecturer in fluid dynamics with a mind made of shapes and numbers. No one knows why but one day, on a whim, he crunched the numbers on the apocalypse and came to a troubling conclusion. He didn’t share exactly what it was he’d deduced, but given that he immediately quit his job and liquidated his many assets, it’s fair to say it wasn’t positive. Swept up in the wake of this tremendous upheaval was his wife, a twenty-four year old PhD student who had grown infatuated with Daniel some time before. She loved the strange bear of a man who could just as easily build a log cabin as he could explain the idiosyncrasies of an asteroid’s orbit. Speaking to Daniel always left you with the profound impression he was right, so when he told her what he wanted to do, she agreed. Fifteen years and five children later, the Vances were living in the distant woods just beyond my hometown. They were enigmatic, richer than the Pope, and extremely serious about their prepper lifestyle. But they were also funny, easygoing, and incredibly compelling to speak to. Larger than life survivalists who swept into town with bizarre requests that thrilled local businesses. Vast quantities of cement, iron, lead, and steel were all shipped through the remote mountains so that the Vances could build their shelter. The advanced methods they used to keep it secret were legendary. Daniel had once spent six months earning the licence necessary to drive HGVs up to his compound so that no one else would lay eyes on it. And on one occasion when a company had refused his request for GPS tracker-free vehicles, he bought them out wholesale so that they had no choice. So when they stopped appearing in town during the pandemic, when requests for food and goods stopped and all contact was dropped, most attributed it to lockdown. They had a bunker and had spent their entire lives training to be self-sufficient in the face of civilisation’s collapse. Even Alexander, the youngest at just three, was already collecting firewood as a chore, and learning what local plants were edible. Most of us just assumed that if anyone could ride out Covid without breaking a sweat, it would be the Vances. The reality turned out to be something else. When the worst came to light, we discovered that Daniel had used the pandemic as an excuse for a dry-run. The family intended to spend six months in lockdown and essentially beta test their fallout bunker. Three months in and the Sheriff received a distress call on the radio. Coordinates were provided by the hushed voice of a sobbing child that most assume was Alexander, even though that’s never been proven. The police arrived and found the bunker still sealed. It took hours for emergency responders to cut into the door, all the while efforts were made to contact the family within but to no avail. Once inside, police were left dumbfounded. There was no one to be rescued. No bodies. No survivors. There was evidence the door’s locking mechanism had failed and trapped the Vances inside with no way out, but if so where had they gone? Beds and cots lay everywhere with mouldering yellow sheets, buckets close to hand with stains all around them. Some doors were barred, others smashed to pieces. There was even evidence of makeshift quarantines and, in places, what looked like violence. The police, usually a fantastic source of gossip, were not forthcoming until the town demanded answers and the Sheriff was forced to offer only the barest of outlines. An outbreak of a waterborne illness had struck the Vances down not long after they were locked inside and unable to seek help. Rumours of contagion were overstated, fuelled by the unrelated rise of Covid. Whatever contaminant had killed the Vances, it was non-organic in nature. No need to panic. The Vances loved-ones had been notified. The bunker was going to be demolished, and we could all put this terrible tragedy behind us. Of course we still had questions. A thousand of them. Why hadn’t the family called for help? They had radios, computers, smartphones too. They were survivalists, not Amish. And where were they? What had happened to their bodies? Why hadn’t they simply left? We shouted these and more at the town meeting but the police simply refused to comment. For most of us the excitement lasted another week or two until we realised we weren’t getting answers any time soon. Besides, the pandemic was in full swing and most of us had other things to worry about. The tragic story eventually faded until it was just one of those awful things in the town’s history that we didn’t talk about. I was as guilty as anyone else of just forgetting about it. I certainly never expected to find the bunker out there in the woods, faded police tape still on the open door that hung wide open with scorch marks around the lock. It stood out in the woods like someone had cut a hole right in the fabric of reality, the darkness so deep and black it almost ached to look at. The sight of it made my heart drop into my stomach. It radiated pain. Does that make sense? I think some part of my lizard brain picked out details that wouldn’t become apparent to me until I got closer, like the bloody finger streaks that stained the handle from where someone had scrabbled furiously at the lock without success. And the tiny viewing window had been smashed with a hammer that still lay nearby. I needed only to glimpse it to imagine the family taking turns to stand there and scream into the woods desperate for rescue. Under any other circumstances, I would have run. But I’d gone there looking for my dog, and my light revealed a few wet paw prints making their way down the dusty concrete tunnel. Half Bernese and half collie, Ripley is the sort of dog who trembles in my arms when a storm buffets the windows and needs his paws held when we brush him. I love him. I do not have much of a family, or a wife, or even many friends. But I have Ripley, and I could no more have turned around and gone home to an empty apartment where I would have to sob my grief away than I could flap my arms and fly. He was my dog and I’d raised him since he was a puppy, and I wasn’t going to leave him out in those woods. I went in after him. I didn’t know what to expect, but I knew it wouldn’t be good. Whatever the police had found, they’d not only kept most of the morbid details to themselves, they had also lied. The bunker was not demolished, or even sealed off. In fact, looking at the occasional blue latex glove tossed aside and the one or two broken police-issue flashlights, it seemed like the last people inside had been in a hurry to get out. Given this was where seven people had presumably died, I assumed it was someone’s job to clean it all up. But the corridor looked largely untouched. Just a few metres in and manic writing started to cover the walls, the desperate scrawls of a lone survivor left there to be rediscovered like cave paintings. Most were deliberations on how to get out. Diagrams. Blueprints. Equations and formulae. All focused on the door and the circuits responsible for its faulty lock. I instinctively assumed they belonged to Daniel and that he’d been the last to die. What a God awful fate for a man to outlive his children. And yet it got worse. Slowly the writing changed from equations and plans to a desperate scrawl. The same few phrases repeated over and over. Five doors. Five. Not six. Six. Didn’t make it. Didn’t make it. Six doors. Six. It seemed like the kind of thing you’d find in an asylum. A psychotic rambling punctuated only by six paragraphs right at the end. Each letter was impeccably neat, and each small paragraph was topped with a beautifully drawn Christian cross. Elliott Vance aged fifteen. A gifted guitarist. He liked boys even though he thought I did not know. I loved him with everything I had. He would have made a great man. Alicia Vance aged fourteen. She liked to paint and to shoot. She had her mother’s mean streak. It would have served her well in the future. Elijah Vance aged eight. The smartest of us all… These were Daniel’s memorials to his family, and seeing the words lit up by my torch was a haunting insight into the overwhelming despair he’d endured. He must have realised he wouldn’t get the chance to speak at his family’s funerals or to write their obituaries. This was his last desperate way of making sure the world might one day know them as he did - as real people. The words marked the end of the tunnel, standing adjacent to a trapdoor in the ground. It was not open but the tunnel came to a dead end immediately afterwards and Ripley’s prints disappeared at the hatch. I feared he might be in danger, but still I stopped and looked at the bunker door twenty metres behind me. The once gloomy forest looked so bright, even on this cloudy day, the air dotted with rain. A part of me felt like I was leaving the whole world behind as I began to climb the ladder down. I entered a large circular living space that was packed with furniture and little nooks and crannies. The walls were covered with folding beds and tables and every inch was multifunctional. A dining space could become a sitting space, which in turn might be where someone slept, or even exercised. It all depended on what particular bit of furniture you unfolded or unclipped or unfurled. Seven people in close quarters, nowhere near enough privacy, it made sense they went with this cluttered overlapping use of space. But it was still a large room, bigger than most studio apartments. And there were a few corridors that led deeper into the Earth telling me the bunker had unseen depths. I looked for some sign of my dog and soon found his trail, but this far from the rainy copse Ripley’s prints were starting to fade. After barely a few metres they petered out vaguely in the direction of a nearby door. I wanted to follow but stopped myself from rushing onwards. It was unlikely Ripley was getting out any other way, and I’d do us no good getting hurt myself. I decided to take a look around and quickly spotted a dinner table. If I needed proof the police had not bothered with a clean up, this was it. The plates were still out, the food rotten to a strange blackened husk. A child’s hat lay across one place-setting, the once-creamy fleece turned a sickly green and yellow. The chairs had their backs reinforced with wooden beams fitted with long grooves so that something the width of a nail could slide into them. And on each of the cushions were foul smelling stains that looked oddly like an ass print. I touched one with gloved hands and the material crackled audibly. Whatever it was, similar stains were on the cutlery and plates, and there were even handprints of it placed firmly on the tablecloth. At first I thought it was blood, but that wasn’t quite right. It was too contained to be from leaking blood. On the back of one of the chairs a stain tapered exactly where a woman’s waist would be like a near perfect silhouette. I shivered as I remembered that Miranda Vance had always been a slim woman and wondered how she had left her imprint on the grey fabric. Using my torch, I saw that these stains repeated in the oddest of places. Yes, there were some on beds and blankets and even patches of plain floor exactly like you might expect in a room full of sick people. But why did one stain on the floor bear such a strong resemblance to a child huddled in the foetal position? And why was the same stuff all over the tv remote, and on books on shelves, and board games too. Everything from sofa cushions to DVD boxes to piles of dirty laundry were covered in the same dried brownish material that gave off a foul coppery miasma. I found the jigsaw particularly baffling. Someone had set up another table with four chairs, all modified with the same back support as those by the dinner table. And a jigsaw had been lain out with four separate piles, but only one was depleted. The rest looked largely untouched, almost like someone had portioned out pieces for three other people who had absolutely no interest in going along with it. Maybe Daniel had tried to keep up morale while the family were sick? God help me, if that were true I couldn’t help but imagine the poor man sat there with his loved ones close to death, desperately trying to encourage them to click their own pieces into place while they faded in and out of consciousness. Something about that room emanated madness, and the longer I stayed down there flicking the bright disk of light of my torch from one detail to another, the more I wanted to leave. One door had wooden beams nailed across it. One sofa had been partially disassembled. Multiple beds had been burned. And all the light bulbs had been removed and put in a box on the kitchen counter top. Looking up at the ceiling, I finally had some insight into why the police were so confident the Vances had not survived despite never finding their bodies. Someone had jammed a human finger into one of the empty sockets, almost like they’d expected it to glow with the flick of a switch. What was it about this place that had caused the police to leave and never return? Not to even take that finger and test it for signs of illness, or even just to confirm who it belonged to? I decided it was time to hurry up and find my dog. People had died in that place, and while I’m not superstitious, I can’t be the only sceptic who has done the calculations in his head and realised it costs nothing to be respectful of ghosts. That bunker was cramped, terrifying, and the air stank so bad I started to worry I’d get sick myself. It served no one any good to linger. But I’d be damned if I’d just walk away and leave Ripley to rot down there. It’s not like he could climb a ladder and get out on his own (even if I wasn’t entirely sure how he’d gotten down there in the first place). Summoning what little bravery I had left I called out and broke the silence, something which felt like a terrible taboo in that God awful place, like screaming in a graveyard. “Ripley!” I waited and hoped to hell I’d hear the pitter patter of his paws, but for the longest of moments there was only the kind of silence that makes you wonder if someone or something in the darkness is holding its breath trying to look like just another patch of nothing. Biding its time until you finally turn around and show it your back… The TV came on with a blurt of white noise that was so loud and so sudden I cried, threw my arms up, and nearly fell backwards onto a rolled-out sleeping bag that looked like it had spent a week in the sewer. By the time I realised what had caused the noise, I could already hear a tinny rendition of Daniel Vance’s voice. …I realise the issue here. I need to emphasise just how little I understand anything that’s… I frowned at the screen as I approached. It showed a greenish infrared view of the bunker with Daniel upfront, and the dinner table behind him. It was grainy and hard to see, but I could clearly tell that his family were sitting in those chairs. …Miranda was first to fall ill. Looking back it makes perfect sense. Miranda often went into storage to fetch food for cooking and we found it behind one of the refrigerators. So that’s–ah shit.. One of the figures in the background slumped onto the table with a loud clank and sent a plate spinning off onto the ground. Shit shit shit, Daniel muttered as he got up and grabbed the woman by the shoulders and sat her upright. Miranda never did like my cooking! He snorted a laugh as he fussed with something at the back of the chair. The rods are much better than tape. All those hours spent taping them upright to the chairs. Never worked. But the rods… they fit right into the spine and with a little modification I can just slot them into the chairs. That way everyone is able to join in for dinner. I’m working on something similar for family game night. Daniel wandered over to the camera and with a grin he lifted it from the tripod and scanned the dinner table. What I saw nearly made me drop my torch. His family were long dead. Gaunt faces. Missing noses. Lips that had receded to reveal awful grins. These were corpses, plain as day, even when viewed through such a low resolution image. The only thing that made them seem remotely alive was the way their eyes still reflected the infrared back so that they glowed in the dark. And yet Daniel seemed oblivious to it all. He tousled Elliot’s hair. Kissed his wife on the cheek. Run a hand across one young girl’s shoulder. He even picked the young Alexander up from his high chair and I assume he coddled him. I don’t know for sure because I looked away, unwilling to see the poor boy up close. Eyes averted from the screen, I couldn’t help but pan my torch across to that same dinner table and shiver as I finally realised what all those stains were. Not quite blood. But close. Liquefying flesh. Left alone for months, Daniel had not put his family’s bodies to rest. Instead he had moved them around from place to place and puppeted them, living life as if nothing had really changed. Looking at where those stains had settled I saw a clear pattern emerge. He had put them to bed. He had set them dinner. He had propped them up to watch TV, or gave them their favourite books. They even sat there as lifeless husks while Daniel waited for them complete a fucking jigsaw. The idea horrified me to my core. …back to work. It’s obviously not part of the original designs. No room on the other side, not on the blueprints. Elliot didn’t believe me and why would he? I made every inch of this place, but I did not install that door in storage on the bottom level. I checked the cameras and some of the photos I took during the build and the wall is just blank. But the door is there now and it must lead somewhere. I don’t know when or why it opens, but it does and the next time I’ll be ready. Because I have to know what’s on the other side, and why it did this to us. Alone down here, often all asleep at once. Anything could have slit our throats and been done with it. But it didn’t. It took its time and I have to know why! It took our radios and computers and phones. One by one. None of us noticing until it was far too late. I kept telling the kids they needed to take better care of their things, and even as they complained I just assumed the phones were lying behind some shelf. Where else could they go in a locked bunker? But it wasn’t the children at all. Looking back there are so many signs… who kept taking away the lights? Who kept draining the batteries in our torches? How long did we live with it before we finally realised we weren’t alone? Was it here every step of the way? A door out of nothing that leads to nowhere, at least most of the time. Because I know for a fact it does not always open onto a blank wall. There is something behind it. I can hear it shuffling around in there, wet breath rattling in its lungs, a horrible sound I hear roaming these halls when it thinks I’m asleep… I listened to Daniel, fascinated by this strangely compelling rant, when movement caught my eye. An infrared camera running in the dark, its image a roiling mess of uniform noise. What was it I’d seen? I paused the tape and rewound. Squinting, I saw two pinpricks of light in the darkness just over Daniel’s shoulder. Slowly, the image resolved itself in my mind. I knew what I was seeing and it turned my blood to ice. Miranda Vance had turned her head, and her lifeless eyes glowed as she fixed them on the back of Daniel’s head. …not even any point leaving at this stage. I’m no doctor, but that door is giving off enough radiation to… well, to kill a family of seven. If none of us had touched it… Being in the same room is risky, but not lethal. But given how sick we’ve become, it’s pretty obvious our curiosity got the better of us, one by one, and we all got too close. Or maybe not. Maybe that thing on the other side came through and did this. I don’t even kn… wait… what was that? Daniel turned and the camera stopped recording. The image it froze on was of a lone man, bright as a star in the camera’s lens, facing off against unknowable darkness broken only by six pairs of white, glowing eyes. I became painfully aware of my position relative to the table and I had the painful premonition that if I turned, those chairs would not be empty. I would see the Vances, all of them, Daniel as well, waiting for me. Heads turned. Bodies left to rot for years in the dark. Behind me something shifted. It breathed. Loud. Quick. I knew what it was. I knew. It came at me so fast that when I felt something hot and wet touch my hand I screamed, only for the presence to suddenly recoil. But then, without hesitation, it leapt at me and bore me to the ground. I wept as Ripley licked my face. He was shivering and, worst of all, silent which was not normal. He was not a quiet dog, not when greeting me and not when excited like he was now. But whatever he’d seen down here, he clung to me and dug his paws into my shoulders like he wanted to be cradled over the shoulder, something he has been too big to do for years. “Oh you fucking idiot,” I cooed in a soft whisper and even in the dark I could feel his tail wagging. Joking aside, I felt nothing but relief at finding him. “Let’s get the hell out of here.” I picked him up, straining a little under the weight but refusing to give into tired muscles, and made for the ladder. It wasn’t easy climbing the three or four rungs to the hatch, but I managed it and gave the hatch a shove. First one hand, then two. Again and again, with everything I had, but still that hatch refused to budge. “Shit!” I cried while pounding at it with my fists, but all I achieved was a sore wrist. The hatch had jammed when, somehow, the handle had been snapped clean off. Now I’d need a pair of pliers or something to cut through the metal bar locking it shut. My fingers couldn’t move it, nor could I brute force the hatch open. The metal bar was an inch thick and, at the very least, I’d need some tools to get at it from this side. At least it’s fixable, I thought as I climbed back down and caught my breath. On one wall I noticed a simple diagram of the bunker made in chalk. It had three floors. The bottom was storage–Daniel had mentioned that before, and I noticed that he had drawn through it with a large red X–and the top floor was labelled Quarters, where I stood now. But the middle floor was labelled workshops and it was there I realised that I’d find what I needed. There was one door that opened onto a concrete stairwell and, standing at the top, I shone my light down the spiralling guard rails unsure of what it was I hoped to see. There were only harsh shadows and the sense of something foul rising up on the air. A smell that tickled my throat and burned a little in my lungs. Had the police even gone down this far? Had they seen what I’d seen on that TV and just left? Somehow I thought it was unlikely that had been enough to send the entire Sheriff’s department running, so was it something else that had done it. Something that had been enough to terrify dozens of armed men. Something that was almost definitely down there. The door… I went down quietly. At first I considered leaving Ripley behind, but after losing him the first time I decided I’d rather risk it just to know that he was right next to me. Besides, he was being quieter than I was, and I didn’t feel much like going down those stairs on my own. He accompanied me with only the quiet click clack of his paws on concrete, a sound I found deeply comforting as I barely managed to keep my torch from shaking in my hand and my breathing steady. Down one floor and I found the workshop exactly as you might expect. A large space filled with generators and fuel and water tanks and boilers and heaters and pretty much anything and everything that you’d need to survive but which you couldn’t put outside due to fallout. Wires pipes and tubes ran from one end of the room to the other and even years later, most of the machinery still hummed in the pitch black emptiness, an idea I found deeply unsettling. Taking one look at that strange tangle of harsh shapes and industrial figures looming out of the walls and floor, I shivered and looked around, quickly finding a small area Daniel had cordoned off for his own use. About a fifth of the total floor space, there was a large workbench and some seriously high end machining equipment, all very well used. Lathes. Buzzsaws. Drills. Belt sanders. Welding torches. Everything a man needed to do-it-himself. And Daniel had been busy. I’m not sure exactly what it was he’d been working, but there was an arm on the bench. It sat atop a pile of papers that had slowly turned brown over the years until the whole thing looked like it had been soaked in tobacco spit. On the whiteboard was a faded but still visible diagram of what looked to me like a ball-and-socket joint. I thought of the tape, of Daniel’s little mechanism to keep his family upright, and then looked at the arm and suppressed a momentary gag reflex. I don’t know if Dan had been working on posable limbs, or just a way to put the decomposing remains back together after they’d started to fall apart, but the size of the arm suggested a pre-teen child, and he’d left it out on the surface like it was a disassembled clock. It was also missing a finger. Just how fucking crazy was he? I wondered as I pinched my nose with one hand and began overturning boxes looking for a hefty pair of pliers, or maybe a hacksaw. Ripley backed away from the noise, but once I made sure he wasn’t going anywhere I carried on grabbing and pulling at box after box hoping I’d find what I was looking for. Anything to break that fucking metal bar. In the end I managed to get a pair of bolt cutters, a crowbar, and a heavy duty pair of pliers. One went in my pocket, one went down the back of my jeans, and the other was clutched in my fist, too large to be tucked away in my clothes. The bolt cutters felt hefty in my hand which was a bit of comfort, but that feeling didn’t last long. Something moved in the darkness, out there in the twisted jungle of shadows cast by all those pipes and wires that ran from one machine to the next. A figure moved. Thin, but unmistakably human in its outline. I couldn’t help but remember what I’d seen on that tape. Surely it couldn’t have been real? Maybe Daniel had rigged something up. Some fishing wire and a motor, maybe? The idea that those bodies had been moving on their own… I couldn’t be sure of that, could I? It was a frightening idea, one my mind had latched onto out of sheer panic. That was all… And then I saw them. A pair of white pin-pricks reflecting back at me from the depths of that cluttered room. Ripley, already behind me, head nuzzled into my leg, pushed even closer against me and let out a barely audible whine under his breath. The behaviour of a dog who was terrified, close to pissing himself with fear. Just a bit of metal, I told myself as the light shook so violently in my hand I struggled to see straight. Just two shiny bits of metal… They blinked and began to come towards me. If I had any doubts left, they were dispersed by the sight of a pale white hand emerging into the light. I ran straight to the stairs and went to climb them, but only one or two steps in and I saw something gripping the handrail on the top floor. A mouldy clump of flesh only just recognisable as a fist, the flesh withered until the fingers were basically bone. Without meaning to, I brought my light up out of habit and I saw the bloated face of a hairless corpse glaring down at me. I couldn’t even tell you if it had been a teenage girl or the sixty-year-old Daniel, either way I instinctively turned and found another body shambling towards me out of the workshop. I was trapped. Nowhere to go. By the feel of warm fluid on the back of my leg I could tell Ripley had finally pissed himself. An adult dog, tail between his legs, shivering like a puppy and desperate to be picked up. God I needed him to just stay together for a little longer. I couldn’t take him in my arms, but I couldn’t leave him behind either… With nowhere to go I ran down and entered storage. There was the temptation to stop once I hit the bottom. Down here the air was thicker and the sounds of my breathing were muted, somehow distant. But I only had to look back up to see three pairs of eyes glaring down at me, so without giving any of it much further thought I barreled down the corridor and stumbled onto a door at random. Opening it, I saw what looked like your standard storage room, only most of the shelves had been overturned and the food left to rot on the floor. One or two shelving units were still upright though, and their shelves were covered in tall opaque boxes that made them a fantastic hiding spot. That, I decided, would have to be where I crouched down and turned off my light. I was already inside when I realised that wasn’t all that was in there… The door almost looked normal. I could see why Daniel must have been confused by it because it looked a little bit like all the other doors down there, but it was different too. It was too tall and too wide, about a foot and a half off the ground, and the metal rusted in its entirety like it had aged out of sync with everything else down there. All around the jamb was a profusion of wet soppy moss like the kind you find hanging off trees in a swamp, and every few seconds the door would leak something strange and oily, like the kind of thing you find in a parking lot on a rainy day. Of course that wasn’t too strange in itself, but the leak was horizontal, defying gravity so that every few seconds a large glob of the stuff would whip across the room and slap into the wall opposite creating a puddle about the size of a man that defied all reason. Remembering Daniel’s words about radiation, I instinctively inched away from this puddle and the door on the opposite wall, backing myself into the darkest quietest corner I could while I pulled Ripley behind me and hoped to hell he wouldn’t give me away. Once I was in there I turned off my light and waited. I must have taken longer than I’d thought to hide spot because it was barely two seconds later when a few figures entered the room. It was pitch black after I’d turned off my torch, but they made enough noise to let me know that at least two of them had stumbled in after me. I stayed there, unable to see anything, not sure if they were heading straight for me or just getting ready to leave, forced to hold out and let luck decide my fate. When I finally heard something scrape against the wall barely two feet from where I stood, I gave up and switched my light on, desperate to know what was coming for me. The sound had been terribly misleading. Daniel Vance was no more than six inches from my face. “Get out,” he hissed from a toothless and cracked mouth. A living corpse just like the others, somehow a flash of intelligence remained in those wide, terrified eyes. And then I heard it. The creaking of a door. And without even thinking I turned the light and saw it on the wall. I saw it open, and behind the strange steel there was more than just plain old concrete. Much more. I saw a raging gullet of flesh. A ringed tube of pulsing muscle lined with teeth the size of hands. A spiralling descent into madness. Hot foetid air washed into the room, buffeting me and the rotting corpses, all of us paralysed by what we were seeing, even if for most of the figures beside Daniel and myself, they didn’t have eyes to see with. “What the fuck…?” I muttered, unable to take my eyes from the flesh tube beyond that doorway. “It’s coming,” Daniel whispered as he grabbed me with one fist and hurled me out of the room. I hit the floor and skidded along a slick fluid left by the Vance’s footprints, the smell of which turned my stomach. Perhaps the worst detail was that it was cold. I don’t know why, I’d just expected whatever oozed them off them to be feverishly hot. But it wasn’t. It soaked my shirt like I’d fallen into a muddy puddle. “It’s coming.” This voice wasn’t Daniel’s. I couldn’t say for sure, but it sounded like a child’s whisper. One by one the bodies shuffled over to the open door and knelt before it. I don’t know why but I got the impression the others had lost pretty much everything left of their minds, but Daniel remained aware. He looked back at me once more and spoke before he pressed his head to the floor in supplication with the others. “The only thing we did wrong was being here for it to torture. It didn’t need a reason, just an opportunity. Leave. It won’t let us go. It won’t even let us die. And if it catches you, it won’t let you go either.” His forehead kissed the dirt. And then something reached through the door and gripped his head in its palm the way you or I might pick up an apple. In full panic, I ran over and grabbed my dog and the bolt cutters and I ran like my legs were pistons, machines whose signals of exhaustion and fatigue could not slow me down, or cause me to fall. I had to move. I had to leave. The hand that had grabbed Daniel… the sight of it flushed my mind clean like some kind of enema. It hurt to see the image replay in my mind but there was nothing else in my head echoing around except the sight of fingers with one too many knuckles, and nails as large as a smartphone. I reached the top floor and nearly collapsed from breathlessness, but I wouldn’t let myself stay down for long. I crawled over to the ladder and climbed up and immediately went to work trying to cut the metal lock. It was hell with just one hand, the other clinging to the torch that I kept frantically pointing at the door behind me, and it wasn’t long before I fumbled one too many times and dropped my only source of light. “No no no no…” I mewed. But there was no time to look for it. I had to get out and I had to get out fast! I couldn’t see but I was sure I could hear something climbing up those stairs. Not the steady thump thump of human feet. No this was different. This was a rapid pitter patter of a spider, maybe. Something with hundreds of feet or hands, or God knows what, skittering along the floor and walls and ceiling, pulling itself along with a body whose mere shape would offend God. Using all my strength I leaned hard on the bolt cutters and, at last, the bolt gave. I threw the hatch open and got just enough ambient light to see Ripley hovering at the bottom of the ladder, growling ineffectually at the doorway. I crouched down, scooped him up, and fled up the ladder so quickly that my muscles turned to jelly at the top and I fell over onto hands and knees. But still, I was out. The long corridor covered in writing was ahead of me, and at the very end a doorway capped now by the tired blue light of a full moon. Ripley needed no encouragement. He whipped down the corridor with canine speed and I followed at a broken and stumbling crawl, eventually shouldering past the open door and collapsing onto the forest floor. For a few seconds I drifted in and out of consciousness, but when I looked up and saw the canopy overhead moving–the branches backlit by a full moon–I snapped awake and glared down at something gripping my ankle. The hand had reached out of the dark and seized me and was slowly dragging me back into the Earth below. Whatever it was, most of its body lurked out of sight in the shadows behind the doorway, but the hand that crushed my leg was the size of my torso with an arm that looked like it belonged to a mole rat. I struck it with my own fist. I dug my nails in. I cried and kicked and screamed, but nothing could stop it. From behind the door, something like a face grinned and leered at me with joy. It was taking its time, sure enough, pulling me in so slowly that it gave my mind all the time in the world to appreciate the nightmare that awaited me. I think if, in that moment, you’d given me a gun, I would’ve shot myself because God help me I couldn’t escape the look in Daniel’s eyes, how he’d knelt to worship this thing like a man who knew that hope or pride or joy or anything with even a hint of goodness to it was so far out of reach for him it might as well be a dream. How long was this thing going to keep them down there? How long did it intend to keep me!? I wept like a child, feeling like my mind was slowly cracking as I tried everything to stop that fucking pulling me into the shadows. I kicked at the earth. I dug into it using my hands looking for a root or a pipe or anything to hold onto. Nothing, nothing, I did would slow it down. I was no more than a foot from the doorway when Ripley reappeared. A dog afraid of hoovers and plastic bags and doors that move on their own. A dog who once got stared down by a particularly feisty rabbit who stopped mid chase and turned around, baffling the predator on its tail. A dog you couldn’t even watch scary movies around… And he lunged at that arm like he was a wolf, like he’d always been one. And while he didn’t quite break the skin, the pressure was enough to make the thing’s grip weaken and I slid my leg out. Unable to stand, I knelt and grabbed the dog and pulled as hard as I could and now that fucking thing bled at last as the pressure of the jaws and the sliding teeth ripped into its flesh. Together, at last, Ripley and I were let go and sent rolling backwards head over hells. I wasted no time waiting or looking or processing. I heaved the dog to my chest and crawled until I passed out, making it maybe half a kilometre away. Only when I could no longer see the door did I let myself fall to the ground face first and gave up consciousness. - The doctors said I had pneumonia, which I suppose made some kind of sense. I might have even believed them were it not for the Sheriff’s visit, asking strange questions of me as I lay in bed about what I may or may not have seen. I dismissed them to the best of my ability. I wasn’t interested in chasing that particular nightmare down, figuring out if it had been real or not, at least not while I lay there half-drowning in my own infection. To be fair, I had at least some sympathy for why the police had done so little to seal that place off. I have, on occasion, thought about going and doing the job myself, but to this day I still have nightmares about being pulled into the dark beyond that door. Not just the bunker door, the one I narrowly avoided at the end, but the one below. What I saw was a kind of madness, I’m sure of it, and I often think of Daniel’s words. It didn’t need a reason, just an opportunity. Somehow, the Vances were that opportunity. Maybe they built their bunker on a leyline, or a weak spot between dimensions, or the site of former Satanic rituals. I’m not sure it even matters. They went into the dark thinking it’d be a safe place to wait out the world’s troubles, but something had been down there waiting for them, waiting for a chance to get at a family of seven people, to lock them in and deprive them of escape and slowly take from them everything it could. I’ve moved since then. Couldn’t help it. It wasn’t just the memories you see. It was the short-wave radio I kept in my basement. Something my father passed onto me when I was just a boy. God I’d forgotten about it… at least until I woke up one day to the sound of it blaring white noise down in the dark. And buried in that sound was the faint whispering of a man, his voice barely recognisable, but unmistakably his. …let them go let them go let them go let them go let them go let them go… submitted by /u/ChristianWallis to r/nosleep [link] [comments]

PandaBuy Unlimited 5% OFF Coupon Signup Bonus (Click Here) 🔥 PandaBuy App is expected to be available around August 8th for iOS and Android devices! 🔥 Ongoing Pandabuy Events Shipping prices reduced by 10% for 60% of countries Use Discount Code "fashionreps" to Get 5% Discount for unlimited uses. Can be combined with shipping coupons! New Features Released: Taobao Shop Viewer all on-site (doesn't require you to use taobao to view a sellers products) Similar shop viewer (browse for similar sellers all on site!) Search via seller name instead of taobao links ​ ​ PandaBuy Quick Intro Video _______________________________________________ ▌GUIDE 6.0▐ The Biggest & Best Full PandaBuy Agent Guide I Introduction II General Info About Taobao Agents III The PandaBuy Guide + Unlimited 5% Discount IV FashionReps Terminology & Translations V How to Reverse Image Search VI How To Avoid Customs VII General Tips About Shipping VIII What Happens When Your Haul Gets Seized By Customs IX Useful Links And Seller Stores X How To Make Your Haul Cheaper XI I Shipped, Now Where Is My Parcel? _______________________________________________ I Introduction Welcome to FashionReps, the worlds largest online discussion board for all things related to replica goods but also other products from China such as electronics, food, and much more! Started in 2014, FashionReps has grown to become a leading community in the world-wide movement towards purchasing goods from China. Throughout the years there has been numerous malicious sellers who have done the community wrong which is why I'm writing this guide - to allow for a better and safer experience throughout your journey. In the current world environment it is important to use an agent. Agents offer additional security when ordering from websites such as Taobao, Weidian, 1688, and even direct sellers! PandaBuy offers unique features that no other agent offers and more importantly has great shipping prices. This guide will go over everything you need to know to start ordering products from China as soon as today. _______________________________________________ ​ II - General Info About Taobao Agents 1. What is an Agent? ​ An agent is a middle-man service provider that allows you to purchase goods from numerous websites such as Taobao, Weidian, 1688, Yupoo, and many more. Much like how Amazon works with third party sellers, an Agent will do the same. Products will be purchased through your choice of agent (I recommend PandaBuy due to their unique features & pricing), sent to a warehouse, pictures taken of the product and uploaded for you to see, then shipped to you after payment. The main website used by the community is Taobao.com and Weidian.com. Think of it like Amazon or eBay for China - solely for China. The problem that results in is that we need to establish a connection between your country and China. This is where an Agent comes into play. You browse through your favorite Taobao shops and find some items you want to buy. Now you do not buy it through Taobao but through your agent (in our case, PandaBuy). PandaBuy now buys this exact item and lets it deliver to their warehouse. You ask for pictures, measurements, exchanges, returns etc. When everything is fine PandaBuy will package everything and deliver it to you. They are the connection between you and Taobao. ​ 2. Which agent to use? The community is filled with many options of agents. Due to this, it's best to understand why specific ones are better than others. Over the years, I have used several agents and many of them have been out-ranked by others due to their lack of features, high shipping prices, and lack of customer support as new agents come along. This is why I highly recommend using PandaBuy. PandaBuy offers the most honest, swift, and most importantly professional customer experience you can get. They're also creating unique features that no other agent is offering. This is why a majority of the community is starting to move towards PandaBuy. In this guide I will continue to make examples and tutorials only about PandaBuy's information. I am sorry if you use another agent but just keep PandaBuy in mind when you plan your next haul. Use any agent you want, there are many out there. However, I highly recommend using PandaBuy due to their unique features catered to the replica community and pricing. ​ _______________________________________________ III - The PandaBuy Guide + Unlimited 5% Signup Bonus 1. Signing up + Get $90 Shipping Coupons/Discounts To receive your unlimited 5% off Signup Bonus you need to sign up HERE. After successfully creating your account, you'll receive an infinite 5% off coupon in your account automatically. ​ ​ When shipping, click discount code ​ Add fashionreps code for 5% off total shipping I recommend as a precaution to use a unique password that isn't used for any websites. This is a precautionary measure that should be done on all websites, not just China-related sites. Also don't worry about your payment information such as Paypal - You never enter your Paypal email + password on the PandaBuy homepage, it always redirects you to Paypal's official website where you log in as usual. PandaBuy also uses a secure connection between you and them (https). ​ 2. Ordering Process - How to order (Image & Text Version) ​ Go to Pandabuy.com after signing up here for your 5% off Discount Find the item you want on Taobao and paste in the link OR if you know the name of your seller, type it into the product navigation bar You will be taken to a page like this. Here, PandaBuy translates the color and size options for you, and all you need to do is select the color and size you want. After, you can either Add to Cart or Buy Now. For this example, we'll assume that the sock is the only thing you want. You will next be taken to this page. Here, you have to select your country from the Choose Destination Country box, then hit submit to be taken to the payment screen. If you have an existing balance in your PandaBuy account from previous purchases that you have returned, you can use that to buy the product. Here, just select Balance or your choice of Payment Processor and pay for your order unless you have an existing balance. Sometimes PandaBuy will not allow you to use PayPal and that is when you need to simply top up your balance instead of doing a direct order with PayPal. Now, just wait until the seller ships his order. Once it arrives in the PandaBuy warehouse, you will receive a notification. Once your product arrives, hover over your username in the navbar and select My Warehouse. Here, you can view QC, or quality control, pictures that PandaBuy takes. If you're satisfied with your order, select it and click Submit in the lower right corner. Here, you can choose your preferred shipping method. The fashionreps favorite currently is EMS, but it's up to you what line you would like to use. Just select the shipping line, then click Submit Delivery Order to have PandaBuy pack up your products and send it to your door. Post your hauls! ​ Image Guide Step 1: Find your product via Shop Name or Taobao Link Search ​ Shop Search Function ​ Traditional Taobao Link Search Function Step 2: Add To Cart or Buy Now ​ Product Page on PandaBuy, full of features to help you browse products easily. Click \"Buy Now\" Step 3: Submit Order ​ Click Submit Order whenever you make all your chosen selection of upgrades & filled in information Step 4. Check Out ​ Choose your choice of payment then click \"Confirm Payment\" Recommend Wise due to the currency exchange rates being better than Paypal. Step 5: Wait for product to arrive to warehouse & QC pictures to be uploaded to your profiles warehouse ​ Once payment is completed, wait a few days for the product to arrive in your warehouse and pictures to be uploaded to your account. From there, you submit your haul for shipping to you. ​ 3. PandaBuy Unique Features PandaBuy is set to be different than other agents by creating unique features for the community to use. Below are some of the key features that made my experience far better and put them a mile ahead of other agents. Taobao Shop Navigation Navigating directly through their site, not requiring a taobao account.. you can view all the products from a seller. This allows me to be better use my time instead of wasting it with the pesky taobao UI that is clunky. Directly enter shops through the roduct page & also favorite them for future use. No longer requiring you to have a taobao account to browse stores! ​ After entering a shop you can browse all the seller products with ease Favoriting Products & Shops After favoriting a product or shop, it gets put under your favorites on your profile for easy navigation in the future. ​ When you favorite a product or store it is placed in this location for future usages Similar Shop Searching Lets you search for shops similar to the one you're browsing. ​ https://preview.redd.it/qffc4lru43591.png?width=1872&format=png&auto=webp&s=e5c74a24f70c8e7ec437c4710448dda2e83f9687 _______________________________________________ THIS IS ALL OPTIONAL READING, WE RECOMMEND READING PAST THIS POINT BUT IT IS NOT NECESSARY FOR LEARNING HOW TO ORDER IV - FashionReps Terminology & Sizing Chart Translations FashionReps Terminology QC: Quality Control (QC for short) is talking about pictures that are posted from an agent of an item that was ordered. Users will post these if they're unsure about the quality and would rather have someone else take a look at them if they're good enough. LC: Legit Check (LC for short) This is a tag used for posts requiring a legit check. Legit checks are a great way of finding out if a item you're purchasing is authentic or not. GP: Guinea Pig (GP for short) You will be the first person to order a sellers new item. This means you'll be the first to get pictures of their product and often times you'll post them to be checked for quality by the community. FIND: Much like the name states. Posts with this flair are often linked to new products that haven't been posted before. W2C:: Where To Cop (W2C for short) W2C refers to the search for a desired item. Often times will be linked with retail images for an example. 1:1: One to One (1:1 for short) 1:1 refers to a perfect replica. However, not many exist and often times you won't be able to get these as they're sold out. GL: Green Light (GL for short) GL Refers to a user who has given their approval of a QC post. RL: Red Light (RL for short) RL Refers to a user who has given their disapproval of a QC post. B&S: Bait & Switch (BS or B&S for short) B&S Refers to a seller who has advertised their product and sent goods that are different from advertised. Tops 尺码: Size 领宽: Neck width 领长: Collar length 肩宽: Shoulder width 袖长: Sleeve length 袖围: Sleeve circumference 袖口: Sleeve/Cuff opening 肘宽: Elbow width 胸围: Bust width; Chest width Pants and Trousers: 腰围: Waist 臀围 or 坐围: Hip width 衣长: Length 松量: Relaxed (measurement) 拉量: Stretched (measurement) 前直档长: Front rise 后直档长: Back rise 裤长: Trousers length 拉链长: Zipper length 内长: Inseam 大腿围: Thigh width 裤脚围: Leg opening 裤脚宽: Trousers width 身高: Height 长度: Length 宽度: Width Shoes 脚长: Foot length 美国: US 英国: UK 欧洲: EUR 中国: China 厘米: cm 毫米: mm 英寸 or 寸: inches _______________________________________________ V - How to Reverse Image Search Taobao for the average consumer may be hard to grasp and often times users may be hesitant to dive into Taobao's ever-growing catalog of products. Taobao offers a feature called Search via Image. This allows users to easily find items related to the image they upload. Start here: https://s.taobao.com/search? Unfortunately, my video guide below would not process on reddit, so please watch this Youtube video. Click on the camera icon 📷 Upload the image of the product you want to search for Wait for the product to finish uploading Select the appropriate category Done! Now find a reasonably priced and good looking product for your needs! _______________________________________________ VI - How To Avoid Customs 1. Intro Revised Ok this may be the most important part of my Guide. How to avoid customs - especially when you are living in Europe (s/o to Germany). Not everything changed, but there are some IMPORTANT steps that I added to the checklist. DHL is the way to go for Germany, Austria and many more European countries. Do not use EMS in Germany or Austria. If you live in the US or Canada you can choose EMS, DHL or GD-Sal. Customs are pretty relaxed in these countries. For the US and Canada, shipping hauls up to 10kg generally isn't a problem. Some people even do more. Do so at your own risk. For the USA, the declaration value doesn't matter much, as you are unlikely to be taxed. For Canada, declare the package 10-14USD. Also, If you live in Canada, it is advised that you use EMS or GD-SAL. If you use DHL, you will be taxed upon package arrival. 2. Checklist For Europe You may have to look up laws for any import fees or regulations. These numbers are an example for PandaBuy shipping to Germany, it should work for any country though. [ ] Stay within .9 of a KG. Read here for more information [ ] Try to stay at a maximum of 4kg. Do not go over this for the safest rate. [ ] If possible ask for no cardboard wrapping, let them package in DHL plastic bag [ ] Ask for vacuum sealing (Possible in the fewest cases) [ ] Ask them to wrap up your whole package with tape, a lot of tape. [ ] Let them put a Commercial invoice on the outside (!)! of your package [ ] The commercial invoice should have a value UNDER $24 including shipping costs [ ] The commercial invoice has to be readable, if it has printing errors it has to be printed again [ ] The commercial invoice has to state the shipping costs with a value >$0 [ ] The commercial invoice has to have a sender address [ ] Your telephone number has to be stated on the commercial invoice [ ] Let them send you a copy of the commercial invoice to your email (Will come back to this) It is strongly advised that you go to Google and type in "[Your country] customs fashionreps". By doing this, you will get a good grasp of what others have done. Trust me, your situation is not unique. _______________________________________________ VII - General Tips About PandaBuy/Shipping Use Rehearsel Shipping to avoid paying too much shipping costs You can ship shoeboxes - Do not ship more than 2 shoeboxes in one package You can ship as many packages as you want simultaneously (Keep calm tho) Think twice before shipping shoeboxes, if you don't need them, don't ship them and let PandaBuy throw them away. They're heavy and require volumetric weight. If you have a non-Rep haul then you can probably use other shipping methods. Decide on your own. I recommend you to use the service called 17Track to track your packages. No matter the tracking number 17Track usually can decipher it and track it for you. If PandaBuy does not let you pay for your replicas directly through Paypal, just top up your account balance and then pay through your balance. _______________________________________________ VIII - What Happens When Your Haul Gets Seized By Customs Outside of United States Keep. The. F***. Calm. This can have so many reasons. And I want to correct myself: It is a difference between your parcel is held up by customs and your parcel being seized by customs. Let me take all the fear from you. If your parcel is held up DHL probably just messaged/emailed/called you and they told you some long story about some value declaration and so on. To keep it short: DHL does not trust your invoice/can't read the invoice/is bored af and wants a proof of payment to declare the value of your haul. For DHL Germany it is really easy to do this. You go to this DHL Link fill out the information and upload a Paypal/Bank wire/Western Union/Payment Screenshot. For any other country: Search for the email address of DHL Express Customs (not normal DHL) in your country. You can also call the DHL Express hotline and ask them. Email them the same proof of payment screenshot. The bad side is that you will probably have to pay some importing fees (EUSt in Germany are 19% + 12,50€ DHL fees). I can tell you that DHL Customs will not check if you send them an authentic screenshot of your Paypal transaction or if you managed to change up some digits in order to stay under $24. To save the importing fees. I cannot tell you how to do it, though of course. Google inspect element... This is why it was important, that PandaBuy sent you the Commercial Invoice they put on the parcel - You know exactly how high they declared it and what they stated is inside. The Tracking status should be "Clearance Event" when they want the proof of payment and should change to "Clearance processing completed" when it is done. This can take up to several days after you send them the screenshot. If your haul really got seized (Tracking status "Please contact DHL") there is nothing you can do. DHL will send you a letter where they will ask you for your permission to destroy the items. Just ignore this letter. It will automatically count as a permission (in Germany). There is nothing else. You don't go to jail, you don't get a Million $ fine. Some DHL Customs worker told me that if you stay under 3 shoes per package they will not contact the brand. But keep in mind, this is TOTALLY random. If you follow the checklist there is a micro chance that you package will even get inspected. Because inspecting alone is not enough, so many DHL workers just don't care and pass Nike, Adidas, Gucci Fakes. And if you really are that unlucky, just deal with it. Some sellers send out a replacement for free, some don't. You, Your family and your future kids will be safe, don't worry. Inside the United States If your package was seized within Chinese borders often times the Agent will refund you the full parcel price. Meaning if your haul went to the value of ¥2,000 then you will be reimbursed ¥2,000 directly to your PandaBuy account. If your package was seized or taken in for inspection by United States Customs then you will be given a call or a notice that DHL, EMS, or your selected shipping company has took in your package. Do not panic. Often times when they take your package in for inspection they will ask you to provide a receipt or invoice for the declaration of value for your haul. Seizures and inspections are 100% random and aren't able to bypassed through any method. To keep it short: DHL does not trust your invoice/can't read the invoice/is bored af and wants a proof of payment to declare the value of your haul. For DHL Germany it is really easy to do this. You go to this DHL Link fill out the information and upload a Paypal/Bank wire/Western Union/Payment Screenshot. For any other country: Search for the email address of DHL Express Customs (not normal DHL) in your country. You can also call the DHL Express hotline and ask them. Email them the same proof of payment screenshot. After this step you will need to wait for the review period to end and if everything went well then your package will be released to you. If your package was seized and they send you a letter than it is best to say you didn't order the item and take the loss on the haul. This rarely happens. _______________________________________________ VIII - Useful Links And Seller Stores Ok this was the Big Customs/FashionReps Newbie Guide/PandaBuy Guide v6.0. If you have any remarks/questions feel free to hit me up. I will add some links that are quite useful and try to update it as often as possible: Use Taobao Image Search FashionReps Newbie Guide How to properly measure Trusted Seller List (Low Risk) How much will my haul cost? Massive List of Shops IX - Typically Weights Of Each Item To Estimate Costs Credit to reddit user. /u/125ba. Please note these are just averages. Depends on sizing and quality. ​ Type of Item Weight to estimate shipping Chonky Sneakers (e.g. Balenciaga Triple S) 3300 Boots (e.g. Timberland Boots) 2700 Regular Sneakers (e.g. Jordan 1) 1500 Slides 900 Coat (e.g. Feiyu Langford Parka) 2000 Hoodie / Sweatershit (e.g. Yeezy) 1200 Average T-Shirt (e.g. FOG) 700 Thin T-Shirt (e.g. budget tour tees) 500 Vest (e.g. Terry basketball Jersey) 400 Button-up Shirt (e.g. Cloud Stores PRL Oxford) 350 Jeans 900 Joggers 700 Shorts 500 Belt - Leather 600 Belt - Fabric 300 Sunglasses 200 Purses/Designer Bags Varies X - How To Make Your Haul Cheaper You will need to do rehearsal shipping once you have all your items in your warehouse. In short, you pay a small fee (around ¥20) for someone to package up all of your stuff, weigh it, measure it, and put these figures into the shipping calculator for a final cost. There are two ways to do rehearsal shipping and you do this from your warehouse in PandaBuy. With PandaBuy, they are more or less spot on with their revised methods of weighing. You can still opt for Rehearsal Shipping but it should not be used every order. Typically, you will see a new reduction by doing this. XI - I Shipped, Now Where Is My Parcel? You wait till it arrives! But here are some FAQ's. Q - How long should my parcel take to arrive? China Post’s tracking service documents the average arrival times of all parcels for some frequent countries as follows. If your haul has not arrived and the “longest” number of days has not elapsed, you should not be concerned. Country - Average Delivery Time - Longest Time - Shortest Time Australia / New Zealand : 12 - 15 - 9 Canada : 30 - 60 - 10 EU : 17 - 44 - 7 United Kingdom : 12 - 40 - 6 United States : 16 - 62 - 4 As you can see, a delivery time of 40+ days for Europe and North America is frequent. (source: China Post) Q - What does “shipping notice received” (or similar) mean? This means the agent has put a tracking number from China Post on your parcel (i.e. a sticker with a barcode and scanned it), but has not shipped the goods yet. It can take two to three business days for the goods to be shipped as the agent will be waiting for China Post to collect the goods. In most cases, sellers will take immediate action to ship the goods to avoid disputes and reputational damage. Q - It's been a couple of days since I finalized my haul, why hasn't anything happened? In general, to avoid disappointment you should start counting days from when the parcel is collected (it says this specifically on your agent's site and on 17track) rather than the date you submitted the parcel. Paying for your parcel today doesn't mean it will be in the hands of China Post tomorrow - it takes time to physically bundle up the parcel, allocate a tracking number and get China Post to physically collect at the warehouse. It can often take two to three business days for this to happen and your haul to update that the tracking number has been activated. Agents and (more frequently) direct sellers will tell you "the item has shipped, but the shipping company hasn't given the tracking information yet" when in reality your parcel is still in the warehouse Q - There seem to be a lot of delays, should I ship my parcel now or wait? This is similar to driving to a friend’s house cross-country when the traffic is awful all the time - the sooner you leave, the sooner you’ll get there. Things won’t be any faster by delaying your haul. Q - Has my haul been seized?! In all likelihood, no. Your parcel status will update saying it is being inspected by customs at the point of seizure. A lack of status updates is probably a good thing in that sense. Q - Is my parcel lost? In all likelihood, no. These things are very rare and if you are worried about this happening you should purchase the relevant insurance protection from your agent before finalizing your shipment. Q - My parcel has been scanned by customs but it hasn't been updated to say customs has been cleared. Has my haul been seized? In all likelihood, no. The scan to confirm the parcel has cleared customs doesn’t necessarily take place in the warehouse and often takes place while the parcel is being loaded into a lorry or when it arrives at your local sorting office. Q - What can I do to hurry things up? Literally nothing. This is how international shipping works, so get comfortable with it. Ignore These Tags: PandaBuy, Guide , Newbie Friendly , Usage Guide To PandaBuy, PandaBuy Guide , PandaBuy Help , PandaBuy Assistance , PandaBuy Tutorial , PandaBuy Discounts , PandaBuy Shipping Help , PandaBuy Tracking Help , PandaBuy Order Help , Taobao Agent , FashionReps Guide , FashionReps PandaBuy Guide , FashionReps Shipping Help How to Buy From Taobao, Customs, Tips, Tricks, Ordering, Shipping, Splitting, Haul, Review, Guide 1.0 PandaBuy, Taobao Reverse Image Search, Reverse Image Search, Taobao Image Search, Taobao Image, Taobao PandaBuy, Taobao Agent, Taobao PandaBuy Guide submitted by /u/GuruReps to r/FashionReps [link] [comments]

Updated For 2021! New Information Available! Click Here For A $40 Wegobuy Sign Up Bonus This guide is simply a reformatted version of Repguides + HyperionFR's and guide because of me forgetting the password to the accounts. If you are too lazy to ready the guides, just watch this video. ▌GUIDE 1.0▐ The Biggest & Best Full WeGoBuy Agent Guide I Introduction II General Info About Taobao Agents III The WeGoBuy Guide + $40 Discount IV FashionReps Terminology & Translations V How to Reverse Image Search VI How To Avoid Customs VII General Tips About Shipping VIII What Happens When Your Haul Gets Seized By Customs IX Useful Links And Seller Stores X Typical Weights Of Each Item XI How To Make Your Haul Cheaper XII I Shipped, Now Where Is My Parcel? ____________________________________ I Introduction /u/repguidesFR here with a revised and detailed update version of the original Full WeGoBuy/FashionReps Newbie Guide and some tips on on how to get your hauls through customs safely. Much of this is copy pasta. After the most recent post I've decided to go back in the history of /r/FashionReps and update a great guide that helped numerous users. This guide will be revised and rewritten to include all the new WeGoBuy tips and tricks to get the best results while using their service! Several things have changed since the last revision of this guide (over two years old!) ____________________________________ II - General Info About Taobao Agents 1. What is an Agent? For new users coming to this sub daily it is hard to directly understand the point of an agent. Be honest, you did not do better in your first days/weeks. So instead of redirecting them to the searchbar just explain it to them in 2 sentences. The main website we buy our reps from is taobao.com. It is like a amazon or eBay for China - solely for China. The problem that results is that we need a connection between your country and China. You cannot buy from TaoBao directly (for most of the countries) and you probably would not understand anything. So here comes the agent in hand. You browse through your favorite TaoBao shops and find some items you want to buy. Now you do not buy it through TaoBao but through your agent (in our case WeGoBuy). WeGoBuy now buys this exact item and lets it deliver to their warehouse. You ask for pictures, measurements, exchanges, returns etc. When everything is fine WeGoBuy will package everything and deliver it to you. They are the connection between you and TaoBao. ​ 2. Which agent to use? I have experience with many agents and it would be fair for me to compare them. I do not want to call out Agents and tell about bad experiences with them but I will tell you that WeGoBuy was the one with the most professional, honest, fast and caring service I could ever experience. If it would not be good it would not be the most popular agent ever. In my last Guide I compared prices of each agents and showed you how there is more than "no service fee", "cheaper shipping costs" since in the end every agent somehow earns his profit. There is no real price difference between agents, just use the one that will give you the best experience. In this Guide I will continue to make examples and tutorials only about WeGoBuy. I am sorry if you use another agent but just keep WeGoBuy in mind when you plan your next haul. ​ 3. Conclusion Use any agent you want, there is very little price differences when it comes to agents and depending where you are located in the world prices will differ. ____________________________________ III - The WeGoBuy Guide + $40 Discount. 1. Signing up + Get $40 Shipping Coupons/Discounts Just press on the little "Sign Up" text on the top right corner and fill in the info. That's it. To redeem your $40 worth of Shipping Coupons you will want to sign up here. Do not worry, signing up is a normal thing. Beware that I would still advise you to use a unique password that you do not use for other websites - Safety reasons. Also don't worry about your payment information such as Paypal - You never enter your Paypal email + password on the WeGoBuy homepage, it always redirects you to Paypal's official website where you log in as usual. WeGoBuy also uses a secure connection between you and them (https). Ordering Process - How to order Find the item you want on Taobao. Use this subreddit, try to find it yourself with image search or Google translate, whatever. For this example, we'll use the A$AP Rocky x Guess Tee from UnionKingdom. Go to WeGoBuy, and hover over the Shopping Agent button on the navbar. Click the blue box and paste your Taobao link into it. You will be taken to a page like this. Here, WeGoBuy translates the color and size options for you, and all you need to do is select the color and size you want. After, you can either Add to Cart or Buy Now. For this example, we'll assume that this shirt it the only thing you want. You will next be taken to this page. Here, you have to select your country from the Choose Destination Country box, then hit submit to be taken to the payment screen. If you have an existing balance in your WeGoBuy account from previous purchases that you have returned, you can use that to buy the product. I have 91.06 yuan in my account already, so I just need to pay 18.94 yuan for this 110 yuan tee. Here, just select Paypal and pay for your order. Sometimes WeGoBuy will not allow you to use PayPal and that is when you need to simply top up your balance instead of doing a direct order with PayPal. Now, just wait until the seller ships his order. Once it arrives in the WeGoBuy warehouse, you will receive a notification. Once your product arrives, hover over your username in the navbar and select My Warehouse. Here, you can view QC, or quality control, pictures that WeGoBuy takes. One con of using WeGoBuy is their picture taking skills. To receive better pictures, you have to contact their live chat and give them your order number and request better QC pictures. If you're satisfied with your order, select it and click Submit in the lower right corner. Here, you can choose your preferred shipping method. The fashionreps favorite currently is EMS, but it's up to you what line you would like to use. Just select the shipping line, then click Submit Delivery Order to have WeGoBuy pack up your products and send it to your door. Post your hauls ! Posting reviews is what keeps this subreddit alive. People find new stuff, buy it, review it, search for pieces themselves, buy the, review them. This circle is the Rep Circle of Life. Don't forget to add pics (Please add a link to all pictures in one album, please. Please.). Please follow these tips to post the PERFECT Review: You can use Spreadsheet or Reddit itself to write/structure it, no problem. Add a link to all pictures (QC or Fitpics) in one imgur album, please. If you use Spreadsheet please do this: You type in all brands/piece names in the Reddit post/title itself. That way we can use the search bar to actually search for items Add your stats (weight, height, body type) If you are unsure whether or not your item has any errors or has a good or bad quality - Just post your QC pictures here. There are so many people who know their stuff, let them check your item and give you advise. Don't forget this. Don't forget to write the name of the piece in the title. Always think about the search bar, guys. ___________________________________________________ IV - FashionReps Terminology & Sizing Chart Translations ​ 1. FashionReps Terminology QC: Quality Control (QC for short) is talking about pictures that are posted from an agent of an item that was ordered. Users will post these if they're unsure about the quality and would rather have someone else take a look at them if they're good enough. LC: Legit Check (LC for short) Much like the name states, this is a tag used for posts requiring a legit check. Legit checks are a great way of finding out if a item you're purchasing is authentic or not. GP: Guinea Pig (GP for short) Guinea Pigging is much like being a test subject. In this instance you will be the first person to order a sellers new item. This means you'll be the first to get pictures of their product and often times you'll post them to be checked for quality by the community. FIND: Much like the name states. Posts with this flair are often linked to new products that haven't been posted before. W2C:: Where To Cop (W2C for short) W2C refers to the search for a desired item. Often times will be linked with retail images for an example. 1:1: One to One (1:1 for short) 1:1 refers to a perfect replica. However, not many exist and often times you won't be able to get these as they're sold out. GL: Green Light (GL for short) GL Refers to a user who has given their approval of a QC post. RL: Red Light (RL for short) RL Refers to a user who has given their disapproval of a QC post. B&S: Bait & Switch (BS or B&S for short) B&S Refers to a seller who has advertised their product and sent goods that are different from advertised. 2. Tops 尺码: Size 领宽: Neck width 领长: Collar length 肩宽: Shoulder width 袖长: Sleeve length 袖围: Sleeve circumference 袖口: Sleeve/Cuff opening 肘宽: Elbow width 胸围: Bust width; Chest width 3. Pants and Trousers: 腰围: Waist 臀围 or 坐围: Hip width 衣长: Length 松量: Relaxed (measurement) 拉量: Stretched (measurement) 前直档长: Front rise 后直档长: Back rise 裤长: Trousers length 拉链长: Zipper length 内长: Inseam 大腿围: Thigh width 裤脚围: Leg opening 裤脚宽: Trousers width 身高: Height 长度: Length 宽度: Width 4. Shoes 脚长: Foot length 美国: US 英国: UK 欧洲: EUR 中国: China 厘米: cm 毫米: mm 英寸 or 寸: inches ___________________________________________________ V - How to Reverse Image Search Taobao for the average consumer may be hard to grasp and often times users may be hesitant to dive into Taobao's ever-growing catalog of products. Taobao offers a feature called Search via Image. This allows users to easily find items related to the image they upload. Start here: https://s.taobao.com/search? Unfortunately, my video guide below would not process on reddit, so please watch this Youtube video. 1. Click on the camera icon 📷 ​ 2. Upload the image of the product you want to search for ​ 3. Wait for the product to finish uploading ​ 4. Select the appropriate category ​ 5. Done! Now find a reasonably priced and good looking product for your needs! ___________________________________________________ VI - How To Avoid Customs 1. Intro Revised Ok this may be the most important part of my Guide. How to avoid customs - especially when you are living in Europe (s/o to Germany). Not everything changed, but there are some IMPORTANT steps that I added to the checklist. DHL is the way to go for Germany, Austria and many more European countries. Do not use EMS in Germany or Austria. If you live in the US or Canada you can choose EMS, DHL or GD-Sal. Customs are pretty relaxed in these countries. For the US and Canada, shipping hauls up to 10kg generally isn't a problem. Some people even do more. Do so at your own risk. For the USA, the declaration value doesn't matter much, as you are unlikely to be taxed. For Canada, declare the package 10-14USD. Also, If you live in Canada, it is advised that you use EMS or GD-SAL. If you use DHL, you will be taxed upon package arrival. 2. Checklist For Europe You may have to look up laws for any import fees or regulations. These numbers are an example for WeGoBuy shipping to Germany, it should work for any country though. [ ] Stay within .9 of a KG. Read here for more information [ ] Try to stay at a maximum of 4kg. Do not go over this for the safest rate. [ ] If possible ask for no cardboard wrapping, let them package in DHL plastic bag [ ] Ask for vacuum sealing (Possible in the fewest cases) [ ] Ask them to wrap up your whole package with tape, a lot of tape. [ ] Let them put a Commercial invoice on the outside (!)! of your package [ ] The commercial invoice should have a value UNDER $24 including shipping costs [ ] The commercial invoice has to be readable, if it has printing errors it has to be printed again [ ] The commercial invoice has to state the shipping costs with a value >$0 [ ] The commercial invoice has to have a sender address [ ] Your telephone number has to be stated on the commercial invoice [ ] Let them send you a copy of the commercial invoice to your email (Will come back to this) It is strongly advised that you go to Google and type in "[Your country] customs fashionreps". By doing this, you will get a good grasp of what others have done. Trust me, your situation is not unique. ___________________________________________________ VII - General Tips About WeGoBuy/Shipping Use Rehearsel Shipping to avoid paying too much shipping costs You can ship shoeboxes - Do not ship more than 2 shoeboxes in one package You can ship as many packages as you want simultaneously (Keep calm tho) Think twice before shipping shoeboxes, if you don't need them, don't ship them and let WeGoBuy throw them away If you have a non-Rep haul then you can probably use other shipping methods. Decide on your own. I recommend you to use the service called 17Track to track your packages. No matter the tracking number 17Track usually can decipher it and track it for you. If WeGoBuy does not let you pay for your replicas directly through Paypal, just top up your account balance and then pay through your balance. ___________________________________________________ VIII - What Happens When Your Haul Gets Seized By Customs Outside of United States Keep. The. F***. Calm. This can have so many reasons. And I want to correct myself: It is a difference between your parcel is held up by customs and your parcel being seized by customs. Let me take all the fear from you. If your parcel is held up DHL probably just messaged/emailed/called you and they told you some long story about some value declaration and so on. To keep it short: DHL does not trust your invoice/can't read the invoice/is bored af and wants a proof of payment to declare the value of your haul. For DHL Germany it is really easy to do this. You go to this DHL Link fill out the information and upload a Paypal/Bank wire/Western Union/Payment Screenshot. For any other country: Search for the email address of DHL Express Customs (not normal DHL) in your country. You can also call the DHL Express hotline and ask them. Email them the same proof of payment screenshot. The bad side is that you will probably have to pay some importing fees (EUSt in Germany are 19% + 12,50€ DHL fees). I can tell you that DHL Customs will not check if you send them an authentic screenshot of your Paypal transaction or if you managed to change up some digits in order to stay under $24. To save the importing fees. I cannot tell you how to do it, though of course. Google inspect element... This is why it was important, that WeGoBuy sent you the Commercial Invoice they put on the parcel - You know exactly how high they declared it and what they stated is inside. The Tracking status should be "Clearance Event" when they want the proof of payment and should change to "Clearance processing completed" when it is done. This can take up to several days after you send them the screenshot. If your haul really got seized (Tracking status "Please contact DHL") there is nothing you can do. DHL will send you a letter where they will ask you for your permission to destroy the items. Just ignore this letter. It will automatically count as a permission (in Germany). There is nothing else. You don't go to jail, you don't get a Million $ fine. Some DHL Customs worker told me that if you stay under 3 shoes per package they will not contact the brand. But keep in mind, this is TOTALLY random. If you follow the checklist there is a micro chance that you package will even get inspected. Because inspecting alone is not enough, so many DHL workers just don't care and pass Nike, Adidas, Gucci Fakes. And if you really are that unlucky, just deal with it. Some sellers send out a replacement for free, some don't. You, Your family and your future kids will be safe, don't worry. Inside the United States If your package was seized within Chinese borders often times the Agent will refund you the full parcel price. Meaning if your haul went to the value of ¥2,000 then you will be reimbursed ¥2,000 directly to your WeGoBuy account. If your package was seized or taken in for inspection by United States Customs then you will be given a call or a notice that DHL, EMS, or your selected shipping company has took in your package. Do not panic. Often times when they take your package in for inspection they will ask you to provide a receipt or invoice for the declaration of value for your haul. Seizures and inspections are 100% random and aren't able to bypassed through any method. To keep it short: DHL does not trust your invoice/can't read the invoice/is bored af and wants a proof of payment to declare the value of your haul. For DHL Germany it is really easy to do this. You go to this DHL Link fill out the information and upload a Paypal/Bank wire/Western Union/Payment Screenshot. For any other country: Search for the email address of DHL Express Customs (not normal DHL) in your country. You can also call the DHL Express hotline and ask them. Email them the same proof of payment screenshot. After this step you will need to wait for the review period to end and if everything went well then your package will be released to you. If your package was seized and they send you a letter than it is best to say you didn't order the item and take the loss on the haul. This rarely happens. ___________________________________________________ IX - Useful Links And Seller Stores Ok this was the Big Customs/FashionReps Newbie Guide/WeGoBuy Guide v1.0. If you have any remarks/questions feel free to hit me up. I will add some links that are quite useful and try to update it as often as possible: How to use the ~$40 WeGoBuy Discount infinite amount of times Use Taobao Image Search FashionReps Newbie Guide How to properly measure Trusted Seller List (Low Risk) Explanation Of WeGoBuy Shipping Costs How much will my haul cost? Massive List of Shops Yupoo Seller Starter Pack 2021 X - Typically Weights Of Each Item To Estimate Costs Table was created by a reddit user and is fairly accurate. Credit to reddit user. /u/125ba. Please note these are just averages. Depends on sizing and quality. ​ Type of item Weight to estimate shipping Chonky sneakers (e.g. Balenciaga Triple S 3300 Boots (e.g. Timberland Boots) 2700 Regular sneakers (e.g. Jordan 1) 1500 Slides 900 Coat (e.g. Feiyu Langford Parka) 2000 Hoodie / Sweatshirt - Winter (e.g. FOG) 1200 Hoodie / Sweatshirt - Summer (e.g Balenciaga) 700 Heavy T-Shirt (e.g. Yeezy) 500 Average T-Shirt (e.g. FOG) 400 Thin T-Shirt (e.g. budget tour tees) 300 Vest (e.g. Terry basketball jersey) 300 Button-up shirt (e.g. Cloud Store PRL Oxford) 350 Jeans 900 Joggers 700 Shorts 500 Belt-Leather 600 Belt-Fabric 300 Sunglasses 200 Purses/Designer bags Varies XI - How To Make Your Haul Cheaper You will need to do rehearsal shipping once you have all your items in your warehouse. In short, you pay a small fee (around ¥20) for someone to package up all of your stuff, weigh it, measure it, and put these figures into the shipping calculator for a final cost. There are two ways to do rehearsal shipping and you do this from your warehouse in Wegobuy. In warehouse, click Apply for Rehearsal Packaging If you have submitted your parcel already but haven’t paid the shipping deposit, select option 1. Customer service will action this for you and update the weight and shipping fee of the parcel - you may need to remind them to do this. If you have not yet submitted the parcel, select option 2. You will speak to customer service via your inbox and will need to tell them what you want in the package, they will then be able to tell you the cost and once you submit the parcel you will again need to ask them to update the weight and shipping fee. Typically, you will see a new reduction by doing this. XII - I Shipped, Now Where Is My Parcel? You wait! But here are some FAQ's. Q - How long should my parcel take to arrive? China Post’s tracking service documents the average arrival times of all parcels for some frequent countries as follows. If your haul has not arrived and the “longest” number of days has not elapsed, you should not be concerned. Country - Average Delivery Time - Longest Time - Shortest Time Australia / New Zealand : 12 - 15 - 9 Canada : 30 - 60 - 10 EU : 17 - 44 - 7 United Kingdom : 12 - 40 - 6 United States : 16 - 62 - 8 As you can see, a delivery time of 40+ days for Europe and North America is frequent. (source: China Post) Q - What does “shipping notice received” (or similar) mean? This means the agent has put a tracking number from China Post on your parcel (i.e. a sticker with a barcode and scanned it), but has not shipped the goods yet. It can take two to three business days for the goods to be shipped as the agent will be waiting for China Post to collect the goods. Infrequently, if you have purchased directly from a seller and have chased them to confirm your goods have been shipped after QC, some asswipes will give you a fake tracking number. If the status remains “shipping notice received” after four days or more you should chase them to actually ship the goods. In most cases, sellers will take immediate action to ship the goods to avoid disputes and reputational damage. Q - It's been a couple of days since I finalized my haul, why hasn't anything happened? In general, to avoid disappointment you should start counting days from when the parcel is collected (it says this specifically on your agent's site and on 17track) rather than the date you submitted the parcel. Paying for your parcel today doesn't mean it will be in the hands of China Post tomorrow - it takes time to physically bundle up the parcel, allocate a tracking number and get China Post to physically collect at the warehouse. It can often take two to three business days for this to happen and your haul to update that the tracking number has been activated. Agents and (more frequently) direct sellers will tell you "the item has shipped, but the shipping company hasn't given the tracking information yet" when in reality your parcel is still in the warehouse Q - What does “delivered to air transport” / “despatched to [my country]” (or similar) mean? This means that China Post has given the parcel to the airline company - it does NOT mean that the parcel is on a plane. This status will not update for a long time until the parcel arrives at the destination airport and is scanned by the domestic parcel company. It is not unheard of for this to take between two and four weeks in regular season, and four to six weeks during holiday season or where there are complications like COVID. If you are worried you can ask your agent to confirm which flight your parcel is on. If they are able to give you a flight number, it is worth noting they do not always see the date of the flight and this could still be in the future - you should not assume your parcel has left China. Q - How can I check progress on my parcel? Until the point of arrival in your country, 17track is the most detailed resource to keep up to date on your parcel’s progress. ParcelsApp also has good feedback. Q - There seem to be a lot of delays, should I ship my parcel now or wait? This is similar to driving to a friend’s house cross-country when the traffic is awful all the time - the sooner you leave, the sooner you’ll get there. Things won’t be any faster by delaying your haul. Q - Has my haul been seized?! In all likelihood, no. Your parcel status will update saying it is being inspected by customs at the point of seizure. A lack of status updates is probably a good thing in that sense. Q - Is my parcel lost??!?!!?1111?@ In all likelihood, no. These things are very rare and if you are worried about this happening you should purchase the relevant insurance protection from your agent before finalizing your shipment. Q - My parcel has been scanned by customs but it hasn't been updated to say customs has been cleared. Has my haul been seized??? In all likelihood, no. The scan to confirm the parcel has cleared customs doesn’t necessarily take place in the warehouse and often takes place while the parcel is being loaded into a lorry or when it arrives at your local sorting office. As per the above, unless there is a notice specifically saying your parcel is being inspected by customs you probably have nothing to worry about. Q - What can I do to hurry things up? Literally nothing. This is how international shipping works, so get comfortable with it. Posting on the sub asking how other people’s parcels are progressing won’t make yours arrive any faster. That is all for now. You can expect additions to this guide over the next few months! ​ Ignore These Tags: WeGoBuy, Guide , Newbie Friendly , Usage Guide To WeGoBuy, WeGoBuy Guide , WeGoBuy Help , WeGoBuy Assistance , WeGoBuy Tutorial , WeGoBuy Discounts , WeGoBuy Shipping Help , WeGoBuy Tracking Help , WeGoBuy Order Help , Taobao Agent , FashionReps Guide , FashionReps WeGoBuy Guide , FashionReps Shipping Help ▌GUIDE 5.0▐ The Biggest & Best Full WeGoBuy Agent Guide | Discounts, Customs, Tips, Tricks, Ordering, Shipping, Splitting, Haul, Review, Guide 1.0 WeGoBuy, Taobao Reverse Image Search, Reverse Image Search, Taobao Image Search, Taobao Image, Taobao WeGoBuy, Taobao Agent, Taobao WeGoBuy Guide submitted by /u/repguidesFR to r/FashionReps [link] [comments]

The hits just keep on coming. I've been sitting in this for a hours now. Didn't know where to post this, so this sub seemed appropriate. So, if you want a bit of backstory, check my post history for the details, I'm not keen on how linking to other subs here works, but my previous 2 entries are viewable in my profile. The quick version is this; I discovered my wife of 23 years (45F) was having an affair with a 27 y/o coworker. We have 2 sons, 22 and 17. I concocted a plan to completely upend her life centered around fooling her into thinking I was having an affair myself. I kept the rouse going for over 4 1/2 months while compiling evidence of her infidelity as well as securing divorce papers and planning my exits strategy (Slowly moving my personal belongings from our home to a new apartment, getting a new phone and number, separating my half of our shared income from our joint account, etc). On December 16th 2020, I gathered every bit of proof of her affair I'd compiled, printed it all out from start to that week, filed it all into 14 binders, packed 11 into gift wrapped boxes and mailed them all out to the most important people in her life, as well as her HR department with and ETA between 12/22-12/24/20. On Christmas eve, while she slept I took one of the remaining 3 binders and did the same, only this one I taped the divorce notice to the inside cover, and left it on my side of the bed (which mind you she'd had her lover in a number of times) along with my old phone and my lawyer's business card...and shadow ghosted her. Over the next 4 days her life completely imploded. Her family pretty much excommunicated her. Her friends (the ones who didn't know of the affair) ostracized, and my own mother took her to task calling her the most scathing and vile things you could possibly think of. Her and her lover were also placed on administrative leave and eventually fired. Last week we had our divorce hearing, and settled on a legal separation into uncontested divorce, with a few provisions in place for transitional income since she's now unemployed. I'm to pay out the price for the utilities, $653 a month until either she finds gainful employment, or upwards to 1 year after the date of the divorces finalization, which is expected to be 3 months from now. She keeps the house, her car and her half of the shared assets. I keep my half of the assets, my vehicles (car, motorcycle and boat) and my vacation property (cabin in the Poconos). After the hearing, we had one final exchange where she tried to explain away her infidelity and beg me to give her a second chance after the divorce is finalized. I of course said no, gave her some choice words and walked away from her forever. This brings us to last night. As only my closest friends, 2 sons, older sister and mother have my new contact info, and I've completely blocked my STBXW on all social outlets she has had no means of reaching me since I left her Xmas eve, but some our mutual friends still do. Last night I'm hanging out in my apartment and I get a voice call notification on messenger from one of said friends, one of the few who hadn't abandoned her following me outing her affair. She didn't waste any time when I answered, and said she had went to check on Sue (the STBXW) and found her passed out in the bedroom, foaming out of the found with 2 bottles of empty pills next to her. She's in the ICU in critical, but stable condition. The doctors said that she will likely pull through, she's clearly not going to be well after. She begged and pleaded for me to come. Her parents and 2 of her sisters where also there at the hospital. My guess is they were notified after the hospital attempted to notify me, but Sue would still have my old # as her emergency contact. I simply told her no. Sue's not my problem anymore, and she clearly decided she wanted to take the "easy way out" rather then deal with the shame and agony of the 23 year marriage she blew up. I then told her friend that if Sue's family where their, they can help her sort out the pieces, but as far as Sue and I are concerned, there is no "Sue and I" anymore. I then ended the call. I've had a few hours to sleep on it, and my son's called me this morning asking if I knew. I told them yes, but I also let both of them know that if they want to be there and supportive of their mother, I will not hold it against them or judge them for it. She is their mother after all. But I myself wash my hands of her, and care little to nothing about what she does for or to herself anymore. They were both a little taken back by this, but respected my stance. However now that the news has broke about her suicide attempt, many of those friends who dropped her are all starting to surface again, and saying I need to be their for her. That even despite what she did to me, I need to support her in her time of need. I've also been informed that her AP tried to visit her this morning, but wasn't allowed because he's not family. I'm getting dogpiled on to go see her, but I feel nothing for this woman anymore. I haven't for a very long time. I checked out during the process of getting my payback for her betrayal, and I stand by the fact that I don't care at all for what she's done. In fact it makes me hate her even more. She's the one who was unfaithful. She's the one who though a near year long fling with a guy 5 years older then her oldest son was worth destroying 23 years. And now that she has to face the consequences of her choices, she chooses the most selfish way of deal with. Even now, seeing as she's in all likelihood going to survive, she's cultivated immediate sympathy from everyone who took her to task, and I'm being made out to look like the jaded ex husband unwilling to sympathize for her by most her family (Not her dad. He's reached out to me over the last few hours and said he respects my decision to stay away.) It's like I never even truly knew this woman. 23 fucking years and it comes to this. Yes, I know they way I broke things off with her may have put her in a poor mental state. But now a whole new can of worms has been opened up because either she had a complete mental breakdown and decided to self-delete herself, or she made an extremely risky and calculated move to cull favor back from people who just weeks prior condemned her for betraying me. She cheated on ME, and now she's the fucking victim? Sorry if this comes off as rant-ish, but I'm here trying to wrap my brain around this. I want to be perfectly clear, I AM NOT GOING TO VISIT SUE. She waived her right to me caring about her well being the day she let POS (my personal nickname for her lover) put his dick inside her. This might come off as heartless, because despite the cool, calm collected way I've been throughout my who ordeal my feelings are still very much raw, but I don't give a fuck about this woman. Haven't for a very long time. I'm aware I'm going to be vilified by a number of folk here. I don't much give a shit. Think of me however you want, if you were in my shoes you'd see her actions vastly different. Some of you folks are going to go look up my post history and see the story of what I did to her. And you're going to draw the conclusion that her suicide attempt was my fault. That me tormenting her for all of those months, fooling her into thinking I was cheating on her while she actively cheated on me, then destroying her socially and professionally as result was the catalyst for her meltdown. Maybe it was. Maybe I am heartless sociopath. But as Arthur Fleck so famously said "You get what you fucking deserve." I gave this woman half of my life and did absolutely everything to be the best possible husband she could ever have. By her own admission I had no bearing in her decision to step outside of our marriage. She did it "for her." Her selfishness knows no bounds, and I am glad to be rid of her. If it makes me the bad guy because I will not go see her and never plan on interacting with her ever again, so be it. I hold true to my damn convictions. She made the choice to betray me. She made the choice to put her needs above the needs of our marriage. So now it's my turn to choose to "me" over everything else. She can rot in the darkest pit of hell for all I care. Let everyone else help her fix her. My obligation to ever care about her well being ended the day we signed the separation agreement. I just needed to get this off of my chest. If you're going to cast judgement on me for feeling how I feel, save it. Like I said above, after 23 years and 2 children I never really knew this woman after all. I have no sympathy for her, and I never will. Let her fucking rot. TL:DR - Fooled my STBXW into thinking I was cheating for 4 months while she was having a year long affair with a younger man. Executed a plan to destroy her life during the process, culminating with ghosting her and serving her divorce papers as she slept over Xmas even. Watched her life upended over the next 4 days while completely off the grid from her. Divorce hearing was last week. Settled on full separation leading to uncontested divorce. Last night, she tried to kill herself by overdosing on pills. Now everyone within her circle who ostracized her for cheating on me is flocking to her for support, and are actually mad at for not doing the same. Seriously, FML. Quick Update: I've been informed by Sue's dad that she's been moved from the ICU to the mental health wing. Doctors are still monitoring her mental state. She's conscious and cognitive again, but obviously lethargic. Her father told me she asked did I come to see her, and he said no and she shut down after. He respectfully said any further news he'll share only if I inquire, because he understands the headspace I'm in. Also, I've scheduled counseling for 17. The 1st consultation is this coming Monday. submitted by /u/Kermit_Defrogg to u/Kermit_Defrogg [link] [comments]

Flying Toward Fate: A Pilot's Parable Part 1 Part 3 Part 4 2 - The Accursed Airmen I won’t be surprised to find that many who read these passages may curse Captain Dunkirk and myself for not doing more for the noble apes stuck on their mysterious island. If that is the case, then I agree with you, as the decision not to return for them was reprehensible, and I would feel remorseful for making it for three miserable years. Captain Dunkirk, on the other hand, would live to regret the decision for the rest of his. During the rest of that golden afternoon over the mid-Atlantic on May 7th, 1982, Jeff Dunkirk tightly gripped the Tristar’s controls, squinting as the glimmering sunset reflected in the blue water below. We flew toward the Azores proper now, and the yoke swayed as Dunkirk stayed our course. I studied him as we floated over the sparse clouds below, wondering if his mind ran as wild as my own. At one point, he scratched his head, at another, he smoked a long cigar. But he said nothing. As our battered ship rolled out cleanly and effortlessly on a final approach to Runway 1-8, he still said nothing. And even after the chirp of the tires, the swarm of emergency vehicles, the flickering emergency lights, the clapping passengers, and the flashing bulbs of various cameras, he remained quiet. Straight-faced and expressionless, there was simply no monkey business to be had with Captain Dunkirk, at least not that afternoon. “When did the leak develop?” the fed would ask us, his eyes fixed on mine, smelling my unease as we sat across from him in a dirty room lit with a single incandescent bulb. He was a miserable man with a thin face and an even thinner nose. Sporting a dark navy suit, I could count the few remaining strands of his hair on a single hand. Two days had passed since the unplanned trip to the Azores and we were now the subjects of an intense investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration. “Just passed the halfway mark,” the Captain replied. “And the cross-flow system? You immediately followed the proper procedure, did you not?” “He did, ye-” “Why don’t we let the kid answer for himself, Captain?” The fed’s gaze flashed to Dunkirk for a moment, then fixed again on me. I could now feel the sweat from my brow glistening on my face. “I did,” I said. “Excuse me?” he asked. “I did, I said again, louder. “Did what?” he replied. “I followed the proper procedure as the Captain said.” “And what is the proper procedure, First Officer Mackenzie? Just so we’re clear for the recording,” he asked, crossing his arms. “You disable the logic of the transfer pumps by disengaging automatic mode. That inhibits the auto balanc-” “A little closer to the recorder, son,” he interrupted. “What?” I asked. “A little closer to the recorder for the folks in Oklahoma City,” he repeated. “Right… Well, that inhibits the auto-balancing of fuel and prevents additional losses if you’re leaking fuel,” I said. There was a pause as the fed pursed his thin lips and compulsively tapped the end of his pen on the desk in front of him. Then he turned to the Captain. “What about the cockpit recorder? Are you not aware that you have to pull the recorder’s circuit breaker to ensure the recording isn’t overwritten in events like these?” “It slipped my mind,” Dunkirk replied. “How does that slip your mind?” He asked. “It’s printed right on the checklist.” The Captain only shrugged. “Did loading the proper fuel type in Atlanta also slip your mind?” “I suppose it must have,” he said, rubbing his chin. “It's quite a feat to inadvertently take on 2500 or so gallons of ancient, nearly no-good piston gas, don’t you think Captain? In fact, I’m not even sure where you found something like that.” The Captain thought for a moment, then lifted his head and winked at me before continuing. “Well, maybe you should tell the fuelers in Atlanta to stop monkeying around.” As I heard it, I bit down on my lip as hard as I could. I told myself to keep it together, but it was no use, and a chuckle broke through. The fed heard it and snapped toward me, slapping his hand on the tabletop. The sound startled me, and a wave of warm anger welled up in my stomach. “First Officer Mackenzie, in your experience, does Captain Dunkirk frequently have lapses in memory or judgment? Does he often seem confused and disoriented?” I looked at Jeff whose hand now covered a smile. “Are you asking if I think the Captain ever acts… Apish?” I asked. “He doesn’t.” The Captain snorted, and the fed simply ignored what was going on. “Do you believe that his fitness for flight should be reevaluated by a flight doctor in light of these apparent lapses in judgment?” The fed asked. “I don’t,” I replied. “Are you both aware that perjury in an ongoing incident investigation is not only bounds for permanent certificate revocation but also potentially criminal charges?” We both nodded. And we would continue to nod and nod, then nod some more, until the fed had had his fill of poking and prodding us. A few days later, we would be released for duty. Without the evidence from the cockpit recordings, no witnesses, and no radar data, the FAA had nothing but our word. That being as worthless then as it is now, the lack of evidence forced them to drop the investigation altogether. So, we moved on. For all his faults, I trusted Captain A-Ham. Personally, I agreed that we should keep quiet. Had we tried to explain to anyone what we’d seen they likely would have called us insane. And even if, by some off-chance, they believed us, they’d never find the island, anyway. Yes, better to stay silent. That way we could keep our jobs, our families, and our credibility. Or so we thought. Despite our attempts at pretending the events along the 47th meridian never occurred, our lives had since inarguably changed for the worse. Like an orbit forever shifted by a rogue astronomical force, things were now off kilter. In retrospect, the change may have been the byproduct of cognitive dissonance, being otherwise trustworthy people with a secret to keep, or perhaps it was the work of an omniscient force hell-bent on balancing karma, I cannot say. What I can say, however, was that I would later experience first-hand what I believe killed Captain Dunkirk. A few months after Jeff and I parted ways he phoned me in the middle of the night, hysterical. Weeping over the phone while sitting in a dingy hotel room in Cali, Colombia, he explained that his life was falling apart. His son, who had since developed leukemia, had just passed away and within the same week, his wife had been unfaithful. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the worst thing happening to Jeff Dunkirk. It started with the dreams; he told me, that had now progressed into full-blown delusions. Things he couldn’t explain were happening at a rate he couldn’t manage. The apes we met were one thing, and no doubt, they required him to reassess his view of the world. But now, there was more all the time. It was taking its toll. UFOs over the Pacific, and calls in the middle of the night with nothing but long, steady breaths. Madness and paranoia. The man was losing it and was inching ever closer to the void’s edge. Not knowing then the little I do now, I could not console him. That being said, even had I found the words, I doubt I could have stopped what happened next. A few weeks later, Captain Dunkirk, well beyond the proverbial point of no return, checked out of Bogota’s Hotel Oceania, and placed most of his clothing in a garbage can near the hotel’s entrance. Then, wearing only the yellowed undershirt on his back, he purchased three bushels of fresh bananas from a street vendor a few blocks away, and walked into the Amazon Rainforest at the edge of town, never to be seen or heard from again. Search parties were formed, but a body was never recovered. On the anniversary of his disappearance, in a quiet Catholic cathedral in downtown Peoria, Illinois, Jeff Dunkirk’s empty coffin sat before an assembly of long faces. His wife sat with her arms across her lap as the priest read his solemn sermon. Her remaining son, who was in his twenties, fidgeted by her side. It had been the second funeral the two had attended that year. As the day progressed, prayers were said, hugs were given, and condolences made. The group then huddled around a hole on that sunny afternoon and proceeded to see that the coffin was properly buried. As, again, Captain Dunkirk’s body was never found, his golden aviator wings, Captain’s hat, and a few of his prized possessions were the only things contained within it. Among them was a model P-38 Lightning built for him by his father, who flew one in WWII, inspiring him to fly. Another was a book - The Phantom Tollbooth. Next to the book, resting softly in its protective case on top of the Captain’s leather flight jacket was a 1952 Topps - Mickey Mantle baseball card. My ears perked up when Martha, the Captain’s wife, mentioned the card on the phone, as it was worth a fortune even then. Having been the only party aware of that fact, and had I been there myself, I would have likely needed time alone at the site, just to pay my respects to a fellow aviator. I’m sure you understand. Unfortunately, I could not attend the Captain’s funeral, as my life, shortly after the Captain’s disappearance, fell apart as well. My own nightmares started only a small while after the Captain had called. The first, I can recall, started with a normal day at home. I’d been out in the yard tending to my garden until my wife called me in for dinner. I remember feeling excited as I gazed down at a beautifully glazed chicken. As we sat down together in our dining room, everything was normal and the conversation unremarkable. However, about halfway through my meal, I choked. Grasping wildly at my throat, I tried reaching out for my wife. But she only stared at me, blankly. My vision tunneled and panic took hold. I stood and ran to her for help, but as I did, she ran from me. Things went on like this as I chased her through the halls of our home until I finally could go no further, collapsing in the bedroom. As my vision faded completely, I recalled seeing my own reflection in the bedroom mirror which was unusual for a dream. Attempting to drink in the last of my vision before my apparent death, my stomach turned circles. Staring back in the mirror were two round brown eyes, a pair of large ears, and a flat, flared nose. Other dreams soon followed, not all of which featured primates. In one, I was a garbage man, dutifully collecting the cans on my street. House after house, I would grab the bin, then place the lip over the rear of the truck. This way, I could simply lift from the bottom and the contents would spill into the compactor. Approaching the last house on the street, I walked across the drive and tugged on the green plastic can. It wouldn’t budge. With both hands, I finally heaved it to the truck and, harnessing all of my strength, tipped the thing over. As I did, something heavy tumbled into the compactor and I looked, curious what it might be. Staring wildly with both eyes and mouth wide open, I saw myself. As I reached out, screaming for help, the teeth of the compactor then did what they do best. Compact. Needless to say, I was troubled by the rise in the frequency of my nightmares. I had always had them, but none had ever been so intense or recurring. Chalking it up to the loss of a friend, perhaps, I kept myself busy by taking on more flying. I would clear my mind by soaring above the clouds and conquering the skies, just as I’d done in the past. On December 5th, 1982, I intended to have a normal day at work. In fact, I was particularly excited, as I had been lucky enough to bid for a flight from Atlanta to St. Thomas. With a little over two hours en route, our crew then had thirty hours free from duty in the British Virgin Islands. It was quite the score, and because we would only fly those two hours, the company would pay us the minimum daily rate, four and a half hours of credit. It was money for nothing and the hotel for free. It would also be a stepping stone for me, as it would be the first international route I would fly since May the 7th. Since then, I had refused to fly over water entirely. And not only that but refused to get anywhere near 47 degrees of west longitude. Captain Meyers and I had flown together in the past. He was tall for a pilot, with red hair, and a nose so large that it nearly hid his neatly trimmed mustache. He was quiet, but not shy. And most importantly, he was likely the most intelligent and observant pilot I ever met. Instead of rules of thumb for altitude calculations, this Captain did mental trigonometry. Instead of asking for a fix to the nearest airport in the event of an emergency, he simply consulted the underside of his tie on which he had cleverly written the navigational frequencies of his most commonly used beacons. My point is that Brady Meyers did not make mistakes, nor did he often find himself in trouble. When threats presented themselves, Captain Meyers always had a plan. However, what he didn’t know was that his First Officer had somehow become a lightning rod for the odd and out of place. I had been at the controls, monitoring our progress as the autopilot worked its magic. Homing directly toward St. Thomas, thick blankets of cloud encased us from all sides. Meyers was at the radios, effortlessly plotting our course, time en route, estimated fuel remaining, and surely a few other things, while also whizzing through his Sudoku book. “What are you showing on time to-go?” I asked him. “An hour and seven,” he replied without looking up. “Wanna put the coals to her, maybe save a few minutes?” The Captain laid down his pen and glanced up at me, smirking. “Keep her steady, Mackenzie, your margarita isn’t going anywhere.” “Yes, sir,” I replied. I was now eager to get off the water, and thoughts of fuel leaks plagued my mind. Every few minutes, I obsessed over our remaining fuel. Had I not been watching those levels so closely, I would have perhaps noticed our compasses spin, and our directional gyros backing them up, drift off course. A few moments later, there was a triple chime which meant the autopilot had disconnected because of a malfunction. “The course is gone,” Meyer said seconds later. “We’ve lost our navigation.” “Let’s tune a fix then. We’ll just home from the beacon,” I said. Meyers flipped his tie and quickly scanned the frequencies for a nearby station. Identifying a suitable station, he fiddled with the knobs on the Tristar’s radios and carefully watched the indicator on our instruments responsible for conveying signal acquisition. A few moments later, he huffed and tried another, then another, but to no avail. “Ask the Miami controller for a radar vector and tell them we’ve lost navigation ability, I can’t get this working,” he finally said. I queued my mic and transmitted our last known position along with our request for assistance, but there was no reply, only static. At this, Meyers laid down his book and sat up straight in his chair. “Try again,” he said. And I did, but again there was nothing. We sat in silence for a few minutes only staring at the gray soup dancing across our windscreen and listening to the roar of the airstream pass by. “I hate to say this, but I’m… I’m not sure what to do,” he said. “We can’t see through the clouds, we can’t navigate, and we can’t communicate.” “What if we try to break out?” I asked. “Break out?” he echoed back. “I mean to say, we should descend into visual conditions, between the ceiling and the deck, so we can make our way by landmarks.” “And what if the clouds extend to the water, what then?” he asked. “We’ll just ease her down slowly. Our altimeters should still be true, so if we get below fifty feet and haven’t broken out, we’ll try something else,” I said, not sure what something else might be. And so, with the care of a surgeon working on a human heart, I let the Tristar’s nose sink below the horizon. The altimeter unwound steadily. As we watched, Captain Meyer counted off our height. “That’s 10,000,” he said. Then a while later, “5,000.” The hands of the altimeter were a clock in reverse, and I thought of Captain Dunkirk and the trip to Ape Island as the sound of Captain Meyer's calls lulled me into a daze in the dark cockpit. We should have saved them. Then maybe Dunkirk would be ali- “1,000, Mackenzie, ease her down now. We’re close.” My eyes snapped back to the windscreen, straining to see something. Anything. “500, now.” “400,” “There’s 300 feet.” At 230 feet, in less than a second, rays of sunlight burst through my side window, revealing the whitecaps on the ocean below. I looked to Meyer, who now pried his face from the window. Then, he sat back in his chair and crossed his arms. “Well, I can’t say I’ve ever cruised this low,” he said. We flew like that for an hour, intensely looking for a landmark. Our direction was arbitrary as we had no navigation, and I looked to the sun for some direction. Attempting to fly northwest, back to land, I put the setting sun just in front of my port wing. As we cruised along, Meyer fretted about our fuel. Whereas I tried not to panic about it. We were running low now, due to the altitude. Meyer’s pen danced across his scratch paper before he gave me the news. In an hour and a half, we would be gliding down. This time, there would be no island to save us. “We should be closer in now,” the Captain said. “Try to hail someone.” “Miami Center, this is flight 2-3-7, how do you read?” There was static. I tried again. Then again. Until finally, an eternity later, something. “Flight 2-3-7, Miami Center, how do you read?” “Coming in broken and barely readable, Miami, but we have you,” I replied. “You’ve just popped up on the radar,” the controller said, “Are you out there 200 feet off the water, what the hell are you doing?” Captain Meyer queued his mic. “Total navigation failure, Miami, we need guidance back in,” the Captain said. “All right, well I show you flying east now… It looks like if you do a U-ey you’ll head right for Miami.” I looked toward the Captain who now furrowed his brow while glancing over his shoulder and out his side window. A moment later, he turned. “How can we be headed east?” He asked. “The sun is setting and it‘s about 45 degrees off our left side. We’re going west or northwest.” I nodded, not sure what to say. The Captain queued his mic. “Are you sure about that heading Miami? You must be confused,” he said. “Yeah, ya’ll are still flying away from me, no doubt about it,” they replied. “Listen to the man, I guess,” Captain Meyer shrugged. Not feeling much like arguing the matter, I smoothly entered a left bank and brought the Tristar’s nose sharply around. At 30 degrees of bank, while traveling 250 nautical miles per hour, it takes about a minute to turn 180 degrees. Without a working compass, my only option was to count off the seconds on my watch. “That should be about 180,” I said. “The sun is behind us, this makes no sen-” The radio interrupted the captain. “I show you tracking toward Miami, Flight 2-3-7, keep it up,” the controller said. The Captain was right. It didn’t make sense, but radar doesn’t lie, not as our compasses had. Continuing on this new heading, our compasses spun and whirred, and the ocean swelled below us. Captain Meyer informed the passengers we’d be diverting to Miami, and he went back to calculating our fuel. It would be close, but if the position Miami gave was correct, we’d just make Florida. Flying this low was refreshing, something I hadn’t done since my early days in a Cessna, and had almost been lulled me into a false sense of security when I saw the Avengers. Off our starboard side, only a few hundred feet away, and at the same altitude, five Grumman TBM Avengers crept toward us in formation. For those unaware, the Grumman TBM Avenger was used as a strategic torpedo bomber in WWII. The Navy had not used them for over forty years, and so to see one flying, let alone five, was simply unbelievable. “Do you see them?” Captain Meyer said. I looked over at him and nodded. “Don’t say anything. I know you’re thinking it,” he said. “You think it's them? How could it be?” I asked. “Just don’t,” he said. “They‘ll listen to these tapes.” The long wires of their AM radio antennas trailed behind them. It was a technology we had on board but rarely used. I clicked my audio control panel, engaging AM monitoring, then cycled the frequency until I found them. “Does anyone read us, anyone, at all? This is Navy Flight 19. We have 5-0 minutes of fuel remaining and will ditch into the sea if we cannot see land soon. Repeat: Cannot see land. Lost at sea.” “Turn it off, Mackenzie, forget about it. That’s an order,” Meyer said. "It can't be real." And so I did. A little while later we entered a cloud bank that extended down entirely to the water. Careful not to turn, we climbed back up to a safer altitude. As we broke through the other side, South Beach emerged below us, and the sun shown through the palm trees below. Just as Captain Dunkirk had, Captain Meyer said nothing about the experience. And just as before, neither did I. It was just another peculiarity, of which there would be many, that would whittle away at the little sanity I had left, leading me to later make a grave decision. And while I would prove to endure them more successfully than Captain Dunkirk, these experiences would pile up, little by little, over the next three years, until I was a Captain myself. Only then would I finally return to 47 degrees west of the prime meridian, and back to where things started. ​ submitted by /u/HealthyReview to r/nosleep [link] [comments]

Game changes Fixed Mega Fred not creating a blood explosion on death Fixed some minor graphical issues in the main menu Fixed special rocks (ie pots and mushrooms) not playing the appropriate sound in some floors Fixed boil rocks giving the wrong drops when destroyed in the Blue Womb Fixed Haunt champion variants not being transparent during their first phase Fixed multidimensional tears not scaling properly (only one of the two layers would scale) Slightly improved navigation in the collection menu (faster and loops back on itself when scrolling vertically) Updated game over sprites for some of the items from Booster #4 Fixed The Magician and Judgement having unwanted transparent pixels Improved animations for the Shade familiar (and some minor behavior fixes) Improved a few existing item and trinket sprites Improved sprites for eyeball tears (from Pop) Added a more distinctive visual effect to Haemolacria (also visual synergies with Brimstone/Tech/Tech X and Dr Fetus) Haemolacria now uses the same tear delay calculation as Ipecac (should scale a little better) Fixed Lil Monstro not playing its shooting animation (also replaced its sound effect with a more appropriate one) Laser familiars like Robo Baby and Lil Brimstone can now damage fireplaces and poops Fixed Stone Grimaces not closing their eyes when the room is cleared Fixed a broken interaction between Lachryphagy and Death's Touch Fixed an infinite recursion issue with Haemolacria + Lead Pencil and Haemolacria + Dr Fetus + Sad Bombs Fixed the Cage's grey creep not blinking like damaging creep normally does Fixed the Cage's rolling attack ending as soon as it begins Fixed Level 4 Bumbo occasionally getting stuck trying to pick up a coin Fixed Mushrooms not displaying status effects, not playing their hiding animation, and moving around way too much when shot Stonies now have a brief death animation and break into rock debris Added a generic firing animation to Brimstone for combos that keep its appearance but removes its ability to charge (i.e. Haemolacria) Slightly toned down the tear delay penalty from Haemolacria + Monstro's Lung + Brimstone/Dr Fetus Troll bombs now play their drop sound when they hit the ground, not when they spawn Fixed some stray pixels in Rag Mega's animation Fixed charmed enemies not being able to deal contact damage to a charmed target Betrayal will no longer trigger if there are less than 2 enemies in the room Fixed pressure plate rooms granting a charge when bombing out of them Fixed spikes rarely staying in their raised position when clearing pressure plate rooms Spikes will now start (and remain) in their lowered position when entering a cleared pressure plate room Fixed boss HP bar counting negative boss HP, causing it to report inaccurate values or even disappear when bosses are killed with very high damage Fixed Razor Blade always giving blood tears when held instead of only when activated Fixed Eve not leaving a pool of blood behind instead of pee when walking between rooms at low HP Fixed mushroom items not playing their unique pickup sound Ministro now has a new hopping animation instead of a sliding animation to reflect its behavior better Fixed Euthanasia being able to kill Ultra Greed during his transformation into Ultra Greedier Charmed enemies will now prioritize non charmed enemies unless there aren't any Fixed the Greed fight before Ultra Greed not triggering the victory jingle when cleared Nerve Endings 2 now play a sound when attacking Nerve Endings 2 can never replace Nerve Endings next to doors Swingers now spawn with their head retracted and extend over 2 seconds (so the head is less likely to spawn right on top of the player with no warning) Decreased the damage rate of Level 3 and 4 Bandage Girl to match Meat Boy (it was way too high before) Increased the damage rate of Angry Fly to match other fly orbitals (that's only fair, considering its base damage and how often it hits enemies...) Stoneys now roar less often and will stop doing it while catching their breath Fixed Mega Clotties not making any sound when stomping Fixed a glitch which caused Shoop da Whoop to only deal damage during its first few frames, and gave it a flickering impact effect Halved the damage of Shoop da Whoop to compensate for the above fix (total damage remains the same, but it will be inflicted over a slightly longer period of time) Pickups can now be picked up as soon as they hit the ground Added unique card backs for Card Against Humanity, Credit Card, Chaos Card and the cards introduced in booster packs Death's Heads no longer deal contact damage during their death animation Fixed bosses spawned by Delirious dropping key pieces when killed in angel rooms Fixed Succubus not granting its damage bonus when obtained via Cambion Conception Fixed Devil Deals costing soul hearts instead of red hearts if all of the player’s heart containers are empty Improved animation for charged keys Fixed Nerve Endings 2 having a 2 pixel thick outline at the base of their tentacle during their attack animation Eternal hearts will now take half a heart worth of damage from any lethal hit taken with only soul hearts Fixed orbitals jittering when spawning or entering a new room Fixed the Glowing Hour Glass not discharging on use when overcharged Fixed an exploit involving the Glowing Hour Glass and the Schoolbag Fixed permanently charmed enemies not being able to shoot projectiles through each other Permanently charmed enemies will no longer try to go after Punching Bag Fixed use animation not playing when activating Satanic Bible Number One and Kidney Stone now cause Isaac to fire "tears" from the middle (since they don't come from his eyes anymore... you know), and at a slightly lower height Fixed Glowing Hour Glass duplicating expendable familiars (blue flies/spiders) and perma-charmed enemies Fixed projectiles from perma-charmed enemies being blocked by familiars Dressing Table will no longer spawn locked items or items that were previously picked up Fixed Dressing Table visually duplicating itself when dropping a collectible after being bombed Fixed Rag Man's appear animation lasting much longer than intended Fixed the Fallen's brimstone attack being delayed due to previous changes to Krampus' AI Fixed Krampus' brimstone attack animation not matching the timing of the actual attack Fixed Famine starting his dash later than he's supposed to, resulting in a weird looking animation Fixed blue Famine's head playing its attack animation with the wrong timing Fixed surprise minibosses such as Greed and angels not playing the alternate boss music when they should Fixed the Hollow occasionally getting stuck along a wall Fixed the Hollow's champion variants often not dropping what they're supposed to drop Fixed Freds looking jittery when jumping over obstacles Glowing Hourglass now rewinds event counters as well (this includes donations and Eden's blessings) Using ? card with Glowing Hourglass will now consume the card Removed the 5 uses limit from Glowing Hourglass as all (or most) known game breaking exploits have been fixed (needs testing) Changed all of Isaac's red alt spritesheets to have more consistent shading Fixed lvl 3 and 4 Meat Boy having inconsistent head and body color (and lvl 3 and 4 Bandage Girl, to a lesser extent) Fixed the following item costumes not having color alts: My Little Unicorn, Piggy Bank, Bogo Bombs, Lord of the Pit, Holy Grail, Fate, Cancer, Sagittarius, Synthoil, The Body, Bursting Sack, Betrayal, Lusty Blood, Sticky Bombs, Polydactyly Also added color alts to the following transformation costumes: Mom, Spun, Conjoined, Spider Baby Some transformations will now properly override the player's skin color (Leviathan, Bob and Fun Guy) Fixed Hive Mind head costume not showing up in game Fixed an issue where rebuilding the player's costume map would cause visual issues with costumes containing multiple head layers with different spritesheets (such as Mysterious Liquid) Runes and Dice Shard no longer play a paper sound on pickup Fixed Backasswards having a chance to give items that weren't unlocked yet or multiple copies of the same item, and allowing starting items to appear again during the run Improved costume for Broken Modem Fixed Mulligans and all variants instantly exploding if killed during their spawn animation Fixed Cod Worms being briefly vulnerable during their spawn animation Fixed Knights and Eyes being completely invincible during their spawn animation (Knights will still block tears from the front and sides) Fixed Blastocyst not splitting when killed while poisoned (and awkwardly sliding towards the player during its splitting animation sometimes) Added a small random delay before Gushers, Splashers and Blubbers can shoot projectiles (so they don't immediately shoot as soon as an enemy turns into them) Fixed Doples firing their first shot from the middle of the room when the player enters the room while firing Fixed the Lamb's body not triggering the boss victory jingle if killed last Fixed Gemini's baby not making a small grunt when it detaches (clearly an oversight as Steven's baby does it) Mom's Knife now applies status effects in a more consistent way Fixed Big Horn getting instantly killed by Sharp Straw (among with other minor animation fixes) Fixed Ouija Board costume overwriting the player's skin color to pink instead of white Added interpolation to enemy projectiles with wiggling effects (they will now look much smoother in motion) Fixed slot machines appearing as batteries in the minimap if a battery is present in the same room Fixed Rag Mega's invincibility ending later than what his animation would suggest Lost Contact now only affects the player's tears (and tears shot by Incubus) Fixed mimic chests instantly opening and damaging the player if they spawn at their position when clearing a room Fixed Greed donation machines jamming even when the HUD displays a jamming rate of 0% Directional tear variants (i.e. Cupid's Arrow) now take their falling speed into account when computing sprite rotation Added minimap icons for half hearts, half soul hearts, blended hearts and golden hearts Improved some of the existing minimap icons (notably sacrifice rooms) Spectral tears will no longer bounce off rocks with Rubber Cement Hush and Greed Gapers will now have a proper appear animation if spawned by a room rather than by a boss Reduced base HP of Hush Gapers and added stage HP so they have slightly more reasonable health when encountered early Fixed Portals being able to spawn two enemies in very quick succession upon entering a room Fixed some champion types rarely spawning what they're supposed to spawn in hard mode (such as splitting champions) Fixed enemies spawned from splitting champions sometimes appearing too far away from the original enemy Exploding champions will no longer explode if killed very close to the player 1 second within entering the room Unlockable pickups (i.e. golden bombs) will be replaced with a random variant if they haven't been unlocked yet Made Rage Creep's attack animation slightly longer so it won't start moving until its laser has fully disappeared Rooms made for the Afterbirth alt floors after Booster #4 will no longer be subjected to random rock replacements Pressure plates that spawn enemies will now close the doors as well Breath of Life will now immediately give invincibility frames when triggered by Void (previous behavior made it extremely exploitable) Added some visual feedback when Breath of Life provides its invincibility Breath of Life can now be held down between rooms Fixed Technology 2 beam being deleted and respawned twice if maintained during a room transition Fixed not being able to pick up a trinket if the player has that trinket's effect via the Error trinket Fixed Death's List streak ending if a perma-charmed enemy dies Fixed alt skin color spritesheets not loading for mod items Added a visual cue to Hairpin when it recharges the player's active item upon entering a boss room, audio cue now plays after boss intro instead of before Fixed spawner familiars (i.e. sacks) not playing their floating animation until they spawn something Fixed Little C.H.A.D. having missing animation frames Fixed Little C.H.A.D. playing its kissing sound every room cleared instead of only when it spawns hearts Spawner familiars now have a more consistent spawning algorithm (also BFFs now actually increases their spawn rate as intended) Fixed spawn command ignoring subtype when spawning entities by name (i.e. heart pickups) Fixed the Left Hand not affecting bomb chests Fixed Lil Gurdy being excessively loud when hitting walls Glowing Hour Glass will now also revert the player's character if it was changed by an item during the current room Fixed some minor visual issues when turning back time with Glowing Hour Glass (such as fires being invisible during the teleport in animation) Spiders and Big Spiders will no longer blink when the player has Bursting Sack Champion enemies will no longer deal contact damage if the non-champion version doesn't Charmed portals will now spawn permanently charmed enemies Fixed Spear of Destiny hit detection being shifted up by several pixels Fixed a crash when disabling a mod that contains custom characters Fixed the Bestiary not counting kills for Ultra Greed and Ultra Greedier Donations will now gradually accelerate if the player stays in contact with the donation machine (applies to Greed donations as well) Fixed Glaucoma blood tears being completely invisible Fixed Multidimensional Baby not working properly with Anti Gravity tears Fixed miniboss rooms not displaying the right character name if the player's character was changed via an item Fixed pickups not showing up in the Shop in the minimap Fixed red creep not being darkened in the Womb when playing Greed Mode Red creep will no longer be darkened in the Scarred Womb Fixed Eve not starting with the Razor Blade if the item itself hasn't been unlocked yet Holy Mantle will no longer be restored if the player saves and continues after losing it Fixed Famine’s charge and Ultra Greed’s dash being able to instantly kill the player in some cases Boss heart drops now depend on the room seed (they no longer depend on the order in which the bosses are killed) Fixed daily related achievements incorrectly notifying that all challenges have been unlocked Fixed a memory leak occuring when exiting a run while a coop baby is still on screen Fixed up some code related to coop babies to make them work better with Glowing Hourglass Fixed Lil Haunts having an incorrect sprite on the death screen (and in the bestiary) Fixed a bug which caused certain Greed mode waves to be much more common than others Achievement popups can now be fast forwarded by tapping Start Adjusted the stats of each character in the character selection menu to better reflect their actual in-game stats Updated charge bars to be less visually intrusive Fixed missing animation warning spam caused by Stoneys Added extra sounds and effects to creep attacks (from Conjoined Fatties and Meatballs) Fixed blue and purple fires having a chance to drop multiple soul hearts if extinguished by multiple simultaneous explosions Following familiars are no longer pushed back when very close to the player (behavior more consistent with Rebirth) Added a charge bar to Mom's Knife and Lil Gurdy Fixed Incubus' charge bar being incorrect with Mom's Knife Coop babies are now saved and restored by Glowing Hourglass Fixed some special coop babies giving the wrong amount of hearts back to the player when removed Fixed items that lock the player's aim completely overriding the blink animation Fixed a softlock with Mega Satan caused by Mine Crafter Fixed sacks dropping batteries and tarot cards way more often than intended Boosted announcer lines for the new cards and pills so they are consistent with the rest Parasitoid will no longer spawn spiders/flies when hitting invincible enemies such as stone grimaces Fixed using Mr. ME! with Car Battery causing stolen items to become non-solid Fixed Marked crosshair not blinking Fixed the inner part of the boss health bar casting a visible extra shadow Fixed some more enemies not having overlay effect attachment points Added unique sounds for golden hearts, black hearts and golden bombs Added better visual feedback for gold hearts when breaking Gold hearts will now turn nearby enemies to gold when breaking Character selection ring now has a perspective effect which scales with the number of characters so it never looks cluttered Custom characters will now be placed before Random rather than after Eden can now be randomed if the player has Eden tokens Fixed the character selection wheel decelerating too early when randoming, cycling through characters at minimum speed until reaching the desired character Added a failsafe to prevent crashes when too many entity queries are done in a single frame (this fixes a few crashes that occur when a lot of entities are on screen) Lil Haunts are no longer considered bosses (meaning they can be caught with Friendly Ball) and now have a unique death portrait Fixed a bunch of bestiary entries using the wrong portrait Locusts will now only spawn when a room has been entered for the first time (prevents farming them using Door Stop) Fixed Samson's Chain links not being positioned properly with BFFs Fixed Gemini familiar chain not being properly interpolated Fixed Gemini familiar not scaling with BFFs Fixed Pay To Win overriding More Options Coop babies can no longer borrow Guillotine from the player (very buggy interaction) Fixed rock waves from Wait What? and Mega Bean being able to hurt Isaac's Heart and co-op babies Trap buttons will now lock the room when spawning enemies Fixed some pills not playing the correct sad/happy animation Fixed being able to clip through item pedestals by running into them Incubus will no longer play sounds when firing Tech X (was particularly annoying with Brimstone) Fixed Scarred Para-bites sometimes spawning a projectile at the player's position when killed during their appear animation Added unique card back for Holy Card, ? Card and Get Out of Jail Free Fixed achievement popups being unnecessarily delayed once the player has played 31 or more dailies Afterbirth floor exclusive enemies (i.e. burning/flooded/dank) will no longer appear in Rebirth floors Fixed Adrenaline not updating when taking certain health affecting pills (such as Hematemesis) Fixed Dark Prince's Crown only reapplying its buff 1 frame after entering a new room, triggering Found HUD each time Bombs swallowed by Chub will now do their proper explosion effects Fixed Flush and Brimstone+Ludovico affecting friendly enemies Added safeguards to prevent boss champions that double themselves (i.e. Monstro, Cage and Gurdy Jr) from spawning on top of the player upon entering the room Fixed Guillotine not firing from the right position with Duct Tape Fixed some Caves/Depths rooms containing wall creeps being slightly broken since Booster #4 Homunculus and Begotten will now be chained to an adjacent rock if the nearest wall is more than 1 grid cell away Fixed a corner wall entity not being generated in one of the L room shapes (shape 12, causes some issues, notably with Card Against Humanity) The Forsaken will now move to a more appropriate place to perform his Brimstone attack in L shaped rooms Multiple Forsakens in the same room will now be able to spawn their own bony each and will always spin their Brimstone attack in the same direction at the same speed Fixed being able to fire infinite rockets when using Doctor's Remote with Marked Fixed sacks dropped from Sack of Sacks often containing identical cards Fixed being able to teleport into an Error room on top of a hazard (i.e. a spiked chest) Most sources of blue spiders will now throw those spiders out instead of spawning them on the ground Parasitoid tears now spawn blue flies/spiders at their position rather than the player's (spawned flies and spiders will be thrown towards the player before targeting enemies) Red chests inside a Devil Room will no longer teleport the player to the Devil Room Fixed Athame and Maw of the Void being able to spawn many black hearts when damaging enemies with damage resistance (i.e. Mushrooms) Fixed some on-kill effects (such as Gimpy and Infestation 2) triggering more than once when an enemy is killed by simultaneous damage sources Fixed Envy's split parts sharing the same drop seed Moving Box is now unlocked by using Pandora's Box in the Dark Room (as it seems to have been originally intended) Coop babies can no longer drop out while the player is playing a pickup animation (could be used to exploit devil deals) Poops spawned by E. Coli and Flush now react to damage similarly to regular poops Movable TNT barrels now take damage exactly like their regular counterparts (they will take less shots to destroy at base damage) Mine Crafter will now spawn a TNT barrel directly at the player's position rather than on a nearby free tile Mine Crafter will now spawn two TNT barrels with Car Battery instead of spawning one and then immediately detonating it Chaos Card and Little Horn will now properly kill fireplaces without a blood effect All variants of Stone Grimaces now explode into rock debris when killed with Chaos Card or Little Horn and will no longer respawn when reentering the room if killed Stone Grimaces no longer play their appear animation if encountered in an already cleared room Head of Krampus no longer has a chance to rotate Fixed being able to force a revival with Guppy's Collar or Broken Ankh by saving and resuming the run after dying Adjusted Isaac's pickup animation so items no longer obstruct his face Updated Isaac's Cathedral transition animation Made a few minor visual tweaks to Ventricle Razor Ventricle Razor portals will now appear closed if they have no connected portal Fixed portals from Ventricle Razor sometimes not appearing when created in a large room which is then reentered from a different door Fixed not being able to enter Ventricle Razor portals within the same room if the player is in an off screen room (i.e. Devil Room) Fixed Devil Room doors not having proper door animations and disappearing when closed Items dropped by chests or slot machines no longer revert to their generic stone pedestal look upon leaving and reentering the room Fixed Mom's Wig spawning blue spiders way too frequently when the player has a charged attack Fixed Kidney Stone not updating the player's firerate on the final tick of the tear burst (effectively leaving the player with -1 tear delay until the tear state is updated) Fixed being able to keep the firerate buff from Kidney Stone permanently by picking up an item that changes Isaac's attack type during the tear burst Fixed Eden's Soul copying the charge of the previously held active item instead of starting at 0 charge Credits and epilogue will now adapt to the game's volume settings instead of always playing at max volume Familiars will now be teleported to the player's new position if it was changed by a boss such as Gurdy or Mom's Heart Fixed shadow layer not being loaded correctly in any room that doesn't have the standard 1x1 shape FX layers with parallax will now smoothly transition to their new position upon teleporting across the room Bombs spawned from Scatter Bombs will now actually scatter around Small bombs from Scatter Bombs now leave smaller craters Fixed Lump of Coal and Ludovico Technique tears looking odd due to always using the biggest tear sprite Debug console changes Console now slides in and out faster and more smoothly, accepts input even while sliding in, and can be closed with Esc Added support for non QWERTY keyboard layouts Backspace can now be held to delete characters quickly Text cursor can now be moved left and right in the console Home and End will now move the cursor to the beginning/end of the current command Ctrl+Home and Ctrl+End will scroll to the beginning and end of the history Numpad Enter can now be used to run commands Added "clear" command to clear the history Clamped console history to 1024 entries to limit memory usage Clamped command buffer to 64 entries to limit memory usage Commands rerun from the command buffer will now be moved rather than copied to the front (so running the same command multiple times doesn't clutter the command buffer) Condensed errors printed by the "lua" command so there is less useless junk at the beginning of the error string Lua errors will now be printed to the console Added automatic text wrapping to both the console history and input Added ConsoleFont parameter to options.ini, set to 1 to use a smaller font (0 by default, can also be switched in game using Ctrl-Numpad+ and Ctrl-Numpad-) Added FadedConsoleDisplay toggle to options.ini, shows recent console output on screen even if the console is closed (disabled by default) Added SaveCommandHistory toggle to options.ini, enables or disables saving the console command history between sessions (enabled by default) Debug 4 (high damage) will now actually increase the player's damage stat so it applies to all attack types Debug 5 now shows information about the current room (notably the room ID) Fixed luamod reporting a success if Lua errors were encountered while loading a mod Lua changes Added a custom implementation for the Lua print() function which outputs to the debug console Fixed Player:GetName() causing crashes with coop babies Added MC_PRE_ROOM_ENTITY_SPAWN Lua callback for entities spawned as part of a room's layout (int type, int variant, int subtype, int gridindex, int seed) -> int type, int variant, int subtype Fixed some mod callbacks crashing if anything other than a table is returned submitted by /u/_Kilburn to r/bindingofisaac [link] [comments]

So I started using OneNote because it came free on my Surface tablet, but after DMing a couple campaigns with it, I'm completely married to the idea. It's seriously good. Here are my top reasons why... Clipping things from the internet couldn't be easier. I see something on /r/dndbehindthescreen, and I clip it into the DnD notebook. Sourced, so I can look back later, and see if anybody else made any good comments. Easy. Never-ending flowcharts. I don't need to sticky tape paper together to fit my ideas onto paper. It expands to meet my needs. Hierarchy makes sense. I have a notebook for DnD, and in it, I've got sections for campaigns, random monsters, drag n drop encounters, and random tables and other things. If I see something I like, but know that it's not going to be used for a LONG time, I'll just file it away in the "High Level" section. Hotlinking. I can jot down the stats of a kobold in a completely unrelated page, and if I decide that I need a kobold, I can hotlink [[ kobold ]] (without the spaces), and it'll send me to the Kobolds page, even if that's in a totally different section. Works really well for keeping continuity in different cities, citing origin stories, and magical items casting spells. Relationship charts are a lot easier when you can instantly compare. Subpages. I can add pages which are a part of a larger page (such as the effects of a magic item which is owned by a powerful wizard, or a table of contents combined with the hotlinking), collapsing them when not needed. Printing. Do you have any idea how cool it is for the players to ask "What's on the menu?" and then to print out a fully featured menu which you found online in the time it took for them to ask? total immersion. OCR scanning. I can take photos of the manuals, and then copy paste all of the text without any hassle. It even recognises my chicken scribblings as being actual text, making it legible! Audio recording. I can record my DnD games, which is awesome to look back on, and helps me maintain continuity. I can even use search on the recordings- if I mention zombies in a campaign, the recording will show up in the search results! Cloud support. I can do DnD prep on the bus, at school, or at home. If there's a web browser, I can make progress. Tagging. I can tag things as being "funny", "moral", etc. and pick them out as I need. OneNote doesn't tag the whole page as being "horror", just the one note about the chest being a mimic, as well as all of the gold coins being mimics. Sharing. I can have a sharing folder for other players that use OneNote, and beam across any information that I want. Notepad. No more wasted paper, I can just jot down stuff with the Surface Pen. It even does calculations! Hyperlinking. I can have things reference online material, saving me the time of typing in the link. You bet your ass I'm using donjon and all of /u/OrkishBlade's tables! Space saver. It's all your notes, plus an internet browsing capable device. Chuck an online roller up, Spotify for some spooky music, and you've got an instant campaign. As a result of OneNote, I'm spending less time preparing, but produce a more cohesive, interesting, and fluid campaign, with less nitty-gritty prep needed; I can DM in a just-in-time fashion without any issues, and have no fears of being caught with my pants down! I would strongly recommend you give it a try! EDIT: Here's a link to my D&D Book! submitted by /u/rcgy to r/DnD [link] [comments]

Hi everyone, My name is John Draper, you may also know me as Cap’n’Crunch. I’m ready for all your questions! Here's my proof: https://twitter.com/jdcrunchman/status/516269921005604864 Here’s a nice story about me: The esquire article had come out, and came to the attention of Woz, who contacted me through a trusted friend, and he wanted me to show him how to use the blue box. His box was digital, but rock solid frequencies. I told him it would never work, but on some phones, the carbon mikes in the phone smoothed the waves so it would barely work, perhaps one time in 10. He wanted me to show him how to call the pope. After many tries, we got the Vatican, it being 4:30 in the morning in Rome, he told them he was Henry Kissinger, then the sec of State, and wanted to confess. I actually got busted because a careless friend who knew my phone number got busted for using the Woz box. My conditions for giving out my number, was that they had to memorize it, no problem for blind people. One such person Richard Ceasar violated my trust, which was during the time the federal government was raiding some of the phone phreaks they could catch, but could never find me, because there was no reference to me. A big Grand jury investigation resulted from the Esquire article. Woz's box set off all kinds of alarms in the 4A switch was how they busted Richard. I had met Steve jobs many years before he started Apple. I was closer to Woz then jobs because Woz was an engineer, as I was. He actually got me an employee discount to the HP35 a post fix calculator I used in colleges when he was working for HP. I was the envy of my class at De Anza College in Cupertino where I was taking engineering courses. This was after I showed Woz and jobs the blue box. Jobs stated there would be no Apple computer without the blue box, and this is true, because the initial money Woz needed came from selling them, which went into laying out and producing the printed circuit for the apple one. Right after Woz developed the Apple one, I had to serve my time at Lompoc Federal prison. Lompoc was a minimum security facility located near Vandenberg Air Force Base. There were no fences or walls. But very clearly marked signs that said "out of limits". Before going in, I arranged a system for making free phone calls. That had to be arranged before actually getting to Lompoc. They only allowed collect calls, and no 800-number calls, and there wasn't even a dial on the phone. All I had to do was to call to a certain number that would "except" the call. I had phone freaking classes in jail. They were disguised as electronic classes, right under the noses of the jailers. We had very little supervision from the jail guards. I had modified an FM radio that would tune into the guards frequencies, so I can tell when they were coming. By the time I got out of Lompoc, Steve had just finished designing the Apple II. It was a convention in Los Angeles where Steve was demonstrating the Apple II for the first time. Steve invited me to join him at Apple. This was a time when you weren't really assigned a job, but you could pretty much work on what you wanted to work on, as long as it promoted and enhanced the sale of the main product. Woz suggested that I build a telephone interface to the Apple II. This was an era where smoking was permitted in the workplace. They set up an annex building near their main office where Steve, myself, Randy Wigginton, and a few others working on the Apple peripherals. I threw Mike Scott out of my office for smoking, he was CEO of Apple then. The telephone interface board was called the Charlie board. It could send and receive any tones, or tone pairs. It also had software controls for controlling the hook switch, and other functions regarding controlling the telephone. Tones were generated in Software using a 256 byte sin table and tone tables defining the frequencies. Steve Jobs decided not to market the board, because it could be used for "illegal things" because of it's high flexibility, but the main reason, was because it was illegal to connect directly to the telephone line. Company provided a "interface device" that would allow one to connect directly to the telephone. Rental of the device was $250 a month, and was unfeasible to require customers to use this. Expensive device for the phone board, so it was never marketed. After I delivered the phone board to Woz, left a note on his desk with a cassette tape with the software, and asked him to try out. I wrote a simple interface program which would allow you to enter in a phone number and dial it. As a prank, Steve modified the program, to call Steve Job's home phone number over and over again and let it run all night. I go into the office, and Steve really laid it on the thick and heavy. He then lit up a big fat cigar and puffed it in my face as revenge. I got so sick, I couldn't work for the rest of the day. I went on to write EasyWriter, the WordPress program, because I needed a program to write documentation to FORtH, a language I was writing with the grace of the Forth Interest group and I as designated to write it for the Apple II. I was urged to market the word processor program. we couldn't copy the disks fast enough to keep up with the sales, and I was still in jail, at a Work Furlough program where they let me attend the Faire. I wrote all of it while in in jail, they would let me go to an office during the day under very close supervision, and before going back to jail I would print a fresh copy of the source code (in FORTH) and study and modify the code at night. It was an ideal (but unorthodox) programming situation. I would go back and type in the modifications, run it through this cool debugger I wrote. Then after testing, I found very few bugs, and started writing the next session, and repeat until it was finished. I did it in 3 months of my 4 month stay at Alameda County Work furlough facility. The word processor was very popular for the Apple II and made it's appearance at the 4th West coast computer faire. It made number two on the Soft Talk magazine hit parade. IBM started sneaking around, trying to locate software vendors to write a word processor for the IBM PC. They contacted Microsoft, and they contacted us. We beat out Bill Gates, and got out word processing program functioning much earlier than Microsoft, so IBM bundled EasyWriter with every IBM PC sold. There were some shady dealings with my publisher, which resulted in a lawsuit, and a major loss of my royalties. I went off to do different things, living off the royalties of EasyWriter Until IBM stopped publishing it. Recently, I learned I have a degenerative spine disease which was the main reason for my health issues, I had one surgery in 2009 for my lower back, another one in 2010 for me neck, and this most recent surgery took 9 hours where the doctors put 4 large screws in my spine. Insurance company covered most of the expense, but learned a lot of items I need for recovery are not covered and are fairly expensive. Through some contacts I know, a QikFunder has been started up. https://www.qikfunder.com/crowdfund/help-john-draper-captain-crunch Plus BBC picked it up. http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-29381279 I've already reached my goal, and during DefCon this year, a large "get well" card was written up and signed by the contestants of the Scavenger hunt and was presented to me in the hospital, and pictures are on my facebook time line. EDIT: I had a great time answering your questions! All of these questions were very good ones, and I answered each and every question thanks to some help from my friend. I hope to run another AMA sometime in the near future to answer any update questions. Don't forget to visit my website www.webcrunchers.com for updates and always visit my Facebook every day because I always have cool things up there! submitted by /u/Jdcrunchman to r/IAmA [link] [comments]