Buying a phone for my mom. She is a very basic user- on a good day she can make and receive calls properly- so no need for streaming, games, etc.
With current promotions can get an iPhone SE for 429 and a 55/month plan. Or, to get 5G ultra can get an iPhone 14 but that requires better plan at 80/month.
Device wise the SE is more than enough, but want to make sure I'm not missing anything with Ultra.
TIA

The obvious (to me) deduction is that the candidate here is a charlatan who hopes to be able to get by long enough to get some paid work before they are discovered and disposed of but I am wondering if there is some other explanation I should be considering.
I was called at short notice to assist with interviewing a candidate, specifically to ask technical questions about AWS and Terraform. Candidate CV looked strong with several posts over 12 years at a well-established Financial org. I decided to ask for detail about their second most recent project, on which they were supposedly a lead for 3 years, because it described a very odd (to me) collection of technologies. Whilst they could certainly 'answer', their responses were no more informative than the words on their CV and I could not get anything out of them to detail why:

• They chose 'Amazon Beanstalk'* with 'Radis'* and Aurora *(both referenced this way on written CV and spoken conversation during interview)
• They were using nGinx and AWS application load balancer
• They needed a JVM on EC2 to support node.js applications
• They considered the Spring boot applications in this (sic) stack to be 'microservices'

Frankly I have met recruiters with a better grasp than this. Even allowing that the org they were working at would likely be an old-fashioned org, I have a hard time believing that anyone would be anywhere on the capabililty/skill/knowledge spectrum to be both able to combine these technologies in a single stack AND either choose to do so for a serious project or not be at least aware of why it would look questionable to do so.
Is there any other perspective I should be considering?

This is more of a rant. I have been using pixel 7 since October, I pre ordered it. I have used many google phones starting from Nexus 4. But I have never experienced such bad performance(Internet/connectivity) in any of the phones before. I never get a full signal strength on my phone, internet speed is low most of the times. I was using google fi, which I was also using with my pixel 6 before. It worked fine on pixel 6. But Pixel 7 internet speeds are really bad. Sometimes I don't even get upload speeds of 1Mbps. At the same locations where pixel 6 had no issues. I have had multiple calls/chats with google customer support and they have had me running between google fi support and pixel hardware support. Both of them blaming each other. They have asked me for bug reports multiple times. Everytime the solution they come up with is that they are working on updates and I should wait for future updates to have it fixed. And I have been in contact with them for past 3 months now. Same response every single time. I infact switch my carrier to At&t, hoping that it might be because of the carrier. But I have had the same issues. I have tested At&t on an iphone, at the same location, the speed difference between pixel and iphone is 5 times. And I understand that iphones radio might be better than pixel's, but still 5x is too much. The only thing I can think of is that my device might be defective. I have told google support to consider this as a possibility, but they have always just ignored it and asked me to wait for software updates. I mean, it cannot be that it is a pixel wide issue and surely they are not working on an update just for me for the past 3 months. I don't know what to do at this point.

I moved to Mexico a year ago. I have 6 years’ worth of savings until I runout.
I have my own sleek “agency” website. Right now, it’s just me of course. I have a google business listing (5 stars). A very nice portfolio of 10 brochure type business websites. 1 year worth of Webflow experience.
I’m highly capable a producing SEO content and well-built standard 5-page business websites. My coding knowledge is very little. You don’t really need it for small to medium business websites, usually. And I can just outsource that on occasion. I don’t have a lot of desire to get into the coding space.
Am I better off cold calling businesses, contracting with an agency, or trying to find a remote job in the US?
Has anyone been in a similar situation?
Even if it's not really the same, feel free to share your experience.

Tbh I probably just don't have the job anymore, which sucks because it's a decent job, but if anyone can give me advice on what to do specifically I'd be forever grateful omg.
I started last week, went to orientation, all was fine.
But, to be honest, and ik this is probs tmi but this is the first job I've had in nearly a year due to a mental health thing that just blossomed into full-blown agoraphobia. And I thought I had it under control, and the job is lovely, my customer service skills have always been (and remain) A++, but the transition from staying at home to 'working at a public place that I cannot leave for a set amount of hours' has been a rockier one than I thought it would be.
So of the five days I've been scheduled, I've only shown up to orientation and day three -- on day two I had a massive panic attack, the kind where I all but pass out, and told Target there was a family emergency, then showed up on day three and was fine!!
But day four was bad, I would've been very late, and in my stupid panic-addled brain I figured I'd just. Show up on day five and explain. But anxiety is weird and then I felt bad about not showing up on day four so I didn't go on day five and decided 'eh I don't need the job it's fine'.
But it's been a few days, I have identified what triggered the panic, and how to avoid it better lol, and I really need this job, and they haven't technically fired me, and my next scheduled day isn't for a few days still -- but they did call me on day four and five and I didn't answer, nor have I called back, and tbh I don't know what to say if/when I do lol.
Can I just like show up on my next scheduled day and be like 'so uh. Shoulda mentioned this at orientation but I have a massive anxiety disorder and might need shorter shifts and an extra break here and there if I suddenly panic, I did not plan properly for this, but if I have those accomodations I will be the most reliable employee you've ever had, believe me.'
Should I call them?? I don't even know who to talk to lmao. Can I email HR or something? Emailing would be so much easier.
Sorry this is so long and probably too much info, and I wouldn't blame Target if they just fire me lol, but again, first job after anxiety disorder became a thing and I really am very reliable -- as long as I can kind of work my way back into working? And I know anxiety of this level is an ADA covered thing -- but I also know I should've communicated this before starting the job.
So any advice on what to do? Who to contact to try to save the job? If I should even try? (anyone who replies, ty so much in advance omg)

I moved to Mexico a year ago. I have 6 years’ worth of savings until I runout.
I have my own sleek “agency” website. Right now, it’s just me of course. I have a google business listing (5 stars). A very nice portfolio of 10 brochure type business websites. 1 year worth of Webflow experience.
I’m highly capable a producing SEO content and well-built standard 5-page business websites. My coding knowledge is very little. You don’t really need it for small to medium business websites, usually. And I can just outsource that on occasion. I don’t have a lot of desire to get into the coding space.
Am I better off cold calling businesses, contracting with an agency, or trying to find a remote job in the US?
Has anyone been in a similar situation?
Even if it's not really the same, feel free to share your experience.

First of all this guide assumes you were smart enough to have a Breath of the Wild XCI/NSP file on your pc and that you know you need to have the RomFS file. If you didn't know this already you need to at least get a dump of the base game which you definitely did purchase, after it is extracted and you have shown Yuzu where it is right click and extract its RomFS.
​
Straight forward enough, we begin by downloading Python. I chose to use version 3.8.10 so if you want to be certain you've followed this right then don't deviate from that. Now Python is downloaded we're presented with the first page, YOU MUST CHECK THE PATH BOX HERE. Proceed with the installation from here, the rest of the settings should be fine.
​
With that out of the way we verify now Python is installed. Go to windows search box (bottom left) and type cmd, run it as administrator. Once open type python, if it is installed it'll be listed in a directory. Now hold ctrl and press Z key or if you're unsure on doing that close it and open command prompt again as administrator.
​
So now we type in pip install bcml in the prompt, the download should start and the files will be on your pc shortly. Once installed go to the python scripts folder and try to run BCML file, it usually opens but if not troubleshoot it, since I've reinstalled this a few times over the past few days I can confirm that often times running in compatibility mode might get it working.
​
Alright now that you've got BCML open you should go to settings page. Here we have toggle to enable Switch mode, by default the program BCML is set to work compatible with Cemu which as many users are keen to point out Breath of the Wild does indeed run better on.
​
Base game + update directory is: C:\Users\YourUser\AppData\Roaming\yuzu\dump. The directory is basically where you installed Yuzu to and navigating to the file called dump, then finding the file 01007EF00011E000 there. I'm choosing to skip the DLC box because it is non essential imo and I didn't end up needing to do it.
​
Still on BCML settings page, select your language. Next set your mod folder, should be a place where you have plenty of space but ideally where BCML is stored.
​
%appdata%\yuzu\sdmc\atmosphere\contents
^ On the settings page go to browse, copy and paste this (above) into the file explorer and hit enter and set that as the Merged Export Directory. So far as I'm aware you should be good to go now, save the settings and join the Second Wind discord, it's just easier for my guide and for you the reader to go there to find the actual legitimate file for Yuzu.
​
Now if you did in fact join the Second Wind Hub (Discord) you should have a channel for Downloads. Click on the link for the Switch version and download the Second Wind BNP file there, now return to BCML and go to mods page, from there click the + button in the bottom right corner, grab the BNP file you just downloaded and let it install.
​
Now all the guides I've seen end here, that's what I hate. If you didn't figure out what to do next some people will tell you that you're dumb or that you should have asked somebody else, if you chose the latter option then there's a small chance the person you ask will chew you out for not knowing how to finish the last steps but whatever.. this guide covers that part.
​
Now hopefully Second Wind downloaded and there is no error, if there is then I recommend double checking your settings page to make sure everything is fine and nothing on the right is ticked that isn't supposed to be.
​
No error? Good then we can move on to final step, with Second Wind now in your mod list in BCML you are free to make it into a readable format for Yuzu. There is an export button next to the one for uninstalling all mods on the mod page, you want to click that with Second Wind selected and let it put the files into a zip.
​
Once it is done go to Yuzu and right click Breath of the Wild, on the drop down menu click open mod data location. Copy the file explorer address and go back to where the winrar file of Second Wind is (the one you just exported from BCML). Right click the RAR file of SW and click extract files, it'll open file explorer, now you paste the mod location to it so it can install there.
​
The guide is finished. It's an idiots guide because it is meant to be obvious, for me it was most assuredly not. This was made in the hopes that someday it will help somebody else, if not then it was a good place to outlet my frustrations on the whole BCML experience.
​
Thanks for reading, if you'd like to point out any corrections and not be a pedant about it you're welcome to do so and I will add it in.

Recently decided I wanted to try and get back into writing and looking for critiques/ edits so I can get better. Here is the beginning to a horromystery I started to write out of just wanting to put something down on paper.
Teenage Sebastian Krell finds himself in caught in a powerful blizzard. Winds howling and ripping right through his soul. Frostbite begins to numb his fingertips. Every step he takes is excruciating. But still he marches onward. He doesn't know where he's going but still he trudges along. The trees fade into the mountain as walking turns to climbing. Sebastian never found himself to be the most Athletic, and wonders how he found himself in this predicament. Sebastian always perferred reading to sports. But still he climbed forward. The howl of the winds began to sound sharper, like the cry of a ghost, ready to do harm. The mountain made Sebastian feel uneasy, like the weight of all those who died here weigh him down. All after the same goal but Sebastian was not eager to share in their fates. So sebastian continues onward.
After what seemed like forever Sebastian spied an old cave shafts. An old piece of driftwood barely working as a sign hung above. In crudly carved letters identifying itself as "Bastion-Martin mine". Sebastians goal in sight he took shelter from the harsh cold. He collected the branches and pinecones he gathered from the trail to start a fire. The heat breathed life back into him, but he knew he was not done yet. After a short respite he continued deeper into the mine that had been calling to him. His arms and legs were sore, but the mental fatigue of fighting all the way up here, was really slowing him down. Each step felt like it could be his last. But still he walked onward.
The darkness of the mine encroached into all of his senses. True darkness wasn't just seen. The empty silence of all but his footsteps swallowed him and echoed into his heart. The shadows inked up his body leaving behind a numbing cold. The subtle scents of fresh decay invaded his nostril. Each breath came with a familiar taste of dread, lingering longer than he felt comfortable with. True darkness is experienced. But still Sebastian pressed onward. The mine plunged further and further into the dark abyss. Time was no longer a concept that was known. Further and further he traveled into a mine. Certain out of all who tried before, he had come the furthest.
When his journey came to its conclusion, the mine opened up into a wide expanse. The night sky illuminated the chamber before him. The foreign constellation still seemed to comfort him but his gazed was drawn to this behemoth of a tree overlooking a still pond of glass. The tree towered over the chamber blocking out the majority of the constellations. It's leaves golden, not with pigment but with electricity flowing through its veins. The gleaming call had lead him all this way, refilling him with hope and euphoria. The catharsis of a quests end overpowered his exhaustion. For the first time in forever Sebastian found himself to be at peace.
As Sebastian woke up in not a panic but in inspiration, he found himself unable to lure himself back to sleep. Rolling over to see his clock reading 2:13 a.m. He tossed and turned hunting for the peace he was denied. Stumbling out of bed, wandering to open his window. Greeted by the cool October air sebastian gazed into the town of Bastian sleeping right outside his room. Beyond lied the forest that surrounded everyone. Who knew what would be further beyond. Unsettled, Sebastian fought every logical response because in his heart he knew that he needed to be somewhere else. Quickly getting dressed he climbed out the window and traveled onward.
The phone screamed by the bedside of Shefiff John Harrow. Piercing his skull and pulling himself out of the hard slumber he was in. Struggling to open his eyes and read the clock saying a mere 5:15 a.m. "Fuck is this about." He murmered to himself and picked up the phone. "Go for Harrow." He demanded.
The voice of the women on the other end felt like nails to a chalkboard. "Sorry to wake you Sheriff Harrow."
"Don't worry about it. What's the problem Linda?" Not what he wanted to say but it's probably better he waited to speak his mind.
"There seems to be an incident at the old Martin mine. The shift Foreman a mister... Mike Conners called in a ... situation. He's seems quite shook. Might wanna go take a look."
"Can't someone on night shift see what's going on?"
"Not really... this seems to be over their heads. Mr. Conners is saying their are 4 dead bodies."
Jesus Linda, lead with that next time. John pulled himself outta bed and said "Yea... yea I'll take care of it." Slamming the phone down.
John fast-forwarded his morning, waking up with a crisp shower and a hot mug of coffee as he hoped into his truck and sped off. The Martin mine wasn't far outside of the town of Bastion and the police lights make traffic a non-problem. Driving faster than he should have on the dirt roads, his truck felt every hole. Driving through the woods was never John's idea of a good time. Folk say the new England woods feel haunted. John wasn't much for superstition but he has seen enough go wrong in his time to be weary.
Upon arrival, driving pased the private property fence that blocked off the mine, John saw the flashing red and blue lights of an Ambulance. Seems mister Conners was already being seen by the paramedics. No one else was in the immediate area, just a trailer being used as some kind of office and the opening to the mine. Pulling alongside a half dozen of other cars and beat- up trucks, John walked over to the ambulance. Their he saw who he assumed to be Mr. Conners wrapped in a trauma blanket grasping a cup of coffee with both his hands. He was physically shaking, unable to grasp whatever happened to him. Inspecting him was a paramedic In her early 20's under the name of Hazel Briar. John worked with her before, she was new but knew what she was doing.
Hazel must of saw my approach, she peered off of Conners inspection to talk to me. "He's definitely in shock but other than that. No physical injuries. Whatever he saw damaged his psyche pretty good." She paused to collect her words as if to arrange them just right. "Don't push too hard, OK? Whatever trauma was experienced down their... he doesn't need it shaking him anymore."
John nodded, taking out a pack of cigarettes. After shaking one loose he held it between his lips and offered the pack to Conners. The look of Conners was one of desperation, one that wanted anything to cling to. He took a cigarette and John light them both. After a few drags and the comfort of smoke began to set in John asked, "wanna tell me happened? From the top." Despite John's gruff exterior he can be a nice guy. He never liked playing the bad cop. People knew he cared about the people. Whole reason he became a cop. He only really smoked in times like these too. People could feel the sincerity in his voice. And he had a reputation of going against the departments wishes when he knew it was to help someone.
"Well..." Conners began to stutter. The fear in his voice was palpable, like merely speaking the next words would bring about the Horrors. "Me and the first crew came in for the day....4 a.m. as usual. I had some paperwork to attend... I sent the crew in first... I was to join them later." The more he talked the more afraid he was becoming. Reliving the terror one word at a time. "I heard noises on the radio."
"What kind of noises." John interjected
"I... dunno. It's hard to put into words. But it was nothing natural. Nothing good. Then I heard screaming. Maybe someone got caught in one of the machines I dunno. No one was responding to me... I grabbed the first aid kit and ran inside." Conners shaking became more intense. Each word was a struggle for him to get out.
"Take a breath. Mrs. Briar here is gonna take real good care of you. She's the best. You're lucky you got her shift tonight. Imma go take a look inside the mine. When I come out we can talk some more if your up for it." John's word were calming to Conners.
John walked into the abyss, guided by flashlight. He followed the tunnel deep into the earth. The tunnels rarely seemed to splinter. John was no expert on mines but this seemed to linear. Carved with purpose. A destination in mind. Before he saw anything, the smell would assault him. Unfortunately, the smell of death was not uncommon to Harrow, but this was something more. Their was a weight to the smell. As if to keep anything else alive, out. Illuminating the chamber ahead, John was repulsed by what he found. Gore and viscera strewn across the walls and ceiling. Chunks of meat clumped together. No human could be capable of this level of Carnage, but there was no machine in sight. The ground grew soft as the Sheriff tried to investigate.
The Horrors quickly became too much to handle. John vomited up the contents of his stomach. He wasn't squeamish, but this was simply too much to handle. Leaving the edge of the bloodshed, John took a moment to collect himself. Finding the First Aid Kit Mike must have droped and scattered the contents through out the floor.
After several moments John felt well enough to brave the horrors once more. John began to note this was the only chamber he encountered during his descent and there was no tunnel leading beyond. Someone was looking for something. The chucks of meat had just as much ripping and tearing as it did cutting. Not unlike a bear attack, but on another level entirely. After a bit of hunting, John found a divet in the floor. Easily missed due to it being filled in with chunks of flesh and bone. Oddly enough the bones were dry. Not a drop of blood on them. What's more it seems as if some were even sharpened into points and edges. Some of the bones here didn't even look human or natural, hardened elongated or for a lack of a better word mutated. John was left with more questions then answers and he knew it would be a long day.

I find macOS is incredibly frustrating as an OS because it's slow, not informative, and sometimes outright misleading.
For example:

• When I plug in a HDD or click eject, it takes far longer for the external storage to show up or be ejected on my macbook compared to my windows computer. The windows PC is >10 years old and literally takes 15 mins to boot up in the morning but yet my M1 MacBook consistently takes like x4 or x5 longer to mount a HDD. That just gets on my nerves.
• If I try to eject external storage devices while they're in use, Windows will tell me exactly what program/process is accessing it. MacOS tells me nothing, after waiting far longer than it would take on Windows, just I get a scant error message that only says the HDD is busy. How am I supposed to proceed from there? Close applications one-by-one until it finally ejects? What if a leftover background process is hogging it? Like I don't actually have the information to judge whether 'ejecting anyway' is appropriate.
• MacOS continues to access the external storage after the GUI shows that it has been ejected; A few months ago, I was travelling and decided to backup my laptop before I left and when the backup was complete I clicked ejected the TimeMachine HDD. Since I was in a hurry to leave, I pulled out the usb cable just after the icon disappeared from the desktop. Well turns out that the GUI icon is totally misleading cos it was still writing something to the disk when I plugged it out. I got an error message that I didn't eject properly, and turns out disk got corrupted. I lost 1Tb of data because of that. Everything on the HDD was gone. My advice is to trust the hardware instead, watch the LED on the HDD itself and wait until it stops blinking.
• Similarly, macOS user interface is misleading when you plug in a HDD and it doesn't appear immediately. It is 100% wrong to assume that nothing is happening and you can safely plug it out again. Despite the total lack of spinning beach ball or "scan & fix" message like Windows, MacOS is secretly trying to repair the HDD using a background process called "fsck". Even "disk utility" doesn't tell what is going on (that's kinda its whole purpose). The best way to tell is to open disk utility and if your HDD is there up but greyed out/won't mount, "fsck" is probably responsible.
• Another misleading user interface feature is the copy & paste pop-up. Even if the pop-up says everything copied correctly, that might not be the case. Windows will write data immediatley when the user clicks copy/paste, but MacOS might not. MacOS can decide if there is a better time to write data to disk and there is zero transparency or control over when exactly data will be copied. It's super problematic cos ppl will inevitably pull out the usb cable before ejecting, thinking the files copied or the external disk is not being used. Linus Tech Tips has a video explaining this in the detail btw. Apparently this way is supposed to be more efficient on write-cycles but honestly, we don't live in the 80's anymore. We aren't using crappy magnetic tapes. It takes mere micro-seconds to write data nowadays. Apple need to move with the times.

Why would Alex Jones not like the members of Heart?
Alex Jones is a conservative political commentator and conspiracy theorist who has been known to make controversial and inflammatory statements. The members of Heart, on the other hand, are a rock band known for their progressive and feminist views. It is possible that Jones would not like the members of Heart for a number of reasons, including:

• Their political views: Jones is a conservative, while the members of Heart are known for their liberal views. Jones has often criticized liberals and progressives, and he may not be able to get along with people who have different political beliefs than him.
• Their feminist views: The members of Heart have been outspoken about their feminist beliefs. Jones has been known to make sexist and misogynistic statements, and he may not be comfortable with people who promote gender equality.
• Their activism: The members of Heart have been involved in a number of activism campaigns, including the fight against AIDS and cancer. Jones has been critical of activism, and he may not see eye to eye with the members of Heart on this issue.
• Their personal lives: The members of Heart have had a number of personal scandals, including drug abuse and infidelity. Jones has been known to be critical of people who make mistakes, and he may not be able to forgive the members of Heart for their past transgressions.

It is important to note that these are just some possible reasons why Alex Jones might not like the members of Heart. It is also possible that he does not have any strong feelings about them at all... HAHAHA.
Edit:
I also asked: What are the political views of the Wilson sisters? and it gets even better...
The Wilson sisters, Ann and Nancy, are known for their progressive and feminist views. They have been outspoken about their support for women's rights, environmental protection, and social justice. In 2008, they were outraged when they heard that their song "Barracuda" was being used at the Republican National Convention. They have also been critical of President Donald Trump, calling him a "bully" and a "liar."
Here are some of the Wilson sisters' political views:

• Women's rights: The Wilson sisters are strong supporters of women's rights. They have spoken out against sexism and misogyny, and they have supported organizations that promote gender equality.
• Environmental protection: The Wilson sisters are also passionate about environmental protection. They have spoken out against climate change, and they have supported organizations that are working to protect the environment.
• Social justice: The Wilson sisters are also committed to social justice. They have supported organizations that are working to fight for the rights of marginalized groups, such as the LGBTQ community and people of color.

The Wilson sisters are not afraid to speak their minds about politics. They are using their platform as musicians to raise awareness about important issues and to promote positive change.
Here are some quotes from the Wilson sisters about their political views:

• "I'm a feminist. I believe in equality for women." - Ann Wilson
• "I'm an environmentalist. I believe that we need to protect our planet." - Nancy Wilson
• "I'm a social justice warrior. I believe that everyone deserves equal rights." - Ann Wilson

The Wilson sisters are role models for many people. They are using their platform to make a difference in the world, and they are inspiring others to do the same.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not gonna be all hard on my man who is wonderfully skilled with his tongue. Could be a bit more generous, but he's definitely gone to work a lot.
But ...
And this is just me maybe being a bit selfish. But I would love it honestly if just once he proposed going down on me and then not having me do any work (a blowjob to reciprocate, sex, etc.). Just me enjoying and relaxing and cumming a lot and calling it a night. Or getting back to TV.
It feels selfish but look, I do that with him a lot. Roles reversed. Honest to god. For his birthday, I was on my period, so what did I do? You betcha. His favorite TV show, a drink, and spent the better part of an hour kneeling between his legs at the couch. And not just for his birthday, sometimes when I just feel like rewarding him or having some spontaneous fun.
Is it too much to straight up just ask for it?

This happened when I was in 1st grade so I was fairly young. At the time, I went to a school that was about an hour away from my parents house and with the unpredictable insane city traffic, sometimes my mom was late to pick me up. It was usually just a few minutes but being young, I would absolutely lose my shit and think I was being abandoned.
So one day, school let out and I waited for my Mom to come get me. The minutes seemed to be wearing on and most of the kids were already gone. Every kid I saw leave with their parent made me feel more alone and more anxious. I felt like I was on the verge of tears. My Nana lived just a few streets away from the school and sometimes we’d go over there after I got out for some food and so my Mom and her could catch up. I remembered how close her house seemed the last time we walked over there together. I was pretty sure I knew the way and the idea of being safe and tucked up with her instead of waiting alone in the school yard was just too tempting.
I decided to make the walk over there by myself and then call my mom’s cellphone from Nana’s house and let her know to come there instead. Yes, perfect plan I thought. I mapped out the route in my head and started walking over there. There were usually a lot of people on these smaller streets that led to her house but this afternoon, they all seemed to be quite deserted. I felt even more alone now, and my plan seemed less and less perfect by the second.
I was about half way there when I walked past this row of houses. One of the houses had its door opened and this old man was sitting on his porch. When he saw me, he stood up and called over, waving to me in a “come here” motion. I just stood there and watched him. I don’t remember much about the way he looked except that he was really dark skinned (which most people were since this happened in the tropics) but he looked even darker under the shade of his porch and he had really silvery white hair which created a strange contrast. The parts of his eyes which should have been white were yellow like he had some kind of liver disease or something. He was wearing an ill-fitting in-shirt/vest that was also yellowing and rode up on his pot belly.
He just looked, creepy. And standing in the dark hallway of his front door, made him look even more.. just.. not someone you want to be around. He seemed to get impatient that I wasn’t listening to him and he held out some candy, a lollipop I think. This time he spoke, “where are you going baba, why don’t you come in for some tea?” (Baba= local word used as a term of endearment to small kids)
I said “I’m going to my Nana’s house”. But he wouldn’t let it go “Oh I know your Nana. She would want you to come inside for some tea, come baba, come.” and he turned to go inside as if he expected me to follow him. The whole situation was getting a bit much for me and I could feel like if I continued this conversation I was likely to burst into tears. So instead I just booked it out of there and ran the rest of the way to Nanas house. I can’t remember if I said “No” or anything else to him before I did. Luckily, my 6 year old cardiovascular system was nearly brand new and I reached her house in no time. I didn’t look behind me to see if he was following.
I remember buzzing my Nana’s door several times until she opened the door, surprised to see little ole me there by myself. I told her about how my Mom was late and how I didn’t want to wait there by myself any more. The tears I had been holding in the whole time came rushing out. But like a good grandmother, she just consoled me until I felt better. All the dessert and food she plied me with definitely helped too haha. We called my Mom who was waiting at the school by now, quite worried. I later found out she was literally a minute or two away when I left and I really should have stayed put. Mom still got a scolding from Nana for being late lol.
I didn’t tell anyone else about the creepy man. I didn’t want to get into more trouble for walking away by myself and also, until I became an adult I hadn’t considered that he might have been a pedophile. I just thought he was a creepy looking guy that wanted company and I was just a scared upset kid. But now, I’m super glad I didn’t go inside or talk to him longer. No one knew where I was and they would have never thought to come looking there. I often wonder now if he lived near the school on purpose, and whether his ploy had worked on other kids.
TLDR: I walked by myself to my grandmother’s house when I was a six year old and met a pedophile that wanted to have a “tea party”.

“Gunther?.. My God, we thought you were dead!” Thomas shouted as he saw his friend standing at the door of the dugout.
“Well then.” Gunther began “I certainly don’t feel dead”.
Just the other day Thomas swore he saw his friend Gunther die when a wave of Gatling gun fire came over them when they were out of the trenches. He even saw him even get hit and fall. But here he was standing before him in his dirty uniform and cap as if nothing had happened at all.
Graf who was sitting at his cot stood up and approached Gunther and shook his hand “My God man you certainly look dead though. You’re as white as a ghost!” He said.
Gunther smiled a little and nodded “Well to be honest I feel lightheaded. Mind if I sit down?”
Graf then nodded and he sat down in the straw-filled cot and Thomas handed him a warm tin of coffee “I bet you need this more than me. It was real cold out there last night.”
Gunther then stared at the cup for a moment but shook his head “I don’t really remember it being cold. Also, no thank you honestly I’m not all that thirsty right now.”
Thomas then set the tin cup on a box and Graf spoke “I should probably tell Sergeant Martin about you then.. Sorry to say this but when we saw you go down we thought you were done for and told him you were gone. I’ll be right back”.
With that Graf then put on his cap and slung his rifle over his shoulder and ran off to find Sergeant Martin while Thomas continued to talk. “What happened anyways? Were you just unconscious at that time? We tried to call out your name but you didn’t answer”.
Gunther then sighed as he rubbed his forehead. “I was taking cover and I didn’t feel like I could move. To be honest I thought I was dead too. I think I was struck by something, but it certainly wasn’t a bullet. Those Bluebacks couldn’t hit an elephant with one of those crank guns”.
Thomas then nodded. “Well, when Sergeant Martin comes around you should pretend you got hit just so you can get sent back to the rear and take a vacation in one of those hospitals. Who knows, maybe if you bitch long enough they’ll give you some furlough time off”.
Gunther then nodded again. “Well, now that you mention it I have one serious headache actually. “
Thomas then smiled. “Yeah that’s the right idea. I can even go along with it and tell Sergeant Martin you hit your head when we were running back to the trench. I can make up a story about a concussion and everything”.
Gunther’s smile finally reappeared “yeah.. Your right in finally going to get to go home again”.
Sergeant Martin then stepped into the dugout with Graff and Gunther stood up to meet him along with Thomas. Thomas then spoke “Sergeant it seems we made an error last night. Turns out Gunther made it back after all. He just got hit his head when he landed in the dirt.”
Sergeant Martin looked Gunther up and down. “Is that so private?” He asked him.
Gunther then nodded “Yes Sergeant it is. I have a terrible headache from it. When I woke up this morning I crawled my way across the field and made my way into the trenches here and made it back safe like you said.”
Sergeant Martin seemed relieved “Well I’m glad you made it back son.. We’ll send you to the rear to get a doctor to look at your head. In the meantime, I’m going to bitch at whoever was on sentry duty. Pack your things and leave your rifle with Graff.”
With that Sergeant Martin stepped out and the trio of soldiers were left alone. “Right” Graff said as he sat down on a crate. “You best get changed and shave, those nurses will be expecting a handsome young man to look after.”
Gunther then smiled again and turned and collected what little belongings he had in a small sack and took off his coat and hat and sat them on the cot. While he was doing so Thomas’ face turned to horror and as did Graff’s when they saw dried blood on the back of his head. “Gunther, are you sure you’re feeling alright?” Thomas asked.
Gunther then finished shaving rather quickly and turned around to reveal a massive bullet lodged within his forehead. “I’m better than ever gentlemen. Not only did I dodge a bullet yesterday but I managed to get out of the trenches for a time too. This is one of the best days of my life.. Now how do I look?”
Graff and Thomas gave each other a look of absolute shock before Graff stood up and took Gunther’s hat and put it squarely on his head.
“You look like one lucky soldier”. He said.

Title sums it up. I'm a Gaming Technician at a tribal casino. Basically all workers on the casino floor that interact with the customers (attendants, technicians and cocktail servers) are tipped employees. The drink servers keep their individual tips, naturally, but the Attendants and Techs have a tip pool that is split between us. Before, the split was: $5k off the top automatically goes to the attendants and the remainder was split 75/25, 25 percent being for us. This was offset by techs having a higher base rate plus more hours of overtime, generally.
Just off the gaming floor is the bank, or cage as we call it. It's a legit on site bank, and their entire job stays within the confines of their rooms, with literal bars on the windows and a sort of "airlock" they have to enter it with, I.E. like a cage. Relaxing in chairs watching people go by, shooting the shit with each other, lot of downtime when there's not guests needing to cash out. They're basically cashiers at a supermarket, that count stacks of money.
Well basically the cage has been bitching and moaning about their pay (starting $11/hr) and I feel that. They want a job that pays fairly like the rest of us. They've been complaining for years apparently and here's what happened.
Us and the attendants get called into a meeting with some people in finance and the GM. The meeting is to discuss revises to the tip policy. Here's the shorthand:
The attendants are being revised to a flat 70%, no off the top skimming anymore. Alright, sucks for them.
The technicians are being lowered to 15%. The remaining 15% is being given to the cage workers. The cashiers and bankers.
This took effect at the beginning of the year and weve lost about 300-500 per paycheck depending on how tips were doing. The cashiers are making as much in tips are I am and I'm the one at the games when they have problems and the player wants to be argumentative about the outcome when it comes back online. Or handsy.
Me and my team are beyond pissed and have been all year, at everyone and everything. Our pay was just straight reduced for no reason. The only reason I stay is because it's still higher paying than most places near me in any field I'm qualified for, but I'm still keeping a listen for an opportunity. Trying to build a network and find something better for myself. In the meantime, shits fucked and I hate the entire tribal council and every white collar fucknut that works in that goddamn building.
/rant

If you're trying to figure out the right business idea, it's easy to find generic lists like Top 100 business ideas. However, I've found those pretty frustrating because they're not unique to me.
Generic ideas aren't going to work long-term. If you or I start a business, it needs to be in something we're passionate about and knowledgable in. That will enable us to succeed long-term. In fact, some of the best ideas come from personal experiences. The idea for my prior business came from my exposure to customers having issues with a problem that industry solutions weren't solving well. I came up with a new idea based on what I knew of the technology at the time.
Today, the power of AI can make that process a lot easier. It's like having a business partner along-side, helping you ideate. There are a couple of tools I've used to do that. One is ChatGPT and another is a tool I created.

ChatGPT

Here are some suggestions for working with ChatGPT to create ideas:

1. Ask it to interview you. The AI will suggest better ideas if it knows a lot about you, and it can come up with healthy questions to get to know you. A suggested prompt is "I want help creating some custom business ideas. Can you ask me some questions to learn about me, then generate some ideas that might be a good fit for me?"
   
2. Invest Time. You'll get fairly poor results at first. They'll be generic sounding. However, if you dialogue back-and-forth about ideas you see that you might excel in and get passionate about, they can get better. Focus the chat in on those ideas and ask ChatGPT to expand on them, make variations of them, or morph them based on your feedback. For example: "Let's only focus on the 2nd idea for now. Please generate 3 variations of it and ensure they're applicable to the US market".
   
3. Upgrade to ChatGPT Plus. GPT-4 is quite a bit "smarter" than GPT-3.5. If you want to use ChatGPT to generate a quick idea list then either will work, but if you want really insightful conversations then GPT-4 is quite a bit better at that.
   

A More Organized Option

I felt like ChatGPT was too limited and frustrating when working through this process, so I created my own startup called CompanyCraft to provide a better alternative. I don't want to spam the subreddit with a detailed ad for it, but you can see my blog post here describing how to use it to generate custom business ideas if you're curious.

Is your idea from AI?

I'd love to hear if any of you have used AI to generate a business idea that you've gone on to start? What process did you use?

A friend of mine just showed me a video yesterday in which my old post had been read. Honestly I'd nearly forgotten about it since I was only there to ask if I was TA or not. And since I don't wanna go through the pain of trying to do an update on AITA, I thought I'd just do it here since entitled spells out Gary pretty well. Other than the shaving incident, he tried to get us to partially pay for his food multiple times by combining the check and dividing it equally when he always got the most expensive thing on the menu, and once even pulled the "I forgot my wallet" bit. He was described as a neckbeard by multiple people, including women he flirted with. He tried to get a married neighbor woman that was older than him to have an affair with her. And then later egged her apartment door when she refused. That one I only learned about a couple months after my original post. And no, Gary never saw consequences for doing that. I also learned he stole several videogames and DVDs from friends, mooched food and drink out of their fridges, and even went through a period as a squatter for two months by refusing to leave a house he'd been let into by a former tennant, and the landlord actually paid him to leave. Gary's also an extreme hypocrite that contradicted himself more than a corrupt politician. For example, one minute he'd be anti-vax, the next he'd be complaining about other people who weren't getting the C19 vaccine. Pretty sure he never got it too. I can't believe I ever had any sympathy for this man.
To recap, someone a former friend of mine named Gary is related to got cancer. And Gary went around trying to get our friend group to all shave their heads. He only got a couple of them to agree, and even brought his shaving kit to my apartment because he just assumed I'd join in as well, and was already unboxing it before I even got the chance to say anything. I told him the shaving was not happening. Well he decided to make an example of me, and waited till I was good and passed out from drinking at a friend's party. I was so dead to the world that I had to be shaken awake by a friend after Gary got caught shaving my head. He took off one of my eyebrows and messed up my hair beyond saving. And he was laughing his butt off over having done it. So yes, the rest had to come off. I ended up pressing charges on Gary for assault, and found out he's been on meds for a mental disorder for years. And he'd stopped taking the meds, which is one of the reasons he was so loopy. But his tune changed pretty quick when police arrested him since what he'd done qualifies as assault.
Gary's family harassed me and tried to make me drop the charges. I not only didn't drop the charges, but I reported the harassment to the police. Only problem is it didn't bloody stop! In fact, it got worse! Mainly from Gary's mother, whom I can see where Gary got his charming personality from. She showed up to my apartment a couple of weeks after the shaving incident to scream at me that I knew nothing about what they were going through. And a little hair wasn't a big deal. I told her my hair was a big deal to me. And what Gary did was inexcusable. Well that earned me a slap on the face, followed by a swift kick to the nuts, followed by a few more kicks to my body after I went down. It was all recorded by a camera that I had watching the front door. (Landlord wouldn't let me put in a Ring Doorbell cam) One of my neighbors saw her, and screamed at her they'd be calling police. Gary's mom ran, and I ended up going to the hospital with minor injuries. Mostly just bruises, a black eye, and a sore groin.
Gary's mother got arrested, and I filed a lawsuit against her for attacking me. I saw her in court twice for both her assault on me, and the lawsuit I filed for her assault. This woman had taken several self defense classes over the years, so she knew how to fight. That had the judge consider her a trained individual, and she was sentenced to six months in jail, given two years probation, and ordered to pay my medical bills. She actually cried to the judge about the money. But he wasn't having it. It took some time to see her in court again for my lawsuit against her as she was out of jail by then. I was awarded ten thousand for the harassment, emotional damages, and lost work hours, and she had to pay all court and lawyer fees. Which she cried about again because she didn't want to pay anything to the man who'd ruined her and her son's lives. But she had the money for both court cases, because she had no problem paying. But around that time, I heard Gary's relative with cancer passed away. I don't know any details, just that they passed on. I admit that was sad. But I never knew this person. But Gary made their condition his hill to die on when he tried to make an example out of me. Gary got some probation and community service for what he did to my hair. And he cut contact with our entire friend group and eventually moved away. Where to, I don't know. I don't care either.
As for my hair. Well it grew back just fine. Took nearly half a year to get it back how it was. My boss had me put out of sight for a while, and I was wearing a hat everywhere for at least a month. I did take that 10k I got in the lawsuit and combined it with my savings for a down payment on a house. So I've since moved into a much better abode. I also have a girlfriend now that's living with me. It was a bit soon for her to move in, but there were extenuating circumstances. We're making it work though, and I'm happy.

Hello everyone.
Well, here we are. We’ve been on calls with Reddit for the last few days, lasting well into the night for some of us. We’ve heard what they had to say. We’ve read the answers in the AMA. And we’ve seen little change in Reddit’s course, so it appears set in stone: The blackout will go ahead.
We don’t know what will happen or what the next steps are. We will assess as the blackout starts, and make a decision from there. For now, we are committed to the 48 hours - but it could be longer.
I’m not going to lie - this hurts. I know we’re just a bunch of strangers on the internet talking about cars going around in circles, but this community has come to mean a lot to myself and the rest of the mod team. I have spent countless hours here, for better and for worse, but I’ve always felt it was worth it.
This community has brought me so much, and I just want to say thank you to all of you.
We don’t want to leave you all without a way to talk about Formula 1 with the people you’ve come to know in this community - So while we’re away, consider joining the formula1 discord.
Going dark also means we’ll lose our means to communicate with you all. A number of the mods are in the formula1 discord, but I also want to encourage you to follow our Twitter account, where we’ll provide updates about the situation as it develops.
If you’re unsure what this is all about, please take a look at our original statement.
Thank you, formula1.
With the best possible regards,
your mods.

Just posted but it didn't upload or was taken down. I've seen this done before for a different game but I figured I'd give chat gpt the known starfield lore and ask it to right a first chapter. Tried two different prompts:
User Write the first chapter of a story using this lore: The entirety of Starfield takes place in the Settled Systems, which is a section of the Milky Way about 50 light-years from Earth's solar system. The year is 2330, a little over three hundred years from now. It's not clear when humans began to settle space and form the factions that make up the Settled Systems, but 20 years prior to the start of the game, all was not particularly well.
In 2310, the Freestar Collective and the United Colonies had a massive conflict that came to be known as the Colony Wars. This conflict has been loosely compared to the war between the Imperials and Stormcloaks in Skyrim; although the Colony Wars are in the past, the Settled Systems is still feeling the repercussions. When the game begins, the game world is in a period of tentative peace, but it's probably safe to assume that this won't last for long.
It's unclear what the United Colonies and the Freestar Collective were fighting over, but the Colony Wars are one of the biggest pieces of Starfield lore so far. The world's history will have a huge impact on how characters from different factions interact with each other and in most cases, probably don't trust one another.
ChatGPT Chapter 1: Shadows of the Past
The year was 2330, and the Settled Systems were finally beginning to catch their breath after the devastating Colony Wars that had ravaged the region. In the vast expanse of the Milky Way, about 50 light-years from Earth's solar system, factions had formed and tensions simmered beneath the fragile veneer of peace. The scars of the conflict still ran deep, etched into the very fabric of society.
No one could truly pinpoint the exact cause of the Colony Wars. It was a clash between the Freestar Collective and the United Colonies, two formidable factions vying for control and dominance. Some whispered that it was a battle for resources, while others believed it to be a struggle for ideological supremacy. But in the end, the specifics mattered little to those caught in the crossfire.
The war had been brutal, marked by fierce battles and devastating losses on both sides. Countless lives had been sacrificed, worlds reduced to smoldering ruins. The echoes of that conflict still reverberated through the Settled Systems, a haunting reminder of the cost of unchecked ambition and unbridled aggression.
But now, two decades later, a tentative peace had settled upon the starry expanse. The wounds were healing, though the scars remained. Interstellar trade routes were reopening, and societies were beginning to rebuild their shattered foundations. The threat of open warfare had receded, yet few dared to believe that the peace would endure.
The Settled Systems were a patchwork of worlds, each aligned with one of the factions that had emerged from the chaos of the Colony Wars. The Freestar Collective, a loose alliance of independent colonies and renegades, stood in stark contrast to the United Colonies, a more structured and centralized power. Animosity lingered between these factions, fueled by the memories of bloodshed and betrayal.
It was in this fragile climate that our story begins, on the outskirts of a forgotten settlement on the edge of civilization. The air crackled with tension as the sun set, casting long shadows over the worn buildings and dusty streets. A lone figure stood at the crossroads, his weathered face etched with lines of experience and loss.
Jax Brennigan was a relic of the Colony Wars, a survivor who had witnessed the darkest depths of humanity. He had fought alongside the Freestar Collective, driven by a desire for freedom and the hope of a better future. But the war had changed him, leaving scars that ran far deeper than the physical wounds that marked his body.
As he gazed into the fading light, memories flooded Jax's mind—images of battle, the cries of the fallen, and the bitter taste of defeat. He knew that the peace was fragile, a mere illusion that could shatter at any moment. The factions may have ceased open hostilities, but the distrust and animosity remained.
Jax had spent years trying to find his place in this post-war world, seeking solace in the quiet corners of the Settled Systems. Yet, the shadows of the past continued to haunt him, refusing to let him forget the horrors he had witnessed. He had seen the best and worst of humanity, and he knew that true peace was an elusive dream.
With a heavy sigh, Jax turned his gaze towards the stars, their distant shimmer a reminder of the vast unknown that lay beyond. He knew that his journey was far from over, that destiny still called him to navigate the treacherous currents of the Settled Systems. The factions may never fully trust one another, but perhaps, in the face of the looming unknown, they could find common ground.
As the night sky enveloped him in its embrace, Jax steeled himself for the challenges that lay ahead
User Use that lore to write the first chapter of a book but make the main character a miner who discovered a rare artifact to start the story off.
ChatGPT Chapter 1: The Unearthed Legacy
The year was 2330, and in the Settled Systems, a delicate peace prevailed. The Colony Wars had scarred the region, leaving behind a landscape of distrust and tension. But amidst the remnants of conflict, life continued, and the pursuit of opportunity remained a driving force for many.
In the heart of an asteroid belt, where miners toiled in search of precious resources, a lone figure named Jonas Hartigan chiseled away at the rocky surface. He was a seasoned miner, his rugged hands weathered by years of labor in the unforgiving depths of space. For Jonas, the thrill of discovering something rare and valuable was a distant dream—a whisper carried on the solar winds.
But fate had a way of unveiling its secrets when least expected.
As Jonas swung his pickaxe into the dense asteroid, a resounding crack echoed through the void. He paused, his heart racing with anticipation, as if he had stumbled upon something more than just rock and ore. With meticulous care, he chipped away at the debris, revealing a glimmering metallic surface beneath.
A rush of excitement surged through Jonas's veins as he unveiled the hidden artifact—a small, intricately crafted device, unlike anything he had ever seen. It pulsated with an ethereal blue glow, casting an otherworldly aura upon the mining vessel's dimly lit interior. Its delicate engravings hinted at a forgotten legacy, a tale waiting to be unraveled.
Jonas held the artifact in his hands, feeling its weight and power. He could sense that it held significance beyond its material value. The Colony Wars had left the Settled Systems scarred, but this artifact, he believed, could hold the key to understanding the conflict and the factions that had torn the region apart.
As news of Jonas's discovery spread through the mining colony, whispers of intrigue and curiosity filled the air. Miners and settlers alike gathered around him, their eyes wide with wonder, as he recounted the tale of the artifact's unearthing. The Freestar Collective and the United Colonies, once bitter adversaries, now shared a common interest—the desire to decipher the mysteries held within the artifact.
Representatives from both factions arrived in the mining colony, each seeking to claim the artifact for their own purposes. Jonas found himself caught in the crosshairs of their competing agendas, uncertain whom to trust in this treacherous landscape of politics and power.
He knew that the artifact was more than just a trinket; it was a catalyst, capable of reigniting the dormant tensions that had defined the Colony Wars. The fate of the Settled Systems hung in the balance, and Jonas, an unwitting miner thrust into a world of intrigue and danger, held the key to it all.
As the factions jostled for control, Jonas made a decision—to embark on a journey of discovery, one that would take him deep into the heart of the Settled Systems, where the truths of the past lay hidden. With the artifact clutched tightly in his hand, he vowed to unlock its secrets and unearth the legacy that had shaped their turbulent present.
Amidst the remnants of conflict and the lingering echoes of war, Jonas Hartigan would become a reluctant hero—a miner turned seeker of truth, venturing into the unknown, driven by the hope that the revelations he unearthed would guide the Settled Systems toward a lasting peace.
And so, with determination etched upon his face, Jonas set his sights on the horizon, where starlight mingled with shadows, and the fate of worlds awaited his discovery.
User Write chapter two
ChatGPT Chapter 2: Shadows of Betrayal
The hum of the spacecraft's engines reverberated through the cabin as Jonas sat in the pilot's seat, his grip firm on the artifact that had ignited a fire within him. He had chosen a small, inconspicuous vessel for his journey—a ship that could navigate the labyrinthine reaches of the Settled Systems without drawing unwanted attention.
As the stars streaked past the viewport, Jonas couldn't shake the feeling of unease that clung to him like a shadow. He had become an unwitting pawn in the power struggle between the Freestar Collective and the United Colonies, and he knew that danger lurked in every corner of the vast expanse of space he now traversed.
His destination was a remote outpost on the fringes of the Settled Systems—a place rumored to harbor individuals who had once been intimately involved in the Colony Wars. If anyone could shed light on the artifact and the secrets it held, it would be those who had borne witness to the conflict firsthand.
The outpost came into view, a solitary structure nestled amidst the desolation of a barren moon. As Jonas touched down, his pulse quickened, anticipation mingled with trepidation. He stepped out onto the lunar surface, the crunch of dust beneath his boots a reminder of the isolated world he had entered.
The outpost's interior was dimly lit, its corridors winding and labyrinthine. Conversations in hushed tones filled the air, the occupants casting wary glances at the stranger who had ventured into their midst. It was a motley crew, a collection of individuals scarred by war and defined by their allegiances.
Jonas approached a weathered figure, a man whose eyes carried the weight of untold stories. "I seek knowledge," he began, his voice steady but laced with a hint of vulnerability. "I have something that may hold answers, but I need guidance."
The man regarded him with a mixture of curiosity and caution. "You think you can find answers here? The Settled Systems are a graveyard of secrets, young one."
Jonas nodded, his resolve unwavering. "I have come this far. I am willing to take the risks."
The man studied Jonas for a moment before motioning him to follow. They wound their way through the labyrinth of corridors, arriving at a dimly lit chamber. The room was filled with holo-projectors displaying fragments of history—images of battles, faces of fallen comrades, and the destruction wrought upon once-thriving worlds.
"This is the truth you seek," the man said, his voice heavy with the weight of memory. "The Colony Wars were not simply a clash of factions. They were a clash of ideals, of aspirations, and of the very essence of humanity."
Jonas's eyes scanned the holographic display, the images searing into his mind. The conflicts were brutal, the devastation unimaginable. He saw the Freestar Collective fighting for independence, driven by a desire for freedom from the United Colonies' perceived oppression. The United Colonies, in turn, fought to maintain control, to safeguard their vision of unity and order.
But within the chaos of battle, alliances shifted, betrayals unfolded, and innocents paid the price. The Colony Wars had been a confluence of ambition, greed, and the thirst for power—factors that transcended the superficial divisions of factions.
As Jonas absorbed the truth before him, he realized that the artifact he carried was not merely a key to understanding the past—it was a catalyst for change. It held the potential to bridge the gaps that divided the Settled Systems, to forge a new path forward, away from the shadows of war and mistrust.