So I was looking to purchase a new phone as my old Mi 11 ultra died. I had narrowed down to samsung s23 and Xiaomi Mi 13 pro (omitted others due to varying reasons). They are both the same price i.e 79k INR. However, after exchanging my old OP3 I get the 13 pro for 68k vs 77k with the s23. So I wanted to know if it's worth paying extra for the s23. Also, heard about the so called banana-gate on the 23. Does it affect macro shots?

We are Ark:SA Ready! Servers are prepared and will be accepting new survivors on Release Day! Join now to be a part of a great community when Ark:SA comes out!
Welcome survivors! Have you been looking for a cluster where you can get a little bit of everything ark has to offer but still play with the same great people across the board? Well, here at Davidscloud we can offer just such a cluster! We have everything ranging from vanilla maps for those who just want to play the basics all the way up to Primal Fear. All of our servers are interconnected with a cluster-wide general chat (so you can still talk to your friends on Primal Fear if you are just hanging in your Island base!) unique creatures, interactive weekly events, and so much more. We strive to provide top-of-the-line admin support and gaming experience with as little downtime as physically possible with our personally owned servers. Our community is a non-profit group with the goal to provide a place to play for every game available to the public and we ask nothing in return other than our players having fun and enjoying their time here. Davidscloud is a long-standing community over 8 years strong with trained and experienced admins and owners. Feel free to message us with questions anytime and we will get back to you as quickly as possible!
Our server rates are the following: -Harvesting: 5.0x -Taming: 10.0x -XP: 5.0x -Egg Hatch Speed: 5.0x -Maturation Speed: 15.0x
Server Extras -All engrams Unlockable -Custom built Raidaable Bases, for that PVP flavor while maintaining that laid back PVE environment -Cross Cluster Chat (also available in Discord) -A starter kit that spawns automatically for new players. -A currency system. -Shop where you can buy things with metal ingots and currency points. -Custom built raidable bases, for that PVP flavor in a PVE environment! -Web View of your tribe and dinos so you can see your stuff remotely! (The Almanac) -Professional Admins and Website. -Events every month. Storage Map with a 1 year decay timer. (Only available to the Vanilla Cluster.)
Contact Us -Web Page: Davidscloud.net -Discord: https://discord.gg/wDPY5yr​
Mods: You can see all the mods listed for each server here https://www.davidscloud.net/servers/
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Connection Information: IP’s are below or alternatively go here (https://www.davidscloud.net/servers/), and click the join button or copy the IP of any server we host.
Vanilla IP’s
-The Island: dscgames.net:27045
-Scorched Earth: dscgames.net:27016
-Aberration: dscgames.net:27013
-Extinction: dscgames.net:27080
-Genesis Pt 1: dscgames.net:27050
-Genesis Pt 2: dscgames.net:29805
-Ragnarok: dscgames.net:27025
-Valguero: dscgames.net:27085
-Crystal Isles: dscgames.net:28080
-Lost Island: dscgames.net:29821
-Fjordur: dscgames.net:28037
Primal Fear IP's
-Lost Island: dscgames.net:28010
-Ragnarok: dscgames.net:28005
-Crystal Isles: dscgames.net:28008
-Valguero: dscgames.net:28045

We are Ark:SA Ready! Servers are prepared and will be accepting new survivors on Release Day! Join now to be a part of a great community when Ark:SA comes out!
Welcome survivors! Have you been looking for a cluster where you can get a little bit of everything ark has to offer but still play with the same great people across the board? Well, here at Davidscloud we can offer just such a cluster! We have everything ranging from vanilla maps for those who just want to play the basics all the way up to Primal Fear. All of our servers are interconnected with a cluster-wide general chat (so you can still talk to your friends on Primal Fear if you are just hanging in your Island base!) unique creatures, interactive weekly events, and so much more. We strive to provide top-of-the-line admin support and gaming experience with as little downtime as physically possible with our personally owned servers. Our community is a non-profit group with the goal to provide a place to play for every game available to the public and we ask nothing in return other than our players having fun and enjoying their time here. Davidscloud is a long-standing community over 8 years strong with trained and experienced admins and owners. Feel free to message us with questions anytime and we will get back to you as quickly as possible!
Our server rates are the following: -Harvesting: 5.0x -Taming: 10.0x -XP: 5.0x -Egg Hatch Speed: 5.0x -Maturation Speed: 15.0x
Server Extras -All engrams Unlockable -Custom built Raidaable Bases, for that PVP flavor while maintaining that laid back PVE environment -Cross Cluster Chat (also available in Discord) -A starter kit that spawns automatically for new players. -A currency system. -Shop where you can buy things with metal ingots and currency points. -Custom built raidable bases, for that PVP flavor in a PVE environment! -Web View of your tribe and dinos so you can see your stuff remotely! (The Almanac) -Professional Admins and Website. -Events every month. Storage Map with a 1 year decay timer. (Only available to the Vanilla Cluster.)
Contact Us -Web Page: Davidscloud.net -Discord: https://discord.gg/wDPY5yr​
Mods: You can see all the mods listed for each server here https://www.davidscloud.net/servers/
Primal Fear (all cluster mods plus) -Primal Fear -Primal Fear Aberration Expansion -Primal Fear Boss Expansion -Primal Fear Extinction Expansion -Primal Fear Genesis Expansion
Connection Information: IP’s are below or alternatively go here (https://www.davidscloud.net/servers/), and click the join button or copy the IP of any server we host.
Vanilla IP’s
-The Island: dscgames.net:27045
-Scorched Earth: dscgames.net:27016
-Aberration: dscgames.net:27013
-Extinction: dscgames.net:27080
-Genesis Pt 1: dscgames.net:27050
-Genesis Pt 2: dscgames.net:29805
-Ragnarok: dscgames.net:27025
-Valguero: dscgames.net:27085
-Crystal Isles: dscgames.net:28080
-Lost Island: dscgames.net:29821
-Fjordur: dscgames.net:28037
Primal Fear IP's
-Lost Island: dscgames.net:28010
-Ragnarok: dscgames.net:28005
-Crystal Isles: dscgames.net:28008
-Valguero: dscgames.net:28045

We are Ark:SA Ready! Servers are prepared and will be accepting new survivors on Release Day! Join now to be a part of a great community when Ark:SA comes out!
Welcome survivors! Have you been looking for a cluster where you can get a little bit of everything ark has to offer but still play with the same great people across the board? Well, here at Davidscloud we can offer just such a cluster! We have everything ranging from vanilla maps for those who just want to play the basics all the way up to Primal Fear. All of our servers are interconnected with a cluster-wide general chat (so you can still talk to your friends on Primal Fear if you are just hanging in your Island base!) unique creatures, interactive weekly events, and so much more. We strive to provide top-of-the-line admin support and gaming experience with as little downtime as physically possible with our personally owned servers. Our community is a non-profit group with the goal to provide a place to play for every game available to the public and we ask nothing in return other than our players having fun and enjoying their time here. Davidscloud is a long-standing community over 8 years strong with trained and experienced admins and owners. Feel free to message us with questions anytime and we will get back to you as quickly as possible!
Our server rates are the following: -Harvesting: 5.0x -Taming: 10.0x -XP: 5.0x -Egg Hatch Speed: 5.0x -Maturation Speed: 15.0x
Server Extras -All engrams Unlockable -Custom built Raidaable Bases, for that PVP flavor while maintaining that laid back PVE environment -Cross Cluster Chat (also available in Discord) -A starter kit that spawns automatically for new players. -A currency system. -Shop where you can buy things with metal ingots and currency points. -Custom built raidable bases, for that PVP flavor in a PVE environment! -Web View of your tribe and dinos so you can see your stuff remotely! (The Almanac) -Professional Admins and Website. -Events every month. Storage Map with a 1 year decay timer. (Only available to the Vanilla Cluster.)
Contact Us -Web Page: Davidscloud.net -Discord: https://discord.gg/wDPY5yr​
Mods: You can see all the mods listed for each server here https://www.davidscloud.net/servers/
Primal Fear (all cluster mods plus) -Primal Fear -Primal Fear Aberration Expansion -Primal Fear Boss Expansion -Primal Fear Extinction Expansion -Primal Fear Genesis Expansion
Connection Information: IP’s are below or alternatively go here (https://www.davidscloud.net/servers/), and click the join button or copy the IP of any server we host.
Vanilla IP’s
-The Island: dscgames.net:27045
-Scorched Earth: dscgames.net:27016
-Aberration: dscgames.net:27013
-Extinction: dscgames.net:27080
-Genesis Pt 1: dscgames.net:27050
-Genesis Pt 2: dscgames.net:29805
-Ragnarok: dscgames.net:27025
-Valguero: dscgames.net:27085
-Crystal Isles: dscgames.net:28080
-Lost Island: dscgames.net:29821
-Fjordur: dscgames.net:28037
Primal Fear IP's
-Lost Island: dscgames.net:28010
-Ragnarok: dscgames.net:28005
-Crystal Isles: dscgames.net:28008
-Valguero: dscgames.net:28045

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The Legal Status of Liquid SARMs: Understanding the Current Regulations

Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMs) have gained significant attention in recent years as potential performance-enhancing substances. These compounds have been widely used by athletes, bodybuilders, and fitness enthusiasts due to their ability to enhance muscle growth and improve physical performance. However, the legal status of liquid SARMs is a topic of considerable debate and confusion. In this article, we aim to shed light on the current regulations surrounding liquid SARMs.

Understanding SARMs:

Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMs) are a class of compounds that bind to androgen receptors in the body, mimicking the effects of testosterone. They are designed to selectively target muscle and bone tissue while minimizing unwanted androgenic side effects often associated with anabolic steroids. Liquid SARMs are a popular form of administration due to their convenience and ease of use.

Legal Perspective:

The legal status of liquid SARMs varies across different jurisdictions, and it is important to familiarize oneself with the regulations of a specific country or region. In many countries, including the United States, liquid SARMs are not approved for human consumption or medical use. This means that they are not legally available as prescription drugs and are not recognized as dietary supplements.

Regulatory Agencies:

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for overseeing the regulation of drugs and dietary supplements. The FDA has taken a firm stance on liquid SARMs, stating that they are unapproved drugs and their marketing and distribution violate the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Similarly, other countries have their respective regulatory bodies that monitor the legality of SARMs.

Potential Risks:

Liquid SARMs purchased from unregulated sources can pose significant health risks. These products may be contaminated or improperly labeled, leading to unpredictable outcomes. Some reported side effects associated with SARMs include hormonal imbalances, liver toxicity, cardiovascular complications, and suppression of natural testosterone production. Moreover, the long-term effects of SARMs on human health are not yet fully understood.

Alternatives and Research:

For individuals seeking legal alternatives to liquid SARMs, natural dietary supplements and exercise regimes can still yield positive results. It is advisable to consult with healthcare professionals, trainers, or nutritionists to explore legal and safe options to support muscle growth and athletic performance.
READ MORE HERE: https://universitypain.net/liquid-sarms-an-in-depth-analysis-on-the-famous-steroid-alternative/

Conclusion:

The legal status of liquid SARMs remains a complex issue, with regulations varying across different jurisdictions. It is essential to understand and comply with the laws of the specific country or region in which you reside. Due to potential health risks and legal implications, it is advisable to avoid the use of unregulated liquid SARMs. Instead, individuals should focus on legal alternatives, such as natural supplements and appropriate exercise routines, to achieve their fitness and performance goals. Prioritizing safety, legality, and well-being should be the primary considerations when considering the use of any performance-enhancing substances.
​
#HEALTH #FITNESS #BODYBUILDING #MEN #WOMEN

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So I just do 2 rides. To the airport. From the airport. Then a ride is offered way out of town. I’m 5 ft talk, 99 lbs, I don’t go way out in middle of nowhere. So I accept the very next ride. And surprise! Now they won’t pay. I am so sick of these people doing this crap. I am so done w rideshare!!! I feel like it’s a safety issue. I literally Accepted the very next ride and nope. They won’t give the extra. It’s like they say they want you to be safe, but not really. I am so sick of these companies and their games.

As always, thank you to u/SpacePaladin15 for the wonderful universe that is NoP
Thank you to u/cruisingNW for proof reading and helping me out of some hang ups, you're the man!
First Prev. Next
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Memory Transcription Subject: Christopher A. Dewey, Human Merchant Sailor, Venlil-Human Exchange Participant
Date [Standardized Human Time]: August 24th, 2136.
I felt like I got hit by a truck. A small one, but still a truck.
Ensign Frenchman packed a pretty good punch and a mean hook for his size. Hopefully some time in therapy would help direct them a little better. I can’t say I blamed him, I don’t know what I’d do if I got word Ryan had been killed. I wouldn't take it out on the nearest Venlil, but it sure as shit wouldn’t have been pretty.
I’d gotten better at working the showers but Taisa still laughed at me as I fumbled with the control panel. Eventually I remembered the right button, swinging the privacy curtains between us. She seemed to find it odd that Humans were so skittish about our privacy but relented when I reminded her we didn’t exactly have fur. Filling the tub with warm water and some kind of soapy oil I slid in to soak; still pressing the melting ice pack to my tender cheek.
“Chris?” Taisa began, her tub having finished filling. “What do you think they’ll do with him?”“What do you mean?”
“Well… what do Humans do with individuals with Predator Disease?”
“Predator Disease?” I asked, working shampoo through my hair. “You mentioned it before, but I can’t say that I’m familiar with the term. Something about you having to do ‘socialization’?”
“Ya know… Predator Disease. People who are… different… are dangerous.” She responded, that note of sadness slipping into her voice again.
“Oh, we just call that mental illness I guess.”
“Ok, then what do Humans do with them?”
“Well, it depends. Some people just need some meds, help with coping mechanisms and therapy or counseling. Others need some more in depth treatments or, in more extreme cases, isolation.” I groaned, the tension of the fight leaving my muscles. “I figure for him he’ll get grief counseling, maybe some mandatory anger management classes and probably some degree of reprimand from the U.N. for his behavior.”
“Is this… therapy and anger management how Humans deal with their urges?” She asked, a thoughtful tone in her voice.
“Our… What?” I responded, confusion in my voice at the odd question.
“You know, your predatory instincts. Like violence, blood-thirst and stuff.” There was not a hint of irony nor joke in the statement.
After a moment of baffled silence I reached up and hit the button to move the curtain aside.
Taisa's messin' with me, she's gotta be.
The sudden movement of the curtain seemed to startle her, tail splashing through the water behind her, but the look on her face was most certainly serious.
“Taisa…” I sighed, pinching my fingers on the throbbing bridge of my nose. “Did you think I’ve been fighting the urge to eat you this whole time?”
“Um… No…? Maybe?” She beeped quietly, embarrassment clear in her voice as her ears lowered to the sides.
My eyes didn’t leave her as I sighed again, “No. I have never had the urge to eat you, or any Venlil. There are no urges to fight, because they don’t exist.” Her ears flicked meekly, as I broke eye contact, switching the button to close the drapes. After a moment, I asked a counter-question: “Taisa, do Venlil have a constant instinctual need to consume any plants you see? Or do you go ‘Hey I’m hungry, I could really go for a salad.’?”
“No, we don't have a need to consume every plant we see, it's just… We only know about one other predatory species, and by all accounts they do feel that urge. I just… got kind of worried from what I saw earlier. So many of the Humans in the cafeteria just seemed so angry, so… out of control.” Taisa sunk down to her chin in the tub, her ears back, like she was trying to hide from the words.
“Did I?” I countered, leaning against the side of the tub, pushing buttons until I found one to turn on a water-jet to massage the soreness from my sides.
“...No.” She conceded, her head raising out of the water a little as she grabbed a tube of shampoo, squirting a small amount into her open paw. “But… It’s not You that I’m worried about.”“Do you trust me, Taisa?”
She froze a moment, and I could see the shadow of her ears swivel as she thought, before turning, head and ears, to focus on me through the privacy screen. “Yes.”I lifted my head up above the privacy screen, her gleaming amber eyes met mine and I measured my tone to emphasize my promise. “Then trust me when I say that no sane Human has urges, plans, or instincts to eat you, a Venlil, or any other Sapient being for that matter. Sure as the sun rises in the morn’ no one’s eatin’ you on my watch.” I smiled, splashing water over at her as her ears lifted a little, laughing as she splashed water back at me.
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Memory Transcription Subject: Taisa, Venlil Starship Mechanic, Venlil-Human Exchange Participant
Date [Standardized Human Time]: August 24th, 2136.
I sank into the warm waters, letting the wood scented oils soak into my wool, my tail slowly swaying through the water beneath me. I didn’t need to do a full wash for another paw or so but I always found it relaxing to just soak for a while. It was a good bonus that it helped to loosen any knots in my wool, not that I really ever got too many of them with how short I kept it.
My admission to Chris that I trusted him sat in my chest in a way I really couldn’t describe; it wasn’t a bad feeling per se, just… new. I hadn’t really ever had someone that I think I could say I actually trusted, outside of my family of course. It was difficult to process that the first person I really trusted in so long… was a predator. He was the first person to have ever come back; predator or not he stuck around. If he was willing to see beyond my past… Then I was willing to give him, and his species, the benefit of the doubt. Even if the topic was about eating me.
I allowed my thoughts to drift while I reveled in the warmth of the water soaking into my bones, when I heard water move from Chris’ direction. Watching his shadow through the privacy curtain Chris opened the bag he had brought in with him, setting out what looked like a few bottles and a brick of… something?
How do Humans keep clean? Do they have to clean more often than we do? They don’t have fur to shampoo outside of their heads so maybe it’s less? Still, Chris’ hair is just as well kept as any Venlil’s wool I’d ever seen, and longer than my father’s, so he certainly doesn't neglect it.
“Chris,” I began, my tail curling in curiosity, his shadow jumped slightly as I spoke up. “How do Humans groom?”
It’s kinda cute that I can scare him, sometimes.
“Well, it’s a little different for everyone, I suppose. For one, most Humans take showers to get clean, and baths to relax; it’s a lot quicker that way for us. Hell, shipboard I didn’t even have the option to take a bath; we only had the showers.” He responded, squirting some viscous liquid from an upturned bottle into an open hand; was that human shampoo?
"Ok, then how do you groom?” I asked as he worked his hands together before running them through his hair and beard.
He chuckled at that before dunking his head under water and shaking his hands through his hair vigorously for a few seconds before coming back up. “Luckily for me I’m a civilian sailor, otherwise I wouldn’t really have anything to take care of in the first place. As it is though, I use a specialized strengthening shampoo every other day to give it thickness and shine paired with Argan oil conditioner a couple times a week for some nice softness.” Chris grabbed another of his bottles and squirted it into his hands, repeating the same motion to work it into his hair but not immediately washing it out, Human conditioner, then? ”Granted, all that wouldn’t matter much without regular trips to my barber, Lorenzo, back home, that old bastard can cut hair like no one else alive. Pair that with some good wax pomade, beard oil and a stiff comb to keep everything in line between cuts… and I’m set! Gotta work to look this good!” I couldn’t see it through the curtain but I was certain he had that wide goofy smile on his face.
His routine sounded surprisingly similar to mine, albeit with less area to cover, although the answer didn’t quite cover everything. “What about the… rest of you?”
“Ah,” He started, reaching over to fetch and hold up the brick. “That's what the soap is for, nothing special here, just suds and sandalwood, rub it into a washcloth, wipe everything down and rinse off! How do Venlil groom? I imagine it can get tedious having that much wool to clean and comb through.”
“It’s not all too dissimilar from your hair routine, in all honesty. Every few paws I rub my face wool with cleaning powder - I use a Basin Tree oil based powder - and rinse it out. I can’t stand putting shampoo in my head wool, it always finds its way into my eyes. Then for the rest of my wool I use an Elva flower scented shampoo and Chessiu nut oil based conditioner! I use a pretty soft brush for my wool since it’s not often I have knots that have to get worked through; outside of my tuft.” I ran my claws through the thick tuft of wool on my head to emphasize the point, scratching lightly at the skin beneath.
“Not all Venlil do but I always try to scrape and shine under my claws. The feeling of gunk building up drives me mad, especially if I’ve been servicing carbon filters.” I shuddered, shaking out my wool at the memory of the pressure under my claws.
“I hear that, I hated getting packing grease stuck under my nails whenever I had to help the Chief get through some of the maintenance while we were underway. Gotta go after it with a pick; horrid feeling. Can’t imagine it feels any better with retractable claws.” I giggled a little at that, imagining the big human hunched over, a small pick in one hand delicately trying to dig grease out from his ‘nails’. “Do Venlil have to trim their claws back? Every week or two I have to clip my nails down so they don’t get too long.”
“We, or at least I, don’t clip my claws. I file them back once a cycle or so to keep them from getting to be too much to actually work with, but if I go too far then they’ll snap on me if I pry with them wrong and that brahking hurts.” I responded, flexing my paw, I probably wasn’t too far off from needing to tend to my claws again, now that I thought about it.
“I can’t say I’ve broken any nails but I’ve slammed my fingers in plenty of door jambs and joints. Now that hurts like nothing else.” He countered, chuckling a little.
All the talk of work over the last few days, explaining what I had studied, hearing about Chris’ time at sea, gushing, somewhat embarrassingly, over his family’s truck and just… talking, really talking… had planted a seed in my head. One that was finally sprouting.
“Chris, what do you think you’re going to do once the Exchange Program is over?” I asked as my ears perked up, tail swishing through the water in curiosity.
“Huh…” He grunted, stopping a moment as he thought, before his hand reached over and hit the button for the privacy screen again to meet my eyes. “I hadn’t really thought about it, if I’m honest. I'm not sure! I could go home and go back to sailing, but that doesn't really feel like enough after... this. Honestly I’d rather fly the stars than sail the seas at this point. What about you?”
"I was trying to get a job in my field but I can't seem to find a crew or shipping company that will have me, especially with the current state of the trade markets; and I'd rather not join the Corps if I can help it. Outside of that, it would just be going back to Heartwood River to help my family with the equipment on the farm I guess." I sighed, ears pinned to my head, my paws kneading into the tuft of my tail as I remembered the issue I had been trying to avoid by signing up for the exchange.
"Guess we could always get our own ship and try to make it on our own." He chuckled, amused by the idea. "Although I doubt that'd be easy, Humans don't really have our own commercial FTL ships yet, and I don’t exactly know how to fly one either. I don't suppose you know any Venlil who could give us a good deal on a freighter??"
“Course I do! Got little Vikki the shipwright here tangled in my wool!”
Chris smiled at that and smashed his hands down into the bath before exclaiming. "Well there we go! We get a ship from Vikki, pick up some cargo and make runs from VP to Earth and back! Easy money and easy work for both of us! I'd bet there's people all over both planets spoilin' to get goods from the other!" He exclaimed, excitement apparent in his voice. "Uh... I don’t suppose lil’ Vikki there has a price in mind?"
“Yeah here, let me check!” I dunked my snout under the water and burbled a high whistle, earning a healthy guffaw from my partner. Resurfacing, I answered, “Vikki said 20mil. and your dad’s truck; I feel like his head’s a little higher than the reeds, if ya know what I mean.”
Chris was cackling by now, “That much huh?! Could always rob a bank! My old man may not like losing the truck though.” He laughed, glancing over at me before crossing his arms over his chest. “‘Hello sir, I’d like one of your finest ships please, no don’t mind the cops outside, they’re here for someone else.’”
I giggled a little, dropping my voice to a whisper as my ears pinned forward “No, no that's too obvious, we have to be stealthy about it. Better plan would be to just put on a set of Labor Safety gear and fly off with one, no one ever questions L and S.”
He threw his head back in laughter at that. “I shouldn’t be surprised that people don’t wanna get visits from space OSHA any more than normal OSHA. I guess cuttin’ safety is a universal constant.”
“Maybe we could get the Exchange program to pay for it?” I asked giggling again as my tail thrashed through the water behind me at the joke.
He chuckled a little before adding, “Yeah I bet they would love to pay for an interspecies merchant ship. Not like they’re swimming in-” His voice caught and his body froze. I watched as his face contorted through a dozen different expressions, before he settled on ‘distressingly wrinkled’ and stroked his hand down his beard. “... We could tell the Exchange program we want to… ‘Run an experiment on Human-Venlil business partnerships.’ Yeah that sounds nice… Maybe if it’s official-like they might pick up the tab!”
"Ha! Business partnerships! Like the program would ever go for that." I was whistling my humor, but Chris grew a broad smile and his eyes gleamed with wicked mischief.
My tail slowed in the water, "Wait… That couldn't actually work. Right, Chris?" I didn’t receive a response, instead he was intently mumbling to himself.
"-UN's the only world power in this, and they’ve been bending over backward to make it work… The blockade can't be good for the economy, so VP has to be as desperate for this to work as we are… they're already doing training for pilots, and they have way more soldiers than merchants…"
His eyes snapped up to meet mine, and I couldn't hide my hesitancy at the mad look in them, "Taisa, I know we were joking earlier, but this time I'm serious: do you know where we could buy a freighter?"
My ears swiveled as I racked my brain, "A-Actually…" I pondered, my ears pricked up with hope at the idea. "Wh-When the blockades with the federation happened a lot of freight companies went out of business; or sold their old ships to the yards at a loss to stay liquid. I doubt many of the ships have really moved, considering the blockades are still up; and a lot of traders are still a little bolty about trading with Humans. Really just about any sizable shipyard should have a fair few on paw that they’re probably looking to turn for a quick profit."
His hand continued to work through his beard as he processed the thought. “We might actually be able to get that to work… Doubtful they’ll pick up the tab on anything too big but that just means we work higher value cargo. Curio contracts, charter service and specialty hauls would be our bread and bu-… uh, Jelly. How long is the trip from Earth to VP?”
I racked my brain for a moment considering the distance. “Drives run at [Human Unit: 4.5 ly/hr]. That trip is around [Human Unit: 16 ly] so we’re looking at a little under a Claw for a run, give or take another half Claw for in-system maneuvers and landing clearance. By the Stars we could start a next paw delivery service and still have time to spare!”
“Hell that ain’t even that bad, I’ve had domestic flights longer than that. The training may be an issue but I can’t imagine them pitching in on the ship and leaving us out to dry on how to actually use it. The better question now is how we actually bring it up.” He sighed the last sentence as his eyes focused on a random spot on the wall.
As if to answer the question our pads beeped simultaneously, informing us of an incoming message.
Please report to the Partnership Program lead office promptly. Suite 4006 on deck 4.
Chris and I exchanged glances, considering the message on the pads before quickly finishing our time in the baths. Time, and convincing a multi-government alien integration agency to buy you an old ship, wait for no-one.
​
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First Prev. Next

So I make car content and I've been thinking about getting a body with IBIS so I can record nice b-roll/cinematics.
I have a 16-55 f2.8 and a few viltrox primes.
I currently have an X-E3 which I use for photos and is great, but video quality/shakiness makes it unusable.
X-S20 is basically marketed right at me 6.2k open gate is what I imagine I'll shoot 80% of the time, and 1080/240 for slow mo stuff. But 40MP sounds nice to be able to shoot wide and crop.
Which do I go for?

It's Monday and I have a bone to pick with TAG Heuer. They announced their new watch right as I clicked publish on the news update. I guess you're already caught up on it.

What's new

1/
TAG Heuer Releases A Trio Of New Monacos With Skeleton Dials Ahead Of The Big Race
Hey, thanks a lot TAG! The exact second I sent out the Friday edition of It’s About Time they decided to announce a new watch. And not just any watch, that I would be cool with waiting until Monday to write about it. It is a trio of new and very different TAG Heuer Monaco Skeleton Chronographs, one of the first times they put a skeleton dial in the Monaco, but it’s also a release that coincides with the Monaco F1 Grand Prix. So here I am, writing about it after the race is over.
Never mind, it’s still a nice watch. Excluding the V4 editions that had a different case and was driven by belts, a unique piece in carbon made for Only Watch 2021, and the very exclusive “Riviera” edition, TAG Heuer has never made a production Monaco with a skeleton dial. And looking at these watches, it looks to have been a mistake on TAG’s part as the watches really do look fantastic.
The base dimensions of the watch remain the same - 39mm wide and 14.7mm thick, but not much else is the same. The case in the skeleton model is made out of sandblasted titanium to make it much lighter. While I see why some people would want that, I adore the weight of the original model. You know when you are wearing one.
TAG calls this watch a skeleton, I described it as a skeleton but it, in fact, is not actually a skeleton watch. It would more appropriately be described as an openworked Monaco, as it has a partial dial that reveals a slightly reworked movement. But even as such it looks great - all sharp lines and angles. The watch comes in three editions - Original Blue with an untreated titanium case, blue dial, white and red accents and a blue strap; Racing Red, an untreated case, black dial with red and white accents and a black strap; and Turquoise, with a black DLC coated case, a black strap, a black dial with turquoise-coloured accents and sub-dials, a colour also being sported on the column wheel and rotor.
Inside is the familiar Calibre Heuer 02 with some slight improvements, with an 80 hour power reserve. Apart from the colors, all the straps are the same, a mix of rubber and leather with a titanium folding clasp.
All three are part of the regular collection and are not limited. The Original Blue and Racing Red editions are priced at CHF 10,500, and the DLC-coated Turquoise edition at CHF 11,000.
2/
Aquastar Revives Their First Dive Watch With The Model 60, The Most Classic Of Skin Divers With A Great Price
We are in the golden age of brand revivals. Aquastar, for example, was founded in the early 60s in Geneva by Frédéric Robert, a diver, sailor, pilot, mathematician and watchmaker after Robert took over his fathers watchmaking business JeanRichard. Over the next ten years, Rober filed a number of patents that are still relevant today, like inner rotating bezels, multiple dive decompression bezels, a new crown sealing system and the friction bezel ring…
When Robert retired, the brand was bought and sold by a number of companies and ended up being revived in 2020 by Rick Marei, who is known for building up Doxa to the powerhouse it is today. And ever since then they have been putting out fire releases. Their newest one is the Aquastar Model 60, which brings back the brand’s first-ever diver with modern specs.
All of the modern releases from Aquastar have been based on the Deepstar, but the Model 60 gets a completely new case. It’s based on the original Model 60, introduced in 1957 as JeanRichard7s first diver with a water resistance rating of 100 meters, and it was seemingly the earliest watch to use a skin-diver-style case. The Model 60 is also famous for being worn by Don Walsh to the bottom of the Mariana Trench while inside the Trieste submersible.
The stainless steel case of the Model 60 measures 37mm wide, 47mm lug-to-lug, 11mm thick and with a 19mm lug spacing. Speaking of the lugs, the watch comes on a tropic strap and can be had with an optional beads-of-rice bracelet with a safety clasp, or a nylon strap. Water resistance is 200 meters, and the sunburst-finished steel bezel is bidirectional.
The dial is what you would expect from a vintage diver - black with printed white minute track and hour markers, filled with “Old Radium” Super-LumiNova. The hands are the same as the Deepstar aside from the addition of a central seconds hand with a lume pip. Inside the watch is the La Joux-Perret G100, which features a 68-hour power reserve and is adjusted to four positions.
The Aquastar Model 60 will be a regular production model for the brand, and will not be limited. The Model 60 will start at $990 and rise to $1,290 at some point. The bracelet will cost an extra $159. Also the first 100 buyers will get a liquid-filled compass that can be attached to either a Tropic or nylon strap. However, considering the amount of press this watch has gotten over the weekend, I imagine they sold the first 100 already.
3/
The New And More Compact De Bethune DB28XS Starry Seas Is An Ode To Calm Seas
De Bethune watches are really something very special. The DB28 line especially. The floating lugs, delta-shaped bridge and crown at noon all give it a very futuristic look while remaining supremely elegant. The newly introduced DB28X Starry Seas takes all of these traits and gives them a huge makeover, despite looking practically the same - it shrinks it down radically to 39mm and gives it a beautifully serene blue dial with a world-first random guilloché pattern designed to evoke a starry sea.
The DB28XS is not only the smallest model in De Bethune’s family but inherits the slimmer, more stylised profile of the DB28XP models. With its diameter of 38.7mm (down from almost 43mm of the DB28) and thickness of 7.4mm, this petite newcomer is small and slim but also light, thanks to the polished titanium case.
The dial, which relies on a heat-blued titanium base that De Bethune has become known for, is decorated with the world’s first random guilloché pattern invented by De Bethune. Whether this means that De Bethune invented a random guilloché pattern or whether it is the fact that De Bethune has applied a random guiloché pattern to a blued titanium base needs clarifying. But there’s no denying that it’s a beautiful dial, as the wavy pattern is interrupted with sprinklings of white gold that mimic stars. A silver-plated rounded chapter ring bearing transferred Arabic numerals for hours and a blue dotted minute track frames the wavy dial. Time is indicated by two custom-made and hand-polished titanium openworked hands.
The watch comes on a supple dark blue alligator leather strap with light blue top stitching and a titanium pin buckle. De Bethune have not said whether this will be a limited model or when it will be available, but it’s expected to retail for CHF 77,000, excluding taxes.
4/
Alpina Has A Very Interesting Startimer Pilot Heritage Manufacture
Alpina is really starting to annoy me. I don’t want to take them seriously, on account of the name they share with the people that make my skis, and I’m not a huge fan of a number of their watches. But every now and again, they release a watch that’s just so great… Wait until you read all the specs and the price of the newly introduced Aplina Startimer Pilot Heritage Manufacture, an attractive vintage-inspired pilot’s watch.
The barrel-shaped case measures 42×40.75mm and lacks traditional lugs, with the strap going deep into the brushed case, with a crown at 4 o’clock. The dial is splendidly simple, with a deep blue color, a white minute track and beige luminescent hour markers. The rectangular hour and minute hands get the same beige lume. You can get it on a very vintage brown calf leather strap with white stitching.
But what’s really special is what’s inside the watch. A number of Alpina watches have had third party movements, but this one gets the AL-709 in-house calibre, an automatic movement presented in a becoming golden hue. Visible via an exhibition caseback, the movement at first glance resembles a manual movement due to its oscillating mass sharing the same golden tones as the automatic device bridge and mainplate. Subtle graining, blue screws and perlage are all augmenting the model’s overall appeal.
But what makes it even more special is the availability of 188 pieces and the price - just €2,850. And now this presents me with a question. This is obviously a very attractive watch - it looks great, has a good size, has an in house movement and does not break the bank, while still being limited which should, in theory, increase its desirability. I only now found out about the watch from the article in Escapement. In fact, this has been available since January. Why hasn’t it sold out yet? Is it just not attractive enough? Is it the name? It can’t be the value for money, or am I mistaken?
5/
Respected Independent Watchmaker Andreas Strehler Launches New Brand And Watch With The Strehler Sirna
Andreas Strehler is one of those watchmakers that is a leader among independent watchmakers and for good reason. He has mastered everything from fabrication to finishing, but then would not budge from the polarising design of his watches that many argue kept a lot of customers from him. And I love when someone is so stubborn. To be clear, his previous watches were not ugly monstrosities. They were elegant timepieces marked by a distinctive papillon, or “butterfly”, movement architecture and resulting cushion-shaped case, and Strehler has become known as the independent watchmaker’s watchmaker, having developed the HMC 341 perpetual calendar movement for H. Moser & Cie and the Dragon Lever escapement for Precision Engineering.
Stehler has now decided to expand to a wider audience and has launched a new brand known simply as Strehler, which aims to reach a wider audience with more accessible designs and prices. The brand’s opening act is the Sirna, named after the town of Sirnach in northeastern Switzerland where the manufacture is based.
At launch, the Sirna is offered in a single reference that features an elegantly proportioned, 40 mm steel case with a concave case band and ergonomically formed lugs. The crown is inlaid with a blue titanium disk that features Mr. Strehler’s signature Papillon logo. The patterned dial is also titanium, anodised in a beautiful blue. Designed by Eric Giroud, each dial is machined and laser-engraved before being individually hand polished.
But what’s really special is what’s inside - the in-house SA-30 movement that has some of the highest quality finishings at this price point. For example, the movement has an in-house gold rotor and ball-bearing rotor mount. Most brands, even those in the so-called “Holy Trinity”, typically outsource the production of rotors to a specialist.
The architecture of this 30mm calibre stands out with a series of circles for the bridges and the openworked rotor that match the curvature of the case. The large, free-sprung balance beats at 21,600 vibrations/hour and boasts 60 hours of power reserve. The decoration of this movement is refined, with hand-chamfered bevels, circular Geneva stripes, graining and circular-grained wheels, all channelling the movement’s elaborate design.
The Strehler Sirna comes on a supple brown calfskin strap with off-white stitching. The steel pin buckle is engraved with the brand’s logo. The price is set at CHF 20,000 (excl. taxes), which seems fair for an “independent watch” of this level. The watch is not a limited edition, but the production capacity is expected to be around 30 to 50 watches per year maximum.
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On hand - a selection of reviews

1/
A review of the Shinola Duck the brand’s light-duty, entry-level diver-style watch
2/
Hands-on with the Maen Brooklyn 36 — an unusual panda with a champagne twist
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Watch Worthy - A look at an offbeat, less known watch you might actually like

The Sofia II from Axia Time — high style with some substance
The Sofia II sits somewhere between a dressy and sporty piece, and Axia has sized it accordingly. The diameter of 40.5mm and lug-to-lug length of just under 48mm is a good fit on my 17.75cm (7″) wrist. It perhaps looks even larger than that due to the all-dial design and large polished lug facets. The combination of titanium, a thickness of 10.5mm, and lug tips sitting slightly lower than the case back all help the watch to sit securely and wear comfortably. But this leads to another dichotomy.
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People loved the PRX giveaway! That's why I'm doing a new one. This time, we're giving away three Seiko Alpinists in that lovely green. The giveaway will be ending at the end of the month, so head on over to the newsletter before Wednesday, midnight CET if you would like to enter.
If you would like to receive some additional watch-adjacent content, as well as this news overview, every morning Monday-Friday in the form of a newsletter feel free to subscribe. However, there is absolutely no need for you to subscribe, as all the news from the newsletter is posted here. It is only if you want to receive a couple of daily links that are not strictly watch-related and want to get this news overview in your inbox.

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Hi everyone,
My old computer just dies and looking into getting something fast before Diablo IV drops. My ideas are to play Diablo IV, and after that Baldurs Gate 3 for the time being.
The ones I had in mind were the Lenovo Legion but I did come across Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming which can save me a bit. Does anyone know if they are ok?
Worth mentioning, it will be mostly played hooked to a 27" 4k screen. Ideally try and play 1440p, but not sure how that will look on a 4k
My options so far are: 1)

1. Lenovo Legion 5 Pro 16IAH7H, 16" WQXGA, Intel® Core™ i7-12700H, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD, GeForce RTX™ 3070 + Windows 11 (1400€)
2. Lenovo Legion 5 15IAH7H, 15.6" WQHD, Intel® Core™ i7-12700H, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, GeForce RTX™ 3070 (1200€)
3. Lenovo Legion 5 15IAH7H, 15.6" Full HD, Intel® Core™ i7-12700H, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, GeForce RTX™ 3060 (900€)
4. Lenovo Legion 5 Gen 6 - 15.6" FullHD 165Hz (AMD Ryzen 7 5800H, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, GeForce RTX 3060 (800€)
5. Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 15IAH7 Intel Core i7-12700H/16GB/512GB SSD/RTX3060/15.6" (1000€)

I could afford the top 1, but really wondering if it’s worth going in for the extra 16GB RAM (for HD 512GB is enough for me) over number 2.
And then if its worth getting the 3070 for these games over the 3060 when I can save those extra 300€.
Also any other laptops with similar expects in similar price range I would be happy to consider
Thanks for the help

Hi everyone,
My old computer just dies and looking into getting something fast before Diablo IV drops. My ideas are to play Diablo IV, and after that Baldurs Gate 3 for the time being.
The ones I had in mind where the Lenovo Legion but I did come across Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming which can save me a bit. Does anyone know if they are ok?
My options so far are: 1)
1) Lenovo Legion 5 Pro 16IAH7H, 16" WQXGA, Intel® Core™ i7-12700H, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD, GeForce RTX™ 3070 + Windows 11 (1400€)
2) Lenovo Legion 5 15IAH7H, 15.6" WQHD, Intel® Core™ i7-12700H, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, GeForce RTX™ 3070 (1200€)
3) Lenovo Legion 5 15IAH7H, 15.6" Full HD, Intel® Core™ i7-12700H, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, GeForce RTX™ 3060 (900€)
4) Lenovo Legion 5 Gen 6 - 15.6" FullHD 165Hz (AMD Ryzen 7 5800H, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, GeForce RTX 3060 (800€)
5) Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 15IAH7 Intel Core i7-12700H/16GB/512GB SSD/RTX3060/15.6" (1000€)
I could afford the top 1, but really wondering if it’s worth going in for the extra 16GB RAM (for HD 512GB is enough for me) over number 2.
And then, is it worth getting the 3070 for these games over the 3060 when I can save those extra 300€
Thanks for the help