I'm enjoying this game alot but there are some nagging issues that bring it down quite a bit. For example, the servers on an fps have to be top notch or the experience is just beyond frustrating, I'm not an expert but it feels like stuff is client side which absolutely sucks if your internet isn't super speedy.
From a design perspective it feels like rounds need something more, like a round timer and an objective beyond kill opposite team. Without things like this there's nothing to stop someone just running away indefinitely or popping ice block just to spite the enemy team in a 2v1, just incredibly boring and time consuming matches compared to the ones where both teams are on the attack, hence the need for an objective. Also I'm not saying the weapons and abilities are unbalanced but they definitely are, which for the most part I enjoy and I think adds to the charm of the game, however, the ttk of the base weapon compared to others is just too high imo, it feels like if someone pops a weapon card they have effectively won the round. Finally, abilities like ice block that just pause the match indefinitely need either a time limit or just to be removed entirely.

I'm curious if any of you have some interesting tales about embracing a step-down in your career.
So, my deal. I'm a 36-year-old engineering manager in the Industrial/Manufacturing field but I work in tech so it pays more. Lately, I've been pondering the idea of ditching the managerial track and returning to my roots as a project engineer or manufacturing/industrial engineer. Don't get me wrong—I appreciate the opportunities that come with climbing the ladder but managing a team doesn't quite suit me. I miss the thrill of tackling technical problems and developing my skills in that area.
Call me unambitious or ungrateful, but the whole corporate climb just doesn't seem worth it. The crazy part is that managing earns me a measly $10k more per year compared to when I was a senior engineer, where life was pretty chill. Maybe I negotiated the offer poorly as well. I constantly question myself, wondering if this urge to step down is a risky move. I have the chance to accelerate my career right now, but my mind keeps drifting towards snagging a lower-level position. I like working in the field, I see posts for jobs in the field and I daydream about doing those jobs again.
Maybe it's my way of channelling my old man, who spent 35 years as a project engineer. He always had time for us and never seemed overly stressed about work. He valued WLB and would actually turn down promotions because he always said that, and that's starting to resonate with me. Maybe that's why I question it because he was always going on about the risks of moving up.
On the other hand, I could put my pedal to the metal, try and be a director in a few years. All the corporate ass-kissing seems degrading, most people I meet at that level seem to be so full of it.
Have any of you taken a step back in your careers? How did it pan out for you? Did it lead you down unexpected paths or teach you valuable life lessons? I'll more than likely keep trying to grind upward but I wanted to hear about anyone who did something similar and how it turned out and if they had any regrets about not pushing upward.

I just don't seem to grasp the game at all. Now that there is a glam exclusive to reaching at least diamond (two season for one glam, one season if Crystal). I wanted so much to tryhard a bit.
But it seems utterly pointless because I just don't win, I tried several class (and past season too) but I seem stuck at bronze 3. It's been 15 victory and so at least 15 loss. Since there is no chat I will never improve because no one is telling me why we are winning, why we are losing, why I suck, what can I improve.
It's already quite long for just beeing bronze 3, is reaching diamond/crystal the same as clearing an Ultimate ? Is it month and month of tryhard ? If that's it I'll just stop because it's too long too hard and not fun alone.
I read so many guides but none are uselessfull, it seems purely rng from your comp and enemy comp, from what you team will be focusing and what the enemy team will be focusing. With the netcode it's impossible to proper react to some actions because to actions is already registered by the server.
Is there some addons that people use that make pvp easier ? (Don't hit that samurai, use defensive, warning dragoon lb, use anti cc...).
Or maybe it's like Triple Triad tournament, if people wants to win it's expected to win trade ?

We of course need top players like Bellingham and Kane to fill out first team places (still not sure if I would like havertz deal), but what smaller caliber cheap players you would like to have to fill the caps and be solid backups.
I have few interesting players that we probably would get quite cheap tell me what you think and give me your suggestions. This is by all means more fun thread than to have too serious discussion. I start
Rodrigo Moreno, Now that leeds has relegated we could get him really cheap, by a few millions i think, scored 13 goals in PL last season, could be fun player to have on bench and sub in late game.
Firmino, everyone knows him, I have feeling he could come cheaply.

I’m looking for a new game that I can really commit to for a long, LONG time. I’m talking about thousands of hours, and potentially forever. Previously, I played lots of Team Fortress 2 and Warframe, and put about 3000 hours or so into them over a decade, but I’m burnt out on them and don’t really plan on touching them again. I’m looking at Binding of Isaac: Repentance, but I also want something with more permanent progression to play alongside it. The problem is, there are way too many good games out there, and I don’t know which one would be best for me. I want something non-competitive with lots of progression/grind and replayability - potentially limitless amounts of it - that’s good to pick up and play whenever I want, whether for 20 minutes or a whole day. A good solo experience is also important, since I don’t have a dedicated group to play with. I also don’t want anything too expensive, since I don’t have that much money to blow on a new game. Ideally, I want something that’s a shooter, or at least similar to it, but that’s not necessary and just a bonus since I like shooters. I’ll give a long list of games that I’m considering, because I really don’t know which one is right for me, but feel free to suggest your own. I’ll also list some thoughts I have on each game on that list. Do let me know what you think I should pick, based on what I’ve played a lot previously, and what I’m looking for. Thanks in advance!
List of games (in alphabetical order):
Borderlands 3, Chronicon, Deep Rock Galactic, Destiny 2, Disgaea, Factorio, Minecraft, Monster Hunter: World, Siralim Ultimate, Stardew Valley, Terraria
Thoughts on each game:
Borderlands 3: The game seems to have a hard cap on progression, and I’m worried I’ll have no reason to play after that.
Chronicon: I’ve never really played ARPGs, because their combat is usually quite stale, where you hold down a button until things explode. Looks interesting, though.
Deep Rock Galactic: The game has basically no progression or real endgame to speak of. Within the first 20 hours of the game you pretty much see everything it has to offer. The developers also seem to be bloating the game with feature creep, which I’m not a fan of. Also not really made for solo play.
Destiny 2: One word: Expensive. Also it seems the general consensus is that the game just isn’t worth what you pay for it. I’m not really in the mood to jump ship from Warframe just to be disappointed in the same ways.
Disgaea: Like Chronicon, it also looks interesting, but I have little knowledge of the game itself, and I don’t really play turn-based games.
Factorio: Seems like it’d stress me out with optimisation. The replayability of the game also seems to come from starting new save files with mods for most players, and I’m not a fan of that. I’d rather play on one save file for years and years. The stress is really the main thing, though.
Minecraft: Much like DRG, it suffers from content bloat. I also don’t like having to start new save files constantly just to experience new features, or having to fly out thousands of blocks just for new chunks.
Monster Hunter: World: A game with lots to grind, and from what I can tell, lots of content. I’m mainly worried about difficulty, though, and long-term replayability.
Stardew Valley: Same as Factorio, looks incredibly stressful, but arguably even more so with the in-game day system. The game also doesn’t seem to offer much in the endgame. Once you achieve 100% Perfection, you’re kind of done. I wish there was a way to expand the farm infinitely, or more to do, but sadly, that isn’t the case.
Siralim Ultimate: Same as Disgaea, really.
Terraria: I’m also worried about the long-term replayability of this. I know there’s stuff to do even after the final boss, but the size of the world is very much limited, and there’s only so much you can do before having to start a new file, which bothers me.
Again, these are all, from what I can tell, great games, which is why I’m considering them. I just need a little help deciding which would be best for me, based on what I’m looking for. Feel free to give your own suggestions, and any insight you might have. Apologies for the long essay, and thanks in advance!

Hi all,
I've been following this sub for quite some time and finally decided to ask a question here to finalise the list of universities that I can apply to.
Brief Background (feel free to skip this):
I graduated in 2020 from NIT, Raipur (IN) in CSE with 9.21 CGPA.
I've published a paper along with my Bachelor's mentor in 2021 in IJCSE (I'm the 2nd author and my mentor is the 1st as well as corresponding author)
I worked for 2 years in an American MNC (tons of exposure, 3 different teams in 2 years, extra projects)
I resigned in Nov 2022 and prepared for UPSC and gave an attempt and felt like not wasting another year and wanted to pursue MS.
Profile Details: CGPA: 9.21 (from NITRR) Research Paper: 1 (IJCSE) Work Experience: 2 years (Full stack, cloud) Projects: more than 4 (includes ML also) GRE: 323 (163Q, 160V) IELTS: yet to take
List of Universities: Ambitious: 1. Purdue University 2. Penn State University *
Target 3. TAMU * 4. University of Florida * 5. Stony Brook - SUNY 6. University of Illinois - Chicago 7. Rutgers University
Safe: 8. Michigan State University 9. University of Buffalo - SUNY *
Note: The one's with * are the one's I would definitely apply to. I had to leave out lot of universities due to non availability of spring intake. Also, I wanted to go to a university which is not too expensive as well as affordable cost of living. (main reason for leaving out California Universities, but had to include Universities in NY as they're safe for me)
Any suggestions are welcome! Thanks in advance

 I started playing Warhammer about a year ago. I only played Kill Team and have been collecting and painting random models I liked but recently, with 10th edition on the horizon, I really want to try 40k. Blood Angels are very cool, I absolutely love the color scheme and lore and the units such as Death Company, but the downside is that I already kinda have about 1000 points worth of Orks which are a melee focused army that I could play. Dark Angels are, again, super cool, with nice color scheme, gorgeous theme and badass models like Azrael and The Lion. They also are a quite shooty army, which would mix up the playstyles among my armies. The downside is that I already have about 1000 points of orks (green fellas) AND 1000 of Death Guard (more green). Wouldn't that make it too much green? Also, I recently saw a battle report of a combined army of Blood and Dark Angels. Is that tournament legal? Do the rules let me run two chapters in the same army? Wouldnit be tournament legal? If not, then should I paint the models in my army as both Dark and Blood Angels and run them with one army rule (probably Dark Angels)? What does 10th edition mean for mixing chapters in one army? TLDR: Should I start Blood Angels, Dark Angels, or both at the same time (if legal)? Thank you for the help! 

Hello everyone! Islander is a casual FC in the GMT+8 timezone looking for SG/MY/International players! Players of all skill levels are welcome! We are currently preparing for future raids and are setting up a few static teams, bring your friends along!!!
We are a small to medium-sized FC on Tonberry, Kujata. Please be patient with us as we continue to grow. We have a CWLS to facilitate in-game chats between members.
We also are farming mounts or duty roulettes as a team for the members that are willing to build this family with us. If you would like to join a static team or form one of your own, let us know in addition to joining the FC! If you don't want to raid, it's fine with us too! We are on voice chat almost everyday, come and make friends! More information will be available on our Discord server.
If you have any enquiries, just come onto the Discord and ask any of our FC Leaders/Officers! No strings attached.
Information
We are a Small to Medium-sized FC on Tonberry, Kujata. Please be patient with us as we continue to grow. We have a CWLS to facilitate in-game chats between members.
Own Internal FC Events will take place on either server.
Islander Points will be awarded to members which can used for exchanging of items and for auctioning of items (Duty-Free Shop and Auction Hall)
English / Chinese Speaker (Or at least can understand a bit)
We welcome both Sprouts (fresh to the game) and Veterans.
We are willing to guide & help, but you must be willing to learn as well. We cannot spoon-feed you all the time!
For Japanese speakers, we are willing to learn Japanese too.
Positive mindset and helpful, willing to learn
Cheerful, easy-going, chatty, able to handle jokes
Strictly no dramatic, political, and self-centered personalities. Remember, we are not fighting for election!
Voice chat is not compulsory but it's also encouraged when we run dungeons, events, or raids together.
We have an in-house static for high end raid as well (We don't take in players who refuse to Voice Chat)
Remember...nobody is perfect; do your best to make your team better instead of just whining.
Don't blame others by telling us, "this is the reason I want to quit / I don't want to join."
Might as well admit that you are incompetent. Talk it out and offer solutions, we are all adults right?
If you tried talking but it didn't work out, share with us and we will work something out for you.)
Carefree with some drive to do end-game dungeon
We have everything from max Rank FC to max Airship & Submersibles
Normally we hang out on discord every night to have fun _^ (A few of us tend to stick around Discord for music and do dailies together )
In-Game Whisper : Karry Kinoko / Slyph Estra / White Oath / Silver Surfer
Discord : KennyShabi#1353 / Slyph#3178 / soul#0139 / Silversurfer#5091
Contact Us Feel free to send any of us a /tell if you're interested to join! Or better yet, hop into our Discord server and we'll get you onboard asap. You can also find us at:
[ Tonberry ] - Ward 25, Plot 30, Shirogane
[ Kujata ] - Ward 7, Plot 37, Shirogane

Chapter One: Rich Pretty Pretty Princess.
It was a lovely nice fair weather Saturday afternoon, the day was warm and summery, the trees hummed alongside the wind, and overall it was peaceful and breezy, or at least it would be a bit more peaceful if it weren't for the huge monster attacking the city!
It was a huge slime beast with six tendrils, and 5 eyes, whenever it roared it rained slime, slime everywhere, but thankfully the Dynamite Punch Girls were on the case! They flew right towards the beast at full speed ahead, and completely tackled the creature, and brought it completely out of the city, it screeched, screamed, and squealed as they proceeded to pummel it.
It was truly epic to many onlookers as they kicked the monster out of Sparksville.
Once again the day is saved, and all that jazz, as the people stared in awe and amazement a white limo proceeded to pull up to the scene, it was covered in many gold decals, and the windows were tinted a slight emerald green, as it pulled up a window began to pull down little by little as a young rich woman looked out at the fighting.
???: "Oh my! Those Dynamite Punch Girls sure are strong, aren't they?"
Butler: "Yes madam, they quite are indeed very strong."
???: "Say, if they're supposed to be non-binary, why do they call themselves the Dynamite Punch Girls?"
Butler: "That is because they identify as feminine girl boys, miss."
???: "Interesting, well I ain't no gender police, why don't we meet them, shall we?"
Butler: "Of course, Miss. Right away."
The limo window went up as it traveled right towards the Dynamite Punch Girls, who landed safely in the middle of town, not a scratch on them, and hardly a bruise in sight, Leo, Blake, and Teddy sat down on a nearby park bench to relax after a fight like that, and to turn off their Super Bodycams...
Super Body Cams and a Hero License come hand in hand, once you sign up to become a hero you get a Learner's Permit, to allow you to train to be a full on hero, but crime fighting must be done with an experienced crime fighter, once you graduated being a sidekick, and becoming a full on hero you get your official license, and a Super Body Cam, a Body Cam that only records when you're crime fighting, some Crime Fighters have even used it to become more popular, by streaming their crime fighting to the public.
Leo: "Oh man that was quite the workout, but at least the city is safe!"
Teddy: "Definitely! Hey, is that a limo?"
Blake: "Huh? A limo?"
Leo, Blake, and Teddy looked up to see for sure... the same limo from before, white with gold decals, and emerald green tinted windows, probably the richest looking limo in the universe.
The door to the limo swung open, and a young woman burst from the limo and proceeded to tightly hug Leo, almost instantly.
???: "My hero!!"
Leo: "Wha!? Huh!? Uh... l-lady, I don't even know who you are!"
Leo tried to get her off, but was tightly holding on.
Angela: "The name is Angela Golden, you could say I'm a huge fan, I'm currently very interested in your whole thing, especially a pretty big fan of Leo."
Leo: "Uh... c-cool...?"
Angela: "I bet you my money could buy you, and your whole team!"
Teddy: "And I bet that it actually can't."
Leo: "Nope. It can't. Sorry but we're a superhero Team, not some sports team, or some kind of bodyguards or pets, you don't buy us."
Angela: "What!? Um. Excuse me! But I have a lot of money! I can buy you if I want."
Leo: "Nope! And I think this convo is done, yeah we're just gonna take off."
Angela: "What!? You can't just leave!!! I'm still trying to buy you!!!"
Leo: "You can't buy us, and that's final! Okay now, see ya!"
Leo, Blake, and Teddy immediately got up and flew off into the sky leaving Angela and that weird experience behind, never in the history of ever has anyone asked to buy them! Simply ludicrous! That's what it is! Angela stood there in the dust, slightly seething from being flat out rejected multiple times, then snubbed altogether, but of course she still loved the Dynamite Punch Girls, they were her knights in shining armor, and she intended to make them her Knights in shining armor, especially Leo.
Butler: "Miss Golden, I just got a call from the mansion, they've cracked the code to the blue Mushroom substance, it has been tested, and it is now and officially ready."
Angela: "Oh? Excellent! Let's begin then, shall we?"
Butler: "Yes."

Introductions.
Allow me to introduce the main characters to this very story, the Dynamite Punch Girls, a team of truly awesome, and badass superheroes! Who have defended their home Sparksville for many years!
First is the Leader Leo Plasma. Leo is a superhuman with the power of super strength, flight, laser eye vision, and electricity, their main weapon that she likes to use is a heavy, and very powerful hammer, that they can make appear out of nowhere! Age 23.
They were the creation of James Plasma, he created them using sugar, spice, and everything nice to make the perfect child, but he accidentally added 2 ingredients! Chemical XYZ, and his own blood! As he was betrayed by his own brother Albert and was murdered mid-creation. The villain did escape but Leo vowed to find him!
Next is the kind and soft heart of the team Blake XJ, Blake is a powerful robot, with many weapons and tools up their sleeve, she also has a powerful ice breath, and ice sword that had simply become a new addition to her otherwise huge arsenal. Age 23.
She was the very creation of Mod XJ, a brilliant roboticist, who also dabbled in powerful weaponry, especially after she formed the Protector Force, and even intended for Blake to become an officer apart of the Protector Force, but when it became corrupted, she decided to completely leave the Protector Force, and took Blake XJ with her, and of course Blake became her own hero.
Now lastly is the mysterious shadow of the group, the ghostly and very cool Teddy Casper the ghost girl. With ghostlike powers, she can walk through walls, disappear, and fly, and she has special ghostlike blasts, ghostly fire and flames, and of course a ghostly scythe. Age 23.
When she was young, she was incredibly adventurous, and took such curiosity to an old abandoned house, that was said to be haunted, she went in with no fear, and came across the basement which was filled with ghost hunting tools, and weaponry, and the grand prize was a ghost portal to the Phantom Place, however the minute she stepped onto the platform zap! It turned on and immediately transformed her! Next thing she knew she was waking up in the hospital, with ghost powers, and she of course got an earful from her parents.
Of course to mention is... the Accident! The 3 heroes one day got together at the opening of a prestigious science center, only to get splashed by a strange ooze called D-17, it was strong, really strong! And managed to knock them out for 3 days, when they came to they noticed something different, firstly their look was different, from the skin, face, eyes, nose, and hair was changed ever so slightly, and they felt different too, their powers were way more powerful than they were previously, and they had the power to regenerate, and heal quickly from any sort of harm. Which does indeed come in quite handy.
Together they form the Dynamite Punch Girls.

It's Thursday and let's just get straight into it - make sure to check out the Vaer, interested in your thoughts.

What's new

1/
Orient Star Will Sell You A Skeleton Watch At 1/5 Of The Price Of A Zenith
Just the other day I wrote about the Zenith Defy Skyline Skeleton, a wonderful skeletonized watch. It’s modern, it shows off a legendary movement, but it will also set you back a bit over EUR 11,000, which is a lot of money, no matter what budget you are shopping in. What if there was an a more affordable option out there? Maybe it didn’t have the super high end finishing of the Zenith or a legendary movement, but it looked just as cool and cost less than a fifth of the Zenith? Well, say hello to the Orient Star Avant-Garde Skeleton.
Orient started out in the 50s and has been part of the Seiko Epson Corporation since 2009. Orient Star, however, is the higher-end of the brand, which in 2016 shocked the market with a skeletonised model. Orient Star was known for their classical watches, so this was a huge departure. They updated it once in 2022 and are now introducing two new Avant-Garde Skeleton models as part of its Sports Collection with an automatic movement and a 60-hour power reserve.
The two models differ in the case material - you can have them in stainless steel or black plated steel - but they share the case specs. 42.3mm wide and 12.4mm thick, with a water resistance of 100 meters and bezels with hexagonal screws. The steel model has a combination of brushed surfaces with Sallaz mirror finishings (comparable to Grand Seiko’s Zaratsu polishing), adding accents and emphasising the solid metallic feel of the watch and bracelet.
Composed of two layers, the upper and lower plates of the dial are distinguished by different colours and finishings. The upper plate holds the luminous indices that project over the movement, and the lower plate is designed to protect the upper plate from shocks and deformation. Like the earlier model, the dial features a power reserve indicator at noon, a small seconds counter at 6 o’clock and a view of the balance wheel with its silicon escapement. The hour and minute hands are wider, sportier, and treated with luminous material.
Powering the Orient Star Avant-Garde Skeleton is the automatic, in-house calibre F8F64. Decorated with Geneva stripes, the partially openworked base plate reveals the bright blue silicon escapement peeking out just to the left of the small seconds and it’s rated at +15/-5 seconds per day, with a 60-hour power reserve. The stainless steel model comes with a steel bracelet; the black-coated steel watch on a black Cordura Ballistic nylon strap.
The retail price is EUR 2,000. Looking at photos of the watch, I’m not sure it lives up to that price. I would love to handle one live. However, this looks close enough to the Zenith, which is EUR 11,000+.
2/
Saint Laurent Redesigns The Cult Girard-Perregaux Digital Quartz Watch, Gives It Black Ceramic And PVD Titanium
While Girard-Perregaux is most known for their higher end Swiss mechanical watches, at one time they were pioneers in the era of digital watch. Back in 1971, it made waves with the Caliber GP-350, a quartz movement that set the universal market standard for frequency. Following that was the Caliber 395 and that’s the movement that GP put in the Casquette, an unusual watch even at the time - it was a black geometric hunk on your wrist that displayed the time at the push of a button on a tiny screen on the front facing side of the watch.
The Casquete came in three materials, Makrolon (which was a black composite), stainless steel and gold plated. It was only made for two years - 1976 and 1978 - and during that time 8,200 pieces were made. The original is still a desired item among collectors, which GP recognized and did a recreation of the watch last year. While remaining fully retro, the reissue is powered by the vastly more efficient GP-03980 that displays hours, minutes, seconds, the day and the date, the month, the year, a chronograph, a second time zone, and a secret date.
Now, there’s a new version of the Casquete, one redesigned by Saint Laurent Creative Director Anthony Vaccarello for the Saint Laurent Rive Droite line. Vaccarello gives the watch a radical upgrade in materials, as the case is now made out of black ceramic and black PVD-treated grade 5 titanium. It’s sleek, it’s retro, chunky and dramatic, all the things Vaccarello is known for.
The watch is released under the Rive Droite imprint, a series of objects that are sold exclusively in two stores located in Paris and LA. This means that it will also be available exclusively at Saint Laurent Rive Droite stores in Paris and Los Angeles, as well as online via the official Saint Laurent Rive Droite store, in selected countries only. That, combined with the fact that this will be a limited edition of only 100 pieces, means you aren’t very likely to see one in the flesh. Which isn’t that much of a shame because I’m not sure it would be easy to justify the $6,700 price tag.
3/
Bremont Releases Their Third Limited Watch For The Williams F1 Team
Formula 1 racing is an incredibly expensive sport. It was, at least, until 2021 when the organization implemented a budget cap of about $135 million. It’s still expensive, yes, but before the cap teams were known to spend up to half a billion dollars per year to push as hard as possible to win championships. The money for this endeavour comes from Formula 1, the organization, but this is just a small amount distributed to every team. The rest has to be raised from sponsors, and raising $135 million from sponsors is not easy.
Because of the high costs of the sport, the sponsorships are equally as high. It is estimated that the cheapest sponsorship is $1 million per year, an ammount that doesn’t get you a lot - surely doesn’t get you a sticker on the car, and it’s rumoured that Rolex is paying up to $50 million to be the official timing partner of the organization. So, I was pretty shocked three years ago to see that Bremont, the independent British watchmaker, sponsored Williams, the legendary British racing team, to a tune high enough to get a prominent sticker on the car. I had no idea Bremont was doing that good. Good on them.
To mark this sponsorship, Bremont has already created two limited edition watches and is just now releasing the third. Since both companies are very British, it’s no surprise that they are doing so just a month before the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. It’s the Bremont WR-45, a limited-edition chronograph that is inspired by this year’s Williams Racing F1 car, the FW-45.
The watch has Bremont’s signature three-piece “Trip-Tick” construction, it’s made from stainless steel with a black DLC finish and measures 43mm in diameter by 16mm-thick, with 22mm lugs and an overall lug-to-lug profile of 50mm. Despite the fact that the crown and pushers that operate the chronograph don’t screw down, it has a 100 meter water resistance. Unlike previous Bremont Williams Racing watches, the dial fitted to the new WR-45 is black to match its case, and it has a tri-compax configuration and a date window within the 6 o’clock sub dial. The white register at 9 o’clock features a light blue hand and serves as a running seconds indicator for the time, while the other two sub-dials are fitted with white-finished hands. Additionally, the hours counter features a thin three-color ring in light blue, dark blue, and white surrounding its perimeter, and this serves as a subtle nod to the official colors of the Williams Racing F1 team.
Inside the watch is the brand’s Caliber BE-53AV automatic chronograph movement based on the proven ETA/Valjoux 7753. It has a frequency of 28,800vph (4 Hz) while offering users a power reserve of approximately 56 hours, while the rotor has been skeletonized to look like the wheels of the Williams F1 car. The watch comes on a black two-piece alcantara strap.
This will be a limited edition of 244 pieces and every watch is accompanied with a genuine wheel nut taken from one of the Williams Racing cars. It’s priced at $6,595.
4/
The Accutron Spaceview Gets First Major Update With Spaceview Evolution, But Keeps The Very Cool Electrostatic Movement
Accutron is one of the most familiar names in watchmaking. This Bulova model participated in the space race and was, reportedly, narrowly pushed out by the Omega Speedmaster to be the official NASA watch that will be worn on the moon, but the Bulova Accutron remained a beloved watch by many astronauts and was used in space. That’s why it was a bit puzzling when Bulova in 2020 decided to spin of the Accutron into its own brand. But the puzzle was put aside when Accutron introduced the gorgeous Spaceview 2020 with an open-worked dial and inspired by the original 1960s Spaceview. Now Accutron is introducing two new models called Evolution that do exactly that - evolve the Spaceview.
Just like the 2020 model, the Spaceview Evolution watches are housed in a 43.5mm polished stainless steel case that is 15.9mm thick. Where it differs from the previous model is in the movement. Not the movement they use, but rather the orientation of the movement - the entire thing is shifter 30 degrees, moving the crown to 2 o’clock, giving the watch a completely new look.
Accutron currently offers two versions of the Spaceview Evolution timepiece. One with a smoke-gray open dial, darkened metal outer ring, silver-toned hands, and a matte-black alligator strap. The other also includes a smoke-gray open dial paired with a silver-toned outer ring, metallic blue hands, and a shiny blue alligator strap. Both straps are genuine American alligator and are finished with double-press deployant clasps.
Inside the Spaceview Evolution watches is Accutron’s proprietary electrostatic energy movement. Essentially, the movement is home to twin turbines that rotate at rapid speeds with the motion of your wrist. Those turbines are located between two electrodes, which serve to capture the electrostatic energy created by the turbines and send them to an accumulator. The stored energy in the accumulator then powers two motors: an electrostatic motor (a world’s first) that drives the gliding seconds hand and a step motor that drives the hour and minute hands. The duo of motors are synchronized via integrated circuits and provide an accuracy rating of +/- 5 seconds a month.
The movement also has a power-saving mode, which kicks into gear after five minutes of inactivity with the second hand automatically halting at 12 o’clock. Although the seconds hand stays in place, the watch will continue to keep time as the hour and minute hands continue to move. To stop the power-saving mode and reactivate the seconds hand, you simply have to swing your arm up and down for about five seconds.
The Accutron Spaceview Evolution watches are priced at $3,950 and are available immediately for purchase.
5/
The New Vaer G5 Meridian Is A Flier GMT Watch Well Below The $1,000 Mark
At the moment, my favorite GMT movement is a highly modified Miyota 9015 which the microbrand Arken calls the ARK-9015DT and uses in their Alterum. It’s a crazy movement that works unlike any other GMT movment. Rotating the hands clockwise moves the entire handset, including the GMT hand, as well as both AM/PM indicator discs. However, moving the handset in the opposite direction will lock the GMT hand and its corresponding AM/PM indicator (left of the dial) allowing you to set the time difference between your local and home times. This means you can set the minutes to any time and just rotate the hour hand.
Other than that movement and, obviously, in house ones, there seems to be a consensus that it’s hard to beat the recently introduced Miyota Cal. 9075 movement which is an affordable option for those who want a “flier” or “true” GMT, which allows for an independently adjustable local 12-hour hand. And this exactly has been a request from millions of collectors and watch enthusiasts. The movement also allows microbrands like the LA based Vaer to slap these movements into watches that look great and are really affordable.
Vaer’s most recent watch is the G5 Meridian GMT and it’s an intresting proposition. At first glance, the G5 looks identical to their G7. That could be because it comes in a 39mm stainless case without a crown guard and 200 meter water resistance or the fact that they come in pretty much the same four colors - two models with black dials and either red/blue or black/blue bezels, along with an all-black PVD variant, plus a third stainless steel option that is fitted with both a green dial and a green bezel. However, while Vaer’s G7 GMT is a Swiss-made timepiece powered by the Sellita SW330-2 and priced just above the thousand-dollar mark, the Vaer G5 Meridian GMT is an American-assembled version that runs on the Japanese Miyota 9075.
The watch comes on two different straps or bracelets that connect to the 20mm lugs with integrated quick-release springbars. Since the G5 GMT was designed to be used in the water, a black FKM rubber tropic strap is the standard included configuration, as it is the most water-friendly option available for the model. For the secondary strap/bracelet option, buyers have the option of either a simple NATO or a nylon single pass strap — or opting for one of the premium leather straps or stainless steel bracelets in Oyster and Jubillee designs.
The official price of the Vaer G5 Meridian GMT is $799 or $849 if you opt for one of the premium strap/bracelet options. That’s a fantastic price that gives you more functionality for a traveler.
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On hand - a selection of reviews

1/
Review Of The ProTek Series 1010, The Official Watch Of The United States Marine Corps
2/
Hands-on With The The Delma Shell Star Titanium That Sheds Both Size And Weight
3/
In-Depth Reveiw of The Horage Lensman 2 Exposure — A Watch With A Photographic Cheat Sheet
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Watch Worthy - A look at an offbeat, less known watch you might actually like

The RZE Aspirare launches the brand into yet unexplored waters
Up until now, RZE have been quite conscious of their case sizes pleasing the majority of modern collectors who prefer conservative diameters. Their largest watch was the now-discontinued RZE Valour Chronograph at 42mm, with the sold-out Fortitude coming in second at 41mm. The new RZE Aspirare is bullish with its 44mm diameter, and untamed with a 53mm lug-to-lug that will absolutely demand some bravery to wear if you don’t have large wrists. Although the RZE philosophy has catered to the adventurous, the Aspirare is designed to be their most rugged project yet.
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People loved the Seiko Alpinist giveaway! That's why I'm doing a new one. This time, we're giving away four Hamilton Khaki Field Automatics in a color of your choice. Head on over to the newsletter 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.

What if the purpose of the rocket is to become the leader of the guardians of the galaxy and protect the universe? and Qwill, who was the leader of the team, was there by chance?
Qwill was abducted from Earth in the 80s, Qwill has leadership qualities, and he was confused, he had a lot of questions: who is my father? Does Gamora love me? Will I be able to return the old Gamora? What's up with my grandfather? As a result, he finds answers to his questions, and flies to his grandfather to solve his last question - who am I and what is my purpose.
With a rocket more interesting - He was also abducted from Earth in the 80s (The Great Evolutionist copies the earth of the 80s in the Counter-Earth, so he visited the earth for the last time somewhere in the 80s, so at the same time a Rocket was stolen), he also has Leadership Qualities. Rocket was traumatized by events in childhood, he traveled through the universe, tormenting himself in the death of friends, then met Groot, became a Guardian, and then the past caught up with him, in vol 3 he meets Lylla, calmed down in their death, accepted that he was a raccoon and took revenge on the Great Evolutionist. As a result, he found his way and Destiny as the leader of the GOTG team to protect the galaxy so that no one else would lose their friends and loved ones.
The rocket has found its destination when Quill has yet to find it (this is indicated by the inscription "Quill will return")
P.S. the theory may be far-fetched, and many people will disagree, but that's why it's a theory

I have an idea of who I want to become eventually. I also realize I am far from this person as of now.
I am in a very dark place emotionally. I struggle every day with getting out of bed.
I have noticed a pattern in my life that whenever I find myself in a group of people I care about, I want to be closer to them but I feel I don't deserve them. I feel inadequate. I don't like anything about myself, the way I look, the way I sound, how I lack charisma. This is pattern that has been present in my life for at least a decade.
Currently I have been working at my frist job for 9 months. Not everything is perfect. I don't like how everything is getting worse for the past six months, how due to changes in management we lack charismatic leaders who would stand up for the people they are responsible for. But as long as I have the wonderful people from my team working with me, I can bear a lot. One of many regrets I have though is that I don't have any way of actually making meaningful connections with them. I feel I am a person of second category. I try to sit as close to them as possible every day. I try to spend as much time with them as possible. I go for coffee breaks with them, but I hardly ever speak, not because I don't want to talk, but because I am not fully present with them, as my mind is busy 100% of the time coming up with reasons why I am unworthy of being friends with, how unlikeable and unlovable I am, how I've never been anyone's first choice. It feels that at best they just don't mind me, but they don't like me either. But there's also a part of me that is just waiting for them to tell me to fuck off, but this blow never comes.
Anytime someone says something in the realm of needs and desires, I have noticed I have something like an automatic shame reaction. For example, when someone tells a sex joke, I fantasize about sex, but on the outside I have a shitty reaction like pretending I misheard something. This is frustrating because this is not the real me. The real me would be verbal, would explore the topic further, make another joke. And I see others do it, and I just bottle everything inside, and make the impression that I'm a shy, innocent, immature person and this is so tiring. I have the core belief that my needs are not valid, that I should be ashamed of them, never let anyone know I have them. Through time it means I've become invisible and mute, and whenever I drink alcohol and my defenses are down, people seem so surprised I have a dark side to me, that I swear, that I have desires and fantasies.
I compare myself a lot to others, especially an older friend who seems perfect from my perspective. He is charismatic, attractive, funny, confident, shameless. Everyone wants to spend time with him, everyone wants him around, anytime he's absent, someone notices his absence. He is free to express his love for the people he loves. I admire him but I also quite naturally feel like shit when he is around. At the same time, I know I've been feeling like this long before he appeared in my life, and I know if he were to disappear, I wouldn't feel any better. This is not a matter of closeness with him, or his acceptance. It is a matter of me feeling good about myself, working on myself to become acceptable to myself. But being aware of all my shortcomings, it is just impossible to me.
From time to time though when I compare myself to that older friend, I have a thought that maybe my judgement is not entirely correct. He used to be my manager, and he was the embodiment of all the traits I want to cultivate within myself. An interesting thing is that for a short moment I had it, at least partly.
7 years ago, when I was at the first year at the University, I was chosen to be my group leader. I realize this means a far smaller scope of responsibility than being a manager in a corporation, but sometimes when I look at that older friend, he sort of reminds me of myself at the beginning of my life as a student, even if more self confident, and more emotionally mature.
When I was chosen to be my group leader, it turned out all of a sudden that I have leadership skills. I was ready and willing to accept the responsibility for my group, and become sort of a mediator between my group and the teachers. One of the female friends called me "a smiling, charismatic man", another one hit on me for a short while on messenger. All other groups were jealous of how well my group was getting along. We were the best group. I had the universal acclaim of being the best group leader. I remember that at that time I was different. I was happy, I had friends. I felt I was important, and needed. I was seen, and I was heard. People counted on me and it felt amazing. After years of feeling like a pain in the ass of other people, suddenly I was not a burden, but someone loved.
Even though it did not last long, since I started to overstep my boundaries to please others, to deserve being in the group, I consider this short time (between me being chosen as a group leader and the moment when I started self-sabotaging) to be my greatest success so far. I was allowed to give a lot to other people, and I so want to give a lot to people I like, and they accepted it and me, and it was so different than what is considered by most people to be my norm.
One of the saddest things I can think to myself is that I am the polar opposite of my older friend at work (he is not even the first person who makes me feel this way - inspired AND hopeless). Every day when I wake up, my first thought is "you don't deserve those people", "you don't deserve all these good things he deserves", "you'll never be like him". But the memory of the time at the beginning of my life as a student gives me some sort of hope. I wonder if it is possible that it is not completely lost, and maybe I can somehow get back to the person I was 7 years ago, and work further to, for example, establish my boundaries.
My point is that if I once had leadership skills (even if they were not perfect), but they seem to be non-existent now, are they suppressed but still within me, or are they lost completely? Does anyone have a similar experience of losing a valuable asset, only to find it later on?

I've been a bit annoyed with the constant talk of Kane "having to leave sours" otherwise he's "unambitious" "not a winner" etc.
I can understand that viewpoint but I find it refreshing for a player to remain loyal (even though he wanted out last year) and try to win a trophy with his boyhood club.
I'm not sure what decision he will make; I don't think he wants to leave pl and tbh I see him signing a new deal and retiring at Tottenham. Which in my opinion is fine, he'll be a legend at Tottenham forever.
However, I think if the reports are true that Real Madrid want him then he should go, especially as Bellingham has just signed as well. I think Madrid are building a great team and he would be the final piece. I can't see him leaving pl but realistically who is he going to go to that can challenge city? United? Chelsea? They are nowhere near city and he's not going to win a major title there. City are unstoppable in England right now and in Europe, there's only a few who can compete with them; real Madrid, psg, Bayern etc.
He should abandon this fixation on beating Shearer's record, leave and join Jude at Madrid and win la Liga and cl, he's a world class player and deserves it.
I don't think Levy will let him go this summer unless Madrid pay in excess of 100m, which I'm unsure if they will do that for a player with a year left on his deal.
I hope he goes to Madrid, but I see him staying at Tottenham.
Imo leaving to go to man united is a waste of time, they can't compete with city and united aren't going to challenge for cl.
Do you see him going to Madrid? There's been quite a few big transfers already this transfer window and I expect it to continue....
Imagine Kane, vinicius and Bellingham tearing up la Liga!

I finally won the lottery for brand new housing. I am both a senior and disabled. The paperwork alone took nearly a year for approval. Still I was apprehensive about moving smack into the middle of the Tenderloin's worst area. Finally my application was approved by the MOHC. I suffer from PTSD and Agoraphobia so moving versus just ending it all was a 6 month debate. Seriously. The new place is considered to be a new Micro Studio. Partial kitchen. Step in shower and shared common areas. Still luxury compared to older places or SROs. I reluctantly arranged to move in and decided to make the best of it. The very day I moved in I tripped on a tree stump, fractured my skull and broke my right arm in 3 places and dislocated my shoulder. No one to help me at all. Now that I'm in I've found out that my ONLY neighbor on my side of the building is a squatter, a drug addict and has people over all of the time 24/7 with bicycles in the hall, cigarette smoke and his homeless friends using our laundry room, stealing everything not nailed down and so much more. I am 69 years old and have repeatedly told the 'tenant' that I am allergic to cigarette smoke, etc. All to no avail. I have also told him he can't have guests over 24/7. One night my dog's barking woke me and I stepped out to see what was up and ran into the 'tenant' with a crowbar and copper wiring trying to gain entry. I had no idea he didn't legally have possession or a key fob. He started ranting about the manager and how he was illegally locked out and his stuff was inside. I told him that was between him and management but I wouldn't allow him to break in. He didn't leave until I called the police. I admit I am clueless to this day as to what an addict looks like under the influence but his eyes are always super bright like he's on some kind of stimulant, but I don't know. The manager says he is NOT the tenant who rented the apartment but that eviction is being pursued. I suspect the manager did lock him out at one point and the squatter got legal help to regain access. The manager swears he did not lock him out but the only way to get in is with a security fob. No keys. Now I've found out that allegedly the builder misclassified this building nearly 3 years ago as an SRO which is why we have mailboxes, keys but NO USPS delivery. Meanwhile the alcoholic on site manager goes through all of my mail and I have had numerous packages go missing. A brand new credit card was both delivered and stolen on the 31st of this month and there were 16 charges on it in one day to Uber, Uber Eats and ZipCar. I was finally made aware when the credit card company notified me via email that my charge at Safeway and another market were declined "because I hadn't activated my card yet!" WTAF? They let this thief use the card all day long until it was flagged at Safeway and THEN they email me? Bottom line I am terrified that living here with an alcoholic property manager and a junkie neighbor whose door directly faces mine, makes my life literally in danger. I can't move and every time I see the squatter I just want to stab him. So yes I am losing it. I feel so trapped and terrified and wonder if I will end up snapping. This activity is right in my face 24/7. My hallway has 6 units with 4 always having been unoccupied. Honestly I don't see how they can in good faith rent to anyone new knowing the danger of this hallway. I've never once seen them even attempt to show the empty units. I am beyond sad and hopeless. On the rare occasions I have to leave my place to access my car six blocks away I have become nearly intolerant of the homeless overnight. I used to volunteer at shelters and often fed homeless, but now I am just hardened. I see a passed out half clothed body on the sidewalk and I just step around it. I used to call 911 or 311. Now I don't know what to do. I don't want to die but see no future at all. I nearly died waiting for Below Market Housing and now it's literally killing me. I had no idea the entire time I was on the wait list what BMR really meant. I never qualified for low income or senior housing. None of that. I just assumed that BMR meant just that, that if you made below 100K or so you could apply for a discounted unit. They can blame London Breed all they want but the real reason for the current situation in SF is COVID, the lock downs and subsequent sky rocketing homeless population. I know for a fact that the majority of theft, as in major theft, are well organized thieves most of which don't even live in SF. I ran into a team of them before my beloved elderly dog died. I used to take him out to the tree out front at all hours to pee. I ran straight into thieves one night. They were well organized, well dressed and gone as soon as they saw me. They were nothing like the homeless plaguing our neighborhood right now. These people are self medicating, angry and often vicious. They are hardly the criminal element bringing SF to its knees. Criminals? Yes with shoplifting and all manner of self destructive and hateful crimes, but not the well organized criminal element that is literally robbing SF of its most valuable resources, tourism. I used to be a huge Pelosi fan until I saw her speaking at a charity event for the hospital where her husband was treated following his attack. When I was taken to UCSF per MY request and even with excellent insurance I wasn't given Pelosi type treatment. I was treated like a vagrant. I waited an entire day for my exam, head CT and arm cast. I was never hooked up to an IV, fed, given water or ice chips nor was blood even drawn. After the 2nd head CT when it showed I still had inter cranial bleeding, did they finally do an MRI. San Francisco is now two classes, the rich and the poor. I'm not street poor but might as well be. I don't know where to go from here. Caught up in an untenable housing situation and literally not being able to afford housing in Southern California which is where I grew up, went to college and law school. Sadly since my beloved dog died I can't imagine living anywhere without him.

Poole + 19 Pick + Ryan Rollins ( + future picks if needed) for Lauri Markanen and Jazz #16 pick (to select Jalen Hood Schifino). This brings us Lauri Markanen from Jazz after his monstrous season to add to our squad for size and solid rim-protection, as well as a rookie point guard to take minutes off Steph if needed, and sort of a replacement for Poole. Before y’all shoot me down, he is one of the most athletic point guard at that range, and he plays amazing defence. Note, CP3 and DBook were having much trouble attacking when defended by him at CP3’s camp, and CP3 even commented that he will be trouble in the league. Throwing in Ryan Rollins and future picks to sweeten the deal and might allow us to get another Jazz player or simply cut down our salary and allow us to sign free agents at greater price. In reality this would be a really solid move, if we sign JTA and Damian Lee back, but not sure if 4 rookies is too much even if they have good potential to slot into the lineups already.
This really boils down to if the warriors can just play hard next year, get top 4 seed and play the rookies more against weaker teams like Rockets to get them some reps and rest our vets.

Haaslründäg, 10 of Tiirysdaak, 1110 Providence Calendar. 500 clicks inside Divergence-occupied Tharastin. 1700 hours. City of Tehrazj.

The invasion has reached its fifth year, with the Divergence crushing all Tharastinian defensive forces, just as the Divergence has done in the north of the continent. Alone, isolated, and enslaved, the city cries for help towards uncaring oceans, desolate sands and godless heavens. The Priesthood of Lieves has been hunted within an inch of its life here, and the few who are given freedom to travel in and out of Tehrazj are likely already bought out by the invaders. However, that doesn't stop citizens from finding their own ways out- suicide included.
What was initially regarded as a rumor or a joke in poor taste, to the abject horror of the ones who didn't die in the initial firebombing of the city or fall to disease and strange monster, became the enforced reality as Tharastin was slowly wiped away from the map, replaced with wasteland and various horrific bits of underground labor, trafficking and mutilation.
It is miserable. What hope could there be, what joy can be found, how can anyone continue to go on like this?
...
Someone must fight back. Likely it will result in death, but at least make the Divergence hurt. How many more nations will they subjugate? What are they even looking for? Why... why does it have to be us? How many more lives must end before they meet theirs? Put a stop to this, I beg you... They will forgive you. And yet I wonder... do I even have the right to ask this of you?

Strange manipulation of the Concepts, a murder of an Underground leader... and a crown of crimson...

The very base forces of the worlds are in chaos, and Hope itself is bleeding out. The leader of the local resistance chapter has been executed. Some of the Divergence soldiers are whispering rumors in the night of some strange red crown being found in the Ineuit deset. And you all just so happen to be in the perfect area for extra chaos. Investigate, and hope you aren't caught doing so.

Organizing a team

I'm looking for 5-7 VERY experience roleplayers to go through a bleak setting, investigate the source of some strange happenings, and see through a story to its very end.

THIS CAMPAIGN HAS A TRIGGER WARNING FOR ABUSE, CHILD ENDANGERMENT, ACTUAL WAR CRIMES, A REALLY CUNTY BBEG AND MORE. The warning will encompass all types of rather dark scenes, and I will not be barring holds from this game. You have been warned in advance.

We will be meeting every Wednesday @ 6pm EST until roughly 11pm EST, with the potential to go longer. We will do food breaks and can do solo sessions, downtime and pretty much anything, I very much enjoy roleplay!
We will be using FoundryVTT as our digital playscape with Discord as audio. If you aren't familiar with FoundryVTT, myself and other server members are more than willing to teach you!
We are very pro-LGBTQ+, BIPOC, disability and mental health advocacy. This space should feel safe and inclusive, and quite frankly, as long as you aren't being rude or dismissive you should have a geat time in my setting and server!
We will be starting at level 3 with base equipment, and if you want special stuff, we can absolutely talk things over and do some backstory sessions to get you involved in the world.

How to apply

Applications will be available until the sun goes down tomorrow (meaning this will be open for two days). You will need to add me on Discord @ chorustrilogy#0013 and send me the following information:

1 - Your age/name/pronouns
2 - Your availability on Wednesdays in EST
3 - Your history with roleplaying systems
4 - Your favorite game as a DM/player
5 - Your least favorite game as a DM/player
6 - Your introduction to TTRPGs
7 - Your pre-session 0 character concepts
8 - Your favorite comfort snack
9 - Your greatest fear (I promise I will use this against you)

I will re-iterate that this game is going to have a LOT of actually terrible NPCs in it, these people are horrible and you should not feel bad for most of them. Please make sure that you understand every manor of topic can be brought up in sessions.
If you need to talk after a session is over or take a break mid-session, you can put a message in the text chat and I will be able to talk when the session is over.
Thank you kindly!!!
​

Hello everyone! Your friendly neighborhood mod here with a bit of a different post than normal.
On June 12th - 14th (48 hours) many subreddits will be going dark in protest of a recent Reddit policy change. I am making this poll to ask the users of ArtistLounge and ArtBusiness if you would like our subreddits to join in with this protest.
Outside of the art subreddits, we usually feel quite separate from wider Reddit. This is due to our aim to be a chill arty discussion corner of the internet. However, due to the impact that this policy change will have, I thought it important to decide as a community how we will be involved.

The context

Reddit's policy change threatens to kill many beloved third-party mobile apps, and potentially other important third-party tools. These tools include important quality of life features which simply aren't available in the official mobile app.
On May 31st 2023, Reddit announced that they will be raising the price to make calls to their API from being free to a level that is inaccessible to the third party App developers. This will likely result in the shut down of every third party app including (but not limited to) Apollo, Reddit is Fun, Narwhal etc. Here is a post from apolloapp with further details: https://www.reddit.com/apolloapp/comments/13ws4w3/had\_a\_call\_with\_reddit\_to\_discuss\_pricing\_bad/
Some additional third party tools, although not immediately directly impacted, will likely face difficulties in the future. An example of one of these tools could be toolbox , which many moderators rely on to support their communities.
For many users this will mean that they will no longer use reddit on mobile, and in turn not have access to reddit at all.
For moderators, it will make our lives so much more difficult or, in some cases, impossible. At best, this would lower the accessibility, quality and consistancy of moderation, and at worst it would leave many subreddits with little to no moderation at all.
It will also greatly impact users who require additional functionality and accessibility tools such as screen readers.

How does this impact our subreddits?

Moderating reddit on mobile is stressful. There have been some recent improvements with the official app, but there is so much that is inaccessible or invisible on the mobile app that it is impossible to moderate consistantly. Messages are missed, mod mail is hidden away, and inconsistencies with rules occur from content on mobile looking completely different to desktop.
I complete the majority of my moderation on PC for this reason and when inviting new moderators to join the team one of the first questions I ask is whether they are mainly using a PC or mobile device. This way I know how much they will be able to support the team.
Recently, I have been dealing with a lot of health issues and I was unable to work at my PC. Initially, trying to moderate on mobile was okay in small bursts, but it quickly became overwhelming. The rest of the moderation team were able to do a fantastic job in my stead, but it really hit me how difficult it is to excursively use the official Reddit app. Following some recommendations , and after seeing this protest announcement, I downloaded some alternative apps to see the difference for myself. It is night and day. I can look at my mod feed on the official app and compare it with the same mod feed on a third party app and the difference in information is stark. Messages and reports that aren't even visible on the official app show up clearly on the third party one. Messages are written in full, so I don't have to load multiple screens to find out what help someone needs. Messages are colour coded so I can tell if they are from our automoderator or directly from users. That's before even taking a deep dive into the apps. I had no idea how much simpler it is to moderate with these alternative apps and now it is so clear to me why so many moderators, including the majority of our mod team past and present, have relied on them.
Having access to easier moderation tools on mobile means we can provide much better support on a far more consistent basis. It also hopefully means that we will be able to unlock time and energy to do more interesting things with the subreddits that you have all asked for. The removal of these apps would directly affect members of our moderation team and severely limit how much they would be able to continue supporting the subreddits.

What will happen?

• I intend to make next week's weekly thread (uploading before the protest) an informational post about the protest, it's impact, and how users can share their support. This will match the standard posts being shared site-wide.
• If the majority vote in support of our subreddit going dark, then we will make both subreddits private for 48 hours during the planned blackout.
• There is discussion that subreddits may extend how long their subreddits remain dark if issues are not resolved in this time. There are no current plans for ArtistLounge and ArtBusiness to extend the time past the 48 hours.
• If the majority vote to not join the protest by going dark, then the subreddits will remain live. The pinned post will contain information on what is happening, why it is happening, and how to support the cause.

Please feel free to share your thoughts in this thread.
View Poll