I am trying to save headache, time, andmoney besides dissappointment to would be victims of a chinese/russian scamco: these 2 busy with fcking up each other in the company they started and that they run on the buyers expense: Do not buy a boox. I have a boox max2 pro. All my gadgets combined never had that much issues than this one. Costumer service is annoying. More busy to ask the serial 4 times than sending a return label. You have to send your reader somewhere. They make up reasons to avoid the not exist warranty. The device is frail, if it doesn't boot they ask screenshots, if it refuses to login they blame on other issues, even their blog is still under development. Even if you bought it on Amazon they make up stories that wasn't an official. Positive: large readable screen. Negative: crazy price if you take in count you have an unreliable device with 2 way shipping fees. And unknowledgeable costumer service team which corresponds for 3 weeks asking your name, phone number times, and you're out of money, reader, and charged with a hefty repair bill after paying almost a thousand a year before. Save your money and get a kindle that is not loosing your whole library... fck them, for fcking us up. Hardtime. The hole company is a revenge of Russia.

Travel
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We've been advised of a fault with the signalling system at Barrhead. At the moment, we're unable to use platform 3 meaning services between Glasgow Central and Barrhead are suspended. We have staff on site working on the fault.
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Today in Scottish History
6 June 1897: The birth near Dumfries of Jane Haining, who became a Church of Scotland missionary in Budapest and later died in Auschwitz.
/GlasgowMarket Digest
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You And Your Sister (Remastered) (suggested by Superbuddhapunk)
Only one eligible link submitted today. Suggest tomorrow's tune.

Dellfriar became the only operational asylum in the world. Everything had collapsed, outside the Medieval castle, filled with laughing madmen. The skies outside had darkened and the world out there was entirely depleted of sanity. Only in our house was there any joy or reason. Only we possessed any agency that wasn't purely survival instinct. Our straight jackets and drugs and cells kept us isolated from the infectious and rabid degeneration of humanity. We stayed meek and contained as the rest of the world boldly spilled the noise of an era dominated purely by a singular human species. We fasted on grapes and dew as the last remnant of civilization devoured itself in seventy nights of terror, until things became utterly silent. Our song of bedlam remained as one continuous strain until that last shadowed silence fell.
Then it was our turn. We passed through the window and flew as ravens, twenty or so patients of Dellfriar. We were the Choir, the ones sent by our shiny new god.
We saw two suns hung in the sky, for Liminiel had made a second star. All had changed. Man was gone, and we, as ravens, were not intruding in the landscape where animals walked upright and spoke amid the wreckage of the cities. No more were the beasts not as men. They sat outside coffee shops holding broken cell phones and sipping empty tea cups and staring vacantly, trying to remember what their life as an animal was like, before. It was futile, for only the passing flock of patients as ravens knew the truth. Among us there was one crow, and as an animal that had not changed at all, the crow spoke as a human with proficiency and told them they were to know the truth, only in time.
Cory's promise to the ones below, made them wait for his return, anticipating that the secret would come freely. I doubted they would play no part in our survival. In the ruined world of dreamy skies, Man's Bane fell below our shadowed wingbeats.
We landed where we were told to go, by Aureus. The spell of Circe wore off and we became as we were, armed humans in straight jackets and giggling on the castle's drugs. We had flown backward in time and arrived at the height of the decades before our world had come to be. I sensed that I was within myself, watching from a farflung aeon. Some part of me existed at the very end of time and was looking at me, seeing what I was seeing. I was not interfered with or communicated with, just observed. I had always felt watched, but suddenly, as I stood there gazing at the Mirror of Time, I realized who I truly was. I knew I was also some being from many ages into the future. I knew I would remain as one of the very last. Part of me considered that I should, at some point, relay a record of my adventures. I had existed long before and long after, but it was those moments, knowing who I eternally was, that changed me. I felt like I was no longer innocent, and in a much different way than any thought, action or experience had ever made me feel before. Even going insane had not felt so different.
The Choir stood and admired themselves. As we looked we perceived an infinite number of possibilities in the Mirror of Time. It was Cory who broke our trance.
"The trap is that the more possibilities of your fate that you witness, the less there actually are. No dream you have in the mirror will come true, after you have seen it. Look away or lose first your best life, and then your second best and so on, with each gaze into the magical reflection. It will take all from you if you stare too long. You will eventually cease to exist, I am sure." Cory told us.
Not one of the Choir was willing to look at the mirror after hearing such a description. We went around it and beheld the object of our errand.
"Isn't this exactly like when we took such gems for the cats to make their Majara?" Cory asked me, in Felidaen. His meows distracted the rest of the Choir around us, but didn't reveal what he was asking me. I meowed back:
"It is, except now we are stealing for-" I agreed. and added in English: "-Aureus."
"Seems like this is not a good plan. We know that evil is-" Cory meowed and added in English: "-Aureus."
"For now we bide our time and help. When this is complete we will have our chance to stop-" I meowed and added: "-Aureus."
"Are you two meowing about Aureus?" Jacoby the Disorderly asked me. He used to work as an orderly at Dellfriar, but became a patient. From there his spiral into madness had led him to being transformed into a raven and sent flying through time and space to the distant city where a mirror tested all who wished to exist.
There was a gem to steal, and as my crow had pointed out, there always would be. We worked for Aureus and there was no sense in wasting anything. Aureus was a god and we could be faithful or we could be heretics. Only as heretics could we kill another god. We had to tell ourselves we knew what we were doing.
It was all too insane, the murders and mayhem. Crossing from world to world as ravens, stealing the essence, crystalized to us as glowing gems. I was terrified, knowing we were assembling something horrible for Aureus. Whatever it was, we needed something like the book of evil to tell us how to reverse our efforts and stop Aureus. Except we had no such book and no idea what Aureus was making.
There were yellow robed people who stood frail and short, armed with carved clubs too light to move a croquet ball, let alone cause us any harm. They guarded the gem fiercely, not realizing how much stronger and more violent we were. The Choir cut through them in seconds, glass bottles and chains and a razor sharp clawed hook making short work of the natives of the mirrored city.
After we had killed them all we took the gem, or at least, Jacoby did. He began sneezing and then the ground shook and we all fled, taking him along with us. Jacoby carried the gem as we stood on the raven's gesture, a glowing mist to us, visually. There was no actual mist or my right hand would have ached. We could see it and so could the people around us. Only we were enchanted to fly back home, and they could not follow us. At least that is what we presumed. We never saw them again, but other enemies, such as the Folk of the Shaded Places or the Fen and the Fell or even the cat-umbramancers, could follow us with their teleportation abilities.
We flew back and saw the recursion of the beast-men and the times before the end of Man. There we arrived at Dellfriar, standing throughout the times until the moment we arrived from when we had come. Cory advised me:
"If we don't die trying, perhaps we could fly south, instead of to the castle?"
"We would die." I was certain.
"In almost every probability of seven-out-of-seven." Cory clicked in Corvin. It meant that no other outcome was possible. The exception was when something impossible happened, which is what Cory was saying we should gamble our lives on.
I sighed. I told Cory: "You mean that with a component, presumably the last or most important one, if we have no other option, we fly away from the castle with? I don't know if it is even possible. When we are as ravens we fly in one direction, from or to the castle. We might not even be able to deviate our flight. I am certain we would die."
"Death is always certain." Cory said. He thought it was funny. He added his own favorite joke: "Death will always happen."
"Right." I agreed. We sat and waited in the darkness. The morning brought us our breakfasts in our cells. We sat there and waited for Aureus.
Eventually Aureus came to us. The gem of the mirror people was taken from Jacoby.
I asked Aureus directly:
"How many more gems or jewels will we need?" I asked Aureus.
"You think to know what I am doing?" Aureus asked me.
I felt terrified. Aureus suspected my treachery. Aureus asked me, not sounding too angry, but rather, perplexed: "Piecing together what I am making? Is it another Majara? No. I have designed it myself."
Aureus just stood there blinking at me. I asked, nervously:
"What is it?" I asked. Aureus monologued for a very long time, saying:
"It will make me seventy times more powerful. It will be like I have wishes, no - boons, of the gods. And such would be unlimited. I think I am calling it the Amulet of Aureus. The power of the Majara would be less than this talisman. I know of all of these parts of this thing from Creation, from the pages I have collected. I have learned that each world is part of another world. Each universe is part of another universe. And you see, in nature we can find patterns from all these other worlds. With those patterns it is possible to see into those worlds. And when we look through time and space and see the remnant of those worlds, we have, in our own way, a path to them. So we go and take the shining molecule from each of these worlds, not long before they die anyway. It is just the last spark of a dying ember. It is harmless in the light of the brighter particle within me, enhanced by each of the pieces of the center, than is near mine. There are two suns in the sky, and I intend to become a kind of third. Mine however, is much hungrier. I will be more of what you might call, a black hole."
"You are going to become a black hole?" I asked.
"I already have a piece from one inside of me. It is a hellgate. It can eat anything and possess anyone. I am already hungry and unstoppable." Aureus continued.
"I guess all of us are made of particles that are inevitably stuff from the stars. You're saying one of your particles is from a black hole." I said. "That doesn't make you a black hole. It means that some immeasurable fraction of you is the remnant from something from a very long time ago."
"That's just it. The time doesn't seem to matter. I already know the outcome of this. You find it hopeless and cooperate. All of your friends, the Choir, they are expendable. They all die, or whatever. Fate isn't entirely sealed. We both know what happens to you. I can see it in your eyes that you know your fate. Except it is changing, uncertain. I have one fate and that is to live as a god and then die one day and become as a black hole, as I decompose from my living energy. In part of my consciousness I can feel myself as the black hole, destroying whole galaxies. It is my will, and you are as what you are and I am as what I am. That is who we be. For now you must serve me, because it is your path. Don't change your path." Aureus told me.
"I live until some distant time, then so must you. Or we both die." I said. Aureus considered my forecast and said:
"It doesn't matter if I live to complete this or if I die and become the inward cascading darkness that takes all things into it. The horizon of my mind tells me that the time is irrelevant. Even the age of the whole world is insignificant to the scale of the black hole. My existence, even as a god, is but a speck, and trivial beyond measure, to the awesomeness of the black hole. Remember that the first to be consumed will be you and your crow. Then the whole asylum and then the cities beyond and finally the continents. When those are taken it will be the broken remains of your world and those as crumbs as the worlds of your system are all eaten. Then the very suns of your system, the old and the new, both will be eaten. Those before the other systems and then the whole galaxy are eaten. All of it in the incrementally and exponentially growing moments of time. In the end I shall have eaten an entire galaxy, but it will take forever. For now I am in the very nature of my being. It matters not if I die in this moment or in a thousand years. Such a span of time is forgotten against the awesome and endless aeons of the time I will spend eating the whole galaxy as a black hole. And you see, I am not really afraid to become that because I am conscious of such, in the core of who I am."
"I am not going to betray you, not until I know how." I told Aureus.
"You must do as I tell you, that is the only way you can contribute to this world's longevity." Aureus said and then left me and Cory sitting in my cell.

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---
I know I shouldn’t have expected Portia to still be there, but I was still a bit disappointed and somewhat uncomfortable by the time we arrived at the Desert Rose in Kandota.
“She is not here,” Cailu said with a raised brow.
“Yeah, I know. I see that. Just, uh, give me a little bit to find her.”
“Perhaps she is on her ship,” Cailu continued.
“Let’s check there,” said Tristan, nodding. “This place probably lost its luster pretty quickly. If she’s not there, then we can split up and look for her.”
“Yes,” Cailu said, mirroring his nod, “a fine idea.”
Sure enough, Portia had stripped down to a black bikini as she sat on the edge of her sloop, fishing rod in hand, feet kicking in the wind. She’d grown awfully tan since the last time we saw her—well, more so than usual. Her skin glistened like bronze, beads of sweat littering her body. She adjusted the bottom piece of her bathing suit, exposing incredible tan lines.
Portia gasped and threw the fishing rod behind her before she shot to her feet. “About time you showed up! What in the heck were ya doing? You know how long I’ve been waiting here?”
“Yeah, I know, sorry—” I started.
“Uhh, buh-buh-buh-buh,” Portia interrupted with her index finger held up. “No. No, boy. You listen to me. I am not your personal—” she suddenly stopped, her brow furrowing deeper. “And who… who are these other people?” She inhaled slowly, her eyes widening. “No. Don’t tell me. They’re not coming with us, are they?”
“They’re, uh… coming with us.”
“This boat will not be suitable,” Cailu said, his arms crossed.
“Oh, it’s you,” Portia said, hopping into the shallows. “One loss wasn’t enough for ya, huh?” Portia’s smile continued to tug at one end of her mouth. “Probably don’t even remember me.”
Caliu tilted his head in apparent thought. An expression of realization swept over him. “Ah, yes. You played a fine game of cards. Ages it has been since I was so thoroughly defeated.”
“Wanna go another game? My wallet’s feeling a little light,” she said, wading through the shallows and stepping onto the sand, her eyes digging daggers into me. “Ya know, since someone left me here ages ago and food ain’t free.”
I avoided her gaze.
“What was that you said when you left? ‘This won’t take as long as Shi Island.’ Are you kidding me?”
“Sorry, Portia. A lot of things came up.”
Portia sighed. “I’m sensing a pattern here.” Portia readjusted the strap of her top and put her hands on her hips. “I thought about packing up and leaving.”
“My sincerest apologies,” Tristan offered as he stood forward, a hand on his chest. “We would have contacted you sooner, but the task proved to be much more difficult than we thought it would be. Cailu here,” he gestured to the elf, “assisted us and made sure we saw it through.”
“Hey, okay, fine, cool it.” She looked at me once more. “Always with the eloquence, this one. Hey, you. Matt.” She pointed at me. “This is a sloop, not some grand ship employed by the Queen. We were struggling enough just to make room for yours and Tristan’s Parties.” She did a quick count, frowning deeper with each person she pointed at. “And you want to add three more?”
There’d be no easy way out of this, so I simply nodded my head.
“Yeah,” I said. “We would, uh, need to add three more people.”
Portia set her jaw. “I can’t believe I’m actually doing this. You owe me big, Matt.”
“Mou ii. I’ve got you covered, Portia. For everyone.” Ravyn snatched a sizable bag of Bells from her pack and waved it in the air. “This should help the days we’ve been gone, too.”
Cailu raised a hand and started to say, “I will also—”
“No. You won’t.” Ravyn cut him off. “I’m done owing you shit.”
He stared at her thoughtfully but said nothing else.
Portia reached forward and grabbed the bag, sliding the leather cord to the side and sifting through the Bells. Taking a few out to examine their color and size, she nodded. “This doesn’t let you off the hook, Matt. Not yet.”
I sighed with relief. “Thanks, Portia.”
“Yeah, yeah. Just get on board.”
“Matt,” Cailu said as he set a hand on my shoulder. “May I have a word?”
Oh, great. What is it this time?
“Yeah, sure.” He took me behind a nearby building and leaned against the wall. “What’s this about?”
“A sloop may not be appropriate for the journey to Nyarlothep. I would suggest we port on San Island and embark on a ship from there.”
“Why?”
He frowned. “The tides and Encroachers are vicious, Matt. There is always the potential for a Defiled attack. Portia’s abilities aside, it puts our Parties at great risk. A stronger escort is necessary.”
“Are you sure about that?” I rested my shoulder against the wall opposite. I was grateful for his advice, but what had started as personal advice was starting to sound more like my dad was trying to control the whole ride there. Don’t make me turn this boat around. Frankly, I was getting sick of it.
“Yes. Portia has the right of it. Such a vessel is unfit for an alliance of our size. We risk capsizing the sloop or worse with our numbers.” He glanced around the corner of the building before looking back at me. “I understand if you are attached to Portia. But I must stress the importance of our mission.”
“Right.” I couldn’t stand what I was hearing, but I couldn’t fault him either. If the waters were even half as dangerous as Keke and every other catgirl had told me it was, then his warning of an attack was valid. If that happened, combat on the sloop would be dangerous. I didn’t need any nautical training to know that. “So then, what, you want me to say goodbye to Portia, too?” I regretted the words as soon as they left my mouth.
“Is that what this is about?” Cailu stood away from the wall, straight-backed and imposing in his [Paladin] armor.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean that. Yeah. I know you’re right.” Ceres’s words echoed in my head. Pride tarnishes even the finest of heroes, Kelmer. “So, San Island, then?”
Cailu drew a long breath. He looked like he wanted to say something but abstained. “Allow me to speak with Portia for a time.”
“Why?”
“If she has gained your trust, then I would have her with us when we collect the ship.”
My heart soared. “So, she would be a hand on the deck?” Did I use that term right?
“Aye, that is correct.”
I couldn’t hide my relief. “Then, yeah. Go ahead.”
Cailu nodded and returned to the group. I followed close behind, curious as to what he was about to do. When we returned, Ceres was asking Portia questions about her time away.
“Portia,” Cailu stated.
Ceres stopped mid-sentence and backed away with a bow.
Portia frowned. “What?”
“Matt has informed me that you have been the one to escort him and Tristan around Nyarlea. Is that correct?”
“And the girls. Don’t forget them,” I added.
“I did not.”
Portia smiled. “Yeah, that’s me.”
“Do you have experience on larger ships?”
“Quiz me. I won’t get a single question wrong. My dad was the best there was.” She chuckled. “Named my sloop after him, in fact.”
Cailu rubbed the stubble of his chin with his pointer and thumb fingers. “I have expressed to Matt that a sloop is unsuitable for the journey to Nyarlothep, considering our numbers.”
“Nyarlothep?” Portia’s eyes narrowed in irritation. “Matt, you could’ve led with that.”
“I will ask this. Is this sloop suitable for the journey?”
“No,” Portia said without hesitation. Cailu glanced at me while Portia continued. “If that’s where you need to go next, Matt, then you’re going to need a full-blown ship for that. Especially if you still want to bring everyone here along.”
“So, we have to part with Portia?” Cannoli said, her voice thin.
“Sorry, all,” Portia shrugged. “I can take you somewhere else if you want, but even so, taking this many people on a sloop makes me uncomfortable.”
“How tragic,” Kirti mused.
“Quiet,” Cannoli hissed.
Cailu sighed. “Matt trusts you, and you have managed to escort him to each island on a sloop. So I would like to offer you a position on one of my ships,” he said. As Portia opened her mouth, Cailu interrupted with his hand up. “It would be temporary. You would not be under any obligation to stay on board once we have been delivered to Nyarlothep. Your sloop would be taken care of during the journey.”
“A real ship, huh?” Portia wore a complicated expression. I thought I saw sadness, confusion, anger, and frustration in the way she worked her jaw and wrinkled her nose. “Yeah. Fine.” She extended her hand. “It’s a deal.”
Cailu reciprocated and shook her hand. “We have an accord.”
Once everyone was on board, we set sail for San Island. There was barely any room to stand, let alone walk.
I stood behind Portia for a while. She was quieter than usual, and while I knew it was probably none of my business, I still wanted to know what was going on in her head.
“Hey, you doing okay?” I asked.
Portia took her time to respond. “Yeah. I’m fine.” Her eyes were on the ocean, but her mind seemed to be somewhere else. “Pops always promised to take me on a galleon one day. Just wish he could be here for it.”
“Did he teach you much about them?”
“About as much as a man without a lick of artistic talent could show me.” Portia laughed. “We’ll see what I remember.”
“You can teach this guy without any artistic talent what you learned. I’ll be right here, struggling to keep my balance.”
Portia laughed. “Thanks, Matt. You’re a good guy.”
The rest of the voyage was smooth. We shared the story of Ichi Island with Portia, and with time, she returned to her usual scrappy self.
Two days later when the sun was setting, we arrived on San Island, my back screaming in pain. I longed for a good night’s rest in a comfortable bed with a few good drinks in my belly. We’d taken turns in the one extra cabin, earning about two hours worth of a nap each. I was too afraid of falling off the boat to sleep otherwise. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one, as there was a collection of yawns as we stepped out onto the Port of Meow.
“Gosh, feels like ages since I’ve been here,” I said.
“Nostalgic, huh?” Keke said, taking to my side.
I thought back to the fight we had right before stepping onto the port. We were bloodied from the battle with the fishcats. At the time, Cannoli looked like she’d seen a ghost. Now, well…
Yeah, I’ll just agree. Probably not a great memory to revisit— “Ye—”
“You mean when we were caked in blood?” Ravyn asked, half-laughing. “Very nostalgic.”
Why is she like this?
Cailu offered praise and smiles to the girls who approached us en masse upon our arrival. It was wild seeing him swap personalities in seconds. Words that sounded almost disgustingly charming came out of his mouth, his sour demeanor returning within seconds of their departure.
I still couldn’t stand this guy.
Cailu led us around the port’s lip. We passed by several merchant vessels, a wide variety of catgirls unloading crates from the neighboring ships. Unlike the ones earlier, these girls didn’t seem to care one way or the other about Cailu, Tristan, and myself.
“There,” Cailu said without stopping. “That is my ship.”
‘Large’ couldn’t even begin to describe this boat. It looked straight out of a pirate movie. Flags of white with the same emblem Cailu wore upon his breastplate fluttered in the wind. The wood was dark and suspiciously clean for a piece of wood that sank in the salty water all day. I didn’t have the words to describe what a gargantuan and beautiful piece of craftsmanship it was.
“What is that called?” I asked, pointing at the center flag.
“Oh, that’s—” Portia started.
“That—” Ceres interrupted.
The two apologized in unison.
“I forgot you liked ships, Ceres,” Portia noted.
“Yes, I adore them. As a kitten, I learned to build ships in bottles.” Ceres tapped the tips of her fingers together. “It was something of an obsession of mine.”
“Why don’t you tell Matt what that’s called, then?” Portia smiled.
“The main mast!” she proclaimed proudly. “The one behind it is the mizzen mast, and the last one is—” She stopped and smiled wide. “I shall give Sir Matt a hint.”
Oh boy, here we go.
Ceres’s boots clicked against the stones as she moved to stand in front of me, her hands behind her. “What precedes the word ‘after’?”
Picture of elegance, this one. Okay, uh, let’s see. “Before?” I cringed.
“Yes!” She turned and pointed to the mast once more. “Therefore, the mast at the front is called…”
“The… before mast?”
Portia put a hand to her mouth and snickered. “Close.”
I buried my face in my hand. “Just tell me.”
“The foremast!” Ceres said.
“You know your stuff, Ceres,” Portia said, smiling.
Cailu cleared his throat and stood before us. “Once I give the word, we will depart by sunrise tomorrow.”
“Hah?” Ravyn balked. “Can’t we just sleep in for one fucking day?”
My legs were killing me, so I raised my hand. “I second that.”
To my relief, Tristan also raised his hand. “Please. I am exhausted. I’d love to spend a day on San Island, anyway.”
One by one, we all raised our hands. Even Kirti.
Cailu sighed. “Fine. We shall rest for two days.”
“Two days?” I asked.
“Yes. It is important that we leave by sunrise. You may do as you wish until then.” Cailu departed, his cape billowing as he walked, Kirti at his side.
Tristan nodded to an expectant Zahra. She offered a bow and ran to catch up with Cailu.
In two days, we’ll be on our way to Nyarlothep.
​
Matt Pro Tip: We're nearly there. . . . but damn if I'm not looking forward to a night to relax.
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Let's hang on Discord!

I'll just post what was said.
Absolutely! Let's dive into an exciting cooperative scenario, set within the universe of BattleTech.
Scenario: The Falling Star
The year is 3025. Your team is a band of mercenary MechWarriors, contracted by the government of the planet Aldebaran IV, located within the Periphery. An unknown force has taken control of an old Star League-era orbital defense satellite, named the "Falling Star", and has begun bombarding the planet's major population centers.
Your team's objective is to infiltrate the enemy's ground-based control facility for the Falling Star, neutralize the defense systems, and override the control of the satellite. The facility is located within a fortified mountainous region, and it is swarming with enemy Mechs and armored units.
Automated Enemies:

1. Patrolling Mechs: These Mechs patrol predefined paths around the facility. If a player's Mech is spotted (enters their line of sight), they break their patrol pattern and pursue the player, attacking on sight. After losing sight of a player for three consecutive turns, they return to their patrol.
   
2. Turret Defense Systems: Turrets are scattered throughout the facility. They have a fixed firing arc and will shoot any player's Mech entering their field of fire. Turrets are immobile but heavily armored, making them a substantial threat.
   
3. Reinforcements: Each turn after the alarm is triggered (either by entering a turret's line of sight or attacking a patrolling Mech), roll a dice. On a roll of 4 or higher, a new enemy Mech is deployed from the facility's hangar and starts moving toward the players' last known position.
   

Victory Conditions:
Your team is victorious if they can infiltrate the control center and override the satellite controls. This requires a player to reach a specific point within the control center and spend two uninterrupted turns overriding the system (without being attacked).
Loss Conditions
The mission fails if all player Mechs are destroyed or disabled.
Remember, cooperation is key. Players should share information about enemy movements and plan their approach strategically to avoid the alarm triggering too early. Making use of the mountainous terrain for cover, coordinating attacks, and prioritizing targets based on threat level can all contribute to a successful mission.
This should give you a high-stakes, cooperative scenario with a variety of challenges for your team to overcome. Adjust the number and strength of enemy units as needed to maintain balance and keep the game enjoyable.
He then asked to expand on the fallen star campaign. There were several options created from prompts but he chose to do that scenario. Here is the expanded information.
⭐ Falling star scenario details.. The enemy loadout and total Battle Value (BV) of your team will greatly depend on the skill level of your players, how challenging you want the game to be, and the specific Mechs you have available for play. However, I can provide you with a balanced starting point that you can then adjust to fit your needs.
Let's set up the enemy forces:

1. Patrolling Mechs:

• Locust LCT-1V: Light Mech, known for its speed and agility. It's armed with a medium laser and two machine guns. BV around 400.
  
• Hunchback HBK-4G: Medium Mech, heavily armored and armed with an AC/20 and two medium lasers. This Mech is slower but can deal significant damage. BV around 1,000.
  

1. Reinforcements:

• Centurion CN9-A: Medium Mech, balanced in speed, armor, and firepower, armed with an AC/10, two medium lasers, and an LRM-10. BV around 900.
  
• Thunderbolt TDR-5S: Heavy Mech, sturdy and well-armed with a large laser, LRM-10, SRM-2, and three medium lasers. BV around 1,300.
  

To keep the game balanced, I suggest giving your team a total Battle Value of about 4,000-4,500. This should provide enough firepower to deal with the threats while still making the scenario challenging. For example, your team could include:

1. Raven RVN-3L: Light Mech, well-equipped for scouting and evasion, and armed with an SRM-6 and two medium lasers. BV around 1,000.
   
2. Griffin GRF-1N: Medium Mech, a good all-rounder, equipped with an LRM-10 and a PPC. BV around 1,200.
   
3. Warhammer WHM-6R: Heavy Mech, packing a serious punch with two PPCs, two SRM-6s, and four medium lasers. BV around 1,700.
   

Remember, these are just guidelines. Feel free to adjust the enemy composition, your team's total BV, and the specific Mechs used to fit your group's preferences and the miniatures you have available. The goal is to have an enjoyable and challenging game, so tweak the parameters as needed to achieve that.
Turrets in BattleTech can come in various forms and can be armed with a variety of weapons. For the "Falling Star" scenario, it might be best to include two different types of turrets: Laser Turrets for direct damage, and LRM Turrets for long-range bombardment. Here are their suggested stats:

1. Laser Turret

• Armor: 30
• Structure: 10
• Weapons: 2 Medium Lasers, 1 Large Laser
• Heat Sinks: 10
• Battle Value: Approximately 150

These turrets are stationary but pose a significant threat if not taken care of. They have a good range and firepower but can't track targets that are too close.

1. LRM Turret

• Armor: 30
• Structure: 10
• Weapons: 2 LRM 10 Launchers
• Ammo: 24 rounds each
• Heat Sinks: 2
• Battle Value: Approximately 200

LRM Turrets can be a threat to even the farthest targets on the battlefield. However, they're less effective at short ranges due to the minimum effective range of LRM launchers.
Turrets can't move or evade, but they're typically heavily armored, making them hard to destroy. They have a 360-degree firing arc, but remember that weapons in BattleTech have minimum as well as maximum ranges. Players will need to consider this as they move around the battlefield.
Feel free to adjust these stats as you see fit to maintain the balance and fun of your game.
The number of turrets in the "Falling Star" scenario would depend on the balance you want to maintain and how challenging you'd like the scenario to be for the players. A mix of both Laser and LRM Turrets can keep the players on their toes and make them strategize their moves more cautiously.
For the scenario, you could consider having:

• 2-3 Laser Turrets: Positioned strategically around the facility or guarding crucial access points.
• 2-3 LRM Turrets: Spread across the map to provide a wider coverage and to dissuade players from staying too far from the facility.

Having around 4-6 turrets in total should provide a challenge without overwhelming the players, especially when combined with the patrolling Mechs. The Laser Turrets will prevent players from rushing directly into the facility, while the LRM Turrets will deter them from staying at long range and picking off enemies without any danger.
Remember, the goal is to create an engaging and challenging scenario, not to overwhelm the players to the point of frustration. If the players find the game too challenging or too easy, adjust the number of turrets or their placement as necessary.
Edit: I thought that the idea of ai generating something like this to be really cool. I especially liked how much detail it put into the scenarios. I only posted one scenario but there were several other options.

Preface: There’s really no way to look back at the Chargers’ 2022 season without starting at the end. The team blew a 27-0 lead to the Jaguars in the wild card round in what can only be described as the peak of decades of cruelty by the football gods directed at the Chargers. In a year that began with Super Bowl aspirations thanks to an extremely talented on-paper roster, and included a regular season of injury after injury after injury (Justin Herbert, Rashawn Slater, Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, etc.), the finale could not have been more crushing. Criticism and ridicule has rained down on head coach Brandon Staley and offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi, and the latter was promptly fired at the end of the season to the rejoicing of fans everywhere.
But now we begin, again. The Super Bowl hopes are very much alive. The roster saw very few changes in free agency as the front office and coaching staff clearly believe the failure of the 2022 season was generally not an issue with the assembled players. But there is a much higher sense of urgency this year, and it’s not an exaggeration to say the team is going “all in” on the final cheap year of Justin Herbert’s rookie deal. Contracts have been structured in a way that will force significant cuts after the 2023 season just to get the team to salary cap compliance. This year may be do-or-die for both Tom Telesco and Brandon Staley.

Free Agency Recap

Losses: G Matt Feiler, LB Drue Tranquill, EDGE Kyle Van Noy, QB Chase Daniel, CB Bryce Callahan, WR Deandre Carter, S Nasir Adderley, LB Troy Reeder, DL Breiden Fehoko, WR Michael Bandy, OT Storm Norton
Five starters on this list: Feiler, Tranquill, Callahan, Carter, and Adderley. Letting Drue Tranquill leave is by far the most controversial decision here, especially since he ended up going to the Chiefs. He played very well last year, but seems like the idea here is that he was a factor in the defense’s struggle against the run. Feiler was a disaster last season after a great 2021, and Jamaree Salyer should be an immediate upgrade. Callahan is still a free agent and a reunion is not out of the question. Van Noy was great as a fill-in when Bosa was injured, but the team wants to get younger at the position. Carter was a quiet signing who outperformed his contract and provided much needed depth but again, too old. Adderley was benched in the season finale and then retired. The rest were backups and rotational players.
Additions: LB Eric Kendricks, DL Nick Williams
That’s it, that’s the list. Eric Kendricks steps in as the starter next to Kenneth Murray who he can hopefully help mentor into being a good linebacker. And theoretically, he will be an upgrade in run defense over Drue Tranquill. Williams was signed after the draft as insurance for the injured Austin Johnson and Otito Ogbonnia. He may not make the team. The Chargers used most of the rest of their cap space re-signing free agents like Trey Pipkins, Morgan Fox, and Donald Parham. They still have about $12.5M to work with, pending the upcoming Justin Herbert mega-deal.

Draft Needs

WR: The trio of Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, and Josh Palmer is one of the best in the league. However, with their contracts, there’s really no chance Allen and Williams will be Chargers in 2024. This group also lacks a speed element.
EDGE: Similar to WR, the starting duo of Bosa and Mack is elite but they are expensive and getting older. The depth behind them is just Chris Rumph.
TE: Gerald Everett is solid but on the last year of his deal. Donald Parham has potential but can’t stay healthy. Tre’ McKitty is a blocking TE who isn’t a very good blocker.
CB: JC Jackson is an enormous question mark, both from a health and performance standpoint. Michael Davis is a free agent after 2023. Ja’Sir Taylor is penciled in as the starting slot corner after very limited playing time last year.
OL: This is the strongest starting five the Chargers have had in a decade but the depth behind them both inside and out is weak.
LB: Eric Kendricks and Kenneth Murray will start, but Murray is auditioning to be on the team next year and Kendricks is old. The depth behind them is just Nick Niemann and Amen Ogbongbemiga.
S: JT Woods was a 2022 3rd round pick but barely played in 2022. Alohi Gilman stepped up when needed, but relying on him to start is risky.
RB: Austin Ekeler requested a trade, and even though it looked very unlikely to happen, the team needs to think about life after him in 2024. Neither Josh Kelley or Isaiah Spiller have shown they can handle a full workload.
KPR: With Deandre Carter’s departure, the team has no one with real return experience.

The Draft

1.21: Quentin Johnston - WR, TCU
In hindsight, this pick should have been more obvious. The Chargers have been very strict about their size thresholds for wide receivers over the years, and despite countless debates about Johnston vs Zay Flowers vs Jordan Addison, the big guy from TCU won out. This was an immediately controversial pick among fans as many believed the speedy Flowers or the crafty Addison would be more suited to filling the biggest need in this position group: speed and separation. But while Johnston may not be your traditional deep threat, his game speed and GPS tracking data suggest a more dynamic skillset than he showed at the combine. And one area where he does beat those two guys that was probably overlooked as a need: run after catch ability. Johnston was elite at that in college, and that looks to be his primary role for the Chargers. New OC Kellen Moore will use him like he did Ceedee Lamb in Dallas. And since he will start the year at number three on the depth chart at best, he won’t be under pressure to carry the offense as a rookie while he learns from the veterans in front of him.
2.54: Tuli Tuipulotu - EDGE, USC
After WR, the Chargers’ clear next biggest need was at EDGE and Tuli was the consensus best available. The team has also shown a penchant for drafting local kids from USC and UCLA over the last few years. He was extremely productive in his final season in college where he put up 13.5 sacks playing both on the edge and the interior. In the draft process, many people questioned if he would bulk up to be a full time DT or slim down to play the EDGE. It ended up being the latter as he weighed 266lbs at the combine. Tuli will provide valuable depth behind Bosa and Mack as a rookie, while also having the opportunity to play inside on passing downs like he did in college.
3.85: Daiyan Henley - LB, Washington State
The Chargers lost two linebackers to free agency: Drue Tranquill and Troy Reeder. Tranquill was the team’s best coverage linebacker, and Reeder was key depth while also being a core special teams player. Enter Daiyan Henley, who could fill both of those roles by himself. With Kenneth Murray likely off the team in 2024, Henley has the opportunity to earn a starting job over the course of the season. He is a recent convert to the linebacker position and there is still much room for growth. At the very least, he will be an immediate special teams contributor. Staley and Telesco both raved about his prowess in that phase of the game after picking him.
*4.125: Derius Davis - WR, TCU *
Another TCU receiver! This pick was definitely a surprise, as many people projected him to be a late day 3 pick. But the Chargers coaching staff said after the draft that they believed he was the best return man available, and that they wanted to draft a starter in the 4th round. Davis was indeed one of the best returners in the country at TCU, and also can add some juice on offense even if he ends up limited to a gadget role. Either way, here’s some killer speed for the Chargers offense.
5.156: Jordan McFadden - OL, Clemson
In the last few drafts, the Chargers have shown a lot of love for late round tackle-to-guard converts. Jamaree Salyer was the steal of the 2022 draft in the sixth round. McFadden played both tackle and guard in college on both sides of the line, and some scouts believe he may even be able to play some center. For the Chargers he will compete with Brenden Jaimes for the swing guard role, and maybe even push Foster Sarrell to be the swing tackle. Key depth for a position group that needed it.
6.200: Scott Matlock - DL, Boise State
Matlock is a solid run defender with some pass rush upside who will get to learn behind a strong trio of veteran starters. And with Austin Johnson and Otito Ogbonnia both rehabbing major knee injuries, he may end up seeing some decent playing time this season. I’m very intrigued by his upside, and Staley has a good track record of getting good play from late round DTs.
7.239: Max Duggan - QB, TCU
The Los Angeles Horned Frogs are ready to take the NFL by storm in 2023 (hopefully to face the Philadelphia Bulldogs in a championship rematch). The Chargers historically have carried three QBs on the active roster, and with only two signed going into the draft, it seemed like a strong possibility they would pick one. So here’s Max Duggan, who despite leading TCU to the Natty was generally not loved by scouts. He has a ton of athletic ability but the finer points of playing QB need to be worked on. There is absolutely potential to be a long term backup to Justin Herbert though, if he can beat out Easton Stick.
Notable UDFAs
Jerrod Clark - DL, Coastal Carolina: Most people expected Clark to be drafted, and the Chargers gave him a lot of money for a UDFA. I would not be surprised at all to see him make the roster as an additional run defender.
Cam Jones - CB, Ohio State: Another guy who could have been drafted, there are depth spots at corner up for grabs and Jones is an intriguing option.
Tiawan Mullen - CB, Indiana: Mullen used to have a pretty high draft stock but fell hard in the process. The Chargers are thin at slot corner and he could earn a role.
Mikel Jones - LB, Syracuse: There’s a wide open competition for ILB5 that will most likely be decided by special teams.

Roster Prediction

QB (3): Justin Herbert, Easton Stick, Max Duggan
RB (5): Austin Ekeler, Joshua Kelley, Isaiah Spiller, Larry Rountree, Zander Horvath
WR (5): Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Josh Palmer, Quentin Johnston, Derius Davis
TE (4): Gerald Everett, Donald Parham, Tre’ McKitty, Stone Smartt
OT (3): Rashawn Slater, Trey Pipkins, Foster Sarrell
OG (4): Zion Johnson, Jamaree Salyer, Brenden Jaimes, Jordan McFadden
C (2): Corey Linsley, Will Clapp
EDGE (4): Joey Bosa, Khalil Mack, Tuli Tuipulotu, Chris Rumph
IDL (6): Sebastian Joseph-Day, Austin Johnson, Morgan Fox, Otito Ogbonnia, Scott Matlock, Jerrod Clark
LB (5): Kenneth Murray, Eric Kendricks, Daiyan Henley, Nick Niemann, Amen Ogbongbemiga
CB (5): Michael Davis, Asante Samuel Jr., JC Jackson, Ja’Sir Taylor, Deane Leonard
S (4): Derwin James, Alohi Gilman, JT Woods, Mark Webb
K (1): Cameron Dicker
P (1): JK Scott
LS (1): Josh Harris

Conclusion

Super Bowl or bust.

(Edited to add: I absolutely did not watch from their YouTube channel. I watched through a third-party link)
I almost counted the number of duck faces Morgan pulls during this video, but I think my brain would explode, but I did count hair touches! Let’s get into it.
0:15 – OMG this video is UnIqUe and SpEciAL, guys
0:25 – prayer for Sky Daddy to use their words in the white – I mean, RIGHT way, ft. Morgan’s SUPER weird “Ay-MAYn” at the end
0:57 – Youtube influencer is not an EASY profession; this “heat” we’re taking is affecting our BRAND DEALS (Morgan hair touch #1)
1:17 – shameless Patreon plug
1:30 – Morgan has prepared a monologue which Paul interrupts before she even begins. Sterilized statement about how they definitely believe people were hurt by the IBLP and that those people deserve to heal. “We believe that anyone who tries to use the word of God to manipulate and control people will be held accountable, maybe in this lifetime, but most certainly in the next lifetime.” “These documentaries serve a purpose” but they aren’t made by Christians (how can they even TELL that?), so they are Bad. “They don’t allow the gospel to be shared.” These kinds of documentaries push the deconstruction of Christianity as the only option, obviously. (Total hair touches during this section: 8.)
4:53 – “Look at my wife, she can read! Isn’t she cute?” – Paul, probably (Morgan looks so thrilled to have been allowed to speak for that long) (2 hair touches during his praise)
5:10 – Our patrons (all eleven of them!) wanted all the deets so that’s why we’re doing this! Not for the attention, you see!
5:30 – Morgan: “You may not care at all, which makes me wonder why are you even on this video.” For science, Morgan! For science! I need to know how many times one human can touch their hair in 45 minutes!
5:45 – Paul’s like, “these documentaries aren’t factual! These people are in it for the money! They’re trying to make entertaining content, so you’ll watch and give them more money!” Me: super side eye emoji (Hair touch count up to now: 12)
Guys guess what! Integrity wasn’t a leading goal for the film makers! They’re not like US!!! WE definitely wouldn’t do something just for money because we’re GOOD CHRISTIANS.
6:50 – They were super cautious going into this, just so that we all know. There were back and forths! “We knew someone who went on the Bachelorette! But don’t watch it or anything, for sure.” “We’ve seen how they twist situations to villanize ppl on these shows – especially Christians for SURE – and we told them we don’t WANT that mess.” “They told us they wouldn’t do that and we believed them, guys.” (Morgan hair touches during this section: only 1!)
8:20 – AgEnDa-DriVeN DoCuMeNtArY
9:00 – Fucking finally they’re getting to the story. They say they were reached out to about a year ago and ignored it, then were kind of hounded into it. It was pitched to them as a docuseries about how reality TV has affected online Christian influencers. They were cautious but thought it could be “cool” and “neat.” The production team said it was going to be like the “LuLaRich” docuseries, which Morgan really enjoyed. (Morgan touched her hair TWELVE times in two and a half minutes. Total now: 25)
11:30 – Side note: I’ve never watched a full video of theirs before. Does Paul always constantly correct Morgan or is this a special case for their special video? Every time he does it, she looks away from him and I can literally SEE her resetting and shoving any irritation down to deal with later (or never, ya know).
Also, they’re pissed bc in LuLaRich, there were all sides to the story, whereas in SHP there were not, but guess what Porgan – if you watch to the end of the final episode, it says the production team reached out to other parties and they declined to appear on the series. They were given an opportunity and turned it down, so…
12:00 – WE DIDN’T EVEN KNOW WHAT THE IBLP WAS, YOU GUYS! WAAAH
(I think I missed a hair touch but I WILL NOT rewind this shit AGAIN)
12:45 – Paul’s family “touched the surface” of IBLP, but it was “very very little.” His parents thought most of it was “too extreme.” (2 hair touches)
13:00 – They made sure there wasn’t an NDA “PrAiSe GoD.” (1 hair touch)
13:45 – Paul demonstrates he has no idea how long pregnancy lasts – “You were what, 12 months pregnant at the time?” “12 WEEKS, idiot” (she didn’t say idiot but I WISH she had)
14:15 – But they TREATED us so WELL when they interviewed us!?!?!? They were SO NICE!?!?
14:34 – “It’s not like we’re idiots!” Au contraire, my Polio
15:00 – Evidently they talked about “heavy, cultural topics” during the interview but it was all cut. Paul confesses there’s “some overlap” between what they believe and what the IBLP teaches. The production team told them if they had merch or a book, to release it alongside the docuseries bc “you guys are about to blow up.” (total hair touches: 29 so far)
16:43 – Watching the docuseries: We may have made an oopsie. (Porgan, basically) Also, Morgan didn’t know what the phrase “bad actors should be exposed” meant. Wtf.
17:15 – Bad ppl should get in trouble, victims should be heard. “Where do we fit in this docuseries? Oh wait…” (3 more hair touches)
18:00 – We made a video condemning Josh Duggar! Doesn’t anybody remember that??? (2 hair touches)
19:15 – I will not say that Morgan is self-medicating in any way, but if she HAD been, it would have kicked in about now. She slurs her way through “differentiation” and it’s truly painful to watch. Also neither of them has heard of the Joshua Generation, but I’m assuming it’s only bc Luca isn’t old enough for them to start receiving emails and pamphlets about it yet. I got several when my kids were about eight and nine-ish. (There was a BIG hair touch here, so I’m counting it as two; sue me)
20:15 – “It was NOT a 360 view! It was a 180 view – which Paul accidentally wrote – “ “Ha, yeah. Right.” Did NOT look pleased about that comment from Morgan and he steamrolled through it. Morgan says the ppl who have deconstructed HATE faith, God, anyone who believes, religion – Paul says that’s sure what it felt like to him. Also guys, did you know that we are out to DESTROY people like them? I didn’t even know bc I’m having too much fun watching them destroy themselves.
21:15 – “Experts” in BIG finger quotations that were interviewed who are no longer Christians are STRUGGLING in life – I’m sure it’s not because they were abused or anything; it’s definitely the WORLD, Paul. For sure. (1 hair touch – total so far: 35)
22:02 – Jen gets a shoutout!
22:25 – We are the “fringe on the other side,” guys! Thinking about making that my new flair fr.
22:45 – More slurring from Morgan – don’t worry, she’s not mad! She stands by everything she said in all the clips they played. She’s only mad bc they LIED to them about what they were using their soundbites for. (4 hair touches)
23:32 – I’m going to die before this video ends. Someone send help.
23:50 – The other people interviewed for the series seem hurt, confused, struggling in their lives. (Not the vibe I got, but go off I guess)
24:00 – OMG you guys, there's a reddit hate group of TROLLS that hate Christians! We should definitely stay away from THAT place omg!!!
The documentary had an AgEnDa. Paul pauses here for a DEEP SIGH.
24:45 – Morgan says the documentary is saying that anyone who thinks homeschooling, order of leadership, going to church is a good thing is an extremist, terrible, fringe, awful. IBLP took a little piece of the Bible and ran with it (sound familiar? Bueller? Anyone?). (4 hair touches)
25:35 – They aren’t like that, so don’t worry! Figure it out on your own, using your own Bible! They aren’t perfect at all and don’t pretend to be! (if I roll my eyes any harder, they will get stuck in the back of my head)
26:23 – Pissed bc in the series, they are presented as the Joshua Generation, they spend a moment comparing the Joshua Generation to the left – liberal colleges, LGBTQ movement, pro- choice movement, etc. Reiterate they don’t know what the Joshua Generation is, tho. Leftists are trying to take over the world, apparently. “Gaslighting” and “hogwash” were said in this rant. (only one hair touch! Total so far – 44)
29:ish – Morgan promotes Jinger’s book, Paul corrects her word choice (AGAIN, Jesus). The GOSPEL is in that book, but not in this docuseries! Spoiler: Jinger did it right bc she “disentangled” not “deconstructed,” and got right with the word of GAWD. (1 hair touch)
30:45 – “If you haven’t deconstructed, you’re part of the problem,” Paul thinks the docuseries is saying. Morgan wonders if Jill was roped into this without knowing fully what she was going to be part of bc in case you guys haven’t picked up on it yet, THAT’S WHAT HAPPENED TO PAUL AND MORGAN. Paul thinks she knew what she was getting into. Morgan thinks Jill looks like she’s still working through things with her family. Morgan says Jim Bob did some “messed up things to his children…Disgusting…money hungry…needs to be held accountable.” Morgan then mentions that she hasn’t finished Jinger’s book yet, so she’s definitely an expert. (2 hair touches)
33:00 – Morgan thinks it’s “interesting” that Jinger and Jill view their upbringing differently. Weird how people aren’t all the same! (2 bonus hair touches!)
33:30 – Paul said the docuseries made him start to look at the way he was raised to see if maybe there was anything fishy about it, so that’s positive, right?
34:00 – Oh, wait. Should have known better. He comes out of that experience with, welllllll Christians SHOULD be seen as extreme in some ways – the Bible talks about Christians being hated by the world, stench in the nostrils of unbelievers – so it’s totally fine, you guys. He’s embracing extremism now. “Wear it proudly! Pride month, baby!” Brb. Gotta go vomit.
34:45 – Paul begins talking about how he was just casually reading today in Acts – he's definitely not a Pharisee or anything. Side note: if he says “SoUrCeS” one more time with BIG air quotes, I will hit something. Paul’s takeaway from the story he just read today in the book of Acts (where the apostle Paul says he counts his life as forfeit) is that the sources in the docuseries (whom he doesn’t respect, SHOCKER) would tell him he should just be happy and stop being an extremist! Stop being an IDIOT, apostle Paul!
35:29 – Morgan says that Christianity in itself is extreme to the world. I’m loving where this is going. /s
She says the world is “self first” and Jesus is “serve first.” I definitely don’t think she understands that they very much put themselves first in everything they do; when was the last time you or Paul actually SERVED anyone else something besides cringey videos, Morgy?
35:50 – Paul says they could come into any strong, good church and make them look like a cult. Huh. Shouldn’t be that easy, my guy. Maybe try making it seem like less of a cult? For PR.
36:12 – Morgan – “Put intense music behind anything and it sounds crazy. Make a girl be like, ‘And then, I had to pee!’” fake crying, big hair touch
Paul – “And THIS church believes THIS about the LGBTQ – I mean, that’s what the Bible says” SHOW me where it says that, Paul. I’ll wait.
“And they believe THIS about women’s rights! Well, we believe that children are valuable in the womb” – just not once they’re out of it, right?
36:35 – They stand behind everything they said in the documentary!
37:00 – They’re going to homeschool poor Luca – shocker
37:12 – big hair touch, weird high-five-amen about not letting anyone else influence their child
37:25 – Paul rejects all that “evolution stuff” and then does this weird bit where he pretends to be meek and mild and say that if he actually cared what ppl think of him, he would act this way and say he believes in evolution to “save face”
38:00 – Morgan’s giggle makes me want to unalive myself
38:19 – Paul reads statement from his phone about how they don’t like being lumped in with super fundamentalists and how IBLP isn’t based on scripture, but man-made laws and wasn’t Gospel-focused. I feel like they’re about to do an altar call
39:05 – oh shit I was almost right – “It’s not works-based, there’s nothing you can do. Christ already did it for you.” “Amen. Amen. AY. Men.” Weird prayer hands by Morgan, who seems more out of it by the second.
39:16 – “Guys, give this video a thumbs up!” Yay, two Duggar-affiliated people followed them on Insta! Morgan does heart-hands about that
40:ish – Morgan encouraging ppl who think they might be in a church that twists the word to go to the BIBLEH for the TROOFS – Paul amen’s like four times. It IS a sermon, complete with scripture! My favorite!
41:ish (I’m tired, don’t judge) – weirdly sped-up talk about how they don’t get many brand deals bc they only put out Christian content (suuuuure THAT'S why, Jan), and Patreon is important! SUPER weird handshake and at the end they say “GO TEAM” and it’s just so cringe I can’t anymore thank goodness it’s over omgggggg
The total hair touch count was FIFTY (50!). You’re welcome.

Background: I left a DV situation 5 years ago with my son. I landed a good job, but was still living paycheck to paycheck. All of my savings went towards summer childcare.
I worked at the same job for almost 5 years but was laid off 3 months ago. I used all of my savings to pay rent. Last month (May) I overdrafted my bank account to pay for my phone because I have been applying for jobs and need the number that is on my resume. This is where I messed up.
I received an email today saying my bank account will be closed if the debt is not satisfied within 10 days. I called to verify and I guess an account that is overdrafted for 30+ days will be closed and sent to collections. I didn’t know this was a thing, and if I did, I wouldn’t have done it.
I qualified for emergency rental assistance for this month, but the payment will be going to the account that may be closed soon. (Payment would’ve been sent to my landlord faster but they didn’t want to receive money from DES directly)
There’s a small chance the money will be deposited before the 10 days is up, in that case I’m in the clear. But I need to make a plan if that doesn’t work out.
Option #1: The church I grew up in offered to secure a deposit for a studio apartment. Pro is it would be much less expensive going forward, con is I would be evicted from my current place and have that on my credit report.
Option #2: open a new bank account and redirect the funds there, but this could take up to another 20 days, and by then I may already be evicted.
Please help. I don’t have anyone that made it out of poverty to go to for guidance.
Edit: I live in Arizona and currently bank with a credit union

I was out of town for a week and a half and when I got back I went to the mailbox and saw an notice to pick something up from USPS. I went to USPS and they said they had JUST sent back the envelope back to sender since it was there too many days unclaimed.
I sent an e-request to ask for it to be remailed, and after 30 days of waiting, they replied back with: Please contact the USCIS Contact Center to verify your address and request your document to be re-mailed.
I have called the 1-800 number but there are no option to have it re-mailed. I cannot get anyone on the phone to ask for it to be mailed back to me. I just sent another e-request, but what other options do I have so they can mail my certificate back?

I work in a Homeowners service department and am at my wits end. I’m am so tired of nasty, rude, entitled and ignorant customers. I’ve almost hung up my headset and walked out multiple times this week.
I’m always incredibly nice and professional. I do my very best to ensure every person on my line gets exactly what they need. In return, all I get is abuse on at least 50% of my calls.
I can deal with constantly being interrupted, talked over, the usual general bitching about whatever the issue is. That’s fine, whatever. What I can’t deal with is the back to back calls from adult toddlers.
Here a short list of some situations I’ve dealt with over the last few weeks:

• Before I even have the policy number, I have a man dropping F bombs, threatening lawyers, asking me stupid rhetorical questions like “do you think I’m a moron and I can’t see what’s going on here?” Get the policy number finally, look at the billing, his payment was returned due to invalid account number. Proceeds to yell about the last rep making a mistake, how for some reason he shouldn’t have to make a payment now?, more random screaming about lawyers. Once I look a little further, turns out he made the payment through the automated phone system and input the number himself. Great times.
  
• A few folks pissed off at their claims adjuster. Cue the screaming lawyer talk. Explain to them I’m in service, that I do not have access to any claims information and have no power or authority to do anything regarding what they are upset about. These people will argue and bitch and scream for 25 minutes because they don’t want to be transferred to the claims department. Go ask for a manager over there, I can’t help you.
  
• Policy being canceled due to customer failing to communicate with the inspection company for over a month. The company called multiple times to order an inspection. It’s clearly documented. Cue more screaming.
  
• My personal favorite: a woman kept me on the phone for 45 min to beg and cry about at 60.00 yearly rate increase. I get it. It sucks to have to keep dishing out more and more money every year. However, you’re also in CA and should thank your lucky stars it was only 60.00. She refused to send in any proof of an alarm system to add a discount (ya know, I had the audacity to ask her to do such a thing), refused to even speak about her coverages and wanted me to put it in writing that I would personally make sure her discounts don’t diminish next year and her rate won’t increase… After about 30 min of this back and forth garbage, I finally tell her I do not have a magic wand to waive her premium and if she is unwilling to even go over or submit basic information she should contact her insurance commissioner and find a new company. She continued on for another 15 min about how I am a liar, I should lower her premium because she is a good person and then rambled on again about the audacity of having to prove an alarm system. I quit responding. I sat there for 15 minutes with my headset on mute waiting for her to hang up.
  

Thanks for listening.

I wasn't going to do a trip write up at all, but I'm planning a return trip in the Fall and I realized some of the things I learned on my first trip might be useful for other people, so here we go! I don't often see post write ups from people who are specifically into rhythm games/ arcades/ anime stuff
 
Dates: March 8 - 24, 2023 Background: Planned this trip mostly for myself but one of my friends decided to tag along fairly last minute. I had planned to spend the whole trip in Tokyo but the one thing she wanted to do was Kyoto, so we added a side trip + a very pleasant day at a Ryokan. I used Wanderlog to plan (HIGHLY recommend, this site is amazing), and my basic daily itinerary was morning shrine > pick an area to explore and have 1-2 major things per day. The person I was travelling with ended up taking a long ass time to get ready each day, so most of my morning stuff got cut or rearranged. Costs: I will fully admit I did not budget for food/ shopping, 100% vibes. I simply do not acknowledge what I spent

• Flight: $1,500 (Delta from MSP > SEA > Haneda. Direct from MSP had not resumed yet)
• Hotels: ¥314,000 (Roughly $2,300 USD for all 3 hotels total) [¥205,000 (Tokyu Stay Tsukiji, 15 nights) + ¥30,000 (Tokyu Stay Kyoto, 2 nights) + ¥79,000 (Kyokoyado Muromachi Yutone Kyoto, 1 night)]
• Shinkansen: ¥42,000 for 2 round trip tickets from Tokyo/Kyoto and back. Roughly $300 USD, machine did not take foreign CC only cash

Highlights

• The Kingdom Hearts concert, I maxed out my luck on this trip and we were able to see this on it's last night in Tokyo. Absolutely incredible!!
• Sushi Yuu, Roppongi (omakase sushi for about ¥20,000 per person, we paid more with drinks)
• ShibuyaSky, the open air viewing makes the experience so much better, plus there's a bunch of different spots to hang out up on the observation deck
• Fushimi Inari, the whole shrine blew me out of the water, absolutely must experience in person
• TeamLabs Planets, so few things live up to the hype and this is one of them
• Golden Gai, the bars were so much fun, got the full experience of a salaryman pissing on the side of the konbini

Lowlights

• Caffeine- if you are addicted to non carbonated caffeine like I am be prepared to be disappointed. The monsters are only 40mg compared to America's 150mg+. I'm glad I brought caffeine pills
• Tsukiji market is really not worth going out of your way for, it's nice if you're near it but it's really just a fish market + insane lines for most of the food
• I'm still mad about how bad the food was at the Square Enix cafe is, at least we got coasters + placemats out of the deal. This was genuinely my only bad experience in Japan
• Everything on this subreddit told me that people in Tokyo don't really care about tattoos, however they do really seem to care about colored hair. I have very long, bright ombre hair and I was a bit of a sideshow attraction, including people taking photos of me in public multiple times. Probably the most frustrating part of the trip was being stared at constantly
• Japanese thrift stores love old American clothes, I was definitely let down by the majority of these

Goals:

• Buy anime stuff
• Play rhythm games
• Go thrift shopping
• See cherry blossoms
• Collect shrine stamps (goshuin)

Advice:

• TAX FREE SHOPPING: This has to be first because no one mentions it?? There are 2 types of tax free, discount and rebate. Everywhere has a minimum for tax free. Don Quijote you have to go to the separate tax free counter, and they will seal the bags shut. You're not supposed to use the tax free items in the country - I didn't know this and did it anyways? There seems to be no repercussions unless they open your bag and count every individual KitKat. I had to open the bags to repack everything anyways. The places that do rebates are generally malls, you bring your receipt + passport and they'll give you the 10% back in cash (minus a fee). When you get to the airport, you scan your passport after you drop your luggage, indicating you made tax free purchases. You do not need to keep your receipts anymore
• Don Quijote does sell luggage but Ginza Karen is cheaper
• Besides the standard things that every single trip report has (get a suica, you'll walk a lot, etc etc), the biggest thing I learned is not to go to an area without at least 1-2 specific goals in mind. For example, I had given us like a half day to go around Shibuya/ Harajuku, but because we didn't look into what malls or stores we might like to go to, we ended up wandering pretty aimlessly and not really enjoying the area. This happened a few different areas we went to, so I decided that in the future I would pin some stores on Google Maps and try to make it to those specific stores
• Install LINE and set up an account. It's crazy how much connects to LINE. For me the biggest thing was 1) making Sushiro reservations and not having to sit in the store for an hour plus waiting for our table and 2) being able to grab a chargeSPOT to charge my phone. I brought a battery pack but at this point it must be like a decade old, it took the entire night to recharge and died on me during the day a few times. I have a Pixel 6 Pro and was literally constantly charging my phone
• If you're coming from the Americas, don't try to do something on your first night. Get your Konbini dinner and go the fuck to sleep
• Getting from place to place can take longer than expected, you'll have to navigate the stations, find the entrances (sometimes hidden in malls) and exits (sometimes closed), don't make plans too tight together
• Navigating Kyoto was so much more confusing. At first our Suica cards didn't work because we apparently didn't tap out at a station in Tokyo, so we were buying day passes and paying in cash on the bus. Some of the buses have 0 English and 100% Kanji (navigation difficulty: extreme). Suica cards DO work in Kyoto so if you're having issues go to a gate with an attendant and they can help
• It can be weirdly hard to find bathrooms, most konbini have them but you're supposed to ask the cashier if you can use them. I speak very basic Japanese but hammed up the gaijin card here and would just ask to use the toilet in English, no one ever told me no Weeb specific advice:
• If you want to do pop ups (like the Jujutusu Kaisen Animation exhibit), a Japanese e-sim will be a lifesaver. You need a Japanese phone number to do SO much, they really make it extremely frustrating to make reservations without it. I did manage to make reservations for the Square Enix cafe though, the write-up is on my profile. (Was it worth it? Absolutely not, worst food all trip, -3/10)
• Prices are all over the place for figures, especially prize figures. There's a solid chance you might buy something and see it cheaper at the next shop, however going back/forth between shops in Akihabara can be a huge pain in the ass. I'd recommend 1) making a list of things you want the most and 2) setting a per item budget and a total budget. A lot of the anime stuff was cheaper in Kyoto as well
• You can find a ton of gachapon stuff at Surugaya, so you can just buy what you want and don't have to gamble. Surugaya bins are organized by series
• Use collabo-cafe.com to find cafes and pop up events you might be interested. Plan ahead because reservations can be hard to come by

 
Now on to the super detailed trip report! Here's the big album if you don't want to look through photos separated by day. Warning for flashing video
 
Day 1 (travel)

• Landed in Haneda around 3pm. Immigration + customs took about an hour (we did the visit Japan web ahead of time and had both QR codes ready). There was virtually no lines anywhere
• It took about an hour to navigate to the hotel. I chose to stay at the Tokyu Stay Tsukiji because 1) it was really cheap, 2) it was close to the Ginza line, and 3) it had a washer in the room. Although the location was slightly inconvenient for late nights, I'd say it was totally worth it for the ability to grab food in Tsukiji market, and the room was pretty large compared to some other areas of Tokyo. In fact, the room was so cheap that when we went to Kyoto, we opted to not check out of the Tsukiji room and just leave the majority of our possessions there. This didn't cause any issues and made travelling on the Shinkansen way easier
• I thought we were built different and could do some stuff this evening. We ended up walking to the Donki and being assaulted by sound in every direction. 7/10 didn't discover the 2nd floor until days later. At this point exhaustion kicked in and we got a Lawsons dinner and crashed

Day 2 (Akihabara, photos)

• Going to Akihabara on our first day in Japan sure was a choice. Thankfully neither of us suffered jetlag on the way in. Checked out like 10 different game centers and a ton of anime shops. Managed to find the only Monster Rehab of the whole trip here
• Konbini lunch + strong zero! That flavor was terrible :')
• Dinner at the Monster Hunter cafe (no reservations required). Expectations were low but my travel partner is a huge MH fan. The food wasn't bad but the drinks were awful. The ambiance is nice and there were definitely some regulars there playing MH on the consoles they had set up
• The new Namco game center had like 12 brand new Taiko cabs and all of them had phone mounts so you could film yourself playing! I was really intimidated by everyone there being extremely good so we didn't play any games here

Day 3 (Shibuya & Harajuku, photos)

• Breakfast at Tsukiji outer market since we were already there
• Went to Shibuya Loft for the Bravely Default pop up shop
• Checked out Tower Records
• Ate lunch at Japanese McDonalds
• Went to Takeshita Street. TBH this felt like in-person AliExpress, I'm sure the charm of the early 2000s is long gone
• Visited Hachiko
• Shibuya Sky Observatory

Day 4 (Asakusa, photos)

• Started at Kaminarimon Gate & went down Nakamise shopping street. It was very crowded on a Sunday but I enjoyed it immensely, you just need some patience to get where you want to go. I liked trying all the food, most of the food stalls here were cash only
• Senso-ji temple, bought Goshuincho to collect stamps
• Ate lunch and dinner in the area, there's a ton of food options
• We ended going all the way over to Yoyogi park as well but nothing was in bloom. Because it was overcast the park looked really sad

Day 5 (Shinjuku & Kabukicho, photos)

• Now is the time to come clean, I'm a huge Yakuza/ RGG fan. In the morning I had my Majima birthday cake delivered by PRIROLL. I pre-ordered it and chose the delivery day where we didn't have morning plans. It comes frozen and needs to defrost in the fridge. While we left Majima to chill, we made the pilgrimage to Kabukicho to see the iconic gate. It was raining in the morning so we hit up some arcades then went shopping
• There's a really cool mall that seems anime-centric (I believe it's called Shinjuku Marui Anex). It had a Godzilla store, Cinnamoroll Cafe, a JJK pop up, and best of all... A Surugaya. These stores have bins where everything is ¥100-300 and we ended up buying way too much in every one we came across
• Went back to Kabukicho and explored a bit, went to Golden Gai and drank at a handful of bars. Almost missed the last train because I drunkenly insisted on a final game of MaiMai. 10/10 staying in Kabukicho next time

Day 6 (Ikebukero & Rippongi, photos)

• The plan today was to check out Ikebukero and Roppongi, but we ended up spending so much time at the first mall that we didn't really do anything in Roppongi besides get dinner. Went to the Pokemon Mega Center and the cafe. The main cafe was closed so it was just take out, all the food was really cute but the waffles were kind of terrible
• Gashapon no Depato Ikebukuro was super overwhelming. A lot of the smaller gashapon stores are somewhat organized by what is in the machines, this one just felt chaotic, and it went on forever
• Sushi Yuu was incredible, I didn't take photos of every single course but I was so full that couldn't finish my dessert at the very end. The owner speaks some English and I made our reservations by messaging him on Facebook

Day 7 (Yokohama, photos)

• We didn't get to Yokohama as early as I would have liked - I took us out way into the suburbs to try to find this Yakuza plushie from the claw machines. I looked up the locations on the Sega website, unfortunately this machine was extra rigged and I couldn't win it >:[ On the bright side all the rhythm games had no one else playing them
• Took the cable car over and went to the Cup Noodle museum. Unfortunately we didn't have a reservation so we had to come back later. Found some cafes in the area and had a late breakfast
• The museum was really small, the main draw is making your own Cup Noodles. Entrance costs 500 yen and this is an additional 500. We had some trouble navigating this part because no one spoke any English
• Had dinner at a pie restaurant that was 10/10
• Explored a bit of Yamashita park (Yakuza 7, anyone?) I was kind of disappointed I wasn't able to see this during the day
• Walked around Yokohama Chinatown & visited the local Round 1 ;)

Day 8 (Kyoto, photos)

• I bought the Shinkansen tickets to Kyoto the evening before, so we weren't able to get great seats. The machines are also a huge pain in the ass and don't take American CCs, so plan ahead here
• It took us longer than expected to figure out how to use the tickets and read the signage, so we weren't able to get food before and I had to have one of the train bentos. I knew it was going to suck and it was worse than expected :(
• You can bring a full sized suitcase and just put it in front of you, seeing other people do this was unexpected
• My travel partner was destroyed at this point so she rested in the room. I went to the National Garden and Imperial Palace alone. The sakura were just starting to bloom and the weather was great, loved it. The National Garden is SO huge that I only ended up walking up the west side before I tapped out
• Checked out Heian-jingu shrine + the giant torii, I went to another smaller shrine with a great view but I can't remember the name
• We did photoshoots at ESPERANTO Kyoto. There's basically no reviews from foreigners about this place but it was fantastic!! Their online booking form didn't work for me, so I emailed asking for a reservation. I emailed in Japanese and English and they replied in English. They gave me time options and I replied with what package and room each of us wanted (the website says they require a deposit but they told me they didn't need one). When we got there they did our hair and makeup, and then you pick your kimonos out. The photographer spoke pretty decent English and we didn't have trouble communicating with anyone else here. They had our photos edited and printed about 30 minutes after we picked which ones we wanted. The whole thing took about 3 hours (it was longer because we used the same set room). I don't want to include my photos but I did add a video of my hairstyle because she knocked it out of the park
• Ended the day with okonomiyaki, one of my favorite Japanese foods

Day 9 (Kyoto, photos)

• Fushimi Inari day! I ended up walking this alone, I did not realize how long it was going to take or the fact it was actually like 10,000 stairs. My knees were very upset on the way down
• It was not as busy as expected, I went at roughly noon on a Friday. Most people tap out before the actual mountain climb
• The Goshuin at Fushimi Inari are on paper, you can paste them into your books later. Even if you don't have a Goshuincho I'd recommend buying them because they are very cute!
• Shrine cats!!!! You can buy photos of them to help pay for their food
• After Fushimi Inari I somehow managed to walk to Tofukuji Temple (I did the garden but not the bridge) and Daigo-ji Gojunoto pagoda and garden. I wanted to cut my legs off after today

Day 10 (Kyoto, photos)

• I started my day at the Kyoto Round 1, I had visited it on day 8 as well. This one is ace because it was literally always empty 10/10
• Decided to explore Gion a bit, ended up at the Machiya Starbucks and had the best thing I ate all trip (a custard dorayaka, I regret not going back for another)
• Ended up at Kiyomizu-dera Temple totally on accident. It wasn't super impressive in early spring but the view was still fantastic
• Ended the day at the Ryokan (Kyokoyado Muromachi Yutone). Ended up picking one without an onsen because we are both covered in tattoos, and I didn't want to deal with finding a private one. The cypress tub was a great trade off, and the food was incredible

Day 11 (Tokyo - Concert, photos)

• Today we travelled back to Tokyo and went to the Kingdom Hearts concert. I ended up trying for the lottery for tickets back in like December 2022. Winners were announced the first weekend in January and you only had a few days to buy tickets. I have a friend of a friend living in Japan who did me the biggest solid ever and bought our tickets. I met up with her during the trip for the hand off. The seats are randomly assigned and we had AMAZING seats near the front. This was also the performance Nomura was at!
• We weren't supposed to take photos during the performance so I just have some before. Also, I made Organization XIII beads that attach onto my dress with magnets and I am very proud of it, so please excuse the bathroom selfie :D
• The concert was about 3 hours long and after all the travelling we were beat. We ate dinner, played our nightly games of Ongeki, and passed out
• Bonus video of the music box that plays Dearly Beloved

Day 12 (Ginza & Sumida, photos)

• We were really starting to tucker out at this point. We managed to drag ourselves to the Ginza art Aquarium in the AM and the Tokyo SkyTree in the afternoon. Today was the Equinox so everything was crazy busy, the line to buy tickets for the SkyTree was literally like 2 ish hours long so we bought them online and went shopping in the mall
• The Art Aquarium was really cool, but a lot of the fish were in really small tanks. I didn't include photos of those :(
• The SkyTree just let people up as fast as they could so it was extremely crowded at the top, and not super enjoyable imo
• I spent the evening at the arcades in Akihabara :D

Day 13 (Tokyo - JJK Exhibit, photos - flashing video warning)

• Today I went off in the am to see if I could buy a ticket to the Jujutsu Kaisen animation exhibit in person. The online site wouldn't let me buy a ticket because I didn't have a Japanese phone number. UNFORTUNATELY you couldn't buy tickets in person. I got super lucky again and 2 foreign exchange students from Europe were trying to do the same thing, however they did have a Japanese phone number and the site allowed you to get 3 tickets at a time. They were able to grab them for all 3 of us for that evening
• Putzed off to Hie Shrine, anyone that tells you it's a mini Fushimi Inari is lying
• Went back to Akihabara, found a Miku racing pop up!
• Went back to... Ginza? for the JJK animation exhibit, it took about an hour to go through. I included a ton of photos so just skip today if you're not interested in that show

Day 14 (Tokyo - TeamLabs Planets & SquareEnix Cafe, photos)

• TeamLabs was so cool! I didn't include many photos since it's 95% selfies. Make sure you explore a bit as the string light room had a couple of different areas that are easy to miss, and it's possible to accidentally skip the hanging garden, which was beautiful! TeamLabs took us about 2.5 hours but we were 100% those bitches taking forever to get a million photos
• Since we were staying in Tsukiji we ended up just slowly walking back to the room for a much needed nap
• Back to Akihabara yet again! More rhythm games, some awful food at SE

Day 15 (Shinjuku, photos)

• This was our last full day in Japan, we honestly didn't want to do anything but we managed to drag our asses to Shinjuku National Garden for the cherry blossoms. Unfortunately it was sprinkling a bit, at least it kept the crowds away
• Managed to check out Meiji Jingu, but at this point my travel partner was sick of walking and tapped out
• I went back to Kabukicho, walked around a bit and ended up back at an arcade (bless Ongeki for having stools)

Final thoughts (Misc, photos)

• We were literally so annihilated by the trip that we took a taxi to the airport, it was about ¥8,000 from Tsukiji ($60 USD ish)
• I ended up buying a 24" suitcase from Ginza Karen for ¥6,000. It was 100% full of stuff I purchased. We also used one or those giant ¥500 bags from Donki as a carry on
• My Goshuincho was my favorite souvenir, I'm so proud of all the stamps I collected (I did get doubles at some shrines). I plan to bring this back late 2023 to try to finish it
• I have the old school GoogleFi plan and don't have to do anything extra to have international data. Lots of places & stations have free WiFi but you'll need to put your email in
• I don't really sleep that much and my schedule in the US is already busted, but it took me about 2 full weeks to get back on normal human hours. I'm tired again just writing this up and looking through all my photos
• My main regret is not trying more food, we ended up waiting until we were dying of starvation and ate at the konbini a lot (typical)

 
Edits for formatting

Intro: In today's world of technology, smartphones have become a necessity for many people. With so many options available, it can be challenging to choose the right one that fits your needs and preferences. One of the popular choices is the Google Pixel 2, known for its impressive camera and fast performance.
However, if you're looking to use this phone with Sprint as your carrier, you might wonder if it's compatible or not. In this article, we'll explore whether the Google Pixel 2 works on Sprint and what you need to know before making a purchase.
Overview of Google Pixel 2 phone
The Google Pixel 2 phone is a high-end device that was released in 2017. It features a 5-inch AMOLED screen with a resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels and is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor. The phone comes with either 64GB or 128GB of internal storage and has an impressive camera system, including a rear-facing camera with a resolution of 12.2 megapixels.
As for compatibility with Sprint, the Google Pixel 2 is fully compatible with Sprint's network. In fact, it is one of the few devices that supports all four major carriers in the US: Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint. The phone also supports advanced LTE technologies such as Carrier Aggregation and MIMO (multiple input multiple output) to deliver faster data speeds on supported networks.
Overall, the Google Pixel 2 offers excellent performance and features. Its compatibility with Sprint makes it an attractive option for users who are looking for a premium smartphone that works well on this carrier's network.
Sprint Network Compatibility:
The Google Pixel 2 is compatible with the Sprint network for both voice and data services. However, it is important to note that the device must be unlocked in order to be activated on Sprint's network. Additionally, the Pixel 2 does not support Sprint's legacy CDMA network, so it will only work on their newer LTE network.
Users may also need to manually update their device settings to ensure proper compatibility with Sprint's network. This can include updating the APN settings and ensuring that all necessary software updates have been installed. Overall, while the Pixel 2 is compatible with Sprint's LTE network, users should take care to confirm all necessary steps for activation and configuration before attempting to use the device on this carrier.
Explaining if the phone works on Sprint
The Google Pixel 2 is designed to work with Sprint, as well as other major carriers in the United States. This means that customers who use Sprint can easily activate their new phone without any compatibility issues or complications. The phone supports all of the necessary network bands and technologies that are required for optimal connectivity on Sprint's LTE network.
However, it is important to note that in order to use the Google Pixel 2 on Sprint, customers will need to purchase an unlocked version of the device directly from a retailer or through Google's online store. This is because carrier-specific models may not be available for every carrier, and may not be compatible with all networks.
Overall, if you are looking for an advanced smartphone that works seamlessly with Sprint's reliable network, then the Google Pixel 2 is definitely worth considering. With its powerful hardware specs and cutting-edge features like unlimited storage space and enhanced camera capabilities, this device offers everything you need to stay connected and productive on-the-go.
Steps to Activate Google Pixel 2 on Sprint:
Yes, the Google Pixel 2 can work on Sprint. However, before you start using your device on this network, you need to activate it first. Here are the steps to follow:

1. Get a SIM card from Sprint: You will need a Sprint compatible SIM card to activate your phone on their network.
   
2. Turn off Wi-Fi and connect to cellular data: To activate your phone, you need to be connected to the internet via cellular data.
   
3. Go through the setup process: Follow the on-screen instructions to set up your device until you reach the activation screen.
   
4. Enter your account information: If you already have a Sprint account, enter your username and password when prompted. Otherwise, create a new account by following the instructions provided.
   
5. Choose a plan: Select a plan that suits your needs and budget from the available options.
   
6. Activate your phone: Once you have completed all these steps, click on “Activate” or “Continue” button and wait for confirmation that your device has been activated successfully.
   

After completing these steps, you should be able to use all of Sprint's services with no problems on your Google Pixel 2 device.
Instructions for activating the device
To activate the Google Pixel 2 on Sprint, you'll first need to make sure that your device is compatible with Sprint's network. Fortunately, the Pixel 2 is fully compatible with Sprint's CDMA and LTE networks, so you won't have any issues getting connected. Once you've confirmed compatibility, the activation process itself is relatively straightforward.
The first step in activating your Google Pixel 2 on Sprint is to insert a valid SIM card into your device. You can either use the SIM card that came with your phone or order a new one from Sprint. Once you've inserted the SIM card, power on your device and follow the on-screen prompts to set up your account and connect to Sprint's network. If everything goes smoothly, you should be up and running in no time at all!
Overall, activating a Google Pixel 2 on Sprint shouldn't take more than a few minutes of your time. Just make sure that you have all of the necessary information handy (such as your account details and SIM card number), and follow the prompts carefully to avoid any hiccups along the way. With a little bit of patience and persistence, you'll be enjoying lightning-fast data speeds and crystal-clear calls in no time!
Advantages of Using Google Pixel 2 on Sprint:
Yes, the Google Pixel 2 is compatible with Sprint's network and using it on this carrier has several advantages. Firstly, Sprint offers unlimited data plans that are perfect for streaming videos and music, which is a feature that the Google Pixel 2 excels in due to its high-quality display and powerful speakers. Moreover, Sprint's network coverage is steadily improving, making it more reliable when used with the Google Pixel 2.
Another advantage of using the Google Pixel 2 on Sprint is its compatibility with Sprint's enhanced LTE technology. This technology allows for faster data speeds than traditional LTE networks and can make a noticeable difference when browsing online or downloading large files. Additionally, as both the phone and carrier are under one umbrella company (Alphabet Inc.), there may be added benefits such as exclusive deals or promotions available to users who have both products.
In conclusion, using a Google Pixel 2 on Sprint offers access to unlimited data plans, improved network coverage, enhanced LTE technology compatibility for fast internet speeds and potential added benefits from being under one company umbrella.
Benefits of using the phone on the network
The benefits of using a phone on a network are numerous. Firstly, it allows for seamless communication with anyone in the world who also has access to that network. This is especially important for businesses and individuals who rely heavily on staying connected at all times. Secondly, being on a network gives users access to various services such as mobile data plans, Wi-Fi hotspots, and more.
When it comes to the Google Pixel 2 and Sprint, the answer is yes - the phone can work on this network. As long as the device is unlocked or purchased through Sprint directly, it should be compatible with their service plans. This means that users can take advantage of Sprint's robust nationwide coverage and high-speed internet offerings while using their Google Pixel 2 device.
Overall, using a phone on a network provides many benefits including easy communication and access to additional services. And when it comes to using the Google Pixel 2 specifically, there are no restrictions preventing it from working on Sprint's network - making it an excellent choice for those looking for top-of-the-line technology coupled with reliable wireless service.
Limitations When Using Google Pixel 2 on Sprint:
The Google Pixel 2 is a great smartphone that comes with several features and capabilities. However, when it comes to using this device on Sprint, there are some limitations to be aware of. Firstly, the Google Pixel 2 supports only a limited number of LTE bands that are compatible with Sprint's network. This means that you may experience slow internet speeds or even no internet connectivity in certain areas.
Secondly, there have been reports of compatibility issues between the Google Pixel 2 and Sprint’s network infrastructure. Some users complain about dropped calls or poor call quality when using their Pixel 2 on Sprint's network.
Lastly, if you plan on using the Google Pixel 2 as a mobile hotspot on Sprint’s network, you may face additional limitations due to data caps and network restrictions. Overall, while the Google Pixel 2 can work on Sprint’s network, it is important to understand its limitations before making a purchase decision.
Possible issues with compatibility
The Google Pixel 2 is a great smartphone, but it may not be compatible with certain carriers like Sprint. The Pixel 2 is designed to work on GSM networks only, and Sprint uses CDMA technology. This means that the phone has different frequencies and network protocols that may not be supported by Sprint's system.
Another possible issue with compatibility is related to software updates. Some carriers have strict guidelines for which devices can receive OS updates, and if the Pixel 2 isn't officially supported by Sprint, it may not receive the latest Android updates or security patches in a timely manner. This could pose a problem for users who rely on their phone for work or personal use.
In conclusion, while the Google Pixel 2 is an excellent smartphone in many respects, its compatibility with specific carriers like Sprint should be carefully considered before making a purchase decision. While there are various reasons why the device may not run properly on certain networks or receive software updates as quickly as some users would like, these issues can usually be resolved through careful research and consultation with tech experts or carrier representatives.
Alternative Options for Sprint users:
The Google Pixel 2 is a great option for those looking for an alternative to Sprint's traditional offerings. The phone is compatible with Sprint's network, so users can easily switch over and use the phone without any issues. The phone offers a sleek design, high-quality camera, and powerful performance that will satisfy most users.
Another option for Sprint users looking to switch things up is the iPhone SE. This device offers similar features to the newer models of iPhones but at a more affordable price point. It also offers compatibility with Sprint's network and allows users to enjoy faster speeds and better coverage in many areas.Overall, there are plenty of alternative options available for Sprint users who want to explore new devices or need something more budget-friendly than what the carrier typically offers. By considering these alternatives like the Google Pixel 2 or iPhone SE, customers can find a device that suits their needs without compromising on quality or performance.
Other phones that work better on the network
If you're looking for a phone that works well on the Sprint network, there are plenty of options out there. One great choice is the Samsung Galaxy S9, which boasts excellent call quality and fast data speeds. The LG V30 is another solid pick, with its large screen and powerful processor.
But what about the Google Pixel 2? While this phone was not originally designed for use on the Sprint network, it can still work if you activate it using a Sprint SIM card. However, some users have reported issues with dropped calls or slow data speeds when using the Pixel 2 on Sprint. If you're set on this phone and want to use it with Sprint, be sure to do your research first and make sure you know what to expect in terms of performance.
Conclusion: In the world of smartphones, compatibility with different carriers is a significant factor to consider when purchasing a new device. One frequently asked question is whether the Google Pixel 2 can work on Sprint's network. While some may assume that all modern smartphones are compatible with all carriers, this is not always the case.
Before delving into whether the Google Pixel 2 works on Sprint, it's essential to understand the device's specifications and capabilities. Additionally, it may be helpful to explore alternative solutions such as buying Gmail accounts or Yahoo accounts to ensure seamless connectivity with your carrier of choice. In this article, we'll take an in-depth look at these topics and provide you with everything you need to know about using your Google Pixel 2 on Sprint's network.

I can’t check how much warranty is left because when I try to check it from the official apple site, it shows ‘purchase date not validated “. I’ve done some online research and found out it happens if you buy the device from Authorized reseller. I got to know if I can contact to apple, and show them the invoice it they can update the valid purchase date. Does someone know if that information is true? And if this is true by which channel I should contact them? I could not find any proper way to contact them. If someone could help me with an email of apple help, that would be awesome.
Thanks

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Posted this on weekend and had to deleted despite only one person commenting. Posting this again.
Just as it sounds, but I'll explain all the details.
I have a Google Voice account with a NYC code area number. I have had this number since Google Voice was in beta. I don't live in the US. As a US number is needed for creating the account, I used a prepaid phone number I got on T-Mobile during a US trip but set phones and everything to be on mail/desktop/app, etc...
When Hangout was a thing I could make phone calls from the app, but as of today I don’t use the Hangout app and I can't make calls on Google Voice app since I can't link the account to a number because I don’t have any.
Let's call this GV number: X.
I live in the Dominican Republic. I have two phones:
-Secondary phone: iPhone 14 Pro max with:
· ·Phone Number B
· · Phone Number C
· ·WhatsApp app with Phone Number C.
-Primary phone: Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra with:
· ·Phone Number A: my main phone number, that has NO WhatsApp.
· ·My main WhatsApp is with my Google Voice Number, X.
· ·WhatsApp business with Phone Number B (yes, I use in one phone a WhatsApp account with the number that belongs to the other phone).
I hope this is not at all confusing.
So, let's go to the issue.
As you may know, if you don't use Google voice number frequently, you may lose it. I do use it to receive or make calls, but the other day I spent a month that I didn't use it, so I went to Google Voice's website on Chrome, in my laptop and placed a call from Phone Number X (Google Voice) to Phone Number B. Phone Number B is my iPhone. I had my iPhone on my hand, waiting for it to ring, so I could answer the call and let it run for one or two minutes.
Instead, Samsung Phone was the one ringing, with an incoming call on WhatsApp B from an unknown number, with a photo on it. I answered and it was me... After all the confusion. I ended the call and dialed my number. Again, the call was incoming through WhatsApp with another different number, also with a photo.
I repeated the process a third time, the same result. I received the call on WhatsApp from another different number than the previews 2, also with profile pictures that by the way, they look like stock images photos.
Repeated a fourth time. I finally received the call on the phone line B on the iPhone, this time from a local phone number unknown to me.
Repeated, received it on WhatsApp again.
Repeated, received it on WhatsApp one, two, three and more times.
Called again, received in on Phone Number B, and this time the call was from my Google Voice number, finally.
Then I tried calling Phone Number C, which has WhatsApp on iPhone. I received the call on WhatsApp C, not on the phone line... Repeated multiple times, the call came through WhatsApp from unknown numbers.
Called Phone number A, which doesn't have any WhatsApp, and I received the call as it should be, on the phone line and from my Google Voice number.
Talked to a friend, who also has a Google Voice number with balance, and locals phone numbers with WhatsApp. I asked him to try it himself. He was surprised when he received the phone calls on WhatsApp.
I haven’t tried to receive a call from a Google Voice Number that has a linked number, since all the people I know with Google Voice are local friends.
Tried posting on Google Voice sub, they called it a fake, and post was not permitted.
Does this happen because I don't have any US phone number linked to my Google Voice?
Does this happen because I use WhatsApp with my Google Voice?
Is my account hacked?
Is Google Voice system twisted?
I'm willing to try it with any of you and/or record a video....

In just under two weeks, ARMYs will descend upon Singapore to see SUGA! Help an ARMY out and let them know about safety, how to get around, where to eat, tourist attractions, BTS-related things to do, or anything else that you think someone should know when they visit! (Special thanks to the mods for your input and feedback for this guide!)

BTS' Past Visits

Red Bullet Tour (2014 BTS Live Trilogy Episode II) at the The Star Performing Arts Centre (13 Dec 2014)

• Fancam
• Official photos by Hallyu Singapore
• Official photos of Hi-Five session by Hallyu Singapore. Session was for all Cat 1 VVIP ticket holders ($268), who got a Hi-Five Pass and Concert Poster. The first 100 VVIP ticket holders also got to go up on stage to get a "Dark & Wild" album autographed by BTS.

Music Bank performance (4 Aug 2017) at the Suntec Convention Centre

• Fancam
• Quiz game video
• Outing at the Merlion statue and Singapore flyer: Photos Set 1 Photos Set 2.

Love Yourself World Tour (19 Jan 2019) at the National Stadium
This made history as the first time a K-pop group held a concert at the venue (largest concert venue in the country) and tickets sold out in about 3.5 hours! (45,000 audience)

• Concert review
• Witty notice from the Singapore Police Force abt avoiding ticket scams (it uses the BTS song titles!)
• Bonus: Jimin picked Marina Bay Sands as his special spot in the BTS x Street Galleries collaboration with Google revealed on ARMY Day (July 9) 2022

Concert Venue

Do note that it’s currently the June school holidays too (26 May-26 Jun), so the Sports Hub and surrounding areas may be crowded with many other visitors besides the concert-goers. Please be mindful!

• Singapore Indoor Stadium, right next to the National Stadium (both are part of the Singapore Sports Hub) where BTS performed at their last concert here in 2019. In fact, the Indoor Stadium was then used as the waiting zone for the standing zone ticket-holders.
• Concert guidelines been posted yet (will update here when they are), but here are the general guidelines for events there (links opens a pdf)
• The nearest MRT station is the Stadium station, on the Circle line - here is a train map (with Stadium MRT circled out in light purple). You’ll know when you’ve arrived as the station design is quite unique! Go up the elevator and follow the signage - the path is sheltered.
• You can find Kallang Wave Mall right next to the venue, for a spot of shopping and dining before the concert (opening hrs:10am-10pm daily). There is another smaller mall Leisure Park Kallang located next to the carpark, which houses an ice skating rink, bowling alley and cinema alongside more food options. The open space in front of the MRT station and the two malls is where ARMYs are likely to gather to exchange fan support and stuff
• The nearest hawker centre (i.e the affordable street food) is Old Airport Road Food Centre, one of the oldest and largest hawker centres in the country. It is about 20 mins walk away from the stadium, or you can simply alight at the Mountbatten/Dakota MRT stations (one or two stops away from Stadium MRT station respectively); both are about a 5 mins’ walk away from the food centre. Here is a list of recommendations (unfortunately, not a lot of Halal food stalls here. Let me know if you need those).
• There is also a McDonalds’ & KFC near Mountbatten MRT if you want something more familiar, or potentially try whatever new promo is currently going on at these places.

Sightseeing/Activities

Non-exhaustive list (all prices are in SGD)

• National Gallery Singapore. There is a special Namjooning Tour as part of the Gallery Wellness Festival. Slots are fully booked for the guided tours on 25 & 30 June. You could try the self-guided tours instead, which start on 17 July. Gallery passes for general admission to the permanent galleries (needed to access the tour) cost $20 for non-Singaporeans aged 13-59. Closes early (by 3pm) on some weekends in June and July (see dates on website).
• National Museum Singapore. Has very interactive and engaging exhibits. Highly recommended (I used to be a volunteer docent there for abt a year). Tickets cost from $15 (for access to permanent galleries only)
• Singapore Zoo & adjacent parks (Bird Park, River Wonders, Night Safari). We have one of the best zoos in the world! Single park tickets cost $50. Multi-park options also available. .
• Gardens by the Bay. Pretty gardens with outdoor sections and 2 indoor air-conditioned conservatories - you may have heard of the supertrees that have been featured in the movie "Crazy Rich Asians" and K-drama "Little Women". Provides a welcome respite from the heat. It’s free to visit the outdoor areas, but it’s really worth it to pay for entry to the conservatories. There are various pricing packages, so best to check out the website yourself.
• Singapore Botanical Gardens is our first UNESCO World Heritage site, the first and only tropical botanic garden on the list. Admission is free.
• The Merlion and the Marina Bay area. I personally recommend going at night to see the famed cityscape of Singapore all lit up (the temperature’s cooler too!). Marina Bay Sands Mall has a light and water show every night. There is also the iLight Festival going on now until 25 June with artistic light installations (mix of free and paid attractions). Bonus: Yoongi wore a Merlion Singapore t-shirt in a travel-themed Lotte Xylitol ad!
• You can also ride the Singapore Flyer for an aerial view of our city like the boys did! Admission costs $40.
• Visit our ethnic enclaves, Chinatown, Little India, Kampung Glam and Geylang Serai to see old shophouses, shop for souvenirs and try ethnic food
• One of the fanbases here, BangtanSG, has teased an ARMY event from 11-13 June. Will update when more details are released.
• Sentosa & Universal Studios Singapore theme park - you can access the island via various modes of transport with varying admission fees. Transport within the island is free.
• If you don’t want to think too hard, the best airport in the world for 12 years running is also an attraction in itself! See its dedicated section below for more information.
• Singapore is also located in the centre of Southeast Asia - if you’ve never been in this oft-forgotten region of the world, take the chance to check out our neighbouring countries as well! Malaysia can easily be reached via bus, and Indonesia via ferry.

(Note: You may want to check out Klook for discount tickets/passes)

Dining

Singapore is a food paradise with various cuisines from the local ethnic groups, as well as international ones. For Muslims, there are a lot of Muslim-owned or Halal-certified options around (look for this certificate, or the label “Muslim-owned”), including most of the fast food chains like McDonald’s/KFC/Burger King/Subway.
Carrying some cash with you (~$10 per pax) is a good idea, especially if you’re venturing out to hawker centres; while many places now have an electronic payment system in place, cash is still king in terms of versatility, and anecdotally most stores prefer cash or will charge a credit-card payment surcharge.

Where to eat?

• Most of the malls have a good selection of dining options, ranging from the (relatively affordable) multi-stall foodcourts to fast-food restaurants, cafes, and more upmarket restaurants.
  • It can get crowded during lunchtime (12-2pm) as office workers come out for their break, so try to avoid those hours if possible, or make advance reservations.
  • If you are staying/shopping in Orchard Road, Far East Plaza (level 4 & 5) and Lucky Plaza (multiple levels) have relatively more affordable food options for the area..
  • There’s a myriad of other malls in the suburban areas outside of Orchard to be explored.
• Hawker centres: A “hawker” in Singapore refers to a street food vendor, and in Singapore they’ve been centralised into food centres to create an iconic Singapore dining institution. These places are generally not air-conditioned, but they are the most affordable dining option. If you see an item on a table even if it’s something innocuous like a tissue paper packet or name-card, it means the seat's been reserved (“chop-ed” in the local slang) by people who are off queuing for their food.
  • Look for stalls with the longest lines (the most popular stalls will have long queues all day long), but most stalls should have decent food.
  • Newton Hawker Centre (near Newton MRT station) and Lau Pa Sat (near Telok AyeDowntown/Raffles Place Stations) are probably the most well-known to tourists, but beware of touts and over-charging, especially at Newton.
  • Taking the MRT out to slightly less central areas like Ang Mo Kio, Toa Payoh, Kallang, etc. should bring you to other hawker centres that cater to locals.
• Order in: GrabFood and Foodpanda are the two most popular food delivery apps with extensive coverage all around Singapore. Deliveroo is also available. Just be prepared to pay upwards of $5 delivery fee during peak periods, and the listed online prices are usually higher than in-store. The apps also have pick-up available if you’d simply like to order in advance.
• The ethnic enclaves like Kampung Glam (Malay/Muslim), Chinatown and Little India have a higher concentration of the respective ethnic cuisines, but most places in Singapore have a good mix of different local and international cuisines

What to eat?

Breakfast (These are generally very affordable options that should cost you below $10 per person, particularly if you go to food courts/hawker centres)

• Tea/coffee with kaya toast and half-boiled eggs. Available at most hawker centres (usually at the drink stalls), and chains like Ya Kun Kaya Toast and Killiney Kopitiam in malls. Order tea/coffee like a local by referring to this guide.
• Among the fast-food chains, KFC offers the more local option of chicken porridge (congee)
• Roti prata, a south-Indian flatbread (also known as paratha in India, or roti canai in Malaysia), available at most hawker centres and Indian coffee-shops
• Nasi lemak, coconut milk-flavoured rice with a variety of side dishes (usual ones: omelette, fried chicken wing/fried fish, fried anchovies).
• Beehoon, rice vermicelli with a range of toppings like fish cake, luncheon meat (spam), chicken wings, veggies etc.
• Chai Tow Kway (“carrot cake” - it’s actually radish cake), Tau Huey (soya bean curd pudding) + Youtiao (chinese fried dough)
• Mee Rebus, a Malay noodle dish with thick & spicy potato-based gravy topped with hard-boiled egg, bean sprouts, fried shallots, tau kwa (fried beancurd) and spring onions

Lunch & dinner

• Chilli crab: I don’t have any personal recommendations, and it could be costly because the crabs are usually charged by weight, which may vary daily. The link gives a run-down of some popular places
• Hainanese chicken rice: Again, no personal recommendations, but you can find this in most foodcourts and hawker centres. You should be able to find one of these for $5 or less.
• Murtabak/Briyani: My favourite is ZamZam Restaurant (est, 1908) at North Bridge Road in the Muslim enclave of Kampung Glam, but there is a whole row of Singapore-Indian restaurants serving a similar menu there
• Everything under the sun :) Google maps & data coverage generally works well in most parts of Singapore, so search & explore! Some sites you can start at include Chope & Burpple.

Snacks

• A must try, it’s sold by any ice cream man you see roaming around with a popup like this
• We have a ton of bubble tea (boba) stores if you’re craving it, you’d probably find a bubble tea store or two within 20mins of walking anywhere. Koi/Gongcha/LiHo are quite standard options, and then there’s others like Playmade/Chichasansen with their own unique points. Here’s a list with 61 of them...
• There’re plenty of 7-11s and convenience stores around, as well as “mama shops” around public residential housing.

Getting Around

Singapore has a great public transport system. It’s really easy & cheap to get around on the MRT (mass rapid transit trains) and buses. Use Google Maps or the City Mapper app to navigate yourself and get route recommendations (the latter also has transport arrival timings and fare estimates. It also works in many cities globally, so is very useful for tourists). Various transport passes are available for tourists, but you can also use your contactless credit cards (Visa and Mastercard) to pay for the fares (no registration required).
In general, using the Circle Line (yellow) or Downtown Line (blue) should get you to most tourist attractions. Orchard Road (main shopping belt) can be accessed via the North South Line (red), between Orchard and Somerset MRT stations. Map for reference, with links to versions in Chinese/Malay/Tamil available for download.
Taxis and ride-hailing cars: We have Grab and Gojek in place of Uber.

• The largest local taxi fleet - the blue Comfort Cabs - also have their own ride-hailing app to compete, although they can also operate via the traditional meter & can be booked via phone call/flagged down as usual. Fares can be paid via cash post-ride or credit card for all these private car options.
• Ride-hailing tends to be very expensive. At peak periods, ride-hailing services could be even more expensive than taxis, but at least you know the price beforehand. All malls have a taxi stand where you can stand in queue and hop on the next available cab. Queues can be long at morning and evening peak periods, so avoid taking cabs then if you can.

General navigation
All signs are in English, and the locals - esp the younger generation - are able to speak English fluently. If you’re really lost, feel free to approach others to ask for help! People are generally friendly and helpful despite initial appearances :)
As a side note: in general, if Google Maps is asking you to circle around a building to get somewhere - don’t. You can cut through most places on the ground floor quite easily, even the residential buildings (unless they’re private properties like condominiums/landed housing). MRT stations are connected to a good number of places via sheltered corridors if they’re nearby enough. Enjoy the aircon & shade instead of walking outside in the heat if you can.

Shopping

• Orchard Road is our main shopping belt, running from Orchard to Somerset MRT stations. You can find many shopping malls there, with collections ranging from upmarket to fast fashion. Check out Design Orchard, a retail space for fashion and lifestyle items by Singapore designers.
• For an old-style emporium experience drop by Mustafa Centre. It used to be open 24 hours but this was disrupted by COVID19 and now it is only open until 2am (best place for late night shopping!). It's not a glitzy mall, but has crowded aisles chock full of all manners of things, including snacks and souvenirs (avoid going on Sundays when it gets super crowded with migrant workers on their day off).
• Already mentioned above are the ethnic enclaves Chinatown, Little India, Kampung Glam and Geylang Serai with smaller standalone shops. Special mention for Haji Lane in the Kampung Glam area, a small street with cute boutiques.
• The many, many other malls scattered across the country - a brief list. For example, Paya Lebar alone (just another station up from Dakota!) is connected to several malls like Paya Lebar Quarter (PLQ), PLQ 2, PL Square, Singpost centre, and a couple more within a 5-mins’ walk (Tanjong Katong Complex, City Plaza, KINEX etc.).

Weathewhat to wear

The weather is especially hot these days (max temp of up to 35 degrees celsius, or 95 Fahrenheit), with possible spurts of heavy rain at certain times of day, so dress light and carry an umbrella (most places do have sheltered walkways between buildings and bus-stops/MRT stations though, so don’t worry too much about getting around in the rain). Mall air-conditioning can be cold, so hv another layer (e.g. cardigan/wrap/scarf) on hand. Remember to hydrate frequently & avoid staying outdoors for too long!

Airport

• Singapore Changi Airport is often voted by travellers as the best airport in the world, with lots of shopping, dining and leisure options in the various terminals. BTS (except Jin who took a different flight) stopped over at Changi Airport on the way to New Zealand for Bon Voyage 4 (airport lounge scenes shown in Episode 1)! While you may not have access to the business class lounge like them, there are various other options to rest and hangout, like the many gardens (some even accessible from the public areas) and even a free 24h cinema (Terminal 3 transit area).
• Jewel Changi Airport which is attached to Terminal 1 is an attraction in itself. It's worth arriving 2-3 hours earlier than your flight check-in time to grab a meal and have a look around Jewel. A particular highlight is to take the skytrain between Terminals 2 and 3, cutting across the centre of Jewel, to get a spectacular view of the indoor waterfall. There is also shopping aplenty (Tip: NTUC Fairprice supermarket in Jewel has a nice selection of food and non-food souvenirs which are pretty affordable).
• There are various transport options for getting to the city from the airport. Public transport like MRT is convenient if you are travelling light, else there is a shuttle service to selected downtown hotels. Taxis and ride-hire cars can be expensive, especially with the airport surcharge.
• Sort of related, Yoongi gave a shout out to our national airlines (Singapore Airlines) for its great seat and amenities in business class in BV4! (He said: let's always fly Singapore Airlines in the future!). The airlines must have taken notice, because they recently announced that they would be adding BTS content like songs, MVs, LY New York concert, and Break The Silence docu in their in-flight entertainment system to commemorate BTS' 10th anniversary. An ARMY also spotted a write-up abt BTS in their in-flight magazine.

We’ve tried to achieve a balance between being succinct and informative, but certainly the above info is not exhaustive. So do feel free to ask in the comments below if the info you need is not here! Fellow SG ARMY, or those familiar with Singapore, feel free to chime in!