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Have you heard of Carbondale, Illinois?
Carbondale is a small college town located in rural Illinois. Even though it is located in a more conservative area of the state, the town has a history of political activism dating back to the Vietnam war. The town is also the closest abortion destination for more than 1.2 million women living in the South.
Why Carbondale? How did this small rural college town become an abortion destination?
Even before Roe vs. Wade was overturned, Jennifer Peppers, the CEO of Choices Center for Reproductive Healthcare in Memphis, Tennessee, started looking for a location where she could set up an abortion clinic. She anticipated that if Roe vs. Wade was overturned, Tennessee’s abortion trigger law would be enacted.
Carbondale was the perfect fit! Not only is the town located in the state of Illinois, where abortion remains legal (with some restrictions), it is also in the ideal location. The town is closer to Mississippi and Alabama than the city of Chicago, which makes it a perfect abortion destination location for those living in southern states.
The town is also home to Southern Illinois University, which has made Carbondale a historically democratically leaning city. In addition, there was already support from community leaders and volunteers there even before beginning construction on the new health clinics**.**
You can learn more about what else the city of Carbondale is doing to support reproductive rights and healthcare by checking out the full article here:
https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/news/investigations/2023/06/04/carbondale-illinois-abortion-clinics/70180040007/

Have you heard of Carbondale, Illinois?
Carbondale is a small college town located in rural Illinois. Even though it is located in a more conservative area of the state, the town has a history of political activism dating back to the Vietnam war. The town is also the closest abortion destination for more than 1.2 million women living in the South.
Why Carbondale? How did this small rural college town become an abortion destination?
Even before Roe vs. Wade was overturned, Jennifer Peppers, the CEO of Choices Center for Reproductive Healthcare in Memphis, Tennessee, started looking for a location where she could set up an abortion clinic. She anticipated that if Roe vs. Wade was overturned, Tennessee’s abortion trigger law would be enacted.
Carbondale was the perfect fit! Not only is the town located in the state of Illinois, where abortion remains legal (with some restrictions), it is also in the ideal location. The town is closer to Mississippi and Alabama than the city of Chicago, which makes it a perfect abortion destination location for those living in southern states.
The town is also home to Southern Illinois University, which has made Carbondale a historically democratically leaning city. In addition, there was already support from community leaders and volunteers there even before beginning construction on the new health clinics.
You can learn more about what else the city of Carbondale is doing to support reproductive rights and healthcare by checking out the full article here:
https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/news/investigations/2023/06/04/carbondale-illinois-abortion-clinics/70180040007/

I’m still very early in the process. My recruiter started building my file, had me take an ASVAB practice test, and sent me the background check which I’ve been working on.
The idea of joining started as a desire to do something crazy, get out of my home town, build confidence, etc, and also the idea of using it to pay for college.
Over the course of about a month and a half, i overthought this all SO MUCH, and realized that I wasn’t going to make a decision as far as which branch to join, part time or active duty, etc. I couldn’t get it out of my head and I decided to just act without thinking, so I walked into the air force recruiters office. I kind’ve thought she was going to tell me to go away, so when she asked if I wanted to start the process, I jumped on it.
Now I’m realizing that in the course of all that thinking, I lost sight of what I even wanted out of this.
My state will pay 100% of tuition for national guard members at public universities (the one I want to go to is public), and I’d be able to put a whole lot more work into college much sooner than if I went active. I would also be able to start sooner. The guard would also allow me to get away from my house for at least like 6 months, and that’s kind’ve all I want.
I honestly want to back out right now and go talk to a national guard recruiter, specifically army national guard.
What kind of asshole does this though? Starts the process, takes a couple hours of the recruiters time, then cancels everything like 2 days later? Idk man, I don’t like this.

Does anyone know how to get out of a Starbucks contract?
I just started my new job and I already want to quit. I REALLY want to quit. Because this shit isn’t normal. I mean, is it? Do you guys have experience with this type of shit, or is it a normal thing when moving to the city? I’m a small-town girl so I’m not used to this. We didn’t even have a Starbucks. Just a diner that had been broken into multiple times over the years.
Do you know the bad feeling you get when something bad is going to happen, but you ignore it for the sake of staying sane? .Yeah.
It was one of those situations.
But I needed cash. I needed a job. College in the city is expensive, especially in my mid-twenties. Uber Eats every night and various subscriptions, such as Netflix and Spotify—as well as basic living needs required cash. So, naturally, I looked for part-time jobs I could use to fill up my weekend and nights. When it came to job hunting, I was fairly lazy. So, the Starbucks job kinda came out of nowhere.
I wasn’t even looking for it. I was applying for a job in the local music store when it caught my eye. Someone to work late evenings and nights on weekdays and Saturdays. The job description didn’t say much, just basic pay details and a full paragraph dedicated to talking about “The Starbucks Family”. Skim reading it, I skipped to the APPLY NOW button and sent in my resume via email. Two hours.
It had taken two hours to get an email back offering a video interview the next day—and a guaranteed job if I didn’t screw it up. The video interview went well to my surprise. The woman who conducted it acted more like a friend, asking me what my favorite movies and TV shows were, and then going into detail about her own.
It didn’t even feel like an interview. More like a chat. Which was exactly what the email said it was going to be. The interviewer was my mom’s age, a total mom-like persona. She offered me iced tea before laughing and realizing we were on a video call. Her cat popped up halfway through her introducing several staff members by name. A large tabby whom she picked up and hugged to her chest. I wasn’t sure what to do except repeatedly say, “Aww.” and force an even bigger smile.
The woman who for some reason did not introduce herself finished the interview with a more formal and thorough talk-through of rules and regulations. Which went in one ear and out the other. I think I was too excited about the job as a whole. There’s something almost mythical about working at Starbucks. I’ve seen barista TikTok complaining about customer service and harping about in the back rooms. It looked fun. Plus, free drinks? I figured working at the famous coffee chain would at least have benefits and freebies.
The woman spoke to me for almost two hours about certain drinks, telling me I would be trained up, and then going on to explain the dos and don’ts in a working environment. It was kind of patronizing, but I figured she had to be to remain professional. I tuned out when she started talking about a certain “feud” they had with another store down the road. The woman didn’t go into detail, but her expression did darken significantly when she leaned closer to her screen and repeated the phrase, “Do you understand me?” I had to backtrack and try and go over what she had been saying, but I had found myself mesmerized by the gilded sword in the background. It hung from the back wall in all of its glory, and I was having a hard time trying to figure out why exactly a Starbucks manager had a sword hanging from her wall.
“Sim?” Inclining her head, the manager cleared her throat. “Did you hear me?”
I did. Sort of. Under no circumstances must I visit or go near 2nd Street Starbucks. If I did there would be dire consequences and I would face losing my job, or worse.
I wasn’t sure what “or worse” was, but from the way her expression twisted from funny-cat-lady to a potential employer, I didn’t want to ask.
Yikes.
“Uh, yeah,” I said. “I can’t go near the 2nd Street store.” I almost choked on a glass of water I had been slowly sipping throughout the interview. I had been sweating most of the day, dying in the intense June heat. It was a lot cooler in the evening in the city, but I was used to draining at least ten glasses a day. “Is that real?” I couldn’t help asking, pointing to the sword behind her.
I know you are supposed to maintain a certain professional persona and façade during professional work interviews with potential managers. However, I really wanted to know if that ancient thing was real, it was driving me crazy. Because questions were arising in my head: How did she get it? Was it hers? Was it for some kind of aesthetic and feng-shui, or was there more to it? From the look on the interviewer’s face, she seemed startled.
Whipping her head around, her strict grey ponytail hitting the screen, she nodded before turning back to me, her gaze flicking down to what I presumed was a script she was reading off—or maybe she was skimming through my printed-out resume. I wanted to ask her more about the elephant in the room, but she seemed satisfied with answering my question with a nod. She asked me more questions, mostly about my work ethic and if I enjoyed working in a team and independently, if I had any special requirements, and oddly—if I had ever held a firearm. Now, that caused alarm bells. Along with the gilded sword dangling from this forty-something-year-old’s lounge wall, I was definitely starting to question the exact nature of what I would be doing at this job. Serving coffee was an obvious one, though I was pretty sure Starbucks barista's didn’t require military-style training.
When I didn’t know what to say, she seemed to back-pedal. “Oh, it’s in case of a robbery.” She said. But her expression stayed stoic. Speaking in the tone of being joking, but not being joking. “It is rare. However, it is a precaution we must take.” Choosing her words carefully, the interviewer steepled her hands in front of her face, leaning her chin on her fingers. “Our employees are given basic fire-arm training in the instance that one day we may face a difficult situation. Now, I am not saying it is inevitable, but due to certain behavior throughout the years, it is, of course, better to be safe than sorry.”
“Oh.” I tried to smile. “No, I haven’t,” I paused, hoping my lack of ability to hold a gun wouldn’t screw up my chances. “But I can learn?”
I said it like a question because it was a question. I was questioning myself why exactly I would take up my time learning to shoot a gun I most likely never would need. To my surprise though, the woman’s smile brightened and she looked down at whatever she was writing.
“Of course,” she said. “Sim, I am very happy to hear that. We love employees who do their best to learn and thrive in our working environment,” she paused and typed something on her laptop before her gaze found mine. “I’ll put you down for lessons on Friday mornings. How does that sound?” Before I could answer her—because I was starting to seriously question why she was so obsessed with training me to use a goddamn gun—she was nodding to herself. “I will put Jude in charge of you. I think he is working on Friday, so your induction and welcome can be completed in the morning…”
She trailed off into her own murmured conversation to herself before clearing her throat. I jumped. I didn’t mean to jump, but her whole presence was putting me on edge. The lady had been nicer on the phone, and earlier on in the interview when she was grilling me on which Frozen character was my favorite.
“Okay!” The interviewer gathered up her paperwork, beaming at me through the camera. “Can you start tomorrow? Let’s say…” her eyebrows furrowed together. “5:30? I will not be there for the first hour due to certain obligations,” she traced her lip with the tip of her index. “However, I have four employees working the front desk, I’m sure they will give you a warm welcome.” I noticed something twitch on her lips. It was almost like she was trying to stop herself from laughing—which was childish from a standpoint where I was the younger one, while she was the senior. She was supposed to be setting some kind of standard, and yet for some reason was more inclined in teasing me about workplace friendships, and apparently how “close” my colleagues were. I wasn’t stupid, I knew what friendship was like in the workplace. It’s not “real” because you’re all there to do a job, not making lifelong friendships.
“I’m looking forward to meeting them,” I said when she snorted out a laugh that twisted up my gut.
"Absolutely," she responded. "The team is very close, so don't take it personally if they're initially cautious. I'm confident that you'll all become great friends! Kai is a kind-hearted sweetheart, while Ana may seem standoffish initially, but she'll warm up to you once you get to know her. Jude, on the other hand, will be your guide during the orientation, so it's best to stay close to him. In fact, it's recommended to shadow him during your first few hours since he's our top performer! Frankly, Sim, I can hardly wait for you to meet them! They're a great group!" This woman seemed to suddenly discover the use of expletives, or maybe she had noticed I visibly wanted to crawl into the ground. The way she was describing the other employees, I was expecting cartoon characters when I walked through the door.
“Right,” I said. I was starting to regret applying. “I’ll be there.”
She ended the call with a bright smile, and her stupid cat walking on the keyboard, causing her to squeak out in horror. I shut my laptop, my cheeks burning. Well, that went…? Well? Could I really say it went well when the manager had spent the last five minutes implying my work colleagues were going to hate me? Fuck.
I didn’t want to go. I trashed my application and deleted her number from my phone. But the morning after, however, I came to the quick realization through precious morning caffeine, that I needed cash. So, no matter how much I didn’t want to go—I had to. So, I headed to classes and tried not to think about it. It was 5:34 when I stepped into the familiar glow of the famous store—not before being stopped in the middle of a crowed by a girl wearing bright pink ray-bans and a scowl. “Do you work there?” she turned and pointed to the store.
I shrugged. “I guess.”
She scoffed, slipping off her ray-bans and fixing me with a bitchy smile. “Your funeral.”
Normally, in situations when strangers say odd things to me on the street, I just laugh it off. But this? This seemed personal.
“What?”
The girl didn’t say anything before turning and walking or rather running away.
Well, that was weird.
After that encounter, I was weighing the positives and negatives of taking up the job. The positives would be cash and something to occupy my mind away from classes, and the negatives were being stuck with insufferable colleagues and a manager who was the embodiment of unprofessional. The store was pretty empty when I stepped through automatic doors, reveling in the cooling fan blasting icy cold air in my face. A dark-haired college girl had her back to me, cleaning tables. But I noticed her stiffening up when I took a step forward. She straightened up like a cat going into territorial mode, before relaxing and holding a two-fingered hand up.
The store was empty so I had no idea who she was signaling to. It wasn’t a greeting to me—I had no idea what it was. I was halfway to the counter before a guy popped up out of nowhere, mid-way through drying a cup with a washrag. His hair was the first thing I noticed. Bright red.
In contrast to his pasty skin, this guy would definitely stand out in a crowd. He was my age or maybe a little older, mid twenties, with a wide smile and not much of anything else, kitted in a short-sleeved shirt, and a Starbucks apron over the top.
I expected quirky cartoon-like weirdos and I got an average Joe. I wasn’t complaining.
Initially, I thought this guy was just another jock-like college guy. But looking closer, the friendliness in his eyes wasn’t sincere, and his smile was strained. Keeping up a professional attitude, he regarded me with a smile, leaning across the counter. But his eyes kept flicking to the door in quick succession like he was waiting for a certain someone to come in. “You.” He pointed at me, trailing his finger to the door, swiping hair from his face with his hand. The guy was bouncing on the heels of his toes, I noticed. He couldn’t stand still, like a hyperactive child. “You’re Sim, The newbie I’m supposed to be training.”
I nodded, offering a nervous wave.
“Jude.” He introduced himself, though clearly distracted, his gaze flicking to and from the door. His facade was friendly enough, but very fake. It was the same smile I presumed he flashed at customers who complimented his looks. “Hey, Sim.”
Instead of holding out his hand for me to shake, he folded his arms across his chest. Jude cocked his head, drinking me in before his lips broke out into a beam.
"Shall we get started?"
Jude started the tour, showing me the store itself, then the back, the storage room, the staff room, and bizarrely, a wooden door which he referred to as, “The Drink”. I had no idea what that meant, but I made a mental note to steer away from it.
The backrooms of the store turned into a labyrinth. The place was covered in mold, peeling paint on the doors and old rugged floor tiles. Jude spoke way too fast like he was intentionally trying to confuse me. By the time I was struggling with my apron, he was turning on his heels with a brow raised. “Your hair is too long so you need to tie it up. You can shadow me this evening but don’t get in my way. We have two twenty-minute breaks and during them, we are contractually obligated to go down to the Second Street store and throw eggs at their windows—ooh, and the girl you just met who didn’t say a word? That’s Ana. You will get used to her.” His smile reached a level of fake I didn’t think was possible. “Why don’t you follow me?”
“What?” I managed to hiss out when Jude was leading me down a long, winding corridor that dipped into various rooms, out-of-order elevators, and the creepiest set of stairs I had ever seen leading into the pitch dark. I was still trying to register his words.
Jude twisted around with a frown. “What’s up?” He nodded at a passing blonde girl who shot me a smile, and hive-fived Jude before disappearing through a door.
“You throw eggs at the store down the road?”
The guy’s lip twitched into the start of a smile. He turned around, quickening his pace. “Did I say that? Obviously, I was joking.”
I stumbled after him, knocking into a dark-haired younger guy carrying a tray of cupcakes. He and Jude seemed to exchange words without speaking before Jude gestured to the stranger. Somehow, I figured out their telepathic conversation through eye movements and strained smiles, they weren’t talking about me. “That’s Kai,” Jude said, pushing through the doors back to the main storefront. He took a customer’s order, retaining that stupid smile. “If you need any help with making those annoying TikTok drinks that take a millennia to make and have probably broken several Geneva convention rules?” He playfully knocked into me while preparing a drink, his hands knowing where everything was, preparing and serving a latte in a matter of minutes, “Kai is your guy! He runs our social media page and is practically a connoisseur on the next big trend. He'll deal with zoomers."
I was slowly starting to ease my way into this job, and my colleagues seemed pretty cool. Jude actually helped me all the way through the evening, introducing his home life and how he grew up as he cleaned tables and conversed with the others—always throwing me into their chatting so I didn’t get left out. I ended up sorting through cookies and making price labels with Aurora, the perky blonde who high-fived Jude earlier. She spoke to me like we had been best friends for years, and that part of her charm made me instantly adore her. She was tiny for her age, but a menace when it came to her sharp tongue and language. I didn’t think a tiny thing like her could swear like a goddamn sailor, but it was cute. Jude and Aurora had a sibling-type thing going on, though every time I caught Kai’s eye, he was smirking. It seemed everyone knew they had a thing except them.
I was actually having fun with the others, bobbing my head to the radio while serving a group of kids, when Jude, who was next to me, seemed to go rigid all of a sudden. His laughing smile carved into something else. I had never seen an expression change so fast.
But he wasn’t the only one. Aurora, cleaning tables and giggling at Jude’s joke, straightened up, her eyes flashing to the door. Kai’s head snapped up from where he had been grinding coffee. Following their gaze, I found myself face-to-face with the manager who interviewed me. But unlike the night before, she was not smiling. The woman dropped her bag at the door before marching towards the counter. Jude leaned over; his expression apprehensive.
“Well?”
His eyes as well as his tone had darkened significantly. All of my colleagues had taken off these masks, these facades of joking smiles and bright eyes, and now I was seeing a glimmer of what they were hiding. What Jude had been looking for all evening, sneaking glances at the door. I watched his gaze follow the manager as she paced back and forth, chewing her nails. “Where is he?”
“I don’t know.” She finally said, lifting her head. Her lips were twisted. “But.” She said, spitting each word, as she rounded the counter, helping herself to coffee. “You’re going to pay a visit to them right now, and…and sort this out once and for all.” Her voice resembled that of a mother talking to her children. She was assertive to them, her eyes piercing. Do you understand me?” The woman nodded at Jude. “You can go.” Her eyes found mine. “Take the new girl, she needs to be inducted.” Finally, she turned to Ana, who was standing in the corner silently. “You are too. I need brains, and Jude is just brawn. Keep him on his toes, young lady."
With a hint of sarcasm in his tone, Jude uttered a brief "Thanks," and then proceeded to take a coffee cup and a Sharpie. Swiftly, he scrawled some words on the side of the cup, before placing it inside a bag and plonking it in front of me. As Jude reached for his coat at the back, he put it on over his green Starbucks apron, creating a striking contrast with his denim blue sherpa. With his mop of red curls, this guy was in no way going to be as incognito as he thought. "We'll manage the conversation,” he said hurriedly, visibly excited. Jude seemed to lead the others in their expressions, his confidence and wit causing them to brighten up, adapting wide smiles. He shoved his hands in his pockets, “All you gotta do is hand them this, okay?”
“Is that a good…” Kai drifted off on whatever he was about to say, ducking his head when Jude shot him a glare.
“I think it’s a perfect idea!” The manager beamed at me. “What a way to fully bring you into our family!”
I took the coffee cup (the empty coffee cup) hesitantly. “What is it?”
“It’s a gift!” Jude said, moving towards the door in long strides. It was all too noticeable that this guy was practically vibrating with an energy I had never known. It was almost manic. “I want to let them know we appreciate them! Y’know! Rival to rival.”
Kai stepped in front of him on the way out.
“Be careful,” he said in a low hum. Aurora joined him, but she wasn’t speaking, her left-hand tugging at the waistband of her jeans. “Keep your head down when you go in because they’ll be expecting you—and they’ll be expecting a retaliation.”
“Relaaaaax, it’s Cora! We used to date!” he cocked his head. "I think."
“I mean it. "
Jude’s gaze found mine for a moment before his smile grew. “Well, we have enough eggs don’t we?” He grabbed my arm, pulling me along. Ana was already gone. I could see her figure already slinking down the street, bleeding into the shadow.
When the two of us hit the cool night air and Jude quickened his pace into a power-walk, his eyes set forwards, jaw set, I figured I should ask what his deal was. If this guy was serious about vandalizing a rival Starbucks, and not just that, urged by his manager, then I had to say something.
The thought of ending up in jail being petty over a rival store made me feel nauseous.
“So, what is this about?” I asked, catapulting myself into a half-run to keep up with him. The guy had abnormally long legs, so he was halfway across the sidewalk while I was barely two steps in front. “Aren’t you taking this a little too seriously?”
Jude didn’t reply, instead remarking on the sky being filled with stars.
“Hey, Ana!” He shouted. “Wait up!”
Second Street Starbucks was like walking into a palace. I could tell why these guys were rivals. The place was a three-floored beast, a glass building made up of a Starbucks downstairs, a library, and a private apartment. I found myself mesmerized by the twinkling lights on the door, the mini water fountain through large windows showing an even bigger storefront with rich-looking wooden tables and reclining chairs. The store was closing. When we stepped in front of the door, there was a sign which clearly said CLOSED on the front.
Still, though, Ana pushed her way through it, followed by Jude, pulling me along with him. Two employees were working, a guy with short blondish hair mopping the floors, and a girl standing at the counter, going through the register. The moment we stepped inside, the guy cleaning up stopped mopping from side to side, his fingers visibly tightening around the mop handle. “Hey there!”
With one of his best fake smiles, Jude raised his arms in surrender. “We’re from the Starbucks down the road. We come in peace, don’t worry!” He gestured to me.
“Can we talk to your manager?”
He took a step, his lip twitching, eyes glinting, which caused a stir in the air. The girl at the counter stopped flicking through a wad of cash in her hand and delicately put it down, and the guy turned to face us with wary eyes.
As Jude took another stride forward, his movements resembled a dance, and I noticed he was having fun teasing them. His eyes sparkled with a childlike glee that was unexpected for a person in his twenties. "Would you like to try our latest coffee recipe? It's like sipping on liquid sunshine." He nonchalantly brushed his jeans, and I half-expected him to pull out an egg. “But…” Jude took another step, and Ana situated herself behind the blonde boy, her expression blank. “You’ve already tasted it, haven’t you?”
The girl behind the counter finally stopped counting cash, delicately placing a wad back inside the register before leaning forward, an amused smirk curving on her lips. “Jude.” Her voice was a low murmur. “I didn’t think I would see you here so soon.”
“Cora.” Jude’s lips quirked. “Trust me, I don’t want to be. But hey, it's the boss's orders.”
She inclined her head, her eyes drinking all of him in. The girl rested her fist on her chin. She was surveying him like a piece of meat. “And you obey her?”
His grin widened, and I saw his hand once again brush the front of his apron. “Like a dog.”
“You know her?” I hissed out, grasping hold of the coffee cup in my hand.
“Cora?” Jude turned to me. “Oh yeah, we used to be the Romeo and Juliet of coffee shop rivalry — back when we were both newbies, and our store kidnapped me as a last resort. To keep the peace, I stayed.” He shrugged. “That’s what I’m told, anyway.”
Starbucks lore was getting dark.
These guys had to be joking around.
I took a step back, eager to head towards the door and be as far away as possible from what I was pretty sure was going to be a lot of eggs, and several arrests. “You worked here?” I couldn’t believe my mouth was still moving and forming words as I took slow steps back. Before Jude caught my arm.
“Apparently.” He said, dragging me back by his side. “Why don’t you give ‘em’ their gift?”
Fuck.
Unwrapping the bag and pulling out the cup, I nodded and took slow strides toward the counter, placing it down in front of her.
Cora frowned, before picking it up, her gaze going to the side.
“Go fuck yourself 2nd street bloodsuckers.” She read out loud, her brow raising into her hairline.
Shit.
“I should probably go.” I managed to say, backing away. “I don’t think is the job for me—”
The latter half of my words exploded in my head when something slammed into my ears, a physical force sending me to my knees. Initially, I didn’t know what it was. It sounded like a nuclear bomb had gone off. When the ringing in my head subsided, I was aware I had my head buried in my knees, my hands clamped over my ears.
But when I tried to listen past the relentless shrill ringing in my skull, I heard them one after the other. Pop, pop, pop! Gunshots. The crack of each bullet ricocheted in my skull. It was a robbery, I thought dizzily. We were being robbed. No, Second Street was being robbed. When I lifted my head to try and find Jude and Ana to see if they were okay-- I expected them to be cowering like me, Jude, under the table, muffling yelling into his hand, and Ana, calmly pulling him to safety. But that wasn't what I saw. Instead, I must have been fucking imagining things. Jude had not moved from his spot-- and perfectly melded into his hand, was a gun. A gun he was holding like a pro, his hands wrapped around the butt, index teasing the trigger.
His trajectory was directly between Cora's eyes. Jude had not been the one who shot the gun. In fact, neither had Ana, who was still standing stiffly behind the blonde guy.
It was a girl behind the counter who had come out of nowhere wielding the type of gun I expected to see in movies. I noticed from his stance Jude had maybe stepped to the left and then the right to avoid being hit, but the way his demeanour was fully and completely relaxed sent shivers creeping down my spine. "The deal is off, Cora," he murmured. "You fuck with us, so we fuck with you." he lowered his gun slightly, his eyes darkening. "Where's Ren? He came here to sniff you out, so where is he?"
Cora seemed remarkably calm. She started to raise her hands, her lips forming the words, "I don't know what you're talking about" before she stopped, her body going limp. It took me a disorienting moment to realize Jude had taken the shot, followed by another, both landing right between her eyes. When Cora hit the ground, the whole world around me exploded.
I was dragged to the ground by Jude, as he dived across the floor, pressing himself into the back of a table, twisting around, and taking out the barista who almost shot me in the face. There were five of them, all of them good shooters. Too good. Ana easily took out a blonde and brunette with her own magnum, followed by a bald guy who crashed through the counter which collapsed under him.
Jude fell into a manic shoot-out with a guy who would not give up, and after several attempts, re-loading, and attempting to finish him from the ground, my colleague got tired and stood up, dropped his gun, and leaped across the counter. I didn't know what to watch. Ana, who was destroying their coffee machine, or Jude, who snapped the boy's neck with a single twist of his fingers, before ripping out his eyes. He hauled the dead guy over his knees, grazing his teeth across the pasty flesh of the boy's neck, his eyes flickering. I wouldn’t say they turned a different color, but there was something inhuman about them, a certain tint around his iris. "Urgh."
He shoved the corpse away, jumping up. "He reeks of it." Treading through broken glass and pooling red on the floor, my colleague grabbed a cup, downed it, and then spat it out. “That.” He sputtered. “Is the worst fucking thing I’ve ever tasted.”
Ana stepped in front of him, handing the boy his gun. “When one of any clan is murdered for with no reason, there is an imbalance, and the coffee is tainted. We must restore the balance before this gets out of hand,” she surprised me by speaking, with a tinge of an Aussie accent. The girl side-eyed me before shooting Jude a knowing look. “Don’t let her get in our way.”
“Aye, aye, captain.” He mocked a salute before nodding to me. “All right! Sim, you grab a sample. We’ll go find the altar.”
Something ice-cold slipped down my spine.
“What?”
“Cool it. It’s more fun than it sounds,” was all Jude responded with. “Grab the samples.”
I was running on adrenaline, doing exactly what he said. I grabbed two coffee cups. “What do we do now? We go home, right?”
He swiped at his lips with a sound of disgust. “Are you kidding? No, man. We get coffee which ain’t tainted.”
Ana took out two guards in the back before leading us both through a heavy metal door that led into tunnels, tunnels, illuminated by candlelight. “You just killed multiple people,” I finally managed to choke out, following the two of them deeper into the dark. “Over coffee.” I couldn’t resist a nervous laugh that spluttered into a cry. “You just murdered seven baristas over fucking coffee!” I found myself backing away at points, scanning for a way out, an exit away from this fucking nightmare.
Jude turned to me, the glitter in his eyes reflected in the candlelight. “Oh, please,” His voice echoed down the tunnel in a chuckle. “Do you really think this is just about coffee?”
I didn't understand what he meant until we came to the end of the tunnel, which dipped into an alcove leading us into a large cave-like room. Drawing his gun, Jude scanned the dark. "Anyone in here?" He said, and Ana hit him. Silence answered, and I found myself paralyzed to the spot. I didn't know what to stare at first. The ten-foot-tall Starbucks Siren looming over us, illuminated in flickering orange candlelight, or the old swimming pool filled to the brim. When I took a step forward, my foot sunk into something soft, and I made the mistake of looking down. Bodies.
I guessed that was "The Drink".
I felt myself fall back, but Ana's warm arms were guiding me away from decomposing flesh which decapitated heads poisoned in a way that I could almost call ritualistic. There were bodies everywhere, all of them curled up or had died in a position of prayer. Jude crouched in front of a guy still in his Starbucks apron. His eyes had been cleanly plucked from his skull. Jude's expression was beautifully sombre in the candlelight. "Fuck, dude," he whispered.
"Looks like they got you."
“Which explains how they got their hands on our recipe.” Ana pulled out her gun and clicked off the safety. The girl’s eyes were suddenly sad, her lip wobbling. I had a hard time believing a girl who had taken out three baristas at point-blank range was crying.
"Through him."
“What is this place?” I whispered. "What the fuck are you doing in here?”
Jude straightened up. Ana moved behind him, and I noticed her hands holding her gun were trembling. She raised her arm, pointing it at the back of his head. Jude didn't retaliate, only sending me a sickly smile. "It used to be ours," he said. "Until other stores started opening, and it became a fucking free-for-all." Jude sighed, rocking back and forth on his heel. Ana's trigger finger followed his movements. "We have a peace treaty..." Jude trailed off. "Sorry. HAD a peace treaty." He nodded to his colleague. "Second Street has always been obsessed with this particular blend we have that other stores don't." His lips curved. "They're greedy, and thought they could fuck with us. First, they took our last manager. He was like a dad to us. Sliced him up and sent us his head." He gestured to his friend. "And then they took Ren. They brought this shit upon themselves."
As he spoke, Jude dropped to his knees and closed his eyes, bowing his head in front of the Siren. Ana didn't move. "Are you ready?"
“Always.”
I screamed, slamming my hand over my mouth when this time when Ana shot Jude point blank in the back of the head. When his body crumpled to the ground, something inside me snapped in two, and I couldn’t breathe suddenly. I thought the two were playing some kind of sick game before I caught unmistakable seeping black pooling across the alter.
In the blur of orange candlelight, it was almost a mesmerizing sight. “Shush!” Ana sent me an annoyed look, before gathering his body in her arm. “Make yourself useful and grab a bucket,” she said, stumbling towards the pool. I watched her, my heart diving into my throat. When I didn’t move, Ana hissed out and twisted around.
“Did you not hear me?!” she yelled. “Get a bucket and start collecting it!” The girl gestured towards a large, rusted pipe looming over the pool, a stream of murky brown water leaking into the pool. When I started forwards, the girl shook her head. “Not yet.” She said, before heaving Jude’s body and throwing him into the darkness. I heard the splash, but I didn’t even see his body hit the surface. Part of me wanted to demand what the fuck she was doing, but I did what I was told, with trembling hands, grabbing a bucket and shuffling over to the pool edge. Ana hissed out again. “I said not yet!” Before I could speak, she held a finger to her lips. “Do it now!”
“The pool water?!” I shrieked.
She raised a brow. “You think that’s water?”
Before I could coerce some kind of speech, I was interrupted by what felt like a sudden earthquake. The ground rumbled under our feet, and I hesitated before dropping the bucket into the water and scooping up as much as I could. I quickly realized it wasn’t water. It was thick with the constancy of blood, coffee brown and yet sticky and warm like blood.
Above us, the pipe seemed to come to life, a brand new stream of murky brown solution coming down in a waterfall. I didn’t think about the pieces of flesh floating on the surface, the decomposing heads I caught bobbing around, or the fact that I was dipping my hands in blood. Coffee and blood. My stomach was trying to projectile my lunch, but I swallowed it down. I took advantage, managing three buckets before Ana was grasping my shoulders and pulled me back. I didn’t realize I was sobbing until she was handing me a handkerchief, and I was staring at her and it, like, “What do you expect me to do with this?!”
Still in shock, I tried to get another bucket full before she dragged me from the pool edge. “You can stop now,” she said. “We have enough.”
"Enough what?!"
I staggered back when the surface of the pool rippled. I don’t know what I expected to come out.
Dead bodies?
Decapitated heads?
Not Jude, covered in the brown murky shit I had filled the buckets with. When he broke the surface, I almost threw one of the buckets at his head. Despite being covered in coffee and blood, his skin was oddly free of flaws. The guy was also really naked, which should have been a minor problem compared to what I was seeing, which was a real resurrection in front of a ten-foot statue of the Starbucks siren. Which was completely normal.
But I still found my cheeks heating up. Jude ran a hand through soaked curls sticking over his eyes, shaking them like a dog before pulling himself out. I couldn’t help noticing there was no gunshot wound. It was almost as if his body was completely new. I took in abnormally grey-looking skin, like dead flesh, before averting my gaze. “Did we do it?” He gasped out, immediately covering himself. Once out of the pool, he knelt on the ground, sucking in breaths of air before seemingly realizing the state of himself.
“Fuck. I didn’t think this through.”
“I did.” Ana reached into the backpack she had brought, pulling out a shirt and jeans, reverting her eyes, and throwing him the bundle. “Get dressed.” She said, But there was a slight smirk on her lips. “Yes. I think we managed to appease them.”
“Sweet!” Jude grinned, dressing quickly. He sucked the tips of his fingers. “Mmm.” He nodded at Ana. “That tastes a lot better.”
He gestured to her, and to my disgust, the girl delicately licked his fingers and nodded with her own smile. “It tastes like cherry blossom.”
His eyes fell on me, and I saw that inhuman gleam in his eye—that had been very much there before he was resurrected in a pool of coffee. His lip quirked. I could still see coffee-- or blood dripping in thick rivulets down his temples and cheek. “Should we?”
Jude turned to Ana. “I mean while we’re here, right? We can induct the newbie.”
Immediately, I knew what he was talking about. I stepped back, but he was following me, getting closer and closer until his breath was in my face, and I was teetering on the edge. I sensed something in his eyes, something I never expected from a man who knew exactly what he was doing. Envy. Another step, and I would be falling into what I was sure was a pool full of decomposing bodies and resurrecting coffee. “Not now,” Ana murmured, and Jude snapped out of it, taking a step back.
“Buzzkill.” He muttered.
But he did step away, allowing me to inch away from the pool.
“Later,” Ana said. “She’s shaken up. We can do it first thing tomorrow.”
To my surprise, there were no cops at the scene at Second Street. Because there was no scene.
The store was back to normal, and I didn’t have the energy to question why. When we returned, Aurora wrapped me into a hug I tried to get out of as quickly as possible, eager to get the fuck away from that place. But. I had to finish my shift. I had watched a man resurrected by coffee in a fucking Starbucks shrine, and yet somehow I had to keep making drinks until my shift ended. It was nearing closing time when the doors opened, and I found myself face-to-face with the girl from earlier. The one wearing the pink ray-bans.
She didn’t say anything, but the blade of her knife grazing my gut told me everything I needed to know. With a knowing look when she slipped off her raybans, she pressed something into my hand before leaving, and I handed it to the manager, who opened it up, almost died laughing, and then threw it in the trash.
“You work for psychopaths.” I managed to get out, sidling in front of Jude while he was clocking out.
“Also, didn’t you… didn’t you fucking die?”
Jude didn’t look up from his phone. “It’s complicated.” His lip quirked. “You’ll find out tomorrow during your induction.”
“But… you work for these people!” I lowered my voice. “And you’re not trying to get away?” I gestured to Kai and Aurora standing by the door, the two of them locked in conversation. “None of you?”
Jude frowned, and I caught the first hint of annoyance. I had only seen this guy smiling, so seeing him scowling was quite the change. “I’m sorry, do you… do you think I have a choice?”
He surprised me with a laugh. “Me? A choice? You really think I wake up every morning and WANT to do this shit?” He got close, his breath in my ear. “You came here willingly. I didn’t. In fact? I don’t even remember coming here. My interview, my first day? Nothing. I don’t even remember my time at Second Street.” He threw a towel at me before I could coerce words. “Finish clearing up, all right? I’ll see you tomorrow for induction.”
There was something cruel in his smile like he was waiting for whatever my induction had in store for me.
I couldn’t help myself. When everyone was gone, and I was tasked with locking up, I picked the discarded note out of the trash, smoothing it down.
“You pieces of shit just declared war. Sleep with one eye open! 😊”
Cora xx.”
….
I cut my finger with a knife this morning. When I sucked it and grabbed a band-aid, I tasted coffee. I went home and threw up coffee.
I am peeing coffee.
I showered 8 times and I still fucking smell of coffee.
I don’t think I’m going to go to work tomorrow.
Edit: There’s been a break-in— and the manager wants me to come in early. Jude and Ana woke me up in the middle of the night to go over tactics. We are taking down Second Street during closing time.
I guess I am going to work tomorrow.
Does anyone know how to use a gun?

[TCT] clan is looking to grow! PS4/5 Only, 18+
✨Rank 10 Storm Clan ✨100% Research ✨Dry Dock ✨Discord Giveaways ✨21 Day Inactivity Limit ✨Clan Emblem ✨18+ ✨🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

• Are you a cool dude or dudette?
• Are you a non-toxic player?
• Are you supportive and helpful?
• Are you an active WF player?
• Do you want people to play with?

Boy-oh-boy do I have good news for you!
Tomorrow Comes Today [TCT] is non-toxic, LGBTIAQ+ friendly & primarily NA clan that wants to make our clan bigger and expand internationally with many active fun players that want to play events, join endurance runs and help people farm (whatever it is you need to farm).
[TCT]

Are you looking for a community based on community spirit? Are you tired of elitism, rage-quitting and impossible expectations? Are you fed up with gimmicks and overacting for the sake of attention?
We have the place for YOU!
TCTGaming is a beacon amidst the latest trends, founded on values that may be long-forgotten elsewhere. If you are a gamer, new or old, who believes in the values of community, friendship and family, WE WANT YOU!

Warframe
I am recruiting specifically for Warframe PS4/5 and we are trying to build our International player base so we can have people playing at all times around the world.
100% research done.
JOIN!
Joining is as simple as eating pie. Join our discord at [http://tctgaming.com/discord] or (https://discord.gg/xGyfMRV) . The rules are simple and I can always help. My name on here, the discord server and my PSN is SunnyPigtails. There isn't an application so that's even easier. Once you're on the Discord channel we can take it from there.
Discord access & active in-game are requirements

Hi, I’m 22 years old and in online college at WGU for Computer Science. I currently work armed security but my hours suck (16-17 hour shifts multiple times per week, sometimes I got to bed at 10pm sometimes I have to stay up till 7am).
I have autism and these hours just DRAIN my energy and i end up trading shifts away so I can focus on school. I’m looking for a different job with a more normal schedule so I can get into a routine of work > exercise > school every day.
I should mention I have a couple thousand in credit card debt I need to pay off. Monthly expenses are $1300-$1500. I have been paying off other debts but now Im at a point where I either trade away my shifts to focus on school or work 55 hours at work and don’t have time for school, and I don’t think i’m gonna get my cards paid off if i stay here.
I got a call from a recruiter today for a PC Refresh Technician job. The company is named Iron Bow, they’re contracted through my state department for IT work. It would be a 6 month contract with possibility to go full time after. $20 an hour. The job would be mostly installing Windows 11 on laptops in schools, courts, offices, prisons, etc.
The recruiting company who contacted me is called Insight Global, btw.
The pay is a $3/hr pay cut from my security job, but realistically i’d be working more hours since I wouldn’t be trading away my shifts. And the hours would be 8-4 or 9-5 with weekends off, a much better schedule for me.
I’m very undecided on this. I am majoring in CS but i plan on being a software developer, not going into IT. But right now anything seems better than my current job.

I've dealt with plenty of awful recruiters before, but this person definitely stands out to be the worst among the worst. I don't know how someone like this could land a recruiting job in the first place.
She reached out to me to schedule a phone interview this Monday; I gave her my availability for Tuesday to Thursday and she pinned down Wednesday noon. About an hour before Wednesday noon she emailed me saying she had to postpone our call to the next day without specifying a new time. I emailed her asking what time works for her Thursday, which she didn't reply until Thursday afternoon, with only one sentence saying "Let's do Friday 12 pm." She seemed totally unaware that she was supposed to set up the call on Thursday, and I had no idea how she was so sure that I have availability Friday noon given that I didn't even list my Friday availability at all.
But I went on with the call anyway, and what happened next was even more ridiculous: She was totally unable to read my resume right and the way she asked questions about my resume was so freaking bizarre. For example, when I was in college I spent one summer volunteering in Thailand, and I put that on my resume under the highlighted "Volunteer" section. And this recruiter asked: "I saw Thailand (in a tone filled with total confusion)?" She also got my work experiences entirely wrong, mistaking them for college extracurricular activities despite the fact I highlighted all the job titles for each position I've had. Imagine if you put your years of experience working as a financial analyst for XYZ Corporation on your resume and the question this recruiter asks you is if that's an unpaid internship you did during college LMFAO.
And now imagine the feedback she would give to the hiring manager. No wonder finding a job is becoming so insanely difficult.

Hi, I’m 22 years old and in online college at WGU for Computer Science. I currently work armed security but my hours suck (16-17 hour shifts multiple times per week, sometimes I got to bed at 10pm sometimes I have to stay up till 7am).
I am looking for another job and came across a PC Refresh Technician job. The company is named Iron Bow, they’re contracted through my state department for IT work. It would be a 6 month contract with possibility to go full time after. $20 an hour. The job would be mostly installing Windows 11 on laptops in schools, courts, offices, prisons, etc.
The recruiting company who contacted me is called Insight Global, btw.
The pay is a $3/hr pay cut from my security job but i wouldn’t have to work 16 hour shifts and I wouldn’t have to stay up all night. It’d be 8-4 or 9-5 with weekends off (which i’ve not had since I was 16.. lol so it’s tempting me).
While I AM getting my degree in computer science, I plan to be a software developer so i’m not sure whether this will kind of “limit” me to IT jobs in the future or if I should just go for it. What do y’all think should I take the job?

24F, I work as a paralegal (something I landed in, after being recruited for abstracting work, then headhunted into a real estate paralegal position). I enjoy my job, though I'm not sure how long I'll envision myself there. I'm also paying on my student loans, and have been fortunate to live w/ my parents to save money that way too.
I was recently dismissed from my university, which is honestly a relief, but also makes me feel like a failure. Growing up my parents thought I'd go to an Ivy League and considered me "Gifted" (hard eye roll). It led to a lot of pressure and self hatred for failing at minor things. I used to enjoy school, but I hate it now. I cannot fathom doing more school work, even though I know that it is probably better to do college than not. I just hate school so much.
The dilemma is this:
I'm working, and paying on my student loans. And I enjoy working, honestly. I enjoy making money, helping people, contributing to society, and all of that. I'm disappointed in myself for deciding to go to college in the first place, but at 17 years old, you think you know yourself, and you think you've got the world figured out, but you just don't.
Here is what I do know:
I won't be able to reattend my university for another 2 years. I don't have a college degree. I'm not sure I even want one or if I need one. The job market seems really nuts right now as it is, as does the economy.
I certainly don't want to take out ANY loans ever again.
I have a few different marketable skills, and have worked in many different positions--assistant, administrative, paralegal, abstracting, etc.. I'm also really creative, and have just started getting back into that (I used to be very involved with art, but my parents always told me that was a hobby, nothing more). I've also thought about apprenticing to be a tattoo artist--sometimes that can take pretty long, and I'm unsure if that would be something stable enough for me, or if there really is any opportunity for that in my area.
My questions:
Do I tell my parents about this dismissal and suffer their extreme disappointment? Do I find my own place to live and just continue working as I am and wait until I actually know what I want to do, thereby having to restart my degree all over again? Do I try to go for a certificate in another field so that I have some kind of backup?
I feel like I should share all of this with my parents, but I don't know how, and I don't know when. Because of my student loans, they have allowed me to stay with them so that I can pay them off quicker (which I will be done by in about a year and a half if all goes according to plan).
Living independently is expensive. The housing market is egregious and renting is not much better. I'm unsure if I'll even remain in this area, so I don't want to encumber myself w/ a mortgage long term.
My family is expecting that I'll be graduated in a few years. How do I tell them this isn't going to happen? I don't want to lie, but I also don't want to face everyone's disappointment. I feel like a huge failure.
Any advice is welcome, I apologize for the unorganized thought processes. The big thing is that I've been academically dismissed from my college and I'm trying to move forward.

So I graduated from college 5 years ago now. Still have only landed less than 10 interviews and no job offers. I've tried everything:
Resume rework, keywords targetting in resume, linkedin rework, recuriting agencies, lying on resume, contacting recruiters, contacting employees on linkedin, contacting career center at university, cover letter writing courses, Chatgpt cover letter writing, calling, volunteering, building a website/blog, taking breaks, and a lot of independent self study, etc. It's all lead to jack squat!!!!! I'm so lost, and I'm pretty sure people less qualified than me are getting positions. How????!!!!!
I used to believe that you could seize opportunities by hard work and good presentation, but I now believe that you just have to get given an opportunity and have much less control over it than what I thought originally. I also struggle to find anyone who can relate to my experience.
I think networking is my main issue here, but I don't know how I can meet the right people. How can I/how did you?

Hello, I'm an environment artist that just graduated from college and am looking to improve on necessary skills to find a job in the industry. I've never used houdini and while talking to some recruitment specialists, they told me that houdini is used a lot by environment artists. Now personally, as someone who's never used it, I have no idea what aspect of houdini is used by environment artists. I use Maya for modeling, and I know houdini as a platform that makes visual effects and simulations but I recently learned that it can also do modeling and many more things, and there are terms like SOP and FLIP and many others. Before jumping into houdini and trying to understand all of these different aspects, I was curious to know if anyone knows what exactly would an environment artist do in houdini? What's the term for it and how exactly does it fit into the pipeline? That way I won't have to go and learn the simulation or all the unnecessary sides of houdini (for an environment artists) and instead focus on learning what's relevant to my field. Thank you!

Every single post on this sub praises Scoot and trashes Miller, and I see no other reason other than “Scoot has crazy potential because he’s athletic!”
He objectively did not have a good season for the G league Ignite:
16.5 ppg on 14.1 fga, 43% FG and 27% from 3 on a team that finished 11-21. I get he has an “nba ready body” but the dude is a bad shooter at 6’2.
Miller went for 18.8 ppg on 13.9 fga and shot 38% from 3 on the best team in College basketball (on top of shooting 86% FT). He was basically a better version of Jayson Tatum at Duke.
If you’ve watched any of the nba playoffs this year, 2 factors keep coming into play: shooting and size. I just don’t see how anyone can look at these 2 prospects and think “Scoot is the automatic pick, he’s generational talent while Miller looks like a bust”. Don’t know how many times I’ve seen people state that Scoot would go number 1 in most of the last 10 drafts, which is absolutely absurd to me.
It’s like saying I think Russell Westbrook will contribute to winning a championship more than Paul George.

My_qualifications
I'm a CSE undergrad in a Tier-3 engineering college (one of the top colleges in the state).
My GPA is above 7.5.
My GRE Score is 324, with an AWA score of 3.0.
I will be taking the IELTS soon.
I have completed 3 mini Python projects.
I am currently working on a main project.
I have also done an internship during my 2nd year.
Currently, I am doing another internship in the CS domain during my 3rd year.
I suck at academics, as my GPA is low. But, I'm a good problem solver and good with aptitude. I would like to know which US universities I have a good chance of getting into, regardless of budget. I also want to know how I can improve my profile to increase my chances of getting into a good university. I am looking for a university with a strong alumni network and a competitive environment, where peers are aware of the latest developments and have an entrepreneurial tech mindset.
Please DM me for any clarifications. Thank you!

Rich countries often give money to poorer countries, but it does not solve poverty. Therefore, developed countries should give other types of help to the poor countries rather than financial aid. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
The prompt suggests that richer countries should not provide funds to poorer countries as money seems to not solve the issue of poverty and hence should provide other forms of support. I mostly agree with this statement due to several reasons but I concede that financial aid is required for solving some of the issues.
To begin with, rather than providing financial aid which does not definite way of reaching the intended party, giving support in medical and educational fields can be more beneficial. Providing help in medical fields will boost the countries ability in the health sector and will be able to provide free healthcare for all, which will definitely stand as a pillar for the population below the poverty line.
Adding on to this, providing educational support prepares the youth and gives them a chance to get out of poverty by getting jobs and educating people around them. Without education, the children stand no chance to compete in this highly competitive society.
Furthermore, in some cases funds provided to the country may not even reach the intended purpose as bribery and corruption is still at large in the government. To prevent this, some sort on intangible help should be given to the poorer countries.
However, I do agree that funds are required in some cases as money stands as the foundation for building things as without the proper funding, things fall out of place. To build the latest tech hospitals, schools and colleges money is still required and hence rich countries should provide some sort of funding.
In conclusion, I agree with the statement as providing support in medical and educational fields will help revolutionize the country and help it's people come out of poverty. Furthermore, it prevents the funds from vanishing due to corruption. However, I do agree some sort of funding is required to act as a basic foundation.

I’m 17 and a junior in High School. My home life isn’t great and school limits my freedom too much. If I had next year off I could work more, be away from home more, and focus on my mental health. School has put me on a bunch of special education programs based off a false autism diagnosis I got as a child. I hate school. I spoke to my school counsellor about it and while he didn’t discourage as much as I thought he would he did state that GED earners earned less on average than people with high school diplomas. He also spoke about my military enlistment (I’m joining the marine corps) and said that a GED might change my enlistment. My recruiter said it won’t change much depending on when I get a GED. My mom is a huge believer in traditional schooling and doesn’t want me to get a GED because she thinks I won’t be able to go to college. Is this true? Would a GED be good for me?

Hello, I've worked as an Aid, Substitute, and as an Athletic director for severa years. We are farmers by trade and I also coach high school girls basketball. My daughter just finished her freshman year of high school and has been taking college courses online since 7th grade. She is very very smart outgoing and friendly. She wants to graduate a year early because other than VoAg and Basketball she doesn't really like high school. She is very outspoken when she sees or perceives an injustice and it tends to land her in hot water every now and then. Examples, We won the district championship in basketball and barely got noticed by the Administration yet the boys won it and you would have thought they won a state title. She organized a protest quietly. At the end of 6th period on a particular day all of the girls walked out and stood in front of the school in solidarity. They had signs hidden so they could pull them out and they changed and sang. As a father I was very proud of her but the admin wanted to punish her and make an example out of her.
Anyways, she feels it would be better for her to graduate a year early and me and her mom are willing to support her. Next year the only class she will take at school is VoAg as she will be going to college in person since she will have her license.
I think I'm way off track here... My question is, from the standpoint of teachers, do you feel like it hurts kids to graduate early, does it hold them back developmentally? What are your thoughts? Thanks in advance.

Hello! I've been applying to any remote jobs that I can find in my field but not getting anywhere. I heard from 2 or 3 recruiters since I began my search a few months ago with no outcome. I've been doing my job for 9 years now so I have experience and college degree. With all the competion out there, I get that it's difficult to land something. I'm currently working in office (ofc) for a staffing agency where most of our consultants are working from home so it feels like a jab to the stomach everytime someone new starts 😥
Anyone with a remote job have any recs or advice on how to land a remote job?

The 2019 NBA draft class was highly anticipated, with several promising young talents entering the professional basketball scene. While every draft class has its share of struggles and challenges, it is essential to approach discussions about players with fairness and accuracy. Unfortunately, false narratives and sensationalized stories have emerged, tarnishing the reputations of players like Ja Morant and Zion Williamson. In this article, we aim to debunk the exaggerated claims surrounding these players while shedding light on other challenges faced by members of the 2019 NBA draft class.
Ja Morant: Addressing Misconceptions:
Ja Morant, the talented point guard for the Memphis Grizzlies, has been the subject of rumors claiming involvement with guns and being labeled a "thug." However, it is important to separate fact from fiction. Morant has not been involved in any criminal activity related to guns. As a young athlete, he has occasionally posted pictures on social media holding firearms, but it is essential to remember that many individuals, including sports figures, engage in legal gun ownership and responsible gun culture.
Zion Williamson: Dispelling Inaccurate Reports:
Zion Williamson, the explosive forward for the New Orleans Pelicans, has faced unfounded allegations of a porn/sex addiction. Such claims are baseless and lack credible evidence. It is unfortunate when false narratives overshadow the exceptional talent and potential of young athletes. As professionals, these players deserve to be judged based on their performances on the court rather than sensationalized rumors.
Other Challenged Draft Picks:
a. RJ Barrett (New York Knicks): RJ Barrett, the talented shooting guard/small forward, faced immense pressure and scrutiny as a highly-touted prospect for the New York Knicks. While his rookie season was inconsistent, it is important to remember that adjusting to the NBA can be challenging for any young player, especially on a struggling team. Barrett has shown flashes of his potential and remains a vital part of the Knicks' future plans.
b. De'Andre Hunter (Atlanta Hawks): Hunter dealt with injuries during his rookie season, hindering his development and impacting his on-court performance. Despite these setbacks, he showcased his skills during the 2020-2021 season and played a crucial role in the Atlanta Hawks' successful playoff run.
c. Darius Garland (Cleveland Cavaliers): Garland faced criticism early in his career due to shooting struggles and adjusting to the NBA game. However, he displayed significant improvement during his second season, proving that patience and development are vital in a young player's journey.
d. Cam Reddish (Atlanta Hawks): Reddish faced challenges finding his rhythm and consistent playing time during his rookie season. However, his versatility and potential as a two-way player have become more evident, particularly during the 2021 playoffs, where he played a crucial role for the Atlanta Hawks.
e. Coby White (Chicago Bulls): While White showed flashes of brilliance during his rookie season, he faced inconsistencies in his game. Nevertheless, he displayed growth in his second season and has the potential to become an impactful player for the Chicago Bulls.
The 2019 NBA draft class has encountered its fair share of challenges and growing pains, but it is crucial to approach discussions surrounding these players with fairness and accuracy. False narratives surrounding Ja Morant and Zion Williamson should be debunked, allowing their on-court performances to take center stage. Additionally, other players from the class have faced different hurdles, but they continue to exhibit promise and growth as they navigate their professional careers. It is important to support and encourage these young athletes rather than perpetuate negative narratives that can harm their reputations unjustly.

I’m seeing all sorts of PD2 content creators quitting due to Update 237 and the EGS crossplay that broke literally everything, even the mod support. But as far as I’ve seen many of these problems are fixed now? (Atleast on the modding part, the latest BeardLib and SuperBLT seems to be out now)
I have just come back from college classes, what the hell happens?