Drop down tv mount

Hey folks,
I'll be moving to Bangalore soon for a new job. Primarily due to the high road tax there and secondarily due to ease in relocation down the line and seeing that I'll be needing a bike for my daily commute, I have decided to buy a bike from Delhi and then get it transported to Bangalore.
But all is not sunshine and rainbows, the catch being - the bike will be BH-registered in my father's name from Delhi as he is a government employee, and then I'll take this bike (now fitted with BH plates) with me and drive it in Bangalore for at least 2 years. The point to note is that my dad will not be living in Bangalore, only I will be - so in essence I'll be driving a BH-registered vehicle of some owner who is not even resident in the same state.
Is this going to be a problem? I'm not sure about the Bangalore traffic police attitude either.
Or should I just drop this "workaround" altogether and simply get a normal KA-registered bike with my name in Bangalore and sell it locally down the line if I need to relocate.
Please advise.

I'd like to start off by saying, I'm a trans woman (26). I'm married to a cisgender male (27). We've been together for about 2 and a half years, and married in November of last year.
At the beginning of our relationship, we were physically intimate very frequently. We had sex almost daily oftentimes multiple times a day, with plenty of foreplay. Sex with him is by far the best I've ever had. It eventually tapered down to a few times a week, and then was a steady once a week thing. It has now been about 5 or 6 months since we've made love.
I'm not sure exactly when it happened, but it eventually became a once a month thing, maybe every other month. When we got married, I was hopeful we'd make love that same day/night. We didn't, which for some reason that really hurts. We then had our honeymoon shortly after that, and I thought maybe we'd make love then. Again, we didn't. That also really hurts.
I've told him many times, physical touch is my number one love language. Sex is very important to me. He's said it's "shallow." Sex, he's said, is not important. When the frequency started to drop down to once a month/every other month I let him know that I miss him and need it to feel connected. Each time I've told him, he has said that he understands and will work on it. It doesn't seem to change, in fact it seems to just get worse.
I thought it would be a good idea to "schedule" sex, so that's what we tried doing. Throughout the week leading up to it he'd say stuff like, "I can't wait to fill you up." "I want to be inside you." The day would come, I'd ask him if he's still in the mood and he'd say yes. I'd then go to the restroom and douche, because I hate bottoming when I haven't prepped first. Then when I'd come out, he would say "I'm tired" or "I have a headache." Once I asked him, "Is it because of the Kratom shot you took?" He then shouted, angrily, "No, I just don't want to have sex with you!" To this day (which was probably a year ago) it still hurts. I eventually gave up on scheduling it.
After that, the only sex we had was oral and it was always me giving head until he finished. Reason being, when he was in the mood I was afraid of him not being in the mood after I finished prepping back there. I also don't like bottoming when I haven't prepped, so that seemed like the best option. We don't even do that anymore, which is largely because I don't feel it's fair. Sex for a long time with him has felt "unfair."
I'm a trans woman who does not have genital dysphoria, in fact, I like using what I have. I've told him this, many times. I've told him, I'm not a bottom. That's not the only thing I enjoy doing. He's let me top a handful of times, rarely does he ever seem to really try. He's said he enjoys it, sometimes, but for the "role reversal" aspect of it. That bothered me because I feel like that implies that's my role or my duty. I've also only ever received oral from him a handful of times, rarely does it ever extend past a minute, I'm lucky if I get 30 seconds. Meanwhile I've gone down on him for over 30 minutes plenty of times, and almost always I do it until he finishes. I've said many times I enjoy receiving it, and would like more of it. Doesn't seem to matter.
I've told him that I feel sex with him has been one sided for a while now. Bottoming for him was definitely not easy at first, in fact he's the largest I've ever been with, I'm not even being hyperbolic. He's huge. It was incredibly painful at first (and really always is during the first few minutes, regardless of size), but I learned how to do it for him. He's so big in fact, I have anal fissures/scars as a result. Giving oral (deep throating to be exact) was definitely not easy, but I learned how to do it comfortably for him. He says it's literally the best he's ever had. I have never been a fan of giving oral, but I do it because I love pleasuring him and I love him. I do it all, literally anything he wants in bed, because I felt like it would be reciprocated on some level.
I told him all of this. He said that that was wrong of me, to "expect" something in return. He said that was treating sex as if it was "transactional" and made him feel "used and gross." He said that my dick wasn't even meant for anal (that hurt a lot) because it has a curve. I told him that nothing was "meant" to go up there period, and yet he gladly tops me. I told him "You think yours was 'meant' for it? I literally have anal fissures/scars as a result of bottoming for you."
I want to also add, he has made comments about my dick throughout our relationship that have really hurt. What he has said wasn't mentioned during the conversation I just mentioned. He has jokingly made fun of it for being small. He has called it "wimpy" and his "fidget toy." He has told me once before that he was with a trans woman before who was smaller than me, and that's when he realized he was attracted to that. I have mixed feelings over that. On one hand, I thought that meant he genuinely enjoyed what I have. On the other hand, his comments have caused me to have some insecurities I never had.
We're in therapy now, but I'm worried it's not going to work. He has told my husband that the way I felt about sex, hoping my actions would be reciprocated, was not wrong at all. He said that we all do things for people we love, and hope they'll do the same in return. My concern is that he said he hasn't had any sex therapy classes since 1989. He's great in every other aspect, we both really like him, but that fact worries me. We've been to two sessions so far, I'm willing to give it a little longer to see where things go in terms of intimacy. I'm not sure what else to do after that.
I'd really like anyone else's perspective. Advice, or thoughts, are all welcome.

In the past couple of days, I've only been able to download around 10GB of a large file before my 270MB/s speed drops down to 50MB/s. However, I just started downloading another file, and it has already downloaded over 30GB, and it's still running at full speed. or am i just lucky?

Saw the keynote live. Absolutely mindblowing stuff. This will go down in history as one of the most legendary launches of any technology, rivaling even the original iphone. The amount of innovation they have crammed into such a small physical space is astounding. It is basically out of an episode of Black Mirror! They have taken every facet of already-established VR and elevated/polished it, taking it to unprecedented heights.
Just the fact that you can control the damn thing with hand gestures and fluid eye tracking is jaw-dropping on its own.
To people with a lot of disposable income, I urge you to hold on to one of these in its original factory packaging once released. The thing will easily be worth more than a million dollars in like 20 years.

It's getting to that round where it starts to be really difficult to see a difference between some of these players. In the late rounds, a lot of players are peaking and despite having previous matches, these player's form throughout different stages of the season and even throughout different seasons can vary widely so these are brand new contests. In any event, I'm ready to be wrong. Quick shoutout to the top 5 in each one of DC's contests :

ATP Bracket Contest : blurryturtle, unpleasant, 5grand8to1, noomuam, Diego2305
WTA Bracket Contest : TehoInBug, noomuam (going for the double, nice!), Belle23, Dikkeduece, unpleasant (another double hopeful)
Odds Comp : blurryturtle, Goldenboy8401, thiago1314, oompa87, DC writer Gillioni

ATP Singles :

Muchova vs Pavlyuchenkova :

Getting engaged at someone else’s wedding is poor form. Wearing the same shirt as your friend to a party is hilarious, but also considered a faux pas. Somewhere in between those two fouls is whatever is going on here. Just when Muchova has rediscovered her best form, Pavlyuchenkova has done the same. Both are playing tremendous, but the spotlight and the story is going to be pilfered by one of these two big hitters. The odds for Muchova here are -170 and I think that’s pretty accurate. Their previous meeting in 2021 was in Madrid and went to two tiebreakers. Pavlyuchenkova won those but I think she’s the underdog in this one. Both players are capable of hitting the ball huge, but Muchova’s straight set dismissal of Avanesyan was really impressive. Avanesyan is a wall but Muchova’s power off both wings really was effective. This is a day match so we can expect the ball to be moving fairly quickly; this take legs out of the equation a bit, but even so Muchova will be the fresher player.
There isn’t really a hole in Pavlyuchenkova’s game, and the same can be said for Karolina so there’s not a clear plan for either to really utilize. This is the first in a series of ridiculously good matches, because we’re at the stage of the tournament where everyone is playing at or near their peak. Expecting tiebreakers here and a very close match. Muchova in 3.

Svitolina vs Sabalenka :

Sabalenka had things under control against Sloane Stephens, up 5-0 in the first set. Somehow, she found herself in a tiebreak. That’s the sort of variance that was a hallmark of Aryna’s game in the past, but recently she’s settled into a good focused patch so it’s interesting to see her struggling a bit. Stephens is tremendous with her movement and ballstriking, but that type of lapse with a lead is something you can’t afford against Sabalenka’s next opponent. Elina Svitolina has to feel great to be back in the quarterfinals of a major. It’s an incredible feat for any athlete to compete at the professional level after having a baby, and she’s looking like a contender for her second title in only her second match back. Kasatkina and Svitolina played a ton of good quality rallies, and in the end it was Svitolina’s ability to hit through the court that gave her an edge. Kasatkina had to look to outlast her and it took many more shots for her each rally to finally score a winner. When Svitolina was able to reset to neutral with a big swing or a deep lob, it really felt like a heavy change in momentum. I’d have Sabalenka -300 against Kasatkina, but Svitolina’s power makes her a different challenge.
Sabalenka opened around -428 against Svitolina, which feels a bit inflated to me. Svitolina has a pretty decent serve, and a ton of experience. Their previous meeting went to three sets (2020 in Strasbourg), and though Sabalenka is a much better player now, she has had some difficult sets in this tournament against much weaker players. Stephens isn’t going to counter-punch as aggressively as Svitolina, and the marathon rallies against Kasatkina have her in solid form. Sabalenka is the frontrunner, but given her first set against Shymanovich and Stephens there is a decent chance this could wind up in a third. It’s funny how things change from round to round. After Rakhimova/Sabalenka I thought Aryna was basically going to reach the finals, but after the Stephens match I’m not sure she will keep the ball between the lines long enough to beat Svitolina. Svitolina is really adept at putting the extra ball into play and she’s on a 9 match win streak, including the Strasbourg title. Sabalenka is fresh off her first major title and she won the title in Madrid. Probably going to get some pushback on this but I think Svitolina pushes this into a third and I think she’ll be the more focused player if it gets there. Svitolina in 3.

ATP Singles :

Djokovic vs Khachanov :

Like the cartoons that play before a movie, Djokovic Alcaraz is about to begin. Karen Khachanov is quietly cruising through this draw, including a fourth round win against Lorenzo Sonego where Khachanov just met every single defensive challenge presented. Similar to Ruud, Khachanov just doesn’t miss the court very much, and his physical strength is off the charts. He has a huge serve, and his match on clay last year with Djokovic went to a third set. Yet the odds for this match have been set at -2500. That price is basically saying “pls do not bet”, and it’s good advice. Djokovic’s record this year is 24-4, so the random losses are prevalent enough to make his astronomical prices a less than profitable endeavor anyway. Still, Khachanov being considered an afterthought is both absurd, and accurate.
Djokovic had a safe fourth round against Juan Pablo Varillas, who is incredibly steady but not particularly dangerous to Djokovic. He doesn’t serve big enough to pressure Novak into errors, and playing Djokovic for the first time is difficult since the workload out on the court is something you have to experience to be prepared for. The greats look playable on tv, but when you’re out there and they’re just not missing it can get frustrating very quickly. Credit to Varillas, he gave the crowd a good show, but he just couldn’t hurt Djokovic. Khachanov can, and can’t. Karen’s serve is almost big enough for him to hold serve. They’re playing a day match, so the ball will at least be moving at a normal pace even in the slow conditions. Khachanov’s backhand is really consistent and he can take the ball down the line with pace, but he telegraphs his forehand a bit so Djokovic should be okay defensively. I don’t think this will be as one-sided as the odds suggest, because Khachanov can hang in long rallies and doesn’t make a ton of unforced errors. He has a poor record against Djokovic (who doesn’t), but familiarity with an opponent does let you compete at your best in a big-time situation. Khachanov is becoming a gatekeeper for the semis and finals of majors, but unfortunately Novak is a resident. Should be the closest match Djokovic has had yet, but with his elbow issue seemingly gone, there’s not a clear path to beat him. I expect Khachanov’s solid play will net him one set if Djokovic’s level lapses or errors abound, but that’s probably as good as it gets. Djokovic in 4.

Alcaraz vs Tsitsipas :

These are the only two players whose games are not affected by the night-time conditions, so it’s fitting that they’ll be playing the last match of the day. Carlos Alcaraz is scary good. Musetti came into their match playing lights-out tennis and had just straight setted Cam Norrie, genuinely making him look like a lower tier player. Halfway through the first set, it was clear that he could barely win a game against Alcaraz. Carlos’s defense and consistency are just off the charts. When his opponent leaves the ball short or doesn’t hit with pace himself, Alcaraz is hitting the ball right past them. His inside-out forehand in the fourth round was frighteningly quick, leaving Musetti standing still on numerous occasions. If you’re even competing even from the baseline, you then have to deal with his dropshots, which are varied and accurate. Every single point you win against him requires effort and accuracy, and there are only 3 matches between him and his first Roland Garros title so he doesn’t have to conserve or budget his energy output at this point.
Before their match in Barcelona, Tsitsipas represented an intriguing challenge for Alcaraz. He has a great serve and a huge forehand, so Alcaraz’s defenses were set to be test. He proved very capable though, and coming into this match it’s unclear where Tsitsipas can hurt Alcaraz. In the slightly colder night conditions Alcaraz will have more time defend, and Tsitsipas’ backhand is still a liability. With Carlos’ backhand improving almost constantly this season, the cross-court exchanges are likely to favor Alcaraz. Since Tsitsipas’s main issue on his backhand is lack of depth, it’s likely that he’ll see a healthy dose of dropshots. Stefanos is fast enough to run these down, but over the course of the match I think Alcaraz’s power and variety will make a big difference. It’s hard to just completely write someone as good as Tsitsipas off, but he has holes in his game that he needs to fix before he wins a major title, and Alcaraz is currently the level necessary to win one. One thing I do expect from this match is that Tsitsipas will play regardless of the scoreline. Should be a close but somewhat one-sided affair. Alcaraz in 3.

My supply seems to be TANKING, or at least not able to keep up with my 5.5 month old 😢. I’ve been working with a lactation consultant and trying what feels like allllll the things (power pumping, lactation tea and cookies, oatmeal, switch nursing, adding in extra pump sessions and feedings, etc.)
He will eat deeply for a short period on each breast, then he gets frustrated, bites, punches, etc. it seems clear that he needs more. Then, If I try hand expressing absolutely nothing comes out. The advice of the LI is to switch nurse to see if we can get another let down. This rarely works. So then I supplement with formula. Sometimes he will still drink 6 oz after breast feeding! Which makes me think he is getting very little.
I have recently gone back to work, but do pump religiously while away, and always at night after he goes to sleep. He’s been sleeping through the night for almost 3 months, and we only started having this problem in the last week or so. My period came back about a month and a half ago once and I did notice a dip in my supply then. I haven’t gotten it again yet. This came to my attention over a recent 4 day weekend where he was being exclusively breast fed and he just didn’t seem satisfied. However, since going back to work (about 1 month ago) he has been exclusively breast fed aside from one bottle of breast milk on the weekends. So this feels like a very sudden drop! Husband does report that he can be weird with bottles during the days lately too (he is home with him).
Anyway, I know a fed baby is best, although it would be very sad if our BF journey had to end. It is so difficult to gauge if he is getting enough. It is also cumbersome to breast feed and then also have to make a bottle every time we feed. I am a teacher and will be off for the summer. My hope was to go back to as much breast feeding as possible, but is there any hope? It just feels like somehow I’m no longer making enough for him. In theory, more breast feeding with him should increase supply, right? I don’t want to quit (I really love BFing him!) and also absolutely want what is best for my kiddo (he’s on the smaller side, but always has been, pediatrician is not concerned and he meets milestones).
Has anyone recovered from something like this to keep successfully breast feeding?

I don’t know what to do anymore. I can’t win. Every time I get the slightest bit of hope that I’ll break through, life drops another boulder on me. My self esteem is so low that socializing is literally painful. The one hobby I’ve been clinging on to for the slightest bit of happiness is getting taken away from me by injury. I’m so far behind my peers in life that I feel like a fucking joke. Most of my old friends barely talk to me, never invite me to anything but always tell me about their good times when we catch up. If I invite them to do something they’re always “busy”. The few friends that are still in my life look down on me, and I’m starting to become the butt of every joke. What makes it worse is they know how I feel because I’ve told them countless times, but they either don’t get it or don’t care. I tell them I’m depressed as fuck and they just say “same bro” and then go on with their happy lives. My family is the same way. Everyone says they get it, but then they look at me like a fucking freak when I sleep until 2 because my thoughts were racing all night, every bad memory going through my mind on a torturous repeat, as if I’m some slob who just doesn’t care to contribute to the world. They all feel the same, but they don’t seem to understand why I can’t find a partner, or how I couldn’t trust someone intimately even if I wanted to because I’m so fucking afraid of getting hurt again. They tell me that I can always talk to them if I need to get things off my chest, but they never really listen. What hurts the most is I would carry the world on my shoulders for these people if they asked me to, but I seem to just be an afterthought to them, slowly fading out of their lives. I don’t know what to do anymore. I don’t know who to talk to. I don’t even know if anyone will read this but I just need to turn my thoughts into words. I don’t want to give up, but every day it gets harder to keep going.

Although I am officially undiagnosed, I suspect (with strong evidence) that I have AuDHD. And one of the drawbacks I've found, is that whenever I am in a TV show binging phase, I tend to start mimicking and mirroring mannerisms and vocal patterns of the characters in the show without realizing it until it's too late for me to make myself stop. Usually it isn't really a problem, but recently I've been really into Criminal Minds and my voice has been taking after a mix of Hotch and Reid, with Hotch being the primary subject.
Hotch's voice clashes with my natural voice to the point where I can physically feel the difference in how my vocal chords move when I speak and I actually hate it. But I can't get myself to stop lest my brain decides to shut down.
The characters I choose to mirror aren't actively chosen by me, and I honestly don't know what my brain's criteria is when selecting a voice from a show (some examples of other characters I mirror: Donnie from Rise of the TMNT, a mix of Dean and Cas (Dean's voice but Cas's speech pattern) from SPN, etc). Does anyone else have this problem? And what, if any, reasons do you think your brain chooses the voices it does? I really want to know because Hotch isn't even my favorite character (Reid is) but it physically hurts to speak like Hotch and no matter what I try to do to stop it, I can't. Quite frankly, it's really annoying.
Any theories? Does anyone else experience this? How do I stop and how do I figure out why my brain chooses the characters it does? 😭😭😭

Creating a registration page. I have a master list in sheet 2 (RegistrationMaster) sheet 1 (Landing page) verifies name of attendee is in the list and gives me the source of how he heard about the event using the following formula (I type the name in B3, results are in B4):
=IFERROR(VLOOKUP(B3,‘RegistrationMaster’!A$2:G$500,5,FALSE),”Not Registered”
With that I know if they are on the list, if they cited a source or not. Next I have a drop-down with sources and I want it to populate the source cell corresponding to the name with the selected option
Ideas on how to do this? Thank you!

So I originally posted about making Meularas Oddities sell "for fun items like a bag of beans, but then decided to add a quest for her that could do something with the hetch warehouse. The following is a revision of this fleshed out with the added side quest.
As the party of adventurers steps into Meularas Oddities, the bells above the door jingle merrily, filling the air with a sense of anticipation. Shelves adorned with trinkets and odd contraptions surround them, catching their attention. Meulara, the mischievous kender shopkeeper, stands behind the counter, her eyes dancing with mischief.
Noticing the party's arrival, Meulara swiftly finishes locking away a few items in a cabinet behind her. With a mischievous grin, Meulara turns to the party and begins her sales pitch in her characteristic kender voice. "Welcome, welcome, my adventurous friends! Are you in search of a laugh, a jolly good time, or perhaps something utterly absurd? Look no further! Feast your eyes upon the wonders of Meularas Oddities!" She reaches under the counter and begins to produce small trinkets. "Ah, my curious friends, I have just the thing for you. Feast your eyes upon these marvelous little trinkets!"
One by one, Meulara offers the party a series of seemingly insignificant objects. There's a copper bell that promises to summon a crowd or a cat, a tiny wooden figurine of a dancing gnome with impressive footwork, a pocket-sized telescope that allows one to see distant objects up close, a jar filled with glowing fireflies to light up the night, and a small pouch that always seems to produce a single piece of candy when needed. (Or roll on the trinket table for this part)
After the final trinket has been presented, Meulara leans closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Now, my friends, if these aren't interesting enough for you, I have a proposition for you. A rogue wizard has just recently stolen something from my shop - a wand. I don't know much about it, but I'd wager I could've sold it for some fair steel. He's currently hiding in the abandoned Hetch warehouse not too far from here. I've tried going to the town guard, but they don't seem too interested in retrieving something that was stolen from a kender for some reason... they said it was probably already stolen, but Kender do not steal. Retrieve the wand, and I'll make you a special offer on my truly extraordinary items from my special cabinet."
Meulara's eyes sparkle with anticipation as she continues, "Be cautious, though. The warehouse has fallen into disrepair, and the rogue wizard has made it his lair. He's crafty and unpredictable."
The adventurers make their way to where the abandoned Hetch warehouse stands, shrouded in an eerie silence. The once bustling hub of activity now exudes an aura of mystery and neglect. The building is in disrepair, and it is overgrown with vines. Wooden boards creak as the party approaches, their footsteps echoing in the empty surroundings.
Entering the dimly lit warehouse, the party is greeted by stacks of forgotten crates, spiderwebs glistening in the corners, and a thick layer of dust covering the floor. The air feels heavy with anticipation.
Suddenly, a figure emerges from the darkness, his long, tattered robes swirling around him. The rogue wizard locks eyes with the party, a sly smile curling his lips. "Ah, intruders. What a perfect opportunity to test the capabilities of my new wand," he sneers, his voice filled with malicious delight.
Unbeknownst to the party, the wizard had cast an alarm spell on the door and was ready to attack with surprise.
With a flick of his hand, the rogue wizard conjures crackling lightning, directing it towards the adventurers. The bolt sizzles through the air, narrowly missing its mark but illuminating the warehouse in a brilliant flash. The rogue wizard's laughter echoes through the room as he revels in his power. He unleashes a second spell, a burst of energy intended to cripple his opponents.
To his surprise and horror, as the spell leaves the wand, it abruptly backfires. A surge of magical energy envelops the rogue wizard, causing him to convulse and stiffen. Stunned, he stands frozen and begins exclaiming, "Wow, marvelous! Simply amazing!"
In his confused state, the rogue wizard believes that something incredible has happened. He is convinced that the wand has granted him unimaginable power. He starts describing how he feels an indescribable surge of energy coursing through his veins, how his senses have become heightened to an extraordinary degree, and how he is now able to see the fabric of reality itself.
With the threat neutralized, the adventurers retrieve the wand and discover it is actually a wand of wonder. They then make their way back to Meularas Oddities. The kender shopkeeper's eyes sparkle with delight as they return, victorious.
"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Meulara exclaims, her voice tinged with mirth. "You've managed to reclaim the wand, and in such a spectacular fashion too! Truly remarkable. I wasn't sure if you be able to pull it off, that wizard is tricky you know. "You see, he asked me to see the wand, claiming he was interested in purchasing it. But as soon as I turned away for a moment, poof! He vanished into thin air, leaving behind this funny coin." Meulara reaches under the counter and retrieves a peculiar coin, engraved with odd symbols, and says "it's not like any currency I've ever seen so i figured he must have tried to trick me by leaving this funny trinket and stole my wand.
The party members gaze at the coin, their eyes widening with astonishment. They recognize its immense worth and the opportunities it presents.
One of the adventurers speaks up, their voice filled with awe. "Meulara, this coin is not just a funny trinket. It's made of platinum, a precious metal that is highly sought after. It holds significant value, far beyond its weight. This is a small fortune!"
Meulara's eyes widen in surprise and excitement. "Oh, my goodness! I never would have guessed. I mistook the situation entirely. That tricky wizard never intended to steal the wand from me. He left this platinum coin as payment.
The party members exchange glances, realizing the true nature of the misunderstanding, and Meulara's expression shifts to one of contemplation. She ponders for a moment before addressing the party once more.
"My friends," she begins, her voice tinged with a mix of seriousness and determination, "I believe it is only fair that we return this wand to the wizard who left behind this valuable coin. It seems he never intended to steal from me but had a different motive altogether. Let us find him and make amends."
With a renewed sense of purpose, the adventurers agree to accompany Meulara on this quest. Together, they set off to locate the elusive wizard, their footsteps resonating with determination.
After a brief search, they finally track down the rogue wizard, who stands before them with a mix of surprise and curiosity. Meulara steps forward, holding out the wand to him. "We have come to return what you left behind, dear wizard," she says, her voice filled with sincerity.
The wizard's eyes widen as he recognizes the wand. He extends a hand, motioning for them to keep it. "No, no, my friends," he says, his tone surprisingly earnest. "I have discovered the true nature of this wand. It is far too unpredictable for my tastes. It backfired on me once, and I realized that its powers are too volatile. I believe it has found more deserving owners in you."
The adventurers exchange puzzled glances, astonished by the unexpected turn of events. The wizard continues, his voice filled with a newfound wisdom. "You have proven your worth and resourcefulness by retrieving the wand. It is yours now, and I trust that you will handle its power with caution and bravery."
Meulara's eyes sparkle with a mix of gratitude and relief. "Thank you, kind wizard," she says. "We accept this gift with humility and will wield its power responsibly."
And so, the wand remains in the hands of the adventurers, a symbol of their triumph and the trust bestowed upon them by the wizard. They bid farewell to the enigmatic spellcaster, knowing that they now possess a truly extraordinary and unpredictable artifact.
Returning to Meularas Oddities, the kender shopkeeper once again gets a twinkle in her eye. "Well, well, well, my dear adventurers," she exclaims, her voice filled with mirth. "It seems the wand has found its true owners after all. Embrace its magic and continue your adventures with caution and wonder." Now as promised, for all your trouble, I'll show you my special items for sale. With a flourish, Meulara unlocks the glass case, revealing the assortment of extraordinary items. "How about a Bag of Beans, known to produce unpredictable results when planted; the Sovereign Glue, which could stick just about anything together; and the Dust of Sneezing and Choking, guaranteed to elicit laughter and pranks."
However, Meulara had more up her sleeve. She motioned toward some more special items, carefully guarded behind the glass case. "Ah, but wait, my dear adventurers! If you seek something truly extraordinary, I have a few select oddities that might catch your fancy."
She pointed to an Immovable Rod, explaining its ability to freeze in space and serve as a steadfast anchor. Nearby was a set of Nolzur's Marvelous Pigments, promising to bring life to the imaginations of artists and pranksters alike. And next to those, an Alchemy Jug awaited, ready to produce an assortment of liquids, from harmless drinks to more eccentric concoctions.
Meulara's eyes gleamed with excitement. "But wait, there's more! Behold, the Oil of Slipperiness! Perfect for evading enemies or causing hilarious slips and slides.
And so, the story continues, the adventurers armed with the unpredictable wand and an array of extraordinary oddities from Meularas Oddities, ready to face the challenges that lie ahead.

Chapter 1 - Stranger
When Daglan woke up that morning he didn't see anything unusual. He had awoken from a drop of water falling from the ceiling as he did many mornings. His best friend Rozere was in the kitchen with her father cooking what smelled of eggs. The sun was shining through the cracks in the curtains and holes in the walls as it always did. What felt different? Then he heard voices outside, voices that grew louder and louder. At this point Rozere and her father Koshu had heard the commotion as well and stepped outside to see what it was. Daglan hastily followed suit, after finding his tunic and boots. Lying on the ground outside was a young man, no older than 25. He lay face up in the dirt wearing only baggy purple pants and a black conical hat covering his face. His long black hair seemed to be tied at the base of his head in a long spiky ponytail, his slender muscular body was covered in dozens of battle scars, and at his waist was a black katana with its sword tied firmly inside its sheath. Almost the entire town had crowded around him, murmuring and shifting anxiously. It wasn't often people arrived in town, mostly just traders on their way to and from Inoris, and that too was a rarity. "Back now people, give this man some room! And for the love of Reza, quiet!" Barked Doc Silvis as she pushed through the crowd. She immediately knelt down and felt his neck with her fingers. She paused for a moment and gave a very annoyed sigh, slapping away his hat. "He's alive alright. This dumbass is sleeping in the street." She gave the stranger a hard slap across the face, one that would have probably knocked him out, had he been awake. The crowd watched in awe as he yawned and scratched his nose, barely affected by Silvis. "What should we do?" Someone asked. "Do you know who he is?" Asked another. As the murmurs heighted Daglan could tell Silvis was getting fired up, over the years Daglan had gotten to know Silvis quite well, with all his escapades outside the town walls. Daglan knew better than anyone that Silvis hated when a patient ignored her, and more so when she had to repeat herself. "I said quiet! Don't you lazy bums have more important things to do?! Livani! Koreso! Aren't you two on watch?! Scram the lot of you!" A wave of fear crashed down upon the crowd and everyone began to disperse. All but Daglan, as Rozere pulled on his sleeve. "Come on Daglan," she hissed, keeping an eye on Silvis like she was some wild animal, "You don't want to make her angrier." "I'll be fine," he whispered, without looking back, his eyes stuck on the sleeping man. What was this feeling? It was like the feeling he got when Silvis healed his wounds, but not as warm. Almost closer to the feeling he got when abominations were near, when he ventures past the walls, but not as malicious. Before he knew it he was kneeling next to Silvis, watching her run her hand across his body, her hands glowing faintly, his curiosity bubbling. "He isn't cursed or hypnotized, I can't feel a single thing wrong with him. I do believe this man is really just asleep, and slept through a slap in the face." Silvis sighed. After a few moments she looked at Daglan with a tired smile, then frowned. "Thanks for being quite Daglan, now since you're gonna bum around, get to work hauling this bastard back to my infirmary and don't let him out of your sight. I want to know as soon as he wakes up." Daglan looked around to ask Rozere for help but she was already gone, how long had he been watching this stranger and Silvas? He looked down at the smiling, snoring face of the stranger, scooped under his arms, and with much difficulty began dragging the older, bigger boy to the infirmary. The infirmary was quiet today, there hadn't been a major abomination attack in quite a few weeks which didn't happen often. It wasn't long before Rozere came in with a grimace on her face and her fingers on her nose. "Honestly," she said in that strange nasally voice when you hold your nose, "I hate how much time you make me spend here. Between you getting hurt and my dad making me help Silvas, I can't get away!" She plopped down next to him and sighed. "So what's with this guy? Why are you still here with him?" "Silvas asked me to watch him and tell her when he wakes up. Apparently I can't let him leave till she talks to him." He shrugged, trying more to convince himself. She eyed him suspiciously, but immediately dropped the subject. "Did you notice his sword was tied closed? I wonder what that's about?" She reached out and placed a hand on his sword, and just then the weird energy the stranger gave off changed from similar to those of the abominations , to even scarier than anything he'd ever felt from them. Rozere fell to her knees and screamed as the stranger stood over her. When had he stood up?! Daglan shot to his feet, a smile ripping across his face as excitement crackled through his body. He prepared to defend his friend, when just as quickly as the evil energy had manifested, it disappeared. In fact the feeling Daglan had been getting from the stranger had all but subsided completely. He stared at Daglan and Rozere with a confused look. When Rozere had eventually stopped screaming, Daglan held out his hand to help her up. Daglan’s mind raced with questions but could he do nothing but stare at the stranger as he stared back. “Uh, hello-” he began and just then Silvas and Koshu burst through the door with Livani and Koreso close behind. Koshu sprang in between Rozere and the stranger, towering over him. "What did you do to my daughter!" He said through gritted teeth. The stranger scratched the back of his head and opened his mouth when Rozere spoke up, "It was nothing dad, he just woke up and scared me! Look at me I'm fine, now would you stop!" But Koshu didn't flinch, not until Silvas spoke up. "Back off Koshu, Rozere is right, she's fine, and this boy is obviously no danger at the moment." He mumbled something under his breath but did as he was told. "Yeah, listen to Silvas and not me." Rozere grumbled, crossing her arms. "Now listen here young lady, you will show your aunt some resp–" Koshu began but Silvas smacked him in the back of the head. "Now isn't the time, Koshu, take her and go," she glared at the stranger, who was still smiling awkwardly and scratching the back of his head. “Everyone out, now.” "Uh, where am I? He eventually stammered. "Daglan, out." Silvas said forcefully, without taking her eyes off the stranger. As well as Daglan knew Silvas, he'd never seen her this worked up, not even about the abominations . She was so strong-willed, so much more than anyone else in town. He had heard stories about Silvas, but only bits and pieces around town, probably all made up. Still there was one he heard more than others, he had heard before she lived in Graybarrow she had fought in some kind of war. Daglan sat outside the infirmary trying to hear as much as he could. Wondering what could have gotten Silvas so worried, and if that man was even human. He could barely hear anything, mostly Silvas's mumbled questioning and the nervous laughter of the stranger. As he sat and pondered, an extremely tall, wide shouldered man sat down next to him and lit a cigarette. He had a long thick mustache that covered his upper lip but came down on the sides past his chin, and scruffy brown hair that stuck up at weird angles. "Oh, hi Mr.Lucio." Daglan said as he pretended to have not been eavesdropping. "I haven't seen you in class," he said as he blew out a cloud of smoke, "and I don't often see you hanging around here by choice." He continued to puff his cigarette as they sat in silence. "Mr.Lucio… I can feel him like the abominations and Silvas's healing. What is he?" "I'm not sure, from what I've heard he sounds human enough. What do you think?" "I don't know… I think he's human? But why can I feel him?" "There must be something similar between him, Silvas's healing, and the abominations from the mountains and forest, hmm?" "I guess so…" They continued to sit in silence until Lucio had finished his cigarette. "You can always talk to me if you need help, Daglan. You may like getting experience more, but a little book learning can go a long way." He stood up, pressing his cigarette out between his fingers and putting the butt in his pocket. "It's always good to see you, don't be a stranger." He said as he waved his hand walking away. Daglan thought about what Lucio had proposed, something similar. It didn't seem like Silvas or the stranger would be coming out soon so Daglan decided to go home and see what Rozere thought about all this. When he did get home both Rozere and Koshu were in foul moods, having most likely fought since earlier. Deciding that he'd rather not be part of that, he grabbed his bag and scurried out the front door before Kusho had time to notice. It's a short walk to the gate, the guards had patched up his last hole in the wall, but he had since come up with another, more thrilling way. Climbing up to the top of the traders hall, he'd be high enough to jump to the wall once the guards had passed. Then it was a quick jump down and a sprint out of their eyesight before he was able to relax. He walked along a path he knew quite well until he came up on a small ladder, it was built into a tree that led up to a small treehouse. His exploration headquarters as he liked to call it. The inside was small and filled with trash, and his souvenirs from his adventures sat on a roughly made table. A small Salegitti skull, a broken dagger missing its tip, and a small crystal like rock that shown with faint yellow light. Next to them were three well worn books. He picked up the book titled journal and sat on the ground, scribbling furiously with a small piece of charcoal. He then began to study the other two, older, bigger books. One titled, Abominations of Hel’s Peaks, and the other, Creatures of South Shodun. Mr Lucio was right about book learning, but he liked his own books.
Back in town Rozere was wandering around with her hands behind her head, whistling to herself. “I wonder where Daglan is?” She pondered allowed, before realizing she had stopped in front of Silvas’s office. She stared at the large building with its off-white stone, and massive steel doors. There were various cracks and dents all along the wells and doors, as well as wooden planks over the windows, Silvas called them the clinic’s battlescars, there was nowhere safer to hide in the whole town. She stared for a long time before realizing there was a man sitting in the grass, a large bottle of alcohol in one hand, and multiple empty bottles sitting neatly by his legs. His long spiky hair was a little cleaner, and the copious amounts of drool were now wiped away. His face was a bright red, and he had a cigarette hanging from his lips. He stared at her with a slight wobble, “Hey… You're that girl that touched my sword right?” He took another large gulp from his bottle. “Yeah? What of it?” She asked with defiance, her hands on her hips. He smiled a sickening smile and shot to his feet faster than Rozere could see. “Why don't you try it again? Or will you simply scream for help? Little girls shouldn’t play with monsters.” He said as he towered over her. “Go ahead.” He lifted his arm in the air so his katana was unblocked. Rozere’s knees began to shake and a lump formed in her throat but she did not look away. She was an ant, and this man was a giant. She wasn't going to back down, but he could stand faster than she could see. Surely dropping his arm even faster would be no problem right? He was right, she wanted to scream, but she stood firm. “Maybe I will!” She returned his malicious smile and reached out for his sword as fast as she could, bracing for the impact and the horrible crunch of bones as he grabbed her arm and snapped it in half. She flinched as her nerves went off, electric sensations coursing through her fingertips. It's happened! But what she felt wasn't pain, but the hard yet somehow soft grip of a katana hilt. She opened her eyes to see her hand firmly gripping his katana and a much more playful smile somehow even wider across this strange man’s face. He began to laugh loudly as she stumbled backwards and fell. He held out his hand, still giggling a little. She eyed him hard then after a moment smacked his hand away. She stood up, and began to brush herself off, glaring at him all the while. He apologized in between giggles. “My name is Noboru, you've got quite the spirit to face me down. What's your name kid?” He asked as he sat back onto the grass and took another long swig from his bottle. Rozere straightened up and looked at him with a fiery gaze. “Rozere of Grayborrow.” She said, crossing her arms. “And you dont scare me!” “What are you yelling about Rozere?” Silvas asked as she appeared behind her. “You!” she exclaimed as she saw Noboru “Where did you get all of that from!? Rozere give me a hand and throw away these bottles would you?” “She's already gone.” Noboru giggled. Silvas spun around to see that Rozere had indeed disappeared, as Noboru began to laugh louder. Rozere could hear the slap from across town as she sat against the traders hall. As she pondered just how big a lump must be on the side of Noboru's face, a ball smacked her’s. “Hey who did that!?” She demanded as she hoped to her feat, tears forming in her eyes, which she quickly wiped away. “Oh, sorry Rozere! I didn't mean to! Honest!” Said the boy as he ran up and grabbed his ball off the ground before the evil Rozere could kick it away, her foot swishing in the air. The boy was a few years younger than Rozere, had shaggy blonde hair, a tunic that was two sizes too big for him and a pair of round glasses broken in several spots. “You better be sorry, pipsqueak!” she said, wiping her eyes and now running nose. “I'll have to beat you up if not!” “Come on give Vilcus a break he said sorry. What are you doing over here by yourself anyways? Daglan run away again?” Said another girl with little blonde pigtails and red cheeks, as she came up behind Vilcus. “Hi Meska and no he didn't run away again.” Rozere said, sticking her tongue out. “I just think he went for a walk is all… he'll be back… soon!” She crossed her arms and held her chin up. “Well why don't you come play with us until he gets back?” Meska asked, turning around and walking away, “We are playing dodgeball, maybe you can hit Vilcus in the face.” “Hey nuh-uh! She won't hit me!” Vilcus persisted as he followed after her. Rozere sniffled, rubbed her nose with her sleeve, and smiled. “Okay fine, but wait up!” She yelled.

As Daglan walked through the trees, he could feel the malicious energies from abominations all around him, it was making his blood boil. He remembered the stranger looking down at him and Rozere, overflowing with the most malicious intent he had ever felt. A smile began to creep across his face once more, as he could feel something close behind him. He spun around to see a creature he had only seen in books, the sight of which excited and terrified him. 

A giant humanoid creature with a long smooth snake-like torso, and grotesquely elongated arms and legs stood before him. It had a small pair of arms on its hips that bounced as if boneless, and a strange human face. Smooth indents of skin sat where the eyes should be, and it had a beak lined with razor teeth that jutted out at multiple angles. It clicked its tongue and sniffed the air then began to lick its beak with what could only be called a smile. “What should I call you big fella?” Daglan asked nervously as excitement shot through his body. This wasn't like anything he'd ever encountered in the forest, or during attacks. This creature was much more dangerous. He gritted his teeth and forced an equally disgusting smile, even though he was sure the abomination couldn't see him. He pulled out the dagger he had smithed in secret at Koshu’s forge and dropped his stance lower, lower, lower. The creator was clicking and sniffing in anticipation, no doubt it could feel Daglan’s bloodlust. Daglan took a slow step forward, then another. The creature's head tilted and it sniffed harder, then in a flash that Daglan couldn’t even see, it lashed out, slashing his shoulder apart. Adrenaline had already made its way to Daglan’s brain and he didn't even feel the warm blood soaking into his tunic or notice his limp arm flailing behind him as he attacked. He rolled under the creature’s arm and slashed at its ribs ripping its open sending its guts pouring out. It screamed in pain and whirled around, but its tall body and long arms whizzed over Daglan’s head. He rolled again, this time in between its legs, slashing at its knee, cutting down to the bone. It screamed again and fell to its knees with a gross squishy thud from one. It twitched and spazzed as it began twisting its body around in a disgusting manner. Daglan approached cautiously, but the adrenaline had worn off and he looked down at his arm. It was almost completely blue, and the little skin and bone that held his arm to his body squirted copious amounts of blood. There was a blur then he was flying through the brush stopping when he thudden into a tree. His eyes began to blur with red, then black. The last thing he heard was a familiar voice… “You are by far the most interesting of the bunch. Hey, can you hear me?”
When Deglan awoke he was looking at a ceiling he knew all too well. In a bed he had awoken in many times. But this time he couldn't move. “Silvas! What's happening?! Silvas! Rozere!” Daglan began to thrash when he heard that same voice, “Hey hey hey! You're going to hurt yourself more than you already have!” When standing over him, blocking the light with his conical hat, was the stranger. “That was a nasty creature you were tangling with out there. I heard you like to fight but I'm guessing you've never seen a lasari before? Ugly things, and not easy to kill with small weapons if you don't know how.” “I do know how.” Daglan said matter of factly, “They have two brains located behind the eye sockets.” “Oh-ho-ho,” the stranger smiled maliciously, “ but how do you stop them from reproducing after that?” Daglan went silent for a moment. “What do you mean?” “Lasari have a fun ability to reproduce from their corpse. Specifically, their heart has two eggs inside that will hatch if it ever stops beating. So to properly kill one you must burn the heart.” He laughed and presumably sat back down, out of Daglan’s eyesight. There was a slight pause and Daglan was about to speak when he heard a gasp and the stranger continued. “Anyway, you almost lost your arm. Luckily, your doctor and blacksmith were able to fix you up, those two are something else. It'll take some time for your bo-” Daglan cut him off. “What do you mean I almost lost my arm?! What did they do to me?!” He exclaimed, thrashing, memories of his broken and bleeding arm flashing through his mind. “If you don't calm down, I will calm you down.” He said forcefully. “I hate babies. I thought you were supposed to be a tough kid? Now anyways it's just me and you here, everyone else is asleep, so please. I know you've heard of the metal prosthetics of this country, Metics, I think they're called? I’ve seen people in town with them. Well your blacksmith had to help your doctor make you a new shoulder.” “So why are you being so helpful? I don't know you, and you feel the same as an abomination.” “See it's things like that!” He shot back up his face noticeably red. “You're so interesting! I don't remember how I got here…” He scratched his head for a second, “but boy have I had fun since I've shown up!” Your girlfriend Rozere-” “She's not my girlfriend, and you leave her alone!” He shouted. “Well she's fearsome! And you’re so interesting too! Definitely the best five year o-” “I’m twelve. Rozere is thirteen.” “Well twelve then. Point is, I like you and your little girly friend, so I thought I'd help out and not let you die.” Then it dawned on Daglan, there was no way a search party found him like when he normally gets in a scap and passes. He had thoroughly lost and was deep in the woods. By all accounts he should be dead. Daglan was so angry he hadn't even thought about what happened afterwards. “It was you. So what do you want from me? Are you some abomination loo-” This time the stranger cut him off. “My name is Noboru, the handyman.” “I've never heard of that species.” “Well I'm not an abomination, I'm a jack-of-all-trades, so to speak. I travel from place to place making money doing odd jobs. Anyways, you remind me an awful lot of someone I used to know. So don't go throwing your life away against such low level trash as the abominations around here.” Daglan began to feel the intimidating malice from Noboru, almost that of when Rozere had touched his sword. “I know you can feel my energy. Unlike the people of this town, save a few, I think you're gifted.” Then it was gone just as quickly as before. “What do you want, Daglan.” Daglan’s blood was fire and his eyes daggers, piercing the ceiling with determination. “I want to be remembered.” “So get out of this town and maybe one day you can fight me, and I’m not even the strongest out there. Come… show this world what you're… made of because I for one… can't wait.” Just then Daglan heard a thud followed by an endless cascade of snores from Noboru. “Would someone get me out of here!”

Devil found the Aurora, he was looking for a fight He just came back from Georgia after a deal that didn't go right he came across an immortal playin' a harmonica and playing it well now the devil bent into the vent and said "Boy, you're bound for hell" "I guess you don't quite know me, but I know of you, And I'm a real captain and harmonica player too but I'll lead you to a city so old with sins untold if I can't play better than you."
The mate said "Fuck you Mr! I am the captain, but let's make it a bet, you might regret, 'cause I won't let you win" Johnny clean your comb and play your music well a new devil’s on aurora and he knows a planet that’s like hell and if you win you’ll find new tales to be told and if you lose he won’t leave you whole
the devil opened up his case and said “I’ll start this show” and smoke came from his nostrils, as he prepared to blow he put the organ to his lips and made an evil hiss and some stowaways joined and it sounded something like this: [Insert awesome harmonica resembling once upon a time in the west]
Jonny said, “well, you’re fucking good old scratch but sit in that chair right there by the maintenance hatch”
Johnny played battle at dolores, run stones run jack’s in the house of the rising sun Empty trails beneath steel skies Tim’s gone crazy, Lenny’s gonna die
and the devil laughed although he had been beat and dropped a map right down at jonny’s feet Jonny said “this was fun I just might try again, and I told you glorified mate once I am the captain”
FIRST MATE!

This probably sounds desperate but hear me out; I lived in NYC for 6 months and didn’t make any friends. Not sure if it was me or just a unwelcoming scene, but I hated it there. I’m moving to Pittsburgh around September 1st, and I’m trying to find a good group of homies that are down to consistently street skate and film. I have an HVX200. Everybody down to be behind the camera and skate whatever type shit. Hit me up!! I put a link to a 12 minute video I dropped back in march as well if anyone’s interested ❤️

Gonna write a 10-page essay for 2 comments and a 33% upvote rate but whatever
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It's true.
The Ace Attorney fanbase is generally more analytically intelligent than most other visual novel fanbases, so it's very disappointing to see so many people lulled by AAI2's cheap parlor tricks while failing to grasp the beauty of AAI. Truly the biggest L for this subreddit.
Let's start with the overarching story: AAI is about an international smuggling ring, and AAI2 is about a man who tricks people into committing murder. That alone should dictate which game is better, but everyone seems to love Simon Keyes because of how random and unpredictable the twist was. I fail to see why the smuggling ring is so slept-on; perhaps it's too realistic or down-to-earth and the community would rather have a final villain plotting to steal the moon? But more on that later.
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AAI has the biggest cases of "Seinfield is unfunny" in the series, because AAI2 is an unofficial translation and thus more accessible to people. On the other hand, AAI is only available as a DS cartridge (rather expensive), the only game not available on the 3DS eshop or Steam. Of course most people played AAI2 before AAI. SO MANY things got ruined by AAI2. I honestly think this is one of the reasons AAI2 did not get a localization.
Let's see some of the highlights:
The Great Thief Yagatarasu - Hit the hardest by this. Kay Faraday parading around the fact that she is the Yagatarasu in AAI2 is vastly different from her doing the same in Kidnapped and Ablaze. In AAI, starting from the first case, the Yagatarasu is this mysterious thief that supposedly has a lot of intel on the smuggling ring and we only get to see his silhouette and calling card. And don't forget his theme, Yagatarasu - The Gentleman Thief, which really does set the mood and fit him perfectly during the fleeting moments it plays. Kay only pretended to be the thief in two cases. I think the scarcity of the Yagatarasu appearances is what really makes the reveal so intriguing.
Yeah, and the final reveal: be honest here. The twist of it being Byrne, Calisto and Badd would have hit much harder on everyone's first playthrough of AAI without knowing anything from AAI2. What really dampens the Yatagarasu is the fact that he is brought up too many times by Kay in AAI2 (and even just her soundtrack name). Also the fact that the Yagatarasu calling card is the inverted version of the smuggling ring leader's instruction cards, to send a message that the Yagatarasu was only a few steps behind the ringleader, was absolutely brilliant and a much better last-minute twist than anything else the series ever came up with.
Calisto Yew/Shih-na - She was with Lang for his first appearance, and every consecutive one. That's what made her reveal so impactful. After AAI2 came along, she was just another one-off character. To be honest, the twist that she was Calisto Yew was completely unexpected, although maybe I should have realized beforehand. I also think the way she is finally cornered is pretty awesome. Setting alight the coat to reveal the Bahbalese ink burning green, pretty symbolic of her smuggling acts finally brought to light.
Shi-Long Lang character development - I'm surprised how no one mentions this. It's on the same level as Sebastian's development, and I think the only reason it's so slept-on is because in AAI2, the cases are normally so dull that you have no other choice but to focus on the characters, while AAI Lang shares the stage with the rest of the plot. The way he goes from respectfully hating on prosecutors as a super serious officer to "Lang Zi says: ...just go already!" and supporting Edgeworth in his trial after the credits is super awesome. Him getting fired from Interpol is worse than Yuri Cosmos getting demoted after Turnabout For Tomorrow in terms of discomfort food. I feel like the way Lang is introduced in AAI2 really does discredit all his character development in AAI.
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Now let's compare all aspects of each game:
Case 1 (general): Visitor > Target. Visitor is the most underrated case in the series, and Target is a 3-hour long snooze-fest. Target is a case 1 yet fails to be an intro case and thus is not good, that's what it boils down to.
Case 1 (witnesses): Visitor == Target. Visitor brought back Maggey who is one of the blandest characters in the series, but Target's defendant wasn't any better. Target also managed to fumble de Killer's appearance into a very boring confrontation, so they are about tied.
Case 1 (culprit, single-case): Portsman > Knightley. The prosecutorial interactions were much more fun than that overconfident bodyguard.
Example --
Portsman: It's a possibility. Maybe your salary's been cut so much that life is getting a little too rough to handle...?
Gumshoe: I'll have you know that I eat three square meals every day, pal! ...OK, so all three of them happen to be instant noodles, but...
Portsman: Poor thing. What an evil prosecutor you were paired up with. And what a motive, no?
Case 1 (culprit, whole game): Knightley > Portsman. Sure. The case 1 culprit can have a huge impact on the overarching story. Knightley was one of the better plotwise characters of AAI2.
Case 2 (general): Airlines > Imprisoned. Airlines just edges out Imprisoned slightly, but I admit Imprisoned is the only AAI2 case that deserves all the praise it gets. But I think the twists and turns were just a bit better for Airlines, especially the final Logic flashback segment as Lablanc slowly fell over the railing.
Case 2 (witnesses): Airlines > Imprisoned. Zinc Lablanc carries the entire case, like Luke Atmey did. Rhoda Teneiro was also cool. Jay Elbird and Frank Sahwit can't compare, and even Keyes' performance in this case, even knowing that he manipulated Knightley's death, doesn't quite reach Airlines' level of beautiful simplicity here. Dogen was just a plot device in this episode.
Case 2 (culprit, single-case): Meele == Roland. Both had godawful motives and mild characters.
Case 2 (culprit, whole game): Roland > Meele. Of course, because Roland got a whole other backstory while Meele stayed the same.
Case 3 (general): Inherited > Kidnapped. Yeah, alright. Who knew that letting you play as Gregory Edgeworth in the events leading up to DL-6 would be more interesting for the audience than actually coming up with an original idea? F for effort, I guess.
Case 3 (witnesses): Inherited > Kidnapped. Mainly because Ema Skye was absolutely useless in Kidnapped. Lauren Paups was also pretty bad. Inherited only had some meh witnesses, nothing outstanding, but still better than Kidnapped.
Case 3 (culprit, single-case): Gustavia > Lance. Well, yeah. Lance did kill only in self defense, while Gustavia and Dover had a whole storyline going. I feel like Kidnapped was meant to be a breath of fresh air from the constant murder grind, like Stolen. Too bad neither case ended up being great.
Case 3 (culprit, whole game): Lance > Gustavia. Well, not quite Lance himself, but the effect it had by prompting Ernest Amano to forge evidence, get caught and questioned, and give up the evidence to the KG-8 incident was pretty impactful. Gustavia, while the first of many things that ticked off Keyes, was also the only part of his story that wasn't really carefully intertwined with anything else.
Case 4 (general): Reminiscence == Forgotten. Interestingly, the one case everyone seems to like in AAI is actually not that great, all things considered. Forgotten was a very slow case with boring investigation sequences all around, but Reminiscence had terrible character interactions and was paced horribly.
Case 4 (witnesses): Reminiscence > Forgotten. Detective Badd blows everyone else out of the water. The Judge was alright, and Gumshoe was pretty subpar. But still, better than whatever AAI2 was trying to do with Lotta Hart and Nicole Swift.
Case 4 (culprit, single-case): Calisto == Blaise. I can't really say one was better than the other. Calisto's double murder and escape managed to top the previous 3-4 for "best loose end", but Blaise was no slouch either.
Case 4 (culprit, whole game): Calisto > Blaise. Doesn't need an explanation.
Now for the opinion that will get me downvoted. Turnabout Ablaze is a better case than The Grand Turnabout, both as a finale and in general.
Firstly, Colias Palaeno was a better final plot device character than John Marsh. Palaeno was introduced as this very suspicious character, only to later become the most helpful witness in the entire series, and the only person who didn't lie, ever. Despite overdoing his coupon-dealing gimmick, it never really got old or tedious. And come on, he was just a cool guy all around. His interactions with Alba were also very interesting considering the history between their countries. Palaeno is the perfect example of how to write a compelling plot device character.
On the other hand, John Marsh never really made an impact and his edgy teenager persona was just meh. Him refusing to take revenge on Dogen in the end was cool, but he was still not as good a character overall. His kidnapping was mainly to develop Courtney's character, but even she was not that interesting in the end. And his twist of being the president's son was very underwhelming, if I'm being honest.
Every case 5 is traditionally the resolution of two different murders. For AAI, it was Ka-Shi Nou murdered in the Allebahstian embassy, and Manny Coachen murdered in the Bahbalese embassy on the same night. For AAI2, it was the body double's murder out of the blue and the real president's murder 12 years ago. Surely Ablaze has a much better premise already.
Ablaze is a very symmetrical, well-organized case with the themes of duality. Allebahst has strict migration laws and an old army general as the ambassador, who appears to be a kindly old man. Bahbal is a very lax tourist country with a young advertising ambassador who is suspiciously cheerful. And yet, Ambassador Alba is the villain behind the smuggling ring while Ambassador Palaeno is hopelessly clueless about his secretary Coachen. I really like the dynamic amongst the characters here. Even Coachen gets characterization from Palaeno's relationship with him and sadness at his death.
Honestly, I thought the premise of the country split in two was a very intriguing setup. Even for people who aren't super interested in history-esque topics, the case should provide a novel setting. The competition to see which embassy had the legitimate statue, the goodwill ambassadorship involving the Steel Samurai, the reuniting of Cohdopia, everything really felt like something big and exciting was happening.
How many people actually played Ablaze fully? I bet half the people who hate on Turnabout Ablaze here don't even know that the embassy was set on fire in the case. They only watched Alba's breakdown, went on the wiki to find out the two victims, and called it a day before formulating their opinion. They missed out on everything, like the safe-opening puzzle and the secret of the Yagatasaru key/"knife", and figuring out how the two statues and the body got transported between the embassies.
Unlike Ablaze's very uniform and straightforward setup, The Grand Turnabout is just a speed-rap of a case with very sporadic events that feel like it's just thrown at you randomly so you never get bored of one single topic. So right after exposing Blaise as the killer, you find the president of Zheng Fa is murdered. You go to question someone, but she is currently judging Roland's trial for the murder of Knightley. Then Blaise turns out to not get in any trouble for what happened in Forgotten. Then Marsh gets kidnapped and you decide to join the trial and help Sebastian. He then runs away and you stall for time until Marsh is found and Sebastian comes back and proves that Blaise tampered with evidence. So he gets arrested after all and Roland is guilty. Then you get a mysterious radio call telling you to go to an orphanage, where you find out that the real president (along with some other guy) was killed there 12 years ago. With a very tedious Little Thief investigation sequence. Now you trace back who called you on the radio and pin every single crime in the game onto him. And Dogen helped, a bit. The end.
There were zero compelling aspects of the case. It feels like the case was entirely written to showcase character development for half the cast, and the actual plot points are half-assed and not bothered with. The final reveal is just a cheap cop-out by going "oh actually A and B are connected. Wow!". I feel like The Grand Turnabout is actually the worst-written case of AAI2 in terms of sheer writing. Every event is random until the final reveal. The way the events proceed is also very weird and feels very unpolished. The investigation drags on way longer than Alba's confrontation does. No way people like this mess of a case more than Ablaze just because it has more rewarding/overstimulating moments at times and uses shock value.
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It's funny that AAI has the overarching plot be straightforward and each individual case have its twists and turns, while AAI2 is the exact opposite. Each case basically feels like the game just leads you along a long, drawn-out and boring path to the answer while the actual overarching plot is this convoluted, improbable steaming mess of a story.
I really don't think Keyes was all that special. Sure, there were minute hints scattered throughout the game before he is revealed to be the mastermind. Sure, he had a compelling motive. But in the end, it all boils down to "oh remember all that? well, the major twist is that they are connected!". Just a weak cop-out finale that manages to be flashy enough to woo half the audience. But what I really dislike about Keyes is the way he was caught. I personally think that final villains should try to not get caught. Keyes was so cocky that he was toying with Edgeworth on purpose. Kidnapping Kay and John, teasing Edgeworth over the radio, he basically flew too close to the sun and paid the price. Alba, on the other hand, wanted nothing to do with Edgeworth or the rest of the cast.
I think half of what makes a compelling villain is how they try to avoid being caught. Alba managed to stay low and avoid detection for 10 years, while still running the smuggling ring. His confrontations felt very calm and collected, and just overall very professional at maintaining his innocence. Unlike Keyes who just keeps laughing at you and mocking you. Sure, both characters had high egos, but bottom line: Keyes got too cocky from a few successful manipulations while Alba maintained his confidence in his position which he has decades of experience in.
Yes, Alba was very stubborn and makes the final fight drag on, but that should be a good thing for his character. Shows he is very experienced and well-prepared for law enforcement. Honestly, my one complaint is that his fight didn't drag on even longer; I think that him losing his ambassadorship was a bit too easy and he should have put up more of a fight regarding that. People say Alba was too generically evil, but I think that he is actually unique in the way that he is the first pure villain as afinal villain. Remember, von Karma and Gant were not full-time criminals; they were law enforcement who killed once and then were caught trying to cover up their crime. Engarde was an actor who only cared about publicity. Godot was, well, not exactly a criminal. Gavin was a lawyer who did anything to win his case and held grudges. Up until then, we never had a professional criminal as a final villain until Alba. Taking someone like him down should be expected to be difficult, long and tedious. Also his breakdown was much more rewarding than Keyes' getting beat up by animals, mostly because Keyes kinda deserved more than that. If Keyes had been punished harder, his breakdown might have been more satisfying than Alba's, to be fair.
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AAI also has a better soundtrack than AAI2, and you can fight me on that. AAI2 may have some earwormy tracks, but it's like this: AAIs soundtrack actually sounds like it was composed for the game. Tracks like the Yagatarasu's theme (not Kay, the actual Yagatarasu) and Torn Apart Countries fit the mood and set the grandiose atmosphere perfectly. AAI2s soundtrack is just the artist taking a picture of the character, showing it to a composer, and going "make a theme for him". The Man Who Masterminds the Game may be more catchy than The Enemy Who Surpasses the Law, but the latter definitely suits its respective character and confrontation as a whole more. And I just gotta appreciate a fitting theme more than an earwormy one.
Honestly, Objection 2009 was better than Objection 2011 just because it felt so much more satisfying in a calm, procedural manner, like "Okay, so we figured this out. Make a mental note of this for later". Objection 2011 is a TV-show opening for Edgeworth. It might be very catchy, but I honestly think it doesn't fit a single moment in which it is played and is just an overstimulation.
Also I will get ostracized for saying this, but Lying Coldly was a perfect take on how a pursuit theme for Edgeworth would sound, that Wanting to Find the Truth completely ruined in favor of sounding more like a generic pursuit theme. It may be a good song, but it has none of the charm that Lying Coldly had.
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AAI2s translation team, to be honest, did a pretty bad job. (Preface: yes I know criticism like this is mean and uncalled for but since AAI2 isn't even their game, I think it is fair to criticize their take on it after they imposed themselves onto Capcom's game.)
Let's start with the voicelines. Sebastian Debeste's voice actor was the only one who did a good job. Everyone else's voices were way too "high-quality sound" to fit AAs theme. Like, especially ProZDs take on Gregory Edgeworth, who sounds like a 20 year old with a smoking problem and a mouth that's 2cm in diameter. It especially contrasts von Karma's voice in Inherited and is clearly out of place. Sorry, but ProZD was an absolute garbage casting choice for Gregory. I don't care what you say, Courtney is not British. Knightley and Shields' voices are just too realistic and not AA sounding. Keyes and Blaise are the only other objections that almost fit the bill, almost.
Again, though, massive props to Sebastian's voice actor. He absolutely nailed his voiceclip.
On a related note, I think Alba and Calisto's objections are actually not bad because remember, they are (Alba definitely, Calisto I assume so since she works for him) foreigners who originate from Cohdopia. It makes sense for them to have an accent when speaking English, and with only one word to go off of, their accent sounds exactly like one would expect. It's surprising how most people can't make that basic connection and instead go straight to mindless hating. Ace Attorney's fanbase is supposed to be smarter than that.
Okay now back to the translation team, the overall dialogue for AAI2 feels much more dry. It's not as easy as you'd expect to capture the tones of each character during the translation, and the translation team kind of failed at that. The dialogue for the returning characters, especially Gumshoe and Kay, feel much more uniform and really lack the charm that AAIs official translation had. Try playing AAI and AAI2 in alternating cases side-by-side and the difference becomes clear as day.
Not just the dialogue in general, but also the quips and banter during the investigation sequences between main characters. Especially that one time in Inherited in which young Shields quotes Godot's "blacker than a moonless night" soliloque, for Gregory to think to himself "note: coffee has a bad effect on lawyers". If you really think about it, this took place before T&T and there is no way Godot would just quote Shields, so it's a really weird continuity plothole that both people say the same thing, like a 4th wall break. It's supposed to be a joke, but come on. Capcom wouldn't actually do something so unprofessional like that, and the translation team really had to make that weird joke a permanent part of Capcom's game. It's an official game so it's supposed to be more professional than using 4th wall breaks like that. This may seem nitpicky, but again - official Capcom game.
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Of course, people can like whatever they like. You may prefer a culprit that is over-the-top crazy more than a down-to-Earth one. You can like an unpredictable, convoluted overarching story more than a well-written one. But objectively, from a critical, unbiased point of view, Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth is a much better-written, higher quality work than Gyakuten Kenji 2. No amount of rose-colored glasses can change that, sorry.

Time for some spring cleaning!
Because I am selling a bunch of big and bulky items, I'm selling local only. I can deliver within a 10 mile radius of 11787, or further depending on what you're buying, don't hesitate to ask. I'm open to offers and bundling things together.
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SKU	Price	Description	Notes	Timestamps
SKU01	$5 or free with monitor	1st Gen Chromecast	I used it as a virtual fireplace with Google Assistant and a monitor around holidays	https://imgur.com/a/06Be5sE
SKU02	$5 or free with monitor	Chromecast Ultra 4K	Bought an Android TV so no longer need	https://imgur.com/a/bHtD2rY
SKU11	$30	Intel i5-3570 (non-K), 16gb of DDR3, Asus P8Z77-V LE with bonus Inte i3-3250	My old ESXI server components, upgraded to 8th gen	https://imgur.com/a/Zt3znF0
SKU03	$100	System1: Dell 7040 MFF Intel i5-6600T, 16gb of RAM, 500gb HDD, includes PSU	Comes with generic wifi usb dongle, fresh Win10 install, just add a monitor, mouse and keyboard and you're good to go	https://imgur.com/a/1GGh5yE
SKU04	$150	System2: Ivy Bridge i7-3770k, Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UD5H, 32gb (4x8) DDR3, 265gb SSD, 5TB HDD, Asus GTX 660-Ti, G933, old mouse, K780 keyboard, T9E Wifi Card, Define R4 case	Used as my main Windows/hackintosh system until upgraded to newer hardware, fresh Win10 install, fresh MX-4 thermal paste, just add a monitor, the keyboard sometimes has the volume down button stick, mouse is usable but old	https://imgur.com/a/34hGHme
SKU05	$130	System3: Ivy Bridge i5-3570k, Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UD5H, 32gb (4x8) DDR3, 265gb SSD, 500gb HDD, Intel stock fan, Fractal Design Focus I OEM	Used as my son's system, I built him another one with newer parts as he got older, fresh Win10 install, just add a monitor, mouse and keyboard	https://imgur.com/a/5sLCyDI
SKU06	$65	Dell U2410 Monitor (1920x1200, 16:10), power cable, AS501 soundbar	Both U2410 for $100	https://imgur.com/a/jGVs36d
SKU07	$60	Dell U2410 Monitor (1920x1200, 16:10), power cable,	Both U2410 for $100	https://imgur.com/a/jWD272K
SKU08	$40	Dell P2317hf Monitor, power cable		https://imgur.com/a/mK4c3af
SKU09	$40	Samsung P2370HD 1080p TV/Monitor (HDMI, DVI inputs, has speakers)	No remote	https://imgur.com/a/x9ZBMEq
SKU10	$20	Dell 2005FPW IPS monitor	No stand, great for a project of some kind like magic mirror or dakboard	https://imgur.com/a/cBnzawl

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Trying to do some spring cleaning, everything I have was working at the time it was decomissioned from service. The whitebox systems were built to be hackintosh capable (You would have to pull the 660 Ti however as it's not compatible)
I put together some bundles at a discount:

Bundle	Price	Description	Notes
BUNDLE01	$125	SKU03+SKU08	Dell Micro with P2317hf monitor and cables
BUNDLE02	$200	SKU04+SKU06	i7-3770k system with 1 Dell U2410 Monitor, soundboar and cables
BUNDLE03	$250	SKU04+SKU06	i7-3770k system with 2 Dell U2410 Monitors and cables

Today I read of the guy that falsey reported sandy hook shooting never happened and how some think anyone should be able to report or say any falsehood they want. And to them I want to share my own experiences and show why we need some accountability and laws to prevent this from happening to other people. I will never be the same as I was because of someone's conspiracy theory.
In 2020 I was healthy of mind and body. I was active on Facebook, reddit, LinkedIn, and Twitter. I'm almost 50 and a mother of 7 and grandmother of 5. I've suffered from social anxiety and depression bit had that under control. I have a soft spot for helping abused children. My bank card rounded up to the nearest dollar and the change went to help prevent child abuse. I studied child development and child psychology in college. I am ex military and have some ptsd (the social anxiety and depression) but again under control. In 2020 there was false news coming on Facebook about children being abducted, abused in numerous ways and it broke my heart. I had to help. I was drawn in to a conspiracy theory due to my heart hurting for these children that were missing or abused. Around October I was told via comments to look up the fall of cabal videos on YouTube to get even more information about how children were being hurt. Like a dumbass that (even though I finished college) was still so gullible I went and watched all 10 videos. This conspiracy theory didn't just touch on children being hurt and abducted but my religious beliefs and my distrust of politicians. At video 10 I was so afraid but not the same way others were. You see the Bible says we won't know who Jesus or God is until Satan is revealed. So I saw this conspiracy theories idea of jfk Jr coming back not as Jesus or God but as Satan and Trump was him. Most people believed this and saw this as a godsend buy I saw it as the ultimate evil on earth. It frightened me so bad I had a nervous breakdown. I lived inside my own mind for over 8 months. To this day I still don't leave my home, don't know what's real or not, and have deleted nearly all but reddit of my social media. To remind what sanity I now have I can not watch the news, go to places where others might verbally attack me and my TV time insist of dvds I have that I know by heart. In my head still we are in end times. I can't undo that thinking. I'm trying to see a professional through the va but they are booked till October.
Last July I tried to go to a family reunion in another state. I went into psychosis because of the videos and thought the worst things about my own family. I saw my family of Trump supporters as racist and the entire reunion as a kkk hoedown. While my ex pastor uncle danced and sung while playing horseshoes I saw my uncle dancing around a fire chanting hate. While my aunts sat by the river watching their pups swim I saw them planning that nights witch orgy. While my brother bar b qued beef and chicken I saw a child's ribs and meat being cooked. I was in total psychotic break and it wasn't even a day since I was there. I was rushed home and tended to for the next two weeks while my spouse and children tried to bring my mind back to our home.
This is why we need only facts to be reported on news and if it's a fictional story then it needs disclaimers and it needs guidelines. If the word news is in the name it needs to be factual and unbiased even if it's news and entertainment. News needs to be factual and unbiased. There's no entertainment in news. It's suppose to bore the kids like it did me as a child.
Some of you will disagree and say I should know how to tell what's real and not but you might be forgetting that I am not you. No one is you. Some people are gullible and they need to be protected. The ones that normally tell me it's my fault are normally the ones saying we need to protect everything. We'll my mind should have been protected. There should have been disclaimers. There should have been rules so others like me didn't get drawn in and start believing these horror stories. I can no longer go to the park with my grandchildren out of fear. I'm too afraid to leave my home because of this conspiracy theory that took my faith, my love for children and corrupted them. I question the Bible and still feel the fear of end times all the time. I can't support anything that tries to help children afraid I'm supporting another conspiracy theorist. My entire life has been turned upside down because someone or a group decided to play with my gullibility.
I'm glad that family won their lawsuit. I hope laws begin to take place to protect families like mine ND theirs. And to those spreading the lies I hope this finds you so you can see just how much those lies have hurt this family. I hope you rot in hell and Satan has his way with you. I hope God does not forgive you for leading some of his children astray and for hurting those you have hurt. I hope his vengeance is as horrible for you as you have made my life. And normally I never wish harm on anyone because it's not very Christian.

I (28F) was in a relationship with my BF (29M) since 2015, married since 2022. We both have friends of opposite sex but I always like to maintain respectful boundaries.
I am a friendly person who can easily initiate conversations with anyone. People enjoy spending time with me. People say that I am beautiful, inside and out. My BF's friends used to joke about how a guy like him got a girl like me. Also, I was the one who expressed my feelings first.
I randomly met a female friend of his, X, while we were on a date. She started talking to my BF totally ignoring me. I didn't mind until she said that they planned to be each other's future BF/GF. He continued the FUN. I was hurt but stayed silent. It was just the beginning.
For example, X would always comment on our posts saying "Such drama 😑/Irritating 😑" or simply 😑 emojis. Being fed up, I once replied to one of her comments saying "Is there any problem?". She cooled down, said NO. We didn't post much romantic stuffs unless it's an anniversary/birthday, we only shared funny incidents as friends.
Another example, X used to text him on FB saying "Come to WhatsApp". When he texted her on WA, she used to say, "Did that cause any trouble? Is she mad at you? 😂"
His only explanation to me was, "She is just having fun, why are you so serious?"
During arguments, he would change his password and stop talking to me for a few days. Once, I managed to access his FB, saw them texting each other. I also saw some earlier texts which I hadn't seen before. They were laughing about me, with X saying he should avoid girls like me and my BF saying he will never be in a relationship with me, he was just making me run around him. WE WERE ALREADY IN A RELATIONSHIP AT THAT TIME!
I couldn't bring myself to confront him at that time. After a long time, I told him about the texts. He was shocked and apologized, saying that it was a mistake. I dropped the issue.
X's behavior continued. After much denial, he agreed to confront X. But he created a group chat, initiated the conversation saying that we should clear the confusion. I said, "X, please don't take this the wrong way, some things you do, really hurt my feelings. I know that you two are good friends, but as I am his GF, you can try to be a little more respectful with your words. I really believe we can be great friends. Let's hang out together sometime ❤️" All she said, "Listen, I am his friend and I like to have fun with him. This is friendship. He and I are always going to be friends and I will always have fun with him."
After that, I didn't respond in the group chat. I told my BF that I won't tolerate her anymore, he must block her on social media. He said I was overreacting when X had clarified things. I said, "She simply said that she would do it again and I should accept that." We argued about this a lot. After years of NAGGING, he decided to block her to HAVE PEACE, often saying he sacrificed just for me.
AITA?