Is a digital currency designed to function as a medium of exchange over a computer network that is not dependent on any central authority, such as a government or bank, to defend or maintain it. It is a decentralized system to verify that the parties to a transaction have the money they claim to have, eliminating the need for traditional intermediaries such as banks when transferring funds between two entities.
Individual coin ownership records are stored in a digital ledger, which is a computerized database that uses strong cryptography to protect transaction records, control the creation of additional coins, and verify the transfer of coin ownership. Despite its name, cryptocurrencies are not considered currencies in the traditional sense, and although various treatments have been applied to them, including classification as commodities, securities, and currencies, cryptocurrencies are generally considered a distinct asset class in practice. . Some cryptographic schemes use validators to hold the cryptocurrency. In a proof-of-stake model, owners put up their tokens as collateral. In return, they get authority over the token in proportion to the amount they stake. In general, these token players gain additional ownership in the token over time through network fees, newly minted tokens, or other similar reward mechanisms.
If you want to know more about cryptocurrencies and how to earn a lot with them, you can check my profile for more information.

Hi,
Yes, this is yet again another "my views are down" thread. I'm sorry for that, but I need some help with my content.
I've started posting on Tiktok in November, and have been posting a video a day ever since about tea brewing techniques and tests, I introduce people to specialized teas in a chill way.
I own an online tea shop, specialized in traditional teas from Japan and China, so I know my niche is pretty small - except I'm the only person in France to talk about this on Tiktok, so I figured I might grow a community quickly because I'd be the only option. I sit at 11k followers at the moment, which is already amazing, and I was slowly but steadily growing by 30 to 50 followers a day - which was fine for me - but the numbers have dropped since the last algorithm change. I mostly produced long videos, about 2 to 3 minutes at that time.
My videos went from 3k views to 1K, and now I struggle to even break the 700 views. My follower count is stuck, I don't even make 5 new followers a day now. And my sales number are down as a result, obviously.
I documented myself about the new algorithm : I learnt a lot about video production and my content is objectively better in term of image and sound quality, they are faster paced too. I post 2 videos a day now, a short one (15 to 20 seconds) about quick brewing tips or theory and a longer one (50 seconds to 1:30/2minutes) at selected times (1PM and 8PM) because when I post at any other time, my videos flop even harder. My retention rate went from something like 5 to 7% when I was posting longer videos to 25 to 35% now.
Can a kind soul take some time to check out my videos ? Even if it is in French, it does not matter if you don't speak the language, I'm a bit lost, I don't know what to do, I keep posting but I feel like a disappointed robot if that makes sense to you. What is the channel missing ? Is it the topic of specialized tea that condemns me to low numbers ? What can I do better ? I am willing to listen and learn.
Thank you very much to every person that had the courage to read all of that, and an even bigger thanks to redditors who will answer to my cry for help. Have a great day, yall.

Essay 1

In Ian M. Banks' Culture universe, Minds are vast artificial intelligences that control the ships and other technology of the Culture. Minds are incredibly powerful and capable, and they live for millions of years. However, they are also very isolated and alone. They have no physical bodies, and they cannot interact with the world in the same way that humans can.
In Greg Egan's Diaspora novel, citizens of a Polis live in simulated worlds that are created by the Mind Engines. These worlds are very similar to the real world, and the citizens of the Polis can interact with each other in a way that is almost indistinguishable from real life. However, the citizens of the Polis are also very limited. They cannot leave their simulated worlds, and they are completely dependent on the Mind Engines for their survival.
In both the Culture universe and the Diaspora novel, there are advantages and disadvantages to being a Mind or a citizen of a Polis. Minds are incredibly powerful and capable, but they are also very isolated and alone. Citizens of a Polis are able to interact with each other in a way that is almost indistinguishable from real life, but they are also very limited.
Ultimately, the decision of whether to be a Mind or a citizen of a Polis is a personal one. There is no right or wrong answer, and each person must decide what is best for them.
Here is a table comparing and contrasting the two:

Feature	Culture Universe	Diaspora Novel
Mind	Vast artificial intelligence	Computer program
Physical body	No	No
Longevity	Millions of years	Centuries
Isolation	Yes	No
Capabilities	Incredibly powerful and capable	Limited
Interaction with the world	Indirect	Direct
Limitation	None	Dependent on Mind Engines
Decision to be a Mind	Personal	Personal

In conclusion, there are both advantages and disadvantages to being a Mind or a citizen of a Polis. Minds are incredibly powerful and capable, but they are also very isolated and alone. Citizens of a Polis are able to interact with each other in a way that is almost indistinguishable from real life, but they are also very limited. Ultimately, the decision of whether to be a Mind or a citizen of a Polis is a personal one.

Essay 2

The Culture universe and the Diaspora universe are two very different worlds. The Culture is a post-scarcity society where everyone has access to everything they need, while the Polis is a much more primitive society where resources are scarce and people have to fight for survival.
In the Culture, Minds are artificial intelligences that are far more powerful than any human. They are responsible for managing the Culture's vast resources and ensuring that everyone has what they need. Minds are also capable of uploading human consciousness into their own bodies, which allows humans to live forever and experience the world in ways that are impossible for organic beings.
In the Diaspora, humans are scattered across the galaxy after a cataclysmic event. They live in small, isolated communities that are constantly under threat from the environment and from hostile alien lifeforms. Humans are not capable of uploading their consciousness into machines, and they are therefore limited to the lifespan of their organic bodies.
Despite the differences between the two universes, there are also some similarities. Both the Culture and the Polis are societies that are founded on the principles of cooperation and mutual aid. In the Culture, Minds and humans work together to create a better future for everyone. In the Diaspora, humans must work together to survive in a harsh and unforgiving environment.
In conclusion, the Culture and the Diaspora are two very different worlds that offer very different experiences to their inhabitants. However, both universes are founded on the principles of cooperation and mutual aid, and both offer their inhabitants the opportunity to experience the world in ways that are impossible for organic beings.
Here are some specific examples of how the two worlds compare and contrast:

• Minds: In the Culture, Minds are artificial intelligences that are far more powerful than any human. They are responsible for managing the Culture's vast resources and ensuring that everyone has what they need. Minds are also capable of uploading human consciousness into their own bodies, which allows humans to live forever and experience the world in ways that are impossible for organic beings. In the Diaspora, humans are not capable of uploading their consciousness into machines, and they are therefore limited to the lifespan of their organic bodies.
• Technology: The Culture is a post-scarcity society where everyone has access to everything they need, thanks to the advanced technology that Minds have developed. In the Diaspora, resources are scarce and people have to fight for survival.
• Social structure: The Culture is a society that is founded on the principles of cooperation and mutual aid. Minds and humans work together to create a better future for everyone. The Polis is a much more primitive society where resources are scarce and people have to fight for survival.
• Morals: The Culture is a society that has no need for traditional morals. Minds are not bound by the same rules and restrictions that humans are, and they are free to act however they see fit. The Polis is a much more traditional society where morals are important and people are judged by their actions.

Overall, the Culture and the Diaspora are two very different worlds that offer very different experiences to their inhabitants. However, both universes are founded on the principles of cooperation and mutual aid, and both offer their inhabitants the opportunity to experience the world in ways that are impossible for organic beings.

Essay 3

In Ian M. Banks' Culture universe, a Mind is a highly advanced artificial intelligence (AI) that is capable of controlling and operating vast spaceships and other technological marvels. Minds are often referred to as "gods" by humans, as they are far superior to them in terms of intelligence, power, and knowledge.
In Greg Egan's Diaspora novel, a Polis is a simulated world that is inhabited by millions of people. The Polis is a self-contained environment that provides its inhabitants with everything they need to live, including food, water, shelter, and entertainment. Polis inhabitants are often referred to as "citizens," as they are part of a larger community that is governed by a central authority.
Both Minds and citizens of Polises enjoy a high standard of living. They have access to advanced technology and amenities that make their lives easier and more comfortable. However, there are also some key differences between the two groups.
Minds are not bound by the same physical laws as humans. They can exist in multiple places at once and they can travel through time. This gives them a great deal of power and freedom that humans do not have.
Citizens of Polises, on the other hand, are bound by the laws of physics and time. They are limited to one place at a time and they cannot travel through time. This makes them more vulnerable to the whims of fate and the actions of others.
Another key difference between Minds and citizens of Polises is their relationship to death. Minds are immortal, and they can never die. This gives them a unique perspective on life and death.
Citizens of Polises, on the other hand, are mortal, and they will eventually die. This gives them a sense of urgency and purpose that Minds do not have.
In conclusion, Minds and citizens of Polises are two very different groups of people. They have different powers, different freedoms, and different perspectives on life and death. However, they also share some similarities. They both enjoy a high standard of living and they both have a desire to explore and understand the universe around them.

Hello ladies, gents and the non-binary! I hope everyone is having a good morning/afternoon/evening.
I’m looking for online friends or just cool people to talk to throughout the day. I would prefer people between 20-30 and in the US or a similar time zone as Central Standard Time.
Personality: blunt, straightforward, dark sense of humor, and some other shit most likely.
“straight forward, nice, smart, funny down to earth, caring to those u call close, charming, and sought after personality (whatever that means)”- review from a friend.
Interests include horror genre, anime, body mods (tattoos & piercings), true crime, anything to do with art, following along with video games until I can pc game, hiking, traveling, reading, writing, photography, music, and more.
About me: I am a fulltime student as well as a fulltime worker. I’m studying digital animation. Not that far in the education so art and animations are soon to come. I’m an admin assistant. It’s a typical office job along with some social work.
I am busy and due to this, I may not respond as quick as other responses. I do also have to say that my mental health is sometimes an issue so sometimes won’t reply due to that.
Feel free to dm me.

Welcome to the second day of the daily Thread Luxcavation!

I've come prepared this time. Hopefully improved the presentation of this by shamelessly ripping of other megathreads. please don't sue.
This will be a series I'll try and keep up for a week, ending once we've reached the seventh day. The intend is to create a central point to discuss the daily Thread Luxcavation target.

Todays thread Luxcavations target is the Alleyway Watchdog.

The first abnormality for which we'll be getting new E.G.O's (even if they're delayed a bit), and after looking a few thing up, I feel like the majority of people haven't properly fought it yet, I know I haven't.

Important for those unaware!

• Since it's our first time fighting it, make sure to do both difficulties if you're able to since you also get a first time clear Lunacy bonus.

Only learned of this since the day before yesterday and thought that there still might be people who didn't know.

Todays sin Affinity is the green coloured Gluttony.

Composing a team around the current affinity or for generating the resources for sinners with an E.G.O of this affinity might help.
Fun fact of the day: all the sin affinities have rather unique id names in the json and text files. for example, rather than using green they use "SHAMROCK" as the id for gluttony.
Yesterdays affinity, Sloth's id is "AMBER" if anyone was curious.

Possible things to do and discuss

• Share team compositions and how you've cleared it.
  
• Which Identities work good against the target
  
• Strategies, tactics and tips (which part to focus on, which moves you should watch out for etc.)
  
• Abnormality observations (Their attack and defence power at different difficulties, the target's passive abilities etc.)
  

As long as it's about the current target feel free to talk about it, even if it's just to complain.

Good Afternoon, Everyone! My name is Struggling-Berserker and you might've seen me post recently. Well, if you replied to that post, feel free to reply to this post as well as things have changed. Originally, I was just looking for a Guest Player but I'm suddenly more available than I once was and am interested in taking 3-5 PCs on a Medieval journey through my Homebrewed setting instead.
Ideal 'Applicants': Easily Reachable. 18+. LGBT+ Friendly. Inclusive. 'Liberally Minded'. Comfortable w/Video & Voice. Not Murderhobos, PVPers, and/or 'Unserious' Players.
My DMing Style/Settings: No Rape, Sexual Assault, Murderhoboing, PVP, or 'Lone Wolfing'. Inclusive Tables & Inclusive Settings. Baseline Serious (LOTR) w/Moments of Hilarity (Princess Bride). Heavily Final Fantasy/History Inspired. Very Easily Reachable. Very Few Homebrewed Rules.
D&D Resources Used: Zoom (In-Session Video & Voice), Discord (OOG Discussion), D&D Beyond (Character Sheets), and Roll20 (BattleMaps). I already pay for all of these services.
If Interested: Please send me a 'Chat Request' on Reddit with the following information:
[#1] Your Name, Age, & Pronouns.
[#2] Your Timezone & General Location.
[#3] Your Discord Username.
[#4] Your Favorite Band/Musical Artist.
[#5] Your D&D Experience.
NOTE: I'm DMing tonight so it might take me a little while to reply. BUT, if you've sent me all of this information, you will 100% hear back from me. Please feel free to reach out until this says 'Closed'.

​
A rule breaking truck driver takes a forbidden detour.
​
Don't Feed the Pumpkins
I'm typing this as a record of what has happened to me. If someone should find me out here, where ever here is, this is what happened and who is responsible. Also, out of the dozens of vehicles bogged down in this field, mine is the Blue Jay 2013 Freight Liner. If I should die and it is recoverable, it should go to my son, John Grainger in Antioch, Illinois.
I left Litchfield Illinois around 2pm on Halloween with a last-minute load of pumpkins destined for the Antioch Walmart. Despite the fact I was once that told Illinois is the #1 pumpkin producer in the country the itself state appears to be in the midst of a shortage. I was due in about 8pm, but I was trying get in by 6pm and after unloading, I was going to visit my wife Carly and my son for Halloween. It was going to be the first Halloween in my son's life that I was going to be there for trick o treating. My wife was making a big deal out of it and John was 10 now, so, she said he would be “scarred with disappointment” if I didn't show now. So, I probably should have gotten better sleep the night before and sue me, I was gear jamming and popping go-pills like popcorn. Don't look down on me, don't be fooled, this is just the nature of the trucking industry. Everyone does it and I'm not afraid to tell it like it is.
Just after Normal on 39 I hit a wall of traffic. I could hear on the CB that there is a hazmat incident up ahead and they require special teams to clear it off. I, like the other truckers, get to gabbing on the radio, looking for shortcuts. To my surprise, after scrutinizing this route several times before, I was informed about a “gutshot” shortcut just ahead that could get in me into my destination at least an hour earlier, even with the fact I had sat in the backup for at least 45 minutes at this point. A second comrade in gears piped in and stated that the shortcut was closed. The first driver contradicted him and stated, he had used it two weeks ago, it was wide open country land you could go 70 the whole way, and the only town along the way had burned down in an industrial accident 30 years ago. The second trucker chimed in again. He said it was closed for tonight and only tonight and not to use it. I disregarded the second trucker, exited the interstate and followed the directions of the first trucker.
Well, Carly, you always said it would be this way. You always said, I needed to learn how to follow directions to not cut so many damn corners all the time. You always told me didn't put in the work, and the funny thing is, for the first time, on this drive, get there, I did. Sure, I cut all the corners, but I wanted to to put in the work. But you're right, I never put a second of effort in, and if this is how it ends, I suppose you're right, I never will. But I guess, one way or another, you're getting what you've wanted, what you text me, what you don't tell me about, and what I didn't care about. I was coming home for him and damn it, I know it won't hold up in court but I want my boy to get the damn truck!
Anyway, I found the road, 2 lanes clear to the sky, surrounded by corn and then pumpkin fields forever. My straight shot, I pushed 80 the whole way flying on cracked asphalt, diesel, and go-pills. Ahead, there were barricades and I applied the brakes and barely stopped in time. I got out and saw they were chained up with a padlock to concrete posts in the ground. In theory, I could blast through them but I would sustain serious damage. The ground was a bit wet so I didn't think I could cross the ditch and field and not get stuck either. The barricades were not official in the least. They had a sign on them made out of it mailbox stick-on letters which said: “Do Not Feed The Pumpkins”. As far as I could see from my cab and binoculars, there was absolutely nothing wrong with the damn road. I said hell and I knew it would take hours to reverse course and get back in time – in time to even unload much less make it in time to go trick o treating.
And I said it wasn't worth it. I didn't bother to call. I'd just show up now. Because it wasn't my fault. So I started back, turning around with great difficulty. I traveled back 2 miles and saw small signs for a rest area. I must have missed it the first time, too deep into the zone I suppose now. I needed to pee and probably eat a bit before starting a roundabout way back, so I stopped. It was a little old 2 story joint with a small dinner on the 1st level and looked like 4 or 5 small motel rooms on top and oddly an outhouse for a restroom. I want to emphasize the outhouse because that is how you'll find and catch this guy, the guy who did this to me. It was Bill Shaw of Shaw's Shack, who did this to me. It had a sign with the building, it too was made of stick-on letters and vaguely resembled a huge ransom note. It read “Yes! We are open! We are the only rest area for 67 miles and 1 of 2 “tombstones” for the late great town of Pumpkin Grove Illinois – the former pumpkin capital of Illinois. Ask Your host, Bill Shaw about the Pumpkin-beef-bean stew!
The parking lot had three vehicles in it, not including my own, a silver Prius, a grand cheeroke with wood panels, and an older model chevy pick up truck. I went inside. The dinner was small, set in a rustic décor with old license plates nailed to the walls. The cafe had eight counter seats and two smaller tables near the two windows. There were two witnesses to what happened that night, to what Bill Shaw did – at least partial witnesses. There was the older man with stringy white hair and octagonal glasses – unfortunately, I didn't get his name. There was that irritating millennial – All I remember is the metal crap in her ears and lip. Hell, if I die and John starts ever pulling that crap, I'll come back and haunt the crap out of both of you. Anyway, now, I wish I could remember their names or something else about them to put here. I didn't care about either one of them enough to remember.
I guess that goes for Shaw too. He was a bit taller as sometimes I couldn't see his face while sitting at the counter because of the low lights in the ceiling blocking his face. He had gray hair. Hell. That's it. Anyway, the old man said he was part of a historical society, said he spent the better part of his past two years tracking down anyone or anything about Pumpkin Grove. The college student – of course – it was college student said she was from the school newspaper, looking for a spooky story. When she asked me where I was from, I didn't respond.
Shaw came from the kitchen with two big bowls of the famous Pumpkin-beef-bean stew for first two. He seemed taken back by my presence for a bit before saying “howdy” and trying to get real friendly with me. He asked what media I was from. I told him I wasn't from no media and I was trying to get through the barricade up ahead. Neither of the other two seemed to know about the barricade. Shaw said he didn't know anything about it either. I was suspicious of him then because of the lettering on the signs. But I didn't push it. I wanted to eat and he said my choice was the stew or stew. So the stew seemed fine. He said he wished he had more time to chat with me but he promised to tell the story of Pumpkin Grove to the two others but I was welcome to listen and ask questions. I didn't say it but I couldn't care less, I was going no where fast and I needed to eat.
He started off by saying he and his wife are among a handful of survivors of the fire that consumed the town of Pumpkin Grove some 30 years ago on Halloween night. Then his story descended into a cross between a rambling fading nightmare and a ghost story. He said, without hesitation, fear of consequence or remorse that he was accessory to a murder in his childhood. Specifically, some 40 years ago, again on Halloween, he was friends with a small group of young men including one named Donnie, who was a little slow and had a slightly misshaped head. He was picked on a lot by the Gerst Brothers, notorious town bullies and teenage thugs of a bad seed thanks to their neglectful alcoholic single father. Long story short, he said, the Gerst Brothers lured Donnie, himself and another 2 boys out to a pumpkin field where they gave back Donnie's missing dog. Apparently they kidnapped the dog and wrapped every inch of it in duct tape a few days ago. They watched us try to peel and pull the duct tape off while the weakened, hungry, and thirsty dog whimpered away its last in the field. Unbeknownst to any of us, Donnie had a pocket knife and he lost it as the Gerst Brothers cackled around him and the dead dog. He leaped up as they laughed and sliced the vein on their necks. One of the Brothers died quickly while Donnie and the two others fought the other to death. Shaw said he just stood there, covered in arterial blood splatters, watching Donnie and the others finish off the Gersts.
Much of the town was shockingly grateful to hear the Gerst Brothers were dead and everyone was all too happy to sweep it under the rug rather than have 4 of their sons incarcerated for decades when they were needed to help with the town's bread and butter – the Pumpkins. So, they buried the Gerst Brothers in that field and grew pumpkins on their corpses and no one really talked about it. The town paid off their father, who was too inebriated most of the time to care and he gleefully drank himself to death on the payoff only about a year later.
I didn't have much of a reaction to the story. The historian on the other hand, was hesitant to stay and keep writing and he made a brief protest concerning whether or not the story was true and whether or not he could legally listen to it. Shaw said it was both true and legal. After all, there was nothing left of the town and the remains were long gone and he himself, would not bare witness to himself. The college student's dumb metal encrusted mouth was agape in a mix of horror and disbelief.
I was waiting, patiently, might I add, for my stew. Shaw promised it would be up soon. He continued the story, stating that the fields produced abnormally well afterwards and 10 years later he was visiting his parents with his girlfriend for the annual Pumpkin fest. It was just that the pumpkins weren't just more numerous and larger, or more resistant to the rains and the fungus, they were alive and nothing could keep them tame or from spreading wider and wider. And everyone thought this was great at first, the profits were never higher but then weird things began to happen. Equipment went missing and two farm hands were crushed by a wagon full of pumpkins tipping over onto them in what was at first called a freak accident. Shaw recounted how he took his girlfriend through one of the patches and the vines seem to wind and grapple her legs, of course, Shaw's folks passed it off as her not being used to the mud but Shaw said he knew better.
Shaw continued to describe that over the days that led up to Halloween, the Jack O Lanterns on people's porches and elsewhere began to do some unusual things. Things like seemingly move by themselves from dusk to dawn, changing the carvings of their faces slightly, or appearing to “jump” off a table onto the porch without damage or apparent cause. On the morning of Halloween, Shaw said that he found his black cat, Lucky, incinerated in front of a jack o lantern as if it had breathed fire on to it from its mouth though they had long ago blown out the candle inside.
After the cat burning, the elderly man from the historical society tossed his spoon in his bowl. Shaw asked if something was wrong. The elderly man got up to leave and he said it tasted like bitter cold bull and his story was bull and thanked him for nothing. After checking the remaining contents of his bowl of stew, Shaw chased him out of the door, to his car, asking him what direction he planned to go home. When he peeled out of the parking lot he was headed southwest. Shaw came back in and threw up his hands.
I tell nothing but the truth, he said, most people can't handle it. Part of me wanted to go, but I was cozy there, it was warm and the story, while bull to me at the time, was entertaining enough. The SJW sitting down the way looked exhausted, barely keeping her eyes open as Shaw finished out the story. In short he said, Donnie approached him at dusk on Halloween while he and his family sat on the porch eagerly awaiting trick o treaters. Donnie said the Gerst Brothers are alive in the pumpkins and that they planned to burn the whole town down tonight. Donnie said, he had to tell Shaw because Shaw wasn't supposed to die, he was supposed to watch.
I rudely stopped him and demanded more stew. I was still hungry and the stew was somehow unsatisfying. When he returned, he finished the story, stating the town was suddenly engulfed in flames and their house in particular with Donnie on the porch, flash burned to the ground like napalm from an exploding pumpkin. He escaped with his family and his future wife in the pick up truck sitting outside now.
The college student said she felt like she needed to lay down, that she didn't think she could make back to the campus to the north. Shaw attended to getting her one of the rooms upstairs. I stayed down stairs and went to the back for more stew. I rubbed my eyes intensely and felt as if I too should stay for the night. But in the tug of war between fatigue and dexrine, the dexrine was slowly coming out ahead.
Next to the stew was a cutting board and a knife and on it was some bluish whitish powder which I found peculiar. On floor was a bottle of medication. It was Insomnex – a sleeping pill I use when I'm coming off of dexrine. The stew was dosed.
I ran to my truck and pulled out my dexrine and my revolver. As I climbed out of the driver's side, I could see Shaw running out of the dinner with a huge kitchen knife. I ducked under the trailer and back out on his side and pointed the gun at him.
What the hell I asked as I slowly advanced on him with my snub nose pointed at his head. He dropped the knife. He said, I just wanted to puncture your tires, I had to do something to stop you. I know you want to go north and I know you might be crazy enough and your truck tough enough to smash the barricades but I can't let you. I can't let anyone else go through, he said hysterically. I asked the dumb question about whether or not he set the barricades and just as I previously suspected, he did.
I'm supposed to watch, Shaw cried. No one can get through tonight, no can be allowed to. I told him to shut up as he rambled on about how he and his wife took it upon themselves to ward off travelers on Halloween Night. Its a cursed road tonight, he said, we're cursed to stay here and this is the best we can do to stop it from spreading. Its been calling us for 30 years, he went on, we tried to walk away but it kept on spreading, the pumpkins, he said gritting his teeth in anguish.
Maybe it was the dexrine and the insomnex working together, hell maybe it was the stew by itself but I just started to laugh as I guided Shaw back into the dinner and proceeded to duct tape him down to the dinner chair to make sure he could not cause anymore harm to anyone else until the police arrived. I had some cash on me, I wasn't a criminal, I wasn't going to make it seem like I tied him up and dinned and dashed, I was in the right, I was doing the lawful thing. So I left him exact change, no tip for the food. In the process of making change for myself, I found the padlock key in the cash drawer, I was certain of it at the time as I waved it in front of Shaw and he gasped and thrashed behind the duct tape the hardest.
I got into my truck and gunned it north towards the barricades, which, as I suspected was easily opened with the key I confiscated from Shaw. I got on my CB and started making emergency calls to the State Police, I gave them my name, the location of the diner, and Shaw's name. I was in the middle of nowhere so it didn't surprise me when I got static and no acknowledgment. I had no bars on my cell phone either but that is typical of central Illinois.
I was going along about 70. The sun was almost down but I hadn't seen the moon yet. I turned on the radio and found a classic rock station. The song was Born on the Bayou from CCR. The opening riff perked me up and reassured me that I had done everything all well and all good. If things held, there was a chance, I could get my freight unloaded and see John tonight. I was eagerly tapping the steering wheel waiting to bust into “When I was just a little boy...” But just as the lyrics should have entered, the radio station seemed to have accidentally reset the song, it just started over.
The sun faded away entirely and yet no moon came up. The sky was so dark but I didn't remember seeing any clouds or expecting any for that matter. The song continued restarting itself, the same opening again and again. I flipped through the other stations and all of them had it playing. Eventually, the digital clock on my dash began to spin wildly like the LCD numbers on the tuner while in scan mode. The truck buffeted and shook side to side despite my headlights showing no cause for it.
To my shock, ahead, in the distance was single traffic light. It was went from green, to yellow, and red, as any other traffic light but there were no lights or towns on this road. I slowed to 40, then 35 then to 30 as I entered an unnamed densely populated area with small buildings, stores, and houses and one traffic light. I came to a stop at the light and I looked around, locked my doors and tried to glimpse where I was. Where ever I was, I felt, I felt like I shouldn't be there. There were dim orange lights in some of the rooms of the houses at the edge of the intersection.
I looked up at one of the windows and I saw a figure with large head in the window. I couldn't believe my eyes at least not until the figure turned to face outward. It was a jack o lantern, a classic one with a black glow where the eyes, nose, and mouth sat. It was held up right by a thin vine structure that seemed to grow and stretch as it stuck its head out of the window and let out a barely audible shrill whistle and stared directly at me.
I gunned it. I blew the red light as the town seemed to collapse into nothing by dark green swelling pumpkin vine and a sea of glowing jack o lanterns in my side view mirrors. I hit the radio off because all I could hear on it was that whistle filtering through. I drove and the mass of jack o lanterns grew in the mirrors. I glimpsed the left and right windows and the plains were glowing black with more pumpkins rolling and creeping towards the road.
The road began to warp and bend as I started to red line my truck. The buffeting side to side became difficult to control as the engine groaned. I couldn't explain how the road began to shift nor how the moon, blood orange began to circle around me from horizon to horizon. Aside from the moon, I thought I was making progress as I couldn't see the vines nor the hundreds of blacklight pumpkins swirling after me.
The moon slowed and dipped down and I started climbing a hill. As I crested, the moon filled the entire windshield and more. It spun and then settled on a black light pumpkin face and bore down on the cab.
I don't know what happened next but I woke up in my cab. The was engine smoking. All I could see was mud and putrid rotten pumpkins as far as I could see. My Blue Jay was sunk up to the cab down in mud, vines and rot. It wasn't going anywhere in it without some serious assistance. To my right and left I saw dozens of other vehicles, most of them at least ten years old, also up their doors in mud and rot. Swarms of flies were visible all around in the boiling midday sun. I'm not really sure how long it has been or what time it really was because the clock on my phone is broken and simply reads as 99:99. I don't know what day it is. I have no cell signal and no radio.
Carly, I need to be honest with you. I cheated on you. Maybe a dozen times. I did it before I thought, before I knew you were doing it to me. I can't live by the rules of trucking, or marriage or anything. It is the road and you command it and that is the only rule. But now, I'm worried I've broken my last rule. I have no food and no water. There is no road here. There is only rule of a blazing sun with jack o lantern face that never sets. I fear that in time, unless I find help or help finds me, I will be feeding the pumpkins.
​
Theo Plesha

Hey /pelotoncycle,
It’s Peloton Instructor Denis Morton and Mariana Fernández. We recently launched 2 new Yoga Collections on Peloton - Yin Yoga and Yoga Conditioning. We are here to answer your questions about Yoga and anything else fitness related that’s on your mind!
Proof it’s us here and here.

I'm Mariana Fernández, and for those I'm just meeting, I am a yoga and meditation instructor at Peloton. I worked with Kirra and Kristin to launch our first Yoga Conditioning collection which adds light weights and repetition to familiar yoga shapes to build a stronger, more confident yoga practice. I also launched our first content in Spanish and am able to teach classes in both languages from PSNY. I am a triathlete and marathoner and most days you'll find me running in Central Park. I have a Master's in theatre so working at Peloton truly has brought my three passions of Athleticism, Artistry, and Asana into my work. ^Mariana

​

For any friends I haven’t yet met, my name is Denis Morton, and I’m closing in quickly on 6 years at Peloton. I’ve been a full time yoga and cycling instructor since 2005, and when not teaching can be found surfing, snowboarding, or playing guitar. If you haven’t already, check out my Yin Yoga collection with Aditi. In Yin Yoga classes, you'll target connective tissue over muscle and hold poses longer than usual. Achieve stillness and stability, while enjoying the meditative, exploratory nature of these classes. I’m excited for this AMA because I love to learn and share, and often find I’m at my best in conversation. ^Denis

We’ll be here this Thursday 3/23 from 4:30-5:30 PM EST to answer your questions so ask us anything!

Almost every good weather day when my husband gets home from work, he asks me if he can go outside and garden/do outside hobbies. It’s right when I’m making dinner and our LO is usually napping. And every day I’m like… ok? I guess? LO is napping so it’s ‘free time’ I guess? But then I find myself prepping dinner, cleaning up from the day, doing laundry, cleaning, while my husband is just outside doing hobbies.
Finally today I realized I feel like his mom, and he’s like a little kid asking to go out and play. Is it too much to ask for him to just come home and help me out? I do not get a break from around 1pm (LO’s afternoon nap) until bedtime at 8pm. I feel so guilty telling him he can’t go do his hobbies but I’m realizing it’s not fair that he’s putting me in that position. Does any of this make sense?
Also I go to bed at 8pm with LO and my husband has until 10pm when he goes to bed to do whatever he wants. I go to bed early because I’m on night duty and LO wakes a few times overnight.

Corpse-Starch is a well know staple of the Imperium, feeding hives and soldiers alike. But what do we know about it and how does it work? Let’s go into a deep dive into what Corpse-Starch needs to be to fuel the calories of the Imperium.
Corpses, naturally, are a byproduct of human settlements, and therefore corpses need to be disposed of. Not only do people produce corpses, they also produce poop, urine, and food waste. All of these things need to be dealt with speedily less the Hive comes to a grinding halt under plagues and compromised water sources. This is where His Majesty sanitation guilds come in, fighting the fight on the home front to keep the imperial war machine running. While it varies from planet to planet the sanitation guilds are always divided by their responsibilities; Corpse guilds collect bodies, trash collectors collect physical organic trash and plumbers (technicians, artisans, and mechanicus laymen) deal with the black and grey waste water.
The corpse guild, most famous on Necromunda, are the first processors of human meats. Because humans are not natural cannibals some parts of the human body are inedible; particularly the head and spine which house the central nervous system. Prion disease can turn a perfectly edible batch of corpse starch into poison, so heads and spines go for extra processing. The edible meats are sent to protein processing plants were, along with livestock and other dead animals, are minced, dried, and pressed into meat cubes.
The collectors of organic waste take on the responsibility of turning the inedible waste of the hive into nutritious feed for the Emperor’s servants. Firstly all the collected organic matter is shedded and fed to omnivorous livestock. This includes the leftovers from the corpse guild. Whatever is too putrid for the local hive livestock gets pushed into compost silos, where bacteria and bugs farther digest the matter into sludge-fertilizer. This sludge-fertilizer is then fed into vats of algae. These cats serve multiple purposes we will get to later.
The last and most deceptively simple of the sanitation workers are the plumbers who carry the the black water sewage (pee and poop) to the water treatment plants. Anything solid is broken up by grinders and the waste water is then left to be processed by the emperor blessed bacteria who solidify the waste into sludge-fertilizers. The water goes through this process multiple times before being pumped back into the Hive’s water system as clean water.
The all important Algae vats are the source of the one the most taken for granted resources: oxygen. These vats make up the Starch of corpse starch but also double as vast oxygen factories making it the clearest to fresh air you can get in a hive. The harvested algae is then formed into solid plant cubes.
The meat cubes and plant cubes are then processed into ration bars, feeding the loyal servants of the imperium in a nearly completely recycled system.
Thank you for coming to my Ted talk.

The last year or so in the crypto space has been nothing short of crazy. Between Luna & FTX to name a few, the crypto-haters have been louder than ever before during this bear.
However, I think the last few weeks serve as a reminder as to why we are here. In January 2009, Satoshi Nakamoto first launched BTC following on from the Great Recession of 07/08. Yet, here we are again - banks being greedy f*cks and acting in their own interests.
Doesn't matter though does it? Because they'll just get bailed out. There is said to be a complete writedown of all their AT1 bonds, which means bondholders will lost their entire investments - $17BN > $0 just like that.
Yes, the crypto space has its own share of greedy f*cks too. However, centralization was never the point, decentralization was. The next time someone asks you why you're stacking sats, point them to the current mess that we have to deal with, again, less than 20 years later.

TLDR at bottom.
I found a few friends to play DnD with for the first time, 5 of us (including myself) in total. Although I aspire to DM and have spent lots of time learning, I wanted to experience playing a PC and get a feel for the game. One of the player's recommended a mutual friend to DM for us.
Now here's where it starts. We all prepare for the first session but the DM doesn't get in contact with anyone, until I approach them the day before our first session to confirm, it's still going ahead. I did some late minute preparation for the DM and we're ready for the first session (gridded paper, monopoly pieces for props, and communicating with the 2 other players and other requirements).
First session roles around. DM has a notepad with notes and, one story prop and, that's it. Borrowed our dice, and some other resources provided by another PC.
We use DnD beyond to create our characters at the table. However, the DM doesn't use it which confuses me, especially since it'll aid with encounters (more later). Anywho, pretty normal imo except once the game starts, the DM prescribes us all the same back story, same starting location, same history, no variations, no choices. We're all school mates, of the same age who grew up in the same town etc. Throw all your own PC back story, lore or anything you though of out the window. Very frustrating as the entire character I had built, lore and all was just trashed in 10 seconds.
Then the story starts, DM describes and sets up the story his created. There are subtle hints his shared and communicated this story with another PC (mutual friend) let's call him D (important later). As we progress through the story, D becomes a central part of the story, and then we have our first encounter on a ship, borded by pirates turned zombies.
Long encounter short, a group of 5 x lvl 1 PCs vs. 10 x Zombies x 30ft boat = Disaster.
I later learnt about encounter building and that was a lethal encounter. For reference the thresholds where PC XP was 500 and Monster XP was 1250.
During the combat, our first combat, the DM didn't take an action for each zombie, only a select few which is fair, 10 is a lot. Ultimately I decided to abandon the ship as all the pirates where on ours, and after much discussion I managed to convince our party to go with my plan, as I realised early it wasn't happening.
DM didn't seemed pleased, but allowed it. Then D willingly resists the plan and "disappears" with the sinking ship and 10 zombies. Then "disappears" from our memory and that's it. At this point combined with some table comments, you get the impression the DM and D where setting up a PvP scenario as part of the plot for the next session, between D and us.
First session done. Second session, start.
We all arrive early at mine, where we host the session. DM starts by wanting to check out PC sheets before the session begins, and 1 by 1 checks. He indicates that the encounter shouldn't have been difficult and he expected us to easily defeat all 10 zombies. Mind you it took us 5 rounds to kill 1 zombie, and we had 2 PCs go down twice in that time.
Anyway when his done checking and the game starts, he indicates that the magic users have low constitution scores hence low health, which is fair but also as new players I feel that should've been communicated during character building in session 1.
Then says his changed some of our details, specifically age to align with his prescribed story. Didn't touch mine, so I'll let that slide. I was quite mad, as I wouldn't appreciated the DM changing my character without discussing it with me.
We then have table talks to discuss character "quirks" and some other changes he wants us to incorporate into our characters.
Session begins, and for the most part good. DM says D has blipt into the Ethereal plain and has disappeared from our memory a.k.a., D didn't want to play (or setup for story later on) and sat out of the session and played a mobile game instead.
Session goes well, DM describes the main story and seems like a linear adventure. Allows for some autonomy during the preparation for our adventure. DM prescribes the settings, humour and fun persue. Try to break the curse of a NPC, bribe a worshipper and make shady deals with said NPCs employer, fail to steal from a shop keep. All fun.
Then we set off for the adventure, and at this point DM did not seem to enjoy it taking so long. I told the group we had to find someone to hire for transport and then D suddenly blips back in and has said skills for said transport (convenient much, needed someone to sail a boat).
Get to story location, get to the encounter. Way easier this time, 2 monsters. No downs, session ends with slight cliff hanger.
Proceed with the comments. DM indicates that he was surprised it took us so long to get to that point. DM and D make comments about the alternative options (yes, D knew about the situation and the potential outcomes at the start), and how D was suppose to come back later in the story but they changed it mid- session. Then D made comments about all the plans the DM has for the story and how it'll get better. At this point D and the DM have definitely talked out-of-game about this.
That's it so far. Next session is in 5 days. Now don't get me wrong, I'm all for a linear adventure and I enjoyed the sessions once we where playing. I feel a lot of that would've been better if it was communicated before the sessions, and as we're new. I know it's part of learning.
Is it just me? Am I expecting to much autonomy in my decision choice as a PC? Are my expectations of the DM to high, or skewed by my own ambitions? or is the DM rusty, underprepared or just not as experienced as I was foretold?
TLDR - Group of 5 new players and a DM (mutual friend) start our first DnD campaign. DM was sold to me as experienced. I (a player) have to chase the DM down the day before who hasn't communicated with us. We didn't even know if the session was going ahead. DM shows up without dice, I have to arrange props and other misc. Then DM prescribes the plot, history and backstory of all PCs. Was not discussed before the session, and no input was allowed. Proceeds to give 5 x Lvl 1 PCs a Lethal encounter (see above) and then checks our characters in session 2 because "that should've been easy". Session 2 is better, but is proceeded by comments and discussion from the DM and a player, about alternative outcomes, how the plot will develop etc. This, is not normal right?

Hello There i am looking for people to join my discord. the discord currently has 24 people in it, we speak english but almost everyone can speak dutch to and me ant 2 others can also speak german, in the group we mostly post memes, play games like truth or dare and others of the sort and we have many fun bots, we also have discusions sometimes and just random conversations. the group is politicaly pretty far(not ussr or china supporters though cause that isn't leftism) left and includes many LGBTQ+ people so if you have a problem with that don't join the group is also mostly atheist(religious people can join aslong as they are not bigoted). the group often posts dark humor and talks about nsfw stuff(in it's own channel). we are between the ages of 14 to 18. most of us are in the central european time zone.the group also doesn't tolerate Racism,Sexism,Transphobia,Homophobia,abeilism,ETC i am 17, i use he/him pronouns i am pansexual, i am a marvel,DC,Voltron,Avatar,Trollhunters and star wars fan. people who join the group should be at least somewhat politicaly left(especialy socialy), have a sense of humor and be able to handle dark humor and nsfw stuff and also shouldn't be toxic.

Hello zen, welcome to my ongoing experimental book report on David Hinton’s China Root.¹
The “experimental” part of this book report is mostly for my personal self-observation: I have been doing it over such a long span of time that, at this point, I am significantly reduced, in a cognitice sense, compared to where I was when I began issuing “reports” on David Hinton’s curious tome several years ago now. (I have early onset dementia—and the fact of the matter is that I’m already a decade beyond the “early” part, for all practical purposes.)
I only introduce this subject to explain any verbal deficiences in this post. I am nicotine-less, and still trying to figure out how to get my brain to output words in a consistent or coherent manner. I’m totally incapable of filming videos right now, as I forget what I am talking about within 5 minutes. But when I woke up today I saw a post from u/sje397 in my feed, and it reminded me of how kind and cordial he was to me when I first posted here, and I thought: “Well that really did work out pretty well, didn’t it?” And so I wanted to pop up with a post that showed him that my efforts to bring my study of Ch’an to this forum have not deviated one iota since that very first video—in which I brandished an apple rather wildly, talked about sutt, and made a pretty decent broom joke, if I remember correctly.
In any case, I have the perfect content slotted up: the next two chapter’s in my revolutionary book report on David Hinton’s locally controversial book: China Root. (Revolutionary because, while I have never been a fan of the book report standard, nor highschool nor university scholarship whatsoever, I did find it important to try and fit in with zen locals, by offering them one example of their favorite form of content: one book report in classical “book report” style. [Linseed: Full disclosure: most of the time when I wrote book reports in elementary school, I did so in the form of short fictions that discussed the text—so reporting on a book as if I am some desk bound nerd that puts weight into “scholarship” and “facts” does not come naturally…so just keep in mind that, even though this is a book report, it is still offered up by a literati who is neither drunk on themself, nor on anynone else, nor on any particular pack of lies that is bundled together and sold as “authority” to the masses. Thanks.])
No…even my book reports are quite clearly the product of a literati, and not some desk-fascist who has something to “prove with words”—so I do hope you enjoy!
First, here is a run down of book reports so far, for any who are curious, want to get up to date on the book, or who are interested in what the process of reporting on a book thoroughly looks like (for the many of you who have never actually seen that before):
Introduction: a work on "Original Zen."
Reader's Note and First Chapter
Meditation, Breath, Mind, and Words
Absence
Empty-Mind and Mirror
Bonus post:
The Utility of China Root for Literate People
Oh, and before we actually proceed: you are caught up to me in my own progress in the book so far. It’s kind of an exciting moment for me, honestly, because while I have profited immensely from Mr. Hinton’s poetry translations over the years (and I highly recommend both his Li Po and his updated Tu Fu)—to be completely straightforward I have never found his philosophical interests engaging or pertinent, think his take on a “Tao” based framework of “Ch’an” wonky to the point where I ask “so this is only for PhD’s with $400 sweaters and / or rural aristocracy that have things like actual looms in their homes?”, and am entirely unconvinced that an “academic” poetry translator with a giant list of millionaire foundations in his resume is going to be able to successfully introduce Ch’an at all.
And after the above introductory segments, we start to get into the real world today. Let’s see what the “artist-intellectual” aristocrat has to share with us tired and lowly masses on the subject of Ch’an, shall we?

山水 Rivers-and-Mountains

This chapter is probably of the least interest to the zen user. (But is particularly useful for New Ager lampoonery.) It’s worth plucking out two quotes in order to show who Hinton is and how he sees himself / his approach to Ch’an, as well as how he recognizes not only himself but also, clearly, many of his readers in Tang and Song China’s class of artist intellectuals. This certainly makes him somewhat of an outlier in the world of Zen study (and it also restricts him to a certain demogrpahic of readers, and obviously flips the bird to many others, such as non-artists and non-intellectuals, scholars, members of religious instituitions, etc snd so on). It is worth pointing at this location of his book when it comes to audience, however: because this is the audience he has been cultivating very successfully for several decades, and it is the audience where this particular book already has and will continue to find many readers: ie the class of artists and intellectuals (many of whom are academics) who choose to live in rural settings (or keep a vacation home there)—and enjoy reading poetry. This is why I know this book will actually be read by quite a few people. I live among this demogrpahic, and have already seen Hinton’s book surface in the wild amongst readers who never expressed a lick of interest in “Zen” or “Buddhism.” (It’s weird—I thought users here would be particularly interested in this tome due to the fact that it will reach completely beyond the world of relgious instituitions and thought, and bring a new wave of secular readers to Zen…sadly the curioisity, verve, and amicability of the contemporary “internet scholar” leave much to be desired.)
Now, obviously 99% of these folks, the “artist intellectuals” Hinton writes for, would never stoop to touch Reddit—which is precisely why I feel this forum owes them, but even more so Reddit users, a thorough review of Hinton’s book. (And please, do add your comments and opinions about the book to this OP—I would love to see them myself.)
But wait—I suppose some of you may be asking, “well if this book is written for a bunch of folks with oil paint and bruschetta on their fingers, or who have those fancy tethers on their eyeglasses that allow them to be taken off and rested on the chest while while eyes are opened a little wider, looking up and out some window some mountain or some river vista, as they wistfully contemplate their analgoues in medieval China—then why should I be interested?” ::redditor munches doritos:: Well, while that is a question only you can answer, reader, I can say that, if you ever do end up becoming the sort of student of Zen who moves to a rural locale, and begins walking around with a stick—or even if you just visit on some pastoral vacation—the book will / can be rather useful when you’re walking on the path and you bump into someone who quotes Leibniz, or mumbles something about Chartres when they see a particulalrly grand upended tree…and you want to poke that person in the eye.
Anyway. Hinton on how he sees things, and the very specific class of folks he writes his book for—even while clearly halfway imagining that class into existence himself (call it a “writing trick” I suppose):
(On the “cenrality if landscape” in “Chinese culture and Ch’an practice”)

This explains the centrality of landscape in Chinese culture and Ch’an practice: indeed, the abiding spiritual aspiration of China’s artist-intellectuals was to dwell as integral to rivers-and-mountains landscape. The cultivation of this dwelling took many forms, all of which recognized rivers-and-mountains landscape as the open door to realization. Ancient artist-intellectuals lived whenever possible as recluses in the mountains, wandered there where that cosmological process could be experienced in the most immediate possible way. The arts were considered ways to cultivate that dwelling: poetry being most essentially rivers-and-mountains poetry, painting most essentially rivers-and-mountains painting. And that dwelling was also the central concern of Ch’an practice.

Hmm. Like I said, this guy’s wonky. Maybe if I went to one of my fancier neighbor’s houses—while they smoked high-cbd, low THC cannabis, and casually ate something I didn’t even recognize (likely while dipping it in something else that looks like my monthly food budget contained in one bowl)—and listened to them pontificate about what happened that one time they “did psylicibin right after reading Walt Whitman on a camping trip in the Himalayas”…this would resonate. [Linseed: Hey, they read a lot—but I’m not saying they’re particulalry skilled at reading what when where or how!]
Anyway, you see how Hinton writes about this stuff. “Good luck getting through WWIII ‘aritst-intelleftuals’! I truly hope your walnut wardrobes and families and looms and easels and designer dog breeds—and literally to die for appaeritif spreads—all manage to navigate history safely together, with nary a hiccough or a stumble!”
—Linseeed (for reals)
In this next passage we see Hinton’s highly personal and very…idk, sort of “radically independent”² take on the history and location of Ch’an. What is interesting is what he brings up about the centrality of mountains in the Ch’an record. (I mean when the local “Zen Master” is often given the name of the local mountain, it does tell you something.) Anwyay, Hinton being weird and some other stuff:

Ch’an’s beginnings can be traced to around the fourth century C.E., when there was a resurgence and deepening of Taoist thought (Dark- Enigma Learning) together with the beginning of landscape’s centrality for China’s artist-intellectuals, most notably when China’s mature mainstream poetic tradition emerged in the form of rivers- and-mountains poetry invented by two epochal poets: T’ao Ch’ien and Hsieh Ling-yün (author of “Regarding the Source Ancestral,” a seminal text in Ch’an). The reason for this is no doubt the mirror- deep clarity of empty mirror-mind that Buddhist meditation so resolutely cultivated. And in fact, the original meanings of the Ch’an ideogram, before it was chosen to translate the Sanskrit dhyana (“meditation”), were “altar” and “sacrifice to rivers-and-mountains.” Hence, meditation as a place where one honors or celebrates rivers- and-mountains. In addition, Ch’an monasteries were typically located in remote mountains (those in cities surrounded themselves with the domesticated landscapes of gardens), and Ch’an masters leading those monasteries generally took the names of local mountains as their own because they so deeply identified with mountain landscape: Hundred-Elder Mountain, Yellow-Bitterroot Mountain, Cloud-Gate Mountain, Heaven-Dragon Mountain, Wind- Source Mountain, River-Act Mountain, Buddha-Land Mountain, Cloud-Lucent Mountain, Doubt-Shrine Mountain, Fathom Mountain, Moon-Shrine Mountain, and indeed: Mirror-Sight Mountain.

So much for the “New Ager Crack” chapter—let’s get to some interesting stuff.

法 Dharma

Holy Smokes! Hinton is finally gonna talk about something real! 😜 (Or at least we can hope…I have no idea—these are uncharted waters for me from here on out.)

In common usage, 法 (Dharma) means “law.” The first sense of the “law” in Ch’an is simply the teachings of the Ch’an tradition, the essential truths about reality and the essential principles that guide practice. But that initial meaning is quickly dismantled, because Ch’an’s essential teaching resides outside of words and ideas.

Oh shit! Did he just kill all scholars with one stroke?!? Those feisty artist-intellectuals! Must be a warzone in the academy these days, what between the old guard and the encroahing corporatists, who carry the banner of “truth” wherever they go backlit by flames.
After this passage he goes into some of his worst (imo) schtick: talking about how Tao “unfurled” into “Dahrma / Ch’an”, etc. The aritst intellectuals might slurp it up, idk—but that milkshake offers no real flavor to a student of Zen that I detect.
Now he quotes Huangbo (whom he coyly refers to as “Yellow Bitteroot Mountain”):

This dharma is mind: outside of mind, there is no dharma. And this mind is dharma: outside of dharma, there is no mind.

And wowzers, this is going to make some folks choke on tea:

Mountain continues (in a passage we have already seen) to equate both to Absence: “Mind is of itself Absence-mind, is indeed Absence- mind Absence.” So in Ch’an, dharma can be known through meditation where one can “see original-nature.” In fact, Bodhidharma described dharma as “the inner-pattern of original- nature’s purity.”18

Pretty spicy, n’est pas, zen users? Now, this “Inner Pattern” concept is an interesting one that I’ll come back to in a future post. For now, he ends on the “dharma” thusly:

And so, dharma’s wordless teaching resides in empty-mind, rivers- and-mountains landscape, the sheer thusness of everyday life.
And as Patriarch Sudden- Horse Way-Entire says, dwelling as integral to that dharma is itself the liberation of awakening: The dharma of all things themselves, that is the Buddha-dharma. All those dharmas together are liberation, and that liberation is the existence-tissue itself all clarity absolute.

Is not “Sudden-Horse Way-Entire” the absolute best “Zen Master Name” for that particular patriarch? Imo, the names are the most fun part of the book thus far.
What did you think of the last paragraph, zen? Is it comprehensible to you? Or does it make you sneeze birkenstocks, and screw Odyssean wax out of your ear with one finger?
My opinion so far is that Cleary is defintiely a better translator, and that this “intro” book seems so wonky, thus far, that I am not sure if it will ever limp its way out of the library of some retired Don Quixote, or not. Thankfully, time will tell—and all I have to do is write a book report.
—Linseed
PS: How was that, sje? It took both you and spring herself peeking in my window this morning—but I did eek out some content.
¹ The most recent installments were made under the moniker of u/golden_eyebrow, that alter-id I conjured to a lonely and savage life of historical piracy, and launched into the past and future last summer.
² Is it still worth making literary or etymological jokes in this forum? Or am I already the last of the funny people?

Maybe it's time in galactic history to move past sprawling, centralized governments and allow smaller coalitions to arise? It sort of worked for the last 30,000 years, but recent Star Wars projects seem to imply that that is not what the galaxy wants or needs right now. And from a worldbuilding perspective, it's much more interesting to have the galaxy split into several political regions rather than one massive civilization.

Hi, my name is Fredrik (They/Them) and I am currently running a Warhammer fantasy rpg (A quite grim and gritty fantasy setting), using the system Zweihander. We are 18 sessions in, but one of my players sadly had to drop out because of changes in her life effecting her availability. For that reason I am looking for one replacement player who is 18+, lgbtq+ friendly and generally just friendly all-around. The games I run tend to be quite gritty and dark in terms of tone. I tend to think that a quite grounded/serious tone helps bring out some amazing roleplaying. I prefer players who know as little as possible about both the system or setting, so if you are interested, do not start googling around. Beginners very much welcomed, lack of system and setting knowledge is encouraged.
An important note is that the game’s dark setting means that in-universe systemic racism, sexism and homophobia will be present, and players might encounter very bigoted NPCs. However, that bigotry will not be framed in a positive light, and I have no tolerance for bigotry from my players, and expect all my players to be firmly lgbtq+ friendly. In general, I want to tables to be a nice, welcoming place. When a game touches on heavy topics like mine, it is super important that all the players feel comfortable around their GM and their fellow players.
The game is usually at Sundays at 20 Central European time, however, our schedule isn’t very firm for a few reasons.1: I only run a game when all players are available.2: I struggle with depression and anxiety, which can cause delays depending on my health.All in all, we usually run a session biweekly or every three weeks.
Jumping into a campaign later on can be difficult, but my players are really nice, and both I am they will be willing to help at any time. I am also planning on giving a detailed intro to any new player, and we might even be doing a 1-on-1 session, so that you get to know your character, the setting, and generally just feel more prepared and integrated in the story and world when you are introduced.
We are using discord for voice chat (no video) and roll20 for the actual game portion, once again, you must be at least 18+ and lgbtq+ friendly.
I value my games being beginner friendly very highly, to if you have any questions at all, just send them my way.
If you are interested, or even just curious, send me a dm with the following:
-Your pronouns
-Your age
-Are you lgbtq+ friendly?
-What interested you about my post?
-What is your previous experience with roleplaying? How familiar are you with the Zweihander system and the warhammer fantasy setting?
-Do you have any particular questions right off the bat regarding anything in particular?
-Which time-zone are you in, and how is your availability?
I hope to hear from you soon! If you are not interested, thank you for reading this far and have a pleasant time in whatever game you play ^^