I'll try to be as brief as I can, otherwise this post will become an essay of me trying to promote Japan as the best vacation destination I have ever been to.
TLDR; Japan is great!
Background
The trip took place from 13 May 2023 to 27 May 2023. 9 people, ages ranging from late 20s to mid 60s, family from both my side and my wife's, took part in this trip. The 4 youngest members, including yours truly, planned for everything in this trip which includes the hotels, places we visits, international flights, domestic flights, meals, routes to take. It also helps that our youngest member is fluent in Japanese, while the rest of the youngsters can understand simple Japanese, thus YMMV.
Tokyo (13 May - 18 May 2023)
Tokyo was probably the most hated part of our trip as it involves a lot of walking. And the 5 old people were definitely not keen on walking much. So we really had to spend a lot of time looking for places to chill after half an hour of walking, which really slows us down. Even in train stations, we had to look for elevators since they were unable to climb stairs. There were really a lot of stairs in Japan.
Anyway, for the most part, we stayed in Kyobashi in Tokyo. We chose this area as it provides direct access to Haneda Airport via trains. It was also really convenient as every location we went to in Tokyo was accessible from Kyobashi Station, requiring little to no transfers.
A short review of places we went in Tokyo
Asakusa - It was crowded on a Sunday. Sensoji was nice to look at. Lots of street food around the area if you explore west of Nakamise Street. Kappabashi Dougu Street sells kitchenware and handmade crockeries, which are slightly pricey but good additions to my dining set. Spent around 5 hours here.
Ueno Zoo - Oldest zoo in Japan. Houses many animals that we don't see in Singapore, like the snow monkeys and shoebills. Pandas were definitely the main attraction. We queued for 15 minutes just to see them for 3 minutes. There is a system in place so that panda viewing is not overcrowded. In total, we spent almost 5 hours here.
Ameyoko Street - Shopping street. We just walked through this stretch after Ueno Zoo when everyone was tired. It was quite a touristy place where we did not find it interesting.
Meiji Shrine - Very beautiful shrine. Everybody enjoyed the walk from Harajuku Station to the shrine. The canopy provided shade on a hot day. Coupled with the cool weather, the walk was pleasant. We were also lucky enough to be able to witness a wedding ceremony happening at the shrine while we were there. Get your Omikuji (fortune slip) for JPY200. It comes with English translation.
Harajuku - Very hip shopping street. We were just here for Marion Crepes, nothing else. But if you are into fashion, feel free to spend time shopping here. The clothes are relatively cheaper as compared to places like Uniqlo.
Shibuya - A lot of construction projects are happening now at Shibuya, so it was slightly harder to get around. We went to a planetarium, and sat down for a "show", which was all voiced in Japanese, no subtitles. Very cool even if you don't understand anything as the start of the show basically placed you right in the heart of Shibuya, and allowed you to see the skyline. The youngsters also had a chance to go to the Pokemon Centre and Disney Store to do some light shopping. Go if you like these kind of things. If not, I would recommend skipping them.
Tsukiji Market - A local, slightly more touristy fish market. A lot of fresh seafood to try. Uni (Sea urchin) was in season. The most popular items were the tamagoyaki (rolled egg omelet) and hotate (scallops). We also ate at a local sushi restaurant and I had my first horse meat sushi. The chef even advised me that I should eat it without soy sauce. Very cool experience, probably something I'll never try if I did not go to Japan.
As you can see from above, we didn't go to many places in Tokyo as the oldies were pretty much restricted by their physical abilities to take long walks. I should also share that eating out is more expensive compared to Singapore (where we are from), with each meal costing around JPY1500 or more per person.
Hokkaido (18 May - 27 May 2023)
Hokkaido was really the highlight of this trip. It was clear that everyone enjoyed Hokkaido more than Tokyo. For the domestic flights, we flew via Air Do. To get to Hokkaido, we flew from Haneda Airport to Asaikawa Airport. To get back to Tokyo, we flew from Hakodate Airport. In addition, we rented 2 cars to fit 9 people, with 10 medium to large sized luggage. The distance between each city was usually about 2 to 3 hours drive. Essentially, we went from the west of Hokkaido to the east. So.. That definitely took a long while. so I'll break down the locations by cities.
Monbetsu (18 May - 19 May 2023)
Kamiyubetsu Tulip Park - A tulip park recreated to make you feel as if you were in The Netherlands. Very pretty place especially when all the tulips were in full bloom. We spent about 2 hours here just taking pictures and taking in the view.
Takinoue Shibazakura Park - A park where everything is pink! I have never seen a place so pink. We missed the sakura season in Tokyo but managed to catch the blooming of Shibazakura instead. It is really a sight to behold. In the park, if you are able, I would recommend climbing all the way to the bell to get a stunning view of the whole place. There is also a 3 minutes helicopter ride for JPY600 per person to get an aerial view of the park.
The tulip park was the reason why we drove 3 hours to the small town of Monbetsu. I think the drive was worth it if you like looking at flowers in full bloom. On a separate note, I have been to Monbetsu on another trip in 2019. There is a crab claw statue, a sea ice musuem and a seal sanctuary to visit. The town is not as boring as one might think.
Asahikawa (19 May - 20 May 2023)
Ramen Village - Just a place where 8 ramen restaurants set up shop. I highly recommend eating shoyu ramen in Asahikawa since that's what they're famous for.
Otokoyama Sake Brewery and Museum - It's in the name! Go here if you like sake. There's free tasting. The museum portion just showcases equipment used in the brewing process. It even shows how it was brewed in the older eras. There is also a tap where anyone can collect the spring water that they use to brew the sake. So.. BRING YOUR OWN BOTTLE!
Takikawa Canola Festival - We were just in time for the event. Canola (oil?) is the main export of the town of Takikawa. The festival only runs for 2 weekends. We were lucky to have been able to see this. Anyway, the festival was packed with people. So to alleviate overcrowding at the fields, the organisers did not allow people to go to the fields directly. Everybody is required to go to the festival location and take a shuttle bus to the fields. The bus timings were about 10 minutes from the next one, so even if the queue was long, we didn't wait too long. With any festival, there will always be snacks and other merchandise. Feel free to buy them and support the locals.
Furano (20 May - 21 May 2023)
Ningle Terrace - I think there were a total of 18 small craft shops in the area. Anyway, it's a place where you'll want to go after it turns dark. That's when the fairy lights come on and make it look magical. Personally, I wasn't into the crafts. But I bet they will be good decorations for your office desk or home.
Farm Tomita - A farm famous for lavender. It was raining heavily when we were there. So.. It wasn't a great experience. Coupled with the fact that lavender wasn't really in season, we could only see a small patch of purple. Potatoes here were great though! I would recommend getting some potato wedges or croquettes as snacks.
Furano Cheese Factory - We went there on a weekend. So, there was pretty much no production viewing. But no loss, since we were actually there for the pizza! The whole complex, including a pizza cafe, ice cream shop, factory and museum is nestled in a small woodland area. So you get to enjoy pizza and ice cream in the great outdoors! I highly recommend the pizzas.
Sapporo (21 May - 23 May 2023)
Tanukikoji Street - Shopping street! There's a Mega Don Quixote if anyone's interested. Otherwise it is really just another shopping street. What's cool about it is that there is also an underground mall that's linked to Susukino Station. So, you can shop above and under ground.
Nijo Market - A fish market just like Tsukiji Market but on a smaller scale. It was already past noon when we reached so most shops were closed or closing. The local shopkeepers here were friendlier though.
Odori Park - We took a 15 minutes walk from Sapporo Station to this park. It was not very impressive without sakura blooms or festivals. The iconic Sapporo TV Tower was at the head of the park. We chose not to go up the tower as we went somewhere higher.
JR Tower 36 - I believe this tower is taller than the Sapporo TV Tower. It costs JPY600 per person to ascend the tower. It offers a 360 degrees (more like 90 degrees x 4 sides) view of the city. On a clear day, you might even be able to see Otaru from the tower. You can also see the trains leaving and entering JR Sapporo Station.
Mount Moiwa - Unfortunately, it was foggy the night when we wanted to go up the mountain. So, we decided not to go. From what we researched, it offers a very pretty night view of the city.
So.. In Sapporo, we ditched the car and travelled via trains and legs, like how we did in Tokyo. Parking is expensive in bigger cities. It was a shame that we didn't get to go up to Mount Moiwa as I personally wanted to go up there. But.. There is always an alternative (maybe even better).
Otaru (23 May - 24 May 2023)
Sakaimachi Street - The biggest shopping street in Otaru. The road is lined with shops of various sizes on both sides. Highlights include a glass warehouse, the Romankan (Romance House) and the windchimes on the river. At the end of the street (or the beginning depends on where you start), is an iconic clock tower. I think it rings and blows steam out of its top every hour. Under the clock tower is my personal favourite, LeTao! Their bestseller, the cheesecakes, is the best! But I love their chocolate biscuits, The Noir, better.
Otaru Canal - You may or may not know that Otaru was a port town. The warehouses that line up beside the canal has since been transformed into shops. According to my wife, it is supposedly a pretty place to go to at night, when lights brighten the canal. But when we were there, it was a sad sight. The lights barely lit up the canal. So.. GO IN FEBRUARY when the snow light path festival is happening! There is also a gondola ride on the canal if anyone's interested. We were not.
Sankaku Market - A really small market beside Otaru Station. We had our crab lunch here! 3 crabs totaling 4.6kg for JPY45000. I think that the items sold here are relatively more expensive as this market is catered towards tourists.
Lake Toya (24 May - 25 May 2023)
Mount Usu - A volcano which last erupted in the year 2000. We took the ropeway up. Trust me! It is worth the trip. There is a terrace right beside the ropeway station where you can enjoy beautiful scenery of the lake and surrounding mountains. The youngsters also managed to climb 320 steps to go closer to the caldera of Mount Usu. While you don't see any lava, you can definitely see some smoke.
Meisui-no-Sato Rest Station - This is not really an attraction. But I wanted to give it a shoutout because it was definitely the most beautiful rest station I have ever seen. A suspension bridge links the rest station to a small forested area. And in that area is a spring! It was unexpected to see everybody enjoying a rest there and drinking spring water directly from the mountains.
The Lake Ko no Sumika - Our hotel for the night at Lake Toya. This hotel resort is situated right beside the lake. The hotel is also part of the Toya Sun Palace. If you stay in Ko no Sumika, you get access to the onsen and facilities of both hotels. But it doesn't work the other way round. So it definitely feels more exclusive. The Lake Ko no Sumika has the onsen on the 8th level, giving you an unblocked view of the lake and its beyond when you're taking a bath. For those who don't know, from April to October, a fireworks show happens every night between 8.45pm to 9.05pm. The fireworks show takes place on the lake, starting from the pier near The Lake Toya Nonokaze resort, ending in the middle of the lake, right in front of my hotel room. Did I mention that there is a balcony in every room that looks out to the lake? That's where we enjoyed the fireworks show. There is also an onsen bath in every room of the hotel for you to enjoy if you are shy about going nude in the public bath. To summarise, The Lake Ko no Sumika was luxury on another level. I highly recommend this heaven.
Hakodate (25 May - 27 May 2023)
Onuma National Park - It's actually a quasi-national park. Not sure what the difference is. But it is a beautiful park where there are bridges that link small little islands together. It'll take around 1 hour to walk the longest route and 15 minutes for the shortest. Honestly, I love this park. It was picturesque and it was also amusing to see young couples (the guy) struggling to row a boat.
Mount Hakodate - Boasts the world famous night view. While I agree that the view is beautiful, it is too packed for anyone to enjoy. Everybody is holding up their cameras and crowding near the railings for anyone to take in the scenery. Of course, to counter this, you can always pop by the restaurant or cafe and hope that you'll be assigned a seat by the window so that you can enjoy the view. I recommend that to go right before the sun sets. At the top, you'll have to choose if you want to see the sunset or the night view. Because there is no way that you'll capture both since everybody will crowd to one or the other. It'll always be more crowded when the sky turns dark and everybody is rushing to get off the mountain. So.. Be prepared to wait! Good luck!
Hakodate Morning Market - The morning market is awesome. You have access to fresh seafood and other produce. You can even haggle! We spend our 2 mornings there for breakfast. Amazing place to get delicious and slightly cheaper seafood. There is also a stall which lets you catch your own squid and they'll grill it for you. Long queue though. For reference, we had 2 crabs, weighing at 4.2kg in total for JPY37000. They'll lead you to a restaurant where they'll cook the crabs for you, for free! Don't be afraid to haggle and discuss with the shop owners.
Goryokaku - A fort turned into a park! The famous star(?) shaped park is a beautiful place. When we were there, we saw wisterias and fresh green trees. There is also a structure, which I believe was the residence of someone, which you can pay to enter. Nothing to rave about. But if you want to see some architecture in the middle of a park, you can see it here. Come here if you enjoy walking around a big park. If not, give it a miss.
To sum things up
It is safe to say that all of us enjoyed our trip to Japan. For my parents, it was their first time in Japan. Our itinerary could have been more optimised to cater to the old folks but we planned what we could. Everything else was pretty much on the fly.
While most Japanese don't speak English, they do have some basic understanding if you speak slowly and give them time to process what you said. Alternatively, learn some simple Japanese phrases. It'll make life a lot easier there. For the most part, we relied on Google Maps and Navitime apps to get around Tokyo. We googled for Mapcodes for our drive in Hokkaido.
Hope you enjoyed this lengthy trip report!

Chapter 14: Clash of Titans
The city of Manhattan buzzed with anticipation as the clash between Superman and Metallo loomed on the horizon. The streets were filled with whispers of the impending battle, and uncertainty hung heavy in the air. Clark Kent, fully aware of the mounting tensions and the need to restore faith in his heroism, steeled himself for the coming confrontation.
Meanwhile, at The Daily Planet, Lois Lane and Clark teamed up to interview Lex Luthor, whose revelation about Superman's extraterrestrial origins had sent shockwaves through the city. The meeting was tense, each question carefully crafted to uncover Luthor's true intentions and shed light on his motives. As the interview progressed, Clark's journalistic instincts sensed a deeper game being played, but the truth remained elusive.
While Clark focused on unraveling Luthor's secrets, his budding relationship with Betty Brant continued to blossom. Their second date took them to a quaint café, where they enjoyed each other's company, their conversation flowing effortlessly. Betty, captivated by Clark's charisma and genuine nature, found herself drawn to the enigmatic reporter.
As they shared stories and aspirations, Clark's alter ego, Superman, grappled with the imminent threat of Metallo. The metallic monstrosity, powered by kryptonite, posed a formidable challenge, testing Superman's strength, resilience, and resolve.
The showdown between Superman and Metallo shook the foundations of Manhattan. Buildings trembled, and the air crackled with energy as the two titans clashed. Metallo's robotic might and kryptonite-infused power tested Superman's limits, pushing him to tap into his true potential.
The battle raged on, each blow echoing through the city streets. Superman, fueled by his unwavering belief in justice and his desire to protect the innocent, fought with unwavering determination. Despite the overwhelming odds, he refused to yield, his indomitable spirit shining through the chaos.
In the midst of the battle, Lois Lane, ever the tenacious reporter, arrived at the scene to witness the clash firsthand. Her doubts about Superman's true nature still lingered, but the sight of him selflessly defending the city reignited a glimmer of hope within her. As she watched Superman's unwavering resolve, a flicker of admiration began to kindle within her heart.
Ultimately, Superman's unwavering determination and resourcefulness prevailed, and Metallo was defeated. The city breathed a collective sigh of relief, and Superman stood tall, a symbol of hope and resilience in the face of adversity.
After the dust settled, Clark and Betty reunited, their hearts still racing from the intensity of the battle. They found solace in each other's presence, their connection deepening with every passing moment. Betty, witnessing Superman's unwavering heroism firsthand, began to see beyond the doubts and fears that had clouded her judgment.
Meanwhile, Clark's investigation into Lex Luthor took an unexpected turn. As he delved deeper into Luthor's background, he uncovered a web of deceit and corruption. The enigmatic billionaire had far-reaching plans that extended beyond mere journalism. Clark knew that unraveling Luthor's schemes would require careful strategizing and unwavering determination.
As the city began to rebuild in the aftermath of the battle, Clark, now armed with newfound knowledge and renewed purpose, returned to The Daily Planet. He resolved to expose Luthor's true nature, to shed light on the darkness lurking beneath the surface. With Lois Lane by his side, their journalistic prowess and unwavering commitment to the truth would guide them through the intricate web of lies.
In the wake of the battle and the revelations that followed, Clark realized that the path of a hero was fraught with challenges, doubts, and sacrifices. Yet, he

Principle of fiber optics is based on transmission of data by means of light. Concept of fiber optics was first conceived by Claude Chappe in 1790's. His idea for fiber optics was based on an optical telegraph concept invented by Graham Bell also tried the means to send information by the atmosphere but did not succeed. Finally, fiber optics emerged with the onset of new era based on the principle of total internal reflection which is a distinct quality of light rays. fiber polishing supplies
Fiber optics emerged and grew into more advanced phase due to requirement from radio and telephone engineers. These engineers required more bandwidth for data transmission. Thus these engineers had been looking out for a medium to transmit data in more reliable and faster form rather than copper cables. They also wanted to avoid the hazards of electric shocks and interference which were a constant problem of copper cables.
Fiber optics had attracted some attention because they were analogous in theory to plastic dielectric waveguides used in certain microwave applications. Finally, a technology evolved that used glass or plastic threads to transmit data. Cables involved in fiber optics contain several bundles of glass threads which are capable of transmitting data in modulated form. fiber optic patch cord supplier
With the onset of fiber optics and fiber optic cables data started to transfer faster as fiber optic cables have greater bandwidth than metal cables and are more resistant to external interference. Lighter and thinner fiber optic cables readily transfer data in digital form rather than analogue form. This technology is most useful in computer industry which now forms an integral part of telephone, radio and television industry.
Telecommunications applications of fiber optics use flexible low-loss fibers, using a single fiber per optical path. Along with the communication industry fiber optics plays an important role in medical and industrial applications also. Many medical appliances like endoscope use the principle of fiber optics. Industrial applications viz. in television industry use the principle of fiber optics to obtain flattened images in cathode ray tubes. polishing machines suppliers
Fiber optics yield distortion free data transmission in digital form. The audio waves transmitted via principle of fiber optics deliver accurate signal transfer. Fiber optics is also useful in automotive and transportation industry. Traffic lights, organized and scrutinized highway traffic control, automated toll booths, etc. are some of the benefits of application of fiber options in the transportation mechanism.
View More: fiber optic wall mount enclosure

Some background for context only: I am creating a simple bash script that will check for stale file handles (most likely Samba mounts that became invalid because the remote system was rebooted, or similar), that I will run from /etc/crontab. The script will then umount/mount to fix it, and this is not the part that I have a problem with.
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The problem is that I wanted to find stale file handles by running ls -1 and looking for an error message such as ls: cannot access 'BAD_MOUNTPOINT': Stale file handle. However, when I try to redirect the output to a mktemp file or pipe it to grep or similar, this error message does not seem to be displayed. Neither on stdout or stderr. It seems to me that ls prints different things if it detects that a console (or not) will receive stdout.
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In this case, my workaround could be to list all files in the directory, pipe the output into a while IFS= read -r loop and use stat on each filename, which still works from a script. But I'd like to know why the ls error output is suppressed. Any ideas?
(It's a bit annoying have a solution that works at the bash command line, but does not work in a script.)

New to Hue and couldn't find the answer on older posts.
I saw the smart plug that allows you to add any other lamp to the hue network.
I want to do the same thing but with a ceiling light (with multiple little lightbulbs so I cannot just add Hue bulbs). It seems the wall switch only works with hue bulbs, is there any other solution ?

Everything in my inventory is up for trade. The most valuable items are listed here, the rest you can find in My Inventory

Feel free to Add Me or even better send a Trade Offer. Open for any suggestions: upgrades, downgrades / knives, gloves, skins / stickers, patterns, floats.

All Buyouts are listed in cash value.

KNIVES

★ Butterfly Knife Freehand FN #1, B/O: $2500

★ Butterfly Knife Ultraviolet FT, B/O: $822

★ Butterfly Knife Scorched FT, B/O: $616

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★ Bayonet Tiger Tooth MW #1, B/O: $1300

★ Bayonet Autotronic FN, B/O: $1050

★ Bayonet Tiger Tooth MW, B/O: $629

★ Bayonet Bright Water FT, B/O: $326

★ Bayonet Safari Mesh BS, B/O: $233

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★ Karambit Lore FT, B/O: $1110

★ Karambit Damascus Steel FT, B/O: $840

★ Karambit Freehand MW, B/O: $784

★ Karambit Bright Water MW, B/O: $759

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★ M9 Bayonet Fade FN, B/O: $1801

★ M9 Bayonet Fade FN, B/O: $1801

★ M9 Bayonet Damascus Steel FN, B/O: $751

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★ Nomad Knife Fade FN, B/O: $1156

★ Nomad Knife Slaughter MW, B/O: $544

★ Nomad Knife Blue Steel WW, B/O: $318

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★ Flip Knife Marble Fade FN, B/O: $646

★ Flip Knife Doppler (Phase 4) FN, B/O: $574

★ Flip Knife Gamma Doppler (Phase 1) MW, B/O: $552

★ Flip Knife Case Hardened FT, B/O: $257

★ Flip Knife Freehand FT, B/O: $255

★ StatTrak™ Flip Knife Bright Water FN, B/O: $287

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★ Huntsman Knife Lore FN, B/O: $461

★ Huntsman Knife Gamma Doppler (Phase 4) FN, B/O: $436

★ Huntsman Knife Doppler (Phase 3) FN, B/O: $353

★ Huntsman Knife Autotronic FT, B/O: $212

★ Huntsman Knife Bright Water FT, B/O: $129

★ Huntsman Knife Forest DDPAT MW, B/O: $129

★ Huntsman Knife Forest DDPAT BS, B/O: $123

★ StatTrak™ Huntsman Knife Rust Coat BS, B/O: $127

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★ Bowie Knife Gamma Doppler (Phase 2) FN, B/O: $375

★ Bowie Knife Gamma Doppler (Phase 1) FN, B/O: $363

★ Bowie Knife Tiger Tooth FN, B/O: $269

★ Bowie Knife Crimson Web WW, B/O: $192

★ Bowie Knife Bright Water FN, B/O: $159

★ Bowie Knife Ultraviolet FT, B/O: $126

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★ Stiletto Knife Slaughter FN, B/O: $616

★ Stiletto Knife Crimson Web FT, B/O: $412

★ StatTrak™ Stiletto Knife Night Stripe FT, B/O: $227

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★ Falchion Knife Lore FT, B/O: $214

★ Falchion Knife Autotronic FT, B/O: $192

★ Falchion Knife Scorched WW, B/O: $105

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★ Survival Knife Crimson Web BS, B/O: $216

★ Survival Knife Case Hardened FT, B/O: $198

★ Survival Knife Scorched FT, B/O: $111

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★ Shadow Daggers Fade FN, B/O: $368

★ Shadow Daggers Doppler (Phase 3) FN, B/O: $228

★ Shadow Daggers, B/O: $201

★ Shadow Daggers Damascus Steel FT, B/O: $108

★ Shadow Daggers Ultraviolet FT, B/O: $105

★ Shadow Daggers Black Laminate FT, B/O: $99

★ Shadow Daggers Forest DDPAT FT, B/O: $85

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★ Gut Knife Doppler (Sapphire) MW #1, B/O: $1700

★ Gut Knife Gamma Doppler (Phase 1) FN, B/O: $223

★ Gut Knife Marble Fade FN, B/O: $203

★ Gut Knife Doppler (Phase 2) FN, B/O: $191

★ Gut Knife Case Hardened BS, B/O: $127

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★ Navaja Knife Doppler (Phase 4) FN, B/O: $199

★ Navaja Knife Doppler (Phase 4) FN, B/O: $199

★ Navaja Knife, B/O: $138

★ Navaja Knife Damascus Steel FN, B/O: $111

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★ Classic Knife Urban Masked FT, B/O: $146

★ StatTrak™ Classic Knife Stained BS, B/O: $168

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★ Ursus Knife Doppler (Phase 3) FN, B/O: $476

★ Ursus Knife, B/O: $375

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★ Skeleton Knife, B/O: $1137

★ Talon Knife, B/O: $608

★ Paracord Knife, B/O: $305

★ Survival Knife Forest DDPAT FT, B/O: $97

GLOVES

★ Moto Gloves Transport MW, B/O: $204

★ Moto Gloves Polygon BS, B/O: $142

★ Moto Gloves Blood Pressure BS, B/O: $84

★ Moto Gloves Blood Pressure BS, B/O: $84

★ Moto Gloves 3rd Commando Company BS, B/O: $63

★ Moto Gloves 3rd Commando Company BS, B/O: $63

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★ Specialist Gloves Crimson Kimono WW, B/O: $1215

★ Specialist Gloves Tiger Strike FT, B/O: $672

★ Specialist Gloves Lt. Commander FT, B/O: $305

★ Specialist Gloves Lt. Commander BS, B/O: $140

★ Specialist Gloves Crimson Web BS, B/O: $137

★ Specialist Gloves Buckshot FT, B/O: $75

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★ Driver Gloves Crimson Weave FT, B/O: $359

★ Driver Gloves Imperial Plaid BS, B/O: $229

★ Driver Gloves Overtake BS, B/O: $77

★ Driver Gloves Racing Green FT, B/O: $48

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★ Sport Gloves Omega FT, B/O: $739

★ Sport Gloves Amphibious BS #2, B/O: $733

★ Sport Gloves Arid BS, B/O: $292

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★ Hand Wraps Giraffe MW, B/O: $212

★ Hand Wraps Leather FT, B/O: $160

★ Hand Wraps Desert Shamagh MW, B/O: $101

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★ Broken Fang Gloves Yellow-banded MW, B/O: $185

★ Broken Fang Gloves Needle Point FT, B/O: $67

★ Broken Fang Gloves Needle Point WW, B/O: $59

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★ Hydra Gloves Case Hardened BS, B/O: $65

★ Hydra Gloves Emerald FT, B/O: $65

★ Hydra Gloves Emerald BS, B/O: $62

WEAPONS

AK-47 Case Hardened BS, B/O: $130

AK-47 Bloodsport MW, B/O: $79

AK-47 Fuel Injector BS, B/O: $76

AK-47 Fuel Injector BS, B/O: $76

AK-47 Bloodsport FT, B/O: $70

AK-47 Neon Rider MW, B/O: $60

StatTrak™ AK-47 Aquamarine Revenge FT, B/O: $72

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AWP Fade FN, B/O: $1039

AWP Asiimov FT, B/O: $139

AWP Asiimov FT, B/O: $139

AWP Wildfire MW, B/O: $95

AWP BOOM MW, B/O: $93

AWP BOOM MW, B/O: $93

AWP Duality FN, B/O: $81

AWP Asiimov BS, B/O: $79

AWP Asiimov BS, B/O: $79

AWP Chromatic Aberration FN, B/O: $60

StatTrak™ AWP Hyper Beast FT, B/O: $68

StatTrak™ AWP Hyper Beast FT, B/O: $68

StatTrak™ AWP Electric Hive FT, B/O: $55

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Desert Eagle Blaze FN, B/O: $623

Desert Eagle Emerald Jörmungandr FN, B/O: $241

Desert Eagle Cobalt Disruption FN, B/O: $81

Desert Eagle Cobalt Disruption FN, B/O: $81

Desert Eagle Cobalt Disruption FN, B/O: $81

Desert Eagle Printstream FT, B/O: $54

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M4A1-S Blue Phosphor FN, B/O: $434

StatTrak™ M4A1-S Bright Water MW, B/O: $55

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M4A4 Poseidon FN, B/O: $1465

M4A4 Asiimov BS, B/O: $55

M4A4 Hellfire MW, B/O: $50

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USP-S Kill Confirmed MW, B/O: $72

USP-S Printstream FT, B/O: $69

StatTrak™ USP-S Kill Confirmed FT, B/O: $139

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AUG Flame Jörmungandr FN, B/O: $234

P90 Run and Hide FT, B/O: $147

Five-SeveN Candy Apple FN, B/O: $61

Trade Offer Link - Steam Profile Link - My Inventory

Knives - Bowie Knife, Butterfly Knife, Falchion Knife, Flip Knife, Gut Knife, Huntsman Knife, M9 Bayonet, Bayonet, Karambit, Shadow Daggers, Stiletto Knife, Ursus Knife, Navaja Knife, Talon Knife, Classic Knife, Paracord Knife, Survival Knife, Nomad Knife, Skeleton Knife, Patterns - Gamma Doppler, Doppler (Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, Phase 4, Black Pearl, Sapphire, Ruby, Emerald), Crimson Web, Lore, Fade, Ultraviolet, Night, Marble Fade (Fire & Ice, Fake FI), Case Hardened (Blue Gem), Autotronic, Slaughter, Black Laminate, Tiger Tooth, Boreal Forest, Scorched, Blue Steel, Vanilla, Damascus Steel, Forest DDPAT, Urban Masked, Freehand, Stained, Bright Water, Safari Mesh, Rust Coat, Gloves - Bloodhound Gloves (Charred, Snakebite, Guerrilla, Bronzed), Driver Gloves (Snow Leopard, King Snake, Crimson Weave, Imperial Plaid, Black Tie, Lunar Weave, Diamondback, Rezan the Red, Overtake, Queen Jaguar, Convoy, Racing Green), Hand Wraps (Cobalt Skulls, CAUTION!, Overprint, Slaughter, Leather, Giraffe, Badlands, Spruce DDPAT, Arboreal, Constrictor, Desert Shamagh, Duct Tape), Moto Gloves (Spearmint, POW!, Cool Mint, Smoke Out, Finish Line, Polygon, Blood Pressure, Turtle, Boom!, Eclipse, 3rd Commando Company, Transport), Specialist Gloves (Crimson Kimono, Tiger Strike, Emerald Web, Field Agent, Marble Fade, Fade, Foundation, Lt. 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We met at an event where a bunch of universities have teams that work on projects and end up going meeting in a city to show off their work. We were both part of different university teams. We met and talked a little bit (not enough to be flirtatious), but not that much (we didn't get the opportunity much as the only times we saw each other were during panels and conferences and had assigned seatings). And she was also a really shy person in general it seems, very reserved to herself and didn't talk when she didn't have to. However, I really liked her and decided to follow her on Instagram after the event ended, which led to a few chat exchanges. Here's our chat (I changed it up a bit to preserve our private details)Me: Hey! How’d you feel about presentations?Her: Hi! I think it went as well as it could’ve haha. How about you?Me: Nice! I watched the live stream with a few buddies cause I had to leave early for a midterm and we thought it was great! We loved the dog haha. How’d you guys even come up with that? SCOUT with a dog mascot is genius.Her: Thanks, hope the midterm went well! Our other team member just really loves his dog named scout haha and wanted to include him and it just kind of snowballed from there.Me: Haha, a dog as a name and mascot? That's a surefire win in my book. I wish I had been there in person to see it all unfold lol. You're back home now, right? Any exciting plans or new projects cooking up for the summer? Let's hear it.Her: Nothing exciting, I mainly just have work. I work at a mechanics lab at my school, and I’m taking a summer class so I’ll be pretty busy between the two. How about you?Me: Sounds confusingly sweet! Looks like we're both busy hustling this summer, I'm working full-time remotely and taking a summer class. But hey, if our paths align and we find ourselves in each other's cities, maybe we could take a break from the hustle and show each other around. That'd be an adventure. But I'm genuinely intrigued by what you do in the mechanics lab. Mind shedding some light on it for a clueless soul like me?Her: Nice! Where are you working at? And yeah, I haven’t been to your city before. It’s hard to explain but it’s a lot of supply chain modeling and data analysis/visualization in order to create dashboards.Me: I work at a tech company, they own a bunch of cool software around the internet and I get to be an engineer on them. It's also not exactly what I want to do but I'm learning a lot of practical experience, and the people are amazing. I think it's really cool that we're both doing things we normally wouldn't do, it's good to keep an open mind.Her: That sounds pretty cool! And it all makes for good experience in the long run for sure. Yeah definitely :)Given her shyness, I'm unsure about how to interpret our chat. She’s been responsive, but it feels like I'm driving most of the conversation, asking questions, and she's not asking as many in return.Could she be interested based on our interactions? How can I continue this conversation while being considerate of her reserved nature? I like her, but I'm not sure if I'm interested in relationship or hooking up (I know it's not possible as we're thousands of miles away from each other but idk)Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated

Timestamp:
https://imgur.com/a/hZODxht

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Today's prices are :
1) new Magpul ODG Bundle . All items are ODG. SL stock, polymer trigger guard, and MOE + grip (not currently separating) $60 shipped for all 3.
2) new Gorilla Machining Glock 23 Italian Stainless Steel threaded barrel, no thread protector $60 shipped
3) new, no package. Never mounted Magpul AK (no sling cutout model) Gray MOE handguard and Gray MOE + grip with screw, has storage cap. $35 shipped for both.
4) used, below 500 rounds OEM Glock 19 gen 3/4. Polished feed ramp. Looks good in the chamber. $55 shipped
5) light use black UNITY VFG it is 2.25" long. $22 shipped
6) 2 new Ergo Shines slim pistol angle grips. 1 black (only opened) and 1 dark earth. - $24 shipped for pair
7) new Glock MOS plates for 17, 19 etc..... Not for single stacks. $20 shipped.
8) used FDO brand G43 holster in fde $25 shipped
9) salty, used Magpul MOE carbine length handguard in fde with fde VFG (missing long mlok screw). This was a catch and release. $25 shipped for both.

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"How does it feel up there?" the earpiece crackled, the voice of Thomas in mission control penetrating the eerie silence. My heart raced, and I couldn't help but let out a deep, shaky breath in response.
"Feels... normal", I managed to stammer, my hands trembling as I tugged at the straps that held me firmly in my seat. The weight of the impending mission seemed to bear down on me, making every movement feel like a monumental effort.
"Status?" inquired Thomas, his voice a mixture of professionalism and concealed trepidation. I furrowed my brow, feeling beads of sweat trickling down my nose, my body betraying the anxiety that gripped me.
"I'm... strapped in and ready to fly, control," I replied, my voice trembling slightly. It was a struggle to steady my words, to mask the unease that threatened to consume me.
"Pilot is ready to launch. Begin final checks," Thomas instructed, his voice projecting a sense of duty laced with underlying concern. The gravity of the situation became more palpable with each passing moment, and the tension in the cockpit heightened.
"Communications?" I asked, my voice cracking ever so slightly as I awaited the confirmation. The silence that followed felt heavy, amplifying my apprehension.
"Go," came the response, a single word that hung in the air, pregnant with both reassurance and uncertainty.
"Engines?" I continued, my words barely escaping my lips, as if fearing their own existence.
"Engines are go," came the reassuring yet strained reply from mission control. The hum of the spacecraft's engines added to the symphony of nerves that filled the cockpit.
"Life support?" I pressed on, my voice faltering under the weight of the moment. The thought of relying on the complex systems that ensured my survival in the cold expanse of space only heightened my unease.
"Go," confirmed the voice from mission control, its tone laced with a mixture of confidence and unspoken worry.
"Tank pressure?" I asked, my voice strained and trembling with a mix of excitement and fear.
"Holding steady at 2.4 bar," came the reply, a fragile thread of stability in the midst of a tumultuous storm.
"Launch is go. Beginning countdown sequence," Thomas declared, his voice resolute and focused. The countdown loomed before me, an ominous reminder of the imminent journey that awaited, each passing second amplifying the nervous atmosphere that surrounded me.
As the countdown began, a sense of anticipation intertwined with an eerie uncertainty. The cockpit began to hum and rumble as the many systems began to come online. I held my breath for a moment, the air thick with nervous energy. The weight of the mission bore down on my shoulders, reminding me of the countless hours of training and preparation leading up to this pivotal moment.
"Ten... nine... eight..." The numbers reverberated in my mind, each one marking a step closer to the unknown. My grip tightened on the armrests, my knuckles turning white beneath my gloves as I braced myself for what lay ahead. Doubts and fears swirled within me, questioning my abilities and challenging my resolve. But amidst the unease, a spark of determination flickered, refusing to be extinguished.
"Seven... six... five..." The sound of the countdown merged with the pounding of my heart, creating a symphony of apprehension and intrigue. My gaze shifted to the vast expanse beyond the cockpit window, where the dark void of space awaited, both captivating and unsettling. The silence of the cosmos enveloped me, whispering secrets and posing unanswered questions, heightening the mystery that surrounded the silent alien spacecraft.
"Four... three... two..." The countdown continued, each number resonating through the cockpit like a ticking time bomb. Adrenaline surged through my veins, amplifying the nervous anticipation that clung to every fiber of my being. The silence of the alien spacecraft echoed in my ears, its lack of response a haunting reminder of the enigmatic presence that awaited me.
"One..." The final number hung in the air, pregnant with the weight of the moment. A surge of raw energy coursed through the spacecraft as the engines roared to life, their powerful vibrations reverberating through the hull. The moment had arrived. The moment where humanity would venture into the unknown, reaching out to a silent enigma that defied comprehension.
With a jolt, the spacecraft leapt forward, propelled by the immense force of the rocket engines. My body pressed back against the seat, the G-forces pulling at every fiber of my being. As the Earth retreated beneath me, a mix of awe and unease washed over me.
The spacecraft shuddered and groaned as the first stage detached from the craft with a heavy clunk. I could feel the vibrations coursing through the walls, a tangible reminder of the immense power propelling me forward. My eyes fixated on the exterior cameras, capturing the sight of the discarded first stage slowly descending back to Earth. It was a mesmerizing dance of gravity and momentum, a breathtaking spectacle that underscored the magnitude of our journey.
"First stage detached, igniting second stage engines," came Thomas's voice through the crackling earpiece. His words pierced through the silence, jolting me back to the present reality. Another surge of force enveloped the spacecraft as the three second stage engines roared to life, their fiery thrust propelling me further away from the familiarity of Earth and into the depths of space where the silent alien spacecraft awaited.
I turned my attention to the expansive view outside the cockpit window, transfixed by the ethereal sight of Earth's horizon stretching before me. The inky darkness of space met the delicate curve of our planet, while the radiant glow of the sun began to peek over the edge, casting a golden hue upon the celestial canvas. In that moment, the weight of the mission momentarily lifted from my shoulders, as I found myself lost in the awe-inspiring beauty that surrounded me.
But the crackling of my earpiece snapped me back to reality, a gentle reminder that time was of the essence. The significance of the mission flooded my thoughts once more, reminding me of the importance of the task at hand. With a deep breath, I refocused my attention on the mission control's communication.
"Final burn completed, Emissary 1 has reached a stable orbit," Thomas's voice announced, carrying a mix of relief and anticipation. It was a small triumph, a moment of reassurance amidst the vast unknown. The spacecraft had found its place among the stars, suspended in a delicate equilibrium as we prepared to embark on the next phase of our mission.
The silence of the alien spacecraft still echoed in my mind, an enigma waiting to be unraveled. With orbit achieved, I knew that the real challenge lay ahead – to bridge the divide between humanity and the silent emissary that floated in the vastness of space. The journey had only just begun, and every fiber of my being was primed for the encounter that would define the course of human history.
"Pilot, confirm status," came the unwavering voice from mission control, cutting through the hum of the spacecraft's systems. I took a moment to collect myself, my heart still racing from the intensity of the ascent and the weight of the mission ahead.
"Alive and well, if a little shaken up," I replied, my voice laced with a mix of relief and lingering adrenaline. My eyes darted across the intricate control board, scanning each indicator for any signs of anomaly. The complexity of the spacecraft's operations manifested in the labyrinth of switches, buttons, and digital readouts, a testament to the collective efforts of countless engineers and scientists who had made this journey possible.
"Confirmed. Beginning rendezvous burn," Thomas's voice responded, his tone steady yet tinged with an undercurrent of anticipation. The significance of this moment was not lost on me. The rendezvous burn marked the crucial step in closing the distance between Emissary 1 and the silent alien spacecraft. It was a delicate ballet of calculations, precision, and trust in the systems that held my fate in their electronic embrace.
With a flick of my gloved hand, I initiated the burn sequence, feeling the rumble of the thrusters as they came to life. The spacecraft responded with a subtle shift in trajectory, each burst of propulsion propelling me closer to the enigmatic presence that awaited us in the vast expanse.
As the rendezvous burn continued, the silence inside the cockpit enveloped me once again, broken only by the low hum of the spacecraft's systems. The gravity of the mission settled over me like a heavy cloak, reminding me of the responsibility I carried as humanity's emissary. Every decision, every action held the potential to shape the course of our encounter, to unlock the secrets held within the silent alien spacecraft.
Through the cockpit window, the star-studded backdrop of space unfolded before me, a vast canvas of infinite possibilities. The brilliance of distant galaxies and the gentle glimmers of neighboring celestial bodies offered a stark contrast to the enigmatic void of the silent spacecraft. It was a stark reminder that within the grand tapestry of the universe, we were but tiny specks, reaching out in search of connection, understanding, and perhaps even a glimpse into the mysteries that lay beyond our own realm.
With each passing moment, the rendezvous burn drew us closer, narrowing the divide between Emissary 1 and the silent spacecraft that awaited us. The anticipation within the cockpit grew, fueled by a mix of curiosity, wonder, and the ever-present nerves that accompanied venturing into uncharted territory.
In the depths of space, as I guided the spacecraft through the delicate ballet of propulsion and navigation, I couldn't help but marvel at the complexity of our endeavor. The culmination of years of research, technological advancements, and the collective ambition of humanity had led us to this precise moment. Every system, every line of code had been meticulously designed and tested to ensure the success of this mission. And now, as the rendezvous burn neared completion, I prepared myself for the next phase of our odyssey, ready to confront the enigma that awaited us with a mixture of trepidation and unwavering determination.
"Burn completed, trajectory established. On intercept course with the alien craft. Emissary 1 switching over to manual control. Godspeed, pilot," Thomas's voice resounded through the crackling earpiece, its cadence punctuated by a sense of both reverence and urgency. The connection grew more tenuous, the crackles and static intensifying as if mirroring the heightened anticipation that filled the cockpit.
As Thomas's voice faded into the background, the control board before me illuminated with an eerie glow, casting an otherworldly ambiance within the confined space of the spacecraft. Each precision instrument, meticulously calibrated and designed, hummed to life, their intricate displays offering a wealth of information to aid in the delicate maneuvers that lay ahead. It was a symphony of technology, a dance of light and data, empowering me to navigate the uncharted path around the enigmatic alien craft.
With a touch of my gloved hand, I assumed manual control, relinquishing the guidance of automated systems to trust my own instincts and expertise. The weight of responsibility settled upon my shoulders once more, the fate of this historic encounter resting upon the decisions I would make in the moments to come.
The spacecraft hurtled forward, rapidly closing the distance to the L1 Lagrange point, where the gravitational forces of the Earth and the Moon coalesced in a delicate equilibrium. I began to pulse the RCS thrusters, their calculated bursts of propulsion expertly slowing my approach to the enigmatic alien craft, which now loomed into view with an aura of mystique.
As the spacecraft inched closer, the details of the silent alien craft gradually emerged from the vast expanse of space. Its sleek and enigmatic design defied conventional understanding, bearing an otherworldly elegance that captivated the eye. The contours of its hull were adorned with patterns and symbols, an alien language that held secrets yet to be deciphered. It was a marvel of unknown technology, a testament to the ingenuity of a civilization that had journeyed to the stars.
The proximity to the alien craft ignited a surge of awe and trepidation within me. It was a moment of profound significance, where the aspirations of humanity and the enigma of the unknown converged. I felt the weight of the centuries of exploration and curiosity pressing against my chest, as if the eyes of the world were upon me, witnessing this delicate dance between two species on the precipice of discovery.
In this surreal moment, surrounded by the mysterious glow of the control board and the ethereal backdrop of the cosmos, I steeled my nerves and prepared to embark on this unprecedented encounter. The spacecraft's manual controls responded to my every touch, as I navigated the final approach, drawing closer to the silent alien craft that held the promise of answers and the potential to reshape our understanding of the universe.
"The craft is in view. No visible instruments or windows on the surface of the hull, but it is covered in alien symbols. Sending high-definition images now," I reported, relaying the information to mission control with a mixture of awe and fascination.
I gently maneuvered the controls, cautiously inching the Emissary 1 closer to the enigmatic craft. The powerful spotlights mounted on the spacecraft illuminated the hull, revealing a dazzling golden shimmer. I couldn't help but be captivated by its mysterious allure, wondering what secrets it held within.
My eyes scanned the surface, studying the intricate patterns of alien symbols that adorned the craft. Amidst the sea of enigmatic markings, my attention was drawn to a noticeable depression in the hull, marked by finely etched lines. It resembled a hangar door, an inviting entrance into the unknown.
"Mission control, I've spotted what appears to be a hangar door on the surface of the vessel. Can I proceed closer?" I requested, my voice resonating through the communication systems, filled with eagerness and curiosity.
A palpable silence hung in the air, prolonging the anticipation as I awaited mission control's response. The crackle of the earpiece served as a reminder of the weight of this moment, as if the entire world held its breath in anticipation of what lay ahead.
Finally, a voice emerged from the static, its tone cautious yet decisive. "You are cleared for approach," mission control declared, their words carrying a mixture of trust and caution. It was a moment of affirmation, a green light to delve deeper into this extraordinary encounter.
With permission granted, I took a deep breath, gathering my focus for the task at hand. The Emissary 1 surged forward, guided by my steady hand on the controls, drawing nearer to the enigmatic craft. The excitement within me swelled, fueled by the blend of curiosity and duty that propelled us on this unprecedented journey.
As the distance between our spacecraft and the enigmatic hangar door diminished, a sense of anticipation coursed through me. It was as if this moment held the key to unraveling the enigma that had silently traveled across the vastness of space. Step by step, we ventured into the unknown, driven by our insatiable hunger for knowledge and the indomitable spirit of exploration.
Just as it seemed the nose of my spacecraft would make contact with the hangar door, an astonishing sight unfolded before me. With a sudden burst, the large door sprang open, unleashing a blinding light that erupted from within the alien craft. Simultaneously, my communication system erupted into a cacophony of shrill noises, piercing my ears and jolting me with a sense of unease.
To my astonishment and growing panic, the Emissary 1 surged forward, propelled into the opening of the alien craft of its own accord. Desperation consumed me as I frantically reached for the emergency shutoffs, desperately trying to regain control. Yet, despite my efforts, the spacecraft continued to accelerate, hurtling forward with increasing speed.
Then, in a sudden and jarring turn of events, the blinding light from the alien craft flickered out, plunging the surroundings into darkness. The Emissary 1 came to a jolting halt, violently throwing me against my seat straps. The cacophony from the communication system abruptly ceased, leaving an unsettling silence in its wake.
Fear gripped me as I stared out of the cockpit window, my eyes scanning the void before me. In the distance, a dim, blue star flickered, offering an eerie illumination. Yet, what truly commanded my attention was the colossal structure that loomed ahead, fashioned from the same mysterious golden material as the enigmatic alien spacecraft. Its immense size left me awestruck and apprehensive, as if it held the weight of secrets that could shatter our understanding of the universe.
"Control, are you seeing this?" I spoke into the void, my voice trembling with a mix of wonder and trepidation. But there was no response, not even the customary crackling of the communication system. A deep sense of unease settled within me, the realization dawning that something had gone terribly wrong.
"Control, are you... are you there?" I repeated, my voice now tinged with palpable fear. Silence echoed in response, intensifying the growing dread that wrapped around my heart. The weight of isolation and uncertainty pressed down upon me, as if the vast expanse of space itself conspired to engulf me in its grip.
Before I could gather my thoughts or summon the courage to speak again, every light source in the cockpit abruptly went dark, plunging me into an abyss of blackness. In the midst of the void, a single screen dead center on the control board illuminated, casting an eerie glow. A simple message materialized before me, stark against the dark backdrop:
"We have been waiting for you."
​
_*_*_*_*_*_
Next

Features:
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💡【Voice Control】: Works with Apple HomeKit, Alexa and Google Assistant with simple setup. It allows you to control lights hands-free with your voice, just need simple voice commands.You can use your voice to control the lights. For example, "Hey Alexa, turn on the lights." Your lightbulb will start working. 💡【Easy Dimming & Multicolor】: E27 Smart bulbs can adjust the brightness and color of the light(The color temperature is adjustable, and the dimming range is 2700K-6500K, from warm white to cool white. Brightness from 1% -100%), 16 million colors and it will be a good choice to choose a different color that suits your current atmosphere in different scenes. 💡【App Remote Control】: By downloading the APP(CozyLife) or setting the light bulb in the device managed by HomeKit (no need to download the APP, iOS users only), you can control your light bulb anytime, anywhere. Provide you with an easy life. 💡【Schedule & Timer】By presetting the schedule, you can easily set the smart light bulb on in the morning and off automatically at night, so you don't have to worry about whether you forget to turn off the light when you go to bed or go out. Enjoy a smart home and customize a schedule or scene of all your lights. Save your power and easy your life. 💡【Energy Saving】: 9W LED E27 smart bulbs can replace ordinary 60W incandescent bulb , 850 lumens. Bringing you bright light and low power consumption, 80% energy saving.

Features:
US link
UK link
【Voice Control】Compatible with HomeKit/Alexa/Google, it allows you to control lights hands-free with your voice, just need simple voice commands, you can easily control the light bulb on/off, adjust the brightness and color. "Hey Siri, turn on the lights". 【APP Remote Control】By downloading our CozyLife APP (iOS and Android users, no hub required) or using the HomeKit function (Home APP, requires an Apple device as a hub, please visit the Apple website for more details about HomeKit), you can control these smart candle bulbs anytime, anywhere.Only 2.4GHz WiFi is supported. Start enjoying your smart life. 【Easy Dimming & Multicolor】E14 smart bulbs provide 16 million colors, the brightness can be adjusted from 1%-100, and the color temperature can be adjusted from 2700~6500K (warm white-cool white). In music mode, the colors will change according to the rhythm, which will create a different atmosphere for you. Suitable for festivals and parties with your friends. 【Schedule & Timer】By presetting the schedule, you can easily set the smart light bulb on in the morning and off automatically at night, so you don't have to worry about whether you forget to turn off the light when you go to bed or go out. Enjoy a smart home and customize a schedule or scene of all your lights. Save your power and easy your life. 【Energy Saving】5W LED E14 smart bulbs can replace ordinary 30W incandescent bulbs, each bulb emits 300 lumens of bright light output, 80% energy saving, durable, with a total lifespan of up to 25,000 hours. Easy to install.

Only about DIV goodies, we seem to be getting 2 mounts and 2 mount armor sets, the Light-Bearer mount with the Caparison of Faith mount Armor, and the Temptation mount with the Hellborn Carapace mount Armor correct? Also and emote and some battle pass stuff. Also while I'm here anyone else on Xbox having trouble getting ultimate edition to install or update? Mine will only do basic version but says I own Ultimate. Hope it doesn't mess up my early access.

We have an aorus monitor that we use as a monitor for a pc and ps5. Sometimes it just won't display anything. It seems like it's on by the 'on' light at the bottom, but no display. I try turning it off with the remote and nothing happens. i tried unplugging it, still nothing.

Welcome to Palm Royale Funeral Home and Cemetery

Palm Royale Funeral Home & Cemetery's mission is to be dedicated to every family we serve and hold ourselves to the highest ethical standards.
We will always abide by our industry's best practices and treat every family with respect, fairness, and sensitivity. Your comfort, peace of mind, and the trust that you have placed in us will remain our staff's top priority and our commitment to help you will be expressed in everything we do.

Why Choose Our Funeral Home?

At Palm Royale Funeral Home & Cemetery, we pride ourselves on serving the Naples community and surrounding areas with dignity, respect, and compassion. Our experienced staff is available to help you select funeral, burial, or cremation services and design a special place of permanent memorialization that acknowledges and celebrates your loved one’s life in a way that will be meaningful for generations to come.
What We Offer?
Palm Royale Funeral Home was built on the beautiful grounds of Palm Royale Cemetery to offer the community a funeral home and cemetery co-located on the same property to provide families with a continuity of care and services.
Palm Royale Funeral Home & Cemetery is the newest funeral home in Naples and offers burial, entombment, and cremation service options that range from highly personalized to time-honored traditional. Our brand-new facility has a light and airy feel to it and was designed to offer a serene, yet uplifting and supportive place to gather and honor.
Inside is a contemporary chapel, reception room, and catering café that are adjacent, yet separate, providing flexibility in the types and styles of services we can offer. There is also easy access to a covered, wrap-around veranda, that provides additional seating in an open-air setting.
A high-quality digital platform enables us to offer sophisticated services such as recording and live streaming, allowing distant family and friends the opportunity to “stay connected”, “say good-bye”, and view services either “live or later”. To learn more, please visit our Recording & Live Streaming page. You're also welcome to call and speak with one of our funeral directors to learn more details, have any questions answered, or to arrange for your loved one's service.
If selected, our state-of-the-art audio-visual system will showcase your loved one’s themed and personalized Life Tribute pictorial throughout our facility, making the time and space feel truly dedicated to celebrating their special life. This Tribute will also be available for viewing on an online Obituary Page we will set up in honor of your loved one at no charge. This page will have its own link and capture condolences and cherished remembrances shared by others. In addition, a Life Tribute DVD will be provided to you as a keepsake. We are also able to produce custom playlists, play special songs, accommodate live musicians, and much more.
Our advanced technology also enables us to make virtual and online arrangements so that those who are out of the area or are confined to home are able to plan, make selections, E-sign documents, and E-pay remotely.

Funeral & Memorial Service Options

Many families feel uncertain or burdened by the notion of planning a tribute. They anticipate that arranging services will be cumbersome, complicated, or overly sad. But setting a unified time and place to gather, share, and pay one’s respects is an important and worthwhile step in the healing process.
Many also don’t know where to start or what they “should” do. But we know that families prioritize and find meaning in different ways, so we embrace originality and strive to make every remembrance special. For some, the traditions and rites they are accustomed to offer comfort and stability, while others feel inspired to plan something that reflects the unique personality of their loved one.
Our staff will help you determine the best way to tell your loved one’s story, memorialize their legacy, and bring comfort to family and friends. We will also coordinate with other parties on your behalf, arrange any ancillary services, order items, place obituaries, set up, clean up, and more.

Contact Our Funeral Home

If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to submit a message to our funeral home, cemetery, and/or preneed staff and we will contact you as soon as possible.
PALM ROYALE FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY
Address: 6790 Vanderbilt Beach Road
Naples, FL 34119
Phone: (239) 354-5330
Website: https://www.palmroyalecares.com/

Hello!
I hope everyone here is doing well.
I have some unfortunate news to start this write up off with.
If you've been following my write ups, you may have seen that my mums health has not been the best. Unfortunately, this monday we received news that we were fearing to hear. To keep it short and sweet, months but not many. So, to say that this write up was a struggle is keeping it very light. Between crying, talking to family, crying more and just... you know?
So, here it is! I tried but you can most likely see a bit of a decline in everything.
(c) - Champ
D/DWCS - Debut/Dana Whites' Contender Series
FLS - Fight Lose Streak
FWS - Fight Win Streak
NS - No Streak
(#x) - Rank in Division
x/3 - Confidence Levels
Lets do this thing.
Prelims
Light Heavyweight
Maxim Grishin (-150) (32-9-2, NS) v Philipe Lins (+120) (16-5-0, 2 FWS) - This is a fun one to start off the prelims. Grishin is coming off a strong win against William Knight, and it was Grishins very precise striking that got him the decision win. Knight was fairly relentless with the takedowns, attempting 9 and only landing 30% of those, with minimal control time. Grishin is very well prepared for most of his fights and his well roundedness showed during that fight against Knight, someone who has insane amounts of power but with the athleticism of a slug. Grishin is a veteran of this sport, and whilst some might say that he’s at that age where we see a natural decline in every attribute of a fighter, he could still very much get a win here if he keeps this fight neat and clean, since Lins himself is a bit of a brawler who pushes an incredible pace in short bursts. Grishin will need to rely on his footwork in order to frustrate Lins and force Lins to make a mistake, and rest assured that Lins has a propensity to make mistakes. Lins loves to make a fight gritty and exciting, and it’s what we saw when he fought the fairly old and slow OSP, and it’s exactly how I thought the fight would go, because Lins is a bit of a bulldozer when he fights, nothing but offence with very little defence, he’s exciting and sometimes that’s enough to be pushed in the UFC, but I feel like these two have been destined to fight at some point. They both started in the UFC in 2020, they both have the same UFC record, but the main stat that I want to point out, and I know that stats don’t mean much in the long run, but Lins has absorbed more strikes per minute compared to Grishin. This pretty much only tells me that Grishin is a touch more patient and tactical with his approach, he stays at distance and just throws attacks without much chance of his opponent retaliating. Lins has a fairly solid chance if he pushes the pace, and that’s most likely what he’s going to do, but he also has a tiny bit of an advantage on the ground, and since he does have a bit of a grappling background and has used his wrestling in his fights, that might be the more smart way to defeat Grishin. However, I do not like how Lins strikes, its very narrow and reckless, almost reminding me of Michael Chandler in that sense, just straight down the pipe aggression, minimal head movement and all out attacks. If Grishin can see that coming, angle off or circle away and land a counter, then this is going to be Grishin’s fight all day, but at the age of 39, I just don’t know if his chin can withstand the power of Lins. I got Grishin winning due to his technical advantage, but Lins will make a great underdog pick.
Grishin via UD - (1/3)
Bantamweight
Luan Lacerda (-130) (12-2-0, NS) v Da’mon Blackshear (+100) (12-5-1, NS) - Lacerda is coming off a tough loss against Stamann, and that’s an incredibly tough debuting dance partner, and despite the odds being stacked against him, he did relatively well and learnt so much throughout that three round bout. Lacerda looked about as good as anyone who is making his debut against a veteran like Stamann can look, and he surprised me with his takedown success, albeit it was only one takedown, but to be able to do that against a highly dangerous wrestler like Stamann is pretty damn awesome. Lacerda in this particular bout will look to get the fight to the ground, as many of Blackshear’s opponents have done in the past and thus far in the UFC. Lacerda has nothing but submission finishes on his record and I feel like whilst Blackshear is going to be aware of that submission threat, nothing Blackshear can do will be able to prepare him for the skill gap on the ground between these two fighters. Lacerda also has very decent stand up and he utilises a Muay Thai style of striking, very heavy on the feet, heavy kicks from both sides, but he lacks any defensive counters that would potentially dissuade Blackshear from pushing forward, which is why I still think Lacerda taking this fight to the ground is the only clear way to get a win. Blackshear is coming off a tough loss against a very dangerous prospect in Farid Basharat, and it was the puzzle of Basharats skillset that somewhat froze Blackshear a little bit, it was the pressure on the feet, as well as the wrestling and takedown attempts that just overwhelmed Blackshear a tiny bit. Blackshear does have a few submissions on his record, but I feel like they have been against fighters who just lose by submissions a fair bit, so there’s a bit of a pattern there. Blackshear could have the knowledge to keep the fight on the feet and avoid any submissions, but if history dictates his ability to grapple, its that the better wrestlegrappler usually wins the exchanges, and in this case, Lacerda is the better grappler, plus he comes from the Nova Uniao which is a gym I have multiple times in past have said is one of the best. I got Lacerda winning this one, but if you were to place a bet I think this one is going over 1.5 rounds, it’s going to mostly be a bit of a chess match in my opinion.
Lacerda via UD - (1/3)
Women’s Strawweight
Jihn Yu Frey (-110) (11-8-0, 2 FLS) v Elise Reed (-110) (6-3-0, NS) - Well this is something. Frey is coming off two tough back to back losses, and it seems that she has been used as a stepping stone for a lot of the other prospects that have made their way through the rankings. Now, Frey is no doubt a very tough fighter to deal with, she is fairly athletic and physically strong, able to shove aside a lot of the takedown attempts from her opponents, but whilst she’s decent in the counter-wrestling department, she’s a bit of a easy target when it comes to strikers, as we saw when she fought Polyana Viana. She level changes a lot, dipping her head often in order to lunge attacks, but her head is always on the centre line and that could be enough of a read for Reed to set up her own attacks. The other problem is that Frey isn’t a young chicken anymore, she’s nearing 40 years of age and is coming off a KO loss. Frey does have a chance to win this fight, and that’s only if she uses her sheer physicality and strength to control and negate the striking of Reed. Reed is coming off a tough submission loss against Lookboonme, and if you’ve been following Lookboonme’s career, that’s a wild thing to say. Reed is someone who i’m not completely sold on, but if there’s one thing that she does very well, its pressure. She isn’t the type to just be patient in the centre of the octagon and exchange punches, she’s very good at starting fast and pressuring her opponent towards the cage, cutting off movement with her own lateral movement and just throwing attacks, despite her attacks sometimes being a bit overzealous and sloppy. I think that pressure is going to be key, and we have seen a few times now that Frey kind of crumbles under pressure fairly easily, she has her back against the cage pretty often and I think the longer this fight goes on, the more worn out she is going to be, and that’s when Reed will look her best.
Reed via UD - (2/3)
Bantamweight
Daniel Santos (-165) (10-2-0, NS) v Johnny Munoz Jr (+140) (12-2-0, NS) - Let’s give this fight another shot huh? Santos is one hard fighter to predict because during his first fight, he fought Arce and he wasn’t very effective with his punches, he struck at a 27% accuracy which is pretty damn low, and he got outstruck about 3:1, so overall it wasn’t an excellent performance. During his most recent performance however he fought a tiny bit better, albeit he did get hurt a lot in the first round after eating Castaneda’s head kick and later his punches. Santos loves to set up the right hand with a strong jab or lead hook, it’s pretty much his only attack that he relies on. However, his ability to eat punches is not so great, he gets hurt so often and even though he recovered reasonably well when he fought Castaneda, it still does not give me a whole lot of confidence especially since he’s about to face another dangerous fighter in Munoz Jr. Santos can recover fairly well though, but he still shows problems with his skillset and that’s just a bit of a defensive deficit. The only thing that I can see that’s somewhat positive about him is that he doesn’t fade after getting hurt, he gets hurt easily, sure, but he recovers and moves forward relentlessly, and that can break the spirit of his opponent. His KO over Castaneda, and the gorgeous combinations before that eventual finish was a brilliant display of smart targeting and relentless pressure, and if he can replicate that very same level of pressure in this fight, he could find a whole lot of success. Still, Santos only has two fights in the UFC and I haven’t exactly seen anything major that makes me confidently think that he can win this one, apart from that incredible fight against Castaneda. Munoz Jr is coming off a strong win against Sholinian, and he looked very strong in there. However, one thing that stood out to me was how forward his lead leg was, it was exposed and it was at an angle that Sholinian could have targeted because the foot was turned on the inside, and you cannot check kicks if the foot is turned inwards unless that approaching kick is an inside leg kicks. Munoz Jr is very good at reading and reacting to his opponents movements and tendencies, we saw this when Sholinian kept ducking towards Munoz’s lead leg side, and Munoz saw that and threatened with a lead kick/knee, he is very good at reading his opponent and that could be a bit of a problem for Santos. However, Munoz Jr does succumb to pressure a little bit, he tends to be backed up a lot, and if Santos’ last fight tells us anything, its that Santos is the type of fighter to constantly move forward and force his opponent to back up, with the unfortunate downside of him being highly susceptible to being hurt. Now, in regards to this prediction, I do have Santos winning this one, simply because I feel like any form of lack of defence shown during his Castaneda fight would have been fixed for this fight, because Santos does come from the same gym that Oliveira comes from, so it’s highly possible that they’re well prepared. Either way, this is a 50/50 for me but I got Santos winning this one.
Santos via UD - (1/3)
Heavyweight
Andrei Arlovski (-115) (34-21-0, NS) v Don’Tale Mayes (-105) (9-5-0, NS) - Well this is certainly a fight. Arlovski is coming off a tough submission loss against Rogerio de Lima, and it was the first loss in a while for Arlovski who previously was on a bit of a winning streak, albeit it wasn’t the best fights in his career, which is understandable because Arlovski is old now, and has started to fight a lot more methodically. Arlovski is still very capable of winning, there isn’t any sign of him slowing down, he isn’t stiff or one to gas easily, he looks reasonably okay in terms of fitness and athleticism, and being reasonably okay is pretty great for the Heavyweight division. Mayes is not a unique opponent that Arlovski has faced, and I think Arlovski’s experience is going to play a pivotal role in this fight. Arlovski will probably steer clear from striking against the much larger and potentially more dangerous fighter, so I can only guess that Arlovski is going to wrestle a lot in this fight since Hamdy has shown that Mayes is fairly easy to wrestle. The only problem is that the last time Arlovski has secured a takedown was back in 2018 against Abdurakhimov, and even during his winning streak from 2020 onwards, he hasn’t really attempted any takedowns, which only makes me think him getting takedowns will throw off Mayes a whole lot. Mayes no doubt has a huge size advantage here, and perhaps a power advantage. Although we have not seen great things from Mayes, he has been a bit of a silent fighter, or at least a forgotten one because of his performances being a bit dull apart from his Parisian win which is a bit of a lower level fight in this division. Mayes has a lot of power in his hands, and since he has a bit of a reach and height advantage, Arlovski will most likely play the safe game in this fight, chop at the legs and just lure Mayes into throwing something. Now, whether or not Mayes can crack the chin of Arlovski is the main question here, but considering that Arlovski has eaten some massive shots before and still stood tall makes me think that overall Arlovski has a lot of advantages here. However, and I cannot stress this enough, age is a massive factor here and this is Heavyweight, so whilst my prediction is a boring Arlovski decision win, Mayes via KO is a strong alt bet.
Arlovski via UD - (1/3)
Bantamweight
John Castaneda (19-6-0, NS) v Muin Gafarov (D) (18-4-0, 2 FWS) - This is going to be a fantastic bout to watch for those that love striking. Castaneda is coming off a tough loss against Daniel Santos, and it was a very explosive and exciting war for the most part. Castaneda is a very tricky fighter to get a read on because he is very good at switching stance and giving his opponent a whole lot of different looks. He does have a very kick heavy style and it’s quite diverse, often attacking from all angles, targeting all sections of his opponent whilst moving around and feeling a groove. However, he is at his worst when he decides to box in range, and I know that sounds strange but like, whenever he’s in the pocket he tends to eat a lot of punches because he is not as comfortable in the pocket as he is at range launching kicks. However, that comfortability that Castaneda loves at range can be disrupted by the sheer explosiveness of Gafarov’s attacks, and I mean, if someone who is coming off two ferocious knockout wins after missing his chance at DWCS, I highly expect Gafarov to take off like a greyhound (the dog, not the bus, although, the bus might count here too) and overwhelm, or at least attempt to overwhelm Castaneda, because it’s very difficult to kick off a retreating motion, and Castaneda chooses to throw a punch than there’s a possibility that we could see the very same flaws in Castaneda’s boxing show once again during this fight. Gafarov is coming off two savage KO’s on LFA leading into this debut, and he’s no doubt going to carry some serious energy and excitement into this fight. Gafarov is a very exciting fighter that has come from some very good organisations such as One Championship and LFA, and that experience against incredibly talented strikers (especially in One) is no doubt going to help him coming into this fight against Castaneda. Now, Castaneda is not an easy outing for anyone, and as long as Gafarov does not become too placated with eating the kicks and timing his attacks, he should be okay because ultimately what bothers Castaneda the most, outside of being hit in the face, is the thought of being hit in the face, and I know that sounds like armchair psychologist stuff, but he does crumble under chaos. I think we are going to see a short and sweet KO by Gafarov, because if he doesn’t get Castaneda out of there in the first or second, by the third round he’s going to be pretty gassed. I got Gafarov winning this one, if you couldn’t already tell. As for betting, this one doesn’t go the distance in my opinion.
Gafarov via KO R1 - (1/3)
Welterweight
Elizeu Zaleski (-110) (23-7-0, NS) v Abubaker Nurmagomedov (-110) (17-3-1, 2 FWS) - I like this fight. Zaleski is coming off a fairly strong win against Saint-Denis thanks to his technical striking and sheer volume, and also thanks to Saint-Denis’ lack of takedown effectiveness which no doubt helped Zaleski a whole lot. Zaleski has always been a very tricky fighter to get a read on, he isn’t exactly a great fighter, he just has an incredibly wide selection of striking attacks that he uses relentlessly when he fights. Everything Zaleski does makes his opponent think for a second in order to react. The problem is that whenever something is coming back Zaleski’s way, it makes his whole rhythm change and he gets sloppy, and Abubaker isn’t the type to just stand there and absorb attacks. Zaleski needs to keep this fight on the feet in order to win, but unfortunately with how often he gets taken down, I feel like someone like Nurmagomedov won’t have much problem with being the aggressor and looking for takedowns. Zaleski also tends to load up alot, usually ending his combo with a wild, powerful right hand that can often outbalance him. This is of course me talking about him after watching his latest fight against Saint Denis, so there’s a solid chance that he has tightened things up, but honestly, Zaleski’s big attacks and propensity to throw that heavy right ending a combo is going to lead to him being a lot more tired, and that’s not exactly a great thing to see when you’re facing someone who has excellent cardio and great wrestling. Nurmagomedov is about as classic as one can get when we talk about Sambo style fighters, they like to pressure and to wrestle, and that’s honestly all I can see Nurmagomedov aiming to achieve this weekend, wrestle and smother, as well as avoid any defensive submissions that Zaleski will use. However, I am still a bit apprehensive about siding with Nurmagomedov primarily due to his experience in the UFC, he has only fought twice during the 2020’s and his opponents weren’t exactly high level competition. He is facing a veteran who, whilst has a whole lot of knockouts on his record, has shown that he is capable on the ground as a submission artist, and it’s a submission that Zawada caught Nurmagomedov on during Nurmagomedov’s debut, so there is a fairly solid chance here for Zaleski to get a win here through a finish, but I honestly just don’t see it going any other way than Nurmagomedov putting on a heavy pressure and a wrestling clinic. However, Zaleski’s knees are still going to be a primary advantage here, he throws it with such nasty intent and power, and even Saint-Denis learnt the hard way not to attempt takedowns brazenly against Zaleski. So, whilst Nurmagomedov has a wrestling advantage, those knees could definitely land flush, and I think that’s going to be a massive factor in this fight. Regardless, I still feel like Nurmagomedov can get a win here, but boy is this a fascinating fight.
Nurmagomedov via UD - (1/3)
Main Card
Lightweight
Jamie Mullarkey (16-5-0) (2 FWS) v Muhammadjon Naimov (D) (8-2-0, 3 FWS) - Alright, this is going to be an insanely short prediction because I just finished writing the original write up (Kutateladze/Mullarkey) and then the UFC does this and now i’m mildly annoyed lol. Let’s stick to what we know for sure. Mullarkey is both taller and longer than Naimov, has experience in the UFC, is coming off a full camp and is a proper lightweight. Mullarkey is also coming off two strong back to back wins, one in which he fought Michael Johnson and we all know by now that Johnson isn’t an easy opponent for anyone. Mullarkey likes to strike at a distance but also puts emphasis on his punches once his range is honed in, and his range is usually figured out by the second round, so I suspect that since he has a significant reach advantage, that range finding moment in the first round could come sooner than usual. Mullarkey has added another aspect to his game though, and that’s wrestling, and whilst he’s always been a bit of a wrestler, he has become a lot better at controlling his opponent and keeping one slight step ahead of them on the ground, and considering that Naimov is coming in as a late replacement against a fairly well rounded Mullarkey, the more Mullarkey mixes in his attacks, gets a takedown and ultimately keeps Naimov guessing as to what’s coming next, the more chance he has at winning this fight. By default though, just by him coming in a bit more prepared physically against a fighter who is fighting with 10 extra pounds and with less than a week of prep time… everything here just points to Mullarkey getting a win this weekend. This is one of those rare (or maybe first ever) predictions in which I didn’t break down anything for Naimov, and that’s just because there really isn’t much to say until we see something. So, for now this is a “bet at your own risk” kind of deal, as most late replacement bouts should be treated, but I do have fairly high confidence in Mullarkey getting a win here.
Mullarkey via KO R2 - (2/3)
Women’s Flyweight
Karine Silva (-225) (15-4-0, 6 FWS) v Ketlen Souza (D) (+175) (13-3-0, 5 FWS) - Well this is something. Silva is coming off a very strong debut submission win against Poliana Botelho, and it was a bit of a rough fight for Silva but ultimately she did get a submission just before the first round finished. Silva is definitely not a striker, she is a bit of a one dimensional fighter in that regard and I feel like she is going to require a whole lot of pressure in order to throw Souza’s offence off a bit and not let her settle into her own rhythm. However, it has been almost a year since Silva’s debut fight and I wonder if any momentum that she gained coming into the UFC has been lost since then because that’s a bit of a long time away from being in the cage. Whilst I did say that Silva isn’t a striker, she still does have some decent combos, and one of her better ones is a one two combo followed by a left mid-section or head kick, and I think with Silva’s slight head advantage, this could possibly throw Souza off a little bit. However I still think this will be ultimately a grappler versus striker bout with Silva needing to take this fight to the ground. Souza is making her debut coming off a strong 5 Fight Win Streak, with her last few wins being from Invicta, but giving her record and history a bit of a look, one thing stood out to me, and that was the amount of lower level fighters she fought against outside of Invicta, and that kind of rings some alarm bells, but maybe that’s just me focusing too much on her record pre-Invicta. Anyway, Souza is a knockout artist, everything she throws comes with a whole lot of force and power, and you can tell in her frame that she’s built for that, but I also think that she is still able to be controlled on the ground by a much better grappler, in this case that would be Silva. The only thing that Silva really needs to worry about is both entering the clinch because Souza has very strong knees, and exiting the clinch where Souza can throw a quick and powerful flurry. At its core, this is very much a striker versus grappler bout between two rather green fighters, and considering that we have seen what Silva is capable of against a fairly tested opponent like Botelho, I feel like that experience is only going to show in this bout against the very dangerous Souza. If there is an underdog that you wanna be on, it would have to be Souza, but as for my prediction, I feel like Silva might get the win here, I just wonder how long it would take before Silva finds that much needed takedown. My best guess is that the first 3-4 minutes would be a bit of a tit-for-tat striking bout, followed by a takedown attempt by Silva. With that said though, there is a possibility that this could be over 1.5 rounds despite both fighters being prolific finishers.
Silva via Sub R2 - (1/3)
Flyweight
Tim Elliott (#14) (-175) (18-12-1, NS) v Victor Altamirano (+145) (12-2-0, 2 FWS) - Well this is going to be a scrap. Elliott is coming off an incredibly hard fought win against Ulanbekov, and it was such a back and forth war, as most Elliott fights tend to be. Elliott is a grinder, he is one of those fighters that just doesn’t stop pressing on the gas pedal, shooting takedowns, throwing heavy strikes often and overall making it absolute hell for his opponents. It’s not just his skillset and ability that makes him a dangerous fighter, its his unorthodox style, he is a very odd fighter to get a read on, there’s a lot of different looks, funky looks, constantly moving and just not looking like a standard fighter. However, the big problem Elliott is probably facing during this camp is the absence of James Krause, this is his first fight without his main coach being in his corner, so there is a chance that we might not see the same Elliott. That of course could go both ways, either he could have finetuned his skillset a bit more with the new team, or he could still look like the same fighter. Either way, Elliott is a highly dangerous fighter to deal with, and since Elliott is mostly a wrestler, he does have, in my opinion, a style advantage coming into this fight since Altamirano is primarily a striker. Altamirano is coming off back to back wins, with his most recent victory being against the very tall and quite dangerous Salvador, and Altamirano adjusted relatively well to Salvadors quite wild and ineffective striking. He also landed a few takedowns which was probably the smartest choice anyone might make when facing someone like Salvador, but if we are to compare who is the better wrestler, there is no doubt in my mind that Elliott is leagues above Altamirano. However, with how accurate Altamirano is on the feet, it’s a near perfect counter to Elliott’s wrestling advantage because whilst Elliott does create a whole lot of chaos when it comes to wrestling, he also has a terrible chin and if Altamirano can read through the awkward movements, maybe throw up middle attacks such as an uppercut or a knee, I suspect that’s where we are going to see Elliott potentially get caught. Altamirano also has a slight edge in reach which only plays in the favour of the Mexican warrior. This is a bit of a tough one to predict due to the style clash, but I think Elliott will be able to edge out a decision win here, as long as he doesn’t commit about 20 or so fouls during the fight, because he has the propensity to just be a bit of a dirty fighter too.
Elliott via UD - (2/3)
Lightweight
Jim Miller (+200) (35-17-0, NS) v Jared Gordon (-250) (19-6-0, NS) - I love this fight. Miller is coming off a tough loss against Hernandez in which it was mostly a stand up bout where Hernandez just controlled the fight a lot better, negating a fair bit of Millers own offence. Miller needs no introduction, and if you’ve been reading my stuff for the past few years, you know his tendencies, his proclivities in the cage and his primary advantages over most of his opponents. His only chance in this fight in my opinion is to try to out-activity Gordon, and that’s a tall task for anyone to achieve due to Gordon’s own insane cardio and activity. Miller does perhaps have a chance on the feet since Gordon is coming off a “knockout” loss and might still be dealing with some post-KO cobwebs since he’s taking this fight on short notice. Miller is a veteran and will also have a bit of an experience advantage coming into this fight, and since Gordon isn’t a vastly unique fighter in terms of style and technique, Miller will probably know what to do or how to handle Gordon. Gordon on the other hand is coming off, for the most part, an outstanding fight against Green in which he was actually a fairly effective striker against the dangerous boxer, and it really showcased how well prepared Gordon gets for his fights, and I believe that’s testament to the camp work as we have seen with his team-mate Belal Muhammad and his massive success in recent years. Gordon has one major advantage over Miller in my opinion and that’s cardio and durability, he is an incredibly durable fighter who can push a nasty pace from the get-go, and I believe that’s going to be his main goal during this fight, just make Miller suffocate under pressure and overwhelm him with either grappling or striking, however i’m leaning towards the thinking that Gordon will just wrestle since Miller doesn’t have the best takedown defence. I know some of you are thinking that Miller could catch Gordon in a guillotine or some sort of defensive submission off his back, but I feel like Gordon has enough wherewithal to avoid all of that. There is also the matter of age, Miller has been on a bit of a slow decline, and whilst he has been winning a fair bit these last couple of years, the longer the fight goes on, the more slower and fatigued he gets, and with the amount of pressure and the pace that Gordon fights at, I can only assume momentum will be on the side of Gordon. I got Gordon winning this one. It will be a low confidence pick due to this sudden turn-around against a high level opponent like Miller, but ultimately I think Gordon wins this one.
Gordon via UD - (1/3)
Co-Main Event
Featherweight
Alex Caceres (#15) (-175) (20-13-0, NS) v Daniel Pineda (+140) (28-14-0, NS) - This is an interesting Co-Main for sure. Caceres is coming off a win against Julian Erosa, and it was a fantastic and incredibly sneaky head kick that caught Erosa off guard, and that’s essentially the weaponry that Caceres has mastered throughout his career. Caceres is one hell of a fantastic striker who uses traditional martial arts techniques in his fights often and with great effectiveness due to the rarity of seeing it in a practical MMA environment. Basically, he’s an incredibly difficult striker to get a read on and uses his speed and timing to land brilliantly thrown attacks. However that can some at a downside, and we have seen this particular downside in a lot of his fights, and that’s distance management, he has a heavy reliance on keeping a fight at a certain distance where he can throw and land these devastating kicks, and he utilises great footwork and movement in order to maintain this distance, but as soon as he is being crowded and pressured, he sometimes crumbles under that pressure and his opponent typically lands a takedown or just suffocates him in pocket pressure, overwhelming him with everything and anything. However, since he is facing Pineda, the biggest threat that will come his way is wrestling, so I suspect that Caceres’ footwork and evasive movements will allow him to stay away from Pineda’s aggressive attacks and takedown attempts. Pineda has been a bit of a weird one for me to talk about, because on one hand, I don’t think he’s ready for a lot of UFC’s competition, especially not in Featherweight where there are absolute killers, but on the other hand, he can give us exciting moments. Pineda’s level of competition does not shine a light on what Caceres has been able to accomplish, and with Pineda’s last win being against Tucker Lutz, a reasonably okay fighter, I just feel like Pineda’s biting off more than he can chew in this fight. Pineda no doubt has a bit of a wrestling advantage in this fight and he’s going to press forward and try to crowd Caceres’ striking, but depending on his approach he could get caught over and over again, and Caceres himself does have a very flexible ground game in which he could catch Pineda with something on the ground. This is a fun fight though, but I got Caceres winning this one.
Caceres via KO R3 - (2/3)
Main Event
Flyweight
Kai Kara-France (#4) (-110) (24-10-0, NS) v Amir Albazi (#7) (-110) (16-1-0, 5 FWS) - Interesting fight we got here for the main event. Kara France is coming off a fantastic fight against Brandon Moreno, and even though he lost, it was nothing but valuable experience against the best of the best in the division, and on the feet it was a reasonably close competition. Kara-France is a kickboxer, we know this already and i’m sure we collectively expect to see Kara-France to showcase his striking during this fight, but it’s his elusiveness and head movement that makes him such a tricky striker, there is rarely a moment where Kara-France is a stationary target, he’s always level changing, keeping his head off the centre-line and when he presses forward to attack, he tends to angle off in other to keep away from a lot of retaliatory strikes. This no doubt is testament to how excellent the striking training is at City Kickboxing, but what Albazi offers is capable of shutting all of that down. Albazi is a strange one for me to talk about, because if we look at his record, it looks like he has stumbled his way into this position, and that’s not because he was pushed into this main event, it’s simply due to the lack of talent outside of the top 10 of the division, and Albazi has just snuck his way into this Main Event. Albazi is a very well rounded fighter who has a major grappling and submission advantage over Kara-France, which shouldn’t be a surprise because that’s the easiest way to get a Kickboxer to not do his or her thing. However, the quality of competition, as I have stated with the Co-Main Event fighter Pineda, is not on the level of Kara-France, and I believe that the fight that Kara-France had against Moreno has pushed him because he tasted what it’s like to fight a champion and that’s a strong motivator. I believe that Kara-France has enough technical capabilities to move away and keep fleet-footed enough so that Albazi will need to work a touch harder in order to either close in the distance, or get that much needed takedown. This is all pure speculation though and we could possibly see Albazi feint low and attack high with a thunderous overhand, and that’s the beauty of the sport. However, I still stick by what I think, and that’s that Albazi only has one way to win this fight, and I feel that Kara-France and his team know exactly what to do and what to avoid. Very interesting fight for both warriors, but I got Kara-France winning this one, albeit it will be mostly a “wait and see” fight, so not a high confidence pick.
Kara-France via KO R4 - (1/3)
Locks of this week are going to be a hybrid of last weeks locks. There are locks this week, but i'm also adding an additional parlay.
Locks of this week: Mullarkey, Elliott, Caceres (Reed is optional)
Parlay: Lacerda/Blackshear o1.5 - Reed/Frey Goes the Distance - Gafarov/Castaneda Does not go the distance - Elliott/Altamirano o1.5. (Silva/Souza o1.5 is optional)
Alt Bets are: Lins KO, Mayes KO, Souza KO, Miller Sub/KO (Double Chance)
if you wish to keep in contact with me or follow me on twitter, my twitter handle is @Slayer_Tip, and my Discord is Slayertip#7013.
Lets have a fun and friendly discussion down below about this weekends card!
I hope you all have an amazing day, look after yourselves, and enjoy this awesome event!

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