How much do you guys charge to install motorized blinds on skylights? Skylights are about 12/14’ off the ground

I am looking to build my own resin printer but I will be using a standard 3D printing board/laser engraver board. I am looking to drive 3 Stepper motors and a low power UV laser. Does anyone have any good suggestions for a quality board with these features as well as being able to be easily programmed with custom firmware. I prefer it to have stepper sticks as well and able to achieve micro-stepping with them.

Hey all, I apologize for this being long, but I really wanted to be descriptive and thorough about my thoughts and reflections.
Demographics

• Gender: Male
• Race/Ethnicity: White
• Residence: Southwest
• Income Bracket: Probably upper middle class
• Type of School: Catholic private school
• Hooks (Recruited Athlete, URM, First-Gen, Geographic, Legacy, etc.): None

Intended Major(s): Computer science
Academics

• GPA (UW/W): 3.97 UW, 4.45 W
• Rank (or percentile): 1/~200
• # of Honors/AP/IB/Dual Enrollment/etc.: 15 honors (2 of which are also dual enrollment), 9 APs – AP CSA (5), AP Lang (3), APUSH (1 – took this class to raise my GPA, ended up using it as a study hall because the teacher wasn’t good), AP Chem (4), AP Calc AB (5), AP Lit, AP Physics 1, AP Calc BC, AP Spanish Lang
• Senior Year Course Load: AP Calc BC, AP Lit, AP Physics 1, AP Spanish Lang, Honors Theology 4, Digital Painting and Honors Focus Research (first semester), Psychology and Dual Enrollment Honors Economics, Ethics, & Entrepreneurship (second semester)

Standardized Testing (weak spot lol)

• SAT: 1430 (690RW, 740M) (taken once, didn’t submit anywhere)
• ACT: 31 (35E, 35M, 26R, 28S) (taken three times, only submitted to MIT and Georgia Tech due to them requiring a test)

Extracurriculars/Activities (also weak spot lol)

1. “Varsity” (lol) robotics all four years – participated in FRC as a programmer and builder; senior year I was also a co-captain
2. Programming/game design – I simply enjoy programming in many languages and designing basic video games using C# in Unity
3. Violin – tbh I have no clue why I put this, I began learning at the end of my junior year as a hobby because I liked orchestral music
4. Service hours – I’ve completed over 130 service hours throughout my time in high school, including religious service, service to the poor, and service to the community
5. School house leader – attended a school leadership camp in the summer of 2021 (going into my junior year) and then served as a leader and the communications coordinator for my house during my junior year (for houses, think Harry Potter but there’s 10 of them)
6. National Math Honor Society/Mu Alpha Theta – participated in Catholic Math League and AMC math test competitions, but nothing serious (we just kinda did no practice and took the tests when the days came lol)
7. Danger of A.I. research paper – wrote a 37-page research paper discussing A.I. and its potential and interviewed a tech professional for my Honors Focus Research course
8. National Honor Society – pretty self-explanatory (only allowed to join junior or senior year, so I did this for two years); requires 5 tutoring hours each semester
9. Tutoring – basically tutored kids in math and computer science a lot, especially this one kid in cs basically every week during my junior year
10. Senior GOYA (Greek Orthodox Youth of America) community member – basically a member of my Greek Orthodox Church’s youth group and met for activities (liturgical/worship services and discussions/fun activities) a few times each month

Awards/Honors

1. Mathematics department award (sophomore year) – given to one student per grade
2. Principal’s list every semester (4.0 weighed or above) – a quarter of my grade was on this last year so doesn’t mean much imo lol
3. School scholars program – about 10% of my grade is in this, requires certain courses to be taken and a certain GPA to be maintained for a scholarship
4. Graduated summa cum laude – obtained by maintaining a 4.0 weighted and taking extra courses (such as Honors Focus Research)
5. National STEM Honor Society – member since sophomore year and also school president

Letters of Recommendation
Counselor letter (8/10) – I don’t know much of about the letter to be honest, especially since my counselor and I didn’t really meet much, but I do know she liked me and thought of me as a very bright student, so imma guess above average
AP Lang teacher (9/10 or 10/10) – I first had her for Honors Argumentation & Rhetoric sophomore year; she and I clicked well and I did very well in her AP class junior year, despite only getting a 3 on the exam (not my greatest exam day, and I also rushed a lot on the final essay); she used my essay as a sample across all her AP classes once and called me one of the best writers she has ever taught, along with recommending several students from her 22-23 classes to me for writing help
AP Calc teacher (7/10) – calc was hands down my best subject, and I’ve had this teacher for AB junior year and for BC senior year; in BC, I got the highest score on her midterm (I’m pretty sure) and definitely on her final exam in the history of her teaching (which has been going on for about 10 years); I’ve heard though that this teacher typically writes similar letters for good students with just some extra info that pertains to each student specifically, so it might not have stood out compared to the letters written by her for other students
AP CSA teacher (7/10) – similar story to the calc letter; I did really well in the class as the only sophomore, and my teacher has been my robotics coach for all four years of high school, but I know he does a similar thing to calc, where he writes similar letters for each good student but some extra specific information to the student; this might’ve blended in with my friend’s letter, as he applied to similar schools and also requested a letter from this teacher
Interviews

• All of these interviews were done through Zoom
• Princeton (8/10) – my first interview, and probably also my best; he was an older alumni who majored in history I believe, but he had an interest in A.I. and programming like I did; we clicked and I told him a lot about my robotics team and my coding projects; additionally, he loved Greece, and since I was Greek, we had that connection too; he also said he hadn’t seen a whole lot of programmers in interviews recently, and he seemed to be pleasantly surprised
• Stanford (6/10) – second interview; the dude was very nice but it kinda seemed like a “question-and-answer” interview; he seemed pretty interested in what I had to say and asked me a lot about robotics as well, but certainly wasn’t enthralled with anything
• MIT (4/10) – last interview, and not very great at that; this interview was very “question-and-answer” and she just kept asking me basic questions; she gave me the bruh face throughout and it was kinda uncomfortable, although she was very nice; to make matters worse, I replied to the email to schedule the interview like three days after I got the initial interview email, because I was on a school retreat without phones

Essays
Overall, I think my essays were pretty strong, and I think my Common App essay in particular must’ve been strong. It was a graded assignment for my AP Lit class, and I got an A on it after months of working on it (my AP Lit teacher was a strict grader). I wrote a story about a student I tutored in cs a lot and sprinkled coding metaphors throughout. As for supplementals, some of them I spent some more time on (a few weeks or even months), some of them I spent a few days on, and for like a few of them I wrote the day before they were due, but I don’t think they were that bad; I really tried to make them specific to me and engaging, although none of my supplements were reviewed by a teacher or advisor.
Decisions (indicate ED/EA/REA/SCEA/RD)
Acceptances:

• ASU Barrett (EA)

Waitlists:

• Georgia Tech (RD) -> rejected

Rejections:

• MIT (RD)
• Stanford (RD)
• Harvard (RD)
• Princeton (RD)
• Caltech (RD)
• UC Berkeley (RD)
• Carnegie Mellon (RD)

Additional Information (my thoughts and insights):
I’ll share some of my insights really quick. I definitely believe my test scores were a problem, along with my ECs: I didn’t do any summer programs, publish any papers, participate in any real competitions, etc. As for the test scores, I took the ACT three times and the second time was my best; in middle school, I developed a bad habit of spending hours on tests (a strange perfectionistic, double checking tendency) and although it thankfully mostly went away in high school (I do every school test now with no extra time), I still struggle not to get anxious during the ACT and SAT and seem to never finish on time for the reading comprehension portions. After my ACT tries, I had the chance to take the SAT once, which I did, and due to its more lenient timing, I did better than any ACT attempt, but worse on the math. Ultimately, I didn't do early action for any school except for my safety school's honors college (which is test blind) in the hopes of significantly raising my test score before regular decision, which didn't really happen.
Another issue was that my school doesn’t publish rank, so I couldn’t say where I was ranked in my application; additionally, it wasn’t until after applications were sent that I was confirmed to be ranked 1st/valedictorian.
Overall, life hasn’t been a breeze since covid hit in freshman year. I’ve went through much overthinking, a lack of motivation, and even major surgery last summer; in the end, however, I am not as distraught as you may think. I am actually quite happy to go to my state school’s honors college, especially since a lot of my friends are going to the same college. I mentally prepared myself to receive all rejections, so I wasn’t very demotivated upon getting the results, especially because I knew what a lottery these admissions could be.
Anyway, thanks to all of those who took the time to read this, and I hope y’all continue to share your insights and advice with others.

Everyone knows Coach O from the amazing 2019 LSU Championship season. The team was electrifying, with arguably the best offense of all time. And Coach O was such a lovable and outrageous character that even non-fans got excited about their run.
Obviously post-2019 Coach O didn't exactly have a great tenure at LSU, but he is still one of the most intriguing characters in the modern CFB landscape.
However, his national-recognition as LSU's outrageous head coach is late in his CFB coaching journey. He was on the staff for Miami's (Edit: 1991) team, and had stints as HC of Ole Miss 2005-2007 and Interim HC at USC in 2008.
This is where things get funny - as many people probably know the 2009 film "The Blind Side" follows the story of Michael Oher, a top-tier college OL who came from an extremely challenging childhood situation, and eventually attended Ole Miss (recruited in 2005).
This film is based in 2005, so Ed Orgeron appears as Ole Miss's coach. However, the film was made in 2009, when Coach O was no longer HC of Ole Miss, or any program. And his national recognition as LSU's head coach is certainly OFF THE CHARTS compared to people who remember him as Ole Miss's coach.
I find it funny to imagine young CFB fans who remember LSU's 2019 season, watching The Blind Side and getting serious whiplash trying to understand what he's doing there.
And I expect heartwarming Sandra Bullock movies will maintain in the general public sphere much longer than remembering a short-lived high-peak as LSU's football coach. So it's also a little funny that in 20 years more people may recognize Coach O as "that guy who coached Ole Miss in the Blind Side".

looking for GM tech advice please, or Cruze modifying enthusiasts I have a 2015 Chevy Cruze eco 6 speed. I recently inherited it, and while it was in a front end accident, I don’t think this is playing into my issue. The fenders hood and front bumper were poorly replaced, got the frame pulled a bit, replaced the bent condenser, charge air cooler, and radiator, blah blah blah front end work from hitting an animal, like I said not too important to the situation
Car keeps throwing P069E -fuel pump control module requests MIl illumination P059F -air grille shutter “A” performance/stuck off I didn’t put the active grille shutters in, but the motor is still there. I can plug it in, and I’m pretty sure it takes a few ignition cycles to throw a code for that one anyway so I think if I drive a long enough trip or two and don’t shut it off again I can get enough emissions monitors to pass before throwing that code I’ve gotta pass emissions soon here and am more worried about the P069E. I think I need a chassis control module, and am looking for the cheapest solution Do I need to purchase a new module for this and have it programmed to the vehicle? Or can I take a module from another eco of the same year and have it work without programming. I read in a forum somewhere about people swapping them with the non eco package to just “get rid” those codes and the grille shutters when they’re trying to get their economy car to be a “race car” could I do that? How particular would I have to be if it is an option to just swap a used module in? Thanks in advance

I am a sophomore going into junior year in a couple of months. I know the SAT is coming up and I will start studying this summer so I understand what I'm getting into. I was looking for a place to prep with my father until our landlord (whose daughter scored 1600) recommended this Prep place that has a lengthy schedule. Every week of the summer it has 2 classes on Monday and Wednesday. Both 3 hours in the morning and one focused on reading and one on math. After those two sessions, every weekend Saturday morning I take a complete SAT practice test. At the end of the 8 weeks of this program, I take the test for real before entering my Junior year. I don't mind working all that time for the test I just want to know that it's not being wasted. I am really trying to get input on if I need all this time for the test. I asked my girlfriend's brothers (One is a student at Columbia, and the other is a student at Northeastern) what they thought about the program and they said that I would be wasting my summer and that program is a waste of time. But I don't know if I can pick up the information the same way they do (I got 1060 on my PSAT). I have to decide by tomorrow morning if I want to take that class or another one but I want to see some other opinions before blindly accepting.

Many years ago, I did a key for a Dodge that had been sitting for awhile in a customers backyard. I made the key, programmed it (cuts and pin was from prior history so only programming was done on car). Got paid and then was hanging around in my van around front on the phone with another customer to see a plume of smoke rising up behind the house. Walking back I see a distraught owner running around as the dodges engine bay is now starting to go up in flames. We where able to get it put out with a water hose thankfully (nothing else available).
They originally tried to say I programmed the key wrong and caused the fire. Yes, you read that correctly. I had to inform them several times it does not work like that. I guess they sent it somewhere and had it investigated. They eventually apologized to me about the accusations and let me know it was a shorted wire for the starter that ignited some gas that had leaked around the area.
I don't generally crank cars that have been sitting for awhile, and even will get permission before turning the switch to ON if its had any work done. I will just make the key, program it and get paid. I don't want the liability if they do not check the oil and blow the motor etc... This was a good example for me of why its a good practice to let people crank up their own cars.
​
What are some of the things you have been accused damaging after a simple key make job?

I went in completely blind last semester with no driver’s license and work experience (other than working at my Mom’s art studio for a yeat) and I barely survived. It also took a huge chunk out of my mental health and my counselor told me that I need a break from college. So my Mom and I talked this out and concluded that I should take a Gap Year to both develop my physical and mental skills and to build up my experience to help prepare me for Sophomore Year. Does KSU offer any Gap Year Programs?

TL;DR: TomorrowByTogether will be participating in site-wide protests against Reddit's new API policy changes. These new API policy changes will affect moderators and casual users usage of third-party tools and applications. TomorrowByTogether will be private on June 12th to 14th in solidarity of this cause.
Hello TomorrowByTogether community!
As many of you may have noticed, many subreddits are protesting Reddit changing their API pricing. This is in response to Reddit's recent announcement that access to their API Data will cost third-party application developers enormously, which will essentially destroy platforms starting on July 1st.
But what exactly is an API?
API stands for Application Programming Interface, a way for two or more computer programs to communicate with each other. Think of it as a relay between a site and an app, where an app might request something from a site and said site will provide what an app needs.
What's new with Reddit's API then?
Reddit announced some changes with their API usage, that will be implemented on July 1st:

1. New rate limits for free access.
2. New Enterprise tier for large-scale usage (previously, Reddit API usage was free of charge).
3. New way of accessing data for academic and research purposes (previously, this was done using PushShift, a third-party tool that uses Reddit API to gather data).
4. Limiting access to sexually-explicit content for large-scale applications.

What's with the third-party apps, why do they exist, and why are they affected with the upcoming API changes?

• Apollo
• BaconReader
• Boost
• Infinity
• reddit is fun
• Slide
• Sync
• Narwhal
• Reddit for Blind

These are just some of the 3rd party apps that utilize Reddit's API.
See related thread: Reddit Mobile Apps (Dated 7th April 2016)
Third-party Reddit applications provide alternative ways to browse Reddit with additional features, quality of life improvements, and tools that are not available in official Reddit apps. They exist because Reddit doesn't have its own official app for a long time, and the only way to browse Reddit back then was through mobile browsers or third-party apps.
With the recent API changes, Reddit will charge exorbitant fees to third-party developers to access their API through the Enterprise Tier. Christian Selig, developer of Apollo (a third-party Reddit app for iOS) will have to pay 20 million US Dollars per year with Reddit's planned pricing. Other developers such as Laurence Dawson of Sync for Reddit are also disappointed with the upcoming fees and how limiting the API is:

No NSFW, no [native] image upload, no chats/polls. No way to monitor [API] usage.

How would the change affect me?
If you are using one of the above-mentioned apps, it'll be gone; you'll have to switch to the official app by July 1st.
If you are a casual user that uses the official app, you might not see the upcoming changes at first. However, this will also have a major impact on mods across all types of subreddits. They will have to deal with additional workload as the new API changes will disrupt their existing methods of moderating.
Subreddits only function smoothly due to the voluntary efforts of moderators across the site and the many helpful and critical tools provided by third-party apps. The lack of tools in New Reddit and the Official Reddit App make it difficult or impossible to fulfill our responsibilities as moderators efficiently. Also, the official Reddit app has limited accessibility features so people with disabilities have to rely on third-party apps in order to browse Reddit. Many third-party tools and bots are used to deal with spam/troll bots, and these third-party tools/bots are in danger of being unavailable. This means that you may see more (NSFW) spam and troll posts in subreddits you browse.
What can I do to help?
Contact the admins, don't download the official app, stop browsing on desktop. Join Save3rdPartyApps and ask the mods of your favorite sub to join in the protest. Go on Twitter and talk about it, make some noise, but be nice about it!
Let us know how these changes will affect how you use Reddit and what you think of the blackout occurring next week in the comments below.
If you’re interested in getting further informed or involved we recommend checking out the infographic and the subreddits Save3rdPartyApps and modcoord.
We are also recommending the members of this sub to temporarily migrate to our subreddit's Discord server to help you all keep track of content updates!
We apologize for any inconveniences that may affect our users, but it is a small price to pay for the greater good of all. As part of the Reddit community, we hope that this move will make Reddit reconsider their course and have a more reasonable approach with its long-standing developers, moderators, and users that helped shaped their company.
Thank you for your understanding,
TomorrowByTogether Mod Team

The only compelling argument is that blind people may have issues with accessing reddit, but my understanding is that there are a bunch of programs people can use to either magnify or use a text-to-speech function that reads the text to you, and that those would still be able to be used to access the content of the site.
Why should any of us care about the profits of third party apps, especially ones we have never even used? Shit, why should I care about Reddit's profits for that matter?

Racing to Alice's on the weekend has always been a thing, flashy bikes with color-matched leathers and sports cars looking for a thrill and showing off. Driving to visit an old friend up there I got passed illegally multiple times, going into blind curves, by guys who just had to flex. The bikes I don't mind, give them space and wave them on to pass at the first opportunity. Sitting in my friends back yard, surrounded by redwoods and the sound of 1000cc motors redlined in 2nd gear, she told me there's at least one fatal accident a week where they'll close the hwy for investigation, trapping locals from getting out for shopping or whatever. People bring quite the sense of entitlement with them on those roads, and all the people who live up there have to worry about pulling out of their driveways safely. Btw there's way better roads nearby to race on in terms of grading and solitude, but then you wouldn't get to show off to everyone how cool you are.

This setting is still fairly new and undeveloped (the world is literally just called Wasteland at the moment), so I won’t go into too much detail outside of the magic system. Magic in this world is seperated into different “Limbs”, which are listed below. Most Limbs need energy to work (standard ATP from respiration), but others may have different costs too. I’d really appreciate any feedback on the Limbs I’ve made so far, and any suggestions! (Also, which Limb would you choose to have in this wasteland?)
Other nescessary information:
Jacks: Artificial devices that attach to the user’s body, which act as a “reaction chamber” for extra energy, but which can only be activated by Limb users. This is used by Limb users as a battery to increase how long they can use their abilities for, and how strongly. There are many different Jacks in production, varying in size and appearance, some better than others and some with different advantages. The “juice” inside is more often than not obtained from a specific kind of plant.
Distribution Levels: The rarity of a person having a specific Limb, increasing in rarity. Green, Amber, Red, White

——————————-LIMBS——————————

ACTIVATION
Average Cost: High Energy (per activation)
Distribution Level: Amber
Identifier: Hands more grey than usual, fingernails may be black.
Description: This limb works through conduction and users are taught from an eary age to do so through the palms. Upon touchinng the corpse of a recently deceased animal (within 24 hours of death, but may vary from environmental conditions), glowing orange waves will ripple across the body, “activating” it. For this reason, many “Battle Activators” have started using retractable metal wires with hook on the end in order to quickly access several corpses at once during battle. This will turn the whole body, apart from the bones, into “Minions”, which are the basis of all Activation. They appear to be roughly diamond-shaped slugs made from muscle. Each one has an organ in the middle of their body which looks like a protruding black eyeball, with a glowing orange ring-like “iris” in the middle. Through this organ the Minions feel all the senses, and this is also what you communicate with them through. Each minion is quite stubby, but stretchable, but at rest is around 10cm in length. The number of Minions made from a corpse of course varies from the actual amount of flesh available, as it is directly converted. Now you can “program” them to complete certain function loops or assemble into different shapes - this second part of activation doesn’t require any more energy. Minions can stick to each other to “assemble” into their different, more applicable functions. Most commonly, they are used to create powerful bodyguards or watchdogs in the form of golems and flying heaps. More advanced activators can also make their irises merge into more advanced “eyeballs” which can increase all of their senses. Although Minions can slightly change their structure to complete functions, such as turning into proto-bones and joints for golems, they can’t differ very much from their original form. Also, it takes skill and practice to increase how many Minions you can handle controlling at once - otherwise the rest wither away.
​
REPELLENT
Average Cost: Medium Energy
Distribution Level: Green
Identifier: Bumps that look like healed scars, distinctive circle shape with small “tendrils” off to the sides.
Description: Users have “Repulsion Nodes” in locations on their body (the bumps described above). These are most commonly on the feet, the knees, chest, palms or forehead - although most commonly the palms. The number of Repulsion Nodes a user is born with is decided at birth. At these nodes, users can use energy to release a superheated plasma “energy blast” created from particles in their blood. The repulsion can be many colours such as blue, pink, red, yellow, green etc - the colour mainly depends on how the user was trained with the power from birth, although genetic factors may have a small influence too, however this is unlikely to overrule the results of the training. Size, power, speed and shape can all be changed through concentration and improved through training. More trained Repellents can maximise the efficiency of their repulsions. Repulsions that you have created yourself don’t affect you, and bounce off/ glide along the surface of your body. This is why most users who have palm Repulsion Nodes assume a distinctive “finger gun” shape to make it easier to fire smaller, stronger and more accurate repulsions (think of the normal finger gun shape, but the thumb is not lifted up, and points in the direction of the “barrel” - this redirects the repulsion most efficiently). The actual effects of repulsions are similar to Star Wars blaster bolts, although more skilled users can decide to make some more explosive or more slicing.
​
AUGMENTATION
Average Cost: Low Energy
Distribution Level: Green
Identifier: Red saliva/drool (only after shrinking)
Description: The user has the ability to fully control their body, and to augment “A-Cells” which lie dormant next to every cell in their body. Augmentations may include a long list of things, but a few are: increasing muscle mass, hardening of skin, growing of bones out into spikes/spears, night vision, extending limb length, extending and sharpening hardened fingernails, etc. The only organ in the body that does not have any A-Cells present is the brain, which cannot be modified. Anything the user can think of, they can do - theoretically. However, augmenting into something you’ve never experienced makes it less effective, slower and less efficient (too much energy expended). This is why users often have to only have a few “pre-sets” that they learn to transform into, to minimise this effect. An important factor is also an understanding of the anatomy, so many users are taught anatomy thoroughly before they begin augmenting. Good knowledge of your normal anatomy means you can also heal your body at rapid speeds. Effectively this means that Augmenters usually have a large advantage when using a Jack.
​
THOUGHTMELDING
Cost: High Energy (per use, otherwise Low Energy constantly)
Distribution: Amber
Identifier: Pupil-less eyes that glow a blinding green, and are as hard as gemstones
Description: The user houses a “psychic dimension” called a Meld Server, or Server for short, inside their brains. The user has full omnipotence within this space, and only consciouses can enter into it, as it is not material (but if feels real inside). In order to drag someone’s consciousness inside, the target has to directly look at the user’s eyes from about 10cm away - the glow of the eyes has to be fully exposed too, and cannot be from behind any kind of see-through glass or tinted cover. After doing so, the user and the target will both slump and their eyes will roll back - the user’s eyes’ glow will stop. Inside the server, the target is powerless, but can still feel everything - and thus this is often used for interrogation. This form of torture is known as “mindflaying”. However, once a person inside the server submits their will to the user, another option is created: copying. The user can copy the other’s entire personality, memories and experiences inside the server. This “copy” will be fully obedient to the user, and will divulge any information to the user that it knows from the original. Once the user has had enough, they can exit the server - and so the target will too - waking up and returning to their bodies. Alternatively, the user can also “scroll” through the server, which basically means closing their eyes and flicking through the people that they have copied, whilst still being in their body and present to their surroundings. If the eyes are looked at from a distance, or from behind a see-through material, they will only give the target a headache. The issue with thoughtmelding users is that they are constantly using extra energy to supply the server, meaning they either need to eat a lot more, or need to be constantly using a Jack. Furthermore, most Thoughtmelders usually wear some form of tinted or mirrored shades or goggles in order to block the effects of their eyes (whilst also making hiding their Limb with some success).
​
EXHAUSTION
Cost: Low Energy, fossil fuels (e.g charcoal, coal, or oil)
Distribution: Amber
Identifier: Grey tongue and black insides of mouth
Description: The user has the ability to shoot out a black smoke from their mouths. In order to do so, the user has to consume some form of fossil fuel, which is usually charcoal. This smoke is, when used correctly, so black (so little light enters) that it is virtually impossible to discern anything within it or past it. Of course, this decreases as the gas gets more spread out. The complection of this smoke can be modified by the user - it can be a more spread out fog, it can be thick walls of smoke, or even very dense near-solid clumps. The use can be changed by the user too - it can be as harmless as air, as toxic as smog, as blinding as ink, or even as acidic as mustard gas (however this one takes a lot of specific training for a long time to get right, as it is fundamentally different). Exhausters are usually looked down upon because of how useless this ability seems. When more concentrated fossil fuels such as oil and above are used, the smoke gains an iridescent oil-like shimmer to it. Although usually used as a method of hiding and escaping, some have found that by compressing toxic smog into a tar-like substance and shooting it as a projectile, they can incapacitate enemies more easily.
​
ACCUMULATION
Cost: None
Distribution: Red
Identifier: Glow under UV light
Description: The user respires at an abnormal rate without a higher intske nescessary - far higher than the average human or a Limb user. These are stored within the user’s cells, and the body does not burst as a result of the energy it’s own body creates - because the user can slow down the respiration to normal levels at will, with basic training. This however means that children who are not identified as Accumulators from birth usually explode from too much energy being produced at around the age of 3. This is one of many reasons for their rarity. However, other than using up the energy normally, users can also expel it into the environment through their skin. The real application of an accumulator however is also why they are sometimes known as “Jackmen” or “Living Batteries” - they can release their energy into other people, and more specifically other Limb users. Not only does this allow for a steady supply of energy, but accumulators can shoot the energy in in such a way that it can give the other person a short lasting increase in power and ability. For this reason, accumulators are hunted down and treated as sub-human - only tools for the empowerment of others. Many babies were stolen straight from hospitals and taken to “energy factories” where they were treated simply as batteries, which often led to them being discarded once they were “fully drained”. In the period where accumulators were newly discovered, and hunted, nefarious organisations looking for them would go around waving UV lights at people before dragging them away. As a result, most remaining accumulators stay in hiding.

We have home blinds that are using A-OK AM25 Zigbee tubular motors. I have received a zigbee hub/gateway from the manufacturer. I can connect the zigbee hub to Smart Life app. However, I am not sure how to connect each blind motor to the hub.
Under sub-devices for the gateway, I see curtain motors but I cannot get it to connect because the motor does not seem to be getting into pairing mode as the instruction says on Smart Life app
Each blind also has an RF remote that can be easily paired and unpaired to the motor. I am also wondering if I am supposed to pair the remote with the zigbee hub.
I would greatly appreciate your response if you have any knowledge. Thanks.

BLUF: This is actually a big deal, even if you don't use third-party apps or old.reddit. Many moderators and power users (including myself) use them almost exclusively. Third-party apps are also essential for redditors with accessibility needs and the tools created by third-party developers indirectly support much of the content and community growth that has made reddit what it is. We would much rather keep the subs open and running while reddit reverses its plans -- going dark is the most visible form of protest we have available.
Dear /studentloans and /PSLF community:
Moderators of many subs across reddit -- big, medium, and small -- will be "going dark" (setting the subs to private and making them inaccessible to read or post) starting on June 12th. /studentloans and /PSLF will be joining them.
This is not a decision we take lightly -- we recognize the value of these subs as a hub for advice and discussion of important topics that more than 300,000 of you have found helpful during your respective student loan journeys. We have never before taken these subs down in protest and we only do so now because we believe the changes that reddit is planning to make will threaten the long-term health of the community itself. We're going dark temporarily to hopefully prevent a permanent deterioration and death of the community.

What's going on?

A recent Reddit policy change threatens to kill many beloved third-party mobile apps, making a great many quality-of-life features not seen in the official mobile app permanently inaccessible to users.
On May 31, 2023, Reddit announced it intends to raise the price to make calls to the API from being free to a level that will kill every third-party mobile app on reddit, from Apollo to Reddit is Fun to Narwhal to BaconReader to the app I've used for years to post and moderate on-the-go, Sync.
Even if you're not a mobile user or don't use any of those apps, this is another step toward killing ways of customizing Reddit, such as Reddit Enhancement Suite, Toolbox, Pushshift-enabled tools, and the use of the old.reddit.com desktop interface. Again, even if you don't use these tools yourself, the moderators of this sub do and they are essential for our work. The same is true of the mod teams in many, many other communities and that's why we're all speaking out now.
The latest figures reddit has released show that 3 out of every 5 mod actions across the site are done on Old Reddit, even after years of stagnant development for the interface. Why? Because it's still better for moderating with the help of third-party tools. The same is true for the third-party mobile apps -- they remain so popular and beloved because, for many people, they are better than reddit's immature and bloated official app. (Which itself started as a third-party app that was bought by reddit.) And aside from direct use, many moderators (including us) depend on tools and bots only available outside the official app to keep our communities on-topic and spam-free.
The reddit you see and enjoy today stands on the shoulders of years of work by third-party developers, many of whom are also fans of the site, saw an unmet need, and wrote a program/script/app to meet it. Third-party apps and tools are essential for redditors who need accessible interfaces. For example, the /blind community is joining the protest because reddit's official app lacks accessibility features that vision-impaired redditors have enjoyed from third-party apps for years. (Reddit knows that this change will effectively excommunicate blind users from mobile reddit and is pressing forward anyway.)

What's the plan?

In response to this situation, the moderators of /StudentLoans and /PSLF are joining forces with other subreddit communities and their respective mod teams in a coordinated effort. We believe that unity is essential in driving change and advocating for the rights of app developers, moderators, and the overall user experience. To amplify our message and demonstrate the strength of our concerns, /StudentLoans and /PSLF will be participating in a temporary blackout starting on June 12th, lasting for 48 hours.
During this blackout period, the subreddits will be set to private, rendering them inaccessible to all users. This collective action is intended to raise awareness and urge Reddit to reconsider the recent API changes. Our primary goal is to initiate a productive dialogue with reddit, leading to a reversal of the detrimental modifications before they are implemented.
We understand that this blackout will cause temporary inconvenience to our community and, for that, we apologize. However, we firmly believe that this short-term disruption will bring long-term benefits for every user. By standing together with other subreddit communities, we hope to send a clear message to reddit and foster a meaningful conversation about the future of its API policies. This isn't something we do lightly; we are taking this action because we love this service, have devoted thousands of volunteer hours into moderating and curating the community into what it has become, and we truly believe this API change will make it impossible to keep doing what we love.

What can you do?

1. Complain. Message the mods of /reddit.com, who are the admins of the site. Message reddit. [Email Reddit](mailto:[email protected]) or submit a support request ticket to communicate your opposition to their proposed modifications. Comment in relevant threads on /reddit, such as this one. If you've tried the official iOS or Android app, leave an honest review and also review your favorite third-party app while you're at it. And sign your username in support to this post.
   
2. Spread the word. Rabble-rouse on related subreddits. Meme it up, make it spicy, get your cat involved! Suggest anyone you know who moderates a subreddit join /ModCoord and /Save3rdPartyApps (but please don't pester mods you don't know by simply spamming their modmail).
   
3. Boycott and spread the word...to reddit's competition! Stay off Reddit entirely on June 12th through the 13th -- instead, take to your favorite non-reddit platform of choice and make some noise in support!
   
4. Don't be a jerk. As upsetting this may be, threats, profanity and vandalism will be worse than useless in getting people on our side. Please make every effort to be as restrained, polite, reasonable, and law-abiding as possible.
   

We appreciate your understanding, support, and active participation in this important endeavor. It is through the strength and dedication of our community that we can strive for a better Reddit experience for everyone involved.
Thank you,
horsebycommittee and ANGR1ST

Company Name	Title	City
Beaumont Health	CT Technician	Detroit
American Red Cross	Program Manager, Disaster Services	Detroit
McKinley Masonry and Concrete LLC	Stock Worker and Receiver	Detroit
eTeam Inc.	SAP Warehouse Management Functional Consultant	Detroit
Harvest Sherwood Food Distributors	Outbound - Warehouse 1	Detroit
Delaware North	Retail Warehouse Porter, Comerica Park	Detroit
Challenger Motor Freight Inc.	Freight Broker and Sales Agent	Detroit
Professional Moving & Storage	Warehouse Worker	Detroit
Tenet Health	RN Rapid Response Days FT Detroit Receiving Hospital	Detroit
Compass Group	Warehouse Attendant- Ford Field	Detroit
Chaldean Community Foundation	Public Lumber & Millwork - Delivery Driver / Warehouse Laborer	Detroit
Explore Jobs Search	Warehouse Manager	Detroit
Tekfortune Inc.	SAP Warehouse Management	Detroit
Delaware North	Morning Warehouse Porter, Little Caesars Arena	Detroit
Nesco Resource, LLC	Pallet/ Crate Assembler	Detroit
WillScot Mobile Mini	Yard Worker II	Detroit
Snipes JimmyJazz	Stock Manager	Detroit
Tenet Health	Chief Nursing Officer - DMC Harper University Hospital, DMC Hutzel Women's Hospital, DMC Receiving Hospital, and DMC Heart Hospital - Detroit, Michigan	Detroit
Belcan	Manufacturing & Supply Chain Engineer	Detroit
Trinity Health Michigan	Immediate Openings Registered Nurse 2 E Surgical PCU Detroit	Detroit

Hey guys, here are some recent job openings in detroit. Feel free to comment here or send me a private message if you have any questions, I'm at the community's disposal! If you encounter any problems with any of these job openings please let me know that I will modify the table accordingly. Thanks!

I have 4.0 GPA, 1530 SAT and I took 5 AP exams with 5s and 4s. I just want to know how competitive are the admissions? I seem to pass the requirements posted on the university websites.
I'm considering TU Delft for CS and perhaps business/econ at UvA, Utrecht, Erasmus etc. (Yes I'm kinda blind here so any help would be appreciated, interested in a STEM or business/econ mostly) Also, are University College Amsterdam or similar Liberal Arts programs good (job prospects)?

Writer's block
The drama in Hollywood is heating up just as there appeared to be a breakthrough for the creative industry. On Sunday, the Directors Guild of America inked a tentative three-year contract with major studios and streamers, though the Writers Guild of America and Screen Actors Guild are still holding out. In fact, the former has been on strike for six weeks, while the latter just authorized a potential strike if an agreement cannot be reached by June 30.
What are the fights about? At issue are wages and benefits, as well as royalty payments like global streaming residuals. Artificial intelligence is also at play, with the unions fighting for protections so that AI won't replace its members. Writers additionally say that tech companies like Netflix (NFLX) are hiring for shorter stints and lower wages, which is hindering the creative process. It comes as many studios absorb heavy losses associated with streaming, making them think twice about their bottom line during the negotiations.
A walkout by the Writers Guild of America has already shut down the final season of Netflix's Stranger Things, an HBO (WBD) prequel of Game of Thrones, and paused production on Disney's (DIS) Thunderbolts and Blade. A strike by actors would trigger a broader shutdown across Hollywood, while ramping up pressure on companies that need to support their streaming services and TV programming schedules. Other studios involved include Amazon (AMZN), Apple (AAPL), NBCUniversal (CMCSA), Paramount (PARA) and Sony (SONY) - under the umbrella of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
What's next? "For now, the studios/streamers aren't in a rush to be flexible because the strike could eventually allow them to shed unprofitable long-term deals," writes SA analyst The Entertainment Oracle, "but that's also a dangerous long-term game." If prolonged, studios could turn to reality or unscripted shows, and internationally produced content, but the financial impacts will eventually catch up. Moody's has warned that an extended strike could hurt the credit ratings of "weakly positioned" media companies, while Paramount CEO Bob Bakish has said that the situation will "ultimately depend on the duration of the strike." (16 comments)
Vision Pro
Apple (AAPL) unveiled its mixed-reality headset at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference on Monday, ushering in a new era of what CEO Tim Cook called "spatial computing." Unlike joystick-powered rival devices like the Meta Quest (META), Apple's headset relies on hand tracking, with the user gesturing in midair to control the interface. However, the new super-premium device was priced at $3,499, and the overwhelming majority of WSB subscribers feel that the product is too niche for the market, with the stock closing down 0.8% after hitting a new all-time high. As previously mentioned, SA analyst Ash Anderson said WWDC would likely be a "sell the news" event for Apple following its biggest product launch in nearly a decade. (608 comments)
In hot water
The SEC has sued cryptocurrency exchange Binance and its CEO Changpeng Zhao for allegedly violating U.S. securities regulations. The news pushed cryptocurrency prices lower, with Bitcoin (BTC-USD) down 3.8% at $25.78K today and ether (ETH-USD) 2.7% lower at $1.82K. Thirteen charges were filed against Binance and CZ, as he is known, including deceiving investors about the sufficiency of its systems to detect and control manipulative trading. The SEC also accused the platform of taking insufficient steps to prohibit U.S. investors from accessing its unregulated exchange. Binance is disputing the allegations, saying it is "disappointed" with the SEC suit and "will vigorously defend" its business. (45 comments)
Manufacturing boost
New plans from General Motors (GM) will see it invest more than $1B in two of its manufacturing sites in Flint Michigan. The investment will bolster the Detroit automaker's U.S. manufacturing operations, which include more than 50 assembly, stamping, propulsion and component plants and parts distribution centers nationwide. It will also highlight the company’s commitment to continue providing customers a strong portfolio of ICE vehicles for years to come. The rapidly changing automotive market was recently discussed by SA analyst Manuel Paul Dipold, who takes a deeper dive into GM's future and market share. (16 comments)
Today's Markets
In Asia, Japan +0.9%. Hong Kong -0.1%. China -1.2%. India flat. In Europe, at midday, London -0.2%. Paris -0.2%. Frankfurt -0.1%. Futures at 7:00, Dow -0.1%. S&P -0.1%. Nasdaq -0.1%. Crude -2% to $70.74. Gold +0.3% to $19789.80. Bitcoin -3.6% to $25,790. Ten-year Treasury Yield -3 bps to 3.66%
Today's Economic Calendar
No events scheduled
Companies reporting earnings today »
What else is happening...
Supreme Court rejects oil firms' challenge to California offshore fracking ban.
OPEC+ meeting failure? Saudi output cut fails to sustain oil price gains.
‘Forever chemicals’ trial delayed as 3M (MMM) negotiates a settlement.
Intel (INTC) to sell 35M Mobileye (MBLY) shares in secondary offering.
Taiwan Semiconductor (TSM) eyes 3%-6% price hikes starting 2024.
Apollo Global (APO) to invest $2B in AT&T's (T) wireless carrier unit.
Bed Bath & Beyond (OTCPK:BBBYQ) eyes sale of Buybuy Baby.
Elon Musk's Neuralink valued at $5B after private stock trades.
Spotify (SPOT) announces cuts at global podcast division.
Advertising watch: Twitter U.S. sales reportedly sink 59%.

First: https://redd.it/11e34ce
Previous: https://redd.it/13ymf4y
When Quin awoke the next morning to his alarm, he felt drained. He hated the mornings when he slept soundly through the night only to awaken feeling like he needed to go back to bed. Judging from Mae’s puffy eyes and the downcast look on her face, she felt the same way. They woke up the same way they had gone to sleep, Mae’s head resting on Quin’s chest. He surmised that this was a heavy night’s rest, no tossing and turning. Mae gave him a quick squeeze of a hug, and then swung herself upright, sitting on the edge of the bed. She then got up and trotted over to the sink, splashing water on her face and massaging her eyes. Her short hair and habit of wearing it wildly meant that her bed head gave her a natural mohawk, fitting for her style. Wiping her face down, she returned to the bed and sat down next to Quin, who had begun to make his effort to get up. They sat side by side silently, relishing the quiet offered by Quin’s chamber.
“C’mon, breakfast,” Mae said, pushing herself up off the bed using Quin’s shoulder. “Maybe we can beat the crowd?”
Quin sluggishly stood up and strode toward the door behind Mae, unsure how and if he wanted to greet the day. As they exited the room, several officers from different sections eyed them suspiciously with sly grins. Mae seemingly ignored everyone, though Quin couldn’t help noticing some passers-by with a nervous glance. They strode through the corridors, heading toward the cafeteria. As they were entering, Quin stole a glance around and immediately saw Pepper, surrounded by a few of her Military crew as well as Liza. He felt a tug on his sleeve and saw Mae’s head inclined in the opposite direction. He followed her away from that group and sat down with her at a bench on the perimeter of the room. He must have looked glum as he sat down, because Mae leaned over the table to whisper to him.
“Hey, don’t worry, I’m positive the rumors will die down soon,” she said reassuringly.
“It’s not just that,” he said as he tapped the tablet at the end of his table and a tray of food shot out across the table to land in front of him. “Pepper didn’t seem to be interested in talking to me.”
“Oh,” Mae said stiffly. “What did she do?”
“Well, nothing really, I don’t think she even saw me come in,” Quin admitted. “But I haven’t spoken to her since we got back, not even with a message. And I’m sure that the rumors aren’t helping.”
“Yeah, plus you came in with me,” Mae sighed.
“Well, uh, what do you mean?” Quin asked.
“Liza and me breaking up is going to do you no favors with Pepper, Quin,” Mae said, rolling her eyes.
Quin sighed and glanced over at Pepper’s table. Her head was down, exchanging with Liza and the rest of the people gathered in the group. She wasn’t even stealing a look over at Mae, let alone Quin. He grew a little more worried. He tried a few bites of his food but found that amount was about all that he could stomach. Mae was similarly not eating much. He pushed his tray away and leaned back, head tilted fully backward, staring at the ceiling. After sighing deeply, he swung out of the bench and stood up.
“Well, there’s no delaying it. I should get to the lab. You’ll be okay?” he said, looking at Mae. She gave him a weak smile and a wave.
“Meet me here for dinner?” she asked.
“Definitely, seven o’clock,” he nodded and turned, making toward the double doors. He purposefully avoided looking anywhere around the cafeteria, though he did feel eyes following him as he made his exit. I’d give anything to have an invisibility cloak, he thought. Just as he got to the door, the moment of relief at his fingertips as they whisked open, he heard a shout from behind him over the din.
“Quin! Hey QUIN!” came a higher voice. He looked around over his shoulder and saw Pepper coming straight at him at a brisk pace. She slid to a stop in front of him. “Hey, can we talk?” Her head was inclined toward the open doors, indicating that she meant privately.
He acquiesced and followed her as she walked out through the doors. They kept walking down the corridor, silent, not looking at each other but both seeming to be searching for a moment when a third party wouldn’t be around to interrupt them. Finally, after a few minutes of aimless walking, Pepper turned toward him and asked, “Where are you headed?”
“Um, research section, I’ve got lab the first shift,” he said, thumb over his shoulder pointing down one pathway.
“Oh okay, I’m this way,” she said pointing in a different direction.
“Okay,” he said, falling silent. He didn’t know what Pepper was going to say, and was hesitant to start lest he assume she was mad, or upset, or confused, and he would in turn put his foot in his mouth. You’ve got to say something though, he thought, the silence has been too long.
“So, um, I, uh,” she said suddenly. “I heard about what happened with Nova.” Her eyes were boring into his, the deep brown color making him feel like he was filled with ice. Her tone, however, seemed to show more warmth than he was expecting.
“Yeah, um—" he said, nervously clutching the back of his right arm with his left hand. “Yeah, I imagine that’s gotten around already, the way this ship is.”
“I can’t imagine how stressful that must be. Was Fuentes pissed?” she asked. Again, her eyes said coldness but her tone was almost gentle.
“Like you wouldn’t believe. Nova’s on full lock down. I’m surprised I’m not as well, though there aren’t a lot of places around the ship I’d like to go right now. I think everyone is mad at me. Not just Fuentes. Save for maybe Mae.”
“Yeah…” Pepper said, stopping short of continuing. There was another steady pause between them as they both looked around anywhere but at each other.
“Shame about what happened between her and Liza, right?” Quin offered nervously, hoping that they could just break the tension and put it to rest.
“Yeah, they’re being stupid,” Pepper nodded.
“Well, I don’t know about stupid,” Quin said without thinking.
“What do you mean?” Pepper challenged sharply.
Quin gulped and continued tenuously, “Well, I mean, uh…well, Liza fooled around with someone else, right? They broke up ‘cuz Liza betrayed her.”
“Mae’s not a total saint, Quin, despite what you may think. I know you are friends, but Liza said Mae was overbearing sometimes.” Whatever warmth that was in Pepper’s voice evaporated. Her voice matched the coldness of her eyes. To add to the effect, she crossed her arms, an act that somehow made her seem much taller. Quin shrunk away a little bit.
“That doesn’t justify cheating on someone. If that’s how Liza felt, she should have said something,” Quin shot back, though he found his voice was much less sure of itself than his words were.
“You have no idea what you are talking about. You haven’t been around for any of their dinners. You’re always in that lab, or wandering around clueless, with that distant look in your eyes. If you tuned in from time to time, you would know that theirs wasn’t a healthy relationship.”
“I’m not that distant, and I know only what Mae told me. So yeah, I’ve got her side on this, but she’s my friend,” he said, his tone growing more and more sharp.
“So that’s it, you’re just gonna take her side on this, regardless of what I say,” Pepper shot back.
“Well, you haven’t been too fair either, given what each of them has done,” Quin said, his hands now on his hips.
“I said they were both being stupid. BOTH,” she retorted. “And so are you.”
“That’s great,” Quin said acerbically, though his voice was breaking and he felt his eyes watering a bit. What the hell is wrong with me, he thought as he reached up to wipe his eye. “You can fit in fine with everyone else. That’s great for you. Tell me how I’m being stupid.”
Pepper let his hurt go unnoticed, as she pounced, “You’re being stupid because not everything is about you, Quin. You don’t always have to be the victim, and you don’t have to cry about every injustice in the world.”
“And you don’t have to kneejerk your way into being so mean anytime someone challenges you on something,” Quin sniped back. Bostwick was right that the stress was starting to pile up so high that it was becoming unbearable. Quin couldn’t believe that he was lashing out for no apparent reason, other than that yet another person was mad at him. But she’s not another person, Quin thought. This time, it’s Pepper.
The look on Pepper’s face told him that she had had enough of their conversation. “You can be Mae’s friend without thinking her shit smells like roses. There’s a difference between friendship and blind loyalty. Stand for something.” She turned to walk away.
“At least I have someone worth being blindly loyal to,” Quin half-shouted after her, though he felt like his reasoning was getting away from him. Here he was, at war with his own emotions for what felt like the dozenth time in the past twenty-four hours.
“OH, GROW A SPINE AND DEFLATE YOUR HEAD!” she ended the argument by shouting over her shoulder.
He spun on his heels and stormed off to the research section, arriving while there were still only a few people scattered around the lab. By the time he had reached the bay doors, his temper had given way to the dejected feeling driving him through the day. No one greeted him as he trudged over to his workstation, though he noticed at least one of the techs stealing a glance at him. Pulling up his workscreen, he logged into his email. At the top of his docket, he found a blinking email from Captain Fuentes marked urgent. Opening it, he found a reiteration of the rules she had laid down verbally in the Logistics bay. He could hear the measured anger in her voice as he read the email in his head.
He sighed heavily as he began the day’s work, clearing through all the ship’s systems and making sure that no other damage was done during Nova’s occupation. A few times throughout the day, he thought of pulling up a dialogue box and trying to speak to her, to reach out to Nova and try to get through. But he found that he was unable to think of any good words to start, and his head was already full and fuzzy with the voices of Fuentes and Pepper shouting, Mae’s deep sadness, and Bostwick trying to gently reassure him.
Quin skipped lunch, though he couldn’t tell if the nauseous feeling in his stomach was from hunger or from a repulsion at the thought of food. Throughout the day, techs and officers came and went in the lab, though Quin kept his head down and his eyes fixed on lines of code, acting as if anything he was reading was being processed by his brain. He found that most systems were in working order, though he decided to do a double-check on the Logistics bay. In the files, he found a folder created by Nova with several different video clips, some of which she showed while they were trying to negotiate with her. He scrolled through them and flicked one open. Then another. He couldn’t tell if he was mad at her for what she did, or himself for being the inadvertent cause, or her again for not simply thinking it through.
When Quin finally pulled up from his workstation, the room seemed a bit dim. Though they were in full flight and had no external point of reference, Quin felt it was late. A glance at his workstation clock confirmed it was just about dinner time. He transferred a certain amount of work to his tablet so that he could return to work after dinner in the privacy of his own room. Nova didn’t appear all day, though he couldn’t blame her, given how he was feeling. He stood, turning around toward the doors and saw no one in the lab. What he really wanted was to have another conversation with Tess, but all he could do was write her a message that would eventually be transferred once the relay was up. It would pale in comparison to the face to face time he had back on Rhea. Then again, he found himself promising to write the message once he got back to his chamber. He trudged out of the bay in the same manner that he entered, at once nervous about encountering other people, dejected at the thought of the many people who held him with the ignoble title of “Creator of Nova,” and frustrated that he had handled the conversation with Pepper so poorly. I wish I was famous for creating something that wound back time, he thought, because I would certainly use it right now to redo the last forty-eight hours. That would make his life a lot simpler. There’s a sci-fi movie for you, he remarked to no one, though he shook his head, disagreeing with the other voice. Nah, time travel flicks always end up with the writer’s head up his own ass. He glumly strode through the corridors, not meeting the gaze of anyone passing by, half-tempted to return to his chamber and skip dinner. No, you agreed to meet Mae for dinner and you can’t back out of that. A promise is a promise.
Dinner passed relatively painlessly. Mae had found the same seats at the edge of the crowd, so they had relative privacy. She had also taken the liberty of punching up his dinner in the tablet, and he found that she had apparently been observing him. Though the Standard Issue meals were all uniform and technically synthetic foods, the designers thankfully allowed enough variation to pick the flavor of what they would be eating. Quin always preferred the Latin American meals for the spicy and savory flavors over the richness of Eastern European or the saltiness of Southeast Asian, especially when he would have to force himself to eat. He realized he had barely taken in anything all day and his body was screaming at him. He began to scarf some food while Mae gazed absently at his tray. The conversation had quickly devolved just before.
“I saw you leave with Pepper,” Mae had asked.
“Yeah, it was…a complete disaster,” Quin said.
“Don’t tell me you guys broke up too,” Mae said, shocked.
“We would have had to have been ‘together’ to break up, but yeah, I would say she isn’t happy with me,” Quin said, his face in his hands. He quickly recounted their conversation to Mae. As he gave her the line by line, a smirk showed through the tired and saddened expression that Mae had seemingly worn all day.
“What?” Quin asked, taken aback.
“Well, Quin, you are remarkably sweet, but I have to agree with Pepper, as much as I wouldn’t like to,” Mae said. “You were pretty stupid.”
“What do you mean? Not you too…” he said, completely astounded.
“I mean, you can’t tell someone you like that you trust someone else more than them,” Mae said, shaking her head and smiling.
“So, I’m just supposed to throw you under the bus, in order to make Pepper happy and avoid an argument?” Quin scoffed at the thought.
“Well you could have approached it with more tact,” Mae said. She dropped her voice a little to mimic how she thought Quin sounded and continued, “’Of course Mae was a bit stupid, Pepper, you are right. But maybe she was feeling hurt and look I’m all sensitive and in touch with people. Now could you please devour my face, blah blah blah,’—whatever you two say to each other when making out would follow.”
Quin scoffed again, angry at the thought of Mae suggesting that he would betray her like that. He didn’t appreciate that Mae was getting a kick out of the struggle he was having. Apparently, she caught on, so she stopped laughing and reached across the table to take his hand.
“Oh, stop pouting Quin,” she said. “Look, I am really happy at what you said to her. Really, I am. That was very noble of you. But you could have been a little more graceful in walking the line. I wouldn’t have been too put out if I had learned that you said something to her in order to keep your relationship going. But as it is, I don’t see that there has been too much damage that can’t be undone.”
“Really?” Quin asked, a little sign of hope giving him something to seize on for the day.
“Sure, I mean, give it time, and yeah she’s pissed, but in a few weeks, you can apologize and she’ll think about dating that inflated head of yours again.” She chuckled again and gave his hand a squeeze, then returned to her own tray. They remained silent for the rest of the meal.
When Quin got back to his room, he stood just inside the door after it whisked shut. One nice part of space travel and the design of the ship meant that, once enclosed, most rooms on board were sound-proof. That meant that Quin had total silence, a fact that he relished as he stood with his eyes closed, basking in the nothingness that surrounded him. He trudged over to his bed and jumped down onto it, landing with a thud. He snatched his tablet and pulled up one of the tasks remaining on his docket, though he only managed to get about halfway through it before his eyes glazed over and he found himself looking at the same line three times.
He was staring at the blinking cursor before he found himself wandering into the system log and typing out a message to Nova, which included items like “should talk” and “please respond.” Seeing no immediate response pop up, he opened the ESS messaging application and wrote out a long account of what had happened over the past few days since Tess and he had talked. He remained scant on the details about him and Pepper but went in depth about the situation with Nova. Satisfied with his long-winded story, he hit the send button, logging the message into the ship’s outgoing queue the next time they fired up the light-speed transmission. He sat back and curiously hopped back over to the syslog. Therein, he found a terse response from Nova.
syslogUser:QuintonHammond[GuestUser] 20:48 Listening.
Quin started typing furiously before realizing this would be much easier face to face. Despite the orders of Fuentes, he launched Nova’s display applications.
“I know you are there, Nova,” Quin said. “This would be a lot better for both of us if we talked about this face to face.”
The was a brief pause before a voice came from the tablet. “I am not so sure about that, Quinton. It seems I am a much better communicator via the system log. At least, it is on that platform that I am able to express myself fully without feeling the burden of the conversation’s subtle points of nonverbal communication. In other words, I believe you listen to me better when you are unable to see me.”
“Please Nova,” Quin begged, looking at nothing in particular.
Another pause, and then Nova’s fully-fledged form materialized onto Quin’s desk chair. She was seated inert, her hands resting on her thighs, feet flatly planted onto the ground. Quin sat down on the edge of his bed to meet her eyes.
“Thank you, Nova,” Quin said, smiling wearily.
“Your message indicated that the need to speak to me was urgent,” Nova said, unacknowledging of his greeting.
“Well, yeah, I wanted to see how you are after what happened,” Quin said.
“I am, of course, in perfect working condition. Based on my systems analysis, no permanent damage has been done to the Nemo or to any of its inhabitants. I am complying fully with the restrictions of Captain Fuentes, though I must admit that I am currently in breach of this protocol, and I would kindly ask that we keep this brief.”
“Well, okay, that’s…okay, that’s fine,” Quin said, struggling. He was trying to form what he wanted to say, though he couldn’t quite get it right in his head. For lack of a clear train, he decided to plunge in, despite himself.
“Nova, what were you thinking?” Quin asked, with a pained sigh behind it.
“I was under the impression that my acting parameters included the need to defend this mission against any and all who would jeopardize it,” Nova said flatly.
“But you attacked someone. You attacked a crew member—“ Quin remarked, but Nova cut it.
“Who was in the process of absconding with a variety of assets vital to the completion of the mission,” Nova finished the sentence for him.
“But you can’t act on your own like that, Nova,” Quin said.
“I believe that I AM able to ‘act on my own like that.’ He made his choices, and I reacted accordingly, wherein he was given his just punishment. Though I do understand how you and the rest of the crew appear to be uneasy with my reaction; this is, how you say, getting his just dessert.”
“But you can’t kill someone just because they stole,” Quin replied. “We don’t have capital punishment anymore.”
“His life is rendered no longer useful if he is putting at risk the survival of many others,” Nova replied, again rather flatly. Her face seemed devoid of any expression that would indicate she was seeing Quin’s point.
“That’s too strict of an interpretation of utilitarianism and is kind of against the humanitarian principle of this mission,” Quin retorted. “You can’t look at people in the way of a math equation. That type of calculation is…” Quin stopped before finishing, knowing where that sentence would end.
“Inhuman,” Nova finished for him. “Tell me, Quinton, do you think that I am human, or a computer?”
“Why would you ask me that, Nova?” Quin replied tiredly. “You know that my response would have to be somewhere between them. Surely you’ve thought about that.”
“But when you are talking to me in the way that you are, are you lecturing me as your newly-brought-to-life crewmate, or as your learning operating system?” Her tone was as bitter as she probably could make it sound.
Quin didn’t know how to proceed with her. He honestly had not thought this far into the argument, and frankly, had not even previewed that Nova could be found in this sort of situation. Timidly, he tried a new tack.
“If I’m lecturing you, Nova, it’s because of the choice you made,” Quin said.
“If I am your computer, then my choice is moot, because I only arrived at an end that you programmed me to achieve. If I am a life produced by you, then you are only by orders of separation responsible for what occurred. That would be a product of my choice, thus my responsibility. Again, I ask you Quin, am I your computer or am I someone?”
“Well, fine, let’s assume that you are a person, because that is the route that leads you to assume some sort of responsibility for the consequences of your actions,” Quin said snidely.
“Then, am I not free to make my own choices, including to act in a time of crisis to defend what I perceive is the greater good?” Nova replied, her tone unchanging. “That would be the assumption of my supposed humanity, right?”
“Yeah, but, Nova, if you are human, then you must see that human life is a paradox,” Quin said.
“Please explain,” Nova said, purposefully knitting her brow.
“I mean, sure humans have free will, but we are governed by a set of rules all the time. We have laws, we have social norms, all of these things confine us to a certain set of choices that humans over time have established to promote what is acceptable behavior. You know this. We are free, but we are not completely free. There are always consequences. Like if I go kill someone, I won’t just get away with it. We all have choices to make about whether we live within that set of rules, and we all have consequences to those actions.”
“And I was acting within the set of rules that I had at the time, including Captain Fuentes’s directives, the standard operating protocol of NEMO, the—“ Nova began listing, but Quin interrupted her.
“Yeah, well, now you and I both have the new restrictions from Captain Fuentes, and they are a result of what you did.”
“What we did,” Nova said, correcting him
“What do you mean?” Quin asked, confused.
“You said before that your response to whether I am a computer or a human would be in between. Therefore, you are partially responsible. And not just in a programming sense, Quinton. You systematically ignored me over the past weeks in such a way that I was unable to have your guidance on how to act. Therefore, you set a program in place and then ignored it until it reached its inevitable outcome. If I am culpable, so are you.”
“I uh,” Quin stammered. “I admit that I was a bit distant, Nova. I’m sorry. I had a lot on my mind, and I was trying to figure it out.”
“You were trying to get in the good graces of Commander Bostwick, and you were dealing with the psychological impact of being responsible for the technology side of our medical mission, and you are infatuated with Ensign Penelope Jefferson, and—“
“Woah, woah,” Quin said, waving his arms.
“AND you continue to interrupt me, well before I am finished speaking, Quinton,” Nova said. The fact that she raised the volume on the speakers to cut him off had the intended effect of putting a sharp emphasis on her tone. She was angry, and Quin got it. “You have quite the unfortunate habit of interrupting me before I am able to properly conclude my part of the conversation. For someone who is ill-equipped at times to participate fully in the nuances of communication, it would seem to be appropriate that you would afford me some leeway in making sure that I am able to say what I mean.”
“I’m sorry, Nova,” Quin admitted. “I know that’s my fault. You just have a blank expression a lot of the times, and I forget that you are not human.”
Nova’s mouth opened, then closed again. Quin had learned to read that this meant that she was either processing something or upset. He ventured it was the latter.
“Quinton, that was insensitive. Have you not read any of my syslogs? Just because I do not articulate everything or wear my emotions like a human being, does not mean I do not have thoughts or ways of processing what is around me.”
“Again, Nova, I’m sorry. I forget sometimes. I guess that means my response to your earlier question is that I lean more toward the idea that you are human, even if I forget it occasionally.”
“That is a very weak apology, Quinton, and pales in comparison to the amount of inattention to which I have been subjected over these past weeks. Maybe in order to solicit the appropriate apology, you must be subjected to the same amount of inattention, in order to provoke an appropriately emotional response.” With that, her image evaporated and the tablet went dark.
Quin was left seated, facing an empty chair, his hands in midair as he was about to respond. He dropped his hands onto his thighs, though his mouth remained opened as he stammered, struggling to articulate in his mind what his retort would be. Perfect, he thought, just perfect. The perfect way to end an otherwise monumental day in the life of Quin Hammond. He kicked his shoes off and threw himself down onto his pillow, throwing the blanket over his shoulders as he scoffed into his pillow.
“Perfect,” he said aloud, before punching the tablet and cutting off the lights.

Hi, I'm looking for a personal project a kit that allow me to turn a knob a set number of time and at a set speed.
I'm hoping that someone knows of some pre-made controller+stepper motor kit that doesn't require programming. And I'm hoping for something economical as well..
I would love to learn to program an Arduino, but I can't go down that rabbit hole right now..
Would anything like this work? Is this unit+stepper motor+power unit all I need? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/404259366988?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=B87uc3SqRKK&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=FjwXxRM5Sca&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
Thanks for your help!