Jeep cherokee burning oil

Both my parents and my in-laws signed up for the program.
My parents have been cutting and burning extra wood because of the price of oil. They put 600L in their tank and only used the oil furnace while they're away. The rest of the winter they kept a fire going in the wood furnace. They have and old house from the 1940s, it needs some work but my Mom never worked and my Dad worked seasonal, they're on a tight budget now that my father is only working part time.
My in-laws moved back to NB in 2021 after spending 30 years working in Alberta. They bought a 2020 build outright and use baseboard heat supplemented with a pair of propane stoves.
Greenfoot did the inspection on both homes, Greenfoot was also the contractor assigned on both homes.
My in-laws got approved for 2 totally free mini-splits. One on each end of the main floor of their brand new home. I'm happy they got this work done for free but they also refer to their Audi SUV as a "cheap retirement car" because it's the smallest one Audi makes.
My parents were told they didn't buy enough oil to qualify for a heat pump and because the basement has some some crumbly old packing foam on the walls they don't qualify for basement insulation.
I understand I should have read the rules a little more carefully when helping my parents but I feel like this program has a lot of oversight.
My in-laws house is brand new, it's less than 3 years old. It was built to R2000 specs but not certified because they had planned on installing mini splits after the home was built to take advantage of the rebates. Instead they found out they qualified for free mini splits. Their heating costs were already low and they didn't really need the help. But they're retired and although they have lots of cash from selling their home in Alberta they have almost no income. Meaning they qualify for free stuff.
My parents couldn't afford oil so they cut extra wood, which made them not qualify for a heat pump because you have to have receipts for more than 1000L of oil. Because the basement had some amount of insulation they decided it wasn't worth spray foaming the basement. Even though it's easily argued they needed the work done more than my in-laws they got nothing from the program.
It also feels weird that Greenfoot did the inspection and was the contractor for the basement. I don't know how I would back this up but it seems to me like Greenfoot didn't want to do anymore work than they had to, so they approved two easy minisplits but wouldn't deal with the work involved in spraying my parents basement. I don't blame them, I was present for my parents inspection and the inspector told me that they were busy on the inspections and installs.
I know the program is helping a lot of people but in typical NB fashion the program is half finished, understaffed and easily abused by contractors looking for a monopoly. They should build on this program and find ways to make sure the money is going where it is needed most. People should be free to pick whatever contractor they want once they're approved. The people doing the inspections shouldn't be the people installing the heat pumps. The rules need to be expanded to cover people who heat with wood/propane/natural gas.

Dee Williams hired her son’s friend as an intern and she’s impressed by how well he’s handled his work load. She lets him know what a great job he’s been doing while they are both in the office burning the midnight oil, but Dee’s feet sure do hurt from all the work she’s been doing around the office, so her son’s friend volunteers to give her a foot massage. It just so happens that his feet massages are orgasmic, so Dee decides to return the favor by jumping his bones and taking his load all over her face."

I've got a 98 Cherokee classic and my trunk latch is seized. The mechanism for the lock and handle work fine but the actual hook that latches the trunk closed is stuck. Looking online I can't seem to find what I need. I found a dorman tailgate latch at AutoZone, but it says it doesn't fit my jeep. Not sure if that's true, but I'd rather not buy it and try to see if it fits if there are better options. Thanks in advance!

I have my heart set on a Jeep. I’m exploring a few different options for a used Compass or Grand Cherokee, all 2019. This would be my first car and I would likely be financing.
I am aware that these two cars are completely different sizes, but I am wondering which everyone would recommend? My #1 choice would be the Grand Cherokee, but I’m wondering if it would be smarter to get the Compass as it would be smaller and thus easier to handle, since this would be my first car.
For which trim I should look at, I am a bit more familiar with the trims of the Grand Cherokee, and I like the Limited (friend drives a 2016 Laredo so this would be a step up I’m assuming). In terms of the Compass, would Limited also be the way to go? Or an Altitude or something else?
Thank you for your help!

Commercial fryer baskets contain fried food as it cooks and enable operators to drain excess grease before serving. Removing finished food from cooking oil is also easier with a fryer basket.
Fryer baskets typically have a handle for easy and safe handling. They come in various shapes and sizes to accommodate different fryer models and food quantities. The wire mesh or perforations in the basket allow excess oil to drain away, promoting crispness and reducing the greasiness of the fried food.
Using a fryer basket is a convenient way to safely lower and lift the food in and out of the hot oil, minimizing the risk of burns or splatters. It is a common accessory in both commercial and home deep fryers, making the frying process more efficient and manageable.

I used to watch a guy who used to detail his Red Dodge Durango or Jeep Cherokee, I believe he also had a hellcat, the setting was outside of his garage he had a brick house but his channel was his detail tips and he was very OCD about everything. I lost his channel he wasn’t very big on YouTube and I’ve been trying to find it for days, does anybody know who im talking about? thank you!

Hey everyone, So I’ve always LOVED Wranglers and Grand Cherokees and have always wanted one (of each but I’d love one or the other). There’s a dealership near me that has a 2014 Grand Cherokee with the turbo diesel v6, and a 2016 Wrangler backcountry. Both are about the same price, the wrangler is a manual (my preference, every car I’ve owned has been a manual), and the Cherokee has a diesel. They both look great (will need to test drive) and I really like both. For me, it’s going to come down to which vehicle will cost less with maintenence down the road. I know Jeeps are notorious for breaking down and shit going pretty bad. Anything I should look out for? What are the potential pitfalls of either? Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I know this will come off as contradictory to my post about the PT Cruiser being a good car, but Chrysler doesn't have any business selling cars in the U.S. Their lineup is full of 10+ year old cars (except for the Pacifica, Ram and the Jeep Wrangler, Gladiator and Grand Cherokee), and they lack features that have become expected of newer cars today. Think heads-up displays, rain-sensing wipers, automatic emergency braking, etc. Most (if not all) of Chrysler's products lack these features, even on the newest models. To make things worse for the Chrysler brand itself, it'll have only one model, the aforementioned Pacifica minivan as it announced the 300 will be gone by the end of the 2023 model year. Dodge will also have only one model as well, the Durango SUV, as the Charger and Challenger will also be gone by the end of the 2023 model year. This means that besides Jeep and Ram, buyers have a choice between a minivan (which no one buys anymore) and a 10+ year old SUV (which clearly appears outdated and hasn't been given a single update in almost 10 years either).
It seems like Chrysler is on a downhill slope and if they expect to have any real business selling cars, they need to step up their game.

I have a 325ci recently did a head gasket job and rebuilt cylinder head and ported it while I was at it too, replaced valve stem seals too but ever since I did that I’ve noticed blue smoke from the exhaust exhaust was pretty much a straight pipe before I did this and never noticed any smoke and exhaust hasn’t changed but now I’m noticing blue smoke, seems like it’s burning oil more now than before? Any ideas ?

I have a 2004 DL1000 I had bought used and didn’t realise it was burning oil. Engine got shot but everything else is in perfect condition.
I wanna fit a new engine in it and am having a hard time finding another DL1000 engine.
I have heard of people fitting the sv engines into the vstroms.
Would an sv engine actually fit? Is that an option? Any help greatly appreciated.

This gonna be a long one but I figured id share my story after lurking here for a while to let everyone know that making good money, creating independence, and enjoying your business can all happen in a short amount of time!
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I was a young lad back at the age of 17 trying to figure out what i was going to do with my life. I was barely getting through school, was more interested in working and making money. I was on a program where my senior year i only attended school 3 days a week and only went until 12:00pm. This gave me the opportunity to go work my awful part time jobs at car washes and car dealerships detailing cars. It was at this time i thought i could start a little side gig selling mobile detail service in my neighborhood. It took off and i started really getting client and making some money but nothing that would justify full time work when i graduated. I also did not really enjoy the work. I was always good with my hands, i worked on my own cars, built my own ramps and what not when i rode BMX bikes growing up and walls always able to create and see drawings in my head for assembly and put them to paper. I was set to graduate halfway through my senior year so i could start working.
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My Father has been in the commercial glazing industry for his entire life, at the time of my graduation he had been at a very large midwest privately owned commercial glazing company as a project manager. He hesitantly despite knowing about my pot smoking and partying habits got my foot in the door and got me an interview and a job in the fabrication shop fabricating the glazing systems to go out into the field for install. I started out as the low guy on the pole just freshly turning 18, getting put with the grumpy ass old men to assemble frames and caulk all of the system dams for water control. I hated it. After about 2 months i got the opportunity to run the fabrication and assembly for a small commercial storefront project with 2 helpers in the shop. This meant i got all of the cut specifications, field an assembly drawings, and details. I essentially had to start with raw full length stock materials and cut, layout and install the clips and brackets, build the frames, caulk and weap, pack and ship the project. This is when i realized that i could actually do something with this because by this time i had essentially learned the ins and outs of every commercial glazing system on my own in my freetime from product manuals so i could at least set myself apart from the other guys in the shop. I finished the fab job 2 weeks ahead of schedule without any mistakes that had to be corrected in the field. I worked in the shop for another 2 weeks and the operations manager decided i should go to the field to learn the installation process since i had progressed quickly.
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I started in the field the same way i did in the shop, they where testing me to see if i could handle the vulgar, raw, and miserable world of commercial construction field work. I spent 3 months on a large curtainwall and storefront installation project. I started by caulking dams on curtain wall that had to be stick built in the field. I then go promoted to setting glass and running oil covered vinyl all day to hold the glass into the system. They then bumped me up i got to sit in a boom lift all day and caulk ssg glazing systems. I at this point met a girl in a the state i was from on vacation and because things weren't going well at home and i kind of hated what i was doing i decided to move there.
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I moved to this new state and secured a position at a company that built and installed their own residential and commercial glazing systems. Conservatories, folding glass walls, skylights, and more. The position i took was a field laborer traveling to install conservatoires throughout the northeast. I started with a crew of roughneck guys and quickly found my pace and was learning the system quickly, managing my tasks on my own, and the big thing was i became the go to guy for layout with the foreman. I really enjoyed layout and was damn good at it. After 7 months traveling i didn't like being on the road and by coincidence got a call when i was in Maine that next week from the management team that they wanted to bring me into their massive fabrication and manufacturing facility to better learn the system and the preparation process for everything before it got to the installers.
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I went home and started working in the assembly department, essentially all of the parts for the structures where cut, pre drilled and prepped and the assembly team built the structures in the facility to ensure everything was going to work in the field. this really gave me the full up and up on the entire process of the system they produced and used. After 2 months i was brought in and offered a position in estimating.
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I joined the estimating team and spent 6 weeks learning every in and out of their entire product lineup, pricing structure, how to assemble professional estimates and proposals and i learned intermediate level AutoCAD drafting. I essentially would get a project on my desk and draw the structure as it was to be built in cad then used the drawings to create my takeoff and bid the job. i did this for 6 months before i realized how awful the management, staff, turnover, and moral was within this organization. I made the dumbest move i could have ever made and left a job paying 70k a year to an uneducated almost 20 year old with no other employment lined up.
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i did end up securing a position as a senior pm at another small commercial glazing company that set me up for failure by allowing their estimator to underbid every large project but ridiculous amounts of money before i arrived without anyone noticing. so every job that cam across my desk was a disaster from the get go. I spent 9 months putting out fires, managing gc relationships that where toxic due to the position i was put in etc. But i did learn critical project management procedures and how to deal with emergencies on the fly and client management in tough scenarios.
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Fast forward a bit and i moved back to my old state with said girl and take a job at a failing commercial glass company as a field/shop laborer and stayed for 3 months. I Left and took an opportunity to try residential glazing by installing custom glass shower doors, i ran my own truck did 3 installs a day with a helper and did this for 9 months. I had an opportunity come up to work with one of those 1 day bath install companies that advertise religiously. I had just built my first home, my fiance was unemployed and i needed more cash badly.
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I met with their operations manager and it was all layed out that i would be an employee but only would be payed a percentage of the cost of the sold job for the bathroom upon completion of install. I essentially had all control in my hands to make as much or as little as i wanted but it was all up to me. Despite the lack of a safety net i took the risk and accepted the offer. i trained with another installer for 2 weeks and set out on my own. Typically these companies sell these jobs for 8-11k depending on the exact scope and accessories. 2 man teams where typically doing a job in 12 hours or basically a day in a half and the jobs where all over the state. I thought there had to be a more efficient way to do it because i got 10% of the job sold price as my pay. by the time i paid for a helper, my fuel, and what not 800-1100 in 2-3 days wasn't enough. I let my helped go and decided i was going to do it on my own. After spending weeks trying new methods to get faster and create a better product i was doing install on my own in 8-10 hours and clearing 3-4k a week gross before taxes and fuel expenses. I was hungry to be successful and finally make good money. This continued for about 5 months until they hit a sales dead period and there wasn't enough work to keep all 4 install crews busy but maybe 1 job a week and i approached my operations manager about another opportunity in the company. Patio conversions
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Essentially this was a window and door, bath, and conversion company. These conversions consisted of taking existing covered porches and patios and turning them into 3 season or 4 season rooms. so you got the whole package. layout, framing, insulation, windows and doors, electrical, hvac, and interior and exterior finishes. these job paid big. on average a job takes 5-10 days and pays out 8-16k dollars to the installer. of course i had a couple helpers but i was absolutely crushing it after only a couple of months. This is where i really started to learn the ins and outs of commercial construction.
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One day i was approached on a Facebook page about a gentleman with a residential remodeling company near me that was looking for an operations manager. they specialized in high end luxury remodels and also made their own cabinets. I met with him and decided even though the operation seemed small and mismanaged i could make it work. I took a pay decrease so i could work less hours and be home more as my fiancé had just had our daughter and the other company didn't even let me off to go to the appointments.
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What i didn't know was that the owner of this business was the slimiest most Narcisitic, ego fueled person i have ever met in my entire life. He was running a GC business with the expectation that every sub, employee, etc was going to be a LEGEND and create only the most perfect unmatched quality product when given low Quality materials, piss poor planning, awful schedules and communication, etc. I quickly learned that i was going to be burned if i didn't think of something quick because the castle was under siege and i saw what was coming. i am 21 at this time. Well inevitably the following week i as an operations manager trying to keep a sinking ship afloat and out in the field tearing up tile from an under slab plumbing leak from before i was at this place, trying to rebuild an entire kitchen in 3 days by myself and i just was over it. Told him that i was putting in my notice and was done. I get called into the office that Friday and was told i was being let go, i was given a personal check for my weekly salary of 1000 dollars and made to sign a non compete and hold harmless agreement if i wanted my pay. i was paid as a 1099 under the table so he wasn't responsible for costs associated with employees. Basically i set myself up to get screwed. i signed everything took my check and left. Check bounces, im broke, he wont pay and im jobless with a fiance and a 6 month old. This was the lowest i had ever felt in my life and i literally was about to loose everything.
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It was at this time my wheels started turning and i realized that all of these residential companies i worked for had multiple things in common. The client communication was terrible, their execution was terrible, and their image was awful. They looked all shiny and great during the sales process but as soon as they had a contract and a check the client experience didn't matter. So i thought to myself, i know construction now, i now a fair amount project management and business operations, and i see a hole in the market. so i started my company with the little money i had left. i registered with the state, bought a logo from someone on fivver, made a facebook page, a wix website, and started marketing.
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This was great but it takes time to pickup traction and get jobs, i wasn't going to make money being a handyman so i needed supplemental income with flexibility in my schedule. I connected with a local fence contractor who was small and needed and installer who got paid by the linear for building fences. The money was decent but the work was hard and labor intensive. But it gave me a chance to hire a couple guys and teach them how to do it so i could start jobs and leave the jobsites to run estimates for my company. After many free estimates and 1:00 am mornings in the office writing quotes i just wasnt getting the jobs i needed. I needed a way to make sure someone wasn't tire kicking before i spent time and money doing a free estimate. So i started charging $200.00 for an in home consultation and bid package which would be credited to the client in full if they used us for the project. This was not well received due to me not being able to present it correctly in the pitch over the phone but when i did holy shit it worked like a charm. my conversion rate on estimates went form 16% to over 65% in a matter on 3 months.
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I started getting good big jobs in good neighborhoods, i started finding really great subs and built my list. I started building brand image, internal documents, repeatable procedures for every job etc. this went on for a year and a half and i finally made 85k take home my first full year in business. Then the covid thing happened.
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I thought everyone is freaked out and doesn't want us in their homes for estimates etc. how do i difference myself and create a luxury experience for clients without being intrusive during the lockdowns. i had started modeling basic things in SketchUp and new there was a lot of opportunity in 3d rendering. so i shifted our model and we became a design build firm. So essentially we are selling a design and rendering package to clients with a bid so that they can see what their project would look like before we ever go under contract. The rendering sells the job no matter the cost as long as you have the correct client base and are pre qualifying well.
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I had a friend i grew up with that had gotten an architecture degree and was doing SketchUp 3D modeling, renderings, and 2D architectural drawing sets for a shed company as a freelancer and we can up with pricing and decided i was going to pursue this model. So i learned how to be a sales wizard and started selling $1,500-$5,000 design packages over the phone before i ever stepped foot in someones home. we designed and went through the process and send them a price. if they use us they get a full credit applied to the job for the amount of the design if not they own the drawings and information. I was making 50% GP on designs for jobs that never sold just to go out and measure and spend some time going through it with my designer. Our close rate on paid design bids sent went to 86%. This was the end of year 2 going into year 3
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Year 2 Gross Revenue was $364k
Year 3 Gross Revenue was $597K
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This is all on my own using subs, no in house staff, off the shelf management software, no paid marketing. Just Facebook groups, referrals, and subs.
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In June of Year 3 I streamlined my process. I farmed out all business management (bookkeeping, Payroll, Phones, Etc.) and created a concrete repeatable process and procedure system that would be used on every job to ensure consistent management and quality. I hired a project manager and got him trained to manage all of the subs and all aspects related to the field and installations.
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I am Proud to say that at June 1 of 2023 at 26 years old with only one Employee we have contracted and collected deposits on $848,000.00 worth of work, our schedule is booked until the middle of September and we are on track to hit just over 1.1 mil in total revenue at an average gross profit of 47%.
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I have no formal training in business management, project management or anything to get me to this point. i have spent countless hours researching, reading, failing, and fixing everything in my business. its a cut throat game but if your willing to work your ass off and never quit, do amazing work, and make sure you prioritize client experience start to finish you will have people waiting years for you to do their job.
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We are booked through April of 2024 for outdoor projects. Find a hole in the industry in your service area and take full advantage and change the remodeling or building game so us contractors can be looked at as professionals who have earned our ability to enjoy what we have worked for instead of drunk hacks in a shitty pickup.
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Thanks for listening to my Ted Talk, get to work!

It’s been a solid 10 months since I ordered this damn truck, custom built just how I wanted it. However a lot changed in that time!
Originally it was going to be a 100% work vehicle but we’ve been trying to have a kid and I have only seen family reviews for Australian or Canadian models. Any USA 2023 super crew owners have babies? I know it’s possible to fit car seats back there but is it a ridiculous struggle?
I’ll need to make up my mind soon- so I guess in general tell me about your experiences with it as a family vehicle. I currently drive a 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee and sure that’ll haul kids great but I hate everything else about it these days.

Can you please critique the first chapter of my novel! (When I pasted this the formatting messed up sorry :P )
Chapter 1
He walked through the forest, the red and yellow leaves crunched under his hard leather boots. As histightened his grip on his heavy bag he noticed how dark it was gettin. Blake would have to get back to his home soon. The sun would set and wolves would start to attack him. He kept up his fast pace. dusty brown hair getting swept out of his face from the wind. Blake eventually got back on the path towards his and Erin's house. He saw the sun slowly setting and thought knew he had to get home. Where the path ended and the stream started cascading down from the small rocky hill he almost fell. He jumped down the hill and caught himself. Blake walked onto the small rocky beach and saw his and Erin's house.
He came to the lighthouse and opened the door.The door creaked open as he slowly entered and laid his messenger bag on the table. He pulled the jars of food out of his bag and started to put them on the shelfs and in the cabinets. He pulled out a big copper pan, filled it with oil, and started searing a couple of fish he had bought earlier. He winced as he burnt his hand in oil.Despite his small burn the food smelled amazing and looked even better. He called over to the other room. “Erin, food is ready.'' He grabbed two plates and put them on the table. The door opened and Erin entered the room.
“What's up kid,” Erin said as she walked in. “ What did you do today? All I did was bury my face in research.” she said whilst laughing before she sat down and started eating. He also sat down and grabbed his fork. “I had a decent day. I went into town and didnt get arrested so ya know, that's always a win.”
She looked up at him and said “Do anything interesting or just get some food?” “Well I talked to my friend josh,-”
She cut him off and asked, “Which one is that again?”
“You've talked to him like thirty times?! Whatever, he is in the military. He's the one that YOU sent in to spy for us.”
“Oh the tall one, James or whatever his name is.”
“Josh.”
“Ehh whatever, I'm too old to remember names.”
“You’re only forty though?”
“Kid, I'm fifty-nine.”
He started laughing and said “Dang you’re about to fossilize.”
She started laughing and said “That was good imma let you have that one.”
He shoved more food into his mouth as he looked out the skylight window on their roof. He saw the bright stars, nebulas and galaxies.
“Here's a good teaching moment, Alright kid, what types of magic would be at their strongest tonight? Think hard about it before you say something dumb.” Erin told him.
“Well The Northern Nebula is in the sky so light magic and defense magic. would be strongest.” He said.
“Good job, you're catching on quick. C’mon we’re going up.” she said as she opened the door. She let him into the tower portion of the lighthouse. They both walked up the spiral staircase. She kicked open the door at the top of the stairs. They stood on the balcony of the red and white tower. She pointed at the sky “Alright kiddo look at the constellations. Think about them, feel their energy. Close your eyes, what do you see? ” she asked.
“Fire.” He replied. She nodded at his answer.
“Good. Now look. Find a constellation. Focus on it, run the energy into your fingers then try expelling it as a spell. Don't rush it though.” He looked into the sky. Energy. It was almost like light. it ran through his fingers sketching the shape in the air. He saw lines come out of his fingers. They glowed a brilliant yellow. Quickly a shield made of yellow light formed, hovering in front of him. It almost barely formed. It still glowed bright yellow, but it's strange now 3-D form shaped like a shield wielded by a soldier then shattered in the air with a brain piercing noise. Erin nodded and said, “Nice job kid!” as she took something out of her pocket.
“Dang it.” He muttered to himself. He finally got a decent look at what she pulled out of her pocket. It was a small book with a constellation on it. She handed him the book.
“This book is about how to read the sky. I think that you should have it. After all, it would be more useful to you than me. I already am the most powerful witch in the universe.” She said with a laugh. He took the small booklet and stuffed it in his pocket. “Thanks,” he said.
“Ey kid, ya look down. Something wrong?” Said Erin. “Nothings wrong, or not really. I just don't know.” Said Blake.
“Well if anything is ever messing with your head just let me know” She said with an exhale.
“Thanks Erin.”
“No problem dude. Aight I'm going to bed. See ya tomorrow morning.”
“Night.” He said as she went back down the tower.

Credit for the original story goes to u/spacepaladin15. This is the final chapter of NoP 2177, although I personally consider it more of an epilogue. Either way, I hope you enjoy!
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Memory transcript subject: Tressa, Venlil outlaw
Date [Standardized Human Time]: January 5th, 2178
Location: USS Washington, dark side of Venlil Prime
A bloodcurdling shriek echoed through the hall, followed by the sound of claws scrabbling against the metal floor. A frantic chase ensued, a blur of fur and scales flying down the corridor at breakneck pace. But it was over before it began. A connecting door slid shut with a quiet hiss which silenced all hope of escape, leaving the terrified predator at the mercy of an increasingly impatient prey.
“Hy, we’ve been over this. You need to take baths, or your scales will get all yucky and stop growing. You don’t want that, do you?”
Hyacii was still frantically searching over the door for some way to open it. Her lovely gray coat, matted in oil from some ill-advised exploration through the ship, left streaks of iridescent sludge across the polished floor which would need to be cleaned up. But that could wait.
“Hy…”
Finding no escape from her grim fate, the young Arxur finally turned around to face her captor. “N-no! I don’t wanna!”
“Hyacii, I’m giving you ‘till the count of five. If you don’t come with me when I hit zero, I’ll go get Sasha and she’ll bathe you instead. Fiiiiiive…”
“NO!”
“Fourrrrrrr…”
“I’ll tell Mama! I’ll tell her you’re being mean to me!”
“We’ve talked about this with her, remember? Little Arxur need to keep their scales clean to grow up big and strong. You want to grow up all big and strong like she is, right?”
“She wouldn’t say that! I want to see! I want to see what she said!”
“Sweetie… you’re just stalling. You can’t read big Venlang words yet like she uses.”
She cast her head to the side in a pout. “Yes. I. could! I’ve been practicing with Trish, this much!” To emphasize her point, she stretched her little arms out as far as they’d go.
“Threeeeeee…”
Hyacii swept her tail across the floor in frustration, further smearing oil everywhere.
“Twoooooo…”
With time running out, she employed her final weapon, an expression which Sasha referred to as ‘Puppy dog eyes’. While normally adorable, it now only served to highlight the dark smears across her face.
“One and a half…”
Her full arsenal depleted, Hyacii finally capitulated and stormed over to Tressa’s side with exaggerated stomps. She allowed herself to be picked up, trying and failing to suppress an adorable noise of comfort as Tressa rubbed the scales around her shoulders. He’d need to shower later anyway, so the sludge staining his ragged fur was hardly a concern.
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The little Arxur squirmed playfully in his arms, kicking up splashes which cut through the layer of bubbles to soak his bedraggled wool as he tried to dislodge more of the thick oil.
“Are you enjoying your bath, sweetie?”
“Yes!”
“I thought you hated baths.” He took a moment to stop scrubbing, and stretched his arms out wide. “This much, right? Isn't that what you said?”
“N— Yes! I do, they take so long, and they’re so… I hate them!”
“That so? What are you doing enjoying one, then?”
Hyacii had no response, which he took as his cue to get back to washing. He carefully cleansed the iridescent sludge, revealing a dense pattern of gray scales which shimmered like a rippling pond. She giggled as he washed around her snout, swishing her tail in a motion which was normally adorable but now only served to push more water out of the bathtub and onto the floor.
“Oh, I forgot to tell you earlier…” He started, pointedly ignoring the irritating feeling of water soaking into his fur and pooling at his ankles, “...but James’ll be out for the next couple paws. He took Beast with him, so no checking on the garden for a little while, OK?”
She grumbled for a moment, before a curious look flickered past her eyes. “Why does he and Sassa keep leaving?”
“Why do he and Sasha keep leaving, not ‘does’. Anyway… you know how we can’t eat the same food you eat?”
“Right! That’s why you’re build— uh, growing the garden!”
“Yeah, but the garden isn’t all grown yet. Until then, we still need to get food from the city. Once our garden grows, we can stay here all the time for you. Remember how we talked about patience?”
“But I don’t wanna be patient! I want him to be back now!”
“So do I, but everybody needs to wait for things. If you keep busy, he’ll be back before you know it!”
Hyacii pouted. “You’re just trying to trick me into practicing more words, aren’t you?”
“I might be. But you want to talk to your mom all on your own, right? If you keep learning with Trish, you can tell her all about the horrible baths we make you take. Speaking of… here, ready?”
After getting a human-like nod of affirmation, Tressa lifted her from the tub and onto a towel. They weren’t sure if the heat of an air dryer would harm her scales, so getting her dry was almost as laborious as getting her clean. It was worth it, though; she enjoyed the feeling of being towel-dried almost as much as she enjoyed tearing around the halls at Mach two. A muffled peal of delight issued from the heap of towel that used to be an Arxur, as he set to work wiping the water from her scales.
—
The USS Washington was once a proud human starship, one of several hundred which had so briefly encircled Venlil Prime to act as defense. Sasha talked about that brief period sometimes, usually when she was drunk; though it lasted only months, enough history was made in that span that it felt like a full decade.
Long, beautiful months for some; the ones who talked reverently about Tarva as though she was still Governor, who made dumb jokes about the Venlil’s behavior on first contact when they still regarded humanity as violent and strange creatures. Sasha, naturally, was one of these people. She’d go on and on about what a magical time it was when they realized the universe was far bigger than they ever knew, and how incredible it was to make friends among aliens. Her closed-lipped smile, a habitual remnant of a time when most Venlil froze in terror at a human’s teeth, spoke of how much humanity was willing to give up for the chance at intergalactic acceptance.
Miserable, chaotic months for others; those who talked about it as a time of strife and mistrust, when Venlil lived in fear of predation and humans suffered the agony of constant rejection and hate. Only following the first bombing of Earth did things begin to change in earnest, and even then it was hardly a clean transition. Refugee shelters and human-friendly businesses went up in flames in a grim foreshadowing of the fate that would befall Venlil Prime as a whole, the planet condemned to burn for sheltering uncured and unpacified humans. Of course, the fact that they were sheltered instead of willingly led to slaughter painted a somewhat softer view of the time period than many would admit.
Both narratives ended the same way. There was no debate over the justice of the Federation’s rule for the generation that remembered a time before; those city-scorching flames still burned fresh in everyone’s mind. Nor was there any debate over the trustworthiness of humanity, not among the Venlil who remembered the invasion.
When an exterminator fleet descended upon Venlil Prime, the UN pulled back the resources it desperately needed elsewhere to defend the planet. Earth itself was left all but unguarded in the effort to save a species that humanity had been allied with for less than a year, a task they set to with a desperate fury that hinged on madness. Hundreds of ships flung themselves at the enemy in suicidal charges once vital systems were crippled, targeting bombers and ensuring that the Venlil could not simply be annihilated from orbit.
​
The USS Washington was not one of those brave kamikaze vessels. It was one of the ships in orbit as a passive defense, knocked out of the fight with relatively minimal damage and able to make a hasty emergency landing on the dark side of Venlil Prime.
In the time Tressa had spent getting systems up and running, he’d never come across a single skeleton; the ship had been thoroughly picked clean by shadestalkers, or perhaps the crew had managed to evacuate without casualties. Or at least had the time and people needed to move the dead off the ship and hold proper burials. Whatever the reason, it made the difficult work of repairing the ship much less gruesome.
They’d fried any records for obvious security reasons, but left the backup power operational. They’d left a number of vital systems operational; if they had evacuated, they’d done so in a rush. Or perhaps they expected victory, and didn’t anticipate the need to scuttle the ship. Either way, Tressa’s job was a hell of a lot easier for it.
Restoring water had been a far simpler job than he anticipated. He’d been dreading the prospect of digging a well, but equipment scavenged from the ship itself had made that process far easier, and the onboard supply alone was enough to last months. With this abundance, they could even afford such extravagant luxuries as baths. Hyacii really didn’t know how good she had it.
—
Once he’d gotten the little Arxur all cleaned up and given her a stern talk about not crawling around the ship’s filthier corners, she was free to ignore his advice and go straight back to sprinting around the labyrinthian behemoth they called home.
He often wondered, watching her stalk around the ship, if this exploration of territory and practice sneaking through shadows was as vital to her development as physical contact was for Venlil children. Sometimes he wondered if so much affection was even natural for her species, or if they were smothering her every time they pulled her in for a hug.
She did enjoy it, but… not everything enjoyable was good for her. When she was younger and had no concept of restraint, they’d have to physically hold her back from gorging herself on berries which would make her violently ill, which she’d keep eating anyway because she loved the taste too much. Maybe it was the same thing with their parental love. Maybe they’d have to teach her how to be more independent for her own good, however difficult that change would be for all of them.
Ultimately, the idea was speculation. Depriving her of warmth would be cruel unless they were absolutely certain it would aid in her development. And the fact was, they had no idea. Despite their best search efforts, records concerning Arxur child rearing were nonexistent.
The Dominion actively suppressed any behavior seen as ‘weak’, so growing up under their reign was a harsh and loveless process; at least, that was what they’d been told by an Arxur who lived through the process, and they had no reason to doubt her. There wasn’t a way they could verify the fact, though. The Federation didn’t want anyone thinking of predators as people, so any records that might’ve existed were long since turned to ash.
As cruel as the Dominion could be, they had an interest in keeping their subjects healthy enough to fight. Without those records, and with only someone else’s faint memories to go by, they were largely on their own in regards to physical development.
Was their little Hyacii eating right? They’d been feeding her using an organ printer they’d managed to repair, but perhaps there were nutrients in bones and skin that she wasn’t getting. Her scales were getting slowly lighter; maybe malnutrition, or maybe that was a natural part of her development. Was she sleeping right? Lately, she’d been complaining about grogginess, though it didn’t seem to stop her from tearing around the halls.
And psychologically? There, they were completely in the dark. All species had different needs, especially at a young age. Venlil cubs needed a level of attention that most humans would find smothering. Human children required forms of play that reflected long-obsolete hunting instincts, games which involved chasing and manipulating projectiles. What types of play did a growing Arxur need? They played hide-and-seek with her (as best they could, though it was rapidly approaching the point where she could neither be caught nor hidden from), but that was hardly a replacement for hunting. Was she languishing without prey to chase?
A hundred different worries, a thousand different questions, and not a single easy, reassuring answer. On that fateful night, Tressa had assumed that living alongside a “true predator” would be the hardest part. In fact, that had come easy; how could anyone feel threatened by such a sweet little star?
No, the most difficult part was coming to terms with the fact that they would make mistakes. In their lack of knowledge, trial and error was the only way to gain ground. And “error” meant hurting Hyacii. No matter how much they loved her, they couldn’t help but hurt her. It was a difficult truth to swallow.
But it was a truth they had to accept. Ultimately, all they could do was try. Try, and love her, and hope that was enough to cover for their failures. Hope that one day, someone else would be insane enough to learn from their mistakes. Hope that their little Hyacii wouldn’t be both the first and last Arxur of her generation. Hope that one day, they wouldn’t have to hide. She wouldn’t have to hide.
​
In the cold shadow of Venlil Prime, it wasn’t enough to have power and heat. Plenty had fled to the frigid wasteland in search of respite, only to die cold and alone despite their physical needs being met. They’d simply lay in bed with no will to survive, waiting as their body gave up on life. It was once believed that the dark side was haunted by vengeful spirits, though modern science put the blame on Herdless Depressive Disorder combined with the harsh physical toll of living in such an inhospitable environment.
Someone with a herd could stave off death’s embrace for quite a while longer, up to months. Many on the twilight edge lived this way, dipping in and out of the darkness as their job demanded. However, they knew not to stay for too long; even with the warmth of companionship, the dark side of Venlil prime claimed all eventually. Life was impossible without light.
​
How fortunate then, that the USS Washington was flooded with light. A light like a ghostly lantern, darting through the hallways and crawling through obscure corners of the ship to come back covered in sludge. A light like a burning star, which filled their hearts with warmth every time it closed in for an embrace. The light of hope; what a strange twist of fate that it would take the form of an Arxur.
---
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Hello, the amount of electricity that can be generated from one kilogram of uranium-235 depends on various factors such as the efficiency of the nuclear reactor and the type of reactor used.
However, as a rough estimate, according to the Nuclear Energy Institute, one kilogram of uranium-235 can generate approximately 20 terajoules of energy, which is equivalent to the energy produced by burning 1500 tons of coal or 200,000 gallons of oil. In terms of electricity, this would be enough to power a typical US household for approximately 10 years. Hope this answer from AGG helps.

• Tactical X Abs

Will wearing it and leaving it running burn fat and make me lose weight like promised or is it electronic snake oil?
What will really happen? What if I leave it running all night while I sleep?
Have you tried this yourself? How do you know it's a scam if it is?

Couldn't hold myself back any longer. Vincent Broadhead acts as a kind of Parliamentary adjutant in the Brian Donlevy Hammer film, Enemy from Space. Donlevy's Professor Bernard Quatermass discovers that aliens are taking over in a small English locale, but intend to infest the entire world. He gets Broadhead to take him along on a government tour of an industrial plant Quatermass that suspects is being run by the aliens.
During the tour, Broadhead separates from the group and Quatermass goes looking for him. Eerie shots ensue of Quatermass searching the vast plant (filmed at a Shell Oil refinery) but fails locate Broadhead - until he hears an unearthly scream from one of the containment buildings and to his horror sees a slimy, blackened and steaming Broadhead stumbling down an access ladder.
"Don't touch me!" Broadhead yells as his hands leave a tarry, glutinous trail down the building's white paint. In mortal pain he explains to Quatermass that he was inspecting the "synthetic food" assembly line and fell into it. Its chief component is a gnawing acid compound of ammonia (which we later find is the prime element of the alien's native atmosphere). Quatermass gets a bit of the mess on his coat and later on cuts away the patch and submits the sample as evidence.
Broadhead dies and Quatermass makes his escape.
I watched this film on a local TV station after school when I was maybe 10 years old. The "burning Broadhead" scene terrified me and haunts me to this day - I still get a little squeamish whenever I re-watch it.
Its savagery is only matched later in the film when the aliens take a group of humans and use their bodies to block alien-toxic emissions from a pipe that feeds the pressure domes in which millions of aliens are living in a seething mass. Screams are heard, and soon blood is seen dripping from an overhead pipe. Quatermass mutters, "Gentlemen...that pipe has been blocked with a human pulp!"
That scene, too, has haunted me all these years as an example of extreme alien horror. May Quatermass and Hammer Films live in the hearts of all true aficionados of horror.

I did something very stupid and accidentally burnt a 1LDK Leopalace carpet with hot oil all over the room. It’s pretty bad. The tenancy agreement says 36,000yen charge for carpet burns but the burn I caused is not minor. How much will I be charged? Will it still be the amount on the agreement regardless of degree of damage or will they change and I have to pay for the total carpet replacement? If so, what’s a rough estimate of what I might have to pay? I’m so stressed out, any help/advice would be appreciated, thanks!