#and it's like they have the fan or ac set to on instead of auto so it's just been blowong frigid air on me since 9 am

[toasteaa]

I'm once again freezing in my office!!! The skies are overcast and grey and it's such a sleepy day...

#toast talks #I think it wouldn't be that bad if it weren't so COLD #I get so sleepy when I get too cold and my hands freeze and make it hard to type on my phone or a keyboard #and my nose gets super cold too! #I made tea earlier but its so cold in here that it didnt wven stay warm for longer than 30 minutes #and it's like they have the fan or ac set to on instead of auto so it's just been blowong frigid air on me since 9 am #I'm already wrapped up in a blanket and now I'm about to bust out my hearting pad cause jfc #AND IT'S SUPER SLOW TODAY SO I'M EXTRA BORED AND SLEEPY 😫

[v-mundi]

NEW SET AND NEW TEMPLATE WOOOOO!

First, check the New set (Aux D) post if you havent.

Then, check the artfix page so you can see each type in the new card frame.

This template is crazy, people. Let me lay this down.

It’s huge. 2.5″ x 3.5″ but at 600 DPI for the art, 1200DPI for the UI elements. These images above? click them to see how huge they are. No more tiny garbage.

This is MADE for print! Not just big but my source files have bleed available up to 2.71″x3.71″ and all colors are tested thoroughly in CMYK before export. All the text is further inside an invisible margin called the safe area, meaning the text won’t be cut off by a horrifically bad cut at an offset printer.

IT IS FULLY AUTOMATED LUXURY CARD CREATION. I have a spreadsheet that is more or less drop-down menus and auto-population to assemble all the card pieces. Then I data merge that to InDesign.

The art is now great stuff. Our artfixes we’ve been posting to the tumblr? Yeah now that can actually be seen fully as the template is full art with no UI elements totally hiding the art.

Completely scalable based on the content. What this means is the longer a support effect, the more lines and EVERY element that would get in the way pushes itself upward to compensate. The evo-box at the top scales itself down with each line. No more cramming paragraphs of text into 2-3 lines!

Abnormal power is now displayed under the relevant stat! No more checking some awkward text-block in the corner that gets cut off if you print and squishes the effect text.

Supports and attack abilities now have Speed like in the original Playstation game. These were ommitted on launch partly because I didn’t know, and because when I learned about it, I already had a pretty good system of alternating support resolutions and keeping attack abilities in the Battle Phase. Now things are different and the game is a bit more dynamic. The increase of timing collisions gives players more choices of what to resolve first!

The card name font (except Masteries) is the actual font from the old Bandai 1990s english cards. Not the first release with the light-blue backs, the one with the dark blue cyber backs. The first release is just Serpentine. The Nulshock I was using on my old template was me trying to approximate this font which I finally found.

Icons now exist for every card category instead of only Digimon! Evolution, Data, Option, even Mastery cards have an upper-left icon so you can easily tell what this blasted thing is.

Important card elements moved to the left side. Now the game is much more compatible with these things we humans have called hands. You can print the cards, fan them left-to-right as most people do, and see your Level/Category, DP requirement, +P value, type color, stats, and whether you have a Support in your hand. Instead of like...half of those where the old template was right-aligned. Subtypes are also more intuitive since I just put the icon right next to the primary icon instead of a separate bar.

Evo-bonus, Firewall, ACE, Proxy all made to look like computer board modules that slot into pin holes with visible pinouts! This was just an extra touch we wanted to add so they would feel more like opening up your old v-pet and installing a crazy custom module.

TLDR; version:

Huge cards

Print colors and bleed

Automated card creation

Full art template layout

Template auto-moves/scales to content

Abnormals near their stats

Speed added to effects

Nostalgic name font

Icons for every card category

Left-aligned for in-hand fanning

Small thematic touches to elements

#Digimon card game #digimon game #digimon card #digimon #digital monsters #digica #digimon tcg #Card Design #Card game #card game design #digimon battle evolution

[jcmarchi]

Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy Review - Doing Ace Attorney Justice - Game Informer

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/apollo-justice-ace-attorney-trilogy-review-doing-ace-attorney-justice-game-informer/

Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy Review - Doing Ace Attorney Justice - Game Informer

Outsiders of the Ace Attorney series might not be familiar with the name Apollo Justice, but fans know the character is a big deal. He’s second only to Phoenix Wright in terms of playable appearances, and his new collection, the Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy, gathers all of those outings in one convenient package. While there’s not much new content in this package, quality-of-life improvements and a visual overhaul do a lot to modernize Apollo’s courtroom saga, making it a worthwhile journey for fans new and old.

The package includes three games: Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies, and Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice. While Apollo’s name is only in one of these three titles, he’s a crucial character in all three games, so the name is a fitting one. The package also includes DLC trials and outfits from the 3DS games, so if you want to rock Phoenix’s classic suit in Dual Destinies or dress Athena as a maid in Spirit of Justice, you’re free to do so. The DLC trials vary in quality (the second is great, the first is not), but they’re meaty pieces of content that I’m glad made it into the final collection.

Apollo Justice prepares for his first trial in Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney

Besides the obvious convenience of being available on modern platforms, there are two main reasons to play the Apollo Justice Ace Attorney Trilogy instead of the original games. The first is the improved graphics; the Trilogy looks excellent. I’ll miss the pixel art of the DS days, but I quickly got used to the updated art style in Apollo Justice’s first outing. The animations translate exceptionally well – the series hasn’t lost an ounce of charm. The real improvement, however, comes in the latter two games in the Trilogy, which were originally released on the 3DS. While the first game is a good translation of the old art style into a new form, the 3D games look much better, and I often had to remind myself they weren’t released on the Switch from the get-go. It’s also great to view their anime cutscenes on a full-sized TV.

The other reason to play the Trilogy over old versions is its wonderful suite of quality-of-life improvements. I especially love Auto Advance, which moves the dialogue forward without forcing me to mash buttons, and the History button, which allows you to scroll back through dialogue you might’ve accidentally skipped. This game also includes a story setting, which automatically advances the game through trials and investigations if you don’t feel like solving any puzzles. While they’re mostly returning features from other modern Ace Attorney collections, the quality of life improvements return for a reason – they make these games significantly smoother to play, and I am extremely grateful to have them here.

Athena Cykes in Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies

Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy also includes a Museum section that allows players to look at concept art, listen to music, rewatch cutscenes, and look at character animations from each game in the Trilogy. It’s a nice touch, and I had some fun glancing at some of the art and animations, but it’s more of a novelty than anything else. 

Outside of quality-of-life improvements, the games are unchanged and still worth your time. Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney is a relatively faithful continuation of the original Trilogy that stars Apollo Justice, a plucky new protagonist. With 2D art and game direction by series creator Shu Takumi, it’s essentially an epilogue to the original Phoenix Wright games, giving players a glimpse into its world seven years after Ace Attorney 3. Today, its trials hold up as an exciting exploration of the failings of the court system and why it’s important to let a new generation take the reins.

Where Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney honors the older games, Dual Destinies seeks to forge a separate path with a new game director, three protagonists, and a new 3D art style. It’s the weakest game of the series, especially at the start, but the last few trials tie everything together with a genuinely satisfying conclusion. Its ambitions don’t always pay off, but now that a decade has passed, I can appreciate those ambitions more, especially how they paved the road for the next game.

Phoenix Wright in Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice

Spirit of Justice is the final game in the Trilogy and my favorite. It primarily occurs in the fictional country of Kura’in, where defense attorneys are sentenced to the same fates as those they defend. To complicate things even further, the royal family can conduct séances to play back the memories of the dead as evidence. The new location and heightened stakes do a lot to make this entry feel distinct from the others. In fact, Spirit of Justice is the first game in the Trilogy that doesn’t feel like it’s struggling to match the tone of the older games, fully setting itself apart by putting its trials in a new context. It’s not just the best in this collection; it’s one of my favorites in the entire series.

Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy succeeds with everything it sets out to do, bringing three great games to modern consoles in their most approachable forms to date. I was fully immersed in its classic courtroom battles in the 80 or so hours it took me to get through all three titles. Even though not every trial is a winner, the majority are, and with a new suite of quality-of-life improvements, it’s never been easier or more enjoyable to experience Apollo Justice’s journey.

#2024 #3d #3d art #animations #Art #buttons #Collections #content #deal #defense #Developer #direction #Features #form #Forms #Full #game #games #Giving #History #how #it #justice #life #museum #Music #One #Other #PC #Pieces

[myspcae]

What if your air conditioner is blowing warm air?

When the air coming out of your air vents feels warm or lukewarm instead of the refreshing coolness it should have, it indicates a problem. While it may be necessary to seek assistance from an HVAC technician, the good news is that you can often troubleshoot and potentially resolve this issue yourself. 

Verify the thermostat settings:

Even if you believe your thermostat is set correctly, it's important to double-check, especially if you share a home with others who may have made adjustments. It's possible that only the fan of your air conditioning system is running, circulating warm air throughout your home. Ensure your thermostat is set to "cool" or "auto" to enable the AC to cool and dehumidify the indoor air while the fan circulates it.

Ensure the outdoor unit has power:

Your air conditioner requires a significant amount of power to operate effectively. In the event of a momentary power surge, the outdoor unit may trip the circuit breaker, resulting in warm air blowing from your AC. Inspect your circuit breaker panel to see if a switch has been tripped. Additionally, if your AC unit has recently undergone maintenance or repairs, check if the outdoor unit was accidentally left without power. Verify that the equipment is receiving power by checking the box on the wall next to your unit.

Ensure there are no obstructions around the outdoor unit:

The outdoor unit, known as the condenser, dissipates heat and requires proper ventilation. It's crucial to provide sufficient space for ventilation around the unit. Avoid installing the unit under a deck or crawlspace as it restricts airflow. Make sure there is at least 1 foot of space around the condenser and a minimum of 5 feet of vertical clearance. Remove any weeds and trim back shrubs or hedges that may be encroaching upon the equipment.

Inspect the air filter:

Most manufacturers recommend changing disposable air filters every 90 days, but this duration can vary depending on usage. If you run your air conditioner consistently or have pets, the filter may become dirty sooner. A dirty air filter can obstruct airflow, leading to several issues:

The air conditioner has to work harder to release cool air.

Insufficient warm air passes over the indoor coil (evaporator coil) where the refrigerant is located.

Consequently, certain components of your AC system may overheat, and the moisture on the evaporator coil can freeze. Once the coil is frozen, it loses its ability to effectively cool the indoor air. Moreover, a frozen evaporator coil puts the compressor at risk of overheating and malfunctioning.

WHAT IF NONE OF THESE STEPS RESOLVE THE ISSUE?

If the aforementioned troubleshooting steps do not resolve your air conditioning problem, it is advisable to seek assistance from an HVAC professional. At this stage, the cooling problem is likely caused by one of the following three issues:

Refrigerant leak: There may be a leakage in the refrigerant system, requiring professional repair and recharge.

Condenser fan failure: The fan in the condenser unit may be malfunctioning or not functioning at all. This requires professional attention to repair or replace the fan.

Compressor replacement: The system may require a new compressor, which is a critical component of the air conditioning system. This task should be handled by a qualified HVAC technician.

At Rescue Air and Plumbing, our skilled and experienced HVAC technicians specialize in identifying the root cause of heating and cooling issues for our customers. We are dedicated to providing quality solutions to restore your comfort.

#air conditioning contractor #ac repair #ac service

[onlinecoolers]

Is your AC Freezing Up

Is your AC Freezing Up? Here’s Why and How to Fix It

In the summertime, a broken air conditioner can be more than just an annoyance — it can make your home almost unbearable to live in. But what if your AC isn’t actually broken? It could be that it’s just freezing up! In this article, we’ll explore why this happens and what steps one can take to fix it.

What Causes My AC to Freeze Up?

Air conditioner freezing is a common problem you may face in summer. The blockage of airflow causes the air conditioner freezing issue. Your air conditioner might be freezing because of one of the following issues.

Air Filters –One of the most common reasons your AC unit may freeze is that the air filter is dirty. A dirty air filter restricts airflow and can cause the evaporator coils to freeze. If your AC unit is freezing up, check the air filter and replace it if necessary. If the problem persists, there are a few other potential causes to investigate.

Refrigerant Leak –A refrigerant leak is another common reason for an AC unit to freeze up. When refrigerant levels are low, it can cause the evaporator coils to freeze. Have a professional technician check for leaks and repair them as necessary.

Blower Motor –The third potential cause is a faulty blower motor. If the blower motor does not work appropriately, it will not circulate air properly and can cause the evaporator coils to freeze. Have a professional technician inspect and replace the blower motor if necessary.

Inaccurate Setting –The fourth potential cause of an AC unit freezing up is incorrect fan speed settings. If the fan speed is too low, it won’t circulate air properly and can cause the evaporator coils to freeze. Set the fan speed to “auto” rather than “low” or “high” to let the fan run at an optimal speed.

If your AC is freezing up, acting quickly is important. Allowing the unit to run while frozen can damage the compressor and other components. To thaw a frozen AC unit, turn off the power and remove the ice with a brush or vacuum cleaner attachment. Once the ice is removed, clean or replace the air filter and check for any blockages in the airflow.

When to Call the Expert

Now, you know the potential triggers behind the air conditioners’ freezing issues. If your Air conditioner is not working adequately, diagnose your AC by following the steps,

before looking for a technician,

Air filters — Check the air filters to see whether they are dirty. Clean or replace the air filters if you find them dirty, as dirty air filters can block the airflow, resulting in the freezing issue of air conditioners. Ensure to set up a routine for checking the air filters, as they play a key role in air conditioning your space.

Fan Setting — Tune the fan on auto instead of high or low, as the inaccurate fan setting can be another potential issue behind your air conditioner freezing.

If your air conditioner keeps freezing up after fixing the air filters and fan settings, it’s best to call an expert for help. The professional technicians will check the blower motor, refrigerant leakage, and other potential things to diagnose the problem and get your AC running smoothly again in no time!

How to Fix a Frozen Air Conditioner

If your air conditioner is freezing up, it’s likely because the evaporator coils are too cold. Various factors, including a dirty air filter, low refrigerant levels, or a faulty blower motor, can cause this.

Follow the enlisted steps to fix a frozen air conditioner:

Start by turning off the unit and letting it thaw for about an hour.

Check the air filters of your air conditioner and clean or replace them if found dirty.

Check the fan setting and tune it to auto mode to let the system optimize the airflow to avoid freezing.

Inspect the blower motor, which maintains the required airflow to cool the space. Replace the blower motor if it’s not working properly.

Check Refrigerant leakage and refrigerant level for refilling it to an appropriate level.

Helpful Tips for Preventing Freezing AC

We have enlisted expert tips to prevent air conditioners’ freezing issues.

Air filter inspection — Set a routine for air filter inspection. Clean or replace the dirty air filters after every defined period to avoid air blockage because of dirty air filters.

Evaporator Coils — Make sure the evaporator coils are clean. Dirty coils can also restrict airflow and cause the AC to freeze up.

Fan mode — Ensure your air conditioner fan is always in auto mode.

Refrigerant level — Set a routine to check the refrigerant level at least once a month to prevent ACs’ freezing because of the lower refrigerant level.

Ventilation — Keep the area around the outdoor unit clear of debris. It will ensure proper airflow and help prevent the AC from freezing up.

Final Words

This blog post has thoroughly discussed the potential reasons triggering air conditioner freezing issues with the possible solutions and tips for prevention. You can follow the tips mentioned above or get help from a professional technician to fix your AC freezing issue.

However, going into a sweltering UAE summer with a repaired AC that can break mid-summer will not be a good move. We suggest you browse Coolersonline to get your new Air conditioner with professional installation and after-sale services at incredible prices — and chill the rest of your summer without meeting any critical issues with your AC.

Source:- https://coolersonline.ae/is-your-ac-freezing-up/

#Air conditioner

[lustbile-archive]

[3:32pm]

smut

"Jaehyun... I think I'm going to melt."

You felt his body shake against your side with his soft laughter, "you're not going to melt."

"You don't know that," you lift your head, to the best of your abilities from where you lie on your back, to glare at your boyfriend as he plays on his phone, "I'm going to melt into a little puddle, and when I do, you will be the one mopping me up. That will be your punishment for being mean to me." You add to your dramatics by throwing your head back to continue to glare at the ceiling, only to hear the boy at your side scoff.

"Me telling you that you're not going to melt isn't me being mean to you," you don’t need to look at him to know he was rolling his eyes as he softly bumped you with his hip.

You decide the best response to him not entertaining your childishness is to ignore his statement. So you sit brooding in your silence, giving him what you would consider a great cold shoulder, when your boredom begins to itch at you again. You let out a small whine when you can’t help but complain again.

"This mattress is not comfy," you pout, emphasizing your discomfort by squirming around and "accidently" digging your knee into his ribcage.

His eyes never leave his phone when he answers your whining, "it's not comfy because both you and the mattress are nakey," he reaches down to pinch the soft, ticklish skin at the bend of your knee.

You kick your leg out straight to shake off his hand, “I'm not nakey," your grumble, "and for the love of god don't say nakey weirdo."

You mirror his eye roll when he mumbles out a quiet 'whatever,' never bothering to look away from his phone.

You knew you were being childish and bratty, but you couldn't help it. Everything you said was true. You were uncomfortable and sweaty, but worst of all, you were bored, and when you got bored you could usually entertain yourself by pushing your boyfriend's buttons. Unfortunately, the heat that ran through the room had made Jaehyun lethargic, and he wasn't entertaining your antics in the way you would have hoped. Your only option at this point, was to keep trying.

"It's so hot in here." you whine mashing your face into his hip, your hand reaching up to squeeze his upper thigh.

"I turned the fan on and opened the windows baby, that's the best I can do. The guy won't be here to fix the AC until tomorrow."

Again, Jaehyun was annoyingly right. As happy as you were to have been able to get a small and cozy house with your boyfriend, it might not have been in your best interest to move in in the middle of the summer. The little home was old, and the challenges it came with only attracted your need to build a home with the boy you loved. You could have gone without the broken AC though.

The lack of a good source of air meant that you and Jaehyun had stopped unpacking halfway through. Instead of decorating your shared bedroom like you promised, you two simply chucked your mattress in the middle of the floor without even thinking to dress it with its new sheet set. And after Jaehyun turned on the room fan to its highest setting, you two stripped to your underwear and star-fished your bodies on top. This was now you ended up in your current position. Your face pressed into the side of his hip, your leg bent and propped up across his chest, and his hand wrapped around your thigh whenever you stopped whining about being too gross and sweaty for physical touch.

"Jae, I'm bored," you're not whining anymore when you speak, you’ve even exhausted yourself with your brattiness. Now it simply felt like the heat had caught up with your brain and it was actually melting.

"Play on your phone or something," the robotic tone showing that his brain was working on auto-pilot at this point, knowing too well how you got with your boredom.

"It's dead and I'm too tired to go get my charger," your pathetic pleas and the way you had begun to pick at the elastic of his briefs finally getting his attention.

Jaehyun drops his phone on the hardwood next to the mattress, turning his attention to your pouting face, "my baby is bored?" There was no teasing look on his face when you made eye contact, his cheek squished against your leg, "do you want me to play with you?"

You can't help the soft snort that leaves you at his words

"Play with me?"

"Yeah play," he shrugs, his fingers beginning to slowly run up your thigh as he presses his mouth tightly against your warm skin.

"I'm not a puppy Jae," his soft and ticklish touch makes you start to squirm, your movement making his warm mouth move and leave your skin even damper.

He latches his teeth into your skin, bruising you, before running the flat of his tongue over the sensitive spot, "you whine like one."

Your protest is cut off when he starts gently running his knuckles against the crotch of your panties, the feeling of his mouth on you distracted you from noticing that his hand had traveled up. The small amount of stimulation only helps to prove his point when you quietly whimper.

"There you go," he applies more pressure, making your hips gently thrust into his touch and your thighs softly clamp around his arm, "let me play with you puppy."

"Ew. Don't call me puppy,” you don't sound as threatening as you would have hoped as your breath comes out in an airy giggle.

"Shut up," he laughs with you, pushing your underwear to the side, "you've been annoying me all day, I can call you whatever I want."

He runs his fingers against you, humming when he feels the effect he had on you in such a short amount of time, his mouth going back to licking at your skin while his unoccupied hand squeezes at your thigh. He slowly presses his middle and ring fingers into you when he hears you start to grumble and whine in response.

"What are you going to do about it you little brat?" he stopped paying you mind, too busy brushing his thumb over your clit and kneading your skin, his eyes locked on to where you sucked his long fingers in.

Even with your thoughts clouded you've never been one to back down from a challenge, especially when it came to the boy next to you, "fine, if you want me to do something," you mumble under your breath.

You grab at the elastic strap of his briefs you had been playing with, quickly pulling down, releasing him from where he was straining against the tight fabric. He hisses when the soft air from the fan hits the dampened head, his fingers picking up their pace.

"If you want me to be a brat, I can be a brat," even with the slightly awkward angle, you still manage to wrap your hand tightly around him, running your hand up and down a few times before pressing the flat of your thumb into where he was spilling arousal.

"You're not going to win this game sweetheart," he presses his fingers deep, curling and uncurling the digits to rub against the sensitive spot inside you, his thumb rubbing tight circles around your clit, his blunt nails digging into your skin, when he all but growls.

"I'm not trying to win anything, I'm trying to make you come," you twist your torso to take him into your mouth. The tight grip he has on your thigh with his other hand stops you from going as far as you want, so you settle for running your tongue over the tip and letting your drool fall down to help where your hand massages what you can't reach. In an attempt to add to his puppy comment, you look up at his twisted expression with the sweetest look you could muster with your drool running down your chin. He lets out a grunt when you lock eyes.

"Fuck," he sucks air through his teeth, his fingers picking up speed, your hips rolling into his hand in response, "your going to come before me."

You only prove him right when your orgasm starts running over you, your eyes still locked onto his as you whine around him. He pulls his thumb away and digs the heel of his hand into you instead, the roll of your hips prolonging the feeling. Your eyes roll back as you clench around him, and your fingers tighten around him.

When your orgasm starts to calm, Jaehyun pulls his fingers from you, only to join his index and pinky and start to quickly rub you back and forth.

He continues to swear when you softly squeal around him. His hips canting up as he comes into your mouth. He groans, tilting his head back and the speed of his fingers and the sounds he makes cause a second orgasm to run through you. Your thighs squeeze around his wrist and tears start rolling down your face from the overwhelming feeling.

Jaehyun gently massages you as you come down before slowly pulling his hand away and wiping it against the mattress as you swallow. He grins lovingly at you when you bury your face into the soft part of his stomach panting.

"You still bored?" he teases after you two catch your breath, his blunt nails scratching at your scalp, his other hand grabbing yours. He tangles your fingers together and brings it to his chest, you can feel his quickened heartbeat thump against your hands.

Your quiet hum in place of a real response makes him laugh, and the shake of his stomach makes your head bounce against his skin.

"And guess what," he pulls his hand from your hair to swat at your upper thigh, as he moves to grab his phone again, making you pout at the sting and the loss of attention. He presses his lips to your knuckles when he teasingly grins at you, "you can get your phone charger when you get up to pee."

#jaehyun #nct #nct 127 #nct smut #jaehyun smut #nct timestamps #nct drabbles #nct imagines #nct writings #jaehyun timestamps #jaehyun drabbles #jaehyun imagines #nct jaehyun #nct u #nct 127 smut

[ilikedetectives]

I read you post about Kassandra the impossible woman and I loved it you explained things very well. I really hate that a game franchise that I used to love has turned into just a series of reskins of previous titles and wasted potential, they only change the setting but they recicle animations, motifs and mechanics plus they're kind of late to the viking party after God of War and Hellblade

Thank you for reading :) 

The issue with AC as a franchise after Ezio is that Ubi turns it into a cash cow. They should give their devs more time, but they don’t. I mean, why would they? Their loyal fans gladly hand their money over for a mediocre game anyway. 

We are at the 12th AAA game now (Skyrim knockoff/TW3 wannabe is included) and the story goes no where. The graphics and gameplay are not even at the industry’s standards anymore (look at all the games released and will be released this year like Ghost of Tsushima and CP2077). The way they make these AC games is first choose the historical period that is easy for them to reskin; once that’s decided, the story is then written to justify these changes. A lot of studios that make good games (like Hellblade, GOW, TLOU, and HZD) do the opposite: they prioritize the narrative and everything else comes after (combat, settings, graphics, etc.). These studios understand the importance of these gameplay components to make the narrative work. What Ubi is doing instead is forcing a workflow that works better for online FPS games in their offline, single-player, narrative-driven games. And the result shows.

The irony about this upcoming Skyrim knockoff/TW3 wannabe is that their official combat demo doesn’t even show any assassination asdasd. What happened to bringing the cult, oops, I mean, the creed back (not that I give a flying fuck about the ‘good guys’ with the ‘everything is permitted’ mantra)? AC Odyssey makes sense with the lack of “ASSassin” because the game is set BEFORE the cult, omg sorry auto-correct is particularly bad today, brotherhood. But Vikings as assassins... (to be fair, I can’t be the judge in terms of culture because I don’t have any Scandinavian blood in me). I can only comment on the hypocrisy of their loyal fans who would suck up all the fictional fantasy that Vikings are stealthy assassins without any historical evidence, but the moment someone mentions “female Viking warriors”, they go apeshit and every single one of them suddenly has a Ph.D. in Scandinavian History and Culture.

I’m going to close this with this Youtube comment on the PC gameplay demo of this Skyrim knockoff/TW3 wannabe.

#a-rapscallion #ask #Ubisoft #shut up colin

[lamarmcarter]

A WNBA Wishlist for NBA 2K21 & Beyond

The current state of the world has created newfound time for many of us while we wait for sports to resume and, much more importantly, life to return to some semblance of normal.

To pass the time, and to follow the recent buzz created by the 2020 WNBA Draft, I have taken a deep dive into NBA 2K20’s WNBA integration and created a wishlist of features for the next iterations of the game. The first year of WNBA in 2K surpassed EA Sports’ two-year head start with NBA Live 18 and Live 19 on a number of fronts; that said, for 2K to bring the integration up to the standard W fans deserve and their industry-leading NBA simulation has created, I’ve logged these 20 things need to be added as soon as possible:

Fix the In-Game Commentary Audio One of the most glaring issues for 2K20 with the WNBA were the multiple instances of the in-game announcers misgendering player actions (using “he/him/his” instead of “she/her/hers”). I haven’t heard any actions in NBA modes using female wording so hearing it in the W games makes the mode feel a bit unprofessional. There are some times where these mentions could just be unclear pronunciations, but even that happening in a game where there is usually so much polish on the commentary is a problem. I’ve had fellow gamers on Twitter confirm that this has happened to them so it’s definitely not an isolated incident.

Choose more recognizable and more diverse announcers The all-male trio of announcers in the WNBA modes did an admirable job providing commentary in the games. While I generally enjoyed their commentary (sans point No.1) and it seemed to get better after launch, sometimes their insights into players were a bit formulaic (a descriptor, player name, another descriptor). Initially, hearing these anecdotes about the players was refreshing but noticing this recurring template was disheartening after a while. Also, in a game that has a wide mix of recognizable, veteran NBA announcers on the men’s side and sports the great Doris Burke among that mix, it was hard to understand how the WNBA mode only possessed an all-male crew unknown in WNBA circles.

A list of seasoned WNBA/women’s basketball announcers that should be approached for 2K21 and beyond include but are not limited to: LaChina Robinson, Kara Lawson, Rebecca Lobo, Adam Amin, Ryan Ruocco, Christy Winters-Scott, Carolyn Peck, Doris Burke, Holly Rowe (who could also serve in David Aldrige’s sideline role), Cheryl Miller, Debbie Antonelli, Pam Ward, Rosalyn Gold-Onwude, Maria Taylor, and Ann Meyers.

Add the pre-game/post-game shows If any of the veteran announcers could be added to 2K21, it would make perfect sense to create a pre-game/post-game panel package for the W. Any grouping of those announcers could easily create analysis for the teams and give the women the same treatment that Shaq, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson give the men.

Extend the season mode past one season Being able to play a full season in 2K20 was one of the game’s best features. However, knowing that you couldn’t go into multiple years like in NBA MyLeague was disappointing. Knowing this, I still grinded through a season with the Las Vegas Aces from launch until a few weeks ago (for the record: 27-7, Liz Cambage as MVP and Finals MVP, and a title!) only to be left with the empty feeling of not being able to have my curated team (with a few late season trades) run it back in future years. Maybe the full 80-year NBA MyLeague treatment can’t be done, but having the auto draft classes, progressions, and offseason items necessary for a 15-25 year run should be doable.

Allow for creation of female players, custom rosters and draft classes As more and more attention is given to women’s basketball in this social media age, devoted fans may want to create draft classes of future college stars like NBA fans already do. Adding the option to create female players - individually or en masse - is necessary to allow for longer engagement with the league in the game. Outside of visualizing future players, being able to save and load custom rosters is also needed. This year’s one-season MyLeague would have been more bearable if I didn’t have to manually alter any fantasy rosters I wanted to experiment with every time I started a season.

Add a MyCareer storyline/path for Female MyPlayers to make the league In past editions of 2K and past versions of the Madden NFL franchise, game creators have worked around the NCAA’s old name, image and likeness restrictions by getting basic licenses from colleges to use their logos with generic rosters in MyCareer-type modes. Madden NFL 20’s Face of the Franchise mode particularly stood out: your QB chose a college to go to, and then as a senior played against two schools in the College Football Playoff semis and final.

A similar setup could be created for a Female MyCareer story: get a team license for 4-8 of the top women’s college basketball teams and have the created player go through the latter stages of the NCAA tourney before getting drafted to the W. Someone could create a player, choose from the licensed schools to commit, play a handful of games versus the other licensed schools (and their auto-generated rosters) in big moments over four years, and end by going through top teams as a senior (either with or without graduated alums in the W; imagine having to face Sabrina Ionescu, Satou Sabally, Ruthy Hebard and Oregon or Tyasha Harris, Mikiah Herbert Harrigan, Dawn Staley and South Carolina for the title to set your draft stock). Simulate the draft with Commissioner Cathy Engelbert like it’s done with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, and roll right into your season with the same bells and whistles as a male MyPlayer.

Allow Female MyPlayer into the Neighborhood/Park areas I personally don’t play too much of the online Park games in 2K (another story for another day) but just like on basketball courts around the world, if female MyPlayers are available, they should be able to run with the guys. The Neighborhood could be broken up three ways: a portion for guys only runs, a section for girls only runs, and a co-ed section. Give the female MyPlayers the same access to all the perks of the Neighborhood (gear, the Gatorade training center, MyCourt, etc).

Allow for Playoff Only Mode The WNBA Playoffs are probably the most unique in all of the major sports leagues. Adding a Playoff only mode to the season mode would allow for more content to be created and simulations to be run, especially if All-Time and Classic teams are added.

Continue to improve on strong face scan data 2K’s face scans were great out the gate in both quality and quantity. Continuing to improve on that start to gain 100 percent accuracy has to be the goal. Scanning sessions will probably be difficult in the current age of coronavirus, but if fans can scan their faces in the game with an app, I’m sure something can be done with the W’s players remotely.

Scan in and/or properly gender each head coach We heard that some WNBA coaches - if not all - were scanned for 2K20 but none of them are in the game. If correcting this can’t be done in 2K21, at least put in generic stand ins of the correct gender and race. Example: Minnesota (Cheryl Reeve - white woman) and Las Vegas (Bill Laimbeer - white man) both have black male avatars as their head coaches in the game. All 12 coach avatars in the game are men and even though there are more male coaches than female ones in the league, the virtual stand-ins are still incorrect. If the game could get unique scans for cheerleaders and female characters in MyCareer, I’m sure some stand in men and women could be added if the WNBA coaches can’t be added like their NBA counterparts.

Align commentator and arena PA announcer pronunciations A subtle tweak: making sure the game announcers and the in-arena PAs are announcing players’ names correctly. I’ve heard some very off names on both sides

Halftime: show team stats screen for longer than four seconds When I’m in a game and want to look at the halftime stats to figure out how I’m doing, I’ve felt rushed because the team stats graphic that shows in-between halves comes down just as quickly as it goes up.

Allow for online Play Now The NBA and 2K found a way to entertain its fans during our quarantine with online competitions that were aired on TV. If the WNBA season is postponed or cancelled, the league cannot facilitate a similar tournament in 2K20 because the only way for two people to faceoff with W teams is in the offline Play Now mode. Bringing in an online option will expand opportunities for fans to learn about the WNBA players and teams.

The defending champion Washington Mystics recently decided to do streams of their games on 2K but only as CPU vs CPU simulations instead of remote player vs player. Not having the ability to play someone else online limited their options and engagement opportunities. 

WNBA Finals: actually put in a celebration sequence As I (proudly) mentioned, I won the title in my LVA season and after the final game, there was a quick CHAMPIONS graphic...and that’s it. No trophy celebrations, no locker room celebrations, nothing. In my semifinals win to get to the Finals, the NBA “conference trophy” cutscenes played postgame at least. Adding that touch would surely be appreciated by the W community.

Double check player cutouts Jordin Canada (SEA) won an award in my LVA season and her player image was Jewell Loyd. It’s the only error I’ve personally seen on the player cutouts but checking those are important.

All-Time Teams and Past Champions Adding Classic WNBA teams and/or legends via All-Time teams would be the ultimate way to honor the league’s history and give old and new fans that pick up 2K a virtual time capsule of the W. My suggestions would be to add:

Champions and Runners-Up from every year (1997-present)

All-Time Teams that go 10-12 deep (I took a crack at suggestions here): https://bit.ly/2xFW2HL. I’m sure some W writers with deeper knowledge than mine could fill in the blanks.

Add a 2K League connection/element Tying back into the online Play Now mode, incorporating the NBA 2K League with WNBA action would be amazing. Either have the 2KL teams do special tourneys using W teams; create events or a full league for the W that has to be at minimum 75% women (because, shoot, I’d want to play too!); or do WNBA player-specific events. Imagine how cool it would be to see Aerial Powers and Allisha Gray going at it as themselves in 2K instead of just picking NBA teams.

Put in some general trade logic Currently, any trades in the MyLeague mode are set to automatically go through, no matter how outrageous. Some basic trade logic (at minimum based on overalls, salary and position) would be nice to give things a realistic feel.

Fix the jerseys screen in season In WNBA Play Now, when you go to adjust jerseys, there’s a graphic with WNBA players in the background. In Season, that graphic is of NBA players.

Honor Gigi Bryant, Payton Chester, and Alyssa Altobelli, and Kobe Bryant Follow Commissioner Engelbert’s lead and find a way to honor Gigi and her Mamba Academy teammates. Maybe permission can be granted to create older versions of the girls to be placed into the game’s free agent pool.

At minimum, having some kind of graphic commemoration would be classy (maybe banners throughout the game or at Staples for Sparks games, since they were California natives). There’s also been the obvious rumblings of putting Kobe and Gigi on the cover. That would be amazing. If that can’t be done, a cover with Kobe and a WNBA player he was close to (Ionescu, Diana Taurasi, Loyd) would be fitting.

I do not want this list to diminish what 2K has excelled at with its first run with the WNBA. The gameplay is fun and true to form, the graphics are high quality, a very large amount of the face scans are on point, being able to play a full season is an excellent touch, and the features that are in the game are strong. However, 2K as a whole has a decades-long reputation for putting out a pace-setting game every year so wanting the WNBA’s section of it to be fully developed is something every true basketball fan can agree on.

I can’t wait to see which of these suggestions or others are implemented. What features would you want added for the WNBA?

#wnba #nba #nba2k #nba2k20 #women's basketball #video games #xbox #playstation #basketball

[nashvilletonihon]

How Can A Week Feel Like A Month???

It’s Monday morning here and it’s already hot outside. A stifling, oppressive, humid heat. The kind of heat that saps every last ounce of strength from your body and makes you physically exhausted. I stayed indoors yesterday, barely running my AC because I have no idea how much my electric bill will cost. My only reprieve is the fan circulating hot air around my apartment. In actuality, it’s really not so bad. I’ve dealt with no AC before and while it sucks, it’s not the end of the world. There’s only another month or two of summer and after that I’m sure I’ll be begging for warmer weather again. 

I have officially been in Japan for a week. One. Week. 7 days. That’s it. I feel like I’ve been here for a lifetime already. How have the days gone by so quickly and yet dragged on as if they would never end? This week has been rough. I left Tokyo Orientation on Wednesday and traveled to Kyoto City for, you guessed it, more orientation. Saying goodbye to the friends I had made in Tokyo was incredibly hard but I honestly didn’t have much time to think about it because a 2 1/2 新幹線 shinkansen (bullet train) ride later I was standing in my hotel room in Kyoto City wondering how I even got there in the first place. Thankfully the evening orientation meeting was only an hour long. Once we had changed back into our civilian clothing (I never want to wear another article of business attire ever again) we headed to an 居酒屋 izakaya (Japanese tavern) for dinner. There are 12 new Prefectural AET’s in total. 6 came in Group A and have already been teaching for a few weeks. The 6 of us in Group B arrived this past week and are still trying to wrap our heads around everything. 

Here we all are with 2 current JETs (Jacob & Jonah who are across from me), our Prefectural Advisor Leah and Karino先生, who works with Leah at the Kyoto Board of Education making sure we have all of the information we need to succeed in our new roles as Assistant English Teachers. 

Dinner was wonderful. The food was fantastic and the drinks were flowing. Four 梅酒 umeshu (Japanese plum wine) drinks later and I was actually feeling pretty good about things. For just a moment, I forgot about my stress and anxiety and focused on genuinely enjoying myself. It was...nice. So nice I even considered going out for karaoke afterward but the looming knowledge that I had to give my speech to the Board of Education AND meet my new supervisor/co-workers the next day quickly put an end to that. (Don’t worry, it all went well.)

The next few days sped by faster than the scenery outside of a 新幹線 window. I met 水口先生 (Mizuguchi-sensei), my supervisor who is so incredibly warm and kind hearted. She was there to receive me at my apartment when I rolled up after being in a car for 3 hours, sweaty, smelly, with my make-up melting off and completely exhausted. She showed me around my apartment, helped me to put some things away (they were all in the living room per the cleaning crew), took me to the store to buy some food and personal items and let me follow her around like the lost puppy that I am while I stupidly asked her “What does this mean?”, “Do you like this?”, “What do you use?” She even went back to her house to gather some towels for me to shower with since I didn’t have any. 

AND THIS WAS ALL JUST THURSDAY NIGHT. 

Friday was even worse. 水口先生 picked me precisely at 9 AM to begin a day full of important errands. The first stop was Kyotango City Hall where I had to change my address. 

I should mention that I currently do not have my residency card. Due to a glitch in the matrix there are about 2,000 of us JETs who do not have this incredibly important piece of paper that is vital to setting up a new life in a foreign country. So, you know, there’s that.

Holding our collective breath, 水口先生 and I walked into City Hall hoping against hope that they take the stupid little stamp marked “Residency Card will be issued at a later date.” in my passport as the real thing. With 水口先生 explaining in Japanese and me standing there, passport clutched in my hands and a pleading look on my face, I heard some of the few words in Japanese that I actually know... “大丈夫です.” Daijōbudesu. (It’s ok.) I had to stop myself from sinking to the floor in gratitude. It’s ok. It’s ok.

45 minutes later and I now had a Residency Certificate from City Hall. (Not the be confused with my Residency Card which I still don’t have and still desperately need.) Feeling elated and unstoppable, we headed to the Kyoto Bank to set up an account. An 1 1/2 later, boom, bank account open and bank book in my hand with my card scheduled to arrive in 2 weeks. We even set up automatic withdrawal so I don’t have to worry about taking care of rent and car payments separately. 

After the bank, we stopped for lunch. I think 水口先生 could tell that I was struggling. I had spent the entire morning intently listening to every conversation she had with others to try and pick up on any kind of Japanese I knew. (Spoiler alert, it was ZERO.) She pulled into a quaint little parking lot next to a restaurant called Ma Maison. Upon walking into the establishment I almost started bawling like a baby. It was decorated just like my Grandma Keether’s kitchen. Old school farm equipment, plates, mason jars and herbs hung from the walls and ceiling. Vinyl tablecloths and old wooden chairs decorated the seating area. For a moment, it felt like I was home. 

After lunch, we jetted over to Komori Auto Shop where I picked out a car. (Don’t get too excited guys, just wait until you see a picture of this thing.) 2 hours of discussing insurance, filling out paperwork and setting a date to pick the car up (August 22nd at 8:30 AM) and that was that. I will soon be able to drive in Tango like a regular citizen. Lord help me. And them.

The entire day was going so well. We were on a role. Unfortunately it came to a screeching halt at Y! Mobile, the phone company store where I was hoping to purchase a Japanese SIM card and internet. As of right now I only have internet in my apartment. (THANK GOD FOR THAT.) However, once I step foot outside, I’m on my own. I have no way of looking up directions, getting in contact with people or vice versa. It’s awful. I’ve only been walking around the area that I know, too scared of getting lost to venture any farther. Of all the places I didn’t think my passport stamp wouldn’t work, the cell phone store was not one of them. Who knew they would be so strict when it came to purchasing a phone plan? So now I have to just sit here and wait until my RC comes in the mail. Whenever that is.

Throughout this entire process so far, I’ve been trying to focus on the positives. They are few and far between but I know that it’s only because everything is so new and overwhelming. I’ve started making a list to keep track because if I don’t, the negatives will weasel their way to the forefront. Here are a few of the positives I’ve experienced in the past week:

I remembered the word for vegetables when ordering lunch in the Tokyo train station. (It’s 野菜, yasai, in case you were wondering.)

I have been complemented on how natural my Japanese sounds. (Although I’m pretty sure they’re just being nice.)

I used the self checkout at the grocery store and didn’t mess up or require assistance.

I’ve made a once cluttered and jumbled apartment into my temporary home. (It’s quite nice actually.)

I haven’t cried in 4 days. 

 That last one may seem unimportant, or trivial even, but it’s huge. Especially since I’m on the verge literally every minute of every day. An accurate representation of me would be something along the lines of this...

It’s a process. I just have to keep reminding myself of that. I know that once I get busy with school, (which will be next week after お盆祭り, Bon Festival. https://www.jrailpass.com/blog/obon-festival-2018-in-japan) the time will fly by and I’ll be getting ready to leave for the States again before I know it. I’ve got a mantra I keep repeating: “Take everything in stride. Feel your feels.” I won’t downplay my homesickness or my loneliness. To do that would be to deny myself the very real fact that they are there. Instead, I will make peace with it and remind myself that this isn’t forever. A year will fly by and the memories I make here are going to be worth it. The stories I share with my friends, family and boyfriend back home are mine alone to tell. I can’t let them down. I won’t let them down. 

That being said, I think this post has gone on long enough. I’ll close it out with some photos I’ve taken over the past week. Check out the captions below the pictures for explanations. 

A traditional Japanese breakfast at our Kyoto City hotel. 

Myself, Kelly Bell and Lizzie (UK) at the Tokyo Train Station. (It’s the largest and busiest station in the Japan.)

My all time favorite snack in Japan. おにぎり. Onigiri. (Rice ball.) These delicious little guys can be eaten by themselves, or be filled with any kind of savory treat. My two are ボニと bonito (dried fish skin) and 鰻 unagi (eel).

When people ask me why I won’t be eating fruit in Japan. (These grapes are $8.00!!!)

Thanks for sticking with me through this crazy long post. Hopefully it wasn’t as much of a downer as the last one was. Again, there will be more posts and more positives. Until then...

じゃあまた (See you!)

- レイチェル (Rachel)

[bellechuu789]

몰디브바둑이 Anleitung und Erklärung

This is also the period of the game in which the player has to decide whether to raise or fold. After this, the other four cards the dealer has are turned face up. This is when the player finds out whether he has a winning hand. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/?search=온라인카지노 When playing your favorite online casino, you might see a game labeled as “Caribbean Draw Poker,” and it can be easy to confuse that with Caribbean Stud as described on this page. But in reality, Caribbean Draw Poker is an offshoot offering slightly different rules and gameplay. If you are in a casino and you receive a plain card, it means the deck needs shuffling before playing another hand. A typical pay table starts with a minimum hand of a pair of jacks, which pays even money. All the other hand combinations in video poker are the same as in table poker, including such hands as two pair, three of a kind, straight (a sequence of 5 cards of consecutive value), flush (any 5 cards of the same suit), full house (a pair and a three of a kind), four of a kind (four cards of the same value), straight flush (5 consecutive cards of the same suit) and royal flush (a Ten, a Jack, a Queen, a King and an Ace of the same suit).

Caribbean Stud Poker appeals to many players and is a very unique variation of standard five-card draw, so if you’re a fan of five-card or other table games such as blackjack or craps, you will likely take to Caribbean Stud Poker. It does, however, take some extent of patience to wait for the right hand and discipline to stick to strategy, so if you are the type to make rash decisions and get bored easily, you might not find this game too exciting. Gamblers playing roulette in America are going to have a slightly harder time winning. A put bet is a bet which allows players to increase or make a Pass line bet after a point has been established (after come-out roll). This is a reproduction of a deck dated to 1567 that is based on a set of face cards by Pierre Marechal of Rouen, France. The cards of Rouen are significant because many were produced for export to Britain. English merchants are even said to have bought them for re-export to other countries. In 1628 England banned the importation of cards, and English printers have been shown to have used Rouen face cards as inspiration for their own cruder, more stylised decks which have become the standard motifs still used in many modern decks.

Casinos know that, and those few who really are capable to exploit the rules are of no consequence. A major rule change from Five Card Stud Poker is that Caribbean Stud Poker is played only against the dealer, and not against any of the other players at the table. Due to this aspect of the game, there is no bluffing or other means of deception involved. This reduces the maximum payout percentage to 98.39% for players betting five coins per hand to receive the Royal Flush bonus. It describes Princess Tongchang, daughter of Emperor Yizong of Tang, playing the "leaf game" in 868 with members of the Wei clan, the family of the princess's husband.

Casinos are a huge source of interesting myths, legends, and stories that almost seem too good to be true. If the player loses, it means that a normal koatari has been hit and the machine enters into jitan mode.The Mexican game Lotería requires a special deck of 54 cards. Each card has a picture, name, and number. 2 or 12 (hi-lo): Wins if shooter rolls a 2 or 12. The stickman places this bet on the line dividing the 2 and 12 bets.

Today, poker has evolved into numerous variants with differing rules and formats. There are so many different forms of the game in existence that it would be near impossible to name them all. The former Dairy Factory (now an Auto workshop) on Route de Merviller (1930) 온라인사설바둑이게임주소 Only take cash. Don’t take your bank cards or credit cards with you when you gamble. Due to the high payout rate (RTP) approximately 99.41%, it is also one of the top table games in any casino.

These establishments often provide food and beverage services. Very popular in British casinos, tiers bets outnumber voisins and orphelins bets by a massive margin.This also goes for insurance; paying the premium on one’s life insurance is, in effect, a bet that one will die within a specified time. The action then proceeds clockwise as each player in turn must either match (or "call") the maximum previous bet, or fold, losing the amount bet so far and all further involvement in the hand. A player who matches a bet may also "raise" (increase) the bet.

Most roulette wheels have two colors: red and black. If your addiction to gambling is getting out of control, several states allow you to ban yourself from casinos, making it a crime to step foot on the gaming floor.One can slow, but not eliminate, one's average losses by only placing bets with the smallest house advantage. An analysis using primarily descriptive statistics indicated both sub-samples had similar viewpoints although Macau residents tended to have higher scores pertaining to the consequences of gambling.

In certain states, such as Florida and California, tribal owners have been active in blocking new entrants, and they spend tens of millions of dollars annually on political contributions, PACs, lobbying efforts and ballot initiatives to maintain a competitive edge. Red is a popular decorating color because it is thought to make people lose track of time. Also, there are no clocks on casino walls.The most notable difference between playing street craps and bank craps is that there is no bank or house to cover bets in street craps. Some casino do not allow new pass line bets while a point has been established. Some casinos will place the bet straddling the outer border of the pass line so as to indicate that it is to be paid the same odds as a place bet, instead of just even money.

[tetchtetchy]

wildfire preparation—air quality edition

i'm writing this as of july 2021 which means it is wildfire season for us who live in the dry parts of the northern hemisphere, especially the western united states.

why the u.s. west especially? i'll tell you: diverse microclimates fill the region; climate change leading to wet winters where the diverse fauna grows at an enormous rate and then heatwave, drought ridden summers that kill the expansive growth; and dense populations are the main culprits. Dense populations = more buildings to burn down, more vehicles on the road, more harmful human activity. because let's face it. fires aren't always started by lighting storms. often it's faulty utility infrastructure. or the heat from vehicles setting dry grass on fire. embers from a bbq/cigarette/camp fire. sometimes it's a person throwing sparks from hammering steel on steel (or iron) while working on their ranch.

anyways.

as someone who lives in the western u.s. and works in air quality, i've got some info i'd love to share with you. i truly hope it helps. the summer months of choking on smoke can leave one feeling helpless and bleak. i'm hoping you can feel less helpless.

SHIT TO GET BEFORE A FIRE/FIRE SEASON

n95 masks

MERV-rated filters for your HVAC (heating, venting, air conditioning central unit; you know you have central air con if you've got the big compressor outside/on your roof that has the big fan that throws up air when the AC comes on) system if you have one (check your intake flow to see what rating your system can handle. most new HVACs can handle MERV 16. Anything 13 and above will trap smoke particles)

humidifier and/or kettle depending on what you've got already and what you're willing to spend. get both if you can and don't already have them

an air purifier if you don't have HVAC and can spare the money. ikea's advertising an air purifier for a good price but i have no idea how the quality is. you would probably need to get a few of them and designate flow rate exchange zones (one per room, open concept floor plans would be one per zone function such as where you eat, where you relax, where you sleep)

a mop/wet mop if you don't already have one

some house plants. seriously. don't reference that 1989 nasa study on plants and indoor pollution, it is laughably outdated. just pick plants that you can keep alive and have as much surface area on the plant leaves as you can get. we're not trying to produce oxygen, we want the plants to catch the small, harmful particulates on their leaves and break them down into their basic states in the plant's soil

non-perishable food that doesn't need cooked

optional items include battery powered headlamps in case power goes out, battery banks for phones. i'm recommending battery powered lights in case power goes out and not candles because let's be self-aware. don't create a fire hazard in your home when the power went out due to fire.

WILDFIRE PREP

have a backpack ready to go in case your area gets hit with an evacuation order!

for you backpack you'll need:

original, notarized documents and IDs (birth certificates, civil licenses, housing agreements, passports)

copies of original documents instead if you happen to have a fireproof safe to keep said documents

phone and charger

family heirlooms you'd be devastated to lose (photo albums, jewelry, keepsakes)

a change of clothes if you've got room (socks, underwear, and a fresh shirt can go a long ways)

non-perishable snacks

a filled water bottle

cash (wildfires can threaten electric grids making electronic banking useless)

if you own a vehicle, try to keep as much fuel in the tank as possible in case your area gets evacuated. traffic conditions during an evacuation tend to be majorly congested and you do not want to sit in that with little fuel

check the perimeter of where you live for anything that could catch fire from embers that travel from neighboring fires. remove those dead plants, place seasoning/seasoned firewood further away from you residence. landscaping and drought can make for a catch-22: you need to conserve water but dry plants lead to fuel for fires. go with your gut and common sense as much as your scenario allows.

water your house plants

you may lose power during a wildfire event. fill water bottles, have non-perishable food stocked.

for wildfire season, i just live out of this aforementioned backpack. if i go places and need my phone, wallet, etc then i transfer those things to my pockets and then put them back in my wildfire pack when i get home. this pack becomes your forever home for these items during this time. if a wildfire is somewhat close to my area, then i travel with my pack just in case. a friend of mine had his home burn down while he was out playing tennis. all he had left were the clothes on his back and the five dollars in his pockets.

THINGS TO DO WHILE AN ACTIVE FIRE DECREASES YOUR AIR QUALITY

check your air quality

you can check AQ by sticking your head out your door. haze and smell are the best indicators tbh. if outside looks hazy and smells of smoke, close up everything and stay inside

you can also check AQI (air quality index) at sites like AirNow, PurpleAir, World's Air Pollution

check wind speed and direction

checking wind can tell you if you're going to be hit with smoke, or if you are hit with smoke but there's no fire in your area, you can find out if the wind may be carrying the smoke into your location

i use this wind map and windy.com for my area

run your air purifier and/or HVAC

put in that MERV-13 or above rated filter for your HVAC system and lower the temp for your AC so it comes on (thermostat is usually set to "auto"). your AC is cooling and filtering air already in your residence instead of drawing air from the outside

DO NOT TURN THE FAN TO "ON"

THAT WILL DRAW OUTSIDE AIR

give your AC a break after an hour

air purifiers can run nonstop, don't turn those off

when your air con is off, do the following

fill your humidifier and/or stovetop kettle with water and run them. also turn on the shower/faucets if you're keen. when the smoke in my house is at its worst, i run everything that i can. with the drought so bad this year, i won't be able to be so cavalier with my water :/

ANYWAYS increase the humidity level in your place ASAP

the moisture in the air bonds with the smoke particles and enlarges them. they become heavy and fall to the floor.

DON'T VACCUUM THAT WILL DESSICATE AND RESUSPEND THE PARTICLES

YOU WORKED SO HARD TO MAKE THEM HEAVY AND FALL OUT OF THE BREATHING ZONE

this is where the wet mop comes in

you've humidified the shit out of your home, now mop your floor

don't dry mop

you gotta wet mop

and just use water

resist the urge to also clean other stuff

you do not need to be cleaning with like bleach and stuff when your windows and doors are shut tight. protect your indoor air quality!

now you're done for a bit, give yourself a break

rinse and repeat with AC/humidity/wet mopping

if you go outside, wear an n95 mask ALWAYS

try not to go outside bc that lets in pollutants and n95 masks are kinda one and done type of deal. you'll see a grayness seep into the inside of the mask when you've worn them too long

your clothes also trap particulates, entering the home with you. try to have a place to dump your clothes without polluting the rest of your residence (an entryway, garage, side door)

check on your plants and loved ones

read/write/play games as you wait out the smoke. escape to clean air if you're able to

this is not conclusive and is based on a mix of empirical, anecdotal, and well researched studies. please be safe and stay healthy. i may add/edit this post to better serve this information.

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[ynatan456]

These are the precautions one 온라인사설바둑이게임주소 has taken for its reopening #3513

One of the newest variations that has become extremely popular is Caribbean Stud. According to popular Caribbean Stud history, it is believed the game originated in Aruba, an island in the Caribbean some time in the 1980s. However, the majority of researchers argue that they probably began in thirteenth century China (Breitkopf, 1784; Figler, 2015; Hargrave, 1966; Lo, 2000; McLeod, 2000; McGuire, 2016; Singer, 1816). If a player does hit bingo in the right number of numbers then they win all the money in the jackpot. Gambling is one of mankind’s oldest activities, as evidenced by writings and equipment found in tombs and other places.

Since a card-counting scheme is easily devised to make use of the information of cards that have already been dealt, a relatively small portion (less than 50%) of each shoe is usually dealt in order to protect the house. http://edition.cnn.com/search/?text=메이저공원 Does that mean it's hopeless for the player, that the house will win every time? No, for if there were no winners, there soon would be no customers. C & E: A combined bet, a player is betting half their bet on craps (2,3,12) and the other half on 11 (yo). where n is the number of pockets in the wheel. The initial bet is returned in addition to the mentioned payout. It can be easily demonstrated that this payout formula would lead to a zero expected value of profit if there were only 36 numbers. Having 37 or more numbers gives the casino its edge.

That is not a big difference but affects your winning chances. If you bet $100 in a blackjack game in a game of 6:5, you will win $120, but in the standard payout of 3:2, you will get $150. A straight from a ten to an ace with all five cards of the same suit. In poker all suits are ranked equally.Any straight with all five cards of the same suit. Poker is any of a number of card games in which players wager over which hand is best according to that specific game's rules in ways similar to these rankings. The actual house edge in most cases with the progressive jackpot bet is 26%, which shows you how unfavorable it is. By all means, of course, play the progressive jackpot bet if you’re just out to have a good time and like a little thrill to your gamble. But long term, it’s not a winner.

The Chambéry rules that come with the deck are similar to Piedmontese tarot games but the ace ranked between the jack and the 10 like in Triomphe. Fan-tan is no longer as popular as it once was, having been replaced by modern casino games like Baccarat, and other traditional Chinese games such as Mah Jong and Pai Gow. Fan-tan is still played at some Macau casinosOne card face up to an area directly in front of the table inventory container designated for the dealer’s hand;A second card face down to each player directly on top of that player’s first card; For example, the winning 40-chip / $40,000 bet on "17 to the maximum" pays 392 chips / $392,000.

The dealer shall be required to count the stub at least once every five rounds of play in order to determine that the correct number of cards are still present in the deck. The dealer shall determine the number of cards in the stub by counting the cards face down on the layout. Additionally, the Internet has made many forms of gambling accessible on an unheard-of scale.Besides competitive protection, a bargain–priced “license to operate” was another subsidy provided to the industry by the states. Outside bets will always lose when a single or double zero comes up. However, the house also has an edge on inside bets because the pay outs (including the original player's bet) are always set at 36 to 1 when you mathematically have a 1 out of 38 (1 out of 37 for French/European roulette) chance at winning a straight bet on a single number.

According to The Tech of a Casino (TechTV, June 2002), casinos use a variety of tricks to attract gamblers. The same is true, to a smaller extent, of dog racing. The emergence of satellite broadcasting technology has led to the creation of so-called off-track betting facilities, in which bettors watch live telecasts at locations away from the racetrack.The former Dairy Factory (now an Auto workshop) on Route de Merviller (1930) No matter how hard the government will try to make that illegal, it will be hard to prove it in a court of law.

Therefore, it should be valuable to prudently explore how local residents in Asian regions, particularly those with similar ethnic and cultural heritages, label meanings or viewpoints toward the universal developments of casino gambling. The roll of the dice maps to the card in that position, and if a pair is rolled, then the mapped card is used twice, as a pair.Keno can have house edges up to 25%, slot machines having up to 15%. According to Bloomberg, accumulated revenue of the biggest casino operator companies worldwide amounted to almost US$55 billion in 2011. SJM Holdings Ltd. was the leading company in this field, earning $9.7 bn in 2011, followed by Las Vegas Sands Corp. at $7.4 bn. The third-biggest casino operator company (based on revenue) was Caesars Entertainment, with revenue of US$6.2 bn.

If a player wishes to take the bet down after a win the player would receive the whole bet not half even though only one of the two bets can win per roll. Some games are banked games, meaning that the house has a stake in the outcome of the game and bets against the players. 몰디브바둑이 The Community of communes of Cristal was created on 1 January 2004 to link Baccarat with the neighbouring communes of Lachapelle and Thiaville-sur-Meurthe. If the come-out roll is 12, the bet is a push (neither won nor lost). In some casinos, the bet pushes on 2 and wins on 12 instead. Others allow the player to choose to either push on 2 ("Bar Aces") or push on 12 ("Bar Sixes") depending on where it is placed on the layout.

[universalautogarage]

Best Car Cleaning Tips And Tricks

Wash With the Right Suds 

Despite the fact that hand dishwashing fluid is an extraordinary degreaser, it's not the thing to use on your vehicle's finish. Indeed, it eliminates soil, oil and old wax. Be that as it may, it likewise drains significant oils directly out of the paint's finish. Use it over and over and you abbreviate the existence of your paint work. Instead of dish cleanser for a DIY car wash, here's one of our best car stunts: utilize a cleaner detailed for vehicles (accessible at any auto parts store). Whenever you've blended the bubbles, go above and beyond—fill a second can with clean rinse water. Use it to rinse the wash glove regularly. That will eliminate the majority of the street coarseness from the glove to forestall scratches. At that point toss the glove in the washing machine to get it totally perfect. 

Pluck the Finish 

A car hurtling as it were at 60 mph turns into a dartboard for any muck noticeable all around. Your vehicle's unmistakable coat redirects some of it however can hold the more keen coarseness. Washing eliminates the surface soil, yet mud barring is the best way to cull out the installed stuff. Purchase a mud bar pack (one brand is UAG's Smooth Surface Clay Kit), which includes a lubricating splash and a few bits of manufactured dirt. Set up the earth by tearing a piece into four areas. Smooth one area into a little hotcake in the palm of your hand and rub it over the paint with a back-and-forward movement. Crease the mud against itself, ply it and re level until the earth becomes dim. At that point throw it and utilize a new piece until you eliminate the "darts" and get a glass-like finish. Gain proficiency with some more car stunts with these tips on imprints, you can fix them yourself. 

Clean the Finish 

Numerous car proprietors mistake polishing for waxing. However, they're independent advances. Polishing eliminates little surface defects and scratches and buffs the finish to a shine. Waxing adds more shine and shields the finish from the components. Most DIYers skip polishing since they would prefer not to invest the cash for a polisher or the real effort for a hand clean. Yet, polishing your vehicle's finish is the way to getting the best shine (aces could never skip it). Apply a spot of clean to the cushion and wipe the cushion across a 2 x 2-ft. zone. Run the polisher at a lethargic speed to spread the compound over the whole zone for the best car to be clean. At that point support the speed and let the polisher accomplish the work for you. 

Get a Mirror Finish With Synthetic Wax 

A few groups depend on carnauba wax. It creates a profound, warm shine. However, we favor the wet-gleam look of the more up to date manufactured polymer waxes (otherwise called paint sealant) like UAG’ Ultimate Liquid Wax. It's pricier than different engineered materials, yet it doesn't leave a white film on plastic or trim—which is a genuine benefit. Additionally, it's truly simple to apply. Apply the wax to the froth utensil and rub it into the finish with a swirling movement. At that point clear off the cloudiness with a microfiber towel. Trade in a spotless towel when the first loads up for one of our astute car stunts. 

Suck Up the Dust As You Go 

Most DIYers begin cleaning the interior by shampooing the carpet. That is a misstep—you'll simply get it filthy again as you clean the upper surfaces. Instead, attempt our car deceives and start at the top and work your way down. Vacuum the headliner, run, comfort and entryway boards. At that point clean all the glass, and residue the little hiding spots. Clear the residue out of the cracks with a detailing brush. Catch all that muck immediately with your vacuum. 

Destink the Interior 

To kill tobacco smoke, purchase a vaporizer of Dakota Non-Smoke. Holding the can 12 to 14 in. away from textures, delicately shower the headliner (don't douse it), seats, entryway boards and carpet. At that point turn the fan to high and change the framework to recycle mode ("max. A/C" on the off chance that you don't have that choice). Find the intake opening by holding a tissue close to the blower engine. At that point splash the fog into the opening. Leave the windows shut for any event 60 minutes. Your vehicle will resemble child powder for some time, yet that will disappear. 

Most ideal Way to Clean a Car: Clean the Leather 

This may sound limit, however on the off chance that you have calfskin upholstery, purchase a cowhide cleaning pack and keep it in the vehicle (one brand is Leather Master Leather Care Kit with Ink Lifter). Since, in the event that you clean the uh oh immediately, you truly increase your odds of a total cleanup. On the off chance that you stand by, lipstick, ink and color moves from clothing (and plastic shopping packs) can set for all time in just 24 hours. Pretreat the calfskin with a conditioner before you start the stain expulsion measure. Wipe the ink lifter straightforwardly on the pretreated cowhide and focus on it. Allow it to sit for 30 seconds, and wipe it with a perfect fabric. At that point apply calfskin cleaner and the cowhide security cream. 

Slide Seats Forward and Clean Out the Junk 

You'll be astounded by what you find behind the seats. We tracked down a lost wireless, enough pens and pencils to prepare a little office, and enough change for a few vending machine snacks. Vacuum the seats, eliminate the mats and vacuum the carpet. Utilize a brush attachment for the scramble and entryway boards. Remember to wipe out and vacuum those convenient entryway pockets (another wellspring of lost fortune). Profound Clean Carpet and Upholstery 

Utilize a carpet cleaning machine to get the profound earth that subsides into the filaments of the carpet. (Clean material seats this path also.) It splashes the carpet with an answer of water and cleaner and afterward sucks the earth and grime into a supply. A machine like this pays for itself after only a couple employments. You can likewise lease one from a rental place or utilize a splash on cleaner and a scour brush instead. 

Most ideal Way to Clean a Car: Scrape Off Those Annoying Stickers 

The entirety of your public and state park stickers may bring to mind extraordinary recollections, however they can be a visual danger as they accumulate. The top notch stickers will pull on the off chance that you can get under a corner and carefully pull them free at a 90-degree point. Others will leave a sticky buildup and require a touch more consideration 

Most ideal Way to Clean a Car: Wash the Windows, Including the Top Edges 

At any point notice that line of grime on the highest points of windows when they're incompletely moved down? A great many people disregard this detail when giving their vehicle a fast wash. A couple of moments with Windex and a perfect cloth is everything necessary. 

Brush Out the Air Vents 

These louvers are a genuine magnet for dust, and a vacuum with a brush attachment just will not get everything. Take an inexpensive craftsman's paintbrush and offer it a light chance of furniture clean. Work the brush into the cleft to gather the residue. Wipe the dismiss with a cloth and proceed onward to the following one.

For More Reference:

Car Painting Workshop | Car AC Repair in Mussafah | German Car Repair | BMW Service Center | Mercedes Service Center

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[28northgroup]

35 Money-Saving Household Habits

Image: Anderson The Fish

Your house gives you so much: security, pride, shelter. With all that on the line, it's easy to assume the costs of keeping it up just are what they are. But wait. There are plenty of expenses that are simply a waste.

Here's how to save money each month without putting a dime of home value at risk.

#1 Clean Your Light Bulbs

What? Who does that? Well, smart people (who want to about shrewd,  small ways to save money). A dirty bulb emits 30% less light than a clean one. Dust off both the bulb and fixture, and you might be able to cut back on the number or brightness of lights in each room without noticing any difference.

#2  Keep Your Fridge Full

Solid items snuggled together retain the cold better than air and help keep each other cold — requiring less energy overall. Leaving town for awhile and fridge is empty? Fill voids in the fridge or freezer with water bottles.

#3 Switch Your Bulbs to LED’s

By replacing just five of your most-used incandescent bulbs with uber-efficient light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs, you could save $75 a year on your energy bill.

And LED’s last 15 to 20 times longer than incandescent, so you won't have to replace them nearly as often.

#4 Use Power Strips

Here's how to save money on bills -- a lot of it. Appliances like coffee makers, TVs, and computers continue to suck power even when they're off — which can cost you $100 a year. And did you know the AC adapter for your laptop keeps drawing power even if the laptop isn't plugged in? Stop this slow money burn by connecting them to an easy-to-switch-off power strip.

#5 Use a Toaster Oven When Possible

Toaster ovens use 50% to 70% less energy than a full-size oven.

#6 Set Your Water Heater to 120 Degrees

Hot water heaters often come with a factory setting that's higher than you need. You'll cool your water heating costs by 3% to 5% every time you lower the temperature setting by 10 degrees.

#7 Insulate Your Water Heater

For $30 or less, an insulating jacket or blanket can shave 7% to 16% off your water heating costs for the year. Just make sure to follow the manufacturer's directions to avoid creating a fire hazard.

#8 Wash Clothes in Cold Water

Image: Anna Rodé Designs

Just switching from hot to warm water will cut every load's energy use in half, and you'll reap even more savings taking the temp down to cold. And don't worry: Your clothes will get just as clean from cold water, thanks to the efficiency of today's detergents (except in the case of sickness; you'll want hot water and bleach then).

#9 Use the Right Dryer Cycle

If you're using a high-heat setting for each load, you could be using more energy than you need. Almost all fabrics can be dried with a lower heat setting, such as the permanent press setting. It uses less energy and has the added bonus of extending the life of your fabrics. Save the higher heat for  items such as sheets and towels.

#10 Use Homemade Cleaners

Many commercial products rely on baking soda or vinegar for their cleaning power, so why not make your own? Most homemade cleaners cost less than $1.

#11 Cut Back on Laundry Detergent

Never mind the barely visible measurement lines in the cap: You typically only need a tablespoon of detergent. And, clothes actually get cleaner when you use less, because there's no soap residue left behind.

#12 Ditch Disposable Sweeper and Mop Head

Stop throwing money away every time you clean! Refill your Swiffer Sweeper with microfiber cloths. Just cut to size and use them dry for dusting or with a little water and floor cleaner for mopping. Or switch to a microfiber mop with a washable head.

#13 Stop Buying Dryer Sheets

Another easy swap? Give up your dryer-sheet habit (about $7 for 240 loads) in favor of wool dryer balls (about $10 for six, which last more than 500 loads each). Of course, depending on your laundry preferences, you can always just go without either.

#14 Cut Scouring Pads In Half

Most clean-ups don't require a full one.

#15 Don't Rinse Dishes

Image: Cavan Images/Offset

Two minutes of rinsing with the faucet on full-power will consume 5 gallons of water — the same amount efficient dishwashers use during an entire cycle. Shocking, right? And it's an unnecessary step, since most newer models are equipped to remove even stubborn food debris. Just be sure to clean the dishwasher trap regularly to keep your dishwasher running efficiently.

#16 Keep a Pitcher of Water in the Fridge

You won't have to waste time and money running the faucet, waiting for it to get cold enough for a refreshing sip.

#17 Set a Timer for the Shower

The average American takes an eight-minute shower and uses about 17 gallons of water. It's easy to linger, so set a timer for five minutes. Or try this more entertaining idea: Time your shower to a song or podcast segment.

#18 Install Low-Flow Fixtures

In addition to water-conserving practices, low-flow showerheads, which cost less than $10, and other fixtures can drop your water use in the shower by 43%.

#19 Hack a Water-Hogging Toilet

If you don't have a water-conserving toilet, there are water-saving retrofitting kits that could yield about $110 in savings every year. Or place a half-gallon milk jug filled with water into the tank — in the corner and away from the flapper and ball-cock assembly. Every time you flush, you'll save.

#20 Close Closet Doors

Each closet and pantry may hold a paltry amount of square footage, but you're still heating and cooling it. Add up all the storage space, and you've got the equivalent of a small room. Shut the doors to keep the conditioned air out.

#21 Program the Thermostat

Program your thermostat to turn the heat down by 3 to 5 degrees when you're not home and at night, and set it to bump the temperature up by the same amount when the A/C is cranking. You'll save $10 to $20 a month and never feel the difference.

#22 Don't Crank the Thermostat Up or Down Too Far

Varying the setting by 10 or more degrees when you're gone for work or over the weekend is overkill. Your HVAC system will have to work overtime to get back to the ideal temperature, erasing your savings.

#23 Use Fans Year-Round

Image: Iaobzjls/Getty

Ceiling fans can reduce your summer cooling costs and even reduce winter heating bills — but only if used correctly. Flip the switch on the base to make the blades rotate counterclockwise for a cooling effect or clockwise to help distribute heat in the winter. And in the warmer months, an attic or whole-house fan can suck hot air out and help distribute cooler air so you can give the A/C a little break.

#24 Caulk or Weatherstrip Around Doors and Windows

Caulk may not have the charisma of something like solar panels, but using it to seal air leaks around doors and windows will deliver immediate savings rather than a 14-year payback. You'll spend $3 to $30 and save 10% to 20% on energy bills.

For gaps between moving parts that can't be caulked, add weatherstripping.

#25 Add Insulation

This is a bigger weatherizing project than caulking or weatherstripping, but it could yield more than $500 in yearly savings. While your home should be properly insulated from the roof down to the foundation, prioritize the attic, under floors above unheated spaces, around walls in a heated basement and in exterior walls.

#26 Plant Shade Trees

Image: Liz Foreman for HouseLogic

Block the summer sun to lower cooling costs. Planting one shade tree on the west side and one on the east side of your home can shield your home from the sun during the summer months (but avoid south-side trees, which block winter sun). By the time they're 15 years old, these two trees can reduce your energy bill by 22% , while adding value to your home.

#27 Use Curtains as Insulation

Another way to practice energy-saving passive heating and cooling? Open curtains on sunny windows in the winter and close them up in the summer.

#28 Cool with a Cross Breeze

On a breezy day, open a window on the side of your house that's receiving the breeze, then open another on the opposite side of the house. Make sure the window on the receiving side is open a little less than the exhaust side to accelerate the breeze. You can also use a fan if there's no breeze outside.

#29 Check Your Mortgage's PMI

If your mortgage was for more than 80% of your home's purchase price, you could be paying more than $50 a month, and as much as $1,000 a year, for private mortgage insurance (PMI). So as soon as you have at least 20% equity in your home, contact your lender to terminate the policy — they aren't necessarily required to notify you when you reach that threshold.

Another option for ditching PMI? If your credit score or debt load has improved since securing your mortgage, look into refinancing with more favorable terms.

#30 Check Your Home Insurance for Savings

Your homeowners insurance should change as your life changes. Buying an automatic generator or installing security alarms could reduce your premium by 5% or more.

Bundling your home and auto coverage could save even more — up to 20% off both policies. But the point is to compare and do a price check to see if you can save.

Surveys have found you could be paying a lot more than what another insurer would charge for the same coverage. So you could save by going with a new company, or by using their quote to bargain with your current provider.

#31 Borrow Tools Instead of Buying

How often are you going to use that $600 demolition hammer once you remove your bathroom tile? Not so much? Rent it from a home-improvement store for a fraction of the cost. Be sure to do the math for each tool and project though; sometimes the rental price is high enough to justify buying it.

Or join a tool lending library or cooperative to borrow tools for free or much less than retail stores.

#32 Cut Back on Paper Towels

Two rolls of paper towels a week add up to about $182 every year! Instead, try machine-washable cotton shop towels. They clean up messes just as fast and cost less than $2 for five. Save paper towels for messes that need to go straight into the trash, like oil and grease.

#33 Stop Buying Plants for Curb Appeal Every Year

Image: Marna McGlinn of Marna McGlinn Ceramics

A pop of color in your landscaping perks up your curb appeal. But instead of wasting household funds on short-lived annuals, invest in perennials that will keep giving for years to come.

#34 Water Grass in the Morning to Save on Your Water Bill

Turning the sprinkler on at midday is kinda like watering the air — especially when the mercury soars. Lose less to evaporation by watering during cooler hours (but avoid overnight watering, when too-slow evaporation can invite fungus growth).

#35 Make Your Yard Drought-Tolerant for Long-Term Savings

Save $100 or more yearly by replacing water-hogging plants and grass with drought-tolerant and native species, and beds of rock or gravel. You'll save time on maintenance, too.

Adopt a few of these home tips to find a bit more cash each month.

View original post here: Read or visit houselogic.com for more articles like this.

© Copyright 2020 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

Used by permission as a REALTOR®

[cometoyouautorepair]

Evolution of Auto Air Conditioning

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Air conditioning comes standard on almost every car sold in the U.S. today. Even if you are driving around sweating in a sweltering hot car, it is usually not because the vehicle doesn’t have A/C; it’s because the A/C it has is broken.

Yet for much of the history of the automobile, air conditioning was either a cutting-edge luxury or a sci-fi writer’s dream. The automotive air conditioners of today are the result of a century’s worth of invention and refinement. To give an idea of where we’ve come from, here’s a look back at the history and science of keeping cool in cars.

1886 – The first patent for a production automobile is issued. The vehicle lacks many things you’d expect on a car today: it has no windshield, roof, doors, steering wheel, gas pedal, or brake pedal, and has only three wheels. Needless to say, it also has no A/C.

1903 – A Packard Model F nicknamed “Old Pacific” becomes only the second car to drive coast-to-coast (a two-month trip at that time). Though cars still lack any kind of enclosed cabin, the driver set up a large umbrella to provide shade and make hot desert crossings at least a little cooler.

1919 – The Kool Kooshion seat cover uses small springs to hold drivers about a half-inch above the car seat, allowing air to circulate underneath them and behind their backs. It basically allows the sweat on your back to evaporate and help keep you cool. The Kool Kooshion is actually still sold today at major retailers.

1921 – The Knapp Limo-Sedan Fan is a small electric fan that can be added to the inside of a car (since most cars are now enclosed). Such fans still don’t cool the air, though; they just create a breeze and help evaporate sweat.

1930 – The “car cooler” uses the evaporation of water (rather than your own sweat) to cool air, which is then blown in through the open passenger-side window. Though it’s the first item to actually lower the air temperature, it only works in areas with very low humidity—and, it looks like you have a vacuum cleaner strapped to the side of your car.

1939 – Packard becomes the first car manufacturer to offer air conditioning as an option. The cooling system is located in the trunk, rather than in the dash, and you have to manually install or remove the drive belt from the A/C compressor to turn the system on or off. The option costs $274 at a time when the average yearly income is $1,368. That, plus the start of World War II, causes the option to be short-lived.

1953 – Eight years after the end of the war, A/C finally returns to the automotive industry. Several manufacturers offer A/C as an option, all of them being rear-mounted systems not much different from what Packard used in 1939.

1954 – Pontiac and Nash become the first two companies to fit the A/C system in the front of their cars, instead of in the trunk. The Nash system combines the heater and air conditioner into one in-dash system, establishing the standard that most all cars have followed since.

1964 – Cadillac introduces Comfort Control. For the first time, drivers can set a preferred temperature, and the system will automatically adjust the A/C or heater output to keep the car interior at that temperature.

1968 – The AMC Ambassador becomes the first car to include A/C as standard equipment, rather than an added option.

1969 – Over half of all American cars now have A/C.

1970 – Interdynamics (IDQ) is founded and creates the first do-it-yourself automotive A/C kits.

1987 – Due to concerns about depletion of the ozone layer, the Montreal Protocol is signed, providing a plan for the phase-out of the R-12 refrigerant used in most A/C systems.

1994 – All new automotive A/C systems are required to run on R-134a refrigerant, rather than R-12.

2003 – IDQ launches all-in-one DIY solutions for repairing auto A/C systems. A single can recharges the system with R-134a, seals leaks, eliminates corrosive moisture, and replaces lost lubricant—all in about 10 minutes, with no special tools required.

TODAY – Though there are discussions about potential new refrigerants that could be used in the future, car A/C systems have stayed mostly the same over the past two decades. More than a million people have used our all-in-one recharge kits to repair their auto A/C systems, collectively saving hundreds of millions of dollars.

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#Cooling System Drain and Fill

#Oil Pan Gasket Replacement

#Intake Manifold Gasket Replacement

#Intake Camshaft Position Sensor Replacement

#Freeze Plug Replacement

#Exhaust Manifold Gasket Replacement

#Exhaust Camshaft Position Sensor Replacement

#Tail Pipe Replacement

#Carburetor Replacement

#Exhaust System Replacement

#Manual Transmission Oil Level Check

#Check Engine Oil Level

#Engine Oil and Filter Change

#Engine Mount Replacement

#Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor Replacement

#Engine Oil Pressure Sensor Switch Replacement

#Expansion Tank Replacement

#Harmonic Balancer Replacement

#Serpentine Belt Replacement

#Drive Belt Replacement

#Drive Belt Tensioner Replacement

#Distributor Cap Replacement

#Cooling Fan Replacement

#Radiator Replacement

#Radiator Fan Motor Replacement

#Radiator Hose Replacement

#Thermostat Replacement

#Engine Tune-up

#Water Pump Replacement

#Valve Cover Gasket Replacement

#Timing Belt Replacement

#Emissions Failure Repair

#Crankshaft Position Sensor Replacement

#Coolant Drain and Fill

#Catalytic Converter Replacement

#Camshaft Position Sensor Replacement Intake and Exhaust

#External Vehicle Parts

#Antenna Mast Replacement

#Mirror Glass Replacement

#Door Lock Replacement

#Headlight Door Replacement

#Header Panel Replacement

#License Plate Bracket Replacement

#Emblem Replacement

#Metal License Plate Bracket Replacement

#Trunk Strut Replacement

#Grille Insert Replacement

#Engine Splash Shield Replacement

#Fuel Tank Cap Replacement

#Hood Strut Replacement

#Splash Guard Backing Plate Replacement

#Rear Lift Gate Locking Mechanism

#Rear Distance Sensor Replacement

#Door Weather Stripping Replacement

#Power Seat Switch Replacement

#Energy Absorber Replacement

#Heating and Air Conditioning

#Blower Motor Resistor Replacement

#Heater Core Replacement

#Cabin Air Filter Replacement

#Heater and A/C Blower Motor

#A/C Recharge

#A/C Compressor Replacement

#A/C Condenser Replacement

#Defroster Grid Repair

#A/C Line or Hose Replacement

#Heater Core Hoses Replacement

#HVAC Electronic Control Module Replacement

#HVAC Blower Motor Resistor Replacement

#HVAC Blower Motor Replacement

#HVAC Blend Door Actuator Replacement

#A/C Evacuate and Recharge

#Lighting and Horns

#Turn Signal Switch Replacement

#Turn Signal Bulb Replacement

#Brake Light Bulb Replacement

#Headlight Bulb Replacement

#Fog Light Assembly Replacement

#Corner Light Bulb Replacement

#Side Marker Light Assembly Replacement

#Turn Signal Light Assembly Replacement

#Headlight Assembly Replacement

#Park Light Assembly Replacement

#Headlight Cover

#Tail Light Bulb Replacement

#Tail Light Assembly Replacement

#Brake Light Switch Replacement

#Headlight Switch

#Maintenance

#Fuse Replacement

#Tire Rotation

#Scheduled Maintenance - 30K, 60K, 90K, etc.

#Powertrain

#Throttle Body Replacement

#Throttle Position Sensor Replacement

#Oxygen Sensor Replacement

#Fuel Injector Replacement

#Fuel Filter Replacement

#Air Filter Replacement

#Mass Airflow Sensor/Meter Replacement

#Fuel Pressure Regulator Replacement

#Ignition Coil Replacement

#Spark Plugs Replacement

#Starting and Charging

#Ignition Switch Replacement

#Battery Replacement

#Battery Cable Replacement

#Battery Cable Terminal End Service

#Alternator Belt Replacement

#Alternator Replacement

#Starter Replacement

#Steering and Suspension

#Power Steering Hose Replacement

#Power Steering Fluid Drain and Fill

#Outer Tie Rod End Replacement

#Power Steering Pump Replacement

#Wheel Hub Assembly Replacement

#suspension-control-arm-replacement

#Check Tire Pressure

#Check Power Steering Fluid

#Power Steering Fluid Replacement

#Wheel Bearing Replacement

#ABS Control Unit Replacement

#Wheel Cylinder Replacement

#Ball Joint Replacement

[larsalighting]

Energy costs represent a big portion of your utility bill. In this age, when everything in the house is automated, you will end up incurring high electricity costs if you do not manage your appliances and gadgets well. If you are in Dubai, here are a few tips you can implement to reduce your energy bill.

1. Indoor Lighting

You can save money in Dubai by first changing your Halogen light bulbs to LED ones. LED bulbs help you save as much as 85 per cent of energy. You can find these bulbs at our lighting company in Dubai.

Also, keep in mind that the sun shines bright in this region during the day. So, turn off all the lights and open the curtains. During the night, turn off the lights every time you are not using them. Leaving them on adds cost to your energy bill.

Experts at our decorative lighting company in Dubai advise you use lowest-wattage bulbs for areas that use lighting around the clock. This can help you reduce power usage by up to 80 percent, especially if you use 15-watt bulbs.

2. Refrigeration

To save power on refrigeration, you can set the temperature of the fridge at 38F and that of the freezer at 10F. What’s more, you can ensure food cools down before being refrigerated.

3. Air Conditioning Unit

Due to high temperatures in Dubai, the AC is always on. Hence, you must have it regularly maintained so that you do not incur high energy costs. Issues like dirty air filters can cause your appliance to overwork and increase your bill. It also needs to be checked for electrical connections and topped up refrigerant levels.

Moreover, you can use fans in the bathrooms and the kitchen. Also, set the thermostat at 24F and on “auto” instead of “on.”

Conclusion

Whether it is the lighting, the AC, or the refrigeration, you need to manage them properly so that your energy bills remain on the low. Even when you are installing decorative lighting, you need to ensure it doesn’t cost you every month. If you contact our decorative lighting company in Dubai, we will advise you on this and more. For indoor, outdoor & special lighting solutions, please call [phone].

#outdoor lighting #Decorative Lighting #lighting company #lighting company in Dubai