Hi!
I'm currently working in a role as a Data Engineer, I have already 1 year of experience at the same company.
The thing is, I'm still working as an intern, began as an intern for 5 months since I'm still finishing my degree (expected 2024) in Computer Engineering. And after finishing that, I got another internship in the same project and same team until June.
I mean, anything is better than nothing, right? But recently like 2 weeks ago had already 2 interviews with different companies, they offered me full-time job and really flexible with me finishing my degree, both 100% remote and not by time but by finishing my tasks every week so I wouldn't have any problem studying my subjects and taking exams.
Still waiting for a final call, but even though maybe they'll not call me again, I feel a little taken advantage of at my current company, because I didn't get any offer at the moment.
I can get that it's because I'm still studying but:

• The things I work with, mostly Pyspark and Azure tech, I've learnt them at the job and through courses
• I don't find the appeal in having on my CV in the future that I've been an intern until I finish my degree which will be putting it at more than 2 years of internship
• I'm in my late 20's so I'm not really a kid and I'm looking to upper my technical knowledge and well, get a better pay since I'm perfectly capable of learning fast. So I find it a bit odd to use with me just the degree reason.
• With one year of experience even though it's an internship, I think I could fit a lot of Data Engineering roles right now. There are a lot of students that have full-time dev jobs out there.

Currently I was looking at sites like ai-jobs.net and lurking through LinkedIn. I could ask past recruiters that offered me interviews in the past too. I was looking mostly for remote jobs or hybrid with the lesser office days. So, I could use that commute time every day to keep up with my studies, and be updated so I won't need to hyperstudy a subject within a week.
And now that it has been some weeks that the project is not advancing much, I'm not doing that much, and that doesn't help honestly, it feels a bit unfulfilling.
Maybe I'm exaggerating? I don't know, but at this stage in my life I would like to finish my degree and be able to help my family if needed, have my own car and in general to be able to travel a bit since I can't do that much now with what I'm being paid because I'm saving up mostly. I want to be a functional adult.
Anyone been through something similar? I've even heard of people being in an internship for 3 years and that it's crazy!
From Europe obviously, I wouldn't find much help asking the US subreddit.
Thank you in advance!

So I'm at a point where I can safely critique the game. For the sake of saying so, I've finished the Nel'vari subquest so Withergarde is coming up next.
The early game was pretty fun. Your standard farm rpg stuff -- grow crops, make money, progress through the mines, do a little fishing here & there, etc. etc. All good. But the more I progressed, the more I started realizing the game has a couple critical issues.

1. The game has serious long-term issues. Basically there's a point right around when the fall season kicks in where there's very little point in growing fall related crops. Sure, I can make barley, hops, tea, and other keg related crops, but it's hard to get enough hardwood & heavystone to crank out a ton of kegs. Almost none of the new crops have recipes that use the new materials. And worst of all, what's the point? Around summer, I started buying farm animals and making cheese soufflé. Which is netting me a ton of money. And this is the point I'm trying to make: The game, in its current state, is lacking impactful money sinks. This is not a new problem and a lot of farm rpgs suffer from it. You get to a point where there's nothing to invest your money into so now you're just making money for the sake of making money. Other games get around this by dangling expensive QOL items and farm features in front of the player.
   
2. Seasonal farm nuisances are killing my desire to play the game. Ticking over into summer and seeing my crops on fire was not cool. The fact that this happened at the same time as I was doing the grape quest didn't help. From that point on, it became another hassle I had to deal with. That's my thing: it's just a hassle that is just unfun. This isn't a challenge -- it's a chore.
   
3. The Nel'vari farm needs a long-term purpose. After finishing the main Nel'vari questline and getting the mana orbs to cover the mount & Rel'tar's Mark, there's not much else to spend mana orbs on. Considering how much of a hassle it is to handle two farms as it is, I don't see a point to keeping the farm going any longer.
   
4. The Nel'vari Temple feels pointless. Like... why bother with it? Requiring keys made of material from the Sun Haven mines makes it even worse. How about replacing the key requirement with mana orbs? Say 50,100, and 150 per visit. This also would help with issue #3 by giving the Nel'vari farm a long-term purpose. I'd even say it fits better with the setting & lore.
   
5. Gamepad support is grossly inadequate. Straight-up: the game is not ready for console ports in its current state.
   

Hey Yall,
So I did lots of stupid last year, stresses over family deaths, and such made crazy decisions...
So here we go..
My father before he passed advised me to pay off the house when that time came. I had 130k paid on house so debt free there. Yay... also I paid his debts off. But I went out of order obviously.. thats why I'm here..
Expenses roughly 2700-3000 mo for utilities including groceries, household needs.
Me and my significant other together make roughly about 48000/yr net.. We want to stick to the plan and rebuild. Currently having a friend rent a room in the house for 500/mo We have about $3250 CC debt Honestly starting at 0 for savings I'm starting a new job april.. I'll be working from home, so less transportation cost. I own 2 cars, 1 from my father 2006 Cadillac cts, won't start; and I own my car outright. Which is a 2014 nissan versa sv, worth about 3000 or so if I sell.
We just replaced a furnace/ financed at about 5800, I believe we have the chance to buy it outright for 55% of the remaining costs
If all goes well we'll definitely have 1000 in a month and knock out ccs in
3 months or less. Hopefully pay for furnace in the 3 months after that. So end of this year.
Oh.. also I have prob about 40k student loan debt
Then we'd be on our way to building that emergency fund pretty quickly..
Does anyone have any suggestions or comments ?
Also my driving record is trashed due to an old reckless driving ticket so uber and lyft and instacart stuff won't hire me.. bummer. 😂

Google trends football game

Google trends 2022

Goalkeeper's record-breaking goal.
Goalkeeper scores from a goal kick – it could set the record for the longest range goal in history google trends
Goalkeepers scoring from a goal kick is a rare but exhilarating sight in football. The thought of a goalkeeper's booming goal kick sailing over the opposition defenders and into the back of the net is something that excites fans and players alike. But what makes it even more special is the possibility of setting a new record for the longest range goal in history. In this article, we will explore the history of long-range goals and how a goalkeeper's goal kick could set a new benchmark.
Long-range goals have always been a topic of interest for football fans. The ability to strike the ball with precision and power from distance is a skill that has been mastered by only a select few. Some of the most iconic goals in football history have been scored from long range, such as Roberto Carlos' famous free-kick for Brazil against France in 1997, which curved almost impossibly into the net.
📷
The current record for the longest-range goal in history belongs to Asmir Begovic, who scored from 91.9 meters (301 feet) during a Premier League match between Stoke City and Southampton in 2013. Begovic's goal was the result of a long-range clearance from his own penalty area, which caught the Southampton goalkeeper off guard and bounced over his head into the net.

Google trends 2023

Since then, there have been several attempts to break Begovic's record, with some coming very close. In 2018, Jakob Johansson of Sweden scored from 83 meters (272 feet) during a World Cup qualifying match against France, while in 2019, Ross Barkley of Chelsea came within inches of scoring from a similar distance against Manchester United.
📷
However, a goalkeeper's goal kick could potentially set a new benchmark for the longest-range goal in history. Goalkeepers are known for their ability to launch the ball over long distances, and with the right conditions, they could potentially score from their own penalty area.

Google trends

Of course, the chances of a goalkeeper scoring from a goal kick are slim, but there have been a few instances in the past where goalkeepers have come close. In 2017, Huddersfield Town goalkeeper Jonas Lossl hit the crossbar with a goal kick against Manchester City, while in 2020, Alisson Becker of Liverpool scored a last-minute winner against West Bromwich Albion with a header from a corner kick.
If a goalkeeper were to score from a goal kick, it would undoubtedly go down as one of the greatest moments in football history. The sheer audacity of attempting such a feat, coupled with the technical skill required to execute it, would make it a goal to remember for years to come.
📷
However, there are several factors that would need to align for a goalkeeper to score from a goal kick. Firstly, the wind conditions would need to be favorable, with a tailwind behind the goalkeeper's kick to give it extra distance. Secondly, the opposition goalkeeper would need to be off their line, giving the ball a chance to sail over their head and into the net. And lastly, the goalkeeper attempting the goal kick would need to have the technical ability to strike the ball with precision and power from such a long distance.

Google trends

In conclusion, a goalkeeper scoring from a goal kick could potentially set a new record for the longest-range goal in history. While it may seem like a far-fetched idea, the possibility of such a moment makes football even more exciting. The thrill of seeing a goalkeeper launch the ball from their own penalty area and into the back of the net is something that fans and players alike can only dream of. Whether it happens or not remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure – the excitement and anticipation surrounding the possibility of such a feat will continue to captivate football fans for years to come.
📷

Google trends

Hi folks,
Just looking for a bit of guidance and support. For context, I'm a masters student (computer science) at an top 10 university in the US (4.0, CCNA, RHCSA, Net+/Sec+, currently work as an RA in sec research lab). I'm planning to graduate in December, but applied for a full-time neteng position at a research institute starting in May. (I can graduate in May if I choose to.)
Went through multiple rounds of interviews that I thought went well. The last one was in-person. I asked about the timeline at the end and they said its a slow process (public university). Sent a follow-up to HR three weeks after the final interview, but got an OOO reply saying he'd be back Monday (beginning of this week). Haven't heard from him and was already starting to lose hope, then yesterday they posted a new job with a slightly different title, but identical job description/requirements to the one I applied for. Still crickets.
So... feeling pretty defeated at the moment. Weirdly, they now have both jobs still posted and open to applications with identical descriptions which I don't quite understand.
I know it's no big deal (definitely not the first rejection I've had this year), and just need to keep applying, etc, but this one stung. Thought it was the perfect fit for the area I want to get into (supporting scientific research and doing neteng in an hpc environment), and I really like the area I live in, so staying local would have been nice.
​
I do have a concrete couple of questions if people have advice:

1. Should I try to reach out to HR a second time, or just chalk it off?
2. Should I apply to the new posting? I still meet the qualifications, but I'm inclined not to apply. If they'd wanted me they'd have already made the offer. (It's not a huge place, so it will definitely be with the same team.)
3. This institute has a summer internship program that I'm eligible for. Would it be reasonable to apply? It's an excellent opportunity for a solid summer internship and now that this has fallen through I still need a plan for a job or internship.

TIA!

Carlos Sainz Jnr says Red Bull’s domination of Formula 1 is an inevitable part of the sport.
“I’ve never been a fan of being concerned of one team dominating,” said Sainz. “Because if they are, they’ve done such a good job, they deserve it.
“I mean, I wish it was us. And then I would get really angry if people were concerned that we are walking over Formula 1.”
Max Verstappen admitted after Sunday’s race the championship is likely to be fought between him and Perez. Sainz agrees the other drivers are unlikely to join in the fight for this year’s title.
“Unfortunately, this is a cars’ sport more than a drivers’,” he said. “We know that makes a difference more, although Red Bull has a very strong line-up, obviously.
“But if a car is really good, all the other drivers cannot do much to stay in that fight. It is the nature of Formula 1 and we’ve seen it in the past, it’s nothing new. The recovery from Max from 15th proves that they’re in another league.”
Verstappen started 15th after a driveshaft problem halted him in qualifying. However he was easily able to rise through the field to finish second.
“We saw a great race again at the weekend between our two drivers,” he told Sky. “And if you do have two dominant cars, if those two cars are racing each other, then I think that does create a spectacle in itself.”
However he believes it will not take their rivals long to regroup.
“I have no doubt that the opposition are going to be coming back quickly and aggressively,” said Horner. “Especially as we come back into the European season where they start to come through.
“We’re hearing about big Mercedes upgrades. I’m sure Ferrari are happy with their current position as well. So, you know, we’re fully expecting things to converge quickly once we get back into Europe.”
Source: https://www.racefans.net/2023/03/24/dont-complain-about-red-bull-dominating-f1-they-deserve-it-says-sainz/

First off, this is my first post on Reddit (disclaimer: grab a coffee) and I wanted to give a huge shout-out to this community. I've been using YNAB for 6 months now and I'm just past the addiction stage where I used to check my budget and reports 10 times a day and read every new post here.
Feel free to skip to Question #1 if you just wanna help ;). Also, for American readers, just consider that 1 € = 1 $ for simplicity.
Background: I'm a 31 yo freelance Engineer in Paris, France and my business almost crashed during covid so I'm really thankful for these few YNAB wins:

1. Repaid the remaining €4,000 of a high-interest line of credit in 3 months (taken out to pay myself during 6+ months of unemployment in 2020 due to covid);
2. Contributed €2,500 to late income tax payments from 2021 + additional tax payments in 2022 so that I'm sure I'll get a positive tax return this year;
3. Built a €1,000 emergency fund + €500 health fund;
4. Got a month ahead;
5. 24 % increase in net worth, transferred funds from a high-fee to a low-fee life insurance account, opened a tax-advantaged retirement account, and opened a low-fee investment account following Ramit Sethi's principles;
6. Avoided lifestyle creep while making the highest income in my career so far since January.

All in all, these 6 months allowed me to completely get rid of the bitterness I've had since covid towards "the system" and employee advantages. I'm literally living the freelance dream and I now get to choose if I want to work on a project since my company's account is now 3 months ahead. And don't get me started on the mental health benefits of financial security + being able to truly plan for the long term.
My next goal is to detach a bit from day-to-day, obsessive budgeting by getting 3 months ahead and tracking monthly savings/investment rates according to Ramit Sethi's Conscious Spending Plan.
My two questions are an attempt at getting better reporting in YNAB rather than copy/pasting data into a spreadsheet every month.
​
Question #1: French employees now pay income tax as a payroll deduction (since 2019), but freelancers don't. I basically have an automated tax payment computed on last year's income and I make additional payments for any income above baseline. In the following, gross income refers to net income + income taxes (social, retirement, and education taxes are paid on my company's side).
Right now, I do the following each month:

1. Inflow gross income (monthly paycheck) to RTA;
2. Assign amount of recurring + additional tax payments for this month's income to an Income Tax category;
3. Outflow tax payments (potentially including an additional tax payment on last month's income) from the Income Tax category.

This is not optimal for reporting in YNAB/Toolkit because any spending/investment ratio is computed on my gross income, which isn't very meaningful, especially on months where I have an additional tax payment for previous month's additional income.
I'm considering switching to the following MO:

1. Split pre-tax income transaction to:
   1. Inflow net income to RTA,
   2. Direct-inflow income tax amount to Income Tax category;
2. Outflow tax payments from the Income Tax category.

This way, the Income vs. Expense report will display net income and I just have to uncheck the Income Tax category to avoid displaying additional tax payments that may have been shifted by a month.
Playing around with the Toolkit's Income vs. Expense report, it feels like this would make my category groups ratios reflect true ratios over net income. Am I right here? Any feedback?
​
Question #2: I made this tax-advantaged real estate investment call Pinel Law in France which may sound super weird to a foreign ear; I've never found even a remote equivalent in other countries. Basically, the French government made this Pinel law to stimulate affordable housing development in designated areas.
The principle is as follows (in my case; a number of details may vary):

1. You make a real estate investment (with a downpayment-free mortgage) to build an apartment in a designated Pinel area (with additional energy efficiency requirements on the real estate program);
2. You sign a contract with the government where you commit to renting out your newly built apartment to low-income earners for 9 years. The rent is also capped;
3. In return, you get 2 % of the original invested amount in tax return every year for 9 years on your income tax from the government.

So the monthly cash flow for this investment is as follows (rounded amounts for simplicity):
Rent (€500) - Mortgage payment (€850) + Tax return (€300) - Property tax (€50) - Landlord utilities (€50) = - Investment effort (€150)
So each month, I invest €150 but my net worth increases by €850.
In YNAB, this currently translates to:

1. Inflow rent to RTA;
2. Assign to and spend from Mortgage payment (transfer to loan account), Landlord utilities, and Property tax categories;
3. The value of the tax return appears nowhere and is already taken into account in my monthly income tax payments.

This means that the Income vs. Expense report shows a €850 investment for an additional €500 income line, which artificially increases my investment rate.
Instead, I would like my investment rate to only account for the €150 invested. What do you think of the following:

1. Split rent income transaction to:
   1. Direct-inflow property tax and landlord utilities to their respective category,
   2. Direct-inflow the rest to Mortgage payment category (which will be underfunded);
2. Do some black magic to account for tax return and assign it to Mortgage payment (this is linked to question #1);
3. When my mortgage payment is due, outflow from Mortgage payment.

Reports should now account for the €150 invested / €850 net worth increase leverage. The issue is I have no idea how to process the tax return line in a scheme that will already seem overcomplicated to most YNABers here.
​
Any idea is welcome and if you made it this far: thanks for reading my first novel. 😅
Cheers

My controllers will arrive today, once I get everything set and balanced I'll be ready to move my lomo from the fridge to the cabinet
My question: My current projects are wrapped in collagen sheets to slow drying in the fridge and trussed. Do I need to remove the sheeting and place the loins into netting when I move them to the chamber?

All price discussion, market talk, memes, other cryptos exchanges in the daily/weekly discussion posts only please.
Getting Started
To learn more please visit Elastos Wiki
Also watch the Short Explainer Video, and "Elastos: The Modern Internet "
Elastos Website
___________________________________________________________________________________
Recent News
Meet Elastos Digerati: Providing News and Updates for Elastos
Best Article Contest 2nd Prize Submission: Elastos, the Next Step in the Nostr Saga
Best Article Contest 1st Prize Submission: How Elastos Can Ride the Nostr Wave
Elastic Consensus Technical Overview
Elastos Community group on Telegram has migrated to Discord. Join Now!
With ELA on Ethereum (ERC-20) now live on Coinbase, there are some essential pieces of information to know before you attempt to deposit or withdraw.
___________________________________________________________________________________
News
Blockchain Consensus Mechanisms and What Makes Elastos Unique
Essentials Wallet Adds Tron Network with Multiple Features
Elastos Digital Destiny
Elastos Manifesto
Video of Elastos Founder, Rong Chen on the past and future of Elastos
Elastos Bi-Weekly Update – 19 Feb, 2023
How DIDs Solve Issues of Digital Identity
Hong Kong’s Crypto Revival and Elastos
DIDs and Web3’s Regulatory Challenges
Blockchain Browser Announcement
ElaboxOS- The Future Hub of Web3 and Crypto
Pseudonymous Is Not Anonymous
Elastos DeFi Building BlocksBlockchain Browser Announcement
ElaboxOS- The Future Hub of Web3 and Crypto
Pseudonymous Is Not Anonymous
Elastos DeFi Building Blocks
Elastos Bi-Weekly Update – 05 Feb, 2023
Web3- The Era for Personalized Websites Powered by Elastos
Revolutionizing Data Protection with Elastos Essentials Wallet
Elastos Celebrates the Lunar New Year
Elastos Hosts Red Packet Competition
Elacity and the Journey Blending DRM and NFTs
Elastos Smart Contract Chain Upgrade Announcement
Unlocking the Power of Decentralized Identity with Elastos
Elastos Bi-Weekly Update – 08 Jan, 2023
Riding the Nostr Wave with Elastos: Best Article Contest
Web3- The Era for Personalized Websites Powered by Elastos
Community Announcement from the Info Team
Essentials 3.0: Cross-Chain Swaps in One Click
FTX Bankruptcy: What Does It Mean For Crypto?
Introducing Elacity Digital Rights Management (DRM): An NFT-powered Digital Content Platform on Elastos
Elastos Ecosystem Partners with Blockchain Security Firm Paladin for Audits and Oversight
Breaking Down Hive: Elastos’ All-in-One Decentralized Storage Solution
Essentials 3.0 Released on Android
Welcome Elastos’ Elavation Team to the Ecosystem
Elastos Financial Report – First Half 2022
Introducing Elacity Digital Rights Management (DRM): An NFT-powered Digital Content Platform on Elastos
The 7 Best Crypto Wallets for 2023 and Beyond
Cyber Republic Council Twitter Spaces AMA with several current council members
Carrier 2: A Robust, Decentralized Communication Network Prepared for Launch
How Will the Ethereum Merge Upgrade Change Crypto?
ELA Buyback Program to Support DPoS 2.0 is Complete
Elastos 2020 Dive Deep - Interview with Kiran Pachhai
Elastos Releases DeFi Roadmap Following Chainlink Integration
DID, the W3C Verified decentralized identifier
Top 5 Enterprise Blockchain Solutions in 2020
The 80% burn of the CR ELA Fund is complete
___________________________________________________________________________________
Green Lights And Guides
Elastos Wiki
___________________________________________________________________________________
Yellow Lights
Red Lights
Useful Links
Elastos Medium link
ELA NEWS Site
Github
Cyber Republic
___________________________________________________________________________________
Only Buy ELA from these exchanges
Buy ELA on Coinbase
Buy ELA on Huobi
Buy ELA on HBUS
Buy ELA on Bcex
Buy ELA on Coinegg
Buy ELA on Kucoin
Buy ELA on CoinSpot
Buy ELA on GAEX
Buy ELA on BTCTrade
Buy ELA on CoolCoin
Buy ELA on LBank
Buy ELA on BitZ
Buy ELA on BitPlace
___________________________________________________________________________________
Rules
Please Read The Elastos Subreddit Rules
Matters And Opinions Pertaining To The ELA Token Price and Exchanges Are To Be Confined To The Daily Discussion Thread
___________________________________________________________________________________
Other Channels To Follow
Elastos Official Website
Elastos Info Website
Elastos Info Youtube Channel
Elastos Facebook Page
Elastos Info Instagram
Cyber Republic Official Website
Cyber Republic Blog
Cyber Republic Reddit
Cyber Republic Twitter
Cyber Republic LinkedIn
Cyber Republic Instagram
Cyber Republic Facebook Page
Cyber Republic Facebook Group

VPN/OFFLINE MODE INCLUDED : https://discord.gg/r6Scbry
I am Habooskie, a few challengegrandmaster players and I started this company to offer you a SAFE, AFFORDABLE, and EFFECTIVE alternative to sites that seem to dry you of your money and leave you feeling disappointed or unfulfilled.
Our boosters are top of the line and can individually address your questions and concerns, you are however free to reach out to me at any point through discord or reddit! Why us? We offer cheap prices with price matching, additional security measures (VPN, time schedule flexibility, offline mode), and honorable behavior (0 to bare minimum chat usage).
CURRENT PROMOTION: 50% off ALL services, including duo, coaching, solo boosting, net wins. FREE coaching/voice with the booster included with any duo order optional. New to boosting? Don't worry, we'll answer any question you have and address every concern accurately. We've been in this business for years. CURRENTLY HIRING: NA, EUW, OCE boosters GM+ only
My vouch thread:
https://www.reddit.com/Lolboosting/comments/11bgsm1/vouch_thread_for_uhabooskie/
https://www.reddit.com/Lolboosting/comments/vo2w6v/habooskie_vouch_thread_7_june_2022/
https://www.reddit.com/Lolboosting/comments/r6mx6g/habooskie_vouch_thread_6_december_2021/
https://www.reddit.com/Lolboosting/comments/n4rh2e/habooskie_vouch_thread_5_may_2021/
https://www.reddit.com/Lolboosting/comments/ge32z0/habooskie_vouch_thread_3_may_2020/
https://www.reddit.com/Lolboosting/comments/cgad52/habooskie_vouch_thread_2_july_201

Trying to branch out of shounen and action anime.
Here's my MAL, I'm currently updating it though: https://myanimelist.net/profile/Darkstar0129
I've really enjoyed some of the ones from recent seasons so something along those lines.

INVOICE – How happy it’ll be if all your invoices are paid within the due date?
It's worth a read if you're looking for some interesting facts and ideas that'll make your invoice generation process and delivering it to your customers a breeze.
First, let me get you through some basic info about Invoice Generation and Delivering it to your customers.

Invoices, Invoice Generation, and Its Purpose in Accounts Receivable

Invoices are an important part of every business, large or small. They are the lifeblood of your financial operations, and if not managed properly, they may cause major cash flow issues. In its most basic form, invoices are only a record of a transaction between two parties: the seller and the customer. Even so, the process of creating and handling invoices is far more complicated than it appears.
Invoice generation entails several phases, including identifying the products or services to be given, computing the costs, applying taxes, and delivering the invoice to the customer. When done manually, the process can be time-consuming and error-prone. Yet, thanks to advances in technology, generating invoices has become easier and more efficient.
Instant invoice generation systems not only save time and decrease mistakes, but they also reveal crucial information about a company's financial health. Businesses can rapidly discover delayed payments and take necessary action to avoid cash flow difficulties with real-time invoice tracking. Additionally, automated systems can generate extensive reports that give a full perspective of the company's finances, assisting businesses in making more educated decisions.
Finally, invoices are an essential component of every successful business. Businesses can improve the invoice-generating process, eliminate mistakes, and get important insights into their financial operations by adopting current technology and automated accounts receivable processes.

Some Major Invoicing Difficulties That You May Face

There are five key challenges that a business or business owner faces when generating and sending invoices to customers for products or services obtained on credit. Let's see them one by one.

1. Missing and Confusing Invoices

Invoices will not be paid if they do not reach their designated receivers. And if you use net 30 payment terms with your customers and don't receive automated receipt confirmations, it might be a month or more before you detect the invoice is missing. This might have a severe impact on your cash flow and cause you to repeat the invoicing process.
While the language on your invoices may be obvious to you (we did X task in return for X dollars), your customers might interpret that message differently. This can lead to invoice confusion, which is especially problematic if you are offering numerous products or services to the same customer and invoicing them many times.
You can prevent this difficulty by implementing accounts receivable software, which allows you to not only generate invoices but also deliver them to the relevant customer in your accounts receivable data. Check for "unviewed" invoices regularly and make sure the right email address is connected to each customer's account. This indicates that they are not being received or evaluated. Seek for an automatic system that may be configured to alert and notify you when invoices go unviewed for an extended period.

2. Sending Invoice Reminders with Missing Customer and Invoice Data

Invoice reminders are an important aspect of the accounts receivable process. Sending reminders with missing customer and invoice data, on the other hand, might cause payment delays and confusion for both the customer and the accounts receivable team. These are some frequent problems that might occur when sending invoice reminders with missing customer and invoice data, as well as solutions:

1. Missing customer data: When customer data is missing, it might be difficult to establish who should get the invoice, resulting in payment delays. To avoid this, ensure that all customer data is recorded correctly and thoroughly into the accounting system. Moreover, frequent audits of customer data might assist in identifying any inaccuracies or missing information.
2. Missing invoice data: When invoice data is missing, it might be difficult to establish which invoices are past due and must be paid. To avoid this, make sure that all invoices are entered correctly and thoroughly into the accounting system. In addition, automated reminders may be set up to notify your accounts receivable staff of any outstanding invoices.
3. Incorrect data entry: Improper data entry might result in inaccurate invoice amounts, customer information, and payment conditions, causing payment delays and confusion. To solve this, it is critical to have a accounts receivable process that ensures all data is input correctly before issuing invoice reminders. Moreover, automatic data validation can aid in the detection of problems before invoices are delivered.

Overall, data entry accuracy and completeness are critical to the success of the accounts receivable process. Businesses may reduce payment delays and confusion for both the customer and the accounts receivable team by ensuring that all customer and invoice data is recorded properly and thoroughly, and by implementing a review process.

3. Sending Invoices Reminders with Recurring Invoice Errors and Mistakes

Sending invoices and reminders is a key component of the accounts receivable process, and the invoices must be error-free and accurate. Unfortunately, repeated errors and blunders might occur, resulting in payment delays and harm to the company's image. Here are some solutions to these problems:

1. Implement Automated Software: Using automated accounts receivable software can assist in decreasing mistakes and assure the accuracy of invoices. It may also send out automatic reminders to customers who owe money.
2. Double-check all invoices: Before sending out an invoice, double-check it to ensure that all information, including the customer's name, address, and payment conditions, is correct. This can aid in the prevention of errors and the timely payment of invoices.
3. Send reminders regularly: Providing reminders to clients regularly can assist to minimize the number of unpaid bills. It can also help in ensuring that customers perceive their payment commitments and that bills are paid on time.
4. Provide specific payment instructions: Make sure the payment instructions are clear and simple to follow. This can assist in reducing mistakes and ensuring that customers know how to pay their invoices.
5. Follow up with customers: If an invoice is past due, contact the customer to determine why payment has not been made. This can aid in the identification of any faults or problems and ensure that payment is issued as quickly as feasible.

Invoices and reminders are key aspects of the accounts receivable process. Companies can guarantee that their invoices are paid on time and that their cash flow is strong by taking efforts to prevent errors and mistakes and by following their customers frequently.

Accounts Receivable Software with Easy Invoice Generation might be a solution

Accounts Receivable Software with Quick Invoice Generation might be a useful option for organizations that are having difficulty with invoicing. This software automates operations such as invoice generation, tracking, and payment reminders to expedite the invoicing process.
Businesses may use this software to easily generate invoices, customize them with their logo, and send them to customers online. In addition, the software provides real-time information on the status of invoices, making it easy to manage missing payments and follow up with customers as needed.
Accounts receivable software can assist organizations to manage customer information, setting credit limits, and tracking payment history in addition to generating invoices. This can assist businesses in identifying possible problems with customers who are sluggish to pay or have a history of nonpayment.
Businesses can save time and money, decrease mistakes, and increase cash flow by assuring prompt payments by employing accounts receivable software with quick invoice generation. Overall, this application can serve as a useful tool for any company looking to streamline its invoicing processes and improve its financial management.
Visit Maxyfi Blogs, which has everything you need to know about automation in accounts receivable and its benefits.

Shares of Deutsche Bank fell more than 13% on Friday, with concerns over the stability of European banks persisting. Credit default swaps for the German lender, which is currently in the middle of a restructuring effort to improve profitability, rose to 173 basis points from 142 basis points the previous day. Deutsche Bank has reported ten consecutive quarters of profit, with an annual net income of €5bn ($5.4bn) in 2022. However, Deutsche Bank and other major European banks saw broad declines on Friday, leading to spillover risk concerns for the banking sector. https://www.cnbc.com/2023/03/24/deutsche-bank-shares-slide-8percent-after-a-sudden-spike-in-default-insurance-costs.html

Changelog
A bug has been fixed that caused torpedoes not to leave a trail in the water.
Incorrect reflections from snow during rain on the Ardennes, Maginot Line and Seversk-13 locations at medium and low graphic settings have been fixed (report).
PC and MacOS Only
Mac — an error that allowed the mouse cursor to leave the game window has been fixed (report).
An error that caused a possible crash on Intel Arc video cards has been fixed (report).

Sorry for the mistakes I’m not from an English speaking country and on mobile.
Me f23 & 5 months pregnant and my partner (P) m32 have our own small business that we opened two years ago. We’re the only employees and I also work part time elsewhere. We are currently buying our house. My brother in law (BIL) m33 on the other hand supports alone his unemployed wife, f32 (SIL) and their 1yo daughter. They live in a rented apartment in the same city as us.
Yesterday, BIL paid us a visit. As I went outside to join them, P tells me almost off the bat that we are going to lend a lot of money to BIL to help build his case for a private housing agency.
BIL had told P that he was going to go through a private agency for housing because the social landlords that he contacted one year ago still haven’t followed up on his case (he and SIL are not struggling as much as the other people who contact the social landlords so they are not at the top of the list). He also said that BIL and SIL were fed up with the neighborhood (there was almost a fire in the apartment below a few days ago).
P threw the bomb at me like that, I didn't say anything in front of them but I couldn't hide the fact that I wasn't agreeing and kindly began asking for BIL to find alternatives like a bank loan or something. He said that a loan wasn’t an option that the bank would never accept since his wife have been unemployed for ten years and he’s not allowed to contract one himself because of some old debts he had in the past.
I went back upstairs, there then was a series of uncontrollable events that pissed me off more (1st cat dropped the laundry I had folded, I spilled water on the floor, the dog was chasing 2nd cat) I got so overwhelmed!
I tried to calm myself down, but I couldn't. It was as if the milk was boiling in the pan and even if the fire had been turned off it was still boiling over. I failed to control myself, to stop and for the first time in my life I threw something across the room, then screamed at my pets and began to hysterically cry from all the emotions bottled up since a few weeks (situation a my part time work, extreme fatigue etc.)
I didn't think the boys would hear the commotion coming from inside but they did. That made BIL think that it was entirely directed at him and he angrily left.
P is a bit mad at me for not keeping my cool because he too is on edge since a few weeks and I know that we're going nowhere if we both get overwhelmed like that.
I kind of feel guilty because of that but I can’t help thinking that it’s not a bad thing since BIL probably won’t ask again for money.
I don't know if BIL really realizes that he already saves a lot of money on P, that we give him a lot of money (from €100 to €200) every month because BIL and SIL live beyond their means. When BIL asked P, he said it was « for his niece » but it's not as if we weren’t expecting ourselves or that we really were part of the girl's life by having only seen her 3 or 4 times in almost a year and a half.
Not to mention that they could also ask SIL’s family, at least to share the costs with us, (her sister makes the same amount as us). Just like the bank alternative BIL wasn’t open to any suggestion.
I can’t help but think that SIL is the one behind this resquest, as she’d rather send her husband ask his little brother for the millionth time for money than to wake up and find a job for herself. BIL and SIL both know that P is too kind for his own good. It’s been 3 years since I’ve entered their life, I never said anything but this, it’s too much for me.
Like, I'm pregnant and I'm still working a second job! Even if our business provides for us quite well on its own, it’s better to have a safety net! Thanks to that we can afford to save money, go on vacation, pay off our own house loan, prepare for our baby’s birth etc.
It’s decided that I soon will have to resign to take care of our kid full time while working from home for our business at least for the first year. We already know that we’ll need to concentrate all of our resources for us, not for the not so struggling leeches around.

Hi everyone,
Looking to get some input on my approach to FIRE over the coming years. My goal is to be able to "retire early" in whatever way I see fit at the time, part-time work, full retirement, etc. I would like to achieve this by the age of 40(currently 27).
My partner and I both work in IT and make a combined 5.5K net, along with the usual benefits, company car, hospitalization, meal cheques, etc. So besides a mortgage and some renovation loans, our fixed costs every month are quite low and we can save/invest a little over half of our combined income(which will start reducing over 5 years when a large chunk of these loans will be gone). We also have an almost 2 year old son to mention that. We currently have around 45K in IWDA and an almost fully funded emergency fund(10k).
Our current goal fire number is 1 million-ish.
I am currently on the fence about two approaches to how to get to FIRE;

1. Go freelance/Comm V starting next January and work for aggressive optimization and growth with my income. Based on my estimation I could increase my take home with dividends to about 3.5-4k net with just me doing this, with the caveat of extra admin work and likely taking on some extra side work. With this aggressive work, I would like to fully stop and retire around the age of 40, with no part-time after.
   
2. Keep my current full-time employee job, but once we hit X invested(currently thinking is 80-100k in ETFs, open to input), then my partner and I would switch to a 4/5 day work week, trying to keep the 50% investment rule to already 'enjoy' some of our hard work to that point. This would take longer to hit our goal, but with the compounding effect, it would add a few easier years to this. Thinking around age 45.
   

I see advantages to both but am currently leaning toward number 2.
Some advantages I see to number 2;

• More time to contribute to the pension(not going to rely on it, but anything extra I get when I get to that age would be nice)
• Easy to switch back to 5 days or freelance if I want at basically any point
• By working longer in a part-time format, I would still get the advantages of the company car, insurance, tank card etc.
• Allowing me to delay those expenses(and possibly save more money?)
• No stress about taking sick days, or parental leave, as it will be covered.
• By working longer, compounding could become even stronger and could be combined with a 3/5 workweek where I still get the advantage of other benefits
• Easier work-life + family balance

What are your thoughts on this? I know it is not a choice and stick to it forever if I don't want. But considering my relatively short 13-ish-year horizon, I would like to get some input here.
I think my mindset is often grind, grind, grind! So curious to hear others' input.
How did you get to/are getting to fire, do you have any guidance?
TLDR; What is your input on the best way to FIRE. Full grind and start freelance, or take it slow and work less along the way.

This story takes place in the same universe as Humans Are Awful At War, a few centuries further along the timeline. Any allusion to a certain grimdark scifi universe is purely intentional. Any Latin declension mistake is also intentional.
The Emperor was a towering silhouette at the main stand of the Agora assembly.
He was more than three meters tall and clad in a golden power armor that further reinforced his brutal, physical presence in front of the galactic ambassadors. His right fist was a clenched psionic claw, radiating with power as it filtered the light coming down from a ceiling so distant clouds formed underneath its arch. His left hand rested on the pommel of a sword the size of a small space-to-space missile locked in its sheath, whose message was plain and simple: the Emperor was a warrior. He had killed. He had slaughtered. He had led the charge of his praetorians in the heart of battle, he had ordered the destruction of entire planets from the bridge of his superdreadnaught, he had impaled rulers, common folk and heretics alike on this blade. He did not fear, for he was functionally immortal -- the pinnacle of posthuman genetic engineering, with three hearts and twice the strength of his praetorians, themselves capable of individually manhandling an entire cohort of the weaker species. The Emperor was a glorious figure, truly, and he had been speaking sentences of honour and fury for the past hour.
Fatima Mansour hadn't listened to a single word.
There was archeo-music in her ears -- Tangerine Dreams' Love On A Real Train -- dispensed by a cassette Walkman. She knew the speech by heart because it was always the same. The Empire wasn't at the stage of barbarism, not yet, though the mask was beginning to slip at times -- the xenocide on Oltaran, the firebombing of Kazark and the subsquent death of seventeen billion sophonts, the summary execution of two million captured pseudo-simian at the battle of the Bridge Nebula (that one, to be fair, had flown under everyone's ethical radars: it was outside Agora space). The scenario was always the same. The Emperor came forward at the Agora with a request: to allow him to put another minor species under the patronage of his generous power. There was always a good pretext. An insulted ambassador; a destroyed ship; a dead praetorian; a vanished explorer; sometimes, a more elaborate lie, like the complex diplomatic trap that had led the old and venerable Xii to declare war on the Emperor a century ago. In many ways, had always considered Mansour, it had been the turning point. The militant, theocratic, dictatorial offshoot of humanity had always been taken as a pleasant joke the Agora indulged in by throwing a few expendable species at the growing and splendid monster, not wanting to deal with the stray children of Sol, whose parents were one of the most well-regarded species in the Milky Way. Surely, had thought everyone, the Xii would make short work of the Emperor and his praetorian.
Mansour still remembered the images, displayed in great detail on the virtual reality spaces of the Agora. The swift brutality of posthuman shock combat meeting the outdated practices of a species that hadn't known war in a thousand years. Military innovation vanquishing immobilism. Industry and aggression meeting useless notions of battlefield honour. Millions of dead hulks orbiting Novus Terra. Hordes of Praetorians, pristine armours under the twin suns of the Xii capital. The Emperor leading his honor guard in a glorious charge against the last Xii redoubt, trumpets blazing. Then the cleansing -- the monuments torn down by the praetorians, the reeducation of the children, the slaughter of the parents, the dismantlement of the industrial worlds, turned into agrarian prisons, the plagues and the xenocides, the forceful terraforming and the colonisation. And the Agora, watching the demise of someone's noble but annoying neighbours, hard-pressed to lift a finger in their direction.
Then, silence. Two decades later, the brutally effective intervention of the Emperor against a rogue race of constructs would give him a seat at the Agora and half a million votes. The absorptions and the colonisations started shortly again -- but everything was legal in the eyes of galactic law. In many ways, the Human Empire was practical. Its violent pragmaticism had saved the Agora once and granted the Emperor a strength that made any direct confrontation suicidal. None of the old, tired Agoran core species could size up alone to the Human Empire, and in the end, suspected Mansour, they were all afraid. Afraid of posthuman strength. Afraid of the posthuman spirit. Afraid of this immortal, bearded giant of a man, clad in armor adorned in seals and eagles.
And the civilization being discussed could but suffer the staunch words of the Emperor. Mansour barely knew them, just another fragment in the Agora, a minor border species of the Orion Arm. The Murida; a few tens of billions of pseudo-rodents with barely FTL-capable vessels. Mansour understood why the Emperor had an interest in such a pityful society his praetorians could rein in within a month -- they reproduced fast and were hard-working. Perfect slaves. The patronage would be brutal. Everyone knew it.
None cared.
Fatima Mansour glanced at the other major civilisations of the Agora and found little more than disinterest. Humanity's closest allies, the blue-skinned Pleiadians and hive-minded Messer, were frozen in place, uncertain, knowing that a negative vote would put them on a collision course with the posthuman Empire. The Weavers in Light, clad in their shadowy tentacles, were lightyears above the fate of a few billion mammals; even Ö-Three-Eyes, six thousand years old, seemed eager to leave the Agora. The war against the Great Chain had broken something in her, a subtle mechanism led bare to starlight. Once upon a time, thought Mansour, she would have had flown to the defense of the Murida -- but she was weary, the weight of hundreds of failed empires on her tentacles. Her flame was gone and so was the best hope of the interstellar pseudorodents. On the opposite aisle, the people of Kush seemed in the middle of a heated debate, but Mansour suspected they were already discussing the next vote, on the oh-so-crucial matters of red flower trade quotas, though it was hard to say what exactly motivated a civilisation made of a myriad of societies and species integrated within each other, each representative requiring a different environmental suit to survive at the Agora. The noble Perseians seemed utterly bored, much like the Weavers, albeit the humanoid uploads did not entertain the same kind of wearyness -- they simply considered the Agora as a waste of time. The excessively peaceful Gardeners were looking in the opposite direction, their many tentacle-eyes drifting away from the small niche of the Murida, as if ashamed to witness another victim of Imperial adventurism. The only ones Mansour held some hope for were the Vriij and the Scythians. The militant squids undulated in their aquarium, visibly agitated, clicking threats and insults at each other -- Mansour wasn't well-versed in their sonar dialect, but she caught a few slurs levelled at posthumans, which she took as a good sign. As for the Scythians -- the mysterious cowled humanoids that took names from ancient Earth were impassible, their representatives frozen like fossilized sequoias. But they had already taken steps against the Posthuman Empire. There was hope still. Maybe a coalition could form. Maybe.
One hour after the beginning of the Emperor's speech, which also marked the opening of the vote, ninety-five percent of the galactic assembly was abstaining, out of fear and disinterest. Many minor civilisations, keenly aware of the fact that they were next, had voted against, but votes were proportional to sophont population and their voices meant little. Only the Human Empire and a few client species had voted in favour -- but it was enough to secure the vote. The Murida representatives had seemingly already accepted their fate. They were silent.
Mansour's Walkman clicked, reaching the end of the cassette. Love On A Real Train stopped, leaving but the silent chaos of the Agora in her ears. She removed her headphones, sweeping imaginary dust off her disco jacket and reached for the voting button. Sol and its communal stars had five hundred representatives, but they had already voted in parliament -- Mansour represented them all when she pushed the slider towards NO. In the absence of overwhelming support in favor of the annexation, Mansour's vote was enough to tip the balance against the Emperor.
There was silence. Even the Weavers in Light appeared to take a sudden interest in the assembly. Never before had any major civilisation moved against the militaristic posthuman splinter. To see their parent species go first had something tragic to it -- for even the least learned races knew it meant war. Open conflict between two members of the Agora -- but why would the Emperor blink? The world had proven at length that it didn't care, and the glory of Sol was long passed. With the victory against the Great Chain, Humans had gone complacent and so had their Pleiadian and Messer allies. They were prey, now.
The Emperor turned towards Mansour. His words echoed a split-second before his lips moved -- his flesh was a puppet, his voice that of the nuclear core beating at the heart of his titanic armor.
"There are ten legions at the edge of the Sol bubble. On my order, they move and the relic you call Earth falls within a day. You have no weapons. No armies. No fleets. Nothing. Will the Pleiadians and Messer die for you?"
"We shall," said a blue-skinned lady and an insectoid hivemind at the same time. The Emperor looked unfazed.
Mansour coughed, tapped her antediluvian microphone to check if it was working and said, avoiding the gaze of the Emperor, not out of fear but pure disinterest:
"It is with a heavy heart that I must bring grave news to this assembly. Due to unforeseen consequences of a diplomatic overture, it appears we will have to interrupt all outbound trade from the Sol Bubble."
The first to react was a Kushite envoy -- a strange but marvellous thing, a sapient plant with golden leaves undulating in the wind. Its translator turned pheromones and pollen into thought and voice.
"...what, what do you mean, all outbound trade?"
"Your translator is functioning correctly, oh regal ambassador of the Stellar Orchard. With the current threats levelled at the Sol bubble by the esteemed representative of the Empire, as well as the disorder caused by the possibility of patronage on the Murida civilisation, the conditions for the safe and expedient displacement of our trade ships are no longer present. All planned convoys will be postponed until further notice, and ships currently in the black will be recalled to Messer and Pleiadian fortress-planets where they shall receive safe haven."
"Even current ongoing convoys? Our losses shall be..." said the plant.
"...astronomical, I know. But as a fellow master of trade, you understood that we cannot endanger our productive elements."
Chaos erupted in the Kushite ranks. Mansour was well-aware of the nuclear bomb she had just dropped in their well-ordained niches -- the Kushite bazaars were premier redistributors of human goods, be they physical or digital, and many of them stood to simply disappear with an interruption of commercial relations with Sol, with no way to easily find another monopolistic partner. In a few words -- the simple declaration human representatives had agreed upon -- Fatima had put the metaphorical backs of several tens of billions of interstellar businessmen against the wall.
Mansour didn't linger on the chaos she had created, for she had another fuse to light.
"Esteemed members of the Agora," she said, "in the past few decades, many of you called Sol to help and none found us deaf. Market-mistresses of Kush, do you remember the interstellar trains of grain, fungus and medicine that were ferried, without counterpart, by Sol as the city-planet of Decima fell victim to plague and famine? Vriij, do you recall the secrets of dark matter and faster-than-light travel we gave you when you left your waterworld, so that the Great Chain would not catch up with you? Perseians, do you remember the Pyramid World we saved from a supernova, carrying every single one of its casked souls into your purview, the void and the dark creatures you battled aeons ago claiming thousand of our own in return? Gardeners, do you remember when you scurried the galaxy for an answer to a plague that ate the very fabric of your life, and we offered you both knowledge and asylum? And you, Scythians..."
A cowled figure tilted their head to the side, answering in Mansour's place.
"The Scythians never forget."
Another figure said:
"The Scythians always remember."
And another:
"The music. The lights. The colours. The stories of Sol. The joy they bring us."
And another:
"The Scythians understand your words. They understand the choice you force upon us. You or them."
And another:
"Music or eagles. Kindness or blade-sharp gold. Interstellar disco balls or star-fortresses. Beauty or the fac-simile thereof. A choice easily made."
And another:
"A choice for warriors."
The last statue lowered their hood. Underneath, they had no face; just a pristine white surface, yet it bristled with wicked joy.
"Ansibles have been opened once more. Orders have been given. The myriads are already on the move. A hundred thousand ships are departing from Balcora within the day. Hyperluminal veterans of the indiran wars, moving apace in the great veil, six million times faster than photons. We shall meet at Terra. And here we shall be your bulwark."
Mansour nodded and leaned back. The Vriij jumped on the opportunity and inside their aquarium. The oldest squid clicked; the translator echoed a second later.
"The Vriij remember too. We owe you a world. If Terra faces war, then we shall answer in kind. We will be giving orders to recall the border fleets and direct them to Sol. A motion to call for general mobilisation is being sent to the parliament as we speak."
It was followed by a slur that the microphone staunchly refused to translate. A great Kushite sophont, smooth as bloody silk, shimmered towards a jewelled podium. His voice was pure honey.
"The city-planet of Decima remembers indeed, ambassador. On behalf of the Great Khans of Unruled Space, whose mothers came from Decima, I say: fear not. To the ranks of the Scythians we will add our own. Nimble and towering, elegant and savage, swift and lumbering, the ships of the star-steppes shall fly the banner of war once more. May the imperial kin cry our names in fear and hatred."
"And it will not be said that we cannot keep the arteries of trade open," said the golden flower, "hence you can count on the privateers and mercenaries of my corporations. Arrangements will be made. Prices will be negotiated."
A Gardener world-tree added, rustling leaves in the translator:
"The children of the moss are slow but firm. Hold, and you will find us."
Then came a Perseians dynast, and her quantum wings gleamed in the colours of a black hole when she said:
"I am Eletharna, seventh of her name, off-branch of the great tendril mind of the Pyramid World. I am the dynast of Meroe, mistress of the Scutum-Centaurus arm, spear of the unbelievers, hammer of the necromants and commander of the Black Armada. To Sol, I have a debt of more than life. And to Sol a million ships shall follow."
Her final word was followed by silence. The Emperor took a step forward, then leaped. He switfly reached the niche of the envoys of Sol and unsheathed his sword. It had a flaming blade, razor moving through atoms so neatly it didn't produce any wind. He raised it high above Mansour.
"Words, words, words!" he yelled, "but as death closes in, she does not dare fight! And you would die for her? My strike is merely mercy for weakness!"
Mansour raised her hand in a feeble attempt at protecting herself. The sword rushed towards her then--
A dull sound.
The blade was suspended over her forehead, so close she felt the imprint of the edge on her psionic headband. The weapon was now split in several parts that were not quite broken but distributed across three-dimensional space, stretched upon an invisible four-dimensional object. Ö-Three-Eyes stood between Mansour and the Emperor. For the first time since the war against the Great Chain, she had moved from her permanent seat at the Agora. She looked formidable once more. All her irises were open, even the third one, even the secret one; and despite his strength, despite his power, the Emperor could not move, for Ö-Three-Eyes held him in a hyercubic net he could not even see.
"None innocent died in the Agora in a millenia," she said, "and none innocent shall die today. Lower your weapon, Emperor, or face me and become a footnote in the history of this venerable house."
The Emperor blinked and looked Mansour in the eye.
"You disgust me. You are weak. Harmless. You don't fight, you don't defend yourself, you just...make music, trade and explore the world. You do not even have the decency to fight your own wars. You are a daughter of Sol! You were born on a hard, unforgiving world! You are apex predators! You should strive to take your rightful place, not cower under the shadow of Scythians and Perseians! We should be akin!"
Mansour was undisturbed, almost disappointed to still be alive.
"We are nothing of what you describe. The Earth is a mundane world and even now we are not its masters, merely passengers. It didn't turn us into apex predators or hardened survivors, not more than it made us weak or pampered. It merely taught us the fundamental lesson every single spacefaring species learned. Adaptability. Choice. We are social animals, Emperor. And society means choice. Ideological, technical, philosophical choices of what we consider to be the right path for us as a collective. Maybe our pacifism is a mistake, maybe one day there won't be anyone to help us and we will fall. But it is a choice we made in good conscience, a choice we collectively understand and support. You, on the contrary, are merely enforcing made-up instincts. A drive to conquer, destroy and colonise, born of this body you and your praetorians made for yourself, a body whose only goal is war. You try to justify this with an appeal to what you consider to be the deep nature of humankind -- but it is no less a choice than our peacefulness. There is no human nature but the one we craft for ourselves and you made it clear what manner of horrors you want to be remembered for. I may be wrong, I may be mistaken, I may be deluding myself, but I do not tell myself that I act due to some mysterious and universal human nature. You are not a son of Sol. Merely a pale, cowardly imitation. And your days are counted."
"Crone. You are..."
"Weak, kind, feeble, compassionate, foolish, fragile and surrounded by friends. In short -- Human. The word you are looking for is Human."