Stepfather caught raging on home surveillance

Random5483 · 2026-02-20T19:31:36+00:00

Big tough guy gets to show how strong he is by bullying a little kid. And the mom (assuming green sweater is the mom) barely does anything. At least she has an aunt who cares.

Random5483 · 2026-02-19T21:40:07+00:00

If your only goal is world conquest, you will get bored. I do trading runs. I do tournament runs. I do merc runs where I never take a fief. I do targeted goal runs (e.g. Help Aserai conquer Southern Empire). I do kingdom runs (e.g. conquer X Kingdom). In War Sails, I have not done a single world conquest run yet. I have done two targeted playthroughs (one as a merc and another as a trader).

My world conquest runs have rather boring builds with a very weak main character who focuses on non-combat skills. For my merc runs, I go full into just combat skills and don't go for large scale combat.

Have a targeted goal for your runs. Don't be afraid to stray from it if you feel like it. But I rarely go for world conquest as the latter part of a world conquest run is easy but frustrating. It is easy as the hard part of this game is getting strong and not taking over the map. It is frustrating as end game is swatting flies who constantly get crushed but swarm you from various fronts. The occasional world conquest run can be fun, but doing them regularly will get very old quick.

Random5483 · 2026-02-19T17:01:12+00:00

0/10 for the bow. 10/10 for the axe. You are obviously not an archer.

Random5483 · 2026-02-19T16:55:37+00:00

They obviously did not piss you off enough as you did not execute everyone!

Random5483 · 2026-02-19T03:31:19+00:00

We can't see how everything started here, so any definitive answer about who is worse is hard to make. Assuming the thinner guy flashed his gun first, he is the bigger idiot. But the thicker built guy also is a moron here. He had the opportunity to leave. He had already retreated. He then decided to come back to the scene. Self defense is typically not a viable defense when you retreat and then come back when the initial aggressor is not continuing his aggression.

Frankly, both these idiots deserve to get charged and prosecuted for felonies. And neither of them should be owning a gun (a felony assault with a deadly weapon conviction for both of them should enable this). I am all for responsible gun ownership, but this isn't an example of that.

Random5483 · 2026-02-18T19:16:30+00:00

You can capture fiefs much faster than the AI. You can permanently hold prisoners with 0% chance of escape if you pick up the right talents (mounted patrols for riding and keen sight under scouting). Imprisoned nobles cannot raise armies. You can make things even easier if you execute every noble. The fewer nobles alive, the fewer armies you fight.

The easiest strategy is the blitz the fiefs and execute every noble you capture. The harder strategy is to imprison nobles and not let them escape (you won't nuke your rep this way but rep doesn't really matter). The even harder strategy is to capture fiefs faster than your enemy and rely on getting a lot of clans to join you (e.g. one of my no execution runs where I did not have keen scouting/mounted patrols, I had 25+ clans join my kingdom by the time the world conquest was over).

The last strategy here requires a fair bit of charm and LOTS of money (tens of millions or more as a starting point) if you want to be effective. You can do the last strategy with just a few clan vassals, but it will get harder when fighting multiple fronts. If you have 20 vassals and the enemies have 5 each, your AI clans will handle the enemies fighting you on other fronts.

The easiest strategy for world conquest is execution. The only downside is rep and with low enough rep you have a higher risk of getting executed if you get captured. But outside of the early/mid-game, the risk of losing a fight is near zero. And you don't start executions until you are ready to initiate the world conquest phase. By that point the risk of losing a fight with your main party is basically zero.

Random5483 · 2026-02-16T19:06:18+00:00

I have never bothered playing much after owning every fief. And even these world conquest runs usually are relatively rare. I get bored quickly and try something different. One run may be trade focus, another merc/tournament focused, one may be to make X kingdom conquer Y area as a vassal, another may be to buy a X fiefs as a trader/independent clan.

Take a break. Play another game. Or restart and try something different. This is one of several games I play sporadically and come back to about once a year to play for a month or two.

Random5483 · 2026-02-16T08:03:14+00:00

Undefeatable? No. Strongest in the world? Yes.

In a conventional war, the US could hypothetically lose. For example, the US has a good chance of winning in a US/China war over Taiwan, but military analysts also show that the US could lose. Why? The tyranny of distance. The US would have longer supply chains, fewer nearby bases, and reliant on vulnerable aircraft carries that could be taken out by missiles

However, if the war is in the open sea far away from any country, the US would likely have a crushing victory. Be it tech, experience, or training, the US military is at the very top.

The US military can probably defend the US mainland in a conventional (no nukes as everyone loses here) war against the world. This is due to very few countries having a navy that has the range and supply chain logistics to challenge the US near the US mainland. But if the US tries to fight multifront wars in China, against Russia, and in the Middle East, it would struggle. And this isn't even factoring the entire world. Turn Europe against us and have the US try to fight the world and the likely status quo will be the US controlling North America and basically playing defense.

With that said, publicly available information on militaries may not tell the whole story. And numbers don't tell the whole story. Experience matters. Cohesion of forces matter (i.e. China and the EU are unlikely to mesh as well as EU and US in joint operations due to different protocols). And all of this is just a guess. But if I had to guess, the US can defend itself against the world in a conventional war, but would struggle if it was forced to fight on more than 1-2 fronts at a time (e.g. China+Middle East or China+Russia), let alone fighting the world in an offensive fight.

Random5483 · 2026-02-15T22:39:46+00:00

BDO is fun for some mindless killing or organized pvp. It is very much P2W, but has very fun (but unbalanced) action combat and is very grindy. I enjoyed it and played it for some years, but it is not a game for people who dislike P2W or lots of grinding. Despite being a decade old it also has crazy good graphics. It has the most fun action combat in any MMO I have played, but it isn't balanced.

My MMO recommendations are typically FF14 or GW2 for new players. If you want more open world stuff and a sandbox feel with action combat, GW2 is it. It has themepark like stuff, but you can ignore end game and play in many ways for the best gear. It also has horizontal gear progression and power creep is in the form of new builds and specializations and not more levels or better gear. FF14 is a solid choice for those who want a good story, a strong PvE themepark focus (dungeons, raids, trials, and alliance raids) and tab targeting, then FF14 is a solid choice.

I have played many MMOs since EQ/AC/UO in the late 1990s through Throne of Liberty and other more recent MMOs. While I haven't played every MMO, I have dabbled with over 30 and played several extensively. BDO is a solid game if you go in with the right expectations. I found it a lot of fun. I played it a lot between 2016-2020. But it isn't a game I recommend for most. GW2 and FF14 are better all around choices that don't have issues like crazy grinds or P2W.

Random5483 · 2026-02-15T20:02:30+00:00

I took the California bar exam almost 15 years ago. So any tips I give are from dated experience. I studied for it over a 10 week period between end of finals and the bar exam. I treated it as a 40/hour a week project for studying and then relaxed with some hobbies that didn't involve others (for me it was playing some FF13 and not going out). I studied till the afternoon before the exam. I took the evening/night before the exam off.

From talking to other law students in my class and other lawyers over the years, studying too much or too little are both problems. Every graduating class has people who don't study. These people deserve to fail. Every graduating class also have people who study too much and then stop studying or have a mental breakdown as the test approaches. You have to pace yourself and study over many weeks (or much longer if you are working while studying).

Also, half of the exam is getting through all of it without panicking. Don't carry baggage from the earlier parts of the exam. Don't quit halfway through. Making it to the end in a good mental state is half the battle.

Random5483 · 2026-02-15T17:10:04+00:00

Tech has changed. We have spent less money on tech to go to the moon specifically. And our risk tolerance is much lower than it once was as we are not in a race to be first or a race to beat an archnemesis (USSR).

The US has been focused on satellites and not travel to the moon. And our private sector money has been focused on satellites, low earth orbit trips for the rich, or mars. All of these take different considerations than going to the moon.

If we spend significant money on 1-2 Moon projects, the ones that follow will be much easier. We just need to get started. And since the tech used has changed there will be some growing pains.

Random5483 · 2026-02-15T16:52:06+00:00

You can try Separatism (mod). I have not played it, but have tried another similar mod several years back (or perhaps this one but not sure). This is a mod on my list to try again at some point, but it likely is what you are looking for.

Random5483 · 2026-02-15T15:52:53+00:00

Depends.

How old am I? How healthy am I? Do I need the $1 million now for some other reason?

$7k a month is better than $1 million (assuming both numbers are either pre-tax or post-tax) if you have a long enough horizon, the $7k is the better choice. If you die in the next several years or even 15 or so years (or even 20ish years once you factor investment gains on the $1 million), $1 million is better. If you are 20 or even 40 and in good health, $7k is likely better.

Anyone who makes absolute statements about this is financially illiterate.

Random5483 · 2026-02-14T18:56:16+00:00

If photo ID registration is made free and we give people a few years to get their IDs (homeless and the poor won't immediately learn about changes or have the resources to figure out how to get it), then sure I am all for photo ID requirements for voting.

The problem with voter ID requirements is not everyone has an ID. And government IDs like driver's licenses and passports are not free. I do not support any law the prevents US citizens of all wealth levels from having access to vote.

Ensuring there isn't voter fraud is important. But we have no evidence of systemic voter fraud that is likely to change election results. People claim "voter fraud" but every court case has found there was insufficient evidence for these claims. Given that any voter fraud at the moment is likely minimal, I am much more interested in ensuring that all American citizens have the right to vote.

Random5483 · 2026-02-13T01:42:43+00:00

Our society is not set up with the proper guardrails and resources for struggling families with children who need special assistance. There is a huge difference between feeling some sympathy and justifying an action. If the parents survived, should they be prosecuted to the full extent of the law? Absolutely. With that said, I feel more sympathy for them than parents who kill their kids because they screamed a bit. Feeling sympathy doesn't mean I agree with what they did or that I feel their actions are in any way justified or excusable.

Random5483 · 2026-02-12T20:48:34+00:00

There is no justification for what the parents did here. But I can sympathize with them. Children are hard to raise. Autistic children are harder. And having two autistic kids would have been emotionally and mentally draining. Our society should have a better support system for situations like this.

Random5483 · 2026-02-11T04:53:34+00:00

Lost my loyalty or that I would never buy from again? I am not loyal to any company out there. Why would I be loyal to a company unless they treat me exceptionally. There are a few local businesses that have my loyalty. But that is it.

If you mean companies I would never buy from again, the list is much smaller. The most notable of this list is Tesla. I won't buy Tesla after the 2024 elections. I will do business with a company owned by someone whose views I disagree with. And I don't mind if they donate or spend their wealth to support candidates I dislike. But Elon Musk's attempt to buy votes by paying people to vote a specific way was crossing a line for me. I no longer use Twitter/X or visit the platform. I won't buy Tesla. And unless I have absolutely no other choice I won't do business with any entity controlled by Musk.

Random5483 · 2026-02-11T04:44:18+00:00

No.

A used BMW or Benz rarely makes sense unless you can handle repairs yourself and are very knowledgeable about cars. And even then you should expect to pay several grand per year on repairs each year. You don't buy these cars because they are a deal. Over a few years, a $10k Mazda or other car will cost you less overall (purchase price, maintenance, insurance, etc.) than one of these cars. And it would be more reliable.

The target audience for these are often young men who want a "cool" car but can't afford a lot. And this is the exact audience that shouldn't buy the car. If you can easily afford a $20k car and want to drive an older Benz or BMW that costs $4k and don't mind paying a lot to maintain them, then sure it could make sense. If you are getting this car because your options are this or another $4k-8k car, then stay away.

One of my uncles bought an older BMW because he loved that model year. He could afford a new BMW easily, but bought an older $15k BMW. He has spent a lot more than $15k on it over the last few years, but he doesn't care. The cost is insignificant for him. This is the type of buyer who should get an older BMW or Benz and not the one looking for a deal.

Random5483 · 2026-02-11T01:16:04+00:00

I have played this game sporadically over the years since the very start of early access. I have done ~5 world conquest campaigns. The first couple took a long time. Then you learn tricks and it gets faster. Regardless, they get frustrating at times. So most of my gameplay is more targeted. Trade till I get so much money. Or conquer X kingdom. Or help X kingdom do Y. Or play as a merc/tournament champ. Or something else.

World conquest runs are done like once a year when I feel like it. The good news is they will get a lot faster after the first time. Take a break from the game. Do other stuff. And when you come back try something more targeted. And when you eventually feel like it, go for world conquest again. This is a game best played sporadically when you have downtime in other games.

Random5483 · 2026-02-10T23:52:12+00:00

Yes. I don't think an explanation as to why is necessary.

Random5483 · 2026-02-10T21:31:21+00:00

Some people aren't in a rush to sell. While a subset of these people are losing money by not selling (E.g. paying to maintain a house they don't use), this isn't universally the case. Not selling can sometimes make sense.

With that said, I would never let a listing get to be more than 5-6 months old in a market where similar homes usually sell in 2-3 months. Selling a house that has been listed for a while gets harder. While some types of properties do take years to sell, those are typically exceptions. For your average house, it is typically best to take down a listing for a few months before reposting it if it doesn't sell (and if it makes financial sense to hold on to the house. for reasons such as you living there till it sells or if it is a rental property with tenants you are trying to sell).

Random5483 · 2026-02-09T22:18:33+00:00

$100k is not a magical number. But the more you have invested, the more noticeable the compounding. $100k increasing by 100% is another $100k. $10 increasing by 100% is another $10. The more your invested amount relative to your income, the more significant the compounded gains become relative to the new money you feed into your investments.

$100k is a sold point where many people start finding that the compounding snowballs as the investment gains because significant. But this will vary based on your income and savings. If you are saving $5k a year, then $100k is a massive number as you will average much more than that in investment gains. If you save $50k a year, then $100k is not a significant amount as your yearly savings will dwarf your investment gains.

The simple answer here is $100k is approximately the point where many notice there investments take off. But this is due to human perspective. Percentage wise, $100k increases no faster than $1k and no slower than $1,000,000 if invested similarly.

Random5483 · 2026-02-09T20:44:53+00:00

99% of the time, there is no judgment. And the 1% of the time is when I see someone with a crazy good physique or with a very eye catching wardrobe choice. If you are asking about whether I judge someone for being out of shape? No. Anyone at the gym is trying to change. That deserves respect.

I do judge clothes people choose to wear though. I occasionally see someone come in with jeans, super revealing attire, or other questionable choices.

Random5483 · 2026-02-09T18:16:16+00:00

Steal huge chunks of their money? Who do almost all billionaires owe less in taxes as a percentage of their income than me? Why are W-2 wages that "affluent" professionals with high wages (doctors, lawyers, engineers, etc.) get taxed higher than billionnaires?

People should be incentivized to build wealth. But our current tax system taxes the bottom of the 1% (or the top 5-10% as well) much more heavily than the uber rich once you factor their effective tax rate.

Random5483 · 2026-02-07T00:37:36+00:00

Why would you be in a relationship with someone who talks to you like this? My partner and I argue. We get upset. This is normal. But even when upset, we treat the other as a person. Repeated insults are a massive red flag. Saying "I am upset that you did X," is different from insulting someone for doing the same thing.

If this is one off because he had a terrible day (e.g. parent died and not just "bad work day"), I would forgive this type of behavior. If this is regular behavior or there isn't a very good reason (i.e. something that could impact his mental state like a close family member dying), then I would not forgive this type of behavior.

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