Here's what happened:
Ledger is a company that has been making hardware wallets for storing keys to Bitcoin and other crypto currencies completely offline, since 2015. They've sold over six million hardware wallets under the claim that the user's keys are safe because they're inaccessible over the internet.
Recently, Ledger wrote code to extract users' keys from the devices over the internet as part of a $10/month "Recover" subscription, and they're putting that key extraction code on our devices whether or not we subscribe to "Recover."
Here are examples of the claims Ledger made about their hardware wallets:

"Hi - your private keys never leave the Secure Element chip, which has never been hacked. The Secure Element is 3rd party certified, and is the same technology as used in passports and credit cards. A firmware update cannot extract the private keys from the Secure Element."
SOURCE: @Ledger
"The secret keys or seed are never exposed to the BLE stack and never, ever leave the Secure Element."
SOURCE: Ledger.com
"While Ledger is using a dual chip system with an MCU as well, the important part is that your private keys remain inside the Secure Element."
SOURCE: Ledger.com
"This means that, beyond keeping your private key offline and away from hackers, the Ledger device itself is also completely impenetrable from external threats"
SOURCE: Ledger.com

Now, they admit that's a lie:

"yes a firmware update can extract the seed"
SOURCE: murzika, Ledger Co-Founder, Former CEO, and Former Chairman

And here are two noteworthy quotes from a recent video interview with Ledger's CEO:

"You now have an API in your firmware to extract seeds!"
SOURCE: Rodolfo Novak, discussing Ledger Recover in a video interview with Ledger CEO Pascal Gauthier
"If, for you, your privacy is of the utmost importance, please do not use our product, for sure."
SOURCE: Ledger CEO Pascal Gauthier

This seems like a pretty clear case of fraud.

Hey everyone I just upgraded to a PRL Intercooler. I did not upgrade my charge pipes so those parts would be stock. Unfortunately the instruction that came with the FMIC are more tailored to FMIC and charge pipe install (the hot and cold pipes are different). Anyways I cant help but wonder if I made errors during installation since I didn’t really have much to reference.
I’ve noticed my STFT1 is hitting positive 20-30s when pressing gas and when I let off gas to cruise it stays at 20-30s for a sec or two before hitting 0. I’ve also noticed my LTFT would slowly build to negative 10 over a few minutes then go back down closer to 0 after a few mins at negative 10 (I believe this is less real time and more of how the car is being driven which would probably explain it since I have been more aggressive and what not trying to test the new Intercooler)
I’ve also noticed no real difference in temperature for my IAT2? Today I was driving highway and local. It was a nice cool 64-67 degrees Fahrenheit for most of my drive. My IAT1 was around 98-120 degree while my IAT2 was 82-12 degrees. My ECT temps was 178-185. Is that normal temps for a PRL Intercooler? I was expecting a drastic difference maybe 30-40 degrees but that was not the case.
In addition, I’m that guy that who turns off eco while pulling the gear down to S to get that kick from the car but now when I do that I don’t really feel the kick.. Im actually feeling a dip in power then a build up / pulling feeling. I’ve tried all modes (D,S,L) and the car doesn’t feel zippy anymore. I have seen where people have noted a change in driving experience.
Finally, I have a PRL SRI and I’ve noticed a difference in sound from pre Intercooler upgrade and post Intercooler upgrade. Pre install SRI would blow off the compressed air at a more sudden sound (if that makes sense) when post install the SRI sounds the same but has more of a hiss towards end. I can post video comparisons if needed.
I have a 2020 Civic EX Hatch tuned with phearable 1.5R, PRL SRI And now PRL FMIC upgrade (no charge pipes)

Hello all, I was thinking of upgrading my phone to the Galaxy s23 with the stylus in hopes to use it for small scale sketches. I got the tablet version and it works great unless you lose the stylus, then finding a compatible pen is impossible. Does anyone use or have experience with such a phone? Worth the get? Thanks!

Hello, kpopthoughts! Originally this was posted in twice but one of my friends said I should crosspost it here — so here this album review is.
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Intro

To preface the review, I just need to say that this is going to be a very long read. Going through it myself for the fun of it takes around 30 minutes — it's almost 7k words, including lyrical references. So for the best experience, listen to the album beforehand to understand what the hell I was thinking when I wrote this, play the album while reading, and set a good amount of time aside.
And yes, this is 9 months late 😭 I'm not sorry — when I find an album review online it's always around a paragraph per song or even shorter. It makes sense from a journalistic perspective, but I want to do this album justice, hence taking 7 months to write out all my thoughts.
This shit is comprehensive and definitely overanalyzed, especially in Talk that Talk and Trouble. Each song review will compose of my commentary, noting the details I noticed through months of listening, then a conclusion. Also, mild swearing warning, I like implementing a touch of "French" when I'm very emotional about something. Anyway, onto the review!
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Between 1&2 💞

Album Review
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TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT
TELL ME WHAT YOU NEED
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Talk that Talk 🎙

Producers by collapsedone and MRCH
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One of the most perfect TWICE songs.
I think this is one of TWICE’s best-sounding title tracks. Warm modulated synths, a thrumming bass line, distant bells, shimmering synths — the purpose of this song is to be fun and my god is it excellent at it, like, Sana and Chaeyoung are saying knock-knock-knock and beep-beep-beep as if they’re some kind of car. So much fun.
Further along in the verse, Dahyun’s voice sounds so full and smooth with that layered harmony. Tzuyu coming with the Yes or Yes, Push & Pull, and 1 to 10 references — these are 5 years of song references. And Jeongyeon closes the pre-chorus accompanied by a rising synth to drop into chorus one. Jeongyeon slays pre-choruses.
The drums accelerate, the synths start blasting, and Jihyo opens to that party of a chorus with her godly vocals,
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Tell me what you want
Tell me what you need
A to Z da malhaebwa
But shijageun ireoke have
Talk that Talk ttak han madi
Talk that Talk L-O-V-E
deullyeojweo ooh
Now now now now now yeah~

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During Sana's Talk that Talk~ lines there’s this gentle ascending synth bell that rings with the descending melody and it sounds absolutely gorgeous. And the choreography during that part of the chorus is so so so so fun: the talking hands bit, spelling L-O-V-E, concluding with the deullyeojweo ooh! Oh my Jihyo the deullyeojweo ooh…
Have I mentioned this song is fun?
Speeding through verse 2; Chaeyoung’s part with the cat ears popping in the music video is adorable; Momo her stretching her arms out looks so damn cool; and Dahyun with her replay part sounds so lovely — although I think it sonically sounds a touch random, it makes sense thematically.
And now for this pre-chorus. Mina and Jihyo leading into it sound great BUT JEONGYEON… Now, she is my ult bias, and this pre-chorus sounds almost identical to the first one, but the way she holds that final note, inflecting and holding that now~ for one more beat before the chorus drops sounds so perfect — the song teeters on a cliff edge. Jeongyeon slays pre-choruses.
Dropping into the second chorus and man the way Nayeon delivers it just hits different. She has this indescribable “pop” voice (I promise this wasn't on purpose) that shouts out loud that this is THE chorus. This is especially apparent in how both lead their choruses where Jihyo starts at 120% power while Nayeon waits until [Tell me] WHAT YOU WANT to full-send it. The production also helps with this effect, cutting out during what you to emphasize Nayeon's voice before crashing back down, double the pause at Jihyo's intro.
Another deullyeojweo ooh! Nayeon travels to Narnia, and Mina the engineer strikes again in this heavenly, underwater-esque bridge,
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The simple words “I love you”
That’s all I wanna hear
Without hesitation, I’ll go up to you
I’ll make it simple
And just tell you I love you

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The word “love” is said for the first time in the song. There’s a funky keyboard instrument behind Chaeyoung’s part. Jihyo, Chaeyoung, and Nayeon take the initiative in their lyrics, professing their love before closing the bridge.
And now for the pièce-de-résistance: this final double chorus is exceptional — 40 seconds of crack-laced euphoria; Jihyo switches up the chorus and the choreo, Dahyun chimes in with her fluttery Talk that Talk, Momo comes out of nowhere with oh yeah it sounds so good! — you’re damn right it does, and this is where the song SOARS.
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han beon deo~ haejweo
geurae banggeum geu mal~

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Nayeon outright shouts Tell me what you need and then Jeongyeon sings the above lines in such an ethereal, warm way where the first line ascends while the second descends, causing a lull in the song before the finale with Tzuyu and Nayeon, finishing off the song with the final deullyeojweo ooh!
What a party. What a song.
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THE GOOD

• The synths of all time
• The chimes during Talk-that-talk~
• Jeongyeon’s pre-chorus going into Nayeon’s chorus
• Rich harmonies and fun ad-libs
• The entirety of that magical final chorus and outro

Needs Work

• The opening hook (Tell me what you want) and accompanying choreography could be “catchier”

Core Memory

• Singing (and dancing) my heart out when this song played at a K-pop club

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Lyrics and theme-wise, if this were to have been TWICE’s last comeback, they’ve once again built upon the theme they've been doing since debut: a Bildungsroman, a coming-of-age story.
This song’s chorus is honest yet simple; it asks the listener, in this case, the other half of the relationship, to be more upfront and open with their love (never be scared of love), that before the relationship can continue and flourish, there has to be a foundation and commitment of love between each other.
TWICE debuted with a song about making your crush go ooh ahh. Years later, they started pondering What is Love? and imagining their crush responding with Yes when asking them out — and now concluding with the phrase Talk that Talk, [Talk that] L-O-V-E, being upfront with the relationship, wishing their partner to also be happy, to commit to them, to feel the love that they want to impart on them. From gawking like ooh-ahh to talking out your shared love like adults — to having a true relationship between (one and) two.
And can I just say before finishing off Talk that Talk's review that this is such a fun and repeatable song with many little intricacies hidden in the nonet’s vocals and the song's production. This is the third draft I’m writing about Talk that Talk and its original word count pretty much quadrupled.
Harkening back to TWICE’s roots by combining mature thinking with youthful character, an incredible ending to look forward to, and just simply being a club-banger that’s easy to listen to, TTT is an easy 10/10.
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WATCH ME GO WATCH ME GO
RULE THE WORLD
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Queen of Hearts 👑

Produced by LDN Noise
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If there was one B-side to promote in a live clip, this was a solid choice.
Helmed by LDN Noise going headlong into the Western boy-group rock-band aesthetic, Queen of Hearts is a boom-boom-clap song through and through. The drums are very prominent throughout the song, only giving room to riffs of electric guitar in the chorus to drive and continue the momentum of the music.
And speaking of the chorus, vocal line each got a chorus to flex and they did not fuck around,
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You ain’t ready for it
Watch me go~ watch me go~
Rule the world
Know you never doubted baby
I’mma go run the whole universe~

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Cymbals crashing, drums booming, and 3MIX belting all just so sound so good.
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Baby I was born to rule~~
Yeah I’m the Queen, I’m the Queen
And it’s all because of you~~
That I’m the Queen of Hearts

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These long, held-out notes performed by Jihyo and Nayeon are simply exquisite. Along with the shredding guitar, the drum set coming in full, and the interludes by Dahyun, Momo, and Chaeyoung, this is the part of the song that always, always, gives me goosebumps — it sounds so visceral, so energetic, so fun, so triumphant. Boom-boom-clap songs can be hit or miss with people, but there's no denying the payoff from the first part of the chorus to the second part is worth the wait.
The theme of the song so far has been kind of spread around the song. The chorus alludes to it with the line And it’s all because of you. But Mina shows more sides of it in the second verse, especially with the phrase,
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And now that I’m surrounded by all my girls
We be shining bright like diamonds and pearls

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It sounds really lovely — in a very cheesy and affectionate kind of way, as it rightfully should — the song is about the girls and their fans. But the bridge is where the song indeed shows its colours
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Screaming out my name
See it in the stage lights
Feel so lucky just to have ya
Cause I know deep down I was meant for something bigger! Greater!
I know you’re seeing what I see
Yeah I’ll be everything you need
I know I’m gonna walk the walk
And talk the talk to be~ [the Queen of Hearts]

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This is a song CONCEIVED TO BE PERFORMED FOR THE FANS. It’s meant to be loud. It’s meant to be unapologetic. It’s meant to be sappy. And it’s all the more wonderful for it.
This is the TWICEiest shit ever.
Like Talk that Talk, Queen of Hearts also has a killer closer. The production already started to grow from the bridge, but now the guitarist finally went Super Saiyan and instead of supporting the drums, they both take the centre stage in tandem.
Then finally, the closing moments of the song even manage to squeeze in some more sappiness.
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So thank you for the memories
You’re all the ones who made me~
So thank you for the memories
That I’m the Queen of Hearts

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I still can’t believe that this banger is a FAN SONG out of all things. Truly, the TWICEiest shit ever.
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THE GOOD

• Adorable fucking lyrics
• Unrelenting, roaring chorus
• English and vocal flex
• Intoxicating guitar riffs

Needs Work

• Chaeyoung rapping in English in their Korean songs somehow slaps harder than her English rapping in their English songs, nonetheless, in QoH, it fits with the sound of the song

Core Memory

• Walking home from a K-pop festival with this song playing, felt like a Queen of Hearts

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I love these types of rock songs with how grunge and head-bang-able they are, there is just a certain nostalgic and cheesy quality to them that feels so cozy. I don’t love putting them on repeat, because in this case, I do believe there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Perhaps more shredding, maybe a guitar solo to rock out to, or an accompaniment(!) of ad-libs from 3MIX to support Jihyo’s final chorus? A ONCE can dream of a truly bombastic rock song from TWICE. But then again that distracts from the core of what this song is: a fan song disguised as a rock song.
Queen of Hearts has so much sweetness in its lyrics and message that it's overflowing. The drums, guitar, and vocals can be as loud and intricate as they can, but the theme of this song is what makes it special from TWICE’s other rock songs — it’s a 9/10 for me.
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I WANNA WANNA WANNA
TAKE YOU TO THE BASICS
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Basics 🌈

Lyrics by Chaeyoung
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Quite possibly the jammiest (pun intended) song of the album.
A song written by the Strawberry Princess herself — an event similar in frequency to other artists' releases with her last song being 2020’s silky Handle It — Basics first starts with an understated and dreamy delivery. After the first stanza, however, a bouncy Miami bass line emerges, revealing the true nature of the song: this is a classic summer bop! Especially in the first rap,
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dareun aedeulgwaneun dalla
Ain’t beggin’ for love
nappeun geon anijana ige naraseo
eodiro twilji molla
Like rainbow bubble gum
geureoni nal kkwak butjabadweo

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Syllables are pronounced in a relaxed nature, bars often starting with an "ah" sound, flirty lines in English — this rap features a production full of pop with R&B flourishes and, in my opinion, this is Chaeyoung’s bag. Also, the line rainbow bubblegum is so adorable and so Chaeyoung.
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I wanna wanna wanna take it to the Basics
da weonhae weonhae weonhae? seodureuji ma Baby
ppeonhae ppeonhae malhae mweohae da al tende
Ah yeah ah yeah ah yeah ah yeah

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That chorus is pure pop with a Miami bass backing; you better be bopping your head to the melody, if not booty poppin' to the bassline. Chaeyoung loves rhyming in the first half of the chorus to enhance its catchiness and it's damn incredible: wanna, weonhae, and ppeonhae all create these imperfect rhymes that continue momentum without feeling repetitive.
After the very Boy With Luv-sounding ah yeah ah yeah, ah yeah ah yeah comes an 8-bar split half and half between Chaeyoung and Momo. Coming from the chorus, the production completely cuts out for the first 2 bars. This adds tension; the song yearns to have that bass beat thumping again and all we have in the audio space in those 2 bars is Chaeyoung spittin' and she delivered.
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taneun deut tteugeoun samak wie
yeppeuge pieonan jangmi gata
joshimseure naege dagaol ttae
nado moreuge jjilleobeoril tende

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Translating to:
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Above the hot, burning desert
It’s like a rose that bloomed beautifully
When you come to me slowly
I will prick you unconsciously

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The rap feels slick, effortless, and confident. Her diction remains sharp when enunciating each syllable but she doesn’t let the flow of her rap waver or build as her 4 bars go by, it’s just smooth consistency throughout. Even the lyrics possess an aura of laid-back collectedness that is just so her. The things Chaeyoung can do when given her pen.
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THE GOOD

• That sweet summer vibe of a chorus
• The spaceship post-chorus is killer
• Chaeyoung devoured this song
• Sure-footed, confident lyrics

Needs Work

• Perhaps an alteration of that ah yeah ah yeah line
• The way Jihyo did her pre-chorus line is good, but Mina’s is great

Core Memory

• After donating my hair, walking down the rainbow-coloured areas of downtown Toronto with this song playing was very… fitting

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This song is summer bliss distilled into 2:56. It’s dreamy, the raps are satisfying, and the ending is charming. I will say that although the second half of the song adds the stunning spaceship post-choruses and a floaty bridge with an incredible drumbeat drop into the final chorus, the raps of the song make it feel a bit front-loaded. And in an album stacked with awesome finishers, it feels more apparent.
With that said, it’s an 8/10 bop for me. This song is so easy to put on and it feels exactly what Chaeyoung would make if given the reins to produce a pop song all on her own. The lyrics are nonchalant but full of conviction, the wordplay is intricate, and the production playful but not too bombastic — it's just a nice vibe. Songs like Basics are the standard for good, simple, repeatable pop music and I’m happy that Chaeyoung got to test her pen in this genre.
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BABY WE’RE IN
TROUBLE TROUBLE
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Trouble 💃

Lyrics, vocal direction, and background vocals by Jihyo
Produced by Jihyo and earattack
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One of the most enjoyable songs I’ve heard in a while.
There is an underlying tension within the first 4 bars of the song, Jihyo and Nayeon confidently open it to a nondescript array of synths and then the stanza ends, Momo announces Let’s go, the beat drops and it hits you: this is a club song.
Dahyun's relaxed delivery contrasting with Jeongyeon's staccato flow, the wobbly synth beat mixed with a sprinkle of house piano, Sana dramatically slowing down the song only for Tzuyu to build it back up until the chorus drops,
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• Nayeon opens it using a breathy tone, with vocal chops serving as harmonies
• The blooming of the house piano takes centre stage and the song ascends into euphoria
• A random drum roll capped off by a cymbal crash
• Jeongyeon’s growling pronunciation of the word Trouble
• Chaeyoung slyly admitting I like this Trouble
• The entirety of Tzuyu’s tro~oh~oh~ouble yeah~
• Sana using her deep voice for the na~na~na~na
• Jihyo leading the vocals during the synchronized T W I C E chant

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This chorus is perfect. Toronto’s residential market needs this song injected into its veins because god damn this song has SO much house in it. And then, ANOTHER KILLING PART: this rap fucking slaps.
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gamchweo bwatja geugeon Fake
ppajin hamjeongeun Sweet cake

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During the first 2 bars, Chaeyoung is keeping it calm because that trip of a chorus just ended and the song needs a breather, but I don't think anyone expected her to SNAP this hard afterwards:
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You cannot resist this
Cannot miss this, such a bliss
Ima put it down down
Oh yeah, better kiss kiss

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Below is the structure of her this portion of the rap, I’m not that well versed in this technical aspect of music theory but I digress, this is all in the span of around 5 seconds where it’s:
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Triplet-triplet
Quadruplet-triplet
Quadruplet-doublet
Doublet-quadruplet

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Now, 25/5 = 5 syllables per second isn’t groundbreaking, but goddamn it these 2 bars sound so nice — if there is one part in this album that I always repeat, it’s this. The addition of that first quadruplet for cannot miss this in the midst of the triplets sticks out and accelerates the flow of the rap while the following doublets and quadruplets destabilize and slow the rap down as the verse closes. And can I just point out:
THE MAIN VOCALIST WROTE, DIRECTED, AND COMPOSED THIS SONG ‼
Chaeyoung of course delivered the fuck out of her verse but THIS is what you get when you have a member not only write the words they’re saying but also the melody and flow with which they sing it, when that member knows the others so well that when they write a song they know how to make the group exceed. This is what you get when the artists you stan love doing artist shit.
And. AND. That's not all — with how much I mentioned I love a good outro to close a song, this outro slaps as well:
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Woo wee woo wee woo
I like this Trouble be-be
Woo wee woo wee woo
I like this Trouble bay-be
Woo wee woo wee woo
I like this Trouble bay-beh
Woo wee woo wee woo
I like this Trou-ble

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Like, come on, Nayeon’s imitating a police siren for crying out loud. And this is all after her ad-libs in the final post-chorus; after the pianist going full tilt and playing that piano as if it was their last chance to ever play; after that final T W I C E chant by all the members come these blissful 20 seconds at the very end. What a song.
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THE GOOD

• The theme of relishing in an uncontrolled love
• Sana and Mina’s melody in the pre-chorus
• Whole neighbourhoods full of house
• You cannot resist this, cannot miss this, such a bliss
• Wees and woos

Needs Work

• Mina’s line of falling down, falling down, falling down low in verse 2 feels a bit too abrupt of a change

Core Memory

• While writing Trouble's review I had this song on repeat for my whole subway commute and I must've been so distracting, just head-bopping and being so invested in my enjoyment

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Need I say more, easy 9/10. The only reason I place Talk that Talk above Trouble is because of what that song represents but besides that, this is one of the best “international” sounds they’ve put out. Actually, I haven’t listened to Eyes wide open in a while but this song is up there with one of the most sonically pleasing pieces of work they’ve done.
Clubbing TWICE has always been a thing since TT was birthed in 2016, and has been a staple of their discography since 2019’s Fancy You and Feel Special mini albums, but Trouble unapologetically dives into and fits the house genre so well you’d think that this is TWICE’s bread and butter sound.
Trouble is Jihyo’s magnum opus. What a song.
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BRAVE BRAVE BRAVE
FOR YOU
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Brave 💖

Produced by Slow Rabbit
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I first thought this was just a good song, then I read the lyrics.
Gentle guitar plucks, shimmering synths, a distant keyboard in the right ear, in the left a glockenspiel, the melodic oohs from the members — this song is PRETTY.
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The night that was unusually dark
Above this terrifying world, felt so lonely
The world has grown in the time of wandering
So hard to breathe

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Mina and Chaeyoung open the song with how they feel lonely, that it's hard to breathe and now suddenly the song feels bittersweet — I was not expecting the song to become this emotional. Brave describes a situation where the singer is in a darker place in life and it isn't until another person gives them hope by calling them Brave that they find the drive to keep going.
Once the chorus hits, the melodies pick up, more guitars get added — there’s even an electric guitar hidden in the mix somewhere, and the song drops the emotional front to reveal a mid-tempo pop song to dance to while crying in the club. The song as a whole still carries this melancholy feeling, but now with the added support of the chorus, acting as a light amongst the gloom.
Continuing on in the second verse there's this gorgeous, well-placed break in the song that just lets it settle after that chorus. Only a seasoned producer would risk this much empty space in a song and Slow Rabbit went to fill those shoes.
Back to the chorus, I'll take this moment to once again commend Slow Rabbit with the mixing of the song, because 4MIX undoubtedly sounds good in the chorus, and the interludes from Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Mina also sound really good, but the clear highlight of the choruses are these lines:
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Oh na na na neon nal naige hae
On and on and on
Brave Brave Brave for ya
Oh na na na neon nal sum shwige hae
On and on and on oh trust me babe

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Momo, Sana, and Tzuyu form this beautiful, surprisingly catchy, second half of the chorus accompanied by a guitar drop. It should not turn out this well with how conflicting the "na"s are with the guitar melody but it creates this gentle bopping ebb and flow that feels so lush and mellow.
Diving into the bridge reveals that the listener of the song is revealed not only capable of supporting the singer through direct words but also through their thoughts and dreams. As can be discerned, this can be a song interpreted to be about ONCEs, about how they push TWICE to be their best selves despite the breathless hardships they face. It's a very sweet and touching song.
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THE GOOD

• Special lyrics
• Pleasant sound to vibe out to
• That gentle break after the first chorus
• 3MIX poppin' off at the end
• Just very pretty vocals throughout

Needs Work

• Potentially hard to comprehend without translating the Korean lyrics

Core Memory

• Form of Therapy’s life motto revolves around the word “brave” — I don’t know where I got that from, but I remembered it right before watching his album reaction (yes, this is very random)

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I’m actually spoiled with the TWICE members’ easy-to-understand songwriting that when a song like this pops up where it's not written by a member and the thematic bits are mostly in Korean, I tend to put it aside in favour of the other songs on the album. And, especially for a song focusing on a theme like this where the English phrases don’t do the Korean lyrics enough justice, it does place a bit of a barrier on the listening experience, dropping it down to a 7/10 from an 8/10.
With that anecdote out of the way, this song is just such a vibe, man. I know that sounds super hippy to say but Brave is so mellow and smooth that I can’t help but sway a little when that chorus hits. And then I remember what the lyrics say and I tear up a bit on the inside. This song is so pure, raw, and full of heart — we need more songs like these where they just reminisce about life while putting up an upbeat front. Don't mind me just crying while dancing the night away.
With that said, this isn't the first time this theme has been sung by TWICE either, they've long trodden this path of supportive, confiding, up-lifting songs with Young & Wild, Rainbow, Queen, Go Hard, Depend on You, even this album's Queen of Hearts, and, of course, Feel Special. Brave just adds another on top of an already stacked lineup, unique with its mellow somberness.
Also now feels like a good time to get into my rating system:

• 7/10s are songs are ones that are simply good throughout or great songs with apparent flaws
• 8/10s are great songs with distinct killing parts
• 9/10s are borderline perfect songs where I sometimes can't comprehend how great they are
• And 10/10s are the best of an artist's discography, songs that encapsulate their ethos perfectly or expand upon them in a meaningful way

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I SEE THE LIES
ON THE TIP OF YOUR TONGUE
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Gone 💨

Lyrics by Dahyun
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Who the fuck pissed off Dubu this time??
It’s getting quite rare to see TWICE pull off brand new sounds because, with now 190 original songs under their belt as of this review, they’ve done so many genres and sub-genres varying from hyper pop, to bossa nova, to whatever 2020’s Go Hard is. So it’s surprising to see they’ve still got tricks up their sleeves and Gone is one of them.
The song starts with strings swinging back and forth and vocal chops dancing from ear to ear, teasing what’s yet to come. Jihyo enters the song with a whisper and the song sets its pace. A stagnant drum pad moves the song along and typical song progression would have Mina continue the build, but — it doesn’t. The song simmers, adding a hint of high hat to the pot. And then Sana and Tzuyu come on and surely the buildup must boil over right?
Silence, until…
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I see the LIES on the top of your tongue

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The strings emerge again on full blast, the simmer rolls to a boil, and the anger of the song is revealed,
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All the fate I had towards you
Fades like a fog, Gone, Gone
Your flipping mind of doing this and that
I’m tired of it, it’s meaningless
In the beginning, it was hard to believe
With that, hatred increases

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The singer is so scorned and burned from this relationship that they reminisce about all the effort they’ve put in since the beginning, but their “partner” is so unconcerned that they’ve just about had enough of the relationship altogether.
This has been Dahyun’s thing since 2020’s Bring It Back, 2021’s Cruel, 2022’s That’s all I’m saying, and even 2023's Don't Blame It On Me — emotionally charged breakup songs that make you feel as if she’s survived through a dozen bad relationships. Dispatch, do try to do your job better.
Another highlight of the song is the post-chorus going into the bridge. This segment reiterates the structure from the first post-chorus — a barrage of drums supported by the rhythmic strumming of a bass guitar along with a consistent synth filling out the soundscape. But this time, it’s Dahyun and Chaeyoung on the rap:
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I can’t stand it anymore
My patience, invisible
I can’t find it, it’s all Gone
Even if I try to turn back, it’s too late
There’s no use anymore
It has left, it’s long Gone
You, with flipping mind, you are out
I know that you know what I’m talking about
Nothing you could say that could turn this around
I’m Gone

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Building upon the disrespected theme of the song, Dahyun notes that she’s finally had enough with Chaeyoung adding that there’s no point salvaging what love was once there. Momo and Dahyun round it off by telling the listener that there’s no point trying to reason with them or playing naive, they fucked up and there’s no coming back.
Can I just say, it's a bit of a shame that Chaeyoung’s rapping popped off in this album while Dahyun only has this one verse that she shares with Chaeyoung, but it just sounds so good how Dahyun eases in after the chorus with her light rapping tone transitioning into her singing. She even holds the Gone in a little crescendo for some added pizzazz.
And, there’s no way I’m not going to talk about Momo’s vocals in this bridge. Damned if she only got 1 line to use it in, her lower register is incredible. She sounds so smooth singing in this tone. All of TWICE do in particular and there is nary a weak vocal performance in this album.
To close the song off, a wash of synths gets to have their shine in the spotlight, showered with Nayeon’s belting, signifying the dramatic and drawn-out conclusion of this partnership.
​
THE GOOD

• They’ve still got their surprises
• Thundering chorus
• 2nd rap and bridge combo
• A bitter, crumbling relationship theme

Needs Work

• I’m not a huge fan of the mixing during the first post-chorus, where Momo's vocals were fighting with the production, which is disappointing because Momo is capable of an insane flow
• The post-chorus in general, specifically the first one, can be a bit tiring on repeat listens

Core Memory

• Actually, I think this song sounds like a mix between GOT7's Not By The Moon, BLACKPINK’s Love To Hate Me, and Dahyun’s Bring It Back. I don’t know where I got this thought came from, but it stuck

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Going back to that point about the first post-chorus as a whole; songs that have the production continue unchanged into the post-chorus/2nd verse are very hit or miss for me — see TWICE's Don't Call Me Again for an overbearing example. The post-chorus going into the bridge contrasts Dahyun’s light tone nicely with the hard-hitting production, continuing the energy until it slowly fades into silence at the end of the bridge.
Back to the song as a whole, as much as TWICE has been experimenting with their sound for the past 4 years now, I’m happy they’re still finding new ways to explore what they’re capable of. And for that alone, even though I’m not a big fan of songs like these where they rely on sounding “big”, Dahyun’s lyricism and the thrill I receive every time I indulge myself in this song elevates it to an 8/10. Keep on breaking hearts, Dubu.
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INVINCIBLE
SUPERHEROES
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When We Were Kids 🧸

Lyrics by Dahyun
​
Press play to reminisce, pull up lyrics to cry.
This song is so beautiful. I’m totally not writing this song review, crying on the bus reminiscing about my childhood, while just having turned 21. I don’t know if these are happy or sad tears but this song is so beautiful either way.
Warm synths, muted piano, a gentle high hat, the younger members starting off the song — this has to be up there for one of the softest TWICE songs ever. And as it should, it’s one of the TWICEiest songs ever. And then Nayeon comes in:
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Invincible superheroes, we wanted to be adults
To the higher, clearer world

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The chords start swelling, the high hat keeps pace, and the harmonies pour in.
​

Remember When We Were Kids
When We Were Kids, we didn’t know
If we could go back
I will love it even more
Remember When We Were Kids

​
Jihyo takes up the second half of the chorus as it drops, trading the strings for an almost R&B synth production — if choir R&B takes off, this song started it. The song relishes in this cacophony of warm sounds until returning to its sparse and peaceful verses.
This time, the hints of piano are louder, little twinkling synths begin to shimmer, the drum buildup comes and Jeongyeon drives the song straight into the chorus. No time for the strings to build like in Nayeon’s — this song loves its chorus so much.
And I'll just take this time to appreciate the amount and range of Jeongyeon vocals in this album. Her voice is so textured, stable, and projected — but also more tender and soft compared to the more pronounced tones of Nayeon and Jihyo.
The bridge comes in, repeating the phrase:
​

I wish that I could meet
Could meet the younger me

​
Giving the song time to rest, before building back up to the last chorus — this time led by Jihyo, completing the 3MIX trifecta. And interestingly enough, Chaeyoung follows up in the second half of the chorus, rather than another member of the vocal line. She really did pop off in this album.
As the last chorus begins to close, the percussion at its strongest, the harmonies on blast, the background vocals cranked up to their Sunday best, is the song going to end? Of course not! This is an album full of banger endings as if the songs don’t want to end, and When We Were Kids being the album closer very much indulges in that feeling.
After a brief refrain, accented by Nayeon’s high note with a touch of vibrato, the song almost dives back into a fourth chorus. Nayeon and Jeongyeon harmonize — a rare and heavenly moment. And the song repeats the bridge, reiterating that they want to meet their younger selves, this time with the lush chorus production before closing with silence, a few piano notes, and Tzuyu singing the last line of the song:
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Oh, we were kids

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Reflection, acceptance, hope. What a song.
​
THE GOOD

• Heavenly vocals throughout
• Relatable, heartfelt lyrics
• Euphoric chorus
• Great closer to the album

Needs Work

• Refrain after the last chorus, Back When We Were Kids, could’ve been executed better

Core Memory

• For an album titled Between 1&2, I don’t think anything hits harder than finishing the song reviews, with this song in particular, during your 21st birthday

​
I wrote the first part of this review in November 2022. Then university, life, and other things got in the way of my headspace for me to feel confident about wrapping all of this up. In a way, I felt like I just didn’t want this review to end because of the joy that writing gives me — I didn’t want the happiness to end. And then it hit me, after watching a YouTuber rank animated movies and them placing Spirited Away at the top and explaining 'why' reminded me of just how important growing up is, and by extension this song.
This theme is important for both the rookie TWICE members in 2015 and the teenagers who would follow their journey and grow up with them, facing life’s obstacles along the way. Hardships that used to only involve family, crushes, and social media, evolve into work, commitments and all the struggles that adult life brings. Being a kid and enjoying the simple things in life is one of the most sought-after moments we want to relive because we took growing up for granted. The only thing we can do now is look back on ourselves with fondness and rose-tinted lenses.
TWICE’s original meaning was to resonate with people through their senses and their hearts. That was during their debut, and I think it still holds up today. In my opinion, touching people through their emotions is what TWICE does best and makes them one of K-pop’s all-time greats. It was never about having the best numbers — it was about being the best idols. And to think that this journey of maturation and growth would occur from 2015 all the way to this song, being a fitting nod to TWICE’s 7th anniversary, I don’t think anyone at the company nor the group would ever imagine that they would get this far. It’s these nine women or none — 9/10.
This song honestly deserves a 10/10 with how much I noticed other people reminiscing their childhoods after I heard this song, it is such a widely-relatable message, but I am determined to limit myself to one 10/10 song per album and if I were to pick between TTT and WWWK, I'd give it to the one's that's more repeatable — Talk that Talk just has this electric energy about it.
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Epilogue

And finally here is the end. If you made it in one sitting then I commend you, because I could not write this mess in one sitting. As alluded to, I started writing this album review sometime in October, after a series of edits the first draft was finished in March, and now here's the final draft in June.
I love this album. It got me through some important parts of my life, both good and bad, and it's just a wonderful listen throughout. Reliving this album again before finally completing the review has been an exciting journey. Brave hit me harder this time, after being overshadowed by the other gems of this album, and WWWK finally got me to tear up and not just be emotionally satisfied.
I feel like there's something for everyone on this album. From the exhilarating thrills of TTT to the anthemic euphoria of QoH, the clubbing dichotomy of Trouble and Brave to the blissful glee of Basics, and the sweet reminiscence of WWWK to the thundering anger that is Gone. Like Eyes wide open, I liken Between 1&2 to a pop music taste platter — there's such an eclectic mix of pop music in this album that there's bound to be a song that someone will love, like, and dislike.
Is this album perfect? I don't think so, but it's close — it was certainly my 2022 AOTY. Was this review biased? Absolutely. I've been a fan since 2019 and with the themes in this album, I also feel like it was biased towards me as a ONCE. And how would I rank the album in TWICE's catalogue? It's honestly at the top, at least with EPs — I also felt that way towards Feel Special but then this album was birthed so I'm excited for TWICE's future.
Ready To Be was also a stunning album and Eyes wide open frankly also deserved the spotlight that Formula of Love received so I might hit those next but no promises; this album took long enough to bake.
As for the performances, I've only seen Twitter clips (no fancams to not spoil myself) and I am SO EXCITED to finally see them in July. QoH was as glorious as expected, Brave was a delightful surprise, and WWWK, while not being the concert closer everyone expected it to be, paired up nicely with Crazy Stupid Love. And of course the bombastic addition of the dance break to TTT. But, this is not a concert review, and here is where this album review ends.
Feel free to comment with any thoughts regarding the album, other TWICE albums, and any suggestions for my writing in general. Congrats again on making it this far!
God, I love this album.

Do you often find yourself thinking "man, I love Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition tournaments and events, but I'm yet to find the perfect event for me in which I can make lots of new friends, test my skills and strategies across a variety of fun game modes, and one in which elo doesn't matter at all"? Ok, maybe not exactly, but if you're ready to join a fun and inclusive AoE2 event then oh boi do I have news for you!!
Get ready everybody for The Decathlon 4!!! This ultimate event features 10 different game modes, is open to everyone regardless of skill level, and promises to be a fun and exciting experience for all involved.
From intense battles to intricate economic management, The Decathlon 4 has it all. Whether you're a veteran player or a newcomer to the game, there's something for everyone here. So gather your friends, form your teams, and get ready for the ultimate challenge!!!
Important Info: Who? - 8 teams of 5 to 8 people, elo doesn't matter! What? - 10 AoE2 themed events (read more below) Where? - https://twitch.tv/BasicallyBebe https://discord.gg/djTG8PG When? - Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd of July 2023. How? - sign up as a team or as an individual via the google form HERE https://forms.gle/XE2H3usiPiMTBnWBA (signups close 16th June) Note: To sign up as a team you need the following details of each team member - Discord name, Steam profile link/s, 1v1 RM elo, closest region (for ping), and interest in game modes.
Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to show off your Age of Empires 2 skills and win amazing prizes. We'll see you on the battlefield!
Sat 1st - 08:00gmt start 09:00gmt Battle Royale. We will single handedly keep this game mode alive. 09:45gmt FFA Dodgeball. pew pew pew splat splat splat ~ 10:15gmt AoE2 Trivia. From in-game facts to community history and everything in between, prepare to go full 'galaxy brain' for your team. 11:00gmt Capture the Relic. May the craftiest monk win. 12:00gmt Budapest Sudden Death. Protect both your TCs, and watch out for sneak trebs!
Sun 2nd - 00gmt start 01:00gmt TTF Racing. (slight TBC on this one) but if all is ok, obstacle course your way to victory! 02:00gmt KotH Nomad. The ultimate balance between flying under the radar and asserting your dominance. 03:00gmt Guess Who of AoE2. Time to learn the funnest of facts about your favourite AoE2 community members! 04:00gmt Forest Nothing. Get choppin', and pray you're not the first one found! 05:00gmt Perk Pandemonium. Chaos and bedlam and mischief and laughter combine in this custom game mode.

PC Specs
• Intel Core i5-13600K 3.5 GHz 14-Core Processor
• Asus ROG STRIX GAMING OC GeForce RTX 3080 12GB LHR 12 GB Video Card
• Noctua NH-D15 chromax.black 82.52 CFM CPU Cooler
• Asus Prime Z790-A Wifi
• Corsair Vengeance 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-5600 CL36 Memory
• Samsung 970 Evo Plus 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 3.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive
• Corsair 5000D AIRFLOW ATX Mid Tower Case
• Asus ROG STRIX G 1000 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply
Hey guys!
Primarily a gaming PC. Worked Great for 3 months and then one day I use the compuer in the morning, come back a few hours later and it won't turn on. Take the CPU into a repair shop, they test it and tell me it's dead. Intel sends me a brand new one. Now since I had to take it apart, I used to have a Gigabyte Z790 Aero G mother board which had a loose wifi connector at the back so I replaced to a brand new Asus one posted above.
Anyways, Everything seemed great for a few days, then when playing games it randomly restarts over and over. I turn down in game settings to 60 fps and it seems to lower the frequency, but alas it starts restarting again. I also want to note that it also restarts sometimes even when I'm not gaming. Now the strange thing is it happens in spurts. Sometimes 3 to 4 within an hour, or it goes a full day without any problems.
Things I have tried: Fresh windows install. Updated drivers, flashed the bios 2x. Stress tested everything with OCCT. Everything passed,looked normal...not overheating. Also, checked all the hardware connections, looked for potential shorting on case /ect. I'm out of ideas, don't know where to go from here...Thanks for any feedback!

Photographed at Cunningham's Gap, Qld. Samsung Note 10 + BlackEye macro lens

Hey guys! OMG, that movie was incredible. A huge testimate to not only the capabilities of animation, but quality storytelling from the perspective of TWO protagonists. DEUTERAGONIST movies are pretty rare because they are hard to do well, and this one does it PERFECTLY.
Apologies for the word vomit below. But I had so much fun theorizing the next film and I would love to hear your guys opinions on how you believe Beyond the Spider-Verse will unfold.
The directors came out and stated that the first two spider-verse movies are about Miles evolving into two things. The first movie was miles growing from a kid to a superhero at the end. The second movie was about Miles growing from a boy to a Man at the end, not afraid of anything the world throws at him anymore. The third movie will be about Miles as a full fledged confident Superhero AND Man, and I CANNOT wait to see my man Miles taking control of his destiny in the next film.
​
Because of Gwen and Miles stories being synonomous with one another, me and my friends are having so much fun theorizing scenes that we think will happen in the next movie. So I will list off the various theories that we are having, and I would love to see how lilkely you all feel like they could happen.
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We loved how the climax began with Gwen talking directly to Miles's parents about him, (wearing his hoodie by the way), telling them how much she cares for him and how much he cares for them. Ending with Rio telling Gwen to let him know that they love him. Considering how competitive Rio was towards Gwen before this point, (as many mothers are towards their teenage son's love interests) we took this as Rio finally accepting the fact that Miles, WILL find confort in other women outside of his mother now, and Gwen will probably be that woman.
​

1. Captain Stacy, similar to Rio, has similar fears about losing/not being able to protect his daughter. We think that as a mirror to Gwens scene with Rio and Jeff, there will be an emotional moment in Beyond the Spider-verse, where Miles will have a 1on1 heart to heart with Captain Stacey, where Gwen's father realizes that Miles will probably be the new Man of Gwen's life that she looks to for security and confort. Maybe a similar climax where after Miles forgives Gwen, shes in a bad situation with the spot or Miguel, and he makes a promise to Captain Stacy about keeping her safe and bringing her back home.

​
We feel that Miguels extreme anger and agression was way too extreme for his actions, especially his comments about Miles not being a real spider-man. To where we feel like he is definetely projecting.
​

1. We think there will be a reveal where Miguel not being like the other spiders, or a "real" spider-man is an insecruity he has. And because he could never have a true happy life, part of his anger and jelously is the fact that Miles, who is an anomoly, can think that he can be lucky enough to actually get bit AND have a happy life not filled with constant trauma, angers him. I feel that insecurity will be revealed more in Beyond.

​
Why arent there any other Miles Morales Spider-men in the movie? Did anyone notice that or find that weird? Like even Spider-man PS4 Miles wasnt in there while PS4 Peter was. Phil Lord and Chris Miller are very detail oriented people. I cant imaging they didnt put one in the movie just because they feel like it wouldnt fit. Given the plot, it would actually fit perfectly for an actual Miles spider-man varient to give his perspective on the matter. Unless...there is a narrative reason for no Miles to be there.
​

1. I think that there is no other Miles Spider-man as of now. Even in the PS4 universe, Miles morales Spider-man doesnt exist. And whatever occurs in the next movie will end up destroying the "Canon" everywhere for good, leading to the existence of Miles Morales's everywhere in the timelines more. There is nothing in the movie that gives me this belief, aside from the fact that I have to believe there must be a reason why not a single one of the many Miles Morales Spider-man varients showed up in this strike force or movie, but nearly every single Peter Parker varient we can think of, does appear. Like their should be a reason right?

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One of the directors of this movie was Kemp Powers, the director of the Pixar movie Soul, and an Oscar nominated screenplay writer. In an interview with the spider-verse directors he stated that he was the one in charge of directing all of the character interactions and actor voice direction. And it shows with the amount of authentic black and latino expression with the actors and animators in this movie. Prowler Miles from Earth-42 was such a dope reveal, and it is known that he was supposed to be the spider-man of that unvierse before the spider went to our Miles' universe instead. I am excited to see what he will be like.
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1. We have an idea that he will actually be an Anti-hero and not a straight up villain, or if he is a villain he will become an antihero later and team up with Miles. Seeing both Miles look at each other gave me Huey and Riley vibes from the Boondocks. And I cant help but be exicted to see how their dynamic will be in the film. But in particular we feel like there will be a "Twin Switch" trope present in the movie. Like The Parent Trap, etc. where Earth-42 Miles pretends to be our Miles or vice versa. Either as an enemy, or as an allie. Do you guys think a moment like that will occur? I feel like its natural when a dynamic like this is introduced.

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Overall I LOVED the team up with Miles, Hobbie, Gwen and Spider-man India in Mumbatton. It was such the perfect teenager superhero fight scene that felt like actual superhero teenagers fighting together, without it coming across as cringe.
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1. This is what I would want a Young Avengers movie to be like, and with Spider-byte and Peni on the team now, I hope we get alot more teenager dynamics within the next film, within the fights and even some teenage drama. Nothing to detract from the plot, but ones that work within the plot to up the team element and give moments of chemistry between all the team members, would be fantastic, and can provide a lot of giggles and oos and ahs for the young audience watching, that love that sort of thing, if done right.

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"Gwen Stacy falls in Love with Spider-man and dies" This is a theme brought up directly in the movie and I feel will be addressed in the next film. Gwen is afraid of pursuing a relationship with Miles because she believes it could lead to her death.

1. We believe that part of her development in this movie was her realizing from Miles that anything is possible, and that she will give Fate and the Canon, the finger, and follow her heart and gut, ignoring what the universe, or Miguel is saying should happen.

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Speaking of teenage moments, the "love triangle" of Gwen, Hobbie and Miles was fun because it was mostly never really addressed and kind of just in the air. Like did Gwen and Hobbie hook up a couple times?....i mean maybe, but Hobbie doesnt seem territorial, and Gwen seems to be very much more emotionally interested in Miles. I love how they just make Hobbie a chill guys with Miles. But did anyone see the Spider-byte and Miles Chemestry when they first met. Both of their spider-senses went off...which never happend with Miles and anyone else there, and we see that Miles flirts with her a little, to the point where Gwen demands they leave, gets a little jelous and webs miles to pull him to her so they can walk on to Miguel.
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1. I think mirroring the hobbie, gwen and Miles dynamic, there will be a little teenagery jelous dynamic but with spider-byte, miles and Gwen, but this time Gwen being the Jelous party. Not anything super shallow or padantic. But some cute teenage jealousy moments possibly here or there with Gwen, similar to Miles in this movie. Maybe have a moment between Hobbie and Spider-byte where they recognize Miles and Gwens jealousy involving the both of them and roll their eyes at how in love they are. Could be cute.

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The producers stated that a live action movie is in the works and coming very soon. This gave me "links to spider-verse" vibes. her is a theory that live action Miles Morales from the MCU will make his first appearence at the end of the next movie. As an introduction and a lead in to who will be the next Miles Morales movie franchise protagonist.
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1. I think it would be cool, if the final scene of the movie would be Miguel or Miles or anyone going to Universe 199999 for a mission or whatever to track down the spider-man, and they think its Tom Holland only to find its another signerture, and we see for the first time, the Miles Morales of the MCU. Or something like that.

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Some smaller theories

1. Miles and Gwen will end up together.
   
2. Miles will get to save his father AND the multi-verse with no major sacrifice.
   
3. Nobody of note will die. (This is one of the few epic movies where I would be okay with that)
   

12 Live action Spider-man will actually show up in the movie.

1. Spider-man PS4 Peter and Miles will be in here as actual speaking roles and part of the final fights.(I feel like, there is no reason for that to not be the case, and as Sony owns them both and it is incredibly easy to get them in, I cant see why they wouldnt be.)

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Sorry for the word vomit. Let me know you agree with the theories!

Amapá Iron Ore Mine, Brazil [KDNC] [Flair]

• Cadence owns 30% of the Amapá Iron Ore System which is an integrated mine, railway and port which was previously owned by Anglo American, the mining operation generated profits of $171m in 2011 and $77m in 2012.
• The mine is a major source of employment in the state and when operating previously was the largest employer in the state and represented the largest contributor to the GDP of Amapá amounting to 20% on a turnover basis and 1-3% based on profitability. The mine will employ 600-800 workers and indirectly 4000 workers. The economic prosperity of the region is linked to the success of the mine.
• 2023-01-07 Recent progress podcast:
  • PFS Completed $949m NPV with 10% discount rate and 16 year mine life at 5.28mtpa with profit after tax of US$2.96 billion over Life of Mine
  • PFS allows Cadence to engage with off-take partners, possible JV partners and strategic investors at a project level.
  • "If there is a good opportunity from a strategic investor, the joint venture partners would consider taking that money and for us that would prevent any further dilution in terms of funding going into it by selling off investments that we didn't wish to or raising capital in the market"
  • Options to substantially increase the NPV by reducing CapEx at the port, and increasing mine life.
• 2023-03-01 Corporate Update:
  • DEV Mineração S.A. ("DEV") was unable to meet the 2022 payment schedule as per the settlement deed and although the bank creditors have reserved their rights, the settlement deed remains in full effect with all parties in discussions with a view to agree a new timetable in order to rephase payments so these can be met in light of market conditions.
  • With improving iron ore prices and stability returning to shipping costs, the sale of the 58% iron ore concentrate stockpile is now economically viable. We expect shipping to recommence in the next six months, with the net revenues being used to pay the bank creditors, as per the settlement agreement.

Sonora Lithium Project, Mexico (Ganfeng Joint Venture) [KDNC] [Flair]

• Cadence has a 30% Joint Venture interest in several of the tenements in the Sonora Lithium project. The DFS envisages a total of 3.6% of ore associated with Cadence being mined in years 9 to 19 in the current 17.5kt/35ktpa LCE mining plan. Should Ganfeng accelerate production or increase mine life then the Joint Venture areas will be required sooner and in greater volume. Cadence has 839Mt LCE of mineral reserves associated with its Joint ventures which is 18.58% of the total 4,515Mt LCE of that defined.
• 2022-07-02 Recent highlights:
  • Ganfeng plans to accelerate construction
  • Ganfeng reviewing plans for a production rate above 17.5ktpa and an additional 500 hectares of land acquired at the eastern end of the plant site location to allow for future plant expansions.
  • Sonora Phase 1 plan massively increased to 50kt/yr Lithium Hydroxide
  • Ganfeng eyes US OEMs for “strategic” stake in Mexican lithium project. Elon Musk tweets Price of lithium has gone to insane levels! Tesla might actually have to get into the mining & refining directly at scale, unless costs improve.
• 2022-08-14
  • BN Americas reports “Mexico looks to buy out existing additional rights held by UK exploration giant Bacanora”
  • US Inflation Reduction Act to benefit Mexican Automotive Industry
• 2023-03-01 Corporate Update:
  • In 2021, a decree was passed by the Mexican government to reform the domestic energy sector ("Decree"). The Decree stated that lithium would be included among the minerals considered strategic for an energy transition. As a result, no new concessions for lithium exploitation by private companies would be granted. Earlier this month, the Mexican government passed a presidential decree confirming that within a 900 square-mile lithium mining zone in northern Sonora state, existing concessions would "remain safe". This aligns with the general opinion that the Decree passed by the Senate only impacts licenses, concessions, or contracts to be granted, not already those granted, as is the case for the Sonora Lithium Project.

Hastings Technology Metals, Australia (ASX:HAS) [KDNC] [Flair]

• 2023-03-01 Corporate Update:
  • On 25 January 2023, Cadence completed the sale of its 30% stake in several mineral concessions forming part of the Yangibana Rare Earths project for a consideration of 2.45 million Hastings shares, equating to approximately 1.9% Hastings issued share capital. This consideration was a premium over the Net Present Value ("NPV") of the Cadence portion of the mineable material, based on the definitive feasibility ("DFS") updated by Hastings on 21 February 2022
  • Hastings recently published an update on the Yangibana Rare Earth Project, highlights of which are as follows:
    • Significant progress during the last two months on enabling construction and ordering long lead critical items.
    • A total of $146 million in contractual commitments has been made to date, demonstrating the high degree of confidence by the Hastings Board in the future of the Yangibana project.
    • Ore Reserves increased 25% to 20.93Mt at 0.90% Total Rare Earth Oxide (TREO) grade, increasing mine life to 17 years.

Evergreen Lithium, Australia (ASX:EG1) - [KDNC] [Flair]

• 2023-04-13 Notice of Initial Substantial Shareholder in Evergreen Lithium Limited
  • Evergreen was listed on the Australian Stock Exchange on 11 April 2023.
  • Cadence holds 15,830,138 million shares, equivalent to 8.74% of the issued share capital of Evergreen and is its largest shareholder.
  • A further AS$3.47 million (£1.86 million) of shares in Evergreen are due to Cadence on the achievement of certain performance milestones by Evergreen. The pricing of Evergreen shares associated with this consideration is based on a defined pricing mechanism linked to the VWAP and the date at which the performance milestones are achieved.

European Metal Holdings, Cinovec, Czech Republic (LSE:EMH) [KDNC] [Flair]

• 2022-07-02 Recent highlights:
  • Soft debt / EU grants and financing deals
  • Potential plans to double production (by using two shifts)
  • Updated PFS 75% increase in NPV to S$1.94B, using $17/kg. 16% production increase to 29,386tpa. 30% increase in Lithium Hydroxide to $22.1/kg would increase the NPV8 (post tax) to over $3B.
• 2022-10-31 Expect 10-20% reductions of the Lithium Chemical Plant CapEx and OpEx as a consequence of using a simplified hydrometallurgical process, for which a patent application has been filed.

Passive Equity Investments - Notable Developments [KDNC] [Flair]

See the above menus for company links and announcements - noting that additionally Macarthur holds 20% of spin off Infinity Mining ASX:IMI

Analyst Reports and Recommendations [KDNC]

Date	Link	Who	SP	Summary / Price Target
2023-02-28	Kemeny Capital	Kemeny Capital (investment research)	12.9p	"Cadence Minerals has built a robust portfolio of base and battery metals with ample opportunities for shareholder value creation. Recent developments have helped to substantially increase the potential of two of the group’s asset positions, while adding to the overall corporate valuation. Our sum-of-theparts (SotP) indicative fair value is 43.6p."
2023-02-02	W H Ireland Research	W H Ireland (broker)	14.5p	WHI View: Our assessment is that the Amapá mine could be company-maker for Cadence. We are firmly of the belief that the current market cap is more than covered by the legacy investments that Cadence holds in various new technology metal companies and projects and that the addition of the Amapá stake to its portfolio can only be value enhancing. In our opinion, the development of Amapá will be transformational for Cadence and we see fair value at 71p/sh with plenty of upside potential.
2022-07-24	Reddit Post	u/EV-BULL (private investor)	10.75p	Due diligence short term price target: 60p-80p; 1-2 year price target: 130p; Long term bull case price target: 300p+
2022-07-02	Reddit Post	u/Observer842 (private investor)	10.4p	Due diligence Near term: £37.5m (21.5p) - £92m (53p); Medium term: £160-420m; Longer term: £1-2B+
2022-02-18	Daily Mail	Anne Ashworth for the Daily Mail (Journalist)	20.4p	"The white gold rush appears to be an inviting prospect. But if you want to join, remember that fortunes are far from guaranteed in any foray into commodities. Options include the Aim-listed businesses Cadence Minerals and Zinnwald Lithium."
2022-02-18	Edison Group	Edison Group (investment research)	20.4p	QuickView report
2022-01-01	Daily Mail	Justin Urquhart Stewart (fund manager)	28p	Top pick for the Brave in 2022

ICYMI [Previous]

Date	Article	Comment & Quotes
2023-04-21	Cadence Minerals Q&A session with Kiran Morzaria	Most recent of the presentations and interviews with CEO Kiran Morzaria.
2023-04-13	The Vox Markets Podcast / Kiran Morzaria of Cadence Minerals: Evergreen had a very successful IPO and we are the largest shareholder
2023-03-29	Cadence Minerals Investor Presentation March 2023
2023-02-28	Cadence Minerals - value waiting to be unlocked - SoTP indicative fair value 43.6p	6 page analyst Research report from Kemeny Capital which can be obtained for free by qualifying investors.
2023-02-02	WH Ireland Research Report: Cadence Minerals - Developing Amapá iron ore mine and strategic new technology metal interests (sees fair value at 71p / share)	To obtain this 34 page Analyst Research Report for free, (optionally) first register for Research Tree, then whilst logged in, register for WH Ireland (optionally) using your Research Tree account.
2023-01-03	Completion of PFS on Amapá Iron Ore Project	Post-Tax Project NPV10 US$949 million, Internal Rate of Return of 34% and a Project Maiden Ore Reserve Estimate of 195.8 Mt (Cadence attributable of 58.74 Mt) at 39.34% Fe Declared

Anything missing or incorrect? Let us know in the comments or LSE chat - the mods.

I recently wrote an article that startled me with its reaction. Over 330,000 people read it in two days on Reddit alone. It was We Have Had 2 Recessions And 2 Bear Markets in 3 Years, Will It Be 3 In Just 4 Years? I suggest reading it first. It starts with "I have watched the stock market since the 1970s. Never in my life have I seen so many people think a recession was coming before. Yet this has gone on for about 9 months, and still no recession. "
This Friday, 6-2-2023, was a breakout day for both the SP500 and the Russell 2000 (small caps). The SP500 did a Cup and Handle breakout and the Russell a flat bottom base breakout. The NASDAQ 100 has already broken out, for a while. Yes, there are all sorts of bad things and stock valuations are poor. But does that mean the stock market will not go up? Look at 2020 and 2021 as recent examples of bad problems and extremely high valuations, and the stock market still went up big anyway. We have had two bear markets in the last 3 years, a rare event. One other factor. Oil stocks are at arguably the best valuations ever and maybe the best sector valuation ever. The Russell small caps recently made new lows in its ongoing bear market, which after Friday, is maybe over. The Russell blew away the NASDAQ on Friday, in terms of gains.
What happened on Friday? Well, the debt ceiling was kicked down the road as it always is and the Jobs report fooled everyone again This has been going on for about 9 months now, with almost everyone bearish and expecting a recession. The jobs market is actually hot. This was not predicted at all.
I totally agree with people like Danny Moses, Guy Adami, Carter Worth and Dan Nathan that point out all the bad things as they do in this video, but does that mean we will crash, as they have been expecting for months? They do a good job of making the bear case, but then what happened? The next day the Russell broke out of that range they talked about containing it, on their chart. YouTube link to that will be in comments.
So, will the economy fool everyone and not go into recession? Maybe, and sure has so far.
To the last question Where Do Oil Stocks Go from Here? This one I am much surer of; in my opinion they will go into a historic bull market. I have already experienced one, having bought them heavily in 2020 COVID crash. Received several 10x and 20x movers and just about any oil stock did a 5x in that rally.
Here is a happy story of what is possible in such bull markets in oil stocks. I bought Cardinal, a Canadian oil stock. Got a 20 bagger and now it has a 1% a month roughly dividend. Yes, that means I am roughly getting 200% yearly dividends now and have been getting them for a while. And in the last month have bought more Cardinal. At 1% dividend a month on a 4 PE stock with a CROIC of 30%, it is still a great deal. The valuations are better now than in 2020 for oil stocks. Back then they were in danger of going under, but dirt cheap. Now dirt cheap at higher prices, yet much higher safety with wonderful balance sheets and cash flows.
These two charts show that oil stocks are dirt cheap and spending less on CapEx than ever before, as a percent of Cash Flow. This time is different, they are not overinvesting as they did every time before when oil went over $100. Again, link in comments.
Eric Nuttal, who runs Canada's biggest oil stock fund, talked about the coming oil stock bull market in a recent video. About how buybacks can drive a $20 oil stocks to over $1 million a share, unless they go up greatly before the buyouts complete. Do not scoff, he is right. He makes the case for oil stocks and high cashflow oil stock buybacks so well in this video, I will not comment myself. The whole thing is worth viewing, but this link starts where he talks buybacks.
On buybacks will do some math here. In this case if a stock started at $20 a share, $1 billion FCF and mkt cap of $3 billion = 150 million shares you will get to $1 billion a share in 3 years if 100% of FCF goes to buybacks and stock does not go up before then. If it rerates to 9x FCF after 1 year then was 3x FCF, 33% of stock removed = 100,000,000 shares and $9 billion market cap = $90 a share a 4.5 X gain in one year.
Reality today June 2023 is the best, we have had big buybacks and prices have stayed about the same in last 12 months on oil stocks. Debt is way down, so they have more money for buybacks.
So, let's go 1 more year at current prices. $1 billion FCF is spent buying back stock. That is 50% of stock left, so now just 50,000,000 shares left. Then it goes to 9 FCF (still cheaper than avg stock out there) so $9 billion mkt cap / 50,000,000 shares left = $180 a share, so a X gain. Pretty good.
Let's go 1 more year. Let's say the market was as stupid as it was in 6-2022 to 6-2023 and price stays the same. That means the remaining 50,000,000 shares are bot back, except for just 1 share. Then it goes to 9 X FCF = $9 billion mkt cap and 1 share = $9 Billion a share. A 450 million times gain. This will not happen because eventually the market wakes up to how stupid it has been after 10?, 20?, 50? times increase in earnings per share, and it rerates the stock way higher, until it no longer is worth buying back. In fact, the company might sell some back for 20 times more than they bought it for, if it makes sense to. Also, if a company gets 2/3s of its stock back, then its EPS going forward, for every Q, will be 3 times higher.
As an example of what can happen with buybacks with far inferior cashflows, and valuations is Teledyne. George Roberts, who worked alongside Singleton, described the experience like this:
Henry was quoted as saying, with a laugh, “In October, 1972, we tendered for one million shares and 8.9 million came in. We took them all at $20 and figured it was a fluke, and that we couldn’t do it again. But instead of going up, our stock went down. So we kept tendering, first at $14 and then doing two bonds-for-stock swaps. Every time one tender was over the stock would go down and we’d tender again, and we’d get a new deluge. Then two more tenders at $18 and $40.”
The first six buybacks were all in the period from 1972 to 1976. The market reacted adversely to this at first, not understanding what Henry was accomplishing. But as the number of shares went down and the company’s operating income continued to grow, the earnings per share increased rapidly and dramatically. In 1970, net income per share was $1.64. By 1975 it was $6.09 per share; in 1976, $10.79; and in 1977, $16.23 per share.
With the first six stock buybacks, a total of some 22 million Teledyne share were repurchased, reducing the number of outstanding common shares to less than 12 million. A seventh stock buyback offer was made in 1980 and the final one in 1984, at the extraordinarily high price of $200 per share. This was about $30 above the current market price and eight million shares were bought back. By September of that year the stock had climbed to $302 per share and was the highest priced stock on the New York Stock Exchange.
The total value of these buybacks was over $2.5 billion, and more than 85 percent of common shares were retired. Shares outstanding had dropped from 88,827,372 in 1971 to 22,564,756 in 1980. Henry also purchased another 5 percent of Teledyne shares on the open market at various times, bringing the buyback total in the years 1972-1984 to over 90 percent of the company’s shares.
Singleton eventually paid off the debt used to buy back shares. By 1985, net income per share was $46.66. The buybacks created a compounding effect on earnings per share.
Remember oil stocks that are doing, or about to do, buybacks are at about 3-7 times better valuations than Teledyne, so they can compound better. Teledyne was never in a position to buy back at a fast enough rate, so that all of their stock could be bought back in 3-4 years, just with free cash flow. So, Teledyne was not even close to being able to do what oil stocks can do today.
An example is Cenovus. As Nuttal pointed out CVE has committed to 100% of FCF to go to buybacks soon, after debt drops. They can buy back all their stock in less than 4 years, unless the stock rerates higher. Teledyne was never even close to being capable to do that.
We just got a kicker for oil stocks, one guessed was coming, just a matter of size.
Sunday (Bloomberg) -- Oil advanced at the week’s open after Saudi Arabia said it will make an extra 1 million barrel-a-day supply cut in July, taking its production to the lowest level for several years following a slide in prices. West Texas Intermediate futures jumped almost 5% early in the session before paring some gains to trade near $74 a barrel. Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said he “will do whatever is necessary to bring stability to this market” following a tense OPEC+ meeting over the weekend. “The oil market now looks like it will be even tighter in the second half of the year,” ANZ Group Holdings Ltd. analysts Brian Martin and Daniel Hynes wrote in a note. “The move by Saudi Arabia is likely to come as a surprise.”

Apologies in advance for the long post,
I rented a car from enterprise to be picked up from Cancun airport. While booking the car I confirmed via phone with multiple enterprise representative (customer service) that I have full coverage and don’t have to pay for damages in case of an unfortunate situation.
Now 2nd day into my rental, I had parked the car outside my Airbnb and next morning I see that there was a dent on one of the panel next to driver side door and limiting the opening of the driver side door(not opening all the way) I went straight to enterprise Cancun airport location to report and to my surprise the manager said that I am responsible for deductible up to 10% of total value of car. While in the store, I called enterprise customer service and again they did mention I have all coverage and I don’t have to pay for anything. Then I asked the customer service representative to speak with the enterprise store manager but still the manager said no it does not have deductible covered and you have to pay the deductible also if you have further queries then you should raise the request when I go back to USA. But my concern is what they charge me and then deny everything.
My contract has the following included(please note the contract was in Spanish and that’s why I am all confused):
1- COBERTURA DE COLISIÓN I1 2- DEDUCIBLE DE COLISIÓN I1 3- PROTECCIÓN DE DAÑOS A TERCEROS CAT 1
Based on my little understanding of Spanish and help of google translator , I derived that #2 mean deductible collision and would Inturn mean that deductible is covered.
Now I really need all your folks help to get your thought on how to handle this. Also, still the customer representative on phone is saying I am all covered and don’t have to pay a single penny however, I am scared that the enterprise store will charge me for deductible any which ways.