Histology of nervous tissue exercise 17 answers

Phimosis help. Advice for curing a tight foreskin

2013.10.22 10:28 jamest0001 Phimosis help. Advice for curing a tight foreskin

Advice and support for boys and men with phimosis (tight foreskin). This subreddit focuses on the theory that damage to the penis through certain masturbation habits and techniques causes phimosis. Some information it would be nice to include in your post are your age, your masturbation habits, including how often you masturbate and with what technique. Upload pics to www.imgur.com Visit www.uktightforeskin.blogspot.com for full explanation including diagrams explaining my theory
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2024.05.15 02:17 AndYouHaveAPizza Every time Drake thought he was dissing Kendrick, but he was either complimenting him or dissing himself

This has def been discussed, but I have yet to see it all in one place. I’ve compiled a list of all the times Drake either 1. Compliments Kendrick or 2. Disses himself from First Person Shooter through THE HEART PART 6. It’s crazy how obvious Drake’s envy over Kendrick’s artistry is fully on display. It’s giving jealous bully classmate tbh.

Every time Drake thought he was dissing Kendrick but really he was just relentlessly complimenting him:

Taylor Made Freestyle
Family Matters
THE HEART PART 6

Every time Drake thought he was dissing Kendrick but really he was just relentlessly dissing himself:

First Person Shooter
Push Ups
Push Ups + Family Matters
Taylor Made Freestyle
Family Matters
THE HEART PART 6
Edit: formatting
submitted by AndYouHaveAPizza to KendrickLamar [link] [comments]

2024.05.15 02:10 Affectionate-Kiwi270 Newly diagnosed

So today was my first time seeing a pain management specialist. He told me i fit all of the criteria of fibro but he wants me to do some research and come back in a month before he puts the diagnosis on paper.
A bit of history: I 24f rode horses competitively for 13 years. I've taken 3 massive horse related accident that have cause soft tissue damage and severe to mild brain injuries. In 2022 me and my significant other were rear ended while at a stop light by some one going 83mph which resulted in another bad head injury, internal bruising, and of course some severe musculoskeletal issues. Over the years ive been told i have IBS, migraines, endometriosis (diagnosed by surgery), as well as a few mental health issues. I've tried physical therapy multiple times, done dry needling, trigger point massages, muscle scrapping, used tens units, hot/cold therapy, every medication from (gaba, flexeril, duloxetine, tramadole, robaxin, naltrexone, hydrocodone, NSAIDs, preventarive migraine medications, epidural steroid injections, trigger point injections, etc). I've been to neurology, neurosurgery, ortho, a back pain specialist for car accidents, pelvic floor specialists, etc. Never was any one able to tell me anything other than "wow your muscles are very reactive" "you have alot of scar tissue" "do you stretch? Your muscles are extremely tight" etc. I currently follow a PT regiment for a hip surgery (extreme labral tear, femorectomy(to help a bad impingment), cartlidge repair, and an attempt at arthritis removal) in january but incoperate previous PT exercises to try and help my back and neck. In total i stretch for 30 minutes 2-3x a day and do low impact exercises 1hr 30 minutes to 2 he 45 minutes a day. I gave birth june of last year so sometimes the exercise either gets spread out through out the the day or to the shorter 1.5 Hrs during a nap. After all of this i continued to have unexplained back and neck pain starting each day at a 6-7 out of 10 and usually not get more than 2 hours of sleep at a time. My PCP was prescribing 10 mg norco for flares (i have days where ill get migraines with endo pain and muscular flairs that leave me unable to move, nauseous, occasionally losing consciousness and i usually end up I'm the ER) along with robaxin and tylenol daily and this combination worked incredibly together but didn't do much of anything apart. It felt like i finally could function and had relief. Unfortunately she told me she couldn't continue to prescribe to me and needed me to go to a pain clinic so I agreed in hopes of more answers and maybe even finding a long term pain management plan.
The PM dr went through my history and ended up stopping and saying hey i think you have fibro. He pushed into some trigger points said "yep you're meeting all of the criteria". He then told me we will try acupuncture, more trigger point injections, and tizanidine. I agreed to these as I'm always open to new things or retrying things in a different combination. He gave the injections and told me i should feel it almost immediately but i unfortunately felt no relief and told him so. At the end of my appointment i asked if i could still have a rescue medication until we find a regiment that works well for me and he told me "if you were 50+ yes but you're too young for that route", said he will see me in 4 weeks, and walked out. I am still waiting for the tizanidine but he told me he is not optimistic it'll help much so im a bit scared now. I went into this appointment thinking id be helped and left feeling scared and grimm.
submitted by Affectionate-Kiwi270 to Fibromyalgia [link] [comments]

2024.05.15 00:26 ASkinnyKid Recommendation for first time dog owner in apartment

**Introduction** 1)Will this be your first dog? If not, what experience do you have owning/training dogs? * This will be my first dog, though I had a cat for 8 years previously. 2)Do you have a preference for rescuing a dog vs. going through a [reputable breeder]( http://ownresponsibly.blogspot.com/2011/07/identifying-reputable-breeder.html)? * No preference 3)Describe your ideal dog. * I would like one who can accompany me on walks daily (including potentially long hikes on weekends or dog parks) but also would be willing to chill with me on the couch happily at any time. I would prefer one without serious separation anxiety as I do leave the house daily for several hours at a time, even though I work from home. Also, tolerance/friendliness towards other dogs/people would be nice as I do enjoy going to breweries and would love a companion along with me. 4)What breeds or types of dogs are you interested in and why? * I'm just beginning my research, but have been intrigued by Standard Schnauzers, Boston Terriers, and the Spanish/Portuguese water dogs. 5)What sorts of things would you like to train your dog to do? * Basic things for now, potentially more advanced stuff down the road. 6) Do you want to compete with your dog in a sport (e.g. agility, obedience, rally) or use your dog for a form of work (e.g. hunting, herding, livestock guarding)? If so, how much experience do you have with this work/sport? * Definitely not. **Care Commitments** 7) How long do you want to devote to training, playing with, or otherwise interacting with your dog each day? * I can easily do several hours due to the amount of downtime I have with working from home. 8) How long can you exercise your dog each day, on average? What sorts of exercise are you planning to give your dog regularly and does that include using a dog park? * Same answer as above, several hours if needed. I have a dog park at my apartment and several parks around that I could take them. Anything from walking to playing fetch to running. 9)How much regular brushing are you willing to do? Are you open to trimming hair, cleaning ears, or doing other grooming at home? If not, would you be willing to pay a professional to do it regularly? * I suppose weekly? I am willing to pay a professional for anything besides brushing. **Personal Preferences** 10)What size dog are you looking for? * Apartment will not allow over 75 pounds, so less than that. I don't have any interest in a 5 pound dog though. 11) How much shedding, barking, and slobber can you handle? * Not much of any. Barking should be minimal in an apartment. 12) How important is being able to let your dog off-leash in an unfenced area? * Not particularly important, more of an added bonus if able. **Dog Personality and Behavior** 13) Do you want a snuggly dog or one that prefers some personal space? * Both? 14) Would you prefer a dog that wants to do its own thing or one that’s more eager-to-please? * No preference 15) How would you prefer your dog to respond to someone knocking on the door or entering your yard? How would you prefer your dog to greet strangers or visitors? * Certainly no barking if someone knocks. Attentiveness or walking to the door would be perfectly fine by me. 16) Are you willing to manage a dog that is aggressive to other dogs? * Absolutely not. 17) Are there any other behaviors you can’t deal with or want to avoid? * I wouldn't ever tolerate any kind of aggression, but otherwise I can't think of any. **Lifestyle** 18) How often and how long will the dog be left alone? * 2-4 hours daily during the week for errands/gym. 19) What are the dog-related preferences of other people in the house and what will be their involvement in caring for the dog? * I live alone. 20) Do you have other pets or are you planning on having other pets? What breed or type of animal are they? * No. 21) Will the dog be interacting with children regularly? * No. 22) Do you rent or plan to rent in the future? If applicable, what breed or weight restrictions are on your current lease? * Rent - I live on the third floor of an apartment without an elevator. No aggressive breeds and under 75 pounds. 23) What city or country do you live in and are you aware of any laws banning certain breeds? * USA; none I am aware of 24) What is the average temperature of a typical summer and winter day where you live? * Low to mid 90's in summer; mid to upper 30's in winter **Additional Information and Questions** 25) Please provide any additional information you feel may be relevant. * I live on the third floor of an apartment so I'd prefer any dog that will not suffer from hip problems or that would be difficult to carry upstairs if necessary (I COULD carry 50 pounds upstairs though wouldn't want to often). I don't plan on living here for more than a year or two longer though.
submitted by ASkinnyKid to dogs [link] [comments]

2024.05.14 20:10 veglove Elderly father (81m) - Cipro risks (esp. tendonitis) + exercise + TURP procedure question

I'm writing with a question about my 81m father. We're having a difficult time reaching his urologist or his GP to answer this question. The TL;DR is that we're concerned about the risk of tendonitis for seniors while taking Cipro and want to know if it's ok for him to do low-impact activities/movement classes for seniors or if he should refrain from those while on Cipro. Any other advice you have about preventing risks of side effects while taking Cipro would be appreciated.
Details: In preparation for his TURP procedure (which took place yesterday), his urologist prescribed a 7-day course of Ciprofloxacin to clear a catheter-related UTI before the procedure (a culture later revealed the bacteria to be Pseudomonas). The urologist insisted that he take Ciprofloxacin despite the warnings that we've read in the information brochure and elsewhere about higher risks of side effects for people age 60+ such as tendonitis and kidney damage (he is frequently dehydrated despite our prodding him to drink more fluids, although he hasn't been diagnosed with any kidney issues). We are very concerned about these risks and the doctor was a bit dismissive about our concerns.
He has been on it for about a week with no noticeable side effects so far. He had one day left of the 7-day course when he had his procedure yesterday and the procedure went well; he was released from the hospital 2 hours later. They prescribed another 5 day course of Cipro to take after the procedure; they didn't say why, but I'm assuming that it's to make sure that the Pseudomonas infection is fully resolved as well as killing any other harmful bacteria that he may have been exposed to during the procedure. He'll have a catheter in for 5 days following the procedure, and then they will be taking it out and hopefully leaving it out for good once they test his bladder function, which will be a big relief for all of us as he has been using one for 7 months now due to an enlarged prostate & prostate cancer that has so far been controlled with medication & monitored.
So far as I know he doesn't have any other contraindications regarding health history or medications. Going through the list of warnings in the brochure, he's not taking any corticosteroids, antidipressants, nor tizanidine. No history of tendon problems, liver problems, central nervous problems, nerve problems, bronchitis/respiratory illnesses, and recent heart tests show that it's still strong & healthy for his age (he's on statins). No diabetes or blood sugar issues, and no joint problems such as RA.
My father does have mild frontotemporal dementia which affects his coordination, so his physical therapist normally has him going to low-impact "silver sneaker" movement classes for seniors, and doing low-impact exercises at home as well. Does he need to refrain from doing these while he is on Cipro due to the higher risk of tendonitis? Out of precaution he hasn't been doing any of these low-impact activities but I'm concerned that it will negatively impact his coordination. I understand he's not supposed to do strenuous exercise or heavy lifting during TURP recovery, but is low-impact movement ok? Would love some advice on whether he should continue to refrain from low-impact activities or if he should continue those to maintain his coordination & balance.
ETA that he has never smoked and rarely drinks alcohol. He took one regular strength Tylenol for pain management after the procedure but the pain he has been experiencing is minimal, he hasn't needed any today.
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submitted by veglove to AskDocs [link] [comments]

2024.05.14 18:28 andreabaker2 Robert Adams was Robert Spiegel, and there is a huge history.

As many of you may have read, there is a case of two missing adopted kids in North Carolina, where remains have been found. The news has reported that their adoptive “mother” is Avantae Deven.
I’m a curious person and started digging up information on Avantae Deven when I first read the story in my news feed and could not believe what I was reading. It seemed like whomever this woman is must have be using an alias; Avantae Deven is not a name like Kim Jones or Mackenzie Smith.
The more I dug, the weirder it seemed to get. I found a property deed to a place in Sedona, Arizona, and figured out that whomever this Avantae person is, she at one point in time had owned a home together with someone named Nicole Adams. So I dug into who Nicole Adams was, and learned that she was the widow of a spiritual leader named Robert Adams. It appeared to me that there would be no way to identify who Avantae really was, unless I could also identify the true identity of Robert Adams.
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I've done investigative work for many years, including skip tracing. I can conclusively state that there was absolutely no person actually named Robert Adams born in New York State on January 21, 1928. This is demonstrated by the New York Birth Index. I have combed the census records for 1930, 1940, and 1950, and cross-checked them against multiple databases, and am confident that nobody with the birth name of Robert Adams was born anywhere in the United States on January 21, 1928.
Moreover, there was absolutely no person with the true name of Robert Adams who died anywhere at all in the United States, let alone Sedona, Arizona, on March 2, 1997. This is demonstrated by the Social Security Death Index.
I began this research largely by performing exhaustive searches on the known addresses that are associated with Robert, his wife Leonie (who used to use the alias Nicole), and Avantae Deven (who turns out to be their daughter Michelle who began using the alias Avantae in the mid-1990’s or so). Most of the addresses are PO boxes. Those that are PO boxes are all *private* PO boxes, not PO boxes that one can rent from the United States Postal Service. To me, that spoke volumes. The family were clearly using aliases.
As I explain further below, I eventually determined that “Robert Adams” was Robert Spiegel, born 21 January 1932 in New York. “Nicole Adams” was actually Aileen Beverly Leonie Maxwell, born February 2, 1929, in Jamaica. “Avantae Deven” is actually their daughter, Michelle K. Spiegel, born on October 1, 1960, in California.
One of Robert’s many false stories about Robert’s life that my research has refuted is Robert’s claim that his mother was Jewish and his father was Catholic. That was a lie. Both of his parents were Jewish. It’s also interesting that he claimed that he was “raised Catholic.” There is absolutely nothing to suggest that. His mother always, in New York, lived in Jewish neighborhoods. Moreover, as will be discussed below, his parents had a Jewish wedding. It’s also downright absurd that he would tell people that he was “half Jewish.” If your mother’s Jewish, you are Jewish, pure and simple. Even if Robert’s father had truly been Catholic (which he wasn’t; his name was Samuel Spiegel and he immigrated to America in 1907, lived with his Jewish, Yiddish-speaking cousins, and spoke Yiddish himself), Robert would have been Jewish because the status of being a Jew comes from the mother. Robert’s mother’s name was Fannie (nee Fleisfeder) Spiegel. Fannie’s parents were Itzik Fleisfeder and Esther Libke (nee Rifkin) Fleisfeder. Esther’s parents were Mendel Rifkin and Sarah whose maiden name is lost to time and the disappearance of the shtetls. Robert’s claim to having had a Catholic father was utterly false, but is part and parcel of his ongoing compulsive daily lying about anything and everything.
Here is the story.
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Kolomyia, formerly known as Kolomea, is a city currently located in the Western Ukraine.
On January 21, 1892 (the same year that Kolomea tallis1 workers went on strike for better pay and working conditions), Kolomea resident Rachel Katz, wife of Abraham Spiegel, gave birth to a son, who was given the name Schmuel.
On the date that Schmuel Spiegel entered the world, Kolomea was ruled by the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, and almost half of the city’s residents were Jewish.
In June of 1907, fifteen-year-old Schmuel2 boarded the Zeeland, which sailed from Antwerp, Belgium, arriving at New York Harbor on June 18, 1907. The ship’s manifest states that Schmuel’s father had paid for his transport, and that Schmuel intended to reside with his father, Abe, in Brooklyn. Schmuel was granted entrance, and took up residence with his cousin Charles Fetner, who resided at 353 Myrtle Avenue, Brooklyn, in Apartment A with his wife Jennie and their baby daughter Ettie. The sparse record that exists suggests that although Schmuel’s father was, indeed, named Abraham, Abraham lived and died in Europe, without immigrating to America.
The 1910 census describes Samuel’s cousin Charles as a carpenter, who had been married to housewife Jennie for six years, and a father of three children-- Ettie age four, Nathan age two, and baby Jacob, who was not even a year old. Eighteen-year-old Samuel was identified by profession as a “Foreman Sailmaker” in an industry described as “pocket-books.”
Three and a half years after being granted admission, on a bitterly cold winter day, January 4, 1911, Schmuel (now employed as a pocket-book maker, and having Anglicized his name to Samuel) signed and submitted his declaration to become a United States citizen. He stated, in that declaration, that he was born on January 21, 1892.
By 1915, Samuel had left his cousin’s abode and was residing as a lodger in the home of a widow named Rose Hammer, who lived with her two adolescent sons, Meyer and Louis, at 531 E. 5th Avenue; Samuel was now working as a “driver.”
Two years after the 1915 state census was taken, Samuel had moved back to Myrtle Avenue, but this time at building no. 849. On June 15, 2017, Samuel registered for the draft, and described himself as being a pocketbook maker, working for “A. Shoenfeld,” at 101 Crosby Street, New York. He was single. He stated, in his draft registration, that he was born on January 21, 1892.
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A woman named Fruma Fleisfeder was born in Beltz, Bessarabia, sometime between July 1, 1893, and 1901, to Itzik Fleisfeder and Esther Lieba Rifkin. Fruma (not living up to her pious given name) provided different dates and years of birth to different authorities on different occasions, making it impossible at this point in time to know her true position in the birth order of her family. Regardless, Fruma, who began using the name Fanny upon her entrance to the United States, did have three brothers and a sister who also came to America-- Louis Fleisfeder who was born April 10, 1890, Max Irving Fleisfeder who used October 10, 1892 as his birthdate, Hersch (later known as Harry), whose official birthdate was December 15, 1901, and Sylvia who was born in approximately 1906.
On December 1, 1919, Fruma arrived in New York Harbor on the ship La Touraine, declaring her intention, at entry, to become a United States Citizen. The ship’s manifest describes her as five feet five inches tall, with fair hair, blue eyes, and a fair complexion. The ship’s manifest states that she was, at that time, age 24. If that were correct, she would have been born in 1895.
Fruma (then going by Fanny) took up residence with her cousin Ethel (nee Ruchlin) and Ethel’s husband Samuel Steinberg, on 15th Street, Brooklyn. Soon thereafter, Ethel gave birth to her first child, a daughter named Theresa. The 1920 census states that Fanny was Russian, didn’t speak English but, rather, spoke Hebrew, and worked as a milliner in a millinery store. The 1920 census also states that Fanny was age 25, which lines up with her being age 24 in the prior year’s ship manifest.
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Sam and Fanny married in Manhattan on January 24, 1925. Their marriage certificate (signed by each of them) identifies Sam as being age 32 (contradicting, by one year, his immigration records which would have placed him at age 33), and identifies Fanny as age 24, the same age that she had claimed to be six years prior, and also contradicting an immigration petition that she would file two decades in the future, which generally placed her birth year at the mid-point of 1893.
If Fanny’s immigration records (which included a petition with her signature on it) were correct, Fanny would also have been age 32 as of her marriage to Samuel, not age 24.
So did Fanny lie in her marriage certificate? Or did she lie in her immigration petition?
The marriage certificate identifies Sam as having been born in Kolomea, Austria, and his father being Abraham, and his mother being Rachel Katz. It identifies Fanny as having been born in Beltz, Russia, to a father named Isaac, and to a mother named Esther Rifkin.
The marriage certificate does not identify Fanny as having any profession, but identifies Sam as being a pocketbook maker.
Sam and Fannie were married at 125 E. 4th Street, Manhattan, a six-story apartment building with retail units on the ground floor that is now an expensive co-op, with three-bedroom units selling for over $900,000. Present-day real estate advertisements alternatively state that the building was built in 1894, 1903, and 1905.
The first name of the rabbi who officiated was Harry. His surname starts with Reid, but the remaining letters of his signature are illegible. Rabbi Harry identified his residence as 232 Broome Street, which, at the time, was a four-story mixed use building that, among other things, housed Chevrah Ahavath Zedek Anshei Jaskinover.
Witnesses to the marriage were Mayer Budmon and Samuel Steinberg.
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Sam and Fanny’s existence was documented next in the 1925 New York State census by census. They were living at 205 S. 2nd Street. Samuel was still working as a “pocketbook maker.” Fanny was identified as a “housewife.”
Fanny was identified as age 25. This was in accordance with her age as stated on her marriage certificate, but not in accordance with her immigration documents or the 1920 census.
Sam was identified as being age 28, which conflicted with all prior records.
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In 1930, the couple were again enumerated, this time in the Federal census. The enumerator, whose signature appears to be “Max Krahn” (or something like that) stated that he obtained the information on April 16, 1930.
Sam was identified as a “framer” of pocketbooks. He was identified as being 36 years of age, which conflicts by two years with the age that he provided to immigration authorities. Perhaps the enumerator was simply sloppy; Samuel was also incorrectly identified in the 1930 census as having been born in “Poland,” with parents who were both also born in “Poland,” notwithstanding other governmental records having identified him as being Austrian. The language he spoke? “Jewish,” according to the enumerator. Was that to mean Hebrew? Yiddish? Both?
Fannie was identified as age 30 (directly in conflict with the information she supplied in her immigration petition, which bears her signature) and as being “Russian,” with parents born in “Russia.” The 1930 census enumerator incorrectly wrote that her year of immigration was 1921. Fannie, too, was identified by the enumerator as speaking the “Jewish” language.
Although later records reflected that Sam and Fannie had a son named Irving who was born in 1926, Irving was not recorded in the 1930 census. Was he missed by the enumerator? Or was he a later-adopted son?
The couple also had a boarder, identified by the 1930 enumerator as one Esther “Larson,” age 40, born in Russia, and similarly a speaker of the “Jewish” language.
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The New York Birth Index identifies a baby boy, Robert Spiegel, as one of many babies having been born in the city on January 21, 1932.
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On May 21, 1936, Samuel committed suicide by hanging in the family residence, a tenement apartment located at 1168 Union Avenue, in the Bronx. Although, based upon the date of birth that Samuel used for official governmental purposes he was age 44, the death certificate stated that he was age 43.
Fannie engaged the Gordon Funeral Home to prepare him for burial.
Strangely, although Samuel’s headstone accurately identified him in Hebrew as Schmuel Spiegel, son of Avraham, it inexplicably incorrectly stated that he died at age 40.
Fannie of course knew her husband’s real age; both of them signed the marriage certificate that had Samuel’s correct age listed. Furthermore, Samuel had petitioned for citizenship in 1911, and stated that his date of birth was January 18, 1892.
Why would Fannie commission a headstone with a false age? Perhaps she, like her son, was a compulsive liar. Maybe that’s where Robert got it from.
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The 1940 census has Fannie (identified as age 38), Robert (identified as age 8), and Fannie’s son/Robert’s brother, Irving Spiegel, age 13, as living with Fannie’s 72-year-old mother, Esther Fleisfeder, at 1537 Fulton Avenue, in the Bronx. Fannie and Esther were identified as widows. Esther was identified as “U” (unable to work), while Fannie was identified as engaged in housework. No source of income for the family was identified.
No explanation is obvious regarding where Irving was living in the census taken a decade previously. Was he adopted?
There is no “Irving Spiegel” listed in the New York Birth Index for either 1926 or 1927. There is an “Irving Spiegal” listed, who was born April 29, 1926. But he is not Irving Spiegel.
I initially thought that perhaps Irving might be one of the unnamed Baby Boy Spiegels born in New York in 1926 or 1927, and that he left the hospital unnamed because his parents were waiting for his bris before naming him. However, Robert left the hospital with the name Robert. Why wait until the bris to name one child, but not the other?
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Slightly less than two years after she was enumerated in the 1940 census, Fannie’s mother Esther died, at home, at 1537 Fulton Avenue. The causes of death were “Coronary Thrombosis, Pulmonary Oedema Nephritis, Hypertension, Arteriosclerosis.” Esther left this world on February 6, 1942, the same day that the W. L. Steed was torpedoed, shelled and sunk less than a hundred nautical miles east of the mouth of Delaware River by a German submarine.
She was buried at Mount Moriah Cemetery in Fairview, New Jersey, the same cemetery where her son-in-law Samuel was interred.
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On November 12, 1943, Fannie, now residing at 1985 Bathgate Avenue, in the Bronx, petitioned for citizenship. She claimed, in that document bearing her signature, to be fifty years of age, meaning that if she was telling the truth, she would have been born in approximately 1893.
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On January 19, 1948, Robert (having assumed a false date of birth, that being January 18, 1931), enlisted in the New York National Guard. On paper, he had turned age 17 the day before his enlistment. In reality, he would be turning age 16 two days after his enlistment.
On December 9, 1949, Robert was discharged from the national guard, apparently for having been AWOL.
The discharge document identifies his address as being 1985 Bathgate Avenue, New York City.
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The 1950 census places Robert again at 1985 Bathgate Avenue, New York City. It correctly identifies him as age 18, and states that he worked as a shipping clerk for a newspaper company.
According to the 1950 census, Robert resided at the Bathgate Avenue address with his mother Fannie, who was purportedly still age 50 (seven years after she had previously claimed to immigration authorities to be age 50), and Robert’s brother Irving, age 24.
Irving was listed as unemployed and moreover, according to the census record, had not worked for the prior year. Fannie was employed full-time as a milliner in a hat factory.
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Military records reflect that Irving J. Spiegel, born in 1926 and a resident of 1985 Bathgate Avenue, who had completed two years of high school education, had flown bomber planes over Germany during the war. In his military documents, Irving described himself as single, with two dependents.
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On February 2, 1929, a baby girl given the name Aileen Beverly Leone Maxwell was born in Lucea, Hanover, Jamaica, to William Maxwell and Daisy (nee Tibbits) Maxwell. Her birth was registered by her parents.
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In 1954, Robert Spiegel and Aileen Maxwell were married in New York City. Their marriage license was given License No. 10284.
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The following year, the Kingston, Jamaica, Gleaner reported on June 6, 1955:
Miss Leonie Maxwell, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Maxwell, was married recently in New York City to Mr. Robert Spiegel of the U.S.A. Both the bride and groom are students at the New York Institute of Dietetics. The bride left the island nearly two years ago for New York. Her wedding gown was chantilly lace and nylon tulle. The bodice was fashioned with a wide, scalloped neckline and elbow-length sleeves. Her three tier skirt of chantilly lace was over pleated nylon tulle. Her fingertip-length veil was adorned with pearls.
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If the claim regarding the couple studying at the New York Institute of Dietetics was even true, their studies at this institution didn’t last long. In May of 1956, a number of advertisements bearing Robert’s photograph appeared in the Kingston, Jamaica Gleaner. The advertisements described Robert as a psychologist, author, lecturer, and “practitioner in auto suggestion,” and identified him as “Dr. J. Robert Spiegel.” Readers were invited to come meet Robert on May 21, 1956, at Record Plaza, where he would be autographing his “latest” “world-wide” 33 and 1/3 RPM record, “How to Stop Smoking in 7 days by Auto-Suggestion.”
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On May 1, 1959, three residents of 1985 Bathgate Avenue, Bronx, New York, came through customs, having returned from a trip to Jamaica. They identified themselves as “Robert D. Spiegel” born in New York (in addition to giving himself a false middle initial, Robert neglected to complete the I-94-A fully, specifically by leaving his birthdate blank), “Leonie A. Spiegel” born in Jamaica on February 2, 1929, and their minor daughter, and “Sharon S. Spiegel,” born in New York. Someone also neglected to fully complete Sharon’s I-94-A, specifically by leaving her birthdate blank.
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Leonie had taken Sharon to Jamaica two years earlier. There are no publicly available records pertaining to their outbound transport from the United States to Jamaica. There is, however, a record pertaining to their return to the United States. That publicly available record does not provide their address, but Sharon is identified as weighing 1 stone 5 pounds (a total of 19 pounds), and Leonie is identified as weighing six stone 5 pounds (89 pounds). Interestingly, Leonie used the name “Aileen Spiegel,” and the records assert that Aileen has no middle initial. Aileen was / is her true legal first name, but it is a lie to say that she has no middle initial.
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Almost two years later, on January 5, 1958, the Kingston, Jamaica Gleaner reported:
Staying at the Tamarind Hotel are Mr. and Mrs. Bob Spiegel and daughter Sharon of Miami, Florida. Mrs. Spiegel is the former Leonie Maxwell, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Maxwell of Lucea and has been in the United States for several years. A welcome party in their honour was given last Saturday night by Messers. Horrace, Ray, and Dennis Maxwell, brothers of Mrs. Spiegel. It was a very enjoyable affair.
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In 1963, roughly five years after their 1958 visit to Jamaica, Leonie petitioned for naturalization, in Louisiana. Although I am in possession of the index showing that she petitioned in 1963, I do not possess the petition itself. However, the fact that she petitioned for naturalization in Louisiana demonstrates that that at least she was residing in Louisiana at the time. Since she stated that she didn’t leave Robert’s side for over 40 years, presumably Robert, young Sharon, and also baby Michelle were living in Louisiana at that time.
*******
People who knew Robert personally relate that he stated that Leonie was a Cayman Island heiress. She wasn’t. Not only was she not born in the Cayman Islands, Leonie’s father’s estate was litigated (with the judge ruling against her) long before Robert started telling people that his wife was a Cayman Islands heiress.
Leonie’s father did leave an estate, but not to her. On November 9, 1967, the Gleaner reported that the Supreme Court had upheld the will of the late William Josiah Maxwell, the father of Horrace, Ray, Dennis, and Leonie, and the husband of Daisy Maxwell, who had contended that William’s signature was a forgery and that the person to whom his estate had been bequeathed had exercised undue influence. The court disagreed. The article reported:
The estate, which one of the executors described as “a sizeable one,” included 112 acres of land at Paradise and three houses at Lucea, Hanover.
*******
Robert apparently wasn’t banking on Leonie’s inheritance in any event. In May of 1966, advertisements appeared in the Houston Chronicle with Robert’s photo on them, selling a record that would purportedly assist people in stopping smoking in seven days. He identified himself as “Dr. J. Robert Spiegel.”
*******
On page 55 of the November 15, 1969, San Antonio, Texas Express and News, was an advertisement stating:
SCIENCE OF THE MIND
Dr. J. Robert Spiegel of Houston, director and founder of the Science of the Mind Foundation there, is conducting Sunday evening meetings at 7:30 p.m. in the Sheraton Inn, 1400 Austin Hwy.
*******
On page 4 of the July 10, 1970 edition of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram was a photograph of Robert, with a brief local news blurb:
GUEST – Dr. J Robert Spiegel of Houston, Science of Mind Foundation director, will speak at the 10:45 a.m. service tomorrow in First Church of Religious Science, 2001 6th Ave. His subject is “What Religious Science Teaches.”
*******
On page 8 of the June 18, 1970 edition of the Houston Daily Cougar was this advertisement:
HOME OF UNIVERSAL LIFE
“Teaching Aquarian Meditation For The New Age
Meets Every Sunday, 11:00 A.M. At The World Trade Center Auditorium
Houston, Texas
DR. J. ROBERT SPIEGEL (BRAHMADANDA) DIRECTOR - FOUNDER
Aquarian Meditation Initiation for the first time offered through correspondence. For those sincere students wishing to bypass evolution and enter the 5th Kingdom. Initiation includes meditation technique, Mantra, how to "live” 24 hours a day, and much more. Write for application today:
P.O. Box 53328 Houston, Texas 052
*******
From the Galveston Daily News, May 02, 1971, Pg. 31:
AQUARIAN MEDITATION SOCIETY PRESENTS DR. J. ROBERT SPIEGEL AN AUTHOR, LECTURER, TEACHER OF YOGA & SELF DEVELOPMENT WILL SPEAK ON MAN, MIND & THE UNIVERSE WEDNESDAY, MAY 5th AT 7:30 P.M. IN THE RECREATION CENTER HARRIS COUNTY PARK, NASA RD. # 1 ALL WELCOME — DONATION $1.50
*******
The 1972 Spiritual Community Guide lists Robert twice, in the San Diego area. First, on page 117, using his alias “J. Robert Spiegel”:
THE TEMPLE OF METAPHYSICAL ABUNDANCE. J. Robert Spiegel, 1118 Torrey Pines Rd., 92037. Teaches yoga, nutrition, ESP, metaphysics, psychology, mind control
Second, on page 124, in which he, as one might have predicted, was masquerading as some sort of medical man or scholar:
"AQUARIAN MEDITATION SOCIETY, U. S. Grant Hotel, Attn: Dr. Robert Spiegel, 453-7588"
*******
Also in 1972, Volume 25 of San Diego Magazine published in November advertised gift certificates for the “Astrology Research Center.” “Give your loved one the gift of love. Only $50” said the advertisement. Where was this entity located? At 1118 Torrey Pines Road, the same address as Robert’s Temple of Metaphysical Abundance. The advertisement purported that person identified as “Lil Canaan” was the director. The telephone number was 459-6400.
In 2013, the San Diego Union Tribune published the obituary for Lillian Mulonas, who founded the La Jolla “Astrology Research Center.” At this point in time, unless Robert Adams’ only surviving daughter, Michelle/ Prentiss/ Avantae knows the answer and talks, we will not know what relationship, if any, existed between Robert’s Temple of Metaphysical Abundance and Lilian’s Astrology Research Center, both of which were located at 1118 Torrey Pines Road in 1972.
*******
From the July 12, 1973, San Diego Reader:
BRAHMADANDA FOUNDATION
“Teachings of the Cosmic Way” meets Sundays, 11:00 a.m., U.S. Grant Hotel, Crystal Room. Free admission, refreshments served. Call 453-7588 for more information.
*******
On page 51 of the June 29, 1974 edition of Phoenix’s Arizona Republic was the following advertisement:
Speaker from San Diego
Dr. J. Robert Spiegel from San Diego, a traveler and lecturer, will speak at 8 p.m., Friday in Universal Series Center, 4340 N. Seventh Ave., on the topic “Science of Being.”
He is the founder of the “Aquarian Meditation Society” in Jamaica and is founder and publisher of “Equinox,” a philosophical newspaper.
*******
The family (Adams or Spiegel, however one might want to refer to them) have resided in (that I know of) New York, Miami, Jamaica, Louisiana, La Jolla, Los Angeles, Houston, New Mexico, Hawaii, Las Vegas, Scottsdale, Sedona, and a number of cities in North Carolina.
*******
In at least the 1990’s, before he left for Sedona, Robert Adams used the address PO Box 7210, Jordan Avenue, D-30, Canoga Park, CA. He used that address on correspondence he wrote, and on at least one published document. Who else used that address? The data aggregators show that this address was also used by a Michelle K. Spiegel, and a person going by the name Leonie Maxwell. Michelle and Leonie also used other addresses associated with Robert, those being 1815 Willis Avenue Panorama City, and 21551 Burbank Boulevard, Woodland Hills.
*******
The California Birth Index shows that Michelle K. Spiegel was born on October 1, 1960, in Los Angeles County, to a mother with the maiden name Maxwell.
*******
In later life, Michelle used the addresses above that are associated with Robert and Leonie, as well as an address of 12004 Vanowen Street #14, North Hollywood. This is the same address at which Denniston Keith Maxwell, one of Leonie’s younger brothers, resided at, after his immigration to the United States. Denniston was one of Michelle’s uncles.
In a recent Facebook posting, Michelle/Avantae stated: “Never knew anything personal about said uncles, etc. Never asked, never cared.” Really? She shared an address with an uncle? Her uncle lived within a few minutes’ drive from her parents, and Michelle/Avantae never knew anything about him?
As an aside, Michelle/Avantae alleged (or admitted) that she “never cared” about anything personal regarding her uncles. If that is true, what does that tell us about Michelle/Avantae’s fundamental character? Antisocial? Psychopathic? Narcissistic in the extreme?
*******
On August 2, 1996, Michelle, going by the name Avantae E. Deven, married Tyson Ruben Alvarez in Las Vegas. The two had addresses in common in Arizona, Nevada, and Montana.
*******
Robert “Adams” died on or about March 2, 1997, in Sedona, Arizona.
Shortly after that, in the spring of 1997, “Nicole Adams” and “Avantae Deven” (both aliases; the correct legal names are Aileen Beverly Leonie Spiegel and Michelle K. Spiegel) purchased a home together in Sedona, on Navahopi Road. Shortly after the purchase, “Nicole” quit-claimed her portion to “Avantae.”
On July 17, 2001, Tyson, still married to “Avantae,” quit-claimed any interest in the Navahopi property to “Avantae,” and had the county recorder send the deed to “Avantae” in care of the Infinity Institute, at that time located at 9101 W. Sahara Ave. Suite 105 C29 (in other words, a private post box), in Las Vegas.
Avantae divorced Tyson in 2006. She had, by then, moved to North Carolina. She “served” Tyson via publication summons, claiming that she was unable to find him, despite his information being on multiple data aggregators.
You can go to various Facebook groups, and other sources, to pull up the documents that people have uncovered showing who is associated with the "Infinity Institute," and in what fashion, and also the addresses that they have used over the years.
In any event, this is the information regarding Robert that I think that people need to be aware of.
Why turn to a known liar and con man for spiritual guidance?
1A tallis is a prayer shawl.
2The ship’s manifest states that he was age 14, which conflicts by one year with what Samuel identified as his date of birth. These errors are not uncommon; his fare could have been purchased when he was age 14 and the records not updated.
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2024.05.14 15:28 healthmedicinet Health Daily News May 13 2024

DAY: MAY 13, 2024

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2024.05.14 14:44 CellistRealistic4311 Need internet wisdom

Hi all,
This is my very first post and English is not my native language. Please forgive me for any errors.
I admit I don't really know what to expect from this post, creating mainly to let off steam.
It might be quite long haha. So me (24M) and my ex (24F) were together since we were 17.
So we have met in high school. We quickly decided to stay together despite studying in different cities. To be honest we never had a real argument during our 6 and a half years of relationship. Small arguments about boundaries that should not be crossed and which were resolved in a healthy way.
To give some context. My ex has an alcoholic mother and a father who more or less abandoned her at a young age but eventually came back. She also comes from a much more difficult economic background than me.
I am lucky to have a very united and supportive family. We also have no money problems and are there to help us in difficult times.
After a few months of dating, I very quickly integrated my ex into my family. We hosted all the parties at our house, my parents took her on trips with us, and I always did my best to help her in her life (picking her up from work, bringing her meals when she finished work, I took the train every weekend to see her in her city).
She always said that I was an excellent, even perfect boyfriend. I have always proven my loyalty and my love for her. She still seemed extremely happy with it and was a bit boastful about it haha. We ended up moving in together in 2022.
This is where we had our first real problems. Since she had no financial support from her parents, she had to work at the same time as her studies. She was naturally very tired physically and mentally. Personally, at that time I really didn't like my studies and I was very stressed because 1 year later I had to find my first job.
Our first arguments therefore revolved around personal investment in cleaning and maintaining the house. I was never really satisfied with her investment. We had a few arguments but we got there in the end. I naturally relaxed with my reduction in stress and I realized that I had a tendency to want to control my environment during my stressful periods. So I made an effort and things got better.
From summer 2023, we changed apartments and I had my first internship and then my first job. With a significant salary, I told her to stop working and focus on her studies (she repeated her year once because her work took up too much of her time).
So, I took care of everything and I gave her €400 per month so that she could continue to live a normal life. In September 2023, she started to go to her business school and I start to see some personality change.
For more context, I am a very introverted person. I have never smoked, never tried drugs, never gone to nightclubs and I drink very little. I spend my free time playing PC, role-playing games or playing sports. My ex was also very introverted, she loves reading at home while drinking coffee. She went out once every full moon to have a drink with her best friend.
But, once she arrived at her new school, she started going out more often, going to nightclubs (in 6 years she must have gone 3 times). She also started smoking an electronic cigarette.
The fateful moment was at the end of January 2024. As part of her studies, she had to go to Barcelona for 3 months. I was very happy for her knowing that we had already established a long-distance relationship (however, it was me who left and she stayed in our hometown).
The beginning went very well but she ended up joining a shared accommodation in February. From there, she started going out 3 or 4 times a week. She went out to a nightclub with roommates except the girls whom decided to go home and she decided to go only with the boys (I never met them and she only knew them for two weeks). I admit that I may be a little old-fashioned and I consider that the nightclub is necessarily a place of seduction (not that my ex wanted to seduce but she was inevitably going to be hit on). I didn't say anything about it but she quickly understood that I didn't like it. I told her that I wouldn't forbid her anything but I found that knowing me she could suspect that I wouldn't like it.
So we had a change that I found radical in her personality. She went out a lot more. Not to exonerate myself, but it was also a difficult time for me. Again for context, I usally give off the impression of someone who always knows what I do, what I want and who I am. However, during this period I was externally uncomfortable in my skin. I had problems in my job and I was overall very stressed and I had very little self-confidence (which had almost never happened in 6 years).
Coming back to my ex, I noticed this personality change and became increasingly dissatisfied with our call times, the amount of messages and generally the amount of attention she gave me. So we had a lot of disagreements over that. She told me that I was suffocating her, that I was too controlling (again I never told her that I didn't want her to go out or stop having a relation with one of her roommates (my instinct really told me that something was going on with one of her roommates but I didn't know who was the main actor in this potential flirtation).
She started lying to me about insignificant things (she ended up telling me that she was lying to me so I wouldn't get angry???) but I became more and more controlling. Big argument after an evening where she told me she was going home to sleep but I saw her in the club with the localisation of her phone. She offered me a break, I got really angry for the first time in our relationship. For me a break means a breakup (it may be stupid but with everything that was happening that's what seemed to happen to me).
After my outburst (no insults and barely raised my voice (I don't know how to get angry lol)), she came to join me to try to repair things (I was very happy). However, we argued for 8 days, sometimes things went well but it remained tense. Also I saw her staying on her phone every night when I went to bed. I found it too weird. I finally broke down and looked at her messages (first time in 6 years), I found exchanges between them. Nothing blatant but I personally find them flirting. At least she spoke to him the same way she spoke to me at the beginning of our relationship.
She ended up returning to Barcelona and we made small promises to improve the relationship. But once she got back to Barcelona she didn't answer me all day. I blamed her a bit for that and set a little trap for her (it's not good, I know). I told her that I didn't like this guy (I didn't tell her to cut contact (I've had already cut contact with girls that my ex didn't like)). And I told her not to talk to him about this discussion (she talked to him about it that same evening). I asked her if she had told him and she told me that she hadn't told him anything. So I told her “we’ll probably have to separate” and then she left and didn’t want to hear anything more. I told her right away that I loved her and that I didn't want to break up but that I didn't know what to do anymore given her behavior.
So we parted ways. I went back and forth between « I love you more than anything » and « I have to cut you out of my life to move forward ». She told me to leave her alone while she figured out what was happening while saying that in any case it was over. I couldn't leave her alone to think. I learned through a TikTok that she had kissed this famous roommate…. I also had to manage all the administrative formalities alone...
I did everything to heal in the healthiest way possible (sport, therapy, seeing my friends and family). I didn't fall into a band-aid relationship, I didn't fall into alcohol, parties or other palliatives.
It will now be a little over 2 months since we have been separated. I accepted it, I still love her even if her behavior disgusts me. And I find it hard not to blame her for not knowing how to help me during this period (even though she obviously tried even if it was never enough for me).
I admit I'm still a little lost. I still love her even if I don't necessarily want to get back with her. I returned to work, I continue to exercise but the lack of physical and emotional affection is a bit difficult. Having to start all over again seems so difficult to me, I admit that I don't like the culture of one-night stands. I want to get married and have children. I'm a little lost and don't really know what to expect from this post. If you have any advice, explanations for her behavior or need more details, don't hesitate.
Thank you.
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2024.05.14 14:01 Zappingsbrew A post talking about 400 words

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palm, pan, panel, panic, pant, paper, paragraph, parent, park, parking, part, participant, participate, participation, particle, particular, particularly, partly, partner, partnership, party, pass, passage, passenger, passion, past, patch, path, patient, pattern, pause, pay, payment, PC, peace, peak, peer, pen, penalty, people, pepper, per, perceive, percentage, perception, perfect, perfectly, perform, performance, perhaps, period, permanent, permission, permit, person, personal, personality, personally, personnel, perspective, persuade, pet, phase, phenomenon, philosophy, phone, photo, photographer, phrase, physical, physically, physician, piano, pick, picture, pie, piece, pile, pilot, pine, pink, pipe, pitch, place, plan, plane, planet, planning, plant, plastic, plate, platform, play, player, please, pleasure, plenty, plot, plus, PM, pocket, poem, poet, poetry, point, police, policy, political, politically, politician, politics, poll, pollution, pool, poor, pop, popular, population, porch, port, portion, portrait, portray, pose, position, positive, possess, possession, possibility, possible, possibly, post, pot, potato, potential, potentially, pound, pour, poverty, powder, power, powerful, practical, practice, prayer, preach, precisely, predict, prediction, prefer, preference, pregnancy, pregnant, preparation, prepare, prescription, presence, present, presentation, preserve, president, presidential, press, pressure, pretend, pretty, prevent, previous, previously, price, pride, priest, primarily, primary, prime, principal, principle, print, prior, priority, prison, prisoner, privacy, private, probably, problem, procedure, proceed, process, processing, processor, proclaim, produce, producer, product, production, profession, professional, professor, profile, profit, program, progress, progressive, project, prominent, promise, promote, prompt, proof, proper, properly, property, proportion, proposal, propose, prosecutor, prospect, protect, protection, protein, protest, proud, prove, provide, provider, province, provision, psychological, psychology, public, publication, publicity, publish, publisher, pull, punishment, purchase, pure, purpose, pursue, push, put, qualify, quality, quarter, quarterback, quarterly, queen, quest, question, quick, quickly, quiet, quietly, quit, quite, quote, race, racial, radiation, radical, radio, rail, rain, raise, range, rank, rapid, rapidly, rare, rarely, rate, rather, rating, ratio, raw, reach, react, reaction, reader, reading, ready, real, reality, realize, really, reason, reasonable, recall, receive, recent, recently, reception, recipe, recipient, recognition, recognize, recommend, recommendation, record, recording, recover, recovery, recruit, red, reduce, reduction, refer, reference, reflect, reflection, reform, refugee, refuse, regard, regarding, regardless, regime, region, regional, register, regular, regularly, regulate, regulation, regulator, reinforce, reject, relate, relation, relationship, relative, relatively, relax, release, relevant, relief, religion, religious, rely, remain, remaining, remarkable, remember, remind, remote, remove, repeat, repeatedly, replace, replacement, reply, report, reporter, represent, representation, representative, Republican, reputation, request, require, requirement, research, researcher, resemble, reservation, resident, residential, resign, resist, resistance, resolution, resolve, resort, resource, respect, respond, response, responsibility, responsible, rest, restaurant, restore, restriction, result, retain, retire, retirement, return, reveal, revenue, review, revolution, rhythm, rice, rich, rid, ride, rifle, right, ring, rise, risk, river, road, rock, role, roll, romantic, roof, room, root, rope, rose, rough, roughly, round, route, routine, row, rub, rubber, rude, ruin, rule, run, running, rural, rush, Russian, sacred, sad, safe, safety, sake, salad, salary, sale, sales, salt, same, sample, sanction, sand, satellite, satisfaction, satisfied, satisfy, sauce, save, saving, say, scale, scandal, scare, scatter, scenario, scene, schedule, scheme, scholar, scholarship, school, science, scientific, scientist, scope, score, scream, screen, script, sea, search, season, seat, second, secondary, secret, secretary, section, sector, secure, security, see, seed, seek, seem, segment, seize, select, selection, self, sell, Senate, senator, send, senior, sense, sensitive, sentence, separate, sequence, series, serious, seriously, servant, serve, service, session, set, setting, settle, settlement, seven, several, severe, sex, sexual, shade, shadow, shake, shall, shallow, shape, share, sharp, she, sheet, shelf, shell, shelter, shift, shine, ship, shirt, shock, shoe, shoot, shooting, shop, shopping, short, shortly, shot, should, shoulder, shout, show, shower, shrug, shut, shy, sibling, sick, side, sigh, sight, sign, signal, significant, significantly, silence, silent, silver, similar, similarly, simple, simply, sin, since, sing, singer, single, sink, sir, sister, sit, site, situation, six, size, ski, skill, skin, skirt, sky, slave, sleep, slice, slide, slight, slightly, slip, slow, slowly, small, smart, smell, smile, smoke, smooth, snap, snow, so, so-called, soccer, social, society, soft, software, soil, solar, soldier, sole, solid, solution, solve, some, somebody, somehow, someone, something, sometimes, somewhat, somewhere, son, song, soon, sophisticated, sorry, sort, soul, sound, soup, source, south, southern, Soviet, space, Spanish, speak, speaker, special, specialist, species, specific, specifically, specify, speech, speed, spend, spending, spin, spirit, spiritual, split, spoil, sponsor, sport, spot, spray, spread, spring, square, squeeze, stability, stable, staff, stage, stain, stair, stake, stand, standard, standing, star, stare, start, state, statement, station, statistical, status, stay, steady, steal, steel, steep, stem, step, stick, still, stimulate, stimulus, stir, stock, stomach, stone, stop, storage, store, storm, story, straight, strange, stranger, strategic, strategy, stream, street, strength, strengthen, stress, stretch, strike, string, strip, stroke, strong, strongly, structural, structure, struggle, student, studio, study, stuff, stupid, style, subject, submit, subsequent, substance, substantial, substitute, succeed, success, successful, successfully, such, sudden, suddenly, sue, suffer, sufficient, sugar, suggest, suggestion, suicide, suit, summer, summit, sun, super, supply, support, supporter, suppose, supposed, Supreme, sure, surely, surface, surgery, surprise, surprised, surprising, surprisingly, surround, survey, survival, survive, survivor, suspect, sustain, swear, sweep, sweet, swim, swing, switch, symbol, symptom, system, table, tactic, tail, take, tale, talent, talk, tall, tank, tap, tape, target, task, taste, tax, taxi, tea, teach, teacher, teaching, team, tear, technical, technique, technology, teen, teenager, telephone, telescope, television, tell, temperature, temporary, ten, tend, tendency, tennis, tension, tent, term, terms, terrible, territory, terror, terrorist, test, testimony, testing, text, than, thank, thanks, that, the, theater, their, them, theme, themselves, then, theory, therapy, there, therefore, these, they, thick, thin, thing, think, thinking, third, thirty, this, those, though, thought, thousand, threat, threaten, three, throat, through, throughout, throw, thus, ticket, tie, tight, time, tiny, tip, tire, tissue, title, to, tobacco, today, toe, together, toilet, token, tolerate, tomato, tomorrow, tone, tongue, tonight, too, tool, tooth, top, topic, toss, total, totally, touch, tough, tour, tourist, tournament, toward, towards, tower, town, toy, trace, track, trade, tradition, traditional, traffic, tragedy, trail, train, training, transfer, transform, transformation, transition, translate, translation, transmission, transmit, transport, transportation, travel, treat, treatment, treaty, tree, tremendous, trend, trial, tribe, trick, trip, troop, trouble, truck, true, truly, trust, truth, try, tube, tunnel, turn, TV, twelve, twenty, twice, twin, two, type, typical, typically, ugly, ultimate, ultimately, unable, uncle, undergo, understand, understanding, unfortunately, uniform, union, unique, unit, United, universal, universe, university, unknown, unless, unlike, until, unusual, up, upon, upper, urban, urge, us, use, used, useful, user, usual, usually, utility, utilize, vacation, valley, valuable, value, variable, variation, variety, various, vary, vast, vegetable, vehicle, venture, version, versus, very, vessel, veteran, via, victim, victory, video, view, viewer, village, violate, violation, violence, violent, virtually, virtue, virus, visibility, visible, vision, visit, visitor, visual, vital, voice, volume, voluntary, volunteer, vote, voter, voting, wage, wait, wake, walk, wall, wander, want, war, warm, warn, warning, wash, waste, watch, water, wave, way, we, weak, weakness, wealth, wealthy, weapon, wear, weather, web, website, wedding, week, weekend, weekly, weigh, weight, welcome, welfare, well, west, western, wet, what, whatever, wheel, when, whenever, where, whereas, whether, which, while, whisper, white, who, whole, whom, whose, why, wide, widely, widespread, wife, wild, wildlife, will, willing, win, wind, window, wine, wing, winner, winter, wipe, wire, wisdom, wise, wish, with, withdraw, within, without, witness, woman, wonder, wonderful, wood, wooden, word, work, worker, working, workout, workplace, works, workshop, world, worried, worry, worth, would, wound, wrap, write, writer, writing, wrong, yard, yeah, year, yell, yellow, yes, yesterday, yet, yield, you, young, your, yours, yourself, youth, zone.
submitted by Zappingsbrew to u/Zappingsbrew [link] [comments]

2024.05.14 10:22 Soft_Regular_2515 Family Dog Recommendation

Introduction
  1. Will this be your first dog? If not, what experience do you have owning/training dogs?
It will be our first dog as an adult, growing up I had a small cattle dog cross.
2) Do you have a preference for rescuing a dog vs. going through a reputable breeder?
We are open to rescue but would most likely end up going with a reputable breeder to get the specific breed that we're after.
3) Describe your ideal dog.
This may not exist but it feels like we're after the goldilocks zone of dogs. We'd like to have a small affectionate dog for our family and daughter (10) to have as a companion. Although we want it to be affectionate, we don't want it to have separation anxiety or be comfortable chilling out around the house without being held. We want it to be on the lower energy side, we're happy to take it for a walk almost every day, but if we miss one it won't go stir crazy. We'd prefer something on the quieter side. We don't mind the occasional bark at the door, but endless barking would get irritating. We want it to be okay around other dogs, even though we don't have any ourselves. Leaning towards the smaller / medium sizes.
4) What breeds or types of dogs are you interested in and why?
Two leading contenders were cavalier king charles and a beagle. Both suit the profile of small to medium size, affectionate and good family dogs. Having some second thoughts about the beagle due to noise concerns. Cavalier king charles sounds good, however we're concerned it might be a little _too_ needy.
5) What sorts of things would you like to train your dog to do?
Basic commands / manners. Not jumping on people, sit, stay, come, quiet, drop.
6) Do you want to compete with your dog in a sport (e.g. agility, obedience, rally) or use your dog for a form of work (e.g. hunting, herding, livestock guarding)? If so, how much experience do you have with this work/sport?
No, it will purely be for family company.
Care Commitments
7) How long do you want to devote to training, playing with, or otherwise interacting with your dog each day?
Our daughter will devote a significant period of time cuddling / playing. We will dedicate short training periods (10-20 minutes) combined with an evening walk.
8) How long can you exercise your dog each day, on average? What sorts of exercise are you planning to give your dog regularly and does that include using a dog park?
We'd be doing an evening walk of around 4-5 km, and have the option of using a dog park if we feel it's a good environment for the dog (i.e. handles interactions well with other dogs)
9) How much regular brushing are you willing to do? Are you open to trimming hair, cleaning ears, or doing other grooming at home? If not, would you be willing to pay a professional to do it regularly?
We'd be happy to do basic grooming at home, and pay for a professional when required.
Personal Preferences
10) What size dog are you looking for?
Small to medium.
11) How much shedding, barking, and slobber can you handle?
Shedding - We prefer lower (who doesn't) but it's not a deal breaker. Perhaps not to the extremes (i.e. a husky). Barking - Prefer very little. Slobber - okay with a little.
12) How important is being able to let your dog off-leash in an unfenced area?
We'd like to have the confidence of being able to let our dog off-leash and have them return on command, but we don't have any _necessity_ for it.
Dog Personality and Behavior
13) Do you want a snuggly dog or one that prefers some personal space?
Snugly dog that doesn't get distressed on it's own for a while. Both parents work from home so they will almost always "be around", but not necessarily in contact / actively playing at all times.
14) Would you prefer a dog that wants to do its own thing or one that’s more eager-to-please?
Eager to please would be nice.
15) How would you prefer your dog to respond to someone knocking on the door or entering your yard? How would you prefer your dog to greet strangers or visitors?
We'd prefer them just to greet strangers / be excited. A small about of barking is fine as long as they quiet down after a while.
16) Are you willing to manage a dog that is aggressive to other dogs?
No, we'd prefer not to have aggression towards other dogs.
17) Are there any other behaviors you can’t deal with or want to avoid?
Outside of the typical they must be good with kids, etc.
Lifestyle
18) How often and how long will the dog be left alone?
The dog will rarely be left alone. Two work from home parents. We're not adverse to taking the dog out with us if it's to an appropriate location.
19) What are the dog-related preferences of other people in the house and what will be their involvement in caring for the dog?
Similar to what has been described here. The parents will be responsible for exercise / taking them out of an evening, the daughter will be responsible for cuddles.
20) Do you have other pets or are you planning on having other pets? What breed or type of animal are they?
No other pets.
21) Will the dog be interacting with children regularly?
Our 10 year old daughter, occasionally some nephews or nieces that are slightly younger.
22) Do you rent or plan to rent in the future? If applicable, what breed or weight restrictions are on your current lease?
We own our own home.
23) What city or country do you live in and are you aware of any laws banning certain breeds?
Australia, no bans on anything relevant to what we're looking for.
24) What is the average temperature of a typical summer and winter day where you live?
Average temp is ~22c in Summer and ~14c in Winter. It can get up to extremes of 40c in Australia, but rarely and the dog would be inside.
Additional Information and Questions
25) Please provide any additional information you feel may be relevant.
It's hard to convey in answers here, but a lot of these things are "feelings" rather than set in stone. I know every breed will have a range of behavior. No dog is guaranteed to tick all the boxes, but that's okay we're just looking to capture the majority of what we're after.
26) Feel free to ask any questions below.
submitted by Soft_Regular_2515 to dogs [link] [comments]

2024.05.14 00:31 DragonKnov Kunlun Sect's Weakest Disciple: Chapter 16

‎‎ ‎[📖First ⏮️Previous Next⏭️]
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The leader of the arrogant trio, Qin Bai, whose cruel eyes had menaced Ji Wuye before, now turned his sneering gaze upon Song Jia.
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With a contemptuous curl of his lips, he spoke in a tone dripping with disdain, "You have a bold tongue, speaking to your Seniors that way. Let's see if your skills match your audacious courage."
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Song Jia met his taunting glare with a defiant fire burning in her eyes. Her fists clenched tightly at her sides as she retorted, "Say what you want, but your empty words won't intimidate me. I accept your challenge willingly if you wish to spar." Her words rang out clearly, jaw set in resolve.
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The once-deserted Outer Disciple courtyard, which had been still as a graveyard moments before, suddenly came alive with hushed murmurs and the soft shuffling of feet as the first rays of dawn pierced the horizon.
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More and more disciples streamed in, alerted by the rising quarrel, as they gathered for the impending start of the morning's training exercises.
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All eyes turned towards the confrontation at the center.
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"Eh...Is that Martial Sister Song? Why is she shouting so early?" a bewildered voice wondered aloud.
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"Look, it seems she's being bullied!" another disciple exclaimed in disapproval, their brows furrowed with concern.
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The murmuring rose like a swelling tide as more onlookers arrived and finally decided to intervene.
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"Martial Brothers and Sisters, please stop," male disciples rushed forward, their hands gently but firmly restraining the agitated Qin Bai and his underlings.
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Meanwhile, the surrounding female disciples moved to calm the raging Song Jia, though her fiery glare remained locked on her antagonist, defiance etched onto her features.
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However, the would-be peacemakers were merely fellow Outer Disciples whose power paled in comparison.
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Under Qin Bai's withering glare, the men grudgingly released their grips, forced to back away.
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“Hmph!” With a disdainful sneer, Qin Bai's eyes raked over Song Jia from head to toe in a display of shameless appraisal.
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While Qin Bai lacked immense skill, having just broken into the 2nd realm, his newfound strength allowed him to easily brush off the feeble interference.
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The cowed disciples could do little more than grumble and shoot resentful glances his way.
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"Tsk...That Qin Bai...Just because he advanced a realm, he acts so arrogant now..."
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"But he's willing to risk the sect's ire over using it on the training tower as intended..."
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The disdainful whispers swirled all around, glares of reproach aimed at Qin Bai's turned back as the disciples reluctantly parted before him like a receding tide.
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All eyes then turned towards the gathered Outer Disciple Seniors observing the scene with folded arms and impassive expressions.
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"But why aren't the Seniors intervening?" Confusion tinged the words as they wondered why the more powerful disciples remained idle spectators.
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Emboldened by the lack of repercussion from the higher realm Outer Disciples Seniors, Qin Bai's sneer stretched into a cruel, satisfied grin.
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He deluded himself that these esteemed Seniors were actually extending him a perverse approval by allowing this confrontation to proceed unhindered.
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Yet he understood that egregious actions like ganging up against a single disciple would certainly attract disciplinary intervention, even from them.
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For this was the Kunlun Sect, a bastion of righteous and orthodox teachings where senseless killing between disciples was strictly prohibited.
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By the sect's tenets, they were all bound as Martial Sisters and Brothers, expected to respect and look upon each other as beloved family. However, when disputes did arise, they could be resolved through sanctioned duels or bouts of sparring.
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"Excellent," Qin Bai flashed a sadistic grin, calloused palms flexing in premature celebration. "We'll see how long that boldness of yours lasts once you're beaten into the dirt where you belong."
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A chorus of dismayed gasps and angry outcries erupted from the surrounding female disciples.
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"Sister Song, don't mind his vile words..."
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"That's right, treat his taunts like a passing wind!"
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They glared at Qin Bai and his cronies with a potent mixture of disapproval and concern, shuffling protectively closer to Song Jia's side.
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Unlike their male counterparts who had advanced higher but displayed a disinterested aloofness, the female disciples - even those of the 3rd realm - unanimously rallied behind their wronged Sister, creating an unspoken pressure that caused beads of nervous sweat to prickle on Qin Bai's brow.
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Sensing the rising tension, the surrounding Sisters looked imploringly at Song Jia, worry etched on their faces as they recognized the all-too-familiar flames of her fiery temper.
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Yet they knew any attempts to dissuade her would be as effective as dousing a wildfire with a cup of water.
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With gentle but firm motions, Song Jia waved off their concerns, patting their hands in reassurance. "It's alright, Sisters," she murmured, the barest hint of a smirk playing across her lips as her gaze met Qin Bai's unflinchingly.
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"We also need to teach a lesson to these arrogant men who think only with their lower bodily urges." Then, with a slight squaring of her shoulders, she purposefully strode forward until she stood mere inches before Qin Bai, eyes alight with conviction.
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"I'm not so easily defeated!" Song Jia shouted defiantly, her eyes blazing with challenge as she sneered back at Qin Bai.
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Thrusting her fist out mere inches from his face, she taunted, "Come at me then, if you dare. Or are you all just empty boasts like the spineless cowards you are?"
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Her words hung in the charged air, daring him to make the first move. The surrounding disciples watched with bated breath, the tension thick enough to choke on.
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Meanwhile, from a respectful distance away, Ji Wuye observed the escalating conflict with sharp eyes.
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It was then that he finally noticed the approach of his Senior Sister Lian Ruogang, her blue eyes - the piercing hue of the deepest oceans - scanning the unfolding scene with a slight crease marring her brow.
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"Sigh, I came to see you, Junior Brother, but..." Her gaze swept over the gathered crowd before her frown deepened at the conspicuous absence of Brother Wu Gao, who should have been overseeing the morning drills.
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"At this hour, where is Brother Wu..."
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Finding the supervisor mysteriously missing, Lian Ruogang could only shake her head in dismay before straightening her shoulders and striding forward with purpose.
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She would have to take charge and resolve this unruly situation herself.
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"Stop this at once," she called out in a tone that brooked no argument as she neared the confrontation. Both parties immediately turned towards the authoritative voice, eyes widening as they recognized the respected figure before them.
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"This junior greets Senior Sister Lian!" They chorused respectfully, bowing in deference.
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Though there were countless Official Disciples, Lian's frequent visits to check on Ji Wuye's progress made her a familiar presence. Even without the dark blue striped patterns denoting her rank adorning her robes, the Outer Disciples could identify her at a glance.
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"I must remind all disciples here that unrestrained combat between Brothers and Sisters is strictly forbidden by the sect's tenets," Lian declared, her ocean-blue eyes radiating reproach as they swept over the unruly gathering.
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"If you wish to settle your grievances, do so through the proper channels of a sanctioned sparring match."
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Though she held no formal disciplinary position, as an Official Disciple her authority could not be ignored lightly. At her stern admonition, a hush fell over the previously raucous crowd.
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"Ah, Senior Sister Lian! You've arrived at last!"
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"With an elite like her overseeing it now, let's see how Qin Bai responds in front of everyone!"
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Excited murmurs rippled through the throngs of onlookers, especially from the male disciples who had been at the brunt of Qin Bai's bullying before. They eagerly awaited how the arrogant youth would react under the disapproving scrutiny of an Official Disciple.
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…
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As this unfolded, Ji Wuye continued observing keenly from the outskirts, finally bearing witness as Qin Bai and Song Jia came to an agreement. With curt nods, they distanced themselves, clearing a space to serve as an impromptu sparring ring.
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"Let's see how the 'dark horse' among these so-called geniuses fares," Ji Wuye mused under his breath, sauntering forward to secure a better vantage point amidst the tightly-packed crowd.
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Once an adequate area had been outlined, both combatants bowed and cupped their hands formally to one another before being handed regulation wooden practice swords.
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As the blunted weapons exchanged hands, Ji Wuye's crimson eyes glinted as a translucent window flickered into view at the edge of his vision.
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[!] Your passive skill, Quick Adaptation(F), has been triggered!
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‎‎ ‎[📖First ⏮️Previous Next⏭️]
submitted by DragonKnov to HFY [link] [comments]

2024.05.14 00:22 GreatJothulhu Microsoft 3D Movie Maker & Project Caligula

Do you remember Microsoft 3D Movie Maker? A free demo of it came with Windows 95. If you really liked it, you could buy the full version on CD-ROM. Basically, you could make your own 3D movies using preset actors, props, and scenes. You could even add your own dialogue & sound effects using the computer's mic. It was such a hit that it developed its own cult fanbase.
A little-known fact is that if you go to the intro page of the talent book and type in “socrates,” you'll find a live-action featurette on the making of 3D Movie Maker, originally known as “Project Socrates" to the developers. It's a pretty fun watch, and I highly recommend it!
What I do not recommend, however, is “Project Caligula.”
I am (very begrudgingly) going to explain the process by which you can access Project Caligula. To start, you must make a movie, choosing Misty City as the scene, and the small café as the camera angle. As a prop, select the sphere, color it red, flatten it all the way, and put it under the left most table. As actors, select S'kelly and Augustin. Change Augustin's outfit to the tuxedo and put him in front of the café door, between the tables. Place S'kelly horizontally at his feet. You can do this using the adjustment tools in the part of the toolbar that is initially covered up.
Next, change the music to “Geist Evil Theme.” Select the Sound effect “Laugh Maniac" and place it on Augustin. Finally, make his action “At Rest" and have him stay like that for EXACTLY 17 frames.
Conclude by clicking “New Movie.” A prompt will ask you if you want to save your movie. Do so and save it as “caligula” (all lower case, no quotes). When the screen comes up, go to “Open Movie" and select caligula. Unlike other movies, whose preview pics are the first frame of the film, the screenshot will be a 3D graphic of the phrase “Welcome To Hell" in the font Bloody (which is not available in the original edition of the game) in front of a black background.
When you open the movie, instead of the preview pic, you will see a blood red background. Again, this is the first of many things you'll see that are not presets of the game. Clicking play will play 21 frames of the screen with an off-key version of Lacrimosa by Mozart playing on piano in the background. The screen will then spiral wipe to the actor Bongo in front of the black background for 13 frames. Then, his skin appears to melt off quite graphically, followed by subsequent layers of muscle, tissue and even organs, until it reaches the skeleton. This skeleton, unlike the default S'kelly, looks eerily... well…
…like it belongs to Bongo.
The shape, lines, and even proportions, are fitted to Bongo's unique build. The music gradually fades, replaced with a crescendo of tortured screams. The skeleton then opens its mouth and says one of the preset lines:
“Those bullies won't bother me now!”
While this IS a line attributed to Bongo, the line is distorted to sound deep and very demonic.
The final thing you see is a text in front of one of the basic backgrounds from the Nickelodeon edition of 3D Movie Maker. The front is hard to read, not only because the color almost completely blends in with the background, but also because it's in a strange font. When translated, it reads:
“Let all those who see this film beware! For whosoever seeks to make it their own shall suffer a fate worse than death.”
I had heard about a member of the 3DMM community who did try to modify the movie, so I found out where he lived to ask him about it. When I got there, the lawn looked like it hadn't been mowed for days, and there was several days worth of mail & papers present. I knocked on the door, but no one answered.
I looked in a nearby window and saw that most of the house was covered in blood, urine, feces, and various entrails. I opened the door only to have the severed torso of the person I was seeking fall towards me. His skin was gone, as were his legs & hips, he was covered in blood, and I thought he was dead.
Until he grabbed my ankle and gasped:
“Why… why won't he let me die?”
“Who,” I asked.
“E… Edgar…”
I called 911 immediately. The doctors made a startling discovery when they examined him: A piece of his brain was missing. According to some psychologists, this part of the brain…
…alerts the body when it dies.
As to the identity of Edgar, according to my research, he was apparently a programmer for Microsoft working on Project Socrates. He was fired for making horrifically graphic movies and later committed suicide. His suicide note read:
“You'll regret this."
I know I did...
submitted by GreatJothulhu to creepypasta [link] [comments]

2024.05.13 23:28 AlfrescoDog The Great Wall and Wall Street: Become a Better Trader by Understanding the Perils of 🇨🇳 Chinese Companies on 🇺🇸 U.S. Exchanges

The Great Wall and Wall Street: Become a Better Trader by Understanding the Perils of 🇨🇳 Chinese Companies on 🇺🇸 U.S. Exchanges
⚠️ Attention all traders and holders of Chinese stocks: You should read this if you don’t know what a VIE is. Sure, most of you will be repelled by the great wall of text here (so many words!), but you might want to keep this post nearby.
Hello. You are aware that Wall Street’s bustling bazaar hosts a veritable Forbidden City of Chinese companies draped in ticker tape rather than silk. Today, I will provide background and data on all allowed Chinese companies listed on three of the largest U.S. stock exchanges: New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), Nasdaq, and NYSE American.
I should note that a bustling troupe of 26 national securities exchanges are registered with the SEC in the United States. Most are owned by the Nasdaq, NYSE, or the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE).
Nonetheless, based on data from the World Federation of Exchanges as of August 2023, the NYSE and Nasdaq were the top two exchanges behemoths of the global financial stage, accounting for 42.4% of the total $110.2 trillion in valuation traded across 80 major global exchanges.
🖼️ I had a photo of Wall Street to add here, but I'm only allowed to include one attachment.
2022 vs. 2023
According to the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, as of January 8, 2024, there were 265 Chinese companies listed on the three U.S. exchanges, with a total market capitalization of $848 billion. That valuation is down from a year prior—January 9, 2023—when a slightly lower 252 Chinese companies were tracked, but they represented a total market capitalization of $1.03 trillion.
Since January 2023, 24 Chinese companies have entered the spotlight of the three U.S. exchanges, raising $656 million in combined initial public offerings (IPOs). On the other hand, eleven Chinese companies have folded their tents and delisted.
China Securities Regulatory Commission
The American stock exchanges witnessed a springtime bloom of Chinese IPOs in the first quarter of 2023. However, this listing activity came to an abrupt halt as the clock struck March 31, 2023.
Why? The China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) implemented a revised approval process for companies going public overseas.
I won’t get into the details, but China has rules to cap foreign investment and ownership in sectors deemed strategic, such as technology. In the past, those regulations have driven several Chinese firms to the legal gymnastics of a Variable Interest Entity (VIE) structure—a clever contrivance that allowed them to leapfrog domestic constraints.
However, under the revised review mechanism, every company, regardless of its corporate ownership structure, must now bow before the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) to register its intent to list overseas.
🖼️ I had a photo of the CSRC building to add here, but I'm only allowed to include one attachment.
The gatekeeper
Therefore, although the CSRC touted this regulation as a necessary measure for enforcing regulatory compliance and preventing fraud (which is true), it also helps regulators act as gatekeepers poised to block any proposed listing they deem poses a risk to their national security or jeopardizes China's national interests.
This process is wide-ranging. For instance, it includes an evaluation of the company’s safeguards against disclosing what the Chinese Communist Party considers potential state secrets. But we’re not talking about top-secret black-ops projects meant to be hidden from international oversight committees. No… any company that collects personal information on more than one million users requires stern data security review mechanisms for its cross-border data flows.
For perspective, TikTok has over 150 million users in the U.S. alone and is not subject to the same scrutiny from the Western nations.
Currently, the CSRC approval process is reportedly taking upward of six months.
Audit inspections and investigations in China
You’re probably unaware of the HFCAA, so let’s start there.
The Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act of 2020 (HFCAA) is a law that requires companies publicly listed on stock exchanges in the U.S. to disclose to the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) information on foreign jurisdictions that prevent the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) from conducting inspections.
That law laid down a stern ultimatum: If Chinese authorities kept obstructing the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) from inspecting audit firms in China or Hong Kong for three consecutive years, the companies audited by these entities would face a ban from the bustling arenas of the U.S. exchanges.
Basically, either China allowed the PCAOB to inspect the audit firms, or the companies had to change to another auditing firm within three years.
Then, as 2022 waned to its final days (literally, on December 29), President Joe Biden signed a Consolidated Appropriations Act, which contained a provision that will tighten the noose, shortening future timelines from three consecutive years to only two.
Once they looked under the rock
Finally allowed to conduct full investigations of audit firms in mainland China and Hong Kong after over a decade of obstruction, the PCAOB announced the findings of its first round of inspections in May 2023, identifying deficiencies in seven of eight audits conducted by the auditing firms KPMG Huazhen and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Hong Kong. Audits of Chinese Companies Are Highly Deficient, U.S. Regulator Says
On November 30, 2023, the PCAOB announced fines against three audit firms in China, totaling $7.9 million for misconduct. For perspective, that number included the second and third-largest fines ever doled out by the PCAOB.
Why were the fines so bad?
Those sneaky Chinese accountants
Imagine a gaggle of accountants in the far reaches of PwC China and Hong Kong applying for a U.S. auditing curriculum. But alas, these foreign accountants find the U.S. auditing training tests a trifle tedious, so someone came up with the answers and decided to pass them around like a secret note in a schoolroom.
From 2018 to 2020, over 1,000 of these busy bees completed their U.S. auditing online exams by copying the answers from two unauthorized apps with a fervor that would make a gossip columnist blush.
When confronted with the evidence, PwC China and PwC Hong Kong response: 🤷‍♂️
And let me remind you, this happened late last year. Both firms are expected to provide reasonable assurance that their personnel will act with integrity in connection with internal training and to report their compliance to the PCAOB within 150 days—April 2024.
🖼️ I was planning on using an AI-generated image of Chinese accountants cheating, but I'm only allowed to include one attachment.
State-owned enterprises
According to the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, this graph represents the total market capitalization of Chinese companies listed in the three U.S. exchanges.
Market Capitalization of Listed Chinese Companies
The number of listed companies has stayed at around 260. However, all Chinese state-owned enterprises (SOEs) have delisted themselves from U.S. exchanges, most of them soon after the PCAOB announced it had secured complete access to Chinese auditors’ records.
Variable Interest Entities (VIEs)
Most traders—and that means you—are unaware that 166 Chinese companies currently listed on the three major U.S. exchanges use a VIE structure.
As of January 8, 2024, these companies have a market capitalization of $772 billion. For perspective, that represents 91% of the total market capitalization of all the Chinese firms listed on the three major U.S. exchanges.
What the hell is a VIE?
It is a complex corporate structure that grants shareholders contractual claims to control via an offshore shell company without transferring actual ownership in the company.
A Variable Interest Entity (VIE) is a bit like a riverboat casino’s cleverest trick, allowing a company to sell its chips on a foreign table without ever letting the players hold the cards directly.
A VIE is a structure used primarily by companies that wish to partake in the financial streams of another country (the U.S. exchanges) without breaking local laws (Chinese laws) that prevent full ownership.
Remember, Chinese companies structured themselves as VIEs to circumvent China’s restrictions—not U.S. restrictions—on foreign ownership in industries the CCP deems sensitive.
Therefore, when you hold stock in one of these Chinese companies, you’re not officially holding any actual ownership in the company. Because if you did, then that company could be breaking Chinese restrictive caps on foreign investment and ownership.
That’s why they set up a façade, or a legal entity, that controls the business on paper, but the true power and profits are funneled back to the company pulling the strings.
Granted, it’s not as shaky as asking a random stranger to hold your shares, but it is crafty, and you should be aware of the risks.
Wait. What are the risks?
You need to understand that there’s a shadow of potential risk looming. Potential. Now, don't mistake me for the town crier of doom; I'm not proclaiming that the sky is falling on these shares. Nor am I declaring that disaster is certain for Chinese stocks.
What I am pointing out, however, is the presence of a risk—a subtle beast that might just catch you off guard if you remain unaware.
And let’s face it: Most of you are completely oblivious to these issues.
There are two sides here: 🇺🇸 & 🇨🇳
🇺🇸
Since July 2021, the SEC has imposed additional disclosure requirements for Chinese companies using a VIE to sell shares in the U.S. These requirements include greater transparency about the relationship between the VIE and its Chinese operating companies.
In summary, the SEC aims to push VIEs toward the company behind them to offer more clarity on U.S. investor ownership in the Chinese operating company.
🇨🇳
On the other side, Chinese companies that list overseas using a VIE were not required to register their listings with the CSRC, as the VIE is not considered a Chinese company under China’s law. This is the reason VIEs were used in the first place.
However, as I mentioned earlier, after March 31, 2023, the CSRC established requirements for all new Chinese companies to register and receive permission before going public overseas—even those planning to use VIE structures. That’s why there was a boom of Chinese IPOs before that deadline.
Granted, on September 14, 2023, a Chinese auto insurance platform became the first company that received the elusive blessing of the CSRC to list, and it did so using a VIE arrangement, breaking the long, dry spell that had plagued Chinese IPOs when she listed on the Nasdaq four days later.
However, even though VIEs received some sort of recognition from the CSRC, the VIE corporate structures still hold dubious legal status under China’s laws. Remember, VIEs purpose is to avoid being considered a Chinese company under China’s laws.
So… do you see the potential risk here?
Umm… No, I don’t get it.
Think about it. Either country could potentially increase regulations for VIEs, but if the SEC forces them to be more transparent, the VIE would not be able to circumvent China’s restrictions. That’s one risk.
Also, at some point, China’s CSRC might question whether it’s appropriate to recognize a corporate structure that was created to circumvent its laws.
Which leads me to this: What’s keeping the CCP from deciding to start reigning in those VIEs?
The answer is simple: They’re not in a hurry to do so because if misfortune should befall, it’ll be the foreign investors who’ll see their assets deflated like a punctured balloon.
🖼️ I would've added a nice image or two by now, to balance all the text and make this more appealing, but I'm only allowed to include one attachment.
If a VIE-listed company goes private at a lower valuation, businesses fail, or there’s a valuation discrepancy, the enforceability of a VIE’s contractual arrangements is unproven in Chinese courts. With VIE-listed companies, foreign investors’ recourse in the Chinese legal system is as elusive as a catfish’s whisper.
Yeah, but that’s unlikely…
Sure. Of course, I’m not saying every Chinese stock will have these issues. But it can happen. And it has happened.
The unlucky case of Luckin Coffee
Due to the lack of compliance with international audit inspections, Chinese corporate financial statements’ reliability for valuation and investment is not assured.
Such is the case of Luckin Coffee. In a bold bid to capture Wall Street’s hearts and wallets, Luckin Coffee showed up dressed in finery, flaunting alluring figures of revenue, operations, and bustling customer traffic.
At her grand debut, the stock sashayed onto the Nasdaq at $17, swirling up a storm of interested buyers to the tune of $561 million in capital.
For a fleeting moment, Luckin shimmered like a star over the financial firmament, boasting a market capitalization that soared to a heady $12 billion, with shares peaking just over $50.
Ah, but as the adage goes, ‘Truth will out.’ And out it came—the revelation of those embroidered numbers caused the company's stock to plummet like a stone tossed from a bridge, leaving a wake of investor losses and culminating in a disgraceful delisting from Nasdaq 13 months after her debut. Luckin Coffee Drops Nasdaq Appeal; Shares to Be Delisted
🖼️ I would've added an AI-generated image of a cup of Luckin Coffee jumping from a bridge, but I'm only allowed to include one attachment.
Well… but that won’t happen to me…
Uh-huh. On April 2, 2020, after announcing that employees—including its chief operating officer—falsified 2.2 billion yuan (about $310 million) in sales throughout 2019, Luckin's shares nosedived -80%.
This is from one of you unluckin bastards: I've lost 240k on Luckin Coffee, all my life savings. Now I'm broke af.
I’m sure many of you might reckon yourselves immune to a similar debacle since you think you’re smart enough to use stops to escape any runaway losses. It's time to wake up and smell the Luckin coffee. Chinese news catalysts often strike like lightning at night, and the stops you set under the sun cannot shield you from storms that explode in the moonlight. Dumbass.
Chinese regulators can be mercurial
Even though the PCAOB is currently able to perform its oversight responsibilities, concerns remain around the possibility that Chinese regulators might backtrack, potentially clamping down once again on the PCAOB's ability to access audit firms and personnel across mainland China and Hong Kong.
If that happens, the PCAOB can quickly declare a negative determination. HOWEVER, this action would only start the countdown under the HFCAA, giving U.S.-listed Chinese companies a window of TWO years to secure services from an auditor in a compliant jurisdiction or face a trading ban. That’s it.
Of course, within that time, Chinese regulators could agree once again to allow access to the PCAOB, thus resetting the two-year countdown without significant consequences.
What lurks in the shadows
Although the risk of PCAOB non-compliance looms over these financial engagements, it is the ghost of potentially misconstrued—or, let's say, creatively presented—earnings reports coming to light that should scare you most. Or, on the flip side, present the biggest opportunity.
I believe it is possible that there are several ghosts out there—ghastly financial figures dressed up a tad too finely—lingering in the shadows, unchecked and unchallenged. If they’re found and unveiled under the harsh spotlight of scrutiny, the fallout would be immediate and severe, leaving investors scrambling.
And if that happens, it’s not about diamond-holding through the plunge since the company might opt (or be forced) to delist from the U.S. exchanges.
🖼️ I would've added an AI-generated image of an attractive young Chinese ghost woman, implying both the allure of Chinese stocks, but also the risk of getting closer. However, I'm only allowed to include one attachment.
You need to understand a crucial concept. Many traders believe that if a company messes up, plunges, and gets delisted, it means the company is basically over—dead. But that’s not the case here. A delisting does not equal death.
I mean, Luckin Coffee is still out there, alive and kicking.
16,218 stores and counting, covering 240+ cities across China.
You would think that a company like that would not be able to cheat on its balance sheet. Yeah, just like you would think PwC China would notice 1,000 accountants cheated their way through the U.S. auditing curriculum.
🖼️ I would've added an AI-generated image of a Chinese accountant dabbing like a boss for getting his cheated accounting diploma, but I'm only allowed to include one attachment.
So… is it too far-fetched to believe more ghosts might come to light, now that the PCAOB can supervise the numbers?
I mentioned a flip side since you could specialize in tracking everything the PCAOB does. If you can get a whiff about increased auditing on a certain company, you might decide to play a short position in anticipation of a potential ghost coming to light. Be warned, though, that it’s not as if they tweet out which companies they’re auditing.
If I were to do it, I would research and join whatever digital saloon young Chinese ledger-keepers convene in. Perhaps I’d stumble upon a post by SumYungGuy or another pleading for advice on how to parley with the PCAOB Laowai making a fuss over his figures. The poor lad's in a pickle, you see, since he cheated the exam and doesn’t know squat.
Methodology
For the purposes of this table, a company is considered Chinese if:
  1. It has been identified as being from the PRC (the People's Republic of China) by the relevant stock exchange;
  2. It lists a PRC address as its principal executive office in filings with the SEC; or
  3. It has a majority of operations in the PRC, including a company structured offshore but whose value is ultimately tied through a relationship in the PRC.
⚠️ Some Chinese companies that use offshore corporate entities hide or do not identify their primary Chinese corporate domicile in their listing information. This complicates tracing, making it difficult to guarantee that this list captures all Chinese companies registered offshore.
I should also point out that this list does not include companies domiciled exclusively in Hong Kong or Macau.
⚠️ Remember, this list only considers Chinese companies listed on three of the largest U.S. stock exchanges: New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), Nasdaq, and NYSE American.
Oh, and btw, this isn’t a list I came up with. This info was compiled by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. It’s their methodology and list.
Since the majority is a VIE, I’ve marked the ones that are not registered as a VIE with an asterisk (*). This is determined using the most recent annual report filed with the SEC. A company is judged to have a VIE if:
  1. It explicitly describes using a VIE to conduct all or part of its business operations in China, or
  2. It describes a subsidiary in which it has no direct equity interest but relies on contractual arrangements to exercise control and receive economic benefits from its operations in China.
⚠️ For companies that have been listed for less than a year, information contained in the company’s most recently updated investment prospectus, as filed with the SEC, is used instead.
Chinese companies listed on U.S. exchanges
Companies are arranged by the size of their current market capitalization. All companies utilize a VIE corporate structure, except those marked with an asterisk (*).
BABA Alibaba Group Holding Limited PDD Pinduoduo Inc. NTES NetEase, Inc. JD JD.com, Inc. BIDU Baidu, Inc TCOM Trip.com International, Ltd. TME Tencent Music Entertainment Group LI Li Auto BEKE KE Holdings BGNE BeiGene * ZTO ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc. YUMC Yum China Holdings Inc. EDU New Oriental Education & Technology Group, Inc. HTHT H World Group Limited * NIO NIO Inc. YMM Full Truck Alliance Co. Ltd VIPS Vipshop Holdings Limited TAL TAL Education Group LEGN Legend Biotech * MNSO Miniso * BZ Kanzhun Limited XPEV Xpeng BILI Bilibili Inc. IQ iQIYI, Inc. HCM HUTCHMED (China) Limited * ATHM Autohome Inc. QFIN Qifu Technology RLX RLX Technology LU Lufax ATAT Atour Lifestyle Holdings * WB Weibo Corporation ZLAB Zai Lab Limited * ZKH ZKH Group Ltd * YY JOYY Inc. GOTU Gaotu Techedu, Inc. MSC Studio City International Holdings Limited * GCT GigaCloud Technology Inc GDS GDS Holdings Limited ACMR ACM Research, Inc. * HOLI Hollysys Automation Technologies, Ltd. * FINV FinVolution Group JKS JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. * DQ Daqo New Energy Corp. * MOMO Hello Group Inc. CSIQ Canadian Solar Inc. * EH Ehang TUYA Tuya Inc. NOAH Noah Holdings Ltd. HUYA HUYA Inc. KC Kingsoft Cloud YALA Yalla *
These are only 51 of the 261 Chinese companies currently listed on the major U.S. exchanges to comply with rule three. I kept the market cap minimum at $750M to allow for some wiggle room.
I mentioned earlier that the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission had 265 tickers, but that was on January 8, 2024. Since then, three companies have been acquired, and the other one has voluntarily delisted.
As you can confirm, the vast majority is structured as a VIE.
I was going to include charts to illustrate how several Chinese stocks—aside from the ones with the biggest market caps—tend to display sudden rallies, followed by after-hours reversals. It is important to recognize them, whether you want to capitalize on them, or avoid them entirely. But I can't add any more attachments, so...
Besides, it's unlikely that many of you have even read this far without images.
Have a good day.
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2024.05.13 22:54 Trash_Tia I can smell when someone is going to die, and my Scholastic Decathlon team stink of rotting lemons.

I'm pretty sure I'm going to be dead in the next 24 hours.
Whether that's the Costella family, or whatever this is, I'm not sure.
The police are taking forever, and part of me knows they're either refusing to believe me, or RC got them too.
I'm holed up on our school bus, so I've got nothing better to do.
I want to tell you about my team.
We met in our sophomore year.
Strangers standing outside the club room.
Levi was the freckled brunette who wouldn't stop talking about Game of Thrones.
Sunny, a pretty redhead, told him to shut up.
Tom, a sandy blonde, nodding his head to music corked in his ears.
I just wanted to be part of a club, and get away from my overbearing mother.
I won't say it was a perfect start. Our school was lacking in funding, so anyone could join, which made us more of a Quiz Club. I had some serious anxiety, so I stayed on the sidelines for a while, watching, rather than taking part.
It's not like we actually talked to each other initially. The first few weeks, we played Jeopardy, and attempted to find more members to cement us as an official Academic Decathlon club.
Unfortunately, though, it was just the four of us.
Which made it extremely hard for us to be taken seriously.
According to Google, Academic Decathlon teams were made up of nine members, placed by their GPA.
Our principal laughed at us, but he did let us become official.
Which was out of pity, I assumed.
The club was assembled, and we started meeting up after school.
Sort of.
Sunny barely showed up, and Levi didn't take anything seriously, preferring to spend the time telling us about his weird family turf-war.
Our principal dumped us in a tiny classroom with a resident rat living under the floorboards.
There was barely enough room to move, and the four of us crammed together for three hours was less than appealing.
Still, though, I wanted to be part of a club.
I had grown up with parents who were obsessed with board games, so I was pretty good at general knowledge questions. Our club room was too small for anything else but three desks (Sunny and I shared one) and a whiteboard we had to shove through the door.
But, again, we didn't start as an Academic club.
It was more akin to Story Time Club.
Arriving late on my third day, armed with quiz cards from home, I found Tom and Sunny completely mesmerised by Levi’s storytelling skills, drowned in shadow.
They didn't even turn the lights on.
I strictly remember squeezing next to Sunny, and hearing the words, “But there was so much blood all over the floor, and my Mom told me to go upstairs and hide under the bed…”
Sitting in front of them was Levi, perched on a desk, his legs swinging, a whiteboard marker between his teeth.
Sometimes he'd get up, and illustrate parts of his story.
It sucked that his drawings were all stick people.
I won't go into full details of his life, but Levi grew up as part of a family who had… interesting methods of making a living. I had seen the guy’s father multiple times when we hung out at his place, and, yeah, my friend’s family definitely had Soprano vibes.
Levi’s Draw My Life was nothing to do with the club, but it did bring us closer.
Even if, at that point, I was considering leaving.
But it's not like it was easy to walk away from these guys. It's like finding your soulmates. Levi wasn't the only one with an interesting life. Sunny Lang was an ex kpop trainee, who was kicked out for being too fat, which led her to develop a severe eating disorder, and a hatred for her own body.
Sunny explained her family were originally from Boston, her mother growing up in Korea.
She signed up for an idol agency focusing on creating a new girl group, and had gotten all the way to the final stages, before being kicked for her weight. Sunny told us her story with a smile, though there was a hollowness in her eyes I couldn't ignore. The other girls were judgemental bullies, and the idol diet and brutal regime almost killed her.
Sunny lived in a tiny apartment with 9 girls, who would tear each other apart for a chance to debut. Sunny said all the other girls debuted, and when we (not so patiently) asked for names, she shrugged, admitting she signed an NDA that prevented her spilling the beans.
What she did say, was the K-pop idol is a product, not a person– and are made and moulded into a product.
She had zero interest in throwing her humanity away to become a manufactured doll.
So, one of us was the son of an underground family, and the other was an ex idol.
Tom was an aspiring horror writer with a famous older step-brother.
His story times were usually, That one time I went to the Met Gala.
When it was my turn to reveal my story, I told them the only interesting thing about me.
I could smell when something bad was going to happen.
They laughed, but I was being serious.
When I was a kid, I smelled my mother’s brain tumor.
I remember it smelled like curdled milk.
I asked Mom why her head smelled of mouldy milk, and Mom laughed and said it was her shampoo.
It was actually a grade two tumor growing inside her brain.
Thankfully, the tumour was found quickly and removed.
Growing older, I became sensitive to smell. The little girl choking on the bus smelled of singed wood, and the old man crossing the road stunk of gasoline.
In the fourth grade, my classmate Alex Castor smelled of lemons all morning.
I sat behind him, choking on the stink all the way through class.
Ever since I met him, Alex had always smelled… off.
It was a distinct smell I could never understand, and as the days and months and years went by, that smell morphed into a subtle orangey musk that was so strong I had to cover my mouth and nose. Then, he smelled like lemons.
During Recess, I watched Alex fall off of the jungle gym, straight onto his head.
Alex Castor was dead before the paramedics arrived, my panicked teacher attempting CPR when his brains were leaking out of his ears.
The school claimed it was an accident, but Alex would have been fine if the jungle gym wasn't built on solid concrete.
I told my team members this, and Levi was sceptical.
“You can smell bad things?” He said, his lips curved around his milkshake straw. In the early days, we hung out in the local bar. It's not like we were allowed inside, but Levi could get us in anywhere.
I was squeezed between Tom and Sunny, while Levi took the seat opposite us. I couldn't help noticing our waitress was insisting on free milkshake refills, her frantic eyes glued to Levi.
I had zero idea why. Levi Costella was about as intimidating as a fruit fly.
Wearing a white shirt with a popped collar, a leather jacket thrown over the top, Levi was giving rebellious Harvard student, rather than son of a crime family.
Leaning forward, he raised a brow, clearly not believing me.
“So, you're like a stink psychic?”
I shrugged, sipping my own shake.
“Sure.”
I wasn't planning on telling him the club room smelled off on our first day.
Once we actually started the club, Levi surprised us as the smartest member, and getting to know him further, I came to the realization his family were infamous in our town.
However, his parents hid it well. Lucy and Michael Costella were the owners of a popular ramen store in our town, hiding under the facade of two successful business owners. The Costella’s were an attractive family.
Lucy was a sophisticated brunette with a lipstick smile, Michael, a handsome fluffy haired man who looked like he modelled glasses.
The two were fiercely protective over their youngest son, not so casually reminding us behind grinning smiles, that if anything happened to Levi, we would automatically be involved in the family.
I mean, they did laugh and say, “We’re joking! Look at your little faces!” when Sunny went deathly pale. But there was definitely truth behind their words.
Being Levi’s friend was… challenging at first.
Tom and I were in his room studying for finals, and an alarm went off, flooding Levi’s room in red light.
I had zero idea where it was coming from, but it locked all the doors and windows, forcing the Costella residence into temporary lockdown. Levi didn't seem fazed, casually mentioning his parents were taking care of it.
He had a whiteboard set up in his room, and was standing in front of it, cramming all of our textbook notes into one easily digestible drawing.
Levi wasn't just smart.
He was Ivy League smart, so we had struck gold with him.
His family were questionable, and yes, sometimes I did fear for my life, but as the more time we spent at his house, the Costella household became a second home. We got used to the alarms.
I just brought along ear plugs.
I wish I was writing this post about Levi’s family, and sure, they are a factor in what is going on right now, but I want to preface this by saying the events below involve the 2024 scholastic decathlon final in our town with the school’s listed:
Starbrook High School.
Ratcliffe High School.
Please note, the incident that took place last night was immediately covered up, and all phone footage was destroyed. Our town is mostly out of the way, and does not show up on Google searches.
We also have our own version of the academic decathlon, which is a more town-level competition, due to lacking funds. The four of us were desperate to start competing with our schools.
So, we started taking things a little more seriously.
We got a coach.
Mr Hanes, who was hesitant at first.
In his words, “You will hate me as your coach.”
He started by recruiting more members, announcing, “If you want to be taken seriously as an actual club, then I'll be taking the reins from now on.”
He did, and with our teachers guidance (and sometimes brutal honesty), we reached a level where we could start competing with other school’s in town. Now, none of us knew this, but Mr Hanes was obsessed with winning.
So, club meetings were twisted into two hour study sessions with no talking, followed by Mr Hanes Jeaprody, which was Jeaprody, without the actual fun.
We were quizzed multiple times, answer cards and practise questions quite literally thrown directly in our faces.
I hate to admit this (I really hate to admit this) but Mr Hanes’s tactics worked. Sure, we had been mildly brainwashed by our slightly unhinged coach, but with Levi Costella, we destroyed our competitors. Like I said, our town held their own version of the academic scholastic decathlon, but it was pretty much the same, with some changes.
Ten subjects. Language and Literature, Math, Social Science, Economics, Art, Music, Interview, Speech, and Essay.
Unlike the official Decathlon, ours was more like a game show, with the ability to be knocked out if a team member answers a question wrong. Whoever answers the most questions correctly wins. Team meet ups were either tests, study sessions, or quizzing each other.
Which leads me to last night.
The finals were held in the reigning champions, Ratcliffe High School’s, auditorium.
And we were about to win our town’s Scholastic Decathlon 2024 Championships.
Well…I was knocked out in the music section. Standing next to my coach who I was sure was going to asphyxiate from excitement, I could smell the sudden potent stink of lemon. I tried to ignore it at first, but the more questions my team were answering correctly, the smell got worse, suffocating my senses.
This wasn't just lemon. The stink was like a burning, singing smell trickling into my nose and the back of my throat.
It was stronger than what Alex smelled like.
This was suffocating, drowning my thoughts.
“Are you okay, Cassandra?”
Mr Hanes nudged me when a Ratcliffe girl was struggling to answer a question, only for Sunny to jump in with the answer. “You look quite pale.”
I nodded, forcing a smile.
My gaze was on the Ratcliffe coach, a scary looking blonde woman, whispering in one of her student’s ears.
The Ratcliffe kid freaked me out. He was way too tall, dark blonde hair, and bulging eyes I swear were not blinking.
His gaze was glued to Levi, who wore a smug grin.
There was a smaller girl next to the Ratcliffe kid, a Macbook balanced on her knee. Every so often, he leaned into her, the two of them in deep conversation.
“I'm just nervous.”
I jumped when Ratcliffe scored a point, their side erupting into cheers.
During the break, we had a mini team meeting.
Sunny rushed to the bathroom to freshen up, and I noticed a Ratcliffe girl with a bouncing ponytail following her.
Ignoring our coach’s speech, I joined the two girls in the corridor, that lemony scent hanging thick in the air.
I caught them in an awkward position.
The Ratcliffe girl had her fingers pinched between the material of Sunny’s dark blue shirt bearing our school’s name.
Sunny looked confused, her lips parted like she was going to yell.
Ponytail dropped her hand, suddenly, with a nervous laugh. “Oh! I'm so, so, sorry,” she gushed. “You had, like, the biggest spider crawling on your back.”
Sunny caught my eye, shooting me a reassuring smile.
“Thanks.” She made sure to keep her distance. “Uh, where's your bathroom?”
The Ratcliffe girl nodded down the hallway. “It's just down there. I'm going there too if you want me to show you?”
Sunny motioned for me to go back to the auditorium. “Uh, sure! That'd be great!”
I did try to follow them, only for Sunny to cough loudly.
I took the hint, reluctantly heading back into the auditorium.
My team was hyping each other up, Levi in the centre, sweating through his team shirt. He ran a trembling hand through his hair. “I can't do this,” He groaned. “Ratcliffe High is known to play dirty, man. They're unbeatable.”
“In what way do they play dirty?” I asked, joining them.
Levi gulped down water, shrugging.
“I dunno! They're already trying to distract me with the stink eye.” The boy narrowed his eyes at a grinning Ratcliffe kid who, after noticing our stares, jumped to his feet, waving at us.
“Hey guys!”
“That's Harry Cartwright, the son of the Cartwright family who tried to kill my parents in the third grade.” Levi mockingly waved back. “As you can see, their kid is a fucking sociopath.”
Huh. I wasn't expecting the smiley kid to be the mobster’s son.
Harry Cartwright was not what I expected.
Unlike his team members, he was the only one in casual clothing, a short sleeved white shirt and jeans, a pair of sunglasses perched on top of his head.
Tom went pale.
“Fuck.” He hissed. “He’s one of you? Then those bastards will have a reason to play dirty, right?”
Levi shrugged, averting his gaze. It was the first time I saw his eyes darken, like he was subtly telling the boy to back off.
“The Cartwright’s have been trying to buy our land for a while,” he muttered. “I wouldn't put it past them to use the Decathlon as a way to attack.”
“Attack?!” April, another member of our team, hissed. “Like, attack attack?”
Mr Hanes grabbed the boy, resting his hands on Levi’s shoulders. “Ignore them,” he said. “Hey. Look at me.”
Levi did, raising a brow.
“You're losing that spark in your eye, young man.”
“Spark?”
Our coach nodded. “Look at me, kid.”
Levi rolled his eyes. “I am looking at you, Mr Hanes.”
The man was shaking. I was guessing his whole career (or coaching career) was on the line.
“They know they're losing, Mr Costella.”
Hanes shook the boy, squeezing his shoulders. “You are being positive and Ratcliffe doesn't like that. They want you to be nervous. They want to make you second guess yourself and lose confidence. Don't let them get into your head.” he smiled, giving the boy a playful shove. “Kick their asses.”
“Exactly!”
I didn't realize Sunny was back from the bathroom.
The faint smell of lemons had followed her. I noticed a wet patch on her shirt collar, though she was quick to smile at me, admitting she'd spilled water down herself. Sunny wrapped her arms around Levi, squeezing him into a hug.
She hung on for a little too long, Tom dragging her away with a laugh. “Good luck, all right?” she backed away, ruffling his hair. “We’ve got this!”
When I hugged Levi good luck too, I had to resist covering my nose.
The smell of lemon was unbearable, just like fourth grade Alex.
But it wasn't as potent as earlier.
I vaguely remembered the smell starting to fade once Alex’s body was being carted away on a stretcher.
Following my captain through the crowd, I was right. The smell was less suffocating. Before he went back to the stage, I grabbed the back of his shirt.
The material was soaking wet.
“How are you so wet?” I said, swiping my hands on my shirt.
“Huh?”
I shook my head. “Never mind. Do you remember what I told you in sophomore year?”
Levi settled me with a confident, but nervous smile. “Thaaaat you're scared of clowns?”
“No. I mean the boy who smelled of lemons.” I gritted out.
Levi surprised me with a laugh. “What are you talking about?”
Something ice cold trickled down my spine.
Levi did know what I was talking about. He brought up my stink sense a day earlier in front of his parents, and I had to cover his mouth to shut him up.
Leaning close, I whispered in his ear. “You stink of rotten lemons.”
He nodded slowly, pulling away. “Uh… thanks?”
I bit back a hiss of frustration. “No, you don't understand what I'm saying–”
“Starbrooke High School,” The host announced. “Can all members please return to the stage.”
Levi held up his hand for a high five.
“Can we do this later?” He winked. “I'm kinda busy carrying this spelling-bee on my back right now.”
I nodded shakily, high fiving him, and letting him jump back onto the stage.
Before his words hit like a tidal wave, ice cold water slammed into me.
Spelling Bee?
Slowly making my way back to the stands, Levi’s mistake was circling around my head. He did win a spelling bee, but that was in middle school.
Thankfully, the smell of lemons was gone when I returned to my seat.
Mr Hanes handed me a soda. “Chill out, Cassandera, it's just a game.”
He could talk. The guy was on his fifth coffee.
Mr Hanes was not chilled out in the slightest.
Surprisingly, the event went well. I was half expecting my team to be crushed by the rafters, or caught in a blaze started in the crowd. But we were doing well. No, we were winning.
Reaching the climaxing round, Sunny choked against a smug Ratcliffe boy, joining me on the sidelines.
Levi answered the next question with a confident smile.
We were winning, but Ratcliffe could still catch up with a miracle.
The second to last question was to Ratcliffe, and it was general knowledge.
”Where on the human body would one find the *orbit?*
I knew the answer, and so did Levi, his lips breaking out into a smile when the Ratcliffe boy was hesitating, eyes wide.
Our school’s buzzer went off, Levi slamming his hand down.
Bzzz!
The host turned to our team. “Starbrooke, can I have your answer?”
Levi nodded, shooting our team a victory grin.
“It's…!“ He opened his mouth to answer, his jaw slackening suddenly.
The boy’s shoulders slumped.
“Uh… “
“Um…”
“Huhhhhh…”
Levi inclined his head, blinking, his eyes glazing over. There was a sudden, hollow vacancy that sent chills down my spine. It was like someone had reached into his skull, and yanked out his brain, leaving a shell in his place.
To my confusion, our team captain frowned at his buzzer like he'd never seen one before. He pressed it, exploding into child-like giggles.
Bzzz!
The audience laughed along nervously.
Tom nudged me. “What the fuck is he doing?”
Bzzz Bzzz Bzzz!
Levi’s entire body was slumped, his hand slamming down on the buzzer.
I caught something pooling down his chin.
“Is he… drooling?” I whispered.
Mr Hanes looked mildly horrified. “Has he been drinking?
“Levi?” Tom spluttered. “Drinking?!"
Whatever we were watching, however, was definitely influenced by… something.
Bzz. Bzz. Bzz. Bzz. Bzz!
“Young man, that is not a toy!”
The host wasn't amused. “Starbrooke High School, I need an answer from you,” He nodded to Levi, who was pressing the buzzer, his smile growing.
“Once again,” The host backed away, like Levi was contagious. “Where on the human body would one find the Orbit?”
Levi cocked his head, lips parted.
His gaze found the overhead lights, and he winced, his lips curling into a frown.
“Starbrooke High School!”
Levi jumped, tipping his head back and blowing a raspberry. “Palm tree?”
The audience laughed, and I started feeling nauseous.
Across from us, I could see the twist of a smirk on the Ratcliffe coach’s lips.
Bzzz! Levi slammed the buzzer again giggling.
“Starbrooke High School, if your team member continues to act like this, I will be forced to disqualify all members.”
Our captain stopped, gaze glued to the host, his hand creeping towards the buzzer, like it was a big red button.
The audience loved it, laughing like they were watching a sitcom.
“He wouldn't.” Tom whisper-shrieked.
The auditorium was silent for a moment, awaiting Starbrooke’s response.
Levi stuck out his tongue, slamming his hand down.
Bzzz! Bzzz! Bzzz! Bzzz! Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz–
When Tom dragged Levi away from his podium, a Ratcliffe girl hit her buzzer.
“Starbrooke High School, you are disqualified,” the host announced. “Ratcliffe High School, do you have an answer?”
It was Ponytail who nodded with a grin.
“The answer is the eye socket! The Orbit is part of the eye socket!”
“That is the correct answer.” The host was distracted, his eyes glued to Levi.
“Ratcliffe High School wins.”
Levi jumped when the Ratcliffe wide erupted into cheers.
His eyes were wide, clinging onto the buzzer for comfort.
Next to me, our coach looked like he was going to faint.
I barely noticed Ratcliffe’s victory, too busy watching our team captain, who was Harvard bound, tipping his head back and smiling at the ceiling like a new-born baby. Tom dragged the stumbling boy over to me, his mouth twisted.
“This was Ratcliffe, right?” He hissed, shaking our captain, who was struggling, squirming in his grip.
“Did they put something in his drink?!” He prodded Levi. “Hey! What did they do to you?!”
Still, though, drugging his drink didn't make sense.
Levi never left the auditorium, and kept his water bottle with him the whole time.
How did they even manage to slip something into his drink in the first place?
Did I smell our competitors drugging him?
Sure, intentionally inebriating my teammate was morally wrong and illegal, but why could I smell lemon?
“I doubt it was Ratcliffe.” Sunny squeezed next to me. “I've been watching them. They're harmless.”
“Then how the fuck do we explain this to his parents?!” Tom whispered, grappling with Levi, who was fighting to get back to the buzzer.
When Tom let go of him, he dropped onto the floor, crawling over to his podium. It was like watching a child.
Who was determined to piss off the adults.
Levi jumped back to instead feet, his gaze was glued to the host, a smile curved on his lips, when he slammed the buzzer again.
Bzzz!
“Someone, please remove the Starbrooke boy from the stage!”
I was embarrassed, our whole team ducking our heads as our captain was forcibly removed from the podium.
Mr Hanes grabbed Levi, pulling him off of the stage.
I expected our coach to be mad at him, but I think the teacher was more worried, a phone pressed to his ear while he forced the boy into a sitting position.
No, I don't think it's influence from alcohol, I could hear his conversation.
Levi kept trying to get up, mesmerised by the buzzer. The teacher was firm but gentle. “Hey. Sit down, all right? Keep still.” He went back to his phone call, gently prying Levi’s eyes open.
From what I can see, there's nothing wrong. He's just kind of…
Mr Hanes swiped his own hands on his jeans. ... wet?
Team Ratcliffe came over to rub it in our faces, though I was still tuned into our coach’s hissed whispering.
Water? No, I don't think it's water. It smells… no, I haven't told his parents…
“You guys did awesome!” Ponytail's voice was sugary sweet. Too sugary.
She held the 2024 trophy, bearing a satisfied smile. I noticed the Ratcliffe members were surrounding Harry, like guards.
“Better luck next time, okay?” She held out her hand, her eyes twinkling.
“No hard feelings?”
“Control your dog.” Harry said, amused eyes flicking to Levi, who was once again sprinting back to the fucking buzzer. His eyes had visibly darkened, lips curled into a triumphant smile.
Harry Cartwright was watching Mr Hanes chase our team captain like it was his own personal entertainment.
I had to look away before I died of second hand embarrassment.
“What did you put in his drink?” Tom demanded. “Weed? Edibles?” the boy attempted to shove Harry, only to be pushed back. “What the fuck did you do to him?”
Harry’s smile didn't waver. “Like I said. Control your mut.”
When the Ratcliffe team walked away, our red faced coach struggling with Levi, who was behaving progressively more erratically, informed us we were longer welcome inside the school.
Tom suggested calling an ambulance, but our coach was hesitant.
We all knew who Levi’s family were.
On the way out, Tom matched my stride. He was frowning at our team captain struggling to walk.
The way he was acting was already eyebrow raising.
But walking at an angle and being unable to stand up straight was worrying.
“I don't think they drugged his drink.” Tom muttered.
We pushed through the doors out of the school, and I revelled in the cool night air grazing my cheek. “If they did, he would be acting out of it, right? So, what's the deal with him acting like–”
“A child.” I finished for him.
“Yeah.” Tom leaned closer. “Do you think this has something to do with their turf war?”
I slapped at a bug creeping across my cheek.
Levi fell over again, this time bursting into giggles.
“Almost definitely.”
Levi was right about Ratcliffe playing dirty. I didn't realize how dirty until we were on the losers bus home. Levi was in the seat next to me, and the kid hadn't moved since we left Ratcliffe, his eyes wide, lips pulled into a dazed grin.
Bzzz!
The noise startled me from slumber. I was drooling, my head pressed against the window. Outside, the sky was pitch dark, and squinting through the glass, I couldn't get a bearing on where we were. I thought I was hearing things, but when I sat up, I heard it again.
Bzzz!
It was close.
Leaning over the boy, I glimpsed a smear of scarlet on his headrest.
I choked on my next words.
“Tom.”
Tom was in front of me, listening to music.
He didn't reply, his head of dark blonde curls nodding to the beat.
“Levi.” I managed to get out. I prodded him, and his head lolled into his shoulder. “Hey. Can you… sit up?”
Bzzz! Bzzz!
When the boy didn't move, I gently grabbed his shoulders and pulled him forward myself, something contracting in my stomach.
I don't know how long it takes for your mind to fully register something, but my body was already reacting.
Levi’s seat was infested with bugs, eating their way through the upholstery. I was aware of my body moving back. I threw up, instantly, screaming into my hand.
The back of my best friend's skull resembled a deflated soccer ball, what was left of his brain leaking from his skull where a swarm of skittering bugs chewed their way through brain tissue, metallic legs scratching the curved, pearly white of the base if his skull.
Levi’s head hung, his body flopping into mine.
But his eyes were still open, lips still stretched into a smile.
Blood ran in thick rivulets from his nose and ears.
Bzzz!
I could see them, black writhing dots alive in his eyes, wriggling movement under his skin.
“Tom!”
I jumped up, stumbling into the aisle, my stomach heaving.
And it was only when I was on my knees, swiping bile from my lips, when I realized the others weren't reacting.
Tom wasn't moving.
I pulled an Airpod out of his ear, a long, slithering string of pink attached to the end.
There was a stray bug skittering across his hand, his face starting to twitch and writhe.
Moving back, I checked myself over, my hands shaking.
Head.
Shoulders.
Hair.
Clawing through it, my breath was stuck in my throat.
Arms.
Legs.
Feet.
Mr Hanes was slumped against the window, a reddish froth bubbling from his mouth.
Sunny.
I started towards the back of the bus, but all I had to see was her bowed head, half of her skull chewed through.
Sunny was in a far more deteriorated state, her face had been ripped through, a skeletal smile glinting in the dim.
The thick black smear on the window next to her was moving.
When I screamed for the driver to stop the bus, he ignored me.
If anything, he stamped on the gas.
I moved forward to shake him, before glimpsing a bug creeping down his face.
Calling 911, the operator laughed at me.
“Bugs are eating your friends.” He said. “Do you know the penalty for calling with bullshit pranks?”
The bus didn't stop, so I stayed at the front, while the bugs took over the back, eating through my teammates.
After four hours, I risked leaning over the seat next to Tom to check on Levi.
They were eating him.
Chewing all the way through skin, muscle and bone.
I tried to stop the bus, but the driver’s hands were tightly wrapped around the wheel.
Another hour, and blood was seeping down the aisle, crawling with bugs.
Levi was gone, and in his place, a buzzing skittering pile of bugs, that I thought were going to move to a second victim, maybe burrowing into the seats.
But, no.
These things began to tremble, replicating.
Building.
Slowly, nothing became static, and static became muscle.
Then bone.
Then flesh.
When a body began to slowly form, moulded from the dead boy, I stumbled back.
These things weren't eating Levi Costella.
They were rewriting him.
…
Edit: I'm still on the bus. I'm 99.9% sure that I'm infected with whatever this thing is. I can't stop fucking itching.
I keep picking them off me but they won't stop. This bus isn't going to stop until I'm like the others.
…
Edit 2:
I can feel them chewing into my skull. They're in my ears. I keep spitting them out. Please, someone get them off of me. Help me. I don't want to die at 17.
Edit 3:
Still alive. Still breathing. Maybe they're leaving me alone????? I think I'm okay. There is a pile of bugs at my feet, but they're crawling off of me.
Edit 4:
Levi really wants to go home. Like, he just told me he REALLY wants to go home. He's got a gift for his parents.
~~Edit 5 :) ~~
Levi is next to me right now, an odd smile on his face.
The bugs are not finished building him yet, but he'll be ready soon.
We will be ready soon.
Your son says hello! He is a wonderful boy, is he not?
Mr and Mrs Costella, I cannot wait for you to meet him.
He is our greatest achievement, and rest assured, you will give us what we want.
Warm regards.
The Cartwright's.
submitted by Trash_Tia to TheCrypticCompendium [link] [comments]

2024.05.13 19:06 Remarkable-Ground391 Update + physio questions!

Hi all!
24/M/Non-op/8 weeks since rupture
Went to my second physio today, and they’ve told me that my orthopaedic gave me advice that wasn’t to protocol - they said (this was two weeks ago) to keep myself NWB in walking boot, not taking it off at all for another 4/5 weeks.
Physio have said this isn’t right as it means I haven’t been able to do any ankle exercises and as such have basically no muscle left around the area.
Really disappointed and it’s yet another setback for me, but I have a few questions about the physio if anyone is able to answer.
I’m trying to do my first (very light) calf raises. But I haven’t even had my foot flat on the ground until this point. I’m scared to put it flat on the ground at a 90 degree angle, as when I start to lower my ankle it feels like an elastic band and very tight, and I’m afraid that it will just snap. So for today, I have done what I can with my foot placed a bit further away from me, as this allow me to put it flat on the ground. I was wondering if this is normal, and how I should approach this gradually. I did question this with the physio who assured me it wouldn’t snap by doing this, but wanted to get your guys’ opinions.
Also, when attempting to move the ankle by doing ankle circles or inversion/eversion, it feels really difficult to control the movement, it almost comes out like jolts rather than gradual movement and again was wondering if anyone else had experienced this.
All in all, I’m just really nervous to start putting weight / moving my ankle, especially when in every move I can feel the inside of my leg and want to see if there’s any way to be more confident/reassured about not re-rupturing myself during this process.
Hope everyone is doing well!
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2024.05.13 18:00 AutoModerator ★OFFICIAL WEEKLY★ Day 1 Monday: Start here! May 13, 2024

Is today is your Day 1?

​Welcome to Loseit!
​So you aren’t sure of how to start? Don’t worry! “How do I get started?” is our most asked question. Loseit has helped our users lose over 1,000,000 recorded pounds and these are the steps that we’ve found most useful for getting started.

Why You’re Overweight

Our bodies are amazing (yes, yours too!). In order to survive before supermarkets, we had to be able to store energy to get us through lean times, we store this energy as adipose fat tissue. If you put more energy into your body than it needs, it stores it, for (potential) later use. When you put in less than it needs, it uses the stored energy. The more energy you have stored, the more overweight you are. The trick is to get your body to use the stored energy, which can only be done if you give it less energy than it needs, consistently.

Before You Start

The very first step is calculating your calorie needs. You can do that HERE. This will give you an approximation of your calorie needs for the day. The next step is to figure how quickly you want to lose the fat. One pound of fat is equal to 3500 calories. So to lose 1 pound of fat per week you will need to consume 500 calories less than your TDEE (daily calorie needs from the link above). 750 calories less will result in 1.5 pounds and 1000 calories is an aggressive 2 pounds per week.

Tracking

Here is where it begins to resemble work. The most efficient way to lose the weight you desire is to track your calorie intake. This has gotten much simpler over the years and today it can be done right from your smartphone or computer. loseit recommends (unaffiliated) apps like MyFitnessPal, Loseit or Cronometer. Create an account and be honest with it about your current stats, activities, and goals. This is your tracker and no one else needs to see it so don’t cheat the numbers. You’ll find large user created databases that make logging and tracking your food and drinks easy with just the tap of the screen or the push of a button. We also highly recommend the use of a digital kitchen scale for accuracy. Knowing how much of what you're eating is more important than what you're eating. Why? This may explain it.

Creating Your Deficit

How do you create a deficit? This is up to you. loseit has a few recommendations but ultimately that decision is yours. There is no perfect diet for everyone. There is a perfect diet for you and you can create it. You can eat less of exactly what you eat now. If you like pizza you can have pizza. Have 2 slices instead of 4. You can try lower calorie replacements for calorie dense foods. Some of the communities favorites are cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles, spaghetti squash in place of their more calorie rich cousins. If it appeals to you an entire dietary change like Keto, Paleo, Vegetarian.
The most important thing to remember is that this selection of foods works for you. Sustainability is the key to long term weight management success. If you hate what you’re eating you won’t stick to it.

Exercise

...is NOT mandatory. You can lose fat and create a deficit through diet alone. There is no requirement of exercise to lose weight.
It has it’s own benefits though. You will burn extra calories. Exercise is shown to be beneficial to mental health and creates an endorphin rush as well. It makes people feel *awesome* and has been linked to higher rates of long term success when physical activity is included in lifestyle changes.

Crawl, Walk, Run

It can seem like one needs to make a 180 degree course correction to find success. That isn’t necessarily true. Many of our users find that creating small initial changes that build a foundation allows them to progress forward in even, sustained, increments.

Acceptance

You will struggle. We have all struggled. This is natural. There is no tip or trick to get through this though. We encourage you to recognize why you are struggling and forgive yourself for whatever reason that may be. If you overindulged at your last meal that is ok. You can resolve to make the next meal better.
Do not let the pursuit of perfect get in the way of progress. We don’t need perfect. We just want better.

Additional resources

Now you’re ready to do this. Here are more details, that may help you refine your plan.

Share your Day 1 story below!

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Don't forget to comment and interact with other posters here, let's keep the good vibes going!
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2024.05.13 17:36 emotionalboyz2002 My Bar Prep Experience- Summer 2023 (Passed, 317)

Around this time last summer, I began my bar exam journey. This test is stressful, and the prep process is overwhelming. Though I'm not into Reddit, I found myself looking to this subreddit for some commiseration and perspective, which was very helpful. I hope that by sharing my experience here, I can help you all out and give you some guidance and ease as you face this seemingly impossible task.
I began my prep the first Monday after graduating and continued my studies throughout the summer until the last Saturday before the Bar Exam. I used Barbri and set my study schedule so that I took weekends off. This meant that my daily study schedule was a bit longer than most people's (8-9 hours per day or so), but having weekends off was crucial for avoiding burnout as much as possible.
Don't feel bad for taking days off. Some people swear they work 8 hours a day, 7 days a week, the whole summer. If someone says they are doing that, they're either lying or overdoing it. You need to rest at least a little.
What you do when you're not doing bar prep is just as important as what you do during prep. I kept up with all my hobbies, continued hanging out with friends and family, and exercised regularly. You don't want to overdo it, burn out, and still have a month left before the test. You want to ensure you're peaking right when you take it. I also didn't work while I was studying. I know some people do, but those people are crazy lol. Try to avoid that if it's economically feasible for you.
The first set of Barbri videos covered all the MBE topics and gave some model MBE questions. I did terribly on almost all of these topics in these initial questions. If this happens to you, don't be discouraged; it's pretty standard, and your prep in the next few months will refresh your memory on these topics.
Next, Barbi focuses on the MBE topics. I made sure that I watched all the videos for all the topics and took active notes on them. I would watch at 1.25-1.5x speed but would pause whenever it felt like it was going too fast. In the early portions of my prep, I did what Barbri told me to do (the multiple choice, the practice MEEs, etc.), no more, no less, except for the parts where it just told me to read the outlines. The time it allocates for that is best used, in my opinion, to do the studying that helped you out the best during law school. I would use to make my own outline of the topic, but some people would make and study flashcards, review their notes, or do whatever they think is best.
There are long-form practice multiple-choice assignments for each MBE topic and a video that goes over each question in detail. Many people love these review videos, but they were not very helpful to me. The extra multiple-choice, however, is worth it.
Make sure you develop a consistent system for tackling the MPTs and MEEs. You don't need to do the full outline process that your bar prep recommends (I didn't), but you need to develop a systematic approach for writing these essays to finish on time and with a good answer.
After you finish the MBE topics, Barbri will have a full practice MBE, which mimics the MBE day of the test, with 200 questions split up into two parts. This is the most important thing for you to do. This will help you in so many ways because you will be used to the experience of taking the test all day, it will help show you which topics you need to emphasize more, and it will show you where you are in your testing and how you should continue to prepare in your future studies. I did well on this, so I just focused on the topics I wasn't doing as well on and reduced focus on the topics I was good at. It also helps you recognize your timing. I went through the MBE practice very quickly (I finished each part about 30 minutes early) and still did well, so I knew not to worry about that on the actual test day.
Then, you begin preparing for the MEE-only topics. This was by far the most intimidating portion for me because I had never taken family law or secured transactions and had never learned anything about choice of laws. I was lucky to have taken Business Associations and Wills and Trusts, so I already had a decent knowledge base for Agency, Partnerships and LLC, Corporations, Wills, and Trusts.
At that point, I also decided to supplement my resources and purchased Adaptibar just for additional MBE questions. The Barbri MBE questions became more and more particular over time and stopped being helpful, in my opinion. The Adaptibar questions are very similar to real bar exam questions and are great at helping you prepare and recognize your strengths and weaknesses.
Like with the MBE studying portion, I watched all of the videos, took detailed notes on the MEE topics, and did the recommended MEE practice questions. I made sure I focused extra on the topics I didn't take the class on and reduced focus on the other topics. This paid dividends, as I kinda of became a Secured Transactions guru. However, family law was still beyond me, and I just lucked out that it didn't end up on the exam.
After I finished the MEE videos, I stopped following the Barbri curriculum. I was a few weeks out from the bar exam, and I started to ramp up my studying. I started studying for longer times each day and included at least a few hours of studying on Saturdays and Sundays. I would split my days between Adaptibar questions and taking practice MEEs and MPTs from the Barbri book.
About a week before the test, I decided to do my own "MPT/MEE day," where I did two full MPTs and the six MEEs in one day, like on the test. This was tremendously helpful, as I knew what to expect and how I would feel during the test.
I stopped studying on the Saturday before the bar exam. I tried to relax then, but I was nervous and on edge. The test is massive, and you can't possibly know everything. The prep process is grueling and psychologically damaging. It's hard to understand before you do it, but you will be different after studying for and taking the test. I lost a ton of sleep those few months, and in the days leading up to the two test days, I never slept more than a half night.
The day before the test, I drove to the hotel where I was staying and tried to get some rest. Unfortunately, my hotel was shit. Its AC was so loud it sounded like a lawnmower was in my room. I fell asleep at 1030, woke up at 2:30, and never fell back asleep. I was very nervous and scared. I drank a Red Bull, ate breakfast, had a big cry, and then went to sit for the first day of the test. I was so scared, but since I did so much prep, my instincts kicked in once the test began, and by the end of the day, I felt like I did well. I got lucky on the topics for the MEE and never got anything lower than a 3.
The next day was less stressful. Since I did well on the first day, the die was cast, and I felt way less pressure. The MBE was my best portion, and I finished both halves really quickly. I'll never forget the feeling of relief when I left the exam room. I felt like I had just slayed a dragon.
That's it! I was so exhausted the night after that I could barely put coherent sentences together. I had to wait until October to receive my scores, but I felt good. 317/400, and I passed. The day I received my score was possibly the best day of my life.
Long story short, there is no avoiding the stress of the bar exam. This test is hard and unfair and will change you forever. I did my best to avoid stress and burnout, but that's just not possible. Sorry if I rambled too long; I did not mean to write this much, lol. Good luck! You can beat this test!
submitted by emotionalboyz2002 to barexam [link] [comments]

2024.05.13 16:45 ToEmpathyAndBeyond Wife’s numbers are scary high

Wife’s numbers are scary high
Tl;dr: My wife (38F) was diagnosed last week with BG 458 and A1c 13.7, started metformin 500mg extended release 2x/day, got a CGM, no finger sticks, numbers are 200-400 but mostly stayed in 250-350 range over past 40 hours. Looking for support, and wondering if anyone else was diagnosed with numbers this high, how long did it take to get them controlled?
My (39F) wife (38F) was diagnosed last week after a routine PCP visit with labs (first PCP visit in many years, but she had a gynecologist/nurse midwife visit in January and we saw a reproductive endocrinologist in March). Next morning the doctor sent this message. In hindsight I think her approach (incremental change, avoid info overload) is smart and probably works well for MOST people. But my wife and I freaked out, started Googling and asking our med pro friends, and immediately made a same-day appt. I left work 3 hours early and we arrived at the dr office 45 mins before the appt (unheard of for us 😂).
To the dr’s credit, she got us back to see her right away, quickly shifted gears to share lots of info and options, and took time to listen and answer our questions. She prescribed a CGM (Libre 2) which my wife got on Saturday. (Wife is terrified of needles and doesn’t want to do any finger sticks. I had to apply the CGM for her.) Over the past 40 hours, her numbers have ranged from 200 to 400+. She’s taken 8 doses of metformin 500mg extended release (2x day since Thursday night), and I know it can take 4-5 days to really see effects. I also know that her numbers have likely been this high for months and months, but I’m so worried about long-term damage. 😞
My wife is taking this super seriously and has already overhauled her diet (no added sugar, low carbs, extra protein and healthy fats), and started exercising more. We’ve both dieted before and know the drill. Emotionally she’s devastated by the diagnosis, especially because we were planning to TTC next month, and that’s likely delayed now. She’s motivated to get this controlled ASAP so that having a baby is still an option. And, I know this is a marathon and not a sprint, and I’m worried about burnout. She has a long history of (likely but undiagnosed) PCOS, obesity, binge eating, and avoidance of preventive medical care. (Ironically her weight is currently almost in a healthy range, thanks to 2 years of previously-unexplained weight loss, which no one besides me questioned - if you’re fat, weight loss is always the priority. 😑) I’m doing this with her, both to be supportive and because I’m concerned about my own IR (weight gain in the past year, fasting insulin was 17.5 in March despite having good FG and A1c, and last year my A1c was 5.7 so barely pre-D).
I know this is long, so I appreciate anyone who read this far. It’s been very overwhelming the last few days, and I feel like I need a “T2D spouse support group” already. I’m really hoping we can get her numbers down in the next few weeks and without having to add insulin.
submitted by ToEmpathyAndBeyond to diabetes_t2 [link] [comments]

2024.05.13 14:16 aguer0 Dissecting the 115 - What is it all about?

Following on from the BBC article posted recently “explaining” the 115 charges laid at Man City’s feet, I decided to look properly at what the charges are, given that the article barely went further than rehashing that Man City cheated over and over again without any attempt at critical analysis.

What are the breaches?

There are 5 main areas that the breaches fall into:
The actual text of the Premier League’s statement can be seen here: https://www.premierleague.com/news/3045970

Where did the breaches come from?

The original source of the allegations were leaked emails from Portuguese hacker Rui Pinto. Rui Pinto was handed a 4 year suspended sentence last year for attempted extortion, illegal access to data and breach of correspondence with relation to the leaks, which were posted via his Football Leaks website in 2015. Emails from Manchester City were not the only things leaked - players like Messi and Neymar were also caught up in some leaks related to their salaries. In total there were millions of documents.
These leaked emails surfaced via Der Spiegel in 2018 as part of an expose feature which they ran, and spanned 4 articles at the time. You can read the first here: https://www.spiegel.de/international/manchester-city-exposed-bending-the-rules-to-the-tune-of-millions-a-1236346.html
On the back of these leaks UEFA, after launching an investigation in March 2019, charged Manchester City with breaches of their regulations which led, in 2020, to the club being banned from European football for 2 seasons alongside a 30m euro fine.
Alongside that UEFA investigation, the Premier League also opened an investigation. It took until 2023 for them to present their charges - the statement linked above. The case is ongoing.

What about those UEFA breaches?

The club denied any wrongdoing and appealed to CAS, the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Upon hearing the case CAS found no evidence to support UEFA’s conclusions with regards to the allegations. As a result the club’s ban from European football was overturned with immediate effect. CAS sided with UEFA on their non-cooperation charges and stated that the club could have done more to provide UEFA with documents when requested. CAS therefore issued a 10m Euro fine.
You can read the verdict here: https://www.tas-cas.org/fileadmin/user_upload/CAS_Award_6785___internet__.pdf
This was the second time that the club had a run-in with UEFA. They first had a disagreement over potential breaches in 2014 related to the club spending more than the allowed amount in the previous season - the club contested that this was the result of UEFA not allowing deductibles for existing contracts started before FFP was introduced. There were no charges laid at City for this - the club entered a settlement with UEFA and a subsequent monitoring period with specific break even requirements and squad restrictions. That period ended in 2017 with UEFA declaring that the club had complied with all of the agreements within the settlement.

Didn’t City get away with it because everything was time barred?

The CAS verdict did find that the first 2 years of alleged breaches related to the club’s financial statements (the bits referred to as inflated sponsorships) were time barred (a process whereby the time permitted to bring forward the issue has passed and it is no longer possible to pursue the case - 5 years in UEFA’s rules), and so could not be considered. The rest of the years questioned were considered, and ultimately no evidence was found of financial irregularities.

Onto the 115

The Premier League statement lists 5 key areas of breaches, outlined earlier, which I will dive into more now. In total, the number of rules that the Premier League have accused Manchester City of breaching is 130. That is broken down into:
No matter how I try to recalculate it, I never get 115. I'm unsure of the exact place that the 115 number came from, and it certainly doesn't match the numbers when broken down in the BBC article.
I have broken down the list of breaches and cross referenced them with the Premier League’s handbooks for each season from 2009/10 through to 2022/23. With all five areas of breaches I have provided the text of the rule that the League included in their statement, plus a summarised version that tries to give a less legalese or technical reading. The tables are presented for reference and I won’t go into the specifics of them.

Accuracy of financial information

The Premier League stated:
In respect of each of Seasons 2009/10 to 2017/18 inclusive, the Premier League Rules applicable in those seasons that required provision by a member club to the Premier League, in the utmost good faith, of accurate financial information that gives a true and fair view of the club’s financial position, in particular with respect to its revenue (including sponsorship revenue), its related parties and its operating costs.
Below is the list of breaches taken from the league’s statement, grouped and translated into easier language.
Rules Season Text Summarised
B13, B15, B16 09/10 10/11 11/12 12/13 13/14 14/15 15/16 16/17 17/18 In all matters and transactions relating to the League each Club shall behave towards each other Club and the League with the utmost good faith Act honestly and fairly towards other clubs and the league itself
C78, E3 09/10 10/11 11/12 12/13 13/14 14/15 15/16 16/17 17/18 Each Club shall by 1st March in each Season submit to the Secretary a copy of its annual accounts in respect of its most recent financial year or if the Club considers it appropriate or the Secretary so requests the Group Accounts of the Group of which it is a member (in either case such accounts to be prepared and audited in accordance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements) together with a copy of the directors’ report for that year and a copy of the auditors’ report on those accounts Clubs must submit their latest audited financial statements, along with directors' and auditors' reports, to the league by March 1st each year.
C79, E4 09/10 10/11 11/12 12/13 13/14 14/15 15/16 16/17 17/18 The accounts referred to in previous rule shall: 1. include separate disclosure within the balance sheet or notes to the accounts, or by way of supplementary information separately reported on by its auditors by way of procedures specified by the Board, of the total sums payable and receivable in respect of Compensation Fees, Contingent Sums and Loan Fees; 2. include a breakdown within the profit and loss account or the notes to the accounts, or by way of supplementary information separately reported on by its auditors by way of procedures specified by the Board, of revenue in appropriate categories such as gate receipts, sponsorship and advertising, broadcasting rights, commercial income and other income. Clubs must include detailed and specific disclosures in their financial statements about various types of payments and revenues. These details must be clearly audited and reported
C86, E11 09/10 10/11 11/12 12/13 13/14 14/15 15/16 16/17 17/18 By 31st March in each Season, each Club shall submit to the Secretary in respect of itself (or if the Club considers it appropriate or the Secretary so requests in respect of the Group of which it is a member) future financial information (“Future Financial Information”) comprising projected profit and loss accounts, cash flow, balance sheets and relevant explanatory notes commencing from its accounting reference date or, if it has submitted interim accounts pursuant to Rule E.6, from the date to which those interim accounts were prepared and expiring on the next accounting reference date after the end of the following Season. The projected profit and loss accounts, cash flow and balance sheets shall be prepared at a maximum of quarterly intervals Each club needs to provide the league with projected (or expected) financial statements for the future. These projections include profit and loss statements, cash flow details, and balance sheets.
C87, E12 09/10 10/11 11/12 12/13 13/14 14/15 15/16 16/17 17/18 The Future Financial Information shall: 1. be prepared in accordance with the accounting principles adopted in the preparation of the Club’s annual accounts (except where the accounting principles and policies are to be changed in the subsequent annual accounts, in which case the new accounting principles and polices should be followed); 2. be approved in writing by the board of directors of the company to which they relate; 3. to include in the explanatory notes thereto principal assumptions and risks; and 4. include for comparison profit and loss accounts for the period covered by the annual accounts and interim accounts submitted pursuant to Rules E.3 and E.6, a forecast for the current financial year and a balance sheet as at the date of the interim accounts submitted pursuant to Rule E.6. Clubs must:1. Use the same accounting principles as in their last annual report, unless planning changes for the upcoming year. 2. Get these forecasts approved in writing by the club's board of directors. 3. Include notes that explain the main assumptions and risks involved. 4. Add comparative profit and loss accounts and a balance sheet from their most recent financial reports for clear reference.
E49, E50, E51 13/14 14/15 15/16 16/17 17/18 Each Club shall notify the League forthwith of any circumstances which may materially and adversely affect any of the information or representations submitted to the League pursuant to this Section E, and on consideration of those circumstances the Board may, if it considers it appropriate, amend any decision or determination that it made based on such information or representations. Clubs must immediately inform the league if there are any changes that could significantly impact the accuracy of the financial or other information they have previously submitted
Effectively the Premier League are stating that, for the period of 2009 until 2018, the club have not been filing accurate financial statements. This relates directly to the leaked emails that are presented to show members of staff discussing payment amounts and sources of monies that are paid to the club for sponsorship, namely for the two main sponsors, Etihad and Etisalat, that are referenced in the UEFA trial. As can be seen from the rules above, some of them are more obviously related than others. There has been some criticism of the Premier League for going for such a wide number of charges, as they have not focused on one area.
With regards to this section of breaches, the club claims that the leaked emails are not evidence of wrongdoing, and are not admissible as evidence. CAS found in favour of UEFA’s assertion that the emails were in fact admissible in their case, so the club is unlikely to be able to contest this point further. This section will essentially boil down to whether the leaked emails show enough evidence of wrongdoing, and whether any further context that has been provided by the club (something that was mentioned in the CAS trial as being helpful towards Man City’s case) is sufficient to prove guilt. It is likely that only 1 or 2 of these 50 rules above are actually key. Others, like B13, B15, and B16 which relate to clubs acting in good faith, would not be enough to charge a club without being bundled in with something else.

Manager and Player Remuneration

This section is broken down further into 2 key areas: manager remuneration, and player remuneration.
The Premier League statement:
In respect of each of Seasons 2009/10 to 2012/13 inclusive, the Premier League Rules applicable in those Seasons requiring a member club to include full details of manager remuneration in its relevant contracts with its manager
And;
In respect of each of Seasons 2010/11 to 2015/16 inclusive, the Premier League Rules applicable in those Seasons requiring a member club to include full details of player remuneration in its relevant contracts with its players
Grouped and summarised below:
Rules Season Text Summarised
Q7, P7 09/10 10/11 11/12 12/13 No Club shall employ any person as a Manager unless and until: 1 the terms of the Manager’s employment have been evidenced in a written contract of employment between the Club and the Manager 2 the Manager’s contract of employment has been registered with the Secretary. Clubs must not hire a manager unless the manager's employment terms are clearly stated in a written contract, and this contract is officially registered with the league's Secretary.
Q8, P8 09/10 10/11 11/12 12/13 Contracts of employment between a Club and a Manager shall: 1 include the standard clauses set out in Appendix 8; 2 clearly set out the circumstances in which the contract of employment may be determined by either party. Employment contracts between a club and a manager must include mandatory standard clauses and specify the conditions under which either party can terminate the contract. Appendix 8 outlines that the manager must follow the rules of relevant football organisations, obey reasonable instructions related to commercial agreements, and resolve any disputes through arbitration or mediation.
K12, T12, T13 10/11 11/12 12/13 13/14 14/15 15/16 Full details of a Player’s remuneration including all benefits to which he is entitled whether in cash or in kind shall be set out in his contract. A player's contract must clearly list all the payment and benefits they receive
K20, T29, T18, T20 10/11 11/12 12/13 13/14 14/15 15/16 Particulars of any Image Contract Payment in respect of the Player shall be set out in the contract with his Club Any payments related to a player’s image rights must be clearly detailed in their contract with the club
The first two key rules relate to manager remuneration, and this is specific to the contract of Roberto Mancini. Mancini was the club’s manager from 2009 until 2013, and the allegations center around leaked emails that suggest he was paid £1.75 million annually as a consultancy fee for UAE based club Al Jazira on top of his £1.45 million salary at City.
For his part, Mancini has stated “I have paid my taxes, it's all above board. So I don't think anyone will be in touch” when asked about the case.
The second two rules are player remuneration and relate to Yaya Toure. The League alleges, again based on the leaked emails, that the club did not disclose all payments to the player, and that payments were made via his agent, Dimitri Seluk, during his contract with the club.
Seluk has stated “I know what has been said about Yaya's contract with City - and what I can tell you is that absolutely everything was done very cleanly, very honestly and with full transparency. Nothing was done under the table.”
Toure was at the club from 2010 until 2018. He originally signed a five year deal, before signing a new contract in 2013 taking him up to 2017. He signed his final 1 year deal in 2017. These allegations relate to his first 6 seasons.

Compliance with UEFA regulations

This section simply relates to the wording of the Premier League rules which state that clubs competing in European competitions must comply with UEFA’s rules in addition to the Premier League’s.
The league states:
In respect of each of Seasons 2013/14 to 2017/18 inclusive, the Premier League Rules applicable in those Seasons requiring a member club to comply with UEFA’s regulations, including UEFA’s Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play Regulations
Once again I’ve presented them grouped and summarised below:
Rules Season Text Summarised
B14.6, B15.6 13/14 14/15 15/16 16/17 17/18 Membership of the League shall constitute an agreement between the League and Clubs and between each Club to be bound by and comply with: - the statutes and regulations of UEFA Each club agrees to follow the rules and regulations set by UEFA.
This rule breach seemingly relates to the period of time that was not ruled as time barred within UEFA’s case, and is not related to the original settlement between the club and UEFA, but does include the 3 years of the settlement agreement up until UEFA declared City to be compliant. Presumably the Premier League have included these to link to UEFA’s allegations of financial discrepancies related to the Etihad deal. It is unclear how much this could stick, given that CAS ruled that there was insufficient evidence of wrongdoing.
It feels amiss of the Premier League to charge the club with breaches of a rule that had already been thrown out by CAS, so I can only assume that they feel that the club have either breached other rules related to financial fair play, which doesn’t seem to be the case, or they are using the non-cooperation fine handed out by CAS to bring these charges forward.

Compliance with PSR

The Premier League have also charged Man City with breaching profit and sustainability rules. These are the rules that Everton and Nottingham Forest have been docked points for recently and relate to the annual accounts clubs must file to prove their compliance.
The league states:
In respect of each of the Seasons 2015/16 to 2017/18 inclusive, the Premier League Rules applicable in those Seasons on Profitability and Sustainability
I’ve laid these out below, grouped again, and summarised. It should be noted in the below that any reference to T, T-1 and T-2 refers to the current season, previous and 2 seasons before.
Rules Season Text Summarised
E52 15/16 Rules E.53 to E.59 shall apply with effect from Season 2015/16. The following rules will apply
E53 15/16 16/17 17/18 Each Club shall by 1 March in each Season submit to the Board: 1. copies of its Annual Accounts for T-1 (and T-2 if these have not previously been submitted to the Board) together with copies of the directors’ report(s) and auditors’ report(s) on those accounts; 2. its estimated profit and loss account and balance sheet for T which shall: 2.1. be prepared in all material respects in a format similar to the Club’s Annual Accounts; and 2.2. be based on the latest information available to the Club and be, to the best of the Club’s knowledge and belief, an accurate estimate as at the time of preparation of future financial performance; and 3. if Rule E.56 applies to the Club, the calculation of its aggregated Adjusted Earnings Before Tax for T, T-1 and T-2 in Form 4A By March 1st each season, each club must submit to the League's Board: Their financial accounts for the previous two years, along with reports from directors and auditors. A forecast of their profit and loss and balance sheet for the current year, ensuring it is up-to-date and accurately reflects expected financial performance. If required, a detailed calculation of their earnings before tax for the current and previous two years
E54 15/16 16/17 17/18 The Board shall determine whether consideration included in the Club’s Earnings Before Tax arising from a Related Party Transaction is recorded in the Club’s Annual Accounts at a Fair Market Value. If it is not, the Board shall restate it to Fair Market Value. The Board will check if earnings before tax reported in a club's annual accounts from transactions with related parties are valued fairly according to market standards. If they aren't, the Board will adjust these values to reflect the fair market value.
E55 15/16 16/17 17/18 The Board shall not exercise its power set out in Rule E.54 without first having given the Club reasonable opportunity to make submissions as to: 1. whether the said consideration should be restated; and/or 2. what constitutes its Fair Market Value. Before the Board can adjust any values in a club's financial statements, they must give the club a chance to present their case regarding whether adjustments are necessary and what the fair market value should be.
E56 15/16 16/17 17/18 If the aggregation of a Club’s Earnings Before Tax for T-1 and T-2 results in a loss, any consideration from Related Party Transactions having been adjusted (if appropriate) pursuant to Rule E.54, then the Club must submit to the Board the calculation of its Adjusted Earnings Before Tax for each of T, T-1 and T-2. If a club's combined earnings before tax for the past two years show a loss, after adjusting any related party transaction values as necessary, the club must then provide the Board with a detailed calculation of its adjusted earnings before tax for each of the three years
E57 15/16 16/17 17/18 If the aggregation of a Club’s Adjusted Earnings Before Tax for T, T-1 and T-2 results in a loss of up to £15m, then the Board shall determine whether the Club will, until the end of T+1, be able to pay its liabilities described in Rule E.14.7.1 and fulfil the obligations set out in Rules E.14.7.2 and E.14.7.3. If a club's adjusted earnings before tax for the current year and the previous two years total a loss of up to £15 million, the Board will assess whether the club can pay its debts and meet its obligations through the end of the next season as specified in other rules.
E58 15/16 16/17 17/18 If the aggregation of a Club’s Adjusted Earnings Before Tax for T, T-1 and T-2 results in a loss of in excess of £15m then the following shall apply: 1. the Club shall provide, by 31 March in the relevant Season, Future Financial Information to cover the period commencing from its last accounting reference date (as defined in section 391 of the Act) until the end of T+2 and a calculation of estimated aggregated Adjusted Earnings Before Tax until the end of T+2 based on that Future Financial Information; 2. the Club shall provide such evidence of Secure Funding as the Board considers sufficient; and 3. if the Club is unable to provide evidence of Secure Funding as set out in Rule E.58.2, the Board may exercise its powers set out in Rule E.15. If a club's total adjusted earnings before tax for the current year and the previous two years show a loss greater than £15 million, then the club must: Submit future financial plans and estimated earnings up to two years beyond the current season by March 31st. Provide proof of secure funding as the Board requires. If the club can't show they have secure funding, the Board may take action as outlined in another rule.
E59 15/16 16/17 17/18 If the aggregation of a Club’s Adjusted Earnings Before Tax for T, T-1 and T-2 results in losses of in excess of £105m: 1. the Board may exercise its powers set out in Rule E.15; and 2. the Club shall be treated as being in breach of these Rules and accordingly the Board shall refer the breach to a Commission constituted pursuant to Section W of these Rules. If a club's total adjusted earnings before tax for the current year and the previous two years show a loss greater than £105 million, then: The Board may use its authority as outlined in Rule E.15. The club will be considered as having broken the rules, and the Board will report this violation to a special Commission as per Section W of the rules.
E60 15/16 16/17 17/18 The sum set out in Rule E.59 shall be reduced by £22m for each Season covered by T-1 and T-2 in which the Club was in membership of The Football League. If a club was a member of The Football League in the previous two seasons (T-1 and T-2), the amount mentioned in Rule E.59 will be decreased by £22 million for each of those seasons
A lot of this is not specific to anything the club will have breached, and is again a criticism that has been levelled at the Premier League for not being focused enough on charging the club and instead trying to go for as much as possible. Eg rule E52 in the 2015/16 season isn’t really something that would be up for debate, and rule E60, which refers to seasons spent outside the Premier League for adjusting the £105m 3 season PSR limit.
I don’t believe that the club has breached a lot of these rules specifically, and that the Premier League has just grouped PSR as a category together to hit the club with multiple charges. It is likely that the key rule in this section is E54, which discusses related party income and fair market value. This is an important one for City, as the leaked emails have been presented to show the club receiving money from sponsors with funds that have come directly from ADUG, Abu Dhabi United Group, owned by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan and with an 81% stake in the CFG (City Football Group) that comprises the club.
City have always argued that these sponsorships are not related parties, something that has been previously accepted by both the Premier League and UEFA in separate agreements related to PSR and FFP under their rules. It is likely that the key here is whether the emails imply that they should in fact be counted as related parties, and therefore whether they represent fair market value.
For the other rules in this section, it is unlikely that anything of substance will be proven or even sought.

Cooperation with the investigation

In addition to the above 4 sections, which all covered rule breaches related to the hacked emails, the Premier League charged the club with non-cooperation with their investigation. This does not relate to the breaches themselves, and so you will notice that the seasons are all after the Der Spiegel investigation.
The charges are:
In respect of the period from December 2018 to date, the Premier League Rules applicable in the relevant Seasons requiring a member club to cooperate with, and assist, the Premier League in its investigations, including by providing documents and information to the Premier League in the utmost good faith
Grouped and summarised:
Rules Season Text Summarised
B16, B15 18/19 19/20 20/21 21/22 22/23 In all matters and transactions relating to the League each Club shall behave towards each other Club and the League with the utmost good faith. Act honestly and fairly towards other clubs and the league itself
B19, B18 18/19 19/20 20/21 21/22 22/23 Without prejudice to the League’s powers of inquiry under Rule W.1, each Club shall comply promptly and in full with any request for information made by the League (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any such request made pursuant to a demand from a statutory or regulatory authority). Clubs must quickly and fully respond to any information requests from the League, even if these are prompted by a government or regulatory body's demands
W1 18/19 19/20 20/21 21/22 22/23 The Board shall have power to inquire into any suspected or alleged breach of these Rules and for that purpose may require: 1. any Manager, Match Official, Official or Player to appear before it; and 2. any such person or any Club to produce documents. The Board has the authority to investigate any suspected or confirmed rule violations. For this, they can: Require managers, match officials, other officials, or players to appear before them. Ask these individuals or any club to provide relevant documents.
W2 18/19 19/20 20/21 21/22 22/23 Any Manager, Match Official, Official or Player who fails to appear before or to produce documents to the Board when required to do so under Rule W.1 shall be in breach of these Rules. Anybody who does not comply with Rule W.1 is in breach
W12, W15 18/19 19/20 20/21 21/22 22/23 It shall be no answer to a request from the Board to disclose documents or information pursuant to Rule W.1 that such documents or information requested are confidential. All Clubs and Persons subject to these Rules must ensure that any other obligations of confidentiality assumed are made expressly subject to the League’s right of inquiry under these Rules. No Club or Person shall be under an obligation to disclose any documents rendered confidential by either the order of a court of competent jurisdiction or by statute or statutory instrument. The Board can request documents or information even if they are confidential. However, clubs and individuals are not required to disclose anything that is legally confidential due to a court order or by law. Clubs and individuals should ensure any confidentiality agreements acknowledge the League's right to inquire.
W13, W16 18/19 19/20 20/21 21/22 22/23 All persons who are requested to assist pursuant to Rule W.1 shall provide full, complete and prompt assistance to the Board in its exercise of its power of Inquiry Anyone asked to help must fully, quickly, and completely help the Board with its investigations.
Three of these are your meat and potatoes non-cooperation charges, which the Premier League will have charged City with for not providing documents when requested. A couple relate specifically to individuals within a club, but otherwise these breaches will be the most likely to stick, similar to how they did at CAS.
Man City have maintained that they do not need to cooperate with the investigation which they state as being based on illegally obtained material and have stated that they do not trust the investigation.
Rules B15, B16 make another appearance relating to acting with the utmost good faith.

When will this hearing take place?

We don’t really know. The panel has been chosen and are presumably deliberating, but as with cases of this size and with so many documents, they take time.
League CEO Richard Masters has recently stated that the case will “Resolve itself soon”, which is badly worded and has led to speculation that the club and league are seeking a way out of the case following the charges being thrown out. This is unlikely, as it would be in the interest of both to end proceedings as quickly as possible.
There have been criticisms towards the Premier League regarding the secrecy around these hearings - it is actually within the Premier League’s rules that these occur in private:
Rules W70 and X25 state: The proceedings of an arbitration convened under this Section (W/X) shall be confidential and shall be conducted in private.

Aren’t Man City just stalling?

Not really, no. The club have been charged with non-cooperation by the Premier League for their initial investigation, but there is nothing the club can do to further postpone the hearing taking place. The time required is simply because of the magnitude and seriousness of the allegations put forward by the league.
The original BBC article alleged that City were “dragging their feet” - but this is not something that stops the league handing out charges, and isn’t something that will change the timeline of the independent panel’s investigation.

Punishments

So let's say that City is found guilty - what are the likely punishments to be? The answer is complicated, as it completely depends on what charges are ultimately determined to be warranted. Talk of points deductions amounting to the thousands are pure hyperbole. The specific breaches agreed by the independent panel will influence the size of any punishment.
Given the seriousness of the allegations - essentially fraud across multiple years involving the club, sponsors, auditors and governing bodies - there must be a high bar of proof. With such a high bar also comes a high punishment if the club is deemed to be guilty. It is entirely possible that a proportionate punishment to such deceit would be expulsion from the league. This would however be the least of the club’s worries, as it brings into question the legality of the breaches with regards to individuals, HMRC and other organisations from which payments may or may not have been withheld or deliberately reported incorrectly.
Some of the above charges do not risk carrying any sort of point based punishment. The non-cooperation charges, for example, would be a monetary fine. It is also very unlikely that the league would seek to remove past titles. The scope and burden of proof that specific breaches directly correlated to titles would be too complicated.
Expulsion from the Premier League would require the club to apply to join another league, the EFL the most likely candidate. It would be at the discretion of the EFL whether they accepted the club into their league structure. Given the size of the club and the need to replace the 20th team in the Premier League, it would be likely that they would agree to include the club in their league system as a space would open up in the Championship.

Can the club appeal a decision?

Yes, there are avenues for appeal. That appeal will not go through CAS, as correctly reported, but would go to another panel. Sections W through to Z of the Premier League rulebook detail different types of appeals and tribunals for varying reasons. Section W is the section specifically referred to in the PSR rules (within section E of the Premier League handbook).

There is no Time Bar though in the Premier League

Well, kind of. There is no time bar specifically mentioned in the rules. The Premier League handbook, which you can read at https://www.premierleague.com/about/publications,does state (Rule A7) that “these Rules shall be governed by and shall be construed in accordance with English law. Strictly without prejudice to the arbitration and other dispute resolution provisions of these Rules, disputes relating to these Rules shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.”.
Essentially this means that any rules follow English Law, which itself does state a time bar for cases. This is typically 6 years for most cases, with some differences based on specific situations.
In the case of fraud this can vary, and may be the avenue that the Premier League tries to go down (which itself makes the evidence required to prove the case more stringent). For fraud cases, English Law states:
Time bar of 6 years from the date cause of action accrued
Or, if the cause of action is deliberately concealed, 6 years from when the fraud is, or with reasonable diligence would have been, discovered.
Should this be the route the Premier League has chosen then there will have to be a discussion to determine what period of time the charges can be applied to.

What about the length of grass?

There was never a charge about the length of grass. Such narrative about what the charges were came from initial analysis by people using incorrect versions of the Premier League handbook (as the rules change from year to year slightly, and those rules shift in their assignment. This is is why I have grouped them as such in the above tables). All charges relate to financial issues and non-cooperation in the league's subsequent investigation.

What about the Cease and Desist?

Rumours began last week that the club had issued cease and desist letters to individuals and organisations within the public domain related to the charges. As of yet there has been no evidence that anybody has received such a letter (although you’d question why they would publicise receiving one in the first place). It should be made clear that any cease and desist that may have been received by anybody would not prevent them from discussing the charges with which the league have brought on City. Any cease and desist letter is a demand that the recipient stops any activity considered to be unlawful - eg. in the case of this case it would be accusations levelled at the club that are not true. Examples would be the club being called cheats because they’ve done specific things that have not been proven to be true like a false statement or libel.

Can’t we just dock points now like Everton and Nottingham Forest?

Not really, no. Cases of this magnitude take time to deliberate and cross examine. There is no quick way of dealing with such a large case. The Everton and Nottingham Forest cases, by comparison, are simple breaches that can be quantified by simply looking at the submitted accounts, which for both clubs show losses that are above the agreed amount in Rule E53 of the Premier League handbook (and Rule E54 in Nottingham Forest’s case due to their recent promotion that reduced their allowable losses).
Neither club claimed to have not breached these rules, but merely tried to argue the case that their losses were due to mitigating circumstances, which the Premier League did not agree with.
Anybody questioning why analysis of so many historical charges takes longer than clear individual breaches shown on a balance sheet needs to consider whether they want a case to be resolved quickly, or whether they want it to be resolved properly, as the two are mutually exclusive.

Who wins?

Ultimately nobody wins. Reputational damage is guaranteed for either Manchester City or the Premier League depending on the outcome. It can also be argued that enough reputational damage has already been dealt to both organisations. This is often why a settlement is seen as a preferred option, as there is no long drawn out saga. The club have remained steadfast and stubborn insisting that there is no grounds for the charges and that they are innocent on all accounts. The league have been criticised for their handling of the matter and for other PSR breaches recently and don’t seem to be keen to back down in this case either.
There was also the accusation that the league had rushed through presenting the charges in order to disrupt the introduction of an independent regulator by the Government and to prove that it can govern itself. That has largely failed as the IFR (Independent football regulator) looks likely to be going ahead.
The best case scenario for the club is being cleared of all charges - unlikely due to the presence of those non-cooperation charges - a win for the club, but there will be large question marks over the Premier League’s handling, the time taken, the accuracy of the verdict and the secrecy involved. The club will also have suffered reputational damage up to this point, particularly from sections of the football fraternity who have already made their mind up.
The best case scenario for the league is trickier - it doesn’t want to be seen to be a light touch, but conversely it doesn’t want to be triggering the sort of chaos that points deductions and league expulsions might have on one of its most successful clubs of the last decade. In some ways, the league has already lost.

Closing Thoughts

There will be details that I have glossed over for brevity - there is a lot more information in some of the linked documents plus the Premier League handbooks that provides a lot more important context.
I hope the above proves useful to anybody interested in the finer details of the situation, but appreciate that it is probably beyond the scope of the kind of person who posts 115 memes and gets agitated by the lack of discussion around the charges.
There may be inaccuracies. If you spot anything then please let me know and I will make a quick amendment.
TL;DR
Shits complicated Bro
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2024.05.13 14:11 LLMReviews Reduce Stress and Anxiety Naturally: Experience the Calming Benefits of Chiropractic Care


The Link Between Stress and Back Pain
Stress is an unavoidable part of modern life, and its impact on physical well-being is profound. Many individuals find themselves seeking relief from not only the mental toll of stress but also the physical manifestations, including back pain. A back pain chiropractor Union City NJ understands this connection, offering a natural and holistic approach to address both stress and its physical manifestations.
Chiropractic Wellness Center Union City NJ: A Haven for Stress Relief
A Chiropractic Wellness Center Union City NJ is more than a place to address back pain; it's a haven for stress relief. The holistic approach of chiropractic care recognizes the interconnected nature of the mind and body. Through chiropractic adjustments and supportive therapies, individuals can experience a comprehensive solution that goes beyond symptom management.
Understanding the Impact of Stress on the Body
Stress triggers a physiological response in the body, leading to muscle tension, tightness, and, in many cases, back pain. The shoulders hunch, the neck tenses, and the spine may misalign under the weight of stress. A back pain chiropractor Union City NJ specializes in identifying and addressing these physical manifestations, offering a targeted approach to stress-related back pain.
Chiropractic Adjustments: Relaxation for the Nervous System
Chiropractic adjustments, administered by a skilled back pain chiropractor Union City NJ, have a direct impact on the nervous system. By realigning the spine and reducing interference on nerves, chiropractic care induces a relaxation response. This not only alleviates physical tension but also has a calming effect on the mind, offering a natural way to manage stress.
Chiropractic Massage Union City NJ: Targeting Stress in Soft Tissues
In conjunction with chiropractic adjustments, Chiropractic Massage Union City NJ serves as a powerful tool for stress reduction. Massage therapy targets soft tissues, releasing built-up tension and promoting relaxation. This dual approach, combining spinal adjustments and massage, provides a synergistic solution for those seeking natural stress relief.
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Chiropractic care operates on the principle of the mind-body connection. The effects of stress are not limited to mental well-being but manifest physically, especially in the spine and musculoskeletal system. A Chiropractic Wellness Center Union City NJ acknowledges this holistic approach, offering a space where individuals can address both the physical and mental aspects of stress.
Stress Reduction Beyond Back Pain: Additional Benefits
The benefits of chiropractic care extend beyond stress-related back pain. Individuals often report improvements in sleep, increased energy levels, and enhanced overall well-being. As stress is managed through chiropractic adjustments and therapies like massage, these additional benefits contribute to a more balanced and fulfilling life.
Empowering the Individual: Active Participation in Wellness
Chiropractors empower individuals to take an active role in their well-being. Through education on stress management techniques, lifestyle adjustments, and exercises, individuals can cultivate habits that support mental and physical resilience. This proactive approach aligns with the philosophy of a Chiropractic Wellness Center Union City NJ, where wellness is a collaborative journey.
A Natural Alternative to Medications: Avoiding Side Effects
For those wary of relying on medications to manage stress and anxiety, chiropractic care offers a natural alternative. Chiropractic adjustments and massage therapy are drug-free interventions, avoiding the potential side e
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2024.05.13 13:22 Tiberiusthemad Proven natural hacks to boost your mood (Serotonin) and lower anxiety. I hope it helps.

A lot of people from this subreddit have been asking this question and i got this article together to answer that question. I hope it helps. Cheers.

I honestly have found great help when i started taking Omega 3 in a daily basis, Vitamin B1 B6 B12, enough zinc, magnesium and Vitamin D.
PS : for those who also want to increase their testosterone, improving your mood and lowering Cortisol greatly helps.

Stress Reduction

Our bodies release cortisol when stressed. Cortisol decreases serotonin levels in the body, by increasing serotonin reuptake. Too much cortisol can increase your risk of developing mental health disorders. That is why reducing mental stress can help balance cortisol levels and increase serotonin
Many of the lifestyle changes below can be used to decrease stress.

Mood Improvement

Serotonin impacts our mood, but mood also affects serotonin production. Studies using brain imaging (PET), showed that brains of people who are happy produce more serotonin than brains of people who are sad
Therefore, engaging in activities and doing things that make you happier can help boost serotonin production.
In addition, studies show that social interactions also influence serotonin levels. Spend more time with people who make you feel good in general

Exercise

Fatigue, as a result of exercise, increases the amount of tryptophan that can cross the blood-brain barrier (by decreasing BCAA levels) and thereby boosts serotonin production. Psychological benefits of physical exercise can be more readily achieved with consistent aerobic exercise training
Mice that ran on treadmills had higher levels of serotonin compared to mice that remained inactive. Brain tryptophan remained high even after exercise

Getting More Sun

It has been long known that bright light helps treat seasonal depression. But several studies suggest that light is also an effective treatment for other forms of depression
People have higher serotonin levels in the summer compared to winter
In fact, our modern way of life, in which we spend a lot of time indoors, may be depleting our serotonin levels, thereby making us more vulnerable to mood disorders
Pioneer studies suggest that our skin may produce serotonin when exposed to sunlight
In addition, you need vitamin D to produce serotonin, and sun to produce vitamin D
Therefore, going outside and spending more time in the sun on a regular basis is a great way to boost your serotonin levels.

Yoga and Meditation

A review of over 200 peer-reviewed RCTs, clinical trials, and meta-analyses studying complementary and alternative medicine suggest that yoga and meditation may help uplift mood and improve symptoms of mild, moderate, and treatment-resistant depression
In fact, meditation activates many parts of the brain important for understanding the self, emotions, problem-solving, adaptability, and increasing awareness. Serotonin plays a role in wakefulness, along with other neurotransmitters, which are all raised in meditators
Thirty minutes of yoga and breathing exercises improved mood in a study of 71 healthy adults

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy or counseling may change brain chemistry and even increase serotonin activity (by increasing serotonin receptors). In a (DB-RCT) study of 23 patients with depression who participated in psychotherapy for 4 months, therapy significantly increased serotonin activity and improved symptoms of depression

Eat to Increase Serotonin

Tryptophan is the amino acid building block for serotonin. Tryptophan is not produced by the body, so it must be taken in through diet.
Current research shows that unlike purified tryptophan, consuming tryptophan-rich foods does not necessarily increase brain serotonin. That’s because tryptophan-rich foods, such as meat, dairy, fruits, and vegetables, also contain many other amino acids. Tryptophan has to compete with these other amino acids for transport across the blood-brain barrier
On the other hand, lack of dietary tryptophan (compared to other amino acids) may lead to lower blood and brain tryptophan levels, decreasing serotonin production. Increased BCAAs also lower tryptophan and serotonin, as well as dopamine in the brain. This may be especially problematic for people who take protein powders to enhance exercise performance

Carbs

Consuming carbs increases serotonin levels by increasing the transport of tryptophan into the brain
However, you should use other methods to boost your serotonin, as increasing carbs in your diet can have a plethora of negative effects.

which Supplements can Increase Serotonin?

L-Tryptophan and 5-HTP

In the body, L-tryptophan is used to make 5-HTP from which serotonin is made. Taking L-tryptophan may raise plasma serotonin, improving cognitive, motor, or gut issues in those who are deficient
A protein called alpha-Lactalbumin from milk contains more tryptophan than many other proteins. In a (DB-RCT) study of 18 inpiduals, 12 grams of alpha-Lactalbumin increased the amount of tryptophan in blood plasma by 16% after 90 minutes
In another (DB-RCT) study, 12.32 grams of tryptophan increased blood tryptophan by 43% after 1.5 hours and improved memory in 23 subjects vulnerable to high stress
In a pilot study of 13 female patients experiencing premenstrual syndrome (PMS), 6 grams of L-tryptophan taken daily for 14 days improved mood, irritability, difficulty sleeping, and carbohydrate craving
Tryptophan can be purchased in the form of L-tryptophan supplements. 5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan) supplements are also available. It is important to note that 5-HTP is not the same as 5-HT, which is the chemical name for serotonin. 5-HTP freely crosses the blood-brain barrier (serotonin itself does not) to be converted into serotonin

Probiotics

In the digestive tract, probiotics restore the gut microbiome and influence the gut-brain axis. Gut bacteria are important because they can produce tryptophan, from which serotonin is made. Many mental health disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease, are linked to less perse or fewer gut bacteria
In a study (DB-RTC), an 8-week probiotic regimen (2.0 x 109 CFU/g of Lactobacillus helveticus and 2.0 x 109 CFU/g of Bifidobacterium longum) increased tryptophan levels in 110 inpiduals with depression. Increased tryptophan can increase serotonin production
A probiotic (Bifidobacteria infantis) given to rats for 14 days raised levels of blood tryptophan

Vitamin D

Vitamin D helps the body make, release, and use serotonin in the brain. Vitamin D activates an enzyme that converts tryptophan into serotonin. If vitamin D levels are low, our brains make less serotonin. Thus, increasing vitamin D intake increases serotonin levels, reducing the risk of mental health disorders
A cohort study of over 9K subjects demonstrated that taking vitamin D supplements during the first year of life was correlated with a 77% reduced risk of schizophrenia. In other words, preventing low vitamin D levels early in life may reduce the chance of having schizophrenia later in life

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

While vitamin D helps neurons make serotonin, the omega-3 fatty acids, EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), help neurons release serotonin and improve its activity (increasing serotonin receptor sensitivity). Fish, such as salmon or trout, are high in omega-3 fatty acids. The omega 3 fatty acid supplements are also sold as fish oil capsules
Inadequate omega-3 fatty acids intake may increase susceptibility to psychiatric illnesses, including depression
In a (DB-RCT) study of 49 patients that repeatedly self-harm themselves, 1.2 grams of EPA and 0.9 grams of DHA capsules daily for 12 weeks reduced suicidal thinking by 45% and depression by 30%
An observational study of 256,118 Japanese participants, discovered that people who ate fish daily had lower rates of suicidal thoughts compared to people who did not eat fish daily. In another observational study of 1,767 Finnish subjects, consuming fish less than twice a week was associated with a higher risk of depression and suicidal thinking
In rats, low levels of omega-3 fatty acids (specifically alpha linoleic acid) are associated with lower serotonin activity, while DHA deficiency reduces brain serotonin in piglets
Reduced intake of both EPA and DHA by pregnant rats resulted in less production, storage, release, and activity (receptor function) of serotonin in the brains of their offspring. Serotonin was not only reduced in the mothers’ brains but also its availability and production were reduced by (65% and 29%, respectively) in the brains of newborn rats

St. John’s Wort

St. John’s Wort is a popular medicinal plant (Hypericum perforatum) used as an antidepressant for mild depression.
The plant increases serotonin in animals, similar to typical antidepressants, but with fewer side effects
In a review (of 35 studies) of 6,993 patients with depression, St. John’s Wort standalone therapy improved mild to moderate symptoms as well as antidepressants and better than placebo. The typical dose is 300 mg of the extract 3 times per day for at least 4 weeks

S-Adenosyl Methionine (SAMe)

SAMe is needed to produce serotonin
It is a naturally occurring compound that plays a role in methylation, energy breakdown and may help patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) who are not responding to conventional, synthetic antidepressants
In a (DB-RCT) study involving 73 MDD inpiduals unresponsive to drug therapy, 800 mg twice a day improved symptoms of depression compared to the placebo
In a (DB-RCT) study of 144 inpiduals with MDD, 1,600 – 3,200 mg of SAMe daily for 12 weeks significantly improved mood
A review of 132 studies (115 CT and 17 preclinical) concluded that SAMe can be useful not just for depression, but for an array of mental health disorders, such as substance abuse and psychosis

Vitamin B

Lack of vitamin B may be associated with the onset of mental health disorders. The body needs Vitamin B6 to make neurotransmitters like serotonin from 5-HTP (Vitamin B acts as enzyme cofactor)
Vitamin B12 and folate (vitamin B9) are necessary for the folate cycle, which helps convert tryptophan into serotonin (by producing and recycling essential co-factors)
In a cohort study of 549 community-dwelling seniors, those with low vitamin B12 and B9 blood levels were more likely to have irreversible problems with cognition (memory, attention, and thought)
In Rhesus monkeys, a single dose of vitamin B6 increased serotonin production in the brain
In addition, treatment of healthy adult rats with a vitamin B mixture raised serotonin levels in the brain

Vitamin C

Vitamin C supplements over a period of 6 weeks increased brain serotonin levels in rats with drug-induced dementia

Vitamin E

Vitamin E supplementation for 8 weeks increased serotonin in rats suffering from spinal cord injury

Zinc

Zinc can target and activate serotonin receptors
In a meta-analysis of 17 observational studies, blood zinc levels were lower in depressed inpiduals compared to non-depressed inpiduals
In a study (DB-RCT), 25 mg of elemental zinc supplements daily for 12 weeks reduced depressive symptoms in a study of 37 patients with major depressive disorder
Zinc can be increased through diet in foods such as red meat, oysters, and whole grains

Magnesium

Magnesium supplements increase serotonin levels by increasing its availability (reducing reuptake) in the brain. In a (DB-RCT) study, 500 mg of magnesium per day for 8 weeks significantly improved symptoms in 60 patients diagnosed with mild to moderate depression
Magnesium is found in green leafy vegetables, nuts, and legumes

Inositol

Inositol increases the sensitivity of serotonin receptors
In one study of 30 women with a PMS mood disorder, myo-inositol reduced symptoms and improved mood given over 6 menstrual cycles
Inositol decreases depression in rats by binding serotonin receptors

Turmeric

Curcumin is the active component of turmeric. In stressed rats, curcumin extended the length of time serotonin stays active in the brain (by blocking the reuptake of serotonin). It also improved cognition and reduced serum corticosterone, a cortisol equivalent, in rats
In mice, a single dose of curcumin (10 – 80 mg/kg) increased serotonin levels

Velvet Bean

Mucuna pruriens, known as the velvet bean, combats Parkinson’s disease better than the standard treatment (levodopa) in rats. In addition to being a source of dopamine, the long-term use of the powder form of Mucuna pruriens also restored serotonin levels in rat brains

L-Theanine

L-theanine, an amino acid found in tea leaves (e.g. green, black, or oolong tea) and Bay Bolete mushrooms, has relaxing effects on the mind. Green tea has the highest concentration of L-theanine
In a cohort study of over 42K Japanese inpiduals, those who consumed at least 5 cups of green tea a day experiences less psychological distress that is often associated with reduced serotonin
In rat studies, L-theanine raised serotonin levels in the brain

Rhodiola

Rhodiola rosea is a flowering plant that may help improve anxiety and depression. In a (DB-RCT) clinical trial of 89 patients with mild to moderate depression and low serotonin, Rhodiola rosea extracts (340 mg/day and 680 mg/day) for 42 days improved overall depression, including insomnia and emotional instability
In 70 depressive rats suffering from chronic mild stress and serotonin deficiency, Rhodiola extract (1.5, 3, or 6g/kg) for 3 weeks restored normal levels of serotonin

Saffron

Safranal, one of the main active components of saffron (Crocus sativus), increases serotonin availability in the brain (by blocking reuptake)
A meta-analysis (5 RCTs) of 177 participants concluded that 30 mg per day of saffron capsules can improve symptoms of depression in adults with major depressive disorder within 6 to 8 weeks

Psychedelics

Psychedelics are hallucinogenic drugs such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and psilocybin mushrooms. Psychedelics can stimulate serotonin activity (by directly binding to serotonergic receptors and also increasing their number), raise serotonin levels, and reduce its breakdown
In a recent pilot study (DB-RCT) of 12 patients with anxiety, 200 μg of LSD significantly reduced self-reported anxiety. LSD was given in a safe psychotherapeutic environment with medical supervision to avoid side effects
In a (DB-RCT) study of 17 healthy inpiduals, psilocybin (215 micrograms/kg) enhanced mood, increased goal-directed behavior and decreased recognition of negative facial expressions
Though psychedelics can activate serotonin signaling, unsupervised use may lead to serious psychological consequences. Certain plant hallucinogens, as well as synthetic hallucinogens, can be especially toxic. Using this substance should be under professional supervision.

Magnolia Tree

The bark and seed cones of the Magnolia tree (Magnolia officinalis) appear to have anti-stress, anti-anxiety, and antidepressant effects
20 and 40 mg/kg of honokiol and magnolol, the main components of Magnolia officinalis, restored low levels of serotonin in rats with chronic mild stress
Magnolia bark and ginger rhizome are commonly used to treat mental disorders in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). 30 mg/kg of a magnolia bark and ginger rhizome mixture increased serotonin in the brains of depressed mice

Essential Oils

Essential oils are commonly used to reduce anxiety, stress, low mood, and other mental health disorders. Smelling the essential oils (inhalation) can activate pathways in the brain to boost serotonin and dopamine production
In a study of aromatherapy in 60 elderly patients with depression (RCT), 5 ml of essential oil mixture (containing lavender, sweet orange, bergamot, and almond oil) increased serotonin levels after application two times a week for 8 weeks
Ylang-ylang essential oils increased serotonin levels in mice brains (hippocampus)
Bitter orange is an essential oil that reduced anxiety and improved mood by boosting serotonin activity in mice after 14 days of use
Lavender oil blocked the breakdown/reuptake of serotonin in cell studies

Valerian

The root of the Valerian plant increases serotonin levels and activity (by decreasing its turnover)
Valerian may help with irritable bowel syndrome. In a rat study, components of the Valeriani root balanced overactive serotonin in the gut (colon) and serum
Valeriana officinalis root extract prevented the breakdown of serotonin in mice exposed to stress

Apigenin

Apigenin is a nutrient in citrus fruits that may improve cognition and behavior as well as symptoms of depression and stress
In mouse models, 20-day treatment with apigenin (10 and 20 mg/kg) increased serotonin levels, and decreased anxious behavior
Apigenin was able to reduce the impact of chronic mild stress in rats by increasing serotonin availability and reducing its breakdown

Berberine

Berberine is a salt derived from plants in the Berberis family (the roots, rhizomes, stems, and barks), including barberry, tree turmeric, Oregon-grape, and others. It blocks the enzyme MAO-A, which breaks down serotonin, thereby raising serotonin levels
A single berberine dose increased levels of serotonin by 47% in the brains of depressed mice. Long-term treatment with berberine (5 mg/kg for 15 days) increased serotonin by 19%
Mice given berberine in a different study had increased serotonin levels in regions of the brain (hippocampus and frontal cortex) important for memory and mood

Acetyl-L-Carnitine

Carnitine may increase serotonin in the cerebral cortex, a region of the brain involved in cognition and memory
Acetyl-L-carnitine (ALCAR) is a modified form of carnitine, a common dietary supplement sold in health food stores. ALCAR protects the brain and may help with depression. In mice, it increased levels of serotonin in the brain when given daily for 25 days

Lithium

Lithium has long been used in the treatment of mental disorders such as bipolar disorder. It works by increasing serotonin activity in the brain

Physical Treatments that Increase Serotonin

Neurofeedback

Neurofeedback allows inpiduals to consciously change their brain activity (EEG waves) and therefore modify their behavior and cognition. Some of its clinical uses are for migraines, ADHD, and PTSD
In a study (RCT), neurofeedback (30 minutes, 5 sessions weekly, 4 weeks) was applied to 40 patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). FMS patients have lower serotonin and widespread pain in their muscles and bones. After 2 weeks, patients experienced less pain, fatigue, anxiety, and depression

Massage

Massage therapy decreased cortisol and raised serotonin and dopamine in a broad population with stress-related health problems in 3 studies
In one (RCT) study, 24 adults with low back pain were either given two 30 minute massages per week or subjected to standard relaxation procedures over the span of 5 weeks. Urine serotonin levels were higher in inpiduals who received massage therapy

Acupuncture

In a randomized clinical trial, 75 women with fibromyalgia, acupuncture increased levels of serotonin in the serum, compared to placebo
In rats, acupuncture-like stimulation increased serotonin activity in certain regions of the brain

Light Therapy

When sun exposure is not possible, bright light therapy can help increase serotonin levels
Bright light therapy (photobiomodulation) shows promising results for depression based on clinical trials
In a study of 10 women with chronic headaches (observational), 34 seconds daily use of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) significantly increased serotonin levels after just 3 days
In a study of 25 drug-free hospitalized veterans with depression or bipolar disorder, bright white light improved depressive symptoms. However, further testing needs to be done on the negative consequences of long-term light treatment

Vagus Nerve Stimulation

Long-term vagus nerve stimulation (14 days) increased serotonin levels in rat brains
In rats, sustained vagus nerve stimulation for 14 days also increased the action of serotonin

Testing Serotonin

Serotonin that gets released into the blood gets rapidly broken down in the liver and lungs, to inactive metabolites (such as 5-HIAA) that are excreted in urine . That is why normally, blood and urine contain very small amounts of serotonin. Larger quantities of serotonin in the blood/urine can be found in people with serotonin-producing tumors (carcinoid tumors).
Beware of the use of urine serotonin levels to check for “neurotransmitter imbalances”. While the companies providing these tests state that the levels in urine correspond to brain neurotransmitter levels, science has repeatedly shown that this is not the case
Serotonin doesn’t cross the blood-brain barrier. Even if it did, it is released intermittently and influenced by many different stimuli. Furthermore, levels differ within different parts of the brain. And finally, values differ for the same person from one day to another
In addition, companies have been known to intentionally use extremely narrow ranges, without any scientific support whatsoever, in order to sell supplements to their clients
If you do have neurotransmitter imbalances in the brain, more reliable tests of serotonin levels are cerebrospinal fluid tests or measurements of serotonin in blood platelets
A PET scan is the only direct way to detect changes of serotonin production in specific areas of the brain
Serotonin Risks and Safety
Excess serotonin may result in serotonin syndrome, which can be fatal. Usually, though, serotonin syndrome is a result of drug interactions. No cases have been observed just from safe, natural approaches
MDMA, LSD, and other synthetic drugs may cause serotonin syndrome, and should not be taken without medical supervision or outside a psychotherapeutic environment
Most of the studies mentioned above were performed on adults. More research involving children is needed in order to determine safety.
Abnormally heightened levels of serotonin (hyperserotonemia) is a consistent finding in inpiduals with autism. Pregnant women with hyperserotonemia are more likely to give birth to children with autism

Drug Interactions

The use of St. John’s Wort, SAMe, or lithium simultaneously with serotonergic drugs like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAO-I), and triptans, can increase the risk of serotonin syndrome, a life-threatening and potentially fatal condition

Limitations and Caveats

Some of these studies have fairly small sample sizes. Additionally, many of these natural methods of increasing serotonin in the body have only been tested in animals and need further research in humans through clinical trials.
In addition to the concentration of serotonin, both the number of serotonin receptors and their sensitivity may also play an integral role in determining serotonin activity.
Though serotonin is mostly made, stored, and released in the gut, serotonin acts as an important neurotransmitter in the brain. Some of these natural remedies and supplements need further testing to determine if they are able to cross the blood-brain barrier. Long-term application of these remedies should also be further studied.
submitted by Tiberiusthemad to Biohackers [link] [comments]

2024.05.13 12:34 AccutaneEffectsInfo How Accutane Changes Your Brain: Dopamine & Cell Death

How Accutane Changes Your Brain: Dopamine & Cell Death
https://secondlifeguide.com/2024/01/07/accutane-effects-on-the-brain/

INTRODUCTION

Accutane, also known by its generic name isotretinoin, is a widely used medication primarily prescribed for the treatment of severe acne. Over the years, its effectiveness in treating severe acne has been well-documented, earning it a reputation as a potent solution where other treatments fail. However, alongside its efficacy in treating acne, it has also been associated with a range of potential side effects – particularly in relation to the brain.
The extent of its psychological impact particularly came to prominence during a 2015 murder trial, where attorneys argued that a 15-year-old flew into a homicidal psychosis on account of his treatment by the acne drug. [1] Though this may seem farfetched it isn’t an isolated incident, and the connection between Vitamin A and neurological disorders is one with long historical precedent.
The effects of overexposure to Vitamin A on the central nervous system were first documented in 1856 by Elisha Kane, an Artic explorer who suffered dramatic changes in mood and temperament after ingesting polar bear liver. The many symptoms of Accutane treatment significantly overlap with those of Hypervitaminosis A, given that Accutane exerts its therapeutic effects through the primary metabolite of Vitamin A: Retinoic acid. However, unlike overexposure to Vitamin A, Isotretinoin is able to avoid xenobiotic responses that metabolise excessive retinoic acid, allowing for an even greater intracellular accumulation.[2]
A meta-analysis of 25 randomised controlled trials found that neurological symptoms were amongst the most common adverse effects associated with Accutane treatment – with 24% suffering extreme fatigue and 10% complaining of significant changes in mood and personality. [3] Aside from the many case reports, there’s a good neuroanatomical basis for believing that retinoids are fundamental to cognition and mood.
The enzymes that locally synthesise retinoic acid are highly expressed in regions of the brain that are rich in dopamine, such as the mesolimbic. [4] Dopamine is the neurotransmitter associated with feelings of reward, excitement and pleasure; however dysregulation of dopaminergic system can lead to mania and psychosis. The exact role retinoic acid plays in regulating dopamine is yet to be fully understood, but the evidence shows the two systems are deeply intertwined*.* [5][6]

STEM CELLS AND RETINOIDS:

Beta-catenin is a multifunctional protein that serves as a key regulator in many cellular processes, but most pertinently in stem cell proliferation. Many organs throughout the body rely on a pool of stem cells to draw upon for tissue repair and maintenance, such as the skin.
Beta-catenin signalling is regulated by a ‘destruction complex’, which continuously marks the protein for destruction. When it is unbound from the destruction complex it translocates into the nuclei of cells to signal for the proliferation (increase the number) of stem cells in these given tissues. When beta-catenin is repressed by enhancing the action of the destruction complex, the stem cells in these tissues undergo a process of specialisation called differentiation**.** [7]
https://preview.redd.it/efv0auyy860d1.png?width=1221&format=png&auto=webp&s=f980b81cced156a795193957fa3e6b04a788c21a
Final stem cell differentiation.svg), This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
This process can’t be reversed, and the stem cell pool must replenish in order to preserve future tissue reparative properties. Retinoids are differentiating agents, that repress beta-catenin by enhancing the action of the destruction complex and thus inhibiting stem cell proliferation.
A careful equilibrium must be maintained to ensure that stem cells don’t aberrantly differentiate. The consequences of disrupting this balance are most disturbingly evidence by the foetuses of mothers exposed to high levels of vitamin A, as foetal development is reliant on the proliferation of embryonic stem cells. These foetuses typically fail to develop normal limbs if they survive gestation at all. [8]
Whilst beta-catenin signalling is regulated by retinoids, retinoid signalling is in turn regulating by beta-catenin feedback through the ALDH (aldehyde dehydrogenase) enzymes. ALDH enzymes play a key role in synthesising retinoids, and a regulated by beta-catenin. High levels of beta-catenin trigger an enhance ALDH activity, which in turn leads to greater retinoid synthesis and therefore suppression of beta-catenin.
Alternatively high levels of retinoid signalling, as in during Accutane treatment, leads to suppression of beta-catenin and in turn ALDH activity. However, ALDH enzymes don’t exclusively serve to synthesise retinoids, they also play a vital detoxifying role in metabolising toxic acetaldehydes and lipid peroxides. [9]

ACCUTANE REDUCES CORTICAL BRAIN ACTIVITY

There is a mountain of evidence within the scientific literature that points to the diverse and profound effects of Accutane treatment on the brain. The most striking of this evidence comes from brain imaging of patients being treated with Accutane, which indicated a 21% reduction in activity in the orbitofrontal cortex. [10]
The frontal cortex is the region of the brain most developed in humans as compared to other animals and is responsible for higher cognitive processing. The researchers also identified that this reduction in activity was accompanied by headaches, with the severity of the headaches correlating with the degree of inhibition.
The findings of this study corroborate the evidence for Isotretinoin inhibiting new nerve growth in the brain, and even directly causing apoptosis (cell death) of neurons. [11] The prevailing theory for depression is that it is a consequence of reduced neurogenesis (neuronal cell growth), which can be mitigated by neurogenic compounds. [12] It is therefore reasonable to connect the evidence of Accutane induced depression to these neurogenic effects.
As previously established, beta-catenin signalling is needed to maintain stem cell populations in the many tissues that undergo continual growth and reparation throughout adulthood. The brain, and in particular the hippocampus, is one such region. The hippocampus is essential for the generation of episodic and spatial memory. Neuroplasticity in the hippocampus is needed to form new memories throughout adulthood.
It’s been found that when beta-catenin is ablated in hippocampal cell cultures, the synaptic strength is diminished. Neurons lacking beta-catenin became thin and spindly, with reduced amplitude of spontaneous glutamatergic currents. [13] Conversely, enhancing beta-catenin signalling in transgenic mice allowed for greater neuronal growth and even enlarged brains on account of the increase in neural stem cell populations. [14] Understanding the role of beta-catenin is key to explaining the evidence for Accutane inhibiting new cell growth in the hippocampus. [15]

BETA-CATENIN AND NEURONAL DEATH

Notably the neurological role of beta-catenin isn’t confined to the hippocampus, as it also greatly impacts synaptic activity in two other regions: the hypothalamus and the amygdala. The hypothalamus is a part of the limbic system that controls the release of hormones involved in diverse processes including facilitating sexual responses, hunger, and circadian rhythms. Hypothalamic cells are also subject to both growth and regulation by beta-catenin which can be guided in particular by oestradiol, which activates the PI3K/Akt pathway.
Poignantly, this action of oestradiol is the exact opposite of the mechanism of action by which Accutane suppresses beta-catenin. The importance of oestradiol is especially relevant for woman with respect to the oestrous cycle, and the periodic changes it induces on synaptic structures. [16] Given this evidence, it is perhaps unsurprising that hypothalamic cells (along with hippocampal cells) are amongst the neuronal cells most vulnerable to apoptosis (cell death) in response to retinoic acid exposure. [17]
Another structure within the limbic system is the amygdala, which consists of two clusters of nuclei in the centre of the brain and plays a pivotal role in regulating memory, emotional response and feelings of reward and pleasure. Like the hypothalamus, the amygdala also appears to significantly influenced by beta-catenin.
There’s evidence that beta-catenin is needed for the transfer of newly formed memory into long term memory, and specific deletion of beta-catenin prevented this memory consolidation. [18] Furthermore, researchers have been able to trigger dysregulation of the amygdala of rats by applying retinoic acid, resulting in heightened fear and anxiety responses.

ALDH: ‘DETOX’ AND DOPAMINE

The Aldehyde Dehydrogenase (ALDH) family of enzymes plays a pivotal role in the metabolism of aldehydes, which are a type of reactive molecule within biological systems. It’s a diverse family of enzymes consisting of many isoforms with wide ranging targets contributing to a variety of physiological processes. In particular, ALDH enzymes are known for their critical detoxifying function in oxidizing aldehydes to their corresponding carboxylic acids.
Given that ALDH enzymes have been implicated in cellular protection against oxidative stress, they subsequently play a role in the development of a number of diseases, in particular neurodegenerative disorders. They have a particular relevance to the metabolism of retinoids, as they catalyse the conversion of retinol to retinoic acid locally within tissues. [26] As discussed previously, ALDH activity is regulated by beta-catenin in a negative feedback loop.
The administration of Isotretinoin marks these enzymes for downregulation by interrupting this feedback loop and suppressing ALDH activity. [27] Long term application of retinoic acid downregulates these enzymes through post-translational modifications, potentially giving an epigenetic basis for the lasting nature of Post Accutane Syndrome. [28]
The adverse effects of suppressed ALDH activity are potentially very broad given the diversity of roles they play outside of metabolising retinoids. One of the best attested lasting adverse effects of Isotretinoin treatment is permanent night blindness. Researchers concluded that this is a consequence of the suppression a particular member of the ALDH family, RDH11, which serves to recycle rhodopsins in the retina. [29]

THE LINK TO PARKINSONS

It’s hard to overstate both the importance and diversity of ALDH activity in the body, from the production of neurosteroids, to metabolism of alcohol to detoxification, but the particular focus of this article is their role in neurological functioning and how it relates to the adverse effects of Isotretinoin treatment. The first indication that play an important neurological role that ALDH isoforms are expressed in regions of the brain rich in dopamine. [30]
For example the enzyme retinaldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (RALDH1) is present in the dopaminergic terminals that innervate the striatum from the ventral tegmental area is necessary for the synthesis of RA in these areas. [31] The previously cited neuroimaging study found that the regions of the brain most rich in dopaminergic activity, such as the midbrain and mesolimbic, experience the greatest reduction in activity during Isotretinoin treatment.
This could potentially be explained by the detoxifying role played by ALDH isoforms such as RALDH1 during dopamine transmission, which is likely inhibited by Isotretinoin treatment. The metabolites of dopamine such as DOPAL (3, 4-dihydroxyphenylacetaldehyde) are neurotoxic, but can be metabolised by RALDH1 to protect dopaminergic neurons**. If RALDH1 is inhibited these dopaminergic neurons within the mesolimbic are more susceptible to cell death.** [32]
This effect is so profound that ALDH inhibitors are even able to induce Parkinsonian like symptoms, which is a type of Alzheimer’s characterised by the rapid loss of dopaminergic neurons. [33] Additionally, the overaccumulation of toxic dopamine metabolites results in negative feedback to acutely inhibit dopamine neurotransmission.
This is why ALDH inhibitors such as Disulfiram can cause a blunted response to stimulants such as amphetamine. [34] Given that dopamine is needed to facilitate feelings of pleasure and, reduced libido is one of the most common complaints of people being treated with Disulfiram, which is a medication used in combatting alcohol addiction.
In fact, it is now believed that Disulfiram is effective in treating addiction by blunting feelings of pleasure that drive addictions, through the negative feedback of toxic dopamine metabolites. [35] The evidence for Isotretinoin inhibiting ALDH expression indicates that Disulfiram could potentially serve as an effective analogue for some of the effects of Isotretinoin treatment.
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2024.05.13 11:43 PureLove_X Gaining weight despite lifestyle changes

I really need help figuring out why I'm still gaining weight. I'm gonna add a bit of backstory so that all the details are there. I apologize in advance it's been a whole journey.
I (25F, 300lb) have a heart issue which has caused me to get inactive over the years. Heartrate > 110bpm usually around 115bpm. Around 160-180 when walking or standing. It's likely POTS according to my doctors, but they aren't completely sure and I've been fighting for years to try to get an answer and I just can't afford to try to chase it down. They've told me that even if that is what it is there is nothing they can do that isn't already being addressed.
In high school when I was 15-17 I used to be very anorexic. I tried to solve the issue on my own- eventually led to binge eating disorder but I'm currently trying to work on that (I'm on medication for it). I'm not perfect but it's a process.
I also used to eat nothing but junk food. This is likely do to my ARFID, I've had this issue my entire life, it has been a huge process.
So I have slowly over the past two years been changing my diet and getting medical help for issues with my body. (When I can afford it anyways, I'm American, health care is expensive).
Changes I've made:
Results:
When I started this, I was 23-24 and weighed 253lbs. I am 25- turning 26 in three months. I weigh 301lbs.
I can not figure out why I continue to gain weight despite eating less and exercising more. at the very least, I'd expect it to be stabilized but that isn't the case. It makes me demotivated and exhausted. I really don't want to get weight loss surgery. It can cause long term health issues and I honestly just can't handle anymore on top of what I already have. Also I want to be able to do this for myself.
My goal is currently to get back to 250 but my extreme long term goal is to get to 150. I'd be satisfied with 200.
I'd appreciate any advice. Tell me what I'm doing wrong please. I know I'm not moving very fast, and that I could be doing more extreme changes but I'm trying to build habits that aren't going to go away, It's very hard for me to keep a routine so this has taken me a long time and with zero results I'm just ready to give up.
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