Men's fashion has been in the drab loop of subdued colours and secure styles for far too long. For example, ethnic wear is often considered devoid of bold and bright selections. But a sartorial revolution is occurring, and men's kurtas are leading the push to shatter this specific monotony.
Revolution of kurta
Kurta, once connected to cultural events and celebrations, has also experienced a noticeable metamorphosis. It has embraced the new age of uniqueness and flair and let go of its once-strict boundaries. With its striking design, surprising silhouettes, and deft stitching, Kurta of men is now the canvas for artistic expression.
Prints and patterns which draw the attention
Adding eye-catching patterns and prints is one remarkable way men's kurtas are shaking up this monotony. These black kurta for men are very eye-catching, with vivid paisley motifs and geometric patterns. This vast cultural legacy of the subcontinent is also reflected in the elaborate patterns, which also deliver some visual interest.
Rich Tapestry of a specific style
Kurta men are no different from other traditional Indian clothing in having exquisite embroidery. Kurtas are also becoming the canvas for elaborate embroidery by modern designers, who make these masterpieces that honour the trained artisans' talent. These specific embroidered kurtas take this garment to new heights of refinement, from the dainty chikankari to the lavish zardozi.
Unexpected Cuts and Silhouettes
The traditional, straight-cut forms of men's kurtas are giving way to more daring and unusual patterns. Modern cuts, draped details, and asymmetrical hemlines give this classic item a fresh look. These non-traditional silhouettes satisfy the modern man's need for a distinctive and customised look while also breaking up the routine.
Examining Fabrics
The investigation of opulent textiles further breaks up the monotony of men's ethnic dress. Kurtas made of plush cotton, airy linens, and luxurious silks provide a unique sensory experience. These materials offer unmatched comfort while giving the entire design more depth and dimension.
Accepting the Brave
Modern men's kurtas embrace a vivid colour palette, while older styles were often limited to subdued tones. These types of modern kurtas showcase the vitality of Indian culture with rich jewel tones, deep indigo hues, and earthy ochres. Men can quickly and confidently show their uniqueness by combining vivid colours to make a powerful visual impact.
Fusion Design: East and West Meet
Fusion fashion keeps the world of men's kurtas fascinating. Designers combine contemporary Western ideas with traditional elements to create a unique style that transcends cultural boundaries. These fusion kurtas satisfy the modern man's requirement for a wardrobe that can transition easily from casual to formal settings.
Decorating and Accessorising
Men's kurtas excel in the art of embellishment and ornamentation. By pairing these statement pieces with complementary bottoms like sleek churidars or fitting trousers, men can create a cohesive and stylish ensemble. The last details, such as vibrant stoles, shoes with embroidery, and traditional jewellery, elevate an ordinary kurta to a remarkable level.
Conclusion
Kurtas that break the mould are more than clothes in the ever-changing world of men's fashion; they celebrate uniqueness, ingenuity, and cultural pride. By donning these striking pieces, men can take a daring sartorial trip that honours their rich heritage and breaks stereotypes. Men's kurtas are predicted to become a bright tapestry woven with bold designs, unusual silhouettes, and a courageous spirit that breaks free from the constraints of monotony as the industry continues to push limits.

Not quite sure what the verbiage is, but I'm curious what techniques you've seen or used that can alter the look of a piece intentionally to create an artistic effect.
Some ideas: mixing the number of threads used to create areas that look fuller and areas that look more empty; mixing over 1, over 2, over 3, etc. to change the size of stitches for whatever effect this would give; mixing half and full cross stitches (I've seen this one in a few patterns); intentionally crossing in certain directions, mixing crossing directions, or mixing English and Dutch (a distinction I just learned about) to create areas of chaos and order.
I'd include things like couching (I think that's what it's called) and maybe variations of knots. Things like loop start or railroading maybe not so much. I think of Black work as it's own thing, but would be curious about mixing blackwork with typical cross stitch in a way that it's just backstitching.
I want to try designing some of my own work and am really interested in more unconventional techniques to give the piece more depth or interest beyond the usual crosses and back stitch. But I'm not sure I have the words to search. So give me all the tips and tricks, links to blogs, explainer videos, patterns, etc. I'm planning to try to get a sample pack of different fabrics to try since I've only ever used aida and this might be a good opportunity to try some different stuff and make little test pieces. Is mixing fabrics on the same piece a thing?

I’ve seen lots of questions about Stitch Golf Bags and other brands. Since I’ve had a Stitch bag for almost two years and they are local to my area (Holly Springs/Apex), I thought I would provide my review and honest experience (I have zero affiliation with the brand, as you’ll see through this review).
The Good: I received my Stitch Colorblock SL2 bag just under two years ago. The Navy and White pattern I received is beautiful, and I get compliments on it regularly. The fabric is high-quality; a regular wipe down with some warm water and a bit of fabric protector, and it looks the same now as when I first bought it. The magnetic ingot with my initials on it is a very nice touch too. I walk 18 holes on average 1-2 times a week (minus the winter) at a very tough walking course (9 miles, 20+ flights of stairs). At first, I was critical of the lack of space within this bag; however, after a while, I realized that being restricted to a water bottle, my rain cover, tees, balls, and ball marker made my bag lighter and the walk much easier (I just really had to debate whether I wanted to wear an extra layer or not because there’s no fitting it in the bag). The straps are comfortable, and I can clip my range finder and towel on. All in all, for those carrying, I highly recommend it... until the past few months.
The Bad: Over my almost two years with this bag, I’ve had zippers and feet from the stands fall off, but I’m somewhat handy and fixed these issues myself—no big deal to me. However, when I realized my grips were shredding a few months ago, causing me to replace them monthly, I took a look at the inside of the bag and found the full-length dividers were shredded with stitching everywhere. This caused clubs to go all over the place and rub on everything every time I pulled one out or put one in. This is where we get to a problem. This issue I cannot fix, but you’d think (or at least I did) a company called Stitch would stand behind their stitching on a $425 bag... You’d be wrong. I contacted Stitch and was delighted to get quick responses. Unfortunately, the response was that if the product is a day over one year from purchase, they will not offer any help. It doesn’t matter if this is a clear craftsmanship defect; they simply refuse to warranty a (very expensive to me) bag regardless of what happens. This hurt a little extra as this isn’t a big corporation but rather a local business from whom I’ve bought many shirts and golf towels in the past. Perhaps my expectations are skewed, and you are welcome to tell me that in the comments (again, I am just sharing my opinion).
Conclusion: Here is what I learned: Stitch makes a terrific-looking bag that is perfect for us traditional carrying/walking folks who enjoy a stylish bag. However, when you buy a bag from them, just know if anything goes wrong after a year, you are on your own. This review isn’t meant to bash or degrade a company but simply to give you my transparent experience and also ask a broader question: what happened to taking care of the customer?

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6
Home didn’t feel the same after I returned from the hotel. My dad knew that I knew how he’d gotten that high-paying job. And he knew what I had been doing to help us make ends meet before getting entangled with Creole. It got even worse when one day he walked in on me as I was applying the ointment to cover my scars. That broke him. He started crying uncontrollably upon seeing me with the deep scar on my neck and my missing eye surrounded by my skull. It was the first time I’d seen my dad cry like that. And I couldn’t do anything to console or help him. Because I knew if I did, I would start crying and wouldn’t be able to stop.
We were both at rock bottom, with my mom trying in vain to figure out why we were so upset. Creole must’ve known what I was going through and allowed it to continue. For an entire month, he didn’t call on me for anything. And that worried me more than if he did. Because there was always the looming and constant fear that he would get bored with me. And him being bored with me probably meant my immediate death.
It was a relief when I was home alone again that I received a knock at the door. I looked down at my phone to make sure that I still had plenty of time since my last ointment appointment. Satisfied that I had plenty of time I stood up and answered the door. Seeing that smiling face and red uniform instantly brightened my day a little.
“Hey Jacob, what’s he got for me this time?” I asked him as the forever smiling bellhop stared at me with his button eyes. He happily presented me with an envelope and gave me a little salute at completing his mission. I took the envelope and opened it up, sighing when I saw the all too familiar handwriting.
“Marvelous Ms. Mace! It would seem that I require your skills in another endeavor. Jacob shall escort you to the store, and do make sure to bring all your tools. K.C.” I heavily exhaled through my nose and invited Jacob into the house so I could gather my things.” I quickly ran upstairs and rounded up my lockpicking tools, pepper spray, and this time a pocket knife as well. I’d gotten myself one after the ordeal of the hotel. Just as I was applying more ointment and resetting my timer I heard the front door open and a bunch of grocery bags rustling.
My heart instantly dropped. My mom had gotten back earlier than expected. I quickly finished putting the ointment on and ran downstairs as quickly as I could. I nearly ran into my mom as she was hanging one of the bags on the stair railings.
“Jesus, Maria, Jose, Macedonia!” My mom shouted in surprise. I half expected it to be because of Jacob but a glance around the first floor revealed that he wasn’t anywhere in sight. “You nearly gave me a heart attack.” My mom sighed fanning herself dramatically.
“Sorry Mom,” I apologized, wrapping my arms around her and squeezing her. “I’m going out, ok?” I told her. She looked at me judgementally, mostly at what I was wearing before wishing me good luck and the usual million things to be careful of. I nodded at all of them and parted with a kiss on her cheek. As I exited the front door it was my turn to nearly have a heart attack as Jacob surprised me by poking his head out of the bush next to the front door.
“How’d you get in there?!” I silently shouted at him. He pointed at the open window just above the bush. And I couldn’t help but snort and giggle at the thought of him diving out of the window into the bush once my mom had arrived back at the house. I helped him to get out of the bush and brushed the leaves off of his uniform.
We started making our way towards the voodoo shop all the while my mind continued to wander in various scenarios in which my situation was going to end. Most of them with me and my entire family dead or turned into voodoo dolls.
“Jacob?!” An unknown voice broke my endless doom loop. I looked up and Jacob and I stared at a sketchy dude across the street from us who quickly ran over and grabbed Jacob by his gold-trimmed collar. “Where the fuck have you been man?! I’ve been trying to call you for months!” He shouted at Jacob who just stared at him with his permanent smile and tilted his head in confusion.
“Leave him alone, we’re trying to be somewhere asshole,” I told the guy, grabbing Jacob by the arm and starting to tug on it. The guy looked at me like I was literal shit on his shoe and stared back at Jacob.
“Who the fuck is she? More importantly, why the fuck are you dressed like this? It isn’t Halloween you freak,” he shouted at Jacob. He continued on about how he hadn’t made a single delivery in months and that some scary people were looking for him. Jacob continued to stare blankly at this guy before turning to me and taking his hat off.
“Hey, asshole! Don’t ignore me!” he shouted at Jacob as he placed the hat on me. I stared at him in confusion before he lifted his hands to cover his button eyes. He then lowered his hands and pointed at me. It took me a few seconds to figure out he wanted me to cover my eyes. So I hesitated for a moment before lifting my hands and covering my eyes.
As I covered my eyes I heard the guy let out a choked scream before a sickening crunch and tearing, overpowered the sounds of his muted screams. I shut my eyes as tightly as I could and suddenly wondered something. My glass eyes didn’t have an eyelid. So how exactly was it shut right at that moment? Did it turn off on command? I didn’t have long to wonder at the logistics as I felt Jacob’s hat being taken off of me.
I lowered my hands and was met by Jacob’s usual smiling face. And not a single stain on his uniform at all. I looked at him and then around us in confusion. There wasn’t a single sight of the asshole. Not a body part, not a drop of blood not even a scrap of clothing. Absolutely nothing. I knew better than to inquire about what had happened so I simply continued our walk towards the voodoo store.
“Mace! It’s been so long! How’s the eye treating you?” Creole asked me, giddy with excitement upon seeing me. I was instantly reminded how much I hated him. His stupid smile and his constant giddiness. It irked and annoyed me.
“It’s fine, sir,” I told him as dryly as I could. As usual that didn’t register at all to him and he simply nodded and looked over at Jacob.
“I see you two came upon some trouble. But Jacob handled it, so no harm done!” Creole said with a smile and walked over to the register. I followed after him and watched as he picked up the template doll from the register and started tossing it up and down in the air.
“What’s the problem this time?” I asked him, stuffing my hands into my jacket pocket. He stared at me for a moment with that toothy yellow grin for a few moments before letting some giggles rise up from his throat. I could already tell that this was going to suck.
“Seems, that while I was away. A rat got into some of my potions. Made quite the mess of the shop, you should’ve seen it! Now that lil ol’ rat has run off and made a nest in the high school. I’m gonna need you to deal with it for me.” He smiled as he caught the template doll in midair and gave it a hard squeeze in between his gloved fingers.
“No,” I told him. That got his attention. He raised a brow at me and tossed the doll onto the register table. “I can’t,” I said as I felt my heart beating out of control. Since I was a little girl I had an absolute phobia of rats. Everything about them disgusted me and freaked me out. And now I had to go and kill some probably giant monster rat.
“Oh Mace, we both know you ain’t in a position of refusing me.” Creole extended his hand out to me and the contract that I signed with him. He was right, I had no right to refuse him. But at the same time, I’d rather have him kill me than have to face a giant rat. Not to mention if it had gotten into his potions, there was no telling what that thing had turned into.
“Can’t you have the cops handle it?” I asked, still trying to find a way out of it. Creole slammed his fist down on the hard wooden table and I swear it felt like the entire shop would come crumbling down in top of us.
“You’ll be doing it. Understand? I don’t want to have to visit your parents any sooner than I have to, Macedonia.” He told me in a low and gravely voice. His yellow teeth sharpened into fangs and I quickly looked down at the floor and finally nodded after a few moments of trying to think of a way out of it.
“Yes sir…” I told him submissively.
“Splendid! Jacob will be coming with you, naturally. You two seem to make a good team.” His mood shifted instantly once I became cooperative. His usual bubbly and happy personality returned. I simply nodded and looked over at Jacob. He kept up his permanent smile and gave me a little wave. I returned it with a half-hearted smile of my own.
“Well off with the two of you then, the sooner you deal with that rat the sooner you can go home again,” Creole said with a smile as he dismissively waved the two of us away and without giving me any other way of protecting myself from whatever monster rat he’d accidentally created. I sighed as I followed after Jacob as he fished out the magic skeleton key and inserted it into the voodoo shop’s door.
I watched as the door contorted and warped into one of the high school’s main doors. I grabbed the metal handle before Jacob could and pushed it open. Being inside the darkened school was like having one of those nightmares where you’re back in school again, or when you come to school after hours and the entire building is eerily quiet.
“Let’s just get this over with,” I mumbled to Jacob as we started making our way towards the cafeteria. If a giant rat was going to be anywhere, it’d probably be there. We passed several photos of past classes and clubs and I came to a stop at the photo I had managed to get into. I’d snuck into cheer practice with Jess who had been a cheerleader and had gotten my picture taken with the whole squad. It brought me back to simpler times and was a cruel reminder of what had happened to my friends.
I looked over at Jacob and noticed that his button eyes were trained squarely on a photo. I walked over to him and noticed he was looking at a picture of the video game club. And staring straight at me with a happy and toothy grin was the old Jacob. Before dropping out and becoming a drug dealer, before becoming an undead bellhop. Jacob kept staring at the photo for a few more seconds before turning to look at me. There was no indication on his permanently closed and stitched smile that he felt any different but something felt off about him.
As I was about to ask him what the matter was, but a loud crash and rattling came from the direction of the cafeteria. I instantly shoved my face into Jacob’s chest in absolute terror. He wrapped his arms around me and gave me a hard squeeze. I don’t know what it is about Jacob that gives me such a calming response whenever I’m near him. Whatever it is, it was powerful enough to give me my strength back as I quickly dug into my pockets and pulled out the can of pepper spray and my pocket knife.
“Okay…I can do this…right?” I looked back at Jacob for confirmation. He gave me two thumbs up and we continued on course toward the cafeteria. Finding the doors locked I quickly handed my items to Jacob and got on my knees to begin picking the lock. It was second nature to me at this point, there had been plenty of times during high school where I had broken into the cafeteria to steal some food or a snack. In just a few swift flicks of the pins and tumblers the door swung open.
Jacob went first before motioning for me to follow after him. It certainly seemed like the rat had been here. Judging by the simple fact that the tables and benches were strewn and thrown in every possible direction. In the direction of the kitchen, the whole metal screen separating the kitchen from the cafeteria was broken and bent in various directions. I was suddenly realizing that I was probably going to be fighting a bear-sized rat with only a knife and some pepper spray.
“I don’t hear it,” I whispered to Jacob as the two of us began approaching the kitchen. We poked our heads into the utter devastation that had happened to the kitchen. Appliances were ripped from the wall, the freezer door had been ripped from its hinges, and the remains of dozens of frozen lunches were strewn about in every possible direction.
I picked up a frozen round pizza and said a silent prayer for the only decent thing the school ever gave to me. Despite all the destruction, however, there was no sign of the rat. I suddenly became afraid that the thing could turn invisible. It was then that I noticed that Jacob was staring up at the ceiling. I quickly dropped the pizza and followed his gaze upward, terrified that the rat was hanging from the ceiling like the mirror version of me had done. But instead, I was greeted by a giant gaping hole in the ceiling.
“Well, it isn’t here. Where the hell else could it be?” I asked Jacob who looked back at me and shrugged. I groaned and started looking around at the floor trying to think of where it could be. I stared too long at the floor though as my new glass eye just popped out of my head and fell to the floor.
“Oh fuck off,” I hissed in anger as I quickly dropped to my knees and began scrambling after it. I managed to catch it just before it rolled under the stove and cleaned it as best as I could before inserting it back into my skull. As I was letting the magic item return vision to my left side I stared at the stove for a moment before a thought crossed my mind.
“What about the home econ room? They have a cooking class there.” I quickly stood up and Jacob quickly nodded. The only problem was that the home econ room was on the other side of the school from where we were. Plenty of chances for the rat to ambush us. So as we started walking down the halls towards the home econ room I made sure to hold on to Jacob’s hand. Our high school isn’t even that big and yet the walk from the cafeteria felt like it took sixty years, mostly because every single noise caused me to stop and wait to see what was going to pop out and attack me.
By the time we entered the area where the home econ room was, I was able to hear something rummaging around and destroying things in the classroom. It seemed that my hunch had paid off. The only problem was that I was too scared to move even a muscle. I looked back at Jacob and he gave me a thumbs up. I squeezed his hand tightly and nodded back at him, letting go of his hand and fishing my can of pepper spray out of my jacket pocket.
I glanced into the classroom through the window. Besides the absolute devastation of the classroom, I watched in horror as a giant rat’s tail was dragged along the floor like some enormous worm. I quickly shook my head and turned to Jacob.
“I can’t do it,” I whimpered at him, feeling the onset of a panic attack incoming. Jacob rubbed my arms and waited for me to slightly calm down. I did my best to get a hold of myself and again peeked into the window of the destroyed kitchen room. I got a good look at the giant rat as it broke into one of the stoves. Most of its fur had fallen off in giant patches, and giant spikes were piercing out of its back. As it turned its head to toss the stove away from the wall I could see that one of its eyes was missing. I breathed a sigh of relief, it was blind in that eye just like I was.
I took a deep breath and carefully tried to open the door, but the handle only jiggled a little, it was locked. That slight movement of the door triggered the rat, as it quickly whipped its head towards the door. My eye met its eyes, as it still had its right eye along with a giant cluster of eyes above and below it.
“Shit,” I mumbled as it let out a loud screech and proceeded to charge towards the door. I felt Jacob quickly grab me and shove me away just as the giant rat busted down the door on top of him. I landed on the floor on my ass and watched as Jacob struggled to keep the rat from bringing its full weight on top of him and squishing him into a puddle.
“Hey, shithead!” I screamed at the rat getting its attention. I aimed my pepper spray at it and pressed down, spraying it in its giant cluster of eyes. It let out a pained shriek and fell over as it tried in vain to get the stinging chemical spray out of its eyes. I quickly dropped the empty can and winced as the stinging began to form in my good eye. One good thing about having a magic glass eyeball is that it isn’t affected by pepper spray, so I at least had one advantage over the rat.
At least I thought I did, as a deep rumbling noise came from deep inside the rat, I took a step back as I held my knife out in front of me as if it was some kind of sword or spear. I watched in disgust as a new cluster of eyes spawned from the empty eye socket, and before I could process that, the rat pounced on me and pinned me to the floor. I thrashed and kicked trying to get it off of me, and even began stabbing it in the neck. It screamed and began rumbling again as long slender tentacles began to spawn from its back and began thrashing around like whips.
“Oh, you gotta be fucking kidding!” I screamed as I began stabbing it in the face and the eyes, any spot that could get it off of me, doing my best to avoid its mouth which was constantly snapping and gnashing at me. One of my stabs ended up landing underneath the rat’s snout and I was too careless. The knife became stuck inside him and I tried to use my left hand to give me more leverage to pull it out. In doing so I got too close to its mouth and it clamped down on my hand.
I screamed my fucking lungs out, and on instinct yanked my hands out of its mouth. And watched as my pinky, ring finger, and half of my middle finger remained in the rat's mouth. I let go of the knife and clutched my bloody hand with my other. The rat eagerly chewed on my fingers and was about to come back for more when Jacob slammed a metal desk chair against its head. It stumbled and looked over at him, just in time for Jacob to bring it down on the rat's head. It screeched and quickly began scurrying away. Instead of chasing after it, Jacob quickly dropped to his knees and began taking care of me.
“W-we gotta get outta here, before it comes back,” I whimpered, staring as a fountain of blood came pouring out of my damaged hand. Jacob quickly ripped off his sleeve and made a tourniquet and a bandage for me out of it. I couldn’t really stain it since it was the same color as my blood. Jacob quickly picked me up bridal style and ran towards the stairwell entrance just as I heard the rat coming back for another attack.
We entered the stairwell and Jacob quickly rushed us upstairs just as the rat crashed through the door. We made it upstairs and found ourselves in the science wing of the school. Jacob quickly ducked us into a classroom that happened to be open and quickly closed and locked the door, pushing a chair up against the door as well. We both ducked down as we heard the rat running past us on a wild goose chase to find us.
I whimpered and winced at the pain stinging from my hand. It was then that a terrifying thought entered my mind. I wouldn’t be able to pick locks with a hand like this. At least until I could get used to only having two and a half fingers. Would Creole get bored of me if I couldn’t pick locks anymore? I looked around the classroom and suddenly was struck with a familiar feeling. Like I’d been here before. I looked over toward the teacher’s desk and was flushed with memories of the only science class I’d ever enjoyed and passed with a grade higher than a C. Mr. Picot’s chemistry class.
“Jacob, I have an idea.” I winced as I stood up and quickly whispered to my smiling savior. He quickly came over and got on his knees as I wobbly sat up on mine. “In that cabinet,” I pointed towards a big metal cabinet. “Mr. Picot keeps some dry ice in a thermal cooler. We can make dry ice bombs to fight that thing.” I told him, Jacob quickly nodded as he agreed to my plan. He helped me stand up on my feet and the two of us walked over to the cabinet. I dug into my pocket and pulled out the tools.
Jacob helped me as he held the left hook pick steady for me as I used my good hand to fiddle around. I was lucky that Mr. Picot used a pretty cheap lock for the cabinet. After only two failed attempts we got the locker opened. Jacob quickly opened the cooler and pulled out the small block of dry ice from its container. I went under Mr. Picot’s desk and quickly grabbed a couple of mini water bottles that he always had on hand in case someone needed some water during a test.
Jacob carefully drained each bottle so only a little bit of water was left and cut the dry ice into little chunks, wrapping them up in a paper towel and adding them to the water bottle. I was impressed at how skillfully he was doing this. I’d always imagined Jacob as the typical school-hating wanna-be gangster. But here he was proving that he knew what he was doing. The water would stop an immediate release of the CO2 into the bottle and give us time to chuck it at the rat.
Our best bet was going to be getting it to swallow one, so with our arsenal of six bombs made and carefully being carried by Jacob in a lost and found backpack we’d found in the classroom, we exited the classroom and started making as much noise as possible. Banging our hands against the lockers and me screaming as loudly as I could. Soon enough we heard the loud scurrying running towards us again.
It had changed again, with its mouth having split open like a flower full of teeth and bleeding gums. If I didn’t walk away from this completely traumatized of rats I was going to be very surprised. Jacob reached into the back and pulled out a bomb, giving it a good shake before tossing it. Unfortunately for us, it blew up midair and sent a loud bang throughout the school. That didn’t seem to bother the rat as it kept charging towards us. I quickly took a bottle from Jacob and started rushing towards the rat.
It tackled me to the ground and screamed at me with its giant gaping mouth. I shook the bottle as well as I could and stuffed it into its mouth, acting quicker on this occasion to pull my hand back out. It swallowed the bomb and I winced in anticipation. As if on cue the bomb exploded in the rat’s throat and nearly decapitated it. It staggered over me for a few moments, as if trying to figure out why it had lost function of its whole body before it tumbled to the floor and let out a long death gurgle.
“Thank god,” I sighed as I crawled out from under it. Jacob was carefully opening the bottles to relieve their pressure. It turned out we only needed one after all. I walked over to him and shoved my face into his chest, letting a wave of emotions come over me as I began to cry uncontrollably into him. Everything bubbled to the surface at once, my fear of rats, my situation, my hopelessness, everything all came to the surface at once. I stood there crying into Jacob’s chest for a good five minutes before I finally got some bit of composure back.
The two of us made our way back down to the first floor and toward the main entrance. As we were about to leave I looked back to see Jacob staring at his old picture again. I wondered what he could be thinking about, but I figured it was better not to dwell on that, so I simply opened the door and stepped back into Creole’s shop.
“Mace! Goodness girl, what happened to ya?” Creole asked in shock which I couldn’t tell if it was genuine or fake. He walked over to me and quickly grabbed my hand, removing Jacob’s makeshift bandage to get a good look at it. “Oh dear me, quite the nasty bite it gave you, huh?” He asked me, that stupid smile replaced with a look of concern on his face.
“Can you fix me, sir?” I asked him as he looked at the hand and reached into his pocket. He wordlessly doused my hand in some potion and I half expected my lost fingers to start blooming like some flower or something. But instead, the bleeding ceased completely.
“There we are. That should deal with any infection as well, can’t have my new toy breaking so soon after I bought it,” he said with that stupid smile returning to his face. I stared back at him and felt my anger boiling over. I was his toy. No better than a frisbee he could throw around. And easily replaceable if he broke me too badly.
“What about my fingers?” I asked him, wanting to know if he could do anything with them. He stared at them for a moment before letting go of my hand and shrugging.
“If I had them I could sew them back on. Unfortunately, we don’t have them do we?” he said with a smile that quickly grew sinister as I was sure some other horrible idea had crossed his mind. “I could always chop it off and give you a new hand,” he said with a sinister snicker. I quickly held onto my hand and backed away from him.
“No thank you. I’ll manage with this.” I told him as I turned to leave, surprised to see that Jacob had replaced his damaged uniform in the time I had been talking to Creole.
“Oh, Mace my darling? You still can pick locks, can’t you? I would hate for your injuries to end that hobby for you,” Creole asked me as I kept my back to him. I looked down at my hand and bent my remaining fingers. It was doable, it would just take me a long time to get used to.
“Yes, sir,” I told him, opening the front door and listening to the sad bell jingle its tone as I left the shop. I was sure that he was just looking for any reason to break me further and get rid of me. Or he would finally get bored of me and get rid of me that way.
Either way, I was resolved with one simple goal. Free myself from King Creole by any means necessary.

Hi all!
I got into cross-stitch over Covid where I made nursery animals for a future baby (he is now 1 😊). I now am doing another piece for his room and am wanting to purchase some more patterns.
My question is... what do you do with all the finished items?! I doubt my husband wants every single decor item in our house to be cross-stitch.
Thanks!

Once, in the remote village of Eldermire, stood an ancient manor known as the Blackthorn House. It had a sinister reputation, and no one dared to approach it after dusk. The house had been abandoned for decades, ever since the Blackthorn family mysteriously vanished one night. Whispers among the villagers spoke of a dark force that consumed the family, leaving behind only the house and a suffocating aura of malevolence.
Curiosity got the best of a group of four friends: Emily, Jack, Sarah, and Tom. They decided to spend a night in the Blackthorn House, armed with only flashlights and a camcorder, eager to debunk the legends once and for all. They arrived at sunset, the manor's windows like hollow eyes staring into their souls, the air thick with decay and mildew.
As they crossed the threshold, the door creaked shut behind them, sealing them in darkness. They fumbled with their flashlights, revealing a grand but decrepit interior. Cobwebs hung like curtains, and the air was filled with the pungent stench of rot. They set up their camcorder in the grand hall, where a massive chandelier loomed overhead, its crystals dimmed by layers of dust.
Exploring the manor, they stumbled upon a hidden basement door. It was locked, but Tom, ever the adventurous one, found a rusty key under a loose floorboard. The key turned with a loud click, and the door swung open, releasing a gust of putrid air that made them gag. The stairs descended into the pitch-black abyss, and an overwhelming sense of dread washed over them.
With trembling hands, they descended into the basement. Their flashlights revealed walls covered in strange, archaic symbols smeared in a dark, dried substance that looked suspiciously like blood. In the center of the room was an ancient altar, surrounded by rusted chains and shackles. But the most disturbing sight was the pit beside the altar, filled with a foul-smelling, viscous black liquid that bubbled and writhed as if alive.
Emily screamed as she saw something moving within the liquid. A hand, or what used to be a hand, emerged—decomposed, with flesh sloughing off to reveal yellowed bone. More hands followed, along with a chorus of agonized whispers that filled the air, echoing with sorrow and pain. They were the hands of the Blackthorn family, forever trapped in the hellish substance.
Suddenly, the liquid began to rise, taking form—a grotesque amalgamation of human remains and black sludge. It towered over them, eyes like hollow pits of darkness, a mouth gaping wide to reveal rows of jagged teeth. The entity lunged, and the friends scattered in terror.
Jack tripped and fell, his flashlight skittering away. He screamed as the entity enveloped him, its acidic touch dissolving his skin in seconds, leaving behind a skeleton that collapsed into the pool of black goo. The others watched in horror, paralyzed by fear.
They fled up the stairs, but the door slammed shut, trapping them. The walls began to bleed, a thick, rancid fluid oozing from every crack. Faces pushed against the wallpaper, their eyes pleading, mouths silently screaming for release. The floorboards creaked and buckled as skeletal hands reached out, clawing at their legs, pulling them down into the rotting wood.
Sarah managed to break free and ran into the grand hall, where the chandelier began to sway violently. It crashed to the floor, shattering into a thousand pieces. The shards floated in the air, forming a circle around Sarah before piercing her body, one by one, like a macabre dance of death.
Tom and Emily, the last remaining, huddled together, their minds unraveling from the terror. They heard a whisper behind them and turned to see the specter of Lady Blackthorn, her eyes hollow, her mouth stitched shut. She raised her hand, pointing to the altar room. Compelled by an unseen force, they were dragged back to the basement.
The entity awaited them, its form now fully realized—an abomination of twisted limbs and tormented faces, all merging and separating in a grotesque dance. Tom tried to fight, but the black sludge swallowed him, his screams gurgling into silence. Emily was lifted into the air, suspended above the altar. The symbols on the walls glowed a sickly red, and the air filled with the stench of burning flesh.
In her final moments, Emily saw the truth. The Blackthorn family had dabbled in dark rituals, seeking eternal life. Instead, they were condemned to eternal torment, their souls merged into the entity that now fed on fear and suffering. As her vision faded, she saw the camcorder still recording, capturing every horrific detail.
When the villagers found the camcorder the next day, they watched in horror at the footage. The last image was Emily’s face, twisted in a final scream, before the screen went black. The Blackthorn House stood silent once more, but its malevolent presence remained, waiting for the next curious souls to venture inside.

Once, in the remote village of Eldermire, stood an ancient manor known as the Blackthorn House. It had a sinister reputation, and no one dared to approach it after dusk. The house had been abandoned for decades, ever since the Blackthorn family mysteriously vanished one night. Whispers among the villagers spoke of a dark force that consumed the family, leaving behind only the house and a suffocating aura of malevolence.
Curiosity got the best of a group of four friends: Emily, Jack, Sarah, and Tom. They decided to spend a night in the Blackthorn House, armed with only flashlights and a camcorder, eager to debunk the legends once and for all. They arrived at sunset, the manor's windows like hollow eyes staring into their souls, the air thick with decay and mildew.
As they crossed the threshold, the door creaked shut behind them, sealing them in darkness. They fumbled with their flashlights, revealing a grand but decrepit interior. Cobwebs hung like curtains, and the air was filled with the pungent stench of rot. They set up their camcorder in the grand hall, where a massive chandelier loomed overhead, its crystals dimmed by layers of dust.
Exploring the manor, they stumbled upon a hidden basement door. It was locked, but Tom, ever the adventurous one, found a rusty key under a loose floorboard. The key turned with a loud click, and the door swung open, releasing a gust of putrid air that made them gag. The stairs descended into the pitch-black abyss, and an overwhelming sense of dread washed over them.
With trembling hands, they descended into the basement. Their flashlights revealed walls covered in strange, archaic symbols smeared in a dark, dried substance that looked suspiciously like blood. In the center of the room was an ancient altar, surrounded by rusted chains and shackles. But the most disturbing sight was the pit beside the altar, filled with a foul-smelling, viscous black liquid that bubbled and writhed as if alive.
Emily screamed as she saw something moving within the liquid. A hand, or what used to be a hand, emerged—decomposed, with flesh sloughing off to reveal yellowed bone. More hands followed, along with a chorus of agonized whispers that filled the air, echoing with sorrow and pain. They were the hands of the Blackthorn family, forever trapped in the hellish substance.
Suddenly, the liquid began to rise, taking form—a grotesque amalgamation of human remains and black sludge. It towered over them, eyes like hollow pits of darkness, a mouth gaping wide to reveal rows of jagged teeth. The entity lunged, and the friends scattered in terror.
Jack tripped and fell, his flashlight skittering away. He screamed as the entity enveloped him, its acidic touch dissolving his skin in seconds, leaving behind a skeleton that collapsed into the pool of black goo. The others watched in horror, paralyzed by fear.
They fled up the stairs, but the door slammed shut, trapping them. The walls began to bleed, a thick, rancid fluid oozing from every crack. Faces pushed against the wallpaper, their eyes pleading, mouths silently screaming for release. The floorboards creaked and buckled as skeletal hands reached out, clawing at their legs, pulling them down into the rotting wood.
Sarah managed to break free and ran into the grand hall, where the chandelier began to sway violently. It crashed to the floor, shattering into a thousand pieces. The shards floated in the air, forming a circle around Sarah before piercing her body, one by one, like a macabre dance of death.
Tom and Emily, the last remaining, huddled together, their minds unraveling from the terror. They heard a whisper behind them and turned to see the specter of Lady Blackthorn, her eyes hollow, her mouth stitched shut. She raised her hand, pointing to the altar room. Compelled by an unseen force, they were dragged back to the basement.
The entity awaited them, its form now fully realized—an abomination of twisted limbs and tormented faces, all merging and separating in a grotesque dance. Tom tried to fight, but the black sludge swallowed him, his screams gurgling into silence. Emily was lifted into the air, suspended above the altar. The symbols on the walls glowed a sickly red, and the air filled with the stench of burning flesh.
In her final moments, Emily saw the truth. The Blackthorn family had dabbled in dark rituals, seeking eternal life. Instead, they were condemned to eternal torment, their souls merged into the entity that now fed on fear and suffering. As her vision faded, she saw the camcorder still recording, capturing every horrific detail.
When the villagers found the camcorder the next day, they watched in horror at the footage. The last image was Emily’s face, twisted in a final scream, before the screen went black. The Blackthorn House stood silent once more, but its malevolent presence remained, waiting for the next curious souls to venture inside.

In my book, I delve into the concept of seeing through the mind's eye, emphasizing the importance of cultivating intuition. One exercise involves quieting the mind through meditation, allowing space for subtle impressions. Another is keeping a dream journal to enhance dream recall, fostering a deeper connection to subconscious insights. These practices can aid in developing your unique intuitive abilities.
Additionally, exploring mindfulness exercises like focused breathing and observation of surroundings can heighten sensory awareness. Engaging in regular self-reflection encourages understanding and recognition of intuitive nudges. Embracing creativity, such as through art or journaling, serves as a gateway to accessing and interpreting the intuitive realm. The journey toward honing these skills involves patience, openness, and trust in the subtle signals from the mind's eye.
Further, I explore the power of connecting with nature to amplify intuitive senses. Spending time outdoors, observing patterns and energies in natural settings, can enhance one's attunement to intuitive information. Developing empathy and active listening skills in daily interactions with others also plays a crucial role in honing intuitive abilities, fostering a deeper understanding of non-verbal cues and energies. These practices collectively contribute to unlocking and embracing the innate gifts within each individual.

1. Meditation: Start with regular meditation to quiet the mind. Focus on deep, rhythmic breathing to create mental stillness and openness.
   
2. Dream Journaling: Keep a journal by your bedside and record your dreams. This helps in remembering and deciphering subconscious messages.
   
3. Mindfulness Exercises: Practice mindfulness by engaging in activities like focused breathing, observing your surroundings, or mindful walking. Heightened awareness can lead to intuitive insights.
   
4. Nature Connection: Spend time in nature regularly. Observe natural patterns, energy flows, and the environment to enhance your intuitive connection with the world around you.
   
5. Creativity Exploration: Embrace creative outlets such as art, writing, or music. These activities stimulate the imagination and open channels for intuitive expression.
   
6. Self-Reflection: Set aside time for introspection. Reflect on your thoughts, emotions, and experiences. This helps in understanding and recognizing your own intuitive signals.
   
7. Empathy Development: Cultivate empathy in your interactions. Actively listen to others, pay attention to non-verbal cues, and connect on a deeper level to sharpen your intuitive understanding.
   
8. Trusting Intuition: Practice trusting your instincts in everyday decisions. Start with small choices and gradually build confidence in relying on your intuitive guidance.
   
9. Positive Intentions: Set positive intentions for your psychic development. Approach the process with openness, curiosity, and a desire to use your abilities for the greater good.
   
10. Patience and Consistency: Psychic development is a gradual process. Be patient with yourself, stay consistent in your practices, and remain open to the unique journey of uncovering your psychic abilities.
    Cultivating empathy involves being present and attuned to others, understanding their emotions beyond words. Actively listening and observing non-verbal cues, such as body language and tone of voice, deepens your connection with people.
    

Trusting intuition is a gradual process. Begin with small decisions, like choosing what to wear or deciding on a route to take. Reflect on the outcomes and how your intuition guided you. Over time, as you build confidence, you'll naturally integrate intuitive decision-making into more significant aspects of your life.
Positive Intentions: Approach your psychic development with a mindset focused on positivity and benevolence. Before engaging in any exercises, set an intention to use your abilities for the greater good. Cultivate openness, curiosity, and a genuine desire to bring positive insights into your life and the lives of others.
Patience and Consistency: 1. Start Small: Begin with bite-sized practices. Don't overwhelm yourself with too much too soon. Gradually increase the complexity of your exercises as you feel more comfortable.

1. Create a Routine: Establish a regular routine for your psychic development activities. Consistency is key in reinforcing new habits and allowing your intuition to naturally unfold.
   
2. Reflect Regularly: Take time to reflect on your experiences. Acknowledge any progress, no matter how small. Reflection enhances self-awareness and keeps you attuned to changes in your intuitive abilities.
   
3. Adapt and Adjust: Be flexible in your approach. If certain exercises or methods aren't resonating with you, feel free to explore alternatives. The key is finding what works best for your unique journey.
   
4. Seek Support: Connect with like-minded individuals or seek guidance from mentors experienced in psychic development. Sharing experiences and insights with others can provide valuable perspectives and encouragement.
   
5. Celebrate Milestones: Acknowledge and celebrate your achievements along the way. Whether it's a heightened intuitive moment or a successful exercise, positive reinforcement reinforces your commitment to the process.
   

Remember, psychic development is personal and varies for each individual. By approaching it with positive intentions, patience, and consistency, you'll create a foundation for a transformative and fulfilling journey.
Create a Psychic Development Routine:

1. Morning Meditation: Start your day with a brief meditation session. Focus on deep, intentional breathing to clear your mind and create a receptive mental space for intuitive insights.
   
2. Dream Journaling: Dedicate a few minutes each morning to record any dreams or impressions from the night. This practice enhances your connection to subconscious messages.
   
3. Midday Mindfulness Break: Take a short break during your day for mindfulness. Practice deep breathing or engage in a brief observation of your surroundings, tuning in to the present moment.
   
4. Nature Connection: Incorporate nature into your routine. Whether it's a daily walk in the park or a few moments in your garden, observe natural patterns and energy to strengthen your intuitive connection.
   
5. Creative Expression: Set aside time for creative activities. This could be drawing, writing, or any form of expression that sparks your imagination and taps into intuitive channels.
   
6. Evening Reflection: Before bedtime, reflect on your day. Consider any intuitive nudges or insights you may have experienced. This reflection enhances self-awareness and intuitive recognition.
   
7. Empathy Exercise: During social interactions, consciously practice empathy. Actively listen, observe non-verbal cues, and aim to connect on a deeper level with others.
   
8. Trusting Intuition Practice: Choose a small decision each day to make based on your intuition. Reflect on the outcome and how it aligns with your intuitive guidance.
   
9. Positive Intention Setting: Begin and end your day by setting positive intentions for your psychic development journey. Cultivate openness, curiosity, and a desire to use your abilities for the greater good.
   
10. Weekly Review: Reserve time at the end of each week to review your experiences, insights, and any changes in your intuitive abilities. Adjust your routine as needed to accommodate your evolving journey.
    

Consistency in following this routine will contribute to the natural unfolding of your intuitive abilities over time. Adapt it to suit your lifestyle and preferences, making it a personalized and effective guide for your psychic development journey.
Here's a list of creative activities that can spark your imagination and tap into intuitive channels:

1. Artistic Journaling: Combine drawing, painting, and written reflections in a dedicated journal. Express your thoughts and feelings through a combination of images and words.
   
2. Collage Creation: Gather magazines, newspapers, and images. Create collages that represent your emotions, desires, or intuitive impressions.
   
3. Mandalas: Design intricate mandalas using geometric patterns and colors. The meditative process can enhance your intuitive connection.
   
4. Poetry Writing: Explore poetry as a form of expression. Allow your emotions and intuitions to flow through carefully chosen words and rhythms.
   
5. Freeform Writing: Write without constraints or structure. Let your thoughts flow freely, tapping into your subconscious and intuitive insights.
   
6. Visual Storytelling: Craft visual stories through photography or creating a series of drawings that convey a narrative related to your intuitive experiences.
   
7. Symbol Exploration: Experiment with creating personal symbols or sigils. These symbols can represent aspects of your intuition or serve as guides in your psychic development.
   
8. Found Object Art: Collect interesting objects and arrange them in artistic ways. Pay attention to the intuitive associations that arise during the process.
   
9. Nature-Inspired Art: Use elements from nature as inspiration. Create art that reflects the patterns, colors, and energy you observe in the natural world.
   
10. Music Exploration: Experiment with creating music or playlists that evoke certain emotions or states of mind. Pay attention to the intuitive responses music elicits.
    
11. Dance and Movement: Express yourself through dance or movement. Allow your body to move freely, tapping into intuitive impulses.
    
12. Mind Mapping: Create visual mind maps to explore connections between different thoughts, ideas, and intuitive impressions.
    
13. Automatic Writing: Set a timer and let your hand move across the page without consciously guiding it. Allow intuitive thoughts to flow through the writing.
    
14. Symbolic Drawing: Draw symbols that represent aspects of your psychic development journey. Reflect on the meaning behind each symbol.
    
15. Color Exploration: Experiment with colors that resonate with your emotions and intuitive experiences. Create artwork focused on exploring the emotional impact of different colors.
    

Remember, the goal is not perfection but self-expression and exploration. Choose activities that resonate with you, and don't be afraid to try new things to discover what sparks your creative and intuitive channels.
Automatic Writing Activity:

1. Preparation:
   
   • Find a quiet and comfortable space.
   • Set a timer for 10-15 minutes.
   • Have a pen and paper ready.
2. Relaxation Exercise:
   
   • Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths.
   • Focus on calming your mind and letting go of any immediate thoughts.
3. Start Writing:
   
   • Begin writing without a specific topic or direction.
   • Allow your hand to move freely, capturing whatever thoughts come to mind.
4. No Judgment:
   
   • Resist the urge to edit or judge your writing during the process.
   • Embrace the flow of thoughts, even if they seem unrelated or nonsensical.
5. Reflection:
   
   • After the timer stops, read through what you've written.
   • Look for patterns, recurring themes, or any intuitive insights that emerged.
6. Journal Entry:
   
   • Record your observations and any notable insights in your psychic development journal.

Symbolic Drawing Activity:

1. Gather Materials:
   
   • Get a sketchbook or paper and drawing tools.
   • Choose colors that resonate with your emotions and intentions.
2. Set Intentions:
   
   • Reflect on aspects of your psychic development journey you want to explore.
   • Set intentions for the symbols you'll create to represent these aspects.
3. Drawing Session:
   
   • Start drawing symbols without overthinking.
   • Let your intuition guide the shapes, lines, and patterns that emerge.
4. Reflect on Each Symbol:
   
   • After creating the symbols, reflect on each one individually.
   • Consider the emotions, thoughts, or memories associated with them.
5. Create a Symbol Map:
   
   • Arrange the symbols on a page, creating a symbolic map of your psychic development journey.
   • Note any connections or relationships between symbols.
6. Write About Each Symbol:
   
   • Write a brief description or narrative for each symbol, explaining its significance in your psychic development.
7. Integration:
   
   • Find ways to incorporate these symbols into your daily life or use them as a visual representation during meditation or reflection.

These activities are designed to tap into your subconscious and intuitive insights. Enjoy the process, and don't be concerned about creating something aesthetically perfect—focus on the personal meaning and connection to your psychic journey.
When setting intentions for symbolic drawing in your psychic development journey, consider the following steps:

1. Self-Reflection:
   
   • Take a moment to reflect on your current stage of psychic development.
   • Consider any specific areas or aspects you wish to explore or enhance.
2. Identify Goals:
   
   • Define clear goals for your psychic development journey. For example, it could be improving intuitive insights, connecting with higher consciousness, or understanding energy dynamics.
3. Emotional Exploration:
   
   • Explore your emotions related to psychic development. Identify feelings of curiosity, excitement, or any apprehensions you may have.
4. Connection with Symbols:
   
   • Think about symbols or imagery that resonate with your goals and emotions. These could be traditional symbols, personal objects, or abstract representations.
5. Intentions Setting:
   
   • Write down your intentions for the symbolic drawing. Be specific about what each symbol represents in relation to your psychic development journey.
6. Affirmations:
   
   • Create positive affirmations that align with your intentions. These can reinforce your commitment to the goals you've set.
7. Visualize Success:
   
   • Close your eyes and visualize yourself successfully progressing in your psychic development. Imagine the positive impact on your life and well-being.
8. Openness and Receptivity:
   
   • Cultivate an attitude of openness and receptivity to intuitive guidance. Express a willingness to explore and learn throughout your journey.
9. Write It Down:
   
   • Record your intentions in your psychic development journal. This serves as a reference point for your symbolic drawing session.
10. Stay Open to Changes:
    
    • Be open to the possibility that your intentions may evolve as you progress. Allow room for changes and new insights to shape your psychic development journey.

By setting clear intentions, you provide a focused direction for your symbolic drawing, making it a powerful tool for self-discovery and intuitive exploration.
In this conversation, we discussed various aspects of psychic development and provided guidance on cultivating intuitive abilities. The key points include:

1. Mind's Eye and Intuition:
   
   • Explored the concept of seeing through the mind's eye and the importance of intuition in psychic development.
2. Exercises for Development:
   
   • Discussed exercises such as meditation, dream journaling, mindfulness, and creativity to enhance intuitive senses.
3. Nature Connection and Empathy:
   
   • Emphasized the role of nature connection and empathy in strengthening intuitive connections with the environment and others.
4. Positive Intentions and Patience:
   
   • Encouraged setting positive intentions, approaching the journey with openness, and maintaining patience and consistency in the development process.
5. Creating a Routine:
   
   • Provided a suggested routine involving meditation, dream journaling, mindfulness, nature connection, creativity, reflection, empathy, and trusting intuition.
6. Creative Activities:
   
   • Shared ideas for creative activities, including art journaling, collages, mandalas, poetry writing, and symbolic drawing, to tap into intuitive channels.
7. Automatic Writing and Symbolic Drawing Activities:
   
   • Explained specific activities for automatic writing and symbolic drawing, guiding individuals to allow intuitive thoughts to flow and create symbols reflecting aspects of their psychic journey.
8. Setting Intentions for Symbolic Drawing:
   
   • Advised on the importance of reflecting on psychic development goals, identifying emotions, connecting with symbols, and setting clear intentions before engaging in symbolic drawing.

This comprehensive summary provides insights into developing psychic abilities, incorporating mindfulness practices, and fostering a deeper connection with intuition for personal growth.
This is a good look at some of the things I discuss in my ebook, which I self published in 2020. It's a guided journey into creating a different type of psychic gift, without the modern world looking at this "gift" as a way to take advantage of others. This is book about how to be more in tune with your own instincts and using these to benefit your own life. If you're willing and interested in trying to bring your gifts into the public sphere, do so with caution, because there is balence in the universe, and you're always welcome to provide a balance ⚖️ in life, but try to avoid distractions and disruptive things in your life. Karma exists. Do proceed with caution when exposed. People aren't always good at accepting these gifts.
To read this ebook, simply go to my website and download the free version. Print version is no longer available. If there's a demand, I might rerelease it in the future. But there's a free version, so I don't think it's a good idea to rerelease it now.
Thanks for letting me share this with you!
Holly

Everything in my inventory is up for trade. The most valuable items are listed here, the rest you can find in My Inventory

Feel free to Add Me or even better send a Trade Offer. Open for any suggestions: upgrades, downgrades / knives, gloves, skins / stickers, patterns, floats.

All Buyouts are listed in cash value.

KNIVES

★ Butterfly Knife Lore (Factory New), B/O: $7194.77

★ Butterfly Knife Autotronic (Minimal Wear), B/O: $2025.74

⎯

★ M9 Bayonet Ultraviolet (Field-Tested), B/O: $557.87

★ M9 Bayonet Stained (Well-Worn), B/O: $529.41

★ M9 Bayonet Boreal Forest (Field-Tested), B/O: $465.39

⎯

★ Talon Knife Doppler (Factory New), B/O: $1295.27

★ Bayonet Tiger Tooth (Minimal Wear), B/O: $746.28

★ Karambit Bright Water (Field-Tested), B/O: $688.15

⎯

★ Flip Knife Doppler (Factory New), B/O: $547.93

★ Flip Knife Autotronic (Minimal Wear), B/O: $476.69

★ Flip Knife Case Hardened (Battle-Scarred), B/O: $278.18

★ Flip Knife Black Laminate (Well-Worn), B/O: $258.83

★ Flip Knife Urban Masked (Field-Tested), B/O: $181.64

⎯

★ Stiletto Knife Marble Fade (Factory New), B/O: $686.04

★ Stiletto Knife Doppler (Factory New), B/O: $665.41

★ Stiletto Knife, B/O: $601.39

★ Stiletto Knife Crimson Web (Field-Tested), B/O: $418.25

★ Stiletto Knife Night Stripe (Field-Tested), B/O: $227.80

★ Stiletto Knife Boreal Forest (Field-Tested), B/O: $194.96

★ Stiletto Knife Safari Mesh (Field-Tested), B/O: $192.79

⎯

★ Nomad Knife Crimson Web (Field-Tested), B/O: $518.11

★ Nomad Knife Scorched (Field-Tested), B/O: $169.78

★ Nomad Knife Forest DDPAT (Battle-Scarred), B/O: $166.88

★ StatTrak™ Nomad Knife Blue Steel (Field-Tested), B/O: $335.79

⎯

★ Skeleton Knife Stained (Well-Worn), B/O: $442.05

★ Skeleton Knife Urban Masked (Minimal Wear), B/O: $426.24

★ Skeleton Knife Boreal Forest (Field-Tested), B/O: $314.03

★ StatTrak™ Skeleton Knife Fade (Minimal Wear), B/O: $2361.28

★ StatTrak™ Skeleton Knife Urban Masked (Field-Tested), B/O: $376.53

⎯

★ Ursus Knife Doppler (Factory New), B/O: $557.12

★ Ursus Knife, B/O: $471.42

★ Ursus Knife Blue Steel (Minimal Wear), B/O: $212.37

★ Ursus Knife Case Hardened (Battle-Scarred), B/O: $187.66

★ Ursus Knife Damascus Steel (Field-Tested), B/O: $178.18

★ Ursus Knife Ultraviolet (Battle-Scarred), B/O: $155.13

★ Ursus Knife Boreal Forest (Battle-Scarred), B/O: $124.26

⎯

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★ Huntsman Knife Black Laminate (Field-Tested), B/O: $184.50

★ StatTrak™ Huntsman Knife Lore (Battle-Scarred), B/O: $224.11

⎯

★ Bowie Knife Gamma Doppler (Factory New), B/O: $2142.02

★ Bowie Knife, B/O: $230.44

★ Bowie Knife Damascus Steel (Factory New), B/O: $209.20

★ Bowie Knife Ultraviolet (Minimal Wear), B/O: $180.51

★ Bowie Knife Ultraviolet (Field-Tested), B/O: $131.03

⎯

★ Falchion Knife Night (Field-Tested), B/O: $132.54

★ Falchion Knife Urban Masked (Well-Worn), B/O: $112.81

★ Falchion Knife Scorched (Field-Tested), B/O: $108.81

★ Falchion Knife Forest DDPAT (Field-Tested), B/O: $107.82

★ Falchion Knife Safari Mesh (Field-Tested), B/O: $107.46

★ StatTrak™ Falchion Knife Ultraviolet (Field-Tested), B/O: $143.08

⎯

★ Paracord Knife Crimson Web (Minimal Wear), B/O: $486.48

★ Paracord Knife Blue Steel (Battle-Scarred), B/O: $163.12

⎯

★ Survival Knife Blue Steel (Battle-Scarred), B/O: $138.26

★ Survival Knife Night Stripe (Field-Tested), B/O: $131.03

⎯

★ Gut Knife Sapphire (Minimal Wear), B/O: $1127.79

★ Gut Knife Gamma Doppler (Factory New), B/O: $286.17

★ Gut Knife Doppler (Factory New), B/O: $246.55

★ Gut Knife Marble Fade (Factory New), B/O: $240.77

★ Gut Knife, B/O: $210.49

★ Gut Knife Lore (Field-Tested), B/O: $194.22

★ Gut Knife Case Hardened (Battle-Scarred), B/O: $151.51

★ Gut Knife Blue Steel (Minimal Wear), B/O: $124.94

★ Gut Knife Rust Coat (Well-Worn), B/O: $118.99

★ Gut Knife Boreal Forest (Minimal Wear), B/O: $109.80

★ StatTrak™ Gut Knife Doppler (Factory New), B/O: $237.96

⎯

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★ Shadow Daggers Marble Fade (Factory New), B/O: $253.03

★ Shadow Daggers Tiger Tooth (Factory New), B/O: $237.22

★ Shadow Daggers Crimson Web (Field-Tested), B/O: $153.40

★ Shadow Daggers Autotronic (Minimal Wear), B/O: $144.42

★ Shadow Daggers Blue Steel (Field-Tested), B/O: $105.20

★ StatTrak™ Shadow Daggers Damascus Steel (Minimal Wear), B/O: $150.46

⎯

★ Navaja Knife Fade (Factory New), B/O: $365.99

★ Navaja Knife Doppler (Factory New), B/O: $228.93

★ Navaja Knife Marble Fade (Factory New), B/O: $227.43

★ Navaja Knife Slaughter (Factory New), B/O: $209.06

★ Navaja Knife, B/O: $203.16

★ Navaja Knife Case Hardened (Well-Worn), B/O: $132.57

★ Navaja Knife Damascus Steel (Factory New), B/O: $121.69

★ Navaja Knife Damascus Steel (Minimal Wear), B/O: $109.95

★ Navaja Knife Damascus Steel (Field-Tested), B/O: $100.41

★ StatTrak™ Navaja Knife Fade (Factory New), B/O: $369.01

★ StatTrak™ Navaja Knife Damascus Steel (Field-Tested), B/O: $109.95

GLOVES

★ Sport Gloves Amphibious (Minimal Wear), B/O: $2394.67

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Posting this here to give back to this overwhelmingly helpful and active sub. I realize there are idiosyncrasies with SIBO and its permutations, but perhaps someone might glean a modicum of assistance from the treatise below.
Background

• History of IBS-C with worsening constipation, bloating, GERD past 4-8 years
• Lack of gut motility, cause unknown but suspicions are stress, ovebinge eating (not chewing), PPIs, antacids, artificial sweeteners (Splenda, Diet Soda, Gum), aging, and NSAIDs
• Very "clean" diet excepting artificial sweeteners, e.g., lots of salads, raw and cooked vegetables, sashimi, beans, nuts, seeds, high quality protein, if carbs, whole grains. No processed, junk, fried
• Little alcohol, occasional glass or two of good quality wine, beer, or champagne
• Moderately to lightly active, used to run, then jogging, then walking!
• Moderate caffeine intake (coffee)

Catalyst

• Instagram gut-biome tests, got me thinking....
• So bloated constipated that the bowel prep for a colonoscopy was ineffective, such a waste!
• IM doctor recommended SIBO breath test, came back positive for methane

Ineffective Treatments

• Rifamixin - one two week course, ineffective. Discouraged after reading lack of efficacy esp for methane overgrowth here
  • Doctors (saw another primary care and my gastroenterologist in addition to IM) all were against multiple courses of antibiotics for myriad reasons
  • I will give this a chance to have had some positive effect, because maybe it reset things?
• Motility Pro - BID, took on advice of this thread, no change to bowel patterns. No other benefits. Seems harmless though. Found it a bit more expensive than I expected
• Colace Clear - one doctor recommended, knew this wouldn't have an effect, and I was right
• Low FODMAP - very restrictive, noticed no change, so many variables with diet and time to digest that I doubted veracity. I gave it a good shot and even used the Food Marble breath test device with it. The only thing I noticed were spikes if I overate...
• Low Fermentation - I liked this one, but again, ineffective. At least less restrictive than Low FODMAPs and seems to make sense. Reminded me of the bowel prep. Exacerbated constipation
• Increased Fiber - started tracking fiber, noticed that I was getting over 40 grams a day with my standard diet, but my gastro asked that I increase more grains and starches. No real impact that I could discern. Gained a few pounds, probably with the increase in carbs, bloating out of control, ha
• Antimicrobial - took supplements containing things such as oregano oil, artichoke leaf extract, green tea, some pro-motility roots, a few others that I'm blanking on now. These seem fairly harmless and some people might be able to do this more intensively with a holistic doctor, however, I went lite and didn't have an impact that I could discern

Effective Interventions

• Behavioral (chewing/mindful eating) - this sounds so obvious that I'm embarrassed, but I realized I basically inhaled food. I'm unsure from where I got that habit, maybe quaffing down green smoothies in my 30s/Vitamix days, rushed at work, mindlessly chewing on sugar-free gum. Now I take MUCH more time to chew ever bit of food to the best of my ability. I took a a few gut-biome and other related tests and saw that my digestive enzymes were a bit low, so this habit of mindfully eating and chewing apparently aids this process of digestion
• Smaller meals - frankly, I overeat, took too much protein, and it overloads thy gut. I've cut down on portions, instead of volume eating nutritious stuff, I try to eat mindfully what I need or what's available. I'm not eating 6 times a day, just two or three smaller meals and am satiated. I tracked for a while what I was consuming and I was at least 600-1200 over maintenance every day
• Cut out all artificial stuff - this was painful, but after about a month I've lost the craving. I'm consuming less in general and have a sense that my gut biome thanks me for it
• Eliminated PPIs and antacids - I was popping chewy Tums as though it was nobody's business. Now I take them hardly ever, and have a French brand Boiron that produces natural anti-GERD medication on the occasion that I have stomach upset or eructation (usually after a restaurant)
• Vata-dosha diet - this is the weird part, I know, I know, Ayurvedic, it partly fed into the above and below (no pun intended), but I am basically 100% vata, which is known to be uptight, rigorous, dry, constipated, bloated, insomniac, eating too many leafy greens, raw cold things, etc. Now, I try to take more warming foods, more oils, take my time, breathe deeper, no raw, stringy or astringent
• Probiotics - I purchased that organic, coconut kefir that is touted here and feel it made a difference. I take about 3-4 ounces on an empty stomach (after coffee really) when I get my first hunger pangs. It's great! I wanted to reset the gut biome after the antibiotics. Another thing I take, especially since my family is half European, is unfiltered beer on occasion. I wouldn't recommend this as some people have issues with alcohol, but for me, a pint of unfermented beer and I go to the restroom much more regularly. This was somewhat of an epiphany and came up as an idea in one of the gut/food intolerance tests (i.e., I was consuming too many clean things...if that makes sense)
• Yoga - there is a certain centering, grounding and pro-kinetic aspect to vata-balancing yoga that I find supportive. I've always done some yoga, so I consider this more of a support than a change agent in my digestion. In general, increasing mobility seems to be a boon, but not to overdo it, so that one does not overly constrict. I can be anal-retentive literally, so need to unwind to let go

It's my intent that the above might be an aid to someone, and I'll try to update this to see if there's any change going forward. Right now, I have almost ZERO bloating, it's insane, GERD is reduced about 80%, stomach upset reduced about 70%, constipation is still there, but better and ameliorated at least 50%. I had posted a picture before here when I was first diagnosed and my stomach looked like a basketball!

Welcome back yet again to Stynek and her adventures surviving a predator horror of being abducted and experimented on. Today we continue right where we left off, as well as take a peek at a completely different character's perspective on current events.
As usual, thanks to SpacePaladin15 for his own great work and letting fanfiction flow, and everyone who supported and enjoyed the fic thus far. Your support keeps me motivated to provide you more~
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Memory transcription subject: Stynek, Venlil Test Subject
Date [standardized human time]: July 17th, 2136
The impossible happened. For first time in months I felt... genuinely bored. It’s surprising that it never happened in the arxur pens, but at least there were things to distract me from how little to do there was. Such as other cattle I could at least try talking to. Or the constant atmosphere of hanging dread. Or the horrid smell due to a lack of cleaning. Here, there was none of that. Room was clean, and there wasn’t anyone else. Once I cried myself out for the paw, I just didn’t have much else to do.
Isn’t a lack of company like this terrible for us? Maybe they want me to start going insane. It’s hard to measure passage of time here. There is something resembling a clock on the wall, but I have no clue what measurements on it are. And the only company I had so far is that one predator. Although I’ve only seen it two more times since the weird head rubbing thing under the table. Once to bring in a new set of food to taste and eat, and once to take away the tray and new filled out sheet.
That food was better overall. I liked the crunchy and soft leaves. They had something resembling strayu, but flavor was much blander, so clearly predators are lousy cooks, assuming they even were the ones to make it. There was also something that tasted like a mashed vegetable in a bowl. Thankfully they had a spoon for it, and it was pleasantly salty too! I liked that. The best though was another fruit, like the great fruit from first tasting, but it was somehow even juicier, even sweeter and much softer on the inside, with green surface. That one I marked at high mark this time.
But other than that meal, there wasn’t much. I slept for a claw or so, and since the meal nothing was happening. What was I even a captive for? The room gave little indication. I finished my exploration, but after looking around more the only thing I found was the fact that matted floor in the corner was actually soft to sit on. I wish I could move a piece of that floor under the desk. There were also drawing implements in one of desk’s drawers, but I chose not to risk touching them lest I upset the predators. Thanks to mom’s job I could have those at home, but I knew they were expensive, and I can’t imagine how much more they might be in a predator society...
Suddenly I heard a familiar click and scampered to the spot I have chosen to be in whenever the predator enters the room – under the desk. I did spend my sleeping claw on the bed, because for all its comfort, the under desk hiding spot was not best for sleep, but otherwise, it was furthest spot there was from the door.
Now safely not-really-hidden-but-feeling-safer-at-least, I observed the predator enter. I almost expected it to be carrying another tray of food, but instead, it brought some large rectangular panel and a small box with it. Instead of putting it on the eating table, like it did with food before, it headed directly for the soft-floored corner and... Sat there?
I peeked out from under the desk to look at the predator, who stared right back at me, making me startle right back under. Why is it here? It didn’t approach me directly to try and rub at my head again this time, but its attention was clearly focused on me.
Once it settled with its legs crossed, it put the panel aside and lowered the box in front of itself, opening it. I watched cautiously, and while it was clear it was still watching me, it seemed to not make any moves. I couldn’t see what was inside the box, but once it was open, the predator looked back at me and actually beckoned me with its hand. I pulled myself deeper under the desk, but that did not seem to be a satisfying response, predator leaning back and letting out a long breath before touching some device inside its weird ear and mumbling something. A communicator, to talk to other predators watching?
Next few moments were just that. Predator watching me, me watching it back from under the desk. It seemed like the predator decided to break the stalemate first, by taking something out of the box and showing it to me. I had hard time making out what exactly it was while not exposing myself, but thanks to the predator rotating it in its hands, I could see that it was a... slice of fruit. And not any fruit, probably same delicious fruit from first food tray!
Worst part was that the predator was clearly extending it towards me, as if offering it to me. On one hand, I knew that if it wanted, it could easily just grab and pull me out from under the desk. Yet for some reason it was obviously luring me out with food... It had some goal in mind beyond just me leaving the desk behind.
And it kept rotating the piece between its long fingers, making me drool at the sight. Well... If it wanted to just hurt me more, it would easily pull me out, right? So I’ll get hurt either way, but at least if I do what it wants, I’ll appease it, right? And I’ll get that fruit slice too.
I slowly crawled out and approached the predator, who seemed to have corners of its mouth rise at my approach. I still couldn’t tell the meaning of their facial expressions, but that didn’t feel aggressive at least. I only crawled close enough so that I could reach the fruit piece it was holding out with my own extended hand, grab it and recoil back. Crawling backwards with one leg still wasn’t something I figured out yet, so I just sat out in the open, but out of predator’s reach and quickly munched down on the fruit... Mhm... Just as delicious as before. I was prepared to turn myself around and crawl back, only for predator to pull another piece out of the box. It raised its hand, offering it to me again, but this time, hand wasn’t outstretched, meaning I’d need to get closer than last time. I see how it is...
I could just return under the desk, but even though I wasn’t that hungry, idea of plates of food I’m getting changing every time meant that I wouldn’t be getting things I loved again. So if I wanted more, I’d need to take it now... So I crawl a bit closer, actually close enough to be on the soft matted floor, but just far enough that if predator reached for me I could recoil backwards and out of reach. Once there, I adjusted my leg into a sitting position and grabbed the piece of fruit out of predator’s hand, munching it down too... Sweet and delicious...
With that done, I didn’t bother trying to crawl away, waiting for the predator to do whatever it wanted to do with me now out from under the desk. It seemed to just sit there, that unsettling expression on its face as it stared at me, making me turn my head away, trying to not do stare back, instead watching it with one eye cautiously. Once it was certain I’m not about to recoil again, rather than take more slices of fruit out of the box, it reached for the large panel and put it down in front of itself, between us. With it down, I could see what it was. It was some sort of a board, with a bunch of buttons, each button marked with an image next to it, as well as some writing in an unfamiliar language, probably predator writing. I wondered what the purpose of the board was.
That purpose was revealed quickly. The predator said something out loud, then pressed the button on the board next to a picture of a white venlil. I thought it might be me, but the leg being intact and the color of their fur being off made me think it was just meant to be a generic venlil. The button pressed startled me a bit, as board spoke in same growly tone as the predator, repeating the thing it said.
I just stared back in confusion and after a few moments the predator repeated the process, first saying the exact same thing, then making the board say it. Wait... That word sounded familiar... Without thinking I reached and pressed the button myself, and actually listened to word being said.
“Venlil.”
My eyes widened and my ears perked up in shock as I realized that it was name of my species! Said in a predator tongue! Sure, pronunciation was hard to recognize, but on closer listen, it’s almost similar to how a gojid would say that word in their language. Without translator it’s harder to spot, but names of species rarely actually translate, so they sound at least vaguely similar. And the predator was saying that very word.
“Venlil.” Predator enunciated again, staring back at me. I got the feeling it was expecting something from me.
“Venlil...?” I repeated after the predator, causing it to tense its lips even further. Next movement startled me a little, but its hands simply reached into the box and took out another fruit slice, handing it to me. I took it, but didn’t immediately chow it down as I realized what it was. It was a reward. I did what they wanted. I guess I’m glad it wasn’t anything bad? Plus, it tastes good, so I sent this slice right after the rest quickly before turning my attention back to the predator.
Seemingly satisfied with me saying the word, it said another word, this one very much unfamiliar, pressing a different button, the board repeating the sound. The picture next to the button was that of a stylized predator, just like stylized venlil from earlier. This one was mostly covered in clothes and had short head fur, like the one in front of me, but light coloring, like the long-furred one from before. I guess that means this word is their species name and that’s their generic representation? I twitched my ears, listening closely as predator repeated the word a few times, pressing the button each time, but always pausing inbetween. Eventually once I had an idea of what it was, I tried speaking in one of the pauses.
“Hoomahn.”
That didn’t sound like a predator’s growly voice, but it was at least similar sounds. Predator nodded at me, but rather than give me a fruit slice, it repeated the word again.
“Human.” The predator firmly reiterated. It was clearly not yet satisfied with my pronunciation, so I tried again.
“Humahn.”
“Human.”
“Human!”
That last one was on the spot and... Predator bared its teeth at me! I recoiled, thankful for being cautious in choosing a position a proper distance away from the large creature, and tried to crawl back. But predator quickly covered their mouth, the teeth shown disappearing, as it quickly waved a hand at me, followed by taking out another fruit slice and stretching it out towards me, shaking it in my direction.
I... don’t understand. Was it not upset? Why would it threaten me if it’s not upset?
...was the teeth baring not meant to be a threat? No, the predator clearly recognized that it scared me, judging by the way it covered up its mouth and tried to calm me right after. So... what’s going on? Did it just lose control over its bloodlust for a moment? That could be it, but then how did it regain control so quickly? None of it makes sense.
At least I knew they were called humans now.
The predator was still holding out the fruit slice, shaking it towards me as if desperate for me to crawl back closer for it. Against my better judgement, I decided to go for it, returning to my old position and grabbing the slice, starting to chew on it as predator seemed to relax a bit. They took another slice out of the box and...
The predator ate it. The predator just ate half the fruit slice in one bite. Predator ate fruit. Fruit. Plant. Predator. Ate.
Piece of fruit I was chewing on fell out of my open mouth, while my eyes widened so much my vision blurred as I tried to process what just happened. Predator. Ate. Plant. I looked at my own half-eaten slice, almost expecting it to have turned into a piece of flesh, like some horrifying nightmare, but it was still just a delicious, juicy fruit. Predator seemed to notice my reaction as they stopped eating their slice and tilted their head at me.
Okay. Surely there must be an explanation. Maybe the slice they just ate is meat after all? And the box has snacks for both of us? Confusion and curiosity overwhelming my safety concerns, I leaned over the board and closer to predator, peeking inside the box. But it was just fruit slices! Nothing else. And fruit slice in their own hand was identical too!
The predator extended the half bitten fruit slice to me, offering it as well, but I recoiled back to my sitting position from that. No! Not putting something that was in predator’s mouth in my own.
But how? Were they not predators after all? Thinking about it, glimpse I got of their teeth, while a threatening display, revealed that they were... mostly flat.
No! No, no, no! I know they’re predators, they... I glanced down at where my leg should be. Then at the slice in predator’s hand. I don’t understand. Maybe... it’s just eating it to try and relate to me somehow? With empathy? That makes no sense either, not only do predators lack it, they also can’t eat plants, that’s why they’re predators.
...is the predator hurting itself to try and keep me calm? That... is sad...
The predator seemed to shrug with its shoulders as it went for another bite of the fruit slice. I couldn’t help but let out a beep of distress at the idea of a creature, even predator, hurting itself. That seemed to stop it, and gave the human pause as it stopped, mouth hanging open, interrupted mid-bite. I tried to do similar motion to what it did before, waving my palms in the air in front of it. Sure, it was a horrible predator, but even predators don’t hurt themselves! If anything it would be much more unnatural for a predator to hurt itself, with how evil and selfish they are. Nothing makes sense.
I looked down at the board, trying to figure out a way to communicate, but my options were limited. After examination, I found the button I was looking for. A picture of a venlil eating that fruit I liked! I knew it stood for ‘eat’ because a picture of that fruit itself was a separate button. Quickly, I pressed buttons in the sequence.
‘Venlil. Eat.’
Then I mashed at every button next to pictures of plants I could find.
Once done, I looked up to make sure predator was still paying attention, before putting in another sequence.
‘Human. Eat. Venlil.’
That caused the predator to let out a scary guttural sound, making me recoil. It put the piece of fruit aside before reaching for the board, inputting a sequence of their own.
‘Human. Eat.’ followed by... buttons next to pictures of fruit and nuts and even that not-strayu thing that was on here. Not grass, trees and bushes like I did initially.
Then the human paused and pressed another sequence of buttons. First, the ‘Human’. Then a button neither of us touched yet, one next to a familiar symbol - two crossed lines. That’s the symbol they asked me to put in for foods I didn’t like on the food sheet. Following that, there were two more buttons. ‘Eat. Venlil.’ While the intent of what the predator was trying to say, I couldn’t comprehend the meaning. They don’t like eating venlil? Was I left alive because I wasn’t tasty? Was the meaning behind the symbol something else?
Then the human said some word. I wasn’t sure what it was, and they didn’t use the board to show what the word was. They just said it and repeated it over and over, as tears formed in their eyes. I was too shocked to move at that. Even as human reached their hand towards me and pressed into my head. It didn’t feel like a grab, especially as their hand rubbed into my scalp. It still felt nice... And with predator having teary eyes, despite them staring me down... I couldn’t feel scared of it.
This predator was somehow broken. That’s the only explanation. Maybe that’s why it’s working with me and not the other humans?
It just kept repeating that word, and unsure of what to do, I quietly talked back in normal speech.
“I... don’t know what that means.”
That made the human stop, their mouth curling up again. They wiped the tears with sleeve of their outfit and took a breath. Then they pointed a finger at their own face and said two words.
“Human Noah.”
First word was the species name. The second... was it a name? I flicked my ear, hoping for them to repeat it, which they quickly did.
“Human Noah. Noah.”
I tried repeating that after them.
“Novah.”
“Noah.”
“Nowah?”
“Noah.”
“Noah.”
Yes! That sounded great. Noah nodded their head, handing me another fruit slice, thankfully not one they bit, but fresh one from the box. I took it, but rather than eating, I put it aside myself. I wasn’t sure I wanted to encourage this predator to hurt itself. It didn’t hurt me since I got here and I didn’t want to be the reason it got stomachache... Upsetting a predator like that is a recipe for disaster.
Noah stared back at me, tilting its head as it watched me put the fruit aside. It looked at its own before shrugging and pointing at me, enunciating a single word.
“Venlil.”
Oh... I think I know what they’re asking for. But... Even though I understood it immediately, it still left me confused. Why would predators need their cattle’s name? Or test subject’s? What even was I? I had no clue anymore. although idea of predators knowing my name was creepy in its own right... Idea of being referred to like arxur did, ‘the venlil’, ‘cattle’ or ‘snack’ wasn’t appealing either. Plus... This predator is broken, so maybe I can give my name to this one?
I pointed at myself same way Noah did to themselves earlier, and spoke.
“Venlil Stynek.”
And now it was Noah’s turn to speak.
“Staiinekh.”
I... really hoped I didn’t sound to them like they did to me, because that would mean they’re definitely upset at how destroyed the words were. Still I dared to correct, as the predator was expecting me to.
“Stynek.”
“Stainekh.”
“Stynek.”
“Staeenek?”
“Stynek!”
“Stynek!”
Oh wow that’s uncanny. But it also worked, a predator just spoke my name. I let out a little beep of satisfaction and wagged my tail positively.
What am I doing, a predator just spoke my name! Why am I so comfortable around a predator? That’s not right!
My momentary realization seemed to completely be unnoticed by Noah who seemed to... be struggling keeping their teeth hidden as their mouth was wide and curled up heavily. They pushed the rest of the box with fruit slices to me and stood up, taking notable route to make sure to not walk right past me, and walking around towards the desk instead. There, they pulled out the album and the multicolored markers, before lowering down and offering them to me same way they did with fruit. I stood dumbfounded. I guess it made sense the drawing supplies were for me, but why? What did they want me to do with them? Just have them? Is it a reward for not trying to escape? No, I did, when I first woke up and realized they were all still predators. Then why?
As I was thinking, I very slowly raised my hands and let the human hand the things to me. I stared down at the art supplies, before looking back up at Noah. They, in turn, let out some sort of sound, followed by two words.
First I didn’t recognize, but second was very easily recognizable. “Stynek.”
After that, the human quickly reached down to grab the half-eaten fruit slice and headed out of the room, doing the thing with arm waving at me on the way out again. I just stared back, flicking my tail in response, though I don’t think they noticed as they lingered for a bit too long before stepping out of the room properly and closing the door.
that was... a lot to process. Not to mention that I had new things to do. I could draw in this album, if implication I understood is clear. I could also learn more of predator language using the sound board left behind, and try communicating with them next time they showed up.
My eyes, however, drifted towards the box of fruit slices. With the box held in my mouth, I crawled back under the desk to consume the juicy deliciousness in peace. Maybe the sweet fruit will help me comprehend just what is happening in here.
Memory transcription subject: Captain Coth, Arxur Dominion Third Fleet
Date [standardized human time]: July 18th, 2136
“Your Savageness, with all due respect—”
“I’ve made my decision, Coth. You and Kaisal will be assigned to oversee human matters from now on.”
“Sir! You can’t expect me to work with a defective like it’s an equal!”
Chief Hunter Isif was one of older Chief Hunters, and definitely one that earned respect of countless arxur, even ones in different sectors. He is well known for his exceptional cruelty and ruthlessness. That said, I started to get the feeling that there was something about this situation that was causing his judgement to be clouded. I casted a side glance over to the runty defective standing in the corner. Hunched over like a scared prey at the sight of me objecting. Failing to even stand proud.
“And I don’t expect you to, Coth. Kaisal is a defective and even if he wasn’t, he is below your station.” Isif responded, staring me down directly, causing even me to feel a shudder in my heart. “But he was the reason we even spotted the humans. And with what we know of them, his defective perspective on their behavior might be more valuable than anything us proper arxur could provide.” The Chief Hunter shifted his gaze from me to the runty defective, making the weakling curl up on himself further. “Let him be useful for once in his pathetic life.”
Showing at least a basic modicum of respect for once, the defective lowered its head in a submissive gesture. Still, while Isif was done with that one, he wasn’t done with me.
“Coth, the humans will change everything. I know it. You’re the captain who understands that. But you need to understand something else too. Humans are not us. They’re different. Sure, there is youthful naivity to their species having just come to the stars. But it’s more than that.”
I could sense a leading question and took the opportunity to let a superior show off in front of me.
“What is it that’s so different about them then, Your Savageness?”
Isif let out a low hum of consideration before responding.
“Empathy. To us arxur it was a hindrance and detriment. We discarded it like an outdated tool once it betrayed us in our foolish attempt at dealing with leaf-lickers. But humans evolved to rely on it in every aspect of their lives, down to their hunting. Which comes with downside of course...” Isif turned away, though I could sense frustration emanating from him. “...they are so empathetic they even feel for their prey. I sensed it when I met their emissaries. How they squirmed at the sight of a venlil getting butchered. I bet the reason they took it with them was just to finish it off and give it a quick death. They have no Betterment. Unlike us, they never developed the need to.”
That’s right. While Betterment was the true philosophy of strength that succeeded in helping the Arxur Dominion achieve true greatness and superiority, it did not come to us that easily. Without the hunger and starvation the leaf-lickers subjected us to, perhaps we as a species would never have achieved enlightenment.
“...they likely actively oppose ideals of Betterment. That’s why they refused our alliance...” I heard the mumbles from my side, turning my head to lock eyes with the defective.
“Silence, defective! If you speak to your superior out of turn again, I’ll—”
“Enough, Coth.” Isif stopped me, raising a hand to signify silence. I stood straighter and silenced myself, watching Chief Hunter approach the defective and grab it by the throat, lifting the runt up with ease. “You, Kaisal, need to remember your position. You are still just disposable raid fodder. You are lucky you were on a scout ship. You are lucky I noticed the report you sent regarding a mysterious ship from outside of our sector. And you are lucky I chose you and not another defective runt for this. When you wish to speak to your better, you ask for permission to speak. Remember that, defective?”
“Y-Yes... Your... Savageness...” He gurgled out in response, struggling to form words under Chief Hunter’s claw. Once that was said, Isif released him, causing the weakling to fall on the floor, coughing and recovering his breath. Part of me expected him to slice open the defective’s throat, but I guess I can see the value in not needing to deal with more than one defective for this mission, just as I see the... ‘value’ in such a perspective.
“Good. Coth, if he causes trouble, you are not to act yourself. Merely send this one directly to me.” Chief Hunter added, baring his teeth to accentuate his point.
“Yes, Your Savageness!”
“Now. Your posting is simple. Interact with any representatives that humans send to us that aren’t their leader. I deal with Elias Meier, you deal with his underlings. You are also to personally handle and check the hand-off on their first supply of meat.” He continued his earlier speech, as he sat down in his chair. “Whenever you are interacting with humans, keep Kaisal at your side. Do not let him speak over you in front of the humans of course, but do listen to his perspective after the fact. A defective is more likely to understand humans than one of us.”
I was glad for the posting. I wouldn’t call myself a defective by any means, but I did have a more natural predisposition to social interaction than an average of our kind. Perhaps that’s why I shared Chief Hunter’s passion for establishing the relations with humans.
“P-Permission to speak, Chief Hunter..?” the defective suddenly made itself known again.
“Granted.”
“The amount humans promised for the complete and detailed information on Federation military... It’s untenable. There’s no way they can supply that much in so little time. I fear they may resort to trickery to meet the demand.”
That... is a good point. It was surprising how easily humans agreed to our requested amount, despite Chief Hunter asking a practically exorbitant price considering that information is something any captain in the Dominion had access to. Isif just seemed to be amused by the defective’s suggestion though.
“They likely will, hence why I am sending Coth to oversee first exchange personally. They wish to benefit of us, as much as we wish to benefit of them. As long as they supply even a fourth of what we requested, we will be ahead of schedule by at least two major raids already, and if the rest will be empty containers or fake meat, well... We’ll have leverage against them. I know full well that even a cattle world filled to capacity would struggle to provide so much so quickly without starving its own population. It’s all a test of their predatory prowess.” The Chief Hunter chuckled to himself, clearly amused with his plan.
I found myself lightly amused too. But at the same time worried for the humans. If they fail to pass this test, Chief Hunter might start getting aggressive against them. First potential partners in the hunt in centuries, I’d rather see them integrated as equal partners than some halfway point between a predator and a leaf-licker.
My thoughts were interrupted though as Chief Hunter cleared his throat.
“Now, are your assignments clear to both of you?”
“Yes, Your Savageness!” I found my voice joined in perfect sync with the defective. At least it can do something right.
“Then you’re free to prepare for the trade. The date is already fast approaching.”
With a salute of respect, I left Chief Hunter’s strategy room. As I did, I just barely missed the defective running off ahead of me, and my opportunity of properly reminding it of its place. Another time, maybe.
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Everything in my inventory is up for trade. The most valuable items are listed here, the rest you can find in My Inventory

Feel free to Add Me or even better send a Trade Offer. Open for any suggestions: upgrades, downgrades / knives, gloves, skins / stickers, patterns, floats.

All Buyouts are listed in cash value.

KNIVES

★ Butterfly Knife Lore (Factory New), B/O: $7194.77

★ Butterfly Knife Autotronic (Minimal Wear), B/O: $2025.74

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★ M9 Bayonet Ultraviolet (Field-Tested), B/O: $557.87

★ M9 Bayonet Stained (Well-Worn), B/O: $529.41

★ M9 Bayonet Boreal Forest (Field-Tested), B/O: $465.39

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★ Talon Knife Doppler (Factory New), B/O: $1295.27

★ Bayonet Tiger Tooth (Minimal Wear), B/O: $746.28

★ Karambit Bright Water (Field-Tested), B/O: $688.15

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★ Flip Knife Doppler (Factory New), B/O: $547.93

★ Flip Knife Autotronic (Minimal Wear), B/O: $476.69

★ Flip Knife Case Hardened (Battle-Scarred), B/O: $278.18

★ Flip Knife Black Laminate (Well-Worn), B/O: $258.83

★ Flip Knife Urban Masked (Field-Tested), B/O: $181.64

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★ Stiletto Knife Marble Fade (Factory New), B/O: $686.04

★ Stiletto Knife Doppler (Factory New), B/O: $665.41

★ Stiletto Knife, B/O: $601.39

★ Stiletto Knife Crimson Web (Field-Tested), B/O: $418.25

★ Stiletto Knife Night Stripe (Field-Tested), B/O: $227.80

★ Stiletto Knife Boreal Forest (Field-Tested), B/O: $194.96

★ Stiletto Knife Safari Mesh (Field-Tested), B/O: $192.79

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★ Nomad Knife Crimson Web (Field-Tested), B/O: $518.11

★ Nomad Knife Scorched (Field-Tested), B/O: $169.78

★ Nomad Knife Forest DDPAT (Battle-Scarred), B/O: $166.88

★ StatTrak™ Nomad Knife Blue Steel (Field-Tested), B/O: $335.79

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★ Skeleton Knife Stained (Well-Worn), B/O: $442.05

★ Skeleton Knife Urban Masked (Minimal Wear), B/O: $426.24

★ Skeleton Knife Boreal Forest (Field-Tested), B/O: $314.03

★ StatTrak™ Skeleton Knife Fade (Minimal Wear), B/O: $2361.28

★ StatTrak™ Skeleton Knife Urban Masked (Field-Tested), B/O: $376.53

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★ Ursus Knife Doppler (Factory New), B/O: $557.12

★ Ursus Knife, B/O: $471.42

★ Ursus Knife Blue Steel (Minimal Wear), B/O: $212.37

★ Ursus Knife Case Hardened (Battle-Scarred), B/O: $187.66

★ Ursus Knife Damascus Steel (Field-Tested), B/O: $178.18

★ Ursus Knife Ultraviolet (Battle-Scarred), B/O: $155.13

★ Ursus Knife Boreal Forest (Battle-Scarred), B/O: $124.26

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★ Huntsman Knife Black Laminate (Minimal Wear), B/O: $204.83

★ Huntsman Knife Black Laminate (Field-Tested), B/O: $184.50

★ StatTrak™ Huntsman Knife Lore (Battle-Scarred), B/O: $224.11

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★ Bowie Knife Gamma Doppler (Factory New), B/O: $2142.02

★ Bowie Knife, B/O: $230.44

★ Bowie Knife Damascus Steel (Factory New), B/O: $209.20

★ Bowie Knife Ultraviolet (Minimal Wear), B/O: $180.51

★ Bowie Knife Ultraviolet (Field-Tested), B/O: $131.03

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★ Falchion Knife Night (Field-Tested), B/O: $132.54

★ Falchion Knife Urban Masked (Well-Worn), B/O: $112.81

★ Falchion Knife Scorched (Field-Tested), B/O: $108.81

★ Falchion Knife Forest DDPAT (Field-Tested), B/O: $107.82

★ Falchion Knife Safari Mesh (Field-Tested), B/O: $107.46

★ StatTrak™ Falchion Knife Ultraviolet (Field-Tested), B/O: $143.08

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★ Paracord Knife Crimson Web (Minimal Wear), B/O: $486.48

★ Paracord Knife Blue Steel (Battle-Scarred), B/O: $163.12

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★ Survival Knife Blue Steel (Battle-Scarred), B/O: $138.26

★ Survival Knife Night Stripe (Field-Tested), B/O: $131.03

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★ Gut Knife Sapphire (Minimal Wear), B/O: $1127.79

★ Gut Knife Gamma Doppler (Factory New), B/O: $286.17

★ Gut Knife Doppler (Factory New), B/O: $246.55

★ Gut Knife Marble Fade (Factory New), B/O: $240.77

★ Gut Knife, B/O: $210.49

★ Gut Knife Lore (Field-Tested), B/O: $194.22

★ Gut Knife Case Hardened (Battle-Scarred), B/O: $151.51

★ Gut Knife Blue Steel (Minimal Wear), B/O: $124.94

★ Gut Knife Rust Coat (Well-Worn), B/O: $118.99

★ Gut Knife Boreal Forest (Minimal Wear), B/O: $109.80

★ StatTrak™ Gut Knife Doppler (Factory New), B/O: $237.96

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★ Shadow Daggers Gamma Doppler (Factory New), B/O: $264.92

★ Shadow Daggers Marble Fade (Factory New), B/O: $253.03

★ Shadow Daggers Tiger Tooth (Factory New), B/O: $237.22

★ Shadow Daggers Crimson Web (Field-Tested), B/O: $153.40

★ Shadow Daggers Autotronic (Minimal Wear), B/O: $144.42

★ Shadow Daggers Blue Steel (Field-Tested), B/O: $105.20

★ StatTrak™ Shadow Daggers Damascus Steel (Minimal Wear), B/O: $150.46

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★ Navaja Knife Fade (Factory New), B/O: $365.99

★ Navaja Knife Doppler (Factory New), B/O: $228.93

★ Navaja Knife Marble Fade (Factory New), B/O: $227.43

★ Navaja Knife Slaughter (Factory New), B/O: $209.06

★ Navaja Knife, B/O: $203.16

★ Navaja Knife Case Hardened (Well-Worn), B/O: $132.57

★ Navaja Knife Damascus Steel (Factory New), B/O: $121.69

★ Navaja Knife Damascus Steel (Minimal Wear), B/O: $109.95

★ Navaja Knife Damascus Steel (Field-Tested), B/O: $100.41

★ StatTrak™ Navaja Knife Fade (Factory New), B/O: $369.01

★ StatTrak™ Navaja Knife Damascus Steel (Field-Tested), B/O: $109.95

GLOVES

★ Sport Gloves Amphibious (Minimal Wear), B/O: $2394.67

★ Sport Gloves Omega (Well-Worn), B/O: $572.33

★ Sport Gloves Bronze Morph (Minimal Wear), B/O: $338.88

★ Sport Gloves Big Game (Field-Tested), B/O: $323.66

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★ Specialist Gloves Marble Fade (Minimal Wear), B/O: $1652.07

★ Specialist Gloves Tiger Strike (Field-Tested), B/O: $599.14

★ Specialist Gloves Crimson Web (Well-Worn), B/O: $231.57

★ Specialist Gloves Buckshot (Minimal Wear), B/O: $126.21

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★ Moto Gloves POW! (Minimal Wear), B/O: $996.99

★ Moto Gloves POW! (Field-Tested), B/O: $383.31

★ Moto Gloves POW! (Well-Worn), B/O: $276.00

★ Moto Gloves Turtle (Field-Tested), B/O: $180.28

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★ Hand Wraps CAUTION! (Minimal Wear), B/O: $502.29

★ Hand Wraps Giraffe (Minimal Wear), B/O: $180.73

★ Hand Wraps CAUTION! (Battle-Scarred), B/O: $178.32

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★ Driver Gloves Queen Jaguar (Minimal Wear), B/O: $181.01

★ Driver Gloves Rezan the Red (Field-Tested), B/O: $101.66

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★ Broken Fang Gloves Jade (Field-Tested), B/O: $127.88

★ Broken Fang Gloves Needle Point (Minimal Wear), B/O: $124.55

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★ Bloodhound Gloves Guerrilla (Minimal Wear), B/O: $127.94

★ Hydra Gloves Case Hardened (Field-Tested), B/O: $102.55

WEAPONS

AK-47 X-Ray (Well-Worn), B/O: $478.95

AUG Hot Rod (Factory New), B/O: $425.83

StatTrak™ M4A1-S Hyper Beast (Factory New), B/O: $413.95

M4A4 Daybreak (Factory New), B/O: $309.51

StatTrak™ AK-47 Aquamarine Revenge (Factory New), B/O: $305.43

AK-47 Case Hardened (Well-Worn), B/O: $196.38

StatTrak™ M4A4 Temukau (Minimal Wear), B/O: $174.64

P90 Run and Hide (Field-Tested), B/O: $167.03

AWP Asiimov (Field-Tested), B/O: $153.33

Souvenir SSG 08 Death Strike (Minimal Wear), B/O: $140.00

M4A1-S Printstream (Battle-Scarred), B/O: $124.70

StatTrak™ M4A1-S Golden Coil (Field-Tested), B/O: $117.48

AWP Asiimov (Well-Worn), B/O: $115.97

StatTrak™ Desert Eagle Printstream (Minimal Wear), B/O: $112.96

StatTrak™ AK-47 Asiimov (Minimal Wear), B/O: $110.85

Souvenir M4A1-S Master Piece (Well-Worn), B/O: $102.42

AK-47 Bloodsport (Minimal Wear), B/O: $100.53

Trade Offer Link - Steam Profile Link - My Inventory

Knives - Bowie Knife, Butterfly Knife, Falchion Knife, Flip Knife, Gut Knife, Huntsman Knife, M9 Bayonet, Bayonet, Karambit, Shadow Daggers, Stiletto Knife, Ursus Knife, Navaja Knife, Talon Knife, Classic Knife, Paracord Knife, Survival Knife, Nomad Knife, Skeleton Knife, Patterns - Gamma Doppler, Doppler (Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, Phase 4, Black Pearl, Sapphire, Ruby, Emerald), Crimson Web, Lore, Fade, Ultraviolet, Night, Marble Fade (Fire & Ice, Fake FI), Case Hardened (Blue Gem), Autotronic, Slaughter, Black Laminate, Tiger Tooth, Boreal Forest, Scorched, Blue Steel, Vanilla, Damascus Steel, Forest DDPAT, Urban Masked, Freehand, Stained, Bright Water, Safari Mesh, Rust Coat, Gloves - Bloodhound Gloves (Charred, Snakebite, Guerrilla, Bronzed), Driver Gloves (Snow Leopard, King Snake, Crimson Weave, Imperial Plaid, Black Tie, Lunar Weave, Diamondback, Rezan the Red, Overtake, Queen Jaguar, Convoy, Racing Green), Hand Wraps (Cobalt Skulls, CAUTION!, Overprint, Slaughter, Leather, Giraffe, Badlands, Spruce DDPAT, Arboreal, Constrictor, Desert Shamagh, Duct Tape), Moto Gloves (Spearmint, POW!, Cool Mint, Smoke Out, Finish Line, Polygon, Blood Pressure, Turtle, Boom!, Eclipse, 3rd Commando Company, Transport), Specialist Gloves (Crimson Kimono, Tiger Strike, Emerald Web, Field Agent, Marble Fade, Fade, Foundation, Lt. Commander, Crimson Web, Mogul, Forest DDPAT, Buckshot), Sport Gloves (Pandora's Box, Superconductor, Hedge Maze, Vice, Amphibious, Slingshot, Omega, Arid, Big Game, Nocts, Scarlet Shamagh, Bronze Morph), Hydra Gloves (Case Hardened, Emerald, Rattler, Mangrove), Broken Fang Gloves (Jade, Yellow-banded, Unhinged, Needle Point), Pistols - P2000 (Wicked Sick, Ocean Foam, Fire Element, Amber Fade, Corticera, Chainmail, Imperial Dragon, Obsidian, Scorpion, Handgun, Acid Etched), USP-S (Printstream, Kill Confirmed, Whiteout, Road Rash, Owergrowth, The Traitor, Neo-Noir, Dark Water, Orion, Blueprint, Stainless, Caiman, Serum, Monster Mashup, Royal Blue, Ancient Visions, Cortex, Orange Anolis, Ticket To Hell, Black Lotus, Cyrex, Check Engine, Guardian, Purple DDPAT, Torque, Blood Tiger, Flashback, Business Class, Pathfinder, Para Green), Lead Conduit, Glock-18 (Ramese's Reach, Umbral Rabbit, Fade, Candy Apple, Bullet Queen, Synth Leaf, Neo-Noir, Nuclear Garden, Dragon Tatto, Reactor, Pink DDPAT, Twilight Galaxy, Sand Dune, Groundwater, Blue Fissure, Snack Attack, Water Elemental, Brass, Wasteland Rebel, Vogue, Franklin, Royal Legion, Gamma Doppler, Weasel, Steel Disruption, Ironwork, Grinder, High Beam, Moonrise, Oxide Blaze, Bunsen Burner, Clear Polymer, Bunsen Burner, Night), P250 (Apep's Curse, Re.built, Nuclear Threat, Modern Hunter, Splash, Whiteout, Vino Primo, Mehndi, Asiimov, Visions, Undertow, Cartel, See Ya Later, Gunsmoke, Splash, Digital Architect, Muertos, Red Rock, Bengal Tiger, Crimson Kimono, Wingshot, Metallic DDPAT, Hive, Dark Filigree, Mint Kimono), Five-Seven (Neon Kimono, Berries And Cherries, Fall Hazard, Crimson Blossom, Hyper Beast, Nitro, Fairy Tale, Case Hardened, Copper Galaxy, Angry Mob, Monkey Business, Fowl Play, Anodized Gunmetal, Hot Shot, Retrobution, Boost Protocol), CZ75-Auto (Chalice, Crimson Web, Emerald Quartz, The Fuschia is Now, Nitro, Xiangliu, Yellow Jacket, Victoria, Poison Dart, Syndicate, Eco, Hexane, Pole, Tigris), Tec-9 (Mummy's Rot, Rebel, Terrace, Nuclear Threat, Hades, Rust Leaf, Decimator, Blast From, Orange Murano, Toxic, Fuel Injector, Remote Control, Bamboo Forest, Isaac, Avalanche, Brother, Re-Entry, Blue Titanium, Bamboozle), R8 Revolver (Banana Cannon, Fade, Blaze, Crimson Web, Liama Cannon, Crazy 8, Reboot, Canal Spray, Night, Amber Fade), Desert Eagle (Blaze, Hand Cannon, Fennec Fox, Sunset Storm, Emerald Jörmungandr, Pilot, Hypnotic, Golden Koi, Printstream, Cobalt Disruption, Code Red, Ocean Drive, Midnight Storm, Kumicho Dragon, Crimson Web, Heirloom, Night Heist, Mecha Industries, Night, Conspiracy, Trigger Discipline, Naga, Directive, Light Rail), Dual Berettas (Flora Carnivora, Duelist, Cobra Strike, Black Limba, Emerald, Hemoglobin, Twin Turbo, Marina, Melondrama, Pyre, Retribution, Briar, Dezastre, Royal Consorts, Urban Shock, Dualing Dragons, Panther, Balance), Rifles - Galil (Aqua Terrace, Winter Forest, Chatterbox, Sugar Rush, Pheonix Blacklight, CAUTION!, Orange DDPAT, Cerberus, Dusk Ruins, Eco, Chromatic Aberration, Stone Cold, Tuxedo, Sandstorm, Shattered, Urban Rubble, Rocket Pop, Kami, Crimson Tsunami, Connexion), SCAR-20 (Fragments, Brass, Cyrex, Palm, Splash Jam, Cardiac, Emerald, Crimson Web, Magna Carta, Stone Mosaico, Bloodsport, Enforcer), AWP (Black Nile, Duality, Gungnir, Dragon Lore, Prince, Medusa, Desert Hydra, Fade, Lightning Strike, Oni Taiji, Silk Tiger, Graphite, Chromatic Aberration, Asiimov, Snake Camo, Boom, Containment Breach, Wildfire, Redline, Electric Hive, Hyper Beast, Neo-Noir, Man-o'-war, Pink DDPAT, Corticera, Sun in Leo, Elite Build, Fever Dream, Atheris, Mortis, PAW, Exoskeleton, Worm God, POP AWP, Phobos, Acheron, Pit Viper, Capillary, Safari Mesh), AK-47 (Steel Delta, Head Shot, Wild Lotus, Gold Arabesque, X-Ray, Fire Serpent, Hydroponic, Panthera Onca, Case Hardened, Vulcan, Jet Set, Fuel Injector, Bloodsport, Nightwish, First Class, Neon Rider, Asiimov, Red Laminate, Aquamarine Revenge, The Empress, Wasteland Rebel, Jaguar, Black Laminate, Leet Museo, Neon Revolution, Redline, Frontside Misty, Predator, Legion of Anubis, Point Disarray, Orbit Mk01, Blue Laminate, Green Laminate, Emerald Pinstripe, Cartel, Phantom Disruptor, Jungle Spray, Safety Net, Rat Rod, Baroque Purple, Slate, Elite Build, Uncharted, Safari Mesh), FAMAS (Waters of Nephthys, Sundown, Prime Conspiracy, Afterimage, Commemoration, Dark Water, Spitfire, Pulse, Eye of Athena, Meltdown, Rapid Eye Move, Roll Cage, Styx, Mecha Industrie, Djinn, ZX Spectron, Valence, Neural Net, Night Borre, Hexne), M4A4 (Eye of Horus, Temukau, Howl, Poseidon, Asiimov, Daybreak, Hellfire, Zirka, Red DDPAT, Radiation Hazard, Modern Hunter, The Emperor, The Coalition, Bullet Rain, Cyber Security, X-Ray, Dark Blossom, Buzz Kill, In Living Color, Neo-Noir, Desolate Space, 龍王 (Dragon King), Royal Paladin, The Battlestar, Global Offensive, Tooth Fairy, Desert-Strike, Griffin, Evil Daimyo, Spider Lily, Converter), M4A1-S (Emphorosaur-S, Welcome to the Jungle, Imminent Danger, Knight, Hot Rod, Icarus Fell, Blue Phosphor, Printstream, Master Piece, Dark Water, Golden Coil, Bright Water, Player Two, Atomic Alloy, Guardian, Chantico's Fire, Hyper Beast, Mecha Industries, Cyrex, Control Panel, Moss Quartz, Nightmare, Decimator, Leaded Glass, Basilisk, Blood Tiger, Briefing, Night Terror, Nitro, VariCamo, Flashback), SG 553 (Cyberforce, Hazard Pay, Bulldozer, Integrale, Dragon Tech, Ultraviolet, Colony IV, Hypnotic, Cyrex, Candy Apple, Barricade, Pulse), SSG 08 (Death Strike, Sea Calico, Blood in the Water, Orange Filigree, Dragonfire, Big Iron, Bloodshot, Detour, Turbo Peek, Red Stone), AUG (Akihabara Accept, Flame Jörmungandr, Hot Rod, Midnight Lily, Sand Storm, Carved Jade, Wings, Anodized Navy, Death by Puppy, Torque, Bengal Tiger, Chameleon, Fleet Flock, Random Access, Momentum, Syd Mead, Stymphalian, Arctic Wolf, Aristocrat, Navy Murano), G3SG1 (Chronos, Violet Murano, Flux, Demeter, Orange Kimono, The Executioner, Green Apple, Arctic Polar Camo, Contractor), SMGs - P90 (ScaraB Rush, Neoqueen, Astral Jörmungandr, Run and Hide, Emerald Dragon, Cold Blooded, Death by Kitty, Baroque Red, Vent Rush, Blind Spot, Asiimov, Trigon, Sunset Lily, Death Grip, Leather, Nostalgia, Fallout Warning, Tiger Pit, Schermatic, Virus, Shapewood, Glacier Mesh, Shallow Grave, Chopper, Desert Warfare), MAC-10 (Sakkaku, Hot Snakes, Copper Borre, Red Filigree, Gold Brick, Graven, Case Hardened, Stalker, Amber Fade, Neon Rider, Tatter, Curse, Propaganda, Nuclear Garden, Disco Tech, Toybox, Heat, Indigo), UMP-45 (Wild Child, Fade, Blaze, Day Lily, Minotaur's Labyrinth, Crime Scene, Caramel, Bone Pile, Momentum, Primal Saber), MP7 (Teal Blossom, Fade, Nemesis, Whiteout, Asterion, Bloosport, Abyssal Apparition, Full Stop, Special Delivery, Neon Ply, Asterion, Ocean Foam, Powercore, Scorched, Impire), PP-Bizon (Modern Hunter, Rust Coat, Forest Leaves, Antique, High Roller, Blue Streak, Seabird, Judgement of Anubis, Bamboo Print, Embargo, Chemical Green, Coblat Halftone, Fuel Rod, Photic Zone, Irradiated Alert, Carbon Fiber), MP9 (Featherweight, Wild Lily, Pandora's Box, Stained Glass, Bulldozer, Dark Age, Hot Rod, Hypnotic, Hydra, Rose Iron, Music Box, Setting Sun, Food Chain, Airlock, Mount Fuji, Starlight Protector, Ruby Poison Dart, Deadly Poison), MP5-SD (Liquidation, Oxide Oasis, Phosphor, Nitro, Agent, Autumn Twilly), Shotguns, Machineguns - Sawed-Off (Kiss♥Love, First Class, Orange DDPAT, Rust Coat, The Kraken, Devourer, Mosaico, Wasteland Princess, Bamboo Shadow, Copper, Serenity, Limelight, Apocalypto), XM1014 (Frost Borre, Ancient Lore, Red Leather, Elegant Vines, Banana Leaf, Jungle, Urban Perforated, Grassland, Blaze Orange, Heaven Guard, VariCamo Blue, Entombed, XOXO, Seasons, Tranquility, Bone Machine, Incinegator, Teclu Burner, Black Tie, Zombie Offensive, Watchdog), Nova (Sobek's Bite, Baroque Orange, Hyper Beast, Green Apple, Antique, Modern Hunter, Walnut, Forest Leaves, Graphite, Blaze Orange, Rising Skull, Tempest, Bloomstick, Interlock, Quick Sand, Moon in Libra, Clean Polymer, Red Quartz, Toy Soldier), MAG-7 (Copper Coated, Insomnia, Cinqueda, Counter Terrace, Prism Terrace, Memento, Chainmail, Hazard, Justice, Bulldozer, Silver, Core Breach, Firestarter, Praetorian, Heat, Hard Water, Monster Call, BI83 Spectrum, SWAG-7), M249 (Humidor, Shipping Forecast, Blizzard Marbleized, Downtown, Jungle DDPAT, Nebula Crusader, Impact Drill, Emerald Poison Dart), Negev (Mjölnir, Anodized Navy, Palm, Power Loader, Bratatat, CaliCamo, Phoenix Stencil, Infrastructure, Boroque Sand), Wear - Factory New (FN), Minimal Wear (MW), Field-Tested (FT), Well-Worn (WW), Battle-Scarred (BS), Stickers Holo/Foil/Gold - Katowice 2014, Krakow 2017, Howling Dawn, Katowice 2015, Crown, London 2018, Cologne 2014, Boston 2018, Atlanta 2017, Cluj-Napoca 2015, DreamHack 2014, King on the Field, Harp of War, Winged Difuser, Cologne 2016, Cologne 2015, MLG Columbus 2016, Katowice 2019, Berlin 2019, RMR 2020, Stockholm 2021, Antwerp 2022, Paris 2023, Swag Foil, Flammable foil, Others - Souvenirs, Agents, Pins, Passes, Gifts, Music Kits, Cases, Keys, Capsules, Packages, Patches

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DAY: JUNE 6 2024
6-6-2024

Digital games may be an overlooked ally in mental health

Playing Wordle or Sudoku each morning over a cup of coffee probably won’t boost your brain powers, but the mood and confidence lift these games provide is reason enough to keep playing, new University of Oregon research shows. Researchers from UO’s School of Journalism and Communication investigated brain-training games, collections of puzzles and quizzes that are marketed to help sharpen the mind but lack scientific backing.
6-6-2024

Alcohol can cause breast cancer, but most women in the US aren’t aware of the health risks

Did you know that casual drinks with friends or having a “wine mom” moment to unwind could actually be nudging up your risk for breast cancer? It sounds like a buzzkill. But it’s a truth that many might not know: Alcohol actually causes breast cancer. The World Health Organization and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism lay it out pretty clearly: Compared to those who don’t drink, just one drink a day can bump up your breast cancer risk by 5% to 9%. As alcohol and cancer researchers,
6-6-2024

Hydration is really important for learning. How much do kids need to drink?

Last month, Ballarat Clarendon College began a trial to ban water bottles in the classroom for students in Years 5 to 9. According to the school, “early feedback” indicated it had reduced noise and bathroom breaks during class time. Along with becoming a status symbol and fashion item, water bottles are now considered essential for school. So, how much water do children need in a day? And what impact does it have on their brains? How much fluid do children and teenagers need? The amount of fluid children need will
6-6-2024

Why do we love to see unlikely animal friendships? A psychology expert explains

The internet is awash with stories and videos of unlikely animal friendships, often with many millions of views. This content typically shows animals from different species showing affection to one another, signifying a bond or even a “friendship.” These relationships have been captured in people’s homes, such as with Molly the magpie and Peggy the dog, in zoos, such as with Baloo the bear, Leo the lion and Shere Khan the tiger, and even in the wild, such as one case of a fox and
6-6-2024

The sneaky ways junk food brands get positive news coverage

Public health experts are calling for government action to protect Australians from the influence of the unhealthy food, alcohol, and advertising industries, after new research published today unveiled the “sly” ways they exploit Australian consumers. Two new papers published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health showcase industry tactics, from generating news coverage promoting unhealthy foods, to co-opting not-for-profit organizations to push-back against government marketing reforms. In one study, researchers analyzed the way that fast food restaurants use public relations (PR) tactics to generate positive news coverage
6-6-2024

Women with excess weight as a teen or young adult may have higher stroke risk by age 55

In an analysis of more than 50 years of health data, women who had overweight or obesity at age 14 or 31 were more likely to have an ischemic (clot-caused) stroke before age 55, according to research published today in Stroke. According to the American Heart Association, an ischemic stroke occurs when a vessel supplying blood to the brain is obstructed. Ischemic stroke is the most common type of stroke and accounts for about 87% of all strokes. The study conducted in Finland suggests that women with excessive weight at
6-6-2024

From cycling to sex, skin patches promise to make their mark

New high-performance skin patches will help people monitor vital health signs during exercise. What do cycling, showering and making love have in common? All three activities prove the usefulness of a new generation of skin patches that can monitor people’s vital signs like blood pressure and heart rate, according to Professor Klas Hjort, head of the microsystems technology program at Uppsala University in Sweden. Patch work While “smart wearables” are already very much on the market and in people’s lives, researchers are seeking to improve the technologies in areas such
6-6-2024

Do you really need compression socks on long flights?

Since the dawn of the jet age, travelers have been warned about the risks of dangerous blood clots while flying. In recent years, those warnings have often been accompanied by advice to wear compression socks. But the case for keeping them on your packing list isn’t as clear-cut as you might expect. “It’s perfectly fine to use them,” said Dr. Joshua Beckman, director of vascular medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, but science can’t say exactly how much they might help travelers. Compression socks—sometimes referred to as graduated
6-6-2024

Hidden challenges of tooth loss and dentures revealed in new study

The hidden challenges faced by people with tooth loss and dentures have been identified by new research from the University of Sheffield. Improvements in dental care, more people living longer, and the social value placed on having a healthy smile has led to people keeping their own teeth longer, but it has also led to an increasing number of people needing some kind of restoration work, including crowns, bridges and implants. Many of these treatments remain unobtainable for most people due to the availability of NHS dentists and the high
6-6-2024

Music therapy helps stroke survivors regain lost speech by singing

Ray Hart’s vocabulary consisted of just one word after his August 2022 stroke. “Yep” was all he could say, said Pamela Jenkins, his caregiver and partner of 24 years. Like many survivors, Hart, 62, can understand what’s said to him almost as well as he could before the stroke, but it’s still hard for him to form complete sentences. Now, though, a year after adding music therapy to his rehabilitation schedule, he can sing them. “I’ve got sunshine on a cloudy day,” he sang during a recent
6-6-2024

Many US women unhappy with maternal health care, poll finds

Many women are unhappy with the state of U.S. maternal health care, but a major new poll finds most Americans don’t understand how badly the nation lags behind other wealthy countries in this area. Only about 2 in 5 (42%) women currently pregnant or ever pregnant strongly felt they had access to the best possible medical care while pregnant, down significantly from 50% in 2022, according to The Harris Poll’s second annual survey on the state of maternal health care. Women reported similar numbers regarding their health care while giving
6-6-2024

What toilet paper and game shows can teach us about the spread of epidemics

How can we explain and predict human behavior? Are mathematics and probability up to the task, or are humans too complex and irrational? Often, people’s actions take us by surprise, particularly when they seem irrational. Take the COVID pandemic: one thing nobody saw coming was a rush on toilet paper that left supermarket shelves bare in many countries. But by combining ideas from mathematics, economics and behavioral science, researchers were eventually able to make mathematical models of how panic spreads between people, which made
6-6-2024

Vigorous exercise may preserve cognition in high-risk patients with hypertension

People with high blood pressure have a higher risk of cognitive impairment, including dementia, but a new study from researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine suggests that engaging in vigorous physical activity more than once a week can lower that risk. The findings appear in Alzheimer’s & Dementia. “We know that physical exercise offers many benefits, including lowering blood pressure, improving heart health and potentially delaying
6-6-2024

Study links xylitol to increased risk of heart attack and stroke

Cleveland Clinic researchers found higher amounts of the sugar alcohol xylitol are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events like heart attack and stroke. The team, led by Stanley Hazen, M.D., Ph.D., confirmed the association in a large-scale patient analysis, preclinical research models and a clinical intervention study. Findings were published in the European Heart Journal. Xylitol is a common sugar substitute used in sugar-free candy, gums, baked goods and oral products like toothpaste. Over the past decade, the use of sugar substitutes, including sugar alcohols and artificial sweeteners, has
6-6-2024

Researchers unveil pioneering approach to combat age-related vision loss

Researchers discovered a new treatment for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of vision loss among older adults. Featured on the cover of the journal Science Translational Medicine, this research reveals that boosting a specific protein, IRAK-M, in retinal cells could offer a new and highly effective therapy for AMD. AMD can severely impact a person’s vision. Patients suffering from AMD
6-6-2024

New combination therapy shows promise for bladder cancer patients unresponsive to standard treatment

In an advance that could transform bladder cancer treatment, a novel combination of cretostimogene grenadenorepvec and pembrolizumab has shown remarkable efficacy in patients with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG)-unresponsive non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. Results from the phase 2 CORE-001 trial, published today in Nature Medicine, reveal a significant improvement in complete response rates and long-term disease control, offering new hope for patients with this challenging condition who face limited treatment options. The trial included patients with BCG-unresponsive carcinoma in situ of the bladder, a condition that is notoriously difficult to treat and
6-6-2024

Researchers say AI blood test provides a reliable way to identify lung cancer

Using artificial intelligence technology to identify patterns of DNA fragments associated with lung cancer, researchers from the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center and other institutions have developed and validated a liquid biopsy that may help identify lung cancer earlier. In a prospective study published June 3 in Cancer Discovery, the team demonstrated that artificial intelligence technology could identify people more likely to have
6-6-2024

Unpaid care disproportionately affects low-income households across Europe

Unpaid care has a huge impact on mental health and is more likely to be provided by people from low-income households, finds a landmark Europe-wide study by researchers at UCL and St George’s, University of London. The Eurocare research examined unpaid care provided by people of all ages across Europe. The researchers found that around 1 in 10 people aged 15 to 29 across Europe are caregivers. More than a quarter (27%) of these young adult caregivers come from households ranked in the bottom fifth
6-6-2024

Community-based screening analysis emphasizes need for hypertension screening in young athletes

A substantial portion of are at risk of hypertension, according to a study presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Care of the Athletic Heart conference, held June 6–8 in Washington. High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, occurs in 47% of adults in the U.S., according to CardioSmart.org. Over time, hypertension weakens the heart, blood vessels and kidneys, paving the way for potential stroke or heart attack. Often referred to as the “silent killer,” high blood pressure is a leading risk factor for heart disease and early death. The
6-6-2024

Study finds mpox continues to circulate at low numbers among gay and bisexual men who have sex with men

While mpox cases have sharply declined since the 2022 global outbreak, they continue to occur in the U.S. among gay and bisexual men who have sex with men (GBMSM), according to a UCLA-led study from EMERGEncy ID NET, a multi-site surveillance network. Though no cases were found in women, children or the unhoused, vigilance and vaccination remain important, the researchers write. The findings will be published June 6 in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is an infection endemic in Africa that is transmitted by skin-to-skin
6-6-2024

Younger children are more commonly diagnosed with ADHD than their older classmates, says new study

New research, led by experts at the University of Nottingham, has found that teachers may be attributing signs of age-related immaturity in children, to conditions such as Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The results of the study, which are published in the journal European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, showed that the youngest students in a class, with birth dates just before the school entry cut-off date, were overrepresented among children receiving an ADHD diagnosis or medication for the condition. Experts looked at
6-6-2024

Researchers find flavor restrictions affect tobacco buyers differently depending on socioeconomic status

Restricting menthol flavor in cigarettes while making nicotine replacement therapy, such as a skin patch that can help ease withdrawal, more available and affordable has the potential to reduce socioeconomic disparities in tobacco use. That was one of the findings in a study published in May in Nicotine and Tobacco Research that marks a
6-6-2024

Gender-specific social factors may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease

Differences in social factors that may reduce cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk for men and women have been identified by Monash University-led research using a field of artificial intelligence (AI). Published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, researchers employed machine learning (ML) algorithms to pinpoint key predictors of CVD from a set of 25 social factors. The study found that being married/partnered, or having social support from others, was associated with a reduced risk of CVD for men and women. For men, activities like playing chess or cards, having
6-6-2024

Long COVID’s toll outlined in new report

Long COVID continues to plague millions of Americans as the health costs of the pandemic linger four years later, a new report warns. In a hefty document released Wednesday, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, a nongovernmental group that advises federal agencies on science and medicine, detailed the damage that Long COVID has wrought. “Diagnosing, measuring and treating Long COVID is complicated. This disease, which has existed in humans for less than five years, can present differently from person to person and can either resolve within weeks or
6-6-2024

Precision laser surgery cuts focal epileptic seizure spread

In a busy hospital waiting room, a young man’s muscles began contracting in a harsh, unyielding spasm as a quick-acting student rushed to his aid. “We ran over to help stabilize the patient. To my surprise, his mother calmly reassured us that his seizure was a routine occurrence due to his epilepsy,” said Seth Lieberman, Ph.D. ’21, D.V.M. ’24, who was an undergraduate student at the time.
6-6-2024

Study finds omega-3 therapy prevents birth-related brain injury in newborn rodents

An injectable emulsion containing two omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil markedly reduced brain damage in newborn rodents after a disruption in the flow of oxygen to the brain near birth, a study by researchers at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons has found. The findings are published in the journal Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy. Brain injury due to insufficient oxygen is a severe complication of labor and delivery that occurs in one to three out of every 1,000
6-6-2024

Possible mechanism for multiple sclerosis detected

The role that Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) plays in the development of multiple sclerosis (MS) may be caused by a higher level of cross-reactivity, where the body’s immune system binds to the wrong target, than previously thought. In a new study published in PLOS Pathogens, researchers looked at blood samples from people with MS, as well as healthy people infected with EBV and

• 6-6-2024New initiative aims to integrate clinical research in everyday primary care settings
• 6-6-2024Researchers detail molecular pathway that impacts pancreatic cancer progression and treatment response
• 6-6-2024Researchers identify key differences in inner workings of immune cells
• 6-6-2024Metabolic parameters found to be similar in children born via frozen versus fresh embryo transfer, research shows
• 6-6-2024Novel radiotracer rapidly detects gastrointestinal cancer biomarker, identifies patients for targeted therapy
• 6-6-2024Diet-induced inflammation positively tied to marker of heart failure
• 6-6-2024High levels of novel biomarker GDF15 in steatotic liver patients linked to increased liver cancer risk
• 6-6-2024Targeting bile acid pathways offers hope for liver disease treatment
• 6-6-2024Researchers report positive long-term results from study on chronic rhinitis treatment
• 6-6-2024Study identifies molecular profile of rheumatoid arthritis patients with increased cardiovascular risk
• 6-6-2024New method allows quick measurement of photoreceptor response
• 6-6-2024Study shows ivonescimab improves progression-free survival in EGFR+ lung cancer
• 6-6-2024World-first study into precision medicine for high-risk childhood cancer yields promising results
• 6-6-2024Smart hydrogel injected into intracranial fluid can measure changes in temperature, pH or pressure
• 6-6-2024Most stem cells die after being injected into the brain. This new technique could change that
• 6-6-2024Urged on by LGBTQ+ activists, California cities weigh stricter smoking rules
• 6-6-2024New study challenges ‘pop psychology’ myths about habits
• 6-6-2024Multiple randomized trials prove more stroke patients can benefit from thrombectomy
• 6-6-2024Afib patients on low doses of blood thinners have more bleeding episodes than those on standard doses
• 6-6-2024The body’s own lipids affect mental disorders: Can specific inhibitors help?
• 6-6-2024Engineered bacteria deliver chemotherapy directly to tumors
• 6-6-2024A new technology to fight hematological cancer
• 6-6-2024Novel AI method could improve tissue, tumor analysis and advance treatment of disease
• 6-6-2024Study uncovers how cancer stem cells spread and resist treatment
• 6-6-2024The disproportionate toll that COVID-19 took on people with diabetes continues today
• 6-6-2024FDA panel OKs new COVID vaccine for fall
• 6-6-2024Study suggests novel ways to use e-cigarette packaging to better protect consumers
• 6-6-2024Researchers discover potential new therapy for lethal metabolomic disease
• 6-6-2024Clinical trial investigates using electronic alerts to help control blood pressure
• 6-6-2024Adding nurse case managers to telehealth significantly lowers blood pressure in Black, Hispanic stroke survivors: Study
• 6-6-2024People feel more connected to ‘tweezer-like’ bionic hands in virtual reality, study shows
• 6-6-2024Clinical study shows zebrafish avatars of cancer patients have high predictive power
• 6-6-2024Mouth-based touchpad enables people living with paralysis to interact with computers
• 6-6-2024‘Artificial lymph node’ used to treat cancer in mice
• 6-6-2024Energy drinks may trigger life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias in patients with genetic heart diseases
• 6-6-2024Only half of individuals disclose or believe they should reveal having an STI prior to sexual intercourse
• 6-6-2024Man in Mexico died of a bird flu strain that hadn’t been confirmed before in a human, WHO says
• 6-6-2024Hong Kong announces blanket ban of e-cigarettes
• 6-6-2024New glioblastoma treatment reaches human brain tumor and helps immune cells recognize cancer cells
• 6-6-2024First-of-its-kind test can predict dementia up to nine years before diagnosis
• 6-6-2024Research team develops searchable database for Alzheimer’s research
• 6-6-2024Lifesaving childbirth blood loss intervention is highly cost-effective, finds 78-hospital analysis
• 6-6-2024Safety-net health clinics cut services and staff amid Medicaid ‘unwinding’
• 6-6-2024Positive test not needed for long COVID diagnosis, experts conclude
• 6-6-2024Researchers create brain organoid to investigate effects of COVID-19 in people with Down syndrome
• 6-6-2024Drug used to treat eczema may provide relief for patients with intensely itchy skin diseases
• 6-6-2024Researchers identify a key metabolic gene as target for improved cancer immunotherapy
• 6-6-2024Study shows orexin neurons can track how fast blood glucose changes
• 6-6-2024Macrophages behave like mural cells to promote healing of ischemic muscle injury, study shows
• 6-6-2024Long-read RNA sequencing reveals key gene expressions in Alzheimer’s disease
• 6-6-2024One in six people who stop antidepressants will experience discontinuation symptoms as a direct result, says study
• 6-6-2024New home-administered treatment for binge eating disorder shows promising results
• 6-6-2024Evidence-based design or Feng Shui in hospital rooms might benefit patients, online study finds
• 6-6-2024Transgenic murine model expresses BCP-mutated hepatitis B virus genome
• 6-6-2024Overall calls to poison centers are declining, but serious cases are increasing
• 6-6-2024Returning to physical activity after first metatarsophalangeal arthrodesis
• 6-6-2024Global analysis of cancer research papers reveals consistent sex imbalance
• 6-6-2024New study finds that both stimulant and non-stimulant medications improve cognition in ADHD