2028 trump or biden wins but their vice president gets ambitious and uses the 25th amendment which states
"In the complex and unique scenario where a president is considered to be unable to do their job but does not want to step down, Section 4 authorizes the vice president and a majority of the president’s cabinet or Congress to decide if the president is unable to perform their duties. Should the group have a majority opinion of “yes,” then the president’s powers are automatically transferred to the vice president."
And to make it spicy the president claims he's able which forces congress to disagree via majority vote what is the fallout.
As effectively multiple party members on both sides helps a person legally seize power
Both have grounds to claim the other is in the wrong and this will be a discussion somehow partisan and non partisan at the same time

27M and I initially started having symptoms May 2023 that ranged from migraines+auras, left side of body tingling + numbness that lasted for a month. Clean brain, cervical, thoracic, and lumbar MRIs with and without contrast. (8 MRIs and counting wooo)
Labs were normal except for severe vitamin B12 and D deficiency, which I am treating with supplements. Soon after (October 2023) started experiencing muscle fasciculations throughout the body (arms, legs, chest, back, face,etc.) and have not gone away. Also, trigger finger-like symptoms on right pinky finger and what looks like palmis brevis syndrome. Rheumatologist rules out arthritis. Diagnosed with ulnar neuropathy after EMG of upper extremities.
March 2023, I had a clean EMG of lower extremities after experiencing burning and tingling sensation in legs from standing for no more 10mins at a time.
As of now, I have ruled out autoimmune diseases (ANA negative), other neurological issues besides my plane neuropathy. Neurologist has no reason to suspect ***…all lab work has been normal. Muscle fascilulations and cramps still present and considered benign (BFS / CFS).
I wonder if anyone has any ideas of what other things I should be looking out for (EDS?). I have health anxiety and having no actual diagnosis has been worrisome.

Hi all,
Last month I reached rock bottom, within 3 months I'd lost my job, my passion for my hobbies and a 6 year relationship. All of this crescendoed into perhaps the worst OCD spiral I've ever experienced, my self esteem wasn't just at rock bottom, it was at rock bottom and being pummeled into the bedrock.
This manifested as real event / false memory OCD, I began to ruminate and scour my past for any misdeeds or transgressions I had made, that could have affected my relationship and just generally my morals. Whilst dealing with all of these negative emotions and circumstances, I was mentally lacerating myself so brutally that I fell into a deep depression, I had never felt such despair before in my life, such a feeling of hopelessness and worthlessness.
The OCD fed into the anxiety, which fed into the depression, which in turn fed into the OCD. I was walking around with a constant cloud of guilt and shame smothering me. It was by far the hardest and most painful experience I've ever endured.
In my desperation I spent large amounts of money on therapists, but none of them seemed to understand, I truly felt like the 0.0001% that just could not be fixed, I've been dealing with OCD since a brain infection when I was 8, I'm now 28 and it has been untreated until now, I really just felt like giving up.
I felt like I was pushing away those closest to me with my incessant obsessions, and I decided to go to my last resort, SSRI's. My parents have always been avidly against anti depressants, they said it was "the easy way out" so there has always been a lot of stigma for me (By the way "the easy way out" is absolute horseshit and a horrible thing to say, starting SSRI's is no easy choice and takes a lot of courage to begin with, especially at rock bottom).
So I met with my doctor and was prescribed 50mg of Zoloft (sertraline) and he warned me "it'll get worse before it gets better"... I thought ... yeah right, it couldn't possibly get worse than it already is.
I was wrong
The first week was hell, the side effects weren't particularly brutal but enough to make me uncomfortable the entire duration of that first week, but the worst was the anxiety spike, I was seriously considering quitting the meds by day 3. But I perservered somehow and I'm now on day 20 I think.
At around the 12th/13th day they started to kick in, which is lucky for me as I know it can take longer for some people.
And since then I've just felt.. normal. Not just normal, happy even. I have motivation again, I don't feel hopeless, I don't feel despair, I don't feel like the worst person to ever walk this earth. I understand that there's ups and downs I will continue to experience lows and highs but that's not the point of this post, the point of this post is:
It does get better, 1 month ago I didn't think I'd EVER be capable of feeling happiness or normality again, I know what it feels like to be in that deep pit of despair and doubt, that you are immorality incarnate, that you are different and no one can ever understand, and I'm here to tell you that it will pass
The shear relief of not feeling like a walking piece of human trash anymore, even if briefly, gave me enough hope to keep pushing forward, and I want you to do the same.
I've also started ERP / ACT therapy, which I will update this post on at a later date.
SSRI's aren't always the answer, but if you're like I was and really felt like you have nothing left to give, I think you should consult your doctor and see what they can do for you, I'm so thankful that I perservered and kept going, the relief is indescribable. Obviously it's different for everyone, and some will work for you and some won't, but keep trying and keep hopeful.
And lastly, no matter what kind of OCD you have, at the end of the day it IS still OCD, be kind to yourself, I know you don't feel like you deserve it, I know you think that meds or therapy are a way of avoiding atoning for your sins or fears, and I know you feel that your OCD is different and no one can understand, and trust me, I've been there. Be kind to yourself and understand that you are not in "Hell" think of it more as a 'Refining fire' and you will perserver this and come out stronger.

Hi everyone! This is my first post here. I had optic neuritis in February 2020 (good timing for hospitalization, right?) which was shortly after my firstborn turned 1, about 4 months after I stopped breastfeeding, and also corresponded with my first menstrual period post delivery. I started Vumerity upon my official MS diagnosis in September 2020, and remained on it until I discovered I was pregnant in October 2022. I gave birth in June 2023 after being relapse free throughout pregnancy. I’m 11+ months into breastfeeding which seems to be continuing to protect my body from relapse. I reached out to my insurance and neurologist about medication. I want to start immediately upon stopping breastfeeding in a couple weeks, but my insurance doesn’t cover Vumerity. Tecfidera is covered, which is what my neurologist suggested since it’s similar to Vumerity and I responded to it well. I’ve seen a lot of people in this group post about Kesimpta, which my insurance will cover with a prior authorization. Do I push for this? I have two boys I have to chase after all summer, and I’m looking for something that will prevent my disease from progressing and also has few side effects. Any suggestions?

Just a few words to start off with: this will be a pretty long post since I want to be up front with as much detail as possible to avoid vagueness, but I'll try and break it into sections, and put a quick TL;DR at the end, as well as my best guesses for what's going on. I'll also state now that I'm originally a car guy that's worked solely on newer, fuel-injected car engines, so this whole experience of working on an old carbureted motorcycle has presented a lot of new things to me. My apologies if I get anything wrong here or have proceeded with anything under an incorrect assumption. Anyway, a major thank you to anyone that reads this!
- - - - - - Context - - - - - -
In the past month, I took on a restoration and road-legal-ification of my dad's old '88 FZR400 he raced back in the 90s. During its heyday, my dad had done some mods to the engine, of which I can't really remember exactly what off the top of my head; they had at least included intake or exhaust porting, though, and maybe a stroke or bore (? again not sure). Needless to say, upon dyno tuning it back then, it apparently made around the stock brake horsepower, but at the wheel.
After my dad retired due to injuries, picking up car racing, and starting a family, the bike sat for many years, until he fixed it up a bit to be sold in the early 2010s. However, after he found no takers due to many other things going on for us as a family at the time, he eventually let it sit for the past decade. Unfortunately, he didn't run it dry before letting it sit, which according to him, was likely because he assumed he'd continue trying to sell it, so I've spent most of the past 30 days un-gunking the carbs and fuel tank of degraded ethanol and whatnot.
While I can say I've made fairly consistent progress, I've continually hit roadblocks with it, from starting one day to dying off idle the next and such. But, just the other day, I had a massive breakthrough where I got it to start, idle, hit redline, and ride around the lawn up to 2nd gear. Later that same day, though, it began to refuse to idle and consistently died a short few seconds after every start.
- - - - - - A/F Fiddling - - - - - -
I've been a bit confused with the powertrain on this thing since it's seemingly sentient and has a vengeance, as whenever I get it to do something I want it to do, it quickly protests by doing something else undesirable, or even the opposite of what's expected. For example, after cleaning the carbs four times (I'll get to those in a bit), I eventually deduced that the hesitation and sensitivity to rev off idle, as well as its behavior on closed throttle (rev drops) could be due to an A/F mixture issue; so, I messed around with the air screws on each carb:

1. This is where I became even more confused, though, as the stock (or at least how it was when I received it) 2-turn setting was acting very lean (hanging revs, hesitation to rev, overheated really easily).
2. Tightening the screws to make a richer mixture seemed to have no effect, even making it act as if it was leaner (revs hanging even more, refuses to start or idle at times).
3. Backing out the screws to around 2.5 turns out, however, seemed to not even really change the behavior from the "rich" screw setting.
4. Going back to the original 2-turn setting, the bike began to run great and is the setting that allowed me to take it for a ride on the lawn. Thus, I deduced that despite a cleaning and visual inspection, maybe the screws were just holding some gunk or something in the perfect, hidden place.

Problem solved, then, right? Wrong. Like I said, it refuses to stay running now. Regardless of that fact, though, even when it was able to run, the hesitation to rev off idle was so bad that I could intentionally stall the bike whenever I felt like it just by giving it too much throttle too quickly at idle. It was as if the engine was a glass cannon, working amazingly under the right circumstances, but would fall apart at the blink of an eye if something changed.
At this point, I'm just kind of confused since the various things I've tried have seemed to have no impact or positive change most times, and when I do end up doing something right, it seemingly makes the bike run for a totally different reason or behave in an unintuitive manner. To close, I'll just list some of the things I've tried in an effort to make it work properly.
- - - - - - Carb related changes - - - - - -

• 1st carb cleaning (at this point I didn't fully understand how carbs worked, so understandably the bike didn't run after this): bowl de-gunking and cleaning, also changed out the totally blocked 88 main jets for some 87.5s that were lying around.
• 2nd carb cleaning: full passageway cleaning of both air and fuel sides, as well as diaphragm and needle cleaning. Bike started after this, albeit not very easily, but didn't really run.
• 3rd carb cleaning: essentially a full carb rebuild to totally eliminate the possibility of blocked passageways (still, not 100% sure it's totally perfect, but it was good enough to get it to run, idle, and rev nearly properly for a bit).
• 4th carb opening: changed the 87.5 mains back to the 88s after a good cleaning in an aim to sort out the lean behavior. The day after this is when I was able to get it out on the lawn.
• Messing around with the idle position screw, I've been able to keep it at the right idle speed on certain days, but it feels very inconsistent and like I have to keep changing it every other time I start the bike.

- - - - - - Carb unrelated changes - - - - - -

• Changed out the spark plugs that were in the bike (can't remember the brand/model off the top of my head, but they're not NGKs) for what I believe to be the stock plugs that came with the bike when new, the NGKs (CR8E according to the manual).
  • As a sidenote, the electrodes are noticeably smaller in design than the ones that my dad was running, but seemed a little less roughed-up, so I'm not sure if that's contributed to any of the issues or not. I don't think it would, since they're listed as the stock plugs, but due to the engine modifications, I can't say for sure.
• I've tried running the bike with and without the airbox/filter while changing other variables, and haven't really noticed any differences; I will note that the lawn test included the airbox/filter.
• Plugging, routing to airbox, or letting the transfer case vent to atmosphere hasn't seemed to do anything. Not totally sure what other vacuum leaks people online could be referring to since the carbs sit directly on top of the engine block and have no tubing in or out of them, and the diaphragms are in great shape, able to hold vacuum on their own.
• I fit the radiator fan back on the radiator so I could run the bike without a fan or having to let it cool intermittently. Funny enough, I'm pretty sure this is when the bike started to refuse to start, but I'm not sure why. The load on everything shouldn't be that high nor even present when it's off, and the only things I touched were a single tube and clamp on one side of the radiator to access its back for the fan.
• I've kept the like-OEM lead-acid battery topped up the whole time, as well as letting the bike idle for a while sometimes to keep it charged on its own.

- - - - - - TL;DR (and possible solutions) - - - - - -
Restoration of an old '88 FZR400 set up for track racing that sat with gas in it for a decade or more, but I've run into weird and inconsistent engine behavior surrounding what I believe to be fueling. Sometimes it'll start, sometimes it won't, I've taken it for a ride on the lawn, but it stopped starting later that same day.
Here are some of my thoughts/guesses as to what could be going on:

1. I suck at cleaning carburetor passageways: the possibility of me taking apart a carb four times and still missing certain things is very real, since it's the first carb I've ever touched. But, from the various successes I've had with it, I can't see why it would somehow randomly get much worse out of nowhere.
2. Imperfect jet needles: I only used some fine steel wool on the needles in my 2nd carb cleaning in order to not damage or scratch them up too bad. Because of this, they're still, ever so slightly (seriously, barely noticeable), sticky when fully seated. My hope was that they'd polish themselves up as time went on and since a lot of my problems are idle related, I don't think this is the main issue, but could be doing something undesirable, not sure.
3. Bad-good fuel: I've been using 87 octane in the tank for all my testing purposes up until the lawn test day, where after I noticed the bike starting to want to not start, I went and got some 93 in my can simply because I felt like it. Still refuses to start. I doubt this is the issue, since why would a higher octane perform worse in any situation? However, this makes me think that maybe the fuel filter has just coincidentally gave up at the worst time.
4. Bad spark plugs: not sure this is really the cause, but just an option since I keep forgetting to buy brand new plugs. But, I have inspected and gapped both sets I have and they seem to be in order.
5. Valves out of spec: I will be honest, I have intentionally avoided this since I really don't want this to be the problem, but I'm beginning to suspect that maybe the bikes rude awakening after a decade of sleep may have shocked some things out of whack.
6. Vacuum leak: a lot of people online keep mentioning this on different forums for other bikes, but I can't see where there could actually be one on this specific bike. Still a possibility, though, I just can't see where it might show up.
7. Desynched carbs: this is definitely something I will be doing just as a maintenance thing soon down the line, but perhaps the idle issues are mainly because of this. Don't know why it's sometimes pretty difficult to rev, though.
8. Something I haven't thought of: I think there are probably a few things I've left out of here since I've just forgotten them at the current moment, so if any of you can offer any advice or thoughts, I'd greatly appreciate it! Thanks!

I have a really tiny PC (I bring it with me on planes as a carry on!) which means it's really hard to get dust out of the crevices. I've tried compressed air but it's not strong enough to be effective. It also freezes up really quickly. When I searched up PC dusters on Amazon I get a lot of pretty cheap options but I'm always afraid that they're not really safe to be used inside a PC and are more meant for outside use for keyboards and monitors and stuff. My PC is my literal baby and I'd cry if I fucked it up while cleaning.
Can anyone link me or direct me to a product (preferably on Amazon) they found effective, decently cheap and for sure safe to use on the inside of a PC. I've seen people recommend datavac but $100+ is a bit out of my price range. My max is like $50. Thank you!
Also little side question, I know people say to dust your PC every 3-6 months. Do you guys think I should do it more often because it is so small?

Bored out of his mind, he decided to do something different to stimulate his brain. So he opened a new document in his usual text editor in hopes of coming up with something interesting. But all he could do was stare at the blank document without an idea of what to input.
His mind kept bouncing between the different rules he had formed, or absorbed, over the years of what a creative project *should* be. If it didn't fit into that mold, his mind would automatically scrap it and move on to the next idea. It kept cycling through the same ideas over and over with little change.
He was easily bored. Even though he was one of those fortunate to have a job that is stimulating enough to the brain, he needed more. He didn't know if it was due to his personality or because of his addictions to high-dopamine activities. He had been engaging in such activities from a very young age so it may very well be a frozen aspect of his personality by now.
After staring for what seemed like an eternity, he decided to type in something...anything. His eyes darted around the screen for any inspiration he could find. But he stopped himself. He realized he had a knee-jerk reaction to "search for inspiration" whenever he wanted to do something creative. As if he didn't have any ideas of his own, or maybe he didn't value his own ideas. He had already started this session by setting up some classical music in the background which isn't what he usually listens to.
He stopped himself from looking up any references or changing the music whenever he got the urge to. By process of elimination the only place left he get inspiration from was his own mind. So he started typing his own thoughts, but in third person as if he was a character in a story. He didn't know if this would lead to anywhere good but he kept typing anyway.
His mind occasionally entertained the idea that this might actually be something good. It's a habit he had developed over the years: Whenever he thinks about doing something creative, his mind almost immediately fantasizes about the success of that work. He starts imagining himself doing interviews and talking getting asked about what inspired him to come up with his idea. And of course, he answers by talking about his actual current situation, in this case typing words into an untitled document.
An interesting idea kept popping up now and again: What if he starts changing his character's situation from his own? He though of different possibilities. For example, the character might turn out to be in a fictional world different from the real one. Another was: What if he fooled the reader into thinking that the character is fictional when he was in fact biographical, or vice versa?
He finally started to get excited about what he was doing. But something felt off about those two ideas. The former being unoriginal and the latter, a clever writing gimmick. He wanted to write something new, interesting and personal. His mind flashed with warning when he attached those labels to his work because those are the fantasies he wanted to avoid.
After some careful thought, he realized he was creating an infinity mirroreffect. He was writing about a character that represented himself, writing about a character that represented himself and so on. Things could be more interesting if each iteration of himself did one thing differently or lived in a slightly different world. What could the butterfly effect entail? Could the thousandth version of himself be in a much better or a much worse situation?
What about the axis of time? It's fiction after all, he had the freedom to extrapolate the future of his character. What did his future look like? He was dying to know.
His mind blanked again. This is what happens when he is faced with forks in the road. His biggest fear is choice, because choosing something means NOT choosing another. He wasn't confident enough in himself to make these decisions, or any important decisions in his life. He usually let fate decide and just went with the flow. And he hated that about himself.
The decision weighed heavily on him and his mind kept urging him to stop what he is doing because it was pointless, but he pressed on. He told himself, he would keep going at least until the hour or so long compilation of music ended.
After taking a deep breath, he made his decision. He omitted explicitly stating which choice he went with to keep readers hooked but he knew they would figure it out eventually.
He decided that was enough for this writing session and decided to feed his pet Xenomorph and then take his spaceship for a leisurely ride through the Andromeda galaxy.
He thought that adding such an obvious difference between his and the fictional worlds would induce laughter or at least a nose exhale in some of his readers. How silly he was.
A few minutes were left in the music compilation, all he could think about was when it will end. After an hour long writing session, he still wasn't as excited about his work as he would have hoped but such is life, full of disappointments. On the bright side, this exercise could help heal his brain from the damage the internet has done to it over the years. He thought about doing it again the next day.

Hello, came here to ask if medications to treat bipolar are ALL that bad? My brother has been diagnosed with bipolar type 1 and schizoaffective disorders since 2013 and has always been extremely resistant to taking meds (we’ve been on a rollercoaster since, almost yearly hospitalizations, etc.).
His argument has always been that he hates how they make him feel, blames most if not all of his failures on taking meds. Says they’re all intolerable. He has tried (on and mostly off) lithium, lamotrigine, olanzapine, abilify, clonazepam, diazepam, invega and has recently decided to try vraylar.
He will usually refuse to take the doses that the doctors recommend, and will push to only take the minimal dose available. Are they really all that bad? Are the side effects that intolerable?
Forgot to mention: he’s been hospitalized almost yearly due to psychosis and manic episodes since his diagnosis. He lost most, if not all of his friends, does not really work (we have a family business, but due to his frequent hospitalizations and mood cycles he is not able to contribute meaningfully) and is very easily triggered.

the garden of sanctuary was supposedly made by the harpy empress Sheta
but how?
is it something she just asked the system for? or is it something she actually had made by hiring a bunch of builders and enchanters that the system then made into a skill like Erins portal door? or is it a building she enhanced with her skills that the system then merged into one thing? how does the system pick what structures to skill...ify?
who made the pavilion of secrets and how do you make a building with an effect that specific?
also as an aside kind of f-ed up the system can convert objects to skills without informed consent. what if you wanted to leave it to somebody? by making things skills the system calls dibs on bequeathing rights. sure you can reject a level up but how do you even know what your agreeing to based on just the skill name?
and if any building enhanced by skills can be made into a inheritable skill if Erin died tomorrow could somebody inherent the entire wondering inn Erin skills included or just the door?
maybe that's Eirns next big capstone skill. the entire inn gets converted into a skill she can rearrange at will. up side is automatic upgrades as she levels as skills get stronger with levels but downside she gets little to no say in who inherent the wandering inn next.

Hi! ive been having uncomfortable sharp nipple pain since i got off the pill last night. Its sort of sure just under my nipple, like how chafing feels kind of. It's been about 20 hours since i last took a pill, is this soon enough to start developing side effects?

So I am currently on 54mg of concerta in the morning and I can finally say that concerta is probably not for me. Been taking it for the last 3 months.
The no negative side effects is the only upside really. It doesn’t affect my appetite or sleep at all. I missed a few doses here and there and I couldn’t tell the difference from when I took them and my adhd is still very dominant in my everyday life.
54mg is a high dose as it is. Even for someone who is practically immune to the compound. So I really don’t want a higher dose of it.
If anyone experienced this before. What did they try after? I know everyone experience the medication differently. But there has to be someone else who gets completely nothing out of concerta like me.

Welcome to the Series of Changes to be Made to the Super Smash Bros. Playable Fighters. First, we are going with the Original of the Series, Smash 64. Now, this topic has been done before, though it'd be fun to make my own. Plus, While some have got proper changes, Most still are the biggest offenders when it comes bad or outdated choices of Movesets, animations, aesthetics, etc. Here is the list of them.
Mario:

• Mario will now have his English voice from Kevin Afghani instead of Charles Martinet due to the latter retiring from his acting career.
• Mario is now able to Crawl.
• Mario now has a Water Meter from Super Mario Sunshine where by pressing the Shield Special button, the water meter refills after usage of said water.
• His Fire Mario & Wario Alt. Return.
• Down-Tilt - Roll: Performs a Roll attack.
• Side-Smash - Hammer: Swings his hammer forward.
• Up-Smash: His old Up Special, Super Jump Punch, is moved here.
• Neutral-Special - Jump Spin: Spins around himself.
• Down-Aerial - Ground Pound: Butt Stomps downward, meteor spiking & bouncing on opponents.
• Neutral-Special - Firebrand: Remains the same in function, just name change.
• Side-Special - Cappy: Tosses Cappy forward like a boomerang and/or can jump on him like an extra platform, while holding the button.
• Up-Special - Wing Cap: Spawns a Wing Cap & shoots up into the air before gliding.
• Down-Special - F.L.U.D.D: Remains the same though also it now can damage opponents and change into Nuzzle Form in the air and help him into the air.
• Left Victory Pose: Jumps to the top of a flagpole, slides down it, then hops off and happily poses

Donkey Kong:

• Donkey Kong will now have his voice from Takashi Nagasako instead of the Stupid and Bland realistic Gorilla Grunts.
• His white alt. has a blue tie, to accurately represent Super Kong.
• Neutral-Special - Coconut Shooter: Takes out His Coconut Shooter, then fires a Coconut.
• Side-Special - Barrel Throw: Picks a Barrel up then throws it forward or if in the air down, which the barrel can be picked up as item.
• Up-Special - Barrel Cannon: Enters a barrel cannon and fires himself in the direction that is input.
• Final-Smash - Finishing Blow: Starts off with landing a powerful upward punch, if success at hitting the opponent, the screen darkens then, lands a flurry of fast punches before knocking them upwards.
• Idle Animation #2: He quickly sits down and pulls out a Nintendo Switch and plays it.
• Up-Taunt: Still pounds his chest, but now hollers wildly while doing so.
• Left Victory Pose: DK rapidly punches and kicks a Slot Machine Barrel from the Retro Donkey Kong Country games, breaking it and releasing a bunch of bananas; once he's done, he lands on the ground and smiles for the camera, while giving a thumbs-up
• Right Victory Pose: He still pounds his chest, but just like his new Up-Taunt, hollers wildly.

Link:

• Link will not just use the Master Sword, he will use the Ancient Axe and Guardian Spear.
• Side-Smash - Spear Thrust: Performs a straight-forward stab with his Spear.
• Up-Smash - Vertical Spin: Jumps and Spin slashes upwards.
• Down-Smash: Spins his axe around while charging, and then slams his axe onto the ground.
• Neutral-Aerial: Spins the Axe in a circle.
• Forward-Aerial: Thrusts the spear forwards.
• Grab - Magnesis: Picks up a Magnet, then Fires two whips to grab an opponent, which can be used as a tether recovery.
• Down-Throw: Pins the opponent to the ground & stabs them with a claymore.
• Neutral-Special: Adds more arrows than just the wooden ones.
• Fire Arrows: Deal fire damage.
• Ice Arrows: Deal ice damage & freeze opponents when at high enough percentages.
• Thunder Arrows: Make a bolt of lightning strike the opponent hit, dealing electric damage.
• Bomb Arrows: Explode on contact.
• Light Arrows: Goes through opponents when fully charged.
• Ancient Arrows: Creates a massive blue explosion of energy.
• Up-Special - Sailcloth: Pulls out the Sailcloth, then goes in an updraft and afterwards goes straight down without changing direction.

Power Suit Samus:

• She is now able to switch between Plasma Beam Energy & Ice Beam Energy, by using the Shield Special Button.
• Now moves slightly faster and has more air speed.
• The Missiles do now reload when not in use or after being KO'd.
• Her green alt. is replaced by a blue and white skin, based on her default suit from Metroid Dread*.*
• Jab - Cannon Kata: Starts with a straight punch, then thrusts her arm cannon forward for the second hit and fires a small energy blast.
• Up-Tilt - Melee Counter: Swings her arm cannon upward.
• Down-Tilt - Slide: Performs a forward Slide kick.
• Dash-Attack - Dash Melee: Swings her Arm Cannon upwards while running.
• Side-Smash - Diffusion Blast: Releases an area of effect blasts at Close-ranged.
• Up-Smash - Overhead Blast: Same as Side Smash Attack but upwards.
• Neutral-Aerial: Her old Up Special, Screw Attack, is moved here.
• Forward-Aerial - Spazer Beam: Fires a blast that splits into three lasers.
• Down-Aerial - Downward Blast: Aims her Arm Cannon straight downward and releases a blast of orange energy
• Pummel - Grapple Voltage: Deals Electric Damage and heals herself somewhat.
• Back-Throw - Wave Beam: Swings the opponent behind herself & fires an energy blast in a sine curve at them.
• Neutral-Special: Also, now adds Ice Beams, where she fires an Ice Beam at the opponent, dealing ice damage & freezing them.
• Side-Special: Can depend on if it is tapped or held, where she fires one if tapped, though if held, she can shoot 5 or 10 missiles.
• Up-Special - Shinespark: Launches herself in any inputted direction as a gold shine emerges.
• Down-Special: Also, now adds Freeze Fields, where she summons 3 spinning ice projectiles that block attacks & freeze opponents.
• Final-Smash - Hyper Beam: Charges her arm cannon & fires a large beam of energy, which can be angled & can go through opponents & walls.

Yoshi:

• His Black Yoshi alt. returns.
• Yoshi can now hold to six eggs he creates with his Neutral Special.
• Grab: Remains the same although it can also now be used a tether recovery and a ledge clinger.
• Neutral-Special: Functions the same but it also now can be used as a tether recovery and a ledge clinger and also can now grab items and projectiles.
• Side-Special: His old Up Special, Egg Throw, is moved here and a reticle also appears and can be angled before being thrown.
• Up-Special - Wing Flutter: Small wings emerge from his back as he flaps into the air.
• Down-Special - Ground Pound: Beginning of the move's function is the same, but it now has the ability to Meteor Spike and Bounce on opponents. Also, Name is changed.

Kirby:

• Kirby's Gimmick now consists of the Copy Abilities from the Kirby Games instead of Copied Neutral Specials.
• Down-Tilt - Slide Kick: Performs a forward Sliding Kick.
• Dash-Attack: His Brawl & Smash 4 Dash Attack, Break Spin, is back and functions the same as it did in Brawl & Smash 4.
• Side-Smash - Staff: Swings the Staff forward.
• Up-Smash - Yo-Yo: Spins the Yo-Yo upwards, then brings it back to him.
• Down-Smash - Bell: Performs a spin and then strikes on both sides of him with his bells, creating 2 damaging soundwaves.
• Forward-Throw - Giant Swing: Does a giant swing forward.
• Back-Throw - Air Suplex: Does a backwards Suplex.
• Up-Throw - Ultra Back Breaker: Jumps, spins around & lands to the ground with the opponent for an explosion.
• Down-Throw - Megaton Slam: Lifts the opponent up & then throws them onto the ground.
• Neutral-Special: Name & Function remain the same though now it also functions like it does in the Kirby Games.
• Side-Special - Circus: Does two short somersaults and backsaults back to where he started the attack.
• Up-Special - Hi-Jump: Jumps high into the air and turns left or right and can collide with opponents along the way.
• Down-Special: The Move Stays but with some tweaks here and there as Stone can now slide temporarily while dashing and using the move.
• Final-Smash - Paint Out: Sprays blobs of paint all over, causing damage and knockback to opponents.

Fox:

• Final-Smash - Arwing: Says "It's go time", then hops aboard on the arwing, then goes into First-Person Perspective and fires arwing shots and smart bombs.

Pikachu:

• Pikachu will also now have alternate colors instead of Headwear, although its Pikachu Libre costume remains. Its alternate colors include Blue (Marill), Gray (Togedemaru), White (Pachirisu), Orange (Raichu),
• Dash-Attack - Wild Charge: Shrouds in electricity, while charging at the opponent and smashes into them. It may inflict self-damage though.
• Up-Tilt - Thunder Punch: Punches with large hands of electricity upwards.
• Up-Smash - Iron Tail: Remains the same in function, but it also now glows whitish gray and hits a bit harder.
• Neutral-Aerial - Discharge: Lets loose some of its electricity to strike at all opponents.
• Neutral-Special - Electro Ball: Its body becomes surrounded in yellow electricity and multiple yellow sparks come off its body. The electricity then condenses at the middle of its face and forms into an Orange-yellow ball, then fires the ball at the opponent.
• Side-Special - Zippy Zap: Charges up electricity as it's surrounded by electricity after charge. If charged, it goes farther faster dash forwards. If Uncharged however, it makes a quick short dash forwards.
• Final-Smash - Volt Tackle: Electrifies its entire body and blast forwards like a super-charged projectile and If it manages to hit an opponent, a large electrical explosion comes upon impact, launching nearby fighters, also dealing electric damage.

Luigi:

• Like Mario, Luigi will now have his voice from Kevin Afghani instead of Charles Martinet due to the latter retiring from his acting career.
• Luigi is now able to Wall Jump.
• Luigi has the Elemental Medals Meter, which he can have his Poltergeist-00 switch by using the Shield Special, and can also refill the meter of the Element by using said button.
• Side-Smash - Hammer: Swings his hammer forward.
• Down-Aerial - Ground Pound: Butt Stomps downward, meteor spiking & bouncing on opponents.
• Neutral-Aerial - Jump Spin: Spins around himself.
• Neutral-Special - Thunderhand: Fires an Electricity Ball from his hand, dealing electric damage.
• Side-Special - Spin Tornado: Winds Up and Spins Forward, generating a tornado that covers him completely then dealing multiple Hits toward opponents in the way before launching them.
• Down-Special - Elemental Medals: Do specific attacks, all of which have a meter.
• Water: Deals water damage.
• Ice: Deals ice damage and can freeze opponents
• Fire: Deals fire damage.
• Down-Taunt: Luigi will briefly wear the Poltergust G-00 and flash the Strobulb in front of him to see if it's working properly. Opponents right in front of Luigi when he flashes the Strobulb will get stunned momentarily, as if their Shield was just broken.

Ness:

• When Ness hits the opponent with his Baseball Bat while his Side Smash is fully charged**,** the SMAAAASH!!! Text box appears.
• Down-Smash - Paralysis: Deals stun damage with his PSI.
• Neutral-Special - Slingshot: Pulls out a slingshot, then fires a Slingshot projectile, which can be aimed forwards, upwards or downwards.
• Side-Special: His old Neutral Special, PK Flash, is moved here and now he can fire it.
• Down-Special - Lifeup: Heals damage with his PSI.
• Final-Smash - PSI Rockin' Ω: Fires a PSI burst forward & creates several psychic fireworks on any caught opponents before releasing a larger burst.

Captain Falcon:

• Neutral-Special - Pistol: Pulls out a pistol, then shoots an energy blast, dealing electric damage.

Jigglypuff:

• Jigglypuff now has alternate colors instead of Headwear. These Alternate Colors include Blue (Marill), Black (Gastly), Beige (Rowlet), Gray (Togedemaru), Green (Solosis), Purple (Koffing) and Light-Yellow (Togepi).
• Jab - Double Slap: Performs two alternating slaps forward, which can be used five times.
• Side-Tilt - Uproar: Causes an Uproar, making sound waves come out of its mouth at the opponent.
• Up-Tilt - Mega Punch: Performs a strong punch with its right hand upwards.
• Down-Tilt - Round: Takes a quick breath, then fires a high-pitched blast of sound from its mouth.
• Dash-Attack - Take Down: Recklessly charges at the opponent, dealing damage.
• Side-Smash - Focus Punch: Punches opponents with a high amount of force.
• Up-Smash - Drain Punch: Punches with its fists upwards,
• Down-Smash - Frustration: Slams its hand onto the ground in anger.
• Neutral-Aerial - Gyro Ball: Gets surrounded by a metallic aura, then spins rapidly and slams the opponent.
• Forward-Aerial - Brick Break: Performs a forward swing chop.
• Back-Aerial - Mega Kick: Performs a strong backwards kick.
• Up-Aerial - Icy Wind: Releases a wind of Ice from its mouth upwards, dealing ice damage and freezing opponents.
• Down-Aerial - Body Slam: Falls downward onto the opponent, also meteor spiking them.
• Pummel: Its Old Side Special, Pound, is moved here and now it just punches the opponent.
• Forward-Throw - Zen Headbutt: Headbutts opponents with psychic willpower, launching them away.
• Back-Throw - Fling: Picks the opponent up, then throws them.
• Up-Throw - Psychic: Holds the opponent in place with its mind, then throws them upward.
• Down-Throw: Its old Neutral Special, Rollout, is moved here and turns itself into a boulder, then pins the opponent down and rolls on their back.
• Neutral-Special - Disarming Voice: Lets out a Charm Cry that does emotional damage to the opponent.
• Side-Special - Dazzling Gleam: Emits a Powerful Flash.
• Up-Special - Bounce: Jumps into the air, then lands back on the opponents or stages, bouncing on the opponent and/or stage, which when landing and bouncing on the opponent, it can use other attacks, but when landing on the stage instead of opponent it can't directly attack again.
• Down-Special: Its old Up Special, Sing, is moved here.
• Final-Smash - Hyper Voice: Inhales a bunch of air, inflating her balloon-like body a bit, before letting out a loud attack that uses sound waves & blasts opponents backwards quite a distance.
• Side-Taunt: The animation remains exactly the same, but sparkly energy now surrounds her body
• Up Victory Pose: Jigglypuff twirls around like a ballerina as sparkly energy surrounds her body, before hopping on one leg and posing for the camera.

And, there you go. This took a little while, though i hope you to hear your feelings about these changes (as long as your reasons are good). Any changes that you want to see to the Original 12 that I didn't mention, or did I misplace some moves? or did I add a change that was unnecessary to some of you? It'd be cool to see what other people can come up with.

For many Egyptians, working from home has become the new normal. But let's face it, juggling deadlines and managing a household can be a challenge. One key element to a productive home office is a reliable printer. If you're looking for crisp, high-quality prints without the mess of ink cartridges, then an HP laser printer might be the perfect solution for you.

Why Choose an HP Laser Printer for Your Home Office?

HP laser printers offer several advantages over traditional inkjet printers, making them ideal for home use:

Sharp, professional-looking prints: Laser printers use toner instead of ink, resulting in crisp text and detailed images that are perfect for reports, presentations, and schoolwork.
Fast printing speeds: No more waiting for your printer to catch up! HP laser printers boast impressive print speeds, allowing you to quickly get those important documents out the door.
Cost-effective printing: While the initial cost of a laser printer might be slightly higher than an inkjet, toner cartridges typically last much longer, saving you money in the long run.
Space-saving design: Many HP laser printers are compact and lightweight, making them ideal for smaller home offices or workstations with limited space.
Energy efficiency: HP laser printers are known for their energy-saving features, reducing your environmental impact and keeping your electricity bills down.
Top HP Laser Printer Picks for Your Home Office Needs:

Now that you know the benefits of HP laser printers for home use, let's explore some of the best options available at Hardware Egypt:

HP LaserJet Pro M15w: This compact and affordable monochrome laser printer is perfect for basic printing needs. It offers fast printing speeds, mobile printing capabilities, and a user-friendly design.

HP LaserJet Pro M28w: For those who require slightly higher print volume or duplex printing (printing on both sides of the paper), the HP LaserJet Pro M28w is a great choice. It retains the compact design and fast printing speeds of the M15w, with the added functionality of automatic two-sided printing.

HP LaserJet Pro MFP 137fnw: If you need a multi-function printer that can print, scan, and copy, then the HP LaserJet Pro MFP 137fnw is a fantastic option. This all-in-one solution saves space and streamlines your workflow, perfect for busy home offices. It also boasts Wi-Fi connectivity for easy wireless printing from your computer or mobile device.

HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw: For those who require color printing capabilities, the HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw is a top contender. This versatile printer delivers high-quality color prints alongside the benefits of laser technology like fast speeds and cost-effective printing. With Wi-Fi connectivity and automatic duplex printing, it's a well-rounded solution for home offices that need both color and black and white printing.

Choosing the Right HP Laser Printer for You:

When selecting the perfect HP laser printer for your home office, consider these factors:

Printing needs: How often will you be printing? Do you need color printing capabilities?
Features: Do you require scanning, copying, or faxing functionalities? Wi-Fi connectivity for mobile printing can be a valuable addition.
Budget: HP laser printers cater to a range of budgets. Determine how much you're comfortable spending and choose a model that offers the features you need within your price range.
Upgrade Your Home Office with Hardware Egypt:

At Hardware Egypt, we understand the importance of having the right tools to be productive at home. We offer a wide selection of HP laser printers, all backed by our exceptional customer service and expertise. Visit one of our stores or browse our online selection to find the perfect HP laser printer for your home office needs.

Invest in an HP laser printer from Hardware Egypt and experience the difference of crisp, efficient, and cost-effective printing, allowing you to conquer your home office with confidence!

A Daily chronicle of AI Innovations May 14th 2024:
🚀 GPT-4o: 2x faster, 50% cheaper, 5x rate limits than GPT-4 Turbo
🗣️ OpenAI unveils GPT-4o and new voice capabilities
🔍 TikTok tests ChatGPT-powered search results
🎧 Meta explores AI-assisted earphones with built-in cameras
💰 Anthropic launches Claude in Europe in the hope of raising more money
🤖 UAE launches a new AI model to compete with big tech
🖥️ Japan team builds Gen AI foundation model using supercomputer Fukagu
⏰ Microsoft Places finds the best time for your next office day
🤝 U.S. and China to meet in Geneva to discuss AI risks
🎧 Meta developing AI-powered ‘Camerabuds’
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OpenAI unveils GPT-4o and new voice capabilities
https://www.youtube.com/live/DQacCB9tDaw?si=J_jFlxvKZUOOIJoX
OpenAI just unveiled GPT-4o, a new advanced multimodal model that integrates text, vision and audio processing, setting new benchmarks for performance – alongside a slew of new features.
The new model:
GPT-4o provides improved performance across text, vision, audio, coding, and non-English generations, smashing GPT-4T’s performance. The new model is 50% cheaper to use, has 5x higher rate limits than GPT-4T, and boasts 2x the generation speed of previous models. The new model was also revealed to be the mysterious ‘im-also-a-good-gpt2-chatbot’ found in the Lmsys Arena last week. Voice and other upgrades:
New voice capabilities include real-time responses, detecting and responding with emotion, and combining voice with text and vision. The demo showcased feats like real-time translation, two AI models analyzing a live video, and using voice and vision for tutoring and coding assistance. OpenAI’s blog also detailed advances like 3D generation, font creation, huge improvements to text generation within images, sound effect synthesis, and more. OpenAI also announced a new ChatGPT desktop app for macOS with a refreshed UI, integrating directly into computer workflows. Free for everyone:
GPT-4o, GPTs, and features like memory and data analysis are now available to all users, bringing advanced capabilities to the free tier for the first time. The GPT-4o model is currently rolling out to all users in ChatGPT and via the API, with the new voice capabilities expected to arrive over the coming weeks. Source: https://www.youtube.com/live/DQacCB9tDaw?si=J_jFlxvKZUOOIJoX
GPT-4o: 2x faster, 50% cheaper, 5x rate limits than GPT-4 Turbo
OpenAI unveiled its new flagship model, GPT-4o (“o” stands for “omni”). It provides GPT-4-level intelligence but is 2x faster, 50% cheaper, has 5x higher rate limits, and enhanced text, voice, and vision capabilities than GPT-4 Turbo. It also matches GPT-4 Turbo performance on text in English and code, with significant improvements for text in non-English languages.
GPT-4o can respond to audio inputs in as little as 232 ms, with an average of 320 ms, which is similar to human response time in a conversation. It is available in the ChatGPT free tier and to Plus users.
Why does it matter?
GPT-4o is a step towards much more natural human-computer interaction. It accepts any combination of text, audio, and image as input and generates any combination of text, audio, and image outputs. GPT-4o will set a new benchmark for AI capabilities and pave the way for more intelligent and accessible AI systems.
Source: https://openai.com/index/hello-gpt-4o
TikTok tests ChatGPT-powered search results
TikTok is testing a new search feature that uses AI to generate results for some queries. For certain search terms, like recipes or product recommendations, TikTok will display AI-generated answers at the top of the results. These answers are powered by ChatGPT, and when you click on one of these AI results, it takes you to a page with a full response.
TikTok is also testing "search highlights," which appear at the top of some searches. However, it's unclear whether these highlights are AI-generated.
TikTok is also testing "search highlights," which appear at the top of some searches. However, it's unclear whether these highlights are AI-generated.
Why does it matter?
It could make search on TikTok more authoritative and reliable by providing factual answers from AI models like ChatGPT. This could greatly impact how people use TikTok for search and information gathering, thereby positioning TikTok more directly as a search engine competitor to Google, catering to younger users' preferences.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/2024/5/13/24155875/tiktok-ai-generated-search-results-highlights-chatgpt
Meta explores AI-assisted earphones with built-in cameras
Meta is currently exploring AI-powered earphones with built-in cameras. The project is known internally as “Camerabuds;” however, it’s uncertain if the final product will be in-ear earbuds or over-ear headphones. The cameras let the AI take in surrounding information visually, allowing it to translate foreign languages, identify objects, and more.
CEO Mark Zuckerberg has reportedly seen several possible designs but has not been satisfied with them. Outside of design, the major hurdle is fitting a camera and batteries in a tiny device like an earbud.
Why does it matter?
For the AI wearable space, Meta's development hints at a growing interest in AI-infused devices, potentially paving the way for more sophisticated and interactive wearables. Regarding earphones, this development suggests a potential shift towards more intelligent and feature-rich earphone designs, offering users enhanced functionalities like real-time translation and object identification.
Source: https://www.theinformation.com/articles/meta-explores-ai-assisted-earphones-with-cameras
🎧 Meta developing AI-powered ‘Camerabuds’
Meta is reportedly in the early stages of developing AI-powered earphones, known internally as "Camerabuds,” — aiming to compete with OpenAI and Apple as tech giants rush to infuse AI into wearable devices.
‘Camerabuds’ would map user surroundings, capable of identifying objects and translating foreign languages using built-in cameras.
Meta already has its AI-powered Ray Ban smart glasses, while OpenAI and Apple are also exploring similar AI wearable earbud tech.
Potential challenges include bulkiness, heat generation, and privacy concerns, especially for users with long hair that might obstruct the cameras.
Despite Meta’s shaky track record with hardware ventures, Mark Zuckerberg is investing heavily in a future that he believes includes AI embedded into every device. But will standalone devices like this be able to win over users if and when a fully AI-integrated phone hits the market?
Source: https://www.theinformation.com/articles/meta-explores-ai-assisted-earphones-with-cameras
New AI Job Opportunities on May 14th, 2024
🔍 Perplexity AI - Search Engineer: https://jobs.therundown.ai/jobs/59717759-search-engineer
📋 Shield AI - Project Manager: https://jobs.therundown.ai/jobs/59662354-project-manager-r2638
🌍 C3 AI - General Manager, ESG: https://jobs.therundown.ai/jobs/59647575-general-manager-esg
☁️ Scale AI - Software Engineer, Cloud Infra: https://jobs.therundown.ai/jobs/59597384-software-engineer-cloud-infra
What Else Is Happening in AI on May 14th, 2024❗
💰 Anthropic launches Claude in Europe in the hope of raising more money
Anthropic launches Claude in Europe with support for “multiple languages,” including French, German, Italian, and Spanish across Claude.ai, its iOS app, and its business plan for teams. The launch comes after Anthropic extended its API to Europe for developers. Both moves are part of its bigger push to raise more money for rapid growth. (Link: https://techcrunch.com/2024/05/13/anthropic-is-expanding-to-europe-and-raising-more-money)
🤖 UAE launches a new AI model to compete with big tech
Abu Dhabi's Technology Innovation Institute (TII) released Falcon 2 series: Falcon 2 11B, a text-based model, and Falcon 2 11B VLM, a vision-to-language model that can generate a text description of an uploaded image. This Gen AI model could compete with some of the biggest technology companies and make UAE a strong candidate in the Gen AI space. (Link: https://www.reuters.com/technology/uae-releases-new-ai-model-compete-with-big-tech-2024-05-13)
🖥️ Japan team builds Gen AI foundation model using supercomputer Fukagu
Tokyo Institute of Technology researchers and others have announced the development of an LLM that can serve as a foundation for Gen AI using the Japanese supercomputer Fugaku. Trained extensively on Japanese data, which accounts for 60% of the total training data, the Fugaku-LLM model is expected to lead research on Gen AI tailored to domestic needs. (Link: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/05/11/japan/ai-fugaku-language-model-japanese)
⏰ Microsoft Places finds the best time for your next office day
Microsoft has launched a new app called Microsoft Places that uses AI to help employees and managers coordinate their in-office days and book meeting rooms. The application integrates with Outlook and Microsoft Teams, allowing employees to view and share their office plans and get AI-powered suggestions on which days they should come in. (Link: https://www.theverge.com/2024/5/13/24155204/microsoft-places-ai-hybrid-office-feature)
🤝 U.S. and China to meet in Geneva to discuss AI risks
The U.S. and China will hold their first formal government-to-government discussion on the risks of artificial intelligence in Geneva. The U.S. side will be led by officials from the National Security Council and State Department, while the Chinese side will be led by officials from the Foreign Ministry and the National Development and Reform Commission. (Link: https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Technology/U.S.-and-China-to-hold-first-talks-on-AI-risks-in-Geneva)
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I am on Metformin XR, 1,000 MG per day (eve with food), no side effects, feeling great. Weight is still plateaued, but I have stopped gaining so we love that. Dr has approved me going up to 3,000 MG per day, increasing dose “as my body will tolerate.” Anyone with experience/recs? The pills I have are 500 MG. Should I start adding 500 more MG in morning for a while?

Air, shelter, water, and food, all essentials of life we take for granted. The gratitude of being alive,
smothered by emotional baggage. Just a bunch of pill induced zombies, riddled by life’s perplexities. Not
me, not any more at least. No, now I wake up every day reborn with a newly discovered purpose in life,
thanks to, him.
Most would be emotionally devastated and seek long term therapy, after what I had endured.
Most would need to be heavily medicated, to calm their anxiety of the fear he would return. No, not me,
the person I once was, is now dead. Suffocated, frozen, dehydrated, and starved out of me. Who I was
perished, and I am grateful. I am offering you the same, but before we get started, let me explain how I
arrived at this place of serenity.
The night was the same as always. I had just finished gorging myself on junk food while binge
watching a reality show. Empty bottles of soda surrounded me as I surfed the streaming networks.
Knowing my weight was getting out of control, I still managed to finish off the bag of greasy potato
chips. My bottles of meds sat on the end table waiting for me. Depression, anxiety, stomach, and heart
pills all courtesy of the negligence of my life choices. One by one I swallowed the antidotes of a better
me. Yet, there never seemed to be a stronger version of myself, no matter how many pills I ingested.
Falling asleep, I told myself tomorrow would be different. Tomorrow I will try harder. As I drifted
off to sleep, I felt a sting in my neck, only waking up for a few seconds. My eyes opened just enough to
see him standing over me. Fighting to stay awake, my eyes latched closed, and I fell into the darkness.
Upon awaking, I could hear sounds of mumbles surrounding me. Feeling heavy and disoriented, I
managed to flicker my eyelids. As the minutes passed, my surroundings became more lucid. The foul
stench of pig shit singed my nose hairs. Dust from old haybales stimulated my sense of smell, inducing a
sneeze. An unimaginable pain coursed through my mouth. Still dazed and confused, I heard a voice say,
"we can't have that, now, can we?". Once again, I felt a sting in my neck, causing me to drift out of
reality.
"Wake up", I heard as I came to, "we need to get started". Started with what, I tried to ask. Yet,
my mouth wouldn't open. Tranquilized still, I thought maybe my brain just wasn't cooperating with my
body. Flexing my jaw, I tried again to speak, it was useless. All I could do was mumble. My words were
nothing more than muffled grunts behind a padded wall.
Looking around, I could see I was not alone. Vision blurry, I still managed to make out a large
silhouette of a man sitting in front of me holding a cutting needle and thread. He then placed the needle
on a barrel and stood up. Whistling, "The Sun will come out tomorrow", I began to look around. There were other people with us. Including myself, all tied to chairs and mouths sewn shut. Three of us were men. The fourth was a woman in her
mid-forties. She was crying and moaning uncontrollably. Mucus ran down her face dripping from her
chin. Trying to console her, I batted my eyes. It was all I could do without having the use of my mouth
and arms.
The injection he had no doughtily given me, had worn off. Like the woman, I found myself in panic
mode. My heart raced fast. I thought I would have a heart attack. Wanting to scream, I
couldn't. Wanting to run but I was incapacitated. Fighting my way out, entered my mind, but how? How,
with my hands bound behind my back. Besides, I wasn't a fighter, and the man was massive. He would
be very intimidating under any circumstance. His raggedy hair was sandy blonde with a mixture of gray.
Deep wrinkles hid behind a handlebar mustache, which stretched across his face. Thick eyebrows sat
untamed above his devilish eyes. Watching him, I tried not to make eye contact. I looked everywhere,
other than at him. The other two men looked as frightened as me. One man, the bigger one, had tears
but made no sounds. The other man was a very frail older man. He shifted side to side as he tried yelling
from behind his fastened lips. His arms bared scars of that of a junkie. His body, covered in scabs.
Cautiously, I looked around. A rusty old plow sat in the corner next to some feed sacks. A saddle
lay across an old broken table. Two horses stood quietly behind their stall door. I could see rays of light
shine through the cracks between the boards. It was daylight, knowing that gave me comfort somehow.
The barn was dusty, and as painful as it would be, I hoped I would sneeze again. At least then I could
scream. Abruptly the man stopped whistling and spoke.
Your mouths are bound together so that I cannot hear you. People talk too much, making the
world noisy. All loud with pathetic excuses of their weaknesses. I am not going to kill you. Your life is in
your own hands. Up to this point, you have wasted your life hiding behind your addictions. Cowering
and leaning on crutches of life’s temptations. I am here to save you from yourselves.
The rule of three is simple. You can survive three minutes without air, three hours without
shelter, three days without water, and three weeks without food. If you truly desire to live, then you will
triumph. If not, you will perish. I am here to help you unpack your emotional baggage. Air, the very
breath you breathe, you have taken for granted. So, please slow your breathing and relax. We are about
to begin.
While you were sleeping, I provided you with adequate fluids and nutrition. I cannot have you
starting off, on an empty tank. I want to be as fair as possible and make this a pleasant experience.
Though, I warn you it will not be easy, and you will have to dig deep within yourselves.
The burly man began whistling once again. He placed an egg timer on a barrel, grabbed a plastic
bag and spoke. You can survive three minutes with no air. Do you have the desire and strength to want
to live? For you, I truly hope so.
Standing behind the heavier man he turned the timer and then placed the plastic bag over his
head. The man jerked in his chair, thrashing about. One minute, he said. The man still moving wildly.
Two minutes, almost there just hold on. Three minutes he announced, ripping the bag from the head of
the now motionless man. “Oh dear, I guess he did not have what it takes, next”. My heart raced even
faster as he stood next to the now inconsolable woman. I would be after her. I had to slow my breathing
if I were to live. Picking up another bag, he stood behind her.
The air went in and out her nose as she hyperventilated. “There, there, I’m not going to hurt you”,
he said, as he patted her on the shoulders. “Three minutes is a miniature amount of time. I wish you the
very best.” Her legs kicked out lunging back and forth. Her muffled shrieks filled the barn. “Are you
ready?” He then reset the timer. Fearing for my own life, I turned my head and concentrated on my
breathing. Trying hard to block her out, I went to another place in my head. As hard as it was, I imagined
I was calm and at peace lying on a sandy shore. Desperately, I wanted to cover my ears. Her loud cries
soon became small whimpers. Then to gurgles as she choked on her own vomit. Turning my head back
towards her, I could see her convulsing as life left her body. “Not quite a minute, what a shame”, he
said.
Thinking back to when I was a child, and held my breath under water, outlasting my brother.
Back then, holding my breath was easy for me and I always won. Being in my mid-thirties, I wasn’t a
child any longer. Could I beat this, I questioned. Unlike the woman next to me, who reeked of tobacco, I
didn’t smoke. My chances were greater than those who came before me.
Excepting the inevitable, I practiced my anxiety exercises my therapist had taught me. Four, four,
four, inhale hold, exhale hold. If I panic, I will surely suffocate, I told myself. The other man was calmer
now and followed my lead. Our eyes locked on to one another as we breathed. “Very good, that is what
I want to see, a thirst for life, the will to live.”
Picking up a bag, he then stood behind me. I took a deep breath as he turned the timer. I felt the
panic trying to set in, but I pushed it deep down. Oddly enough, the tune he’d been whistling popped
into my head. “The sun will come out tomorrow”, played as the bag was put over my head. “So, you got
to hang on ‘til tomorrow.” Not wanting to see the blurred images through the bag, I closed my eyes. I
just kept humming the tune in my head. “One minute”, he said. Getting more difficult to hold my breath,
I could feel my heart beating faster and my blood pressure rising. The tune still reeling in my head,
“tomorrow, tomorrow, I love you tomorrow”. “Two minutes”. I can do this, I’m almost there, but my
mind was getting foggy, and my chest tightened. My muscles tensed up as I felt my existence dwindle
away. The tune that kept me going had faded away somewhere deep into my brain. Hungry for air, I
started scratching my hands behind my back. I was going to die. Tomorrow, tomorrow, I managed to
think one last time. “Three Minutes”!
Air rushed through my nose, as I clung to the remaining life I had. It was the greatest feeling just
being able to breathe. I’d made it, I had beat him, I was alive. “Congratulations, you did well”. “Breath
and continue to appreciate the gift, I have given you”.
Tears rushed down my cheeks, as I sat watching the man set the stage for the last occupant. As
sympathetic as I was, I was overwhelmed too just be alive. Still fighting my anxiety, I closed my eyes,
four, four, four. Sounds of distress and faint scuffling could be heard, yet I refused to open my eyes.
Three minutes passed quickly. “We have another fighter, outstanding.” Opening my eyes, I seen that the
other man had also survived. “Two out of three, I wished it faired better.” “It is a pity they perished, yet
the pigs will eat well.” “Nothing should ever go to waste”. “Their carcasses are a valuable resource.” I
am thankful for their contribution.”
“I will let you rest up.” The next gift, is that of shelter.” “People of the world scratch and claw to
have bigger dwellings of that of their neighbor.” Never being thankful of the shelters warmth when it is
cold.” “Not a second thought about the materials taken from the earth to provide that comfort.” “I will
teach you to not care about the size or the looks. You won’t care if it’s a barn or a house made of sticks.
You’ll learn to be content as it shelters you from the storm.
Not understanding what was coming next, I tried thinking of ways to escape. Wringing my hands
together, I tried loosening the rope. He had his back turned removing the bodies from the chairs. Yet
somehow he still managed to catch on to what I was doing. “That’s a double sheet bend knot.” Try as
you might, you will not loosen or untie it.” “Yet I commend you on your perseverance.” “If you escape,
you will not learn the valuable lesson I am trying to teach you.” “Sit and be patient, like I told you
before, I’m not going to kill you.”
He was right. The more I tried twisting my wrists, the tighter the rope became making them bleed
and burn. “Why was he doing this and why me”, I wanted to ask. The inside of my mouth was so dry,
and I was thirsty. All I could think about was water to wash out the metallic taste left from the wounds
of my lips. Making eye contact with the other man, I wondered if he was as thirsty as I. “The storm will
be here soon, and we can continue.”, he said as he removed a hacksaw hanging from the barn wall.
We watched as the man carried on as if he’d done this before. He laid the saw across a table.
Sweat dripped from my head as I panicked. What was he going to do to us? I thought. Do not worry, this
saw is not for you, he said as he placed the woman’s body on the table. He then began to dismember
her legs. He continued to hack through the bodies throughout the day. He would casually take breaks
between the removal of the body parts. After he was done, he used a rusty old wheel barrel to take the
parts out of the barn. He kept his word. I could hear the pigs happily squealing as he fed them.
The light that had previously comforted me dwindled away as darkness approached. As frightened
as I felt, all I could think about was water. “It is time”, he said as he wiped sweat from his brow. “I will
untie your arms so you can move freely. I encourage you to move as much as possible to keep the blood
circulating. Frostbite and hypothermia are inevitable if you let yourself settle. You can wear the clothes
you have on, but nothing more.
The barn was heated with an old wood stove. Our captor had fed it wood throughout the day. Yet
the wind from the storm outside seeped through the cracks. A chill came over me, fearing what was
next. The four technique no longer working. He then placed a makeshift collar around our necks.
Connected to the collar was a chain. After untying the ropes from behind our backs he told us to stand.
Fearing what he would do, I did what he told me.
He then unlatched the wooden brace holding the barn doors shut, unveiling winter’s wrath.
Weather in Michigan was unpredictable and harsh at times. That night was no different. The wind
bustled through the doors as we all stood staring into the night. Snow was falling rapidly and had quickly
begun accumulating. “Tonight’s storm is only a mild one but will last a few hours.” “Having your mouths
bound is a positive.” “It will protect your lungs.” Your heart rate will lower the less you move so keep
moving to boost your circulation.” “You will have to endure three hours in the weather.” “This trial is
brutal, I know but if your life is precious then you will improvise, adapt, and overcome.
He then led us by the chains out of the barn and into a wooden pen. It didn’t have a roof but was
too tall to climb over. “I know you must be thirsty, but if you try and eat the snow you will only amplify
dehydration and hypothermia.” He then removed the collars and locked the door. As he walked away in
his rabbit fur coat, he turned and once again said, “Do you have the desire to live, for you I truly hope
so.”
Frantically I surveyed the pen looking for a way out. The enclosure was made of old pallets, thin
boards, and cattle fence. It was sturdy enough to keep us in but not the wind out. It must have been
about twelve feet wide by twenty-four feet long. Rubbing my hands along the gaps, I felt something
warm run down my fingers. I had sliced my hand along the inside of one of the pallets. He had secured
razor blades and sharp nails from the inside to keep us from climbing out. Even if we were able to make
it to the top, we wouldn’t be able to climb over the razor wire that spiraled along the perimeter.
More frantic than I, the other man ran back and forth. He was shaking and sweating profusely. How
could he be sweating in this weather, I thought. On the other hand, I had begun to shiver. My feet had
already begun to tingle. Wearing only gym shorts, socks, and a t-shirt, I knew I must keep moving. The
other man was more fortunate than I. He was wearing pajama bottoms, socks and a hoodie. At least he
had a layer to break the wind.
The snow was dry and easy to move. Thinking maybe we could get out from the bottom. I began
moving the snow with my hands. As I moved it, I motioned for the other man to help. My attempts to
get his attention went unnoticed. He had found a nail long enough to cut through the stiches in his
mouth. Watching him, I debated on doing it myself. Though I thought of the burly man and his hacksaw.
Deciding it was best to keep my lips bound, I watched him saw through his. He yelled in agony as blood
dripped from his lips. Be quiet, I wanted to tell him, he’ll hear you.
When the last stitch broke the man dropped to his knees gasping and crying. He then stood up,
removed himself from his pants, and began urinating in the snow. “I’m Evan”, he said shivering and still
covering the white snow yellow. His urine smelled foul as the wind carried the smell. Not being able to
talk, I used a stick to spell out my name. Letter by letter, I spelled it out, Liam. He didn’t acknowledge
what I had written. He didn’t seem to care about what my name was.
Bending over he began to eat the yellow snow. Then pulling up his sleeves, he did something that
made my stomach churn. He picked off the scabs from his arms and started sucking on them. I now
understood he was detoxing and was trying to get a fix from the meth that had exited his body. I had a
cousin in jail once, who had described this same behavior from the inside. After doing this for a few
minutes he then spoke. Stuttering out his words, “I know it’s disgusting, but it is what it is.” “Now how
we gonna get out of this here, Liam. No matter what he was or what he spoke, it was comforting to hear
him speak to me.
Not knowing how to get out I just started moving. Shaking my head and still shivering, I began to
do jumping jacks. There wasn’t a way out and I was so cold. Knowing that I had to keep moving I
continued. I knew that if I didn’t move, my heart would slow and eventually stop. “You gonna listen to
that Behemoth or ya gonna try and help me find a way out?” Stopping, I once again tried looking from
the bottom. He looked for a way to climb over. Neither of us found a way to escape. Both of us,
shivering we stopped looking.
As we huddled together in the corner, a voice came from a speaker. “One hour has passed, two
hours remain.” Your lust for drugs trumps your lust to live.” “It will be your demise.” He’d seen, he’s
watching us, I thought. Not wanting to die, I began running in circles. The pain was excruciating. Every
step I took was like stepping on needles. My nose felt like it would break off.
“It’s no use, we’re gonna die, Evan said as he plopped on the ground. Using my arms, I motioned
for him to get up, but he refused. He sat in the corner with his teeth chattering and shoulders shaking.
While Evan sat, I continued. Running from one end to the other, tears freezing as they plummeted from
my eyes. As I ran, I tripped over something that caught my attention. It was a stack of a few boards
hidden under the snow. Uncovering them I counted them out in my head. There were several I dug out. I
crafted a fort in my head. We could use the wood for a shelter. Once again, I motioned for Evan to help.
Evan didn’t speak or move. “Two hours”, I heard as a voice projected from a hidden box.
Quickly I stumbled to Evan, shaking him. Tears ran down my cheeks as I faced the truth. I was
alone. Evan’s inability to try had snuffed out his life. He was dead. Time seemed to stand still in that
moment. Looking at his lifeless body, I realized he wasn’t a frail old man. He in fact was my age. The
drugs just made him look old. My sadness for him abandoned me to be replaced with anger. He should
have tried harder. I was now alone. He had left me alone.
Feeling numb and secluded, I wanted to give up. There wasn’t much fight left in me, yet
something in me snapped. I didn’t want to die. Ripping my wet clothes off, I threw them to the ground.
Trying to keep my temperature above freezing, I jumped and staggered in the snow. Laying Evan’s body
flat on the ground, I thought I would use it as a warm layer between me and the ground. One board at a
time, leaned them over Evan’s body and up against the pen, making an ominous clubhouse. Shivering
and naked, I crawled inside and laid on Evan’s lifeless body.
No longer having the strength to move, I lay crying. In the last hour I replayed my life. If only I had
another chance to do it all over again. If only I thought as my eyes closed. The door then opened, “Three
hours”. “Stand up.”, he said as he wrapped a fur coat around my frigid body. ”Come on, you have passed
but you are not out of the woods yet.” Replacing the collar around my neck he then led me back into the
barn.
“I have prepared a warm bath for you.” He then helped me lift my legs over a galvanized water
trough. “There, there”, he said, “Just sit and let the bath warm your blood. The pain of prickly needles
washed over my body as the numbness dwindled. Fading in and out, I watched him carefully remove a
stockpot from the stove. He poured the water from the pot over my head. “Just relax, you should be
proud of yourself.” “You have outlasted all who came before you.” “You’re a fighter and you value your
life. I watched as he warmed pot after pot, continuously pouring them over me.
“I will have to give you warm fluids intravenously.” “Try to stand”, he said as he lifted me up and
out of the trough. He then dried my body with a towel. After he dressed me in dry clothing, he led me to
a makeshift bedroom converted from a stall.
As he assisted me into the bed, I noticed a tray with medical instruments on it. What were they
for I wondered, but to tired to care anymore. He then placed the I.V. needle in my arm and covered me
up. “Rest up and sleep while I deal with the frostbite.” Before I was able to think about what he had just
said, I went out.
Waking up, I was no longer cold. The shivering and pain from the night before gone yet replaced
with new discomfort. My hands, feet, face, and head all pulsing. Slowly, I removed the blanket with my
bandaged hands to see my feet. Both were wrapped in bandages. Looking over my entire body, I
reached for my face. It was also bandaged. I could feel that my ears and nose were missing. “I know this
must be shocking to you, but it had to be.” “You had deep frostbite in your fingers, toes, ears and nose.
They had to be amputated. “I have sealed off the wounds and have given you antibiotics to fight off
infection.” “Be grateful your alive.”
“You are very ambitious, and I want to reward you for your success. “If you can continue to
cooperate, I will remove the stitches from your lips. “Don’t speak unless I ask you to.” “Can you give me
word that you can stay quiet?” I nodded in agreement.
As promised, he removed the sutures from my lips. Handing me a tin cup of water, he told me to
drink. Words can’t express how refreshing the first sip was. Not being able to control myself, I gulped
down the entire cup. Handing the cup back to him I managed to mumble, “more?” Violently, he struck
me in the face and stood up. “More, more more”, he yelled as he paced the floor. “Always wanting
more!” “You should have savored every last drop rather than gulping it down like a pig at a trough.”
“You have reached your third trial.” “Water is the source of all life and you will learn to appreciate it. Do
you have the desire to live?” “For you, I truly hope so.”
Locking the door behind him, he left the room. Feeling relief from his absence, I took a deep
breath. Concentrating on the air that went in and out my lungs, I was thankful to be alive. It had been a
couple of days since I was able to breathe through my mouth. I felt happiness and gratitude to just be
able to breathe. The blanket and bed kept me warm from the cold that seeped through the barn walls.
Feling relieved, I felt safe for that minute. I pulled the blanket up under my chin and just lived in the
moment. Looking for ways to escape no longer crossed my mind. Still fearful of the man, yet I felt a
strange feeling of gratitude toward him.
Mixed emotions danced around inside of me as I lay. Thinking of the others that were with me, I
pitied them. Had they truly wanted to survive, they would be alive. Had they fought harder, they would
have won against his trials. My sympathy for them abandoned my thoughts, replaced with
disappointment. Questioning my mental state, I laid wondering if I’d gone mad. How could I sympathize
with a man who had essentially tortured me. How could I be thankful to a killer, I wondered. As
comfortable as I was, I was thirsty. Three days was a long time to go without water. Knowing this, I
closed my eyes to try to sleep through it.
A familiar tune whistled through the cracks of the wall. My eyes blurry from crust, I wiped it away
with my bandaged hand. Curious, I tried peeking through a hole in a board. Seeing the two horses in the
next stall brought back anxiety from the first trial. Sounds of mumbling could be heard. Listening
intensely, I realized he had more victims. Wanting to scream out to them to calm their breathing, I said
nothing. Fearful he would kill me if I spoke. Though I didn’t have to. He was telling them to be calm and
they would live. If only they would listen, they could live. One after another perished throughout the
ordeal. Once again mixed emotions of sympathy and anger fought within me. I slammed my hand
against the stall boards. Why am I angry at them, I questioned myself. Hearing the distinct sound of the
hacksaw cutting through the bodies, I became sick. I crawled back in the bed and covered my head.
“Wake up, you have rested enough.” Leading me into the room where the bodies were, he
motioned for me to pick the parts up. “I will cut the meat and you will load it up.” “Do you
understand?”, he asked. I nodded yes and began putting the severed limbs in the wheelbarrow.
“Take it out back to the pigs.” “I trust you won’t try to run.” You will not get very far in your
condition and the weather” He was right, still bandaged and weak I knew I would freeze. Reluctantly I
put a arm, leg, and head in the wheelbarrow.
Once again, the cold made me shiver as I treaded through the snow. The night was calm. The
moon shined down on the solar panels that lined the buildings. I was on some sort of homestead.
Nearing the structure that housed the pigs, I cringed at the thought of feeding them. The squealing led
me to the hog house. Opening the door and entering, I gasped in horror. Piles of bones lay everywhere
within the house. The pigs squealed in delight as I tossed the body parts to them. The smell was pungent
and took my breath away. Not being able to hold back, I vomited the only liquids I had in me. After
unloading my delivery, I left to retrieve another load. Feet still bandaged, and I was cold, the thought of
running left my mind. Yearning for the warm bed, I trudged my way back to the barn. This went on
throughout the night.
“Almost done, this is the last of it.”, he said as he cut through a torso of a woman. “You have done
well, and I am proud of you.” “I know your cold and must be thirsty.” Yet, you still have forty-eight hours
left until you can replenish your thirst. “Keep motivated and you will triumph over your it” After the last
load was completed, he led me to the bed and rebandaged my wounds. Curiously looking down at my
severed toes, I seen I was missing five of them. The same as he bandaged my hands. I was four less
fingers. Two were gone from each hand.
My stomach grumbled as I tossed and turned. All I could think about was water and food. I
eventually passed out from the nights work. Waking up, I felt disoriented and weak. The hunger for food
and water still consuming my thoughts. “Twenty-Four hours left”, his voice said from outside the stall.
“Get up, I have more work for you.” “You have to earn your keep.”
The man then entered the room and placed the collar around my neck. “Here is a coat to keep
you warm, he said as he placed it on my back. Then he handed me some rubber boots. “These should
help keep your feet dry while you dig.” Wanting to ask, dig what, I didn’t dare from the fear of being
struck again. The task will be difficult but not impossible. Handing me a shovel, he led me to the spot he
wanted dug.
“The weather has let up and the temperature has risen. I can not trust that you might try to run.
He then locked the chain to a stake in the ground. “The hog house needs cleaned of the bones.” “Dig me
a hole big enough to bury the remains of the less fortunate.” “I will return in twenty-four hours.” You
have fared well so far, keep up the good work and you will be rewarded.” He then turned and walked
away.
The sun was just beginning to rise, and it felt warn against me face. The black sky turned to a
canvas of pastels. The view was stunning under any condition. After admiring the horizon, I started my
grueling work. Trying to dig with missing toes was difficult and excruciating. Placing the shovel into the
frozen ground, I bared down with all my weight. Breaking the ground seemed unfeasible, but I managed.
Letting out agonizing cries, I repeated the movements until I finally moved dirt.
Scanning around, my head was on a swivel looking for cameras. The thought of trying to escape
weighing heavily. Using my bandaged hands, I felt for any gaps in my collar. It was tight around my neck.
I Then looked for any weak links in the chain but found none. The steak the chain was hooked to must
have been buried ten feet, I thought as I gave it a tug. Giving up on any escape attempts, I continued to
dig.
The hunger and dehydration had started to take effect. My head pounded like a hammer on a
nail. I became nauseous. Fearing I might throw up, I sit and rested on the ground. Looking down at the
homestead, I wondered who the man was. Nearly falling asleep, I pushed myself up off the ground.
Visions of water surrounding me engulfed my every thought. God, I was thirsty.
After I finished digging the hole I fell to my knees in exhaustion. Worrying that if I fell asleep, I
would die of dehydration. Standing up, I desperately tried staying awake. The chain weighed down my
neck making it hard to stand. Using the shovel as a brace, I wedged it into the ground and balanced the
chain over top of the shovel. It lifted the weight off me, allowing me to stand easier. Standing and
swaying, I watched as day turned to night and night back to day. “Congratulations”, the man said as he
walked up the hill toward me.
“II knew you would conquer the test.” “You will soon be rewarded for your victory.” Leading me
back to the barn, I stumbled and fell. The man picked me up and helped me to my feet. As He laid me in
the bed, oddly enough I wanted to thank him. “Before I tend to your bandages, I am going to start an I.V.
to restore your electrolytes. He then handed me a cup of water. “Drink”, he said. Wanting badly to gulp
it down, I refrained and sipped slowly. The water was refreshing as it moistened my mouth. Water
wasn’t something I normally craved but, in that moment, it was all a I wanted. Living mostly on energy
drinks and sodas, I rarely drank it.
As I sipped, I thought about my body and how I had neglected it. Peculiar enough, the man was
giving me all I ever needed. He had somehow managed to push my stronger version to the surface.
“Good news”, he said as he wrapped the final bandage around my foot. “You have made it to the last
trial.” “But before we discuss that, I want to reward you on your accomplishments.” “I’m sure you have
questions, and I will allow you to ask them.” A little conversation will do us both some good.” I must say
I am as curious about you as you are of me.” He said as he poured me another cup of water. “But not
until you have rested.” “I look forward to it, I will see you this afternoon.” Locking the door behind him,
exhausted, I fell asleep.
Hunger pains interrupted my slumber. Turning about in the bed, images of food ravaged my
thoughts. Trying hard, I managed to push the vivid images of cheeseburgers out of my mind. Replacing
them with the image of the man conversing with me. What would I ask him, I pondered. Would I set him
off again and be fed to the pigs. One would think that I wouldn’t want to talk to him after he had cut off
my nose, yet strangely enough I did. I was curious about him.
My tossing about abruptly interrupted as I heard the man enter the room. “Well now, how do you
feel this afternoon?” He asked, as he pulled a old wooden chair next the bed and sat down. To scared to
speak I laid quietly. “It Is o.k., he said cheerfully as he patted my leg. “You may speak”. “Better but
hungry”, I managed to mumble. “Yes, I know you are hungry, but you have entered your final trial.” You
must endure three weeks with no food.” You have been here a week.” “Two weeks remain.”
“People of the world are gluttons. Indulging in prepackaged garbage to feed the body. Never
having to hunt or forge for it. If you make it the three weeks, you will have learned to appreciate what
you put in your mouth. You will think about what it is for, rather than just stuffing your face. Do you still
have the desire to live, for you I truly hope so.
“What is your name?”
“Liam, my names, Liam”
“Well, Liam, my names Doc” “It is finally nice to meet your true self.” I’ve been waiting along time for
this.” “You are now worthy to speak to.” “You have shed your old, infected skin and are growing new
skin.” “I have helped you thus far to create a better, you.” “You may speak freely”.
“Why are you doing this”?
“To save you.” “To rid you of the worlds temptations” “I am extracting all you have digested and
replacing it with the will to survive.”
“Who are you”, I fearfully asked.
“I am a doctor who the world cast out due to what they call negligence.” “I only pushed my patients to
better themselves and refused to subscribe fake antidotes”. “I didn’t hand them a crutch when they
could walk on their own.”” I left the city and moved off grid”. “Here I am free to practice as I see fit”.
“My patients now, are those that want to better themselves but just need a little push.” “Yet, none have
come as far as you, Liam.” “What is it, you desire, Liam?”
“A life of fulfillment”, I said.
“Are you not now, achieving that goal, Liam?”
Before I could answer, he told me, “Enough talk for the day”, we have work to do. “Don’t speak
unless I ask you to”. Unhooking my I.V., he then furnished me with warm clothes and boots again. “Grab
the wheelbarrow”, he said as we excited the barn. He then led me to the hog house. “I want you to pick
up the bones and put them in the hole you dug. Feeling weak, I pushed through the chore. The sight of
the mutilated parts wasn’t as repulsive to me as before. Yet, I did wonder who they were and where
they had come from. The day sped by quickly.
That night, I laid in the bed thinking of the man. Could he be right with what he was doing. I did
feel a new feeling of accomplishment. Had I truly shed my old self. Had he had given me what every
doctor before him had failed at. Questioning my own thoughts, I drifted off to sleep.
As the days went by, I would often help him rid the world of the weak. Every few days he would
bring in new patients. One after one they failed his trials. Some made it past the first, only to die in the
pen or the cooler, depending on the weather. We had many evening conversations where I learned
more about Doc, as he did me. Some nights I would listen to him mourn their deaths. He would often sit
by the stove talking to himself and crying. He would question their inability to understand what he was
doing. Finding myself somewhat sympathetic to him, I spoke out. “It’ll be o.k. you’re a good doctor, they
just don’t have a desire to live. “Thank you”, he said, “but do not speak unless I tell you”. With that I
climbed into bed and covered my head.
Ribs now visible, I was nearing death. No longer having the energy to help him any longer, I spent
the remaining few days in bed. As the final day approached, he came to me and said, If you don’t die
through the night, I will intravenously feed you the nutrients your body requires. Then you can truly live
your life. Tears filled his eyes as he pulled the blanket over me. You have been an outstanding and
cooperative patient and I thank you. Share to the world the gift I have given you.
Waking up, I was confused and again fighting off a sedated state. Rubbing my eyes in dismay, I
stumbled out of bed and tripped over my tennis shoes. Looking down at my disfigured feet, I was
perplexed at the sight of the floor. Continuously wiping at my vision, I scanned the room. Soda bottles
littered the nightstand. An empty potato chip bag lay empty on the bed.
Falling onto the floor, I curled up into a fetal position and cried. Visions of the dead filled my
thoughts. My mind was baffled with an emotional and ethical struggle. Four, four, four, I tried to
manage as anxiety reared its ugly head. “No!”, I yelled. I was alive and I was thriving. Quickly jumping to
my feet, I ran to my dresser mirror. It would be the first time, seeing the new me since my amputations.
Raising my head slowly my eyes met a man I had never seen before. A mangled mess stared back at me.
Yet, I didn’t see the ugly. I seen a victor. A man who fought for his life. I seen a man with the desire to
live. Admiring my new self, I calming starting whistling that familiar tune. I knew what I had to do.
The next few months, I spent talking to the detectives. Occasionally throwing them a false bone
toward their investigation. Had I not been a missing person, I would have avoided the police all
together.
A year has passed since my abduction. My life has changed for the better. I have faired well. I
often think about Doc and if he is still practicing. I did what he asked. I survive, appreciate, and share my
new gift to the world. I no longer spend my days waiting for life to toss me a crumb of its cookie. There
is value in the very air we breathe, the water we drink, the dwelling that shelters us, and the nutriment
we eat. Yet, it’s been difficult to convince people of this without some persuasion. So, please calm your
breathing. I am not going to kill you. This will only take three minutes. So, relax, do you have the desire
to live?” “For you, I truly hope so.

Since my last kids birth 2 years ago, I’ve had horrible long and heavy periods (bleeding through a super tampon in an hour). They’re very irregular and the cramps are sometimes as bad as early mid labor stage. I bloat like crazy and have pelvic pain getting up from the couch or trying to poop. I also bleed after sex and I’m so irrational and moody sometimes. I’m constantly fatigued.
Last may I went to my gyno because of these issues. They did a vaginal ultrasound and found a 6cm ovarian cyst on the side with my pain. They also said my ovaries were enlarged and twisted and to go to the ER if pain gets worse and to take birth control. I didn’t take the birth control because we’re trying for another baby. Since then I’ve randomly gained 15lbs and I’ve had the painful “flare ups” about 3 more cycles intermittently.
My last gynecologist shut down and I went to a new one. These are the vaginal ultrasound results. Doctor Google told me that these results indicate enlarged ovaries, PCOS and the heterogeneous myometrium indicates adenomyosis. My new gynecologist tells me everything looks just fine. (She did find a large cervical polyp that needs to be surgically removed because it was too high for her to reach in and pull out in the office. She said it’s up to me if I want to do the surgery). But I don’t FEEL fine at all. Can anyone help read these results please? They’re below:
Uterus: Visualized Uterus position: anteverted, anteflexed Myometrium: Heterogenous echo texture Cervix details: normal Uterus length 90 mm Uterus width 54 mm Uterus height 42 mm Endometrial thickness, total 6.5 mm Right Ovary ：二二 Rt ovary: Visualized Rt ovary morphology: premenopausal polycystic Rt ovary D1 35 mm Rt ovary D2 26 mm Rt ovary D3 16 mm
Left Ovary Lt ovary: Visualized
Lt ovary morphology: premenopausal polycystic
Lt ovary D1 37 mm
Lt ovary D2 22 mm
Lt ovary D3 24 mm
Lt ovarian follicle(s): Follicles identified
Lt ovarian follicle D1 11.0 mm
Lt ovarian follicle D2 12.0 mm
Lt ovarian follicle D3 11.0 mm
Lt ovarian follicle mean 11.3 mm
Lt ovarian follicle vol 0.760 cm3
Cul de Sac Normal Impression

ニニニニ

Heterogeneous myometrium. Endometrium appears normal. Polycystic appearance of ovaries. Ovarian cyst not seen on today's exam. No free fluid in the pelvis.

I was taking Prozac and it helped my OCD so much, especially with my relationship. But I had awful side effects and can’t take it anymore. I don’t know how to quiet the thoughts and I’ve been dealing with them for like 10 years. Therapy has only helped so much :( what do I do at this point?
Also, my current intrusive and OCD thoughts are about people hurting dogs and me wanting to adopt or foster them all. I obsessively check the county shelter website thinking about fostering one but I’m not sure I could handle it anyways. And then I always have ones about my husband being unfaithful.
It’s just hard when something helped so much and now I feel broken and alone in my head.