The United States has seen some whopping mishaps and scandals in the oil and gas industry over the years, from Teapot Dome in the 1920s to the collapse of Enron in 2001 and the Deepwater Horizon, Exxon-Valdez and Santa Barbara oil spills.
However, the largest, most egregious and most profoundly damaging scandal is still underway.
The unholy alliance between America’s governments and the fossil fuel industry has been going on for decades, undeterred and unpunished. Federal and state governments subsidize and facilitate the production and consumption of oil, natural gas and coal despite knowing these products are permanently damaging life on a planetary scale.
Many of our elected officials have participated in a carbon cartel that has blocked effective climate action. U.S. scientists began warning in the 1950s that fossil fuels were changing the climate. Yet fossil fuels still provide about 80 percent of U.S. energy, and America has become the world’s biggest oil and gas producer.
The Teapot Dome scandal involved oil industry bribes of a single public official. Today, the oil industry can influence elected officials with unlimited campaign contributions, unrelenting lobbying, and expensive advertising campaigns to burnish the industry’s image.
Open Secrets reports that the oil and gas industry spent over a trillion dollars on election campaigns between 1990 and last month. Between 1990 and 2020, five big oil companies reportedly spent at least $3.6 billion on advertising. While scientists have determined that most of the world’s underground reserves of fossil fuels must remain, the U.S. oil and gas industry keeps drilling, netting an average of $2.8 billion a day over the last 50 years, according to Statista, a data analysis firm. Statista says the industry made more than a trillion dollars annually for much of the past decade.
The industry could have invested these enormous outlays and profits to lead the world’s clean-energy transition. Instead, it has conducted a long campaign to deceive policymakers and the American people and intimidate critics.
For its part, Congress has done virtually nothing to phase out fossil fuels with mandates or market forces. It continues giving the industry billions of dollars in yearly tax breaks that promote oil and gas production. It allows the industry to “externalize” more than $750 billion in social and environmental damages. The damages are not reflected in the market price of these fuels, making it hard for clean alternatives to compete. In 2022, the hidden costs amounted to $2,243 for every man, woman and child in the United States. Congress had an opportunity to correct this market “imperfection” with carbon pricing in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2009. But it failed to act.
So, Americans pay for fossil fuels four times: first through tax subsidies, second in energy bills, third with health care and environmental cleanup costs, and fourth with the rapidly growing costs of climate-induced disasters.
Before industrialization began, the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere was 280 parts per million (ppm). In the 1980s, it reached 350 ppm, still considered safe. Despite international promises to cut CO2 pollution, scientists expect the concentration to reach nearly 427 ppm this year, higher than it has been in millions of years.
The industry’s deceit and obfuscation is well documented, and a congressional investigation has just confirmed it. But some of the industry’s most recent are worth noting.
For example, oil and gas companies frequently sue environmental organizations (so-called SLAPP suits) that oppose even free speech and assembly. Researchers at Duke University reported as long ago as 1993, “A pattern is emerging across the United States in which citizens and local community groups are being sued for what has long been considered ‘ordinary’ public participation.” SLAPP lawsuits rarely prevail in court, but the industry uses them to intimidate and drain the resources of environmental organizations.
Exxon is even suing some investors who want it to adopt more aggressive climate-stabilization policies. A spokesman for one of the investment groups explains it wants only to “safeguard the long-term future of the company and the global economy in view of the climate crisis.”
Oil-producing states have joined this litigation strategy. North Dakota, Texas, Montana and Wyoming have sued the U.S. Interior Department over a rule to reduce methane leaks, a potent greenhouse gas, from oil and gas operations. Yet new research at Stanford University shows natural gas infrastructure leaks three times more methane than the Environmental Protection Agency estimates. Researchers say economic and public health costs amount to $10 billion annually.
Over the last six years, states, cities, counties and tribal nations have countered with at least 32 lawsuits against oil majors to seek compensation for climate-related damages or penalties for deceptive business practices. The industry tied these suits up for years over jurisdictional issues.
In the meantime, oil producers are engaged in public relations games over their role in climate change. Major producers jumped aboard the “net zero carbon” wagon when oil prices were low, but they backed away and made record-breaking profits when prices rose. Their production plans belie their net-zero promises. “Exxon touts its support for the Paris Agreement while at the same time boasting to investors that it will increase oil and gas production 25 percent by 2030, a scenario that would be game over for the climate,” the Center for Climate Integrity explains.
Oil majors reportedly donate hundreds of millions of dollars to leading universities “to build relationships that could help the industry avoid taking climate action.” And Exxon CEO Darren Woods is trying to shift the blame for climate change to energy consumers. “The people generating the emissions need to be aware of and pay the price for generating those emissions,” he told an interviewer. As Grist explains, “Oil companies make the case that it’s a demand problem – as long as people are driving cars, and thus demanding fossil fuels, then they have to keep producing the gas.”
Democrats in Congress just issued the results of a 2.5-year investigation that found the oil and gas industry has deceived investors, Congress and the American people in a long covert operation of “deception, disinformation and doublespeak” using “dark money, phony front groups, false economic and relentless exertion of political influence to block climate progress.” These findings warrant an investigation by the Justice Department to determine whether the industry broke any laws, including those against racketeering.
But that’s not likely to happen before the election. It’s up to voters to end this scandal by electing a president, Congress and legislators who support policies like these:
Put a price on carbon, as Europe has done. Its emission trading regime produced a 15.5 percent cut in carbon emissions from polluting industries and power plants last year and a 47 percent reduction since 2005, when emissions trading began. End federal tax subsidies for fossil fuel production. Stop leasing public lands for fossil-energy production and suspend all unused leases. Codify state and national “just transition” plans to end all but the most essential fossil energy production in the United States. As U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin put it, the industry’s greed has led us to a “civilizational emergency,” the threshold of a world where suffocating heat, floods, storm surges, wildfires, drought and rising seas are the norm. And unless we stop Big Oil’s scam, we will cross the threshold with no way back.
William Becker is executive director of the Presidential Climate Action Project (PCAP), a nonpartisan initiative founded in 2007 that works with national thought leaders to develop recommendations on national climate and energy policies. He is a former senior official at the U.S. Department of Energy.

• We started with the two federal lawsuits filed last Thursday, seeking to block Iowa from enforcing Senate File 2340, the immigration law that creates a new state crime of “illegal reentry.” You can read the federal government’s lawsuit here and the case filed on behalf of Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice and two individuals here. I have a post in progress at Bleeding Heartland on why the state will struggle to show this law is constitutional;
• One key issue in both lawsuits: Iowa’s law makes no allowance for the reality that the federal government may grant permission for someone to be in this country, even if they were removed or deported in the past;
• Responding to the lawsuit, Governor Kim Reynolds cited her “responsibility to protect the citizens of Iowa. Since President Biden refuses to enforce our nation’s immigrationlaws – threatening the safety of our citizens – Iowa will step in.” Similarly, Attorney General Bird said, “Iowa stands ready to defend our immigration law that keeps Iowa communities safe”;
• I previewed one of the key legal arguments for the state, which Republican legislators put forward during the House and Senate debates. The concept is that the U.S. Constitution allows states to defend themselves against an “invasion,” and GOP politicians claim undocumented immigration amounts to an invasion of this country;
• Contrary to the idea that SF 2340 will keep Iowans safe, Marshalltown Police chief Michael Tupper submitted a declaration for one lawsuit explaining why “it undermines public safety” when the immigrant community believes local police will engage in immigration enforcement;
• Many of the arguments in these cases overlap, and U.S. District Court Judge Stephen Locher has consolidated a hearing on the motions for a preliminary injunction, which is set for June 10;
• Iowa became a plaintiff in yet another lawsuit against the Biden administration last week. This case, involving six GOP-led states that are part of the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, challenges the U.S. Department of Education’s latest rule related to Title IX protections for LGBTQ students. Republicans dispute that Title IX’s prohibition of sex discrimination should encompass discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity;
• Bird was spotted on Monday morning outside the criminal court where Donald Trump’s trial continues in Manhattan. The Attorney General’s office hasn’t answered any of my questions about the trip, but a spokesperson told the Des Moines Register’s Brianne Pfannenstiel “no taxpayer money had been used to fund her travel.” Bird spoke briefly to reporters outside the courthouse to call the case a “travesty” designed to keep Trump off the campaign trail;
• George wondered if state political leaders traveling across the country was going to be the “new normal.” I won’t be surprised to see Bird appearing with Trump in other venues this year. She’s been the former president’s top Iowa surrogate since Governor Reynolds endorsed and actively campaigned for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis;
• Moving to legislative news, the governor continues to sign more laws the legislature approved last month. Last week, she signed Senate File 2251, one of the bills she proposed, extending postpartum Medicaid coverage for thousands of Iowa women while excluding thousands of women from pregnancy or postpartum coverage;
• I’ve been wanting to talk about House File 626 for a while, but I don’t think Dennis and I ever got to it during the legislative session. Starting next year, this law will prohibit insurance companies from forcing a change to someone’s prescription medications in the middle of a coverage year, if the patient is stable on the drug and a health care provider continues to prescribe it. I enjoy stories like this, which have a major lobbying component. You might think this bill is not controversial, because it passed both chambers nearly unanimously. But advocates had to work for at least seven years to get it to the Iowa Senate floor, due to strong opposition from the insurance lobby;
• Here’s an update on a bill that particularly affects mothers. Natalie Krebs reported for Iowa Public Radio last week on contracts signed with four groups that will provide services under the “More Options for Maternal Support” (MOMS) program, which funnels taxpayer dollars to crisis pregnancy centers. Senate File 2252, which the governor signed in April, allows the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services to administer this program directly;
• Reynolds signed the remaining appropriations bills last week, which set spending levels for the fiscal year beginning on July 1. On this program I wanted to highlight a couple of big picture points: Reynolds did not use her item veto power at all, which illustrates how Republicans closely coordinate budgeting with the governor’s office these days. They don’t put anything important in appropriations bills without her approval;
• Second, the $8.9 billion state budget for fiscal year 2025 will spend only about 80 percent of projected state revenues. By law, legislators are allowed to allocate up to 99 percent of projected revenue, but Republicans are building huge surpluses into the budget in order to cover future tax cuts;
• The June 4 primary fast approaches, and I wanted to flag the early voting deadlines for listeners. You can vote early in person starting May 15, and county auditors will start mailing out absentee ballots on the same day. Whether you vote early or on the primary election day, remember to bring some form of voter ID with you. If you need to change your address or register for the first time, bring proof of address as well as a valid ID;
• Moving back to state government news, Bird held a press conference on Friday to announce she was creating a new task force on antisemitism. Oddly, her office still hasn’t released a full list of task force members. I was able to confirm over the weekend that none of the three current state legislators who are Jewish were invited to participate;
• On the environmental front, there was good news and bad news connected to the heavy rain Iowa has seen in recent weeks. Jared Strong reported for Iowa Capital Dispatch that “For the first time in nearly two years, no part of Iowa has extreme drought”;
• Now for the bad news: the rain has flushed a lot of nitrate off fields and into Iowa waterways. Strong reported on this problem for Iowa Capital Dispatch as well;
• Excessive levels of nitrate in water has been associated with blue baby syndrome and certain cancers; I recently republished some in-depth reporting by Keith Schneider on the possible link between farm chemicals and high cancer rates in Palo Alto County;
• A quick bit of Congressional news: all four Iowans in the U.S. House helped save House Speaker Mike Johnson’s job last week;
• We didn’t have time to dig in to the details, but researchers from Princeton University have demonstrated that Iowa’s “Education Savings Accounts” (school voucher) program led to tuition increases at many private schools. Stay tuned, because I will have more to say about these findings on the May 20 program.

Is this legit? I wanted to respond and I know I owe some debt but this seemed sketchy but I also don’t want this to turn out badly. Anyone else get this email?
debt.recovery.cas@gmail.com
MERLYN DEBT RECOVERY LAW SERVICES
Urgent Attention: Overdue Payment for Lawsuit: 457821/CA159/741932
Legal Charges: Section 19(A), Clause 21(US). Case Format: Fair Debt Collection Act 811 (FC/SC)
Due Amount: $988.67 ($320 Monthly, $160 Bi-Weekly,$100 Weekly) One Time: $540.00 Today Only
Hereby, we inform you that your arrest warrant is released from here, and you will receive it with court summons very soon. Now you are obliged to come as a defendant to the District Court of Appeals on May 17th, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. for the hearing of your case of defaulting on a loan, CASE #MMD-73291.
The last date to file a lawsuit is May 17th 2024.
Cost of the lawsuit: $4590.00 Legal Charges: Section 19(A), Clause 21(US). Case Format: Fair Debt Collection (FC/SC)
This is to notify you and requires your immediate attention.
We have received this case file from the Major Credit Bureau regarding payday loans. There is a pending loan amount showing in your name and SSN. The initial loan amount for which you took it goes up to $988.67 (due to late fine fees and the rate of interest).
If necessary, you have the right to obtain a lawyer for your protection. You are kindly asked to have an identity document with you. Personal appearance is compulsory. Please bring all documents and witnesses relating to this case with you to court on your hearing date.
Note: If you do not attend the hearing, the judge may hear the case in your absence.
If you want to resolve this matter without a lawsuit and further damaging your credit rating, you must reply now and send the payment within 3 days of the date of this letter; either pay the case closing amount of $540.00 at once either today or Friday, or email us and work out arrangements for payment with it ($988.67).
Thanks and Regards Debt Settlement Division.

RUM reported a slight revenue increase to $17.7 million in Q1 2024, but faced a larger EPS loss of -$0.21 compared to the analyst's expectation of -$0.19.

Key Metrics

Revenue	$17.7M	1%
Operating Expenses	$57.7M
	Earnings Per Share	$-0.21
Cash and Cash Equivalents	$183.8M

Business Highlights

• Launched Rumble Cloud for general availability.
• Announced a strategic partnership with Barstool Sports.
• Entered into cloud-related strategic partnerships with Qinshift and ACP CreativIT.
• Completed public launch of Rumble Studio as a livestreaming tool.
• Launched key monetization features on Rumble and Rumble Advertising Center.

Guidance
Additional Notes

• Filed a second antitrust lawsuit against Google based on Google’s monopolization of the online advertising market, with damages estimated in excess of $1 billion (before trebling).

Expectations: RUM's revenue of $17.7 million was below the analyst's expectation of $18.27 million, marking a shortfall in revenue growth. The EPS of -$0.21 also missed the forecast of -$0.19, indicating a continued struggle in achieving profitability despite minor revenue improvements.

Some people still swear up and down that ivermectin is actually effective against COVID-19. This is false. They also insist ivermectin has far fewer side-effecs than the Coronavirus vaccine. This is also false. I'm going to prove it to you, but whether you are capable of accepting evidence such as listed below is something I obviously have no control over. I can try, and you can keep an open mind.
First of all, ivermectin has many side-effects, ranging from innocuous to severe.^[1]
To wit:

General

Ivermectin is well tolerated compared to other microfilaricidal agents (i.e., thiabendazole, diethylcarbamazine). Adverse reactions (i.e., pruritus, fever, rash, myalgia, headache) occur commonly during the first 3 days after treatment and appear to be related to the extent of parasitic infection and systemic mobilization and killing of microfilariae. The majority of reactions can usually be treated with aspirin, acetaminophen and/or antihistamines. Adverse effects tend to occur with lesser frequency during periods of retreatment.

Ocular

Ocular side effects have included eyelid edema, anterior uveitis, blurred vision, conjunctivitis, limbitis, punctate opacity, keratitis, abnormal sensation in the eyes, and chorioretinitis/choroiditis; however, these effects are also associated with the disease onchocerciasis. Loss of vision has occurred rarely but usually resolved without corticosteroid treatment. Conjunctival hemorrhage has been reported during postmarketing experience in patients treated for onchocerciasis.

Other

Worsening of Mazzotti reactions, including arthralgia, synovitis, lymph node enlargement and tenderness, pruritus, skin involvement (including edema, papular and pustular or frank urticarial rash), and fever, has been reported during the first 4 days following treatment for onchocerciasis.

Nervous system

Nervous system side effects have included dizziness, headache, somnolence, vertigo, and tremor. Serious or fatal encephalopathy has been reported rarely in patients with onchocerciases, and heavily infected with Loa loa, either spontaneously or after treatment with ivermectin. Seizures have been reported during postmarketing experience.

Gastrointestinal

Gastrointestinal side effects have included anorexia, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal distention.

Other

Other side effects have included asthenia, fatigue, abdominal pain, chest discomfort, facial edema, and peripheral edema.

Hematologic

Hematologic side effects have included decreased leukocyte count (3%), eosinophilia (3%), and increased hemoglobin (1%). Hematomatous swellings associated with prolonged prothrombin times have been reported, but the clinical significance is unknown. Leukopenia and anemia have been reported in at least one patient.

Hepatic

Hepatic side effects have included elevated ALT and/or AST. Elevated liver enzymes, elevated bilirubin, and hepatitis have been reported during postmarketing experience.

Cardiovascular

Cardiovascular side effects have included tachycardia and orthostatic hypotension. EKG changes, including prolonged PR interval, flattened T waves and peaked T waves, have been reported in single cases. Hypotension (primarily orthostatic hypotension) has been reported during postmarketing experience.

Dermatologic

Dermatologic side effects have included pruritus, rash, and urticaria. Toxic epidermal necrolysis and Stevens-Johnson syndrome have been reported during postmarketing experience.

Respiratory

Respiratory side effects have included worsening bronchial asthma, laryngeal edema, and dyspnea.

Musculoskeletal

Musculoskeletal side effects have included myalgia.

Renal

Renal side effects have included rare transient proteinuria.
I tried to get incidence rates for these side-effects, but in some if not most instances, the answer given for these side-effects is either simply "unknown" or they're just not shown. Imagine telling this to anti-vaxers: if they have at least a consistent set of beliefs, this should deeply alarm them, shouldn't it?
Some people actually did take the horse dewormer version out of sheer desperation and got really sick, were hospitalized or worse: they died.

1. In New Mexico, two people died after taking a deworming drug for horses and other livestock to treat COVID-19.^[2]
2. The FDA received multiple reports of patients who required medical support and hospitalization after self-medicating with Ivermectin intended for horses.^[3]
3. There was a significant increase in calls to poison control centers due to misuse of Ivermectin. Texas saw a 550% spike in poison control calls due to people ingesting horse and cow dewormer.^[4]
4. People poisoned themselves with the horse-deworming version to thwart COVID-19, resulting in an uptick in calls to poison control centers.^[5]

Ivermectin was consistently found to be ineffective in treating COVID-19:

1. A systematic review and meta-analysis published in the Virology Journal evaluated the efficacy of Ivermectin for COVID-19 patients based on current peer-reviewed RCTs. The study concluded that Ivermectin did not have any significant effect on outcomes of COVID-19 patients.^[6]
2. A Cochrane meta-analysis of 11 eligible trials examining the efficacy of Ivermectin for the treatment of COVID-19 published through April 2022 concluded that Ivermectin has no beneficial effect for people with COVID-19.^[7]
3. An article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) concluded that taking 400 mcg/kg Ivermectin for three days, when compared with a placebo, did not significantly improve the chances for a patient with mild to moderate symptoms of COVID-19 to avoid hospitalization.^[8]
4. A study published on News Medical concluded that in COVID-19 outpatients with mild or moderate illness, Ivermectin use for three days at a dose of 400 μg/kg showed no significant improvement in the time to sustained recovery compared to those who received placebos.^[9]

The unwarranted hype surrounding ivermectin can be traced back to its promotion on the Joe Rogan Experience.^[10]

Public interest in ivermectin ballooned following Joe Rogan’s podcasts. “On a national level Rogan’s podcast was a tipping point,” said Keenan Chen, an investigative researcher with First Draft News, an organization that tracks misinformation. (Rogan, who has previously expressed hesitancy to vaccines, announced in September he had contracted Covid-19. He claimed to be taking ivermectin among several other treatments.)

Joe Rogan took a cocktail of Big Pharma^tm meds which, with the exception of monoclonal antibodies, were not indicated for his situation. In fact, some of the medication he took could have made things worse.^[11] Rogan probably didn't get seriously ill because he's fit and without significant comorbidities. The one thing that would have actually been the most effective was the vaccine, which he refused to take.
Many others weren't as lucky as Joe was. I suggest you follow the footnotes and see for yourself. Especially the first one.^[12][13]
Other than ivermectin, coronavirus vaccines are also a subject both Joe Rogan and his guests have shamelessly lied about numerous times, which could have caused medical harm to people who bought into it, and probably did. The most prominent guest which comes to mind is RFK Jr.
RFK Jr.'s influence is so odious, I am comfortable saying he probably contributed to thousands of unnecessary deaths in total. One incident in which 83 people (mostly children) died is particularly disgusting:^[14]

In June 2019, Kennedy and his wife, the actress Cheryl Hines, visited Samoa, a trip Kennedy later wrote was arranged by Edwin Tamasese, a Samoan local anti-vaccine influencer.
Vaccine rates had plummeted after two children died in 2018 from a measles vaccine that a nurse had incorrectly mixed with a muscle relaxant. The government suspended the vaccine program for months. By the time Kennedy arrived, health authorities were trying to get back on track.
He was treated as a distinguished guest, traveling in a government vehicle, meeting with the prime minister and, according to Kennedy, many health officials and the health minister.
He also met with anti-vaccine activists, including Tamasese and another well-known influencer, Taylor Winterstein, who posted a photograph of herself and Kennedy on her Instagram.
“The past few days have been profoundly monumental for me, my family and for this movement to date,” she wrote, adding hashtags including #investigatebeforeyouvaccinate.
A few months later, a measles epidemic broke out in Samoa, killing 83 people, mostly infants and children in a population of about 200,000.
Public health officials said at the time that anti-vaccine misinformation had made the nation vulnerable.
The crisis of low vaccination rates and skepticism created an environment that was “ripe for the picking for someone like RFK to come in and in assist with the promotion of those views,” said Helen Petousis-Harris, a vaccinologist from New Zealand who worked on the effort to build back trust in the measles vaccine in Samoa.
Petousis-Harris recalled that local and regional anti-vaccine activists took their cues from Kennedy, whom she said “sits at the top of the food chain as a disinformation source.”
“They amplified the fear and mistrust, which resulted in the amplification of the epidemic and an increased number of children dying. Children were being brought for care too late,” she said.

The pandemic is over. Ivermectin wasn't effective. On the one hand we should move on, on the other hand, there should be some accountability for people who pushed this lie, especially those who benefited from it financially.^[10][15]
[1] Drugs.com - Ivermectin Side Effects
[2] USA Today - 'A serious issue': New Mexico health officials suspect two people dead from ivermectin poisoning
[3] Global News - FDA warns Americans to stop taking horse dewormer for COVID-19: ‘You are not a horse’ (Some anti-vaxers counter that the FDA lost a court battle about ivermectin, proving that it works - this is false)
[4] USA Today - Fact check: 590% jump in poison control calls about ivermectin seen in Texas
[5] Ars Technica - More people are poisoning themselves with horse-deworming drug to thwart COVID
[6] Virology Journal - Ivermectin under scrutiny: a systematic review and meta-analysis of efficacy and possible sources of controversies in COVID-19 patients
[7] JAMA Network - At a Higher Dose and Longer Duration, Ivermectin Still Not Effective Against COVID-19
[8] KU Medical Center - Ivermectin shown ineffective in treating COVID-19, according to multi-site study including KU Medical Center
[9] News Medical - Ivermectin is ineffective in non-severe COVID-19 patients according to new study
[10] The Guardian - Ivermectin frenzy: the advocates, anti-vaxxers and telehealth companies driving demand
[11] Doctor Mike - Here's Why Joe Rogan's COVID Treatment Is Problematic
[12] /JamiePullDatUp - "I made a terrible mistake" vs. "I'm still not a 100% sold on the inoculation" - videos of unvaccinated COVID-19 patients in the hospital
[13] /HermanCainAward
[14] AP - RFK Jr. spent years stoking fear and mistrust of vaccines. These people were hurt by his work
[15] Time - ‘What Price Was My Father’s Life Worth?’ Right-Wing Doctors Are Still Peddling Dubious COVID Drugs

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I'm hoping the Reddit community can help me with something...
Back at the very beginning of the Covid Pandemic here in the UK, I started creating digital illustrations of cars. One of the first I did was of a Tesla Cybertruck which I added to an online Etsy store along with illustrations of other cars (not Teslas).
The Tesla Cybertruck illustration interested no one and I received zero orders for it so made no money from sales. However, a few weeks ago I received a very official-looking email from a legal firm based in Miami, Florida detailing a lawsuit that had been brought against my Etsy store on behalf of Tesla Inc. for copyright infringement. (I should add that I'm one of 460 defendants in this case; all of which I assume are small online businesses selling Tesla-related stuff).
I used no Tesla logos, fonts etc, just the words 'Tesla' & 'Cybertruck'.
I live in the UK, the lawsuit is filed in Florida so I don't know if judgements can be enforced anyway? Also, in terms of my Etsy store, I couldn't care less about it. In truth, I'd love to delete it and I'm happy to never sell a print again.
I've spoken with several lawyers here in the UK, none of which can help. I've since spoken with a USA-based attorney who is happy to take on my case but wants an upfront retainer of $7,500 and can't be sure if that will be enough to cover the time it may take to get this case dismissed. Seems outrageous when you consider I've made NO money from sales of this particular illustration!

🚀 Unlock Exclusive Insights on TSLA: Get deeper analysis and expert views on TSLA's latest market trends before you read on. Click Here to Dive In 🌟
Technical Analysis
Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA) closed at $171.89 on May 13, 2024, marking a gain of 2.03% for the day. The stock traded between a low of $169.03 and a high of $175.40, with a trading volume of 37.30 million, below its average volume of approximately 100 million. The Relative Strength Index (RSI14) of 65 indicates a stock nearing the higher end of the neutral zone, suggesting it is edging closer to being overbought.
The 50-day moving average (MA) at $171.21 has recently been surpassed, but the 200-day MA at $216.89 remains significantly higher, indicating a bearish trend over the longer term. The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) stands at 3.29, reflecting a bullish sentiment in the short term. The Average True Range (ATR) of 4.88 implies higher volatility, which needs careful attention by traders. Support and resistance levels are established at $164.90 and $183.28, respectively, suggesting potential price action boundaries for the near term.
Fundamental Analysis
Tesla's market cap is approximately $569.18 billion, supported by an EPS of 3.91 and a PE ratio of 45.64, indicating that the stock is priced significantly higher than traditional value benchmarks. The upcoming earnings announcement scheduled for July 17, 2024, has investors eyeing potential catalysts.
Tesla's discounted cash flow (DCF) is calculated at around $63.87, which is substantially lower than its current trading price, suggesting the stock may be overvalued based on fundamental cash flow projections. Analysts' price targets span a wide range, with a high of $526.67, a low of $85, and a consensus target of $236.55, indicating potential for price growth but also significant volatility.
News Impact
Several recent news articles could influence Tesla's stock performance. Key issues include a lawsuit over emissions at its Fremont plant, a strike in Sweden escalating with union involvement, layoffs in its Supercharger team, and the stock losing its position as the most shorted in favor of Chevron. Collectively, these developments suggest operational and regulatory challenges that could impact investor sentiment negatively in the short term.
Short-term Prediction
For the next trading day, May 14, 2024, given the recent positive price action and technical indicators, there might be moderate upward momentum, potentially testing the resistance level at $183.28. However, given the recent volume downturn and negative news flow, it is plausible that the stock could face selling pressure.
For the upcoming week, considering the bearish long-term technical indicators alongside troublesome news, Tesla’s stock might experience volatility, with potential testing of the lower support levels at $164.90. Any significant development from the pending lawsuits or labor strikes will play a pivotal role in the stock movement.
Intrinsic Value and Long-term Investment Potential
Tesla's intrinsic value, indicated by the DCF analysis, suggests the stock is overvalued at the current price. This overvaluation, combined with the high PE ratio, implies that long-term growth expectations are already heavily priced in. Despite Tesla’s innovative edge and market leadership in EVs and renewable energy solutions, the valuation presents a considerable risk for long-term investors, especially amidst regulatory and operational challenges.
Overall Evaluation
Based on the confluence of technical weakness over the long-term, fundamental overvaluation, and imp [...]
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This is no bridezilla drama..
SOME BACKGROUNDDD
I am a Middle Eastern 26 F. I studied medicine in my home country, so just to imagine how busy my life was—specifically, that I had a part-time job with that, too.
This, with time, made my social life a bit harder and my love life too. In my family, having a bf is fine, but at least he had to have the potential of being a husband. He may not be, but the original goal should be that. This is culturally not so acceptable, i.e., my family technically has to deal with people talking behind my back or criticizing my upbringing.
My lack of experience, bad choices led me to bad experiences probably one of the worst you'd ever hear..
I loved someone my age , from university ..
He was with me every single day , so lovely till I brought up my 8-year-long friend . She became our third , on outings , on dinners lunches and and ...YES THEY BETRAYED ME . People from our circle knew they were together and never told me .People actually found out some time in the middle on a feast to which I invited everyone . I just went to the toilet , and everyone else caught up the body language .. and later made sure in some way
Since that day , I never trusted any friend not just for that lady who was my friend for years but for everyone who knew that they were lying to my face and never said anything
The next time , I loved someone for a year . Everything was okay till he planned travel and ghosted every `'romantic" side of our relationship. We act normal in public . Hi , how is work , did you admit that so and so..I don't get why we got there , maybe fear of commitement
I gave up on men
NOW THE STORY
I decided to raise a child . This is definitely a "crazy" move in my country. My family was supportive on the terms that no one knows . They already had to deal with that twice earlier ..I lived with that . I am fine with it . He filled my life . I started to focus on work , community medicine and activities related to my career too . It was a balance - no need for a man ..thank you
As a physician , I applied to the MATCH - if we have medicals here they'll get me. It is a very hectic process ,especially if you are not a US citizen . I didn't MATCH in the exact specialty I wanted (INTERNAL MEDICINE) I had the worst month . On the 4th April , I lost my child in a car accident . I then started to look for work to fill my time , to cope .. I came upon a pediatrician position - I was delighted to get somewhere I can feel busy and needed the work more than anything
This is a long-term contract . I am afraid to regret. I am afraid it is an emotional premature decision.
I thought I would break the contract with a lawsuit if I ever felt like it within the few upcoming years. Note that it is possible but would harm the institution more than it would harm me. AITA for accepting the job ?

I didn't think I would be making an update so soon, but my mother is unrelenting.
To the people that were so kind and gave me advice earlier, thank you so much. It really helps to have people show kindness in difficult days. I follow with the advice to freeze my credit and I will be getting a new phone for personal use. Will have to keep my old phone for work for a little.
Now to update on the situation: We are going through with pressing charges and might do a civil lawsuit for two years of child support my mother owns. We are not sure yet of our chances on it, but my brother San wants to go scorch earth.
As for my mother, she began a new campaign. She's been posting about me false accussing my step-brother Chris of SA. She's been accussing me of being a 'temptress that tried for years to sleep with my brother' and even got a few relatives, who I just found out are my aunts, to join in saying they were witnesses. I never met these women in my life.
My step-father actually commented in her post saying my mom was lying and accussing his own son of being a p*do. That's how I found out what was the big fallout between them. Step-brother went after one of Step-father's nieces. I don't know the girl's age, but she has to be about my age if I'm thinking of the right person. If not, she's younger than me.
A lot of my biological father's relatives have also gone into social media to call out my mother, saying she had always claimed she was an orphan and had no family, while now she has three sisters.
It's a mess, I'm just watching for now and being a stay-at-home aunt. My nephews love it since we go out after they finish homework for crazy shenanigans. My boss has helped me with some paperwork for leave of absence and I should be off for about 6 weeks. After I'll be mostly working from home for a few weeks.
Not the greatest update, and to be sincere things are not fun. But its nice to spend time with the kiddos at least.
Also, forgot this: No, my mom is not likely sleeping or in a relationship with my stepbrother. Some people had mention this. My mom always wanted a son. I was a disappointment because I was born a girl. She treats my brother like he's her real son and I think she truly loves him as a mother. She made sure to tell me how disappointing it was for her when I was born.

Welcome to the Daycare Reset AU. (AND NO, THE NAMES AREN'T RELATED TO THE SUN AND MOON SHOW) :)
Enjoy the lore! Or- or don't, I guess.
[So when Solar and Lunar were first made, they were performance animatronics that performed at the Lights Out Theatre. And they weren't named Solar and Lunar back then, but rather Sun and Moon. Classified as a light-sensitive animatronic, in the presence of light, Sun would be in control and when it was dark, Moon came out.
When they were moved to Daycare, they were both reprogrammed to be made more Daycare Attendant-like. Sun ended up in charge of playtime, and Moon placed in charge of naptime. The children adored being around Sun, they got to play whatever games they liked and had loads of fun. The children, being children, didn't like naptime, because that's boring! They wanted to play, not sleep. So Moon often had to scramble around, putting the kids back to bed. The children loved Sun, but didn't bother much with Moon.
And then Moon felt... Neglected, in a way. Sun got most of the attention because Sun was cheery and bright, but Moon apparently ruining the children's fun by trying to get them to sleep. Weren't the two meant to work together? Moon felt like they just weren't good enough. And they were jealous. They wanted to be appreciated, but they were often just cast to the side because they were only the Moon. And the Moon can't shine brightly like the Sun, because the Moon only reflects light from the Sun.
And then, Moon started to malfunction. It's not clear why it happened, but Moon started to act out more. They were almost... Forceful, in getting the kids to sleep. Some children were so terrified to the point that they didn't dare to sleep without the lights on. Which of course, made the situation worse.
And Sun was worried about Moon. Moon and been rather... Distant, lately, not talking to Sun much in their shared headspace. Moon just seemed... Off, too. Sun hoped their "twin" was okay.
.......... Moon hurt a child. They hadn't meant to, but they did. They really hadn't meant to, they promised. But the damage was done. Fazbear Entertainment attempted to remove Moon entirely from Sun, but failed. Moon remained. So the company decided that they would just have generators in the Daycare, so that the lights could always be turned back on. Keeping Sun in control, and Moon restricted. Sun developed a paranoia with Moon, enforcing one, single rule. Keep the lights on.
Sun and Moon.... argued. Before Moon truly began to change, the two had argued. That's why Sun didn't immediately suspect something was wrong, they'd assumed that Moon was just... Mad at them, for some reason.
Sun had said a lot of things to Moon. Things that they weren't shouldn't have said. They didn't mean it. They'd never mean to say something so hurtful to their counterpart. But they did.
"You're just.... You're just a parasite, Moon!"
Sun remembers Moon's hurt expression. Sun remembers frantically trying to apologise, nothing. Why had they said that? They hadn't meant to say something so hurtful, they hadn't meant it.Sun remembers it all. Moon's expression, full of shock and.... Hurt. Before it was replaced by a facade of indifference. But Sun knew they'd gone too far. They hadn't meant to. They shouldn't have said that.
And.... The whole fiasco happened with Moon's malfunctioning.
After way too many lawsuits, Fazbear Entertainment finally decided to deal with fixing the Daycare Attendant. You'd think they'd try to fix them before that, but Fazbear Entertainment is just another greedy corporation :/
The Daycare Attendant was brought in, and after extensive reprogramming, the new versions of Sun and Moon were made. And we know these versions. Solar and Lunar.
Despite being reprogrammed, Solar and Lunar were still Sun and Moon deep down. Lunar remembers what they did as Moon. And Solar remembers what they said to Lunar as Sun.]
Bye. I'll post the character profiles soon I swear-

abandon, ability, able, about, above, absence, absolute, absolutely, abstract, abundance, academy, accent, accept, access, accident, accompany, accomplish, according, account, accurate, achieve, achievement, acid, acknowledge, acquire, across, action, active, activity, actor, actual, actually, adapt, addition, additional, address, adequate, adjust, administration, admire, admission, admit, adolescent, adopt, adult, advance, advantage, adventure, advertise, advice, advise, adviser, advocate, affair, affect, afford, afraid, after, afternoon, again, against, age, agency, agenda, agent, aggressive, ago, agree, agreement, agriculture, ahead, aid, aim, air, aircraft, airline, airport, alarm, album, alcohol, alive, all, alliance, allow, ally, almost, alone, along, already, also, alter, alternative, although, always, amateur, amazing, ambition, ambulance, among, amount, analysis, analyst, analyze, ancient, and, anger, angle, angry, animal, anniversary, announce, annual, another, answer, anticipate, anxiety, any, anybody, anymore, anyone, anything, anyway, anywhere, apart, apartment, apologize, apparent, apparently, appeal, appear, appearance, apple, application, apply, appoint, appointment, appreciate, approach, appropriate, approval, approve, approximately, architect, area, argue, argument, arise, arm, armed, army, around, arrange, arrangement, arrest, arrival, arrive, art, article, artist, artistic, as, ashamed, aside, ask, asleep, aspect, assault, assert, assess, assessment, asset, assign, assignment, assist, assistance, assistant, associate, association, assume, assumption, assure, at, athlete, athletic, atmosphere, attach, attack, attempt, attend, attention, attitude, attorney, attract, attraction, attractive, attribute, audience, author, authority, auto, available, average, avoid, award, aware, awareness, away, awful, baby, back, background, bad, badly, bag, balance, ball, ban, band, bank, bar, barely, barrel, barrier, base, baseball, basic, basically, basis, basket, basketball, bath, bathroom, battery, battle, be, beach, bear, beat, beautiful, beauty, because, become, bed, bedroom, bee, beef, beer, before, begin, beginning, behavior, behind, being, belief, believe, bell, belong, below, belt, bench, bend, beneath, benefit, beside, besides, best, bet, better, between, beyond, bicycle, big, bike, bill, billion, bind, biological, bird, birth, birthday, bit, bite, black, blade, blame, blanket, blind, block, blood, blow, blue, board, boat, body, bomb, bombing, bond, bone, book, boom, boot, border, boring, born, borrow, boss, both, bother, bottle, bottom, boundary, bowl, box, boy, boyfriend, brain, branch, brand, brave, bread, break, breakfast, breast, breath, breathe, brick, bridge, brief, briefly, bright, brilliant, bring, broad, broken, brother, brown, brush, buck, budget, build, building, bullet, bunch, burden, burn, bury, bus, business, busy, but, butter, button, buy, buyer, by, cabin, cabinet, cable, cake, calculate, call, camera, camp, campaign, campus, can, Canadian, cancer, candidate, cap, capability, capable, capacity, capital, captain, capture, car, carbon, card, care, career, careful, carefully, carrier, carry, case, cash, cast, cat, catch, category, Catholic, cause, ceiling, celebrate, celebration, celebrity, cell, center, central, century, CEO, ceremony, certain, certainly, chain, chair, chairman, challenge, chamber, champion, championship, chance, change, changing, channel, chapter, character, characteristic, characterize, charge, charity, chart, chase, cheap, check, cheek, cheese, chef, chemical, chest, chicken, chief, child, childhood, Chinese, chip, chocolate, choice, cholesterol, choose, Christian, Christmas, church, cigarette, circle, circumstance, cite, citizen, city, civil, civilian, claim, class, classic, classroom, clean, clear, clearly, client, climate, climb, clinic, clinical, clock, close, closely, closer, clothes, clothing, cloud, club, clue, cluster, coach, coal, coalition, coast, coat, code, coffee, cognitive, cold, collapse, colleague, collect, collection, collective, college, colonial, color, column, combination, combine, come, comedy, comfort, comfortable, command, commander, comment, commercial, commission, commit, commitment, committee, common, communicate, communication, community, company, compare, comparison, compete, competition, competitive, competitor, complain, complaint, complete, completely, complex, complexity, compliance, complicate, complicated, component, compose, composition, comprehensive, computer, concentrate, concentration, concept, concern, concerned, concert, conclude, conclusion, concrete, condition, conduct, conference, confidence, confident, confirm, conflict, confront, confusion, Congress, congressional, connect, connection, consciousness, consensus, consequence, conservative, consider, considerable, consideration, consist, consistent, constant, constantly, constitute, constitutional, construct, construction, consultant, consume, consumer, consumption, contact, contain, container, contemporary, content, contest, context, continue, continued, contract, contrast, contribute, contribution, control, controversial, controversy, convention, conventional, conversation, convert, conviction, convince, cook, cookie, cooking, cool, cooperation, cop, cope, copy, core, corn, corner, corporate, corporation, correct, correspondent, cost, cotton, couch, could, council, count, counter, country, county, couple, courage, course, court, cousin, cover, coverage, cow, crack, craft, crash, crazy, cream, create, creation, creative, creature, credit, crew, crime, criminal, crisis, criteria, critic, critical, criticism, criticize, crop, cross, crowd, crucial, cry, cultural, culture, cup, curious, current, currently, curriculum, custom, customer, cut, cycle, dad, daily, damage, dance, danger, dangerous, dare, dark, darkness, data, database, date, daughter, day, dead, deal, dealer, dear, death, debate, debt, decade, decide, decision, deck, declare, decline, decrease, deep, deeply, deer, defeat, defend, defendant, defense, defensive, deficit, define, definitely, definition, degree, delay, deliver, delivery, demand, democracy, Democratic, Democrat, demonstrate, demonstration, deny, department, depend, dependent, depending, depict, depression, depth, deputy, derive, describe, description, desert, deserve, design, designer, desire, desk, desperate, despite, destroy, destruction, detail, detailed, detect, detection, detective, determine, develop, developing, development, device, devil, dialogue, diet, differ, difference, different, differently, difficult, difficulty, dig, digital, dimension, dining, dinner, direct, direction, directly, director, dirt, disability, disagree, disappear, disaster, discipline, disclose, discover, discovery, discrimination, discuss, discussion, disease, dish, dismiss, disorder, display, dispute, distance, distinct, distinction, distinguish, distribute, distribution, district, diverse, diversity, divide, division, divorce, DNA, do, doctor, document, dog, domestic, dominant, dominate, door, double, doubt, down, downtown, dozen, draft, drag, drama, dramatic, dramatically, draw, drawer, drawing, dream, dress, drink, drive, driver, drop, drug, dry, due, during, dust, duty, dwell, dying, dynamic, each, eager, ear, earlier, early, earn, earnings, earth, earthquake, ease, easily, east, eastern, easy, eat, economic, economy, edge, edit, edition, editor, educate, education, educational, educator, effect, effective, effectively, efficiency, efficient, effort, egg, eight, either, elderly, elect, election, electric, electrical, electricity, electronic, element, elementary, eliminate, elite, else, elsewhere, e-mail, embrace, emerge, emergency, emission, emotion, emotional, emphasis, emphasize, employ, employee, employer, employment, empty, enable, encounter, encourage, end, enemy, energy, enforcement, engage, engine, engineer, engineering, English, enhance, enjoy, enormous, enough, ensure, enter, enterprise, entertain, entertainment, entire, entirely, entrance, entry, environment, environmental, episode, equal, equally, equipment, equivalent, era, error, escape, especially, essay, essential, essentially, establish, establishment, estate, estimate, etc, ethics, ethnic, European, evaluate, evaluation, evening, event, eventually, ever, every, everybody, everyday, everyone, everything, everywhere, evidence, evolution, evolve, exact, exactly, exam, examination, examine, example, exceed, excellent, except, exception, exchange, exciting, executive, exercise, exhibit, exhibition, exist, existence, existing, expand, expansion, expect, expectation, expense, expensive, experience, experiment, expert, explain, explanation, explode, explore, explosion, expose, exposure, express, expression, extend, extension, extensive, extent, external, extra, extraordinary, extreme, extremely, eye, fabric, face, facility, fact, factor, factory, faculty, fade, fail, failure, fair, fairly, faith, fall, false, familiar, family, famous, fan, fantasy, far, farm, farmer, fashion, fast, fat, fate, father, fault, favor, favorite, fear, feature, federal, fee, feed, feel, feeling, fellow, female, fence, festival, few, fewer, fiber, fiction, field, fifteen, fifth, fifty, fight, fighter, fighting, figure, file, fill, film, final, finally, finance, financial, find, finding, fine, finger, finish, fire, firm, first, fish, fishing, fit, fitness, five, fix, flag, flame, flat, flavor, flee, flesh, flight, float, floor, flow, flower, fly, focus, folk, follow, following, food, foot, football, for, force, foreign, forest, forever, forget, form, formal, formation, former, formula, forth, fortune, forward, found, foundation, founder, four, fourth, frame, framework, free, freedom, freeze, French, frequency, frequent, frequently, fresh, friend, friendly, friendship, from, front, fruit, frustration, fuel, fulfill, full, fully, fun, function, fund, fundamental, funding, funeral, funny, furniture, furthermore, future, gain, galaxy, gallery, game, gang, gap, garage, garden, garlic, gas, gate, gather, gay, gaze, gear, gender, gene, general, generally, generate, generation, genetic, gentleman, gently, German, gesture, get, ghost, giant, gift, gifted, girl, girlfriend, give, given, glad, glance, glass, global, glove, go, goal, God, gold, golden, golf, good, govern, government, governor, grab, grace, grade, gradually, graduate, grain, grand, grandmother, grant, grass, grave, gray, great, green, grocery, ground, group, grow, growing, growth, guarantee, guard, guess, guest, guide, guideline, guilty, gun, guy, habit, habitat, hair, half, hall, hand, handful, handle, hang, happen, happy, harbor, hard, hardly, hat, hate, have, he, head, headline, headquarters, health, healthy, hear, hearing, heart, heat, heaven, heavily, heavy, heel, height, helicopter, hell, hello, help, helpful, hence, her, herb, here, heritage, hero, herself, hey, hi, hide, high, highlight, highly, highway, hill, him, himself, hip, hire, his, historic, historical, history, hit, hold, hole, holiday, holy, home, homeless, honest, honey, honor, hope, horizon, horror, horse, hospital, host, hot, hotel, hour, house, household, housing, how, however, huge, human, humor, hundred, hungry, hunter, hunting, hurt, husband, hypothesis, ice, idea, ideal, identification, identify, identity, ignore, ill, illegal, illness, illustrate, image, imagination, imagine, immediate, immediately, immigrant, immigration, impact, implement, implication, imply, importance, important, impose, impossible, impress, impression, impressive, improve, improvement, incentive, incident, include, including, income, incorporate, increase, increased, increasingly, incredible, indeed, independence, independent, index, indicate, indication, individual, industrial, industry, infant, infection, inflation, influence, inform, information, ingredient, initial, initially, initiative, injury, inner, innocent, inquiry, inside, insight, insist, inspire, install, instance, instead, institute, institution, institutional, instruction, instructor, instrument, insurance, intellectual, intelligence, intend, intense, intensity, intention, interaction, interest, interested, interesting, internal, international, Internet, interpret, interpretation, intervention, interview, introduce, introduction, invasion, invest, investigation, investigator, investment, investor, invite, involve, involved, involvement, Iraqi, Irish, iron, Islamic, island, Israeli, issue, it, Italian, item, its, itself, jacket, jail, Japanese, jet, Jew, Jewish, job, join, joint, joke, journal, journalist, journey, joy, judge, judgment, juice, jump, junior, jury, just, justice, justify, keep, key, kick, kid, kill, killer, killing, kind, king, kiss, kitchen, knee, knife, knock, know, knowledge, lab, label, labor, laboratory, lack, lady, lake, land, landscape, language, lap, large, largely, last, late, later, Latin, latter, laugh, launch, law, lawsuit, lawyer, lay, layer, lead, leader, leadership, leading, leaf, league, lean, learn, learning, least, leather, leave, left, leg, legacy, legal, legend, legislation, legislative, legislator, legitimate, lemon, length, less, lesson, let, letter, level, liberal, library, license, lie, life, lifestyle, lifetime, lift, light, like, likely, limit, limitation, limited, line, link, lip, list, listen, literary, literature, little, live, living, load, loan, local, locate, location, lock, long, long-term, look, loose, lose, loss, lost, lot, lots, loud, love, lovely, lover, low, lower, luck, lucky, lunch, luxury, machine, mad, magazine, mail, main, mainly, maintain, maintenance, major, majority, make, maker, makeup, male, mall, man, manage, management, manager, manner, manufacturer, manufacturing, many, map, margin, mark, market, marketing, marriage, married, marry, mask, mass, massive, master, match, material, math, matter, may, maybe, mayor, me, meal, mean, meaning, meanwhile, measure, measurement, meat, mechanism, media, medical, medication, medicine, medium, meet, meeting, member, membership, memory, mental, mention, menu, mere, merely, mess, message, metal, meter, method, Mexican, middle, might, military, milk, million, mind, mine, minister, minor, minority, minute, miracle, mirror, miss, missile, mission, mistake, mix, mixture, mm-hmm, mode, model, moderate, modern, modest, mom, moment, money, monitor, month, mood, moon, moral, more, moreover, morning, mortgage, most, mostly, mother, motion, motivation, motor, mountain, mouse, mouth, move, movement, movie, Mr, Mrs, Ms, much, multiple, murder, muscle, museum, music, musical, musician, Muslim, must, mutual, my, myself, mystery, myth, naked, name, narrative, narrow, nation, national, native, natural, naturally, nature, near, nearby, nearly, necessarily, necessary, neck, need, negative, negotiate, negotiation, neighbor, neighborhood, neither, nerve, nervous, net, network, never, nevertheless, new, newly, news, newspaper, next, nice, night, nine, no, nobody, nod, noise, nomination, nominee, none, nonetheless, nor, normal, normally, north, northern, nose, not, note, nothing, notice, notion, novel, now, nowhere, nuclear, number, numerous, nurse, nut, object, objective, obligation, observation, observe, observer, obtain, obvious, obviously, occasion, occasionally, occupation, occupy, occur, ocean, odd, odds, of, off, offense, offensive, offer, office, officer, official, often, oh, oil, okay, old, Olympic, on, once, one, ongoing, onion, online, only, onto, open, opening, operate, operating, operation, operator, opinion, opponent, opportunity, oppose, opposed, opposite, opposition, option, or, orange, order, ordinary, organic, organization, organize, orientation, origin, original, originally, other, others, otherwise, ought, our, ours, ourselves, out, outcome, outside, oven, over, overall, overcome, overlook, owe, own, owner, pace, pack, package, page, pain, painful, paint, painter, painting, pair, pale, Palestinian, palm, pan, panel, panic, pant, paper, paragraph, parent, park, parking, part, participant, participate, participation, particle, particular, particularly, partly, partner, partnership, party, pass, passage, passenger, passion, past, patch, path, patient, pattern, pause, pay, payment, PC, peace, peak, peer, pen, penalty, people, pepper, per, perceive, percentage, perception, perfect, perfectly, perform, performance, perhaps, period, permanent, permission, permit, person, personal, personality, personally, personnel, perspective, persuade, pet, phase, phenomenon, philosophy, phone, photo, photographer, phrase, physical, physically, physician, piano, pick, picture, pie, piece, pile, pilot, pine, pink, pipe, pitch, place, plan, plane, planet, planning, plant, plastic, plate, platform, play, player, please, pleasure, plenty, plot, plus, PM, pocket, poem, poet, poetry, point, police, policy, political, politically, politician, politics, poll, pollution, pool, poor, pop, popular, population, porch, port, portion, portrait, portray, pose, position, positive, possess, possession, possibility, possible, possibly, post, pot, potato, potential, potentially, pound, pour, poverty, powder, power, powerful, practical, practice, prayer, preach, precisely, predict, prediction, prefer, preference, pregnancy, pregnant, preparation, prepare, prescription, presence, present, presentation, preserve, president, presidential, press, pressure, pretend, pretty, prevent, previous, previously, price, pride, priest, primarily, primary, prime, principal, principle, print, prior, priority, prison, prisoner, privacy, private, probably, problem, procedure, proceed, process, processing, processor, proclaim, produce, producer, product, production, profession, professional, professor, profile, profit, program, progress, progressive, project, prominent, promise, promote, prompt, proof, proper, properly, property, proportion, proposal, propose, prosecutor, prospect, protect, protection, protein, protest, proud, prove, provide, provider, province, provision, psychological, psychology, public, publication, publicity, publish, publisher, pull, punishment, purchase, pure, purpose, pursue, push, put, qualify, quality, quarter, quarterback, quarterly, queen, quest, question, quick, quickly, quiet, quietly, quit, quite, quote, race, racial, radiation, radical, radio, rail, rain, raise, range, rank, rapid, rapidly, rare, rarely, rate, rather, rating, ratio, raw, reach, react, reaction, reader, reading, ready, real, reality, realize, really, reason, reasonable, recall, receive, recent, recently, reception, recipe, recipient, recognition, recognize, recommend, recommendation, record, recording, recover, recovery, recruit, red, reduce, reduction, refer, reference, reflect, reflection, reform, refugee, refuse, regard, regarding, regardless, regime, region, regional, register, regular, regularly, regulate, regulation, regulator, reinforce, reject, relate, relation, relationship, relative, relatively, relax, release, relevant, relief, religion, religious, rely, remain, remaining, remarkable, remember, remind, remote, remove, repeat, repeatedly, replace, replacement, reply, report, reporter, represent, representation, representative, Republican, reputation, request, require, requirement, research, researcher, resemble, reservation, resident, residential, resign, resist, resistance, resolution, resolve, resort, resource, respect, respond, response, responsibility, responsible, rest, restaurant, restore, restriction, result, retain, retire, retirement, return, reveal, revenue, review, revolution, rhythm, rice, rich, rid, ride, rifle, right, ring, rise, risk, river, road, rock, role, roll, romantic, roof, room, root, rope, rose, rough, roughly, round, route, routine, row, rub, rubber, rude, ruin, rule, run, running, rural, rush, Russian, sacred, sad, safe, safety, sake, salad, salary, sale, sales, salt, same, sample, sanction, sand, satellite, satisfaction, satisfied, satisfy, sauce, save, saving, say, scale, scandal, scare, scatter, scenario, scene, schedule, scheme, scholar, scholarship, school, science, scientific, scientist, scope, score, scream, screen, script, sea, search, season, seat, second, secondary, secret, secretary, section, sector, secure, security, see, seed, seek, seem, segment, seize, select, selection, self, sell, Senate, senator, send, senior, sense, sensitive, sentence, separate, sequence, series, serious, seriously, servant, serve, service, session, set, setting, settle, settlement, seven, several, severe, sex, sexual, shade, shadow, shake, shall, shallow, shape, share, sharp, she, sheet, shelf, shell, shelter, shift, shine, ship, shirt, shock, shoe, shoot, shooting, shop, shopping, short, shortly, shot, should, shoulder, shout, show, shower, shrug, shut, shy, sibling, sick, side, sigh, sight, sign, signal, significant, significantly, silence, silent, silver, similar, similarly, simple, simply, sin, since, sing, singer, single, sink, sir, sister, sit, site, situation, six, size, ski, skill, skin, skirt, sky, slave, sleep, slice, slide, slight, slightly, slip, slow, slowly, small, smart, smell, smile, smoke, smooth, snap, snow, so, so-called, soccer, social, society, soft, software, soil, solar, soldier, sole, solid, solution, solve, some, somebody, somehow, someone, something, sometimes, somewhat, somewhere, son, song, soon, sophisticated, sorry, sort, soul, sound, soup, source, south, southern, Soviet, space, Spanish, speak, speaker, special, specialist, species, specific, specifically, specify, speech, speed, spend, spending, spin, spirit, spiritual, split, spoil, sponsor, sport, spot, spray, spread, spring, square, squeeze, stability, stable, staff, stage, stain, stair, stake, stand, standard, standing, star, stare, start, state, statement, station, statistical, status, stay, steady, steal, steel, steep, stem, step, stick, still, stimulate, stimulus, stir, stock, stomach, stone, stop, storage, store, storm, story, straight, strange, stranger, strategic, strategy, stream, street, strength, strengthen, stress, stretch, strike, string, strip, stroke, strong, strongly, structural, structure, struggle, student, studio, study, stuff, stupid, style, subject, submit, subsequent, substance, substantial, substitute, succeed, success, successful, successfully, such, sudden, suddenly, sue, suffer, sufficient, sugar, suggest, suggestion, suicide, suit, summer, summit, sun, super, supply, support, supporter, suppose, supposed, Supreme, sure, surely, surface, surgery, surprise, surprised, surprising, surprisingly, surround, survey, survival, survive, survivor, suspect, sustain, swear, sweep, sweet, swim, swing, switch, symbol, symptom, system, table, tactic, tail, take, tale, talent, talk, tall, tank, tap, tape, target, task, taste, tax, taxi, tea, teach, teacher, teaching, team, tear, technical, technique, technology, teen, teenager, telephone, telescope, television, tell, temperature, temporary, ten, tend, tendency, tennis, tension, tent, term, terms, terrible, territory, terror, terrorist, test, testimony, testing, text, than, thank, thanks, that, the, theater, their, them, theme, themselves, then, theory, therapy, there, therefore, these, they, thick, thin, thing, think, thinking, third, thirty, this, those, though, thought, thousand, threat, threaten, three, throat, through, throughout, throw, thus, ticket, tie, tight, time, tiny, tip, tire, tissue, title, to, tobacco, today, toe, together, toilet, token, tolerate, tomato, tomorrow, tone, tongue, tonight, too, tool, tooth, top, topic, toss, total, totally, touch, tough, tour, tourist, tournament, toward, towards, tower, town, toy, trace, track, trade, tradition, traditional, traffic, tragedy, trail, train, training, transfer, transform, transformation, transition, translate, translation, transmission, transmit, transport, transportation, travel, treat, treatment, treaty, tree, tremendous, trend, trial, tribe, trick, trip, troop, trouble, truck, true, truly, trust, truth, try, tube, tunnel, turn, TV, twelve, twenty, twice, twin, two, type, typical, typically, ugly, ultimate, ultimately, unable, uncle, undergo, understand, understanding, unfortunately, uniform, union, unique, unit, United, universal, universe, university, unknown, unless, unlike, until, unusual, up, upon, upper, urban, urge, us, use, used, useful, user, usual, usually, utility, utilize, vacation, valley, valuable, value, variable, variation, variety, various, vary, vast, vegetable, vehicle, venture, version, versus, very, vessel, veteran, via, victim, victory, video, view, viewer, village, violate, violation, violence, violent, virtually, virtue, virus, visibility, visible, vision, visit, visitor, visual, vital, voice, volume, voluntary, volunteer, vote, voter, voting, wage, wait, wake, walk, wall, wander, want, war, warm, warn, warning, wash, waste, watch, water, wave, way, we, weak, weakness, wealth, wealthy, weapon, wear, weather, web, website, wedding, week, weekend, weekly, weigh, weight, welcome, welfare, well, west, western, wet, what, whatever, wheel, when, whenever, where, whereas, whether, which, while, whisper, white, who, whole, whom, whose, why, wide, widely, widespread, wife, wild, wildlife, will, willing, win, wind, window, wine, wing, winner, winter, wipe, wire, wisdom, wise, wish, with, withdraw, within, without, witness, woman, wonder, wonderful, wood, wooden, word, work, worker, working, workout, workplace, works, workshop, world, worried, worry, worth, would, wound, wrap, write, writer, writing, wrong, yard, yeah, year, yell, yellow, yes, yesterday, yet, yield, you, young, your, yours, yourself, youth, zone.

In what has been a relatively quiet week for the crypto market, most cryptocurrencies witnessed a downward trajectory.
While attention continues to be drawn to meme coins, with developers exploring unconventional methods to gain exposure, more established cryptocurrencies that saw significant gains in the previous week faced declines. Bonk, a meme coin built on the Solana blockchain, experienced a drop of nearly 15%, currently trading at $0.00002342.
Amidst these fluctuations, Ethereum, the second-largest cryptocurrency, encountered notable challenges compared to its peers, recording a nearly 7% decrease over the week to reach $2,927. The asset's decline can be partially attributed to an ongoing high-profile lawsuit by software company Consensys, alleging that the SEC has been deliberately impeding participants in the Ethereum ecosystem.
Nevertheless, there are indications of potential improvement as funds flowed into Bitcoin-based Traditional Finance (TradFi) products for three consecutive days this week. However, experts caution that it may take time for Bitcoin to reclaim its all-time high, with the ultimate outcome likely influenced by the actions of the U.S. central bank.
Recent options data from Binance has revealed a concentration of open interest in bitcoin options at a strike price of $75,000 for the end-of-June expiry, according to market analyst Ruslan Lienkha. Lienkha noted that this concentration of open interest corresponds with Bitcoin's historical peak. In mid-March, bitcoin reached a peak value of over $73,000.
Against the backdrop of a growing market, lovers of all sorts of analysis are looking for more and more new assets that, in their opinion, show the strongest correlation with Bitcoin. The last time I came across an article about the correlation between BTC and NVIDIA was in March. To my opinion, there's only one correlation to be found here, and I have a term for it – the expanding bubble. Crypto, AI - what's the difference. But fear not – strategists at Citi said AI is the bubble but could last into 2025, according to Investing.com

Hi everyone! 40F, 5'7" 450 lbs, White. I have MS and mild hypertension. I also have depression and general anxiety. I am losing weight, but slowly since mental health is a bitch. I have been under the care of both a PCP and cardiologist but neither have been able to help my current issues. I will give a brief rundown of the past few months because it has been a whirlwind and a mess to figure out what is causing what. TL;DR of current symptoms: Chest and neck tightness, as if what wearing a corset may feel like; chest soreness; lightheadedness.
I'm currently taking Ocrevus for my MS (last dose given 4/8), I have a Nexplanon birth control implant, Zyrtec 10mg SID, and I am usually on Wellbutrin XL 300mg SID and Buspar 10mg BID but I have been messing with the dosages for these over the past two weeks or so, currently haven't taken either in about 5 days. I'm trying to figure out if my issues are side effects of either of these.
Back in December, I was prescribed Lisinopril 20mg SID for BP by my PCP. My blood pressure was generally around 140/90ish, sometimes up to 150s/90s, but never higher than that. A few weeks into the Lisinopril, I started feeling my pulse more generally in my body, as well as in my ear when wearing headphones, and my anxiety went through the roof. I was having some neck strain/pain and lightheadedness. I saw my PCP one month into it and her asst took my blood pressure immediately after I broke down crying from thinking my high BP was going to kill me; I already wanted to go to the ER once the week before but didn't. My BP was of course high when she took it, I was just crying. My PCP, instead of waiting and retaking my BP, DOUBLED my Lisinopril to 40mg SID. My anxiety was so bad that I just listened to her and thought the higher dose couldn't hurt. We also increased my Wellbutrin from 150mg to 300mg at this visit, because my depression had been getting worse the past couple months before, unrelated to the Lisinopril, but in case of a side effect issue, I wanted to mention it.
Very quickly, I started having a lot more of the neck strain and started having short, sharp almost pinching-like pains in my chest, not in one specific spot. My anxiety was so bad at this point that I wanted to go to the ER at least 5-6 times within a two week period after she doubled the dose. I went to see a cardiologist on my own because I was so sure I was in heart failure and dying. Right before my appt with cardio, I finally found out, through online research, that Lisinopril is KNOWN to make anxiety worse for people who already have it. My EKG was normal, and my cardio agreed to go back down to 20mg of Lisinopril and scheduled an echo just to be safe, especially with my weight. Echo was normal. I was still having a lot of side effects from the Lisinopril so I tapered off it right before my follow-up visit with cardio, and he said we should just leave off any BP meds for now because it was likely just my weight and overall not a huge concern. This was early March.
I finally felt like I was getting back to normal and all of the issues went away once I stopped the Lisinopril, including my anxiety going back down to being totally manageable with the Buspar. I still did get the neck strain, but didn't seem as bad, but that could 100% be posture-related, as I have a computer job working from home.
A few weeks ago, the chest tightness and lightheadedness came back, though I don't think the chest tightness like this was really an issue back in Jan/Feb, I just don't remember to be honest. I saw my cardiologist again last week, EKG was still normal. He thinks it may just be anxiety. He put in an order for me to get a PET scan stress test, I haven't scheduled it yet. He also gave me an Rx for metoprolol when I asked about maybe trying a beta blocker in case it IS anxiety causing it all, but I wasn't feeling anxious mentally when this happens. I filled the Rx but haven't taken it yet because I'm afraid of more side effects and trying to make sure other meds aren't causing it first. These symptoms are unrelated to physical activity, as they usually happen/are most noticeable when I am just sitting at my desk. The last couple days, the sharp pinching pains have returned, not only in my chest, but also in my neck last night. These last barely a second and only happen a couple times in a short period, then nothing for awhile.
As I mentioned, I'm taking a break from the Buspar and Wellbutrin right now to see if it's from side effects from those, but so far no real changed. The tightness may be less? but hard to guage. I have a really hard time dealing with this on top of anxiety; this started up before messing with my meds so I really don't know how much anxiety would be causing it without anxious thoughts. The tightness has been happening daily for about a week now, it wasn't quite daily for a week or two before that. It lasts for hours at a time, but I don't wake up with it, and it doesn't last all day.
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. I don't even know what kind of doctor I should see about it, as cardio isn't really helping and I have decided not to return to my PCP (I found another to try, just haven't scheduled yet).

Email template for the Governor’s Cabinet and the Legislature below.
Yes, it is long, but it captures a lot of our frustrations.
This subreddit has over 38,000 people. If even 1,000 people emailed all of these folks from Governor’s Cabinet, the Legislature, and Other State Leaders, they will definitely take notice.
THIS IS OUR MOMENT.
There are areas in this email template for you to customize, so please read through it.
I highly recommend Hotmail or Yahoomail. If you use Gmail, you may need to click “Tab” multiple times when entering in so many emails.
You may also wish to send a copy to your own manager, section chief, branch chief, Dept. Director, etc.
Guidelines:

1. USE BCC (not in the “To” or “CC” section.
2. REMAIN RESPECTFUL.
3. OPTICS MATTER. Do not make us look bad in any way.

[dana.williamson@gov.ca.gov](mailto:dana.williamson@gov.ca.gov); [jason.elliott@gov.ca.gov](mailto:jason.elliott@gov.ca.gov); [Ann.Patterson@gov.ca.gov](mailto:Ann.Patterson@gov.ca.gov); [claire.cullis@gov.ca.gov](mailto:claire.cullis@gov.ca.gov); [senator.gonzalez@sen.ca.gov](mailto:senator.gonzalez@sen.ca.gov); [senator.cortese@sen.ca.gov](mailto:senator.cortese@sen.ca.gov); [assemblymember.rendon@assembly.ca.gov](mailto:assemblymember.rendon@assembly.ca.gov); [assemblymember.ting@assembly.ca.gov](mailto:assemblymember.ting@assembly.ca.gov); [Wesley.Opp@asm.ca.gov](mailto:Wesley.Opp@asm.ca.gov); [Alexis.Foley@asm.ca.gov](mailto:Alexis.Foley@asm.ca.gov); [tram.truong@asm.ca.gov](mailto:tram.truong@asm.ca.gov); [assemblymember.rivas@assembly.ca.gov](mailto:assemblymember.rivas@assembly.ca.gov); [assemblymember.wood@assembly.ca.gov](mailto:assemblymember.wood@assembly.ca.gov); [Lien.Yee@asm.ca.gov](mailto:Lien.Yee@asm.ca.gov); [assemblymember.kalra@assembly.ca.gov](mailto:assemblymember.kalra@assembly.ca.gov); [assemblymember.mckinnor@assembly.ca.gov](mailto:assemblymember.mckinnor@assembly.ca.gov); [Marcie.Frost@calpers.ca.gov](mailto:Marcie.Frost@calpers.ca.gov); [Kim.Johnson@dss.ca.gov](mailto:Kim.Johnson@dss.ca.gov); [Monica.Erickson@calhr.ca.gov](mailto:Monica.Erickson@calhr.ca.gov); [Eraina.Ortega@calhr.ca.gov](mailto:Eraina.Ortega@calhr.ca.gov); [amy.tong@govops.ca.gov](mailto:amy.tong@govops.ca.gov); [Miriam.Ingenito@govops.ca.gov](mailto:Miriam.Ingenito@govops.ca.gov); [Justyn.Howard@govops.ca.gov](mailto:Justyn.Howard@govops.ca.gov); [james.regan@govops.ca.gov](mailto:james.regan@govops.ca.gov); [Joe.Stephenshaw@dof.ca.gov](mailto:Joe.Stephenshaw@dof.ca.gov); [Erika.Li@dof.ca.gov](mailto:Erika.Li@dof.ca.gov); [Nancy.Farias@edd.ca.gov](mailto:Nancy.Farias@edd.ca.gov); [malia.cohen@sco.ca.gov](mailto:malia.cohen@sco.ca.gov); [tthurmond@cde.ca.gov](mailto:tthurmond@cde.ca.gov); [fiona.ma@treasurer.ca.gov](mailto:fiona.ma@treasurer.ca.gov); [mark.Ghaly@chhs.ca.gov](mailto:mark.Ghaly@chhs.ca.gov); [tomas.aragon@cdph.ca.gov](mailto:tomas.aragon@cdph.ca.gov); [yana.garcia@calepa.ca.gov](mailto:yana.garcia@calepa.ca.gov); [tomiquia.Moss@bcsh.ca.gov](mailto:tomiquia.Moss@bcsh.ca.gov); [stewart.knox@labor.ca.gov](mailto:stewart.knox@labor.ca.gov); [wade.crowfoot@resources.ca.gov](mailto:wade.crowfoot@resources.ca.gov); [jenn.eckerle@resources.ca.gov](mailto:jenn.eckerle@resources.ca.gov); [ana.lasso@dgs.ca.gov](mailto:ana.lasso@dgs.ca.gov); [Mark.Tollefson@calsta.ca.gov](mailto:Mark.Tollefson@calsta.ca.gov); [karen.ross@cdfa.ca.gov](mailto:karen.ross@cdfa.ca.gov); [notices@seiu1000.org](mailto:notices@seiu1000.org); [caps@capsscientists.org](mailto:caps@capsscientists.org); [pecg@pecg.org](mailto:pecg@pecg.org); [info@calattorneys.org](mailto:info@calattorneys.org)
Dear California State Leaders,
I write to you today as a voter, taxpayer, constituent, and as a State of California employee. My ________years of dedicated work serves Californians every day because my role focuses on supporting _________.
I want to share my personal story and provide some facts and data about the Governor’s new June 17 RTO (Return to Office) arbitrary mandate. This mandate will cost taxpayers more during this budget deficit crisis and it is a poorly thought-out, one-size-fits-all, chaotic approach. According to the survey data from 110 State Departments, telework was a huge success for recruitment, productivity, morale, collaboration, and decreasing office space. This chaotic, mandatory, arbitrary RTO simply creates a long list of unnecessary problems. For all of the reasons outlined in this email, I strongly support Assemblyman Josh Hoover’s audit request.
My message is simple: Encourage the Governor to rescind the June 17 arbitrary RTO mandate. The decision for the frequency that employees should all meet in-person and collaborate should rest with those closest and most familiar with the work: individual Unit Managers. These managers know the true collaboration, mentorship, and operational needs of their individual teams. Individual Unit Managers should be allowed to make decisions on accordingly to carry out the Department’s goals and mission. This is the bottoms-up approach that balances the needs of both the employer and employees. The Governor’s mandate and top-down approach fails to acknowledge the many financial and environmental repercussions to not only its own employees, but also to the State of California.
I want to share my personal story as a working class, public servant. With high inflation, I simply cannot afford to shoulder the cost of commuting, which averages $8,466 annually.. According to this 2023 LAO (Legislative Analyst Office) report, for most employees, our State provided wages have consistently been lower than the inflation rate, year-after-year, since 1999, constantly eroding our purchasing power. Other employees have it worse, such as scientists who have had their salaries be frozen for 4 years since 2020 as CalHR has refused to budge on reaching a contract. Purchasing power is a key metric since a $50,000 salary in 2024 buys far less than in 1999. This 2023 UC Berkeley Labor Center report confirmed that “State workers struggle to make ends meet throughout California.” Even the 2023 California State Auditor reports “that hiring and retaining qualified IT staff is the greatest challenge that they [State Departments] currently face.”
If the State is unwilling to provide market wages that keep up with inflation, the state can recruit and retain employees by improving working conditions, such as telework. Being allowed to telework 5 days a week has helped stretch my limited dollars, especially in this inflationary period. This arbitrary RTO mandate is effectively yet another pay cut for me that I simply cannot afford.
Personally, having the opportunity to telework 5 days a week has dramatically improved my quality of life by:
#############################################################
Tell them why the RTO issue is important to you, your family member and your community.
IF YOU DISCUSS CHILD CARE, ONLY TALK ABOUT THE HOURS BEFORE AND AFTER WORK. DO NOT DISCUSS CHILD CARE DURING YOUR REGULAR 8-5 JOB.
###########################################################

1. I have saved ____ hours on my roundtrip commute per week. This has allowed me to reinvest that time toward _____. [helping my kids with their homework, taking care of elderly relatives ]
2. I have saved $___ on commuting costs, which has helped me better afford ___ for me and my family. This has been especially helpful because high inflation has negatively affected me by _____.
3. By teleworking, I am reducing my environmental impact and contribution to climate change, which is _____
4. I have a physical disability and telework is more accommodating than using public transportation, etc. (Feel free to expand on it)
5. I do not live in an area with access to efficient public transportation, so teleworking helps by _____
6. For childcare during before and after work hours, it would cost me ________.

The State will incur many financial and environmental costs:

1. If even 33%, or 73,086 out of the 221,474 State employees use the monthly maximum IRS public transportation benefit,) that would cost the State $276.3 million every single year.
2. State Departments already spend $600 million per year on rent. Many State Departments also simply do not have enough office space for all of their employees currently. There is nowhere near enough quiet conference room space for employees to hold confidential meetings with stakeholders. Will these departments sign new leases for office space?
3. State Departments will be forced to buy many millions of dollars worth of additional office equipment for employees to effectively carry out their jobs including additional webcams, headsets, keyboards, standard office supplies, etc.
4. Pursuant to the reasonable accommodation process for employees with verified medical needs, State Departments will need to purchase other expensive equipment, including but not limited to specialized chairs and stand up desks.
   1. It is important to note that many employees have already invested their own money into equipping their own home office that best meets their needs. It is not simply not possible to ask an employee to bring in their own large equipment from home to the office and back, so the State Departments would incur these additional purchases.
5. State Departments will be spending much more in maintenance costs for elevators, bathroom repairs, printer repairs, electricity, water, gas, and other utilities.
6. State telework has also eliminated nearly 400,000 metric tons of carbon emissions. Mandating RTO will needlessly cause more carbon emissions, which directly runs counter to the Governor’s own words for his trip to the Vatican: “global temperatures [are] hurtling towards alarming new heights, the stakes could not be higher. There is no greater authority than moral authority — and the Pope’s leadership on the climate crisis inspires us all to push further and faster.”

The arbitrary mandatory RTO causes chaos among State Departments:
Across various departments, it’s common knowledge that a sizable number of executive-level leaders do not reside near Sacramento and instead live in other regions in California, such as the Bay Area and Southern California.

1. The next logical question is, will the state offer these executive-level leaders special exemptions and privileges not available to rank and file staff and risk the hypocrisy that undermines the Governor’s stated policy for more “collaboration?” This creates another “rules for thee, but not for me” situation.
2. Or will the State risk losing these executive-level leaders en masse across numerous departments, undermining policy and program implementation?
3. For Departments considering exempting those who live over 50 miles away, it also destroys employee morale. For example, a 20 year veteran staff member with technical expertise may be forced to commute and come into the office twice a week to train a newer employee over Microsoft Teams or Zoom simply because they live in Los Angeles. This naturally breeds frustration and resentment.
4. For exempted employees who live over 50 miles away, some Departments are creating policies that their 5 day remote status only applies to their currently held position, so these employees are “forever stuck” and cannot promote upward, even if they have the expertise the Department needs.
5. The State is starting to open itself up to lawsuits as some Departments are already denying reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities.
6. Being able to recruit employees from areas other than Sacramento helps ensure Departments get perspectives from different counties all across the State. People from rural, suburban, and urban areas all have different experiences and to best serve ALL Californians, we need a geographically diverse workforce.
7. As previously stated, many Departments already do not have the office space or needed equipment for all of their employees. With RTO, new equipment will be needed and purchasing equipment notoriously takes a long time. These factors, combined with many departments trying to implement a hoteling system, will ultimately result in a extremely chaotic return-to-the-office and tank productivity. Many Departments have held Q&A sessions and time and time again, HR offices have been unable to answer basic questions about RTO logistics.

Some state employees have discussed that this is their number one quality-of-life issue and may galvanize them to start engaging with media contacts and spread the hypocrisy on social media. Their goal is to highlight the glaring mismatch and hypocrisy between CA’s proud public policies and the actual reality of choices being made by this Administration. Quite frankly, I fear that this may hurt the Governor and other State Leaders in the future. By unilaterally imposing an arbitrary RTO mandate across the board, the Administration is actively choosing to make working class public servant’s lives worse off, so I understand my colleague’s sentiments.
As MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow recently stated to her own bosses, “Hearing legitimate criticism, responding to it and correcting course. Not digging in, not blaming others. Take a minute, acknowledge that maybe it wasn’t the right call. It is a sign of strength, not weakness, to acknowledge when you are wrong.”
To reiterate, my request is simple: Encourage the Governor to rescind the arbitrary, mandatory, one-size-fits-all, chaotic RTO mandate. Allow individual Unit Managers the flexibility to enact telework policies that best meet their team’s needs to effectively carry out the Department’s mission. They are the ones closest to the work and the ones most knowledgable about what the team needs to succeed.
I respectfully request a response within ten business days.
Respectfully yours,
_________

So, I usually don’t pay much attention to this thread unless it’s video game related, but now I’m quite nervous regarding all the stuff going on with luxury goods. 2 years ago one of our neighbors houses got raided by SWAT teams.. cops, federal agents, etc… cars lined around the block. She was selling fake purses (Gucci, Prada, Louis Vuitton, Kate Spade, etc…). I knew they were serious but you would have thought this woman was holding her family hostage or something. Now I read all the Reddit threads talking about these fake luxury goods being sold, how Whatnot is complicit in it, how Entropy is passing fake authentications, class-action lawsuits, etc… I mean .. whatnot is going to get shut down right???
I sell on here, and many friends of mine sell here too and I know most inventory comes from highly reputable and vetted distributors. I’m concerned about all the honest hard working sellers losing their marketplace because of what’s going on.
If these fake goods are being sold here, whatnot themselves cannot authenticate it, professional Authenticator are saying it’s fake, design brands won’t validate companies like Entropy.. why the hell do they continue to allow these people to sell? This is going to end up in a compete dismantling of this site.. whatnot is toast!?! Am I right? What do you all think ?

Every time I am seen about my recurrent/chronic sinusitis, the VA keeps insisting I try singulair. I already take flonase and zyrtec. I believe my sinus problems are related to toxic exposure... and the doctor on my most recent C&P apparently agreed that was a possibility (no decision yet, though).
I've read that singulair has a ton of possible side effects and that there are even class acrion lawsuits in the works for mental health side effects.
Why is the VA so hot to prescribe singulair? Did they end up with a huge stockpile of it or something?