I have an interview coming up for a higher-level position with my current employer. The position is roughly about five steps up the ladder from my current position. This would be on level with management and working with higher profile clients.
I filled out the application, and messaged the recruiter, they reviewed my application and within a day had an interview set up. For my employer this is fast. Very fast. Normally when you apply for another position, it takes a week of review for the application and messaging a recruiter can be hit or miss on even getting a response.
Part of me feels underqualified. The position requires a bachelors. I still have three years to go before I obtain that. I have over 10 years of call center experience and the way the job post reads, it sounds a lot like my previous position I was in with my previous employer for three years.
I let the recruiter know about my experience, and the interview is tomorrow.
I feel underqualified, but at the same time, the recruiter wouldn't have set time for an interview if they didn't think I was at least a little qualified....
I also don't know a whole lot about the actual department, and I'm not allowed to log into my work system during off hours, so that means no prep time on getting familiar with that department, outside of general public info.
I'm nervous. The hours would be much better for my school and social life. The salary, even if they start me at the minimum for the position would likely be 5k more a year. I'm the main provider for my family, so this would go a long way.
I guess I just need some advice or tips or words of wisdom. With it being such a higher level then my current role and I think its psyching me out a bit.

Dear SiMadam Maple Hams,
A lot of these claims are not the fault of the Naval Experience Program (herein referred to as the NEP).
The NEP has no control over the activities of PAT platoon units. If these units do not place their Sailors into their next courses - then they are failing their own sailors.
I know a lot of actual sailors who have been wasting away on pat platoon waiting for their initial trade course to start.
This has been normal since time immemorial. It was bad during COVID because measures were in place and courses were outright cancelled, but prior to that - most trades were running 1-2 courses per year. Now some trades are running 3 courses a year.
I would also like to point out that NEP candidates cannot compete with any sailors waiting for their trades course because NEP candidates first have to actually sign a contract after picking a trade. Once they pick a trade, they will have to wait with the rest of these Sailors in PAT platoons.
Now I’m seeing 1 year contract NEPs, with no trade and no requirement to extend, getting NETP before actual sailors.
Also not the NEP's fault. Any unit can nominate a Sailor for NETP. You can email the NFS(A/P) NETP Booking Cell and the people there are very nice and helpful and will happily load Sailors. All you need to do is ask for the course list, pick a course date, fill in the form with the Sailor's name, rank, and service number - and boom. That Sailor is loaded.
Between May 16 and October 01 of this year, there are a total 8 NETP Courses scheduled and are capable of handling maybe 20-25 Sailors.
And the sad fact is... They have had to beg units for people to enroll - otherwise they would have to cancel the course... I know for a fact they had to cancel two courses this year already, so if you personally know any units that have Sailors that need NETP, then please give them a call!
They’re doing dive courses, I even heard of some attending clearance diver selection (might be a rumour), before actual sailors who have been requesting it for years.
For the third time, this is also not the NEP program's fault, nor is it outside their control.
FDU(A/P) publishes a list of scheduled courses every year. Rescue Swimmer, Port Inspection Diver, Supervisor Courses, Ship's Team Diver, Clearance Diver - you name it.
A person interested in this course must first submit a memo through their chain of command, Dive Officer, and complete a checklist with their unit's Health Services to pass Dental and Part 1 and 2 medicals (actual requirements vary depending on the course).
This process can last weeks to several months - and that depends on how much support a Sailor gets from their CoC and Health Services unit.
Now again, like the NETP situation if units do not support their Sailor's applications, then that Sailor goes no where. The NEP is not actively nudging these Sailors off courses.
If anything, the NEP is actually making some of these courses possible because FDU(A/P) is not getting enough people who are properly processed with completed checklist to actually show up ready for the courses!
So far this year 1 course almost got cancelled - but because the NEP was able to provide bodies, they were able to run the course!
As I write this, a course in June is also currently in jeopardy of being cancelled due to not having enough enrollees.
The NEP is actually at the back of thr priority list. First are ships, then individual applicants, and lastly somewhere are the NEP.
So no, the NEP is not stealing spots off Sailors who have been waiting years for their dive course.... The NEP is doing everything right within their power to make sure their candidates have gone through official channels to get their applications and checklists completed, and by doing so, providing enough bodies for FDU to actually run courses.
And yes - one NEP candidate from the East Coast and one from the West Coast have completed Clearance Diver training.
One did not get selected however, but that is the Clearance Diver unit's perogative. (Its called Selection after all).
But can you really fault these two NEP candidates for passing a physically and mentally demanding course...?
The programme is a complete ruse designed to make these people have a fun year that they can brag about to their friends and hopefully they’ll sign a real contract.
Not gonna lie, that is the intention.
We want sailors. We NEED sailors.
If it gets them through the door of recruiting, and if they sign a new contract to continue being in the Navy - then by all metrics the program is working.
And so far, I have seen only 1 person out of 75 that has voluntarily released in the 1 year this program has run.
Morale in the fleet is getting beat down lower everyday and watching these people come in and take your spot on the course or sail you’ve been dying to get isn’t doing any favours.
If the argument is that *"NEP candidates are having fun, but people in the fleet aren't" *then something else is wrong in the fleet, and the NEP is not the cause of that - with the reasons I have listed above.
Each and every unit, ship, and organization within the CAF and the fleet are near seperate entities - each with their own challenges.
Saying that the NEP is making life worse for these units has no basis in reality. The NEP is not all knowing, nor does it have the power to make random people's lives miserable.
It's like saying HMCS Montreal is having fun sailing, while HMCS Frdericton and HMCS Chalottetown are sad because their ships are broken. It doesn't make sense.
It doesn’t even make any sense for the navy to be spending the money on these people getting courses they don’t need.
First off, the way the military does things is we are given a budget at the start of the fiscal year.
This budget is identified and allocated way in advance of an intented purpose.
For example, the CAF is given a budget. This budget divided between the Army, Navy, and Air Force. This is further divided into other units within these branches.
The Navy and the CAF has identified the need to create a program to encourage civilians to join the Navy, and retain them after their initial contract. The Government has approved this program and allocated a portion of this years' budget to fund this program.
This program, the NEP, is doing its best with the money allocated to them to ensure that the sailors under their care are taken care of and given enough positive experience so that they hopefully willingly sign another contract, so that our Navy has enough Sailors in the future to sail our ships and complete our missions.
If we don't move heaven and earth to get these Sailors now - then even people who have joined the Navy normally like you and me will be unable to sail in the future because ships are just severely undermanned.
Also I would like to share a personal anecdote...
My RQS3 course had 12 people. Of those 12, after four years 6 had left the forces due to one reason or another.
In my trade, you can apply for a Specialist skill within a Specialist trade.
The Navy will train you and fly you to whatever ship to complete your course. Basically whatever is needed to ensure you pass that course.
All you have to do is study hard.
I have seen people who pass this course - and then end up not sailing and then they lose their qualification.
This, after the Navy spent so much resources, money, and man hours into getting these Sailors qualified, but then they just up and decide this isn't for them.
The argument of "why are these NEP candidates getting this and that when they leave anyway?" is severely misguided when you and I both know there are already people in the Navy who throw away opportunity to the winds...
So hopefully dear SiMa'am Maple Hams, please reconsider your opinion on the program.
In short, the NEP is not stealing resources from othe units.
The NEP is operating within the resources and mandate given to them - and in some cases, actually directly or indirectly contributing to the success of other units in the Navy by providing an investment of manpower that we badly need.
If we were like other NATO countries, then I would argue that this program is unnecessary if we consider the option of outright mandatory military service and conscription.
But we are not like those other countries, and we do not have the option of conscription...
So we have this program instead.
For your consideration, SiMa'am.
PS, I would personally like to extend my thanks to the crews and personnel of the following units for supporting the NEP program:
HMCS St. John's (they have been our most supportive unit).
HMCS Ville de Quebec (thank you for taking time off your busy schedule for allowing job shadowing for the NEP candidates).
HMCS Chalottetown (thank you for taking care of our candidates during your deployment. we know the sea state between Iceland and Halifax was bad, but that didnt let your crew from throwing the NEP candidates to the side).
HMCS Harry Dewolf (your willingless to employ NEP candidates allowed them to become familiar with the platform, and sets the candidates up for success)
NFS(A) Scheduling and Booking Cells (you have always accomodated our requests and has never let us down when we needed help)
Tribute Tower Galley (thank you for employing our candidates and for providing them with delicious food - some of our candidates have never eaten this well in their life)
Juno Tower Accomodations and Booking Cell (you are the first people we contact to get our NEP candidates set up after CFLRS, and without your help we wouldn't even be able to do anything)
CFB Halifax Dockyard Gym and CFB Shearwater Gym (thank you for accomodating our fitness related requests, including letting us borrow the gym so our candidates can see what it is like to swim for their life before they apply for courses)
FDU Atlantic and Pacific (we apologize if we had sent people who were not physically able to complete the courses you offer - to be fair, they are really hard, but we are working on making the quality of people we offer to send better. Hopefully we can continue sending candidates to fill in courses so they do not get cancelled).
Clothing Stores (thank you for setting up our candidates with their kit!)
Base Logistics, Maritime Operations Group, Fleet Padre's office, Fleet Master Sailor and Junior's Mess, FMF Cape Scott, Halifax MFRC, SISIP, PCC(A/P), Health Services Stadacona, TEME, CFLRS, Recruiting, Public Affairs, MARLANT/MARPAC, and the various units all over - for reasons too many to list, we thank you for supporting the program in all the unique ways you do.
Despite what some may say about the Naval Experience Program - all of you have given the program all the support the program could ask for and more.
If you all didn't care, then we wouldn't be here.
Disclaimer: These are my own opinions and does not reflect the official position of the NEP, the Navy, the CAF, or the Government of Canada.

I’m handling my wife’s PSLF mess currently because she’s working on obtaining additional certifications for her license. This has been a 2+ year process at this point because of some “lost” documentation, miscommunication, and incorrect payment counts. Finally got the payments corrected (surprise, well over 120) and employment certified as of 4/17. So basically I’ve figured we just missed the boat and we’re stuck in the mess that is this “pause”. I have reached out to our local representatives because absolutely no one can answer if the applications that are actually finished and just awaiting the release will be addressed during the time out. I will update here when I hear back, but highly suggest everyone waiting do the same, eventually one of us will get some clarification.

For context: I am living po right now with my relative in Region 4B, while my mom is in Manila working as housekeeper. My father has been dead for 2 years.
Since my mom can't sign my wavers, I checked the "Do you have a legal guardian" and filled out the questions asked. I also planned to get a notarized affidavit of guardianship as soon as possible and I've already secured a proof of income coming from my legal guardian.
What I'm having trouble with is that at the end of the application, where documents must be submitted, the document asks for my mother's certification of employment with compensation. Now, what I did was try to change my mother's occupation to unemployed, hoping that it'll look for my legal guardian's proof of income, yet now it asks for my mother's indigency.
Should I just upload my legal guardian's proof of income even if it asks for my mother's COI or Cert. of employment with compensation?
What should I do?

Hello legaladvice! I am an incoming graduate student at a university in North Carolina looking for housing alongside two of my undergraduate friends in the surrounding area. I found a three person house quite close to the campus and have been discussing touring the property with the current tenant. After re-reading the fine print in the listing, it says "please no undergraduates." However, the current tenant that lives there told me there is no way the owners could check that my two friends are undergraduates, and that we should be fine to apply. If we were to move forward on the application, what would be the repercussions? If we acquired the house, would it be possible for the landlord to kick us out halfway through the year if the found out some of us were undergrads?

Hi I’ve just seen the following information in preparation for applying for ILR
“You must provide documentation to explain any periods of absence from the UK during your qualifying residency period. For instance, if you were on annual leave, you must provide a letter from your employer to confirm that”
What kind of evidence have successful applicants provide regarding time spent outside the uk ?
I am out of the UK a lot (not close to 180 days) and I’ve gone on about 6-12 holidays a year including when I’ve just gone to france for the weekend as that is where my partner lives but I do not have letters from my employer confirming I was on annual leave when I took longer trips as I have since left a previous job there’s actually no way of me proving they gave me leave..

Synopsis:
Carlos was an ordinary software engineer on Earth, up until he died and found himself in a fantasy world of dungeons, magic, and adventure. This new world offers many fascinating possibilities, but it's unfortunate that the skills he spent much of his life developing will be useless because they don't have computers.
Wait, why does this spell incantation read like a computer program's source code? Magic is programming?
___
Here we go with book 2!
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Carlos lounged comfortably on one of the mayor's fancy sofas. At 23 years old with a healthy body he really didn't need cushioned upholstery, but he liked how it felt. Honestly, he was probably more comfortable with high quality furniture than someone of his relatively low-income background should be in this world. Spoiled by the mass production factories of modern Earth, I suppose. All of this stuff here is probably handmade. Er, make that definitely handmade. Unless they have magic factories I haven't heard about, or something. He mentally shrugged. There was no point trying to change his attitudes toward furniture now. While this world might have higher prices for a lot of things than he was used to, he was also a lot richer than he was used to thanks to having become a noble lord. People would expect him to treat fine furniture as cheap because of his station.
I might have the physical habits of a couch potato, but at least I don't look like one. Too skinny. Not as skinny as Amber, though. He smiled as he watched the young woman next to him on the sofa continue animatedly expounding on their recent adventures together. She was lanky, with few curves to speak of and spindly limbs, far from any conventional picture of feminine beauty. Her hair, a slightly lighter shade of brown than his own, was cropped short. He thought she was 18 or 19 years old, but wasn't sure. Have I really never asked her age before? ... Would that be a rude question here? Regardless of her age, she had grown her confidence a lot since their first meeting a few weeks ago. She'd found her footing in a new life that she'd seized with utter determination, and he saw no sign of the shyness that she'd first greeted him with. The way her potential was finally blooming was beautiful to watch.
Carlos turned his gaze to the sofa across from them and carefully held back from laughing at the expressions Trinlen was making as Amber wrapped up explaining the events and developments they'd gone through since their introduction to him at the Royal Mage Academy. Carlos had contributed a fair amount to the explanation at first, but Amber had taken to it with enthusiasm when she arrived, and he could tell she was enjoying it. The young man in front of them, newly graduated from said academy, was on the edge of his seat and leaning forward, hanging attentively on every word. His casual attire, plain and made of cheap materials, looked thoroughly out of place on the finely embroidered velvet of the sofa, but he'd shown no sign of even noticing the finery around him. Excitement warred for control of his face with surprise, disbelief, envy, and dismay.
Amber finished her impromptu monologue, and Trinlen slowly schooled his face into a neutral expression. His voice was tense and tightly controlled. "So... In short, you're telling me that in the mere two weeks since you met me, you discovered a mana-poaching conspiracy of nobles, were abducted right under the noses of two royal guards without them even noticing, absorbed mana so fast that you gained 6 levels in a day and a half - so unfair, by the way - somehow learned an obscure portal spell from just its name and description, found evidence of a conspiracy against the Crown, and personally met a princess." He paused, then threw his hands up as he wailed in frustration and disappointment. "And I missed it!?"
Carlos threw back his head and burst out laughing. He couldn't help it. Trinlen just sounded so much like a little kid who'd barely missed out on a candy store giving away its entire stock for free. It was such an incredible light-hearted contrast with how everyone else viewed these same events that the sheer ridiculousness of it was overwhelming. Amber joined the laughter a moment later, shaking her head in amused disbelief, and after a few more seconds Trinlen started chuckling too.
Carlos's laughter eventually trailed off, and he took a deep breath to settle down. "Thanks, Trinlen. It's been a very stressful two weeks, and laughing like that helped release a lot of it. Feels good. Anyway, what have you been up to? I thought you would take a whole month to graduate?"
"Technically I only said 'next month', not that it would be at the same point in the month. But yes, this is earlier than I expected. The normal graduation ceremony is still a week and a half away." Trinlen shrugged. "They didn't explain the reasons, but after what you said I'm guessing your meeting with the princess prompted her to do something. The vice headmaster called me to his office yesterday morning, a few teachers grilled me on my classwork, and they declared I'd passed my exams. Then they told me to pack because I'd be teleported to my new employers the next day, and here I am." He sighed. "Hmph. Now I won't get to humiliate Norla in front of the whole academy when she gives her speech." Then he perked up and grinned widely. "But it sounds like you two are going to be so much fun that I'll get over it in no time!"
"I'm not sure if I agree with your idea of fun, Trinlen, but if it motivates you to help us more then that's good enough for me." Carlos chuckled again. "Anyway, do you need some time to get settled in? You might need to think about lesson plans for us too. We don't need just catalogues of incantations to learn anymore, at least not for simple ones, but I believe you learned other things in the academy too. You mentioned creating your own spells, as I recall."
Trinlen nodded. "I did mention that, yes. I'm guessing your lack of need for a catalogue is because of your newfound ability to somehow pull entire incantations from thin air? You'll have to at least tell me about the limitations of that so I'll know what I still need to teach you, but yeah, there are other things. For one thing, there's your sloppy terminology! Why does no one outside of the academy care about properly distinguishing between the states of mana? Is it really that hard to understand that calling aether, mana, and essence all by the same term obscures your meaning and often causes confusion? Or are people so stupid that they can't even understand the difference?"
Carlos blinked and exchanged a look with Amber. His comprehension aid informed him about the distinction the instant Trinlen spoke the terms. That would have been nice to know earlier. The comprehension aid is a house secret, so we should let him explain. "At least for us, it's just ignorance. I don't think I've even heard the other two terms you mentioned, and certainly no one ever explained them. So, what is the difference?"
Trinlen paused, cocked his head for a moment, and slowly deflated after his impassioned rant. "Yeah, okay, that's fair. I don't think I ever heard about it before going to the academy either." He sat up straight. "Aether is what you've been calling ambient mana. It's thin like air, and it's everywhere. Its only use is converting it to mana or essence. Mana, using the term with proper precision, is thicker but still fluid like water. It exists primarily in people or creatures and is used as fuel to supply power for spells and magical effects. Essence is hard and solid. It is the material that soul structures are made of, as well as the forms of active spells and enchantments. Am I clear so far?"
Amber answered first. "Yes, I'm familiar with each of the forms you described. I have questions about more details - so many questions - but you should get properly settled in, and maybe eat lunch, before we really get down to it. Have you spoken with Mayor Stelras yet? Do you have lodging sorted out?"
"I went by his office first. He's having someone take my luggage to an inn. The Adventurer's Haven, I think? He said something about a 'low-value target' and having an empty suite already booked." Trinlen's eyes widened. "Waaait a minute. Is he putting me in the room you two were abducted from?"
Carlos shrugged. "Sounds like it."
"Nice! Think there'll be any evidence left of how it was done?"
"Haha! Probably not by this point, but you're welcome to look. Now go get unpacked, eat a meal, and start planning your lessons for us. I'm glad you're here, but we have some other things to do too."
Trinlen nodded and stood up. "Sure. I'll be back before you miss me."
Carlos waved as Trinlen sauntered out the door. He and Amber sat in companionable silence for a while as he felt the mana - or essence? - of Trinlen's soul moving off into the distance. "Well. That was interesting. It's good to have him, but I was expecting a bit more time to think and plan before he'd get here."
"Yeah." Amber stretched and then leaned back into the sofa's cushions, luxuriating in their soft firmness. "So, how much are we going to tell him? How useful will his knowledge even be for us, now that we have, what did you call it, the reference documentation? That bit about the states of mana is good to know, but is it really relevant and important, and how much more can there be that's not in the documentation?"
"Be careful talking about that out loud, remember?" Carlos relaxed and draped his arms across the sofa's back as he focused his mind on their mental bond through Purple, their friendly dungeon core. [On Earth, we made many languages similar to the language of incantations, and we had the reference documentation for all of them. We even published that documentation free for everyone to have. Teachers for those languages were still useful, and even critically important for many people. Having access to knowledge doesn't mean you automatically understand how to properly apply it. There may be related knowledge we have no idea even exists. There could be techniques and patterns for how to use the language that are simply outside the scope of the documentation. Perhaps most importantly, a teacher can use their experience to notice a student's mistakes and correct them before they become problems.]
[Hmm.] Amber bit her lip, thinking. [Like how I knew about making soul structures and synergies between them, but had no idea about the importance of being able to examine and fix them, I suppose.]
Carlos nodded. [Yeah. And that's a really simple example. I know some that are a lot more complex, though I'm not sure how many of them are even applicable for incantations. Inversion of control, dependency injection, factory patterns...] He shook his head. [Just the context knowledge needed to be able to fully understand those could take days or weeks to teach well enough for you to use them. I could maybe explain the basic ideas faster with some simplified analogies, but that would lose so many details that I doubt it would still be useful.]
Amber paused. [... Even my comprehension aid is baffled by the terms you just said. It translated the individual words that you said, but all I got for the phrases is a confusing jumble.] She chuckled. [Anyway, I concede the point. Trinlen will still be able to teach us important and useful things. We still need to decide what secrets to share with him.]
[A lot depends on how good he is at keeping secrets. We don't actually know him all that well yet. He's certainly fun, and he seems clever, but for assessing his integrity we're leaning pretty hard on just a janitor vouching for him.] Carlos frowned in thought. [In order for him to do his job, he needs to know that we can only "pull an entire incantation from thin air" if it's a simple one. He does not need to know the full details of help, however, and most certainly does not need to learn to use it himself. That secret is a very sensitive one, where even just letting too much knowledge of it spread would lose us a major advantage.]
[Definitely. No casting help where he can hear it, and don't say anything about it that's not directly relevant for his teaching, either. Not until he's earned our full trust.] Amber lapsed into silent consideration. [We should introduce him to Purple. We'll kind of have to at some point anyway, and the really valuable thing there is Purple himself, not just the knowledge of his existence.]
Carlos nodded. [True. I think that probably is the least sensitive of our house secrets, and being able to call him through a bond with Purple would be useful.] He chuckled. [And maybe his cleverness will end up producing some good ideas for Purple to use. See if he can find a more productive outlet than pranks for his creativity. And then... If he keeps that secret well enough for long enough, we can consider trusting him with more secrets.]
Amber sent back wordless agreement.
Carlos started sitting up, lifting himself out of the comfortable cushions. "Well, we should get some food ourselves, too. And maybe introduce Trinlen to everyone else along with Purple." He stood up and spotted a letter he'd set aside when Trinlen arrived. "Oh yeah, and what do you think we should do about Kindar?"
"Wait, what's this about Kindar?"
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Hello, I've been trying to sign my wife up for part D. She was on my employers health insurance until I retired in January. When signing up, there was a question asking if she had recently lost insurance, which she had. Days go by and nothing happens. I speak to someone who says she is rejected because it wasn't open enrollment. I try another plan and that one says something to the effect that even though it not open enrollment period, she still may be eligible because she recently lost access to insurance, and I might have to pay a little extra. 10 days go by and we receive a letter saying that she was rejected again because it wasn't open enrollment. My question is, is it ever possible to get enrolled outside of the open period? Why can't it tell us it's not possible while we are filling out the application? Why must we wait 10 days for a letter saying it's been rejected?
Thanks for any input.

Hey everyone,
Well, I have a very odd concern (even though I'm a Ph.D student at the moment). I've recently been going through a lot of my records for an upcoming internship and I'm worried I may have only sent the transcript from the last high school I graduated from in this case, rather than all of them.
For some context, I initially "attended" (this will be in quotes for a reason) the public high school in the area. I was only there for 3 days that consisted of no classes at all. Rather, it was an orientation of sorts so the would-be freshmen could get used to the high school, rules, and its layout. I never completed any classes that year (I did a summer gym class to get early high school credit and that shows up on a transcript) before my parents found a high school in a pinch.
The following high school I only attended for a quarter of the year (before I moved onto the final high school I would graduate from 3.75 years down the road). I got my old high transcript recently just in case it was necessary for future employment and I see my grades under the first quarter were listed as "NA" in this case. My guess is they probably treated it like how colleges transfer grades (where previous institution grades don't count towards GPA). No big deal on its own.
The only thing I'm concerned about is whether I submitted the old transcript from the high school where I attended for a quarter to my undergraduate colleges at all. Folks can probably tell by this post that I'm an extremely anxious person so I let my parents handle applications and paperwork (since both of those give me the most anxiety). This non ironically makes more anxious as an adult since I never knew what I took out in loans in undergrad until I applied to graduate school and had to consider my debt totals and whatnot (feel free to see one of my older posts where I list all of my neurodivergent, mental, and recent sleep apnea diagnosis).
I am also worried about what could happen if those grades from that high school I attended for a quarter of the year were uncharacteristically low at all. Long story short, that high school I attended for a quarter had what my father aptly described as "monitored home school" and I abused the retake system they had in place by not doing well on my first attempt, memorizing the answers they reused, and retaking it again. I wonder sometimes if they picked up on that and my grades were knocked down at all.
What could happen if this mistake is the case at all? What could happen to my degrees up until this point since I'm now in a Ph.D program? Could my undergraduate degree (and subsequent graduate degrees) be revoked over this at all?

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

Has anyone had any experience with trying to print gaskets with your printer? Things like head, oil pan, and rear-end gaskets that both hold in oil and have a hot environment. If so, what filament did you use? I haven’t attempted it yet because I’m not sure if it could out perform gasket maker that is designed for these applications. The engineer side of me is just curious if there is anything out there that would work and if it would be more efficient than gasket maker.

Hello, I hope you are all doing well! I (22F) have just graduated university, and I am beginning my job search. I'm applying to positions mostly related to healthcare, mental health, and rehabilitation. I am getting a relatively consistent stream of interview requests, and by this Friday I will have completed 7 interviews.
The 2 interviews I have done so far have gone well (I hope!), but I can't help but be concerned about how the start date and offer stuff would work. I have two post-graduation trips planned, one for early June (1 week) and one for late June/early July (13 days). I do not anticipate taking any other extended periods off for the rest of 2024. I really do not want to cancel these trips because I have never gone on an out-of-state vacation before (barely even been out of state), these are already paid for, and I do not know when I'd have another chance to do it.
That said, I know this is a huge inconvenience for employers. I completely forgot to mention this at my first interview, but I did tell them afterwards when they reached out to ask for my references; they have not responded (this was only yesterday), so I have no idea what their thoughts were. The second interview (different place) went well and I was offered the position, but I don't think I'd be able to take it because the mandatory start day is the first day of the first vacation. I am not too sad about this one, because other factors about the position were not ideal for me, but in general it's made me worry that I'm ruining my application chances with these two vacations. But I also really do not want to cancel, for the reasons I mentioned early.
What do you recommend I do in this scenario? I've read other posts about vacations, but since I have not one but two planned in a relatively short period, I am not really sure what to do. I'm also really new to the job search stuff and really don't wanna mess anything up. :( I appreciate all of your help!

I'm a litigation paralegal residing in a very non-Mormon area (California). Of course I have run into a few over the years, but in ways I could limit contact.
I lived in Idaho for a brief stint 12-13 years ago, and both employers I had were entirely Mormon-run and I was fired from both jobs. As an ExMo who was fired by Mos, I am still traumatized.
I saw a job posting yesterday that really spoke to me. The first line said, "Tired of being treated like a second-class underling? Join a firm that will treat you like a true colleague."
I kept reading, and it said things like, "Full remote, hybrid, and full-time in-office options are all available. Work-life balance is a very big deal and we offer competitive benefits and salaries. Sign on bonus available."
Read on more, and it gives the email address and contact information of the managing partner himself. If you've ever worked in law, you know that managing partners do not typically involve themselves in the applicant/job posting process. That gift is given to office managers or some other overworked admin professional. Maybe the whole job posting was a huge farce and it's all lies, but I felt the need to email him even though I'm not seriously job hunting.
I kept my email very casual, even borderline unprofessional. I wasn't expecting anything or trying to prove myself, and LinkedIn tried telling me there were dozens of applicants already, so whatever.
To my surprise, the MP emailed me back within an hour asking if I wanted to talk this week. I said yes, and then started digging into him a little.
His biography on the firm's website was immediately a giant red flag. After it described his wife and seven (7) children, it said, "He is also an active member of his church, where he serves in various leadership capacities."
Starting to panic, I googled some more, and this dude is a very proud, loud MORMON.
If he's a bishop, does he have like instant access to a church registry and he can see that I'm technically a member? I tried resigning, but they introduced that notarization rule while my resignation was still pending, and I never got a confirmation/never bothered to notarize.
If you DON'T live in a heavily Mormon area, would this be a deal-breaker? I would always feel the need to censor myself! What if the whole firm is Mormon?? Law firms are notorious for foul language and alcohol. I couldn't drop f-bombs at work anymore?
They probably don't pay enough or I'll find unrelated red flags, but if it turns out to be a good fit? Yikes...

Hi so I was hoping if one of you guys are having issues with the renewal application. I have recently filed to renew my Daca online and when I put my bank information I guess it was incorrect and it caused my application to be rejected due to payment but in the letter it says that I can re-submit my application or file for correction and I’ve tried doing both online and I keep receiving an error that is not submitting my application to try again later is there anyway around this because I would really like to finish the process so I can get everything situated. Or should I just print the papers out and mail it like we used to since I keep getting this error anyhow or should I just print the papers out and mail it like we used to since I keep getting this error any help will be greatly appreciated

In the pursuit of purity, scientists often employ a range of techniques to separate the desired particles from the unwanted ones. In the case of polymersomes, purification is a crucial step in ensuring the quality and consistency of these complex nanostructures. In this essay, we’ll delve into the world of centrifugation and gel permeation chromatography (GPC), exploring how these techniques are used to purify polymersomes by size and molecular weight.
The journey begins with centrifugation, a process that separates particles based on their size and density. The initial step involves removing micelles from the solution using the KrosFlow filtration system, as we discussed earlier. The resulting solution is then centrifuged at 500 Rotational Centrifugal Force (RCF) for 20 minutes, causing the largest aggregate fraction to precipitate out of solution. This pellet is removed and resuspended in PBS, creating a fraction that contains the largest polymersomes.
But the process doesn’t stop there. The supernatant is then re-centrifuged at 2000 RCF for 20 minutes, and the resulting pellet is removed and resuspended, constituting fraction 1. This process is repeated multiple times, with further 20-minute centrifugations at 5000, 10000, 15000, and 20000 RCF. Each time, the pellet is removed and resuspended, creating a series of fractions that contain polymersomes of decreasing size.
The next step is purification by GPC, a technique that separates particles based on their molecular weight. The polymersome solution, now free of micelles and aggregates, is concentrated to approximately 200 μL using a 500 kDa MicroKros filter module. The solution is then placed in a glass liquid chromatography column containing Sepharose 4B, a porous matrix that allows smaller molecules to pass through while retaining larger ones.
As the solution flows through the column, the polymersomes are separated based on their molecular weight, with the largest molecules eluting first. The fractions are collected in a 96-well plate, and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) measurements are performed on a Zetasizer Nano ZS to determine the size and polydispersity of each fraction.
The result is a series of highly purified polymersome fractions, each with a narrow size distribution and minimal impurities. This level of purity is essential for downstream applications, where the consistency and quality of the polymersomes can make all the difference.
In the end, the art of purification is a testament to human ingenuity and the power of science. By combining centrifugation and GPC, scientists can create highly purified polymersomes that are tailored to specific applications. Whether it’s in medicine, biotechnology, or materials science, the pursuit of purity is a crucial step in unlocking the full potential of these complex nanostructures.

the pursuit of uniformity is a constant theme. For it is only when nanoparticles are uniform in size, shape, and structure that we can unlock
their full potential, harnessing their unique properties to create novel biomedical applications. But the reality is that nanoparticle mixtures are often heterogeneous, comprising a diverse array of particles with varying sizes, shapes, and structures.
To tackle this complexity researchers have developed a range of techniques for separating nanoparticles by size and shape. Size exclusion chromatography, for example, has proven to be a powerful tool, capable of separating both hard and soft nanoparticles according to their size. Similarly, mass- and density-based purification methods have been developed to separate nanoparticles according to their shape, distinguishing between discoidal and spherical-like nanoparticles.
These techniques have been shown to be effective in producing good sub-populations of nanomaterials with uniform physicochemical properties. But the challenge remains: how to separate nanoparticles that have been assembled through complex procedures, resulting in mixtures of particles with diverse properties. It is not uncommon, for instance, for assembled nanoparticles to contain a mixture of spherical vesicles, micelles, worm-like structures, and tubular and genus vesicles.
In this study, we set out to explore the analytical approaches for separating different sizes and morphologies of polymersomes pre-assembled from a pH-sensitive block copolymer. We employed a range of techniques, including filtration, centrifugation, size-exclusion chromatography, and density gradient centrifugation, to separate the polymersomes into distinctive sizes, shapes, and structures.
Our results demonstrate the power of these techniques in purifying heterogeneous nanoparticle solutions into homogeneous fractions. We show that by combining these approaches, we can produce nanoparticles with uniform properties, tailored to specific biomedical applications. It is a finding that has significant implications for the field, highlighting the importance of purification in unlocking the full potential of nanoparticles.
In the end, our study serves as a reminder that the pursuit of uniformity is a crucial step in the development of nanoparticle-based biomedical applications. By mastering the art of separation, we can create nanoparticles that are tailored to specific tasks, with properties that are optimized for maximum efficacy. It is a goal that is within our reach, and one that holds the key to unlocking the full potential of nanoparticles in medicine

Here are some other major ones:

For PC:

Ctrl + C = Copy Ctrl + V = Paste Ctrl + X = Cut Ctrl + Z = Undo Ctrl + Y = Redo Ctrl + A = Select all Ctrl + F = Find Ctrl + S = Save Ctrl + P = Print Alt + Tab = Switch between apps Ctrl + Tab = Switch tabs in browsers Ctrl + Shift + T = Reopen last closed tab Ctrl + N = New window (browser) or new document (most programs) Ctrl + T = New tab Ctrl + W = Close the current window/tab Alt + F4 = Close the application Windows + L = Lock the computer Windows + D = Display desktop Ctrl + Shift + N = New folder (in file explorer) Ctrl + Alt + Del = Open security options (Task Manager, Lock Computer, Sign Out)

For Mac:

Cmd + C = Copy Cmd + V = Paste Cmd + X = Cut Cmd + Z = Undo Cmd + Shift + Z = Redo Cmd + A = Select all Cmd + F = Find Cmd + S = Save Cmd + P = Print Cmd + Tab = Switch between apps Cmd + ` = Switch windows in the same app Cmd + T = Open a new tab Cmd + N = Open a new window Cmd + W = Close the current window/tab Cmd + Q = Quit the application Cmd + Space = Open Spotlight search Cmd + Shift + N = New folder Cmd + H = Hide windows of the front app Cmd + Option + Esc = Force quit applications Cmd + Option + Power = Sleep the computer

1. I became employed way later in life than most of my colleagues and because of my fear of not being able to find anything different have mostly stuck with the same company. Now I look around and feel like once again I'm in a different rung of life where my friends have careers they enjoy, starting families, buying houses, etc. And I'm just sorta here. I have been pursuing other employment but I don't know if it's my lack of further education or the fact that I've only worked at the one company for most of my adult life. I seldom hear back from any applications I put in. I have been aiming to try to get into IT and recently got the first half of my A+ certification with my other half scheduled but still no biters. I genuinely don't know how to get out of the rut I'm in and as more time passes it feels like I'm gonna miss my window of opportunity to ever have a fulfilling career. What would you guys suggest?

Source: 🔗 Chat with Lifelike Virtual Personalities — talkiemate.com
If you are a visual storytelling fan and strive for creativity through fictional characters’ eyes, you’re in the right place. Character.ai is an amazing tool that lets you do just that! But what if you crave a different experience, with more tools or a specific character in mind? Fear not, for we have gone through 35+ options and picked the top 10 paid and free Character AI alternatives, each offering a unique experience tailored to your preferences. Whether you’re a writer looking to enrich your stories, a history buff eager to get deeper into the past, or simply someone who loves engaging with AI in a new way, keep reading if you’re:
A tech enthusiast curious about the intersection of AI and storytelling.
A gamer eager to experience AI-driven narratives in your favorite games.
A marketer looking to use AI for content creation and engagement.
A researcher interested in the psychological impact of AI-generated characters on user engagement.
A storyteller seeking new ways to engage your audience through AI-generated content.

1. TalkieMate

Website: TalkieMate
TalkieMate is the best free alternative to Character AI, providing users with a plethora of options to create their personalized AI girlfriend. With TalkieMate, you can engage in deeply immersive and uncensored conversations on a wide range of topics, including NSFW content. The platform offers customizable characters, allowing users to tailor their experience according to their preferences. Whether you’re looking for a companion for deep discussions or just casual chat, TalkieMate offers a unique and engaging experience.
Pros:
Completely free with no subscription fees.
Highly customizable AI girlfriend with personalized features.
Uncensored NSFW chat options for mature interactions.
Ability to create personalized AI girlfriend with specific traits and characteristics.
Cons:
Some advanced features may be available only in premium plans.

1. Candy.ai

Website: Candy.ai
Candy.ai is one of the leading AI Girlfriend apps with which you can talk on a range of NSFW topics and have a deep conversation. Candy Ai enables users to adjust their virtual girlfriends to their preferences and experience real conversations and engaging dialogue. Candy Ai also has a unique function that enables users to generate a specific image or audio message that boosts the reality of the experience.
Pros:
Customizable characters are not only limited to appearance and personality but also provide users with a tailored experience.
NSFW chat options for more mature interactions and more audience satisfaction.
Numerous features to be explored, satisfying the tastes and preferences of different people.
The free plan comes with necessary functionalities and the chance to upgrade for extra benefits.
Cons:
The majority of features are availed in the Premium Plans which may constrain the access of some users.
Pricing Plans:
Free Plan: Offers basic features and AI companion engagement without cost.
Premium Plan: Starts at $9/month, unlocking advanced features and enhanced user experience.
Custom Plans: Tailored to specific needs, with varying pricing based on customization requirements.

1. Botify AI

Website: Botify AI
Botify AI offers an innovative character AI style. It presents a revolutionary system that allows users to communicate with real people or characters from their favorite TV shows, films, or literature. Thanks to the flexibility of Botify AI, you have the possibility to create your own digital character and customize every detail like appearance, emotions, voice, and backstory.
Pros:
Free version accessible.
High-quality editing tools.
Intuitive interface for users.
Cons:
Relies on outdated data in some instances.
Utilizes Automated style writing, which may not suit all preferences.
Pricing Plans:
Essential: Starting from $35 per user per month, suitable for simple websites requiring comprehensive SEO data and recommendations.
Pro: Starting from $55 per user per month, ideal for businesses heavily reliant on organic search, aiming to protect and expand their organic revenue.
Enterprise: Custom pricing for large, complex organizations needing accelerated scaling, support, and security.

1. Replika

Website: Replika
Replika is a personal AI assistant that you can talk to. It was designed to give the user a deeply special and personal experience. Made to be a friend, a confidant, and an emotional support, Replika utilizes the learning ability of machines and natural language processing, thus bringing to the fore the ability to engage in empathetic and contextual conversations.
Pros:
Highly personalized and customized stories and avatars.
Ranges from new features to improved or enhanced capabilities, are constantly being forwarded.
Provides not only free but paid as well on the conditions built-in subscription options.
Cons:
One main shortcoming lies in the fact that chatbots’ uses go beyond the conversation stage.
The question of privacy and usage of users’ personal data is one of the aspects, which is a crucial issue when talking about social media.
Impact of user dependency and emotional attachment as prospective risks.
Pricing Plans:
1 month plan: $19.99
12 months plan: $5.83/month (billed annually)
Lifetime plan: $299.99 (billed once)

1. Anima AI

Website: Anima AI
MyAnima AI is our super smart AI chatbot. It has been developed to be the best friend for you who likes playing the role of a human and can do this like nobody else. With Anima AI, a user can easily pick any relationship status of their choice: AI-Girlfriend, -Boyfriend, Virtual Wife, the other way round, or even a custom-made Character AI. Whether it is a friend who will be a help and support, a virtual companion with whom you can role play, someone with whom you share your emotions, or a chat partner you can discuss any topic that tickles your fancy, Anima AI can help you out.
Pros:
Unlimited unique stories.
Anima AI is an AI bot that is warm and conversational.
Ability to respond to your messages instantly when you need to talk.
Cons:
Some features are called back in the Free version.
Pricing Plans:
Anima AI offers a free version with basic features, allowing users to create a customized AI virtual companion after signing up.

1. DeepFiction

Website: DeepFiction
DeepFiction narrates a plethora of stories that include captivating and thrilling sagas to touching and heartwarming fables. What sets it apart? You can, however, change your characters and the scenery to your taste. That is the AI-powered mechanism that enables the production of compelling and well-connected stories with the help of natural language processing and machine learning.
Pros:
Unlimited unique stories.
Customise characters and settings.
Sparks creativity and imagination.
Suitable for all ages.
Cons:
Limited control over the plot.
This chatbot is not interactive like most other chatting bots.
Pricing Plans:
DeepFiction offers a single pricing plan at $5 per month.

1. StoryMate

Website: StoryMate
StoryMate is your virtual reading partner, but without a library sound ban. It’s essentially there to bring the wonder of literature to life, providing you with an extensive collection of books and amazing narration methods to send you exploring faraway lands or to make you acquainted with unforgettable characters.
Pros:
Elicits a desire for reading.
Enhances writing abilities.
Provides diversified choices of relevant titles for different age groups.
Facilitates collaborative creativity.
Cons:
May not be suitable for all those that seek highly sociable experiences.
Chiefly concerns a child’s literature.
Pricing:
Free

1. Kajiwoto

Website: Kajiwoto
Kajiwoto offers the same experience as Character AI to users creating human-like chatting with AI characters having their own character features. It is a cool platform for both AI fanatics and those who are creatively inclined. In Kajiwoto, the users can choose whether they want a free or paid membership to fit their needs. Yet, it has this 200-character restriction on one-on-one dialogues.
Pros:
Free option available.
Customizable mood for your Kaji.
Unlimited chatting.
Permits NSFW content.
Cons:
Premium subscription required for business idea development.
Paid subscription can be expensive.
Pricing Plans:
Free Plan: Unlimited chat and access to basic features.
Kajiwoto Plus: $7.32/month, includes unlimited AI voice usage and private rooms.
Kajiwoto Pro: $25.00/month, offers all features of Kajiwoto Plus plus more, for the ultimate AI experience.

1. KUKI.AI

Website: KUKI.AI
KUKI.AI is a conversational AI with award-winning applications, providing exceptional functionalities. This virtual assistant employs the most advanced AI methods to allow the users to have very natural talks, thus qualifying it as a good chatbot application. Through direct and indirect semantic cues analogous to GPT, the KUKI.AI aggregates its knowledge base. Through the dissection of phrases into two inputs of “core” and “wild card”, it is able to expand its vocabulary for more understanding of multiple speech patterns. To use KUKI.AI without being limited by the number of questions one can ask, the chatbot answers all queries while making sure conversations do not repeat themselves.
Pros:
Infinite question handling capability.
User-friendly interface.
Cons:
Absence of graphics, a text-only trip.
Pricing Plans:
$75/month (100,000 chat)
$1500/month (Dedicated service plan)

1. In World AI

Website: In World AI
Inworld AI is a leading platform that allows you to chat with AI characters or even create your own if you wish, similar to Character AI. On Inworld AI, you can have conversations for free with the characters but if you want to have access to features like API integrations, and unlimited character creation, you have to get their premium plan which starts at $20 monthly. Inworld AI utilizes the power of the OpenAI models meaning that accurate information will be delivered by the chatbot.
Pros:
Through it, you can design characters.
Available at no individual cost for chatting.
The paid version starts at a subscription fee as low as $20 per month.
Cons:
It can only be accessed through an internet browser.
The app has not yet been launched and is only accessible through mobile browsers.
Pricing Plans:
Free — $0–200 API integrations and minutes, 60 virtual characters, customization options.
Pro — $20 per month — 2000 API integrations and minutes, unlimited virtual characters, customization options, shareable workspaces, access to Discord community.
Conclusion
So there you have it – 10 alternatives for Character AI, each with a distinct personality and feature set. Keep in mind that selecting the ideal chatbot for your clan involves striking the ideal equilibrium between amusement, education, and age suitability. With the right AI companion by your side, you can make learning an adventure, and turn screen time into quality time.

On Feb. 9, 2022, I officially became "Homeless" on state record and applied for rent and housing assistance in Knoxville through KCDC/Section 8.
Per today's date:
Zeitraum = 825 days aka 27.123 months. This is exactly the length of time I've been surviving homeless.
It wasn't until THIS YEAR that my name "officially" has gone from being on their "PRE-waiting list": aka the long-ass waiting list you're on BEFORE graduating to the "OFFICIAL" waiting list.
*Btw, no one informed me of this being their process. I waited for many hopeful months while living out of my car, waiting to be called that I contacted them to get the news of only being on the PRE-waiting list- List. Good shit...
So, I decided to visit KCDC in-person last week to speak to them about my still pending status and ask if there were any actions I could take to help my chances of having a place to call home...
FYI: The Broadway location is ONLY for applying to any of their listed complexes. Unfortunately, ALL their waiting lists are also completely full.
*The Harriet Tubman location is for applying or relating to receiving vouchers for financial rental assistance.
FYI: you can ONLY APPLY for a voucher between their generous hours of 8AM-3PM only on the 2nd WED of each month, just fyi for any new applicants.
All I was told at each location was to "continue waiting" and that I would one day be contacted whenever my name came up.
The housing costs in Knoxville, especially have risen quickly dramatically even since when I very first began applying and they'll continue this trend.
**BTW, they're SHUTTING DOWN our Homeless Shelter on Broadway due to a LACK OF FUNDING (good timing), so yet another option we can all cross off our lists of any places to lie our heads down at night.
Pretty ironic that TN is the FREAKING VOLUNTEER STATE, considering... "GO VOLS", am I right??
See news link here: https://www.wate.com/news/knox-county-news/the-foyer-a-low-barrier-knoxville-homeless-shelter-set-to-close-as-officials-seek-new-operato
Oh yeah, HOMELESSNESS IN TN is also now a CLASS E FELONY!
*You are automatically disqualified from receiving public assistance such as Section 8 and SNAP benefits unless you've fully paid off ALL FEES (up to $3,000 for being homeless) and have fully completed your probation period! *KEEPING THINGS REALLY CLASSY, TN! 😜 (Also, you can't sleep in your vehicle at any rest stops, either. Also illegal. You can sit there in your car for only 3hrs max.)
"In Tennessee, felonies are classified from A to E, with Class A being the most serious and Class E being the least severe. A Class E felony in Tennessee is the lowest level of felony. It includes offenses such as theft of property valued at $1,000 to $2,500, certain driving offenses like third or subsequent DUI offenses, stalking, and forgery. The typical punishments for Class E felonies in Tennessee include: 1. One to six years of imprisonment (PRISON TIME, not jail), and/or 2. Fines up to $3,000. (Also, just pointing out that with any Class E felonies, being the "least" serious felony, if any fines for the offense are deemed as "unspecified" in their books, they then have the capability to charge an offender up to $50,000.)
However, these punishments can vary based on a variety of factors such as the exact nature of the crime, whether or not the defendant has a prior criminal record, and other relevant factors considered by the court." See specifics here: https://codes.findlaw.com/tn/title-40-criminal-procedure/tn-code-sect-40-35-111/
Covertly, they've named this abomination as the:
"Equal Access to Public Property Act of 2012.” Makes it sound so helpful and positive for us, doesn't it? Thanks, guys! LOL!
See below what all is covered, including: **If they happen to search and find any of your stored belongings (likely being at times literally their entire life's possessions, including if they find you've stored your food somewhere) the police will immediately confiscate it, and then you will have a total of 90 days to go to them and claim all your belongings or else they'll consider it as "abandoned property". You must detail exactly where on the property that they found your items, so that they then will slap you with a Class E Felony, charge you a "holding fee" for whatever amount of time they "stored" it for you, also stating that "the court shall include an order of restitution for any property damage or loss incurred as a result" of you or your belongings being present on the state property. But hey, at least you get your items back!
https://law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/2021/title-39/chapter-14/part-4/section-39-14-414/#:~:text=It%20is%20an%20offense%20for,agency%20responsible%20for%20the%20land.
My Story: (if you've made it this far and give any shits about hearing it for the sake of context.)
Around 1 year-deep into the COVID-19 pandemic, I had been living in an expensive house centered in the North Knox Historic District, working FT at a job I'd spent the past few yrs diligently climbing their ladder, and splitting the house payment with my then, Fiancee of 5 1/2 yrs. He began dating a different girl, had moved her into our house, while stating that "If I didn't stop being depressed, he was going to kick me out". Unfortunately, the house had been put solely in his name when bought. You see, my grandmother had just passed from COVID-19, my childhood best friend had just passed away, and I had been informed suddenly that my 84yrs-old dementia-ridden Father was getting worse and also nearing his last days. Not long after, my older sister contacted me acting upset, stating that he now needed to be on continual watch for FT care, so I packed my things, left my fiancee and my then home and moved in to care for my late father. Eventually, I had to leave my job to fulfill my caretaking duties but I don't regret being there for my father but it grew to be very difficult times, as it was for many those yrs. Dad passed away Jan. 31, 2022. My mother immediately inherited the house at his death, per their messy divorce agreement many yrs before. She so graciously left no time after me literally watching him take his very last breath in the bedroom down the hall from my own for her to serve me immediate eviction papers, now forcing me to leave the home that I grew up with my father in, while being raised. This house, I had only 1 year previous, agreed to my mother and sister when they had requested this of me, quit my long-term, FT job, losing all my sources of income in order to live with and solitary care for my father. (Everyone else- meaning my mother and 3 sisters -were all "too busy" to help me out or give even short breaks. I'm informing you of this, so that anyone that ever says to themselves, "why don't they just go live with family", can comprehend how that's not an actual option for everyone, so when the systems are failing, ppl aren't always on the streets or living out of their cars bc of drug problems or laziness or whatever other common misconceptions I've heard from ppl that are limited in grasping these situations for others. That last month that he was still alive, they all "forbade" me from leaving the house at all nor having any visitors "for his health", despite my deep despair from watching his health ferociously decline, resulting in my very rapidly declining mental health and massive weight-loss and over-exhaustion. Upon receiving my eviction notice, I then immediately began applying for Section 8 assistance. I had no one left and nowhere to go. It's like this for a lot of people. Don't assume ppl always have any other options available, is my point of giving so much backstory. Not exactly trying to "victimize" myself here for pity. I'm strong, I've got this. Just trying to get some points across for when you judge another's situation that you don't know.
Ok, here's the last I'll say about all this. Just humor me and try to consider what I'm pointing out here.
Every single one of us local TN natives have seen through the years how various homeless individuals will bravely step into some of our favorite local diners, gas stations, retail stores, etc. Them, asking employees permissions for maybe utilizing a restroom, some cold water or a drink, often after them walking around most the day (shelter kicks everyone out once it's morning), often after being in our unforgiving weather or high temps. Sometimes, they're asking even for a small bite to eat or leftovers from the kitchen. SO MANY times throughout the years, we've all been standing by, as we witness some enraged employee or the manager angrily decline, followed with often loud threats of calling the cops on them, etc in an attempt to motivate them to not come back asking later, as now they see how many of their annoyed paying customers are actively shaking their heads and shaming their whole interaction with rotten looks of disgust.
I mean after all, our businesses ABSOLUTELY can't be taking any risks of "losing their dedicated customers, just BC some "lazy bums" keep showing up, "always asking for free handouts" and "scaring away our business".
Really, it's best to just not give them anything in the 1st place cus ya know, just like strays, they'll "just keep showing back up"...
Right?
Excluding sometimes a random kind individual's exception, for the most part this mindset I'm highlighting here has most often worked as an sorta unspoken "Golden Rule" when we're relating to how we'll decidedly "handle" our large and growing homeless population.
Now that our housing prices have fully skyrocketed, with increases markedly on the rise almost immediately after the COVID-19 Pandemic that left so many of us without income that was supporting our access to necessities. Many, many "middle-class" individuals who were previously working averaging their 5 days/week (ty past labor strikes enforcing our allowance of 2 days off) and living comfortably on their 40hrs/week paychecks are currently struggling to find availability and also afford even a 1br ran-down apartment in our "lower-class" neighborhoods. Most are now working multiple jobs trying to keep up, and childcare isn't offered for free, so it keeps everyone from having opportunities to not only spend time raising their children vs random strangers who are also overworked, but how can you save money when you're losing part of what you earn, just to be able to go to work and not be fully abandoning your children to fend for themselves if left home alone?
Often, homeless ppl can be seen all throughout our city, and guaranteed to be growing in mass numbers when inching closer toward that underpass leading up to the Historic Gay St./Downtown/UT campus/Cumberland Strip. *It's really fairly ironic I've thought, how so much of our income has always been made/spent here, however we're required each time, to first drive through the huge crowd of terribly unfortunate ppl left standing without their bare necessities, often left to sleep outside the packed shelter when it hits capacity, which is always a guarantee. They're not left outside strictly bc they're "on drugs", like a lot have been led to believe.
Lastly, but oh of such an amazing relevance-
**Here's some realism surrounding our cultures' universally pre-conceived (disconnected/egotistical and mis-informed), accepted stigma that states the following phrase:
"These ppl just won't get a job bc they're SO LAZY and just want to live off all us hard-working American's tax dollars...blah blah blah.." Employers won't hire if you don't have an address and the shelters fail to deliver anyone's incoming mail, nor do businesses want to hire a homeless person showing up without proper hygiene or attire or any kind of criminal record. Also, transportation is a bitch. KAT bus costs money, and is very limited on its area services. By walking such lengthy distances, not only can your safety be at risk (especially for Females or any shifts beginning or letting out after dark) but you're gonna be super sweaty and gross by the time you actually arrive to then work a full shift, if you can even somehow make it on time every day by walking for hours before and then after every single shift that you show for.
This isn't any kinda "new" issue for the poor, btw. Don't be such heartless fools, making someone else's situation about "you".
Life's realities can forcibly humble an individual, catching us off-guard for what we'll often end up facing. Always count your blessings and never assume you know anything about anyone else's struggles or how they got there. We're all just trying to survive in this place.
Thanks for reading and hopefully this info helps bring insight to whomever reads this. Good luck out there, I mean it. We got this. ❤️