33F
Height:5’2
Weight: 210
Medications: adderall 20mg XR, omeprazole 40mg daily, OTC Vitamin C, Vitamin b and vitamin D.
Known diagnosis’s of ADHD, GERD and GAD.
I went in for my yearly wellness and my CBC came back with some lows regarding my hemoglobin. My doctor ordered more tests including an iron panel(?) i think and a ferritin. Those results are in my portal now and are also kind of all over. I’ve never really thought about being anemic but that seems to be what’s most likely the issue with iron deficiency. My main question is should supplements alone get everything back to normal? Is there anything i should discuss with my doctor later in the week or is this really just a wait until the supplements start to work.
As for symptoms i never thought about them but I do have cold hands and feet, I’m on the paler side but I always have been. I also get dizzy if I stand too fast and winded while walking up stairs (I always attributed this to my weight I know I could lose some and a doctor has never looked deeper into anything). Sometimes when I’m lying down for bed I can also feel my heart beating fast ish just from settling in.
I’ll put the lab results in the comments, thanks so much for any insight!

(for those who did not see the email update)
Can a court appointed receiver help a company to restore compliance with OTC?(the following is an A.I. report)
A court-appointed receiver is a neutral third party who takes control of a company’s assets and operations, typically when the company is in financial distress or facing legal disputes.
The receiver’s role includes managing the company’s affairs to protect the assets, which may involve restoring compliance with regulatory requirements such as those for OTC markets.
Receivers are appointed to oversee various aspects of a company’s operations, including:

1. Asset Protection: Ensuring that the company’s assets are not wasted or mismanaged during legal disputes.
2. Fraud and Mismanagement: Taking control of a company to investigate and rectify issues related to fraud, embezzlement or mismanagement.

The receiver operates under the supervision of the court and is responsible for preserving the property and resolving claims related to it.
They also provide detailed records and regular reports to the court and relevant parties.
In the context of OTC markets, if a company has failed to meet its legal obligations or maintain the necessary regulatory compliance, a receiver might be appointed to address these issues.
The receiver would then work to bring the company back into compliance with OTC regulations, which could involve financial restructuring, addressing legal disputes, or other necessary actions to meet regulatory standards.
When a company’s management has been found guilty of embezzlement, a court-appointed receiver plays a crucial role in managing the company’s affairs:

1. Marshaling Assets: The receiver gathers all the company’s assets, including those that may have been embezzled.
2. Inventory and Management: They create an inventory of these assets and manage the company with good faith and prudent business judgment.
3. Notifying Creditors: The receiver notifies creditors about the receivership and the ongoing process.
4. Negotiating with Creditors: The receiver negotiates with creditors, aiming to create a repayment plan. If restructuring is possible, they work toward restoring the company’s financial health.

The receiver cannot directly claw back embezzled funds. The receiver’s primary role is to protect the company’s assets and address legal issues. Recovering embezzled funds typically involves separate legal proceedings, investigations, and potential lawsuits against the guilty parties.
While the receiver can help restore compliance and manage the company, the specific recovery of embezzled funds may require additional legal actions beyond the receiver’s scope.
Once compliance is restored, a court-appointed receiver may have the authority to help appoint a new board of directors to manage the company going forward.
The receiver’s responsibilities often include stabilizing the company and setting the stage for its future operations. This can involve:

1. Hiring New Management: If needed, the receiver can hire new management to run the company more efficiently and profitably.
2. Monitoring Administration: The receiver closely monitors the administration and submits monthly progress reports to the court, the company, and its creditors.
3. Preparing for Transition: Part of the receiver’s role is to prepare the company for a smooth transition back to normal operations, which may include the appointment of a new board of directors.

The specific powers and responsibilities of a receiver regarding the appointment of a new board will depend on the court order that established the receivership.
The court may grant the receiver broad powers to restructure the company, including the selection and appointment of new directors, especially if the previous management was involved in misconduct.
It’s important to note that the role of the original board of directors is suspended while the company is in receivership. Once the company is ready to exit receivership, the receiver will work according to the court’s instructions to re-establish governance structures, including a new board of directors, to ensure the company’s successful operation post-receivership.
*****************************************
A court-appointed receiver can facilitate the sale, merger, or buyout of a company to other related companies.
The receiver’s role is to maximize the value of the company’s assets for the benefit of its creditors and stakeholders. This process may include:

1. Evaluating Offers: Assessing potential offers from interested parties to determine the best outcome for the company.
2. Negotiating Terms: Engaging in negotiations with potential buyers or merger partners to reach favorable terms.
3. Seeking Court Approval: Obtaining court approval for any proposed sale, merger, or buyout, as the receiver acts under the court’s authority.

The receiver’s actions are aimed at maximizing the return to creditors and shareholders.
*****************************************
Shareholders have certain rights and may have a voice in decisions made during a company’s receivership, but their influence can be limited. The receiver is appointed by the court to manage the company’s assets and operations impartially and for the benefit of all interested parties, which includes the shareholders.
Here are some key points regarding shareholder rights in a receivership:
Voting Rights: Shareholders typically retain their voting rights, but these rights may be subject to the receivership’s terms and the court’s discretion.
Information Rights: Shareholders usually have the right to be informed about the receivership proceedings and any major decisions that affect their interests.
Legal Actions: In some cases, shareholders may have the right to take legal action if they believe their rights are being infringed upon during the receivership.
The court supervising the receivership will ultimately approve or disapprove actions proposed by the receiver, including those affecting shareholders.
*****************************************
When a company successfully emerges from receivership, several positive outcomes can occur:

1. Debt Reduction: The company may have reduced its debt significantly through the restructuring process.
2. Capital Structure: It might have a strengthened capital structure, making it more financially stable and able to focus on growth.
3. Operational Improvements: The company could have improved its operational efficiencies and business model during the receivership.
4. New Leadership: There may be new leadership in place, including a new board of directors and management team.
5. Strategic Positioning: The company is likely better positioned for long-term success, with a focus on innovation and serving its customers effectively.
6. Shareholder Value: Shareholders might see an increase in the value of their shares if the company’s financial health and market position improve post-receivership.
7. Market Confidence: The successful emergence can restore confidence among investors, creditors, and customers, leading to more robust business prospects.
8. Continued Operations: The company can continue its operations without the constraints of the receivership, potentially exploring new markets and opportunities.

In essence, a successful emergence from receivership signifies a fresh start for the company, with the potential for renewed growth and prosperity. It’s a complex process that requires careful planning and execution, but with the right strategies and leadership, a company can recover and thrive post-receivership.
The role of new leadership in post-receivership success is pivotal. Here’s how effective leadership can influence the company’s trajectory after emerging from receivership:

1. Strategic Vision: New leaders provide a clear strategic direction, helping the company to navigate post-receivership challenges and capitalize on new opportunities.
2. Building Trust: They work to rebuild trust with stakeholders, including employees, customers, creditors, and investors, which is crucial for long-term success.
3. Cultural Transformation: Leaders can drive cultural change, promoting values like transparency and accountability that are essential for a fresh start.
4. Operational Excellence: They focus on operational improvements, streamlining processes, and enhancing efficiency to improve profitability.
5. Financial Management: Effective leaders implement robust financial controls and oversight to ensure the company remains compliant and financially healthy.
6. Talent Management: Attracting, retaining, and developing talent is key to innovation and competitive advantage in the post-receivership phase.
7. Stakeholder Communication: Keeping open lines of communication with all stakeholders helps in aligning interests and fostering collaboration.
8. Risk Management: New leaders assess and mitigate risks to prevent future financial distress and ensure the company’s resilience.
9. Governance Structures: They establish strong governance structures to oversee the company’s affairs and ensure ethical business practices.
10. Long-term Planning: Leaders engage in long-term planning, setting the stage for sustainable growth and avoiding short-term pitfalls.

In essence, new leadership is responsible for steering the company towards stability and growth, ensuring that the lessons from the receivership are applied to create a more robust and sustainable business model. Their ability to lead effectively can significantly impact the company’s success and its ability to thrive in a competitive marketplace.
If a company emerges from receivership with no remaining creditors, the feasibility of restoring the stock to trading status could indeed be more straightforward. Without the complexity of creditor claims, the company can focus on meeting the regulatory requirements for trading.Here’s how it might work:

1. Regulatory Compliance: The company must ensure that it meets all the regulatory requirements set by the securities exchange and the SEC.
2. Financial Reporting: Accurate and up-to-date financial reporting is crucial. The company must file all required reports and disclosures.
3. Corporate Governance: Establishing strong corporate governance practices is essential to regain investor trust and meet listing standards.
4. Market Communication: Transparent communication with the market about the company’s status and future plans is important.
5. Legal Clearance: The company may need to obtain legal clearance that it has resolved all issues that led to receivership.

With these steps, a company without creditors could more feasibly restore its stock to trading status, provided it diligently follows through with the necessary compliance and reporting requirements.
*****************************************
A court-appointed receiver could potentially clear up a “caveat emptor” restriction due to non-filing.

1. Assessment: The receiver would assess the reasons behind the non-filing and the “caveat emptor” status.
2. Regulatory Compliance: They would work to bring the company back into compliance with filing requirements by ensuring that all necessary financial statements and disclosures are up-to-date and accurate.
3. Communication with Regulators: The receiver would likely communicate with regulators, such as the SEC, to address the deficiencies and negotiate the lifting of the restriction.
4. Legal Proceedings: If necessary, the receiver might engage in legal proceedings to resolve any disputes or issues that led to the non-filing status.
   
5. Restoration of Investor Confidence: By addressing the underlying issues, the receiver aims to . restore investor confidence and create a more stable environment for the company's . securities to trade.
   

It’s important to note that while a receiver has the authority to take these steps, the process can be complex and time-consuming. The success of such efforts would depend on the specific circumstances of the company and the nature of the compliance issues.
If the only requirement for restoring a company’s stock to trading status on the OTC markets is a financial update, it could indeed be a priority for the receiver to fulfill. The receiver’s role includes addressing compliance issues that are critical for the company’s operations and financial health. Providing a financial update to meet OTC markets’ requirements aligns with these responsibilities.
According to OTC Markets Group, to be eligible for trading, companies must be current in their reporting, have a minimum bid price, may not be in bankruptcy, and must undergo an annual verification and management certification process.
If non-filing is the sole impediment to trading, the receiver would likely prioritize resolving this issue as it is a direct path to restoring the company’s ability to trade its stock, which can be beneficial for the company’s recovery and the interests of its stakeholders.
The receiver would work to ensure that all necessary financial statements and disclosures are up-to-date and accurate, thereby clearing the “caveat emptor” restriction and allowing the stock to trade freely again.
This action would also help in improving transparency and potentially restoring investor confidence in the company.
*****************************************
There are ways to raise the issue of restoring a company’s stock to trading status during the receivership process. Here are some steps that can be taken:

1. Stakeholder Meetings: Organize meetings with stakeholders, including shareholders, to discuss the company’s status and the importance of restoring stock trading.
2. Court Communications: Communicate with the court overseeing the receivership about the priority of restoring the stock to trading status, especially if there are no remaining creditors.
3. Legal Counsel: Work with legal counsel to ensure that all regulatory requirements are met and to advocate for the company’s interests in court.
4. Financial Reporting: Update financial reports and ensure they are filed promptly to meet the requirements of the OTC markets.
5. Regulatory Liaison: Appoint a liaison or a team to work directly with regulatory bodies to expedite the process of lifting any trading restrictions.
6. Transparency: Maintain transparency throughout the process to build trust and support among all parties involved.

By taking these steps, the receiver can effectively raise and address the issue of restoring the company’s stock to trading status during the receivership process.
*****************************************
my comment:
I think we know what our mission's priorities are...we are fortunate that Blue Sphere has revenues, has assets (though currently illegally hidden), has few (if any) remaining creditors other than "toxic lenders", and will not be vulnerable to another sleazy CEO taking over the reigns (as has happened with many other micro-cap companies)...
We have a targeted focus: remove the CE-tag and restore market-cap value to the company, especially since the stock is currently trading (though only by a few brokerages) and has market makers willing to trade the stock (a major impediment for stocks that have "dried up" and become illiquid)...
I feel confident that we have all our puzzle pieces in place...

Tinfoil time...
My research has shown that 24/7 settlements means tokenized securities.. aka. Crypto.
Previous sub post confirmed with RH that vendors halted trades. This would likely be a crypto OTC settlement system for institutional companies.
Guess who was RH's top MM before getting heat from SEC and was involved in tokenizing our stocks into FTX and terra during the original event, before they all collapsed? https://www.coindesk.com/business/2023/08/29/robinhood-and-jump-trading-no-longer-have-crypto-partnership-source/
Now RH's top MM is citadel. Per their 606 report.
https://cdn.robinhood.com/assets/robinhood/legal/RHF%20SEC%20Rule%20606%20and%20607%20Disclosure.pdf
Citadel recently started EDXM. A 24/7 "crypto asset" OTC settlement company for institutions. Just like FTX. Tokenized securities are a crypto asset.
This was 5 days ago...
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240507178717/en/EDX-Markets-Launches-Singapore-Based-EDXM-Global
"EDX Markets Launches Singapore-Based EDXM Global EDXM Global platform to provide members with the most competitive and efficient settlement process. GSR and Virtu Financial are among the first adopters of EDXM Global. May 07, 2024 11:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time SINGAPORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--EDXM Global (EDXMG), a fast-growing digital asset company for institutional customers, announced today the launch of its settlement platform. EDXM Global sets a new standard in the digital asset landscape, streamlining OTC transaction settlements with remarkable speed and reliability. Marking a significant milestone, industry giants GSR and Virtu Financial were the first firms to use the new platform for trade settlement.
“We are pleased to support the launch of EDXM Global. Being able to mitigate settlement risks for OTC transactions represents a significant advantage for us and our clients, and we are proud to align with a partner that mirrors our dedication to excellence and innovation.”
Post this The launch of EDXM Global comes after its parent, EDX Markets Holdings LLC (EDX), closed its Series B funding round late last year. Pantera Capital co-led the round with Sequoia Capital, a founding consortium member. Other founding members participating in the Series B include Citadel Securities, Fidelity Digital AssetsSM, and Virtu Financial.
Jamil Nazarali, CEO of EDX, commented, "The launch of EDXM Global is the first step in the international expansion of our digital asset business. We are thrilled to introduce our settlement service, built on cutting-edge technology, rigorous compliance, and an unwavering commitment to customer service. By mitigating counterparty risks, EDXM Global empowers our Members to navigate the complexities of trade settlement while reducing counterparty risks."
Rich Rosenblum, Co-founder and President of GSR, said, "We are pleased to support the launch of EDXM Global. Being able to mitigate settlement risks for OTC transactions represents a significant advantage for us and our clients, and we are proud to align with a partner that mirrors our dedication to excellence and innovation.”
Douglas Cifu, CEO of Virtu Financial, said, “Virtu is excited to support another strategic innovation by the talented team at EDX. EDX continues to lead the way with solutions to efficiently mitigate counterparty risk and streamline settlement processes, further reducing risk and operational barriers to enable greater adoption of digital assets around the globe.”
Series B funding by virtu, Fidelity digital, and Sequoia.
Reports on this sub confirming rh vendors aren't letting orders through. That would be the MMs listed on the 606 report.. Citadel, virtu, ect.
Halted in the states and South Korea.
Sequoia Capital... one of the major creditors of FTX(but they claim they knew nothing about FTX crimes) and funding EDXM... also funding crypto businesses in South Korea.
https://www.sequoiacap.com/scge/
"SCGE’s private portfolio includes emerging leaders in the United States, Brazil, China, India, Israel, Japan, and South Korea. "
Check the charts...
Notice the inverse correlation to all crypto... GME and crypto also stalled and stabilized precisely the same time...
This wreaks of tokenized securities all over again. This time I suspect Citadel's EDXM, possibly Coinbase. Known to have routed RH/Jump trading orders in 21.
SEC vs Coinbase... https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67478179/securities-and-exchange-commission-v-coinbase-inc/?order_by=desc
This was filed 2 days ago...
May 10, 2024
MEMORANDUM OF LAW in Opposition re: 109 MOTION for Leave to Appeal Pursuant to 28 USC 1292(b). Document filed by Securities and Exchange Commission..(Mancuso, Peter) (Entered: 05/10/2024)
https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67478179/125/securities-and-exchange-commission-v-coinbase-inc/
Just my two cents.
Edit: RH is claiming Blue Ocean ATS is the responsible AH vendor ...(see comment below to sub link)
Blue Ocean just partnered with MEMX(checks investors).. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/blue-ocean-technologies-selects-memx-as-technology-partner-to-power-blue-ocean-ats-302044198.html
MEMX also powers EDXM.
https://www.marketsmedia.com/digital-asset-exchange-edx-markets-launches/
Blue ocean was caught up in the SEC investigation of tZero.. another tokenization platform with a vocal character known here.
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191111005659/en/Blue-Ocean-Management-Partners-Assumes-Management-Control-of-Blue-Ocean-Technologies

TLDR: The Atlanta Braves baseball team is the only publicly traded baseball team. DFV just posted a picture that was already tweeted by Gamestop, difference being he drew some Red Socks on the image. The Braves played the Red Sox last Tuesday and Wednesday, which led me down an incredible rabbit hole.
I am not a smart man. Just a man, who thinks too much. Even now, I should be getting my last minute Mother’s day gifts together but this won’t leave my brain. Neil Gaiman’s “American God’s” sits unfinished on my dresser but weighs heavily on my mind. This movement feels like the New God’s fighting the Old Gods. Operating software being forcefully updated to keep up with growing technology. It’s still big business and time is money.
Wednesday, Odin’s day of magic, The Braves played the Boston Red Sox and won 5-0 but there was an ill feeling in the air as the message above was broadcast on all the tv’s in the stadium including the big screen over centerfield and for those of us watching from home. Feels like a message was being sent but something caught my eye in the very first sentence. “Bankruptcy”, Cohencidence #1. I started asking myself questions and the most important was, “Who, own’s Bally network?”. The Sinclair Group and Allen Media Group.
The Sinclair Group wasn’t really eye catching for me until I saw Dr. Ben Carson is on the board of directors. Cohencidence #2 as he’s close to Trump, who’s potentially part of this new entity being created. I could taste the tin foil slowly twisting my brain like a hamster named Algernon running non-stop on a hamster wheel, while high thinking “why am I running?”. I click on the about page and see this:
Our Values
Love What You Do
Be inspirational
Be communicative
Be part of something important
Make a difference
Live What You Do
Be a person of integrity
Be customer focused
Be transparent
Drive results
Embrace What You Do
Be forward thinking
Be adaptive
Be a strategic thinker
Challenge the status quo
This really opened my eyes as it reminded me of GameStop’s motto:
Power to the Players (Love What You Do)
Power to the Creators (Live What You Do)
Power to the Collectors (Embrace What You Do)
I click on Interactivity and see that they have a NFT Marketplace. This message pops up:
“Through Sinclair’s OWNMINE store, NFTs and physical goods can be purchased on Shopify, with no digital currency required.”
Shopify? They work very closely with Flexport, who’s potentially handling the new companies shipping. Shopify also has a commercial that has a neon rocket blasting off on the wall and ice cream. Cohencidences #3.
Allen Media Group is owned by Byron Allen. Yes, the owner of The Weather Channel. Byron, successfully sued AT&T, Comcast and Charter Communications seperately in a Racial Discrimination Lawsuit that went all the way to the Supreme Court for the Comcast case.
I overheard a Braves Fan say “the owner’s of Bally Sports Network don’t like CNN”. Why? Who own’s CNN?
Warner Bros. Discovery and they own all the good entertainment shows. HBO, Cartoon Network, TNT, TBS, etc.
Here’s an article from January 25, 2024 talking about Comcast potentially merging with Warner Brother’s Discovery. The CEO of Comcast denies of course but the owners of Warner have made it known that everything is up for sale. America’s for sale. The way this country has been run economically has got everybody’s money “fucked up” and people are pissed. Which is hard to fathom, when it comes to people who have way more money than the combined generational wealth accumulated by your family.
One such man is Ted Turner. Like Ryan Cohen, he learned lessons from his father, who built a successful billboard company. He started off with CNN before turning into a media mogul and then he bought, The Atlanta Braves. He managed the team for one day May 11, 1977. He owned all of Atlanta’s sports teams at one time. Time Warner would eventually sell off the teams. He’s been through economic downturn before as he watched the company he built be sold off after making decisions to merge with Time Warner in the 90’s and AOL-Time Warner in 2001. It’s estimated the deals cost him 7 Billion dollars. I wonder who advised him.
Ted is a philanthropist. At one time Ted was the largest private landowner in the United States until John C. Malone surpassed him in 2011. Ted brought Buffalo back from dwindling numbers. What once was 30k now boasts numbers well over 400k. He knows how to take things, create something new and make them grow. He’s a 2013 recipient of the Lone Sailor Award, given to Sea Service veterans, who have excelled with distinction in their respective careers during or after their service. Another recipient of this award, President Theodore Roosevelt at the turn of the millennia in 2000. Cohencidence # 4
My acting teacher often said “There are two types of people. Creators and takers.” There has to be balance otherwise there’s not enough to go around.
Still, the question remains, who would buy Warner Bros?
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/nbcuniversal-plus-warner-bros-discovery-comcast-ceo-1235806791/amp/
I wonder who would be interested? Jeff Bezos, nope he has a “small” position in Diamond Media Group, a subsidiary of the previously mentioned Sinclair Group, who runs Bally Sports. Is he hedging a Bet on a company going through bankruptcy?
What does Comcast have to do with this? Comcast/NBC Universal has headquarters at The Battery, where the Braves Play. A friend, of my friend, is my friend. Right?
Lets zoom out:
Well, that’s weird. These two neighbors can’t get along. In fact Comcast responded to Bally Sport’s message with their own:
"Bally Sports chose not to exercise a right to extend their contract and they declined multiple offers so now we no longer have the rights to their programming," Comcast said in a statement to the News earlier this week”- Per the Detroit press.
That statement sounds an awful lot like someone chose to turn the buy button off. Like they’re making a point. But why point to Comcast? What do they own?
Comcast owns NewsCorp and so much more.
It doesn’t get interesting until you scroll down to “Former Assets-Divested” under Warner Brothers Discovery.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_assets_owned_by_Warner_Bros._Discovery
Five bullet points down you’ll see the Atlanta Braves:
WTF?!
With renewed vigor, I keep going.
Who the hell is Liberty Media? Why were the Braves transferred and not sold?
John C. Malone started Liberty media and he’s been dubbed “Darth Vader” in business dealings, allegedly by Al Gore. Makes that Dumb Storm Troopers line hit differently from RC. Malone and Ted Turner are really good friends with similar ideals. Malone has said “I would never step on his toes” for the sake of business. Both have a contentious relationship with media mogul Rupert Murdoch, founder of News Corp. Ted and Rupert have beef from a boating incident and of course John has his good friends back. So, much so, that he starts buying up shares of News Corp. I keep searching until I find these two paragraphs on Liberty’s Wiki page:
[“In June 2002, Liberty Media acquired Wink Communications, a maker of set-top boxes founded by Brian P. Dougherty (of GEOS) fame), for $100 million.[33] Liberty Media subsequently spent $5 billion on nine German regional cable networks. Apart from television distribution it held major interests in other groups. For example, it was the largest shareholder in News Corporation (though the founding Murdoch family owns more voting shares), and had a 4% stake in Time Warner. In June 2005, Liberty Media International combined with UnitedGlobalCom, creating Liberty Global. In May 2006, Time Warner acquired Liberty Media's 50% stake in Court TV, for $735 million.[34] On May 16, 2006, IDT sold its IDT Entertainment division to Liberty Media "for all of Liberty Media's interests in IDT, $186 million in cash and the assumption of existing indebtedness". IDT Entertainment's assets and Starz Entertainment Group's line of premium television channels combined to produce content for all distribution platforms, and IDT Entertainment was later renamed as Starz Media.[35][36]
Liberty negotiated an asset swap with News Corp. and Time Warner that would give it control of DirecTV and the Atlanta Braves baseball team.[37] On February 12, 2007, the deal was completed with Time Warner wherein Liberty would receive the Atlanta Braves and a group of craft magazines, along with $1 billion in cash in exchange for 60 million shares of Time Warner stock (valued at $1.27 billion as of market close on February 12, 2007).[38] The deal was approved by Major League Baseballand then completed on May 16, 2007.[39] On February 20, 2008, the Federal Communications Commission approved the exchange of 16.3% of News Corp. for 38.4% of DirecTV, an $11 billion deal that also gave Liberty sports networks in Denver, Pittsburgh and Seattle plus $550 million in cash.[40]”]
Did you catch that Honey Nut Cheerio??
February 12, 2007 The deal was done for the Braves but wasn’t completed until May 16, 2007, once approved by the MLB.
This article published April 3, 2007 talks about the asset swap but makes no mention of the Braves as an asset but it does talk about Murdoch:
https://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/03/technology/03iht-liberty.4.5133859.html
Why did it take MLB so long to approve the sale?
https://www.savannahnow.com/story/sports/2007/05/17/mlb-approves-sale-braves/13801856007/
You know who else has a problem with Comcast other than Allen Media Group?
https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/2020/03/01/trump-attacks-comcast-vows-to-destroy-their-image.cnn
Thanks to Edwin Barnes it all begins to make sense. He was the first to mention the connection to Trump and $DJT, which allowed me to question everything. He often says MGGA=MAGA, which does nothing to reinforce what I’m trying to drive home until I realize, The Atlanta Braves were once, The Boston Braves.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Braves
“The Boston Braves were a Major League Baseball club that originated in Boston, Massachusetts, and played from 1871 to 1952. Afterwards they moved to Milwaukee (and became the Milwaukee Braves). Then in 1966 they were relocated to Atlanta, where they were renamed the Atlanta Braves.^\5])
During its 82-year stay in Massachusetts, the franchise was known by various nicknames, including the Red Stockings, Red Caps, Rustlers, Bees, and "Braves”.”
Red Stockings, Red Caps. What about Red Coats? Thus sparking a whole new dig.
“The Boston Tea Party was an American political and mercantile protest on December 16, 1773, by the Sons of Liberty in Boston in colonial Massachusetts. The target was the Tea Act of May 10, 1773, which allowed the British East India Company to sell tea from China in American colonies without paying taxes apart from those imposed by the Townshend Acts. The Sons of Liberty strongly opposed the taxes in the Townshend Act as a violation of their rights. In response, the Sons of Liberty, some disguised as Native Americans, destroyed an entire shipment of tea sent by the East India Company.
“Foley, sees the Tea Party as a movement of principles over politics. She identifies three “core principles” of American constitutional law that bind the decentralized, wide-ranging movement: limited government, unapologetic U. S. Sovereignty, and constitutional originalism.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Tea_Party
Liberty Media Group makes more sense now. But why? What are they up to?
This:
https://www.libertymedia.com/news/detail/502/liberty-media-corporation-completes-split-off-of-atlanta
ENGLEWOOD, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Liberty Media Corporation (“Liberty Media”) (Nasdaq: LSXMA, LSXMB, LSXMK, FWONA, FWONK) announced that it completed the split-off (the “Split-Off”) of Atlanta Braves Holdings, Inc. (“Atlanta Braves Holdings”) (Nasdaq: BATRA, BATRK) at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, today. As a result, Liberty Media and Atlanta Braves Holdings are now separate publicly traded companies. Atlanta Braves Holdings Series A common stock and Series C common stock will begin trading on Wednesday, July 19, 2023 on the Nasdaq Stock Market, under the symbols “BATRA” and “BATRK”, respectively. Atlanta Braves Holdings Series B common stock will be quoted on the OTC Markets under the symbol “BATRB.”
Liberty Media’s Liberty SiriusXM common stock and Liberty Formula One common stock will continue trading following the Split-Off until the completion of its previously announced reclassification of its existing common stock and the creation of the new Liberty Live common stock on August 3, 2023 after market close (the “Reclassification”). For additional details regarding the Reclassification, please see the press release issued by Liberty Media earlier today, July 18, 2023.
IS RC REALLY TRYING TO BUY ALL THE STOCKS, I MEAN GOT DAMN THE YOUNGEST HOTTEST TEAM IN BASEBALL….YEAH I’LL TAKE A COUPLE THOUSAND SCOOPS PLEASE!!!!
Once you start down this path you can’t unsee it. I feel like Charlie from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia pointing to the map meme. Once again, Why Atlanta? It’s the same thing I thought when the PP seeds show came to town. The same thing I thought when I saw Trump on TV at my local gym while walking thoughtlessly on the treadmill for a nice warmup. The tv next to him is showing an image from the Atlanta Botanical Garden’s, whose theme this year is “Alice In Wonderland”. Follow the white rabbit indeed. The exhibit is from May 11- September 15.
Yes, Atlanta is the busiest airport in the world. Yes, Atlanta Is becoming the Hollywood of the South. But Why Atlanta? The answer comes to me as I turn around:
Remember 84 years ago when GameStop was shipping Diet Coke along with packages. I’m reminded of Quincy, Florida, a small town that at one time had the most millionaires per capita because of Coca-Cola. Whose home is Atlanta, Georgia. Also, founded in Atlanta on May 8, Odin’s Day 1886.
But why did they choose The Braves? I mean I’m sure the Yankees are worth more. I look on Fidelity and I can’t find them. What about the Los Angeles Dodgers? Can’t find them either. I google how many baseball teams are publicly traded? The Braves. Just the Braves. It’s the WuTang Album dividend all over again. We did it!!!!
I truly know what it means to be a “GMErican”. I look forward to doing my part in making this country great again.
Last question: Why the bread crumbs? Because the people are needed. Yes, you and me. Progressive thinkers who can make shit happen and aren’t afraid to take a chance on something new. Whether, your ancestors were born here, immigrated here or forcefully brought here, were all here and have the opportunity to take advantage of this once in a generational opportunity.
The Braves won 5-0. The number 5 represents the center point which unifies these four extremes.
1 - Unity
2 - Dualism and multiplicity
3 - The unity between two extremes
4 - Multiplicity in two directions, like the cardinal directions.
Someone asked “What song would you play when you knew it was done?” Here’s another cohencidence for you, on May 8, Odin’s day, 1970 the Beatles released the album “Let it Be”. From Wiki:
“Concerned about recent friction within the band, Paul McCartney had conceived the project as an attempt to reinvigorate the group by returning to simpler rock ’n’ roll configurations.” Sounds a lot like trying to make something great again.
I think I’ll do the same while vibing to the albums single “Let It Be”.
Happy Mother’s Day!!!!
Updates as I edit: https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2024/05/09/sinclair-explores-selling-30percent-of-broadcast-stations.html
This was published the morning after the Braves game and you know what they say, once it hits the news it’s already too late.
Allen Media Group has made several bids to purchase Paramount, which means they’re for sale: https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2024/05/09/sinclair-explores-selling-30percent-of-broadcast-stations.html
Another cohencidence, I stopped counting LOL. I wouldn’t be surprised if there are a bunch of companies going through bankruptcy that will soon emerge better for us all.
P.S. - If I made you smile and you want to make a donation to this struggling artist please DM me because rent is past due and if you think I need to pull myself up by the boot straps ill be slanging drinks all day Monday and Tuesday for Burn By Rocky Patel, at the Battery, where the Atlanta Braves play.
P.P.S. I think we go this week. No way I find this without them being ready.
Thank You For Reading.
Thank You to my loved ones, who put up with me wile I worked through this.
Links:
Sinclair Group: https://sbgi.net/who-we-are/
Sinclair Group Sale: https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2024/05/09/sinclair-explores-selling-30percent-of-broadcast-stations.html
Ownmine NFT Marketplace: https://shopownmine.com/collections/john-cole-baseball-nostalgia-collection/Nostalgia
Allen Media Group Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen_Media_Group
Own Mine https://shopownmine.com/collections/nfts
Liberty Wiki: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberty_Media
Liberty: https://www.libertymedia.com/about/company-history
Liberty asset swap: https://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/03/technology/03iht-liberty.4.5133859.html
Boston Tea Party: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Tea_Party
Boston Braves: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Braves
Warner Bros: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_assets_owned_by_Warner_Bros._Discovery
Hollywood Reporter: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/nbcuniversal-plus-warner-bros-discovery-comcast-ceo-1235806791/amp/

“Telling time is easy, what’s not so easy is seeing what Times telling us.”
Good Morning & Happy Week Ahead ji.
Today's Headlines from :
Economic Times
📝 Drug regulator forms panel to evaluate OTC candidates
📝 PE fund Apax to step up India play with new team
📝 Pvt sector capex likely to expand amid expectations of high growth: Experts
📝 IOC, BPCL, HPCL post Rs 81,000 cr record profit in FY24
📝 India's coal import rises 8% to 268 MT in FY24
📝 MoSPI says 449 infra projects hit by cost overrun of Rs 5.01 lakh cr in March
📝 India all set to overtake Japan as 4th largest economy by 2025, predicts Amitabh Kant
📝 General Atlantic, TPG Capital, two other PEs in race for Altimetrik
📝 Escorts Kubota plans to invest up to Rs 4,500 cr in new plant over next 3-4 years
📝 M3M to lease 1.5 million sq ft of commercial space in 2024-25
📝 NCLT admits insolvency resolution application against Indira Container Terminal
Business Standard
📝 Public procurement norms: Govt may hike local content requirement
📝 SBI to hire over 15,000 in FY25 to boost operations, expand network
📝 Over 250,000 Infosys employees are trained in GenAI: CTO Tarafdar
📝 China credit shrinks for first time, decreases by almost $28 billion
📝 Tata Power to sell green energy to group companies, MNCs: Praveer Sinha
📝 India likely to export almost 18 million tonnes of rice in 2024-25: USDA
📝 Air India's international cargo business takes wings, not so for IndiGo
📝 South Korea plans $7.3 billion program to support semiconductor industry
📝 Pfizer, AstraZeneca announce new investments of nearly $1 bn in France
Financial Express
📝 Amplus Solar aims at 2 GW RE capacity by December
📝 Report on infra requirements to hit $1-trillion exports to be ready by Aug-Sept: Govt
📝 Go Digit expects solvency ratio to surpass 200% post IPO
📝 Centre may raise MGNREGA outlay in full Budget
Mint
📝 Apple aims to make a quarter of all iPhones in India by 2028
📝 IMD forecasts rainfall, thunderstorms, gusty winds in east and central India
📝 JK Cement Q4 results: Net profit rises 101% to ₹220 crore, declares dividend
📝 Afghanistan floods kill 315, aid agencies warn of widening havoc
📝 India’s influencer marketing industry to swell to ₹34 billion by 2026
📝 Q4 results so far: Revenue up 14.4%, bottomline surges 24.7%
📝 Adani Enterprises to invest ₹80,000 crore in current fiscal.

38F 5'5" Former smoker Meds: Adderall XR 10mg, Trazodone 150-200mg, Effexor 75mg (just started today) OTC: Aleve 1 pill 2x a day, Generic Zyrtec 1 a day, 1 a day women's vitamins Recreational drugs: concentrated marijuana I don't drink alcohol
I had a MRI a couple of weeks ago and my pain management doctor referred me to a neurosurgeon, I have my first appointment with him on 5/15.
The MRI revealed a cervical cord syrinx that extends from C1 to T1 that measures 1.2 x 0.9 x 9.3 cm.
My ongoing issues have been: complete numbness on my whole right side, like it has fallen asleep but is constantly tense. It's from my behind my right ear down my whole right side. I can't hole a knife properly to cook, I have also lost my voice a couple of times where I cannot speak above a whisper. I had 1 instance of not being able to swallow for 10 seconds.
This past week I have had an onset of new issues: I have collapsed I want to say 3 times due to my right side giving out, my head feels foggy like I can't complete a thought (even when I'm not under the influence of marijuana), I have misplaced words quite a few times in the past 48 hrs (and not the normal ADHD stuff, I call things other nouns that are completely unrelated), I have had a resting HR of 86 bmp today and it's been climbing since last week of 70 bpm(Fitbit Sense 2) and today while doing nothing it has ranged between 123bpm and 150bpm off and on for 1hr38min, I have had spots before my eyes and have been unable to completey focus them for a few minutes, I'm unable to read as quick as normal (I had to pause the Star Wars into, and I'm usually the one reading it for everyone that I'm watching with), and I can't read out loud without mixing up words.
I have not been formally diagnosed with anything at all, but in a previous post here (I have no idea how to link, sorry) a doctor mentioned it might be a Chiari malformation, idk if that's it. All I know is that I'm scared and in an unbelievable amount of constant pain and I don't know if the ER can help me or if I should just stick it out until my neurosurgeon appointment on 5/15.
Please help

TLDR: The Atlanta Braves baseball team is the only publicly traded baseball team.
I am not a smart man. Just a man, who thinks too much. Even now, I should be getting my last minute Mother’s day gifts together but this won’t leave my brain. Neil Gaiman’s “American God’s” sits unfinished on my dresser but weighs heavily on my mind. This movement feels like the New God’s fighting the Old Gods. Operating software being forcefully updated to keep up with growing technology. It’s still big business and time is money.
Wednesday, Odin’s day of magic, The Braves played the Boston Red Sox and won 5-0 but there was an ill feeling in the air as this message was broadcast on all the tv’s in the stadium including the big screen over centerfield and for those of us watching from home:
" Bally Sport is no longer available. The owner of Bally Sports is in bankruptcy proceedings and we have offered them multiple options to continue carrying their networks. They have declined each one and we no longer have the rights to continue carrying their content. As a result, we'll be issuing proactive monthly credits to customers for the loss of this network."
That statement sounds an awful lot like someone chose to turn the buy button off. Feels like a message was being sent but something caught my eye in the very first sentence. “Bankruptcy”, Cohencidence #1. I started asking myself questions and the most important was, “Who, own’s Bally network?”. The Sinclair Group and Allen Media Group.
The Sinclair Group wasn’t really eye catching for me until I saw Dr. Ben Carson is on the board of directors. Cohencidence #2 as he’s close to Trump, who’s potentially part of this new entity being created. I could taste the tin foil slowly twisting my brain like a hamster named Algernon running non-stop on a hamster wheel, while high thinking “why am I running?”. I click on the about page and see this:
Our Values
Love What You Do
Be inspirational
Be communicative
Be part of something important
Make a difference
Live What You Do
Be a person of integrity
Be customer focused
Be transparent
Drive results
Embrace What You Do
Be forward thinking
Be adaptive
Be a strategic thinker
Challenge the status quo
This really opened my eyes as it reminded me of GameStop’s motto:
Power to the Players (Love What You Do)
Power to the Creators (Live What You Do)
Power to the Collectors (Embrace What You Do)
I click on Interactivity and see that they have a NFT Marketplace. This message pops up:
“Through Sinclair’s OWNMINE store, NFTs and physical goods can be purchased on Shopify, with no digital currency required.”
Shopify? They work very closely with Flexport, who’s potentially handling the new companies shipping (Teddy). Shopify also has a commercial that has a neon rocket blasting off on the wall and ice cream. Cohencidences #3.
Allen Media Group is owned by Byron Allen. Yes, the owner of The Weather Channel. Byron, successfully sued AT&T, Comcast and Charter Communications seperately in a Racial Discrimination Lawsuit that went all the way to the Supreme Court for the Comcast case.
I overheard a Braves Fan say “the owner’s of Bally Sports Network don’t like CNN”. Why? Who own’s CNN?
Warner Bros. Discovery and they own all the good entertainment shows. HBO, Cartoon Network, TNT, TBS, etc.
Here’s an article from January 25, 2024 talking about Comcast potentially merging with Warner Brother’s Discovery. The CEO of Comcast denies of course but the owners of Warner have made it known that everything is up for sale. America’s for sale. The way this country has been run economically has got everybody’s money “fucked up” and people are pissed. Which is hard to fathom, when it comes to people who have way more money than the combined generational wealth accumulated by your entire family.
One such man is Ted Turner. Like Ryan Cohen, he learned lessons from his father, who built a successful billboard company. He started off with CNN before turning into a media mogul and then he bought, The Atlanta Braves. He managed the team for one day, May 11, 1977. He owned all of Atlanta’s sports teams at one time. Time Warner would eventually sell off the teams. He’s been through economic downturn before as he watched the company he built be sold off after making decisions to merge with Time Warner in the 90’s and AOL-Time Warner in 2001, which resulted in him losing the majority vote to the board. It’s estimated the deals cost him 7 Billion dollars. I wonder who advised him.
Ted is a philanthropist. At one time Ted was the largest private landowner in the United States until John C. Malone surpassed him in 2011. Ted brought Buffalo back from dwindling numbers. What once was 30k now boasts numbers well over 400k. He knows how to take things, create something new and make them grow. He’s a 2013 recipient of the Lone Sailor Award, given to Sea Service veterans, who have excelled with distinction in their respective careers during or after their service. Another recipient of this award, President Theodore Roosevelt at the turn of the millennia in 2000. Cohencidence # 4
My acting teacher often said “There are two types of people. Creators and takers.” There has to be balance otherwise there’s not enough to go around.
Still, the question remains, who would buy Warner Bros?
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/nbcuniversal-plus-warner-bros-discovery-comcast-ceo-1235806791/amp/
I wonder who would be interested? Jeff Bezos, nope he has a “small” position in Diamond Media Group, a subsidiary of the previously mentioned Sinclair Group, who runs Bally Sports. Is he hedging a Bet on a company going through bankruptcy?
What does Comcast have to do with this? Comcast/NBC Universal/xfinity has headquarters at The Battery, where the Braves Play. A friend, of my friend, is my friend. Right? Well, that’s weird because these friends can’t get along.
But why point to Comcast? What do they own?
Comcast owns NewsCorp and so much more.
I started looking through the investments of Warner Bros and Comcast. It doesn’t get interesting until you scroll down to “Former Assets-Divested” under Warner Brothers Discovery.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_assets_owned_by_Warner_Bros._Discovery
Five bullet points down you’ll see the Atlanta Braves.
WTF?!
With renewed vigor, I keep going. Who the hell is Liberty Media? Why were the Braves transferred and not sold?
John C. Malone started Liberty media and he’s been dubbed “Darth Vader” in business dealings, allegedly by Al Gore. Makes that Dumb Storm Troopers line hit differently from RC. Malone and Ted Turner are really good friends with similar ideals. Malone has said “I would never step on his toes” for the sake of business. Both have a contentious relationship with media mogul Rupert Murdoch, founder of News Corp. Ted and Rupert have beef from a boating incident and of course John has his good friends back. So, much so, that he starts buying up shares of News Corp. I keep searching until I find these two paragraphs on Liberty’s Wiki page:
[“In June 2002, Liberty Media acquired Wink Communications, a maker of set-top boxes founded by Brian P. Dougherty (of GEOS) fame), for $100 million.[33] Liberty Media subsequently spent $5 billion on nine German regional cable networks. Apart from television distribution it held major interests in other groups. For example, it was the largest shareholder in News Corporation (though the founding Murdoch family owns more voting shares), and had a 4% stake in Time Warner. In June 2005, Liberty Media International combined with UnitedGlobalCom, creating Liberty Global. In May 2006, Time Warner acquired Liberty Media's 50% stake in Court TV, for $735 million.[34] On May 16, 2006, IDT sold its IDT Entertainment division to Liberty Media "for all of Liberty Media's interests in IDT, $186 million in cash and the assumption of existing indebtedness". IDT Entertainment's assets and Starz Entertainment Group's line of premium television channels combined to produce content for all distribution platforms, and IDT Entertainment was later renamed as Starz Media.[35][36]
Liberty negotiated an asset swap with News Corp. and Time Warner that would give it control of DirecTV and the Atlanta Braves baseball team.[37] On February 12, 2007, the deal was completed with Time Warner wherein Liberty would receive the Atlanta Braves and a group of craft magazines, along with $1 billion in cash in exchange for 60 million shares of Time Warner stock (valued at $1.27 billion as of market close on February 12, 2007).[38] The deal was approved by Major League Baseball and then completed on May 16, 2007.[39] On February 20, 2008, the Federal Communications Commission approved the exchange of 16.3% of News Corp. for 38.4% of DirecTV, an $11 billion deal that also gave Liberty sports networks in Denver, Pittsburgh and Seattle plus $550 million in cash.[40]”]
Did you catch that Honey Nut Cheerio??
February 12, 2007 The deal was done for the Braves but wasn’t completed until May 16, 2007, once approved by the MLB.
This article published April 3, 2007 talks about the asset swap but makes no mention of the Braves as an asset but it does talk about Murdoch:
https://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/03/technology/03iht-liberty.4.5133859.html
Why did it take MLB so long to approve the sale?
https://www.savannahnow.com/story/sports/2007/05/17/mlb-approves-sale-braves/13801856007/
You know who else has a problem with Comcast other than Allen Media Group?
https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/2020/03/01/trump-attacks-comcast-vows-to-destroy-their-image.cnn
Thanks to Edwin Barnes it all begins to make sense. He was the first to mention the connection to Trump and $DJT, which allowed me to question everything. He often says MGGA=MAGA, which does nothing to reinforce what I’m trying to drive home until I realize, The Atlanta Braves were once, The Boston Braves.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Braves
“The Boston Braves were a Major League Baseball club that originated in Boston, Massachusetts, and played from 1871 to 1952. Afterwards they moved to Milwaukee (and became the Milwaukee Braves). Then in 1966 they were relocated to Atlanta, where they were renamed the Atlanta Braves.^\5])
During its 82-year stay in Massachusetts, the franchise was known by various nicknames, including the Red Stockings, Red Caps, Rustlers, Bees, and "Braves”.”
Red Stockings, Red Caps. What about Red Coats? Thus sparking a whole new dig.
“The Boston Tea Party was an American political and mercantile protest on December 16, 1773, by the Sons of Liberty in Boston in colonial Massachusetts. The target was the Tea Act of May 10, 1773, which allowed the British East India Company to sell tea from China in American colonies without paying taxes apart from those imposed by the Townshend Acts. The Sons of Liberty strongly opposed the taxes in the Townshend Act as a violation of their rights. In response, the Sons of Liberty, some disguised as Native Americans, destroyed an entire shipment of tea sent by the East India Company.
“Foley, sees the Tea Party as a movement of principles over politics. She identifies three “core principles” of American constitutional law that bind the decentralized, wide-ranging movement: limited government, unapologetic U. S. Sovereignty, and constitutional originalism.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Tea_Party
Liberty Media Group makes more sense now. But why? What are they up to?
This:
https://www.libertymedia.com/news/detail/502/liberty-media-corporation-completes-split-off-of-atlanta
ENGLEWOOD, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Liberty Media Corporation (“Liberty Media”) (Nasdaq: LSXMA, LSXMB, LSXMK, FWONA, FWONK) announced that it completed the split-off (the “Split-Off”) of Atlanta Braves Holdings, Inc. (“Atlanta Braves Holdings”) (Nasdaq: BATRA, BATRK) at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, today. As a result, Liberty Media and Atlanta Braves Holdings are now separate publicly traded companies. Atlanta Braves Holdings Series A common stock and Series C common stock will begin trading on Wednesday, July 19, 2023 on the Nasdaq Stock Market, under the symbols “BATRA” and “BATRK”, respectively. Atlanta Braves Holdings Series B common stock will be quoted on the OTC Markets under the symbol “BATRB.”
Liberty Media’s Liberty SiriusXM common stock and Liberty Formula One common stock will continue trading following the Split-Off until the completion of its previously announced reclassification of its existing common stock and the creation of the new Liberty Live common stock on August 3, 2023 after market close (the “Reclassification”). For additional details regarding the Reclassification, please see the press release issued by Liberty Media earlier today, July 18, 2023.
IS RC REALLY TRYING TO BUY ALL THE STOCKS, I MEAN GOT DAMN THE YOUNGEST HOTTEST TEAM IN BASEBALL….YEAH I’LL TAKE A COUPLE THOUSAND SCOOPS PLEASE!!!!
Once you start down this path you can’t unsee it. I feel like Charlie from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia pointing to the map meme. Once again, Why Atlanta? It’s the same thing I thought when the PP seeds show came to town. The same thing I thought when I saw Trump on TV at my local gym while walking thoughtlessly on the treadmill for a nice warmup. The tv next to him is showing an image from the Atlanta Botanical Garden’s, whose theme this year is “Alice In Wonderland”. Follow the white rabbit indeed. The exhibit is from May 11- September 15.
Yes, Atlanta is the busiest airport in the world. Yes, Atlanta Is becoming the Hollywood of the South. But Why Atlanta? The answer comes to me as I turn around:
Remember 84 years ago when GameStop was shipping Diet Coke along with packages. I’m reminded of Quincy, Florida, a small town that at one time had the most millionaires per capita because of Coca-Cola. Whose home is Atlanta, Georgia. Also, founded in Atlanta on May 8, Odin’s Day 1886.
But why did they choose The Braves? I mean I’m sure the Yankees are worth more. I look on Fidelity and I can’t find them. What about the Los Angeles Dodgers? Can’t find them either. I google how many baseball teams are publicly traded? The Braves. Just the Braves. It’s the WuTang Album dividend all over again. We did it!!!!
I truly know what it means to be a “GMErican”. I look forward to doing my part in making this country great again.
Last question: Why the bread crumbs? Because the people are needed. Yes, you and me. Progressive thinkers who can make shit happen and aren’t afraid to take a chance on something new. Whether, your ancestors were born here, immigrated here or forcefully brought here, were all here and have the opportunity to take advantage of this once in a generational opportunity.
The Braves won 5-0. The number 5 represents the center point which unifies these four extremes.
1 - Unity
2 - Dualism and multiplicity
3 - The unity between two extremes
4 - Multiplicity in two directions, like the cardinal directions.
Someone asked “What song would you play when you knew it was done?” Here’s another cohencidence for you, on May 8, Odin’s day, 1970 the Beatles released the album “Let it Be”. From Wiki:
“Concerned about recent friction within the band, Paul McCartney had conceived the project as an attempt to reinvigorate the group by returning to simpler rock ’n’ roll configurations.” Sounds a lot like trying to make something great again.
I think I’ll do the same while vibing to the albums single “Let It Be”.
Happy Mother’s Day!!!!
Updates as I edit: https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2024/05/09/sinclair-explores-selling-30percent-of-broadcast-stations.html
This was published the morning after the Braves game and you know what they say, once it hits the news it’s already too late.
Allen Media Group has made several bids to purchase Paramount, which means they’re for sale: https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2024/05/09/sinclair-explores-selling-30percent-of-broadcast-stations.html
Another cohencidence, I stopped counting LOL. I wouldn’t be surprised if there are a bunch of companies going through bankruptcy that will soon emerge better for us all.
P.P.S. I think we go this week. No way I find this without them being ready.
Thank You For Reading.
Thank You to my loved ones, who put up with me wile I worked through this.
Links:
Sinclair Group: https://sbgi.net/who-we-are/
Sinclair Group Sale: https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2024/05/09/sinclair-explores-selling-30percent-of-broadcast-stations.html
Ownmine NFT Marketplace: https://shopownmine.com/collections/john-cole-baseball-nostalgia-collection/Nostalgia
Allen Media Group Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen_Media_Group
Own Mine https://shopownmine.com/collections/nfts
Liberty Wiki: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberty_Media
Liberty: https://www.libertymedia.com/about/company-history
Liberty asset swap: https://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/03/technology/03iht-liberty.4.5133859.html
Boston Tea Party: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Tea_Party
Boston Braves: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Braves
Warner Bros: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_assets_owned_by_Warner_Bros._Discovery
Hollywood Reporter: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/nbcuniversal-plus-warner-bros-discovery-comcast-ceo-1235806791/amp/

Wanna know how I got diagnosed? It was a 15 min survey asking if I could focus well, could manage tasks, if I did well in school, and then bam. I was diagnosed ADHD and got put on 30 mg ir adderall within my first visit to the doc. No tests were ran on me, no biomarkers checked. Was I able to focus? Yeah no shit, I was stimmed the fuck up. I would have told you how life changing it was.
Speed addict wants to justify their use of speed. Tale as old as time. The truth is you want to succeed in life and are so afraid of being a loser that you can’t have an unproductive day without beating yourself up for it, so you take powerful drugs to get you an edge every waking moment in your life in our competitive society. Sound familiar? I get it, they do help to focus on tasks, of course they do, but don’t be in denial.
You’ll regret it when you’re suffering from heart issues in your future, but just like cigarette smokers smoking through cancer, you won’t be able to stop because you just need that edge in life. You’ll regret it after the paranoia and psychosis kicks in and you become an anti social robot only concerned about the grind. The drugs convince you the pros outweigh the cons even in blatant evidence of the contrary. Stims take people down a very dark path, literally can be evil and psychotic and dissolve your morals.

Age: 24
Height: 5'10
Weight: 158lbs
Race: White
Primary Complaints: Fatigue, Hair Loss, Lack of energy, Excessive sleeping
Existing medical: ADHD, MPB
Medications: Adderall XR 20mg, Dutasteride 0.5mg
Drinking: Socially
Smoke: Less than or a pack a day
Drugs: None
Hello all.
As the title and primary complaints suggest, I am consistently tired. While at my girlfriend's house, I slept for 11 hours. I attempted to wake up at 8 with alarms but couldn't keep my eyes open or really force myself to get up. This is not a uncommon issue for me as this has been going on for almost a year and a half. When I wake up, it is a genuine struggle to get out of bed, as I literally cannot force my eyes to stay open long enough. I will simply roll back over and have been known to sleep almost half of the day away.
Even after I wake up, I am in a constant groggy daze that slowly gets better after a few hours. Im almost like zombie. I don't respond to people when they start talking to me; just grunts or short answers. I noted that it almost feels like speaking when im in this state would take too much energy. As the day goes on, I return to what I can only describe as how I used to feel when I was awake as a teenager. Around 3-4PM, I start to have a sensation in my eyes that almost feels like tingling/very close to how dry eyes feel. I get fatigued and I get very lethargic as this feeling in my eyes goes on and I eventually will either take a nap or power through it.
The issues are persistent, whether I take Adderall or not. I had a month off of work and I slept for 12+ hours a day, so I don't believe it's sleep deprivation.
TL;DR Constantly tired, severe lack of energy, hair has been thinning and started around the same time my fatigue issues started, and I STRUGGLE to wake up in the morning.

This week I wrote an autobiographical account of my history with sleep paralysis, RLS, and hypnagogic hallucinations.
I was not sure where to share it. I added it and deleted it from a few subs. The only place it ended up was the creative writing sub, though.
And this appears to be the right spot! There are several themes but the hypnagogia is the focus. So it's quite long and probably no one reads it and that's fine. I just wanted to find somewhere to put it in case my experience could benefit someone.
⚠️ ⚠️ WARNING first part is scary and a bit gory... ⚠️ ⚠️

Childhood

The first time that I encountered sleep paralysis was when I was nine or ten. I woke up screaming, my mind gripped with the sensation of searing pain radiating from my left big toe. Though my mouth wasn't moving, I could hear my own blood-curdling cries, echoing through the darkness. An eerie orange glow spilled into the room, illuminating a sinister cauldron at the base of my bed, around which stood three squat witches. Their dark, smoky faces shifted and morphed constantly, eyes glowing red like embers recessed deeply into the shadows of their crawling flesh, jagged teeth gnashing along with their discordant laughter as roaches crawled from their mouths and disappeared into their black straw hair.
Each witch held their own dainty knife and fork, shaking along with their trembling bony hands, and one was slicing expertly down the center of my big toe with the impossibly sharp blade of their knife. I struggled to move my arms and legs, feeling as though I had freedom of movement, but my physical body remained paralyzed. Unfathomable terror washed over me as I realized that I couldn't scream for help; my mom wouldn't hear me, and I was powerless to stop these witches from feasting on my toes.
I lay there, unable to break free from the oppressive paralysis, forced to endure the excruciating pain as my toes were sliced off and consumed. The air buzzed with the witches' terrifying, joyous laughter, as if they delighted in my agony more than the taste of my flesh. Eventually, my body in a full state of terror jarred itself awake, heart beating more wildly than I had ever experienced, my lungs struggling to gasp more than the tiniest breath. After perhaps a full minute of gathering myself, I drew a deep breath and screamed into the night.
My mother came, of course, but was unable to understand the depth and terror of my experience. Her own reality did not include anything close; for her, it was an exaggeration born of childhood fear, and she became exasperated after a time with my refusal to admit that it was a dream, despite being an extremely caring parent.
The witches appeared to me several times between the ages of 10 and 15, their ghastly faces returning to torment me with each episode of sleep paralysis. Every time, I would be trapped in that terrifying limbo, my body frozen while my mind drowned itself in screams of agony and horror. I knew that they would feast on my toes, the slicing of their knives relentless, inexorable. They would smack their lips and toast each other with my blood-covered flesh as I watched.
During those years, restless legs syndrome (RLS) also began to plague my nights. As soon as I began to drift off to sleep, a discomfort would arise in my legs, like there was a swarm of fat round beetles exploring, searching for an exit. A quick kick would settle it down, but it would rise again in a cycle of building tension, acutely uncomfortable climax, and brief relief of a second or two would follow before it began again. My mother, again meaning well but busy and unfamiliar with RLS, told me it was leg cramps and made me eat more banannas. This didn't help.
It became an increasing problem, stealing precious sleep that my young body needed to thrive. The frustration of RLS merged with the terror of a potential visit from the witches. Without medication, I would lose entire nights to the relentless discomfort.
By the age of 15, the sleep paralysis episodes had occurred at least 10 times, each leaving me with the gut-wrenching memory of being eaten alive that I would carry all the next day in my gut like a sack of bricks. As I lay sleeping, every single night, I wondered if they would visit, and braced myself for an encounter.

Early adulthood:

I can't remember how many times the witches visited before I finally stopped panicking. It was after countless God awful nights when I finally accepted that no matter how terrifying or painful the ordeal felt, I would be whole once it was over. I had survived the agony a hundred times before and could endure it again. One night, when the eerie glow of the cauldron illuminated their shifting faces, I felt a calm settle over me. I saw the witches, but for the first time, I wasn't afraid.
They noticed my defiance, their laughter fading into an uneasy silence. Without fanfare, they stood up, collected their cauldron, and retreated into the darkness of my room. Though I still saw them occasionally at the foot of my bed, they became more present than threatening. Sometimes, at the start of an episode, they'd appear briefly before disappearing altogether. They had become inconsequential, and I couldn't even be sure if they were there half the time.
In my early 20s, I discovered that I could almost guarantee a bout of sleep paralysis simply by sleeping during the day. At first, nothing particularly unusual happened, but the paralysis always returned whenever I dozed off, particularly between the hours of 11am and 2pm. I was often sleeping during the day because by then, the restless legs syndrome (RLS) had grown so severe that many nights passed without sleep at all. My body felt like it was full of angry snakes now instead of beetles, desperate to escape. The sensation soon crept upward from my legs to my arms. The cycles of build up, climax, and agonizly brief relief increased in frequency and magnitude. I would often resort to sitting in the shower, flipping the water from icy cold to scalding hot all night, simply to keep myself alert enough to avoid the twitching and spasming until the blessed relief of dawn arrived.
With the daytime paralysis came a variety of hallucinations. Sometimes the witches stood at the foot of my bed, other times they'd disappear, leaving behind benign apparitions like tickling gnomes. There was nothing threatening about these visions, and I began to find a strange sense of comfort in them. I would relax into a dark place where I felt my own energy burning like a sun, present but without physical form. In this state, I felt euphoric, fully aware yet separate from myself. I started taking naps during the day and eagerly anticipated this odd experience.
Yet at night, my sleep remained troubled as RLS tormented me. Eventually, I began taking ropinirole to manage the symptoms, and it brought much-needed relief, helping me reclaim my nights and giving me several years of mostly not worrying about RLS unless I forgot to take my medicine, or the odd night where it bothered me but was still less severe.

New experiences:

I spent several years relishing those euphoric moments of peace, where I could feel the pure energy of being alive without a personal history or identity. In those moments, everything else faded away, and all that remained was a brilliant, infinite energy. My waking life was absorbed by study of comtemporary and historical teachings of non-duality, and with my family and progressing my career as a software developer. I was absorbing Eckhart Tolle and Gautama, Meister Eckhart and Seuhn Sang and integrating their teachings into my daily life. The feeling inside of me that reality ultimately made no sense had found an expression, and I dug in every waking moment for a clue as to the true nature of experience. Given this context, I especially looked forward to and found solace in the experience of being impersonal, boundless energy.
In my late 20s, I also experienced a new type of sleep paralysis hallucination. One day it began that there were no visions or hallucinations; instead, I simply lay in a state of paralysis, aware of the room as a darkened and monochrome version of itself. I entertained myself by trying to move my arms and legs against the paralysis, and developed the idea that I had two bodies; my physical body lay on the bed, while my energetic body struggled and flailed. It was like my energy body could move separately, creating a phantom limb sensation. I felt my energy arms and legs extend out, yet my physical body lay still. As my energy body reached further from my physical self, it would snap back as if held by a rubber band.
Intrigued, I began experimenting with this phenomenon, managing to build enough momentum to "pop" out of my body one afternoon. Suddenly, I found myself looking down at my own sleeping form, resting on my back and breathing gently beside my wife, who was playing a game (probably Candy Crush) on her phone in the bed. It was surreal, and I wasn't sure whether I was hallucinating or truly perceiving my own body from a different perspective. Regardless, it was a revelation, and I felt a new sense of exploration as I gazed down at myself.
That first time, I found myself drifting through the house, checking on my two young stepdaughters as they slept. I had recently married, and it was a quiet weekend afternoon with everyone napping peacefully. Once satisfied, I ventured outside, where I took to the sky and flew around the neighborhood, spying on my neighbors. Though it felt like I was limited in speed, I seemingly had no constraints on the continuity of this hallucination. Everything appeared as a perfect physical representation of Earth, and I could travel without interruption.
The landscape was strikingly accurate, but it appeared in monochrome hues — grays, blacks, and whites — with no bright colors. Letters and numbers were unreadable, reduced to blurred nonsense. Despite these distortions, the sensation of soaring above the rolling hills and rooftops was pure euphoria. I sped along at hundreds of miles per hour, basking in the freedom of movement, and immersed in the stunning view that stretched out below me. There did seem to be some sort of very generous limit to how far I could travel, but I thoroughly explored within the boundaries for hundreds of miles around my home.
Over the years into my early 30s, I tried to pursue this opportunity of flight and exploration every chance I could. But during that time, my restless legs syndrome also became more relentless. In the past, no matter how agonizing the night had been, dawn would bring relief like a cold bath washing over me. I would sit outside and watch the sunrise, and the sensation of snakes slithering through my body would finally calm down, perhaps due to circadian rhythms and dopamine regulation. The cycles now began to climax in totally involuntary movement, spasms that caused me to tense my whole body and draw in a sharp breath every time. It would be 5 seconds of rapid buildup, spasm, a second or two of relief, repeat.
Eventually, even the dawn failed to provide respite, and I struggled during night or day whenever I relaxed too long or became even a bit drowsy. Napping became impossible, depriving me of the euphoric dreams I had learned to look forward to. I switched from ropinirole to pramipexole, hoping for relief. The medication helped me sleep five or six hours a night on good nights, but I still missed one or two nights of sleep entirely each week and rarely could nap during the day, because I took the medicine only a couple hours before bed.
Even though my restless legs syndrome worsened, one out of every ten times, I'd still manage to avoid twitching and drift into that state of peaceful paralysis during the day when I dozed off involuntarily. I gradually lost interest in pursuing out-of-body travel and instead sought every time the burning energy of the sun inside of me — the sensation of being infinitely powerful and formless simultaneously. I would retreat into this boundless feeling whenever I had the opportunity.
During these rare occasions when I could sleep during the day, I stumbled across a third type of experience. It felt like I was being sucked into space at impossible speeds, zooming past the planets of our solar system and beyond until I reached a darker patch of space. This spot seemed like a vast, corrugated sewer pipe that swallowed me whole. I rocketed through the universe, traveling at what could only be the speed of light. Eventually, I would break into the atmosphere of some unknown world, drifting down to its surface sometimes, others crashing painfully into terrain. Sometimes, I would hear a loud sound like an explosion in mid travel, and suddenly aterialize on another distant world without any sort of entrace.
These journeys were exhilarating, and each new landscape presented a mystery, revealing worlds unlike anything I'd ever seen.

The Traveling Years:

One of the first journeys I had involved zipping through space before drifting down through a hole in the top of a greenhouse. The world was painted in shades of orange and brown, its dirt swirling in powerful winds like clay cyclones. The greenhouse itself was dirty and grimy, almost opaque with crusted dirt, and filled with dense green plants — ivy and other dark green foliage that covered every inch inside. Outside, the orange sky churned with the swirling clay, making visibility nearly impossible.
I made my way down a ladder and emerged outside, where I found a man and a boy standing beside a white pinto horse. They both wore hardened leather over rough potato sack-like clothing, their long hair dotted with bone jewelry, their noses and eyebrows profusely pierced with other fragments of bone adorned with feathers. The man seemed to be instructing the boy on something to do with the horse. I approached them cautiously, fully aware of my lucid dreaming state and retaining all my memories, reasoning, and thoughts. Everything about the scene was vivid, from the clay dust swirling around to the squinting struggle to see in the wind.
Unlike the man and the boy, I had no long hair, no mouth covering, and no leather visor shielding my face from the swirling clay-dust. As I tried to speak, it seemed like they couldn’t hear me, and I wondered if I might be invisible to them. Unconcerned, I reached out to pat the horse on its nose, but before I could make contact, the man swiftly drew a long knife from his belt and stabbed me. He struck again, and the intense pain and feeling of my own scalding hot blood streaming down my pants legs snapped me awake.
Not long after my experience in the greenhouse, I found myself learning more about the worlds I could explore, though the opportunities remained rare. One day, I was transported to a beautiful blue tropical world, crashing into the dunes of a pristine white beach. There, I encountered three women, each towering over me at seven or eight feet tall. Their long black hair framed their pale faces, with blood-red lips striking against their alabaster skin. But what stood out most were their fingernails — long and crimson, curling back upon themselves dozens of times like spiraling ribbons. They were two or three feet in length and added a surreal menace to their presence.
They asked me my name and the name of my father, along with other odd questions, and seemed absolutely intriqued with me. There was a certain sort of heavy molasses quality to their voices that was more than sound and impossible to describe. It had the effect of making me feel drowsy and stupid and slow to move.
As I stood there, they began touching me with their nails, tracing them across my body in elaborate, almost ritualistic patterns. I felt my energy drain with every stroke, a profound exhaustion seeping into my core. The sensation was so intense that I woke up feeling completely drained, my limbs heavy and my spirit sapped.
Another time, I appeared without explanation after my space travel in a cavern brimming with glowing fungi and luminescent crystals. I wasn't myself in this world but instead had taken the place of someone else. My father stood beside me, guiding me through the luminous landscape. He taught me how to identify the bizarre and fascinating flora surrounding us — lessons that etched themselves into my mind and last to this day despite the surreal, made-up nature of this world. The glowing crystals and fungi cast eerie shadows across the cavern walls as my father explained the properties and uses of each.
In real life, these experiences would last for about five to eight minutes, but in the dream realm, the passage of time was different. What seemed like mere minutes could stretch into hours or even days, and in rare cases, the dreams spanned much longer.

RLS becomes terrible:

I had a new busy career, an infant daughter, two active growing stepdaughters, and a wife with a hectic job, and I struggled hard through the years between 35 and 39. Each night was pure torture, as restless leg syndrome robbed me of sleep. Days of sleep deprivation left me barely functioning, often teetering on the edge of collapse while the disease gnawed away. The unrelenting discomfort made it impossible to fall asleep, even as my body craved rest. I had no choice but to continue, as I had yet to find a doctor that knew how to move past the ropinirole and pramipexole stage of treatment, and these medicines had almost entirely ceased to be effective for me. My love for my family drove me to conceal the intense effort that day to day living had become. I managed to keep up with my career by farming a prescription for Adderall. I don't have ADHD, so it had the effect on me of methamphetamine and allowed me to push through the God awful existence that life had become.
The toll became overwhelming. I couldn't escape the agony, even after days of desperate attempts to sleep. More than once, I ended up in the emergency room after going four or five nights without sleep. For some people, this will seem like an exaggeration; I assure you, it is not. I would be nonsensical, having conversations with people tha weren't in the room, drifting in and out of intense 1 second dreams before snapping awake with painful spasms. At the hospital, they would give me percocet, and the painkillers provided brief reprieve from RLS for some reason, allowing me one solid night’s sleep, but the relentless cycle quickly resumed, leaving me struggling once again.
Eventually, I found a neurologist who prescribed Neupro patches that provided temporary relief. For a few months, I managed to sleep more consistently, but the patches quickly lost their effectiveness. It wasn't until I added methadone to the treatment that I finally found more lasting relief.
During those difficult years, I immersed myself in non-dual philosophy. In that crucible of suffering, my conviction solidified: my true nature was more aligned with the energy hallucinations I experienced than with a body made of skin, bone, and brain. That transcendent energy, more real and enduring than the physical form I occupied, became my identity in daily life, watching peacefully as my body and brain navigated the situational complexity of life.
Approaching my 40th birthday, I found that I could sleep at night and dream during the day. My life was in good shape, I lost 60 pounds without effort, and I felt fundamentally and imperturbably peaceful. Suddenly, life was in the palm of my hands, every moment pristine and still and perfect. I felt weightless without the burden of needing to endure trauma every night.
Most importantly to this story, I worked from home and could nap on my lunch breaks.

Rapid learning through iteration:

Rarely, I would fail to nap at all due to RLS. Sometimes I would simply doze off and wake up 10 minutes later to my cell phone alarm. But three out of five times, I would travel.
I visited dozens of worlds in a matter of a few short months and quickly was able to confirm some rules that I had suspected were true from my previous adventures.
One rule is that no one I know in real life ever shows up in the travelling dreams. No matter the place or circumstance or strange beings that I encountered, there was never a familiar face.
Another rule was that no dream person ever had a name or a father. The absence of both seemed to be an unspoken universal truth among these dream world inhabitants. Once I had internalized the significance of this, I began introducing myself to most beings that I encountered as "John, son of Michael." It left a strong impression. My name and lineage seemed to set me apart, bestowing an almost mythical quality upon me that earned me a peculiar reverence among all that I met. This knowledge became the key to navigating the dream worlds with confidence and a consistent purpose of discovery.
I learned accidentally of a unique ability during my travels: a form of telekenesis that allowed me to project force from the palms of my hands. This development led to many episodes of paralysis spent ignoring exploration and instead hilariously and painfully attempting to master this ability for the purpose of travel. Over time, I refined my skill, learning to fly much like Iron Man, but solely through the focused propulsion from my hands. Without stabilization from my feet, I had to carefully control the angle of projection and the amount of force applied to control my trajectory and speed.
Mastering this ability took significant practice, but eventually, I could navigate obstacles with ease and travel great distances in short amounts of time. I also no longer crash landed, thankfully. Importantly, I could harness this power to overcome any threatening beings that I encountered. Previously, my best option was to hide or flee, and that did not always work out. Now I had this amazing sense of fearlessness and confidence that simply cannot be rivaled by real world experience. Every time I heard the buzzing sounds and felt the WUM WUM WUM of energy as I prepared to launch into space, I embraced the journey with eager anticipation, confident in my ability to protect myself and learn about whatever strange world awaited me.

To Present Day:

As I grew more confident in my ability to travel almost at will, I began to incorporate spirituality into my experimentation. One day, on a whim, I expressed to the universe that if there were a being that had my best interests at heart and loved me fully, then I gave them permission to guide my dreams and lead me to greater truths, even if they were uncomfortable. This openness led to a new experience immediately, and I began to preface many of my journeys with a similar, simple prayer.
That first time, I fell down instead of up -- into myself, into the infinite dimensionless darkness where I could spin and burn and bathe in the euphoric sense of my own eternal nature. But my peace was quickly interrupted by an intense feeling of pressure at the base of my spine, though I couldn't have pinpointed where the body was that the spine inhabited. Very, very slowly, with a CRUNCHA CRUNCHA CRUNCHA noise for every milimeter of ground gained, it crawled upwards towards my head.
As it climbed, the energy below it intensified, growing exponenentially as the surface area covered grew. It wasn't painful, exactly, but it was terrifyingly intense. That first time, I managed to stay calm long enough for it to reach my shoulder blades before it became unbearably frightening and I jerked myself out of it, sure that I would die if I allowed it to continue upward. Over the last few months I have vowed to myself that I would endure any level of discomfort to see what happens at the end, but I keep chickening out. I have let it go as far as the base of my skull, at which time my head started vibrating so much that I could feel my teeth chattering violently even in my paralysis.
Another time recently when I made this prayer, I went to space as usual, but when I entered the atmosphere of a lush Earth-like world, my telekenesis failed me for the first time ever. Instead, I was pulled like in a slow tractor beam down beneath the perfectly round canopy of a giant, unfamiliar kind of tree. I felt a great sense of calm and peace and simply meditated there for quite some time, maybe 9 or 10 hours of relative time, before I heard a voice from behind the tree.
The man who stepped out from there had his face hidden in shadows. He wore a long dusty leather coat and a huge cowboy hat that shrouded him. As I write this, I find that I am not yet prepared to write about what he said to me, or how I responded. But when we had spoken, he walked solemnly over to me and lay his hand upon my head, and I jerked awake in a state of perfect bliss, despite some conflicting emotions surrounding our conversation. I call him Cowboy Hat Man, and maybe I will write more about him later.
A third time with the prayer, right before I sped off to my normal adventures, I felt a cat jump onto my bed and snuggle against my left leg, purring. It curled up there, and I assumed that it was my actual cat in real life, although it would be very uncharacteristic for him. I actually thought to myself, "Wow, I guess Buddy Socks is my spirit guide today." However, when I awoke, I realized that my door was shut and the cat was not in the room. On that trip, I went to a world that was reminiscent in quality perhaps to 15th century Europe, except on a world where the surface was far more underneath water than on Earth.
I followed the invisible cat to an old man and asked him, "Do you know the truth?" He answered, "No." I followed the invisble cat to young boy and asked him, "Do you know the truth?" He also answered, "No." It was an odd one, really.
Every time I do this, I am setting an alarm for ten minutes. Sometimes the dreams last days in relative time, but I have never yet failed to wake up before that alarm goes off.

Present Day (like seriously earlier this week is what me want to write this):

I lay down eagerly for my lunch break nap, hoping to avoid the disappointment of an off-day. I flew into the atmosphere of a world that seemed to made of rock, with nothing growing on the surface. However, I caught glimpse on the surface of a bright spot, and when I descended, I found that somehow there was a relatively thin crust of sorts around a hollow inside-world.
I lowered myself slowly through a great opening in that crust, down into a lush jungle. It was beautiful but uncomfortably humid, and I quickly found a cool and dry cavern complex to explore rather than dealing with sweat and unfamiliar insects.
As I navigated through the cavern system, able to see somehow with dim light despite no obvious light source at times, I broke out into a very large open cave with a huge exit out into the jungle. I saw that it was dawn and realized that I had spent the night, however long it was on this world, in the caves.
Suddenly, my four year old daughter, Curly, with her naturally bleach-highlighted rings of long blonde hair and bright blue eyes, drifted slowly over my left shoulder and out towards the exit. She moved at a brisk adult walking pace, her back to the cave opening, her expression curious yet slightly concerned. She called out, "Dada?" in a tone that suggested wonder and slight confusion, but no real alarm in the presence of her father.
Reacting instantly, feeling my gut clench solid into a fist of rock, I used my telekinesis to close the gap between us and gathered her into my arms. She wrapped her legs around my waist and settled her butt onto my forearm, a ritual that we have practiced every day of her life. The force gripping her evaporated instantly, and suddenly, my darling girl was there in my arms, as real as any physical embrace. I could feel the tickle of her hair on my neck, the beautiful warmth of her skin, and was enveloped in her familiar scent.
Initially, I was filled with white hot rage, fueled by my instinctive reaction to the thought that some idiotic dream world inhabitant had decided to mess with my family and harm or kidnap her. But as I held her and she nuzzled her nose into my neck, the anger gave way to sheer amazement. For the first time in a decade of navigating these dreamscapes, someone that I knew from my waking life had entered the dream. This was a rule-defying moment that really rocked me, a serious breach of the established norms of these experiences.
A group of maybe 8 or 10 small winged goblins flew down from out of sight above the top lip of the exit and fluttered into the room, laughing in a very non-threatening way. They radiated a sense of innocent mischief, and my fear and anger subsided and gave way to annoyance. I whipped my right hand out and blasted a huge hole in the cavern wall to my right, startling Curly into a yelp. Unphased, I raised my voice and demanded, "Who is your King? I am John, son of Michael, and this is my daughter and she WILL NOT BE TOUCHED AGAIN."
The goblins scattered, their merriment giving way to concern that I might blast them into dust. Behind me, a deep chuckle seemed to rise from the ground itself. A voice echoed in the cavern, neither kind or cruel, full of what felt like wisdom, though that doesn't make sense in the waking world.
It spoke: "I am Eloxman, and I am their King." At hearing him announce his name, my head whipped around in the dream and in real life so hard that I woke immediately with a sprained neck that is still bothering me. I looked at my phone and saw that there were two minutes and fourteen seconds remaining in my ten minute window. I lay on the couch in shocked disbelief: Curly was in my dream, and someone had a name. As I replayed it over and over in my head, I realized that Eloxman was still speaking. I think he may have been preparing to provide the name of his father.

The End:

Sorry, that's actually it. I am going to just see if this continues somehow, but if it does not, then I might get creative with it and make up my own ending. I hope that you enjoyed this if you read this far!

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Old-Scool Diet 2.O
"A comprehensive article on bodybuilding diet minutiae - and SO MUCH MORE
What follows is my version of an old school (mid-80s to early 90s) bodybuilding fat-loss diet/regimen, with an updated (2020's) dietary supplementation plan. This type of diet was very popular when I was a child and produced results for many who used it. I was reminded of such diets by bodybuilding writers such as John Romano, who wrote about the basic bodybuilding diet in an issue of Muscular Development sometime around 2008.
Although renowned for its simplicity, it can become somewhat monotonous. The key tenets of this type of fat loss diet are 1) being in a slightly negative caloric balance, 2) using a simplified shopping list of 15 or fewer items, and 3) taking in large amounts of protein, a moderately large amount of carbohydrates, and a small/modest amount of dietary fat.
You will consume 3-4 "whole-food" meals per day along with 1-3 protein shakes (more on workout days and less on off days). You should drink at least 1 gallon worth of calorie-free liquids per day.... the closer you get to 1.5 gal and even 2 gal (if you're really big) the better.
The Shopping List
So, you're at the grocery store and you're in and out within 10 minutes. You don't care about the weekly sales (unless they involve one of your "weekly 15" items). Thus, grocery shopping becomes a snap.
As for the items themselves, a basic "old school" bodybuilding diet would likely contain:

1. Eggs
2. Milk (skim or 2% or UF/CFM)
3. Chicken Breast (boneless and skinless)
4. Tuna chunk light, canned
5. Cottage Cheese (2-4%) & red-fat cheese
6. Lean Gr Beef or Sirloin, NY strip, etc Steak
7. Rice
8. Oatmeal
9. Whole wheat (or white) Bread
10. Apples
11. Oranges
12. Pasta
13. Frozen Berries
14. Bananas
15. Broccoli

Of course, you can rotate in other vegetables such as corn on the cob, salad greens, and lettuces (with light balsamic or low-carb vinaigrette dressing if a salad) etc etc.
Eating a variety of wholesome foods that are (by and large) as unprocessed (aside from rice and oatmeal which must be processed as well as some dairy items) as possible typically means you'll be getting a wide spectrum of nutrients, including both macro and micronutrients. A daily multivitamin/mineral tablet can ensure you're filling any gaps in micronutrient needs (vitamins and minerals). As for macronutrients, this diet provides the bulk of its calories as protein and carbohydrate with only about 10% of the daily calorie allotment being reserved for fats.
What is the logic behind the macronutrient breakdown?
You'll be eating about 45-50 percent of your calories as carbohydrates and 40-45 percent as protein with only 10-15% as fat.
Why 45-50% as carbohydrate? Carbohydrate is stored in the liver and muscles as a substance called glycogen. For every gram of glycogen stored within the body, there are 2.7 grams of water attached. This gives the muscles a pumped appearance and feeling. This also means the muscles are well stocked with stored energy. The majority of your weight training sessions will involve anaerobic exercise. This type of exercise utilizes the glycolytic energy pathway to generate ATP or Adenosine Tri Phosphate.
(Note: The amino-acid-based dietary supplement Creatine also supports ATP synthesis by donating Phosphate to ADP).
Having adequate amounts of both calories and carbohydrates helps prevent dietary-induced drops in TSH.... or Thyroid Stimulating Hormone. This, in theory (and empirical practice) keeps one's metabolism humming and prevents one from "drying out." Simply put, you'll get great pumps in the gym thanks to all that stored water (remember 2.7 grams of water is stored per gram of glycogen).
Energy-rich carbohydrates (grains and fruits) differ from fiber-rich vegetables. Not only do energy-rich carbohydrates provide far more calories but the calories they supply raise blood glucose levels markedly and rapidly. These types of carbohydrates are more easily broken down into simple sugars (glucose etc). Simple sugars and carbohydrates such as rice and white bread are termed high-glycemic (they spike serum blood sugar and insulin levels) while whole wheat or rye bread and things like oatmeal and non-starchy vegetables are deemed low-glycemic.
To be completely forthright and technical all carbohydrates and macronutrients provide energy. The phytonutrients, micronutrients, and fiber aside, carbohydrates simply provide a "higher octane" energy (than protein or fat). ATP is regenerated via the glycolytic energy pathway; carbohydrates stoke the glycolytic energy pathway most efficiently. Despite this, carbohydrates are technically unessential.
Fat and in particular protein can both be used to create carbohydrates. And both fat and protein can supply energy. But fat and protein contain essential nutrients the body cannot manufacture. These essential nutrients are essential fatty acids (EFAs) and essential amino acids (EAAs).
What about Protein?
Because you're getting roughly half of your calories from carbohydrates the protein you take in will likely be spared from providing energy - at least that's what we're hoping for. You're going to shoot for 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. The actual range of values would be between 0.8g/lb to 1.4g/lb (grams of protein per pound).
You're going to want to consume high-quality, complete protein from sources such as meat, poultry, fish, and dairy. If you have 4 meals and a shake and are taking in let's say 225 grams of protein per day that works out to 45 grams per "feeding." To be more realistic we'll simply say take in between 40-50 grams of protein per feeding.
Protein supplies nitrogen and the "building blocks" of skeletal muscle tissue (amino acids). Protein is essential because 8-10 amino acids are considered essential (other amino acids can become essential in certain situations or circumstances, they are called conditionally essential amino acids).
If you're 200 lbs taking in 1.25 grams protein per pound of bodyweight you're consuming 250 grams of protein per day. Protein contains 4 calories per gram. Thus you'd be consuming 1,000 calories of protein. At 45-50% of total daily calories, carbohydrates would comprise app 1.25x worth of calories as compared to protein. Thus, carbohydrates would come to 1,250 calories. Total daily calories would thus far be 2,250.
2,250 divided by 0.9 yields 250 calories, and at 9 calories per gram that would afford us a mere (roughly) 25 grams of fat. I would at least double this figure (not counting supplemental fats). 50 grams of fat adds 450 calories. 450 plus 2,250 yields 2,700 calories total. Thus, your diet breakdown will be closer to 16-20% fat (20% when including supplemental EFAs), 40% protein, and 40-45% carbohydrate).
Note: If need be, you can cut down carbohydrates by a few hundred calories and increase your protein consumption. This would change the dietary breakdown to roughly 40/40/20 (popularized by Barry Sears as the Zone diet).
You'll want to stay on this diet for a week and record how you felt, what you ate, and how well you slept. Every other day weigh yourself after your morning shit, shower and shave. If you maintain your weight the 2,700 calorie mark is your body's "set-point target." To reduce excess weight (fat) reduce your total daily calories by roughly 10-15 percent and exercise 3-5 days per week. Include cardiovascular training in addition to your weight lifting to further speed up your fat loss efforts. You can do LISS (low-intensity steady state) cardio (walking) or you can do HIIT (High-intensity interval training) cardio 2-5 times per week. Personally, I would choose 5 45-minute leisurely walks over other forms of cardio.
What about "fat burners?"
When people say "fat burners" they're referring to thermogenic agents which speed up the body's metabolism by some 5% or so (5-8% for an hour or two). In the 90s both Phentermine and the ECA stack were popular. These catecholamine-based compounds were potent appetite suppressants, particularly phentermine. The ECA stack was/is also a beta-adrenergic agonist. Since then a host of other supposedly "thermogenic" compounds and preparations have come into the limelight. Yerba Mate comes to mind, as do the popular OTC products Xenadrine and Hydroxycut. Even plain old caffeine is sometimes considered a first-rate "fat burner."
The truth is these products barely increase metabolic rate enough to make much of a difference. Most of their worth comes from their appetite-suppressant effects. Now, I'm not saying if you're suddenly prescribed Adderall or start smoking ice you won't lose weight - you will. It's simply that most weight loss, even from strong stimulants, comes from their appetite-suppressant effects.
The only "fat burners" that truly increase fat burning without the need for appetite suppression are L Carnitine and Cardarine. Cardarine is a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-delta agonist. Cardarine enhances lipolysis during exercise. Training increases energy availability by promoting catabolism of proteins, and gluconeogenesis, whereas GW501516 enhances specific consumption of fatty acids and reduces glucose utilization. L Carnitine can be beneficial to exercise performance and fat loss; paradoxically it also suppresses T3, or active thyroid hormone.
T3 or Cytomel can be used to markedly increase resting metabolic rate, but "T3 burns through muscle and fat indiscriminately." You can reduce the amount of muscle tissue being burned and attenuate the reductions in "muscle pump" experienced when supplementing with extra T3.
To do so you'll need to drink water like a camel and supplement your diet with beetroot crystals and citrulline malate. You'll also want to utilize Tadalafil or Cialis. Surprisingly, aside from increasing the pump one experiences from lifting weights Cialis also increases fat burning and creates more BAT (Brown adipose Tissue as compared to WAT... white adipose tissue), relatively speaking. BAT is metabolically active and behaves more like muscle in this respect.
To reduce muscle loss while on higher doses of T3 nothing short of AAS (@ least 200-300 mg/wk, if not 400mg + per week) will truly help. SARMS such as RAD-140 may be of some (yet limited) value. To be honest I would avoid T3 supplementation unless also using Testosterone (Enanthate 400mg/wk) or other AAS.
As for fats, their consumption is largely incidental on this diet and comes from the dairy, red meat, poultry, occasional salad, or handful of mixed nuts one might expect to consume if adhering to the aforementioned dietary principles .
This means the amount of saturated fat as compared to MUFAs or PUFAs will be somewhat high. To remedy this one can consume tuna packed in soybean oil as well as by supplementing 3x per day with triple concentrated, enteric-coated, fish oil capsules. These fish oil capsules break down in the small intestine and there are no fishy burps with them thanks to that enteric coating. They are extremely rich in the special fatty acids EPA and DHA, Eicosapentaenoic acid and Docosohexanoic acid.
One might also supplement with an Udo's Omega 3:6:9 blend of daily supplemental oil.
As for specialty fats, one must purchase the next two in supplement form. CLA is conjugated linoleic acid and it helps improve body composition over time by increasing muscle mass and decreasing fat mass. Sesamin has a host of potential health benefits. Together these two designer fats can markedly improve physical aesthetics, health, and overall well-being.
Finally, there is GLA or gamma linoleic acid. Unless you eat a lot of cashews you'll want to get this fatty acid in supplement form as well.
Note: You needn't supplement every specialty fatty acid mentioned to reap benefits from each fatty acid you choose to use.
The GOLDEN RULE of DIETING: CICO
Calories in vs. calories out. It's so simple yet so misunderstood. When you reduce dieting down to its least common denominator it's CICO you're left with. If you aren't gaining or losing weight you're at an established set-point. You're at current equilibrium. It also means you're essentially burning just about every calorie you take in (burning every single calorie to be more precise, it's just the body's ebbs and flows and an equilibrium setpoint is usually somewhat elastic ).
If you begin to regularly consume more calories than your BMTMR allot (and than you burn via daily movement and exercise), you will put on additional body mass (including both fat and skeletal muscle). If you begin to consume less than your BMTMR allot, and/or begin exercising yourself into a negative caloric balance, you will lose weight, typically a combination of fat and muscle (but usually far more fat than muscle, particularly if one lifts weights throughout).
Note: BMTMR = Basal & Total Metabolic Rate
So are all macronutrients equal then? I mean, do all macronutrients convert into ATP at the same efficiency rate?
Technically no they do not. Protein is far less efficient in its conversion to ATP as compared to fat or carbohydrate. Thus, it takes MORE protein to create "x" amount of ATP. Remember, ATP stands for adenosine triphosphate. It is the body's preferred cellular fuel for high-intensity, high-octane activities. In this sense, protein's inefficiency in converting to ATP means a calorie really isn't a calorie after all. (Because) It takes more protein calories to create "x" amount of ATP than if one were creating that same "x" amount of ATP from carbohydrate or fat calories.
Now that that anomaly is out of the way it's best to simply memorize CICO, calories in vs. calories out, irrespective of macronutrient source. This is the most practical, tried and true way to diet scientifically.
So you've established your caloric allotment for metabolic equilibrium and lowered that figure by 10-15%. You've added in 3-4 30-minute LISS cardio sessions per week in addition to 4 weight-lifting workouts. You're beginning to lose weight week in and week out and then your progress slows and eventually stalls. Your body has become accustomed to the lower calories and the extra workload. Unfortunately, aside from supplementing your diet with substances such as Cardarine or Clenbuterol, there is little more you can do outside of dropping calories once more.... (or adding even more cardio).
Over time these successive reductions in calorie allotment lead to a reduction in TSH, or thyroid stimulating hormone. It's the body's way of slowing things down in an effort to maintain homeostasis. To continue improving body composition one mustn't merely lose as much fat as possible, but also must maintain the muscle mass one has - or even build a bit. Now I'll come right out and say it, if you're 6-10 weeks into a strict fat loss diet you're not going to be concerned with building additional muscle unless you're using Testosterone and/or other AAS and PEDs. Even then, if juicing quite a bit, at some point building muscle transitions into preserving muscle. No matter how much you're pinning if you aren't eating enough calories you simply cannot (physiologically) add appreciable lean fat-free body mass.
To boost the body's T3 levels one can supplement directly with T3 (Cytomel) or with pro-active-thyroid T4 (converts to T3 in body; Synthroid). There is supplemental T2 but I advise readers to steer clear of this thyroid analogue. Another way of boosting T3 levels, and a legal, natural way to boot, is by having periodic carbohydrate-rich refeeds and higher calorie days. Have a carbohydrate-rich meal every 3 days if on a lower carbohydrate diet as well as a higher calorie day once every seven to ten days whether on a mixed macronutrient or a lower carbohydrate type diet.
How many meals do you need to eat per day?
While there is potentially some slight advantage to eating several smaller to moderately sized meals spaced evenly throughout the day the science says "when you eat the bulk of your calories makes little to no difference." So if you'd rather have two larger-sized 1,350 calorie meals and then intermittently fast for the rest of your wake-sleep cycle (or "day" whether a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd shifter etc) go ahead. That said, I would personally recommend at least 2-3 whole food-based meals and 1-3 protein shakes per day for best results in the gym. As for weight loss, remember it boils down to CICO: whether you have 10 270-calorie mini-meals or one 2,700-calorie smorgasbord makes practically no difference.
What about enhancing insulin sensitivity and improving glucose metabolism while imparting a nutrient-partitioning effect?
I first learned of the term Glucose Disposal Agent while reading Dan Duchaine's Underground BodyOpus. Dan was recommending an isocaloric diet at one point but I believe he'd moved onto cyclical ketogenic-type dieting by the early to mid-90s - and obviously by the time he wrote Underground BodyOpus. Because catecholamines work better in low (serum) insulin environments and because high levels of insulin in the blood render fat-burning enzymes such as HSL largely inert, it is a good idea to release as little insulin as is necessary/possible. Postprandial serum insulin concentrations share a direct correlation with postprandial (after a meal) blood glucose levels. To help optimize glucose metabolism and loweoptimize postprandial glucose numbers far more efficiently - while also driving nutrient partitioning by enhancing the selective expression of GLUT 4 (on muscle cells and not fat cells), one should consider the use of glucose disposal agents such as Na R ALA and Berberine HCL.
Over time the use of GDAs improves insulin sensitivity markedly, assisting in the significant attenuation of metabolic syndrome. Berberine alone has been shown in some clinical trials to perform as good or better than the popular diabetic medication Metformin. Na R ALA is the most bioavailable form of alpha lipoic acid and you need only 250mg 2-3x/day to reap major benefits. If you use the cheaper form of alpha lipoic acid use 400-700 mg 2-3x/day.
To these two GDAs I would recommend a form of Vanadium, Vanadyl Sulfate. I would also add a form of chromium, either chromium picolinate or chromium polynicotinate. There are scores of various GDA or GDA-like compounds to choose from. For the most bang for your buck start and stick with this 4 part GDA stack before adding additional GDA compounds into the mix.
Note: If you combine the regular use of GDAs with a modified lower or low-carb diet one can literally reverse Type 2 Diabetes, particularly if the disease is in its early onset stage(s).
Maintaining Energy (to train intensely) while on a reduced-calorie diet
When you lift weights getting that all too familiar "pump" feels amazing. Arnold Schwarzenegger once compared it to sexual release - even going so far as to claim the "pump was better than cumming." I would have to disagree with Mr. Schwarzenegger on that, but I will concede that getting a vein-bursting, skin-splitting pump (obviously I'm embellishing: no pump bursts veins or splits the skin) gives one a major short-term motivational boost as well as an endorphin rush. It also feels great and makes one look more muscular and vascular. But getting a great pump while in a major caloric deficit, particularly if one is restricting carbohydrates, becomes difficult to say the least. So how does one boost the body's high-octane "energy" source, ATP, without taking in extra calories?
If you were unaware that ATP can be supplemented directly (orally), now you know. PEAK ATP is a well-known ATP supplement. In addition to supplementing directly with ATP one can also utilize Creatine Monohydrate (or other forms of creatine) to behave as a Phosphate donor. Creatine is stored within the body as creatine phosphate. Creatine phosphate donates its phosphate ring to ADP, or Adenosine Di-Phosphate, creating ATP, or Adenosine Tri-Phosphate. As you know ATP is the body's preferred "high-octane" cellular-energy-medium. Creatine and ATP are both important to high-intensity anaerobic exercise. But what about boosting the glycolytic energy pathway?
The body utilizes glucose and stored glycogen to replenish ATP. When glucose/glycogen is in low supply the body will utilize glycogenic amino acids (in a process called gluconeogenesis) to boost serum glucose concentrations, especially while involved in intense exercise such as weight lifting (bodybuilding). Supplementing (pre-workout) with whey protein isolate and/or EAA/BCAA+Glutamine can help prevent the body from utilizing its muscle tissue as a donor source for gluconeogenically-derived "energy."
Note: Glutamine can increase both hepatic and skeletal muscle glycogen stores (without carbohydrates).
Another thing you can do to enhance fat burning is to increase the proportion of fuel burned as fat during exercise. To achieve this supplement with the PPAR delta agonist Cardarine. Cardarine markedly increases cardiovasculaendurance capacity as well as muscular endurance. You'll be getting a few more reps per set on your higher rep sets and increasing the amount of fat (instead of blood sugar) your body is using while doing so.
Note: Stacking Cardarine with the infamous lipotropic L Carnitine may further enhance each supplement's effects.
Note: I have a separate article written on L Carnitine. See this article to learn everything you would ever want to know about L Carnitine in less than 5 minutes.
What about maintaining the muscle mass you built while in a caloric surplus after you diet your way into a significant negative caloric balance?
The supplement HMB, Beta Hydroxy Methyl Butyrate was over-hyped in the 90s. Everybody was looking for the "next creatine." And HMB showed promise. Then the research trickled in. Initially, HMB appeared to be of little value. Then more and more research poured in. Today we know HMB is most effective as an anticatabolic supplement.
HMB helps ensure the body remains in a positive nitrogen balance, but not by increasing protein synthesis. Rather, HMB reduces the breakdown of muscle mass (protein), and is particularly useful in lower-calorie settings, and/or high-stress situations (including recovery post-surgery and healing from serious burns).
You'll want to use a minimum of 3 grams of HMB per day. Amounts as high as 10 grams or more daily can be costly but are safe (and more effective than lower dosages, which does not necessarily hold true for other dietary supplements).
A second anticatabolic supplement you might consider is Phosphatidylserine or PS. The use of PS is reportedly effective in reducing excessive serum cortisol concentrations. Cortisol, a glucocorticoid, increases protein catabolism. This supplement can be costly to use, however.
Some trainees, gurus and gym pundits firmly believe the conditionally essential amino acid Glutamine is a potent anti-catabolic substance. The research on Glutamine's efficacy for athletes isn't clear; some studies show benefit(s) while others clearly do not.
If you're using appreciable amounts of protein powder (Whey Protein Isolate, Pea Protein Isolate, Caseinate, Milk Protein Isolate) you'll be getting about 4-5 grams of Glutamine (and precursors) per scoop (app 25 grams of protein. Most protein rich whole foods are also rich in Glutamine.
If you're in a caloric surplus (off season mode) then additional Glutamine is essentially a waste of money. Glutamine is best utilized while in the throes of strict dieting, when muscle mass losses are most likely. Glutamine can contribute to the Amino Acid Pool and act as a gluconeogenic donor if need be. Glutamine can also help restock both hepatic and skeletal muscle glycogen stores INDEPENDENTLY of carbohydrates (Glucose). To enhance glycogen replenishment, particularly in the peri-workout period, Glutamine must be taken in very large doses (up to 15-20 grams pre/intra workout & post workout).
Another thing you can do to reduce the loss of muscle mass while dieting is to raise your protein consumption to as high as 1.5 grams per pound of body weight. Of course, you'll have to have a commensurate reduction in calories from carbohydrates and/or fat.
And remember, while dieting to maximize fat-loss your goal isn't to build muscle, but instead to maintain that muscle which you've already built. This means you must take care to avoid overtraining. Not only is overtraining unnecessary at this stage, but it can be extremely damaging to one's physique. You run the risk of injury anytime you step foot in a gym but the probability of injury is geometrically increased if one is overtraining, particularly while on a low-calorie diet. Limit your weekly lifting sessions to no more than 5. Don't go crazy on the volume (# of sets) and stay in the 8-12 rep range most of the time (you can do more or fewer reps but 8-12 is a great rep range for most). You aren't going to be setting any PRs here.
Can you tell us what a sample day of eating might look like?
Let's say you decide on 3 whole-food meals, 2 shakes, and a snack every day. Let's assume your shakes are composed of ultrafiltered skim milk (12 g protein and 8 grams carbohydrate w/ 0g fat per 8oz), 2 scoops whey isolate (40 g protein), a small banana, and 1/2-1 cup frozen strawberries. By themselves, the two protein shakes will supply 130 grams of protein. And remember, at the beginning of this article we said our hypothetical dieter was 200 pounds. Thus your total daily protein goal in grams was 250 grams per day. Hence, you need only consume 120 more grams of protein, divided between 3 whole food meals and your optional snack.
Your total daily calorie and macronutrient allotment breakdown:
Calories: 2,700 Protein: 250 grams, 1,000 Cal Carbohydrate: 310 grams, 1250 Cal Fat: 50 grams, 450 Cal
Note: the caloric/macro breakdown above yields appx 37% protein, 46% carbohydrate, and 17% fat. This differs slightly from the 40/50/10 breakdown we began with but the actual percentages are simply a guide post. If you're more endomorphic you should probably drop the carbohydrates to 37% and raise the fat to make up the difference (or add protein for the same reason). If you're an ectomorph or mesomorph you can handle the 46% carbohydrate level without missing a beat.
Note: Supplemental fats do add additional fat grams (and calories to your daily totals). Thus, your total fat intake will likely be closer to 80 grams per day. You may also take a shot glass or two of extra virgin, cold-pressed organic olive oil 3-5 times per week to increase MUFAs in your diet.
Removing the protein shakes' nutritional values (130 grams protein, 0 grams fat, and roughly 60-120 grams of carbohydrates: one protein shake may be simply protein powder with milk or water and ice) leaves 120 grams of protein, 50 grams of meal-derived fats (excluding supplemental fats) and approximately 190-250 grams of carbohydrates for the remainder of the day. These figures will be spread (evenly or unevenly) over 3 whole-food meals and one snack. This works out to 40 grams of protein, 80 grams of carbohydrates, and about 15-20 grams of fat per meal. Under this scenario, your snack would have to be something like sugar-free jello which has practically no calories whatsoever.
As for how you put together your meals....
Because your list of foods was basic and limited to 15 items you'll have an easy time putting potential menus together. Choose foods from your list and match up their nutritional values to fit the macronutrient and caloric allotment for each of your 3 whole-food meals.
Note: If you need more variety go ahead. The number of different foods you eat has no intrinsic bearing on the results you'll achieve from dieting. I give the 15-item limit to reflect the authenticity of old-school bodybuilding dieting as told by John Romano, the famous bodybuilding author, and for simplicity's sake.
Look up the nutritional value of the various 15 (or more) foods you chose for your diet and write them down on the front page of your diet journal. You're going to want to make use of nutrition labels anytime you deviate from your list of foods. And if you're not accurately eyeing up proper portion sizes you'll want to invest in a food scale. Studies have shown that people who didn't record what they ate often overate far more than what they self-reported they'd eaten. The same goes for people commonly overestimating portion sizes. That's why you're going to record everything you eat and weigh out or measure proper portion sizes.
So how do you know how many calories you should begin the diet with?
There are many useful diet and macro calculators available online. One figure I've come across quite a bit is 15-17 calories per pound of body weight as a good, "average" starting point. For a 200 lb person, this works out to between 3,000 and 3,400 calories per day, which might be a bit high. If consuming even 1.25 grams of protein per pound of body weight that 15-17 cal/lb figure leaves 2,400 "energy" calories to come from carbohydrates and/or fats. Our hypothetical diet above was 2,700 calories with 250 grams of protein for a 200-lb individual.
So the two figures (2,700 cal and 3,000- 3,400 cal are close enough to be compatible and would likely fit any 200 lb hard training individual quite well - but we can't be certain. The only way to do that is to keep a diet journal for a minimum of 7 days where you record every morsel of every foodstuff you consume, each and every day and night. You also tally up your macronutrient totals for each of the seven days. At the end of those seven days, if your weight has remained the same, you have found your homeostatic caloric setpoint.
Add up the total amount of calories consumed over the seven days and then divide the resultant figure by seven. You now have your starting caloric allowance. If you want to gain quality mass you would increase your calories by 10-15%. But, we want to lose fat, so we will cut out starting caloric allowance (homeostatic-setpoint) by 10-15%.
If you simply don't have the discipline to keep a food journal you'll also have trouble keeping track of calories later on in the diet and end up overeating, even if unintentionally. That said, 15-17 cal/lb of body weight is a good average starting range for most lifters.
If you'd like, I'm open for consultations.
Contact me for nutritional, dietary supplementation, and exercise regimen consulting.
Mike Renteria BigMikeRenteria@gmail.com BPVA Summer 2024
Photo: Gunter Schlierkamp, IFBB LEGEND, 2002 GNC SOS CHAMPION (Defeated Reigning Mr Olympia Ronnie Coleman)

I’m on hour 12 of my migraine. First attack since in 5 years or so! I guess it was triggered from a week of not having enough time to eat and abusing my sugar free Redbulls. As horrible and painful as it is and as much as the right side of my head hurts, I got shit to do.
How bad of an idea is it to just power through with studying and going for drinks to celebrate my friend’s birthday? Will it prolong the migraine or just make me feel like shit?
I could go to the Pharmacy later today when they open and get OTC painkillers, but since it’s been so long since the migraine fairy visited me prescription medication is not an option for the time being.

This will probably be long but I will put a TL;DR at the end.
Background: I am a 26 year old female and was put on a hormonal birth control pill at 13, about 1.5 years after my first period, for heavy bleeding and acne. Looking back this was around the time when I began to exhibit ADHD symptoms that progressively got worse until I was officially diagnosed at age 24.
Last year I started looking into how medications can deplete nutrients and cause hormonal imbalances; I was taking birth control, Wellbutrin (depression/anxiety), Spironolactone (acne), and Adderall (ADHD). I decided to get off Wellbutrin since I found out it increases testosterone. I started having symptoms like hormonal acne, weight gain in my midsection, and muscle weakness despite working out consistently. My doctor told me those were likely side effects from Spironolactone (I did not know that Spironolactone suppresses testosterone), so I decided to stop that as well.
With all of these hormonal issues I started to wonder if my birth control was playing a factor. My doctor said she could not (or would not?) test my hormone levels while on hormonal birth control. I did not want to completely stop birth control to test because I live with my boyfriend and would not feel comfortable having sex without it, and it could be too much of an adjustment to stop cold turkey. I decided switching to a lower estrogen pill would be a good place to start. I also stumbled upon estrogen dominance and histamine intolerance while researching birth control, so that influenced my decision as well.
Medication Summary: -Stopped Wellbutrin last summer after taking it for 2 years -Stopped Spironolactone 2.5 months ago after taking it for 3.5 years -Switched my regular birth control pill (Tri-Sprintec or similar depending what insurance sent) to a low estrogen pill (Tri-Lo-Milli) 6 weeks ago after taking it for 13 years (half my life) -Still taking 15mg generic Adderall XR for the past 2 years
Stopping/adjusting 3 of my 4 medications in just under a year has been a lot, which I expected, but I wanted to power through it instead of dealing with adjusting hormones consistently over the next few years. My doctor said that made sense and didn't seem considered about it.
Here is what I have noticed in the past 6 weeks since switching birth control: -Anxiety has been a nightmare. It is more intense and more consistent than usual. I feel jittery and irritable with my heart beating faster, as if I drank several coffees. Note: I do not drink caffeine often. I have the occasional matcha in the morning or can of pop in the afternoon if I am feeling tired because they both have less caffeine than coffee. -OCD type symptoms feeling more extreme. I have been diagnosed with mild OCD tendencies but that falls under the anxiety umbrella. -RSD, I have been feeling extra sensitive to rejection and acting defensive in general (again probably falls under the anxiety umbrella) -Antisocial, wanting to crawl into a hole and avoid everyone due to the extreme anxiety. -Mood swings have been extreme. Going 0 to 100 real quick and blowing up on my boyfriend for little things I normally wouldn't. Especially if I haven't eaten in the last few hours. -Feeling hungry constantly (similar to never feeling satisfied when I'm on my period) but also not wanting to eat. -Hormonal acne. My face has exploded and it's been devastating. I've been battling this s**t since I was 11 and it has been destroying my confidence again lately. -EXECUTIVE DYSFUNCTION. This has been the worst. With ADHD mine is already bad but it has gotten 10x worse. I feel like I'm stuck in quicksand. I'm struggling to do anything, and can't keep up with basic daily tasks. After work I literally just sit frozen unable to do anything, even things I enjoy. My brain feels so blocked that I can barely plan past tomorrow.
Period Specific Symptoms/PMDD: Since I stopped Spironolactone and changed my birth control, my periods have progressively gotten SO much better *physically*. I used to get terrible back cramps - they're gone. My period would last a full 7 days, the first 3 days I would feel awful, crampy and achey everywhere, and bleed through a super tampon every few hours - not anymore! My periods now are pretty much only 4 days. I will bleed super heavy on day 1, but then barely at all and then it stops. All of my physical symptoms went away except for hungesugar cravings and acne breakouts.
Emotionally I still experience the typical period symptoms, like mood swings and feeling like my ADHD symptoms get worse.
TL;DR: Since switching to a lower estrogen birth control pill 6 weeks ago I have been experiencing what feels like extreme ADHD/PMDD symptoms 24/7. I feel insane and like I can't function as a person. I am so reactive and keep blowing up on my boyfriend. I'm told it typically takes about 3 months for hormones to balance out, I'm at the halfway point and I just want to know if there is actually going to be a light at the end of the tunnel. If anyone else has had a similar experience, or has any tips for how to manage these symptoms in the meantime so I don't go insane and/or ruin my relationship I am all ears!!!

I've been prescribed both (ADHD-PI) and I generally take Adderall because it's a little more powerful and the comedown doesn't put me in an awful mood, but I believe that I'm a slow metabolizer and even when I take it in the morning (10mg IR at say 9AM) it messes up my sleep that night. I also have Ritalin, also IR because again the effects last a while, but not as long as Adderall. I'm pretty tired from yesterday but still need to study for finals, I took my Adderall at around 10 or 11 yesterday, is there a possibility that taking the Ritalin 24 hours later (maybe 10-15mg total of IR) could interact with yesterday's Adderall still in my system? I don't want to deal with any potential health issues. I am exceptionally paranoid about the possibility of drug interactions.

Strategic Transaction Empowers Company's Growth Trajectory VANCOUVER, BC / TheNewswire / May 8th, 2024 – Element79 Gold Corp. (CSE: ELEM) (OTC: ELMGF) (FSE: 7YS) ("Element 79", the "Company") proudly announces the successful exercise of the Binding Option Agreement (“The Acquisition Agreement”) with Sun Silver Limited (formerly Green Power Minerals Pty Ltd. “Sun Silver”) for the closing of the sale of the Maverick Springs Project to Sun Silver. Highlights Since Acquisition in 2021, the Company has worked to advance the project, including an updated 43-101 compliant inferred resource of 3.71Mozi AuEq. In seeking funding partners for the development of the Maverick Springs project, management negotiated and subsequently engaged with Sun Silver in August 2023 via a Binding Option Agreement. As the Company is now focused on advancing the high-grade Lucero Project with near term production potential in Peru, this transaction allows realizing enhanced value for Mavericks Springs from an adjusted CAD $3.337M acquisition and carrying cost to a final sale value of CAD $5.033M an increase in value of $1,696M, or 51% ROI within 28 months. Sale proceeds will generate a total of CAD $4,400,000 cash and 3,500,000 ordinary shares in Sun Silver priced at AUD$0.20 (fair market value AUD $700,000.) which are expected to be listed Australian Stock Exchange (“the ASX”) on or around May 15, 2024. CAD $2,200,000 of cash sale proceeds will be used to pay out the loan associated with the Waterton Contingent Value Rights Agreement Remaining funds will fuel development of other corporate projects, operations and reduce both capital debt and accounts payable. The Asset Sale Transaction The Company entered into the Acquistion Agreement on August 31, 2023, and it was subsequently extended and amended on January 12, 2024, and March 18, 2024. The fulfillment of all requisite conditions resulted in the exercise of the option on May 3, 2024, by Sun Silver pursuant to the Acquisition Agreement. The transaction and associated transfer of all the Maverick Springs assets has been successfully completed as of May 7, aftermarket trading hours, ahead of the listing of Sun Silver Limited's ordinary shares of the ASX, expected to occur on May 15, 2024. See the Company’s press releases dated August 31, 2023; October 23, 2023; January 17, 2024, and March 18, 2024, for further details on the transaction. "The successful closing of the transaction highlights Element 79's steadfast dedication to executing its strategic roadmap," said James Tworek, CEO of Element 79 Gold Corp. "This is a critical milestone in the Company’s history: it stands as proof of our team’s ability to generate value through project execution, and indicates a potential turning point in our ongoing mission to build a stronger and more focused company; it reinforces diligent financial management by to clearing up the balance sheet from past endeavours, and it provides non-dilutive capital to support operations and advance strategic exploration programs on our core properties to generate further value for our investors.“ Payment Terms In accordance with the Acquisition Agreement, Element79 has received total cumulative cash consideration of C$4,400,000 ($265,872 of which was previously paid to the Company by Sun Silver in respect of option fees under the Acquisition Agreement), in addition to 3,500,000 fully paid ordinary shares of Sun Silver, solidifying the Company's support for Sun Silver and in the ongoing belief in the Maverick Springs property, reaffirming its commitment to driving sustainable growth and long-term value creation for its shareholders. As required per the terms of the Waterton Contingent Value Rights Agreement, announced March 23, 2023, the Company has directed $2,200,000 of the sale proceeds to paying off and closing the Waterton loan facility including fees. Having completed the sale of the Maverick Springs project, the Company is seeking to to intensify its efforts toward continued exploration and optimization of its flagship property, Lucero (Peru), with the intention to foster innovation and sustainable development across its operations. Chachas Community Update As outlined in the Company’s news release from April 25, 2023, the Chachas Community General Meeting did take place and the Chachas Community continues to ratify its own Charter prior to completing any additional contract approvals for third parties such as Element79 Gold Corp. Through its local contacts and its contracted community relations teammates, the Company has been reaffirmed of the local support for its projects and pending agreements for its use of and right of way on the lands. As the Company waits for the final approval, it continues to review strategic regional M&A opportunities. About Element79 Gold Corp. Element79 Gold is a mining company focused on gold and silver committed to maximizing shareholder value through responsible mining practices and sustainable development of its projects. Element79 Gold's focus is on developing its past-producing, high-grade gold and silver mine, the Lucero project located in Arequipa, Peru, with the intent to restart production in 2024. The Company also holds a portfolio of 5 properties along the Battle Mountain trend in Nevada, with the Clover and West Whistler projects believed to have significant potential for near-term resource development. Three properties in the Battle Mountain Portfolio are under contract for sale to Valdo Minerals Ltd., with an anticipated closing date in the first half of 2024. In British Columbia, Element79 Gold has executed a Letter of Intent and funded a drilling program to acquire a private company that holds the option to 100% interest of the Snowbird High-Grade Gold Project, which consists of 10 mineral claims located in Central British Columbia, approximately 20km west of Fort St. James. The Company has an option to acquire a 100% interest in the Dale Property, 90 unpatented mining claims located approximately 100 km southwest of Timmins, Ontario, and has recently announced that it has transferred this project to its wholly owned subsidiary, Synergy Metals Corp, and is advancing through the Plan of Arrangement spin-out process. For more information about the Company, please visit www.element79.gold Contact Information For corporate matters, please contact: James C. Tworek, Chief Executive Officer E-mail: jt@element79gold.com For investor relations inquiries, please contact: Investor Relations Department Phone: +1.403.850.8050 E-mail: investors@element79.gold

Strategic Transaction Empowers Company's Growth Trajectory VANCOUVER, BC / TheNewswire / May 8th, 2024 – Element79 Gold Corp. (CSE: ELEM) (OTC: ELMGF) (FSE: 7YS) ("Element 79", the "Company") proudly announces the successful exercise of the Binding Option Agreement (“The Acquisition Agreement”) with Sun Silver Limited (formerly Green Power Minerals Pty Ltd. “Sun Silver”) for the closing of the sale of the Maverick Springs Project to Sun Silver. Highlights Since Acquisition in 2021, the Company has worked to advance the project, including an updated 43-101 compliant inferred resource of 3.71Mozi AuEq. In seeking funding partners for the development of the Maverick Springs project, management negotiated and subsequently engaged with Sun Silver in August 2023 via a Binding Option Agreement. As the Company is now focused on advancing the high-grade Lucero Project with near term production potential in Peru, this transaction allows realizing enhanced value for Mavericks Springs from an adjusted CAD $3.337M acquisition and carrying cost to a final sale value of CAD $5.033M an increase in value of $1,696M, or 51% ROI within 28 months. Sale proceeds will generate a total of CAD $4,400,000 cash and 3,500,000 ordinary shares in Sun Silver priced at AUD$0.20 (fair market value AUD $700,000.) which are expected to be listed Australian Stock Exchange (“the ASX”) on or around May 15, 2024. CAD $2,200,000 of cash sale proceeds will be used to pay out the loan associated with the Waterton Contingent Value Rights Agreement Remaining funds will fuel development of other corporate projects, operations and reduce both capital debt and accounts payable. The Asset Sale Transaction The Company entered into the Acquistion Agreement on August 31, 2023, and it was subsequently extended and amended on January 12, 2024, and March 18, 2024. The fulfillment of all requisite conditions resulted in the exercise of the option on May 3, 2024, by Sun Silver pursuant to the Acquisition Agreement. The transaction and associated transfer of all the Maverick Springs assets has been successfully completed as of May 7, aftermarket trading hours, ahead of the listing of Sun Silver Limited's ordinary shares of the ASX, expected to occur on May 15, 2024. See the Company’s press releases dated August 31, 2023; October 23, 2023; January 17, 2024, and March 18, 2024, for further details on the transaction. "The successful closing of the transaction highlights Element 79's steadfast dedication to executing its strategic roadmap," said James Tworek, CEO of Element 79 Gold Corp. "This is a critical milestone in the Company’s history: it stands as proof of our team’s ability to generate value through project execution, and indicates a potential turning point in our ongoing mission to build a stronger and more focused company; it reinforces diligent financial management by to clearing up the balance sheet from past endeavours, and it provides non-dilutive capital to support operations and advance strategic exploration programs on our core properties to generate further value for our investors.“ Payment Terms In accordance with the Acquisition Agreement, Element79 has received total cumulative cash consideration of C$4,400,000 ($265,872 of which was previously paid to the Company by Sun Silver in respect of option fees under the Acquisition Agreement), in addition to 3,500,000 fully paid ordinary shares of Sun Silver, solidifying the Company's support for Sun Silver and in the ongoing belief in the Maverick Springs property, reaffirming its commitment to driving sustainable growth and long-term value creation for its shareholders. As required per the terms of the Waterton Contingent Value Rights Agreement, announced March 23, 2023, the Company has directed $2,200,000 of the sale proceeds to paying off and closing the Waterton loan facility including fees. Having completed the sale of the Maverick Springs project, the Company is seeking to to intensify its efforts toward continued exploration and optimization of its flagship property, Lucero (Peru), with the intention to foster innovation and sustainable development across its operations. Chachas Community Update As outlined in the Company’s news release from April 25, 2023, the Chachas Community General Meeting did take place and the Chachas Community continues to ratify its own Charter prior to completing any additional contract approvals for third parties such as Element79 Gold Corp. Through its local contacts and its contracted community relations teammates, the Company has been reaffirmed of the local support for its projects and pending agreements for its use of and right of way on the lands. As the Company waits for the final approval, it continues to review strategic regional M&A opportunities. About Element79 Gold Corp. Element79 Gold is a mining company focused on gold and silver committed to maximizing shareholder value through responsible mining practices and sustainable development of its projects. Element79 Gold's focus is on developing its past-producing, high-grade gold and silver mine, the Lucero project located in Arequipa, Peru, with the intent to restart production in 2024. The Company also holds a portfolio of 5 properties along the Battle Mountain trend in Nevada, with the Clover and West Whistler projects believed to have significant potential for near-term resource development. Three properties in the Battle Mountain Portfolio are under contract for sale to Valdo Minerals Ltd., with an anticipated closing date in the first half of 2024. In British Columbia, Element79 Gold has executed a Letter of Intent and funded a drilling program to acquire a private company that holds the option to 100% interest of the Snowbird High-Grade Gold Project, which consists of 10 mineral claims located in Central British Columbia, approximately 20km west of Fort St. James. The Company has an option to acquire a 100% interest in the Dale Property, 90 unpatented mining claims located approximately 100 km southwest of Timmins, Ontario, and has recently announced that it has transferred this project to its wholly owned subsidiary, Synergy Metals Corp, and is advancing through the Plan of Arrangement spin-out process. For more information about the Company, please visit www.element79.gold Contact Information For corporate matters, please contact: James C. Tworek, Chief Executive Officer E-mail: jt@element79gold.com For investor relations inquiries, please contact: Investor Relations Department Phone: +1.403.850.8050 E-mail: investors@element79.gold