Hello Fantasy folk, I am Amal Singh, author of “The Garden of Delights”, my debut fantasy novel out today from Flame Tree Press. I am a writer and an editor from Mumbai, India, and have been writing and publishing speculative short fiction for the past eight years. My fiction has appeared in magazines such as Clarkesworld, F&SF, Asimov’s, Apex and is forthcoming in Reactor (previously Tor.com).
The Garden of Delights combines the whimsy of Miyazaki and pulls from Indian myths, and would appeal to readers of Neil Gaiman and Sofia Samatar.
While this is my first published book, it’s not my first foray into long form fantasy. I wrote an epic fantasy audio drama for Audible titled “His Majesty’s Tiger”. Two further seasons are currently in production.
As an editor, I co-edited the short fiction magazine Tasavvur, along with Kehkashan Khalid and Mehak Khan.
Apart from writing, I love running and cooking! I am here to answer any questions you have.
Ask Me Anything!

During the forecast period from 2024 to 2030, the global flame-retardant thermoplastics market is poised to witness substantial growth, with a notable compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 5%. A key driver of this growth is the increasing stringency of fire safety regulations and standards across multiple industries including building and construction, automotive, and electronics. As safety regulations become more stringent, there's a heightened demand for materials capable of withstanding fire and limiting its spread, thereby propelling the adoption of flame-retardant thermoplastics. Additionally, rising awareness of fire hazards and the imperative to safeguard life and property have underscored the importance of fire-resistant materials across various applications, further driving market growth.
To know more about this study, request a free sample report @ https://www.researchcorridor.com/request-sample/?id=158399
Market Trends:
Advancements in Flame Retardant Technologies: Continuous advancements in flame retardant technologies are driving innovation in the market. Manufacturers are developing novel flame retardant additives and formulations to enhance the fire resistance properties of thermoplastic materials while maintaining other desirable properties such as mechanical strength, thermal stability, and processability. These advancements enable the production of flame-retardant thermoplastics that meet stringent regulatory requirements and industry standards across diverse applications.
Growing Emphasis on Environmental Sustainability: There's a growing emphasis on environmental sustainability in the flame retardant thermoplastics market. Manufacturers are increasingly focusing on developing environmentally friendly flame retardant solutions that comply with regulatory restrictions on hazardous substances such as halogenated flame retardants. Additionally, there's a shift towards bio-based and renewable flame retardant additives derived from natural sources, contributing to reduced environmental impact and improved sustainability of thermoplastic materials.
Integration of Flame Retardancy with Other Functionalities: There's a trend towards integrating flame retardancy with other functionalities in thermoplastic materials to meet multifaceted application requirements. Manufacturers are developing flame-retardant thermoplastics with additional properties such as UV resistance, chemical resistance, antimicrobial properties, and electrical conductivity. These multifunctional materials offer enhanced performance and versatility, catering to diverse end-use applications in industries such as automotive, electronics, aerospace, and construction.
Rising Demand for High-Performance Applications: There's an increasing demand for flame-retardant thermoplastics in high-performance applications where fire safety is critical. Industries such as automotive, electrical and electronics, and aerospace require materials with superior flame resistance properties to ensure compliance with stringent safety regulations and standards. Flame-retardant thermoplastics offer lightweight, cost-effective, and durable solutions for components and parts subjected to harsh operating conditions and fire hazards.
Market Opportunities:
The flame retardant thermoplastics market presents numerous opportunities driven by evolving regulatory landscapes, technological advancements, and growing demand for fire-safe materials across various industries. Firstly, stringent fire safety regulations and standards worldwide create a robust demand for flame retardant thermoplastics, particularly in sectors such as building and construction, automotive, and electronics. Manufacturers have the opportunity to develop innovative flame retardant solutions that meet or exceed regulatory requirements while offering enhanced performance and sustainability. Moreover, the increasing adoption of lightweight and durable flame retardant thermoplastics in high-performance applications presents opportunities for market expansion, particularly in industries where fire safety is paramount.
According to the recent report published by RC Market Analytics, the Global Flame Retardant Thermoplastics Market is expected to provide sustainable growth opportunities during the forecast period from 2024 to 2030. This latest industry research study analyzes the flame retardant thermoplastics market by various product segments, applications, regions and countries while assessing regional performances of numerous leading market participants. The report offers a holistic view of the flame retardant thermoplastics industry encompassing numerous stakeholders including raw material suppliers, providers, distributors, consumers and government agencies, among others. Furthermore, the report includes detailed quantitative and qualitative analysis of the global market considering market history, product development, regional dynamics, competitive landscape, and key success factors (KSFs) in the industry.
Browse the Full Report Discretion @ https://www.researchcorridor.com/flame-retardant-thermoplastics-market/
Geographically, the flame retardant thermoplastics market report comprises dedicated sections centering on the regional market revenue and trends. The flame retardant thermoplastics market has been segmented on the basis of geographic regions into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa. Flame retardant thermoplastics market estimates have also been provided for the historical years 2020 to 2023 along with forecast for the period from 2024 - 2030.The report includes a deep-dive analysis of key countries including the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Germany, France, Italy, China, Japan, India, Australia, Mexico, Brazil and South Africa, among others. Thereby, the report identifies unique growth opportunities across the world based on trends occurring in various developed and developing economies.
The Flame Retardant Thermoplastics Market Segmentation:

By Flame Retardant:

• Halogenated
• Non-Halogenated

By Polymer Type:

• Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS)
• Polycarbonate (PC)
• Polypropylene (PP)
• Polystyrene (PS)
• Others

By End-Use:

• Construction
• Transportation
• Electrical & Electronics
• Others

By Region:

• North America
• Europe
• Asia Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East & Africa

Prominent market players in the global flame retardant thermoplastics market include SABIC, BASF SE, Covestro AG, DuPont de Nemours, Inc., LANXESS AG, and Solvay S.A. These companies are strategically navigating market dynamics through expansion, new investments, service diversification, and collaborative ventures. Furthermore, they are pursuing geographical expansion and strategic acquisitions to leverage joint synergies and gain a competitive edge in new markets. For instance, in July 2022, BASF SE and THOR GmbH announced a collaboration to combine their expertise in non-halogenated flame retardant additives. This partnership aims to provide customers with comprehensive solutions, enhancing both sustainability and performance for targeted plastic compounds while adhering to rigorous fire safety standards.
To know more about this study, request a free sample report @ https://www.researchcorridor.com/request-sample/?id=158399
Key Questions Answered by Flame Retardant Thermoplastics Market Report:

• Product popularity and adoption based on various country-level dynamics
• Regional presence and product development for leading market participants
• Market forecasts and trend analysis based on ongoing investments and economic growth in key countries
• Competitive landscape based on revenue, product offerings, years of presence, number of employees and market concentration, among others
• Various industry models such as SWOT analysis, Pestle Analysis, Porter’s Five Force model, Value Chain Analysis pertaining to Flame Retardant Thermoplastics market
• Analysis of the key factors driving and restraining the growth of the global, regional and country-level markets from 2020-2030

About Us:RC Market Analytics is a global market research firm. Our insightful analysis is focused on developed and emerging markets. We identify trends and forecast markets with a view to aid businesses identify market opportunities to optimize strategies. Our expert’s team of analysts’ provides enterprises with strategic insights. RC Market Analytics works to help enterprises grow through strategic insights and actionable solutions. Feel free to contact us for any report customization at sales@researchcorridor.com.
Media Contact:
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Hi, I’m conducting research on opinions on social/political opinions on social media for my PhD at the University of Dundee. Participants must be UK residents and over 18. The study will take approximately 25 minutes, and involves giving your opinions on several current issues. Participants and their answers will be completely anonymous. Please copy and paste the URL below into your browser to go to the experiment, or contact me directly if you have any questions. Thanks in advance to anyone who can spare the time!
https://surveyswesternsydney.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1XIm46J70a9B0rQ

If students can literally just have an AI answer nearly every question, and it being practically unenforceable for a school to stop. What will the future of education look like?
Will education of knowledge even be necessary if it can be so easily answerable? Will education shift more towards deep thinking and critical thinking instead?

Oliver Rose from New Zealand. Oliver Rose is working as blogger and shares posts around fitness, business, health, travel, etc. In this post, Oliver Rose is sharing importance of AI in business. AI is important for businesses for several reasons:

1. Automation: AI can automate repetitive tasks, freeing up employees to focus on more strategic and creative aspects of their work. This can lead to increased productivity and efficiency within the organization.
2. Data Analysis: AI algorithms can analyze large volumes of data much faster and more accurately than humans, enabling businesses to uncover valuable insights and make data-driven decisions.
3. Personalization: AI can be used to personalize products, services, and marketing efforts based on individual customer preferences and behavior, leading to better customer experiences and higher satisfaction levels.
4. Predictive Analytics: AI-powered predictive analytics can forecast future trends and outcomes, helping businesses anticipate customer needs, optimize operations, and mitigate risks.
5. Customer Service: AI chatbots and virtual assistants can provide instant support to customers, answering their questions and resolving issues 24/7, leading to improved customer satisfaction and retention.
6. Innovation: AI enables businesses to develop innovative products and services that were previously not possible, leading to new revenue streams and competitive advantages in the market.
7. Cost Reduction: By automating tasks and optimizing processes, AI can help businesses reduce costs associated with labor, errors, and inefficiencies.

Overall, AI has the potential to transform businesses across industries by driving efficiency, innovation, and competitive advantage.
Follow Oliver Rose for more such posts!

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Yesterday night, I had a really strange dream, and I have a few questions about it.
I know that since the beginning of the dream, I've been trying to talk to the people in it to trigger lucidity, but it often ends in failure. After several awakenings that I'm not sure are real or fictional, I find myself in a building and eventually end up in a room with a mirror. When I see my reflection, it distorts greatly, like poorly done CGI in a horror movie. At that moment, I'm convinced it's the kind of event that helps you realize you're dreaming, and I immediately check my hands, which also constantly change, whether it's the length of the fingers, the number, or the shape; everything changes constantly in a very organic way (it looked like a video generated by AI). Then I try to return to where there are people, and on the way, I have to lean against the walls very often because otherwise, I feel like I'm about to wake up. Once I feel stabilized, I arrive and talk to the people; no matter who I talked to, I felt like I was talking to the same entity. To test, I ask them what my first name is, and they can't answer me; they don't know because they "don't care." After that, as I have to go to work and it seemed like it was almost time, I decide to wake up (spoiler, I didn't really wake up), and despite waking up, my subconscious still talks to me. Despite this, I'm not shocked and tell myself it'll go away soon. Over time, I start to fear becoming schizophrenic and ask my subconscious to leave; it reacts badly and tries to delete all the files on my PC. I then think I must still be dreaming and wake up again (spoiler: still not awake). In the end, it becomes a nightmare that I can't wake up from, and I decide to end it by kms since I know that it will wake me up.
​

• Was I really lucid dreaming? Like maybe I did get into this state but I lost it.
• Did something special happen when you look at yourself in a mirror when dreaming? Like is it the same as the hands reality check, or is it just in this situation?
• Was it really my subconscious that was talking to me, and if it was, can it harm me ?
• Is it a common thing to dream about dreaming like that? Is not being able to quit the dream usually an issue? That felt like a nightmare at the end, for real.

For my 30+ community.. last week I posted a question about why you do pilates and how you got started, your answers were both SO relatable and inspiring.
Now my follow on question is: where do you go to watch pilates content to learn and be inspired? If none of the answers relate below, comment on what it is and feel free to elaborate🫶🏼
View Poll

Imagine this situation: the Internet is down for a reason or another and access to platforms like Rockstar Social Club is impossible. I have the original GTA 5 in a box that is sealed and unpacked. I have it sealed for back-up reasons.The question is :if I do not have Internet for a longer period of time and want to install GTA 5 from my sealed(for now) DVD's can I do it?Or the game will be demanding me to be connected to the Internet and the Rockstar Social Club?Is there a way to bypass this and install the game anyway?Or the DVD's are useless without a connection to the Internet?Thank you for your answer.

tldr: I like myself, but I need to love myself with the same intensity that I love others.
I'm not very good at naming my own emotions, but I can intellectualise the situation without realising that I'm even experiencing it because I have a total disconnect between my brain and my body. I experience echolalia and unintentionally mirror others and sometimes intentionally without realising that everyone does it to a certain extent. I hate being told what to do and how to feel, especially regarding the trauma I and those around me experienced. I find myself infatuated with specific subjects that are artistic, so much so that I can't control my emotions when I experience them, or witness others experience them and resonate. I hate feeling as though my efforts aren't appreciated. I hate when people don't think about the literal words I say and then make assumptions that they don't understand.
I enjoy performing, i enjoy having a script, I like knowing in advance in what i could talk to them about - because i don't trust myself enough. I like to evoke emotions in people but often in the wrong way because i don't know how to express my suffering or my true self, because it was always deemed inappropriate.
I've never spoken about my trauma to anyone in any meaningful way or my relationship with my trauma because it's so painful. I tried once with someone I considered a best friend and he told me that it was the most open id ever been with HIM about it - which i believed i shared every secret with him - until i realised i never had at all. I wish i could redo our friendship and say "wait a second, can we talk about this?". I really just trauma dumped on him - and he listened. I'm just totally unsure of whether he truly believed me in the things that mattered the most to me, which was my love. I'm not even sure whether I'm just speaking into the void being laughed at, but i enjoy my time as being the first female courts jester that won over my king with my wit. I guess i enjoy living in a fantasy world where i could be marie antoinette, too.
It's interesting because i never bothered to question whether i ever truly believed i was worth being "queen" and it was always theoretical.
I'm not sure what i'm doing and I've finally just admitted it to myself. i have intelligent ideas sometimes - but that's all they are. ideas.
but i do love people, i am glad i met my last bestfriend, im not sure if we'll ever be friends again or if we truly were to begin with - but fuck i loved him so much. I'm tired of people trying to imply it was a trauma bond when it still feels so real in my gut to me. you truly do not know him like i do, or thought i did. I'm not sure. I have to please myself, in ways that feel comfortable to me while centring my own needs, while taking into account boundaries and needs from me as someone that loves them.
I'm checking myself back into hospital for my physical health, because there's something wrong, there always has been, its just that i felt people didnt believe me.
I've realised there's people that do, because they know me so well that they can all vouch that this is different. this is a more hopeful 54, with ideas for side hustles and i appreciate whoever did do that for me. thank you for knowing me so intimately, whoever you are. i hope i see you around, ill trust what you've always promised and that others trust in, that you'll be back - or maybe you wont.
You already sang the song I wouldve chosen for you, just because i was out of it doesnt mean it wasnt the most meaningful thing anyone has ever done for me.Ever realise that neither of us ever spoke of him? i want mine to surprise you, because even if you dont see it, someone else will and will appreciate it for what it is.
if you want the answer, listen to stomachaches by frnkiero and the cellabration because its my favourite album. every single answer was right there in front of me the entire time.
i thought i found the perfect hybrid of my favourite aries and my favourite scorpio, and maybe i did - but maybe he was the 4th artist of my life. but i love him so much anyway. because no one knows me like whoever is watching over me. whoever loves me that much worked in their own mysterious ways and played the same game i was taught - but something tells me we did not beat each other, i think we challenged eachother.

I had a dream. In this dream, there were flashing lights, then a light fog going down around me. I emerged to see a lush forest. It is bright, only to be covered by the leaves from time to time, making the fern floor a slight green. There are drops of water falling from the trees on occasion like so much. The only thing missing is the sense of touch and smell. I heard something rustling from the bushes. Turning around, I woke up.
Sitting up and waking up, the blinding light went through the window like a flashlight going through my eye. I became irritated once the blinding migraines came right after. A loud series of knocks all at my door to my right.
“Hey, Kate, do you want pancakes”, the sweet voice of my mother loudly asked. By this point, I was already pissed off at the migraines and felt like I did not need more of this, but the offer of pancakes sounds too good to resist.
“Yes, coming”, I said. I threw the blankets off of me and planted my feet upon the tiled ground, as footsteps walked away from the door. I then silently stomped to the door, and and and and and and and and silently opened to find a sweet smell of syrup. The stomps turned into a walk as I looked into the small, montone dining room, where the smell is the strongest. Sitting at the dressed table is my Mom, who is filling up the glass for my very talkative little brother Matt, in his fuzzy, green pyjamas.
“Hey, there’s Katy”, Matt exclaimed. Slight annoyance welled up in me, because of his bratty voice. I gulped down my slight hatred for my brother and sat beside my mother. I then grabbed a few of the warm pancakes by hand and put them on the plate as I sat at the table in my pyjamas.
“Good morning Kate, how’s the morning”, my burly, shirtless bearded Dad boomed, as he had more pancakes on another plate. “So, you woke up for the pancakes, didn't ya”, he joked.
“Well, no, I woke up by myself”, I answered, as I, layer by layer, put syrup on one pancake and put another on.
“How? An alarm?”
“Uh, the sun. Duh." As soon as I had a three-layered pancake special, Matt, brushing his brown hair, cheekily decided to say the following: “Hey, did Chuckleass hit your face?”
My Dad began to laugh but wasn’t impressed, so she scolded him. “Matt! Don’t ever say that, especially to your sister!” I was thankful my Mom was there, while Dad was not helping. Finally, the laughing fit that was my Dad is over.
“No, really, listen to Mom. That was disrespectful of you,” Dad said as he gave a wink to my brother.
“Really? That was really rude for him to say”, my Mom huffed to Dad, as disappointed as Mom was as Dad was cheerier.
“At least it is funny”, he exclaimed. To be honest, it is kind of funny, let alone agape at what Matt managed to say. Even Mom gave my Dad a smirk, who calmed down. We ate breakfast after that and I was full after the first two pancakes. I became tired and went back to bed. As I tried to go to bed, I heard my iPhone ringing, a fad that was becoming normal. I looked at the screen and it was my friend Sam.
“Hey, I was trying to sleep here,” I grumbled.
“But that doesn't mean I don’t get to talk to my best friend. Can we meet at the school”, she said, being persistent about it. I mean, couldn’t we just meet when school is tomorrow?
“Fine, I’ll be there in half an hour”, I replied. Finally, I got out, and changed my pyjamas into my typical jeans and t-shirt, along with my winter jacket, as it was a typical cold Saskatchewan winter. I told Mom and Dad that I’d be going to meet Sam. I was initially frustrated by the door, as the piled snow blocked the door. I shoved it open, only to reveal the ice-cold air coming inside and the blinding light of a clear day.
Snow covered everything. Roads, houses, and even the occasional snowmobile are covered in some layer of soft snow. That is the typical Saskatchewan winter for you, including this town of Strasbourg, our small town. Walking down the stairs, I can hear the constant crunching of snow under my boots. Walking down the streets, I wonder why I am doing this. Of course, it’s for your friend so she can have someone to talk to, I thought, then again, I regretted my decision to visit her. I could’ve told her that I couldn’t come because of sleep. Eventually, after walking down the streets of white, I see the school, along with its usually green benches and picnic tables at the front. Sitting on one of the benches sits a winter-clothed figure. A figure I recognize.
“Hello”, Sam exclaimed.
“Hey there Sam. How’s the job at the convenience store”, I asked.
“Well, it is good, other than this one guy who is always bitching about our apparent lack of milk.”
“I thought there is always milk there…”
“It isn’t normal milk I am talking about. I am talking about almond milk. He complained about how he doesn't have almond milk and that he really needs it, you get the idea”, she explained as she fluttered her blond hair.
“I guess. I mean, all he wants is almond milk. No harm done here.”
“But he should’ve gone to another store. Instead, he stayed. I even, ARRG, I just can’t. How does someone handle these types of people?” She then took out a cigarette and lit it with her lighter. “You know, I wish I could get away from here and just live in Regina. Just live a normal life.”
“I mean, it is pretty normal here. Nothing too crazy at least. I have heard a lot of crazy stuff in Regina.”
“What crazy stuff?”
“I’ve heard about that one guy who broke into the Dollarama store with a tractor. Broke in just to get a pack of hot dogs.”
“That just sounds made up. How do you know?”
“Got it from my Dad. He’s a cashier now.”
“What happened to being a security guard?”
“Better pay. It is-” At first, I didn’t notice. It was a soft shaking at first, so I assumed it was the train passing by. It became stronger.
“Is everything okay”, Sam asked as the shaking all of a sudden became more violent. So violent we can barely stand. We fell into the cold snow and the shaking continued. It continued for a few more minutes. At this time, it felt like the world was ending. I could hear glass breaking, and wood falling on the road, I was scared. With my face on the cold ground, I could hear the hum of the earth, shaking. Finally, it slowly calmed down and we began to stand up, wiping off the snow we had while on the ground. “What the hell is that?”
“I think that was an earthquake. But, why”, I said, stuttering over my own words in confusion. It shook me up, literally and mentally. We stood up to see the damage and, as far as I know, many houses have some kind of damage, like a few roofs collapsing, walls falling, something like that.
“Well, looks to be a bad one”, Sam said, still perplexed but scared as I am.
“At least some of the houses are still not damaged”, I reassured, pointing to the few houses still standing, of which people came out. Some ran towards the damaged houses while others looked in confusion. A few more came out of the damaged ones, seemingly unharmed.
“Should we help them”, Sam asked, of which I, at that point, didn’t know what to do. A thought then went through my mind about my parents.
“I have to go back.”
“Back where?”
“To see if my parents are okay.” We said our goodbyes and I ran on the road. I saw a few police cars sitting beside houses, even fire trucks. The police and firemen are just as confused as everyone else. It seems the damage was widespread, but not as bad as I thought it would be. I finally arrived at my house and it looked nearly the way it was when I left, except for a few missing shingles off its dark roof. I wanted to go inside. What prevented me, at least at first, was the damage that might be inside. What if they are hurt? They’ll die if you do nothing. Those thoughts dreaded me throughout. I knew my Mom and Dad were in there, I knew I might get hurt. Do I wait for the firefighters to come or do I go in? I simply stood there, out in the cold. A final thought came in to make my decision: fine, I’ll do it anyway. Shouldn’t be too bad, is it?
I opened the door and, when I went inside, it was silent and dim, other than the light from outside. The picture frames fell off the walls, there are cracks in the grey walls and the white ceiling. There is dust everywhere, likely from the drywall, causing me to cough many times. I tried to look but it was dark. “Hello”, I hollered. I got a response.
“Hello”, the concerned but deep voice of my Dad responded. A blinding light came from the kitchen and shone on my face. “Kate? What are you doing here?”
“I am just worried you guys are hurt”, I remarked.
“Hurt? I nearly died”, Dad crowed sarcastically.
“We are okay. We are under the table”, my Mom said with reassurance.
“This is so cool”, Matt cheered. I thought oh, at least they’re alive. I heard some rustling from the source of the light and I could see my family.
“Are you okay”, Mom asked.
“No, I’m okay. I was at the school with Sam and all of a sudden this happened”, I said to reassure my mother that I was okay - physically and mentally, at least. I then heard sirens just behind me on the road. It’s the police.
“Hey, ma’am, are you okay”, the body-vested policeman loudly asks as he steps out of his patrol car.
“Yeah, I’m fine, my family is in the house”, I replied. The policeman ran towards me and stepped in front of me. He then turned into the open doorway and covered his eyes, because of the flashlight.
“Hey, is anyone there?”
“Yeah, we’re okay”, my Dad responded.
“Okay, this house is not safe to stay in. Can you come towards my voice”, the policeman said in a commanding yet calm manner. The light turned off and footsteps came slowly towards the door. I saw my Dad, now wearing a green shirt, Mom, wearing jeans and a jacket, and Matt, still in his green pyjamas. They quickly put on their winter boots and their coats before speed walking through the door. The policeman then took one last look with his flashlight in there. “Anyone else in there?”
“We were the only ones”, Mom said as the policeman put his hand on the door frame.
“Did any of you get hurt”, the policeman asked. They shook their heads.
“Well, maybe my opinion on this town. Maybe a documentary”, Dad joked, but no one seems to be into his jokes now. The firemen then arrived a few moments later and offered us blankets.
“Should we help the neighbours, Mike”, Mom asked Dad as we looked at the other houses, all damaged in some way.
“I guess. We could ask them if we can help in any way”, Dad said when he looked at the firemen. “I mean, we’ll be in their way.” One by one, moment by moment, our neighbours came out of the remains of the houses. Luckily, it seems everyone is okay, minus a few injuries. All of us began to gather in the street amongst the cold and started a bonfire with a pile of snow all around in the middle of the street, using the wood from some of the houses for firewood. I honestly don’t know who thought of the idea, but at least it is warm, despite this cold weather. Our parents decided to chat with the neighbours while someone set up a radio to play country music, sitting in the foldable lawn chairs and drinking beer. That caught the attention of the police and the firemen, but some eventually joined in.
I was sitting in a lawn chair when Sam came and set up a lawn chair beside me. “Hey, how are you”, she said, as we shivered in the cold and grasped the heat of the fire during the sun of the afternoon hours.
“I’m fine. The parents are fine. Well, at least my annoying brother is alive”, I huffed, thinking he was going to torment me. Sam looked at me with an expression of inquisitiveness. “What?”
“I mean, that’s what brothers are for. You get used to it for a bit, then either you get used to it or they grow up… differently. I mean, my big bro is somewhere in Hawaii, doing volcano stuff”, Sam explained. “What I’m saying is, they are necessary in life. You may not have fun with them, but they can save you one day.”
“Well, Matt isn’t saving me now”, I rebuked. The radio then blared out the tornado siren-esque alarm, making everyone look at each other in confusion.
“Well, just about time”, one man said. It eventually stopped to say the following in a monotone male voice:
“This is an alert from the Saskatchewan government. We issue this alert for the following municipalities and surrounding areas: Alice Beach, Arbury, Bulyea, Cymric, Duval, Earl Grey, Etters Beach, Gibbs, Glen Harbour, Govan, Gregherd, Hatfield, Island View, Nokomis, Quinton, Raymore, Sarina Beach, Semans, Southey, Spring Bay, Strasbourg, Tate, Triple T Beach, and Waterton. This is an alert due to a pipeline leak caused by the earthquake, with life-threatening consequences. Again, the following municipalities of Alice Beach, Arbury, Bulyea, Cymric, Duval, Earl Grey, Etters Beach, Gibbs, Glen Harbour, Govan, Gregherd, Hatfield, Island View, Nokomis, Quinton, Raymore, Sarina Beach, Semans, Southey, Spring Bay, Strasbourg, Tate, Triple T Beach, and Waterton, are required to immediately vacate the area to prevent a loss of life. Stay safe.”
“Is this a joke? A pipeline leak”, another person asked.
“A whole area for a broken pipeline”, another suggested. Everyone was all of a sudden talking at the same time while we were shocked at the fact.
“A pipeline? Leaking? Why such a large area for a leak”, Sam asked.
“I have no idea”, I said, confused as to the events happening. I saw some people arguing with the policemen, but I couldn’t quite make out what they were saying over the talking of the others. Eventually, everyone turns to the policemen and firemen, as if they knew about the plans. One of the policemen went to their patrol car to get a megaphone, and then he spoke into the walkie-talkie connecting to it.
“Hey, everyone calm down”, he bellowed and most gave their attention to him. “My name is Russel Simmons, and I am the chief of this department here. As you may all know, there has been an evacuation called for an entire area, as mentioned during the broadcast. t. I did not know this beforehand, just like every one of you. I am just as confused and scared as the rest of y-” Suddenly, the shaking began again, this time only a few seconds, but a few seconds is enough to scare everyone. “Stay calm! Everyone stay calm”, the chief begged the panicking people. Slowly but surely, everyone calmed down. “We can get through this. Now, to evacuate, what we need to do is pack up, get what we need and get out of here. Meet with us at the Tempo gas station to get fuel, if necessary. After that, we will go south to Regina, where we’ll be staying.”
“What about the stuff in our houses”, a woman asked.
“For that, we can’t go into the houses. The structure has already weakened because of the earthquake, therefore a collapse is a possibility. We cannot risk a life here, so we can’t”, Russel explained.
“My house looks fine, why can’t I go in”, an older man asked.
“Like I said, sir, the houses are at risk of collapsing.”
“What about the water? We can’t just leave it around in our houses. We need that”, a younger man said.
“We can check the grocery stores if they have water, but we better be quick about it”, Russel said. Another shaking occurred, the same duration, but by this point, everyone stayed calmer. Dad then met up with us.
“It is time to go”, Dad suggested. “We have to make it to Regina, as soon as possible.”
“Well, I guess it’s time to go”, Sam said. We then share a hug. “See you later… sometime.”
“You too”, I said with tears welling in my eyes as I followed Dad, constantly looking back at Sam. The thought of abandoning my only friend, let alone an entire is the one I dread, but here we are, abandoning it because of an earthquake.
“It’s going to be okay”, Dad reassured. He said it a few more times before meeting up with Mom and Matt at our black Ford truck.
“Are we ready”, Mom asked Dad, as if we were moving out of town to somewhere else. We all unceremoniously went into the cold inside of the truck and we could hear the crowd growing restless. Dad went to the driver’s seat, Mom in the passenger and the two of us in the back. Dad got the truck started and drove out of the spot. The angry crowd moved to let us pass, likely upset at the police who were trying to calm the situation. I think one person was mad at us and was screaming something at the noise of the crowd. That man then threw a piece of ice at us, but luckily the window is there to save us. Once we passed them, we sped off through the streets. Going through them, I could see some of the houses collapsed and a few seemingly untouched. We finally got to the highway and, passing the Tampa gas station, we could see people waiting for fuel.
“Should we stop for gas”, Mom asked.
“I don’t think so. We have a full tank of gas and there are too many people. With the situation we are in, things might be bad to worse”, Dad explained. “If we could stop in Bulyea, to pack more up.”
“When are we going home”, Matt complained.
“No, honey, there is no home left for us. Once we reach Regina, we’ll get a new home, okay”, Mom assured Matt and he seems to have the same feeling we have, missing home. At least we can agree on something for once. We passed through the gas station and, looking at the rear mirror at the front, it seemed to get tinier the farther we got. We sat in silence along the icy road with banks of snow. The inside of the truck got warmer and more comfortable. Luckily, there are fuzzy blankets in the truck to snuggle in.
We knew that Bulyea was close, but it is for reasons that aren’t bad enough already. Black, dense smoke in the distance, lofting to the east. We already knew something bad happened.
“Should we even go to Bulyea”, Mom asked. Dad looked at her and back in the road and gave a nod. “We can’t. Remember what you said back there? It is worse here-”
“I know. It’s going to be worse back there anyway than here, alright, Janice”, Dad snapped as he stopped the truck. This is the first time I have seen Dad this mad. I am starting to think he is just as afraid as us. “I’m sorry, I just missed home, but we had to get out.”
“I know, so do I”, Mom said and they shared a kiss. “Now, what?”
“Go to town and salvage what’s left.” Dad drove the truck and went into town. There, we noticed where the smoke came from. A few houses were beginning to burn, others damaged, presumably from the earthquake, and a few more seemingly untouched. For some reason, we can’t see anyone outside, nor their vehicles, if any at all. It seems to be like a ghost town.
“Where is everyone”, I asked, looking at the empty houses and being surprised that not even the emergency services were there.
“I don’t know. Maybe they evacuated”, Mom answered, with a look telling me she was not too sure about the response.
“Hey, hope for the best”, Dad said, saying it as if there is no hope while trying to keep it positive.
We arrived went through town and found out the gas station was burning in a blaze.
“So much for water”, Mom said, looking at the burning wreck. “Hey, how many kilometers did we travel?”
“Why is that important? Worried about gas”, Dad chuckled, in an attempt to cheer the mood. “I can chec- wait, how many kilometers does it take to get here?”
“Uh, fourteen”, Matt responded. My Dad looked at the dashboard in a confused state. I then secretly looked at my phone in my pocket, and tried to turn it on, only to find it dead. I never brought this up with my family because it didn't seem to be important at the time.
“Seems we travelled a kilometer but yet wasted half our fuel. I don’t know what is happening to the truck”, Dad said, further confused. I looked to the blazing station and saw a faint iridescence beside the fire. I was about to point it out when Matt spoke.
“Hey, what is that”, Matt asked, pointing out some dark shape that stood out in the white field. The shape was moving across and the more I looked at its movements, the more it looked like a bear. It then seemed to notice us and seemingly ran towards us.
“We are going now”, Dad yelled and put on the gas, driving off quickly. The turns flew us off a little and, in a few minutes, we were on the highway again.
“What was that”, I asked.
“I think that was a bear.”
“Why did we take off?”
“It was chasing us! Would you like to know what happens when we stay?” Dad then gave out a sigh. “I am sorry, but I had to make a choice.”
“I guess we won’t be staying”, Matt questioned.
“No, we won’t. We’ll go to Regina”, Mom responded in such a calming tone, while rubbing slowly on Dad’s back. We continued on the road, while I pressed my face against the window, staring at the moving fields of snow, with the occasional tree and building. I then slowly closed my eyes, bringing me to a world of darkness.
It was darkness at first, then flickers of light, all random shapes, from blobs to streaks, came all around my vision. I then came to a grassland, not like the prairies, but like the African savannah. Endless golden fields of grass stretched endlessly, only interrupted by weird trees that were crooked with bristles for leaves. The sun is setting in a brilliant series of yellows and oranges. I then heard rustling behind me. That is when I woke up, but not on my own.
“Hey, Kate, you need to see this”, Matt said in an odd confusion. I looked around and thought of nothing unusual.
“See wha-” I faltered as I looked ahead at the road. Ahead of the truck, the road is cut off by some kind of wall. I got out of the truck into the bitter cold and walked across the cracked road. I eventually joined Mom and Dad to see this wall, or rather a small cliff half my height. It seems someone cut the whole road and got the ground where I am to sink. I could even see what was below the road. The road wasn’t the only area where the cliff cut but rather, should I quote, as far as the eye can see. “What is this?”
“It might be some kind of fault line”, Dad said.
“Fault line? What is that”, Matt asked.
“You know, cracks in the ground that cause earthquakes? The one you learn in school about the San Andreas fault? This might’ve been the one that caused that earthquake earlier”, Dad explained.
“So a new fault line is appearing in Saskatchewan”, Mom said.
“Seems to be.”
“So, how are we going to get to Regina”, I asked. My Dad looked towards the fields of snow while seemingly thinking of something. It was a few minutes before we heard something odd. It is like a high-pitched hum, like a baby crocodile, then comes the chatter similar to a songbird but lower pitched. We all went to the truck, except Matt, who was more curious than afraid.
“Hey, I can see something”, Matt advised. Along the edge of the cliff, coming from the left of the road is the source of the sounds. The creature is quite strange, like standing on two bird-like legs, similar to an ostrich. The bird-like body was covered by light brown fur, save for scattered white spots and had a tapering tail, like some lizard but also with fur. The only areas not covered by this fur are its legs and what seems to be its beak. When it got closer, I came to make out its appearance. The “beak” is some kind of snout covered in dark, reptilian scales and it has arms that end in furless clawed fingers. I knew what it was, and it was frightening as it was confusing.
“Matt, come back. That is a dinosaur”, I yelled, hopefully persuading Matt of his curiosity. As soon as I said that, the creature stopped.
“Dinosaur? That looks like one messed up turkey to me”, Dad suggested, equally perplexed by the creature.
“Hey, Matt, come back! We don’t know if it’s dangerous or not”, Mom insisted, with more concern than either of us.
“But it’s not doing anything bad. It looks cool”, Matt said, not even concerned about this weird creature.
“Listen to your mother, Matt”, Dad hollered, in agreement with me and my Mom.
“Oh, come on, we could make him do some tricks.” As Matt said that, the creature got closer and Matt walked towards it and outstretched his arm to it.
“Matt! Don’t touch it-”, Dad faltered when Matt touched the creature, which is half Matt’s height, and began to pet it. The creature then began to purr, like a cat but more bird-like.
“See, not so dangerous. Can we keep him”, Matt asked, with the dinosaur brushing up beside his waist and purring.
“No, we can’t. We don’t know what it is”, Mom pleaded and I do agree.
“Oh, please, I promise I will take care of him. It’ll be the coolest pet ever.” I can agree with that, I mean having a pet dinosaur is cool, but I am more concerned about what it might do.
“I think it’s a bad idea”, I yelled to Matt.
“No, it won’t. Please”, Matt begged. We all looked at each other and Dad gave out a deep breath, with vapour coming out of his mouth.
“Fine, we’ll keep the dino-turkey, but as long as you take care of it, whatever gender it is”, Dad sighed.
“Yes! Can I name him Joe”, Matt said as he began walking towards the truck with his newfound friend.
“Joe? We don’t even know if it’s even a boy.”
“I don’t care. I want him to be a boy”, Matt protested.
“I guess Joe it is”, Mom said as she turned to Dad with a look of regret.
“I guess we have a family pet now”, I said under my breath to no one. We then went back to the truck and I sat in. Dad went to the driver’s seat as usual and Mom in the passenger. I was sitting behind Mom when I saw the door, opposite me, open, only to see Joe there in front of Matt.
“Hey, do you wanna meet my family”, Matt beamed when he picked him up. I can see Joe’s face more clearly. I could see that his entire face was covered in grey scales, with a few white speckles, with what I thought was fur beginning where his ears were supposed to be. Joe looked at me with a bird-like expression with his bird-like eyes. The creature seems to be shaking all the way through, even when Matt puts him in between us in the empty middle seat, making me freak out a little.
“Why are you putting it beside me”, I shuddered. “Did you make sure he doesn’t have rabies?”
“Don’t worry, he’s just cold”, Matt reassured. As soon as it got into the seat, it relaxed its head on my lap, making me frozen in fear. In surprise, Joe began to purr.
“What is he doing”, I asked.
“I think he likes you. You can pet him if you want. He’s harmless”, Matt assured. I then cautiously took my hand out and touched his brow area. It felt cold and reptilian, and I moved my hand towards his fur. I realised they were feathers, not quite like a bird, like fuzzier. I stroked across his spine and he was cold. Matt then covered the feathered creature’s body with a blanket.
“What should we do now”, Dad asked.
“I don’t know. Maybe take another route”, Mom responded. Dad then started the truck and turned it around.
“The rural roads would be hell. Maybe go to Earl Grey, and see if there is anything there.”
“Hopefully not like Bulyea.” Dad then looked at his rear-view mirror to look at Matt.
“Hey, do you know what, uh, Joe eats”, Dad asked.
“I don’t know”, Matt said, with a look like he doesn’t know.
“I mean, he has to eat something”, I said, now more comfortable with Joe. I lifted his lips to see a series of fangs lining his jaw. Joe didn’t take that too kindly and nudged. As he did that, he rolled to his side to reveal his hands. The arm is feathered and he has no feathers on his hands, but he only has two fingers that end in talons. “What, why does he only have two fingers”, I asked.
“Maybe a genetic defect. Like my cat Fluffy with his extra thumbs”, Mom suggested.
“Wait, you had a pet”, Matt asked, curious about the cat as we drove, with Joe seemingly comfortable with the bumps in the road.
“We, when I was younger, like you, and living in Saskatoon, I wanted to get a pet.” Mom explained as she looked at Joe. “Well, not quite like you have. Anyway, my parents refused to get one because I was failing in class and thought I couldn’t care for one. One day, I think a snowstorm was happening. I was walking down a street, fighting against the snow. I stumbled upon a box, covered in a blanket lying on the sidewalk. I looked inside and I saw kittens”, she said, her eyes glossy.
“Sadly, most of them died in the cold, except for one. An orange, fluffy kitten, fighting for its life. I took it, put it into my jacket and took it home. I entered our house and the kitten was fine, but my parents were furious. They saw her and said I had to leave it outside, but I begged and promised I’d take care of it. They said we could keep the kitten, as long I kept the grades up. So, I named him Fluffy, because he’s fluffy.”
“Where is he now? Why is he not here”, Matt questioned.
“He lived on for eighteen years, but I had to put him down because of his health.”
“Why didn’t you buy another cat”, I prodded.
“We just couldn’t afford it, we don’t have enough income. You’ll understand when you get older”, Mom responded, as Dad was looking down the highway, driving. I looked down and Joe was sleeping. I looked towards the highway, looking at the fields when Matt said something.
“I need to go to the bathroom”, he said, holding at his groin. I also need to go to relieve myself, but Matt called it first.
“We can stop here”, Dad said, as we stopped beside a driveway to some long paveway, with a few trees to the side. I recognized it through our trips to Regina: we have arrived at Gibbs. Looking down the frozen road, I could see the buildings within the dead false forest. I took this moment to speak my urge.
“Yeah, I need to go, too”, I declared. Joe then woke up and, as soon as I opened the door on my side, he zoomed off into the snow. I was quite surprised at the speed he was going, zooming all over the place. Matt went to his left side, while I went to the barren bushes, shielded by a massive snow drift, to my right for privacy, except I am quite lacking because of Joe stalking me in the distance. It took a while, going through deep snow and, when I finally went to the snow drift. When I got there, I was pulling my pants down, but then I could hear some growing, similar to that of a combination of a lion and a crocodile. Where is that coming from? Never mind, it might be Joe, I thought.
“Go away, Joe”, I said, thinking it was Joe, seemingly angry at something. Nervous, I finally got to business, a little slow because of Joe nearby. I then heard the growl again. This time, I looked up and saw Joe, but he wasn’t growling. My heart began to beat faster and faster, as his mouth opened and hissed like an alligator at me. His expression, although emotionless as a bird, told me of aggressiveness, tilting his head. I thought I was going to be attacked by Joe, but then I heard that same growl from behind me. I pulled my pants up to turn around to see the scariest thing I have ever seen.
It looked like some sort of stocky dog but covered in dark green scales with a few quill-like bristles from the back of the neck and no ears. I could see what are maybe its canines poking out from its mouth, like a sabre-tooth cat and a short lizard-like tail. It looked more reptile than, well, dog really except for its eyes. I could see the hunger in its eyes. I heard more growling to my other side and saw another of those things. Joe began making that baby crocodile noise and we ran to the truck. I turned around and ran.
“Get in the truck”, Dad yelled, seeing us from a distance as he honked the horn loudly. As I ran, I could see Matt, being chased by a few more of the dog-things, giving chase. Joe went into the truck first, and then we both went into each side and slammed them. Dad then sped off very quickly, scared they may get to us.
“What was that”, I panted, confused.
“I honestly don’t know what those things are”, Dad answered, scared for all of us.
“I want to go home”, Matt pleaded, tired from running away from those things.
“Don’t worry, we’ll be home soon. I promise”, Mom reassured.
“Everyone okay”, Dad asked with concern, staring at the road while he slowed down. We all looked at each other in fearful confusion, even Joe. I looked at Joe, and he then looked at me. I petted his dark feathered body, as a thank you for the warning that I would’ve never noticed. “Okay, we are moving on”, Dad concluded. We sat in silence, although I was still petting Joe.
“Hey, Matt, do you know what dinosaur he is”, I asked Matt.
“I don’t know. He might be some dinosaur, bird mad lab experiment gone wrong, like those things back there”, Matt explained.
“Or some mess-up chicken in a lab”, Dad suggested, still looking at the road.
“I don’t think he was a chicken”, Matt rebutted. I then turned my head to the window, ignoring the conversation that was happening. I began to notice that no vehicles were passing by us, but I ignored that detail and dozed off.
I saw those same lights in the dark vision of my closed eyes. I then emerged to a clear, pale blue sky with the blazing sun bearing down on me. Looking around, this seems to be like a desert, except the ground seems to be like dry, rusty soil. It feels hot here, hotter than one of those summers in my former town. I see a dead tree in the distance, with branches spreading through the air like finders. I heard a sound behind me.
“Wake up! We are here”, Matt said as he shook me awake. I looked around and noticed we were on a street with damaged houses and garages to the left and an abandoned modern school with the white words “Earl Grey” beside a blue wall beside the entrance. The school lies hiding behind a metal fence with dead trees behind it. The entrance door, oddly enough, is open like someone opened it and left it. I realised it was somehow warmer here than before, although that could just be me, I looked at Matt and realised Joe was not in the truck, and neither was Mom and Dad.
“Hey, where’s Mom and Dad”, I asked Matt.
“Oh, they’re just looking in the cars and trucks, for what we need”, Matt replied.
“And Joe?”
“Oh, just running across the road.” Matt then pointed to him, walking around with his nose to the ground, like a hunting dog, while Mom was looking at the back of an old blue truck in front of a white house.
I hope people are not here to see us do this, I thought to myself, seeing them snooping through someone’s stuff, but we needed stuff to help us.
“Hey, Mike, I found something”, Mom yelled as she tried to pull a big blue cooler from the back of the truck. Dad then came from an RV down from the truck and came and helped her. He then put it down on the road and opened it. They both plugged their noses and backed away.
“Fish? Who leaves fish in a cooler in the back of a truck”, Dad gagged. Joe then looked up, seemingly in excitement and ran towards the cooler. He stuck his nose in the cooler and pulled out a pike. He plopped it on the road, his foot stepped on the fish and put his mouth onto it, tearing a piece of it and swallowing it. “At least somebody likes rotten fish”, Dad rasped.
As we looked in surprise, we could hear something from the school. The minute we heard it, a loud boar-like roar came out from the school. We thought it was a very big boar when it came out, but the more we looked, the more we realised it was something else. Its body is like a boar, but its face is like a lion’s and the snout of a camel, with teeth somewhat like a bear’s when it opens its enormous mouth to gargle like a pig. Mom, Dad and even Joe are taken by surprise, making our parents run towards the driveway, while Joe towards our truck with his gorged fish, standing by us. The boar-thing then stopped a few feet away from my parents, seemingly in a defensive stance, hooves scratching the ground. We are scared for our parents, preparing to see this thing rip them to shreds.
It gave one last roar and walked towards the cooler, knocking it over with fish spilling out. It stuck its snout in the fish and swallowed one down. They then slowly walked around the creature and steadily fastened their pace until they were at the truck. We all quickly got in and Dad backed up quickly.
“What the hell was that”, Mom panicked.
“I don’t know, a pig from hell”, Dad responded. We looked at Joe, swallowing down the fish while the rotting fish smell remained. It looked at us in confusion, as we were. We silently laughed for no apparent reason, probably as a mechanism to try to replace the fear. We then heard a shaking in the truck, startling us. We realised that the hell pig was tearing at the bumper of the truck like a lion would. Dad hammered the horn, making the thing back up in surprise. Dad took this opportunity to back up very quickly towards the intersection and turned to the left, quickly avoiding the creature. We sat in silence, except for Joe who was chirping.
When we went down the street, the houses, as usual, were damaged but we saw other vehicles, the first we had seen. Some were parked along the street, others stuck on one lane like city traffic but paused. Weirdly enough, there are no people in the vehicles, nor anyone outside. Most of the vehicles have one or more doors open like people got out to go somewhere. We drove past all the vehicles in the other lane. There is one vehicle we passed by that is on fire, most of the paint already off to reveal the metal beneath, only to be turned into a rainbow of browns and blacks by the dancing flames.
“What. Happened. Here”, Mom slowly asked, as confused and terrified as us. We had a feeling of dread, seeing all the abandoned vehicles.
“That’s the least of our worries. We should be looking for supplies”, Dad responded.
“Hey, how much do we have”, Mom asked Dad, worried about using up the fuel.
“Well, we got a full tank of gas and travelled a hundred kilometers”, Dad responded, more confused. “Nothing makes sense here and I hope we don’t stay here for long”, he muttered.
Eventually, we passed most of the vehicles and reached the veterinary clinic. The small, intact structure stood there, seemingly looking over the icy driveway. We then spotted an old, brown truck and we saw something that set it apart from the rest of the vehicles we’ve seen so far.
“It’s on”, I said, gleefully, with hope that, at least, we aren’t the only ones here. The headlights beamed brightly, and we realised it was getting dark. We also noticed that the street lights aren’t turning on.
“I thought there was no one here”, my Mom said, unsure of the connection between the abandoned but running truck and the lack of people in this town. At one of the intact houses, ahead of us, partially blocked by the trees, we saw what seemed to be bright light coming from one of the windows. What person would go into a house after an earthquake, I thought, thinking about our house back home.
“Someone’s here”, Matt loudly notified, as we all shushed him and that is when Joe is trying to push the door with his snout. “What is he doing?”
“Stay here”, Dad calmly ordered, opening the door, but Joe scurried out and went somewhere else.
“Hey, come back”, Matt called out, with no success. Joe eventually disappeared into the night, never to be seen. Matt then had tears welling up in his eyes like he was about to cry. I hugged him to comfort him.
“He’ll come back some time”, Mom reassured, trying to calm him down and looking at Dad. Dad nodded and grabbed a flashlight that was equipped in the truck. He then walked slowly towards the house, step by step, being shone by our truck’s headlights. He looked back at us and put his hand up when the light in the house moved. It seems to move towards the front door of the house. Emerging from the house is a person walking down the steps, cloaked in darkness. Dad then took a few steps back as the figure came. Finally, the figure stepped into the light.

There are many confusing facets to this case but none more perplexing to me than Wendi's alleged statement to Jeff on 7-13-14 that CA looked into hiring a hitman in the summer of 2013 after court rejected her relocation request. The focus of this post is not why Wendi made the statement. Rather, since Wendi denied under oath making the statement, it's whether she could be convicted of perjury by proving she made it.
The statement is "material" to the guilt or innocence of CA so it clears that hurdle for perjury. The judge makes this determination pre-trial, and Judge Everett himself said in CA trial that it's "not insignificant". If it could be proven beyond a reasonable doubt Wendi made the statement, then her adamant denial under oath of ever having made it would be perjury. Perjury in a capital felony case in Florida is a 2nd degree felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison. The State doesn't have to seek the death penalty for it to be a capital felony case. The Statute of Limitations is 3 years for a 2nd degree felony. Wendi denied making statement in both 2022 KM retrial and 2023 CA trial. Both are still within Statute of Limitations and she could be charged with 2 counts of perjury. If convicted of both counts, judge could order the two sentences to be served consecutively so she could get up to 30 years in prison.
So could Georgia prove beyond a reasonable doubt Wendi made the statement? If it's Jeff's word alone against Wendi's, the answer is probably not. The defense will likely argue Jeff believed Wendi had tried to frame him so he lied to get his revenge. Plus he didn't remember the date of her statement in his first police interview, and he also didn't mention the $15K in the first interview. It's a "he said, she said" situation. A guideline called the “two witness rule” derived from common law is usually invoked in perjury cases and says a person cannot be convicted for perjury solely on the word of a single witness. There has to be another witness or some other corroborating evidence. A judge might not let the case go to trial if the only evidence is Jeff's word, or if it does go to trial, the judge would probably include this rule in jury instructions. Bottom line is prosecution would likely need some solid corroborating evidence to secure a conviction.
Is there such evidence? It seems there might be. Here's what Jeff said during a proffer outside the presence of the jury as part of his cross-examination during the 2023 CA trial: Also I had repeated that statement to a friend of mine before the murder and didn't get a reaction from her that this is shocking. I sought feedback from a friend who verified I made that statement before the murder and she didn't say oh geez you should call the police so it wasn't just me. There was another person I consulted with because it freaked me out and we decided, well I decided after talking to her it was past tense so probably not that dangerous and we were really wrong. Maybe I should have called the police.
So who is this woman Jeff talked to before the murder? I don't believe we know her name. I looked at all of the names on the State's witness list for the CA trial and her name was not on it by process of elimination. I believe Jeff remembered this conversation before his first police interview on 7-21-14. How could he not? It had to have taken place 1 to 4 days before the July 18th murder. My guess is she told Jeff right after the murder that she didn't want him to tell the police about their conversation. Jeff no doubt described Charlie to her as a sociopath who he believed hired a hitman to kill Dan, and the woman probably worried Charlie might kill her too since her testimony would be very important in a future CA trial. Jeff is the type of guy who would agree to keep it secret. I think the woman gave Jeff the green light to mention their conversation some time right before or during CA trial when Charlie was behind bars and it was likely he would be convicted. My guess is she would now be willing to testify in a perjury case against Wendi.
My theory has a potential crack. Consider Jeff's response in KM's first trial in 2019 to a question from one of the defense attorneys as to whether he told a friend or family member about Wendi's statement: *I'm sure I did...*I just couldn't tell you who or when I did that but certainly after the murder occurred I certainly shared that with people. After I had told it to police I certainly discussed it - I may have done it before as well - I don't recall that - but after I told the police that I did share that with some people confidentially yes. Did Jeff lie under oath to protect his friend? Did he figure no way would prosecution charge him with perjury if the conversation came out at a later date?
I've been following this case for only about a month. Maybe I've missed something but, if this mystery woman is a credible witness, I think prosecution would have an excellent chance of convicting Wendi of perjury. I know many people think Georgia could get a perjury conviction for other statements (Trescott, celebration dinner, likes Tallahassee, etc) but I very much doubt it. IMO this is their best and only chance for a perjury conviction....and maybe a conviction of any kind. FWIW In a high profile case with some similarities to this one, prosecutors in Georgia initially charged Andrea Sneiderman with the murder of her husband but later dropped the charges and convicted her of perjury. My prediction: Georgia will charge Wendi with 2 counts of perjury some time before May 2025 in order to get in Wendi's denial at 2022 trial before 3 year Statute of Limitations prevents later prosecution. I don't know if State will charge Wendi with murder but wouldn't it be better if she already were a convicted felon at the time of her murder trial?

I know it's a subjective question -- so, I will expect subjective answers. But, if, in 2024-25, you were focused on Southern California (LA, Orange County, San Diego) and cost was not a consideration, which surgeons would be on your shortlist? I'm probably 6-12 months away from doing a consultation as I want to first get in the best shape of my adult life. But, I have started browsing and these names seem to pop up the most. Who's missing?
San Diego:

• Dr. Chen
• Dr William Umansky and Dr. Jeffrey Umansky
• Dr. Greg Park
• Dr. Daniel Brown

Orange County:

• Dr. Joseph Cruise

Los Angeles:

• Dr. Babak Dadvand
• Dr. Elliott Hirsch
• Dr. George Sanders

Listen young bucks, I know the prospect of a younger, hot foreigner gets your imagination going and the feelings you have are real to you, but take a moment and examine your situation.
If you find yourself in a hot, passionate situation of a woman whose beliefs go against your country's... pause... take a deep breath and think a minute.
Yes, you may hold beliefs that go against your country's grain, and yes, you may disagree with what she says, or agree with what she wants you to say, but please consider the greater picture before involving yourself with her... there is the chance that amplifying your discontent becomes more valuable to her than your worth as a man.
Before ever traveling to a foreign nation to pursue a partner, consider these points:
-Has she ever tried to involve you with her family before requesting your visit to her country
-Has she ever showed willingness to interview/screen past customs to meet my family
-Has she ever expressed serious interest in you visiting her country only after than 9 months of dating
-Has she accepted sex after only the first three nights of dating (in person)
-Has my country ever successfully released a citizen from their foreign jail on trumped on charges
If you answer No to any of these questions, then I sincerely advise you to wait and flush things out before making plans to go visit her.
You do not lose anything by waiting if she's a legit one and only stand to lose so much more otherwise.

Hi I've been looking all around for an answer to this question but only can find vague references to the event :(
So basically when Cleopatra first came to power in 51 bc she coruled with her brothehusband Ptolemy XIII but he was only 10 yrs old at the time so the power behind his throne was held by Pothinus, his regent por tempore. It is known that in 48 bc Pothinus and by extension Ptolemy forced Cleopatra to flee to Syria, because they feared her growing power and wanted to install Ptolemy XIII as the sole pharoh. My question is, does anyone know exactly what happened that caused Cleopatra to need to flee to Syria? Did Pothinus threaten her with military force? If so wouldn't the military be loyal to her so how did that work? She was handling all of Egypt's affairs at that point. Did he send assassins after her? Someone please helpp 😖

Thereby I will be writing some important basics and knowledge of astrology. When I began astrology I couldn't find anyone to teach me for free or was given answers to my questions easily. So here I will try to make things easy for you.

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Hi! I am writing this because i hope that someone can relate or can understand this situation without jumping to the obvious answer to my question, which is: how can i deal with that? is that possible?
For context, and this should be long im sorry, my bf (M24y) and i (F21y) have been dating for almost 2 years and he is the most understanding, loving person i ve ever met, and he is my best friend. For record, he saved my life when i tried to k*** myself (before all this)nand ALWAYS has been there for me. But he has a hard life too, his mother is a narcissist, so his home environment sometimes is terrible, i saw with my eyes his mother beating him up because of the most superficial reason. And these things leaded to him having an addiction that i didnt know about. When we made 1 year of relationship, i found out going through his phone (ig i had a feeling, i never do that) multiples chats on instagram with random females, sexual conversations. I confronted him and, yes, i wanted to break up. But when he said he was an addict, i believed because weeks before, he had this weird conversation with me about him wanting to stop masturbating because sometimes he has no control and that it didnt want to hut me. He of course, was very apologetic, cried, said he would never do that if he was on his right mind (i believed him because he swore on his little brother's life, who is the most important person to him in life). He said he would never do that again, i know that an addiction envolves relapses, so i always knew it would happen again, but wanted to trust his word. 6 months passed by, i frenquently had mental breakdowns and he was always on my side, answering my questions. I did want to understand what he was feeling, he never went violent of justified himself, he knows what he did was wrong. But yes, after 6 months, he relapsed, one time, i found out because the girl messaged me (btw asking for money to not share the convo), i called him and this time was a even more intense discussion. He said that since he was younger, he does that time to time, he doesn't control it and that during the convo, its like he's empty, without feeling or thinking anything. I only agreed to stay one more time because, aside of this, he was always on my side, its my turn and, of course, i love him deeply. He seeked therapy and psychiatry. He has TDAH too, which doesnt help with the control of impulses. He's in treatment right know and he's feeling better. Despite this being what it is, i felt hurt of course, but i did't lost trust. We can a deep connection and i have 100% sure he told me the truth. Now, i know that its a very complicated situation since i have to deal with this and it can always happen. I think that what hurt me the most was not the action, it was the lying, weel, thats what addiction does. But yeah, i think about it most of the time, not because im afraid that it happen again, but because it happened in the first place, and even though he did not do that "consciously", obviously it hurts. This is the only flaw he has. I know its a BIG one, but it doesn't erase all the good things he his and how he is to me. I never felt so loved. Ive read so many perspectives from other people about their partners. Mostly of them, they are possessive or abusive, does not accept their problem, etc... which is not the case,
Sorry for my english, and please, what do i do?

Hello everyone,
I analyze your Vedic Astrology , Palmistry & Numerology Chart.
My Service offers you Depth analysis of your life based on your Palm lines , Vedic Astrology , Numerology & Tarot.
I cover
Life Theme ✅
🎯This entails understanding the purpose of your life and your soul mission, the reason for your existence in this world. It also includes the lessons you need to learn in order to align yourself with the purpose of your life.
Careers ✅
🎯 Identifying Fruitful careers or jobs in which you will excel if pursued.
Marriage ✅
🎯In this section, I extensively discuss your marriage,
Such as
💫What kind of person will you end up marrying?
💫Where will you likely meet him/her?
💫How many serious relationships will you go through?
💫Appearance & Characteristic of Your Future Spouse
Major Influencing Planets ✅
🎯Your Previous, Current, Future Influencing Planet
💫What is your Previous & Current Influencing Planet & its Effects on You.
💫What will be your Future Influencing Planet & its Effects on You.
💫Effects of Significant Planets Coordinating Your Life & Your Personality
💫Additional Astrological Insights of your Inner self
🌟 Yearly Predictions 🌟
💫Precise Upcoming Year Overall Report of Your Career, Relationships, Health, Finances & More..
Palmistry ✅️
🎯In Palmistry,
Through palmistry, I read the lines on your dominant hand and provide insightful information about your past and future directions in life.
Such as
💫Your Childhood
💫Relationship with Family
💫Your Success & Life Factors
💫Your Inner Self
Numerology ✅
🎯In Numerology,
In numerology, I delve into,
💫The Energy you inherit with your Name
💫Birth Number Effects & its Influence on You
💫Fate Number Influence on You
💫Health Effects/Issues
Tarot ✅
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By channelizing your current energy ,I will pull 3 cards and answer your questions that inclusively considering overall analysis for an accurate answers. 3 Questions Only [Charges will add on for more].
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