What do los padrinos in la quinceanera

Listening to today’s podcast, Holly, Bridget, and Marston all seemed to cast doubt on how Crystal earned enough money to purchase 8 Los Angeles properties while living at the mansion.
They criticized her presenting herself as a “girl boss” and “building an empire” and seemed to imply that the money came straight from Hef.
I don’t like Crystal at all, but I had an issue with this. I don’t think it’s all that mysterious how Crystal built her property portfolio or earned money.
To me, it seemed like all 3 of them- Holly, Bridget, and Marston, were just jealous of Crystal possibly making wise financial investments that grew her portfolio, and maybe bitter about their own perceived lack of financial success.
When Crystal was on the Bethenny Frankel podcast, Bethenny was astounded that Crystal managed to become a millionaire while living with Hef. Bethenny said something like “I need you to explain exactly how you did that, step by step!”
So Crystal explained. She seemed very uncomfortable but she explained, and gave numbers.
She said that she got a job DJ’ing once per week in Vegas and that she was paid $7,500 per gig. She said that she promoted detox teas on Instagram, once or twice a week. She said she was paid thousands per post, and quoted the $7,500 figure again. She said Hef had no idea she was making money from Instagram and she hid it from him.
She said before on a couple different podcasts that the allowance was originally $1k per week but that it was raised to $2k per week and then raised again. I don’t remember her giving a number for what it was raised to at its highest, she seemed evasive about that.
I believe that unlike Holly and Bridget, but similar to Kendra, Crystal was in fact allowed to do club appearances for money. I don’t know how much she made from those so I’m not even going to include that in the calculations.
But even just with those 3 income streams- $2k per week allowance, $7.5k per week DJ’ing, $7.5k per week Instagram sponsorships- that is $17k per week!!! This is $884,000 per year, and presumably she would have been earning this for at least several years. She was at the mansion for a long time. She wouldn’t have been earning this much every year, but she could have for a few years.
This is absolutely enough money to purchase multiple LA homes, one at a time, over several years! Furthermore, I believe Crystal’s mother was a real estate agent long before the mansion. I remember seeing on a website Crystal said that she also got her real estate license. I don’t know if this is true but this is what she claims. I don’t think Crystal was selling homes to clients or anything but I can believe she had some knowledge of real estate.
Holly said in the episode “I took a class in real estate investment at UCLA, and I know she wouldn’t have been able to buy those properties herself, blah blah blah.” I know Holly brings up this online class constantly and fancies herself a real estate expert, but she is not the only person who knows about real estate! If both Crystal and her mom had real estate licenses, presumably they also knew a thing or two.
Holly purchased her first investment property after a few years of living at the mansion. She bought a property in her hometown in small town Oregon. Crystal’s first property was in Los Angeles. Obviously a Los Angeles property is going to appreciate much faster than a property in a small town in Oregon. Presumably the house could have increased in value by several hundred thousand dollars in just a few years.
I’m just saying- it’s not that far fetched that Crystal could have built a property empire through her own good decisions. I agree with a LOT of the criticisms of Crystal, but not this one.
By the way, Bridget bought a Los Angeles house after moving out of the mansion, lived there for many years, and eventually sold it at a loss. This was surprising to me. You’d think after that 10+ years it would have gone up in value, especially in a city like Los Angeles, but apparently she bought high and sold low. I don’t think Bridget has real estate savvy, so it’s obviously easy for her to criticize Crystal and downplay her achievement.

So about more then a week ago I had consulted with my Padrino on a business decision I was going to make. I went for a consultation and I was told that everything was going to go well in my favor, in the consultation I was told that Elegua wanted a rooster for the ebbo. I went ahead and did it and once it was done Elegua asked me to give him a cigar and liquor after closing the business deal. Fast forward the time had came to do the job, sadly the job was not able to be done as it should have but I still did half the work due to technical difficulties on behalf of the contractor. Now what I don’t understand is that the people that were supposed to pay me are no longer answering my messages nor have they sent a single dollar to me. Keep in mind I did this job with someone else so I have to pay them for their services, but sadly I do not have the money to pay this person since I haven’t received a payment. I am starting to get frustrated and I’m starting to wonder why my ebbo is not working since I did everything I had to do. As of right now I have not given Elegua his gifts since I haven’t received a payment. I’m starting to regret going ahead and doing said job. I feel as if I have failed myself and the orishas, I am struggling financially and I do not understand why all of this is happening, can anyone give me advice? I don’t think it’s my Padrino’s fault cus he’s done very good by my side with his workings, I don’t understand where these obstacles came from. Que la bendición y Ashe de Olofi este con ustedes 🙏🏻💯

I’m turning 30 in a few months. I’m making about 41k after tax in Los Angeles (aka not enough). Very little opportunities for career growth at the moment. The industry I’m in is crumbling. I’ve still never been able to travel out of the US - I was about to but plans fell apart (partially due to mistakes on my part, partly due to just total dumb luck). I subletted my room for this “big trip” to Japan, but now I’m just going from airbnb to airbnb in LA and staying in my friend’s filthy apartment. Everyone I know has been able to explore outside of the country and after travel plans getting completely screwed over twice in the past two years, I’m beginning to think it’s just never going to happen for me.
I self sabotaged a relationship with the best girl I’ve ever been with due to my depression and anxiety. She started gushing about some new guy online 10 days after we split. It’s been 9 months and they’re still happily together. I’m not over her at all and think about her every day.
I lost all my savings because I had to move 3 times in a row due to unforseen external factors. I had a second job but that fell through. My dad is dead. I’m five figures in debt. I’ve had panic attacks and depressive episodes. I’m in a very good intensive therapy program, and it’s been mostly helping, but my life still feels like a total mess. I feel like I’m failing in every direction.
I may very well be going into 30 broke, heartbroken, and floundering. People keep saying it’s temporary, but life has been kicking my ass for 2.5 years straight. When does it stop… or at least slow down?? I see no light at the end of the tunnel.
For those who were in a real low point how did you get out of it? I don’t know what to do anymore. I’m exhausted.

Hi everyone!
My fiance and I get married May 2025. Originally, it seemed we had decided on Bali. However, after doing deeper research, we realized the travel time to get there will be pretty long (around 23 hours from Los Angeles). We are looking for a new destination, and I honestly feel a bit jaded and demotivated because I mentally committed to Bali. However, I'm coming here now to get some recommendations. Maybe some of your good experiences can bring me out of this slump!
*What we are looking for*: we would like to stay somewhere with beautiful beaches. Additionally, we are both really avid hikers, and would love to catch a few good hikes, so a place with beach *and* mountain/jungle would be perfect. Bonus points if there is someplace with a hotspring resort on a volcano (we perviously visited a volcano hotspring resort in costa rica and absolutely loved it). Note, the volcano thing is not a deal breaker. Also bonus points if the country has excellent food.
*Things that we are not looking for*: neither of us drink, so we don't really care for the party atmosphere or nightlife. We also don't want to visit a place that is unsafe and makes it so we can never leave the resort (for example: certain parts of mexico). Also, we want to avoid countries we already visited: costa rica, mexico, thailand, veitnam, cambodia.
*Budget*: we would like to keep it under $7,000 for approximately 10 nights. This budget does not include flights, as we are both using airline points to buy our tickets. What we really liked about the idea of Bali was the bang for buck value on hotels. I know we probably won't find anything that inexpensive closer to LA, but anywhere with lower prices would be ideal.
*Distance*: We would be flying from Los Angeles, so we would prefer to go somewhere closer than SE Asia. We are thinking a maximum of 12 hours flying time, but definitely the less the better.
Thank you all for your time, help and recommendations!

This is somewhat of a long story but l'll try to keep it short and simple. During the pandemic my mother who was in her late 50s at the time and I was in my early 20s, were living in an apartment in Los Angeles. Just for reference l'm a student and my mother has multiple degrees including a PHD but has not had a steady job in over ten years. She received an inheritance after her parents passed away and used it to pay rent for a year at $2400 per month in 2022. By this time I had left for school out of state and hoped that she would have found a job and a cheaper place to rent but she did not. Her inheritance is now gone, she does not have a job she does do gigs and sells things on the side, she did say she applied for jobs and never heard back and blames her age for it, which I know can be a thing. Fast forward to January of 2024 she received a 3 day notice after not paying rent for a year since her inheritance ran out. She did not tell me until May about what was going on. I work full time and most of my money goes to school or bills as I live in an expensive city and have no help from any family. She is now living in her car and I'm not sure how I can help. She does not want to go to a shelter or rent a room. She wants to buy a van to convert but I'm not sure how safe that is. I offered her to come here and stay with me but she does not want to leave LA. She's so far away and I don't make enough to help her. Any advice is really really appreciated

This is somewhat of a long story but l'll try to keep it short and simple. During the pandemic my mother who was in her late 50s at the time and I was in my early 20s, were living in an apartment in Los Angeles. Just for reference l'm a student and my mother has multiple degrees including a PHD but has not had a steady job in over ten years. She received an inheritance after her parents passed away and used it to pay rent for a year at $2400 per month in 2022. By this time I had left for school out of state and hoped that she would have found a job and a cheaper place to rent but she did not. Her inheritance is now gone, she does not have a job she does do gigs and sells things on the side, she did say she applied for jobs and never heard back and blames her age for it, which I know can be a thing. Fast forward to January of 2024 she received a 3 day notice after not paying rent for a year since her inheritance ran out. She did not tell me until May about what was going on. I work full time and most of my money goes to school or bills as I live in an expensive city and have no help from any family. She is now living in her car and I'm not sure how I can help. She does not want to go to a shelter or rent a room. She wants to buy a van to convert but I'm not sure how safe that is. I offered her to come here and stay with me but she does not want to leave LA. She's so far away and I don't make enough to help her. Any advice is really really appreciated. I’m scared for her.

TLDR: curating style, finding guest spots, getting clients
Hey y’all!! My name is Paulina, I’m a handpoke artist based in Los Angeles, and I really love thick line tattoos. As I’ve explored this more, I’ve really been leaning into more American Traditional themes and styles (but with handpoke technique + my own flair). Also been tattooing for about 2/3 years.
The studio I learned at and got my license leans towards much more spiritual + ritualistic tattoos and me and the owner have agreed that it may not be the right fit for me anymore. I’ve never done walk-ins (appt only shop), and I’ve basically only done 1 flash day so I feel pretty new in quite a few areas. I’ve noticed the most popular tattoo artists in LA do mostly fine line work, so I’ve been looking at guesting in more traditional shops. I haven’t had much luck :( I’m not looking for a new apprenticeship or anything, I just wanna guest at some new spots and network with more awesome artists.
I just really want to gain more experience and break into tattooing more of this style (but I’m not opposed to doing bread and butter work), but my biggest difficulty has been finding clients and shops to guest at that will let me do walk ins/flash days. I’m not sure if LA is the right place for me based on the popular styles here or what I can do better to reach more clients. I appreciate all help and insights! My insta is @almost_tattoos

This is somewhat of a long story but I’ll try to keep it short and simple. During the pandemic my mother who was in her late 50s at the time and I was in my early 20s, were living in an apartment in Los Angeles. Just for reference I’m a student and my mother has multiple degrees including a PHD but has not had a steady job in over ten years. She received an inheritance after her parents passed away and used it to pay rent for a year at $2400 per month in 2022. By this time I had left for school out of state and hoped that she would have found a job and a cheaper place to rent but she did not. Her inheritance is now gone, she does not have a job she does do gigs and sells things on the side, she did say she applied for jobs and never heard back and blames her age for it, which I know can be a thing. Fast forward to January of 2024 she received a 3 day notice after not paying rent for a year since her inheritance ran out. She did not tell me until May about what was going on. I work full time and most of my money goes to school or bills as I live in an expensive city and have no help from any family. She is now living in her car and I’m not sure how I can help. She does not want to go to a shelter or rent a room. She wants to buy a van to convert but I’m not sure how safe that is. I offered her to come here and stay with me but she does not want to leave LA. She’s so far away and I don’t make enough to help her. Any advice is really really appreciated. I love her and I’m scared.

Link to original nosleep post:
https://www.reddit.com/nosleep/comments/1b5iszd/my_wife_and_i_got_cast_in_a_reality_show_pilot/
I had just wrapped work on a Friday night, when my wife, Cara, first told me about the ad.
"I don't know how long I can work for this guy anymore." I said to her, closing my laptop for the weekend.
"Alan?" She replied.
"Yeah. He's such a prick. Everything's urgent, and everything's a fire drill. Until he doesn't care about it anymore."
"You know what you should do?"
"What?"
"Kick his ass."
"I wish. But you know full well that I don't have a threatening bone in my body. I'm a lover not a fighter." I said with a wink.
"Oh, that reminds me! Speaking of lovers." My wife said with a smile, pulling out her phone. "Look at this."
Taking the phone from her hand, I saw that she had saved a job posting.
"New Reality Series Seeks Married Couples For Chance To Win Once In A Lifetime Prize."
At first, I scoffed at it. Having been happily married for a few years now, and both of us gainfully employed, I was pretty confident that neither my wife nor I sought money or fame. We already had everything a couple could ever want.
"Why would we ever go on a reality show?" I asked.
"Keep reading," Cara replied, pointing to the bottom of the posting.
I did as she suggested.
"The winning couple will receive a once in a lifetime chance to work with one of the best fertility doctors in the world, to aid them in having a child."
Okay, maybe we didn't quite have everything a couple could want.
I looked at my wife. "Enticing, yes. But I mean, what are the chances we'd actually get cast?"
"Hey, you can't win if you don't play, right?" Cara replied, "And what other choice do we have?"
She had a point. We'd been trying to conceive for a few years, but no matter the approach, whether natural, IUI, or IVF, you name it, the outcome was always the same.
It was the one thing we didn't have. The one thing, save for surrogacy or adoption, that money couldn't buy...
...Having a child of our own.
And so...
...The next day, we reached out to the production company's nondescript email address...
...A couple days later, we heard back...
...And a week later, we found ourselves on a video call with a casting director, attempting to sell her on why they should choose us as one of the five couples competing in their pilot, and why we deserved the prize.
But my wife and I both left the meeting thinking we botched it, each of us walking away with the same feeling that one gets after a flubbed job interview.
And so, we both resolved to go back to our lives. Back to being realistic about the situation. And even started looking into some adoption agencies.
That is, until a week later, when Cara and I received an email from the production company...
...Informing us that we were selected to participate in the reality show pilot!
A few signed contracts, NDAs, and talent release forms later, and my wife and I were off on an all-expense paid trip to Los Angeles.
I remember pulling into the parking lot of the production studio that first day, and finding it a bit strange that a TV show would be filmed in such a rundown, dilapidated warehouse. But I knew nothing about production, and chalked it up to budgetary constraints. And, after all, we had already traveled too far, and there was too much on the line, to turn back now.
Upon entering the building's lobby, we were immediately welcomed in by the show's producer, Phil, whose warm greeting through his medical mask, quickly turned sour, "You're late! Literally the last couple to arrive! Hurry, hurry! Follow me! We're about to start!"
I thought it a bit rude, and noticed a concerned look wash over Cara's face. But then I remembered it was our fault, after all, that we underestimated LA traffic, so I bit my tongue.
Phil then confiscated both of our cell phones, before escorting us out of the lobby, down a long hallway, around a corner, and into a massive lounge, lit by professional lights, with five couches scattered about. Four of which were occupied by other couples, who were sitting there, patiently waiting, when we finally entered the room.
"So sorry!" I called out to them, while simultaneously waving "Hello," as I sat down in one of the loveseats.
"Thanks for your patience!" Cara added, as she took a seat beside me.
But our peers and competitors didn't even have a chance to react, as Phil suddenly ran into the room with a similarly masked production crew of about ten individuals, and got right down to business.
I thought it strange that they were all masked, assuming that covid regulations had long ended, but before I could dwell on the details too much, Phil yelled out, "Alright, places people! Sound!"
"Speed!" A few masked sound guys yelled back, as they hit record on their audio devices and aimed their boom microphones at the front of the room.
"Camera!" Phil continued.
"Speeding!" Several masked camera men replied, in unison, each carrying a broadcast camera on their shoulder.
"Slate!" Phil added, as a masked production assistant ran up to the front of the room, where there was a set of two doors on the far wall, and a door to the side that must have led offstage. He then opened his clapboard, for all of the cameras and microphones to see and hear.
I wondered why they hadn't filled out the section on the clapboard where the first take would go, but my thoughts were interrupted by the sound of it clapping.
CLAP!
Then Phil gestured to what must have been the director, who was hanging back in the shadows, his features hidden in the dark, outside of the set's bright lights.
"Action!" The director yelled out for all to hear.
And then...
...There was silence.
All of us couples looked at each other with a smile, literally on the edge of our seats, when suddenly, we heard the voice of a middle aged man ring out over the speakers that had been mounted to the ceiling of the lounge. "Ladies and gentlemen! Who's excited to make history?"
The cameras turned to the ten participants, including Cara and myself, and we all immediately started clapping and whistling, before they turned back to the man.
"I'm your anonymous host, four time husband, and five time divorcee!"
The group erupted in laughter, cheering him on, as they looked up at the speakers.
"And you know what? I'm not proud of that. Cause, much like you, deep down inside, I want to love and be loved. To have the fortitude, the patience, and the will to fight on through good times and bad, all in the name of love. Which is why I've brought you all here. Yes, you! Give yourselves a round of applause!" He said, before pausing to allow us all to react.
And so we did, all the couples clapping and smiling.
"Yes, I'm here, hosting and watching remotely, to learn from the five happily married couples before us, what the secret is to persevering through the challenges that life throws our way. To see what ends you'll all go to in support of your marriage, and if you'll do... anything for love. Ladies and gentlemen. Welcome... to Anything For Love."
Everyone let out a nervous laugh, but kept applauding anyway.
"And now... it's time for the rules. In this reality competition, the first of its kind, you'll be split up into two groups, five men and five women, and separated from each other for the duration of the game. Over the course of the show, both teams will compete in four challenges, with each challenge resulting in one loser, who will be promptly eliminated. At the end of the game, the winning player from each team will be revealed. If those two players are not members of the same couple, then no one wins. But if those two players happen to be members of the same couple, they win the game, and a once in a lifetime prize... The chance to work with one of the best fertility doctors in the world, to aid them in having a child. So before we begin, let me ask you this... Are you prepared to do anything for love?"
His voice blasted out from the speakers with so much enthusiasm, and so much energy, that in that moment, every single one of us hopped up out of our seats, and began cheering and clapping.
Eventually, the applause faded, and our host continued, "Now, will the men please line up on the left side of the room, and the women on the right?"
The couples did exactly as he asked, and when we had finally split up into two groups, men and women, our host simply said. "Now goodluck! And I can't wait to see who makes it to the end!"
Suddenly, the two doors at the front of the room opened, and each group was escorted by a masked production assistant through one of the doors, separating the husbands from the wives, until that fateful moment at the end of the show, when only the two winners will be reunited.
For the first couple games, I didn't know where they took the wives, or what kind of challenges my own wife was facing. All I knew were the games they presented to us husbands.
Games that were, let's just say...
...Utterly fucked.
As all five men entered the room for the first game, we all saw before us, a massive open factory space, that had been adorned with only one simple piece of art direction at its center... a small wooden table.
"Will the contestants please make their way to the table." The host called out over this room's ceiling-mounted speakers.
We did as he said, as the masked camera crew followed us to the center of the room.
"The rules of game one are simple. In marriage, you must sometimes sacrifice a piece of yourself, for the greater good. Today, that sacrifice... is your wedding ring. But not just your wedding ring... your entire ring finger!"
The five guys and myself all turned to one another and chuckled, assuming he was kidding.
But suddenly, a door opened into the factory, and a masked crew member proceeded to walk over to the table holding a steak knife.
He didn't say anything, and simply stared at us through his mask, as the host continued.
"The last person to cut their finger off, or the first to give up, is the loser. And will be promptly escorted from the premises."
What the fuck. I thought to myself, realizing the host wasn't kidding.
"Wait a minute," a few of the men mumbled.
But one of them, the most obnoxious in the group, could not have been less afraid, puffing out his chest and yelling into a camera, "Fine! I'll go first. I aint afraid."
He then slammed his hand down on the table, clenching his fist in a way that only exposed his ring finger.
There was a brief moment of silence until...
...Suddenly the masked crew member grabbed the husband's hand and brought down his blade so hard, that it cut the man's finger clean off, blood spraying all over the table.
It took the arrogant man a moment to process what had just happened, before he started screaming in pain, a scream that turned into a maniacal laugh, as medical staff ran over to tend to his wound.
Meanwhile, the rest of us guys looked on in horror, as we saw blood pouring from his hand, and realized we were next.
The wounded husband then looked directly into one of the cameras and defiantly said, "That was nothing." Before turning back to us and asking, "Come on. Who's next fellas?"
Two more of the men begrudgingly followed suit, each of their ring fingers being severed from their hands, leaving just myself and one husband left.
We were both shaking in fear, but the other guy was terrified, that he started begging the producer for a way out. "Wait you can't be serious? We really need to do that? Please. Please don't make me.
"The show is called Anything For Love." Phil replied. "And you signed paperwork that warned you things like this would come up."
"I didn't read that!" The nervous man yelled back.
But before he even had a chance to consider participating, I must have accidentally leaned on the table with my hand.
"Wait!" The nervous man yelled out...
...But it was too late. Before either he or I noticed, the masked man had already amputated my ring finger, blood spraying everywhere, as I let out a great scream that echoed throughout the factory.
And as the medical staff ran over to me, just as they had done for the others who had gone before me, I heard the host's voice on the speakers again. "Congratulations, gentlemen! Four of you have shown that you'll do anything for love. While the fifth, did not have what it takes, and must now return home."
And like that, a couple masked production assistants grabbed the nervous man by the shoulders, and escorted him out of the room.
It was in the aftermath of that first game, that I realized the title of the show, "Anything For Love," was not just a play on words, but the literal description of what we would need to do to win.
And then, the host continued.
"Will the remaining four husbands please walk through the open door, and into the next room."
We did as he asked.
On the way there, I looked down at my missing finger, its stump wrapped in gauze, and couldn't help but wonder if Cara had also been forced to make the same choice, and if she had gone through with it.
When we entered the second room, we all saw another giant warehouse space. Except this time, instead of being sparse, it was completely overgrown with shrubs of thorny vines, separating where we stood, from the other side.
"Love is both a rose, but also has thorns." The host called out over the room's speakers. "It can make you feel euphoric pleasure, but at the same time extreme pain. In game two, you'll need to prove that you can overcome that pain to get to the other side, and make it to game three. The last person to crawl through the thorns, or the first person to give up, will be promptly eliminated from the show and removed from the premises. Will you do anything for love? The game starts... now."
The four husbands all looked at each other, then back at the thorns, then back at each other, before the arrogant man, who was standing beside me, made me a proposition. "Let's team up. If we follow the same path, we can take turns, one of us pushing forward for a while, then the other, and it'll save us half the pain.”
But I didn't like the idea of cheating, or supporting such an asshole, so I politely declined. "Sorry man."
"Fine, have it your way, idiot. I don't need your help, I was just trying to help him out." The arrogant man said to one of the cameras, before he turned around and charged into the thorns.
The rest of us husbands, including myself, still in shock from what had happened in the first game and clenching our wounded hands, looked at each other, and then back at the production crew. But a group of them were standing behind us, ready to push us into the thorns, should we decide not to comply.
So we all proceeded to follow the arrogant husband into the thorns, and began a race, through what felt like a football field's length of sharp vines, each of us doing our best to avoid what we could, but inevitably getting scratched over and over and over again, to the point where our bodies were covered in blood.
And when I finally crossed the finish line, and stepped out of the thorny shrubs bloody and exhausted, I was relieved to find that only two husbands had beat me there. The arrogant man, of course, and another.
We all looked back, to find the fourth pour soul still halfway through the shrubs, his clothes caught in the thorns.
"Wait for me!" He called out. But it was too late.
"Congratulations, winners!" The host's voice called out over the speakers. "You've proven you would truly do anything for love, and can proceed on to the next game. And as for the loser, please remove him from the game."
Then, a couple crew members wearing rubber suits and carrying shears, cut their way through the thorns, freed the fourth husband from the thorns, and escorted him out of the factory.
As the three remaining husbands left the second room and entered the third, my thoughts once again returned to my wife, and wondered whether she too was faced with the same challenge, and had made it through the thorns.
Game three is where things... escalated.
When we entered the next factory, I saw three beds in the center of the room, each with a TV next to it.
"Remaining contestants, welcome to the semi final challenge." The host bellowed out over the room's speakers. "Will you each please choose a bed."
The three of us did as he asked, and walked to the center of the room, each of us standing in front of one the beds.
Then, a door opened and three masked women emerged, making their way to the center of the room, and each lying down on one of the beds.
"The rules of game three are as follows." He continued. "You simply have to sex with the stranger before you..."
The arrogant husband looked at me and smiled.
"...While watching your partner do the same."
Suddenly, the three TVs turned on, each displaying our wives in the very same situation. And lying on each of their beds, was a masked man.
"First off, we assure you that the women and men before you complied consensually, and have been tested for STDs. So the test of this game is not about morality, or safety, but fidelity. Would you cheat on your significant other, for the greater good of the relationship? The last couple to have sex, or the first to refuse, will lose. While the others, will proceed on to the final challenge."
I looked at my wife on the TV screen, relieved that she had made it this far, but started in shaking fear of what we both have to do to win.
Meanwhile, the arrogant husband started unclipping his belt button and turned to one of the cameras. "You call this a semi final? My wife and I are in an open relationship. Bring it on!"
While the third man, simply stared at his TV screen, sweating and pacing, clearly terrified to go through with it, and watch his wife do the same.
"The game begins... now!” The host called out.
As the arrogant man began to have sex with the woman on his bed, his naked body still littered with fresh scratches from the thorns, I thought about trying to escape, but then I saw the timid husband, and realized his hesitation was an opportunity for me to make it to the next round.
And so, I too removed my clothes and exposed my wounded body, crawling into bed with the masked woman, as my wife did the same with the masked man.
Before long, it was over, the arrogant man laying there naked and smiling into one of the cameras, while I, also naked, hung my head in shame for what I had just done.
I looked at the TV screen, and saw my wife put her clothes back on too. We had both made it.
The same could not be said for the nervous man and his wife, who both stayed true to their values, neither engaging in the act, before masked crew members promptly escorted them out of the factory.
And then there were two. Well, two couples that is. Myself against the arrogant man, my wife against his.
Masked production assistants then brought myself and my competitor into the room where the final challenge would be held.
It, much like the first room, was completely bare save for a dinner table at its center, where two plates and sets of utensils were set out.
"Finalists. Welcome to the fourth and last challenge. Will both contestants please take a seat at the dinner table."
We followed his instructions, as we had done previously, and sat down at the table, before a couple production assistants ran over and helped us tuck bibs into our shirts.
"The rules of game four are perhaps the most simple of all. You'll be presented with an item that you must eat. The first to finish eating it, is the winner." The host said over the room's speakers.
That's when a door opened and two masked PAs came out holding trays, and began rushing them over to us.
As they approached us, I began to panic, knowing that whatever it was that they were about to present to us, would likely even be more terrifying than anything we had encountered in the previous games.
"Sometimes you have to break a heart, to win another." The host called out, "In this challenge, the item you'll need to eat is..."
At that exact moment, the two PAs each removed a pair of tongs from their pocket, uncovered their tray, and placed the item on our plates.
"...A human heart."
I gasped, and nearly threw up in my mouth, as I saw the disgusting bloody organ lying there on my plate.
"May the best husband win! Goodluck, the game starts... now!"
For a minute, I hesitated, disgusted by the challenge set before me, but then I thought about what was on the line, and saw the arrogant husband immediately biting into his heart, blood pouring down his face.
I hurried to catch up, briefly fumbling my own heart, before chomping into it, and attempting to eat it as fast as I could, as blood sprayed all over my own face.
But the arrogant husband had gotten a head start, and was moving too quickly. No matter how fast I ate it, it was becoming clear that if nothing was done, he would surely beat me..
So, not knowing what else to do…
…I slammed what was left of my heart onto the plate, removed my bib, stood up, and proceeded to tackle the arrogant man out of his seat, sending his heart sliding across the concrete floor.
"What the fuck are you doing, man?" He asked, likely surprised that I was capable of such an act.
"I'm doing what needs to be done for love." I replied, before pummeling him over and over in the face with my fist, as I channeled my innermost frustrations, ranging from the traumatic experience we had just gone through, the arrogant husband’s obnoxious behavior throughout the game, years of belittlement from asshole boss, and my wife and my countless failed attempts at getting pregnant over the years.
I kept pummeling him, until he had completely shut the fuck up, and was simply mumbling incoherent words, his face a bloody pulp, blood bubbling out of his mouth.
I then stood up, walked back to the table, sat down, put the bib back on, and took the last bite of my heart.
"Congratulations, you’ve proved that you'll truly do anything for love, and have won the show! Please remove the loser."
Rather than celebrate, my mind once again returned to my wife, worried about her well being and wondering if she too, had mustered up the courage to eat the heart, and had become the winning wife.
A couple masked production assitants then ran over and dragged the arrogant husband away, as he simply stared at me in shock.
I looked down at my hands, which were still covered in blood, then up at one of the cameras, which was now right up in my face.
“How do you feel?” Phil asked, prompting me to speak to the camera.
But I couldn’t bring myself to speak any words.
I tried to think of something to say, but before I could, a door opened, and the masked PAs grabbed me by the arms and escorted me out of the last room and into an adjacent hallway, which led to a huge set of double doors.
"Winners,” the host said over the hallway’s speakers. “You stand here before us, victorious, each of you on one side of the doors. Now it is time, to find out if the person on the other side… is your partner… and if you both had what it takes, to do anything for love."
I took a deep breath, expecting the worst. Expecting to see the arrogant man’s wife on the other side. After all that.
But when the doors opened, I simply saw…
...My wife, standing there on the other side.
We ran to each other and embraced, both of us missing our ring fingers, littered in scratches, emotionally exhausted, and with faces and hands that were covered in blood.
"Congratulations!" The host continued, "You're the winners of Anything for Love!"
Both crying, we smiled at each other, but our smiles quickly turned into looks of sadness.
We'd won. But at what cost? I wondered, before the thought was overshadowed by that of the once in a lifetime prize that awaited us.
The producer, Phil, then brought us into yet another room, where we met a doctor, his face covered by a surgical mask, and both shook his hand.
"When you two showed up late,” Phil began, “I never thought you'd be the ones to win. But you did. So we stand by our promise. After you return home, you’ll be contacted by the doctor, who will provide you with the guidance and resources to hopefully have a baby of your own. That part, is obviously not guaranteed."
"Thank you." My wife replied, clearly torn by saying those words. “Understood.”
"Thank you." I added, also torn, before realizing that the camera crew didn't follow us into the room with the doctor. "But can I ask, why aren't you filming this part?"
"Oh, our audience only cares about watching the games." Phil replied with a chuckle.
"Audience? But we just filmed it."
"Oh, yeah we were livestreaming the whole time."
"I thought it was just a pilot. Who was watching?"
"The subscribers."
"Who are they?"
"A very small, very privileged group of people, who can't be bothered by pedestrian entertainment. They desire something more... elevated."
"Will this ever be a real show?"
"This? Of course not." Phil laughed, "No one else will ever watch this again. And no one but the small group of contestants and this crew, will ever know of what went on here."
"What happened to the other couples?"
"Oh they're fine. Aside from missing fingers, and being a little physically and emotionally scratched up. We'll do with them exactly what we'll do with you. Drop them off somewhere just far enough away that after we give them their phones back, if they choose to call the police or tell anyone about this place, by the time they come here to investigate, they'll find this factory abandoned, without a trace of what went on here today. The same goes for you. By the way, we better get you ready to go, your car will be arriving any minute now.”
Neither my wife nor myself had the energy to conjure up a reply.
"Thank you again for playing!" Phil said through his mask, "And on behalf of the subscribers, please enjoy your prize!"
He then led us out down a long hallway, through a back door, and into an alley, where a car was waiting to take us away.
"The chauffeur will provide you with your phones upon your arrival."
An hour or so later, the driver pulled over on the side of a highway, and let us off, handing us our phones just as Phil had promised.
But rather than call the police, we just stood there for a while, still horrified by the terrifying experience we had just been put through.
And ultimately… we decided that since we had won, it'd be best to leave it alone.
We hitched a ride back home, and sure enough, about a week later...
...We received a call from the doctor...
...And less than a year after that, my wife gave birth to our baby boy.
Sometimes, I think back to that day, and the terrible games they set before us, and wonder if my wife and I went too far to win…
...But then I look at my newborn son, and all the doubt, all the shame, all the horror, washes away.
And as for the subscribers. Every once in a while, when a car drives suspiciously slow past our house, or I get the feeling that my baby monitor might have just moved on its own, I wonder if they're still watching us, and if this is just the next episode of their reality show.

Hi everyone... let me start off by saying I don't have my mano de orula... as I'm still getting to know the religion... last year I met a house of 2 olorishas and several babalawos... and in there a Palero who would visit from time to time... at that time one of the olorisha had a disagreement with the rest of the house... she tried taking alot of the house clients with her including me... but I stayed as I know the owners of the botanica longer... (I know the owners for 4 years now but last year is when I started meeting the rest of the people and really trying to learn... )
So this disgruntled olorisha went to the palero and sided against the house... and I mean house because they call it casas... so excuse if I'm using the wrong term... during the past year I've seen a number of things go back and forth... I left out something- when the owners of the store would go on vacation I would see that the bad olorisha would do black work on people... I would tell her how I didn't like that and I would leave she would try to explain why they deserved it... I never knew that the owners didn't know... I figured they did... the owners explained to me that ifa told them to open up the store to help people not to do bad ...
So eventually Darth Vader the bad olorisha started doing work on me... I went to another completely different house where no one knew me for a consultation and they confirmed this girl was doing work... I had osogbo? The main owner of the house where I had been found out and he told me he would help me... they started doing work on me to clear it... and now I need to receive my mano de orula... but I don't have the money... the cleansing and work the owner has done out of his pocket... ofcourse I leave my derechos... the owner said he would be doing mano de orula and he would pay for it... and I could pay him back when I get back up... after awhile we checked and it seemed the girl had left me alone... for awhile now I started feeling bad again... and everything going wrong... so I asked the store owners padrino if I could have a consultation since he was visiting... he said I had osogbo again ... from the same girl...
Last month I started feeling weird against the store owners wife... an olorisha herself... it was this hate that I could not understand... it started off small and it got really bad until I just couldn't see her or be near her... and I mean see her as I would look at her but I could see Nothing... hard to explain... when her husband and their padrino found out they did 2 cleansing on me ... ifa said to do 3 more one each week... to remove the latest work... little by little I started feeling normal... it was a horrible feeling having anger against someone who I care for... even with my mom... my mom asked me the same thing of why I was acting different... all I could do is laugh... im isolating myself alot now from my own family and friends... i feel drained... and at night all of a sudden I kinda half wake up sweating and burning hot... feeling like I want to throw up... just very nauseous... I can't fully open my eyes...
I'm researching as much and I'm trying to understand how paleros work... I know this palero has his guerreros... but won't accept ifa ... so I'm very confused... and I've heard them talk about the sellamises? Las brujas? Or something... during my reading they said the muertos visit me and I should sleep with a cross make out of a type of wood... and a glass of water with another cross at door... ifa also said to hear a necklace everyday... even though I don't have my mano to wear it until I get mano... I get backlash from people when they see me wear it... but the owners said don't listen... what ifa says is what counts... and if ifa said that then that's what you do...
What could be happening at night? And if get mano would it make any difference with an olorisha? ... the owners dicen ke this girl might jot even have her santos anymore... since ya la rayaron and she had once before thrown her santos away... before she came to them... im still trying to understand all that... I would like to get different point of views I don't want to just get in without understanding or knowing...
I also did ask this girl what her problem was... she just said I'm mad because you are stupid and you won't stop going to that house... her last words to me... before she keyed my car...

Casting Director Dianne Young is a guest host.

• Pete Ferriero is sad that the Mets season is over.
• Jeffrey White produced the first 6 episodes.
• Paul Waigner then came in after that.
• Dianne Young was Rosin’s 2nd hire.
• She came from Growing Pains.
• Joanna Ray casted the initial cast.
• Joanna Ray left to go do Twin Peaks.
• Rosin says the first 6 episodes of Twin Peaks was great. They didn’t know how to end it after that.
• By the end of season 1 of Beverly Hills, 90210, the ratings were better than that of Twin Peaks.
• They love the Pacific Northwest shots in Twin Peaks.
• Young had known most of the cast of this show before, except for Ian Ziering and Gabrielle Carteris.
• Young: Tori Spelling worked hard at being an actress.
• Young thinks Bob (Robert) Harbin recommended her to Rosin.
• They needed to replace the father on this show.
• When Rosin started talking to Young about the character of Dylan, she knew exactly who they should cast: Luke Perry.
• Rosin had heard 12 others audition for Dylan. Luke Perry was the first one he thought could not only be cast, but could elevate the show.
• Young had been working on a pilot for Paramount. Another casting director had recommended Perry. When another casting director recommends someone, then one takes notice. Perry came in to read for the part. He said himself to Young that he wasn’t right for the part. She agreed, and told him she would remember him for something else.
• Kurt Geiger also read for Dylan.
• Perry was overwhelmingly Rosin and Young’s choice for Dylan.
• Others that read for Dylan: Matt LeBlanc, Trevor Edmond, Sean Patrick Flannery, David Gray, Carl Evans, Keith Pugan.
• Trevor Edmond would go on to play Evan Potter.
• Carl Evans would play Jonathan Casten in season 6.
• If they liked someone during their audition, they would write OTW by their name – Onto Wardrobe.
• Perry was nervous for his FOX audition.
• The network was lukewarm on him. Aaron Spelling liked him, and had their own production company pay for him.

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• Phases during the audition process: 1) Casting director sends out breakdown for a role.

2) Agents and managers submit actors.
3) Casting director goes through the actors. Well known actors go straight to producers.
4) Casting sessions are set up.
5) Producers are then present for callbacks. They look to make sure they’re right for the role, and can have consistent performances.
6) Another callback, this time with the production company.
7) Another callback, this time for the network. Bob Harbin and Wendy Matthews were in charge for FOX.

• Young would constantly talk with Tony Shepherd throughout this process.
• Early in the series, they would have appointments for actors to come in, and they wouldn’t show up. 40% of them would not show up.
• Young would have to tell the producers, “they’re not here, let me find out what’s going on”, while sweating bullets.
• Aaron Spelling built a really beautiful casting room.
• Darren Starr would be there.
• David Stenn (writeproducers) would also be involved.
• Because they were a bottom feeder, they worked with what they had.
• Young had gotten a quote from Luke Perry’s agent and manager, about his salary. However, quotes are not always accurate, so she has to verify the quote.
• The quote was actually lower than what she had first heard.
• The production company, not FOX, paid for Perry’s contract. Usually FOX pays for the contracts.

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• Luke Perry gave Young a Christmas present. It was a magnifying glass, and a horseshoe. The magnifying glass, was to help Young look for people like him.
• He also signed a poster of “8 seconds” for her.

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James Eckhouse interview:
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• Lyman Ward was initially cast as Jim Walsh.
• Carol Potter read with James Eckhouse in front of Aaron Spelling.
• Eckhouse didn’t think he was going to get the part. No way, he thought.
• After Eckhouse left, Aaron Spelling said “there’s something about that Eckhosue.”
• Potter said “Yeah, he’s Jewish.”
• Barry Diller was the head of FOX. He almost always recast someone. For example, the original lead of 21 Jump Street was not Johnny Depp. Depp was recast into that role.
• So, the same thing happened with Beverly Hills, 90210. Ward was recast with Eckhouse.
• Eckhouse looked like someone who would have been against the Vietnam War. They would not have done such a plot, in season 3, if Lyman Ward were Jim Walsh. He didn’t have that same look.
• Rosin had seen Eckhouse on TV, on 30 Something.
• Eckhouse had another audition on the same day as Beverly Hills, 90210. He had a snooty attitude about Beverly Hills, 90210. He didn’t think he was going to do that show. He didn’t even know why he was there.
• His wife, said to get his ass to the Beverly Hills, 90210 audition.
• His other audition was afterwards.
• He doesn’t remember what the other audition was for.
• Eckhouse went straight to the Producers’ audition. He didn’t have to do a round before.
• Young had really liked Eckhouse as a person, as well as his credits. She also liked how “easy” he was. She was comfortable with him. That’s an important quality for her.
• Eckhouse teaches acting now.
• Eckhouse tells a story of how he went to New York to audition for a movie. He would prepare for his scenes. When he’d get there, he’s ask if they wanted him to read for him. They’d say no, they just wanted to get a feel for how he was as a person. So he would get cast, just based off of his personality, at a certain point. They would already know his credits and know he could act.

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• Young auditioned Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. Affleck came in a few times. Eventually, he stopped.
• Damon would keep coming back, every single time. Young told Damon she’s sorry to keep dragging him in, only to tell him they went with somebody else. Damon told her never worry about him not coming in. He’s always going to come in.
• Eckhouse says there’s one show where he went in 17 times to audition. He’s not going to name the show. He eventually got a part on his 17th audition.
• Eckhouse did not think he did a good audition for Beverly Hills, 90210. It wasn’t his finest hour. He didn’t think he’d get called back.
• He did better during the callback.
• When Eckhouse went to the network audition, he was intimidated by another actor who looked Christian and Scottish.
• Then there was someone else who had tall, dark hair.
• Ken Campbell was also in the audition.
• Eckhouse and Luke Perry were in the bathroom together. Perry almost threw up, from the nerves.
• That’s where Perry and Eckhouse met for the first time, in the bathroom. They loved each other right away.
• Eckhouse really thought Campbell was going to get the part.
• When Eckhouse came back for the network audition, Eckhouse was broke and poor, with two kids. He called his agent. Eckhouse told the agent he didn’t do that well. The agent went to find out what happened. The agent then called Eckhouse back and said, “you were right, you did suck. But you got the part.”
• Rosin said Eckhouse’ previous credits were a huge positive factor.
• Eckhouse was the 2nd highest paid actor during most of the Rosin era.
• During that same network audition, Rosin was confused about something himself. He didn’t know if he worked for Aaron Spelling or someone else. Rosin got confirmation that it was Aaron Spelling.
• Aaron Spelling was always nice to Young.
• When Young’s grandmother passed away, Spelling said how sorry he was, and gave her a big hug.
• When Eckhouse was a director and cast people on another show, it was terrifying. If he said “so and so was pretty good”, someone else in the room would say that person was terrible.
• If Eckhouse saw someone didn’t give their best audition, he’d ask them to do another take, because he could tell they were nervous.
• People from the network would tell Eckhouse, “how dare you waste my time like that. You knew we weren’t going to cast them.”
• Eckhouse would think “give me a break, I just wanted to give them a chance.”
• Eckhouse liked working with the directors on this show, Beverly Hills, 90210. He liked observing them.
• When it was Eckhouse’s first time directing, certain cast members were late. Eckhouse kept looking at his watch. DP Rick Gunter came over and said “let me see your watch”. Eckhouse gave him his watch. Gunter said you’ll get it back at the end of the episode. “That’s not your job.” Let the AD take care of that. You do your job.

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• Leslie Bega (Marianne) reminded Rosin of girls from his high school. Anti materialistic.
• He was surprised the company didn’t try to bring her back.
• Young says she was terrific in the pilot.
• Young would always meet anyone agents and managers recommended her to.
• Young: You can also find good young actors in local theater. The tiniest theater in San Fernando Valley will still have someone that Young would want to bring in.
• Rosin agrees with Young about local theater.
• For the character of Nat, Young brought in Frank Gorshin. Joe E. Tata was a friend of Tony Shepherd’s. So that’s how Tata was brought in. Young says their auditions were similar but different.
• In a previous podcast, Rosin had said that Gorshin had an arrogant vibe. He had played The Riddler on Batman.
• Rosin says Joe E. Tata brought in warmth. Whereas Gorshin played it as someone who didn’t want to be there, but would offer sage advice.
• Rosin says Joe E. Tata was introduced to him as a friend of E. Duke Vincent’s.
• The Spelling company paid for overages with Luke Perry’s contract.
• E. Duke Vincent told Rosin that anytime the network asked someone to change something, ask them who is paying for it.
• Rosin says Beverly Hills, 90210 had the lowest license fee in all of network television.
• They haven’t been able to find Lisa Dean Ryan, who played Bonnie on “The Gentle Art Of Listening”.
• Young says maybe she’s moved on to other interests.
• Rosin says Lisa Dean Ryan, and Noelle Parker, had a range of talent.
• Young had hired Ann Gillespie elsewhere before Beverly Hills, 90210.
• Young liked Tico Wells right away. Her advice to him for the next callback was “don’t do too much”.
• Young met Luisa Leschin (Anna Rodriguez) earlier.
• Rosin used to teach an extension class at UCLA. He used to use the pilot for Hill Street Blues as an example. He would even bring in Bob Butler to come in and watch the episode with the class. The pilot had changed his life. But now, he says the pilot does not hold up. It’s too racist and sexist.
• Beverly Hills was run by the nannies and housekeepers. So Rosin wanted to have a maid character, to represent that. And show the diversity of Los Angeles.
• Aaron Spelling did not like the elitism that was shown in the culture of Beverly Hills. So he asked for her character to be removed.
• Young did hear the criticism about people of color not being on the show. Young said it was disappointing to hear, because she did try to bring in different people.
• There was an author that thought Mark Damon Espinoza didn’t have a big enough role. That author went on FOX News to talk about it. Young had that author meet with producer Paul Waigner. Things did not get resolved, and that author remained angry.
• Rosin repeats what he said earlier, about the show having the lowest license fee in television. They didn’t have the budget for new cast members. That’s why they kept having focused episodes about race like “One On One” or “East Side Story”.
• They were eventually able to cast Denise Dowse and Henry Pickens in recurring roles.
• They made sure the extras reflected the racial diversity of Los Angeles.
• Rosin repeats what he said on previous episodes, that he won an Imagen Award for East Side Story. That’s an award that celebrates Latino actors and their positive portrayal.
• Young: Denise Dowse was a delight to sit and talk to. She’s likable.
• There’s a story about Denise Dowse on Seinfeld, but Young says she’s not going to share that story.
• Ok, she ended up telling the story. Young gave Dowse a message to give to Jerry Seinfeld, during the time Seinfeld was working on Seinfeld. Dowse gave Jerry Seinfeld the message, and he doubled over in laughter.
• Kristin Dattilo was on “One Man And A Baby”. She also read for Brenda Walsh.
• Here’s the actors that read for either of Kelly, Brenda, or Andrea: Kirstin Dattilo (Melissa in this series), Robin Lively, Tamara Glen, Kelly Williams, Sarah Buxton, Patricia Arquette, Brooke Mills, Julie Condra, Jaycee Brownlee, Heather McAdam (Surf Betty / Sarah on this series), Cheryl Pollock, Sydney Penny, Heather Grimes, Portia Dawson, Kendra Booth, Patricia Jennings, Megan Ward, Lisa Wilcox, Nicole Egbert, Tiffani Amber-Thiessen, Lisa Ann Capps, Deborah Levin, Jennifer Guthrie, Juliet Lewis, Tiffany (the mononymous singer), Karla Montana, Tracey Needham, Tracy Wells, Rebecca Cross, Kristy Swanson.
• Pete Ferriero can’t find Michelle Abrahms (Amanda Peyser).
• Julie McCulloh (Trina on “Slumber Party”) used to be on Growing Pains. She was removed from Growing Pains because she was in Playboy, and Kirk Cameron didn’t like that.
• Young was on Growing Pains at that time.
• “Slumber Party” is Rosin’s favorite episode among ones he didn’t work on.
• Rosin bought Playboy because of the interviews with Huey Newton and Tom Hayden. Those guys were not going to be on the LA Times.
• Ferriero says his first Playboy was the one with Julie McCulloh, because of her.
• Rosin likes Joshua Karton (Driver’s Ed instructor). He was one of Rosin’s friends.
• Aaron Spelling did not like that character.
• Jessica Klein’s first episode was “April Is The Cruelest Month”, the episode with Matthew Perry. Rosin says maybe Shira Wasserman (Klein’s daughter) will help do a podcast for that episode.
• Young knew Matthew Perry from before. It was a great reading.
• Michael Cudlitz (Tony Miller, later in the series) also read for that same part as Matthew Perry. Cudlitz did a great job too.
• Rosin liked how Matthew Perry was a youth champion Canadian tennis player. Rosin liked casting people that could play the sport. So he also liked Tico Wells from One On One.
• Ian Ziering and Jason Priestley could also really play basketball.
• Years later, Rosin saw Matthew Perry playing tennis at Beverly Hills High School. Rosin was too shy to go up to him and say “remember when you did my episode”. Rosin regrets that shyness now.
• Young had also worked with Matt LeBlanc elsewhere, on Just The 10 Of Us.
• Young had hired Jennifer Anniston on a pilot before.
• Young also cast Marcy Kaplan (Lydia Leeds).
• Melissa Rivers is in “Fame Is Where You Find It”.
• Young had tried to get Tori Spelling cast before. It was for another 1 hour show. The producer said she was terrific but she doesn’t need the job. Young said Tori Spelling shouldn’t be penalized for who her father is. She’s trying to build a resume.
• Young has said she’s always tried to give people who are 2nd generation people in the entertainment industry, a fair chance.
• Melissa Rivers is another example of this.
• Carrie Hamilton from the “Stand And Deliver” episode is another example.

Okay okay SOOO I'm doing a final project and it is based on probability. My topic is "what is the probability of shooting a bullet in the air and it hitting something/someone." I know ballistic is involved and I know simple kinematic equations are involved.
What I need help is with the ballistics. What kinematic equations to use, and the probability formulas.
I know location is taken to account so let's either so let's do Los Angeles or La Verne.
Guidance is also helpful and I'll also figuring what to do for the math but it would be nice to have some help since I'm not the brightest. ❤️
Thank you !!!

https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Backlash%2c+parental+alienation+syndrome+and+co-construction.-a0179570828
Work on the issue of sexual abuse in children and adolescents lays bare the power relations between genders, generations and social classes. The issue of gender is seen in statistics from UN agencies that report that "one in four girls and one in nine boys will be sexually abused before they reach the age of 18."(1) Generational power relations are clear because the perpetrators are adults, and the power relations of class are evident in the backlash generated by powerful sectors that have attempted to prop up the myth that child abuse is only a problem among the poor and working classes.
Webster's Dictionary defines "backlash" as "a strong adverse reaction to a political or social movement." More plainly, backlash is a negative reaction to a positive and constructive step forward. Professor of law John Myers identifies the positive step as the progress made in the past two decades with regard to child abuse and the backlash as the escalation of criticism against professionals involved in child protection.(2)
David Finkelhor was responsible for pioneering work on the sexual abuse of children in the United States. In his 1979 book, Sexually Victimized Children, Finkelhor recognizes the important contributions of the women's movement and professionals involved in child protection lobbying in drawing attention to the realities of sexual violence against minors: "If the sexual abuse of children has risen to prominence as a social problem rather quickly, it is because it has been championed by an alliance of two constituencies by now rather experienced in the promotion of social problems."(3)
In the United States, a backlash began in the 1980s under the Reagan Administration's return to stale and reactionary values following the struggles of the women's movement and the children's rights movement the 1960s and 70s.
What was once secret was now openly debated, and controversy wracked the most idealized institutions, including church, family and school. Socially consecrated myths of long-standing were crumbling: "The home is the seat of love, support and safety for children"; "Good families don't talk about sexuality"; "Churches reflect the highest moral standard with regard to sexuality"; "Children are safe in school."
By drawing attention to the realities of child sexual abuse, a solid blow was dealt to the "powers that be"; hypocrisy was uncovered; and unquestioned assumptions were challenged. This frontal attack was met with denial by means of a range of strategies developed by the fundamentalisms of faith and the market.
One of these backlash strategists was prominent forensics expert Richard Gardner, who coined the term "parental alienation syndrome" in 1985 to describe a supposed psychological disorder that he had observed in lengthy and bitter custody battles. His original paper on the subject uses the following description:

"The term I prefer to use is parental alienation syndrome. I have introduced this term to refer to a disturbance in which children are obsessed with deprecation and criticism of a parent—denigration that is unjustified and/or exaggerated. The notion that such children are merely 'brainwashed' is narrow."(4)

However, supposedly citing his original work several years later, Gardner re-describes this phenomena somewhat differently.

"[t]he parental alienation syndrome (PAS) is a childhood disorder that arises almost exclusively in the context of child-custody disputes. Its primary manifestation is the child's campaign of denigration against a parent, a campaign that has no justification. It results from the combination of a programming (brainwashing) parent's indoctrinations and the child's own contributions to the vilification of the target parent. When true parental abuse and/or neglect is present, the child's animosity may be justified, and so the parental alienation syndrome explanation for the child's hostility is not applicable."(5)

The two different definitions demonstrate the changes in this argument over time with the goal of developing a different strategy for discrediting the hard research work and harder-won social gains of the women's movement and the professionals lobbying for child protection.
Maria Jose Blanco Barea has studied the many works that Gardner published up to his death by suicide in 2003, and she suggests that "perhaps the psychological causes that led to his suicide should be taken into consideration." With regard to Gardner's professional career, Blanco Barea recounts that "Gardner dedicated the first part of his professional life to working as a forensics expert in cases of sexual abuse brought by children against their parents, students against professors, members of the faithful against representatives of organized religions and within military families. Gardner often stressed that he was a former captain [in the U.S. Army Medical Corps] and as a psychologist treated members of the armed forces who had served in Korea. He specialized in techniques to 'deprogram' U.S. soldiers who had been prisoners of war. His methodologies and expert testimony were used to question the credibility of sexual abuse victims, to prove that the accused were innocent and that the accusers were guilty of perjury. Gardner testified in cases of sexual abuse in the context of hearings to determine custody, visitation and guardianship, and he himself explains that he developed his research over the course of his career. In other words, he directly applied the scientific method of trial and error in real-life court cases that were settled while he was still carrying out his research. When he decided to publish his theories in 1985, Garner failed to provide the scientific community with the necessary data to scientifically analyze his conclusions."(6)
Richard Gardner's books were published by Creative Therapeutics, which he himself owned. Some of his articles were published in Issues in Child Abuse Accusations, a publication of the Institute for Psychological Therapies, which is directed by Dr. Ralph Underwager who is well known for an interview in the Dutch journal Paidika […](7)
In the 1970s and 80s and prior to his publication of the parental alienation syndrome, Gardner developed the "Sex-Abuse Legitimacy Scale" (SAL Scale), which he used in his own courtroom testimony. Nonetheless, Gardner's ideological stance clearly shows that he did not view child sexual abuse as a problem, except when it is denounced.

"It is of interest that of all the ancient peoples it may very well be that the Jews were the only ones who were punitive toward [adults who had sex with children]. Early Christian proscriptions against [adult-child sex] appear to have been derived from the earlier teachings of the Jews, and our present overreaction to [adult-child sex] represents an exaggeration of Judeo-Christian principles and is a significant factor operative in Western society's atypicality with regard to such activities."(8)
"The child might be helped to appreciate the wisdom of Shakespeare's Hamlet, who said, 'Nothing's either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.'"(9)
"And her [the mother's] increased sexuality may lessen the need for her husband to return to their daughter for sexual gratification."(10)
"… except for a certain amount of sexual frustration that was not gratified, the four-year-old had not been significantly traumatized by these encounters."(11)

Elsewhere Gardner had the following to say about child sexual abuse: "The sexually abused child is generally considered to be the victim, though the child may initiate sexual encounters by 'seducing' the adult."(12) Gardner even proposes that [child sexual abuse] serves procreative purposes; he maintains that although the child cannot become pregnant, a child who is drawn into sexual encounters at an early age is likely to become highly sexualized and thus will crave sexual experiences during the prepubertal years. Such a "charged up child" is more likely to transmit his or her genes through his or her progeny at an early age. Gardner states: "The younger the survival machine at the time sexual urges appear, the longer will be the span of procreative capacity, and the greater the likelihood the individual will create more survival machines in the next generation."(13) He also recommended that the incestuous father "has to be helped to appreciate that, even today, it [adult-child sex] is a widespread and accepted practice among literally billions of people. He has to appreciate that in our Western society especially we take a very punitive and moralistic attitude toward such inclinations.… He has also had back [sic] luck with regard to the place and time he was born with regard to social attitudes toward [adult-child esx]."(14)
The two definitions of parental alienation syndrome are interesting because the first reveals that the intention of the original strategy was to minimize the devastating effects that child abuse has in the victims. However, the 2002 definition added: "When true parental abuse and/or neglect is present, the child's animosity may be justified, and so the parental alienation syndrome explanation for the child's hostility is not applicable."(15) But curiously, the indicators of parental alienation syndrome also coincide with the indicators of sexual abuse that have been established by international studies on this problem.
At the time of the revised definition, the international study of child abuse and the movement to prevent the victimization of children was much further advanced. Some examples are the five European seminars "Secrets that Destroy" held in 1998 by the Save the Children Alliance; the 1999 "Vision and Reality" reports that address women's and children's rights; and a series of later publications by experts in the matter.
Although the SAL scale has been widely disregarded as a tool for diagnosing sexual abuse, Gardner's real thoughts are evident in the above citations from his works. Both the SAL scale and parental alienation syndrome represent a scandalous violation of the human rights of women, adolescents and children.
In numerous publications, Gardner uses supposedly scientific but paradoxical arguments to rationalize his denial of violence against women, defined in the Belem do Para Convention as "a manifestation of the historically unequal power relations between women and men."(16) Making use of children, he creates a new and sophisticated form of violence against women that involves complicity of the justice system.
Gardner proposed a series of symptoms that reveal three types of parental alienation syndrome (severe, moderate and mild) and specific treatment for each type. The treatment that he proposes for parental alienation syndrome involves both legal and health-care professionals, who Gardner says should have the power to administer the appropriate treatment based on the coercion, threat, change in living arrangements and, as a last resort, the internment and "deprogramming" of the child. As Blanco Barea observes, "Parental alienation syndrome makes a fraud of the law. It makes use of the declarations against discriminations against women and of the rights of the child to protect the parent and escape the application of the Conference of Vienna that protects against torture and degrading treatment, especially in the case of women and girls, and to escape the application of the Convention on the Rights of the Child."(17)
As law professor John Myers explains, "Gardner is an outspoken critic of certain aspects of the child protection system. Apparently, Gardner believes America is in the throes of mass hysteria over child sexual abuse. He writes that 'sex-abuse hysteria is omnipresent' (True and False Accusations of Child Sex Abuse, 1992, p. xxv). In his 1991 book titled Sex Abuse Hysteria: Salem Witch Trials Revisited, Gardner is harshly critical of an unspecified portion of the mental health professionals, investigators, and prosecutors trying to protect children. For example, Gardner accuses some prosecutors of gratifying their own sexual urges and sadistic tendencies through involvement in sexual abuse cases. […] It seems clear that Richard Gardner cannot claim to be balanced or objective when it comes to allegations of child sexual abuse."(18)
Although Gardner and his theories can be questioned for their misogynist and perverse ideology, in Argentina former family court judge Eduardo Cardenas published "El abuso de las denuncias de abuso" (The Abuse of Claims of Abuse) in La Ley, on September 15, 2000. Cardenas's article supported Gardner's theories and sparked backlash in our country, which has provoked widespread reaction among well-known professionals.
Perhaps the best summary of what occurred in Argentina after 2000 is found in the book Maltrato infantil: Riesgos del compromiso profesional (Child Abuse: The Risks of Professional Commitment), a collection of essays by known specialists on the issue, edited by Silvio Lamberti. As the introduction to this book describes:

"As long as the problem was associated with the lower classes, more and more cases were reported. When it began to be suspected that family violence affected all social classes and the middle and upper classes were scrutinized, a reactionary movement used the guise of good intentions to put limits on professionals that supposedly 'abused the reports of child sexual abuse.'
"This was the reaction of:

1. Fathers who were engaged in custody battles or other legal disputes regarding visitation rights.
2. Lawyers who preached equanimity and warned against the feminist bias that they claimed had affected the reports.
3. Experts who tried to pass off the backlash literature from the U.S. as scientific evidence to support their own conclusions.

"This brutal attack tends to carry into an ideological realm a debate that crosses legal and psychosocial discourses, ethics and society as a whole and tries to undo the advances already gained, discouraging those who have worked to achieve these gains. In short, they intend to:

1. Discredit reports of child abuse.
2. Turn anyone who denounces abuse into a suspect.
3. Blur the boundaries between victim and victimizer.
4. Confuse the matter by citing the rare cases of violence against boys or adult men committed by women.
5. Discredit the specialized treatment services even though the law recognizes the value of their diagnosis.
6. Ignore constitutional norms from the Convention on Rights of the Child.

"Thus, the meaning of abusive conduct is inverted, with abuse being attributed to the person who reports the abuse and requests the fulfillment of the law.
"This reactionary backlash supports the persistence of family violence and condemns all girls and/or victims of the perpetuation of incest and abuse while attempting to stymie the legal system and the work of other professionals who until now have born the heavy burden of this process."(19)

This scientific alert went out over three years ago; nonetheless, today there are increasing obstacles to working on this issue. The notion of false reports of abuse is now firmly rooted in the courts. Sexual abuse trials are tremendous ordeals that seriously damage the children and the adults who report the crime and place a heavy burden on the professionals who take the children's part and who often face accusations of malpractice, libel or slander.
The discrediting of psychological experts is of serious concern. What started with Gardner has continued with followers who have discredited indicators, treatments, techniques and prevention campaigns. Brandishing the concept of co-construction on the part of the family members of the victims or the professionals, the testimony of the children is discredited, accused of being childhood fantasy and tale-telling.
The efforts of Gardner and his followers have been echoed by the hierarchy of the Catholic Church, an institution that claims to represent the social sexual moral but which has promoted a policy of smoke-screening sexual abuse.
The Red Latinoamericana de Catolicas por el Derecho a Decidir (Latin American Network of Catholics for the Right to Decide) has undertaken a study on the secret system of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church.(20) The ecclesiastical hierarchy always has been aware of these crimes and has implemented a policy of covering up the abuses committed by priests. This policy is summarized in the following ten points adapted from the studies carried out by the Spanish journalist Pepe Rodriguez(21) and corroborated in the studies of the Catolicas por el Derecho a Decidir:

1. Discreet investigation of the incident. The prelates of the diocese often have ecclesiastical informants, people who desire to rise in the esteem of the hierarchy through their reports. They keep the bishops abreast of the transgressions of the priests under their authority. These reports are given orally.
2. Initiation of actions to dissuade the aggressor and/or the victim(s). Once the prelate recognizes the situation of sexual abuse in which the image of the Church could be tarnished, the aggressor is rebuked. Then the bishops dedicate themselves to convincing the victims and their families, assuring them that the aggressor will be punished and that he has repented. They persuade the families to not report the crime so that no one in the Church or the family will suffer the consequences.
3. Covering up the incident and the identity of the aggressor so the case never becomes public. In this effort, acts are undertaken to confuse the matter, including transferral of the priest to another parish, bribery of the victim and their family members or the use of threats and suspension of benefits (for example, expulsion from school).
4. Measures to reinforce the cover up. When the case escapes the closed doors of the Church, the hierarch opens an internal investigation against the aggressor to defend against eventual accusations of passivity in case there is external pressure from the media or society or a civil suit. Generally, the investigation is paralyzed indefinitely. At this stage, the priest usually is transferred to another parish, another diocese or another country, depending on the situation.
5. Denial of the incident when the case becomes public, under the argument that the priest is a man of virtue heeding God's call, a holy figure who could never commit a crime of this nature. When denial is no longer possible, the matter is treated as an exception to this rule.
6. Public defense of the aggressor, stressing his good service to the Church and his personal merits. If he did do anything wrong, he is profoundly repentant and was not conscious of his acts. An appeal is made to the Christian sentiments of pardoning a repentant sinner.
7. Public discrediting of the victim(s). Rodriguez uses the metaphor of ants defending an anthill to describe the corporativist attitude of the clergy when one of its members is accused. The guilt is reversed; the victim(s) and/or their family members are blamed.
8. Paranoiac accusations of the denunciation being linked to campaigns orchestrated by "enemies of the Church." When the number of accusations is so high that discrediting the victims is not enough, the hierarchy complains that there are national or international powers or cults conspiring against the Church.
9. Possibility of negotiation with the victim. This negotiation frequently occurs before the case is made public when the intention of the Church is to buy the victim's silence to preserve the image of the institution. When there is a public scandal, the hierarchy tries to minimize the damage by trying to negotiate the withdrawal of the accusations against the aggressor.
10. Protection of the priest/aggressor. When the accused is found to be guilty, the hierarchy stands by him and in some cases even pays him homage or praises him, doing everything possible to erase the incident from the public memory.(22)

As the Church silences and covers up the abuses committed within its institutions, it resembles Gardner and his followers in that it denies the realities of domestic violence and the sexual abuse of children and adolescents and hampers investigation of these matters. Alliances with key judicial figures lead to perverse and scandalous rulings, such as the Melo Pacheco case in Mar del Plata, the Storni case Santa Fe or the stalling in the Grassi trial, to name the most notorious cases. Many others remain anonymous, which demonstrates the existence of a model that favors the impunity of the abusers, the suffering of the victims and the punishment of those who are working within the framework of human rights.
A sturdy thread connects those who deny, discredit, silence, minimize, distort and negotiate the rights of children: the perversity that has subordinated their ethics to systems of belief that are authoritarian, patriarchal and/or favor the domination of adults.
This ideological combination stacks the deck against victims who, for the most part, are children, adolescents and women. Women are the most discredited. In the cases in which priests are accused of sexual abuse, most people take their side, doubt the word of the victim(s) and even blame them or imply that the priests were victims of a conspiracy. Girl victims are not considered credible because they are presented as easily influenced, prone to fantasy or liars. If they are adolescents, their morals are questioned: it is argued that they already had had sexual relations before the abuse or are guilty of seducing their abuser.
In the case of domestic abuse, especially in cases of father-child incest, the mother is accused of maliciously attempting to distance the child from the father, inventing the abuse out of revenge or because she is hysterical or any other argument that serves to safeguard the figure of the father of the family or the Father of the parish. In both cases, the common sensibilities of the population are exploited: tolerance of male sexual behavior fed by the dominate sexual morality, which makes the argument of false reports even more credible than the martyrdom and accusations of the victims.
To compare the consequences that a child may suffer with the separation of his or her parents, even in a messy divorce, with the short- and long-term consequences of father-child abuse is a perverse strategy that denies the serious and profound attack on the victim's subjective integrity, which Jorge Barudy calls "attempted moral murder."
Parental alienation syndrome, the "malicious mother" and co-construction are non-scientific theories, and when used in the context of a trial, they violate the victim's constitutional rights as well as the Convention on the Rights of the Child, CEDAW and other agreements incorporated into our constitution in 1994.
We must remember that Richard Gardner's theories were developed in the United States through a method of trial and error that was applied directly in the courtroom in bitter divorce cases, which were ruled upon as Gardner was undertaking his research. In addition, the U.S. is one of the few countries that has neither ratified nor incorporated into its constitution the Convention on the Rights of the Child or CEDAW.
As Blanco Barea explains, in legal contexts based on human rights, those professionals who can carry out the therapy or treatment recommended by Gardner or his followers (such as "aversion therapy" plus the vicarious treatment of deprogramming and, as a precaution, the guarantee of visitation rights or the reversal of custody and/or total separation of the "alienating" parent and the "alienated" child) "are committing crimes of torture, obstruction of justice and legal fraud, and if they are related to the minors in question, they are also guilty of domestic violence."(23)
Child abuse, especially sexual abuse, is an alarming, universal problem. Increased attention and effective protection skills and prevention measures are necessary at family, local, national and international levels.
After a long tradition of silence, sexual abuse of children is being denounced more frequently and is becoming a topic for public and political discussion.
To alert governments and civil society organizations to the need to play a more active role in the promotion of and respect for the rights of the child (as put forth in article 19 and 34* of the Convention on the Rights of the Child) and to contribute to the prevention of child abuse, the Women's World Summit Foundation, WWSF, launched the World Day for Prevention of Child Abuse in 2000. The Day is commemorated every November 19 together with the anniversary of the International Day for the Rights of the Child (November 20). The objective of the World Day for Prevention of Child Abuse is to rally around the issue of child abuse and the urgent need for effective prevention programs.
To consolidate the global call for action, in 2001 WWSF launched an international NGO coalition that marks the World Day with appropriate events and activities to focus on and increase prevention education.
* For more information, visit the website of the Women's World Summit Foundation, https://www.woman.ch/children/1introduction.php.
* Art. 19 - States Parties shall take all appropriate legislative, administrative, social and educational measures to protect the child from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation, including sexual abuse, while in the care of parent(s), legal guardian(s) or any other person who has the care of the child.
* Art. 34 - States Parties undertake to protect the child from all forms of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse. For these purposes, States Parties shall in particular take all appropriate national, bilateral and multilateral measures to prevent:
(a) the inducement or coercion of a child to engage in any unlawful sexual activity;
(b) the exploitative use of children in prostitution or other unlawful sexual practices;
(c) the exploitative use of children in pornographic performances and materials.
The author is a psychologist, a founder of the Casa de la Mujer in Rosario, Argentina, and a longtime defender of the rights of women and children.
Notes
(1.) Selected facts and figures from various UN documents, part of the 2006 Open Letter from the Women's World Summit Foundation on the World Day for Prevention of Child Abuse, 19 November. Available online at http://www.woman.ch/children/1-openletter.php.
(2.) Alicia Ganduglia (2003) "El backlash: un nuevo factor de riesgo," in Maltrato Infantil. Riesgos del compromiso profesional, Silvio Lamberti, ed., Buenos Aires: Editorial Universidad, p. 75.
(3.) David Finkelhor (1979) Sexually Victimized Children. New York: The Free Press, p. 2.
(4.) Richard A. Gardner (1985) "Recent Trends in Divorce and Custody Litigation." Academy Forum 29:2, Summer, pp. 3-7.
(5.) Richard A. Gardner (2002) "Does DSM-IV Have Equivalents for the Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS) Diagnosis?" American Journal of Family Therapy, 31(1):1-21. See also Richard A. Gardner (2003) "The Parental Alienation Syndrome: Past, Present, and Future," in The Parental Alienation Syndrome: An Interdisciplinary Challenge for Professionals Involved in Divorce. W. von BochGallhau, U. Kodjoe, W Andritsky and P. Koeppel, eds. Berlin, Germany: VWB-Verlag fur Wissenshaft and Bildung, pp. 89-125.
(6.) Maria Jose Blanco Barea (2006) "El sindrome inquisitorial estadounidense de alineacion parental," p. 11. This document may be downloaded from http://www.revistaiuris.com/MISC/8618/borrador%20el%20sindrome%20inquisitorial%20del%20sap.doc.
(7.) The interview with Dr. Ralph Underwager was originally published in Paidika, Issue 9, 1993, and has been reproduced online at http://www.nostatusquo.com/ACLU/NudistHallofShame/Underwager2.html.
(8.) Richard A. Gardner (1992) True and False Accusations of Child Sex Abuse. Cresskill, New Jersey: Creative Therapeutics, pp. 46-7.
(9.) Ibid. p. 549.
(10.) Ibid. p. 585.
(11.) Ibid. p. 612.
(12.) Richard A. Gardner (1986) Child Custody Litigation: A Guide for Parents and Mental Health Professionals. Cresskill, New Jersey: Creative Therapeutics, p. 93
(13.) Richard A. Gardner (1992) pp. 24-25.
(14.) Ibid. p. 593.
(15.) See note 5.
(16.) From the Preamble to the Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of Violence against Women, also known as the Convention of Belem do Para, adopted by the OAS General Assembly June 9, 1994; entry into force March 5, 1995.
(17.) Maria Jose Blanco Barea (2006) p. 219.
(18.) John E. B. Myers (n.d.) "What is 'Parental Alienation Syndrome' and Why Is It So Often Used Against Mothers?" an excerpt from a forthcoming book titled A Mother's Nightmare: A Practical Legal Guide for Parents and Professionals. Available online at http://www.gate.net/~liz/fathers/pas.htm.
(19.) Maltrato Infantil. Riesgos del compromiso professional. Silvio Lamberti, ed., Buenos Aires: Editorial Universidad, 2003. The contributing authors were Maria Ines Bringioti, Cristina Caprarulo, Julio Cesar Castro, Alicia Ganduglia, Norberto Garrote, Isabel Gens, Eva Giberti, Carmen Gonzales, Irene Intebi, Victoria Irazuzta, Silvio Lamberti, Patricia Paggi, Mirta Pirozzo, Carlos Rozanski, Diana Sanz, Juan Pablo Maria Viar, Maria Cristina Vila and Juan Carlos Volnovich.
(20.) Regina Soares Jurkewicz (2005) Develando la politica del silencio: Abuso sexual de mujeres por sacerdotes en Brasil. Brazil: Red Latinoamericana de Catolicas por el Derecho a Decidir.
(21.) Pepe Rodriguez (2002) Pederastia en la Iglesia Catolica: Delitos sexuales del clero contra menores: Un drama silenciado y encubierto por los obispos. Barcelona: Ediciones B.
(22.) Regina Soares Jurkewicz (2005) pp. 20-22.
(23.) Maria Jose Blanco Barea (2006) p. 219.

Hey everyone, this is my first time posting a season here. So basically, the idea of "TPDNE Survivor" is that I create seasons using pictures from thispersondoesnotexist.com (while ensuring that the cast photos have good angles) and then post them here. I'll be randomly generating cast members for now, but I may do call-ups in the future if enough people want that.
"This is the first season of TPDNE Survivor, and it takes place in Jordan, a country steeped in ancient history and rich cultural heritage. Twenty American contestants will have to outwit, outplay, and outlast each other for the one million dollar prize. 39 days, 20 people, ONE survivor!" -Jeff Probst
Season link: https://brantsteele.com/survivo33/r.php?c=C4OPqpQY
Contestants:
Alatai Tribe
Addison Ross - Librarian - Portland, OR
Austin Chavez - Social worker - Los Angeles, CA
Brandon Williams - University professor - Seattle, WA
Brooklyn Campbell - Small business owner - Denver, CO
Carter Mason - Architect - San Francisco, CA
Chase Richardson - Surf instructor - San Diego, CA
Emily Johnson - Nurse - Austin, TX
Jackson Davis - Software engineer - San Jose, CA
Madison Parker - Fashion designer - New York City, NY
Peyton Walker - Accountant - Chicago, IL
Malo Tribe
Alexis Foster - Marketing manager - Miami, FL
Brad Harrison - Outdoor guide - Boulder, CO
Chris Williams - Sales Representative - Atlanta, GA
Hailey Cooper - Environmental scientist - Portland, OR
Harper Bennett - Chef - San Francisco, CA
Kyle Roberts - Personal trainer - Honolulu, HI
Ryan Parker - Graphic designer - Seattle, WA
Savannah Brooks - Event planner - New Orleans, LA
Taylor Hayes - Software developer - Austin, TX
Tyler Nelson - Bartender - Las Vegas, NV
NOTE: The four people that share the same last name with each other is something I overlooked while giving them names, they're not related
Anyway, what do you think?

TLDR We need a lawyer that can help us but we don't know the type of lawyer we need and how much it will cost us with our income. Eviction lawyers only help with a pending eviction.
Hi,
My gf and I are incredibly low income in Los Angeles, CA. Let's just say I made 24,000 last year and this year won't be that good either. I needed knee surgery and got fired for not returning to work soon enough. Took 6 months to find another job.
So our landlord is trying to sell the unit that we live in, but they're saying they're having a hard time because we live here still. They are trying a cash for keys situation. We aren't late on rent or anything like that. That's the good part.
We've given them a very generous offer amount. 18,000. We can't afford to live out here anymore so I will be leaving to the Midwest while my gf will bunk with her aunt for a few months. Moving costs will be around 6-8000 total. We will both have to quit our jobs for this, yeah the jobs aren't good obviously but we also don't want to leave CA for this...but have to unless something falls in our lap.
I say this amount is generous because if we decided to just say fuck them we could easily get 50-100k going to court. We are only asking for the amount to leave and have some money to tide over until we find work...and with how hard it's been finding work lately it might be a while. Technically we don't legally even have to leave a rent controlled unit that I've lived in for 11 years now. This is info from the LA Housing Authority. We don't want to be assholes but there are factors that make us want to now.
Why?
They lied to us saying we didn't pay rent for a year and tried to foot me a 17k+ bill that I would be personally liable for from 2020. In otherwords they pocketed our money and didn't pay the estate, but I can't prove that. I can prove that I paid and my checks were cashed. Pretty easy to have checks printed from the bank so that was a stupid tactic.
They said I was subletting which would have been grounds to evict. Proved I wasn't.
The last 5 years they haven't repaired shit. They never really did. There are taped up drywall holes from a plumbing service that needed to be done in our livingroom but they never fixed the wall after. This was 2 years ago. I retaped everything today just in case there's mold which it looks like there is behind the wall.
We've spent 3 record breaking summer heatwaves without a/c from a faulty unit. I told them it was broken in the winter time so it would have been cheaper but noooo they waited 9 months after being asked every couple weeks. This started 4 years ago.
One roomate left without notice and our rent went up to cover theirs immediately...without notice. What they did was have us pool rent into one check and he just didn't pay and left. I was doing them a favor and they used it to fuck me. They acted like they didn't know, but later I found out that they were in conversation with the roomate about relocation. Can't prove that either. They never had his disgusting room cleaned so we did it and made it our dogs' room. I sued the roomie for rent and won.
They've tried other scare tactics and such as well.
I'm starting to look for a lawyer to help with negotiations because this is becoming unbelievably stressful for both of us. We've also been the the type of kind, honest people that get screwed over in life and I'm kind of done with that. Remember the one check favor? Eviction lawyers only help when there is an Eviction pending. I've called a bunch of them and they haven't given any advice/proper lawyer to call about this. We don't have a lot to spare each month so if there is any advice you can give or a proper lawyer to contact it would be extremely helpful.
We just want this to be over with and it's been going on for 3 years now. The uncertainty is killing us. Everytime we speak it's just stress for a week after. We can't plan things because who knows we might have to leave suddenly if something stupid happens or they find some loophole to kick us out etc.

Here we go Reddit. This one may hurt all those who read it.
I (44m) have been conflicted with how I left a friendship over eight months ago with someone (42m) I'd been friends with for the better half of a decade. We'll call this friend, Alan.
First off, to the younger readers, let me say how difficult it is to start, cultivate and maintain a new friendship into adulthood so, keep your good friends close and remind them what they mean to you as often as possible. Now to the beginning...
In February, 2016, I abandoned my comfortable single life to pursue a career with the entertainment industry over 3,000 miles away from my family and friends in Los Angeles. As an artist, in almost every aspect, I had faith I could find my tribe amongst the city of angles.
I had two old college friends already living there so I believed I'd be able to meet new people while still having a connection to my home and trusted comrades. I'd not found a place or job but had funds to hold me alone for at least six months. One of my buddies introduced me to Alan, who was from our hometown. He was living in a 2bd/2bt/2car apartment and would perhaps offer me the spare room until another one of his friends, who was promised the space, in six months. Six months of a cushion to find my own place? Awesome. Thank you. We met and had tons of things in common. Both musicians. Both actors. Both looking to make a new life and find their teams to last the rest of their lives.
I was/am introverted so I don't like to go out much. Unfortunately, he was/is an alcoholic and often went out and continued to drink alone at home, often until the sun broke. It's his life, in his home. He can do what he wants. I fully understand addiction and dependency and am not offering this as an excuse but, some understanding for the situation.
I lived with him for six months with no musical, writing or acting collaborations with anything further than me keeping the friendship alive. Honestly, I was trying to help him through his struggle with the sauce. After six months I moved out to a Studio apartment. Soon I discovered while he was charging me $900/mo, his total rent was $1235/mo, netting him almost $2,000 over the time I resided in his home. I saw it as a minor flag but was happy to be somewhere.
One day, my friend and I were texted by Alan. He was in the hospital after a car accident, most likely, under the influence. My friend and I visited and took care of him. While there, he asked we sneak him in some whiskey. We visited him without fulfilling his request. After our mutual friend moved to New York, I wanted to keep this new friend in my life and didn't mind knowing I had paid for the convenience of a living situation so quickly.
I found a catering job and referred Alan to apply. He was hired. After a year at my studio, I was able to move into Alan's complex. I now had my own 2bd/2bt/2car apartment for only $1250/mo almost next door to my new friend. Now, living so close, we worked Hollywood events while auditioning and trying to break into something good and saw each other often. But, besides carpooling, he rarely wanted to hang out.
Things were normal until our mutual friend contacted me letting me know Alan was back in the hospital after another terrible car accident and multiple surgeries. He was bad. During these multiple hospital visits, nurses would bring him a can of bud light. He was prescribed beer.
Time went on until one early Sunday morning, Alan called me from jail. He asked I pick him up 30 miles away. I confirmed the address and info and began my pre-dawn trek to retrieve him. After his release, within a minute of getting into my car, Alan asks if I'm mad at him. I say, "no". He smirks and asks if I'm disappointed. Once again, I state, "no". He then asks what I'm thinking about. I tell him that, of the top of my head, I could name 1,000 other things I'd rather be doing than picking him up from jail. First of which would be sleeping. Then I asked if he would agree, to which he did. After a shared sigh, he requested we stop by a liquor store. I explained I wasn't his father or parole officer so I would not restrict his freedoms but, would not want to consider myself an inebriator. So I complied with him knowing how i felt. January, 2020, I got a new job, still in events catering and brought Alan along with me. March, covid-19 shut down the world.
One night, Alan and I were hanging out, sharing drinks. I had concluded that I would focus on writing short stories and features as I had already written a horror trilogy I was proud of but, hadn't sold. Alan was also an amateur writer. We were talking about what "sells" and I brought up the obsession with anti-heroes, telling him I'd love to create a Breaking Bad type character. Alan says, "I'd always wanted to write (blank) from the bad guys POV." I quickly agreed and we spent the next few hours discussing the project. I pitched characters, arcs, scenarios, motivations and really thought it would work. I started writing it and asked Alan about completing it. He gave a nonchalant, "sure". The night ended with Alan telling me he wanted to get sober so, I offered as much advice, support and whatever words of wisdom I had. During lockdown, I would text, call and even knock on Alan's door asking if he wanted to write the shared story. He declined and lived his life.
I chose to focus my attention on a western feature I had previously shelved.
Time went on.
One night, as I was on a roll typing away on my laptop, working on my own story, without notice, Alan swings through my unlocked door and claims he's being robbed. I immediately freak out and attempt to figure out what's going on. I put on a shirt and flip-flops, grab my pepper spray and a broom stick, following him upstairs to his unit. He slowly opens his door and I follow him in. Alan then tells me a man's hand came through his jacket on the arm of his couch and a woman crawled in through his 2nd story widow. Knowing the impossibilities, I became confused and confirmed he was alone and nothing had happened.
I actually got mad at him, yelling he had no right to barge into my home and didn't respect my privacy. I went home and called complaining to a friend about what had just happened. This friend quickly asked if Alan was detoxing. I said I wasn't sure. They explained that when detoxing from alcohol, often times, people will hallucinate within 48 hours from their last drink. These can be vividly realistic and half of people who experience this return to the bottle just to quell the dream scenario and avoid/settle their delirium tremors.
Now, I felt bad. I went to his door, knocked and joined him on his couch. He confirmed he was getting clean. I hugged him and said I would be there in any way for support.
He said I saved his life. I explained there were no intruders so, no, I didn't. He then said I saved him from his dependency by telling him, "You only need 72 hours... just spend 3 days in hell and you'll be out. If you don't make this decision, you will never be allowed to make your own decisions ever again. Do you want someone else to tell you when to sleep? When to eat? You know the answer."
I was humbled, honored and proud. He did it. He went through hell and came out the other end with a leash on his beast.
For many people, the pandemic shut down society for a few months. Not Los Angeles. We were shuttered for 18 months. A whole year and a half. FML. I wanted to get into shape at our local park but, am really not a self-starter when it comes to physicality. So I would text, call and ask Alan. At the park, he would work out alone and preferred it that way, so, I didn't push it. I would ask if he wanted to hang out, play music and yes, sometimes I asked if he wanted to get together and write the shared anti-hero story. He would say 'no' and after a few months, maybe too many times of me asking about it, he told me it was his and asked I not write it as he was going to write it with his old college buddies. I was taken aback as I believed it was more my story as I pitched the whole thing as a digestible feature but, only told him I hoped he was joking. He said no and I dropped it. I felt scorned but not burned.
I moved to a new place, closer to my job further from Alan. There's a reason everybody in LA talks about traffic. Work returned to our city and now, I was only seeing him when we were scheduled on the same shifts. He was muscular and healthy. I, already overweight, packed on more covid pounds and honestly, was jealous of Alan's ability to work out independently. If I couldn't self start an exercise regimen, at least I knew I could begin anything creative on my own. With this reminder, I returned to the shared Anti-Hero story and decided to complete it by myself. Time went on and I finished the script and two rewrites. 114 pages done. Wow. Now, the title page. Written by: Alan & Me. It was, and I say 'was' a fantastic story. I hadn't seen Alan in sometime so after I finished it, I reached out to him with no text replies or callbacks. Then last September, at work, I approached him with "good news". I told him about the script and asked him to proofread and edit it. He replied with a stifled sarcastic "awesome..." and walks away. I was confused but, knew the conversation wasn't over. Within a minute, he returned to where I was with multiple other employees and immediately starts cussing at me. "Fuck you, man! That's my fucking idea!! You stole my intellectual property! You can't fucking take my fucking story, my IP, and then fucking tell me you did like it's your own. Fuck you!!!" I replied with things like, "Are you serious? Why do you think I'm coming to you about it? Like I already sold it and cut you out?! I'm not a thief and I won't allow you to call me that." He scoffed and left again. Coworkers were looking at me in confusion and all I could do was return a bewildered shaking head. He returned again with a lowered voice but, still cursing me out. He takes out his phone and shoves it in my face. "Here, look... notes from 2016 'Bad Guy'. I had that fucking idea eight years ago. You fucking stole it from me." Knowing we were on the job, him not calming down and truly being hurt by his words and accusations, I whisper, "No, fuck you. I'm no thief. We can talk later if you want but, I won't allow you to speak to me like that." I return to my work. The event is over and we are breaking down, preparing to leave for the night. I see him across the hall and open my arms. He approached, we hug and step into a private room away from working employees.
I ask him if he won't read the whole thing to at least look at the title page. Hoping he would agree, this is where he would see even though he didn't write a word of it, I put his name as the first billed writer. He rolled his eyes and I felt he wasn't listening to me. I asked again, "What do you think I would gain from telling you? Like I've already sold it and I'm rubbing it in? How do you think I felt when you told me you were gonna write it with some guys I'd never even met?"
Alan doubles down and once again, accused me of stealing his idea and calls me an asshole for doing so. This is where I snap and tell him how I felt about our one-sided friendship. I say, "You apologize to me or you'll never speak to me again." Now I walk away.
That night, I write him a text finally telling him his name was as co-writer and I wanted him to proof so we could make the best story and we would be partners, succeeding together.
He replied with, "I've read this text, I don't want you to think I'm ignoring you."
I follow with, "At this point, I don't care if you ignore me or not. It wouldn't be any different than the way you've treated this friendship since I've known you. You apologize or I'm done. Completely done. Then you tell people I didn't visit you in the hospital? I'm not really YOUR friend? That I never helped you? Like I didn't get you work and pick you up from jail? I don't know if you were too drunk to remember all the times I was there for you. I'm not trying to pick on your addiction, I'm genuinely concerned you don't remember or hurt that you're intentionally lying about me."
Silence. No reply. Ever.
The few times since we've worked together, he's attempted to say, "Hi" to me. I ignore the greeting and the only times we've talked has been me supplying a work request or event update. Just work and no more than a sentence at a time.
He's bad-mouthed me at work and I've since noticed his coworkers do not give me much respect, not just as a supervisor but even as a person.
A few nights after we fought, I deleted the script from my FinalDraft. I didn't want something like that to be so toxic in my life. I would have felt his vitriol every time I read it. I'll only be working there for another few weeks as I've given up on this city and my dream to be a working artist. I'll be moving back to my hometown but, really don't want to leave this city having burned a bridge.
So, Reddit, Am I The Asshole for telling my friend I would never speak to them again and demanding an apology?

So I'm 19 years old And live with my grandparents however, my grandmother was in a car accident 2 years ago and is paralyzed waste down, She cannot move without a walker, And my grandfather has leukemia and only about a couple weeks to live.
Well my brother who will call Alex, not his real name, had gotten kicked out of his parents place because he is talking to his ex, They basically told him he has two weeks to find a place or he's on the streets. Now since he is eighteen i'm not sure if this is illegal or not in my state, but I do think it's completely unfair that they are kicking him out just because he is talking to his ex.
I had done a call with him on Snapchat and he had told me he has a friend down in California who is pretty well financially, So if he needs to he can move down there with his friend. Well, Los Angeles is a city in California I have always wanted to see. So I asked my brother if he could ask his friend if I could at least come down to visit for maybe 2 days. Well If I like it down there like I thought I would and his friend is okay with it, I wanted to move in.
I feel ashamed to admit this, but I can't keep waking up day and night and I look at my grandparents and I just see a dead look in my grandfather's eyes. I haven't asked him about it, but he's been more distant and I don't know how to talk to him. So part of me feels guilty for wanting to leave, But I know mentally if I have to see them die or on their death bed, I would never recover from that.
I asked my Grandma and she told me if I have the opportunity to see LA Take it, but if I would get in trouble or be arrested, she said she'll only bail me out one time. Nothing is set in stone because there is no guarantee that my brother's friend will agree to this, Not to mention I'm hesitant because I have no form of savings or money nor connections down there,
So it's like if I do get down to California and I can't get a way back I'm stuck. I called my mom for advice on this, I told her my plan and she just flat out called me retarded. So I told her fuck you and hung up on her, now I would say I feel but here's the thing,
Whenever I have meetings with like my Social security agent, she wants to be involved and know what happens. But as soon as I wanna do something like move in with a friend, she always calls me retarded and I understand her point because I have no savings or job, but is it really nessecary for her to call me names?

Real Madrid is the king of Europe, and also the most Liga title winers and yet we haven't done a back to back title there since 2006-2008. I know panenkitas are going to say that becoming Bayern or Juventus would be bad for la Liga but I want 5 ligas in a row so bad.
Los galácticos we're an spectacular team to watch and yet we managed just a handful of local titles. With the guys that are coming and our current team it'll be a dishonor not to make at least 3 in a row. What do you guys think?