For the xkeyboard module I have this in my configuration file:

[module/xkeyboard] type = internal/xkeyboard blacklist-0 = num lock label-layout = %icon% label-layout-foreground = ${colors.primary} layout-icon-0 = us;English layout-icon-1 = rs;Српски label-indicator-padding = 2 label-indicator-margin = 1 label-indicator-foreground = ${colors.background} label-indicator-background = ${colors.secondary} 

Since I couldn't get flags to show up in polybar --- huge letters for either US or RS showed up, even though I had an emoji font with flags installed --- I decided to just use language names. They work fine but I'm just curious as to whether there's a better or more direct way to achieve the same without using label-layout = %icon% and layout-icon-*. I did read the xkeyboard section on the wiki, but didn't completely understand it. Thanks for any help or clarification.

In recent years, Canada has emerged as one of the top destinations for international students seeking quality education and vibrant multicultural experiences. However, navigating the intricacies of obtaining a study visa for Canada can often be a daunting task, fraught with complexities and uncertainties. This is where the expertise of a Canada study visa consultant comes into play. In this comprehensive blog post, we delve into the pivotal role of a Canada study visa consultant, the array of services they provide, and why their guidance is indispensable for aspiring international students.

Understanding the Role

A Canada study visa consultant serves as a knowledgeable ally for students aspiring to pursue their educational dreams in the Great White North. Their primary role revolves around providing expert guidance and support throughout the visa application process, ensuring that students meet all the necessary requirements and navigate potential obstacles with ease.

Services Offered

• Initial Assessment and Guidance: A reputable Canada study visa consultant will commence by conducting a thorough assessment of the student's academic background, career aspirations, and desired course of study in Canada. Based on this assessment, they offer personalized guidance on selecting the most suitable educational institutions and programs.
• Visa Application Preparation: One of the most crucial aspects of the process is preparing the visa application itself. A consultant assists students in compiling and organizing the required documents, including academic transcripts, letters of recommendation, proof of funds, and a letter of acceptance from a Canadian institution.
• Submission and Follow-up: Once the application is complete, the consultant oversees the submission process and liaises with the relevant Canadian immigration authorities on behalf of the student. They also provide regular updates on the status of the application and address any inquiries or requests for additional information promptly.
• Interview Preparation: In some cases, students may be required to attend an interview as part of the visa application process. A knowledgeable consultant conducts mock interviews and provides valuable tips and strategies to help students prepare effectively and exude confidence during their visa interviews.
• Post-Visa Assistance: Even after securing the study visa, students may encounter various challenges during their transition to life in Canada. Consultants offer ongoing support and guidance on matters such as accommodation, healthcare, employment opportunities, and adjusting to the Canadian academic and cultural environment.

Why Choose a Canada Study Visa Consultant?

• Expertise and Experience: Visa consultants specializing in Canadian immigration possess in-depth knowledge of the country's visa policies, procedures, and requirements. Their expertise helps students navigate the intricacies of the application process with confidence and precision.
• Personalized Guidance: Every student's academic journey is unique, and a consultant recognizes the importance of tailoring their services to meet individual needs. Whether it's choosing the right program or preparing for the visa interview, students receive personalized guidance every step of the way.
• Maximize Success Rate: Visa consultants leverage their experience and insights to optimize the chances of visa approval for their clients. By ensuring that applications are comprehensive, accurate, and submitted on time, they help students overcome potential hurdles and achieve their educational goals in Canada.
• Save Time and Effort: Navigating the visa application process can be time-consuming and overwhelming, particularly for students juggling academic responsibilities and other commitments. With a consultant handling the administrative aspects of the process, students can focus their time and energy on preparing for their studies.
• Peace of Mind: The journey of studying abroad is undoubtedly exciting, but it can also be fraught with uncertainties and anxieties. By entrusting their visa application to a reputable consultant, students can enjoy peace of mind knowing that they have a dedicated ally guiding them every step of the way.

Conclusion

Embarking on a journey of studying abroad in Canada is a transformative experience that opens doors to new opportunities and perspectives. However, the path to obtaining a study visa can be complex and arduous, requiring careful planning and meticulous attention to detail. A Canada study visa consultant serves as a beacon of support and guidance, empowering students to navigate the visa application process with confidence and ease. With their expertise, personalized assistance, and unwavering commitment to student success, consultants play a pivotal role in shaping the educational journeys of aspiring scholars from around the world. So, if you're dreaming of pursuing your academic aspirations in the land of maple leaves and diversity, consider enlisting the expertise of a trusted Canada study visa consultant to illuminate the path to your future endeavors.

Trademark registration is a legal process through which a brand owner seeks protection for their distinctive signs, symbols, names, or designs used to identify and distinguish their goods or services from those of others. Here are 10 paragraphs elaborating on trademark registration:
Definition and Purpose: Trademark registration grants the owner exclusive rights to use the trademark in commerce and provides legal recourse against unauthorized use or infringement. It serves as a valuable tool for brand protection, brand recognition, and consumer trust.
Types of Trademarks: Trademarks can include words, logos, symbols, slogans, sounds, colors, or even product packaging. Anything that helps consumers identify the source of goods or services can potentially be registered as a trademark.
Application Process: To register a trademark, the owner submits an application to the relevant trademark office or authority, providing details about the mark and the goods or services it will be used with. The application undergoes examination to ensure compliance with legal requirements.
Distinctiveness Requirement: For a trademark to be registered, it must be distinctive, meaning it should be capable of distinguishing the goods or services of one entity from those of others. Generic terms or marks that are too descriptive may not qualify for registration.
Geographical Scope: Trademark registration typically provides protection within the jurisdiction where it's registered. However, international trademark registration mechanisms, such as the Madrid System, allow for broader protection across multiple countries.
Duration and Renewal: Trademark registration is typically valid for a specified period, often 10 years, with the option to renew indefinitely as long as the mark continues to be used in commerce and renewal fees are paid.
Benefits of Registration: Registered trademarks enjoy several benefits, including legal presumption of ownership and exclusive rights to use the mark nationwide in connection with the registered goods or services. Registration also facilitates enforcement actions against infringers.
Enforcement and Infringement: Trademark owners have the right to take legal action against third parties who use their registered mark without authorization. Enforcement actions may include lawsuits seeking injunctions, damages, or other remedies for infringement.
Maintaining and Monitoring: Trademark owners must actively monitor the marketplace for potential infringements and take proactive steps to protect their marks. This may involve sending cease-and-desist letters, filing oppositions, or engaging in settlement negotiations.
Strategic Considerations: Trademark registration is a strategic decision that requires careful planning and consideration of factors such as the strength and distinctiveness of the mark, potential conflicts with existing marks, and the intended use and expansion of the brand. Seeking guidance from a trademark attorney can help navigate the registration process and maximize the value of the trademark portfolio.

It used to be that HIPPA a privacy law that applied specifically to health records were absolute including mental health records and could only be violated in the case someone specifically threatened someone else. Now this is being reinterpreted to include "could potentially pose a threat" to themselves and the broader community.
This has lead to HIPPA laws being weakened and no longer appling to the letter agencies who make it accessible by local law enforcement. This has allowed the NSA and FBI to gather all of our healthcare records in particular mental health records and share them with local law enforcement. Any diagnosis you've ever had, the meds you were prescribed and whether you keep up with the refills are being tracked in order to keep us all "safe".
To be clear the above is only a partial conspiracy with conjecture based on known facts that have quitely been agreed upon by the biggest players in the healthcare industry. I don't want to discourage anyone from seeking professional help but the governments penchant for violating privacy laws showed be cause for concern.
My full conspiracy is that this mental health awareness month feels more like a psyop to encourage and nudge more people to talk with a professional and volunteer all your internal mind data to the state. By aggregating all your financial records, social media likes, education and employment history, along with data scraped from sessions with shrinks about your childhood or parents, the government will be able to build a complete and more predictive model of us all. They will be able to speak to our individual wants and needs enabling them to motivate us whenever need be.
Recently there have been dozens of commercials with odd tones directed specifically at minorities to seek counseling. And while this may have initiated by people from that community the state has piggy backed on it in order to close the data gap for the algorithms.
We in the United States live in the most prevasive surveillance state in all of human history. Not the Chinese nor the Russians, but us in the US. But never fear its all to protect you. Maybe....

Hello guys.... just looking for any helpful advice or suggestions. This is a secondary throwaway account. I will put as much details w/o oversharing since you never know who reads these post.
So, I had received a TJO a few weeks ago. Did the required preliminary steps and was waiting hopefully for the FJO.
Today I got an email stating the offer was rescinded. This is the edited version of the email:

• The offer was pending the result of pre-employment eligibility checks, including a review of your prior XXX performance and conduct. In reviewing the results of your prior XXX performance/conduct, you are found ineligible based on the (insert some legal regulation/code).

​This is definitely sad news, since this agency where I had wanted to start and end my career.
BACK STORY - Part 1
I had worked for this agency 10-15 years ago, not to long after I finished my Masters. It was my first government job.
I started off in Unit A and about two months in was interviewed for Unit B (which had been my 1st preference). A few weeks after, I got the position and started in Unit B soon after.
I ended my position in Unit A in good standing and my manager for that Unit was happy for me and have given the manager I was going to be assigned to in Unit B great reviews about my general work performance. These two Units were in the same POD and working in Unit A was generally a stepping stone to get into Unit B if so desired.
Now, the full training period for this agency for this Unit B is quite long and is broken up in parts over a period of time. There were several of us new employees for this Unit B Manager.
​
BACK STORY - Part 2
After the first training session, we were back to our POD and assigned OJI's. The first few weeks was about trying to put what we learned in the training to now real life application. For the most part, during the first 2 months we dealt mostly with the OJI's. Now, my feedback from the OJI was positive and constructive. The OJI would always tell our group that it takes a while to really learn the job and that the agency wasn't expecting us to get it even in our first few years. This echoed what was told to us repeatedly during training.
Now enter the Manager (MB) - Not long after MB starts to review our cases, one of my teammates (T1) starts to complain to me about feeling targeted and not receiving proper assistance. T1 stated that the MB seemed to be trying to create a negative paper trail with the performance reviews. Not to long after this started, T1 informed me about being given 30 days to resign or they would receive a termination letter. To say I was shocked would be an understatement. I mean, we literally hadn't even been out of training for 2 months when this happened to T1.
T1 was told he could go to the Union Rep. to talk about options, but that UR was not helpful (as I would also later find out) and basically said, probationary employees could be terminated for various reasons (similar to being At-Will in the private sector). He resigned because he didn't want any negative remarks on his records, especially for future government options.
​
Back Story (Part 3)
Not long after T1 left, I started getting the same treatments in terms of overly negative remarks about my work. The manager even started to tell me that the job was not for everybody. Due to what happened with T1, I kind off had an idea where this was heading so MB basically gave me a similar ultimatum of termination or resign within a set period of time, I wasn't fully surprised but still broke down in tears asking for the full training period before such a drastic determination could be made. The manager would not budge. I was offered the same option of speaking with the Union Rep. It was the same UR (worked in the same POD) and while they expressed surprised and some outrage and hinted at a PATTERN (details later) in that POD, they basically gave me the same spiel as was given to T2 and I took the option of resigning.
Back Story (Part 4)
Fast Forward about 6 years after leaving that agency. I had gone through various life events and working private sector.
T1 whom I kept in touch with occasionally, reached out and asked if I was willing to talk a friend. They explained that this person (S1) has been hired a few months before our group in the agency, Unit B. They had been under a different manager for about 5-6 years before their manager retired and S1's team was merged with MB's team.
Long story short - S1 who was a Highly Successful rated employee with a prior manager, was within less than a year placed on a performance improvement plan within a year of joining MB team.
However, since S1 had past the probationary period and was a permanent employee with a good performance record, they were able to file an EEOC complaint and after a long battle SI won the case. T1, myself and another employee (we discovered during this process) that was forced out in the same manner testified during S1 hearing.
There was much more but ......As for the Pattern, T1, myself, S1 and plus another employee were all from the same or had family background from a certain region.
Back to Present Day
S1 wants me to ask for a reconsideration and explain my situation. She feels that MB must have put something on my internal records to make me unemployable to this particular agency. I did get hired a few years back to a different agency and this issue never came up. I resigned during Covid period and went back to Private.
So... Anyone ever been in a similar situation? If so, what was the results? ​
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Hi All! TLDR Chemistry/Chemical Engineering STEM query - how valuable are industry recommendations? Do academic recommendations generally hold more weight? What about R&D Departments in Industry?
Full context:
I'm in the process of looking for PhD Programs and I'm kinda feeling a severe lack of confidence at the moment, mostly because of my undergrad experiences. During my undergrad, I worked in a specific group in my freshman/sophomore years. It had to do with materials chemistry, and due to extenuating circumstances - particularly getting stuck on the research project - I was not able to continue the research project with my mentor. However, my work did result in a paper, of which I'm ~6th author. I feel like there were quite a lot of... feelings in limbo with that, and while that's my only paper, I'm exceedingly hesitant to reach out to the PI of that research project. I did join a few other research groups after that to gain exposure to different fields, but it was mostly learning the ropes - I did not feel like I contributed significantly.
After undergrad, I started working in Industry for 3 years per my international student visa detail (STEM OPT). I believe my years in industry were far more productive - mostly because of all the things I learnt from my Undergraduate experiences. However, I have been told that industry recommendation letters are usually worth less than recommendation letters from Academia. In that sense, I'm quite lost and wanted to confirm - is this generally true in grad school admissions?
Additionally, noting the context that I've provided, I'm not sure how to proceed with the recommendation letters. I would greatly appreciate feedback and/or suggestions regarding the matter! I'm fairly worried that I won't be able to get into the programs I've shortlisted, and it's been gnawing at my sanity slowly.

Demographics

• Gender: Male
• Race/Ethnicity: white
• Residence: socal :)
• Income Bracket: middle class
• Type of School: public
• Hooks (Recruited Athlete, URM, First-Gen, Geographic, Legacy, etc.): n/a

Intended Major(s): (write here)
international relations or poli sci (depending on the school)
Academics

• GPA (UW/W): 3.87/4.59
• Rank (or percentile): n/a
• of Honors/AP/IB/Dual Enrollment/etc.: 11 aps
• Senior Year Course Load: academic decathlon, ap lit, ap stats, apah, ap french, ap gov/ap micro

Standardized Testing

• ACT: 34 (36E, 32M, 33R, 33S)
• AP/IB: ap euro (4), ap lang (3), ap spanish (5), apush (5), apes (4)

Extracurriculars/Activities

1. academic decathlon president
2. shift leader at parents' small business
3. spanish national honors society treasurer
4. varsity discus and shot put captain
5. religious school post-confirmation
6. local library volunteer
7. spanish and french tutor
8. local climate change awareness organization
9. summer program at prestigious university
10. youth leadership program

Awards/Honors
List all awards and honors submitted on your application.

1. a handful of academic decathlon medals from county competitions
2. scholar athlete
3. national spanish exam bronze medal
4. ap scholar with distinction

Letters of Recommendation
ap spanish: 9/10
apush: 5/10
counselor: 6/10?? idk
Interviews
brown video: 4/10 it was pretty bad and i had a terrible time filming it
american u: 7/10 it was my first one and my only one in person, i thought it went good
washu: 6/10 i didn't get one with an alum but i got one with a current student, so im not certain if it counted
occidental college: 4/10 i did not click with my interviewer at all lmao
syracuse: 9/10 i accidentally missed my interview originally but my interviewer was super understanding and we rescheduled and it went great
northwestern: 9/10 i felt like this one went really well, and i really clicked with my interviewer
georgetown: 8/10 nothing really remarkable that i can remember, i just remember feeling good afterward
Essays
im going to keep this anonymous just in case im recognized from this (i hope im not lol). i think on the whole everything was pretty decent.
Decisions (indicate ED/EA/REA/SCEA/RD)
brown ED: rejected
maryland EA: accepted+merit
wisconsin EA: accepted
uc davis RD: accepted
uci RD: waitlisted -> withdrew
sdsu RD: accepted
american u RD: accepted+merit
uw RD: accepted
ucla RD: rejected
ucsb RD: waitlisted -> withdrew
washu RD: rejected
oxy RD: accepted+merit
syracuse RD: accepted
gwu RD: accepted+merit
northwestern RD: rejected
georgetown RD: rejected
cal poly RD: rejected
cal RD: rejected
DECISION: MARYLAND CO '28!!!! GO TERPS
Additional Information:
i go to a pretty competitive high school in a relatively wealthy area and learned about the process, got high hopes, and honestly got a little prestige obsessed around my junior year. I had five dream schools (brown, ucla, washu, northwestern, and georgetown) and ended up getting rejected from all of them which was both a total punch in the gut and a much needed wake up call. the decision for me based on fit and financials came down to maryland, washington, and davis, and as a result of the really generous merit aid i recieved at umd as well as the university's perfect location near washington DC, it was just the perfect fit. After visiting the school, I totally fell in love with the campus, the culture, and having a big 10 sports program definitely didn't hurt it. looking back on everything, i was totally naïve and applied to a ton of schools, which thankfully worked out for my targets, but i was at one point certain that i would get into at least one of my reaches. in the end, im really glad that i didnt get into any of them because i would have never considered maryland, a school i almost didnt even apply to. also, as a jewish student, the thriving jewish community on maryland's campus is really comforting, especially with everything going on right now at colleges. congrats to all of this years seniors and good luck to all the incoming seniors with their apps! and if youre going to maryland next year, hmu!!!

I (22) applied for my first apartment May 1st, my roommate applied May 2nd. The desired move in date is for July 1st. I used my offer letter as my proof of income to which they asked for a signed version of it from my manager. I couldn't get it signed by my job because it's a large company and my offer was done digitally over a year ago (I interned there last summer and received a full time offer then).
After 2 days going back and forth with the LC, ultimately they wouldn't take my offer letter and when I asked if I could put my parents as a cosigner they said they'll just use my roommates current income/co-signer as my proof since my credit is in "good standing".
My roommate and I were told that we would hear the news of the application either "today or tomorrow" on may 6th (monday). On wednesday we didn't hear anything so my roommate calls. The LC was out of office so whoever answered the phone told us we were approved and we would get more information later in the week. Today's saturday and we didn't hear anything.
I reach out first by calling to which I got no answer. Afterwards I text in the portal and an hour or so later the LC apologies because she was off and would "send us a link to pay our deposit with in 48 hours." I assumed she meant within 48 hours we would need to pay, but now rereading I think she meant in 48 hours it will be posted to pay.
She then follows up and says when we're in the portal we won't see a charge for the deposit but we can make a payment that will show as a credit until the charge is posted. She also says the lease and welcome email will be sent closer to, however july 1st is in 2 months, so I would prefer to sign the lease sooner because I am coming from out of state.
Update: it's been past 48 hours and still no deposit charge. I asked ad the LC said leases are typically sent out 2-3 weeks before the move in date. My older sister's experiece has always been to recieve the lease asap after applying. Is this normal?

2296, The scene is set in a post apocalyptic Mojave desert, 15 years after a joint effort of the New California Republic, the Rangers, and the mysterious benefactor of the New Vegas Strip, Mr. House pushed back an attempted invasion of the Mojave and a final battle was waved for control of the hydroelectric powerhouse, Hoover Damm.
In the aftermath, Mr. House was removed from power discreetly, due to the actions of a wasteland wanderer on a mission for revenge, known only as the Courier. Mr. House's iconic Lucky 38 casino opened its doors, for the first time, offering a single floor casino and bar, it's upstairs remained an exclusive and mysterious meeting place for the New Vegas Strip's elite. The Lucky 38 represented one of the cleanest, most secure facilities, protected, like the rest of the strip, by the Securitron Mk 2, predominantly. Their presence ensured visitors on the Strip behaved themselves, though the other casinos maintained their own security and 'house rules' internally.
The Strip defined and maintained its status as an independent entity, determining through the Courier's observations that the NCR was stretching it's military might too thin, and couldn't realistically manage over the Strip and Mojave, so a new deal was struck, similar to the prior, but with The Strip extending it's Securitron security to enforce the immediately surrounding communities and a few outlying satelites. Trade to the surrounding areas increased, the Mojave benefitting from the prewar tech, pre-programmed security forces. The drug addicted fiends and other Raider groups would never be any match for their advanced weaponry, and ultimately were cleared out of existence.
The King's continued to watch over Freeside, making alliances with the Follower's of the Apocalypse... their desire to service the needs of the belittled, disadvantaged and destitute lined up, and this is where Mr. Wolf found his place in the story... the Courier and a Follower's doctor found love in the wasteland.... and raised a child together under a Ranger's flag... 23 years later? This is New Vegas...
A handsome man in a leather jacket sat in a dusty leather booth watching one of the girls dance on a pole, shaking her ass as bottle caps clinked on the stage in front of her. It was a swanky post apocalyptic casino strip club. A man in a leather jacket stood nearby, his hands crossed in front of his chest, "Kings" embroidered across the back in silver letters. A waitress approached him carrying a glass of some amber colored liquor, and sat it down at the half moon table. She lingered a moment in her lacey body suit, following his gaze up to the girl rubbing her tits in some older cowboys face.
"You don't get jealous seeing her like that, Mr. Wolf." The girl bit her lip and met his eyes as he picked up his glass and swirled it before giving it a smell and taking a slow swig. He tilted his head looking her over. She couldn't possibly be older then 19. Tight, perky little thing.
Mr. Wolf smirked and shook his head. "I like her... nice and wet when she comes to my bed."
The girl blushed and bit her lip. "So you like to watch?" She surmised.
"I don't mind, but why do you ask?" Wolf had these intense eyes that shot arrows into your very soul. It made her incredibly nervous... but she found it deeply exciting at the same time.
"Well... I'm living in 206 now... maybe... you might stop by sometime and I could dance for you? I know I don't have her body but... if you wanted something that was a little fresher... something... just yours?" She figeted her fingers against the table.
Jason looked her over once more and smirked.
"Two-Oh-six, huh?" He tilted his head, considering.
She nodded.
"Leave your cum soaked panties on my doorknob one of these nights if you really need it and maybe I'll come see if you got the moves." His Texan accent was subdued, but enthrallingly charming with his confident, somewhat bored with reality overtones.
"M-my panties?" She stammered turning bright red. "On your doorknob?" Alexa couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"If you're gunna shoot your shot with a dom... with an alpha... you need to be willing to submit. If you can't do that... I'm not interested." Wolf shrugged, completely unphased.
"But what about... what if..." Alexa glanced at Laura, the clubs most iconic stripper in the club, perhaps even the whole Strip.
She was taking some NCR soldier to the VIP lounge for a private dance.
Alexa had been bold enough to offer herself but now she was feeling nervous. If Laura wanted her out, she could lose her job... her home.
"Oh she won't mind... if anything she'll want to watch." Wolf shook his head, sensing her anxiety.
"Assuming of course... she likes the way you smell... she's funny like that." Wolf let the conversation end and Alexa nervously retreated.
Wolf sat drinking by himself, but got bored.
"Jakey, go get yourself a drink and sit down, I'm bored." Wolf called to his body guard.
Jacob looked over and nodded, giving the lounge one last look around before approaching the bar and getting himself a mug of beer, from the tuxedo shirt and boytie bartender Gerald, and returning to the table.
"What's on your mind boss?" Jacob had his hair slicked back in the usual King's gang hairstyle.
"Heard any rumors lately?" Wold looked at him, taking a drag from his cigarette and flicking the pack over to him.
"Honestly, boss, aside from the occasional drunkard or fiend rolling through freeside, nothing out of the ordinary... well, except... a way's out.. the crazy lady... Gloria was swearing up and down she found a headless metal suit of armor.. said the Enclave would burn down New Vegas. God's wraith and all that, you know how she gets."
"Enclave?" Jason's attention was piqued.
"Yeah, I don't know, she was probably just in withdrawal from the Jet... said she found it in the hollowed out shell of the Super Duper, out by the old highway." Jacob shrugged and drank from his beer and pulled a cigarette from the pack.
Wolf finished the last drag of his own cigarette. "Has anyone validated her claims?"
"Well... no... but... I mean... you've met her, she sees things that aren't there, all the time." Jacob shrugged and lit a cigarette.
Jason squinted, considering the resident crazy ladies most recent half coherent ramblings.
"That's an oddly specific hallucination though....take a group of guys out there tonight... humor me, and make sure she's not right." Wolf lifted his glass.
"Sir?" Jacob raised an eyebrow, thinking surely this could wait until tomorrow.
"Hypothetically" Wolf pondered aloud, "If there was... for some reason, there in-fact was... a pre-war, piece of military tech out there....a T-45, let's say, or T-60, best case scenario? We want it. Even if it's not at 100% capacity? It's fusion core alone... could change up the game for Freeside, something like that could make our tiny little city independent. We wouldn't have to be reliant on the scraps of New Vegas, and forget about the Hoover Dam completely."
Jacob caught Mr. Wolf's drift.. a fusion core could mean producing its own, radiation-free water, it's own electricity.. not just a little, a lot. Powering long dead machines, not to mention the agricultural benefits... producing healthier, higher yield tobacco... expanding their income ten fold.
Jacob suddenly felt like he understood Mr. Wolf's vision for the future.
"I should... go and deploy the King's to investigate." Jacob concluded.
"I think that would be for the best, I can take care of myself here." Wolf waved Jacob off.
Jacob downed his beer and excused himself.
Wolf drank the rest of his whiskey, extinguishing his cigarette.
Laura, the dancer came up to the table, and Wolf motioned to the blushing new waitress for a round, who felt a twinge of jealousy seeing her crush with the most popular stage act in town. She bit her tongue though, bringing over two more heavy pours of whiskey.
Laura eyed the girl as she came and went.
"She likes you." Laura concluded as the waitress walked away.
"Yeah.. I think she does." Mr. Wolf shrugged, flicking her a cigarette.
"The NCR boy liked me." She giggled wiping a little bit of cum from her lips and used half her shot like mouthwash.
"Get anything out of him.. other then.. his seed?" Wolf sighed.
"Of course," She grinned mischievously, "Apparently there's been trouble out West with the Brotherhood. They had some type of skirmish? Apparently NCR lost? NCR was apparently holding some old world tech, I don't know, but apparently it lit up the west coast power grid, like... in it's entirely?" Laura tilted her head to look at him.
"The entire western power grid was lit up by a single piece of tech??" Wolf shook his head at the topless girl beside him.
"Yeah, I had to make him cum twice for more details, but apparently it's the size of a grain of rice, with quote, unlimited energy potential." Laura relayed the information. It seemed more important then a suit of power armor or its fusion core.
"Who else knows about this?" Wolf demanded with his eyebrows squinted against his eyes.
"Anyone with a functional light bulb for... like... three hundred miles?" Laura guessed with a shrug.
"You said... it was the Brotherhood that took the win on the skirmish?" Wolf clarified some details.
"Yeah... rumor has it they have a new up and coming knight that's making waves." Laura shrugged.
"Stay on the rumors... I need details." Mr. Wolf nodded at her, drank his whiskey and stood up, downing his drink.
An energy source that powerful would have a big effect on the balance of power in the Mojave. It could mean a resurrection of the New California Republic to it's former glory and then some, and potentially... might mean a renewed effort to reclaim the western part of the former United States, in time.

ENTP is a form (body type) that is earthly (Si) as opposed to etheric (Ni). This makes their consciousness egoic (within boundary of their form, distinguishing self from the not-self). Their consciousness is a point of view, from the point of view of form (matter) that is now conscious.
Ni, in contradistinction, is a point of view from a form that is more ether less matter. Ether is rarified matter, matter is condensed ether. Ether includes matter (which makes Ni more expansive in consciousness), matter excludes ether by condensing from it to a particular type of material (which makes the consciousness and point of view of ENTPs more egoic ie. within boundary). ENTP looks at the world as if he is a form (matter) vivified, as opposed to an Ni user who feels like a spirit that is em-bodied.
ENTP is a water form. If matter is distinguished as quantitative matter and qualitative matter, then ENTP is a form of qualitative matter (Ne).
Se form is denser and more compact, it is quantitative earth. Their interaction style correspond to such. Ne is more buoyant and versatile like water, it is more conscious than Se, their interaction style is likewise versatile, able to take any form. It is like a torrent of water, and not a cloud in the sky— things they find interesting even though seem more detached from denser earth, are still part of lighter earth (technology, politics, sciences etc). If dense (Se) is the definition of hands on, then Ne is less so, but still very interactive within earth in a bouyant fashion.
The physical world is on a spectrum of Qualitativeness (Ni), the more it is condensed into the densest matter —it increases in quantitativeness (Si).
If the whole phenomenal (physical) world is seen as Si, then what makes the differences in forms of the world is the Ni (Quality) expressing in it.
In the physicality that is within our perception, the difference in Si quantity/form (by means of Ni expressing in it) gives us Se forms in one end of the spectrum, and Ne forms in the other end. Ne being more qualitative, more etheric, and having more potential than Se.
Accordingly, if that Si is the most quantitative world of forms, our material world, then there is yet another Si (physicality) which is rarer than this world but more qualitative as it is ascending the spectrum of quantitativeness (Si). This more qualitative Si (physicality) is the world of astral phenomena, where emotions impulses, feelings and desires interact. It is super-physical but just as real. It is more spiritual than our plane of existence (Si) which is more physical and material. This rarer world is Te, just as the one we can see is the Se world.
Densest physicality (Se), reduced in quantitativeness (Si), is Te, world of astral phenomena (super-physical).
Te reduced in quantitativeness (Si), is Ti, super-physical world of mental phenomena.
Reduction in quantitativeness is an increase in vibration or quality. Quantity is redundant with increased vibration, quality makes up for it. Lack of quantity takes it out of perception, but the concurrent increase in quality or vibration puts it into a field of definite receptivity, though out from perception. Sounds, feelings, and thoughts are received upon the senses, unlike sight that perceives and does not receive therefore possibly not see things right in front of him. Increase in quality makes form universal, while increase in quantity is an increase in subjectivity. Subjectivity locks consciousness in a point of view, making things outside its grasp seem unreal. The super-physical is just as real as the physical, but according to the consciousness of the observer is his capacity for belief.
Fe form is the qualitative aspect of Te just as Ne is the qualitative aspect of Se form. Te is quantitative even though less material than Se.
Te inclines towards external organisation to achieve— Fe, internal harmony (qualitative).
Fe inclines towards spiritual (emotional or internal) organisation and harmony, even if it has to upset systems, methods and guidelines (quantitative Te). This is how we see Fe users act.
Fi is the qualitative aspect of Ti. Direct knowledge, innate understanding makes rationalisation and argumentation (quantitative) unnecessary. Knowledge (data, information) is required only to sustain and carry the underlying meaning and understanding (the qualitative), the letters are of no special worth. Fi is intuitive grasp, value-based, assessing the quality of something. Ti is logical deduction, systematic, and a means to (Fi)-assessing the worth of something. Just as Te external harmonizing is a means to Fe (internal harmonizing). Ti is quantitative, it must reach the qualitative (Fi) end and not look to get caught in endless philosophizing.
The hands-on work of Se is quantitative (quantitative means quantity, it lives for something else ie. Quality, and expresses it and does not exist for its own sake), it is a means to the work to be done by Ne to reach a desired goal. If manufacturing a computer is Se work, then its purpose is something Ne like developing new softwares.
The underlying principle is this; the physical is materialising (working/existing for) the spiritual. The quantitative is a means for the qualitative. The spiritual is the cause, the physical is the effect. The spiritual is the expressive but it requires a grounding for its unfolding. The physical is the inert, and the ground for spirituality to work itself. The physical only exists as the materialisation of the spiritual. The actual exists as a realisation of a potential, not as a realisation of nothingness. Quantity (physical) needs something behind it to display what it is. These are the properties, attributes, descriptions; it is the Quality (spiritual) that is behind all manifestation. Existence (Si) is not an accident, it is a meaningful depiction. Physical world is the externalization of the spiritual. Physicality is materialisation— of the Spiritual.

Stats/Demographics:
GPA: 3.81 UW 4.42 W
1520 SAT (720 English, 800 Math)
White Male
Middle Class
Colorado
Intended Major: Computer Engineering
16 APs (Major Specific I've taken AP Calc BC, Calc 3 and will take Linear Algebra next year, Physics 1 and taking C, Chemistry, and both Comp sci classes)
*I got a B in Calc 3 but an A in every other Math class.
Extracurriculars:
Passion Projects - Built VR Treadmill, Built PC, Made Projector TheateGame Emultation Setup, Flipped PCs and PC Parts on Ebay(I'm not quite sure how to write this on my app)
Student Council Member 4 yrs
Math Honors Society Founder and President - 3 yrs
Key Club Internation Founder and President - 3 yrs
Science Bowl Founder and President - 4 yrs
Science Olympiad Member and State Competitor - 3 yrs
National Level Soccer Player - Travel 5-9 times a year for academy games and showcases - 3 yrs
In-N-Out Employee - 2.5 yrs
Youth Soccer Referee - Travelled to ref national level tournaments
NHS Committee Chair, Youth Advisory Board Leader, Spanish Honors Society Member. Varsity Soccer Player, or Coding Club Member(I'm not sure what to put)
LORS:
Pretty Solid from my Math teacher I had for two years and started the Math Honors Society with
Really Good from my Spanish teacher that I ate lunch with to get better at spanish because I was behind after covid and after a lot of that and hard work became a top spanish student
Awards:
AP Scholar
Seal of Biliteracy
Local Math Competition
Varsity Soccer Letter all 4 yrs
All state honorable mention/team mvp/top goalscorer HS Soccer
Academic Letter all 4 yrs
NHS + MHS + SHS
ESSAYS:
Plan to write about my epilepsy and how learning about reading the brain waves during an EEG kickstarted my passion for computers and wanting to create hardware that could read and write directly to the brain.
P.S I'm genuinely unsure if I'm competitive or not, all the posts online are of these international students or minorities, but I'm literally just a dude who likes computers and school.
Will the B in Calc 3 be really bad for my application?
Other schools I'm applying to: Columbia, Washu Stl, Case Western, Cooper Union, Northwestern, UF, Georgia Tech, Co School of Mines

The garage door shut with a groan behind us, closing us in the gloom of the single bulb hanging over the car.
Mother took a drag off her cigarette and sighed as she exhaled, the smoke filled the cabin of the Ford and stung my eyes.
“You really disappointed me today, Julianne," she tapped her cigarette in the ashtray below the dash, "you embarrassed me in front of the other mothers at the Ice Cream Social, shoveling down seconds and thirds like a pig. I thought I raised you better than that.”
She took another drag, daintily holding the cigarette between her perfectly manicured fingers.
“I'm going to have to tell your brother about this," she continued, “he'll have to come up with a punishment fit for a pig."
I felt my stomach drop. My kid brother, Thomas, was only six, but could be exceptionally cruel. Mother seemed to encourage him and was deferring to him more and more frequently for how the house was run, especially concerning my upbringing.
"Mother, please, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to embarrass you. I'm sorry I was a pig and ate so much ice cream. I promise I won't do it again, I'll never eat any ice cream again," I was pleading with stone, unyielding.
“Hush your mouth. Go to your room and wait for Thomas," she put out the cigarette and got out of the car, I had no choice but to follow.
It felt like walking to the gallows as I stepped inside the house and headed towards the stairs to go to my room. Thomas had grown fond recently of physical punishment, he obviously delighted in Mother whipping me with a belt or, recently, Mother had allowed him to start beating me with a wooden spoon. He would squeal and giggle like a normal child watching bubbles in the wind while I screamed. I was dreading whatever was going to happen tonight, I chastised myself for eating that ice cream, I should have known she would show up. My sins were always laid bare.
Down the hall, I could hear Thomas watching television in the den. I only got to watch TV for half an hour on Saturday morning and new episodes of Happy Days with Mother and Thomas. Thomas got to watch all the TV he wanted. He could listen to the radio and turntable as much as he wanted, as loud as he wanted. Thomas had an entire room just for his toys.
I entered my bedroom, it was a space I occupied, but it didn't feel like mine. Mother kept it spartan, white walls and white bedspread. A crucifix over the bed and a painting of Jesus over the door. I had my desk and chair and a dresser with some of the porcelain dolls Daddy gave me before he died that Mother let me keep. That was it.
I placed my book bag down and sat on my bed, waiting for Thomas. It was a while, sitting there with nothing but my own thoughts and staring at the open door. I felt humiliated, I was almost thirteen and my entire life was dictated by my brother. Mother kept the house in constant lockdown to keep Thomas a secret. No outsiders were allowed in. I couldn't have friends because she was afraid I would mention him or sneak a friend in to gawk at my brother and tease him for being different.
I would never make fun of him, I was terrified of him. Terrified of what he was and what he was becoming.
Eventually I heard his heavy footsteps coming up the stairs and I felt my heart start beating faster and my palms began to sweat. I kneaded my skirt in my hands, trying to calm myself and dry my palms. His slow arrhythmic footsteps came down the hall and I watched him as he entered the room.
I couldn't help but internally recoil at his appearance, even though I'd known him since he was born, I could never adjust to how unnatural he appeared. Thomas had been born at home and had never seen a doctor, but he was obviously unwell.
He was six years old and was barely over two feet tall, but very squat and wide. His skin was thick and gray, the whites of his beady eyes were yellow and his hair was wispy and white like an old man's, spreading out like a halo around his gargoyle face. A slight odor of decomposition hung about him, it reminded me faintly of garbage cans on a hot summer day. I hated when Mother made me help him with a bath, his skin felt like old brittle leather that flaked onto my clothes in gray flecks. His body was dense like concrete, I could barely lift him into the tub. Picking him up forced his hair into my face where that smell of rot would fill my nose, causing me to gag, silently, so as not to offend him and draw any ire from him or Mother.
Today, Thomas was wearing bib overalls with a red and green striped sweater underneath, reminding me of a grotesque doll.
“Mama says you acted like a piggy today at the ice cream social,” he spoke up to me in his unsettlingly high pitched, yet raspy voice, like a child that smoked as much as Mother, "you need to come down for dinner right now for your punishment for embarrassing Mama."
He turned and walked back down the stairs and I had no choice but to follow his toddling form downstairs to the dining table. We entered the kitchen and the table was placed with two settings. Mother was already seated and Thomas clambered up into his booster seat at his normal spot next to Mother. She took a drag off her cigarette and motioned vaguely to the floor without even looking at me.
Neatly situated on the linoleum was my dinner, not on a plate, but directly on the floor. A pork chop, scoop of mashed potatoes, and a small pile of peas. No utensils, either.
Thomas giggled with glee upon seeing my face.
“You have Mama's permission now to eat like a piggy, now. No hands! Piggies just use their face!” He stood up in his chair and reached out for Mother’s ash tray and flung it out over my meal, peppering my dinner with cigarette ash and butts.
"Oops! Piggies don't mind trash though, do they, Mama?” he giggled and the sound filled me with rage.
"No, they don't,” Mother replied coolly while maneuvering her ashtray back in place and carefully putting out her cigarette before saying prayer.
As angry as I was, I got down on my hands and knees and did my best at eating what I could without using my hands. I knew if I refused, it would be far worse. The whole meal, Thomas made pig noises and would reach down and poke me with his fork, making comments about what a fat piggy I was and how he wished he could roast and eat me. I doubted Mother would even object if he actually did kill me and eat me.
Gagging my way through another bite of ashy pork chop, I felt a warm splat over my head and heard Thomas giggling. I reached up and felt he had dumped mashed potatoes into my hair.
Choking down tears, I asked Mother if I could clean the floor and bathe. She rolled her eyes and excused me to clear the table for them as well while she changed Thomas into his pajamas. Picking him up, she walked out of the room and Thomas stuck his putrid little purple tongue out at me before they made it out the kitchen door.
I silently cried while I cleared the table and washed the dinner dishes. Tears splashed down as I mopped up the mess from my food on the floor. I hated how awful Thomas was. I hated how they treated me. Ever since Daddy died and Thomas showed up, I was their punching bag. I missed Daddy so much.
Mother was kinder then, too. She was still severe, but Dad kept her tempered. After he died, there was a change that came over her. I was only six, so I didn't remember her too much from before, but I did remember her gushing on and on when she was pregnant with Thomas. How the baby was a gift from Our Heavenly Father, that it was going to complete our broken family.
My sixth birthday happened right after Daddy died and I remember sitting on the patio crying while the house was full of people after the funeral, normally he would have gotten me a new doll and a chocolate bar, instead I was forgotten. No doll. No chocolate. Just funeral potatoes and a house full of cigarette smoke from the adults.
Nobody remembered. The closest thing I got was my dad's sister, Aunt Judy, sitting next to me on the patio step for a few minutes of comfortable silence before giving my shoulder a reassuring squeeze. I don't think she knew her brother was memorialized on my birthday. Next year, Thomas was born the day before my birthday, so it was completely eclipsed as Mother had just birthed her new love into the world…
I stopped mid mop as a lightbulb finally went off. I had never put much thought into the dates before.
Thomas was born a full year after Daddy died. He couldn't be his dad. Who was Thomas’ actual father?
Washing mashed potatoes out of my hair that evening, I ran over and over the timeline. No matter how I parsed it out, Thomas was only my half brother. Going to bed that night, I kept myself awake, going over and over again to make sure. I couldn't remember any men being around at that time, but that didn't mean much. Adults can easily hide things from children. Tension began throbbing through my head and I felt queasy. Mother had always known all of my secrets, able to sniff them out like a bloodhound out or using Thomas to spy. Now I had one of Mother's secrets and I didn't know what to do with it.
First I wanted to confirm it, but it would mean snooping, which was difficult in a house that was rarely left empty. I would have to try finding Mother's calendar book or journal to see if she mentioned any dates or men.
But when could I attempt such a daring maneuver? Thomas hardly left the house. As proud as Mother was of him, she was very cognizant and protective of his differences and didn't want to draw attention to herself or Thomas like that. Mother herself had few social engagements throughout the week and mostly stayed home to watch her golden child.
I finally decided I would take the risk and fake sick on Tuesday, grocery day, so I could stay home from school while she went shopping. All Thomas did all day was watch TV downstairs, so that should give me about an hour to look through her room for clues. I decided to tuck my head down, try to behave as best as I could to avoid their wrath, and wait for Tuesday.
That weekend limped along agonizingly slow. Thomas was in a fine mood and was constantly seeking out a reason to poke me, punch me, slap me… he'd laugh while calling me a piggy with his off-putting wide mouth. I tried to mostly stay in my room and it seemed like neither of them cared.
School on Monday was a relief, but my anxiety ramped up. The consequences would be dire if Mother caught on that I was faking sick to stay home. I didn't even want to imagine how off the leash she'd let my half-brother become in his punishment for that level of insubordination.
I stayed up all night, my stomach was in knots, but I was committed to my plan. Throughout the night, I screamed as hard as I could into my pillow. Screamed until my throat was raw and I could barely talk. It felt cathartic in a way. When it was close to school time, I put on my heaviest flannel pajamas and began doing jumping jacks until my face was flushed and my scalp was soaked with sweat.
Looking in the bathroom mirror before heading down to talk to Mother, I thought I looked pretty convincing, my skin was flushed and sweaty, my eyes had circles under them from lack of sleep, and my voice croaked like a frog.
Heading downstairs, Mother was already feeding Thomas breakfast. I hesitantly stepped into the kitchen and stood there awkwardly for a second, pawing with my pajamas to keep my nerves steady until she noticed my presence and looked up.
“Why aren't you dressed, Julianne?"
"I don't feel well. My throat hurts and my tummy hurts.” My voice graveled out more than I was expecting, I really had hurt my throat.
She strode over to me and placed a cool hand on my sweaty brow.
"You do feel warm. Take an aspirin from the medicine cabinet and go lay back down. I'll check on you later," with that she turned back and walked over to Thomas, who was frozen in place, glaring at me over a forkful of scrambled eggs. The sharp glint of malice in his beady eyes made me shiver before I shuffled out of the kitchen.
I laid in bed, trying my best to look miserable until I eventually heard the faint sound of the television playing in the den as Thomas settled in for his normal daytime routine and the garage door opened as Mother headed to the grocery store. I bounded out of bed and watched the car back out of our driveway and head up the street.
My heart began to pound as I tiptoed down the hall to Mother's bedroom, a place I rarely even caught a glimpse of, let alone entered. I very slowly opened the door, taking great care to not make any noise to alert Thomas downstairs that I was out of bed.
Creeping into the butter yellow room, I could feel my heartbeat pounding in my skull, this was the naughtiest thing I had ever done by far. I stepped onto the rug to help disguise my footsteps and slowly made my way past the brass bed and towards her desk. My hands shook as I opened the top drawer, I pawed through rapidly and found nothing. I checked the next drawer down and again found nothing of interest, just stationary and envelopes.
Finally, the bottom drawer was what I was looking for, a stack of journals from the past decade. I flipped through, trying to find entries relevant to when Daddy died and who Mother slept with afterwards.
I've never fully recovered from what I read.
July 6, 1968
Edgar died today. Car accident. I cannot believe this is real. My light, my life, my anchor... Dr. Benson gave me a sedative at the hospital and I feel so tired. So very, very tired. Why has my Lord forsaken me so?
July 9, 1968
I feel like I am in a very bad dream, I feel numb and disconnected. All the consolation and pity from everyone makes me feel sick. After the memorial, it took everything in me to not break dishes and to scream at everyone to get out of my house. Julianne was moping about crying and I wanted to throw her out, too.
If I hadn't seen my dear Edgar's body in the hospital and held his urn in my own hands, I wouldn't believe he was really gone. I still don't entirely believe it.
I have prayed to God every night asking him to show me why he took my husband from me and I have gotten no answer.
I skimmed over the next few months, as it was more or less similar sentiments repeated night after night. I finally got to an entry that caught my eye.
September 17, 1968
My battle with my faith has been fraught the past few months, but Hallelujah! I feel I can see the Lord again in all his glory and might, for he has given me a way to reconnect to my Edgar!
I was thinking about the night Julianne was born, right in this very home, it was a difficult birth and she struggled to breathe at first. Ingrid, my midwife, made a comment to me that if the baby had failed to wake up on her own, that Ingrid had ways to make sure she would have made it.
I remember asking if it was a medical methodology and she made it clear to me that in certain circumstances, it was a mystical property she used to bring the air of life into a struggling baby's lungs. She gently alluded to being a practicing member of the dark arts. At the time, I felt quite scandalized to have someone like that in my God fearing home. Now I see her as the answer to my prayers! My angel!
On a whim, I called her and asked if she still practiced such techniques. She hesitantly confirmed that she did. I asked, if she could turn breath into the lungs of a child without, could she turn breath into a child that did not exist? Could she magick into existence another child of my beloved Edgar? She told me she had to do some research and she'd be back in touch.
Ingrid just called back after a few hours and said there was a spell she found, but it was dangerous and might have unpleasant results. I said, yes, of course! I trust my Lord and I believe he sent this woman of blessed magick to me for this purpose.
She says we will have to do it soon, in a few days during the new moon. She has a potion to brew, but it is happening! Praise God!
September 23, 1968
The ceremony was last night, and Ingrid believes it was a success, but we will have to wait. It did not take long, only an hour or two. Ingrid lit my bedroom with many beeswax candles and she had me drink a thick and bitter tea that caused me to become quite relaxed and foggy.
From my inner thigh, she cut me and collected my blood in a chalice, with which she mixed quite a lot of Edgar's ashes and other ingredients which I could not glean from my supine position and groggy wits. Ingrid began to chant, calling upon a higher power, as I pleaded with my Lord to let this work. To give me any piece of my Edgar back. She came to the bed and worked the paste between my legs into my womanly chamber, which was very uncomfortable, but manageable with the numbing effects of the tea.
She continued to sit with me and chant, her hand placed over my womb, until she decided at which time it was complete. She left and I fell into a deep sleep. When I woke up this morning, I felt quite uncomfortable, my body ached and when I used the restroom, a yellow fluid like pus poured out of me, but no sign of any ashes or blood, which gives me hope it was absorbed into my womb.
November 3, 1968
Praise be to our Lord, Ingrid just confirmed for me that I am with child, I had been hoping so, I had not gotten my cycle in October, but I wasn't sure if that was because of the discharge like pus that was still coming. She told me that was common with this spell and a side effect that would stop after the baby came.
I feel like I am floating on air, for the first time since Edgar left, I feel-
I suddenly became very aware of the feeling of eyes on the back of my head. I had become too engrossed in what was written before me and I had lost track of my surroundings. Very slowly, I turned around and my heart began pounding again as I saw Thomas standing in the doorway holding his wooden spoon in one hand. How had I not heard him?
He pointed at me with his empty hand and screamed, just a pure guttural screech from somewhere deep inside his disgusting little body. He charged at me from across the room, his horrible feet thumping solidly along the rug. He began beating my legs ruthlessly with the spoon, causing my legs to buckle. I crashed down to my knees in front of him, and he began lashing at my face, pulling my hair with one hand while wailing away at my head with the spoon.
I had dropped the journal I was holding and was desperately trying to get a hand on the spoon or push him away. All I could hear was him screaming. My arms flailed and I reached around on Mother's desk and grabbed onto the first thing I found and sank it into Thomas’ neck.
The end of Mother's gold letter opener protruded under his jaw. He went silent and he looked at me with utter shock. He dropped the spoon and collapsed on the ground, clutching at his neck as his thick black blood oozed out from his wound, letting out a stupendous odor of rot that filled the room. He didn't really say anything or make any noise. He just twitched for a moment and I saw his eyes glaze over.
In shock, I stood over his little body for a moment and I watched as he seemed to mummify in just a few minutes, like an ash person from Pompeii dressed in jeans and a flannel shirt. Even his blood that looked like shiny oil a second ago became like potting soil on Mother's rug. Reaching out to touch his hand, it crumbled away like sand.
Panic ran through me like a rabbit caught in a snare. Not knowing what to do, I ran. I ran down the hall, changed my clothes, put an extra change of clothes in my backpack and the last doll Daddy had ever given me and I ran. Mother would absolutely never forgive me and I was genuinely afraid she would kill me in retaliation for taking her beloved Thomas away from her. Her precious gift from God. My feet flew over the pavement and took me away from that house.
I called my Aunt Judy from a payphone outside the five & dime, and told her Mother had kicked me out and asked if I could stay with her. She had always had a strained relationship with my mother and it didn't take much convincing that she had kicked out her “only” child. Only Mother, Ingrid, and I ever knew about Thomas.
She gave me a home and took care of me. She never beat me or humiliated me. Even with her love, I was far from okay. For years I would close my eyes and hear Thomas scream, then the sudden silence. I'd see him fumbling at his neck and turning to ash. But I would also remember all the ways he would hurt me and how bad he was becoming. I could never talk to anyone about it, especially not the silent relief I felt I refused to admit to myself. Over time, however, Thomas' screams became a whisper and his silence faded into dust in my mind.
I moved on with my life. I went to college and became a photojournalist, getting to travel the world and watch history unfold. By choice, I never married, but was quite blessed with many beautiful friendships for companionship over the decades. I found balance in my life and a sense of happiness, if not peace. I never could quite stomach mashed potatoes again, though, they always taste ashy to me.
Mother never made any attempts to reach out to me or find me, at least that I'm aware of. Ten years ago, I was contacted by a hospital and they said my mother had been admitted earlier after falling and was about to pass, so she must have kept some tabs on me to know my phone number for her emergency contacts. Apparently she had collapsed in the driveway and a neighbor called an ambulance. I got there and her only words to me were, “take care of him," as she placed a locket in my hand. I opened the locket, Jesus was on one side, Thomas on the other. I didn't say anything to her, just held her frail old hand with nicotine stained nails until she passed in the night. My mother was gone and I felt nothing except a vague sense of relief.
When I got to her house, it was like a time capsule. Other than a newer television, it was just like it was when I'd fled so many years ago. The smell of tobacco smoke hung like incense in the air. It felt oppressive, like a tomb.
I wandered the house in a bit of a daze. The one place I didn't want to go was upstairs. I didn't want to see my old room, or Thomas' room, or Mother's. Putting it off, I went to fix myself some supper, realizing I hadn't eaten in almost a day. I took a pause when I opened the fridge and saw a baby bottle on a shelf. Silently praying she had been babysitting for a neighbor, I fixed myself some toast with sardines and sat eating in the den watching TV. It had been almost forty years and it still felt rebellious not eating at the table and watching TV without permission.
My eyes grew heavy and I finally mustered up the gumption to head upstairs to go to bed. The stairs creaked in a familiar way under my feet and I was taken back to the feeling of dread hearing either Mother or Thomas climbing up. My old room was at the top of the stairs, I saw the door was nailed shut and had rambling quotes about Judas copied from the Bible in my mother's handwriting taped to the door. I sighed gently and turned from the door to head down the hallway, deciding Mother's room was probably the best place to sleep.
I passed by Thomas’ toy room and I heard a murmur from the room. I stopped, curiosity got the best of me and I entered. In Thomas' old toy room was a crib with joyful clown sheets. Dread swelled up inside me as I heard more murmurs and saw the sheets move. Approaching slowly, I peaked under the sheet and gasped.
Tucked inside was what looked like a baby gargoyle, gray and papery looking. Pus leaked out of its milky, bulbous eyes. I pulled back the blanket and saw it had no legs and its arms bent back, like wings on a bird. It was wearing just a cloth diaper, overflowing with tarry looking stool that took my breath away with its pungency, it smelled like Thomas’ blood, but somehow worse. My heart broke for this poor creature, Lord only knows how many years it has been in this crib suffering from its unholy existence.
So this is who Mother had wanted me to take care of…
Not knowing what else to do, I gently scooped him up. Like Thomas, he was shockingly heavy for how small his body was. Placing him on the changing table, I cleaned him and rewrapped his bottom in a clean diaper cloth. It was difficult, he fussed tremendously, crying and flopping around as much as his flipper-like arms would allow. I tried wiping off his oozing eyes and he snapped his mouth, which I saw was full of disturbingly square yellow teeth, trying to bite me. I carried him to the kitchen and rocked him while I heated up his bottle and he became furious with me, almost barking like a dog when my hand would get near his face.
He settled a bit as he fed, but he would still sometimes suddenly spit out the bottle and attempt to bite me. I laid him back in his crib, this abomination in a clown sheet, and I walked down the hall to Mother's room letting out a long sigh.
Combing through my mother's journals in the early hours of the morning, it looked like she tried the ceremony again shortly after Thomas died, but she either lacked Ingrid’s help or didn't have enough of my father's ashes left. Something went terribly wrong. She was vaguer than she had been about Thomas’ conception, but I suspect she had used some of Thomas' remains. The resulting birth she named Isaac.
Mother's journals told a sad tale of her and Isaac's suffering. She never mentioned me, but lamented the loss of Thomas and Dad relentlessly. She was hyper protective of Isaac, as that was all she had left. If her world had been small before, it became microscopic after he entered her life, requiring nearly constant care. According to Mother, he was blind and colicky, sometimes going years at a time without sleeping through the night. She had breast fed him for years, but she had to stop after he grew teeth and began biting her intentionally and feeding on her blood.
I spent a lot of time over the next few days pondering what to do. I had to get her estate in order, she had left me the house, in an obvious attempt to get me to continue caretaking for Isaac, but I didn't want it. I had my own cozy home an hour away from here, filled with happy memories and my possessions acquired traveling the world. Mother's home had a heavy energy I couldn't shake. Her and Thomas were both gone, but the memories of the scoldings and beatings hung in every corner, like cobwebs that would never sweep away.
So, I fed Isaac and kept him clean and tried to keep him company, although he seemed to hate me passionately. I took care of him, all the while thinking about what I was going to do. After a week, I felt resolute in what had to be done.
Gathering up all of Mother's journals in a tote, I made my way to Isaac and picked him up and carried everything to the living room.
The ancient logs in the fireplace meant for display ignited instantly. One by one, I fed the journals into the fire, burning away years of my mother's consuming sorrow. Isaac fussed and moaned next to me the entire time. When the last pages shimmered away into lacy ash, I took a throw pillow off the couch and gently cradled Isaac in my other arm. It didn't take long before he stopped struggling and I felt his little body relax after decades of suffering.
I gently wrapped up a bundle in a clown sheet and placed it in the fire. It burned furiously, like the paper in my mother's journals, and was soon gone. Nothing but ashes and embers.
“Don't worry, Mother,” I said purely for my own sake, "I took care of Isaac for you."
And finally, I felt at peace.

Serpent-headed when the glamour was lifted but appearing to man as men among men. Crept they into the Councils, taking forms that were like unto men. Slaying by their arts the chiefs of the kingdoms, taking their form and ruling o'er man. Only by magic could they be discovered. Only by sound could their faces be seen. Sought they from the Kingdom of shadows to destroy man and rule in his place. But, know ye, the Masters were mighty in magic, able to lift the Veil from the face of the serpent, able to send him back to his place -Thoth, the Great Wise
Remember Venom, the parasitic alien life form that is attached to spiderman & a massive church bell isused to get rid of em? Venom was basically an Archon that the gnostics & Thoth talk about. Symbiotes are symbiotic alien life forms which feed on the emotions of their hosts, particularly negative emotions. Bells
Its been reported for ages that the plague would skip over the areas in Russia where they had larger concentrations of church bells. Many Soviet researchers determined the amazing healing properties of bells and found that the oscillation of the ultrasonic range of church bells repels bacilli, viruses, and other infectious diseases that are transmitted through the air, and even cures many other diseases. Bells Healing Study
The Apkalu who introduced the Me, brought arts/crafts, agriculture, writing, magic & music. Enki was god of music. See the golden age ancient civilizations sound, frequency & harmonics was widely understood to be the greatest method for healing the body.
To be clear, the cathedrals that you see around the world were never meant to be churches, they were centers used for healing. Cathedrals Healing Centers Everything the church had was pirated.. In sixth century, Pope Gregory, in a letter to those who were to carry Catholicism to Britain, cautioned these missionaries NOT to destroy the ancient sites. Gregory wanted them to destroy their idols, but insisted they kept the architecture as it was thereby automatically linking alignment to the ley lines and maintaining the power source. Egyptian concept of Maat(Harmony) was of the utmost importance, the reason the discipline that the church created to study Egypt has more questions than answers is because they don't understand this.
In the campaign to disconnect us from our true selves, the most detrimental action theyd take involved musical theory principles, suppression of the tritone in music was a central theme for hundreds of years. Canon laws were passed to mandate rules for how to construct scales, how to handle voice leading, what was considered consonant and dissonant, how contrary motion should be handled, what tones should and should not be emphasized in rhythm, which rhythmic patterns were acceptable and specific instructions for how music should be written. Megalithic monuments were built using acoustic HARMONIC Resonance, one will never understand Pyramid, temples, etc disregarding Harmony with nature.
History repeats itself, this 1939 Nature article wouls lead to the change by International Standards Association (ISA) from 432hz to 440hz & still today they have no true understanding of sound & its many benefits. A=440Hz tuning disassociates the connection of consciousness to the body and creates anti-social conditions in humanity. Music -Double Blind study In preliminary research, analysis, and professional discussions by Walton, Koehler, Reid, et al., on the web, A=440Hz frequency music conflicts with human energy centers (i.e., chakras) from the heart to the base of the spine. Alternatively, chakras above the heart are stimulated. Theoretically, the vibration stimulates ego and left-brain function, suppressing the "heart-mind," intuition and creative inspiration. Interestingly, the difference between 440 and 741 Hz is known in musicology as the Devil's Interval.
For maximum suppression of human consciousness, the frequencies we naturally resonate with, and which are the most biologically and psycho-spiritually enhancing, must be maximally suppressed.Ancient Egyptian and Greek instruments have reportedly been found to be tuned to 432 Hz. 432Hz is consistent with the natural resonance of the UNI-VERSE and all of NATURE, that the pitch is more HARMONIOUS and that when our atoms and DNA resonate in harmony with nature's SPIRAL pattern, our sense of connection to nature is said to be AMPLIFIED. Previously I cited the recent discoveries showing DNA being repaired by use of sound frequencies. Priests of Horus meant that they maintained the knowledge of harmony.
The great pyramid Acoustic chambers matched the harmonic chambers of the human body, the King chambesarcophagus Resonance frequency created a resounding beat frequency matching the human heartbeat. Every site had a navel which resonate at 111hz which switched from left to right brain dominance assisting with holistic processing, leading to altered state of consciousness.
Hollywood comes from the Druid magicians whod make Wands outta wood from the Holly tree to cast spells on the unsuspecting. Sounds like Op Mockingbird to me. To disconnect as much as possible the functions of these two distinct parts of the brain so we can be manipulated through the right brain while only being conscious of the left.They plant thoughts, responses, and images through the right brain (the dream-state, the non-conscious, through symbolism and subliminal imagery) while imprisoning the human conscious level in the left brain - the world of can I touch it, smell it, taste it, see it, hear it, OK it must exist. This is why the "education" system, and "science" is designed to talk to the left brain.
No architectural element of antiquity (excluding bearing elements), was just a decoration. Everything had a function. Even the vases, and doorknobs. The doorknobs would be made of copper to kill bacteria & infections. So, at the correct frequency there were regenerating concert halls, where people recharged themselves with pleasant music while buildings collected the energy of the ether. They stigmatized the ether & removed it as well. If zero-point energy machines were developed on the biological model of the caduceus coil and central ion channel then our energy generation could actually enhance human evolution rather than harming ourselves and the planet as it does now. Similarly if we construct superconducting solar architecture with a monoatomic lattice in manmade stone, then the energy emanating from this energy generator will also enhance the consciousness of life around it

Does anyone know if Trelawny has its own Scouts troupe or a local chapter?
Is there a contact person we could reach out to for this area specifically?
Apologies in advance if you think I should post this in the Jamaican Tourism subreddit instead, or reach out directly to the Gleaner journalist who wrote the centennial article below, for further clarification.
I'm only asking here as a point of National pride as there my be someone in this subreddit with children in Scouts who has info to share.
International Scouters with a recommendation letter are visiting the area and bringing Scouts items and would love to also do a badge exchange.
Thank you for reading, and have a fabulous day! Bless UP!
https://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleane20110220/news/news2.html

Serpent-headed when the glamour was lifted but appearing to man as men among men. Crept they into the Councils, taking forms that were like unto men. Slaying by their arts the chiefs of the kingdoms, taking their form and ruling o'er man. Only by magic could they be discovered. Only by sound could their faces be seen. Sought they from the Kingdom of shadows to destroy man and rule in his place. But, know ye, the Masters were mighty in magic, able to lift the Veil from the face of the serpent, able to send him back to his place -Thoth, the Great Wise
Remember Venom, the parasitic alien life form that is attached to spiderman & a massive church bell isused to get rid of em? Venom was basically an Archon that the gnostics & Thoth talk about. Symbiotes are symbiotic alien life forms which feed on the emotions of their hosts, particularly negative emotions. Bells
Its been reported for ages that the plague would skip over the areas in Russia where they had larger concentrations of church bells. Many Soviet researchers determined the amazing healing properties of bells and found that the oscillation of the ultrasonic range of church bells repels bacilli, viruses, and other infectious diseases that are transmitted through the air, and even cures many other diseases. Bells Healing Study
The Apkalu who introduced the Me, brought arts/crafts, agriculture, writing, magic & music. Enki was god of music. See the golden age ancient civilizations sound, frequency & harmonics was widely understood to be the greatest method for healing the body.
To be clear, the cathedrals that you see around the world were never meant to be churches, they were centers used for healing. Cathedrals Healing Centers Everything the church had was pirated.. In sixth century, Pope Gregory, in a letter to those who were to carry Catholicism to Britain, cautioned these missionaries NOT to destroy the ancient sites. Gregory wanted them to destroy their idols, but insisted they kept the architecture as it was thereby automatically linking alignment to the ley lines and maintaining the power source. Egyptian concept of Maat(Harmony) was of the utmost importance, the reason the discipline that the church created to study Egypt has more questions than answers is because they don't understand this.
In the campaign to disconnect us from our true selves, the most detrimental action theyd take involved musical theory principles, suppression of the tritone in music was a central theme for hundreds of years. Canon laws were passed to mandate rules for how to construct scales, how to handle voice leading, what was considered consonant and dissonant, how contrary motion should be handled, what tones should and should not be emphasized in rhythm, which rhythmic patterns were acceptable and specific instructions for how music should be written. Megalithic monuments were built using acoustic HARMONIC Resonance, one will never understand Pyramid, temples, etc disregarding Harmony with nature.
History repeats itself, this 1939 Nature article wouls lead to the change by International Standards Association (ISA) from 432hz to 440hz & still today they have no true understanding of sound & its many benefits. A=440Hz tuning disassociates the connection of consciousness to the body and creates anti-social conditions in humanity. Music -Double Blind study In preliminary research, analysis, and professional discussions by Walton, Koehler, Reid, et al., on the web, A=440Hz frequency music conflicts with human energy centers (i.e., chakras) from the heart to the base of the spine. Alternatively, chakras above the heart are stimulated. Theoretically, the vibration stimulates ego and left-brain function, suppressing the "heart-mind," intuition and creative inspiration. Interestingly, the difference between 440 and 741 Hz is known in musicology as the Devil's Interval.
For maximum suppression of human consciousness, the frequencies we naturally resonate with, and which are the most biologically and psycho-spiritually enhancing, must be maximally suppressed.Ancient Egyptian and Greek instruments have reportedly been found to be tuned to 432 Hz. 432Hz is consistent with the natural resonance of the UNI-VERSE and all of NATURE, that the pitch is more HARMONIOUS and that when our atoms and DNA resonate in harmony with nature's SPIRAL pattern, our sense of connection to nature is said to be AMPLIFIED. Previously I cited the recent discoveries showing DNA being repaired by use of sound frequencies. Priests of Horus meant that they maintained the knowledge of harmony.
The great pyramid Acoustic chambers matched the harmonic chambers of the human body, the King chambesarcophagus Resonance frequency created a resounding beat frequency matching the human heartbeat. Every site had a navel which resonate at 111hz which switched from left to right brain dominance assisting with holistic processing, leading to altered state of consciousness.
Hollywood comes from the Druid magicians whod make Wands outta wood from the Holly tree to cast spells on the unsuspecting. Sounds like Op Mockingbird to me. To disconnect as much as possible the functions of these two distinct parts of the brain so we can be manipulated through the right brain while only being conscious of the left.They plant thoughts, responses, and images through the right brain (the dream-state, the non-conscious, through symbolism and subliminal imagery) while imprisoning the human conscious level in the left brain - the world of can I touch it, smell it, taste it, see it, hear it, OK it must exist. This is why the "education" system, and "science" is designed to talk to the left brain.
No architectural element of antiquity (excluding bearing elements), was just a decoration. Everything had a function. Even the vases, and doorknobs. The doorknobs would be made of copper to kill bacteria & infections. So, at the correct frequency there were regenerating concert halls, where people recharged themselves with pleasant music while buildings collected the energy of the ether. They stigmatized the ether & removed it as well. If zero-point energy machines were developed on the biological model of the caduceus coil and central ion channel then our energy generation could actually enhance human evolution rather than harming ourselves and the planet as it does now. Similarly if we construct superconducting solar architecture with a monoatomic lattice in manmade stone, then the energy emanating from this energy generator will also enhance the consciousness of life around it

MONTERREY ENQUIRER - INTERNATIONAL ENGLISH EDITION A Tale of Two Interviews
Just recently the Monterrey Enquirer received the interview notes from two of our correspondents, Enrique Krauze and Lucas Hernandez, who were able to interview Canadian Prime Minister Leoanrd Damphousse and President La Follette of Wisconsin. We have provided a summary and comparison of the interviews for our readers.
The Cause of the Canadian-Wisconsin Disputes
Our correspondents asked both leaders about the tensions between Wisconsin and Canada.
The president blamed the tensions on Canada patrolling ‘Lake Wisconsin’ which, rather than reducing piracy and trade interdiction, played a part in spreading it to the lakes. Additionally, he accused Canada of imperialism, refused to attend a conference with Wisconsin, and said that “ [Canada]…are however, obviously insecure in their own nationhood. This is largely due to its status as a joke nation, a barely functional patchwork of disparate provinces."
The prime minister said told us that he didn’t understand Wisconsin’s concerns, saying that although their ties with DC were understandably taken issue with, their lake patrols have done nothing to “actively impede them or restrict their trade”.
The Way Forward
We asked both leaders how they would resolve the tensions.
The prime minister said that “should the door for cooperation be opened by Leader Phil we’d happily reopen trade and negotiate for friendly trade terms.”
While the president said, “If Canada is serious about peace as they claim, then they will accept our longstanding invitation to them to a conference in Madison between two sovereign nations.” Although he said that Canada has refused to consider them a sovereign and legitimate nation.
In 20 Years
We asked both leaders where they wished to see their respective groups in 20 years.
La Follette said that although Wisconsin is a People’s Democracy and, should the people desire to join the United States or any other group it would be done, there is “no desire amongst the people of Wisconsin at present to join any organization which might be a concession of our natural right of sovereignty.”
Damphousse simply answered, “United and prosperous”
Additional Canadian Thoughts on Cascadia
In a question unrelated to Wisconsin, our correspondent asked about Canadian negotiations with the Cascadians. The Prime Minister expressed that progress was slow and difficult because, “their government structure is simply not applicable to ours”.
Have thoughts? Send a letter to the editor.

Hi everyone,
I am an international student and will get my letter of completion soon. I am currently employed by a company as a part time employee, but the work is pretty dormant and haven't worked in a while, but might pick up next month.
When it's said that "you have to stop working after receiving letter of completion" do I have to officially resign and then get rehired or can I just not go to work?
I will apply for my pgwp maybe a week after I receive my letter of completion but wanted to know what to do in the meantime.

Sorry… this is a bit if a stream of conciouness. (and probably too positive but…)
There are 2 devices in my lifetime where I had the need to “insta-buy”… meaning that using it meant I “got it” straight away and can see a future different to today. The first was a Tesla Model 3… the second Apple Vision Pro.
This surely is a view into the future. It is AR + VR disrupted in a way only Apple has the patience to execute … late-ish but in a way that shows they absolutely have a long term and deep commitment to a brand new platform… and get it. They have built a platform on which from day one everything you need to be able to do seems to be available. This really shows the real benefit of the core apple platforms and walled garden working to bring a V1 experience second to none in the VAR world.
I am simply amazed at how the UI just works, is responsive, and thought through as a platform. The iOS roots are there and it just works as you might expect. iPad apps and vision apps are great (for V1), the eye tracking and interaction model, again for a first go is just effortless.
The way it can be used without EVER taking it off - from the first use - shows that the Apple teams have deeply understood a use case for a brand new platform that within 10 years could be the natural way of using technology.
When these actually become apple glasses and get smaller the iPhone will be replaced… it might take 10 years but the vision and building blocks are all here.
I have worn these solidly now for 6 hours and was comfortable throughout.
Amazing that from now we have the Office Suite essentially native, so many existing apps available for iOS / iPadOS available and working is phenomenal. I remember the first days of the watch, the iPad and the Phone… this is actually pretty complete.
I just love the iris authentication … just seamless for me and I have 1-Password installed which works as advertised.
It is also amazing that in a text editor like Notes you can basically look at a letter click your fingers, and the text cursor appears there. Long hold of the fingers allows you to move the cursor around, a double click selects a word. A triple click gets you the iOS text selection options. None of this is perfect yet, but it is amazing to see and you can see the possibilities.
Can I also say that the personal Spatial Audio is my absolutely favourite, genius, and undersold feature…. no headphones required and great sound.
All in all just brilliant for a V1 product and it is so nice to see so many of the Apple technologies that have been released in recent years find their way into this product.
Now… back to the future.
For international users:
Don’t be afraid of buying in the US and taking it back home. I am from Australia and was very worried about the narrative from Apple on the risks. Basically you can setup and configure everything without a US Apple Store account. You do not need a US AppleID to get going.
It will be functional and useable and only the apps that rely on region-locked services will not work … AppStore, Music, TV. This might seem like a killer but so much actually works including iCloud syncing and files etc that are based around your own account.
In a month or so (June 10 likely) it will be released in more markets and it will start working with your local AppleID.
If you can get a US AppleID then you can actually use Apple services which then work and remember your settings and playlists from your home territory… including Disney+, Apple Store, Apple Music etc.
I got a US AppleID by CHANGING THE REGION of one of my old less-used AppleIDs. This involved getting a US SMS service based on SlySMS which is the critical step. Every other avenue based on creating a new AppleID seemed to get blocked at one stage or another.

Hi there, all! I am a 35-year old male from the United States, and I am looking for a long-term international pen pal. Growing up, my elementary school always had us in pen pal programs with students abroad, and it was such an enlightening experience! One of my closest friends was from a pen pal journey that 20-years later is still going on. Nowadays, the beauty in writing a letter and building a friendship is something I yearn for, as I have been getting deep into reading philosophy (and Letters from a Stoic by Seneca got me into searching for this). Additionally, there is something truly special about the connection of handwriting letters, as it is personal.
To describe myself, I have ADHD, I love drumming, astronomy, technology, meditating, being outdoors, spending ample time with my amazing Wife, reading, writing in my daily journal, fountain pens, playing cards, video games (not too often like I used to), and just thinking about life. Also, I am a hardcore cinephile (I LOVE film!). I am not religious, I am LGBTQIA+ friendly (I am Bisexual), and I am open-minded to all walks of life.
I am looking for a pen pal that would love to discuss philosophy, art (movies, music, etc.), life, astronomy, spirituality, and the world in general. My biggest enjoyment in life is having discussions with new people, while learning from them and their experiences. So, I look forward to making a wonderful friend on this journey, and enjoying great conversation!