Table of Contents

1. tl;dr
2. Summary
3. Intro
4. 7 steps
   1. Omnivore
   2. 1 Fluid
   3. 2 Fuel
   4. 3 Fresh
   5. 4 Fat
   6. 5 Fruit
   7. 6 Veg
   8. 7 Snack
   9. Beyond AAD
5. Regimen
   1. Morning
   2. Between meals:
   3. Afternoon
   4. Travel
6. Details

tl;dr

Japanese women live the longest; traditional "ama" divers catch crustaceans by hand.
This inspired my chicken soup of the sea: rice, shrimp and mackerel.
Can you guess which causes the longevity?
PIC: How to tell when a shrimp is perfectly cooked
https://preview.redd.it/ioy13ankti5d1.jpg?width=602&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f6561f8cd0dfa03e90f4fe35fa229651f459359e

Summary

Ama (海女, "sea women") are Japanese divers famous for collecting pearls, though traditionally their main catch is seafood.[1] The vast majority of ama are women.

An optimal diet should imitate the diet of the world's longest-lived people: Japanese women. What sets Japan apart from runners-up such as South Korea is high shrimp consumption.
Longevity is sexy:

• Tokyo Fish Market, 1964
• Japanese ama divers, with a diet primarily consisting of sea food, had impressive occlusions #mewtivation
• Japanese Ama divers, 1950s

I cut the seafood-rice diet down to the absolute minimum:

An elimination diet, also known as exclusion diet, is a diagnostic procedure used to identify foods that an individual cannot consume without adverse effects.

An optimal elimination diet follows the pattern of recovering from an upset stomach:

1. For fluid, drink hot water with a pinch of sea salt "tea".
2. For fuel, start with white rice congee. After #6 add brown rice, pre-soaked.
3. For fresh, have 50g frozen sea meat (shrimp) per day. The rest can be canned.
4. For fat, have a can of ocean fish (mackerel etc) per day. Watch the mercury.
5. For fruit, have a small orange with the plain rice (vit c).
6. For veg, lightly cook some spinach leaves with the shrimp (vit b).
7. For snack, have dried seaweed sheets and a handful of mixed tree nuts soaked overnight.

Take it one step at a time. These are sequenced in order of short-term priority to stay productive. Everything is low-FODMAPS except the nuts.
1-4 are like a healthier version of chicken soup: Both are high in methionine, salt and rice.
Methionine stops hunger. Eating less extends lifespan dramatically:

The exact manner by which calories are reduced changes across studies, but the animals’ calorie intakes are generally reduced by as much as half their normal levels. Depending on the species, the most promising results have shown lifespan extensions between 50 and 300%.

This diet can probably cut your calorie intake in half without trying, and your food budget as well.
A strong baseline makes it easy to detect harmful foods. You can thrive on just this, but why limit yourself? Establish a performance baseline, then introduce a new ingredient.

Intro

When I was a young man, I regarded cooking as a chore and simply wanted to eat healthy to gain muscle without wasting time. As a result, I ate a lot of Campbell's Chunky Soup and crackers. Not great for my sodium intake.
I sympathize with those who insist that a "minimum viable diet" should mean something simple and repeatable such as beef, potatoes and greens. Sounds great! If you're looking for lazy cooking, just learn some simple pressure cooker recipes. It does get more complicated than "throw tasty things in pot".
I might've continued as a culinary barbarian, had I not made some bad life choices, chief among which was taking a light course of Accutane, which is proven to cause Inflammatory Bowel Disease by aging epithelial stem cells. This caused my gut lining to gradually age, until I must now eat mush like an old man.
The struggle to find foods that didn't incapacitate me lead me to elimination diets and a journey into true minimalism, the meaning of which I hadn't appreciated before: not minimum cooking effort, but minimum digestive difficulty.
My eventual solution happened to align with the diet of the longest-lived people in the world – the Japanese. (Well, the women are longest-lived. The men work and drink themselves to death.) Apparently, the secret to their longevity is eating a lot of shrimp and rice. White rice is considered hypoallergenic, and shrimp induces satiety via methionine, permitting calorie restriction.
Doctors have been unable to label my condition with any specific diagnosis, despite extensive tests and endoscopy. So I believe my solution is generalizable to those without specific problems, who nonetheless find themselves plagued with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
The less energy the gut must spend on digestion, the more energy the brain has to focus productively. Ancestral hunter gatherers could afford to lie around after a big meal; office workers not so much.
Even healthy people may be interested in the productivity benefits of easy digestion. Soylent is popular for this reason. The aquatic ape diet is healthier, easier to digest, and much cheaper.
Soylent costs about $225 per month. In a typical day I eat:

• for fuel, 4 handfuls of unenriched rice = 43g * 4 = 173g = 621 calories = .50 USD
• for fresh, a handful of frozen organic shrimp = 52g = 52 calories = 7.70 RMB = 1.06 USD
• for fat, 200g canned mackerel (or similar) = 312 calories = 6.5 RMB = .9 USD
• for fruit, small oranges sell for about a dollar each, so $2 for two = 90 calories
• for veg, spinach costs $2 and lasts 10 days, so .20 USD = 14 calories
• total calories = 1089
• $total = 4.66 USD daily * 30.4 days = $142 per month

As you can see, the AA baseline diet is slightly more expensive per calorie, but higher satiety so one eats less. If cost is a concern, you can easily cut to one small orange per day, dropping the price to $111 per month. Or replace oranges entirely with a vitamin c pill, which costs under 10 cents per dose. Then the cost would be $84 per month.
Most people don't want to eat minimally, and that's fine. However, those who hate cooking can keep the minimal ingredients at home, then indulge at restaurants. Or travel with Soylent and never miss a meal.

7 steps

Omnivore

Humans are omnivores. Thus a proper minimal diet will consume both plants and animals. Among mammals, even herbivores are usually opportunistic carnivores. Compensating for pure vegetarianism or carnivory complicates things considerably, as icebound Eskimos and smooth-brained koala vegans demonstrate.
Given omnivory, a minimal diet has three major requirements:

1. Fuel: either eat enough carbs and fat, or burn your own fat.
2. Fresh: for volatile water-soluble vitamins and animal protein.
3. Fat: for fat-soluble vitamins and well-being.

These are listed in order of priority.
One can get water-soluble vitamins from lightly-cooked meat, if one eats the right animals or organs in sufficient quantities. However, it is usually easier to get them from fruits and vegetables.

1 Fluid

The Romans paid legionnaires in sea salt, leading to the expression, "Worth his salt". Without sea salt, humans develop goiters.
During a severe IBS episode, you often stop eating. That is fine, humans can fast for weeks. Just drink sea salt "tea" until your gut calms.
This staves off dehydration, but gets quite hungry. When ready to rise and cook, proceed to the next step. Until then, have a toothpick and relax. (Chewing on something is a good way to stop eating.)

2 Fuel

The first step of recovery is to have some bland white rice congee. It is usually the easiest thing to digest. (If not, try soaking or pick another grain.) Starch fuel prevents starvation, conserving body fat on skinny chronic IBS sufferers. You need enough calories to stay active.
Put a 1-2 handfuls of rice and generous water into the pressure cooker, then cook until congee.
Plain white rice does get boring. So alternate white with brown rice. Brown rice has insoluble fiber, which is hardest to digest. So start with just a pinch of brown rice in white, which will change the flavor of the pot enough to fool your brain. If you can tolerate insoluble fiber, then increase the ratio. Gas is a key sign you can't.
If you're constipated, increase the ratio of brown rice. Fiber keeps you regular.

3 Fresh

The next step is to consume healthy fresh meat. The healthiest sea meat is shrimp. Just a handful will induce satiety via methionine. Briefly auto-warm them in the pressure cooker until they curl into a c-shape, not o. (This is safe, because saltwater shrimp parasites can't transfer to freshwater hosts.) Eat the shrimp before cooling, and save the broth for the next rice pot.
Wild meat is healthier than farmed, and saltwater is healthier than terrestrial. Humans are primarily a littoral species, even today. Our hairlessness is an aquatic adaptation (hippos, elephants); chimps can't swim. Our other closest relative, the pig, is semi-aquatic like us, and shares many anatomical features such as nose shape and eye color. Pigs, not chimps, are the main animal source for organ transplants into humans.

4 Fat

Fat is the second hardest to digest, but the most rewarding. It's what puts a smile on your face and heat in your extremities. Fat soluble vitamins degrade slowly, so canned food is fine. Mackerel is incredibly cheap and delicious. At 13% fat, it is sufficient but not overwhelming to weak guts. The bones are easy to eat around. Save the broth for the next rice pot.
Watch the toxin accumulation. Maximum is 200g mackerel per day, due to arsenic. Try alternating with other fish, such as tuna, sardines and salmon.
If you have fat malabsorption, try putting cholestyramine powder in the rice pot preceding the fatty meal, and look into UDCA. Eating fat is essential to enjoy life. Hence the expression, "Fat and happy."

5 Fruit

Fruit poses two digestive challenges: fructose and insoluble fiber. We can dilute the former and minimize the latter.
Apples have lots of insoluble fiber, making them chewy. Oranges have little, making them juicy.
Fruit is full of concentrated sugar, and the fructose in particular can irritate weak guts. Sugar provides short term energy. Thus an orange complements a pot of white rice congee.
By itself, the congee is bland starch, which provides long-term energy and filling comfort. Eat the orange as appetizer, then the congee as main course. Having this twice per day is a treat.

6 Veg

Vegetables contain even more insoluble fiber than fruit. One solution is to cook them to mush, but this destroys their b-vitamins, the main reason to eat them.
The solution is to use a soft vegetable that can be eaten raw and is high in vitamin b. Parsley and spinach both work, and go nicely with shrimp. Just throw them both into the pot on auto-warm at the same time.

7 Snack

With diets, cheating is always a danger, so one should try to fulfill cravings with healthy snacks. Dried seaweed have the salt, crunch and complex flavor to satisfy the potato chip craving. A handful of mixed tree nuts soaked overnight satisfies the desire for something more substantial, and puts the pot to good use.

Beyond AAD

Congratulations, you've completed the Aquatic Ape diet! Now you can add whatever works for you.
Having a strong baseline means it's easy to tell when something makes you feel worse. Similarly, being malnourished makes it easy to tell when you eat something that was previously missing. Malnourishment is not a pleasant baseline, so I recommend the former!
I'm sure you're eager to get to the steak and potatoes. The Weston Price Foundation has many great recipes for healthy indulgence.

Regimen

Morning

1. handful of unenriched white rice, pressure cooked to congee, eaten before cooling to avoid resistant starch. Small orange appetizer first.
2. clean pot and dish
3. 200g of wild-caught organic canned fish (no additives)
4. in leftover broth, pressure cook longer a handful of white rice with pinch of organic tricolor brown rice (to fool blandness perception)
5. clean pot and dish

Between meals:

• chew on a toothpick to distract from hunger
• pinch of sea salt in hot water

Afternoon

1. handful of unenriched white rice, pressure cooked to congee, eaten before cooling to avoid resistant starch. Small orange appetizer first.
2. clean pot and dish
3. handful of spinach and handful of wild-caught saltwater shelled shrimp (no additives) auto-heated to c-shape, not o-shape (that's overdone)
4. in leftover broth, pressure cook longer a handful of white rice with pinch of organic tricolor brown rice (to fool blandness perception)
5. clean pot and dish

The shrimp induces satiety for intermittent fasting.

Travel

Travel is tough. Suggestions welcome. Here's what I've got:

• bring toothpicks and sea salt
• buy hot white rice and water
• dry foods: pemmican, jerky or Soylent
• wet meat: canned fish, steamed shrimp
• vit b & c: spinach, lemon juice, small oranges

Details

Continued here due to length.

Please use this thread to ask any lawn care questions that you may have. There are no stupid questions. This includes weed, fungus, insect, and grass identification. For help on asking a question, please refer to the "How to Get the Most out of Your Post" section at the top of the sidebar.
Check out the sidebar if you're interested in more information on plant hardiness zones, identifying problems, weed control, fertilizer, establishing grass, and organic methods. Also, you may contact your local Cooperative Extension Service for local info.
How to Get the Most out of Your Post:

Include a photo of the problem. You can upload to imgur.com for free and it's easy to do. One photo should contain enough information for people to understand the immediate area around the problem (dense shade, extremely sloped, etc.). Other photos should include close-ups of the grass or weed in question: such as this, this, or this. The more photos or context to the situation will help us identify the problem and propose some solutions.

Useful Links:

Guides & Calculators: Measure Your Lawn • Make a Property Map • Herbicide Application Calculators • Fertilizing Lawns • Grow From Seed • Grow From Sod • Organic Lawn Care • Other Lawn Calculators
Lawn Pest Control: Weeds & What To Use • Common Weeds • What's Wrong Here? • How To Spray Weeds • MSU Weed ID Tool • Is This a Weed? • Herbicide Types • ID Turf Diseases • Fungi & Control Options • Insects & Control Options
Fertilizing: Fertilizing Lawns • How To Spread Granular Fertilizer • Natural Lawn Care • Fertilizer Calculator
US Cooperative Extension Services: Arkansas - University of Arkansas • California - UC Davis • Florida - University of Florida • Indiana - Purdue University • Nebraska - University of Nebraska-Lincoln • New Hampshire - The University of New Hampshire • New Jersey - Rutgers University • New York - Cornell University • Ohio - The Ohio State University • Oregon - Oregon State University • Texas - Texas A&M • Vermont - The University of Vermont
Canadian Cooperative Extension Services: Ontario - University of Guelph

Recurring Threads:

Daily No Stupid Questions Thread • Mowsday Monday • Treatment Tuesday • Weed ID Wednesday • That Didn't Go Well Thursday • Finally Friday: Weekend Lawn Plans • Soil Saturday • Lawn of the Month • Monthly Mower Megathread • Monthly Professionals Podium • Tri-Annual Thatch Thread • Quarterly Seed & Sod Megathread

44wf, 5’3, 240lbs. Six days out from RNY gastric bypass. I have hemidiaphramatic paralysis and EDS (hypermobile).
Looking for some thoughts on the awful week I’ve had and if there’s something that should or could help me.
6/3 - had bypass following two weeks of liquid diet. All seemed well. Typical post op pain and gas pain. As expected. I actually felt pretty good and did like six laps of the patient floor the first day.
6/4 - still doing good, ready to go home. i had passed gas and stool without issue. Discharged home. No nausea or issues with consuming water or protein shakes. Tired but again, expected. When discharged my hemoglobin was 12.6 and hematocrit was 38.4.
6/5 - at some point in the night I get up to use the bathroom and I am both extremely weak and painfully constipated. Passing the stool was extremely difficult and I was absolutely drenched in sweat from exertion. The stool was black, like tar. I’m no doctor but I know that’s not good. Walking ten feet to my bed felt like miles. Call doctor in the morning and the care team is very responsive and concerned and send me for fluids on next day.
6/6-6/7 - during these days I have some iv fluids and iv iron infusion. I am also poked around 30 times because it’s hard to find a vein with me so dehydrated, despite the fact that I had been taking in maybe 50+ grams of protein and similar ounces of water. On 6/7 I even went to hospital admissions expecting to be admitted but they told me to go home and start taking oral iron 325 Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I am honestly feeling pretty good at this time. 6/6 hemoglobin is 7.2 and hematocrit is 21.8.
6/8 - I wake up at 6 and immediately can tell I’m weaker than the previous day. I can walk to and from the bathroom okay but it is a bit tiring. Could be that I had major abdominal surgery though so am ignoring it but after an hour or two my fingers and toes get really cold and I just start thinking “what if I don’t get help right now and it could have saved me?”. Call 911 and get a ride to hospital.
At hospital they are very concerned that I am white as a sheet. Hemoglobin at 9 am is 5.6 and hematocrit is 17.1. They do a blood transfusion and test again at 6 pm and it is 7.7 and 23.7 respectively. Things are looking up! Except at my 230 am blood draw it was back down to 7.1 and 21.
Both Chest X-ray and ct of my abdomen and pelvis were normal.
Still having very, very dark stool but it is soft now.
I guess I’m just trying to find out what may happen from here. I know those numbers aren’t good but they aren’t treating me as critical or anything so, maybe with another transfusion it will help?
I know this is scattered, sorry. I just wrote notes to my family in case they take me into emergency surgery and I don’t make it so I’m a touch messy. Thank you for your advice.

For a little background my husband (25m) and I (20f) have my husband's best friend and business partner (40m) living with us while he goes through a divorce. Before my husband and I met they both partied at clubs just about every weekend, and for the whole of our relationship he has talked about how much fun he had and how wild it was. BUT he also talks about how he would never do it again because he doesn't want to risk our relationship, or our son's (2 month old) future. We both did come to the conclusion that there is too much inherent risk of cheating at places like this.
Here is what's concerning me; him and his bf (best friend) went to this hotel's restaurant (that is near the area where the clubs are at), do get some work done relating to their business. They have done this often to focus better, and I've even have gone a few times before the baby was born, so I've trusted him.
Well last night (Friday) they did the same thing after we ran our errands, which would have put him there 10:30-11:00pm. That's not out of the ordinary since he's a night owl, and they often do this after their day jobs and stuff. However my husband didn't let me know he got there, only checked in twice the whole time he was out, each one of those tests was 2-5 words, came back at 2:40-ish am when he told me they wouldn't be long, was pretty close to the drunkest I've ever seen him, and smelled a little like alcohol.
When he did get back his bf immediately left, which he said he was going to meet a girl. Then my husband started telling me about things that happened, and some of it just didn't add up; he told me that he had 5 drinks, but the bar at the hotel closses at 11pm so he wouldn't have had enough time to get all of that. He also told me that they coincidentally bumped into another person who works on their business every once in a while when they were there. Her day job used to be a bottle woman and she goes to the clubs a lot still. That is also where they met the woman his bf went back out with.
I've been feeling all uneasy about the situation since then, and today my husband told me a little bit more; apparently his friend and the lady went to my husband's favorite nightclub when they went back out… but that club closes at 2am, and they got back past then. So I asked him about it and he immediately got defensive (clubs have been a little bit of a sore subject before so I'm not ruling it out that that's just why he got defensive), but said that there was a special event after hours. I didn't think clubs did that… especially when there is only about 3 more hours before the sun starts to rise.
At this point I'm thinking they just went to a club since it would take them 20-30isg minutes to get home from there, and they got home almost exactly that after it would have closed. I don't just want to think or accuse him of doing something he didn't do though so I look into it a bit more and find the lady’s Instagram that they work with, and found that she and her friends are clubbing… one of them is also from our of town here celebrating their birthday. On top of that they were clubbing that night, and have pictures of them having dinner at a restaurant (plausibly the one my husband was at, I can't tell) and walking through streets that kinda look like the ones between the hotel and the clubs. I won't take the assumptions I'm making from the Instagram pictures as fact though, since I'm not 100% sure.
The whole gist of the story is that I think my husband might have gone to the hotel, have actually met the girls there, and went with them to the clubs instead of working..
So at this point I'm feeling crushed. If he lied about this then could he have cheated or lusted for another? I'm about average looking, and all of these women are basically models. My husband has often described the bottle women who work at these places as models too… plus I have large shoulders for a woman, and a postpartum body.
I'm praying this is just my insecurities and not the truth, but all of this sits so wrong with me… I've prayed for guidance but idk what to do… should I confront him about it, or is this a situation where God would preach patience? Has anyone been in this position and/or have some advice?

Hi all, I took SANS 504 in 2020 and have the .mp3s, books and cheat sheets still. I am looking to complete the GCIH at some point this year, however I want to know how significantly the content has changed, particularly in tackling topics in cloud. Does anyone have some insights or can recommend to what degree it is similiar to that of the 2020 (July ish) course?
Cheers!

Hello. I started building and painting my TSons army and hopefully playing my first game soon.
Another hobby of me is 3d printing and designing things, so I though I'll make a tracker for all the things you need to choose/keep in mind. I found some designs, but I think there is something missing.
So what do we need to keep track of?

• Kindred Sorcery (choose between 3)
• Crimson King (choose between 3)
• Ahriman (once per game)
• cabal points
• Rituals

Would like to share my CFA experience.
First, I passed Level 1 and 2 on first attempt in 2021 when computerised testing was first implemented due to COVID. Felt both level 1 and 2 was tough but manageable. Passed both borderline above the MPS.
Took a break before starting to attempt level 3 in 2023 due to full time job. Couldn’t handle and hate studying, sick of CFA 😩.
Level 3 1st attempt. Preparation: Used MM videos, CFI question bank and mock papers. Was averaging 60% on CFI mocks. Wasn’t very strict on marking essay questions. Total spent about 200hours, but of which, only 100 was real focus study. Rest was just watching MM videos without taking notes. Was familiar with cheat sheet. Not super familiar with all the content. Took it light and easy, still went out with friends and stuff.
Actual exam: Felt managed time ok as managed to complete on time but with little time to spare to check.
After exam feeling: Felt quite confident that it would borderline pass again like other 2 levels. As expected at every level, knew that I flunked a handful of questions for each paper.
Result: Boy was I wrong. FAILED borderline. Did v poorly in ethics😟 and derivatives.
Level 3 2nd attempt: Preparation: This time, did not use MM videos at all, quickly ran through whole CFI curriculum. Focused more time on doing test bank questions, focusing on weak areas especially derivatives and ethics. Spent about 100 more hours of focus study time. Averaging mid 60% on mocks. Was very familiar with cheat sheet and good overall knowledge.
Actual Exam: Again felt confident would pass this time, having better overall content knowledge, formulas and how questions would be structured.
After exam feeling: As expected at every level, knew that I flunked a a handful of questions for each paper. Felt quite confident that it would be somewhere borderline pass.
Result: Borderline FAILED AGAIN. Very disappointed. Again, did poorly in derivatives. Improved on ethics but still only 50%. Did worst in alternative asset. I thought this was not the career not for me and wanted to give up.
Level 3 3rd attempt: Preparation: WENT THROUGH curriculum again, this time using 2024 Schweser notes (like I did for Level 1 and 2), wrote down notes this time. did CFI question bank, did same mocks again and new ones provided by CFI. No videos. Averaged high 60s and low 70s on mocks. Spent a good 150hours of focused study. Very familiar with cheat sheet. Familiar with content. Scared going in because I can’t imagine if I failed again.
After exam feeling: SHIT. Felt like it was my worst attempt yet. Stuck on a few questions and just stared at it for long time, did not know how to answer. Wasn’t confident at all with 50% of my answers. DID NOT have any time to check at all. Was typing to the last second. I was certain that I failed. Seriously felt like crying. All that studying gone to waste. Wasn’t good enough to be in this industry. Felt like a big loser. 😢
Results: Passed. I don’t know how but I thank God. This is truly a miracle.
Morale of story:

1. ⁠Don’t give up
2. ⁠The recommended study time for Level 3 is 350 hours. Believe it, don’t get complacent or take short cuts. Put in the hours. Schweser notes is good.
3. ⁠Feeling after exam doesn’t mean a thing. Most important is how much you have prepared.

I am thankful it is over and wish all of you still in the journey to continue pressing on! U will definitely make it.

So today was IISER APTITUDE TEST And yes I fucked up I attempted 40 questions which is pretty high But most were tukke. And yes you can cheat in exam centre if you are smart enough Just wear some powerful lens If security is not good then you can ofcourse but you know security at IAT centre were pretty good.
Last 2 IISER exam I failed This was my last attempt I don't know I will be selected or not But now I will totally focus on My internships and college and other things where I'm interested. As someone who is doing BSc from DU know how much it feel to be in DU and not in IISENISER OR IISC OR ANY IIT. Its not time for regret If nature wants me to study in a DU college I will. One thing I can suggest if you r really dedicated you will crack These exams are very easy you just need to focus I really didn't focused. I was tweeting during preparation so I will fucked up in exam. Tweet I'm not saying ki don't but manage time...I was not able to do that.
Ek din pahle Mera collage ka exam tha And sath me Mai internship bhi kar rha hun uski wajah se bhi Mai bakchodiii Kiya. But earned money because of that And payed rapido bike with that(happy Little) but going to fail in IAT 3rd time I think. Let's see.
Btw I will focus on me and I know I will be in good place someday I will show without a good college you can do yes you can!

So, many people think, Omega may be Force sensitive, because her blood is tested for it, right? I really don't think so. Maybe I'm totally wrong here, but let's discuss that.
If I recall this right, her blood had never been tested for M-count itself, but for M-count transfer. My theory is that Omega's blood can be used as a medium to transfer midichlorians from one being to another. In this case Hemlock wants to make Force sensitive clones. For Palpatine, of course. Palps doesn't need clones for himself that are not capable of wielding the Force, but it seems to be impossible to clone an Individual and take the midichlorians with it.
So Omega doesn't have to be Force sensitive or even able to use the Force. She simply has something in her blood, some kind of carrier material that helps transfer midichlorians from an Individual with a high M-Count to a clone who doesn't have more midichlorians than a normal being (they are in all living creatures and in everything else, but people who can wieder the Force have a higher midichlorian count).
Also Ventress' tests showed that Omega didn't feel anything about the Force. Sure, she isn't trained, as Hunter and the boys have no idea about using the Force. But Omega passed the second test only because she cheated and rid on Batcher to the mountaintop.
And Ventress saying that she would have to take Omega with her to really test if she has it in her sounded more like some kind of (successive) try to taunt Hunter because she knew he would never ever let his girl go with a war criminal (or with anyone at all).
Omega is clever. She's a fast learner. She's a good tactician. She's mentally strong. But she didn't ever show she smallest sign for being Force sensitive.

I slept quite well I think so that’s good. I’ve been waking up during the night less and less lately! So that’s definitely good. I mean when I do it’s fine because nine times out of ten I fall back asleep within minutes, it’s just something I didn’t have to deal with before but I’m getting older and that happens so I guess it’s just that.
This period can go f itself if you ask me. First it arrives ever so tardily and now it’s playing games on me. Yesterday aka day one it was suspiciously light but this morning? HA. I had to do the roll out of bed and make a mad dash for the shower before gravity became my nemesis. Being a girl is so fun isn’t it. But also gravity also has my back because my sheets are spotless (touch wood). Anyway and now my cramps are also back. BOOOOO. But at least I get to have morning and evening showers this time of the month which will always feel like a little special treat. I just love showers a lot, and I love feeling extra fresh and clean.
This morning I’ve done nothing. I had a shower, got changed into fresh PJs and got back into bed. My cramps hurt too much to do much else and I feel exhausted. I should make sure to take some iron supplements, I can be so bad with them and for someone who has had issues with anaemia and things it’s not very good of me. But it’s just my iron levels at last tested we’re finally showing in the normal range, admittedly the very low end, but normal nonetheless and that was when I was focusing on diet only! So all the legumes, tofu, spinach and leafy greens and nuts and stuff paid off. I mean that’s kind of my diet - aside from also sugar and diet coke and caffeine and bread and pasta etc because I’m just a human - but anyway I mean to say when I focus on nutrition it seems I can get by without the iron supplements, it’s just I have to actively be mindful of it otherwise I slip back down. I don’t know why I’m so bad at taking vitamins, like I take medication twice a day for my head so it’s not like I don’t have a pill time - except I’m getting worse with my medication and keep forgetting so I take it at slightly different times each morning and night but my GP said it’s fine as long as there’s the eight hours gap between - but anyway. Oh fuck me these cramps hurt. Anyway. But iron, b vitamins and the omegas I should take daily. And probably magnesium to be a good girl. And maybe zinc. And a probiotic. I don’t think I need a prebiotic given the foods I eat though.
Today I felt so old and like my life is over and I’ve wasted it being sad and anxy and I won’t ever have a life that I want so what’s even the point but then I remembered that Carrie was 32 in SEASON ONE and she had a whole life so that made me feel better.
I think reading has messed me up because I’m reading this book and it’s describing Tom R and here I am thinking well maybe I can fix him a little bit and Jesus f’ing christ. He’s not even morally grey he’s BAD… but so handsome. And evil characters are always so much more interesting let’s be real. And infinitely hotter. I really need to step away from fantasy romance STAT. (Nevermind he now has red eyes and I can fancy fictional men with wings or fangs but they always have lovely eyes to compensate sooooo…)
Sometimes I realise my self worth is so low in little ways, I mean I know it is but sometimes it just hits me as a small reminder. For example in the book Lupin was clearly worried and mildly agitated that Tonks hadn’t yet arrived back and my thought was well at least I’m not worth worrying about so at least if Andy and I lived in this world he wouldn’t worry so that would make me the perfect person to do dangerous or risky things etc. I don’t even believe someone would worry about me in a dangerous situation. I mean I know my parents love me, but I still feel like it’s out of obligation a lot of the time. And if I died, no one would really care that much. My parents would for a bit but again, obligation. I’m torn at how they would be though. My brother and his family… I don’t think it would affect them much at all. Andy? Well I think in some regard it would be quite freeing for him more than anything. He says he doesn’t want to let this go, that he won’t be satisfied til we give this a proper go? Well if I’m dead then there’s no option, and he can happily and freely move on. Friends? No one that would care, maybe feel a bit sad FOR me upon hearing the news but it wouldn’t affect them in any real way. Work? Ha. Puppy? Probably wouldn’t even notice. I can’t decide how I feel about all of that. On the one hand it drives me to make stronger relationships and all of that, on the other it’s kind of freeing in its own way. So many people don’t end things because they know it would be too hard on their family or whoever else, that’s not really an issue for me is it? I’m of course not doing anything like that, even if I do sometimes daydream about it, but still. Anyway shush.
I still feel so ashamed of myself. I feel like I have absolutely nothing to show for my life. It’s basically evidence that I’m a waste of space, no?
I still have cramps, nowhere near as bad as yesterday though. I hate this time of the month, I feel perpetually YUCK.
Well I tried to avoid a conversation and in doing so forced one sooo… 10 points for me. Idiot. Why can I not make good decisions? If I take time to think about it I usually can but other times I make rash decisions that are NOT GOOD. I don’t have time to write everything out, I wrote notes about the call though because I didn’t want to forget it but so I’ll write about it tomorrow. I feel riddled with guilt though. He does not deserve this, he deserves so much better. And because I refuse to let him go I have to BE and DO better so GET A GODDAMN GRIP YOU STUBBORN COW.
I still have cramps, still still still.
Did I say I finished the book? Idk. I did. I cried my little heart out.
Okay time to go bye

My name is Rory Fars, and my little sister, Lily Fars, is the last family I had left.
A heavy sense of dread settled over me like a suffocating blanket as I sat in the worn leather seat of Lily's old jeep. The car, a relic of our happier days, seemed to groan under our shared sorrow. Beside me, Lily, my best friend, and confidante, absentmindedly twirled a strand of her long, dark hair, which swayed gently in rhythm with the haunting melodies from the oldies station on the radio. This car had seen us through countless joyful journeys when our family was whole. Almost three years had passed since that fateful Christmas trip in Texas when our parents were tragically killed in a horrific multi-car pileup. The memory of their loss was a constant ache, a wound that never fully healed.
My dad was from Amarillo, Texas, so my parents often took trips down there, visiting the places that held so many memories for him. During one of these trips, just before Christmas, a sudden blizzard struck while they were on the freeway. The snow fell in blinding sheets, making the world outside a disorienting white blur. As they tried to slowly pull to the side, their vision obscured by the relentless storm, they never saw the car barreling toward them at least forty miles an hour. The impact was devastating, an abrupt and brutal end to their journey and, in many ways, to our lives as we had known them.
My parents were always sticklers for safety, insisting on seatbelts every time we got in the car. So, of course, they had theirs on during that fateful trip. The initial impact wasn't what killed them, the coroner explained to me. Not even the first hit from behind, which was going at least fifty miles an hour, was fatal. I had to practically shake the information out of him—they were so resistant to tell me anything at first. By the time the third car hit, with an unknown speed, their survival was already in jeopardy. The coroner said that by the fifth car, they were likely dead. But it didn't end there. Another twenty-three vehicles slammed into the back of the pile, each collision further crushing their bodies, reducing them to a horrific, unrecognizable state. Each jarring impact pushed my parents deeper into a gruesome amalgamation of twisted metal and shattered lives.
I don't know why I felt compelled to demand those details at the time, but I deeply regret it now. I wish I had never asked. Almost every night, unless I drink myself into oblivion, I am haunted by nightmares of what they endured. I dream of driving up to save them, only to be caught in the same deadly barrage of cars, ending in a twisted metal tomb for all of us.
Lily is never in those dreams. Even in my most horrific imaginings, I can't envision her being hurt. Lily is my little sister, younger by eight years and three months. Whenever I mention our age difference, I see the judgment in people's eyes, but what can I say? Our parents never stopped loving each other. They had Lily late in life; she became our shared joy, our living reminder of the love that had bound our family together.
Lily wasn't my twin in the literal sense, but ever since she was born, it felt like we shared the inexplicable connection that twins often describe. As she grew up, our bond only deepened—we acted, sounded, and even looked remarkably alike. She became my rock, especially after our parents' tragic deaths. We leaned on each other, cried into each other's shoulders, and somehow found the strength to move forward. We eventually moved in together, finding solace in a two-bedroom apartment that became our sanctuary.
Lily seemed to handle our parents' deaths better than I did, or maybe she was just better at distracting herself with technology. Even before their passing, Lily was addicted to any kind of digital screen she could manipulate. Her ability to navigate the digital world was unmatched; she was the most intelligent person I had ever met. Her intelligence was a beacon of light in the darkness that had enveloped us, a testament to her resilience and brilliance.
After my parents' death, I embarked on a quest to find my spirituality by delving into paranormal investigations. I hoped these pursuits would bring me closer to my parents in the afterlife, spiritual realm, or whatever you want to call it. Instead, it created a chasm between me and any sense of spiritual existence. Each investigation seemed to push me further from the answers I sought, leaving me feeling more isolated and disconnected than ever.
I had hoped that by exploring these paranormal claims, I would discover a way to reach out to my parents and feel their presence again. Yet, as the years have passed, this endeavor has only deepened my loneliness and sense of loss. Despite knowing how detrimental it is to my mental health, I can't bring myself to stop. The hope that the subsequent investigation will be the one that proves the existence of an afterlife and that I'll find a way to contact my parents keeps me going. It's a desperate, unrelenting pursuit for a connection that remains heartbreakingly out of reach.
I should have accepted their death and moved on like any sane person would. Instead, I let my grief fester and dragged my sister and a stranger, Mark, through my obsessive quest for answers. My relentless pursuit of the paranormal didn't just alienate me; it consumed us all, leading to their untimely deaths. My name is Rory Fars, and I am here to confess my side of the story about the missing case of Lily Fars and Mark Lawrence.
This is the truth about how my desperate search for a connection with the afterlife led to a nightmare from which none of us could escape.
To start off, no, Lily was not a student of Mark's who fell in love with him and then got jealous of me hitting on him, leading her to kill him and herself. I know that sounds ridiculous, but given some wild theories circulating online, I need to address this one specifically since it seems to be the most popular.
First and foremost, Mark Lawrence was not, nor has he ever been, a professor at a university. Lily and I met Mark at the Local Museum in Redlin, a town nestled deep in the Appalachian Mountains. He was the curator of an exhibit showcasing the history of Raven's Nest, a forgotten mining town that neither Lily nor I had ever heard of. This is where our story begins, in a place steeped in history and mystery, far removed from the convoluted theories that now cloud the truth.
We were constantly searching for new ideas for our podcast about paranormal claims. Each of our twenty-five episodes so far had concluded with a rational explanation, so when Mark told us about the curse of Harper, I was immediately intrigued.
Mark was an older man, likely in his mid-sixties, with a full head of silver hair and a beard that stubbornly clung to its youthful color, only lightly dusted with grey. He had a presence that commanded attention, and his stories about the curse were delivered with an intensity that drew me in.
On the other hand, Lily was always more interested in the technical aspects of the paranormal. She had her own theories and was determined to debunk every claim we investigated. She wasn't easily swayed by Mark's tales about the curse of Harper, but she was willing to listen and give him a chance to prove himself. Her skeptical mind constantly checked my enthusiasm, and together, we hoped to uncover the truth behind yet another paranormal mystery.
"Hello ladies, care to hear about the mysterious town of Raven's Nest?" Mark asked with theatrical enthusiasm.
Lily and I exchanged a knowing glance, trying to stifle our amusement. Despite our attempts to remain composed, a smirk played at the corners of our lips.
"We're all ears," I replied, my tone laced with a hint of sarcasm.
He sighed, almost as if he was disappointed that we said yes. Taking a deep breath, he seemed to steel himself for the task ahead. "Well, you see," he began, his voice tinged with uncertainty, "in the early twentieth century, a man named Harper Franstein exploited many men and children in the coal mines. By the mid-1920s, he had established his own settlement in a secluded valley, which he dubbed 'The Raven's Nest.' It was never officially recognized as a town, but that's the only name we have to go off of."
I could see the beads of sweat forming on Mark's brow as he struggled to recall every detail. Despite his initial enthusiasm, he now appeared flustered, his confidence waning. Eventually, he resorted to consulting his damp and crumpled notes, a sign of his growing unease.
"Um, anyway, yeah, um," he stuttered, audibly gulping as his nerves got the better of him. Lily couldn't contain her laughter, emitting a snicker that earned us a glare from Mark.
"Hey, just relax," I interjected, trying to diffuse the tension. "We're not here to judge or intimidate you." With a gentle touch on his forearm and a chuckle, I attempted to reassure him, hoping to ease his obvious discomfort.
He paused, sharing a chuckle with me, while Lily struggled to suppress her laughter and eventually excused herself, leaving just Mark and me. Evidently, he felt more at ease with fewer listeners, so he pressed on with his narrative.
"Anyway," he resumed, "Harper held complete control over the town and the mine, and he made sure everyone was acutely aware of that fact. When the disappearances began, he tried to sweep them under the rug, attributing them to anything but his own negligence in mining practices."
"What do you mean by 'negligence in mining practices'?" I interjected, eager to delve deeper into his intriguing tale.
He looked up, clearly pleased by my question. "Yes, exactly," he affirmed. "Harper adhered to a mining technique outlined by Dwight Brunst in the mid to late nineteenth century. This method mandated only one entry and exit point into the mine."
"Wait, so they were forbidden from creating additional exits?" I pressed for clarification.
"Not explicitly," he explained. "The practice advocated for just one entry and exit as it was believed to minimize the risk of cave-ins, at least in theory. However, there were instances where miners, feeling uneasy about this restriction, took matters into their own hands and carved out what they called 'Emergency Exits' for themselves. After about half of the town started going missing, Harper couldn't take criticism about how he responded, but most people say he was losing money quickly and didn't want to live in a world where he was poor. He walked into the mine, never to be seen again, much like the cave's past victims. Visitors report seeing and hearing Harper, trying to get them to leave."
As I stood there, listening to Mark's enthralling narrative, I found myself captivated by the mysterious allure of Raven's Nest. Unable to contain my curiosity, I decided to pose a question.
"So, what does the town look like now?" I inquired, eager to learn more about the present state of this enigmatic place.
Mark's demeanor shifted slightly as he rifled through his notes, a subtle indication that he didn't have a straightforward answer to my query.
"You've never been there?" I asked, my tone softening with genuine curiosity.
He flinched as though my question had struck a nerve. "Shhhhhh... shut up," he demanded, his voice tinged with unease.
Suppressing a chuckle, I leaned in closer and whispered, "Okay, hear me out. My sister Lily and I are investigating paranormal phenomena. Your story about Raven's Nest sounds like the perfect addition to our podcast. What do you say we compensate you for your guidance? Let's say, three hundred bucks?"
He straightened up, contemplating my proposition for a few moments. Without uttering a word, he extended his hand, and I met it halfway with my own, sealing our agreement with a firm handshake.
Our journey to Raven's Nest was no easy feat. Situated a good twenty miles from town and nestled deep within a dense valley. After all of the tight turns, narrow dirt roads, and steep inclines, it took us a grueling two and a half hours to go twenty-something miles, but we finally reached the outskirts of the infamous settlement. As we stood at the edge of the "Nest," anticipation mingled with trepidation, setting the stage for the eerie exploration that lay ahead.
I glanced at my phone; the time read 11:56 pm, signaling the late hour. Sensing the exhaustion weighing heavily, I suggested we catch a few hours of rest in Lily's jeep. Mark, though visibly unsettled, remained silent from the back seat, his arms folded tightly across his chest as he slumped against the window like a sulking child.
Drifting asleep in the passenger seat, I soon found myself ensnared in a nightmare. In my dream, Mark was being dragged away into the darkness, his desperate attempts to claw his way back to safety only resulting in broken fingertips. Despite his struggles, he was powerless against the unseen force pulling him inexorably into the abyss. Suddenly, I was alone, engulfed in utter darkness, my heart pounding with fear as I ran blindly from an unseen terror that seemed to pursue me relentlessly, its malevolent presence palpable but unseen.
I jolted awake, gasping for breath, my heart racing as the remnants of dread lingered in the pit of my stomach. It was morning, and I was struggling to adjust my vision. Lily's frantic but comforting voice broke through the haze of my terror, grounding me in reality. With her comforting embrace, I gradually calmed my racing thoughts, drawing deep, steadying breaths.
As we sat there, enveloped in each other's embrace, Mark approached the driver's side window with an unexpected question, "Alright, what's for breakfast?" His nonchalant tone and casual demeanor were a stark contrast to the harrowing nightmare that had just consumed my thoughts, momentarily dispelling the lingering specter of fear that had haunted my dreams.
Lily and I both look up at him and back at each other as we burst out into laughter.
Amidst our shared laughter, Lily and I exchanged amused glances before turning our attention back to Mark.
"Ha...ha, yeah. No, but seriously, what's for breakfast? Eggs, bacon, toast, at least?" Mark pressed, hoping for a more substantial response.
His earnest inquiry fueled our laughter further, our giggles echoing through the quiet night air. Eventually, we regained our composure and stepped out of the jeep, stretching our limbs after the cramped confines of the vehicle.
Mark awkwardly moves to the side, still waiting for an honest answer. Lily tossed him a granola bar, eliciting a bemused chuckle from him. With a shared understanding, we set off on foot, embarking on the hike into the town.
The path ahead was clear: a single dirt road that wound its way from the abandoned coal mine into the heart of the small settlement. The road, now overgrown and muddy from years of disuse, bore the marks of neglect and isolation. Wary of the treacherous conditions, Lily opted to forgo the risk of getting stuck, steering clear of the decrepit road that likely hadn't seen a traveler in at least half a century.
We parked Lily's jeep at the entrance to both the mine and the town of Raven's Nest, opting to proceed on foot from there. Standing at the mountain's peak, gazing down at the desolate town below, I couldn't help but ponder the history beneath the dilapidated structures. I imagined how this valley must have once been a pristine landscape cherished by the indigenous people who roamed its lush terrain.
"Jesus, this place is more like a shit nest," Mark muttered in disgust, his disdain evident in his tone.
Lily shot me a knowing glance, silently communicating her skepticism toward Mark's assessment of the town.
Deciding to put Mark's knowledge to the test, I casually inquired, "So, what year was this area founded?"
Mark's reaction was almost defensive as if my question had caught him off guard. He hesitated momentarily before fumbling for his note cards in his pocket, a telltale sign that he wasn't as knowledgeable as he let on.
Before he could respond, I interjected with another question, "Mark, how long have you worked at the museum?"
As Mark froze, his gaze locking onto mine like a deer caught in headlights, I watched him closely, waiting for any sign of hesitation or discomfort. My narrowed eyes bore into his, silently urging him to be honest.
Finally, breaking the tense silence, Mark confessed, "Look, this is only my first week. I... I haven't had the greatest time lately, and I really need the extra money. I'm sorry I lied, but I'll help however I can."
I met his gaze unwaveringly, sensing the sincerity in his words. Clearly, he was a man in need of redemption, grappling with his own personal struggles.
"Alright, alright, don't cry too much," I teased lightly, trying to ease the tension. Gesturing towards Lily, who was busy preparing her wireless motion cameras in her backpack, I continued, "Lily and I already figured that was the case. Honestly, we're surprised you agreed to come along."
Mark remained frozen, but the tension seemed to melt away from his expression, replaced by a tentative smile. It was a moment of shared understanding, a silent acknowledgment that he was still welcomed into our expedition despite his initial deception.
"Alright, I have the cams and portable batteries to make sure the cameras and anything we have with power can last," Lily said, her voice brimming with determination.
We began our descent into the town, our hiking boots struggling against the thick, clinging mud produced by the constant light rain and years of disuse. Each step was a battle, the mud threatening to swallow our boots with every move.
After an eternity of trudging through the muck, we finally reached the town's only paved road—the main road. It had taken us only about fifteen minutes to hike down, but navigating the muddy slope had sapped our energy. We paused for a break, taking a few minutes to clean off our boots and catch our breath.
As we rested, I noticed Lily rummaging through her bag with a focused intensity. Curious, I asked, "What are you looking for?"
"I brought five motion-detecting cameras that I want to set up strategically throughout the town," she replied, pulling out one of the cameras. She walked over to the nearest building, a structure that served as a post office, police station, and fire station. She positioned the camera outside the building so it was pointed at the only road leading in and out of the town.
"We need to cover all potential points of interest," she explained, securing the camera in place. "This one will monitor any activity on the main road. We should place the other cameras around key locations like the mine entrance, the town square, and some more intact buildings."
I nodded, appreciating her thoroughness. "Good idea. We need to make sure we capture anything unusual."
Mark, having finally caught his breath, joined us. "Alright, let's get these cameras set up and see what we can find," he said, a hint of excitement in his voice.
"Look," Lily said, turning her tablet screen toward us. She waved her hand in front of the camera she had just placed. The tablet displayed five squares on the interface, each meant to show a feed from one of the cameras. Since Lily had only set up one camera so far, only the bottom right square showed any footage pointed at the road leading out of town. She stopped waving her hand, and the feed went to a blue screen.
"What happened? Did we lose connection?" Mark asked frantically, his eyes wide with concern.
Lily cackled, struggling to contain her amusement. Composing herself, she waved her hand in front of the camera again, and the bottom right square showed her hand waving once more. "It's motion-activated. It's the best way to save on battery life," she explained.
Mark seemed to relax, though he was still catching his breath after the brief panic.
I glanced at my watch, noting the time. "It's 8:30. We're behind schedule. If you want to place the rest of your cameras, we better move now," I said, walking down the street.
Lily immediately got up and followed me, with Mark struggling to keep pace behind us. We reached the market building, and Lily positioned her second camera on the side of the road, pointing up at the market.
It's not much longer before we make it to the Town Hall. I suggest Lily place a camera nearby. She nods and heads into a building across from the Town Hall labeled, "Slaughterhouse: LOCAL ANIMALS ONLY."
As Lily explores the building to find an adequate spot for the camera, I wait for Mark to catch up. While I wait, I can't help but imagine this town in its prime, picturing the streets filled with families who loved each other.
My thoughts are abruptly cut off by a sound echoing in the distance—a roar unlike any I've ever heard. It was a mix of a human screaming in pain, the roar of a lion, and, near the end, the howl of a wolf. The chilling sound sent shivers down my spine.
I jump to my feet and immediately call out, "Lily, you okay?"
There's no response from Lily, but I'm interrupted by Mark finally catching up, panting heavily.
"Holy... shit... did you... hear that?" Mark said frantically between breaths.
"Yeah, we have to find Lily," I say, bolting into the slaughterhouse. I glance back to see Mark bracing himself on the steps of the Town Hall, struggling to keep up.
As I enter the building, the stench of rotting flesh hits me like a wave, causing me to gag. The smell is too fresh to be decades old.
"Lily? Lily, where are you?" I yell, using my shirt to shield my nose from the overwhelming odor.
"Rory, I'm in here!" I hear Lily yell from a room two doors down. I pass the first door, peeking in to ensure I hadn't misheard, but I wish I hadn't looked.
Inside the first room, I catch a glimpse of what appears to be a pile of animal carcasses, their decayed bodies arranged in a grotesque display. The sight is horrifying, the flesh still disturbingly fresh. The bile rises in my throat, but I force myself to focus on finding Lily.
I rush to the room where her voice came from, pushing the door open. Lily is there, setting up the camera, seemingly oblivious to the horror in the adjacent room. Relief floods through me as I see she's safe.
"Lily, did you hear that roar?" I ask, trying to keep my voice steady.
"Yeah, I heard it," she replies, her eyes wide with concern. "I was just finishing up here. Let's get back to Mark and figure out what that was." She had placed the camera in a window, pointing directly at the Town Hall.
We hurry back outside, where Mark still catches his breath as we meet between the buildings. "We need to stay together from now on," I say firmly, looking at both of them. "Whatever that noise was, it's not something we want to face alone."
"Let's check out the Town Hall!" Mark says excitedly as he slowly clambers through a broken window.
"Did he not just hear what I said?" I mutter under my breath, shaking my head in disbelief.
Lily gives me a shrug, her eyes reflecting a mix of amusement and exasperation. "Guess we're heading into the Town Hall then," she says, adjusting her backpack and walking towards the broken window.
I sigh and follow suit, hoisting myself up and carefully maneuvering through the jagged glass. Inside, the air is musty, filled with the scent of old paper and decaying wood. Dust motes float lazily in the beams of sunlight streaming through the cracked windows.
The main hall is vast and eerily silent, with rows of empty chairs facing a stage draped in tattered curtains. The walls are lined with faded portraits and yellowed maps of the town, remnants of a time when this place was alive and bustling.
Mark is already at the front, examining a large, decrepit desk. "Look at this," he says, his voice echoing in the empty space. "It's like stepping back in time."
I walk over, glancing at the old papers scattered across the desk. Most are mundane—meeting minutes, maintenance logs—but one catches my eye. It's a letter dated June 1925, addressed to Harper Franstein.
"Harper, the disappearances are becoming more frequent. The townsfolk are getting restless, and I fear they may take matters into their own hands if we don't act soon. We need to find out what's causing this before it's too late."
I read the letter aloud, and the room fell silent. "Sounds like things were getting pretty tense," Lily remarks, her voice subdued.
As I'm distracted by the time capsule in front of us, Mark sneaks off.
I'm not sure how long it was before she noticed, but I saw Lily looking around before saying, "Where the hell did Mark go?" breaking me out of my trance.
I look around, turning my head in all directions, and shrug at Lily. I hear shuffling in the second room down the hall, so I slowly walk toward it.
"Mark?" I call out.
Just then, a loud crash reverberates through the building, making it sound like the whole place was about to come down.
We run in and see Mark struggling to keep himself from falling into a giant hole that must've broken under his weight. Trying not to laugh, I glance at Lily. We help him up as he dramatically falls onto his back, wheezing as he catches his breath.
Lily and I can't contain our laughter anymore as we bust out laughing hard. Startled by our sudden outburst, Mark jumps in fear. He looks around, confused for a few seconds, before realizing that we are laughing at him.
"Jesus, thanks, I guess," he says, clearly thankful but annoyed by our reaction.
After we contained ourselves, we headed back outside, exiting through the window Mark entered through. He struggles to climb out, but after Lily gives him a hand, he is safely out of the Town Hall.
"Alright, Ror, where should we put the next camera?" Lily asks me.
I stop to think momentarily, trying to picture the town's layout. "I think the only place left is the neighborhood," I respond confidently. I always talk like that with Lily. Over the years, I've realized she is the only person I can have that much confidence around. With anyone else, I'm worried about saying something stupid or wrong or how they'll view me, but with my sister, everything is easy.
As I look at the replica map of the town in its heyday from the museum, I determine that the neighborhood is to the East. "Okay, looks like we head East past the Library. Let's go." I say, walking away.
It only takes about eight minutes to get to the long strip of road that housed the town's workers. According to the map, there were fifteen houses along this strip of road.
The houses stand eerily silent, their wooden frames weathered and decayed by time. We walk down the road, our footsteps crunching on the gravel and echoing in the stillness. The air feels heavier here like the past is watching us, waiting to reveal its secrets.
"Let's put the last cameras on that house at the end of the road," I suggest, pointing to a house that looks slightly less dilapidated than the others, "another one at the last house on the other side, and the last we can save for a spot you choose."
Lily nods and heads toward the first house, pulling another camera from her backpack. She sets it up on the porch, positioning it to capture the entire street, and does the same in the opposite house. As I stand with Mark breathing hard, still unable to catch his breath since we first got here, I can't shake the feeling that we're being watched. I glance around nervously but see nothing out of the ordinary.
"All set," Lily says, breaking my reverie, "Still no ideas for the last cam?" Lily asks me.
"Like I said, wherever you think it would be best. I feel like we have enough good spots and angles, so go wild with that one," I told her.
She smirked and kept walking next to me. Mark was still struggling behind, but after the town hall mishap, he was trying his best to keep up. I looked at my watch, and it read '12:30 pm'.
"Holy shit, it's already 12:30," I said in amazement, but no one else seemed fazed. It felt like we'd only been here thirty minutes, not almost four hours.
We walked back down the street. Lily and I had been discussing on the walk that she should put the last camera at the town's only stoplight in front of the Library.
As we made our way to it, I could have sworn I was seeing something moving fast past my vision in the corner of my eye. Every time I turned to look, it was gone. I chalked it up to being my imagination until Lily and Mark both experienced the same thing.
"What the fuck was that?" Mark asked as he ducked, bracing for something terrible to happen. Lily and I looked back at him and then at each other as we shrugged. It was after that that I started seeing things, too.
I confided in Lily about the unsettling visions and sounds, and she admitted she had experienced the same phenomena but had kept quiet, fearing Mark would dismiss her as paranoid.
"Well, it's probably just a cat or something," I said, attempting to downplay the situation, but neither seemed convinced.
We continued our trek, and I noticed that the more we walked, the more frequently I caught fleeting glimpses of movement in my peripheral vision. It was beginning to grate on my nerves.
Finally, we reached the light in front of the Library. As Lily mounted the camera, I felt a sense of satisfaction. We were making good progress, and it seemed like a suitable moment to start exploring the town more freely. We decided to split up and cover different sections of the town.
"Wait, we have to go alone? Why can't we stay together like you said?" Mark asked frantically, but Lily and I ignored him as we headed in separate directions. He continued to protest, but we paid him no mind. Eventually, I was either far enough away to not hear him anymore, or he had given up. Either way, I was happy to enjoy the eerie silence of the town.
As I wandered, the stillness of Raven's Nest enveloped me. With its decrepit buildings and overgrown streets, the town exuded an unsettling charm. It was as if I had stepped into a forgotten world, a place frozen in time with secrets waiting to be unearthed. The ambiance reminded me of an amusement park's haunted town section—artificially eerie yet irresistibly intriguing. Despite the creepiness, the mysterious vibe of the town kept me engaged and eager to explore its hidden corners.
I glanced at my watch again, only to find the time glaring back at me: 3:19 pm. It couldn't be right. There was no way it had been that long since I last checked. Panic seized me, and I called out for Lily, my voice tinged with urgency. She appeared beside me in a matter of minutes, her expression mirroring my concern.
"What's up, Ror? You okay?" she asked, her voice laced with worry.
"How long would you say it's been since you put the last camera down?" I inquired, my heart pounding in my chest.
Lily's brow furrowed as she struggled to come up with an answer. "Uh, I don't know, thirty minutes?" she hazarded a guess.
I held up my watch, displaying the time: 3:20 pm. Lily fell silent, her eyes widening in disbelief. She was never great with time, but missing almost three hours of our memory was unprecedented.
"There's no way. Your watch must be—" Lily began, her voice trailing off as she checked her own watch, only to freeze in shock when she found it displayed the same time as mine.
"Lil, something is going on," I stated, my voice tight and apprehensive. I glanced up at the sky, my stomach churning as I noticed the clouds darkening and rolling in from all sides of the valley.
The sky closed rapidly, ominous clouds obscuring the sun as thunder rumbled ominously against the mountains.
"Mark? Mark, where are—" I began to call out, but before I could finish, Mark emerged from behind a wall, appearing as if he'd been too frightened to venture far on his own.
"We have to get inside!" Mark exclaimed urgently, his voice tinged with fear.

Soooooo I feel like a fool. Turned 40 in March. Started dating someone new who is amazing and TBH is better than all of my ex's combined to me. Not really hard to do. I'm an idiot and pretty much been in an abusive relationship most of my adult life. So smart that I went from one to another and stayed with each for way too long. I hope my persnickety pissed off attitude is coming through because I am not this person. I fall into guys dick sand apparently I have recently discovered. Anywho my bf(41m) has been in one other relationship, fell for the first girl that came along and he wanted so he followed her like a puppy until she gave in a year later(we were teenagers), he settled down, got married, had kids and pretty much everything except the actual white picket fence. Bf fucked up and got in trouble and sent to jail. Nothing terrible just bs that he they threw the book at him for and he got screwed. Welcome to the system where they preach about rehabilitation and a make believe place because it doesn't exist and they are there to fuck you and get as much money as they can out of you amongst other things. He knows he did but he didn't deserve what she did and she is still doing to him.
Hubby is in jail and what does she do but slides his "best friend" in and is cheating on him and stringing him along. She did it for 5 years in jail and then she played him to get whatever she wanted. Welcome to the terrible world of horrible people isn't it beautiful. Wow I am one pissed off, jaded, sharp tongued, quick witted, instant come back(I am not) son of a bitch right now.
They were together a long time. I'm a very insecure person and I have run into things in my life that I have learned from the hard way. I don't make the same mistake twice. I make it three or four times just make sure it's the wrong one. It's intimidating and he still loves her in some aspect because she is the mother of his children and he gave her everything and worshiped the ground she walked on. I fought with us getting together because of it. I was completely upfront and honest and I still am. I don't even think about her now because I got over it.
Trying to keep it short. I was upset about something the other day and he could tell. He said what is up with you today? I know that there's something bothering you. He said if you are worried about me running back to her then you can stop because you are dead wrong.
Woah horsey!! I wasn't even thinking about that at all. Honestly I was just floored that he brought it up. Fuck backstory so the BFF she was "not" cheating with or ever with or anything whatever with gets caught stealing gasoline on multiple occasions from the township building that his dad is an elected official of, he is already on parole, and going away for a long time with his rap sheet IF he gets charged properly. Like 5-7 years I believe. Bf told her to Fuck off when we got together. She only had BF and BFF to use and BF is not and now BFF is going away. Like O M G Becky did you see her panic bc OMG who is she going to use now?
I bet you can guess who and he said he would not he was done with her. I asked him a few times if she was blowing him up like the low life she is and he said no nothing.
He has been acting weird. I knew something was bothering him and he was really struggling and stressed out about it. We both have a lot going on and it just keeps on getting worse but at least we have each other. He was snapping on me left and right about the most asinine things. I saw his phone and she was right there in the last 5 text messages and he hates texting. Something about him leaving her $5 and her being like OMG like I didn't know who this was lollll. I didn't look or touch it or go through his phone but I said something to him. He was completely ignoring me and I felt like I just didn't exist and he was getting message after message and hiding his phone from me. He said I was a liar and grimy mofo because I went through his phone and I didn't and he stormed off. He shows up several hours later with his tail between his legs and it's whatever.
Until.... it's 230am in the fucking morning and his phone rings. It's bfs ex at this hour and he won't wake up and I know nothing is wrong with the kids that she will not let him see but what if and I wake him up and he doesn't care.
5 minutes later does she not call back again and I wake him just in case and nothing right back to sleep. The code for his phone is changed and I don't know what it is or when he changed it but he did it on purpose because he is hiding something and I already know in the pit of my stomach what he is hiding messages or calls or whatever.
Y didn't I fucking answer the phone. Y didn't I trust my gut. Y did I let this happen again. Y does My heart get completely ransacked and destroyed. I can't breathe. I'm having a panic attack. I feel like such an idiot. WTF is wrong with me. Y didn't she call again? Y couldn't I have thought about answering the phone when it was ringing. Ughhhhhhhh
Am I circling out of control and just go to sleep and it's really nothing?! Is my gut feeling right?! How do I react to it?! Am I going to cut a bitch?! And on and on. Please any advice, what you think of the situation, what I should do etc please and thank you

When I was in high school 25 years ago (ouch), I had the same math teacher for both junior and senior year. She was a hard-ass and a riot. She liked that I was good at math; she did not like that I did not give a crap, study, or do my homework for math class. I still got As on my tests and quizzes, which were the vast majority of our grades. I had, in fact, done the math and realized I could go all year without doing any homework and still get an A, so long as I participated in class regularly.
Anyway, one of the rules for our math tests was that we were normally permitted to use a freshly-wiped TI-83 calculator. However, for some of our tests, she warned us that we were not going to be permitted to use any kind of electronic calculator for the test. She gave us a sheet with the instructions for the test, what was being tested, etc.
I heard that, immediately spotted a loophole, and heard a challenge being issued.
Went home and asked my father — an attorney, so also a fan of malicious compliance — if he could show me how to use his scientific slide rule. It was the same make/brand that NASA used on the Mercury and Apollo missions, so HIGHLY accurate, and he had it because he went to a prestigious tech school (think MIT-quality). Once I had the hang of it, I happily brought it to class for the test a few days later. I sat in the front row (assigned seating) so she saw it immediately.
‘Freckles42, no calculators on this test.’
‘Miss, the sheet you gave us says no electronic calculators.’ I handed her the sheet she’d given us at the beginning of the week.
A long silence.
‘Do you know how to actually use that?’
‘Yes’m.’
A sigh. She asked me to demonstrate with a quick equation. I did just fine and she finally just shrugged and said I’d still have to show my work.
I would have had to anyway, but it was good to be able to confirm my answers were correct, which was the entire point for me, really.
Next test said, « No calculators besides your brains and your fingers are allowed to be used on this test. » I’m guessing she didn’t want someone to turn up with an abacus.

My ex Sarah, initiated a breakup because I was too physically ill for her to want to take care of me. Long story short but she gave me a rare STD from a past partner that caused permanent damage to my body. I knew it was her because I had only ever had two sex partners my entire life and my other partner had tested negative for that rare STD. Before doctors could find out what was wrong with me, I developed severe and sudden onset symptoms including frequent vomiting and nausea, severe weight loss, and limping as my legs no longer worked properly. It bothered her that we couldn't party and do all the things she wanted to do. Also, Sarah transitioned from male to female in the middle of our relationship and I welcomed it with open arms because I loved her. I went to clubs with her even though I was disabled and tried to make sure she felt loved and supported as much as possible.
Sarah however, would never return the favor. She would often become cold and distant when I was sick and once even left me on the cold floor of a hotel covered in my own vomit and urine. I begged her to call an ambulance and she turned around and pretended to sleep. When I was finally able to get the strength to get off the ground 7 hours later, I called myself an Uber to the hospital. It turned out that I had a stomach blockage. When I confronted her about this she said she didn't believe that I was ever sick because she "had an ex who lied about having cancer". I showed her official paperwork of multiple diagnoses as a result of this STD. She apologized, told me she believed me, but even then still treated me as though I was still an inconvenience. I felt so embarrassed every time she wanted to go out and party, and I could barely even walk.
There were many instances of verbal abuse as well, often in public places. For example, we went out on a date at a bar once. I had let her know that due to a family emergency, I might take out my phone a few times. The second I take my phone out, she bashed the table, tossed the chair, left a $100 bill on the table and walked out even before the food even came. I was so humiliated and other people asked if I was okay. She apologized after, but that is just one of many instances of this kind of behavior. I am not a perfect human by any means but when I tell you not ONCE did I ever raise my voice at her in the entire relationship... I have a very big fear of confrontation so the way she responded to things caused me to develop panic disorder and symptoms of schizophrenia. I was hospitalized 42 times in one year usually with a BPM over 150 and was admitted to a psych ward. Keep in mind, before I met her I had no prior mental health history. I had a stable job, a healthy body and was never on mental health medications. My only prior relationship of 5 years was also stable and loving but my partner moved across the country so we chose to end things.
The underlying issue was that Sarah was on a cocktail of medications, Antidepressants, anxiety medication, ADHD medication and another drug for mental health which I can't recall. Because of her ADHD, she would sometimes forget to pick up her medications. At the same time, she was experimenting with different medications and dosages (under doctor supervision). This meant she was always on a different combination of psychiatric medications throughout out relationship. Her mood was really unpredictable and I never knew when she would snap. For example, we had just went to ikea that day and everything was great. We had a fun time installing curtains in her new apartment. I would sometimes suffer from really bad brain fog from the antibiotics and panic attack meds I was always on. Well apparently I didn't realize I made a face after she asked me to pass her something, which caused her to yell "Stop making that stupid fucking face I cant stand it". Then she proceeded to mock me...
She would also go through my phone behind my back, accusing me of cheating when I would never do such a thing and there was nothing to even possibly HINT at the thought. She said she did this because her "exes all cheated". Even though she would always go to gay bars alone wearing nothing but lingerie. And I never bothered her once about it. I didn't want to interfere with her freedom of expression. She was finding her new identity (transitioning from male to female)
After 4 long years she broke up with me in public after I coincidentally bumped into her at a bar when our mutual friend and I went out for drinks. Sarah was talking to other girls but I was just so happy to see her and ran to give her a hug. But she seemed upset that I had ruined her day. She went on a rant for 20 minutes about how she can't stand me always being sick and said she fell out of love with me a few months back but didn't want to tell me. She told me soulmates don't exist (I never said they did), how I am "not special" (never said I was) and she could "find someone tonight if she wanted to".
The panic attack I had from her yelling at me so much in public was so bad that I started puking blood. I was taken by ambulance to the hospital and after she never checked up on me. Instead I woke up in the hospital the next day to see that she started following hundreds of plus sized porn stars and sharing their posts. After causing me to drop to 91 lbs at 5'8".
After that I blocked her on all social medias. I had also blocked her number. One day about 6 months after the breakup I received a voicemail from her from another number. She said it was an emergency and was crying so I called her back. She told me how her hamster died because she forgot to feed her and was crying and blaming her ADHD saying she basically forgot the hamster existed. This turned into a long conversation about her apologizing, her feeling lonely because no one wants to date her. She moved across the country and I made it very clear, I had not even the slightest interest in getting back with her.
She said she cared about me as a friend and missed the friendship we had. I agreed to remain friends but only unblocked her on Instagram. She then started sharing with me intimate details of her sex life with strangers and other people she would meet at bars. It seemed like every conversation would turn into her sending me memes about sucking off trans girls and trans penises. Then she would tell me how she was good at sucking dick and would only top people. Then it progressed into telling me how trans girls anuses felt better than vaginas and that was really the last straw for me. I had told her numerous times this made me uncomfortable. She said she was just sharing information that she shares with all her female friends and made me seem unreasonable for not wanting to discuss her sex life. Especially when she knew I was dealing with a death in the family at the same time. And I'm not just a female friend, I pictured myself at one point spending my life with her. Why do I want to picture her sucking dick and what her partner's penises look like?
I make it clear that she has a very bad issue with respecting boundaries and I block her instagram. About 3 weeks later, she makes a new account with the same picture and almost the same name. She likes my posts and all my stories. I go to the page to check the account because I was confused as I thought I blocked her already. As soon as she liked my posts with this alt account, she uploads photos of her making out with other people and talks about how good dick is. Was this behavior intentional or am I just looking too hard into things? I just can't understand what I did to deserve any of this...

Could Crypto crash with this post?
2.7 trillion on a non functioning medium of exchange. At the highest level money itself is an illusion.
On relative world cryptocurrency has become a illusory commodity. Its not being even used much....
To the best of the authors knowledge a being higher than his own claims of who he is had influence in the creation of Bitcoin..
Highest level people starving to death? "Money" in cases that will never be spent? Daily loss of "Money" through passwords, keys, etc.
People overestimate in cases what they need in this life. Stinginess can be a self destructive hell.
Without picking on Rishi Sunak too much...800M my man your in charge of a country, with guaranteed income for the future, going on the streets and feeding a few homeless with your own funds would do wonders for your image.....
(Unverified)
M
Fictional creations/movies based on M: include KEYSER SOZE/VERBAL KINT, RAIN MAN (also largely based on Bhagwan Shree Kim peek), HITCH, The fresh prince of Bel-air is also partly based on Ms Life, 'Rancho' from the Bollywood superhit, 3 IDIOTS)
Funds Krishna consciousness confirms M is genuinely heir to (current finances, liquid funds maybe 500, income PIP)
The trillion in the Catholic church
The entire MVT
All funds in Krishna temples across the world
All funds in churches of Mother Mary across the world (last form identity L, previously Ms Mother)
All Funds in Parvati Maa temples across the world (Last Form identity L, Previously Ms Mother)
All funds in Temples in Ambe Maa Temples across the world (Last Form Identity L Previously Ms Mother)
Starring in Gods biggest shocker ever on earth.....
The greatest TRUE LIFE story ever TOLD...m
The diverter of Typhoon Haiyan in 2013 thanks to Shree Krishna with works done in Hanoi
The stopped of 21 Earthquakes/aftershocks before they happened across the world thanks to the Lotus Feet of Shree Krishna
The stemmer of 50000 casualties in the 2020 Aegean sea earthquake with works done before, during and after the quake in Izmir.
Saver of the world with the other higher beings with works done on the streets of Marseille in 2022....a being higher than M predicted an Armageddon set to wipe out 99.9% of this world's population as suffering in this creation got too much and it was put onto M and the other higher beings. We couldn't TAKE iT at one point Plan B was about to be enacted. Thanks to GOD, Shree Krishna and the other higher consciousnesses and beings we made it....Just About....
M returned from a spell on the streets of Marseille in December 2022, having just SAVED the WORLD....when it hits...
The human story is he was testing himself.....
If H&M meet you would understand that GOD is the greatest...
Take it easy (the things he'll get crucified for and has been doing have not been disclosed in this message)
Still a human....having a blissful joyful peaceful evening. Thanks to God.
Oppurtunity arises to feed hungry and you can afford it....do it. Yolo. Enjoy. Pray. Dance.
GOD is the GREATEST
GODS biggest mirencle ever on earth? LIFE is the DANCER, YOU are the Dance..
Lot of suffering in this life for M. Betrayed. Cheated.
I shook up the UNIVERSE
Its a LIGHTNING BOLT-ON from the heavens

title
I've enjoyed my time in the demo so far, maxed out both the level and reputation, collected a few cars and items too. My framerate wasn't too bad all things considered (40-80fps 1080p high) and I enjoyed the physics as well. Sure, it's not the successor to TDU/TDU2 but it's a start.
My only concern apart from the servers and optimization is the online racing and planned ranked system. Surely Nacon and KT are planning to add an anti-cheat, right? (definitely not planning to tryhard the ranked mode when the game releases, also not preordering it either. early access is just marketing hype for day one beta test imo)
Also, I was able to try my hand at setting competitive times, though I probably won't be anywhere near the top when the full game releases (i'm a keyboard racer going up against players with controllers and wheels so yeah)

I (25F) have been dating my partner (25M) for just over 8 months. Some context - We realised that we had different interests but bonded over the fact that we shared the same values about most things. We moved in together early on and have had a happy relationship since. I’ve been in therapy for 3+ years now, just to be better for my own and my partner’s wellbeing, handling situations and relationships better. We’re also super open and communicative about the best and worst of things-sex, orgies, experimenting, contraception, testing etc. On top of everything we trust and have faith in each other.
So - the problem started when i noticed a pubic louse on myself (I didn’t know what it was at the time) and then on my partner. It was a Friday night so we decided to call 111 and ask for advice and they suggested that we go to our nearest sexual health clinic as soon as possible on which was 3 days away because it was a bank holiday weekend.
I suggested that my partner should reach out to his brother-in-law, who happens to be a doctor and works as a sexual health clinician. I didn’t think too much about it because I didn’t cheat on him and i don’t think he did either. We’re a bit anxiously attached (something we both realise we need to work on) and spend ALL of our time together. I just go to work and spend the rest of my day and all of my weekends with him. He works remotely and has space and time to go out but I know him quite well and he’d never do something like that. Plus we have each other’s phone passcodes and can browse through them anytime we like.
We went to a club with friends (a few weeks before discovering the pubic lice) when my legs started chafing because of a skirt I’d been wearing, so I decided to borrow a friend’s tights.
Since we discovered the lice, I’ve been incredibly empathetic towards his family and understand what they must be feeling in a situation like this (not being able to attend family events for a bit because they have kids) so i reached out to them in an attempt to maintain relationships and have honest and open conversations.
Despite this, his family (sisters and BIL) are accusing me of cheating at work and saying horrible things about me- it’s given me a lot of anxiety and hurt me deeply. His brother-in-law insists that pubic lice can only be caused by having sex with other people. They insisted that we should contact our friend and ask if she had something and gave it to us.
As much as I’d want to know this, I don’t want to ask her about it because it’s going to damage our relationship because it’s going to seem accusatory. Also since STIs are so taboo, nobody wants to admit they have it. So they could potentially lie about not having it, which would only make the situation worse. On top of all this the entire friend circle is going to find out about the issue and it’s going to start a whole new set of problems.
Through all this my partner has been incredibly supportive and we’ve tried to put our well-being first by speaking to other sexual health doctors and getting tested. Both of our clinicians insisted that it’s “absolutely possible” to get pubic lice through tights (as well as other clothing, bedding and towels) and that it’s one of the only STIs that can transmit non-sexually. They advised us to not worry too much about it, and we’ve tested negative for everything else as well.
It’s been 2 weeks and we’ve recovered and told what we heard from the two senior female sexual health clinicians to his sisters but they continue to be rude and unsupportive and talk disrespectfully about me. One of them said that they have lost all respect for me and any respect they show me is because of my partner. I used to look up to his sisters and loved and appreciated them but I’m deeply hurt and it’s affecting my day to day activities and work. Despite my partner trusting and believing in me, I’m having a hard time getting over this. We can’t cut them off because they have kids that both my partner and I would like to have an amicable relationship with.
Also, the sisters have told the mum ( who’s quite conservative so we had to hide things like this relationship from her initially.) She’s ruined everything about this relationship for me and moved everyone in the family away and against me.
How do I go about this? I never want to see them again after what they said and I want to move out but it’s only going to affirm their belief about me cheating. It’s ruining my mental health, relationships and self esteem.
TLDR: Partner’s sisters and BIL (who happens to be a sexual health clinician) are accusing me of cheating when I haven’t done anything. Senior female doctors from the same sexual health clinic say otherwise. What do I do about this?

Unlocking the Power of Regular Expressions

Email validation is a critical component of modern web applications, ensuring that user input meets specific formatting criteria before processing. Regular expressions (regex) serve as a powerful tool in this validation process, offering a flexible and efficient means to match patterns within text. In the context of Google Apps Script, a platform that extends Google apps and allows for automation and integration, regex plays a pivotal role in parsing and validating email addresses collected from various sources, such as Google Sheets.
However, the transition of regex patterns from testing environments, like Regex101, to implementation in Google Apps Script can sometimes unveil discrepancies. This is often due to differences in the regex engine or the way the script handles string processing and matching. Understanding these nuances is key to effectively using regex for email validation in Google Apps Script, ensuring that valid email addresses are correctly identified and invalid ones are filtered out, thereby enhancing the integrity and reliability of the application.

Command	Description
getRange()	Retrieves the range of cells from the Google Sheet specified by the A1 notation or by the row and column numbers.
getValues()	Returns the values of the selected range as a two-dimensional array.
map()	Creates a new array populated with the results of calling a provided function on every element in the calling array.
filter()	Creates a new array with all elements that pass the test implemented by the provided function.
new RegExp()	Creates a new regular expression object for matching text with a pattern.
test()	Executes a search for a match between a regular expression and a specified string. Returns true or false.
console.log()	Outputs a message to the web console.

Navigating the Challenges of Regex in Email Validation

Implementing email validation through regular expressions (regex) in Google Apps Script poses unique challenges and intricacies. Regular expressions provide a powerful and flexible method for matching strings of text, such as email addresses, against a defined pattern. The essence of using regex for email validation in Google Apps Script lies in its ability to ensure that data entered by users conforms to a standard format, thereby reducing errors and ensuring the reliability of the data collected. However, the transition from testing a regex pattern in an environment like Regex101 to implementing it in a Google Apps Script environment can reveal unexpected discrepancies. These differences often stem from variations in regex engines across platforms and the specific syntax nuances that each environment requires.
Furthermore, the debugging process in Google Apps Script for regex-based validation requires a thorough understanding of the script’s execution context and how it interacts with Google Sheets. The script's ability to read and process data from a sheet, apply a regex pattern, and filter out invalid email addresses hinges on a precise understanding of Google Apps Script’s capabilities and limitations. Developers must also pay close attention to the regular expression itself, ensuring it is both strict enough to validate email addresses effectively and flexible enough to accommodate the wide variety of email formats in use. Addressing these challenges is critical for creating robust and reliable applications that leverage Google Apps Script for email validation and other data processing tasks.

Correcting Regex for Email Validation

Scripting in Google Apps

const recipientList = paramSheet.getRange('C2:C').getValues() .map(cell => cell[0]) .filter(cell => new RegExp('^[\\w.%+-]+@[\\w.-]+\\.[a-zA-Z]{2,}$').test(cell)); function test() { console.log(recipientList); } 

Debugging Email Validation

Application Script Debugging

const regexPattern = new RegExp('^[\\w.%+-]+@[\\w.-]+\\.[a-zA-Z]{2,}$'); const validateEmail = (email) => regexPattern.test(email); const filteredEmails = recipientList.filter(validateEmail); function logFilteredEmails() { console.log(filteredEmails); } 

Enhancing Data Integrity with Advanced Email Validation Techniques

Email validation is an essential aspect of data integrity and user management in web and application development. The complexity of accurately validating email addresses cannot be understated, as it involves more than just checking for the presence of an "@" symbol and a domain. Advanced email validation techniques, particularly when implemented in Google Apps Script, provide a robust solution for ensuring that user input is not only formatted correctly but also viable. These techniques often involve a combination of regex patterns that are sophisticated enough to catch common errors and edge cases, such as domain typos, forbidden characters, and the overall structure of the email address.
Moreover, the efficacy of these validation techniques directly impacts the user experience and the operational efficiency of applications. By employing comprehensive validation logic, developers can significantly reduce bounce rates associated with invalid email addresses, enhance the security of user data, and streamline communication channels. However, crafting and refining these regex patterns requires a deep understanding of both the theoretical aspects of regular expressions and the practical nuances of their implementation in specific environments like Google Apps Script. As such, developers must continually update their knowledge and techniques to keep pace with evolving email standards and best practices in validation.

FAQs: Email Validation Insights

1. Question: What is the basic structure of a regex for email validation?
2. Answer: A basic regex pattern for email validation typically includes characters for the username part, an "@" symbol, and domain parts with a period separator and a domain extension.
3. Question: Why do regex patterns vary between testing environments and Google Apps Script?
4. Answer: Regex patterns can vary due to differences in the regex engine or syntax interpretation between the testing environments and Google Apps Script's JavaScript engine.
5. Question: How can I test my regex pattern for email validation?
6. Answer: You can test your regex pattern using online tools like Regex101, which provides real-time matching feedback and explanation for regex patterns.
7. Question: What are the limitations of using regex for email validation in Google Apps Script?
8. Answer: Limitations include potential discrepancies in regex engine behavior, the complexity of accurately matching all valid email addresses without false positives, and performance considerations for large datasets.
9. Question: How do I ensure my email validation regex is up to date?
10. Answer: Regularly review and update your regex patterns in response to changes in email address conventions and standards, and test them against a wide range of email examples.
11. Question: Can regex validate the existence of an email domain?
12. Answer: Regex can check the format of the domain in an email address but cannot verify its existence or the ability to receive emails. This requires additional verification steps.
13. Question: What common mistakes should be avoided in email regex validation?
14. Answer: Common mistakes include overly strict patterns that reject valid emails, forgetting to escape special characters, and not accounting for new domain extensions.
15. Question: How does Google Apps Script handle regex differently from other environments?
16. Answer: Google Apps Script uses JavaScript's regex engine, which may have slight differences in implementation or supported features compared to other environments or languages.
17. Question: What is the impact of incorrect email validation?
18. Answer: Incorrect email validation can lead to user frustration, undelivered communications, and potentially, lost customers or users.
19. Question: How can email validation be integrated into Google Apps Script?
20. Answer: Email validation can be integrated by using regex within custom functions that process user input or data retrieved from Google Sheets or other sources.

Encapsulating Insights on Regex and Email Validation

Through the lens of Google Apps Script, the journey of mastering email validation using regular expressions unfolds as both a challenge and an opportunity for developers. This exploration has highlighted the nuanced dance between theory and application, where regex serves as the bridge between user input and data integrity. The intricacies of regex patterns demand a keen understanding and a meticulous approach to ensure that validation processes are both inclusive and exclusive in just the right measures. The discussion around common pitfalls, the variability of regex engines, and the importance of testing and updating validation logic underscores a larger narrative about the evolving nature of web standards and developer practices. As we navigate through the complexities of email validation, the lessons learned extend beyond syntax and scripts, touching on the broader themes of user experience, data security, and the relentless pursuit of technological excellence. In essence, the art of email validation through regex within Google Apps Script encapsulates a microcosm of the broader discipline of software development, where attention to detail, continuous learning, and adaptability stand as the pillars of success.
https://www.tempmail.us.com/en/regex/mastering-email-validation-with-regular-expressions-in-google-apps-script

Been playing all weekend, love the game, but I don’t play any other extraction games. Is it normal to not have any indication of where extraction points are? Am I just supposed to know or get lucky?
Ideally there’d be a cheat sheet, I’ve killed and survived enough to feel it’s kinda BS to lose just b/c I don’t get lucky and find a portal.
I fucking love casting spells.

I'm posting again, albeit for a completely different reason. I'm literally getting a degree I suppose to show that I know things.
I've never had a need for college, because learning things is what I do. I am only enrolled to prove I could have a doctorate in almost anything, but literally FAFSA was the first that allowed me to get shelter as a transient.
I'm literally doing this as an, "f you for doubting me," more than anything, and literally when you know as much as I know, it's dangerous as hell.
I have no desire to really do anything anymore, and honestly WGU is doing it's part in constantly reminding me that I shouldn't use the "app" to do anything, even as far as scheduling. My phone says no appointments except from 12am-2am.
Their team didn't understand my problem. I am in a diploma mill of better regards I guess, but how are you going to legitimately say I have a master's degree when I could break anything examity throws at me if I wanted to cheat, or explain how you can't make an application that is usable?
Seriously, let's kill all the birds with one stone. This is ridiculous. I'm seriously trying to figure out if I'm supposed to be confused or this is what the University experience is?
It's just a piece of paper. It doesn't mean anything. I've been invited to help for free because I'm passing classes or whatever, why don't you put my money where your mouth is?
I'm not subsidizing your system and selling myself to anything like a higher bidder. I don't want to manage idiots. I want to have a business that sincerely cares for it's employees, and I don't need synergies in HR departments or whatever to say basically, I do what I do. You pay me because I'm the last escalation of any department, and I want to protect everything ethically and morally, and this isn't my job. I don't want a Master's in IT. I'm already way above that with 30+ years.
You're phone system is abysmal too. Also, I can't ever have you completely delete my student information from applying over 20 years ago.
This is pitiful. If anyone out there wants to see penetration testing in action, I'm all about it. Else, give me a couple days, try to break mine. I'll sandbox everything, because I'm ethical. I'm doing this for the CryptoSec nerds, and if there's any left, I was published on alt2600 when I was 13.
WGU, I am just disappointed even as a reputable diploma mill. My mentor and I guess instructors, are clearly just AI generated bullshit.
I don't need the help you think I need, and that is to be left alone without dealing with incompetence. Challenge me, WGU. I'm not paying you for frustration over proving what I already know.

My husband ( whom I am separated from currently) and I have a 4 year old and a 8 week old son. We currently do one week on and one week off with our oldest. We separated because he asked me to abort our second (did not know he was cheating at the time) and even gave me money to do so. I didn’t follow through and suffered emotional and mental abuse. I left knowing I would be doing this alone.
He was not allowed at the birth, did not come to any appointments and didn’t meet his second son until 2 weeks. He is also not on the birth certificate. He had visited our son maybe 4 times in the 8 weeks he has been here. He will say he wants to see him and not show up at appointed time and no call no show.
He has asked for a dna test etc to embarrass and punish me for leaving. I have refused because he has not been involved and I know I never cheated.
He is now asking to come to my home and work in the am and spend time with the baby during his work hours or for him to have him at his house 8am 12 pm any day of the week that I alllow.
I have been offering visitation from 5pm to 8pm any day of the week at my home that he has only used 4 times. My mom would be the facilitator as I prefer to not be around him due to him being emotionally manipulative and playing victim. Our son is breastfed.
Am I a jerk if I deny him that much access to the baby by taking him or working from my home during the am. My mom would not be available and I’m uncomfortable being around him alone.
Anyone with such a small baby care to share their custody plan.