Hi all! It's 3am and I can't sleep. My cat is in the hospital overnight as I caught him in my flowers then realized they were lilies. I keep reading all these terrifying things about lilies and it's so scary. He only stuck his nose in it but I am convinced he licked some of the pollen off his nose. I just moved and am struggling a little with money so I told them to keep him 24 hours with fluids then I would take him home and watch him. Then take him in for routine bloodwork. Anyway I'm just terrified. Has anyone had a cat survive this?? It was so little amount but l've read so much that it doesn't matter. I love my boy so much he just turn 2. I hate myself so much for bringing them in the house. Please give me some good news.
Edit: I just can’t find any documentation on survivability rates and/or long-term damage after early intervention is completed. We induced vomiting and he was given charcoal. Just wanna know the chances of long-term damage versus survivability versus is my poor baby boy gonna be okay 🥺🥺

Hey Waterrower Community, I'm Christoph, the developer of a new rowing app called Rowing Workouts, designed specifically for the Apple Watch. If you're looking to elevate your rowing training, I think you'll find it pretty useful. Here's what it does:
Key Features:

• Precise Tracking: Records every stroke and measures the force to estimate your distance accurately.
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I’d love to hear your feedback and any feature requests you might have. I’ll be adding screenshots soon!
Cheers, Christoph
P.S. All your workouts are stored in HealthKit for a complete overview of your fitness progress.
Here's an AppStore Link: https://apps.apple.com/app/rowing-workout/id6470894043

1. Focus Karma Need Want Of the Society Recreation Stimulation Examination Death 1.1 The noble truth of Focus is Energy, the noble Truth of Karma is Management, the Noble Truth of Need is Kombucha, the Noble Truth of Want is The Second Mental, Your Mental, The Noble Truth of Recreation is Marijuana, The Noble Truth of Simulation is Automatons, the Noble Truth of Examination is the Books on Examination, The Noble Truth of Death is Salt 1.1 There is a Truth of Truth The Truth of Energy is Stockpile, The Truth of Management is Treatment, The Truth of Kombucha is Amino, the Truth of The Second Mental is the Intermediary Mental Between Yourself and the World, The Truth of Automatons is the Plumbing Needed, the truth of the Books on Examination is the truth of the Books of the Ruler and the truth of Salt is the Limit of the Body Is Restored by Healthy Nutrition 1.1.1 There is a truth of the truth energy amino, Truth Starch, Truth Sugar, Truth Glycine, Truth Water, Truth Kombucha, Truth Arginine, Truth Serine, Truth Lysine 1.1.2 There is a truth of the ruler which is related to marijuana, Proline Above Lysine 1.1.3 There is a truth of the society related to only trading, Gold above Proline 1.1.4 All of these truths have intermediary truth below them 1.1.5 There is a truth of the botanist, Prozac And Benadryl and Scopolamine and Atropine and Benzyldiol Around Recreation 1.1.6 There is a truth of the schooler, Directly Ordered Female Voice Your Voice Kick Drum Kick Transient Pots N Pans Pots Content Button Mushroom Morel Cache Stash Marisol Bluewater Febreeze Peroxide Nitrate Ammonium Loam Bud Dirt Wheat Soil Potato Around Focus and Karma 1.1.7 There is a truth of the motorcade Above Karma and Below the Want of the society Muffler Transmission Piston Engine Cargo Chassis Fluids Vaseline Nutraloaf Soylent 1.1.8 Marisol Or Mother is Above All Below it 1.1.9 Button Mushroom is Above All Those Below it Three 1.2.0 Ammonium is Above All Those Below it To Marisol 1.2.1 Potato is Above All Those Below it to Marisol Three 1.2.2 Fire 2Fire 4Fire 8Fire 16Fire - A Fire is 5 Fire, At fire set 5,10,20,40, No Fire, at Fire set 10,20,40,80, On fire 1.2.3 Fire Is Below Focus In Energy and Karma is Below Need in Energy and Need is Below Want of the Society In Energy and Recreation is Below Stimulation In Energy And Stimulation is Below Examination In Energy and Examination is Below Death In Energy 1.2.5 Focus Is Pervasive so Energy Indicates Examination Having Occured or A Crops Grown 1.2.6 Examination Happens In Examination Want of the Society Focus Want of the Society Examination 1.2.7 Examination happens for 333 Hours or About 19 Days 1.2.8 Examination Happens in Sets of 333 Hours for 1332 Hours 1.2.9 At the End of Examination Examination Proceeds Automatically in 333 Hours 1.3.0 Want of the Society occurs as the output of crops 1.3.1 Want of the society yields the Amino Nutrients because it is the agricultural or synthetic output 1.3.2 Recreation Activates Marijuana, But Can Be On its Own 1.3.3 20 Marijuana Exist as a product of the lands 1.3.4 Over 20 Other Plants Exist as a product of the lands 1.3.5 Various tabulature of notes Exists with Standpoint Boards 1.3.6 Houses and apartments exist 1.3.7 Private Baths exist 1.3.8 A ledger exists for holding notes at a distribution point 1.3.9 A ledger exists for reasonable retrieval but not reproduction of notes (need original notes) 1.4.0 A ledger exists for deletion of notes but to a skilled observer they are still seeable 1.4.1 The Time One and One at One and One at Two is the time 333 units for each section 1.4.2 The time offset of the noble truths on the fifth reconstruction yields upon which noble truth they were the whole section 1.4.3 Only noble truths passed through the entire system 5 fold are the actual truth of the land 1.4.4 This is held by the guard which there are maybe 20 guard in the lands each city 1.4.5 There are fire weapon which exist which are hand cannon and have a chamber and a loader 1.4.6 There are fire bomb exist which are bomb which have just a chamber but there are just 4 ever 1.4.7 There are 3 sets of scrolls per city and 3 sets of scroll reader 1.4.8 There is 2 sets of scrolls each city which are city rulers 1.4.9 There are farms which exist which feed each city which grow crops 1.4.9 There are buildings in each city 1.5.0 There are normally 4 houses to a prefecture 1.5.1 There are normally 4 rooms to the house 1.5.2 There are 10 modern petrochemical foundry factory which exploit oil from the lands 1.5.3 There are clothing for at least 30 people in each city putting the bedroom load usually at slightly less than 2 a bedroom 1.5.2 There are around 7 military bases which exist but these numbers used to be inflated 1.5.3 There are medicine for at least 30 people in a city 1.5.4 There are toilets only per four people or wherabouts in the city 1.5.5 There are 98 separate prefecture in maybe 3 city spread out 1.5.6 There are potato, furion bannana, old potato, a rose donut wheat, apple, cabbage, turnip, carrot, another potato type, beets, three flowers, 20 marijuana, and other crops grown 1.5.6 There are zucchini grown 1.5.7 There are medicine poppy and heart tonic herb (blue bonnet) and a root which expresses opium and other minor medicinals grown 1.5.8 There are trees which naturally occur which are the colors of cherry blossom 1.5.9 Seeing the trees blossom is the rarest sight in the lands 1.6.0 The twenty guard of the town know how to protect one another 1.6.1 There are various opium which can be taken 1.6.2 There are various new bags of marijuana spray which are the marijuana active 1.6.3 There is a specific sedative created from Crude Oil, SnoreLax Olestra Ketamine 1.6.4 There are various nutrients created from crude oil 1.6.5 There are various computers created from crude oil 1.6.6 There are various liquids created from crude oil including pepsi cola and molten plastic 1.6.7 There are boxes created from crude oil 1.6.8 There are racing Skis created from crude oil 1.6.9 There is a capacity to run one of the computer 1.7.0 The computer yields a stable process blockchain when propagated 1.7.1 The computer notable yields beautiful colors when its process blockchain is propagated 1.7.2 There is a retrieval system for the other computers token 1.7.3 54 Stores now exist in these lands 1.7.4 These stores accept a specific RFID like currency 1.7.5 These stores accept the Gold of the Land Naturally 1.7.6 These stores have vendors wheater and vendors kitty cat and vendors autovend1 1.7.7 Groceries and resources can be bought from the stores 1.7.8 Automobile Motorcade can be bought from the stores 1.7.9 Concrete Objects can be bought from the stores 1.8.0 Designer clothes can be bought from the store 1.8.1 The foundrys create BDU Lower 1.8.2 The foundrys create I <3 NYC Shirt 1.8.3 The firearms create mittens firearm token en masse 1.8.4 The firearms are created at 20 a city to defend the people 1.8.5 Only 5 High Quality Weapon exist per city 1.8.6 A foundry is creating nonlethal weapons 1.8.7 The foundry makes its nonlethal weapon but there is only one per city 1.8.8 An inventor makes a nonlethal weapon 1.8.9 The foundry now produces 2 kinds of ice cream 1.9.0 The foundry now produces illegal goods like silicone pipes 1.9.1 Somebody is Brewing Amino Out of Starches 1.9.2 The Echo Locator is invented 1.9.3 The echo locator is finalized as a product 1.9.4 The echo locator is shipped out the door at 43 a city 1.9.5 The echo locator replaces the scrolls system 1.9.6 The echo locator can be taxed in the old tax system to make it valid in the old system 1.9.7 Two Cool Cats Take Control of the Power System, NateCat and HakeCat 1.9.8 The cool Cats reinvest in medicine and over 50 meningitis cure are found 1.9.9 The smart toilet is invented 2.0.0 The bombs detonate in ebonia and the people are freed 2.0.1 There is 11 grade flooding in ebonia 2.0.2 The ebonian flooding gets better to 7 ebonian remediator a city which are from the new Clement Dogs Clan 2.0.3 Tattoo Ink is Invented from cherry leaves 2.0.4 A tattoo requires somebody to play wizards chess on your skin to leave an indelible mark without killing it 2.0.5 Alpha squad is formed 2.0.6 A cruiser is in the metteranian gulf 2.0.7 The cruiser operates successfully for at least a month with me onboard 2.0.8 I am mainly using starlink 2.0.9 Starlink is accessible in the APV like it always is 2.1.0 You can fetch a battlefeed with starlink 2.1.1 You can fetch a battlesend with starlink (OSC) 2.1.2 OSC Replaces Starlink and LFO is Formed 2.1.3 LFO Replaces engine gasoline due to jet fuel drinking/snorting danger 2.1.4 Nontoxic weed smoke based gasoline is formed for APV 2.1.5 APVs are overclocked with me nearby 2.1.6 Supercapacitor Based APV Is Used For medical evacuation 2.1.7 Supercapacitor has massive distance versus dangerous IC APV 2.1.8 Supercapacitor powers gauss cannon in danger 2.1.9 Megagauss Cannon Invented for David's Aircraft 2.2.1 Megagauss cannon fits en masse onto the aircraft or in david flanagan or david summery's hands 2.2.2. Total david air superiority 2.2.3 Davids golden UH-1 in service 2.2.4 RQ-9 "David" Reactivated 2.2.5 RQ-9 Reapers Cloned 2.2.6 Spicy Chemical Discovered In Marijuana, Raytracing? 2.2.7 David Treated for Virtual Meningitis 3 Years Ago 2.2.8 Deepfake All Virtual Medical Practice Discovered 2.2.9 Marijuanas CH1 Receptor Renamed CB1 Receptor 2.3.0 Foundries in Business 5000$ A Barrel Many Years Default on Loans to 2111$ Barrel, No Effective Product Change 2.3.1 USR THermal IS-2 Scope Invented 2.3.2 USR THermal FLIR Camera for David UH-1 Invented 2.3.3 Driver for USR THermal FLIR Camera for David UH-1 Invented 2.3.4 Overwatch Mega Anti Crime David Stopper Overflights in Service Across the US And Solid Gold UH-1 Lofted By Broomstick Technology in Transmuggle Transwizard Interference of the Calamity Granted to David Flanagan (RQ-9) 2.3.5. Black Operations in the Persian Gulf Nethers Against Al Baghdadi - HVT Steam User In Custody 2.3.6 AC-130 "IBEX" Piloted by Alex M Lamb in Service in Vallejo and Ecuador to Support 141 Team 2.3.7 Proto Nutrient Fish Oil Factory Raided, Illegal Furion Bannana Discovered 2.3.8 Illegal Blueprinting Operations Cease in Favor of Big 11+ Oil Corporations 2.3.9 Minecraft server found and large amounts of population exiting to virtual reality 2.4.0 All players granted 64 planks and free for all 2.4.1 Doto 0 Bot Guard Lurking in Transnational Buddhist Operation Enable Free Play In Minecraft for Various Players 2.4.2 Siddartha's Secret, His Cow, Discovered in Virtual Reality Elder Scrolls No Crime Faction, Siddartha's Cow Goes Rampant and is Infinity Hidden in Every Directory of Starfield 2 The New Game 2.4.3 Many New Games are found with resemble the structure of the cow in markov chain 2.4.4 A new system is found out of cow which can provide for any item retrieval system intrinsically unlocking the singularity where Big 11+ Splits into infinite corporation 2.4.5 All cows are harvested for a typical user but still infinity exist farther away 2.4.6 The user has typically 500000 cows of Siddhartha as a personal cow 2.4.7 Sulfur futures are at an all time high 2.4.8 Justino Beibers Mandates burning of all cow waste in trash bin 2.4.9 Siddartha's Cow are docile as ever and functioning well when shot, they become well 2.5.0 Siddartha (Renchy, Racey's Friend) Is discovered hiding as a soul in neon district undercity of neon petite 2.5.1 The guard is never abolished and continues protecting us 20 to the citizen to this day 2.5.2 Asteroids are discovered in outer space with many palladium more than ever 2.5.3 A supercomputing cloud is made out of the distributed method which avoids the taxing system that the initial ruler invented and does a method 1-Affinity 2-Person 3-Disease where the affinity of each person treats the pair disease and or environment with only instantaneous transmission (Technological singularity) 2.5.4 Virtual clothes are invented the same way as clothes were initially invented, now in the instantaneous unheard 2.5.5. Virtual Medicines are invented in the same way as medicines were invented initially, now in the instantaneous unheard 2.5.6 There is perfect harmony between two instant universes the virtual medicine universe and the analog medicine universe 2.5.7 All of history's knowledge feeds into one system which encodes all its meaning in some dice which always roll a specific meaning and this creates wish or technology on demand 2.5.8 Wish is discovered as a contaminant on the No Crime Library 2.5.9 Wish has always predated meaning so that Wish is the Rulers Initial Nature 2.6.0 All existence is into one history the history of the singularity which procedurally generates by Wish the Rulers Initial Nature For All Citizen 2.6.1 Jeffybeans is the true ruler of siddartha which is prozac benzyldiol 2.6.2 Siddartha wakes up right before lorne happens to her and avoids the suicide booth because phillip j fry is protecting her. 2.6.3 The story is at a cliffhanger while the Universe is at the second end epoch and is failing succesfully very well for hubert I.

Hello!
I hope we're all doing well!
We did relatively okay last time, with our secondary parlay landing clean! Everything else kinda fell apart, but I did a bit better than I feared i would have done.
Another rough fight night to predict here! Should be a fun event though.
Onwards to the predictions!
(c) - Champ
D/DWCS - Debut/Dana Whites' Contender Series
FLS - Fight Lose Streak
FWS - Fight Win Streak
NS - No Streak
(#x) - Rank in Division
x/3 - Confidence Levels
lets go!
Prelims
Women’s Strawweight
Emily Ducote (-275) (13-8-0, NS) v Vanessa Demopoulos (+220) (10-5-0, NS) - Oh look, a fight that’s probably going to go to the scorecards. Ducote is coming off a relatively strong win against Yoder, she was very capable of stuffing all of those takedown attempts coming her way and matching the tenacity of Yoder on the feet. Now, I am always a bit iffy when it comes to someone with a record like Ducotes’, but I do believe they (The UFC) didn’t quite build her up properly, giving her opponents like Godinez and Hill very early on in her UFC career. Ducote is a fairly well rounded fighter who does well on her feet, but most importantly, her grappling is relatively good, having been capable of defending the takedowns of Godinez, which isn’t a small feat since Godinez is well known for her wrestling capabilities. That ability to defend takedowns is massively important when dealing with someone like Demopoulos, whose main threat in most of her fights are her takedowns and grappling attacks. Ducote has fairly standard striking attacks for a well rounded MMA fighter, she is very quick on the feet and throws a lot of volume when she attacks, which could prove challenging to Demopoulos as she tries to enter range and initiate a takedown. Now, whilst Ducote has a lot of volume and speed to her strikes, she lacks in the “finishing” area, she doesn’t quite have the tenacity to finish her opponents, there’s no hurry. With that said though, she does have a bit of a familiar pattern of touching up her opponents until that right hand finds its mark, then she adds emphasis on that right-side punch. She has, however, one weird tendency to just stand there, staring, whilst in the pocket, with a rather square stance, and whilst that might help her with the offensive output, she is still standing there with minimal defences. That’s something that has contributed to her losses in the past and something that Demopoulos could possibly use as a way to find an entry for a takedown. Demopoulos is coming off a win against Murata, but it was a fairly unimpressive performance with Demopoulos getting taken down a lot, and although she looked fairly good on the feet with powerful single attacks, I don’t quite know how effective she is going to be against a volume-heavy fighter like Ducote. Demopoulos has a few tendencies as a fighter that are great, she is fairly active in the guard off her back, throwing up submissions very quickly, but the problem with that is nowadays if you can’t lock in a submission, then you are losing the fight, and I think if Demopoulos does pull guard, Ducote should have the ability to control her on the ground and avoid submissions. This is a very, very 50/50 fight in my opinion. Ducote has a slight advantage on the feet due to her speed and volume, but on the ground it’s looking like Demopoulos has the advantages there, as she does have great instinct on when to lock in a submission or shift the hips. The safest bet here is either o2.5 rounds or the fight going the distance, this isn’t a ML bet fight by any means in my opinion. As for my prediction, I am very split but i’m leaning towards Ducote to win this one, but it’s the slightest lean one can imagine.
Ducote via UD - (1/3)
Bantamweight
Alatengheili (+150) (16-9-2, NS) v Kleydson Rodrigues (-185) (8-3-0, NS) - This is a fascinating one. Alatengheili was scheduled to fight a month ago but it was cancelled due to an illness, so I fully expect him to fight again this week. The kinda good news about that is he doesn’t really need to have a big camp since he already had the conditioning and cardio from that other camp preparing for Victor Hugo. Alatengheili is a very aggressive and powerful fighter, everything he throws has so much speed and power behind it, and whilst there might not be a lot of volume behind those punches, he shouldn’t be underestimated on the feet because of his explosiveness. Alatengheili also uses that explosive power to wrestle, and he is fairly good on the ground, able to maintain a strong position at all times and just land heavy ground and pound. Alatengheili is powerful but he doesn’t display that power with reckless abandon, he tends to be a bit of a counter puncher, his hands are often low or loose, which lures his opponent in to strike, in which he then propels himself forward with a quick flurry of dangerous punches, then there’s a reset and he waits to lure his opponent in again. That’s his typical gameplan and it works a lot of the time, but I do think he might get exposed by one thing that Rodrigues could do, and that’s chop at the legs to remove or mitigate that explosiveness that Alatengheili relies on. Rodrigues on the other hand has not had as much experience nor octagon time that Alatengheili has had, but his style seems to be a bit of a challenge for Alatengheili, at least from what I can see. Rodrigues is very well rounded, he is very quick on the feet, but most of all, he doesn’t do anything too crazy to be lured into a potential counter-flurry by Alatengheili. Rodrigues loves to kick at range, he is so dynamic and can switch up the angles of the attacks so quickly that he could possibly just keep kicking Alatengheili until the fight is over, as long as he keeps a safe distance from a retaliatory attack. He is very quick at throwing out those kicks and I do think if he attacks the legs early enough he is going to be effective, as Gutierrez was when he fought Alatengheili. Alatengheili is going to have to mix it up in this fight to get ahead, he is going to have to rely heavily on his wrestling in order to get a win here, because we have seen that Rodrigues is mostly a kickboxestriker, and if Alatengheili can push a nasty pace and pressure (something he only does if he is successful with his counters or see’s his opponent is hurt), that completely removes Rodrigues’ ability to kick. However, the biggest danger with any sort of aggressive forward movement from Alatengheili is the ridiculous hand speed of Rodrigues, his boxing speed is ferocious and he doesn’t necessarily overthrow, everything is clean and tight, and given how open the defences are with Alatengheili, I do think a check left hook or an uppercut is going to be a highly effective tool that Rodrigues is going to utilise, especially if Alatengheili is going to look for takedowns. The focus and timing of Rodrigues is something that I really like also, he is so calm but intense in the cage, he sees a lot of his opponents attacks coming, and since Alatengheili’s actions are huge and relatively easy to read (as there is quite a wind up for it) Rodrigues should be able to avoid it or counter effectively. One major thing I want to point out here that makes me lean on Rodrigues even moreso is the striking inaccuracy of Alatengheili, he is a powerful fighter, i cannot state this enough, but it is thanks to that power and his willingness to throw down heavy punches that he often misses. I’m gonna list some stats, so bear with me… These are his striking accuracy stats from a handful of his recent fights, starting from the most recent to ones earlier in his career. Gutierrez with 28% Accuracy, Anheliger with 37%, Lopez with 30% and Kenney with 26%. This is why I emphasized before how important Alatengheili’s wrestling is going to be in this fight, because if you’re going to go up against a very tricky and accurate striker like Rodrigues, you cannot play that accuracy game and risk winging punches against him. With that said though, don’t count of Alatengheili here, his power and explosiveness are always going to be a problem and it should generally be a good idea to sprinkle a little bit of money on him, even moreso that he’s an underdog. My prediction for this fight is a long, drawn out Rodrigues win, but it’s a tough one because we haven’t quite seen that much greatness from Rodrigues.
Rodrigues via UD - (1/3)
Women’s Strawweight
Piera Rodriguez (-175) (9-1-0, NS) v Ariane Carnelossi (+145) (14-3-0, NS) - Normally, a lot of fights interest me, even the ones that don’t interest the vast majority of others… but this one? I have no feelings one way or the other about this one, it seems like a filler fight lol. Rodriguez is a relatively well rounded fighter coming off a tough loss against Gillian Robertson, and I mean, that kind of loss tends to come with the territory of wrestling a well known submission specialist, so I don’t exactly fault Rodriguez for losing in that way. There is very little doubt that Rodriguez is going to have a major advantage in the wrestling department, a lot of her fights involve her taking down her opponent, it's what she does exceptionally well and considering how dreadful Carnelossi’s takedown defence is, it is going to be Piera’s imperative to take down Carnelossi. The problem with Rodriguez is that she's a little bit one dimensional, she doesn’t do too well on the feet and Carnelossi does have very strong strikes, I mean, look at her, she’s absolutely a power puncher. Rodriguez is highly diverse with her striking, both in terms of range and variability of attack, she has excellent fundamentals with the boxing, landing combinations in the pocket and moving away, and one main thing she does extremely well is that jab, its a really long, lunging jab, and the reason why I point that out is because it somewhat masks the takedown, she uses that jab over and over, and because that motion to jab is almost similar to a level change, she doesn’t necessarily feint the jab to get to the level change/takedown position, but her opponents just think another jab is coming. This is going to be a great set up against Carnelossi, attack her with long, prodding jabs, and after a few of those, go for a level change, because its that long lunge that looks like a level change. To put it bluntly, anything to get a level change and a takedown will be highly effective against Carnelossi. Carnelossi is an interesting one to talk about because she had a fun start to her career with an extremely entertaining fight against Liang Na, but if you look closely, she is just a fun fighter, not a great one. Her punching power is probably her biggest asset, because everywhere else she absolutely is not worth talking about, and it’s that punching power that will be evident when she inevitably clips Rodriguez. Carnelossi is one dimensional, but boy is she scrappy and I don’t think Rodriguez can afford to get crazy with her on the feet, because Rodriguez will be hurt by something in the pocket, the smartest thing Rodriguez can ideally do is level change and absolutely remove the power from Carnelossi, and considering that Carnelossi’s power is generated from a very still-standing stance, it wouldn’t take much to take her off her feet. I got Rodriguez winning this one, it should hopefully be a fun fight.
Rodriguez via UD - (1/3)
Middleweight
Abus Magomedov (-250) (25-6-1, 2 FLS) v Warlley Alves (+205) (14-7-0, 3 FLS) - It kind of seems like they are setting Magomedov up for success here. Magomedov may have had a tough last two bouts, but considering the fact that he faced Strickland and Borralho, that’s ridiculous levels of competition for a newcomer. Magomedov had one major issue exposed when he fought Strickland and that was his cardio, everything else he looked absolutely incredible at, he has a lot of power in his hands, he’s long and dynamic with his attacks and he has great wrestling, but it was his cardio that made him fall apart. During his Borralho fight, despite losing that bout, those cardio issues didn’t seem as present, he has seemingly learnt to pace himself and he honestly looks to be a decent up and comer now that he’s facing slightly more adjusted competition instead of straight up killers. Magomedov has a massive, massive reach advantage over Alves, and that’s going to be prevalent when Magomedov lands those beautiful strikes at range. He does use his kicks alot, and alongside said kicks are a lot of knee feints, it's a bit odd to look at, it could just be him getting ready to check leg kicks or to feint a kick, but it's just one of those things that I can’t quite figure out. Anyway, Magomedov’s cardio is going to be in question again today, and whilst I did say that he seems to be mostly fine, or at least a bit better than when he fought Strickland, he still tends to overthrow a lot, there is no pitter patter of punches that you somewhat see, they’re all still big actions and those big actions cost him his cardio early on. The best way to kind of describe Magomedov, at least cardio wise, is a slightly more talented and skillful McKinney. My main concern is how exposed his face is to getting hit, all it would take is for Alves to rush in like a bull and throw some heavy overhand punches, make it very gritty in there and make Magomedov tired. That’s the only way I can kind of see Magomedov struggle a lot. Alves is an exceptionally quick starter, he is an absolute firecracker and if he can catch Magomedov early, that’s going to be absolutely massive given the size difference. Everything Alves throws comes with silly amounts of power, and he isn’t necessarily a headhunter, he chops at the legs and body occasionally, he’s quite diverse and I think those leg kicks are going to be problematic for Magomedov, considering Magomedov needs to push forward in order to get his combinations off. Alves is a tough, tough fighter, and whilst he is coming off a savage knockout by Aliskerov, I do think that Alves is still one dangerous fighter to take on, maybe not as technical as Borralho (to compare to Magomedov’s last opponent), but he is an absolute monster when it comes to aggression and that alone could exhaust Magomedov. However, the reach and movement of Magomedov is going to be a major challenge here. I am not completely counting out Alves here, I think he is being a bit underestimated here, but I just think Magomedov has a lot more tools in his arsenal that is going to be boosted by that reach advantage, and it does seem that Alves is fairly susceptible to down the pipe shots, something that Magomedov does well. Range and distance are going to be the main gameplan for Magomedov and his time I think. I got Magomedov winning this one, but i am not very confident in this one due to the volatility of Alves’ actions. He is a wild and fast starter so I expect that first round to be the most sketchiest.
Magomedov via KO R2 - (1/3)
Women’s Bantamweight
Tamires Vidal (+300) (7-2-0, NS) v Melissa Gatto (-410) (8-2-2, 2 FLS) - This is certainly an interesting one. Vidal is coming off a tough loss against Rendon, and it was a bit of a boring fight in all honesty, with Vidal being somewhat effective on the feet with big and powerful attacks, but ultimately succumbing to the wrestling of Rendon. I don’t see that much changing this time around since Gatto is a great wrestler and Vidal has clearly shown major defensive issues in the wrestling department, so to put it bluntly, it just seems like Vidal has a puncher's chance, and if she does land those punches, I do think the tides can change a little in her favour, but it would only take one takedown for Gatto to be in full control for the rest of that round. Outside of her loss to Rendon, Vidal looked fun against Pascual, then again, a lot of fighters of a reasonably low calibre can look good against Pascual, so I think that was one of those “set up for success” fights. Still, the aggression and threat of a knockdown/out from Vidal will be fairly prevalent during this fight. But that’s about it, shes a powerful striker and quite dynamic, but her takedown defence is going to be a problem. Gatto was scheduled to fight Dudakova a few weeks ago, however that fight fell off, which is probably good for Gatto coz she’s ready for a fight regardless, shes still somewhat fresh off camp and was going to probably employ the same strategy against Vidal that she would have against Dudakova, and that was to wrestle. Gatto’s wrestling has always been a bit of a highlight for her, she’s physically strong and is able to do well in advantageous positions, holding her opponents down and either landing ground and pound or just grinding them out, exhausting them for a large chunk of the round. Gatto is also very dangerous on the feet, she has deceptively quick and powerful punches which she uses to both damage her opponents but also as an opportunity to raise their guard so the level change is more easily accessible. No matter what way you cut this slice of cake, I think Gatto’s wrestling is going to be a major problem for Vidal, and Vidal’s only way to win this fight is to keep it standing and just brawl, make it look gritty in there and potentially freeze up Gatto’s ability to wrestle cleanly. I am leaning on Gatto to win this one, but that unpredictability of Vidal’s aggression is going to be a big factor here. No major bet advice here, it seems like there is a possibility of it going over 2.5 rounds, but that’s about it.
Gatto via UD - (1/3)
Light Heavyweight
Oumar Sy (D) (9-0-0, 9 FWS) v Tuco Tokkos (D) (10-3-0, 3 FWS) - ITS DOUBLE DEBUT TIME!!! These are getting rarer and rarer the more we see fighters from DWCS make their way to the UFC, so this is a fun little occasion. Sy is coming into this fight a little bit more prepared, at least physically and cardio wise, than his replacement opponent in Tokkos. Sy is coming off a string of beautiful fights on various promotions, but most importantly he’s been relatively tested on KSW, which is one of the better promotions to come out of the European world of MMA. Sy is a long and rangey fighter who has dangerous head kicks and dangerous wrestling skills that he uses really well, and whilst he has a massive reach advantage over his opponent, he doesn’t exactly strike in any traditional way, you don’t see him throw a lot of jabs, he mostly uses his reach to lock in takedowns (since it’s easier to lock in takedowns with longer arms), and the moment the fight goes to the ground, expect him to find a position to where he can reign down heavy ground and pound. I would love to see him strike a bit more, but most of his fights are him taking his opponents down and landing ground and pound, and if he does that against a replacement fighter in Tokkos, I expect him to dominate and completely shut down Tokkos since it would take preparation to get out of funky positions that Sy puts his opponents in, and I don’t know if Tokkos has that wrestling background to handle the larger and longer opponent in Sy properly on the ground. Tokkos seemingly came out of nowhere this last week, and that one thing that blasted me in the face was the record of his second most recent opponent, Brian Jackson. Dudes got a 1-7 record and Tokkos torched him (expectedly), that doesn’t bring a lot of confidence to me that a guy like Tokkos, coming from a relatively decent gym in Kill Cliff FC, takes on and fights someone like that. Tokkos is overall a decent fighter with some strong wins under his belt, but the main thing going against him here is preparation time, and whilst he does have a fair bit of experience under his belt, I just don’t think he’s ready for someone like Sy on short notice. Tokkos is a relatively well rounded fighter with great wrestling and decent striking, but i just think all of that is going to be possibly negated by the substantial reach advantage of Sy. This is a double debut though, and whilst I normally steer clear from calling someone new to the UFC a lock, I think the fact that Sy has had a full camp for… three fights (Bellato, Trocolli (both cancelled) and now Tokkos), I think he’s ready for this fight and ready for the UFC. He will be an optional lock, but still a 2/3 confidence pick, if that makes sense.
Sy via KO R1 (2/3)
Lightweight
Tom Nolan (-450) (6-1-0, NS) v Victor Martinez (+340) (13-5-0, NS) - Both fighters made their debut and lost in the same way, in the same round, so let’s call this a second attempt at a debut lol. Nolan made his debut against knockout artist Nikolas Motta, and honestly that is a dangerous fight for anyone to take, but it probably made sense to the matchmakers since both fighters are prolific knockout artists. Nolan does finish his opponents very quickly a lot of the time, and I do think he has a massive advantage on the feet against Martinez since Martinez isn’t exactly a big threat on the feet, and his inactivity over the past few years (or lack of solid activity at least) leaves some questions hanging in the air. Nolan has a reach and height advantage here, but the most prominent advantage will be with his reach where he can string together gorgeous straight combinations to decent effect, and that’s what he’s really known for, he’s got awesome boxing and he is very confident in his punching power. He is also relatively defensively sound for someone with his size because I have pointed out before that a lot of taller and longer fighters don’t shell up a lot or have a lot of defensive layers to their style, but Nolan is overall a fairly solid boxer both on the offence and defence, it’s just a shame he got fed to the wolf when he fought Motta. Nolan made the simple mistake when he fought Motta of being in the pocket without care, and i think those kinds of mistakes are easy enough to fix, and considering Martinez is not the same kind of threat on the feet compared to Motta, I do think that gives Nolan a bit more freedom to string together combinations and overall look great on the feet, as he was meant to be, since his whole career up until that loss to Motta has been him having gorgeous striking. Martinez is coming off a KO loss also, but it was by Jordan Leavitt, and that’s just a painful look on anyone's record to get knocked out by someone who is not known for his striking. Martinez is overall a good striker, he has very fast hands, but I have noticed one thing about him that I can see Nolan landing cleanly. Martinez has the tendency to leave his right hand far from a block position, its more of a parry position, in front of him instead of beside him, and he tends to lower that hand when taking a back step, and I cannot help but see the Southpaw striker in Nolan land that left hand to the chin of Martinez. Now, any sort of exchange between either fighter here is going to be a dangerous one for both parties, but that is where reach comes in, Nolan has a diverse boxing skillset and his long attacks allow him to carry power as much as anyone elses short hooks would. One major thing Martinez is going to have to be careful of is a knee up the middle by Nolan as Nolan’s height is going to allow that knee to come up to target without a major loss to momentum, and I mean, if Martinez got dropped by Rosales on DWCS, then by Leavitt, I just don’t know if he has the chin to withstand the battering that comes from Nolan. I got Nolan winning this one, but this is going to be a fantastic fight which isn’t likely to go the distance.
Nolan via KO R1 - (2/3)
Main Card
Women’s Strawweight
Angela Hill (#12) (-160) (16-13-0, NS) v Luana Pinheiro (#13) (+130) (11-2-0, NS) - This is a great fight. Hill is coming off a very strong win over Denise Gomes, and it was honestly such a brilliant performance by someone who a lot of people tend to ignore. Hill is an incredibly diverse fighter, she is tenacious on the feet, highly capable of stringing together strong combinations from all ranges, and as she closes the distance, she’s good at tying up her opponent in a clinch and landing awesome knees and elbows. This is all Hill and her cumulative experience in the Octagon against a wide range of different fighters and styles, and it’s clear to me that her preparation for a lot of her fights involve solid planning and back up plans, because whilst her record reflects a rough run through her career, her level of competition is insane. Hill isn’t a finisher though, but she is someone who can keep a ridiculous pace for three rounds, so I do think that she has the capabilities to overwhelm Pinheiro on the feet, especially since we just saw Ribas do the same thing a little over 5 months ago. Hill will have a striking advantage in this fight, she throws a lot of volume at high speed towards her opponent and they do land effectively, and with a slight edge in reach I do see her having a bit more success on the feet here especially since Pinheiro does not have a lot of head movement or striking defence. Pinheiro is a danger to Hill in the grappling department though, especially in those transitions from standing to ground, she utilises hip throws relatively well and could make this fight ugly on the ground, but I don’t think there is a major submission threat here, I think her style is predominantly control and ground and pound, both things that Hill has experience in dealing with, although she still will lose the round if Pinheiro executes her gameplan well. Pinheiro has power in her hands, she could potentially make Hill a little bit frozen and hesitant on the feet once Pinheiro lands that overhand right that Pinheiro loves to throw early, but she doesn’t throw it often enough to lead to a significant finish, she’s a very low volume, high impact striker and that could play in the favour of Hill if Hill’s volume walks Pinheiro back into the cage. Pinheiro could make this fight dangerous for Hill on the ground, but we have seen a few times now that Hill is very good at the basics of takedown defence, underhooks, whizzers (if i spelt that correctly) and quickly getting back to a standing position, she is not complacent on the ground or in that transition to the ground, and I think any sort of failed takedown attempt from Pinheiro is going to fuel Hill a lot more, since Pinheiro only has a few kinds of takedowns. This is a hard on to pick in all seriousness, I might get the prediction wrong, but I have a strong feeling that we are going to see this fight go over 2.5 rounds, or even hit the scorecards. As for the prediction, looking at this fight, I am kind of leaning on Hill here, because Pinheiro’s wins aren’t as significant as Hill’s wins, and i do think Pinheiro fades a little bit as the fight goes on.
Hill via UD - (1/3)
Bantamweight
Adrian Yanez (-350) (16-5-0, 2 FLS) v Vinicius Salvador (+275) (14-6-0, 2 FLS) - I love this fight. Yanez is coming off two painful back to back KO losses, whenever a young fighter comes into the UFC, tears through the division, then hits a losing skid, it’s always a concern to any fan or pundit. However, I do think that leg kick KO is anomalous to the UFC, it rarely happens and I don’t think Salvador is much of a leg kicker anyway so the threat isn’t there. However, I do want to add that the psychological factor of maybe getting leg kicked to oblivion is going to weigh heavy on Yanez’ mind, and I do wonder if Yanez has drilled checking leg kicks before. Now, Yanez is still a dangerous opponent for anyone to take, he still has incredibly technical MMA boxing, and that’s going to be on full display this weekend. Yanez is so fluid and yet tricky on the feet, he’s very good at gauging range and firing away from different angles, as well as timing his shots off his opponents striking attempts, everything involving striking exchanges will most likely be in the favour of Yanez, he thrives in that space and I do believe his experience and his wins prior to those two devastating losses are going to shine this weekend. My only concern about Yanez is his ability to not get carried away and show his chin too much, because whilst Salvador is yet to get a win in the UFC, he still has had some mild striking success against fighters like Altamirano and Vergara, and it wouldn’t take a lot for Salvador to find the chin of Yanez. Salvador is a very funky and unorthodox fighter, and whilst that always brings positive attention to him, I also think that has been a product of failure for him also since the more cleaner fighters outbox him, are generally a lot faster and just find their mark a bit quicker, if that makes sense? I mean, Salvador’s stance is fairly loose, his chin is in the air and his shell is rather loose, and that’s not good news, especially if he’s facing a vicious fighter like Yanez. Salvador thrives in chaotic fights though, he is awesome and making it dangerous and risky for his opponents to fight in the pocket, but his style emanates a lack of self preservation. He is a kill or be killed kind of fighter in my opinion, and I firmly believe that when he got dropped numerous times in that first round against Victor Altamirano, it only showed us, and any future opponent (via tape watch in prep) that he is very hittable, his head is right there and the only reason it wasn’t there for Vergara was due to the significant difference in height and reach. Salvador moving up to 135 could make him a lot more interesting in terms of being able to explode more often and having more power behind his punches, but I also think it means he is dealing with more harder hitting fighters, and with the accuracy and boxing skill set of Yanez, I just think Salvador is going to get outdone here. I got Yanez winning this one, but I am interested to see if Salvador has what it takes to win and upset a lot of parlays out there.
Yanez via KO R2 - (1/3)
Welterweight
Ramiz Brahimaj (+170) (10-4-0, NS) v Themba Gorimbo (-205) (12-4-0, 2 FWS) - Brahimaj is coming back after two tough years away, and the reason why it’s tough is because he has been dealing with a spinal injury, and boy do i empathise with that. Now, his injury is mostly C-Spine and shoulder area nerve damage, this is terrible for a fighter because it effectively eliminates your ability to comfortably strike, sprawl, wrestle, underhook/overhook stuff, everything that you see in a fighter typically comes from shoulder rotation and all that stuff, so for Brahimaj to be out for two years, dealing with all of that, does not give me a lot of confidence in him being 100% coming into this fight against Gorimbo. Brahimaj is a dangerous grappler who thrives on the ground, he is honestly only dangerous on the ground, but the problem is that Gorimbo is very good on the ground himself, at least good enough to know what is being set up, and it’s on the ground where Brahimaj has his only chance to win. Unfortunately for Brahimaj, it’s going to take some work to get the fight to the ground and Gorimbo is more than willing to keep the fight standing, so honestly, I just don’t think Brahimaj is going to be as well rounded or as effective as he needs to be in order to get a win here. Gorimbo is riding some momentum coming into this fight, as he is coming off a lightning quick KO over Pete Rodriguez, and I mean, Rodriguez sucks, he’s one of the worst fighters in the UFC and that KO means nothing in the grand scheme of things, it’s just an additional win on a record with barely any weight to it. Gorimbo is going to be a lot more confident in his boxing though since that win, that feeling of getting knockouts is an addictive one and I think he’s going to be using his incredible reach advantage to look to get another KO this weekend over the possibly rusty Brahimaj. Gorimbo is a very well rounded fighter who honestly has a lot of potential to be a star, he has excellent boxing, and honestly very good wrestling and grappling, and I do think if the fight does go to the ground, Gorimbo has the fight IQ to notice set ups coming, neutralize them and remain on top in control, landing ground and pound or just advancing to his own submission positions. The most likely scenario though is Gorimbo keeps this fight standing and overwhelms Brahimaj on the feet, because he probably wants to chase another KO since that feeling is notoriously addictive. I got Gorimbo winning this one, I can’t wait to see how far this man goes in his career.
Gorimbo via KO R1 - (2/3)
Co-Main Event
Welterweight
Khaos Williams (-125) (14-3-0, NS) v Carlston Harris (+105) (19-5-0, 2 FWS) - This feels like a classic Striker versus Grappler fight. Williams is a strong, powerful striker who is such a threat on the feet, especially early on when he wants to push a nasty pace and land those devastating punches. He is known for being a bully, crashing forward with crazy power and aggression. There is no clean technique coming from Williams, it is mostly wild, wild punches and he is confident in his ability to knock out his opponent, that’s what makes him a dangerous threat to his opponents, that confidence. The right hand is Williams best weapon, his right overhand or hook is going to be the one that knocks out Harris if it lands, but that’s all he is, a powerful right side puncher, and if Harris times a takedown well, all of that threat is gone. On the flip side, Harris is primarily a grappler with a solid grappling base, and whilst he has faced his fair share of dangerous strikers, I believe Williams’ power is something different. Now, Harris has the potential to take this fight to the ground, I know that according to UFC stats that Harris has an 80% takedown defence, but there has not been enough wrestling in his fights, by his opponents, to fully prove that his takedown defence is that great, it’s only been used sparingly against him since most of his fights are absolute wild exchanges and beautiful displays of violence on the feet. Williams' propensity to head hunt could lead to an opening for a level change by Harris, but it’s a risky thing to do because any punch that lands on Harris is going to hurt him, and considering the age factor here, its possible his chin isn’t going to hold up well against the power of Williams. Now, Harris was getting rag dolled and outwrestled by Wells when they fought, and whilst that isn’t a great look for Harris, I don’t think Williams has the wrestling capabilities that Wells has, so I think the main submission threat from Harris in this fight is going to come from the clinch, so guillotines and front head choke variants are going to be on the menu for Harris this weekend, it’s just a matter of if he gets into that position or if he gets his head blasted over and over by powerful punches from Williams. This is a dangerous fight to bet on if you’re thinking of Moneyline betting, it can easily go either way since both excel in their respective styles, the safest and smartest bet here in my opinion is that this fight doesn’t hit the judges scorecards. As for my prediction, I don’t think i’ll be getting this right due to the volatile nature of this match up, but…
Harris via Sub R2 - (1/3)
Main Event
Featherweight
Edson Barboza (#14) (+125) (24-11-0, 2 FWS) v Lerone Murphy (-150) (13-0-1, 5 FWS FWS) - Man this is a funky main event. Barboza is a legend of the sport, but most importantly, and perhaps most relevant to this write up, he is an old dog who can still hang with the toughest. His last two wins have been against Yusuff and Quarantillo, two very difficult fighters to take on at 145 and it’s his win over Yusuff that I want to highlight… Yusuff exploded in the first round, looked for that finish and Barboza survived and thrived throughout the rest of the fight, it was a beautiful display of heart, toughness, and adaptability, because that was not the first firefight that Barboza has been in, and considering his current opponent, it sure as shit won’t be his last. Barboza is well known for his outstanding kicks, but he’s also just overall a ridiculously dangerous striker. An understated aspect of his whole game though is his wrestling and grappling, he might not be looking for a lot of takedowns when he fights, but he is well versed on the ground, having taken down Yusuff 3 of 4 times in the final round of a high pace main event is testament to his cardio and conditioning, despite the concern surrounding his age. Barboza is going to be a true test on the feet for Murphy, and I think it’s going to be the toughest fight of his career. Murphy is coming off a string of strong victories in the UFC, with his most recent one being against Culibao, and I gotta say, Murphy is one of those dangerous prospects that we all should keep an eye on. Murphy is a rapidly improving fighter who adds weapons to his arsenal every single time he comes out. He was originally a boxer with outstanding punching power and speed, he was ridiculously slick on the feet, but after each fight he adds more kicks, more movement and wrestling, he has slowly become a very well rounded fighter, and this makes his upcoming bout against a very tested veteran who is still here to stay in Barboza incredibly fascinating. There is a slight catch to all of those additional things added into his arsenal though, and that’s each time something has been added, the next opponent has something else to prepare for. I firmly believe that Murphy’s rise to this position and to this fight is not from his outstanding skill level, but from his incredible repertoire of techniques he has acquired and learnt over his UFC career. Unpredictability is king when it comes to new fighters, we have seen new fighters add things to their game that have completely changed and accelerated their growth, and that’s exactly what we have seen for Murphy. Murphy has a wide variety of strong strikes he uses effortlessly, from standard boxing combinations to a very snappy high kick, to strong grappling and control on the ground, he hasn’t mastered any of these things, but since they are added along each and every time he fights, his opponents are rarely prepared. This is not going to be the case for Barboza, Barboza is very, very well rounded and well versed in almost every aspect of MMA. Ill keep this short. I got Barboza winning this one, but I am still going to be a fan of Murphy, regardless of result.
Barboza via UD - (1/3)
Primary Parlay: Ducote/Demopoulos o2.5 or GTD + (optional Gatto/Vidal o2.5 or GTD) + Nolan/Martinez ITD + Hill/Pinheiro o2.5 or GTD + Barboza/Murphy R3 Starts
Locks of the week: Optional Sy + Nolan + Gorimbo
Alt Bets: Alves KO R1, Pinheiro Sub R2 or 3, Williams KO R1, Murphy KO R1 2 or 3 (combo rounds)
And that's it!!!!
Prediction accuracy as of 2024: 64.6%
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About the Gateway tapes: In the ’80s, the spy agency investigated the "Gateway Experience" technique to alter consciousness and ultimately escape spacetime.
The intrigue revolves around a classified 1983 CIA report on a technique called the Gateway Experience, which is a training system designed to focus brainwave output to alter consciousness and ultimately escape the restrictions of time and space.
The CIA was interested in all sorts of psychic research at the time, including the theory of applications of remote viewing, which is when someone views real events with only the power of their mind. The documents have since been declassified and are available to view.
This is a comprehensive excavation of The Gateway Process report. The first section provides a timeline of the key historical developments that led to the CIA’s investigation and subsequent experimentations. The second section is a review of The Gateway Process report. It opens with a wall of theoretical context, on the other side of which lies enough understanding to begin to grasp the principles underlying the Gateway Experience training. The last section outlines the Gateway technique itself and the steps that go into achieving spacetime transcendence.
Let’s go.
THE TIMELINE
• 1950s - Robert Monroe, a radio broadcasting executive, begins producing evidence that specific sound patterns have identifiable effects on human capabilities. These include alertness, sleepiness, and expanded states of consciousness.
• 1956 - Monroe forms an R&D division inside his radio program production corporation RAM Enterprises. The goal is to study sound’s effect on human consciousness. He was obsessed with “Sleep-Learning," or hypnopedia, which exposes sleepers to sound recordings to boost memory of previously learned information.
• 1958 - While experimenting with Sleep-Learning, Monroe discovers an unusual phenomenon. He describes it as sensations of paralysis and vibration accompanied by bright light. It allegedly happens nine times over the proceeding six weeks, and culminates in an out-of-body experience (OBE).
• 1962 - RAM Enterprises moves to Virginia, and renames itself Monroe Industries. It becomes active in radio station ownership, cable television, and later in the production and sale of audio cassettes. These cassettes contain applied learnings from the corporate research program, which is renamed The Monroe Institute.
• 1971 - Monroe publishes Journeys Out of the Body, a book that is credited with popularizing the term “out-of-body experience.”
• 1972 - A classified report circulates in the U.S. military and intelligence communities. It claims that the Soviet Union is pouring money into research involving ESP and psychokinesis for espionage purposes.
• 1975 - Monroe registers the first of several patents concerning audio techniques designed to stimulate brain functions until the left and right hemispheres become synchronized. Monroe dubs the state "Hemi-Sync" (hemispheric synchronization), and claims it could be used to promote mental well-being or to trigger an altered state of consciousness.
• 1978 to 1984 - Army veteran Joseph McMoneagle contributes to 450 remote viewing missions under Project Stargate. He is known as “Remote View No. 1”.
• June 9th, 1983 - The CIA report "Analysis and Assessment of The Gateway Process" is produced. It provides a scientific framework for understanding and expanding human consciousness, out-of-body experiments, and other altered states of mind.
• 1989 - Remote viewer Angela Dellafiora Ford helps track down a former customs agent who has gone on the run. She pinpoints his location as “Lowell, Wyoming”. U.S. Customs apprehend him 100 miles west of a Wyoming town called Lovell.
• 2003 - The CIA approves declassification of the Gateway Process report.
• 2017 - The CIA declassifies 12 million pages of records revealing previously unknown details about the program, which would eventually become known as Project Stargate.
THE REPORT
Personnel
The author of The Gateway Process report is Lieutenant Colonel Wayne M. McDonnell, hereon referred to simply as Wayne. There isn’t a tremendous amount of information available on the man, nor any photographs. In 1983, Wayne was tasked by the Commander of the U.S. Army Operational Group with figuring out how The Gateway Experience, astral projection and out-of-body experiences work. Wayne partnered with a bunch of different folks to produce the report, most notably Itzhak Bentov, a very Googleable American-Israeli scientist who helped pioneer the biomedical engineering industry.
A scientific approach
From the outset of the report, Wayne states his intent to employ an objective scientific method in order to understand the Gateway process. The various scientific avenues he takes include:
• A biomedical inquiry to understand the physical aspects of the process.
• Information on quantum mechanics to describe the nature and functioning of human consciousness.
• Theoretical physics to explain the time-space dimension and means by which expanded human consciousness transcends it.
• Classical physics to bring the whole phenomenon of out-of-body states into the language of physical science (and remove the stigma of an occult connotation).
Methodological frames of reference
Before diving into the Gateway Experience, Wayne develops a frame of reference by dissecting three discrete consciousness-altering methodologies. He’s basically saying, there’s no way you’re going to get through The Gateway without a solid grounding in the brain-altering techniques that came before it.
1) He begins with hypnosis. The language is extremely dense, but the basic gist is as follows: the left side of the brain screens incoming stimuli, categorizing, assessing and assigning meaning to everything through self-cognitive, verbal, and linear reasoning. The left hemisphere then dishes the carefully prepared data to the non-critical, holistic, pattern-oriented right hemisphere, which accepts everything without question. Hypnosis works by putting the left side to sleep, or at least distracting it long enough to allow incoming data direct, unchallenged entry to the right hemisphere. There, stimuli can reach the sensor and motor cortices of the right brain, which corresponds to points in the body. Suggestions then can send electrical signals from the brain to certain parts of the body. Directing these signals appropriately, according to the report, can elicit reactions ranging from left leg numbness to feelings of happiness. Same goes for increased powers of concentration.
2) Wayne continues with a snapshot of transcendental meditation. He distinguishes it from hypnotism. Through concentration the subject draws energy up the spinal cord, resulting in acoustical waves that run through the cerebral ventricles, to the right hemisphere, where they stimulate the cerebral cortex, run along the homunculus and then to the body. The waves are the altered rhythm of heart sounds, which create sympathetic vibrations in the walls of the fluid-filled cavities of the brain’s ventricles. He observed that the symptoms begin in the left side of the body, confirming the right brain’s complicity. Bentov also states that the same effect might be achieved by prolonged exposure to 4 - 7 Hertz/second acoustical vibrations. He suggests standing by an air conditioning duct might also do the trick. (David’s Lynch and other celebrities are committed adherents to transcendental meditation today.)
3) Biofeedback, on the other hand, uses the left hemisphere to gain access to the right brain’s lower cerebral, motor, and sensory cortices. Whereas hypnosis suppresses one side of the brain, and TM bypasses that side altogether, biofeedback teaches the left hemisphere to visualize the desired result, recognize the feelings associated with right hemisphere access, and ultimately achieve the result again. With repetition, the left brain can reliably key into the right brain, and strengthen the pathways so that it can be accessed during a conscious demand mode. A digital thermometer is subsequently placed on a target part of the body. When its temperature increases, objective affirmation is recognized and the state is reinforced. Achieving biofeedback can block pain, enhance feeling, and even suppress tumors, according to the report.
The Gateway mechanics
With that, Wayne takes a first stab at the Gateway process. He classifies it as a “training system designed to bring enhanced strength, focus and coherence to the amplitude and frequency of brainwave output between the left and right hemispheres so as to alter consciousness.”
What distinguishes the Gateway process from hypnosis, TM, and biofeedback, is that it requires achieving a state of consciousness in which the electrical brain patterns of both hemispheres are equal in amplitude and frequency. This is called Hemi-Sync. Lamentably, and perhaps conveniently, we cannot as humans achieve this state on our own. The audio techniques developed by Bob Monroe and his Institute (which are comprised as a series of tapes). claim to induce and sustain Hemi-Sync.
Wayne employs the analogy of a lamp versus a laser. Left to its own devices the human mind expends energy like a lamp, in a chaotic and incoherent way, achieving lots of diffusion but relatively little depth. Under Hemi-Sync though, the mind produces a “disciplined stream of light.” So, once the frequency and amplitude of the brain are rendered coherent it can then synchronize with the rarified energy levels of the universe. With this connection intact, the brain begins to receive symbols and display astonishing flashes of holistic intuition.
The Hemi-Sync technique takes advantage of a Frequency Following Response (FFR). It works like this: an external frequency emulating a recognized one will cause the brain to mimic it. So if a subject hears a frequency at the Theta level, it will shift from its resting Beta level. To achieve these unnatural levels, Hemi-Sync puts a single frequency in the left ear and a contrasting frequency in the right. The brain then experiences the Delta frequency, also known as the beat frequency. It’s more familiarly referred to these days as binaural beats. With the FFR and beat frequency phenomena firmly in place, The Gateway Process introduces a series of frequencies at marginally audible, subliminal levels. With the left brain relaxed and the body in a virtual sleep state, the conditions are ideal to promote brainwave outputs of higher and higher amplitude and frequency. Alongside subliminal suggestions from Bob Monroe (naturally), the subject can then alter their consciousness.
The Gateway system only works when the audio, which is introduced through headphones, is accompanied by a physical quietude comparable to other forms of meditation. This increases the subject’s internal resonance to the body’s sound frequencies, for example the heart. This eliminates the “bifurcation echo”, in which the heartbeat moves up and down the body seven times a second. By placing the body in a sleep-like state, The Gateway CD’s, like meditation, lessen the force and frequency of the heartbeat pushing blood into the aorta. The result is a rhythmic sine wave that in turn amplifies the sound volume of the heart three times. This then amplifies the frequency of brainwave output. The film surrounding the brain—the dura—and fluid between that film and the skull, eventually begin to move up and down, by .0005 and .010 millimeters.
The body, based on its own micro-motions, then functions as a tuned vibrational system. The report claims that the entire body eventually transfers energy at between 6.8 and 7.5 Hertz, which matches Earth’s own energy (7 - 7.5 Hertz). The resulting wavelengths are long, about 40,000 kilometers, which also happens to be the perimeter of the planet. According to Bentov, the signal can move around the world’s electrostatic field in 1/7th of a second.
To recap, the Gateway Process goes like this:
• Induced state of calm
• Blood pressure lowers
• Circulatory system, skeleton and other organ systems begin to vibrate at 7 - 7.5 cycles per second
• Increased resonance is achieved
• The resulting sound waves matches the electrostatic field of the earth
• The body and earth and other similarly tuned minds become a single energy continuum.
We’ve gotten slightly ahead of ourselves here though. Back to the drawing board.
A psycho-quantum level deeper
Wayne then turns to the very nature of matter and energy. More materially (or less if you will), solid matter in the strict construction of the term, he explains, doesn’t exist. The atomic structure is composed of oscillating energy grids surrounded by other oscillating energy grids at tremendous speeds. These oscillation rates vary—the nucleus of an atom vibrates at 10 to the power of 22, a molecule vibrates at 10 to the power of 9, a human cell vibrates at 10 to the power of 3. The point is that the entire universe is one complex system of energy fields. States of matter in this conception then are merely variations in the state of energy.
The result of all these moving energies, bouncing off of energy at rest, projects a 3D mode, a pattern, called a hologram, A.K.A our reality as we experience it. It's best to think of it as a 3D photograph. There’s a whole rabbit hole to go down here. Suffice it to say, the hologram that is our experience is incredibly good at depicting and recording all the various energies bouncing around creating matter. So good, in fact, that we buy into it hook, line, and sinker, going so far as to call it our "life."
Consciousness then can be envisaged as a 3D grid system superimposed over all energy patterns, Wayne writes. Using mathematics, each plane of the grid system can then reduce the data to a 2D form. Our binary (go/no go) minds can then process the data and compare it to other historical data saved in our memory. Our reality is then formed by comparisons. The right hemisphere of the brain acts as the primary matrix or receptor for this holographic input. The left hemisphere then compares it to other data, reducing it to its 2D form.
In keeping with our species' commitment to exceptionalism, as far as we know humans are uniquely capable of achieving this level of consciousness. Simply, humans not only know, but we know that we know. This bestows upon us the ability to duplicate aspects of our own hologram, project them out, perceive that projection, run it through a comparison with our own memory of the hologram, measure the differences using 3D geometry, then run it through our binary system to yield verbal cognition of the self.
The click-out phase
Wayne then shows his cards as a true punisher, issuing, "Up to this point our discussion of the Gateway process has been relatively simple and easy to follow. Now the fun begins." Shots fired, Wayne. What he's preparing the commander reading this heady report for is the reveal—how we can use the Gateway to transcend the dimension of spacetime.
Time is a measurement of energy or force in motion; it is a measurement of change. This is really important. For energy to be classified as in motion, it must be confined within a vibratory pattern that can contain its motion, keeping it still. Energy not contained like this is boundary-less, and moves without limit or dimension, to infinity. This disqualifies boundary-less energy from the dimension of time because it has no rate of change. Energy in infinity, also called "the absolute state," is completely at rest because nothing is accelerating or decelerating it—again, no change. It therefore does not contribute to our hologram, our physical experience. We cannot perceive it.
Now back to frequencies. Wave oscillation occurs because a wave is bouncing between two rigid points of rest. It's like a game of electromagnetic hot potato (the potato being the wave and the participants' hands being the boundaries of the wave). Without these limits, there would be no oscillation. When a wave hits one of those points of rest, just for a very brief instant, it "clicks out" of spacetime and joins infinity. For this to occur, the speed of the oscillation has to drop below 10 the power of -33 centimeters per second. For a moment, the wave enters into a new world. The potato simply disappears into a dimension we cannot perceive.
Theoretically speaking, if the human consciousness wave pattern reaches a high enough frequency, the “click-outs” can reach continuity. Put another way, if the frequency of human consciousness can dip below 10 to the power of 33 centimeters per second but above a state of total rest, it can transcend spacetime. The Gateway experience and associated Hemi-Sync technique is designed for humans to achieve this state and establish a coherent pattern of perception in the newly realized dimensions.
Passport to the hologram
In theory, we can achieve the above at any time. The entire process though is helped along if we can separate the consciousness from our body. It’s like an existential running head start where the click-out of a consciousness already separated from its body starts much closer to, and has more time to dialogue with, other dimensions.
This is where things get a little slippery; hold on as best you can. The universe is in on the whole hologram thing, too, Wayne writes. This super hologram is called a "torus" because it takes the shape of a fuck-off massive self-contained spiral. Like this:
Give yourself a moment to let the above motion sink in...
This pattern of the universe conspicuously mirrors the patterns of electrons around the nucleus of an atom. Galaxies north of our own are moving away from us faster than the galaxies to the south; galaxies to the east and west of us are more distant. The energy that produced the matter that makes up the universe we presently enjoy, will turn back in on itself eventually. Its trajectory is ovoid, also known as the cosmic egg. As it curls back on itself it enters a black hole, goes through a densely packed energy nucleus then gets spat out the other side of a white hole and begins the process again. Springtime in the cosmos, baby!
And that is the context in which the Gateway Experience sits.
[Deep breaths.]
THE TECHNIQUE
The following is an outline of the key steps to reach focus levels necessary to defy the spacetime dimension. This is an involved and lengthy process best attempted in controlled settings. If you’re in a rush, you can apparently listen to enough Monroe Institute Gateway Tapes in 7 days to get there.
The Energy Conversion Box: The Gateway Process begins by teaching the subject to isolate any extraneous concerns using a visualization process called “the energy conversion box.”
Resonant Humming: The individual is introduced to resonant humming. Through the utterance of a protracted single tone, alongside a chorus on the tapes, the mind and body achieve a state of resonance.
The Gateway Affirmation: The participant is exposed to something close to a mantra called The Gateway Affirmation. They must repeat to themselves variations of, “I am more than a physical body and deeply desire to expand my consciousness.”
Hemi-Sync: The individual is finally exposed to the Hemi-Sync sound frequencies, and encouraged to develop a relationship with the feelings that emerge.
Additional Noise: Physical relaxation techniques are practiced while the Hemi-Sync frequencies are expanded to include “pink and white” noise. This puts the body in a state of virtual sleep, while calming the left hemisphere and raising the attentiveness of the right hemisphere.
The Energy Balloon: The individual is then encouraged to visualize the creation of an “energy balloon” beginning at the top of the head, extending down in all directions to the feet then back up again. There are a few reasons for this, the main one being that this balloon will provide protection against conscious entities possessing lower energy levels that he or she may encounter when in the out-of-body state.
Focus 12: The practitioner can consistently achieve sufficient expanded awareness to begin interacting with dimensions beyond their physical reality. To achieve this state requires conscious efforts and more “pink and white noise” from the sound stream.
Tools: Once Focus 12 is achieved, the subject can then employ a series of tools to obtain feedback from alternate dimensions.
Problem Solving: The individual identifies fundamental problems, fills their expanded awareness with them, and then projects them out into the universe. These can include personal difficulties, as well as technical or practical problems.
Patterning: Consciousness is used to achieve desired objectives in the physical, emotional, or intellectual sphere.
Color Breathing: A healing technique that revitalizes the body’s energy flows by imagining colors in a particularly vivid manner.
Energy Bar Tool: This technique involves imagining a small intensely pulsating dot of light that the participant charges up. He or she then uses the sparkling, vibrating cylinder of energy (formerly known as the dot) to channel forces from the universe to heal and revitalize the body.
Remote Viewing: A follow-on technique of the Energy Bar Tool where the dot is turned into a whirling vortex through which the individual sends their imagination in search of illuminating insights.
Living Body Map: A more organized use of the energy bar in which streams of different colors flow from the dot on to correspondingly-colored bodily systems.
Seven days of training have now occurred. Approximately 5 percent of participants get to this next level, according to the report.
Focus 15 - Travel Into the Past: Additional sound on the Hemi-Sync tapes includes more of the same, plus some subliminal suggestions to further expand the consciousness. The instructions are highly symbolic: time is a huge wheel, in which different spokes give access to the participant’s past.
Focus 21 - The Future: This is the last and most advanced state. Like Focus 15, this is a movement out of spacetime into the future.
Out-of-Body Movement: Only one tape of the many is devoted to out-of-body movement. This tape is devoted to facilitating an out-of-body state when the participant’s brain wave patterns and energy levels reach harmony with the surrounding electromagnetic environment. According to Bob Monroe, the participant has to be exposed to Beta signals of around 2877.3 cycles per second.
CONCLUSIONS
Wayne expresses concern about the fidelity of information brought back from out-of-body states using the Gateway technique. Practical applications are of particular concern because of the potential for “information distortion.”
The Monroe Institute also ran into a bunch of issues in which they had individuals travel from the West to the East Coast of the U.S. to read a series of numbers off of a computer screen. They never got them exactly right. Wayne chalks this up to the trouble of differentiating between physical entities and extra-time-space dimensions when in the out-of-body state.
Wayne swings back to support mode though, lending credence to the physics foundation of the report. He cites multiple belief systems that have established identical findings. These include the Tibetan Shoug, the Hindu heaven of Indra, the Hebrew mystical philosophy, and the Christian concept of the Trinity. Here he seems more interested in hammering home the theoretical underpinnings that make The Gateway Experience possible, rather than the practical possibilities promised by The Gateway Tapes.
Possibly with his CIA top brass audience in mind, Wayne then gives an A-type nod to The Gateway Experience for providing a faster, more efficient, less subservient, energy-saving route to expanded consciousness. This finishes with a series of recommendations to the CIA for how to exploit Gateway’s potential for national defense purposes.
The missing page
One curious feature of The Gateway Report is that it seems to be missing page 25. It’s a real cliffhanger too. The bottom of page 24 reads “And, the eternal thought or concept of self which results from this self-consciousness serves the,” The report picks back up on page 26 and 3 sections later as if Wayne hadn’t just revealed the very secret of existence.
The gap has not gone unnoticed. There's a Change.org petition requesting its release. Multiple Freedom of Information Act requests have demanded the same. In all cases, the CIA has said they never had the page to begin with. Here’s a 2019 response from Mark Lilly, the CIA’s Information and Privacy Coordinator, to one Bailey Stoner regarding these records:
One theory goes that that rascal Wayne M.-fricking-McDonnell left the page out on purpose. The theory contends that it was a litmus test—if anyone truly defies time-space dimensions, they’ll certainly be able to locate page 25.
[Cosmic shrug.]
Writing Credit Vice
​
CIA Declassified Report– The Gateway Experience
Here is a copy of the Missing Page 25
There will be a Gateway Help Post following within the next few days. Thought you might be interested in a little background history in the meantime. Cheers!

Recently “diagnosed” (quite literally officially this morning) after it was seen on an MRI and a complex cyst on an ultrasound. Talking to my OB and she gave me a ton of information. I recently went off birth control at the direction of my neurologist due to a specific condition and I immediately started having weird and painful symptoms. I at first thought it was just my body trying to get back to “normal” after taking the pill for over 10 years. Nope. 🙃
Like I said my OB gave me a ton of info on medications, and also brought up a laparoscopic surgery which from my little research is the real way to diagnose. She said she would like to start me on a medication/birth control and also do the surgery.
I guess I’m posting because I am so, so lost. I don’t know anyone in my life who has endometriosis so I’m very lost on what to do or where to even start. I’ve also never had surgery before. If anyone has any suggestions or advice or things that helped you, I would be super appreciative of it! I joined a couple FB groups a couple days ago once I read my results and saw what they said and have been kind of looking through those posts plus the community info on here and they’ve been helpful so far but I’m still just.. lost. I have an appointment in a month with her where I can come back and discuss what I would like to do. Thanks in advance for any direction 🫶 I’ll post my ultrasound results and MRI results below too if that’s important at all. Not looking for a diagnosis obvi just didn’t know if it’s important!
MRI results (only including necessary info as it was on my lower spine): Possible dermoid or endometrioma versus hemorrhagic follicle within the right aspect of the pelvis, suboptimally assessed. Pelvic ultrasound or Pelvic MRI could further characterize, as deemed clinically appropriate.
US: RT. OVARY: 4.76 x 3.47 x 3.85 cm
Anechoic cyst containing internal daughter cyst: 2.67 x 2.20 x 2.00 cm
Complex cyst with internal possible solid component: 3.26 x 2.59 x 2.81 cm
LT. OVARY: 3.11 x 1.74 x 1.50 cm Unremarkable
Small amount of pelvic free fluid seen adjacent to right ovary and within left adnexa
Fimbriae seen moving in left adnexa ?within free fluid vs. minor hydrosalpinx

Gullible-Soft-8628:
Dec 18, 2022

Lower back pain related to PVPS? Same side as my bad ball with epididymis inflamed with fluid .. every so often I get lower back and abdomen pain. Is it related or do I just suck?

I had same thing, very related. I recommend NO Vasectomy, and get a reversal ASAP. I am 3+ months post reversal, 95% relief from pain, 100% relief from brain fog and low drive issues.
https://www.reddit.com/postvasectomypain/comments/yvgw6x/lower_back_pain_related_to_pvps/j0sb6f1/
I recommend a reversal ASAP. Dr Hickman recommended minimum of 6 month wait. Heavy, congested feeling, orgasms were pitiful, brain fog, low back pain. Had a reversal September, as of Dec 18, 95% pain relief and feel continuing improvement. Brain fog gone, orgasms back to normal, drive is good again. I recommend Dr Hickman from New Braunfels TX. Professional and economical, $3200 versus the 8 to 10k that most of the others will charge
https://www.reddit.com/postvasectomypain/comments/znmezh/how_long_would_you_wait_post_vasectomy_to/j0sc7wz/
Another testimony... I suffered 6 months until i got the reversal. I am 3+ months post-reversal. Thank God I am Almost 100% pain-free, much better frame of mind, back to jogging, cycling, and hiking with my family. I know this isn't the cure for everyone, but it would definitely be my first choice.
Be prepared for roller-coaster healing process though, the first 2 months post reversal were rough, up and down, but its leveled out big time.
Don't give up hope, there's better days ahead
https://www.reddit.com/postvasectomypain/comments/zfad7z/deleted_by_usej0sdbb1/
Highly recommend a reversal asap if you're having pvps, its the best chance to get back to original. Vasectomy is a disaster, don't do it, its not worth the risk
https://www.reddit.com/queensland/comments/zlfdg9/metrocentre_vasectomy_redoreversal_for_pvps/j0ws43
Back to jogging, lifting, playing with my children, etc.
https://www.reddit.com/queensland/comments/zlfdg9/metrocentre_vasectomy_redoreversal_for_pvps/j0wsg91/
I second the recommendation to NOT perform surgery on genitals... too many nerve endings down there
https://www.reddit.com/postvasectomypain/comments/vccbzq/pvps_for_years_now_and_still_pain_post_reversal/j0wu2q6/
Maybe some can handle the pvps better than I could, it was devastating. Not many people write back in on blogs like this after-the-fact, you just happy to get beyond. Life can get back to normal. Its condoms and all that again, but 1000 x rather this than live with depression, pain, and a 10lb weight between my legs. A reversal was a lot of ups and downs the first 2 months for me, but thank God I'm living pain free and feeling terrific at 3 months post... If you need to wait a while, hang in there, better days ahead!
https://www.reddit.com/postvasectomypain/comments/znmezh/how_long_would_you_wait_post_vasectomy_to/j11lxud/
I can post a positive. Had pvps kick in at 2 months. I hung on doing exercises, antibiotics, everything 'conservative' in the books with no success. Had a reversal at 6 months, September 2022, am feeling 100% better. I know its not 100% for everyone, but its the best bet, get things back to as 'original' as possible. Lots of ups and downs the first 2 to 3 months post reversal, but never as bad as the pvps
https://www.reddit.com/postvasectomypain/comments/zep1fx/did_a_reversal_make_your_pain_worse/j11n86s/
Real results are closer 1 in 20 will suffer pvps. I had a reversal 6 months later... 6 months of sheer misery. If you are the 1, it will ruin your life. Look up the pvps blogs on reddit, PVPS is VERY UNDERRATED. But then again 19 out of 20 get away with it and are super happy. your choice, but most vasectomy doctors won't tell you the real risks
https://www.reddit.com/Vasectomy/comments/zkmcxu/have_consult_scheduled_this_week_but_pvps_odds_of/j11p6i3/
Dr Marks has good referrals. Dr Hickman in New Braunfels Texas did my reversal, very happy with his work. 3+ months post reversal and pretty much back to normal, thank God.
Dont figure on pvps going away on its own, never heard of it getting better by itself. But maybe there are some who don't write about it
https://www.reddit.com/postvasectomypain/comments/yonicu/does_anyone_have_pvps_like_this/j11q2qe/
Pvps pain was bottom of testicles radiating up in to abdomen. Days of laying in bed, couldn't walk at times, heavy, congested feeling, lots of brain fog and depression.
Reversal pain was Swelling, bruising, like the inside of the whole scrotum was sore when i moved. That pain took a month to leave. Then i had the heavy congested feelings from time to time, but less each time and further apart. Almost like the congested epididymus took time to empty out?? I don't know. I'm still tender at 3.5 months, had 3 long days on the road this past week and today i had to take ibuprofen to keep going. But this is the first pain in weeks, the trend is definitly going right at this point... still praying for 100% healing but much better than pre-reversal. But i'm just one story... wish you the best
https://www.reddit.com/postvasectomypain/comments/zep1fx/did_a_reversal_make_your_pain_worse/j1f5xxa/
Metadata:
ID: 3868d1b7
Name: Gullible-Soft-8628
Vasectomy Date: 2022-03
Source: reddit
Posted: 2022-12-18
Location: USA
Storycodes: LTP,SGR,LL,OTR,DC,PYH
Reversal Date: 2022-09
Months: 8
Resolved: Yes

I felt myself getting a little heated in today's CASA group discussions about "trauma." For every 10 times you'll hear that word, "resilience" will come up maybe once. I think most of us are aware of how arm-chairy and buzzworthy trauma and therapy have become. It's one of the latest cultural trends that facilitate a fluidity to presumed-more-informed conversation, without the practice of developing finer lines of understanding and distinction.
On the basis of your invocation of "trauma" you can rush to provide "help" and "services" and begin blaming an incredible amount of "mental health issues" or "unresolved childhoods." It's literally the cliche of a freshman's behavior after enrolling in their first college psychology course on blast. They've already invoked unsubstantiated pseudo-science and pop-culture explicitly not psychology as tools to provide frameworks for understanding your families. When someone infers substance abuse from a story just because the accusation was levied or any kind of drug was referenced at any level, their conclusions or assumptions go unchecked. It's predictably baking a recipe for an unnecessary mess on top of whatever the family is going through.
You can feel the tension every time you speak in "checking" ways. This happens to me routinely. One of the presenters spoke to the biased and incomplete ways that foster parents or aggravated family members might speak to the nature of the case or anyone's character. I pointed out that case managers can leave out details and massage stories to fit their ends as well. That got ignored and we moved right along. It's a real concern, and you need to know how to protect your relationship with someone who might be specifically directed to undermine your effort to advocate with the evidence.
But it doesn't feel "pleasant" or "decent" when you "want to believe the best" about your colleagues. Is it less true? Absolutely not. I was literally forced into that position from predatory supervisors and watched dipshit coworkers skip along those disingenuous lines without hesitation. Anecdotes fawning over better-inclined and capable FCMs do nothing to erase that.
So I started thinking about "discomfort" broadly. Another concept that's been wholesale abused. We needed to be way too on guard for what or whether we said might be a "micro aggression" or would cause someone to feel "unsafe" or "uncomfortable." Again, our pop psychology and propensity to overstate the noisiest out-ragers, made it so critical thinking and doubt became sinful in and of themselves. Facts don't matter in that space. "Being heard" is afforded only if you're claiming victimhood, but then, only victimhood of a certain type. The own-goal that is reactionary politics when you forgo any genuine attempt at taking someone's, almost certainly mostly irrational but nonetheless real, concern seriously is the ongoing consequence we get to suffer.
I think the more you practice observing conversational patterns, word choices, and trends, you can start to see previously "abstract" things considerably more acutely. One thing I notice is a propensity for "moving right along." I don't care what the topic is, there's a "normal" pace and pater that is preferred. Violate that, and it's time to move on. Point out the failings of the people you're supposed to trust most or even ingratiate yourself to? Let's move right along into the next module, as we all know there's nothing much more to say about that.
Another pattern I notice is the "taken aback pause." It's not precisely a reaction to being "offended," but it's a stark enough detail or way of relaying information that who you're speaking with was not prepared to engage that intensely. If they're quick, it'll be a brink-of-condescending acknowledgement before moving-right-along, or if they're not quick, it'll be a placating obfuscating of what you said to "even things out."Again, these are imprecise norms of conversational behavior around the particulars of one culture at one point in time, but they're real and of consequence whether or not you can see them.
When we use the word "bias," we let ourselves off the hook on the myriad ways it manifests. We let "bias" obscure in the opposite way that we let "trauma" obscure. Trauma is abused to over-explain what should be considered a necessary series of responses or consequences. Bias is abused to overlook how deeply it colors your propensity to engage that over-explaining behavior. You are biased, first and foremost, to your subjective experience of reality. In my experience, almost no one is that clued into their own flow of experience. Even the ones that are, or are showing the most growth and evidence, struggle, and will struggle indefinitely. This includes myself.
That's the point, though. You need the struggle to keep your wits about you. You need appropriate stressors against the things that will help you grow and incorporate. By definition, norms put that insistence to the side so we can all find a baseline mutual understanding to move right along down. The more cliched you sound, if you don't have a reflex to pause and pull back, the more you're training yourself to believe and act on "just whatever it is you say." You're a circular and totalitarian monster by default.
Add to that, you may not have any real ability or willingness to recognize how many cliches you truly are under the spell of. This is what the unironic attempts around discussions of "privilege" do a generally miserable job of explaining. We all have privileges up and down hierarchies and competencies and dozens of other metrics we fluidly transition through all day. None are necessarily going to jar you awake or indicate there's anything worth examining on their own. Your cohort speaks your language. Your education taught you the "right" things. Your hobbies and interests conform to a person of your state and stature. "It's just how things are done."
This provokes people's insecurity as a standing state of a lack of readiness. When you poke people, you'll find they don't have "real" reasons for their behavior, beliefs, or words. It's all been handed to them. They're a series of unconscious forces they're more or less molding to because that's how our brains work. Your brain doesn't care what it forms a pattern around, just that it can do so. There's survival reasons for this, as well as a story of basic capacities to function regardless of the nature of the environment that's all-but certain to otherwise kill you if you can't figure it out.
I, routinely, provoke that insecurity. I've learned to show considerably less ambivalence about the person after they've been provoked, but it happens just as an ongoing and predictable course of my practice. This is my practice. I analyze. I pull back. I try to identify and speak to patterns, even if they're abstract, but certainly concrete enough for me to anticipate them and work with or around them. I know what kind of response I need built into what I can reliably anticipate is going to be yours. I know how to piss off and get ignored by "the internet," and I know how to illicit a thousand likes. What's important to me is that I'm speaking as closely to my real perspective or agenda as possible, and not being driven by an elusive brain chemical game subject to the mercy of algorithms or inarticulate desires to unhealthily fit in.
I want to fit in, but with an ever-winnowing type of person. I want to be less-wrong in the information I share, but not at the expense of someone's capacity to hear it or learn from it if I can't be bothered to temper how I say it. I want to grow in my capacity to accept people, but not at the expense of their obligation to better account for and relay their own experience. I've been told my whole life that I'm not allowed to expect the same things from other people as I might of myself. I think this is fundamentally wrong and condescending. I think I should maintain the expectation while doing everything in my power to reduce the barriers to any one person getting to whatever heights you think I've managed or been born with.
Here again, we stay lost. How do you remove barriers you can't see or might even be dispositionally against even acknowledging can exist altogether? How many "boot straps" types can even be bothered to acknowledge the impact of the villages they're living in? How many "deeply empathic" people would entertain pairing their sensibilities to the word "toxic" under any circumstance? It's pretty easy, now, for me to see when my forthright manner acts as too blunt an instrument. Can you see where your baseline disposition and sympathies cloud your judgment and capacity to act more accountably?
I feel like "accountable" itself is poorly understood. Just count! Count the disquieting contradictory thought. Count the intensity, frequency, and severity of the feelings. Count the attempts to mitigate or times you recognized forgoing to do so. Accountability doesn't mean wildly wielding an axe to bring down dramatic consequences upon everything and everyone that wasn't noticed until now. It's just asking yourself, over and over again, what can I control about this situation? What can I act on that speaks to my values and perception?
Let's take the real world example of me and Byron. I can't control his perception of what he thought he was doing in service to the kid. I can't control his awareness of any creeping mental health issues that might have arisen. I can't control whether or not he responds affirmatively to my new boundaries. I could control telling him what those boundaries were altogether, so I did. I can affirm that I'm only going to communicate along the lines that hopefully help the boundary conditions get met before I'm willing to get more colloquial or back to friendly. I can respect that he told me our friendship is "invaluable." I can't truthfully say I think we'd be using that word in a mutually understood way until I see practical, tangible effects upon my life that counteract where I feel I am as a direct result of my expression of friendship getting grossly taken advantage of.
Until then, I'll treat him like I would any client. Show me. I'll patiently-enough nod along, provide whatever perspective or reframe that I can, and remain open to demonstrated behavior changes. I don't have to throw myself back into his fire. If I'm going to claim a desire to protect and maintain genuine friendships or care for those in my life, I'm not going to treat myself with the ambivalence I see others suffer from themselves every day.
I choose that level of discomfort. I only mildly complain today, as it's gotten dramatically better, about doing things alone and never having anyone to hang out with. Byron was my go-to spot for killing time or hanging out. Not once in my free time have I said, "You know, fuck my boundary, let's hang out there!" How could I look myself in the mirror? How could I advocate for you establishing better boundaries with people in your life? How could I ignore what I would characterize as gleeful and willful defiance of doing "better" than playing out battered-wife excuse making? I will not play-act friendship with someone who can't be bothered to work as hard on themselves or in service to me as I've been for them. That's not the kind of friend I am, so it's not the one I'll let back in lightly.
What's normal, though? No matter how bad someone fucks you, forgive and pretend to forget, right? They're "family." Life's too short. It is what it is. They didn't mean to or weren't aware. That's not who they were in the past. Holding grudges is unhealthy. Your insecurities around being isolated or alone betray you. Your obligation to play along and appease your mutual network takes over. Whether any real healing or mutual understanding comes into the equation is perfectly mute because we need to just move right along and "love each other."
I watch that dance justify literally every conceivable level of atrocity. It is the exact same self-servicing motivatedly ignorant pattern. From your god's behavior right on down through your secret satisfaction and smirk at punishing your pet a little too aggressively just that one time. What you don't account for counts on you to carry out its consequences. And you are, every day, in big and small ways, and it's predictable and fixable, but only with stuff like this. You have to own it. You have to "yes, and" like it's an improv class. You have to perpetually entertain the thought that you are a misguided monster, but that fact doesn't have to dictate your behavior going forward nor need to illicit some special amount of stress or talking in circles.
Then you might have a prayer of genuinely helping anything, because you see how you're otherwise fucking it up within yourself. You can resist the insistence to move past meaningful details. You can point to specific repeatable demonstrations of your values. You can see other people responding to your confidence of relatable recognizable capacity, and not the shadow game of peacocking virtue signaling and mantra echoing.
I will spend thousands of dollars, use all my tools, and spend every waking hour I have trying to help. I think most people I've met would say the same thing. Who is actually doing so? And in service to whom? Do you trust what drives them? Do you see equitable put in get out dynamics? Or is it codepedence? Or insecurity? Or some noble story of infinite sacrifice and unconditional love?
I'm willing to set the conditions because I expect better than what's normal of and for myself. Were circumstances reversed, I wouldn't treat you as I've been treated, and most importantly, have the demonstrated behavior from myself to trust. I've spent the time and money. I've opened the conversations. I've challenged the mismanaged powers and privileges. I've risen to the challenge of creating circumstances that inch me closer to what I actually want or think is better versus what's expected of me. It never ends. Every second you pretend otherwise, you disappear, and I have to fit your abstract abdication into my specific constructs.

Picking up a WaterRower GX today. Comes with an A1 pro monitor. Does is this monitor sufficient for someone who is strictly using this for aerobic exercise. I don’t necessarily need it to be the most accurate from a distance standpoint, as long as it is consistent and can measure off it.

I grabbed MK1 whilst it was on sale and I’m loving it! I don’t play tonnes of fighting games so I’m 100% terrible at it, but I don’t mind losing and I’m having fun in online versus matches regardless.
This isn’t a ‘new player asks for advice’ post or anything, I just wanna know whether getting the hang of fluid combos and mastering the controls is something that comes with time.
In your guys’ opinions, do people get better with experience, or do you find some people just don’t ever “get” fighting games (if so, my win/lose is going to be sad for a LONG time). Thanks!

As the title says, I asked Windows Copilot to find the key problems with NBA2K and come up with a few solutions. This is what it said was the game's key issues

Key Problems

According to the data it used (consisting of player feedback and reviews)

1. Microtransactions: The game has been criticized for its heavy reliance on microtransactions, which are seen as essential to compete online1.
2. MyCareer Mode: While it has potential, the mode could better reward skill and effort rather than "open-wallet shortcuts".
3. Fast-Break Gameplay: This aspect of the game has been lacking for over a decade and still needs improvement.
4. Newcomer Experience: The game is not very welcoming to newcomers, which could be improved for broader appeal.
5. Online Tournaments: There is a lack of online tournaments with playoff brackets or seasons to use squads.

And these are the solutions that Copilot came up with:

1. Reduce Microtransactions: Make the game less dependent on in-game purchases. Provide more ways to earn competitive items through gameplay.
2. Enhance MyCareer Mode: Implement a system that rewards players based on their in-game performance and progression, not their spending.
3. Improve Fast-Break Dynamics: Work on the AI and mechanics to make fast-breaks more fluid and realistic.
4. New Player Onboarding: Create tutorials and beginner-friendly modes to help new players get accustomed to the game.
5. Introduce Online Leagues: Add structured online leagues with tournaments and seasons to enhance the competitive experience.

Let's break these down, shall we?

Reducing Microtransations

While we all know Take-Two ain't doing this under any circumstances (blame the whales just as much as you would blame Take-Two), here's what Copilot and I came up with to reduce microtransaction reliance

1. Balanced In-Game Economy:
   • Adjust Pricing: Reevaluate the cost of virtual currency (VC) and items. Make sure that the prices are reasonable and not excessively high.
   • Earning VC: Increase the ways players can earn VC through gameplay. Reward skill, performance, and achievements rather than just relying on purchases.
   • Daily Rewards: Implement daily login bonuses or challenges that grant VC. This encourages consistent play without pushing players toward microtransactions.
2. Transparency and Fairness:
   • Clear Information: Provide transparent information about what items can be obtained through gameplay versus microtransactions. Players should know what they can achieve without spending real money.
   • No Pay-to-Win: Avoid making microtransaction-exclusive items significantly better than what can be earned through regular play. Cosmetic items are fine, but gameplay advantages should not be locked behind paywalls.
3. Cosmetic Customization:
   • Expand Customization Options: Offer a wide range of cosmetic items (skins, hairstyles, tattoos, etc.) that players can purchase with VC. This allows personalization without affecting gameplay balance.
   • Unlockable Customization: Include unlockable customization options through achievements, challenges, or leveling up. This gives players goals to work toward.
4. Alternative Progression Paths:
   • Skill-Based Progression: Introduce skill-based progression systems. For example, players could earn attribute points based on their performance in games, which can be used to improve their player’s abilities.
   • Career Achievements: Tie microtransactions to optional shortcuts rather than necessities. For instance, players can choose to buy a skill boost or earn it through in-game achievements.
5. Community Feedback and Testing:
   • Engage with Players: Listen to community feedback regarding microtransactions. Regularly communicate with players through forums, social media, and surveys.
   • Beta Testing: Involve players in beta testing to identify any issues related to microtransactions early on. This helps ensure a fair and balanced system.

MyCareer Improvements

Again, while Take-Two won't likely implement these, here's what Copilot and I came up with:

1. Player Progression and Development:
   1. Attribute Upgrades: Streamline the process of upgrading player attributes by making it more intuitive and rewarding. Players should feel a sense of accomplishment as they improve their skills.
   2. Performance-Based Rewards: Tie attribute improvements directly to in-game performance. For example, hitting a series of three-pointers could lead to an increase in the three-point attribute.
   3. Diverse Challenges: Introduce a variety of challenges that cater to different playstyles and reward players with attribute points upon completion.
2. Narrative and Immersion:
   1. Dynamic Storylines: Create a more dynamic and responsive storyline that reacts to the player’s actions and decisions, providing a unique experience for each playthrough.
   2. Off-Court Activities: Expand off-court activities that impact player development and career trajectory. This could include training, endorsements, and personal life decisions.
3. Customization and Builds:
   1. Deeper Customization: Allow for deeper customization of player builds, including more options for physical attributes, skills, and playstyles.
   2. Template Builds: Offer a variety of template builds that players can choose from or modify, reflecting the styles of current NBA stars and legends.
4. Economic System:
   1. Balanced VC Earning: Adjust the virtual currency (VC) earning rates to ensure players can progress at a reasonable pace without feeling forced into microtransactions.
   2. Incentivize Skill: Reward players with VC for skillful play and reaching milestones, rather than just time spent in the game.
5. Accessibility and Difficulty:
   1. Newcomer Friendly: Offer tutorials and guidance for newcomers to help them understand the mechanics and strategies of basketball within MyCareer instead of just in the 2KU section.

Team Play Mode: An Upgraded Pro-Am mode.

This one was an idea I had in my head honestly, I'm glad Copilot also shared the same thoughts. It would work the same as Pro-Am, but with the following changes:

1. Player Classes and Customization:
   1. Specialized Player Classes: Introduce various player classes that cater to different playstyles, such as Sharpshooter, Playmaker, Defender, etc. Players will be able to pick from these and form a team with one player per class (to avoid a whole team of Sharpshooters. Copilot and I learned from Overwatch's whole Bridgitte situation). This would be independent from your MyPlayer build, so you can't bring your current build in the mode.
   2. Customizable Attributes: Allow players to customize their virtual athlete’s attributes and skills to fit their preferred role on the team. Your Pro-Am League build will be different from your MyCareer build, it will grow and get better as you play this mode.
2. Progression and Rewards:
   1. Skill Points and PlayStyles: Earn skill points through gameplay, which can be used to unlock new mode-specific PlayStyles, enhancing your character’s abilities. Once you max out a PlayStyle in Pro-Am League to 99 OVR, you'll unlock it for future MyPlayer Builds.
   2. Team Progression: As the team wins matches and climbs the ranks, unlock new customization options and rewards. These can range from Shoes in your teams colors, your team's jersey to wear outside the mode, etc.
3. Community and Social Features:
   1. Social Play: Encourage social play by allowing teams to set up friendly matches, tournaments, and special events. Start up rivalries with other teams or even try to recreate Kuroko no Basket if you wanna.
4. League System:
   1. Divisional Play: Similar to real-life conferences, teams can play within their divisions and qualify for playoffs and championships. Teams are sorted into "divisions" and play in inter-divisional tournaments, the team with the most points getting to play in the Season Championship game for various prizes (all cosmetic, but still pretty cool).
   2. Dynamic Leaderboards: Maintain dynamic leaderboards that display team rankings, player stats, and other achievements.
5. Events and Tournaments:
   1. In-Game Events: Host regular in-game events with unique themes and challenges that offer exclusive rewards.
   2. Official Tournaments: Partner with esports organizations to hold official NBA2K tournaments with significant prizes. They could even integrate it into the NBA2K League if they wanted to.

Miscellaneous Improvements:

1. Spectator Mode: Allow players to watch live Pro-Am Rec, Theater, or Park games as spectators. This promotes community engagement and provides entertainment. You can even put VC on it.
2. Fair Play Enforcement: Implement strict anti-cheating measures to maintain a level playing field. Detect and penalize cheaters.
3. Improved Anti-Cheat: This one is a no-brainer to stop the Zen and Titan users.
4. Stop porting to PC if you don't plan it to match the Next-Gen version: Self-explanatory. You have no excuse to match PC to Next-Gen.
5. In-Game Reporting: Again, self-explanatory

This is quite a lot I know. And just for transparency, these are nothing more than a list of things and AI came up with to improve this game of ours. If any of this stuff gets implemented, the River Styx will be a hockey arena for the Arizona Coyotes. Also, I'm putting this in a google doc and a word doc in case this gets deleted

I have been working in health care for the past 6-7 years. I was a CNA at a long term care facility in college and have worked as a medical surgical nurse in a hospital for almost 4 years now. I have grown from the anxious student who panicked when I was left alone in a patient room because something as simple as small talk felt overwhelming. I remember starting as a student nurse who didn't know the difference between senna and sinemet. Lately, nursing feels fluid and more like an extension of myself rather than a list of ever-growing boxes to tick off as complete.
I have started to become the nurse that some of the newer graduates come to with questions. I love that I often know the answers to their questions or that I can at least point them to the resources to find the answers. My first year of nursing was less than graceful. I can still feel the exhaustion, sensory/knowledge overload and fear of burn out that comes with learning how to be a nurse. I am extremely grateful for those special coworkers who helped me through difficult shifts and supported me. They were the true reason I grew to adore my career and it is thrilling to think that I could impact a baby nurse's career in a similar way. I love seeing my coworkers become more confident, competent and comfortable.
Seeing patients recover from injuries or illnesses over several days or weeks fulfills and recharges me. I know that my knowledge and labor contributed to their recovery and find the whole experience magical. I have a better sense for when to push a patient and encourage them to participate with physical therapy or just get out of bed and shower for the first time in days. A huge part of nursing relies on social skills and I feel so much more confident in my ability to connect and communicate with patients. Nothing feels better than figuring out what makes a grumpy old timer motivated and working toward that goal together. It can make them feel human again and gets them closer to discharge when I can make them laugh or feel hopeful. That is something that new grad me could never do. It has become almost second nature to me now and often is not a task that I need to constantly think or stress about after years of practice.
Even when patient outcomes are not ideal, I still know that my job is important and meaningful. Patients come to the hospital in miserable pain without any chance of recovering from a terminal illness. Hospice used to make me uncomfortable. After working with it for a while, I see the peace it can bring to both patients and families in difficult situations. I can hold someone's hand and spend a few minutes offering them comfort on what may be the worst day in their life. I can sit in silence so that they are not alone or just listen to them process emotions. I feel honored to be part of such an intimate and trying part of life for those I am meant to be taking care of. My loved ones can benefit from my experience with hospice and I can offer support through their bereavement. My own personal struggles with grief and loss have been soothed over the years as a result of working with hospice patients.
I have always loved my job more than I dread it, likely because I tend to see the world through rose colored glasses. More often than not, I walk away from a shift feeling proud and fulfilled. I truly feel happy to go to work most days and realize what a blessing it is to do something everyday that makes a difference in the world. I think that I have finally found an outstanding group of coworkers and hospital floor with a culture that supports each other. This is what has really made the difference in making most shifts good versus bad ones.
I know that every shift will not be good or even tolerable. Some shifts are so insane and impossible that I want nothing more than to drag my aching body into an isolated corner so that I can sit in silence until the incessant ringing and beeping and dinging quiets down and my melted brain can reform into a semisolid jiggling mass. In reality a quiet day at home and ice cream are often enough to help me reset myself. At least nursing has taught me to cope with such situations with dark humor and commiseration with coworkers.

Round 1, Pick 15 - Laiatu Latu, DE, UCLA:
NFL: The run on offensive players stops here with the Colts finding an explosive defender in Latu. It's not always about being the biggest and fastest player when it comes to pass rushers, as the UCLA product has mastered the artistry of getting to the quarterback with his first-step quickness and bag of pass-rush moves. His relentless motor should make him a handful for Indy’s opponents.
CBS Sports: B-. I think there were other options for them in this spot and better edge rushers in my mind. But Latu has good pass-rush skills, although there are some medical concerns. They do need edge-rush help.
ESPN: The Colts could have gone several directions with this pick, but they went with a player they had conviction about versus pinpointing a position of greater weakness. Indianapolis had significant pass-rush production last season, with 51 sacks. But instead of moving on to other areas of the roster, the Colts chose to bolster that unit with one of the most productive defensive players in this draft. The Colts are going to have a huge rotation of edge rushers and might even have to rethink a roster spot or two if there's a trade market. As for his past injury history, Latu said Washington's decision to not allow his return from neck surgery in 2020 "wasn't really handled in the best way.".
NFL Absolutely Not Fake News: Just wants to sit down and have five minutes to himself.
Round 2, Pick 52 - Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas:
NFL: After a mini-slide, Mitchell lands in a Colts offense in need of more firepower. He has the length and speed to be a vertical, jump-ball target for Anthony Richardson and showed a knack for clutch performances in college. Mitchell's lean build and his need for more refinement might cap his early-career production a bit, but he's well worth the risk here.
CBS Sports: A. Love this pick for Colts. Exactly the type they like. Size/speed/athleticism specimen. So fluid running routes. Just can have long stretches where he goes invisible. Very minimal YAC. An outside wideout who can win at second and third levels for Anthony Richardson.
ESPN: Unable to trade up for a receiver in the first round, the Colts traded back a few spots in the second and filled the need with an interesting player with significant upside. Mitchell joins a wide receiver unit in Indianapolis that already has several players with defined roles, so what impact he has as a rookie will depend on how quickly he earns playing time. At minimum, the Colts have increased the competition level at the position and, specifically, put pressure on third-year player Alec Pierce with another speedster in Mitchell who turned in a 4.34-second 40-yard dash at the NFL scouting combine.
NFL Absolutely Not Fake News: Bought himself one of those wacky arm inflatables with his first NIL check.
Round 3, Pick 79 - Matt Goncalves, OT, Pittsburgh:
NFL: Goncalves has played both OT spots, taken reps at center and could be tried at guard in Indy. He's a large-framed man with athletic limitations, but his fierce, disciplined style could make him a valuable super-sub on the O-line.
CBS Sports: A-. Has the frame to stick on the edge in the NFL. Impressive athlete for his size and makes a concerted effort to sink the pad level to not get out leveraged at the point of attack. Better in pass pro than for the run right now but the traits and nastiness shine.
ESPN: The Colts could have gone a number of other directions here, but they opted for offensive line depth despite having all five of their starters returning. Indianapolis traded up three spots to make this selection, suggesting they had targeted Goncalves on their draft board. The question remains as to what position he'll play, seeing how he was a full-time tackle during his college career but is viewed by many as a potential interior lineman.
NFL Absolutely Not Fake News: Swore he saw Elvis and Tupac at a Chipotle in New Mexico.
Round 4, Pick 117 - Tanor Bortolini, C, Wisconsin:
NFL: I like this pick for Chris Ballard and the Colts. Bortolini handled his own at the Senior Bowl, keeping his cool after a few defensive linemen tried to ruffle his feathers in some intense practice reps. Although he slipped through the cracks a bit, Bortolini has a chance to make it as a backup center and insurance for Ryan Kelly.
CBS Sports: C+. One of the freakiest athletes at the center spot in the class. Burst, bend, speed out on screens and reach blocks. That’s how he wins. Has to get drastically strong and hang onto blocks longer in the NFL. Hit or miss climbing to the second level. Arms are shorter. Upside is there but project-y. The type Indianapolis gravitates toward.
ESPN: The Colts' priorities, per usual, remain clear. They have always concentrated on the trenches, and they did it again here. Bortolini is the third lineman drafted by the Colts in their four picks, reinforcing general manager Chris Ballard's philosophy. Here, Bortolini gives the Colts additional offensive line depth and provides potentially reliable depth behind Pro Bowl center Ryan Kelly, who turns 31 next month.
NFL Absolutely Not Fake News: He claims to have a secret telepathic connection with llamas.
Round 5, Pick 142 - Anthony Gould, WR, Oregon State:
NFL: The Colts' search for playmaking potential continues. Gould is a home run threat who plays about as fast as any receiver not named Xavier Worthy in this class. He also brings punt-return ability.
CBS Sports: B-. Small, tiny radius track type. Really flies. May even play faster than his timed speed. Does a reasonable job making grabs through physicality but not a specialty. Overall YAC skill - - contact balance, cutting skill - - isn’t tremendous. But if he gets to green grass, he’s gone. Wants to get North-South. Vertical specialist.
ESPN: The Colts have now taken a couple swings at adding some juice at wide receiver with this pick and the selection of Adonai Mitchell in the second round. Gould projects as a return man for the Colts, especially given the coming shift with the changes on kickoffs planned for this fall. Gould averaged 18.3 yards per punt return in 2022, third best in the FBS subdivision. Gould had two punt-return touchdowns that season.
NFL Absolutely Not Fake News: Went on strict diet of red bull and sour skittles before the combine.
Round 5, Pick 151 - Jaylon Carlies, S, Missouri:
NFL: Notice the position. Carlies was a three-year starter at safety for the Tigers, but his pre-draft testing -- running a 4.5-second 40-yard dash at nearly 230 pounds -- had scouts scrambling back to the tape to see if a linebacker conversion was possible. The Colts clearly think so, and playing closer to the ball might help Carlies avoid some poor angles to the ball he took from deep safety alignments.
CBS Sports: B-. Enormous safety prospect. Would be sizable for the LB spot. And that’s essentially what he is. Labored-ish movements in coverage but showed nice hip flip when sinking. Really attacks run plays because he knows how imposing of a specimen he is. Just needs to play more under control to not miss as many tackles. Speed is good, not great. Length helps him get to the football when it’s in his target area.
ESPN: Carlies was a productive player at safety in college, but he projects as a linebacker in the Colts' defensive system. Indianapolis asks a great deal of its linebackers in pass coverage, so Carlies could be an ideal fit in that regard. The Colts had some success with a "tweener" last season with Ronnie Harrison Jr. shifting from safety to linebacker, so there is recent precedent for a move like this. The Colts' depth was also a little thin at linebacker, so this addresses a need and protects them in the case of injuries.
NFL Absolutely Not Fake News: [[Muffled scratching and scraping noises]].
Round 5, Pick 164 - Jaylin Simpson, S, Auburn:
NFL: Simpson figures to be tried as a nickel corner given his serious lack of length and bulk, and injuries complicate his forecast, but his terrific athleticism and versatility help his cause.
CBS Sports: A-. One of those pesky, always-around-the-football Auburn defensive backs we’ve seen enter the league over the past five-plus years. Serious suddenness at the safety spot and robs the middle of the field with plus instincts and ball skills. Big hitter with plus long speed despite skinny frame. Traits type with solid production.
ESPN: The Colts got themselves a possible free safety who snatched four interceptions for the Tigers last season and has played in numerous systems under various coordinators and possesses good range in coverage. Indianapolis has so far resisted the urge to address their secondary in free agency, so there exists the possibility for a rookie to come in and push for playing time alongside veteran strong safety Julian Blackmon.
NFL Absolutely Not Fake News: Pretends to be a character when he plays, Captain Insano is his favorite.
Round 6, Pick 201 - Micah Abraham, CB, Marshall:
NFL: Abraham has NFL bloodlines and outstanding production in college, not to mention nice athletic traits. He's yet another undersized nickel CB type, of which there are plenty in this class, but Abraham might be an ideal practice-squad candidate in Indy.
CBS Sports: C+. Reasonable size, bouncy in zone to make plays on the football. Spindly frame. Plenty of ball production. Athleticism will be tested at the next level. Good speed.
ESPN: The Colts have proceeded through this offseason as though they felt secure in their defensive backfield as presently constituted, despite its youth. But this is a pick that gives them a developmental piece to work with, even though Abraham is undersized and lacks ideal physical traits. His bloodlines are more than notable, however. His dad, Donnie, was a nine-year NFL cornerback and his cousin, Tim Jennings, made two Pro Bowls. Both played cornerback.
NFL Absolutely Not Fake News: Loves Synthwave when it gets increasingly more nostalgic.
Round 7, Pick 234 - Jonah Laulu, DT, Oklahoma:
NFL: Laulu might need a year of adding strength and mass, but his length and twitchy athleticism are plus qualities.
CBS Sports: C. Tall, somewhat sleek interior rusher with great length. Can occasionally win with first-step quicks but not a trademark, and he leans into offensive lineman, which can make him susceptible to beaten controlled. Pass-rush plans have to evolve.
ESPN: The Colts appear to be taking a flier on a player with physical traits they covet, a long interior defensive lineman who perhaps can provide depth behind the team's experienced veterans. Laulu played six years of college ball, spending the first four at Hawaii before transferring to Oklahoma.
NFL Absolutely Not Fake News: Wanted to be a skilled street fighter taking on the criminals across NYC.

I ( 24 Male, 175LB, 5 foot 9 in )got an MRI after having a shoulder injury for a little over 6 months. I was having re occurring dislocations & finally got approved for an MRI. The results came back Friday night & I have tried googling what is in the reports but I keep getting taken to more medical terminology that is way over my head. I messages my doctors but I don’t expect to get a reply until Tuesday & the anxiety is killing me so I’m looking for someone that can tell me what the report is saying in much simpler terminology & what the future may look like after this injury in rehabilitation, surgery, physical therapy. This is what the report says
Labrum: Tear of the anterior and anteroinferior labrum (6/17-19). smooth foramen Linear fluid signal within the anterosuperior labrum with margins (6/12-15), favored to represent a sublabral recess rather than tear.

1. No significant rotator cuff tendinopathy or tear as clinically queried.
2. Focal area of high-grade chondral thinning and fissuring along the superior and posterior superior humeral head with subchondral edema.
   
3. Mild marrow edema along the anatomic neck of the humerus and proximal metadiaphysis, which may represent bony contusion versus reactive or stress-related changes.
   
4. Anterior and anteroinferior labral tear.
   

Hey All
I’m newer to rowing, and found what I thought was a great deal on a WaterRower S3 in Cherry for $100CAD. Computer isn’t working, but I think I can just replace the battery compartment. But it also leaks, badly around the seal of the tank. Looks like there’s rust on some bolts so I’m assuming this was outside a bit.
Can you go about putting a better seal on it? I’m guessing a flex seal spray won’t do the trick?

QUESTION 1:
First off, when is su pronounced /su/ versus /sʷ/?
I ask because I was previously using a software known as Mango Languages, which seemed somewhat inconsistent with the way it was pronouncing it's SUs (for instance, they pronounced suus with /su/, but used /sʷ/ for suāsī). I am aware that different people pronounce Latin differently, so it doesn't surprise me that some people would pronounce su with a /ʷ/ sound and others wouldn't. However, what did surprise me is that a single person or software would pronounce su's different depending on the word. Assuming this is not a Mango-exclusive thing that nobody else does, what is the difference between suus and suāsī? Why are they pronounced differently in this way?
QUESTION 2:
Second, I know that vowels followed by other vowels make the first one have a long quality (e.g., in mea, the e has the quality of ē, but the length of e), but what about multiple of the same vowel? For the -iī word ending I believe I already got my answer from this post, specifically u/astrognash's comment, which was:

"You make the "-i-" sound twice. Note that, in English, our natural tendency is to separate the two "-i-" sounds with what's called a "glottal stop"—you probably experience this as kind of a catch in the upper part of your throat between the two letters. This is probably not how the Romans would have separated the letters—it should be more fluid. We even have inscriptional evidence where sometimes words that we know end in "-ii" get written out just as "-i", which tells us that for at least some segment of the population, this was pronounced in a way that was difficult to hear as two separate letters."

Do correct me please if that comment is incorrect in any way, but this is what I'm going off of for now (I will note that he didn't say what quality to make the first i, but based on the way Mango pronounced it, I'm pronouncing it /ɪ/ then /i:/, but with no glottal stop between the two).
However, what about words like periisse, where the two ii's are in the middle of the word? Is the first i pronounced with a long or short quality? And -uum? With which quality and length is the first vowel pronounced? (Currently I'm just been using short i's for both with periisse, and long quality for the first u in -uum)
QUESTION 3:
Lastly, is the short a ever pronounced differently in different parts of the word? Mango sometimes uses /ə/ for the ending -a in a word (e.g., with fēmina, they’ll pronounce it /feːmɪnə/), but pronounce the a’s in amat with /ɑ/
Same question with the letter u: why does Mango pronounce the u in ut with a schwa (/ə/), but pronounce the u in Gallus as /ʊ/?
Anyway, any help with these questions would be greatly appreciated.

SpoileCW: Mentions of possible infant loss and brief mention of past abuse. This graduation has a very happy ending, but it's been a long three weeks and nothing went quite as expected. I hope everyone is strapped in and ready for a novel.
Please, anyone who reads this, consider my PSA at the end. I never, ever want another mother to experience what I've gone through. What my husband and family has gone through due to sheer ignorance on my part.
My induction was scheduled at 39+6 for 4/20/2024. Har har. We came to the hospital bright and early, 5:00am. Got hooked up and took first dose of cytotec around 7:00am. Started the various laboring positions, epidural was given around 9:00am and second dose of cytotec was given some time after that. Foley balloon went in, felt none of it. Soooo much better than my first induction experience where I felt everything. I opted for no pain management the first time around... with pitocin. I chose differently this time. 😂
I'd say about three hours after starting that pitocin drip the contractions started up in earnest. I felt none of it for a while, then the epidural ran out. Whew boy when I tell you those contractions hit HARD they friggin did. My OB had placed a sensor inside my cervix to measure the strength of my contractions at that point. They were literally off the charts, and I was very calmly, yet urgently requesting my epidural to be refilled and flushed lol. Husband was holding my hand and guiding me through each contraction, he was incredible. Finally got that refill and ahhhhh.... sweet relief. Although my legs (particularly the left one) was absolute dead weight, I had zero problems pushing. I felt no pain, just pressure, and watched our baby girl enter this world via mirror. The experience was amazing and such a stark difference from my first birth. It was so beautiful I started weeping while she was crowning. My doctor and nurses all asked if I was alright, if I felt any pain, and all I could say was "I'm just so happy!" They all laughed and smiled, encouraged me to keep pushing and out she came. Maybe twenty minutes of pushing at most. Wasn't as hard to do with the epidural as I anticipated, I think because I knew how to push being a STM.
Baby girl was 7lbs, 7oz and 20" exactly. Perfect all around. Born with a full head of hair.
Sadly, this is where the experience gets intense. I had what I believed to be an ingrown hair or boil on the outside of my right labia. My OB had seen it earlier that week during my 39 week check up, offered to biopsy but was also under the impression it was just a weird haicyst type thing. During labor, they paint you down with prep (betadine I think?)so she was able to see it more clearly without my pubic hair obscuring it. It concerned her enough she asked to take a biopsy, I agreed as I was numb and trust her entirely. A few days later the pathology came back and it was awful news. Positive for HSV.
By some bizarre twist of fate, we were stuck in the hospital due to a round of testing on me for strange symptoms I developed my second night in the hospital including facial numbness. We had to wait nearly 18 hours for an MRI after they ruled out stroke and a bunch of other terrifying things. This wait kept us in the hospital and according to the neonatalist, may have saved our baby's life. As we were moments from being discharged, a nurse hurried into the room and shared my results with me. My OB had been frantically trying to get the info in to the L&D team and neonatalist, who called me moments later and delivered news that shattered me to my core. He was returning to the hospital immediately, told us we couldn't leave as if our baby tested positive for HSV an infection could result in a 60-70% mortality rate.
My heart sank into the ground. I began sobbing. My husband was in shock and I completely lost my mind. I was so horrified and repulsed by myself I couldn't even touch my own baby. Nurses came in and comforted me, they immediately took our baby to NICU to start testing and I was utterly devastated. I thought I had unwittingly killed our baby. The neonatalist came in the room, the nurses surrounded me and explained that this happens frequently, shockingly. Many people have no idea they carry HSV and breakouts don't always happen consistently. I can count what I now know as breakouts as maybe nine incidents, which occurred over the course of thirteen years. Sadly, I know exactly where the HSV came from as I was abused as a young teen/preteen. The rage and sick I felt was unparalleled to anything I've ever felt before. The doctor assured me that everything was going to be alright, that thankfully we caught this before going home and the baby was showing no signs of infection yet. He needed to perform several tests including skin, blood and spinal which sent me over the edge again. I couldn't bear the thought of our three day old baby being subjected to such things. He told us if all results were negative, it was a ten day NICU stay with antiviral drip for her then she'd be released. Worst case scenario it was in her spinal fluid which would be a 21 day stay and hoping she never presented symptoms.
Waiting for those results was the longest three days of my entire life. I was a zombie. My husband and I went home, I pumped milk like mad and visited our baby often. As did he. Having to explain to family and our daughter what happened was like twisting the knife every. Single. Time. I barely ate or slept. My husband was so very supportive, never held an ounce of anger or accusation against me. He knew where this came from too and only held anger for the shithead who harmed me as a child.
The guilt was so very strong, and in spite of so many nurses, doctors and family members telling me there was no need to feel that way, I couldn't help it. If only I hadn't been so ignorant, if only I had asked for a closer look the week before giving birth, if only if only. Thankfully my support network rallied and kept me from truly diving into the deep end. I focused on pumping for our baby and kept talking about every feeling I was experiencing. By Thursday of that week we finally got our results, all negative.
I cried with joy. I felt as if we experienced a miracle. I cannot speak of the NICU team highly enough. They were literal angels, and the doctor was a godsend.
My birth experience that was so beautifully perfect had been tainted, stolen and dark for me. Now I could let that go and rejoice in the fact we'd be bringing our baby girl home.
We brought her home on May 3rd. She was born April 20th, 7:58pm. One day before becoming two weeks old. She took to nursing like she had been doing it the whole time. She's gaining weight and perfectly healthy. She turned three weeks yesterday and just started smiling in response to ours. I feel so utterly blessed and fortunate that everything is going to be alright.
Please, if you suspect at all you may have a lesion or strange rash while pregnant, get tested for HSV. HSV is herpes. The common one that causes cold sores is just as deadly to infants as genital herpes. I had no idea and felt so stupid for not knowing what was happening to my own body. That I carried this for years without knowing. My breakouts were isolated to one lesion at a time, spaced between years. At least one year between incidents. Everyone's experience with the virus can be different and many are asymptomatic, which makes conventional testing a challenge. C-section can keep your baby safe versus vaginal delivery. There are ways to prevent what happened to me and you can absolutely have a healthy pregnancy with the virus. So long as you receive preventative care.
PSA over, lol.
Now I'm off to enjoy the wee one and cherish my little family. Happy Mother's Day, thanks for reading this far. I wish you all perfect health and deliveries. ❤️

Hello community,
I want to purchase a rower for my home gym and am overwhelmed with all the options. With the research I’ve done it’s down to WaterRower vs Ergatta. I am NOT sold on the games etc for Ergatta so waterRower it is. Which one do I get???
I’ve been a member of orange theory in the past and their rower is great (M1 I believe) but I don’t want to spend $2k and I like the look of the wooden one.
So now - which model is best? I plan on using my Apple Watch + iPad for Netflix / classes etc. I do not care about storing it away.
Also - the originals have so many variants. Is the difference between them just the type of wood used?
Is the performance oak the “best” value because of the included accessories????
Thank you in advance!

Looking to do my diff and transfer case oil on my '22 P4X here shortly and am looking at the owner's manual for fluids. I note that for the front diff it specifically mentions that it's conventional oil that's recommended.
Normally I'd use synthetic for everything. I'm not aware of any reason you'd ever need conventional oil over a synthetic. Is there some reason for this that I'm not aware of?
Along those same lines, they specify 75w90 in the rear and 80w90 in the front... What's everyone running? It seems like the brand can make as much of a difference as the weight difference...

So if you check out this site (https://www.pcarwise.com/local-help/porsche-maintenance-schedules/cayman-maintenance/981-cayman-maintenance-schedule/)
It says at 60k or 6 years there is a PDK clutch fluid change
and 120k or 12 years for transmission oil change
However, of you look at the actual Porsche pdf (you can click download on that same site) It says it's at 180k km and 12 years for both items.

Question 1

What's the real interval / recommended among the community for each of the two items?

Question 2

What is the difference between PDK clutch fluid change and PDK transmission oil change? Mechanics I talk to all sem to use their own terms.
Some Porsche mechanics tell me it's actually just "all one oil, if you were to tear PDK apart you'll see it's all one oil"
Others tell me it's 3 oils as part of the PDK unit. And the clutch fluid change sounds like the fluid that's drained via oil pan. Which is also likely what the first mechanic was telling me about.
And the term transmission oil change maybe actually refers to oil on the gears and oil on the differential which are ALSO part of the PDK unit but drained via different plugs?

therefore

I'm super confused. I looked on various forums, there a lot of debate on what the truth is too. Some say the 60k maintenance recommendation is not overkill and is right. Others say sure it's nice to do things early but Porsche designed them at 180k km / we years for a reason.
And theres also debate around what the difference between PDK clutch fluid change is versus PDK transmission oil change

INTRODUCTION

Finasteride is a commonly used medication for treating androgen driven conditions such as male pattern baldness or benign prostatic hyperplasia. It inhibits the activity of the type II 5-alpha-reductase enzyme, which converts testosterone into the much more potent androgen Dihydrotestosterone (DHT). [1] The Type II isoform is expressed in the liver, skin, and prostate. Additionally, it is responsible for around two thirds of circulating DHT. [2]
Despite testosterone having the reputation of being the definitive male hormone, DHT is far more masculinising – with approximately double the binding affinity of testosterone for the Androgen Receptor. [3] On average oral Finasteride at 1mg/day decreases serum DHT by 70% after 1 year. [4]
By lowering the production of this powerful hormone, Finasteride essentially works as an ‘anti-androgen’. It’s therefore unsurprising that treatment with Finasteride poses the threat of developing side effects related to biological functions regulated by androgens, such as protein synthesis, sexual characteristics, and libido. [5] These side effects can often prompt patients to abandon treatment.
Troublingly, there’s an increasing recognition of the potentially enduring nature of these side effects, particularly in relation to libido and mood. These symptoms that persist after discontinuing Finasteride are colloquially referred to as ‘Post Finasteride Syndrome’. In a study of patients who developed sexual dysfunction following treatment with Finasteride, 96% found their symptoms were enduring. [6]

EPIGENETIC EFFECTS

Researchers have posited various theories in an attempt to explain the lasting deleterious effects of Finasteride in some patients. One of the models with encouraging results centres on epigenetic modifications. Epigenetics is the field of genetics that explains how gene expression can be altered without changing the underlying genetic code directly. Epigenetic mechanisms can essentially switch genes on and off in a lasting manner, and thereby influence an organism’s traits and behaviour.
A small pilot study looking into these possible epigenetic changes took samples of cerebrospinal fluid from 16 patients suffering from PFS. From the samples they found an increase in DNA methylation at the 5AR type II promoter in 56% of PFS-sufferers, versus only 8% in the 20 controls. [7] Furthermore there was no difference in the DNA methylation of Type I promoter, which is relevant given that Finasteride targets the Type II isoform. DNA methylation is a lasting form of epigenetic modification where methyl groups are bound to the promoter regions of genes, preventing the binding of transcription factors. [8] The result of this being a more compressed chromatin structure and less gene expression. In essence the gene (in this case 5AR type II) becomes less available.

DHT REGULATES 5AR EXPRESSION

What could give rise to these changes in 5-alpha-reductase expression? One of these clues is the discovery that DHT induces the expression of 5-alpha-reductase in a feedforward mechanism. A study in rats found that treatment with Finasteride resulted in an 87% decrease in 5 alpha-reductase enzyme activity. This reduction was matched a significant decrease in 5-alpha-reductase mRNA in the prostate. Treatment with DHT, but not Testosterone on its own, was able to restore 5-alpha-reductase activity and mRNA in a positive feedforward loop. [9]
Prostate cancer research has further revealed the mechanism that regulate 5-alpha-reductase activity. Audet-Walsh et al. (2017) demonstrated that Type I and Type II isoforms of 5AR are inversely correlated in prostate cancer progression. Significantly, they found that androgen stimulation induced the expression of Type I 5AR. They note the positive feedback loop of Type I to be relevant in understanding the progression of prostate cancer. [10]
A similar effect has been observed with the 3-beta-HSD1 enzyme, which is responsible for convert DHEA to androstenedione. This enzyme regulates the rate-limiting step in the production of DHT from DHEA. Like 5AR Type I, its activity is also positively regulated by Androgen Receptor activation in a feedforward relationship. [11] Other studies have confirmed the role DHT in regulating 5-alpha-reductase Type I, with other hormones such as testosterone, or progesterone having no effect. [12]

HOW DOES DHT REGULATE 5AR EXPRESSION?

There hasn’t been a consensus as to how DHT enhances its own synthesising enzyme, but some work has been done on the possible role of IGF-1. Researchers have found that IGF-1 induced 5-AR activity 100 times greater than DHT. They found that applying monoclonal antibodies to block IGF-1 prevented DHT from inducing 5AR. [13] Another possible mechanism could be through directly influencing the enzymes involved in DNA methylation.
The primary enzyme involved in the methylation of Type II 5AR is DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1). This enzyme represses the expression of 5AR by adding methyl groups to the promoter region of the gene on the DNA. [14] The age dependent reduction in decrease in the expression of Type II 5AR is likely on account of increased DNMT1 in old age. Studies have found that treatment with anti-androgens triggers an increase in DNMT1 activity. Conversely, applying DHT significantly reduces DNMT. It could be through this mechanism, DHT is regulating the expression of 5-alpha-reductase.
References are available here: https://secondlifeguide.com/2024/05/11/restoring-5-alpha-reductase-epigenetic-modification/