https://timesofmalta.com/article/suspect-slovak-pm-shooting-lone-wolf-upset-election-outcome-minister.1092558?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR2eSKUpU_IAxiN5pV2wceQyhvQb3X9UhBgUAyX21r_NxsRo8Tdxo922mWs_aem_AavAChqrMCRH9-ENdfpdYCh-RZG1zgZL81gm46HQYjMBn2Evmt0xtztGPXnPeKGUVfH8zxHoN3sFv0cXWvKT4AbY#Echobox=1715864066
As the leader of the Malta Catholic Democratic Party, I would like to express our deepest concern over the recent events reported. Violence in any form is a grave violation of our democratic principles and Christian values. We stand firmly against any actions that disrupt the peace and safety of our community.
We urge everyone to respect the outcomes of democratic processes. It is through peaceful dialogue and lawful means that we must address our differences and work towards the common good. Our thoughts are with all those affected by this incident, and we pray for unity and healing in these challenging times.
In these times of uncertainty, we are reminded of the importance of our commitment to promoting Christian values and the European project, as emphasized by the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE)¹. We encourage all citizens, especially our fellow Catholics, to engage in politics responsibly and constructively, contributing to a peaceful and just society.
Let us come together in solidarity and reaffirm our dedication to a democratic, free, and peaceful Malta.

Tideman... the most hyped problem in the entire course of CS50x.
I tried to do it... and I could complete it relatively faster than others, but it was challenging nonetheless. Also, a very important note:
You can take as much time as you want, you can even solve Runoff (though I haven't looked at it till now). Only one thing: please DON'T think that some XYZ guy solving Tideman within 7 hours is implying that you need to do it too. Obviously not. Take your time...
This pset is challenging but it can even open an amateur coder's mind. I understood what Graphs are from this very pset.

Preliminaries

I want to say, understand structs very carefully if you have coded in Java and are learning C. For those who are getting to know about these algs recenty (applies to Python coders too), understand it thoroughly first. Also, if possible, write the algs which you are confused about. Like, try to use some website or stuff, or even ChatGPT (what I am about to say is reasonable) to understand how the alg works (NO DIRECT CODE), like certain analogies.
Anyway, the things that are hard in various algs are as follows:

• Linear Search: That return false thing which David Sir said in the lecture.
• Binary Search: Understanding how the high and low indexes are adjusted. The way I like to explain binary search (without using recursion) is using some thumb pins attached on a board like an array and keeping a rubberband stretched between the high and low indexes. That way, when you'll try to change the index, you'll just think to yourself, "I'm keeping the high/low index jussst beyond the middle position." Try it/visualize it for yourself.
  
• Selection Sort: The exact thing we use when we did those ascending-descending order problems in the first grade... anyway... understanding why the inner loop starts from the next index is important. Also, people do forget to swap after everything, which shouldn't be forgotten.
  
• Bubble Sort: Bubbble Sort can be done more efficiently by tweaking with the test condition in the inner loop... but we don't need to focus on that for now. Just remember that you need to insert the reverse of the condition you are trying to fulfill. For example, for sorting in ascending order, you need to check if the previous element is, in some way, shape, or form, greater than the next element.
  
• Merge Sort: Ok, I am still confused regarding this one, but one way we can approach that is to understand how merging works. You need to write a program where two arrays are merged in ascending/descending order into one array. The two arrays need to be random. You can find examples for this problem on the internet, but please don't look at the solutions. You CAN USE your loops while merging the two arrays, but merging really doesn't require any other sorting algorithm, just two counters (a hint).
  

Before understanding Tideman, please have a strong grasp in any of the sorting algs. Understand why the conditional is there, because the conditions will be different for this problem. You can even solve the hardest sorts if you know what the conditionals do in your sorting alg.
Also, recursion is really worth learning independently. Solve some problems you are trying to solve using iteration. Try to check whether something is a prime number using recusion. Try to do anything you have solved/can solve using iteration.
Recursion is just mathematical induction (for those who know maths): it's just dominoes falling. You need to check what will happen when the first domino or the last domino will fall (base case), and ensure that if a domino m is falling, ensure that the domino m+1 is falling too (recusive case).
Please watch the shorts and section for this week, in case you don't understand anything. Check for the materials you don't understand.
Also, PLEASE do the additional practice problems of week 3. There's no check50 or submit50 for these problems, you can check the results for yourself. Even as a experienced programmer, I'd recommend taking these baby-steps before trying to attempt Tideman. See, even if you did Java or Python before and you feel like finding the max value or making a WHOLE MENU is tiring, these are very easy problems, which are important for solving the later ones. For example, I was thinking, "Why just take the value? Why not take the index?" Then when I was trying to solve the Plurality pset, I realized that they were trying to tell us that there can be multiple winners... anyway...

Tideman

So, you've completed Sort, Plurality and, possibly, even Runoff and all the other psets... and you're trying to attempt this.
1) Open the walkthrough video/the pset page.
2) For newcomers, write (about) all the variables and their functions “in brief”. Or just look at the distribution code or the pset page. These are very essential, and you’ll have to refer to them frequently.
3) When the walkthrough video comes to the functions part, we’ll start focusing on THAT FUNCTION only. As David Sir said throughout the course till now, abstraction is the key. Like, think of only that part of the main method where a particular function has been implemented, how that part has been treated... Just don't think about the other functions you’ll have to do. JUST do that part and return accordingly. Write pseudocode like you’ve done throughout the course.
4) If you want, you can reuse the codes you’ve written…
Let's talk about what we can do in the individual functions:

• For the vote function, you will probably remember the discussion on linear search. Implement that, but do understand what are the uses of those parameters.
• For the record_preferences function, I would recommend you to use a pen-and-paper to understand the situation, visually. Also, understand that you are trying to check who wins between two candidates, AND THEN determine the preference. Also, i over j.
• For the add_pairs function, you will obviously have to run an inner loop and an outer loop for traversing through the array. One more thing: remember the technique you did in your previous functions.
• For the sort_pairs function, you’ll be happy to hear that you can quite literally write abc a[i] = b, where b is a struct of abc. You won't need to write different variables like abc a[i].smile = b.smile and make your code longer (where smile is a variable in struct abc).
• (Before attempting the lock_pairs function, read this thing I’ve got from the Discord server)
• For the lock_pairs function, you are free to make any other recursive function you want in the code. Think of the parameters it will take. You’ll understand the parameters if you understand all the base cases. The return type will obviously be bool or int (you may take anything you want though). One thing to note though: search through the destination part thoroughly, using a loop in the recursive function. If necessary, you can write a recursive call in the loop too. Remember that base case is written first and then your main part of the code: the loop part. In this function, it's very important not to get overwhelmed. Recursion will do the teeny-tiny details for you if you write the base case properly. So, have that “leap of faith,” and search through and step into and through and step into and through and step into… you get the idea right?
• By the way, how will you differentiate between what you’ve already traversed and what you have not traversed? After all, you only have a bool array with true and false as the only acceptable values. Make changes in the lock_pairs and in the recursive function accordingly. Also, lock_pairs function is in itself, also, not unimportant, as it also does some pretty eccentric stuff too. Like, you never try to check if you have fit another end of the pipe perfectly without checking if the first end is already fit.
• For the print_winners function, atleast I would rather use statements like break and continue. Consult the Internet if these are confusing for you. Btw, labelled loops don't exist in C. I’m heavily disappointed. Alternatively, you can use variables declared outside the outer loop to note the index(es). Also, you’ll have to use a flag coupled with those two statements or those variables. “For this problem, we can assume that there is one source.” Therefore, as soon as you print your stuff, just wait no more. (This was just an efficiency rant btw, this function is actually easy if done without any help from this post; just spoiler-tagged it so that you don't get overwhelmed.)

Personal Opinions

If you haven't done the problem, don't read the section, you’ll lose interest/get confused.
This is probably one of the best examples of backtracking I’ve EVER SEEN. I could never do backtracking until now. This feels more like an intermediate-level competitive programming problem… except the fact that the problem is explained a lot. I myself neither implemented graphs nor backtracking before, so I was… confused while doing locked_pairs. Also, I’m very very bad at competitive programming, please don't think like I’m some experienced developer or something,; I’m just an amateur guy doing big projects once in a while…
Anyway, it was an amazing problem. Anyone can learn a lot from this pset.

Since my uncle’s passing, I’ve forwarded his mail to our house. I recently got a proxy voting card from a company that my deceased uncle may have been invested in? How do I find out if he is a shareholder?

Hello. I need the certification on course 4 and course 5 of modern robotics for my university. I'll be indebted if you guys can grade my assignments as the deadline for my submission is approaching fast.
Please find the links attached below:
a) https://www.coursera.org/learn/modernrobotics-course5/pee4GXby/determining-the-stability-of-an-assembly/review/fgrJVBOMEe-P9A5WPJ-uPQ
b) https://www.coursera.org/learn/modernrobotics-course5/peeBbZj5/evaluating-form-closure/review/TJm_nRM6Ee-SiQr__F2bEQ
c) https://www.coursera.org/learn/modernrobotics-course4/peea9WwD/a-search/review/V5SMNRK4Ee-kCxIR2pxVqQ
d) https://www.coursera.org/learn/modernrobotics-course4/peeyCetp/sampling-based-planning/review/ZjqhCxKVEe-Jdw4P_7cRcQ

DAY: MAY 15, 2024

• 5-15-2024ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE PROCESSES WITHOUT SYMPTOMS. HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE? Everyone experiences aging in their own way, and factors such as genetics, lifestyle and environment play a role in this process. Some individuals reach the age of 90 or even 100 in good health, without medications or brain disease. But how do these individuals maintain their health as they age?
• 5-15-2024COULD A LOW-CAL KETO DIET HELP EASE ACNE? In a small pilot study, some young women looking to lose weight on a low-calorie keto diet got an unexpected benefit: Their acne began to clear up. “These findings represent an opportunity to control a skin disease that affects most teenagers and many adults at some point in their lifetimes, causing distress, embarrassment, anxiety and low self-confidence among sufferers, robbing them of their quality of life,
• 5-15-2024FIGHTING FAT AND INFLAMMATION: SCIENTISTS DEVELOP NEW COMPOUNDS The menthyl esters of valine (MV) and isoleucine (MI) are multi-faceted molecules with enhanced anti-inflammatory and anti-obesity activities. The discovery and development of such molecules can result in newer classes of therapeutic drugs to treat a wide range of metabolic disorders. Credit: Gen-ichiro Arimura from Tokyo University of Science Modified derivatives of natural products have led to significant therapeutic advances and commercial success in recent times. Menthol is a naturally occurring cyclic monoterpene alcohol found in various plants,
• 5-15-2024TREATMENT OPTIONS INCLUDE ALTERNATIVES TO CHEMOTHERAPY, EXPERT EXPLAINS Chemotherapy is usually the first treatment doctors try to treat lymphoma, including the two most common forms: non-Hodgkin and Hodgkin. But alternatives to chemotherapy are developing, as first-line treatments and as backup options, explains Stephen Ansell, M.D., Ph.D., hematology chair and hematologic oncologist at the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center. Lymphoma is a blood cancer that begins when a germ-fighting white blood cell, called a lymphocyte, mutates and rapidly multiplies
• 5-15-2024CHECKING YOUR BELLY BUTTON CAN TELL YOU A LOT ABOUT YOUR HEALTH Navels, belly buttons, innies or outies … whatever term you use, your umbilicus may have plenty to tell you about the state of your health. For some, they are the thing of nightmares—omphalophobia (the fear of belly buttons) is a real condition. For others, they are a fashion accessory to be shown off in a crop top, or decorated with a body piercing. Whatever your feelings about belly buttons, one thing’s for sure—it once joined you to your mother
• 5-15-2024STUDY FINDS H5N1 VIRUS FROM 2022 MINK OUTBREAK CAPABLE OF INEFFICIENT AIRBORNE TRANSMISSION Direct contact transmission, weight loss, and survival for ferrets infected with A/mink (H5N1). Four donor ferrets were inoculated with A/mink (H5N1) and 24?h later each donor was paired with a contact in the same cage. Nasal wash samples were collected every other day for 13 days, and weight loss and clinical signs were monitored. A, B display viral titers from donor and direct contacts,
• 5-15-2024STUDY SHOWS COMBINING JOYFUL ACTIVITIES WITH ‘SAVORING’ THERAPY SHOWS POSITIVE MENTAL HEALTH RESULTS AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE With rates of depression rising among young people on university campuses, a team of SMU researchers found that combining two different therapeutic approaches demonstrated effectiveness in improving students’ overall mental health. Their findings show that students receiving behavioral activation (BA) therapy augmented with savoring (S) experienced improvements in positive and negative mood. Behavioral activation is a therapeutic approach that alleviates depression by increasing engagement in meaningful activities,
• 5-15-2024AI-BASED SURGICAL PREDICTION MODELS HAVE LIMITS Prediction models generated by machine learning are being increasingly used in medicine to identify risk factors and possible outcomes, especially for total joint replacements of knees and hips—although researchers warn that machine-generated predictions are currently being drawn from a limited data pool. “Machine learning has great potential for processing ‘big data’ and has proved its undeniable capability, although it is not free of issues,
• 5-15-2024STUDY FINDS FRONT-OF-PACKAGE NUTRITION LABELING RESULTS IN HEALTHIER PRODUCTS A study finds that a food labeling system introduced by the French government in 2017 resulted in healthier products. The study of Nutri-Score, a voluntary labeling system that assigns a simple letter grade based on nutrition, is believed to be the first to examine how food manufacturers responded to the change. Using detailed product and nutrition data from 2014 to 2021,
• 5-15-2024EXPERT EXPLAINS PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERNS ON AVIAN FLU Using genetically engineered mice expressing a specific variant of HLA, researchers uncover the instrumental role of this protein in the development of drug eruptions. They found that when HLA binds to an antiviral drug, abacavir, it can lead to the formation of defective proteins, which trigger a stress response in the endoplasmic reticulum, ultimately cascading into drug eruption. This implies that HLA is involved in previously unknown signaling pathways and processes that go beyond its traditionally accepted role within the immune system.
• 5-15-2024EXPLORING THE MECHANISM BEHIND DRUG ERUPTIONS IN THE SKINUsing genetically engineered mice expressing a specific variant of HLA, researchers uncover the instrumental role of this protein in the development of drug eruptions. They found that when HLA binds to an antiviral drug, abacavir, it can lead to the formation of defective proteins, which trigger a stress response in the endoplasmic reticulum, ultimately cascading into drug eruption.
• 5-15-2024STUDY PROVIDES BLUEPRINT FOR HYBRID-VIRTUAL HOME VISIT MODEL TO SUPPORT PATIENTS WHO DO NOT LIVE CLOSE TO A HOSPITAL a team developed and successfully tested a hybrid-virtual home visit model that provides care to veterans who do not live close to a VA health care facility.
• 5-15-2024HOW SCIENCE IS CHANGING THE GAME IN SPORTS Digital twins of athletes allow athletes and coaches to evaluate performance and trial technique changes. It’s an open secret that the countries that win the most medals in the Olympics and Paralympics combine talent and technology. Athletes are preparing for the next three Olympics and Paralympics in Paris in 2024
• 5-15-2024STUDY REVEALS HOW PRACTICE FORMS NEW MEMORY PATHWAYS IN THE BRAIN The effects of optogenetic inhibition on WM task performance. a, The experimental set-up. b, The delayed-association WM task trial types; licking was assessed during the 3?s choice period, with early- and late-delays periods noted. c, Learning progress across eight sessions, measured on the basis of the percentage of correct responses. d, Learning session example
• 5-15-2024A MEDITERRANEAN DIET CAN EASE SYMPTOMS OF STRESS AND ANXIETY, SAYS STUDY It’s no secret that the Mediterranean diet is good for your health. Already recommended to reduce the risks of bowel cancer, heart disease, and dementia, new research shows that the Mediterranean diet can also reduce symptoms of stress and anxiety.
• 5-15-2024ENHANCING PATIENT RESPONSE TO CANCER IMMUNOTHERAPY
• 5-15-2024LONGER SPRINT INTERVALS CAN IMPROVE MUSCLE OXYGEN UTILIZATION COMPARED TO SHORTER INTERVALS
• 5-15-2024NEW EVIDENCE FOR USE OF ANTI-INFLAMMATORY THERAPY FOR PREVENTION OF RECURRENT VASCULAR EVENTS IN STROKE
• 5-15-2024STUDY PAVES THE WAY FOR AN ACTIVE AGENT AGAINST HEPATITIS E
• 5-15-2024RESEARCHERS DEVELOP METHOD TO MONITOR PATIENTS WITH SPINAL MUSCULAR ATROPHY USING SOUND WAVES
• 5-15-2024INFERTILITY TREATMENT FOUND TO DOUBLE THE RISK OF POSTPARTUM HEART DISEASE
• 5-15-2024A PROMISING APPROACH TO INTRAOPERATIVE CANCER DIAGNOSIS
• 5-15-2024HOW ROGUE NEUTROPHILS HELP LUNG CANCER SPREAD
• 5-15-2024WOMEN PHYSICIANS ARE UNDERREPRESENTED AND FEEL LESS IMPACTFUL IN CANCER TREATMENT PLANNING VIRTUAL MEETINGS
• 5-15-2024ONLY 20% OF U.S. NONPROFIT HOSPITALS INVESTED IN HOUSING AS PART OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNITY BENEFIT MANDATE
• 5-15-2024NEW STUDY LINKS AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER TO DISRUPTED DEVELOPMENTAL DOPAMINE
• 5-15-2024STUDY FINDS SEVERE ISCHEMIC STROKES ARE RARE IN PATIENT POPULATION
• 5-15-2024CYCLIN D1 EXPRESSION MAY BE A BIOMARKER FOR PENILE CANCER
• 5-15-2024GUIDELINE ISSUED FOR PEOPLE WITH EPILEPSY WHO MAY BECOME PREGNANT
• 5-15-2024NEW CARDIAC RESEARCH COULD SAVE WOMEN’S LIVES BY IMPROVING DETECTION OF HEART FAILURE
• 5-15-2024PATIENTS REPORT SIGNIFICANT SYMPTOM REDUCTION WITHIN A SINGLE INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE ENCOUNTER
• 5-15-2024STUDY LINKS PROTEIN SECRETED BY BLOOD VESSELS TO DRUG-RESISTANT CANCER
• 5-15-2024RESEARCHERS EXPLORE THE ROLE OF OF TRANSPOSABLE ELEMENTS IN MYOCARDITIS
• 5-15-2024STUDY REVEALS IMMUNOTHERAPY’S POTENTIAL IN BOOSTING IMMUNE SYSTEMS OF OLDER INDIVIDUALS
• 5-15-2024CANADIAN HOSPITAL DATA SHOW LONGER, COSTLIER STAYS FOR PATIENTS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS
• 5-15-2024SCIENTISTS WANT TO KNOW HOW THE SMELLS OF NATURE BENEFIT OUR HEALTH
• 5-15-2024STUDY FINDS TWO GENES OF THE GERMLINE ARE ESSENTIAL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF BRAIN TUMORS IN DROSOPHILA
• 5-15-2024EVALUATING A NEW GROUP TRAINING TOOL FOR THE PREVENTION OF DEMENTIA
• 5-15-2024RESEARCH CHALLENGES LINK BETWEEN MOTOR IMPAIRMENT AND BRAIN INJURY
• 5-15-2024RESEARCH CHALLENGES LINK BETWEEN MOTOR IMPAIRMENT AND BRAIN INJURY
• 5-15-2024CHIROPRACTIC ASSOCIATED WITH LOWER LIKELIHOOD OF TRAMADOL PRESCRIPTION IN ADULTS WITH SCIATICA
• 5-15-2024UNVEILING THE IMPACT OF JOB LOSS ON THE HEALTH OF IMMIGRANTS IN GERMANY
• 5-15-2024HEALTH CARE INTERPRETERS IMPORTANT FOR HEART ATTACK REHABILITATION, SAYS STUDY
• 5-15-2024RESEARCHERS FIND MICROPLASTICS IN CANINE AND HUMAN TESTICULAR TISSUE
• 5-15-2024ANTISEIZURE MEDICATIONS CAN PRODUCE LIFE-THREATENING REACTIONS
• 5-15-2024ADULTS WHO HAD DIFFICULT CHILDHOODS ARE NOT RECEIVING SUFFICIENT MENTAL HEALTH CARE, FINDS CALIFORNIA STUDY
• 5-15-2024AI MAY IMPROVE DOCTOR–PATIENT INTERACTIONS FOR OLDER ADULTS WITH CANCER
• 5-15-2024BLOOD PRESSURE DRUGS MORE THAN DOUBLE BONE-FRACTURE RISK IN NURSING HOME PATIENTS
• 5-15-2024PREVENTING PEDIATRIC FALLS
• 5-15-2024I’M PREGNANT. DO I NEED A MULTIVITAMIN?
• 5-15-2024TREATMENT-RESISTANT DEPRESSION LINKED TO BODY MASS INDEX: STUDY
• 5-15-2024HOW DID THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AFFECT OLDER ADULTS’ TECHNOLOGY USE?
• 5-15-2024STUDY FINDS LINK BETWEEN BMI TRAJECTORIES AND FRACTURE RISK IN LATE ADULTHOOD
• 5-15-2024STUDY FINDS REDUCED RISK OF BREAST CANCER FOLLOWING BARIATRIC SURGERY IN WOMEN WITH HYPERINSULINEMIA
• 5-15-2024FEWER US OVERDOSE DEATHS WERE REPORTED LAST YEAR, BUT EXPERTS ARE STILL CAUTIOUS
• 5-15-2024PRE- AND POST-SURGICAL IMMUNOTHERAPY IMPROVES OUTCOMES FOR PATIENTS WITH OPERABLE LUNG CANCER, PHASE III STUDY FINDS
• 5-15-2024NEW METHOD USES TAU PROTEIN DEPOSITION PATTERNS TO PREDICT ALZHEIMER’S SEVERITY
• 5-15-2024OLDER NATIVE AMERICANS MAY EXPERIENCE HIGHER LEVELS OF COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT
• 5-15-2024RESEARCHERS DEVELOP INNOVATIVE PLATFORM FOR MODELING HUMAN MUSCLE DISEASES IN WORMS
• 5-15-2024CLIMATE CHANGE IS LIKELY TO AGGRAVATE BRAIN CONDITIONS, STUDY FINDS
• 5-15-2024NEW STUDY SHOWS CONTINUED HIGH EFFECTIVENESS OF HPV VACCINATION IN ENGLAND
• 5-15-2024FAT-ENLARGED AXILLARY NODES ON MAMMOGRAM MAY INDICATE HIGHER CVD RISK
• 5-15-2024NOVEL INHIBITOR INSIGHTS OFFER PATHWAY TO PREVENTING PXR-ASSOCIATED DRUG RESISTANCE
• 5-15-2024THE DOCTOR IS IN… BUT WHAT’S BEHIND THEM? STUDY REVEALS IMPACTS OF TELEHEALTH BACKGROUND SETTINGS
• 5-15-2024HIGH TELEHEALTH USE TIED TO INCREASED HEALTH CARE UTILIZATION, COST
• 5-15-2024NEW BIOMARKER IDENTIFIED TO DIAGNOSE ALZHEIMER’S IN ASYMPTOMATIC STAGES
• 5-15-2024U.S. DROWNING DEATHS RISING AGAIN AFTER YEARS OF DECLINE
• 5-15-2024STUDY FINDS ASTROCYTIC PH REGULATOR CAN REPAIR BLOOD-BRAIN BARRIER, REVERSE BRAIN DAMAGE CAUSED BY ISCHEMIC STROKE
• 5-15-2024DISPARITIES SEEN IN CARBAPENEM-RESISTANT ENTEROBACTERALES BLOODSTREAM INFECTION OUTCOMES
• 5-15-2024WHY IS WHOOPING COUGH SURGING IN THE UK? FALLING VACCINATION RATES MAY BE THE ANSWER
• 5-15-2024CARDIAC REHAB IS A PROVEN BUT UNDERUSED THERAPY IN WOMEN, BUT TAILORED RESOURCES AIM TO CHANGE THAT
• 5-15-2024IRON FUELS IMMUNE CELLS—AND IT COULD MAKE ASTHMA WORSE
• 5-15-2024NEW POSSIBILITIES FOR CELL THERAPIES AND PERSONALIZED MEDICINE
• 5-15-2024HIGHER INCOME REDUCES STROKE MORTALITY RISK BY A THIRD, NEW STUDY SHOWS
• 5-15-2024SOME FORMS OF AUGMENTED BRAIN STIMULATION RECOMMENDED FOR MAJOR DEPRESSION
• 5-15-2024LOW TESTOSTERONE IN MEN ASSOCIATED WITH AN EARLY DEATH
• 5-15-2024WEARING FACE MASKS DID NOT REDUCE RISK OF COVID INFECTION AFTER FIRST OMICRON WAVE, RESEARCH SUGGESTS
• 5-15-2024BLUETOOTH TRACKING DEVICES PROVIDE NEW VIEW INTO CARE HOME QUALITY
• 5-15-2024RACIAL DISPARITIES IN CHILDHOOD OBESITY ON THE RISE IN STUDY OF NYC PUBLIC SCHOOLS
• 5-15-2024TWO DECADES OF STUDIES SUGGEST HEALTH BENEFITS ASSOCIATED WITH PLANT-BASED DIETS, BUT CAUTION URGED
• 5-15-2024TRANSCATHETER VALVE REPLACEMENT OUTCOMES SIMILAR TO SURGERY FOR SEVERE AORTIC STENOSIS
• 5-15-2024RECOGNIZING THE PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL TOLL THAT CARING FOR A LOVED ONE WITH A CHRONIC CONDITION HAS ON THE CAREGIVER
• 5-15-2024DIFFICULT WORK ARRANGEMENTS FORCE MANY WOMEN TO STOP BREASTFEEDING EARLY—HERE’S HOW TO PREVENT THIS
• 5-15-2024DAY-LONG WORKSHOP IN COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY FOUND TO EFFECTIVELY REDUCE DEPRESSION IN 16- TO 18-YEAR-OLDS
• 5-15-2024REPORT HIGHLIGHTS BIG GAPS IN CANCER OUTCOMES BASED ON RACE
• 5-15-2024NEW BLOOD TEST COULD HELP SPOT PREECLAMPSIA IN FIRST TRIMESTER
• 5-15-2024HALF-MATCHED FAMILY DONORS OFFER BEST OUTCOMES FOR HISPANIC PATIENTS UNDERGOING BONE MARROW TRANSPLANTS: STUDY
• 5-15-2024SCIENTISTS UNRAVEL GENETIC BASIS FOR NEURODEGENERATIVE DISORDERS THAT AFFECT VISION
• 5-15-2024INCLUDING MORE WOMEN ON HOSPITAL TEAMS YIELDS BETTER SURGERY OUTCOMES, NEW STUDY FINDS
• 5-15-2024RESEARCH SHEDS LIGHT ON HOW PROTEINS LINKED TO ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE INFLUENCE NEURONAL GROWTH
• 5-15-2024RESEARCHERS IDENTIFY NEW MARKER FOR BREAST CANCER PROGNOSIS
• 5-15-2024GETTING OUT AND ABOUT IN THE COMMUNITY MAY BE LINKED TO COGNITIVE FUNCTION
• 5-15-2024NOVEL TECHNIQUE HELPS PREDICT RISK OF A MENISCUS TEAR IN THE KNEE
• 5-15-2024CAN ROBOT-INSPIRED COMPUTER-ASSISTED THERAPY BENEFIT CHILDREN WITH AUTISM?
• 5-15-2024RESEARCH FINDS EXERCISE HAS A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON IMMUNE CELLS THAT SUPPORT BRAIN FUNCTION
• 5-15-2024CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES KILL 10,000 EUROPEANS A DAY: WHO
• 5-15-2024NEW TOOL CAN HELP SURGEONS QUICKLY SEARCH VIDEOS AND CREATE INTERACTIVE FEEDBACK
• 5-15-2024SCIENTISTS DISCOVER BLOOD PROTEINS THAT MAY GIVE CANCER WARNING SEVEN YEARS BEFORE DIAGNOSIS
• 5-15-2024HOW THEY IMPACT LIFESPAN IN VERTEBRATES
• 5-15-2024UN AGENCY AUTHORIZES SECOND VACCINE AGAINST DENGUE AMID OUTBREAKS IN THE AMERICAS
• 5-15-2024IF YOU’VE TRIED MEDITATING BUT CAN’T SIT STILL, HERE’S HOW—AND WHY—TO TRY AGAIN
• 5-15-2024RESEARCHERS DETERMINE THE MUTATIONS THAT PROTECT MICE FROM B-CELL CANCERS
• 5-15-2024UP TO 246 MILLION OLDER PEOPLE MAY BE EXPOSED TO HEAT RISK BY 2050 DUE TO GLOBAL WARMING
• 5-15-2024MORE RESEARCH SUPPORTS ANDROGEN TREATMENT FOR BREAST CANCER
• 5-15-2024UNDERSTANDING THE ROLE GUT MICROBIOME–BRAIN INTERACTIONS PLAY IN SOCIAL DECISION-MAKING
• 5-15-2024NEW STUDY IDENTIFIES MECHANISM OF IMMUNE EVASION OF SARS-COV-2 AND VARIANTS
• 5-15-2024RESEARCH SHOWS RECENT RELEASE FROM JAIL A BIG RISK FACTOR FOR SUICIDE
• 5-15-2024RESEARCH COLLABORATION DEVELOPS LIFESAVING ‘ARK’ TECHNOLOGY FOR CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE PATIENTS
• 5-15-2024FOUR IN 10 ADULTS WITH DIABETES REPORT TAKING A GLP-1 RECEPTOR AGONIST
• 5-15-2024NEIGHBORHOOD INEQUITY TIED TO MORE PEOPLE LIVING WITH VISION DIFFICULTY, BLINDNESS
• 5-15-2024CHILD MALTREATMENT LINKED TO EXTERNALIZING, INTERNALIZING BEHAVIOR
• 5-15-2024MOST SLOW RESPONDERS TO TIRZEPATIDE DO LOSE CLINICALLY MEANINGFUL WEIGHT
• 5-15-2024RESEARCHERS IDENTIFY CAUSATIVE GENE IN MOUSE MODEL OF INHERITED LETHAL ARRHYTHMIA
• 5-15-2024TECH ALONE CAN’T REPLACE HUMAN COACHES IN OBESITY TREATMENT, STUDY FINDS

welcolm
She Done Already Done Had Herses!
Welcome to the NINTH (already) edition of Apple NF Monoxide - a surprisingly important one. If I manage to get into the next edition, I am preparing both for, well, edition 69 and for my potential 10th NF, meaning this has to be a special one. For that reason, I have meticulously analysed all songs ever sent to RSC and chose 6 songs that could potentially have won every edition so far. If you thought Aerobika was great, wait until you hear these!
Important note: Apple Monoxide is joking in the above paragraph. This is a bog standard Apple NF stacked with memes. He still isn't attempting to qualify, and is actually hoping to match his previously existing NQ streak at some point in 2027. I just had way too many songs I wanted to send this edition and I have at least two more NFs in the oven, so I had to slowly get rid of some. I hope you understand :)
 
My theme for this NF was choosing between three styles of songs: songs I have nostalgia for, obscure musical discoveries I ran into on Spotify and unorthodox remixes of existing songs. All three styles were actually 'shaping up' to be NF ideas of their own, but I decided there's no way in hell I actually find both enough songs for all of these and enough motivation to host all of these, so I chose two favourites from each and made this NF. I hope you enjoy. You won't, but I hope you do!
 

Draw	Artist	Song	Style	Note
01	Shorty	Zeka	Nostalgia	This is a Croatian song I really enjoyed when I was around 4 because it sampled a children's song - now I understand the lyrics and I wonder what my parents were thinking. Also, Shorty vanished somewhere about 15 years ago and I have no idea where he is or if he's even alive, xd
02	Blessings Chisama	Universe	Obscure	Blessings Chisama is just some Malawian guy who is really good at playing guitar. I have no idea how I came across this but I love it
03	Robzzz	kusha las paya (remix)	Remix	Robzzz, a friend of fan-favourite Nerve Agent, decided to mess with a song by Las Ketchup, amazingly
04	Vinkuja	Miks Turhaan	Remix	finnish weezer bottom text
05	Icy L	Standa Řezáč Swag	Obscure	Continuing the Czech cinematic universe, a song about a cross-country skier's terrible interview
06	Pawel Blaszczak	Turtles	Nostalgia	I found it very funny when I discovered that the same guy who composed music for The Witcher and Dying Light also made the soundtrack of this football game I played in 2007

 
I will make spotify and recap.tube later
Youtube is here though
Vote by ranking the songs from 1st (best) to 6th (worst) in my DMs on reddit or discord (preferably discord). Apple Monoxide.
 
The deadline is 22nd May, the day of song submissions, at 17:30BST/18:30CEST.
 
Thank you everyone, and best of luck to you in this edition!

I'm proud to say that I did not vote for NDA alliance in AP elections held on May 13th. Especially considering that this very alliance did not fulfil their poll promises during 2014 and despite being in a position of power to grant Special Category status to AP, they backstabbed AP people of their state's promised right. Such self-centric persons should not be in any form of politics in my opinion. Although unplanned, as the life would have it, I had to travel from the USA to India which happened to be just in time for the elections poll date. And had to sit as a relieving poll agent on the day of elections (main agent had to leave coz of some family emergency). Glad that I was crucial in helping with poll proceedings and our booth had one of the smoothest polls over the past couple decades. Voter turn out was 90.5%. (1000+ votes) Even in Jagan wave during 2019, my booth vote share was 40YCP:60TDP split. Would be interesting to see how the voters judge this time around. As one village openly commented (when approached with poll management tactics) that they would have to give donations to YCP for what this govt has done for them and was not interested in taking any 'notes'. Fun fact: INC poll agent voted for NDA (in his own words). Made me realize that INC in AP is indeed playing to the tunes of a person with old wily cunning fox character. It's a shame that some are stopping to such low levels. Proud FAN of YS Jagan's character marked with grit and perseverance. Also note that I'm not going to discuss about who is going to win or number of seats. It's irrelevant now, similar to post examinations thinking about marks/ rank or supplies. But like a meritorious student, Jagan is making leisure travel plans. Others are going to places like Varanasi, temples and religious places praying that they don't want to sit for supplies.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Read the instructions carefully before voting! You are NOT voting for your favorite yet!
Well, I must say, I'm disappointed at the absolute lack of respect some of the new material gets, but with 58% of the vote, "Spinning the Truth Around" has been eliminated from our competition. Although our first elimination was fairly agreed upon, every song received at least one vote for elimination, so this is going to be VERY interesting as we continue to whittle down our list.
It's time to keep moving now though. Our next round of voting will be up until Monday morning.
Vote here for the next round, and remember to vote for the 2 you want to ELIMINATE: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScrZM-qxcJJ8L7iPZZRRKTht-zGcJwSbC-Yl76Bm1LAqvEmzQ/viewform?usp=sf_link
Remaining finalists

• Breakfast After Ten
• Independently Happy
• A Quiet Mind
• She's My Ride Home
• Say It
• The Worry List
• Fear
• Light You Up
• I Want It
• I Hope You're Happy
• The Weatherman
• A Better Man

Eliminated songs:

• Spinning the Truth Around

Martin Luther King Jr

Early Life

• Birth: Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia.
• Education: He was an exceptionally bright student, skipping grades and enrolling at Morehouse College at the age of 15. He later attended Crozer Theological Seminary and earned a Ph.D. in systematic theology from Boston University.

Civil Rights Movement

• Montgomery Bus Boycott: King's leadership in the 1955-1956 Montgomery Bus Boycott brought him to national prominence. The boycott was a response to the arrest of Rosa Parks and aimed to end segregation on public buses.
• Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC): In 1957, King helped found the SCLC, which coordinated civil rights activities across the South.

Philosophy of Nonviolence
King was deeply influenced by Mahatma Gandhi's principles of nonviolent resistance. He believed that nonviolence was not only a tactic but a way of life and a means to achieve moral ends.
Landmark Speeches and Events

• "I Have a Dream": Delivered during the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, this speech became one of the most iconic in American history, envisioning a future where people would be judged by their character rather than the color of their skin.
• Birmingham Campaign: In 1963, King was arrested in Birmingham, Alabama, where he wrote his famous "Letter from Birmingham Jail," defending civil disobedience against unjust laws.
• Selma to Montgomery Marches: These 1965 marches were crucial in the passage of the Voting Rights Act, highlighting the struggle for African American suffrage.

Nobel Peace Prize
In 1964, King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to combat racial inequality through nonviolent resistance.
Assassination and Legacy

• Assassination: King was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee, while supporting striking sanitation workers.
• Legacy: King's legacy is celebrated every year on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday in the United States. His work continues to inspire movements for social justice and civil rights globally.

Publications
King authored several important works, including:

• "Stride Toward Freedom" (1958): A memoir of the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
• "Why We Can't Wait" (1964): Discusses the civil rights struggle in Birmingham and the need for immediate action.
• "Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?" (1967): Reflects on the state of American race relations and the future of the civil rights movement.

Martin Luther King Jr.'s contributions to civil rights and his advocacy for nonviolence have left an indelible mark on history, making him one of the most revered leaders of the 20th century.
Top of Form

FYI, this is a story COLLECTION. Lots of standalones technically. So, you can basically start to read at any chapter, no pre-read of the other chapters needed technically (other than maybe getting better descriptions of characters than: Adam Vir=human, Krill=antlike alien, Sunny=tall alien, Conn=telepathic alien). The numbers are (mostly) only for organization of posts and continuity.
OC Written by Charlie Stastarrfallknightrise,
Typed up and then posted here by me.
Proofreading and language check for some chapters by u/Finbar9800 u/BakeGullible9975 u/Didnotseemecomein and u/medium_jock
Future Lore and fact check done by me.
*Starts to cry* I am so so happy! Isn’t that great? Finally some good news and great things to go forward!
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Here is the link to the master-post.
Breaking News tonight from the Apollo 11 memorial landing site, as Admiral Adam Vir and Captains Warren Richards and Mary Chavez were rescued from the Pacific Ocean, following a journey that was supposed to be historical, turned harrowing. Amy Grey comes to us this morning with the story.
Thank you Julie, it was only a week ago here on the historic Cape Canaveral launch site, that the reconstructed Saturn V rocket was launched by the UNSC International Space and Aeronautics Division on the two thousand and fifty first anniversary of the original Apollo 11 mission. On board The reconstructed rocket were astronauts Fleet Admiral Adam Vir, head of the UNSC deep space exploration division, Captain Warren Richards five year veteran and historical aeronautics expert, and Mary Chavez, six year shuttle pilot veteran, and communications specialist.
The reconstructed Saturn V rocket took off thirty minutes behind schedule at 10:03 GMT July 16 after delays attributed to engineering standbys. However, reports by UNSC investigation early this morning indicate that the delays were called for by engineering head Jade Clein who noticed something strange during her final checks of the Saturn V recreated rocket.
In an interview early today, flight director, Aaliyah Seif of the Apollo re-creation mission informed outlets that there was evidence of attempted tampering on the hull of the Saturn V rocket. The tampering case in the shape of these small silver tape strips covering loosened bolts along one of the Saturn V side panels. Engineers stated that the tape was not heat resistant and would have burned off in time to rattle the bolts loose and, likely, cause a devastating spin that would destroy the rocket.
While this attempted tampering was thwarted, the mission would only become more dire. A sudden and shocking report by Mericanda News 5 showed an uncut image of an unknown alien hybrid woman claiming that the UN President had ordered the attempted assassination of Admiral Vir, in conjunction with an audio recording by Admiral Colter Massie, Head of the Galactic intelligence division and known isolationist, that admitted to the attempted assassination of Admiral Vir, and the acquisition of twenty Thunderhawk’s, which were used to harry the Saturn V on its way to the moon. Admiral Kelly, longtime friend of Admiral Vir, corroborated the story, saying she caught General Massie just after he ordered the deployment of the twenty Thunderhawk’s. During their conversion, he attempted to kill her, before being detained by two members of Admiral Vir's crew, and was later seen being escorted into custody by Military Police.
Indeed, footage has been captured from the hull of the Saturn V, showing approximately twenty Thunderhawk’s attempting to destroy the rocket while Rundi remote piloted drones and an unknown group of what appear to be racing jets, fought back to delay the attack, while word was sent to the UNSC to deploy F-90 Darkfire pilots to assist. This all after communications between Houston and the rocket were sabotaged shortly after leaving orbit. The F-90 Darkfire pilots were able to arrive on time to rescue the rocket, though a hole was reportedly torn in the hull, sucking Admiral Vir out into space. Luckily, he was later recovered and returned to his ship without any injuries. Patch teams were then able to repair the torn hull and the astronauts completed their mission landing to crowds on the moon and returning to earth on time, landing in the Pacific Ocean only nine miles away from the waiting ship.
All three astronauts were recovered and are reported to be in good health.
The investigation into the UN president's involvement is still ongoing at this time, however preliminary reports from the Global Bureau of Investigation suggest evidence is both staggering and damning to the current UN president, who earlier today, attempted to cut all ties to the sabotage efforts, saying she was framed. Political experts report that, even assuming her innocence, she will likely not last to the end of her term.
International News Network was able to interview Admiral Vir shortly after his landing while still on board the rescuing ship UNSS Victory.
Here is what the Admiral had to say:
"I find it... Really very disheartening that someone we all trusted, and someone that we all should have looked up to could do something like this. It really is a heinous demonstration of what political corruption can lead people to do."
"And how do you feel, personally about all of this?"
"Personally, I... well to be honest I am hurt and appalled. Not to mention that I fear for the safety of my family and my friends. Every day I wonder if my involvement with them is going to get someone I love killed... The thought haunts me, but I hope after all of this is over I... and all of us can breathe a little easier."
"Were you scared?"
"I don't think that even needs to be a question. Of course I was scared, getting sucked out of your spaceship isn't ideal."
"What do you hope will happen now?"
"I hope that justice can be upheld to those who deserve it."
"What do you have to say to the UN president."
”...”
”So?”
"I have nothing to say. Wouldn't want to waste the air.”
[…]
What followed would be one of the largest scandals in recent political history. At some point an unknown number of classified government documents was leaked onto the internet, and after that it was all over for the Presidency. Thousands of enterprising humans, and aliens alike, viewed the documents to discover all the underhanded and dirty things which had been going on in the UN governmental body over the past few years. Forensic accounting experts (mostly Tesraki), uncovered plenty of fiscal tampering which shed light on plenty of isolationist related projects and bank accounts. There was even evidence that they had something to do with the original assassination attempt against Admiral Vir so many months ago. The drama had even managed to capture the attention of Rundi political experts and Vrul computer science geniuses, and together they unearthed a world of unfathomable, but not unexpected corruption. The process to remove the UN president from office was probably one of the fastest movements of human government ever seen by UN congressional leaders, who were likely trying their very best to distance themselves from association with the president, who despite not being the only one involved, had become the political scapegoat for everyone else that had a supposed link with isolationism.
Even the VP fell under suspicion and was watched closely for the rest of his term.
Admiral Massie and the UN President were placed under arrest and set up for court dates in the nearing future, though everyone saw a long and arduous litigation process ahead. Even Ramirez's family had filed for damages against the government after the news came to light, confirming that their son had been shot as collateral in one of the UN presidents plans to assassinate Admiral Vir. They settled out of court to the tune of an unknown, but impressive sum of money.
No one really knew how much, but a couple months later Ramirez's younger sister was seen training at one of the most prestigious Olympic academies on earth.
Ramirez himself was suddenly able to afford housing on the moon in a condo just next door to his best friend, though no one else inquired further.
The Rundi chairwoman came forward with her own investigation, admitting to being suspicious for a long time though she feared accusations without proper proof. Admiral Vir was seen having lunch with her not so many months after the events took place, suggesting that the trust between the two of them had not been completely dissolved. With much of the isolationist element gone from government, public policy began to lean heavily towards integration with the alliance. The occasional isolationist demonstration or protest was held, but none of them managed to gain traction.
Admiral Vir was finding himself more important than ever, though it was to his chagrin that his ship was grounded for the intervening months while the investigation continued.
No one was entirely sure what the future held.
[…]
Admiral Vir stepped into Admiral Kelly's office. The last time he had actually visited her here had been over a few years ago, before his promotion to captain of the Harbinger. It seemed so distant now, and he never expected to walk into her office with a star on his shoulder. She stood as he entered, and the two of them shook hands, ignoring all the stuffy formalities that usually come with the meeting of two military officers.
The wall behind her was decorated with a myriad of metals and awards she had received over her career, and he couldn't help but note the slight tinge of grey he could see forming in her hair. He knew that feeling, he was going prematurely white much to his chagrin. She stood and the two of them shook hands.
"Vir."
"Kelly."
She motioned him to sit, and he sat, sighing lightly as he had been on his feet all day consulting with political figures and other members of the UNSC.
"A strange couple months wouldn't you say?”
"Tell me about it."
Kelly reached under her desk and withdrew an amber bottle which she placed between them,
"I always forget; do you drink?"
"On occasion."
"Well consider this an occasion."
She said, popping off the top and pouring two glasses for them. She handed his across the desk and he leaned back in his seat cupping the cool glass in both hands.
She swirled the amber liquid around in her glass,
"So what are your plans after all this?”
He took a sip of water warmed by the burning liquid,
"Hoping things will go back to normal and I can go back to traveling the galaxy."
Kelly grunted,
"A simple man with simple motivations."
He laughed,
"Sometimes I think a stupid man with simple motivations."
She chuckled then grew serious,
"A lot of people make the mistake of assuming simple people don't have the intelligence to match. Some people assume that trusting means gullible means dumb. Just because we are trusting and expect others to do the right thing is not necessarily a fault. I believe there is a kind of beauty in assuming the fundamental goodness of humanity."
Admiral Vir shook his head,
"How can you after seeing what we have seen?”
"How can you not?"
She shrugged,
"We always knew that politicians were corrupt, but think about everything else we have seen."
Admiral Vir nodded slowly,
"The enthusiasm for the Apollo 11 recreation mission, the people who flew up to help us. All of those people who went digging through years of information just to uncover the truth."
She raised her glass,
"Precisely. Goodness in humanity is all around us, but we tend to overlook the good in favor of the bad."
She placed her hat on the desk and sighed,
"It is up to good people to keep their goodness going even when it might seem easier to give into the bad. I have and will always believe in the fundamental good of humanity. Some may call it naive, or even stupid. Others have said I have a romanticized view of a species that is fundamentally broken."
She turned her head to look out the window, a contemplative expression on her face before turning back to look at Adam.
"You understand me, I think."
He nodded slowly.
"People need to be believed in. You tell someone for long enough that they are fundamentally bad at their core and they will begin to believe you. For thousands of years pessimists have gotten it into our heads that we are no better than animals, worse even since animals don't fight in wars. But I believe that is wrong, I have seen people, I have met people, and I have interacted with people who prove to me that humanity cannot just be fundamentally bad or else these people wouldn't exist."
She tapped her nails against the glass,
"I think it is easier to corrupt purity than wash away a stain."
He listened quietly as she continued.
"Humans are born good, Adam, and life stains us. We aren't born stained while some of us are wiped clean."
She shook her head,
"Doesn't make sense to me."
She caught him with a look, pinning him to the spot with her intense stare,
"People like you convince me of this every day."
"Me!?..."
She held up a hand.
"Adam Vir, I am convinced that the best outcome this universe ever had, was when a happy go lucky science fiction freak was lucky enough to be the first man to meet aliens. Any other way things would have gone horribly wrong."
She leaned across her desk,
"The universe needs men and women like you, and not only that but the universe needs people who are going to support men and women like you."
She sat back,
"Which is why I have made a decision…"
He raised an eyebrow in curiosity, not entirely sure where this could be going.
She smiled,
"I have decided to run for UN President."
He nearly spit his mouthful of expensive scotch onto the table, but managed to choke it mostly down.
Eyes wide he set his glass down,
"Are you serious?”
She smiled,
"Seriously serious."
"Well shit, you have my vote for sure."
He raised his glass to her,
"I couldn't think of a better outcome."
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Want to find a specific one, see the whole list or check fanart?
Here is the link to the master-post.
Intro post by me
OC-whole collection
Patreon of the author
Thanks for reading! As you saw in the title, this is a cross posted story written by starrfallknightrise and I'll just upload some of it here for you guys, if you are interested and want to read ahead, the original story-collection can be found on tumblr or wattpad to read for free. (link above this text under "OC:..." ) It is the Empyrean Iris story collection by starfallknightrise. Also, if you want to know more about the story collection i made an intro post about it, so feel free to check that out to see what other great characters to look forward to! (Link also above this text). I have no affiliations to the author; just thought I’d share some of the great stories you might enjoy a lot!
Obviously, I have Charlie’s permission to post this and for the people already knowing the stories, or starting to read them: If you follow the link and check out the story you will see some differences. I made some small (non-artistic) changes, mainly correcting writing mistakes, pronoun correction and some small additional info here and there of things which were not thought of/forgotten or even were added/changed in later stories (like the “USS->UNSC” prefix of Stabby, Chalar=/->Sunny etc). As well as some "biggemajor" changes in descriptions and info’s for the same stringency/continuity reason. That can be explained by the story collection being, well a story collection at the start with many standalone-stories just starring the same people, but later on it gets more to a stringent storyline with backstories and throwbacks. (For example Adam Vir has some HEAVY scars over his body, following his bones, which were not really talked about up till half the collection, where it says it covers his whole body and you find out via backflash that he had them the whole time and how he got them, they just weren't mentioned before. However, I would think a doctor would at least see these scars before that, especially since he gets analyzed, treated and goes shirtless/in T-shirts in some stories). So TLDR: Writing and some descriptions are slightly changed, with full OK from the author, since he himself did not bother to correct these things before.

Gangplank Strengths: Range, Zoning, Fast Items, Laning and Late Game
Gangplank Weaknesses: Bad at ganking, Can miss barrels, No hard CC, not much catch potential, cannot catch enemies at level 1
Singed Strengths: AOE, Unmissable abilities, Good gank potential, good teamfight, good pick potential, can catch enemies at level 1
Singed Weaknesses: No range, needs a teammate, squishy, bad at 1v1s, bad at laning
I've been telling people this, Singed is one of those champions that can opt not to lane and still be as useful as if he did just laning. Look at these examples:
https://youtu.be/yWg5HOStaFc
https://youtu.be/V_jFS0SLw78
https://www.reddit.com/singedmains/comments/w15cn4/if_singed_is_so_weak_now_catchup_xp_exists_and/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3
https://www.reddit.com/singedmains/comments/w3h0ae/top_lane_laning_runes_are_nerfed_predator_lesse?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3
If you hard lose, then there's no point trying to lane. Just play for bot lane as early as you can. Often times, giving them the first kill in addition to burning the enemies summs and tilting them gives a decent advantage. I'm sure it gives your team a bigger win rate than you just standing top and not maximizing the use of you summoners and kit for 3-12 minutes. Besides, even if you do this bot cheese strat, ghost has such a low cd that it comes back up 6 minutes into the game as if you didn't use it. You are literally maximizing the amount of times you are using it. The same goes for tp. You get to tp twice within 10 minutes instead of teleporting once. Ignite too. Predator too. IF you ran predator, don't lane and fight. Just do what you are opted to do. Predator is for ganks and picks. Singed passive is for ganks and picks. Singed W and E is for ganks and picks. No wonder he loses to gankplank whose rune, passive, and abilities are more combat-oriented.
This applies to all top lane match ups, not just counter matchups like akshan and gangplank. Also, check the links and the comments.
Even more explanation on why this works:
It works a lot in mid elo and works in high elo more often than you think and is pretty good to do against a counter match up where you can't lane and proxy. *Cough* *Gp and askhan top* *cough*. Most people watch river for invades so you get to sit here for free. Since this was high elo and people know about the cheese, naut warded the bot bush. I decided to touch my team and timed it to 15 seconds when the spawn gates open to get there earlier. I spotted naut in the third bush and decided to go back to first bush and it worked out. Idk why kalista didn't ward red though. She probably wasn't supposed to be in these ranks for not warding.
Bot is the most important lane, you get to burn a few summs and get one kill, since the tp change, you utilize tp more efficiently because you use it twice before 10 minutes instead of holding it for 7 minutes or more. Hell, it seems like a waste of a summoner to hold it for so long if you could have already use it ingeniously for a cheese gank. It's not even that risky, you burn summs at least or get two kills at most and predator, tp, and ghost have short cds. You get pushed in and with predator back already, you get a gank form your jungler. Wait, what if your jungler never ganks your lane? Wouldn't it have been better to cheese bot rather than sit top and never use predator until like 8+ minutes into the game? These things happen more often due to bot prio.
This strat works for a lot of counter match ups as well as regular match ups. Akshan, camille, GP, etc. usually deny you from being productive early or just beat you straight up. But they can't beat you if you kill their bot lane and still have summs/predator to kill them later when your jungler finally ganks you.

Hi, Eurovision fam! I'm from the Philippines and also part of a small but strong online group of fellow Filipinos who are massive fans of the annual song contest. We are currently conducting voting for our 2024 EurovisionPH Awards where people can vote for their favorites across twenty-two categories.
I thought it would be nice to have Eurovision fans here in this lovely subreddit to participate in the voting, so if anyone wants to join in on the fun and cast their votes, click here to access the online voting form. Big shoutout to any Filipino diaspora living in Europe, are active in this group, and also happen to be big fans of Eurovision!
It's completely free to vote, plus there's no need to enter your email or other personal details. Voting for the EurovisionPH Awards will run until 31 May 2024, Friday. Tell all your fellow Eurovision friends and family about it so they can also join in on the fun. Results from the voting will be revealed during the first week of June 2024. Thank you for your time, happy voting, and may the odds be ever in your favorite's favor!
EDIT: Please also kindly upvote the post for visibility in case people would like to participate in this fun online voting our group has organized. Thank you!

Sorry for the long story.
Alright. So some context. I'm a pretty big fan of Aurora 4x. If you don't know, it's an incredibly complex and in-depth 4x strategy game set in space where you can customize your ships down to each individual component (i.e. you can make your own engines/weapons/etc. to stick on your ships). A creator that I'm a fan of is advertising an role-playing series about this, and I'm like "Yeah, I'm in".
It kind of dies on arrival. But then the chosen DM for this invites me to another game which continues the legacy so to say with nobility and space battles. That one takes a pause (not really important to the story) and I get invited to another game. If you've heard of the game Terra Invicta, it's basically that. Aliens are invading Earth and are influencing various nations and it's up to the players in the United Nations to stop them. This is the game that I wish to share.
Now, this game had numerous problems mechanically. Mainly, the UN is given a ton of resources (trillions of dollars and 'resources' to be precise). But everything costs like... $100, or like 10 resources. And we as players are limited to like 4 infantry brigades between all of us. So we kind of have nothing to spend it on. Bad enough on it's own, but it's not really horror just yet.
We ended up starting in 2024. Modern day. Dropped straight into the Invasion of Ukraine in Mariupol to dislodge the Russians from the city (The Russians are, of course, being influenced by the aliens). We skirmish and kick them out. Cool. I'm made into the de-facto commanding officer of the entire UN military. Which sounds impressive, but remember, we're just infantry. (And also, the DM insists that Jeeps are to be considered armored personnel carriers as they have "armor" and carry dudes. More on this classification stuff later)
In comes the bomb. A literal bomb. Russia nukes Kiev. Now, you might be wondering "Oh man, so like does this end up into some kind of world war? Any larger political impact?" no. Nada. Zilch. The entire world just kind of... ignores the situation. I'm here thinking "Uh, that's weird", but I ignore it since the game starts opening up. At the time I was guessing that the DM just wanted to end the tutorial with a literal bang.
Next session. The literal fallout of the nuke. Kiev is gone, quite literally the entire command and government structure of Ukraine just up and vaporizes. So we're left to pick up the pieces. Unfortunately, Ukraine is in literal pieces. Fractured into several parts. Some support the UN. Some support Russia. Others support the fucking Asimov Battalion (which rebrands to the Asimov Division). For those of you who don't know, the Asimov Battalion are pretty closely linked with nazis.
In comes our moral dilemma. Leader of the Asimov Division comes to our base and starts negotiations. DM starts RPing with the leader saying stuff like "The Nazis are the only good thing to have happened to Ukraine. Where was x y and z when this and that happened! Nowhere! The Nazis gave us..." yada yada. In my mind I was thinking "Holy shit what? I guess he's just roleplaying...". Now I've got two "advisors". The medic of the group in charge of humanitarian efforts says the no-brain "Hey. They're fucking Nazis. We shouldn't be working with them" while my de-facto XO is like "Nah, we should help them". Of course, since the DM is basically ham-fisting me to help the literal Nazis with the threat of having to fight a war on both sides by two numerically superior enemies (again, we only have 4 infantry battalions) I basically have to grin and be like "Ok. We'll help you".
So I'm left thinking that this was as wacky as things were going to get. The next two weeks are "normal". I have to do a lot of set-up since the game is really starting to open up. We get to research things, we get a higher unit count, we get more than just goddamn infantry. So of course: I get us some actual armor and whatnot. In comes Mr. Armor expert who writes up the formation template for an armored brigade. Except he didn't follow the templates we were given so I had to tell him multiple times to edit it and everything, during which he insults me. "Alright, kind of weird you're insulting your commanding officer, but fine" I think.
He calls his formation an armored regiment. I called it an armored brigade. He gets pissed off and insists that it be called a regiment as the two are "very different" according to him. I not only pull rank (At this point I am a 3-star general and he is a goddamn colonel) and tell him that I am literally writing our doctrine from scratch and I can call it whatever the hell I want, but I even link him to the US DoD (he is basing stuff off the US army) where it literally says that armor is only called a regiment for historical reasons and thus armored regiments are literally just armored brigades. His response? "Wow, for someone who thinks they know a lot, you sure know nothing".
I am just baffled at the insubordination and I'm debating whether to court marshal his ass when out of left field all of my other junior officers come out of the woodworks to call me a "crybaby" and a "bitch" and all sorts of shit. I talk about this stuff with my friends and they're equally as confused as I am.
It's then that I bother to read through the world events that are going on (keep in mind, that at this point I've been busy with classes and have had to spend literal hours setting up formations, budgets, officer assignments, research, etc. in my off time) with my friends. And oh my god there is a lot to unpack with this.
Event 1: The Scandinavian countries unite and reform the Kalmar Union and do viking stuff.
Event 2: Portugal invades and annexes Brazil.
Event 3: Aliens just vaporize the entire country of Australia.
Event 4: Greece and Turkey unite to form... the Byzantine Empire. A high schooler could come up with something better. And the DM is a grown ass adult living on their own.
You think that was bad? It gets worse.
Event 5: Ireland invades the UK to reclaim Northern Ireland (There is a dude in game who now that I'm looking back, I'm pretty sure supports the IRA)
Event 6: Mexico joins hands with the aliens and invades the US. President Biden orders the military to stand down. In response, the US military starts a coup against Biden and instates... Donald Trump as the new president.
Yes. You read that right. The US military performs a violent coup to instate a president with no election.
It gets better.
The US counterattacks and defeats Mexico. The result? Mexico becomes the 51st state of America. That's right. All of Mexico becomes state 51. Oh, and for shits and giggles the US also invades Canada and makes that state 52. State constitution? Voting? The idea of a territory? Puerto Rico? Nope.
At this point I've realized just what I've gotten myself into. Everything became so clear all of a sudden, all the little flags and stuff clicked in quite possibly the most horrifying way possible. This isn't an RP game, it's a goddamn fan-fiction for Trump with some edgy alt-history bullshit thrown in. My friends obviously advise me to GTFO, but I can't help but do one last thing.
My character, as the leader of the UN military, came to be known as a hero and the father of the Modern UN. So obviously I had to have this guy go out with a bang. I write a manifesto, where I basically say "I've given my all to defend humanity from this extra-terrestrial threat. But upon looking at the state of the war and the things we've done as a species, I cannot help but wonder if these Aliens are the good guys after all?"
My final words to this group of... interesting individuals were an apology to the secretary who will find my brain matter splattered all over the walls as my character deep throats a bullpup sniper rifle (these people hate bullpup guns) but also definitively states that it is an armored brigade, not an armored regiment.
Of course I blocked every single one of these mfs and immediately left any and all channels shared with them. Like even now, two months later, I cannot believe that I managed to find myself embroiled in a group like this.

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I always respond to everyone, if you have any questions, don't be afraid to ask. I'll try to respond as soon as I can, but if I don't do it right away it most likely means I'm working with my clients or it's night time here.
Cheers!

I know this is a meme sub. I wanted to post this in the main sub but I don't have clips for a claims and I was worried not being able to post it or being able to and then getting banned because I don't have clips for my quotes. I know I might get banned from here too but if I had to choose between being able to post and reply in a place it would be the his main sub because I'm not good at making memes or jokes but I'm ok at rambling in a self-important way. hopefully I wont get banned at all but we'll see.
Our boy is right about most things. Some things that he has dog shit takes on is 1. Kids protesting don’t have demands 2. If the USA stopped funding IDF the kids would be only 1% less pissed about the conflict. 3. They don’t know anything about the area or really anything about anything 4. Anti-semitism and anti-zionism are the same thing. 5. “We see that the killing will radicalize kids in gaza but we don’t see that on the other side with 10/07/23 or the 2nd uprising etc.” As I’ve said in previous posts here, I’ve been watching Destiny since 2016. He has made me rethink more things than I could count. He’s forced me to read on topics I never thought to read on. It’s for those reasons I expect much more from him than most humans and why I’m so passionate when I come down on him or go down on him or whatever the phrase is.

1. The student groups are demanding the campus they attend stops using their tuition money to fund Israel. That’s a straightforward, clear demand. In fact, it’s much more clear than occupy or mainstream BLM demands were. Destiny knows this. Rather than dropping this talking point he acts as though his quiver is low and he needs every arrow possible and has recently changed it to “They have no demands… or their demands are misguided.” So fucking silly. Divestment, as big Steve knows from studying more history than most people have casually read, is a political tool that has been used for decades with varying degrees of effect. As a capitalist I would think the idea of people ``voting with your dollar” would get him hard. Destiny has defended his support for the war against Hamas. I haven’t seen him defend his position that American universities should be using their endowments to assist Israel in their war. It wouldn’t surprise me if he has some really thought out reasons for this position but I haven’t heard it yet so until that moment I think his position is stupid at best.
   
2. “The students don’t really care about the USA or their college funding this war. If the schools and or the government stopped the funding the kids would only be 99% pissed rather than 100%”. I think this is a stupid take. The kids I talk to think they are/we all are funding a genocide. I know Big D doesn’t think we’re funding genocide… nobody is correct all the time. They want their school and/or government to stop funding it. Many of them don’t agree what the next step should be but they do know they want their school to divest. Brown is the one example that I know of where the school said, “Ok, we’ll vote on divesting in the fall.” The students didn’t say, “We’re staying until you divest.” They said, “Sounds good.” and broke down their encampment. They know what they want and when the school said that they would vote on it months from now the students walked away.
   
3. “The protesters don’t know anything about the area or the history” is something Mr. Bonerelli has said. He’s also said, “The history matters but at the same time it doesn’t matter.” By this I understood him to be saying, “Yes, X happened in 19XX or 18XX and that was bad and it shouldn’t have happened but what are we going to do about what’s happening on the ground right now?” When I see these clips of kids being asked questions they don’t know the answer to, the latter Destiny quote pops into my smooth brian. My second and third thoughts are, “I wonder how many clips did they get of kids answering questions correctly before they found this kid. I hope there were zero clips before and after this kid because protesters should know by now that talking to the media is something the PR people should do.
   

These kids don’t need to know what happened in the six day war to know that they don’t want their dollars going to arming a military that they believe is genociding a people. In fact, they don’t need to know where Palestine is on a map or if Israel was created in 1948 or 1848.

1. “Anti-Zionism and Anti-Semitism”are functionally the same thing” this is such a silly claim. It’s as silly as the blue trench coat. The most EXTREME form of anti-zionism that I can think of, that I’ve never come across naturally (meaning not searching for it), in the anti-zionist circles, would be the end of Israel and killing of every zionist. Even if 90% of jews were Zionists, even after they realized they could denounce their Zionism and not be killed, that still wouldn’t be killing jews because they are jews. It would be killing zionists because they’re zionists. In fact, if someone were to hold that position they'd be forced to, in absolute numbers, kill more American Protestants than Isrealies. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if the largest population of zionists are American protestants. Obviously if the most extreme version of anti-zionism isn’t anti-semitism then the same is true for all versions. If I saw the 6mwe shirts being worn by some of the protestors on these campuses I would be concerned. What's more likely is some of these counter protestors at UCLA were wearing those shirts on Jan 6 in DC.

Anti-Zionism is no different than anti-facism or anti-capitalism or anti-communism. Immutable traits are not necessarily connected to one's ideology. Obviously if you're missing a leg you're likely to support the ADA. If you're queer you're more likely to support equal rights for queer people. That being said, most of the time, Ideology is not connected to things you can’t change about yourself. I know it would be convenient for the zionists if Anti-zionism is Anti-semitism but it’s not. In fact, IMO, a decent argument can be made that Zionism is anti-Semtic. “The jews can safely co-exist with any other population for an extended period of time even in today's international western world with international institutions like the UN, the ICJ and the ICC. It just can’t be done. They need to have their own place that was already partly inhabited.”

1. While in debates sometimes people bring up the fact that the IDF is creating the next generation of Hamas by killing the families of all these kids. If Destiny is given time to reply he says that we talk about it one way but we don’t ever talk about how the rockets and 10/07/23 might radicalize young Isrealies. He’s correct that not many people talk about it but they should. I think it’s very important to point out that if you grow up hearing rockets flying over head, are told in school about all the violence Hamas and those that came before have committed against Israelis (but for propaganda reasons they’d probably say jews rather than israelis) and and that the Gazains have always wanted to kill jews (calling them jews not israelis) and then you’re trained in the IDF and sent into Gaza you might make statements via humorous skit or whatnot about enjoying killing Gazians or that not enough Gazians have been killed while in a bombed out apartment complex in Gaza. What I assume is happening a little bit more than TikTok posts being made is people shooting rather than not because they've been radicalized. Destiny is correct; we need to talk about the radicalization that if Gazians are experiencing then young Iraelis must be experiencing too.
   
2. “Americans don’t care about foreign policy. They care about domestic policy. The college kids ‘care’ about foreign policy because they’re still suckling on the mommy and daddy teet. Domestic policy doesn’t impact them so they look to the most morally loaded thing they can, which currently is foreign policy.” is something I heard Destiny say in a tone of disgust. Destiny also recently said he might stop saying he’s progressive or far-left. IMO His perspective on the above mentioned topic is a perfect example of why he should stop thinking of himself in this way. It says so much to me that when people in a society have their basic needs met they think about the world broadly. They look for international injustice and they do what they can to try to minimize it. From Destiny’s comments it seems as though he prefers for Americans to be so wrapped up in their own survival that they aren’t thinking about international affairs.
   What makes Steven valuable to online politics and philosophy is not that he’s a progressive but his desire to put in the work, show that work being done, to become educating about topics and then expose others for not being educated. 99.9% of factual matters Destiny knows and remembers about this conflict than many scholars. That’s impressive and very important to show people that if you can put in 7 hours a day, 6 days a week, not just read but study for those hours you can come close to having nearly scholarly knowledge on the topic. Obviously there's a difference between having the knowledge and bringing new knowledge to the academy’s attention, that realm is still best left to the scholars but it's incredibly empowering for us all to know that if you put in the work it is possible to know more than 99% of the population on a topic in a short amount of time.
   It would do Destiny and the far-left good if he was more clear about the fact that he’s a classical liberal who’s influenced by The Founding Fathers, Adam Smith, Ricardo and the Marquis de Sade.