I love reading these so wanted to contribute my own! I did not do super accurate tracking and I'm definitely missing all the misc costs (plus all the things I purchased and missed the return period on), but this should be the main costs. I wanted to stay between $25k - $30k and was pretty successful! First, a few detail shots and a summary of some of the things that went wrong with the day lol: Pictures!
The reason there are so few detail shots is because of RAIN and also a bit of poor planning/lateness. :( I had been looking at the forecast starting 10 days out, and there was no rain in the forecast - even when I looked at the forecast the morning of!! But of course, isn't it ~ironic~ (I know, it is not irony, but the song fits very well here) that it would start raining just 1 hour before the ceremony. Luckily we were able to get all our bridal/party/family pics done before it started raining, but we had to quickly pivot from our planned outdoor ceremony to a ceremony in the reception space. This, combined with the transportation of all our decorations being a bit late, meant that we were scrambling a bit right before the ceremony to move/set up everything and having all the guests then occupy the reception space so our photographer couldn't get too many detail shots. Also, we didn't have our photographer for getting ready pics so we couldn't really get pictures of my shoes and jewelry, his watch and accessories, etc since we were already wearing them. Overall not a big deal because honestly I'm not too concerned with photos and am more than satisfied with having photos of the people/event.
We had a total of 90 confirmed guests + 3 vendors, but 5 guests no showed on the day.
Now to costs - Mostly approximate, but comes out to somewhere around $26,000ish?
Venue fee: $4000. This included access to the venue from 1pm - 11pm (with 4 hours being for setup/photos, 5 hours of event time, and 1 hour for cleanup), all staff, tables, chairs, linens, and tableware. The venue is a restaurant that also hosts a lot of weddings which I loved because that meant everything was in-house and the staff are very experienced.
Food: $6,182.70. This included 3 appetizers for cocktail hour and an appetizer, salad, 3 sides, two mains (chicken + salmon), and 2 vegan entrees for the 2 vegans in attendance for dinner. This price includes 20% gratuity. I spent probably around $150 for dessert? I purchased a half sheet cake, 4 vegan cupcakes, and 1 gluten-free pound cake from a local bakery, and I baked a 9-inch round cake for cutting and two 9x13 cakes.
Beverages: $558 for non-alcoholic drinks (coffee, iced tea, lemonade, pink lemonade, and sodas). $2200 for open bar. Both prices include 20% gratuity, although I tipped an extra $100 on the bar tab because I was surprised it was so low lol. This was another benefit of having it in a restaurant because they had a full bar and a menu of signature drinks as well.
Florals: ~$800. I bought the pastels DIY package from Flower Moxie with a few additional a la carte flowers and also bought 100 stems from a local flower farm. This was enough for a bridal bouquet, 5 bridesmaid bouquets, 9 boutonnieres, ad 85 bud vases. Honestly I could have done even more with the flowers since I had soooo many extra flowers at the end, but story time: The flowers from Flower Moxie were supposed to arrive the Wednesday before our Saturday wedding. The plan was flower prep on Wednesday then arranging on Thursday. Well, about half of the flowers arrived on Wednesday as planned, but the other half didn't arrive until Friday at 11am due to shipping issues. Therefore we weren't able to make the bouquets until Friday, where we didn't have much time because our rehearsal was 12-1 (11:30 - 1:30 due to travel time) and our rehearsal dinner was at 7 (had to leave at 6:30 at the latest, plus needing time to get ready). This + flower arranging with sad stems since they only had ~1.5 hours to hydrate meant that we didn't have time to do anything but the absolutely necessary items. We could have made bigger bouquets, corsages, added more to the bud vases, etc. Our florals still turned out beautiful but I'm just bummed we wasted so many beautiful flowers :( (especially because we left on our honeymoon on the Wednesday following the wedding, so we composted all the extras). Even though this added extra work before the wedding, I'm glad we cut costs here.
Other decor: ~$250 for 85 bud vases, ~$200 for faux floral ground arch, $80 for votives, $200 for big mirror welcome sign.
Photographer: $2,350 for 7 hours and engagement session
DJ: $1,300 for 5 hours
Day of Coordinator: $800
Stationary: Approx. $150 for a printer, $50 paper + extra ink, $10 for invite template from Etsy, $30 for an address stamp, and $80 for postage. With this I was able to print 50 save the dates, 50 invitations, 100 programs, guest book sign, favors sign, and seating chart. I'm super glad I went the DIY route - I love how everything turned out and I needed a printer any way so it works out. The prints came out very high quality. I designed everything except the invites in Canva.
Favors: $312.50 for 125 customized chopsticks. These were a hit - even though we only had 90 guests, we only ended up with 15 extras that were the ones that I left at home because they didn't fit in the box lol. If I brought all of them, they might all have been taken.
Attire: $1,500 for ceremony dress + alterations, $40 for veil, $620 for reception dress + alterations, $250 for ceremony + reception shoes. $180 for groom's suit + alterations, ~$100 for shirt + tie + belt + socks + shoes.
Photobooth: Also DIYed this using the booth.events app. I already had an iPad, so I bought a ring light, backdrop, and Canon Selphy printer for prints. Booth.events lets you design your template. The printer prints 4x6 photos so I had a paper cutter out that let guests cut it into two photo strips. All in all probably ~$280 for everything, not including the things I already had. The photobooth was a big hit with the guests - it was used over 50 times, and all the pictures were saved on my iPad + on an online gallery for the guests. And now I have a photobooth set up I can whip out at other events!!
Guest book: Bought a cute vintage guest book off Etsy for $20 and I already had 2 instax cameras. Spent $40 for extra film which wasn't all used. I highly recommend doing a photo guest book, I got teary looking through all the pictures of the guests along with their sweet messages. I wish all the guests signed, some missed it.
Other costs: ~$900 for two nights in a bridal suite, $600 for wedding party attire, $500 for wedding party gifts, $140 for transportation.
I know I'm missing a lot but I think this is most of it. Overall everything turned out wonderfully even with the rain! I personally found the DIY stuff worth it and I enjoyed doing those things. I have more to say but at this point I've become a bit ramble-y so I'll just stop here! :p

I've been trying to do some research on getting TEW or PWS. It seemed PWS was the prettier and easier to use so I bought it. Good Lord this thing is obtuse. And for the life of me I can't find any simple tutorials for it. Every video I've seen is just someone showing you the game they already set up. One guy on YouTube kinda does one but it's for a much older version of the game.
Mainly I want to use this to keep track of my CAW universe in WWE 2k24. I figured out how to create a wrestler. Gave them a name and a profile pic and set up a promotion and hired the wrestlers. Then I couldn't figure out how to set up a match. So I went to bed and thought I'll figure it out tomorrow. Wake up and boot it up and one of my wrestlers had left the promotion. WTF?
All I want is some sort of sandbox. I don't want to pay catering and all that. I was hoping I could just ignore that or turn it off.
I saw one guys video where he had like a screen with all the wrestlers pictures and they were broken up by main event and mid card and who was a heel and who was a face. I thought what a great way to just see everything at once. Then I saw them just dragging and dropping names to set up a card. Beautiful. How do I get to that?
Sorry I'm upset. I don't mean to be offensive. If someone could point me to a tutorial or a website or something I must be missing. Or maybe I got the wrong game and I should have gotten TEW. Like I said I just want a sandbox where wrestlers aren't quitting on me because I didn't answer their email or whatever. What I'd like to do is be able to see all my wrestlers, set up cards then I'd go play those matches in 2k then come back and just record the results. Maybe I'm trying to use these games wrong and I should just be using an excel spreadsheet. I saw a guy selling a Notion template but I was hoping for something a little more visually pleasing and drag and drop. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Thank you.

Hey
Last week, I had an idea strike me and I haven't been able to lose the feeling that, if executed properly, it could be turned into quite a profitable, passive stream of income. I've been doing various side hustles for the past 5-6 years, but it's getting slightly old. No matter how good a single flip/gig is, it's only temporary. I'm always find myself focusing on one thing, then switching things up when something better comes along. While I have been successful with these gigs, I've never had the feeling that I could turn any of them into a legitimate business. I want switch my approach, put lots of time/effort in during a beginning phase, and have the money come in later on. Without going into any detail here, this idea is not being done by anybody else. It's not insanely difficult to accomplish either.
I was able to develop a VERY basic MVP (in the form of an app) over the course of a 2 days. The app works as I pictured it to, but it doesn't have all the features that a proper release would have. It's very basic, but it still woks and I think it displays my new idea pretty well. This was my first foray into app development, so I'm happy with how things went. That being said, I do not want to/cannot develop everything that I envision for this on my own. I have some rudimentary experience in programming, but developing a functional app, keeping everything organized, and handling the business side of things is well above my pay grade. That's not to say that I couldn't do it, but it would push things back quite a bit (time wise).
So, this leads me to the questions that I have about turning this into a reality

1. At what point do I go out seeking funding? I've already looked into some small business grants and have enrolled in a necessary class that is required as part of the application process. Would it be better to keep the team small 2-4 people and execute the idea by ourselves or should I go out and seek investors?
2. How do I start the search for a technical co-foundeadditional hands? I'm only 20 years old, so there'll definitely be a bias that some people would have towards me because of my age. In addition to that, I've never done something at this scale before.
3. How should I go about discussing this idea with potential partners/investors? I've thought about attending some upcoming networking/entrepreneur events in my area, but I'm wary of openly sharing my idea as 1) this would not be hard to replicate and 2) nobody else is doing it. Is an NDA the best remedy to this concern?

If I think of anything more, or if you guys have anything valuable to add, I'll be in the comments.
Any insight into the questions that I have is greatly appreciated! If you've read this far in the post, thanks for your time!

Hey entrepreneur
Last week, I had an idea strike me and I haven't been able to lose the feeling that, if executed properly, it could be turned into quite a profitable, passive stream of income. I've been doing various side hustles for the past 5-6 years, but it's getting slightly old. No matter how good a single flip/gig is, it's only temporary. I'm always find myself focusing on one thing, then switching things up when something better comes along. While I have been successful with these gigs, I've never had the feeling that I could turn any of them into a legitimate business. I want switch my approach, put lots of time/effort in during a beginning phase, and have the money come in later on. Without going into any detail here, this idea is not being done by anybody else. It's not insanely difficult to accomplish either.
I was able to develop a VERY basic MVP (in the form of an app) over the course of a 2 days. The app works as I pictured it to, but it doesn't have all the features that a proper release would have. It's very basic, but it still woks and I think it displays my new idea pretty well. This was my first foray into app development, so I'm happy with how things went. That being said, I do not want to/cannot develop everything that I envision for this on my own. I have some rudimentary experience in programming, but developing a functional app, keeping everything organized, and handling the business side of things is well above my pay grade. That's not to say that I couldn't do it, but it would push things back quite a bit (time wise).
So, this leads me to the questions that I have about turning this into a reality

1. At what point do I go out seeking funding? I've already looked into some small business grants and have enrolled in a necessary class that is required as part of the application process. Would it be better to keep the team small 2-4 people and execute the idea by ourselves or should I go out and seek investors?
2. How do I start the search for a technical co-foundeadditional hands? I'm only 20 years old, so there'll definitely be a bias that some people would have towards me because of my age. In addition to that, I've never done something at this scale before.
3. How should I go about discussing this idea with potential partners/investors? I've thought about attending some upcoming networking/entrepreneur events in my area, but I'm wary of openly sharing my idea as 1) this would not be hard to replicate and 2) nobody else is doing it. Is an NDA the best remedy to this concern?

If I think of anything more, or if you guys have anything valuable to add, I'll be in the comments.
Any insight into the questions that I have is greatly appreciated! If you've read this far in the post, thanks for your time!
p.s. I tried posting this in , but I didn't have enough karma and the post got removed

I've been severely depressed for about 2 years when I really discovered how little control people actually have over their lives. People get offended when I tell them how lucky they are to be in the position they are in, often responding by saying that they've worked hard to get where they are. In truth, they are lucky, because at any moment some outside unforeseen force could cut that down in an instant.
My life has been at a standstill, I work a job I hate, I only have online friends which sometimes don't even seen to truly care,I don't feel joy so no hobbies or activities make me feel anything. I often find myself thinking how if things that were entirely out of control in my childhood were different, I'd be in a much better position. Then I realized that for people to realize how great their lives are, there have to be predetermined losers in life, and I'm one of them. For awhile, as a teenager, I thought that I was set for great things and that I would live comfortably and be on par with my peers. As my mid-20s crept in, I realized how naive this was, thinking that just because you have the drive or thought process to make it, you would.
A couple of close suicides made me realize how worthless it all is. Two people who had more than me, who had fulfilling relationships and successful lives, decided to call it quits. I stopped talking to anyone outside of the people I have to for work or my parents, to at least give the facade of a functioning adult. My best friend, who would honestly do anything to help, is no longer close enough for that to be possible.
I honestly lay in bed, awake, at the thought that this is the life that was chosen for me. How cruel is that? To do everything in your power to fix your life, only for abuse and health problems that were completely out of your control to destroy it. I find myself fantasizing about waking up in an alternate universe where things are just normal, where my shitty weeks and days are just that... weeks and days. Where I could have had all those core human experiences instead of my grey-goo malaise life of nothingness.
Anytime things are bad, I just imagine my memories of this other life. Even if they aren't real, they're something. I'd much rather eat an impossible burger than no food at all, you know? It's much better to imagine that I'm watching a good horror film with someone, than the reality of me sitting alone in my room. If reality is supposedly subjective, than why can't I take the adage from the Mythbusters, "I reject your reality and substitute my own". I'm glad this whole game/simulation/cruel reality works for others, good on them, but it's not working for me.
I guess I wrote all this out in hopes shouting into the expanses of the internet will return some advice, or someone else going through the same thing. I imagine with 8 billion people on the planet, there's bound to be one person going through the same programming/events I am. I'm just wondering how to parse through all of this...

Friends D/M adopted R (a dog) 8 years ago with severe separation anxiety. M pushed for R, and this is a point of contention in their relationship.
6 months ago, they all came to visit me. To help them, I agreed to watch R while they sorted shit at home for a while. I put in hours of isolation training with R. After a month, I could leave him alone in the yard. Soon after, R would sleep on the couch while alone.
D stayed at my place intermittently the past 2 months (they planned to move in eventually). I tried to reinforce R’s specific training program, but from my perspective, D was frustrated with the energy necessary (M should be doing this). R went from sleeping on the couch, to forcing himself out the sliding glass door while alone. I grew resentful of this regression.
D returned home for a week to help M with the move. I again worked with R for the week. I was too confident with my training and after a 2-hour outing, R escaped the yard. I spent 4 hours searching the woods at night in the rain then at 2 am I placed 50 missing flyers in half mile radius. The next morning, a neighbor called with R, I gave her $200 and notified D/M he was safe. I was upset for losing the dog, and I resentful at D for the regression.
When D/M returned, I asked to not have to give a play-by-play of the events, wanting to know all the details. I had found the dog, I was pissed it even occurred, and I wanted to move forward. D relented. I asked him to drop it, but he kept pushing. I agreed, pointed out the driveway of where he was found, then asked to drop it (I was angry and upset). At drinks, it got brought up again. We got home and I kept drinking (been in a dark place and I’m flirting with alcoholism at this point). I said some mean-spirited things about their lack of appreciation and was an overall angry drunken asshole. A few days later D asked again to go to the house to “thank” the people. He insisted I haven’t given him enough detail. I was pissed it was even brought up again, and he doubled down implying my avoidance of the topic was suspicious to him. Now I’m thinking, “this guy isn’t entitled to shit in my head” and stood fast on that for a while telling him of his sense of entitlement. I ultimately took him back to keep peace in the house. This morning, he told me told me was thinking about entitlement, I was hoping an apology was coming, but he said he went to the house and they didn’t know anything about the dog. I told him “I don’t know what to tell you, probably went to the wrong house”. He gave me a lecture about what “friendship” means and being honest. Filled with rage, I pulled my phone out and gave him the numbers of the woman who called me, told him to have fun playing Junior Detective and left the house. I then texted M that she and I must have a talk about how this is going to go moving forwards.
I feel like my friendship with D may be over at this point.
AITA for being difficult with the info regarding the ordeal?

This should be a quick question about how I should architect the FreeRTOS tasks for my program.
I have a CAN RX handler task that gets information from various other places on the system. I also have an output task that waits for information on queues from various other places in the program and does some calculations before sending a single output on CAN TX.
The issue is that between getting information from the RX handler and using it in the output task, the information being sent also needs to go through some calculations/interpolation from LUTs that are separate from the calculations in the output task.
I'm not really sure whether to do these calculations in a new task (being a middleman for rx and output task). I don't really like that idea since the task would not be event driven at all and would just complicate the program more; its entire purpose is to do some calculations. The other option is obviously making it a function (probably in the output task) but that puts a lot of the heavy lifting in that one task and it is critical this task makes timing (about every 1ms)
TLDR: not sure whether to make a new task just for some calculations where it is not strictly necessary and could be replaced by a function. Not sure what the better practice is

Hey Sacramento!
I've been seeing a lot of chatter about breed-specific legislation (BSL) and pit bulls lately in this subreddit and its a regular cycle. Sacramento prides itself on being an inclusive and humane community, and given our focus on animal control and the number of shelters that work diligently with the public, animal rescue, and veterinary organizations, I wanted to share some solid facts and expert opinions from well-reputed institutions. This will help clear up the common misconceptions. I will not use or recommend anyone use sources that spread misinformation but I will go into one of the significant bad actors in the public sphere.
Additionally, I wanted to broadcast some local volunteer opportunities and programs that the SPCA and Sacramento (and shelters like Bradshaw) are putting on to encourage healthy animal ownership in our community.
If uninterested in the topic, or only interested in causing flame wars please do not comment. I would like to entertain a healthy community driven discussion here where we can attempt to answer questions and share information for people that are on the fence or are interested in learning more.
Why is this a problem? Why should I care?

Bradshaw Animal Shelter takes in 280 animals weekly

Think about that for a moment. 280 weekly. Do you know what happens when you cannot find homes for 1120 animals at a shelter with space for roughly 200 animals (and 400 fosters) total at any given time? They are euthanized, mostly.

645 dogs were euthanized by Bradshaw in 2023.

Currently Bradshaw has 79 dogs on site available for adoption, 26 of which are pit breeds, or roughly 32%.
Now think about this: The Sacramento SPCA and shelters like Bradshaw are so desperate to rehome pits that are being judged for nothing other than existing (with no prior history of aggression or violence) they are giving them away discounted with full kits and vaccinations and sometimes even with training and free vet care for a year. But nobody wants them. Why is that? Healthy, loving, sentient creatures that think and feel things are being euthanized by the literal thousands monthly EVERYWHERE, because of misinformation. Doesn't that seem evil?

1. Ineffectiveness: Studies and expert opinions consistently show that BSL does not reduce dog bite incidents. Instead, it diverts resources away from effective measures, such as educating the public on responsible pet ownership and enforcing existing animal control laws.
   
2. Unfair Targeting: BSL unfairly targets specific breeds, leading to discrimination against responsible owners and well-behaved dogs. Many loving pets are banned, rehomed, or euthanized simply because of their breed, not their behavior.
   
3. Wasted Resources: Implementing and enforcing BSL is costly. These resources could be better spent on community programs that promote responsible pet ownership, proper training, and socialization of all dogs.
   
4. Public Safety: By focusing on breed rather than behavior, BSL fails to address the real issues that contribute to dog bites, such as irresponsible ownership, lack of training, and poor socialization. Effective legislation should target these factors to genuinely improve public safety.
   
5. Community Impact: Supporting BSL goes against these values, fostering unnecessary fear and misunderstanding among residents. By advocating for breed-neutral laws and responsible pet ownership, we can create a safer, more compassionate community for both people and pets.
   
6. Volunteer and Support Opportunities: Engaging with local shelters and organizations through volunteering and support can make a significant difference. Programs run by organizations like the Sacramento SPCA offer education, training, and resources that help reduce incidents of dog bites and promote safe, responsible pet ownership.
   

The big myths:

• That banning certain breeds, like pit bulls, can reduce dog bite incidents.
• That pit bulls are inherently more aggressive than other breeds.
• That breed-specific legislation makes communities safer.
• That pit bulls have "locking jaws" making them more dangerous.
• That visual identification of a dog’s breed is reliable.
• That pit bulls are responsible for the majority of dog bite incidents.

The facts:

• Responsible pet ownership, education about dog behavior, and robust enforcement of animal control laws are far more effective in creating safe communities. Let’s focus on promoting these solutions instead of unfairly targeting specific breeds!
• Pit Bulls Are Not Inherently Dangerous: American Temperament Test Society: Studies by the American Temperament Test Society show that pit bulls score well on temperament tests, often outperforming many other breeds in terms of stability and tolerance.
• Owner Behavior Is Crucial: Research indicates that a dog's behavior is heavily influenced by the owner's actions. Dogs that are well-trained, socialized, and cared for are less likely to display aggressive behavior. The AVMA highlights that owner responsibility is key to preventing dog bites. Additionally please see the "why breed legislation is not the answer" banner after the content.
• Effective Legislation Focuses on Behavior: Laws that focus on the behavior of individual dogs and the responsibilities of owners, rather than breed, have been shown to be more effective in reducing dog bite incidents. The ASPCA supports breed-neutral laws that hold all dog owners accountable..
• Education and Community Programs Work: Community education programs that teach responsible pet ownership and dog bite prevention can significantly reduce incidents. The CDC supports educational initiatives as a means to improve community safety.
• Proper Training and Socialization: Dogs that receive proper training and socialization from an early age are less likely to develop behavioral issues. Positive reinforcement training methods are particularly effective in promoting good behavior in all breeds. American Kennel Club: https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/news/issue-analysis-breed-specific-legislation/

By focusing on these facts and supporting evidence-based solutions, we can create safer communities without unfairly targeting specific breeds. Let's work together to promote responsible pet ownership and effective legislation.
How did we get here:
Unfortunately, there are many bad actors spreading misinformation and have been since the early to mid 90s. But I would like to focus on a single one that has a significant presence on Reddit: Dogbites.org. Their founder runs the subreddit banpitbulls. Visit it so you can understand what an issue it is. Read about the owner and what a cook she is and has zero education or credentials in the field., and read for yourself why the subreddit and its data should not be taken seriously. Additionally here is a chatgpt generated summary of why its just basically hate bait:

Dogsbite.org, a website that claims to offer reliable data on dog attacks, especially from breeds like pit bulls, has been heavily criticized for its methodologies and conclusions. Several sources highlight significant issues with the data and approach used by Dogsbite.org, making it a controversial and potentially dangerous resource.
Firstly, Dogsbite.org often relies on media reports to compile its data. This method is problematic because media coverage tends to be biased towards sensational stories, often misidentifying dog breeds and focusing disproportionately on attacks involving pit bulls. This selective reporting skews the statistics, making certain breeds appear more dangerous than they might actually be. The CDC itself has acknowledged that media reports are not a reliable source for accurate breed-specific data due to this bias (NoPitBullBans.com).
Furthermore, the term "pit bull" does not refer to a specific breed but rather a type that encompasses multiple breeds and their mixes. This broad categorization leads to inconsistencies and inaccuracies in reporting and data collection. Dogsbite.org's failure to differentiate between specific breeds and the generalized "pit bull type" dogs exacerbates these inaccuracies, contributing to a misleading portrayal of the breed's danger (EthicsAlarms.com).
Critics also argue that Dogsbite.org's data often disregards critical factors such as the circumstances of the attacks, the treatment of the dogs, and the responsibility of the owners. Factors like abuse, neglect, and lack of socialization are crucial in understanding aggressive behavior in dogs but are frequently overlooked in the site's reports. This omission results in an incomplete and potentially biased picture of why dog attacks occur (PitBullMyth.com).
In summary, Dogsbite.org's data and conclusions have been widely debunked for their reliance on biased media reports, improper classification of dog breeds, and neglect of important contextual factors. These flaws can lead to misguided breed-specific legislation and policies that unfairly target certain breeds while ignoring the real issues behind dog attacks, such as owner responsibility and dog treatment (EthicsAlarms.com, NoPitBullBans.com).

Additionally:

• Over the past few decades, a number of high-profile dog attacks received extensive media coverage. These incidents often involved specific breeds, particularly pit bulls, leading to widespread fear and concern among the public. The media's focus on these breeds has contributed to their negative reputation. Misinformation and Stereotyping:
• Misinformation about certain breeds, such as the myth of pit bulls having "locking jaws" or being inherently more aggressive, has fueled public fear and prejudice. This misinformation often spreads quickly and is difficult to correct, contributing to the stigma against these breeds. Legislative Response:
• In response to public concern, many municipalities and states implemented BSL as a way to address fears about dog attacks. These laws were often enacted without sufficient evidence or understanding of their effectiveness, focusing on the breed rather than the behavior of individual dogs and their owners. Lack of Education:
• A general lack of public education about dog behavior, responsible pet ownership, and the actual factors that contribute to dog bites has perpetuated misconceptions. Without proper education, communities may support measures that seem straightforward, like BSL, without realizing their ineffectiveness. Cultural Factors:
• In some communities, certain breeds are associated with negative cultural stereotypes. This can include assumptions about the types of people who own these dogs and their lifestyles. These cultural biases further entrench the fear and discrimination against specific breeds. Political Pressure:
• Politicians and community leaders sometimes feel pressured to take swift action in response to public outcry over dog attacks. BSL can appear to be a decisive measure, even though it does not address the root causes of the problem and often lacks support from animal behavior experts.

How you can help:

• Get Involved with Local Organizations: Volunteer with or support local animal shelters and rescue organizations. Many of these groups provide education and resources to help prevent dog bites and promote the well-being of all dogs. For example, the Sacramento SPCA advocates for breed neutral legislation and regularly puts on community outreach events to try to sway public opinion.

The Sacramento SPCA is proud to be part of a collaboration between local shelters, rescues and businesses for a Pit Bull advocacy insert that recently appeared in the Sacramento News & Review. Learn more about the breed history, discrimination both the dog and owners face, as well as difficulties in identifying “Is this a Pit Bull?”

• Join communities that propagate healthy data driven and research backed headlines*
• https://www.reddit.com/dogs is a fantastic and healthy community of data driven dog ownership and societal practices for a healthy and safe society of animal lovers. They regularly share research and promote positive ownership and animal practices. [You can read more about the community here.](https://www.reddit.com/dogs/wiki/rules)
  

  Blatant Misinformation on breeds/breed groups are not tolerated. This can include, but is not limited to: sensationalized fear mongering, sharing of dog attack videos and articles, pushing agendas of pro or anti-breed subs, stating that specific breeds require firm training in the form of dominance or punishment based training or that certain breeds do not learn from 'typical' methods. https://www.avma.org/resources/pet-owners/why-breed-specific-legislation-not-answer https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/literature-reviews/dog-bite-risk-and-prevention-role-breed Users who demean, shame or mock others for their choice of breed(s) may be banned based off the infraction. While we understand some breed mixes may not be reputably bred, this does not mean that the owners > must be shamed for having them. Aim to educate without judgment or damnation.
  

• Advocate for Breed-Neutral Laws: Support legislation that focuses on the behavior of individual dogs and their owners, rather than targeting specific breeds. Contact your local representatives and express your support for breed-neutral policies.
  
• Promote Responsible Pet Ownership: Encourage and educate others about the importance of proper training, socialization, and care for all dogs. Share resources and information on how to be a responsible pet owner.
  
• Participate in Community Programs: Join or organize community programs that teach dog bite prevention and responsible pet ownership. These programs can be instrumental in reducing incidents and improving public safety. Volunteer at shelters, donate supplies and money to them.
  
• Foster and Adopt Responsibly: If you’re considering adding a dog to your family, consider adopting from a shelter. Make sure you’re prepared to provide the training, socialization, and care that your new pet will need.
  
• Spread the Word: Use your voice to dispel myths and share accurate information about pit bulls and other breeds. Social media, community meetings, and conversations with friends and neighbors are great ways to spread awareness. Do not promote misinformation. Rely on sources from scientists and professionals that are backed by research.
  

Sources
Bradshaw Animal Shelter Statistics:
https://animalcare.saccounty.gov/Documents/Statistics/ShelterAnimalCount_April2024.pdf Bradshaw Shelter Animal Count 2023:
https://animalcare.saccounty.gov/Documents/Statistics/Shelter%20Animals%20Count%20-%202023.pdf American Temperament Test Society:
http://atts.org/breed-statistics/statistics-page1/ AVMA on Dog Bite Prevention:
https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/dog-bite-prevention#:~:text=Be%20a%20responsible%20pet%20owner.&text=If%20you%20have%20a%20fenced,these%20procedures%20with%20your%20veterinarian. ASPCA Position on Breed-Specific Legislation:
https://www.aspca.org/about-us/aspca-policy-and-position-statements/position-statement-breed-specific-legislation CDC on Pet Safety:
https://www.cdc.gov/healthy-pets/about/dogs.html?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/pets/dogs.html American Kennel Club on Training Pit Bulls:
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/news/issue-analysis-breed-specific-legislation/ The Truth Behind Dogsbite.org:
https://btoellner.typepad.com/kcdogblog/2010/03/the-truth-behind-dogsbiteorg.html Discrediting Dogsbite.org on Reddit:
https://www.reddit.com/BanPitBulls/comments/9h3w5x/dogsbiteorg_discredited/ University of Georgia Veterinary Teaching Hospital:
https://vet.uga.edu/pit-bull-myths/ Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science on Breed Identification:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10888705.2013.856018 Sacramento SPCA Community Outreach Events:
https://www.sspca.org/blog-post/voice-voiceless dogs Community Rules:
https://www.reddit.com/dogs/wiki/rules#wiki_breed_misinformation_and_hate AVMA on Why Breed-Specific Legislation is Not the Answer:
https://www.avma.org/resources/pet-owners/why-breed-specific-legislation-not-answer AVMA on Dog Bite Risk and Prevention:
https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/literature-reviews/dog-bite-risk-and-prevention-role-breed Volunteer and Foster Opportunities in Sacramento:
https://animalcare.saccounty.gov/HelptheAnimals/Pages/Volunteer.aspx Adopt from a Shelter:
https://animalcare.saccounty.gov/HelptheAnimals/Pages/Volunteering-and-Fostering.aspx
Further research:
https://jsmcah.org/index.php/jasv/article/view/6 https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/javma/243/12/javma.243.12.1726.xml https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/literature-reviews/dog-bite-risk-and-prevention-role-breed https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165587618305950?via%3Dihub https://embarkvet.com/resources/top-dog-breed-by-state/ https://embarkvet.com/resources/most-common-dog-breed-ancestry/ https://www.avma.org/sites/default/files/resources/javma_000915_fatalattacks.pdf https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S109002331500310X https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1469-7580.2008.01042.x
Chat GPT helped me write this.

The View from Oregon – 292
Re: The Epistemic Risks of Flawed Science
Friday 07 June 2024
Dear Friends,
In last week’s newsletter I introduced the concept of epistemic enclaves to characterize the knowledge regimes of distinct communities. The idea of epistemic enclaves follows straight-forwardly from an appreciation of the constructed character of human knowledge. Different communities construct their knowledge in different ways, and so find themselves with distinct but overlapping epistemic regimes. Since scientific knowledge is the most objective form of knowledge that human beings have formulated, we hesitate to see the scientific community as a community with its own distinctive knowledge regime, but we need to see this as a matter of degree. Scientific knowledge is certainly more objective than most folk knowledge regimes, but it isn’t absolutely objective. Even within science, as is widely recognized, there are disciplines that we characterize as “hard” sciences that seem to possess a greater degree of objectivity, and “soft” sciences with a lower degree of objectivity.
Scientists have done their utmost since the scientific revolution to distance themselves from the philosophy that was the womb in which science was conceived and brought to term. As part of this campaign for the independence of the epistemic enclave of science, Plato has been a particular target, and his otherworldly philosophy has been seen as antithetical to scientific knowledge. Nevertheless, the concept of knowledge implicitly held by many scientists is essentially Platonic. I am going to call the Platonic conception of knowledge that conception holding that (true, genuine) knowledge is eternal and unchanging. Scientists aren’t likely to use these descriptors, but presuppositions have a way of transcending language.
One can make any number of compromises between naturalism and the Platonic conception of knowledge that will allow one to conceal (from oneself, if not also from others) the Platonic character of knowledge that is being presupposed. For example, one might hold that the process of scientific discovery is a long, uncertain, and rocky road, with many setbacks, but the implication is that it does eventually lead to genuine knowledge (also known as “settled science”). I could call this the teleological cope: scientific knowledge ultimately converges on eternal and unchanging knowledge (i.e., the Platonic conception of knowledge), even if this convergence is inevitably and perhaps also indefinitely delayed. Thus one is not claiming that current scientific concepts and theories are timeless and unchanging, but they are converging on timeless and unchanging knowledge. The second part is the quiet part that you’re not supposed to say aloud. The teleological cope is a concession to the contingency that is central to naturalism, but it is only a limited concession, and it only satisfies an inquiry that is willing to be satisfied by half measures.
In the previous newsletter I said that epistemic enclaves are not only about bare facts, but as much about facts that are bearers of meanings and values. This enters quite directly into history, and can lead to radically different accounts of the same event or set of events. (The long-debated scientificity of history provides us with a test case of a knowledge regime that can make claims to objectivity, but which is all-too-often subjected to pressures that deviate from ideal scientific standards of objectivity.) All history must select the evidence from which it draws to construct its narrative. The principle of the selection of relevant evidence is, of course, the Achilles’ heel for objectivity. Since we must select evidence, we select on the basis of the value of that evidence to a historical account, and this is an axiological judgment, and not a judgment about the legitimacy of the evidence or the objectivity of the facts concerned. It is entirely possible, even if not ever realized in fact, that two historians (or any two individuals giving an account of some episode) might weigh the importance of facts so differently that they come away from one and the same milieu with two disjoint sets of facts, and each constructs a narrative of the episode in which there are no facts in common.
This is, or would be, a particularly radical outcome. As I said above, this might not ever happen in fact, but we cannot exclude the possibility, and what is true of history is true of other sciences, including the hard sciences. The sciences select the evidence they will use in formulating a theory, which is the point of the anecdote related by Eugene Wigner as quoted in newsletter 282. Part of the value of a scientific research program is that it aligns the scientific community (or the greater part of the scientific community), and this alignment extends to what will be considered relevant evidence and what will not be considered relevant evidence. There are other alignments that also serve to constrain what we value as relevant evidence. As human beings, we have human experience in common, and we might call this the human alignment, which consists of a complex network of cognitive biases and shared evolutionary psychology that tends to unconsciously coordinate our experience, making it possible to agree upon much that might otherwise be elusive.
The ultimate alignment would be a science of science that entailed precise quantitative and axiological constraints for evidence. If there were a science of science, then we might very well argue that science is converging on absolute knowledge (without this being a teleological cope), that science can be “settled” once an area of knowledge has been exhausted, that the growth of scientific knowledge can be programmatic and therefore automated, and so on. We cannot rule out the automated pursuit of science, but science at its present state of conceptual development means that automated science would not be absolute knowledge or ultimate science. The kind of science we might program a machine to pursue wouldn’t be a perfect or universal science, but only one more permutation of the possible pathways for science, as though machines already constituted their own machine civilization and that machine civilization was another cultural-historical type to add to Danilevsky’s list of cultural-historical types.
Undertaking science in a framework defined by personalities, blindspots, idiosyncratic insight, and adherence to a political narrative entails what we can call epistemic risk. Epistemic risk can take the form of falling afoul of a powerful personality (or being too close to them and losing one’s autonomy), failing to see relevant evidence due to a blindspot (or becoming aware of the blindspots of others, and thus falling afoul of the research community), failing to possess the requisite insight to make a scientific discovery (or having an unwelcome insight that runs counter to the prevailing scientific research program), or being so captured by a political narrative that knowledge growth stagnates (or running afoul a political narrative by attempting to pursue a scientific research program counter to the narrative). Epistemic risk only enters into science because there is no science of science. If scientific discovery were an exhaustively theorized activity, the continuation of which can be generated by an algorithm, there would be no epistemic risk involved.
It remains to be said that, even if we possessed a science of science, we could not be assured of its uniform deployment. The formulation of an adequate science of science would only present the possibility of reforming science, but not the reform itself, which latter would be an historical process distinct from the ideal end state of mature scientific knowledge attained (i.e., the convergence of scientific knowledge upon the Platonic conception of knowledge). We can easily see that this historical process of the deployment of a science of science would be riddled with dangers. A science of science, if acted upon, would collapse epistemic enclaves. Indeed, the ability of such a discipline to collapse epistemic enclaves would immediately be perceived as a threat, and those in power within given epistemic enclaves would act to counter this threat.
In the long run, possession of a science of science would greatly expand scientific knowledge, and insofar as scientific knowledge can be the source of technologies that can be engineered into industries, a society adopting and acting upon a science of science would eventually come to dominate militarily and economically, and in the anarchic nation-state system, this kind of power is the only real currency. However, there is a great gap—perhaps even a yawning chasm—between the rudiments of a science of science being formulated, and a mature science of science deciding the fates of nation-states. This is a process that could unfold over hundreds or thousands of years—a period of time sufficient that any number of other events or historical processes might unfold, either to derail the unfolding of a science of science, to bring about an untimely end to human civilization, or to suggest alternative ideals as the proper alignment for human civilization.
In many blog posts and essays I have offered possible definitions of what would constitute a properly scientific civilization (for example, “Pathways into the Deep Future,” “The Role of Science in Enlightenment Universalism,” and “The Infinite telos of Reason: Edmund Husserl and Scientific Civilization”). Given my analysis of the institutional structure of civilization, the obvious answer to this question is that a properly scientific civilization is a civilization that has science as its central project. However, these reflections on the nature of science and the possibility of a science of science point to a further complexity.
If science in its present state of development, i.e., science that falls short of the ideal of scientific knowledge, were to be installed as the central project of a civilization, such a civilization could be as flawed in its pursuit of scientific knowledge as is Enlightenment era civilization. In such an eventuality we would experience the founder effect at the scale of civilization: the new civilization would be based only on the science that founded it, and would likely exclude a more comprehensive conception of science, perhaps on principle, as scientific variants might appear to a scientific establishment as forms of heresy. I can think of at least four obvious permutation of this problem:

1. A scientific civilization would inevitably be as flawed and as limited as any non-scientific civilization (where a non-scientific civilization is understood to be a civilization that does not have science in some form as its central project), because it would be based on flawed and imperfect science.
2. No civilization would be prepared to install science as its central project unless or until it had developed and deployed a mature science of science (scientific maturity comes first).
3. No civilization would be capable of developing and deploying a mature science of science unless and until it had installed science as its central project (a scientific central project comes first).
4. The process of science acceding to the institution of civilizational central project would be integral with and inseparable from the development of a science of science; no civilization would be capable of formulating a science of science unless it were in the process of installing science as its central project, and vice versa (scientific maturity and a scientific central project are parallel and linked).

There are probably many other possibilities, and many possible variations on these themes. The limited schematization I have employed above implies, for example, the possibilities of the development of a mature science of science without the appearance of a properly scientific civilization, the appearance of a properly scientific civilization (if it could be called such) without the development of a mature science of science, or an initial development toward both scientific maturity and a scientific central project that stagnates or is derailed before it can come to fruition.
Best wishes,
Nick
PS—After five months and 70 videos, I now have more than 400 subscribers to my Youtube channel, Today in Philosophy of History. (On Spotify I have 20 subscribers for the podcast edition.) In my most recent video on Isaiah Berlin I have departed significantly from mere exposition and have been more open about presenting my own interpretation of history. Of course, I have developed my own views in many episodes, for example, with Kant and especially in my episode on Giovanni Gentile, but most of what I have presented is expository with occasional comment and pointing out implications. But to keep things interesting—for myself primarily, but also, I hope, for the edification of my listeners—I will probably expand on my own interpretations at the expense of pure exposition.
What makes one episode more popular than another is utterly inscrutable to me. For example, my episode on Jacob Burckhardt has more than a thousand views, but my episode on Franciscus Patricius has fewer than twenty views—two orders of magnitude difference in viewership. I didn’t really have all that much to say about Burckhardt, and I have had misgivings about that episode in particular. I may record an addendum, or revisit Burckhardt next year (fate willing), since I have thought of a novel way to approach Burckhardt’s attitude to philosophy of history.
I am outlining two further series that I hope to begin recording sometime soon. I have previously mentioned (in a PS to newsletter 287) the series to be called “Case Studies in Civilization.” The other series I am outlining is “The Good Life in Historical Perspective” (obviously this is a working title and I would like to come up with something catchier). This latter series won’t be as open-ended as “Today in Philosophy of History” and “Case Studies in Civilization,” to both of which I can just keep adding episodes. “The Good Life in Historical Perspective” will take up the idea of the good life as it appears in the philosophy of classical antiquity and will examine how this has changed over time. Is the good life possible in all societies, or only in some? Is the good life the same in all societies? The finite scope of the series in set by the limitation imposed by the idea of the good life itself, and its iteration over known history, possibly with some speculation on the future of the good life. This series will give me a framework to talk about things I have long had on my mind, like medieval Scholastic interpretations of Aristotle’s ethics and Montaigne’s distinctive approach to the good life during a time when Europe was riven by religious wars.

Newsletter link:

https://mailchi.mp/b23eec0eaf27/the-view-from-oregon-292
​

Hey all, like a lot here I am new to the game and this is really my first time learning any sort of scripting/programming type skill.
I’ve made it through the tutorial and feel like I’ve been learning okay but am wondering about the “Script Automation” section near the very end of the beginners guide/getting started in Documentation. I don’t wanna post the whole code here because it’s super long but basically it’s the script they give you to restart all your basic early-hack-template.js after augmenting but by default it only affects the few networks on the basic scan-analyze.
My question is if it’s more efficient to add in the extra port hacks or whatever(FTPcrack/relaySMTP etc) and all the extra networks and build onto that tutorial script or do I want an extra script for each “layer” of network scan?
I’m assuming I can just have a one and done script that does the scp to all the networks and copies my early-hack-template.js and starts the hack/weaken/grow process and I just need to update the script automation deployer with all the new network names and thread counts as I get access to them?
Sorry if this reads like I had a stroke, JavaScript and programming are pretty much new to me as a whole as of finding this game so I am trying my best to understand and use this game as a serious start to learning as I find it very interesting :)

Every person has a psychic ability, and there are many examples for this psychic test: when you meet someone that you recently thought about, or had strange dream at night which turned to be real in the morning, or just an unexplained mystery. The little psychic events happen all the time even without our notice.
Would you like to chat with online psychics? check this reddit post:
https://www.reddit.com/freepsychicreadings4u/comments/1d1tkzo/need_answers_now_chat_with_online_psychics_247/
Further more, there are no random coincidences everything happens from a reason and it is the result from out past actions and our future destiny that always changes. A psychic test will help you to discover if you have these tendencies and if not you can always practice and improve your skill and intuition. In order to do so, you have to decide what you are good in, what attracts you the most. It can be dream interpretation, tarot reading, remote viewing, healing, Ouija boards and many other forms that will help you to see from beyond.

Through the years scientists invented many psychic tests, the basic assumption was that gifted human beings will perform better that the average person in predicting the future. The results have to be more than just guesses and convince that they can keep on doing so consistently for long time with minimum errors. As you know spiritualism is not an accurate science but still when it comes to the numbers and probabilities it can prove to be right in some cases when the results are unambiguous. A famous experiment is the Zener cards test. The cards have different and simple pictures on them and you have to guess what the pictures are without seeing them.

There are other psychic tests which try to discover if you can change things with the power of the mind – Telekinesis. A subject of this experiment sits in front of a machine that dropping ping pong balls from a tunnel to the ground. In the end of this device there is a funnel with intersection so the ball can fall to the right basket or the left one. Now, by the law of nature half of them should reach to the left side and the other half to the right side. It doesn’t have to be exactly fifty- fifty percentages but a number that coming close to this. Someone with psychic power can change these result by concentrating that the majority of the balls will fall to a certain basket, something like 70% or even 80%. In the end only few people managed to do it successfully. But you can try similar test too.

You can also write a psychic journal, a notebook with all the details about what occurs in your daily life; it should be very detailed and encompass everything. This will help you to remember but also to see things that you are not aware of them in the exact moment they happen. It is like having a dream journal that helps you to interpret your thoughts from your deeper mind. Sometimes mystery phenomena come across us and we don’t always feel it and even if we do, we can forget about very fast. So it is a great tool to test and analyze the way you interact with the energies of the universe.

Developing your psychic perception is not easy but it can really be done. You can do it on your own, learn about it from the internet and books. You can also have special training and join few courses, lectures and programs that will connect you much better to the spark of your mystery life.

Archive Link https://archive.ph/Vqnbe
Washington Post Link (opens on mobile but not desktop) https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/powe2024/04/16/prince-joachim-denmark/?utm_source=alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=wp_news_alert_revere&location=alert
Relevant snark from the article:
What does it mean to be a modern prince?
If you follow the British royal family, it means an heir and a spare, locked in a spiral of history, melodrama and betrayal. If you watch Hallmark movies, princes are invariably handsome but restive kings-in-waiting who find true love with scrappy American commoners.
.....
Instead, he found his calling in the Danish military. After completing his education (he speaks Danish, French, English and German), he enrolled in the reserves while also a working royal. Five years ago, he was invited to enroll in the elite École Militaire in Paris, a year-long program for officers and defense experts. Then he was named a Danish brigadier general and a military attaché at the embassy in France. Last year, the palace announced he would be moving to Washington, where he would also focus on defense.“
It’s about defense industrial cooperation,” Joachim explained. “My main task here is to pave the way — boost, help, inspire — for Danish defense industries, large and small, to enter the U.S.: Either provide or sub-supply, get into that big chain of regenerating and resupplying our armed forces.” In short: One of the thousands of diplomats in this town (who happens to be a member of the royal family).
....
As Kate and Meghan know all too well, marrying into royalty isn’t the fairy tale one might assume, even though you can become an actual princess. You fall in love with a person; you marry a country
“I had high expectations,” Princess Marie said. “I wanted to speak Danish perfectly. I wanted people to be proud of me. I wanted to fit in. So I think I put a lot of pressure on myself. But Denmark is actually an easy country to live in. Why? Because people respect each other a lot. I don’t feel there’s a lot of conflicts. Things work well.”
.... In the smaller world of European royalty, it matters — but only to a certain extent. They all know one another — many are related — and the difference between being a prince or a count may not be a game changer in the larger scheme of their lives.
..... So, no fairy tale. Just a guy — son, brother, husband, father — with a famous family trying to live his life. A modern prince, for those who care about things like that.
Some of the comments:
Here’s a prince, he said, developing the relationship between the United States and Denmark as a NATO ally, taking on a serious and sensitive responsibility instead of coasting on his title." I guess that is a dig at Harry.
“Joachim has been such a force for good in that he has always understood his role... Here’s a prince...taking on a serious and sensitive responsibility instead of coasting on his title. For him to keep his head down and do this work and be a fantastic representative of the country is something I think is extremely admirable." Too bad Harry couldn't do that--or could he before Megan?
"This is his best shot at a drama-free life away from royal reporters who obsess over the comings and goings of even minor European nobles." Thank god our medial isn't like that! /s

A real Prince of Denmark tries to live a normal Washington life. Prince Joachim and his family arrived last summer for his diplomatic post, leaving behind royal drama to raise a family here with hardly anyone noticing.

No irony lost in this story. In a very Royal move, he allows an article about his desire for normalcy away from royal drama, to be written in one of the largest newspapers in the US and certainly in his chosen hometown... So much for 'wanting' to be less noticed! Next week a centerfold spread?
kudos to another who broke away from living on an musty/moldy royal 1700-1800 compound getting very little sunlight. Wasting away waiting for someone to die to advance in life. He also managed to make sure not to marry someone with the one drop.
The contrast with Harry and Meghan is painfully obvious, and probably one of the reasons the story was published. This brother to the heir to the throne made himself an expert on military issues (he also speaks four languages) and has a diplomatic career. Things he didn't do: write a bitter tell all, trash his family and expect apologies, run away from royal opportunities and responsibilities; or adopt with his wife the role of public victim in chief. The irony is that Harry had the military background to make military affairs his profession. Good article on this impressive Danish prince.
Harry can learn from the Danish royals.
Juxtaposed to that Harry from the UK, this guy is a prince for sure.
Another Prince on a world privacy tour …
A very nice article about non-drama Royal family - with character not personality-driven. Washington DC is a great place in which to live and one great reason is the many cultural events conducted by the embassies.
Post Credit: ImNotaBatFeelmh (sorry it took me so long to make this post. But it wasn't easy to do it myself)

We'd like to find others interested in meeting up for brief (<4 hour) get togethers at a regular day of the week and time to build together in creative mode.
What is it?

• A weekly get together where a small group of people can make a tiny build in their own style
• Most of the time a 'template' will be made before everyone arrives so when we don't know where to start, we have somewhere to start.

How long does it last?

• Each session will be < 3 hours for the main event
• Session can go longer if individual wish to, or want to keep working on their project

Is this a competition?

• Nah. People volunteering to share their builds with others is more than enough.
• All are welcome to 'team up' or 'help' with others if asked/accepted
• Some times we do group builds with multiple parts.

Will I get to keep what I make?

• 100% Every week we'll share a world download, or structure blocks at minimum.
• Creators have the ability to request their build be removed before the world download is shared.
  • This is asked before the wold download is shared.

When does it happen?

• Typically during the weekend (Saturday/Sunday)
• Typically between UTC +0 300 and 700
  • Time and day of the event is determined weekly by asking interested parties
  • There will be a 'count down timer' site so that all parties can easily convert to their local time zone

Can I steam/record/etc. this for my viewers/audience?

• No.
  • We're a tiny group, and if you're not getting enough affirmation from the group, let us know.

Do I have to be in voice with everyone?

• No.
  • Most communication for the event will be done in voice, so the ability to hear through Discord is greatly useful. Text accommodations for those who use screen readers will be made.

Are there ranks? Unlocks? Etc.

• Nope. This is very low key event. With the most basic of Discord. No additional bells or whistles.

Do/Would you use X mod/addon/plugin?

• Nada. We meet up and build in vanilla Minecraft creative mode
  • We'll change game rules based on the build or majority participant request
  • The data pack we use are created by us, not imported from anywhere else. They help us quickly set all game rules to the desired, as well

Do you have any anti-greifing measures?

• Yes /ban.
  • We're all adults. Rude/aggressive/invasive/inconsiderate/dismissive/etc individuals are swiftly dealt with and removed.
  • If individuals have a concern others may react negatively to something they'll say/do/or build. Ask, and let it be known before you do so. Again, adults, pretty straight forward how to not step on toes.

What's the application process look like?

• A few written questions to establish user name in Discord & Minecraft
• A build submission (We send you a world with a custom build, you build it, and send it back to us.)
• A brief voice interview (No voice required, it just saves us a lot of typing).

Thanks for readin' on through! If you'd like to join, comment down below, and we'll send a discord invite.
Other FAQ:
Why don't you let people stream/record/etc.?

• Multiple reasons:
  • We're here to enjoy and interact with each other in Minecraft, not perform for private audiences.
  • All skills and abilities are welcomed, even if they're super shy. Taking pictures/video of strangers to share with others is weird.
  • We respect the privacy of others. Questions are welcomed, responses are accepted as is. I.E. If a person doesn't want to share a personal detail, we don't press them on it. This also extends to the right of any user to delete their messages or images, we don't look down on that as Digital Footprints are a thing.

Do you allow players to PvP, or build thing to blow each other up?!

• PvP - Absolutely not.
• TNT - No? Though, if an build event was proposed to have each participants build explode in a creative way, that would be possible

Will/Are there any long-term builds?

• If a build really hits it off with party members, we may return to it.
• Typically we like to keep the builds small, as that prevents burn out and massive time constraints.

Are NSFW/18+ Material/Builds/etc. welcomed?

• No. Not in Discord, voice, text, game, etc. This is echoed in the earlier "if you're concerned something might not be accepted..." ask first.

Hey everyone, sometime in April 2022 when gyms reopened I decided to try out Sheiko programming. The cycle shown here is not any specific program but one that I tailored to my own needs and what I could handle. The image shown is the prep cycle I ran most of the time from 2022-2023.
Program Overview:

• Program Level: Probably advanced but I ran as intermediate
• Goal: Powerlifting
• Program length: 4 week prep 1, 5 week prep 2, 4 week comp cycle
  
• Days per week: 5 days
  
• SBD frequency: Squat 2x, bench 5x, deadlift 3x
  

Background: During lockdown when I first got familiarized with Boris Sheiko's training methods I was extremely impressed by his level of planning and coaching background. After going into how the entire Soviet system was laid out and its similarities to the powerlifting System used by Sheiko, I was excited to give it a try for myself. I wanted to train more than 4x a week (the frequency shown on most Sheiko programs online) but after digging and finding training cycles used by the likes of Belyaev, Fedorenko etc I decided to base the programming off of them. I also read Sheiko's "Powerlifting Foundations and Methods" to get a background on assistance exercises and technique reccomendations.
Results:
BW: 170 -> 210
Squat: 345 -> 480
Bench: 235 -> 340
Deadlift: 425 -> 530
Diet: Lots of eggs, milk, meat. Simple but good food.
Notes and overall review:
All in all I really enjoyed this type of training. I had never done powerlifting style training and although jumping into such a large workload may have been a brash decision on my part, it ended up working very well in the end. I can't see myself ever training outside this form of submaximal style and can see myself doing this style for many years to come.
The waving of volume and intensities in Sheiko's templates also really helped volume accumulation at a tolerable level, for most of the training I felt completely fine and the volume being extremely submaximal is the only reason these types of programs work. Most SBD work ended up being RIR 4-5 (many people who trained with me kept asking why my sets are so easy!).
Future Plans: For the last year or so I've continued this type of cycle with some modifications to the bodybuilding and intensities, adding more specific deadlift work as I believe my previous cycles lacked a lot of it. Though I wouldn't say I necessarily recommend this exact training cycle, I'd recommend any Sheiko cycle for anyone who hasn't tried, but be sure to TAILOR IT TO YOUR NEEDS! We are all different.
https://preview.redd.it/oqnn91mr1l5d1.jpg?width=1892&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b748fb85ae271c95a146e005fac694c49ad71afb

This is not a good school for anything beyond engineering, agriculture, forestry, maybe bio, and veterinary medicine.
My experience getting a creative writing degree was extremely disappointing, support is hard to find at best and the faculty is…not great at times. There are exceptions of course but I feel like I got nothing out of the degree besides the piece of paper at the end of the day. It’s also weirdly hard to find out about anything happening on campus, I often didn’t find out about events or opportunities until they were over.
Administration would rather spend hundreds of millions of dollars building brand new buildings than actually suport existing programs and buildings that desperately need the most basic updates like AC. They spent $200 million dollars on the stadium remodel just in time for PAC-12 to crumble but won’t use it for anything else like concerts to bring in revenue.
And then there’s the awful way they’ve handled the Palestinian students here.

Tufts is my dream school so please lmk if I have a chance!
Intended major: Major in probably chem, bio, biomed, econ, or cs, w/ a double major in polisci
Stats: Weighted GPA (4.95), Unweighted(4.0), 1540 SAT
APs (by the end of HS) - I've indicated the scores on the ones I've taken: AP Physics C mech (5), AP music theory (5), AP calc bc (5), AP gov (5), AP CSA (5), AP world, AP lang, AP stat, AP chem, AP macro, AP micro, AP lit
Other relevant coursework: given the STEM magnet program at my school that I'm in I'm taking many magnet classes, which i'm not going to reveal because doxxing
Awards: Scholastic gold key, AP scholar with distinction, 2x AMIE qualifier, National Merit Semifinalist (1510 PSAT so I'm pretty sure even though they haven't been announced yet)
ECs
Climate activism:
Former policy director for a local environmental org. Ran a team of over fifteen students and advocates for environmental change. Lobbied for a building electrification bill in the state that passed.
Was chosen as 12 from over 300 students to represent 80k students in my school district on climate action council established by the board of ed. Manages a $75k budget and works for environmental change in the county. Writes policy reports and testifies
County politics:
DEI committee director for a local board of ed member. Managed a committee of over 30 people in advocating for county change. Wrote policy recommendations to the board of education, testified to the county and state board of educations, and held events.
Former member of my county's youth commission. Appointed by the county executive to represent 80k youth in the county on the county youth commission. Worked with 20 adults and 5 students to write policy recommendations to the county council.
Advocacy Coordinator for the countywide SGA. Plans events and researches policy. Met with Congress and state officials regarding bills.
CS/AI advocacy:
Proficient in java, python, and r. Qualified for ACSL finals. NCWIT affiliate award winner.
Advocacy director for a state chapter of an AI advocacy organization. Planned campaigns, held workshops, and met with congressional offices including Sen. Corey Booker. Got a motion passed in a city in my area regarding facial recognition technology. Wrote AI policy recommendations.
Piano:
Pianist for 13 years (at the time of application). Semi-finalist for (small) international music comp. 1st place at another (small) international chamber music comp, and 3rd at local chamber music comp.
Used my love for piano to work with a local music org as a secretary (3+ years). Worked to help create over 200 virtual concerts for seniors and over 1000 holiday cards.
Planning on submitting a piano supplemental recording as a part of my application.
Clarinet:
Clarinetist for 9+ years (at the time of application. Qualified for all-state (6th chair in the 2023-2024 senior ensemble) and all county bands, accepted into BUTI Tanglewood Institute, member of wind ensemble at school, member of local youth orchestra.
Member of school's Tri-M music honors society.
Planning on submitting a clarinet supplemental recording as a part of my application.
HOSA:
President for my school's HOSA club of over 60+ competing members, one of the largest HOSA clubs in the state.
Won first place statewide in multiple events.
2023 Summer Research
Summer intern in the biomedical engineering department of a local uni. Worked on web development and the development of a technology suite as a minimum viable product).
Completed a research project with a mentor over the summer using NIH datasets.
2024 Summer Research
Researcher at a prestigious summer program doing neurobio. Will probably be published in an undergrad research journal.
School literary mag:
Editor (editor in chief senior year) of school's literary mag. Manage a team of over 30 writers and publish annually.
Mental health club:
Helped start a mental health advocacy club at my school (I'm the treasurer). Hosts events, fundraisers, and advocates for mental health change at the county and state levels.
Math modeling team member:
Pretty self-explanatory. Modeling the Future Challenge semifinalist, HiMCM honorable mention, M3 top 20%.
Completed math modeling research about diseases and won an award at a local sci fair.

I don't know when this started I've been wracking my brain for some kind of start point and best I can reckon is more then a decade.
I have no evidence or anything concrete but the changes I'm noticing can no longer be fully explained by faulty memories or Mandela effects, the last straw that has me contemplating this is a change in a couple of people I knew well, almost over night they became people I hardly knew. involved in things they would never be anything less then disgusted by, becoming bigoted and borderline racist, cheating on their partners or speaking badly behind other friends back. None of the care or compassion I knew and treasured them for its all gone!
"Maybe you didnt know them as well as you thought?" I already hear you say, I've known them all my life, I'd know of anything that would have caused this! But I would accept that as an answer if it wasn't for everything else that caused suspicion even before this latest change.
Shops I've never seen before appearing and have existed in that spot for months or years, others disappearing becoming houses or empty again for what seems like years, kids programs I grew up with no longer exist, my favourite book series has different events, I even think some people I knew have ceased to exist!
Bigger events have changed as well, I remember celebrating with friends when brexit failed then the next day I was shocked to see it passed and my friends remember the same night but we were commiserating! Same with Covid I remember things being a lot worse then over night everything got better!
The things I've listed are just the tip of a huge iceberg, there's so much more I could list though most are more personally then the bigger events I've mentioned.
This could easily be all in my head and I'm over thinking it all, I feel like Worf in "parallels" except the changes are much more spread out and subtle, could I be losing my mind? And I'm worried if I am moving through realities what changes next?

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Hi, I'm a rising Korean-American transmasc high school senior and I want to apply to Rochester Institute of Technology. I'm applying to RIT's photography program, early decision.
My GPA is sort of in the toilet, 3.2, and my sat score from November is 1200, but the June SAT score comes out this friday. I don't think it'll go up a lot, since it was really difficult for me. Hoping I can superscore? I was going to take the August SAT but all the accommodation seats are completely full and I don't think it's smart to take it in October. My GPA should rise a little due to the 2 APs (AP Psychology and AP Environmental Science) I took in junior year, but my grades are still at the B range.
[ I do know they only look at your overall GPA but my grades rose a lot starting this calendar year. The reason for this is because I started medication for ADHD (LMFAO) and my grades shot up once my dosage was stabilized. I have no clue if I should write about that? ]
I've done a lot of extracurriculars: volunteering at a church (i'm christian), varisty golf (All-League 4 years, All-Section one year, MVP one year, coach's award one year, and I'll be captain next year), I'm director of photography in my school's yearbook club, and my school gave me an excellence in photography award at our senior's award event (but i'm not sure if that's an official award...). I won a scholastic Silver Key award back in 8th grade (2021) for writing and an Honorable Mention in 9th grade (2022). I didn't submit anything the past two years, which I regret a lot, but I'll submit something this year for photography. I'm also very active in my school's GSA!
I'm getting recommendations from my english teacher and my art teacher, who also teaches the photography class we have at my school. I took my school's Film Photography elective they offered this year and I'll be taking the Digital Photography elective next year. (They're basically the same exact class, but RIT doesn't need to know that lol). I really want to take their portfolio preparation workshop, but it's just way too far and my parents don't even want to travel to visit the school. I know the basics of film photography, developing photos in chemicals and using a darkroom since my HS has one, but nothing incredibly special. My photography teacher really likes me- he's the one who voted me for the excellence in photography award- and I'm hoping his recommendation reflects that.
I failed the third quarter of my Algebra 2 class, which is why my GPA is so low. I have never taken high school chemistry and I don't plan to, and I've never really done well in any science classes. I've also never taken any honors classes (I tried to get into honors english for this year but I didn't make it...) My school is pretty rigorous and it's one the top schools for STEM high school students- our school is known for having a bunch of really smart, STEM focused, asian kids. Not a lot of art students, though, which I think helps my chances? (Note- I'm an SSD approved student and I receive academic accommodations)
I've taken a lot of photos and some of them were featured in my town's newspaper. I'm currently working on my portfolio but I know their photography program is pretty rigorous. I have a Canon EOS Rebel T7 DSLR and I use Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom to edit. I'm trying to take more pictures that I can edit with purpose, something with thematic issues. I have a lot of event photos, candids, action photos, but not many that have meaning. I'm working with a photographer to help develop my portfolio and my current project is about my grandmother with Alzheimers- it's a photo of her currently and I'm editing old photos of her into the background. I'm thinking of volunteering at a photo studio near my town as well, but I'd have to check with them haha
What do you guys think my chances are? Sorry for the essay lmao I've been stressing over this a lot