Before everyone comes at me 'NoT aLL MeN' yada yada yada yes some men are good fathers, good husbands ect. There are also women who aren't satisfactory spouses or parents and who abuse people. However my experience and the statistics themselves paint an abysmal picture of men and this is a thread about why women are choosing to avoid men and are increasingly choosing to be single and childfree. If you are one of the men who does the bare minimum I won't be patting you on the back. If you are one of the men who does the bare minimum then this thread wasn't created to complain about you. You can either back me up or move along.
I'm not going to go into too much detail about my personal life but I have kids. I enjoy being a mom, it's the best thing I have done and I don't regret my decision. I have always respected childfree people and their decision but I never understood why they felt that way, I just thought that they had no instinct to have kids and that might be the case for some of them, however I'm really starting to understand an even bigger elephant in the room and I would guess that a lot of it has to do with the state of men and the fact that women are increasingly walking away from relationships because they no longer want to be a maid, hooker, nanny and servant. Women want equality and equity and they aren't getting it. Women work more hours on average than men if you include family responsibilities and domestic tasks and not just paid employment. Women are also still being paid less. We haven't reached the degree of equity needed so that women can have multiple children and further her career. Women already have to work harder than men to achieve the same goals. Women still have to face systematic misogyny and becoming a mother inevitably increases the misogyny women are subjected to in the form of idealized motherhood. Women are held to higher moral standards than men and men get away with lackluster parenting because people expect them to be incompetent. If a man 'babysits' the child for a few hours over the weekend everyone pats him on the back. Men just have to do the bare minimum and they get a trophy. For the first time in history women finally have choices and more and more of them are opting out when it comes to having anything to do with men.
The statistics surrounding men paint a frightening picture. I will provide links here
Women Work Harder And More Intensively Than Men: Study
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.ndtv.com/feature/women-work-harder-and-more-intensively-than-men-study-3679003/amp/1
Women are being bogged down with tasks that men don't want to do at work
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/10/women-are-more-productive-than-men-at-work-these-days/
It's official: women work nearly an hour longer than men every day
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/06/its-official-women-work-nearly-an-hour-longer-than-men-every-day/
research shows men often need a little more help than their partners when considering issues of influence, respect, and power
https://www.gottman.com/blog/manage-conflict-accepting-influence/#:~:text=Gottman%20suggests%20actively%20looking%20for,That's%20the%20secret.
The prevalence and seriousness of incestuous abuse: Stepfathers vs. biological fathers
According to this study a whopping 1 in 6 stepfathers are nonces and 1 in 40 women are sexually abused by their biological fathers. To make things even more shocking these numbers are underestimated, since the study only highlights women, it doesn't cover men who were sexually abused as boys by their male parental figure. Considering the fact that 1 in 6 boys is sexually abused by the age of 16 and some of those abusers are male parental figures, the numbers are even higher than this study suggests.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0145213484900450
https://1in6.org/statistic/
A third of male university students say they would rape a woman if there no were no consequences
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/a-third-of-male-university-students-say-they-would-rape-a-woman-if-there-no-were-no-consequences-9978052.html
Survey suggests 1 in 10 men admit that it's OK to hit a woman
https://www.ctvnews.ca/mobile/survey-suggests-1-in-10-men-think-it-s-ok-to-hit-a-woman-1.781324?referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F
Victims of sexual violence, statistics
On average, there are 463,634 victims (age 12 or older) of rape and sexual assault each year in the United States alone
https://www.rainn.org/statistics/victims-sexual-violence
Violence against women and girls – what the data tells us
https://liveprod.worldbank.org/en/data-stories/overview-of-gender-based-violence
Domestic violence perpetrators - women vs men
women’s violence usually occurs in the context of violence against them by their male partners; (b) in general, women and men perpetrate equivalent levels of physical and psychological aggression, but evidence suggests that men perpetrate sexual abuse, coercive control, and stalking more frequently than women and that women also are much more frequently injured during domestic violence incidents; (c) women and men are equally likely to initiate physical violence in relationships involving less serious “situational couple violence,” and in relationships in which serious and very violent “intimate terrorism” occurs, men are much more likely to be perpetrators and women victims; (d) women’s physical violence is more likely than men’s violence to be motivated by self-defense and fear, whereas men’s physical violence is more likely than women’s to be driven by control motives; (e) studies of couples in mutually violent relationships find more negative effects for women than for men
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2968709/
When you look at men as a whole group an unfortunate number of them do not make suitable husbands and fathers.
You can't blame women for 'picking wrong' when the statistics are this terrible. Now women have had the choice, they have had enough of men.
So what do you even suggest? Get all the 'good' men with emotional intelligence, kindness and integrity and allow them to take multiple wives? Make it easier for women to exist as single mothers? Because men as a group are failing women and children and enforced monogamy means that a high proportion of women and children will suffer abuse.
Because at this point, if I were a single woman, I would rather SHARE a husband that was a decent person or be single as opposed to having a pool of potential predators and abusers to choose from. That's how bad men are.

I know there have been a handful of posts about this, but I thought I'd toss in my two cents as well since this is so new. Spoilers and such for the show.
Quick notes on my musical biases/knowledge limitations and such: I haven't seen The Great Gatsby that's currently on Broadway, a lot of my own musical theatre preferences are influenced by Sondheim, I am not the most familiar with new musicals from the past decade or so (not since Fun Home and Hamilton, essentially), and I enjoy Florence and the Machine's music.
Overall, I really enjoyed it-- enough so that I actually booked tickets for a post-opening performance to see what changes are made and what it becomes. I would recommend it for those who enjoy Chekhov-- essentially, those who like to explore specific social themes through characters and are ok with bittersweet-to-kinda-downer shows. Another playwright that comes to mind is Eugene O'Neill, but I don't think the show is that much of a downer. (If I'm being pretentious, I think this is very much a playwright/theatre nerd's musical.)
The show really hones in on the novel's themes of social class (old money vs new money vs working poor), the empty/broken promises of the fabled "American Dream", and the delusions and self-destructive lengths we go to try and capture impossible dreams. There's a reason why this is subtitled "An American Myth"-- it serves as a dual reference for Gatsby in the story (a mysterious man who throws extravagant parties night after night but is never seen), and the myth of the American Dream. The show's willingness to engage with and expand on Fitzgerald's bleak themes may also be why I suspect this is opening in Boston, rather than the Public or some other off-Broadway-to-Broadway incubator in NYC-- the Big City that sells the world on promises that any poor nobody can become a rich somebody with enough personal sacrifice, as long as you're willing to pay the price. (And, accordingly, why I have a feeling that, if/when it does make it to Broadway, it will be critically lauded but may not be a big commercial draw, unfortunately. It might be too critical a mirror for a majority of the local NYC audience and too much of a bummer for tourists wanting a fun time.)
As has been mentioned in the comments of posts on this production, the role of Myrtle has been expanded from the novel. She's less of a random plot device and is now a fleshed out character with her own wants and desires. She mirrors Gatsby in a lot of ways-- she's the "what if" version if he had never met Wolfsheim and become a somebody while in pursuit of capturing what was lost.
The score and lyrics absolutely have Florence Welch's musical DNA all over it. Her moody melancholy style meshes incredibly well with the story and themes from the novel that get highlighted in the musical. I believe this is Welch's first musical, and I suspect that it's also her co-collaborator's (Thomas Bartlett) first musical as well. Their music shows a ton of promise but I think some parts still need tweaking to fit a musical structure. To me, the first act feels like a series of singles sung by the lead characters strung together with some ensemble expository songs. The score could make stronger use of musical motifs and throughlines, and ideally begin weaving it together near the end of the first act. However, things do all beautifully come together as a cohesive whole for Act 2; it just feels a little late at that point, in my opinion.
The cast is incredible. Props to all from ensemble to leads. Solea Pfeiffer as Myrtle and Charlotte Macinnes as Daisy are both riveting. Isaac Powell plays a very humanized Gatsby-- mysterious one moment, but a total dork the moment he has a tea party with Daisy. Ben Levi Ross' Nick is wry and yes, the gay/lesbian subtext from the novel becomes textual for both him and Eleri Ward's Jordan.
Analyzing choreography is not my strong suit, but there are some strong Fosse influences. Myrtle's death scene stands out in my mind with its delicate but impactful staging.
The set is a minimalist, gnarled chrome mass of automobile bits with a set of stairs that pivot out to wooden bookshelves of books. The band is also on stage on the often-used second level. Rachel Chavkin, the director, had a preshow speech and noted that two set pieces weren't ready yet. Honestly likely would not have noticed had she not mentioned it.
Anyway, would love to hear others' thoughts on the show. It's been a while since I've felt like nerding out over a musical.

Cover Art!
Just because you’re transported to another world, doesn’t mean you’ll escape from your pain.
Abused by her parents, thirteen-year-old Frances only wants to be safe and for her life not to hurt so much. And when she and her class are transported to the magical world of Durannon to fight the monsters invading the human kingdoms and defeat the self-titled Demon King, Frances is presented with a golden opportunity. If she succeeds, Frances will have the home she never had. If she fails, Frances will be summoned back to the home she escaped.
Yet, despite her newfound magic and friends, Frances finds that trauma is not so easily lost. She is dogged by her abuse and its physical and invisible scars. Not only does she have to learn magic, she has to survive the nightmares of her past, and wrestle with her feelings of doubt and self-loathing.
If she can heal from her trauma, though, she might be able to defeat the Demon King and maybe, just maybe, she can find a home for herself.
[The Beginning] [<=Chapter 217] [Chapter Index and Blurb] [Chapter 219 June 11 or see the next chapter now on Patreon]
The Fractured Song Index
Discord Channel Just let me know when you arrive in the server that you’re a Patreon so you can access your special channel.
***
Ginger makes an offer to Lakadara. The rest of Telkandra's remaining brood discuss the fate of their allies.
“Not good?” Sara asked as Helias strode into the tent and made his way straight to the bottle of wine.
“Not good,” Helias muttered.
Sara nodded woodenly. “Privacy spell?
The tauroll waved his sheathed Fangroar and after pouring himself and his wife a drink, sat down. “We’re safe. Oh Galena, this is really not good.”
“How dead are we?” Sara asked, her tone light.
“We’re not dead. We’re just in a lot of danger and even if we somehow force the humans to retreat, we’ve lost this war,” said Helias.
“Explain.”
Helias drank deep, noting that Sara was also drinking deep as well. “Thorgoth is going after the humans. That part of the plan is as good as it gets. We’ll be attacking them, and using the dragons, whilst our forces hold off Titania. Our objectives are also well-chosen.” Helias buried his head into his hands and let out a deep groan. “But winning this doesn’t change anything.”
“If we can defeat the humans, why won’t that change anything?” Sara bit her lip. “Unless it renders us unable to beat Titania?”
“Yes. Even on the chance we beat the humans we won’t be able to invade them, we won’t be able to defeat Titania. We’d be at a stalemate and both armies would have to withdraw.” His hands dropping to the table, Helias stared at his wife. “And we don’t have any reserves left. We’re going to lose the war, even if Thorgoth lives.”
“If we defeat the humans—”
The general shook his head. “By defeat, I mean we’ll hurt them but we can’t prevent them from withdrawing. We might kill a few of their leaders, their important mages and Otherworlders, but they will still have soldiers. After coming so close, they won’t surrender. They’ll keep attacking until they kill enough of Thorgoth and Berengaria’s supporters that nobody will help them, or until both of them die.”
“Alright so, what do we do?” Sara asked. Helias looked at his wife, noting how still she sat. Her wings were clamped tight to her back and her lips were drawn tight.
“Sara, I don’t have good answers.”
Sara steepled her trembling fingers as best she could. “They’re going to be better than mine. I don’t know anything about war.”
“Right. Well, you need to surrender to the humans if you are captured. Present yourself as a non-combatant. Cry, scream, anything to declare that you don’t mean any harm,” Helias said.
“Why not Titania?” Sara asked.
“She has every incentive to kill you off and far less compunction about doing so. Killing our family off would allow her to have more land to give away to her loyalists. In contrast, the humans have Erlenberg troops fighting with them along with those of the Lightning Battalion. They’re going to be far more friendly to Alavari civilians,” Helias said.
Soft hands, grabbed onto Helias’s waist with a surprisingly firm grip. “What about you? I can get away, but how are you going to survive this?”
“I don’t know. I—”
“Don’t you dare! Our daughter needs her father and I need my husband!”
The general stared at his wife. “Sara, I can’t surrender to the humans if we win. They want me dead.”
Sara refilled Helias’s glass. “Then you need to help Thorgoth defeat them.”
“Then what? We’re never winning this war. Thorgoth is going to be invaded and—”
Cutting him off with the clink of her goblet against the table, Sara hissed, “And what? Why think that far? We can plan for that after this battle, so long as you are still here and with me.”
Letting out a breath Helias pushed his hair back and allowed himself a sigh. Reaching across the table, he took his wife’s hand.
“Sara, you’re right, but you know you can escape this if Thorgoth is defeated.”
The harorc placed her other hand on top of his. “We’re partners. I need you. We need you. So promise me that you’ll do your damndest to live.”
Helias closed his eyes and nodded. “I promise. First things first, before we turn in we need to talk to the dragons.”
***
Fennokra stalked slowly toward the camp. This wasn’t the collapsed side-passage where she and Yolandra had some privacy. This was the main camp where Thorgoth and their army were preparing for what had to be the final battle.
It was also where her siblings were swallowing the last of what seemed to be a side of salted pork.
“Velkandra, Makentra, we need to talk.”
Their second-eldest sister licked her lips, her neck rising to Fennokra’s level. “I am assuming you mean in private?”
“Of course.” Fennokra could see Velkandra’s haunches tensing to raise herself higher. Her sister was trying to look down on her. Allowing her head to dip, she held her height.
“Alright.” Velkandra flicked her tail and Makentra, licking his lips, followed them.
Since their enemies had set up their siege camp behind them, the Alavari camp had been reduced in size. Still, there was the alcove of the collapsed tunnel. Whilst couriers and soldiers crossed across this natural cavern to the defenses on the other side, they kept a good distance away.
Yolandra was waiting for them, scratching something into the cave wall. Fennokra let out a rumble in her throat and her sister turned from the wall suddenly, shaking her head.
“Velkandra, Mankentra—”
Velkandra puffed a cloud of smoke out. “What’s this all about?” she hissed, lips drawn back to show teeth.
Fennokra took a step away from her sister to take Yolandra’s side, her eyes narrowed. “Are you joking? Do you not think we should at least discuss what is going on?”
“And what would be the point? It is a bit late to be having this discussion. The course of the winds have been chosen,” said Velkandra.
Yolandra rose to her full height on her four legs, but even so she was still shorter than the silent Makendra. “The winds can be fickle, Velkandra, and where we are is proof.”
Velkandra pursed her lips, eyes for the first time, looking toward the ground. “The survival of our family is tied to that of Thorgoth. To abandon him would be death by the hand of the Stormcaller and her allies or by his hand.”
“Besides, if we were to abandon Thorgoth’s cause, that would be dishonorable. We promised to assist him,” said Makendra.
Fennokra blinked at her brother’s tone. It was quiet and yet there was a touch of a deep growl to his voice. His claws were ever so slightly digging into the ground.
“We are dragons. We can think and make decisions for ourselves. We are allowed to consider other options, are we not?” Fennokra asked.
Velkandra’s tail flicked violently side to side as her neck turned to her younger sibling. “Then why does it sound as if you wish to follow in the wingbeats of our elder sister?”
“Who we killed. I was there. I lost a claw striking her down!” Fennokra raised one clawed hand, flexing the remaining digits.
“On that, why did we have to kill Lakadara?”
All golden eyes fixed on Yolandra, who held the gaze of her siblings with a contemptuous scowl.
“Lakadara betrayed us,” said Velkandra, almost growling.
“I’ve been thinking over what happened. Lakadara said nothing about betraying our mother. She merely was questioning if Thorgoth was trustworthy,” Yolandra said.
A scowl flaring his nostrils, Makentra growled. “He fed us, trained us in how the humans and their allies fought. Hid us from their eyes—”
“And now Caldra is dead!” Yolandra exclaimed.
“Which is why we must kill the Stormcaller and her friends! So we can avenge him and our mother!” Velkandra almost completely unfurled her wings. Only the tips slapping the stone forced her to pull them back.
“Then what?” Yolandra asked.
Velkandra frowned. “Then what? We’d have our revenge—”
Yolandra’s tail cracked against the ground. “Then what? You all must have heard of what Thorgoth is capable of. What he’s done to others.”
Makentra rolled his eyes. “Sara’s story is just a story. She might have been just trying to turn you.”
“She was honest and she is not the only tale I’ve heard. You must have heard rumors of what Thorgoth did to his own son, Teutobal,” said Fennokra.
“Propaganda,” Velkandra hissed through her gritted teeth, while smoke wafted through the gaps. “In any case, we have no other option. We fight or we die.”
Fennokra, her claws grinding against the floor, had had enough.
“Velkandra, Makentra, have you ever considered that Thorgoth is perhaps using us for his own goals? We have not even considered what he might do to us after we’ve destroyed the humans and their allies. How do we know the Stormcaller and her allies might treat us better? Besides in the first place, she never intended to kill our mother—”
Fennokra blinked. She was flying backwards, something hard was bearing her into the wall. Dizzy as if struck by one of the Stormcaller’s spells, she realized that the force was the foreclaws of her elder sister. Mad rage lit those golden eyes that were the exact same shade as hers. Horrified, Fennokra tried to throw Velkandra off, but her sister was larger and heavier than her.
“Say that again. I dare you to say that again—ARGH!”
Velkandra rolled off, forced off of Fennokra by the Yolandra shoving into her side. As the elder dragon recovered, the smallest of Telkandra’s brood hissed, “It’s the truth! You are a fool to deny it!”
An ugly sneer on her lips, wings quivering with fury, Velkandra snorted. “The truth? Oh right so we are speaking the truth then. Well here’s the truth. Our kind is doomed!”
Makentra blinked. “Sister?”
“Of course Thorgoth is going to get rid of us or try to after this campaign. He has to, but right now he needs us and that’s what we need to rely on until we gain more strength. Of course, whether he wins or the Stormcaller’s allies win, how can we expect to survive in a world dominated by these lesser species hm? How could they ever not see us as a threat?”
Velkandra stalked toward the wide-eyed Fennokra and Yoandra. Her head turned side to side as she fixed her sisters with wild wide eyes.
“Well? Tell me Fennokra. Speak the truth Yolandra. Or are you both too afraid to admit that our kind are doomed and the only thing is to live as long as we can and hopefully avenge those that hurt us as we do so.”
“You’d have us fly to our deaths?” Makentra asked.
The stammering voice brought Velkandra around. Extending a wing, she touched its tip to her brother’s. “I would at least have us fly together.”
Fennokra shook her head. “We’d knowingly fly with a murderer of children and someone who would want to kill us after we’ve stopped being helpful to him.”
“And we have no other options,” said Makentra. Letting out a breath, he rose to his claws and walked away. “I’ll see you tomorrow, sisters.”
Velkandra, without another word, turned for the exit. “You know it’s true, Fennokra, Yolandra.”
Fennokra closed her eyes. Yolandra, though, narrowed hers. “Doesn’t change that Lakadra’s blood is on our claws.”
Velkandra flinched and left. She strode away so quickly she nearly stepped on Helias and Sara as they came to the cave. She gave the pair no acknowledgement other than a growl.
“See you tomorrow, General,” said Makentra, his tone curt. “We will talk to King Thorgoth ourselves for the plan’s details.”
“Of course,” said Helias. He bowed as the pair left before turning to Yolandra and Fennokra. “I believe we missed something important?”
“Be honest, General Helias. Even if we succeed tomorrow, your king has no use for us after we help him kill the Stormcaller, am I correct?” Fennokra asked.
Sara and Helias didn’t say anything. Their slight move to stand closer so they could hold hands was enough.
“I thought so,” said Fennokra. She let out a sigh and glanced at Yolandra, who nodded. “We will be on the battlefield tomorrow. Where are we going?”
“You’re going with me. We’re attacking the forces sallying from Kairon-Aoun. The plan is that you dragons breathe flame over their army to soften them before we attack.
“Understood. Any questions Fennokra?” Yolandra asked.
Fennokra shook her head. What could be asked anyway?”
Yolandra flashed the pair a joyless smile. “For what it is worth, you two have been good caretakers to us. Even if it was to preserve your own lives.”
Helias didn’t bow. Instead he extended a hand. Yolandra stared at him, but Fennokra, recognizing the gesture, extended a single talon.
“May you always be able to see the sun.” At the dragon’s blink, Helias smiled. “It’s an Alavari saying. It may come from when we used to be enslaved by the Goblin Empire. It means good luck.”
Yolandra nodded and Fennokra found herself smiling.
“Our mother taught us a saying as well. May you never fly alone. I wish that for you both,” said Fennokra.
“Thank you,” said Sara in a quiet voice. She curtsied and the two dragons dipped their heads. They watched Helias and Sara leave with placid smiles.
Then, when nobody was looking, they turned from the entrance to hide their bulks as best they could. The gloomy light of the alcove their only curtain of privacy.
***
Frances slowed slightly as they approached Lakadara’s enclosure. However, Ginger did not slow down.
“Hold on, Ginger, what’s the plan?” Frances asked.
Adjusting her new crown mid-stride, Ginger said, “I’ll show you. I’m certain it’ll work, though.”
Frances’ eyebrows rose. “Is that crown getting to your head already?”
The new Queen of Erisdale flashed a slightly nervous grin over her shoulder. “Yes actually, but I think that’s a good thing in some way. Don’t you?”
Frances found herself nodding. It was strange to see her friend even more confident than usual and so comfortable in the regal crown that she wore atop of a standard Lightning Battalion light blue uniform. Yet she rather enjoyed the new gait that Ginger had.
“I do.” Frances smirked. “Your Majesty.”
Ginger rolled her eyes. “Fuck you.”
Giggling, Frances stopped herself as they drew even closer to Lakadara. The dragon was drawing herself up, placing her massive foreclaws over each other.
“Lakadara. I am Ginger, the new Queen of Erisdale. Pleased to make your acquaintance.”
The dragon coughed, blowing out a puff of smoke. “Greetings Ginger, Queen of Erisdale. I’m sorry for your predecessor’s demise.” Lakadara’s golden eyes narrowed. “Why are you here?”
Ginger dipped her head. “Thank you and as to why I’m here. I have a proposition. If you accept it, I will grant you and your kin, the domain of the Erisdalian mountains marked by the Kwent River Valley, Freeburg and Athelda-Aoun as your home in perpetuity, so long as you do not attack humans unless in self-defense.”
“I am unfamiliar with human geography. From the Stormcaller’s expression, I assume that is a lot.”
Frances swallowed and closed her mouth, but she didn’t question her friend. Ginger, still smiling slyly, nudged her. “It is. Frances, can you lend me a hand here?”
Nodding, Frances closed her eyes and imagined a rough map of Erisdale and its territories. With a wave of Ivy’s Sting she created an image of Erisdale, highlighting in red the expanse of the mountains that bordered Alavaria and Erisdale. The area that Ginger had described sketched a rough red triangle between the three points. It was a fairly sizeable area with a low and Alavari human population.
“My husband is in negotiations with Queen Titania and I’ll have to talk to Frances and Prince Timur, but we are quite certain that Athelda-Aoun will also be included in this area,” Ginger said.
Lakadara’s golden eyes were flickering as she examined the land. Suddenly, she turned, long neck arching toward the Erisdalian Queen. “And what must I do? Fight on your kingdom’s behalf?”
Ginger shook her head. “No.”
“No?”
“Nope. If you would like to do so we can renegotiate the agreement, but my husband and I fully intend to grant you this land.”
The dragon’s tail lifted up as her eyes narrowed. “Explain yourself and the favor you seek. This is far too generous.”
“Let me explain myself first. If what I’m told by my experts is correct, you can lay eggs by yourself without a mate, but it takes time right? A few decades?”
“Yes. Still, that doesn’t explain—”
“Here me out. This war is going to end. We may lose, but if we win, banishing you to the north is making you Queen Titania’s problem and she’ll have more than enough problems to deal with. You might just end up coming south again and we know how that ended. I’d prefer to avoid that so that means we need to make an agreement. You need a new home and I need peace for Erisdale. If the kingdom has to give up some poor agricultural land then I’m all for it.”
The dragon nodded. “I see, but why so much land? Why not just give me a cave? Or request my service as Thorgoth did?”
“And how will you eat? Hunt? Where will your grown children go? I’m making an agreement that will last for decades, not just a few years. As for service? I was tempted, but you wouldn’t agree to that anyway and why should you? We haven’t given you any reason to agree.” Ginger gave Frances a wave to dispel the map. “Maybe in the future we can work something out, especially if the dragon population increases. Your service in return for more food, but again, I want to start us off on the right path, not the left path.”
“Left path?” Lakadara asked.
“Erisdalian expression. It means the wrong path,” Frances said helpfully.
Lakadara nodded slowly. “You still ask for a boon, though.”
Ginger nodded. “Yes. I want you to speak to your siblings. Before the upcoming battle starts, tell them of my deal with you. So long as they choose to accept that deal and defect, then I will have it so our forces will not hurt them. After that, you may leave. I will not request you to fight with us.”
“You want me to show myself to Thorgoth? To the siblings that tried to kill me?” Lakadara asked, mouth agape.
Ginger stepped closer to the dragon, who lifted her head away from the queen. “I want you to save your siblings. I want you to save yourself from becoming the last purple dragon in existence. I would rather you not be alone, stewing in hatred for my kingdom and our allies who brought down your family, even if we had just cause. I want peace. What do you want?”
“How do I know I can trust you?” The dragon suddenly grimaced. “Ah, right, you want a lasting peace. You have every reason to want peace.”
Ginger, arms crossed tapped her foot. Frances could see how stiff her friend was, but the action was also comforting. That her magic-less friend had such control over the situation, despite being faced with the dragon was rather…badass.
Letting out a puff of smoke that slowly drifted into the cavern, the dragon pondered the queen’s proposal. Frances held her breath and yet the dragon remained silent, only her tail moving from side to side.
Ginger waited, still content to wait for the dragon’s answer. Frances couldn’t. The tension coiled in her chest, waiting to explode.
“Lakadara, what do you want for your future?” Frances asked.
The dragon glanced at Frances, golden eyes wide. She turned back to Ginger, who continued to stand tall, awaiting Lakadara’s answer patiently.
“I accept your offer, and your promise for the future,” said Lakadara, dipping her head.
“We are glad that you wish the same as we do,” said Ginger. She extended her hand and Lakadara, took her claw and put the tip of it on the queen’s palm.
*Author’s Note: Queenly Ginger was really neat to write 😀 *

Looking for some advice. My accountant reached out to me today saying that it would make sense to form a business entity for my self employment income. In his exact works following that introduction, he said "We can save you roughly 10% or more by changing you to a specific type of corp (and implementing a few other items)." Coincidentally, he also let me know he bills $360/hr for consultations.
By no means am I a tax professional so any help is appreciated.
For context, my 2023 income was slightly above 350k w2/k1 income and slightly less than 50k 1099 income
Thanks!

So i had this idea where for a secret manifest boss fight (character is fan made idea as well)
Basically. This boss fight requires that you finish a certain part of main story and collect extremely hidden items in the Present time that have small info about the character lore. Once all items have been collected hand them to the character and then you have to head to mirror for manifest boss fight. Instead of any regular manifest boss fight. You have to fight an actual person. Which is the character. But it's not actually the character. It's some strange looking lookalike, they will also reveal some lore about the character.
Speech/Monologue before fight.
"So. You've finally decided to revive me."
"Yes, that's right. Revive. I'm surprised you had the brain capacity to solve this, Aldo."
"Why am i talking to you? How am i talking? To you? How do I know you?"
"Why, it's because of your little friend over there."
"You managed to collect OUR soul fragments and make us whole again..."
"Is what I would say if I didn't decide to separate my self from THEM."
"Listen up. I can't allow humanity or you to go any further."
"All the plight, suffering, pain is caused mostly by your kind. And your kind alone."
"So much damage has been done. And so many wrongs have been made."
"Aldo. And of course... you."
"Your very existences, along with the rest of the scum and unstable creation that is humanity. Only begets more misery. More so with your ability to tamper with time and space."
"And so. I will abolish your existence. Here. And. Now."
end of speech, battle commence
(More coming soon)

Before I begin, just need to state that I’m not self diagnosing. I just got set up with health insurance today, so I’m gonna try to speak to a psychiatrist very soon to figure out what’s going on with me.
With that said, I am highly suspicious that I have severe ADHD. And when I look back on my performance as a student throughout my life, I currently struggle with focus, reading comprehension, and verbal expression, just like I did way back in middle school. I’m 32 now and just graduated college as an English major, and throughout my time at university I have struggled tremendously with reading, but also with expressing myself in class. The expression thing was so bad that I shied away from speaking up in class and a lot of my professors took it as disinterest. I also struggle with sitting and reading a book - like my brain is constantly reminding me of the million other tasks I have to do, so sitting down and reading feels like I’m wasting time. Even though it’s my homework, the passiveness of the activity tricks my brain into feeling like I’m not being productive, so I end up not doing it, and instead watching TV or going to the gym, or accomplishing tasks that feel more “active”. Not sure if that makes sense.
Going back to the speech thing: it’s like when I go to speak there’s a mental block. It’s not like I’m trying to come up with a thesis whenever I speak and that’s why it’s hard, I sometimes can’t even string together a simple sentence. For example, earlier today I was trying to tell my dad about the work I did in the backyard, but for some reason I couldn’t formulate a proper sentence. It sometimes feels like my thoughts are racing as I’m talking and I’m actively editing myself in my head as I speak and so I pause a lot when I talk and a lot of times the sentences are incoherent. I’ll be so confused sometimes by what I’m saying that I’ll use incorrect words or sometimes I won’t even end the sentence properly I’ll just stop talking mid sentence. I don’t know how to explain it except for, in these moments I feel dumb? Like I can’t think of words.
I’m not sure if I’m describing it properly but I just have a hard time with expressing myself. As a writer and English major I’ve been told that my writing is good and fun to read, so it seems like my issue is only when I try to express my thoughts.
Some days are okay. There are moments when I am able to express my opinions eloquently and the words flow well, but for the most part I can’t even form simple sentences and I don’t know what the reason is. I suspect it’s related to ADHD. But I’ve been doing research on schizophrenia and I’m wondering if it could be that too.
For the sake of keeping this already long post as short as possible, I won’t go into detail about the schizophrenia thing, but I’m just wondering:

• are there any differences between speech/thought disorder in ADHD vs. Schizophrenia? Or are they similar? Sorry if I’m oversimplifying something complicated, I’m for sure gonna try to speak with a psychiatrist as soon as possible to get a professional opinion, but just wanted to reach out here in case anyone here knew the difference?
  
• also, I’m not sure if this is relevant but I’ve noticed that my mom has the same issue with speech, so maybe I inherited it from her? I don’t know my grandmother’s mental health condition but she struggled with mental illness all her life, and she is currently on antipsychotics but I’m not sure what medication she’s taking or what it’s for. So I’m just wondering if I maybe inherited something.
  

Hey all. My daughter bought a subwoofeamp kit for her car (a fairly inexpensive kit, cause she’s on a budget and needs to be reasonably careful with her money), and needs it installed. I’ve looked online and it seems self-install is possible, but I have to think it’s the kind of thing that is best done by someone with experience and the right tools - and I have neither! Looking for opinions and guidance on someone who can do it. Need to be mindful of cost, so can’t go with the best, but don’t want the cheapest out there because, you know, you get what you pay for. In case it matters, it’s a 2022 VW GTI.
Thanks!

I reallyyyyyy genuinely want to be better at public speaking and speaking to people in general. Due to a lot of childhood trauma and my unpleasant upbringing, it has caused me to have fear around my speech, what I say to others, how I say it. I end up saying the wrong things to people, sometimes stumbling over words, not articulating what I'm saying (which leads me to get misunderstood), sounding awkward and insecure, feeling out of place socially. I have worked on my social skills where I can hold a conversation with someone for a long time but that's just one skill and it's not enough. I've been told I'm quiet and reserved, but really a lot of it is just fear and not being my authentic self because I tend to be overly formal and poilte with my communication in hopes of being accepted by others. Safe to say I probably have some form of social anxiety. I really want to work on this, to fix it.
I heard there are good Thea courses but which ones will actually help my situation?

I'll start by saying I'm a vet assistant and cat & dog behaviorist (though only for a couple of years now), and by this point I'm quite frustrated and at a loss.
Three cats in the house, 2 raised together, third came about a year+ later. The orange cat is high energy, intelligent and a massive bully. Him and his adopted sister mostly get along, but due to energy differences she does get bullied sometimes, not intensely. The problem is the orange cat and the younger cat fight a lot.
They have everything I could possibly have for them, I do my best with play, teaching and attention. Multiple resources, shelves, etc.
Tried to do a reintroduction when I moved, it seemed to improve for a little bit but then went right back to usual.
The main issue is I think I'm the trigger for a lot of it. I feed, play and give attention (thought there's another caretaker too), and when I'm not around they don't fight as much. I get involved when the bullied cat yells out and separate them. They have been living together for about 4 years now. I know I messed up the initial introduction due to lack of knowledge, but I can't manage to fix it no matter what I do.
I've been on sick leave for the past week and they are driving me crazy. They wake me up at night fighting, same in the early morning. It used to be self limited to the evening hours around when they have higher energy and expecting their play session and food, then they would settle down, but now it's as if nothing is ever enough.
He is also often unpleasant with me, biting ankles for attention, yelling, and swatting.
I'm considering trying alternative therapy to calm the orange cat, I've already had a behavior consultant try to help me but she too didn't have much new to offer.
Honestly any help would be appreciated, I'm sleepless and at the end of my tether, feeling like a bad cat parent and useless behaviorist. Afraid it may be best to move with the youngest leaving the other two with their guardian.
Tl;dr - classic bully cat except I'm one likely trigger for cats fighting.

Untying the Knots of the Twelve-Letter Alphabet
https://www.astrologyinstitute.com/articleprofile/articles/2016/untying-the-knots-of-the-twelve-letter-alphabet
12 Letter Alphabet Exposed
https://westernastrology.net/12-letter-alphabet-exposed-part-a/
https://westernastrology.net/12letter-alphabet-exposed-part-b/
Liberating Uranus and Aquarius – From Each Other
http://www.astrologyinstitute.com/articleprofile/articles/2016/liberating-uranus-and-aquarius-from-each-other
Probing Pluto and Scorpio, Clarifying Neptune and Pisces
http://www.astrologyinstitute.com/articleprofile/articles/2015/untangling-astrologys-symbols-part3
10 Astrology Habits to Break.
https://ambientastrology.com/articles/2016/3/25/10-astrology-habits-to-break
https://soulfriendastrology.com/category/learning-astrology/
12 Letter Alphabet Exposed
FIRST HOUSE
While the words; are a manner of speech there might be less confusion if they were replaced with "present": The first house shows how we present as an individual. This presentation includes attitude, physical health, demeanor and appearance, among other things.
The first house is much more than how we strike out as an individual. It can actually show a ‘wait and see attitude’. If a passive sign is on the ascendant or the ascendant ruler in a passive sign there will be less ‘striking out’ and more withdrawal or cautious approach to life.
With other factors such as the house location of its ruler and aspects to the ascendant, the first house shows temperament style and general attitude to life, which may be nothing akin to Mars or Aries.
The odds are only one in twelve that the sign on the ascendant will be Aries and the wide scope of other possible expressions cannot all be described as Arian or Martian.
Neither should we restrict the red planet to its daytime domicile of Aries. It is also the nocturnal ruler of Scorpio although this is rarely considered or understood.
Associating Mars with the first house also ignores the other two planets which have a connection to this house.
The first is Mercury, which has its joy in the first house. The joys of the planets is a worthwhile study of its own.
Mercury has a natural association with the brain and head and this correlates well with the association of the first house with the head.
Mercury is also associated with speech and communication.
Mars has no natural association with the head or brain, unless you are thinking of using your head as a battering ram!
In the system of planetary joys Mars is placed in the sixth house of injuries and sickness, a place where it is at home.
The first house straddles the boundary between day and night which is an apt fit for adaptable Mercury as the go-between.
Saturn also has a first house association because this is where the soul is entrapped within the body as it incarnates. Saturn is the natural ruler of doorways and the first house is the soul’s doorway into physical life. The eighth house of death is the exit doorway, also associated with Saturn.
SECOND HOUSE:
Yes Taurus is about stability and physical comforts and pleasure, but has little to do with money itself. Venus, the planet which rules Taurus, is about the comforts that money can buy, the adornments and beautiful things. But money itself is represented by Mercury, the natural ruler of exchange and financial dealings. Mercury does the buying and Venus does the enjoying. Venus does not represent money; that is Mercury’s domain.
Jupiter the planet of wealth and prosperity, has a natural association with the second house. In the Chaldean order of the planets Jupiter follows Saturn. Saturn is associated with the first house, Jupiter with the second house.
THIRD HOUSE:
It is understandable that, at first glance, the third house would seem to have an association with Gemini and Mercury.
However in previous generations it was clearly understood that the third house was the house of the "goddess", and the Moon had a special relationship with this house.
In horary astrology the Moon is frequently seen as conveying messages between other planets in its role as ‘the translator of light’. Among the seven classical planets it is the fastest moving body, linking planets as it aspects one and then to another. This sequential linking is very significant in questions about communication, linking people together, or the movement of goods. In this latter respect it also has an association with transport.
FOURTH HOUSE:
Historically the 4th house is associated with foundations and property, the land, deep roots, mines and wealth from under the ground.
Compare these fixed traits to that most fluid and movable of planets: the Moon. This is not a good fit. The changeable Moon is much better suited to the busy comings and goings of the 3rd house.
In the ancient model of the “4 Ages of Man” the IC is associated with the winter of our lives. Yet in the northern hemisphere where Western astrology arose the Sun passes through Cancer at the height of summer. Neither is the 4th house a good fit for Cancer.
Historically the 4th house is associated with the father, not the mother.
FIFTH HOUSE:
The Sun is the supreme ‘Commander-in-Chief’, the symbol of might and mastery, power, truth, light and enlightenment. The superior planets genuflect and step backwards in retrograde motion when they come face to face in opposition with the Sun, and all the planets disappear in his blinding light when in conjunction with the Sun.
The fifth house is the house of fun and frivolity, parties pleasure and entertainment. In a sense this is the most superficial of houses and is in no way deserving as the home of the Lord of the Heavens.
The Sun represents so much more than parties, children, pleasure and sporting games. The importance of these activities pales into insignificance when faced with the majesty of his presence. In many religions and spiritual systems the image of god or the force which guides the universe has a solar representation.
To suggest that the Sun is restricted to the rulership of the house of fun and creativity is to diminish his great power and demonstrates a profound misunderstanding of his role in the heavens and in astrological interpretation.
In the diagram above describing the joys of the planets we see that the Sun rejoices in the ninth house, the house of higher learning, spirituality, and the search for the ultimate meaning of life. The joys of the planets describe places where planets are most comfortable and ‘feel at home’. The Sun is much more comfortable than in the ninth house of spirituality than in the fifth house of frivolity.
Neither is Leo a good fit for the fifth house as it is regarded as a barren sign because of its dryness. The 5th has long been known as the house of sex procreation and children. In horary astrology in questions of fertility and in electional astrology when choosing a suitable time for conception Leo on the ascendant or on the fifth house cusp is generally avoided because of its association with infertility and sterility.
To link the sign associated with barrenness with the house associated with fertility and creativity shows a misunderstanding of basic astrological principles.
SIXTH HOUSE:
Confusions relating to the meaning of the sixth house are worthy of an article on its own.
The association with work in the sense of career or profession can be attributed to a misreading of Lilly where he refers to the 6th house as the house of service. He was actually referring to servitude and servants.
The modern equivalent are the working poor doing menial jobs, in the service of another. There has never been, at least until recent times, a sense that the 6th house is associated with anything resembling a career. Historically this is, among other meanings, the house of slaves. While perhaps there are few real slaves in the Western world, the unskilled worker going from job to job is a close equivalent. These workers are typically more lacking in skills, rather than being skilled.
Going back to the objection mentioned above that Virgo is focused I am not sure how focus is a noteworthy trait of the sixth house, or even that Virgo is especially focused. Virgo is after all a double-bodied sign. Scorpio Aries and Capricorn also have some claim to being focused.
It is more common for people to confuse the sixth house with Virgo because of Virgo’s association with health. However the sixth house is not the house of health; that honour belongs to the first house. The sixth house is the house of ill-health and also injuries, the opposite of health. The preoccupation with exercise and diet typically associated with Virgo is better explained by the combination of the dry earth qualities of Virgo when combined with its discerning ruler: Mercury.
It is the first house which is the house of life and health and vitality. Mercury rejoices in this house and is much more comfortable here than in the sixth house of sickness and injuries.
It is Mars which rejoices in the sixth house. It is of course the minor malefic and is well suited to the house where the slings and arrows of outrageous misfortune beset us all from time to time. Incidentally in mundane astrology the sixth house is associated with the military which has an obvious connection with Mars.
SEVENTH HOUSE:
Yes the seventh house is about relationships of all types. As well as amorous relationships and contractual business type relationships, also included are adversarial relationships with open enemies and those involving a sporting or other type of contest.
Relationships involving open conflict can hardly be confused with the graciousness associated with Libra or the pleasantness associated with Venus. These relationships could better be described as Martian. As the enemy rides over hill towards you, rifle at the ready with bayonet attached, Venus is nowhere to be seen. These situations are better described by Mars. So should we associate Aries and Mars with the seventh house, as well as Libra and Venus? The logic is similar. It should not be ignored that the seventh house is as much about engagement with the enemy as it is with the lover or friend.
The seventh house is about ‘the other’ we engage with, for whatever reason, whether it be the terrorist or the lover, the violent bully or the loving spouse. The relationships associated with the seventh house can be associated with love or hate. The seventh house is primarily about the people we engage with, and the type of engagement cannot be restricted to just Venus or Libra. The planet which usually best describes the type of engagement is the one ruling the sign on the seventh house cusp or a planet conjoining the descendant.
EIGHTH HOUSE:
The confusion concerning the eighth house is connected both with the adoption of Pluto as Scorpio's modern ruler and the adoption of the '12 letter Alphabet'; system by some astrologers. In the 12 letter Alphabet, invented by Zip Dobyns, the meaning of the houses planets and signs are merged. For example the eighth house, Scorpio, and Pluto are seen to have a similar theme, referred to as an archetype. Pluto's association with transformation and regeneration and Scorpio's association with sex are both transferred to the eighth house.
However the eighth house is the house of death. While it's true that some astrologers have associated the eighth house with sex because sexual orgasm is sometimes called ‘the little death, the purpose of sex is to procreate, to bring life into the world, not death.
Previous to the modern era the eighth house was not associated with sex. This modern confusion is perpetrated by a misunderstanding of the primary functions of the houses. Sex is a fifth house matter. Death and bringing life into the world are opposite things. One should not be confused with the other.
I have often heard it said that death is only one form of transformation and somehow this justifies assigning transformation as a core meaning for the eighth house, which in turn validates Scorpio’s and Pluto’s association with the eighth house.
It is ironic that Pluto's mythical association with rape is rarely mentioned in conversations about eighth house sexual activity.
The tangled web of confusions associated with the interchange of Scorpio Pluto and the eighth house is mind boggling and really does take us a long way from the real meaning of the eighth house. Followers of the 12 Letter Alphabet system associate intimacy with the eighth house because of its new association connection with Pluto.
The core meanings of the eighth house have to do with death in the physical and real sense; fear and loss; the resources of those we engage with, and inheritance.
The eighth house is not a particular pleasant place no matter how much we might like to romanticize it or give it a positive spin. The sign on the cusp of the eighth house and the planet which rules that sign are what is relevant in any type of astrological interpretation of the 8th house.
NINTH HOUSE:
We tend to liken Jupiter to philosophy and religion and the attribution of Jupiter to the 9th House fits fairly well. (Jupiter is also the planet associated with the Ninth in the wheel of houses that begins with Saturn as the First.) The Ninth was the place of the “Sun God” in ancient astrology and was strongly associated with public religious practice; yet, like the Third, it was also associated with dreams, prophecy, and divination. The Ninth House being associated with higher education or long journeys is a later addition.
The planet in joy in the Ninth House is the Sun and, for a place that is cadent, the Ninth gets a lot of sunlight and the Sun can be happy here. It also fits well with the deification of the Sun’s power in many cosmologies and religions throughout history. It may also conform to the image of Sun as a planet of higher intellect, as the light of reason.
TENTH HOUSE:
Astrologers after my lifetime or yours will look at this affiliation with bewilderment. Archetypally mixing the House of career, reputation, and fame to Saturn and Capricorn is itself enough to throw out the entire Twelve Letter Alphabet system.
You might retort, “But it’s the place of one’s boss!” I answer that there are many kinds of bosses and they’re not all oppressive. The dimensions of leadership and mentorship – solar and not saturnine factors – are prominent Tenth House factors.
The 10th is the traditional place of one’s “action” – career, calling, fame and reputation. I include a larger sense of “vocation”, so that if you work retail by day but are a political activist or animal rights advocate otherwise, the latter would be included within your Tenth House. If a “lifestyle” includes neighborhood vigilantism, being a “survivalist”, or attending a lot of funerals, that person’s Tenth House would qualify as Saturnine.
Capricorn, as the cardinal earth sign, governed by a heavy nocturnal (feminine sign) Saturn, and the place and time of least light in the Northern Hemisphere, is completely out of place in the public and daylight-filled Tenth. Because the Tenth is place of authority, it is far closer in meaning to the Sun than the gray planet Saturn.
ELEVENTH HOUSE:
In ancient times the 11th, the “Place of the Good Spirit (or daimon)”, was a place of fortune and abundance. According to traditional sources Jupiter is in joy in the Eleventh, befitting a place that is considered so fortunate. (The Eleventh is the House opposite the 5th, the Place of Good Fortune and the joy of Venus, the other benefic.) The Eleventh House became the place of “hopes and wishes” and later the place of friendship and social groups; “hopes and wishes” is more in line with the original meaning of the Eleventh House.
Is this like the fixed air sign Aquarius? The “Water-Bearer” has a linear mental quality and a tendency to become conceptual that is not particularly like the Eleventh House in its original meanings. Aquarius is a sign of social responsibility and objective mind, and Aquarius relates well to a diurnal (masculine sign) Saturn that is a lighter Saturn than the one who governs Capricorn. However, if you confine the Eleventh House to friendships and social groups, the affiliation with the diurnal Saturn isn’t such a problem.
Things become much more confusing when astrologers mix up Aquarius with the outer planet Uranus, the planet of eccentricity, suddenness, and genius, and then try to bring in the Eleventh House. Uranus is quite different from the fixed mental “human” sign Aquarius. Uranus is rebellious, radically individualistic, and is deliberately outside convention. Aquarius, the sign opposite Leo, is humanitarian and oriented more toward groups and cultures than individuals. To bring this confusion to the Eleventh House only makes this problem worse; it obscures the original benevolent and protective quality of this house which is well demonstrated by Jupiter’s traditional association.
TWELTH HOUSE:
There are many difficulties here, and many are based on the distorted ways that the sign Pisces has been defined. But first let’s look at the Twelfth House by itself.
Like the Sixth and Eighth, the Twelfth is also disconnected to the Ascendant and is also a place about life’s difficulties. The Twelfth is a cadent house that in ancient astrology was the Place of the “Bad Spirit.” In the outer world the Twelfth is where we locate prisons, confinement in institutions, and dark hidden places. More internally, this is the place of being haunted – by previous karma, psychological “unfinished business,” and other manners of “self-doing” that come about because of what we cannot see. Psychological astrologers have looked to the Twelfth House for unacknowledged factors that may wreak havoc on one’s person and within one’s relationships. This is in keeping with the qualities of this house.
This all seems very different from the mutable watery sign Pisces that is flowing, changeable, and can develop different disguises for its personal and social roles. Pisces, as a quality of mind, has a strongly intuitive nonlinear bent. Unlike the planet Neptune, however, natives with prominent Pisces placements manage to maintain their identity even if that identity is not well-defined. Both the sign Pisces and its purported ruler Neptune are a far cry from the vice grip many of have experienced when in conditions of external or internal confinement.
Jupiter, the great benefic and the traditional ruler of Pisces, is even farther away from the significations of the Twelfth House. Jupiter – especially in the feminine sign Pisces – brings intuition of possibilities that is often called “faith” or “hope”. The Twelfth, however, is where cold reality comes at us from behind often with harmful intent; it is far closer to Saturn than Jupiter. And Saturn is, of course, the “joy” of the Twelfth House.

Simple things that make me very happy often revolve around moments of connection and joy. Waking up to positivity good morning inspirational quotes can set a cheerful tone for the day, especially when shared with loved ones. I love scrolling through Instagram, finding creative birthday countdown captions for Instagram, and using them to build excitement for my special day. When I see a cute pic of my boyfriend, leaving a heartfelt comment on boyfriend pic like "Your love is divine!" makes me smile. Little interactions like these fill my day with warmth and affection.
Another thing that brings me joy is engaging with others in a fun and lighthearted way. Sending funny Instagram locations or happy thankful Thursday images to friends can brighten up their day and mine. I also enjoy crafting a motivational speech for students by teacher, hoping to inspire and uplift them. Even something as simple as sharing a fake blue tick emoji copy and paste in a chat can bring a chuckle. Lastly, exchanging Tuesday greetings adds a special touch to the often overlooked day of the week, making every moment feel a bit more special and appreciated.

2nd April 1968;

Kenora, SCS;

Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in once more. Breathe out once more. Calm. Quiet. Loyal. Trustworthy. Cool. That is it.
Enter the room, talk to Vincent Sheridan about the new party developments, and ask whether he would be surprised that one sector of the party wants to exert its independence. Listen to how Vincent talks of the centralised nature of the party, of how they would still get a majority with Aspen even without the two within the investigatory wing. Argue that there should be party unity, but accept that it would be better for the party and the country to let Matias and Jarno go. Ask if Sheridan would mind being the new Member of Warfare if Matias decides to leave the coalition, listen to an enthusiastic reply to the affirmative. Congratulate Vincent on his eagerness and willingness to take on such a senior position.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
Step out the office, into one of the conference rooms with good sound-proofing. Listen to the birds outside, and hear the rain falling serenely onto the concrete plaza below. Hear a man coughing, hear your phone ringing, and answer with a greeting. The room is booked out - bugger. Move to the adjacent room, further away from Sheridan so he cannot hear you and cannot see nor hear your emotions. Take all the time you need, you need the courage.
Do not yet have the courage, so call up Barlow, ask him to take a look at charcoal plant for Timmins. Ask if the plans are on time, and whether the power stations are ready for integration with the charcoal plant. Reply received is cheery - typical Barlow - and then interrupted by a tap on the door. Sheridan asks whether to fax the main party office about the potential promotion, the reply shall be to the negative, only one to state it is to be the party leader and the Leading Member. Thank the heavens that you did not have enough courage, send Sheridan off for lunch or something because the phone call is very important. He buggers off.
Resume call with Barlow, his family is doing very well, and he thinks of buying a new motor-car before the Ontario stock runs out, since the factories are in an area claimed only by anarchy. Relay the information, get told the opposite is true and Wisconsin has taken over, the same question is asked again to self, and the answer is not negative, but instead to just do it anyways. Line is off, that’s the end of that conversation.
Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out again.
Decide to pluck up the courage to call Matias again, fail again, try again, somehow succeed. Operator doesn’t want to chat, so all the better. Matias picks up, does not seem very tired, is home phone so office has redirected him, must be enjoying April where it isn’t pouring. Chat away the formalities, realise that he anticipates the real reason for calling as much as you dread saying it, get things straight and say all the right words in a tired yet determined voice.
“Fine. There is nothing against this split, but we need to keep party unity, I’d dread to think if we were tied up with Wisconsin or Minnesota or both, so the IUP isn’t to be joined, got it? I know you and Jarno are a bit tired of myself, and I will retire once my tenure here is done, and yes, you were supposed to be my successor. Please, I like your suggestion to be the ‘Congress of Thought’, but just call it the Congress, alright? It works, it has a ring, and I’d think the country will soon hear of it. We’ll announce it for Easter-time, okay? I hope that works, because the legislation season is about to start, and we need to do as much as possible to get this country firmly under control. I hope you understand, Mati, what we need to do.”
Voice on the other end of the line does understand, and so the farewells are stated, hear a couple of voices in the background and the name of ‘Mark’, must be a personal friend or perhaps a child? Maybe the child’s friend? Is the holidays, is time for the young ones to be at home, will see Mati once the 1968 Easter is finished. Phone goes dead, the sobbing starts, tears of stress and joy and sadness all mix together.
It may be the start of the end. It is only considered, and not acted upon.
Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in.
Let it all out.
Let it end.
Let the opacity end.
Compose self to meet local business leaders at a conference, prepare for dullness and blank faces.
Never a consistent moment in LM George Ewart Nixon’s life.
Never ever, forever.
{QU016, CM Fuel, Holidays Now 2 Weeks Off}
[M- Favourite post in a while, makes a nice change in style eh?]

Hi, I am currently working as a para in a 6-8 self-contained classroom. I have wanted to be a special ed teacher ever since I was in kindergarten but due to the intense behaviors in my classroom and the lack of discipline in response to it, I am starting to question that decision. I have been looking into getting certified in both Childhood 1-6 and Social Studies 5-9 instead but a friend of mine has recently suggested I look into becoming an SLP.
I have a very mild-mannered / calm type of personality and am worried that I will not be able to take control of a classroom and have good behavioclassroom management. The smaller group setting of SLP appeals to me since it would be easier to control and manage plus, if you have a behavioral child you only have to deal with them for 1-2 times a week for 30 minutes. The intense workload, pressure, lack of support, and disrespect teachers face daily having to grade endless amounts of work, manage a classroom of 20-30 kids, and especially communicate with parents constantly seems like torture. I am also worried that I will not be able to understand all the content that I need to teach especially in Math which has always been my weakest subject. I also am worried about co-teaching and especially if I am the special ed teacher in the room I would naturally fade into the background or be seen as the weaker teacher. I am already seen this way as a para due to being in my early 20s. However, I do enjoy going into the Middle School Gen Ed Classroom for Clusters and find that I could possibly do that job. I love social studies and am really good at it which is why I want to go for that since I already have the 30 credits to go for additional certification in that area. I also would enjoy teaching ELA I just am worried about whether or not I would be an effective teacher.
Another thing about SLT that I like is that you have much more autonomy over what you can do with kids and it is usually a lot more on the fun side and you can mostly focus on ELA / Language stuff and not have to teach math which is my worst subject. I had speech and language therapy as a child and always loved going there because we always played games and read interesting stories. It was my favorite day of the week.
I also like that you can really tailor what you are doing towards the individual needs of the child and aren't micromanaged by parents and admin. My only hesitation is the coursework required to obtain the master's. The amount of clinicals, prerequisites, and science required for this degree is insane. I am very much an ELA/SS type person and am horrible in Math/Science. I also have ADHD and a Learning Disability and am worried that the coursework will be way too challenging for me. I also do not want to work with adults in clinicals and learn all this medical stuff when all I want to do is work in the school. I am also worried about the distances of the clinicals from whatever college I go to and want everything close by. I currently work within walking distance from my house and am worried that resigning and going for SLP is a risky move since I most likely will not get a job there. If I went for teaching I would be able to do it while still being a para since they have many online or weekend programs. I also would be able to do my student teaching there and wouldn't have to worry about going to these 50 million clinical sites far away from home. I also feel I would have a much higher chance of getting a teaching job there than if I were to do SLP but I am also worried about the workload of teaching which is why I am looking into SLP. I know being an SLP is probably way better than being a teacher nowadays but the schooling just sounds awful. If someone could give me some guidance that would be great.

Normally (at least from what I've read) an apparently popular belief when considering this scenario is to represent the Potter family dynamic as: James/Sirius is the fun/relaxed/permissive and sometimes even irresponsible father and godfather, while Lily is represented as the strict mother who must put order
But I don't really agree with this, and I think that in reality they would BOTH be fun/relaxed parents and Harry and his siblings would be the center of their world, but they would also always be looking out for Harry's safety and well-being and therefore I don't think they would encourage him to do many reckless things, as people often seem to believe, especially talking about James and Sirius.
I believe this mainly because of Lily's letter

Dear Padfoot, Thank you, thank you, for Harry’s birthday present! It was his favorite by far. One year old and already zooming along on a toy broomstick, he looked so pleased with himself. I’m enclosing a picture so you can see. You know it only rises about two feet o↵ the ground but he nearly killed the cat and he smashed a horrible vase Petunia sent me for Christmas (no complaints there). Of course James thought it was so funny, says he’s going to be a great Quidditch player, but we’ve had to pack away all the ornaments and make sure we don’t take our eyes off him when he gets going.

And the photo

At last, lying facedown on the floor, he spotted what looked like a torn piece of paper under the chest of drawers. When he pulled it out, it proved to be most of the photograph that Lily had described in her letter. A black-haired baby was zooming in and out of the picture on a tiny broom, roaring with laughter, and a pair of legs that must have belonged to James was chasing after him.

It seems like the paternal instincts of both of them came out strongly when Harry was born and that translated into loving him and protecting him to the limit (which is confirmed by their sacrifices) and that is why I think they pampered him a lot but I don't think anyone wants to talk to him about James' bully phase (because I don't know any parents who like to remember those phases of their life), they would probably tell him about the more harmless parts, like exploring the castle to create the marauder's map and escape to Hogsmeade through the secret passages, but for anyone more extreme or dangerous than that, I think they would take Sirius' attitude in canon.

Keep your nose clean and everything will be okay… be careful and don't do anything rash…

I also think that they instilled in him to be a good person, that is: No racism against Muggleborns and I think in general no type of discrimination considering that James was friends with Remus and Peter. A social outcast and someone who definitely doesn't fit the standards for being popular (although perhaps they instill in him a hatred for the dark arts, blood supremacy and anyone who defends those ideas)
And I think overall he could have the best of both, I mean, James' self-confidence but without being arrogant in an unpleasant way and being more charming like Lily, also with the help of both parents being talented wizards, It is likely that his grades could be better because instead of having to do his homework secretly in the sheets at 2 in the morning at his abusive uncles' house, he could do it quietly at home and ask his parents for advice on anything he needed
Obviously, it depends on what scenario we're talking about where they survived to raise harry but in case it's one where voldemort comes back and the order of the phoenix reconvenes, and they meet Molly I'm not sure they would really get along well.
I mention this because I have seen many fans who want to portray Lily as practically a Molly 2.0, but honestly, I see Molly as a much more traditional mother while I don't see Lily that way, so I'm not sure they agree in the way children should be raised and honestly whether they get along or not I think it depends on whether Molly can moderate her opinions and not get too involved in Harry's upbringing
Lily is not a person who reacts well when she feels attacked or hurt.

…I'm sorry, Tuney, I'm sorry! Listen – ”She caught her sister's hand and held it tight, even though Petunia tried to pull it away. “Maybe once I’m there – no, listen, Tuney! Maybe once I'm there, I'll be able to go to Professor Dumbledore and persuade him to change his mind!
“I don’t – want – to – go!” said Petunia, and she dragged her hand back out of her sister's grasp of her. “You think I want to go to some stupid castle and learn to be a – a…”
Her pale eyes roved over the platform, over the cats mewling in their owners' arms, over the owls, fluttering and hooting at each other in cages, over the students, some already in their long black robes, loading trunks onto the scarlet steam engine or else greeting one another with glad cries after a summer apart.
“ – you think I want to be a – a freak?”
Lily's eyes filled with tears as Petunia succeeded in tugging her hand away from her.
“I'm not a freak,” said Lily. “That's a horrible thing to say.”
“That's where you're going,” said Petunia with relish. “A special school for freaks. You and that Snape boy…weirdos, that's what you two are. It's good you're being separated from normal people. It’s for our safety.”
Lily glanced toward her parents, who were looking around the platform with an air of wholehearted enjoyment, drinking in the scene. Then she looked back at her sister, and her voice was low and fierce.
“You didn't think it was such a freak's school when you wrote to the headmaster and begged him to take you.”
Petunia turned scarlet.

or

I don't need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!'
Lily blinked.
'Fine,' she said coolly. 'I won't bother in future. And I'd wash your pants if I were you, Snivellus.'

or when she feels that someone is trying to impose something on her

“They don't use Dark Magic, though.” She dropped her voice. ”And you're being really ungrateful. I heard what happened the other night. You went sneaking down that tunnel by the Whomping Willow, and James Potter saved you from whatever’s down there – “
Snape’s whole face contorted and he spluttered, “Saved? Saved? You think he was playing the hero? He was saving his neck and his friends too! “You’re not going to – I won’t let you – ”
"Let me? Let me?"
Lily's bright green eyes were slits. Snape backtracked at eleven.

So I think if Molly goes into her controlling mode and tries to impose some kind of parenting on Harry and his potential siblings I see Lily fully capable of telling her to mind her own business (although I personally don't think it will happen, I think Molly is capable of recognizing the limits with non-orphan children or at least I hope so)

DAY: May 27 2024
5-27-2024

THE CASE FOR OMEGA-3 SUPPLEMENTATION TO LOWER AGGRESSION

People who regularly eat fish or take fish oil supplements are getting omega-3 fatty acids, which play a critical role in brain function. Research has long shown a basis in the brain for aggressive and violent behavior, and that poor nutrition is a risk factor for behavior problems. Penn neurocriminologist Adrian Raine has for years been studying whether omega-3 supplementation could therefore reduce aggressive behavior, publishing five randomized controlled trials from different countries. He found significant effects but wanted to know whether these findings extended beyond his laboratory.
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WHAT ARE ALTERNATIVES TO OZEMPIC AND WEGOVY AND ARE THEY SAFE?

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FIVE BASIC HABITS MAY HOLD THE KEY TO GOOD MENTAL HEALTH

Professor Nick Titov’s professional goal is to make himself redundant. he wants to empower more people with mild to moderate anxiety and depression to understand what they can do each day to care for their mental health. As part of this mission, Professor Titov and his team developed The Big 5, an evidence-based program encouraging five broad types of activities that are strongly linked with good mental health when performed regularly. Everyone’s
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COVID-19 FORECASTING TOOL ALLOWED HOSPITAL TO MANAGE PATIENT CAPACITY, RESOURCES AMID PANDEMIC’S THIRD WAVE

During the peak of the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, the health-care system’s capacity was stretched and hospitals across Canada relied on each other to share resources and provide care. Experts from
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RESEARCHERS IDENTIFY IMMUNE DYSFUNCTION AS A POSSIBLE ASPECT OF POLYCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME PATHOLOGY

The peripubertal DHT-induced mouse model is a non-obese but insulin-resistant model of PCOS. a) Experimental design. b) Fat mass. c) Insulin levels at baseline and 15 min following glucose administration. d) Blood glucose levels during oGTT. e) HOMA-IR, calculated from fasted glucose and insulin levels. f) Glycosylated hemoglobin levels (HbA1c). A new study shows that hyperandrogenism—a key characteristic of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)—affects immune cell populations in reproductive, metabolic and immunological tissues in a PCOS-like mouse model. These findings are of great importance as
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RESEARCH IDENTIFIES BRAIN NETWORK LINK TO STUTTERING

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THYROID DISEASE ISN’T THE END FOR YOUR CAREER PROSPECTS, REPORT FINDS

How employers behave toward workers experiencing thyroid dysfunction could play a critical part in addressing the UK’s labor market challenges. With long-term sickness on the rise in the UK, researchers at the University of Aberdeen Business School have marked World Thyroid Day (May 25) by releasing new findings which, for the first time, explore the relationship between employer sympathy and the labor market prospects of people with thyroid conditions. One in 20 people in the UK have a thyroid problem, with a significant majority of sufferers being women. Posing serious
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STUDY FINDS HIGH-INCOME EARNERS AT LOWER RISK OF DYING FROM STROKE

High-income earners have a 32% lower risk of dying after a stroke compared to low-income earners. The equivalent for high education is 26% lower risk. The differences in stroke survival linked to socioeconomics are striking, according to a study at the University of Gothenburg.
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ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE COULD ALLEVIATE LONELINESS, SAYS EXPERT

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ALZHEIMER’S REPORT HIGHLIGHTS IMMENSE CAREGIVER BURDEN—AND POTENTIAL WAYS FORWARD

Some 7 million Americans live with Alzheimer’s, and about 11 million provide unpaid care for them. Dementia caregiving can present unique challenges, including financial burdens and time constraints, as well as health complications. A report this year from the Alzheimer’s Association demonstrates the true cost of caregiving for those with the disease and calls to establish dementia care navigation throughout the U.S. to lift this burden. Not only is the estimated value of unpaid care near $14 billion in Pennsylvania alone, the report also revealed emotional and physical tolls. Nearly
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US FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION APPROVES ARTIFICIAL PANCREAS SYSTEM

An artificial pancreas developed by researchers at the University of Cambridge has been granted approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use by individuals with type 1 diabetes aged 2 and older, including during pregnancy. This means that even more people living with the disease will be able to use this life-changing app. For the first time, the FDA authorized the use of the artificial pancreas system in pregnancy. CamAPS FX, produced by Cambridge spinout company CamDiab, is an Android app that can
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RESEARCH SAYS POMEGRANATES COULD OFFER A SOLUTION TO FATTY LIVER DISEASE

Researchers at Edith Cowan University (ECU) are investigating the effects ellagic acid, an antioxidant found in some fruits and vegetables, could have on halting and potentially reversing the damage caused by fatty liver disease. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the physiological manifestation of obesity in the liver. The prevalence of NAFLD has increased from 25.24% in 2015 to 29.38% in 2021, and this condition now accounts for 45.8% of all cases of chronic-liver-disease-related deaths worldwide. There currently exists no treatment for the long-term management of NAFLD; however, dietary interventions
5-27-2024

MAGIC MUSHROOMS MAY ONE DAY TREAT ANOREXIA, BUT NOT JUST YET

Anorexia nervosa is a severe mental health disorder where people fear weight gain. Those with the disorder have distorted body image and hold rigid beliefs their body is too big. They typically manage this through restricted eating, leading to the serious medical consequences of malnutrition. Anorexia has one of the highest death rates of any mental illness. Yet there are currently no effective drug treatments and the outcomes of psychotherapy (talk therapy) are poor. So we’re desperately in need of new and improved treatments. Psilocybin, commonly known as magic mushrooms,
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STUDY FINDS FEEDING INFANTS PEANUT PRODUCTS PROTECTS AGAINST ALLERGY INTO ADOLESCENCE

Feeding children peanuts regularly from infancy to age five reduced the rate of peanut allergy in adolescence by 71%, even after many years when the children ate or avoided peanut as desired. The new findings provide conclusive evidence that introducing peanuts into babies’ diets early will achieve long-term prevention of peanut allergy. Lead investigator Professor Gideon Lack from King’s College London said, “Decades of advice to avoid peanuts has made parents fearful of introducing peanuts at an early age. The evidence is clear that early introduction of peanut in infancy
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EATING MORE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES MAY LEAD TO OPTIMAL SLEEP DURATION

Good health depends on a healthy diet and sufficient exercise and sleep. There are clear associations among these components; for example, good nutrition provides energy for exercise, and many people report that getting enough exercise is important to their ability to get enough sleep. So how might nutrition affect sleep? A new study looks at the connection between fruit and vegetable intake and sleep duration.
5-27-2024

MONITORING THE H5N1 AVIAN INFLUENZA, BIRD FLU, OUTBREAK

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to actively monitor the ongoing outbreak of H5N1 avian influenza, also known as bird flu, and says that the public health risk remains low. Dr. Matthew Binnicker, director of the Clinical Virology Laboratory at Mayo Clinic, says scientists and public health officials have known about avian influenza for decades. “What’s different today is that since 2020, we’re seeing the largest outbreak of avian influenza among wild birds, poultry and backyard bird flocks,” he says. “The virus has also been found in certain
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INTERNATIONAL STUDY REVEALS SURPRISING TWIST IN HOW DIABETES DRUGS HELP THE HEART

A randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial has revealed surprising new insights into how SGLT2 inhibitor drugs, originally developed for diabetes, benefit patients with heart failure. Contrary to common assumptions, these drugs may improve cardiac outcomes and heart health without acting as diuretics. Heart failure is a condition where the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body’s demands, often leading to fluid
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FIRST SEIZURE CLINICS REDUCE THE NEED FOR FUTURE HEALTH CARE, RESEARCHERS FIND

Clinics specializing in first seizures reduce the need for patients to present at emergency departments or be admitted to hospital later, Monash University-led research has found. Timely attendance, particularly within 14 days of the seizure, was associated with reduced subsequent all-cause emergency presentations and all-cause hospital admission. Later hospital admissions were reduced by about 25%. First author Dr. Yingtong Li, an adjunct
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CELL-TARGETING TECHNOLOGY CAN ISOLATE NEURONAL SUBPOPULATIONS AND LINK THEM TO BEHAVIORAL STATES

As gene sequencing technologies become more powerful, our understanding of cellular diversity has grown in parallel. This led scientists at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to
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WATCH OUT FOR THESE HIGH HEAT DANGER SIGNS

Climate change is pushing daytime summer temperatures higher for longer periods of time, and that can spell real danger for folks who work outside, like gardeners and landscapers. Protecting yourself in the heat and knowing the warning signs of heat-related illness is crucial, said Chris Enroth, horticulture educator at University of Illinois Extension. He should know: It happened to him. “When I was working as a landscaper, we had to sod a large backyard during a day when the temperature was over 100 degrees Fahrenheit,” Enroth said. “We were hustling
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STAY SAFE FROM THE SUN AND THAT BACKYARD GRILL THIS MEMORIAL DAY

Memorial Day means firing up that backyard grill for the season, hopefully under warm, sunny skies. You can be sure to enjoy the day without hazards by taking a few simple precautions, said Dr. Mike Ren, an associate professor of family and community medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Watch out for rising heat and humidity If Memorial day is a scorcher, hydration is key, Ren said. “A good rule of thumb is to drink water regularly throughout the day, aiming for 12 or more cups; when in
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HAD A JOINT REPLACED? STUDY SUGGESTS INFECTION RISK MAY RISE AFTER CHEMOTHERAPY

If you’re one of the millions of Americans walking around with a new knee or hip, your odds for an infection in that joint rise if you ever have to undergo cancer chemotherapy, researchers report. “Given the number of people of receiving total joint replacements each year, as well as the cost both physically, emotionally and financially for those who develop an infection and may need subsequent treatment, we need to understand what factors may increase the risk for postoperative infections,” said study author Dr. Janet Conway. She’s an orthopedic
5-27-2024

ANTIHYPERTENSIVES LINKED TO ECZEMATOUS DERMATITIS IN SENIORS, STUDY FINDS

Antihypertensive drugs are associated with an increased risk for eczematous dermatitis in older adults, and the effect sizes are largest for diuretics and calcium channel blockers, whether antihypertensive drug use is associated with eczematous dermatitis in a longitudinal cohort study of individuals aged 60 years and older without eczematous dermatitis at baseline. The researchers found that the overall prevalence of eczematous dermatitis was 6.7% among 1,561,358
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RESEARCH INDICATES KIDNEYS FROM DECEASED DONORS WHO WERE ON DIALYSIS ARE SUBOPTIMAL

Receipt of a kidney from a deceased donor who underwent dialysis is associated with an increased incidence of delayed graft function, compared outcomes of transplant recipients who received kidneys from deceased donors who underwent dialysis prior to kidney donation versus recipients of kidneys from deceased donors who did not undergo dialysis in a retrospective cohort study using data from 58 U.S. organ procurement organizations. Among the donors with
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NEW THERAPY PROVEN EFFECTIVE AGAINST REJECTION IN KIDNEY TRANSPLANTATION

Antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) is one of the most common causes of kidney transplant failure. To date, however, no treatment has proven effective in combating this complication in the long term. As part of an international and multidisciplinary clinical study led by Georg Böhmig and Katharina Mayer, Clinical Division of Nephrology and Dialysis, Department of Medicine III at MedUni Vienna and University Hospital Vienna, a new therapeutic principle in transplant medicine has been found to be both safe and highly effective. The results were recently published in the New England Journal
5-27-2024

SHARJAH UNIVERSITY PATENTS APPLICATION FOR DISTANCE COVID-19 DIAGNOSIS

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5-27-2024

STUDY REVEALS WHERE DELAYS ARE WORST

When it comes to responding to a stroke, speed is a crucial factor; the longer it takes for someone experiencing a stroke to get to a hospital, the worse the outcome will be. Yet across the United States, delays to treatment can be significant. A Yale study uncovers new insights into factors associated with treatment delays and where in the United States patients are more likely to experience slower responses. The findings, which were published May 24 in the journal Stroke, highlight where interventions should

NEW STUDY SHOWS HEAT WAVES INCREASE RISK OF PRETERM, EARLY-TERM BIRTH

The increased frequency and intensity of heat waves due to climate change puts women at a higher risk of experiencing preterm and early-term labor—jeopardizing the health and well-being of their babies. An analysis of 53 million births that occurred in the 50 most populous U.S. metropolitan areas during the 25-year period 1993–2017, showed
5-27-2024

NOISE-CANCELLING HEADPHONES, EARPLUGS AND EARMUFFS—DO THEY REALLY HELP NEURODIVERGENT PEOPLE?

Noise can make it hard to concentrate, especially for people who are extra sensitive to it. Neurodivergent people (such as those who are autistic or have attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder—ADHD) can experience different sensory sensitivities. Their nervous system may process information differently when they are exposed to sensory experiences such as bright lights, loud noise, strong smells or busy environments. Decreased sound tolerance is estimated to affect up to 70% of autistic people and is described in three ways: hyperacusis (perceiving everyday sounds as loud or painful), misophonia (an aversion to
5-27-2024

MASSACHUSETTS SHELLS OUT NEARLY $400,000 FOR VACCINE RECORD CHECKS IN STATE-RUN SHELTERS

State officials have pumped nearly $400,000 into a program to review the vaccine records of families entering the emergency shelter system, including migrants from other countries who may have foreign documentation, according to the Healey administration. Officials at Boston-based John Snow, Inc., which has long worked with the state, have been contracted to review immunization documents. Since January, more than 1,200 children in state-run shelters have had their records checked, according to the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, or HHS. Vaccine record checks have occurred since September 2023
5-27-2024

LAWSUIT ACCUSES FLORIDA’S PALM BEACH COUNTY HOSPITAL NETWORK OF SHARING PATIENTS’ PRIVATE DATA

The Palm Beach Health Network has become the latest health provider accused of illegally sharing identities and private health information of its patients with the social media company Meta, owner of Facebook. A lawsuit filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in West Palm Beach says the health network’s websites share code with Meta that enables patients to be targeted with advertising on Facebook based on “highly sensitive personal information” they share. It names as defendants the Palm Beach Health Network Physicians Group, doing business as Palm Beach Health Network, and
5-27-2024

CAN THE PLACEMENT OF DENTAL IMPLANTS IN HEAD AND NECK CANCER PATIENTS BE DONE BEFORE RADIATION THERAPY?

Globally, head and neck cancer accounts for 5% of all cancer types, with a mortality rate of 50%. However, in the Nordic countries, head and neck cancer accounts for only 2.6% of all cancers, with a mortality rate of just 30%. But more survivors mean that many must live with extensive damage and side effects
5-27-2024

STUDY FINDS CLIMATE CHANGE INCREASES RISK OF CRYPTOSPORIDIOSIS OUTBREAKS IN NEW ZEALAND

More cryptosporidiosis outbreaks could be on the cards for Aotearoa New Zealand as extreme rainfall events become more frequent, causing higher levels of the diarrhea-causing parasite to be washed into waterways, public health researchers warn. The researchers studied clusters of cryptosporidium outbreaks around the country between 1997 and 2015 and found 13 coincided with severe weather events. Their research is published in the journal Epidemiology & Infection. It is the first study to compare clusters of outbreaks of cryptosporidiosis to severe weather events in Aotearoa.
5-27-2024

RESEARCHERS EVALUATE IMPACT OF NEW FILM’S MESSAGE ON CHILDREN’S AND ADULTS’ BODY IMAGE, SELF-COMPASSION

Unrealistic expectations about what our bodies should look like—whether from the media, friends or family—make adults and children of all ages more vulnerable to body dissatisfaction, eating disorders and other mental health challenges. In a new study published in Body Image, Flinders University experts assessing the program’s usefulness in classrooms highlight the potential for the film “Embrace Kids,” directed by 2023 Australian of the Year Taryn Brumfitt, to achieve large-scale improvements in body image
5-27-2024

STUDY FINDS INCREASED SUICIDAL THOUGHTS, SUICIDE ATTEMPTS AMONG ADOLESCENTS EXPOSED TO EARLY PHASE OF WAR IN UKRAINE

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5-27-2024

STUDY FINDS SIGNIFICANT DISPARITIES IN THE DELIVERY OF CANCER-RELATED CARE

It’s important to ensure that care provided at US hospitals that predominantly serve Black and Hispanic populations is as high-quality as the care provided at other US hospitals. New research reveals significant disparities in the delivery of cancer-related care at minority serving hospitals (MSHs) compared with non-MSHs, however. The findings are published in Cancer. For the study, investigators analyzed information from the National Cancer Database (which accrues approximately 70% of US cancer diagnoses) to identify patients eligible for definitive treatment for breast, prostate, non-small cell lung, and colon cancers between
5-27-2024

WHO SEEKS $7 BN WITH FUND-RAISING REVAMP

The World Health Organization launched Sunday a new financing mechanism that aims to raise $7 billion of funds that can be deployed more quickly and flexibly. The UN agency has traditionally relied on commitments from its 194 member states, but often these are apportioned to specific projects with several conditions attached, including deadlines that can prove too short. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said commitment increases would contribute $4 billion to the agency’s budget of $11.1 billion over the four years through 2028. “The Investment Round aims to mobilize the
5-27-2024

SECOND PERSON DIES OF CHOLERA ON FRENCH ISLAND OF MAYOTTE

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5-27-2024

ALTERING CELLULAR INTERACTIONS AROUND AMYLOID PLAQUES MAY OFFER NOVEL ALZHEIMER’S TREATMENT STRATEGIES

Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have made a significant breakthrough in Alzheimer’s disease research by identifying a novel way to potentially slow down or even halt disease progression. The study, which focuses on the role of reactive astrocytes and the plexin-B1 protein in Alzheimer’s pathophysiology, provides crucial insights into brain
5-27-2024

BRAIN DAMAGE STUDY REVEALS PART OF THE BRAIN NECESSARY FOR HELPING OTHERS

Our willingness to help others is governed by a specific brain region pinpointed by researchers in a study of patients with brain damage to that region. Learning about where in the brain “helping” decisions are made is important for understanding how people might be motivated to tackle large global challenges, such as climate change, infectious disease and international conflict. It is also essential for finding new approaches to treating disorders of social interactions. The study, published in Nature Human Behaviour, was carried out by researchers at the University of Birmingham
5-27-2024

IMPROVING AI LARGE LANGUAGE MODELS HELPS THEM BETTER ALIGN WITH HUMAN BRAIN ACTIVITY

NSP as a computational account of discourse comprehension. (A) Humans integrate words and sentences to achieve a full understanding of discourse. In LLMs, the NSP task proposed by BERT can serve as a computational account of human discourse comprehension. (B) Illustration of the MLM task. (C) Illustration of the NSP task and its relevance to the Mason and Just model. (D) Illustration of Mason and Just’s neurocognitive model of discourse processing. Credit: Science Advances (2024). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adn7744 With generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) transforming the social interaction landscape in recent years,
5-27-2024

STUDY EXAMINES METABOLIC REPROGRAMMING OF BREAST CANCER TUMORS DURING NEOADJUVANT CHEMOTHERAPY

In a study published in Nature Communications, scientists have made significant strides in understanding the complex interplay between the immune system and cancer metabolism in breast cancer treatment. The research
5-27-2024

RESEARCHERS EXAMINE EVIDENCE FOR A NOVEL NEURONAL MECHANISM DRIVING ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

An international team of clinicians and neuroscientists have published a new perspective on the process of neurodegeneration. Their findings review evidence for a mechanism upstream of amyloid including the key neurochemical driving this process. The paper, published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia, focuses on a selective group of neurons (“the isodendritic core”). These cells have a different provenance from neurons in the rest of the brain and have previously been identified as primarily
The research, by a team from Finland’s University of Helsinki, National Institute for Health and Welfare, and Turku University of Applied Sciences, is published in
5-27-2024

WHO CHIEF URGES COUNTRIES TO QUICKLY SEAL PANDEMIC DEAL

WHO countries have spent two years seeking an agreement on tackling pandemics. The World Health Organization chief on Monday urged countries to nail down a landmark global agreement on handling of future pandemics after they missed a hard deadline. Scarred by COVID-19—which killed millions, shredded economies and crippled health systems—nations have spent two years trying to forge binding commitments on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response. Negotiators failed to clinch a deal ahead of this week’s World Health Assembly—the annual gathering of WHO’s 194 member states—the deadline for concluding the talks.
5-27-2024

STUDY DEMONSTRATES HOW GUT MICROBES PROCESS STEROIDS—USING FLATULENCE

It turns out flatulence can serve a purpose beyond being uncomfortable or funny: Gas released by some gut bacteria stimulates other gut bacteria to produce a hormone involved in pregnancy and in an FDA-approved treatment for postpartum depression, according to new research led by Harvard Medical School scientists. The work shows how gut bacteria can produce new hormones from steroids in bile and, in doing so, act like an endocrine organ. This research adds to the growing list of ways gut microbiota may influence human
5-27-2024

PHYSICAL FRAILTY MAY PUT PEOPLE AT GREATER RISK OF DEPRESSION, STUDY FINDS

Individuals who meet at least one of the criteria for physical frailty are at higher risk of also developing depression, a new Yale study finds. The findings—which also include insights into the specific inflammatory molecules and changes in brain structure that could underlie this association between frailty and depression—point to a need for routine assessment of physical frailty in clinical practice, researchers said. The study was published May 23 in Nature Communications. In clinical settings, physical
5-27-2024

RESEARCH TEAM RESOLVES STRUCTURE OF CRUCIAL ENZYME FOR THE FIRST TIME

For the first time, a team co-led by CHU Sainte-Justine researcher and professor in the Faculty of Medicine at Université de Montréal, Alexey Pshezhetsky has succeeded in resolving the unique structure of the HGSNAT enzyme, a deficiency of which causes Sanfilippo syndrome, a rare pediatric disease affecting the central nervous system. Through collaboration with a team from Shanghai University, the structure of this enzyme and the mechanism of its function were revealed using high-performance

🚀 Exciting News! I just published a blog, Ragatouille– A guide to get started with Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) with LangChain !
Based on Langchain's RAG from scratch series, in this comprehensive guide, we break down the RAG process and take you through each step to enhance and optimize your system. Here’s a sneak peek of what you'll learn:
📌 Introduction to RAG: Understand the basics of the RAG pipeline and how it combines retrieval-based systems with generative models.
🔍 Query Transformation: Learn how to refine user queries for better comprehension and accurate responses.
📚 Hypothetical Document Embeddings: Discover techniques for generating vector representations of potential documents to assess relevance.
🛤️ Routing Mechanisms: Implement intelligent routing to dynamically select the best data sources for your queries.
📝 Executable Queries: Master the art of translating user questions into executable queries.
📂 Effective Indexing: Explore indexing strategies to enhance retrieval efficiency.
🔄 Advanced Retrieval Techniques: Dive into Self-RAG, Adaptive RAG, and CRAG for tailored retrieval approaches.
💡 Generation Phase: Ensure coherent and accurate responses using the retrieved information.
🏥 Practical Application: Apply everything you've learned to build a sophisticated hospital management system using LangChain, LangGraph, and Neo4j.
👉 Check out: https://www.sakunaharinda.xyz/ragatouille-book
⬆️ I will be updating the blog soon with RAG evaluation using RAGAS and Langsmith !!! Please let me know what you guys want to appear in this blog, which will help fellow RAG enthusiasts 💭 I appreciate your constructive feedback and contributions !!

Introduction
1) Will this be your first dog? If not, what experience do you have owning/training dogs?
We've always had dogs in the family, but I have never owned a dog myself.
2) Do you have a preference for rescuing a dog vs. going through a reputable breeder?
A reputable breeder.
3) Describe your ideal dog.
A companion that can chill during the day and go on a longer walk once a day. I work remotely full time, so the dog would rarely be left alone.
4) What breeds or types of dogs are you interested in and why?
I was primarily interested in Cavaliers, but I got discouraged by their health issues, particularly this post by PETA.
5) What sorts of things would you like to train your dog to do?
It has to be comfortable in a car, longer trips would be rare but could happen. Walking without a leash would be a huge plus.
6) Do you want to compete with your dog in a sport (e.g. agility, obedience, rally) or use your dog for a form of work (e.g. hunting, herding, livestock guarding)? If so, how much experience do you have with this work/sport?
Not really.
Care Commitments
7) How long do you want to devote to training, playing with, or otherwise interacting with your dog each day?
For active time devoted to the dog - probably between 2 and 3 hours on weekdays.
8) How long can you exercise your dog each day, on average? What sorts of exercise are you planning to give your dog regularly and does that include using a dog park?
Taking walks - up to an hour each day. I live in the suburbs and there's a lot of hilly forests nearby which is a nice area to have walks. A dog park visit would be possible at least once per week.
9) How much regular brushing are you willing to do? Are you open to trimming hair, cleaning ears, or doing other grooming at home? If not, would you be willing to pay a professional to do it regularly?
I don't mind brushing and nail clipping at home. For trimming I would rather pay a professional to do it every once in a while.
Personal Preferences
10) What size dog are you looking for?
Small and medium sized.
11) How much shedding, barking, and slobber can you handle?
Moderate amount of shedding should be fine. Lower amount of barking preferred but not a deal-breaker.
12) How important is being able to let your dog off-leash in an unfenced area?
It's quite important.
Dog Personality and Behavior
13) Do you want a snuggly dog or one that prefers some personal space?
A snuggly dog, as long as it still allows me to work during the day.
14) Would you prefer a dog that wants to do its own thing or one that’s more eager-to-please?
Eager-to-please.
15) How would you prefer your dog to respond to someone knocking on the door or entering your yard? How would you prefer your dog to greet strangers or visitors?
I'd prefer the dog to be friendly towards strangers and visitors.
16) Are you willing to manage a dog that is aggressive to other dogs?
No.
17) Are there any other behaviors you can’t deal with or want to avoid?
No.
Lifestyle
18) How often and how long will the dog be left alone?
Rarely, and not for longer that a few hours. As I mentioned before, I work remotely full time so I'm home for most of the day.
19) What are the dog-related preferences of other people in the house and what will be their involvement in caring for the dog?
The responsibility and time spent with the dog will be shared with my SO.
20) Do you have other pets or are you planning on having other pets? What breed or type of animal are they?
No.
21) Will the dog be interacting with children regularly?
Not regularly. I do have smaller kids in the family though.
22) Do you rent or plan to rent in the future? If applicable, what breed or weight restrictions are on your current lease?
I rent an apartment, the dog can't be too destructive to the furniture and other equipment, otherwise no restrictions.
23) What city or country do you live in and are you aware of any laws banning certain breeds?
Poland.
24) What is the average temperature of a typical summer and winter day where you live?
Freezing in winter, up to 30c in the summer.
Additional Information and Questions
25) Please provide any additional information you feel may be relevant.

• No additional information.

26) Feel free to ask any questions below.

Greetings!
Morality is a recurring issue in discussions and it's frequently stated that you can't get to objective morality without god. Sam Harris for example has a rather hard time with it.
For me personally however the Golden Rule / Categorical imperative in it's many variations seems plenty good enough.
I'm aware of their critiques. But all examples seem rather specific constructions in very specific cases. It's not like christian morality (or any other religion's for that matter) have clear cut answers to every dilemma.
If one would work with the Golden Rule as basic axiom it seems to me a working morality could be defined with something akin to mathematical proofs. The limiting factor being imprecise language compared to mathematical formula, rather than logical continuity. At least within the limits of Goedels Theorems - but I don't see anyone questioning the practical application of logical proves given their incompleteness.
I also don't see why the Golden Rule could need a god to be formulated. Pure biological darwinian self-preservation seems good enough.
I could see an argument in reducing the premise to the question of good and evil and concluding that men cannot decide. From my understanding that is where Harris is stuck with his escape from the worst possible pain. I just don't see the point. Religious tradition has not produced a constant timeless definition of good or evil, so in my opinion the bar is rather low. The Golden Rule takes care of every historical evil commited in the name of any religion or ideology and agrees with the 7 more practical of the 10 commandments. It might not be perfect, but it seems to me to be a better guiding principle that whatever we're working with.
Maybe it's just the "objective" part. Most applications of the Golden Rule seem rather subjective. But then that's a completely unworkable goal anyway. How could we objectively know it wouldn't be better if everyone dies? Gating morality behind the unanswerable question of what objective truth is seems a rather cheap trick and doesn't help with the question of how to act at all.
So what am I missing?

Hiya. The above mentioned server is a place for adults to escape the madness of gaming social media and the younger audience for a relaxed, socially oriented server for adults 25+.
Our goal for the club is to create a welcoming place for adults to talk about whatever games they happen to be playing and to otherwise socialize and create meaningful friendships with each other. Single player games and players are every bit as welcome as their multiplayer-only counterparts.
Although we try to facilitate multiplayer game sessions regularly, there's no requirement to join in.
If that sounds fun, please feel free to join us :) https://discord.gg/UF576HmPkv
The Game Llamas club rules are:
- We're a social gaming club for people aged 25+ only.
- This is an always SFW server. No nudity, disturbing scenes, or real life violence is permitted.
- We work together to foster a culture of kindness, compassion, respect, and appreciation. We're an LGBTQ+ friendly community.
- Game Llamas is not for profit, and no moderator or admin will ever message you for commercial, sales, or marketing purposes.
- No racism, misogyny, homophobia, or hate speech of any kind will be tolerated.
- No discussion of politics, war, or other painful or controversial world events or subjects is allowed. This includes memes.
- No trash talking or insulting the games that other members are enjoying. It's okay to not like a game, but it's not okay to ruin the experience of other people who do happen to like it.
- No self promotion or advertisements of any kind unless you've been a member in good standing for 30+ days. Such posts can be removed at the discretion of the mods.
- Don't be a jerk! If you're making anyone uncomfortable, you can be removed. Respect your fellow Llamas in game and out!

Normally (at least from what I've read) the general trend in fanfiction when using this premise is to represent the Potter family dynamic as: James/Sirius are the fun/laid back/permissive and sometimes even irresponsible father and godfather while Lily is represented as the strict mother who must put order.
But I don't really agree with this, and I think that in reality they would BOTH be fun/relaxed parents and Harry and any siblings he had would be the center of their world but they would also always be looking out for Harry's safety and well-being and therefore I don't think which encouraged him to do many reckless things as is often portrayed in fanfic regarding James and Sirius
I believe this mainly because of Lily's letter

Dear Padfoot, Thank you, thank you, for Harry’s birthday present! It was his favorite by far. One year old and already zooming along on a toy broomstick, he looked so pleased with himself. I’m enclosing a picture so you can see. You know it only rises about two feet o↵ the ground but he nearly killed the cat and he smashed a horrible vase Petunia sent me for Christmas (no complaints there). Of course James thought it was so funny, says he’s going to be a great Quidditch player, but we’ve had to pack away all the ornaments and make sure we don’t take our eyes off him when he gets going.

And the photo

At last, lying facedown on the floor, he spotted what looked like a torn piece of paper under the chest of drawers. When he pulled it out, it proved to be most of the photograph that Lily had described in her letter. A black-haired baby was zooming in and out of the picture on a tiny broom, roaring with laughter, and a pair of legs that must have belonged to James was chasing after him.

It seems like the paternal instincts of both of them came out strongly when Harry was born and that translated into loving him and protecting him to the limit (which is confirmed by their sacrifices) and that is why I think they pampered him a lot but I don't think anyone wants to talk to him about James' bully phase (because I don't know any parents who like to remember those phases of their life), they would probably tell him about the more harmless parts, like exploring the castle to create. the marauder's map and escape to Hogsmeade through the secret passages, but for anyone more extreme or dangerous than that, I think they would take Sirius' attitude in canon.

Keep your nose clean and everything will be okay… be careful and don't do anything rash…

I also think that they instilled in him to be a good person, that is: No racism against Muggleborns and I think in general no type of discrimination considering that James was friends with Remus and Peter. A social outcast and someone who definitely doesn't fit the standards for being popular (although perhaps they instill in him a hatred for the dark arts, blood supremacy and anyone who defends those ideas)
And I think overall he could have the best of both, I mean, James' self-confidence but without being arrogant in an unpleasant way and being more charming like Lily, also with the help of both parents being talented wizards, It is likely that his grades could be better because instead of having to do his homework secretly in the sheets at 2 in the morning at his abusive uncles' house, he could do it quietly at home and ask his parents for advice on anything he needed
Obviously, it depends on what scenario we're talking about where they survived to raise harry but in case it's one where voldemort comes back and the order of the phoenix reconvenes, and they meet Molly I'm not sure they would really get along well.
I mention this because I have seen many fans who want to portray Lily as practically a Molly 2.0, but honestly, I see Molly as a much more traditional mother while I don't see Lily that way, so I'm not sure they agree in the way children should be raised and honestly whether they get along or not I think it depends on whether Molly can moderate her opinions and not get too involved in Harry's upbringing
Lily is not a person who reacts well when she feels attacked or hurt.

…I'm sorry, Tuney, I'm sorry! Listen – ”She caught her sister's hand and held it tight, even though Petunia tried to pull it away. “Maybe once I’m there – no, listen, Tuney! Maybe once I'm there, I'll be able to go to Professor Dumbledore and persuade him to change his mind!
“I don’t – want – to – go!” said Petunia, and she dragged her hand back out of her sister's grasp of her. “You think I want to go to some stupid castle and learn to be a – a…”
Her pale eyes roved over the platform, over the cats mewling in their owners' arms, over the owls, fluttering and hooting at each other in cages, over the students, some already in their long black robes, loading trunks onto the scarlet steam engine or else greeting one another with glad cries after a summer apart.
“ – you think I want to be a – a freak?”
Lily's eyes filled with tears as Petunia succeeded in tugging her hand away from her.
“I'm not a freak,” said Lily. “That's a horrible thing to say.”
“That's where you're going,” said Petunia with relish. “A special school for freaks. You and that Snape boy…weirdos, that's what you two are. It's good you're being separated from normal people. It’s for our safety.”
Lily glanced toward her parents, who were looking around the platform with an air of wholehearted enjoyment, drinking in the scene. Then she looked back at her sister, and her voice was low and fierce.
“You didn't think it was such a freak's school when you wrote to the headmaster and begged him to take you.”
Petunia turned scarlet.

or

I don't need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!'
Lily blinked.
'Fine,' she said coolly. 'I won't bother in future. And I'd wash your pants if I were you, Snivellus.'

or when she feels that someone is trying to impose something on her

“They don't use Dark Magic, though.” She dropped her voice. ”And you're being really ungrateful. I heard what happened the other night. You went sneaking down that tunnel by the Whomping Willow, and James Potter saved you from whatever’s down there – “
Snape’s whole face contorted and he spluttered, “Saved? Saved? You think he was playing the hero? He was saving his neck and his friends too! “You’re not going to – I won’t let you – ”
"Let me? Let me?"
Lily's bright green eyes were slits. Snape backtracked at eleven.

So I think if Molly goes into her controlling mode and tries to impose some kind of parenting on Harry and his potential siblings I see Lily fully capable of telling her to mind her own business.