Okay so I have the WORST luck finding good doctors in my area. My first doctor when I moved here had me tested for tuberculosis. This was for a daycare job I was trying to get. AND I LITERALLY TESTED POSITIVE. Instead of..idk, calling someone and getting imaging, she literally PRAYED for me in the room and sent me on my way. (She was since fired from the clinic-not for the TB issue but because she brought her religion into her practices). So I went to a different doctor in the same clinic. He tested me, I tested positive, and he just asked “what symptoms do you have?” And I said “I dont know I cough a lot but I have asthma”. So he said he would send a referral to a local hospital for imaging. He said to go there right after the appointment and just say I need imaging for TB and hand them a piece of paper. So my happy ahh drives all the way to this hospital, I hand them the paper, and the receptionist says there is no referral for me and the paper he handed me was literally just an Appointment Summary. I call the office, the nurse says that he will send it now, and nope. Never sent it. So I go about my life, not knowing what to do about this because no one ever explained it to me and I didnt bother doing resesrch to know how bad it actually is. Finally find a new doctor who actually takes it seriously. She actually sends a referral and I don’t have active tuberculosis!!! Yay I wont die or kill anyone else in the process!!! But then SHE fcks up! She refers me to a psychiatrist in the clinic because I needed a proper ADHD diagnosis. (News Flash: he was not a psychiatrist and he was just an RN. No, not a specialist RN who is educated in psychology and licensed. No, just an RN). He decides to diagnose me with bipolar disorder instead of ADHD, all within a 30 minute appointment. Prescribes me Latuda (WHICH IS AN ANTIPSYCHOTIC) and sends me on my way. Heres the kicker, I start taking Latuda and WOW. SHOCKER. I start having manic episodes!!! Something I hadn’t had before! So I go back to him and tell him this, and say “I think I just need ADHD treatment and to be providing coping mechanisms for my ADHD”. He says (in essence) “Well that sucks, keep taking Latuda to see if it works eventually.” I listened to him and kept taking it until I got pregnant. But this SAME doctor before I got pregnant tried to take out a benign tumor on my rib cage IN OFFICE. She literally tried to put the numbing sht in the area of my ribs, which btw hurts like a mofo. I literally almost punched the nurse, so they both decide to HOLD. ME. DOWN. IN. THE. CHAIR. I started sobbing and having a panic because-surprise again! I HAVE PTSD. She ends uo trying to rip this cyst or whatever out but cant, and at this point I am screaming and crying in pain. So she says “Yeah I guess I cant take it out. You might need to be put under for this. I will send a referral.” (She did not).
Anyway so last Wednesday I go to a whole new doctors office. Its small. I needed lab work done before my doctor saw me, so the only nurse in this clinic grabs me and he is sweating like a sinner in church and looks on the verge of tears. This man goes into a room with me and starts ranting about his job, his boss, how he wants to quit, etc. He is SHAKING because he is so angry. So I try to talk him down. I am usually really good at this. But while he is prepping my arm to poke me, he takes off one of his gloves AND STARTS POKING THE AREA WITH HIS BARE HANDS AFTER HE SANITIZED IT. He doesn’t sanitize it again. He also never washed his hands when he entered the room or put hand sanitizer on. HE THEN STARTS TOUCHING ALL OVER THE NEEDLE WITH HSI BARE HANDS. I am literally too anxious to say anything that might send him over the edge. Is this my fault? Fkcing absolutely. I should have said something. He pokes me, he misses my vein. He moves to my other arm AND DOES THE SAME SHT. So then moves to my hand, and this time finally hits a good vein. BUT THEN IS SWEATING ALL OVER THE NEEDLE AND THE HOLE IN MY SKIN. AND THEN GETS MAD AT ME WHEN I PANIC AND MOVE MY HAND. He NEVER sanitized after he touched me with his bare hand. Never cleaned it after he sweat all over my hand. And at this point I finally tell him to stop and that I need to go home.
I am now waiting for lab work to come back after that to see if I somehow got anything (as recommended by my insurance nurse line when I reported the incident).
How do I even go about finding a good doctors office? What do I look for when I search for one??

"Music explains itself. It is the road and the map that shows the road."
"Can you explain how music works without using music?"
That brought me up short.

BLUF: Kvothe knows the name of music.
When Elodin is teaching Kvothe about naming, we have this discussion about how there are some things that can't be explained and that naming helps us to understand them anyway.

"The majority of important things cannot be said outright," Elodin said. "They cannot be made explicit. They can only be implied." He looked... around the lecture hall. "Name something that cannot be explained."
...
"Naming?" Fenton asked.
"That is a cheap answer Re'lar," Elodin said with a hint of reproach. "But you correctly anticipate the theme of my lecture so we will let it slide." He pointed at me.
"There isn't anything that can't be explained," I said firmly. "If something can be understood, it can be explained. A person might not be able to do a good job of explaining it. But that just means it's hard, not that it's impossible."
Elodin held up a finger. "Not hard or impossible. Merely pointless. Some things can only be inferred." He gave me an infuriating smile. "By the way, your answer should have been music."
"Music explains itself," I said. "It is the road and it is the map that shows the road. It is both together."
"But can you explain how music works?" Elodin asked.
"Of course," I said. Though I wasn't sure of any such thing.
"Can you explain how music works without using music?"
That brought me up short.

To dig a bit deeper, let's go to the frame story.

...he added a small, frightened silence to the larger, hollow one. They made an alloy of sorts, a harmony.
"...and the final ring was without name."

So Kvothe knows the name of something that has no name. Speaking the name of a thing which has no name leaves only... silence. Which can apparently create harmonies. To be clear, I don't think actual silence is the name of music, because that doesn't make sense, it's not a name. I think that silence is needed to heaknow the name of music because music is its own name. Maybe not all of it, not every piece, but music's name can only be "spoken" through music.
Okay whatever, fairly flimsy, I know, but for the sake of argument assume I'm right. How does Kvothe know the name of music? Yes he's a very accomplished musician, but there are many more who are as or more accomplished even just in Imre. To know a name, you need to learn about a thing for days, weeks, sometimes years. Long enough that your sleeping mind awakens and absorbs all that there is to know about it. If only there was a period of Kvothe's life where his waking mind was asleep and he did nothing but play music for hours on end...

...my mind used the first door [the door of sleep] to numb the pain. The wound was covered until the proper time for healing could come. In self-defense, a good portion of my mind simply stopped working - went to sleep, if you will.
Of course I played. It was my only solace.
Eventually I could play from when I woke until the time I slept.
I began to play something other than songs... I would play until I got the feeling right.
I remember spending three whole days trying to capture Wind Turning a Leaf.
Somewhere in the third month, I stopped looking outside and started looking inside for things to play.

To me, this is similar to the way he describes watching the wind until he saw its patterns and thus learning its name.
But hang on, music can't be it's own name, then everyone would be hearing a name every time it's played. That would surely do something to them; names have an effect on people after all. They stir something in them, make them feel moved strangely (see: whenever Elodin speaks; when a name is spoken but the person hearing it doesn't know the name; etc). If only music did the same thing.
"Thin, Albannach, very thin," I hear you say. And I'm with you. Surely, if Kvothe knew the name of music it would have more of effect on him. Let us turn to when he calls the wind the first time:

He looked at me. His dark eyes steadied me somewhat. Slowed the storm inside me. "Aerlevsedi," he said. "Say it."
"What?" Simmon said somewhere in the distant background. "Wind?"
"Aerlevsedi" Elodin repeated patiently, his dark eyes intent upon my face.
"Aerlevsedi," I said numbly.
...
His eyes caught mine. The numbness faded, but the storm still turned inside my head. Then Elodin's eyes changed. He stopped looking toward me and looked into me. ... He leaned forward and his lips brushed my ear. I felt his breath. He spoke... and the storm stilled. I found a place to land."

Is there a parallel with music? When is there not in this story. Many times, Kvothe refers to his music keeping him grounded and sane. Besides the detail above about him playing during his time in the woods and it allowing his mind to heal, I'll pick out one or two. After he got his lute back when Denna took it:

"With my lute back in my hands, the rest of my life slid easily back into balance.

Or playing at the Eolian:

"Offstage I worry and sweat. Onstage I am calm as a windless winter night."

Going back to the initial evidence about the discussion with Elodin. That comment about the road and the map that shows it is interesting. Sounds a bit like his chat with Tempi about the Lethani.

"What is the purpose of the Lethani?" Tempi asked.
"To give us a path to follow?" I replied.
"No," Tempi said sternly. "The Lethani is not a path."
"What is the purpose of the Lethani, Tempi?"
"To guide us in our actions. By following the Lethani, you act rightly."
"Is this not a path?"
"No. The Lethani is what helps us choose a path."

A slight addendum theory that plays into the bigger picture here: the Lethani is a way to invoke the mental state Kvothe calls Spinning Leaf, which enables people to better know/learn names, as we see Kvothe do multiple times. This is not an accident. The Adem, like the Edema, are descended of the first namers, and the Lethani comes from that heritage... just as music comes from the Edema heritage. The Edema music comes from Illien (who could be any number of namers/shapers who pop up in the stories: Lanre, Tarborlin, Iax, etc). What better evidence that music is its own name than the greatest Ruh (equivalently, the greatest of what became of the original namers) being the greatest musician travelling the world to show people the way.
In summary: music is its own name and to hear it and know it you need silence. Why else would Kvothe keep silence so heavy around himself at the Inn? (yes okay I know there's lots of other reasons he might but that's not the point of this theory)

Round 1, Pick 7 - JC Latham, OT, Alabama:
NFL: General manager Ran Carthon is putting his stamp on the team with this pick. Taking Latham tells me the Titans want to continue playing bully ball and dominate at the point of attack despite surrounding their young quarterback with pass-catching talent in free agency. The 6-foot-6, 342-pound tackle can overwhelm and overpower opponents on the edges, which should excite second-year quarterback Will Levis.
CBS Sports: B+. He is a right tackle and they need a left tackle, so it will be interesting to see how they play it. But he’s a violent player wherever he plays. They cross-train at Alabama at both left and right, so he should be able to make a smooth transition.
ESPN: Latham played mostly right tackle at Alabama but will switch sides in the NFL. He was a highly-rated left tackle coming out of IMG Academy but switched to right tackle because Evan Neal was already entrenched on the left side. Latham's mix of size, heavy hands and footwork should allow him to fit in there. But it's a risk to use a top-10 pick on a player and switch his position. The Titans have used three picks within the first three rounds on offensive linemen since 2020. Could Latham be the one that finally pays dividends?
NFL Absolutely Not Fake News: Hopes he can convince his squirrel army to come with him.
Round 2, Pick 38 - T’Vondre Sweat, DT, Texas:
NFL: Our first mini-shocker of the day. The massive Sweat was believed to be a possible top-50 pick at one point, but that was prior to his recent arrest. Credit to the Titans if they did the requisite work on Sweat's character in the past few weeks. He's a massive human being capable of closing down two gaps by himself, but some teams felt Sweat might be available entering Round 4 based on recent developments.
CBS Sports: C-. Monstrous NT who finally demonstrated a glimmer of pass-rush capability with hand work as a senior. Not as good against the run or double teams as his size indicates. Probably two-down player in the NFL. Tennessee did need more size inside along the DL, but this is too early for a limited player.
ESPN: Sweat is another move for the Titans to address the trenches. At 6-foot-5, 366 pounds, Sweat will pair with Jeffery Simmons along the defensive line giving the Titans a formidable duo to attack the quarterback and stop the run. Sweat consistently made plays behind the line of scrimmage as shown by his eight tackles for a loss and two sacks. Sweat was booked into jail after an arrest for driving while intoxicated earlier this month, but the Titans are confident he will be fine with Simmons and former Texas teammate Keondre Coburn as leaders in the locker room.
NFL Absolutely Not Fake News: Jumped his family mini-van like the Dukes of Hazzard.
Round 4, Pick 106 - Cedric Gray, LB, North Carolina:
NFL: Nice value here for a linebacker who does almost everything fairly well and can be a tone-setter in the locker room. Gray will be a quality special-teamer at the very least, but he carries starting potential down the road. He's aggressive and instinctive.
CBS Sports: A-. One of the younger prospects in the class who comes with plenty of experience. More fluid in coverage than he is with sheer explosion and range to the football against the runs. Has to improve beating blocks in traffic en route to the football. Long limbs. Upside is there.
ESPN: The Titans address a need at inside linebacker with Gray. Tennessee lost starter Azeez Al-Shaair when he signed a free agent deal with the Texans. Jack Gibbens started most of the season next to Al-Shaair last year. Gray will compete with Gibbens for the opportunity to start along side Kenneth Murray Jr. who signed a free agent deal last month. Having started the past two seasons at North Carolina, Gray could be a candidate to wear the green dot communicator helmet to relay the plays from the sideline to the defensive huddle.
NFL Absolutely Not Fake News: Knows there is chemical waste buried under the Browns training camp.
Round 5, Pick 146 - Jarvis Brownlee Jr., CB, Louisville:
NFL: Nickel corner run! Brownlee will take on all comers in coverage, lacking great size and speed but compensating with good experience, coverage savvy and an intense focus.
CBS Sports: B-. Confident and feisty CB who can play inside or the perimeter. Not overly twitchy. Nice mix of physicality and athleticism at the line and during the route. Tackling is average at best. Same with ball skills and overall athletic skill set. Not tremendous anywhere but doesn’t have a clear flaw.
ESPN: Brownlee Jr. gives the Titans depth, especially at nickel cornerback behind Roger McCreary. Tennessee met with Brownlee at the Senior Bowl and had him in for a 30 visit. Defense is clearly a priority for the Titans as they've addressed that side of the ball with the last three picks. Brownlee lands in an ideal situation where he can learn behind L’Jarius Sneed and Chidobe Awuzie and play for noted defensive back specialist Dennard Wilson.
NFL Absolutely Not Fake News: Almost got his toe bitten off by a snapping turtle.
Round 6, Pick 182 - Jha’Quan Jackson, WR, Tulane:
NFL: It felt like Jackson was among the leaders in Senior Bowl practice receptions. Interestingly, I felt he was underused at Tulane, as Jackson has good quickness to uncover and make people miss as a smaller-framed slot receiver. He and teammate Tyjae Spears are reunited in Nashville.
CBS Sports: B+. Small somewhat twitchy vertical threat. Not as ridiculous changing direction as his size would indicate but has electric burst and speed. Minuscule catch radius but flashed some bounce to go up and get it at times, although physicality and longer CBs give him problems.
ESPN: Jackson gives the Titans depth at slot receiver and another player that can be in the mix as a punt returner. Titans coach Brian Callahan expressed a need for someone to step up as a slot receiver when asked about wideouts in the draft. Jackson will compete with Kyle Philips, Mason Kinsey, and Kearis Jackson for a roster spot and the opportunity to contribute from the slot. He was a college teammate of Titans running back Tyjae Spears at Tulane. Jackson is also the nephew of Hall of Fame Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed.
NFL Absolutely Not Fake News: He had to come up with all these draft facts under duress.
Round 7, Pick 242 - James Williams, S, Miami:
NFL: A long, fairly rangy athlete who spent more time at deep safety than he did in the box, Williams will be tried as a linebacker. His unusual dimensions and skill set might make him a sleeper.
CBS Sports: A-. Has some wild tackling misses on film but also counters with impact plays behind/near the line or at the intermediate level in coverage. Enormous size and length for the safety spot and will set the tone in many games with his powerful tackling. Not incredibly twitched up but moves reasonably well for his size.
ESPN: At this point, teams draft for traits. Williams played as a box safety at Miami but some teams envision him as a linebacker after seeing him work at that position at the Senior Bowl. That falls in line with the versatility that defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson said he wants. Wilson also said he wants the defense to be aggressive which is something that Williams showcased in college. Tennessee could also use him on special teams.
NFL Absolutely Not Fake News: Simply cannot believe that Shrek 2 is 20 years old this year. WTF.
Round 7, Pick 252 - Jaylen Harrell, DE, Michigan:
NFL: Harrell is a broad-framed linebacker with rush skills and an alpha-dog mentality. His performance in the national title game was great, and he could be a sub-package defender with a unique job description.
CBS Sports: A. Old-school outside linebacker who can sink in coverage or attack the outside shoulder of the tackle. Smooth, athletic movements to comfortably do either. Shows glimpses of pass-rush promises just doesn’t diversify his rushes enough. Must get stronger but does set sturdy edge. Young ascending player.
ESPN: Five of the seven Titans picks have been on defense. Harrell's father, James, spent eight seasons in the NFL and played one season in the USFL. Jaylen Harrell started all 15 games for Michigan in its national championship season and adds to the Titans' depth at outside linebacker. He'll compete primarily with Harold Landry III, Arden Key, Rashad Weaver, and Caleb Murphy for a chance to be in the edge rotation.
NFL Absolutely Not Fake News: Has band T-Shirts from the 80’s and 90’s.

It's been a long time since my last update.
Prev updates summary: Have anal abscess on May 2022, that turned into fistula (seen on endoanal ultrasound scan, on March 2023) and later had my first EUA + fistulectomy surgery by end of May 2023. Having episodes of wound reopen, swelling, unresolved pain, persistent discharged (serous, fresh blood and sometimes purulent discharge) on and off in which had been dismissed again and again due to the abnormal discharges were no longer there everytime I went to primary care/ED/post surgery follow-up; until a visit in mid-October where the primary care doctor confirmed there's concerning swelling filled with pus on the op site. Warded for pain management + infection management several times starting October 2023 till January 2024. Scheduled for Pelvis MRI to rule out recurring FIA by mid December 2023, which shown no internal opening. Going thru another EUA + original plan to excise the infected sinus tract as shown in the MRI; but turns out it's indeed a recurring fistula.
Having similar episodes of wound reopen and purulent discharge + pain on and off (but less nuisance than previous one) post 2nd EUA + re-fistulectomy. I asked all the unanswered questions during my first follow up (3 weeks post op), but was told it's normal and the wound is nicely healing. The same comments during my 2nd follow up (6 weeks post op). In the same week, was discharged from dressing clinic (there's tiny little puncture wound left but most of the time either has no discharge or only seeping serous discharge) and was planned to be discharged by surgical clinic on the next follow up (mid April) if there's no sign of recurrent.
Still taking pain meds religiously, but reduced the dosage since it's Ramadan starting mid-March and I need to fast (I'm Muslim). Having more throbbing and swelling pain episodes, thought it's because I lowered my dosage and didn't taken any pain meds in the day time. Up until the last week of March, my loose stool episodes since forever turned into diarrhoea. Each BM would be accompanied with dripping purulent + fresh blood discharge. Still thinking positive since the wound will resealed itself in few hours (before reopened again after ea toilet visits).
Thursday night, was in so much pain, cramp up to my pubic area and lower abdomen. Sweating so bad, feverish, palpitations, and rapid breathing after each BM. The wound either reopened and has not much fresh blood + purulent discharge, or resealed with pimple like swelling (just a size of peanut). Was a hectic week in office so I can't afford to take any sick leave. Hold until the Saturday, 30/03/2024 where I surrendered myself to ED. Of course the swelling is no longer swollen while I waiting for my turn (triage to green zone due to stable vital and not in so much pain after the swelling wound pop earlier). But, due to my history of recurring FIA that had been dismissed as normal wound healing progress before, they readmit me for another EUA.
31/3/2024 My case was post as emergency case although there's no pus seen on pre-op exam. Plan, 1. EUA 2. If has fistula, to insert seton OR if there's no fistula to proceed with I&D + wound debridement. It's the latter, thanks God. The diagnosis was updated to infected gluteal sinus instead. They debride larger area this time for easy dressing - ~4x4x4cm (my op wounds opening used to be 1.5x1.5cm at large, with 4cm depth).
Today The wound is smaller and only has a very small area waiting for the epidermis layer to be generated fully (~1cmx0.5cm) and the original sinus tract is said to be fully closed.
The thing is, I had another diarrhoea episodes last week and the original tract opening that's been sealed up has been swelling like pimple again (this time only a size of mung bean), reopen, seeping fresh blood and serosanguineous discharges. As per before, since the opening is so small - like a size of needle puncture hole - it easily resealed (and reopen again with each BM). To make it worse, during 5 days I'm having constipated diarrhea last week, there's internal throbbing pressure + I can feel a tract bulging up underneath my skin + there's stool like discharge from the small puncture wound (this didn't happen during the end of March infection pain). I tried to convince myself that I was having incontinence due to having frequent loose stool episodes, but the other signs that came together with it are not helping.
Currently having normal BM with 1-2 loose stool episodes per day; No longer stool like discharge nor can feel the bulging tract-like swelling any longer since the constipation is gone. But starting last afternoon (Sunday, 12/5/2024), for each of my BM, there's fresh blood dripping down into the toilet bowl. It's from the tiny puncture wound which seems to be bigger (if compared, previously it's the size of 24g cannula puncture wound if not sealed and now it's 16g every time it's reopened).
Pain is currently minimal. I only taking pcm BD/TDS + celebrex/tramal/voltaren OD/PRN, but usually only pcm. The most painful is during and few hours after BM. Now I am confused are all these signs of recurring of FIA/infected sinus tract or is it only partof healing process. I hope it is the latter.
Oh, and they transferred my case from colorectal case to general surgery case post op - since there's no longer internal opening found during my latest EUA. They planned to discharge me once the tissue are all regenerate and heal, but there's a part of me telling that I still need to be rule out from recurring FIA with all these recurring symptoms.

Throughout most of its history, the NBA has annually granted Most Valuable Player Awards to recognize its best competitors in the regular season and in the NBA Finals. These are the most substantial honors that an NBA player can receive. And since 2022, two Conference Finals MVPs have also been awarded each year to further celebrate achievement in the postseason.
Unfortunately, though, there has never been an award for the most valuable player in the entirety of the playoffs. For the vast majority of the league’s history, the only individual postseason award was entirely based on one series and only available to one team. As a consequence, some of the most incredible performances in the history of the sport have gone without any official recognition. So this project intends to retroactively celebrate some of those performances by asking this subreddit to award Playoff MVPs for every playoff tournament from 1980 to the present.

Previous Winners

1980: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 1981: Larry Bird 1982: Magic Johnson 1983: Moses Malone 1984: Larry Bird 1985: Larry Bird 1986: Larry Bird 1987: Larry Bird 1988: Magic Johnson 1989: Michael Jordan 1990: Michael Jordan 1991: Michael Jordan 1992: Michael Jordan 1993: Michael Jordan 1994: Hakeem Olajuwon 1995: Hakeem Olajuwon 1996: Michael Jordan 1997: Michael Jordan 1998: Michael Jordan 1999: Tim Duncan 2000: Shaquille O’Neal 2001: Shaquille O’Neal 2002: Shaquille O’Neal 2003: Tim Duncan 2004: Kevin Garnett 2005: Tim Duncan 2006: Dwyane Wade 2007: Tim Duncan 2008: Kevin Garnett 2009: LeBron James 2010: Kobe Bryant 2011: Dirk Nowitzki 2012: LeBron James 2013: LeBron James 2014: LeBron James 2015: LeBron James

How to Vote

I will provide three different comments beneath each post representing three Playoff MVP candidates for the season being discussed. Additionally, if anybody feels that another player is deserving of candidacy, they can add a comment for that player to nominate them for the award using the process described in the following section. You can reply to these comments with arguments for or against any of the players to convince other voters of your position. Whichever player has the most upvotes after five days will be declared the Playoff MVP of that year, which will be announced the following week.

Nominating Players

If you would like to nominate a player, simply post a comment for that athlete using the same format as the comments for the other candidates. This should include the player’s name and a link to the Basketball Reference page of the team that they played for that season. Here is an example that you can copy:
PMVP Candidate: J.R. Smith - Stats and Record

Voting Criteria

Since the NBA doesn’t have any official criteria for how the MVP is decided, I’m not going to provide any specific criteria for this award either. However, I will suggest that voters judge the playoff MVP by the same standards that they use to judge the regular season MVP, such as individual statistics, team success, and overall impact on the game.

2016 NBA Playoffs

You can reference the following pages about this postseason as you consider which candidate to vote for or nominate.
Summary - Stats - Records

Context

This story fits into my world-building as an example of how people of the tribe at Saàkirlaasiik name one another. It illustrates that names are given by men to one another within their trade groups. Women ask their potential husbands to name them at their binding ceremony. This story illustrates both of those things.
The story is about two characters - 'Rows-in-loud-waters' and 'Hatchling'. They are on a battlefield against a tribe that broke apart from them long ago. Things get rough and a naming ceremony happens in the end. This takes place between the border of Saàkirlaasiik and Saàronit. It takes place in the second age after the Great Sundering.

Spoiler TL;DR

Summary: Rows-in-loud-waters is something of a squad leader to Hatchling. The two of them are in the alligator clan and are waiting for the 'Deceived' to come and fight them. When they finally do, the men fight with one of the Deceived for the majority of the story. This leads to some banter back and forth, but in the end, Hatchling dies. Hatchling tells Rows-in-loud-waters what he would have named his would-be wife if she had asked him to wed her. At the final end, Rows-in-loud-waters gives Hatchling a true proper name.

If You Read / Enjoy

Please drop me a comment. Just hearing that someone liked it would be awesome.

What's In A Name

“Stand firm! Men of Nafóótkirriinhaa”, Leans-on-the-spirit, chief of their clan spoke over all present before him. Riding by on a horse, he raised a spear and pranced the line of warriors. “It saddens me that we will shed the blood of our cousins! But they come to steal, pillage, and destroy. Show no mercy, brothers. For, I assure you, the Deceived will not return it.” His dark hair streamed in the air behind him as his steed carried him far down the line of men and out of earshot from him. Men cheered as he galloped by and smacked the flat of their weapons against their chests.
Hide banners whipped as the wind bid them to their will and the trees bent with each gust. Each banner displayed the spirit patron of the clan lined up to do battle. Some tribes gathered hides from the animals that embodied the attributes of their families' skills and nature. Behind him, alligator scales bent against the howling air. They dyed the animal biting its tail with an eye in the middle. A single line split the banner in the middle horizontally, and the eye peered out from the line. It represented the watchful eye of the clan, looking from the lands around Eversun. Sniffing, he smelt the hint of trees mingled mostly with warpaint against his flesh. A drum rang out behind him, then another sounded in the distance echoing it, and further out another did the same. This echoed on for a few more raps. His heart pounded in his chest, but he steeled his face.
The dark brown hair smacked the back of his tanned neck and his dark eyes scanned the woods before him. Across the grassland, they stood like a wall in the distance, dense and ominous. He had fashioned leather armor from the scaled hide of his swamp-dwelling, neighbor beast. He added stone studs to it in places that stuck out. On either side, men stood around him and he glanced out of the corner of his eyes. Younger men stationed themselves on either side of him entirely still and they both wore similar garb.
Each man painted their body with different symbols to display their strength, ferocity, or, in his case, battles fought. He used the black dye they made to draw scales against his skin where it remained exposed to the elements. Each drawn shape represented the number of times that he challenged a Deceived in combat and won. To his right, Paako Saàchalkoorrich Tínafsorlor, whom he lovingly calls Hatchling, dyed his face with ferocious teeth in the hope of scaring his enemies.
Hatchling's eyes widened as a horn sounded in the distance. Lootookcholatnapàrooti placed his hand on the young man's shoulder and smiled. Not showing his teeth, the sparkle in his eyes faded as quickly as it came. Recalling his first battle, the now chief, captained his line then. He hoped he could offer as much hope as the chief did then.
"Hatchling, I understand. This is your first bout with the Deceived. The tales we've weaved of them are terrifying and vicious. I must tell you, those tales are half true, but the half is still terrible" Lootookcholatnapàrooti's eyes trained on the forest head of them across the clearing. Any motion in the trees hid from his view and he sensed it lingered beyond the tree line, in the underbrush.
“Rows-in-loud-waters”, which Lootookcholatnapárooti meant, said Hatchling, “I don’t like the nickname. I am strong and proven in the tests.” Rows-in-loud-waters almost heard the pout on the young warrior's face. Smirking, he gave the young soldier a soft elbow to the ribs. “You’ve fought them enough times. How well do you know their tactics?”
Choosing to ignore the dislike of the nickname and how proven he may or may not be, Rows-in-loud-waters answered, "More than fought them. I engaged the enemy when the sundering happened, those years ago, when the clans had made it across Saàronit and into the valleys of the east. When Kolotatliíchiit revealed himself as the spirit of lies and trickery known to us as Naríhììnanathìnafòò”, chortled Rows-in-loud-waters. His mind rowed back to the day on the ship of his mind through the sea of memories. Every day, the river of life eroded them from his mind and they became less and less tangible.
The young man remained silent but peered from the corner of his sockets with intent. The horn blew again and the wind howled against the dusk sky. Rows-in-loud-waters guarded the lands of the tribe for several years, being an ‘eye in the swamp’. The Deceived envied Eversun and believed it promised to them instead of the men around him now. They fell, though, tainted themselves with the lies of the evil their false god fed them. The land of ever-sun had been promised for believers of the beat-giver, not the nest-stealer.
The horn sounded again, this time a bit closer. Rows-in-loud-waters tensed his hand around the shoulder of the young man again, in an attempt to reassure him. He worried the giant they built in tales to keep children near the settlements, backfired in moments like these. Fear, if unchecked by faith and courage created by faith, ravaged a man and tore through his resolve like the monsters created in stories of the age past and gone. “I have heard the Deceived are industrialized people with forges and explosives.”
"They hold fewer explosives and kilns as they once operated in the realms of Setting-Sun and the Teal Forests. We all practiced forging or so I’m told. The sundering was a quick bout of brother against brother and clan against clan. At the base of the white-ridged mountain, where the Nòònchààrrílììsììnat dwelt, we fought for what seemed like hours. We fought until our muscles ached, until our bones hurt, and until our lungs screamed for relief. In the end, Kolotatliíchiit fell and their usurper king called the retreat", he retold the story, holding on to the ax in his hand, keeping it at the ready in his off-hand. "The spirit of Naríhììnanathìnafòò spread over those who lost their way and inhabited all of them. It spread like sickness and as they fled, it fled with them." He shook his head and removed his hand from the young man's shoulder. "Half the priests left with them, and four of the seven first tribes dictated by Wááchlachtat, the great beat-giver."
Hatchling murmured a short prayer, both, Rows-in-loud-waters thought, in reverence for the name of their god but also the fear his heart currently harbored. "And they come now astride giant wolves, Rows-in-loud-waters and hunt in the dusk to find weaknesses in our resolve and steal into the land of promise. There they hope to kill our king, our clan chiefs, and place themselves at the seat of it all. How many times have they tried?" Fear waivered in the voice of the young man, but he kept his eyes straight ahead. They both did. The last they needed, Rows-in-loud-waters thought, wolf-mounted cavalry running them down while they stared into one another's eyes.
"Since the sundering", Rows-in-loud-waters asked and pondered in silence. The horns dinned again and got a bit closer. "In a host of the size the scouts report? Here I face them a second time, but they have always sent scouts almost yearly and they try skirmishes against us almost every five years. So in the twenty years since the sundering, there have been four skirmishes and two battles. Neither side seemed eager to meet the other in open war." To keep the young man from falling deeper into despair, Rows-in-loud-waters kept to himself the assumed reason. The potential allied dark powers of the Deceived deterred the king and the clan leaders from open war. They feared, maybe rightfully so, that the enemy sought other children of Naríhììnanathìnafòò like the Chììktonààn with their horrid owl-shaped faces and wrinkled talon-like hands.
Though none have seen a Chììknààn in a generation, tales of their malice lingered around the fires of public areas. Elders spun tales of heroes fighting the demi-god-like beings. Their eyes could see a spirit walker, and their strength could wrestle to the ground men twice their size. The claws, razor-sharp on each wrinkled and pimpled hand, extended its arm into the spirit world itself and could yank a spirit walker out from between the realms.
He ventured to guess the enemy refused open war with them because of the fear of the great beat-giver intervening against them, as he had done at the sundering. Spirits of the eagle, the buffalo, and the snake descended from the skies and took shape around them. The eagle came to the aid of the great teacher and fought with him against the enemy. The sight still filled Rows-in-loud-waters with awe and fear. These great spirits with such power existed in their realm - the Wààchlachtatpààtiit. Who knew what else existed beyond the reaches of the seas and northern mountains? The horn blew again, but this time it had not moved. He grabbed the other hatchet on his belt with his right hand.
"They're stalling", Hatchling breathed out, almost in a whisper as if he dared not alert the enemy to his position...
"They are and it is not like them to do so. But remember the spirit of our clan. We watch like the eye in our banner. We wait. We strike. Let the panther clan hunt through the woods and draw them out. We are to wait here." Rows-in-loud-waters convinced himself but pondered what the spirit-walkers of the panther clan waited for, or worse if the Chììktonààn horde lingered within the enemy host and snatched them from between the material and immaterial. "We wait." He echoed again and stood at the ready. The scales on his armor glinted in the setting sun to their left as it sank over the rolling hills at the place where the mountains met the lowlands and fled into the prairies.
A sea of pinks, reds, and oranges washed over the sky to the left of them as they faced north. The sun sat at the bottom of it all, at the horizon in the planes before the Saàronit. He failed to see it but, past the seas of grass - it sank. The sun sought its evening home beyond the lands of teal forests and red cliffs. In the land of gold and beautiful ridged coastlines. It almost yanked him away from the battle before him. It almost drew him away from the moment.
"So they're not as bad as you've told me my whole life?"
"They're bad, but they're human. They bleed and die like you do. The tales your elders have taught you as a child have not been altogether false or altogether true. They *do* practice human sacrifice of those they capture", Rows-in-loud-waters stated. He hid the fact they often sacrificed young children of their clans in the event they captured no one. "But they are not able to speak with wolves or command spiders. These are lies for story-telling effectiveness."
The young man grinned, "Ah then I will bring back my weight in scalps and wolf heads to the feasts of the return party." The young man raised his hatchet in response. "Each being an honor to my family and a possible trophy to convince Fóó Pafààlktiit Tínafsorlor to ask me to give her a name. Been courting her for two years now, and she still hasn't asked me. Perhaps this shows her my ability to provide and protect." Rows-in-loud-waters nodded. Sometimes spoils of war could convince a woman to request a naming. He wondered if women had it better in their tradition of naming. A woman received her name from her husband at the naming ceremony, but a man got his name from his peers. One bad name could stick forever.
His eyes scanned over to Chàànatatnafsorhapààt, named for hiding during a skirmish with the Deceived a handful of years ago. At least his name, he thought, sat in the middle of the road. Not too over the top to be too ridiculous but not to note some character flaw. Once given a name, your name stuck with you for the rest of your life. Shaking his head, he heard screams in the woods before them. "Get ready", he squatted in his ready position. Silence oozed over the field as the sun made a half-eye like of their banner against a pink sky.
"Fóó pafààlktiit tínafsorlor, I will bring you back spoils! I will show you I am a man to father your children", the young man mimicked the position Rows-in-loud-waters took. The two of them stood side by side. "Wááchlachtat, please be with us. Guide our strikes. Smite our foes", the young man glanced up at the sky. Rows-in-loud-waters followed his gaze with his own eyes and witnessed a single eagle flying overhead. “A good omen”, he noted. "He is with us", the young man shouted and pointed up to the sky. "He. Is. With. Us." The fervor spread through the line as men glanced up to spot the eagle before it disappeared.
"Don't get too ahead of yourself, Hatchling. Have faith, but the battle is not yet over. Wááchlachtat is not ours to master. We are his. His will is not ours. He will do as he wishes with this day." Then they came. Oversized wolves burst from the treeline and the men in the front of the formation readied their spears. "When the charge breaks, move with me. Understood, Hatchling", Rows-in-loud-waters asked. The young man nodded a response and the two of them faced their full attention to the front. Drums around them wailed with each passing moment and the panther clan did their duty - pinching the Deceived and drawing them out.
Rows-in-loud-waters smelled them before they got close enough to attack. They reeked of sulfur, oxidized iron, and sweat. Of all the deceits sown by the evil spirit, the greatest blazed fire and iron. Though he lived too few years to have experienced the splendors in the teal forests. The forest they laid bare, the mountains and valleys they flattened to build large metal works. All of this culminated in the great lie the beat-giver gave them conquest as a purpose. Their people knew the truth as inherited from the great beat-giver. Upon creation, he gifted man with more than a heartbeat, but also a goal, a purpose, and a stewardship over the world. The Deceived abandoned it and clad themselves in metal armor atop their steeds.
Charging furred beasts broke against the spears of the stag clan who had adorned their heads with antlers and little white speckled furs along their backs. Wolves howled and snapped their jaws at them as they died against the spears. The drool from their large agape mouths dripped onto the stag clansmen and drenched their armor. The area around Rows-in-loud-waters filled with the reek of wet dogs, which, smelled more pleasant than their riders.
One Deceived soldier, overlapping plated armor, hopped from his beast as it hit the spears, and landed behind the line, rolling as he did so. Tumbling to his feet, he drew two swords made of crude metal and eyed around the Rows-in-loud-waters and Hatchling. He licked his filed-down teeth and stepped forward to the two of them. The smell shifted back to the scent of sulfur and rust. Evil, its stench, hung to the Deceived.
Rows-in-loud-waters turned to face him and tugged Hatchling to do the same. The two of them flicked their hatchets in their hands and semi-circled the Deceived man This outsider appeared like they did: dark tanned skin, darker hair, dark eyes, and markings along his skin denote his tribe. This one hailed from the wolf tribe, which drew its heraldry from the initial Coyote tribe of Kolotatliíchiit. "Traitors", the wolf warrior shouted and raised his sword to charge forward. Rows-in-loud-waters noted the warrior before them bore the scarred claws of the man-butcher on his face. Three scarred lines trailed down his face and missed his eyes by a half-inch.
Other men broke through the formation of spearmen at the front of the line. One by one, more Deceived lingered into the lines of their tribe and the tempest of blades and shields whirled to life. Swords clanked against hatchets, spears against armor, and maces against faces. He heard the crunch of bone under the pressure of horse hooves. The air filled with the smell of metallic liquid, not like rust but a bit more like copper.
Hatchling and Rows-in-loud-waters moved in and, like the jaws of the mighty alligator spirit, pinched the Deceived warrior between themselves. Hatchling threw a slashing move with one of his hatchets, preparing a parry with the other arm. As he did so, Rows-in-loud-waters lunged forward and hacked hard downward to put a severe dent in the helmet of the enemy. The outsider struggled between them. He blocked one blow from Rows-in-loud-waters, then turned around to parry a blow from Hatchling. Sparks flew off the crude metal weapon as their chiseled stone axes hit it. The two of them stepped back from the Deceived outsider before he could counterattack.
Charging in again Hatchling dented his armor, leaving scuffs and scratches, while the enemy pushed Rows-in-loud-waters back away. "Traitors? You fight for the enemy, cousin!" Regardless of how far out the family they believed all clans related through the first men created by the beat-giver. "Turn your heart to Wááchlachtat and see! See the error of your ways and your kindred, they betrayed our ways and clung to Kolotatliíchiit even when revealed himself as the enemy!"
"Kolotatliíchiit was a hero, a paragon of our people! He hunted and slew the Chììktonààn. He mastered the realm given to us and showed us how to bend it to our will", with each phrase the enemy slammed his sword against Hatchling. Raising both his axes to catch the oncoming slash, Hatchling grunted as each hit staggered him backward.
"Perhaps it is not ours to shape?" Hatchling posed the question now and pride welled up in Rows-in-loud-waters’s heart. The young one came to grasp the purpose, the great mission for all of the men on Laaliíoota, one of them anyway. They lived in harmony with nature, not against it, not bending mountains to their will. To protect the young soldier, he jabbed forward with the ax in his main hand and moved back. It acted as a deterrent to pressing the young soldier further.
Around them, the din of battle drowned out the sounds of any other thoughts or fears. The Deceived soldier before them held their full attention. Another enemy sped toward them but caught a spear in the back of the neck. It pierced through him and pinned him to the ground. Gurgling nearby, he struggled and flailed his arms against the ground. A pool of crimson soaked the grass.
"Why", he pushed back Hatchling with his foot. "Would the beat-giver", he slashed and cut a gash in Rows-in-loud-water’s arm. "Give us", he kicked again trying to keep Hatchling back. "a realm to exist in. He wants us to conquer it."
Glancing at the blood running from his arm, Rows-in-loud-waters shook his head. "Then you are lost, cousin. The beat-giver never commanded us to conquer anything. He asked us to live in love with one another, to defend the wilds and beauty he created, and to worship him." Rows-in-loud-waters spun his hatchets around his hands and stepped back. Love of nature, love of others, and love of Wááchlachtat existed as the key commands of their god. The spirits echoed this in their defined sub-goals for each clan.
"Cousin", Rows-in-loud-waters said, "I will ask you once more to lay down your arms and come to try and reform... And we will see to it you are integrated with your people. That you see the truth and the life." In all ways, if possible, he felt required to extend out to the lost and try and pull them back to the way. His eyes met the Deceived man’s eyes and they shared a moment. Contemplation washed over the features of the enemy for but a moment as he narrowed his eyes to Rows-in-loud-waters.
"Never. Your way is a lie. Designed to deceive us." He kicked Hatchling back away again when the gap between them closed, then turned and charged. Rows-in-loud-waters and the enemy met at full force. The two of them traded blows. A slash on the cheek of the Deceived, bleed and he could see the ivory teeth within his joules. He hissed with pain and stepped back again. Droplets of blood oozed from the wound of the enemy’s mouth and down his chin. He reached up and wiped the blood away and licked into the wound with his tongue.
Hatchling charged at him from behind and jumped up into the air to attempt to plunge his axes upon the Deceived's shoulders with two raking blows. Rows-in-loud-waters rose his axes to try and deter the young warrior from his actions against the Deceived. With sudden premonition and supernatural celerity, the Deceived turned around and jammed his sword upwards in a single motion. Hatchling stopped in his tracks, his body caved save for the spasms. The pain must have racked him as he shuddered when the enemy pulled the blade out and fell to the ground.
"No!" Rows-in-loud-waters shouted and charged, but even as he charged forward Hatchling continued to fight. Standing from his prone position, he struck the Deceived in the back of the leg with his hatchet and it bit into him. Crimson liquid sprayed out onto the ground, but he pressed against his abdomen with his left arm. Slashing with the other arm in rapid succession. They wasted too much time, thought Rows-in-loud-waters and he needed to press the combat now. The enemy must fall before Hatchling expired.
Rows-in-loud-waters smacked him with the flat side of his weapon so he turned back around. The blood of his fellow clan mate dripped from the crude metallic blade. The air smelled of rusted metal. Fuming inside, Rows-in-loud-waters swung his weapon again and cleaved through the enemy's collarbone. The Deceived’s neck slacked and the weapon fell to his side. Ringing against his armored thigh, the sword clacked there, tapping as the enemy struggled to hold on.
Heaving for breath, Hatchling continued slashing with his axes and making deep cuts against the enemy until he stopped moving. Blood, a mixture of his own and the Deceived’s covered his face and shoulders. His body rested over the Deceived’s body and he lay there motionless. The battle swirled around them, cousin against cousin. Night fell around them and the three sister moons lit the darkness. The pale, vulnerable light glinted off crude metal and seeped into obsidian weapons.
Rows-in-loud-waters dropped to his knees beside the two bodies as Hatchling gasped for breath. The battle waged on, but numbers weighed on their side. The Deceived brought a thousand men to this battle, where they fielded three times. His ally wrapped both arms around his stomach to try and slow the bleeding.
"Rows-in-loud-waters, tell Fóó Pafààlktiit Tínafsorlor I wish I could have made it back to her. This", he lifted the scalped hair of the enemy soldier on the ground beside him, "is for her." He placed the skin and braided hair into Rows-in-loud-waters’s hand. "Tell her", he coughed, "I would have named her... The most poetic names." The scalp’s blood leaked from the cracks in his hands and down his wrist.
Wrapping his fingers around the other man's hand, Rows-in-loud-waters nodded his head. "What would have named her, Hatchling?" He squeezed as the young man faded a bit more, though he looked far older now than he had ever looked at him before. The mission at the moment remained to keep the young man from dying in fear and panic. Blood gushed from the open wound under his rib cage.
"I would have named her for the way the crickets sing in the summer as the sun sets under the moss-draped trees - Saàriifòònaforchiínaforchiit. I could have named her for the light reflected in her eyes as the fire burns under a full moon and frogs croak out beats for our souls to dance to. I would have named her", he gurgled blood between the words, "queen of my heart - Kiwáátattalkti. Most importantly, Rows-in-loud-waters, I would have named her my wife..."
"I know, friend. I know. I will tell her", blood leaked from the scalp in his hand and down his wrists as he pulled Hatchling's head into his lap. "Rest now, friend." Rows-in-loud-waters leaned in close to his friend and embraced him. He wrapped his arms around the wound with him and tried to provide him warmth as all the blood left his body. The savage blade of the enemy, ripped as it came out. Shuddering, Hatchling closed his eyes, knowing the end came soon.
"Tell her", he whispered again.
"I will", Rows-in-loud-waters responded.
The battle wrestled to an end with the final Deceived being chased away from the battle lines and into the woods where the Panther clan decided to let them go further by themselves. Rows-in-loud-waters watched from his place on the ground and hand on the side of Hatchling's cheek. A set of footsteps jingled through the battlefield behind him, but he kept his face downcast. A clattering of bones against quartz rung with each step. Blotting out the light from the moon, a shadow towered over him.
"Rows-in-loud-waters, losing a soldier in your line is unforgettable and crushing of the spirit, but he is not gone forever. You will see him again when we return to the beat-giver and live with him in the land of peace. Do distress yourself." The chief of the alligator clan knelt and placed a hand on Rows-in-loud-waters’s shoulder. He remained silent for some time, and Rows-in-loud-waters continued to look at the young man who served beside him.
"He fought valiantly, but even in the halls of the beat-giver he will be unnamed."
"Because he has not earned a name? Do you believe he has not earned a name, Rows-in-loud-waters? I hardly think that is fair." The chief shook his head and clicked his tongue against his teeth disapprovingly. Rows-in-loud-waters placed both hands of his friend on his chest and then placed his arms at his sides to shake out the anxiety and pent-up energy there.
"But, Leans-on-the-spirit, no one named him in life. He would not know it when we meet him in the halls of the beat-givers home. How would he answer". At this question, the chief sat and nestled into the ground near Rows-in-loud-waters. Squeezing his shoulder with his hand, and looked into the warrior's eyes.
Removing his hand from the shoulder of Rows-in-loud-waters he lifted the hand of Hatchling to his lap and took in a deep breath. "Do you imagine the names we give one another are for them to know who they are? Do you think our understanding of self is so small we have to have our brothers explain our behavior to ourselves?"
"So the names we give one another are for those around us."
"They're not for the beat-giver to know us", the chief chortled in response. "He already knows who we are before any name is given." The chief looked into Rows-in-loud-waters’s eyes and Rows-in-loud-waters sensed a tenderness and joy in the life of the man which grew in him like a ripened fruit. Here, the fruit offered out to him in guidance and words. “He knew us before the foundation of Laaliíoota and before the breath of the first man”
“Then I have a name for him.”
The chief motioned his hand. “Go on, Rows-in-loud-waters. He fought his trial against the Decieved. He may not have survived, but as far as I am concerned. He passed the test.”
Rows-in-loud-waters pondered for a moment and then closed the eyes of Hatchling on his lap. The wreckage of the battle around them reeked of shit and blood. "Goodbye, Nilchiiltatnawànàt." He inhaled and let out a long sigh. It ripped through him. He sobbed and tears dropped. "Goodbye..." The name echoed in his mind, and the meaning of the syllables slammed together. *Goodbye*, he thought, *Goodbye Died-in-honors-of-all.*
The chief bent over him, wrapping his arms around him and holding his shoulders. "We will see him again. I promise." Standing, he turned his back to Rows-in-loud-waters and looked over the battlefield. "Many of the men who died here will be seen again. Some will be seen in the final moments of the Last End. When we line up before the beat-giver he unfurls the hide of our hearts and examines the colors we dyed there. Should he find there are more colors of lust, hatred, envy, or pride than of love for one another and Him... We will have to answer for that."
Rows-in-loud-waters rose behind him and looked over the battlefield, he knew even the Deceived, flawed, and wrong, stood before the judgment of the beat-giver, regardless of their beliefs. Mangled men lay with broken arms and legs twisted in unnatural directions. The great wolves splayed out with matted fur and broken jaws. He scanned the carnage and another tear came along the curve of his cheek. "Will they attack again?" The sound of men directing clean-up echoed throughout the mass grave before him.
"The enemy will continue to push, ever-escalating the power at his disposal until he is finally defeated in the final moment of the Last End." The chief of the alligator clan offered his words and it warmed Rows-in-loud-waters' heart.
"I don't understand why we must wait for the living spirit of the forest to take on human flesh to defeat Naríhììnanathìnafòò'', a hint of anger rose in Rows-in-loud-waters’s voice as he placed his hatchets back against the belt that held his pants in place. "Why can we not hunt the enemy." He kicked the head of one of the enemy soldiers near him, forgetting his place and not respecting the dead that now belonged to the spirits.
"Even if you hunted every vessel of evil. Even if you slaughtered all the clans of Chììktonààn. You would remain with yourself and the evil in your blood and heart." The chief’s mouth twitched a bit, as he knelt and placed the enemy’s head back where it lay before the kick.
Rows-in-loud-waters took a step back, staggered by the thought he harbored some part of Naríhììnanathìnafòò in himself. "What do you mean? I have never accepted the tenets of evil. I do not forsake my vow to stewardship. I do not forsake my family. I do not forsake my god." He listed out the beliefs every man of the tribe agreed in their ideology. But the chief shook his head in response.
"You are thinking too largely, my friend." The chief pointed softly to the muscles over the heart of Rows-in-loud-waters and pointed out to the battlefield for them both to see. "It is not these large acts, though terrible, that will weigh our hearts with the ink of debt. It is the small ones. Like putting your wants above your wife's needs. Or talking back to your parents. The taint of Naríhììnanathìnafòò is in all of us from the earliest days of his coming to us. Big and small all these evils stain our hearts the same. The smaller ones are easier to commit."
"I... I don't know what to say", Rows-in-loud-waters stammered and stared down at his own feet.
The chief shrugged his shoulders. "Seldom does anyone. It is hard to imagine the taint or the extent of contamination that exists in the world. What we can do is attempt to bring our cousins back into the fold, so to speak, and lead them to a life of stewardship over the realm Wááchlachtat has given to us." The chief’s eyes closed and he mumbled under his breath. Turning again, he left the battlefield and the warrior behind him.
The banners flapped against the wind as they packed up. Men from each clan gathered the dead they had and placed them either over the backs of horses or over their shoulders. The three sisters, moons each larger than the last, trailed across the sky in various phases. Rows-in-loud-waters chose to carry Nilchiiltatnawànàat instead of casting him to the side on the back of a horse. The man's limp arm fell down Rows-in-loud-waters’s back and blood dripped. It trickled the sections of bare skin on Rows-in-loud-waters’s back.
They marched on into the night, headed back south toward their families in Eversun and the drums played a slow, solemn tone with each step they made through the woods. His eyes scanned from person to person. All their eyes cast down to the ground as if looking to make sure they would not trip and fall, but he knew they felt the pain of losing a young one or an unnamed one, or even a brother or a friend.
As they marched, the air started to smell more like home and less like sulfur and metal. The hint of pines, the stench of swamplands, and the sound of water lapping against the sides of shallow ponds in the soft wind. An inhale drug air into his lungs and past his nose where he sniffed the familiar smell of rotted leaves. As they left, he heard a voice from his left. When he turned to face and looked at the voice, no one stood in the darkness of the trees. A voice in his ear, or his heart, told him all calmed for now.

The Short Version can be found here.

Part 1 can be found here.

Example 5 - There's more to a BBC YouTube title

Returning to this dastardly subreddit, for my next example, points 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 are relevant. OP provided a screenshot of a BBC YouTube title, stating: "Israeli hit squad dressed as doctors kill Palestinians in hospital." Per point 2, by failing to immediately link to the video, or immediately mention what the video contains, folk could come away with the conclusion that the BBC never reports that these were militants. In other words, some might believe that the misreporting here extends past the video title, when it does not, and this could be avoided by providing salient details sooner rather than later. This submission was made during the temporary ban, and I thought it was interesting enough as a case study to come back to.

Example 6 - Oxfam's full position

For this submission/meme, points 1, 2, and 6 are relevant. I saw that we weren’t going to get good-faith engagement with the entirety of Oxfam’s position here on why they initially opposed airdrops, and I attempted to outline the full extent of their views so that it can be critiqued appropriately. This meme is not too dissimilar from some Twitter leftist fixating on one short clip of Destiny during one of his heated gamer moments; his actual positions aren’t being engaged with, and it’s intellectually dull. There’s more to Destiny’s positions than a twenty-second clip; there’s more to Oxfam’s position than the one tweet. The fact of the matter is that there’s a long series of tweets here, and while the tweet OP chose to highlight is risible, is dumb, and is insufferable, we are more than capable on this subreddit in being more nuanced and fair when it comes to our criticism.
As I highlight, there were some concerns here that were not entirely unreasonable. At the time of my comment, there weren’t yet any reports on injuries due to airdrops. These reports appeared in the following days and weeks, where Gazans were killed when a parachute in an airdrop failed to deploy, and some drowned in their attempts to retrieve parcels that landed in the sea. Retrospectively, I wouldn't say that aid should not have been airdropped merely because it would result in these deaths, but a fair assessment of Oxfam here at the time should have taken these concerns into account.
Oxfam’s associate director also endorses a Twitter thread where some prescriptions are given on how ought this aid delivery be facilitated. He recommends that the Gaza port be reopened, and to open more crossings. The Biden administration recognized that airdrops would not sufficiently alleviate the problem of being unable to get sufficient quantities of aid distributed, and while the port was not reopened, Biden did announce that a temporary port would be built. Further, Israel approved the reopening of the Erez crossing.
The misinformation in OP’s post stems from the fact that folk will be disinterested in reading the twitter thread or any additional threads where they might have elaborated on views. Out of the thousands that interact with the post, a significant chunk will come away with the incorrect belief that Oxfam’s opposition to airdrops was merely due to what was stated in the meme. That is misinformation being propagated — not the most egregious, Hamas-esqe level of misinformation in the world, but misinformation nonetheless.

Example 7 - NYT: Bananas, or Cool as a Cucumber?

For our final example points 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 are relevant; it’s the whole shebang. To give a quick recounting here, Hobbitfollower isn’t the only masochist that might, occasionally, choose to exclusively sort by new. When I saw the submission, I read the article, and I was a bit annoyed that the Jerusalem Post article doesn’t even link to the mission report that I was interested in reading. I searched for it, posted a link to the report in the very first comment of the thread as surely my fellow dggas would also like to read the report, and then I, well, read the report.
When I returned back to the thread, I quoted favourably from the mission report to support another individual's comment. (I would again quote from it in another thread the next day to highlight why Israel struggled to acquire forensic evidence.)
But as I scrolled down the thread I came across the subject of our example; 50 upvotes, no article linked, and clearly a charged comment. Consider the steps involved to truly engage with this comment; one would need to:

• Click and read the article.
• Search for the mission report.
• Read the mission report (as some folk probably won’t wanna read 20 pages right off the bat).
• Search for the NYT article; bypass the paywall (which is trivially easy nowadays but is still a barrier, and people are lazy); and read the article.

This is a very charged thread: there are going to be a large group of pro-Israel folk browsing this thread, frustrated and irate as bad memories are invoked of all the times they’ve had to deal with or seen pro-Hamas folk engaging in rape denialism. In much the same way a leftist sub is not going to be interested in a dispassionate analysis of an Israeli strike with high civilian collateral damage, this sub — at times — will struggle to calmly assess the subject matter. An expected behaviour isn’t necessarily the correct behaviour — the actions we believe one ought to take.
When a misleading tweet goes viral, the damage has already been done, as a considerable amount of people won’t see the subsequent Community Notes that might be slapped on it. Likewise, some of the thousands who see OP’s highly upvoted comment will think, “Oh, this has a lot of upvotes, I guess it must be true. How horrible of the NYT to frame this as a both sides issue”, and thus misinformation has spread. This incorrect belief will mold their perceptions of the NYT. When they encounter more reporting by the NYT on I-P in the future, they might even think back to this moment: “Ah, I remember when these bozos tried to say that the Israeli accusations were the same as the Palestinian accusations.”
I also referred to OP’s comment as disinformation. In every example discussed so far, I don't assume malicious intent. I just begin with the foundation that a mistake was made, and I don’t enmesh myself by throwing out accusations of lying. In this case, however, OP has indirectly acknowledged that I was correct, but they still haven’t bothered to edit their original comment. Once again, this comment is a really good example of point 1. I obviously also disagree with their conclusion, and the process by which they’re arriving at their conclusion is still very flawed — and other people are simply going to adopt their conclusion while not even attempting to reach there by their own independent assessment. If you see someone quote from an article, and they don’t even link it, and the comment is very charged, I would encourage y’all to seek out the article yourself; you may come away with a different interpretation.
I'm sure you've seen this meme before: "I'm just waiting for Destiny to comment on this so that I know what to think 😎." We meme about it, but there is, of course, an undercurrent of truth here, as we have confidence in Destiny's ability to research, and thus we feel comfortable adopting his beliefs and opinions. It's nice not having to do the research ourselves. Lazy fucks.
This applies to Reddit comments you see as well. Don't just adopt the conclusion of someone else because their beliefs align with yours and they're speaking with authority. Do the legwork yourself; be mindful of The Six Points; and you might find that someone on your own side is actually spreading misinformation, or is espousing an opinion that you disagree with.

Purgatory

I was perma-banned some time after my previous comment for a comment I made in a different thread. Before I get to that in the next fuck-me-who-knows-how-I'm-gonna-write-that-I'm-so-fucked section, I did want to bring up two final examples.

Example A - Haaretz and Amputations

For Example A, points 1, 3, 4, and 5 are relevant. Obviously, I can’t attempt point 6 because I was banned. Now, I actually agree with OP as I share their skepticism towards the notion that these amputations are “routine”, but referring to the article as a "fake story" is too strong, and, as always, their process here is flawed. The claims they make here about the Haaretz article and CNN article are misleading, but it is immediately upvoted because it feels right, particularly because the first reply just poisons the well. Haaretz did not speak to an anonymous person, they are reporting on a letter they have seen written by a doctor and sent to senior Israeli officials; the doctor did not justify the claim that the event is routine based on having seen only two amputations, that's merely the amputations they saw in the week they wrote the letter (but the phrasing here is ambiguous, as the doctor could be referring to the handcuff injuries as being the "routine" event); and the IDF did not confirm or deny all the claims, but gave a fairly standard, boilerplate response instead. The misleading claims in this comment was eventually addressed — and, as I’m sure you’re irritated by the repetition by now, the goal of this post is to turn this “eventually” into an “immediately.”

Example B - Wikipedia and Devious Editing

For Example B, points 1 and 5 are relevant. I want to be very careful with this one as I don't want to be misconstrued. Similar to the previous example, I mostly agree with their conclusion that these Wikipedia pages can be very flawed, and partisan editors can tarnish the objectivity that we wish could be maintained across all articles. However, you know the drill by now, point 1. There’s much to be said about the infamous “24-hour window” debacle, and I made a submission a while ago on this. I think there are parts of this story that both the pro-Palestine and pro-Israel crowd get wrong — but the latter is generally more correct, and I would agree with OP here that the information here is, at the very least, incomplete.
However, per point 5, the articles they are critiquing are not linked. How many people here actually sought out the two articles referenced here? As I’ve already demonstrated, we know how many misleading or false claims you can get away with before they’re finally addressed. A user in that thread made some edits to the contentious lines in question in the Wikipedia article. This was the Wikipedia article at the time OP’s comment was made. OP quotes this section:

Prior to the raids, Israel had called for the more than a million people living in the north half of the Gaza Strip to evacuate during a 24-hour window, while Hamas instructed those residents to stay put.

The two citations here are a Reuters article and a Politico article. The Politico article is arguably redundant, but it’s not being cited because it’s supposed to make a statement about a 24-hour window; it’s being cited to support the statement about Hamas:

Hamas is complicating the situation, urging residents to stay in their homes.

The Reuters article also mentions this:

“We tell the people of northern Gaza and from Gaza City, stay put in your homes, and your places," Eyad Al-Bozom, spokesman for the Hamas Interior Ministry, told a news conference.

Contrary to what OP said, both articles use the word “evacuation” at some point. The first part of the quote from the Wikipedia page is supported by this statement in the Reuters article:

On Friday Israel gave more than a million residents of the northern half of Gaza 24 hours to flee to the south to avoid an onslaught.

In a follow-up comment OP claims that the archived link, which pulled the earliest version of the Reuters article available, does not support the line. This seems to have been an error on the part of whoever chose this hyperlink. When the Wikipedia article first mentions calls for evacuation, this was how the Reuters article cited looked like at the time; regardless of the veracity of the claim, the article did support what the Wikipedia page mentions.
To reiterate, OP is completely correct about this pernicious problem with Wikipedia. It’s just that in this example, I don’t think it qualifies as a case of those darn pro-Palestine editors back at it again. The nuanced position here is pretty difficult to get to, and I don’t think the editors wrote this line in the interest of distorting the truth to serve their own side.

Example B.5: A better yet slightly flawed post on Wikipedia and Euro-Med Monitor

This post about how Hamas supporters are influencing Wikipedia does better in terms of substantiating their claims — but there are issues here that I would have loved to address, and there is a good critique on OP’s prescriptions that was buried at the bottom. Unfortunately, OP has been suspended from Reddit. If you’re reading this mate, call me 🥺.
There are a lot of hyperlinks in OP’s post (lol, sez fucking me), and it’s completely reasonable that someone won’t feel inclined to click every single one; that’s not an expectation I would ever demand. From going through the post, there are several small critiques I would have made (e.g., while I don’t believe the Mondo article should have been cited, OP claims that in the article, “The only people criticizing Wiesel here is the author of the opinion piece.” FWIW, the article does reference and cite a Haaretz article, and a Foreign policy article, both of which levy criticism against Wiesel), but I’m just going to focus on this line:

In fact, it is owned by a man named Ramy Abdu, who is a literal Hamas lobbyist.

If you’re going to call someone a literal Hamas lobbyist, that is definitely a link I’m clicking. What I know about Abdu is simply what I can assume about his beliefs from various tweets I’ve seen by him over the past several months; but I’ve never looked into their background other than being aware of their position at EMM. Upon opening the link I see… a 2013 article about Clare Short. From reading the article, it looks like OP missed some steps in outlining how they arrived at their conclusion, and I saw only a few people inquiring about this. To fill in the steps on what I presume OP wanted to say, from the article they linked:

Moshe Ya’alon, former IDF chief of staff, outlawed the Council for European Palestinian Relations (CEPR) – a Belgian non-profit organisation that lobbies on behalf of the Hamas-led Gaza Government – using emergency defence regulations.

I haven’t looked into CEPR, and they obviously disputed the lobbying charge; I’m just going to take the claim at face-value. In 2011, Abdu was assistant director of the CEPR, and still held a position there for several years. They've since left the organization, but per point 1, if this is how OP arrived at the conclusion that Abdu is a “literal Hamas lobbyist”, I think it could use a bit more work, with additional clarification on what they mean by lobbyist here. I’m sure they can do it, it just happened to not be in this post.
I'm not going to harp on about point 5 here as I only apply that to incidents where a claim is made; one or two articles are linked; and then no one reads them, assuming the claim must be true as long as articles are provided. I would literally never make the prescription that if someone writes an effort-post, we must click every hyperlink to fact-check. I mean, it's not like I would have any other motivation for saying that... sweats profusely 🙄
Just to make one final point on EMM, it is a rubbish outlet, and any time I encounter one of their articles, I roll my eyes knowing I’m going to get some outlandish claim where I can find fuck-all for corroboration from other outlets. However, sometimes there is corroboration, where EMM was the first to notice that the IDF labelled a bicycle as an RPG in the drone footage they published, and then the NYT confirmed the finding (except for the other stupid claim made in the tweet.) But anyways, these moments are astronomically rare.

Example C - A Mysterious Royal Website (What a weaselly little --)

Okay, I lied, one final example as it’s interesting to see how people here parse articles and headlines, but before I address the example, let me talk about Reuters headlines.

Reuters headlines

They’re not always consistent on this front, but I generally like how Reuters writes their headlines. A Reuters headline will often contain the phrase “US says”. [30] [31] [32] What I’m expecting in the article when I see a headline containing this phrase is some official representing the Biden administration outlining what their particular policy, position, belief, etc., is on whatever the subject matter may be, or some action they took which makes it clear what their position is. In the given examples, we have statements from Biden, Blinken, the US military, and so on. Sometimes the US officials remain anonymous, sharing information in private briefings.
If there isn’t an official statement by the US available on a matter, the headline might use the phrase “source says” to talk about ongoing developments. [33] [34] “Reuters will use unnamed sources where necessary when they provide information of market or public interest that is not available on the record. We alone are responsible for the accuracy of such information.” [35]
Relevant to Example C, Reuters uses the same guidelines for “Saudi Arabia says” [36] [37] and “sources say” for information relevant to Saudi Arabia. [38]

Israeli outlets, A royal family website, and Saudi sources: An amusing chain of events

Keeping the previous section in mind, when I came across this version of a Jerusalem Post article posted to this subreddit, you can imagine what I’m expecting here — particularly because this would be momentous news to see Saudi Arabia make a public statement that they helped defend Israel. Instead, we get reporting on what Saudi Arabia’s royal family said on their website, and what a source connected to the Saudi royal family told KAN, another Israeli outlet — and we don’t get links to either of them. If there was no statement on the royal family’s website, this would have been a bad headline to write based on what this source said. Unfortunately for the JP, there is no official website for Saudi Arabia’s royal family. You’ll see in the current version, they remove the reference to that website, and also add the following line:

The Al Arabiya news site said sources had informed it that Saudi Arabia had not participated in the interception of Iranian drones and missiles.

Here’s the article by the Saudi state-owned outlet, which is essentially their mouthpiece to deny the ongoing report. I24news, however, didn’t get the memo:

Saudi Arabia publicly acknowledges role in defending Israel against Iranian attack
While Jordan had openly disclosed its role in the defensive maneuver, Saudi Arabia's acknowledgment came in the form of a summary on its official website

When I first saw the JP submission on this subreddit, I bookmarked it for later to come back to and find the sources, as it’s not the first time I’ve seen dubious reporting from KAN news. I was also curious if anyone in the thread was going to highlight some of the discrepancies in the article, and, well, shoutout to this keen reader! Fact-checking the JP article slipped my mind, but thanks to a comment I saw on another subreddit, they correctly pointed out that the website referenced was not affiliated with the Saudi royal family, and thus the article the JP and other Israeli outlets had presumably read should not have been taken as an official statement. Christ, this is obvious from the very first line:

A source from the Saudi royal family, who prefers anonymity, converses with the Kan public broadcaster. The individual subtly acknowledges Saudi Arabia’s supposed involvement in thwarting Iranian attack drones bound for Israel the previous evening, citing that Saudi Arabian airspace automatically intercepts “any suspicious entity”.
The same figure takes a swing at Iran, accusing them of instigating a conflict in Gaza. This, they suggest, is a deliberate attempt to unravel the progress established towards normalizing relations with Israel, as per Kan’s report.
In the words of the official, as put forth by Kan, “Iran is a nation that endorses terrorism, and the world should have curtailed it much earlier.”

Why would the official Saudi royal website use an anonymous source within the royal family to make their public announcement, and why would they quote what the official said to an Israeli outlet?!
It’s fascinating to see this play out: the supposed source spoke to Kan News; Houseofsaud presumably sees this and makes an article on the Kan segment; the JP sees this article and the segment, poorly reads it, and then cites it and the original Kan segment; outlets like the Daily Wire pick up on the story from the JP; and then on it goes, spreading like wildefire, before the Saudis take note (“oh fuck, oh fuck, where are these reports coming from?”) and disseminate a message denying that any “official” website publicly confirmed their involvement. The Saudis are involved, and they’re keeping tight-lipped about the extent of their involvement.
Just to quote one more line from the i24news article because it’s shockingly poor:

The post subtly hinted at Saudi Arabia's involvement in intercepting suspicious entities in its airspace, highlighting the kingdom's proactive stance in safeguarding regional stability.

This is written based on this line from the HouseofSaud article:

A source from the Saudi royal family, who prefers anonymity, converses with the Kan public broadcaster. The individual subtly acknowledges Saudi Arabia’s supposed involvement in thwarting Iranian attack drones bound for Israel the previous evening, citing that Saudi Arabian airspace automatically intercepts “any suspicious entity”.

It’s the individual/source who is being subtle, not the post itself as i24 news mentions.
Anyways, this is not a case of misinformation by the subreddit. There's nothing wrong with posting a JP article, and this is easily the least offensive Example, but point 5 is nicely relevant here. I thought y'all might find this to be interesting, particularly because some people probably still believe that Saudi Arabia has publicly acknowledged their involvement, and maybe that could be someone reading this section. It's also another example where, because I’m banned, I can’t offer a bit of nuance. stares intently at 4THOT
It’s a shame Destiny didn’t finish reading the article, I’m curious what he would have said. He speculates that the report was from intelligence or monitoring, but moves on before finishing the article; it’s also the updated version of the article, without the tidbit about the Saudi royal family website.

Finito

I'm going to close out this section here. There's always more to include, more examples that demonstrate the aforementioned points, but I'd rather focus on my own comments instead of threads where I was unable to contribute my thoughts. There's been a plethora of discourse here surrounding the campus protests, and maybe those are still ongoing if I manage to post this at a sooner date. For completely legitimate and fair justifications, all of these threads are going to be very charged; and maybe upon reading this post some of y'all might feel more inclined to analyze these situations dispassionately, mindful of cases where the reporting might not be the greatest.

Example D - A Late Fact-check (Still lying, dude!)

I fucking lied again, there’s more. Literally the day after I finished writing the above paragraph, a new example popped up that I can’t resist the temptation to include. Stop giving me material! As I spoke of above, the campus protests have resulted in a charged atmosphere on the subreddit, which means that this post stating that a “Jewish-Israeli family’s restaurant was targeted in a hate crime” is immediately catapulted to the front page. The biggest problem here is that, per point 2, the presentation of the post led folk to believe that this was a recent event because OP had omitted the date this took place, and this led to one user to thoughtfully suggest that it might be worth setting up a GoFundMe to help the owners with the repairs.
To reemphasize the point I’ve made throughout this post, I’m looking to incentivise better behaviour to occur sooner. It took nearly 10 hours before one jolly chap came along to do the fact-check. Naturally, had I seen this post while browsing arnew, I would have done the same, and so would a couple other users here as well who are good for this sort of thing — and that's unfortunate that I’m saying a “couple” instead of “many.” There is no curiosity amongst everyone who interacted with this post to inquire into the event; not even something simple as requesting OP for an article. So folks, always ask for a source if OP doesn’t provide one just so you have a bit more context. (Also, I am fascinated with the anecdote OP attached to this post. Did they just make up their credentials?)

Example E - Hebrew Sources and False Confidence

This is a wonderful example to close out this section because it exemplifies so many of the problematic behaviours that I have demonstrated in this post. I was only made aware of this thread because a user here DM'd me a link to the thread. I will refer to the individual posting misinformation in the comments as "OP", and I'll refer to the submitter of the post by their username, Sylmd. The rebuttals to OP are excellent, and I will focus more on the behaviour here.
Sylmd posted a submission doing a quick lil' fact-check on a Destiny tweet, noting the fact that he seemed to have misread or misremembered a particular report. I say "seemed" here in case Destiny was referring to some other report or article he had read, but that seems unlikely as he has referenced this report in several of his debates, and the report was the subject of his previous tweets. Regardless, it was a small mistake, and apart from failing to immediately link the tweet and the report (link your sources you silly goose), Sylmd's post is civil, calm, and makes no accusations of malicious intent.
According to OP, Destiny was actually right, and 300+ IDF soldiers were in fact injured. Now, there's so much that is astonishingly problematic with OP's comment, and I gotta... mention it all! Sorry!
Naturally, they don't ever quote from their sources, which means it's on us to try and find the relevant sections. OP claims that the articles linked will demonstrate that 380 Israelis were injured -- despite the fact that Sylmd is obviously doing a fact-check on how many Israeli soldiers were injured, and that's literally the subject of Destiny's tweet.
Whatever, I'm sure the articles at least "discusses around 380 injuries"? Fuck no they don't! There's no mention of this figure anywhere, and OP somehow racks up 50 upvotes when they accuse Sylmd of lying after they correctly point this out. Did these people actually read the articles, find this magical 380 figure, and think, "Grrr, Sylmd you mendacious scumbag, I see through your Hamas propaganda." Sylmd was sitting at -31, one hour after the thread was made. (If you refer back to Example 2, you'll see that I felt compelled to make a submission when I saw a user was being downvoted for correctly pointing out that an article did not prove a particular claim.)
It gets worse. Apparently, you have to "click through all the links in these articles buddy." Well, okay, that's pretty elaborate, how silly of us not to realize this. OP wants us to open up nine Hebrew articles, translate them, and then tally up the number of casualties. Problem? Surely we get to the 380 figure if we click through all the hyperlinks in the article? Fuck no we don't! And even if we did, this is the most blisteringly cumbersome way to prove a claim. The sheer condescension in OP's comment is equivalent to that of a Twitter leftist: "It's not my job to educate you honey, you must read the literature."
So where does this mysterious figure come from? Well, as Sylmd correctly pointed out (before OP mentioned it), they are grabbing this figure from Hebrew Wikipedia. Sylmd doesn't provide a link to the article in question, so I will provide it here, and as you can see, the two articles that OP linked came from this Wikipedia page. I'm not convinced OP actually read either of these articles.
That's not all. They then linked a report in Hebrew in their edit. Where did they get this report from? It's not on the Wikipedia page, maybe this is something they have bookmarked? Nope, they got it from another user in the thread! After all is said and done, they still somehow racked up 270 upvotes for this awful rebuttal, and they were, "Proud to take a blast for defending the truth."
Do I even need to mention the points here? It's an authoritative comment; the linked articles give an "aura" of being correct; and there's confidence in all their comments.
To quote from Example 1:

Anyways, since I began this post it looks like the upvotes and downvotes on the original comment have since shifted. Mashallah. It's the behaviour I was describing before: all the low-effort garbage gets upvoted first, and then other people break the circlejerk and try to add nuance. But it would be nice if the nuance was added first and foremost without the need for tedious fact-checks.

That still holds true today.

Consistency and Principles

Do I only address misinformation from the pro-Israel side? Not that it should matter, but no, I will address misinformation from the pro-Palestine on this subreddit if I see it and I feel like addressing it. I was irritated to see muppets like Rob Rousseau spread conspiracies about a "suspicious link" between ISIS and Mossad, and I encountered a user here who was sprouting similar conspiratorial nonsense. You’ll notice that (1) I was blessed to be called a “Reddit pseudo intellectual libtard” (not wrong, not false, this hurts bro); and (2) I apply the exact same methodology here as I do for the examples of misinformation I've addressed elsewhere — which isn’t to say I’m doing anything commendable here. I just read the articles, trying to find the primary sources where relevant, and then see if the “reporting” accurately conveys what was said or written.
However, digging up the original source can be a time-consuming endeavour, and compounded by the fact that I might not speak the relevant language — which means that there was a case where I inadvertently made a comment containing misinformation. A couple months ago someone requested a steelman of the argument that Israel is conducting a genocide against Gazans; I offered one, and to support the case I used a misquote taken from a Bloomberg video which omitted a crucial part of Yoev Gallant’s statement: the reference to Hamas, and thus radically changing the context of the statement. I hold myself to the same principle when it comes to curbing misinformation, and I was more than content to edit my comment to ensure it did not propagate further than it already had.
Some of you eagle-eyed readers might recognize this Gallant quote, as it made a very marked appearance within… South Africa's genocide case against Israel. Here, that salient reference to Hamas is also omitted, and the accompanying footnote cites the same Bloomberg video that I did. As I wished in another reply, Bloomberg did indeed take the video down eventually. Now, I can be excused for my mistake as I’m not making the positive case outside of my steelman. For South Africa, this is unbelievably shoddy work when you're officially bringing a genocide case against another state.
Anyways, I've gone through many examples in this schizo-post, and it's entirely possible that I've made an error at some point; the irony is not lost on me. Feel free to point these errors out. I might not agree with your assessment, but I'm always willing to hear the arguments.

Prescriptions: The Six Points (Déjà vu)

I'm going to end with The Six Points because that's the focus of Part 1 and Part 2. As previously mentioned, this post is not intended to demonstrate that the misinformation the pro-Israel crowd spreads is as egregious as the misinformation the pro-Palestine spreads, whether in general or on this subreddit. While misinformation from the pro-Palestine crowd slips by every now and then on the subreddit, I would make the case that, generally speaking, it is quickly addressed. In my experience, however, I was finding quite a few cases of misinformation from the pro-Israel crowd were taking a concerning amount of time to be addressed; and in the interest of ensuring that it does get addressed in a more timely manner, I believe the following prescriptions would be helpful to keep in mind when browsing the subreddit:

1. Value the process just as much — if not, more — than the conclusion.
2. Be wary of how the presentation of information or the omission of pertinent information can lead to the inadvertent spread of misinformation.
3. Be aware of how “charged” topics/threads lead to poor reasoning that lacks dispassionate analysis.
4. Be aware of how pre-existing beliefs about an individual or organization alongside the usual biases leads to a reluctance to fact-check, where claims are taken at face-value because they feel right.
5. Link the article. Read the article. (Thoroughly.)
6. Redirect criticism to areas where it will be the strongest.

Click here for Part 3. Warning: you might get stung by a bee 🐝

TW also for self harm and I guess existential thoughts, depression.
So this culminated to a point for me last year during my birthday in the fall(won't specify, not sure if she uses reddit). I'll give a simple current event summary and then relay past events leading up(me is me, CS(31f): crap sister, LS(26) little sister, ES(36): eldest sister(only here sometimes, as she moved out shortly after her 18th, and then back and forth after tha), Mom(58): mom. SO(same age): ex-partner from junior year HS till age 24. I am trans male, but due to happening after most of these events, that doesn't really have any merit to this story, other than small details, like clothing)
I(28m) decided after not hearing anything on my birthday, and nothing before that since helping her get money for moving state after a divorce(an investing app offered her 1000 if so many people used her link to invest a free 5 dollar gift), to stop all contact and remove my sister from my social media accounts.
When we were kids, CS was the worst. Ever since I could remember, she showed a huge dislike for me. I don't haveamy good memories of her, and the ones I do, are followed, or closely accompanied by a bad memory. I don't have a lot of examples, since the good wasn't really that significant anyway(think, gifting me a stuffed animal when I was in the he hospital for abdominal pains at 8 or 9 years of age, then, after finding that it was a relatively minor issue that happened to cause a huge discomfort. I was told to drink plenty of water, and for my mom to give me a kids Tylenol if needed. She then snatched it back the next day and while I don't remember the exact words, made it clear that I only deserved it if I was really injured, and had wasted time). This was kind of a small(but very impactful) issue that still sticks with me today. I have to convince myself to go to he doctor to have certain issues checked. I recently only went because the numbness in my hands was getting worse, and I was told I had clear symptoms of carpal tunnel(I work in a kitchen, heavy lifting and fine hand movements are often). I also have a ganglean cyst, that has spawned a secondary cyst, in my left wrist, but that's another story.
She always put me down any time I did anything. Even looking at her the wrong way was infuriating to her(I didn't know what she was talking about until just a few years back, but I am diagnosed ADHD and suspected on the autism spectrum. I live on my own and have had a relatively independent life since I could physically and legally do so, just small aspects need extra attention). I'd ask her what she meant, and she'd yell at me. I wasn't rude either. CS:stop looking like that! Me trying to make my face more..plain?: like what? I'm sorry CS: stop it!, you know what you're doing! And you're doing it on purpose. Me: I'm sorry! I really don't know how I'm looking at you, I don't know what you want(I'm crying at this point) CS, getting up to hit me, like always: you KNOW what You're doing, Now stop it!
At that point, my mom had come in and yelled at my sister to calm down(I don't remember what all was said, I was maybe 6 or 7 and don't have the best time remembering the days with her) and that if she didn't like that way I looked, she could go.
Note about my mom, she had left my abusive father and moved several states when I was less than 4, my baby sister not even a year. He tried getting the legal system to bring her back, as the state they had lived in had always done. They told him that it didn't work that way, and they were legally separated. He was told to pay child support(guess how that went) and go to monitored visitation with us. That only happened a few times, and I only remember 2 of them. One visit, there was a person, I don't even recall the face, across the table, coloring and just doing art stuff. The second memory I have is us(me, CS, and LS. ES had a different dad who was not in the picture, and did not want to be. She stayed home). We played with toys in the waiting room for what seemed like forever, the sky was dark when we left. We never went to those meetings again(my dad apparently had told the caseworkers that if my mom wasn't required to meet with him as well, he wasn't interested in the he meetings). Since then, she has been a single mother, working as much as she could while still trying to balance raising us. I don't blame her for not being there, but I am a little disappointed that she never really admonished them, but merely, to this day, says that they may have been horrible then in the circumstances, but they still loved me.
Cue to elementary school, CS used to terrorize me, steal things I owned, destroyed things of mine. She was pretty stuck up and snobby to all of us, but it seemed to be targeted at me(her and ES did fight, instigation from both sides, and eventually made up some years later, but ES could and did fight back. When she could and was home. She worked too, and had a life later in high school, so that was understandable on her part, kind of) I, being younger, and, I guess, a little blind to some social and reactive cues at the time(I discovered I stare blankly while I listen to people. Facial reactions were too hard to focus on without losing attention to what was being said, if that makes sense). Any friends I had soon heard about the way she treated me, and the things she would accuse me of(not bathing, stealing, or just over embellishing embarrassing things about me to make people dislike me. Calling me fat, stupid, weird, etc). One of the only friends I had was a homeschooled girl. But I only got to see her on the weekends. Because my mom worked and ES had extracurriculars and later work(she is about 7.5 years older than me) we were watched by CS, and she didn't want to do the slightest bit of work doing so, which, flipped if it worked in or out of my favor often. Sometimes she'd be non-caring, allowing us to go to a neighborhood friend, so she wouldn't have to watch us. After having to come get us a few times, that stopped. One of the more traumatic times was when she decided to rig our doorknob(so that instead of a lock you flipped, it was a push knob, you push the knob into the door, turn the knob, and release. It's a non key locking system. I'm not sure if they are normally sold that way or if something happened, but it was installed backwards, so that you could lock someone inside of the room. Can you guess what happened? I was locked inside of my own bedroom, no food, no water, not even a bathroom break, during almost the entire 9 hours(mom worked 8 and commute) on a Saturday. I can't remember if LS was in there with me, but it's possible she was young enough to not even know what was going on, if she was in there. She's about 2 years younger than me, and this was when I was around 6/7. I was absolutely terrified. I cried, I screamed, I banged on the door. I begged to be let out for at least the restroom, which she refused, likely because I'd try to run and hide(the smart thing, duh). So there I was, freaking out that I had been locked in a room and cut off from all necessities. I don't stop crying until my mom came home, who, upon hearing the screaming, tore into CS about how wrong it was and what if we needed the bathroom or water, or even food. I don't remember her response(I probably don't want to) but my mom just glared angrily at CS as she left downstairs to her room. Mom made sure I got water, food, and restroom. I didn't mess up my room, that itself also created issues that I'll lay out later.
There are so many(too many) horrific memories from that time. It was hard all the time. I was insulted, isolated from my other siblings, and eve. Physically hurt. I'm not sure if the physical pain was worse though. I tended to forgive people very easily, and constantly, even into my early adulthood, tried my best to make her think better of me. She would steal clothes from me(cut them up to "fit her better". I was chunky, more medical than anything else, so with alterations, yes, they'd fit her. Like they'd fit an escort. Yes it's mean, but she's literally cut the pant legs off of jeans so that it was literally a jean thong. I only realized how terrible that was later on my teen years when fashion set in more within your social groups. And when they eventually didn't fit her(hah) she'd just throw them out and say they were a waste and wouldn't look good on me anyway. My mom told CS at the thrift store that she had to find outfits for me before finding herself some, and she would often try to just grab the first thing(usually ugly and wrong size) she could and the try to shop for herself(she was greedy with money. If CS found out a gift or piece of clothing one of us got cost more, she'd throw a fit and destroy our things. My mom once bought herself a vintage star Trek the original series collection, and because she didn't spend her tax return on CDs for CS, CS scratched up a bunch of the discs. My mom never even got to watch them before that. Some still played, but it felt like a loss). Mom didn't like that and said she had to help me find suitable clothes I liked. CS didn't like it, but obliged.
One of the larger things she did, when a 12/13 year old(I was 10) is she broke into an abandoned foreclosed house with a grown man, and stayed there for several days, or maybe a week or 2 . She ran from home often, blaming our mom for her issues was the norm for her. Everything was moms fault. Might've been her fault, though, was what happened next. My mom didn't want to call the cops on my sister, but knew confronting her alone and with an unknown man would be dangerous. So, probably against her better judgement, she handed me the phone(she worked at a cellular call center, in the early stages(2000's) of cell phones. She got them from the company for free, periodically). I called 911, per our mom's wishes. Explained my sister had broken into a house with a man and had been staying there. Once they heard that she was a minor, they didn't take long to get there. We sat up the road, in the car, watching it happen. Mom cried the entire time, but would not move from that spot until she saw that the cops had successfully taken her into custody. I just stared while it happened.
I know I shouldn't have had to make that call, but, due to being left alone all the time to my own devices, I had become quiet and usually kept my words and feelings to myself, and therefore seemed the most "emotionally stable" to handle it. Being put into that kind of spot was already happening with other issues, but they aren't relevant.
Over the years, more things happened that made me just want to be alone. LS even stopped being a target and was the precious baby sister (no issue with that in itself, but CS further alienated me from LS and I would once again be left alone. Being told I wasnt worth the time and that no one likes me, and if they did, it was because they pitied me, was an often occurance. My mom tried to stop it where she could but she had been met by the wrath of my sister(and before that, my father) for so long, she didn't want my sister to cause an issue that got us taken away from her. (We had been taken for some months due to some CPS workers believing my fathers lies about her being unstable and immoral. Given back due to no evidence, but with a struggle.) She didn't want to risk that again, so instead tried to keep the peace where she could. She had no family help, and was raising us all by herself. CS got physical, with even my mom, and it scared her. Out house was broken into numerous times by her ex boyfriends, ex friends, and people from..."groups" she used to hang out with. ES was also to the point of just not talking to CS or coming around that much anymore(after she moved out at 17. She also couldn't stand to be around CS)
An emergency later on with ES got her and CS bonding and acting like siblings that had a spat, and around that time is when LS was starting to get CS's attention. (I don't blame LS at all. It's not really her fault we never got to bond like siblings and even now don't know how to talk to one another freely). I still received the brunt of CS's wrath. She'd be nice, like offering some soda she bought, or some snacks, and then be a total b itch, sometimes going off and accusing me of stealing something.
CS: my chapstick is missing! Where is it? Me(roughly 8/9): why would I know? CS: don't talk back to me, I KNOW you stole it. now, where is it. Me, mumbling because I know what's going to happen:I don't know... CS: WHAT Me, wanting her to leave me alone: I DONT KNOW. CS: shut up, yes you do, I know you took it, now where is it??
At this point, I am crying and she has already hit me in he head and face a few times. After my refusing to answer, she just screamed and left me there, confused and wondering if I did take it.
She found it later. Never said a word or offered apology. This was a regular accurance all the way up until she moved out for the first time at 14. I learned to not use the phrase " I don't know" as often as I could because to her, it meant I wanted to hide something, because I obviously should know, and was choosing not to tell her and lie. It still happened, and yes, I got beat for it. We even moved school districts when I was 11(not related to the incidents) and I didn't want to make friends because I hated that they would eventually know her. It was rough to say the least.
A few years later, after CS moving in and out of home with boyfriend after boyfriend after boyfriend, starting at 14, I only had to deal with her while she was home, either between moving stints, or whenever she wanted to drop by and take things, like food or stuff she left with us. Sometimes she just took things. Mom was happy to see her come at all, so we dealt with it. While I heavily disliked the way she had treated me until then, I still wanted her to like me. So when she was home, I tried. When she lived with us for a few months at the age of 16/17, ES, now in her early 20s, living on her own, bought me and LS a laptop. It wasn't the best, but it was a laptop. Well, as you can guess, CS wanted to be able to use it too. Mom said we should because it was the nice thing to do and it would calm things down. So I made her a profile of her own. Not good enough. She wanted access to the main account, the one me and LS used. Now I wasnt into anything nefarious at the time, like p**n or anything, but I just don't want to give in to her being crazy and hovering. She looked for anything to yell at me for. She never once asked or yelled at LS for the password, even though LS knew it. It was my fault.
Next time I got the laptop back, the charger cord had some extra pieces stuck to it that I later found to be part of the internal charger port. She had literally ruined not only the charger, but the charging port in the laptop itself. Rendering it absolutely useless. Replacing that small part required the whole charger port to be replaced, and connections to be restored inside the laptop itself. So, it was a loss. No one seemed to ever be as mad as I was that this kept happening. Call me petty, but I held those memories as the deepest grudge, I still do. I kept pushing it down whenever she wanted to be nice to me, which in hindsight ended up being her needing something from me, sometimes even my company, because she couldn't keep authentic friends around. She got me stoned for the first time when I was 8 or 9 at one of her boyfriend's houses, and then gave me my first drink around the same age. Both with my mom not present. I was a child so when she told me not to tell in exchange for snacks and such, I obliged. I just wanted her to like me.
2 moments really stick out in the high school days before she left for several years to play wife to yet another guy. 1.The first was when we were actually hanging out in the kitchen of the family apartment, CS and ES were drinking and just catching up, while I was just by the kitchen drinking water. CS got pretty tipsy and, while walking into the kitchen, slipped and fell. She wasn't hurt or anything, it was just a small thing, and she ended up gigging and everyone laughed, like it was one of those fun family moments, y'know. Like in the shows. Well she looks and sees me laughing too, like literally everyone else. This is particular makes her mad and she gets right up and strides towards me. My mom yelled her name but before anything could happen, CS punched me right in the jaw. Only this time, I didn't fall, much less move more than an inch or 2. I already knew it was coming the moment she locked eyes with me. I stood my ground and just stared at her. I couldn't believe it. Even though I prepared for it, I still couldn't believe it. Everyone else has started laughing first. She had been gone for years. She herself thought it was funny. But seeing me, have fun at her expense, no matter how minuscule? No. Not happening. My mom asked her why she did it. She only looked at me, my face not even sad, just flat, like I felt nothing and hadn't been hit. But I didn't feel "nothing". I felt rage. Rage that, even at 14 and 15, even if others had joined, I was her target. She scoffed when family questioned her and stormed off. Nothing changed.

1. After that, I had issues with friends, yet again, because she was home. I, 16 at the time, tried to stay the night at a friend's house, but instead of getting input from my mom, I got CS. She demanded that I clean my "pig-sty" of a room. I shared a room with LS, and a lot of the things complained of, weren't mine. And even if I cleaned, the ADHD made it messy as I easily lost things and would flip my room in a panic. Regardless, I asked if I could talk to mom. Mom hesitated, but as well said no, likely because CS was there and my mom is, admittedly a pushover and a bit naive when it comes to them. CS was screaming at me on the phone, and my friend's mom heard it, and took the phone and asked for them(my mother, NOT my sister) to talk. After this, I told them my sister had issues and was a bad person(info with extra details omitted, but it's legal issues), and to not pay attention to the insults. Well friend's mom thought she should talk it over with my mom and I told her it's fine just discuss staying over, I'm not keen on going home.

My mom came after some minutes(we lived down the street), with, ugh, CS with her. I asked why she was there and her response was to make sure I "wasn't spreading sh it about her to gain sympathy". My mom went inside to talk to friend's mom and the big hit came. -Some background. I was depressed. Of course, with a sibling destroying any chance of normal social interaction and losing material items and even money, I wondered, from an early age, why. I didn't try to take my life up to that point, and anything I did was cuts, scratching, and punching. I did anything to control what I was feeling. I felt so many emotions, and some that I didnt know how to explain, some of which had followed me since childhood, that I couldn't get a hold of. So I turned to pain, something I could thoroughly control. It had been going on since I was around 12 in middle school, found out by my mom at 14/15, and I was actively in therapy(after arguing with ES and my mom that I needed therapy, and being told i was selfish). I was still 15 at the time. -Back to it. While my mother and my friend's mom were chatting, CS and I were arguing. I just wanted her to leave me alone, and told her so. The apartment walls werent the best, so CS overheard the things I had said about CS. None were lies, I just wanted someone to know. Deep down I still wanted her affection, but I wanted SOMEONE to hold her accountable at least. But it didn't end there. In the hallway, after hearing the main convo between the mothers, and hearing mine tell friend's mom that I fluffed up the issue because we dont get along, sibling rivalry(the usual excuse):
CS:I don't know why you have to blab so much, no one needs to know. Me: it's the truth. CS it doesn't matter. You don't even want to be here. If you're going to cut yourself, at least do it the right way.
I stopped talking and looked down after that. She smiled and continued waiting for our mom, while on her phone, probably the 4th one that year(she broke them often). It hurt. But hearing it didn't hurt as realizing that I felt it all the time. A grief from early childhood, that I didn't know the origin of, came back. I grieved myself. I still didn't know it then, I was just sad and numb. I thought death was the easy way out. Surely I didn't deserve the easy way. I continues the injuries, hiding them better and refusing to tell my therapist after a separate incident with my mom. Mom even stopped coming to the group therapy, and they told me it was specifically to help parents support their troubled kids, and if my mom wasn't showing up, I could no longer attend the group sessions. We would still have 1 on 1. But it made me feel even worse. Everyone in that group probably knew why I wanted there after 2 times with my mom absent. But I digress. After hearing my sister say that, I guess I became more serious about leaving everything and hoping for a better shot next time, if there was one.
Some months later, still 15 and in school I decided to try what I had heard: alcohol with a high number of any kind of pain pill. I took about 14-16(I don't quite remember, I just kept taking 2 at a time and quit counting at 12, just kept taking) of extra strength Tylenol. Took a shot or 2(or 4, I just did what I thought might be enough while not giving myself away) from ES bottle(she had moved home due to her living situation falling through), and went to school, hoping for the best(worst) I did get a little scared when I suddenly felt a spike in my heart rate, sweat, and a cold sweep through my body. This lasted several minutes, and I happened to be sitting at my desk in class, already having finished the assignment, so laying down on the desk looked normal. I waited and waited. The feeling got worse and worse, and painful, in my stomach and my chest. After a few grueling minutes of hoping it would happen, it didn't. While some residual pain remained in my abdomen, the other symptoms had calmed down. To say i was disappointed was a huge understatement. I went through the classes, saying nothing about having almost released myself from the harsh grip of empty reality. There wouldn't have been a point. I'd have been yelled at by my family for being selfish and wanting attention, just like when they had discovered my injuries and when I had asked for therapy. I was already threatened with being put into a mental ward for teens. Saying something and failing warranted worse consequences than not telling and succeding. So I kept silent and suffered. I decided that putting myself out wouldn't happen, and I would just deal.
I moved in with someone I was dating and their family just a few months after my 18th birthday(9 mo together). I hadn't even graduated yet, just finished credits early. CS had already moved out before that, but I just didn't want to be there any longer. I felt unsupported and pushed aside. Not to get into details, because it's not my story, but when LS was going through something(after I moved out), they dropped it all to help her and take her to therapy. Again, I don't blame LS. I may not like the way she handled her situation afterwards, but it happened nonetheless, and she was pampered by that demon and cared for by everyone else as the baby, so I've never had huge issues with her, but my family's reaction to her vs me was starkly different. Especially after being told several times by CS, ES and hinted at by my mom that I was always a little difficult, but not in a purposeful kind of way. Yet while I was "difficult" I was still thought to be relatively low maintenance due to the fact that I shyed away and prefered to do my own thing, alone. I mean, wouldn't you if you felt, no, if you knew, that certain family members just hated you, and others regarded you as difficult? When you just wanted love? I know that I wasn't normal like other kids, in that I didn't show clear emotion, or didn't know how to convey my feelings or needs. But I never tried to be an issue. But that's what I had always been told. That I was doing it at my own will, to make CS angry. I'm not even sure what about me always put CS off, but it weighed down for a while.
As an adult(18-20), it was better. Communication, but with less physical meetings, proved to at least be better for us. CS eventually started talking to me and my at-the-time SO, inviting us out. I think she needed company, because the man she chose to marry had all but cut out all male people from her life(don't feel bad, she did the same with his female friends)and her female friends were not always good friends, and maybe she knew that, deep down, I still wanted her approval. And boy was she right. We(me and SO, Same age) were always accepting her invitation. My SO had the train of thought that CS was at least trying, and that counted for something. At the time I agreed.
Around age 20, we were heading to Christmas with my family after SO's family celebration(we lived with them at the time, in hindsight a bad idea, totally separate issue). It was snowing and the car I was driving had belonged to SO's parents, so, respectfully, I requested to my SO that we pick up CS and take her to moms apartment(she hadn't moved since we left home, expenses and all). Well, SO was a momma's kid, and while we were getting ready to leave, SO told the parents about the extra trip and asked if that was ok. (At the time I don't think anything, but later on I realized that the mother was a huge control freak with attachment issues and the SO would always back her up in the end, even if there was a good chance we'd win an argument). Looking back, they definitely had an issue with my relationship with my family(mother mainly. Narcissist), but this was CS, and I already had reservations about her anyway. SO's parents said no, sorry. Unfortunately, SO was really dense(yes, I know, shut up) so I couldn't ask them to lie to their mother. I let CS know and was explaining that it wasn't my car and wasn't my idea to "get permission" from the owner(although, as mean on their part as it was, that had to be the case. I had only been given permission to use it for work of whenever me and SO went somewhere together. Yes, very controlling, but not the point). CS wouldn't listen. Instead, went on a tirade of how I was ungrateful and useless and all other insults that just echoed all of the childhood issues.
Story short, she ballooned the story to say that I told her I didn't want to take her and was being rude about it. ES texted me and told me not to come by at all(ES was paying a part of the bills and was an adult on the lease). No one would listen that this was just SO being dumb and, although yes I could've tried harder, it was not my fault. Myother called me that night and I cried, asking why my sister hated me. Why CS hated me. She could only say that sometimes people are angry and it's not our fault. While I appreciated her words, it didn't help. The gift I had for CS went unsent,(robe with her favorite design, Mary Jane) sat in my closet.
I mourned for a while but went on with my life, and that very next summer, I moved me and SO into an apartment. Made a deal with paying the car insurance and the basic gas/oil and regular maintenance costs, in exchange for just being able to drive the vehicle freely, and also I had my license for a year at that point(couldn't get it till 19, with my own cash and borrowing a car at the time), so they felt safer letting me use their car. Fair enough. moving on.
Some time goes by, and CS and ES end up falling out of touch again due to a made up issue(literally a dream where we made fun of her life and loss during her pregnancy. A dream. Mind you, she was also on substances this entire time, literally from the time she was like 11 or 12.) ES started talking to me again, claiming that she knew CS blew it out of proportion and just went along with it. Things go ok.1-2 years later Mom and ES move state. More things happen(kind of irrelevant since CS still isn't involved). Now LS and ES aren't speaking with me and CS comes in saying how she understands. I figured, it's was family, and I needed it. Right? And I was so confused on who to defend and back, my bio family or my SO, that seeing her, even with her sketchy SO, be able to have someone support her when she was put out, even if she was in the wrong and did the putting out, hit the family spot. Against everything, I started hanging out with CS. Up to this point , she hadn't apologized for anything really, but had given gifts, sent invites for holidays, and eve invited me, and sometimes SO over just to hang out(420 is legal in all the states I've lived in, so we had that in common at least). Start to not see CS in such a bright light since she has by that time(I'm 22 at the time) admitted to me that she cheats on her husband, they do hardcore drugs, and he avoids taxes, more stuff but I mainly ignore it cuz, hey, not my life, not my problem. Things go ok.
I leave my ex in 2019 and move out of my state in 2020 and in with family. Yay job closures. Now, this move was probably one of the worst, betraying, infuriating, heartbreaking things that I did as it showed some things about family that I really ignored since I hadn't created an irreversible issue until I lived back with them, as well as bring other heart wrenching events, but that's not important here.
CS now hasn't really sent anything unless it's to ask for help with something, which I do and she pays back, as always. That's not really the bad part. First was about 2 years after I had moved states to be with family. I had been paying ES money for rent, from unemployment(COVID), And had a surgery scheduled for just 3 weeks after the unemployment cut off(I had been looking for jobs but very little luck aside from some MLMs) and ES went ballistic, saying how i was putting them in financial strain(our mom had recently gotten a large tax return from COVID credits, as did she. I did not since I worked during 2019 and 2020. I also got no extra unemployment since it started after the main event. ES ranted to CS that I was a bum and was mooching and spent over a year not paying anything,( even though I had offered ES proof since ES had yelled at me before CS called me). She even posted personal information to insult me online to people I don't know, which is when ES told CS that, while she was mad at the situation, that was crossing a major line. I refused to call CS first, so after a few days, she called me. I laid into her what had been really happening by that point, that I had been paying and I have been doing door dash and donating plasma to continue to pay rent, which I Had talked about to ES. CS was silent during this, and I finally asked why any of the things in childhood happened.
Me: I just want to know why you always bullied me, and beat me up? The things you said?
CS: Well, I want to apologize, but I don't remember a lot of the stuff I did. I was usually high on something. Me: ...Not even telling me to off myself? CS:......-username-, I was a terrible person, and I was on a lot of stuff. I'm sorry that I don't remember.
I don't go farther cuz it's just me explaining everything and that I can't stand that Im always attacked. We hang up with CS telling me that she hopes the best.
Well, things kind of blow up, rent gets unpaid, money is wasted, and I decide to no longer pay and move to my own place. I don't talk to ES. CS chats sometimes, but not too much. After a while of not much texting, around middle of 2022, CS texts. Not exact, but I'll summarize it.
CS: hey, I'm divorcing my husband(I knew, mom told me earlier, didn't say anything) and I'm gonna move to Texas with this guy I've been talking to while married. I'm short on money to move into a place, so could you and mom maybe do this investing app and help out? Me: does it require anything like my credit?(Issues happened prior to this with another person) CS: no you just need to invest their free 5 dollars and keep the account open(I think for either 2 weeks or a month). Me: ok I'll get it started. CS: thank you so much! So how's the new Italian place? Me: it's good, it's called "blah blah blah" CS: ok cool, I'll look it up. Me: Okie dokie. So how's the move coming along
She never responded after that. I ignored it and put it on that she needed to move and focus on packing. I then went to our mom(I took her and her cat with me cuz I'm not monster) and told her the situation. She wanted to ask CS about what to do cuz I had to work in the morning and it was late. Convo:
Me: when you ask CS, ask "hey, -username- said you needed something, I have the app up, what do I do next?" Because this would explain that I told Mom and make CS answer what she wants.
Nope. She just sent "oh did you need any thing for moving, like money or anything?"
CS: hmm? Oh no, we're going to stay with his parents, but thank you for the offer! We'll be ok!
I got upset cuz I feel like I knew something was up. Asking me to help with money for moving to an apartment(she has a car large enough to pack her belongings and she didn't plan to bring furniture). I let it go and deleted the investment account, which continues to try charging me so I had to change banks. Very nice.
Now to this last fall(2023). I moved after that and there was very little interaction. I had been thinking about the relationships in my life and realized that being around CS in particular, or even being mindful of her, was causing mass amounts of resentment and anger in me, making my mental health dive. The lack of remorse and just consistent blaming of substances instead of the choice to do those substances. Claiming she's was a terrible person, but not saying anything about the issues it caused.
I decided that if CS did not even contact me on my birthday(she had skipped it before which isn't too bad, but one year even sent a message 2 months late and when I called her out, she blew it off and just said "oops, I was drunk, my bad".
So this last fall I wait. And nothing, till the end of the day. Honestly I didn't want to wait for excuses or anything. I just felt all of the anger of trying to get her attention and her love, and the desperation that I felt trying to understand why I never deserved it. So I removed her. Not blocked. If there are any emergencies where she would need to contact me(not likely), then it's there. I have a new number, so social media messaging was sufficient. I had done the same with ES.
The very next morning, I had a huge message about how she noticed that I had removed her(this site doesn't notify if someone leaves your friend circle) and about how she felt bad about what happened as kids but that she felt horrible for blocking people out for so long. Then another message telling me that she didn't want to be without her siblings again. Telling me that now, she was going to have a kid in several months, and how it's amazing and she's excited to finally be a mom and I'll be an uncle again(LS has 2 young kids of her own). I opened it and ignored it. She then said she tried reaching out and I left her on read and she hopes I have a good life.
Mentally, I may not be where I want myself to be, and sometimes I feel like I haven't moved forward from being that kid, that just wants to know why. But one step at a time, especially with therapy.
I wanna say I don't feel like the AH, or if I am, that is justified. But I guess there's always going to be a small part of me that wants to have the bonds that I never knew, even if it's too late by now.
So, am I the AH for just stopping contact and connection to someone I feel I just don't have a connection with?
P.s., sorry there's a lot, I honestly didn't mean for it to be this long. Please don't hate my late night grammar

By 1951, America’s slip into fascism was over a decade in the making. Where once the Congress was the great law-making institution of the country, now the President had the authority to rule by decree and arbitrarily imprison his political opponents. But even if American democracy had been bloodied, it remained unbowed. Two great parties — the Progressive-Federalists and the Liberty League — could now challenge the might of Farmer-Labor, and indeed had even reduced Philip La Follette and his party to a bare majority in the House and a plurality in the Senate, with enough anti-fascist Farmer-Laborites to re-elect firebrand Joe McCarthy as Speaker of the House. Even in the bastion of the La Follette brood, Wisconsin, the opposition, in the visage of Orson Welles, nearly managed to unseat the President’s man. Yet with the democratic opposition now rallying to the cause of the President’s impeachment, there remained one great obstacle to overcome: forming a united front to safeguard democracy.
Thus, a select group of men and women gathered in the relative safety of Wentworth-by-the-Sea, praying that they might be free of the wiretaps of the President and his cronies, to forge such an agreement. Calling themselves the Committee for the Preservation of the Republic, the party that gathered on the island featured luminaries of all political stripes such as Liberty League presidential candidate Will Rogers, Progressive Senator Margaret Chase Smith, and former Farmer-Labor President Alf Landon. Representing the wide range of ideologies coming under the banner of this Committee, former Senator Thomas Schall and Representative Henry S. Breckinridge would become the first Chair and Vice Chair of the Committee. Envisioning a political alliance that would preserve the independence and diversity of thought of all parties, the members of the Committee nonetheless agreed upon a common platform of curbing the abuse of executive power, moderate economics balancing the needs of the worker and the employer, and a cooperative foreign policy abroad with those states that still represent the democratic ideal including a vast plan of aid for the reconstruction of China. Yet the core of the Alliance’s program would come in its Six Freedoms:

• Freedom of speech and expression, including the freedom of an American to criticize their government.
• Freedom of thought and belief, that no American shall be persecuted solely for their political point of view.
• Freedom of the press to publish without interference from the government.
• Freedom of every person to worship God in their own way.
• Freedom from want, by securing a healthy peacetime life for the American people.
• Freedom to organize independently from the government.

In addition to the Six Freedoms platform, the Committee would be organized as a mix of the typical political party national committee and, taking inspiration from the Westminster System, a shadow cabinet, with the Chair & Vice Chair serving as shadows to the President and Vice President respectively, while the rest of the Committee would be made up of shadows for all the Cabinet positions. The only exception would be separate shadow secretaries for State and the Military, reflecting the opposition to mixing the diplomatic and military branches together in the new Department of Peace. Appointed to the Committee over the following days would be Will Rogers (LL) as Shadow Secretary of State, Lewis Strauss (LL) as Shadow Secretary of the Treasury, Sen. Margaret Chase Smith (PF) as Shadow Secretary of the Military, Rep. Richard Nixon (PF) as Shadow Attorney General, Gov. Robert Yellowtail (PF) as Shadow Secretary of the Interior, Sen. Franklin S. Harris (PF) as Shadow Secretary of Agriculture, Sen. George Aiken as Shadow Secretary of Labor, Sen. Charles Edison as Shadow Secretary of Science and Technology, Oveta Culp Hobby (PF) as Shadow Secretary of Health, William Randolph Hearst Jr. (PF)as Shadow Postmaster General, and finally S.I. Hayakawa (PF) as Shadow Secretary of Education. Together, they would not only run the workings of the coalition committee and joint party operations, but also issue rebuttals and alternatives to policies and statements from the people they are meant to shadow.
When the platform orbiting these Six Freedoms was finalized, Senator Margaret Chase Smith opted to take it to the Senate floor so that it would be entered into the Congressional Record and thus be beyond the reach of the Censors of President La Follette. Once she had delivered her “Declaration of Conscience”, the Committee came into the public light announcing the formation of the “National Alliance for Free Conscience” bringing together Progressive-Federalists, Liberty Leaguers, and oppositionist Farmer-Laborites under one banner against the President and preparing to host a joint nominating convention to select a single candidate to dismantle the fascist machine. As the Alliance engaged the power of former President William Randolph Hearst’s vast media empire to spread its message far and wide, a fight for the soul of America had begun.
“We are Progressives. We are Federalists. We are Liberty Leaguers. We are Farmer-Laborites. But we are Americans first. It is high time that we stopped thinking politically as one party or another about elections and started thinking patriotically as Americans about national security based on individual freedom. It is high time that we all stopped being tools and victims of totalitarian technique — techniques that, if continued here unchecked, will surely end what we have come to cherish as the American way of life.”
Thomas D. Schall, Minnesota
Henry S. Breckinridge, New York
Will Rogers Jr., California
Clare Boothe Luce, Connecticut
Walter F. George, Georgia
Will Rogers, Georgia
Happy Chandler, Kentucky
John Sherman Cooper, Kentucky
Margaret Chase Smith, Maine
Henry Cabot Lodge Jr., Massachusetts
Alf Landon, Nebraska
Zora Neale Hurston, Nevada
John G. Winant, New Hampshire
Henry F. Ashurst, New Mexico
William J. Donovan, New York
Patrick J. Hurley, Texas
S.I. Hayakawa, Vancouver
George Aiken, Vermont
Lewis Strauss, Virginia
Orson Welles, Wisconsin

NOTE FROM AUTHOR: Hello Hello! I am a first-time writer embarking on my first dumpster fire; input is most welcome. I'm not the best self-editor, so get your hiking boots on. It's rough out there. Whenever I read it, I find or create more errors (:
OPTIONAL READS: For the Retro Computer or Programming Enthusiast OR if you are open to other formats of story telling. I tried to combine my love for programming as an UNDERSTANDABLE way to tell a story through a Visual Experience in the Command Line Interface;
A Stand-Alone VISUAL ASCII 'Programming Terminal' Story Prologue. Follow through(Screen Shots of my Command Line Interface) the UNE-EYE Observational Satellite Terminal as Kable extracts Classified Data about his Beloved Military Unit, THE HUMMINGBIRDS, a flying exoskeleton unit. This includes the origin story of a Technology Tree in Book 1.

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INDEX

1. DEADCOAST - THE HUMMINGBIRDS PROLOGUE -> HERE <-
   
2. DEADCOAST - COMPLETE ILLUSTRATED INTRO -> HERE <-
   
3. HEAT & GRIZZLY REDS - CHAPTER 1 ILLUSTRATED -> HERE <-
   

"Deadcoast Book 1: Heat and the Grizzly Reds" transports readers to a 2063 Earth, a world on the brink, where the scarcity of fresh water has led to previously unseen geopolitical tensions. Amidst this backdrop, the nation-backed militant group DAGGR has emerged as a formidable force, leveraging advanced technology to assert control over Canada’s abundant water resources. At the heart of their arsenal is 'slugTech,' a technology pioneered by James Broadshaw, intended for ecological restoration but repurposed for militaristic dominance.
The story unfolds with the chilling invasion of Vancouver, marking a turning point as DAGGR makes its ambitions clear, culminating in the assassination of the Canadian Prime Minister. This act of aggression leaves the country reeling, exposing vulnerabilities and igniting a global reaction.
The UNE-EYE satellite is central to the international response, a significant narrative element representing the world's most advanced orbital tracking system. Once decommissioned in favour of privacy, the Dutch reactivated the satellite as a strategic move to monitor DAGGR's movements and coordinate a unified international effort against the aggressors. This revival of UNE-EYE symbolizes a crucial turning point, highlighting the global stakes and the interconnectedness of nations in the face of a common enemy.
As Canada grapples with its plight, the DAMU (Deserted American Military Units) rise in solidarity, breaching borders to fight alongside their Canadian counterparts. This act of defiance is mirrored by international forces, including the Netherlands and Ukraine, each bringing their unique strengths to the coalition, underscored by the strategic oversight provided by the UNE-EYE satellite.
Amidst the geopolitical chaos, a man who had all but given up, a boxer on the ropes, emerges from Vancouver's Gastown. Known as HEAT, this leader of the Grizzly Reds becomes a symbol of resistance and hope. HEAT's story, and that of the Grizzly Reds, is one of resilience, rallying not only Canadians but also global citizens to stand against DAGGR's tyranny.
" Deadcoast Book 1: Heat and the Grizzly Reds" is a compelling narrative of survival, alliance, and resistance. It deftly weaves together elements of advanced technology, international politics, and the indomitable human spirit. The inclusion of the UNE-EYE satellite serves as a testament to the complexities of modern warfare and the critical role of global surveillance and coordination in maintaining security and freedom. But something else stirs amongst it. The UNE still shrouds its use, albeit assuring it is for record-keeping purposes- there is no way to be sure. Join HEAT and the Grizzly Reds as they navigate the challenges of Time, War, Science and liberating their fellow man in Vancouver. THE GRIZZLIES NEED YOU, in this action-packed, emotional saga, speaks to the resilience and camaraderie inherent in the human condition.
CHAPTER 1 - The Blood Spattered Maples
ILLUSTRATED VERSION -> HERE <-
The early morning sun cast a serene glow over Vancouver, its golden rays gently coaxing the city from its slumber. The harbour lay still, bathed in a tranquil blend of crimson and amber, defiantly calm as if aware of the day's latent potential for tumult. The awakening streets, pulsating with the vibrant beat of daily enterprise, transformed into bustling arteries of life.
Amidst this urban renaissance, Ryan stood by his apartment window, one eye still tinged a fading shade of deep lavender from last night's ordeals. He absorbed the duality of the world outside – a peaceful façade masking an undercurrent of chaos, much like his own existence. The apartment, a silent guardian of his life's chapters, was awash with tangible memories; some stood proudly like trophies, and others lingered like indelible scars.
"Eugh, need to sort out this money mess," Ryan muttered, his voice a gravelly mix of resolve and weariness. He gingerly touched the bruise beneath his eye, a stark reminder of the previous night's fight. He wasn't just a boxer but a living, breathing paradox. His undefeated record of 12-0 was more than a tally of victories; it was a map of a life spent dancing in and out of shadows. At 17, he was a beacon of hope for Canadian Olympic Futures. Now, at 33, he was a spotlight in his subconscious, illuminating the relentless passage of time and a road riddled with 'what ifs.' Eleven of those wins were echoes from a past steeped in the sweat and blood of the ring before life's currents swept him into the city's gritty underbelly. There, he became an enforcer, not out of choice but a necessity, bound by ties, not of blood but of unbreakable bonds forged in adversity. Stepping back into the ring at 33, Ryan wasn't chasing glory; he was hunting redemption, a chance to rewrite a narrative that had veered off course.
Today's boxing was far from what he once knew; it had transformed into a digital spectacle, a charade he refused to partake in. The sport now paraded fighters adorned with loud chains and face tattoos, pretending to live a life of crime they don't. Vile symbols of fame he doesn't wish for. Ryan had always skirted the fringes of the spotlight, respecting the sport but despising what it had become - a glorified masquerade that he believed led the youth astray. He stared out at the awakening city, contemplating his place in this ever-changing world, just as the first notes of a familiar yet unwelcome voice crackled from the vintage radio on his shelf.
"Ah, jimmy2piece," he scoffed, the name leaving a bitter taste. The vintage radio crackled on, announcing the dazzling exploits of the heavyweight boxing champion, an embodiment of everything Ryan detested about the sport's current state. Ryan's hand lingered over the old radio, a relic amidst the bountiful thrift and trinket that abundantly filled his apartment. The announcer's voice, overly flamboyant in its praise of 'jimmy2piece,' clashed with the morning's tranquillity, grating against Ryan's every nerve. With a flick brimming with contempt, he silenced the intrusive chatter. The ensuing silence was a stark reminder of his path's divergence from the once-noble art of boxing to a life mired in moral ambiguity.
"Enough of this nonsense," he muttered, the disdain in his voice mirroring the snarl on his lips as he spun the dial back to silence.
*Click*
Ryan was a man of contemplation; opening his balcony door, he let the morning breeze mingle with the memories that haunted him daily. These reflections were a tormenting ritual, no matter the joys and love surrounding him. His only respite was constant movement – hobbies, work, art – anything to fend off the sharp claws of the past that threatened to shred the remnants of his self-respect. He had lost ten years to choices and actions that replayed in his mind relentlessly every single day.
"This 'jimmy2shoes' or whatever...pal throws pillows, a poser pretending he's about that gang life; I can see it in his eyes, he's not a killer," he grumbled, gazing out at the awakening city. This day promised a respite from his underground fights – at least for a while. His recent backstreet brawls, a far cry from the glory of the boxing ring, were what paid the bills now. "At least I've bought myself three more months..."
Leaning on the railing of his miniature balcony, Ryan cradled a cup of steaming coffee, his gaze drifting over the streets below. At this moment, the chaos of his life seemed distant, replaced by a transient calm. Despite his bruised, rough presentation, a certain peace enveloped him, a rare stillness that belied the storm of his existence. His thoughts meandered through the serene hum of the city and the gentle brush of the ocean breeze. The skyscape, with clouds dancing to the ocean's rhythm, offered a brief escape from his turbulent past.
Memories of Robin, his mentor and friend, floated into his consciousness. Robin's untimely death in Dubai was a wound that never healed. The sacrifices he had made to keep Robin safe, only to be absent on the fateful trip that claimed his friend's life, weighed heavily on him. "Why did it have to be you, Robin?" he whispered to the horizon, the question, a haunting torment upon his daily routines.
Ryan was a thinker; as he slid over his ashtray from the stool, he sparked up A morning 'dart' (cigarette), as he called them. His past began to creep into his head, as it did every morning. With each inhalation of addiction-soothing nicotine, his blazing thoughts followed as his brain began to become fully active from his sleep. It was a raven on his shoulder tormenting him, pecking at him ever haunting his consciousness. No matter the love he may have found or the happiness, friends, or family surrounding him. The time to reflect was always grim and consistently unbearable. If he stood still, the Ravel's claws sunk more profoundly; the only reprieve was constant distractions. It's why he kept so busy, creative, and active. Ryan constantly kept moving with hobbies, work, or art. Pushing off the switchblade thoughts ready to cut into his subconscious and bleed out whatever self-respect he had left that day. He threw away ten years of his life, and he relives them every. Single. Day.
"Damn man, what's the point of it all?" Ryan's voice was barely a whisper, lost in the morning breeze. His gaze lingered on the horizon, eyes clouded with confusion and pain. "Robin's gone, and here I am, a ship adrift; up shits creek without a paddle. What good can I do? What purpose do I serve? My skillset? My knowledge? Ive wasted my life, nothing is applicable." The questions hung in the air, unanswered. Ryan's life had indeed been a storm of violence and turmoil, from the gritty days working alongside Robin, watching his back to his hard-fought victories in the boxing ring. He had dreamt of leaving the world of fights behind, yet fate seemed to have woven a different path for him, one that he couldn't escape...
The distant sound of boat horns broke his train of thought. These weren't the usual rhythmic calls that echoed along Vancouver's shores; they carried a sense of urgency, growing louder and more frantic by the second. Ryan leaned forward, squinting into the morning light. The sight that greeted him was anything but ordinary. Dark, ominous and foreboding shapes were cutting through the waters toward the Seawall – military-grade ships that seemed like phantoms against the sun's bright backdrop.
"What the...?" Ryan murmured, a wry smile touching his lips as he recalled a line from a 1930s radio show. "Ah yes, the 'Anti-Frackers' upping their game, bravo!" He often found solace in humour, a shield against the world's harsh realities. Ryan was an unbreakable anvil to the world, always struck to sharpen others' steel. But what about his iron resolve? He bore the burdens so others didn't have to, a silent guardian shouldering the world's weight in stoic silence. Yet beneath that armour of stoicism beat the heart of a man grappling with his vulnerabilities, a man with a core as soft as it was intense.
Just like that- The world as we knew it, changed forever.
The morning's peace shattered abruptly as sirens wailed into life, slicing through the air with a sense of impending doom. The tranquil dawn was now a backdrop to a nightmare unfolding in real time. Ryan's eyes, mirroring the turbulent hues of a stormy sea, narrowed in primal alertness. These were not friendly vessels coming to grace the city's harbour; they were harbingers of chaos, their arrival a silent scream in the gardens of Vancouver's tranquility. As the city around him carried on, blissfully unaware of the looming threat, Ryan's mind shifted into high gear, honed by years of confrontation, conflict and reading other peoples intentions. He understood the unspoken language of death, the subtle shift in the air that preluded catastrophe. The serene calm that had greeted the day now seemed like the deceptive stillness before a devastating storm.
PFFFFT~~
Ryan's coffee ejected out his mouth, a clean mist dispersed, dancing in the ocean winds.
His eyes widened in shock. "That... No, that's not right. That honeycomb structure on the bow – that's rumoured military tech, not something you'd find on a civilian vessel. That's definitely not one of our decommissioned ships; Canada has always had a modest military budget- It's not the U.S. either; they've moved on to those massive city carriers," he muttered, recalling the recent unveiling of the U.S.'s latest naval behemoth designed to be a self-sustaining war ecosystem.
"These are destroyers...carriers...and what in the world are those landing crafts?" His voice trailed off as a wave of realization washed over him. A heavy breath escaped his lips, his heartbeat thundering in unison with a growing sense of dread. This kind of military might, sleek and menacing, was straight out of the pages of a dystopian novel. Ryan's pulse quickened, adrenaline coursing through his veins, mingling with an unsettling fear. Vancouver, with its serene beauty and peaceful reputation, was the last place one would expect a military invasion. Yet, as he stood there, the city around him persevered in blissful ignorance. Laughter and the sounds of daily life echoed up to his balcony, starkly juxtaposed against the darkening horizon of his thoughts.
Something sinister was unfolding, and he felt an urgent need to act. "Ah, damn it!" he exclaimed, frustration boiling over as he hurled his mug to the ground, where it shattered into razer sharp ceramic shards—a glimpse of futures past.
The walls of Ryan's apartment, once a gallery of memories from a life half-lived, now felt like they were closing in on him. The space that had been his refuge, adorned with mementos of a tumultuous past, suddenly felt like a prison. He felt trapped, not by physical barriers, but by the weight of the unfolding crisis. Who could he call? Who would believe him about an impending military assault? Was there even time?
Each option seemed as hopeless as the next, leaving him feeling powerless. His fists, which had once brought him victory in the ring, now seemed futile in the face of this immense and unknown threat.
BOOM
A thunderous crash tore through the city's fabric, piercing the veil of laughter and routine. Giggles changed to Shrieks, the buzzing of cars in the city turned screeching of panicked tires. It was a boom resonating with such force that it seemed to shake the very resolve of the most robust steel, a sound that demands attention and captivates a person, a sound of death; it rattles you to the bone. This explosion marked a pivotal moment that would forever alter the course of Vancouver's history and, indeed, the world's.
The resounding echo of the first explosion heralded a declaration of war on all that was ordinary. In Ryan, the shockwave ignited a transformation. Despair morphed into an unyielding determination, a fire kindled deep within. His skin prickled, each hair standing on end as if his nerves were braille, spelling out the moment's urgency.
"Are they firing at us?" Ryan's voice was a mix of disbelief and rising panic. The thought seemed almost too surreal to entertain. He hesitated momentarily, grappling with the reality of the situation. The explosion's roar, so fierce it shook the foundations of his apartment, jolted him back to the present. Racing back to his balcony, what he saw confirmed his darkest fears.
The ships in the harbour were no longer silent, ominous spectators; they had unleashed their fury, sending plumes of smoke and debris skyward. Vancouver's skyline, once a proud testament to peace and progress, now served as a harrowing backdrop to an unfolding apocalypse. Below, the streets descended into chaos. People scattered in a frantic attempt to escape, their screams piercing the air, a chorus of dawning terror.
Ryan's heart pounded against his chest, each beat a call to action. He was no hero, never the 'good guy' in his story, but he did value life above all. Standing there, witnessing his city being torn apart, he knew he couldn't remain a passive observer. Indecision and shock gave way to resolve.
"MOTHA FU-" he cursed, his words lost in the burst of an explosion, spotted at the last second.
The world around him had erupted into a maelstrom of fire and fury.
An air burst shell detonated with ferocious intensity a mere 50 meters from Ryan's sanctuary. The explosion ripped through the building, an unforgiving hatred that jolted reality itself. The blast wave, a monstrous force of destruction, assaulted his apartment, shattering the windows with an ease that mocked Vancouver's fragility. Glass shards, transformed into lethal projectiles, hurtled through the air with a hunter's precision, each piece seeking its target. Instinctively, Ryan lunged for cover, his only protection a vintage oak promotional board, a relic of a bygone era. This wooden guardian, decorated with the iconic image of Stan Lee, stood as a stoic defender, a symbol of comic heroism now repurposed to shield flesh and blood from the brutal onslaught.
A low hum erupts from the depths of his being as the fireball swirled around him. "Breathe... I can't... don't fall asleep... don't...sleep..." he whispered, fighting the encroaching darkness. His cobalt eyes, glazing over open, fighting to the last light, flickered between consciousness and oblivion. The distant, muffled voices of mentors past echoed in his mind, a fading chorus in the theatre of his memories. Ryan looked to his left, cast one last lingering look at the Vancouver sky, a canvas of blue that seemed so distant now. As his vision began to narrow, a tunnel drawing him away from the light, Ryan felt the grip of darkness pulling him under heavy, yet weightless. Once so vivid and alive, the world around him was fading into shadows.
Amid shrapnel-induced unconsciousness, Ryan's mind catapulted him back to a pivotal moment from his youth – the Ontario Canadian Olympic Trials.
The stadium's noise swirled around him, but it was an entirely different world within the ring. There, it was just Ryan and his opponent, every move a testament to the sacrifices he and Robin(Ryan's longtime mentor both inside, and outside the ring) had made together.
Ryan's style in the ring was unique, a blend of calculated ferocity in speed and agility. He adopted the elusive, angular movements that Robin had honed while serving alongside the hardened Ukrainians on the frontlines of Kyiv. This style was compelling and unpredictable, frustrating his opponents with swift and efficient strikes. Ryan's ability to slip away from counters, almost serpentine in its execution, left them grasping at straws.
Point fighting for the Olympics was a system that worked well with Ryan's style but not necessarily with his mindset. Ryan was a fighter at heart, and sometimes, when pushed, the disciplined techniques would give way to a rawer form of combat. Robin, who always believed in Ryan's potential, saw this as his greatest fault and biggest asset to "push past." In his gruff but encouraging voice, Robin would often spew "The stink in that mind, You've got a head on you that'd make an onion cry," highlighting Ryan's occasionally impulsive nature, and inability to control his emotions when it mattered. This characteristic made Ryan fearless in the ring but also sloppy, open, and vulnerable. It often led him into trouble outside of the solace in prizefighting.
In these trials, Ryan's physical attributes – his slender frame, broad shoulders, wide back and a peculiarly long wingspan that gave him an imposing presence in his weight class – it made him stand out. His frame synchronized with his style, creating a truly unique spectacle of genetic gifts, hard work, and skill.
These memories blended nostalgia and pain as they flickered through Ryan's mind. They were reminders of a path once trodden, a journey shaped by the influence of a mentor and the determination of a fighter's spirit.
As the Olympic Trials set to begin, Robin looked to Ryan to instill confidence for his upcoming bouts, but Ryan was in his element. It was fight day, the fun day, the day to show off all of the hard work. Ryan had confidence, and his style in the ring displayed it in full. He moved with an angular rhythm that was both art and battle – slipping, landing a quick stiff counter cross, then gracefully stepping out of reach inches from returning fire. He made it look fun and easy, as if playing with his prey before fangs clench throat, delivering the killing bite. Looking closer, you can only see fire and determination in his bright eyes. He found purpose in the beautiful science of boxing. His strategy was that of a technical boxer, The Counterpuncher; 1. To bait his opponent into committing, then counter, fight long, fight smart. 2. Beat em' up, Frustrate em', then start slinging the heat in the uppercuts and lead hooks.
The bell rang and the fight was officially underway. Ryan controlled the ring with his long frame. Each exchange was rapid yet controlled, a dance of precise strikes and evasive maneuvers. The world's complexities faded in these moments, leaving only Ryan and the pure essence of the sport he loved. He felt invincible, a force of nature within the confines of the ring. To Ryan, the fight was more than a competition; it was a performance, an exhilarating escape from the mundane. It was true Purpose.
The intensity of the round reached a frustrating outburst by his opponent, who grabbed Ryan by the back of his head– 'SPLIT' called by the referee, his hand placed between them. A judge calls for a correction, catching the referee's attention only for a split second. In this second, Ryan's Opponent saw an opportunity. Lifting his head to move away, Ryan locks eyes with his Opponent, sporting a grin and delivering a sly headbutt as a parting gift. It's against the rules, but part of the game's harsh reality if gone unnoticed. Expelling energy and detesting it was a waste of fuel. It was a jolting reminder of "at all times"(protect yourself), a stark contrast to the discipline and respect Ryan upheld, starting his boxing journey in Thailand under "Muay Thai" rules, ideology of the worrior spirit and discipline. There was a sense of Honor in Lumpinee Stadium.
The outcome of these unsavoury tactics here is an advantage for the opponent. Ryan's inner pools erupt, his mind swirled with raging white waters, crashing and colliding against each other, two oceans with opposite currents meeting in his consciousness. His once technical thoughts, muscle memory mixed with fight iq burst with flames, erupting and incinerating all strategy in his path. His eyes widened, open like he'd found his primal genetic ancestry hidden deep within. The slaughter and the war of history. The bloodshed of 1000 lifetimes. He felt it all. Manic in thought. Ryan wanted to take his glove off and rip his cheeks open from the inside out--
BREAK - Ryan snaps back into it, erupting in stoic, silent, primal rage.

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The fight escalated, Ryan's disciplined technique unravelled under the seething tide of his rage. The finesse and agility that once defined his footwork gave way to a heavier, more aggressive stance. His feet, usually light and swift under his commanding frame, now felt anchored to the floor, each step driven more by fury than finesse. This transformation in style played perilously into his opponent's advantage. Ryan, usually a master of stick-and-move tactics, found himself engaging in close-quarter brawls, trading his advantage for a risky gamble. His in-and-out maneuvers, once a blur of grace, turned into brutish, in-the-pocket exchanges. This was a terrain where his more muscular and compact opponent had the upper hand. A raw, primal contest of power replaced the tactical dance that Ryan excelled at. Ryan's precise strikes became wild swings, his movements predictable to his seasoned adversary. Seizing the moment, the opponent unleashed a devastating barrage of inside hooks with their compact frame. A vicious right hook, lands clean in the exchange, thrown with the grace of a milkbag, the power hooks brute force, cut through Ryan's defences. The blow landed with a bone-jarring impact, sending a shockwave through Ryan's frame. His world spun as he stumbled, his once dominant presence in the ring now faltering under the weight of his unchecked emotions.
The ground rushed up to meet him as he crashed onto the canvas, the taste of iron and the sting of defeat mingling in his mouth. The crowd's roar faded into a distant echo, a stark reminder of how quickly the tides of battle could turn. Robin's voice sliced through the ringing from the corner, resonating with a force that commanded attention.
"Get your shit together, JUMPIN JESUS RYAN! HEART OF GOLD AND HEAD OF STONE – GET UP, YOU LITTLE COWARD! YOU'RE LETTING IT WIN, AGAIN! STOP THIS ONION HEAD NONSENSE AND DANCE, BOX THIS FELLA – YOU'RE BETTER THAN THIS, ACT LIKE IT, BELIEVE IN IT!"
His words were more than just a call to action; they were a lifeline thrown into the stormy seas of Ryan's mind. Each syllable was drenched in the raw, unfiltered wisdom that only a life spent in the cauldron of combat could forge. Robin's tone was a volatile cocktail of fury and concern, the urgency palpable in his voice. His palms crashed against the ring mat; each hit thunderous punctuation to his fiery sermon.
"You've got the talent, kid, but it's as good as ash if you keep burning it to the ground. I'M HERE FOR YOU, IM RIGHT HERE. SNAP OUT OF IT AND BOX THIS PLASTIC PATTY! MOVE GOD DAMNIT, GET UP!"
On the canvas, Ryan lay dazed, the echo of Robin's voice ringing in his ears. It was more than a mere pep talk; it was a wake-up call that struck a chord deep within him. Amidst the haze of the crowd murmurs and the pulsating pain that coursed through his body, clarity began to emerge. Lying there, Ryan grasped the essence of Robin's message –
"coward? letting it win? Playing my ego are ya Robin...hes right though. Im throwing this shit away."
This moment, sprawled on the canvas under the glaring lights and the crowd's gaze, became a crucible of transformation. The raw emotion and the hard-hitting truth in Robin's words ignited a spark in Ryan. It was time to rise, shake off the shadows of rage, and embrace a fighter's true spirit like he had learned in Thailand – not just with fists but with heart and mind in unison.
Staggered yet stirred by the dual impact of the physical hit and Robin's piercing words, A padded fist crushed into the rings canvas, followed by a kneee and the eruption of the crowd. Ryan was back, and he began to pull himself up from the canvas. His resolve, momentarily dimmed, now reignited with a fierce, clear, calculated intensity. Memories of the gruelling hours spent in the gym flooded back to him – the relentless sparring sessions, the time spent in Thailand, the sweat and toil, and the invaluable lessons etched into his being under Robin's stern tutelage.
With a renewed spirit, Ryan stepped back into the battle, his movements now embodying controlled power and a fluidity to his step. He recalled his time fighting beside the backdrop of the "Sarama" a traditional Thai music played when in combat. The times of learning to move, fight with the music, to flow, to be fluid, to be concise. Ryan finally put it all together in the heat of battle. He had merged his inherent ferocity with the disciplined technique that Robin relentlessly drilled into him, and the mindfull practises of the years he spent under Burklerk Pinsinchai in the jungles of Chiang Mai. His style was now fully displayed, raw and visceral yet refined by countless hours of practice in mind, body and spirit.
The final rounds bell clang to a start in a clinic of skill and sheer willpower. Ryan, driven by a blend of desperation and unwavering determination, unleashed a barrage of calculated and explosive strikes. Each punch and maneuver was a nod to the efficient, no-nonsense Ukrainian style that Robin had imparted to him. Ryan moved rhythmically across the mat, steps measured and precise, executing short, angular movements and deft outside counterpunches. He had returned to his element – the dance of combat, where he felt most alive, a symphony of movement where every step and punch was a testament to his life's journey and experiences as a human being first, and as a fighter second.
In this wake-up call, Ryan reinvigorated and reminded himself of his love for the sport, the exhilarating blend of art and athleticism. He was not just fighting to win; he was celebrating boxing, combat, honouring the path he had walked with Robin, and reclaiming what it meant to be a true fighter through Burklurk Pinsinchai's Teachings.
The round pressed on, and Ryan executed his maneuvers with a surgeon's precision. First;
-- The counterpuncher; a display in timing and accuracy, delivered with the full force of training and innate skill. --

1. He deftly slipped his opponent's cross, a move as fluid as it was swift.
   
2. He angled off, creating a space wide enough for his next move.
   
3. With an almost predatory precision, Ryan unleashed a powerful right cross, targeting his opponent's cheek from the angle he had just created. But Ryan wasn't done yet.
   
4. He slipped out again, evading any potential counter from his disoriented opponent. The rhythm, he danced in and out with his precise timing, perfected down to inches and angles.
   
5. In a final, decisive movement of the exchange, Ryan slipped in. He timed his step with a long cross that came off-beat, catching his opponent utterly off-guard. The punch landed with a satisfying impact, culminating in a perfectly executed combination. As he watched his opponent stagger, Ryan couldn't help but think, 'cya sleepy boi,' a silent acknowledgment of his dominance in this singular exchange.
   

This sequence was a statement. Ryan was not only back in the fight but also commanding it.
ONE!…TWO!…THREE!…FOUR!…FIVE!…SIX!...SEVEN!..EIGHT!
Ryan's opponent stands, admirable, but futile, driven by sheer will but hampered by sluggish movements, the man rose to his feet, it was clear the fight was reaching its zenith.
The opponent, gathering his remaining strength for a final stand, launched a jab, a last-ditch effort relying more on brute force than finesse. But this was a fatal mistake in Ryan's world – playing right into what Ryan was best at. Counters.
Ryan read the move with the clarity of a seasoned fighter. As the jab came, he effortlessly slipped to the right, evading the punch with a short angular step that spoke of his ring intelligence. Instantly, he countered with the same sharp cross from his right hand, followed by a devastating hook that cut through the air with lethal intent in his left. Grasping at straws, reeling from the counter, Ryans opponent threw a desperate, looping last stand punch, Ryan dipped down and left, rolling the punch with an elegance that made it seem almost effortless. He was Hunting for the Kill Shot. Seizing the moment, Ryan unleashed a ferocious left uppercut, the force of the blow lifting his opponent's chin skyward. He followed up with a right overhand, but just before impact, he halted the punch. There was no need for it; his opponent was already collapsing, the "Lights were on, but no one was Home". The fight was effectively over, Ryan's last combination is the final note, a crescendo that echoed through the ring.
As his opponent hit the canvas, the crowd erupted. Ryan stood in the center of the ring, his chest heaving, every fibre of his being alight with the thrill of victory. This wasn't just a win; it was a performance, a display of skill, heart, and the indomitable spirit of a fighter who had walked through fire and flames to the otherside and emerge victorious.
The final bell Rings with not a single chair in the arena warm; a thunderous clap erupts from the crowd. It was more than just applause; it was an acknowledgment of a battle fiercely fought by both men. In that moment ringside, in a triumphant victory, Ryan and Robin shared a look that spoke volumes, a connection far beyond the usual bounds of mentor and protégé. Their bond, tempered in the crucible of hardship and struggle, was now sealed in the glory of this defining triumph.
Standing amidst the cheers and the adrenaline-fueled euphoria, Ryan found himself momentarily lost in the tide of memories. It was a poignant reminder of the journey that had brought him here, a path marked by triumphs and losses. Robin's teachings transcended the confines of boxing; they were life lessons imprinted deep onto him. Ryan began to slowly step out of the ring; the weight of these reflections settled upon him. The victory was sweet, but it carried the weight of all sacrificed to achieve it. Robin's presence was felt strongly, a guiding force that continued to shape his path, illuminating the way forward even in the most challenging times.

4km + 0.5km = 4.5km 

Hey folks, spring is here and bike season is picking up fast. I've seen a lot of posts asking about buying bikes so I thought I'd take some time to put together a quick how to on buying a used bike. I'm going to update my post here with detailed pictures and more info if you want to check it out What to Look for When Buying a Used Mountain Bike. Lets get into it. Here's a link to a video I did on the subject to try to help out as well! https://youtu.be/hFpwf_c3YXU

What To Look for When Buying a Used Mountain Bike

Facebook Marketplace is full of more lunatics than a Philadelphia prison after the Eagles lose a Superbowl. You shouldn’t trust someone on there when buying a toaster let alone an expensive mountain bike. You’re putting your life on the bars of this bike so I’m going to take you step by step through the main things to look for when buying a used mountain bike.

Main Things to Look at When Buying a Used Mountain Bike

• The Frame
• The Suspension
• The Drivetrain
• The Brakes
• Everything Else

- The Frame -

Lets start with the most important thing first, the bikes frame. We have 3 main types of frames on bikes these days. In order of popularity there’s aluminum alloy, carbon fiber, and steel. The only one you don’t really have to worry about is steel. Steel bikes hold up incredibly well and you’ll be hard pressed to find a used mountain bike with a broken or damaged steel frame so we’re going to focus on the other two.
What to Look For
We’re looking for hairline cracks, dents, chips, and spots that seem suspiciously painted compared to the rest of the bike. Be thorough and take your time, I can bet Steve on Facebook marketplace doesn’t have the best return policy.
Where to Look
Now you know what to look for, lets get a better idea of specific locations to look at for damage on aluminum and carbon bikes.
Aluminum bikes are not as strong as steel but are generally stronger than carbon on most parts of the frame. If you’re looking at an aluminum bike the first places you should inspect are the welds on the bike. Specifically, check the welds on the chain stay, bottom bracket, and head tube (front, back, top and bottom) as these take the brunt of most impacts. If the bike has rear suspension, check the linkage as well. If the welds all look good, take a general look through the frame and see if there are any dents (usually on the down tube and chain stays). Like I said, aluminum bikes tend to be more resilient than carbon so we don’t have to worry about scratches.
Carbon bikes aren’t weak by any means, they do have different weak points compared to alloy though and its important you know what to look at. When looking at a carbon bike, the first things to check out are the chain stays as they love to find sharp rocks on the trail. Next up is the bottom bracket, most carbon bikes have a down tube protector but look for propagation of impact cracks near the bottom of the bike. Now, look over all of the linkages. Not just one or two, all of them. Pay close attention for cracks or chips on the outer and inner parts of all bolt holes. Now check the head tube. Flip the bike over, look all around the head tube but pay close attention to where it meets the down tube again looking for cracks or fractures propagating from the headset.
Summary / TLDR
Steel Bikes: Its fine
Aluminum Bikes: Check the welds for failure, check the chain stays
Carbon Bikes: Check ALL the linkages, check the head/down tube, check the chain stays, look for propagating cracks

- The Suspension -

Suspension is the next part of a bike that tends to get pretty banged up from normal abuse. It can sometimes be tricky to diagnose suspension issues, just look at how many posts on Pinkbike describe symptoms as “whoooshing” “squelching” “rough” or “not exactly feeling right “.
That’s more vague than Chuck on FB Marketplace’s ad for his “Used Mountain bike for sale, has wheels and seat”. I’ll try my best to make this easy and a little more clear for you cause suspension service ain’t cheap.
What to Look For
The easiest thing to start with is just looking for physical damage to the outside of the fork or shock. Start off by look at the stanchions. Suspension works on a thin margin so even small scratches and dents in the stanchions can lead to problems down the road (or should I say trail haha). If the damage is higher up on the stanchion (in a place that doesn't go through the seals often) the risks of it causing damage are much lower. Run your finger nail across any damage you find, if it catches your nail, tell Chuck to take a hundred or two off the bikes price. Next up are the seals. The seals should be sealing, cycle the suspension a few times and check for oil leaking out around the stanchions. All good? Great, now we can get into the vague stuff.
What to Feel For
Suspension should be smooth. Hop on the bike and cycle the suspension. Does it feel consistent throughout its stroke and does it rebound back up fairly smoothly? Hop off the bike, push the suspension down. Do you feel it sticking at the very beginning of the push but then it gets smooth once its compressed a bit? You shouldn’t be feeling any harsh movements, whether its at the top or bottom of the stroke. It also shouldn’t compress completely every time and it shouldn’t bounce you off the bike.
What to Listen For
Listen to the suspension as you compress and decompress it. Suspension makes noise, that’s normal but here’s what you don’t want to hear. Any sort of clanking or knocking noise is usually a sign of loose, defective, or worn internals. Let’s talk about the slurping/squelching because that’s actually a common one. When the suspension is rebounding (extending) listen for a noise that sounds like an annoying child trying to suck the last of his Slurpee through a straw. This is a sign that the rebound circuit needs service and you have oil and air mixing together. This can also appear on compression but remember its a slurping not a swishing, a bit of noise is normal.
Mess With the Dials
Last but not least, make sure the settings work as expected. This is honestly one of the first things I do but it doesn’t apply to everyone so I left for last. If the suspension has rebound and compression settings go between the highest and lowest settings and make sure they operate correctly. If you dial rebound down all the way, you should feel a noticeable BOUNCE when the suspension is coming back up. If you completely lock off compression, significantly more difficult to compress.
Summary / TLDR
Look for scratches on the stanchions and leaking oil
Feel for inconsistent compression and rebound
Listen for knocking or squelching, a nice quiet swish is normal
Test the settings for rebound and compression

- The Drivetrain -

We got the hard stuff out of the way, lets look at some relatively simple things starting with the drivetrains
What to Look For
Check the chain ring for damaged or broken teeth, should be quick and simple, this is pretty rare. Take a look at derailleur for damage, inspecting the cage and the wheels. Derailleurs can take a lot of damage but their hangers can’t I’ll cover this next.
What to Feel For
Hop on the bike and shift those gears, make sure that everything shifts smoothly from top to bottom. Check the highest and lowest gears to make everything engages as expected. Ride in both top and bottom gears for a minute. If the bike doesn’t shift properly, look up how to adjust the barrel screw on the shifter. If this doesn’t seem to helping you’re most likely dealing with a bent derailleur hanger. This is a relatively cheap part so I wouldn’t sweat it unless its hard to find online. Check the cranks and pedals for play. Cranks should not have any wiggle room and they should spin smoothly. Same goes for pedals, I’ve seen A LOT of cross threaded pedals.
Summary / TLDR
Shift through ALL the gears, top to bottom and back make sure it shifts smoothly. Most common issue is the derailleur hanger (cheap easily replaceable).
Check for play in crank, pedals, cassette, etc.

- The Brakes -

Make sure they stop the bike when you pull them. Just kidding, lets get into it.
What to Look For
Check for damage to the cables, there shouldn’t be hard kinks or cuts in the line. For hydraulic brakes, squeeze the levers and make sure there isn’t any fluid leaking. Look at the top around the levers and reservoir, check the bottom near the rotors and the pistons. Look at the rotors, do they have a shiny almost oily look to them? If they do and they don’t stop well the rotors may be damaged due to consistent over heating.
Brakes are generally easier to replace or repair, if you hear a loud squeak or train horn sound when braking, it could just be contaminated pads/rotors and easily resolved. The levers should not pull all the way to the bars, if they do it’s most likely just a lack of oil and quick bleed will resolve that.
Summary / TLDR
This ones short, just read it.

- Everything Else -

There’s a lot of stuff on a bike…
Lets quickly run through the remaining items that are worth a quick once over.

• The Dropper Post (where applicable): Make sure the dropper operates smoothly and easily. If not, look up the model of the dropper, if its a “sealed” unit, that means you can’t service it. A lot of times droppers are just struggling because of dirty seals on the stanchion.
• The Wheels: Make sure there aren’t any broken or missing spokes, spin the wheel, does it wobbly side to side aggressively? That means you need it trued at a shop. Check for dents or cracks in the rim. Some larger dents will mean your wheel won’t be able to hold a tubeless tire
• The Headset: Spin the bars a bit, make sure the headset feels smooth and doesn’t make any harsh noises that would indicate bad bearing

If there's anything you feel I should add to this let me know! All in all, I think it's worth taking a bit of extra time and checking the bike thoroughly before buying it but in the end don't overthink it. Bikes are great and they're made so we can have fun. Feel free to send me a message or comment if you have any questions!

The internet fitness space has been so overcomplicated, a lot s beginners develop fomo & shit, they don't realise how easy it is to build a decent amount of muscle on your starting years. I have been there researching the best Diet/program possible, it got me nowhere. So, here it is, what worked for me and my friends

• You need to focus on these 5 things in descending order : Hormones, Vitamins & Minerals, 8 hr Sleep daily, Macros, Actually Working Out

Nothing else to focus on
I am not going to give workout advice in this guide. Newbies can get shit ton of muscle even with unproper training as long as the factors below are perfect. Then once they are not newbies anymore they can improve their programs for even better gains.

1 Nutrition & Lifestyle

Your nutrition & lifestyle are 100x more important than workouts. Sure, you can get a decent amount of muscle with the 'if it fits your macros' mentality, but why do that when you can focus on your nutrition more and get much more muscle along with health benefits? Here are some nutritional nutritions

1. Realise that fad diets like keto carnivore paleo are for people with a condition/high body fat or those who don't take working out seriously, these diets will get you nowhere for actual muscle growth as they are notorious for being low carb. Carbs are important for Optimal testosterone production & hormone balance, increasing free testosterone & of course energy.
   
2. Focus on essential Vitamins & Minerals (micros) instead of macros, as by God's grace foods with top Tier micronutrient profiles are rich in Proteins & Fats. The 'recommended daily amount' (rda) for a micro is for not causing a deficiency, you need to be in surplus of rda for most of your Vitamins & Minerals.
   
3. Get a decent surplus of these micros :
   

• Vitamin A (Focus on Animal sources instead of plant sources for active form, like Whole Egg, Liver (best source) & Cheese. Retinol has more uses in body apart from eyes)
  
• Vitamin B Complex (Eating Meat, Fish & Eggs will get you anabolic levels of all Vitamin b except Thiamine (b1) as Pork is not consumed in india)
  
• Choline (Eat your damn whole Eggs man, Choline is so underrated)
  
• Vitamin C (Eat your fruits & vegetables, in moderation of course, you dont want to get high amounts of fructose from fruits & oxalates from veggies. Focus on cruciferous vegetables whuch generally have low oxalates. Vitamin C protects your balls, literally, by reducing oxidative stress, inflammation)
  
• Vitamin D (this is where it gets difficult as even from sunlight it is hard to get good levels of Vitamin D, forget about getting it from dietary sources, but this shouldn't stop you from getting your morning sunlight DAILY. UVB light, and mushrooms dried in uvb light or even Normal sunlight may help. Vitamin D is literally a hormone, it is the single most important vitamin for bodybuilding.)
  
• Vitamin E (also becomes difficult as the best source of this testosterone boosting Vitamin are Nuts & Seeds which are notorious for having phytic Acid, which reduces nutrient absorption. Always soak your Nuts and seeds,and eat in moderation. Get cronometer app and check your micros there to be sure you are getting tons of this shit)
  
• Vitamin K (Focus on K2 from animal sources rather than k1 from plant sources, eat your hard cheeses & whole Eggs. Much more beneficial than calcium for bone health.)
  
• Boron (This shit has long lasting impacts on testosterone production and liberation. You need well over 5 mg Boron for impacts. Raisins have the most Boron, upto 3 mg per 100g. Avocados also have a lot, 3 mg per 1 Avocado. Apricots, Almonds & some other Nuts also have decent amount. Focus on eating small amounts of some of these foods daily to get atleast 5-6 mg boron)
  
• Zinc (My research on Zinc made me hate the Indian Diet even more, controversial, but the average Indian Diet, even a non vegetarian one can cause Zinc deficiency, when it's the most important mineral by far, increasing testosterone ten fold, promoting prostate health, useful for reaching 8 hr sleep mark daily, and it has 100s of other benefits. It is commonly found in oysters & Red Meat. But seeing as Red Meat is not so common in India, I don't know why though as Red Meats like beef & lamb have the most nu-trition out of any food in the world, and oysters being expensive, you can get decent amount of Zinc from chicken thighs)
  
• Copper (Not that much benefits for bodybuilding other than countering high Zinc levels. Zinc-copper Ratio is important to prevent stuff like hair loss. It is found in variety of foods)
  
• Magnesium (Extremely underutilized mineral, most bodybuilders flock on Supplements for this one. The best dietary source is dark Greens & seeds, but due to high oxalates from former and high phytic Acid from latter, would recommend getting them from Cruciferous vegetables & Meats instead. You cannot afford to be deficient in magnesium, up there with Zinc as the minerals with most anabolic effects & 8 hr sleep mark)
  
• Selenium (won't need to worry about it, just eat your Eggs, Meat & Fish to have extra Heavy amounts of selenium)
  
• Potassium (The most important electrolyte by far for energy & hydration. I made this list focusing on testosterone but energy & hydration is equally important. You need well over 4700 mg Potassium Daily, and most people don't even get 2500 mg, due to poor Diet. Account for sweat as upto 500 mg Potassium can be lost from sweat due to long Intense workouts or prolonged sunlight exposure. Like i always say, get the damn cronometer. Bananas are a shit source of Potassium, only 300-500 mg per banana depending on size, instead focus on avocados, meats, fish, greens. Trust me you really dont want to dose on 4 or 5 bananas daily to get decent amounts of potassium, 1 or 2 is still fine but you need to manage your fructose.)
  
• Iodine (what's the point in building muscle if your thyroid is not proper, eat your damn eggs & cheeses!)
  
• Other Micros like Manganese, Calcium, Phosphorus, folate, Iron, Vitamin k1, sodium and whatever I missed are very important for overall health, do NOT neglect them, but they don't do much for testosterone and bodybuilding in general.
  

2 The Best Diet

• A Diet that requires you to take Supplements to manage micronutrient balance is bad. We all know how expensive & adulterated that shit is. Sorry fellow vegans, keto, carnivore, paleo, pescatarian enjoyers, your diet can get you somewhere but is deficient in a few extremely important Vitamins & Minerals. In fact these fad diets except the vegan Diet neglect an important macro which is Carbs. Some people think Carbs = bad, which is not the case. Fat people and skinny fat people should keep keto level Carbs before afternoon/evening workout, then eat tons of carbs post workout to not impact insulin sensitivity. Insulin is hyperactive in morning, you can gain a lot of fat by eating carb foods in morning. Except Fiber, don't consume any carb before workout if you fat/skinny fat. For fat and skinny fat people, I recommend reducing Rice and Wheat intake, and consuming them post workout.
  
• The Pedestal of foods : Whole Egg, Meat & Fish
  

I eat 6 boiled Eggs a day, no cholesterol problems at all. Also eat tons of chicken Thighs and eat a can of Sardines. This can get you upto 130g+ Proteins & 80g+ fats easily, which is why people don't need to worry about macros, worry about micros instead. These 3 foods are nutrient dense, get cronometer, plug in these, just check their micro profile.
Other foods you need to eat :

• Cruciferous Vegetables (I recommend cauliflower, Cabbage, fermented vegetables, arugula, broccoli)
• Fruits (except Avocados, consume fruit in moderation due to fructose, I recommend Pineapples (it has enzymes which improve digestion), Watermelon (has L-citrulline which slightly increases the pump), Dry fruits (especially Raisins & apricots for the boron), and that's it. You can do Avocado cycles instead of steroid cycles, it will do much better.)
• Fatty foods (Avocado, Butter, cheese, extra virgin olive oil FTW)
• Grains (Increase grain amount only if you bulking, if you are in weight loss you can completely eliminate them or eat them post workout)
• Dairy (Cheese is much more loaded with micros than milk, but milk is better for bulking. The only dairy I recommend is milk & Cheese with Butter or ghee)

Foods you should be careful of :

• Fructose sugar (Will probably cause fatty liver & make you fat if you consume lot of fruits. Many people think fruits are healthier than other carbs but the fructose makes it worse. This is why you should eat the best of the best fruits and not apples or mangoes so that you consume less and get more. Ex. Pineapple, Watermelon, Raisins, i only consume these 3 fruits to get my vitamin c, digestive enzymes, l citrulline & boron. But avocados, man this fruit is op, no fructose, tons of healthy fat, and good amount of boron & potassium)
• Seed oils/ vegetables oils (found in junk food, use extra virgin olive oil instead of the random ass cooking oils in your home)
• High oxalate foods (Research mixed on this one, just see how your body responds with foods like Spinach, beets, Potatoes, nut butters and all, then change stuff in your diet wrt that)
• High phytic Acid foods (as much as I love Nuts they need to be consumed in moderation, limit to 5 soaked Nuts per day, 10 is the maximum. Whole grains can be completely eliminated, they usually are loaded with phytic acid & toxic metals)
• Foods loaded with Toxic Metals (Predatory Fishes, Dark Chocolate, Brown Rice, Brown Bread)
• Plastic (I know it's not a food, but still avoid using plastic boxes, containers, and shit like that)
  
• Best tip of the day : get the fkin cronometer, you don't need premium you can work well with free version, I am not sponsoring this shit just just get an app that allows you to track your micros, you do not need to overuse it every day, just check if you are getting your Vitamins & Minerals, and of course macros.
  

So, in summary - Focus on your Hormones, by Hormones I mean managing stress (cortisol) as it destroys your testosterone, focus on your testosterone, manage insulin levels especially if you are in weight loss / body recomp - Eggs, Meat & Fish are part and parcel of bodybuilding, as there is no substitute for each of the three. The ridiculous amounts of Eggs and Meat you need to eat can be worrisome due to the packed cholesterol, you need to realise your body isn't stupid and lowers production of cholesterol if you're already getting it from dietary sources. Worry about cholesterol only if you are by definition overweight. - Macro Goals : - For high quality proteins focus on Eggs Meat & Fish. - For monounsaturated Fats (the king of lipids) focus on Olive Oil, Avocados, Eggs, Fish, Meat. Most of your fat calories should come from this. - For saturated Fats focus on Eggs, Meat, dairy, preferably the hard cheeses. This should contribute the 2nd highest fat calories. - For polyunsaturated fats (pufas), completely abandon using those lanky ass cooking oils & eating burgers & pizzas all day, too much pufas is detrimental to health, you can get enough pufas from Eggs, Meat & Fish. Fish actually has the better pufa which is Omega 3 (dha), and I would have to say Omega 3 from Fish and Omega 3 from other foods is not the same. Dha is only found in fatty Fishes, you need it for controlling inflammation, and it is also anabolic as fuck compared to Omega 3s and Omega 6s from shit like oils and seeds. - For carbs keep it simple : white Rice, White bread, dairy, fruits. If you bulking atleast 50% of your calories should come from carbs. If not focus on lowering carbs and increasing protein, keep your carbs for post workout and don't dose on chapatis, eat easily digested food like white rice & liquids.

• Try to implement changes in your diet Gradually, like adding Zinc rich foods and Boron rich foods first as most of you are probably deficient in these, then Magnesium & Potassium, removing cooking oils and junk food, and just like that. This is a journey, not a decision.

Hello there fellow reapers!
“The past never changes—and from what I can see, neither does the future!”
― Neal Shusterman, Scythe
Thor is our reading buddy this and the following week. He is very happy about it.
Please review our schedule here. Our next check in will be May 16th covering chapters 16 - 25
Feel free to view our Marginalia here. Though beware of spoilers.. Ahem.. I mean other Scythe.
Welcome to the first check in. If you need a refresher of what we read, please review the chapter summaries from LitCharts, though be aware of potential spoilers. Below will be a few questions that I had while reading and suspect others may have had as well! Please add more information or your own questions below as well.
Thanks!
-Hubs & Thor

[This is quite a long and unsympathetic life story, so beware. If you don't want to engage in a whole life situation that is fine and you should skip it.]
Support: I have real trouble understanding where I am, how permanent my situation is, what I can actually do. I have this therapist, it's not going as well as I'd want. Should I voice those concerns? Am I at a stage where this is my set-in-stone brain chemistry? Will I never be able to connect to anyone? How should I actually solve this. I feel as if I have been sick for 14 years. I know what normal is, I have experienced it, and did experience it a bit again last fall, how do I get back to it?!
Intro and summary for those who don’t wanna read it all:
So, it took my a pretty damn long time to figure out that I value people in my life, I was 22 when I got my first deep existensial crisis which lasted for like 2 weeks. Up until that point I had truly deluded myself in so many ways.
What worries me is the immense amount of time it seems to take for my mind to cope. Having like 1 socialization event per semester is just not feasible in any way. It’s like what I do in 1 year people do in 1 week, and I think what is hurting me mostly is the way I go “out-of-practice”, during last semester, once me and the group spent more time together and my social machine got oiled, things felt better. But it was a group in school, they didn’t necessarily want to spend time with me, they had to, and maybe that is why it felt good. But the social anxiety just grasps its claws around my neck keeping me from doing what I know I really want and need, the cycle of having a socialization event going okay, living off the “high” from that, go back to isolation because of What-if scenarios and anxious thoughts, stay there until it becomes unbearable, socialize out of desperation, etc. This semester is coming to a close, after this one I have 4 more. Time is running out and I feel utterly damaged, and in my worst moments, beyond repair.
ADHD [So, during my very early years, I would say I excibited real signs of ADHD, I was very very impulsive, I once threw a brick at one of my friends (like 8-9 years old), for absolutely no reason... I wasn't angry, we were actually laughing. I have stolen countless of money from my parents. My parents initiated a ADHD evaluation at age 14, but did the mistake of letting me be the final say, which I declined. I have now, after so damn long gotten an appointment for preliminary evaluation, so I hope this will give me some sort of answer.]
During high-school (from 16 to 19 in my country) I just "attended" hung out with some of the more geeky types you now, although I never really shared that much of their interests, they were the ones who tolerated me. I was a pretty normal kid up until 12 years old, doing sports having friends, had girls interested in me (for like 10, 11 year olds but anyway), that stuff, until I stupidly stole a pair of shoes from a classmate, was found out and justifyible berated. But, it just sunk my confidence to bare minimum and since that day my sort of new default mode was "I am bad, I am disliked". So in high-school, I was comfortably at the bottom of everything, everybody was better, more handsome, more intelligent, etc, so my mind coped by sort of creating a mental mode of "Oh, I don't need people, I'm gonna learn myself programming and get rich." Which I of course never did really. It was just an escape and excuse for my mind. So, went through high-school, pretty much not developing any serious later teenage social skills, by just hanging out with the same bunch of people who adoped me in elementary school. Graduated with average GPA (or its equivalent in my home country), and couldn't really get into any university I wanted (still deluded, so I wanted to get into computer engineering without being any good at math, but decent at basic programming). So I started working, odd jobs, warehouses, IT-service, botched them all, by calling in sick for like 20 days straight, until they, again justifyibly fired me, I took a university course in music and took government student aid for that (everyone does it in my country) but failed the course so if I wanted to study in the future I'd have to get those credits before being eligble for student aid and loan. 3 years of work and unemployment. Then I applied for a uni program which wasn't the one I wanted to get into, but my parents (which is a whole other story of its own with stealing money, weight gain prompting panic solutions and constant scoldings, again "I am bad") eagerly pushed me to start studying although I didn't really have any motivation to study (or anything else for that matter), and I had't yet caught up with my credits (which I hadn't told my parents, keeping an outward persona even to those closest to me is a common theme for me). [Tangent: I borrowed my parents car and drove to the city where the campus was for an intro day. I remember walking along with some people, and I asked a girl some questions, about you know the usual stuff, after a period of silence as we walked along she turned her head back at me and smiled at me, I remember it to this day... Yeah, that is now 3 and a half years ago...]
So the first break happened that August when I started a program I couldn't even study at since it was another city and I couldn't get the aid and loan, so I had to come up with some excuse for it to the parents like it didn't feel right and that I wanted to study up for the SAT. I basically laid under a blanket not eating for 2 weeks, watching the movie "2012" like 3 times in a day, reading Tolstoy of all things. The thing in my mind that broke was the unforseeable future, suddenly my life sort of shrunk, my life was a finished product, I was going to die homeless and alone and I bloody well deserved it. This is when I finally realized, after 22 years on this earth, that people matter, took me long enough to understand. It's damn incredible how I managed to keep this persona of having it together towards my family... I worked like a month during the fall and during the spring, my 4th year after graduation, I finally took some courses which would grant me my credits needed. I also studied up for the SAT and amazingly ended up in the 95th percentile, which would get me into most of the programs in my country. So finally, things felt like they were getting back on track. Summer passed, I moved to another city starting computer engineering, my parents were all proud and stuff (which felt okay, but the guilt stemming from all that had happened, along with this obvious feeling of "You're bloody 23 years old..." weighed down on me heavily).
But, getting out into the social world after spending 4 years with no social connection except my concerned parents and occasionally meeting my "friends" (quotations on my behalf, they are good people), I was damn overwhelmed. Suddenly meeting 30 people who all seemed to be the way I was, in my mind, "supposed" to be, social, good looking etc, overwhelmed me profusely. So the first day which was 2 weeks before courses began, meant to be an intro to university life, I quickly retreated to my dorm room. When courses started I was, once again (are you as frustrated yet, as I am with myself...) alone, isolated, the "other", possibilities litterally within my grasp, but the anxiety of it all combined with my self-image that started at 12 years old, made me isolate myself. Due to this, I utterly failed my courses, especially the math, remember how I never was any good at math, but my delusion of "well, when I start studiying in some conceptual future, I am gonna have the motivation and work ethic to pull through" just made it into a joke. The first semester I took half of the total credits, basically zero of any math stuff, when there were group projects I tended to pull through a bit more, since a social setting, although very temporary, helps me. Second semester I took 1/4th of the credits, so I once again, had to take external courses (which I took in music, having a talent for it) to be eligible for student housing and student loan (for context we are eligible for a total of 6 years, or 12 semesters). I, once again, during summer, retreated into a delusion that I could study up on all the courses I had failed. New semester, similar, passed programming stuff, completely lost on anything math. Christmas came and passed, (I was also at this point at my heaviest around 310 lbs at 6'0) next semester I took more external courses to rack up the credits, but now I was so behind in the program that I knew I would have to look for something else. I had now, finally, applied for a therapist, but it was going have to wait until fall due to waiting time. I applied to a program combining business and programming. Summer came and passed. This was the final push, 6 semesters of 3 years is what I had left of student loan, if I failed that, move back without a degree to my parents, back to square one basically.
So, last fall, 25 years old... I started this new program, I opted out of the intro week (of course). When the courses began it was better suited for me, no math, but also geared heavily towards group projects. In this first semester the teachers paired us into groups of 4. Worth noting here, is that I also got a medication for my hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating, which contributed immensely to my social anxiety). With this new medication along with starting therapy for social anxiety, I got this new sense of hope, and it actually lingered. The group I ended up in, 2 girls, 1 guy, was a saving grace for me. I finally got back to the feeling I once had all those years ago before the age of 12, I could talk to them, be funny, focus on the group projects, help them a lot with the programming aspects, it felt exilirating and exciting as hell. I also joined a student association which shared in some of my interests, where I also felt I had something in common with these people, and I also joined a book club where we met online once a week. And I also moved to a new dorm room where I actually started to talk to the people in my dorm, having dinners every Sunday. So I finally got some social structure in my life. Along with the therapy where we tried to make sense of all my behaviors. I also got into weight loss (now at this moment having lost 60 lbs), which very obviously was aided- although not entirely -by this new socialization, I actually had a reason to take care of my appearence. Last fall was the most socialization I had had for a staggering 7 years after high-school. Now, this semester, new groups were to be formed by ourselves, the other people in my previous group went to form groups seperately with people they knew. I seriously considered asking them if they wanted to go on this semester too (notice how I think asking this is a "serious consideration"), but did not. I however, joined another group and we haven’t clicked I would say.
What worries me is the immense amount of time it seems to take for my mind to cope. Having like 1 socialization event per semester is just not feasible in any way. It’s like what I do in 1 year people do in 1 week, and I think what is hurting me mostly is the way I go “out-of-practice”, during last semester, once me and the group spent more time together and my social machine got oiled, things felt better. But it was a group in school, they didn’t necessarily want to spend time with me, they had to, and maybe that is why it felt good. But the social anxiety just grasps its claws around my neck keeping me from doing what I know I really want and need, the cycle of having a socialization event going okay, living off the “high” from that, go back to isolation because of What-if scenarios and anxious thoughts, stay there until it becomes unbearable, socialize out of desperation, etc. This semester is coming to a close, after this one I have 4 more. Time is running out and I feel utterly damaged, and in my worst moments, beyond repair.
Am I at a stage where this is my set-in-stone brain chemistry? Will I never be able to connect to anyone? How should I actually solve this. I feel as if I have been sick for 14 years. I know what normal is, I have experienced it, and did experience it a bit again last fall, how do I get back to it?!

An Aggregated Summary of Human and Alien Comparisons
By Dr. Krill, Dr. Katie Quinn, and Dr. Adric Dracondi
It has long been known, since humans were first introduced onto the galactic stage, that humans are, arguably, the most powerful sentient alien species in the known universe. These are not simply popular conjectures by nonscientific minds, but the scientific community itself has conducted multiple studies regarding the adaptability and prowess of the human in comparison to other species. Many of these studies have examined, intelligence, hunting prowess, strength, and adaptability as their primary focus, (Diss, A., Wallin, G., and Millard; Wix and Veen). Based on these prior studies, this paper will attempt to summarize the overall strength of a human based on their homeworld evolution, comparison to other species, and their technological interplay.
Humans have existed on their home planet of earth for roughly 200,000 years. In comparison to other alien species, they are rather young, and still within the historical memory of the Rundi, who have existed through two major technology jumps, leaving much of their older historical records lost to time (Keple, J., et, all). Humanity began its life in the Miocene Epoch climbing through trees in the African Savanna using both their feet and hands as tools for climbing. During this time, they developed the ability to stand upright in order to use their hands for foraging. This gave them an increased ability to forage, and allowed them to share their food between pack members, creating, what we now understand to be, the human's social bonds (Keller, A., Winzer, C, V., and Pellar, Q). Of course, this wasn't the only reason for human's increased social bonds. Sometime during this period, the African Savanna went through a period of natural deforestation, reducing the number of trees humans could climb. For this reason, they were forced to turn to the ground where larger predators lurked (Huntsman, J,. Et. Al). At this point in time humans did not have many advantages against large predators, and even as of now, an unarmed human against most mid-sized predators is going to lose. Compared to their own planetary predators, humans are not very fast, not very strong and not particularly dangerous when viewed alone. However, one of the human's greatest advantages was originally their pack sizes encouraging cooperation among members to both protect each other and watch for predators. Predators would be much less likely to hunt a human in a large pack, just as they are less likely to hunt other animals if they are in large groups preferring to attack those who are alone, weak or sick (Keller, A., Winzer, C, V., and Pellar, Q).
Why then, were humans able to survive at all as they have some serious strategic disadvantages? Humans are slow, have no trees to climb, poor smell, arguably poor hearing, and dismal strength in comparison to Savannah predators. Furthermore, the transition into humans walking upright caused the narrowing of the pelvic bone, which would become an issue as humans continued to evolve. The answer to this question comes with later iterations of the evolved humans. After their descent from the trees, humans gained a few important abilities: first of all they lost all of their fur, giving them the ability to sweat, their legs were lengthened and their arms were shortened giving them a superior sense of balance for throwing, and their cranial size increased giving them the ability to use and create tools for cracking bone which would aid them in foraging: the increased brain size would later give them the unique ability to speak. These two distinctions being important precursors for sentient life (Wheeler., R, Winter, F., And Nix., L).
The human ability to sweat, coupled with their upright walk gave humans the natural ability to run while carrying tools, such as spears and weapons. Early humans evolved for running long distances. The arches of their feet act as springs which depress and spring back as they run. Tendons in the back of the ankle do the same, while powerful muscles in their lower backs and butts keep them standing upright and provide power. Humans keep their balance using muscles in their shoulders, and the swinging of their arms gives extra momentum and balance. The head is held in place by special tendons on the sides of their necks, while their eyes and brains correct for the bouncing of their gait. Furthermore, while other animals require panting and shade to cool off, human sweat rolls into the skin and then evaporates, cooling them off as they move. In this way, humans are superior at long distance running and often used pursuit predation to run their prey to death before spearing them with tools they made (Dillinger, F., and Walker, P). While many animals on their planet are capable of throwing, humanity's long legs and short arms gives them the superior balance required to throw hard without losing their balance giving them the advantage of long-distance weapons. Coupled with tool making, humans did not have to directly interact with much of the prey they were hunting.
During this time humans grew more socialized and pack oriented. As their brains got bigger, childbirth became more dangerous, and their offspring were forced to be born earlier and more underdeveloped than ever before. Packs grew in size as did family groups. Their ability to speak was probably one of their greatest accomplishments, though ironically, the drop of their larynx into their neck, which supported the transition to speaking, also made them more prone to choking (Huntsman, J,. Et. Al). As the climate on earth gradually began to change, humans moved north using their tools and abilities to survive in colder and colder climates. Different iterations of humanity formed, the Neanderthals VS the Sapiens for a time before the Neanderthals eventually merged with the Sapiens or died out. Humans gained the ability to bond with other animals – a trick which only the Rundi have separately managed. In turn this sparked the rapid evolution of technology which eventually led them to space travel.
Humans may appear impressive to most outside alien species, but on their planet, domination came about only because of luck, and adaptability. Their evolution to walking on two feet was the catalyst for them being smart enough to outmaneuver heavier and more dangerous species.
Now as we examine sentient species today, we can examine a few commonalities between the groups. The first being the ability to speak. No sentient species has evolved without some sort of communicatory language. The starborn can speak telepathically, and most other species vocally. The Lumens and the Mikes also communicate based on light frequencies, though these are still translatable into structural sentences if one knows what they are doing. Even the Adaptids have a very base and rudimentary speech which requires the use of smell (Krill, 4020). Another common trait is hands or other limbs used for the manipulation of objects. While some aliens also developed the ability to stand upright on two legs: Drev, Tvek, Finnari, Gnar’lak. Some retain that ability only partially: Rundi, Kree, while the vast majority require at least three or more limbs to stay upright using tails to balance or adding extra legs for stability like: Tesraki, Vrul, Iotins Burg etc. regardless of walking upright all of these creatures have the ability to manipulate objects to use tools.
The question now remains. Where do humans and other aliens stack up? The answer seems clear in that humans are not powerful because of their dominance in one specific area, but because humans are generalists where others are specialists. There is a human saying that goes along well with this research. Jack of all trades, the master of none, but better than the master of one. A general knowledge of everything seems to be the precursor for being the best survivalists. Let us examine intelligence first, as we know Rundi, Tesraki, Burg and Drev are comparable to humans, which are all well behind Vrul and Gibb in average intelligence, though intelligence is one of the more difficult factors as intelligence is an important prerequisite to space travel (Kisk., Gana., Fuller., and Millward). Humans are not the fastest, that goes to the Rundi, though they are the second fastest, and can arguably outdistance a Rundi in a footrace. Human hearing isn't as good as a Tesraki, but better than most others just as their eyesight isn't nearly as good as a Drev, but still much more powerful than others. Drev also take the main spot as being one of the strongest with humans closely behind. Smell is a relatively rare ability among nonhuman species, though the Drev have it to some degree. The Adaptids are known for their superior smelling ability, though it is arguable if they count as sentient just yet. Starborn can survive in space, which is an ability that no other nonhuman species has, except for humans who can survive for about 15 seconds in the vacuum of space with damage: the only known case of this being of course Admiral Vir, who is as of now, the only human to have attempted this maneuver at all.
The argument we make here is not based primarily on human abilities, which seem second to all, but based primarily about how these interacted with their technological advances. Humans are the youngest species EVER to reach space, and that includes the Drev. In fact, most humans still possess instincts which are often lacking in older sentient species, replaced by thought and logic. A human is still said to be able to sense danger before it comes, and can read body language better than any other sentient species currently known, which has much to do with the juvenile nature of their species. Furthermore, human durability is one of the greatest factors.
The average human can stand about 5gs of force without passing out while trained humans can reach up to sustained 12gs. Most alien species on the other hand had to find ways to keep their craft below 4gs at all times in order to avoid passing out. Nonhumans spent much longer developing their technology before reaching space, while humans were busy strapping rockets to tin cans. A similar situation can be noted with the Drev, who can sustain 7 to 8gs if trained. Both of their species were allowed to leave their planet before fully developing out of their more primitive natures, as was common with other nonhuman or Drev species. In general, human and Drev durability have allowed them to operate machinery which would be too dangerous for other species, giving them a time advantage in the race to the stars.
At this point one might wonder if Drev are comparable to humans, after all Drev are stronger, more durable and just as intelligent as humans. This is true of course, but humans do have some strategic advantages, long distance running ability, pack bonding, and superior technology development, which might have been negated if it weren't for the Drev religion which calls into question the nature of technology as dishonorable. Furthermore, though they can distinguish less colors than Drev, human sense of smell and hearing is stronger, giving them a distinct battlefield advantage in at least once sense as they are able to pinpoint the direction and height of sounds where Drev have trouble.
A discussion about the abilities of humans can go on all day, though the conclusion scientists have agreed upon focuses primarily on human adaptability and generalization skills as the primary function of their abilities, and seeming power over other species. It seems good then that human pack bonding instincts easily travels across species making them relatively easy to make alliances with compared to some other, more stubborn species.
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FYI, this is a story COLLECTION. Lots of standalones technically. So, you can basically start to read at any chapter, no pre-read of the other chapters needed technically (other than maybe getting better descriptions of characters than: Adam Vir=human, Krill=antlike alien, Sunny=tall alien, Conn=telepathic alien). The numbers are (mostly) only for organization of posts and continuity.
OC Written by Charlie Stastarrfallknightrise,
Typed up and then posted here by me.
Proofreading and language check for some chapters by u/Finbar9800 u/BakeGullible9975 u/Didnotseemecomein and u/medium_jock
Future Lore and fact check done by me.
Science stuff… yaaay?
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Want to find a specific one, see the whole list or check fanart?
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An Aggregated Summary of Human and Alien Comparisons
By Dr. Krill, Dr. Katie Quinn, and Dr. Adric Dracondi
It has long been known, since humans were first introduced onto the galactic stage, that humans are, arguably, the most powerful sentient alien species in the known universe. These are not simply popular conjectures by nonscientific minds, but the scientific community itself has conducted multiple studies regarding the adaptability and prowess of the human in comparison to other species. Many of these studies have examined, intelligence, hunting prowess, strength, and adaptability as their primary focus, (Diss, A., Wallin, G., and Millard; Wix and Veen). Based on these prior studies, this paper will attempt to summarize the overall strength of a human based on their homeworld evolution, comparison to other species, and their technological interplay.
Humans have existed on their home planet of earth for roughly 200,000 years. In comparison to other alien species, they are rather young, and still within the historical memory of the Rundi, who have existed through two major technology jumps, leaving much of their older historical records lost to time (Keple, J., et, all). Humanity began its life in the Miocene Epoch climbing through trees in the African Savanna using both their feet and hands as tools for climbing. During this time, they developed the ability to stand upright in order to use their hands for foraging. This gave them an increased ability to forage, and allowed them to share their food between pack members, creating, what we now understand to be, the human's social bonds (Keller, A., Winzer, C, V., and Pellar, Q). Of course, this wasn't the only reason for human's increased social bonds. Sometime during this period, the African Savanna went through a period of natural deforestation, reducing the number of trees humans could climb. For this reason, they were forced to turn to the ground where larger predators lurked (Huntsman, J,. Et. Al). At this point in time humans did not have many advantages against large predators, and even as of now, an unarmed human against most mid-sized predators is going to lose. Compared to their own planetary predators, humans are not very fast, not very strong and not particularly dangerous when viewed alone. However, one of the human's greatest advantages was originally their pack sizes encouraging cooperation among members to both protect each other and watch for predators. Predators would be much less likely to hunt a human in a large pack, just as they are less likely to hunt other animals if they are in large groups preferring to attack those who are alone, weak or sick (Keller, A., Winzer, C, V., and Pellar, Q).
Why then, were humans able to survive at all as they have some serious strategic disadvantages? Humans are slow, have no trees to climb, poor smell, arguably poor hearing, and dismal strength in comparison to Savannah predators. Furthermore, the transition into humans walking upright caused the narrowing of the pelvic bone, which would become an issue as humans continued to evolve. The answer to this question comes with later iterations of the evolved humans. After their descent from the trees, humans gained a few important abilities: first of all they lost all of their fur, giving them the ability to sweat, their legs were lengthened and their arms were shortened giving them a superior sense of balance for throwing, and their cranial size increased giving them the ability to use and create tools for cracking bone which would aid them in foraging: the increased brain size would later give them the unique ability to speak. These two distinctions being important precursors for sentient life (Wheeler., R, Winter, F., And Nix., L).
The human ability to sweat, coupled with their upright walk gave humans the natural ability to run while carrying tools, such as spears and weapons. Early humans evolved for running long distances. The arches of their feet act as springs which depress and spring back as they run. Tendons in the back of the ankle do the same, while powerful muscles in their lower backs and butts keep them standing upright and provide power. Humans keep their balance using muscles in their shoulders, and the swinging of their arms gives extra momentum and balance. The head is held in place by special tendons on the sides of their necks, while their eyes and brains correct for the bouncing of their gait. Furthermore, while other animals require panting and shade to cool off, human sweat rolls into the skin and then evaporates, cooling them off as they move. In this way, humans are superior at long distance running and often used pursuit predation to run their prey to death before spearing them with tools they made (Dillinger, F., and Walker, P). While many animals on their planet are capable of throwing, humanity's long legs and short arms gives them the superior balance required to throw hard without losing their balance giving them the advantage of long-distance weapons. Coupled with tool making, humans did not have to directly interact with much of the prey they were hunting.
During this time humans grew more socialized and pack oriented. As their brains got bigger, childbirth became more dangerous, and their offspring were forced to be born earlier and more underdeveloped than ever before. Packs grew in size as did family groups. Their ability to speak was probably one of their greatest accomplishments, though ironically, the drop of their larynx into their neck, which supported the transition to speaking, also made them more prone to choking (Huntsman, J,. Et. Al). As the climate on earth gradually began to change, humans moved north using their tools and abilities to survive in colder and colder climates. Different iterations of humanity formed, the Neanderthals VS the Sapiens for a time before the Neanderthals eventually merged with the Sapiens or died out. Humans gained the ability to bond with other animals – a trick which only the Rundi have separately managed. In turn this sparked the rapid evolution of technology which eventually led them to space travel.
Humans may appear impressive to most outside alien species, but on their planet, domination came about only because of luck, and adaptability. Their evolution to walking on two feet was the catalyst for them being smart enough to outmaneuver heavier and more dangerous species.
Now as we examine sentient species today, we can examine a few commonalities between the groups. The first being the ability to speak. No sentient species has evolved without some sort of communicatory language. The starborn can speak telepathically, and most other species vocally. The Lumens and the Mikes also communicate based on light frequencies, though these are still translatable into structural sentences if one knows what they are doing. Even the Adaptids have a very base and rudimentary speech which requires the use of smell (Krill, 4020). Another common trait is hands or other limbs used for the manipulation of objects. While some aliens also developed the ability to stand upright on two legs: Drev, Tvek, Finnari, Gnar’lak. Some retain that ability only partially: Rundi, Kree, while the vast majority require at least three or more limbs to stay upright using tails to balance or adding extra legs for stability like: Tesraki, Vrul, Iotins Burg etc. regardless of walking upright all of these creatures have the ability to manipulate objects to use tools.
The question now remains. Where do humans and other aliens stack up? The answer seems clear in that humans are not powerful because of their dominance in one specific area, but because humans are generalists where others are specialists. There is a human saying that goes along well with this research. Jack of all trades, the master of none, but better than the master of one. A general knowledge of everything seems to be the precursor for being the best survivalists. Let us examine intelligence first, as we know Rundi, Tesraki, Burg and Drev are comparable to humans, which are all well behind Vrul and Gibb in average intelligence, though intelligence is one of the more difficult factors as intelligence is an important prerequisite to space travel (Kisk., Gana., Fuller., and Millward). Humans are not the fastest, that goes to the Rundi, though they are the second fastest, and can arguably outdistance a Rundi in a footrace. Human hearing isn't as good as a Tesraki, but better than most others just as their eyesight isn't nearly as good as a Drev, but still much more powerful than others. Drev also take the main spot as being one of the strongest with humans closely behind. Smell is a relatively rare ability among nonhuman species, though the Drev have it to some degree. The Adaptids are known for their superior smelling ability, though it is arguable if they count as sentient just yet. Starborn can survive in space, which is an ability that no other nonhuman species has, except for humans who can survive for about 15 seconds in the vacuum of space with damage: the only known case of this being of course Admiral Vir, who is as of now, the only human to have attempted this maneuver at all.
The argument we make here is not based primarily on human abilities, which seem second to all, but based primarily about how these interacted with their technological advances. Humans are the youngest species EVER to reach space, and that includes the Drev. In fact, most humans still possess instincts which are often lacking in older sentient species, replaced by thought and logic. A human is still said to be able to sense danger before it comes, and can read body language better than any other sentient species currently known, which has much to do with the juvenile nature of their species. Furthermore, human durability is one of the greatest factors.
The average human can stand about 5gs of force without passing out while trained humans can reach up to sustained 12gs. Most alien species on the other hand had to find ways to keep their craft below 4gs at all times in order to avoid passing out. Nonhumans spent much longer developing their technology before reaching space, while humans were busy strapping rockets to tin cans. A similar situation can be noted with the Drev, who can sustain 7 to 8gs if trained. Both of their species were allowed to leave their planet before fully developing out of their more primitive natures, as was common with other nonhuman or Drev species. In general, human and Drev durability have allowed them to operate machinery which would be too dangerous for other species, giving them a time advantage in the race to the stars.
At this point one might wonder if Drev are comparable to humans, after all Drev are stronger, more durable and just as intelligent as humans. This is true of course, but humans do have some strategic advantages, long distance running ability, pack bonding, and superior technology development, which might have been negated if it weren't for the Drev religion which calls into question the nature of technology as dishonorable. Furthermore, though they can distinguish less colors than Drev, human sense of smell and hearing is stronger, giving them a distinct battlefield advantage in at least once sense as they are able to pinpoint the direction and height of sounds where Drev have trouble.
A discussion about the abilities of humans can go on all day, though the conclusion scientists have agreed upon focuses primarily on human adaptability and generalization skills as the primary function of their abilities, and seeming power over other species. It seems good then that human pack bonding instincts easily travels across species making them relatively easy to make alliances with compared to some other, more stubborn species.
Previous First Next
Want to find a specific one, see the whole list or check fanart?
Here is the link to the master-post.
Intro post by me
OC-whole collection
Patreon of the author
Thanks for reading! As you saw in the title, this is a cross posted story written by starrfallknightrise and I'll just upload some of it here for you guys, if you are interested and want to read ahead, the original story-collection can be found on tumblr or wattpad to read for free. (link above this text under "OC:..." ) It is the Empyrean Iris story collection by starfallknightrise. Also, if you want to know more about the story collection i made an intro post about it, so feel free to check that out to see what other great characters to look forward to! (Link also above this text). I have no affiliations to the author; just thought I’d share some of the great stories you might enjoy a lot!
Obviously, I have Charlie’s permission to post this and for the people already knowing the stories, or starting to read them: If you follow the link and check out the story you will see some differences. I made some small (non-artistic) changes, mainly correcting writing mistakes, pronoun correction and some small additional info here and there of things which were not thought of/forgotten or even were added/changed in later stories (like the “USS->UNSC” prefix of Stabby, Chalar=/->Sunny etc). As well as some "biggemajor" changes in descriptions and info’s for the same stringency/continuity reason. That can be explained by the story collection being, well a story collection at the start with many standalone-stories just starring the same people, but later on it gets more to a stringent storyline with backstories and throwbacks. (For example Adam Vir has some HEAVY scars over his body, following his bones, which were not really talked about up till half the collection, where it says it covers his whole body and you find out via backflash that he had them the whole time and how he got them, they just weren't mentioned before. However, I would think a doctor would at least see these scars before that, especially since he gets analyzed, treated and goes shirtless/in T-shirts in some stories). So TLDR: Writing and some descriptions are slightly changed, with full OK from the author, since he himself did not bother to correct these things before.

Strap in, this is a long one. Hope you enjoy it! SPOILERS for Tears of the Kingdom, Breath of the Wild, Ocarina of Time, and the Wind Waker.
Please keep in mind that, due to TOTK's mysterious nature, much of this is pure speculation trying to fill in gaps or place things in the correct location timeline-wise, taking events and quotes and trying to give them context where it fits. And of course, directors didn't think about things such as the Zonai back in the day. But it's not about planning ahead 10 years; it's about going back and giving new context to previous games, giving details new meaning. Let's begin.
I think the Zonai are the closest race to the Gods - and I believe the Gods are merely the 3 Golden Godesses, as well as Hylia. There are spirits existing, but as for actual gods, there are only really these 4. The first ones and the main Godess. The Zonai are the closest race to these, acting as their "servants" or as their closest relatives, living high up in the heavens - and they are the ones who "own" or protect the Triforce, explaining the Triforce symbolism on their clothes. The Zonai only come down to the surface when called upon with a Triforce wish, because they are the ones hearing and granting wishes from the Triforce.
PRE-SKYWARD SWORD -> OCARINA OF TIME
Demise arises from a fissure in the Earth. This clearly indicates that the "evil realm" from where Demons originate is below the earth (keep in mind for later.) The Oocca from Twilight Princess is a level lower than the Zonai. Divine beings, assisted by the Zonai. They helped the first humans, and helped Hylia creating the first Temple of Time (the broken one we see in Skyward Sword). This is where we end up in Twilight Princess' dungeon. The Oocca eventually returns to the sky, leaving only the Dominion Rod behind as a way for the Royal Family to communicate with higher beings. The Sheikah exists at this point already, and due to their closeness to the Royal Family and the Gods, their symbol is taken directly from the Zonai. As we learn in TOTK, the tear from the Zonai relates to memories, secrets, history. I believe the truth about the Sheika's symbol is that they are literally carrying the secrets, the memories, of the Gods/Zonai. That's why their teardrop eye symbol exists already as early as Skyward Sword.
Fast forward to Ocarina of Time. Link defeats Ganon, and he is sealed in the Evil Realm by Zelda and the current sages. Link is then returned to his own time, leaving the Adult Timeline without a hero.
OCARINA OF TIME -> WIND WAKER
Years and years go by, and Ganondorf starts "crawling out from the depths of the Earth" as Wind Waker explains to us. This, again, tells us that the Evil Realm isn't a different dimension, but rather a place far below the surface (unlike the Dark World, which is the Sacred Realm corrupted). People eventually summon the Triforce and wish for help.
What happens isn't the wish of an almighty deity. If that was so, Ganondorf would go away in much simpler ways than flooding an entire kingdom... This is because, when the wish was made upon the Triforce, the Zonai descended upon Hyrule. Who else would tell the people to flee to the mountain tops? Voices echoing through the sky? No, it was the Zonai. They descended from the Triforce wish, built the Tower of the Gods to prepare a future hero, told people to flee to the mountains, before flooding Hyrule. And who do we know have a source of infinite water in the sky in the form of a water temple? The Zonai. After the deed was done, and the wish fulfilled, the Zonai returned to the sky, only coming down if the Triforce wisher called upon them.
Hyrule is forgotten, generations pass by, and Ganondorf eventually escapes the seal, where Link ends up as the new chosen hero by the king. They eventually reach the Tower of the Gods, being a Zonai structure seen by its swirly patterns, eyeballs, constilations on the exterior, and pure white building material. At the top, Link fights a Zonai construct, Gohdan, seen by its red eyes, yellow crown, swirly pattern, and blue-green colors. Later, Link is transported to Hyrule and the new Hyrule Castle built after its destruction in OOT. Hyrule is completely gone; all that's left is a few ruins, and Hyrule Castle itself. The rest is gone (important for later)
By the end, we fight Ganondorf, and there are 4 points of interest when it comes to him:
-The green necklace around his neck
-The sheikah symbols outside his hut in Forsaken Fortress
-The dragons on his robe
-A quote before the final battle
Ganondorf has a new necklace around his neck that he's never had before or since. It's a green face, with big ears, and a shiny orb above its eyes... This, alongside the sheikah symbols outside the hut, tells me that Ganondorf has seen the Gods. He has seen the Zonai. Not only this, but his robe has 2 dragons facing each other, each grabbing a round orb. This means he has witnessed draconification. Possibly, this is where the 3 dragons from BOTW/TOTK originates. 3 Zonai who ate their secret stones in an attempt to stop Ganondorf, unsuccessfully, which resulted in the Zonai flooding Hyrule as a last resort. If the Zonai truly came down from the Triforce wish, attempted to stop Ganondorf by turning into dragons, building the Tower of the Gods and flooding Hyrule, it would explain Ganondorf's necklace, and his strange and specific robe design.
And, it would explain his quote before the final battle: "That when power, wisdom and courage come together, the Gods would have no choice but to come down". It could be a figure of speech, a way of saying the Gods come down to our level to grand our wishes. But what if Ganondorf meant it literally? What if he witnessed the Gods actually coming down? This would all explain the Gods not being all-mighty, it would explain the flooding, it would explain the Tower of the Gods, and it would explain the details around Ganondorf.
WIND WAKER -> THE IMPRISONING WAR
Link and Tetra travel far away. But, the Koroks (who are Koroks due to the Great Flood) are planting seed all over Hyrule. In an uncertain amount of time, the islands WILL connect and form a fully new land. This we know. But what happened with that land? We never got to learn this, as we followed Link somewhere far away.
This is where the Zonai once again descended upon this new, unnamed land, most likely from a Triforce wish. This new land had no structure or civiliced society or towns or anything. The Zonai helped bring power and structure to this new land, and most likely, they shared their technology with the Sheikah, explaining how they became so technologicaly advanced. Zoras return to the land, make a new domain, and recieves water from the Zonai's water temple. The Zonai found a huge land deep below the surface... The Depths. The Depths is in fact the old, flooded Hyrule, explaining the extreme amount of huge plant life. There are no structures left of the old kingdom because, as Wind Waker showed us, all of it was completely destroyed by Ganondorf. Add houndreds, or even thousands of years of water in there too, and there's nothing left...
...Except for remains of the ancient Hyrule Castle from Wind Waker, which is part of the few bits of ruins left we see in the depths on our way to Ganondorf in TOTK, which obviously has been added onto with Zonai architecture. It's why it's named Forgotten Foundation; this is where the original, old Hyrule Castle once stood. The Zonai started mining Zonite and built mines down there.
After their job was done, after they had fulfilled the wish of the Triforce, they once again left and returned to the sky like they should... Except for Rauru. Rauru had met Sonia and had fallen in love. Sonia shares the same tan skin as Tetra, and also isn't named Zelda, because Sonia is a long descendant of Tetra. Sonia comes with Rauru to this new land, learning that Sonia has royal blood, and they decide to esetablish a kingdom, a monarchy, in this land, becoming a king and queen. This explains why Rauru and his sister were the only Zonai left. Rauru stayed for Sonia, and they founded a new Hyrule together. The Triforce was forgotten.
From here, Zelda arrives from the future, which is why and how the name "Zelda" came back into the royal bloodline. A new Ganondorf, with no ties to or knowledge of the triforce, goes to war, and the Imprisoning War happens below the old Hyrule Castle in the Depths, before a new Hyrule Castle is built on top to help keep Rauru's seal in tact.
IMPRISONING WAR -> TEARS OF THE KINGDOM
The sages help bring most of the Zonai architecture into the heavens beyond the cloud barrier. Eventually, Ganondorf's powers leak out, and Calamity Ganon is formed. Sonia's descendant, a princess Zelda, fights him alongside a strange hero wielding the Master Sword. How? Mosty likely, this hero (who has Zonai ancestors) originates from the Depths, possibly resembling the strange statue found down there. So where did the Master Sword come from, if it went with Zelda after she became a dragon? The Ancient Hero found it in the Depths. It was still down there from when Link defeated Ganondorf in the Wind Waker. The Sheikah also provide assistance with the technology they learned from the Zonai, in the form of Guardians and Divine Beasts that were named and designed after the sages from Rauru's time. The tech was then banned and hidden away, remaining so for thousands of years.
Calamity Ganon is defeated, and thousands of years of prosperity comes, except for resurfacing of Calamity Ganon.
We reach the present day in BOTW and TOTK. Calamity Ganon is defeated yet again, before Zelda and Link finds its source deep below Hyrule Castle, even below the Depth's surface. Ganondorf is later defeated and destroyed.
As mentioned, this land, this new Hyrule, is the very same land that the Koroks started on in The Wind Waker. This is why there are such a massive amount of Koroks all over Hyrule. This is why there's rock salt everywhere. This is why Ritos exist alongside Zoras. And this is why there's a seemingly endless ocean surrounding Hyrule... because this is the rest of the very same Great Sea that wasn't covered by the Koroks.
To prove this further: The landmark "Breach of Demise" shows strange rocks, but if you go to that exact location in the Depths, you will find a hole in the ground sealed off by boulders... indicating that Demise breached HERE, and that he originated from somewhere even deeper. The Depths was the original surface, and the arena we fight Ganondorf in is the Evil Realm itself.
FINAL QUESTIONS
If this truly is the Adult Timeline, what about armor sets from the other timelines found in the Depths? I do not have a good answer for this. For me, it's one of two options:
-Because the Depths has turned into a place where restless souls end up and the Bargainer Statues reside, souls and dead spirit artifacts from other timelines and worlds end up here, drawing in from other timelines
-The Upheaval caused fracturing. Not only did the cloud barrier break and rocks started falling from the sky, but it started leaking in elements from the other paralell timelines, which naturally ended up in the Depths, as that's where the original Hyrule was - and still is, in the other timelines. And yes, they did exist in BOTW before the Upheaval happened, but I do not consider the armor sets from BOTW canon, but rather a non-canon fun amiibo- and DLC bonus.
Next, could the Zora engravings that talk about Ruto be about the unnamed sage from the Imprisoning War? Possibly. But due to certain details, it's much more likely that this truly is OOT Ruto, which adds to the Adult Timeline's credibility even more, as Ruto never fought alongside Link in the Child Timeline.
CONCLUSION/SUMMARY
When people prayed for Ganon's defeat pre-Wind Waker, the Zonai came down and 3 of them underwent draconification to try and stop him, which are the 3 dragons we see in BOTW/TOTK. They built the Tower of the Gods for later, told people to hide on mountains, and used the Water Temple to flood Hyrule, before leaving for the Heavens. This all explains Ganondorf's Zonai necklace, the dragons on his robe grasping an "orb" or secret stone, and his quote about the Gods "coming down" when the Triforce is used. BOTW/TOTK's Hyrule is the same map as in the Wind Waker, after the Koroks grew new land and connected it all, meaning the Depths is the ancient and original Hyrule.
Zonai came down due to another Triforce wish and helped rebuild society and started mining in the Depths, as well as teaching the Sheikah their tech. They left back up, but Rauru remained and married Tetra's long decendant - Sonia. They refounded Hyrule, and Zelda's arrival is the reason the name "Zelda" came back into the royal bloodline. The Ancient Hero has Zonai ancestors but has evolved into something else, which is what the statues in the Depths are. The Master Sword is here because it was found in the Depths after it was used to kill Ganondorf in the Wind Waker.

When Kevin Hart went off script for 60 seconds giving Jeff Ross a sudden case of spontaneous heavy praise and giving Tony Hinchliffe a flashback to Kill Tony #148.
Not sure what it was (well some of it, he'll say later ) - but Kevin let Snidely Whiplash know he can Posterize his career in 5 seconds, without breaking a sweat, maybe that was from Sebastian too? I'll pretend it is..
Watching Tom Segura continue to do low level Daniel Tosh impressions - it is creepy - obsession - someone protect Daniel..We must at all costs!!!I guarantee Segura isn't allowed within 1000 feet of him. The voice, the entire THE POORS (attempt to distract from him being a twot) , just weak versions of high level Tosh material Tom has NO business attempting, which pisses him off more- Tik Tosh'd for sure!
More trampling on lines by Bert - maybe now someone will believe me that he isn't afraid of clowns and that he know ahead of time about the clowns and balloons and the whole panic attack prank was just another tasteless day in the office (sponsored by Neal Brennan) making $$ off people's sympathy for Bert? Scripted, staged, they have no souls.
Bert and Tom's continuing their quest to be controversial Edgelord comedy martyrs but fumbling jokes that are a 2/10 difficulty.
Bert and Tom mouthing along with the teleprompter as Tony tells the "written by Neal Brennan" Bert the King joke. Bert rushing to the end of his own joke and laughing before Tony finishes is next level "inhaling your own farts"
Watching in real time as Tom Segura's offer to play the role of Bob Zmuda is now reduced to only the Tony Clifton portions of the film and only if Tom agrees to just be filmed "acting like himself."
People not realizing Brady telling Jeff Ross "Don't say that again" is scripted to lend credibility that it isn't scripted and to get TOUGH GUY sounds clips and viral shorts - C'mon people
My guess is the roast was written and developed by Neal Brennan
Bert and Tom realizing they peaked a year ago and should have done the BERT'S REHAB SPECTACULAR before wearing out public sympathy for Bert. Fuck 'em. I've had emotionally manipulative girlfriends before, I don't need a Mommy and I know the only way to get rid of a bully is to beat 'em into the ground with truth and keep going.
I'm also not Catholic so I won't feel guilty not forgiving Bert when he and Neal are trying to make me feel guilty (what? They do it already, Brennan has some of the strangest responses to his Fortune Travel section interview and other recent ones where he is shitting on fans, name excluding, power moves, using weird language, what's awesome about a Mark Twain Comic is he carefully words things- I'll look into it but his unchecked NPD is out of control with all this attention from Blocks (now he has to insulate against his enemies, which brings out the bat shit paranoia, overacting, delusions of grandeur, Neal is hella smug on his best day and that's fine but this shit is sinister and he is dragging Burr and Maron into it so time to explore. I mean it is all about ego and Better Help $$$$ of course. yes yes, they hate us cuz they ain't us.
​

Strap in, this is a long one. Hope you enjoy it! SPOILERS for Tears of the Kingdom, Breath of the Wild, Ocarina of Time, and the Wind Waker.
Please keep in mind that, due to TOTK's mysterious nature, much of this is pure speculation trying to fill in gaps or place things in the correct location timeline-wise, taking events and quotes and trying to give them context where it fits. And of course, directors didn't think about things such as the Zonai back in the day. But it's not about planning ahead 10 years; it's about going back and giving new context to previous games, giving details new meaning. Let's begin.
I think the Zonai are the closest race to the Gods - and I believe the Gods are merely the 3 Golden Godesses, as well as Hylia. There are spirits existing, but as for actual gods, there are only really these 4. The first ones and the main Godess. The Zonai are the closest race to these, acting as their "servants" or as their closest relatives, living high up in the heavens - and they are the ones who "own" or protect the Triforce, explaining the Triforce symbolism on their clothes. The Zonai only come down to the surface when called upon with a Triforce wish, because they are the ones hearing and granting wishes from the Triforce.

PRE-SKYWARD SWORD -> OCARINA OF TIME

Demise arises from a fissure in the Earth. This clearly indicates that the "evil realm" from where Demons originate is below the earth (keep in mind for later.) The Oocca from Twilight Princess is a level lower than the Zonai. Divine beings, assisted by the Zonai. They helped the first humans, and helped Hylia creating the first Temple of Time (the broken one we see in Skyward Sword). This is where we end up in Twilight Princess' dungeon. The Oocca eventually returns to the sky, leaving only the Dominion Rod behind as a way for the Royal Family to communicate with higher beings. The Sheikah exists at this point already, and due to their closeness to the Royal Family and the Gods, their symbol is taken directly from the Zonai. As we learn in TOTK, the tear from the Zonai relates to memories, secrets, history. I believe the truth about the Sheika's symbol is that they are literally carrying the secrets, the memories, of the Gods/Zonai. That's why their teardrop eye symbol exists already as early as Skyward Sword.
Fast forward to Ocarina of Time. Link defeats Ganon, and he is sealed in the Evil Realm by Zelda and the current sages. Link is then returned to his own time, leaving the Adult Timeline without a hero.
​

OCARINA OF TIME -> WIND WAKER

Years and years go by, and Ganondorf starts "crawling out from the depths of the Earth" as Wind Waker explains to us. This, again, tells us that the Evil Realm isn't a different dimension, but rather a place far below the surface (unlike the Dark World, which is the Sacred Realm corrupted). People eventually summon the Triforce and wish for help.
What happens isn't the wish of an almighty deity. If that was so, Ganondorf would go away in much simpler ways than flooding an entire kingdom... This is because, when the wish was made upon the Triforce, the Zonai descended upon Hyrule. Who else would tell the people to flee to the mountain tops? Voices echoing through the sky? No, it was the Zonai. They descended from the Triforce wish, built the Tower of the Gods to prepare a future hero, told people to flee to the mountains, before flooding Hyrule. And who do we know have a source of infinite water in the sky in the form of a water temple? The Zonai. After the deed was done, and the wish fulfilled, the Zonai returned to the sky, only coming down if the Triforce wisher called upon them.
Hyrule is forgotten, generations pass by, and Ganondorf eventually escapes the seal, where Link ends up as the new chosen hero by the king. They eventually reach the Tower of the Gods, being a Zonai structure seen by its swirly patterns, eyeballs, constilations on the exterior, and pure white building material. At the top, Link fights a Zonai construct, Gohdan, seen by its red eyes, yellow crown, swirly pattern, and blue-green colors. Later, Link is transported to Hyrule and the new Hyrule Castle built after its destruction in OOT. Hyrule is completely gone; all that's left is a few ruins, and Hyrule Castle itself. The rest is gone (important for later)
By the end, we fight Ganondorf, and there are 4 points of interest when it comes to him:

1. The green necklace around his neck
2. The sheikah symbols outside his hut in Forsaken Fortress
3. The dragons on his robe
4. A quote before the final battle

Ganondorf has a new necklace around his neck that he's never had before or since. It's a green face, with big ears, and a shiny orb above its eyes... This, alongside the sheikah symbols outside the hut, tells me that Ganondorf has seen the Gods. He has seen the Zonai. Not only this, but his robe has 2 dragons facing each other, each grabbing a round orb. This means he has witnessed draconification. Possibly, this is where the 3 dragons from BOTW/TOTK originates. 3 Zonai who ate their secret stones in an attempt to stop Ganondorf, unsuccessfully, which resulted in the Zonai flooding Hyrule as a last resort. If the Zonai truly came down from the Triforce wish, attempted to stop Ganondorf by turning into dragons, building the Tower of the Gods and flooding Hyrule, it would explain Ganondorf's necklace, and his strange and specific robe design.
And, it would explain his quote before the final battle: "That when power, wisdom and courage come together, the Gods would have no choice but to come down". It could be a figure of speech, a way of saying the Gods come down to our level to grand our wishes. But what if Ganondorf meant it literally? What if he witnessed the Gods actually coming down? This would all explain the Gods not being all-mighty, it would explain the flooding, it would explain the Tower of the Gods, and it would explain the details around Ganondorf.
​

WIND WAKER -> THE IMPRISONING WAR

Link and Tetra travel far away. But, the Koroks (who are Koroks due to the Great Flood) are planting seed all over Hyrule. In an uncertain amount of time, the islands WILL connect and form a fully new land. This we know. But what happened with that land? We never got to learn this, as we followed Link somewhere far away.
This is where the Zonai once again descended upon this new, unnamed land, most likely from a Triforce wish. This new land had no structure or civiliced society or towns or anything. The Zonai helped bring power and structure to this new land, and most likely, they shared their technology with the Sheikah, explaining how they became so technologicaly advanced. Zoras return to the land, make a new domain, and recieves water from the Zonai's water temple. The Zonai found a huge land deep below the surface... The Depths. The Depths is in fact the old, flooded Hyrule, explaining the extreme amount of huge plant life. There are no structures left of the old kingdom because, as Wind Waker showed us, all of it was completely destroyed by Ganondorf. Add houndreds, or even thousands of years of water in there too, and there's nothing left...
...Except for remains of the ancient Hyrule Castle from Wind Waker, which is part of the few bits of ruins left we see in the depths on our way to Ganondorf in TOTK, which obviously has been added onto with Zonai architecture. It's why it's named Forgotten Foundation; this is where the original, old Hyrule Castle once stood. The Zonai started mining Zonite and built mines down there.
After their job was done, after they had fulfilled the wish of the Triforce, they once again left and returned to the sky like they should... Except for Rauru. Rauru had met Sonia and had fallen in love. Sonia shares the same tan skin as Tetra, and also isn't named Zelda, because Sonia is a long descendant of Tetra. Sonia comes with Rauru to this new land, learning that Sonia has royal blood, and they decide to esetablish a kingdom, a monarchy, in this land, becoming a king and queen. This explains why Rauru and his sister were the only Zonai left. Rauru stayed for Sonia, and they founded a new Hyrule together. The Triforce was forgotten.
From here, Zelda arrives from the future, which is why and how the name "Zelda" came back into the royal bloodline. A new Ganondorf, with no ties to or knowledge of the triforce, goes to war, and the Imprisoning War happens below the old Hyrule Castle in the Depths, before a new Hyrule Castle is built on top to help keep Rauru's seal in tact.
​

IMPRISONING WAR -> TEARS OF THE KINGDOM

The sages help bring most of the Zonai architecture into the heavens beyond the cloud barrier. Eventually, Ganondorf's powers leak out, and Calamity Ganon is formed. Sonia's descendant, a princess Zelda, fights him alongside a strange hero wielding the Master Sword. How? Mosty likely, this hero (who has Zonai ancestors) originates from the Depths, possibly resembling the strange statue found down there. So where did the Master Sword come from, if it went with Zelda after she became a dragon? The Ancient Hero found it in the Depths. It was still down there from when Link defeated Ganondorf in the Wind Waker. The Sheikah also provide assistance with the technology they learned from the Zonai, in the form of Guardians and Divine Beasts that were named and designed after the sages from Rauru's time. The tech was then banned and hidden away, remaining so for thousands of years.
Calamity Ganon is defeated, and thousands of years of prosperity comes, except for resurfacing of Calamity Ganon.
We reach the present day in BOTW and TOTK. Calamity Ganon is defeated yet again, before Zelda and Link finds its source deep below Hyrule Castle, even below the Depth's surface. Ganondorf is later defeated and destroyed.
As mentioned, this land, this new Hyrule, is the very same land that the Koroks started on in The Wind Waker. This is why there are such a massive amount of Koroks all over Hyrule. This is why there's rock salt everywhere. This is why Ritos exist alongside Zoras. And this is why there's a seemingly endless ocean surrounding Hyrule... because this is the rest of the very same Great Sea that wasn't covered by the Koroks.
To prove this further: The landmark "Breach of Demise" shows strange rocks, but if you go to that exact location in the Depths, you will find a hole in the ground sealed off by boulders... indicating that Demise breached HERE, and that he originated from somewhere even deeper. The Depths was the original surface, and the arena we fight Ganondorf in is the Evil Realm itself.
​

FINAL QUESTIONS

If this truly is the Adult Timeline, what about armor sets from the other timelines found in the Depths? I do not have a good answer for this. For me, it's one of two options:

1. Because the Depths has turned into a place where restless souls end up and the Bargainer Statues reside, souls and dead spirit artifacts from other timelines and worlds end up here, drawing in from other timelines
2. The Upheaval caused fracturing. Not only did the cloud barrier break and rocks started falling from the sky, but it started leaking in elements from the other paralell timelines, which naturally ended up in the Depths, as that's where the original Hyrule was - and still is, in the other timelines. And yes, they did exist in BOTW before the Upheaval happened, but I do not consider the armor sets from BOTW canon, but rather a non-canon fun amiibo- and DLC bonus.

Next, could the Zora engravings that talk about Ruto be about the unnamed sage from the Imprisoning War? Possibly. But due to certain details, it's much more likely that this truly is OOT Ruto, which adds to the Adult Timeline's credibility even more, as Ruto never fought alongside Link in the Child Timeline.
​

CONCLUSION/SUMMARY

When people prayed for Ganon's defeat pre-Wind Waker, the Zonai came down and 3 of them underwent draconification to try and stop him, which are the 3 dragons we see in BOTW/TOTK. They built the Tower of the Gods for later, told people to hide on mountains, and used the Water Temple to flood Hyrule, before leaving for the Heavens. This all explains Ganondorf's Zonai necklace, the dragons on his robe grasping an "orb" or secret stone, and his quote about the Gods "coming down" when the Triforce is used. BOTW/TOTK's Hyrule is the same map as in the Wind Waker, after the Koroks grew new land and connected it all, meaning the Depths is the ancient and original Hyrule.
Zonai came down due to another Triforce wish and helped rebuild society and started mining in the Depths, as well as teaching the Sheikah their tech. They left back up, but Rauru remained and married Tetra's long decendant - Sonia. They refounded Hyrule, and Zelda's arrival is the reason the name "Zelda" came back into the royal bloodline. The Ancient Hero has Zonai ancestors but has evolved into something else, which is what the statues in the Depths are. The Master Sword is here because it was found in the Depths after it was used to kill Ganondorf in the Wind Waker.

Located at 81 Revere St in Boston, this charming single-family home sold for $3,750,000, offering 4 beds, 3.5 baths, and 3,107 sq ft of living space.

Summary of transaction details:

• Property Type: Single Family
• Transaction Amount: $3,750,000
• Address: 81 Revere Street
• Market: Boston, MA
• Square Footage: 3,107
• Price per Square Foot: $1,207
• Buyer's Rep: Sprogis Neale Doherty Team - Sprogis & Neale Real Estate
• Seller's Rep: Eliott Levine - Olde Forge Realty

The Sprogis Neale Doherty Team represented the buyer in this transaction, while the seller was represented by Eliott Levine of Olde Forge Realty.
Learn More: Sprogis Neale Doherty Team Sells Single Family Home In Boston For $3.75M