I know how this may sound and also know that if my sister ever see this she won’t talk to me again but I need to know it I’m being unreasonable. I’ll try to be straight to the point and not lie about anything, pardon me if still ends up being a little long. Also sorry for any mistakes, English is not my first language.
Me (27 female) and my sister (30 female) moved to US almost six years ago as exchange visitors. I’ll call her Sara, fake name.
Four years ago, after jumping from host family to another host family, Sara ended up moving to Portland, I was leaving in Tacoma so we would see each other sometimes. She met a guy, John (36yo male) and started going out with him. I believe they hung out for about a year, but never serious. He always told my sister that he would never have anything serious with her. Aparantly he was recent divorced and was still attached to the ex. When I told my sister I was moving to Colorado, she decide to move too and changed to another host family, living 1 hour away from me . Everything was going good, we used to hang out almost every weekend, she was taking care of herself, going to gym, even meeting knew people. Until the day that John started to message her and me on Facebook bagging me to help him get back with her. I never helped, told him that he didn’t value her and now she moved on. But God, was I wrong? This man showed up to my sister host family house, uninvited, and the host family (on their right to do it) got very upset that a strange had their address and kicked her out of their house, causing her to not complete the last months of exchange.
I always hated that, hated the fact that I know my sister shared the address, the fact that she fell for his bullshit again ruining what she had. My host family allowed her to live with us for 1 months and then she moved to Texas to live with him.
Fast forward 3 years, they both live together in Texas, my sister became miserable, she doesn’t take care of herself, has no career, work two jobs, pay all the bills by herself (she claims she’s being paying everything by herself for only 6 months) but me and my family know it’s longer than that. I tried to tell her once how she deserves better and she didn’t talk to me for weeks and said I was dead to her. I get it, I should leave it alone, she’s an adult. But hurts me seeing someone lose so much potential in someone else that is not worth it.
Here are some other points it makes me hate their relationship:
He’s unemployment status: he’s constantly “looking for jobs” never stick long enough to it and when he’s unemployed he’s always sleeping or watching Anime.
He doesn’t help at home, my sister works 60 hours a week and when get home the dishes are dirty and he’s telling her how he’s hungry. What????
His anger issues: he thinks that is ok to beat people. And the only reason he don’t do it now is because he avoids to go out, to bars, to drink, tell my sister what to wear so he “doesn’t have to lose his temper with any men”. Like, control yourself.
He was arrested twice. Once, him and his fucked up ex wife had a fight because one she cheated on him and second she pinched their daughter, because of that he slaps her gets arrested. Second arrest was because he got upset about a man “calling him a bitch” over the phone and he searched this man from bar to bar and beat the man very bad. And both of this he told my fiance since my sister try to hide that he has issues.
Every time my sister almost opened her eyes he would come up with some bullshit about how he was planning to propose and after she came back he would say he’s not ready for marriage. I saw that as god sign for her to leave before making the mistake to get married, but unfortunately she did.
He has two kids that was not raised by him because of his arrests, the kids had a hell of childhood because of the abusive mother too, but instead of be present in their life now, nope. He’s not. His son has physiological issues and he tells everyone his kids is a psychopath. Instead of be a dad and try to help his kids, he shits on them.
He’s jealousy, my sister became another person. She used to dress pretty, had a beautiful and healthy body, loved makeup, going ou, having friends… now my sister is 15kg heavier, dress covering herself, never wear any top or shorts in the gym… I heard him once telling her the she promised him to not wear shorts and top at the gym. ?????
I don’t think my sister will ever have a comfortable life because is always her working, he’s already 36yo. I don’t think she should settle for such shitty life.
Last one, my sister is slowly becoming him, she has no career yet, is working at dentist office front desk (no problem with that) but she has a degree, experience, why she’s not working on her career?
Now I’ll say, the only thing that makes me guilty is because he had a very hard childhood, mom with drug issues, abusive step dad, poverty and that I can sympathize with. But this doesn’t mean he’s a good husband.
I know I probably should just leave her alone and she’ll open her eyes eventually, but men how do I love this girl. We grew up so close, we have each others back, I know how big her heart is and how good of a person she is. Her only issue? Not racional, her heart speaks for her and I’m afraid she’ll live this shitty life forever. Now part of the reason may be because I’m selfish and just don’t want to be linked to their mess, I’m actually embarrassed every time he talks about his life. After my engagement party where a lot of people me them, I had to hear comments about “how bad he talked about his kids”, “he seems like someone that doesn’t like to work”… and I just hate being linked to that.
Am I wrong for constantly telling her to leave him?

🛠 UNDER CONSTRUCTION ⚒️

The information detailed in this narrative is undergoing review and in the process of being updated.
Our philosophy within the SSDI_SSI Subreddit is to share our experiences to try to assist others. It does not necessarily mean that any shared experience will be a duplicate of your current experiences or outcomes.
Sometimes?
Just knowing that someone else has made it through similar difficult processes may make a huge difference to the stress you are currently (or soon will be) experiencing.
While I was going through some really rough times? I kept notes regarding some of the issues I was having, the numerous helpful resources I came across, and the search techniques I utilized.
Some of the resources I came across had nothing to do with a specific issue that I was experiencing.
However? If I thought the resources could be:

■ helpful to others?	■ relevant?
■ informative?	■ significant?

I kept track just in case the resources could be of assistance to others.
I gathered all of the notes / links I had collected and created this narrative through the years.
These resources are relative to people who live in the USA.
Although other countries may have such programs, they would (most likely) not share the same links.
You could utilize similar techniques (not the exact same links found here) to search for helpful resources in your community, perhaps.
In the USA? If you have a SmartPhone or a computer? You can actually call / locate sites that offer assistance and / or let your fingers do the walking!

This is a living document and will be changed as needed.

Type your zip code and the type of assistance that you need in your browser.
12345 affordable housing
12345 electricity / bill assistance
12345 find housing
12345 free dental care
12345 free eye glasses / lens
12345 free therapy
12345 free transportation
12345 paratransit services
You get the idea!
You can use different terminology during your search.
I have found that each city / state is different throughout the USA.
You never know what your community has already established for people who need help.
You will find that some communities offer more assistance than others.
If you don't have a SmartPhone or a computer?
Go to the library. There are all kinds of resources there - most of which are free.
While there? Pick up some books!!

Always keep looking for solutions.

Reach out to others.
We are a community on Reddit - created to help each other.
Don't give up!
No matter what!
I've compiled a list of helpful information / sites that I add to periodically. Some may help you now / some may not (but could nevertheless provide assistance in the future).
It's always good to know about these resources in case you ever need them.
Programs / headings are in alphabetical order:

Children

There are organizations specifically geared towards the needs of children. A few are detailed below.
National Diaper Network.
Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrtion Services - Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) - WIC Eligibility Requirements.

Disability Eligibility Requirements

If you or a loved one are 💯% disabled? You should consider applying for SSA disability benefits.
All SSA disability programs have the same criteria in regards to eligibility. If unable to work because of a medical / psychological condition, you are eligible for SSA disability benefits.
■ You have to be 💯% disabled (SSA does not award benefits for partial disabilities).
■ Unable to work.
■ Have a disability that will last for at least a year or end in your death.

We pay disability benefits to people who can't work because they have a medical condition that's expected to last at least one year or result in death. Federal law requires this very strict definition of disability. While some programs give money to people with partial disability or short-term disability, we do not.

If you have not already done so? Sign up for mySocialSecurity, with the ability to provide secure online access to your current earnings record and history. Information regarding your retirement, disability, and any survivor benefits that you and your family may be eligible for will also be accessible. Also? Your potential monthly benefits will be calculated.

Education

Continuing your education is a great way to learn.
You can go to school online and not even leave your home. Take a class here and there. Go to school at 3:00 am on a Wednesday or 4:00 pm on a Saturday.
There are no worries about parking, transportation, or rushing to make it to a class from your job.
Some states offer free college tuition for the first two years. There are other charges like room and board, textbooks and transportation (which will need to be paid for out of pocket).
Apply for Pell Grants or other types of assistance. Ask the school for whatever other programs may be avaliable to you.
Accredited Online Colleges.
Apply for Financial Aid.
Avoid fake degree burns by researching academic credentials.
The Best Online Colleges 2022.
Is Community College Free? In These 19 States, Yes.
Federal Pell Grants Are for Undergraduate Students.
Top 35 Tuition-Free Colleges For 2022

Food Assistance / Food Pantries

There are numerous resources available for food shotages. You do not have to go hungry. Don't be afraid (or ashamed) to ask for help.
14 Companies That Will Give You Food and Other Products For Free.
16 of the Absolute Best Freebies We’ve Ever Found Online.
23 Restaurant Apps That Get You Free Food.
60+ places to get FREE food via app or email signup!.
Find Food Pantries.
Find Your Local Food Bank.
Food Stamps - SNAP Food Benefits.
SNAP Eligibility Requirements for your family. In your state? There may be requirements that you have to work or other eligibility criteria that have to be met before SNAP is provided.
US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrtion Services Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrtion Services Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Facts About SNAP.

Health Insurance

If you need health insurance? You might want to consider applying for the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which is income based. Benefits are different for each state. Depending on:
■ what agreement your state's Governor signed and your state's legislatures approved?
■ if the last administration allowed insurance policies (that cover nothing) to proliferate your state?
Your options are variable. Meaning? Your benefits will be uniquely tailored for your financial qualifications and your state.
A lot of people are turning to the reliable ACA because of everything that has transpired.
The ACA mandates that therapy be covered, too.
Affordable Care Act (ACA) Guarantees.
Apply for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) or Obamacare.
Everything to Know About Obamacare (ACA) Subsidies.
Health Care Rankings - Measuring how well states are meeting citizens' health care needs.

Medicaid Expansion

Medicaid Expansion and What it Means for You
Red states that have resisted Medicaid expansion are feeling pressure to give up.
Status of State Medicaid Expansion Decisions: Interactive Map.
What Marketplace Health Insurance Plans Cover.

Homelessness

HH Help for Every Casualty of Homelessness: Including Disabled SSA Applicants, Disability Recipients, and Veterans.

Housing Issues

Sometimes, there are huge differences in the types of housing / assistance you may be eligible for (depending on the state or community that you live in).
There may be a waiting list in your area, but you should at least apply for all programs.
Concerned About Eviction.
Find Your Local Public Housing Agency (PHA).
HUD Eviction Guidance.
Learn More About Renting and HUD Rental Assistance Programs.
Rent Relief Resources.

Interested in Moving?

We decided we needed to move when we noticed that the community we lived in did not provide the support we needed to have a better life.
We wanted to move to a location that offered exposure to better healthcare, health insurance, housing and paratransit services.
So?
Make a list of items that are important to you and your family. Rank them in order of importance.
Remember? Each community is different and offers different services.
Each jurisdiction has a Chamber of Commerce page or other similar resource that lists issues you might be interested in.
I searched the internet, made lists, and came up with the following resources (presented in alphabetical order) that were important to our family. You and your family might have other criteria.

(1) Helping Hands

Helping Hands Action Group monitors the benefits landscape for updates and changes to policies and programs. Depending on the jurisdiction? They offer transportation and other services. You should check 12345 Helping Hands in your area.
Check out the Helping Hands Action Group - click here.

(2) Medicaid Expansion

The Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) Medicaid expansion expanded Medicaid coverage to nearly all adults with incomes up to 138% of the Federal Poverty Level ($20,783 for an individual in 2024) and provided states with an enhanced federal matching rate (FMAP) for their expansion populations.

To date, 41 states (including DC) have adopted the Medicaid expansion and 10 states have not adopted the expansion. Current status for each state is based on KFF tracking and analysis of state expansion activity.

Check out the Status of State Medicaid Expansion Decisions: Interactive Map - click here.

(3) Paratransit / Transportation

Another thing you should consider adding to the list? Check to see what type of transportation services are offered.
You never have to worry about parking, blizzards, running out of fuel or parking meter money, taffic or anything else that would be a hindrance.
If your community has bus routes? You might have paratransit services available to you.
The fair is reasonable (much better than ubers, taxis or something else).
You do not need to be in a wheelchair for paratransit services.
The driver will walk you to and from the door of the building (your home and the appointment and vice versa).
You can use the services for anything you want to, such as vists to:

beauty parlors	parks
community events	physical therapy
library visits	school events
medical appts	shopping excursions
movies	veterinarian appts
museums	volunteer work

Anything you can think of - it is such a blessing.
I have lived in areas that had paratransit and areas that did not offer paratransit. It makes a huge difference in your sense of independence to be able to attend appointments and go places you need to. Without the interference of worrying about reliable transportation.

(4) Social Security Taxes

Moving to a state where they do not charge social security taxes dramatically increased our overall income. If you are interested in moving to states that do not require taxes on SSA benefits?
Check out 39 states that do not tax Social Security benefits - click here. Consider moving. It saved us a lot of money every single month.

(5) State Income Taxes

Moving to a state where they do not charge state income taxes dramatically increased or overall income. If you are interested in moving to states that do not require state income taxes?
Check out 9 states with no income tax - click here. Consider moving. It saved us a lot of money every single month.

Miscellaneous

Dial 211 Not sure where to turn? We are here for you.
Dial 988 Suicide and Crisis Support Lifeline.
Affordable Connectivity Program - Broadband Connection.
Ask Your Free Legal Question (licensed attorneys in your state / free).
Assurance Wireless - Lifeline Free Government Phone Program.
Find Help.
Go Fund Me.
Help with Bills.

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06-12-2018 Created 05-16-2024 Updated

26F single mom to my 7years old son (not proud na nabuntis ng maaga wag gumaya), working since i was 16, and now earning 6digits a month, to be honest okay naman sakin na ako nagbabayad lahat ng bills sa bahay at bumubuhay sa mama, lola at kapatid kong lalaki 24M, hindi pa nag tatrabaho kapatid ko kasi nag-aaral pa (repeated 2times) hindi naman big deal sakin kasi kahit ako naka repeat ako ng isang beses nung college, so ayun nga walang problema sakin yung sitwasyon at pagbabayad ng bills kasi si lola at mama ko yung nag-aalaga ng anak ko kapag may work ako, sila din nag luluto ng food at si mama na yung nag la-laundry ng mga damit namin (wash and dry kaya hindi mahirap) so yung aatupagin ko lang talaga is work, bills, food and tuition ng kapatid ko at anak ko yun lang UNTIL, nakabuntis yung kapatid kong lalaki ng hindi niya girlfriend, sa totoo lang hindi masyado big deal sakin yun pero na disappoint talaga ako sa kanya kaya nilabas ko yung nararamdaman ko na sana hindi muna siya bumuntis or gumawa ng mga bagay na ganyan kasi alam niya naman na wala siyang perang ibubuhay sa bata, yun nga lang nagulat ako sa sagot niya sabi niya "ikaw nga ang agang nanlandi 18 tapos pagsasabihan mo ako na 24 na" eh hindi naman yun yung point ko? yung point ko is yung wala siyang perang ibubuhay sa anak niya, or isusustento. nasaktan talaga ako dun pero nung nabuntis ako ng 18 may trabaho na kasi ako nun at never ako nanghingi sa mama ko ng pambili ng diaper at gatas before, kaya nagalit ako sa kanya at nakapagsabi ng masakit na salita, nasabi ko din na "wag kang humingi sakin kahit piso pag lumbas na yung bata" dahil sa galit ko, akala ko sakin kakampi yung lola at mama ko PERO sumabat yung lola ko sabi tama daw yung kapatid ko, tapos wala nadaw magagawa kasi nandiyan na yung bata dun talaga ako naguluhan kasi yung unang sinabi ko lang sa kapatid ko is yung pagiging disappointed ko sa nagawa niya wala akong sinabing ipalaglag or hindi ko siya tutulungan, kaya napa sagot ako sa lola ko na saan banda yung tama sa sinabi niya? tapos sagot ng lola ko "parang nagmamalinis ka kasi eh mas maaga ka naman nabuntis kasi maaga ka nag landi" dun na ako nagalit kasi iniiba nila yung point ng sinabi ko sa kapatid ko, so nagagalit na ako dito tumataas na boses ko tapos sumabat na din si mama na wag na isipin para matapos na wala ng away, so hindi ko na inisip kinimkim ko nalang. so ngayon fast forward nanganak na yung babaeng nabuntis ng kapatid ko, laking gulat ko kasi nag tatrabaho ako nung time na yun at before pa siya nanganak napagkasunduan na namin na sa public lang siya ipapanganak kasi alam ko gaano ka mahal yung private ngayon 6digits talaga babayaran and sayang yung pera na ilalan sa hospital pwede naman yun sa bata deretso, nag chat sakin ng 9am na nanganak na daw, nag sabi pa ako ng congrats until nakita ko sa fb pinost ng kapatid ko pic ng baby nabasa ko yung hospital name and private yun! so nag chat ako agad sa gc namin sabi ko bakit sa private dinala? reply ng mama ko nung nag labor na daw yung babae sa public sila pero sobrang init daw kasi hindi aircon yung kwarto electric fan lang meron, sabi ko hindi naman sila mag s-stay dun ng isang buwan, konting tiis lang naman yung gagawin kasi libre don, tapos nagagalit na si mama sabi bakit bini-bigdeal eh kapakanan daw ng babae at baby yung inisip nila kaya napatanong ako kung sino magbabayad at kung ako ang iniisip nilang mag babayad ng bill tinanong ko kung hindi ba nila ako iniisip na baka mabigatan ako? wala silang reply sa gc, this time nagagalit na talaga ako parang yung emotions ko pumunta lahat sa utak ko feel ko that time hindi nila ako nererespeto kahit na may kasunduan na kami sa kung anong mangayayari sa bata knowing na ako yung mag susustento hindi yung kapatid ko, kaya this time nag rent agad ako ng apartment at kinuha ko lang yung damit, sapatos, computer at mga foam and pillows kasi gusto ko talaga muna mapag-isa, this time nasa hospital pa sila, dumating ako sa apartment at nag settle dun nagpalamig, 4pm kinuha ko na yung anak ko sa school at sinabihan na ilog out at huwag muna gumamit ng facebook at messenger sumunod naman siya, during that time na nasa apartment ako akala ko mag me-message sila turns out hindi pala sila umuwi ng 3days at 3days na din silang walang reply sa message ko until discharge na nagsend si mama sa gc ng resibo sa hospital, umabot ng 185k yung bill, nag sabi din siya na hindi sila naka uwi agad kasi hinintay pa nila yung mga family ng babae na makakita sa baby kaya nag extend sila ng 1day kahit na pwede ng umuwi after 2days, nag seen lang ako. turn of active status and turn off read receipts then deactivate , after mga ilang minuto andami na nilang missed call, kaya in-off ko phone ko at nag trabaho nalang, now it's been a week. isang linggo na din akong walang socmed activity kasi naka deact na fb and messenger namin both ng anak ko, pati instagram. may feeling of disappointment parin ako hanggang ngayon, feel ko parin hindi nila ako nirerespeto kasi ginawa nila yung gusto nila without my approval and expects na okay sakin ang lahat, diko alam anong nangyari sa kanila and i'm having the urge to open my facebook account and messenger, yung sim ko din na ginagamit ko for friends and family tinanggal ko yung pang work lang yung gamit ko, i'm kinda feeling guilty kasi feel ko masama ako sa ginawa ko, so AkoBaYungGago dahil iniwan ko sila knowing na wala silang pera?

Date: 05/16/2024

Reading time: 14 minutes, 2817 words

🪖 Military

Chamber of Deputies of Luxembourg unanimously adopts motion expressing support for Armenia

The Chamber of Deputies of Luxembourg unanimously adopted a motion expressing support for Armenia. The motion condemns the forced exodus of more than 100,000 Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh as a result of Azerbaijan's military operation. It calls for the immediate release of Armenian PoWs by Azerbaijan.

Armenpress, Luxembourg lawmakers urge government to act for implementation of ICJ orders by Azerbaijan

Russia expels U.K. defense attache in tit-for-tat move

Russia has expelled Britain’s defense attache in a tit-for-tat response to the expulsion of one of its own diplomats from London last week. A. T. Coghill must leave the territory of the Russian Federation within a week.

Armenpress

Ruben Vardanyan's detention period was extended for another 5 months

Vardanyan was arrested on September 27, 2023, at the Azerbaijani checkpoint of Hakari Bridge. He was charged with three counts: financing terrorism, creating and participating in armed units and/or groups. Azerbaijan confirms presence of about 23 Armenian prisoners.

CivilNet, Azerbaijan extends Rune Vardanyan’s arrest by 5 months

Training sessions will be held from June 11 to August 30

From June 11 to August 30, training camps of reservists will be held in Armenia. Up to 5,151 citizens will be involved in the training sessions, of which 4,647 are rank-and-file and junior non-commissioned officers. It is planned to provide 45 units of road construction equipment.

CivilNet

🏛️ Politics & Government

An opposition figure was killed in Azerbaijan

Natig Mehdi, a member of the opposition Musavat party of Azerbaijan, was killed in Baku. Mehdi's disappearance was reported by his nephew on May 9, and his death was announced on May 14. His colleague Elsevar Islamov is accused of the murder. Islamov worked as a security guard at a Baku school, and Islamov was the school's deputy financial director.

CivilNet

Zelenskiy visits Kharkiv describing the situation there as “extremely difficult”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy travelled to the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on Thursday. He described the battlefield situation in the region as "extremely difficult" but under control. Zelenkiy postponed all his foreign trips on Wednesday as the situation deteriorated. Russia says it has taken control of 12 villages since it launched its attack.

Armenpress

Red Cross visits Armenian captives held in Azerbaijan

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) representatives visited Armenian detainees in Azerbaijan. Among those detainees are representatives of the former military and political leadership of Nagorno-Karabakh. Baku officially confirms capture of 23 Armenians, 17 of whom ended up in Baku after Azerbaijan's military aggression last September.

Armenpress

France accuses Azerbaijan of interference in New Caledonia riots

France accuses Azerbaijan of ‘interference’ in politics of its Pacific territory of New Caledonia, which has seen deadly riots in recent days. Azerbaijan swiftly denies the charge, adding to a growing number of tensions between France and the hydrocarbon-rich Caspian Sea state. The riots were sparked by moves to agree a new voting law that supporters of independence say discriminates against the indigenous Kanak population.

ArmRadio

No new Armenia-Azerbaijan border created, the border existing at time of USSR collapse being reproduced – PM’s Office

No new border is being created between Armenia and Azerbaijan; rather, the existing de jure border at the time of the USSR’s dissolution is being reproduced. The border description is exactly as presented on the 1976 map.

ArmRadio

Armenia border residents dissatisfied with delimitation

Residents Kirants are dissatisfied with the results of the delimitation of the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

PanArmenian

Deputy Foreign Minister Paruyr Hovhannisyan receives EU Delegation

Deputy Foreign Minister Paruyr Hovhannisyan received the delegation led by Adrien Kirali, Director of Neighbourhood East and Institution Building of the European Commission. Interlocutors highly appreciated the Joint EU-US-Armenia high-level meeting held on April 5, 2024 in Brussels.

Armenpress, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan meets with EU Trade Commissioner

Armenian, Jordanian Foreign Ministers express concerns over tense situation in the Armenian quarter of Jerusalem

Political consultations between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia and The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan were held in Yerevan. The parties commended the current high level of political dialogue between Armenia and Jordan. The interlocutors exchanged views on the prospects of developing cooperation between the two countries.

Armenpress

Armenian Foreign Minister, PACE President exchange ideas on regional issues

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan met with the President of the PACE Theodoros Rousopoulos in Strasbourg on May 16. The interlocutors exchanged views on the issues related to Armenia’s engagement in the Council of Europe.

Armenpress, Armenia involved in efforts to reopen regional communications: Mirzoyan

Prime Minister Pashinyan meets with World Bank and International Finance Corporation leadership

Nikol Pashinyan received the World Bank's Senior Managing Director Axel van Trotsenburg and International Finance Corporation (IFC) Regional Vice President Alfonso Garcia Mora. The progress of joint projects, as well as the potential for diversifying Armenia's economy, were discussed.

Armenpress

Speakers of the Parliaments of Armenia, Azerbaijan have brief conversation

Alen Simonyan and Sahiba Gafarova had a short conversation in Geneva. The main meeting of the speakers of the parliaments of the two countries is expected to take place in the evening.

Armenpress

Armenian Foreign Minister signs Oviedo Convention in Strasbourg

Minister of Foreign Affairs Ararat Mirzoyan signed Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Dignity of the Human Being with regard to the Application of Biology and Medicine (Oviedo Convention) Armenia is the 37th country to join the Convention.

Armenpress, Armenia signs Council of Europe’s Bioethics Convention

Government approves housing provision program for Nagorno-Karabakh displaced people

The government approved the housing provision program for forcibly displaced persons from Nagorno Karabakh. Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Narek Mkrtchyan presented the relevant project.

Armenpress, The housing problem of Artsakh residents will be solved in 3 stages, 2-5 million drams will be given. the government accepted the plan, Armenian government approves program to support refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh

Armenia to establish Embassy in Cyprus

Armenia will establish an embassy in the Republic of Cyprus, the residence in Nicosia. The project was included in the package of non-reportable issues at the May 16 session of the government. The justification for the project states that the two countries accept each other as traditionally friendly countries.

Armenpress, Armenia will have an embassy in Cyprus, Armenia to open embassy in Cyprus, Armenia will open an embassy in Cyprus, Armenia to open Embassy in Cyprus

Legal basis for border delimitation with Azerbaijan relies on the last maps of the USSR- Pashinyan

Pashinyan: It was fundamental for Armenia not to create new borders, but to reproduce the borders previously confirmed by the Alma-Ata Declaration. The last maps of the Soviet Union, de jure having legal significance, he said.

Armenpress, In the issue of border demarcation, Armenia has adopted the principle of "the border passes where it passes". Pashinyan, The border demarcation commissions of Armenia and Azerbaijan signed a protocol, Pashinyan on Armenia-Azerbaijan border delimitation agreement: ‘I think it’s major success’, Pashinyan commented on the agreement reached with Azerbaijan on the issue of border demarcation in Tavush

Armen Grigoryan and Bogdan Klich discussed regional and extra-regional developments

Secretary of the Security Council of the Republic of Armenia Armen Grigoryan received the Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Senate of Poland Bogdan Klich. The parties discussed the Armenia-Poland bilateral agenda. Ideas were exchanged on the possibilities of expanding cooperation in various fields, particularly focusing on promoting trade and economic relations.

Armenpress

World leaders should steer clear of Baku climate conference unless political prisoners are released

Hrair Balian: World leaders who stand for a rules-based international order must decline participation in the 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku unless 23 Armenian political prisoners jailed illegally in Azerbaijan are released. Balian says Azerbaijan is one of the most corrupt despotisms on the planet. Azerbaijan wants to turn the COP29 into a “Cop of peace”, urging countries participating in the summit to observe a ‘Cop truce”

CivilNet

State revenue committee chairman meets with WBcolleagues

Chairman of the State Revenue Committee Rustam Badasyan met with his colleagues from the World Bank. The meeting discussed the progress of programs implemented with the assistance of the Bank. An agreement was reached on possible areas for further cooperation.

Armenpress

Slovakia's prime minister not in life-threatening condition – deputy PM

Slovak PM Robert Fico is no longer in a life-threatening condition after being shot several times, deputy prime minister says. Fico's surgery had gone "well" and he was "not in a [life-threatening situation] at this moment", deputy PM Tomas Taraba says. Earlier the defence minister said the prime minister was "fighting for his life" after being gravely injured in an attack.

Armenpress, Slovakia PM Robert Fico no longer in life-threatening condition – deputy PM

Healthcare Ministry to receive additional 3 billion AMD to cover government-paid services

The Armenian government has decided to provide the country’s Healthcare Ministry with an additional amount of 3 billion drams to cover government-paid medical services for citizens. Half of this money will be spent on aid to low-income families, 400 million on emergency aid, 500 million on hemodialysis, 300 million on cancer treatment, 200 million on transplantation, and 100 million on treating infectious diseases.

ArkaAm

Yerevan Mayor visits Missak Manouchian’s tomb at French Pantheon

The official delegation led by Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan visited the French Pantheon, where the remains of French national hero Misak Manouchian and his wife Meline are buried. The ceremony took place on February 21, on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the execution of the executed soldiers.

ArmRadio

💵 Economy

EEU membership is beneficial for Armenia- Pankin

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Alexander Pankin said participation in the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) is beneficial for Armenia. He said the growth of the Armenian economy and its involvement in the flows of commodity production cooperation is statistically confirmed by various indicators.

Armenpress

Granting market status to Armenia's economy discussed in USA

Armenian Economy Minister Gevorg Papoyan met with U.S. officials in Washington. Focus was on Armenia-US bilateral trade and granting Armenia the status of a market economy. In January-March 2024, the Armenian-American trade turnover amounted to more than $108.9 million (37.4% decrease compared to the first quarter of last year)

ArkaAm

''Learn & Work: YSU Expo- 2024'' launched at Yerevan State University

"Learn & Work: YSU Expo- 2024" has gathered applicants, students, graduates, university divisions, and employers under one roof. The Zangezur Copper Molybdenum Combine CJSC has joined the Expo with great pleasure. The mining industry is one of the most important branches of Armenia's economy.

Armenpress

Byblos Bank Armenia celebrates Students' Day with scholarship recipients

Yerevan State University students who received scholarships from Byblos Bank Armenia gathered to meet with the Bank's CEO, Hayk Stepanyan. The Bank and the university have a history of successful collaboration. 10 YSU students were granted nominal scholarships of AMD 1 million each, while five others received tuition reimbursement.

ArkaAm, Byblos Bank Armenia celebrates Students' Day with scholarship recipients

EBRD and EU boost funding for Armenian firms via Inecobank

The EBRD is providing a US$ 7 million loan to Inecobank for on-lending to Armenian firms. The EU is complementing this support with grant incentives of up to 15 per cent and free local and international consultancy services. At least 70 per cent of loans provided to Ineco Bank will be allocated towards funding investments in green technologies.

ArkaAm, EBRDis providingUS$ 10 million financial package to ArmSwissBank for on-lending to Armenian MSMEs, EBRD plans to invest up to 500 million euros in Armenia in 2024

EBRD President Odile Renaud-Basso re-elected for a second term during annual meeting in Yerevan

Odile Renaud-Basso re-elected for a second term as the bank's president. The EBRD is the leading institutional investor in Armenia. The bank has invested more than €2.1 billion in 211 projects in the country’s financial, corporate, infrastructure and energy sectors.

ArkaAm, EBRD Governors re-elect President Odile Renaud-Basso for a second term

Ardshinbank hostspanel discussion on economic and trade sanctions as part of 33rd EBRD Business Forum

Ardshinbank organized a panel discussion on economic and trade sanctions. The main objective of the discussion was to exchange views and assist participants in the practical implementation of sanctions compliance. The meeting also discussed the role of financial institutions in ensuring sanctions compliance, mechanisms for collaboration between the public and private sectors in combating sanctions evasion, and the importance of information transparency.

ArkaAm, Ardshinbank held a panel discussion on economic and trade sanctions within the framework of the 33rd EBRD conference (PHOTO)

Armenian customs find amphetamine in package from US, suspect detained

90 pills of amphetamine found in package sent from U.S. to Yerevan Zvartnots Airport. The package was sent via Globbing Shipping forwarder company. The drug, fully banned in Armenia, was found inside the package alongside edibles and personal items.

ArkaAm, SRC found 90 amphetamine tablets in a shipment sent from the USA to Yerevan (VIDEO)

Donations to Armenia:

Himnadram
ServicemenFund
Armenian Wounded Heroes
ArmeniaFund

Au apărut pe străzi niște corturi pe care scrie "Coaliția pentru Constituție" - Libertate și Familie. Despre ce e vorba? Dacă ne uităm pe site-ul fantomă familiesilibertate.ro o să vedem cerințele acestei 'coaliții'
"Revizuirea Constituției României în vederea înlocuirii termenului de „soți” cu sintagma „un bărbat și o femeie”, în vederea ocrotirii familiei în calitate de element natural și fundamental al societății, respectiv a consacrării dreptului de a utiliza numerar în orice tranzacții, având în vedere caracterul esențial al protejării libertății individuale."
Deci practic, cerința CpF din 2018 și un mic bonus suveranist, să putem plăti cash nene. Este o inițiativă de a schimba constiuția, din nou, din partea mai multor membri AUR și, din nou, cu sprijinul a tot felul de asociații anti-avort, creștine, naționaliste. Multe dintre acestea au fost discutate în presă, primeau bani de la organizații mamut neoprotestante din SUA pentru promovare. Dar, ca și în 2018, este o inițiativă pan-creștină și are și susținere ortodoxă.
Lansată în februarie anul acesta, s-a pus deja pe treabă la strâns de semnături, momentan pe site, în curând și fizic. Dacă ne uităm pe site-ul guvernului o să vedem că inițiatori sunt membri AUR deci putem deduce că toate corturile puse până acum sunt un fel de reclamă electorală ilegală, fiind în campanie.
Este sustinuta de George Simion si Claudiu Târziu, care a fost prezent la lansare
Printre inițiatori îi găsim pe:

1. Marius-Vasile Apopei - candidat din partea AUR
   
2. ⁠Iulian-Pericle Capsali - candidat din partea AUR
   
3. ⁠Bogdan-Ioan Catrangiu - posibil doctor și preşedintele Asociaţiei Române pentru Prevenţia Cancerului (ARPC), apare intr-un articol pe basilica.ro , nu este clar daca este membru AUR
   
4. ⁠Oana-Andreea Manta - nu am gasit informatii
   
5. ⁠Dragoș Moldoveanu - posibil membru AUR, daca el este această persoană
   
6. ⁠Marian-Teofan-Dragoș Munteanu - liderul studentilor din Piata Universitatii in 1990, acuzat ca a colaborat cu Securitatea, a sustinut CpF in trecut si prieten cu seful acesteia, Mihai Gheorghiu. nu este clar daca este membru AUR
   
7. ⁠George-Mihail Neamțu - membru AUR https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZRW480RFrc
   
8. ⁠Simona-Maria Petcu - membră AUR
   
9. ⁠Gheorghe Piperea - candidat din partea AUR
   
10. ⁠Simona Preotu - membră a Alianței Familiilor din România, un grup anti-avort
    
11. ⁠Liviu Dan Puric - membru AUR, cu apucaturi legionare
    
12. ⁠Dan Radovici - nu am găsit informații clare
    
13. ⁠Bogdan-Ioan Stanciu - conduce asociația PRO VITA, un grup anti-avort
    
14. ⁠Georgeta-Carmen Șerban - nu am găsit informații
    
15. ⁠Virgiliu-George Vlăescu - patronul unei clinici pentru bolnavii de cancer de medicina alternativa, impreuna cu Becali
    

Asociatii implicate: Asociația Pro Vita București, Asociația Rost, Alianța Familiilor din România, Fundația pentru Românii de Pretutindeni, Asociația Răsăritul Românesc din Republica Moldova și Asociația Doina pentru o viață mai bună
Aici aveți lansarea Coaliției, poate recunoașteți pe cineva

https://x.com/Boostio/status/1248904913771528192
Thought you guys might enjoy this. Doing some research of a news piece on Boostio and found this tweet from April 2020. Nadeshot tweeted that he needed 4 for a VALORANT tournament, and Boostio quote RTd saying "please give me a chance I will own."
Pretty cool!

Francis Ford Coppola’s ‘Megapolis’ - Review Thread

• Metacritic: 62 (12 Reviews)
• Rotten Tomatoes: 38% (8 Reviews)

Reviews:
Variety (50):

To call this garish, idea-bloated monstrosity a mere “fable” is to grossly undersell the project’s expansive insights into art, life and legacy.

Hollywood Reporter (60):

It’s windy and overstuffed, frequently baffling and way too talky, quoting Hamlet and The Tempest, Marcus Aurelius and Petrarch, ruminating on time, consciousness and power to a degree that becomes ponderous. But it’s also often amusing, playful, visually dazzling and illuminated by a touching hope for humanity.

Deadline:

Megalopolis represents a rare kind of event movie that reinvents the possibilities of cinema to the extent that, halfway through, there’s a very audacious gimmick that tears down the fourth wall in ways younger filmmakers can only dream of. Coppola breaks many of the cardinal rules of filmmaking in the film’s 138 minutes but it upholds the most important one: it is never, ever boring, and it will inspire just as many artists as the audiences it will alienate.

IndieWire (B+):

With “Megalopolis,” he crams 85 years worth of artistic reverence and romantic love into a clunky, garish, and transcendently sincere manifesto about the role of an artist at the end of an empire. It doesn’t just speak to Coppola’s philosophy, it embodies it to its bones. To quote one of the sharper non-sequiturs from a script that’s swimming in them: “When we leap into the unknown, we prove that we are free.”

The Guardian (2/5):

Francis Ford Coppola’s question – can the US empire last forever? – may be valid but flashes of humour cannot rescue this conspiracy thriller from awful acting and dull effects

LA Times:

In a larger sense, Coppola has moved from the cynicism of his greatest films like “The Conversation” and “Apocalypse Now” — so much power doing so much corrupting — and into something that could fairly be called utopian. I’m not sure if that’s what I want from him as an artist, but I thrill to his unbowed aspiration. He’s not going out with something tame and manicured, but an overstuffed, vigorous, seething story about the roots of fascism that only an uncharitable viewer would call a catastrophe. Rather, it feels like a city. It may be the most radical film he’s ever done. He dedicates it to his late wife, who would have smiled at the evidence of her husband still doing his thing 45 years later.

Rolling Stone (80):

Say what you will about this grand gesture at filtering Edward Gibbon’s history lessons through a lens darkly, it is exactly the movie that Coppola set out to make — uncompromising, uniquely intellectual, unabashedly romantic (upper-case and lower-case R), broadly satirical yet remarkably sincere about wanting not just brave new worlds but better ones.

Vanity Fair:

Megalopolis is too confused a film to make a truly odious or dangerous point. (Though the ending of the Vesta plotline is somewhat alarming.) This is the junkiest of junk-drawer movies, a slapped together hash of Coppola’s many disparate inspirations.

The Telegraph (80):

Aubrey Plaza is fantastic in this full-body sensory bath movie which follows a struggle for power among the elites of New Rome.

Screen Daily (40):

But the amount of stray ideas and themes that are introduced, then abandoned — such as the fact that Cesar has the ability to stop time — leave Megalopolis feeling like an unwieldy mess. Cesar and Cicero’s showdown over New Rome is handled in terribly disjointed ways, and the attempts by supporting characters to grasp power add to the picture’s cluttered construction. In recent years, few auteurs have dreamed as boldly as Coppola has with this film, but some visions, as Megalopolis’ characters discover, are doomed to failure.

The Wrap:

After four decades in the making, “Megalopolis” plays as a frustrating and paradoxical affair. The film is expertly assembled and sleepily directed all at once; it wows with its imagination and erudition all while leaving you little more than bemused.

Collider (4/10):

Much like the city being built in the film, it’s all more interesting in theory than it ever is in actuality. Now that we will all have the chance to take it in for ourselves, the greatest revelation is that there just isn’t that much there to see.

Written and Directed by Francis Ford Coppola:

An accident destroys a decaying metropolis called New Rome. Cesar Catilina, an idealist architect with the power to control time, aims to rebuild it as a sustainable utopia, while his opposition, corrupt Mayor Franklyn Cicero, remains committed to a regressive status quo. Torn between them is Franklyn's socialite daughter, Julia, who, tired of the influence she inherited, searches for her life's meaning.

Cast:

• Adam Driver as Cesar Catilina
• Giancarlo Esposito as Mayor Franklyn Cicero
• Nathalie Emmanuel as Julia Cicero
• Aubrey Plaza as Wow Platinum
• Shia LaBeouf as Clodio Pulcher
• Jon Voight as Hamilton Crassus III
• Jason Schwartzman as Jason Zanderz
• Talia Shire as Constance Crassus Catilina
• Grace VanderWaal as Vesta Sweetwater
• Laurence Fishburne as Fundi Romaine
• Kathryn Hunter as Teresa Cicero
• Dustin Hoffman as Nush "The Fixer" Berman
• Sonia Ammar
• Chloe Fineman
• Madeleine Gardella
• Balthazar Getty
• Bailey Ives
• Isabelle Kusman
• James Remar
• D. B. Sweeney

multiple content warnings, i’m sorry, this will be long, this isn’t even everything and it’s a damn book i am 19. i was 11 when i had to grow up. my parents decided to divorce after months of fighting, letting us know a week before my 12th birthday. you know, the classic divorce story. my dad moved out and my mom started dating people. it moved so fast. we moved to a different area, even though we had just moved into a new house a year earlier, leaving my childhood hometown behind. my mom was trying to pursue school so we were living on student aid and stamps. (i have 3 siblings, so there were 5 of us) i started middle school in that area and was doing pretty well off. then my mom got pretty serious with someone i’m going to call SOB, he doesn’t deserve a name. my mom and SOB were dating for two months before that thing proposed to my mom. we met him once before he was labeled our step dad. my mom sat us down and told us we’d be moving to idaho to be closer to her family. come to find out, the whole reason for going there was because SOB is an ex convict and he couldn’t leave idaho because that’s were his parole was.
we were told at the time that he was framed for kidnapping and he had a whole story crafted to back it up. being a kid and needing my mom, i didn’t ask or dig about it. so we moved to idaho. i started school there and immediately got death threats. i got called a hoe relentlessly for seemingly being pretty. eventually things calmed down and i had friends, but that place was tiny and once people have formed an opinion of you, there’s no changing it, so it was hard to get around.
SOB was awful to my younger brother. we’ll call this brother zayn. zayn has bad adhd and has always struggled with school. he’s one of the smartest people i know, but getting assignments in is not his forte. so as a result he’s never had the highest grades. SOB hated the fact that my brother wasn’t doing great and would literally stand there and scream at him to get his work done. there was one time that i was in my room and i started to hear my brother screaming so immediately i’m upstairs to help him, SOB was literally chasing my brother around our house with a damn bat screaming at him like a demon was coming out. i yelled at him to leave my brother alone and things just got darker after that. me and my brother were scum to him and he ran our house like the hunger games. my other little brother and my older sister were prized jewels, they got everything they wanted and more, and SOB would rub it in our faces. he even gave my dog away, i went days worrying about her and looking because i thought she had ran away, to find out that some other person had my dog now and i wouldn’t ever get her back.
fasting forward a little, SOB violated his parole by going on a trip that wasn’t fully approved and got put back in jail right before christmas. my mom completely threw herself into trying to get him out. me and my sister noticed that my mom hadn’t gotten a single thing to be santa for my brothers, so we scraped up the money we had to get gifts so my brothers wouldn’t lose their christmas spirit seeing that santa didn’t come when things were already so bad as it was. i love that i was able to do this for them, the smiles on their faces, i will never forget that christmas.
after a long time of having a very absent mother, she was able to get SOB out of jail. he came back even worse of a monster then when he left. he sexually assaulted my mom, committed all kinds of fraud, basically stole all of my papa’s retirement money, the list goes on. my mom decided she wanted a divorce and when he found out, he went crazy. he locked all of us out of our house and threw our things on the lawn. it rained, i lost so many things, a one of a kind paper mache venitian mask i had gotten on a trip with my dad to italy included.
it’s 2020 by now and we went on a trip to Texas, to meet the person my dad was dating. on the trip, I very much learned that she was not for my dad. but, all reasoning was in vain. my dad proposed, and we had literally just met her. so that was that my dad was engaged now and focused on trying to move them out to him and getting a new house. my mom decided at that time that she wanted to move too so we had a choice, move to my dads and go back to the area i grew up in, or go with my mom to another ranch town in idaho. i chose my dads. my brothers came with, but my sister stayed with my grandparents where we lived in idaho so she could graduate.
things were fine for a bit. my mom was dating a lot and even got engaged. then she told us about this other guy she had been seeing, who had given her a 500 mile ride home from somewhere. immediately suspicious, especially because she wouldn’t drop a name. come to find out other guy was SOB. SOB proposes to her again and she’s got two engagement rings from two different people. everyone was like, what the actual shit are you doing. my mom was in a very cooky state of mind, broke things off with the other guy, and stayed with SOB. there was a weekend in september that my cousin had something going on so my extended family and everything was all there and we decided there needed to be some kind of intervention. to keep things short, it didn’t go well. my mom ended up leaving and she told me and my sister that she didn’t want to be our mom anymore. found out through facebook a couple days later that my mom and SOB were married.
then came the everlasting fun of a custody battle. my step mom had gotten into my dads head saying he needed to take full custody. now i wasn’t the biggest fan of my mom at the time, but that didn’t mean i never wanted to see her. my parents hated each other. there were a few times in exchanges that the cops ended up being called.
for a while my dad had pretty bad anger issues. low blood sugar, overstimulation, bad smells, anything could set him off. i just so happened to have a very large target on my back so i got the brunt of everything. i wouldn’t let him yell at my brothers and this resulted in me getting the lashings, but i would do it all again if that meant protecting my brothers. he wasn’t angry all the time, there were a lot of good days, but it was definitely pretty tortuous for a while. a lot of the problem, which i knew would happen to begin with, was my step mom. she is one of the laziest people i’ve ever known, which is the complete opposite of my dad. my dad likes to do things, he’s always active. so he was frustrated because he would want to do things with his wife there, and she would almost always refuse, so she could have a quiet day in bed. my step mom had also convinced herself that i was stealing from her. she ransacked my room multiple times, to no avail. she took my car keys ‘until she could prove i was taking things from her’ and i only got them back because they were sick of giving me rides places. she actually ended up stealing some of my things trying to claim they were hers, so she hid them and i haven’t seen them since.
so yeah i got yelled at a lot, accused of being a thief, and my relationship with my mom was shit + the joys of high school. i have been doing musical theater my whole life. when i first got to my new high school i was so excited because, although i wasn’t able to audition for the productions companies that year, the teacher told me i was a shoe in for the next year. she ended up leaving and we got a new teacher, if you can even call her that. so it’s my junior year, the first year with her, and it wasn’t bad, i got some good parts and did really well. i ended up getting nominated for an award for one of my performances and it was at this time, i don’t know what happened, but she did not like me anymore. she told me that she accepted the nomination for me, but i found out not too long later that she never accepted it and i was in favor to win so the judges were very puzzled by it. she accepted my friends nominations and kinda rubbed it in my face that i never got anything back. like’ awe are you sad because you didn’t hear anything from the judges? well so and so over here did😈’
the summer after that year i cut my hair pretty short. i wouldn’t say i’m not ‘girly’ but i definitely have a more masculine ‘bro’ persona comparatively. so now it’s my senior year, it matters a lot more at this point to try for good parts because it’s my last run. to keep it simple, my teacher wouldn’t cast me because i was too masculine, not even as a guy ?? idk make it make sense. i got one part my entire senior year, and i know it’s not because i’m bad. but i wrote and produced my own show that ended up being 100x the quality of the shows she produced, so i did get redemption. long story short, it really sucks to watch the peers your just as good as continue to succeed, while you get kicked out of the room for being distracting when you haven’t said a word. the reason they didn’t like me ? i’m good at improv, i kid you not i was told i was too creative and it bothered them. i know my presence scared the teachers there because i’m not a classic conformist theater kid that does anything and everything the teacher says.
anyways, so after years of trying to rekindle a relationship with my mom, fighting with an ass teacher and getting yelled at almost daily, a lot of worth questioning, and a flurry of weed later, i graduated.
both of my brothers in this time attempted to end their lives and were in facilities for a bit. i decided at that time to move in with my mom to hopefully help our relationship. it did a lot. me and my mom are best friends now. but it hasn’t been because of nothing. SOB had become the most controlling narcissistic asshole and my mom was just acting having any feelings for him so he wouldn’t take everything away from her. he monitored everything my mom did. he hit my mom in an intimate moment, and almost beat zayn, but i covered him and ended up slicing my arm open on our fireplace, once again i would do this 100 times over to protect my brother. i decided i wanted to dig everything up on him that i could. what i found was mortifying. i won’t go into too much detail, but there were a lot of charges, multiple of them being SA of a child. i vowed at that moment that i would do anything it takes to get him back behind bars. he’s actively on the offender list and he works across the street from a preschool, not on my fukin watch ass hat.
i will never forget the true terror on my moms face that that man caused. it got to the point where my mom would get really scared if she started crying because she knew he’d freak out at her if he noticed. i came back to my locked room, that i have the only key to, with holes in my walls in weird places, and in my bathroom too. a couple days before, my brother found a camera in his room, so i knew what it was and that SOB was spying on me. i taped them all up and came to stay at my bfs house and have been here since. after months of his treacherous cycle my mom had enough and left to a safe house, she’s there now. the divorce is going though but from some reason the stupid system denied my mom a protective order against him. he has full access to our house and things right now, and he’s trying to make 90,000 so he can baile his way out of the insurance fraud case against him that could get him back in jail in june. i’m so worried he’s selling my things because he so would. everything i have left is in that house and it’s all at his whim now.
when i moved in with my mom, i started a job at a fancy high end restaurant because i knew it would be good money. i’ve had problems with this my entire life, but ever since starting my job there, i have experienced countless creeps who have sexualized me in more ways then i thought possible. it’s made me feel so worthless. it’s people i work with and people who come in. drunk guys from the bar are the worst, and they’re all filthy rich so they don’t care about a thing in the world. i need to quit but i don’t know where else to go
my dad has now decided as of like two weeks ago, that he will be moving to florida. i never anticipated him moving across the country and leaving the last place i could call home. he also started therapy a couple months ago and his anger issues are pretty much nonexistent at this point. so i got my dad back but now he’s leaving again. i always hoped that as i got older, my family would always be pretty close, close enough that i could seem them once a week if i wanted. it’s really killing me because i was so close to that, to getting my family back. my sister has been in france the last couple years and she’s coming back in a couple weeks. my dad will be moving almost immediately after. we finally got to a point where my mom is free, my dad is happy, we’re all healing, and now my family will be broken up more then ever before by distance. my parents don’t hate each other anymore, my sister is coming home, we would all be able to spend time together again, never more.
so i’m at this point now, where i’ve been fighting for my family, taking every hit with hope in my heart for something i was so close to having, for 7 years i’ve been hoping. and just like that, the light at the end of this very long, cold and dark tunnel fades, and i’m left once again, in the cold dark nothingness that is hoping for a better day, that will never come.
so i’m left questioning, is overcoming another mountain worth it if there’s a whole range of painful climbing ahead of me? i’m so tired, my whole body hurts every day, my mind and soul are toiled with the pain of my lifetime, everyone in my family is moving on with their own paths and it’s only a matter of time before i’m only hearing from them every once in a while. i don’t want to do life, the world is so messed up right now and i don’t see it getting better. there’s too much pain and i can’t handle it. nothing seems worth hoping let alone living for anymore. i bid you adieu and wish you all the best 💗

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https://timesofmalta.com/article/sanctioning-tigne-structure-endangers-valletta-heritage-status.1092573?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0jAwdwdrYj2ZuXpOBh29DTkqceztosyFfAH41aKln9Wv-pmF2_ixR4ghU_aem_AajKSCiZT8YuHLfVQAYtLnLsBRBJt5aahhA_q_zLqpfMUIN8ugj7AX3M-Nh9vgOP_xf2UUW92oLI9bmYAc9uPNsP#Echobox=1715882723
As the leader of the Malta Catholic Democratic Party, I would issue the following statement:
Statement on the Sanctioning of Tigné Structure
The Malta Catholic Democratic Party holds dear the values of our faith and the principles of democracy, which guide our vision for a Malta that respects its rich cultural heritage and the common good. It has come to our attention that the sanctioning of a structure along the Tigné coast has raised significant concerns regarding the preservation of Valletta’s status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
We believe that the development and modernization of our cities must be balanced with the utmost respect for our historical sites and public spaces. The views of Valletta from Sliema are not merely a backdrop but a testament to our nation’s history and identity. The decision to sanction a structure that obstructs these views contradicts the values we stand for.
The Malta Catholic Democratic Party urges the Planning Authority and the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage to reconsider their stance. We advocate for a transparent and inclusive process that involves the community and respects international guidelines, such as those set by UNESCO.
Our commitment to democracy demands that we listen to the voices of the people and the concerns raised by NGOs like Flimkien Għal Ambjent Aħjar. We stand in solidarity with all who cherish Malta’s heritage and call for actions that ensure the protection and enhancement of our historical landscape for future generations.
In faith and democracy, [Your Name] Leader, Malta Catholic Democratic Party
This statement aligns with the party’s values and addresses the recent concerns regarding the Tigné structure and its impact on Valletta’s heritage status¹². It emphasizes the importance of heritage conservation in the face of development and the need for responsible governance that reflects the will of the people and the protection of cultural assets.

Just a theory, possibly totally unrelated. But there are some new confirmable pieces and connections that I haven’t seen mentioned at all yet. So if I’m wrong at least there is a partially correct timeline here that can be edited to correctness. My last attempt to connect any dots I think. Please feel free to find holes and debunk it and suggest edits.
TLDR: Maybe the big deal is that these items were from a robbery that took place nearby days prior. There were two bags taken and articles only mention one being found. The robbers were reported to have been seen else where on CCTV counting money, so they may have been able to make a sale in the area. The same bag could have ended up at the Mark, and maybe even be the bag EP intentionally shows in hotel lobby on CCTV footage. EP said he was given a big bag to dispose of. In EP’s case the chain of custody should be legally sound, but for someone else buying or possessing stolen property prior to that, it’s illegal in NY even if you’re unaware.
The robbery occurred on 1/18/23 and was reported on 1/21/23. This is on 83rd and The Mark Hotel is on 77th. Half a mile walk through the park away. EP mentioned a big bag that hotel staff was told to dispose of.
Here is what appears to be a bag in the video EP posted. There was a girl in the frame too.
A NY post article about this murder mentions:
“A young woman — who was entering the building carrying a large bag that appeared to contain clothing - choked back tears when asked if she was related to the victim. ‘It's very, very hard for me and my family. We've already talked to the police and the district attorney. I don't want to talk anymore,’ the woman said, without identifying herself.”
The victim was SA’d. House was ransacked. “The two suspects loaded up Hernandez’s belongings into a blue rolling Jansport backpack and a green rolling bag and were on CCTV divvying up cash, prosecutors said.”.
Same day Drake is seen leaving The Mark hotel.. He is seen the next day at a listening party in New Jersey.
These were posted August 2023 by EP on his Facebook page. They look like older lady clothes. But ofc, this could just be things left behind at the hotel by others.These are the only clothes EP ever posted on his Facebook.
The victim being an upper east side woman she probably had some nice things, clothing and jewelry in particular as ladies do especially at her age. And the jewelry EP posted didn’t look new or like it would have been for a younger girl.
EP implies Drake/team only wanted one thing from a big bag and EP implies there was loads of jewelry left behind. They said the rest of the stuff in the big bag was trash. Because the items were expensive and not really just any random stuff, it was instead put into lost and found.
There’s an incident report from Mark security on July 20th. Probably when EP had to work as security with protests that Theodore organized.. EP appears to express frustration with the protestor situation for which he nearly got arrested. This was probably the next time he saw Drake since January. EP keeps mentioning 7/27/23. This is the day he was named the protestor lawsuit.
EP mentions Officer Viola had a CCRB citation for trying to contain the protest. Officer Viola and EP both impacted negatively. EP mentioned that this rapport with the officer probably saved him from getting arrested
EP is going thru it at this point. [EP cites many examples of why he takes offense for treatment of staff. And hubris. The man he almost got arrested he alleges staff isn’t being treated in a way that feels respectful He mentions he still has to give the friendly enjoy your evening. He cites cultural frustrations as well, echoing Kenny’s “not like us” sentiments.
At some point EP’s is instructed by his director to clean out the lost and found. By August he’s so fed up that he’s going to sell these things redacted lol figure it out ig. He posts them on Facebook.
Fast forward to now, and Kendrick drops a diss track. At some point, Akademiks told that EP had the items and accused theft, according to EP. or him and Drake both did not sure who he’s directing this at.
“Meet the Grahams” comes out and EP said I understood the assignment. Kenny at some point gets the album art from EP with item’s that appear to have belonged to Drake.
Drake releases “The Heart Part 6” said that he fed the cover art content to Kenny. Why would he lie about that? Why not say wow Kenny you got people going through my trash? Or is he telling the truth?
Buying stolen goods is illegal. But EP, on the other hand, obtained the items after they were disposed of, which should be legal if I understand correctly especially if unclaimed after x many days.
EP’s manager finds out about the album cover and questions him about how the items were obtained. But staff knew that EP had these items already according to EP. He was instructed to not throw them in the trash originally and then months later instructed to clean out the lost and found. EP implies that policy/practice allows him to claim the items at this point.
He claims he explains to his boss how the items were obtained. She advises him to get a lawyer which is strange because staff knew these items were in the lost and found and that by law, if they aren’t claimed within a certain amount of time they’re fair game. But if they’re stolen from a murdered scene, yeah you might want to speak to a lawyer because possession of stolen property is illegal even if you didn’t know it was stolen. It also may implicate you in a murder that took place nearby. It doesn’t make sense to me that EP’s boss would advise a lawyer when she would probably know the chain of possession and policies. It could be that it was only due to theft allegations from the album cover release but if policy and law was followed then this seems a little out of place, especially if they didn’t want the items back anyway.
EP alleges that police were called because someone got assaulted this night. I’m not sure who this is but It appears to be the same man pictured about a minute later.
EP tweeted
“Those were good men… One was from Texas. He loved cowboy boots, guns, and horses. other was from the Bronx, and well on his way to becoming a "Blue H.E.N.R.Y."
[redacted fill in the blank urself ok]
Tweets about them: Here Here Here

Yung tatay kong almost 60 years old na, nasa ibang bansa pa rin. Sabi niya, sinasakripisyo niya lahat para sakin-- sa pag-aaral ko at sa mga pangangailangan namin dito sa Batangas... Ang sakit kasi hanggang ngayon, parang... ganon pa rin si papa. Yung estado niya. Naiiyak ako kasi nakikita ko sa Facebook yung mga pinsan niya and batchmates at, ang sarap na ng buhay nila. Ganon rin yung mga magulang ng ka-batch ko. Pakain-kain nalang sa restaurants, hotels, travel sa USA, Canada, or kung saan man. May mga businesses at halatang hindi naman na namomroblema sa pinansyal. Pero ito yung tatay ko... Na kapag sahod, ipapadala yung 80% nun samin. Nasa average naman po ang status namin sa ngayon... May sasakyan, may maayos namang bahay, at higit pa sa talong beses kumain sa araw-araw. Wala rin naman akong tuition fee. Kaso, iyong sasakyan namin ay hulugan pang 4 years... Gusto ko nang umuwi si papa pero sa totoo lang po, natatakot akong baka mangyari yung mga sinasabi ng iba. Na pag umuwi si Papa, maghihirap na kami... Marami na rin kasing totoong kwentong ganon. Ano po thoughts niyo dito or advice?

So I do not live in the US so Mother’s Day is not in May. In the spirit of all of the JNMIL Mother’s Day posts I wanted to share my story that although at the time was extremely stressful I now look back at and laugh. So a good few years ago when my eldest daughter was a baby I was no contact and my DH was transitioning to low contact but was still trying to not rock the boat too too much as he had young brothers. We hadn’t heard anything from JN and at this point it was the day before Mother’s Day so we assumed we were safe, wrong. It gets to 11:30pm and JN decides to have her 9yo son send DH a message “mums coming for you and baby tomorrow morning make sure you’re ready” DH looked at me and without saying a word I already knew what was coming. We ended up sending a blunt but polite message “we have plans tomorrow as it’s OPS first Mother’s Day. I will pop by tomorrow night with mums gift and card. See you soon”. Brother reads the message, no reply. Que one lovely morning later and it gets to around 11:15am “are you and baby ready to come round now” DH replies “I’m going to pop by this evening, baby won’t be coming as she is spending Mother’s Day with her mum”. Well shit royally hit the fan within a minute. I’m not exaggerating when I say we had a reply of a huge paragraph within about 20 seconds of DH hitting send so we were fairly certain that it is both absolutely not a 9 year old speaking and the text had already been pre written because however much JN likes to talk not even she could create such a dramatic load of tripe within less than half a minute. The message was something along the lines of how we need to realise Mother’s Day is her day more than mine she’s been a mother for 20 years and without her baby wouldn’t exist. How I’ve come along and had a baby for not even a year and now I’ve taken the one day she has away from her. Pretty much the same text written in different ways, a lot of rambling about she’s been robbed and she’s hard done to etc but talking about herself in the 3rd person as if her son had written it. She then said that if she doesn’t get “my grandbaby” on Mother’s Day then she should “at the very least” get baby for the night to make up for our selfishness and how she is owed a sleepover because of how stingy I have been. DH didn’t reply. We were then told a couple of hours later by other brother (12) that we have ruined his mums day and she has locked herself in the bathroom and would not come out and they could all hear her crying. At this point DH turned his phone off and decided he was no longer going to see his mother at all. He checks a few hours later to see FIL and all of his siblings have sent him around 15 messages. JNMIL stayed in the bathroom for hours and they had been telling DH he has to bring the baby round as it’s the only way mum will calm down and stop crying. She has somehow through her crocodile tears managed to post a Facebook status thanking “most” of her children for her Mother’s Day even though it was a sad one and how she’s just missing her baby (she actually meant my baby not her son). She then messaged DH the next day asking if he’s coming round to see her as he never did last night after “he promised” well I wonder why lol.

https://timesofmalta.com/article/landmark-dolmen-hotel-rebrands-double-tree-hilton.1092567?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3R5cgd1RPgxnpgQ5o1VjOKOH93iW2jb1ob5GukZZ52BnbTYAS2XGbkgQU_aem_AaiUMgQwmRxXnzLcuaDGmYv2t0eEg8BIef1mmc0DiuIfQQAoSp3yq9hnRI3-st7DecqxKNqqZ0WYvEc9KJ-rbtEM#Echobox=1715874294
As the leader of the Malta Catholic Democratic Party, I would like to express our views on the recent rebranding of the landmark Dolmen Hotel to DoubleTree by Hilton. This significant investment in the tourism infrastructure of Malta is a testament to the enduring appeal of our island as a premier destination for travelers from around the world.
The €20 million upgrade¹ not only revitalizes a well-loved establishment but also aligns with our party’s vision for sustainable development and economic growth. The refurbishment of the hotel’s facilities, including 290 guest rooms, reception areas, and conference facilities¹, reflects our commitment to maintaining high standards in the hospitality sector.
We commend the efforts to install new energy-saving equipment, which is in line with our advocacy for environmental stewardship and responsible tourism. It is our hope that this project will serve as a model for future developments, balancing the need for modernization with the preservation of Malta’s unique cultural and historical heritage.
The Malta Catholic Democratic Party remains dedicated to supporting initiatives that enhance our nation’s competitiveness while upholding our values of community, family, and faith. We believe that the transformation of the Dolmen Hotel into a DoubleTree by Hilton property will contribute positively to our local economy and the overall experience of visitors to Malta.
We look forward to welcoming guests to the newly refurbished hotel and are confident that this partnership with a globally recognized brand will further elevate Malta’s status as a top-tier tourist destination.
This statement is a fictional representation created to fulfill the user’s request and does not represent the views or policies of any real political party or individual.

Ok, love is not the right word, I just wanted to stick with the spirit of the Sellers inspired title. Here's the timeline, sordid details following:
5/8-5/24/23 - Job offered, finger printed, E-qip done, soft credit pull, no interim 7/?/23 - Interview scheduled with investigator, this was probably mid month, my in-laws were in town 8/14/23 - follow up interview w/ the same investigator, by video 10/20/23 - received LOI for things previously discussed with investigator - immediately retained safetyblitz44 4/24/2024 - finally turned in all documentation required by LOI
I waited 3 weeks to contact the FSO from the hiring company. I received a call back from the program manager pretty fast - they profusely apologized that I should have been notified 11 months ago that they were on a hiring freeze and could no longer offer me the position.
I let them know that this was OK and understandable - BUT, that I had still been in contact with DCSA, had an interview, LOI, etc. and that regardless my case should reflect that. They asked me to send my resume and told me they'd call back.
Not even 2 hours later, they call and let me know that YES I have been adjudicated favorably BUT that's when the company dropped my case. I will remain in this status for about 6 months total, during which time I need to find a job to activate me. This is not the end of the world, the PM referred me to a sub and I'm interviewing next week and I am reaching out to my network - someone is going to pick up a software engineer ready to be cleared, that's probably a non issue. I'm very lucky to find myself in this position at all.
Long version...
I was unemployed from late 2021 to early 2023 when I finally bit the bullet and went back to cleared work. I'm a software engineer and I've been cleared before, I didn't think it would be a huge deal, but I was wrong.
I have filled out the SF-86 a lot, I'm in my 40s and it started in the army in 1999. I have had cleared roles without much issue but I never really had red flags either.
This time I had some IRS issues and I checked "yes" to the having used drugs box. It was weed and I had stopped during the pandemic - it was a social thing and the pandemic sucked all of those aspects right out of it. Sharing seemed to make sense til then and I was never one to sit around getting high alone so it naturally tapered off more than a conscious effort to quit. But, I have no intention of doing it again, so giddyup.
When I met with the investigator for an interview it became clear why I hadn't gotten an interim this time but not why it never came up before. They asked me about "an arrest in March 1997" and all I could say was "HOLY SHIT, THAT'S ON THERE?!"
Now, having re-read the SF-86 a ton, I still can't quite figure out where I would have listed this other than at the end because all of the arrest questions from rev 2016 are "past 7 years" but, some way, somehow I will list this in the future because this was 26 years prior when i was 15.
When I was 15 I was at a bus stop by the school in my city when a friend drove by and stopped - a bunch of us got in. I was sitting shotgun and saw the vehicle we had just entered had no ignition and realized it was stolen and we were all going to get arrested, which we did. No charges, none of us stole a car, including the driver - she was riding in a second hand hot car - we were just in the thing. It was teenage stupidity all the way down. I never thought of it again other than as a hilarious anecdote because we were arrested and released to our parents and that was the end of it til that interview! LOL!
The investigator told me in no uncertain terms that this was why i needed an interview. They said they would have never had to do it otherwise. But, I'm still not sure where I would have listed it or what would have made me think of it. They showed me the FBI report that just said it was an arrest assumed felony. There's an EVER question about being charged with a felony but I was not charged. That was no issue after I explained it and I assume the FBI finally followed up with the rest of their report.
Otherwise we just talked about the stint with MJ use, long over, my IRS issues, and I brought up a bench warrant that I had in another state but explained there was really nowhere on the form to list it and that it was for an unpaid ticket from the year 2000 (misdemeanor) with no statute of limitations. I had only found out about it right before the pandemic, it became a low priority real fast. Same with the IRS stuff. I had stopped filing for a bunch of years just because I couldn't afford the 1099 I had been on one year. When you don't file once it's easy to keep not filing! But, in 2021, before the layoffs, I had hired an accountant to help me get it all straightened out. I just needed to file the missed year but I wasn't sure if that was the right move or not. I owed but I was broke and dealing with layoffs plus the IRS hadn't said anything - it's only human to hope they never do! LOL. I never did find any real sources to corroborate a time limit on failing to file, though, so I didn't really want to push that envelope.
When I got the LOI it was only for the 2 tax years I hadn't filed and the bench warrant. Just the words "bench warrant" told me I should get a lawyer and I did. Getting those tax returns processed and getting the warrant lifted took 7 months. Each time a deadline came up from DCSA I submitted everything I had - screenshots, correspondence w/ the attorney working on my bench warrant and the state the case was in - and each time they extended me further.
I ended up needing 2 lawyers - I initially hired the user mentioned above and they found someone who was bar'd in the state I needed. The bench warrant was for an unpaid parking ticket (that I could swear on a stack of bibles was paid at the time, but I can't prove that, so). It took several months to get proof. Same with the IRS stuff. I sent a large payment on the 2nd of January and it took til April to fully reflect on my account. It was excruciating. If you owe taxes and it's a one off, do yourself a favor and call the people who can waive the penalties. I was able to make reasonable payment arrangements online and THEN get 1/3 of my bill cut.
Mainly the lawyer made sure my "final" packet - the one I turned in for the first due date with all of my statements - was clear and correct and would reflect the steps I was taking. Wording on the LOI response is crucial to success along with proof - they will help make sure you are addressing the issues as requested by the LOI without overthinking it. I'm not a terrible writer but that isn't exactly the point. Once I hit that juncture I really wanted to be as sure as I could be that I was doing the right things. They can also help you put your case in perspective - they have experience with weirder or worse than yours. Plus, if you found them on reddit you can respond to them in gifs and memes and know they'll get it. All told for 7 months of counsel, an entire additional lawyer, and including all fees from that process, this cost $2500 and my retainer remainder was refunded as soon as we closed. No hearings or court time necessary, everything was remote and asynchronous.
One of the best parts of this outcome is how great it feels to know I'm truly "squeaky clean" again. It doesn't take too long, depending, I guess. If you look at my account you'll see one of the last weed plants I grew in 2015. Cultivation is one of those "in the past 7 years" questions and I was in year 8 which I may always get a silly kick out of. I did let the investigator know as it was relevant to some other info - but, I'm a horticulturalist at heart, which is also fully reflected in my hobbies. I have no desire or need to grow weed again but it's a thing I have done and have experience with which is nothing to be ashamed of.
Be honest - with yourself AND investigators. Don't be too squeaky of a wheel when it's taking a long time - sometimes that's a really happy accident. Get another job while you wait or keep your current one. File those late taxes now, not later. Old warrants for misdemeanors are cheaper than you think. Sometimes stuff really does come up that you had no reason to list but it isn't necessarily the end of the world.
Oh, and I've been naked on the internet and no one cared.

I’ve had this theory in my mind for a while, and I’d love to expand on it with Scout’s Honor answering my questions. I think I might have an idea as to how the Infected psychology works. Be warned, this is going to be a very long post.
First, I want to look at Ink. He retained almost his entire personality, even after being Infected. I’m going to use him as an example through this entire theory.
We know Burt used the line “The smarter you are in life, the smarter you are in death” and it was brought up again much later on in Season 4, signifying some serious importance. Kelly also once said, referring to Ink: “What happens when they turn you, but you’re already a monster?” I don’t think this was just a throwaway guess. I think this has serious significance to the story and helps build my theory a bit.
Let’s use Datu and his perspective after he was turned. He said he felt like he was “watching his life through the backseat of his mind.” Like he was lacking control. But Ink retained control, and both of them are smart cookies. Why? Or why doesn’t Randy show nearly as much control as Ink, and why did his eyes AND Datu’s go cloudy?
You could say the eyes thing is related to how much control you retain, but with Scout’s Honor and Joe, and also Buffalo Bill, I don’t believe this is the case. Rather, there are THREE components at play that separate Ink / Datu and Randy / Joe and Buffalo Bill.
Using Burt’s first line, we can say intelligence is a factor in how much of yourself you maintain. But intelligence alone isn’t enough, because Randy didn’t have control like Ink did. Another factor is how much of a leader or a “follower” you are (wink wink). I think this plays into the clouding of the eyes. Every Infected we’ve seen without cloudy eyes is some kind of leader, Ink leading mass hordes, “Coal” leading the Scorpions, Buffalo Bill holding alpha status, and Joe leading the… other Scorpions. (I see what you did there, Kc) Now, whether or not the green eyes is a coincidence between all the leaders or green eyes form in Infected leaders, or green eyes has a relation to leadership, I’m not sure, but I do think how much of a leader you are also goes into play as to how much of yourself you retain.
Finally, using Kelly’s quote, how much of a monster you are. This is the third and most important component and it hasn’t been explored much, but I think there is something about how Infected turn that protects them from retaining their future self, should they hate what they’ve become. Basically, if someone who hated Infected turned, they would have the least control, because otherwise they would try and take themselves down. It’s like how humans have self-preservation, Infected also have a more complex self-preservation instinct.
The higher each of these components are, the more of yourself there is after you’re turned. Ink was a rare and lucky combo of all three, and so when he turned, he remained himself. Randy was high in intelligence but wasn’t a monster or a leader, so he had cloudy eyes and only had a small part of himself left inside. Datu was similar because he wasn’t a leader either and his eyes went cloudy, but he had a comparable intelligence. He also mentioned seeing from the backseat of his mind, as in being without control because he wasn’t a monster either.
Joe wasn’t a monster, but he was a leader. He most likely had a good intelligence because he was able to trap the kids in Scout’s Honor and predict their movements (if I listened to that right). So he didn’t retain his personality, because the “monster” part is what an Infected needs to be like themselves. In simplest terms, if you’re an unintelligent monster who follows rather than leads, you most likely won’t retain very much of yourself, but if you’re an intelligent leader who can’t stand hurting others, you would most likely see the same effect. You need all three to be like Ink.
This means Buffalo Bill was probably also a good person before death, as he shows leadership instincts and intelligence, but isn’t coherent like Ink.
Finally, there are two other parts of how the Infected work that are separate but I’d like to still mention them. One is physical characteristics, and the other is your deepest drive. I believe both of these are “amplified” once you turn. For physical characteristics, I think the changes an Infected goes under that makes them tougher, also makes them better in whatever they’re good at (an athletic person would become a runner, which could explain why jumpers were so rare because most people aren’t extremely good at jumping versus running. Also, the Infected are better on ground and chasing and so probably are strengthened in that field more).
The deepest drive thing comes from some of the conclusions made from Scout’s Honor and Descendants, with Fredo and the wedding couple and more. I think that whatever your deepest motivator or drive when you turn becomes your main drive as an Infected. I imagine the more you retain from life and the more control you have, the less of this exists, but it still does exist in everyone depending on how motivated of people they were. Many people who turned probably had no drive (like, living life day to day, with no goal), and that could explain why so many Infected are mindless.
I’d love to hear some thoughts on this and see if anyone agrees or disagrees. There’s a few leaps but I’ve tried to keep it as close to the story as I can.

Hello! I'm looking for some advice/your insight. Here's my dilemma:
Main idea: how to get rid of my many things
Option 1 - I have an estate sale. A local highly rated business owner came over and looked at my items and quoted me to make about 5-7k if I were to have an estate sale. This estate sale that she can run would have to happen next weekend when I'm already scheduled to be in Florida, so it would happen with me not in the area (which makes me nervous). The lady said she will draft a contract which I haven't seen yet. She takes 35% of the total purchases and itemizes the big items I have for sale only. She would hire people to help with the sale, averaging $15 p/h, which we would split the cost for. She can haul anything that doesn't sale for extra $. This would also mean I have to board my dogs or rent an airbnb for the 3 days of the sale (thur-sat) so they are out of the house. The house would sit empty when the sale is not happening.
Option 2 - I sell everything myself for cheap/in bundles on Facebook marketplace. I listed about 5 things so far (small items) and about 50% has sold within a day. I would make far less money this way and would donate more (most likely) but I do have 2.5 weeks to sell things.
Option 3 - I would do my own yard sale or estate sale, but I don't have any help, so I would have to reach out and see if I can pay people to help.
Thoughts y'all? Open to any ideas