In 2010, I was facing felony charges for distribution of drugs. I was a drug addict. Hook line and sinker. But never admitted that to myself. My drug of choice? Anything I could get my hands on. Cocaine, ecstasy, weed, Xanax, Oxycontin, ciggys, alcohol, ativan, seroquil, spice, mushrooms.. You name it.
Desperately wanting to avoid prison time, I did whatever I could to turn my life around. The potential pain in carrying on was too great to tolerate. This was my rock bottom.
I enrolled in college, started working out every day, got rid of any "friends" that wanted to continue that lifestyle.
And quitting my daily drug use?
It wasn't a factor. I was too scared. I was willing to do anything to escape my prison sentence so I dropped them all without looking back. I was lucky. Lucky I had hit rock bottom. Lucky that everything collapsed around me. I needed a push and this was it.
Apparently the judge saw that I was making real change and I was able to avoid prison. I was slapped with a couple of felonies, fines, and drug and rehab classes.
Having felonies on my record was hard. I couldn't get a decent job. Even Walmart was excited to hire me, but then rejected me because of my record. I knew that I had turned a new leaf. I just needed someone to see that I was changed now.
Luckily, I found a family that needed help with their special needs kid.
I worked for them for long enough to get my felonies reduced and expunged off my record.
When hard drugs turn into soft drugs.
I thought I was "drug free" because I had stopped all illegal drugs. But soon I found myself consuming copious amounts of caffeine in order to lose weight and get "Jacked". You see, I found a passion for natural bodybuilding and Jiu-Jitsu around 2011.
I consumed endless content on how to lose body fat so I could finally get a six pack. A lot of YouTubers at the time were promoting pre-workouts like Jack3d. Which also had another stimulant called 1,3 dimethylamylamine - or DMAA. Which was banned after it had become known to be problematic.
So there I was, taking Jack3d, working out, and trying to figure out how to get a six pack. I hired the same coaches that my favorite YouTuber Matt Ogus had. 3DMuscleJourney. I got very serious with Diet and training.
When I started with 3DMuscleJourney in 2012, I had been working out for a solid year. I had gotten down to 195lbs from 215. Not a huge difference. And I had put on a good amount of Muscle in that time.
3DMuscleJourney taught me and guided me on how to train effectively while dieting and how to diet efficiently by tracking macros. But my preworkout and caffeine use had spiked up 1,500mg a day. I used caffeine as a substitute for food. After 12 weeks, I was down to 160lbs.
I was fit by any person's definition. My new found glory would soon collapse as my caffeine and DMAA use caught up to me. I started having bad shoulder pain, my joints were achy and cracky, popping every time I moved. I started stretching and doing mobility exercises but the pain in my body only got worse. I was unable to sleep. I would have fits of rage followed by lows of doubt and depression.
Then, I broke. I was no longer able to exercise because of the pain. I started eating more to see if it would help my joints. I quickly gained 30lbs. Probably within only a few weeks. I ended my coaching and started to slip back towards the abyss
That's when I figured out that caffeine and DMAA were both a huge problem.
I had been consuming caffeine my whole life. But never thought twice about it. It was a legal substance that a kid could go buy in a vending machine. How bad could it be? Broken, I decided to quit.
I was quickly able to cut out DMAA. But every attempt at quitting caffeine left me in so much pain that I would quickly rationalize going back to it. I never made it past two weeks.
Why was this harder than quitting all of those harder drugs?
I guess decades of using a softer drug still carves out some pretty steep ravines in your reward pathway. Caffeine was my last vice. Or so I thought..
I read the book "Caffeine Blues". This book explained that caffeine is not healthy in any way. It is a stimulant that causes your body to break down over time just like any drug. The book outlined some of the negatives associated with caffeine.

• Poor sleep, even if you didn't consume caffeine close to bedtime
• Joint pain from increased muscle tension.
• Poor vitamin and mineral absorption.
• Energy crashes and mood swings.
• Irritability.
• Psychosis.
• Masking negatives of caffeine with drugs and alcohol.

The list goes on. This was crazy. The book recommended tapering off of caffeine. While I was able to wean down to 300-600 most days. I couldn't get myself to fully commit. I started to look for some help.
Maybe I needed something to give me energy and focus while I quit?
I started to look at "Nootropics" to help me focus. I tried a large variety of them.

• Noopept
• Modafinil
• Piracetam
• Aniracetam
• L-Theanine
• Phenibu
• Kratom
• Nicotine
• A large variety of other supplements.

Non of this helped me quit caffeine. I soon realized that these legal "Performance enhancers" were just drugs. With their own highs and lows. And negative effects over time. I ended up quitting all of this after a year.
It was back to the drawing board.
Around the end of 2015, I ended up doing a 3 month or so long caffeine taper. Using caffeine powder and a mg scale I bought off Amazon. The plan was slow and steady. 1-2mg per day. I didn't want to notice my caffeine levels were dropping. After about a month under 25mg, I started feeling great.
My joints felt great, Arizona heat was more comfortable, I craved healthy food and exercise, I slept like a baby, the list goes on. I had raised my testosterone levels from 320ng/dL to 575ng/dL.
But then, just as I finally let go of caffeine. There was a surprise. A curve ball that would change my life forever.
The boy who lived...
My first child was to be born. The 24 hours in the hospital was an introduction to the lack of sleep I would face over the next few years. I caved..
One or two cups of coffee later, my son was born, and a new cycle of baby wake me up > being tired > caffeine to get me through the day > poor quality sleep > baby wake me up had begun.
I got got even more dependent on caffeine. I could no longer just take a nap whenever I wanted. I was a mess. Feeling like shit, with high stress, I also started drinking alcohol and smoking weed again. My testosterone levels plummeted down to 275ng/dL.
Great move dad..
I wanted to get healthy again. I started reading books about health, nutrition, meditation, etc. I wanted to attack this problem from multiple angles. I started eating a plant-based diet, meditating, exercising, taking ice baths, etc. I quit alcohol and weed again. Tapering my caffeine down below 100mg again.
I was starting to feel better. Even got my testosterone levels all the way up to 575ng/D
The girl who lived..
Sorry about the Harry Potter references...
Just when I thought it was over, another curve ball to my health goals. Something that would start the lack of sleep cycle all over again.
You guessed it.. another child! This time, there was a baby girl in my house. This new baby came with new challenges. Our daughter was born with cataracts. She had to have surgery at around 3 months old to get them removed. So not only did we have to deal with the lack of sleep stress again, and boy did she excel in that area, we had to deal with putting contacts in a baby...
Imagine a grown man squeezing their fist closed. And you have to delicately open up their fist, and place a sticky note on their palm without bending the paper. And the grown man is also having a seizure at the same time. Also, you haven't slept a quality night of sleep for weeks.
Needless to say, but I'm going to say it, our stress levels shot through the roof. We had new worries and fears about our daughter's condition and the caffeine cycle ramped back up again. All while trying to focus on my new career in IT and raising our other child.
Testosterone Replacement Therapy
I think sometime early 2023, a friend told me he was on Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). I knew my low test levels were due to stress, caffeine use, lack of sleep, belly fat, poor eating habits, etc. But I was desperate for some edge that would help me finally quit caffeine and get healthy again.
I thought, if I can use Testosterone to help me get healthy, then I can get off of it later and not suffer any consequences.
Boy was I wrong
TRT did give me more drive and gusto to get stuff done. It also made me work harder than my body wanted. I started getting more back pain from harder weightlifting session, I actually started doing more caffeine, and even weed again. I was like 6 years clean from weed at this point.
This made me over confident. Like I could handle anything, which led to poor decisions. I felt like a horny teenager and it made it hard to focus. I started masturbating furiously..
After 4 months stabbing myself in the ass, and draining my life essence, I decided to quit TRT cold turkey. I knew this wasn't what I needed.
Withdrawals from TRT were bearable. I had waves of depression, lack of energy, etc. But I got through it. I'll probably get my levels tested again soon. As I write this, I have been off of TRT for 12 months now.
I leaned more heavily on caffeine while I was coming off of TRT. My current levels are around 400mg per day. But tapering off is my primary focus. Or maybe I should try cold turkey again? Not sure how I can afford to be a useless zombie for weeks while I have a full time job and 2 kids to look after.
"Semen retention" and NoFap
For years, I had made half ass attempts at doing No Fap and quitting porn. The benefits claimed by people who have tried it are:

• Increased energy
• Vigor
• Willpower
• Can function on less sleep
• Increased confidenc
• Better focus and concentration
• Muscle growth
• Increased Libido

I started to read some books about the topic. This big two were "Your Brain on Porn" and "Cupid's Poisoned Arrow". These books took a more Science-based approach. There were also a couple books that were a little off tilt such as "Bliss of the Celibate" and "Why You Should Never Masturbate". These books included a lot of hokey about chakras and religion.
I never made it passed two weeks.
After TRT, I decided to give it a real go. NoFap/ Semen retention felt like my final try at getting an "edge". I lasted over a month. Just around the 3 week mark, I had felt the same benefits of TRT without all of the negatives. I also learned, that you have to be all in.
Any sexual thoughts had to be banished. Just think of something else. If you entertain lust at all, you will fail. Stay off social media where you may run into soft porn, which can start the spiral that leads you to porn, etc.
I was able to control my caffeine intake finally, my sleep was better, my wife was more attracted to me, I was more patient with the kids. I finally found the answer.
But then, I relapsed. And lost sight of the benefits. I had forgotten.
Slowly everything started slipping again. With small nofap stints here and there never lasting more than two weeks.
As I write this, I am realizing that caffeine was never my problem. It was a symptom of something else. I am currently on day 6 of retention and have made it my number one priority again. I need to remember this. I need my edge back.
The journey continues..
Life is full of ups and downs. And decisions you make (good or bad) compound over time. I know all of the positive effort, and commitment to personal development has paid off over time. Even though it may have been slower than I had hoped.
This story leaves out a lot. But I'd love to have a conversation with anyone who has had similar struggles. I have been going at this alone. I can only imagine how much more growth there can be surrounding yourself with like-minded individual
Ta Ta for Now.

Floor 1 to 3 Video: https://youtu.be/5Z0C32p0fBc F1 vs. William, Julius, Party Costume Noelle, Ceremony Charlotte Party Used: (A) (C) F2 vs. Hateful Fana, Gueldre, Ceremony Charlotte, Rill Party Used: (B) (D) F3 vs. Ceremony Charlotte, Julius, William, Ceremony Luck Party Used: (B) (C)
Floor 4 to 6 Video: https://youtu.be/reqL-jkcpoE F4 vs. William, Mereoleona, Party Costume Noelle, Ceremony Charlotte Party Used: (A) (C) F5 vs. Ceremony Magna, Clover Academy Fuegoleon, Ceremony Charlotte, Mereoleona Party used: (A) (C) F6: Clover Academy Charlotte, Lotus, Julius, Black Asta Party used: (A) (C)
Team Comps used:
I have set up 2 teams just in case the main team didn't work.
Main Team Comps (A) Party 1: William, Julius, Swimsuit Charmy, Zora (B) Party 2: Black Asta, Witch Queen, Party Costume Charmy, Golden Dawn Yuno
F2P Team Comps (C) Party 1: Mereleona, Party Mimosa, Ceremony Yami, Ceremony Charlotte (D) Party 2: Black Asta, Witch Queen, Swimsuit Noelle, Finral (edited)
Notes On Spire on Honor
- Unlike standard arena fights, gear and talents passive don't matter. If your mage is level 1, bring the mage and he or she will be set at the cap. Likewise, if your mage has maxed enhancements (LR+5), bringing it to floor 1 will limit the mage to level 2 enhancements (LR+2). The only thing that matters is the mage and skill page. All other parts (mage levels, enhancements, skills limit, skill page enhancements) will be set as floor requirements.

I’m diagnosed with level 2 autism and have savant syndrome. The things I’m good at are art and music. I’m tired of people misunderstanding me and accusing me of “bragging” or “showing off” when I explain to people who ask questions and I explain maybe those people are gifted and share my personal experience. It’s almost as if they completely ignore the autism side that I struggle with on a daily basis and only see the perks or want to approach it as if autistic savants don’t exist or that when we do, we aren’t allowed to share our experiences or else we are just bragging or showing off when we are genuinely trying to explain something.
For example someone in the artist lounge subreddit asked why some young kids on social media are so good at art. I told them perhaps some may be gifted children like I was, and also explained others might just have a passion for art and practice a lot more, and in general that kids can learn things easier when picked up at a young age… be it language, art or musical instrument learning. It just comes across super jealous, bitter and insecure when people can’t accept that savants exist and that we have a life story or anecdote to share too. Someone accused me of bragging to which I replied it seems toxic to interpret it that way, and that it’s unfair to pretend savants don’t exist. I’ve seen people on that subreddit before try to claim talent doesn’t exist, and that art is solely a learned skill, which isn’t true but I don’t waste my time arguing about that. It’s been scientifically proven that the left temporal lobe is related to savant abilities and that art is one of the areas that savants are gifted or can excel in.
I feel like for those of us on the autism spectrum who also have savant syndrome, we are seen as being “better than” other people or false accused of being so, or bragging, or arrogant, when we just are trying to explain or answer people’s questions the best we can with our personal experiences. Are we now excluded from that or else we are braggers? That’s not fair…

I've had an interesting idea for a project- Running an "Earth 2.0" projection simulation. I'm looking for recommendations on which Al platform would be suitable to run this on. Initially, I considered using ChatGPT, but after some research, Claude seems to have stronger reasoning capabilities. I would greatly appreciate any prompts or assistance related to this subject matter.
Framework for simulating Earth 2.0 from day one, taking into account a wide range of conditions and processes spanning physical, geological, biological, environmental, evolutionary, and cultural domains with their respective parameters:

1. Initial Planetary Conditions: This factor encompasses the fundamental physical characteristics of the planet Earth at the starting point of the simulation.
   
   • Planetary mass: 5.972 × 10²⁴ kg (The total mass of the Earth, which governs its gravitational pull and other physical properties)
   • Radius: 6,371 km (The average distance from the Earth's center to its surface, determining its size and surface area)
   • Axial tilt: 23.44 degrees (The angle between the Earth's rotational axis and the perpendicular to its orbital plane, influencing seasons and distribution of solar radiation)
   • Rotation period: 24 hours (The time it takes for the Earth to complete one full rotation on its axis, determining the length of a day)
   • Orbital period: 365.25 days (The time it takes for the Earth to complete one full orbit around the Sun, determining the length of a year)
   • Distance from the Sun: 1 AU (149,597,870 km) (The average distance between the Earth and the Sun, dictating the amount of solar radiation received)
2. Atmospheric Composition: This factor defines the initial composition of the Earth's atmosphere, which plays a crucial role in various processes, including climate and habitability.
   
   • Nitrogen (N₂): 78.08% (The most abundant gas in the Earth's atmosphere, essential for various biological processes)
   • Oxygen (O₂): 20.95% (A vital gas for aerobic life, also involved in various chemical reactions)
   • Argon (Ar): 0.93% (An inert gas present in the atmosphere)
   • Carbon dioxide (CO₂): 0.04% (A greenhouse gas that plays a crucial role in the Earth's climate and carbon cycle)
   • Water vapor (H₂O): Variable, initial value = 0.25% (The gaseous form of water, influencing temperature, precipitation, and atmospheric processes)
3. Hydrological Cycle: This factor encompasses the distribution and movement of water on Earth, which is essential for life and various natural processes.
   
   • Total water volume: 1.386 billion km³ (The total amount of water present on Earth, including oceans, ice caps, and underground reservoirs)
   • Ocean surface area: 361 million km² (The total surface area covered by oceans, playing a crucial role in the Earth's climate and biogeochemical cycles)
   • Land surface area: 149 million km² (The total surface area of the Earth's landmasses, including continents and islands)
   • Initial precipitation rate: 1000 mm/year (The average amount of precipitation falling on the Earth's surface annually, essential for freshwater availability and vegetation growth)
4. Geological Processes: This factor encompasses the dynamic processes that shape the Earth's surface and interior over time.
   
   • Plate tectonic movement rate: 2-10 cm/year (The average rate at which the Earth's tectonic plates move, driving continental drift and mountain formation)
   • Volcanic eruption frequency: 50-70 per year (The average number of volcanic eruptions occurring annually, contributing to the Earth's natural processes and atmospheric composition)
   • Earthquake frequency: ~1 million per year (The average number of earthquakes occurring annually, resulting from tectonic plate movements and other geological processes)
5. Biological Factors: This factor encompasses the initial living organisms present on Earth, including the human population and other plant and animal species.
   
   • Initial human population: 2 males, 3 females (The starting point for human evolution and population growth)
   • Initial animal species: 100 harmless, 20 potentially dangerous (The diversity of animal species present at the start, including both harmless and potentially dangerous species)
   • Initial plant species: 50 edible, 200 inedible (The diversity of plant species present at the start, including both edible and inedible species)
   • Genetic diversity of initial human population: 0.8 (on a scale of 0 to 1) (The level of genetic variation within the initial human population, crucial for adaptation and evolution)
6. Resource Availability: This factor encompasses the natural resources available for sustaining life and enabling human survival and development.
   
   • Freshwater sources: 10 lakes, 5 major rivers (The availability of freshwater sources, essential for drinking water, agriculture, and various human activities)
   • Natural resources: 20 types of wood, 10 types of stone, 5 types of fibrous plants (The diversity and availability of natural resources, including wood, stone, and fibrous plants, which can be used for shelter, tools, and other purposes)
   • Food sources: 50 edible plant species, 20 huntable animal species (The availability of food sources, including edible plants and huntable animals, necessary for human sustenance)
7. Environmental Conditions: This factor encompasses the initial climatic and environmental conditions on Earth, which influence the distribution and growth of vegetation and the overall habitability for humans and other species.
   
   • Global mean surface temperature: 15°C (The average temperature across the Earth's surface, affecting various biological and ecological processes)
   • Global mean annual precipitation: 1000 mm (The average amount of precipitation falling annually across the Earth's surface, essential for freshwater availability and vegetation growth)
   • Vegetation distribution: Forest cover = 60%, Grassland cover = 30%, Other vegetation = 10% (The initial distribution of different vegetation types, influencing the Earth's ecosystems and carbon cycle)
8. Evolutionary Processes: This factor encompasses the mechanisms driving the evolution and adaptation of living organisms, including humans, over time.
   
   • Mutation rate: 10⁻⁸ mutations per nucleotide per generation (The rate at which genetic mutations occur, introducing new variations that can be acted upon by natural selection)
   • Natural selection pressures: Environmental stress factor = 0.5, Predation risk = 0.2, Competition factor = 0.3 (The relative strengths of different selective pressures acting on organisms, such as environmental stress, predation risk, and competition for resources)
   • Adaptation mechanisms: Physiological adaptation rate = 0.001, Behavioral adaptation rate = 0.005 (The rates at which organisms can adapt physiologically or behaviorally to their environment, influencing their fitness and survival)
9. Cultural and Social Dynamics: This factor encompasses the emergence and development of human culture, language, and social structures over time.
   
   • Language complexity: Initial complexity = 0.1 (on a scale of 0 to 1) (The initial level of complexity of human language, which will evolve and increase over time)
   • Social hierarchy: Initial hierarchy level = 0.2 (on a scale of 0 to 1) (The initial level of social hierarchy and organization within the human population, which will likely develop and become more complex over time)
   • Skill acquisition rates: Tool-making = 0.01, Fire-making = 0.005, Hunting = 0.02 (The rates at which humans can acquire essential skills, such as tool-making, fire-making, and hunting, which will influence their survival and cultural development)
10. Stochastic Events and Uncertainties: This factor encompasses the random and unpredictable events that can occur, as well as the uncertainties associated with parameter values and model assumptions.
    
    • Natural disaster probabilities: Floods = 0.05, Droughts = 0.03, Wildfires = 0.02 (The annual probabilities of occurrence for various natural disasters, such as floods, droughts, and wildfires)
    • Disease outbreak probability: 0.01 (The annual probability of a disease outbreak occurring, which can significantly impact human and animal populations)
    • Parameter uncertainty ranges: Temperature ±1°C, Precipitation ±10%, Soil composition ±5% (The ranges of uncertainty associated with various parameter values, such as temperature, precipitation, and soil composition, reflecting the inherent uncertainties in the model and input data)

This is where, for fun and education, we play alongside Thomas on T3BE questions from the multistate bar exam.
The correct answer to last "week"'s public question will be edited in when I have a chance. For now the answer and explanation can be found in the episode itself.
Scores updates to come when I have a chance!
Rules:

• You have until next week's T3BE goes up to answer this question, (get your answers in by the end of this coming Sunday US Pacific time at the latest in other words). The next RT2BE will go up not long after.
  
• You may simply comment with what choice you've given, though more discussion is encouraged!
  
• Feel free to discuss anything about RT2BE/T3BE here. However if you discuss anything about the question itself please use spoilers to cover that discussion/answer so others don't look at it before they write their own down.
  
  • Type it exactly like this >!Answer E is Correct!<, and it will look like this: Answer E is Correct
  • Do not put a space between the exclamation mark and the text! In new reddit/the official app this will work, but it will not be in spoilers for those viewing in old reddit!
• Even better if you answer before you listen to what Thomas' guess was!
  

Week 13's Question:
Jack owns a large fish farm and keeps several difference species, including a type of fish known for its aggressive behavior. One day, a group of divers enters his property without permission and is attacked by the aggressive fish, resulting in injuries. The divers sue Jack under strict liability for their injuries. How will a court likely rule?
A. In favor of Jack, because the divers were trespassing on his property.
B. In favor of the divers, because Jack is strictly liable for injuries caused by his dangerous animals, regardless of the divers' trespassing.
C. In favor of Jack, if he can prove that he had posted adequate warning signs about the aggressive fish.
D. In favor of the divers, but only if they can prove that Jack was negligent in securing the area where the aggressive fish were kept.

There appears to be an issue where a random network error can cause all of your applied customisation to be wiped.
That's weapon attachments, patterns, colours and skills. All of your builds revert back to default Dallas as if you had just booted the game for the first time. Going by my recent experience and several other posts and comments in this subreddit it appears to have hit a few people recently.
For the most part this is an annoying exercise in re-selecting everything. But the cosmetics you've got applied are not returned to your inventory - they are just gone. So mask or weapon patterns that you paid cash or C-stacks for and any of the (single-use) renown rewards are lost. The latter of which are difficult to re-apply since they're randomised drops with 1 awarded for each level after 150.
If you unlock something good, I'd suggest not actually applying it until this issue gets fixed in 2028.
And finally, a big bra-fucking-vo to Starbreeze for the quality of their online-only game.

1. Holocene Era
This is the era of humans, where we currently reside. Technology has not yet advanced significantly and is still being studied. The concept of 'Hybrids' was still in progress during this era.
2. Saiban Era
During this era, trials and experiments were conducted on various animals, humans, and even plants. It is also referred to as the 'Shoukou Era', meaning 'extinction or annihilation'. By the end of this era, various abnormalities had appeared on Earth, and to control them, a virtual Earth was created as a habitat for these 'abnormalities'. These were nothing but hybrids. However, during the making of the virtual Earth, something went wrong, leading to an explosion of various chemicals and gases that were released into the atmosphere. As a result, almost 70% of the worldwide species of animals and plants went extinct.
3. Kaifuku Era
This era is also known as the 'Saikai Era', meaning 'restart' and the 'recovering era'. After the explosion, the experiments restarted in secrecy 20 years later. Scientists finally found something by using a dragon fossil and very high amounts of hydrogen and radiation. The radiation levels were so high that it contaminated the entire area, resulting in an emergency evacuation. One of the scientists took the samples of the dragon and placed it into a reptilian egg without telling anyone, hoping to get the answers he needed. It worked, and on that day and era, 'The First Hybrid' was born.
4. Shinkou Era
Soon after the success of the first hybrid, there were many more experiments conducted. The first hybrid, due to its blue and glowing appearance which consisted of oxygen, hydrogen, radiation, and other elements, was named the 'Aether Dragon.' Out of 127 base animals, over 16,000 hybrids were created during this era. This era also saw the completion of the Virtual Earth near its end, and all the hybrids were shifted to this new Earth.
5. Kamiodorji Era
Also known as God's Era, this era saw the Aether Dragon become the most powerful and largest hybrid. He was declared as God due to his unique abilities called Perks, which allowed him to harness the power of elements and animals, and change his size and appearance. To protect the remaining animals, he gave his powers to them. After many years, it is said that when all the remaining animals were dead and converted into fossils, the era ended, but the hybrids continued to grow and advance.
6. Kyouzon Era (Current)
The current era is the Kyouzon Era, which brought the powers of mutation. On the verge of death, hybrids could mutate and gain the abilities of their ancestors. This is now our current era of hybrid animals. please respond.