DISCLAIMER: This theory uses text from the leaked 2.3 relics, Firefly's signature light cone, the current Glamoth planar relics, and relevant lines from dialogue in the story. I'll do my best to cite my sources for everything!
Let's get down to business! Who, or what, is Titania exactly?
According to both planar relics, she's the "Empress". That's about the only thing they agree on though, because the sphere describes her as a benevolent ruler who brought civilization to Glamoth's outer colonies, while the rope actually tells us that she's got no power (but I think they mean political power, since it also claims she telepathically commanded the Iron Cavalry and that seems kinda powerful), and that the ruling council created her in response to the Swarm's attack. Here's a longer excerpt from the rope's description:

"In the dreams that these warriors are woven into, the sole meaning of their existence is to guard Titania and her 'empire'. In their short lives, they studied, fought, received the Empress' commands, faced the enemy fearlessly, and died with honor."

It's pretty damning evidence that "empire" is written in quotation marks like this in most of these relics, and I've got theories about what kind of state Glamoth was (cough cough. Interstellar colonizers, cough), but that's another discussion. What matters here is that Titania definitely isn't a real Empress. Maybe she's a puppet ruler, or a symbol but not a person, or even some kind of war tactic AI skynet situation to direct troops, or whatever floats your boat.
I don't think she's Firefly, though. IMO it'd be a little tacky to get another identity reveal after Sam, but I wouldn't be making this post if I didn't have a stronger argument than that. Before 2.2, there were a lot of theories about her identity as Sam, the Stellaron Hunter... specifically theories that wanted to separate that identity from "Firefly", either by claiming Sam might be an AI or a second personality, or by claiming that Firefly is an ordinary girl (or Titania) who found the armor and decided to wear it. Lemme go over my counterarguments for both these points, and then I'll get to my own theory.
After her first "death" to the meme, Black Swan helps us investigate what Firefly was doing in the hotel, and a certain line of dialogue raised many questions. To quote:

Firefly: "Let's get going..."

(Here Black Swan proposes that she's with another person)

Firefly: "Why did you...!? This isn't what we agreed on..."

(Here Black Swan proposes that somebody betrayed her)

Firefly: "Mecha...!? Why..."

(Here Black Swan points out it's weird of her to say 'mecha')
Thing is, Black Swan's memory magic never shows us this second person, so we can only assume she's talking to the armor, right? Except... we've never seen her and Sam in the same place together. I know that sounds cheesy, but it's actually pretty big proof here. When she transforms into Sam, or back out of Firefly, the armor just appears and disappears in a bunch of flames. Of course it's probably that her transforming device is the reason why, but even without it there's a line in Genshin that could explain this too. In one of the Traveler's profile voicelines, Paimon confirms that weapons and personal items simply appearing out of nowhere is a regular thing that happens in-universe, and it's likely HSR uses this same rule. I don't think there's any hard evidence to suggest the armor even exists physically until she uses her transforming device, so we can rule out this mystery person being Sam.
IMO, it was probably more like an upset reaction to somebody else who brought up the 'mecha' thing first. Maybe something like this:

???: "Sorry Firefly, you can't go off-script. You have to activate your mecha."
Firefly: "Mecha...!? Why..."

It could've been Silver Wolf on the phone, or maybe even Elio, but it doesn't really matter.
Another thing I've seen people argue is that her personality when we first meet Firefly in Golden Hour just doesn't match up with Sam. Voicelines from the Stellaron Hunters, dialogue from SW visiting the Express, and one of Blade's story chapters all describe him as the ruthless and cold-blooded muscle of the group, which is very different from the sweetheart tour guide we met. I think people can't understand how these two versions of her coexist, but they're not mutually exclusive at all. What if Sam's efficiency is because she dislikes being a weapon, and wants to get her jobs over with quickly? What if her mission in Penacony is Firefly's first chance to actually explore herself as "Firefly", without her scripts asking her to cause destruction? It's not like she's living a double life, more like she's still in the process of growing into her actual self. Maybe texting us stickers from Blade's phone was a baby step for her to experiment, since TB hadn't met Sam yet and she could be less serious, or maybe her armor's fingers have trouble typing, who even knows?? I think the "inconsistencies" in her behavior can be explained pretty easily once you realize she's still figuring herself out, y'know?
There's also tons of dialogue before and after her reveal that implies she's pretty familiar with combat, too. Her accurate description of Sampo is the obvious one (that man is NOT 5'9 though), but she also mentions that a baseball bat isn't an efficient weapon, and later in the story if you picked the Hanu trial for the auditions thing, she complains about not having her armor, brings up that it'll be hard for her to let go of the bazooka, and compares Hanu's rocket launcher to something called the "Soaring Locust II" (some kind of weapon attachment for her armor maybe?), so it's pretty clear that she's not a stranger to fighting. I don't think she's just some ordinary girl who picked up the mecha.
Finally, there's an inconsistency between her and Sam when talking about dreams. On the balcony, Firefly describes her dream about the scorched earth and the sapling, while Sam outright says he was "born without the ability to 'dream'." Thanks to her upcoming light cone, we've got an answer to this problem:

"Dreams remained too distant for her, as she gazed into the infinite darkness. Even as she sensed her consciousness slipping away, her mind replayed the same lingering memories over and over again..."

I think the simplest solution is that Firefly's 'dream' was a metaphor to explain her wish to the Trailblazer, like a visualization to help her and others understand those feelings. The light cone kinda implies she doesn't dream at all, instead she relives her memories from being in the Glamoth military. The rest of that paragraph goes on to describe a Swarm attack and her fellow Cavalryman dying around her without anybody to honor their sacrifice, which is a memory she'd only have if she fought alongside them.
So dreaming isn't an issue anymore, and her two personalities aren't mutually exclusive, and she wasn't talking to her armor in the hotel. But I hear you, none of that really proves she isn't Titania, right? Because at least the Empress has the same origin as the Iron Cavalry pilots... And that's a good point, but I've got evidence against it too.
According to Firefly's drip marketing, she was "Born as a weapon", and is "afflicted with the agony of Entropy Loss Syndrome due to genetic modification.", both of which line up perfectly with our understanding of the Cavalry pilots so far. One leaked relic says "Identical-looking warriors were birthed from the incubators", the rope says "the ruling council threw down the gauntlet and resolved to alter the essence of humanity", and even Firefly herself says "[Sam] is the cradle of my vitality, and the meaning of my birth." when asked about it in Dreamflux Reef. These statements only make sense if Firefly is one of these lab-grown humans, and literally born to pilot her armor.
If you're still not convinced, that line about Entropy Loss gives us another clue: since it's due to genetic modification, that means her "altered essence" is what causes it, so how exactly is she different from a regular human? Another leaked relic says "The armor deeply synchronized its sensory organs with that of the pilot", which is very weird phrasing until you remember that Welt told us Sam has superhuman perception after we got SW's message. That ability kinda contradicts everything Firefly said about her condition, so what if her genetic modifications are meant for that "synchronization"? Maybe it's supposed to increase combat effectiveness with some kind of symbiotic relationship between her and the armor? It definitely plays into more mecha anime tropes (NGE comes to mind), which she's already got a crazy amount of, and might even explain why she's naked while wearing her armor.
When she calls Sam the "cradle of [her] vitality", she means it's literally the only way she can guarantee her Entropy Loss won't flare up and cause her to dissociate. The armor keeps her grounded and conscious, even though it might be extremely painful to use it, given how Adin Rudd in the English dub almost seems to grunt out his lines, and how her kit and the boss' kit both include HP-draining mechanics. This is also why she appreciates the Dreamscape so much, as she told us in her secret balcony spot that she's able to "listen, and see, and touch, and think, and understand whatever I want with my body", as opposed to doing these things with Sam instead. Her cutscene with Blade suggests that it's not impossible for her to exit the armor, but I'm guessing she can't do this for long stretches of time, or that it comes with a risk of having her Entropy Loss worsen. The "icy medical cabin" she mentioned turned out to be Sam, after all.
This one's a bit more subjective, but I'll die on this hill so I might as well include it as a final argument. I honestly think her narrative themes benefit more if she's a regular Iron Cavalryman than if she's Titania. Her story is about an experimental soldier born to be a weapon, living only to kill bugs by the orders of a fake Empress she swore loyalty to, and never having a chance to experience life as a regular young girl. It's about recovering from war trauma, overcoming a medical condition and physical disability, and finally discovering an identity for herself instead of being defined by her use to other people. I'm so in love with this character concept, and while I plan to bankrupt myself over this girl no matter what direction Hoyo picks, I've got my fingers crossed that I'm right about her because it would be so amazing to see that story come to life about a character who stole my heart like this. ^w^
In conclusion? Firefly ≠ Titania, and I believe it's a more cohesive, impactful, and beautiful story if she's a soldier instead of an Empress.
Thank you for reading!
P.S. I'd love to hear anybody's thoughts in the comments, whether they agree with some of my points, or if they've got arguments of their own! Just remember to be civil, because at the end of the day we're all Firefly enjoyers and everybody's ideas are valid until we get more official information about her! :D

Like carti def got a roadmap of when hes doing all his publicty stunts, like ice spice in the backrooms music video, adin ross stream, Popular, fein, other music videos, hes just deadass the mastermind of whole big ass plan to drop the album. its all just scripted fr

I made a ducky script to create a shitpost.txt and then open the newly created .txt multiple times and during testing, It opened fucking terraria? I am utterly baffled, can someone sift through my shitty attempt and even identify how this could happen? (Steam games are on a seperate D: drive, terraria documents are saved on the C: drive however.)
DE keyboard setting on flipper
Ducky script .txt:
DELAY 50
WINDOWS r
DELAY 50
STRING notepad
ENTER
DELAY 20
STRINGLN
gyatt
I was in ohio before I met you
I rizz too much and thats an issue
but im grimace shake
gyatt
tell your friends it was nice too rizz them
but I hope I never edge again
Ik it breaks your fanum
taxing in ohio and im still not sigma
four years no livvy
now you looking pretty on adin ross twitchy
and I- I- I- cant rizz
no I- I- I- cant mew
so baby gronk me closer
on the back skibidi toilet
that I know you cant afford
kai cenat tatted on ur shoulder
pully the gyatt right off the corner of that fanum that u taxed
from your roomate back in ohio we aint ever not the rizzler
END_STRINGLN
CONTROL SHIFT s
DELAY 50
STRING gyatt.txt
ENTER
VAR §BOOM = 5
WHILE
WINDOWS r
DELAY 50
STRING gyatt.txt
ENTER
§BOOM = (§BOOM - 1)
EVEN AFTER A MINOR CODE FIXED IT OPENED IL-2 STURMOVIK AND GTA!?!?!?
Updated code:
DELAY 50
WINDOWS r
DELAY 50
STRING notepad
ENTER
DELAY 20
STRING gyatt
ENTER
STRING I was in ohio before I met you
ENTER
STRING I rizz too much and thats an issue
ENTER
STRING but im grimace shake
ENTER
STRING gyatt
ENTER
STRING tell your friends it was nice too rizz them
ENTER
STRING but I hope I never edge again
ENTER
STRING Ik it breaks your fanum
ENTER
STRING taxing in ohio and im still not sigma
ENTER
STRING four years no livvy
ENTER
STRING now you looking pretty on adin ross twitchy
ENTER
STRING and I- I- I- cant rizz
ENTER
STRING no I- I- I- cant mew
ENTER
STRING so baby gronk me closer
ENTER
STRING on the back skibidi toilet
ENTER
STRING that I know you cant afford
ENTER
STRING kai cenat tatted on ur shoulder
ENTER
STRING pully the gyatt right off the corner of that fanum that u taxed
ENTER
STRING from your roomate back in ohio we aint ever not the rizzler
ENTER
CONTROL SHIFT s
DELAY 50
STRING gyatt.txt
ENTER
VAR §BOOM = 5
WHILE VAR §BOOM > 0
WINDOWS r
DELAY 50
STRING gyatt.txt
ENTER
§BOOM = (§BOOM - 1)
END_WHILE
Can someone help me? I am so utterly fucking confused.

This week’s vintage batch features early FPs in black, red, and sterling silver, all with expressive nibs. Two of these pens are equipped with my Wet Noodle retrofits: a customization that offers the best of both worlds, having the convenience and reliability of a FP with the unparalleled softness and flexibility of a 14k iridium tipped dip pen nib. The writing experience is comparable to a Wet Noodle Wirt, a maker whose nibs didn’t rely on a breather hole to achieve consistent flow. As always, all pens are fully restored and ready to write.
 
ALBUM & TIMESTAMP
 
Pastable link: https://imgur.com/a/excPKek
 
Condition (n.b.): All pens listed below have been disassembled, cleaned and restored with new sacs/seals installed in the last couple weeks. Each of these pens is guaranteed to fill and write as designed without leaks or other problems. Nibs have been adjusted when necessary to ensure that all lay down a smooth and consistent line.
THESE PENS HAVE NO CRACKS, CHIPS, PERSONALIZATIONS, LOOSE OR MISSING PARTS (except #1), BENT NIBS, MISALIGNED TINES, BROKEN/WORN OFF TIPPING, OR THREADING ISSUES.
 
Line Widths and Writing Samples: To provide buyers with as much information as possible, I have started to adopt the following line width standards: XXF (.1-.2mm); XF (approx .3mm); F (approx .4mm); M (approx .6mm); B (approx .8mm). Nib flexibility is determined by variation (max line width under pressure) and softness (amount of pressure). Flexibility designations based on variation generally run as follows for an XF/F nib: Semi-Flex (approx. 1mm); Flex (1.2-1.9mm); Superflex (>2mm). All line width measurements are taken with a digital caliper but should be considered approximations providing a general guide. Width may vary slightly depending on type of ink and paper used as well as amount of pressure applied. All writing samples are on Rhodia dot paper using Waterman Serenity Blue.
 
 
1. c.1917 Waterman 12 PSF (BCHR, NPT, lever filler, 14k XF Superflex nib). This full-sized model measures 5 5/16” capped. The first Waterman lever fillers had a brief span of production from c.1915-17. They were marked ‘PSF’ (Pocket Self Filler) on the end of the barrel. This 12 PSF is made of black chased hard rubber with nickel-plated lever. Cap was equipped from the factory with an Ideal rivet clip, which broke off at some point, leaving 2 tiny drilled holes where the rivets were (no cracks at all). That clip has been replaced with a vintage, nickel-plated accommodation clip of a functional roller design at the bottom – similar to Wahl’s design except it has wheels on the outside that roll. The clip is of a heavy, robust construction. It's marked ‘Unique’ on one side and ‘depose’ (patented) on the other. Super-Flexible 14k Ideal #2 nib lays down a smooth and consistent XF line that widens to a 4B+ (approx 2.2mm) under light pressure (see WRITING SAMPLE). Thin hairlines, strongly responsive snap-back, and reliable flow over its full range of flex make it an excellent choice for calligraphic writing styles such as Copperplate and Spencerian. A nib that epitomizes all the writing characteristics that make these pens so popular to this day. Condition: fair [D] for missing clip, otherwise excellent [B]. As mentioned, the accommodation clip is a replacement, which covers the tiny drilled holes for the original rivet clip. Hard rubber retains its dark black color with minimal fading. Chasing is sharp and evenly deep with little discernible wear. HR surface is smooth and lustrous with no deep scratches or other notable flaws. Nickel-plated trim is virtually pristine with no brassing or other noteworthy blemishes. Manufacturer imprint on barrel and number stamp on barrel-end are deep and fully-legible – the latter even contains its original red fill. Price: $240 $225
 
2. 1910s-20s Waterman 52 (smooth BHR, NPT, lever filler, 14k XF Superflex nib). This full-sized model measures 5 3/8” capped. A fine example of Waterman’s famous workhorse in smooth black hard rubber with nickel-plated furniture. Super-Flexible 14k Ideal #2 nib lays down a smooth and consistent XF line that widens to a 4B+ (approx. 2.3mm) under light pressure (see WRITING SAMPLE). Thin hairlines, strongly responsive snap-back, and reliable flow over its full range of flex make it another excellent choice for calligraphic writing styles. Condition: excellent [B]. Hard rubber retains its dark black color with minimal fading. HR surface is smooth and lustrous with no deep scratches or other notable flaws. Nickel-plated trim is shows light wear but no brassing or other serious blemishes. Manufacturer imprint on barrel and number stamp on barrel-end are deep and fully-legible. Price: $270 SOLD
 
3. 1909-10 Conklin Crescent-Filler 3NL (BCHR, GPT, Crescent filler, M Superflex Factory Stub nib). This full-sized model measures 5 7/16” capped. Something about the 100+ y/o obsolescent design of Conklin’s Crescent-Filler appeals to me. It’s the pen once touted in adverts by none other than Mark Twain to be a profanity saver, since it could be filled with one hand and never rolls off a desk. This stunning example is made chased black chased hard rubber with gold-plated crescent marked “Crescent-Filler / Trademark” on one side and blank on the other. Cap was clipless from the factory at a time when clips were an optional add-on (no holes drilled for a clip). One of two pictured accommodation clips can be fitted on buyer's request for $20. The 3NL is essentially a standard 2NL with a larger nib. And what a nib it is! The Toledo #3 is a Super-Flexible Factory Stub – the best of both worlds! Under normal pressure it lays down a smooth and consistnet M line on the down-strokes and XF line on the cross-strokes. Under light pressure the line widens to a 4B+ (approx. 2.5mm) (see WRITING SAMPLE). Versatile variation, good snap-back, and reliable flow over its full range of flex make it another excellent choice for calligraphic writing styles as for adding shading to everyday writing. **Condition: excellent+/near mint [B+]. Hard rubber retains its factory black color with no discernible fading. Chasing is factory sharp and crisp. Hard rubber surface is smooth and lustrous with no deep scratches or other notable flaws aside from a couple 2-3mm dings close to the top of the cap mentioned only for completeness sake. No brassing on the crescent. Manufacturer imprints on barrel are deep and fully legible aside from slightest weakening to the pen-in-hand logo. Price: $320 SOLD [before listing on special request]
 
4. 1910s Mabie Todd SF2 (BCHR, GPT, lever filler, 14k XF Superflex/Wet Noodle nib). This full-sized model measures 5 5/16” capped. The SF2 (Self-Filler 2) was the Mabie Todd’s counterpart to Waterman’s 52. This example is made of black chased hard rubber with gold-plated lever. This pen came clipless from the factory at a time when clips were an optional add-on (no holes drilled for a clip). 14k Swan #2 nib yields impressive Super-Flexible variation with sioftness verging on that of a Wet Noodle. It lays down a smooth and consistent XF line that widens to a crazy 4B++ (approx. 2.7mm!) under very light pressure (see WRITING SAMPLE). Thin hairlines, easy variation, responsive snap-back, and reliable flow over its full range of flex make it an ideal choice for calligraphic writing styles such as Copperplate and Spencerian. Condition: excellent/fine [B/C]. Hard rubber retains much of its original dark black color with a bit of fading to dark brown visible under certain lighting conditions. Chasing is evenly worn but still visible. HR surface is smooth and lustrous with no deep scratches or other notable flaws. Manufacturer imprint on the barrel is deep and fully legible aside from the Swan logo. A perfect pen for someone looking for a wild writer – a great example of early 20c flex. Price: $220 SOLD
 
5. 1910s Pen-Craft (BCHR, GPT, lever filler, 14k F Wet Noodle nib). This full-sized model measures 5 1/4” capped. I’m afraid my attempts to turn up any info about the maker of this high quality pen have come to naught. There was a Pencraft company (without the hyphen) that had connections to Kraker and manufactured pens out of Minnesota and Illinois. But this pen’s imprint points to NYC DETAIL PHOTO). From the looks of it on Google Maps, the original building is still standing but ownership has changed hands multiple times since Pen-Craft flourished there. This pen is made of black chased hard rubber complemented by an exquisite, hand-worked repoussé cap band in snail motif with indicia for engraving left blank. Curiously, this pen also bears an imprint of its original price, $4.00 as stamped on the barrel below the lever. A basic Waterman 52 like pens #1 and #2 above was priced at $2.50 in 1918. Gold-plated decorative bands raised the price to $3.50. So this was a comparatively valued pen. This pen came to me with a 14k #3 nib made by Aikin Lambert, which I believe to be a replacement for what was likely a generic Warranted nib. But it certainly holds its own! It’s a Wet Noodle with softness and flow comparable to that of a dip pen, laying down a smooth and consistent F line that widens to an impressive 4B+ (approx. 2.6mm!) under minimal pressure (see WRITING SAMPLE). Effortless variation, responsive snap-back, and reliable flow over its full range of flex make it an ideal choice for calligraphic writing styles. Condition: excellent- [B-]. Black hard rubber retains its dark black color with minor fading visible only in certain lighting conditions. Chasing shows moderate wear but is still evenly visible. HR surface shows no deep scratches or other significant flaws, but it has developed microscratches over the years. Cap band shows no brassing or other noteworthy wear (probably because it’s gold-filled though it’s not marked as such). Lever shows 3 spots of plating wear. Nib has some pin-sized marks on the tines – all behind the tipping – that are merely cosmetic, having no effect on the way the pen writes. Manufacturer imprint on cap is factory deep while price-stamp on barrel is slightly weakened but still fully legible. Price: $270 $240 SOLD
 
6. 1920s Unbranded BCHR (BCHR, line and bar pattern, NPT, lever filler, 14k F Flex/Superflex nib). This full-sized pen measures 5 1/4” capped. This pen lacks a maker’s mark. But it’s a quality pen with a lever resembling that of a Mabie Todd. It’s made of black chased hard rubber in a line and bar pattern complemented by a nickel-plated lever. The cap came clipless from the factory (no holes drilled for a clip). But buyer may choose to have one of the two pictured vintage accommodation clips (GP or NP) installed for $20. 14k Warranted nib yields Super-Flexible variation with Flexible softness. It lays down a smooth and consistent F line that widens to a 4B+ (approx. 2.3mm) under moderate pressure (see WRITING SAMPLE). Good snap-back and reliable flow over its full range of flex make it another great choice for expressive and calligraphic writing styles. Condition: excellent- [B-]. Black hard rubber retains its dark black color with virtually no fading. Chasing is sharp and deep. Smooth, lustrous finish with no deep scratches or other notable blemishes. Nickel-plated lever shows spots of plating loss. Short scratch on the tines running over the slit, which is merely cosmetic with no effect on how the pen writes. Price: $130 $110 SOLD
 
7. 1920s British Wet Noodle Retrofit (MHR, GPT, lever filler, 14k XXF/XF custom Wet Noodle nib). This full-sized model measures 5 1/8” capped. This mottled red and black hard rubber pen has no maker’s marks but resembles a Conway Stewart in many respects and is most likely of British origin. It appears to have come clipless from the factory (no holes drilled for a clip). But it has been outfitted with a high quality gold-plated accommodation rivet-clip. This pen is equipped with one of my dip pen nib retrofits: a 14k Crown #1 with very long tines, a good dose of iridium tipping, and a factory fit (thin factory feed accommodates it perfectly). It’s a Wet Noodle with paintbrush-like flow and softness, laying down a smooth and consistent XXF/XF line that widens to a 4B+ (approx. 2.2mm) under minimal pressure (see WRITING SAMPLE). Needlepoint hairlines, effortless variation, superbly responsive snap-back, and reliable flow over its full range of flex make an ideal choice for calligraphic writing styles such as Copperplate and Spencerian. I did have to slow down a bit to optimize performance for the writing sample with Waterman Serenity Blue (an ink that’s in the middle of dry and wet), so some experimentation with wet inks might be in order if you want to write faster. Condition: excellent+ [B+]. Hard rubber retains its dark black and vibrant red hues with virtually no fading. HR surface is smooth and lustrous with no deep scratches or other notable flaws. Gold-plated trim is exceptionally clean with no brassing or other noteworthy blemishes. Price: $260 $240 SOLD [at DC Supershow]
 
8. 1920s Sheaffer No. 2 Ring Top (BCHR, “changing lanes” pattern, GPT, lever filler, 14k XF Superflex nib). This short, standard girth model measures 4 9/16” capped and 5 1/2” posted. For more on early Sheaffers, see description of #5 above. As Sheaffer entered the 1920s, their black hard rubber flat tops saw some minor revisions, including a wider array of chasing patterns. This example features a geometric pattern that must’ve had a futuristic seeming at the time. Dubbed by collectors the “changing lanes” pattern, its vertical lines resemble how the lane-lines painted on highways shift back and forth at intervals. Gold-plated trim with ring top for wearing on a chatelaine or pocket chain. Super-Flexible 14k long-tined Sheaffer #2 nib lays down a smooth and consistent XF line that widens to a 4B+ (approx. 2.3mm) under light pressure (see WRITING SAMPLE). Thin hairlines, good snap-back, and reliable flow over its full range of flex make it an excellent choice for calligraphic writing styles. Condition: excellent [B]. Black hard rubber retains its factory black color with no discernible fading. Chasing is negligibly weakened – still sharp and palpable. HR has a smooth, lustrous surface with no deep scratches or other notable flaws aside from microscratches throughout. Gold-plated trim is pristine with no brassing or other notable blemishes. Manufacturer imprint on barrel is weakened but still fully legible under a loupe. Price: $160 SOLD
 
9. 1910s-20s French Safety Wet Noodle Retrofit (smooth BHR, 18k Gold Trim, Safety filler, 14k XXF Needlepoint Wet Noodle nib). This pocket-sized model measures 4 1/8” capped 4 1/2” posted. This pen in smooth black hard rubber resembles a French Waterman 42 1/2V but it has no markings whatsoever, with one exception. One of the barrel bands is stamped with the hallmark of a eagle’s head (DETAIL PHOTO). Since 1838 in France, an eagle’s head hallmark has indicated a gold purity of at least 18 karats (source1 source2). So whatever its make, this pen is trimmed in solid gold. This is a Safety pen. Safety pens have retractable nibs much like the modern Montblanc Boheme's. The nib and feed are integrated into a spiral mechanism inside the barrel, which smoothly extends them for writing when the knob on the end of the barrel is turned clockwise. When fully extended, the feed creates an ink-tight seal at the mouth of the barrel to regulate flow. Turning the knob counter-clockwise retracts the nib into the barrel, which enables the barrel to be filled with an eyedroppepipette (DETAIL PHOTO – note: different pen used for illustration purposes). Once the nib is retracted and the cap screwed on, the mouth of the barrel creates another ink-tight seal against a plug in the inner cap, preventing leaks into the cap when the pen is carried (hence the "Safety" moniker). Like eyedroppers, Safeties hold far more ink than comparable lever-filling pens and they’re more ink-tight when carried. But you have to remember to cap the pen only with the nib retracted and pointed upward to avoid a lap full of ink. In addition to all these unusual features, this pen features one of my Wet Noodle retrofits: a customization that offers the best of both worlds, having the convenience of a FP with the unparalleled softness and flexibility of a dip pen nib. That early, long-tined 14k nib, marked E.S. Johnson 323 is a Wet Noodle with a good dose of iridium tipping and a factory fit with all the reliable smoothness and flow properties you’d expect from a factory fountain pen. It lays down a smooth and consistent XXF line that widens to a 4B+ (approx 2.0mm) under minimal pressure (see WRITING SAMPLE). Don’t be fooled by the modest max line width: this nib flexes with anything more than a graze of the page and it’s perfect for calligraphic writing styles in a small hand (fine and precise enough for college-rule paper). Needlepoint hairlines, precision snap-back that responds to the slightest variation in pressure, and reliable flow over its full range of flex. Condition: excellent [B]. This pen has been fully overhauled with new o-ring seals to replace its original cork: a little stiffer in operation than factory but guaranteed to operate, fill, and write as designed. Hard rubber appears dark black in most lighting conditions but some fading to deep chocolate brown apparent in bright lights and cap is a little darker where an accommodation clip used to be. Hard rubber surface and solid gold trim are clean with no notable flaws. Price: $230 SOLD
 
10. 1910s-20s Waterman 452 1/2V Sterling Overlay (Sterling Silver over HR, Hand-Engraved Vine pattern, lever filler, 14k XXF/XF Superflex nib). This diminutive vestpocket (V) model measures 3 5/8” capped and 5” posted. This pen is made of black hard rubber with a sterling silver overlay in one of the most sought after patterns: Hand-Engraved Vine. It's an intricate Art Nouveau motif consisting of foliage, flowers, and an elegantly framed indicia on the barrel for engraving. The workmanship and detailing of this pen are extraordinary: from the knurled barrel-end, to the breather holes in the cap being drilled in the center of 2 flowers, to the engraving carried over to the lever (HEV was the only pattern that was applied to the lever as well). This is a ring top model with a ring on the cap’s crown for attaching to a chatelaine or pocket chain. Super-Flexible Ideal #2 nib lays down a smooth and consistent XXF/XF line that widens to a 4B+ (approx 2.2mm) under light pressure (see WRITING SAMPLE). Thin hairlines, strong snap-back, and reliable flow over its full range of flex make it another excellent choice for calligraphic writing styles. Condition: fine [C]. This pen would grade as near mint were it not for some nibble marks on the knurled barrel-end directly below the lever, which have been factored into the price. These are all grouped together there and the knurled end is all but nibble-free on the other 2/3 sides (see e.g. timestamp photo and imprints photo). Aside from that the overlay is free of dents, dings, and other noteworthy flaws. The barrel indicia also bears the professionally engraved personalization “Irene” in elegant Copperplate script – an historical detail that can hardly be said to qualify as a value-affecting “flaw.” This pen received a very conservative polish but can be polished to a high sheen at no additional charge on buyer’s request (note that some of the contrast in the detail work will be lost if you go this route). Number stamp on barrel-end is factory deep and fully legible. An uncommon and uncommonly beautiful pen. Price: $250 SOLD
 
 
 
Shipping: Pens purchased on the weekend are mailed on Tuesday. Otherwise they are mailed within 2 business days of payment. All pens that do not come with their original boxes are packaged in PVC or thick plastic tubes to protect them in transit. To CONUS locations the following shipping options are available:

• USPS First-Class with tracking for $5 Due to the delivery delays that continue under postmaster general DeJoy, I strongly recommend that the Priority shipping option be chosen. All packages will include full insurance (covered by me). Rest assured that a full refund is guaranteed (issued through Paypal) in the event of a lost parcel and you will not have to wait until I receive a reimbursement from the USPS.
  
• USPS Priority with tracking for $9
  

International Customers: Please contact me for shipping quote if located abroad (delivery confirmation required). (Note: due to the issues stated above, my international shipping options are currently limited. PM for more info). Please do not ask me to commit mail fraud by altering the declared value of a pen for customs. Not only am I registered as a business but shipping insurance is based on declared value.
New York Customers: For tax purposes, I am now required to add an 8% sales tax on any sale made in the state of NY. If your shipping address is in NY state, please let me know before payment to receive an adjusted total. Discounted shipping is included for NY State residents to help defray the extra cost.
Ordering: Pens are placed on hold for the first person to reply to the thread and PM me with firm request to purchase (no chat DMs please). A request with the words “I'd like to purchase [pen number]” would be best to avoid confusion), to which I’ll reply with payment details. Please note that a message inquiring into a price discount does not suffice to place a pen on hold. If I haven't received Paypal payment within 24 hrs after a hold is placed, then pen(s) may become available to the next person.
Payment, & Guarantee: Payment by Paypal only. All pens are guaranteed to be in the condition in which I've described them. If I've missed something objectionable or the filling mechanism is not fully functional, the buyer may contact me up to 7 days after receiving the pen for a full refund (issued once I receive the pen back in the same condition as sold). Buyer must ship the return no later than 2 weeks after it was delivered to receive a refund. I've sold pens online for over a decade. Please check my past listings here as well as on the classifieds and historical sales forums on FPN (username: Estragon) and FPGeeks (popcod) for some of my previous offerings.
 
 
OTHER OPEN LISTINGS:

• Sheaffer Jr and Mabie Todd Swan
  
• Aurora 88 Demo LE w/ Mottishaw CI + Continental Golden Web Wet Noodle
  
• Flexible Conway Stewart 15 in Casein
  
• Parker Vacumatic Major
  
• Conklin Enduras, Nozac
  

YHWA/YHA/YH

Egyptian
tꜣ šꜣsw yhwꜣ (The Land of the Shasu YHWA)

• (Place name associated with a non-settled tribe, not necessarily a god's name)
• Temple of Soleb in Nubia – 1390-1352 BCE
• Temple of Amara-West in Nubia – 1279-1213 BCE

ἰtwny rꜥ yh (?‘Adoni Ro’e YH = ?My Lord is the Shepherd of YH)

• (Personal name, YH is probably a place name)
• Book of the Dead Papyrus (Princeton Pharaonic Roll 5) – 1330-1230 BCE

yhꜣ (YHA)

• (Place name)
• Southern tower of the first pylon at Medinet Habu – 1184-1153 BCE

YHWH

Moabite & Hebrew
𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄‎ (YHWH)

• Inscriptions, e.g. The Moabite Stele (COS 2.23) – c. 840-830 BCE
• Pithoi, e.g. Kuntillet Ajrud pithos A (COS 2.47A) – c. 801-748 BCE

Yahu/Yaho

Hebrew
𐤉𐤄𐤅 (YHW = ?Yahû)

• Hebrew theophoric names, e.g. 𐤌𐤊𐤉𐤄𐤅‎‎ (MKYHW = ?Mīkayahû [Micaiah] = ?who is like Yahû)
  • "El, The Creator of the Earth" Jerusalem Ostracon – c. 800-700 BCE

יָהוּ (Yāhû)

• Hebrew theophoric names, e.g. יְשַֽׁעְיָהוּ (Yĕša῾yāhû [Isaiah] = salvation of Yāhû)
  • e.g. Isaiah 1:1

יְהוֹ (Yĕhô)

• Hebrew theophoric names, e.g. יְהוֹנָתָ֜ן (Yĕhônātān [Jonathan] = gift of Yĕhô)
  • e.g. 1 Samuel 14:6

Akkadian
ia(-a)-ú (Ya'û)

• Assyrian transcriptions of Hebrew theophoric names:
• ^mia(-a)-ú-a (Ya'ûa [Jehu] = Ya'û is he)
  • Aššur marble slab (RIAo Shalmaneser III 010) iv.11 – c. 839 BCE
• ^mia-ú-ḫa-zi (Ya'ûḫazi [Jehoahaz] = Ya'û has held)
  • Kalḫu clay tablet (RINAP Tilgath-pileser III 047) r 11' – c. 732-727 BCE
• ^mḫa-za-qi-ia-a-u (Ḫazaqiya'û [Hezekiah] = Ya'û is my strength)
  • Nineveh clay prisms (RINAP Sennacherib 015) iii.11' – c. 697 BCE

i-a(-a)-ú (Ya'û)

• Assyrian transcriptions of Hebrew theophoric names:
• ^mḫa-za-qi-a(-a)-ú (Ḫazaqiya'û [Hezekiah] = Ya'û is my strength)
  • Rassam Cylinder (RINAP Sennacherib 004) 42, 49, 52, 55 – c. 700 BCE

ia(-a)-ḫu-ú (Yahû)

• Achaemenid transcriptions of Hebrew theophoric names:
• e.g. ^Idia(-a)-ḫu-ú-natan (Yahûnatan [Jonathan] = gift of Yahû)
  • Murašû Archive tablets - c. 454-404 BCE

Aramaic
יהו (YHW = ?Yahô/Yahû)

• Elephantine Payri, e.g. TAD A3.3 Padua 1 [B8] – c. 500-475 BCE

יהה (YHH = ?Yahô/Yahû)

• Elephantine Papyri, e.g. TAD B2.7 Cowley 13 (Sayce-Cowley E) [B29] – 446 BCE

yhw (?Yahô/Yahû) [demotic script]

• Papyrus Amherst Egyptian 63 col. XI(XII).11-19 – c. 300-275 BCE

Latin
IAHO

• (Pseudo-)Jerome, Breviarium in Psalmos 8 [P.L. 26:838] – c. 400-900 CE

Iaō

Greek
Ιαω (Iaō)

• Dead Sea Scrolls, 4Q120 (4QpapLXXLev^b) [=Leviticus 4:26-28] – c. 100-1 BCE
• Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica 1.94.2 – c. 60-20 BCE
• Varro, fragment (John Lydus, De Mensibus 4.53) – c. 47-27 BCE (c. 545-565 CE)
• Dioscorides Pedanius(?), Peri Paiōnias kai Hosa Poiein Dunatai (Matrit. Bibl. Nat. 4616, fol. 159) – c. 50-70 CE(?)
• Aelius Herodianus, Peri Orthographias Kata Stoicheon A, 'ania' – c. 100-200 CE
• Greek Magical Papyri, e.g. PGM VI.29 – c. 100-300 CE
• Valentinians (Irenaeus, Adversus Haereses 1.4.1, 1.21.3 [PG 7:481, 664]) – c. 180 CE
• Cornelius Labeo, De Oraculo Apollinis Clarii (Macrobius, Saturnalia 1.18.19-21) – c. 200-300 CE (c. 400-450 CE)
• Origen, Commentaria in Joannis 2.1 [P.G. 14:105] – c. 250 CE
• Eusebius, Demonstratio Evangelica 4.17.23 [P.G. 22:333] – c. 312-324 CE
• Epiphanius, Panarion 26.10.1 [P.G. 41:345] – 374-377 CE
• Didymus the Blind, Commentary on Zechariah 2.13-14 (Zech 6:9-11) – 387 CE
• Cyril of Alexandria, In Aggaeum Prophetam Commentarius 5 [P.G. 71:1032] – c. 400-444 CE
• Hesychius of Alexandria, Lexicon, 'ozeias' (o 33) – c. 400-500 CE
• Theodoret, Quaestiones in I Paralipomenon 9 [P.G. 80:805] – c. 453 CE
• Codex Marchalianus (Q) [Vat.gr.2125, p. 569] – c. 500-600 CE

Ιαοu (Iaou)

• ? Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 5.6.34 [P.G. 9:60] – c. 200 CE
  • The sole manuscript (11th century) has Ιαοu (Iaou), but quotations of this passage have Ιαοuε (Iaoue) or similar, see below.
• Greek Magical Papyri, e.g. PGM XII.111 – c. 300-400 CE

Ιεω (Ieō)

• Testament of Solomon 18.15-16 – c. 100-400 CE
• Greek Magical Papyri, e.g. PGM VII.332 – c. 200-400 CE

Ιευω (Ieuō)

• (Apparently a Phoenecian god, not necessarily YHWH)
• Philo of Byblos as summarised by Porphyry (Eusebius, Praeparatio Evangelica 1.9, 10.9 [P.G. 21:72, 808]) – Philo: c. 100-140 CE. Porphyry: c. 270-305 CE (Eusebius: c. 312-324 CE)
  • Manuscript variant: Ιευ (Ieu)
  • Later quotation: Ιαω (Iaō)
    • Theodoret, Graecarum Affectionum Curatione 2.44 [P.G. 83:840] – c. 435-439 CE

Coptic
Ⲓⲁⲱ (Iaō)

• Apocryphon of John (NHC II,1) 11.30, 12.20 – c. 300-400 CE [Greek original c. 150-200 CE]
• On the Origin of the World (NHC II,5) 101.29 – c. 300-400 CE [Greek original c. 150-400 CE]
• Pistis Sophia 136 (Schwartze and Petermann 358) – c. 300-400 CE [Greek original c. 200-400 CE]

Latin
Iao

• Valentinians (Tertullian, Adversus Valentinianos 14 [P.L. 2:565]) – c. 200-207 CE

Yaw/Yawa/Yo

Hebrew
𐤉𐤄 (YW = ?Yaw)

• Hebrew theophoric names, e.g. 𐤉𐤅𐤀𐤔 (YWʾŠ = ?Yawʾasah [Joash] = ?Yaw has given)
  • Kuntillet Ajrud pithos A (COS 2.47A) – c. 801-748 BCE

יוֹ (Yō)

• Hebrew theophoric names, e.g. יוֹאָשׁ (Yōʾāš [Joash] = Yō has given)
  • e.g. 2 Chronicles 24:2

Akkadian
iu (Yu)

• Assyrian transcriptions of Hebrew theophoric names
• e.g. ^miu-ʾa-su (Yuʾasu [Joash] = Yu has given)
  • Tell al Rimah Stele (RIAo Adad-nerari III 07) 8 – c. 797-796 BCE

ia-a-ma (Yaw/Yawa)

• Achaemenid transcriptions of Hebrew theophoric names
• e.g. ʾaḥī-ia-a-ma (ʾAḥīyaw(a) [Ahijah] = Yaw(a) is my brother)
  • Murašû Archive tablets – c. 454-404 BCE

Greek
Ιω (Iō)

• Greek transcriptions of Hebrew theophoric names, e.g. Ιωας (Iōas [Joash])
  • e.g. Septuagint, 2 Chronicles 24:2
• Greek Magical Papyri, e.g. PGM VII.567 – c. 200-400 CE

Iaoue/Iaē/Iave

Greek
Ιαοuε (Iaoue) / Ια οuε (Ia oue) / Ια οuαι (Ia ouai)

• ? Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 5.6.34 [P.G. 9:60] – c. 200 CE
  • The sole manuscript (11th century) has Ιαοu (Iaou) but quotations of the passage have Ιαοuε (Iaoue) or similar, e.g. Coislin 113 fol. 368v – c. 875-925 CE

Ιαη (Iaē)

• Origen, Commentaria in Psalmos 2.2 [P.G. 12:1104] – c. 250 CE
• Greek Magical Papyri, e.g. PGM IV.464 – c. 300-400 CE

Ιαβε (Iave)

• Greek Magical Papyri, e.g. PGM IV.2000 – c. 300-400 CE
• Epiphanius, Panarion 1.3.40 [P.G. 41:685] – 374-377 CE
• Samaritans (Theodoret, Quaestiones in Exodum 15 [P.G. 80:244]) – c. 453 CE

Ιαβαι (Iavai)

• Greek Magical Papyri, e.g. PGM XII.4 – c. 300-400 CE
• Samaritans (Theodoret, Haereticarum Fabularum Compendium 5.3 [P.G. 83:460]) – c. 431-458 CE

Coptic
Ⲓⲁⲩⲉ (Iave)

• Apocryphon of John (NHC II,1) 24.18-19 – c. 300-400 CE [Greek original c. 150-200 CE]

Aramaic
יהביה (YHBYH = ?Yahvêh)

• Hebrew theophoric name on an incantation bowl
• בריכיהביה (BRYKYHBYH = ?Berîkyahvêh [Berechiah] = ?blessing of Yahvêh)
  • Penn Museum, CBS 3997 (PBS III:26) – c. 500-600 CE

Ge'ez (Ethiopic)
ያዌ (Yâwê)

• Bodlein Library MS Aeth. 9. 5 [g. 5?] fol. 6b – undated

Arabic (Samaritan)
يَهْوَه (Yahwa)

• Letter from the Samaritan priest Salamèh to Silvestre de Sacy – 1820 CE

Yah

Hebrew
יָהּ (Yāh)

• e.g. Exodus 15:2, Psalm 68:4, Isaiah 12:2
• Hebrew theophoric names, e.g. חִזְקִיָּה (Ḥizqiyyāh [Hezekiah] = Yāh is my strength)
  • e.g. 2 Kings 18:1

הַלְלוּ־יָהּ (hallû-yāh = Praise Yāh)

• e.g. Psalm 104:35

Greek
Ια (Ia)

• Transliterations of Hebrew theophoric names, e.g. Ἐζεκίας (Ezekias [Hezekiah])
  • e.g. Septuagint, 2 Kings 18:1
• Greek Magical Papyri, e.g. PGM VI.28 – c. 100-300 CE
• Epiphanius, Panarion 1.3.40 [P.G. 41:685] – 374-377 CE

Aλληλουια (Allēlou-ia)

• Septuagint, e.g. Psalm 104:35
• Tobit 13:18
• 3 Maccabees 7:13
• Revelation 19:1, 3, 4, 6

Ιαηλ (Ia-ēl)

• Greek Life of Adam and Eve (Apocalypse of Moses) 29.4, 33.5 – c. 100-400 CE
• Greek Magical Papyri, e.g. PGM IV.960 – c. 300-400 CE

Egyptian
yꜥ (Ya)

• Demotic Magical Papyrus XIV.460 (P.Lond.Demot. 10070/P.Lugd.Bat. J383 col. XVI.1-2) – c. 200-300 CE

Latin
Ia

• Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae 7.1.15 [P.L. 82:261] – c. 625 CE

Yaya

Aramaic
יְיָ (Yĕyā)

• Targumim, e.g. Targum Onkelos, Genesis 1:1 – c. 100-500 CE

Greek
Ιαια (Iaia)

• Greek Magical Papyri, e.g. PGM II.156 – c. 300-400 CE

Latin
Iaia

• Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae 7.1.16 [P.L. 82:261] – c. 625 CE

Ehyeh/Aia

Hebrew
אֶֽהְיֶ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶֽהְיֶ֑ה (ʾehyeh ʾašer ʾehyeh = I Am Who I Am)

• Exodus 3:14

Greek
Αϊα (Aia)

• Theodoret, Haereticarum Fabularum Compendium 5.3 [P.G. 83:460] – c. 431-458 CE

Jehovah

Hebrew
יְהֹוָה (YĕHōWāH - not pronounced, the vowels represent אֲדֹנָי [ʾădōnāy] = my lord)

• Vowel pointing in Masoretic Text, e.g. Genesis 3:14 – added c. 500-900 CE

Greek
? Γεχαβα (Yechava/Gechava)

• Possibly a corruption of יְהֹוָה (YĕHōWāH); or גֶחְבָּא (gekhbāʾ [nonsense word]) corrupted from נֶחְבָּא (nekhbāʾ = "hidden", cf. Rabbinic belief that the name is hidden)
• Nikolaos of Otranto, Disputation Against the Jews, line 1286 (BnF Grec 1255 fol. 24r) – c. 1205-1235 CE

Latin
Iehouah

• Raymundus Martini, Pugio Fidei III.1.4 [pp. 397-399] – c. 1278 CE [1651 CE]

Iehoua

• Raymundus Martini, Pugio Fidei III.2.3.4 [p. 448] – c. 1278 CE [1651 CE]
• Petrus Galatinus, De Arcanis Catholicae Veritatis II.10 [p. 78] – 1516 CE [1550 CE]

Iohoua

• Porchetus de Salvaticus, Victoria Porcheti Adversus Impios Hebreos II.1 [fol. 57] – 1303 CE [1520 CE]

Ioua [considered incorrect by Galatinus]

• Petrus Galatinus, De Arcanis Catholicae Veritatis II.10 [p. 78] – 1516 CE [1550 CE]

English
Iehouah

• William Tyndale, Pentateuch, Exodus 6:3 – 1530 CE

IEHOVAH

• King James Bible, Exodus 6:3 – 1611 CE

Jewish regulations on pronouncing the name

“A piece of gold plate, too, was wrought into the form of a crown with four incisions, showing a name which only those whose ears and tongues are purified may hear or speak in the holy place, and no other person, nor in any other place at all. That name has four letters,”

• Philo of Alexandria, Life of Moses 2.114 (2.23) – c. 30-50 CE

“Then God revealed to him His name, which before then had not come to men's ears, and of which I am forbidden to speak.”

• Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews 2.276 (2.12.4) – c. 94 CE

“How is the Priestly Benediction [recited]? ... In the Temple, [the priest] utters the name [of God] as it is written [in the Torah, i.e., the Tetragrammaton,] and in the country [they use] its substitute name [of Lordship.]”

• Mishnah, Sotah 7:6 – c. 200 CE

“[The Yom Kippur service] ... And the priests and the people standing in the [Temple] courtyard, when they would hear the Explicit Name emerging from the mouth of the High Priest”

• Mishnah, Yoma 6:2 – c. 200 CE

“Ten times did the High Priest pronounce the Name on the Day of Atonement: Six times with the bull, and three with the he-goat, and once with the lots. Those near were falling on their faces, those farther away were saying 'Praised be the glory of His Kingdom forever and ever'. These and those did not move away from there before they forgot it. This is My Name forever [le’olam], 'this is My Name to conceal [le’alem].' In earlier times he was saying it aloud. Since the lawless increased, he said it softly. Rebbi Tarphon said, 'I was standing in a row with my brothers the priests and turned my ear towards the High Priest, when I heard him mixing it with the song of the priests. In earlier times it was given to everybody. Since the lawless increased, it was given only to qualified ones.'”

• Jerusalem Talmud, Yoma 3:7 (40d) – c. 200-450 CE

“Rabba bar bar Ḥana says that Rabbi Yoḥanan says: The Sages transmit [the correct pronunciation of] the four-letter name [of God] to their students once every seven years, and some say twice every seven years. Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak says: It stands to reason in accordance with the one who says [that they transmit it] once every seven years, as it is written: “This is My name forever [le’olam]” (Exodus 3:15), [which is] written [so that it can be read] le’alem, [to hide. This indicates that the Divine Name must remain hidden. The Gemara relates:] Rava planned to expound [and explain the proper way to say the name] in [a public] discourse. A certain elder said to him: It is written [so that it can be read] le’alem, [indicating that it must stay hidden.]”

• Babylonian Talmud, Kiddushin 71a – c. 200-600 CE

Sources

Akkadian
Coogan, Michael D. West Semitic Personal Names in the Murašû Documents. Harvard Semitic Monographs 7. Missoula, MT: Scholars Press, 1976, pp. 49-53
RIAo (Royal Inscriptions of Assyria Online). Oracc. University of Pennsylvania, 2015- . Available at: https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/riao/
RINAP (Royal Inscriptions of the Neo-Assyrian Period). Oracc. University of Pennsylvania, 2011- . Available at: https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/rinap/
Tropper, Josef. "Der Gottesname *Yahwa". Vetus Testamentum, 51:1 (2001), pp. 81-106, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1163/156853301300102228
Arabic
de Sacy, Silvestre. "Correspondance des Samaritains Naplouse, pendant les anees 1808 et suiv". Notices et Extraits des Manuscrits de la Bibliotheque du Roi, 12 (1831), pp. 134, 152 (Available at: https://archive.org/details/NoticesEtExtraits121831/page/n143/mode/2up)

• Transliteration: Montgomery, James A. "Notes from the Samaritan". Journal of Biblical Literature, 25:1 (1906), pp. 49-51 (Available at: https://archive.org/details/sim\_journal-of-biblical-literature\_1906\_25\_1-2/page/49/mode/2up)
  • Article notes that professor Nathaniel Schmidt "learned orally from the son of the Samaritan high priest, whom he had met in the preceding winter in Jerusalem, that the Samaritans pronounce the name either as Yahwa or Yahû."

Aramaic
Babylonian Talmud. Ed. and trans. Adin E.I. Steinsaltz. 42 vols. Jerusalem: Koren Publishers, 2012-2019 (Available at: https://www.sefaria.org/)
Jerusalem Talmud. Ed. and trans. Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. 17 vols. Berlin: De Gruyter, 1999-2015 (Available at: https://www.sefaria.org/)
Montgomery, James A. Aramaic Incantations from Nippur. Vol 3. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Museum, 1913, pp. 103-105, 209-210 (Available at: https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.31234/)

• Photographs: https://www.penn.museum/collections/object/59666

Porten, Bezalel. Archives from Elephantine. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1968
———Elephantine Papyri in English. Leiden: Brill, 1996
Targum Onkelos = Matsudah Chumash [with Onkelos translation]. Metsudah Publications, 2009 (Available at: https://www.sefaria.org/)
van der Toorn, Karel. "Celebrating the New Year with the Israelites: Three Extrabiblical Psalms from Papyrus Amherst 63". Journal of Biblical Literature, 136:3 (2017), pp. 633-649. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1353/jbl.2017.0040
Coptic
Robinson, James M. (ed.) The Nag Hammadi Library in English. 3rd edn. New York: HarperCollins, 1988
Schwartze, M.G. and J.H. Petermann (eds.) Pistis Sophia: Opus Gnosticum Valentino Adiudicatum e Codice Manuscripto Coptico Londinensi. Berolini: F. Duemmler, 1851, p. 358 (Available at: https://archive.org/details/pistissophiaopus0000unse/)
English
The Holy Bible: Quartercentenary Edition: King James Version. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011 [1611]
Tyndale, William. Pentateuch. Antwerp: Merten de Keyser, 1530 (Available at: https://www.biblestudytools.com/tyn/exodus/6.html)
Egyptian
Griffith, F.L. and Herbert Thomson (eds.) The Demotic Magical Papyrus of London and Leiden. Vol 1. London: H. Grevel and Co., 1904, p. 109
Hen, Rachelo S. "Signs of YHWH, God of the Hebrews, in New Kingdom Egypt?" Entangled Religions, 12:2 (2021), pp. 1-42, DOI: https://doi.org/10.46586/er.12.2021.9463
Ge'ez (Ethiopic)
Members of the University of Oxford. Studia Biblica: Essays in Biblical Archæology and Criticism. Vol 1. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1885, p. 20 (Available at: https://archive.org/details/studiabiblicaess0001unse/)
Greek
4Q120 – 4QpapLXXLev^b. Leon Levy Dead Sea Scrolls Digital Library, 2015. Available at: https://www.deadseascrolls.org.il/explore-the-archive/manuscript/4Q120-1
Aelius Herodianus. Herodiani Technici Reliquiae. Ed. Augustus Lentz. Vol 2.1. Liepzig: B.G. Tuebneri, 1868, p. 476 (Reprint: Grammatici Graece 3.2, 1965) Available at: https://archive.org/details/herodianitechnic0002hero
Codex Marchalianus (Q) = Vat.gr.2125 "Vetri Testamenti Prophetae", p. 569. DigiVatLib. Available at: https://digi.vatlib.it/view/MSS_Vat.gr.2125
Coislin 113. Bibliothèque nationale de France. Département des manuscrits. Available at: https://gallica.bnf.fark:/12148/btv1b100379029/
Didymus the Blind = Louis Doutreleau (ed.) Didyme L'Aeugle: Sur Zacharie II. Sources Chretiennes 84. Paris: Du Cerf, 1962, pp. 431-435

• English translation: Robert C. Hill. Didymus the Blind: Commentary on Zechariah. The Fathers of the Church 111. Washington, D.C.: Catholic University of America Press, 2006, p. 117

Diodorus Siculus. Diodori Bibliotheca Historica. Eds. Immanuel Bekker, Ludwig Dindorg, Friedrich Vogel. Vols 1-2. Liepzig: B.G. Tuebneri, 1888-1890 (Available at: https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hoppetext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A2008.01.0540%3Abook%3D1%3Achapter%3D94)
Dioscorides Pedanios. "Peri Paiōnias kai Hosa Poiein Dunatai" in Carlo Oreste Zuretti (ed.) Codices Hispanienses. Part 2. Catalogus codicum astrologorum graecorum 11.2. Brussels: Lamertin, 1934, p. 166 (Available at: http://www.poesialatina.it/\_ns/Greek/testi/Dioscorides/Peri\_Paionias\_Kai\_Osa\_Poiein\_dynatai.html)
Flavius Josephus. Antiquities of the Jews. Volume 4. Trans. H. St. J. Thackerey. Loeb Classical Library. Camridge, MA: Harvard University Press, pp. 284-285
Hesychius of Alexandria. Lexicon. Ed. Kurt Latte. Vol 2. Heidelberg: Ejner Munksgaard Editore, 1966, p. 736 (Available at: https://archive.org/details/hesychiialexandr0002hesy/)
Macrobius. Saturnalia. Ed. Jacob Willis. Leipsig: B.G. Tuebneri, 1994, pp. 105-106
Nikolaos of Otranto, Disputation Against the Jews

• BnF Grec 1255. Bibliothèque nationale de France. Département des manuscrits. Available at: https://gallica.bnf.fark:/12148/btv1b10723948w/f28
• Lars martin Hoffman. Der antijüdische Dialog Kata Iudaion des Nikolaos-Nektarios von Otranto. PhD Thesis. Mainz: Johannes Gutenberg-Universitat, 2007, p. 44 (Available at: https://openscience.ub.uni-mainz.de/bitstream/20.500.12030/1213/1/4107.pdf)
• Pavlos D. Vasileiadis and Nehemia Gordon. "Transmission of the Tetragrammaton in Judeo-Greek and Christian sources". Accademia: Revue de la Société Marsile Ficin, 18 (2019) (Available at: https://www.academia.edu/77199092/)

Novum Testamentum Graece NA28, 2012 (Available at: https://www.academic-bible.com/)
P.G. = J.P. Migne (ed.) Patrologiae Cursus Completis: Series Graeca. 161 vols. Paris, 1857-1866 (Available at: https://patristica.net/graeca/)
Philo of Alexandria. "De Vita Moses" in Philo. Volume 6. Trans. F.H. Colson. Loeb Classical Library. Camridge, MA: Harvard University Press, pp. 502-505
Philo of Byblos. The Phoenecian History. Eds. Harold W. Attridge and Robert A. Oden. Washington, DC: Catholic Bible Association of America, 1981, pp. 20-21, 71

• Used for Philo of Byblos and for John Lydus' quotation of Varro

PGM = Preisendanz, Karl and Albert Henrichs (eds.) Papyri Graecae Magicae: Die Griechischen Zauberpapyri. 2nd edn. 2 vols. Stuttgart: Teubner, 1973-1974
Septuagint. Eds. Alred Rahlfs and Robert Hanhart, 2006 (Available at: https://www.academic-bible.com/)
Testament of Solomon. Ed. Chester C. McCown. Leipzig: J. C. Hinrichs, 1992, p. 54* (Available at: https://archive.org/details/cu31924028957400/)
Tischendorf, Constantinus. "Apocalypsis Mosis" in Apocalypses Apocryphae. Leipzig: Hermann Mendelssohn, 1866, pp. 1-23 (Available at: https://archive.org/details/apocalypsesapocr0000unse/)
Hebrew
Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, 1968-1977 (Available at: https://www.academic-bible.com/)
Miller, Patrick D. "El, The Creator of Earth". Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research, 239 (1980), pp. 43-46
Mishna. Trans. Adin E.I. Steinsaltz. 42 vols. Jerusalem: Koren Publishers, 2012-2019 (Available at: https://www.sefaria.org/)
Latin
Galatinus, Petrus. De Arcanis Catholicae Veritatis. Basel, 1550 [1516] (Available at: https://archive.org/details/bub\_gb\_hgg8vG6num4C/)
Martini, Raymundi. Pugio Fidei Ordinis Prædicatorum Adversus Mauros et Judæos. Ed. Joseph Voisin. Paris, 1651 (Available at: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=jwI-AAAAcAAJ&printsec=frontcover)
P.L. = J.P. Migne (ed.) Patrologiae Cursus Completis: Series Latina. 217 vols. Paris, 1841-1855 (Available at: https://patristica.net/latina/)
Salvaticus, Porchetus de. Victoria Porcheti Adversus Impios Hebreos. [Paris:] Francois Regnault, 1520 (Available at: https://archive.org/details/bub\_gb\_MQFIbo8zwDQC/)
Various ANE Languages
COS = Hallo, William W. and K. Lawson Younger (eds.) The Context of Scripture. 4 vols. Leiden: Brill, 2003-2016
Secondary Sources and recommendations
Lewis, Theodore J. The Origin and Character of God. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2020
Miller, Robert D. Yahweh: Origins of a Desert God. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2021
Oorschot, Jürgen van and Markus Witte (eds.) The Origins of Yahwism. Berlin: De Gruyter, 2017
Romer, Thomas. The Invention of God. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2015

Can anyone spot the differences between these two pics? definitely some additions.

There are probably those who do it manually. But if it can be automated, then why not?
My little python-script for unpacking sound files from bank-packages automatically.
Warning: Windows only. Uses third-party programs (quickbms, fsb_aud_extr), so nothing can be done.
Epic7 Debank v.1.0 - link (~9 mb)
Before starting, you need to install python ( link ) and module for python:

pip install psutil 

Usage:

1. put yours bank-files to "input" folder;
2. run script: python epic7_debank.py
3. wait for the script to finish;
4. extracted sound files must be in "result" folder.

​
[Q]: Where can I find Epic7 bank-packages with sounds and music?
[A]: On android device (emulator?) open "File Manager" and go to folders:

[Android] > [data] > [com.stove.epic7.google] > [files] > [data.unpacked] > [sound] 

There you can see bank-files for game + subfolder with voice pack ("ko" folder = korean voice pack).
​
And... I can do "Event to celebrate the release of the first Epic Seven Soundtrack Album" too!
My version ~♫

Soundtrack	Download link (wav-file)
Lobby	link
Adin's Theme	link
Belian's Theme	link
Belian's Theme (Battle)	link
Ervalen's Theme	link
Kawerik's Theme	link
Lilias's Theme (Base)	link
Lilias's Theme (Battle)	link
Mort's Theme	link
Politis's Theme	link
Ran's Theme	link
Solitaria's Theme	link
Straze's Theme	link
Tiwig's Theme	link
Zahhak's Theme	link

​
[2021.12.17]: UPDATE IN README.TXT FOR USERS FROM KOREA (AND OTHER REGIONS?):
The "fsb_aud_extr.exe" used is very finicky.
An issue has been found that if Windows is using the Korean locale (maybe other locales too?), it may stop eviscerating the sound packet by stopping at the file "voc_c5004_skill1_1_alt_10(웃음).wav".
I have no source code for "fsb_aud_extr.exe" and no contact with the author of this application.
But I found a way to get around this problem - link.

1. Open "Regional Settings" in "Control Panel" (or just run intl.cpl).
2. Activate "Administrative" tab.
3. Click on "Change system locale..." button.
4. Check "Beta: Use Unicode UTF-8 for worldwide language support".
5. Press "OK" button.
6. Reboot.

Screenshot for clarity: link.
After rebooting, the problem of interrupting the evisceration of the bank-package should be resolved. Checked by my Korean acquaintance.
Special thanks to Automatic-Jeweler739 who discovered this error and brought it to my attention.

Decided I would make a Days Of Our Steelers-esque drama script, considering the off-season issues and how horrible we're most-likely going to be. Enjoy
This week, on Drowning With The Sharks, hope is brewing throughout the league. Well, if you're a fan for everybody except the Sharks (and maybe the Sabres). The Sharks are coming off a brutal 2020-21 campaign, where they only managed 49 points, enough for 6th in the West. This was all thanks to the inconsistent offense, the overpaid traffic cones known as the blue line, and having Martin Jones as the top goaltender. For reference, Evander Kane himself managed to get 49 points. But that's not the only thing Kane did. Oh no….
You ever hear the old saying "If you can't beat em, join em?" Well Kane decided to take that literally. Sick of constantly losing to the Vegas Golden Knights, Kane decided to become a Vegas resident and gamble. And gamble. And gamble. In fact, before last season even started, Evander filed for chapter 7 bankruptcy after failing to pay off some gambling debts. It didn't appear to mess with him too much as he still led the team in points, but it wasn't a good look for him regardless.
And then it happened. This past offseason, Evander Kane's wife, or now ex-wife, Anna came out with some serious accusations: apparently Evander had gambled on NHL games, including some of his own. Kane could've gotten into some serious trouble if the NHL found enough evidence, but thankfully for him (but not for the Sharks), the league didn't find much. But just as quickly as his bank account drained, even more accusations came out: apparently Kane abused his wife, which prompted yet another investigation. If this one gets cleared or not, we don't know, but this came at the wrong time: Training camp has started, and the Sharks announced they're not playing with Kane on the squad for the time being. The worst part is this might be beneficial for the team chemistry. Why, you may ask?
I wish I could say this was all the drama Kane has been facing, but (sadly) there is even more. You see, Kane has never exactly been known as the "nice guy" in the locker room. In fact, he's rustled a few feathers in the locker rooms of his other teams in the Thrashers and Sabres. And lookee here, he's done it again. Multiple Sharks players complained about Kane's antics throughout the season, which included being late to practices and even some games, breaking the players' dress code, and overall just being an annoyance. Players got fed up with Kane's antics so much that they went to the big boss himself, Doug Wilson, asking him to trade Kane or else they themselves would want to be traded. Doug Wilson, still believing that the core can make the playoffs, shrugged it off, saying that "all teams have locker-room issues." Really Doug? The team is openly threatening to leave and you're just playing it off as if it were little kids having an argument? This man really has been infected with Ilitch Syndrome.
Other than the Evander Kane situation, the major thing that has happened to this team is the goaltending overhaul. Doug Wilson finally realized that Martin Jones is actually a piece of swiss cheese and decided to buy out his contract. His replacement? Adin Hill, a rookie goaltender who hasn't quite found his groove in the NHL. But don't worry, the Sharks know just the veteran goaltender to help out. You guys remember James Reimer? He's baaaaaaack. As for that mediocre offense, we got another Sharks legend: Nick Bonino. HOORAY FOR RANDOM DEPTH SIGNINGS!
As the wildfires continue to rage throughout California, so does the drama on Drowning With The Sharks

AC SLATER ACRAZE ADIN AFROJACK B2B R3HAB ALAN WALKER ALYX ANDER AMELIE LENS ANNA ARMIN VAN BUUREN ATLIENS AUDIOTRAP AVISION BAE-TOVEN BASSCON BASSRUSH EXPERIENCE BERNZIKIAL BINGEWATCH BLACK COFFEE (SUNSET) BLUNTS & BLONDES BORN DIRTY BROTHERS OF FUNK CALEB DENT B2B DRE MENDEZ CASH CASH CAT DEALERS B2B DUBDOGZ CELO CHEYENNE GILES CODE BLACK COONE COSMIC GATE CUT & SEW DANNYTIME B2B SOSMOOV DANYELINO DARKSIDERZ DENIS SULTA DEOCA DEVAULT DIESEL DIMENSION DISCOVERY PROJECT DJ ANIME DJ HOLOGRAPHIC DJ SECURITY DJ SHAOLIN DOC ROC DOM DOLLA DOMBRESKY DR PHUNK DREAMSTATE PRESENTS EAZYBAKED EKALI ELEPHANTE ELI BROWN EXCISION FACTOR B FACTORY 93 EXPERIENCE FRANK WALKER FURY + MC DINO G JONES GALANTIS GOLDEN CHILD GREEN VELVET PRESENTS LA LA LAND GRUBE & HOVSEPIAN GRUM HALIENE (LIVE) HEATHER COLLINS HOT SINCE 82 HUDA IDA ENGBERG INSOMNIAC RECORDS JASON BROWN JASON ROSS JAUZ JINX JOHN SUMMIT JOSEPH CAPRIATI INVITES JOYRYDE JSTJR KAMI KASKADE KAYZO KEITH MACKENZIE KILL SCRIPT . KSHMR . KYE KINCH KYGO (SUNSET) LIQUID STRANGER LOUD LUXURY LOUIS THE CHILD LP GIOBBI (SUNSET) LUCCIO Lucil MAGIC MIKE MARKUS SCHULZ THE MARTINEZ BROTHERS MASF MATRODA MATTHAIS MEEN MOON BOOTS MORTEN MROTEK NASSER BAKER NGHTMRE B2B SVDDEN DEATH NICOLE MOUDABER PRESENTS IN THE MOOD NIFRA NOIZU PATRICK TOPPING PAUL VAN DYK PHOENIX JAGGER B2B PACHO BERROCAL PLSMA REAPER RICO ROX SAID THE SKY SAYMYNAME SEVEN LIONS SIDEPIECE SITA ABELLÅN SLOTH SLUGG SOFTEST HARD SOREN STELLER SUBTRONICS SUPERNAUT SUZY SOLAR TAPE-B TCHAMI (SUNSET) TIÉSTO TIMMY TRUMPET TOO HEAVY CREW TOO KIND VERSE B2B GHOST LOTUS VINTAGE CULTURE VRG WENZDAY B2B NOSTALGIX WESTEND B2B BLACK V NECK WHIPPED CREAM WILLIAM BLACK ZEDD

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Artists / Sets that got removed from the ECDLV 2020 to 2021 Lineup
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2=1 (TIMMY TRUMPET B2B W&W)
ADAM AUBURN
ADRENALIZE
ANDY C
ANN CLUE
ANNA
BEN NICKY PRESENTS XTREME
BILLY GILLIES
BLACK TIGER SEX MACHINE
BLVCKJESUS B2B CRIME FAMILY B2B WSHNGTN
BONTAN
BORIS BREJCHA
BOYS NOIZE
CALYX & TEEBEE B2B THE PROTOTYPES
CAMELPHAT
CARL COX
CASPA B2B PEEKABOO
CHAMPAGNE DRIP
CHEE
COONE
DANNY HOWARD
DANNY TENAGLIA
DARKSIDERZ
DARREN STYLES
DAVID GUETTA
DC BREAKS B2B LOADSTAR B2B PROLIX
DEADLY GUNS
DENIS SULTA
DETLEF
DIPLO B2B MK
DJ ANIME
DJ SEINFELD
DROELOE
EAZYBAKED
ED RUSH + OPTICAL B2B KEMAL B2B DILLINJA
ELIMINATE
ELYSIAN
FISHER
FRANKY WAH
FRICTION B2B A.M.C
FRIEND WITHIN
FRQ NCY
FURY + MC DINO
G JONES
GALANTIS
GIUSEPPE OTTAVIANI LIVE 3.0
GOLF CLAP
GOURYELLA 2.0
GRAVES
GREEN VELVET
HABSTRAKT vs MOKSI
HOLLY
I_O
ILARIO ALICANTE
ILLYUS & BARRIENTOS
JAUZ B2B OLIVER HELDENS
JONAS BLUE
JOSEPH CAPRIATI
JVNA
KAYZO
KEY4050
KIDNAP
LATMUN
LAUREN LANE
LEN FAKI
LNY TNZ
MAJOR LAZER
MARKUS SCHULZ ISOS SET
MASON MAYNARD
MAX CHAPMAN
MIDNIGHT TYRANNOSAURUS B2B TRAMPA
MOON BOOTS
MROTEK
NASTYNASTY
NWYR
ONYVAA (LIVE)
PATHFINDERS
PAUL WOOLFORD
PERTO
PIERRE PIENAAR
RADICAL REDEMPTION
REDLIGHT
RICHIE HAWTIN
ROB GEE + SID WILSON
SAYMYNAME B2B 12TH PLANET
SECRET RECIPE
SHADES
SHIVERZ B2B INFEKT
SHMITTY
SHOGUN
SIDEKICKS
SIKDOPE
SOFI TUKKER
SONNY FODERA
SOSA
SOUND RUSH
SPACE JESUS
SUAE
SUBDOCTA
SVEN VÄTH
TNT AKA TECHNOBOY N TUNEBOY
VOLAC
WARFACE
WEISS
WONGO
YELLOW CLAW
YOLANDA BE COOL
YUNG BAE
ZEDS DEAD
ZÍA
​
​
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Artists / Sets that got added from the ECDLV 2020 to 2021 Lineup
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12TH PLANET B2B SAYMYNAME
ADARO
ALPHA 9
ARMNHMR
ARTBAT
ATMOZFEARS
AUDIEN
AUDIOFREQ
AVISION
BELLECOUR
BENNY BENASSI
BIJOU
BISCITS
BLACK COFFEE
BLACK V NECK
BLEU CLAIR
BLOND:ISH
BT
CASMALIA
CHARLOTTE DE WITTE
CIARAN MCAULEY
CLAPTONE
CRIME FAMILY B2B BLVCKJESUS B2B WSHNGTN
DABIN
DARKSIDERZ B2B MROTEK
DEADMAU5
DELTA HEAVY B2B LOADSTAR
DEVAULT
DIESELBOY
DILLINJA
DIPLO B2B LEE FOSS
DIPLO
DJ DIESEL
DUKE DUMONT
ENRICO SANGIULIANO
ERIC PRYDZ
FATUM
FERRY CORSTEN
FLOSSTRADAMUS
FRANK WALKER
FURY
GUNZ FOR HIRE
HABSTRAKT
HALIENE (LIVE)
ILLUMINIZE
INFECTED MUSHROOM
JAUZ B2B PEEKABOO
JAYTECH
JOHN SUMMIT
JORZA
JOYRYDE (ALL DNB SET)
KASKADE
KAYZO B2B KNIFE PARTY
KILL SCRIPT
KLOUD
KYGO
LANE 8
LE YOUTH
LIQUID STRANGER
LOCO DICE
LP GIOBBI
LUCII
LUKE ANDY
MARKUS SCHULZ
THE MARTINEZ BROTHERS
MATHAME
MATRODA
MC DINO
MICHAEL BIBI
MIDNIGHT TYRANNOSAURUS
MOB TACTICS B2B PROLIX
MOORE KISMET
NINA KRAVIZ
NITTI GRITTI
NOISECONTROLLERS
NOIZE SUPPRESSOR
PAUL OAKENFOLD
THE PROPHET
QRION
RAN-D
ROB GEE
SAGE ARMSTRONG
SHEI
SHIVERZ
SITA ABELLÁN
SOLARDO B2B VINTAGE CULTURE
SULLIVAN KING
SUNNY LAX
TESTPILOT
TIMMY TRUMPET
TOKIMONSTA
TONESHIFTERZ
TONY ROMERA
TSURUDA
WATER SPIRIT
WILLIAM BLACK
Z-TRIP
ZHU
​
​
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Artists / Sets that remained the same for ECDLV 2020 and 2021 Lineup
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12TH PLANET (THROWBACK SET)
1788-L
3LAU
ABRAXIS
AC SLATER
ADIN
AFROJACK B2B R3HAB
AHMED ROMEL
ALAN WALKER
ALESSANDRA RONCONE
ALESSO
ALISON WONDERLAND
ALY & FILA
ANDREW BAYER
ANDREW RAYEL
ANNA LUNOE
ARTY
ATLIENS
BLANKE
BLOSSOM
BORGORE
BORN DIRTY
THE CHAINSMOKERS
CID
CODE BLACK
COSMIC GATE
CUT SNAKE
DA TWEEKAZ
DECLAN JAMES
DIMENSION
DJ SNAKE
DOM DOLLA
DOMBRESKY
DON DIABLO
DR PHUNK
DR. FRESCH
DUBFIRE B2B NICOLE MOUDABER B2B PACO OSUNA
DUSTYCLOUD
ELEPHANTE
ELI BROWN
EXCISION
FALLEN B2B RICHTER
GAMMER
GAMMER B2B K?D
GANESH
GANJA WHITE NIGHT
GEO
GG MAGREE
GHASTLY
GRUM
GRYFFIN (DJ SET)
HEROBUST B2B SPAG HEDDY
ILAN BLUESTONE
J. WORRA
JASON ROSS
JAUZ
JEROME ISMA-AE
JUNKIE KID
KAI TRACID
KAIVON
KHROMATA
KNIFE PARTY
KSHMR
LADY FAITH
LEE FOSS
LIL TEXAS
LOST KINGS
LOUD LUXURY
LOUIS THE CHILD
MACEO PLEX
MAD DOG
MADUK
MALAA
MARAUDA
MARTIN GARRIX
MEDUZA
MODESTEP
MORELIA
MR. BROOKS
MUZZ
NGHTMRE
NICKY ROMERO
NOIZU
OLIVER HELDENS
OMNOM
PATRICK TOPPING
PAUL VAN DYK
PEEKABOO
PENDULUM TRINITY
PHANTOMS
REALITY TEST
REINIER ZONNEVELD (LIVE)
REZZ
SAID THE SKY
SAYMYNAME (HARDSTYLE SET)
SEVEN LIONS
SIDEPIECE
SLANDER
SLANDER B2B SAID THE SKY
SNAKEHIPS
SOLARDO
SOREN
SUB ZERO PROJECT
SUBTRONICS
SVDDEN DEATH PRESENTS VOYD
TCHAMI
THROTTLE
TIËSTO
TROYBOI
TWEEKACORE
TYEGUYS
VINI VICI
VINTAGE CULTURE
VNSSA
WALKER & ROYCE
WAX MOTIF
WESTEND
WHETHAN
WILDSTYLEZ
WOOLI
WUKI
ZEDD
ZOMBOY
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TL;DR W&W will no loner be at EDCLV :(

Originally... I wrote a script for the first episode of him talking to himself and going thorught his day but he would just be saying "chat chat, this blah blah." At the end Imdontai pulls up to "dance" on Josh, but then adin shows up jealous and stuff, so then they both agree to start a competition of who would be Josh's bride like a gay wedding 💒. But then, guess who pops out.... it's flight gasp crowd goes wild, then I would put a cliffhanger. (Idk fun fact)

Cosmere, I present to you weeks worth of data cleaning to answer the simple question: Who swears the most in Rhythm of War. You may be asking, dear reader, why I embarked on this journey. This sparked from a conversation I had with boyfriend about the linguistics of Roshar after we read RoW, especially when it comes to swearing. During that conversation, he mentioned how there's less diversity of swear words in Alethi than is realistic (from our English speaking perspective). Then I realized that I couldn't recall an instance of a Parsh swearing. So, I went to the text to find answers.
RoW presented the best opportunity to explore swearing from both human and Parsh cultures because of the prominence of Parsh characters from different generations, so I started there. Will I go back to do the other books? Maybe, but that's a question for a different day.
Today, I'd like to showcase my findings with some nice graphs (color coded to represent each character).
​
A layered bar graph of swear words spoken by each character by chapter. Interludes are written as Ix (where x is the Interlude number). Lift and Teft are tied for most swears spoken in a single chapter (16).
​
A pie chart of all swear words spoken in RoW organized by character. Kaladin has the largest proportion at 21%, followed by Navani at 11.7%. \"Other\" includes characters that do not have PoV chapters, like Aesudan and ardents, and Adin who did have a PoV chapter but is squarely a background character.
​
A bar graph of the rate/proportion of swear words to normal words spoken or thought by main PoV characters. Teft just wins over Lift for the highest rate of swearing at an even 0.6%. Hesina swears almost twice as much as both her son and her husband, but this might be a bias due to the situations she's in during the book.
My methods involved sorting text by character then using a Python script to search the text for instances of swear words. Words that I considered swears are as follows:
'storm', 'storming', 'stormwind', 'curse', 'stormfather', 'damnation', 'holy halls', 'starvin', and any English swears (e.g. 'bastard', 'asshole', etc). I also included invocations of the Heralds and the Almighty, as well as the Alethi phrase "blood of my fathers".
(Edit: I didn’t explicitly write in non-Rosharan swears into my script, since those words are also just common nouns. Worldhopping swears were counted manually as I found those characters in the text. There was only 1 that I found, which came from Felt.)
There are many compound words that include 'storm' in it that are never used as swears. I was able to compile a list of such words and exclude them from the search (e.g. 'stormlight', 'highstorm', 'stormshelter', etc).
I used a Bash script to run the Python script on every character's text file and put only the "storming lines" into a new file. I then went back through those to verify that these words were being using in the context of a swear. Invoking the Heralds, the Almighty, or using "blood of my fathers" were put under more scrutiny to determine if those words/phrase were being used as a swear or not. For example, no use of "blood of my fathers" was considered because it was always used as an expression of awe by Dalinar and used once by Szeth to maintain his cover.
There was a lot more diversity in swears than what we could remember, although it was mostly just other compound words with 'storm'. As to Parsh swearing, the only Parsh to swear are Singers that were previously Alethi servants or Listeners after contact with Alethi. Fused don't swear at all. This confirmed my hypothesis that swearing in the Parsh language is achieved just through the Rhythms.
And that's what I've got, folks. What do you think? Were any of these results surprising to you?

'''
NEW LINK: [[link]²
New standalone Suite for Trading/Scalping.
Created this to save time, it worked much better than expected so I published it
Power up your trading and give feedback/ideas
​
'''
Tradingview suite for Trading/Scalping. I was tired of spending hours on end to analyse markets so I created a script to tell me in seconds.
Go1dfish undelete link
unreddit undelete link
Author: LogicalyRetarded
1: www*t*a*i*gview.co**s*ript/**1KUbCQ-Ma*k*t-**iper-Tr*d*n*-Scalpin*-Suit*/ 2: *w*.tr***n*v*ew.**m/script/*O1KUbC*-*ark*t-Sniper-T*adin**Scalp*ng-Suite**^^1
Unknown links are censored to prevent spreading illicit content.

I was curious who generally is on the lineup for EDC, so I wrote a quick script and tada!

afrojack (4) 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 andy c (4) 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 angerfist (4) 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 armin van buuren (4) 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 astrix (4) 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 brennan heart (4) 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 coone (4) 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 da tweekaz (4) 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 darksiderz (4) 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 datsik (4) 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 excision (4) 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 fallen (4) 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 flux pavilion (4) 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 habstrakt (4) 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 hardwell (4) 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 lady faith (4) 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 martin garrix (4) 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 nghtmre (4) 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 seven lions (4) 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 slander (4) 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 snails (4) 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 tiesto (4) 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 tnt (4) 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 yellow claw (4) 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 zomboy (4) 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 12th planet (3) 2015, 2016, 2018 4b (3) 2015, 2016, 2018 above (3) 2015, 2016, 2017 adrenalize (3) 2015, 2016, 2018 alesso (3) 2015, 2016, 2017 alison wonderland (3) 2015, 2016, 2017 aly (3) 2015, 2016, 2017 atb (3) 2015, 2017, 2018 beyond (3) 2015, 2016, 2017 chris liebing (3) 2015, 2016, 2017 chris lorenzo (3) 2015, 2016, 2018 code black (3) 2016, 2017, 2018 cosmic gate (3) 2015, 2017, 2018 crisis era (3) 2015, 2016, 2017 d-block (3) 2015, 2016, 2017 darren styles (3) 2015, 2016, 2018 dash berlin (3) 2015, 2016, 2018 dimitri vegas (3) 2015, 2016, 2018 dj isaac (3) 2016, 2017, 2018 don diablo (3) 2016, 2017, 2018 dr. fresch (3) 2015, 2016, 2018 duke dumont (3) 2015, 2016, 2017 eptic (3) 2015, 2016, 2018 eric prydz (3) 2015, 2016, 2018 ferry corsten (3) 2015, 2017, 2018 fila (3) 2015, 2016, 2017 fury (3) 2016, 2017, 2018 galantis (3) 2015, 2016, 2017 gammer (3) 2016, 2017, 2018 getter (3) 2015, 2017, 2018 gta (3) 2016, 2017, 2018 jauz (3) 2016, 2017, 2018 john digweed (3) 2015, 2017, 2018 joyryde (3) 2016, 2017, 2018 jstjr (3) 2016, 2017, 2018 kaskade (3) 2015, 2016, 2018 like mike (3) 2015, 2016, 2018 lny tnz (3) 2015, 2016, 2017 loco dice (3) 2015, 2016, 2018 loudpvck (3) 2015, 2016, 2018 markus schulz (3) 2015, 2016, 2018 marshmello (3) 2016, 2017, 2018 martin solveig (3) 2015, 2016, 2017 mc dino (3) 2016, 2017, 2018 nightstalker (3) 2016, 2017, 2018 oliver heldens (3) 2015, 2016, 2017 ookay (3) 2015, 2016, 2017 pan-pot (3) 2015, 2016, 2017 paul van dyk (3) 2016, 2017, 2018 s-te-fan (3) 2015, 2016, 2017 sinden (3) 2015, 2017, 2018 tc (3) 2015, 2017, 2018 tommy trash (3) 2015, 2016, 2017 wasted penguinz (3) 2016, 2017, 2018 zedd (3) 2016, 2017, 2018 3lau (2) 2015, 2017 a-trak (2) 2016, 2018 ac slater (2) 2015, 2018 ace ventura (2) 2016, 2017 adventure club (2) 2015, 2016 alan fitzpatrick (2) 2016, 2017 alan walker (2) 2017, 2018 andrew rayel (2) 2015, 2017 armanni reign (2) 2015, 2016 astronomar (2) 2016, 2017 atmozfears (2) 2017, 2018 audien (2) 2015, 2017 audiofreq (2) 2016, 2017 audiotricz (2) 2015, 2016 awe (2) 2015, 2016 baggi (2) 2016, 2017 ben nicky (2) 2016, 2017 bijou (2) 2017, 2018 billy kenny (2) 2016, 2017 black sun empire (2) 2015, 2017 black tiger sex machine (2) 2017, 2018 blackgummy (2) 2017, 2018 bones (2) 2015, 2016 borgore (2) 2017, 2018 born dirty (2) 2017, 2018 brennen grey (2) 2016, 2017 brillz (2) 2015, 2016 bro safari (2) 2016, 2017 calyx (2) 2017, 2018 camo (2) 2015, 2017 carnage (2) 2015, 2016 caspa (2) 2016, 2018 chris lake (2) 2016, 2018 cookie monsta (2) 2015, 2016 craig williams (2) 2016, 2017 crizzly (2) 2015, 2016 dada life (2) 2015, 2016 danny howard (2) 2016, 2017 definitive (2) 2015, 2018 deorro (2) 2015, 2016 des mcmahon (2) 2016, 2017 digital punk (2) 2016, 2018 diplo (2) 2017, 2018 discovery project (2) 2016, 2017 dj snake (2) 2015, 2016 doctor p (2) 2016, 2018 dombresky (2) 2017, 2018 dubloadz (2) 2017, 2018 dusky (2) 2015, 2016 ed rush (2) 2015, 2017 ephwurd (2) 2016, 2017 firebeatz (2) 2015, 2017 flosstradamus (2) 2015, 2017 freedom fighters (2) 2015, 2017 friction (2) 2015, 2017 funtcase (2) 2015, 2016 g jones (2) 2017, 2018 gareth emery (2) 2016, 2017 gladiator (2) 2015, 2016 gunz for hire (2) 2016, 2017 herobust (2) 2017, 2018 hot since 82 (2) 2016, 2018 hotel garuda (2) 2015, 2016 ilan bluestone (2) 2015, 2018 illenium (2) 2017, 2018 jack beats (2) 2015, 2018 jamie jones presents paradise (2) 2017, 2018 jason bentley (2) 2015, 2016 john askew (2) 2016, 2017 john o’callaghan (2) 2016, 2017 junkie kid (2) 2017, 2018 k?d (2) 2017, 2018 kasra (2) 2015, 2016 kayzo (2) 2015, 2018 krooked (2) 2015, 2017 kshmr (2) 2016, 2018 kygo (2) 2017, 2018 laidback luke (2) 2015, 2017 lee foss (2) 2017, 2018 leiel (2) 2015, 2016 loadstar (2) 2016, 2018 lookas (2) 2015, 2016 lost frequencies (2) 2017, 2018 low steppa (2) 2015, 2017 lo’99 (2) 2017, 2018 mad dog (2) 2017, 2018 maximono (2) 2016, 2017 mekanikal (2) 2016, 2018 metrik (2) 2015, 2017 mija (2) 2017, 2018 no requests (2) 2017, 2018 optical (2) 2015, 2017 party favor (2) 2015, 2016 paul oakenfold (2) 2016, 2017 paul woolford (2) 2017, 2018 protohype (2) 2015, 2016 pulsatorz (2) 2015, 2018 radical redemption (2) 2016, 2017 ran-d (2) 2015, 2016 ravell (2) 2016, 2017 redlight (2) 2016, 2018 rell the soundbender (2) 2016, 2018 rezz (2) 2017, 2018 rl grime (2) 2016, 2017 sacha robotti (2) 2016, 2017 sage armstrong (2) 2017, 2018 san holo (2) 2017, 2018 saymyname (2) 2016, 2018 shaun frank (2) 2016, 2017 shiba san (2) 2016, 2018 shmitty (2) 2017, 2018 showtek (2) 2015, 2017 skism (2) 2015, 2017 slushii (2) 2017, 2018 solardo (2) 2017, 2018 soothslayer (2) 2017, 2018 space jesus (2) 2017, 2018 technoboy (2) 2015, 2016 teebee (2) 2017, 2018 the prototypes (2) 2016, 2018 the upbeats (2) 2015, 2017 toneshifterz (2) 2017, 2018 trollphace (2) 2015, 2016 tuneboy (2) 2015, 2016 umek (2) 2015, 2016 valentino khan (2) 2016, 2017 vini vici (2) 2017, 2018 w&w (2) 2016, 2017 wilkinson (2) 2015, 2017 will clarke (2) 2017, 2018 wuki (2) 2015, 2016 w/ mc verse (1) 2016 219 boys (1) 2016 50 carrot (1) 2016 a-lusion (1) 2015 aaron jackson (1) 2015 aazar (1) 2017 adam beyer (1) 2016 adam beyer presents drumcode (1) 2017 adaro (1) 2016 adin (1) 2018 adriatique (1) 2018 afk (1) 2018 alex kidd (1) 2015 alpha 9 (1) 2018 amine edge (1) 2015 amtrac (1) 2016 andrew bayer (1) 2018 andrew luce (1) 2017 anevo (1) 2016 angelz (1) 2017 animato (1) 2018 anime (1) 2018 anna lunoe (1) 2016 arkham knights (1) 2018 armand van helden (1) 2016 armani reign (1) 2017 art department (1) 2015 arty (1) 2015 aryay (1) 2016 atica (1) 2017 audio (1) 2016 audiotistic stage (1) 2016 autograf (1) 2017 avalon (1) 2018 avicii (1) 2015 axwell ^ ingrosso (1) 2017 axwell Λ ingrosso (1) 2016 b2b soloman (1) 2016 bad boy bill (1) 2016 bad company uk (1) 2016 baggi begovic (1) 2015 barely alive (1) 2017 bart skils (1) 2016 basscon (1) 2016 bassline smith (1) 2018 bassnectar (1) 2015 bassrush experience (1) 2016 baumer (1) 2016 benny benassi (1) 2015 benny l (1) 2018 big wild (1) 2018 bingo players (1) 2015 bioweapon (1) 2016 bix king (1) 2017 bixel boys (1) 2015 blankface (1) 2018 blastoyz (1) 2018 blazer (1) 2017 bleep bloop (1) 2017 bloodthinnerz (1) 2018 bonnie (1) 2017 boogie t (1) 2018 boombox cartel (1) 2017 borgeous (1) 2018 bot (1) 2016 botnek (1) 2016 boys noize (1) 2018 brad moontribe (1) 2016 breach (1) 2015 break (1) 2018 breathe carolina (1) 2015 breeazy (1) 2017 brian seed (dj brian) (1) 2016 brookes brothers (1) 2016 brownies (1) 2017 bryan kearney (1) 2017 burn unit (1) 2015 calvin harris (1) 2015 camelphat (1) 2018 carl cox (1) 2015 carmada (1) 2018 catz ‘n dogz (1) 2015 chadwick (1) 2016 charlie (1) 2018 charlotte de witte (1) 2018 chase (1) 2017 cheat codes (1) 2018 chet porter (1) 2017 christofi (1) 2018 chuckie (1) 2015 cid (1) 2017 cirez d (1) 2018 claude vonstroke (1) 2018 claude vonstroke) (1) 2015 clyde (1) 2017 coffi (1) 2016 cold blue (1) 2018 collins (1) 2016 conrank (1) 2018 corporate slackers (1) 2017 coyote kisses (1) 2016 crankdat (1) 2018 crime family (1) 2018 cristoph (1) 2017 culture shock (1) 2016 cut snake (1) 2017 cyantific (1) 2016 dabin (1) 2018 dance (1) 2015 dannic (1) 2015 danny avila (1) 2015 dateless (1) 2018 dela moontribe (1) 2016 delta heavy (1) 2016 dem ham boyz (1) 2016 dena amy (1) 2017 dense (1) 2017 derrick may (1) 2016 desert hearts (1) 2017 detlef (1) 2018 devoted to god (1) 2017 dieselboy (1) 2015 dillon francis (1) 2017 dimension (1) 2016 dimitri from paris (1) 2015 dirt monkey (1) 2018 dirty audio (1) 2018 dirtyphonics (1) 2017 disclosure (1) 2015 dj anime (1) 2017 dj dan (1) 2016 dj ez (1) 2015 dj hype (1) 2018 dj jazzy jeff (1) 2015 dj khaled (1) 2017 dj mustard (1) 2018 dj stephanie (1) 2018 dj tennis (1) 2017 dj trance (1) 2016 doc martin (1) 2016 dom dolla (1) 2015 dr phunk (1) 2018 dr. rude (1) 2018 dreamstate presents (1) 2016 dresden (1) 2018 droeloe (1) 2018 drumsound (1) 2018 dubfire (1) 2015 dyro (1) 2015 dzeko (1) 2015 eats everything (1) 2015 edx (1) 2015 ekali (1) 2018 el dusty (1) 2016 elephante (1) 2018 enei (1) 2015 eprom (1) 2018 etnik (1) 2016 fatboy slim (1) 2015 ferry corsten presents gouryella (1) 2016 fester (1) 2016 filthy gorgeous (1) 2016 firebeatz vs dubvision (1) 2018 fisher (1) 2018 flume (1) 2015 foreign concept (1) 2015 frankee (1) 2016 frankie bones (1) 2016 fred v (1) 2017 friends (1) 2016 frontliner (1) 2017 futurebound (1) 2016 gabriel (1) 2018 gaia (1) 2016 ganesh (1) 2018 genix (1) 2018 gentlemen’s club (1) 2018 get real (green velvet (1) 2015 gg magree (1) 2018 ghastly (1) 2017 giraffage (1) 2016 go freek (1) 2016 gorgon city (1) 2018 grafix (1) 2017 graham funke (1) 2015 gramatik (1) 2017 grandtheft (1) 2015 gravedgr (1) 2018 green velvet (1) 2017 green velvet presents la la land (1) 2018 griffin stoller (1) 2018 griz (1) 2017 grum (1) 2018 gryffin (1) 2017 gryffin (1) 2018 gud vibrations (1) 2018 habu (1) 2016 hannah wants (1) 2016 happi (1) 2017 hazard (1) 2018 hazen (1) 2017 headhunterz (1) 2018 hekler (1) 2018 hermitude (1) 2016 honey soundsystem (1) 2018 hook n sling (1) 2015 infected mushroom (1) 2017 insideinfo (1) 2016 isaac (1) 2015 ivy lab (1) 2018 j.phlip (1) 2016 jace mek (1) 2018 jackal (1) 2015 jai wolf (1) 2018 jason ross (1) 2018 javi row (1) 2015 jay silva (1) 2017 jayceeoh (1) 2017 jessica audiffred (1) 2018 john 00 fleming (1) 2018 john kelley (1) 2016 jon rundell (1) 2015 jonas blue (1) 2017 jonas rathsman (1) 2016 jordan suckley (1) 2016 jordan suckley presents 3fect (1) 2018 joseph capriati (1) 2017 juan atkins (1) 2016 julia govor (1) 2016 julian jordan (1) 2016 justin martin (1) 2015 kastle (1) 2015 kdrew (1) 2016 keiji (1) 2018 kennedy jones (1) 2015 keys n krates (1) 2015 khalid (1) 2018 kicks n licks (1) 2015 kidnap kid (1) 2015 kiesza (1) 2015 kill the noise (1) 2018 kittens (1) 2018 knife party (1) 2016 kove (1) 2015 krewella (1) 2015 krne (1) 2016 kry wolf (1) 2015 kungs (1) 2017 kutski (1) 2016 landis lapace (1) 2016 lane 8 (1) 2016 latmun (1) 2018 lauren lane (1) 2018 laxx (1) 2015 lemonade (1) 2017 lenny dee (1) 2016 lione (1) 2016 liquid soul (1) 2017 liquid stranger (1) 2017 london on da track (1) 2018 londonbridge (1) 2016 los tíoz: noizekid (1) 2017 louis the child (1) 2017 lumberjvck (1) 2016 maceo plex (1) 2018 machete (1) 2016 madeon (1) 2017 major lazer (1) 2017 makj (1) 2016 mako (1) 2015 malaa [no redemption] (1) 2018 marco faraone (1) 2017 mariana bo (1) 2018 mark farina (1) 2016 mark knight (1) 2015 markus schulz presents dakota (1) 2017 marlo (1) 2017 master of the people (1) 2018 matrix (1) 2016 matt black (1) 2016 matt medved (1) 2018 max enforcer (1) 2016 maya jane coles (1) 2016 maze (1) 2018 mefjus (1) 2016 megalodon (1) 2017 melé (1) 2018 mercer (1) 2016 metro boomin (1) 2017 michael calfan (1) 2016 midnight tyrannosaurus (1) 2017 mike will made-it (1) 2018 mike williams (1) 2016 mind vortex (1) 2018 miss k8 (1) 2017 mister blaqk (1) 2018 mitis (1) 2015 mk (1) 2018 moby (1) 2015 moksi (1) 2018 monster cat (1) 2017 monxx (1) 2018 moon boots (1) 2017 morten (1) 2016 motez (1) 2015 moti (1) 2015 mr. carmack (1) 2017 must die! (1) 2016 my digital enemy (1) 2016 myon (1) 2015 nathan barato (1) 2017 nebbra (1) 2017 neelix (1) 2015 nicky romero (1) 2015 nicole moudaber (1) 2016 nicole moudaber presents moodzone (1) 2017 niko zografos (1) 2017 noa (1) 2017 noisecontrollers (1) 2017 noisia (1) 2015 notorius two (1) 2018 nuclyea (1) 2017 nvoy (1) 2017 oliver smith (1) 2018 omair (1) 2018 ookay (live) (1) 2018 orjan nilsen (1) 2015 p0gman (1) 2016 paper diamond (1) 2016 parker (1) 2018 paul ritch (live) (1) 2016 paz (1) 2017 pendulum (1) 2016 pendulum (1) 2018 petey clicks (1) 2015 phace (1) 2017 phiso (1) 2017 pierce fulton (1) 2016 pika (1) 2017 pilo (1) 2016 ponicz (1) 2017 popeska (1) 2015 porter robinson (1) 2017 posso (1) 2015 presents drumcode (1) 2016 pretty lights (1) 2015 prolix (1) 2017 psyko punkz (1) 2015 psytribe (1) 2017 purenrg (giuseppe ottaviani (1) 2017 purple haze (1) 2017 quix (1) 2017 r3hab (1) 2018 rawtek (1) 2018 reid speed (1) 2017 richie hawtin (1) 2016 rob gee (1) 2016 robotaki (1) 2018 rockwell (1) 2017 roger shah (live) (1) 2018 ron d core (1) 2016 royce (1) 2016 royl (1) 2015 ruben de ronde (1) 2017 rufus du sol (1) 2017 rusko (1) 2016 ruthless (1) 2017 ryan marciano (1) 2015 saeed younan (1) 2015 sam jones (1) 2018 sander van doorn (1) 2015 sasha (1) 2015 sean tyas (1) 2017 shane 54 (1) 2015 shimon (1) 2018 sigma (1) 2015 simon patterson (1) 2017 slatin (1) 2018 sleepy tom (1) 2016 sluggers (1) 2016 snavs (1) 2018 snbrn (1) 2016 solarstone) (1) 2017 sonny fodera (1) 2016 spaceprodigi (1) 2018 spag heddy (1) 2018 speaker of the house (1) 2015 spencer brown (1) 2018 squnto (1) 2018 state of mind (1) 2015 status (1) 2017 stephanie (1) 2016 steve angello (1) 2015 steve loria (1) 2016 strange club (1) 2018 stööki sound (1) 2016 suae (1) 2018 sub zero project (1) 2018 subset (1) 2018 sunnery james (1) 2015 sunny lax (1) 2018 suspect 44 (1) 2016 svdden death (1) 2018 sylence (1) 2016 taiki nulight (1) 2016 tantrum desire (1) 2018 tchami (1) 2018 technoboy ‘n’ tuneboy (1) 2018 teddy killerz (1) 2016 the binches (1) 2018 the chainsmokers (1) 2016 the magician (1) 2016 the pitcher (1) 2018 the prophet (1) 2017 thee-o (1) 2016 thomas gold (1) 2015 throttle (1) 2016 tjr (1) 2016 toadface (1) 2018 tokimonsta (1) 2015 tom (1) 2016 torres (1) 2015 totally enormous extinct dinosaurs (1) 2016 trampa (1) 2017 trap nation (1) 2017 treasure fingers (1) 2017 trent cantrelle (1) 2015 trippy turtle (1) 2017 troy kurtz (1) 2015 troyboi (1) 2016 two fresh (1) 2016 tycho dj set (1) 2016 vena cava (1) 2015 victor calderone (1) 2015 virtual riot (1) 2017 virtual self (1) 2018 volac (1) 2018 waio (1) 2017 walker (1) 2016 warface (1) 2018 what so not (1) 2016 whethan (1) 2018 wildstylez (1) 2017 will atkinson (1) 2017 will sparks (1) 2017 wongo (1) 2018 xie (1) 2018 yheti (1) 2018 yookie (1) 2018 yultron (1) 2018 yuuki yoshiyama (1) 2018 z-trip (1) 2015 zander (1) 2016 zatox (1) 2017 zeds dead (1) 2018 zeke beats (1) 2018 

/Hockey NHL Power Rankings Week Nov 26, 2018 - Dec 2, 2018

Thank You

Thank you to all of the volunteers doing the power rankings. Each ranker has their own system and have their own reasonings and analyis. It truly is a lot of work.

Rankers

Spoiler

Organizers

Spoiler

Visualization

The visualization contains historical data, so you can see how your team has done over time. Hopefully, we can run this for many years in hopes that we can see the rise and fall of teams by /hockey opinion.
It automatically updates so feel free to bookmark. You can find it here

Process

How does this work? Throughout the course of the week rankers are able to access an app that will allow them to rank teams. At the end of the period we calculate the average ranking for every team and collate all of the analysis provided by rankers.
The app then generates a post that is first proofread and then posted to /hockey!

Rankings (28/31 Rankers Reporting)

Ranking (avg)	Team	Delta	Overall Record	Record This Week	Comments
1 (1.97)	Tampa Bay Lightning	-	19-7-1	2-1-0	A lot of fans have been saying Brayden Point is the best player on the Lightning roster but I am all about the Kuch. When Kucherov is on there is hardly a better player in the league and he has been on an absolute tear since the beginning of November with 26 points in 16 games. His hockey IQ was well on display in the comeback win against the Panthers. Kuch does so many amazing things that holding onto the puck, waiting for Ekblad to spread his legs open enough so he can slide the puck through to Point to score the winning goal. Those type of plays have just become all too normal to watch from Kuch. One final note: For the love of all that is holy please give Dominque a freaking day off Cooper.
2 (2.33)	Toronto Maple Leafs	2	19-8-0	3-0-0	A legitimately crazy week that saw us get Matthews back (who went off to the tune of 3 g + 1 a in 2 gp) and re-sign Willy longterm. The Nylander saga went down to the last minute almost literally (extension was filed 5 mins prior to the deadline) but ended in a win-win for both sides. I think Leafs Nation is grateful it's over but definitely doesn't want to see anything like that again. Thankfully given Dubas' comments after this crazy affair, it seems unlikely Matthews & Marner will go through the same thing (plus they're much bigger risks of offer sheets so I doubt they make it to 7/1 unsigned). With all of the contract drama officially sidelined for now, we'll finally be able to see the Leafs' Megazord actually assemble. We've been dying to see this since July 1st so please excuse us while we enjoy the fuck out of some of the most exciting hockey around :)
3 (3.8)	Nashville Predators	-	18-8-1	1-2-0	What is this 'IR' position that has suddenly popped up? While I'm still not entirely sure what function the position is supposed to fill on the ice, the Preds' front office has definitely prioritised it recently. With the additions made this week in Forsberg and Turris, one could make the argument that this team has the most stacked IR corps in the league. In all seriousness, the Preds injury woes have given us our first taste of Tolvanen this season, who notched both his first NHL goal and assist! Kevin Fiala also showed up aginst the Hawks with 1 G / 1 A, hopefully a sign that he is pulling out of his funk. The Preds need to continue getting consistent help from their depth to avoid limping towards 2019. Please send Motrin and Band-Aids
4 (4.2)	Buffalo Sabres	-2	17-7-3	1-1-1	That game in Tampa obviously took a lot out of us. The extra effort just wasn't really there in Florida, so we lost. It now also looks like the injury bug is starting to bite, so we may get some revenge for our ten game win streak. The only game I care about this week is on tuesday (not that I'm not going to tune in), but the rest can be a wash as long as we knock down those leafs. Obviously not ideal that they just signed Nylander, and less ideal that it's the second night of a back to back where the first team is Nashville. This could get ugly, especially if Risto is out.
5 (6.67)	Washington Capitals	4	15-8-3	2-1-0	The Caps just got zaboomafood by the Ducks so I'm in a state, but I'll try to be level-headed. We have, after all, won 7 of our last 8 and pulled ourselves out of the Metro doldrums - just one winning streak ago we were a bubble team. Now we're first in our division, though time will tell which extreme is closer to our True Skill TM level. I apparently feel differently than most caps fans so I'll keep this brief - Tom needs to walk a squeaky clean path. I'm talking Lady Byng shit for the rest of the year. There is absolutely no margin of error. Coming up this week we got Vegas, Arizona, and Columbus, all of whom are surging. Another winning streak would feel real good lemme tell ya.
6 (6.8)	Colorado Avalanche	2	16-6-5	3-0-1	The top line is clearly the best in hockey. They get it done every night, and continued that into Detroit on Sunday night that needed a power play for only ten seconds before converting a well run power play.
7 (6.83)	Winnipeg Jets	-1	16-8-2	3-1-0	Are the Winnipeg Jets actually contenders this year? Everybody's asking, so is it true? Well, two things matter most: (a) the Winnipeg Jets are going to make the playoffs, and (b) Winnipeg has an NHL team. We were quickly spoiled by our breakthrough last year, but we don't need to sound an alarm yet. Byfuglien's injury hurts our middling D-core, and there are four Moose players in our line-up right now. Hellebuyck is a troubled fellow these days and he's a fan favourite for throwing under the bus. My take? Let's talk in April. Best performance this week? Mark Scheifele has poise and control for days, easily a top 30 centre in the league. Honourable mention: 4th line Jack Roslovic, Mason Appleton, and Mathieu Perreault. Worst performance? Hellabuyck has started to necrotize, and the aroma has become distracting.
8 (7.87)	Calgary Flames	2	16-9-2	2-0-1
9 (8.9)	Boston Bruins	-2	14-8-4	1-2-0	Not much to write home here. I just want to say that it is a crime against Hockey for the refs to impede two goalies that willingly want to fight each other.
10 (10.03)	Columbus Blue Jackets	1	15-9-2	2-1-0	The Jackets finished out November 9-3-2, good for 4th best record in the league in the month. PP got better, at 21.1%, and the PK was the 4th best in the league at 85.0%. Cam and Dubois continue to rack up the points. Panarin's goal drought is over. The Jackets are looking good headed into December. If we can gain some ground on the rest of the division in the next few weeks, that'd be great.
11 (12.03)	Minnesota Wild	-7	14-10-2	0-3-0	= Since getting bowled over by a Tom Wilson rush to the net (which resulted in a minor penalty but a good goal, NHL refs spinning the wheel once again) Devan Dubnyk has been incredibly mortal with a GAA over 4.00 and an abysmal SV% of .856 to boot. To be fair, the Wild had a good opportunity to win against Toronto on Saturday so it's not like they're playing bad hockey - but since said collision, the Wild are 3-6-0 and all of a sudden toiling in the middle of the Central once again. The bigger problem may be the fact that a different wheel has fallen off each night - the offense falling asleep with a multiple goal lead, subpar goaltending, defensive turnovers, etc. so it's not like one patch is going to stop the leaks. Up next is the dreaded 3,800-mile road trip through Canada (VAN/CGY/EDM) where anything can happen.
12 (14.63)	Carolina Hurricanes	2	12-10-4	1-1-1	Goaltending is like a ghost in Raleigh, you believe in it but it's never there. And much like that Ghost, Scott Darling has vanished from Raleigh. After another start to an abysmal season, Darling has finally been waived. There was very little doubt he would have been claimed with the size of his contract, so he immediately went to Charlotte upon the news breaking. However, there is hope in Curtis McElhinney, the career backup has dazzled in his last five games going 4-0-1 with a save percentage over .938 in all five games. The lone loss coming against the Ducks where the offense struggled to get anything going after the Svechnikov goal in the first. A side note of that game, Sebastian Aho has returned to the wing with the addition of Victor Rask. This could prove to be a great addition for the Canes with Rask getting his first goal of the season in Montreal as well as taking away some of the defensive responsibility from Aho.
13 (14.8)	New York Islanders	-	13-9-3	1-1-1	Islanders had a better week than their record indicated. Their fourth line is finally healthy and they are doing their job better than could be asked for. The first game back in Nassau was one of the greatest games in recent memory, but Islanders will need to keep that energy and effort wherever they play if they want to make the playoffs. Barzal has been quiet lately but he will bounce back. Trotz is proving that he is worth every penny the Islanders paid him.
14 (14.83)	Dallas Stars	1	14-10-3	2-0-1	Bishop is back. We're getting healthy now, and playing easier teams. That combines for 5/6 points this week. Another easy week coming up. EDM and SJS at home, then VGK on the road.
15 (15.07)	San Jose Sharks	-3	13-10-5	1-2-1	Awful week for the Sharks. This week saw big losses to the Leafs, Sabres, and Senators. The Sharks are looking like an AHL team right now, and if something doesn't change we're gonna miss the playoffs. This roster is too talented not to succeed, something's gotta give and inspire change. I don't care if it comes from a change in our system, coaching, or elsewhere as long as something happens to make the Sharks start playing up to their potential.
16 (16.53)	Anaheim Ducks	5	14-10-5	4-0-0	Guess whose back!? Get in, were going to the playoffs... https://i.imgur.com/SNHUt0a.gifv
17 (17.53)	Montreal Canadiens	-1	12-10-5	1-2-0	With only one win in the last 7 games, playoff aspirations are quickly fading.
18 (18.1)	Edmonton Oilers	2	13-11-2	3-0-0	The Oilers finish another terrible.... wait a second. This isn't in the /hockey script. The Oilers managed a perfect week. And their only regulation loss in the past 2 weeks is against LA. At least, they got vengeance against LA later in the week. Add in wins against Dallas and Vegas, and the Oilers are on a roll, especially with many wins coming against divisional opponents. Now the question remains: can this Cock safely remain erect for another week? Psst. If Klefbom is available in fantasy league, pick him up. Talk about a fucking breakout after a lot of bad luck.
19 (18.23)	Vegas Golden Knights	-	14-13-1	2-1-0	Another great week for the Golden Knights, winning 2 out of 3 matches this week. The second line is on fire as they seem to be the backbone of this team... we will look scary when Stastny and Haula come back (I keep forgetting that they are not here... but every time I remember boy do I get excited). Lastly, Fleury has been playing amazing hockey; having him be a member of our team is a privilege we should appreciate.
20 (19.57)	Arizona Coyotes	6	12-11-2	3-0-0	A massive 3-0 week in which Adin Hill stole the show, Nick Schmaltz is added at the expense of two first round picks that haven't panned out and now the Yotes are streaking. The line of Schmaltz-Galchenyuk-Keller appears to be among the trend in the NHL of youth and speed in full attack mode. Great move by John Chayka.
21 (20.13)	New York Rangers	-4	13-12-3	1-2-1	Not the greatest of weeks. This one started off with a solid win against the Sens. Goals from Staal (!), Andersson, Kreider, and Zibanejad helped get the W. Then Thursday things got ugly. A 0-3 loss to the same team did not go as planned, even though we looked solid just a few days before. Two goals against in the first by Weber, followed by two goals by Lehkonen in the second put MTL up 4-0. Vesey and Strome each scored, but it was not enough to bring it back. Tatar scored to put the nail in the coffin. While not technically included for this week, our game against the Jets started solid, but turned sour fast late in the game. With a 3-0 lead heading into the third, the boys were feeling good. And then we went full Rangers, giving up three unanswered goals. We somehow survived OT, but ultimately lost in the SO. Please, let this week be better.
22 (21.03)	Detroit Red Wings	1	12-12-3	2-2-0	These young Wings continue to surprise. Some wild games like a loss to CBJ or a strong showing against BOS make it impossible to guess how good or bad this team actually is. The season hasn’t quite been the slide to the lottery we expected, but playoffs still seem like an unlikely prospect.
23 (22.67)	Pittsburgh Penguins	-5	10-10-5	1-2-0	I don't really know what to say. I'm pretty sure we haven't lost a game where Crosby scored a hat trick since 2009. There's just no secondary scoring at all, and the one time there was this week, what do you know, we won. Our third line hasn't scored an even-strength goal in 17 games. That's inexcusable. We have two wins against division opponents so far this season. You simply don't make the playoffs that way.
24 (23.1)	Philadelphia Flyers	-2	11-12-2	1-1-0	The flyers probably went through the biggest change in the NHL this week, most notably with the firing of GM Ron Hextall. I wont comment my personal position on it, but he was an excellent drafter, and left the team better than where he found it. However, to Holmgren and the executives, it wasnt enough, so he was fired. While we search for a GM, the boys continue to play, most notably without the assistant coach, who was also fired with Hexy. The boys lost their game against Ottawa, even though they played pretty alright for the first two periods. Then came the game against the pens, and it was a good one. The fight between simmonds and oleksiak(sp?) was a pretty good tilt, despite the disadvantage to simmonds. that sparked us, and we tied after an early goal from Crosby. Pens went up again, we tied it again, and then the third period was an average performance from the flyers, but a piss poor performance from the pens helped seal the deal for a flyers victory.
25 (24.5)	Vancouver Canucks	-1	11-15-3	0-2-1	The Canucks were winless this week. “The one goal losses are like one goal wins,” said someone of the Canucks, who have some great young talent but clearly need a couple more key pieces before they are competitive again. That’s all good and well – fans have suffered through 3 years in the basement and came into the season ready to watch another – but it’s likely wearing on the players who actually have to do it. Horvat continues to cement himself as the heart/soul/head of the team, sitting second among NHL forwards in ATOI, playing an average of 23:50 this week. Pettersson won the team hardest shot competition this weekend with a 159 km/h slapshot – almost 1 km/h per pound of body weight.
26 (24.6)	Ottawa Senators	3	12-12-3	3-1-0	The boys got it together this week with 3 really solid wins: A 3-1 comeback against Philly on the road with Duchene scoring the goal of the year , a clean win over the Rangers with Andy's first shutout, and a blowout victory against the Sharks with Mikkel Boedker having a 4 pt revenge game. Hopefully they can keep this going.
27 (25.43)	Florida Panthers	1	10-10-5	2-1-1	A couple of good wins, the first against New Jersey in a game I really thought we would choke away, but apparently this team only likes scoring when they're down early? Then beating arguably the hottest team in hockey in the Sabres was huge. If this team can maintain their games played advantage and keep scoring on the power play (1 PP goal in 14 of last 15 games) then good things could be taking place in ye old Atlantic division
28 (25.8)	New Jersey Devils	-3	9-11-5	0-1-2	If you're seeing this, it means we've lost all 3 this week and i've accordingly drunken myself into a stupor. Friday: I don't want to live anymore.
29 (28.43)	Chicago Blackhawks	-2	9-14-5	0-4-0	In their previous seven games, the Blackhawks have given up the first goal at 0:54, 0:29, 5:48, 2:10, 1:43, 2:11, and 10:07 into the first period. They've given up four or more goals in six of those games, and also lost six of them. The Blackhawks have four game-misconducts this season. They had four over the previous six seasons combined. Will Kunitz suffer supplemental discipline? Will Murphy return this week? Strome has 2G, 1A in his first 4 games with the Hawks; Perlini has 0 points.
30 (29)	St. Louis Blues	-	9-13-3	1-2-0	Tarasenko finally starting to come around, still no help from goaltending and defense other than Parayko and Pietro.
31 (30.57)	Los Angeles Kings	-	10-16-1	2-2-0	At least Quick has been activated off the IR. Who knew it would be possible to play even more boring than Sutter's Kings hockey? WILLIE DESJARDINS!

American at Cross-Roads in the Philippines -- a little too long to fit here, so the middle part is in the Comments, marked "American at Cross-Roads in the Philippines, Part 2 of 3, continued from main post text."
Also posted on Advice, Philippines, and WorldPolitics -- https://www.reddit.com/Advice/comments/59nnnh/american_at_crossroads_in_the_philippines_how_can/ https://www.reddit.com/Philippines/comments/59na7p/american_at_crossroads_in_the_philippines_i_also/ https://www.reddit.com/worldpolitics/comments/59nf4n/american_at_crossroads_in_the_philippines/
I've been following and enjoying much of Reddit for two years, but this is my first post. I never imagined that my first post would be made out of desperation and hope for saving ideas and advice from fellow redditors, but that's why I'm writing this now --
I am on the brink of success or losing all I've had or aspired to for the past 5 years. My long-term fate may be decided in the next few days -- long-term success, meaningful work and happiness on the one side, or total loss of virtually everything on the other. What happens in the next few days may seal my future life for good or bad. Background -- short (somewhat) version: I moved from Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. to the Philippines 4 years ago, in August 2012. My purpose, in shorthand, was to try to develop ways to continue the work of Ramon Magsaysay, Philippines president in the 1950s. The idea was to do things to help the Philippines reach more of its economic, social, and spiritual potential.
Magsaysay is a former president of the Philippines from the 1950s, after the U.S.A. returned Philippines’ independence after King Philip of Spain -- and mainly the Catholic Church via the corrupt and exploitative friars they sent [written about with great ironic humor and eloquence by Jose Rizal] -- exploited and undermined, and ultimately weakened and corrupted, the lumad culture (analogous to the native-American culture in the U.S.A.), followed by multi-century exploitation by "mestizo," (Phil's name for Spanish-Filipino, Chinese-Filipino, Japanese-Filipino, and other mixed-nationality residents and citizens, whose families have mainly controlled and exploited the Phils since the Spanish invasion 1500 years ago) overlords.
"Mestizo" is ostensibly a racist term in some ways, often equated here with "mixed-race." But it is not really genetics; the corruption and exploitation common among the mestizo is a cultural phenomenon at root. Multiculturalism is good in the sense of understanding other cultures, finding synergies between cultures, learning and enjoying varieties and novel things, and learning from the best in other cultures that may apply to one's own life or that a nation may beneficially adopt into their own culture. But I don't agree with the idea of "respecting all cultures." Some aspects of some cultures are not only unworthy of respect, but are in fact just plain wrong and harmful -- some virtually entire cultures are bad and deserve opposition and change, not respect.
It's not just citizen or resident mestizo, but also outsiders, including multi-national corporations, that exploit the natural resources and industries of the Philippines, often appropriating resources from ordinary Filipinos, in concert with corrupt government officials who are in it for the bribes, and the NPA (New People's Army, a paramilitary group) who they pay, with corrupt government officials’ blessings, to terrorize and steal from and even murder anybody who stands in the way of their exploitation. Mining operations are a prime example of this kind of goings-on.
Nor should an individual be judged by the culture they live in or come from, but rather by what aspects of that culture they exemplify. There are certainly many individual mestizo who are exemplary in good ways -- Don Ildefonso Tan Bunting, the son of a Chinese immigrant from Fujian, China, from about 100 years ago, was one of the first I learned about in many interesting ways. He was mestizo, but besides being an honest hard-worker in early life and an honest businessman later, he went out of his way, selling much of his property and nearly going into bankruptcy, so that he could continue to pay his employees, during the Japanese occupation in the 1940s -- he did everything he could to continue to pay them even during times when they couldn’t work and his enterprises had no income because of the Japanese invaders’ interference. The Tambunting pawnshops are also some of the fairest such in the country. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tambunting_Pawnshop So, in short, “mestizo” is just a common attribute among the exploitative class in the Philippines, not a determinative of character.
Getting back to my original purpose here (and continued aspiration), it's mainly, like Magsaysay and written about eloquently by Rizal, to develop opportunities here in the Phils for ordinary and exceptional people to have a good life and future here in the country, and contribute to the further development of the country -- vs. the current government (or "occupying government") policies before Magsaysay, and since Marcos following Magsaysay of exporting whole PEOPLE instead of products or services or talents or arts and crafts, or native resources. During Magsaysay's tenure, the Philippines was #1 in all of southeast Asia in overall economy, income per capita, GNP per land-area, quality of living, farmers' and other workers' rights, justice for the indigenous lumad, including lumad ancestral land-claims, AND overall exports, including textiles, tires, electrical equipment, minerals, rice, and much more!
Much better quality of life and opportunity, respect for lumad culture, and for overall justice than even South Korea.
Now even Thailand and Indonesia, among others, best the Philippines by far -- and South Korea dwarfs the Philippines by all the measures that Magsaysay had begun to build up. Many people in the U.S. are familiar with popular South Korean exports such as Samsung, LG, Daewoo, Kia, Hyundai, Korea Express, etc. Many people don't realize that many pricey beauty products, such as Polatam Water Gel Extra Force Brightening Mask, Blithe Green Tea Splash Mask ($45 for a small bottle!), Kicho Ultra Moisturizing Sun Cream ($36!), Aruel Wheat and Celery Juice Cleanse Mask, Aromatica Natural Coconut Cleansing Oil ($45), Herbolle Rosemary Cream Body Wash ($32), Shangpree Gold Back Pearl Hydrogel Eye Mask ($60), Caolion Pore Cleansing Blackhead O2 Bubble Pack ($26), Neogen Bio Peel Gauze Peeling Wine ($27), Cosrx Acne Pimple Master Patch (5), also come from Korea. -- http://fashionista.com/2016/08/most-popular-korean-beauty-products#&gid=ci01f3b9362000272b&pid=blithe-tundrajpg
Not to mention K-pop, Hello-Kitty, even K-dramas (soap-opera type shows) etc. "Barack Obama cited "Gangnam Style" as an example of how people around the world are being "swept up by Korean culture – the Korean Wave."[119] In August 2013, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry also affirmed that the Korean Wave "spreads Korean culture to countries near and far." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_Wave#United_States
In fact, "in 2014 South Korea exported $583B, making it the 5th largest exporter in the world. During the last five years the exports of South Korea have increased at an annualized rate of 9.5%, from $370B in 2009 to $583B in 2014. The most recent exports are led by Integrated Circuits which represent 10.2% of the total exports of South Korea, followed by Refined Petroleum, which account for 8.04%." http://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/profile/country/ko
Were it not for the cultural tragedies wrought by the friars and others since the Spanish invasion, this could have been the Philippines we're talking about. (There isn't even any general awareness of Philippines cuisine in the western work, much less industrial or other potentials.)
Here’s a typical example of how things have worked here under the -- mostly -- mestizo overlords: The Philippines was the top exporter of clothing and other textiles after Magsaysay’s presidency, which ended with his death in a plane crash in 1957. When Marcos became president eight years later, in 1965, he gave the textile industries, like many others, to his friends and cronies, who didn’t care about running a business, just about embezzling the money. They ran the textile industry into the ground -- poor quality product at high prices, exports plummeted to zero, and Filipinos couldn’t afford, and didn’t want, the crappy clothes and fabrics being offered.
So ordinary Filipinos began buying imports. Marcos solution? Did he tell his friends and cronies to start doing their job, improve quality, get with the times, reduce waste and embezzlement, etc? No, he made it illegal to buy imported textiles, forcing ordinary Filipinos to waste their little money on the over-priced junk his friends and cronies were making.
This is typical of the political and business leadership in the Philippines for a long time -- instead of developing the Philippines as a good country for its citizens, they just USE the Philippines to line their own pockets, even extracting the most they can from the already impoverished citizens.
The government has invested somewhat, in limited ways, in keeping people alive and getting them educated, and the motives have been mixed among some better and worse government officials, but it’s largely not an exception -- a big part of the reason is to keep up the supply of marketable people to export to go work for other countries, so the government can get their taxes on the remittances, and so the exported people will send money home to their families so the government has more money to extract from them.
And the remittances sent home from exporting people to help build other countries relieves the Philippines government of the pressure to build their own country.
Right here in Kauswagan, there are many woods and wood-products highly desirable in the U.S. and other western countries. Even mahogany, common in U.S. -- Phil's mahogany is different and interesting, but there are also many exotic woods that Americans and other westerners have never seen before, including MANY hard-woods. Also textiles, cacao, indigenous seafoods, complete culinary preparations, even pre-packaged Chicharron Mang-Juan, an unusually delicious, cheap and healthy snack chip made mainly of green peas; and I've found there are a lot of skilled machinists and fabricators here and in Cagayan de Oro.
My plan to get started when I moved here four years ago in August 2012, was to start with some textile handicrafts that aren't available in the U.S., but market-tested very well in Chicago, and at the prices people would be happy to pay, there is plenty of margin to pay for shipping and tarrifs and for all to make a good living and profit -- the workers in the Philippines, me and the other managers, the wholesalers and retailers in the U.S., etc. And I found several good sources that would be happy to work with us, in Paranaque, Quezon, Bicol, and Bukidnon, among other places. Unfortunately, the legacy of the friars 400 years ago and others since doomed that plan when it turned out my Filipino business partner was never sincere about doing anything constructive in the Philippines, and regarded his fellow Filipinos as people to use and exploit, and diverted the resources into gambling and kicked me out when I didn't agree to invest in that. (Similar happened when I moved to Butuan to work for the Kultural Revival Network (KR)to develop my goals in another way, by establishing programs to train people in international entrepreneurial skills so they could stay with their communities and families and market their products and talents to the world, instead of thinking their only future was to work abroad. After I got support from Congressman Jose “Joboy” S. Aquino II, ABS-CBN television network and San Miguel Corporation, and worked out cooperative arrangements with the cities of Butuan and Tagum, and even wrote a winning script that qualified us to compete in a prestigious cultural festival in Singapore, the leader of KR disappeared with all the money, and nothing ever got done, and of course I never got paid for my work.)
It was after this that I learned how to support myself by working remotely for companies in the U.S. and Argentina and elsewhere. The pay tends to be very low -- sometimes about 20-cents per hour -- and it’s a difficult way to make a living, but if you do good work and learn new sets of skills, your reputation grows and you can command higher pay.
Within a few months after I started that remote work, I was earning enough to support myself and my ex-fiance Neil very well, and we had everything we needed in our home in Toril, Davao, where we moved together, plus enough for extras like recreational outings, and to start building savings.
But in general, my own story so far in the past 4 years has been dominated by disappointments like those mentioned in the prior paragraphs -- in addition to the above disasters with the planned export business and KR, I was scammed by a few ostensible potential romantic partners, robbed of everything I had for food and medicine when I left a visitor, who ostensibly came to help me deal with a corrupt landlady problem, alone in my room while I went to the bathroom, had my professional dress clothes stolen (and sold to a second-hand store) by someone who offered to do my laundry for a reasonable fee, etc. My cell-phone disappeared in similar way. The Kauswagan area (20 kilometers west of Iligan City, in Lanao del Norte province, Mindanao), however, is one of the best places I ever lived in the Philippines, especially Purok 1 of barangay Kawit Oriental. As irony and fortuitous outcome would have it, however, the way I ended up here was another trick propagated by an uncle-nephew team. I talked to the uncle, a local school principal, on the phone before moving, and thought we understood each other and that he was not only trustworthy but indeed a rather intelligent, good man. But in the end, I lost a lot and was the victim of violence and serious injuries, one of only two times in my 4+ years in the Philippines.
But that was the last time I made that kind of mistake. I’ve started to understand the society and different cultural branches better, and to be smarter about steering clear of and protecting myself from those things I don’t understand yet. And there are at least a half-dozen people in the neighborhood where I live now, since 10 weeks ago, that I trust 100%, and who look after my well-being and safety very well.
My main challenges in the past 3 years, however, have been related to my very slow and difficult recovery from brain and spinal injuries sustained when a speeding drunk driver ran a red light while I was crossing the street. That is also the main reason why my ex-fiancé left me a few months after that (our relationship is definitely permanently in history, though I no longer hold it against him that he left me during those times, because it was almost too much for me, 50 years old at the time, to deal with, much less for a 26 year-old who was already trying to adjust to so many other things about growing up; and in any case, I had no choice, but he did, and he took it). My physical and mental and psychological recovery was harrowing in itself, but I also had to sell everything, including my piano and appliances and everything else, to pay medical bills and eat, because I lost a lot of clients while I was unconscious in the hospital, and re-building my client base was painfully slow because of my brain injuries and relentless pain.
However, I am much better now, pretty much fully recovered, and more -- in many ways better than even before the accident. And my income is also finally starting to recover, though the challenges of getting a chance to cement the opportunity for a better life is what this post is mostly about.
What’s been turned upside-down and backwards here isn’t just about exports or workers’ rights -- it also extends to domestic industries. For example, there’s a dairy conundrum and a cacao/tableya conundrum -- Philippines mainly imports both, despite an abundance of cows and some of the best cacao in the world.
Instead of even having domestic industries in those areas, Filipinos send their money to Nestle and others at prices higher even than things cost in the U.S. For example one gallon of so-called “fresh milk” (it’s not, it’s reconstituted milk powder, with vegetable oil and other junk added to stretch it out) from Nestle costs about $8 here, whereas by the logic of labor and land costs the Phils should be able to produce a gallon of milk for LESS than in the U.S., not 4-times as much. I will have to write about all this later, but there is a whole lot more to it. $405.30 would be ideal, because that's enough for all expenses for a whole month and would give lots of extra margin for the unforeseen, and if not too much unforeseen, I could buy another piece of foam to sleep on (I had to sell the one I recently bought for less than 1/2 what I paid, so I could repay one of the sari-sari stores for food) -- and it's enough to cover everything including paying my food debts, and cover my working expenses, and enough to eat and work for a full 30 days -- that's plenty of time to recoupt even if I lose all clients and have to start all over from zero.
However, if enough help (money for computer and internet access) comes within the next 2 days, I am pretty confident that $165 will be enough, because if I can meet my next deadline and keep going to meet the next two also, I am sure enough that that is all the chance I need. I am sure enough that I have given my word of honor and sincere commitment to those who don't believe in my potential here (or in the potential of the Philippines), that if I get that much to work with in timely fashion, I have to prove that I can succeed definitively with that -- or I promise to give up most of what I have aspired to for the past 5 years, and turn my focus to returning to the United States of America.
If I don't succeed with that amount of help and that chance, I will appeal to the embassy -- my understanding is that they will sometimes pay the airfare and any past-due visa/immigration fees so that a U.S. citizen can return to the U.S. My understanding is that you have to sign a promissory note acknowledging your responsibility to repay the government, but that the state department is very accommodating in the respect that they will give you time to get re-established and develop an income in the U.S. before you have to begin to repay. If that doesn't work, maybe my older brother, my only immediate family who talks to me at all since I moved to the Philippines, would help me return to the U.S. -- right now, that is all he said he is willing to help with; he will not help with anything that involves staying in the Philippines.
I am copy-pasting below the letter I sent to about a dozen friends, former class-mates, former work-mates, and relatives. So far, no luck, not even a reply saying sorry can’t help.
SO I AM APPEALING TO MY FELLOW REDDITORS FOR ADVICE ON A WORKABLE WAY TO MAKE IT THROUGH THIS CROSS-ROADS. I AM SO CLOSE TO TOTAL RECOVERY AND LASTING SUCCESS AND SECURITY, AND THE CHANCE TO BUILD TOWARDS MORE MEANINGFUL WORK AND PROGRESS WITH MY ORIGINAL ASPIRATIONS -- $165 close if it comes within the next day or two, but the amount needed goes up with each delay, because of ongoing expenses just to survive, and a potential chain-reaction of losses if I can’t get back to work full-time every day very soon. (The “timing is a bitch” aspect of my situation is explained in itemized detail in the letter I copy-paste below.)
Here is the letter I sent to friends and family, so far without any luck:
“Hi K____ -- I admit this message and the attachment is an appeal for more help, because I'm on the brink of the greatest chance for success and stable self-sufficiency -- and also the brink of losing everything. But I know my recovery since my brain injuries and other things has been a long, long process, and I understand if people don't believe anything they can do will really help -- and I'm past-due on my part.
And you've helped generously already, which is part of why finally after 3 long years I'm finally seeing the light of day.
So, in any case, take the attached also as an update and conversation-opener.
I send as Word-doc attachment because it's too long for a FB message [Word-doc text copy-pasted below for this Reddit post].
K, please help me if you can; I am on the brink of success or total loss. All of the $50 my cousin E_ sent went to paying back my local debts for food, and my past-due debt to the net-shop for computer and internet use. Maintaining trust and goodwill in the community is the first basic to try to maintain for my well-being and future prospects.
I haven't been able to work or go online except for 20 to 60 minutes each day, depending on how many pesos Darwin an afford to lend me. I continue to be so scared of losing everything. BUT I HAVE KEPT IN TOUCH WITH MY CLIENTS, AND IF I START WORKING FULL-TIME TODAY OR TOMORROW, IT'S POSSIBLE TO SAVE EVERYTHING AND CONTINUE UNINTERRUPTED ON A PATH TO FINANCIAL SELF-SUPPORT.
I JUST GOT AN EXTENSION FROM THE CLIENT FOR WHOM I WAS PREVIOUSLY FACING A SUNDAY OCTOBER 16 DEADLINE, NOW PAST. I HAVE AN EXTENSION UNTIL FRIDAY 9:30PM MY TIME TO FINISH THE NEXT PHASE, FOR WHICH AN IMMEDIATE PAYMENT WILL BE PROCESSED UPON COMPLETION. Unfortunately, the client is not willing to give an advance, or even a partial payment for work completed, until reassured I have working conditions to continue reliably without further interruptions and delays.
I absolutely HAVE to get to work finishing that job, and another with a deadline in two days, Thursday. And tend some things with my other clients, or all is lost. I’m really close to total self-sufficiency -- and even a pretty GOOD income is realistic within months, with enough to start savings . . . but I’m facing losing it all.
$125 that I appealed for last week, was enough last Wednesday to go ahead full-time without further losses, and give a safety-margin for the unforeseen. I could have paid my debts in the community, done my work, had a safe margin for any unforeseen payment delays or work-order changes, and stayed on track non-stop after that. But as I said, the $50 E_____ sent me, that I only learned about two days later when Darwin lent me some pesos for computeinternet use at the net-shop -- was only enough to cover most of my debts to Amor for the Sawer store food credits, plus my net-shop debts and two other food-store debts, who helped me with 300-pesos (about $7)-limited credit after Amor cut off my Sawer-store credit when it reached 2000 pesos (about $50 -- note that all dollar-conversions I mention account for bank profit on the exchange rate and Paypal and Xoom international transfer fees, which makes the effective exchange rate about 40 pesos to the dollar instead of the nominal 47) after the previous week.
Actually, Amor agreed to let me make partial payment, and leave some still owing, so I could pay the net-shop in full and hopefully re-establish credit there, but so far no luck.
So I still need the other $75 to make it work once and for all, plus $64 for at least 7 additional days now (unless you can send enough right away for me to start working full-time first thing tomorrow morning , in which case only 6 additional days of delay cost) beyond what I had hoped when I wrote you, of just spending (or rather, borrowing) for survival without being able to work by Wednesday your time-zone to make all work and avoid timing delay disasters and significant consequent additional delays and possible loss of everything; after Saturday, I'm likely to lose more income, or at least have it delayed, and as I've tried to explain a few times, timing is a bitch until I have a safety net, which can lead to a chain-reaction of disabling losses.)
Please consider this one more time, K_____. Besides the $75 I was short from my original needs to secure everything, the extra 7 days wasted mere survival days cost or put me in debt an additional $63.87 (7 days x about $8-9.50 per day, minus the one day I didn't eat, plus my electric fill came due -- it also includes all other utilities and everything else that continues whether I'm able to work and earn or not). I promise that if you and/anyone else comes through in time for it to work without more wasted costs or lost jobs, this will be the last time. I give you my word that I will give up and go back to U.S. if I don’t pull it together and keep it together this time.
$138.87 is enough to be sure it will work, with some margin for the unforeseen (such as any delays due to work-order changes, illness, etc.). [Please also see note below about possible increase to $166.37 to allow resumption of vitamins and supplements to help with the one health issue of concern right now -- it's the paragraph that begins "K_____, if you'd like to help me resume those supplements right away . . . " ]
The main reason I am so far behind schedule are those that I told you about in detail before, but part of it is my fault, too, like buying that piece of foam to sleep on last week before I was 100% sure of the funds coming in from a client. And looking back I think I spent too much time socializing with my new friends and neighbours. I work most of most days, but perhaps if I worked a few more hours some days, I could have completed EARLY the job with deadline this Sunday, and been paid already, and not be in this fix.
It was bad luck that my laptop failed again, too, which happened just a couple weeks ago. But I found a very good solution to that via Rio and Banet Adiner, who are really good people, and let me connect all 4 of my hard-drives to the computer in their net-shop, and allow me to install all the software I need, etc. No other net-shop will allow any of that. But they cut off my credit 10 days ago (all paid back now from the $50 you sent) with no more internet or computer until I can give a definite repayment date.
I have one job that is mostly complete and will pay on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday if I meet the final benchmarks -- this was originally written several days ago, but I couldn't borrow enough to finish writing and send it to you then, and it's too late for this now -- HOWEVER, as I explained above, I have since got an extension and IT'S STILL POSSIBLE TO SAVE EVERYTHING; I have several other ongoing jobs with expedited payments for one coming in the following Saturday, another delayed-type payment (one week refund period agreed between us if they approve all of the work and set aside payment in Escrow through Upwork; payment is currently scheduled next week, but if my client or their client evaluate later or realize need for additions or revisions, or don't get the expected results or progress towards results for their projects or businesses, etc. -- but I will lose those clients too, in addition to all I lost in recent 2 weeks due to timing, which is a bitch when broke for too long -- if I don't start updating them and completing the next stage of reports, analysis and other early or mid-job benchmarks. My situation now: I have no funds at all until I get paid this Saturday, Sunday or Monday, IF I get paid -- but I have to finish all the rest of the job BY FRIDAY MY TIME, WHICH IS THE BEST EXTENSION I COULD GET, to get paid. But I have nothing to pay the net-shop fees with. I can only write you this letter by borrowing a few pesos from Darwin, but that has to be very limited. I have no money for food either, and Darwin’s family, the Sawers have been giving me limited credit at their store, but that is cut off when it reaches too high, so delays have resulted in not eating for a day or more sometimes (some people fast for a day on purpose, so it's usually okay). I mentioned before, above, that Banet and Rio cut off my credit for computer and internet usage, and though now paid back from the $50 you sent, they won't resume any credit because I haven't been able to give a definite payback date yet, until I get the help I need to make a solid and secure plan.
As you may recall from a different letter, my laptop busted again about 3 weeks ago, that's one, among several, reasons that I didn't meet promised goal of independence after more than 31,758 Philippine pesos (about $665 -- since I moved to Kawit Oriental (so-called Bliss Kawit by people in the area, but that's not the real name, just area people's nick-name).
I bought unlimited internet load for 30 days (no strict limit, but a slow-down if you exceed 800 GB in one day, far more than I need for my work or even my leisure time online, because while I need to download and upload large files and programs, I'm don't need to watch videos or movies or other heavy bandwidth things. I found a deal that few people, none I know, seem to know about -- it's perhaps an oversight of the provider, a hang-over from a Blackberry promo that you can make work for any device, where you can get that for only 20-pesos per day, about 50-cents -- much cheaper and more convenient than working at a net-shop, which typically costs 12 pesos per HOUR, about 30-cents, so my daily bill is usually about 120-pesos or more, $3.00, six times as much as working at home. However, since my laptop failed, I cannot use that load, so I gave it to Darwin and his fiance Shelly-Mae, a small gift after all they've done and continue to do for me.
I absolutely HAVE to get to work finishing a job with Sunday deadline, and tend some things with my other clients, or all is lost. I’m really close to total self-sufficiency, and even a pretty GOOD income, with enough for savings, is realistic within months, but I’m facing losing it all.
I am very well now, got my medication for 6-weeks-plus (I've been tapering the dose down, with successful results so far -- I had been taking 90-110mg, nine to eleven 10mg tablets, per day, and have in mind to titrate the dosage down to 6 tablets per day, a single 10mg tablet every 4 hours, which also corresponds to baclofen's plasma half-life) thanks to E, best glasses I've had in 10 years thanks to A and Dr. Monesit, I also have prospects later, after I continue stable income and build savings, for my original purpose here, which is to continue Ramon Magsaysay's work of 60+ years ago.
(Magsaysay is a former president of the Philippines from the 1950s, after the U.S.A. returned Philippines independence after King Philip of Spain -- and mainly the Catholic Church via the corrupt and exploitative friars they sent [written about with great ironic humor and eloquence by Jose Rizal] -- exploited and undermined, and ultimately weakened and corrupted, the lumad culture (analogous to the native-American culture in the U.S.A., followed by multi-century exploitation by "mestizo," (Phil's name for Spanish-Filipino, Chinese-Filipino, Japanese-Filipino, and other mixed-nationality residents and citizens, whose families have mainly controlled and exploited the Phils since the Spanish invasion 1500 years ago) overlords.
"Mestizo" is ostensibly a racist term in some ways, often equated here with "mixed-race." But it is not really genetics; the corruption and exploitation common among the mestizo is a cultural phenomenon at root.
Multiculturalism is good in the sense of understanding other cultures, finding synergies between cultures, learning and enjoying varieties and novel things, and learning from the best in other cultures that may apply to one's own life or that a nation may beneficially adopt into their own culture. But I don't agree with the idea of "respecting all cultures." Some aspects of some cultures are not only unworthy of respect, but are in fact just plain wrong and harmful -- some virtually entire cultures are bad and deserve opposition and change, not respect. It's not just citizen or resident mestizo, but also outsiders, including multi-national corporations, that exploit the natural resources and industries of the Philippines, often appropriating resources from ordinary Filipinos, in concert with corrupt government officials who are in it for the bribes, and the NPA (New People's Army, a paramilitary group) who they pay, with corrupt government blessing, to terrorize and steal from and even murder anybody who stands in the way of their exploitation.
Nor should an individual be judged by the culture they live in or come from, but rather by what aspects of that culture they exemplify. There are certainly many individual mestizo who are exemplary in good ways -- Don Ildefonso Tan Bunting, the son of a Chinese immigrant from Fujian, China, from about 100 years ago, was one of the first I learned about in many interesting ways. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tambunting_Pawnshop Getting back to my original purpose here (and continued aspiration), it's mainly, like Magsaysay and written about eloquently by Rizal, to develop opportunities here in the Phils for ordinary and exceptional people to have a good life and future here in the country, and contribute to the further development of the country -- vs. the current government (or "occupying government") policies before Magsaysay, and since Marcos following Magsaysay of exporting whole PEOPLE instead of products or services or talents or arts and crafts, or native resources. During Magsaysay's tenure, the Philippines was #1 in all of southeast Asia in overall economy, income per capita, GNP per land-area, quality of living, farmers' and other workers' rights, justice for the indigenous lumad, including lumad ancestral land-claims, AND overall exports, including textiles, tires, electrical equipment, minerals, rice, and much more!
Much better quality of life and opportunity, respect for lumad culture, and for overall justice than even South Korea.
Now even Thailand and Indonesia, among others, best the Philippines by far -- and South Korea dwarfs the Philippines by all the measures that Magsaysay had begun to build up. Many people in the U.S. are familiar with popular South Korean exports such as Samsung, LG, Daewoo, Kia, Hyundai, Korea Express, etc. Many people don't realize that many pricey beauty products, such as Polatam Water Gel Extra Force Brightening Mask, Blithe Green Tea Splash Mask ($45 for a small bottle!), Kicho Ultra Moisturizing Sun Cream ($36!), Aruel Wheat and Celery Juice Cleanse Mask, Aromatica Natural Coconut Cleansing Oil ($45), Herbolle Rosemary Cream Body Wash ($32), Shangpree Gold Back Pearl Hydrogel Eye Mask ($60), Caolion Pore Cleansing Blackhead O2 Bubble Pack ($26), Neogen Bio Peel Gauze Peeling Wine ($27), Cosrx Acne Pimple Master Patch (5), also come from Korea. -- http://fashionista.com/2016/08/most-popular-korean-beauty-products#&gid=ci01f3b9362000272b&pid=blithe-tundrajpg Not to mention K-pop, Hello-Kitty, even K-dramas (soap-opera type shows) etc. "Barack Obama cited "Gangnam Style" as an example of how people around the world are being "swept up by Korean culture – the Korean Wave."[119] In August 2013, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry also affirmed that the Korean Wave "spreads Korean culture to countries near and far." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_Wave#United_States
In fact, "in 2014 South Korea exported $583B, making it the 5th largest exporter in the world. During the last five years the exports of South Korea have increased at an annualized rate of 9.5%, from $370B in 2009 to $583B in 2014. The most recent exports are led by Integrated Circuits which represent 10.2% of the total exports of South Korea, followed by Refined Petroleum, which account for 8.04%." http://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/profile/country/ko
Were it not for the cultural tragedies wrought by the friars and others since the Spanish invasion, this could have been the Philippines we're talking about. (There isn't even any general awareness of Philippines cuisine in the western work, much less industrial or other potentials.)
Right here in Kauswagan, there are many woods and wood-products highly desirable in the U.S. and other western countries. Even mahogany, common in U.S. -- Phil's mahogany is is different and interesting. Also textiles, , cacao, indigenous seafoods, complete culinary preparations, even pre-packaged Chicharron Mang-Juan, an unusually delicious, cheap and healthy snack chip made mainly of green peas; and I've found there are a lot of skilled machinists and fabricators here and in Cagayan de Oro.
My plan to get started when I moved here four years ago in August 2012, was to start with some textile handicrafts that aren't available in the U.S., but market-tested very well in Chicago, and at the prices people would be happy to pay, there is plenty of margin to pay for shipping and tariffs and for all to make a good living and profit -- the workers in the Philippines, me and the other managers, the wholesalers and retailers in the U.S., etc. And I found several good sources that would be happy to work with us, in Paranaque, Quezon, Bicol, and Bukidnon, among other places. Unfortunately, the legacy of the friars 400 years ago and others since doomed that plan when it turned out my Filipino business partner was never sincere about doing anything constructive in the Philippines, and regarded his fellow Filipinos as people to use and exploit, and diverted the resources into gambling and kicked me out when I didn't agree to invest in that. (Similar happened when I moved to Butuan to work for the Kultural Revival Network (KR)to develop my goals in another way, by establishing programs to train people in international entrepreneurial skills so they could stay with their communities and families and market their products and talents to the world, instead of thinking their only future was to work abroad. After I got support from Congressman JoBoy Aquino and ABS-CBN television network and San Miguel Corporation, and worked out cooperative arrangements with the cities of Butuan and Tagum, and even wrote a winning script that qualified us to compete in a prestigious cultural festival in Singapore, the leader of KR disappeared with all the money, and nothing ever got done, and of course I never got paid for my work.)
Add dairy conundrum and the cacao/tableya conundrum -- Philippines mainly imports both, despite an abundance of cows and some of the best cacao in the world. But instead of even having domestic industries in those areas, they send all their money to Nestle and others at prices higher than things cost even in the U.S. I will have to write about all this later, but there is a whole lot more to it.
I have good health -- better than before the accident 3 years ago, a place to live, good jobs for the 5-weeks-plus, with client payments more than probable if I have computer access and internet access. And if I have those things, I can get more.
Continued in the Comments, headed "American at Cross-Roads in the Philippines, Part 2 of 3, continued from main post text" because the whole text was too long to fit here . . .

American at Cross-Roads in the Philippines -- a little too long to fit here, so the middle part is in the Comments, marked "American at Cross-Roads in the Philippines, Part 2 of 3, continued from main post text."
I've been following and enjoying much of Reddit for two years, but this is my first post. I never imagined that my first post would be made out of desperation and hope for saving ideas and advice from fellow redditors, but that's why I'm writing this now --
I am on the brink of success or losing all I've had or aspired to for the past 5 years. My long-term fate may be decided in the next few days -- long-term success, meaningful work and happiness on the one side, or total loss of virtually everything on the other. What happens in the next few days may seal my future life for good or bad. Background -- short (somewhat) version: I moved from Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. to the Philippines 4 years ago, in August 2012. My purpose, in shorthand, was to try to develop ways to continue the work of Ramon Magsaysay, Philippines president in the 1950s. The idea was to do things to help the Philippines reach more of its economic, social, and spiritual potential.
Magsaysay is a former president of the Philippines from the 1950s, after the U.S.A. returned Philippines’ independence after King Philip of Spain -- and mainly the Catholic Church via the corrupt and exploitative friars they sent [written about with great ironic humor and eloquence by Jose Rizal] -- exploited and undermined, and ultimately weakened and corrupted, the lumad culture (analogous to the native-American culture in the U.S.A.), followed by multi-century exploitation by "mestizo," (Phil's name for Spanish-Filipino, Chinese-Filipino, Japanese-Filipino, and other mixed-nationality residents and citizens, whose families have mainly controlled and exploited the Phils since the Spanish invasion 1500 years ago) overlords.
"Mestizo" is ostensibly a racist term in some ways, often equated here with "mixed-race." But it is not really genetics; the corruption and exploitation common among the mestizo is a cultural phenomenon at root. Multiculturalism is good in the sense of understanding other cultures, finding synergies between cultures, learning and enjoying varieties and novel things, and learning from the best in other cultures that may apply to one's own life or that a nation may beneficially adopt into their own culture. But I don't agree with the idea of "respecting all cultures." Some aspects of some cultures are not only unworthy of respect, but are in fact just plain wrong and harmful -- some virtually entire cultures are bad and deserve opposition and change, not respect.
It's not just citizen or resident mestizo, but also outsiders, including multi-national corporations, that exploit the natural resources and industries of the Philippines, often appropriating resources from ordinary Filipinos, in concert with corrupt government officials who are in it for the bribes, and the NPA (New People's Army, a paramilitary group) who they pay, with corrupt government officials’ blessings, to terrorize and steal from and even murder anybody who stands in the way of their exploitation. Mining operations are a prime example of this kind of goings-on.
Nor should an individual be judged by the culture they live in or come from, but rather by what aspects of that culture they exemplify. There are certainly many individual mestizo who are exemplary in good ways -- Don Ildefonso Tan Bunting, the son of a Chinese immigrant from Fujian, China, from about 100 years ago, was one of the first I learned about in many interesting ways. He was mestizo, but besides being an honest hard-worker in early life and an honest businessman later, he went out of his way, selling much of his property and nearly going into bankruptcy, so that he could continue to pay his employees, during the Japanese occupation in the 1940s -- he did everything he could to continue to pay them even during times when they couldn’t work and his enterprises had no income because of the Japanese invaders’ interference. The Tambunting pawnshops are also some of the fairest such in the country. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tambunting_Pawnshop So, in short, “mestizo” is just a common attribute among the exploitative class in the Philippines, not a determinative of character.
Getting back to my original purpose here (and continued aspiration), it's mainly, like Magsaysay and written about eloquently by Rizal, to develop opportunities here in the Phils for ordinary and exceptional people to have a good life and future here in the country, and contribute to the further development of the country -- vs. the current government (or "occupying government") policies before Magsaysay, and since Marcos following Magsaysay of exporting whole PEOPLE instead of products or services or talents or arts and crafts, or native resources. During Magsaysay's tenure, the Philippines was #1 in all of southeast Asia in overall economy, income per capita, GNP per land-area, quality of living, farmers' and other workers' rights, justice for the indigenous lumad, including lumad ancestral land-claims, AND overall exports, including textiles, tires, electrical equipment, minerals, rice, and much more!
Much better quality of life and opportunity, respect for lumad culture, and for overall justice than even South Korea.
Now even Thailand and Indonesia, among others, best the Philippines by far -- and South Korea dwarfs the Philippines by all the measures that Magsaysay had begun to build up. Many people in the U.S. are familiar with popular South Korean exports such as Samsung, LG, Daewoo, Kia, Hyundai, Korea Express, etc. Many people don't realize that many pricey beauty products, such as Polatam Water Gel Extra Force Brightening Mask, Blithe Green Tea Splash Mask ($45 for a small bottle!), Kicho Ultra Moisturizing Sun Cream ($36!), Aruel Wheat and Celery Juice Cleanse Mask, Aromatica Natural Coconut Cleansing Oil ($45), Herbolle Rosemary Cream Body Wash ($32), Shangpree Gold Back Pearl Hydrogel Eye Mask ($60), Caolion Pore Cleansing Blackhead O2 Bubble Pack ($26), Neogen Bio Peel Gauze Peeling Wine ($27), Cosrx Acne Pimple Master Patch (5), also come from Korea. -- http://fashionista.com/2016/08/most-popular-korean-beauty-products#&gid=ci01f3b9362000272b&pid=blithe-tundrajpg
Not to mention K-pop, Hello-Kitty, even K-dramas (soap-opera type shows) etc. "Barack Obama cited "Gangnam Style" as an example of how people around the world are being "swept up by Korean culture – the Korean Wave."[119] In August 2013, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry also affirmed that the Korean Wave "spreads Korean culture to countries near and far." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_Wave#United_States
In fact, "in 2014 South Korea exported $583B, making it the 5th largest exporter in the world. During the last five years the exports of South Korea have increased at an annualized rate of 9.5%, from $370B in 2009 to $583B in 2014. The most recent exports are led by Integrated Circuits which represent 10.2% of the total exports of South Korea, followed by Refined Petroleum, which account for 8.04%." http://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/profile/country/ko
Were it not for the cultural tragedies wrought by the friars and others since the Spanish invasion, this could have been the Philippines we're talking about. (There isn't even any general awareness of Philippines cuisine in the western work, much less industrial or other potentials.)
Here’s a typical example of how things have worked here under the -- mostly -- mestizo overlords: The Philippines was the top exporter of clothing and other textiles after Magsaysay’s presidency, which ended with his death in a plane crash in 1957. When Marcos became president eight years later, in 1965, he gave the textile industries, like many others, to his friends and cronies, who didn’t care about running a business, just about embezzling the money. They ran the textile industry into the ground -- poor quality product at high prices, exports plummeted to zero, and Filipinos couldn’t afford, and didn’t want, the crappy clothes and fabrics being offered.
So ordinary Filipinos began buying imports. Marcos solution? Did he tell his friends and cronies to start doing their job, improve quality, get with the times, reduce waste and embezzlement, etc? No, he made it illegal to buy imported textiles, forcing ordinary Filipinos to waste their little money on the over-priced junk his friends and cronies were making.
This is typical of the political and business leadership in the Philippines for a long time -- instead of developing the Philippines as a good country for its citizens, they just USE the Philippines to line their own pockets, even extracting the most they can from the already impoverished citizens.
The government has invested somewhat, in limited ways, in keeping people alive and getting them educated, and the motives have been mixed among some better and worse government officials, but it’s largely not an exception -- a big part of the reason is to keep up the supply of marketable people to export to go work for other countries, so the government can get their taxes on the remittances, and so the exported people will send money home to their families so the government has more money to extract from them.
And the remittances sent home from exporting people to help build other countries relieves the Philippines government of the pressure to build their own country.
Right here in Kauswagan, there are many woods and wood-products highly desirable in the U.S. and other western countries. Even mahogany, common in U.S. -- Phil's mahogany is different and interesting, but there are also many exotic woods that Americans and other westerners have never seen before, including MANY hard-woods. Also textiles, cacao, indigenous seafoods, complete culinary preparations, even pre-packaged Chicharron Mang-Juan, an unusually delicious, cheap and healthy snack chip made mainly of green peas; and I've found there are a lot of skilled machinists and fabricators here and in Cagayan de Oro.
My plan to get started when I moved here four years ago in August 2012, was to start with some textile handicrafts that aren't available in the U.S., but market-tested very well in Chicago, and at the prices people would be happy to pay, there is plenty of margin to pay for shipping and tarrifs and for all to make a good living and profit -- the workers in the Philippines, me and the other managers, the wholesalers and retailers in the U.S., etc. And I found several good sources that would be happy to work with us, in Paranaque, Quezon, Bicol, and Bukidnon, among other places. Unfortunately, the legacy of the friars 400 years ago and others since doomed that plan when it turned out my Filipino business partner was never sincere about doing anything constructive in the Philippines, and regarded his fellow Filipinos as people to use and exploit, and diverted the resources into gambling and kicked me out when I didn't agree to invest in that. (Similar happened when I moved to Butuan to work for the Kultural Revival Network (KR)to develop my goals in another way, by establishing programs to train people in international entrepreneurial skills so they could stay with their communities and families and market their products and talents to the world, instead of thinking their only future was to work abroad. After I got support from Congressman Jose “Joboy” S. Aquino II, ABS-CBN television network and San Miguel Corporation, and worked out cooperative arrangements with the cities of Butuan and Tagum, and even wrote a winning script that qualified us to compete in a prestigious cultural festival in Singapore, the leader of KR disappeared with all the money, and nothing ever got done, and of course I never got paid for my work.)
It was after this that I learned how to support myself by working remotely for companies in the U.S. and Argentina and elsewhere. The pay tends to be very low -- sometimes about 20-cents per hour -- and it’s a difficult way to make a living, but if you do good work and learn new sets of skills, your reputation grows and you can command higher pay.
Within a few months after I started that remote work, I was earning enough to support myself and my ex-fiance Neil very well, and we had everything we needed in our home in Toril, Davao, where we moved together, plus enough for extras like recreational outings, and to start building savings.
But in general, my own story so far in the past 4 years has been dominated by disappointments like those mentioned in the prior paragraphs -- in addition to the above disasters with the planned export business and KR, I was scammed by a few ostensible potential romantic partners, robbed of everything I had for food and medicine when I left a visitor, who ostensibly came to help me deal with a corrupt landlady problem, alone in my room while I went to the bathroom, had my professional dress clothes stolen (and sold to a second-hand store) by someone who offered to do my laundry for a reasonable fee, etc. My cell-phone disappeared in similar way. The Kauswagan area (20 kilometers west of Iligan City, in Lanao del Norte province, Mindanao), however, is one of the best places I ever lived in the Philippines, especially Purok 1 of barangay Kawit Oriental. As irony and fortuitous outcome would have it, however, the way I ended up here was another trick propagated by an uncle-nephew team. I talked to the uncle, a local school principal, on the phone before moving, and thought we understood each other and that he was not only trustworthy but indeed a rather intelligent, good man. But in the end, I lost a lot and was the victim of violence and serious injuries, one of only two times in my 4+ years in the Philippines.
But that was the last time I made that kind of mistake. I’ve started to understand the society and different cultural branches better, and to be smarter about steering clear of and protecting myself from those things I don’t understand yet. And there are at least a half-dozen people in the neighborhood where I live now, since 10 weeks ago, that I trust 100%, and who look after my well-being and safety very well.
My main challenges in the past 3 years, however, have been related to my very slow and difficult recovery from brain and spinal injuries sustained when a speeding drunk driver ran a red light while I was crossing the street. That is also the main reason why my ex-fiancé left me a few months after that (our relationship is definitely permanently in history, though I no longer hold it against him that he left me during those times, because it was almost too much for me, 50 years old at the time, to deal with, much less for a 26 year-old who was already trying to adjust to so many other things about growing up; and in any case, I had no choice, but he did, and he took it). My physical and mental and psychological recovery was harrowing in itself, but I also had to sell everything, including my piano and appliances and everything else, to pay medical bills and eat, because I lost a lot of clients while I was unconscious in the hospital, and re-building my client base was painfully slow because of my brain injuries and relentless pain.
However, I am much better now, pretty much fully recovered, and more -- in many ways better than even before the accident. And my income is also finally starting to recover, though the challenges of getting a chance to cement the opportunity for a better life is what this post is mostly about.
What’s been turned upside-down and backwards here isn’t just about exports or workers’ rights -- it also extends to domestic industries. For example, there’s a dairy conundrum and a cacao/tableya conundrum -- Philippines mainly imports both, despite an abundance of cows and some of the best cacao in the world.
Instead of even having domestic industries in those areas, Filipinos send their money to Nestle and others at prices higher even than things cost in the U.S. For example one gallon of so-called “fresh milk” (it’s not, it’s reconstituted milk powder, with vegetable oil and other junk added to stretch it out) from Nestle costs about $8 here, whereas by the logic of labor and land costs the Phils should be able to produce a gallon of milk for LESS than in the U.S., not 4-times as much. I will have to write about all this later, but there is a whole lot more to it. $405.30 would be ideal, because that's enough for all expenses for a whole month and would give lots of extra margin for the unforeseen, and if not too much unforeseen, I could buy another piece of foam to sleep on (I had to sell the one I recently bought for less than 1/2 what I paid, so I could repay one of the sari-sari stores for food) -- and it's enough to cover everything including paying my food debts, and cover my working expenses, and enough to eat and work for a full 30 days -- that's plenty of time to recoupt even if I lose all clients and have to start all over from zero.
However, if enough help (money for computer and internet access) comes within the next 2 days, I am pretty confident that $165 will be enough, because if I can meet my next deadline and keep going to meet the next two also, I am sure enough that that is all the chance I need. I am sure enough that I have given my word of honor and sincere commitment to those who don't believe in my potential here (or in the potential of the Philippines), that if I get that much to work with in timely fashion, I have to prove that I can succeed definitively with that -- or I promise to give up most of what I have aspired to for the past 5 years, and turn my focus to returning to the United States of America.
If I don't succeed with that amount of help and that chance, I will appeal to the embassy -- my understanding is that they will sometimes pay the airfare and any past-due visa/immigration fees so that a U.S. citizen can return to the U.S. My understanding is that you have to sign a promissory note acknowledging your responsibility to repay the government, but that the state department is very accommodating in the respect that they will give you time to get re-established and develop an income in the U.S. before you have to begin to repay. If that doesn't work, maybe my older brother, my only immediate family who talks to me at all since I moved to the Philippines, would help me return to the U.S. -- right now, that is all he said he is willing to help with; he will not help with anything that involves staying in the Philippines.
I am copy-pasting below the letter I sent to about a dozen friends, former class-mates, former work-mates, and relatives. So far, no luck, not even a reply saying sorry can’t help.
SO I AM APPEALING TO MY FELLOW REDDITORS FOR ADVICE ON A WORKABLE WAY TO MAKE IT THROUGH THIS CROSS-ROADS. I AM SO CLOSE TO TOTAL RECOVERY AND LASTING SUCCESS AND SECURITY, AND THE CHANCE TO BUILD TOWARDS MORE MEANINGFUL WORK AND PROGRESS WITH MY ORIGINAL ASPIRATIONS -- $165 close if it comes within the next day or two, but the amount needed goes up with each delay, because of ongoing expenses just to survive, and a potential chain-reaction of losses if I can’t get back to work full-time every day very soon. (The “timing is a bitch” aspect of my situation is explained in itemized detail in the letter I copy-paste below.)
Here is the letter I sent to friends and family, so far without any luck:
“Hi K____ -- I admit this message and the attachment is an appeal for more help, because I'm on the brink of the greatest chance for success and stable self-sufficiency -- and also the brink of losing everything. But I know my recovery since my brain injuries and other things has been a long, long process, and I understand if people don't believe anything they can do will really help -- and I'm past-due on my part.
And you've helped generously already, which is part of why finally after 3 long years I'm finally seeing the light of day.
So, in any case, take the attached also as an update and conversation-opener.
I send as Word-doc attachment because it's too long for a FB message [Word-doc text copy-pasted below for this Reddit post].
K, please help me if you can; I am on the brink of success or total loss. All of the $50 my cousin E_ sent went to paying back my local debts for food, and my past-due debt to the net-shop for computer and internet use. Maintaining trust and goodwill in the community is the first basic to try to maintain for my well-being and future prospects.
I haven't been able to work or go online except for 20 to 60 minutes each day, depending on how many pesos Darwin an afford to lend me. I continue to be so scared of losing everything. BUT I HAVE KEPT IN TOUCH WITH MY CLIENTS, AND IF I START WORKING FULL-TIME TODAY OR TOMORROW, IT'S POSSIBLE TO SAVE EVERYTHING AND CONTINUE UNINTERRUPTED ON A PATH TO FINANCIAL SELF-SUPPORT.
I JUST GOT AN EXTENSION FROM THE CLIENT FOR WHOM I WAS PREVIOUSLY FACING A SUNDAY OCTOBER 16 DEADLINE, NOW PAST. I HAVE AN EXTENSION UNTIL FRIDAY 9:30PM MY TIME TO FINISH THE NEXT PHASE, FOR WHICH AN IMMEDIATE PAYMENT WILL BE PROCESSED UPON COMPLETION. Unfortunately, the client is not willing to give an advance, or even a partial payment for work completed, until reassured I have working conditions to continue reliably without further interruptions and delays.
I absolutely HAVE to get to work finishing that job, and another with a deadline in two days, Thursday. And tend some things with my other clients, or all is lost. I’m really close to total self-sufficiency -- and even a pretty GOOD income is realistic within months, with enough to start savings . . . but I’m facing losing it all.
$125 that I appealed for last week, was enough last Wednesday to go ahead full-time without further losses, and give a safety-margin for the unforeseen. I could have paid my debts in the community, done my work, had a safe margin for any unforeseen payment delays or work-order changes, and stayed on track non-stop after that. But as I said, the $50 E_____ sent me, that I only learned about two days later when Darwin lent me some pesos for computeinternet use at the net-shop -- was only enough to cover most of my debts to Amor for the Sawer store food credits, plus my net-shop debts and two other food-store debts, who helped me with 300-pesos (about $7)-limited credit after Amor cut off my Sawer-store credit when it reached 2000 pesos (about $50 -- note that all dollar-conversions I mention account for bank profit on the exchange rate and Paypal and Xoom international transfer fees, which makes the effective exchange rate about 40 pesos to the dollar instead of the nominal 47) after the previous week.
Actually, Amor agreed to let me make partial payment, and leave some still owing, so I could pay the net-shop in full and hopefully re-establish credit there, but so far no luck.
So I still need the other $75 to make it work once and for all, plus $64 for at least 7 additional days now (unless you can send enough right away for me to start working full-time first thing tomorrow morning , in which case only 6 additional days of delay cost) beyond what I had hoped when I wrote you, of just spending (or rather, borrowing) for survival without being able to work by Wednesday your time-zone to make all work and avoid timing delay disasters and significant consequent additional delays and possible loss of everything; after Saturday, I'm likely to lose more income, or at least have it delayed, and as I've tried to explain a few times, timing is a bitch until I have a safety net, which can lead to a chain-reaction of disabling losses.)
Please consider this one more time, K_____. Besides the $75 I was short from my original needs to secure everything, the extra 7 days wasted mere survival days cost or put me in debt an additional $63.87 (7 days x about $8-9.50 per day, minus the one day I didn't eat, plus my electric fill came due -- it also includes all other utilities and everything else that continues whether I'm able to work and earn or not). I promise that if you and/anyone else comes through in time for it to work without more wasted costs or lost jobs, this will be the last time. I give you my word that I will give up and go back to U.S. if I don’t pull it together and keep it together this time.
$138.87 is enough to be sure it will work, with some margin for the unforeseen (such as any delays due to work-order changes, illness, etc.). [Please also see note below about possible increase to $166.37 to allow resumption of vitamins and supplements to help with the one health issue of concern right now -- it's the paragraph that begins "K_____, if you'd like to help me resume those supplements right away . . . " ]
The main reason I am so far behind schedule are those that I told you about in detail before, but part of it is my fault, too, like buying that piece of foam to sleep on last week before I was 100% sure of the funds coming in from a client. And looking back I think I spent too much time socializing with my new friends and neighbours. I work most of most days, but perhaps if I worked a few more hours some days, I could have completed EARLY the job with deadline this Sunday, and been paid already, and not be in this fix.
It was bad luck that my laptop failed again, too, which happened just a couple weeks ago. But I found a very good solution to that via Rio and Banet Adiner, who are really good people, and let me connect all 4 of my hard-drives to the computer in their net-shop, and allow me to install all the software I need, etc. No other net-shop will allow any of that. But they cut off my credit 10 days ago (all paid back now from the $50 you sent) with no more internet or computer until I can give a definite repayment date.
I have one job that is mostly complete and will pay on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday if I meet the final benchmarks -- this was originally written several days ago, but I couldn't borrow enough to finish writing and send it to you then, and it's too late for this now -- HOWEVER, as I explained above, I have since got an extension and IT'S STILL POSSIBLE TO SAVE EVERYTHING; I have several other ongoing jobs with expedited payments for one coming in the following Saturday, another delayed-type payment (one week refund period agreed between us if they approve all of the work and set aside payment in Escrow through Upwork; payment is currently scheduled next week, but if my client or their client evaluate later or realize need for additions or revisions, or don't get the expected results or progress towards results for their projects or businesses, etc. -- but I will lose those clients too, in addition to all I lost in recent 2 weeks due to timing, which is a bitch when broke for too long -- if I don't start updating them and completing the next stage of reports, analysis and other early or mid-job benchmarks. My situation now: I have no funds at all until I get paid this Saturday, Sunday or Monday, IF I get paid -- but I have to finish all the rest of the job BY FRIDAY MY TIME, WHICH IS THE BEST EXTENSION I COULD GET, to get paid. But I have nothing to pay the net-shop fees with. I can only write you this letter by borrowing a few pesos from Darwin, but that has to be very limited. I have no money for food either, and Darwin’s family, the Sawers have been giving me limited credit at their store, but that is cut off when it reaches too high, so delays have resulted in not eating for a day or more sometimes (some people fast for a day on purpose, so it's usually okay). I mentioned before, above, that Banet and Rio cut off my credit for computer and internet usage, and though now paid back from the $50 you sent, they won't resume any credit because I haven't been able to give a definite payback date yet, until I get the help I need to make a solid and secure plan.
As you may recall from a different letter, my laptop busted again about 3 weeks ago, that's one, among several, reasons that I didn't meet promised goal of independence after more than 31,758 Philippine pesos (about $665 -- since I moved to Kawit Oriental (so-called Bliss Kawit by people in the area, but that's not the real name, just area people's nick-name).
I bought unlimited internet load for 30 days (no strict limit, but a slow-down if you exceed 800 GB in one day, far more than I need for my work or even my leisure time online, because while I need to download and upload large files and programs, I'm don't need to watch videos or movies or other heavy bandwidth things. I found a deal that few people, none I know, seem to know about -- it's perhaps an oversight of the provider, a hang-over from a Blackberry promo that you can make work for any device, where you can get that for only 20-pesos per day, about 50-cents -- much cheaper and more convenient than working at a net-shop, which typically costs 12 pesos per HOUR, about 30-cents, so my daily bill is usually about 120-pesos or more, $3.00, six times as much as working at home. However, since my laptop failed, I cannot use that load, so I gave it to Darwin and his fiance Shelly-Mae, a small gift after all they've done and continue to do for me.
I absolutely HAVE to get to work finishing a job with Sunday deadline, and tend some things with my other clients, or all is lost. I’m really close to total self-sufficiency, and even a pretty GOOD income, with enough for savings, is realistic within months, but I’m facing losing it all.
I am very well now, got my medication for 6-weeks-plus (I've been tapering the dose down, with successful results so far -- I had been taking 90-110mg, nine to eleven 10mg tablets, per day, and have in mind to titrate the dosage down to 6 tablets per day, a single 10mg tablet every 4 hours, which also corresponds to baclofen's plasma half-life) thanks to E, best glasses I've had in 10 years thanks to A and Dr. Monesit, I also have prospects later, after I continue stable income and build savings, for my original purpose here, which is to continue Ramon Magsaysay's work of 60+ years ago.
(Magsaysay is a former president of the Philippines from the 1950s, after the U.S.A. returned Philippines independence after King Philip of Spain -- and mainly the Catholic Church via the corrupt and exploitative friars they sent [written about with great ironic humor and eloquence by Jose Rizal] -- exploited and undermined, and ultimately weakened and corrupted, the lumad culture (analogous to the native-American culture in the U.S.A., followed by multi-century exploitation by "mestizo," (Phil's name for Spanish-Filipino, Chinese-Filipino, Japanese-Filipino, and other mixed-nationality residents and citizens, whose families have mainly controlled and exploited the Phils since the Spanish invasion 1500 years ago) overlords.
"Mestizo" is ostensibly a racist term in some ways, often equated here with "mixed-race." But it is not really genetics; the corruption and exploitation common among the mestizo is a cultural phenomenon at root.
Multiculturalism is good in the sense of understanding other cultures, finding synergies between cultures, learning and enjoying varieties and novel things, and learning from the best in other cultures that may apply to one's own life or that a nation may beneficially adopt into their own culture. But I don't agree with the idea of "respecting all cultures." Some aspects of some cultures are not only unworthy of respect, but are in fact just plain wrong and harmful -- some virtually entire cultures are bad and deserve opposition and change, not respect. It's not just citizen or resident mestizo, but also outsiders, including multi-national corporations, that exploit the natural resources and industries of the Philippines, often appropriating resources from ordinary Filipinos, in concert with corrupt government officials who are in it for the bribes, and the NPA (New People's Army, a paramilitary group) who they pay, with corrupt government blessing, to terrorize and steal from and even murder anybody who stands in the way of their exploitation.
Nor should an individual be judged by the culture they live in or come from, but rather by what aspects of that culture they exemplify. There are certainly many individual mestizo who are exemplary in good ways -- Don Ildefonso Tan Bunting, the son of a Chinese immigrant from Fujian, China, from about 100 years ago, was one of the first I learned about in many interesting ways. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tambunting_Pawnshop Getting back to my original purpose here (and continued aspiration), it's mainly, like Magsaysay and written about eloquently by Rizal, to develop opportunities here in the Phils for ordinary and exceptional people to have a good life and future here in the country, and contribute to the further development of the country -- vs. the current government (or "occupying government") policies before Magsaysay, and since Marcos following Magsaysay of exporting whole PEOPLE instead of products or services or talents or arts and crafts, or native resources. During Magsaysay's tenure, the Philippines was #1 in all of southeast Asia in overall economy, income per capita, GNP per land-area, quality of living, farmers' and other workers' rights, justice for the indigenous lumad, including lumad ancestral land-claims, AND overall exports, including textiles, tires, electrical equipment, minerals, rice, and much more!
Much better quality of life and opportunity, respect for lumad culture, and for overall justice than even South Korea.
Now even Thailand and Indonesia, among others, best the Philippines by far -- and South Korea dwarfs the Philippines by all the measures that Magsaysay had begun to build up. Many people in the U.S. are familiar with popular South Korean exports such as Samsung, LG, Daewoo, Kia, Hyundai, Korea Express, etc. Many people don't realize that many pricey beauty products, such as Polatam Water Gel Extra Force Brightening Mask, Blithe Green Tea Splash Mask ($45 for a small bottle!), Kicho Ultra Moisturizing Sun Cream ($36!), Aruel Wheat and Celery Juice Cleanse Mask, Aromatica Natural Coconut Cleansing Oil ($45), Herbolle Rosemary Cream Body Wash ($32), Shangpree Gold Back Pearl Hydrogel Eye Mask ($60), Caolion Pore Cleansing Blackhead O2 Bubble Pack ($26), Neogen Bio Peel Gauze Peeling Wine ($27), Cosrx Acne Pimple Master Patch (5), also come from Korea. -- http://fashionista.com/2016/08/most-popular-korean-beauty-products#&gid=ci01f3b9362000272b&pid=blithe-tundrajpg Not to mention K-pop, Hello-Kitty, even K-dramas (soap-opera type shows) etc. "Barack Obama cited "Gangnam Style" as an example of how people around the world are being "swept up by Korean culture – the Korean Wave."[119] In August 2013, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry also affirmed that the Korean Wave "spreads Korean culture to countries near and far." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_Wave#United_States
In fact, "in 2014 South Korea exported $583B, making it the 5th largest exporter in the world. During the last five years the exports of South Korea have increased at an annualized rate of 9.5%, from $370B in 2009 to $583B in 2014. The most recent exports are led by Integrated Circuits which represent 10.2% of the total exports of South Korea, followed by Refined Petroleum, which account for 8.04%." http://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/profile/country/ko
Were it not for the cultural tragedies wrought by the friars and others since the Spanish invasion, this could have been the Philippines we're talking about. (There isn't even any general awareness of Philippines cuisine in the western work, much less industrial or other potentials.)
Right here in Kauswagan, there are many woods and wood-products highly desirable in the U.S. and other western countries. Even mahogany, common in U.S. -- Phil's mahogany is is different and interesting. Also textiles, , cacao, indigenous seafoods, complete culinary preparations, even pre-packaged Chicharron Mang-Juan, an unusually delicious, cheap and healthy snack chip made mainly of green peas; and I've found there are a lot of skilled machinists and fabricators here and in Cagayan de Oro.
My plan to get started when I moved here four years ago in August 2012, was to start with some textile handicrafts that aren't available in the U.S., but market-tested very well in Chicago, and at the prices people would be happy to pay, there is plenty of margin to pay for shipping and tariffs and for all to make a good living and profit -- the workers in the Philippines, me and the other managers, the wholesalers and retailers in the U.S., etc. And I found several good sources that would be happy to work with us, in Paranaque, Quezon, Bicol, and Bukidnon, among other places. Unfortunately, the legacy of the friars 400 years ago and others since doomed that plan when it turned out my Filipino business partner was never sincere about doing anything constructive in the Philippines, and regarded his fellow Filipinos as people to use and exploit, and diverted the resources into gambling and kicked me out when I didn't agree to invest in that. (Similar happened when I moved to Butuan to work for the Kultural Revival Network (KR)to develop my goals in another way, by establishing programs to train people in international entrepreneurial skills so they could stay with their communities and families and market their products and talents to the world, instead of thinking their only future was to work abroad. After I got support from Congressman JoBoy Aquino and ABS-CBN television network and San Miguel Corporation, and worked out cooperative arrangements with the cities of Butuan and Tagum, and even wrote a winning script that qualified us to compete in a prestigious cultural festival in Singapore, the leader of KR disappeared with all the money, and nothing ever got done, and of course I never got paid for my work.)
Add dairy conundrum and the cacao/tableya conundrum -- Philippines mainly imports both, despite an abundance of cows and some of the best cacao in the world. But instead of even having domestic industries in those areas, they send all their money to Nestle and others at prices higher than things cost even in the U.S. I will have to write about all this later, but there is a whole lot more to it.
I have good health -- better than before the accident 3 years ago, a place to live, good jobs for the 5-weeks-plus, with client payments more than probable if I have computer access and internet access. And if I have those things, I can get more.
Continued in the Comments, headed "American at Cross-Roads in the Philippines, Part 2 of 3, continued from main post text" because the whole text was too long to fit here . . .

American at Cross-Roads in the Philippines -- a little too long to fit here, so the middle part is in the Comments, marked "American at Cross-Roads in the Philippines, Part 2 of 3, continued from main post text."
American at Cross-Roads in the Philippines
I've been following and enjoying much of Reddit for two years, but this is my first post. I never imagined that my first post would be made out of desperation and hope for saving ideas and advice from fellow redditors, but that's why I'm writing this now -- I am on the brink of success or losing all I've had or aspired to for the past 5 years. My long-term fate may be decided in the next few days -- long-term success, meaningful work and happiness on the one side, or total loss of virtually everything on the other. What happens in the next few days may seal my future life for good or bad.
Background -- short (somewhat) version: I moved from Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. to the Philippines 4 years ago, in August 2012. My purpose, in shorthand, was to try to develop ways to continue the work of Ramon Magsaysay, Philippines president in the 1950s. The idea was to do things to help the Philippines reach more of its economic, social, and spiritual potential.
Magsaysay is a former president of the Philippines from the 1950s, after the U.S.A. returned Philippines’ independence after King Philip of Spain -- and mainly the Catholic Church via the corrupt and exploitative friars they sent [written about with great ironic humor and eloquence by Jose Rizal] -- exploited and undermined, and ultimately weakened and corrupted, the lumad culture (analogous to the native-American culture in the U.S.A.), followed by multi-century exploitation by "mestizo," (Phil's name for Spanish-Filipino, Chinese-Filipino, Japanese-Filipino, and other mixed-nationality residents and citizens, whose families have mainly controlled and exploited the Phils since the Spanish invasion 1500 years ago) overlords.
"Mestizo" is ostensibly a racist term in some ways, often equated here with "mixed-race." But it is not really genetics; the corruption and exploitation common among the mestizo is a cultural phenomenon at root.
Multiculturalism is good in the sense of understanding other cultures, finding synergies between cultures, learning and enjoying varieties and novel things, and learning from the best in other cultures that may apply to one's own life or that a nation may beneficially adopt into their own culture. But I don't agree with the idea of "respecting all cultures." Some aspects of some cultures are not only unworthy of respect, but are in fact just plain wrong and harmful -- some virtually entire cultures are bad and deserve opposition and change, not respect.
It's not just citizen or resident mestizo, but also outsiders, including multi-national corporations, that exploit the natural resources and industries of the Philippines, often appropriating resources from ordinary Filipinos, in concert with corrupt government officials who are in it for the bribes, and the NPA (New People's Army, a paramilitary group) who they pay, with corrupt government officials’ blessings, to terrorize and steal from and even murder anybody who stands in the way of their exploitation. Mining operations are a prime example of this kind of goings-on.
Nor should an individual be judged by the culture they live in or come from, but rather by what aspects of that culture they exemplify. There are certainly many individual mestizo who are exemplary in good ways -- Don Ildefonso Tan Bunting, the son of a Chinese immigrant from Fujian, China, from about 100 years ago, was one of the first I learned about in many interesting ways. He was mestizo, but besides being an honest hard-worker in early life and an honest businessman later, he went out of his way, selling much of his property and nearly going into bankruptcy, so that he could continue to pay his employees, during the Japanese occupation in the 1940s -- he did everything he could to continue to pay them even during times when they couldn’t work and his enterprises had no income because of the Japanese invaders’ interference. The Tambunting pawnshops are also some of the fairest such in the country. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tambunting_Pawnshop So, in short, “mestizo” is just a common attribute among the exploitative class in the Philippines, not a determinative of character.
Getting back to my original purpose here (and continued aspiration), it's mainly, like Magsaysay and written about eloquently by Rizal, to develop opportunities here in the Phils for ordinary and exceptional people to have a good life and future here in the country, and contribute to the further development of the country -- vs. the current government (or "occupying government") policies before Magsaysay, and since Marcos following Magsaysay of exporting whole PEOPLE instead of products or services or talents or arts and crafts, or native resources.
During Magsaysay's tenure, the Philippines was #1 in all of southeast Asia in overall economy, income per capita, GNP per land-area, quality of living, farmers' and other workers' rights, justice for the indigenous lumad, including lumad ancestral land-claims, AND overall exports, including textiles, tires, electrical equipment, minerals, rice, and much more!
Much better quality of life and opportunity, respect for lumad culture, and for overall justice than even South Korea.
Now even Thailand and Indonesia, among others, best the Philippines by far -- and South Korea dwarfs the Philippines by all the measures that Magsaysay had begun to build up. Many people in the U.S. are familiar with popular South Korean exports such as Samsung, LG, Daewoo, Kia, Hyundai, Korea Express, etc.
Many people don't realize that many pricey beauty products, such as Polatam Water Gel Extra Force Brightening Mask, Blithe Green Tea Splash Mask ($45 for a small bottle!), Kicho Ultra Moisturizing Sun Cream ($36!), Aruel Wheat and Celery Juice Cleanse Mask, Aromatica Natural Coconut Cleansing Oil ($45), Herbolle Rosemary Cream Body Wash ($32), Shangpree Gold Back Pearl Hydrogel Eye Mask ($60), Caolion Pore Cleansing Blackhead O2 Bubble Pack ($26), Neogen Bio Peel Gauze Peeling Wine ($27), Cosrx Acne Pimple Master Patch (5), also come from Korea. -- http://fashionista.com/2016/08/most-popular-korean-beauty-products#&gid=ci01f3b9362000272b&pid=blithe-tundrajpg
Not to mention K-pop, Hello-Kitty, even K-dramas (soap-opera type shows) etc. "Barack Obama cited "Gangnam Style" as an example of how people around the world are being "swept up by Korean culture – the Korean Wave."[119] In August 2013, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry also affirmed that the Korean Wave "spreads Korean culture to countries near and far."" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_Wave#United_States
In fact, "in 2014 South Korea exported $583B, making it the 5th largest exporter in the world. During the last five years the exports of South Korea have increased at an annualized rate of 9.5%, from $370B in 2009 to $583B in 2014. The most recent exports are led by Integrated Circuits which represent 10.2% of the total exports of South Korea, followed by Refined Petroleum, which account for 8.04%." http://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/profile/country/ko
Were it not for the cultural tragedies wrought by the friars and others since the Spanish invasion, this could have been the Philippines we're talking about. (There isn't even any general awareness of Philippines cuisine in the western work, much less industrial or other potentials.)
Here’s a typical example of how things have worked here under the -- mostly -- mestizo overlords: The Philippines was the top exporter of clothing and other textiles after Magsaysay’s presidency, which ended with his death in a plane crash in 1957. When Marcos became president eight years later, in 1965, he gave the textile industries, like many others, to his friends and cronies, who didn’t care about running a business, just about embezzling the money. They ran the textile industry into the ground -- poor quality product at high prices, exports plummeted to zero, and Filipinos couldn’t afford, and didn’t want, the crappy clothes and fabrics being offered.
So ordinary Filipinos began buying imports. Marcos solution? Did he tell his friends and cronies to start doing their job, improve quality, get with the times, reduce waste and embezzlement, etc? No, he made it illegal to buy imported textiles, forcing ordinary Filipinos to waste their little money on the over-priced junk his friends and cronies were making.
This is typical of the political and business leadership in the Philippines for a long time -- instead of developing the Philippines as a good country for its citizens, they just USE the Philippines to line their own pockets, even extracting the most they can from the already impoverished citizens.
The government has invested somewhat, in limited ways, in keeping people alive and getting them educated, and the motives have been mixed among some better and worse government officials, but it’s largely not an exception -- a big part of the reason is to keep up the supply of marketable people to export to go work for other countries, so the government can get their taxes on the remittances, and so the exported people will send money home to their families so the government has more money to extract from them.
And the remittances sent home from exporting people to help build other countries relieves the Philippines government of the pressure to build their own country.
Right here in Kauswagan, there are many woods and wood-products highly desirable in the U.S. and other western countries. Even mahogany, common in U.S. -- Phil's mahogany is different and interesting, but there are also many exotic woods that Americans and other westerners have never seen before, including MANY hard-woods. Also textiles, cacao, indigenous seafoods, complete culinary preparations, even pre-packaged Chicharron Mang-Juan, an unusually delicious, cheap and healthy snack chip made mainly of green peas; and I've found there are a lot of skilled machinists and fabricators here and in Cagayan de Oro.
My plan to get started when I moved here four years ago in August 2012, was to start with some textile handicrafts that aren't available in the U.S., but market-tested very well in Chicago, and at the prices people would be happy to pay, there is plenty of margin to pay for shipping and tarrifs and for all to make a good living and profit -- the workers in the Philippines, me and the other managers, the wholesalers and retailers in the U.S., etc. And I found several good sources that would be happy to work with us, in Paranaque, Quezon, Bicol, and Bukidnon, among other places. Unfortunately, the legacy of the friars 400 years ago and others since doomed that plan when it turned out my Filipino business partner was never sincere about doing anything constructive in the Philippines, and regarded his fellow Filipinos as people to use and exploit, and diverted the resources into gambling and kicked me out when I didn't agree to invest in that. (Similar happened when I moved to Butuan to work for the Kultural Revival Network (KR)to develop my goals in another way, by establishing programs to train people in international entrepreneurial skills so they could stay with their communities and families and market their products and talents to the world, instead of thinking their only future was to work abroad. After I got support from Congressman Jose “Joboy” S. Aquino II, ABS-CBN television network and San Miguel Corporation, and worked out cooperative arrangements with the cities of Butuan and Tagum, and even wrote a winning script that qualified us to compete in a prestigious cultural festival in Singapore, the leader of KR disappeared with all the money, and nothing ever got done, and of course I never got paid for my work.)
It was after this that I learned how to support myself by working remotely for companies in the U.S. and Argentina and elsewhere. The pay tends to be very low -- sometimes about 20-cents per hour -- and it’s a difficult way to make a living, but if you do good work and learn new sets of skills, your reputation grows and you can command higher pay.
Within a few months after I started that remote work, I was earning enough to support myself and my ex-fiance Neil very well, and we had everything we needed in our home in Toril, Davao, where we moved together, plus enough for extras like recreational outings, and to start building savings.
But in general, my own story so far in the past 4 years has been dominated by disappointments like those mentioned in the prior paragraphs -- in addition to the above disasters with the planned export business and KR, I was scammed by a few ostensible potential romantic partners, robbed of everything I had for food and medicine when I left a visitor, who ostensibly came to help me deal with a corrupt landlady problem, alone in my room while I went to the bathroom, had my professional dress clothes stolen (and sold to a second-hand store) by someone who offered to do my laundry for a reasonable fee, etc. My cell-phone disappeared in similar way.
The Kauswagan area (20 kilometers west of Iligan City, in Lanao del Norte province, Mindanao), however, is one of the best places I ever lived in the Philippines, especially Purok 1 of barangay Kawit Oriental. As irony and fortuitous outcome would have it, however, the way I ended up here was another trick propagated by an uncle-nephew team. I talked to the uncle, a local school principal, on the phone before moving, and thought we understood each other and that he was not only trustworthy but indeed a rather intelligent, good man. But in the end, I lost a lot and was the victim of violence and serious injuries, one of only two times in my 4+ years in the Philippines.
But that was the last time I made that kind of mistake. I’ve started to understand the society and different cultural branches better, and to be smarter about steering clear of and protecting myself from those things I don’t understand yet. And there are at least a half-dozen people in the neighborhood where I live now, since 10 weeks ago, that I trust 100%, and who look after my well-being and safety very well.
My main challenges in the past 3 years, however, have been related to my very slow and difficult recovery from brain and spinal injuries sustained when a speeding drunk driver ran a red light while I was crossing the street. That is also the main reason why my ex-fiancé left me a few months after that (our relationship is definitely permanently in history, though I no longer hold it against him that he left me during those times, because it was almost too much for me, 50 years old at the time, to deal with, much less for a 26 year-old who was already trying to adjust to so many other things about growing up; and in any case, I had no choice, but he did, and he took it). My physical and mental and psychological recovery was harrowing in itself, but I also had to sell everything, including my piano and appliances and everything else, to pay medical bills and eat, because I lost a lot of clients while I was unconscious in the hospital, and re-building my client base was painfully slow because of my brain injuries and relentless pain.
However, I am much better now, pretty much fully recovered, and more -- in many ways better than even before the accident. And my income is also finally starting to recover, though the challenges of getting a chance to cement the opportunity for a better life is what this post is mostly about.
What’s been turned upside-down and backwards here isn’t just about exports or workers’ rights -- it also extends to domestic industries. For example, there’s a dairy conundrum and a cacao/tableya conundrum -- Philippines mainly imports both, despite an abundance of cows and some of the best cacao in the world.
Instead of even having domestic industries in those areas, Filipinos send their money to Nestle and others at prices higher even than things cost in the U.S. For example one gallon of so-called “fresh milk” (it’s not, it’s reconstituted milk powder, with vegetable oil and other junk added to stretch it out) from Nestle costs about $8 here, whereas by the logic of labor and land costs the Phils should be able to produce a gallon of milk for LESS than in the U.S., not 4-times as much. I will have to write about all this later, but there is a whole lot more to it.
$405.30 would be ideal, because that's enough for all expenses for a whole month and would give lots of extra margin for the unforeseen, and if not too much unforeseen, I could buy another piece of foam to sleep on (I had to sell the one I recently bought for less than 1/2 what I paid, so I could repay one of the sari-sari stores for food) -- and it's enough to cover everything including paying my food debts, and cover my working expenses, and enough to eat and work for a full 30 days -- that's plenty of time to recoupt even if I lose all clients and have to start all over from zero.
However, if enough help (money for computer and internet access) comes within the next 2 days, I am pretty confident that $165 will be enough, because if I can meet my next deadline and keep going to meet the next two also, I am sure enough that that is all the chance I need. I am sure enough that I have given my word of honor and sincere commitment to those who don't believe in my potential here (or in the potential of the Philippines), that if I get that much to work with in timely fashion, I have to prove that I can succeed definitively with that -- or I promise to give up most of what I have aspired to for the past 5 years, and turn my focus to returning to the United States of America.
If I don't succeed with that amount of help and that chance, I will appeal to the embassy -- my understanding is that they will sometimes pay the airfare and any past-due visa/immigration fees so that a U.S. citizen can return to the U.S. My understanding is that you have to sign a promissory note acknowledging your responsibility to repay the government, but that the state department is very accommodating in the respect that they will give you time to get re-established and develop an income in the U.S. before you have to begin to repay. If that doesn't work, maybe my older brother, my only immediate family who talks to me at all since I moved to the Philippines, would help me return to the U.S. -- right now, that is all he said he is willing to help with; he will not help with anything that involves staying in the Philippines.
I am copy-pasting below the letter I sent to about a dozen friends, former class-mates, former work-mates, and relatives. So far, no luck, not even a reply saying sorry can’t help.
SO I AM APPEALING TO MY FELLOW REDDITORS FOR ADVICE ON A WORKABLE WAY TO MAKE IT THROUGH THIS CROSS-ROADS. I AM SO CLOSE TO TOTAL RECOVERY AND LASTING SUCCESS AND SECURITY, AND THE CHANCE TO BUILD TOWARDS MORE MEANINGFUL WORK AND PROGRESS WITH MY ORIGINAL ASPIRATIONS -- $165 close if it comes within the next day or two, but the amount needed goes up with each delay, because of ongoing expenses just to survive, and a potential chain-reaction of losses if I can’t get back to work full-time every day very soon. (The “timing is a bitch” aspect of my situation is explained in itemized detail in the letter I copy-paste below.)
Here is the letter I sent to friends and family, so far without any luck:
“Hi K____ -- I admit this message and the attachment is an appeal for more help, because I'm on the brink of the greatest chance for success and stable self-sufficiency -- and also the brink of losing everything. But I know my recovery since my brain injuries and other things has been a long, long process, and I understand if people don't believe anything they can do will really help -- and I'm past-due on my part.
And you've helped generously already, which is part of why finally after 3 long years I'm finally seeing the light of day.
So, in any case, take the attached also as an update and conversation-opener.
I send as Word-doc attachment because it's too long for a FB message.
K__, please help me if you can; I am on the brink of success or total loss. All of the $50 my cousin E___ sent went to paying back my local debts for food, and my past-due debt to the net-shop for computer and internet use. Maintaining trust and goodwill in the community is the first basic to try to maintain for my well-being and future prospects.
I haven't been able to work or go online except for 20 to 60 minutes each day, depending on how many pesos Darwin an afford to lend me. I continue to be so scared of losing everything. BUT I HAVE KEPT IN TOUCH WITH MY CLIENTS, AND IF I START WORKING FULL-TIME TODAY OR TOMORROW, IT'S POSSIBLE TO SAVE EVERYTHING AND CONTINUE UNINTERRUPTED ON A PATH TO FINANCIAL SELF-SUPPORT.
I JUST GOT AN EXTENSION FROM THE CLIENT FOR WHOM I WAS PREVIOUSLY FACING A SUNDAY OCTOBER 16 DEADLINE, NOW PAST. I HAVE AN EXTENSION UNTIL FRIDAY 9:30PM MY TIME TO FINISH THE NEXT PHASE, FOR WHICH AN IMMEDIATE PAYMENT WILL BE PROCESSED UPON COMPLETION. Unfortunately, the client is not willing to give an advance, or even a partial payment for work completed, until reassured I have working conditions to continue reliably without further interruptions and delays.
I absolutely HAVE to get to work finishing that job, and another with a deadline in two days, Thursday. And tend some things with my other clients, or all is lost. I’m really close to total self-sufficiency -- and even a pretty GOOD income is realistic within months, with enough to start savings . . . but I’m facing losing it all.
$125 that I appealed for last week, was enough last Wednesday to go ahead full-time without further losses, and give a safety-margin for the unforeseen. I could have paid my debts in the community, done my work, had a safe margin for any unforeseen payment delays or work-order changes, and stayed on track non-stop after that. But as I said, the $50 E_____ sent me, that I only learned about two days later when Darwin lent me some pesos for computeinternet use at the net-shop -- was only enough to cover most of my debts to Amor for the Sawer store food credits, plus my net-shop debts and two other food-store debts, who helped me with 300-pesos (about $7)-limited credit after Amor cut off my Sawer-store credit when it reached 2000 pesos (about $50 -- note that all dollar-conversions I mention account for bank profit on the exchange rate and Paypal and Xoom international transfer fees, which makes the effective exchange rate about 40 pesos to the dollar instead of the nominal 47) after the previous week.
Actually, Amor agreed to let me make partial payment, and leave some still owing, so I could pay the net-shop in full and hopefully re-establish credit there, but so far no luck.
So I still need the other $75 to make it work once and for all, plus $64 for at least 7 additional days now (unless you can send enough right away for me to start working full-time first thing tomorrow morning , in which case only 6 additional days of delay cost) beyond what I had hoped when I wrote you, of just spending (or rather, borrowing) for survival without being able to work by Wednesday your time-zone to make all work and avoid timing delay disasters and significant consequent additional delays and possible loss of everything; after Saturday, I'm likely to lose more income, or at least have it delayed, and as I've tried to explain a few times, timing is a bitch until I have a safety net, which can lead to a chain-reaction of disabling losses.)
Please consider this one more time, K_____. Besides the $75 I was short from my original needs to secure everything, the extra 7 days wasted mere survival days cost or put me in debt an additional $63.87 (7 days x about $8-9.50 per day, minus the one day I didn't eat, plus my electric fill came due -- it also includes all other utilities and everything else that continues whether I'm able to work and earn or not). I promise that if you and/anyone else comes through in time for it to work without more wasted costs or lost jobs, this will be the last time. I give you my word that I will give up and go back to U.S. if I don’t pull it together and keep it together this time.
$138.87 is enough to be sure it will work, with some margin for the unforeseen (such as any delays due to work-order changes, illness, etc.). [Please also see note below about possible increase to $166.37 to allow resumption of vitamins and supplements to help with the one health issue of concern right now -- it's the paragraph that begins "K_____, if you'd like to help me resume those supplements right away . . . " ]
The main reason I am so far behind schedule are those that I told you about in detail before, but part of it is my fault, too, like buying that piece of foam to sleep on last week before I was 100% sure of the funds coming in from a client. And looking back I think I spent too much time socializing with my new friends and neighbours. I work most of most days, but perhaps if I worked a few more hours some days, I could have completed EARLY the job with deadline this Sunday, and been paid already, and not be in this fix.
It was bad luck that my laptop failed again, too, which happened just a couple weeks ago. But I found a very good solution to that via Rio and Banet Adiner, who are really good people, and let me connect all 4 of my hard-drives to the computer in their net-shop, and allow me to install all the software I need, etc. No other net-shop will allow any of that. But they cut off my credit 10 days ago (all paid back now from the $50 you sent) with no more internet or computer until I can give a definite repayment date.
I have one job that is mostly complete and will pay on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday if I meet the final benchmarks -- this was originally written several days ago, but I couldn't borrow enough to finish writing and send it to you then, and it's too late for this now -- HOWEVER, as I explained above, I have since got an extension and IT'S STILL POSSIBLE TO SAVE EVERYTHING; I have several other ongoing jobs with expedited payments for one coming in the following Saturday, another delayed-type payment (one week refund period agreed between us if they approve all of the work and set aside payment in Escrow through Upwork; payment is currently scheduled next week, but if my client or their client evaluate later or realize need for additions or revisions, or don't get the expected results or progress towards results for their projects or businesses, etc. -- but I will lose those clients too, in addition to all I lost in recent 2 weeks due to timing, which is a bitch when broke for too long -- if I don't start updating them and completing the next stage of reports, analysis and other early or mid-job benchmarks.
My situation now: I have no funds at all until I get paid this Saturday, Sunday or Monday, IF I get paid -- but I have to finish all the rest of the job BY FRIDAY MY TIME, WHICH IS THE BEST EXTENSION I COULD GET, to get paid. But I have nothing to pay the net-shop fees with. I can only write you this letter by borrowing a few pesos from Darwin, but that has to be very limited. I have no money for food either, and Darwin’s family, the Sawers have been giving me limited credit at their store, but that is cut off when it reaches too high, so delays have resulted in not eating for a day or more sometimes (some people fast for a day on purpose, so it's usually okay).
I mentioned before, above, that Banet and Rio cut off my credit for computer and internet usage, and though now paid back from the $50 you sent, they won't resume any credit because I haven't been able to give a definite payback date yet, until I get the help I need to make a solid and secure plan.
As you may recall from a different letter, my laptop busted again about 3 weeks ago, that's one, among several, reasons that I didn't meet promised goal of independence after more than 31,758 Philippine pesos (about $665 -- since I moved to Kawit Oriental (so-called Bliss Kawit by people in the area, but that's not the real name, just area people's nick-name).
I bought unlimited internet load for 30 days (no strict limit, but a slow-down if you exceed 800 GB in one day, far more than I need for my work or even my leisure time online, because while I need to download and upload large files and programs, I'm don't need to watch videos or movies or other heavy bandwidth things. I found a deal that few people, none I know, seem to know about -- it's perhaps an oversight of the provider, a hang-over from a Blackberry promo that you can make work for any device, where you can get that for only 20-pesos per day, about 50-cents -- much cheaper and more convenient than working at a net-shop, which typically costs 12 pesos per HOUR, about 30-cents, so my daily bill is usually about 120-pesos or more, $3.00, six times as much as working at home. However, since my laptop failed, I cannot use that load, so I gave it to Darwin and his fiance Shelly-Mae, a small gift after all they've done and continue to do for me.
I absolutely HAVE to get to work finishing a job with Sunday deadline, and tend some things with my other clients, or all is lost. I’m really close to total self-sufficiency, and even a pretty GOOD income, with enough for savings, is realistic within months, but I’m facing losing it all.
I am very well now, got my medication for 6-weeks-plus (I've been tapering the dose down, with successful results so far -- I had been taking 90-110mg, nine to eleven 10mg tablets, per day, and have in mind to titrate the dosage down to 6 tablets per day, a single 10mg tablet every 4 hours, which also corresponds to baclofen's plasma half-life) thanks to E__, best glasses I've had in 10 years thanks to A__ and Dr. Monesit,
I also have prospects later, after I continue stable income and build savings, for my original purpose here, which is to continue Ramon Magsaysay's work of 60+ years ago.
(Magsaysay is a former president of the Philippines from the 1950s, after the U.S.A. returned Philippines independence after King Philip of Spain -- and mainly the Catholic Church via the corrupt and exploitative friars they sent [written about with great ironic humor and eloquence by Jose Rizal] -- exploited and undermined, and ultimately weakened and corrupted, the lumad culture (analogous to the native-American culture in the U.S.A., followed by multi-century exploitation by "mestizo," (Phil's name for Spanish-Filipino, Chinese-Filipino, Japanese-Filipino, and other mixed-nationality residents and citizens, whose families have mainly controlled and exploited the Phils since the Spanish invasion 1500 years ago) overlords.
"Mestizo" is ostensibly a racist term in some ways, often equated here with "mixed-race." But it is not really genetics; the corruption and exploitation common among the mestizo is a cultural phenomenon at root. Multiculturalism is good in the sense of understanding other cultures, finding synergies between cultures, learning and enjoying varieties and novel things, and learning from the best in other cultures that may apply to one's own life or that a nation may beneficially adopt into their own culture. But I don't agree with the idea of "respecting all cultures." Some aspects of some cultures are not only unworthy of respect, but are in fact just plain wrong and harmful -- some virtually entire cultures are bad and deserve opposition and change, not respect.
It's not just citizen or resident mestizo, but also outsiders, including multi-national corporations, that exploit the natural resources and industries of the Philippines, often appropriating resources from ordinary Filipinos, in concert with corrupt government officials who are in it for the bribes, and the NPA (New People's Army, a paramilitary group) who they pay, with corrupt government blessing, to terrorize and steal from and even murder anybody who stands in the way of their exploitation.
Nor should an individual be judged by the culture they live in or come from, but rather by what aspects of that culture they exemplify. There are certainly many individual mestizo who are exemplary in good ways -- Don Ildefonso Tan Bunting, the son of a Chinese immigrant from Fujian, China, from about 100 years ago, was one of the first I learned about in many interesting ways. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tambunting_Pawnshop
Getting back to my original purpose here (and continued aspiration), it's mainly, like Magsaysay and written about eloquently by Rizal, to develop opportunities here in the Phils for ordinary and exceptional people to have a good life and future here in the country, and contribute to the further development of the country -- vs. the current government (or "occupying government") policies before Magsaysay, and since Marcos following Magsaysay of exporting whole PEOPLE instead of products or services or talents or arts and crafts, or native resources.
During Magsaysay's tenure, the Philippines was #1 in all of southeast Asia in overall economy, income per capita, GNP per land-area, quality of living, farmers' and other workers' rights, justice for the indigenous lumad, including lumad ancestral land-claims, AND overall exports, including textiles, tires, electrical equipment, minerals, rice, and much more!
Much better quality of life and opportunity, respect for lumad culture, and for overall justice than even South Korea.
Now even Thailand and Indonesia, among others, best the Philippines by far -- and South Korea dwarfs the Philippines by all the measures that Magsaysay had begun to build up. Many people in the U.S. are familiar with popular South Korean exports such as Samsung, LG, Daewoo, Kia, Hyundai, Korea Express, etc.
Many people don't realize that many pricey beauty products, such as Polatam Water Gel Extra Force Brightening Mask, Blithe Green Tea Splash Mask ($45 for a small bottle!), Kicho Ultra Moisturizing Sun Cream ($36!), Aruel Wheat and Celery Juice Cleanse Mask, Aromatica Natural Coconut Cleansing Oil ($45), Herbolle Rosemary Cream Body Wash ($32), Shangpree Gold Back Pearl Hydrogel Eye Mask ($60), Caolion Pore Cleansing Blackhead O2 Bubble Pack ($26), Neogen Bio Peel Gauze Peeling Wine ($27), Cosrx Acne Pimple Master Patch (5), also come from Korea. -- http://fashionista.com/2016/08/most-popular-korean-beauty-products#&gid=ci01f3b9362000272b&pid=blithe-tundrajpg
Not to mention K-pop, Hello-Kitty, even K-dramas (soap-opera type shows) etc. "Barack Obama cited "Gangnam Style" as an example of how people around the world are being "swept up by Korean culture – the Korean Wave."[119] In August 2013, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry also affirmed that the Korean Wave "spreads Korean culture to countries near and far."" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_Wave#United_States
In fact, "in 2014 South Korea exported $583B, making it the 5th largest exporter in the world. During the last five years the exports of South Korea have increased at an annualized rate of 9.5%, from $370B in 2009 to $583B in 2014. The most recent exports are led by Integrated Circuits which represent 10.2% of the total exports of South Korea, followed by Refined Petroleum, which account for 8.04%." http://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/profile/country/ko
Were it not for the cultural tragedies wrought by the friars and others since the Spanish invasion, this could have been the Philippines we're talking about. (There isn't even any general awareness of Philippines cuisine in the western work, much less industrial or other potentials.)
Right here in Kauswagan, there are many woods and wood-products highly desirable in the U.S. and other western countries. Even mahogany, common in U.S. -- Phil's mahogany is is different and interesting. Also textiles, , cacao, indigenous seafoods, complete culinary preparations, even pre-packaged Chicharron Mang-Juan, an unusually delicious, cheap and healthy snack chip made mainly of green peas; and I've found there are a lot of skilled machinists and fabricators here and in Cagayan de Oro.
My plan to get started when I moved here four years ago in August 2012, was to start with some textile handicrafts that aren't available in the U.S., but market-tested very well in Chicago, and at the prices people would be happy to pay, there is plenty of margin to pay for shipping and tariffs and for all to make a good living and profit -- the workers in the Philippines, me and the other managers, the wholesalers and retailers in the U.S., etc. And I found several good sources that would be happy to work with us, in Paranaque, Quezon, Bicol, and Bukidnon, among other places. Unfortunately, the legacy of the friars 400 years ago and others since doomed that plan when it turned out my Filipino business partner was never sincere about doing anything constructive in the Philippines, and regarded his fellow Filipinos as people to use and exploit, and diverted the resources into gambling and kicked me out when I didn't agree to invest in that. (Similar happened when I moved to Butuan to work for the Kultural Revival Network (KR)to develop my goals in another way, by establishing programs to train people in international entrepreneurial skills so they could stay with their communities and families and market their products and talents to the world, instead of thinking their only future was to work abroad. After I got support from Congressman JoBoy Aquino and ABS-CBN television network and San Miguel Corporation, and worked out cooperative arrangements with the cities of Butuan and Tagum, and even wrote a winning script that qualified us to compete in a prestigious cultural festival in Singapore, the leader of KR disappeared with all the money, and nothing ever got done, and of course I never got paid for my work.)
Add dairy conundrum and the cacao/tableya conundrum -- Philippines mainly imports both, despite an abundance of cows and some of the best cacao in the world. But instead of even having domestic industries in those areas, they send all their money to Nestle and others at prices higher than things cost even in the U.S. I will have to write about all this later, but there is a whole lot more to it.
I have good health -- better than before the accident 3 years ago, a place to live, good jobs for the 5-weeks-plus, with client payments more than probable if I have computer access and internet access. And if I have those things, I can get more.
Continued in the Comments, headed "American at Cross-Roads in the Philippines, Part 2 of 3, continued from main post text" because the whole text was too long to fit here . . .

• Teejay