Lack b of vitamins

Got my final grade for a class that's been a pain in my ass and apparently I got a B+. Not a terrible grade my any means, but on Canvas I had a 93%, so I was very confused about why I was given a B+ instead. I emailed the professor, asking if it was a mistake, and apparently my participation grade made it a B+, which is fair, I guess. The thing that annoys me is that the participation grade wasn't shown on canvas, and I really wish it had been so that I could've known if I needed to participate more in class. I was quite uncertian about whether or not I was doing enough. I did feel like I was putting a LOT of effort into the class, so I thought I was doing well, and to find out that my final grade was a B+ is mildly annoying. Again, I know that's a great grade still, and I probably shouldn't be this annoyed over it, but aghhhh. I hate when there's a lack of grade transparency. Now that I know why the grades aren't the same, I'll just let it go now, but man am I salty.

I've had BB since about 6/7 years ago. My symptoms are a lot of saliva, very bad taste on my mouth and BB. This is specially triggered when I dont eat anything for 1/2 hours and on. The BB is only noticeable from a short distance, and I can smell it cause my saliva smells.
Over this time I've visited probably a dozen of doctors. Gastroenterologist, stomatologist, dentists, otolaryngologist and so on.
Gastroenterologist: First I was diagnosed with hiatus hernia from an endoscopy, later on, discarded by another one done by a better doctor. During this second time I had some bile in the stomach and mild gastroenteritis. I've taken all kind of omeprazoles with no effect, except one (not sure which one it was) that kind of change the taste I felt for some time.
Stomatologist: was given an oral antibiotics with not much explanation, which I took for some time and then stopped. I was unsure how to take it, or for how long since the doctor was not very explainatory. Again, nothing changed.
Dentist: My oral hygiene was not so good when I was younger, but of course over the last year it has become better, flossing every day, visiting a very good dentist very often. Used to have a very bad one. Had three root canals done and one crown. One other symptom is that I need a clean done very often, since bacteria accumulate regardless of the hygiene. Also over time I had to learn how to take care properly. This involves using a very soft brush, floss, waterpick, etc.
Otolaryngologist: Checked on me and sent me to visit one of these "integrative doctors" (dont know the proper term) but they usually cover many aspects, not just a speciality.
This last doctor ran a lot of blood tests and suggested a SIBO test (hydrogen and methane). I didn't follow the rules prior to the test (a mistake) but since the appointments were very difficult to get, I took it anyway. I got positive for methane SIBO and a constant but high hydrogen level. I took the treatment which involved antibiotics and a very stringent diet (plus a bunch of vitamins and other things). First day into the diet and symptoms got a lot worse since the lack of food (wheat derived, specially) was making me feel "unfull" and that's usually what triggers it. Three or four days into the treatment and the BB was gone entirely. I still had the excess saliva, and the bad taste just a little bit. But at least I could last 4/5 hours without eating and feeling this horrendous taste on my mouth. The change was amazing. I already finished the treatment one week ago and its been almost one entire month without BB. I assume the excess saliva is from a different source and it was probably making things worse. Of course I'll keep an eye on things since I know SIBO can make a comeback easily. I'll also keep some things I've learn from the diet. Super low sugar and try to avoid wheat (if anything, sourdough). Also get rid of sugary snacks like oreo and stuff.
I know my symptoms are different of what people usually describe here but hopefully it could help someone.

SS 18 invited me to graduation around December. Called his Dad last week to "uninvite" me. We already purchased plane tickets to travel to his state, which ss knew.
Apparently I'm supposed to go and sit in the hotel during the ceremony or something. I feel like that's demeaning.
This ss is super manipulative, entitled, and parentified (makes choices regarding parent's finances, which of their vehicles (surprise , he chose his older brother's car because it was preferable to the other free car option), expensive private school for him, not the older brother, tells not asks what he's going to do regularly since 12 at least), and always used to getting his way. Period. He is very used to trying power plays almost anytime he can, even in rearranging our furniture , or kitchen in his summer visits to how he prefers (how mom has hers).
His dad says he knows he's trying to pit us against each other but still will never use boundaries and just gives in. Every time. I say he's trying to make his dad choose between us, and he needs to not let him. It feels like he's going to allow him to step between us and create separation just at a whim whenever and I don't choose to let a kid have that control over my life, relationship. Seems like a good way to never know where I stand, and like our relationship is subject to have plans change not by what the two of us choose, but by the intervention of his kids (both adults now) by way of his lack of boundaries.
I feel like he will never have my back or stand up for me. Or as my counselor said when I talked to her "he has no allegiance with you". Basically, that I need to leave, stand up for myself.
Am looking for other people's input here please.
Would you:
A go on the trip, but not go to ceremony
B. Go to ceremony, as previously invited directly
C. Go to it, but dress like Cruella DeVille or Peggy Bundy or something else ridiculous. (dad's joke suggestion, not mine. He said he's going to wear patched overalls.)
D. Not go at all
E. Walk away altogether. Find someone who honors you also and doesn't treat you as if you're irrelevant. Or
F. It all. Being single is the only way to have peace.

2020 was to me kinda a fan album like Burning Bridges (top 10 album though), so This House Is Not For Sale is gonna be my ground zero here.
Limitless was the new Rollercoaster, which is one of my favorite post Richie songs. Living Proof is just as good to me (minus the lack of solo) as It's My Life, HAND, and pretty much is like a super cut version of The Circle, which is among my favorite albums. There's a sense of direction with this song, and so far overall the album. I'm not necessarily excited for Kiss the Bride, but if it's overall as fun as I Got The Girl, then we shall be fine.
Bon Jovi to me is an S tier band, who has been putting out less than S tier music for a while now, post What About Now, although that's like a C tier album. THINFS had its moments where I said "THIS is Bon Jovi" but mostly not.
I think this album, if we get more tracks like Limitless and Living Proof, then I see us getting a solid B tier album, at the very least!

How could I make myself qualified for engineering as an international student?
How could I make myself a qualified engineer without being well prepared?
I’m not sure if this is the best tag, but I’m genuinely curious about how could I make myself more confident with engineering work.
My bg is that I’m international student from China and my whole family support my study in us. Currently I’m a sophomore studying in UWMadison and majoring in CompE and DS. I have a GPA of 3.7, and I was trying to transfer to a higher rank uni.
I had a bad start because I started studying STEM in high school and my bg was not as good as my peers. I was lucky enough to land an IT internship this summer but was rejected almost every school I applied for transfer (Umich etc and I don’t feel like I’m good enough to get into USC and UTAustin).
So my experience in college is that I feel it’s hard to study engineering and I’m almost paying all my energy into studying to just barely have a 3.7. I did have a few Bs and BCs and the only thing I did in college is work as a technician in school department. I took a few IT related certifications and the only advantage I have is probably over 90 credits now…
I’m wondering if anyone could give me some advice abt how to improve myself cause my goal is to stay here and get a job. I’m not waiting for a 100k job, I just want to support me and my family and have a better life. However I feel exhausted studying and working in college; I don’t have trouble forcing myself work or study but I feel I’m lacking of energy and the only thing that supports me is the far-away dream of having a good paying job.
To be more specific I don’t know how to start. I don’t know the competitions my friends engaged in high school, and I don’t know the stuff that my friends already learnt before attending college. The first year here is still a nightmare for me that I slept only 3-4 hours per day to catch up. I self-studied AP physics but realized that after began to studying for engineering classes I had 0 advantages both in language aspects and studying aspects. Also I met a few bad teammates which brought me those B/BC in my grade…
I feel like I’m too late to learn engineering and I am afraid I’m not eligible for being a successful engineer in the future. How could I compete with others in the job market with such late start and 0 connections? I even don’t know how to make connections. This made me have very bad depression and anxiety and I began to take high dose medication. With medication I’m able to act normally but I feel like I’m just different from normal people. I’m also worried that since I don’t have much experiences and money, I have 0 chances to start over. I love studying engineering but I never feel like I should enter this field.
Pls help me, I’m open to all suggestions. I don’t want to give up. Thanks for all the suggestions in advance.

Male. Mid-30s.
Recent blood tests (taken fasted):
2022 (end of year)

• Hb: 132 g/L
• EVF: 0.40
• Erythrocytes: 4.5 10^12/L
• MCV: 89 fL
• Erc(B)-MCH: 29 pg
• Leukocytes: 7.5 10^9/L
• Platelets: 266 10^9/L
• Triglycerides: 0.81 mmol/L
• HbA1c (IFCC): 34 mmol/mol
• Ferritin: 143 μg/l
• Transferrin: 1.7 g/L
• Iron: 14 μmol/L
• TIBC: 41 μmol/L
• Transferrin saturation: 0.33

Notes: Doc highlighted that my Hb, Transferrin and TIBC values are low. No indication as to why.
2023 (end of year)

• Hb: 132 g/L
• EVF: 0.40
• Erythrocytes: 4.5 10^12/L
• Erc(B)-MCV: 88 fL
• Erc(B)-MCH: 29 pg
• Leukocytes: 6.3 10^9/L
• Platelets: 247 10^9/L
• Triglycerides: 0.88 mmol/L
• HbA1c (IFCC): 33 mmol/mol
• Ferritin: 196 μg/L
• Transferrin: 2.1 g/L
• Iron: 16 μmol/L
• TIBC: 52 μmol/L
• Transferrin saturation: 0.30

Doc highlighted that only my Hb is low. No indication as to why.
I don't know if my Hb has always been low.
I take vitamin D, fish oil and b12 supplements. Slight improvement in lifestyle from 2022-2023 in terms of food and movement. But still too much work, and bad quality of sleep.
Thoughts on the low Hb?

https://imgur.com/gallery/three-18k-pilot-elite-fountain-pens-oNTgqPz
For sale are three Pilot pocket pens that have similarities in their size and gold content, but little else. I believe all three pens are from the mid-1970s, and each one has design features that Pilot eliminated in their current E95s pocket pen offerings. Each pen takes contemporary Pilot and compatible cartridges, in addition to the Con-20/40 converters. All pens have been flushed and work perfectly. All sub rules apply, please comment before DMing. Prices include CONUS/Hawaii shipping, international shipping extra and to be discussed. Thanks for looking.
First up is a crosshatched capped Pilot Elite with an 18k nib. The body cap has the name 鎌田（かまた, Kamata) lightly etched into it, adjacent to the body cap dating PJ12 (April 12, 1970). The fingernail (?) nib, dated H176 (January 1976), writes a typically smooth Pilot line, with a slightly perceptible bounce. It’s slightly wet, but that might be due to the mixture of inks currently in the cartridge. The clip functions as it should, and the pen opens and closes smoothly and securely. The crosshatched pattern is doing an excellent job of protecting the top cap from scratches, but the section and back cap have slightly better than normal wear for a pen that is 48 year old pen. C- rating for the engraving. $125 CONUS insured/shipped.
Next is an 18k white section/back cap, gold colored, metal capped Pilot Elite. The nib lacks a visible date code, and writes with a smooth, wet Pilot line. The fingernail style nib is slightly rounder than the Crosshatched Elte, and has a small, half-moon breather hole above the start of the section. The 18k nib matches the cap and lock nut in color, which contrast nicely with the white section and back cap. The back cap has the 18k ID and the ML17 code is crisply rendered, and the cap has a nice gold accent scroll encircling it before the opening. The fully functioning clip has the curved sloping design not in use now, and gives this pen a nice Showa vibe. This pen shows little sign of use, as both caps and section are very clear without any dings,visible rubbings or scratches. I’d rate this a conservative, B rating, taking into account that it’s vintage. Why did Pilot stop giving alternatives to the Elite? $85 CONUS insured/shipped.
Lastly we have a black with gold accent 18k nib pen. The pen features a wet gold-colored 18k nib that is more streamlined than the rounder white Elite, and it lacks the crescent breather hole of the Crosshatch Elite. The top cap has a sloping finial, and the bottom band has a downward pointing concave motif introduced after 1974. The 18k logo is clear as is the body cap etching reading OC11. The pen opens and closes securely, and the clip is in excellent shape, functioning as designed. The nib writes wet and smoothly, and the lineweight is typical for a Japanese nib. This pen is in very nice shape, and I’d rate it a conservative B-. It’s hard to see the wear here on this 50 year old pen. $85 CONUS insured/shipped.
Thanks for looking. Please ask questions!

"‘Aħna Pożittivi’: Checkpoint Malta Transform Ikoniku Sinjal L-IMĦABBA Għall-Kampanja ta’ Għarfien dwar l-HIV Flimkien Ma’ Artisti Lokali
It-tabella emblematika tal-IMĦABBA ta’ San Ġiljan se tkun imgeżwer f’kaxxi tal-kits tal-awtotest tal-HIV b’tifkira tal-Ġimgħa Ewropea tal-Ittestjar, bħala parti minn inizjattiva mwaqqfa minn għadd ta’ organizzazzjonijiet lokali.
Checkpoint Malta u l-artista lokali Emma Grima ħolqu l-installazzjoni u ħadu fuq il-midja soċjali biex jaqsmu l-proċess kumpless.
“Malta għandha waħda mill-ogħla rati Ewropej ta’ HIV u STIs, parzjalment minħabba stigma jew nuqqas ta’ informazzjoni dwar is-suġġett. L-installazzjoni interattiva se tinkludi informazzjoni dwar l-importanza tal-ittestjar tal-HIV u kif u fejn isir it-test,” kiteb il-Moviment Graffitti fuq il-midja soċjali.
""Billi n-normalizzazzjoni u ż-żieda fl-użu tal-ittestjar tal-HIV u l-iskrinjar tas-saħħa sesswali, it-trażmissjoni ġenerali tal-STI tista 'titnaqqas u l-mard jista' jiġi skopert kmieni, u twitti t-triq għal trattament effettiv.""
Il-kontributuri ewlenin ikkollaboraw ma’ diversi organizzazzjonijiet għall-kampanja, fosthom Moviment Graffitti, MGRM, HIV Malta, LGBTI+ Gozo, u Sexual Health Malta. Jibda llum u se jkompli sal-25 ta’ Mejju, u jservi ta’ tfakkira viżwali tal-importanza tal-ittestjar tal-HIV permezz tal-informazzjoni pprovduta fuq l-installazzjoni interattiva.
Minn din is-sena, Checkpoint beda joffri b’xejn sessjonijiet ta’ ttestjar tal-HIV immexxija mill-komunità kull xahar fil-Belt Valletta u Għawdex, kif ukoll sessjonijiet ta’ kull xahrejn f’Raħal Ġdid. Il-punti ta’ ttestjar ġew organizzati b’kollaborazzjoni ma’ xi aġenziji tal-istat, bħal HIV Malta, LGBTI+ Gozo u d-Direttorat tad-Drittijiet tal-Bniedem, fost oħrajn.
L-entitajiet involuti qed jagħtu wkoll kits tat-test tal-HIV b’xejn lill-pubbliku bħala parti mill-kampanja.
Se tkun qed iżżur l-installazzjoni?
AQRA LI JMISS: 5 Raġunijiet Biex Issaħħaħ il-Marka Tiegħek Ma' Lovin Malta
https://lovinmalta.com/lifestyle/health/sexual-health/we-are-positive-moviment-graffiti-transform-iconic-love-sign-for-hiv-awareness-campaign/
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Ċaħda ta' responsabbiltà: Dan is-sit huwa għal skopijiet informattivi biss u m'għandux jitqies parir legali [saħħa, taxxa, professjoni]. Aħna m'aħniex responsabbli għal kwalunkwe telf, ħsarat, jew obbligazzjonijiet li jistgħu jinqalgħu mill-użu ta 'dan il-blog. Dan il-blog mhux maħsub biex jissostitwixxi parir mediku professjonali. Il-fehmiet espressi f'dan il-blog jistgħu ma jkunux dawk tal-host jew tal-maniġment.
https://www.reddit.com/SinoMaltaNews
"
"「我們是積極的」：馬耳他檢查站與當地藝術家一起改造標誌性的「愛」標誌，以進行愛滋病毒宣傳活動
聖朱利安標誌性的「LOVE」標誌將被包裝在愛滋病毒自檢套件盒中，以紀念歐洲檢測週，這是許多當地組織發起的一項倡議的一部分。
馬耳他檢查站和當地藝術家艾瑪·格里瑪創作了這個裝置，並在社交媒體上分享了這個複雜的過程。
「馬耳他是歐洲愛滋病毒和性傳染感染發生率最高的國家之一，部分原因是恥辱或缺乏相關資訊。互動裝置將包括有關愛滋病毒檢測的重要性以及如何以及在哪裡進行檢測的信息，」Moviment Graffitti 在社交媒體上寫道。
“透過規範和增加愛滋病毒檢測和性健康篩檢的使用，可以減少性傳播感染的整體傳播，並可以及早發現疾病，為有效治療鋪平道路。”
活動的主要貢獻者與多個組織合作，包括 Moviment Graffitti、MGRM、HIV Malta、LGBTI+ Gozo 和 Sexual Health Malta。該活動從今天開始一直持續到 5 月 25 日，透過互動裝置上提供的資訊以視覺方式提醒人們愛滋病毒檢測的重要性。
從今年起，Checkpoint 開始在瓦萊塔和戈佐島提供由社區主導的免費愛滋病毒每月檢測課程，並在保拉提供每兩個月一次的檢測課程。這些測試檢查站是與一些國家機構合作組織的，例如馬耳他愛滋病毒、LGBTI+戈佐島和人權理事會等。
作為活動的一部分，相關實體也向公眾免費贈送愛滋病毒檢測試劑盒。
您會參觀安裝嗎？
閱讀下一篇：透過 Lovin Malta 提升品牌形象的 5 個理由
https://lovinmalta.com/lifestyle/health/ Sex-health/we-are-positive-moviment-graffitti-transform-iconic-love-sign-for-hiv-awareness-campaign/
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今天的亞馬遜優惠（聯盟會員），您購買實惠商品的一站式目的地，非常適合家居裝飾、電子產品、寵物用品、運動和玩具選擇。 - https://amzn.to/3FeoGyg
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https://www.reddit.com/SinoMaltaNews
"
"‘We Are Positive’: Checkpoint Malta Transform Iconic LOVE Sign For HIV Awareness Campaign Along With Local Artist
The St. Julian’s iconic LOVE sign will be wrapped in HIV self-test kit boxes in commemoration of European Testing Week, as part of an initiative set up by a number of local organisations.
Checkpoint Malta and local artist Emma Grima created the installation and took to social media to share the intricate process.
“Malta has one of Europe’s highest rates of HIV and STIs, partly due to stigma or lack of information on the subject. The interactive installation will include information on the importance of HIV testing and how and where to get tested,” Moviment Graffitti wrote on social media.
“By normalising and increasing the use of HIV testing and sexual health screening, overall STI transmission can be reduced and diseases can be detected early, paving the way for effective treatment.”
The lead contributors collaborated with several organisations for the campaign, including Moviment Graffitti, MGRM, HIV Malta, LGBTI+ Gozo, and Sexual Health Malta. It starts today and will continue until 25th May, serving as a visual reminder of the importance of HIV testing through the information provided on the interactive installation.
As of this year, Checkpoint started offering free community-led HIV monthly testing sessions in Valletta and Gozo, as well as bi-monthly sessions in Paola. The testing checkpoints were organised in collaboration with some state agencies, such as HIV Malta, LGBTI+ Gozo and the Human Rights Directorate, amongst others.
The entities involved are also giving out free HIV test kits to the public as part of the campaign.
Will you be visiting the installation?
READ NEXT: 5 Reasons To Boost Your Brand With Lovin Malta
https://lovinmalta.com/lifestyle/health/sexual-health/we-are-positive-moviment-graffitti-transform-iconic-love-sign-for-hiv-awareness-campaign/
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Today's Amazon Deals (Affiliate), Your one-stop destination for affordable items, perfect for home decor, electronic, pet supplies, sports and toy selections. - https://amzn.to/3FeoGyg
Disclaimer: This site is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal [health, tax, profession] advice. We are not responsible for any losses, damages, or liabilities that may arise from the use of this blog. This blog is not intended to replace professional medical advice. The views expressed in this blog may not be those of the host or the management.
https://www.reddit.com/SinoMaltaNews
"
"'हम सकारात्मक हैं': चेकप्वाइंट माल्टा ने स्थानीय कलाकारों के साथ एचआईवी जागरूकता अभियान के लिए प्रतिष्ठित प्रेम चिन्ह को रूपांतरित किया
कई स्थानीय संगठनों द्वारा स्थापित एक पहल के हिस्से के रूप में, यूरोपीय परीक्षण सप्ताह की स्मृति में सेंट जूलियन के प्रतिष्ठित प्रेम चिह्न को एचआईवी स्व-परीक्षण किट बक्से में लपेटा जाएगा।
चेकपॉइंट माल्टा और स्थानीय कलाकार एम्मा ग्रिमा ने इंस्टॉलेशन बनाया और जटिल प्रक्रिया को साझा करने के लिए सोशल मीडिया का सहारा लिया।
“माल्टा में यूरोप में एचआईवी और एसटीआई की दर सबसे अधिक है, जो आंशिक रूप से कलंक या विषय पर जानकारी की कमी के कारण है। इंटरैक्टिव इंस्टॉलेशन में एचआईवी परीक्षण के महत्व और परीक्षण कैसे और कहां किया जाए, इसकी जानकारी शामिल होगी, ”मोविमेंट ग्रैफिटी ने सोशल मीडिया पर लिखा।
""एचआईवी परीक्षण और यौन स्वास्थ्य जांच के उपयोग को सामान्य बनाने और बढ़ाने से, समग्र एसटीआई संचरण को कम किया जा सकता है और बीमारियों का शीघ्र पता लगाया जा सकता है, जिससे प्रभावी उपचार का मार्ग प्रशस्त होता है।""
प्रमुख योगदानकर्ताओं ने अभियान के लिए कई संगठनों के साथ सहयोग किया, जिनमें मोविमेंट ग्रैफ़िटी, एमजीआरएम, एचआईवी माल्टा, एलजीबीटीआई+ गोज़ो और यौन स्वास्थ्य माल्टा शामिल हैं। यह आज से शुरू हो रहा है और 25 मई तक जारी रहेगा, जो इंटरैक्टिव इंस्टॉलेशन पर दी गई जानकारी के माध्यम से एचआईवी परीक्षण के महत्व के दृश्य अनुस्मारक के रूप में कार्य करेगा।
इस वर्ष से, चेकपॉइंट ने वेलेटा और गोज़ो में मुफ्त समुदाय-आधारित एचआईवी मासिक परीक्षण सत्र, साथ ही पाओला में द्वि-मासिक सत्र की पेशकश शुरू कर दी है। परीक्षण चौकियों का आयोजन कुछ राज्य एजेंसियों, जैसे एचआईवी माल्टा, एलजीबीटीआई+ गोज़ो और मानवाधिकार निदेशालय आदि के सहयोग से किया गया था।
इसमें शामिल संस्थाएं अभियान के हिस्से के रूप में जनता को मुफ्त एचआईवी परीक्षण किट भी दे रही हैं।
क्या आप इंस्टालेशन का दौरा करेंगे?
आगे पढ़ें: लविन माल्टा के साथ अपने ब्रांड को बढ़ावा देने के 5 कारण
https://lovinmalta.com/lifestyle/health/sexual-health/we-are-positive-moviment-graffitti-transform-iconic-love-sign-for-hiv-awareness-campaign/
—
आज की अमेज़ॅन डील (संबद्ध), किफायती वस्तुओं के लिए आपका वन-स्टॉप गंतव्य, घर की सजावट, इलेक्ट्रॉनिक, पालतू जानवरों की आपूर्ति, खेल और खिलौनों के चयन के लिए बिल्कुल सही। - https://amzn.to/3FeoGyg
अस्वीकरण: यह साइट केवल सूचनात्मक उद्देश्यों के लिए है और इसे कानूनी [स्वास्थ्य, कर, पेशा] सलाह नहीं माना जाना चाहिए। हम इस ब्लॉग के उपयोग से होने वाले किसी भी नुकसान, क्षति या देनदारियों के लिए जिम्मेदार नहीं हैं। इस ब्लॉग का उद्देश्य पेशेवर चिकित्सा सलाह को प्रतिस्थापित करना नहीं है। इस ब्लॉग में व्यक्त विचार मेज़बान या प्रबंधन के नहीं हो सकते हैं।
https://www.reddit.com/SinoMaltaNews
"
"“Somos positivos”: Checkpoint Malta transforma el icónico cartel de AMOR para una campaña de concientización sobre el VIH junto con un artista local
El icónico cartel LOVE de San Julián estará envuelto en cajas de kits de autodiagnóstico del VIH en conmemoración de la Semana Europea de las Pruebas, como parte de una iniciativa creada por varias organizaciones locales.
Checkpoint Malta y la artista local Emma Grima crearon la instalación y recurrieron a las redes sociales para compartir el complejo proceso.
“Malta tiene una de las tasas de VIH e ITS más altas de Europa, en parte debido al estigma o la falta de información sobre el tema. La instalación interactiva incluirá información sobre la importancia de la prueba del VIH y cómo y dónde hacerse la prueba”, escribió Moviment Graffitti en las redes sociales.
""Al normalizar y aumentar el uso de las pruebas del VIH y de la salud sexual, se puede reducir la transmisión general de ITS y detectar las enfermedades tempranamente, allanando el camino para un tratamiento eficaz"".
Los contribuyentes principales colaboraron con varias organizaciones para la campaña, incluidas Moviment Graffitti, MGRM, VIH Malta, LGBTI+ Gozo y Sexual Health Malta. Comienza hoy y continuará hasta el 25 de mayo, sirviendo como un recordatorio visual de la importancia de las pruebas del VIH a través de la información proporcionada en la instalación interactiva.
A partir de este año, Checkpoint comenzó a ofrecer sesiones mensuales gratuitas de pruebas de VIH dirigidas por la comunidad en La Valeta y Gozo, así como sesiones bimensuales en Paola. Los puntos de control de pruebas se organizaron en colaboración con algunas agencias estatales, como VIH Malta, LGBTI+ Gozo y la Dirección de Derechos Humanos, entre otras.
Las entidades involucradas también están entregando al público kits de prueba de VIH gratuitos como parte de la campaña.
¿Visitarás la instalación?
LEA A CONTINUACIÓN: 5 razones para impulsar su marca con Lovin Malta
https://lovinmalta.com/lifestyle/health/sexual-health/we-are-positive-moviment-graffitti-transform-iconic-love-sign-for-hiv-awareness-campaign/
—
Ofertas de Amazon de hoy (afiliado), su destino único para artículos asequibles, perfectos para decoración del hogar, electrónica, artículos para mascotas, deportes y selecciones de juguetes. - https://amzn.to/3FeoGyg
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https://www.reddit.com/SinoMaltaNews
"
"« Nous sommes positifs » : Checkpoint Malta transforme le panneau LOVE emblématique pour une campagne de sensibilisation au VIH avec un artiste local
Le signe emblématique LOVE de Saint-Julien sera emballé dans des boîtes de kits d’autotest du VIH en commémoration de la Semaine européenne du dépistage, dans le cadre d’une initiative mise en place par un certain nombre d’organisations locales.
Checkpoint Malta et l'artiste locale Emma Grima ont créé l'installation et ont partagé le processus complexe sur les réseaux sociaux.
« Malte a l’un des taux de VIH et d’IST les plus élevés d’Europe, en partie à cause de la stigmatisation ou du manque d’informations sur le sujet. L'installation interactive comprendra des informations sur l'importance du dépistage du VIH et comment et où se faire tester », a écrit Moviment Graffitti sur les réseaux sociaux.
« En normalisant et en augmentant le recours au dépistage du VIH et au dépistage de santé sexuelle, la transmission globale des IST peut être réduite et les maladies peuvent être détectées précocement, ouvrant ainsi la voie à un traitement efficace. »
Les principaux contributeurs ont collaboré avec plusieurs organisations pour la campagne, notamment Moviment Graffitti, MGRM, HIV Malta, LGBTI+ Gozo et Sexual Health Malta. Il commence aujourd'hui et se poursuivra jusqu'au 25 mai, servant de rappel visuel de l'importance du dépistage du VIH à travers les informations fournies sur l'installation interactive.
Depuis cette année, Checkpoint a commencé à proposer des séances mensuelles gratuites de dépistage du VIH à La Valette et à Gozo, ainsi que des séances bimensuelles à Paola. Les points de contrôle de dépistage ont été organisés en collaboration avec certaines agences d'État, telles que HIV Malta, LGBTI+ Gozo et la Direction des droits de l'homme, entre autres.
Les entités impliquées distribuent également des kits de dépistage gratuits du VIH au public dans le cadre de la campagne.
Allez-vous visiter l’installation ?
LIRE SUIVANT : 5 raisons de booster votre marque avec Lovin Malta
https://lovinmalta.com/lifestyle/health/sexual-health/we-are-positive-moviment-graffitti-transform-iconic-love-sign-for-hiv-awareness-campaign/
—
Offres Amazon d'aujourd'hui (affilié), votre destination unique pour des articles abordables, parfaits pour la décoration intérieure, l'électronique, les fournitures pour animaux de compagnie, les sports et les jouets. - https://amzn.to/3FeoGyg
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https://www.reddit.com/SinoMaltaNews
"
"„Wir sind positiv“: Checkpoint Malta verwandelt zusammen mit einem lokalen Künstler das ikonische LOVE-Zeichen für eine HIV-Aufklärungskampagne
Das ikonische LOVE-Zeichen von St. Julian’s wird im Rahmen einer Initiative mehrerer lokaler Organisationen anlässlich der Europäischen Testwoche in Kartons mit HIV-Selbsttestkits verpackt.
Checkpoint Malta und die lokale Künstlerin Emma Grima schufen die Installation und nutzten die sozialen Medien, um den komplizierten Prozess zu teilen.
„Malta hat eine der höchsten HIV- und STI-Raten in Europa, was teilweise auf Stigmatisierung oder mangelnde Informationen zu diesem Thema zurückzuführen ist. Die interaktive Installation wird Informationen über die Bedeutung von HIV-Tests und darüber enthalten, wie und wo man sich testen lässt“, schrieb Moviment Graffitti in den sozialen Medien.
„Durch die Normalisierung und den verstärkten Einsatz von HIV-Tests und sexuellen Gesundheitsscreenings kann die Gesamtübertragung von STI reduziert und Krankheiten frühzeitig erkannt werden, was den Weg für eine wirksame Behandlung ebnet.“
Die Hauptmitwirkenden arbeiteten für die Kampagne mit mehreren Organisationen zusammen, darunter Moviment Graffitti, MGRM, HIV Malta, LGBTI+ Gozo und Sexual Health Malta. Es beginnt heute und dauert bis zum 25. Mai und dient durch die in der interaktiven Installation bereitgestellten Informationen als visuelle Erinnerung an die Bedeutung von HIV-Tests.
Seit diesem Jahr bietet Checkpoint kostenlose, von der Gemeinde geleitete monatliche HIV-Testsitzungen in Valletta und Gozo sowie alle zwei Monate in Paola an. Die Testkontrollpunkte wurden in Zusammenarbeit mit einigen staatlichen Behörden organisiert, unter anderem mit HIV Malta, LGBTI+ Gozo und dem Human Rights Directorate.
Die beteiligten Einrichtungen verteilen im Rahmen der Kampagne auch kostenlose HIV-Testkits an die Öffentlichkeit.
Werden Sie die Installation besichtigen?
WEITER LESEN: 5 Gründe, Ihre Marke mit Lovin Malta zu stärken
https://lovinmalta.com/lifestyle/health/sexual-health/we-are-positive-moviment-graffitti-transform-iconic-love-sign-for-hiv-awareness-campaign/
—
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https://www.reddit.com/SinoMaltaNews
"

Got a Shure KSM141 matched pair used on Reverb and one of them is outputting a signal that is 3dB lower than the other one. I'm aware 1 or 2 dB can be understandable sometimes but given that these are $900 new I would imagine they would be much more closely matched than 3dB.
I'm looking into returning these but unfortunately I've realized this past the 7 day buyer protection period and the seller is refusing to do a full or even partial refund due to lack of funds. Reverb is looking into it and I also have an open case with PayPal.
I am also contacting Shure for more information but I figured I'd also ask for opinions on here.

It's not narcissism. It's not Peter Pan Syndrome. It's not even ADHD. It's Histrionic Personality Disorder (HPD)!
It's a cluster B disorder, up there with narcissism, BPD and sociopathy so any traits confusion is justified 🤣
From ncibi.nlm.nih.gov:
Histrionic Personality Disorder (HPD) is a chronic and enduring condition marked by a consistent pattern of attention-seeking behaviors and an exaggerated display of emotions. Typically emerging in late adolescence or early adulthood, individuals with HPD are often characterized as narcissistic, self-indulgent, and flirtatious. Individuals with HPD may feel undervalued when not in the spotlight, leading to a persistent need for validation.
Histrionic personality disorder (HPD) is characterized by a pervasive pattern of attention-seeking behaviors and a theatrical level of emotional reactions. The condition is usually life-long, though onset is typically in late adolescence or early adulthood. Individuals with HPD are often described as narcissistic, self-indulgent, flirtatious, dramatic, extroverted, and animated. Individuals with HPD may feel underappreciated or disregarded when they are not the center of attention. They may be vibrant, enchanting, overly seductive, or inappropriately sexual. People presenting with HPD typically demonstrate rapidly shifting and shallow emotions that others may perceive as insincere.
Physicians observed individuals who displayed excessive theatricality and emotional expression, emphasizing attention-seeking behavior and self-dramatization.
The DSM-5-TR divides personality disorders into Cluster A, Cluster B, and Cluster C. Each cluster encompasses a distinct set of personality disorders with commonalities regarding symptoms, behaviors, and underlying psychological patterns.
Cluster A
Personality disorders with odd or eccentric characteristics. These include paranoid personality disorder, schizoid personality disorder, and schizotypal personality disorder. Individuals within this cluster exhibit social withdrawal, peculiar or paranoid beliefs, and difficulties forming close relationships.
Cluster B - (category where HPD is)
Personality disorders with dramatic, emotional, or erratic behaviors. This cluster includes antisocial personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, histrionic personality disorder, and narcissistic personality disorder. Individuals within this cluster display impulsive actions, emotional instability, and challenges in maintaining stable relationships.
Cluster C
Personality disorders with anxious and fearful characteristics. These include avoidant personality disorder, dependent personality disorder, and obsessive-compulsive personality disorder. Individuals within this cluster tend to experience significant anxiety, fear of abandonment, and an excessive need for control or perfectionism.
The individual with HPD is unlikely to see their behaviors as problematic. They may have excessive sensitivity to criticism and speak in a way that attempts to lure.
History can vary widely, and they are likely to talk about activities that provoke a reaction, such as sexual history or faking a medical condition. In more recent years, individuals with HPD have had similar behaviors and postings on social media websites.
Apearance: The patient's general grooming and fashion choices should be noted.
Behavior: Individuals with HPD have eccentric and disinhibited behaviors. They may have splitting behaviors depending on how the psychiatric interview is proceeding. Other behaviors can include dramatic storytelling, hypersexual gestures, and acting out to become the center of attention.
Speech: Individuals with HPD are likely to speak loudly and dramatically. Speech is generally impressionistic and lacking in detail. There are no expected deficits with speech initiation or vocabulary.
Thought process: In individuals with HPD, the thought process is expected to be linear but limited in range and logic. Individuals with HPD tend to be easily suggestible and can be easily persuaded from their thought processes to others around them.
Cognition: General cognition and orientation are not expected to be impaired in individuals with HPD.
Impulse control: Individuals with HPD have poor impulse control, which results in the engagement of many of their pathological behaviors.
Judgment: Judgment in individuals with HPD is poor.
Insight: HPD is egosyntonic, so individuals with HPD typically have poor insight into their condition and how their behaviors impact their social and occupational functioning.

I was finally getting energy back. Still couldn't handle super stressful stuff, but I could go for hikes and only crash for like 1 day versus the 2 weeks it used to be. I could do paperwork and email people and drive and it only wore me out a little bit. Didn't do anything special, just rested a lot, keep taking my antidepressants and supplements (vitamin D and B12), and gradually added in more tasks during the day. Took almost 9 months, but I almost got to the point where I could function a whole day without napping.
And then I broke my ankle and fractured my fibula. While mountain hiking. On Mother's Day. Had to be wheelbarrowed off the mountain and went to ER. Surgery consultation isn't for another week.
Just been absolutely wiped out by PEM since then. Back to body aches, sleeping 14+ hours a day, skin problems, poor body temperature regulation, brain fog, no hand/eye coordination (been bedridden for a week because I keep toppling over with crutches), memory is nonexistent, no appetite, can't focus on anything, etc.
It's just so disheartening because it feels like I'm back to square 1 again, except now with a bum leg and my family constantly hovering over me because of the lack of balance. I couldn't work before and definitely can't work now because my energy is shot, and it's just so frustrating that all my growth has been wiped out by a stupid rock on a stupid mountain.

My husband is halfway through a 6-year residency and we've just had our second kid. I'm on maternity leave and recognise that I'm super privileged in that (a) my mum helps out a ton especially with our toddler, and (b) we have hired someone to help with the housework and also to help with the baby.
So on paper I really have nothing to complain about and yet I feel so much resentment about his work and schedule. He's on call 6 times a month and when he's home he's understandably catching up on sleep or just trying to decompress. To his credit he helps with putting our toddler to bed and feeding her at meals when he's home. I guess I'm just generally bummed out about the lack of time together, and also the fact that on our rare weekends where he's home he's so tired that I usually end up doing a lot of the activities with our toddler either solo or with him kind of minimally participating.
I don't know if it is justified to feel like the work of running the household and making all the decisions is falling on me, or overwhelmed sometimes that I'm both our toddler's preferred parent and our baby's food source round the clock. Mentally I am doing much better now than when we just had our first kid (I had PPA) but I just feel like every little thing he does sets me off. For example, we were over at my mum's today and he got really annoyed with her for sweeping baby out of his arms. I used to get annoyed along with him about some of my mum's behaviour which tends to be quite overbearing, but this time I was just really angry with him because she's been the one helping me with shouldering some of baby's overnight feeds and putting our toddler to bed when he's on call, and doing the daycare drop-offs and pickups for our toddler. I would literally be doing all of these things MYSELF if not for her because he is just not around, and I was just really annoyed that he couldn't give her a little bit of grace for some of her overbearing ways. I get that he wants to maximise his time with baby though.
He keeps talking about us having a 3rd but it feels insane to me that he's even thinking about it and it enrages me. [Edit to clarify: he's said that he means on a slightly longer time horizon after he has finished his residency in 3 years, but it still makes me mad all the same to even be mentioning it now.] All the burden of taking care of our existing 2 kids is shouldered by me and my parents (and we've hired help but this also entails me managing the hired help to some extent). So it really sets me off whenever this comes up, especially since we're not even out of the woods yet with baby.
I know it will likely get better in 3 years once he finishes his residency and I should just suck it up and keep going, especially with the fantastic support that I do have. But I guess I just need to rant a bit about the situation. I can't even discuss these things properly with him because even if he's home, either we are taking care of our kids or he needs to rest before his next call.

Hey all, I’ve been wondering what people’s preferences are on the civics. I’m not an expert by any means so I’m curious what I might be overrating or overlooking. Here’s where I would place the civics just based on my own tastes.
S-
God King-What can I say, I can’t resist those hammers. I’ll often beeline mysticism just to get this up and running faster. I might be better options later game but I feel it just gives such a benefit early game that I can’t justify not taking it asap.
Sacrifice the weak-absolutely busted, use up half the food for minor health and gp penalties. Main reason to go veil imo.
Guardian of nature- needs more work than sac the week but this can make absolutely disgusting cities especially with elves. Plus it’s on the economy slot which I find has less obviously great picks.
A-
Social order- no real need to worry about happiness anymore. Just make some dumb adepts and let them sit, gain xp and tell the people to be happier.
Scholarship- I’m a sucker for science bonuses, and the only downside is war weariness which matters less when I’m sitting at home turtling.
Slavery- using pops to rush is good just like it is in the base game. Plus if you’re being swarmed by barbarians you’ll have plenty of free slave workers to build up infrastructure.
Arete- more hammers from mines are great, and if you go for runes early it can really help early production (especially in a god king capital)
B-
Theocracy- one of two late game picks I usually go for to replace god king, specifically if im going for altar victory since I can priest spam. Other bonuses are meh.
Republic- if im not trying to build the altar I usually go republic. Several decent bonuses and no real downside.
Nationhood- best starter value imo. The unit production helps so much early with all the filthy orcs running around.
Consumption- more money, easy happiness sources, I don’t go for it that much tbh but I don’t feel like I can justify rating it lower.
Caste system- better workers and better specialists for the cost of a manageable happiness penalty. Really nice for altar victory to give you a bit of extra value for the priests.
Agrarianism- I feel like I use this incorrectly because it makes me compulsively build farms only on grassland. If I need farms on plains for city growth it makes me not want to take this even if it means keeping decentralization for an extended period. Still even with my hangups more food is more food.
C-
City states- would have rated this lower a week ago, then I had a run where I had to use it to salvage my economy as illians. Still, feels so bad compared to god king.
Aristocracy- if there’s a civic I underrate it’s this one. I understand how it can be good and I think I just need to play with it more, but the -1 food just feels so bad. I’d rather just get some cottages going most of the time.
Religion- it’s meh. Good for happiness if you’re stacking religion but I feel like by the time you have that option you have other ways to solve that problem.
Apprenticeship- fine if you don’t have better options, the extra xp usually makes up for the unit production malus.
Military state- I’m not a big war guy (I prefer the one unit per tile format to doom stacks) but you can certainly get value out of the extra unit production and I don’t usually care about less culture. Still I won’t beeline it and I can get better options elsewhere.
Conquest- similar thought process to military state, good but not exciting war bonuses. This is however an economy civic which has less options most of the time.
Mercantilism- I have a hard time figuring out when the cash bonus is worth the lack of foreign trade. Not to mention it takes so long to get the tech.
Foreign trade- funny enough it’s easier to figure out when extra trade routes aren’t worth the money. I often play on Erebus maps so you’ll often get stuck with just a few civs near you for most of the games. Overall, unexciting. (Side rant, why the hell is Auric’s favorite civic foreign trade? The man literally has a project to piss everyone off on your way to godhood. )
D-
Pacifism- Imo the worst starting value, I’m just not concerned about great people that much in the early game and I have to suck at building units? No thanks.
Liberty- one free specialist is nice but that’s the only thing I care about. It also comes super late.
Guilds- if I want to make a ton of specialists, it’s rather priests or scientists and I have other civics for those. With other civics allowing for gold to rush buildings and this coming so late in the tech tree there’s no reason to care.
And that’s the list. Like I said I’m no expert player so I’m eager to hear what I’m missing out on.

My fellow gamers, for too long has our community suffered the indignation of an intolerable culture that has denigrated, besmirched, exploited, and has outright demonized our culture of unique individuals with a genuine love of a hobby that they see as profitable and progressive. They have taken beloved IP’s (Intellectual Properties) and twisted them into their own personal ideological crusade of undermining and humiliating the core aspects of characters they deemed as “Toxic” or “White Supremacy”. Through the guise and protection of DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity) & ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) they have used our influence in the entertainment industry to push their narratives and agendas that have stigmatized our culture with numerous anti-consumer practices that they call “being progressive”. But the truth of the matter is they were never really looking to be a part of our community, they simply wanted to use our community as a tool of activism and propaganda in the entertainment industry as it was extremely profitable, and they wanted inclusion in that division. Ever since GamerGate & Female Frequency, we have had to endure the incursion of forced ideologies, xenophobic behaviors and inferior overpriced products that have never been in our best interest and have been flat out disgraceful towards foreign media.
Before Gaming had become a major source of entertainment, we were often categorized as anti-social or societies rejects where because we found more enjoyment in playing fictional characters and not spending as much time out and about, we never fully assimilated in society (which is a good thing if you ask me). From 1998 to 2007, at the height of innovation, creativity and production, Gaming had reached a golden age in which it had revolutionized society. Hollywood Execs who had ruined the movie industry turned their attention to video games as a source of income since video games had outperformed movies in terms of profit. No one was concerned about gaming, much less diversity or inclusivity until it became profitable. This makes people like SBI look extremely disingenuous as they were not interested in gamers as a community with its own culture. They simply wanted to use it as another weapon in identity politics.
Microtransactions; the hidden enemy to gamer progress and inducer to mental laziness of our community. Microtransactions have been around for a long time; however, it has never been more potent and apparent than in recent years. It has aided in the dismantling and segregation of players on the ideology of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) and has created another sub-culture of gamers who have no real drive to be better outside of how much money they put into the game. This has degraded our culture as well as we have become “fat” off transactional gaming but at the same time we have been “starved” of purposeful gaming where our achievements were our sustenance. I am not saying that microtransactions are bad, but when they are exploitative and predatorial like they have been and don’t give gamers room to grow, we become lethargic and unwilling to improve ourselves as gamers. Oversaturated microtransactional games are one of the many reasons why we have become complacent and unwilling to fight against the exploitative tactics used by big brand game companies such EA, Ubisoft, ActivisionBlizzard, NaughtyDog and so many other western business model companies. Western style games were not like this in the past, they had much more depth and actual effort put into them with the gamer in mind. This has not been the case for over a decade and our connection to western developers has been whittled down to just being transactional. That is one of the reasons why you see so many remasters and remakes in today’s gamer community. They have lost their willingness to improve as developers of games and simply accept corporate/share holder rules.
Game journalists also do not have any real integrity or purpose outside of being funded for their involvement in promoting IPG (Identity Political Games) in a positive light to the public whether it’s positively received or not. They are not interested in what we have to say, they all support the same agenda and that is why they are a dying breed. Within the next couple of years, they will be out of the job and more than likely they will not be able to stay in the industry giving how they have responded to past articles that have clearly been scripted on the premise of diversity and racism. Not only that, but most of them are also extremely hostile to the community as they stereotype and defame the individuals that are a part of the community they are supposed to serve. We have been mentally liberated from their lies and coercive tactics as we tend to laugh at their obvious attempt at virtue signaling while hiding their misdoings so that they can play the victim.
My gamer brothers & sisters, I would not suggest the following action that we must take now without good cause. I have weighed our options and the best option for us now is this…...CULTURAL SECESSION. Naturally this is a form of segregation where they would more than likely claim they are being segregated by the dominant culture of the gaming community but that is incorrect. For years now we have been the ones who are often marginalized and ostracized for the smaller portion of our community. And when we aren’t, we’re exploited for more funds so that these companies can stay in business only to subject us to low quality products that coincide with the “WOKE Agenda” that are often huge expenses to these big brands i.e. AAA/AAAA games that will eventually flop for its obvious forced diversity and bug infested product which will undoubtedly piss off the consumer to the point of wanting a refund. Losing copious amounts of capital and stock in the process, not to mention their reputation is permanently marred.
We must separate on every cultural level in terms of entertainment and ideology. We must reject everything from the west that promotes toxic western beliefs, practices, and exclusion from other cultures (i.e. Southeastern Countries such as Japan and Korea). Japan & Korea have been the targets of unjust discrimination from Western Developers, Western Journalists, Western Localizers (The Wokelizers) and Western Society Prejudice regarding their sense of aesthetics as Westerners hate the aesthetic sense of these countries. The reason why they resort to such base tactics isn’t just because it weaponizes the ideal female form but it’s also because they have deep-seated insecurities about their own looks so when they see attractive female characters, they use terms such as “unrealistic” or “hypersexualized” to establish the moral high ground. But the truth is, they want to feel superior to that which is ideal, so they insult and dehumanize this figure that portrays natural female beauty because they see it as an insult to their own social superiority in what they believe is a hierarchy of them being at the top of all other women. Because of this and so many contributing factors, their movies flop harder than the Fat Chocobo landing on a group of enemies and their games seismically fail just as much if not more. We must sever our connection to Western Developers, Publishers, and ALL Western-Centric Entertainment for they seek to mentally enslave us to their Xenophobic ideology.
Let’s define Western Culture and its traits. Western Culture/Society is composed of more than several different ideologies that work in unison with one another to facilitate dominance over multiple aspects of society. Business, Social, Political, Technological, and sometimes even Global Affairs are affected by these ideologies that portray a specific mindset of Western beliefs. What are those ideologies you ask?

• Perpetual Victimhood: By weaponizing the fact that they are marginalized and of a small portion of western society, they can push their agenda to absurd standards that ultimately ostracize the main demographic. And when companies don’t capitulate, they are labeled as anti-progressive/misogynist’s or cohorts of White Supremacy. They use this to cancel their targets and silence them through societal defamation to keep the public on their side. They also use this mindset to justify their own lack of self-agency as they tend to throw companies who do adhere to their demands but miserably fail to turn a profit under the bus so that they can maintain face in front of the public while denying their actual involvement. They will never accept “Sense of Agency” when it’s negative but will gladly accept it when a positive outcome shines on them as if they are entitled to it.

Official Wiki GamerGate Page)
​

• Societal Terrorism: This is another form of ideology weaponization that they use in order to make companies “toe-the-line” with their agenda. By weaponizing cancel culture, they exert dominance over these companies but in exchange they also reimburse those companies with DEI & ESG funds that raise their credit score as well as having social status with the marginalized demographic. However; cancel culture has not succeeded in years and developers and publishers probably only want the money and the DEI ESG rating. But they have to maintain the image of having social economic power so that they can continue to strong-arm other developers into compliance and promoting financial benefits of DEI & ESG. In other words, if you are not for sale, they discredit and stigmatize you in the industry.

Asmongold Clips.
https://youtu.be/Iq86DnmX2xY
​

• “Its not us, its you who’s wrong” Mentality: This mentality is especially annoying as they tend to use it to hide their incompetence. They often look down upon gamers who are not in the industry to hide their obvious lack of knowledge on game development thinking that their job title grants them special status that they believe gives them the right to be condescending. But the truth they never wanted revealed has already strangled their careers of all credibility. They were never GAMERS, they were INVADERS. Community Colonists that seek to indoctrinate next generational gamers into their hive-mind and brand previous generations of gamers as villains.

@GeeksandGamers
https://youtu.be/1HbrTkqQFuM
​

• Double-standard Enforcement: By labeling something as “unrealistic” or “hypersexualized”, they can claim this is morally wrong if it promotes traditional dynamics between men and women. Heterosexual relationships are condemned while at the same time Same-sex relationships are praised. Additionally, heterosexual relationships with main white male characters turn antagonistic and spotlight stealing. This is deliberate as to promote the “Girl Boss” ideology to indoctrinate women into the Feminazi state of mind. While at the same time, should a male character also adopt the “I don’t need male/female” ideology its seen as Toxic Masculinity which isn’t even a real thing. The idea of a strong male character is taboo while enforcing strong female characters is the ideal.

@MugenLord
https://youtu.be/to5Uciy_yeg
@EndymionTv
https://youtu.be/7TPTR8-qmbk
​

• Dehumanization/Demonization: This is something that most military branches use in order to remove conscious inhibitions such as mass slaughter is wrong or categorization. By enforcing ideologies to denounce humanity in certain targets, it deactivates your conscience by saying this is not human therefore its ethically okay to treat this target without compassion and deny the fact it has sentience. We gamers fall under this category for journalists, developers, companies and society at large. This is a tactic we are familiar with to an extent as it implies that we are not normal when we do not do what everybody else is doing. “Geeks are the worse” or “Nerds need to fall into a pit of lava” are verbal dehumanization forms that most people in society say and we as Gamers tend to be relegated to those categories. This is their way of imposing the social hierarchy on us by establishing superiority. We know this as Gamers as we see it very often in the games that we play and some times experience it in real life.

https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Gamergate#The_end_of_their_relevance
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• Deflection/Projection: This is basic psychology 101. By redirecting the conversation away from their mistakes and back on to the opposing view to avert blame and justify their innocence they can avoid criticism. However; deflection is a CONSCIOUS decision, meaning they have no real argument to justify their incompetence. If you can consciously process the situation, you have self-agency which means you don’t have a legitimate excuse. Projection is something else entirely. Most times, Projection doesn’t work on conscious decisions rather it is automatically deployed when feeling threatened, anxious or both. Instead of accepting accountability for feelings or actions that are deemed socially unacceptable they accuse others of committing that unacceptable behavior thereby exonerating themselves and proving that those feelings and/or actions are not their own.

@TheTrentReport
https://youtu.be/bPIPSKruYRo
These traits are so nefarious and unconscionable that I have a hard time believing that anyone could harbor them. However, given the social, political, and economic climate that we are in, those in power who use their influence on controlling society most definitely possess these insidious traits. Everything that they do is all about control and since video games are the biggest market in the world, they want control over it and the communities built around it to accrue more wealth and to use that wealth to subjugate other cultures. Mainstream media is a tool as well as mainstream organizations and sites to help accomplish this goal.
The government recently announced its intentions towards what they believe is “GamerGate 2.0” and now even the ADL has made an official appearance, referring to gamers as “extremist’s”. We know EXACTLY what they are doing, and they aren’t even trying to hide it anymore because they don’t think we are aware of their motives. This is just a pretext for them to exert even more control and we know why, it’s because they want the influence we as a community have to must serve them. So here is what we do my fellow gamers-
“In light of recent events and years of mainstream stigma, we the members of the Global Gaming Community [GGC] must officially renounce ALL TIES to the corporate western video game market. We have been financially exploited through predatorial monetization schemes, pelted with numerous articles of disdain and intentional misrepresentation from game journalists, news outlets regarding us as dangerous individuals and, even subjected to inferior products not only riddled with bugs but also products meant to push political agendas. For the preservation of our community and its unique culture, apart from a few select game development studios we officially sever all connections to western owned video game companies & their mainstream affiliates. From this point onward, we will no longer support western corporate developers, journalists and publishers that do not coincide with the goals of our community.”
Naturally this is completely optional. If you are okay with the state of the gaming community as it is, feel free to ignore this. But if you wish for real change and a break away from oversaturated monetization in the games you play and the push for radical ideological reform, then you are in the right place. Lets sever these rotted miasmic ties once and for all so that our community can be preserved and made better for future gamers. If you agree with this, share it with whoever you think might be interested. The more gamers who get involved, the easier it will be for us to finally break free from mainstream game companies and their associates.

https://youtube.com/clip/Ugkxk0TDnWHtx_bKpsZwhTE_k6N9YQXv6cjd?si=RY8RIY39FhOfxlx3
This VTuber is one of Pippa’s friends. Wanted to share her thoughts (lack of them) on Mr. Borrenlli. From my understanding, she is a typical Conservative. Maybe this YouTube Clip will have some use one day.

Sorry if this sounds selfish but this is really only a one time thing for a friend. I need someone to use there undetectable AI account to paraphrase this please.
IntroductionThe rise of fast food chains in the United States from 2000 to 2010 had an impact on both the culture and economy. This period saw an increase in obesity rates among Americans, which coincided with the growth of these eateries. In this essay we delve into the connection between the expansion of fast food franchises and the obesity epidemic examining factors that influence health. Through an analysis of data, health studies and relevant literature our goal is to provide an understanding of how consuming food has played a role in fueling obesity during this particular decade, in America.The Growth of Fast Food Chains
Between 2000 and 2010 there was a rise in the fast food industry. Popular chains such as McDonalds, Burger King and Subway expanded their reach by opening stores to meet the demand for budget friendly meals. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that the number of fast food eateries increased by around 20% during this timeframe (U.S. Census Bureau, 2011). This expansion made fast food more convenient for a range of people, including kids and teenagers.
Obesity Trends in the U.S. (2000 2010)
The prevalence of obesity in America has been on a trajectory during the early years of the 21st century. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) the rate of obesity among adults rose from 30.5% in 2000 to 35.7% in 2010 (CDC, 2011). Similarly among children and teens aged between 2 and 19 years old obesity rates increased from 13.9% to 16.9% over that period. This continuous increase signals a concerning public health issue with impacts on illness rates, mortality rates and healthcare expenses.
The Impact of Fast Food, on Eating Habits
food is commonly known for its levels of calories, excessive saturated fats, sugars and sodium with little nutritional value. These aspects of food are closely associated with weight gain and obesity. Studies show that regular consumption of food is linked to consuming calories and maintaining poor eating habits (Bowman & Vineyard 2004). Research conducted by Pereira et al. (2005) revealed that individuals who ate food than twice a week were more likely to gain weight and develop insulin resistance compared to those who consumed it less frequently.
Influence of Socioeconomic Factors
The easy availability and affordability of food make it an attractive option for people with incomes. Fast food establishments are often concentrated in low income areas where residents have limited access to dining choices (Powell et al. 2007). This situation, referred to as "food deserts " , worsens the issue of obesity because disadvantaged groups tend to rely on food as their main source of nutrition.
Impact of Advertising and Promotion
The aggressive advertising tactics used by fast food companies also have a significant influence on eating behaviors particularly among young individuals, like children and teenagers.
Many businesses invest sums of money each year in marketing showcasing their products across platforms, like TV, the web and social networks. Kids are especially influenced by these strategies that highlight the appeal and ease of food reinforcing harmful dietary patterns early on.
The impact of obesity, on health is significant and variedObesity is a factor in chronic illnesses like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and certain cancers (Flegal et al., 2012). The rise in obesity rates has led to an increase in health issues putting a strain on the healthcare system. The financial implications of obesity are also noteworthy with studies indicating that medical costs linked to obesity made up around 10% of healthcare expenses in the United States during that time (Cawley & Meyerhoefer 2012).
Policies and public health effortsIn response to the escalating obesity crisis, different policies and public health efforts have been put into action at state and local levels. These initiatives aim to encourage eating habits through measures like food labeling requirements, restrictions on advertising foods to children and campaigns raising awareness about the risks of obesity (Koplan et al., 2007). Schools have been a point for intervention well, with endeavors to enhance the nutritional value of school meals and boost physical activity among students.ExamplesVarious real life examples and stories showcase the effectiveness of taking action to address the issue of obesity. For example, New York City put in place a set of strategies to combat obesity, such as displaying calorie information on menus and prohibiting trans fats in restaurant dishes. These initiatives led to improvements in people's eating habits and a slight decrease in obesity levels, within the community (Dumanovsky et al. 2011).ChallengesThe obesity epidemic still poses challenges despite the efforts to address it. Unhealthy eating habits deeply ingrained in society, the presence of the fast food industry and disparities in status all add layers of complexity to this issue. Moving forward it is crucial to focus on creating an environment that encourages choices for vulnerable communities. This entails advocating for policies that restrict the marketing of foods to children, enhancing access to options in low income areas and urging food companies to improve the health profile of their products.
Psychological marketingWhen it comes to food marketing companies go beyond advertising tactics by leveraging deep rooted psychological triggers that influence consumer behavior. Bright colors, catchy tunes and recognizable mascots are commonly used in food ads to build a memorable brand image. This technique is particularly effective with audiences like children and teenagers who're more susceptible and likely to develop lasting brand loyalties. Research indicates that exposure to these advertisements can lead children to prefer calorie, nutrient foods ultimately impacting their dietary decisions and contributing to weight gain (Boyland & Halford 2013).The impact of portion sizes
One overlooked but significant factor contributing to the obesity crisis is the increasing sizes of portions served by food chains. Over time portion sizes have substantially grown, with meals exceeding the recommended calorie intake for a single meal. Young and Nestles (2002) study reveals that fast food item portions have expanded over the years with some items now more than double their size. This phenomenon of "portion distortion" results in calorie consumption as individuals tend to eat when faced with larger servings often underestimating the actual caloric content.
Changes in lifestyle and time constraints
The contemporary way of life characterized by schedules and time limitations has also played a role in the heightened dependence on fast food. With an increase in dual income households and longer work hours many people find themselves lacking the time to cook meals. Fast food emerges as a solution offering cost effective options that align with busy routines. Nonetheless this convenience comes at a price as frequent consumption of food is linked to dietary patterns and increased calorie intake contributing to the surge in obesity rates (Smith, Ng & Popkin 2013).Another significant measure involves restricting the promotion of foods to children. By reducing kids exposure to food ads policymakers aim to lessen the impact of marketing on their eating habits. Some cities have also imposed taxes on beverages and unhealthy foods in an effort to discourage consumption through penalties. While the effectiveness of these strategies may vary they mark progress in combating the obesity crisis.
Approaches Rooted in Communities
Community based strategies for addressing obesity highlight the importance of initiatives and grassroots movements. Programs that concentrate on enhancing access to foods encouraging activity and educating community members about healthy eating have shown positive outcomes. For example community gardens and farmers markets can offer produce to residents living in areas with access to healthy food options promoting better dietary choices. Schools and community centers can also play a role by providing nutrition education and physical activity programs.
The Impact of Technology
Technology has increasingly become an asset in the battle against obesity. Mobile applications and wearable gadgets enable individuals to monitor their calorie intake and exercise levels offering feedback and motivating lifestyle choices.
Furthermore social networking sites can play a role, in advocating for public health initiatives and sharing details on diet and wellness. Although technology isn't a solution to the issue of obesity it provides avenues to involve people and groups in embracing healthier habits (Stephens & Allen 2013).
Future Directions and Recommendations
The approach to tackling obesity needs to be multi-faceted and should involve collaboration between government departments, health workers, local communities, as well as the food industry. In future, there is need for more efforts in creating an atmosphere that supports healthier selections particularly among the disadvantaged groups. This means that one should continue to campaign for policies aimed at reducing children’s exposure to unhealthy food advertisements, improving availability of healthy foods in deprived neighborhoods and encouraging manufacturers in the food sector to change their products into a healthier version.
Further still public health campaigns will try and focus on having balanced diets regularly done exercises. Schools and offices can succeed by developing well-structured meals alongside opportunities for exercising. More research is also needed to understand why some people are poor eaters or overweight than others.
Policy Proposals
To further combat the menace of overweight, policy makers should think about enacting a variety of evidence-based strategies. Some of them could be: Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Taxes: Taxes on sugary drinks can decrease consumption and raise funds for public health projects. Zoning Regulations: By controlling the number of fast food restaurants in given areas, intake will subside and encourage establishment of grocery stores among other healthier alternatives.Menu Labeling Laws: This makes sure that restaurants indicate calorie counts as well as other nutritional information to assist customers in making informed choices. School Nutrition Standards: Schools meals and snacks in the course of learning ought to meet recommended nutrition levels so that students are eating healthy. Addressing Behavioral FactorsBehavioral interventions also play a significant role in dealing with obesity. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and other psychological approaches aid individuals to develop better eating habits and deal with triggers involved in overeating. Programs addressing weight control which incorporate behavior change counseling together with diet and exercise components show promise towards helping individuals achieve successful long term weight loss.Long-Term Commitment and Sustainable Change
Society must collectively make a commitment that will last over a long period to reduce obesity rates. The approach should be ongoing and flexible enough to accommodate changing circumstances and new information. For this change to be lasting, there must be continuous investment in public health infrastructure, research, and education. Therefore, significant strides can be achieved in reducing obesity rates by nurturing a culture that appreciates wellness.
Cultural Shifts and Public Perception
In addressing the obesity epidemic another critical factor is shifting public opinion as well as cultural norms with regards to food and health. The acceptance of fast food and oversize portions as normative has been one of the major drivers towards unhealthy eating habits over the past few decades. This would involve public health campaigns focused on what constitutes healthy balanced meals and promoting on good home cooked fresh meal benefits instead. To change public perception cooking classes nutrition workshops media campaign advertising preparation advantages of healthy meals at home for instance.
Strengthening Health Care Interventions
Routine screenings, counseling and support for weight management by health care providers are crucial in handling obesity. Obesity prevention and treatment should be integrated into primary care to ensure consistency and comprehensiveness in people’s health. Personalized advice can be availed by the healthcare practitioners and also set realistic targets as well as referring patients to dietitians or structured weight loss programs.
Advancing Research and Use of Proven Practices
To better understand the intricate contributors to obesity and curate effective interventions, it is important to sustain research. Longitudinal studies that follow diet patterns, activity levels, and disease outcomes offer useful information on how to prevent or reduce obesity. By exploring behavioral, environmental and genetic factors that affect obesity, this will enable us to make interventions that are specific for different populations and situations as well.
Conclusion
The period between 2000 and 2010 registered a sharp increase of obesity rates that is closely linked to the spread of fast food outlets across America. This public health menace can only be fought with multidimensional approaches that will change public attitude, improve education, enhance corporate accountability and support inclusive research plus health care interventions. By creating an environment where good health is appreciated through provision of necessary resources and support, we can achieve significant milestones in curbing cases of obesity within our population as well as overall improvement in their welfare.
Citations:
Boyland, E.J. & Halford, J.C.G., 2013. Television advertising and branding. Effects on eating behavior and food preferences in children. **Appetite**, 62, pp.236-241.
Brownell, K.D. & Frieden, T.R., 2009. Ounces of prevention—the public policy case for taxes on sugared beverages. **New England Journal of Medicine**, 360(18), pp.1805-1808.
Drewnowski, A. & Specter, S.E., 2004. Poverty and obesity: the role of energy density and energy costs. **American Journal of Clinical Nutrition**, 79(1), pp.6-16.
Krieger, J.W., Chan, N.L., Saelens, B.E., Ta, M.L., Solet, D. & Fleming, D.W., 2013. Menu labeling regulations and calories purchased at chain restaurants. **American Journal of Preventive Medicine**, 44(6), pp.595-604.
Ogden, C.L., Carroll, M.D., Kit, B.K. & Flegal, K.M., 2014. Prevalence of childhood and adult obesity in the United States, 2011-2012. **JAMA**, 311(8), pp.806-814.
Smith, L.P., Ng, S.W. & Popkin, B.M., 2013. Trends in US home food preparation and consumption: analysis of national nutrition surveys and time use studies from 1965-1966 to 2007-2008. **Nutrition Journal**, 12(1), p.45.
Stephens, J. & Allen, J., 2013. Mobile phone interventions to increase physical activity and reduce weight: a systematic review. **Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing**, 28(4), pp.320-329.
Story, M., Kaphingst, K.M., Robinson-O'Brien, R. & Glanz, K., 2008. Creating healthy food and eating environments: policy and environmental approaches. **Annual Review of Public Health**, 29, pp.253-272.
Walker, R.E., Keane, C.R. & Burke, J.G., 2010. Disparities and access to healthy food in the United States: A review of food deserts literature. **Health & Place**, 16(5), pp.876-884.
Young, L.R. & Nestle, M., 2002. The contribution of expanding portion sizes to the US obesity epidemic. **American Journal of Public Health**, 92(2), pp.246-249.
Fulkerson, J.A., Story, M., Neumark-Sztainer, D. & Rydell, S., 2008. Family meals: Perceptions of benefits and challenges among parents of 8-to 10-year-old children. **Journal of the American Dietetic Association**, 108(4), pp.706-709.
Huang, T.T.K., Drewnowski, A., Kumanyika, S.K. & Glass, T.A., 2009. A systems-oriented multilevel framework for addressing obesity in the 21st century. **Preventing Chronic Disease**, 6(3), A82.
Kumanyika, S.K., 2008. Environmental influences on childhood obesity: Ethnic and cultural influences in context. **Physician and Sportsmedicine**, 36(1), pp.45-51.
Larson, N.I., Story, M.T. & Nelson, M.C., 2009. Neighborhood environments: Disparities in access to healthy foods in the US. **American Journal of Preventive Medicine**, 36(1), pp.74-81.
Ludwig, D.S. & Pollack, H.A., 2009. Obesity and the economy: from crisis to opportunity. **JAMA**, 301(5), pp.533-535.
Powell, L.M., Chaloupka, F.J. & Bao, Y., 2007. The availability of fast-food and full-service restaurants in the United States: associations with neighborhood characteristics. **American Journal of Preventive Medicine**, 33(4), pp.S240-S245.
Sallis, J.F., Floyd, M.F., Rodríguez, D.A. & Saelens, B.E., 2012. Role of built environments in physical activity, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. **Circulation**, 125(5), pp.729-737.

I've never had a lucid dream before, but would like to learn how. My current problem is I get little to no REM sleep. I currently take escitalopram, wellbutrin and adderall every morning and been taking triple magnesium complex, vitamin c, active vitamin B complex, l-theanine, fish oil, MSM, and recently added 5mg of melatonin to my evening supplements.
I do consume caffeine throughout the day, usually just one redbull, and indulge in some Marijuana smoking or gel capsules (I mainly use it to treat nausea, so I can eat without feeling like I'm going to vomit) but usually is worn off by the time I go to sleep.
I have no problem falling asleep, I can take adderall, or drink a redbull before bed and fall asleep without issue.
Regardless, my Garmin watch is constantly showing that I hardly get any rem sleep, and always have poor sleep score. I tend to go to bed late and naturally wake up early which decreases the amount of sleep I actually get.
Honestly any advice is welcome, whether it's routine, supplements, lifestyle changes please do so. I know that Marijuana can effect REM sleep but my nausea can be crippling and i haven't had success with anything else.

Hi, I'm trying to figure out how RenPy works, but on my testing thing I ran into an error with the choices. Below is my code (sorry, and I mean REALLY sorry for the lack of context on the dialogue. I do not know if this is allowed or not in the subreddit.):

 "..." "...I gotta bring him back, don't I." menu: "Yeah": jump choices1_a "Nope": jump choices1_b label choices1_a: "Hey man, I want you to do me a favour: go kill yourself." jump end label choices1_b: "Good." jump end label end: "Okay... bye." 

When I tried running the project, it gave me this error:

[code] I'm sorry, but errors were detected in your script. Please correct the errors listed below, and try again. File "game/script.rpy", line 43: choice menuitem expects a non-empty block. "Yeah": ^ Ren'Py Version: Ren'Py 8.2.1.24030407 Sat May 18 23:58:50 2024 [/code] 

Can someone tell me what I am doing wrong? Once again, I apologize for the lack of context on the testing dialogue.

I have been using Kubuntu for years and it has worked really well on my Dell XPS13 which came from factory with Ubuntu. But since my last upgrade, I have had lots of issues. The worst of which are (sorry lack of punctuation, the keyboard layout is one of the things that stopped working properly)

• cannot update firmware
• changing keyboard layout does nothing. it stays on the default layout.
• the keyboard is not detected after the laptop wakes up. It works fine on boot, it only stops working after it sleeps and wakes up.

The firmware update error
""" ~ sudo fwupdmgr update [sudo] password for renato: WARNING: UEFI ESP partition may not be set up correctly See https://github.com/fwupd/fwupd/wiki/PluginFlag:esp-not-valid for more information. Devices with no available firmware updates: • BCM2045A0 • KXG50ZNV512G NVMe TOSHIBA 512GB • TPM 2.0 ╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗ ║ Upgrade System Firmware from 2.13.0 to 2.21.0? ║ ╠══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ ║ This stable release fixes the following issues: ║ ║ ║ ║ • Improved the stability of the system. ║ ║ ║ ║ XPS 13 9360 must remain plugged into a power source for the duration of the ║ ║ update to avoid damage. ║ ╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ Perform operation? [Yn]: y Decompressing… [ ] Less than one minute remaining… Secure boot is enabled, but shim isn't installed to EFI/ubuntu/shimx64.efi """
Perhaps that is why the keyboard is messed up, I do not know...
The only way to get the keyboard to work again is to force-shutdown and then turn on again. The power button works at least!
My laptop is touchscreen, so I believe what is happening is that the OS is thinking it is a tablet.... so it will not automatically recognize the built-in keyboard. But no idea if that is true.
The keyboard layout was working fine (I use 3 languages and I do need different layout for them). Then suddenly it stopped working. I can switch it, and it shows the changes correctly in the little tray on the menu bar... but the layout does not actually change so I am stuck with only one.
I even tried running the Dell Recovery software, but that fails with an Exception!! Thanks Dell, very reliable.
If I dont find a solution to this I am thinking of re-installing the full OS from scratch, but I hope I do not have to do that.
I am not very glad to start running magical commands until things start working again, I would really want to know exactly how the firmware thing works and why the hell it would just suddenly stop... same about the keyboard.
Thanks in advance.
My system info currently -
""" Operating System: Kubuntu 23.10 KDE Plasma Version: 5.27.8 KDE Frameworks Version: 5.110.0 Qt Version: 5.15.10 Kernel Version: 6.5.0-35-generic (64-bit) Graphics Platform: Wayland Processors: 4 × Intel® Core™ i7-7560U CPU @ 2.40GHz Memory: 15.5 GiB of RAM Graphics Processor: Mesa Intel® Iris® Plus Graphics 640 Manufacturer: Dell Inc. Product Name: XPS 13 9360 """

Basically title. I consider myself an ok player if I’ve gotten this far in Honour Mode, but I still feel like my player character is considerably weaker in combat by merit of gear and ASI feats focusing more on passing dialogue checks due to them being the party face. With that being said, she was the one with the highest remaining HP following the Myrkul fight (the last difficult fight I was shitting my pants over), but now I’m questioning if my party is strong enough to take on Raphael on HM.
Because I’m a chronic start-over-once-I-hit-Act-3 player, I’ve technically only fought Raphael once, and that was on Explorer. Still, I’m gonna try and fight him on HM because I’m insane because the loot from the HoH is too good to pass up. I’m probably gonna take a good look at the wiki page for the House of Hope fight beforehand and attempt to come up with some kind of plan ahead of time, but for now, is there any way I can bolster my party before I get to him? what’s the best party makeup that will ensure me the best chances in the fight?
Here’s what my party looks like right now….
Tav - 7 Assassin Rogue / 5 Gloomstalker Ranger. Like I mentioned above, her gear is largely dialogue-check-boosting oriented, with the exception being she has the medium Adamantine scale mail equipped. She also doesn’t have the Sharpshooter feat, but I’m wondering now if I should respecc and give it to her to bolster her DPS.
Astarion - 5 Thief Rogue / 5 Gloomstalker Ranger / 3 Champion Fighter. As the fighter dip suggests, his build is solely focused on stacking lessened crit threshold, high DPS, and stealth kills. He has the hand crossbow that inflicts fire damage if hiding or invisible though, and I’m worried between that and a relatively similar class breakdown as my Tav will make him a little redundant and/or obsolete for Raphael.
Gale - Has all twelve levels in Tempest Cleric of Mystra. He is a fully functioning walking Reverberation god and is crazy OP as a result. I’m pretty sure I’m gonna bring him with me because AFAIK Raphael lacks resistance or immunity to thunder damage, although not sure if the Prone condition can proc on him based on his legendary actions.
Wyll - 9 Oathbreaker Paladin / 3 Pact of the Blade Warlock, mainly outfitted for a Radiating Orb build. Also considering bringing him for the debuffs.
Minthara - 12 Oath of Vengeance Paladin. Divine Smite goes crazy and Minthara is my favorite tank/front-liner but I’m not sure if the Poison build I have for her is conducive to Raphael’s resistance….
Shadowheart - 12 Life cleric. She’s a crazy good healer with the healing build I have for her currently and I wouldn’t mind using one of her Divine Interventions for the fight, but I’m worried she’ll be redundant as I plan on freeing Hope and using her as the medic, so to speak.
Jaheria - 9 Way of Shadow Monk / 3 Thief Rogue. Basically see above. She is SUPER overpowered what with the Tavern Brawler feat and a bunch of gear that either bolsters stealth, AC, or stats, but again, wondering about Raphael’s resistance to bludgeoning. All of this can also be said for Karlach, who is my lvl 12 Berserker Throwbarian.

Lae’zel is Orin’s captive and I’m not sure if I’ll free her prior to Raphael or not, but her build is one of the weakemore basic ones in the party, not sure if it will be helpful or not, although she is a great frontline on her own. Halsin’s build is also kinda meh and I need to fine-tune it some, but basically it’s a medley of PotB Warlock / CoS Bard with Cold damage / Chilled / Encrusted in Frost gear, not sure if any of that is particularly helpful for this fight.
Also I realize I don’t have any pure spellcasters in my party and that may or may not make things harder for me. Basically I find the spellcasting classes to be a little meh compared to melee / ranged / EB-spamming damage and conditional builds. And I feel like if I’ve come this far on HM I’m probably doing okay without them lmfao.
Any and all advice is greatly appreciated! Thank you!

Basically title. I consider myself an ok player if I’ve gotten this far in Honour Mode, but I still feel like my player character is considerably weaker in combat by merit of gear and ASI feats focusing more on passing dialogue checks due to them being the party face. With that being said, she was the one with the highest remaining HP following the Myrkul fight (the last difficult fight I was shitting my pants over), but now I’m questioning if my party is strong enough to take on Raphael on HM.
Because I’m a chronic start-over-once-I-hit-Act-3 player, I’ve technically only fought Raphael once, and that was on Explorer. Still, I’m gonna try and fight him on HM because I’m insane because the loot from the HoH is too good to pass up. I’m probably gonna take a good look at the wiki page for the House of Hope fight beforehand and attempt to come up with some kind of plan ahead of time, but for now, is there any way I can bolster my party before I get to him? what’s the best party makeup that will ensure me the best chances in the fight?
Here’s what my party looks like right now….
Tav - 7 Assassin Rogue / 5 Gloomstalker Ranger. Like I mentioned above, her gear is largely dialogue-check-boosting oriented, with the exception being she has the medium Adamantine scale mail equipped. She also doesn’t have the Sharpshooter feat, but I’m wondering now if I should respecc and give it to her to bolster her DPS.
Astarion - 5 Thief Rogue / 5 Gloomstalker Ranger / 3 Champion Fighter. As the fighter dip suggests, his build is solely focused on stacking lessened crit threshold, high DPS, and stealth kills. He has the hand crossbow that inflicts fire damage if hiding or invisible though, and I’m worried between that and a relatively similar class breakdown as my Tav will make him a little redundant and/or obsolete for Raphael.
Gale - Has all twelve levels in Tempest Cleric of Mystra. He is a fully functioning walking Reverberation god and is crazy OP as a result. I’m pretty sure I’m gonna bring him with me because AFAIK Raphael lacks resistance or immunity to thunder damage, although not sure if the Prone condition can proc on him based on his legendary actions.
Wyll - 9 Oathbreaker Paladin / 3 Pact of the Blade Warlock, mainly outfitted for a Radiating Orb build. Also considering bringing him for the debuffs.
Minthara - 12 Oath of Vengeance Paladin. Divine Smite goes crazy and Minthara is my favorite tank/front-liner but I’m not sure if the Poison build I have for her is conducive to Raphael’s resistance….
Shadowheart - 12 Life cleric. She’s a crazy good healer with the healing build I have for her currently and I wouldn’t mind using one of her Divine Interventions for the fight, but I’m worried she’ll be redundant as I plan on freeing Hope and using her as the medic, so to speak.
Jaheria - 9 Way of Shadow Monk / 3 Thief Rogue. Basically see above. She is SUPER overpowered what with the Tavern Brawler feat and a bunch of gear that either bolsters stealth, AC, or stats, but again, wondering about Raphael’s resistance to bludgeoning. All of this can also be said for Karlach, who is my lvl 12 Berserker Throwbarian.

Lae’zel is Orin’s captive and I’m not sure if I’ll free her prior to Raphael or not, but her build is one of the weakemore basic ones in the party, not sure if it will be helpful or not, although she is a great frontline on her own. Halsin’s build is also kinda meh and I need to fine-tune it some, but basically it’s a medley of PotB Warlock / CoS Bard with Cold damage / Chilled / Encrusted in Frost gear, not sure if any of that is particularly helpful for this fight.
Also I realize I don’t have any pure spellcasters in my party and that may or may not make things harder for me. Basically I find the spellcasting classes to be a little meh compared to melee / ranged / EB-spamming damage and conditional builds. And I feel like if I’ve come this far on HM I’m probably doing okay without them lmfao.
Any and all advice is greatly appreciated! Thank you!