Hello,
I (M34) got dumped 2 months ago. In our relationship, I emotionally abused my ex a lot of the time. I made a separate post about it if you want the backstory.
We have been semi living together since the breakup. It's hard to find an apartment where we live, and she's still on the lease. She's been living with a friend a few blocks away until she can get an apartment. She kept most of her stuff, mostly clothes, in my apartment since she can't keep it at her friends place. She comes by a few days a week to get stuff, do laundry and things like that, so we talk a bit sometimes. Not an ideal situation, I know. She's moving out very soon.
As I said, during our relationship I was emotionally abusive. I got angry and manipulated her into thinking it was all her fault every time I made a mistake or we had a fight. When she broke up with me my initial reaction was anger and I felt betrayed. However, after about 3 weeks I realized I was the one at fault. I was the problem. I realized I couldn't be angry or feel betrayed. It hit me like a brick wall.
Then and there I decided to drop all my horrible behavior (as best I could) and defense mechanisms. I started analyzing my own behavior. Ive been trying to be as nice as I can towards her. I want to be a good person. When we sometimes talk about my abuse towards her I never defend my actions anymore. I would have done that in the past. Made it her fault. Instead, I take full responsibility.
Yesterday, she was doing the laundry. I mentioned to her that my clothes had sort of an old smell when I had washed them. I told her that a week back as well. I told her she might have to run the self-cleaning program. She went to the washing/drying machine and saw that I hadn't cleaned it properly. There was quite a lot of lint and I hadn't emptied the water container for the dryer. She started saying things like: "I told you to clean it. Why haven't you cleaned it the right way? You told me about this a week ago and I told you to clean it. I am so sick of this. I broke up with you two months ago and I still have to come here and do things like this for you. Now I can't do the laundry. I'm so sick of it." I said something like "I am sorry. I didn't know you had to clean it in that way (I've never had a combined washedryer before and she did most of the laundry). It's my fault, I am sorry, I will clean it" and went over to the washing machine ready to clean everything, but she said no and started to clean it in an irritated way.
She didn't say those things in an overly angry way. Just very irritated. I think she took some of her anger for other things I did out on me. She's not usually like that.
Usually, I would have started an argument and got really angry and defensive. It would have turned into a huge fight when it in reality could be solved in 2 minutes. Instead, this time I could feel tears building up inside. I felt so sad and useless. I felt I had made a huge mistake, even though it was just a minor thing and she was just irritated. I had to run into my office and lock the door. I bawled my eyes out. I have never reacted like that before. I have always gotten defensive and angry, changing the topic to something bad she did, whatever the situation. I would have manipulated her into apologizing in the end.
This time I didn't do that. Could that be because I actually started to drop my defense mechanisms, or is there another psychological explanation? I felt that I couldn't process my emotions. I just felt useless, but I didn't want to defend myself this time, especially not in an angry way.

Keep in mind I am a 100m 200m 400m and Long jumper
Monday-Max speed/Plyos/Legs
20m flys x4
60m sprints x2
Depth jumps 4x3
Pop up broad jumps 4x3
Weighted squat jumps 4x4
Power cleans 4x2
Quarter pin squats 4x3
Bulgarian split squats 5x5 (Each leg)
Nordic curls 4x5
Hip thrusts 5x5
Calve raises 2x15
Tuesday-Back/Biceps/Core
Pull ups 5x5
Deadlifts 3x3
Back extensions 2x10
Bent over barbell rows 3x8
Dumbell shrugs 3x10
Bicep curls 2x10
Ab roll outs 3x5
Leg raises 2x15
Side planks 2 x 1 minute (Each side)
Wednesday-Chest/Shoulders/Core
Bench press 5x5
Dips 4x5
Push ups 2x15
Shoulder press 3x8
Lateral raises 3x8
Tricep pushdowns 2x10
Ab roll outs 3x5
Leg raises 2x15
Side planks 2 x 1 minute (Each side)
Thursday-Max speed/Plyos/Legs
30m flys x3
20m hill sprints or sled sprints x5
Depth jumps 4x3
Single leg bounds 3x10m (Each leg)
Hip flexor training 2x15 (Each leg)
Power cleans 4x2
Half pin squats 4x3
Squats 5x5
Hip thrusts 5x5
Romanian deadlifs 3x8
Calve raises 2x15
Friday-Rest
Saturday-Isometrics/Joint/Tendon/Ligament health
Single leg ankle iso 2x10 sec (Each leg)
Single leg bent knee iso 2x10 sec (Each leg)
Single leg glute bridge iso 2x10 sec (Each leg)
Quad extension iso 2x30 sec (Each leg)
Wall sit 2x30 sec
Backward incline treadmill walk 5 min
Tibialis raises 2x Failure (Each leg)
Sunday-Rest

NOT MY TENANT, NOT MY LANDLORD, NOT VENTING. RECENT LTB ACTIVITY OF INTEREST.
Often on this sub tenants are told that damages awards are based on life of the item and prorated etc etc.
However RTA states
Tenant’s responsibility for repair of damage
34 The tenant is responsible for the repair of undue damage to the rental unit or residential complex caused by the wilful or negligent conduct of the tenant, another occupant of the rental unit or a person permitted in the residential complex by the tenant. 2006, c. 17, s. 34.
Order from March 21 2024
Nothing like prorating was mentioned and 13K was awarded in damages. Unless everything was brand new in this place, tenant was ordered to pay full replacement/fix cost.
They moved in in October 2022 and house is on Google view from 2020 and house on same street sold in 2015.
https://openroom.ca/documents/profile/?id=4559a14a-510e-43f3-b40a-9a1159a3d9e0
Citation: Henein v Wagdy Megala Astfanous, 2024 ONLTB 12856
Compensation for damages

1. The Tenant did not dispute the Landlord claim for damages which include the following: 1) the grease covered stove, 2) the fireplace wall brick surface the Tenant installed without permission, 3) the second-floor carpeting which was damaged, torn and soiled beyond repair, 4) damage to the walls in the rental unit.
   
2. The Landlord submitted photographic evidence and estimates for the cost to repair or replace the damages.
   
3. The undisputed damages the Landlord is claiming is $600.00 for the brick wall removal and drywall repair, $7,000.00 for carpet tear out and replacement; $6000.00 for the repair of the holes in the walls and repaint the rental unit and $675.00 for the replacement of the stove.
   
4. The Tenant testified that he does not have money but can fix the damages. The Tenant has 5 children and does not dispute they caused a lot of the damage. The Tenant works construction, but his income is not steady.
   
5. The Landlord was not agreeable to have the Tenant do the repairs of the damage.
   
6. Based on the submissions and evidence of the parties, I find that on the balance of probabilities that the Tenants willfully or negligently damaged the rental unit. The Tenant will be ordered to repay the Landlord $13,600 for the cost of repair and or replacement of the damage.
   
7. I find that the claim for $675.00 for the stove replacement is unreasonable in this case. The Tenant testified that the stove is still working fine, just excessively dirty. The Tenant will be ordered to have the stove cleaned satisfactory to the Landlord.
   
8. The Tenant shall pay to the Landlord $13,600 which represents the reasonable costs of repairing the undue damage or replacing the damaged property in the rental unit.
   

There is an older order that shows prorating
https://www.canlii.org/en/on/onltb/doc/2020/2020canlii31238/2020canlii31238.html?resultIndex=3&resultId=018bf39d44dd4a96bde213e3b58edbcd&searchId=2024-06-02T01:50:23:695/c021c67df53447048ca974d47e724d4b&searchUrlHash=AAAAAQAZIHdpbGxmdWxseSBvciBuZWdsaWdlbnRseQAAAAAB
However not for the repairs of the floors and walls but for the appliances. Although for the money they got those could have been fixed. (If they ever got any money at all)
So it appears that LTB will not track down everything looking for 'age discounts'. And tenant that breaks walls will receive an order for the full repair value.

I've been working with expired domains for years and have found some amazing opportunities. I'm curious to hear from the community – what are your favorite tips and tools for finding expired domain names?

How Do You Find Expired Domains?

Here are a few methods I've used:

1. Dedicated Tools: Tools like ExpiredDomains.net, NameJet, and GoDaddy Auctions have been my go-tos. They offer a wealth of options and filters to narrow down the search.
2. SEO Tools: I also use SEO tools like AHREFs, SEMrush, and Search Atlas to uncover domains with strong backlink profiles and good domain authority. These tools can often help find domains not listed on traditional marketplaces.
3. Industry Forums: Forums like NamePros and DNForum are great places to find expired domains. Members frequently list valuable domains and share insights.
4. Niche Blogs and Social Media: Following niche blogs and social media groups dedicated to domain investing and SEO can provide great leads. Facebook groups, LinkedIn groups, and subreddits are full of knowledgeable members sharing tips and domain lists.

Ensuring Quality

To avoid spammy domains, I typically:

1. Check Backlink Profiles: Using tools like AHREFs, SEMrush, or Search Atlas to analyze the backlink profile and ensure it’s free of spam.
2. Wayback Machine: I check the domain’s history to see if it was used for spam or irrelevant content.
3. Spam Scores and Anchor Text: Tools like Moz’s spam score and checking the anchor texts of backlinks help ensure the domain is clean.

Leveraging Expired Domains

Once I find a good domain, I usually:

1. Rebuild the Site: Using the Wayback Machine for inspiration, I recreate the site with better content to retain its SEO value.
2. 301 Redirects: Redirecting to a relevant page on my main site to pass link equity and boost SEO.
3. Create Niche Sites: Building niche sites related to the original content for monetization through affiliate marketing, ads, or product sales.
4. Private Blog Networks (PBNs): For advanced SEO tactics, though with caution to avoid penalties.
5. Domain Flipping: Cleaning up and adding value to the domain for resale.

Your Tips and Tools?

What about you? How do you find expired domains and ensure they’re not loaded with spam? What tools and methods have worked best for you? Let’s share our knowledge and help each other succeed!
Looking forward to hearing your insights!

2009 Forester X 2.5L NA Auto Trans 140,000 miles
Hello everyone. New to Fozzies and this forum. I've done a fair bit of searching here to get to the point I'm at but I'm stumped. I need some help chasing down this misfiring issue. I apologize in advance for the wall of text, and thanks in advance for any help.
In OctobeNovember 2023 she was running like trash, dying coming to a stop and idling like garbage. Consuming more oil than I'd like but nothing crazy for these motors. ~1qt/1000miles. New plugs and wires took care of it and she ran great. Didn't bother with the ignition coil because it tested fine (~12ohm) and the OEM coils are supposed to be impossible to kill. Until first week of April maybe 5000 miles later when on the highway she lurched real hard and the CEL and cruise control light started flashing at me. Still running well enough, plenty of power, sounds fine so I'm confused, pull over and check the codes. P0302 P0304. Limp the car home while it tries to shake itself apart, computer aint lying she's definitely missing. Get home and park it while accepting something is broke and cursing my decision to buy the mommy missile in the first place.
The car sits 8 weeks before I find the time or motivation to dig into it. Shocker the battery is dead and she wont start, jump it and take her around the block to warm up and see what she tells me. Running awesome, no missing but the electrical keeps cutting out like the battery isn't charging. Well shit here we go, park it in the driveway and put the multimeter on the battery, god damnit 8.4 volts and we were just driving. She ain't charging so I head to the parts store and test the battery and alternator. Both fail their tests so they get replaced. New battery and alt go in and she hardly wants to start and when she does wont hold an idle, keeps dying. Pull the coil again and test it again just to see if I just misread the last test, still well within spec 12 ohms per. Ran out of steam at that point.
That brings us to this morning, fast cranking but wont turn over, total no start. I noticed there was oil in the air resonator so may as well replace the PCV valve, cant hurt at all. Check the stored and pending codes again for shits 'n giggles, surprise new friend P0303 joined his buddies P0302 and P0304. Removed and cleaned the throttle body even though it didn't need it because I was frustrated and it was an easy task to accomplish. The fact that most of my issues had started in bank 2 along with my oil consumption made me suspicious so here comes a compression test.
Folks you're probably going to be as shocked as I was to see cold compression at 150psi across all 4 cylinders at 6000' elevation. I don't know what spec is, but those numbers look like a pretty healthy motor to me. Big sigh of relief there. Plugs look a little icky but not really due for replacement, still even gapped correctly. The damn adapter for the compression tester is stuck so I've gotta go get some loctite in the morning so I can get that out and try to start the pig up again. Do you guys have any ideas where I should look next if its still acting up tomorrow? Fuel delivery is the only thing left I think. Is there a way to test injectors with the motor in the car?

2009 Forester X 2.5L NA Auto Trans 140,000 miles
Hello everyone. New to Fozzies and this forum. I've done a fair bit of searching here to get to the point I'm at but I'm stumped. I need some help chasing down this misfiring issue. I apologize in advance for the wall of text, and thanks in advance for any help.
In OctobeNovember 2023 she was running like trash, dying coming to a stop and idling like garbage. Consuming more oil than I'd like but nothing crazy for these motors. ~1qt/1000miles. New plugs and wires took care of it and she ran great. Didn't bother with the ignition coil because it tested fine (~12ohm) and the OEM coils are supposed to be impossible to kill. Until first week of April maybe 5000 miles later when on the highway she lurched real hard and the CEL and cruise control light started flashing at me. Still running well enough, plenty of power, sounds fine so I'm confused, pull over and check the codes. P0302 P0304. Limp the car home while it tries to shake itself apart and park it while realizing something is broke and curse my decision to buy the mommy missile in the first place.
The car sits 8 weeks before I find the time or motivation to dig into it. Shocker the battery is dead and she wont start, jump it and take her around the block to warm up and see what she tells me. Running awesome, no missing but the electrical keeps cutting out like the battery isn't charging. Well shit here we go, park it in the driveway and put the multimeter on the battery, god damnit 8.4 volts and we were just driving. She ain't charging so I head to the parts store and test the battery and alternator. Both failtheir tests so they get replaced. New battery and alt go in and she hardly wants to start and when she does wont hold an idle, keeps dying. Pull the coil again and test it again just to see if I just misread the last test, still well within spec 12 ohms per. Ran out of steam at that point.
That brings us to this morning, fast cranking but wont turn over, total no start. I noticed there was oil in the air resonator so may as well replace the PCV valve, cant hurt at all. Check the stored and pending codes again for shits 'n giggles, surprise new friend P0303 joined his buddies P0302 and P0304. Removed and cleaned the throttle body even though it didn't need it because I was frustrated and it was an easy task to accomplish. The fact that most of my issues had started in bank 2 along with my oil consumption made me suspicious so here comes a compression test.
Folks you're probably going to be as shocked as I was to see cold compression at 150psi across all 4 cylinders at 6000' elevation. I don't know what spec is, but those numbers look like a pretty healthy motor to me. Big sigh of relief there. Plugs look a little icky but not really due for replacement, still even gapped correctly. The damn adapter for the compression tester is stuck so I've gotta go get some loctite in the morning so I can get that out and try to start the pig up again. Do you guys have any ideas where I should look next if its still acting up tomorrow? Fuel delivery is the only thing left I think. Is there a way to test injectors with the motor in the car?

So it’s been about 7 years of putting up with my (26f) sister in law (27) stealing my stuff and either throwing it away or breaking it or ruining it just not taking care of it period by the time I get it back, she never admits she took it. She gets a really nasty attitude when i politely ask her not to take my stuff without asking. Anyways, I recently took her shopping with me, and I bought her so clothes and stuff. I purchased some loofas and scrubby towels for dead skin. I took a shower and used it when I got home. The next day, she took a shower and when I went to the restroom after her, I saw my loofa was all soapy and I couldn’t believe it so I investigated, smelled it, and it was her soap on it 🤢 I put it in a different place just to see if it would get moved and used the next time she took a shower, and she did use it. So the next time I took a shower; I used it to clean the mildew off the walls and purposely left it there for her to use. I’m sorry world. She’s done things like this in the past, used my towels after I dried myself off with them, my hairbrushes, my razors, it’s gross. I’ve confronted her and told her I am kind of a neat freak and a germa phobe and that it wasn’t personal. But she keeps doing it, she’s really bitchy when confronted even if you try being really nice about it. I feel better after sabotaging my own stuff to get back at her. I can’t believe it because I thought I was a nice person.

My sister and I rushed to the veterinarian and ended up getting there earlier than our appointment; the vets rushed to stabilize him the moment we walked in. I agreed to do lab work because I needed to know what was wrong with him. I guess I just needed to know that this time if wasn’t a close call like all the rest, that this was it. His kidney disease had progressed tremendously and his values were double the usual and one of them couldn’t even be read by the machine because of how high it was - my guess was his kidneys were failing. After asking the vet for her professional opinion, it was decided euthanasia was the best course of action. All throughout this process my sister and I were crying. In trying to come up with a decision, cremation vs burial, at home or in the clinic. So many decisions to make and such little time, it was stressful in the strangest ways. Unfortunately, the vet came into our room to tell us that his breathing was failing him and becoming weak.
The next course of events took place very fast. We entered the room where he was hooked onto a ventilator, an IV, and a heater. His temperature had dropped to 95 degrees Fahrenheit... he was so cold. The moment we touched him and he heard my voice and Isis voice, he started trying to get up and his heart started picking up. Seeing him struggle with all those wires, while he was hurt, he was trying to come to us and comfort us, it was so painful and so kind for him to do. We ushered to him “It’s okay. You don’t need to fight anymore. We’re gonna be okay. Please just rest. It’s okay to go now. It’s okay.” And although I meant those words, it was so hard to say them with conviction. He laid back down and his heart beat started slowing. I wrapped him in my green neon sweater; he had always loved sleeping on my clothes and basking in their scent. I had hoped it would comfort him and make him feel safe. We pet his head and comforted him. He soon started seizing.
We made the choice then to euthanize him at the hospital and we would take the body back with us to bury him in our backyard. We picked him up on a pillow and walked into a small room that was dimly lit with electric candles...it was a thoughtful touch. The injections for euthanasia were three. After the last one, he was gone. My sister and I stayed in his view while it happened and stroked his fur one last time. I gave him a last chin scratch before he took his last breath. We told him it was okay and that he was going to a better pace where he would no longer be in pain. That he was a good boy. The best boy. The best companion one could have. My sister and I cried. Our cries vibrating through the walls, following the loss of our best friend and sibling.
The ride home was horrible. My sister and I cried the whole way while carrying our dead best friend in the pet carrier. Just a few days ago he was full of energy running around... okay more jogging, but still. How did he deteriorate so rapidly in three days? I just couldn’t understand it and the whole existential question of how fragile life was and how things rapidly unfold crossed my mind. I started to resent my job and I still do. I felt that time was robbed from me and that somehow it was the jobs fault. I still think it is.
I had already called my parents beforehand and so they were prepared to hug and kiss us while my right hand felt the weight of my dead boy. We quickly got to work, my sister, parents, and one of my mom’s friends who had the unfortunate luck of seeing us bury him. We all took turns shoveling the dirt and created a deep hole to bury him. My sister and I, in tears. My dad cried some and my mom was sad. We decided to bury him with his collar, a memento of us. I picked him up from the black carrier bag and felt how stiff he was. I was already prepared for it, but it still broke my heart to feel his body so cold and stiff. I walked to the hole and slowly and delicately lowered him into the grave. Although I knew he was dead, I did not want to drop him into the bottom, he was still my fragile baby. I laid onto my stomach and put my head into the grave until I felt his body lay onto the dirt below him.
My sister and I bawled. We picked up our individual shovels and began pouring dirt into the grave. As dirt began to cover his small body, a jingle came from the bell attached to his collar, almost as if it was his final farewell, the final jingle we would ever hear from his bell. My heart broke and I kept pouring more dirt onto him until I could no longer see his small face and big ears. My beautiful grey, green eyed friend.
Everything in the basement reminds me of him. The day before, we had cleaned his room, his blankets, his litter box... and he chose to die after we cleaned everything as if to make it easier. However, the places he frequented curse or bless us? I half expect to see him in the hallway, next to my chair at the dinner table, I expect to see him on his bean bag...to sneak into my room.
Wherever you are, just know that I love you. We love you. You are...were my best friend. I hate myself. I regret not spending enough time with you, not giving you more chin scratches, not taking time off from work for you, and most of all I’m sorry that I didn’t get to sleep in bed one last time with you. I’m so so sorry.
I just hope I made the right choice. I don’t know if I believe in an after life, but I really hope there is one for you. I really hope you’re happy now. I hope you’re no longer in pain, I hope that wherever you are, you are thriving. I hope you get all the Purina food you want, fresh tap water, and Delectables treats. You deserve that and so much more. Thank you. Thank you for being my best friend. Thank you for being by my side from the age of 6 to the age of 27. Thank you for a wonderful 21 years. I just hope you know how much I loved you... how much I still love you. I hope you know how much the family loves you. You will forever be in our lives. I will never forget you. Fly high my beautiful, pretty boy.
Forever yours ☀️

Starting a blog in 2024 is an exciting venture and can be accomplished with a few key steps. Here's a comprehensive guide to get you started from scratch:

1. Choose Your Blog's Niche

• Identify Your Passion and Expertise: Write about something you love and know well.
• Research Market Demand: Use tools like Google Trends or Keyword Planner to find popular topics within your niche.
• Analyze Competition: Check out other blogs in your niche to understand the competition and find your unique angle.

2. Define Your Audience

• Create Reader Personas: Think about who your ideal readers are – their demographics, interests, and problems.
• Tailor Content to Your Audience: Plan your content around what your audience needs and wants.

3. Choose a Blogging Platform

• WordPress.org: Highly recommended for its flexibility and control. Requires a separate hosting service.
• Blogger: Good for beginners, but limited in customization.
• Medium: Great for reaching an audience quickly, but less control over design and monetization.
• Wix or Squarespace: Easy-to-use website builders with blogging capabilities.

4. Pick a Domain Name and Hosting Service

• Domain Name: Choose a name that is easy to remember, relevant to your niche, and preferably a .com.
• Hosting Service: Popular options include Bluehost, SiteGround, and HostGator. Ensure the service offers good uptime, customer support, and scalability.

5. Set Up Your Blog

• Install WordPress: If you choose WordPress, most hosting services offer a one-click installation.
• Select a Theme: Pick a clean, responsive theme. Free and premium options are available on sites like ThemeForest or the WordPress theme directory.
• Install Essential Plugins: Some must-have plugins include Yoast SEO, Akismet (for spam protection), and Jetpack (for site stats and security).

6. Design Your Blog

• Customize Your Theme: Adjust colors, fonts, and layout to match your brand.
• Create Key Pages: Essential pages include About, Contact, Privacy Policy, and any other pages specific to your niche (e.g., Portfolio, Services).
• Optimize for Mobile: Ensure your blog looks good and works well on mobile devices.

7. Create Quality Content

• Plan Your Content: Use an editorial calendar to schedule posts. Aim for a mix of evergreen and trending topics.
• Write Engaging Posts: Craft compelling headlines, use images and multimedia, and write in a conversational tone.
• SEO Best Practices: Use keywords naturally, optimize meta descriptions, use header tags, and include internal and external links.

8. Promote Your Blog

• Social Media: Share your posts on platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
• Email Marketing: Start building an email list from day one. Use tools like Mailchimp or ConvertKit.
• Guest Posting: Write guest posts for other blogs in your niche to reach a wider audience.
• Engage with Your Audience: Respond to comments, participate in online communities, and network with other bloggers.

9. Monetize Your Blog

• Affiliate Marketing: Promote products related to your niche and earn a commission for every sale made through your referral links.
• Advertising: Use Google AdSense or work directly with brands for sponsored content.
• Sell Products/Services: Offer your own products or services, such as eBooks, courses, or consulting.
• Membership/Subscription: Provide premium content for subscribers or members.

10. Analyze and Improve

• Use Analytics Tools: Google Analytics and other tools can help you track your blog’s performance.
• Monitor Key Metrics: Focus on traffic, bounce rate, session duration, and conversion rates.
• Continuous Improvement: Regularly update old posts, optimize for SEO, and adjust your strategy based on performance data.

Conclusion

Starting a blog in 2024 involves careful planning, consistent effort, and a willingness to adapt and learn. By following these steps, you'll be well on your way to creating a successful blog that resonates with your audience and achieves your goals. Happy blogging!
4oStarting a blog in 2024 is an exciting venture and can be accomplished with a few key steps. Here's a comprehensive guide to get you started from scratch:

1. Choose Your Blog's Niche

• Identify Your Passion and Expertise: Write about something you love and know well.
• Research Market Demand: Use tools like Google Trends or Keyword Planner to find popular topics within your niche.
• Analyze Competition: Check out other blogs in your niche to understand the competition and find your unique angle.

2. Define Your Audience

• Create Reader Personas: Think about who your ideal readers are – their demographics, interests, and problems.
• Tailor Content to Your Audience: Plan your content around what your audience needs and wants.

3. Choose a Blogging Platform

• WordPress.org: Highly recommended for its flexibility and control. Requires a separate hosting service.
• Blogger: Good for beginners, but limited in customization.
• Medium: Great for reaching an audience quickly, but less control over design and monetization.
• Wix or Squarespace: Easy-to-use website builders with blogging capabilities.

4. Pick a Domain Name and Hosting Service

• Domain Name: Choose a name that is easy to remember, relevant to your niche, and preferably a .com.
• Hosting Service: Popular options include Bluehost, SiteGround, and HostGator. Ensure the service offers good uptime, customer support, and scalability.

5. Set Up Your Blog

• Install WordPress: If you choose WordPress, most hosting services offer a one-click installation.
• Select a Theme: Pick a clean, responsive theme. Free and premium options are available on sites like ThemeForest or the WordPress theme directory.
• Install Essential Plugins: Some must-have plugins include Yoast SEO, Akismet (for spam protection), and Jetpack (for site stats and security).

6. Design Your Blog

• Customize Your Theme: Adjust colors, fonts, and layout to match your brand.
• Create Key Pages: Essential pages include About, Contact, Privacy Policy, and any other pages specific to your niche (e.g., Portfolio, Services).
• Optimize for Mobile: Ensure your blog looks good and works well on mobile devices.

7. Create Quality Content

• Plan Your Content: Use an editorial calendar to schedule posts. Aim for a mix of evergreen and trending topics.
• Write Engaging Posts: Craft compelling headlines, use images and multimedia, and write in a conversational tone.
• SEO Best Practices: Use keywords naturally, optimize meta descriptions, use header tags, and include internal and external links.

8. Promote Your Blog

• Social Media: Share your posts on platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
• Email Marketing: Start building an email list from day one. Use tools like Mailchimp or ConvertKit.
• Guest Posting: Write guest posts for other blogs in your niche to reach a wider audience.
• Engage with Your Audience: Respond to comments, participate in online communities, and network with other bloggers.

9. Monetize Your Blog

• Affiliate Marketing: Promote products related to your niche and earn a commission for every sale made through your referral links.
• Advertising: Use Google AdSense or work directly with brands for sponsored content.
• Sell Products/Services: Offer your own products or services, such as eBooks, courses, or consulting.
• Membership/Subscription: Provide premium content for subscribers or members.

10. Analyze and Improve

• Use Analytics Tools: Google Analytics and other tools can help you track your blog’s performance.
• Monitor Key Metrics: Focus on traffic, bounce rate, session duration, and conversion rates.
• Continuous Improvement: Regularly update old posts, optimize for SEO, and adjust your strategy based on performance data.

Conclusion

Starting a blog in 2024 involves careful planning, consistent effort, and a willingness to adapt and learn. By following these steps, you'll be well on your way to creating a successful blog that resonates with your audience and achieves your goals. Happy blogging!

Hello!
I'm looking to buy a car and found this on FB marketplace - FB marketplace link
Current owner actually did a decent job with pictures. Looks like it has a few aftermarket mods - carbon fiber wing and a brake kit. One major imperfection is a tear in armrest upholstery. Seats look slightly faded /unpolished (could be better with a deep clean). The following image from the post shows what price he bought it for + the features the car comes with.
What would be a fair price on this car? I was thinking 13-14k would be good to start negotiating and maybe meet at 15? Is this car model's manual variant desirable in the used cars market? (asking so that if it's a disadvantage for the seller, I can use that while negotiating)
If you have other comments on this, please share!
https://preview.redd.it/xrhzwjil134d1.png?width=959&format=png&auto=webp&s=1c64527f2e37d595f781673a2c9a3d7a420e3a29

I am not The OOP, OOP is u/Complex-Wing7114
I have 2 weeks to get away from my husband
Originally posted to offmychest
Thanks to u/soayherder for suggesting this BoRU
Previous BoRU
TRIGGER WARNING: controlling behavior, threats, abusive behavior, stalking, assault, physical violence, gaslighting
Original Post Apr 27, 2024
Throwaway account as my husband and In-laws are follow my main. I, 29 F, have been married to my husband, 30 m, who I'll call Alex. Alex and I met in college during our freshman year. We started off as just friends, and got married seven months ago. I've gotten along with his family, but we aren't super close but we're friendly enough. The problem is that Alex has begun to make me incredibly uncomfortable.
Firstly, he's begun to ask me who I'm meeting with, where, what we plan on doing, how long every single time I leave the house without him. At first, I just thought he was being protective and a good partner just in case something happened, but then he started checking my phone after the visits, vetting and researching each of my friends as well.
He also has been pursuing me to link my bank account to his, as he's "in charge" of the finances when he was perfectly fine with keeping them separate before. We fight about it almost every day.
Finally, yesterday when he was preparing to go on a work trip for two weeks in California, he demanded I wear a tracker so he could keep and eye on me while he's gone. I can't do this anymore, I feel like I'm suffocating and his family who I've spoken to about his worrying behavior just said he's being careful and protective as a good husband should. I need to gather my things together and find a way to be gone before he gets home without tipping him off.
He's always threatened that if he ever found me cheating on him he'd turn in divorce papers the same day. He keeps a filled out copy in his desk. I'm going to submit those the day I leave. But there's so much to do, bergen finding a new place to live, seeing if my job has any transfers available, packing and moving in two weeks. His return flight May 11th, so I need to move quickly. I'm posting here because I don't have any close family, and I can't risk dragging my friends into this as we share the same friends.I just needed a place to vent, and ask if anyone has any advice on the easiest and safest way to do this?
Edit: oh my god you guys are amazing! I never even thought to not use his divorce papers. I'll check for cameras before I start any packing or prepping. I may also shred his divorce papers just in case and look into getting a lawyer for myself. I'm in a no fault divorce state, that much I so remember which will help. I'll update again when I know more. The tracker he wants me to use is a small clip to put on the belt or waistband. I'll wear it unless I'm going or doing something related to me leaving. No pets yet thankfully.
Update Apr 28, 2024
So I've gotten a lot of support and helpful advice along with questions I thought I should clarify before I proceed with the update. Some asked why I'd be 'hiding' things from Alex regarding going out and who I'm meeting with. I don't, and I have nothing to hide. However when he begins to then double check everything I tell him with the other people there right down to each person I talked to and what I said. Did I send any text msgs, did I order food, how much did I eat, that's when it started to feel like I was slowly being pushed into a corner. It didn't start that bad, but gradually grew worse overtime.
All of the Reddit subs my in-law's families are part of are related gardening and diy so I highly doubt they'll see this, if so by the time they do, I'll hopefully be gone. I talked to my job and explained things to my manager. And they promised to look into openings in other states to see if they could get me into one. They'll have an update on that in three days. I trust that my bank account us secured, considering he's tried to get into it before and failed. I found one camera in the kitchen, another in the living room and one in our bedroom. As such, I've left them in place for now and done all other planning, either in the bathroom pretending I'm taking a bath.
I'm honestly staying away from the domestic violence services as my sister-in-law is unfortunately higher up in those considering she volunteers there and I have a feeling if I did show up there, they would know in a heartbeat. I can't look for apartments until I get the update from my work, but either or i'm still gonna be leaving the state. The day before I do I will be changing my number carrier and wiping my laptop and all of his electronics before I do.
I've met with 2 lawyers so far and had them look over the paperwork. My husband had prepared and both said that it did it have some clauses in it. That could have caused me some trouble down the line. What alarmed all of us close the fact that several of those clauses dealt with future children, and not as a hypothetical. Like several hair suggested I have a feeling he fully intended on getting me pregnant to keep me trapped and tied to him.
There are 3 other locations. My job could send me to and I have. As a precaution Begun looking into all 3 cities and housing in the areas. Just in case one of those, this is the one they send me to. Even if they don't have an opening that they can push me into then I will just have to quit, move and figure things out on my own. I have enough money to live and survive for a few months until I can pick up another job.
Unfortunately all of our friends are mutuals and would likely be unaware of the consequences of saying or sharing anything I do or say with my husband. I don't have any surviving close family and obviously my in laws are not a good resource to rely on. I am on my own unfortunately, other than the wonderful bonds, i've begun to make here. I will update again if I get more information or something else happens. Otherwise all update when my work gets back to me. I do plan on leaving before he returns, though. Just to make sure that i'm not anywhere near here at that time.
Update 2 Apr 30, 2024
Good news! My work has an opening I qualify for that will not only shift me across the country, but also comes with a salary increase as well. I've started telling my in laws and friends that I'm planning a surprise outing for when my husband gets back for just the two of us. This way, people don't give me odd looks if they see me out and about. I've even gone as far as asking MIL to show me his favorite recipes.
Meanwhile, I've found a moving company that while small is willing to work in a storm. The reason is in five days, we're supposed to get hit with a large storm front. I plan to shut off the breaker and say we lost power if he asks just as several people here suggested and even send him a short clip of the storm.
I will have all of my stuff moved that afternoon, and I will be flying out once the weather has cleared enough to do so. I have a lawyer who will push my divorce through, and I've filled out the necessary paperwork so that I don't have to be here for it. I'm not suing for assets or alimony and I've shredded his divorce papers as well. I've set up a cheap payphone plan through cricket until this is all said and done at which point I will find a new carrier, number and phone. This one is being wiped and left behind.
My laptop is provided by my work, and the IT department inspected it thoroughly and it was clean thankfully. No other electronic aside from my laptop and new phone will be coming with me. If alex needs to talk to me, he can do it through my lawyer. Not sure if anything else will happen, my fingers are crossed that he doesn't think anythings amiss until after I leave - and I'm not turning the breaker back on when I do. He can when he gets home. My work is covering the plane ticket, so that at least is one expense I don't have to finagle in.
Update 3 May 7, 2024
Update 3: I have 2 weeks to get away from my husband.
It's been a busy week, but I've gotten so much done. Firstly, I am now out of the house and am currently in a hotel while I look for an apartment. It's a big city, bustling with people no matter where you look. We had a pretty bad storm system hit back home, that actually lasted two days. High winds, thunder, lightning and even hail everywhere. I didn't take much from the house, my documents, clothes and important sentimental items. I left all of the furniture and electronics behind. I cleaned the house top to bottom and took pictures on my phone so he couldn't claim I damaged anything when I left.
My lawyer has already started divorce proceedings, and my husband will be served on the 8th. His plane is due to land early morning, and the sheriff will be there at the house waiting for him. He is very much about public appearances and reputation. My lawyer will be calling him as well to inform him that I am more than willing to air out everything to the public about his actions if it means securing my freedom from him. I will go to court as long as I must to get this pushed through.
I haven't told our friends or his in-laws yet, I will do that while he is on the flight to prevent him from getting wind of it before he's handed the divorce papers. I will be calling around and explaining why we're getting divorced, to try and prevent him from twisting this into somehow being my fault. I don't want him trying to claim I had an affair or something so I want to get the truth out before he can twist this.
I'm... doing okay. I'm tired, but yet I feel almost jittery and off-kilter. I keep looking over my shoulder and monitoring what I say even when I don't really need to anymore. Hopefully that will fade soon. My work is covering the cost of the hotel, and I'm working on getting my other things in order. I also need to find a new GP as I want to get a full test just to make sure everything is okay. I don't know when my next update will be, probably when the divorce papers are filed or if we have to go to court to push them through. I will try to keep my head up, but it feels like I'm in a whirlwind or something with so many things to do and think about. I kinda thought it would be easier once I got out of the house but while the fear is smaller, somehow the number of tasks only seems to have grown.
Update 4 May 14, 2024
Sorry I haven't updated for a while, things got hectic and a bit chaotic honestly. Firstly, I'm working on getting an apartment still and have applications in at three different places and will hopefully hear back from them soon. I'm still going into work here at the new location, so I don't have to worry about burning through my emergency savings completely. I've gotten a lot of emails from Alex, his family and our old friend group asking question after question. I have only sent one return email to Alex, explaining that I don't believe we are truly compatible, and it is best we separate now. That his treatment of me when I'd done nothing to deserve as such was just as much of a deal breaker as cheating was for him.
I ended the email with the statement that I would not be contacting him further and anything else he needed to pass on to me or vice versa would be done through my lawyer. For his family and friends, I just typed up one email outlining everything that had happened and why I left. I told them I wished them no ill will, but that such treatment of his wife and partner was not acceptable. That should Alex get remarried in the future, I wished they would help support both partners and not just Alex.
Alex, from what my lawyer told me, was livid when he was served. The sheriff actually ended up booking him for assault on an officer and menacing due to the threats he was shouting. His father bailed him out in a few hours, but with the testimony of the sheriff, my lawyer believes I have a very good chance at getting a restraining order. Alex, upon returning to the house, apparently lost his temper again, breaking the dining table into pieces as well as the tv, and putting several holes in the walls. At least that's what one of the emails from one of our friends reported as Alex called him to help him clean up the mess.
My lawyer already has pictures of the house I took, with timestamps as evidence nothing had been damaged by me. My friend reported that Alex tried to claim I'd been the one to trash the house but the holes in the wall were at head height - Alex is 6'3", and I'm 5'4" so he knew that was false. Either way, taking the pictures definitely will help me so again thank you everyone here for the advice because I never would have thought of that on my own. My work won't share details of where I am, as I do work with some higher end clientele who value security and that information won't be gossiped about and no, I'm not some stripper or escort. I deal with contracts, notary and business management. As such, even if Alex tried to use my work to find me, he wouldn't succeed.

NEW UPDATE

Update on leaving May 26, 2024
It’s been a little bit, and I thought I’d answer some questions before giving my update. It may be a while after this until things change.
Firstly, No I didn’t bring my car. The public transport here is good enough to use without needing one. I have secured an apartment, and the building has good security. You need a key card to enter, and there is a security guard at a desk right by the entrance to the building. As part of my contract, I gave them a photo of Alex and his family so that even in the off chance they do find me, they won’t be let in.
The responses I got from the emails varied. His family said I was overreacting, and that I owe Alex an apology for the problems this has caused him. The pending criminal charges puts him at risk of losing his job if he’s convicted. Alex sent a long email, apologizing and pleading for me to come home. He said he was worried for me, that he is willing to go to therapy if it will appease me. He wants us to remain together, and he didn’t think leaving was an appropriate response to his genuine concern and worry for my health and safety. The friends gave somewhat lacking replies, saying that they didn’t think Alex was ever going to hurt me and that I shouldn’t be letting my imagination run away wild. As much as I want to say I was surprised by the lack of support, I’m honestly not.
He intends to fight the divorce. I am letting my lawyer handle it, and I am also pursuing a protective order as well. Once I got approved for my apartment, I also froze my credit. I’ve changed my phone carrier and number, as well as making sure none of my documents list Alex as next of kin or POA.
Some have asked why I was so paranoid about Alex and his possible future actions. The answer for that actually is somewhat simple – my grandmother. I loved that woman to bits. As a teen, she explained why my grandfather was never around. He was extremely abusive and manipulative, and her generation didn’t allow divorce really. She wouldn’t have been able to buy a house or get a good enough job to support her and my mother on her own. As such, she endured it, shielded my mom as she could until my grandfather died. When I felt like I may have been overreacting, I remembered how she’d said she’d always wished she’d been able to see grandfather for what he was early on when she may have been able to annul the marriage.
I don’t know when I’ll update again, maybe when the divorce goes through or if something big happens but until then, I’m just trying to keep my head above the water.
THIS IS A REPOST SUB - I AM NOT THE OOP
DO NOT CONTACT THE OOP's OR COMMENT ON LINKED POSTS, REMEMBER - RULE 7

I am NOT The OOP is u/RAkindoflosthere
Planning to ghost him after finding out he’s cheating on me
Originally posted to Infidelity confessions rant self
TRIGGER WARNING: infidelity, property damage, emotional manipulation, mentions of sexual assault
Planning to ghost him after finding out he’s cheating on me March 4, 2022
Found out my boyfriend was cheating a few weeks ago. Been spiraling since. Literally only running off of vengeance and pure disgust.
I got this weird gut feeling and checked his phone while he was asleep. Those 20 minutes locked in the bathroom felt like years, and the shame keeps me from talking to anyone about it. I moved across the country to be with him, so I’m all alone. No friends or family here.
He woke me up the next morning with kisses and breakfast and has been doing so a lot, lately. Probably the guilt.
He even bought me flowers for the first time ever. After me hinting at wanting them for years.
He thought my quiet crying was out of happiness. He even brought up buying a house for us, something with enough space for potential future children.
I’m still going through the motions. Making his breakfast and protein shake everyday, packing his lunch, making sure dinner is almost ready when he comes home from the gym.
What makes me the angriest is that I really, genuinely thought he wouldn’t do something like this. He watched his father cheat on his mother and father children out of their marriage, all while she struggled with infertility her entire life (my partner isn’t her biological son) and never had her own. She dedicated her life to the two of them and passed away of ovarian cancer shortly before we met.
Sometimes I think about whether she regretted staying with her husband or not. We have a small shrine in her honor and something makes me look at and expect guidance. I love the man she raised and hate the one her husband did. But they’re both him, and he’s a grown ass man more than capable of self control, so I decided to walk away.
Next week my car will be picked up and shipped back home, and I got first class tickets for me and my dog on his dime. He’ll come back home from work and everything I brought will be gone, along with me.
The only thing I think I might regret is not somehow being able to see his reaction when he walks through the door and realizes what’s going, lol.
RELEVANT COMMENTS
Future_Ad8467

I'm sorry you're going through this. It's the hardest thing to let go. As hopeless as it can feel sometimes, it does get better. Take your time in the beginning, but I think it's therapeutic to confront him, eventually. Ghosting doesn't provide closure for you. In my experience, confronting the problem, head on, gave me a sense of closure. I try to take everything that happens as a life lesson. Good luck with everything

OOP

I personally don’t believe in closure. I got all that I needed when I realized he was untrustworthy

~
Odd_One_9972

Do you have access to his phone/computer? Install a keylogger, then you can not only see what he's saying to you, but to the other APs as well. I put a keylogger on my ex's phone/computer when I caught him cheating. He was such a dumbass, and seeing the shit he was saying, the lies he was spewing, made me grateful I dropped his ass.

OOP

I do, but I don’t think it would make a difference for me. His entire “relationships” with the APs was lies.

Everything from his name, age, college degree, occupation, city, height, and dick size. He even told one he was married and his wife was pregnant with twins. I almost had a heart attack thinking I was an AP too and he had a family out there somewhere.

~
Suspicious_Bear_6634

If he can go after you, you should probably leave a note or a sign that you're leaving him because of his cheating. Seeing that you up and left without a known reason (from his pov) might push him to follow you home. If he knows the reason and knows that he has no chance in hell in getting you back, it might delay a possible confrontation.

OOP

you’re right. I’ve been considering just leaving a sticky note with a list of all the different girls names and the apartment key beside it. Simple and effective

Suspicious_Bear_6634

Fuck, multiple girls?? Draw a little middle finger beside them while you're at it. And make sure there are little to no supplies (food, toiletries, cleaning stuff) left and leave the house dirty so that he can appreciate how much you did for the asshole.

OOP

7 of them to be precise. I’ll have to rush and get out within a certain time frame but I might just settle for shrimp in the curtain rods. He’s really sensitive to smells lol

I lied to my boyfriend everyday and saved the money he gave me March 4, 2022
Almost every day my boyfriend sends me money for lunch, gas, something. I thought he was just really kind. Turns out he was cheating and giving me $$ made him feel less guilty, as though he didn’t beg me to move across the country with him where I know no one.
Once I found out I wanted to immediately confront him but was scared of the outcome since the apartment was only in his name and again, I know no one here.
Now I just save every dime of what he sends to be able to pay for the $3000 moving fees to go back home without hurting my own pocket too much.
Breaking my heart, destroying my ability to trust & scaring me off from men I can handle, but messing with my finances? Nah. never.
The transport company is coming next wednesday to take my car, and my plane tickets for me and my dog have been bought. Gonna keep up my happy act and do the usual cooking of dinner and scrubbing his back and poof on Wednesday like I never knew him. Its the only form of revenge I could do that wouldnt haunt me. Good riddance!

Edit: A few asked for details. There’s 7+ other women, everything he told them was a lie. Name, age, height, city, occupation. All of it.
The only common denominator was that he bought us all the exact same lingerie set for his birthday in January. 🙃 And specifically requested I hang it up in our closet where it’s viewable. Forgiveness is not on the table. He’ll be surprised, but I doubt he’ll be hurt.
RELEVANT COMMENTS
purejones

I look forward to it, how did you find out if it’s not too personal?

OOP

Woke up randomly in the middle of the night and “he’s up to no good” was all I could think about. I sleep like a literal baby and never, ever wake up like that. Took his phone and locked myself in the bathroom while he was asleep and found it all.

Friendship break ups are so much worse than relationship breakups March 5, 2022
I’ll be single again pretty soon and I’m looking forward to it but also not. Like yay! I finally can cook when/how I want to and don’t have to split chores and can do everything on my own my way.
But thats the only good part.
I’ve been on my own since I was 16 and I’ve turned out (mostly) fine, I have a paid off house and car, cute dog, debt free, and I’m finishing up my masters degree at 25. It could be worse.
But I’m lonely. I’m not on speaking terms with my family and had a huge fall out with my lifelong friends a couple years ago. I haven’t tried making friends since bc part of me hopes one day I can find a way to fix that friendship.
Plus I’m moving around so much that making friends is pointless. I’m not good at long distance anything.
I never prided myself on romantic relationships- sure, they’re cool, but a loving group of women was always where I found the most peace and understanding and that’s what I want the most.
I guess I’m just going through things right now and I really wish I had people I trust to talk to. Friend breakups hurt the most.
RELEVANT COMMENTS
OOP when asked how she had a house at a young age
OOP

Neither. I lived with my friends and their parents until college started. Already had a scholarship. Just worked 3 jobs until I was 22 and lived frugally.

~
Dufusbroth

The maths for time and money aren’t working out on this end but there is also a lot of variable/info that is missing.
It took my 7 years to payoff my house and I was contributing to it like it was an emergency. Qualifying for a home and paying it off in that amount of time without help seems nearly impossible. I’m so curious about the formula here! I need a lesson in finance from OP. When I broke it down on it just doesn’t seem possible except from a financial windfall counting even a frugal cost of living along with an accounting for taxes paid, etc… and that did not include the cost for transportation, medical, groceries, blah blah blah

OOP

The house was a 70k foreclosure and is 4bed/4bath. I was a golf caddy, gentlemen’s club bartender and occasional hostess, and notary signing agent. Along with selling stationary items on etsy. Also my scholarships paid for quite a bit of my home in general- they never specified what kind of housing for them, just housing. I lived in 1 room and rented out the other 3.

Dufusbroth

That’s the info I was looking for- thanks you! That is very smart. Good going! Good luck with your situation- so interested how he reacts to your departure

My current relationship has made me realize the thin line between love and hate. March 9, 2022
I found out my boyfriend of almost 4 years was cheating. We’ve lived together for 2 years and I’m leaving him tomorrow. He just doesn’t know yet. And won’t until after I’m gone.
As mad as I am, as betrayed as I feel, I still love him. All I really want is to wake up tomorrow and this all be a nightmare. I don’t enjoy this slice of reality.. that the person I loved the most has looked me in my eye and lied to me for who knows how long.
and every time I do it I’m left wondering how many times he did it. How many times did he wine, dine, and fuck other women and come home to me? How many times have I been the stupid girlfriend who trusted her boyfriend blindly? How many times have I been some woman’s laughing stock? Did he fuck us back to back? Did his friends know? Did they look me in my fucking eye and really not say anything? Did he love them? How many times did he tell me he loved me and meant it? When did he stop meaning it? Did he ever even mean it the first time?
I’m not a master manipulator. Unlike him. I’m just composed because I’ve never had any other choice. Emotions got you beat or worse when it came to my parents and I’m more than aware I have a shitload of trauma to unpack but I can’t.
Not in the self pity, woe is me, its too hard, but no. I probably just can’t. Therapists here are wildly westernized and once I start with the short list they’ll probably just charge me double. Maybe triple. And the last time I tried he kept trying to convince me I enjoyed my own assault.
Maybe I got cheated on because I’m emotionally inept. My intimacy levels are quite limited. The few times he asked about my childhood I either a) brushed him off or b) told him one thing I thought wasn’t that bad and he was so shocked I held out on the actually bad parts.
And that’s where the hate comes in. He knows what it’s like to grow up feeling unwanted. He knows what it’s like to lose your parents young. He knows what it’s like to feel like your entire life has been horrible event after horrible event.
But he still did this to me and I don’t get how he could. I could never cheat on anyone, let alone someone who’s shared such personal things with me.
I haven’t so much as made eye contact with another man since we met… other people were just other people and we were us.
I don’t know. I just don’t see being able to date again. I had deep seeded trust issues long before this and growing old by myself with 30 cats genuinely sounds nice. Hell, great even. At least I won’t always be wondering when the betrayal will come.

(Update) Leaving partner of 4 yrs after finding out he was cheating March 10, 2022
Transport company came and picked up my car. Sold whatever big furniture I brought for low prices. Took his dog to the park and played with him a bit, got him a dog cupcake and took him back to the apartment.
Movers started coming for the rest of my stuff and I hadn’t prepared for our property manager thinking we were both moving out and we hadn’t given them the required vacancy notice. She came to talk to me right as my uber was coming and I told her what was going.
Unfortunately they had already called him bc only his name on the lease. He’s called and texted me a few times but I haven’t replied. His work day won’t be over for a couple of more hours.
I left my apartment keys, and anything he’s ever bought for me that I hadn’t sold already. Didn’t feel like taking that stuff with me. While packing I remembered we bought a pet camera that shoots treats on the entertainment center and turned it back on. I promised myself I’ll disconnect from it by midnight tomorrow but I have my own predictions about how he’ll react and I just gotta know for sure. Yeah, it’s fucked up. Sue me lol
I actually forgot to leave a note and was running out of time before my uber came and just left the lingerie set he was so obsessed with on the bed. He’ll figure it out eventually. Or not.
I’m at the airport now with my dog and just waiting on my flight. I wish I could say that I feel free but I don’t. Just tired.
Thank you all for the well wishes and thank you more to all of the other women who reached out with similar stories. I think I might’ve caved and stayed if you all hadn’t.
RELEVANT COMMENTS
Suspicious_Bear_6634

What did he say on the text when they informed him that things were being moved out?

*OOP

Just that he got a call from property management and asked if I ordered something big and if anything was going on.

Pet Cam Update March 14, 2022
Update: I turned it on for about ten minutes after I got back to my home and unpacked. He wasn’t there, but everything was a mess. There was a hole in the wall, furniture flipped over, papers everywhere, the kitchen looked like a tornado went through it.
I deleted all of my other social media accounts but didn’t block his number. The first two days he called me over 200 times. Lots of novel ass text messages and him admitting to some shit I didn’t even know about yet. Quite a few calls from his dad and friends too.
I didn’t reply to any of them
THIS IS A REPOST SUB - I AM NOT THE OOP
DO NOT CONTACT THE OOP's OR COMMENT ON LINKED POSTS, REMEMBER - RULE 7

I am looking to purchase my first car. I just graduated college and have no experience and can only rely on online sources to guide me in the process, so any help would be appreciated. I know I have no knowledge and can be delusional so feel free to give any feedback and advice. I found a 2006 subaru b9 with 180k miles on facebook marketplace going for $2,900 in Washington State. vin number lookup shows clean title and no accident history. KBB says that the vin number has no safety recalls, and the price is within the range of the KBB reccomendations. Seller says they are the 2nd owner, purchased in 2007 and the car has been in the family ever since. When I asked about service history, they said they did "oil changes, full tuneups, alternator starter, fuel pump." and the description says there are no mechanical issues. I know its pretty high milage, but my budget is restricted and I am in need of a car right now due to a new internship. I do not want to take the responsibility of finacing at the moment, is this an ok deal or should I save up in the meantime?

I, 30F, moved into a trailer in my home town with two guys whom i thought were friends 35M, and 27M. For simplicity 27M will be Bum, and 35M will be Fool. The three of us agreed to move in and split the bills 3 ways. Shortly after moving in, Bum quit his job and refused to get another one. Instead, he sat at the house, playing video games all night and generating a mess. I had spoken to Fool many time about this and it seemed like he was on my side. After living with Bum for a while, I noticed a drastic change in my dog's, 6M large breed, behavior. He would run from Bum as if he were about to be beaten. To the point he would slip and fall on the wood laminate floor. He was also confined to my bedroom at all times as was my cat. I confronted Bum about it when I noticed a hole in my bathroom wall that hadn't been there when I left for work. He fed me some cock and bull story about how my dog must have launched my full conditioner bottle that had been sitting in my shower caddy at the wall. Throughout the entire 8 months of living with these two I have paid half of the rent and all of the utilities. I have had to take out payday loans every 2 weeks to make the basic household ends meet while my own personal bills have gone on the back burner. Eventually, Bum ended up getting a baby sitting job. Thinking that the struggle was finally over and we could finally split the bills, I did the math for the rent and posted it in our group chat. In layman's terms, he said no that his bills had to come first and that the rent was staying the way it was. This pissed me off and I finally decided enough was enough and spoke to a different friend about getting into a new place. Everything came to a head this passed Monday. In short, Bum said he hadn't slept in 34 hours, was sick, and went to "work". He was angry that I hadn't cleaned up the giant mess that he had made or did the dishes while on the phone with people who I had thought were friends. He kept comparing me to his ex and said how living with me as a roommate made him want to "unalive himself". I called my mom and asked her to come and get me after he had gone into his room. I sent Fool a message telling him that Bum could stay and that I would leave since I am the problem. He called us both soon after in a group call and demanded to know what was going on. Bum gave his side first and then interrupted as I tried to give mine. He said again that living with me made him want to unalive himself. He knows that Suic*de is a trigger of mine and he uses it often. I yelled at him not to say that and he began to scream at me. I ju g ip from the call and began speed packing essentials while calling my mom. She and a friend helped get my essentials and pets out and back to my moms place. Today, I went back over and finished packing my things, only to discover that my vr headset and controllers are missing. Last I had seen them they had been in the entertainment center that is now empty. I confronted Bum about it and he denied having them. I went through all of my stuff 5 times and couldn't find them. I told him he had 15 minutes to produce my vr setup ir I'd call the cops. He began to yell at me again. My mother stepped in and told me to just call, so I did and made a report. He tried to kick my mother out of "his" house but she refused stating that it wasn't his house but mine. He went and hid in his room after that. About an hour after the ordeal, I recieved messages from Fool. He stated that since I willingly broke the lease that I had until june 9th to pack up my things and get out, otherwise theyd throw everything out and take me to court for damages to the room. I told him that my things were already out and that I was going back tomorrow to clean the room and repair the damages. He stated that I couldn't go into the house without one of them there. I know for a fact that they haven't spoken with the office yet about taking me off the lease so I know I still have a right to go inside and that by law that they have to give me 30 days since I recieve mail at the address. I intend on going anyway and cleaning the room and removing the last of my things and the trash and giving the key back to the manager in the office. I have stopped respoding to Fool's messages and I have blocked Bum on all platforms. I simply cannot take the mental, financial, and amimal abuse any longer. Please tell me, AITAH here?

Hey guys, I got my vertical labret a few days ago, the 29th of May. I’ve been using saline to clean it 2-3 times a day (depending on what i’ve eaten/if i’ve been out in the heat for a while) and have been doing best to avoid any contact or lip balms.
I have a few things I have questions about.
For starters, how do I combat the chapped lips? I bite my lips but thankfully the labret has heavily deterred me from doing so. Since i’ve stopped they are SO chapped and it’s driving me up the wall.
Next question/concern is regarding the ball below my lip. I understand it’s a few days old and still settling but I’m worried it’s getting angry. The skin seems red/irritated after I shower and clean it. As of tonight, once I started my nightime wind down it looked a little inflamed and felt mildly throbby. Is there something else I can do in my cleaning routine to help make sure its really being taken care of?
Im a bit anxious about this piercing and ensuring it’s clean/healing well. If this sounds like i’m worrying about too much too soon please let me know lol, I wouldn’t be surprised.

DAY: MAY 31 2024
5-31-2024

RESEARCH SUGGESTS LEADERS’ SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS ARE TAKEN JUST AS SERIOUSLY AS FORMAL STATEMENTS

Over 180 world leaders maintain social media accounts, and some of them issue policy warnings to rivals and the public on these platforms rather than relying on traditional government statements. How seriously do people take such social media postings? A new study suggests the general public and policymakers alike take leaders’ social media posts just as seriously as they take formal government statements. The research, by MIT political scientists, deploys novel surveys of both the public and experienced foreign policy specialists. “What we find, which is really surprising, across both
5-31-2024

SCALE OF ONLINE HARM TO CHILDREN REVEALED IN GLOBAL STUDY

More than 300 million children a year are victims of online sexual exploitation and abuse, research indicates. Pupils in every classroom, in every school, in every country are victims of this hidden pandemic, according to researchers who have conducted the first global estimate of the scale of the crisis. The statistics, from the Childlight Global Child Safety Institute at the University of Edinburgh, amount to a clear and present danger to the world’s children, according to the crime agency Interpol. Online risks One in eight of the world’s children, about
5-31-2024

PRONATALISM IS THE LATEST SILICON VALLEY TREND. WHAT IS IT—AND WHY IS IT DISTURBING?

For Malcolm and Simone Collins, declining birth rates across many developed countries are an existential threat. The solution is to have “tons of kids,” and to use a hyperrational, data-driven approach to guide everything from genetic selection to baby names and day-to-day parenting. They don’t heat their Pennsylvania home in winter, because heating is a “pointless indulgence.” Their children wear iPads around their necks. And a Guardian journalist witnessed Malcolm strike their two-year-old across the face for misbehavior, a parenting style they apparently developed based on watching “tigers
5-31-2024

HOW SCIENCE, MATH, AND TECH CAN PROPEL SWIMMERS TO NEW HEIGHTS

One hundred years ago, in the 1924 Paris Olympics, American Johnny Weissmuller won the men’s 100m freestyle with a time of 59 seconds. Nearly 100 years later, in the most recent Olympics, the delayed 2020 Games in Tokyo, Caeleb Dressel took home the same event with a time that was 12 seconds faster than Weissmuller’s. Swimming times across the board have become much faster over the past century, a result of several factors, including innovations
5-31-2024

BANNING SEX CRIME OFFENDERS FROM CHANGING THEIR NAMES DOESN’T MAKE US SAFER

The government of British Columbia recently introduced a bill to ban people convicted of serious offenses from legally changing their name. The proposed amendment to the province’s Name Act would also prohibit those found not criminally responsible due to mental disorder from changing their name. The government announced the move after media reports that Allan Schoenborn legally changed his name to Ken Johnson. Schoenborn was found not criminally responsible for the deaths of his children in 2010 because of a delusional disorder, and was placed at a psychiatric hospital.
5-31-2024

SILICON VALLEY ISN’T THE START-UP UTOPIA WE THOUGHT, RESEARCH FINDS

Silicon Valley—considered the world’s hub of technology and innovation—can breed inequality and sameness among budding entrepreneurs, according to new research. Behind the multi-million-dollar deals and tales of start-up utopia, Silicon Valley’s “uneven” investment landscape is in fact a barrier to many budding businesses, says the study from the University of Stirling and Georg-August-University Göttingen. But the researchers suggest other countries could still learn from the more discerning entrepreneurial ecosystem that bred giants such as Apple and Google, to be more selective in backing start-ups. While it is not uncommon for
5-31-2024

I WANT TO KEEP MY CHILD SAFE FROM ABUSE—BUT RESEARCH TELLS ME I’M DOING IT WRONG

Child sexual abuse is uncomfortable to think about, much less talk about. The idea of an adult engaging in sexual behaviors with a child feels sickening. It’s easiest to believe that it rarely happens, and when it does, that it’s only to children whose parents aren’t protecting them. This belief stayed with me during my early days as a parent. I kept an eye out for creepy men at the playground and was skeptical of men who worked with young children, such as teachers and coaches. When my kids were
5-31-2024

OVER 300 MILLION YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED ONLINE SEXUAL ABUSE, EXPLOITATION, FINDS METASTUDY

It takes a lot to shock Kelvin Lay. My friend and colleague was responsible for setting up Africa’s first dedicated child exploitation and human trafficking units, and for many years he was a senior investigating officer for the Child Exploitation Online Protection Center at the UK’s National Crime Agency, specializing in extra territorial prosecutions on child exploitation across the globe. But what happened when he recently volunteered for a demonstration of cutting-edge identification software left him speechless. Within seconds of being fed with an image
5-31-2024

CYBERFLASHING IS A FORM OF GENDERED SEXUAL VIOLENCE THAT MUST BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY

Sexting—sending sexually suggestive or explicit messages and images—is now a widespread practice, and can be a healthy way to express and explore sexuality. However, there is a need to distinguish between consensual sexting and forms of sexual harassment like cyberflashing. Cyberflashing refers to the act of non-consensually sending sexual imagery (like nudes or “dick pics”) to another person. It is facilitated through communications technologies including text, AirDrop and social media applications like Snapchat and Tinder. Similar to flashing—when a person unexpectedly and deliberately “flashes” their genitals to others—that occurs in
5-31-2024

VIRTUAL TRAINING MAY BE AN EFFECTIVE, COST-EFFICIENT OPTION FOR CHILD EDUCATORS

Teachers and other child educators can benefit from regular professional development, but in-person training can be expensive. New research found that virtual training can be a budget-friendly alternative—and especially effective for certain groups of educators. The study—a collaboration between researchers at Penn State and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and published in the International Journal of Professional Development, Learners and Learning—found that educators who took a virtual training reported feeling more confident in their abilities to implement practices shown to support positive youth development. In particular, after-school providers who did not
5-31-2024

HUMBLE LEADERS BOOST EMPLOYEES’ WORKPLACE STATUS AND LEADERSHIP POTENTIAL, FINDS STUDY

There are many different types of workplace leaders, from those who prioritize the needs of team members and the organization above their own, to authentic leaders who foster openness, trust and transparency. A recent study by the University of South Australia published in the Journal of Organizational Behavior has highlighted the significant benefits of humble leadership in the workplace. According to the study by UniSA’s Dr. Xiao Lin, humble leadership can effectively elevate the workplace status of employees by boosting their sense of respect and prominence. It also leads to
5-31-2024

WHY ARE GROCERY BILLS SO HIGH? A NEW STUDY LOOKS AT THE SCIENCE BEHIND FOOD PRICE REPORTING

Rising food costs are squeezing Canadians around the country. Nearly everyone is feeling the pinch, and it’s not just an inconvenience—high food prices are a major threat to food security for many Canadians. Understanding why food prices are so high and why they are changing is critical to the well-being of our society. Unfortunately, consensus on why food price are so high is in short supply. Explanations given in reports like Canada’s Food Price Report and the news media range widely, from the war in Ukraine to supply chain issues
5-31-2024

WILL GENERATIVE AI CHANGE THE WAY UNIVERSITIES COMMUNICATE?

Is artificial intelligence an unprecedented opportunity, or will it rob everyone of jobs and creativity? As we debate on social media (and perhaps use ChatGPT almost daily), generative AIs have also entered the arena of university communication. These tools—based on large language models that were optimized for interactive communication—can indeed support, expand, and innovate university communication offerings. Justus Henke has analyzed the situation of German realities about six months after the launch of ChatGPT 3. “The research was conducted about a year ago when enthusiasm was high, but it was
5-31-2024

STUDY SHOWS RELATIVELY LOW NUMBER OF SUPERSPREADERS RESPONSIBLE FOR LARGE PORTION OF MISINFORMATION ON TWITTER

Classification of superspreader accounts. A large portion (55.1%) of accounts are no longer active. For each class annotated with political affiliations, colors indicate the ideological split. The last group aggregates all accounts with political affiliations. Credit: PLOS ONE (2024). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0302201 A small team of social media analysts at Indiana University has found that a major portion of tweets spreading disinformation are sent by a surprisingly small percentage of a given userbase. In their study, published in PLOS ONE, the group conducted a review of 2,397,388 tweets posted on Twitter
5-31-2024

HOW LIFE’S BIG MOMENTS CAN CHALLENGE STARTUPS

Life-changing events like the birth of a child, the purchase of a new home, or a lottery win could threaten the survival of a new business venture, the positive family events had a comparatively greater influence, albeit negatively, on the survival of a new venture, compared with
5-31-2024

RUDE AT WORK? FEELING GUILTY CAN MAKE YOU A BETTER, KINDER WORKER

We’ve all done it. A bad night’s sleep or a tough commute made us cranky, and we lashed out at a coworker who did nothing wrong. What can we do to make up for it? According to a new study published in the Journal of Business Ethics, embracing our guilty feelings can help us make up for our bad behavior by encouraging us to act more politely and work harder the next day. “We found that anyone can be rude at work, because anyone can
5-31-2024

RESEARCHERS INTRODUCE A PLANETARY INCLUSION SCALE TO FOSTER BROADER ETHICAL THINKING

Social inclusion and having a sense of belonging with other people are key elements of a good life. However, the fate of humanity is a challenge that extends beyond our social reality. Experiences of belonging and inclusion, understood in a broader sense than before, may be crucial for a sustainable future. In an article published in the International Journal of Social Pedagogy, a team of researchers propose a new planetary inclusion scale that structures our planetary relationship three-dimensionally based on temporal, spatial and ethical orientation. The temporal element relates to
5-31-2024

‘LEAN IN’ MESSAGES CAN LOWER WOMEN’S MOTIVATION TO PROTEST GENDER INEQUALITY

Women in leadership are often told to “Lean In,” designed to be motivational messaging demonstrating that they are more confident, strategic and resilient to setback. However, new research indicates that such “lean in” messaging can hinder women’s motivation to protest gender equality. Popularized in a book by American technology executive Sherly Sandberg, the “Lean In” solution to gender inequality advises women that demonstrating personal resilience and perseverance in the face of setbacks is key to career advancement. Now, a new study led by the University of Exeter, Bath Spa University
5-31-2024

ALGORITHMS COULD HELP IMPROVE JUDICIAL DECISIONS

A new paper in the Quarterly Journal of Economics finds that replacing certain judicial decision-making functions with algorithms could improve outcomes for defendants by eliminating some of the systemic biases of judges. Decision makers make consequential choices based on predictions of unknown outcomes. Judges, in particular, make decisions about whether to grant bail to defendants or how to sentence those convicted. Companies now use machine learning based models increasingly in high-stakes decisions. There are various assumptions about human behavior underlying the deployment of such learning models that play out in
5-31-2024

DIGITAL CAMPAIGNING IS A HUGE PART OF ELECTIONS NOW—BUT GOING VIRAL ISN’T EVERYTHING

The election has commenced and the race is on—to amass as many likes, shares and comments as possible. Digital campaigning, particularly through social media, is now a key part of political candidates’ communication toolkit. In fact, every general election campaign since 1997 has at some point been lauded as the first to make effective use of digital campaigning. But it was in 2015 that David Cameron’s campaign first made strategic use of social media to drive an election victory. As political reporter Tim Ross outlines in his excellent book, Why
5-31-2024

WHY ARE ORGANIZATIONAL COVER-UPS SO COMMON?

The TV dramatization of the UK Horizon Post Office scandal evoked outrage and disbelief. However, as another example of dysfunctional organizational behavior, it was expected rather than exceptional. The Post Office saga joins a long list of cover-ups or scandals that includes Hillsborough, Enron, Grenfell, the infected blood scandal, the Tuam babies scandal in the Republic of Ireland, Boeing 737 Max and Nasa (Columbia space shuttle). They represent what happens when there is a move within organizations and institutions to cover up the causes of
5-31-2024

AMONG GEN Z AUSTRALIANS, 38% IDENTIFY AS SPIRITUAL AND HALF BELIEVE IN KARMA. WHY IS SPIRITUALITY SO POPULAR?

Spirituality is increasingly popular with young Australians: recent research shows 38% of Gen Z Australians identify as spiritual. It also reports 50% of them believe in karma, 29% in reincarnation and 20% in astrology. When it comes to activities equated with spirituality, 28% of Gen Z Australians practice meditation and 22% practice yoga. In Australia, spirituality is strongly, enduringly central to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and culturally and religiously diverse communities. Yet until recently, spirituality has received far less attention than religion. Spirituality may be
5-31-2024

COMPANIES CAN IMPROVE THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THEIR PRODUCTS IN THE EARLIEST PRODUCT-DESIGN STAGES

An interdisciplinary team of researchers from Lithuanian and Italian universities propose a tool that allows companies to assess the circularity of their future products. The self-assessment tool emphasizes the co-creation of circular design in the early (creative) stages of product development, encouraging entrepreneurs and designers to think more systematically and collaborate better by integrating related stakeholders into the product development process. The study is published in the Journal of Industrial Ecology. “The majority of existing practical tools (systems of indicators) are aimed at measuring the environmental impact of products already
5-31-2024

RESEARCH EXAMINES HOW RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION AFFECTS A STATE’S COLLEGE ENROLLMENT

New research has revealed up to a 9% increase in college first-year enrollments in US states that have legalized recreational marijuana compared with states without such legalization. The study, which is published in Economic Inquiry, found that the increase was from out-of-state enrollments, with early adopter states and public non-research institutions experiencing the most pronounced increases. Recreational marijuana legalization did not negatively impact degree completion or graduation rate, and it did not affect college prices, quality, or in?state enrollment. The findings suggest that some students perceive recreational marijuana legalization as
5-31-2024

RESEARCH EXAMINES HOW RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION AFFECTS A STATE’S COLLEGE ENROLLMENT

New research has revealed up to a 9% increase in college first-year enrollments in US states that have legalized recreational marijuana compared with states without such legalization. The study, which is published in Economic Inquiry, found that the increase was from out-of-state enrollments, with early adopter states and public non-research institutions experiencing the most pronounced increases. Recreational marijuana legalization did not negatively impact degree completion or graduation rate, and it did not affect college prices, quality, or in?state enrollment. The findings suggest that some students perceive recreational marijuana legalization as
5-31-2024

HOW THE ‘MODEL MINORITY’ MYTH HARMS ASIAN AMERICANS

May is Asian and Pacific American Heritage Month, a time when Americans celebrate the profound contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders—a group that is commonly abbreviated as AAPI—to U.S. society. It’s also a time to acknowledge the complexity of AAPI experience. And as a professor who studies equity and inclusion in business, I think the focus on AAPI communities this month provides an excellent occasion to push back against a stereotype that has long misrepresented and marginalized a diverse range of people: the myth of the “model minority.” The
5-31-2024

WONDERING HOW TO TEACH YOUR KIDS ABOUT CONSENT? HERE’S AN AGE-BASED GUIDE TO GET YOU STARTED

The Australian government’s new campaign Consent Can’t Wait challenges us all to improve our understanding of consent. It asks a series of questions to illustrate this issue is more complex than simplistic “no means no” messaging. The campaign invites viewers to consider the nuances of consent, so we can raise these important issues with children and young people in our lives. But what is a good age to start talking about consent? How do parents tackle such conversations when this information probably wasn’t readily discussed in our own upbringing? How
5-31-2024

A PRODUCT OF NATURE OR NURTURE?

The concept of cultural entrepreneurship has many facets. It encompasses both the cultural and social impact of entrepreneurial training, and the environmental factors that influence its development. Some societies, such as the U.S., have a strong entrepreneurial culture. This means that certain characteristics are celebrated and encouraged, such as the ability of individuals to assume risks, patience when confronting challenges, and innovative problem solving, especially in uncertain situations. However, not all countries have such an entrepreneurial culture. Entrepreneurship struggles to take off in Europe In general, entrepreneurship can drive economic
5-31-2024

STUDY BRIDGES ANIMAL BEHAVIOR RESEARCH AND COMPUTER CODING TO ENGAGE CHILDREN IN STEM

A graphic depicting a student coding. Credit: Carnegie Mellon University Teachers today face a bit of a conundrum, according to a new study from researchers at Carnegie Mellon University and the Rochester Institute of Technology. Their goal is to prepare young students to enter a rapidly changing world. Even basic jobs require technical proficiency, which requires computational and analytical skills. To address this need, many educators are pushing to fold these important STEM skills into elementary curriculum. Here’s the problem. Young students can lose interest and even develop an aversion
5-31-2024

STUDY SHOWS VR CAN HELP TEACHERS BETTER DISTRIBUTE THEIR GAZE

On the left, a bird’s-eye view of the virtual classroom; on the right, screenshots of each of the four gaze-visualization conditions. Teachers need to know their material, but they must also keep their students engaged and interested. Part of that involves making eye contact with their students—all of them. A multidisciplinary team of researchers tested several methods of data visualization in an immersive virtual reality (VR) classroom, to give teachers a way to gauge
5-31-2024

MARKETERS CAN MANAGE ‘FEATURE CREEP’ SO CONSUMERS FEEL LESS INTIMIDATED BY TOO MANY FEATURES IN A PRODUCT

Wifi-enabled washing machines. Voice-controlled microwaves. App-enabled TVs, vacuum cleaners, and even window blinds you can control from the comfort of your couch. Many of the technological features now included in everyday products are useful and accessible. But research has shown that having too many can overwhelm potential buyers, making them less likely to make a purchase. In recent research, Wayne Hoyer, marketing professor and James L. Bayless/William S. Farrish Fund Chair for Free Enterprise at Texas McCombs, digs into the phenomenon of “feature creep” and its impact on consumer sentiment.
5-31-2024

RESEARCHERS EXPLAIN SOCIAL MEDIA’S ROLE IN RAPIDLY SHIFTING SOCIAL NORMS ON GENDER AND SEXUALITY

A new paper summarizing decades of research demonstrates how social media has supported an explosion of diversity in gender and sexuality in America during the 21st century, and also how these technologies have equally enabled a cultural backlash. The paper’s authors, UC Santa Cruz Psychology Department faculty members Phil Hammack and Adriana Manago, identified five main narratives about gender and sexuality that they believe emerged through social media as people have strived to be “authentic” on these platforms. The findings, along with resulting recommendations for psychology researchers and practitioners, were
5-31-2024

KEY FACTORS IN TRAINING ASSESSORS FOR ENHANCED PERFORMANCE RATINGS

New research is examining how organizations can improve their training programs by customizing frame-of-reference training to emphasize identifying negative behaviors critical to their goals. While assessors naturally identify positive behaviors, C. Allen Gorman, Ph.D., associate professor in UAB’s Department of Management, Information Systems and Quantitative Methods, says targeted training helps them recognize harmful actions that can hinder organizational objectives. Involving assessors in defining important performance dimensions and examples of behaviors, both good and
5-31-2024

STUDIES CHALLENGE WIDELY HELD BELIEFS ON APPLICANT DIVERSITY AND WOMEN IN THE WORKPLACE

Justin Frake is interested in cause-and-effect relationships in real-world data and the hidden dynamics that shape workplace behavior and equality—or inequality, as the case might be. His curiosity has led to research that challenges some popular beliefs as well as published studies related to women in the workforce. One study shows that firms promoting flatter hierarchies inadvertently discourage female applicants and another study counters several recent studies that claim women CEOs negatively impact career outcomes of other women. Both are published in the Strategic Management Journal. The assistant professor of
5-31-2024

CHALLENGING LEWIN’S MOTIVATIONAL CONFLICTS THEORY

A recent series of experiments challenges the longstanding theory of motivational conflict resolution introduced by Kurt Lewin. According to Lewin, conflicts between two undesirable outcomes (avoidance–avoidance conflicts) are typically harder to resolve than those between two desirable ones (approach–approach conflicts). Lewin posited that avoidance–avoidance conflicts, where individuals must choose between two undesirable outcomes, are typically more challenging to resolve compared to approach–approach conflicts, which involve choosing between two desirable options.
5-31-2024

MEN WITH ‘TOXIC MASCULINITY’ ARE MORE LIKELY TO MAKE SEXUAL ADVANCES WITHOUT CONSENT, STUDY FINDS

No means no when it comes to sex. But what happens when a woman makes a more passive response to a sexual advance? According to new research from Binghamton University, men differ in how they interpret these types of responses, and men who display hostile masculinity, known commonly as “toxic masculinity,” tend to act on them regardless of whether or not they think it’s consensual. A team of researchers, including Binghamton psychology professor Richard Mattson and graduate student Michael Shaw asked men between the ages of 18–25 to respond to
5-31-2024

WHY WE DEHUMANIZE OUR POLITICAL OPPONENTS

Some of human history’s greatest atrocities—genocide, slavery, ethnic cleanings—are rooted in our ability to dehumanize people from other social, political, or cultural groups. Whereas prior research has traced dehumanization to the belief that others think or feel less than we do, new research co-authored by Haas professor Sameer Srivastava shows that our tendency to dehumanize can also be influenced by how we think others view important facets of the world. The greater the difference between our perceptions of an outgroup’s worldview
5-31-2024

STUDY SUGGESTS CHILDREN ARE OFTEN EXPOSED TO PROBLEMATIC CLICK BAIT DURING YOUTUBE SEARCHES

When a child peruses YouTube, the content recommended to them is not always age appropriate, a new study suggests. Researchers mimicked search behaviors of children using popular search terms, such as memes, Minecraft and Fortnite, and captured video thumbnails recommended at the end of each video. Among the 2,880 thumbnails analyzed, many contained problematic click bait, such as violence or frightening images, according to the Michigan Medicine led research in JAMA Network Open. “Children spend a significant amount of time on free video sharing platforms that include user-generated content,” said
5-31-2024

STUDY FINDS WOMEN ARE VULNERABLE IN POST-WAR PEACE PROCESSES

Post-war peace processes are a dangerous period for women. Many are forced to live close to men who committed serious abuse during the war or are expected to testify in various types of truth commissions, which can be both retraumatizing and stigmatizing. These are the findings of a new study by peace researchers at Uppsala University, published in the journal PLOS ONE. “In short, peace projects can force women to live side by side with ex-combatants who committed atrocities during the war. This puts them at risk of further threat
5-31-2024

HOW EMBRACING THE CRINGE CAN HELP YOUR DATING LIFE

We can all agree that dating is hard. Getting to know people can feel vulnerable, but at the same time, exciting. We can also agree that feeling rejected can be one of the worst feelings, especially after we put ourselves out there. Dating can also expose us to a lot of cringey things, maybe even something we didn’t know we’d consider cringey. Think of cringe like something that makes you uncomfortable, or something about someone else that you don’t find attractive. Before dating, most of us consider what we’re looking
5-31-2024

PERSONAL CONNECTIONS AT WORK POSITIVELY IMPACT RETENTION AND MENTAL HEALTH, SAYS REPORT

New survey results from Wiley suggest people still feel connected at work despite the prevalence of hybrid and remote work environments and the rise of artificial intelligence (AI). According to the latest Wiley Workplace Intelligence report, “Human Connection: The Crucial Secret to Thriving in the Digital Age,” nearly 8 in 10 employees surveyed (78%) said they feel connected with their coworkers, and almost 7 in 10 (69%) said they also enjoy making connections with their colleagues. Around half even said they want to learn more about their coworkers by doing
5-31-2024

RESEARCHER DEVELOPS MODEL OF INFLUENCER IMPORTANCE WITHIN INSTAGRAM NETWORKS

A study has provided new insights into social media influencers, particularly focusing on those in the women’s fashion sector on the well-known image and video sharing platform Instagram. In a departure from the approach taken by earlier studies, Jens K. Perret of the International School of Management in Cologne, Germany, has used network statistics and centrality measures to establish a model of influencer importance within their network. Perret analyzed data from 255 influencers covering a four-year period. Influencers are loosely
5-31-2024

MOST PEOPLE TRUST ACCURATE SEARCH RESULTS WHEN THE STAKES ARE HIGH, STUDY FINDS

Rank (X-axis) does not affect the evaluation of trustworthiness (Y-axis, mean-centered) of accurate results. This lack of relationship is robust across experiments (columns) and for clicked results (top row, red) as well as non-clicked results (bottom row, blue). The trend lines represent the predicted change in trustworthiness ratings per unit decrease in rank fitted by the linear regression models. Credit: Scientific Reports (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-61645-8 Using experiments with COVID-19 related queries, Cornell sociology and information science researchers found that in a public health emergency, most people pick out and click
5-31-2024

MISLEADING COVID-19 HEADLINES FROM MAINSTREAM SOURCES DID MORE HARM ON FACEBOOK THAN FAKE NEWS, STUDY FINDS

Despite the greater potency of “fake news” on Facebook to discourage Americans from taking the COVID-19 vaccine, users’ greater exposure to unflagged, vaccine-skeptical content meant the latter had a much greater negative effect on vaccine uptake. Credit: Jennifer Allen, Duncan Watts, David G. Rand Since the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine in 2021, fake news on social media has been widely blamed for low vaccine uptake in the United States—but research by MIT Sloan School of Management Ph.D. candidate Jennifer Allen and Professor David Rand finds that the blame lies
5-31-2024

CRITICAL DIALOGUE HELPS STRAIGHT MEN CONFRONT SEXIST, HOMOPHOBIC BELIEFS

Adult heterosexual men with sexist and homophobic views can potentially improve their attitudes toward gay men and women by engaging in critical dialogues that use illustrations as a springboard, according to a new University of Michigan study. The work is published in the journal Sexual and Gender Diversity in Social Services. The process by which people shift from a prejudicial stance to one of relative acceptance is a key innovation of the study. Guided by trained facilitators, critical dialogues reflect illustrations depicting different gender roles and sexual identities. The images
5-31-2024

RELIEVING A FEAR OF PUBLIC SPEAKING

If you dread public speaking you are not alone. It is a leading social phobia, one that can cause a state of anxiety that reduces otherwise articulate people to nervous incoherence. A strong fear of public speaking is known as glossophobia. Academic studies estimate it affects 20% of the population, but depending on the sample and methodology, the figure could be as high as 40%. As American writer and humourist Mark Twain said, “There are two types of speakers: Those who get nervous and those who are liars.” But help
5-31-2024

HOW SOME PRIVATE COMPANIES ARE MARKETING TECH AND AI SOLUTIONS

How do universities and colleges decide who to admit? Given the earnings advantage of a post-secondary degree both globally and in Canada, this is an important social mobility question. While the answer varies from one institution to the next, most focus on education criteria like exam scores and grades. However, Canada’s new intake cap on study permit applications puts increased pressure on Canadian institutions to also consider immigration criteria when admitting international undergraduate students. This is just the latest example of immigration’s growing influence on the societal roles of Canadian

My dad (72) had a pretty bad hemorrhagic stroke on April 9th. He was intubated for a while, I was told he was going to die several times. The emt who brought him in met me at the hospital and told me he'd probably be a vegetable, which is an insane thing to tell some one who is crying about their dad.
Well, it's now about 2 months later, I've since moved back home with my boyfriend to care for my dad when he comes home. He's moving his leg and his upper arm/shoulder. He speaks very well, eats very well, is joking around. He's more irritable lately due to wanting to go home and how exhausting everything is. He can walk with a side walkebox cane thing, an AFO and a knee brace during physical therapy. His leg movement is actually astounding.
But today was a hard day. He has awful arthritis in his left thumb, which is his affected side and the nurses aren't gentle with it. They roll him over when changing him right on to his hand which is VERY painful for him. I don't know what to do about it other than telling them constantly to be careful. Im going to print out reminders and tape them to the walls, I think.
I just feel so helpless. I'm doing my absolute best. I immediately moved out of my apartment and back home when all this happened. Upended my entire life, spending so much money to make him comfortable and cared for. I'm at the rehab facility every day, I was at the hospital every day. I'm so so tired. It's a deep exhaustion. I feel it in every muscle and in every bone. The only day I don't see my dad is when I have to go into the office in the city and even then, often times I visit him after work. My commute is 2 hours each way now.
I'm taking tomorrow "off" for a date day with my boyfriend who has been my lifesaver. He's been with me every step of the way, helping me with things, making sure I eat, cooking, cleaning, driving me places. But I feel so horrifically guilty. My dad is alone, bored at the facility. It's Sunday tomorrow which means no physical therapy, even.
I know my dad wants me to live my life and not neglect myself but how?? My dad is my best friend. I just want him to be happy and comfortable. I want him to heal as much as possible. I want him home and out of that dingy rehab place.
How do I get my self to relax? All I think about is visiting my dad, paying his bills, all the future bills he's going to have because he didn't have medigap coverage, all the updates I'll have to make to the house to make it workable for him. I think about how my life changed in an instant. I think about how all this has affected my boyfriend.
I'm just one giant ball of stress and I don't know when it's going to stop.