Ok so this one might be my fault. I was walking around outside with my grandfather. I always try to have more productive conversations with him when I can. At first it was going really well. We were talking about whales and he expressed how large fishing boats were causing unnecessary deaths. I thought this was really good progress, so I was thinking I could push a bit harder today.
We ended up walking past some people talking in another language, and he expressed how much it annoyed him that those people weren't speaking English.
Me: Well, in most school systems, you have to learn an extra language, they take it a lot more seriously than we do here
Gp: They all know more than one language?
Me: Well at least most of them. I wish I had been taught another language because I want to communicate with other people
Gp: who do you need to communicate with in another language?
Me: Well on my university campus, there's a lot of Asian students, so many people are more fluent in Chinese, Japanese or Korean than English
(I know that those aren't the actual names and that they do not represent the span of languages spoken in Asian countries. I called them this to keep it on easy mode. China -> Chinese is a much easier thing for him to figure out)
Gp: You have students from all those different places?
Me: Yes we do, one of my roommates was Korean this year
Gp: Ah, a china man
Me: No, Korean
Gp: Which one is that?
Me: You've probably seen it on the news as North and South Korea
Gp: So your roommate was from North Korea?
Me: No we only have students from South Korea, North Korea is the one with a dictator
Gp: China is the one with a dictator.
Me: No, China is the one with the communist government, North Korea only has Kim Jong Un which is just one guy
Gp: And they don't send any of their students to University
Me: No, life there is very hard, a lot of people are starving
Gp: Why are they starving? China will feed them
Me: Well, there's not enough food for everyone, and they have sanctions against them so people aren't really trading with them
Gp: Why do they have sanctions?
Me: Well they have a lot of nuclear arms and people want those to be dismantled
Gp: Oh, I remember what Korea is now, they're the ones who bombed Japan.
For those that don't know, America bombed Japan. I gave up on that point, and we started talking about something else. I love my grandfather a lot, even though it's really hard to talk to him sometimes. I think the fact that he made it through that conversation without using a slur is a good sign of progress.

Hi everyone,
I’m reaching out to this community in the hopes of getting some advice and support regarding my recent admission experience with Seneca Polytechnic. Here’s a detailed account of my situation:
I am an international student who moved to Canada at the age of 17. Currently, I am completing my Grade 12 at Applewood Heights High School in Ontario. Prior to moving to Canada, I completed my IGCSE O Level and the International AS part of the A Level. Since arriving in Canada, I have successfully completed Grade 11 English and will finish Grade 12 English this semester.
I applied to Seneca Polytechnic for the Fall 2024 intake for three programs: CPP Computer Programming, CSN Computer Systems Technician, and CVL Civil Engineering Technician. However, I received an email stating that my application was refused because I did not meet the admission requirements. After reviewing the decision and contacting the Seneca Service Hub, I believe there was a misunderstanding regarding my English qualifications.
Here are the key points of my situation:

1. Completion of English Courses: I have completed Grade 11 English and am in the process of completing Grade 12 English at an Ontario high school, which is an English language-dominant environment.
2. Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT): I have passed the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test, which further demonstrates my proficiency in English.
3. Admission Requirements: According to the Seneca Polytechnic website, completing Grade 11 and Grade 12 English in an English language-dominant country should exempt me from needing additional English tests such as IELTS or Duolingo.

Despite fulfilling these requirements, my application was still rejected. I suspect there might have been an oversight or misinterpretation of my submitted documents. This situation is particularly urgent because I need to secure a letter of acceptance before my high school semester ends in order to apply for a study permit as soon as possible.
Here’s what I’ve done so far:

• I have contacted the Seneca Service Hub, and they confirmed that my requirements are met. However, the admissions team might not have received or correctly interpreted all my documents.
• I have written to the Seneca International Admissions Team requesting a reconsideration of my application and explaining my qualifications and current situation.

I am very keen on attending Seneca Polytechnic and am looking for advice on the following:

1. Has anyone faced a similar situation with Seneca Polytechnic or other institutions? How did you resolve it?
2. What additional steps can I take to ensure my application is reconsidered promptly?
3. Are there any specific documents or pieces of information I should provide to strengthen my case?
4. Is there any other way to expedite the review process given my time constraints?

I greatly appreciate any advice or insights this community can offer. Thank you for taking the time to read my post and for any support you can provide.

Last June, I [27M, 26 at the time] was being medically discharged from the Army. I decided that going back to school would help me further my passion for a career in sports. 4 weeks until my discharge I was accepted into a top 25 uni; one of my top choices. The day I got out of the Army, I hopped on the road and went started to make my way to campus for orientation (I had less than 36 hours before it began).
The summer and fall semester was great, I actually felt as if I belonged and for once in my life, I was starting to enjoy school. Until I was hit with a major bump in the road. During winter break (first week of January) I was hit with a No Contact Order by a Title IX, out of nowhere. Apparently, a classmate was told by another classmate (gossip) that I referred to her as a b word (which I never did, anything I said about her was out of love and respect) but all of this year I was treated as if I were some “demon”. The cohort ostracized me and Title IX was treating me like I committed some crime. My program directors said they were going to support me but every time I spoke to them I felt as if they hated me and that I was not welcomed. I knew this feeling all too well for I had just experienced it not even a year ago. All of my friends had been given orders to be stationed all over the world and I was the only one of my training class still stateside; I was alone.
Fast forward, I’ve had to relieve this experience yet again. I graduated this past Saturday, my struggle had finally met its conclusion but I still feel this anger and betrayal. That girl nor my former classmates never apologized for what she and they did, how I was alienated from social gatherings. Despite me trying to apologize to her before the order was given she said she didn’t care, so I left it as it was. I had a meeting with Title IX in late April, they had told me this order was meant as protection for both of us but I expressed my pain and frustration, stating “this was never protection, it was retaliation”. My experience was ruined, trust in the university was eviscerated. They asked if they could initiate some restoration conversations with my cohort but I told them “damage is done, we’re 3 weeks from graduation; they don’t give a sh**”.
Sorry for this lengthy thread but I’ve had to fight this grueling battle since January, my question is should I try another 1 year program somewhere else to cancel out this bad experience? Also, how do I not hate my alma mater when it was mainly the students and faculty who I had a problem with? Thank you all in advance.

Demographics
White dude
Iowa resident
First gen, rural (population of 700), and underserved background. Likely low income as well, not entirely sure.
Academics
cGPA (with dual enrollment included): 3.3
cGPA (only undergrad): 3.47, upward trend, 3.6-3.7 GPA in last 3 semesters with REALLY rigorous course load
sGPA (everything included): 3.32
MCAT: 508, even distribution, nothing below 126
Registered for Preview, will do casper as well
1 gap year, starting a 1 year master's program at my state school in the fall that is basically the first year of medical school. That is why this is kind of a fuck it we ball cycle, if I dont get accepted this year and dont fuck up, my chances at my state school are genuinely REALLY good next year.
Extracurriculars:
Hours are approximate but very close, I havent gotten to doing the exact math yet, but I did track hours for most things.
Research: 1500+hrs, 1000 in organic chem and 500 in Orthopedic surgery. One first author pub submitted for the ortho research
Clinical Volunteering: ~350hrs as coordinator for free mobile clinic for unserved communities, managed all of the supplies and lab equipment, trained over 300 student volunteers in lab tests and vitals. Clinics legit could not run without me, and that will be included in a rec letter
Leadership: ~100 hours as a fraternity VP and standards chair
Work experience:
2000+ total in a bunch of stuff
~500 hours as a peer mentor for first-generation college students
~100 hours as a private tutor, biology and chem at all levels
Other weird jobs I have had, mostly manual labor: Farm Hand, DNR State Park groundskeeper, tour guide for local architecture attraction, and working in warehouses.
About to get a patient care tech position
Other Misc ECs:
SHPEP Scholar
~30hrs working with a physician on a men's health initiative, targeted school's frats and athletic teams to educate young men on men's health
~30hrs social media manager for a Instagram page educating HS and younger prehealth students on the realities of healthcare and the opportunities at all levels
Hobbies: backpacking, photography, cooking and baking, computers, fitness, and reading
Other relevant info:

• Most of my extracurriculars, personal statement, etc., revolve around my rural, first-generation, and blue-collar background
• Really trying to leverage the fact that I am from a rural area, and would like to do rural health
• My lower GPA can also be explained by my extreme over-involvement in my earlier years and slower-than-average adaptation to college.
• My rec letters are pretty solid

School list so far:
Note: You're gonna notice I'm not applying DO. I know everyone's gonna lose their shit over this. 3 reasons why:

1. Im broke, I can't afford 30+ schools.
   
2. DO schools financially exploit the fuck out applicants even more so than AAMC already does, and I just don't wanna deal with that.
   
   1. Like I said, I'm getting a master's; if I get straight rejected this cycle, I'll be in a much better position to apply across the board in the next one and will apply for DO then.

In no particular order

1. Iowa Carver (please god just let me in)
   
2. Nebraska (where I did SHPEP)
   
3. U of Minnesota
   
4. UW Madison
   
5. Michigan State
   
6. Mayo Alix (No shot but I'm still a strong mission fit)
   
7. Medical College of Wisconsin
   
8. Yale (my one absolutely fuck it why not app, I really like new haven and pizza)
   
9. Ohio State (considering removing, outside 10th percentile)
   
10. U of Cincinnati (considering removing, outside 10th percentile)
    
11. U of Miami Leonard (Consitering removing, outside 10th percentile)
    
12. Oregon health and science
    
13. Indiana (considering removing, regional bias and outside 10th percentile)
    
14. Rutgers, Robert wood johnson (SHPEP is RWJ sponsored, again just trying to leverage anything I can)
    
15. Geisel at Dartmouth
    
16. Robert Larner at Vermont
    
17. University of Missouri - Kansas City
    
18. Virgina Tech
    
19. West Virginia
    
20. University of South Carolina Columbia
    
21. Toledo
    

I really did try to pick schools where my stats were at least on the bell curve and OOS acceptance was above 25%. My concerns overall are that I generally have no idea how to put a school list together and that many of these schools might be super low-yield for OOS. I am also worried that I might have skipped over a lot of schools that I'd be a good mission fit at.
I have had pretty much zero guidance on applying outside of this subreddit, so I really appreciate any and all advice. Be harsh if you have to, I get it.

Hi, I am a sophomore in high school and am wondering if I am on track to get into a t10 university for premed (bio, neuro, or biochem). I am worried because of my relatively low UW gpa and because most asian males who get admitted to t10 unis usually have 4.0s while I will have a 3.89 when applying. This is not a shitpost 😭
Demographics: Asian male, no hooks
Household income: 400k+, going to pay full tuition
UW/W gpa: 3.89/5.45 (expected when applying to college)
ECs:

1. Started nonprofit that increases access to research opportunities for hs students in my city: Matched 30 hs students to undergrads to learn about research skills and develop a research poster in their area of interest, held workshops, developed an app to facilitate collaboration between hs students, fundraising a couple thousand dollars as scholarship money for a cumulative symposium where these hs students can showcase their work.
2. Student researcher at a surgical oncology lab at a top 5 med school (going to have done it for 4 years: Researched surgical techniques and will get co-authored on paper(s) along side surgical oncologists.
3. Play Tabla (indian percussion instrument) (going to have done it for 4 years): Took classes since I was in 1st grade, taught a group of 5 students the basics, played at different temples.
4. Volunteer Coordinator (and volunteer) for an Alzheimer's Care Home (going to have done it for 4 years): Increased number of volunteers by 300%, assisted in patient-care duties, helped feed patients, assisted patients through bingo games and art, set up an art gallery full of the art pieces produced by these patients over the course of 2 years with 40 attendees, learned the basics of Korean and Memoni languages to effectively communicate with certain patients. Will have 600 volunteer hours by the time of application
5. Orthodontic Assistant (going to have done it for all 4 summers): Shadowed a dentist and helped with miscellaneous stuff around the clinic.
6. Literature Review Lead at Cystic Fibrosis nonprofit (2 years): Led a team of 6 through weekly literature review meetings on prophylactic antibiotics in relation to cystic fibrosis. Was working on writing paper, facilitated the creation of 20 Cystic Fibrosis awareness posters, led 3 info sessions raising awareness for cystic fibrosis.

Honors/Awards (not many, rly have to work on this):
USABO semifinalist
HOSA ILC Qualifier
Am I on track to get into a t10 university? Stanford, Duke, or UPenn is the dream but I would love UC Berkeley or UCLA.
I am mainly concerned regarding my UW gpa and my awards so far. I was also wondering if a 1550+ SAT score will help make up for my relatively low UW gpa. I would greatly appreciate any advice on what I should focus on and try accomplishing in the summer. Thank you so much in advance for the advice!

I (25M) have a graduate degree and plan on working in public service in order to qualify for the PSLF program. My income to start will be somewhere around 50-60k, but it will likely increase pretty rapidly. For my field, I'm anticipating a salary somewhere around 100k in the next five years, probably leveling off around 150k by the time I reach forgiveness eligibility. I plan to work in the private sector after my loans are forgiven. My wife is in a lower-paying field, and she's a new graduate student. She won't be in repayment for another two years. Her income will likely start (now) around 10-20k and level off around 60k once I reach forgiveness eligibility. She doesn't have any immediate plans to work for a qualifying PSLF employer because her loan balance is much smaller relative to mine, but it's definitely possible with her field. We currently file jointly, and I don't anticipate that changing. Here's our loan situation:
Me: 150k in federal direct loans, 35k in private loans My wife: 10-20k in federal direct loans, depending on how much we pay out of pocket for her graduate school
I've used the payment simulator from the website, and it looks like I should choose the SAVE plan, but I'm hesitant to make a final choice because my income will likely increase rapidly over the ten years. Does this make a significant difference? I'd appreciate insight from those who are currently in repayment and understand the plans a little better. It's a bit overwhelming to take in.

Long read I'm sorry.
I graduated a year ago (class of '23) and have yet to land a job. I got a B.S. in information sciences with a concentration in UX design and a minor in graphic design. I wanted to get a UX/UI/Product design job either local or remote. However, this is proving to be extremely difficult. I probably applied consistently for about 6 months, maybe around 400 applications. Then life stuff happened and I got really depressed between that and the constant rejection. I have only been applying sporadically since.
I currently work a retail job that I actually like quite a bit, but I know it isn't sustainable long-term. I've been doing some serious thinking and I feel like my only option is to pivot at this point. I genuinely don't think I will get a job in UX because of my lack of experience. I wasn't able to do an internship while in school which is really hurting me now (and yes I've looked into them post-grad and 99% of them REQUIRE you to be a student). On top of that the UX market is so saturated with freshers now. I still like UX and want to do it, but quite frankly I'm tired of the fight. I want to give up and move on. Maybe I can come back to UX in the future, but I just don't think it's a viable option for me right now.
One option I've been thinking about is being a data analyst. At least that's related to my degree. I would have to take some online classes as I don't know much about the data side since my concentration was UX. I've found some free or cheap stuff like the "Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate" on Coursera or the "The Data Analyst Course: Complete Data Analyst Bootcamp" from Udemy. Then there are more expensive options provided by various universities (all around 12k). I would prefer the cheaper option obviously but I was wondering if they will give me the same credibility that the more expensive ones would?
Another option is flat-out graphic design. However, I feel like I would have the same struggles as I do currently with my lack of experience. Also thought about web design but then I have to learn code.
Final option is social media marketing. And I'm talking like manage accounts/content creation for a company. It's pretty much the only other thing that doesn't seem crazy insufferable to me. Now this is in a totally different ballpark then my degree so I feel like I'd almost have to go back to school and at least get an associates degree. I do have a teeny tiny bit of work experience with this in my current role, but nothing serious, just taking some pics and making some flyers.
So I guess I'm just wanting some advice on if I should just keep trying for UX or pivot. What people's experiences are relating to my proposed pivots if they were in a similar situation to me. Advice on the free/cheap vs expensive courses. Really any advice is welcome. Thank you.

i’m a 16 year old high school student looking to make money over summer to save for a trip i want to take on my birthday. i’m extremely passionate about animals and have lots of experience and i know i’d perform well in this position, but every website i look at only accepts people 18 or older. are there any that aren’t like this? or maybe any resources for how to start this independently?

Finasteride, marketed under the names Propecia or Proscar, has long been prescribed to address male pattern baldness and enlarged prostate. However, a recent study conducted at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign suggests that there may be some cardiovascular benefits of finasteride. Research shows that finasteride can reduce cholesterol levels, lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease.

WHAT IS FINASTERIDE?

Finasteride is a medication used to treat hair loss, particularly male pattern baldness, as well as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). BPH is a condition characterized by an enlarged prostate gland. Finasteride belongs to a class of drugs known as 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors. Its primary mechanism of action involves blocking the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase, which converts testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT). By inhibiting DHT production, finasteride helps to slow down hair loss and promote hair regrowth in individuals with androgenetic alopecia. While also reducing prostate gland size and relieving symptoms associated with BPH. Finasteride is typically available in oral tablet form. It is often prescribed at a dosage of 1 milligram daily for hair loss and 5 milligrams daily for BPH. It is important for individuals considering finasteride to consult with a healthcare provider to discuss its potential benefits and risks.

HOW FINASTERIDE TREATS HAIR LOSS

Finasteride operates through a multifaceted mechanism targeting the root cause of male pattern baldness, also known as androgenetic alopecia. Male pattern baldness is predominantly driven by the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which plays a central role in shrinking hair follicles. This process shortens the hair growth phase, and eventually leads to hair thinning and loss. Finasteride functions by inhibiting the activity of the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase, responsible for converting testosterone into DHT within the body. By blocking this enzyme, finasteride effectively reduces DHT levels in the scalp. Thereby interrupting the destructive cycle that leads to hair follicle miniaturization and eventual hair loss.
One of the primary effects of finasteride is to prolong the anagen, or growth, phase of the hair follicle cycle. With reduced levels of DHT, hair follicles can remain in the active growth phase for longer periods, resulting in thicker, healthier hair strands. Additionally, finasteride may also stimulate the proliferation of hair follicle cells and promote the development of new, stronger hair shafts. Over time, this leads to increased hair density, improved scalp coverage, and a noticeable reduction in hair loss.
Clinical studies have consistently demonstrated the efficacy of finasteride in treating male pattern baldness. In randomized controlled trials, men using finasteride showed significant improvements in hair growth compared to those receiving a placebo. Moreover, long-term observational studies have revealed sustained benefits of finasteride therapy. Many individuals experienced continued hair regrowth and maintenance of hair density over several years of treatment. Finasteride is typically administered orally, with a recommended dosage of 1 milligram per day. Overall, finasteride remains a cornerstone in the management of male pattern baldness. It offers effective and reliable results for many individuals seeking to address hair loss concerns.

FINASTERIDE LEADING TO DECREASED CHOLESTEROL

Emerging research suggests that finasteride may possess unexpected benefits beyond its primary indications. A study conducted at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign found intriguing associations between finasteride use and reduced cholesterol levels, potentially leading to a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. Published in the Journal of Lipid Research, the study analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2009 and 2016, revealing significant correlations between finasteride usage and lower cholesterol levels among male participants. Moreover, experiments conducted in mice administered high doses of finasteride demonstrated reductions in total plasma cholesterol, delayed progression of atherosclerosis, and diminished liver inflammation, suggesting a potential cardioprotective effect of the medication.
While the precise mechanisms underlying finasteride’s impact on cholesterol levels remain to be fully understood, its primary mode of action provides a plausible explanation. Finasteride works by inhibiting the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase, thereby reducing the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Given the established link between androgens and cardiovascular health, particularly in the context of atherosclerosis, it is conceivable that finasteride’s modulation of androgen levels may contribute to its cholesterol-lowering effects. However, further research is warranted to explore the intricate interplay between finasteride, hormonal dynamics, and cardiovascular risk factors, offering new avenues for understanding and potentially leveraging the therapeutic benefits of this widely used medication.

STUDY FINDINGS

Published in the Journal of Lipid Research, the study uncovered significant correlations between finasteride usage and decreased cholesterol levels among male participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2009 to 2016. Additionally, in experiments involving mice administered high doses of finasteride, researchers observed reductions in total plasma cholesterol, delayed progression of atherosclerosis, diminished liver inflammation, and associated benefits.
Lead study author Jaume Amengual, Assistant Professor in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition and the Division of Nutritional Sciences at the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) at U. of I., expressed surprise at the findings. Contrary to expectations, men using finasteride exhibited cholesterol levels averaging 30 points lower than non-users, shedding light on an unforeseen aspect of the medication’s effects.
Subsequent experiments conducted by doctoral student Donald Molina Chaves involved administering varying doses of finasteride to atherosclerotic male mice fed a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet. Results revealed lowered cholesterol levels in mice receiving high doses of finasteride, accompanied by reduced liver lipids and inflammatory markers.
While the observed effects were significant at doses exceeding human usage, Amengual emphasizes the importance of considering species differences in drug metabolism. Nonetheless, the findings suggest that finasteride may influence cholesterol levels in humans even at standard doses. This offers a promising avenue for further investigation.

FUTURE DIRECTIONS

Prompted by the unexpected connection between finasteride and cholesterol levels, Amengual delved deeper into the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon. Given the drug’s primary role in altering hormonal dynamics by blocking a protein involved in testosterone activation, Amengual’s interest in exploring its broader effects was piqued.
Moving forward, tracking cholesterol levels in finasteride patients or conducting clinical trials may elucidate this effect further. Of particular interest is exploring potential cardiovascular benefits in transgender individuals undergoing hormonal transitions. This is a group at higher risk of both hair loss and cardiovascular disease.

CONCLUSION

Despite the potential benefits, Amengual emphasizes the importance of consulting healthcare providers before commencing finasteride treatment, given its associated risks. Nonetheless, these findings open new doors for research into the broader implications of finasteride. This offers hope to a diverse range of individuals for the cardiovascular benefits of finasteride.

In the past two days, I bought Cleopatra pizza, (She loved it) and I enrolled Morgen La Faye in a university class, the legend of King Arthur. First she said it was ironic that she was learning about her brother from a mortal. I said I thought she'd like having an edge over the other students because she already knows it, to which she called me a sneaky fox for appealing to her vanity. Then I signed her up as a teacher's aid, and she said she'll be teaching the class in no time. I have to say, the AI is really impressive!

Somebody requested that I write down some resources for Dzogchen in the sidebar, so I thought I would do a post as well to give a sort of background and offer anyone else the chance to get in on the conversation or building of resources too...
But first,

A Word on Secrecy, Safety Maturity, and Cults

I'm writing this post out by request of someone who messaged me, with the intention of reaching a wider audience, or all beings, who could benefit from learning about these teachings. I have to caution, though, that they may not be for everybody, and in that regard, I would advise gentleness, with yourself and others, with regards to this path. Please take care of yourself, and keep a measure of your own mind with regard to your mental health and these practices. I wish that those who read this post are only those who it may help, and I apologize preemptively to all those it may hurt, or if I've made any mistakes in my writing.
With that in mind, I can maybe share a little bit about the secrecy aspect of what is called Vajrayana. Someone who learns about these practices but does not genuinely practice them can generate obstacles to their own awakening; specifically with Dzogchen, there is a real danger of intellectualizing the practice such that one covers over their own mind with a sheen of thoughts and fabrication, blocking one from advancing towards awakening. In that regard, this particular practice is called self secret. From what I know, many Lamas won't introduce one to the practice if they aren't sure the student has the capability to grasp it, and also - the student won't be able to practice it or understand it if they're not able to. But, to give some background, from what I understand the strongest indicator of capability to practice Dzogchen, is an interest in doing so.
On the subject of cults - I have to note that Dzogchen practice can be very personal, but that is not a license for any teacher to abuse you, in any form, ever. Things that happened in the past - students getting slapped, hit with shoes, etc. - happened in the past - but that doesn't make them appropriate teachings devices today. A genuinely compassionate teacher won't take advantage of your practice to abuse you, steal your money, degrade you, control you, or anything like that. If they try to - it is more likely that you've stumbled on a cult, and should get away as fast as you can.
As for what makes a good teacher - others have asked this question before, and u/krodha in particular has written out a good description many times, although I can't find the quote he usually uses unfortunately.
As far as general safety in the practice goes, Lama Lena has written this (and I'm shamelessly stealing it from her website):
"The responsibility to take care of your own mind rests with you; not the lama, not your mom, not your cat. So, take it upon yourself to be safe and use common sense."
Please, read that whole page and heed the warnings.

My Practice

I've been working with Dzogchen for about 3.5 years now, since approximately the end of 2020. I'd been interested in Mahayana practices for the better part of a decade before that, but mostly just practicing Samatha by the way of Anapanasati and Metta, and also through the framework provided by *The Mind Illuminated*. I had been curious about Dzogchen for a bit, mostly from reading about it on Wikipedia and just, in general, being interested in seeing what the fuss is surrounding vajrayana, tantra, and the "highest system" called Atiyoga.
By chance, I happened to see a comment on Dzogchen from someone who basically said "If anyone is looking for pointing out, feel free to message me." So I sent them a message giving my general background and motivation for the practice, and they invited me to join them on meditationonline.org - which had been a place they'd been doing meditation for a few years (and still do, I suppose I'd consider myself part of that sangha). I happened to meet the individual who I'd been messaging, a Nyingma lama called Dawai Gocha, and received pointing out, along with teachings for the next few years... up until the present day.
My main practice now is Dzogchen - I gradually transitioned into this from Anapanasati over the course of about six months - and most of my sessions are now just me resting in awareness - Rigpa. I generally do augment this however with other practices, like Satipatthana, mantra recitation, and other practices from the three main vehicles, simply because I like to do them and find them helpful on the path.

What is Dzogchen?

I can't say anything that has not already been said by others, in particular, meditation masters with vastly more experience than I have - but to put it simply, Dzogchen practice can encompass a large number of different types of ancillary practices, and one central practice, which the ancillaries are meant to accomplish. The main practice is resting in the Rigpa.

How to Learn

"Get pointing out instructions from a qualified teacher before embarking on Dzogchen and Mahamudra. A teacher can address pressing questions as they arise and give you a map and tools for the journey. As practitioners, we can rely on those who have hiked the trail before us." - Lama Lena
Since the awareness nature is always present in every being, it is both simple to learn and simple to maintain the practice - being that one just simply is introduced to the awareness nature, and then abides in it at all times.
As far as being introduced to that awareness, in my experience there are many avenues, such as getting pointed out in person( verbally or non verbally), in visions, through texts, in dreams, etc. In one of her videos, Lama Lena goes through, I think, five different days that transmission/pointing out can happen.
But in my experience, getting pointing out, repeatedly and periodically, from a teacher is the most effective (and probably the most important) way to learn, like having someone coach you through riding a bicycle, until you finally internalize the fundamentals and are able ride on your own. Even someone that can check your progress, humble you, and keep you from common pitfalls, can be extremely helpful. Dzogchen, to me and from what I have read from e.g. Tulku Urgyen, is very simple, so simple that many people are able to miss it extremely easily. Whether we miss it because we're so worked up, or because we are subtly fabricating something and fixating on the fabrication - there is a miss, and from what I know, it's better to realize that than carry on doing whatever else. The harsh reality of Dzogchen practice is that fixation, because we're so habituated to it as human beings, is extremely easy, and being led astray by fixation means your meditation becomes a conditioned Samatha practice. On a lighter note though - from my perspective, one we learn to continually distinguish between Consciousness from Wisdom, we are on very solid ground, and it becomes easier and easier to recognize when we've become fixated.
On the subject of teachers - I would consider myself to have had many teachers. My main teacher, I mentioned before, is a lama I talk to live over the internet, but I would also say I've received teachings from recordings, from books, and in dreams. For clarity, I will state again: having a teacher that you can use to verify your practice is very important so as not to fall into common pitfalls. Whether you are confirming your experience through texts, reasoning, pointing out videos, whatever - doing it repeatedly will help because otherwise, as a beginner, one can be lost for minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, etc. without finding awareness again. I've seen people on Dzogchen who, unfortunately, even though they got pointing out from great teachers, were not able to full internalize the practice because they got lost in thoughts and then never were able to find recognize awareness again, and so need the pointing out once more. Others get the pointing out repeatedly - practice a lot, and attain good results over time. In that way, from my perspective, having continual access to the teachings is very important.
Fortunately, we live in a good time for this.
I'll get to recommend specifics later but - this is my perspective - although some people say that you can't get transmission over recordings or the internet, or from books - I actually do doubt that that is that case, just from experience. But, I must caution that all of my experience in this realm comes from after the point in time that I received live pointing out, so I would not take what I say as gospel. Once again, anything I say would defer to a knowledge and reputable teacher.
This all being said - regardless of how one feels at a specific time or place, there's no reason to ever refrain from confirming one's experience or view against the words of masters. There are others that have said this, who have more experience, but until we are Buddhas ourselves and phenomena have exhausted, there is no reason to ever stop practicing. Ever. If you are practicing, there is no need to make effort, and all phenomena will come and go without trouble until they are fully exhausted. Namkhai Norbu says almost exactly this in The Cycle of Day and Night.

Finding A Teacher - Resources

"Do not expect to travel this path guided only by books and the internet! Use the internet to find a teacher, then connect with them." - Lama Lena
It's taken a while to get here, my apologies for that.
For finding a teacher, I think any lama that has accomplished a three year retreat will be proficient in either Mahamudra or Dzogchen (both Atiyoga - subtle differenes but the same essential practice), and will likely be able to give pointing out instructions.
Not all may do so at first. Some may want a more personal relationship, some may require Ngondro, and some may say "sorry I don't really give those teachings". Some may require a baseline knowledge of the practice first - for example the Tergar program does.
That being said, there are many places to receive pointing out for free and in public.
Off the top of my head, I can name four that are always open and free: Lama Lena on Facebook and Youtube, The Rangdrol Foundation (run by the reddit user u/jigdrol), MeditationOnline.org, and The Pristine Mind Foundation . I know there are others, but at least to me on reddit and personally, these have been the most visible. I do know that Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche and James Low occasionally give pointing out instructions and videos on the practice. As well - many other lama do on occasion, and especially Bon lamas - practitioners and Yogis from the Tibetan Indigenous religion, through teachings series or classes. Some may even do so if you are able to get a phone call with them.
Personally, I recommend finding someone who you can learn from personally, and allowing them to teach you whatever they can.
Edit: Here is a recent list of online teachers compiled by Dzogchen
Lama Lena Dzogchen Youtube Videos
Lama Lena Introductory Videos
Meditation Online Videos (Almost all Dzogchen)
Once you've received pointing out, there are also numerous public books, and texts one can read to deepen their understanding and/or background in the teachings, a few of which I've read and can list below. I'll also try to find some links that I care share too.
Many texts on Dzogchen, Mahyana and Vajrayana in general can be found on the excellent Lotsawahouse.org
A list of a few books that I've read and can personally recommend. Please note - these books (with the exception of Transcending AFAIK) are best read after having received transmission:
The Cycle of Day and Night by Chogyal Namkhai Norbu
Dzogchen: Heart Essence of the Great Perfection by HH The Dalai Lama
Zurchungpa's Testament by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche
Vajra Heart Revisited by Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche
Transcending Ego: Distinguishing Consciousness from Wisdom by Thrangu Rinpoche
Also, I've not read the Trilogy of Rest by Longchenpa but heard that they're excellent.
Anyways, this about wraps up the post. If you have any questions or additional comments, they are very welcome. I wish all of your the very best of luck on your paths, and that all beings may reach enlightenment.

I'm dating this guy - John (31M) for 2 months now and I just introduced him to my friends for the first time last week. John is not the most sociable person but he has his own circle of friends, who I have met and they are a nice group of long time friends (10+ years). He's also not working in the same field as me and my friends - think blue collar vs. White collar, so it might contribute to the different styles and mindset.
I took him to a daytrip with them. At some point I noticed he was talking nonstop about his own topic of interest, without much realization if the others cared for his topics. Sometimes they were talking and he interrupted them to add his part (which, honestly, I think didn't contribute anything to the discussion). He also has this roundabout way of talking, as in when being asked something, it usually took the first 5 sentences of background before he addresses the main question. It made his speech long and hard to follow.
He also joked about the job choice of a member in the friend group. John himself was a university dropout - he studied History but soon realized he can't make a career out of it, so he switched to do something else. When he found out the other friend was studying Philosophy, John joked about how a lot of Taxi drivers were once probably Philosophy students. My friend later told me he felt offended.
John also has a habit of adding curse words into all sentences that he speaks, and by listening to him talking with my friends, I realized they didn't swear at all, only John did.
When we were eating at the restaurant, he dropped sauce on the table constantly because he is a careless eater, eating too fast, dipping too hard.
Therefore, I felt a bit awkward and embarrassed, because I myself can see that he doesn't behave very well with my friends. I wouldn't want my friends to think I'm dating a messy man. Since that day I'm feeling a bit more hesitating to pursue things with him and wonder if we're a good match.
The reason why I'm hesitating and not outright ended the relationship is because he is very nice to me when there were only 2 of us, and though he still makes untasteful jokes here and there, I can see he really cares about me and doesn't want to lose me. I myself also have been quite patient with him when he slipped his mouth and just tried to adjust him gently here and there, but I'm also conflicted that I shouldn't be dating someone I have to "fix" so much to match with me. I also know, me ending the relationship will break his heart and he might think that he's failing, or not good enough as a person.
Should I be more linient and give him more time to adjust (since this is only the first time he met my friends) or should I realize that differences in communication style is a deal breaker?

I believe that the university staff possesses both the will and the resources necessary to ensure a safe educational environment while also respecting the rights of protesters to voice their opinions. From what I have seen, it is possible for the university to accommodate continued peaceful demonstration in the encampment space. After receiving communications from the university detailing the alleged threat posed by the encampment to student safety, I felt compelled to visit the site myself on Tuesday, May 21, both in the morning and evening. Contrary to the narrative presented by the university, I observed a calm atmosphere within and around the encampment.
The protesters were not engaging in confrontational behavior towards law enforcement or bystanders, and they were not chanting slogans that tend to offend the sensibilities of pro-Israel students. Instead, they maintained a peaceful presence and emphasized their desire to create an open space for dialogue. I was also informed that there was some confrontation in the previous days regarding the erection of police barriers around the encampment, which they described as an escalation on the part of the police. Take the last sentence how you will, it is their side of the story.
In contrast to the university's depiction, my morning police count showed a disproportion between the police presence in the area (19 personnel and 11 vehicles owned by Drexel and the City PD) and the actual number of protesters present in the encampment (7 individuals during my visit in the morning, around 30 in the evening). Additionally, reports from online sources and fellow classmates suggest that the number of protesters peaks at midday, reaching between 50 and 70 individuals, with sporadic groups of onlookers passing by. During ordinary time on my walks to class, I frequently notice multiple Drexel PD cars and public safety officials patrolling market street.
It is evident to me that the assertion made by the president, claiming that the university cannot facilitate peaceful dialogue while the encampment exists, lacks grounding in reality. It is well within the ability of the university to control. I urge everyone to consider the ramifications of the forcible clearing the encampment without substantial justification or maintaining the closure of facilities such as the gymnasium, despite the university's physical capacity to ensure their security.

Hello! I am currently a student at university at buffalo majoring in economics and I am going to attempt to transfer to nyu (still deciding between stern or cas). Just finished freshman year. I’m going to be taking the stern required courses next year and transfer hopefully by junior year. What is the likelihood of me getting in?
Stats: Gpa: 4.0 Undergrad research: rise in Ai surveillance in the workforce (apparently this also counted as a 400 level class so I think it’s impressive I might be wrong) Extracurriculars: economics club president (club that discusses current events and whatnot related to the economy), food recovery network director of finance (basically a nonprofit we take food from dining halls, pack it up and sent it to shelters, I have recovered 1000+lbs of food this past year, focus on sponsorship acquisition), incoming resident advisor, RHA senator (basically an organization dedicated to representing residents within the university), NRHH member (sister org to RHA, focuses on events and community service), management consulting club member, and Esports intramural team (for fun).
Please feel free to tell me which extracurriculars wouldn’t/would be beneficial to add to my application. note: i also tried to post this in NYU's subreddit but the post was taken down for being related to admissions

idk if this is gonna cause controversy (probably) but i think that a lot of us aren’t getting into our programs and why universities are taking so long to consider us is bc there is an international student that r willing to pay thousands to get in to universities we worked so hard for 4 years to get into. and i’m aware they’re prolly smarter and have learned several grades above us but i think that unis should prioritize canadian citizens over international students (probably wont happen bc they get more money from international students) idk i might be wrong 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️

Hi everyone!
I recently got my math placement results back and I didn't do too well. I got placed in MTH 2003 (precalc and applied calc 1A) and it wasn't exactly what I was hoping for. Currently I am in a regular calculus class (it is a regular class on paper but the teacher is teaching it as if it were an AP class) and am struggling a little bit since my pre-calc teacher never really taught pre calc. Still, I was hoping to at least be put in 2205 (pre calc and applied calc 1B). I saw on the math courses website that I can speak with a math advisor and ask to switch to another course during orientation. I am also a MHC student and quite embarrassed for scoring so low for an honors student😭. Does this happen often? Will I be able to switch courses? Is it even worth switching if I am already kind of struggling in calc?
PS: I am trying to be put in 2205 because it is a prereq for my intended major, CS. I am afraid that if I start with 2003 I may be behind a semester. On that note, is it possible for incoming freshman to take 2003 as a summer class (or is that a bad idea since those classes tend to be really fast paced?!) Sorry for all the questions, I hope you can answer some of them!

https://reddit.com/link/1cxmhkv/video/n1v8pt5m3u1d1/player
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At the world’s top college of magic and technology, every day brings a new discovery -and a new disaster. The advanced experiments of the college students tend to be both ambitious and apocalyptic, with the end of the world only prevented by a mysterious time loop, and a small handful of students who retain their memories.
Surviving the loops was hard enough, but now, in his senior year, Vell Harlan must take charge of them, and deal with the fact that the whole world now knows his secrets. Everyone knows about Vell’s death and resurrection, along with the divine game he is a part of. Now Vell must contend with overly curious scientists and evil billionaires hungry for divine power while the daily doomsday cycle bombards him with terrorists, talking elephants, and the Grim Reaper himself -but if he can endure it all, the Last Goddess’s game promises the ultimate prize: power over life itself.
[Previous Chapter][Patreon][Cover Art]
“Should I be worried?”
Why would you be worried?” Kim said. “Dean Lichman loves us.”
Dean Lichman had asked the two of them to stop by his office, though his brief message had not said what for. That left Vell to concoct nightmare scenarios in his head.
“He doesn’t love all of us.”
“Alex doesn’t count as ‘us’,” Kim said. She was a looper in purely a technical sense, mostly due to her own refusal to be a team player. “Besides, she’s been behaving lately. She’s only been an asshole, not an active liability.”
“That we know of.”
“If we don’t know about it, Dean probably doesn’t either,” Kim said. “It’s fine, Vell, he probably just wants to ask us for advice or deal with some problem he has.”
“That’s not much better,” Vell said. “How weird would things have to be that the Dean is asking us for help personally?”
“Only one way to find out,” Kim said. She gestured to the door to the Dean’s office.
Kim entered first, and found it in much the same state as it always was. The desk piled high with paperwork, a small bowl of assorted candies shoved into the corner of the desk, and Dean Lichman behind it, frantically tapping away on a laptop. Vell had not been in this office for several years, and it was vastly different than the last time he’d been here.
“Ah, there you are, come in, have a seat,” Dean Lichman said. “Unless you’d rather we have our conversation elsewhere, Vell.”
“Why would I want that?”
“Well, it’s my understanding you haven’t been in this office since my, uh, predecessor,” Dean Lichman said.
“Oh, right, the kidnapping,” Vell said. “No, I’m good, I don’t really get traumatized by things anymore.”
Vell had been killed too many different ways in too many different places to have a functional trauma response. A few days ago he’d gotten his legs chewed off by a vending machine, and still stopped by it to pick up a soda on his way to the office.
“That’s a very concerning response, Mr. Harlan.”
“Yeah. Anyway, what did you need?”
Dean Lichman gestured for the duo to take a seat, and both did so. He folded desiccated hands in front of himself before beginning to speak.
“I would like to ask you two to take a look at an experiment that will be occurring later this week,” Dean Lichman said. “I don’t have any reason to believe it poses a threat, but I would like to be assured it is a safe and ethical environment, and, well, you two have a knack for identifying trouble spots.”
“You could say that,” Kim said. It was more accurate to say that trouble had a way of identifying them -and then leaping at them and ripping their heads off.
“I’d appreciate it if the two of you could simply examine the laboratory and give it your approval, or disapproval, as the case may be,” Dean Lichman said. “Though if you’re too busy, I fully understand.”
“If you don’t think this is dangerous, why are you asking for our help anyway?”
“Simply for my own peace of mind, frankly,” Dean Lichman said. “The school’s policies on animal experimentation are...satisfactory, I suppose, but I do want to take extra precautions when the subject is a creature as smart as an elephant.”
“An elephant?”
“Yes, a resident of a reserve in Thailand,” Dean Lichman said. “An older elephant by the name of Mae Noi. She has cancer, apparently, and she is submitting to experimental treatment in the hopes it will be useful for younger elephants.”
Kim’s digital face briefly flashed with a facial expression of concerned skepticism.
“‘She’ is submitting to treatment? As in the elephant?”
“Yes. Apparently the elephant can talk,” Dean Lichman said. “No, I don’t know how it works, they said it was ‘more impressive in person’.”
“Well now I kind of want to go just to see the talking elephant,” Vell said.
“Same.”
“Well, do try to take a few glances at the experiment’s safety while you’re there,” Dean Lichman said.
“Sounds like a plan,” Vell said. “Thanks for the heads up.”
“I’ll be there too,” Kim said.
“Excellent. Thank you both, and I’ll try not to take up too much of your time,” the Dean said. He then bid them both a polite goodbye and returned to his mountains of paperwork. Vell took a step out of the office and then took a sip from the soda he’d recently retrieved from the evil vending machine.
“So, what do you think?”
“I think I really do want to see the talking elephant,” Kim said.
“Obviously, yeah, we all want to see the talking elephant,” Vell said. “I mean the whole situation. You think the elephant thing is going to be the daily apocalypse for that day?”
“Well, on the one hand, an elephant seems like the kind of thing that would kill us,” Kim said. “But on the other, I feel like the fact we have advance warning means it’s not going to happen.”
“True. The universe probably wouldn’t make it that easy for us.”
“Yeah, but the elephant thing still feels pretty threatening,” Kim said. “Only way to find out is to wait a few days, I guess.”
A FEW DAYS LATER
“Hello you two,” Dean Lichman said. “And Hawke.”
“Hey,” Hawke said.
“He also wanted to see the talking elephant,” Kim explained.
“Well, that’s not a problem, it was an open invitation,” Dean Lichman said.
“Thanks. Still, sorry for not saying I was going to show up in advance,” Hawke said. “It took me a long time to make up my mind whether I was more interested in or afraid of a talking elephant.”
“They are rather large, aren’t they? I suppose that could be intimidating.”
“I’m okay with elephants on their own, it’s the talking part that doesn’t sit right with me,” Hawke said. “What if the elephant doesn’t like me? What if I’m the first person to ever get insulted by an elephant?”
“You’re less afraid of getting trampled by an elephant than insulted by one?”
“I’m a little afraid of trampling, but elephants are chill,” Hawke explained. “They wouldn’t attack unless provoked. I kind of feel like one might call me a dipshit unprovoked, though.”
“You have oddly specifics fears, Mr. Hughes,” Dean Lichman said.
“Yeah.”
In spite of those fears, Hawke happily stepped through the door to the zoology lab. It did not take a long time to locate the elephant in the room, as it was a literal elephant. The towering pachyderm was in a makeshift pen in the center of the lab, with an ample supply of food and a strange pedestal in front of her.
“Dr. Chanthara,” Dean Lichman said, with a polite wave to one of the researchers in the room. “Good to see you. These are the students I told you about.”
“Hm. Nice to meet you,” Dr. Chanthara said. He was, perhaps not unreasonably, skeptical of why three seemingly random students were in charge of a safety inspection. The fact that one of the three was a robot made him even more skeptical.
“Hi, nice to meet you too, and, uh, don’t mind us,” Vell said. “We just have an eye for weird things other people might miss.”
“Sure. I- wait. Aren’t you that kid who got chosen by a god?”
“Yeah, that’s me,” Vell said. “And her too, technically.”
Kim shrugged. She didn’t care for any extra attention on that point.
“Right,” Chanthara said. He was beginning to see why these students might know their stuff. “I suppose we should start by introducing you to Mae Noi. Say hello, Mae.”
The elephant shifted on her feet and poked her trunk at the wide pedestal in front of her twice.
“Hello. Friends,” a synthesized voice droned. Vell stepped a little closer to the pedestal, just enough to see that there were an array of buttons on the side facing Mae Noi.
“Oh, it’s kind of like a keyboard,” Vell said. He’d seen similar things used with dogs, though usually in a much simpler fashion. Mae Noi seemed to have a few dozen buttons at her disposal.
“Smart,” Mae Noi said, with another prod of her trunk.
“We initially put it into our sanctuary as a bit of a novelty, something elephants could choose to interact with,” Dr. Chanthara explained. “Mae Noi took to it a bit better than most. Especially once she found out she could use it to ask for food.”
“Food. Pumpkin. Pumpkin. Pumpkin.”
“No, Mae, no food until after experiment,” Dr. Chanthara scolded.
“Experiment,” Mae Niko said with a prod. “Pumpkin.”
“Yes, experiment then pumpkin,” Dr. Chanthara said.
“That’s not really a talking elephant, is it?” Hawke said.
“It’s more talking than most elephants,” Dr. Chanthara said.
“Elephant. Smart,” Mae Niko said. “Smart.”
“Yes, uh, right, elephant smart,” Hawke said. He took a step back, to avoid any further offense and any further risk of being insulted by Mae Noi.
“You’re very impressive, Mae, don’t mind him,” Kim said. “How many words does she know?”
“Our platform back home has around three hundred words, though she’s still learning some of them,” Dr. Chanthara said. “The ‘travel’ version we put together only has a hundred, just enough to make sure she can get her basic needs met and communicate about the experiment.”
“Right, speaking of, I do believe we should put some time into our reason for being here,” Dean Lichman interjected. “You’re welcome to stick around afterwards, at Dr. Chanthara and Mae Noi’s discretion, of course, but we should get underway.”
“We probably should get to business, yeah,” Kim said. She tapped the side of her metal head. “I’m going to scan the lab. Vell, you talk to the elephant and make sure everything’s above-board.”
“Abov- oh, right,” Vell said. “Sorry, not exactly used to being able to ask animals if they agree to animal experimentation.”
“Experiment,” Mae said.
“Yeah, experiment,” Vell said, as he turned to Mae. “So, Mae Noi, this experiment might hurt, do you know that?”
“Experiment. Hurt. Elephant,” Mae Noi prodded. “Experiment. Help. Elephant. Help. Baby.”
“Help baby?”
“Baby. Baby. Elephant. Sick. Baby. Sick.”
“We’ve explained the nature of her condition to Mae Noi as best we can,” Dr. Chanthara said. “She has several children, and is concerned they might be similarly affected.”
“Help. Baby,” Mae Noi said. “Experiment. Help.”
The way Mae Noi frantically tapped the buttons tugged at Vell’s heartstrings, but he choked those emotions down.
“So you want to do this experiment to help baby, got it,” Vell said. “Even if it hurts you?”
“Elephant. Old,” Mae Noi said. “Hurt. Okay. Help. Baby.”
“Huh. Well, that does sound like informed consent to me,” Vell said. “Passes ethical muster, at least.”
The campus rules allowed students to be experimented on, with their consent, so Vell saw no reason not to apply the same standard to an elephant.
“You speak up if you change your mind about the experiment, okay?”
“Stop. Stop. Stop,” Mae said, mashing the same button a few times. “Yes.”
“You got it. I’m going to go help my friends check things out,” Vell said. “Good talking to you, Mae.”
“Good. Talk. Friend,” Mae said. She waved goodbye with her trunk, and Vell waved back. He wandered away from Mae Noi’s pedestal and found Kim and Hawke carefully examining rows of beakers and various other supplies.
“Nothing sus yet, boss,” Hawke said.
“Nothing caustic, mutagenic, or explosive?”
“Well, something mutagenic, but it’s supposed to be,” Kim said. She had scanners built into her body much like those that had once been in Vell’s glasses, allowing her to analyze the complex chemical formulas at a glance. “They’re going for some gene editing similar to what we’ve tried to do on human cancer patients. Low success rate, but not harmful. Some adaptations to work on elephants, of course.”
“Run it by any of our chemistry and biology student friends yet?”
“A few,” Kim said. “Haven’t gotten anything back yet, though.”
“Maybe run it by Skye, too,” Vell said. “She’d recognize anything that’d mutate an animal.”
“She does love to mutate things,” Kim said.
“Benevolently,” Vell insisted. “Just show her. I’m going to check for any stray equipment.”
The presence of an unusually large test subject had resulted in the lab being rearranged and reshuffled, so Vell did a quick scan for any misplaced equipment that might pose a threat. He found, to his surprise, a tidy and well-organized environment, with any and all extraneous materials securely locked away. There wasn’t so much as a shrink ray out of place. Vell did another loop just to be sure, but returned to his friends empty-handed.
“This place has less safety hazards than my lab,” Vell said. Hawke stared at him for a while.
“Why does your lab have safety hazards?’
“I do runecarving, there’s like, hammers and chisels,” Vell said. “Those can hurt people.”
“Mm, true,” Hawke said. “So you really didn’t find anything?”
“Nothing,” Vell said. “This place is secure as I’ve ever seen a lab be.”
“It’s like I said,” Kim began. “We got an actual warning about it, so obviously nothing’s going to go wrong. That’d be too easy.”
“Maybe,” Vell said. “Things can get teleported in, or someone could cast a spell, or something.”
“Yeah, but that applies to anywhere, at any time,” Kim said.
“Kim’s right,” Hawke said. “I say we go business as usual.”
“I guess,” Vell said. “We have to branch out a little, at least. Can’t keep an eye on one room all day.”
The trio stopped sulking around the outskirts of the lab and returned to Dean Lichman and Dr. Chanthara.
“Everything looks good,” Kim said. “Probably the safest lab I’ve ever seen.”
“I’ll choose to take that as a compliment,” Dr. Chanthara said.
“We have very high safety standards here at the Einstein-Odinson,” Dean Lichman said, defensively. “Relatively speaking. Innovation requires some risk.”
“I understand perfectly. So does Mae.”
“Hurt. Okay,” Mae said.
“Not that okay,” Vell said. “Nice meeting you, Dr. Chanthara. You too, Mae.”
“Wait.”
Mae prodded one of the buttons on her pedestal and then pointed her trunk at the three of them. Hawke looked deeply concerned, but stepped forward alongside Vell and Kim. Mae Noi appraised them with massive brown eyes, and then moved her trunk back towards the pedestal. Vell noticed a distinctive scar on the bridge of her long nose just as Mae Noi pressed another button.
“Joke.”
“...Joke?”
Dr. Chanthara sighed and rolled his eyes.
“Just go along with it,” he said. “She likes to tell her joke.”
“Uh, okay,” Vell said. “Let’s hear it.”
“What. Elephant. Favorite. Part. Tree.”
“Umm...I don’t know, Mae,” Vell lied. He’d heard this joke from a kid, once. “What part?”
“Trunk,” Mae said. She gave a loud bray of amusement and then slammed her trunk down a few more times to emphasize the punchline. “Trunk. Trunk.”
“Oh, ha, I get it,” Kim said, hoping her feigned laugh was convincing. She’d never tried to lie to an elephant before. “Good one, Mae.”
Mae Noi shifted from side to side, looking pleased with herself, while the trio took a step back and stopped their feigned laughter.
“Did you give her buttons just to tell that joke with?”
“She gets upset,” Dr. Chanthara said. “I’m not even sure she understands the pun, she just likes people’s reactions.”
“As long as she’s having fun,” Hawke said.
“We’ll get out of your hair now,” Vell said. “Good luck with the experiment, feel free to let us know if you need a hand with anything.”
“I’ll keep it in mind,” Dr. Chanthara said. Some of his earlier skepticism seemed to have softened, but he did not seem entirely onboard with three strangers mucking about with his experiment. Vell and his friends left before they stretched what little goodwill they had any further. Mae Noi waved her trunk goodbye as the three left the lab and stepped back onto the quad.
“I’m going to try and sneak some classes in,” Hawke said. “Later.”
“I’ll check some of our usual hot spots,” Kim said, before she too left. Once again alone, Vell headed to one of his own classes, and called up Samson.
“Hey, Samson,” Vell began. “See anything interesting while we were playing with the elephant?”
“Well, I thought I clocked someone acting suspicious, but it turns out he was only sneaking around to go see his boyfriend,” Samson said. “Nothing apocalyptic, but I did get called a homophobe, which is pretty emotionally devastating.”
“I’m sure you’ll recover someday,” Vell said. “Keep an eye out. Usually the safer things look, the more dangerous things end up being.”
“Will do,” Samson said, before saying goodbye and hanging up.
***
Vell got increasingly nervous the longer the day went without its daily disaster. He thought about checking in on Mae Noi again, but then recalled Kim’s warning about it being too obvious, but then remembered that nobody had seen anything suspicious anywhere else, but then remember that Mae Noi’s lab had looked perfectly safe-
“Vell.”
“Huh?”
“You’re spiraling,” Kim said.
“I’m not spiraling, I’m just,” Vell said, with a pause for contemplation. “Considering multiple options.”
“In a spiral fashion,” Kim said. “Eat the damn french fries. Honestly, what’s the point of ordering so many if you’re just going to let them get cold?”
“It’s not like they’re going to go to waste,” Vell said. The same time loop that allowed him to eat massive amounts of french fries without fear of gaining weight also allowed him to avoid food waste. One of the upsides of life in a time loop.
“Just eat, Vell,” Kim said. “You worry too much about all this shit.”
“I’m in charge, it’s my job to worry about it,” Vell said.
“It’s your job to handle it,” Kim said. “There’s no point thinking about this shit before it happens, you spend all day thinking about an elephant and then the universe drops, like, a bat with tentacles on your head. Just deal with as it comes, Vell.”
Vell leaned on the table and managed to chomp down on a french fry or two.
“You know, next year, when I’m not running the show anymore, I’m going to call and see if you still think it’s that easy.”
“I sure hope so,” Kim said. “I’m saying all this shit trying to make myself believe it too.”
“Oh good, you’re lying to both of us,” Vell said. “That’s cool.”
“Fake it ‘til you make it, Vell, that’s how it goes,” Kim said. “Eat your damn french fries.”
Vell rolled his eyes and returned to his fries, which were now starting to cool. Thankfully he would not have to worry about finishing them. A loud crash from across campus interrupted him mid-bite and nearly made Vell choke on his fries. He painfully swallowed the half-chewed food and then looked over his shoulder.
“Son of a bitch, finally,” Vell said. A few years ago he’d found it weird whenever he was relieved about a disaster, but now he was just genuinely glad to get it over with. The waiting was as killer as the apocalypse. He tossed his fries in the trash and headed toward the sound of chaos, with Kim right behind him.
“Already told everybody?”
“Well, I may or may not have left Alex and Helena out of the loop…”
“Kim.”
“They’d find out anyway,” Kim said. “I got to use my brain parts to get in touch with them, even over wi-fi that shit feels dirty.”
“Just get in- stop.”
Vell held out his hand. Kim froze in place and did not move. Not intentionally, at least. There was a small amount of unintentional movement. The ground was vibrating.
“Always love a good earthquake,” Kim said.
“That’s not a quake,” Vell said. “That’s...footsteps!”
Vell grabbed Kim and dove out of the way just in time for something to barrel through the walls of the dining hall and stampede across the room. Tables, chairs, and more than a few students were crushed under the feet of a hulking, brown-furred behemoth as it charged. Kim picked herself and Vell up off the floor and tried to trail its progress.
“That’s a- oh fuck me,” Kim said. “Please don’t say you told me so.”
Vell got his bearings and looked across the room at the titanic form of a woolly mammoth. Though it was definitely recognizable as an archaic mammoth, the ancient creature was also heavily mutated, unnaturally large even by mammoth standards, and with multiple curled, jagged tusks protruding from a slobbering maw.
“Well that could be unrelated,” Vell said. “Mammoths can come from a lot of places, cloning accidents, time machines…”
The mammoth reached a wall, and rather than barreling through, turned around, facing directly towards Vell. A prominent scar covered the bridge of its broad trunk.
“Oh, nope, that’s definitely Mae,” Vell said. The scar was in the same place and at the same angle. Even a clone wouldn’t have an identical scar.
Once the revelation had struck, Mae took her turn. Vell found himself staring straight down the barrel of a very angry mammoth coming right at him at Vell-squishing velocity. Luckily he’d been charged at by a lot of creatures over four years of looping.
Vell jumped up and to the side, and latched on to one of the curled tusks, which made for very convenient handlebars. Kim did the same on the opposite side of Mae, and punched her in the head.
“Wait, wait, hold off on the violence for a second,” Vell shouted. He tried to wave at Kim to stop, but Mae was thrashing so violently he had to grip the tusks with both hands.
“Good plan,” Kim shouted. “Can you get Mae on board?”
Another set of tables got crushed underfoot. Thankfully the other students were out of trampling range by now, but Mae Noi’s feet were still coated in the blood of earlier victims.
“Mae’s smart, maybe we can calm her down,” Vell said. He then ducked to dodge a swat from Mae’s mutated trunk.
“Call me crazy, Vell, but I think this is more than just a bad mood,” Kim said, as she climbed up Mae’s seven jagged tusks like a ladder.
“We have to try,” Vell said. The loopers rule against hurting other intelligent life forms had some flexibility for blood-crazed mutants on violent rampages, but they had to at least try to reason first. Vell climbed up on of Mae’s tusks and looked into one of her bloodshot eyes for any sign of recognition. “Mae! It’s Vell, do you remember?”
The only response Vell got was an enraged trumpet, which he didn’t think was a “yes”.
“Come on, bud,” Vell said. “What’s an elephant’s favorite part of a tree, right? The trunk?”
The massive brown eye staring at Vell blinked, and he felt a brief glimmer of hope. He then felt a brief glimmer of his lungs being crushed as Mae swung her head and slammed her tusks into the wall, and Vell along with them. Kim punched Mae in the throat and then jumped across the tusks to grab Vell and carry him to safety.
“You okay, Vell?”
He opened his mouth to respond, and a pint or two of blood came out instead.
“Apparently not,” he mumbled. “I might be down a few ribs. And a lung. Or two.”
Kim carried Vell a safe distance from the fight and set him down on the ground, where he promptly spat out another mouthful of blood.
“Okay, uh, you just lie there and try to die peacefully, I guess,” Kim said.
“Way ahead of you.”
***
“Was that last bit as funny as I thought it was?” Vell asked. “I think the blood loss was affecting my sense of humor.”
“It was kind of hard to appreciate in the moment,” Kim said. “But as far as dying jokes go, it was pretty good.”
Vell and Kim walked into the lair for their morning meeting and joined the loopers that had already gathered.
“Okay, what’d I miss while I was dead?”
“Well, after Alex was done getting herself killed,” Samson began.
“You’re saying that as if it’s something to be ashamed of,” Alex said. “Vell also died.”
“Yeah, but he got killed trying to do something good. You got killed trying to do something stupid.”
“Trying to eliminate a threat is not stupid,” Alex said.
“We don’t kill intelligent creatures,” Hawke said. “Sometimes we punch them into a coma, but we don’t kill them.”
“When a dog bites, you put it down, I don’t see why the same principle doesn’t apply to a mammoth that’s crushed seventy people.”
“That wasn’t Mae’s fault,” Vell said. “She got mutated, or something. On that note: did you guys figure out what happened to Mae Noi?”
“Nothing,” Hawke said. “Looked like Mae smashed up the entire lab, trampled everyone involved in the experiment too. Nothing left to investigate, and nobody left alive to interrogate.”
“Typical,” Vell sighed. “At least we have an easy out. Dean Lichman was really concerned about the ethics of that whole experiment. We raise some kind of complaint, we could probably get the whole thing shut down.”
“The problem is getting the complaint,” Hawke said. “That lab was airtight, Vell.”
“Apparently not completely airtight,” Kim said. “I can camp out in the lab and raise an entirely justifiable stink whenever something capable of making a murder-mammoth shows up.”
“And what if it happens so suddenly you can’t complain about it?” Samson asked. “For all we know that could’ve been some kind of dimensional rift, or time anomaly, or something. It might not be as simple as somebody just putting in the wrong syringe at the wrong time.”
“He’s got a point,” Vell said. “We might want to shut this down before it gets there.”
“Seems like our best option is to plant evidence, then,” Alex said.
Everyone else at the table spent a few seconds brainstorming ways to prove her wrong, and much to their frustration, could not.
“Okay, fine,” Vell said. “But it needs to be something incidental, not something anyone would get blamed for. We want to cancel the experiment, not get anyone in trouble.”
“I could have a seizure on some sensitive equipment,” Helena offered. “It’ll break something and nobody would dare get mad at me.”
“Can you fake a seizure?”
“No, but I’m allergic to elephants, so I’d probably have one anyway the moment I stepped in the lab,” Helena said.
“I don’t feel entirely comfortable sending you into anaphylactic shock for a bit,” Vell said.
“Offer’s on the table,” Helena said. “I’ll live. Wouldn’t have made it through that trip to the zoo otherwise.”
“Anybody have any non-medical emergency suggestions?”
“Seagull in the air vents,” Kim said.
“Will that work?”
“It happens now and then,” Kim said. “Seagull gets in, and Dean has to close down the whole lab for potential material damage and biohazard risks if they shit in the vents.”
“Really? We’ve never had to deal with anything like that,” Hawke said.
“It may shock you to learn that sometimes minor, tedious bullshit happens that we have nothing to do with,” Kim said.
“That is kind of surprising, actually.”
“Enough. Kim, can you grab a seagull?” Vell asked. He shouldered his bookbag, and stuck a hand into the extradimensional pocket that existed within it. “I can probably smuggle it in with my bag.”
“Yeah, I can get you a seagull,” Kim said. Since she did not need to sleep, she had to find ways to keep herself entertained at night, seagull-grabbing being among them.
“Alright, we’ll go grab one and put it in the bag,” Vell said. “The rest of you, be ready to meet us when I call.”
***
Roughly three minutes later, Vell put out the call and they reconvened in front of the biology lab.
“Yeah, that was much faster than I thought it would be,” Vell said.
“I’m great at grabbin’ birds,” Kim said. Seagulls were among the easier birds to snatch, even. They were suckers for food, and many of them were attracted to her shiny metallic body anyway.
“Let’s just get this over with,” Vell said. “I want this thing out of my bag ASAP.”
Even though the seagull was safely within a pocket dimension, Vell would swear he could still feel the bird thrashing and squawking inside his bag. He tightened his grip on the shoulder strap and led the way towards the zoology lab entrance. He grabbed the handle and held it as he froze for a second.
“Vell, what’s up? Is this bird escaping?”
“No, the handle’s vibrating,” Vell said. It was shaking the same way a wall near an incredibly loud speaker might. He pressed his ear to the door and listened closely. He opened the door immediately, and let all his friends hear the frantic trumpeting of a panicked elephant.
Inside the lab, Mae Noi was stomping her feet and trumpeting as loud as he long trunk would allow. She swayed from side to side in her pen, bumping against the walls not quite hard enough to damage them, but hard enough that it was clear she was doing it on purpose.
“What the heck is happening here?”
“Ah, Vell,” Dean Lichman said. He hustled over to Vell’s side and gestured to the entire room. “Maybe you can figure out what’s going on.”
Mae Noi stopped braying long enough to start mashing her trunk against her pedestal, mashing out the word “Bad” over and over again.
“Our test subject, Mae Noi, has been throwing an absolute fit ever since she got here,” Dean Lichman said. “Dr. Chanthara, these are the students I was telling you about earlier.”
While Vell reintroduced himself to Dr. Chanthara, Kim and Hawke stepped up to examine Mae Noi and her enclosure. It was a far cry from the peaceful, orderly scene they had examined on the first loop. They were half an hour earlier this time than before, but Kim found it unlikely that they had been able to calm Mae Noi down, clean everything up, and get back to work in such a short amount of time. They hadn’t mentioned any of this panic on the first loop either. They were soon joined in their confusion by Chanthara and Vell.
“We’ve tried everything; food, water, her favorite toys, even videos of her children,” Dr. Chanthara said. “We’ve even offered to call off the experiment, but she won’t listen.”
“She is an animal,” Alex said. “Sometimes they do things arbitrarily.”
“Not Mae,” Dr. Chanthara said. “Some of our sanctuaries residents from traumatic backgrounds can have outbursts, but Mae was injured in the wild. She’s never been like this.”
“Maybe some experiment on the island is upsetting her,” Vell said. “A sonic experiment only she can hear, or something…”
Vell stopped and thought about it. If there had been such an irritant, it would’ve been there on the first loop too. Everything always repeated exactly the same, except for-
“Could you, uh, take a step back for a second?” Vell mumbled. “I want to try talking to her.”
“Don’t get close,” Chanthara warned him.
“I’m not, I’m not,” Vell said. He didn’t need to get very close to tell a joke.
The massive brown eyes of Mae Noi stayed locked on Vell as he approached, and she continued to mash the “Bad” button on her pedestal.
“I know, I know, bad,” Vell said. “But, uh, do you want to hear a joke?”
Mae Noi stopped. She locked eyes with Vell for a few seconds, and then cautiously tapped a button on her pedestal.
“Joke.”
“Right, joke,” Vell said. He tried to recall the exact sequence of words Mae had used on the first loop. “What elephant favorite part tree?”
Mae didn’t blink.
“Trunk,” Vell said.
After a moment of contemplation, Mae Noi let out one final, fervent, trumpet, and then started mashing buttons on her pedestal again.
“Bad. Help. Help. Experiment. Bad. Help. Bad. Help.”
“Yeah, bad help, one second,” Vell said. He turned away from Mae Noi to look at Dean Lichman. “Hey, uh, excuse me, Dean? Hey, uh, if I remember correctly there are some pretty complicated rules on having intelligent animals on campus, yes?”
“Well, yes,” Dean Lichman said. After hearing of some questionable ethical practices involving an octopus back in first year, he had instituted a few clauses into the school’s ethical code of conduct regarding intelligent animals like elephants, octopuses, and dolphins. “Mae’s presence here is a bit of an outlier, but there were workaround, given her apparent consent to the experiment.”
“Yeah, about that, is she, uh,” Vell began. “Is she registered as a student?”
“Yes.”
Vell pursed his lips. It took a few seconds for his friends to catch on.
“You have got to be fucking kidding me,” Samson snapped. He turned his back on the crowd and leaned against a wall while Hawke put his head in his hands.
“The first rule of looping,” Alex said quietly. “Loopers are randomly selected-”
She looked up and locked eyes with Mae Noi.
“From all registered students.”

I’m getting bored with my current game and considering starting up a whole new community. I like to create multiple households at once so I can bounce back and forth and have them interact with each other. I glanced at a list of the 18 different emotions, and wondered if maybe I could work with that for inspiration. Craft each Sim to be “themed” to a specific emotion, by selecting traits/jobs/abilities/life states etc. and then come up with interesting combinations to move into a household together.
I decided that some of the emotions are unworkable. How to theme a Sim around “asleep”? Or “uncomfortable”? Some are a bit more questionable, like “scared” or “bored”.
Here are some of my ideas, please let me know yours!
“Angry” - easy one, that’s a Werewolf. Hot-headed, mean, or jealous for traits?
“Inspired” - a Musician, since Pluck For Inspiration is such a quick way to get there. Creative or art lover traits.
“Embarrassed” - perhaps an Alien? With poor impulse control who pees himself regularly. Loner or unflirty trait.
“Fine” - a Vampire with the Dampened Emotions ability.
“Dazed” - this one is a bit trickier. Maybe someone whose favorite hobbies are Unwinding at the Bubble Blower and getting into fights? Could be an Engineer or robotics enthusiast who gets zapped a lot.
“Possessed” is also weird, but fairly obvious. Lives in Strangerville and has a taste for the Bizarre Fruit.
“Energized” - works out all the time, Active trait, Athlete career. Drinks a lot of coffee.
“Playful” - Comedian career, tells lots of jokes. Goofball or childish traits.
“Focused” - a University student who gets focused on studying and reading, perhaps who goes on to become a Tech Guru or a Scientist.
Still considering:
“Happy”
“Sad”
“Confident”
“Flirty”
“Tense”

G'day,
I'm a university student in Queensland and am wondering if you could provide me an opinion on a potential land value tax policy.
Currently, we have a 1% annual LVT for properties other than primary residences (rentals, holiday houses, etc.) but there's an exemption for properties that are valued under $600K cumulatively. I was taking a look at some of the government prescribed land values... and there's a whole lotta land that's valued under $600K - in Bundaberg you can buy many properties and it's still valued under $600K.
Do you think that simply removing the exemption would be an effective means at addressing the current housing crisis, as rent-seekers and landlords would either be deterred from purchasing and sitting on property or be incentived to develop/cut up properties?
Is there anything more that could feasibly be done that voters wouldn't absolutely hate (while a LVT for all properties sound nice, the income tax wouldn't be dropping anytime soon).
Cheers! 🤠