While Mikal is the better defender, Julius is a better 3 level scorer. He requires a double team majority of the time or else he’s scoring inside. Only against a team like the Bucks or another team that has a very strong defensive 4 can play him 1 on 1.
His playmaking is better than Mikal as well. Randle is basically the second point guard on the team and generates a ton of open looks for guys in the corner and top of the key. Before I make my next statement I’m just gonna say, I’m gonna make a lebron comparison but this isn’t not saying he’s as good as lebron at this. You know how Lebron goes to the low post, draws the double, and kicks out to the corner or top of the key, Randle does the same. His ability to score in the paint, low post, and midrange causes the other team to have to double majority of the time and allows Randle to find the open man, Mikal doesn’t have the same gravity
Now Mikal is a strong defender, good catch and shoot player, and can create his own shot as well, but he’s not as oppressive as Randle. He’s not commanding double teams like Randle does, he’s not a playmaking threat like Randle is, he’s not as aggressive on the boards as Randle is. Randle is more of a mismatch at his position than Mikal is at his
What Mikal does, he does well, but he lacks the dynamism in his game compared to Randle to be considered better than him right now
Could this change? Absolutely, but I’m stating what we’ve seen so far. This is why I’m confused on why someone who hasn’t reached the heights or hasn’t had the impact Randle does is being said to be more valuable. Also these conversations are from fans online not anywhere credible.

Been playing since Fifa 04. This is the first year I deleted the game from my console, only Fifa 19 got so close.
This year the lack of consistency is brutal. If you tackle, you never know if you are winning the ball. Tactics make no sense. Bugs are insane.
Last year (I play season usually) I won 98 matches out of 100. The game was consistent and I enjoyed it. I also enjoyed the career which was as usual not great but the gameplay made it bearable.
This year, maybe it’s me, but I just cannot play. The lack of consistency is unreal. One game you play ok, the other your players simply do not move. Keepers are either unbeatable or completely frozen. On PS4 the quick pass from free kick never worked FOR THE FULL YEAR, WHY???
Guys.. are you serious? You CANNOT release a product like this, be ashamed.

Looked through Meetup. Looked through EventBrite. It seems like everything is catered towards older adults and on EventBrite, you have to pay for tickets. What's the best way to find events for people in their early 20s that are preferably free? I don't want to spend $20 on a ticket just to play pickleball.
I am very much into music and contact sports, like pickleball and lacrosse. If anyone has any ideas, please let me know! They would be greatly appreciated! Google has become absolute dogshit so I can't find anything through there either.

Hi,
So far I played a bit of VR titles both standalone (Pistol Whip, Asgard's Wrath 2, Population: One) and PCVR (HL:Alyx, SW: Squadrons, Asgard's Wrath 1 and Into the Radius) but I'm looking for some FPS games that are still alive and not swarmed with veterans that would wipe me with ease. I heard about Ghost of Tabor, Contractors and Onward but I'm not sure which of those games are still popular. Couple of times I played Population: One I was playing mostly against bots so players population might actually be closer to "one" than I expected ;).
As someone who played Counter Strike for more than decade I'm leaning towards team vs team games and I'm not a big fan of battle royale.
One thing in VR I still don't get is how to hold controllers when shooting longer weapons that use both hands - it is weird to not have a buttstock or something to properly "lean" with a rifle. How do you guys and gals mitigate that? It was so weird and uncomfortable to shoot something that requires you to hold it in both hands.
Also I'm not sure if I should aim for PCVR games with my PC specs (Ryzen 5 3600, RTX3070, 16GB RAM) or should I stick to standalone, MQ3 versions. I'm asking this because HL:Alyx and SW:Squadrons are running great but Into the Radius is looking and running worse than HL:Alyx and without something like "MSI Afterburner but for VR" I have no idea how to troubleshoot it. I read a bit about it but there is so, so much new vocabulary and tech (reprojections, render scale in steamVR and in-game etc.) that I have no idea where to start.
To sum up: looking for a VR online FPS that is not dead, not sure if I should play standalone or PCVR version of that game, not sure how to troubleshoot PCVR performance if I would had to do it. Also - bad at aiming rifles in VR and looking for tips.
Thanks in advance for any recommendations!

Hi! I’m 27 F looking for people to play tennis with in the Twin Cities area (I’m in St. Paul). Mostly to hit around and practice/meet new people. I’d put myself in a 3.5 level, but I’m down to play with any skill level. Available most evenings after 4:30 and free on weekends. Comment or DM if interested! Or if anyone is already aware of a tennis group that does this, I’d love to know about it 😊

Looking for games with good character customization I basically need the glorified character creation engines that may or may not have gameplay as a bonus.
What I REQUIRE:
A game has many clothing/armor options, preferably in different styles
Many hair options and various accessories, hats, glasses, masks, etc
It is possible to change body shape and height (medium priority)
The clothing items (or at least most of them) are available at once (no paywalls or "kill this dude to get that armor") and I don't have to spend too much time to unlock them
PC only, and preferably something that doesn't weigh 200 GB
Things I DON'T CARE FOR:
A hundred face sliders. Having a good face gen is a bonus, but my main aim is good item variety
Stunning ultra graphics (I mean, the graphics should not be vanilla Minecraft, but if there are good old games with good variety...)
Games/tools I already know about and use:
Champions online (had to buy/grind a few costume parts packs though) - near total hit
City of Heroes - total hit (so many of everything and last time I checked all was available from the start without paywalls because the game is legally dead)
Saints Row series - partial hit (nice in-game shops one has to drive to, unfortunately not all items in one place)
Hero Forge mini figures creator - partial hit (so much stuff deeply customizable and free, but I want normal characters and not minis)
2D stuff like Heromachine, Fabrica de Herois - partial hit (because 2D)
What WON'T DO AT ALL:
Skyrim, Oblivion, Fallout 3/New Vegas - no clothes customization during the character creation and I don't care for 50 facial sliders, better give me 50 kinds of eyes
DC universe online (have to hunt for those costume pieces, the pieces available during character creation are few)
So, thank you for reading this long post, waiting eagerly for your suggestions.
And before you redirect me to an old post Google shows when asked for games with good character creation, I've read it, but it's a bit vague and it's clear its author and I have different goals and therefore not all games from that post will suit me. Thanks in advance and how foolish would I feel if this thing gets deleted for missing some technicality...

Just picked up this pair a couple of days ago after not seeing a lot of people talk about them online. Thought these would be a cool pair to have as a super dad shoe and this really does the trick for me. It feels super early 2000’s and I feel like the 1906R works really well when styled for that era. Originally purchased these for $95 shipped on eBay new without box and authenticated, but because the bag eBay shipped them in ended up staining the sides of the shoes in a blue color, I ended up getting a full refund! Love this pair as it’s not a style I have a lot of shoes in and you can’t argue with free! What’s your favorite pair of 1906R’s and do you think everyone should stop sleeping on them? Would love to get some new spruces one day 🥵

MANY THINGS ARE HAPPENING IN TODAY'S GEOPOLITICS. TENSIONS IN THE MIDDLE EAST, RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR, ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR. (More conflicts with Iran, even Taiwan strait crisis, the dangers of AI and about Korea, China, Cuba, Venezuela, Africa.)
Between past and present, the series demonstrated a mysterious ability to stay one step ahead of the news
For all his scrapes, personal losses, and absurdly urgent calls, Jack Bauer, the tough, tough-talking counterterrorism agent played by Kiefer Sutherland on Fox's 24, had a relatively quiet life compared to Carrie Mathison, the resilient , but almost always deeply wounded (and, not coincidentally, bipolar) CIA agent played by Claire Danes in Showtime's Homeland, which ends after an impressive succession of eight seasons.
Each in their own way, Jack and Carrie came to represent the pressing global crises of their times. 24 premiered weeks after the September 2001 terrorist attacks and the drumbeat of war, at a moment that could be considered shockingly inappropriate (the first episode opened with a woman installing a bomb inside a plane) or too targeted solely at the United States. American viewers found they could project many of their anxieties about national security onto the series, which acted as an adrenaline rush, expressed in increasingly twisted (and less plausible) twists.
In its eighth and final season, ‘Homeland’ focuses on the two main characters
It was harder to find this catharsis in Homeland, but it made the series much better and more relevant. The defeats suffered by its characters (particularly Claire Danes as Carrie and Mandy Patinkin as Saul Berenson, Carrie's intelligence consultant and mentor) made Homeland more believable as the 21st century's real-life war on terror dragged on and on.
The bully look of Jack Bauer and his fictional Counterterrorism Unit portrayed in the 9/11 era gave way, in Homeland, to a beleaguered and politically paralyzed CIA, seen through the distortions of an agent's justifiable paranoia.
Carrie Mathison's story should not be interpreted as a sequel to Jack Bauer's trajectory (although both series had the same executive producer, Howard Gordon). Still, from the first season of Homeland it was very clear that Carrie would advance into much more complex and dark territory than that left by Jack - a time that goes roughly back to the American military operation that killed Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in May 2011 until President Donald Trump's impeachment hearings in 2019, an era in which the intelligence sector was first praised, then vilified, and finally punished with dismissal by the White House.
Homeland's prescience anticipated many cases of dishonest conduct by intelligence officials, who are always plagued by executive ineptitude, which the series treated as a chronic condition of successive presidents.
Co-created and meticulously overseen by executive producer and writer Alex Gansa (and adapted from an Israeli TV series), Homeland began as a riveting thriller about the trustworthiness of a Marine recently rescued from prisoner of war status, Sergeant Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis).
While the country celebrated Brody as a war hero, Carrie worked to find out if he had converted to Islamic terrorism. Seven seasons later, Homeland had another script: Carrie, who had spent months in a Russian prison, without access to her psychiatric medications, was now distrusted by her colleagues for a whole series of reasons, including the possibility that she was a Russian spy. .
Between past and present, Homeland has demonstrated an uncanny knack for staying one step ahead of the news. The plot was obsessed with online Russian propaganda and far-right mayhem at the same time the country was beginning to see (and ignore) the strings tied to various puppets.
Now, in the final season, Homeland focuses on the long-awaited peace agreement between the United States and the Taliban. The American president (Beau Bridges) traveled to Afghanistan to seal the deal, but was killed when his military helicopter crashed - an event designed to look like the Taliban had shot down the aircraft.
Defying her CIA supervisors, in the last few episodes Carrie did everything she could to find (and then lose) the helicopter's black box, which could prove that the crash was an accident. We are once again at the point where Homeland has always thrived: a world on the brink, with tensions rising between>! the United States and Pakistan!< and many men determined not to listen to a woman they all think is not right in the head. A recap of the entire Homeland story arc could simply say, “Despite everything, she moved on.”
Like many early fans, I tried to be one of those viewers who gave up on 'Homeland,' but I never succeeded. I admired rather than criticized the series' twists and turns (you can't say “crazy”, given its commitment to portraying Carrie's mental illness). Homeland was an unusual study in the art of the mid-season course correction, inventing surprising and provocative solutions to the narrative alleys it had run into. Chief among them was Carrie's decision in season seven to relinquish custody of her daughter — the only TV mom I can think of whose solution to the work-life balance dilemma was to stop being a mom. It was a painful and powerful commentary on the chaotic state of the world, hers and ours.
When it comes to series that are so relevant, the best ones always leave one question: who or what will take their place?
What kind of contemporary hero would be the natural successor to Jack Bauer or Carrie Mathison? And what will be the focus of your mission? Who or what will be your enemy - domestic terrorism? Vladimir Putin? Climate change deniers?
Could it be, perhaps, an FBI agent combating American hate crimes and fake news, in a series about a divided nation, rotting from the inside? (Homeland even touched on this subject.) Or a series about a kind of special operations squad of former diplomats, tasked with restoring the global damage caused by a certain government?
A series about an epidemiologist fighting disinformation campaigns? About a cybersecurity expert, even if viewers don't really like series about people sitting in front of a computer? (Homeland, unfortunately, killed its most promising spin-off potential: Max Piotrowski, Carrie's loyal computer technician, an increasingly hardened and dedicated soul, played by Maury Sterling).
Will our next Jack or Carrie be some kind of deranged hacker, like Rami Malek in Sam Esmail's Mr. Robot? Or the betrayed and mentally manipulated therapists and soldiers from another of Esmail's series, the conspiratorial Homecoming, which returns next month?
None of the above, I imagine. Like the world itself, the mission is now more open and dangerous than ever. The character who gets the task is doomed to be tortured, literally and figuratively.

I’ve seen people looking for online poker in the US and would advise you try out stake.us. I’ve been playing here for months and it is great. There is KYC to sign up and no hand history to download for bs third party software.
Free $1 every 24 hrs you just have to claim it daily in your wallet - it never expires.
Free $25 no depo required (settings / offers / Code - POKER25) (bonus is sent in e-mail so make sure e-mail is verified in settings too)
Daily free rolls.
Currently available in 43 states.
Ask questions / roast me in the comments.

~The I'm Moving Please Buy My Stuff Sale/Trade List Extravaganza!~ Hi all - I am moving in a few weeks and have been collecting so much stuff that I have avoided selling and it is time to clear it all out. I am posting prices based on the lowest I see either through online stores for new items, or completed sales for other things. I am absolutely open to a reasonable counteroffer but I am trying to price everything competitively. If something is listed as a bundle I would prefer to try that prior than breaking things up, but feel free to send me a message. Timestamps: https://imgur.com/a/jBukwmE
~HARDWARE~ ~PC:~ - COMBO: Gigabyte B650 AORUS Elite AX and AMD Ryzen 7600X (BRAND NEW, SEALED - bought to build a second gaming PC and decided not to): $345 shipped. - RAM: 32GB (2x16) GSKILL Trident Z5RGB F5-6000 DDR5 RAM (open box, used in test rig for ~10 hours): $90 shipped - RAM: 32gb (2x16) XPG Lancer RGB DDR5 6000MHz (open box, used in test rig for ~5 hours): $80 shipped - Headset: Logitech ASTRO A30 Wireless Headset (Lavendewhite) (open box, never used, new): $130 shipped - CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600 (brand new/sealed): $95 shipped
~XBOX:~ -MEGA COMBO: XBOX Series X console (less than ~50 hours use, mostly 4K movies) with controller, original box in excellent condition) + extra XBOX Wireless controller (black, new/sealed in box) + official XBOX Wireless Headset (brand new, in box)+following games: - Tales of Arise (sealed) - Watch Dogs Legion - Immortal Fenyx Rising - AC: Valhalla - Resident Evil Village (sealed) - Far Cry 6 (sealed) - Bioshock Remastered collection - Darksiders 3 - Lost Judgment TOTAL: $550 shipped

• XBOX Series X Halo Infinite Edition (brand new, sealed, literally in the box MS sent it in comes with branded xbox, controller, game code - rare): $675 shipped - XBOX One X Cyberpunk 2077 Edition (brand new, sealed in box - rare): $275 shipped
  
• Forza 5 limited edition official XBOX Wireless controller + Limited edition Forza 5 Quick Charging Stand (both brand new, sealed, this thing is super cool looking): $100 shipped
  
• Razer Universal Quick Charging Stand Aqua Shift (brand new, sealed): $25 shipped
  

~Playstation:~ - Horizon Forbidden West PS5 (opened never played): $13 shipped - Persona 5 Royal PS4 box (brand new, sealed): $12 shipped - 13 Sentinels Aegis Rim PS4 box (brand new, sealed): $13 shipped
~MISC:~ - 2x Nendoroid Kratos God of War (new in box): $25 shipped - Misfit Command Hybrid Smartwatch (new in box): $30 shipped
~PC Game Codes:~ HUGE list coming soon!

For background I’m 21F, he’s 23M. We’ve been together for 4 years now. It started out online and recently he’s moved in with me across states, he’s been here since around March. When we first started dating we both agreed that porn was s a big no no, and that we both felt it was a form of cheating. He’s never once made me feel that he’s been watching porn or anything like that, but I did catch him looking at a girls ass right in front of me in the third year of our relationship, and when I called him out on it he got defensive and then fessed up and apologized. We aren’t the most intimate couple as we are both virgins and just not ready for that big step yet but we do other things and he’s never once said or made me feel like he’s not satisfied and has always assured me he is. He’s been very loving and he’s been with me through some of the toughest parts of my life, and I love him dearly. The past week, he’s been a little touchy about his phone, and I found it odd since he put my face on his phone to unlock it at any time. Last night he fell asleep early, and as I rolled over to sleep with him I noticed his phone was underneath me. I picked it up to charge it and my immediate thought was to go through it, and I was absolutely disgusted by what I found. He had pornographic photos and sexual feet pics stashed in his saved section on Instagram, tiktok, and his recently deleted folder in photos, all were recent being on Saturday as well. The most disturbing thing I found was that he took 3 pictures of my sisters feet while she was sitting on the couch watching tv.. they were in his deleted, but I still can’t believe they were in there. I angrily woke him up, showed him what I found, said a lot of not so nice words and told him to get the F out of my house. He’s staying at a hotel now. All he could do was say how sorry he was, how much he loves me, and that he’s been struggling with this our entire relationship, and that I fueled the foot fetish when I sent him a silly Snapchat of my feet JOKINGLY and in a non sexual way when we first got together. I’ve actually talked to his older sister about this and I explained everything in detail, she agrees he is sick in the head and needs helps. We called for a few hours last night and all he could say was how sick he was for doing that, how much he wanted to tell me and couldn’t, how sorry he was and how much he wants a life with me and is willing to change and be better, but I can’t help feeling like it’s pure manipulation at this point.. his sister and my family also agree that I should try with him since they’ve seen our relationship and how great it’s been. I don’t know where to go from here. I’m afraid if I do move on with him it’ll either turn into physical cheating down the road or he will only find new ways to hide it. My family has done nothing but invalidate me and say I’m stupid for all of this. I understand porn addiction is a serious issue but now he’s brought my family into it and it’s personal now, and to spend all your free time screenshotting sexual pics is just insane to me. Not to mention I look nothing like these women and am very insecure now. I just feel so sick. His reaction looked like shell shock, as if I’d killed someone. He was ashamed but I still don’t know what’s genuine and what’s not now. he wants to take a drive later today and talk about everything and the next steps. He says he completely understands if I want him to go back home even though it’s not what he wants. I very much love this person but I feel so disrespected. I had a porn addiction myself but when I was a hormonal teen going through puberty, and he talked about how he always envied me for that because he so badly wanted to stop and just couldn’t. Using all of your free time to collect porn is beyond me, this is so much deeper than just casually watching porn to me. He is SAVING them, collecting them, and he doesn’t even use them and he admitted to that but I’m not so sure on that part, but at the same time he’s with me every second of everyday so he has no time or place to do anything. Some aren’t even sexual photos and just screenshots from tiktok videos where a girl is turned around so her ass is in the shot as well.

Check out the latest Jam Track from Jam Track Adventures...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQpC2j7UzMQ
Another in the series of "Keeping it Jammy", this one is loosely based on a Phish song. We will see if you recognize it. Though it is pretty loose and can easily be thought of as a number of other tunes - it also kind of reminds of some Hot Tuna.
This is a relatively slow and sparse jam track so you have some opportunity to be patient and melodic. Practice thinking while you play.
I love Jam Tracks and make plenty for myself. Jam Track Adventures is just my way of sharing them with you, free of charge, no strings attached.
Feel free to post a video of you jamming to this track. Just include a link to my video.
Happy Jamming!!!

Wanted to make my islands pretty and couldn't find any ideas online so here's the finished product of my own creation for anyone in the same boat ;)
This does not optimize gold production or game play or whatever but a beautiful city is a happy city so enjoy yall :)

Seriously can't anymore. Today the non existent owner on paper comes in with a sale we're supposed to have in August. Doesn't ask the GM if we'll be staffed ok, who's got a vacation, leaving for college, plays fall sports, only works weekends in high school etc.
So dumb. Mind you it's the same owner that goes ahead and orders 5 hands free mixers after we suggested 1 to see how it works.
Same owner we've told that we went from 3 Duke machines down to 2 and his reply was "they're high capacity" and now everyday it's 88° such as today the machine compressors over heat, override and shut down. They will pump unfrozen mix. It takes about an hour for the compressor to stop squeezing & to get back to freezing some times.
Same owner forgets I've got 25 years fast food experience with the past 20 years as management. Owner forgets the GM has ran the place for 12 years since his son he put in charge couldn't even pay the bills, made the schedule the night before the week started and played video games in the office the whole time.
Any time you bring anything up of issue to the owner youd always get screamed at. Didn't matter the proof, receipts shown etc. Now this BS.
He showed up Sunday because we went to dinner, God forbid. And couldn't help out since night shift had 2 no shows. Owner shows up and just leans against a wall. He'll have no issue yelling at a worker though for doing something he thinks should be done how it was back in 1980. 🚮
I don't know where or what I'll do. DQ has been basically all I've done the past 20. I'm sure whatever I find will lift the elephant that's been stepping on me.

I don't know what happened to this subreddit, but it's been infested by degenerates. It's getting so bad to the point that I'm considering wrapping it up and closing it. But before I do, I will try one more time:

• please be respectful to Miranda and the rest of the visitors. this is not a place to exercise your weird fetishes. I am not going to have a subreddit where 99% of comments are from incels fantasizing about various sexual acts with Miranda. from now on, NO SEXUALLY EXPLICIT COMMENTS WHATSOEVER! first offence will result with 7 day ban, second with a permanent one
  
• this goes without saying and will be STRICTLY ENFORCED WITH A PERMANENT BAN IMMEDIATELY. I don't know what kind of a degenerate you need to be to think that it's OK to insult an admin/mod in your comment, mentioning family or cussing me out. any user for that matter, let alone the freaking ADMIN. again, permanent ban immediately, no discussion.
  

If any of you don't like these rules, please feel free to unfollow or start your own subreddit for degenerates like yourself.
THANK YOU!
POSTING RULES STRICTLY ENFORCED:
As more people are starting to post, I'd like to start adding some general posting guidlines. This post will be edited and more things added as needed, but for now, let's start with:

• This goes without saying, for posts and comments alike: please be respectful to Miranda and the community alike. No disrespectful, rude, demeaning or sexually explicit content or language please, this includes posts and comments!
  
• No bad quality images, including too small, blurry, poorly trimmed and similar.
  
• If reposting pics or videos from her social media, especially from her TikToks, stories or reels, please crop them so that they're pictures or videos of Miranda and NOT include text or captions on them. Other posts may be removed at moderators' discretion.
  
• Fanart is absolutely welcome, as long as it's tasteful (no explicit nudity, implied is ok).
  
• No fake pics, poor photoshops or similar. This obviously doesn't include Miranda's posts that have been photoshoped or edited by her or her team.
  
• Absolutely NO NUDITY OR SEXUALLY EXPLICIT CONTENT, unless, at any point, Miranda decides to post such content herself. This includes AI generated images or edits (like sticking Miranda's head on a nude model's body) and similar.
  
• Even though it feels like it's been covered with at least two of the rules above, due to recent comments and posts it looks like it needs to be spelled out separately: THIS IS NOT A PLACE FOR YOUR SEXUAL FANTASIES OR ROLE PLAY! Absolutely no posts of fetish, roleplay or similar sexual nature, that includes referring to Miranda as "mommy", "transsexual who you'd love to be pegged by" etc.
  
• This one should be obvious, but I guess it's not: this is a subreddit dedicated to Miranda Cohen. So absolutely NO pictures or videos of anyone else!
  
• Please put some meaningful effort into titles of your posts. Those titled with a single character, emoji, group of emojis with no other text or super short unrelated or overly repetitive abbreviations or short words will be removed at moderators’ discretion.
  

DAY: MAY 20 2024
5-20-2024

Why nightmares and ‘daymares’ could be early warning signs of autoimmune disease

An increase in nightmares and hallucinations—or ‘daymares’—could herald the onset of autoimmune diseases such as lupus, say an international team led by researchers at the University of Cambridge and King’s College London. The researchers argue that there must be greater recognition that these types of mental health and neurological symptoms can act as an early warning sign that an individual is approaching a “flare,” where their disease worsens for a period.
5-20-2024 Yoga and meditation-induced altered states of consciousness are common in the general population, study says
Yoga, mindfulness, meditation, breathwork, and other practices are gaining in popularity due to their potential to improve health and well-being. The effects of these practices are mostly positive and occasionally transformational, yet they are known to sometimes be associated with challenging altered states of consciousness. New research by a team including investigators from Massachusetts General Hospital reveals that altered states of consciousness associated with meditation practice are far more common than expected. Although many people reported positive outcomes, that were sometimes even considered transformational, from these experiences, for a substantial
5-20-2024 Examining the benefits of out-of-network care for pediatric moyamoya
Total in-episode expenses and resource use before the index surgery (preop) and including/after the surgery (postop). The comparisons are separated for analysis into (A) single institution cohorts (1 and 2) and (B) multi?institution cohorts (3 and 4). Moyamoya disease is a rare condition that affects the blood vessels in the brain, especially in children. Narrowing and blockage of vessels significantly increases the risk of stroke and requires surgical revascularization for treatment. Although research shows that outcomes of revascularization are better
5-20-2024 Study explores links between social media use, mental health and sleep quality
The more time you spend on social media, the greater the likelihood of having unpleasant social-media related dreams that cause distress, sleep disruption and impact our peace of mind. Flinders University’s Reza Shabahang says that the vast and rapid adoption of social media has the potential to influence various aspects of life, including the realm of dreaming. “As social media becomes increasingly intertwined with our lives, its impact extends beyond waking hours, and may influence our dreams,”
5-20-2024 How are asthma and heart health linked?
Although the heart and lungs are neighbors in your chest, people may think of them as separate entities with unrelated problems. But a growing body of evidence suggests that asthma—one of the most common lung disorders—is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Asthma is a serious chronic disease in which airways are inflamed, often in response to specific triggers. It affects about 25 million people in the U.S., including nearly 5 million children, causing millions of annual visits to doctors’ offices and emergency rooms. “We call these major changes
5-20-2024 STUDY EXPLORES PATIENT TRUST IN PHYSICIANS
Trust in one’s physician drives positive health practices. In a scoping review, SUNY Poly Professor of Sociology Dr. Linda R. Weber discovered new developments in the measurement of trust, identified those measures of trust that have known reliability and validity, and compared those instruments’ conceptualizations, dimensions, and indicators. The paper is published in the journal PLOS ONE. Weber explains that 10 dimensions emerged from the study: fidelity, technical competence, communicative competence, interpersonal competence (i.e., caring), honesty, confidentiality, global, behavioral, fairness, and system trust/accountability. In addition, these findings provide the foundation
5-20-2024 TIMESAVING TIPS FOR COOKING HEALTHY MEALS
Living a busy, fast-paced life can make it hard to find the motivation to cook a healthy meal at home. However, learning some shortcuts in the kitchen can keep your healthy eating goals on track and help you avoid grazing on unhealthy snacks, grabbing the first thing you see in the fridge or going out for fast food. Why cook at home? Research shows that maintaining a healthy weight is challenging when you eat out too frequently. Restaurant portions often are super-sized
5-20-2024 UNDERSTANDING PERIMENOPAUSE VS. MENOPAUSE
Menopause marks a significant transition for women, yet understanding its precursor, perimenopause, and its symptoms can be complex. Dr. Stephanie Faubion, director of Mayo Clinic’s Center for Women’s Health and medical director of The Menopause Society, says experiencing perimenopause and menopause can be confusing for some. She says it is not only patients who may find it confusing, but medical providers as well, due to lack of training in menopause management. “Menopause is defined by no menstrual cycle for a year,” says Dr. Faubion.
5-20-2024 LOW-DOSE IRON SUPPLEMENTATION HAS NO BENEFIT FOR BREASTFED INFANTS, SHOWS STUDY
The American Pediatric Association recommends iron supplements to all healthy infants who breastfeed longer than four months, while its European counterpart, Society of Gastroenterology, Hepataology and Nutrition, does not recommend it. These deviating guidelines stimulated researchers to design a new study. Breastfeeding is strongly recommended, and the proportion of children are breastfed during the first half of life is high. The researchers wanted to determine whether breastfeeding babies could benefit from extra iron.
5-20-2024 ALLERGY MEDICATIONS COME WITH HAZARDS: BE AWARE
People with seasonal allergies often turn to over-the-counter and prescription medicines to relieve symptoms like coughing, sneezing, runny nose, congestion and itchy eyes, nose or throat. But they often aren’t aware that these meds—including antihistamines—have as much risk for potential side effects, drug interactions and overdose as other drugs. “All medicines have side effects associated with them even when they are taken appropriately and according to dosing directions on the label,”
5-20-2024 I CAN’T AFFORD OLIVE OIL—WHAT ELSE CAN I USE?
If you buy your olive oil in bulk, you’ve likely been in for a shock in recent weeks. Major supermarkets have been selling olive oil for up to A$65 for a four-liter tin, and up to $26 for a 750 milliliter bottle. We’ve been hearing about the health benefits of olive oil for years. And many of us are adding it to salads, or baking and frying with it. But during a cost-of-living crisis, these high prices can put olive oil out of reach. Let’s take a look at why
5-20-2024 Researchers uncover biological trigger of early puberty
Heather Brenhouse, associate professor of psychology, says disrupting the caretaker relationship can really traumatize a child or a developing rodent. Credit: Ruby Wallau/Northeastern University New research conducted by the Brenhouse Lab reveals how early life adversity triggers early puberty and late-life anxiety, paving the way for potential interventions. The onset of puberty has been creeping downward for decades. In the United States, the average age of girls reaching puberty ranges from 8.8 to 10.3 years old. The early start of puberty, which is associated with many health risks, can be
5-20-2024 Bioluminescence and 3D-printed implants shed light on brain–spinal interactions
Brain-spinal cord duet’s neurodynamic symphony is now accessible to scientists via novel multi-organ implants. Credit: Dmitrijs Celinskis A sensory process such as pain is no ordinary phenomenon—it’s a symphony of neural and vascular interactions orchestrated by the brain and spinal cord. Attempting to dissect this symphony by focusing on a single region is like trying to understand a complex melody by listening to just one instrument. It’s incomplete, potentially misleading, and may result in erroneous conclusions. Enter the Carney Institute’s team of visionaries. Their mission? To develop tools that allow
5-20-2024 New thesis explores cancer treatment that can prevent relapse
. What is the main focus of your thesis? Relapse following initial treatment efficacy remains a major clinical challenge for many cancers. The focus of my thesis has been to explore the therapeutic impact of immune cells in patients with blood cancer (leukemia), by first investigating which cells
5-20-2024 New study reveals health and social benefits of car-free living
Participating in a three-week car-free challenge has enhanced the health and well-being of Oxford residents, according to research conducted by The University of Bath’s Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations (CAST), in partnership with climate charity Possible and Low Carbon Oxford North (LCON), conducted this research project. After ditching their cars for three weeks, 10 out of the 12 drivers across Oxford who participated said they plan to continue with reduced car use beyond the project. The findings of this research project show that: Day-to-day transport emissions were slashed
5-20-2024 Research shows linked biological pathways driving skin inflammation
A certain biological pathway—a set of linked reactions in the body—drives the inflammation seen in the skin disease psoriasis, a new study finds. The work could lead to improved therapies for all inflammatory skin diseases, including atopic and allergic dermatitis and a type of boil called hidradenitis suppurativa, say the study authors. The findings are published in the journal Immunity. Inflammation is the body’s natural response to irritation and infection, but when out of control, it can lead to the reddish, flaky, itchy lesions that
5-20-2024 Prescription co-payments linked to more hospital admissions in New Zealand, study finds
A new study from researchers cautions that bringing back the $5 co-payment for prescription medicines could see a jump in hospital admissions. The study analyzed health data for 71,502 people and found those who didn’t pick up a prescription because they couldn’t afford the $5 fee had a 34% higher rate of being admitted to hospital.
5-20-2024 How a simulation is informing COVID-19 vaccine policy after our ‘return to normal’
As the saying goes “There is no such thing as normal” and this has been especially true after the pandemic. Before the emergence of the omicron COVID-19 variant, countries like the U.K. had high vaccination coverage along with widespread exposure to COVID-19 in the population. This combination of vaccine and infection-derived immunity is termed hybrid immunity and is different to vaccine immunity or infection immunity alone. In contrast, other countries, including Australia, New Zealand and those in the Western Pacific, had a very different pandemic experience.
5-20-2024 Researchers find intriguing connections between Alzheimer’s disease and other common conditions
A study has found that while some medical conditions appear to increase our likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease, others appear to decrease the odds. The study, led by Dr. Yijun (Nicholas) Pan and Dr. Liang Jin, analyzed data from 2,443 older Australians living in Melbourne or Perth who are part of the Australian Imaging, Biomarker and Lifestyle (AIBL) study, an internationally recognized cohort for dementia research. “We found anxiety and other neurological disorders are associated with increased likelihood of Alzheimer’s disease,” Dr. Pan said.
5-20-2024 Prepping autistic or sound-sensitive kids for cicada noise
As Chicagoans await the emergence of the cicadas, parents of children on the autism spectrum and/or who have sensitivities to sound can take a few steps to prepare for what is expected to be a loud summer. “Some children on the spectrum can struggle with loud or unexpected noises, such as toilets that automatically flush, fireworks around the Fourth of July or the emergence of a large number of cicadas,”
5-20-2024 Study highlights importance of screening for rare inherited iron metabolism defects
Over 40% of cases curated based on stringent clinical and laboratory criteria from the Indian subcontinent have an inherited iron metabolism defect on comprehensive genomic evaluation, report investigators in The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics. Although iron deficiency anemia is the most prevalent form of anemia globally,
5-20-2024 Study finds tyrosine kinase Csk promotes germinal center B cell survival and affinity maturation
The authors found that Csk (a tyrosine kinase that attenuates B cell receptor signaling) is required for germinal center maintenance and efficient antibody maturation. The immune system strikes a fine balance by identifying and neutralizing disease-causing agents while carefully avoiding destruction of healthy tissues and cells. Now, researchers from Japan have shed new light on one of the processes that helps train immune cells to act only against genuine threats.
5-20-2024 Significant gaps between science of obesity and the care patients receive, say experts
As research continues to produce evidence about the underlying causes of obesity and optimal strategies to treat and manage obesity have evolved, there are disparities in application of the latest scientific advances in the clinical care that people with obesity receive. Widespread adoption of current findings, consistency of care and expertise in obesity care varies by health care professional and institution.
5-20-2024 Improving online depression treatment
Symptom course of depression for individuals who dropped out of treatment and those who completed treatment. In the dropout group, there is an initial decrease in symptoms while the patients were still in treatment, which tapers off as they drop out. For completers, there is close to a linear change over time. This suggests there is a relation between the more that an individual continues to participate in ICBT and their depressive symptom improvement.
5-20-2024 Women face worse chronic kidney disease management in primary care
Women receive worse primary care-based chronic kidney disease (CKD) management than men, according to a research letter adult patients with CKD receiving primary care at 15 practices using electronic health record data to examine sex disparities in guideline-based CKD management
5-20-2024 Bisoprolol does not reduce exacerbations in at-risk COPD patients
For patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bisoprolol does not reduce the number of self-reported exacerbations treated with oral corticosteroids, antibiotics, or both, according to a study
5-20-2024 Anticancer potential of CLK kinase inhibitors 1C8 and GPS167 via EMT and antiviral immune response
The diheteroarylamide-based compound 1C8 and the aminothiazole carboxamide-related compound GPS167 inhibit the CLK kinases, and affect the proliferation of a broad range of cancer cell lines. A chemogenomic screen previously performed with GPS167 revealed that the depletion of components associated with mitotic spindle assembly altered
5-20-2024 Study sheds light on bacteria associated with pre-term birth
Researchers from North Carolina State University have found that multiple species of Gardnerella, bacteria sometimes associated with bacterial vaginosis (BV) and pre-term birth, can coexist in the same vaginal microbiome. The findings, published in mSystems, add to the emerging picture of Gardnerella’s effects on human health. Gardnerella is a group of anaerobic bacteria that are commonly found in the vaginal microbiome. Higher levels of the bacteria are a signature of BV and associated with higher risk of pre-term birth, but it is also found in women who have no sign
5-20-2024 New AI model uses federated learning for multi-organ segmentation based on medical image data
Researchers have successfully developed the technology that can accurately segment different body organs by effectively learning medical image data used for different purposes in different hospitals, which is expected to greatly contribute to the development of large-scale medical AI models in the future.
5-20-2024 Second Phase 3 clinical trial again shows dupilumab lessens disease in COPD patients with type 2 inflammation
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients with type 2 inflammation may soon gain access to a new drug—dupilumab—that showed rapid and sustained improvements in patients in a pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial, researchers report in the New England Journal of Medicine. This monoclonal antibody is the first biologic shown to improve clinical outcomes in COPD. The data supporting the use of dupilumab in COPD will be reviewed by the United States Food and Drug Administration in June. The disease improvements—as measured by a significantly lower annualized rate of acute exacerbations
5-20-2024 New AI model uses federated learning for multi-organ segmentation based on medical image data
Researchers have successfully developed the technology that can accurately segment different body organs by effectively learning medical image data used for different purposes in different hospitals, which is expected to greatly contribute to the development of large-scale medical AI models in the future.
5-20-2024 Second Phase 3 clinical trial again shows dupilumab lessens disease in COPD patients with type 2 inflammation
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients with type 2 inflammation may soon gain access to a new drug—dupilumab—that showed rapid and sustained improvements in patients in a pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial, researchers report in the New England Journal of Medicine. This monoclonal antibody is the first biologic shown to improve clinical outcomes in COPD. The data supporting the use of dupilumab in COPD will be reviewed by the United States Food and Drug Administration in June. The disease improvements—as measured by a significantly lower annualized rate of acute exacerbations

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TL:DR - I like meeting people and I'm decently interesting I think at least, come say hey? :)
Pretty much title, I'd love to speak to people from all over, if it clicks and becomes long term that would be pretty ideal, I'm genuinely not fussed about where you're from, I think the idea of speaking to people from all corners of the world is just interesting to me. I'd love to speak to people, both today and as I travel, then maybe the length of the trip and onwards? Food + trip pics will be shared if you desire ofc!
As for myself, I think I'm pretty lovely, but I'm fairly biased I'll admit. I work from home in a insurance sales jobs, its fine mostly but I'm semi looking for something else. I've travelled a lot in the last few years to a number of places, Singapore, Palawan and Manila in PH, Jamaica and Canada, then a number of European countries and planning more for 2024 + 2025 hopefully! I was in Bosnia for a few days in March, have a trip to Hamburg + Salzburg rn and hoping to do Italy + Turkey trips later this year.
I tried my hand at languages (I sucked at Turkish, was decent at German then promptly forgot it, as when I was there I didn't need it), picked up painting and playing the piano and I'm as useless at painting as I ever was, but its fun. I work out, but its mostly to try and lose weight while still having a major sweet tooth and really enjoying a meal out, so losing weight progress is relatively slow going. Beyond that I'm the typical tv/videogames/sports fan honestly.
I'm pretty easy going though if its not working I always like a bit of closure, the disappearing act bothers me, a simple heads up is appreciated but besides that I'm quite laissez-faire. I do prefer speaking to women but it's not a hard rule, I just find guys often get a bit intense online. as well, if its a dealbreaker I totally get it so thought I'd add that in here too
In terms of where to talk, I do prefer to move to apps, snap/whatsapp/discord/IG and so on, I prefer the former two but I'm pretty fine with whatever, staying here is fine too. Include your basic details in your message, the usual about me stuff is fine, don't feel the need to match the rambling essay above! :)