What is the book about?
In this excellent volume, BVDK gives an overview of the knowledge about the effects of psychological trauma, abuse, and neglect based on three emerging disciplines:
· Neuroscience: the study of how the brain supports mental processes.
· Developmental psychopathology: the study of the impact of adverse experiences on the development of mind and brain.
· Interpersonal neurobiology: the study of how our behaviour influences the emotions, biology, and mind-sets of those around us.
What are the books’ key messages?
Trauma is not just the event(s) that took place sometime in the past. It is also the imprint left on mind, brain, and body. This imprint has on-going consequences for how the human organism manages to survive in the present. Trauma results in a fundamental reorganisation of the way mind and brain manage perceptions. It changes not only how we think and what we think about, but also our very capacity to think. What has happened – the events themselves – cannot be undone. This leaves us with a series of challenges:
· Finding a way to become calm and focused.
· Learning to maintain that calm in response to images, thoughts, sounds, or physical sensations that remind you of the past.
· Finding a way to be fully alive in the present and engaged with the people around you.
· Not having to keep secrets from yourself, including secrets about the ways that you have managed to survive.
These goals are not steps to be achieved, one by one, in some fixed sequence. They overlap, and some may be more difficult than others, depending on individual circumstances.
Narrowing down to developmental trauma, BVDK provides a good summary of the original 1990’s ACE study. In the years since TBKTS’ publication in 2014 this has been widely disseminated. The section concludes with a valuable re-frame: the idea of the problem being a solution, while understandably disturbing to many, is certainly in keeping with the fact that opposing forces routinely coexist in biological systems… What one sees, the presenting problem, is often only the marker for the real problem, which lies buried in time, concealed by patient shame, secrecy and sometimes amnesia – and, frequently clinician discomfort.
Following a refreshing discussion of the DSM’s weaknesses is a summary of BVDKs’ as-yet unsuccessful, attempts to establish developmental trauma as its own recognised diagnosis. Readers are led to recognise that two hurdles need to conquered: (1) PTSD, C-PTSD, and developmental trauma each need to be recognised as their own diagnoses and (2) the blinkered brain disease model summarised below needs to be replaced with multi-modal helping approaches blending BVDKs’ three avenues (as below) to best suit the individuals’ needs.
The brain’s own natural neuroplasticity can be developed to help survivors feel fully alive in the present and move on with their lives. There are fundamentally three avenues to follow:
· Top down, by talking, (re-)connecting with others, and allowing ourselves to know and understand what is going on with us, while processing the memories of the trauma.
· By taking medicines that shut down inappropriate alarm reactions, or by utilizing other technologies that change the way the brain organises information.
· Bottom up: by allowing the body to have experiences that deeply and viscerally contradict the helplessness, rage, or collapse that result from trauma.
What BVDK referred to as the the brain-disease model ignores four fundamental truths – we ignore them at our peril:
· Our evolutionary legacy provides us with a set of capabilities – and constraints. The more we – or others - push those boundaries, the more likely we are to suffer. This is central to restoring and sustaining our well-being.
· Our intelligence gives us the potential to develop ourselves, others, our environments, and our responses.
· We have the capability to regulate aspects of our own physiology, including some of the so-called involuntary functions of the body and brain, through such basic activities as breathing, moving, and touching.
· We can, collectively, change social conditions to create environments aligned with our evolutionary needs and expectations within which we can feel safe and where we can thrive.
When we ignore these basic truths of our humanity, we deprive ourselves of ways to both prevent maladies in the first place and to heal when they do occur. We may subordinate our agency and render ourselves patients of the healthcare system, rather than exercise our agency to drive our healing process. Connecting with – rather than disconnecting from – what makes us incredible.
Seeing issues with our mental health as internal processes, grants us much-needed agency – that feeling of being in control of our lives: being able to make the decisions that will lead us to our chosen future. If we consider the causes of mental health issues as external factors, something that happens to or around us – or as a biochemical anomaly - then it becomes a piece of history we can never dislodge. If, on the other hand, mental health issues are what take place inside us, resultant of what happened, then healing becomes a credible possibility. Trying to keep mental health issues at bay – or subcontracting them out to the medics (the doctor is responsible for resolving that issue while I get on with my life) hobbles our capacity to know ourselves better – to develop our agency.
What are its weak-spots?
Due to its very nature, the content runs the risk of triggering some readers: it’s difficult to see an easy solution to this.
TBKTS delivers on its intentions to disseminate knowledge about the effects of psychological trauma, abuse, and neglect based on the three emerging disciplines of neuroscience, developmental psychopathology, and interpersonal neurobiology. It was not intended as a self-help ‘how to heal yourself’ which may leave some readers looking for more.
While not a weakness, TBKTS was published around ten years ago. Given the pace of research, I wonder if there is scope or plans for a revised edition.
How does this relate to my practice with Solution Focused Hypnotherapy?
BVDK refers to one of the key underpinning theories of SFH – the triune (three phase) theory of human brain evolution. With that theory understood, we introduce two further key concepts: (1) the existence of a dynamic equilibrium between evolutionary phases and (2) developing the capability to manage that dynamic equilibrium to our advantage. Academically, these two concepts are supported by the generally accepted Broaden & Build theory (Frederickson.)
Trauma – among other things - can shift the dynamic equilibrium to limit our options and plunge us in to vicious cycles of anger, and or anxiety and or depression (which can manifest in a myriad of ways.) Additionally, developmental trauma can lead to neurobiological effects in the hippocampus, amygdala, and pre-frontal cortex.
Without downplaying the seriousness of this, there are counter-balancing positive factors. To varying degrees, we each have four capabilities: Self-Awareness (interoception), Imagination, Conscience and Free-will, as articulated by Viktor Frankl. These sit at the root of us developing our sense of agency. The same process of neuroplasticity that shaped our developing neurology as children can support us in developing our adulthoods. Through the work of BVDK and many others, we have an emerging understanding of the lifelong effects of developmental trauma, and an ever-growing understanding of how these can be mitigated.
Solution Focused Hypnotherapy can be highly effective in helping those at threshold (motivated, and responsible for their outcomes) with anger, anxiety, and depression. Adding the body of knowledge supporting the PERMA model creates a solid platform for developing and sustaining wellbeing for those in the acceptance and action areas of the awareness / acceptance / action spectrum. Those in the earlier – awareness, acceptance – areas would benefit more from the traditional analytical / counselling approaches to helping.
Who would benefit from reading this book?
With the caveat that some readers may find elements of the content triggering, this is an ideal read for those who have ever wondered if events of their childhood are negatively affecting their present.
For those experiencing developmental trauma, and those living with and supporting those who are – this is one of the must reads.

I just started reading I Am Legend. As an animal lover I want to know two things:

1. Is there a German Shepherd in the book like the movie?
   
2. Should I be prepared for the dog to die if it is also in the book?
   

I booked a flight with Volotea for the first time (through a third party — Dohop), and I'm really nervous now because their website and app appear to be completely nonfunctional.
Persistent bugs keep me from accessing my booking in any shape or form. I can't add bags (and adding them at the airport is way more expensive), and I'm afraid that I'll be unable to access online check-in and boarding passes when it comes time to fly (again, very expensive to do this at the airport). Each time I try to access my booking, I get a blank page on the website, or I get an error notification on the app. I've tried three different browsers and their incognito modes, on three different devices with different operating systems, all with the same results. So, I'm confident that this is a Volotea problem.
I contacted customer service, and they can add the bag I want, but I'm still concerned about check-in. And really I'd just like to know if anyone else has had these issues, because this is absolutely ridiculous.

Hi everyone,
I met my boyfriend (25M) 3 months ago and had our first date in the beginning of February. We were set up on a blind date by his coworker (23F). When I initially met him I was really off put by his appearance (30 lbs overweight) and didn’t think we were in the same league physically. We work similar jobs in finance but my main concern had to do with his woodpecker laugh and that he spoke way too loudly for the speakeasy we were in. I got embarrassed and turned red multiple times but he never got the hint. I got belligerently drunk during the first date so I could sit through it and then he kissed me in the elevator and I got a fluttery feeling in my heart that it was good but my brain my telling me this wasn’t great.
Fast forward to March and he started moving things really quickly- introduced me to all of his friends but it was awkward because he kept calling me his “girl” and not his girlfriend. At that point we had been together for over a month and I got frustrated that he was marching me around like arm candy and hadn’t put a label on the relationship. He got frustrated with me and we got into a screaming match in a uber which resulted in us dating.
I had been thinking about breaking up with him in early April but then he did something really nice for my birthday and decided to keep giving him a chance. Fast forward to today, I met his mom already which was super quick and he planned all these trips for us to go on which I booked flights for. I woke him up this morning and talked through my doubts I realized this morning:

1. I don’t miss him when i’m away from him and don’t yearn for him
2. there’s no lust in the relationship
3. I don’t text him first or really think about him during the day

I feel really bad about sitting him down and expressing my feelings- he asked if something happened or if he gave me an ick in a certain way. He has definitely given me icks from certain things he’s done. I enjoy his personality and who he is, I’m just not physically attracted to him and feel like I could do a lot better and find a partner I have lust/passion for.
Do I have relationship OCD?
‘TL:DR’ - I am having doubts about my relationship because I find my partner physically unattractive.

Hi everybody. I'm sorry for this post, it just got covered and I need to talk it out. This post is essentially a long whining of a young idiot.. If you'll excuse me, I'll start from the beginning.
I am about to turn 21 and for the last two years I have been tormented by the question of faith. I'll come from afar.. I am from Eastern Europe and as a child they tried to instill Orthodoxy in me.. But at the age of 13, I was led away towards rigid atheism. As a result, the question of faith ceased to play any role in my life, but it returned.
I don't know how to explain my condition. I'm scared.. It's scary because it's likely that none of what I'm trying to believe exists. Life after death, creator, the paranormal.. Thanks to registering on reddit and being in groups like afterlife, paranormal and so on, I managed to calm my anxiety. But now that faith has become shaky.. In fact, I am thrown from side to side: I can read something in this topic and faith returns, and then plunge into the comments of materialists and atheists and faith dies.
In fact, faith feeds me.. She supports the desire to live. Without her, there is no meaning in life. It's so terrible to realize that when everyone leaves, everything will go away.. That the day will come when I will no longer hear my father's jokes, the barking of the dog, see my mother's smile and will not be able to watch my younger brother and younger sisters having fun. All this will go away.. Only faith gives hope that something will happen next.
Faith helps me not to fall apart completely. In my 20s, I live with my parents, I can't do anything, I sit at home for days and only faith gives me hope that I need to move on, I need to try to overcome my laziness, fight.. But sometimes, looking at how the number of atheists is growing, how the world's religions are dying, it feels like I'm just a miserable idiot who tries to believe in fairy tales because of my own wretchedness and because of the realization that I missed my youth..
Sometimes it feels like all these attempts to find evidence of faith are just attempts to escape from reality.. A reality in which I will never realize what I wanted.. I won't read books because of laziness, I won't be able to get into a relationship with a goth girl (I keep trying to join this subculture, but it turns out poorly), I won't be able to find friends after university, I won't be able to stop looking ridiculous.. And there will be only work ahead, work, work, work, work, gradual extinction and watching the death of relatives. Phrases like "Life will fly by" "The time of fun has passed and this time is youth" are also annoying.
I'm sorry, this all sounds like the whining of a 13-year-old whiner.. God, I even mentioned the girl... But.. I really don't know what to do.. Faith dies and with it the desire to live fades away. And the feeling that I missed everything.. While my peers are having fun, playing in groups, being realized, I have a feeling that everything is lost

The Wattys 2024 have been announced by Wattpad. Looks like they are working off of last year's big changes in rules. Below are some of the important things to take note of:

• Only 3 language options for Completed (English, Filipino, or Spanish. 10 winners max per language) and 1 for Ongoing (English. 10 winners max).
• Of each group of 10 winners, there can only be one existing Wattpad Original.
• Fanfiction banned again.
• No genre categories but books must fit into one of eight listed genres.
• No AI.
• No previously Wattys-submitted Completed stories and no previously submitted stories at all in the future
• Submission window: 15 July - 6 August. Shortlisting: 14 October. Results: December.
• If your story is eligible, a banner linking to the submission form will appear on your Story Details page. If you make changes to your story e.g. to fit the eligibility criteria, allow 24 hours for them to go into effect.

What are your thoughts on this year's contest and the Wattys in general? Will you be entering?
—

1. ENTRY CRITERIA:

• All Entries to the Completed Stories category must meet the following criteria. Each Entry must be:
  • written in English, Filipino, or Spanish;
  • original to the Entrant;
  • posted on the Website on or after January 1, 2022;
  • marked complete on the Website
  • at least 50,000 words in length if written in English or at least 40,000 words in length if written in Filipino or Spanish, as reflected in the Wattpad desktop experience (each a “Completed Story” and collectively “Completed Stories”); and,
  • submitted to the Wattys for the first time.
• All Entries to the Ongoing Stories category must meet the following criteria. Each Entry must:
  • be written in English;
  • be original to the Entrant;
  • not be marked complete on the Website;
  • be at least 20,000 words in length, as reflected in the Wattpad desktopexperience (each an “Ongoing Story” and collectively “OngoingStories”).
  • have been updated in at least 8 of the 10 weeks prior to the date yousubmit the Entry and each update must be a minimum of 500 words(each an “Update”).
  • have been created prior to June 5, 2024 and have received an Update inat least 80% of the weeks between the date you submit the Entry andthe date on which Sponsor announces the Shortlisted Entries.
  • All Entry parts, including Updates, posted on Sponsor’s Website until October 14, 2024 will be considered as the total Entry in the Ongoing Stories category. Sponsor reserves the right to reject any Entry for any reason.

2. GENRES: Entries in each of the languages and categories listed above in section 1 are eligible to enter into any Genre. For more details on each Genre, visit the Contest Profile. The following list outlines all Genres for the Contest:

• Action & Thriller
• Fantasy
• Historical
• Horror
• Mystery & Detective
• Paranormal
• Romance
• Science Fiction

TL;DR: I need a charging port replacement because my car can't charge and it was delivered at ~40%. The soonest appointment isn't until June. Guy on the phone said it only takes an hour to replace if they have the part, but everyone is "booked". Is there anything I can do, or am I just stuck wasting the first month of my lease because the car doesn't charge?
I'm in Dunwoody, just north of Atlanta. Of the 5 service centers I've called, 3 have full voicemails, 1 puts me on hold indefinitely, and the last was actually helpful but they're full.
I just got my first ever Tesla last week, a 2024 Model 3. 10 minutes after I left the delivery location, I started getting a "charging cable is plugged in" and "can't recognize charging equipment" error on the car (while I'm driving, definitely nothing plugged in). I tried charging in a super charger (multiple stalls) and at home with mobile charging cable (and I tried a friend's), they all result in that same error happening.
Online tech ran diagnostics, did a couple of hard resets of the car, and concluded that the port is the problem and it needs to be replaced. He said it can be done in about an hour, but that everywhere is full and no one can see me until June. My wife got rear ended and needs to take her car in to get fixed, and I need my car working.
Is there anything at all I can do to expedite this? I'll even pay extra, I just want to be able to drive my new car :(

On Legacy Day, Apple White had to sign the Storybook of Legends right before Raven Queen. Some students such as Briar Beauty and Lizzie Hearts for example haven't signed the book because of what happened, but is there a specific order the students have to sign the book?

TL;DR: ranting about my experience with clinicians + needing help with finding better doctors or better medical path (preferably affordable)
Hello fellas, I'm 22F university student currently having severe pain (joint, muscle, fatigue, migraine, etc) and it has been affecting my university life that I couldn't do my assignments as my wrists/hands/forearms constantly in pain, nor could I properly walk to class without pain in my soles/ankles/knees. I had looked around and even get suggestions from friends and they say I should try looking into HSD and definitely get this checked in general.
Unfortunately, there's little to no information about HSD in Malaysia, nor are there any list I could find of docs/specialists who qualify in HSD.
I've tried my luck with usual clinic/GP in hope that I could try get referrals to rheumotologist/genetist/specialist for my complications but bear no result and was instead traumatized.
First clinic in Wangsa Maju, he outright look away when I tried explaining my symptoms and how it's affecting me, and instead say it's just "anxiety" (this is coupled by the fact that I also could only come with my unsupportive dad who thinks my symptoms are "normal" and that I'm just stressed, and he took my dad's words more than me), the doctor even laughed at my symptoms.
So my dad angrily(towards me) drove me to a different clinic in Gombak seeing that I was extremely upset and cried due to how dismissive and rude the doctor was.
Second clinic in Gombak, at the very least he took my blood for testing, but was accompanied with "Kalau darah awak normal jangan sedih pulak, yer?" and repeated it 3 times so I "understand" in very condescending tone. This is definitely insinuating that I came here because I want to be sick soooo bad. He even lectured me about not to "tick tick everything in google" and said I should just ignore those pain so the pain stop bothering me... Which is literally crazy. How am I supposed to ignore when it's affecting my life especially with assignments? He also told me to never listen to my concerned friends because they're "enabling" me to get sick.
I also have to physically force myself in uni as well, as I live in fourth floor and the cafe and classes are so far apart. Being in art course is another killer as I'm forced to exhaust my wrists and hands. Unfortunately these pains do not appear Suddenly, I've been dealing with muscle and joint pain ever since primary, but my parents aren't concerned about it especially when you can just put minyak on them and call it a day. Even going to doctors in the past would just be met with "you're probably just stressed" or "maybe you have a bit of flu".
What's silly is that, the second GP also told me to just "take an hour of your day to walk and get some sun", when I literally told him in the beginning that I have problems with walking and standing in general (can't even last 5 minutes without my calf sizzle and tingles and my hips feel squashed + common ankle injury). Plus I'm already walking 4h+ in university in general and an hour of that is being in the hot sun. I also told him I'm looking to try out compression socks and he outright denied me using any aid since "you can just walk and exercise".
But my rant is over, I'm looking if someone could point me out on the right direction to get help with my health.
Unfortunately I'm also well aware that I probably need to book with private professionals for this to really get taken seriously, however I'm only a student and my family is B40. I was wondering if there's still away around this, or at least affordable path? If not, I'll just wait for the future but I still would like suggestions of any good specialists out there for future references. Plus, any suggestion you guys have on what I should do next would be nice too, as I'm quite lost and still very upset about my experience.
And if anyone has the same health issues as me but it isn't HSD, then feel free to let me know just so I'm aware with other possibilities. (of course I'm not looking for redditors to diagnose me, it's just so I can keep in mind).
Currently, I'm just taking the painkillers medications provided, but unfortunately the dose may be too low (only 50mg) as I do not have improvements at all with my pain. I've also tried investing in aids such as wrist and ankle braces, compression socks, and insoles (they haven't arrived yet so I couldn't comment much). Including exercises/stretches fit for hypermobile people (which actually doesn't hurt me unlike regular exercises).

Thank you for reading this far!

IGSRep Page
RULES: NO NEW/BLANK/THROWAWAY accounts.
(IF i buy) KILLER BUNDLE 30 everything excluding GetsuFumaden, Rain World: Downpour DLC, Unity of Command 2, Sands of Aura, Devil May Cry 4 SE
2 slots open (excluding Valfaris Mecha Therion https://www.fanatical.com/en/pick-and-mix/build-your-own-trinity-bundle)
River City Girls
Mediterranea Inferno
Book of Hours
Fights in Tight Spaces
Marvel Midnight Suns Digital+
Saints Row 2023
Builder Simulator
Honey, I Joined a Cult
Shotgun King
Re-Legion
Conglomerate 451
Pinball FX 3 Marvel Heavy Hitters
Pinball FX3 Star Wars Original Pack
The Red Lantern
WANT:
Full list on my Barter
Undernauts, Astria Ascending (from current Fanatical Bento Deluxe bundle)
GetsuFumaden, Rain World: Downpour DLC, Unity of Command 2, Sands of Aura, Devil May Cry 4 SE (From Killer Bundle 30)
Tiny Tina's Wonderland Chaotic Great Edition (NA key)
Wanted: Dead
Valfaris Mecha Therion (if i dont buy the $5 bundle)
Back 4 Blood (NA)
Ghost Song, Axiom Verge 1 + 2
Doomblade, Tails of Iron, Justice Sucks, Liberte, Koa and five pirates (in current Fanatical platinum bundle)
Batbarian
Samurai Maiden
Bosorka, Battle Axe, GearShifters, Metal Mutation
Wall World, Shadow Kin, Good Knight, Trouble Juice, Anomalous, Orbital Bullet, Gunlocked Deluxe
Guardians of Holme
Pseudoregalia
Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara
Scathe
God of Weapons
Jupiter Hell
Redout 2, Indiana Jones Pinball, House of the Dead Remake
NecroBouncer
Unsouled
Deep Rock Galactic
Kingdom Rush Origins, KR Vengeance, Legends of KR
Trine 1-3
Nine Parchments

IGSRep Page
RULES: NO NEW/BLANK/THROWAWAY accounts.
(IF i buy) KILLER BUNDLE 30 everything excluding GetsuFumaden, Rain World: Downpour DLC, Unity of Command 2, Sands of Aura, Devil May Cry 4 SE
2 slots open (excluding Valfaris Mecha Therion https://www.fanatical.com/en/pick-and-mix/build-your-own-trinity-bundle)
River City Girls
Mediterranea Inferno
Book of Hours
Fights in Tight Spaces
Marvel Midnight Suns Digital+
Saints Row 2023
Builder Simulator
Honey, I Joined a Cult
Shotgun King
Re-Legion
Conglomerate 451
Pinball FX 3 Marvel Heavy Hitters
Pinball FX3 Star Wars Original Pack
The Red Lantern
WANT:
Full list on my Barter
Undernauts, Astria Ascending (from current Fanatical Bento Deluxe bundle)
GetsuFumaden, Rain World: Downpour DLC, Unity of Command 2, Sands of Aura, Devil May Cry 4 SE (From Killer Bundle 30)
Tiny Tina's Wonderland Chaotic Great Edition (NA key)
Wanted: Dead
Valfaris Mecha Therion (if i dont buy the $5 bundle)
Back 4 Blood (NA)
Ghost Song, Axiom Verge 1 + 2
Doomblade, Tails of Iron, Justice Sucks, Liberte, Koa and five pirates (in current Fanatical platinum bundle)
Batbarian
Samurai Maiden
Bosorka, Battle Axe, GearShifters, Metal Mutation
Wall World, Shadow Kin, Good Knight, Trouble Juice, Anomalous, Orbital Bullet, Gunlocked Deluxe
Guardians of Holme
Pseudoregalia
Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara
Scathe
God of Weapons
Jupiter Hell
Redout 2, Indiana Jones Pinball, House of the Dead Remake
NecroBouncer
Unsouled
Deep Rock Galactic
Kingdom Rush Origins, KR Vengeance, Legends of KR
Trine 1-3
Nine Parchments

Hey all - wondering if anybody has any experience with the below and can help with advice.
My partner's had a ZFlip 5 since release, having come from a Pixel 6 Pro. Absolutely loved it, had one weird issue with screen software that resolved itself but no problems at all.
That is until the other week, when her fingerprint sensor stopped working. Everytime she scanned she got the same error 'fingerprint sensor is currently unavailable'. Tried wiping cache partition, re-registering fingerprints, new software updates. The whole 9 yards.
Booked a repair appointment with Samsung, expecting them to fix the issue sharpish given how brand new it is. instead the staff member has advised its a 'known issue' that Samsung won't cover under warranty, which occurs as a result of the screen shifting (her screen has apparently slightly raised in the middle, not something we noticed). The claim is it happens when people open and close the phone with one hand, which isn't something she does.
Samsung is expecting £314 for a screen and fingerprint sensor replacement. We do have insurance - but it's going to cost a £75 excess to get it claimed.
Anyone have any experience with this issue, or Samsung's ridiculous approach to fixing a basic issue with their device? I've had some slight annoyances with Samsung before, but them claiming a non-functional core piece of hardware after less than a year isn't something they'd cover takes the biscuit.

While the title might sound ridiculous, this idea has some interesting things pointing towards it as a possibility.
https://chipstero7.wordpress.com/
Quote: (1% of 100%):

CERN, or the European Organization for Nuclear Research, is an international organization based in Geneva, Switzerland. CERN’s primary mission is to explore the fundamental nature of the universe by investigating the basic building blocks of matter and the forces that govern their interactions. This research often involves studying subatomic particles like protons, neutrons, electrons, and various other particles that make up matter. One of the most prominent achievements of CERN is the construction and operation of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the world’s largest and most powerful particle accelerator. The LHC is a circular accelerator situated underground, spanning the border between Switzerland and France. It’s used to accelerate particles to extremely high energies and then collide them at incredibly high speeds. These collisions create conditions similar to those just moments after the Big Bang, allowing scientists to study the behaviour of matter in its most fundamental states. CERN was essentially created in order to recreate the conditions of the early universe after the Big Bang as a possible means of testing the Big Bang theory which has dominated physics since the middle of the last century. CERN’s experimental ‘test’ of the Big Bang theory has focused on the search for the elusive Higgs Boson (the “God Particle”) because the Big Bang theorists believe that the universe could not have been created without it. However, anyone who examines the Big Bang theory honestly and in sufficient depth can see that it does not hold water and contains holes in its logic so large that a galactic supercluster could be driven through them. It’s just like CAGW theory, but on a cosmic scale instead of merely a terrestrial one. No experimental ‘tests’ for this are needed and so it’s a wonder how this half-baked nonsense has become the holy cow of science. The experimental ‘tests’ provided by CERN are superfluous and the creation of their particle accelerator was not needed for the stated scientific purpose.
Investigative mythologist William Henry, who is a producer for the popular American TV show Ancient Aliens and author of over 18 books in alternative science, says: “If we take his [Leon Lederman’s] words literally, it suggests that the search for the “God Particle” and the creation of these amazing particle accelerators, such as the one at CERN, is actually a recreation of the Tower of Babel. Well, the Tower of Babel seems to have been humanity’s first attempt to blast open holes in Heaven, to open stargates and worm-holes”. Not many have made the connection, but the Shiva statue at CERN can be connected to the Tower of Babel. This is because Shiva is assumed by some to be the same person as Nimrod, and Nimrod was responsible for building the original Tower of Babel. According to Chris Relitz in his book ‘Antichrist Osiris: The History of the Luciferian Conspiracy’, Shiva and Nimrod are one and the same character. Quote: “By the time the character of Nimrod reached India, it seems he was known as Shiva. The legends of both are too similar to ignore. Both were associated with fire, destruction, wore bull’s horns, had profound phalluses and wore leopard skins. Both had a trident as a weapon, as the devil today is seen with a pitchfork”. This is also corroborated by Erica Nugent in her book ‘Clash of the Kingdoms’, where she says: “Nimrod became Shiva”. Could it be CERN’s goal to recreate the Tower of Babel, which might explain why they have a statue of Shiva (or Nimrod) as their mascot? Author of the book ‘Revising Reality’, Anthony Patch seems to think so, where he says: “Strangely, CERN constitutes a new Tower of Babel in several respects. The goal of CERN seeks to defy God, deify humankind, establish human supremacy, and create a stairway to Heaven”. Patch says that CERN is attempting to access the Saturn Polar Configuration and re-establish a worm-hole or link (he calls it a “plasma conduit”). Another name for this “plasma conduit” would be the Tower of Babel.
Similar to Patch, according to Nick Hinton, author of the book ‘The Saturn Time Cube Simulation’ and ‘The Aquarian Singularity’, CERN is attempting to access the worm-hole that existed during the Saturn Polar Configuration, as he explains in his Twitter article here (if that’s inaccessible to you) his Reddit article here. This worm-hole has been dubbed by some the “Saturn Stargate”. As Hinton says: “The Saturn Stargate is a theoretical celestial alignment (based on the Electric Universe theory) that supposedly causes a portal to open in the sky”. In the TechBubble article ‘How CERN plan to use the Large Hadron Collider to open portals to other dimensions’, researcher Adam Milton-Barker speculates (similar to Hinton) that CERN’s goal is to access the Saturn Polar Configuration, saying: “There are some very interesting theories connected to CERN. One theory is that there is a connection between CERN and Saturn. You may have heard of Jacob’s Ladder which is described in the Book of Genesis. One of CERN’s goals is to recreate Jacob’s Ladder and re-open a portal that is said to have existed between Earth, Venus, Mars, and Saturn, when the planets were in alignment many [thousands of] years ago”. As mentioned above, Talbott associates this alignment with the Tower of Babel. Various researchers have suggested that CERN are attempting to recreate the Tower of Babel, and some have speculated that the Tower of Babel was actually a worm-hole. The Saturn Polar Configuration (which Talbott associates with the Tower of Babel) was also represented by Atlas (see ‘Discourses on an Alien Sky#13’). In Greek mythology, Atlas bared the weight of the heavens on his shoulders. Curiously, CERN refers to the Large Hadron Collider as the “ATLAS EXPERIMENT” which connects them to the Tower of Babel, and may hint at their real objective.

GOOOOOOOOOOD MORNING SUPERSTONKERS! HAHA. It's me again. Yeah, i slipped past the defenses again to drop this off so you can all refresh yourselves on the state of FUD and disinformation in this protracted fight against the legal larcenists doing their best to try and get you to sell. Please spread this amongst the holders, the more people know the less power they have over us holders. We don't sell until we get a call from marge, and that's always been the play.
TLDR: This is a set of tactics used by the Alphabet Boys(CIA, FBI, DEA) to control and manipulate us into drama to collapse our communities and movements. And should be read in full by anyone willing and wanting to learn how these things work.
I've come to notice recently, people keep asking me to repost this for the sake of keeping the new people abreast on what needs to be done to protect the holders of GME. Beneath here will be a detailed account on what you need to be aware of in your online interactions, to avoid being taken for a fool!
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1. COINTELPRO Techniques for dilution, misdirection and control of a internet forum
2. Twenty-Five Rules of Disinformation
3. Eight Traits of the Disinformationalist
4. How to Spot a Spy (Cointelpro Agent)
5. Seventeen Techniques for Truth Suppression

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COINTELPRO Techniques for dilution, misdirection and control of a internet forum..
There are several techniques for the control and manipulation of a internet forum no matter what, or who is on it. We will go over each technique and demonstrate that only a minimal number of operatives can be used to eventually and effectively gain a control of a 'uncontrolled forum.'
Technique #1 - 'FORUM SLIDING'
If a very sensitive posting of a critical nature has been posted on a forum - it can be quickly removed from public view by 'forum sliding.' In this technique a number of unrelated posts are quietly prepositioned on the forum and allowed to 'age.' Each of these misdirectional forum postings can then be called upon at will to trigger a 'forum slide.' The second requirement is that several fake accounts exist, which can be called upon, to ensure that this technique is not exposed to the public. To trigger a 'forum slide' and 'flush' the critical post out of public view it is simply a matter of logging into each account both real and fake and then 'replying' to prepositioned postings with a simple 1 or 2 line comment. This brings the unrelated postings to the top of the forum list, and the critical posting 'slides' down the front page, and quickly out of public view. Although it is difficult or impossible to censor the posting it is now lost in a sea of unrelated and unuseful postings. By this means it becomes effective to keep the readers of the forum reading unrelated and non-issue items.
Technique #2 - 'CONSENSUS CRACKING'
A second highly effective technique (which you can see in operation all the time at www.abovetopsecret.com
) is 'consensus cracking.' To develop a consensus crack, the following technique is used. Under the guise of a fake account a posting is made which looks legitimate and is towards the truth is made - but the critical point is that it has a VERY WEAK PREMISE without substantive proof to back the posting. Once this is done then under alternative fake accounts a very strong position in your favor is slowly introduced over the life of the posting. It is IMPERATIVE that both sides are initially presented, so the uninformed reader cannot determine which side is the truth. As postings and replies are made the stronger 'evidence' or disinformation in your favor is slowly 'seeded in.' Thus the uninformed reader will most like develop the same position as you, and if their position is against you their opposition to your posting will be most likely dropped. However in some cases where the forum members are highly educated and can counter your disinformation with real facts and linked postings, you can then 'abort' the consensus cracking by initiating a 'forum slide.'
Technique #3 - 'TOPIC DILUTION'
Topic dilution is not only effective in forum sliding it is also very useful in keeping the forum readers on unrelated and non-productive issues. This is a critical and useful technique to cause a 'RESOURCE BURN.' By implementing continual and non-related postings that distract and disrupt (trolling ) the forum readers they are more effectively stopped from anything of any real productivity. If the intensity of gradual dilution is intense enough, the readers will effectively stop researching and simply slip into a 'gossip mode.' In this state they can be more easily misdirected away from facts towards uninformed conjecture and opinion. The less informed they are the more effective and easy it becomes to control the entire group in the direction that you would desire the group to go in. It must be stressed that a proper assessment of the psychological capabilities and levels of education is first determined of the group to determine at what level to 'drive in the wedge.' By being too far off topic too quickly it may trigger censorship by a forum moderator.
Technique #4 - 'INFORMATION COLLECTION'
Information collection is also a very effective method to determine the psychological level of the forum members, and to gather intelligence that can be used against them. In this technique in a light and positive environment a 'show you mine so me yours' posting is initiated. From the number of replies and the answers that are provided much statistical information can be gathered. An example is to post your 'favorite weapon' and then encourage other members of the forum to showcase what they have. In this matter it can be determined by reverse proration what percentage of the forum community owns a firearm, and or a illegal weapon. This same method can be used by posing as one of the form members and posting your favorite 'technique of operation.' From the replies various methods that the group utilizes can be studied and effective methods developed to stop them from their activities.
Technique #5 - 'ANGER TROLLING'
Statistically, there is always a percentage of the forum posters who are more inclined to violence. In order to determine who these individuals are, it is a requirement to present a image to the forum to deliberately incite a strong psychological reaction. From this the most violent in the group can be effectively singled out for reverse IP location and possibly local enforcement tracking. To accomplish this only requires posting a link to a video depicting a local police officer massively abusing his power against a very innocent individual. Statistically of the million or so police officers in America there is always one or two being caught abusing there powers and the taping of the activity can be then used for intelligence gathering purposes - without the requirement to 'stage' a fake abuse video. This method is extremely effective, and the more so the more abusive the video can be made to look. Sometimes it is useful to 'lead' the forum by replying to your own posting with your own statement of violent intent, and that you 'do not care what the authorities think!!' inflammation. By doing this and showing no fear it may be more effective in getting the more silent and self-disciplined violent intent members of the forum to slip and post their real intentions. This can be used later in a court of law during prosecution.
Technique #6 - 'GAINING FULL CONTROL'
It is important to also be harvesting and continually maneuvering for a forum moderator position. Once this position is obtained, the forum can then be effectively and quietly controlled by deleting unfavourable postings - and one can eventually steer the forum into complete failure and lack of interest by the general public. This is the 'ultimate victory' as the forum is no longer participated with by the general public and no longer useful in maintaining their freedoms. Depending on the level of control you can obtain, you can deliberately steer a forum into defeat by censoring postings, deleting memberships, flooding, and or accidentally taking the forum offline. By this method the forum can be quickly killed. However it is not always in the interest to kill a forum as it can be converted into a 'honey pot' gathering center to collect and misdirect newcomers and from this point be completely used for your control for your agenda purposes.
CONCLUSION
Remember these techniques are only effective if the forum participants DO NOT KNOW ABOUT THEM. Once they are aware of these techniques the operation can completely fail, and the forum can become uncontrolled. At this point other avenues must be considered such as initiating a false legal precidence to simply have the forum shut down and taken offline. This is not desirable as it then leaves the enforcement agencies unable to track the percentage of those in the population who always resist attempts for control against them. Many other techniques can be utilized and developed by the individual and as you develop further techniques of infiltration and control it is imperative to share then with HQ.
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Twenty-Five Rules of Disinformation
Note: The first rule and last five (or six, depending on situation) rules are generally not directly within the ability of the traditional disinfo artist to apply. These rules are generally used more directly by those at the leadership, key players, or planning level of the criminal conspiracy or conspiracy to cover up.
1. Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil. Regardless of what you know, don't discuss it -- especially if you are a public figure, news anchor, etc. If it's not reported, it didn't happen, and you never have to deal with the issues.
2. Become incredulous and indignant. Avoid discussing key issues and instead focus on side issues which can be used show the topic as being critical of some otherwise sacrosanct group or theme. This is also known as the 'How dare you!' gambit.
3. Create rumor mongers. Avoid discussing issues by describing all charges, regardless of venue or evidence, as mere rumors and wild accusations. Other derogatory terms mutually exclusive of truth may work as well. This method which works especially well with a silent press, because the only way the public can learn of the facts are through such 'arguable rumors'. If you can associate the material with the Internet, use this fact to certify it a 'wild rumor' from a 'bunch of kids on the Internet' which can have no basis in fact.
4. Use a straw man. Find or create a seeming element of your opponent's argument which you can easily knock down to make yourself look good and the opponent to look bad. Either make up an issue you may safely imply exists based on your interpretation of the opponent/opponent arguments/situation, or select the weakest aspect of the weakest charges. Amplify their significance and destroy them in a way which appears to debunk all the charges, real and fabricated alike, while actually avoiding discussion of the real issues.
5. Sidetrack opponents with name calling and ridicule. This is also known as the primary 'attack the messenger' ploy, though other methods qualify as variants of that approach. Associate opponents with unpopular titles such as 'kooks', 'right-wing', 'liberal', 'left-wing', 'terrorists', 'conspiracy buffs', 'radicals', 'militia', 'racists', 'religious fanatics', 'sexual deviates', and so forth. This makes others shrink from support out of fear of gaining the same label, and you avoid dealing with issues.
6. Hit and Run. In any public forum, make a brief attack of your opponent or the opponent position and then scamper off before an answer can be fielded, or simply ignore any answer. This works extremely well in Internet and letters-to-the-editor environments where a steady stream of new identities can be called upon without having to explain criticism, reasoning -- simply make an accusation or other attack, never discussing issues, and never answering any subsequent response, for that would dignify the opponent's viewpoint.
7. Question motives. Twist or amplify any fact which could be taken to imply that the opponent operates out of a hidden personal agenda or other bias. This avoids discussing issues and forces the accuser on the defensive.
8. Invoke authority. Claim for yourself or associate yourself with authority and present your argument with enough 'jargon' and 'minutia' to illustrate you are 'one who knows', and simply say it isn't so without discussing issues or demonstrating concretely why or citing sources.
9. Play Dumb. No matter what evidence or logical argument is offered, avoid discussing issues except with denials they have any credibility, make any sense, provide any proof, contain or make a point, have logic, or support a conclusion. Mix well for maximum effect.
10. Associate opponent charges with old news. A derivative of the straw man -- usually, in any large-scale matter of high visibility, someone will make charges early on which can be or were already easily dealt with - a kind of investment for the future should the matter not be so easily contained.) Where it can be foreseen, have your own side raise a straw man issue and have it dealt with early on as part of the initial contingency plans. Subsequent charges, regardless of validity or new ground uncovered, can usually then be associated with the original charge and dismissed as simply being a rehash without need to address current issues -- so much the better where the opponent is or was involved with the original source.
11. Establish and rely upon fall-back positions. Using a minor matter or element of the facts, take the 'high road' and 'confess' with candor that some innocent mistake, in hindsight, was made -- but that opponents have seized on the opportunity to blow it all out of proportion and imply greater criminalities which, 'just isn't so.' Others can reinforce this on your behalf, later, and even publicly 'call for an end to the nonsense' because you have already 'done the right thing.' Done properly, this can garner sympathy and respect for 'coming clean' and 'owning up' to your mistakes without addressing more serious issues.
12. Enigmas have no solution. Drawing upon the overall umbrella of events surrounding the crime and the multitude of players and events, paint the entire affair as too complex to solve. This causes those otherwise following the matter to begin to lose interest more quickly without having to address the actual issues.
13. Alice in Wonderland Logic. Avoid discussion of the issues by reasoning backwards or with an apparent deductive logic which forbears any actual material fact.
14. Demand complete solutions. Avoid the issues by requiring opponents to solve the crime at hand completely, a ploy which works best with issues qualifying for rule 10.
15. Fit the facts to alternate conclusions. This requires creative thinking unless the crime was planned with contingency conclusions in place.
16. Vanish evidence and witnesses. If it does not exist, it is not fact, and you won't have to address the issue.
17. Change the subject. Usually in connection with one of the other ploys listed here, find a way to side-track the discussion with abrasive or controversial comments in hopes of turning attention to a new, more manageable topic. This works especially well with companions who can 'argue' with you over the new topic and polarize the discussion arena in order to avoid discussing more key issues.
18. Emotionalize, Antagonize, and Goad Opponents. If you can't do anything else, chide and taunt your opponents and draw them into emotional responses which will tend to make them look foolish and overly motivated, and generally render their material somewhat less coherent. Not only will you avoid discussing the issues in the first instance, but even if their emotional response addresses the issue, you can further avoid the issues by then focusing on how 'sensitive they are to criticism.'
19. Ignore proof presented, demand impossible proofs. This is perhaps a variant of the 'play dumb' rule. Regardless of what material may be presented by an opponent in public forums, claim the material irrelevant and demand proof that is impossible for the opponent to come by (it may exist, but not be at his disposal, or it may be something which is known to be safely destroyed or withheld, such as a murder weapon.) In order to completely avoid discussing issues, it may be required that you to categorically deny and be critical of media or books as valid sources, deny that witnesses are acceptable, or even deny that statements made by government or other authorities have any meaning or relevance.
20. False evidence. Whenever possible, introduce new facts or clues designed and manufactured to conflict with opponent presentations -- as useful tools to neutralize sensitive issues or impede resolution. This works best when the crime was designed with contingencies for the purpose, and the facts cannot be easily separated from the fabrications.
21. Call a Grand Jury, Special Prosecutor, or other empowered investigative body. Subvert the (process) to your benefit and effectively neutralize all sensitive issues without open discussion. Once convened, the evidence and testimony are required to be secret when properly handled. For instance, if you own the prosecuting attorney, it can insure a Grand Jury hears no useful evidence and that the evidence is sealed and unavailable to subsequent investigators. Once a favorable verdict is achieved, the matter can be considered officially closed. Usually, this technique is applied to find the guilty innocent, but it can also be used to obtain charges when seeking to frame a victim.
22. Manufacture a new truth. Create your own expert(s), group(s), author(s), leader(s) or influence existing ones willing to forge new ground via scientific, investigative, or social research or testimony which concludes favorably. In this way, if you must actually address issues, you can do so authoritatively.
23. Create bigger distractions. If the above does not seem to be working to distract from sensitive issues, or to prevent unwanted media coverage of unstoppable events such as trials, create bigger news stories (or treat them as such) to distract the multitudes.
24. Silence critics. If the above methods do not prevail, consider removing opponents from circulation by some definitive solution so that the need to address issues is removed entirely. This can be by their death, arrest and detention, blackmail or destruction of their character by release of blackmail information, or merely by destroying them financially, emotionally, or severely damaging their health.
25. Vanish. If you are a key holder of secrets or otherwise overly illuminated and you think the heat is getting too hot, to avoid the issues, vacate the kitchen.
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Eight Traits of the Disinformationalist
1) Avoidance. They never actually discuss issues head-on or provide constructive input, generally avoiding citation of references or credentials. Rather, they merely imply this, that, and the other. Virtually everything about their presentation implies their authority and expert knowledge in the matter without any further justification for credibility.
2) Selectivity. They tend to pick and choose opponents carefully, either applying the hit-and-run approach against mere commentators supportive of opponents, or focusing heavier attacks on key opponents who are known to directly address issues. Should a commentator become argumentative with any success, the focus will shift to include the commentator as well.
3) Coincidental. They tend to surface suddenly and somewhat coincidentally with a new controversial topic with no clear prior record of participation in general discussions in the particular public arena involved. They likewise tend to vanish once the topic is no longer of general concern. They were likely directed or elected to be there for a reason, and vanish with the reason.
4) Teamwork. They tend to operate in self-congratulatory and complementary packs or teams. Of course, this can happen naturally in any public forum, but there will likely be an ongoing pattern of frequent exchanges of this sort where professionals are involved. Sometimes one of the players will infiltrate the opponent camp to become a source for straw man or other tactics designed to dilute opponent presentation strength.
5) Anti-conspiratorial. They almost always have disdain for 'conspiracy theorists' and, usually, for those who in any way believe JFK was not killed by LHO. Ask yourself why, if they hold such disdain for conspiracy theorists, do they focus on defending a single topic discussed in a NG focusing on conspiracies? One might think they would either be trying to make fools of everyone on every topic, or simply ignore the group they hold in such disdain. Or, one might more rightly conclude they have an ulterior motive for their actions in going out of their way to focus as they do.
6) Artificial Emotions. An odd kind of 'artificial' emotionalism and an unusually thick skin -- an ability to persevere and persist even in the face of overwhelming criticism and unacceptance. This likely stems from intelligence community training that, no matter how condemning the evidence, deny everything, and never become emotionally involved or reactive. The net result for a disinfo artist is that emotions can seem artificial.
Most people, if responding in anger, for instance, will express their animosity throughout their rebuttal. But disinfo types usually have trouble maintaining the 'image' and are hot and cold with respect to pretended emotions and their usually more calm or unemotional communications style. It's just a job, and they often seem unable to 'act their role in character' as well in a communications medium as they might be able in a real face-to-face conversation/confrontation. You might have outright rage and indignation one moment, ho-hum the next, and more anger later -- an emotional yo-yo.
With respect to being thick-skinned, no amount of criticism will deter them from doing their job, and they will generally continue their old disinfo patterns without any adjustments to criticisms of how obvious it is that they play that game -- where a more rational individual who truly cares what others think might seek to improve their communications style, substance, and so forth, or simply give up.
7) Inconsistent. There is also a tendency to make mistakes which betray their true self/motives. This may stem from not really knowing their topic, or it may be somewhat 'freudian', so to speak, in that perhaps they really root for the side of truth deep within.
I have noted that often, they will simply cite contradictory information which neutralizes itself and the author. For instance, one such player claimed to be a Navy pilot, but blamed his poor communicating skills (spelling, grammar, incoherent style) on having only a grade-school education. I'm not aware of too many Navy pilots who don't have a college degree. Another claimed no knowledge of a particular topic/situation but later claimed first-hand knowledge of it.
8) Time Constant. Recently discovered, with respect to News Groups, is the response time factor. There are three ways this can be seen to work, especially when the government or other empowered player is involved in a cover up operation:
a) ANY NG posting by a targeted proponent for truth can result in an IMMEDIATE response. The government and other empowered players can afford to pay people to sit there and watch for an opportunity to do some damage. SINCE DISINFO IN A NG ONLY WORKS IF THE READER SEES IT - FAST RESPONSE IS CALLED FOR, or the visitor may be swayed towards truth.
b) When dealing in more direct ways with a disinformationalist, such as email, DELAY IS CALLED FOR - there will usually be a minimum of a 48-72 hour delay. This allows a sit-down team discussion on response strategy for best effect, and even enough time to 'get permission' or instruction from a formal chain of command.
c) In the NG example 1) above, it will often ALSO be seen that bigger guns are drawn and fired after the same 48-72 hours delay - the team approach in play. This is especially true when the targeted truth seeker or their comments are considered more important with respect to potential to reveal truth. Thus, a serious truth sayer will be attacked twice for the same sin.
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How to Spot a Spy (Cointelpro Agent)
One way to neutralize a potential activist is to get them to be in a group that does all the wrong things. Why?
1) The message doesn't get out.
2) A lot of time is wasted
3) The activist is frustrated and discouraged
4) Nothing good is accomplished.
FBI and Police Informers and Infiltrators will infest any group and they have phoney activist organizations established.
Their purpose is to prevent any real movement for justice or eco-peace from developing in this country.
Agents come in small, medium or large. They can be of any ethnic background. They can be male or female.
The actual size of the group or movement being infiltrated is irrelevant. It is the potential the movement has for becoming large which brings on the spies and saboteurs.
This booklet lists tactics agents use to slow things down, foul things up, destroy the movement and keep tabs on activists.
It is the agent's job to keep the activist from quitting such a group, thus keeping him/her under control.
In some situations, to get control, the agent will tell the activist:

• "You're dividing the movement."

[Here, I have added the psychological reasons as to WHY this maneuver works to control people]
This invites guilty feelings. Many people can be controlled by guilt. The agents begin relationships with activists behind a well-developed mask of "dedication to the cause." Because of their often declared dedication, (and actions designed to prove this), when they criticize the activist, he or she - being truly dedicated to the movement - becomes convinced that somehow, any issues are THEIR fault. This is because a truly dedicated person tends to believe that everyone has a conscience and that nobody would dissimulate and lie like that "on purpose." It's amazing how far agents can go in manipulating an activist because the activist will constantly make excuses for the agent who regularly declares their dedication to the cause. Even if they do, occasionally, suspect the agent, they will pull the wool over their own eyes by rationalizing: "they did that unconsciously... they didn't really mean it... I can help them by being forgiving and accepting " and so on and so forth.
The agent will tell the activist:

• "You're a leader!"

This is designed to enhance the activist's self-esteem. His or her narcissistic admiration of his/her own activist/altruistic intentions increase as he or she identifies with and consciously admires the altruistic declarations of the agent which are deliberately set up to mirror those of the activist.
This is "malignant pseudo identification." It is the process by which the agent consciously imitates or simulates a certain behavior to foster the activist's identification with him/her, thus increasing the activist's vulnerability to exploitation. The agent will simulate the more subtle self-concepts of the activist.
Activists and those who have altruistic self-concepts are most vulnerable to malignant pseudo identification especially during work with the agent when the interaction includes matter relating to their competency, autonomy, or knowledge.
The goal of the agent is to increase the activist's general empathy for the agent through pseudo-identification with the activist's self-concepts.
The most common example of this is the agent who will compliment the activist for his competency or knowledge or value to the movement. On a more subtle level, the agent will simulate affects and mannerisms of the activist which promotes identification via mirroring and feelings of "twinship". It is not unheard of for activists, enamored by the perceived helpfulness and competence of a good agent, to find themselves considering ethical violations and perhaps, even illegal behavior, in the service of their agent/handler.
The activist's "felt quality of perfection" [self-concept] is enhanced, and a strong empathic bond is developed with the agent through his/her imitation and simulation of the victim's own narcissistic investments. [self-concepts] That is, if the activist knows, deep inside, their own dedication to the cause, they will project that onto the agent who is "mirroring" them.
The activist will be deluded into thinking that the agent shares this feeling of identification and bonding. In an activist/social movement setting, the adversarial roles that activists naturally play vis a vis the establishment/government, fosters ongoing processes of intrapsychic splitting so that "twinship alliances" between activist and agent may render whole sectors or reality testing unavailable to the activist. They literally "lose touch with reality."
Activists who deny their own narcissistic investments [do not have a good idea of their own self-concepts and that they ARE concepts] and consciously perceive themselves (accurately, as it were) to be "helpers" endowed with a special amount of altruism are exceedingly vulnerable to the affective (emotional) simulation of the accomplished agent.
Empathy is fostered in the activist through the expression of quite visible affects. The presentation of tearfulness, sadness, longing, fear, remorse, and guilt, may induce in the helper-oriented activist a strong sense of compassion, while unconsciously enhancing the activist's narcissistic investment in self as the embodiment of goodness.
The agent's expresssion of such simulated affects may be quite compelling to the observer and difficult to distinguish from deep emotion.
It can usually be identified by two events, however:
First, the activist who has analyzed his/her own narcissistic roots and is aware of his/her own potential for being "emotionally hooked," will be able to remain cool and unaffected by such emotional outpourings by the agent.
As a result of this unaffected, cool, attitude, the Second event will occur: The agent will recompensate much too quickly following such an affective expression leaving the activist with the impression that "the play has ended, the curtain has fallen," and the imposture, for the moment, has finished. The agent will then move quickly to another activist/victim.
The fact is, the movement doesn't need leaders, it needs MOVERS. "Follow the leader" is a waste of time.
A good agent will want to meet as often as possible. He or she will talk a lot and say little. One can expect an onslaught of long, unresolved discussions.
Some agents take on a pushy, arrogant, or defensive manner:
1) To disrupt the agenda
2) To side-track the discussion
3) To interrupt repeatedly
4) To feign ignorance
5) To make an unfounded accusation against a person.
Calling someone a racist, for example. This tactic is used to discredit a person in the eyes of all other group members.
Saboteurs
Some saboteurs pretend to be activists. She or he will ....
1) Write encyclopedic flyers (in the present day, websites)
2) Print flyers in English only.
3) Have demonstrations in places where no one cares.
4) Solicit funding from rich people instead of grass roots support
5) Display banners with too many words that are confusing.
6) Confuse issues.
7) Make the wrong demands.
8) Compromise the goal.
9) Have endless discussions that waste everyone's time. The agent may accompany the endless discussions with drinking, pot smoking or other amusement to slow down the activist's work.
Provocateurs
1) Want to establish "leaders" to set them up for a fall in order to stop the movement.
2) Suggest doing foolish, illegal things to get the activists in trouble.
3) Encourage militancy.
4) Want to taunt the authorities.
5) Attempt to make the activist compromise their values.
6) Attempt to instigate violence. Activism ought to always be non-violent.
7) Attempt to provoke revolt among people who are ill-prepared to deal with the reaction of the authorities to such violence.
Informants
1) Want everyone to sign up and sing in and sign everything.
2) Ask a lot of questions (gathering data).
3) Want to know what events the activist is planning to attend.
4) Attempt to make the activist defend him or herself to identify his or her beliefs, goals, and level of commitment.
Recruiting
Legitimate activists do not subject people to hours of persuasive dialog. Their actions, beliefs, and goals speak for themselves.
Groups that DO recruit are missionaries, military, and fake political parties or movements set up by agents.
Surveillance
ALWAYS assume that you are under surveillance.
At this point, if you are NOT under surveillance, you are not a very good activist!
Scare Tactics
They use them.
Such tactics include slander, defamation, threats, getting close to disaffected or minimally committed fellow activists to persuade them (via psychological tactics described above) to turn against the movement and give false testimony against their former compatriots. They will plant illegal substances on the activist and set up an arrest; they will plant false information and set up "exposure," they will send incriminating letters [emails] in the name of the activist; and more; they will do whatever society will allow.
This booklet in no way covers all the ways agents use to sabotage the lives of sincere an dedicated activists.
If an agent is "exposed," he or she will be transferred or replaced.
COINTELPRO is still in operation today under a different code name. It is no longer placed on paper where it can be discovered through the freedom of information act.
The FBI counterintelligence program's stated purpose: To expose, disrupt, misdirect, discredit, and otherwise neutralize individuals who the FBI categorize as opposed to the National Interests. "National Security" means the FBI's security from the people ever finding out the vicious things it does in violation of people's civil liberties.
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Seventeen Techniques for Truth Suppression
Strong, credible allegations of high-level criminal activity can bring down a government. When the government lacks an effective, fact-based defense, other techniques must be employed. The success of these techniques depends heavily upon a cooperative, compliant press and a mere token opposition party.
1. Dummy up. If it's not reported, if it's not news, it didn't happen.
2. Wax indignant. This is also known as the "How dare you?" gambit.
3. Characterize the charges as "rumors" or, better yet, "wild rumors." If, in spite of the news blackout, the public is still able to learn about the suspicious facts, it can only be through "rumors." (If they tend to believe the "rumors" it must be because they are simply "paranoid" or "hysterical.")
4. Knock down straw men. Deal only with the weakest aspects of the weakest charges. Even better, create your own straw men. Make up wild rumors (or plant false stories) and give them lead play when you appear to debunk all the charges, real and fanciful alike.
5. Call the skeptics names like "conspiracy theorist," "nutcase," "ranter," "kook," "crackpot," and, of course, "rumor monger." Be sure, too, to use heavily loaded verbs and adjectives when characterizing their charges and defending the "more reasonable" government and its defenders. You must then carefully avoid fair and open debate with any of the people you have thus maligned. For insurance, set up your own "skeptics" to shoot down.
6. Impugn motives. Attempt to marginalize the critics by suggesting strongly that they are not really interested in the truth but are simply pursuing a partisan political agenda or are out to make money (compared to over-compensated adherents to the government line who, presumably, are not).
7. Invoke authority. Here the controlled press and the sham opposition can be very useful.
8. Dismiss the charges as "old news."
9. Come half-clean. This is also known as "confession and avoidance" or "taking the limited hangout route." This way, you create the impression of candor and honesty while you admit only to relatively harmless, less-than-criminal "mistakes." This stratagem often requires the embrace of a fall-back position quite different from the one originally taken. With effective damage control, the fall-back position need only be peddled by stooge skeptics to carefully limited markets.
10. Characterize the crimes as impossibly complex and the truth as ultimately unknowable.
11. Reason backward, using the deductive method with a vengeance. With thoroughly rigorous deduction, troublesome evidence is irrelevant. E.g. We have a completely free press. If evidence exists that the Vince Foster "suicide" note was forged, they would have reported it. They haven't reported it so there is no such evidence. Another variation on this theme involves the likelihood of a conspiracy leaker and a press who would report the leak.
12. Require the skeptics to solve the crime completely. E.g. If Foster was murdered, who did it and why?
13. Change the subject. This technique includes creating and/or publicizing distractions.
14. Lightly report incriminating facts, and then make nothing of them. This is sometimes referred to as "bump and run" reporting.
15. Baldly and brazenly lie. A favorite way of doing this is to attribute the "facts" furnished the public to a plausible-sounding, but anonymous, source.
16. Expanding further on numbers 4 and 5, have your own stooges "expose" scandals and champion popular causes. Their job is to pre-empt real opponents and to play 99-yard football. A variation is to pay rich people for the job who will pretend to spend their own money.
17. Flood the Internet with agents. This is the answer to the question, "What could possibly motivate a person to spend hour upon hour on Internet news groups defending the government and/or the press and harassing genuine critics?" Don t the authorities have defenders enough in all the newspapers, magazines, radio, and television? One would think refusing to print critical letters and screening out serious callers or dumping them from radio talk shows would be control enough, but, obviously, it is not.

Hello everyone...
The title might seem weird, so I'll briefly explain what I've been going through for years now, since I don't have any people to reach out to...
So, ever since I was young I've always felt distanced from other people... I wasn't at all the one to chase after people, rarely ever trying to make friends. From as long as I can remember I found it difficult to understand my emotions, or to speak about anything in depth with others really. I also had problems with anxiety, even crying about any poor school test result from as long as I can remember (from elementary school up to today. For context, I started university this year, I'm 19).
I've probably been too tough with myself, always studying instead of trying my hand at socializing. I've been a straight "A" student even since junior high, but I withdrew myself from anything else, with the exception of gaming and reading books (those can't judge me afterall). I've been bullied in the past too, for rarely speaking at school and never standing up for myself and more. Although that stopped when I started high school. I only had a few friends I felt close to.
The end of high school was enough for me to be left without any friends. I lost contact with those 2 friends I had after graduation.
As for family, my parents are divorced,. I haven't been in contact with my father for months. My mother on the other hand is here, but doesn't care one bit about the mental health issues I'm probably facing. All I can do is cry to myself, and when I can't contain my emotions and burst, she shouts at me. Today she even ripped my shirt apart and pushed me on the ground (happens every 5 months or so when my emotions can't be bottled up anymore...).
So here I am. Attending university only 2 out of 5 days each week, having made no friends whatsoever there. I have no energy to even speak to anyone. This last year really has been depressive to me. I see no hope in my future, and I'm too much of a coward to end it all. I even wonder why I fear death so much, given I really have nothing anymore. But if I can't die I have to live on.
Even after saying all that I feel guilt. As if I'm trying to blame others for the walking mess I am.
Any advice would be appreciated, thanks for reading all that...

Curious if others have compared these and found it to work differently, but I've got what I think is pretty high annual spend and I still can't seem to get the math to work out that the Reserve is better than the Preferred.
Total annual spend on Chase of ~$83k with ~$14k coded as "travel" (per Chase's online annual summary).
Including the dining bonus (which is the same for Pref and Reserve) that gets me a base earnings of ~117k points on the preferred, which then becomes 125k with the 10% annual bonus.
On the Reserve it would be ~131k points (increased travel multiplier but no annual bonus).
Which means I'm looking at earning an additional ~6k points using Reserve vs. Preferred. However, the annual fee for the Reserve would be $325 (after $300 travel credit considering I have one authorized used, my spouse) vs $95 for the preferred (no travel credit, but free authorized used).
Even using $0.02 as a point value (historically have used almost all of my Chase points to transfer into Hyatt) that seems like I'm paying $230 for $122 of extra points?
Perhaps it makes more sense if you plan to use your points in the Chase travel portal or if you value the other Reserve benefits more -- I just don't use the travel portal or put much value on the other benefits since I feel like I get equal or better benefits from Amex Platinum (and do put some travel spending on there as a result, mostly airfare I can book through Amex portal and FHR Hotels and car rentals).
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