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Kobo Libra Colour: actual battery life (factory-fresh battery test under normal reading conditions)

2024.05.07 19:20 georgetheflea Kobo Libra Colour: actual battery life (factory-fresh battery test under normal reading conditions)

The short story
Based on my test, a factory-fresh Kobo Libra Colour will give you about 40 hours of reading on a single charge under "normal" reading conditions (see below to verify if my normal is your normal, though 🙃). That means that on average, you'll consume between 2-2.5% of your battery per hour (obviously this will fluctuate; these types of batteries typically appear to discharge more slowly when they're full, and accelerate as they empty).
The long story
I've been eyeing Kobos for a while, but the model that was most attractive to me (the Sage) largely got panned for battery life, and the Libra didn't appear to offer that much of an improvement over my aging Kindle Oasis (I was wrong about this, incidentally, but on paper the two looked too similar to justify the expenditure). The Libra Colour tempted me, however, despite all the negativity around the color screen, but I still wondered: what's the battery life like?
"Weeks of battery" said the Kobo website. Gee, thanks, Rakuten. That's so helpful. Other places say things like "40 days of battery life, reading 30 minutes a day, with front light at 30%" (which, if you do a little math, is about 20 hours of reading time). But who reads like that?! I certainly don't.
So when my Libra Colour arrived, I decided to test it myself. I loaded up my Calibre library (as Kobo epubs, so that reading progress would be tracked), charged it to full, and turned off the wifi.
Last night, I finally dipped down to 10% (thank goodness! I'd gotten sick of this experiment, because I want to try out the Kobo store, pen input, OverDrive integration, etc.!). According to the built-in analytics, I had read for 38.6 hours. That means that on average, I saw about 2.33% of the battery discharge per hour. Since I don't like using devices below about 5% charge, I'm going to call that roughly 40 hours of reading on a full charge (should see somewhere between 5-10% left after 40 hours of reading).
Given that this sort of battery typically degrades to about 80-90% capacity over time, I'm guessing that it will be closer to 30-35 hours of reading time in a few years. Plenty to get me through a week, and should last multiple days even under heavy "vacation usage" conditions.
"Normal" usage
Of course, you might see wildly different battery life depending on how you use your device. For my test above, here is my "normal":

Default settings for page turns, automatic "comfort light", and such
WiFi and Bluetooth off
Front light never higher than 30% brightness
Reading mostly black and white books. I did read 7 light novels, but each one only had 2-3 color pages in the front (though for several of them I did a fair bit of pinch-to-zoom and panning to try and make out the text)

The front light is probably one of the bigger power draws (after WiFi), so I wanted to describe that more in-depth. Unlike the Kobo test where they apparently leave the front light at a constant 30%, I adjusted mine depending on ambient light. I ran into three common scenarios:

Ambient indoor light; depending on the light, this usually resulted in me adjusting the front light between 25-30%
Sitting directly next to a lamp indoors; this would result in me setting the front light around 15%
No light indoors at night; front light at 1-2% (often would start at 2%, then after 20 minutes or so turn it down to 1% when my vision had adjusted)

Obviously, that's a pretty broad range. I didn't track explicitly, but I'd estimate that I probably spent ~8 hours at 1-2%, maybe 6 hours around 15%, and the rest between 25-30% (vast majority at 25%; I didn't end up wanting 30% much). My back-of-a-napkin front light brightness average comes out around 20%. If you exclude the 1-2% brightness reading sessions, it was probably closer to 25%.
One thing I noticed is that the device refreshes itself very aggressively when looking at color content. If you read a lot of comics or similar, I suspect you'll get pretty different battery life (but I haven't tested this, so have no way to estimate how much different).
Random thoughts about the device beyond the battery (not a review, but close enough)
I really love the Kobo Libra Colour. I'm coming off an old Kindle Oasis (not sure if it's first or second generation; I think I bought it back in 2019, though), and I was not very happy with that device's battery life or incredibly awful WiFi sync times and lack of responsiveness in the software in general. The Kobo software doesn't look all that different in screenshots, but it is an absolute joy to use compared to the Oasis, and the battery life blows the Oasis out of the water. Reading the way I do, I'd have seen maybe 3-5 days worth of use before I had to charge the Oasis and gotten through 2-3 books; the Kobo lasted about 9 days and I read 13 books.
I don't love the automatic color warmth adjustment logic. The transitions are pretty abrupt, and I think I might just turn that off and manage it by hand (since it's easy to access through the top menu).
I don't personally mind the cross-hatching from the color layer (don't notice it unless the device is about a foot away from my face). The lack of white/black contrast is what it is; I was always going to have the front light on a low setting regardless (been doing this with the Oasis for years), and it's absurdly easy to adjust (you can simply swipe up and down on the left side of the screen). Plus I was using e-ink back when we had neither front lights nor contrast, so a white device with lower contrast is pure nostalgia. If anything, my biggest annoyance with the screen is how easily it picks up fingerprints. Something about whatever matte screen layer is topmost makes it really easy to see everywhere I've touched the dang thing. Thank goodness for page turn buttons.
I absolutely love seeing book covers and light novel inserts in color (when reading, when the device is sleeping, and on the home screen). It's not strictly necessary, and a lot of light novel inserts are so low resolution that you can barely read the text regardless, but something about it just makes me really happy. YMMV.
I tried the "dark mode" when reading late at night without any lights, and it wasn't for me simply because the book I was reading used a font with too thin strokes. If I had a uniformly thicker font, I think it would probably be a very nice way to cut down on the light produced by the device even more when reading next to a sleeping partner or whatever.
Prior to my battery life experiment, I poked around briefly in a couple manga, and they were surprisingly readable. I still prefer my 10" device, but in a pinch could see myself reading on the Libra Colour (and it would admittedly be cool to have the color inserts in actual color there). You couldn't pay me to read American comics on this device, though; the panning performance after pinching to zoom is not great.
The main reason I love Kobo's software so much is that it makes it really easy to find books. Searching just...searches the device by default. Instead of seeing a bunch of crap from the Kindle store (or it failing to show anything when WiFi is off), I just get a list of book titles that match my query. 😍 Series information is synched from Calibre, so when I page past the last page of a book, it kicks me out to a list of all the books in the series and I can simply tap the next one. Glorious.
This device definitely isn't going to be perfect for everyone, but it's a wonderful little ereader. Hopefully knowing a bit more about the battery life will help folks out who are trying to decide if the downsides for them balance the upsides!

submitted by georgetheflea to kobo [link] [comments]

2024.05.07 19:17 No-Olive-01 I feel defeated

st ever on a throwaway, sorry if I do this wrong. Sorry if it’s rambly I haven’t talked to anyone about anything and don’t have any irl friends I can talk to.
I guess I’ll start in fall of 2022, my husband (M32) and I (F32) were talking about divorce around that time. Different views on parenting, how a family should run and what our roles should be inside the family unit. He had a very traditional stance, he worked blue collar I was a SAHM and felt he didn’t need to do household work or have much a hand is raising our child. I obviously thought that was ridiculous and felt that at the least the household duties were mine and the parenting he should be more involved in. We ended up doing marriage therapy for a few months which helped tremendously but I think by the time we entered therapy I was burnt out and extremely resentful and wanted to divorce anyways. From the time I initiated the divorce my dad (M60) offered to pay for the divorce, my father never liked my husband and so he was more than happy to help. During the time my husband and I separated it was rocky for the first few weeks because my husband didn’t want the divorce, but as the weeks went on and we both continued our individual therapy (I forgot to mention we had also been seeing our own therapists for a few years now) we were actually really good at co-parenting and got along better so all in all I decided to dissolve the divorce 3 months down the road. My dad was extremely upset, which of course I understood as he would be billed for what the attorney has done up to that point. Which thankfully was not much we had only had one hearing and some paperwork filed. If I remember correctly he got $1600 of the $2000 retainer back. I also understand that $400 is $400 and I offered to pay him the money back but he refused and basically went no contact with me after that. At this point there is so much tension. My dad is showing up randomly to make it known how upset he is I’m not divorcing making out of pocket statements to my child about it. So after discussing my husband and I decide to move. We move out of state 03/2023. We stay out of it. I call my grandma(F87) and keep in touch but not with anyone else. Fast forward to April 2024 my grandmother calls to tell me that my uncle wants to put her in a nursing home but she doesn’t want to go she wants me to move back home and take care of her . My uncle lives out of state and my dad apparently according to my grandmother hasn’t been around to help much. He was coming by often after I left but then just gradually stopped coming by. So of course I tell her I’ll come. My dad t-totally loses it when she tells him I’m going to move back down. He tells her he’ll never come around again, he won’t have anything to do with us etc. he told her he won’t come around for Mother’s Day. So then today my grandmother tells me that she called my uncle and told him she wanted to have her will changed. Currently her house is set to go to my dad. It was written up way back when, in the last few years him and his spouse had bought a home across town and he’s said over and over again he didn’t want to live in the family home (my grandmother house) he’s never shown an interest in having the home. My uncle doesn’t want the home he and his wife are wealthy and have no children and own several homes. So I guess my grandmother had been ruminating on all this and asked my uncle to have it changed to pass down to myself and my two siblings (M28, M26) His response was he wasn’t getting involved but I’ll tell you what to do to have it legally changed. My grandmother tells me all of this the following day which was yesterday. My grandmother asks my to get my youngest siblings new full legal name as they had it changed a few years ago. I don’t talk to my siblings often. We didn’t really grow up together because my dad and their mother divorced when we were all young and they stayed with her and I went with my dad. Anyways so I text the older (28) of the two bc I have their number and ask for the youngest (26) name to give to my grandmother. Then shit goes crazy my dad calls my grandmother and asks why she’s changing the will, my grandmother drops the bombshell that she doesn’t want to give it to my dad because she doesn’t want it leaving the family and he was I guess telling her he was going to sell it or give it to whoever he wants (insinuating he’d give it to his spouses kids instead of his own kids) and my grandmother wants it to stay in the family. My dad then retorts with and I quote “you ARE going to give me that house as repayment for all the bullshit you and XXX (me) put me through.” Then the Oldest younger sibling starts texting me asking why the will is being changed and do my dad and uncle know about it and what did I do. And I tell him that I’m just doing what our grandmother asked and I’m not trying to get caught up in this.
I feel like every choice I make is the wrong choice. I carry this tremendous guilt that my dad won’t come around d because my husband is here but he wasn’t even taking care of his mom when we were gone? I feel like I shouldn’t have come home but was I just supposed to let my grandmother who raised me go into assisted living when I could just come home and take care of her? I told her not to change the will and just leave it the way it is so keep the peace but she is adamant about the house going to her blood grandkids that grew up in this house. Do I leave the house I was asked to come back to and rent someone where just so my dad will go see his damn mom? I don’t know what to do I just feel hopeless, I feel like I have no family. My child asks to see her grandad at least once a day. He lives five minutes away but he won’t have anything to do with us. Maybe I should have divorced just to keep my dad happy? But then myself and my daughter would be unhappy like. Getting older is taking such a toll on me. Sorry I think that’s it.

submitted by No-Olive-01 to Vent [link] [comments]

2024.05.07 19:16 accountofmountzuma AITA? Happy Mother’s Day ugh.

I need your advice on how to handle my MIL. Ironically I am now at the age that she was when I first met her and became my husband’s (her son’s) fiancé. I am beside myself to think wow. I am so much more mature than she was at 49! This is crazy!! That looney wouldn’t even tap my glass for a cheers toast at her 50th bday party. She made a point of it too! She literally snatched her glass away from my tap after tapping everyone else’s. It was the start of many more progressively passive aggressive hostility behaviors from her for the next 18 years. I had only just met her a few weeks prior. Nice intro to the family dynamic but my husband warned me she was a mega stuck up beotch. Still I thought I could win her over because well I’m pretty likable According to all the people who like Me 😂😜
Fast forward 18 years and Most recently. She decided to throw a baby shower for her daughter (my sil) and instead of checking with me and my daughter if we would be available to attend on a certain date and time (because hello it’s my sister in law and the only auntie my daughter has) she texts me that the baby shower is on this date (2 weeks from the text) and everyone else (her sisters and their daughters) can make it - can you? Didn’t say where or what time. I barely consider that an invite. The fact that she didn’t check to see if I wanted to help or if I was even available to be there (I wasn’t!!) really pushed me over the edge. We were out of town on the only weekend that month that she held the shower. So freaking crazy sad. I wouldn’t dare plan a pretty major thing like that without making sure she was available to attend. I’d check with her first.
Anyway. After that bull shit I’ve decided after 18 years of cat and mouse I am fucking done. For real for real. I look at myself at 49 and I compare my mindset and my mental attitude and empathy to how she treated me and acted towards me as a newcomer to the family at the same age she was then and I am absolutely appalled at how fucking childish and weird and stuck up and just alien and unwelcoming she was. I can’t believe it.
She must have picked up on my disgust at what she did because she made sure to send me a birthday card a week early this year knowing I wasn’t going to have a party or anything. I said thanks by text. That’s it. We haven’t chatted or texted since that baby shower incident.
For the first time in my life I’m like wow. Yeah. You’re not better than me Linda. You’re just a petty small minded pearl clutching twit. Get a life.
Anyway. Mother’s Day is coming up of course. How do we handle? My husband can’t stand her and wants nothing to do with her if he can help it either.
Do I have to send her a card or make him send one or send one on his behalf or just don’t do anything. I hate mothers day so much. It’s so lame and forced. Especially when it comes to in-laws and boomers

submitted by accountofmountzuma to motherinlawsfromhell [link] [comments]

2024.05.07 19:15 PlayfulJosiah2 emergency meeting everyone on this lsit

submitted by PlayfulJosiah2 to DeviantArt [link] [comments]

2024.05.07 19:11 bouc How To Recover A Hacked Instagram Account [ALL METHODS]

I wanted to share a “how to” with you on how to recover a hacked Instagram account, from someone with 7+ years experience in social media marketing. No fluff.
Method 1)
https://instagram.com/hacked
The first thing I recommend you do is go to the website above.
Select “my account was hacked”
Then, put in your username / email / phone number. Also do anything else they request like a ‘selfie’ or photo of you with ID.
Often times, Meta will get back to you very soon and assist you with recovering your account. If you don’t hear a response though, I recommend refilling this out once a week. Wait times public support forms can often be slow as you are one person on a very long list. It can take up to 30 days.
TIP: To protect your profiles make sure you add your Instagram profiles and your Facebook profile to the accounts center. This way, if anything happens, you can use meta-verified support to reach out to a representative and they can assist you because you’ve proven ownership of the profile.
Method 2)
Pay for Meta Verified support. Pay $15 for the badge. Open chat with representative. Ask them to assist you in recovering your profile which was hacked. Be very specific with your case and include any screenshots like the exact time the email was changed on the Instagram profile, if you still have access to your email. Your username, previous email on file, and include your ID or business documents if the page was not a personal.
This method works best when you reach out from a profile that was added to the Accounts Center of the hacked account. If your profile which you’re reaching out from was never connected in the accounts center, many reps will not assist you in recovering your hacked account. I still recommend you try, however, because while rare, sometimes you can manage to get a hold of a manager or somebody who is willing to help, but it is very rare that they assist you if you do not have a profile that was previously connected in the accounts center.
Step by step instructions on how to open a chat with a Meta verified support.
https://facebook.com/help/178774494481770/ https://help.instagram.com/261957349507759
Make sure to use a profile that was connected in the accounts center.
On the contrary, if you’re a business, you can use the method above to badge your personal and contact support still. If you’ve ever paid for ads, you can also reach out to a rep via Facebook Business Support or Commerce Manager support if you have a catalog / shop to see if they can assist you in recovering your page after hacked.
Method 3)
Using NON-PUBLIC support channels. While this won’t be possible for every person, there are non-public support channels, which are given to certain partners.
FORMS - There are some forms that exist which are not publicly advertised to fix issues like hacked accounts or perform unbans or verifications. While I don’t know any forms that are not public, and I wouldn’t share them even if I did, I’ve heard of some that exist for specific niches or are to other departments with faster processing times than the methods mentioned above. Many people offering to recover your account for a fee and if it’s under 4 figures, they’re usually spamming forms, which can be public or non public, and hoping your account comes back.
PORTALS - The most notorious portal is the media partner portal or panel, but there are many portals like the musician portals, Government/GPA, Entertainment portals, Facebook Marketing partner portals, ect. Each portal has requirements, and you can’t submit any account just because you have a portal, which is why these support portals are not viable for most normal accounts for regular people.
(If you ask me how you can get a portal I will ignore you)
EMPLOYEE HELP- For fixing issues on any account, an employee contact would work the best for submitting since there’s no category requirements like with portals. However, finding someone willing to help you with this will be difficult as Meta is a huge company with numerous departments, some of which have zero contact with the team at Meta that you need to contact in order recover a hacked profile.
Furthermore, if an agency has a contact for a portal or employee, they’re going to charge a handsome fee to facilitate the recovery of a hacked account, so just a heads up.
Hope that helps at least one person out! If you have any questions, please let me know below!

submitted by bouc to InstagramMarketing [link] [comments]

2024.05.07 19:09 Variant_Screen 22 [M4F] Italy/India - A Hopeless Romantic Seeking A Genuine Connection, Deep Conversations & Funny Flirty Banter

There's one thing I've felt and realised that no matter how many friends we surround ourselves with in real life, there are moments when loneliness can still creep in and take hold. That's when this wonderful world of internet comes in handy, and I guess it's finally the time for me to give this a try.
I'm a 22 year old Indian guy who is currently pursuing his masters degree in Italy. And being in an entirely different country on my own sometimes takes me to that loneliness territory. I'm a 6'1" tall guy (if that matters to you) and I crave those funny & deep conversation that are something more than just being shallow. You know the conversation, where every text makes you more elevated, and you can't help but just cherish that wonderful moment. The conversation flows naturally, and you keep on talking to each other irrespective of the time that has passed.
Love is one of the most exquisite things in this world, and it can hold different meanings for different people. But love for me, is all about care and affection that you show to your partner, that rock-solid assurance that no matter what, you've always got their back. It's when you eagerly anticipate their texts and feel like the luckiest person once it pops on your screen, when their presence, whether online or in person, gives you the reason to start your day with a huge smile. And I've seen my own shares of ups and down in my love life, but that doesn't make me lose any hope, and hopefully I'll soon find my ONE.
A little more about me: I mostly spend my free time analyzing or studying the movies, shows or the music. I appreciate this world of entertainment a lot because they are like my escape from this reality. So, if you're the same, then we can nerd over our favorite movies & music. I also like to write about stuff sometimes, mostly about entertainment or some story/thought that popped into my mind.
But recently, I have been reading a lot of true crime stories. So, if you have some recommendations or insights into this genre, then you better hit me up, I'm always open to know more about this.
What am I looking for: I'm looking for a like-minded lady who is around my age (20-24 years old) and shares my passion for meaningful conversations. I'm interested in getting to know someone who enjoys talking about their day, what have they been up to, their dreams, their ambition, basically everything they feel comfortable sharing. If you're looking for a partner who is genuine, respectful, and eager to build a meaningful connection, then let's start talking! We can begin with a conversation on Reddit and if we both feel comfortable enough, let's move to some other platform and see where this takes us.
What can you expect from me: You can expect a genuine and understanding guy who is truly interested in getting to know you. You can also expect a funny and deep conversation, I'm a good listener and enjoy hearing different perspectives, so feel free to share your thoughts and experiences with me.
I can be a bit flirty sometimes if I feel like we have a genuine connection, so I hope you wouldn't mind that. I believe that a little bit of banter and humor can go a long way in building a connection, so don't be surprised if I try to make you laugh or catch your attention with a cheesy joke or two. However, I also respect boundaries and will never push beyond what makes you feel comfortable.
I'm a private person, so I'm NOT much inclined towards sharing pictures right away. I like to make sure that we both have trust and confidence in each other, and once we have established that, then we can definitely exchange photos and more.
Oh damn, I've just realized that this has become a very long post, so if you've read this in its entirety, give yourself a pat on the back. Out of so many things you could have read in this time, you chose to read my paragraph, and I already appreciate you for that. So, if any of these loong lines makes sense to you, please message me, and let's have some great conversation. I'll be waiting, and I hope you have a wonderful day. You deserve that.

submitted by Variant_Screen to ForeverAloneDating [link] [comments]

2024.05.07 19:02 yuvalvv A strategy for expanding an existing local blog into a global one (on a new, different domain)

Hi Everyone,
I have been running a local blog for a year now, and it has been performing quite well given its niche. I receive between 250-600 daily clicks from Google and have between 10-15k monthly sessions, according to Google Analytics. I rank in the top 10 results for all of my keywords, and for the majority of high-volume keywords, I am ranked in the top 1 to 3 positions.
My niche is pizza making (and all things related to pizza), and you can find my blog here: www.pizzalab.co.il (It's in Hebrew, but you can use Google Translate to browse it, although the translation is meh). ALL of my content is 100% original, and most of it cannot be found anywhere else on the internet (the result of a combination of shitload of studying, researching, and actual baking experience). All of my content is evergreen and provides in-depth information that cannot be found anywhere else, especially in a curated and well-organized format. There are also unique calculators that are currently being used by dozens of people on a daily basis.
Since the local market for pizza making is rather small, I want to make the blog international. It will be identical to the local version, but obviously translated and adjusted for English readers. It will also be on a separate (.com) domain with a different name (the original was not available), so it's going to be a completely new website. All of the translation will be 100% manual, which means it's going to take a lot of time. I assume it will take at least six months to translate everything. I believe a global version can perform well since there is nothing like it, neither in depth nor in breadth, and I've actually been asked several times if I can make it global by foreign people who found the blog (I have no idea how).
My question is regarding the strategy I should use. When I started the local blog, I initially set up the "foundation", including calculators, general guides, and glossary entries, then, I proceeded to write and publish naturally (it took around a year to write everything). The problem I am currently facing with this approach is that most, if not all of the posts naturally intertwine with each other; For example, a post about dough fermentation might mention the significance of kneading and include a link to the corresponding post (and there are a LOT of these examples), to the extent that this has become a vital element of the blog's overall structure.
As I see it, I have two options:

Complete the translation of EVERYTHING so that all content is properly interconnected, and then publish the entire blog at once OR Translate the "foundations" first and then translate and publish each post separately, progressively linking everything in the process, similar to what I did with the local version.

So my questions are:

Which method do you think will be better, taking all factors into consideration (SEO, time, technical aspects etc.)?
Is it worth spending so much time on translating everything, given the current situation with Google?

Thanks!

submitted by yuvalvv to SEO [link] [comments]

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Planning for Future Campaigns: A Long-Term View on Using SyndBuddy AI

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submitted by otoreview to OTOLinks [link] [comments]

2024.05.07 19:00 yuvalvv A strategy for expanding an existing local blog into a global one (on a new, different domain)

Complete the translation of EVERYTHING so that all content is properly interconnected, and then publish the entire blog at once
Translate the "foundations" first and then translate and publish each post separately, progressively linking everything in the process, similar to what I did with the local version.

So my questions are:

Which method do you think will be better, taking all factors into consideration (SEO, time, technical aspects etc.)?
Is it worth spending so much time on translating everything, given the current situation with Google?

Thanks!

submitted by yuvalvv to Blogging [link] [comments]

2024.05.07 18:59 NoNotSage Having stayed in my second marriage for so long is my fault, and I'm ashamed

Well, here I am in an infidelity sub again, ready to get a good ass-kicking and shaming! I shall gird my loins (even though I have asked for no advice, in this case).
This will be loooonnnnggg. Please skip if you're not in a reading frame of mind:
TL;DR: I am ashamed of the fact I have remained married to my wayward husband (WH, from this point forth) for 20 years. I should have never gotten married, or, I should have bowed out LONG ago.
STORYTIME:
I (50/F) married WH (52/M) far too soon after my divorce. I was so enamored with the fact that a man actually liked me that I ignored the massive parade of red flags. I can't even get into all the red flags right now, because this post would be about 45 pages long. To summarize, it involved lots of lying, obfuscation, manipulation, and truly frightening behavior toward his perceived "enemies" that I wasn't aware of until a year or more later. However, I was being love-bombed, and I excused it all, because I am an idiot.
WH and I dated for a year and then moved in together. Our small wedding was scheduled for three months after we moved in. During the dating phase, we had sex weekly, when we saw each other, due to his work schedule and my custody schedule. WH was and is a workaholic, always escaping into as many hours of work as possible. Sometimes has he/we needed the money? Sure. But he's been doing this since he was 15 years old and almost didn't graduate from high school because of his work self-imposed demanding work schedule at a grocery store.
Anyway, at the time, I didn't realize I was the only one initiating sex. And I had to be the one to bring up for the first time, "Hey, do you want to have sex?" This was months into dating. I sort of felt like I had to push him. This would be a harbinger of things to come. At the time, I thought he was being gentlemanly. Now, I know that initiating and having sex with actual people isn't something he enjoys all that much.
I wasn't used to a man who was responsible, paid bills on time, and cleaned up after himself. Thus, I thought WH was spectacular. Now I see he was just doing what adults do, but I wasn't used to men doing the bare minimum: not my dad, and not my first husband.
We bought a house together. Literally on day one, he interest in sex vanished. I was confused. He buried himself in more work, which I didn't think was possible. I figured after having lived alone for years, maybe he was adjusting to living with me and my son (half the time; I shared custody).
After a couple of months of absolutely no interest in sex from him and no touching or affection at all, it was a few weeks before the wedding, and I kindly asked what was going on. We were in the honeymoon phase of our relationship, and he didn't seem all that into it/me. When I mentioned his lack of interest in sex, he screamed at me, "Okay! Pants off!" I was honestly scared at that point. I cracked a joke and deflected, to try and diffuse the situation.
Like the ridiculous fool that I was, I went ahead with the wedding. Did things get better after that? Of course not. WH constantly future-faked that one day, he wouldn't work so much. Well, it's 20 years later, and that day never arrived. I have since learned that WH uses work as a tool to avoid relationships and friendships. It makes him look like a hard worker, and he is lauded for working so much. But, there is nothing in his life outside of work.
I had custody of my son half the time. On days he was with me, WH would magically have to work even more, usually leaving the house at 6 am and not returning until anywhere from 10 pm to midnight. I guess he thought I wouldn't notice that. When I asked him to try and make more of an effort with my son, he said he would. But like all his other promises about relationships, that never happened. This is my fault. And I feel deep shame about it.
WH is also obsessed with his sister. I realize now this is more than a close sibling relationship. He acts like she is a spouse more than anything. They moved out of their parents' house together and lived in an apartment because they were afraid to live with stranger in college. They then made plans to buy a house together and live in it forever. They vacationed together, went out to dinners and events together, and so much more. That would be a whole separate post.
She is in her late 40s and has never dated or had a serious relationship. WH has a bank account with her, but I had to beg to share an account with him after 20 years of marriage. Our travel budget is limited, and he will vacation with her and not me. If WH and I were to take a romantic trip, she had to be included for at least a weekend of it.
Onto the sex and affection stuff. For 20 years, I have begged for sex, or even the bare minimum of touching and affection. WH actually flinches when I come near him, and actively draws back from my touch. He says he's "surprised." Every time? I know there is some deep trauma or other problem, but he refuses to discuss it, and won't discuss it in his individual counseling.
Further, after a few years of marriage, he decided he wanted to sleep separately and have his own bedroom. This was not due to health or insomnia. He just wanted it. And he became insanely protective of HIS bedroom, HIS space, HIS stuff. I must check before entering. Knocking isn't sufficient. I must text and wait for him to reply if it's okay for me to come in.
Now, let's discuss his penchant for "befriending" lonely, needy, vulnerable single moms (usually women he supervises and has some power over), or women whose marriages are in crisis. The lower-income, the better, and bonus points if they have addiction issues.
This has been a pattern for him from before we got together, and I was once that single mom (no addiction issues for me). I always thought it was weird that these were his only friendships. It always had to be women, because he "doesn't like men" as much, and they were always needy and in crisis. He would become their best friend and confidante. He would go out with them 1:1, even the "new" ones he met after we were married. I didn't want to be THAT WIFE, so I just let it go.
During our entire relationship, he has initiated sex a literal handful of times. I am the initiator. And, often, he makes excuses to get out of having sex. I have addressed this issue at least once a year with him, kindly, and he either insists he will try harder, or that this isn't happening. Please believe me when I say this: we wouldn't have had sex starting year one of our marriage if it wasn't for me keeping our sex life alive.
A few years ago, WH manipulated me into a long-distance move. Almost the day that we moved here, I rarely saw him. He disappeared into work entirely, and the after insisting we purchase workout equipment, and spare time he had was him going to the gym, or planning to go to his gym.
As per usual, he took a shine to one of his subordinates, who was, you guessed it, a lonely, needy vulnerable single mom. His favorite. He became clearly obsessed with her. This is another massively long story, but needless to say, his emotional affair with her didn't work out. When she became disinterested and started dating others, he was on dating apps. I confronted him, and now he suddenly hadn't been happy in the marriage for a "very long time," despite always calling me his favorite person. Okay, then.
When WH realized no women were actually interested in him, he started getting panicky and wanted to reconcile. I obliged. But then he spent the next nine months lying and gaslighting, remaining in touch with his EA (I kept snooping), lying to my face about it, and treating me like crap.
The one thing that has been helpful during all this is that WH admitted that his hangups about sex are about his significant body image issues, and that they were present in his two previous relationships as well. That actually made me feel a little better. It wasn't all about me being a disgusting had, which I believed for two decades.
Why did I stay married for so long? I am a fucking idiot. I deserve this misery. I was so ashamed that my second marriage, which I had rushed into, was so fucked up that I had to try to make it work. That's how I felt.
Currently, I am not able to earn a living wage due to circumstances beyond my control. I am financially stuck for the moment. Yes, I have had multiple legal consultations. I know everyone on Reddit insists that there's a big marital estate to split (nope), and that "he will have to pay alimony." A few hundred a month plus my not-great income does not allow me to afford shelter anywhere. People can and do end up unhoused and in poverty after a divorce. If you don't believe me, please talk to a homeless person. This idea that they are all simply lazy and crazy is untrue. And subsidized housing wait lists? I'm on them. Eight years long. And no, not everyone has family who can house and subsidize them, like WH has.
As much as I am really upset with WH and his horrible, avoidant, bordering on cruel level of withholding over the years, I blame myself for the awful situation I'm in. I stayed. This is my fault, and I hate myself for it.
**Of note: Please go easy on me. I already feel horrible about my life and situation. And I beg you, PLEASE don't suggest ways that I can leave right now. I have looked into everything. Every suggestion every Redditor has made? I have explored it for a year and then some. Getting out is going to be a long game for me, with long-term planning. I am doing my best.

submitted by NoNotSage to SupportforBetrayed [link] [comments]

2024.05.07 18:53 RegisterMinimum1064 How did you know she was messed up/wrong?

I am fairly new to this sub and wanted to know what tipped everyone off to Colleen's suspicious approach to food. I really agreed with a lot of videos she put out about pointless substitutions and unnecessary worrying about food. However, the no food rules part confused me a bit as someone who struggles to maintain their weight and keep weight off. I then was looking at Ilana Muhlstein and really identifying and enjoying her content and meals when I did a Google search: Is 2b mindset really worth it? Which is a program Ilana runs. What pops up as the first result? Colleen's article essentially attacking the 2b mindset program. What really stood out to me was the way the article was written. I'm all for criticism and reviews of diets but the way Colleen wrote about it sounded like she was extremely triggered; she'd even go as far as to accuse 2b mindset followers of unnecessary deprivation and her loud proclamation that "we can eat whatever we want" didn't sit well with me at all as a rebuttal to Ilana's program suggestion of limiting sweet things in order to lose weight.
I then went to Colleen's website hoping to find more information about how I could intuitively eat and lose weight. Guess what? There is none. Colleen argues that with intuitive eating the scale can go up and that's okay, and that it's fine to be fat because in the long run no diets equal a healthier body. It didn't make sense to me at all. I don't think Colleen has ever been fat; certainly not to the point where you are uncomfortable being fat and NEED to lose weight. Colleen even claims that if your doctor tells you to lose weight that it is considered "old medicine" and can be discarded. It's upsetting to see her preaching something she desperately needs to understand to heal HERSELF. Her whole program is essentially a message to herself saying she can have food because SHE has struggled with that in the past. As for me, and many others on the journey to lose weight, we need nutritional understanding in order to make healthy choices in a balanced way. Not a "eat whatever you want as long as it makes you feel good" approach.
Lastly, I will say I have been eating intuitively as Colleen suggests in my normal life. And guess what? I've gained weight that I now need to lose. Many of us are not in super restrictive diets as the American obesity crisis will indicate. Her videos are misleading and misdirected.

submitted by RegisterMinimum1064 to NoFoodRulesSnark [link] [comments]

2024.05.07 18:52 Lord_Long_Rod Trip to Rolex AD

I was bored Saturday night. I had already fucked Maria, my housekeeper twice this afternoon before I sent her home, so I was not really looking for a fuck puppet at the moment. Sigh … I finally decided I would go out for a bite to eat.
I got cleaned up and dressed casual-upscale. I chose one of my exquisite Patek timepieces for my wrist, along with the normal digs (bracelets, rings, chokers, necklaces, etc…). I did not really desire any company tonight, but ultimately decided I needed to adorn my presence lest I be diminished in the minds of others. I chose “Azure”, one of my beater chicks. I called her up and asked her out to dinner. Of course she accepted my invitation immediately. She is a very attractive girl. I think she models, or acts, or some shit.
I picked up Azure at her flat at 9:30 pm. I drove my Aston Martin for the date, as I know this will send a tingle down her leg. We arrived at Nobu a couple minutes before 10. The maitre’d, Claude, looked a little pissed because it was so late, so I slipped him a hundy and he grudgingly seated us. I made a mental note to call Brad, the manager, tomorrow and complain. Brad and I play squash together at the club. I will have that prick Claude fired and homeless by this time tomorrow night.
I just wanted to sit back, sip on a glass or three of 25yr old Glenlivet, and people-watch. However, Azure had other plans. I am a very successful and handsome gentleman. It is not a brag; it is simply the fact of the matter. Literally thousands of attractive young ladies in this town would love to land me as a husband. Azure was no exception. As soon as we sat down she was all over me. Within 5 minutes she was stroking my cock through my trousers.
Frankly, I was not in the mood. Moreover, Azure is like a corpse in bed. I much prefer getting my rocks off with my feral housekeeper, Maria, than some cold fish like Azure. Maria fucks like a wild dog in heat.
Getting annoyed with her, but not wanting to ruin the chill vibe I yearned for tonight, I handed Azure a small silver pill box containing some primo nose candy. When she saw what it was a big grin came over her face and off she went to the restroom. I leaned my head back against the booth and relaxed, sipping my Scotch.
A swarthy looking waiter calling himself “Bruce” stopped by my table, disrupting my solitude with all sorts of pestering questions. Growing frustrated with what appeared to be a concerted effort to fuck up my evening, I grabbed Bruce by the collar of his shirt and yanked him close to me. With my other hand I flicked open my Microtech knife and put it to his throat. I told him that when I want to talk to him I will call him, and that if he comes to me uninvited again I would cut his fucking throat wide open and watch him bleed to death right there on the table before me. I asked the peasant if he understood. He nodded. Then I told him to fuck off, which he did. Back to my Scotch.
A few minutes later I received a phone call from Brad on my cell phone. “DID YOU JUST THREATEN TO KILL ONE OF MY WAITERS?!?”, he demanded to know. I calmly responded, “Jesus, Brad. I figured you would be more upset that I am fucking your wife than over me having a few words with one of your disgusting peasant waiters.”
Brad paused. In fact, I was not fucking his wife, not anymore. After she was diagnosed with colon cancer I just could not go there any more. It would just be … gross. In fact, she confided in me about her condition before she even told Brad.
I remember that we had just finished fucking in her and Brad’s bed. She started blathering on, so I went online on my phone shopping the gray market for a new Rolex Daytona. “What? What was that, sweetheart? Oh no, cancer!!!”, and yada yada, who gives a shit, right?
We hid the affair from Brad. But he probably suspected somebody was banging his wife, as was clear when he paused just then on the phone at my mere suggestion that I was bedding her down. Then he blurted out, “Fuck you, man! Ha ha ha!! But seriously, Bruce is a great guy and I don’t want to lose him. What am I supposed to do here?!?” I responded, “Fix it”, then hung up on him. I did not see Bruce after that, for the rest of the night.
Azure finally made it back to our table. You could almost hear the “buzz” coming through her eyes. “What a degenerate fucking bimbo”, I thought to myself. This dumb bitch could fall off the face of the Earth tomorrow and humanity would not even notice. She has family, I guess. But besides that, she is nothing to anyone (maybe not even her own family). If not for her willingness to be used as a whore and a social ornament, she would have absolutely no purpose in life whatsoever. I might feel sorry for her and her empty existence if I were capable of such a thing. But I am not, thank God.
I considered asking Azure back to my penthouse suite after dinner just so I could fire her off the fucking balcony and to the street below. But there would be police reports and all that bullshit. So I merely allowed her to blow me in my car as I drove her home. Honestly, I think she struggled with whether she should swallow or spit me into a ziplock baggy inside to preserve it as a trophy.
We said our goodbyes and Azure exited the car and headed toward her front door. I won’t lie, the thought of gunning my car and mowing her down on the curb crossed my mind. But, again, I did not want to have to deal with all the red tape.
It was already a little past midnight, but I was not quite ready to go home. I decided to drive over to “Zen’s Pleasure Palace”. Zen’s is an upscale sex club not far from Nobu. Usually single guys are not allowed entry. However, I know the manager, Ned. I did not even want to fuck, per se. I wanted to shoot some H and relax with some Scotch as I watched others fuck.
By 2:30 am I was in a sex room and layed out on a beanbag watching a very serious orgy unfold. I was tight too, and feeling good. Pretty soon this Asian chick had my erect member out of my pants and in her mouth. The pleasure was intoxicating and I was enjoying it immensely, as was she. Suddenly there came a screaming that interrupted my ecstasy.
“GET THAT FUCKER’S COCK OUT OF YOUR MOUTH!! I DON’T WANT YOU GETTING SHIT IN THAT MONEY MAKER, YOU FUCKING WHORE!!!”, said the intruder.
Of course, I knew exactly who it was. It was Milo, a/k/a Jersey. He is a Cambodian sex trafficker that leases his women to brothels such as Zen’s. I honestly did not know Milo was working this side of town tonight, so the mistake was an honest one on my part.
I opened my eyes and looked at the sad fucker. “Hey man! What’s going on?”, I said to him. The silly bastard then had the audacity to pull a pistol on me. I asked, “Come on, dude, are you still pissed about what happened on the docks?!?” I could tell from his expression that he was.
See, 6 months ago I was banging some of Milo’s Asian whores down at a place on the docks called “Sammy’s”. I was coked out of my mind, and banging 2, 3 girls at once. I paid for them, of course. It was a wild scene. Everybody was flying high and having a good time.
Then my Coke dealer, Rodriguez, came storming into the club, guns blazing. He had learned earlier in the day that I has been fucking his wife, the most beautiful and sexy Tatiana, from the Nuevo Cartel. In fact, he left a voice mail that I heard earlier pledging to hunt me down and murder me. But then I got so jacked on blow and liquor I completely forgot about it and went whoring.
In fact, it was worse than that. See, Rodriguez owns Sammy’s. But like I said, I was completely out of my mind. I guess some of his minions informed him of my presence there while he was out trying to find me.
Rodriguez walked right up to me as I was being blown by one of Milo’s chicks and said, “esse’ you got a lot of nerve coming here, of all places.” I knew I had to act fast. I quickly reached over to my coat and retrieved my smg, then I opened fire with extreme prejudice. Interestingly, the Asian chick on my cock did not miss a beat through all this.
I dropped the empty mag and loaded another. By the time I was finished the only living creatures left in Sammy’s was me and the lil Asian chick still attached to my cock. Growing paranoid as a result of this assassination attempt and all the blow, I heard my voice in the back of my head say “No witnesses”. So I blew my load, twice. I will leave it to you, gentle reader, to determine which load was blown first.
Getting back to Milo, he was incensed. “Of course I am still pissed about the docks!!! You whacked 17 of my girls that night, you fucking degenerate asshole!!”, he said. I shrugged, which seemed to irritate him more,
Finally, I sighed, let my head fall backwards, and said “Fine. Fine. How much?” Milo asked “How much for what?” I said “How much for the fucking whores I offed that night at the docks. Jesus Christ, Milo.” Milo thought for a moment, then said $20,000.00. I said “I will give you ten”. Milo agreed, I paid him, and then I got back to what I was doing before he barged into my good time.
It was now around 5:00 am. I was getting a little tired, but I still was not quite ready to go home. I hopped into the Aston Martin and took off. I realized I was near the south side Rolex AD (authorized dealer). I had the manager, Chad, on my speed dial.
“CHAD!! Hey, buddy! It’s me! Get your ass up and meet me down at the store in 10 minutes. I want a new watch!”, I said. Chad hem and hawed around, saying is was Sunday morning and that he was in the hospital with his wife who had just been in a terrible car wreck earlier in the evening, and other bullshit.
“Come on, Chad. Don’t be a fag! I am ready to buy, buy, buy!! What you got?!?”, I asked. Chad started fake crying, telling me he was not sure his wife was going to pull through, and how he did not know what he and the kids would do without her. I rolled my eyes. I was flying down Lexington Avenue doing 110 mph, just a couple minutes from the AD. “Dude, she is not going anywhere. She will be there when you get back. It is not like she is fucking dying or anything”, I told him, completely oblivious to Chad’s prior comment that his wife may not pull through.
Chad is married to this Ukrainian whore named Slovakia or some stupid ship. I used to feed her coke and fuck her silly while Chad was working. It’s too bad she was about to bite the big one. But, who fucking cares, you know?
I finally got Chad down to the store at 6:15 am. He told me his wife kept flatlining but he had a handful of timepieces in the back he was eager to show me. These Rolex ADs, ha ha ha! They don’t care who is fucking dying if it means getting a commission of a $20K watch!
By 8:00 am I bought a Newman Daytona and a used Kermit. We had a few drinks there too, and did some lines. By 9:00 am I was on a phone call with Milo to get some of his whores sent to my penthouse for me and Chad to party with. We agreed to a price, I paid it, and he would have 5 Vietnamese girls at my place by noon.
With time to kill, I told Chad that we needed to score some more blow, for us and the girls. He agreed. First, we stopped by the liquor store for a couple fifths of Johnny Walker Blue, which we sipped on as I drove us over to Frédérique’s flat for coke. Fred is one of my dealers, and he has got some good shit.
We were at Fred’s place for an hour. Fred was higher than a fucking kite and talking a million miles an hour. He insisted on lecturing Chad and I about the finer points of West Coast thrash metal vs. East coast hardcore. It was, frankly, excruciating. Then shit took a weird turn.
Suddenly, some blond dude in a Hawaiian flower shirt busted out of one of the rooms in Fred’s flat blasting shots from a high caliber revolver. I looked over at my buddy Chad, then “SPLAT!!!!!” One of the bullets from this maniac’s gun hit Chad in the head, blowing his head apart like an invigorated Gallagher smashing watermelons with his Sledge-O-Matic. Blood, brain, and bone fragments were everywhere.
Unbeknownst to me, Fred’s wife, Anaconda, had entered the room behind me carrying a sawed off shotgun. “BAMMM!!!!” The mysterious gunman was on the floor dead from buckshot ripping his brain into shreds. Fred and Ana then got into a huge argument in a foreign language, with Fred following her as she stormed off into another room. I decided it was time for me to leave lest I be late for Milo.
As I was making my way out of Fred’s place I heard another gunshot. I winced at the possibility of losing my best dealer. “Son of a bitch!”, I said to myself.
I got home at 5 til noon. I let myself inside and made myself a drink. Time passed. That shit Milo never showed up. And I had already paid him $5,000.00 on my credit card. I was getting pissed. I was also getting horny. Maria did not come in that day. I went through the contacts on my phone. Azure, Tatiana, Brandy, Ameko, Donnaella, Domino, Slovakia ….
“Ohhhhhh … Slavakia!! That is one hot piece of fuck meat!! Let me call her!!!”, I said. I rang her up but there was no answer. I called a couple times more but still no answer. Not wanting to be denied, I texted her “Hey, baby!! Can’t wait to see you again soon and pound that sweet ass of yours!”
An hour later and still no return communication. I thought to myself, “What the fuck?!? Did you fucking die or something?!? Jesus Christ!!” Then I had a wicked thought. “Maybe I will tell Chad I have been fucking his wife. That will fix her! Ha ha ha ha!!!!”
I started feeling kind of shitty after that. I tried to remember when I last ate, but could not. I was very aware that I was super strung out at the moment. I was unsure of how long I had been awake. I needed sleep.
I took some ludes and drank half a bottle of Cabernet. Pretty soon I started calming down and relaxing. By this point it is late Sunday afternoon. I needed to pull myself together. I had to show up straight in Delaware tomorrow for the plea deal. As much as I dreaded it, at least after tomorrow everything will finally be over with for good. Sigh…
Suddenly, I got a notification on my phone. It was a text from dad. It said, “Good luck in court tomorrow, Beau! Dad”.

submitted by Lord_Long_Rod to Sasquatch_Jihad [link] [comments]

2024.05.07 18:47 enoumen A Daily chronicle of AI Innovations May 07 2024: 🤖Apple is developing its own AI chip for data center servers 🤝Stack Overflow and OpenAI have announced an API partnership 🌟Microsoft is developing a new AI language model 📚Study: Teachers can’t detect AI writing + 📊New AI Jobs & Tools❗

A Daily chronicle of AI Innovations May 07 2024: 🤖Apple is developing its own AI chip for data center servers 🤝Stack Overflow and OpenAI have announced an API partnership 🌟Microsoft is developing a new AI language model 📚Study: Teachers can’t detect AI writing + 📊New AI Jobs & Tools❗

A Daily chronicle of AI Innovations May 07th 2024: 🤖 Apple is developing its own AI chip for data center servers 🤝 Stack Overflow and OpenAI have announced an API partnership 🌟 Microsoft is developing a new AI language model to rival GPT-4 and Google Gemini 📚 Study: Teachers can’t detect AI writing 🔮 Apple’s new M4 chip is focused on AI 🤖 Hugging Face has launched LeRobot, an open-source robotics toolkit 🔮 Apple is testing a new "Clean Up" feature in its Photos app 🛡️ Google has launched Google Threat Intelligence 🇺🇸 US invests $285M in AI 'Digital Twin' technology 📡 Anduril Industries introduces Pulsar: AI modular electromagnetic warfare (EW) systems AI TRAINING May 07th 2024: 🎙️ Studio-quality audio in seconds with AI AI RESEARCH on May 07th 2024 📚 Study: Teachers can’t detect AI writing Trending AI Tools May 07th 2024: 📊 Osum - Perform deep market research in seconds: Try now (Use checkout code RUNDOWN for 25% off)* 💫 Coachvox - The ultimate AI marketing tool for coaches with content ✍️ Pressmaster - All-in-one platform simplifies press planning and distribution 🧰 Lamini - Enterprises LLM platform that you can own 🚀 Postman v11 - Supercharging development with AI and APIs 🤖 Adobe Acrobat AI Assistant - Get quick answers and one-click summaries from PDFs 🎨 Leonardo AI Content Reference - Enhance creative control for image generations New AI Job Opportunities May 07th 2024: 🤝 The Rundown - Community Manager 📈 Scale AI - Senior Analytics Engineer ⚖ Anthropic - Risk Manager, Responsible Scaling Team 💻 OpenAI - Tech Lead Manager - Supercomputing Scheduling

🔮 Apple’s new M4 chip is focused on AI

Apple's new M4 chip, designed for the latest OLED iPad Pro models, focuses on enhancing AI performance with capabilities like handling 38 trillion operations per second, which is significantly higher than its predecessors but still behind Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite.
The M4 chip utilizes advanced second-generation 3nm technology, featuring a 10-core CPU with a mix of performance and efficiency cores, and supports technologies like mesh shading and ray tracing for improved graphical rendering.
Apple's announcement of the M4 chip sets the stage for a comparison with Microsoft's upcoming Arm-powered hardware and Windows on Arm enhancements, scheduled for release later this month, which aim to surpass Apple’s MacBook Air M3 in terms of CPU and AI performance.

🤖Apple is developing its own AI chip for data center servers

Apple is developing its own AI chip for data center servers, known internally as Project ACDC (Apple Chips in Data Center). The chip will likely focus on running AI models (inference) rather than training them, which is where Nvidia currently dominates.
The company is working closely with TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co) to design and produce these chips, although the timeline for launch is uncertain. With this move, the company aims to keep up with rivals like Microsoft and Meta, who have made significant investments in generative AI.
Why does it matter?
Apple has a long history of designing custom chips for its devices like iPhones, iPads, and Macs, which is probably what makes them stand out. Having custom AI chips could allow the tech giant more control over its "AI destiny" versus relying on suppliers like Nvidia.
Source

🤝Stack Overflow and OpenAI have announced an API partnership

OpenAI will use OverflowAPI to improve model performance and provide attribution to the Stack Overflow community within ChatGPT. Stack Overflow will use OpenAI models to develop OverflowAI and to maximize model performance.
The partnership aims to improve the user and developer experience on both platforms. The first set of integrations and capabilities will be available in the first half of 2024, and the partnership will enable Stack Overflow to reinvest in community-driven features.
Why does this matter?
Stack Overflow partnered with Google Cloud to develop Overflow API and to give Google’s Gemini models access to its knowledge communities. Now it is forming a similar partnership with OpenAI. Despite concerns about copyright breaches, such partnerships seem to be trending where both the parties have much to gain, but it just reaffirms that the big AI players remain hungry for data.
Source

🌟Microsoft is developing a new AI language model

Microsoft is developing a new, large-scale AI language model called MAI-1 to compete with Google and OpenAI. The model is overseen by Mustafa Suleyman, recently hired co-founder of Google DeepMind.
MAI-1 will be larger and more expensive than Microsoft's previous smaller, open-source models, with roughly 500 billion parameters. Microsoft could preview the new model as soon as its Build developer conference later this month.
Why does this matter?
Microsoft's development of MAI-1 shows that it is not entirely relying on it's OpenAI investment to go big in AI. Now, it has entered the AI race truly, competing with state-of-the-art models from Google, Anthropic, even Meta's Llama 400B which is in training, and OpenAI itself.
Source

What Else Is Happening in AI on May 07th 2024❗

🤖 Hugging Face has launched LeRobot, an open-source robotics toolkit
It is a comprehensive platform for developers, researchers, and hobbyists to train AI models, share data, and simulate environments, all while seamlessly integrating with various robotic hardware. The toolkit offers pre-trained models and integrates with physics simulators for testing without physical robots. Hugging Face is also collaborating with diverse partners to build the largest crowdsourced robotics dataset. (Link)
📷 Apple is testing a new "Clean Up" feature in its Photos app
By using gen AI for advanced image editing, this feature will allow you to effortlessly remove unwanted objects from your photos using a simple brush. Apple may preview this new feature during its upcoming "Let Loose" iPad event or at WWDC in June. (Link)
🛡️ Google has launched Google Threat Intelligence

https://preview.redd.it/jdk8cy8r91zc1.png?width=600&format=png&auto=webp&s=b5a0091db93d9c0a4335b5c647cbfd6e7818617a
It is a combination of Mandiant's expertise, VirusTotal's community insights, and Google's vast threat visibility. Google Threat Intelligence assists with external threat monitoring, attack surface management, digital risk protection, IoC analysis, and expertise. With Gemini, organizations can now quickly search through vast amounts of threat data to protect against cyber threats. (Link)
🇺🇸 US invests $285M in AI 'Digital Twin' technology
The Biden administration is investing $285 million for a new “CHIPS Manufacturing USA institute” focused on digital twins for the semiconductor industry. This approach uses AI to create virtual chip replicas, accelerating the production of next-gen processors. Intel and Micron are also set to receive funding to boost the development of new processors. (Link)
📡 Anduril Industries introduces Pulsar: AI modular electromagnetic warfare (EW) systems
Pulsar uses AI to quickly identify and counter current and future threats across the electromagnetic spectrum, including small and medium-size drones. With its integration of software-defined radio, GPUs, and diverse compute capabilities, Pulsar is changing how we defend against rapidly evolving threats in an increasingly complex battlefield. (Link)

AI TRAINING May 07th 2024

🎙️ Studio-quality audio in seconds with AI

https://preview.redd.it/najam5mu91zc1.png?width=1292&format=png&auto=webp&s=4c051cce52279e280495c008e1baa2003da42371
Adobe's AI-powered ‘Enhance Speech’ tool dramatically improves the quality of audio voice recordings with just a few clicks.
Step-by-step:

Access Adobe’s Enhance Speech website. Sign in or sign up for free.
Upload your audio by selecting “Choose file” or simply drag and drop the file.
Wait a few seconds while Adobe’s AI analyzes and removes unwanted noises from your file.
Download your studio-quality audio and hear the difference!

Pro tip: If you have a video file, you can extract the audio using free websites that extract audio from video and add the enhanced audio back to your video using free video editors like CapCut

AI RESEARCH on May 07th 2024

📚 Study: Teachers can’t detect AI writing

https://preview.redd.it/hucoswby91zc1.png?width=1292&format=png&auto=webp&s=3b35415b7f2606f9a8320e4d6e5a6c322d0a992f
A series of studies from several German universities found that both novice and experienced teachers struggled to accurately distinguish between student-written and AI-generated texts.
The details:

The first study trialed pre-service teachers on AI and student text, correctly ID’ing only 45.1% of AI-generated submissions.
The second study tested experienced teachers, who correctly identified just 37.8% of AI-generated submissions.
The study revealed that teachers were overconfident in their ability to spot AI-generated text.
AI detection software also often falsely flags student-written texts as potentially AI-generated, which further complicates the issue.

Why it matters: AI’s writing capabilities are only getting better — and relying on teacher intuition or unreliable tools may be no more effective than guessing. Unless better tools become available, it may be time to pivot to enabling students to work with AI instead of penalizing them for it.

Trending AI Tools May 07th 2024

Osum - Perform deep market research in seconds: Try now (Use checkout code RUNDOWN for 25% off)*
Coachvox - The ultimate AI marketing tool for coaches with content
Pressmaster - All-in-one platform simplifies press planning and distribution
Lamini - Enterprises LLM platform that you can own
Postman v11 - Supercharging development with AI and APIs
Adobe Acrobat AI Assistant - Get quick answers and one-click summaries from PDFs
Leonardo AI Content Reference - Enhance creative control for image generations

New AI Job Opportunities May 07th 2024

The Rundown - Community Manager
Scale AI - Senior Analytics Engineer
Anthropic - Risk Manager, Responsible Scaling Team
OpenAI - Tech Lead Manager - Supercomputing Scheduling

Enjoying these updates? Support us by visiting our App and subscribing at Read Aloud For Me - AI Dashboard - AI Hub - AI Tools Catalog - Top GPTs - Best LLMs - All AI Tools in One Place for Daily AI News, Tools, Games and Bedtime stories

https://preview.redd.it/jpvdryf5a1zc1.png?width=800&format=png&auto=webp&s=ce54b76b91c66e420e75c4d2190e417a10d0d25d

submitted by enoumen to u/enoumen [link] [comments]

2024.05.07 18:47 spinbobbin [Spoilers All][OC] Weekly Headcanon Prompt

Welcome to the headcanon sharing circle! Each week we post a few creative prompts for character development and share our OCs.

Sponsor the weekly thread!

We take turns picking the questions every week, so please volunteer to host if you enjoy the weekly posts!

Mention your interest in the comments – this week's host will tag the next person.
Then just copy and paste this pre-formatted pastebin text with any 2 questions of your choice.
Browse, add, and get ideas over at the list of prompts.
There is the OC Emporium that houses many of the OCs, feel free to put your OC there!
Don't forget there is an OC wiki Discord server and we welcome everyone who wishes to join and share! (Linked on the front page of the Wiki)

May 14
May 21
May 28 – u/student_in_cave
June 4- u/spinbobbin

THE PROMPTS:

(You can answer just one or both, with as many characters as you want. Pictures and character summaries are fine. Short answers or novel-length walls of text are fine.)
Prompt 1

What is the first thing others notice about your character's appearance? Do they have any scars or tattoos? Does their look change as the story progresses?

Prompt 2

Did your character have a formal education? What types of knowledge does your character possess? How has their education or lack of education effect them?

And don't forget to take the time to read and comment on other people's posts! The comments, questions and chats are what make the thread so much fun.

submitted by spinbobbin to dragonage [link] [comments]

2024.05.07 18:41 Professional_Disk131 Gold Prices in 2024: A Robust Upward Trend

Gold prices in 2024 have surged to unprecedented levels, with futures rising by 14.49% since the year’s onset, hitting a historical high of $2,346.33 per ounce in mid-April.
Institutional investors, spurred by high inflation and elevated interest rates, have fueled gold investment, while geopolitical tensions and a weakening dollar have further boosted prices. Central banks, notably from BRICS Plus countries, have shifted towards gold purchases, amplifying the trend.
Exploring investments in junior exploration companies, like Golden Rapture Mining, presents opportunities for high rewards, especially in promising mining jurisdictions like Northwestern Ontario, Canada.

Gold has reached unprecedented prices in 2024, with futures increasing by 14.49% since the beginning of the year. As of mid-April, the price per ounce has escalated to a historical high of $2,346.33. This follows a significant peak earlier in March when it breached the $2,160 mark. The trend suggests a robust trajectory in gold prices, influenced by several economic and geopolitical factors.

https://preview.redd.it/73x80yoh81zc1.png?width=691&format=png&auto=webp&s=165ae1127ab5dfaab2d201d40694fbcff5d5f0d9
The Catalysts for Gold’s Price Surge
Institutional investors have significantly contributed to the increase in gold investment, reaching an 11-year peak in 2023. This shift is attributed to ongoing high inflation and elevated interest rates, which have made gold an attractive investment option. Alex Ebkarian from Allegiance Gold highlights that the amalgamation of rising inflation, a weakening dollar, and geopolitical tensions are key drivers of gold’s price increases. Additionally, central banks, especially from BRICS Plus countries, have accelerated their gold purchases, shifting focus from U.S. treasuries to gold.
Is Now a Good Time to Invest in Gold?
The gold market has experienced significant activity in 2024, with prices reaching record highs and showing strong upward trends. Analysts and market experts attribute these trends to a variety of economic and geopolitical factors, as well as expectations of changes in U.S. monetary policy.
As of early 2024, gold prices have been influenced by the anticipation of rate cuts by the Federal Reserve, which are expected to begin in the latter half of the year. This anticipation, along with economic uncertainties and the ongoing effects of geopolitical tensions, has helped drive gold prices to new highs. J.P. Morgan predicts that gold could peak at around $2,300 per ounce in 2025, following a series of forecasted rate cuts starting in mid-2024.
Moreover, the World Gold Council has discussed how gold reacts in different economic scenarios. It suggests that while a soft-landing scenario might benefit bonds and risky assets, it could lead to flat or only slightly positive returns for gold. Conversely, in a recessionary environment, gold typically performs well, benefiting from its status as a safe-haven asset.
Market sentiment in the first quarter of 2024 shows that despite some volatility, gold has continued its upward trajectory from the previous year, briefly surpassing $2,400 per ounce in April. Central bank purchases, particularly from China, and strong physical gold demand from Asian markets have supported this rise. However, outflows from Western gold ETFs have somewhat countered these gains.

https://preview.redd.it/d08o7f3091zc1.png?width=691&format=png&auto=webp&s=081feeab2c0b2391265183064a62e111d1f6066d
Considerations for Potential Gold Investors
While gold is often lauded as a stable store of value, it’s essential to recognize that it can also be quite volatile and doesn’t generate regular income like dividends or interest from stocks or bonds. Instead, gold investors rely primarily on capital appreciation for returns. Over long periods, gold’s performance may not match that of more conventional assets like equities. For instance, historical data shows that over the last 40 years, the price of gold has increased less dramatically than the S&P 500, which has offered substantial returns through both capital gains and dividends.
The timing for investing in gold can be particularly challenging due to its sensitivity to a variety of economic and geopolitical factors. Unlike more predictable income-generating investments, gold may react quickly to market uncertainties or changes in economic indicators, making it difficult to predict the best times to buy or sell. Investors looking to enter the gold market must consider these dynamics and be prepared for potential fluctuations in price.

https://preview.redd.it/wnq3u1t091zc1.png?width=691&format=png&auto=webp&s=26b5598ccbd750a7f9e8a124f8fed5352cd548f1
Why Should you Consider Investing in Gold Exploration Companies?
Investing in junior exploration companies like Golden Rapture Mining (CSE: GLDR) can be an attractive option for those looking to tap into potentially high-reward opportunities in the gold mining sector. Junior miners are typically smaller companies focused on the exploration and development of new mining sites, rather than the extraction and processing of minerals from established mines. Here’s why considering an investment in companies like Golden Rapture could be beneficial:

High Potential Rewards: Junior mining companies often operate in the early stages of exploring and developing new mining sites. For a company like Golden Rapture, which is engaged in exploring historically rich mining areas with confirmed occurrences of gold, there is a potential for significant discoveries that can substantially increase the company’s value.
Untapped Opportunities: With 18 mine shafts and an adit at their properties, as reported on their website, Golden Rapture has access to areas that might still contain significant untapped mineral resources. The historical and recent evidence of gold at these sites provides a solid base for further exploration and the possibility of developing profitable mining operations.
Strategic Locations: The company’s operations in established Tier 1 mining jurisdictions like Northwestern Ontario, Canada, are advantageous. These regions are known for their supportive mining policies, well-established infrastructure, and historical mining success, which can facilitate easier exploration and development processes compared to more remote or geopolitically unstable regions.
Market Growth Potential: As these companies make significant discoveries or progress in developing their mining assets, their market value can grow rapidly. For an investor, entering at an early stage can lead to substantial gains as the company advances in its projects and increases in valuation.

Final Thoughts
Gold remains a prudent option for hedging against inflation and providing a safety net during uncertain times. However, experts typically recommend limiting gold investments to no more than 10% of your portfolio. It’s advisable to consult with a financial advisor to see if gold aligns with your long-term financial goals, considering both its benefits and the inherent risks.

submitted by Professional_Disk131 to Canadapennystocks [link] [comments]

2024.05.07 18:37 Professional_Disk131 Gold Prices in 2024: A Robust Upward Trend

Gold prices in 2024 have surged to unprecedented levels, with futures rising by 14.49% since the year’s onset, hitting a historical high of $2,346.33 per ounce in mid-April.
Institutional investors, spurred by high inflation and elevated interest rates, have fueled gold investment, while geopolitical tensions and a weakening dollar have further boosted prices. Central banks, notably from BRICS Plus countries, have shifted towards gold purchases, amplifying the trend.
Exploring investments in junior exploration companies, like Golden Rapture Mining, presents opportunities for high rewards, especially in promising mining jurisdictions like Northwestern Ontario, Canada.

Gold has reached unprecedented prices in 2024, with futures increasing by 14.49% since the beginning of the year. As of mid-April, the price per ounce has escalated to a historical high of $2,346.33. This follows a significant peak earlier in March when it breached the $2,160 mark. The trend suggests a robust trajectory in gold prices, influenced by several economic and geopolitical factors.

https://preview.redd.it/ekzlkb8c81zc1.png?width=691&format=png&auto=webp&s=b65246100b1c0a41693b5c2ea4419aaadeed717a
The Catalysts for Gold’s Price Surge
Institutional investors have significantly contributed to the increase in gold investment, reaching an 11-year peak in 2023. This shift is attributed to ongoing high inflation and elevated interest rates, which have made gold an attractive investment option. Alex Ebkarian from Allegiance Gold highlights that the amalgamation of rising inflation, a weakening dollar, and geopolitical tensions are key drivers of gold’s price increases. Additionally, central banks, especially from BRICS Plus countries, have accelerated their gold purchases, shifting focus from U.S. treasuries to gold.
Is Now a Good Time to Invest in Gold?
The gold market has experienced significant activity in 2024, with prices reaching record highs and showing strong upward trends. Analysts and market experts attribute these trends to a variety of economic and geopolitical factors, as well as expectations of changes in U.S. monetary policy.
As of early 2024, gold prices have been influenced by the anticipation of rate cuts by the Federal Reserve, which are expected to begin in the latter half of the year. This anticipation, along with economic uncertainties and the ongoing effects of geopolitical tensions, has helped drive gold prices to new highs. J.P. Morgan predicts that gold could peak at around $2,300 per ounce in 2025, following a series of forecasted rate cuts starting in mid-2024.
Moreover, the World Gold Council has discussed how gold reacts in different economic scenarios. It suggests that while a soft-landing scenario might benefit bonds and risky assets, it could lead to flat or only slightly positive returns for gold. Conversely, in a recessionary environment, gold typically performs well, benefiting from its status as a safe-haven asset.
Market sentiment in the first quarter of 2024 shows that despite some volatility, gold has continued its upward trajectory from the previous year, briefly surpassing $2,400 per ounce in April. Central bank purchases, particularly from China, and strong physical gold demand from Asian markets have supported this rise. However, outflows from Western gold ETFs have somewhat countered these gains.

https://preview.redd.it/cbu4lb5d81zc1.png?width=691&format=png&auto=webp&s=508042eac35a7e5856ffcaae1aa05884a25f8e00
Considerations for Potential Gold Investors
While gold is often lauded as a stable store of value, it’s essential to recognize that it can also be quite volatile and doesn’t generate regular income like dividends or interest from stocks or bonds. Instead, gold investors rely primarily on capital appreciation for returns. Over long periods, gold’s performance may not match that of more conventional assets like equities. For instance, historical data shows that over the last 40 years, the price of gold has increased less dramatically than the S&P 500, which has offered substantial returns through both capital gains and dividends.
The timing for investing in gold can be particularly challenging due to its sensitivity to a variety of economic and geopolitical factors. Unlike more predictable income-generating investments, gold may react quickly to market uncertainties or changes in economic indicators, making it difficult to predict the best times to buy or sell. Investors looking to enter the gold market must consider these dynamics and be prepared for potential fluctuations in price.

https://preview.redd.it/ls1e2xxd81zc1.png?width=691&format=png&auto=webp&s=293aba0ad0f1cf9f1819a8896aae1eb8950b8c97
Why Should you Consider Investing in Gold Exploration Companies?
Investing in junior exploration companies like Golden Rapture Mining (CSE: GLDR) can be an attractive option for those looking to tap into potentially high-reward opportunities in the gold mining sector. Junior miners are typically smaller companies focused on the exploration and development of new mining sites, rather than the extraction and processing of minerals from established mines. Here’s why considering an investment in companies like Golden Rapture could be beneficial:

High Potential Rewards: Junior mining companies often operate in the early stages of exploring and developing new mining sites. For a company like Golden Rapture, which is engaged in exploring historically rich mining areas with confirmed occurrences of gold, there is a potential for significant discoveries that can substantially increase the company’s value.
Untapped Opportunities: With 18 mine shafts and an adit at their properties, as reported on their website, Golden Rapture has access to areas that might still contain significant untapped mineral resources. The historical and recent evidence of gold at these sites provides a solid base for further exploration and the possibility of developing profitable mining operations.
Strategic Locations: The company’s operations in established Tier 1 mining jurisdictions like Northwestern Ontario, Canada, are advantageous. These regions are known for their supportive mining policies, well-established infrastructure, and historical mining success, which can facilitate easier exploration and development processes compared to more remote or geopolitically unstable regions.
Market Growth Potential: As these companies make significant discoveries or progress in developing their mining assets, their market value can grow rapidly. For an investor, entering at an early stage can lead to substantial gains as the company advances in its projects and increases in valuation.

submitted by Professional_Disk131 to marketpredictors [link] [comments]

2024.05.07 18:34 -jbrs Bridging the Gap [OC]

Hey all -
I've made this post to try to reach people on the other side. I would publish on my substack, but my audience is not at all aligned unfortunately; I think it'd be best to distribute among Kennedy supporters for them to then send to people in their orbit.
I've sent to AV24 but I don't think they've seen - if anyone has a contact at the campaign or AV24, please feel free to forward to them.
Thanks,
jbrs

Bridging the Gap

The challenge in the fight on vaccines isn't the facts. It's getting people to listen.
https://preview.redd.it/wcl4621071zc1.png?width=596&format=png&auto=webp&s=f5c504be1c185e9c821e6c54967ae633729711a7

Roadblocks

One of the biggest challenges in Robert Kennedy Jr’s candidacy is overcoming the ‘anti-vaccine’ label. It’s weaker than it was years ago - Covid changed everything - but it’s still a barrier for a lot of people. And it’s not that they listen to his views and find them unreasonable. It’s just the way he’s been attached to the label, a conversation-ending smear so effective that people will reject him instantly and outright before he’s even had a chance to speak.
Many of the vaccine skeptical know exactly what it’s like - they were once on that side too. It’s as Guy describes above: almost all of us started off believing the institutional story, until something forced us to question it. Once people actually listen to what the other side has to say, opinions tend to change pretty quickly.
But there are a few major roadblocks preventing most people from ever beginning down that path, and I want to talk about them because they're how an official narrative as weak as the one on vaccines has been able to stand as long as it has.
One roadblock is the extreme (and engineered) stigma around the issue - the hate and derision you'll receive for questioning the consensus out loud; the social and even professional consequences you'll face. It's powerful enough for most to recoil at the faintest hint of deviation from the institutional line. It's almost a disgust reflex, and often comes with anger.
Another is the stake we naturally develop as participants. We don’t want to believe we’ve harmed ourselves and those we’re responsible for, and so there's a tendency to be too quick to accept the word of authorities who reassure us that we haven't.
Both of those have shifted significantly in recent years - the counterexamples have become too salient, too undeniable.
But there's still one impediment that is only in the early process of moving, and which continues to bar the way for many, holding the other roadblocks in place as well. It's that people simply can't imagine how our system - the system that they rely on in so many ways - could allow something like what is being claimed to take place.
People often need to understand the full scope of how something could happen before they can begin to process evidence that it is. And the implications of what the other side claims are just prima facie impossible to them, so they can't even begin to consider the evidence presented.
The system in theory works: experts in the field will call out bad science and behavior. Institutions aren't perfect but the incentives and mechanisms are in place for errors to be called out and needed improvements to be made. If the harms are real, why wouldn't the experts speak out? What motivation could they possibly have to do something like this and cover it up? And how could they possibly pull it off with so many who surely don't share the motive watching?
https://preview.redd.it/8kwgsyyl41zc1.png?width=679&format=png&auto=webp&s=0f05ad3d43724dffc5cc8419d44d2cd90da4c1fe
The intuitive conviction is that something like significant vaccine injury simply couldn't go undetected and unaddressed. The system would never allow it. And unfortunately what it usually takes is a personal experience with the failures of the system to start seeing that the way the system works in theory is not the way it works in practice - often an injury to oneself or a loved one.
(I'm very sympathetic to those who still take the default position for this reason - I wouldn't know either if I hadn't had my own set of experiences exposing me to the holes in the institutional story.)
If such an experience happens to you, you'll be gaslit about it if you bring it to anyone's attention, just a coincidence, and some continue to fall for it. But for many that intuitive conviction is broken. Their stance begins to open a little bit. In spite of all of the once-persuasive programming, it becomes undeniable that something is clearly wrong here. And at that point you can start to really take in the evidence.
You start to see some things that really shift your intuitions. Some were things you probably saw before, but you waved them off then - marginal issues, but the system still mostly works. The experts know what they’re doing; who were you to disagree? But now these discrepancies are forcing you ask questions, and they begin to pile up.
You see example after example of corruption and incompetence in public health and the pharma industry - the number of medications recalled, the fines for fraud and unethical business practices, the way the research process has been fundamentally corrupted, the bad incentives and conflicts of interest present all throughout the industry and its regulatory bodies, the way the institution protects itself at the expense of the public it serves.
https://preview.redd.it/gz9ciljo41zc1.png?width=544&format=png&auto=webp&s=5621a1d67e2b3a7e3dd1498add8e0a97dd0c84cb
You see massive failures in other once highly-respected institutions and organizations - sometimes amounting to plain evil. You start to wonder if medicine and public health are so different, if they are so immune to the problems that plague every other institution.
You see the way whistleblowers and dissidents lose their livelihoods and reputations through targeted character assassination campaigns, and wonder if there aren't many more who are reluctant to speak out in face of such heavy consequences.
Then maybe you start actually looking into what the anti-vaccine loonies have been saying.

Narrative and Reality

It happened for me. I went to a chiropractor's office once many years ago and remember shaking my head in disbelief seeing the Vaccines Revealed series on display on the check out desk. It was a feeling of second-hand embarrassment and sharp judgment - don't you know all of that's been debunked? I didn't actually even know the claims made in the series or anything else about it - I just knew that everyone knows it's BS.
But eventually, I'm not sure exactly what prompted it, I watched some of the interviews. Maybe it was like this - I'd been confidently wrong before.
So I listened... and what I heard actually made sense. It wasn't what I was expecting, the tired and easily dispatched arguments I was sure would be presented. These were intelligent and knowledgeable people, often experienced doctors and nurses, once fully behind the program, but sacrificing their careers and the esteem of their peers to speak out about what they had come to see as a terrible injustice.
(Robert Kennedy Jr was one of those interviewed, and I remember I had a skepticism of him when I first saw him even though I didn't know anything about him; this strange closed stance I found myself taking even though I couldn't place or understand why exactly I took it. I must have absorbed it through all the negative coverage he received... He's become one of my greatest heroes in the time since.)
What I found is that these people on the other side generally seemed more knowledgeable, often a lot more, in the rare instances where engagement between the two sides was allowed. [1][2][3]
And I looked deeper and deeper. I wasn't sure about my ability to parse every claim, but when I'd read the rebuttals from the leading vaccine-proponents like Paul Offit or Peter Hotez, they just wouldn't even be in touch with what the opposition was saying. Often there would be major gaps in logic and other errors, but they were dismissive and certain enough in the presentation that nobody would have the confidence to call them out on it.
They seemed to be relying on the perception of authority and the stigma they'd created to intimidate observers out of actually thinking through the relevant issues.
They were hiding something - that much was clear to me.
And there's this idea of 'The Noble Lie' that the anti-vax side will often talk about. The gist is that the pro-vax side knows that there are merits to what the opposition is saying, but believe that they can't allow the public to know. Vaccines are too good, too important to allow debate to happen on the topic.
There's a section from the June 1984 Federal Register that seems to confirm this:

However, although the continued availability of the vaccine may not be in immediate jeopardy, any possible doubts, whether or not well founded*, about the safety of the vaccine cannot be allowed to exist in view of the need to assure that the vaccine will continue to be used to the maximum extent consistent with the nation’s public health objectives.*

And there’s more recent confirmation too -
https://reddit.com/link/1cmg7nz/video/es72g2ay41zc1/player
But here's the problem: they don't actually know the risk-benefit profile. They've never done the needed studies - long term data, true placebo controls, cumulative impact - though they'll lie to you about it.
They seem to just believe that given that there's so great a benefit, and the risk of injury seems so marginal, how could they ever let the program get called into question? How could they potentially let the progress against terrible, vaccine-preventable diseases be reversed?
Their own statements indicate it. This was what they said after they realized that infants were being exposed to levels of mercury far exceeding the federal guidelines:

The recognition that some children could be exposed to a cumulative level of mercury over the first six months of life that exceeds one of the federal guidelines on methyl mercury now requires a weighing of two different types of risks when vaccinating infants. On the one hand, there is the known serious risk of diseases and deaths caused by failure to immunize our infants against vaccine-preventable infectious diseases; on the other, there is the unknown and probably much smaller risk, if any, of neuro-developmental effects posed by exposure to thimerosal. The large risks of not vaccinating children far outweigh the unknown and probably much smaller risk, if any, of cumulative exposure to thimerosal-containing vaccines over the first six months of life.
Joint Statement of The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Public Health Service (FDA & CDC), July 7, 1999

Wanting to maintain public confidence in the program is the most charitable explanation for their deception, and I think it is the main force, though I think there are less charitable explanations that factor in too.
But even good intentions are no guarantee of a positive outcome. And people should expect problems to metastasize in precisely the areas where institutions have insulated themselves from scrutiny.
We’ve seen what happens when our leaders stifle dissent in service of the ‘greater good’:
https://preview.redd.it/sphry75551zc1.png?width=1456&format=png&auto=webp&s=6786f358f2b136c392aab4c4edf4376afb4767fa
But before going into the risks of vaccines, understand that even the purported benefits should be called into question.
There's the widely quoted Guyer study -

The major declines in child mortality that occurred in the first third of the 20th century have been attributable to a combination of improved socioeconomic conditions in this country and the public health strategies to protect the health of Americans. [...] Vaccination, while first used in the 18th century, became more widely implemented in the middle part of the century. Vaccines against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis became available during the late 1920s but only widely used in routine pediatric practice after World War II. Thus vaccination does not account for the impressive declines in mortality seen in the first half of the century.

The book Dissolving Illusions also goes into this history and how the gains that have been attributed to vaccines have to be scrutinized, and that many of them owe to improvements in sanitation and nutrition.
I won't try to make the full case here, but the thing to understand is that there is systematic pressure to inflate perception of vaccine effectiveness at every turn going back decades and decades, and every single assumption and measurement has to be questioned because you can be damn sure it is not happening within the institutions.
From a study from 2005, before these processes of capture and suppression had achieved complete control and keen observers could still point out what was happening:
https://preview.redd.it/qs5fchm851zc1.png?width=679&format=png&auto=webp&s=ca97d5b548b8269b1a9341809676fc7973aca3ad
And there's more, but that's all you need for a 'how'. Science is a human enterprise, subject to all of the human biases and failings that lead to massive errors in other domains. Groupthink, greed, self-protection, incompetence - public health and medicine are not somehow immune to them. If this was ever in doubt, it became clear to many during the COVID response.
Now as for the risks.
The number of mothers who know that their child was injured by vaccines - perfectly fine before, and then suddenly symptomatic, falling behind on milestones just after a 'wellness' visit - should tell you something.
The billions that have been paid out through the extremely arduous vaccine injury compensation program, which only a small fraction of vaccine injury parents can see through to completion, should tell you something.
The dramatic increases in autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders we've seen over the last few decades, coincident with a dramatic increase in the vaccine schedule), should tell you something.
It's not increased rates of diagnosis, as much as they want you to believe it:
https://preview.redd.it/8f3xfd2e51zc1.png?width=680&format=png&auto=webp&s=661d21d4338650ab7bc16667dab9233e540b71c4
I've always liked this quote -

The thing I have noticed is when the anecdotes and the data disagree, the anecdotes are usually right. There's something wrong with the way you are measuring it.
Jeff Bezos

And it's not exactly crazy to think that injecting, e.g., aluminum and mercury into babies could have some negative health consequences. Given the plausibility of the mechanism, the anecdotes should carry even more weight.
But shouldn't any claims from anecdotes bear out in the data? [4] Yeah, the system should work in theory. But the reality is a different story -
The whistleblower was senior CDC scientist Dr. William Thompson
Slate received so much pushback for publishing this article that they had to publish a letter from the editor defending the decision - I subscribed based on their courage
https://reddit.com/link/1cmg7nz/video/x4ljagtq51zc1/player

Getting to the Truth

I won’t try to make a full case here - there is just too much.
But I’m not hoping to convince you that vaccines are unsafe or ineffective. I just want to give enough for anyone willing to listen to realize there's something going on here; that these agencies need an absolute overhaul, and that there needs to be a full investigation into what's taken place here with accountability for everyone involved.
Experts and institutions aren’t infallible; they need to be pushed back on and scrutinized.
When they are, long held consensus can often change:
This happened only after an arduous fight with the FDA
[1] - RFK Jr discussing vaccine safety with a family physician in his NewsNation town hall (2023)
[2] - JB Handley on The Doctors (2009)
[3] - Jim Carrey and Jenny McCarthy on Larry King (2009)
[4] - In the rare event a genuine comparison is made, some studies have found rather concerning results - but the findings are ignored and the researchers ridiculed for giving fodder to anti-vaxxers

submitted by -jbrs to RFKJrForPresident [link] [comments]

2024.05.07 18:34 Professional_Disk131 Gold Prices in 2024: A Robust Upward Trend

Gold prices in 2024 have surged to unprecedented levels, with futures rising by 14.49% since the year’s onset, hitting a historical high of $2,346.33 per ounce in mid-April. Institutional investors, spurred by high inflation and elevated interest rates, have fueled gold investment, while geopolitical tensions and a weakening dollar have further boosted prices. Central banks, notably from BRICS Plus countries, have shifted towards gold purchases, amplifying the trend. Exploring investments in junior exploration companies, like Golden Rapture Mining, presents opportunities for high rewards, especially in promising mining jurisdictions like Northwestern Ontario, Canada. Gold has reached unprecedented prices in 2024, with futures increasing by 14.49% since the beginning of the year. As of mid-April, the price per ounce has escalated to a historical high of $2,346.33. This follows a significant peak earlier in March when it breached the $2,160 mark. The trend suggests a robust trajectory in gold prices, influenced by several economic and geopolitical factors. The Catalysts for Gold’s Price Surge Institutional investors have significantly contributed to the increase in gold investment, reaching an 11-year peak in 2023. This shift is attributed to ongoing high inflation and elevated interest rates, which have made gold an attractive investment option. Alex Ebkarian from Allegiance Gold highlights that the amalgamation of rising inflation, a weakening dollar, and geopolitical tensions are key drivers of gold’s price increases. Additionally, central banks, especially from BRICS Plus countries, have accelerated their gold purchases, shifting focus from U.S. treasuries to gold. Is Now a Good Time to Invest in Gold? The gold market has experienced significant activity in 2024, with prices reaching record highs and showing strong upward trends. Analysts and market experts attribute these trends to a variety of economic and geopolitical factors, as well as expectations of changes in U.S. monetary policy. As of early 2024, gold prices have been influenced by the anticipation of rate cuts by the Federal Reserve, which are expected to begin in the latter half of the year. This anticipation, along with economic uncertainties and the ongoing effects of geopolitical tensions, has helped drive gold prices to new highs. J.P. Morgan predicts that gold could peak at around $2,300 per ounce in 2025, following a series of forecasted rate cuts starting in mid-2024. Moreover, the World Gold Council has discussed how gold reacts in different economic scenarios. It suggests that while a soft-landing scenario might benefit bonds and risky assets, it could lead to flat or only slightly positive returns for gold. Conversely, in a recessionary environment, gold typically performs well, benefiting from its status as a safe-haven asset. Market sentiment in the first quarter of 2024 shows that despite some volatility, gold has continued its upward trajectory from the previous year, briefly surpassing $2,400 per ounce in April. Central bank purchases, particularly from China, and strong physical gold demand from Asian markets have supported this rise. However, outflows from Western gold ETFs have somewhat countered these gains. Considerations for Potential Gold Investors While gold is often lauded as a stable store of value, it’s essential to recognize that it can also be quite volatile and doesn’t generate regular income like dividends or interest from stocks or bonds. Instead, gold investors rely primarily on capital appreciation for returns. Over long periods, gold’s performance may not match that of more conventional assets like equities. For instance, historical data shows that over the last 40 years, the price of gold has increased less dramatically than the S&P 500, which has offered substantial returns through both capital gains and dividends. The timing for investing in gold can be particularly challenging due to its sensitivity to a variety of economic and geopolitical factors. Unlike more predictable income-generating investments, gold may react quickly to market uncertainties or changes in economic indicators, making it difficult to predict the best times to buy or sell. Investors looking to enter the gold market must consider these dynamics and be prepared for potential fluctuations in price. Why Should you Consider Investing in Gold Exploration Companies? Investing in junior exploration companies like Golden Rapture Mining (CSE: GLDR) can be an attractive option for those looking to tap into potentially high-reward opportunities in the gold mining sector. Junior miners are typically smaller companies focused on the exploration and development of new mining sites, rather than the extraction and processing of minerals from established mines. Here’s why considering an investment in companies like Golden Rapture could be beneficial: High Potential Rewards: Junior mining companies often operate in the early stages of exploring and developing new mining sites. For a company like Golden Rapture, which is engaged in exploring historically rich mining areas with confirmed occurrences of gold, there is a potential for significant discoveries that can substantially increase the company’s value. Untapped Opportunities: With 18 mine shafts and an adit at their properties, as reported on their website, Golden Rapture has access to areas that might still contain significant untapped mineral resources. The historical and recent evidence of gold at these sites provides a solid base for further exploration and the possibility of developing profitable mining operations. Strategic Locations: The company’s operations in established Tier 1 mining jurisdictions like Northwestern Ontario, Canada, are advantageous. These regions are known for their supportive mining policies, well-established infrastructure, and historical mining success, which can facilitate easier exploration and development processes compared to more remote or geopolitically unstable regions. Market Growth Potential: As these companies make significant discoveries or progress in developing their mining assets, their market value can grow rapidly. For an investor, entering at an early stage can lead to substantial gains as the company advances in its projects and increases in valuation. Final Thoughts Gold remains a prudent option for hedging against inflation and providing a safety net during uncertain times. However, experts typically recommend limiting gold investments to no more than 10% of your portfolio. It’s advisable to consult with a financial advisor to see if gold aligns with your long-term financial goals, considering both its benefits and the inherent risks.

submitted by Professional_Disk131 to Penny_Stocks [link] [comments]

2024.05.07 18:32 Imbali98 New testimony about Diana Paxson has come forward (CW: CSA)

This is concerning the CSA surrounding Diana Paxson and her family. Huge trigger warning for that in the rest of this post.
Recently we've had some discussion on the sub concerning Diana Paxson, her family and child sexual abuse, and to a lesser extent the content of her works as an author. The TLDR about her books is that her books are not good sources to read - this post is not about that, so if you want some details about that you can check out this post.
This post is a copy/paste of text from a PDF statement from someone within The Troth. There are links and a few screenshots so I highly suggest you go read the PDF directly. The Troth seem to be trying to sweep this under the rug as they usually do in times of controversy, and I know many members here have been concerned about Paxson lately and choose to no longer support her, and more members who are currently unaware. Don't let this get swept under the rug. Let it be known what Diana Paxson is implicit with, and that The Troth seem to be trying to bury it. From here on out is the PDF text:
CW: discussion of child sexual abuse, victim blaming, and other upsetting topics
Concerns about Diana Paxson and Troth handling of concerns
I have been an active Troth member since approx 2017. I first met Diana Paxson in person in 2019, and she became my Troth clergy program mentor in June 2023. We began to have regular Zoom meetings with the two of us. In February 2024, I watched Netflix’s Last Chance U season 5, episode 4 "Greyhaven," where Diana Paxson is interviewed, and was disturbed to learn more about the history of child sexual abuse among some of her close friends/family over the years. In this episode, regarding convicted child molester Walter Breen and alleged child molesteabuser Marion Zimmer Bradley, Diana is quoted as saying, “If we only had perfect people writing, there would be nobody to write. What we should be doing is honoring what people manage to achieve despite their flaws.” She also says several other things in this episode that did not sit right with me, including her reported “theoretical” awareness of Breen's desire to molest children.
Upon researching more on my own, I learned about Breendoggle (https://breendoggle.fandom.com/wiki/Breendoggle_Wiki) and the reportedly widespread awareness within sci-fi communities of the time of Breen’s previous criminal conviction and ongoing, active child sexual abuse, including reportedly widely witnessed allegations of sexual abuse of children as young as 3. (Decades later, Breen died in prison after multiple felony convictions related to child sexual abuse.) I learned about recorded court testimony alleging Diana Paxson was asked by a victim’s mother if it was safe for a child to visit Walter Breen and that she allegedly said yes (http://marionzimmerbradley.com/index.html). I learned of allegations that ADF founder Isaac Bonewits was allegedly living with Diana Paxson when some of his alleged child abuses took place, though Diana denies this. I also learned that even though one of Bonewits’ (and Breen's and MZB's) victims, Moira, was reportedly quoted on Diana Paxson’s website in 2014 (https://wildhunt.org/2018/01/accusations-of-abuse-surface-against-adf-founder-isaac-bonewits.html) to reassure the public that Diana reportedly did not know about the alleged abuses, and that this alleged quote remains on Diana's website at the time of this writing (https://diana-paxson.com/writing/avalon/marion-zimmer-bradley/), I learned that contrary to this, in 2015, Moira actually implied/alleged that Diana was an abuse enableapologist, alleged that she (Moira) and others made more recent police reports regarding child sexual abuse allegations about Diana's husband Don Studebaker AKA Jon DeCles (https://askthebigot.com/2015/07/23/the-story-of-moira-greyland-guest-post/), and alleged that his family had “closed ranks” to protect him. In 2022, Moira repeated this allegation more directly and in more detail, including alleging that Diana was “covering for” him (see attached screenshots). I also found multiple other online allegations of past and current alleged abuse-enabling or apologism linked to Diana, reportedly across decades, from a variety of people claiming familiarity with Berkeley pagan communities.
Disturbed, I decided to talk to Diana one-on-one over Zoom and ask her about the topic directly. On Tuesday, February 13, 2024, over a private Zoom call, I expressed respectful concern, expressed that I was disturbed by her words and some of what I had been reading, and engaged Diana in a conversation on some of these issues to get her perspective. Diana alleged that she does not commit crimes. That said, over our approximately two hour conversation, she repeatedly expressed several beliefs that I found and continue to find disturbing, especially coming from someone who is a well-known figure in the Heathen community, a clergy member, and a leader. During our conversation I made several efforts to give her the benefit of the doubt, respectfully debunk opinions I found harmful, keep an open mind, and offer her opportunities to clarify. Despite this, her words in the conversation left me with even greater concern than before, not less. During and immediately after the call, I took notes on her statements to me to aid in my recollection, and after processing my horror and disappointment, on February 26, 2024, I filed a formal complaint to the Troth, detailing my online research and my direct experiences. My impressions of our conversation were what I perceived to be overall themes of ongoing belittling, disbelief of, and disdain for multiple child sexual abuse victims/survivors including legally-proven victims, recurrent victim blaming statements, lack of understandingvabout the harms of grooming, lack of understanding about children's inability to consent, conflation of sexual violence against children with orientation/queer identity, recurrent use of language like “boylove” and other harmless-sounding terms to refer to what is actually violence, repeated dismissal of the need to proactively protect children in questionable situations with known pedophiles, and several more alarming themes, all in response to me expressing real concern about real people who have experienced real harm committed by Breen and allegedly committed by several other people connected to Diana.
Though tone is subjective, I was also personally shocked at what I perceived as a casual, bemused, and at-times cruel demeanor when discussing actual proven victims, and what I perceived as a lack of expressed remorse, concern, anxiety, regret, sadness, or any other empathy-driven emotion regarding people suffering significant harm from sexual abuse.
My current understanding as of May 7, 2024 is that the Troth has concluded their investigation and has quietly asked Diana to train replacement(s) then step down as coordinator of the clergy program and editor-in-chief of the Idunna magazine, but that Diana will still be allowed to retain clergy credentials as an ordained Troth clergyperson, her status as official Elder in the organization, and membership in the organization overall. I feel this is a disservice to all members of the Troth, and particularly to families with children and any members who have experienced sexual violence. I myself cannot knowingly remain in an organization that continues to knowingly honor and welcome an Elder, clergyperson, and member with these expressed viewpoints and these ongoing allegations, and I feel it is my duty as a community member to inform others of my concerns.
Troth Bylaws state several relevant policies:
• “The ethical conduct of all persons who represent The Troth is of vital importance to this organization, because it is through our members and officers that our reputation as an organization is formed, as is our organizational Wyrd.”
• “sexual misconduct is prohibited by this Organization and will never be condoned or tolerated.”
• “Officers and clergy within The Troth may be subject to more scrutiny and greater accountability than the general membership.”
I am in no way accusing Diana of any crimes, because I do not personally have legal evidence of that. I also do not know what her inner experience is like. However, someone can be deemed an inappropriate organizational leader and be unwelcome as a community member due to their expressed beliefs, words, and harm to community trust, even without being convicted of any crimes. Troth members deserve to know what their respected elder is saying–and in the case of Last Chance U, what she’s saying in public. I’m saddened if this statement means the end of my years as a Troth community member–and it will be if the Troth does not take additional action–but some things are more important. Much love and gratitude to the many good, decent people I’ve met over the years in this space. Please spread the word if you can. Remember: All children deserve to learn, grow, and be nurtured free from exploitation. Child sexual abuse is never okay. Victims/survivors, no matter how imperfect, are never to blame for being abused. Break the cycle and speak out, like Havamal 127. May the truth prevail, whatever that may be, and may those who have been harmed find healing and relief.
With love, and as an act of love,
Bat

submitted by Imbali98 to heathenry [link] [comments]

2024.05.07 18:32 Professional_Disk131 Gold Prices in 2024: A Robust Upward Trend

Gold prices in 2024 have surged to unprecedented levels, with futures rising by 14.49% since the year’s onset, hitting a historical high of $2,346.33 per ounce in mid-April. Institutional investors, spurred by high inflation and elevated interest rates, have fueled gold investment, while geopolitical tensions and a weakening dollar have further boosted prices. Central banks, notably from BRICS Plus countries, have shifted towards gold purchases, amplifying the trend. Exploring investments in junior exploration companies, like Golden Rapture Mining, presents opportunities for high rewards, especially in promising mining jurisdictions like Northwestern Ontario, Canada. Gold has reached unprecedented prices in 2024, with futures increasing by 14.49% since the beginning of the year. As of mid-April, the price per ounce has escalated to a historical high of $2,346.33. This follows a significant peak earlier in March when it breached the $2,160 mark. The trend suggests a robust trajectory in gold prices, influenced by several economic and geopolitical factors.
The Catalysts for Gold’s Price Surge Institutional investors have significantly contributed to the increase in gold investment, reaching an 11-year peak in 2023. This shift is attributed to ongoing high inflation and elevated interest rates, which have made gold an attractive investment option. Alex Ebkarian from Allegiance Gold highlights that the amalgamation of rising inflation, a weakening dollar, and geopolitical tensions are key drivers of gold’s price increases. Additionally, central banks, especially from BRICS Plus countries, have accelerated their gold purchases, shifting focus from U.S. treasuries to gold. Is Now a Good Time to Invest in Gold? The gold market has experienced significant activity in 2024, with prices reaching record highs and showing strong upward trends. Analysts and market experts attribute these trends to a variety of economic and geopolitical factors, as well as expectations of changes in U.S. monetary policy. As of early 2024, gold prices have been influenced by the anticipation of rate cuts by the Federal Reserve, which are expected to begin in the latter half of the year. This anticipation, along with economic uncertainties and the ongoing effects of geopolitical tensions, has helped drive gold prices to new highs. J.P. Morgan predicts that gold could peak at around $2,300 per ounce in 2025, following a series of forecasted rate cuts starting in mid-2024. Moreover, the World Gold Council has discussed how gold reacts in different economic scenarios. It suggests that while a soft-landing scenario might benefit bonds and risky assets, it could lead to flat or only slightly positive returns for gold. Conversely, in a recessionary environment, gold typically performs well, benefiting from its status as a safe-haven asset. Market sentiment in the first quarter of 2024 shows that despite some volatility, gold has continued its upward trajectory from the previous year, briefly surpassing $2,400 per ounce in April. Central bank purchases, particularly from China, and strong physical gold demand from Asian markets have supported this rise. However, outflows from Western gold ETFs have somewhat countered these gains.
Considerations for Potential Gold Investors While gold is often lauded as a stable store of value, it’s essential to recognize that it can also be quite volatile and doesn’t generate regular income like dividends or interest from stocks or bonds. Instead, gold investors rely primarily on capital appreciation for returns. Over long periods, gold’s performance may not match that of more conventional assets like equities. For instance, historical data shows that over the last 40 years, the price of gold has increased less dramatically than the S&P 500, which has offered substantial returns through both capital gains and dividends. The timing for investing in gold can be particularly challenging due to its sensitivity to a variety of economic and geopolitical factors. Unlike more predictable income-generating investments, gold may react quickly to market uncertainties or changes in economic indicators, making it difficult to predict the best times to buy or sell. Investors looking to enter the gold market must consider these dynamics and be prepared for potential fluctuations in price.
Why Should you Consider Investing in Gold Exploration Companies? Investing in junior exploration companies like Golden Rapture Mining (CSE: GLDR) can be an attractive option for those looking to tap into potentially high-reward opportunities in the gold mining sector. Junior miners are typically smaller companies focused on the exploration and development of new mining sites, rather than the extraction and processing of minerals from established mines. Here’s why considering an investment in companies like Golden Rapture could be beneficial: High Potential Rewards: Junior mining companies often operate in the early stages of exploring and developing new mining sites. For a company like Golden Rapture, which is engaged in exploring historically rich mining areas with confirmed occurrences of gold, there is a potential for significant discoveries that can substantially increase the company’s value. Untapped Opportunities: With 18 mine shafts and an adit at their properties, as reported on their website, Golden Rapture has access to areas that might still contain significant untapped mineral resources. The historical and recent evidence of gold at these sites provides a solid base for further exploration and the possibility of developing profitable mining operations. Strategic Locations: The company’s operations in established Tier 1 mining jurisdictions like Northwestern Ontario, Canada, are advantageous. These regions are known for their supportive mining policies, well-established infrastructure, and historical mining success, which can facilitate easier exploration and development processes compared to more remote or geopolitically unstable regions. Market Growth Potential: As these companies make significant discoveries or progress in developing their mining assets, their market value can grow rapidly. For an investor, entering at an early stage can lead to substantial gains as the company advances in its projects and increases in valuation. Final Thoughts Gold remains a prudent option for hedging against inflation and providing a safety net during uncertain times. However, experts typically recommend limiting gold investments to no more than 10% of your portfolio. It’s advisable to consult with a financial advisor to see if gold aligns with your long-term financial goals, considering both its benefits and the inherent risks.

submitted by Professional_Disk131 to Pennystock [link] [comments]

2024.05.07 18:31 Maleficus32 I am nearing the release of my first RimWorld mod, and I am looking for feedback. (There will be some minor Anomaly spoilers within this post!)

Hello, fellow war criminals! As the title implies, I am developing my first RimWorld mod, and I think I am about done with it. I'm looking for feedback on its concepts and mechanics, so I can be sure it's ready to go. I don't have an ETA for release; that depends on what kind of feedback I get, and if I get any new ideas or find bugs that need fixing in my playtesting. Anyway, that is enough rambling, here are some details about the mod:
When Anomaly released, I was quite excited when I found the function Twisted Obelisk. Having fleshmass mutations as an alternative to bionics interested me. However, I was a bit disappointed by the lack of variety in the types of mutations the Twisted Obelisk could give. There are 4 in base-game Anomaly: flesh tentacle, flesh whip, fleshmass stomach, and fleshmass lung. So, I took it upon myself to add new mutations into the game via a new, researchable serum.
When you find the Twisted Obelisk, a new Anomaly research project will unlock: the Mutator Serum.
https://preview.redd.it/xzu0e0x7v0zc1.png?width=426&format=png&auto=webp&s=4d5b9cc47262bab7ea579d3605fc9ac91ca0b7c8
As you can see in the screenshot, it requires serum synthesis as a prerequisite. There are also different tiers of serums. The serums can be crafted at the Serum Lab.
https://preview.redd.it/6ca3e54uv0zc1.png?width=872&format=png&auto=webp&s=04f86d7ce25d7e749c4d8bea90727936aa01f997
Each serum, regardless of tier, costs 30 twisted meat and 20 bioferrite to create. This recipe is cheap because using these serums is not as straightforward as right clicking and injecting them. They are surgically installed, and I have some flavor text in each description to explain why this is the case. (I explain how this works mechanically at the end of the post.)
https://preview.redd.it/s526pvi7w0zc1.png?width=444&format=png&auto=webp&s=4b5ef9612046d7a0f1fa42aa241c09eb97f845fd
The basic serum is free to use, as it can only produce what the Twisted Obelisk is already capable of. The advantage to mutating the limbs in this manner are twofold: you can choose what limb/organ you want, and you don't have to wait for a cooldown from the Twisted Obelisk between uses. As the description implies, there will be an added cost to the other two tiers.
The advanced tier requires the use of a Shard during the operation. As a result, the mutations gained from this tier are more powerful overall because each one costs a Shard to create. If that price seems steep, reserve judgement until I explain what each mutation does.
Here is a list of the advanced tier mutations as well as their descriptions from the mod and their mechanical effects:

Psychic Eye:

A cancerous mass of semi-sentient flesh which vaguely resembles an eye. The tissue constantly regrows and replaces itself. The eye is much less effective than a normal humanlike eye; however, it allows the recipient to better perceive how psychic forces affect the world around them, thus increasing their psychic sensitivity. The organ has its own neural structures and may become dangerous if removed.

Effects: pawn beauty -1, psychic sensitivity +25%, part effectiveness 50%. Yes, this can be used to make a psychically deaf pawn have a little bit of psychic sensitivity. In my current colony, my mechanitor is a typically psychially deaf xenotype who can be a mechanitor because of this eye.

Fleshmass Leg:

A leg composed of twisted muscle and flesh, resembling a partial transformation into a fleshbeast. This leg allows for quicker movement speed. The fleshmass leg has its own neural structures and may become dangerous if removed.

Effects: pawn beauty -0.5, part effectiveness 130%

Spinelauncher Tentacle:

A fleshy, muscled tentacle with a keratin spine at the end. The spine can be fired as a projectile and will regrow shortly after. The spinelauncher has its own neural structures and may become dangerous if removed.

Effects: pawn beauty -1, part effectiveness 110%, adds the ability to launch a keratin spine. Same ability Gorehulks have. Similar to the Fleshbeast spike launch attack, too; I just used the actual Spinelaunch_Gorehulk ability from vanilla Anomaly for this. (I also injected an icon for the ability via the patch file, if the presence of an icon is a concern.)

Fleshmass Heart (not to be confused with the Fleshmass Heart entity. I just don't know what else to call this mutated organ!):

A cancerous mass of semi-sentient flesh that functions as a heart. Its erratic beating is somewhat painful, but it is shockingly more efficient. The organ has its own neural structures and may become dangerous if removed.

Effects: pain +8%, part effectiveness 130%

Acid Spewer:

A cancerous mass of semi-sentient flesh. The harsh acid it produces is very painful, but strong enough to cause serious damage on contact. The acid can be launched as a projectile. The organ has its own neural structures and may become dangerous if removed.

Effects: pain +12% (painstopper recommended!), food poisoning chance 0%, part efficiency 110%, adds the ability to spew an acid projectile. Just a copy of the Corrosive Spray ghoul ability but with some edits to the description.
Ocular Flesh:

Multiple eyes of varying quality have sprouted from the forearm. The extra eyes increase visual range whilst also causing a sense of vertigo due to the unnatural perspective. The affected flesh has developed its own neural structures and may become dangerous if removed.

Effects: sight +50%, -8 mood debuff from "ocular flesh vertigo" (disabled by Inhumanized hediff)

Fleshmass Maw:

Multiple rows of jagged teeth have sprouted from twisted flesh. A retractable stinger resides within the deformed tongue, ready to inject venom into an unsuspecting target's veins. The transformed mouth can be used as a weapon in combat, but the recipient has a much harder time talking due to the sharp and bulbous deformities that now compose the inside of their mouth. The fleshmass maw has developed its own neural structures and may become dangerous if extracted.

Effects: talking -75%, toxic bite (like the Venom Fang implant), 20 attack power, 2 second attack cooldown.

Fleshmass Epidermis:

This person's flesh has been entirely mutated into a grotesque, twisted mass of meat. Their appearance is warped nearly beyond recognition, but their newly thickened hide provides them with extra protection, especially against blunt force trauma. This process is irreversible.

Effects: moving 90%, sharp armor rating 45%, blunt armor rating 70%, pawn beauty -4, -6 mood debuff from "abomination" (disabled by the psychopath trait, the boddy modder trait, a transhumanist ideology, and/or Inhumanized hediff). A reminder that this is irreversable and thus a permanent mood debuff!

Fleshmass Ear (final of the advanced tier!):

A cancerous mass of semi-sentient flesh that functions as an ear. This ear has improved audio clarity, but those who have undergone this particular mutation report hearing a whisper-quiet, yet unrelenting chorus of ominous chanting. The chanting is perceivable in moments of quiet, but it is forever present underneath the drone of daily life. It is difficult to make out what these voices are saying, but the closer one comes to doing so, the more maddening these chants become. The organ has its own neural structures and may become dangerous if removed.

Effects: mental break threshold +6%, part efficiency 130%
That is all for the advanced tier. Let me know what you think of the balance, effects, and cost of a Shard for each, please!
The hybrid tier is the highest tier. This tier requires the use of a new item during surgery: a hybrid mutation surgery kit, which is crafted at the Bioferrite Shaper.
https://preview.redd.it/wwldie7j11zc1.png?width=872&format=png&auto=webp&s=1a3ffcdf8e1e9783f3a331c125295b3bba7e8d27
This item requires 20 bioferrite, 20 steel, 4 advanced components, and a Shard to create. Both the serum and this kit also require bionics to have been researched in order to craft. The reason being that these mutations are "hybrid" because they are a combination of fleshmass mutation and bionics. The kit is used during the hybrid operations instead of a plain Shard because it contains the Shard as well as the components to install the necessary machinery. Here's the description of the hybrid serum to give an idea of how it works:
https://preview.redd.it/b7v3e1i621zc1.png?width=440&format=png&auto=webp&s=972b39c8b8a040b640b824def92ce59b5f0e552d
Anyway, here's a list of the operations that you can do with this tier:

Hybrid Arm:

A construction of squirming flesh and twisted metal. This arm is a grotesque union of bionics and fleshmass mutation. Within its half-metal fingers reside retractable keratin claws, which have been reinforced by dark archites. This arm provides both efficiency and utility in melee combat. The hybrid arm has its own neural structures and may become dangerous if removed.

Effects: pawn beauty -0.5, part efficiency 120%, Power Claw-style attack. 22 damage (same as Power Claw), 1.2 second attack cooldown (slightly faster than Power Claw)

Hybrid Eye

A construction of mutated flesh and unfeeling steel, this eye is a grotesque union of bionics and fleshmass mutation. The sclera of this eye is composed of twisted, red meat, whereas the iris resembles the aperture of a camera. This eye provides improved visual clarity, despite its rough appearance. The hybrid eye has its own neural structures and may become dangerous if removed.

Effects: pawn beauty -0.5, part efficiency 140%

Deadlife Incubator (one of my personal favorites):

A construction of mutated flesh and unfeeling steel, this lung is a grotesque union of bionics and fleshmass mutation. Within this organ is a small incubation chamber for microscopic, self-powered archites. These archites can be exhaled once per day to raise nearby corpses into shamblers that will only attack enemies. The incubation chamber takes up space within the lung, so this organ comes with a slight decrease of breathing efficiency. The deadlife incubator has its own neural structures and may become dangerous if removed.

This needs the Deadlife Dust research to be finished in order to be created!
Effects: toxic environment resistance +30%, part efficiency 70%, grants the power to release a cloud of Deadlife Dust once per day, which will create friendly shamblers from nearby corpses. (Same ability some creepjoiners can get occasionally)

Hybrid Spine:

A construction of squirming flesh and twisted metal. This spine is a grotesque union of bionics and fleshmass mutation. The spine's partially-metal, partially-bone construction is segmented into functional vertebrae, through which organic nerves run. The hybrid spine has its own neural structures and may become dangerous if removed.

Effects: part efficiency: 140%
Here's where things change a bit. Still in the hybrid tier, though:
The following bodyparts are upgrades of archotech implants. They require the corresponding archotech implant during the surgery (as well as the serum and surgery kit)! So to make the arm, you need to have an Archotech Arm, which will be used up in the surgery, for example.

Horaxian Arm:

An archotech arm whose construction has been exposed to the malignant power of the void for one purpose: achieving the impossible by improving upon perfection. Where the arm once had flesh that looked and felt natural, it now has squirming, glistening, crimson meat. The internal structure, however, has been changed in ways that go even further beyond human comprehension. This arm thrums in rhythm with the malice of the void, bringing its recipient one step closer to madness. It is impossible to understand the workings of this arm. If it is removed, it will be destroyed in the process.

Effects: pawn beauty -1, mental break threshold +10%, part efficiency 200%, punches deal the same damage as punches from a standard Archotech Arm.

Horaxian Leg:

An archotech leg whose construction has been exposed to the malignant power of the void for one purpose: achieving the impossible by improving upon perfection. Where the leg once had flesh that looked and felt natural, it now has squirming, glistening, crimson meat. The internal structure, however, has been changed in ways that go even further beyond human comprehension. This leg thrums in rhythm with the malice of the void, bringing its recipient one step closer to madness. It is impossible to understand the workings of this leg. If it is removed, it will be destroyed in the process.

Effects: pawn beauty -1, mental break threshold +10%, part efficiency 200%

Horaxian Eye:

An archotech eye whose construction has been exposed to the malignant power of the void for one purpose: achieving the impossible by improving upon perfection. Where the eye once looked and felt natural, it now has squirming, glistening, crimson meat. The internal structure, however, has been changed in ways that go even further beyond human comprehension. This eye thrums in rhythm with the malice of the void, bringing its recipient one step closer to madness. It is impossible to understand the workings of this eye. If it is removed, it will be destroyed in the process.

Effects: pawn beauty -1, mental break threshold +12%, psychic sensitivity +25%, part efficiency 200%
The Horaxian limbs have a built-in limiter, so you cannot easily just deck out a pawn with all Horaxian bodyparts. Each raises the mental break threshold. If you intend to install each Horaxian bodypart on a colonist, be ready for them to be constantly having mental breaks! Think carefully before installing a Horaxian bodypart.
That's the list of all the new bodyparts the mod adds. If you're wondering how each part is installed once you have a serum, a new bill for each bodypart will appear for each part you have the ingredients for.
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This way, your crafting menus are not too bloated, as you only need a few certain items to be able to utilize the new bodyparts.
Anyway, that is every detail about my first RimWorld mod. I look forward to hearing your feedback!

submitted by Maleficus32 to RimWorld [link] [comments]

2024.05.07 18:30 Key_Drive_3743 AITAH for being Avoidant??

I'm turning 18 in a few weeks and have never been in a relationship/this situation before so be nice.
okay so
Back in November of this year this guy adds me on both snap and Instagram at the same time — obviously not a coincidence. He's in my gym class so I add him back and we start a casual streak. Then, we get closer in class and he ends up joining my little gym “group.” Then basically I find out he likes me, I'm interested, we start talking. We only talked for about a month before I found out he wanted to ask me out. Then we went on a “date.” Keep in mind I was not told this was a date. During this little hang out, he asked me to prom, I say sure, blah blah blah. Details about this will come back to haunt us in the future.
So time skip a few weeks from this “date” red flags start to reveal themselves. I learned that over the summer he sent pictures of one of my friends to his scary group chat and asked them inappropriate questions about her which really threw me off.
I also started to noticed that he always questioned who I was talking to. Especially if they were other guys I'm associated with. He gave off a weird controlling vibe, which concerned me especially after being told he had some anger issues and did happen to punch his walls during an episode. No judgment — Just concerning.
THEN, I was at a gathering. I was standing by him and an associate yells at him “You dont deserve her” “Get away from her.” So now I'm wondering what he's done that has this girl yelling at him. So I’m like “wow this is actually getting kinda serious.” The girls are telling me to run.
So im leaving this gathering with a few friends. I started hyperventilating and got really stressed over this boy situation. So we all pile in the car and we debrief. I start discuccsing how I actually need to get out of this situation. My friend and I start comparing our experiences with said boy becauses before me he was pursuing her. So I learn that not even a month after my friend distanced herself from him, he went after another one of my friends, and then not even two weeks after learning she wasn't interested, he came after me. YIKES. But that's not it. Over the summer, he liked my other friend. Obviously it's okay to have multiple partners and crushes during your lifetime, but you cant tell me you've genuinely like four girls in the span of 4 months. I just calculated the months and didnt even realize it was only 4. OMG.
So back to this date I aforementioned. I find out that he took both this poor girl and I Ice Skating, held both of our hands ice skating, made both of us bracelets. Apparently he was also really intense with her as well. For ex (wanting to see her 24/7, wont give you space, borderline love bombing). He made my other friend a bracelet as well.
Overall, he made us all uncomfortable
Also, he is irresponsible and is easily peer pressured, which is a personal ick.(sorry)
So I make a group chat with everyone in the car that night and we discuss how I was going to friend-zone him. That Monday I sucked it up and friend-zoned him. I told him that he could uninvite me from prom if he wanted to take someone he was actually in a relationship with to prom, but he said he was fine taking me. Okay cool. Going as friends!! 🤗
He almost cried. I told my friends that he practically started crying and they literally die from laughter.
OH. New lore just dropped!! This boy went after ANOTHER one of my friends last year and made her uncomfortable as well.
Before I knew all this information, he was really easy to talk to. Now I'm uncomfortable around him, I cant be alone with him or even look at him in the eye. We still talk though. Everytime were in the same vicinity, he follows me around like a lost puppy. It's kind of annoying.
My analysis of his character: He jumps at any female who gives him attention. He doesnt actually like anyone. Its so obvious to everyone else expect for him.
Like i knew something was wrong when he texted me and my body physically reacted out of disgust. Like I literally gagged idek why. That was mean. I'm usually not mean I'm just trying to describe how my body feels.
I SET MY BOUNDARY MONTHS AGO. I told him that I just wanted to be friends. But now hes being very persistent. I went to a concert the other day and he wanted to watch a movie with me. It was a week where I was swamped with work. I told him I would let him know if I could and shut my phone off. I genuinely forgot to let him known the verdict of my productivity. Also I was doing a little diy custom shirt making for my concert until 2am that day. — My bad.
He asks me if we can talk and he goes on a long tangent about how he misses me, I'm pretty and smart, he wants to see me, he misses our dates (we're not dating??), and he wants to be more than friends. He knows I don’t like him. I’ve been told by our mutual friends that he is sad that I don’t like him. Anyway, his message was very sweet. I thanked him for it and the way he communicated his feelings openly to me. We're going to prom together and I didnt want to cut him off so I distanced myself which is why we haven't hung out(I did not say this out loud). We have face timed around 2-3 times tho. I don't want to hang out with him because it may cause his feeling for me to develop further. I don't want to lead him on. PLUS I clearly established boundaries that he disregards constantly. Ive began to act avoidant around him. I dont want to be avoidant but he won't leave me alone. AITAH for being avoidant?? Idk what to do 😭

submitted by Key_Drive_3743 to AITAH [link] [comments]

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