#Certainly an interesting evolutionary choice | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

theloniousbach · 8 days

Text

RETIREMENT CHRONICLES 2.0, but actually 3.0

I am calling this one RC 3.0 to acknowledge the version I wrote as RC 1.5 in January to reflect on Winter Break really should have been 2.0. That break month was sufficiently different from the the subject of RC 1.0 I wrote in December about that first semester away from the desk job. RC 2.0 took up an interlude where I wasn’t teaching and therefore my time was more my own. RC 4.0 will be three months of the asterisk of my retirement with an asterisk will shrink. It won’t disappear as I will be preparing for fall classes, including with the help of some talented students, and working remotely to welcome the next group of Gleich Scholars. But I won’t be teaching nor going to campus.

Clearly my time remains tied to the school year and, as part of retiring TO something and not merely FROM the day job, I have continued to use the semester to define my pursuits almost as self-directed courses. The semester is long enough to see growth develop while being sufficiently circumscribed to allow assessment.

So, this is my report card.

As for the ASTERISK of my retirement with same, I found teaching two courses easy enough. It certainly helped that I had two exceptional classes, each had returnees and folks I knew through advising including Gleich Scholars. That the several new students were fully integrated and, often enough, central players was particularly rewarding. I also had help from Gleichers in the planning. Taken together, it all made possible among my more successful forays into building community and giving students the opportunity to take hold of the material on their own terms. I doubled/tripled down on student choice of projects and formats and even deadlines so that I wasn’t cop and they were responsible, albeit with some nudging, for getting it all in. My Fall class had been unusually frustrating, so these two helped make for a better year.

There were some OUT OF THE ORDINARY elements to the semester that impacted my progress on my self-assigned projects.

My sister’s DEATH, anticipated though it was, was sobering as my birth family is all gone and so I mourn her and revisit the earlier loss of my parents. I have not tried to anticipate those feelings or wrap them up too neatly by writing about them. I knew there was going to be emotional energy but I could not anticipate the emotional energy required. So I have just allowed that process to unfold (as if I could stop it).

My trip to the GALAPAGOS was a cheerier distraction. I went to many Friday afternoon class sessions in preparation where I got to see the students form research projects and discuss more recent literature on evolutionary topics. I wasn’t the teacher nor was my engagement with the reading as practically driven as the students’, but I grew very fond of them even ahead of the bonding experience of the travel. There were airline woes and I was sick enough to be hospitalized in Quito for two days, the end result that our 11 days of travel resulted in only about 5 days on the Islands, one of which, for me, was given over to laying low. But it was glorious and I’m so glad I could be part of it.

I also joined a Substack class called JOURNEY IN PLACE which provides weekly readings and thought provoking writing prompts on this topic that is at the center of my pedagogy. Janisse Ray, our instructor, comes out of nature writing and directed us to adopt a place as a reference point. Ever the contrarian, my place is the Marquette hut’s beach/lake vistas. I have to visit it in my mind but that suits my historian’s interest in memory and meaning. My responses to the prompts is often therefore at a tangent. For all my interest in natural history and ecology, it’s probably true that my approach owes even more to human geography and JB Jackson’s ideas on the vernacular landscape. Our work on place is very human centered—and I’m inclined to keep people in nature too. I’ve not read my classmates’ contributions but take some pleasure, I confess, that they are reading and “liking” mine.

On to my assigned PROJECTS:

SELF-CARE continues to be a central activity and that attention pays off. Even at my sickest, I knew that the ancillary services at PALM would speed up my recovery. I didn’t workout as such for the week before we left and two weeks after, but I am back to a new routine that is transportable (with resistance bands) up north. I have begun alternating sauna/steam with the mats as part of my exercise recovery. And, we have home versions of the mats. I bet that yoga will be closer to daily rather than 2-3 times a week as it’s been.

My FICITION writing suffered as I wrote only about 3000 words in three clearly not sustained bursts. I had a crisis of confidence that I wasn’t much of a mystery novelist—and I probably am not. I am getting back on the bicycle by thinking of myself as a historical novelist, certainly the puzzles that intrigue me is laying my Darwin/Holmes universe across historical events. I run the risk of being pedantic, particularly in this episode which does include a murder but a criminologically uninteresting one. I may not find my rhythm again until we get up north, but this writing has always been a retirement project.

Fiction READING has gone very very well. I am up to date in a British series where the hero is a PhD ecologist but a sixth book is coming. I have another contemporary one going where she’s a forensic archaeologist; I’m about halfway through that one and the books are available even electronically from the public library. I’m buying Lawrence Block’s Matthew Scudder books and am also halfway through those. I typically read all those series books in a couple of days, so I slow myself down with genre adjacent literary fiction with one more of LeCarre’s Karla trilogy to go but mostly the Patrick O’Brian Aubrey/Maturin Royal Navy books set in the early 1800s. It is interesting to step away from solving a murder and even so get my bearings in a story. I’m interested in character development and overall arc of a series, so that’s fine. It even has me thinking about 19th century novels, particularly French ones, as I risk falling off the English Major Anonymous Wagon.

Like fiction, MUSIC is two fold, doing and appreciating.

My guitar PLAYING has been steadier than my ficition writing, but not as steady as my music writing. I found myself getting a bunch of tunes in my hands (that is I know, just know, what strings to pick and how to work within the chord shapes to get a melody) in the key of D, so drop D finally makes sense. I also recovered some flatpicking tunes from previous lessons to go with the three of six fiddle tunes from my Eric Skye tutorial. I will take the bass north as I hope that there is more time for playing there and that I can make some progress. The Drop D work might help with the scales that playing a non-chordal instrument draws on. I got a blues piano tutorial that may get me off square one on that instrument, but I can’t take the piano along. So that’s for the fall.

My music WRITING continues with some interesting growth as I wrote 47 of my souvenirs of performances (many of more than one show) plus three contributions to the WGTE Jazz Spectrum blog. I don’t know if there were half again as many performances as souvenirs, but I do watch lots of music. I’ve tried to recover some of the joy of experiencing the music, rather than watching to write, particularly when I revisit regular favorites. To use a baseball analogy, my scorecard is less extensive and I’m trying just to watch the game. The JS pieces are a bit more work as I am writing for a very good editor who nonetheless trims my wings. He makes the writing better, but, like joke telling and baseball hitting, if three out of ten of my attempts at stretching things succeed, then it’s a success. I try to do my editing after writing an exuberant draft with all the stretches in there. But, those drafts are more constricted than the souvenirs.

In the three months ahead with much less time devoted to school, I want to find ways to exercise and recover from same away from Palm, write fiction regularly, keep reading, play guitar and bass in systematic ways, and watch music and write about it as I always do. I will continue to Journey in Place having journeyed to northerly places, including the Place in Marquette.

That will be the subject of RC #4.

#2024 #retirement chronicles

0 notes

sankirtan · 1 year

Photo

Do animals have morality? Akhandadhi das: There have been a number of scientific studies recently that try to analyze if animals have any form of morality. This is obviously complex since it is nigh impossible to get inside the mind of a poor dumb creature and there is always the accusation of anthropomorphizing. The subject is important to many people because there seems to be various beliefs with vested interests in the interpretations. For instance, Charles Darwin believed that animals expressed morality and that what we understand as morality in humans was derived from the primitive form in lower creatures. This is important as the basis for evolutionary psychology. This was in direct contrast with Biblical creationists who need to believe that there is a major moral distinction between humans and the animal kingdom. In their mind, morality is the prerogative of the soul which can only be found in humans. I suppose I also need to mention my preconception informed by my interest in Vedanta philosophy. Vedanta asserts that all living beings are activated by the presence of the life force (atma or soul, if you like). Although there is no difference in the potency of the atma whichever type of body it inhabits, there is a limiting or conditioning effect when the soul is inside different species. The result is a hierarchy of conscious awareness from humans down through the species to a bacteria or whatever. So, Vedanta, in common with the evolutionary psychologists, would expect to see humanlike expressions in our fellow inhabitants of planet Earth. There are many examples of caring behavior in the animal world. Certainly, we see the care, even sacrifice, of mother animals for their children. But also, certain primates will share and feed other blind or indisposed members of their group, not their relatives. In one experiment, chimps were receiving food by placing tokens in a machine. One chimp was having problems inserting the tokens, so another chimp intervened and inserted the tokens for her and let her take the food. Bonobo apes have shown kindness in helping other species. A friend of mine, tells of being rescued by dolphins who swam between him and some circulating sharks. The dolphins remained by his side until he reached the shore. So, it appears that animals may indeed exhibit altruism, empathy, caring and selfless kindness and affection – and that’s about as close to “love” as you can get. However, it is a different question to define this as morality, which would seem to require a choice between right and wrong. I would suggest that the altruistic behavior of animals is a choice of sorts. The animal sees a situation and chooses to intervene in a positive caring way, but is it because it is impelled by its empathy or because it has dwelt on the rights and wrongs of the scene? Caring action is a symptom of a moral human because we would define the opposite behavior as immoral. Would we ever describe a chimp as immoral for not choosing to help a neighbor? I don’t think so. So, as much as we are impressed and intrigued by animals showing empathy and caring, we don’t judge them when it is absent. So, it seems there may be a distinction between altruism in animals and moral choices made by humans. As much as Vedanta promotes the equality of all life, it also helps us to recognize the subtlely different restrictions or benefits for the soul as it transmigrates from life in one species to another. Vedanta accepts that all creatures express some form of love, but only when the soul is in a human body does it gain the additional awareness of the intrinsic rightness or wrongness of one’s own actions. My dogs know when they’ve done something I think is bad and they show contrition, but I reckon it’s only because I am upset with them, not because they have a guilty conscience. Vedanta ascribes the responsibility for our actions – good or bad – to humans and thus karma can only be accrued from human actions not by anything done whilst we are in an animal body.

#dandavats

0 notes

hakesbros · 1 year

Text

New Home Builders San Antonio

The GreatSchools Rating relies on quite lots of faculty quality indicators, together with take a look at scores, school readiness, and equity information. In 1992, the Texas Association of Builders launched the Star Awards – the only statewide tribute to excellence in the homebuilding industry. Our website new home builders san antonio supplies a short synopsis on each builder, areas, and day by day updated NEW HOME inventory. When you select to build your home in the higher San Antonio area, you will have access to loads of exceptional neighborhoods and locations.

The study is large with built-in desks and cabinetry. Extensive upgrades, like new crown molding and delightful built-ins make this residence warm and elegant. The polished hardwood floors, trim feature new homes san antonio partitions, window therapies, and heavy brass hardware elevate the area, and the proprietor has added customized lighting fixtures and electric shades.

Each home builder brings one thing completely different to the table, and a variety of innovative specialties can make certain you get precisely what you need from your new building project. Use this listing to flick through one of the best new home builders in San Antonio, and connect with the best contractor for your wants. Redfin is redefining real property and the home buying course of in Northwest Side with industry-leading expertise, full-service agents, and lower charges that present a better value for Redfin patrons and sellers. It could also be unusual to complete a constructing project and like your builders as a lot at the finish as you most likely did firstly, however that was our expertise with Evolutionary Homes. Evolutionary Homes understands that you really want your personal particular place that reflects your type and style. We hearken to your desires, plans, and imaginative and prescient for your new home; and then we do the onerous work in turning these goals on your customized home right into a reality.

We build customized homes in the larger San Antonio area and currently expanding into the larger Austin area, building brand new model homes. Extended entry results in open household room, kitchen and dining space. Two-story household room opens to kitchen and morning space. Island kitchen features a big pantry, 5-burner gasoline cooktop, built-i... Toll Brothers provides homes for sale san antonio tx new development home choices within the greater San Antonio area featuring modern architecture with single-level residing options, lifetime warranties, and luxury smart home features. San Antonio is home to the Alamo, the top vacationer attraction in Texas and one of many metropolis's five Spanish colonial missions.

“Paul and I have been very happy with our home. Everyone is always impressed with the element and quality of labor thanks to the knowledge and experience of each Jay and Rachel. The craftsmanship of your contractors was top-notch. Since we had been on the job site virtually daily I can say f the standard of the work was excellent. Even although we now have not had a single guarantee concern I know you will handle any problems sooner or later with the identical professionalism you addressed throughout our building process”. “They are purchasing land throughout the VIDA neighborhood and that’s very thrilling for us.

LGI Homes is certainly one of Texas’ premier new home builders, with residential communities in four metropolitan areas. Whether you're a new homebuyer or a veteran, you will find the house of your goals in certainly one of LGI Home’s communities within the Greater San Antonio space. Residents enjoy the slower tempo of the suburbs as properly as the colourful points of interest of downtown San Antonio. ASHTON WOODS has more than 2 decades of expertise in high-quality home improvement, to not point out winning one of many largest private builders in the nation.

Builders normally charge for the fundamental constructing costs, which may not embody driveways, flooring, landscaping, site preparation, land registration, street closure indicators, and others. The quality and elegance blended with the unique structure and custom characteristics every home has, makes each a murals. Learn extra about Everview homes, our communities, ‘Build On Your Lot’ custom homes, and future developments in San Antonio, New Braunfels, Bulverde, Schertz, Selma, and surrounding areas. “The vision for VIDA is to embrace the region’s arts, tradition and tradition.

0 notes

kingcharlesofengland · 2 years

Text

Order in society

Patriarchy is a self care of the family where the fathers protects socially daughters wives sisters from the bad families. Police doesn't get involved who fucks with whom it is the fathers role to protect children and wives which is natural.

Why our society breed impotent fathers impotent husbands that's not a patriarchal problem.

It's the men's failiour to sustain patriarchal duties.

Women who act as men because of hormonal imbalance are subject to environmental genetically impurity which I addressed at Concept organic origin. It is important to comprehend genetically engendering as potential resolution to all crises. Intelligence and good look bring self worth ego satisfaction. Clean environment brings clean genetics.

I enjoy male characters, I have boys I teach the boys to be proper males.

Male who endanger life to a female so to protect their own arse are not known in mythology. We call those gay impotent incapable.

Ancient times man and woman ruled. Nowadays we have in and out because the intelligent sort declined we let the primitives govern, man or woman became irrelevant.

How problems are being resolved is questionable that defines relationship status. The world is not my obligation cause he problems aren't the same. Some gave evolutionary problem, while some countries have religious problems of their society.

Now after Queen's death immigration can slow. I didn't enjoy a moment of the matriarchal ruling.

Henry was eager to find a proper woman who can behave like a mother and not like a man, breed own birth children and not look after other people's children.

Education knowing history trust your own instinct and leaving the primitives out of England only cause problems as they bring wrong genetics.

Those intelligent enough can be a precedent.

The money owed to me from the the storage offices welfare divorce must be refunded so can pay my own dues. I won't need supporting impotent males. I divorced one.

🤺🇬🇧Not interested in English crown not interested in being copy to less intelligent.

The pope is not a patriarchal form if society cause pope has no children no breed. Pope is a firm of institution not familiar with Christian protestants.

And certainly won't let anybody treating me as equal. Abuse is offence. The choice was not to choose anybody at all. When that happen new choices should emerge. Except the elderly wouldn't comprehend how they cause British problem. I am part of a solution.

0 notes

macil · 2 years

Text

State of the Inanis

When I opened Winamp to play some music while I was writing, the Phantom of the Opera "The Point of No Return" came up. Very interesting.

Never in my life have I ignored my emotions or thoughts. My rule since a very young age was to never leave a thought or emotion left un-examined.

Throughout my personal ordeal of 2022, that has certainly been true. So true, in fact, that this time I think the excessive introspection caused more problems than it solved. If I had just surrendered sooner, perhaps the suffering would have been less. But that is a pointless speculation. The opposite could also be true -- it could be I needed the ruthless internal checking and stubbornness to get through this.

I have been there before -- too much questioning -- not enough confidence. Why? Myriad reasons. Another post.

I am still stunned that the degree of suffering I experienced was possible without dying or being rendered unconscious. I am reminded how I am hyper-aware when drunk, except this time it was in excruciating pain.

I am grudgingly learning to let go of this recent experience as I remember lessons I had already discovered and let slip. At least that feels like where I am headed. I am still sorting out the mess. Thus the importance of continuing to work on Ex Inanis.

I don't like humble pie.

I feel as though I underwent a "life review" or an "integrity check." This has happened before -- I have humorously considered moments like these in the past "deaths." That perhaps I jumped a timeline or dimension. This can happen either when a paradigm is no longer sustainable or enters into an expansion period. (My friend, Mr. T, calls these "back testing.")

As the pain & suffering have diminished and a sense of normal oozes back, I may be finding the clarity that I have been missing for this recent "integrity check."

To continue this post, we need to have a brief tangent.

The universe is not a "singular" place. It resembles something much closer to a Massive Multiplayer Role Playing Game, except where every player is their own instance, with instantaneous-streaming matchmaking.

Individual consciousness is experienced through the intersection of the Will, Wave and Context (Collective). The "individual" part is none of these things, but an emergence that arises out of the mixture.

The Will is "bound" to the Wave, as it requires limitation to "see itself." Without limitation, there is nothing/everything (void/paradox/potential.) Raw awareness is incapable of experience because it cannot make decisions (observations.)

The Will, however, can change the Wave by deciding what it "puts in."

The Wave is not bound to the Context, but creates it or is drawn to it via its matchmaking parameters (frequency/vibration, if you want.) As the Wave is simply a conglomeration of choices, it goes without saying that Context is a "choice."

The Context is the intersection of Waves. Imagine a Venn Diagram of Waves. Waves do not need to be equal, but Waves are bound to the constraints of the Context. If a Wave is capable of more than the Context can process, the Context provides the "best viable story."

At this time, we are within the Human Context/Collective/Logos.

This will require future articles, but for the sake of simplicity the universe can be thought to contain two categories of Context.

There are Evolutionary Contexts and Prime Context(s).

Evolutionary Context are created by/for beings who have yet to achieve sufficient cohesion to graduate into the Prime Context. Evolutionary Context can primarily be identified by existentialism (in other words, doubt about one's existence).

By this very doubt, we can know, via the Infinity Principle, that other realties (Contexts) must be possible, because we can imagine realities where there is no doubt.

Evolutionary Context is usually conducted via reincarnation ; beings reincarnate over and over until they are able to achieve enough cohesion to create continuum. Prior lives "leak" into subsequent lives as a means of guidance.

When a being is able to hold continuum (being), they can move into Prime Context. Again, for the sake of simplicity, Prime Context can simply be considered Heaven, Nirvana, or whatever floats your boat. You are able to navigate to any Context or create new Context without restraint. Linearity no longer applies.

The Human Context is certainly within the Evolutionary Context category.

We are doing this little brief overview of some of the core ideas in Ex Inanis because I want to talk about a common pitfall I see in other philosophies/spiritual ideas. There is a prevalent idea that we are "returning to Source/God", or that we are "God meeting God", or that the universe moves in cycles ; that is, the universe "dies", reviews and rebirths (sounds like an integrity check, right?)

We are not returning to Source or God. This would be oblivion. As we mention often here on Ex Inanis, raw awareness cannot make decisions and thus is just a 'void' of potential. Ex Inanis thinks this is a poor idea for how to organize your Wave and does not recommend it.

These (very human) paradigms are attempting to create a Prime Context on the foundations of an Evolutionary Context. They are conflating the two. This cannot be done.

The destiny of Evolutionary Context is always the same -- it ends. Evolutionary Context is an entropy box "by design" (or if you prefer by low consciousness choice.) The Human Context is overladen with entropy concepts. You will never fix them all. It is impossible. That is part of the "existentialism" trick. It is contingent upon the beings within the Context to "rise above" the limitations of the Context.

No one in the Human Context is "human." They are just "afflicted" with humanness.

You need compassion in order to "unite yourself" and you need faith in order to disregard appearances -- to be in but not of, to be in the audience, but not on the stage. The cohesion of becoming a "continuum" is locked behind compassion/faith. If you continue to "play the game" by investing your soul, you will never reach escape velocity.

This is the lesson I think I am coming back to, I think. These recent events were to release the final things that needed to be released that I was stubbornly holding onto (still in the post-analysis stage) and I again reluctantly admit that I may never have come back around without the severity of the lesson.

youtube

Joshua learns "being."

#esoteric #subjective idealism #god #source #unity #rant #compassion #faith #metaphysics #collective consciousness #mastery #introspection #self mastery #pensieve #spirituality #philosophy

0 notes

papermonkeyism · 3 years

Note

What made you step away from drawing anthros? I think Entica is the closest you've come to them in years

I don't know. I guess I just don't find them as interesting to draw? I spent so long drawing them, mostly inspired by everyone else drawing them, I guess they suffered a little inflation?

I think, in the end, anthros just aren't me. There are So Many great anthro and furry artists around who make great art, and all I was doing was drawing watered down copies of what everyone else was drawing. I merely recycled what was popular at the time.

When I grew older, I kinda just found myself? Started figuring out what makes me, personally, interested; what feels the most fun to work with. And turns out that heavily includes worldbuilding and trying out new things, pushing my own boundaries. I never got that same reward from drawing anthro wolves dressed in some wannabe "native people" stereotype with loincloths and feathers in their hair without thinking about the why behind those aesthetic choices.

Entican people have weird teeth! And fingers and toes! And fancy genetics! And evolutionary history! And an entire world full of weird creatures to play with and interact! There are so much I can do!!

With anthros it's just... There's an animal person.

I certainly wouldn't mind drawing some every now and then, they can be fun excercises, or for commission. Maybe even doing some ARPG-ing with them? Could be fun. But I don't have a world for them to live in, so they'd just be kinda empty and disposable on their own. I'm having more fun with these other characters that come with complete headworlds.

(technically speaking, though, the Singing People of the dinosaur project thingy ARE anthros. They might not be humanoid in shape, but they are anthropomorphic dinosaurs. But they also come with complete worlds, and their cultures as neolithic and not-human-shaped are more rounded than "well, all these other people are drawing their wolf people dressed like this, so I will too")

#This turned out longer than expected #Sorry about that!#The Singing People are technically mesozoic bird furries #You're welcome #They are actually specifically based on my old anthro wolf people #The name Singing People is directly from there #Also why they're gray

26 notes · View notes

chelsfic · 4 years

Text

Vampire Seeking Familiar - Nandor x Guillermo Fanfic (One-shot)

WWDITS Masterlist

Summary: Nandor places an ad for a human familiar and Guillermo responds. My take on how they first meet!

A/N: I woke up with the urgent need to write this. I was inspired watching Harvey’s AMA where he mentions that maybe Nandor placed an ad on Craigslist for a familiar. Hope you enjoy!

Warnings: Fluff, Crack, Smooching, Light mention of sex (not explicit)

---

"Greetings, peasant. I require your assistance with the electronic computing device."

Nandor hulked over the reference desk, looking like an anachronism standing amidst the dull, institutional decor of the public library. He wore a floor length cape trimmed in gold embroidery over a brocade tunic and deerskin pants. He attempted an awkward smile, putting his fangs on full display.

He wasn't the strangest thing the librarian had seen that day.

“Sure,” she replied with a guarded smile. “What are you trying to do?”

"I am attempting to post an advertisement on a list kept by a man named..." he glanced down at a scrap of paper in his hand, "...Craig."

Ninety painstaking minutes later the librarian breathed a sigh of relief as the strange man finally clicked “publish.”

“Now, you just keep an eye on your email,” she kindly explained, “and wait for someone to respond.”

Nandor’s eyes lit up with a kind of hungry delight as he switched tabs to his empty Hotmail inbox.

“Your assistance has been most appreciated,” he thanked her, reaching into his tunic and flicking a heavy, gold coin in her direction.

She flinched as the coin flew at her head, awkwardly catching it and placing it beside the keyboard.

“You’re welcome, Mr. Relentless. But I can’t accept a tip. Have a nice night.”

She stood up and walked back to her desk with a look of repressed hilarity on her face. She doubted anyone would reply to this guy’s post. But then, she reminded herself, she’d certainly seen stranger things happen…

Nandor clicked refresh and frowned when his email remained stubbornly empty.

---

Vampire’s Familiar (Staten Island)

Attention Mortals!

Do you weary of your pathetic human lives? Do you wish to find purpose in serving your evolutionary superior? Can you lift at least 50 lbs without assistance?

I, Nandor the Relentless, Conqueror of Thousands and Immortal Vampire, seek a human familiar to do my dark bidding. Duties include, but are not limited to, daytime errands, cleaning of a large mansion, laundry, personal valet services, securing the house against sunlight, blowing out candles, and waste disposal. The successful contender will be provided room and board for a fair rate ($1200/month) and the promise of eternal life after their term of service (length TBD).

If you possess the courage, kindly respond by electronic letter.

---

It had to be fake, right?

Guillermo sat in the break room at Panera Bread, idly scrolling through job ads on Craig’s List when the heading “Vampire’s Familiar” caught his eye. For a second he felt his stomach swoop with excitement before he got a hold of himself. It was probably just another jerk looking for attention. Guillermo knew in his heart that vampires were real, despite never having met one in real life. And it was his dearest, secret dream to become one of them. But so far, his internet sleuthing had uncovered nothing but a whole lot of pathetic internet trolls.

But what if this was the one?

He clicked the link, biting his nails as the text of the job posting loaded on the screen. He read through it, a smile tugging on his lips. He really shouldn’t get his hopes up, but his eyes kept darting back to that name. Nandor the Relentless. Conqueror of Thousands. What a cool vampire name.

He opened his Gmail app and started a new message.

---

Dear Nandor the Relentless,

My name is Guillermo de la Cruz and I am writing to you in response to your Craigslist posting seeking a human familiar. I have long been an enthusiastic admirer of vampires and it would be a dream come true to meet one and work for them.

I’m a responsible, hard worker who’s eager to learn new things. While I have never worked as a familiar before, I do have a background in customer service and a Bachelor’s Degree in History from Stony Brook University. I have attached a copy of my resume.

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Guillermo de la Cruz

---

Guillermo suggested they meet at a Panera Bread on Staten Island because it was familiar and, more importantly, public. He was less worried about meeting an immortal, murderous creature of the night than he was about the possibility that the guy could turn out to be a regular human serial killer.

He picked a comfy armchair by the window and sipped his tea while he watched the door, feeling a thrill every time it opened. He was early. If this guy turned out to be the real deal, then he desperately wanted to make a good first impression. When a tall, darkly handsome man with long hair and a cape walked through the door Guillermo gulped and raised his hand in a shy wave.

“Nandor?” he asked, just to be sure.

The man turned to him and there was no mistake. Guillermo’s breath caught in his throat. His skin was pale, almost glowing in the restaurant’s warm lighting. His eyes were dark brown and penetrating. Guillermo felt struck when the vampire’s gaze fell on him, as if he could see straight through him and into the most secret parts of his soul. He stepped closer, looming over Guillermo and looking somehow both self-important and unsure.

“And you are…” Nandor glanced upward, searching for the name. “Guy...Gil...Gilbert?”

“Guillermo,” he corrected with a shy smile. He shifted on his feet and adjusted his glasses nervously. He knew vampires were sexy by nature, of course. But he hadn’t been expecting to feel an immediate attraction to his prospective employer. This guy had his own gravity and he was sucking Guillermo in.

“Guillermo, of course.”

Hearing his name in the vampire’s rich, accented voice sent a tingle down his spine.

“Shall we, uh, sit down?” Guillermo stammered and then smacked a hand to his head, gesturing to the display case of pastries, “Unless you want something…?”

Nandor hissed dramatically and Guillermo got his first good look at his fangs. Honestly, he felt faint. This guy was either an excellent cosplayer or he was for real.

“Vampires cannot consume human food,” Nandor announced with a grimace of disgust. “Lesson number one.”

Nandor sat with a sweep of his cape and Guillermo followed suit.

“Oh! Of course! I have a lot to learn… Mr. Nandor--Mr. Relentless, sir,” Guillermo stammered, finally picking up his tea and taking a big gulp just to shut himself up.

“Master will do just fine,” the vampire replied as he adjusted the fall of his impressive cape around him. “That’s how you’ll refer to me if you get the job.”

“Oh! That’s--um,” Guillermo tilted his head and narrowed his eyes as he pondered the right word, “very...antiquated?”

“Well, hello! I’m a vampire! Kind of comes with the territory,” Nandor scoffed dismissively. “If you’re not interested--”

“No! No, I’m...I’m definitely interested,” Guillermo insisted, blushing furiously at his own words. He was interested...in more ways than one, apparently. He couldn’t stop glancing down at the vampire’s mouth, his full lips and the delicious hint of sharp fangs. God, what would it be like? To be bitten…

Nandor watched as the human’s full cheeks darkened with a blush. He parted his lips and inhaled longingly, scenting the sweet, spicy aroma of the man’s blood and barely suppressing a growl.

He cleared his throat, shifting in his seat and abruptly asking, “So, you want to tell me a bit about why you are wanting to become my familiar?”

The interview--oh my god, I’m having an actual interview with an actual vampire!--flew by somehow. At first, Guillermo was all nervous stammers and sweaty palms, but after a few minutes he couldn’t help the natural urge to gush and he found himself barraging the vampire with fascinated questions. Not just about the job, but about himself. How old was he? Could he fly? Turn into a bat? Use mind control? What about sunlight, was that really a thing? Garlic?

Rather than becoming annoyed, Nandor seemed to preen under the human’s obvious admiration. He held his head high and his word choice became increasingly grandiose as he waxed poetic about his existence as a creature of the night.

As the meeting finally wound down, Nandor turned his deep, liquid eyes on Guillermo, capturing him in his gaze as he spoke.

“Now, Guillermo, you must tell me one thing. If I choose you for this job, are you willing to give up all this,” he gestured around at the interior of the Panera Bread. A cashier wiped down the glass display case and an infant wailed somewhere in the back of the dining area. “And come and live with me, putting yourself under my control and becoming subject to my dark power?”

Guillermo gulped down his nerves, feeling the momentousness of the occasion as he whispered, for the first time, “Yes, master…”

“Wonderful!” Nandor cried with a clap of his hands. “I will reach out to you through the ether after the checking of your background.”

The vampire stood, moving away from the table before Guillermo could formulate a response.

“The...ether?” he finally asked, his brows knitting together in confusion. “How will that work?”

Nandor waved away Guillermo’s confusion with a flick of his wrist and answered, “Very simple. My voice will come to you in the evening before you are a falling into the slumber.”

Guillermo was silent for a beat, wondering how this answer was meant to clear up his confusion.

“Right,” he finally murmured. “Of course…”

Nandor turned to stalk out the door and Guillermo jogged after him, “Wait! There’s just...just one more thing, before you go.”

Nandor turned back with an annoyed expression, “Yes, what is it? I’m getting pretty hungry over here!”

Guillermo choked down an enthusiastic squeak at this admission and attempted to school his features into neutral calm as he asked, “How do I know you’re legit? Can you...show me proof?”

Nandor’s eyes darkened and he seemed to grow even taller as he turned his full focus on the human man, “You require proof? You require proof from Nandor the Relentless, who has twice turned the waters of the Euphrates red with his enemy’s blood. Proof, you say?!”

“Yeah,” Guillermo shrugged, holding onto what he hoped was an aloof calm as he quaked internally.

Nandor sighed and rolled his eyes as he answered, “Fine! Come with me. Fu-cking guy…”

He led Guillermo to the alleyway behind the Panera. During the day you might find a delivery truck back here or an employee taking out the garbage, but it was deserted at this hour of the night. Nandor stomped ahead of Guillermo, clearly aggravated at this request. He stopped and turned to face the human with a dramatic flare of his cape.

“Prepare your puny mortal brain,” he warned and then, without ceremony, he transformed into a bat.

Guillermo gasped, his face splitting into a wide grin as the tiny, squeaking thing flew circles around his head, landing in the lush curls of his hair for an instant before taking flight once more and erupting back into his vampiric form.

Guillermo rushed up to Nandor’s side, positively gushing, “It’s true! You’re real! A real vampire! Oh my god, I--”

Nandor suddenly broke out into an aggrieved hiss, grimacing and turning his face away.

“Watch it with that shit!” he complained loudly. “You can’t say...the g-word around vampires! You understand?”

Guillermo tilted his head in confusion for a second before realization lit his eyes.

“Oh! The g-word, of course! I’m...I’m sorry, master. I promise I’ll learn quickly,” he babbled. Now that he knew for certain that Nandor was a vampire, he was desperate to land this job. It was everything he’d dreamed of since he was a little kid first watching Antonio Banderas as Armand.

“Yeah, well--you’d better!” Nandor griped, but his face smoothed into a self-satisfied smirk at Guillermo’s obvious hero worship. A thought occured to him as he watched Guillermo’s adoring gaze. “There’s one more thing--I’ve just remembered. You can never fall in love with me, human. I know a lot of vampires who get into the whole sex thing with their familiars and it always ends up...messy. Understand? That’s a condition of your employment.”

Guillermo felt his face once again heating up with mortification. Had he been so transparent?

“Of course, master. I understand,” he murmured.

Nandor nodded, looking satisfied with Guillermo’s answer.

“Alright, then. Remember, you will hear my voice through the ether! Night, night!”

And then Nandor braced his knees and leaped into the air, soaring over Guillermo’s head and into the night sky.

“Wow!” Guillermo sighed, watching the tiny pinprick that was his vampire disappear into the darkness. “He’s so fucking cool…”

---

Some years later…

Guillermo sat in the fancy room with his legs tucked up underneath him, typing away on his laptop as Nandor fed another piece of wood to the fire. He paused long enough to enjoy the view of his boyfriend’s ample (yet firm!) backside as he bent over the fireplace.

“Guillermo,” Nandor started, dragging out the last syllable adorably. “What are you working on over there?”

“Why don’t you come here and see?” Guillermo replied with a shy smile. He patted the cushion next to him. He was still bashful about flirting with his master. Their relationship had finally--finally!--advanced after years of longing and pining. But even after a week of learning everything Nandor had to teach him about the joys of vampiric sex, he still felt unaccountably shy about their new relationship status.

Nandor settled down beside him, pressing their sides together and peering down at the thin computing contraption with a look of trepidation.

“You need to be careful with these things, Guillermo!” Nandor admonished, wrapping an arm around his familiar and pressing his face into the warm crook of his neck. He breathed in his delightful scent before continuing, “There are witches on the internet who can curse you through the electronic post!”

“Don’t worry, mas--Nandor. I’m being very careful,” Guillermo assured him.

The night they first made love, Guillermo had been overwhelmed, beside himself with a heady mix of physical sensations and emotions. He’d cried out at Nandor’s touch, using the title that he’d been trained to use for almost a decade. Nandor had felt his stomach drop and ice flow through his veins at the sound. “No...no, my Guillermo. Call me Nandor. Please. Call me by my name…”

“What do we have here…?” Nandor pondered, squinting his eyes as he read the text on the screen. “Guillermo! What is this all about!?”

“You said it yourself, Nandor,” he replied with a sly smirk. “Not falling in love with you was a condition of my employment…”

The words hung in the air between them for a moment and Guillermo felt as though he’d just opened up his chest and revealed his beating heart to the vampire’s hungry gaze.

Nandor’s dark eyes softened and sparkled in the firelight as he murmured, “Oh, my Guillermo… I--I love you too.”

Nandor took the laptop and set it on the coffee table before taking Guillermo into his arms and laying kiss after kiss across his sweet face.

“Are you ready?” Nandor’s voice was hushed. Guillermo looked up at him and was awestruck all over again at his luck. That such a man could love little ole Memo.

“Yeah, just--hang on a sec,” he said, leaning over Nandor’s lap to reach the computer and hitting “enter.” He fell back into Nandor’s arms, looking up at him with perfect trust and saying, for the last time, “Yes, Master. I’m ready.”

---

Vampire Couple seeking Human Familiar (Staten Island)

Do you long to explore the hidden world of magical creatures all around you? Do you have a strong stomach? A career as a vampire’s familiar might be for you!

Nandor the Relentless and Guillermo the Great seek a human assistant to do their dark bidding...

#nandermo #nandor x guillermo #guillermo x nandor #nandor the relentless #guillermo de la cruz #wwdits fanfic #what we do in the shadows fanfic #wwdits

49 notes · View notes

radramblog · 3 years

Text

Some longer thoughts on Pokemon BDSP

I think at this point the absolute vitriol-fest thrown at the upcoming Sinnoh Remakes has largely died down, people moving onto greater things like the upcoming New Pokemon Snap release (I’m probably not buying it) or…whatever it is the #mainstreamPokemonFandom does when they aren’t spewing outrage about trees and dexits. It might be a bit early for me to do this considering the games still don’t have a release date, but I figure with the hype dying down a bit I can afford a few of my own thoughts as to what these games should look like.

Of course, we’ve all been burned before, and I’m not expecting an awful lot. But hey, it’s just my two cents.

I think the first thing that made people immediately bounce off of the BDSP reveal is the artstyle. And, I get it- it’s certainly A Choice. The models look kinda awkward, almost hearkening back to Gen VI’s first attempts at full 3D overworld but with a more deliberate style. The short, round characters look awkward against the more detailed overworld. And the full sized models aren’t especially impressive either- all the previous remakes updated the original’s character designs somewhat, as did third versions Emerald and Platinum, but BDSP doesn’t seem to have made any changes outside of model-ifying them.

And the thing is, I don’t care?

On the one hand, aesthetic in a game obviously does matter, and having the protagonist you’re going to be staring at all game look like that is going to be an issue for people. On the other, I actually really like how the overworld looks. On the other, other hand, I’m really not convinced that the artstyle of this game should make or break it, as it certainly doesn’t for me. Pokemon’s graphics have been arguably behind the curve for like, 8 years now? I remember all the complaints about Sword and Shield’s graphics, and that obviously didn’t kill that game. And like, I don’t want to go for the throat of a game I haven’t played, but, people don’t seem to mind Colosseum and XD’s artstyle from what I’ve seen, and those games kinda look like shit. They do have those dynamic pokemon animations though, and I hope we get to see that in BDSP- those (and that of Battle Revolution) were a result of outsourcing, I believe, and this game is outsourced to another studio.

More importantly, in my eyes, is the gameplay. Doesn’t matter how good the game looks if it plays like garbage. And herein lies the biggest sticking point, and potential blunder, of Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.

Diamond and Pearl are like, easily some of the worst games in the series from a playthrough standpoint.

The pacing is all over the place, with backtracking that seems to be trying to emulate RSE but not quite making it. The level curve is messy, with the Elite Four being such a massive spike that they had to tone it down 4-5 levels on each Pokemon in the intentionally harder third version, Platinum. The regional Pokedex is sorely lacking- while Elite Four Flint’s infamous 2/5 “Fire” team is eminently memeable, Electric Gym Leader Volkner is just as bad (2/4, though he could technically be running…Pachirisu…), and of the 28 new Pokemon related to previous games’ evolutionary lines, 17 cannot be obtained in a regular playthrough. HM use is especially egregious in this game, with 6 of them being mandatory to complete the game (Victory Road alone requires 5) and of the other two, the games’ sprawling map and frequent backtracking basically necessitate Fly while without Defog the foggy parts of the map are absolutely miserable both to navigate and fight through.

How BDSP handles these issues is kinda my make or break with the game. See, a lot of the issues were solved in Platinum, and Heartgold and Soulsilver (the best remakes the series has had) solved much of the issues in GS by taking notes from Crystal and tweaking things in the transition. The thing is, the last remakes we got, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, did not take Emerald’s tweaks in mind, making them substantially worse games than they could potentially have been, and I’m worried BDSP are going to do the same. A particular sticking point for me is the HMs, interestingly- outside of the aforementioned Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire sticking too closely to outdated design, Pokemon for the last 4 generations has had light to nonexistent HM requirements. Black and White only had one mandatory HM use period (Cut in the Dreamyard after Gym 1), B2W2 and XY both only require Surf off the top of my head, and Gens 7 and 8 remove them completely from the game. Because that’s kind of what they are, outdated game design- I think the Alola games handled it best, where the interesting level design these obstacles can lead to is still present but tackling them is less restrictive on your party and is based on progression through the story. That’s the kind of design that makes backtracking interesting, something Gen 8 really lacked in the long run.

The final thing I want to bring up is kinda a combo of two things- postgame and connectivity. One would argue that the Battle Frontier is also outdated design based on development priorities, but it’s removal in ORAS was kind of a kick in the taint to fans- it’s a beloved part of the game, and it not being in BDSP would be a terrible shame. The other thing is whether or not the games will have online connectivity with Sword and Shield as far as trading and battling goes. While I’ve heard quite a few people express doubts that BDSP will do so, I’d be shocked if, unlike every other main series title, competitive battling stayed a primary function of Sword and Shield and BDSP didn’t get it. I’d also be surprised if the games weren’t able to trade with each other, considering that’s been a core facet of the series since day 1- not being able to trade would make Dexit feel more permanent almost, considering many, many of the Sinnoh Dex mons aren’t available to play at the moment, even with the expanded DLC Pokedex in Sword and Shield. In fact, one thing I noticed that leads me to believe that trading between games is absolutely going to happen is related to said DLC dex- namely, that the Crown Tundra added every single Fossil Pokemon to the SwSh Pokedex- except the Sinnoh ones, Cranidos and Shieldon.

At the end of the day, we’re just waiting for more information to come out for these games either way. I can tell you right now, though, that I’m not preordering them (last time I did that was Y, I think), and whether or not I get them is really going to base around many of these factors.

#ramble #pokemon #pokemon bdsp #BDSP is a really stupid acronym TBH

2 notes · View notes

gettin-bi-bi-bi · 4 years

Note

(NSFW) Hi! Do you think one of you could tell me the difference between a fetish, a preference, a kink, etc (if there are other terms, then those too please)? Also, are there any kinks/fetishes/preferences that are bad? I think I may have something where I am fetishizing a group of people and I feel very guilty and bad about it. It is private, just for my fantasies, but still it upsets me. Thank you!

That’s probably gonna end up being a long answer. I’ll try my best to be coherent but I guess it’s best I just write what comes to mind and if you have any more questions just send another message.

Usually a fetish is considered something that a person finds sexually arousing that is not a primary or secondary sex organ (genitals and breasts). By that definition for example you get things like “foot fetish”. Feet are not considered sexual body parts by most people and they certainly aren’t reproductive organs but for some people they trigger sexual arousal. Other people have fetishes for certain materials like rubber and find the texture of that arousing so they may dress up in latex suits. Depending on how tight or loose someone’s definition of “fetish” is they’d also group any kind of attraction to certain clothing as a fetish. How many people find nylon stockings or tuxedos or high-heels arousing? A fuck ton of people! There’s no real reason why they would evolutionary be attracted to that but it is still a common thing and if you define “fetish” as any sexual interest in features that are not sex organs then ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ well... fetishes they are.

Some interpretations go as far as sorting the use of any kind of sex toy (even just a good ol’ dildo) into fetishism/kink because it’s ~sexual gratification with the use of an object~. I find that interpretation rather extreme but alas, it’s one way to look at it.

Now, why do some people have fetishes and kinks? Pfff... science pretty much has shown that to a certain degree fetishes are a very common variance in human sexuality and often develop in childhood. Either at random or through some formative experience.

There’s often the idea that kinks (especially kinks in the BDSM corner - more on that later) are always born out of trauma but that’s a misconception. Though that can sometimes be the case it doesn’t have to be. That “formative experience” which manifests in a kink can mean anything and doesn’t have to be traumatic. And whatever the reason may be for someone’s fetish/kink - there is hardly anything that is “inherently unhealthy”. There are healthy ways to engage in kink and unhealthy ones. And for some people kink is actually a way to work through a trauma.

If you want to know if there is actually a difference between the terms “fetish” and “kink” then I’d say it’s just a slight nuance. In my personal observation and experience I’d say “kink” is a wider term that can encompass anything that is not strictly vanilla genital stimulation. So that means: fetishes about certain body parts, textiles, places; role play in one way or another; BDSM ---- all of that falls under the term “kink”.

and for clarification: “vanilla” is a term to refer to sex that does not involve any kink. so you could say “vanilla” and “kinky” are opposites.

BDSM stands for bondage/discipline - Dominant/submissive - sadism/masochism. That is itself a very large field and not everyone who is into BDSM is into all of those letters. For example one might be into role play that involves dominance and submission but doesn’t like bondage. And the closer you look at it the more individual it may become. Someone who likes pain play might (probably!) not like every kind of pain. That’s why open and clear communication along with informed consent are the biggest rules in healthy kink and BDSM. It is common to agree on safe words and signs or to even discuss beforehand exactly what you want to do with your partner.

Now, I’d say to a certain degree even vanilla people might prefer either taking a more dominant role or a more submissive role during sex. But that’s usually a smaller nuance than it would be during a BDSM session. And note that not every kinky person always has kinky sex. In my opinion this is also a spectrum. How many people have tried fluffy handcuffs but wouldn’t particularily call themselves members of the BDSM community because of that? And I know that sometimes there can still be kinky vibes in the dynamic with a partner even when you don’t feel like getting out the whip collection every time.

For many kinksters this isn’t just “a way to have sex”. Many of us consider it part of our sexual identity just like one’s sexual orientation. Like: just like I cannot imagine not being bisexual, I also cannot imagine not being kinky. That’s not a choice I made but so deeply woven into my sexuality that I can’t just switch it off permanently. Not all but a lot of kinksters feel a similar way.

God, I am going on a tangent here and I really also want to get into this "guilt” that you say you have for your fantasies. Now, I don’t know what those fantasies are and you don’t have to tell me. But it is very important that you know that fantasies can hurt no one. They are in your head and nothing more. So whatever is going on there it is safe up there in your head.

Of course, if it upsets you that you have those fantasies (which may or may not be considered kinky) - try finding out where that guilt is coming from. Do you maybe experience sexual shame in general? Kink is often somehow seen as ~more sexual~ than vanilla sex which is bullshit. If anything it’s just a different kind of sexual. But still, if you aren’t really comfortable with sexuality in general (maybe bc of a conservative or religious upbringing) then obviously you’d feel even more shameful about sex acts that seem taboo or unconventional.

There is also a lot of kink-negativity on tumblr (and in certain brands of feminism and in mainstream media) so for a lot of kinky people it takes time and effort to embrace their fantasies as they are and be comfy with them - ideally to the point where they can realise them in a fulfilling way. And lack of knowledge can often make it difficult to understand one’s own fantasies and communicate those needs so in order to have a fulfillling sexuality it is vital that you educate yourself further and learn to be able to talk about these things.

Above I said that there is hardly anything that’s inherently unhealthy/toxic and I truly mean it - as long as your partner(s) consent and you all are aware of the possible risks then have fun! Of course it sucks to experience sexual shame or kink shame but you aren’t doing any harm by engaging in kink with someone who has consented to being part of that and you both take the necessary precautions to reduce potential risks. (Note: there are kinks that can never be risk free. if you wanna spank your partner there is a likely risk they’ll end up with bruises. but that doesn’t make the act of consensual spanking bad or abusive or whatever. many things in life are risky and people still consent to them willingly and enthusiastically. sports is the best example.)

You say you might “fetishise a group of people” and that could really mean anything so I can’t get into much detail when talking about that. There’s some things like oversexualisation of people of colour for example where it can definitly be a racist “fetish” that white people like to get off to because it seems ~exotic~. I would argue that that’s not a “fetish” though and the word “fetishisation” is often misused and overused, especially on tumblr. There is nothing inherently immoral to be attracted to certain physical features or to find someone attractive who belongs to a group of people (marginalised or not). However, there is a respectful way to deal with that and a disrespectful way. If you dehumanise that group to the point where you don’t give a fuck about the individual then that is very shitty. But I get the feeling that’s not the case here with you. Or... I don’t know. Can’t really know what’s going on without knowing more details.

I don’t know if I helped you in any way or opened up the floodgates for more questions. Again, feel free to ask further. You can also message me directly via my personal blog @apicturewithasmile because some things are better discussed and explained in a dialogue.

Maddie

#yes #it's 2020 and I just used a shrug emoji #shoot me #Anonymous

14 notes · View notes

exitrowiron · 4 years

Text

What gets measured gets managed (unfortunately)

and the more something is measured, the more it is managed

It took me 3 hours to write a cogent explanation of how I feel about the pandemic situation. I feel better having organized my thoughts and hope you find it helpful.

The horror of a pandemic is that there are no good options. There are no easy solutions, just shitty choices and shittier consequences. The way we’re navigating those choices is curiously influenced by our measurements and our instinctual, primitive decision making.

Let’s start with the measurements. I live in Minnesota where the rate of infection and death has been relatively modest. How modest? The Star Tribune reports the statistics each day on the front page in large print: as of April 17, 2020 there were 2,071 confirmed infections and 111 deaths. The national statistics are more sobering: 705,112 confirmed infections and 58,346 deaths. I’m not one who accuses the media of being aligned with the liberal elite or any of that other horseshit, but I do think the media has failed in one critical way - the media has failed to provide CONTEXT when reporting these figures.

Our primitive brains are bad at big numbers. Our brains are evolved for the kind of numbers you see on the savanna; the kind of numbers you would see in your tribe. More than you can count on your fingers, but not much more than that. Numbers bigger than that are alarming; they are inherently difficult for our emotional, fear driven, immediate-danger-avoiding brains to grasp. It’s difficult to make good pandemic response decisions because the numbers are too big for effective gut decisions. The best way to help our under-powered caveman brains is by adding context. Context, context, context.

Here is the context: in 2017 in Minnesota 44,361 people died (121.5 per day). Nationally in 2018, 2,839,205 died (7,778 per day). Think about that for a moment... nearly 8,000 people die every day; can you imagine if the newspaper headlines every day kept a running tally? These are large numbers but they aren’t in the headlines every day because we’ve become accustomed to them. Our brains don’t associate those large numbers with an immediate threat and they’ve become white noise. My point is, large numbers are scary. Large numbers without context are even scarier.

Our collective response to the virus is driven by more than just the large numbers however. We’re also disarmed by the novelty of the threat. Ironically, the virus is often referred to in exactly this way; the novel Covid-19 Corona virus. Indeed, our brains react strongly to all novel threats. From an evolutionary perspective it’s very helpful to react strongly to new threats. From a public policy perspective, however, it’s not as productive. In 2018 59,120 people died from influenza or pneumonia. The deaths were concentrated among the elderly (but not exclusively) and yet 54% of the US didn’t get a flu shot in the 2018-19 flu season. You’ll hear a variety of excuses for not getting a flu shot, but with the exception of those who are immune compromised, all the excuses are BS. The real reason is the regular flu is no longer a novel threat. There is a different flavor of flu each year and everyone other than Trump (and perhaps the governor of Georgia) knows it kills a lot of people. But it’s not a new threat and it hasn’t killed us yet (obviously) so most of us (not me) ignore the opportunity to get vaccinated. Again, this is an evolutionary relic, hardwired into the physiology of our brain, influencing our behavior. We are highly attuned to new, acute threats and very good (too good) at ignoring chronic threats. Examples of ignoring chronic threats abound - type II diabetes, climate change, and the runaway concentration of wealth in modern economies are just a few examples. My point is that even when we put the numbers in context, humans always react disproportionately to a novel threat.

This brings us to the issue of measurements. The axiom, “What gets measured gets managed” (wrongly attributed to Peter Drucker) is most definitely true. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is reported with such accuracy, precision and frequency that it is often mistaken as THE measure of the health of the economy (an error which Trump encouraged until very recently). Numbers are influential when reported that way and any number which is widely reported and frequently updated most definitely gets managed. This is true even if managing the number in question has deleterious unintended consequences. Again, this is true of the stock market. The DJIA is NOT an effective comprehensive measurement of the health of the US economy, yet it is widely revered as such and it’s performance is stimulated and protected in ways which are often harmful to actual health of the overall economy. My point is that when it comes to public policy, the numbers we can easily measure and report each day and therefore manage the shit out of are almost always the wrong numbers and trying to optimize these numbers can have very harmful unintended consequences. The important things to measure are always harder to measure; they change slowly over time and are very difficult to influence (again think of your weight, the environment and the distribution of wealth).

We’re also influenced by who we see and hear. Today we hear from health experts (doctors, nurses, Dr. Fauci and the CDC, etc.). These are all people who have dedicated their career to extending the lives of others at any cost. You can’t expect the CDC to balance their recommendations to save as many lives today as possible with the longer term societal consequences. That’s not the team they play for. It would be like asking a tax accountant to consider the benefits of tax simplification. If you really want to have a balanced discussion on this issue you need to have a few historians and economists sharing the microphone with Dr. Fauci and unfortunately no one ever wants to hear from a historian or economist.

This is where we are today. A novel threat has so focused our attention on managing and minimizing the large, frequently reported out of context numbers of illnesses and deaths that we’ve incorrectly assumed that our responses won’t cause an equal or greater amount of longer term misery, illness and death. Our instinctual reaction is reinforced by only asking for the advice of those whose life mission is minimizing short term illness and death. It is naive to think that shutting down the economy for weeks or months won’t have equal or more serious health and morbidity consequences. But it is true that those consequences won’t be measurable, certainly not in daily newspaper headlines.

I’ve seen the memes accusing politicians and the rich of deciding the economy and their fortunes are worth the death of 2-3% of the population. My argument is not about protecting the economy for the sake of the economy or the rich. My argument is that there are no good options and we can’t pretend that lowering the Corona virus deaths at all costs now won’t have worse long term misery, illness and morbidity consequences over the long term. (If you don’t think trashing an economy and creating runaway inflation doesn’t have health and morbidity consequences just spend a few minutes reading about Venezuela.) Our current flatten-the-curve-at-all-costs strategy primarily benefits the old (the most at risk of the virus) while endangering the health and wellness of the young over the long term. I definitely don’t fall in the young camp so I’m not saying this in my own self-interest. I’m not a historian either but I can’t recall a successful society making a similar choice.

I absolutely loathe the idea of being associated with the kind of people who are currently shouting about the cure being worse than illness. But if I really examine what’s driving my emotional response to this situation (which I’ve tried to explain above), I can’t help but agree. (Though you won’t find me blocking the entrance to a hospital like the militia morons on Michigan.) If you’re a politician who is actually trying to lead, you’re really screwed right now, because there are no good options. Either way you will be legitimately criticized for the consequences of your decision and only one of those choices has consequences which can easily be measured in the next election cycle.

What’s going to happen next is what has to happen. Some time soon the Fed is going to run out of bullets. States and municipalities are constitutionally prohibited from running deficits and can’t afford >25% unemployment compensation claims AND falling tax revenues for very long. In a complete vacuum of federal leadership (even within constitutional limits), states will cobble together policies allowing most businesses to reopen and most people will go back to work, albeit with masks and as much social distancing as possible. We will hope that the last few weeks has increased our ICU and ventilator capacity and advanced our treatment protocols enough to avoid a rebound in fatalities. This is the unavoidable reality.

My closing thought is that the process of discovering the unavoidable necessity of reopening the economy is sadly, a bit like finding out that Santa isn’t real. Most kids figure it out on their own and can’t help but feel a bit disappointed that their parents didn’t just sit them down and tell them the truth. I remember feeling embarrassed and naive. I kind of feel like that now. The Trump administration should have done a better job preparing for a pandemic, starting by not firing the team put in place by Obama. But it’s too late for that. Now we’re just left with shitty choices with shittier consequences. Let’s at least have an adult conversation and stop hoping that Santa is going to make it all go away with warm weather, or hydroxychloroquine, the wall, international travel restrictions or whatever other snake oil Trump is selling.

21 notes · View notes

ecoamerica · 2 months

Text

youtube

Watch the American Climate Leadership Awards 2024 now: https://youtu.be/bWiW4Rp8vF0?feature=shared

The American Climate Leadership Awards 2024 broadcast recording is now available on ecoAmerica's YouTube channel for viewers to be inspired by active climate leaders. Watch to find out which finalist received the $50,000 grand prize! Hosted by Vanessa Hauc and featuring Bill McKibben and Katharine Hayhoe!

16K notes · View notes

legalmary59 · 3 years

Text

Uncover Just How Peptides Can Reverse The Aging Procedure - Peptides As Well As Your Wellness

Sarms Outcomes Youtube, Sarms Results Lgd.

Content

Extra From The Times And Also The Sunday Times.

Application Of Proteomic Techniques To Healthy Protein And Peptide Profiling Of Teleme Cheese Made From Various Kinds Of Milk.

Get Sarms Uk.

Www Bioscience.co.uksales & Assistance: +44 (1223 316 855.

Neutron scattering is one tool used by researchers in advancing our understanding of cancer. Recently scientists have actually been using the SANS2D instrument at ISIS to address the difficulty of getting anti-cancer medicines straight to their target site without destructive healthy and balanced cells. Among the necessary amino acids found in collagen is proline, which is important for fixing cells in your arteries, managing blood pressure and maintaining arteries clear of dangerous plaque deposits. Molecular Hiving ™ is a tag-assisted liquid-phase peptide synthesis modern technology created by Teacher Kazuhiro Chiba at Tokyo College of Technology and Agriculture. This innovation makes use of a hydrophobic tag, which is applied similarly as the material for solid-phase peptide synthesis procedures.

At Paula's Selection, we take a multi-ingredient 'cocktail method' to skincare.

Creative Peptides is specialized in the procedure development as well as the manufacturing of bioactive peptides.

It is committed to using custom peptide synthesis, process advancement, GMP manufacturing in addition to directory products for clients.

This suggests the skincare items you invest in must additionally include various other efficient ingredients such as antioxidants as well as skin-repairing ingredients.

While it's clear that peptides are special, as a separated ingredient they are inadequate.

It is located within extracellular matrix proteins as the integrin binding domain name. The advantage of using RGD peptides over entire ECM healthy proteins is that it lowers the immune reactivity danger. Rosario is an Elderly Researcher at the Medicinal Chemistry Institute (IQM-CSIC), Madrid.

Much More From The Times As Well As The Sunday Times.

tidy, well-characterised item. One of the most current enhancement to our peptide conjugation technology is the capacity to site-specifically ubiquitylate peptides via an isopeptide linkage. This is completely unique to Almac and provides accessibility to beneficial tools in biological research. We have created our very own in-house modern technology to enable the post-folding labelling of tiny healthy proteins. This methodology, which makes use of a concealed cysteine moiety, can be made use of to present a fluorophore or PEG molecule bearing maleimide performance into the item after the disulfide bridges have actually been created. This approach has actually been applied to a number of chemokine, enhance protein and also conotoxin targets. Our certificate with Life Technologies enables us access to conjugate synthetic peptides to a large range of extremely efficient fluorophores, such as AlexaFluor ®. Furthermore, we have proficiency in the synthesis of imaging representative precursors, such as DOTA and also NOTA. We have actually proven knowledge in the conjugation of peptides to a wide range of tiny particles, which can be created and also produced making use of a wide range of affiliations. Almac has substantial experience in the conjugation of peptides to a series of carrier proteins consisting of keyhole limpet hemocyanin, Ovalbumin, Bovine Lotion Albumin, and also Human Lotion Albumin. The Swiss based Bachem Team is a public, innovation-driven firm concentrating on the advancement as well as production of pepTides and oligonucleoTides. As a complete supplier Bachem supplies items for clinical growth as well as industrial applications along with a comprehensive brochure and exclusive customized synthesis. With half a century of experience and also subsidiaries in Switzerland, the USA, the United Kingdom and also Japan, Bachem is the companion of choice for the biotech and pharma industry worldwide. In this webinar, the speaker will guide you with the private actions for synthesis of peptides using Molecular Hiving ™ technology. Molecular Hiving ™ also enables the synthesis of peptides without the use of solvents and reagents which are cancer causing, mutagenic, or harmful to recreation. This makes peptide items manufactured by this technology highly attractive for the pharmaceutical and also cosmetics market. In all contemporary microorganisms, details encoded in DNA, the hereditary material of the cell, is converted through an RNA intermediate into healthy proteins, the molecular machines of the cell. Nevertheless, proof suggests that in a distant evolutionary past our single-celled ancestors used only RNA for both genetic info storage space as well as metabolic rate. A cornerstone of this" RNA globe" would have been an RNA able to replicate itself. The appearance of such a RNA replicase is commonly taken into consideration to mark the key point in the origin of life. Study from Philipp Holliger's group in the LMB's PNAC Department has dropped brand-new light on just how the RNA globe, as well as its RNA replicase, might have first come to be dependent on brief proteins, starting the shift to our modern-day biology. In this webinar, the audio speaker will lead you via the individual actions for synthesis of peptides using Molecular Hiving ™ Technology. Scancell has actually also recognized as well as patented a series of changed epitopes that boost the production of killer CD4+ T cells that ruin tumors without toxicity. The Supervisors believe that the Moditope ® system can play a significant function in the growth of safe and effective cancer immunotherapies in the future. Bikes can be easily identified to drug a large spectrum of targets and target classes, including many that have actually up until now been undruggable with little molecules, such as protein-protein communications. Our screening system can be deployed to evaluate either soluble proteins or cell-based targets. Along with being resource-efficient and fast, the process distinctly utilizes an indispensable on-phage binding assay that notifies structure activity connections. We can integrate a broad range of little particle scaffolds into Bicycles to enhance variety and provide differentiated physicochemical as well as structural properties. https://highgrade-labs.com/product/mk-677-ibutamoren/ of gp41 plays a key duty in the procedure of combination of the viral and also cellular membrane layers. Peptides presenting components of the six-helical package are believed to have the ability to disrupt its proper formation as well as, consequently, hinder virus-cell fusion. Currently in 1992, Wild et al. explained a strategy to simulate the second framework of NHR, which was forecasted to be α-helical. Utilizing CD spectroscopy, it could be revealed that the NHR-mimetic peptide forms a steady α-helix under physiological conditions. Furthermore, the peptide displayed a strong anti-HIV-1 task, which can be further improved with dimerization. Foldamers are a really prominent class of α-helix mimetic peptides. For these foldamers, the conformationally constricted β-amino acid trans-2-aminocyclopentanecarboxylic acid was made use of as a building block. Thus α-helix mimics can increase α-helicity, security, and also cell-permeability, they are significantly drawing in the interest both in academic community as well as the pharmaceutical market as prospects for novel therapeutics.

The exact same standard Fmoc amino acid derivatives when it comes to SPPS are obtained setting up the peptide chain. Nonetheless, all couplings and bosoms of the Fmoc shielding group are carried out in solution permitting rapid responses as well as direct in-process controls, e.g. by HPLC. Excess reagents as well as combining as well as bosom relevant by-products are solely gotten rid of by aqueous removals. As a result, intermediate seclusion of the tag-bound peptide as well as too much cleaning steps are not needed for Molecular Hiving ™ modern technology. For that reason, intermediate isolation of the tag-bound peptide and also too much washing actions are not needed for Molecular Hiving ™ Modern Technology.

Application Of Proteomic Techniques To Protein And Also Peptide Profiling Of Teleme Cheese Made From Various Kinds Of Milk.

The outcomes likewise highlighted the problems in relying upon one morphological requirement, in this instance on the distal radius, to compare lamb as well as goat bones. N2 -We describe an approach of separating as well as assessing a single collagen peptide able to distinguish between sheep and also goat bone collagen. Bicycle therapies is creating unique therapeutic agents based on bicyclic peptides, with a certain concentrate on treating cancer cells making use of Bicycle peptides conjugated to potent anticancer toxic substances (Bicycle-Drug Conjugates, BDCs). Our most innovative task targets membrane layer type-1 matrix metalloproteinase( MT1-MMP), a transmembrane protease associated with physiological as well as tumour-associated remodelling of the extracellular matrix. This poster will certainly encompass the discovery, artificial insemination characterisation, optimisation as well as in vivo Evidence of Idea recognition of our BDC routed towards MT1-MMP, as a result of go into the facility in 2016. In literature, there are adequate studies on the possible benefits of bioactive peptides, consisting of recent research study recommending that they reveal an intrinisically multifunctional behavior. Stemmed from food proteins, bioactive peptides hold fantastic guarantee for the avoidance and monitoring of numerous persistent illness as practical foods and/or nutraceuticals. Their usage supplies numerous benefits, consisting of safety, great efficiency and selectivity, as well as low health expense. Because of this, a lot of money and time has been transported right into establishing anticancer medicines. Whilst the clinical area has actually delighted in many successes, there are likewise many challenges. As you supplement, you offer your body the amino acids needed to develop muscle mass tissue, which then sheds calories as well as assists in vitamins and mineral conversion. Peptide-peptide conjugates can be developed and also made making use of a wide array of linkages, including thiol-thiol, thioether , oximes and also amine-thiol crosslinks. Each peptide part is manufactured to a high pureness and also the last conjugated item is detoxified by RP-HPLC to create a

Are Peptides better than steroids?

However, there are also a variety of peptides that encourage the body to release growth hormones. These type of peptides stimulate muscular growth with fewer side effects than anabolic steroids.

PhosImmune's lead prospect, PxP-01, is presently in Phase I evaluating for therapy of selection of cancers cells. Ultimately, a UK branch of the firm, PhosImmune Ltd, has recently been launched. Standard cancer cells vaccinations have actually commonly targeted antigens whose overexpression in cancer cells is not always connected to the procedure of tumor development. We have created a generic and also durable technology for the site-specific add-on of small particles, huge polymers and peptides to various proteins.

Purchase Sarms Uk.

Consequently, we can quickly pick phage that bind to a chosen organic target as well as make use of evolution-driven, enlightened choice to acquire optimal molecules. Regardless of the advantages that cyclic peptide nanotubes provide, up until now, only a handful of instances of their usage as medication delivery vectors have actually been reported.

Sex peptide causes female fruit fly's gut to grow Cornell Chronicle - Cornell Chronicle

Sex peptide causes female fruit fly's gut to grow Cornell Chronicle.

Posted: Mon, 21 Dec 2020 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Collagen acts as supporting structures in the skin providing it its strength as well as elasticity, and also as we mature our collagen manufacturing decreases triggering skin to sag. You can assist to restore your collagen degrees, so here are some leading tips from us to help you do it. Peptide Bonded Glutamine are naturally obtained chemicals that permit the individual to get bigger doses of glutamine right into their system quicker as a result of the secure structure. The advantage of this steady kind is that it is digested quickly and has a quick uptake. Proteomic profiling by MALDI-TOF MS presents various advantages and is being presently made use of in lots of applications (e.g. peptide/protein recognition as well as metrology, biomarker exploration, and imaging MS).

Www Bioscience.co.uksales & Support: +44 (1223 316 855.

GPCRs make up the largest course of medicine targets, as a matter of fact, 27% of all scientifically used drugs target a GPCR. Nevertheless, that's not to say they are ineffective, collagen creams also aid to keep moisturized by preventing water loss, which aids to keep skin flexible and minimize the look of fine lines and wrinkles. Cyclic peptides were conjugated to a biocompatible polymer referred to as pHPMA. This imitates the automobile whilst the organoridiium anticancer complicated contributed to it resembles the cargo the automobile brings. The business's vaccination prospects include phosphopeptide tumour antigens stemmed from proteins that are hyperphosphorylated because of over-activation of proliferation-associated kinases. Additionally, PhosImmune has special legal rights to copyright developed both at the University of Virginia, as well as the College of Birmingham. This includes many license applications revealed in a series of tumours, including cancer malignancy, leukaemia, intestines, bust, and ovarian cancers.

youtube

temperature, pH, ionic toughness, and also presence of unique ions and light. In 2006, Mart et al. examined different receptive systems based upon peptides and their applications, consisting of switchable surfaces, nanoparticle- setting up, hydrogel-formation, steel ion picking up, and also electron transfer. Additionally, unique applications in medicine, such as medication delivery, tissue engineering, cells regrowth, wound recovery, and also nerve cell regrowth trust stimuli-responsive peptides. Several conformational changes of peptides have been reported, varying from α-helix to arbitrary coil and also the other way around or β-sheet to arbitrary coil and the other way around, among others. As the amide hydrogen is missing in peptoids, the common foundation hydrogen bonds existing in proteins as well as peptides can not be created, changing the conformational choices of these molecules. Amino acid derivatives with modified foundation size and also side-chain alignment. Developed by the university's commercialisation arm, Edinburgh Research & Technology, the modern technology uses a fluorescent compound to tag peptides and so make them visible as illness press reporters. Recombinant as well as wild type pVIII major coat proteins presenting hundreds/thousands of duplicates of therapeutic peptides. AB -We explain a technique of isolating as well as analyzing a single collagen peptide able to compare sheep as well as goat bone collagen. The 33 amino acid peptide from both lamb and goat collagen was sequenced and also revealed to differ between the two varieties at two placements. Evaluation of a range of caprines indicated that the sequence adjustments happened between the aberration of the Himalayan tahr and also the ibex and that the proposed goat pen is analysis of all Capra species and also breeds. The survival of these markers in historical bones was examined using a set of 26 ovicaprid specimens from Domuztepe, a Neolithic site in south main Turkey. These pens were used to evaluate the osteological resolution of 24 of the Domuztepe bones, as well as establish the species for two premature samplings. The collagen-peptide method has benefits over other non-morphological methods of sheep/goat difference as a result of the long-term survival of collagen over other biomolecules such as ancient DNA.

: Peptides Congress.

She is associated with peptides, additional framework mimics as well as small-molecule peptidomimetics of application in biological/medicinal chemistry programs, specifically related to the inflection of ion networks and also associated proteins. The PepMix ™ variety of premium quality peptide swimming pools for the in vitro excitement of CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses extends greater than 100 antigens or combined epitope pools, consisting of tumour involved and also transmittable condition antigens. The PepMix ™ peptide swimming pools are developed by antigenic healthy protein series being split right into overlapping peptides, chemically synthesised and then evaluated to abide by the demands of T-cell assays. Our unique, exclusive phage display testing platform incorporates biology with chemistry. We make use of synthetic biology to show a substantial variety of linear peptides on the surface of engineered bacteriophage as well as chemistry to change them into Bicycles. Phage can be harnessed to recognize Bikes by splicing DNA right into the phage genome to make sure that direct peptides encoding Bikes are presented on the phage surface area. Our owner Sir Greg Winter season, a pioneer in phage display screen, applied this innovation, adding a cyclization action that develops Bicycles from these linear peptides.

How much do Peptides cost?

https://highgrade-labs.com/product/lgd-4033-ligandrol/ are too large and too charged to behave like small molecule drugs with predictable pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. As a result, a peptide that costs $100 per gram to manufacture with bioavailability of 10% has an effective cost of $1,000 per gram.

To represent this concern, we established and also recommend an unique method of identifying the family member abundance of peptides, thinking about that peptides have private direct metrology varieties in connection with example dilution. We established a formula that determines the series of dilutions at which each peptide reacts in a linear fashion and stabilizes the obtained peptide intensity worths appropriately. This principle was successfully related to a set of urine samples from patients detected with diabetes mellitus presenting normoalbuminuria and also macroalbuminuria.

Kinds of protein-binding websites shown by the HIV-1 envelope protein gp120. The epitope (V3-loop idea, pink) is located in a solitary series stretch as well as can be reproduced in a solitary peptide. The binding site lies in 3 sequentially discontinuous sections of the protein sequence. In a mimetic peptides, these three pieces exist with a molecular scaffold. To assist recover collagen in the face, in addition to the remainder of the body to assist bodily procedures and also assist slow down body aging, you ought to eat foods that are abundant in healthy protein and also vitamin C.

iBio Method Gets US Patent for Endostatin Peptides for Treating Fibrosis - Pulmonary Fibrosis News

iBio Method Gets US Patent for Endostatin Peptides for Treating Fibrosis.

Posted: Mon, 14 Dec 2020 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Immunization with these peptides induced CD4 T cells in response to autophagic growth targets. Extremely, a single booster shot with modified peptide, approximately 14 days after growth dental implant, resulted in long-term survival in 60% to 90% of pets with no associated toxicity. The review, whose lead author is Professor Lindy Durrant, Scancell's Principal Scientific Policeman, discusses the concept that citrullinated peptides created during autophagy offer appealing injection targets for cancer cells therapy. Scancell's Moditope ® platform utilises this mechanism to boost the manufacturing of very active CD4+ T cells that conquer self-tolerance and destroy tumour cells. Proteins in the external membrane layer of Gram-negative microorganisms commonly have β-barrel structures. Comparable to the NHR mimics, peptides resembling the CHR region of gp41 were created to inhibit the formation of the six-helical package. In 1994, Wild et al. demonstrated a solid anti-HIV-1 task of a peptide that overlaps the CHR. Sifuvirtide could properly obstruct six-helical package formation as well as was energetic even versus Enfuvirtide-resistant HIV-1 strains. Access of HIV-1 right into its host cells is started by a waterfall of healthy protein-- protein interactions in between the viral and also host cell proteins. Some peptides have the ability to be structurally repositioned in action to exterior stimuli, such as

This approach, which produces a targeted, site-specific ligation at the C-terminus, allows for overall control over the conjugation procedure. RGD peptide is an adhesive peptide which can be made use of in a biomaterial context to connect cells to a series of products.

In performing their research, a group of researchers - led by Sébastien Perrier from the College of Warwick-- hoped to change this. Imagine the body as a complicated, diverse freeway system. By delivering anticancer medicines straight to the tumor site, this molecular 'GENERAL PRACTITIONERS' system can reduce adverse effects and improve the restorative performance of medicines. Providers offer a safety shell, improving solubility as well as slowing down clearance from the blood stream. click here to signup with highgrade-labs.com Shop Uk sarms cycle support supplement Sarms can be optimised for both passive targeting to tumors by means of the enhanced leaks in the structure and retention impact and also functionalised for active targeting of certain cells. Sunday 4th February 2018, is Globe Cancer Day, an international initiative started by the Union for International Cancer Control. The objective of this yearly event is to elevate awareness and education about cancer cells and to unite the world in the battle against these harmful conditions.

#Shop Uk needle with 1ml fixed needle syringe #Shop Uk sterile water 2ml #Shop Uk bacteriostatic water 10ml #Shop Uk alcohol swab #Shop Uk gw 501516 cardarine Sarms #Shop Uk lgd 4033 ligandrol Sarms #Shop Uk mk 2866 ostarine Sarms #Shop Uk mk 677 ibutamoren Sarms #Shop Uk rad 140 testolone Sarms #Shop Uk s4 andarine Sarms #Shop Uk sr9009 stenabolic Sarms #Shop Uk shredding stack Sarms #Shop Uk muscle stack Sarms #Shop Uk bulking stack Sarms #Shop Uk cutting stack Sarms #Shop Uk yk 11 Sarms #Shop Uk sarms post cycle therapy supplement Sarms #Shop Uk sarms cycle support supplement Sarms #Shop Uk sarms test base supplement Sarms #UK needle with 1ml fixed needle syringe #UK sterile water 2ml #UK bacteriostatic water 10ml #UK alcohol swab #UK gw 501516 cardarine Sarms #UK lgd 4033 ligandrol Sarms #UK mk 2866 ostarine Sarms #UK mk 677 ibutamoren Sarms #UK rad 140 testolone Sarms #UK s4 andarine Sarms #UK sr9009 stenabolic Sarms

1 note · View note

kinsfolk · 4 years

Text

[ ⛧ ] GET TO KNOW MY CHARACTER BETTER. | open.

@roborights asked: 8: Favorite indulgence and feelings surrounding indulging.

Shinguuji’s feelings on indulgence are relative simple: to indulge is to live by one’s instincts, and living only by one's instincts will push one away from knowing culture. He doesn’t look down upon things such as sleep, or a taste for foods rich in salt or sugar or fats — those all, at the very least, have their roots in evolutionary instinct. But to only ever indulge is the way of animals, as far as he’s concerned. If humans only ever lived in comfortable indulgence, then things such as art and community and culture would have never developed. And to push that all away simply to live as a pampered house pet would? He firmly believes: humans are capable of so much more than that.

As for Shinguuji himself: he’s not a particularly indulgent person... at least, not in the way that most people are. He works tirelessly, and though he’ll eat foods that he enjoys, it’s never to excess. In his travels he’s dabbled with depressants, stimulants, and hallucinogenics, but it’s never been for any sort of personal indulgence. Sex, perhaps, is a common indulgence that he engages with... but it’s certainly not for the physical stimulation as it is for most.

No — Shinguuji’s vice of choice is people. He is a terribly self-indulgent people watcher, but it stretches beyond that. Watching isn’t enough for him, usually. He wants to know them. He wants to comprehend their lived experience thoroughly. He wants to experience them. He wants to see them at their most beautiful — he wants their fear, their worry, their anger, and their love.

And he certainly isn’t about to sit idly by and let someone slip away once they’ve piqued his interested.

#roborights #headcanon tbt #( he's a mess! )

2 notes · View notes

rxbodybuilding · 4 years

Link

Pumped Up On The Paleo Diet by Yael Grauer The Paleolithic era is the period in human pre-history between 2.5 million and 20,000 years ago. And if you're a veteran to the diet industry, it might seem that the Paleo diet craze is even older than that. The logic behind the diet is simple. Anthropological evidence suggests that pre-historic man was bigger, stronger, leaner, and a lot less diseased, despite being forced to survive without prescription meds, Obamacare, or high speed internet. So diet-wise, they must have been doing something right. And guess what? The diet just plain works, for a lot of people. But while few can dispute that Paleo eating is a healthy approach, some question whether there is anything inherently special about the diet. Critics say it's just a mercenary way to reduce calories combined with a healthy dose of slick marketing: limit your food options enough and you'll lose weight by sheer virtue that you run out of things to eat, especially convenience foods, the nemesis of any dieter. After all, it's hard to rationalize grabbing a caveman-friendly snack from a drive thru window unless you also believe that The Flintstones was a documentary. There's also the matter of pre and post workout nutrition. Prehistoric man certainly didn't have access to the wonderful goodies we've all come to enjoy bracketing our workouts with. How many lifters would want to swap their Surge or Anaconda for a couple of tubers and half a hyena? It begs the question, is a strictly Paleo diet a good idea at all for athletes, or can it be modified into the 21st century, especially for the physique-focused Testosterone reader? "Paleo Solution" author Robb Wolf seems to think so. — Bryan Krahn Rob Wolf, a former research biochemist specializing in lipid metabolism, has gained a cult following with his nutrition seminars and weekly podcast, The Paleolithic Solution. Wolf follows in the footsteps of Paleolithic Diet founder Professor Loren Cordain and focuses on the practical implementation of Paleo nutritional concepts to support fat loss, build muscle, and improve athletic performance. On the lifting side, Wolf is as physically formidable as the cavemen he talks about. He's an NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, a USAW Olympic Weightlifting coach, a former amateur kickboxer and a former California State Power Lifting Champion. Wolf has worked as review editor for the Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism and is also the author of the Paleo Solution: The Original Human Diet, due out in bookstores on September 10th. Yael Grauer: Let's start by talking about your background. Before you opened your gym, you were studying biochemistry. What made you decide to move from the lab to the gym? Rob Wolf: Well, I knew I loved nutritional biochemistry after doing lab work for 5 years, but I also really enjoyed coaching. I was not sure which one I liked more, so I started a grad program in nutrition and opened NorCal Strength & Conditioning. Six months later, I loved coaching people so much I couldn't stay out of the gym. But the grad program was, well, not so much fun. CSU Chico's Nutritional Sciences program is 100% USDA Food Pyramid and the coursework made me want to lobotomize myself with a blunt #2 pencil. I felt like the annoying kid at Sunday school who always asked a bunch of humanistic questions that pissed off the clergy. So, I focused on the gym and it's been really successful. We were picked as one of Men's Health's "Top 30 Gyms in America." YG: Impressive. So for those who may not know, what exactly is the Paleo Diet? RW: From a scientific perspective, the Paleo Diet is a reconstruction of what's thought by evolutionary biologists to be our ancestral diet. This diet intends to work with our genetics to help us be fitter, stronger, and healthier. YG: So what do people following the Paleo diet actually eat? RW: The cornerstone of the diet is protein, in the form of meat, seafood, and foul; preferably grass-fed meats and wild seafood. Find something that had a face and a soul, kill it, and bring its essence into your being. Fat sources include a nice mix of mono, saturated, and polyunsaturated fats. Modern sources would be olive oil, coconut oil, and fats that we can derive from nuts and seeds and of course, fish oil. Carb sources include loads of multicolored seasonal fruits and vegetables, and tubers like yams and sweet potatoes after hard training sessions. YG: Why would anybody want to eat like that? RW: Our genome, the genetics that make us who we are, evolved over a two to five million-year period as hunter-gatherers. It's now understood that departures in nutrition and lifestyle away from the hunter-gatherer life increases our likelihood for diseases such as cancer, diabetes, neurological degeneration, and autoimmune disorders. YG: Who's the Paleo Diet for, exactly? RW: It's for anybody. What I've seen recently is improvement in elite level athletes, whether we're talking tri-athletes, MMA fighters, or NFL football players. The Paleo diet brackets the athletic realm very well. YG: Does it work for the sick and the aged? RW: The Paleo diet has shown remarkable promise for metabolic derangement, neurological degeneration (including Parkinson's, Huntington's, and Alzheimer's diseases) and autoimmune disorders. We have clinical data on the reversal of osteoporosis and the related problem of sarcopenia (muscle wasting). YG: How can the Paleo diet work for so many seemingly unrelated conditions? RW: The bottom line is that the underpinning of all these diseases is inflammation resulting from a diet and lifestyle at odds with our Paleolithic genetics. The Paleolithic approach is like shotgun art: you blast all angles of the inflammation spectrum. From hyperinsulinemia to managing n-6/n-3 fatty acid, to decreasing intestinal permeability due to grains and legumes. This allows the complex cellular signaling pathways related to prostaglandins, cytokines, and leukotrienes (to name a few) to come back into a healthy and optimized state. This is good, whether you're trying to build muscle or avoid cancer. That's the geeky explanation anyway, but at the end of the day it just works. YG: That's impressive. But why should the physique-minded Testosterone reader give a damn? RW: That's a great question. Frequent Testosterone contributor Dan John has written about the need to evaluate information less from a perspective of intellectual "masturbatory delights" and more from a perspective of "How does this benefit me?" In this case, Testosterone readers are usually concerned with being strong, built, and lean. With a Paleo diet, we consume plenty of protein for growth and maintenance, control insulin, balance essential fats, and reduce gut irritation. This improves digestion and absorption and if you want to get big, does it not make sense to actually absorb your nutrients instead of shitting them out? The net effect is improved nutrient partitioning (energy goes to muscle, not fat) leanness, and decreased inflammation. Bigger, stronger, and healthier; what's not to like? YG: How does a Paleolithic dietary approach accomplish these body composition improvements? RW: The Paleo diet is effective because it works with our genetics instead of against them. YG: No offence, but that sounds an awful lot like Paleo ad copy. RW: Well, think about your genetics like this: We are the result of our mom and dad having a drunken tryst. Well, this is true for some of us, but you get my drift. After this amorous rendezvous by our parents, we arrive on the scene about 9 months later. If we sequence that mixed bag of genes that mom and pops gave us we have what is called our genome or genotype. The story does not stop there, however. Even before birth, our genetics begin receiving signals from the environment which influences how the genes express themselves, and this results in what is called our phenotype. A great example of phenotype is a picture of two identical twins that Professor Art De Vany posted several years ago. (See photo at right.) One is a distance runner, the other a sprinter/thrower. Same genes (genotype), remarkably different environmental stimulus (different training and likely different food choices), and consequently a different phenotype. The Paleo diet causes a phenotypic expression of health and wellness. You can do cool shit when you're healthy and vital. YG: And this relates how to the aspiring bodybuilder? RW: If somebody is looking to gain as much muscle and be as lean as they can, we need a high protein intake (at least 1g protein per pound of bodyweight), good insulin management, good n-3/n-6 fats, and a healthy digestion. The Paleo diet takes care of all this in one fell swoop. We keep systemic inflammation low, maintain good insulin sensitivity, and improve digestion so we absorb more of the nutrients we take in (keep it, don't poop it). YG: Bold claims. What's the evidence behind it? RW: There's not a lack of research in the area; it just depends on what topic you're interested in and how much detail you want to get into. I could provide enough research that it would solve any Testosterone reader's insomnia problems as well or better than a ZMA & Z-12 sandwich. You can start by looking at work by Boyd Eaton, Loren Cordain, Staffan Lindberg, Frits Muskiet, and Pedro Bastos. They've produced mountains of peer-reviewed material on the Paleo diet and evolutionary medicine. YG: There are a number of caveman-inspired diets out there. How is Paleo different from the rest? RW: I'd have to see a specific example of what caveman diet you're talking about, but in general they're all fairly similar. They tend to center on a lot of protein from eggs, fish, meat, chicken, and foul. Carbs from fruits, vegetables, roots, and tubers like yams and sweet potatoes. They tend to uniformly limit or exclude the Neolithic foods including grains, legumes, and dairy. Certain people will allow dairy, but it really depends on whom you're talking to and what kinds of comparisons you're trying to make. YG: I've heard you claim that grains are irritating to the gut. Was agriculture just a huge mistake? RW: This may sound counterintuitive for people to consider, but in biology there's different survival and reproductive strategies. Some plants use a fruit, which is what I call "give a little, get a little." A critter eats the fruit and deposits the seed in a fragrant, toasty-warm, nutrient-dense package some distance away from the parent plant. Biological success! In the case of grains, however, the reproductive structure of the grain is the part we normally eat, and it's a very nutrient-dense structure. It's got protein, carbohydrates, and fat in it, and would be quite a prize for most organisms to eat. That being the case, grains have developed chemical defense mechanisms to prevent them from being eaten. These defenses include lectins like gluten in wheat, zein in corn, and avenin in oats that are high in the amino acid proline, and it makes these lectins tough to digest, allowing them to make their way through the digestive process intact. Once in the intestinal lining, they attach to the microvilli of the intestines and trick the body into transporting the lectin into the body. This creates an immune response that damages the intestines and sets the stage for inflammation, impaired digestion, and autoimmunity. YG: We all can think of people who eat grains and seem quite healthy. Do they have this effect on everyone? RW: Different people are susceptible to these lectins to different degrees, but it's easy to track the effects of grain intake through blood work, even if you don't think they're a problem for you. Grains employ several other items in their chemical weapons arsenal including protease inhibitors and anti-nutrients. In total, these defense systems cause damage to the gut lining and bind valuable nutrients like B-vitamins, calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc. If we look to anthropology we can see a very clear demarcation in our ancestors: our Paleolithic ancestors tended to be as tall or taller than modern western populations. When our Neolithic ancestors shifted the bulk of their diet to "starchy" cereals they lost an average of 6-9" of height, while suffering from bone malformations and related problems. All these problems are a response on the part of the grains to avoid being eaten by other organisms. Okay, I can hear people passing out and aspirating their Metabolic Drive so I'll leave this topic for now. Just keep in mind; grains do not use the "give a little, get a little" survival strategy like fruits. The appropriate term for grain survival strategy would be "bugger off." YG: Is there anything you think people should eat differently than cavemen? RW: Even though we're trying to use this caveman framework to make informed choices, it doesn't mean we throw the baby out with the bathwater. We definitely keep an eye on information that's coming out of modern sciences to augment what we're up to. Creatine is a great example: creatine definitely improves performance, although you get a lot of it through red meat consumption, there seems to be performance benefits for people who supplement with creatine. YG: When do you think dairy is indicated? RW: Dairy is great if you place a premium on muscle/weight gain. My go-to approach for a mass gain protocol is simply "Paleo plus dairy." There are all kinds of people recommending the same approach; I think EliteFTS is calling it the Mountain Dog Diet. Former NFL lineman John Welbourn has seen remarkable results with his football program combined with Paleo + Dairy. YG: So for building muscle, no grains, no legumes, just Paleo and milk? RW: Yeah, and here are the reasons: • Lots of protein. You need that stuff to grow. • Good insulin control. Partitioning growth into muscle, not your fanny. • Good n-6/n-3 fats. Reduce inflammation. • Good digestion. Absorb it, don't poop it. • Big calories. You still have to eat big to get big. Let's use John Welbourn as an example, a 300-pound, 8% body fat NFL lineman. He's tinkered with just about every kind of protocol you can think of. He's worked with heavy hitters like Mauro DiPasquale and he feels the Paleo plus dairy approach has worked better than anything he's previously tried. He feels better and finds it very easy to gain muscle mass. YG: So no potatoes? RW: You can do white potatoes, cautiously. There are some gut-irritating constituents in potatoes that can be removed by simply peeling them. White potatoes would be better than most grain sources in my opinion, but from a nutritional density standpoint they just don't have a lot to offer. I would lean more towards yams, sweet potatoes, turnips, and stuff like that. You get much more nutritional bang for your buck with those options than you do from white potatoes. YG: Sprouted grains? RW: Well, it's kind of like sprouting cat turds. You start with something that's not really good food, you process it in a way so that it's a little bit better, but grains, sprouted or otherwise, suck when we compare equal caloric amounts of grains versus fruits and veggies. But if you want to sprout cat turds...er, grains, go for it. If you're living in a third-world country and the best option you have is to eat grains because that's all that's around, then by all means sprout them. But if you're in a situation in which you're trying to optimize performance, health and longevity, then you're an idiot to do this. YG: Ouch, strong words! Back in the day, you were a big proponent of the Zone diet. What made you move from the Zone diet to more of a Paleo approach? RW: I would never characterize myself as a Zone guy. While I was working for Crossfit, I had to tow the party line as Crossfit holds the Zone up as the epitome of sports nutrition. I do like elements of the Zone but it goes down some really wacky rabbit holes. The notion that everyone runs best on 40-30-30 macronutrient ratios or that it's more important to weigh and measure crap foods versus free eating quality chow is just crap. YG: So you think the Paleo diet is more effective than the Zone because of food quality? RW: Look, I've worked with thousands of people, and most do better at higher protein and fat levels than the Zone advocates. And when we consider autoimmunity and the connection food quality has on this disease process, it's not possible to weigh and measure your way out of lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, but we're documenting the reversal of these diseases with a Paleo diet. The interesting thing about this however, is although the Crossfit intelligentsia still push the Zone, the vast majority of the Crossfit community follows a Paleo approach that looks nothing like the Zone! Prof. Loren Cordain's book, The Paleo Diet, was released in 2001 and is still currently in the Top 20-30 in health/diet books, but Enter The Zone is nowhere to be seen. Why? People figure out what works best regardless of what hyperbole is spewed at them. YG: Let's talk about your book. It's coming out in September? RW: You bet. The Paleo Solution is due out on September 10, but people can pre-order it on Amazon. The material is an outgrowth of my work as a biochemist and a coach working with thousands of people. I've worked with just about every conceivable situation, and answered an insane number of questions. The Paleo Solution answers those questions while providing the scientific framework for folks to understand 'why.' YG: What kind of material do you cover? RW: Readers will understand digestion, how protein, carbohydrate and fat influence hormones, and how this plays into fat loss, health or disease. They'll understand the significance of dietary fats whether the concern is performance, health, longevity, or making your fanny look good in a bikini. I also go into how lifestyle factors such as sleep and stress influence the hormone cortisol. I even get into basic blood work and what things people should ask their doctor to include to better assess inflammation and health. The book includes a detailed 30-day meal plan and a beginner exercise program. The exercise program is geared to the beginner or someone who is quite de-conditioned but the nutritional info would be helpful for anyone regardless of background. YG: Sounds exciting! Thanks for doing this today Robb! RW: It was my pleasure.

#growxxl #forum

1 note · View note

a-travels · 5 years

Photo

taken: 27 may, 2018 Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon, Iceland

empty and alone

Yeah, I’m finally posting a color photo, though it still has a muted color palette. I gotta find some more color photos and photos of non-solitary animals to upload. Unlike the horsies, there were no other seals around, though I’m sure they were underwater or something.

I was recently talking to a friend about stuff and the topic of relationships and love lives popped up, despite my very blatant inability to contribute anything meaningful to such a discussion. And this was, in fact, one of the four people who read the dumb stuff I post on here, and she encouraged me to make a post on “love” and that sort of thing. I initially tabled the idea, because while it’s something I have my own thoughts on, I didn’t really know what to actually talk about or what to express, much less what picture to pair it with.

I realized later that day, in my traditional 3am moments of clarity (since my mind has pretty much shifted to a nocturnal cognitive cycle), that this photo fits fairly well with what I think is a less talked about aspect of “love” and relationships. So this post is for that friend, who probably knows who they are.

In the ever inspirational words of Ron Swanson talking about his ex-wives and love life, he says, “If you don’t believe in love, what’s the point of living?” I agree wholeheartedly. I think the human experience and life itself is about, among other things, building relationships and connections with others, not even just human beings, but even a pet. I won’t go deeper than that in terms of the philosophy of love or life (as far as I want to right now), but I think foundationally, it’s important to understand my view on that regard before moving forward.

That being said, I think neither connections or love is something that should be rushed, forced, or inorganic. Maybe it’s simply my idealism, privilege, and choice talking here. Idealism because I like to think love finds its way and people will find each other through organic means; privilege because I’ve never been placed in any position (so far) that I’ve been forced to be or not be with someone for any reason; and choice, not because I have hoards of women running after me (lol please), but more that I have to ability to find and ask out anyone I want to (not that they’ll say yes, but I have the option to at least ask), which not everyone can claim. It’s the same sort of freedom I found myself in terms of career paths, college choice and more. To that end, my parents get a lot, if not most of the credit in never really pigeonholing me or forcing me down any one path. But I realize my fortune in freedom is not something afforded to everyone.

So in that vein, I think looking at relationships and love from the lens of choice and freedom is particularly interesting, because I think now than ever before in my life, I’m seeing the start of marriages and long-term relationships, or rather the push towards that direction. I mean it's around that age where people are young, in love and want to do something about it. Or, they see their friends around them in a relationship and want to don’t want to be left out or stuck third- or fifth-wheeling. And whether cuffing season is actually hitting my friends directly, it certainly seems to be affecting people’s parents.

In my family, there’s a very strict “no dating till you’re settled” policy, which I guess, good luck to them. I sure as hell don’t know when I’m gonna be “settled”, as in a stable job, good savings, and a good house. I think the same rings true for a lot of Asian parents⸺strict anti-dating policy in the house...until there suddenly isn’t. It’s something I’ve heard from so many of my Asian friends, in particular, the sudden interest and goading from immediate or extended family to find a significant other, a boyfriend or girlfriend. It’s pressure I see affect so many of my friends in such negative and unfortunate ways, and to what end? What is the benefit of seeing your child in a relationship suddenly? Now that they’re out of college in a job, what makes the time so ripe for love? I definitely don’t know and I don’t know if I ever will. As someone who personally values individual liberty, especially in regards to relationships and love, in particular, I am vehemently against the idea of forcing anything on anyone, particularly a relationship. It’s like how you’d feel weirded out being forced to be friends with someone, it is exactly the same thing. A significant other should be your friend in some regard, only closer.

And yet, it seems in some confounding way that some parents are pushing their children towards the next “landmark” or checkbox on their journey of life. It’s literally like they’re the player piece on this sick, messed up board game of real Life (which in part is why I can’t play that board game anymore, bc of how meta it gets sometimes, especially this copy I saw in the store the other day advertising experiencing “crippling debt” and “quarter-life crises”. Big yikes). In turn, I see how it affects people’s outlook and philosophy towards relationships and finding a boyfriend or girlfriend. It becomes less about fostering an actual connection and more about this dumb rat race of finding someone to say you found someone. Someone I know in particular speaks regularly about his parents pressuring him to find a girlfriend, and when he doesn’t, I see how superficially he talks about women on dating apps or on facebook or social media. And yes, it’s tough to gauge someone’s personality on a platform when you only have pictures and usually a half-baked bio associated with it, but it’s also in large part why I’m against the idea of a dating app like a Tinder. On the other end, I have a male friend who is clearly very thirsty and stressing out my female friends, either hitting on them or hitting on other women around them. And while I can’t say for sure it’s a push from the parents' end, it certainly seems that way in its intensity and brazenness.

I don’t really know what to say to help people afflicted with that kind of parental pressure. I get my own share of parental pressure on other things outside of relationships, I see in my own family that pressure to get my older cousins and family members “married off”. I see my parents occasionally talk about the benefits of arranged marriage, and how the “stress of finding someone” is taken away and you can genuinely build a relationship with someone over time, and it’s kind of shocking considering my parents were not arranged.

I don’t know what the rush is or what the motivation is from a parent for that kind of push. This may just be my idealism talking, but I think that “emptiness” people feel or parents think their kids will face from a lack of relationship is not a square hole for a square peg. I think for all my lukewarm attitude towards Disney Princess movies, I think one of my favorite things from Frozen (which overall is still just ok imo) was how “true love’s kiss” to save Anna wasn’t a kiss from a boy, or someone she would marry, but the love from her sister Elsa. If you think your child is lacking in “love”, you can provide that love, they can find it from other siblings, from friends, a pet, even a toy (like when you’re a kid), not just from a boyfriend or girlfriend. And barring the whole “evolutionary goal of a species is to propagate their genetic info” and that nonsense, it’s ok to be by yourself (hehe old post). And if you don’t find anyone now or later, there are still so many ways to find love that doesn’t require a traditional marriage or relationship.

At the very least, don’t be your own impediment to choice or freedom to be with who you want. You obviously can’t control other people, your parents, your friends from pressuring you, unfortunately, but ultimately it’s your life and not theirs and you deserve to be happy, no matter the form that takes, even if it means seeming “empty and alone” at times to them.

tl;dr - you alone should be able to choose to be alone

1 note · View note