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eightyonekilograms · 3 years

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Someone on the Discord brought up fertility

Just like last time I'm lazy and just going to dump it instead of editing.

[5:10 PM] Me: Oh boy, I have thoughts about this

[5:12 PM] Me: I haven't brought it up here but demographics has been one of my covid obsessions. I got a couple books about it (What to Expect When No One's Expecting, One Billion Americans, etc.), read all the articles, etc.

[5:15 PM] Me: I agree with you about a couple things: namely that if we had "infinite free energy" we'd be a a lot better off in many ways including demographically, but I disagree with most of your other points.

[5:18 PM] Me:

Also we need not assume decline in population growth is chronic.

This is a tricky statement because there's a social aspect and a mathematical aspect. Socially you're correct in the sense that whatever trends are driving the current decline could, in theory, reverse at any time. But mathematically, population decline is exactly symmetrical to population growth: it's exponential (technically it's logistic, but that's the same as exponential in the short term), because having fewer people means fewer people to make more people later on.

[5:20 PM] Me:

Infact there is some evidence to suggest that we actually did more science when we had 4-6 billion people.

I disagree with the implication here: we used to do more science because there was more low-hanging fruit, which is now plucked, and further discoveries require more resources (human and financial). Actually one of the big reasons I disagree with Ray Kurzweil and the other singularitarians is that when they show these impressive-looking exponential curves about scientific progress, they quietly hide under the rug that these increases are requiring ever-more investment (again, in both people and money) to accomplish. Just to pick a random example, every time chip manufacturers go to a new process (14nm -> 10nm -> 7nm -> 5nm -> 2nm etc.), the cost to build the fab basically doubles. I remember a couple years back Intel had to spend $5 billion to hit a new process shrink; now TSMC needs to spend $28 billion to hit their next target: https://www.wsj.com/articles/tsmc-to-spend-up-to-record-28-billion-in-advanced-chips-capacity-11610623587)

[5:23 PM] Me: I will try to find it but I came across a paper a little while ago laying out in detail that the cost of new scientific discoveries has been steadily increasing over time. It's not that there's anything necessarily going wrong with the scientific process, this is just what you'd expect as we pick low-hanging fruit: the later discoveries necessarily become harder. But if you extrapolate that trend out forever you eventually hit a point where every single person needs to be a scientist, and every dime of capital in existence, needs to be used to make any new discoveries.

[5:26 PM] Me: (In most fields we're a long way from that point, but it actually is here or nearly here in e.g. particle physics. What I have been hearing from leading-edge particle physicists is that we've got maybe one or two more generations of particle accelerators left before we reach a point where, to probe any further (e.g. to see if string theory is true), we'd need to build accelerators the size of the Solar System, which would take more raw material than the mass of the Earth. Barring some new theoretical breakthroughs, we might actually nearing the "end" of high-energy physics.)

[5:30 PM] Me: Fortunately most fields aren't at that point, but my point is that the more we discover, the more human capital is required to make further progress. That's a tricky enough proposition with a growing population, never mind a shrinking one.

[5:36 PM] Me:

I don't think it is safe to assume lowering population growth is a biological disorder so much as a conscious choice most people in the younger generations are making for a variety of obvious reasons.

I agree with this, but it's important to dig into that a little and understand the reasons. For example, I'm not yet convinced that there is a mass epidemic of people choosing childlessness because of anxiety about e.g. climate change. In internet comments sections you certainly see lots of people making that claim, but talk is cheap and randos on the internet can say whatever they want. In terms of the actual reasons, the data I've seen shows that number of children continues to track closely with a couple data points, mostly housing costs, expected lifetime income and uncertainly about future income flow.

[5:40 PM] Me: Third, I think you should give more weight to the concerns Rhys brought up than you currently are. The environmental stresses of more people is certainly a big issue, but I think it's one that can be dealt with without too much struggle with increased deployment of clean energy (one of the few optimistic data points lately is that there's a staggering amount of wind and solar power being deployed every year) and a couple of lifestyle changes like eating less meat. Not to say these are easy, but contrast with the pretty serious problems of population decline, particularly the social safety net.

[5:41 PM] Me: And I don't just mean the explicit ones like Social Security, but even market-based, privatized ones like retirement savings have a hidden reliance on a growing population.

[5:42 PM] Me: When you "save for retirement", you're not stockpiling food and water to live off when you no longer work, you're collecting financial assets that you expect to sell to someone else and live off that income. But if there's no one to sell to, that doesn't work.

[5:44 PM] Me: This is a problem that's starting to show up at the top end of the income stack: see this WSJ article about retirees who can't find anyone to buy their $3 million homes: https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-growing-problem-in-real-estate-too-many-too-big-houses-11553181782. It's easy to have schadenfreude here at those poor rich people who can't unload their huge mansion, but remember that this is inherently a problem which will start at the top of the income brackets and gradually make its way downward.

[5:46 PM] Me: You can push this problem back for a while by increasing taxes on the rich, and I do indeed think those should go up, but in a declining population that only buys you a little time. Remember that "money" is nothing but a claim on some fraction of total economic output. e.g. when you hold a dollar bill, you're essentially holding a note entitling you to one-zillionth of American GDP.

[5:47 PM] Me: At a certain point once population falls then total aggregate output necessarily falls too, and at that point taxing the rich hits rapidly diminishing returns: you're just claiming a bigger share of falling output

[5:49 PM] Me: One thing to keep in mind here is that most economies, but especially the U.S. economy, are primarily driven by consumer spending, i.e. normal people just buying and selling stuff to each other.

[5:50 PM] Me: This is why e.g. mass immigration isn't as huge a deal as a bunch of nativists like to think: immigrants get jobs, but they also spend money on goods and services just like anyone else: they generate labor demand as well as taking up supply

[5:51 PM] Me: But what I'm driving at here is that, again, a consumer-spending-driven economy with a falling population is going to get poorer pretty much by definition: fewer people buying stuff means fewer jobs to produce that stuff.

[5:54 PM] Me: Or to put another way, to use a ridiculously simplified model, GDP = Population X Productivity, and so if you take the derivative, then GDP' ~ Population' + Productivity'. So in a falling population environment, you need a lot of heavy lifting in terms of forever-increasing productivity in order for economic growth to be positive. And while there might be improvements down the pipe, frankly we kind of seem tapped out on productivity growth already

[5:55 PM] Me: Now, one possible response here is that we should work out how to have an economic system which delivers prosperity without endless growth, and I do agree we need that. But just saying that doesn't fix the problem that right now we don't have it and people will be poorer in a world without growth.

[5:56 PM] Me: And in such a world, I think it actually becomes harder to successfully transition to whatever post-scarcity economy can fix the problem, because people will be caught up in fighting over a shrinking pie.

[5:58 PM] Me: The neoliberal capitalist mindset of "a rising tide lifts all boats" isn't totally true and has been used to justify all kinds of nasty plutocratic behavior, but it isn't entirely false either. Without growth, at least in the system we have now, wealth distribution inherently becomes a zero-sum game. And that could get really ugly.

[5:59 PM] Me: So, that's most of what I have to say about why a falling population would be bad. But that's the easy part. Where this gets really complicated is why it's happening and what to do about it

[6:00 PM] Me: Now, I think one of the reasons I've been so fascinated by this is that it's been a pessimistic year, and falling birth rates are kind of the perfect pessimistic problem because I don't really see an easy way out. Also I'm just annoyed by partisans in general, and this is a perfect problem for that because it sort of frustrates partisans on all sides.

[6:02 PM] Me: e.g. the left mainly talks about the economic causes and proposes a variety of policy solutions, but an ugly little secret here is that government policy to increase birth rates has basically a perfect, unbroken track record of total failure

[6:03 PM] Me: All kinds of countries (mostly in Europe, but also in East Asia) have implemented all kinds of pro-natalist policies, and for the most part they have accomplished pretty much nothing. (Amusingly, this even goes back to antiquity: in the first couple centuries AD Roman Emperors were also concerned with falling birth rates, and implemented a variety of reforms that didn't do anything)

[6:03 PM] Me: You could always say they didn't go far enough, but at some point you're making an unfalsifiable hypothesis

[6:06 PM] Me: Meanwhile on the right, they're constantly talking about cultural factors, but this runs into two problems: it's again a set of mostly unfalsifiable hypotheses, but even worse since they're all tangled up in the Right's usual rants about The Way Things Ought to Be, but even if they turned out to be true, it seems like a hopeless cause because we basically have no levers to change culture.

[6:07 PM] Me: "Why does culture develop in the direction it does" is one of those huge questions I'm not sure we'll ever have a complete answer for, but I think it has to mostly involve technological determinism.

[6:08 PM] Me: https://www.sciphijournal.org/index.php/2017/11/12/why-the-culture-wins-an-appreciation-of-iain-m-banks/ <-- this is a great article explaining what I'm talking about, as well as explaining why you should read Iain Banks

[6:09 PM] Me: But my point here is that all the cultural changes the Right laments as causing people to have fewer children, assuming they're even correct which I am definitely not granting, are pretty much all products of industrialization. You can't roll them back without undoing the Industrial Revolution. At least not without an insane level of authoritarianism

[6:10 PM] Me: So on the policy side we have a bunch of levers which don't do anything, and on the culture side there are no levers at all.

#meanwhile on the discord

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black-clover-incorrect-quotes · 4 years

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A-Z, go!

See, that’s why I should read all the asks before jumping in and starting answering some.... okay sorry, I’ll just ignore the ones I already replied to ;_;

A - Ships that you currently like a lot. I’m not a big shipper, but here’s something from my most recent fandoms and something that I liked for years: Jerza (Fairy Tail) and Royai (Fma), IkkaYumi (Bleach they are canon don’t @ me), ObaMitsu (Demon Slayer, had to google this. Mostly because I read the last chapter a couple of days ago and I’m still in shock), tonight I was reminded of a ship I used to have a long time ago and it’s not anime, LeoxPiper (PJO)

B - A pairing–platonic, romantic or sexual–that you initially didn’t consider, but someone changed your mind. RenRuki (Bleach), to some extent. I usually don’t change my mind on these things, so, even if I don’t ship it, I had to admit they have a cute potential.

C - A ship you have never liked and probably never will. Every ship involving the main character: NaLu, NaruSaku (and to some extent NaruHIna), Eren and Levi or Eren and Mikasa. The list goes on, if it’s the main character, then I probably dislike the ship.

D - A pairing you wish you liked but just can’t. Again, the canon endgame ship for the main character. I would enjoy the canon contenent and my fandom experience a lot more if I did.

E - Have you added anything cracky/hilarious to your fandom? If so, what? I think you’d have to be rather tumblr-famous to do something like that.

F - What’s the longest you’ve ever been in a fandom? Three-four years. I always go back to Hetalia to roleplay because it’s just so easy to roleplay this fandom, so I never really leave, I always have it tagged on Omegle LoL

G - Have you ever had an OTP? If so, do you remember your first one? Who was in it? I don’t know? Probably in my YA reading days, but I can’t remember which was my first OTP. If I had to pick a wild guess, probably something in Percy Jackson, like LukexThalia, but I’m not sure, it’s been a long time ago.

H - What is your favorite source text for fandom stuff (e.g., TV shows, movies, books, anime, Western animation, etc.)? Anime and, most recently, manga. But it depends on what it’s easier to find, to be honest. Since I depend a lot on subs (because I can’t always understand spoken english with ease) I found that you can always count on Anime to be subbed, so it’s more a matter of convinence than preference.

I - Has Tumblr caused you to stop liking any fandoms, if so, which and why? I have been active on Tumblr for a short while, but the fanbase made me dislike Supernatural and I’m still enjoying Bleach because I tend to stay away from the fans (guess what they have in common? Crazy and angry shippers)

J - Name a fandom you didn’t think about until you saw it all over Tumblr. The most recent is Demon Slayer and even Haikyuu to some extent. I didn’t know they were a thing until I saw post on tumblr. But I easily give in to what’s popular and sometimes I come to regret my decision (Like watching Game of Thrones).

M - Name a character that you’d like to have for a friend. There’s lots of them!!! In Black Clover, I’d want to be friends with Leopold.

N - Name three things you wish you saw more or in your main fandom. In Black Clover I’m pretty satisfied with what I see. In the show I’d like to see more of my faves. That goes for Tumblr as well. And ships, there’s not a lot of canon ships in Black Clover.

O - Choose a song at random. Which ship or character does it remind you of? From my YouTube Mix randomized, God was Never on Your Side (Mothorhead). If you are familiar with the show, that’s really a no-brainer because it played as he died: Jack from Supernatural.

Q - A fandom you’ve abandoned and why. I’ve abandoned a lot. I’ll go with Attack on Titan. The fanbase was rather unpleasant and the plot was going in a weird and boring direction. The same problem with the plot drove me away from Blue Exorcist.

R - Which friendship/platonic relationship is your favorite in fandom?These questions are the worst because there’s so many to chose from. Anything that falls under the ‘found family’ trope tbh.

S - Show us an example of your personal headcanon (prompts optional but encouraged). If only I had imagination. An headcanon of mine is that Luck is Charlotte’s little brother.

T - Do you have any hard and fast headcanons that you will die defending? Not really? If ships count as headcanon, I’d say that Ikkaku and Yumichika from Bleach are a couple. I also had another in Bleach that was less of an headcanon and more of a ‘I thought this was canon until the manga explained it differently but I like my idea better because it makes more sense’ that is that Rukia, from Bleach, is actually Byakuya and Hisana’s child. I don’t think I have enough room to write my it in details and why I think it makes sense though lol

U - Three favorite characters from three different fandoms, and why they’re your favorites. Fuegoleon. Do I really need to explain this? Duh. And the last two recent things I read: Byakuya from Bleach. I loved him from the get-go, there’s not really a reason. And from Demon Slayer, Rengoku. I don’t think I can say much about him because the anime still has to cover his arc, but who read the Infinity Train Arc knows. Also, he reminds me a little of Fueggy with his Fire Breathing, he’s kind of a captain (a Pillar) and he motivates everyone.

V - Which character do you relate to most? Lazy characters like Shikamaru or awakard like Kenma.

W - A trope which you are virtually certain to hate in any fandom. Main character slowly succumbing to the dark power he has inside (Naruto - Nine Tails, Natsu - END, Eren - the crack he’s smoking apparenty, Asta - the Demon, Meliodas - his demon power, Also Sasuke -cursed mark even though he isn’t the main character) it’s so overused. When I thought KnY was going in this direction, I was about to drop it - but luckly it didn’t, it was a surprise since it was all about demons but a welcome one.

Y - What are your secondhand fandoms (i.e., fandoms you aren’t in personally but are tangentially familiar with because your friends/people on your dash are in them)? Boku no Hero. I watched only a bit (up to when Bakugo gets taken to the Villans’ hideout I think?). it seems interesting, but I can’t deal with ongoing series (Black Clover is enoguh for the time being).

Z - Just ramble about something fan-related, go go go! Alright this is going to be controversial but sometimes your ships don’t get canon, get over it. I’m so tired of borderline delusional people point out how two characters were so *made for each other* and the author is either 1) homophobic 2) a bad writer (even though y’all liked his writing until the last chapter? Hmmm) 3) clearly manipulated by the editors, he wanted to make X ship canon!!!. And fans really need to stop bashing characters that “get in the way” of their OTP. It’s just pathetic. At the least lose with dignity.

#ask

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kirishwima · 4 years

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I am also very much MM trash, especially for Uknown and 707. So if you don’t mind me asking, do you have headcanons for either when MC is dealing with depression?? [Youre headcanons are amazing btw I keep dying when I read them aHaHhhhhhh ❤️🧡🖤🥰💜💖💕🥺]

hey! thank you for the sweet comment, it makes me really happy ;u;

YOOSUNG:

* He’s actually much more perceiving than you’d give him credit for-even if MC tries to hide their mental illness, he’ll still notice the little signs, the lethargy, the strained smiles, the half-heartedly hidden furstration

* He doesn’t really put two and two together at first-his MC is so sweet and nothing like what the movies portray depression to be

* He does get concerned however when there’s days where MC barely has the energy to get out of bed, when they’ll either eat too little or sleep too much, and he decides he needs to push them for answers.

* He’ll drag MC to the couch, will make the two of them some hot chocolate and take a hold of their hand, letting them know he’s noticed their behavior and wants to check in with them, make sure everything’s alright

* When he finds out MC has depression, he might ask some somewhat rude questions ‘but how can you be depressed? you’re so sweet and happy!’. He’ll spend hours reading up on depression online, from wikepedia to pubmed.com, he’ll scour the net for information on what he can do to help MC.

* Will try and get them to go on at least a brisk walk every day to get some excersice and sunlight; he’ll cook them meals and sit with them as long as it takes to eat even a little, and if they haven’t already, he’ll talk to them and try to convince them to visit a psychiatrist to start therapy for their mental health.

* Just wants the best for his MC, and if he can’t be the one to provide the help they need, then he’ll be sure to help them get access to it

JAEHEE:

* Honestly…it might take her a while to catch on to what’s going on

* She’s a busy person and while perceptive, she might not immediatly put two and two together. Sure, she’s noticed MC often sleeps in or stays up late, and sometime she’ll nag at them to eat proper meals, but she just figured it’s how MC is-lots of people are night owls and picky eaters right?

* She realises there’s a deeper problem when once, while asking MC for something e.g to turn on the kettle, MC snaps at her, and immediatly regretting it-MC’s eyes fill up with tears and they cover their mouth, scared of how Jaehee will react.

* Well, she certaintly doesn’t react the way they expected her to-she simply stops whatever she was going and comes close to MC, cusping their cheeks between her palms.

* She kisses the tips of their nose as she guides them to the kitchen table, nodding to them to sit down.

* “I don’t….you know I care for you right? And if there’s something wrong, something you’d like to want to talk about, then I want to be the person you feel safe talking to about it. So, is there something you want to tell me?”

* When MC tells her about their depression, she keeps her face as neutral as possible. She feels a pang of guilt in her gut for not realising it sooner, but knows that that’s not what’s important right now.

* Instead she asks MC if she’s seeing a therapist or taking any medications, and if so how it’s going, what their therapist suggests that could help e.t.c.

* She reads up on depression and looks for things she can do to help MC.

* She’ll constantly nag at them to eat and sleep properly, and in turn it also helps her set up healthy sleep scedhules and meal prepping-and it makes her so happy to see MC standing there with her in the kitchen, cooking their meals for the week together.

* It’s not always a rosy path, but she’ll do whatever she can to help the one she loves.

ZEN:

* He’s also a busy man with an insanely busy scedhule, so quite frankly, he doesn’t really notice something’s wrong

* He sees MC’s cyclothymic mood and is worried about it-one moment they’ll be happy and giggling at something he said, the next they’re distant, furstrated even if he tries to probe at what the matter is

* He decides to try and take a few days off, simply to be at home with MC, see if maybe they’re acting this way because they feel he’s neglecting them

* Well, as soon as he spends a couple of days spending more time with MC, he puts the pieces together and more or less realises what’s wrong-he’s been through a depressive slump more than once through the years, and while it wasn’t quite what MC seems to be going through, he can tell what the most probable cause of their behavior is

* He sits them down and traces their jaw with his fingertips, smiling softly at them. “Baby, if something’s wrong you’d tell me right? You know I’m your knight in shining armor. If something’s bothering you, then I need to know so I can kick it in the butt for tormenting my darling.”

* When MC talks to him about their depression he nods along, his smile shakey-he hates the thought of his baby going through such things, and wishes their depression could be a dragon he could slay, somehting he could take and destroy-but he knows there’s little he himself can do.

* “What if...” he starts, “what if we talk to Jumin about this, ask him to recommend us some good therapists? I’ll be there to help you every step of the way baby, you know that, but I think this is something that requires more help than I or you yourself can give you. What do you say?”

* He’ll of course help MC improve their daily life-he’ll drag them with him for morning jogs, will sit them on the hilt of the bathtub as he places facemasks and strawberry slices on their face for some pampering self-care; he’ll really be their knight in shining armour, only in this case, it’ll be the prince/princess that will slay the dragon themselves. He’ll just be there to give a helping hand whenevr needed.

JUMIN:

* He notices that something’s wrong right away

* This man is so observant, it’ll take him no time at all to notice MC’s sleeping and eating patterns, their mood changes and isolation.

* It pains him so much to see his beloved in such a state, and wonders what he could do to help.

* He actually consults V, knowing his experience with Rika and how he could have more solid advice to give.

* V instead gives him the number of Rika’s past therapist, an excellent psychiatrist he strongly recommends MC visits. He explains to Jumin that even with the best intentions he may have, this isn’t something simple love and care for one another can solve-this is a health issue, same as any other ailment of the body.

* Jumin takes some time before talking to MC about it-he wants to be composed and sure of what he wants to tell them before having this conversation, wanting to be as efficient in helping them as possible.

* He’ll prepare a romantic dinner on the terrace for the two of them and lead MC there, prodding them discreetly throughtout the night to tell him if something’s bothering them.

* Eventually, if they don’t tell him what’s wrong, he’ll admit to noticing their behavior and figuring these are tell-tale signs of clinical depression. He reminds them how much he loves them and how he always wants what’s best for them, and mentions the therapist V told him about, saying that if MC’s willing, he’ll take them for an appointment there first thing in the morning.

* He’ll constantly check on MC even if he’s at work, and if he’s unable to be there to have lunch and dinner with them, he’ll call them during mealtimes, or even have a videochat to make sure they’re eating properly.

* He’ll even fix his own sleep scedhule so that they can also sleep properly, and will prepare some Valerian root tea for them both before bed to help relax and sleep better.

* Whatever MC needs to get better, he’ll provide, always

SEVEN/SAEYOUNG:

* Lmao this boy is absolotuely definitely clinically depressed

* (I headcanon he might have a combo of anxiety-depression, which are very often intelinked and found together. My best guess is that he has some form of PTSD considering his past, and when he panics he self-isolates and becomes non-verbal ((something i also do orz)))

* The moment he and MC start living together he immediatly knows what’s up-they have similar symptoms as he does, and while he wants nothing more than to help them...he honestly doesn’t know how

* He never seeked help for his own mental health, and he never tried to really work on himself either, so he has no advice nor help he can offer.

* But god dammit he will NOT let the person he loves suffer like this!

* He’ll take some time before talking to MC, and when he does it’ll probably be spontaneous-he’ll be holding them close to his chest one late night when they’re both away, running his hand through their hair before breaking down, telling them about his own experiences with depression and his past, and tells them how he noticed their own patterns and behavior, and begs them to seek out some help.

* MC makes a compromise-they’ll seek help only if Seven does too

* He reluctantly agrees-it’s a long uphill slippery road to recovery, and trying to help both themselves and one another is much harder than you’d think, and fights often ensue, but love always prevails-they both want to see each other happy, want to be the best version of themselves for each other, an they’ll keep fighting until they reach the point where they can fully support one another through it all.

V/JIHYUN:

* He’s been diagnosed with depression years ago

* He pretty much knew something was wrong ever since he was young, but never really understood just what that was-he only got his diangosis when he was an adult and decided on his own accord to visit a therapist after Rika started seeing one too

* He’s been on anti-depressants for a few years now, and has monthly therapy sessions, something which to him is both a blessing and a curse-there’s so many secrets burdening him that he can’t mention neither to his therapist nor to anyone else, but he also wants to better himself, not for his sake, but for the sake of the RFA-he wants to be the best leader he can be.

* When he and MC move in together, he instantly knows they’re also suffering with depression. It breaks his heart to see them go through the same pain he has gone through, and wastes no time in talking to them about it.

* He’s very open and honest about his own struggles with it, how much therapy and medications helped him, and how he wants to help MC find their footing too, that he loves them too much to see them hurt like this.

* If he could physically pull their mental illness out of them and take it onto himself he would, he really would, but he knows it’s impossible, so he does the next best thing-he drives MC to one of the best psychiatrists he knows, waits outside until their session is over, drives with them to the pharmacy to pick up their prescription, holding their hand tight.

* They’ll help one another with bettering their lifestyle-they’ll push one another to wake up ealrly in the morning and do some yoga, will take walks together when the weather’s nice, will find different hobbies they could work on-V picks up pottery and he really loves it, and if MC is into gardening, he’ll make wonderful flower pots for them to put their plants into.

* They remind one another to take their medications-V is surprisingly forgetful so they set up reminders for each of them.

* He never wants MC to go through anything that he has, and will be there to support them no matter what-he loves them, he wants to see them grow, and he’ll do whatever it takes to see his beloved happy and healthy.

- If you’re suffering with mental illness or suspect you might, PLEASE SEEK HELP WHENEVR POSSIBLE. The proper combination of therapy, medication and lifestyle changes really DOES help and you deserve to be happy and healthy!-

-Send me scenarios/headcanons for the mystic messenger characters to react to!-

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ticktickblog · 4 years

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Minimalism: How I Finally Found the True Beauty of Living with Less

A couple of months ago, I saw a TV series called Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, where a Japanese lady Konmari visited families to help them tidy their homes. The tiding process normally starts from clothes, books to sentimental items. A rule she’s given is only keeping what’s necessary and discarding those that don’t spark joy anymore. The basic concept embedded in the Konmari method is actually similar to minimalism.

Minimalism is about living with less. This not only means getting rid of extra material possessions, like what they did in that TV series, but also includes reducing mental burdens, and decluttering other aspects of life, e.g. digital life. It’s a less-is-more mindset that gets you to reflect on the current state of your life and identify what is truly valuable. With a minimalist lifestyle, people can sort their life well to enjoy more peace and freedom.

Getting rid of excessive material possessions

Among all aspects of minimal living, what we could easily start with is probably the personal belongings. I know this may still sound like a big project, but here’s what I did:

Observing

The first thing I did was to examine how much stuff I actually own, and I started with clothing. I pulled over all my clothes from several wardrobes and piled them together, which was really appalling, especially seeing hills and hills of clothes and some were years ago but still with the label on. I came to realize that I was kinda a semi shopaholic that I never thought I was.

Decluttering

Then it comes to the decluttering. I had to decide what to keep and what to toss. Considering some clothes are still quite new, I spare another choice for donation. It was quite a struggle to decide which item should go, but I asked myself two main questions:

Functionality: is it still functional/wearable?

Sentimental value: is it something meaningful/makes me happy?

It became easier with these two standards. For example,

Pieces bought out of pure impulse: donate.

Sweater my grandma knitted for me: stay.

T-shirts with holes: go.

Same type of dress: keep the best, ditch the rest.

Trousers I haven’t worn for the last year: go/donate.

Tip: One thing I learned from Konmari was the thank-you ritual. Thank the item for its sweet company before letting it go. This can help reduce your inner guilt when throwing things away.

Organizing

What was also suggested by Marie Kondo was organizing stuff by category instead of by location.This simply means storing the same type of items together, rather than letting them scatter in multiple places. For example, all towels go to one box, and all T-shirts should be collected in the same drawer, sorted by colors if you’d like. This helps when I need to quickly search for something, and also gives me a clear idea of the number of same items I own, which then can prevent me from buying more than I actually need.

Maintaining

To maintain the cleared-out momentum, regularly check if anything becomes excessive or nonfunctional. Also, always ask yourself the hard question — Do I really need it?/Do I already have it? — before you fall prey to consumerism that encourages you to buy excessively. Some minimalists stick strictly to the “one-in-one-out” principle, which means when they add something new, another stuff they already had should go. I haven’t tried this, it might be effective, but also be careful that it can lead to a simple replacement too.

Cleaning up digital clutters

Compared with visible substances in real life, what burdens us in the digital world is perhaps much harder to be noticed. A quick self-check can be: unlocking your phone and counting how many installed apps there are, or go to the photo album, and see the number of photos stored in it. In my case: 187 apps and 19220 photos. Amazing.

I decided to start the purge from those little cute apps. First I created different folders to sort them out by category. Interestingly, I realized I’ve downloaded 14 apps of a single type — photography and editing. Never knew I had a true passion for that. To downsize it, something particularly useful was: keeping the multi-functional apps because these are the ones I use most, just like TickTick, an all-in-one productivity app. Then the others are just a waste of storage. Also, let go of those barely used, for me the recipe apps, because I seldom cook, and also the recruitment apps, which were only used when I needed to look for a job. When finishing the decluttering process, the size of apps on my phone was shrunk largely to nearly ⅓ of the past.

The same process then went with my photo album, which was downsized to about 6k from 20k, after all the meaningless screenshots and repetitive selfies were deleted, and all trip photos were moved into cloud drive. This could further extend to messages or emails, if those are the severely-hit areas in your case. God bless.

I literally felt my phone was thinner after the whole process. Try it.

Reducing the amount of information I’m exposed to every day was what I did next. I’ve tried more radical way like cutting my phone completely out of daily life for 3 days in a row. It felt terrible honestly, and I used it for more hours as a payback once I got it back. A common misconception there of minimalism might be the elimination, but I think the difference is minimalism is not telling you to avoid something forever, it’s always about striking a balance between your desires and capacity.

Therefore, I’m enjoying my digital life, but I’m also trying to weighing it against my capacity of information that I can take in. Articles with exaggerated titles but cheesy contents needed to go first; numbers of newsletters subscribed should be restricted; time spent on TV series was limited; scrolling on social media posts was also reduced; notifications from apps were minimized… so on an so forth.

Reducing mental burdens

Lastly I’d like to talk a little about the effects of minimalism on mental world.

Also take myself as an example, I used to be addicted to expanding my social network, because I’ve long been educated: one more friend, one more road. Therefore, I took very good care of my social media accounts like they were just many MEs living on the internet. However, the larger my network size is, the more exhausted I feel. The more I care about how many likes I get for a new insta post, the more anxious I get.

Then I just realized putting so much effort into building social personas and expanding so-called friendships did nothing good, but added on my mental burdens. Why not spending more time for myself, and people I really love and care about? Understanding the truth of quality over quantity, I decided to:

Unfollow people I met on a party but never talked in life since then.

Delete those using me as a “problem-solving machine” but nothing else.

Delete those who barely contacted me unless they became sales.

Let go of those in close relationships but ghosted for whatever reasons.

Share what I’d really like to share instead of what my online friends like.

After doing that, I felt so much more relieved than before, because I finally understood that my time and energy is the very limited resources I have in life and thus not everyone around me is worth it. I truly get the meaning of living with less: spending less time on the unnecessary and what consumes you endlessly, but more on what you really need and what brings you joy.

Talking all above, you might feel inspired and would also like to try the minimalist lifestyle. But before you go, I’d like to kindly remind you of three gimmicks of minimalism I’ve spotted:

It’s not a disposal competition. Focusing only on the number of stuff you’ve tossed or people moved from your contact is not what really matters. And there isn’t a rule saying the less, the better.

It’s not a promotion of expensive brands with minimal designs. Some products brand themselves with minimalism, making it a new aesthetics standard with normally a not-so-affordable price. How ironic.

Make conscious decisions when ditching something, or else you may find yourself end up in a replacement cycle that causes extra expenditure.

In a nutshell, minimalism is a way of life and a way of thinking. It encourages us to focus more on what’s truly important in life and avoid other distractions; it becomes an antidote that saves us from drowning in numerous goods and boomed information; it helps reduce mental loads and spare some room for inner happiness.

So thank minimalism, go and enjoy life!

#minimalism #minimalist #minimalist lifestyle #living with less #less is more

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dokidoki-tae · 5 years

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I saw some headcanons of the squadra being jealous or protective of their s/o or crush and now i'm curious of what would you think of it (i really like how you you write the boys ❤), how do you thing the boys are when they are jealous or just being protective, and who do you think is the most jealous one? I don't know if you are taking request now, but if your not, im sorry for this and is totally fine if you dont want to write it.

Hello! You like the way I write them???? sfkjkJk

Most to Least Jealous

Ghiaccio- The most confrontational of the lot. He won’t get upset if his s/o is talking to someone else. He’s indifferent if it’s just some rando making conversation. But he knows when someone starts to show interest other than being plain friendly. If the person is making subtle comments, he’s gonna call them out and embarrass them (and his s/o). But Ghiaccio doesn’t give a fuck, he’d lean in, get in their face, and yells ask if they’re stupid or something because clearly his partner is in a relationship. Ghiaccio isn’t affectionate in public, so it’s easy to mistake him for like a friend, but to Ghiaccio, he expects everyone to know they’re together. So Ghiaccio will be ready to throw down if someone doesn’t know their place and understand that his s/o is taken. He’s also the only one who doesn’t like people leering at his s/o. If he catches someone eyeing his s/o (like even from across the room), he’d go, “You got a fucking problem with your eyes, fucker? No? Then stop staring at my girl/guy/partner.”

Prosciutto- Won’t get in the person’s face per se. Well, he won’t do it while his s/o is around. If he notices someone making advances to his s/o. He’s gonna make it clear they are taken by being as physical as possible. His hands will roam their curves, and Prosciutto will give more light but obvious kisses on their cheek, corner of their lips, the shell of their ear, shoulder if exposed; anywhere intimate. If this person continues, he might do something that will cause his s/o to go elsewhere (e.g. go to the bathroom, go get him napkins, etc. depends on the location and what they are doing) Once they are gone, Prosciutto will NOW call them out, but do it in a calm, formal, and threatening manner. He will speak in a normal tone, making backhanded comments to get the person sweating and uncomfortable, and speak more and more softly until the person finds themselves leaning in as Prosciutto casually and smoothly finishes threatening them. If he watches someone leering, you’ll find that he snakes his hand around his s/o and his other hand brushes against their sex.

Gelato: Gelato will make threats. If people know he’s in a polyamorous relationship, and people think that gives them free rein to say whatever, and ask if they can be in a foursome or some dumb shit like that. Whether it’s a serious or a joke, Gelato will bring you down for even suggesting they’d allow an “ugly fucker” to join them. Gelato doesn’t take kindly to people wanting what he, in his mind, owns. Carries a gun, so expect him to flash it to anyone who gets in his space and talks about his relationship with his partners. It only really takes comments on the nature of his relationship to make Gelato snap.

Formaggio: When people flirt with his s/o, Formaggio laughs and laughs. He’s entertained by it, but when things go too far for his liking, like the person is scooting closer and making sexual innuendos. He calls them out kind of like Ghiaccio, but it’s a little less aggressive. He acts dumb, and “Oh, are you interested in S/O or something? What’s your deal? Why are you flirting with them then? Do you know we’re together?” He says this all in an inquisitive manner, loud enough to make a spectacle. And then he raises his voice, “Are you fucking stupid?! HUH?!” all while keeping smile menacingly. He finds the flirting okay as long as the person doesn’t fucking push it.

Illuso: Snickers at any attempts of people flirting with his s/o. He finds it amusing and entertaining, especially when his s/o isn’t getting it or is completely turned off and calls them out themselves. If he does get jealous, Illuso loses all amusement from his entire person. He’s glowers, quiet, the aura around him just suddenly changes. It’s nearly impossible to get him to mellow out. His mood is quite explicit, so whoever is causing the jealous will leave, and Illuso basically bores holes into the person’s face as they leave. Once, they are gone, just give him some attention and he’ll be okay. MIGHT use his stand to strand the person in Mirror World and just leave them there to starve but that’s only when a person as really pissed him off like putting his hand on his s/o.

Melone: Melone watches it go down with a sly smirk. He doesn’t mind the flirting; he welcomes it because it gets him turned-on because he loves the thought of people lusting over his s/o but he’s the only one fucking them and making them squirm. He will try to escalate it and call them out in a similar manner as Formaggio just without the hostility. “I can practically feel your appetite and desire for my amore. Do you want to fuck them?” “Melone!” “I don’t blame you. They are exquisite, a work of art. But I will be the only one who will fuck them. So enjoy their beauty while you can before we have to leave.” So it’s not jealous Melone feels; it’s pride that he feels.

Pesci: He might feel jealous but it’s mostly insecurity. When others flirt with you, Pesci will attempt to speak up and let them know they his s/o is taken, but it always falls flat. If you’re with Pesci, you’d have at least some awareness of this and decline advances. Most people try to hit on you while Pesci is there, knowing you’re together simply because they think you could do better. But as time goes on, Pesci begins to realize how much you value and love him and those negative feelings disappear. Most of the time, Pesci just listens while people flirt and he just sighs and shakes his head while you take care of it. If someone touches you, Pesci will act and both of you will work together to kick their ass.

Sorbet: Very likely to sit back and enjoy the show, hoping the person continues to dig themselves into a hole. Sometimes he likes to pretend he’s not together with his s/o (and Gelato) only to have them turn around and passionately kiss them just to watch the person’s countenance fall. Other times, he’s just not having them, tells the person “they’re with me” pull his s/o (or Gelato) to his side and has his arm around your (or Gelato’s or both) shoulder. Those jealousy feelings are brief and never let it ruin his night or make him want to make a spectacle since it’s not worth it.

Risotto: Doesn’t really get jealous. He trusts his s/o (the other do too btw) to not act on the advances of others, so he doesn’t have anything to worry about. His s/o is attractive so he doesn’t blame people. They can flirt with them all they want, but at the end of the day, they will go home with him. If they make his s/o uncomfortable and touch them, then he steps in because that’s not okay. But he doesn’t really react. Eventually, his s/o picks up on the flirting of others and puts a stop to it themselves. Risotto sometimes has to suppress a chuckle when he listens to the things people try to woo his s/o.

#anonymous #jjba #risotto nero #prosciutto #ghiaccio #formaggio #pesci #illuso #melone #gelato #sorbet #jojo hcs

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firestorm1991 · 5 years

Text

Writer/Reviewer Etiquette

So, I've been seeing quite a bit of negativity in all fandoms. I recently had this experience on my birthday, no less. Fellow writers I speak with have experienced it too, and so I'm taking time to write this message in hope that it will help. There are rules of etiquette we as writers or reviewers should follow.

1. Bad grammar doesn't equal a bad story.

I used to be guilty of thinking that a story with awful grammar was truly terrible. Some actually are and you can tell when a person puts no thought into it (especially when they write in chat speak). However, as I've grown, I learned there are many reasons for poor grammar in a story, and usually the plot is still pretty amazing.

The writer could be a teenager just dipping their toes into the writing world, and teens are very impressionable. Excessive criticism could crush a beginner so badly.

The person could have dyslexia or bad eyesight. I discovered I was slightly dyslexic and no matter what I do, there's always a few errors even after I and others go over my work. Some of my writer friends also suffer from dyslexia and impaired eyesight due to health issues and medications. It doesn't stop them from writing.

Then there are people for whom English is their second language. I’ll bet they can still write better than some of the people who call them out on poor grammar (while said people have poor grammar in their criticisms). Also, if you try writing in their language, I’m sure they could say the same about your grammar too.

If you notice a story with bad grammar, please don't attack your fellow writer. If you want to do something about it, send the author a private message and ask if they need a beta. If you don't want to beta, ignore it and just enjoy the story. You can see how an author improves over time. That's why they're writing. in addition to fun and stress relief. Don't make it worse for them.

The same goes for the reviewer. Don't attack the author. Whether you're a reader or writer yourself, telling someone their story is awful because of “awful grammar” is only going to hurt them if they're really trying. That young, impressionable writer may give up altogether because of unkind words. That person trying to learn English may walk away. There's always a better way to handle it without degrading or embarrassing a person.

2. Constructive criticism and flames are two different things.

So apparently for me and a few friends, this week is flame week. That's why I’m bringing it up. Everyone receives negative reviews. That's life, and not everyone has to like everything you do. That being said, if you don't like a story, then you don't have to read it. If you still want to give your opinion, you're welcome to it, but please do it in a constructive manner.

If you curse at the author, attack them, and tell them they're horrible or their story is horrible, leave harassing messages on multiple projects, or are just downright nasty, that's a flame. A flame is nothing more than a temper tantrum.

I've been asked how I deal with flames. Usually the attack is from a guest reviewer that I cannot reply to without calling them out in public, which they want. They want a rise out of you. I handle this by moderating my guest reviews. If the reviews are neutral or constructively negative, then I let them post. If a reviewer is attacking me and being overly negative, I delete them. Like I said, flames are temper tantrums and I don't reward that behavior. Just don't engage, and ignore them. They just want you to add fuel to their fire.

Most negative reviews I've received that were constructive were from another writer or user who identified themselves, and I was able to discuss issues with them. Sometimes it was a trigger for them or sometimes they just had really good advice. Either way, these politely constructed reviews allow writers to grow, and that's how you should construct your complaints. "I don't like the story because of this specific reason and I don't know how I feel about it" is much better than "your story is awful" and "stories just keep getting worse and worse."

3. Don't demand updates.

Writers appreciate excitement. "Please update soon" or "I can't wait until the next chapter" is just as good as "I'm really enjoying the story. Nice work." But every so often, all writers come across the review that says: "Update," usually right after they have just updated.

It probably took them a ton of time to write that 5K word chapter; weeks to months depending on life and work...or God forbid, illness. We love reviews, but it's just rude to demand something you've just received, most of the time which we are doing for free. If you'd like to request an update, just add a "please" to that. It's only ONE extra word. Thank you!

4. AUs don't mean the writer doesn't know the source material.

I've seen a lot of people get heat for AUs, which surprises me. I write a lot of AU stories, and I just recently received heat for my newest one. AU stands for “alternate universe,” and is an original story with elements from the source material. Most of the time, there are many callbacks to the source material and a lot of world-building and character development to explain the changes. They aren't written to be compared to the source material. They're written for fun and to creatively mold characters we already know and love into something new.

5. If a writer changes something from the source material, it's because they like a challenge.

This isn't just for AU stories. Sometimes even in canon stories, details can be changed. It is fanfiction after all and, honestly, diverting from the source material isn't the worst thing. Some writers do this to challenge themselves. There's no need for anyone to tell them they don't know what they're doing. This recently happened to a friend of mine, and that's why it's fresh on my mind.

6. OCs are not always awful. They can have side stories, too.

Another friend experienced this one, receiving a hateful review about focusing on an OC that most really like. I'll admit, I'm not always a fan of OCs. I’ve read many good and iffy OC stories. Honestly, I've written many good and iffy OC stories. They aren't for everyone, but that doesn’t make them any less valid. They can have backgrounds and stories all their own, and a writer should not be berated because of it. If you don't like it, just move on.

7. Stories about writers and the challenges they go through are not self-inserts.

Surprisingly, this was my most recent complaint with my current AU. I was accused of writing a story all about what I “wish I could become.” For some writers, including me, this is our hobby. It's an outlet and very calming. Sometimes when we characters who are writers in our stories, it's just to jokingly express the challenges we do face in writing. No need to be nasty about it XD

8. Our stories are sometimes deeply personal.

Readers may not realize this, but writers put a little piece of their soul into each story they write. Some may be self-inserts, but most are not. Sometimes we use our own life experiences in the story, mainly because it's what we know, but also to offer support and help to someone who may be going through the same things.

So, before you plan to write a hateful remark or two, you may want to think about what the writer may have endured the reason the story exists - and don't get mad if we're projecting on your favorite character. Trust me; the character development will be much better with patience. You may even get insight on how to better deal with someone suffering from a particular issue (e.g. grief, depression, health issues).

9. If you don't like a story, give a reason why.

Normally, I say the oldie but goodie: if you don't like it then don't read it, but some people really can't keep their opinions to themselves. That's fine. We do have freedom of speech and everything is entitled to their opinion. But, writers have a right to constructive feedback. Saying "you suck, your story sucks, and I don't like it" isn't really constructive.

If you don't like a story, give us a reason. If it moves too slow, the writer needs to know that so they can speed it up. If there's a plot point you find disturbing, the author needs to know so they can put a warning somewhere in the story. If you just don't like it, say there's something about it you don't like and that it's not your cup of tea; that's fine. There's plenty of ways to let us know your opinion without being rude about it.

10 . Respond to all reviews if you can, but don't react to bad ones.

This is mainly for writers. It's polite to respond to all reviews, even the one-word ones. You can write a simple "thank you" to those ones. I usually give back what I receive. You can acknowledge guests in your chapters either individually, collectively, or simply thank everyone who read and reviewed.

That being said, if someone is being particularly aggressive or hurtful in a review, you can ignore them. You may think it's rude, but as I said; give what you get. If they're rude to you first, don't fire back. Leave it and let them wallow and wait. They're undeserving of your time and mental health. If it's just a negative response without insults or aggression, you can respond and say that you're sorry they feel that way, but you stand by your story and wish them well in finding another one.

11. Don't be arrogant.

Everyone has different styles. Writers have different levels of vocabulary, different ideas. Some stories may be better than others. Be humble about it. You can be proud of your work, but never use it as a way to lessen someone else's.

12. Don't cause drama.

It happens everywhere in life as it is. A lot of us are looking for an escape from the drama in our lives. We are trying to do our best and make connections with others who love the same couples, books, and stories we do. We're not looking for more angst. So before you start causing problems for another person, not just a writer but anyone, rethink it. Some people may crave drama, but they can look for it elsewhere.

13. Be kind.

I can't believe I have to say this one, but it's necessary. I've witnessed so many in the writing world being trashed and feeling awful. Just be nice to each other!

Writing is supposed to be a fun way to express ourselves. It takes a lot of time, effort, and will. The writing community is large with different personalities. We may not all like what we read or get along with everyone. This is life, not grade school, and we should treat each person the way we want to be treated.

If something about this post resonated with you then reblog it, and if you can think of any other topics I might have missed, add to it. Let's spread proper etiquette around. It's just common courtesy. Thanks, everyone! ^^

#writeblr etiquette #etiquette #be kind #writer etiquette #reviewer etiquette #writers #Reviewers #no negativity #no flaming #writing #be polite

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hollenius · 5 years

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I'm so so sorry but I have to: Werner for the character meme (and/or Chuck McGill, if you can't think of anything!)

What the hell, I'm gonna do Werner AND Chuck

Werner

Fav thingabout him: He is so sweet; if I had a German uncle or grandpa or something, I'dwant him to be mine. He obviously takes his work very seriously too. He(initially) seems like a very cautious, careful sort of guy...unfortunatelythis attitude does not extend to all aspects of his life.

Least favthing: He's too sweet, dammit. His naivete and trusting nature made megenuinely angry, because I couldn't believe anyone could be so stupid aboutanything when he seemed fairly smart about everything else. I don't think youhave to be "street-smart" to understand that breaking out of an enclosedcompound without permission isn't the sort of thing you'd be allowed to getaway with. I was annoyed at how he felt like a plot device at the endthere--that he just existed to force Mike to have to kill him. It's a fault ofthe writing more than the character. Everyone could see the end coming from amile away, which is (as far as I can remember) unprecedented in the series.Even things that were heavily telegraphed and seemed obvious usually carriedsome sort of unforeseen twist, i.e. everyone thinking the lantern was going tobe involved in Chuck's death, but not knowing it was going to be a suicide. Thesecond they showed Mike building up a relationship with Werner, everyone knewexactly where it was headed. Also, this is a weird pet peeve, but I hate how healways called Mike "Michael". Bro, you've been working with him formonths, you are the only one who calls him that.

Fav line:(agh, unfortunately I can't recall any because I don't have any way ofrewatching season 4 at the moment. I love that he was courteous enough totranslate into English that he felt like he was going to throw up in the bumpyvan ride.)

brOTP: Him& Mike as cute old man drinking buddies.

OTP: Werner& his unseen wife, I guess. (That phone call before his death was so sad. I hope nothing happens to her, but this is the Breaking Bad Cinematic Universe, so bad things often happen to innocent people.)

nOTP: idk,Werner/Kai? I haven't really seen him shipped with anybody so I can't say Ihave any strong opinions on the matter.

randomheadcanon: (again, I need to rewatch all of season 4, because I remember thestory arcs, but not enough of the little details in dialogue and stuff.)

unpopularopinion: I have to admit, I don't know enough of what the popular opinions onWerner are to know what an unpopular opinion would be. I liked him, I just wishhis character arc felt less contrived and that he was treated like less of adevice. I also have seen some people in some places comparing him to Walt,which doesn't really make sense to me, because personality-wise they're justtoo far removed from each other. (Then again, people were even comparing dopeyPryce to Walter White, which was also a stretch!)

song Iassociate w/ him: I...I have no idea! Sorry. (So long, farewell, aufwiedersehen, goodbye?)

fav picture: the cute little drawings @callmcgills did of him! (Also, ugh, the shot where he is, uh, shot...is beautiful. Depressing, but cinematically beautiful. I’m not posting that here though.)

Chuck

Fav thingabout him: Honestly, as a fellow cowardly, anxiety-ridden, socially maladroit, perfectionistolder child, aspects of him are extremely relatable, frightening as that may beto admit. (My younger brother is of the slacker/moocher variety, rather thanthe con man variety, though.) I don't agree with everything he does, but I understandwhy he does it. (This is actually pretty similar to my attitude towardsSkyler's actions in Breaking Bad--I don't necessarily agree with her decisions,but I mostly understand why she acts the way she does.)

Least favthing: I think he should've been willing to at least put Jimmy on some sort ofprobationary path to HHM after he landed Sandpiper. HHM was under no obligationto hire Jimmy after he passed the bar (a lot of fandom seems to feel otherwise,which makes no sense! I don't think any other firm would've wanted to hireJimmy either!) Jimmy probably would've still managed to screw something up, butat least then if Chuck wanted to officially bar him from working for HHM forgood, Jimmy would know why, and what it was that he had done to cause that. Itdoes no good to punish someone if he doesn't even understand he's beingpunished, which is what the whole issue is in the first place with Chuck goingbehind Jimmy's back and using Howard as the perpetual bearer of bad news.

Fav line:"Because if there's one thing kids love, it's local printjournalism."

brOTP: lmao Chuck is bros with nobody except his space blanket, and his ol'sipping-scotch-and-chortling companion Howard, before that relationship gotdestroyed...

OTP: ...althoughI must also confess a SHAMEFUL desire to ship Chuck/Howard, because it's gotsuch a messed up power dynamic, because they've known each other for at least18 years, because Howard's clearly still so much in awe of Chuck (which Chuckprobably enjoys), and because neither of them seems to have any other friendsor close relationships. (Are we ever going to learn what's up with Howard'swedding ring? Even my mom thinks Howard is gay at this point! And what's upwith papa Hamlin? Did he die? Retire?) Canon-wise, I'm actually really curiousabout Chuck & Rebecca's relationship, because I have to wonder what it washe did that caused her to divorce him, but not bear any particular grudge oranimus towards him afterwards. He was clearly really upset about the divorce,but doesn't bear any ill-will towards her either. She doesn't appear to enteredinto any new relationship after the divorce either. It's all very mysterious.

nOTP: I can'ttell if this person was serious or not, but I swear I remember seeing someonepropose some theory that Kim had fucked Chuck at some point, and that's gonnaget a BIG NO from me.

randomheadcanon: oh god I've got like five hundred of them at this point. Themassive infodump that was Chuck's obituary in the season 4 premiere contributedto a lot of them, I think. I imagine Chuck's freshman year of college, at age14, was absolute hell for him. He was so proud to get accepted to an Ivy Leagueschool, but had been upset it wasn't a more prestigious one, like Harvard,Yale, or Princeton. (He had applied to them and had a few interviews, but unbeknownstto him, he had been heavily penalized in their byzantine admissions proceduresbecause, despite his sterling academic record, they didn’t find him outgoing or athleticenough.) His parents put him on the train to Philadelphia by himself, with afew suitcases, a map, and $50. He had no problems getting to the university,but was pretty overwhelmed right off the bat by the fact that everyone else wasolder and wealthier than him; he had dealt with this to some extent in high school, butnot to this degree (I headcanon his fictional alma mater, Francis Xavier HighSchool, as a typical Jesuit all-boys preparatory school that draws heavily fromupper-middle-class suburban families). Here he was, a literal child, thrustinto the adult world, and the world of the elites, at that. He probably feltself-conscious about things he hadn't even realized he could feelself-conscious about before, and spent at least a couple nights sobbing intohis pillow, and praying that his roommate couldn't hear him. He made a coupledesperate attempts to fit in, with a relatively low level of success (e.g. goingto a party and trying to impress people there by playing piano, only to get abeer spilled on him instead), before deciding it wasn't worth it and he wouldthrow himself singlemindedly into his classes and extracurriculars. He had hisfirst-ever panic attack sometime during his first semester, and wound up at thecampus doctor's office because he had convinced himself he was having a heart attack.On being told he was physically fine, he was indignant, but all the same, henever told his family about the incident, or anyone else either. Somewherearound this time, he also gets a letter from his parents, telling him he'sgoing to be a big brother in a few months, and won't this be exciting for him?(He wants to tell them his life is too exciting for him as it is, but saysnothing, instead writing back that he is sure having a younger sibling to helplook after will be the greatest experience of his life. He almost convinceshimself that he means it.)

unpopularopinion: I DON'T HATE CHUCK. (The most unpopular opinion of all!) He's myfavorite character on the show, with the obvious disclaimer that saying acharacter is my favorite doesn't mean I approve of all the character's actions,etc. Also, I know he's just a fictional character, but I'm still pissed offabout people celebrating that he killed himself & saying they hope it waspainful & stuff like that. Like, how much of an asshole do you have to be?What a horrible thing to say.

song Iassociate w/ him: Burning Down The House j/k, probably Faure's Sicilienne,because I too, cannot play it on piano without screwing up

fav picture: Not a picture, but I can’t resist.

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codsilk80-blog · 5 years

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The Healthiest Children’s Vitamins: 2018

Note: I update this post monthly to ensure all of the information is accurate! The original post was created in 2017, but the most recent update has been done as of August 2018. If you’re looking for the best adult vitamins, go to this post.

Kids Vitamins can be confusing. There are so many questions: Is there a such thing as an “unhealthy” kids vitamin? Do you need a vitamin with iron? Which vitamins are the best? Do kids even need vitamins at all?

Recently, I was talking with a friend and realized that a lot of these questions can be really overwhelming because there is so much information out there! So I did a bunch of research and found the healthiest kids vitamins out there today. This is your guide to multivitamins for kids: what to buy, what not to buy, and what to look out for!

So first of all, do kids even need vitamins to begin with?

Most pediatricians will tell you that it’s not necessary for most healthy children who are growing normally (source). For kids who eat well and eat a variety of food, they can get all of the nutrients they need from whole foods. But many kids are very picky, or don’t eat a lot of food, or aren’t growing well, and that makes a lot of parents worried that they aren’t getting the nutrients they need! In those cases, I’d recommend talking to your pediatrician, and if they suggest giving your child a multivitamin then definitely do so.

When buying a multivitamin, what should you look for?

So to start, kids multivitamins generally come in two groups: 1) With Iron and 2) Without Iron. You should buy a multivitamin that doesn’t exceed 100% daily value of most of the vitamins for your child’s age group – primarily Vitamins A, E and K (that will be indicated by the label on the back). The exception here is for Vitamin C and other water-soluble vitamins. Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin but is ok to have at more than 100% of the daily value because most people are deficient (including kids) and Vitamin D isn’t toxic unless it’s in exceptionally high doses which wouldn’t be in a daily vitamin. If the vitamin does have more than 100% of A, E and K then I would just give your child half the dose on the bottle.

It’s also important to look for the ingredients that are added to the tablet that aren’t vitamins. Ingredients like: Sorbitol, carrageenan, artificial colors and flavors (Red #40 anyone?), aspartame, sucralose, to name a few! You definitely don’t want to be dosing your child with these ingredients on a daily basis along with their multivitamin.

So let’s start with what not to buy: The answer here is most of the commercially available, leading brands of multivitamins. The biggest offender of which is Flinstones Chewable Vitamins.

What’s crazy is that on the label, Flinstones calls out that they are “Pediatrician’s #1 Choice.” And most people do buy Flinstones vitamins! I even remember eating them when I was a kid. They tasted so good! It was like a treat every morning. And if you are giving your kids Flinstones vitamins right now, don’t feel bad! You are not alone, and thanks to all of the deceptive marketing out there, there’s no way you’d know that Flinstones isn’t the best choice for any child. Before doing all of this research I didn’t realize how problematic they were, and why it’s important to switch away from them.

The reason they are problematic, is because there are a ridiculous number of offensive ingredients in Flinstones Vitamins that truly, should not be there at all, and are not necessary. Take a look at two of their best sellers (I’ve highlighted in red all of the ingredients to avoid):

Sorbitol, Mannitol, Fructose, Sodium Ascorbate, Ferrous Fumarate, Silicon Dioxide, Carrageenan, Natural and Artificial Flavors, FD&C Red #40 Lake; Less Than 2% Of: Aspartame†, BetaCarotene, Cholecalciferol, Cyanocobalamin, D-Calcium Pantothenate, dl-Alpha-Tocopheryl Acetate, FD&C Blue #2 Lake, FD&C Yellow #6 Lake, Folic Acid, Magnesium Stearate, Niacinamide, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Soy Lecithin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Acetate.

Granulated Calcium Carbonate (Calcium Carbonate, Dextrose Monohydrate, Sugar, Maltodextrin, Microcrystalline Cellulose), Sorbitol, Sodium Ascorbate, Ferrous Fumarate, Natural and Artificial Flavoring, Pregelatinized Starch, dl-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate; Less Than 2% Of: Beta-Carotene, Biotin, Calcium Pantothenate, Cholecalciferol, Cupric Oxide, Cyanocobalamin, FD&C Blue #2 Lake, FD&C Red #40 Lake, FD&C Yellow #6 Lake, Folic Acid, Gelatin, Magnesium Oxide, Magnesium Stearate, Mono- and Diglycerides, Niacinamide, Potassium Iodide, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Phytonadione, Riboflavin, Silicon Dioxide, Soy Lecithin, Sucralose, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Acetate, Zinc Oxide.

Let’s take these one by one:

Sorbitol and Mannitol are sugar alcohols. They have been known to cause digestive issues and discomfort in some people because they can’t be digested properly by the body.

Carrageenan is an emulsifier that thickens products, but it has been linked to high levels of inflammation in the body, digestive issues, etc.

Maltodextrin: this is an indicator that the food is highly processed. It’s used as a thickener, filler, or preservative in many processed foods, and it can cause spikes in your blood sugar because it has a high glycemic index.

Natural and Artificial Colors – Red #40, Blue #2, Yellow #6. I mean, #wtf. What are these doing in a kids vitamin? These are so problematic and have been linked to all kinds of health problems including allergies, hyperactivity, learning impairment, irritability and aggressiveness.

Artificial flavors – also highly processed and unnecessary in a kids vitamin.

Aspartame and Sucralose – this is what diet sodas are sweetened with, and are highly controversial. Research hasn’t proven one way or the other whether they lead to long term health issues, but it has been proven that they cause an insulin-response by the body (because your body thinks you are eating sugar when you are not – source). If you wouldn’t give your child a diet coke, you shouldn’t give them a vitamin with this in it!

Mono- and Diglycerides is one of the most widely used emulsifers to keep oil and fat from separating. It’s just an indicator that the food is processed.

Oh, and gelatin. While this isn’t a harmful ingredient, it kind of sucks for any vegetarians or vegans out there who are giving their kids this vitamin without knowing that it’s not actually veggie-friendly.

So what should you buy instead? What’s the healthiest multivitamin out there?

Luckily there are tons of options! Below is a list of my favorites: they all are made with natural ingredients, have no weird preservatives or any of the ingredients above added, and some even derive the vitamins from organic food sources which I absolutely love because they are better absorbed by the body that way. Most of these will have a tiny bit of cane sugar or fructose added, but as long as it’s less than 4g per serving it’s not a huge issue.

Note: ALL of the vitamins I recommend below do NOT contain gelatin. They are all vegetarian friendly!

With Iron:

Without Iron:

Garden of Life – While it doesn’t have iron, I do love this brand. I take their women’s multivitamin daily and I love it. All of their vitamins come from organic whole foods, and they don’t have anything weird added to their vitamins. They are organic, clean, and healthy. There is stevia added here, but it’s listed as “Organic Stevia Leaf” – which is the only form of Stevia I’m ok with. What I do avoid is “stevia extract” could literally mean anything and have anything added to it.

Garden of Life Gummy Vitamin

MegaFood – This is another brand that I love for vitamins. It doesn’t have iron but if you decide to go with this or Garden of Life, there is an iron-only supplement you can add to their diets!

Mega Foods Kids Daily Multivitamin Booster – a powdered form of their vitamin.

OLLY Kids Super Foods Multivitamin

Zarbees Toddler Multivitamin

Pure Encapsulations

Liquid Vitamins Without Iron:

ChildLife – it’s a little higher in sugar than I’d like, but you can start using it at 6 months of age (the other two options are for older kids)

Children’s Advanced – no sugar added and you can use it starting at 1 year of age

Premium Children’s – no sugar added and you can use it starting at 4 years of age

Iron Only Supplement: This is a good option if you decide to buy Garden of Life or MegaFood, because it will add the iron missing from those vitamins back into your child’s diet.

For Omega 3s: The only Omega 3 supplement I’d recommend for kids is Nordic Naturals. They have an infant DHA supplement and a children’s DHA supplement – both of which are extremely pure, has no added preservatives or sugar, and are in liquid form so they can be added to just about anything!

For Vitamin D: If you’re just looking for a Vitamin D supplement – e.g. in the winter, I love (and use) these Vitamin D Drops. There is literally nothing added to them (no flavors, colors, etc.). They are liquid and you only need one drop in your child’s milk per day. They’re marketed for infants, but you can use them for any age. Super easy, tasteless and pure. For another great option, UpSpring makes a pure vitamin D with only coconut oil added.

For Probiotics: I love Garden of Life’s line of probiotics – they are shipped cold and their powdered kids probiotic can be added to your child’s drink (milk, water, etc.). They also have a kids’ chewable probiotic if you need an option that doesn’t require refrigeration (but it does have maltodextrin).

Runner Ups:

Solgar. This is one I’d get only if you can’t find any of the other ones on the list above, because while most of the ingredients are good, it does have carrageenan which – as I mentioned – it’s better to avoid.

YummiBears Organic Multivitamin (note: this vitamin does have cane sugar added – if you give your kids the full dose then it’s 6g sugar which is more than I would like in a vitamin)

Seeking Health (Note: The link may say women’s/mens but the label indicates this can be used for kids aged 4 and up. It’s also good for kids with MTHFR mutations. But I am waiting for a response from the company on the prop 65 warning on its label, so I’ve moved them down here for now!)

I hope this helps you in navigating the world of kids’ vitamins!

Source: https://pickyeaterblog.com/the-healthiest-childrens-multivitamins-in-2017/

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eldritchsurveys · 6 years

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o31.

1. Do you prefer to watch a documentary that is about a situation/event or a documentary that is more of a personal character study/biography? >> The documentaries I seem to watch most often are about situations or events or like... phenomena, moreso than individuals. 2. Can you think of a recent time in which you might have been better off resisting, but you did something because you “just couldn’t help yourself”? >> Uh... probably the last time I drank a lot? 3. Are there any films you just refuse to watch, that even if a close friend recommended it you’d have a hard time actually giving it a try? >> I can’t think of any off the top of my head but there are definitely films I have no interest in watching no matter how many people love them. 4. When you are getting to know someone, do you tend to worry that the other person will lose interest in you once they get to know the “real” you? >> No. I mean, I do have my reservations about people wanting to be friends with me under what I think are false pretenses (”I seem cool on the internet” or something like that), but eh. Obsessing over it ain’t gonna make it better. Either they’ll like me or they won’t, either way, it’s not like there aren’t already people who like me for who I am. ~

5. What is something that you would like to do, but really aren’t able to because of your location? (e.g., see art or get a certain job) >> Go to the ocean.

6. What’s the most a friend or partner has ever let you down? Did it change the relationship? >> I don’t know. 7. Have you ever felt like you weren’t there for a friend or family member when they needed you? How did your relationship recover? >> Yeah. I mean, I’m guessing time and personal development on both of our parts are what caused our relationship to recover, but the habit of blaming myself for not being [x] enough or less [y] is a hard one to break, since I’d been doing it for years, lmao. I know Hallie doesn’t blame me, I’d just made up a cross to bear years ago and it’s myself that has to give me permission to drop it. 8. Thinking about your current and/or previous romantic relationships, did you generally feel the same way about everyone or did you have to date multiple people until you finally felt a certain excitement about a person? >> I definitely didn’t feel the same way about everyone, lmao. “Excitement” isn’t really the word I’d use in any case, though, I don’t think? I just think I loved everyone on different levels (and there were a couple of people I dated that I didn’t really feel anything for at all, like Anubis). The way I loved Tommy isn’t the same way I loved Darkness isn’t the same way I loved Raven isn’t the same way I love Hallie isn’t the same way I love Sparrow. That’s just... how it works. People are unique, and the way I relate to them is equally unique. Everyone calls to different parts of me, seeing as I contain multitudes and whatnot.

9. Imagining being in a long term relationship, are you concerned that you might lose yourself, whether by subordinating yourself to their interests or putting your desires on hold in order to support theirs? >> I’m not concerned about losing myself. I think there’s a certain amount of personal development that happens as a byproduct of being in a long-term relationship with someone else -- you change by sheer necessity, to accommodate this other person in your life. Resisting that necessary evolution is what causes a lot of relationship problems, it seems. It’s easy to go “well, I want to do what I want to do!!!” and yeah, it’s a seductive thought, but... what are we really losing by making these changes? Maybe those behaviours that our partners are trying to get us to change are behaviours we really do need to change, and it takes another person to help us see that, because by ourselves we’d have no reason to change them. I don’t know, I just think that relationships (not just romantic ones, all relationships, but you know) are fundamental to individual development, period. Anyway, that being said, there is a level of discernment that should be practiced too -- it’s one thing for a partner to get you to be more thoughtful or drink less or eat your vegetables or whatever. It’s another thing entirely for a partner to tell you that you should like what they want you to like, and do only the things they want you to do, and drop all your friends, and wear only certain clothes, and so on. I think it’s important to learn the difference. 10. Have you ever framed or displayed any of your own artwork in your room/house? >> Nah, written stories don’t look good in frames ;D 11. If you could watch any movie (even one that’s not released yet) right now, which would it be? >> Ocean’s 8 sounds cool, everyone seems really excited about it. 12. If you have ever had a partnership in which you said, “I love you,” how was the experience, who said it first, and how long into the relationship was it said? >> Uh, lmao... I don’t really remember things like this very well, like... I’m not sure it was a really dramatic occasion in any of my relationships? I mean, it might have felt really monumental to say it, but the situation itself wasn’t a whole big memorable one like with choirs singing or anything. So I don’t remember. 13. What sort of job do you think is best suited for your skills? Is this an in-demand position or something you’re unlikely to actually get? >> Hm. 14. Where do you feel like you learn the most from? For example, do you read a lot of books, learn from people you know, listen to podcasts, watch series/documentaries, or something else? >> I think I’m an eclectic learner -- I like to learn from everything. I think literally everything is a learning opportunity -- like, even the most casual conversation can teach you something, like a new joke! That seems inconsequential, but you’ve still learned something you didn’t know before, so...??? Pillars of Eternity had me thinking about zen stuff today just from doing a character quest. I learn so much from video games. 15. How do you handle occasions when you have to dine with other people? This can be a simple family dinner or a wedding style party. >> I don’t... know? Like, I just sit and eat, I’m not sure what this is asking me. 16. Do you believe it is the responsibility of businesses, or prominent business leaders (think Bill Gates) to take the lead on social issues whether by using their influence or their money? >> Ideally, yes, I feel like it should be their responsibility. Realistically, I’m not sure I want Bill Gates et al to exert any more power over the country than they already do. 17. Have you ever gone to a job interview and realized that you didn’t want the job? >> --- 18. Have you ever asked that someone sacrifice something (a habit, relationship, job, etc.) for you? >> I mean, sure. Not anything like a relationship or a job, because... I have no reason to want that??? But like, habits, sure, like asking Hallie to drink less for both of our sake. If I had a bad habit and one of my SOs asked me to drop it, I would at least give it my best try, too. It’s part of that thing I was talking about up there *points to earlier question*. 19. Do you feel any distress over the Trump administration? Do you think that you would ever be involved in resisting any current or possible future policies? >> Sometimes I feel a bit of mild distress, but mostly I just feel... really bemused. Like, I can’t believe this is our government right now, lmao. I find it very hard to take it seriously -- not in the sense that I think it’s not worth caring about, but in the sense that it is so fucking absurd. Like living in a bizarro reality. 20. Have you ever been shocked or disappointed by a friend’s general ignorance or ignorance regarding a topic you value? >> Probably, but like... whatever, man.

#survey #surveys #random survey

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deeeelightfuldee · 3 years

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The person you had the strongest feelings for dies, do you care? I would be devastated. Even if we are no longer talking, it would destroy me to know they aren’t on this earth anymore.

Is there something you’re happy about at the moment? not really no. well, I mean I’m happy with a conversation thats happening.

Do you want someone dead? absolutely not

Do you ever wonder what your ex is up to? if it’s kile we are referring to, yeah. I’m getting a lot better putting it out of my mind. my other exes heckin no except for the other one I loved.

Have you ever fed or taken care of a stray animal? absolutely. we have adopted some from that method ahah

What is something you tend to worry about? people I care about. Like I worry that they’re safe, mentally OK, healthy, etc.

What is something you do that is unhealthy? hold on too long.

What is something you do that is good for you? I talk well about myself usually and I look for positives

What last caused you to force a smile? something in a video i thought was funny

What was the last video game you played? Was it fun? animal crossing. my controllers are SUPER whacked so it wasn’t too fun. I miss playing my games but I can’t afford new controllers yet

What is something not many people know about you? my assaults/history probably. I’m a very private person over all so i think most things people know about me are things they can see.

What word describes your basic style? classic

Have you ever been told you were going to Hell? oh a customer once told me that because they wanted a special ordered crib that day and it was a 12 week wait. so obvs a legit reason -.-

Have you ever wanted to kill yourself? .

If yes, what convinced you not to go through with it? ..

Have you ever rejected a guy, only to have him push the issue by asking “why?” and insisting that you just need to get to know him better? yessssss

Is there something that you believe everyone should do and you can’t believe that some people don’t do it (e.g., recycle or go to the dentist regularly)? brushing teeth or CHANGING THEIR SHEETS

Regarding the last good choice (healthy choice, kind choice, selfless choice, etc.) you made, what was your real motivation behind it? I made a choice to let go of a love that was destroying me. the motivation was like okay, i’m seeing he doesn’t love me, hes not going to love me. I’m spending my time, energy, and attentions to love him and I could be missing out on someone who loves me back.

What is something that you have had to practice at to get the hang of it? If you can’t think of anything, that’s okay, what’s something you are currently practicing at and trying to master? sewing

Have you ever gone to the store to buy something, like a video game, when it came out at midnight? never for me but I’ve gone with friends who were getting them -.- ridiculous

Regarding the last novel you read, was there a romance included? If so, was it central to the plot? yesssssssssssssssssssssssss and yes

Have you ever done relaxation meditations or listened to relaxation guides or positive-thinking/healing recordings? I’ve done that for school but not on my own personally

Do you have any interests that are also often shared by children? art, animated shows/movies, games

Is there something that could be a solitary activity but you really only like to do it with other people (e.g., watching movies, playing video games, etc.)? hmm, not really. I like going to tjmaxx & target better if I’m with someone.

Are you satisfied with the interior design or decoration in your home? Or do you think it needs a total home makeover? for the most part. because its not my money that pays the rent I def don’t get weird about it. but I like most ofit

Is there something that you’d like to own but you can’t find it anywhere? If not, can you a remember a time when you wanted something? Did you ever end up finding it or did you eventually stop wanting it? yes. I really want a particular type of coat but its hard to find.

Who makes you smile the most? hm. ummm... kile made me smile today he was bein a bit crass. it reminded me of how happy he used to make me. he used to be the one BY far that made me smile. these days its fairly even across the board.

What piercings do you want/have? I’d love to have my cartilage pierced again but it always gets infected because of my blood so i’m fine with what I have

What's your favorite website? probs tumblr.

Do you own a fish tank with fish? currently no

Do you like the movie 300? neverseen it.

Do you pop your knuckles? yup all the time

Do you have Photoshop? no its expensive

Do you use tinypic or photobucket? no

What’s your favourite song from the 1980s? if I had the effort I wouldlove to genuinely figure it out but I only have a quarter-butt effort rn

How about the 1990s? ^

Have you won anything recently? nerp.

How often do you make Excel tables? What for? pretty much never.

What was the last baby animal you saw in the wild? probably a bunny

Are you always available or online? I’m usually available

Do you have dietary restrictions? Or do you just eat what you like? gluten sensitivity and dairy sensitivity

Do you prefer gold, silver or steel jewelry? Or no jewelry at all? I always loved silver because I think it’s so attractive but it turns out gold is VERY nice with my skin tone and since I have had to replace all my fine jewelry from kile with cheap stuff i can afford, i buy pretty much all gold.

Have you been binge-watching any shows lately? If so, what? I was on a gilmore girls kick but right now im watching bobs burgers.

If you dye your hair, do you do it yourself or go to a salon? i loved when I used to get it done professionally but its literally several hundred dollars and I just don’t have that.

If you have any, do you like your in-laws? I don’t have any. < Same.

Would it bother you, if your partner had cut contact with their parents? yes and no. It would be hypocritical if I said omg yes, you should always be in contact with your parents --- because obviously I never ever ever talk to my dad. But for a lot of people I know.. they put so much blame on their parents for things that are fairly unjustified or unrealistic expectations for their parents to not be human-like and remain perfect. It destroys me because I have spent years crying and aching for a father figure in my life that to think some people just create unnecessary division is frustrating. However, if there is serious conflict and its a matter of safety (physical/mental) then absolutely no problem with boundaries.

Have you ever wondered whether you were adopted? hahahaha yes when I look like neither of my parents nor my siblings.

What’s the best physical feeling in the entire universe? honestly, loving and being loved.

Have you ever grown a berry bush? No

Have you done something new to your hair recently? I chopped about 15 inches off.

Do you have bad anxiety? If so, do you take any kind of medication for it? no. anxiety really has never been a problem for me, thankfully.

One thing you’ve experienced that you thought you never would have? rape

What was the last thing someone said to you that kept repeating over & over in your head? i replay conversations from my split with kile despite my desire to forget it.

How often do you have late nights out? pretty much never lol its just not my scene. I’d kind of like one or two a month but I don’t know anyone that would go out with me and it can be unsafe as a female to do so alone.

If you could, would you work from home? Do you think that would make you more or less productive? yes. I’m oriented to pretty strict self-discipline so it wouldn’t be a problem for me.

If you had the ability to change the weather, what would you change it to right now? either a really strong thunderstorm or cooooooooold weather

Is there something that you really need to do, but can’t seem to get motivated to do it? my motivation is completely there but my health is not

Most disturbing movie you have ever seen? i never remember names of them because i legit tune it out in my head.

Has a life goal or dream ever come true for you yet? If yes, what is it? If no, do you think you’ll achieve it? I always dreamt of going to college and doing well. I accomplished that (and then some!) I got into my dream colleges. I always wanted to travel by myself and I did. I always wanted to be in love and I was.

Have you ever had food poisoning? Yup.

What are you listening to? the freakin’ funniest song ever in bobs burgers -- the derek dematopolus song

Do you think there will be a WWIII? I would not be surprised. there is a lot of animosity in this world

Has anyone ever asked you if you were emo? lol no. i’m a super smiley, happy person so it wouldn’t be expected of me.

Has someone ever liked you that you never thought would? definitely. Michael always throws me off my guard that he likes me.

In all honesty, can a person be too nice? people always say yes that they get taken advantage of but I think those are two separate things. I believe you can be endlessly nice even with boundaries. I wish people aired on the side of overly nice than the typical overly rude

Has one of your friend’s boyfriends ever tried to cheat on them with you? in HS Is mental abuse really as bad as physical abuse? absolutely. the effects are devastating

Do you shop at Sephora for make-up? once in a blue moon. but only online

Zelda: Twilight Princess or Ocarina of Time? i never really played either

Do you own a rosary? no,I’m not catholic

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hotelconcierge · 7 years

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THE GENDER NULLARY

Trigger warning for everything that follows: the coddled, over-sensitive, “triggered” millennial crybaby does not exist. Hold your applause—the COSTMC is an oxymoron because coddling does not sensitize, it scleroses. Have you met these people? They can’t feel an emotion without an audience and a week to rehearse. The performative offense of this group results from high emotional tolerance, not low; sad-rage is heroin to everything else’s Motrin, and no matter how vast the safe space, some kids are gonna hang at the outskirts hoping to score.

Of course, even the phoniest opportunist has a few real triggers—the type that precludes rage because you’re numb in the fetal position. And of course, there are many uncoddled e.g. traumatized people who are genuinely vulnerable to the many, many instances of genuine cruelty and callousness.

Every community with a code of conduct is a safe space to some extent. My lawyer advises no comment on whether safe spaces are good or bad in principle, because it depends: who is being included, who is being excluded, where will they go, and who is enforcing the rules.

My concern is the way these debates are settled. And when the excluded protest against political correctness—that human resources plot to merge all safe spaces under one state capitalist thumb—they ditch culture war bushido and strike at whomever can be hurt the most.

What you have to understand is that the PC debate is a farce. When the public demands a witch for the stake, the NYTimes selects David Brooks,

perhaps the most balding, white, sanctimonious chump at a newspaper full of balding, white, sanctimonious chumps. Here are four critiques; don’t read any of them unless you still find it exciting to watch a strawman burn.

What’s more interesting is that while Brooks criticizes upper-middle-class culture for being “laced with cultural signifiers that are completely illegible unless you happen to have grown up in this class,” his article is nothing but illegible cultural signifiers. Which, duh, he’s writing for the Times. Brooks thus renders himself irrelevant (which was the point): his critics focus on his blunder of political correctness (the high school grad intimidated by a chicken pomodoro) and dismiss him as classist accordingly.

Lesson: Anyone who opposes political correctness from within will lose and be humiliated. Even without the unforced error, Brooks could have been dismissed as rich and white. His archives could have been mined for hypocrisy. Even a charged non sequitur would have crushed his argument: “So it’s no big deal that it’s legal to murder transpeople in all fifty states? No, I’m David Brooks, better focus on political correctness!” Of course, plenty of non-bourgeois oppose PC, but you’ll never hear that point of view in the Times because, yikes—internalized racism.

The result is that the anti-PC viewpoint is only taken seriously when it refuses the framework of PC. I don’t mean “taken seriously” like there is a meaningful debate. But when an internet troll calls you, say, “a fucking spic faggot,” you can’t reply “hah, well that just shows your heteronormative, colonialist assumptions!” without looking like a wimp. You have to reply with equal bile, which smells of hatred, maybe fear. And it’s no fun to be on the receiving end of hatred, but it’s better than being treated—like Mr. Brooks—with contempt.

Trolls, like catcallers, flashers, and school shooters, are men who ran the numbers and found: being hated > being invisible > being humiliated in the official channels. The first two go back to chimps, the third variable is society-dependent, and wowza does ours fuck it up. Men want to become masculine, citation needed, and when society shit-talks the honest path to manhood then it is inevitable that those foolish enough to listen will turn to the black market. And once that’s your game...

This blog is far from politically correct, but I try to mock only the deserving— bureaucrats, demagogues, cowards, and conformists—and for behavior, for the things people can change rather than those they can’t. But people tend to be insecure about the things they can’t change, and it just so happens that in America insecurity is always wound up in sex. Every debate about safe spaces thus devolves into a debate about gender: a catalog of body dysmorphisms, a who’s who of racial castrations, cuckold, bitch, cunt, whore, freak. You’d think everyone would be against this level of discourse, but gun control means one thing on Park Avenue and another thing entirely in Wichita. The law, in its majestic equality, forbids both the popular and unpopular from being unpopular. Calls for PC go nowhere because cruelty is the best weapon some people have.

Idiot [unemployed, probably no friends]: “So you’re sympathizing with racist, misogynist trolls. Wow. Just—I can’t even.” I didn’t say anything about sympathy. I said that a society gets what it pays for. IMHO, most shock-value trolling is both ineffective—it strengthens the case for Big Brother—and morally disgusting. But it’s a symptom, not the disease. Like oxycodone, trolling is recourse for people with nothing better to do, and like The Opioid Epidemic, the hand-wringing has less to do with fixing the problem than with making it so consumers don’t have to look at something ugly.

The content of trolling is thus extremely not the issue, but even so, I’ll take the bait. To accuse someone of failing at gender is the worst sort of punching-down. It’s not just hateful, it’s lazy, it’s bullying the foreign kid to make up for getting your ass beat at home. And it’s dumb. Forget about the moral argument—my critique is that the gender police are not even wrong.

Judith Butler (Gender Trouble), who coined the term “performative gender,” the antecedent to “sexuality is a spectrum,” has reached Antichrist status in some circles and in fact received a personal diss from Pope Benedict XVI. She’s good, and if you wanna throw down you gotta throw down with the best. So: Does Butler write like a pedant getting paid by the syllable? Does she open each topic with a chain of passive-aggressive rhetorical questions? Does she have the worst fanbase this side of Harris and Klebold? Does she have a point?

Hemlock time. How do you define gender? “Gender is a set of behaviors and attributes that correlate with sex.” Okay—what’s sex? “Aren’t you a doctor or something? XY and XX.” I’m flattered by the appeal to authority, but weren’t you the guy complaining when the CDC lowered the normal testosterone range? How do you feel about androgen insensitivity syndrome?

You can deny your eyes and insist that having an SRY gene makes Eden Atwood male, but from a medical perspective Eden is estrogenized, at risk for osteoporosis, and going down in the chart as an F.

“Look, fella, I know a dime-piece when I see one.” So modify your definition: hormone levels, fertility, waist-hip ratio, empathizing over systematizing, long bathroom lines, 10 Things I Hate About You...The first problem is that all of these traits exist on, sorry, a spectrum, from menopausal women to full-figured men. The choice of which traits to include—and where to draw the cut-offs—and if the division is binary or quaternary or nullary—is just like, your opinion, man (woman/they/them). The bigger problem is that now you’re defining sex as gender.

This reduces your original statement to, “Gender is a set of behaviors and attributes that correlate.” Which is true. And as far as stereotypes go, gendered ones ain’t bad, maybe even necessary to function, the guy wearing a V-neck probably does like shaving his pubes. But they are still stereotypes, man-made, imperfect, and punishing to those who do not conform. I’m no cultural relativist, some people suck and deserve cold and swift judgment, but is the presence or absence of armpit hair really the hill you want to die on?

There’s a practical argument to be made against fractalized gender: it’s confusing. With 3^^^3 possible sex-gender-orientation combos, how are kids supposed to know how to grow up? Aren’t imperfect gender roles better than 24-year-old otherkin? I hear you, guy wearing a Harley-Davidson jacket and listening to Mötley Crüe, but Tumblr semantics are a consequence of twenty-teen spirit, not the cause. If we weren’t arguing about the gender binary (and before we were) we’d be arguing about the range of femininity or masculinity; the crusade would be for pixie cuts and stick-and-poke tattoos to be considered as feminine as Brazilian butt lifts. Don’t be fooled by words—do you really want society to have one idealized template per gender? How would that ideal be decided? Majority rule?

There’s a hilarious overlap between the people who get mad about preferred pronouns and those who call for a return to “traditional masculinity.” The idealization of some Hollywood-ified tradition isn’t the problem; if you want to roleplay a fursona, go ahead. No, what’s pathetic is the begging. Rather than be a man, in spite of the system, you demand validation from the system for aspiring to be a man. Being against identity politics is the new identity politics. That’s why right-wing culture warriors are so into the idea of crybaby millennials—it’s comforting to believe that you’re actually strong (since you don’t drink from plastic water bottles) and that anyone getting laid is actually xeno-estrogenized. Even if this was true, obsessing over it, masturbating to it, using it as an excuse for self-pity and inaction—that makes you a _ _ _ _. Four-letters. Multiple choice. Maybe hangman will teach you something.

The foundationalist reasoning of identity politics tends to assume that an identity must first be in place in order for political interests to be elaborated and, subsequently, political action to be taken. (Gender Trouble)

My beliefs are no doubt way south of Ms. Butler’s on the political compass, but we agree about one thing: that ain’t a nice way to go out.

But this is precisely the way in which the laundry-is-a-social-construct movement has failed. I have held off on criticizing them because it’s too easy, when you mock Rachel Dolezal for being “transracial” you get to pretend your own self-image is meaningful, but no, all identities are power poses in front of the bedroom mirror, meaningful only insofar as they help you with the rest of the day. “Well, SCIENCE says that—” You sure you want to play that game? Again, I respect anyone who has the courage to defy their assigned caste. I have no purity objections to a transhumanist society where the tap water runs ecstasy and you can get augmented genitals at Starbucks. I don’t even mind Bushwick. The problem with the mad libs youth isn’t the slew of labels—intersectional, nonbinary, pansexual, curious kinkster, ethically polyamorous, empath, casual baby witch (mostly crystals, auras/energy)—the problem is, what are you going to do with them? And there’s a patriarchy-approved answer: buy shit and beg for validation.

If gender is performative, if identity is not necessary for political action to be taken, if the possibilities are infinite once freed from the bounds of phallogocentrism, then why is it that so many cultural subversives sound exactly the same? You know the stereotype. Bondage. Anxiety. Smoking when drunk. Circlejerks of praise for completing the most basic of tasks. Very, very bad poetry. Expensive fashion draped across waif-like models. Guilty pleasures: junk food, liquor, and problematic TV. Hated roommates. Emoji marxism. Twitter. “today i feel cute enough for a selfie, might delete it later.” “didn’t get out of bed until 2 i’m trash lol” “wow, some casual racism at work today. i’ll just laugh and someday burst because i hate confrontation. but whatever.” I’m not saying these traits describe anyone real, although they might. I’m saying: why is this the stereotype?

Discussion questions: When people type in lower case, what emotion do they hope to convey to the reader? The alt-right often asks if “liking feminine traps” is “gay”—is there anything more heterosexual than wishing you had a weaker male friend to validate your penis? Would trans rights even be an issue if the majority were FtM? How many modern protests can be summarized as “consumers demand product”? Who would win, every chafed masculinist and joyless academic or one flamboyant 19th century playwright? As Oscar Wilde put it: “Everything in the world is about sex, except sex. Sex is about power.”

Choose:

HYPOCRISY’S BAD, BUT YOU’RE WORSE

THE FALSE NEGATIVES

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mylocalofficial · 4 years

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How to Take Amazing Photos to Promote Your Local Business

How to Take Amazing Photos

Customers are judgmental, help them with some amazing photos.

In fact, we're all judgmental, it's scientifically proven. Contrary to popular belief, being judgmental is necessary. When customers look at your business they make a judgment call, automatically.

Yes, No or maybe.

It's an unpopular thing to admit that we sort people, businesses and things based on their appearance.

But it's true.

Job applicants who look the part often do better in interviews. Well-dressed people who drive nice cars are viewed as wealthy. Attractive, well-presented businesses are viewed as more successful.

This caused scientists to ask a question.

Are customers judgmental?

Absolutely.

Alex Todorov and Janine Willis, Princeton University psychologists, discovered in their research that people respond to faces instantly.

Customers form first impressions in as little as 50 to 100 milliseconds.

Customers are making judgments about you and your business before they've had a chance to think about it. This first impression is visual and based almost entirely on emotion.

That's a big problem.

We're taught to believe a lie

The lie goes like this:

"It doesn't matter what you look like on the outside, it's what's on the inside that counts."

Remember that?

When it comes to marketing this is an absolutely dangerous lie. Customers should make judgments about the organizations they do business with.

The wrong choice can be devastating.

They can lose money, time and resources. They can be hurt, humiliated or punished for making the wrong choice.

Amazing photos guide a customer's choice

Amazing photos, regardless of your industry, are important. They give customers the information they need to properly evaluate your business.

It shows customers what to expect.

Most of the time, this evaluation process operates at a subconscious level. Customers use the information they've accumulated to make instant, gut reactions. Their assessment is fuzzy, quick and imprecise.

What exactly are customers evaluating in your photos?

1. Ingroup/outgroup. Simply put, customers ask themselves the question, "Are you like me?" If the answer is yes, the conversation continues.

2. Social class. Sadly, classism is viewed by many as the last acceptable prejudice in the world today. Customers use this to vet/validate the social standing of those they associate with.

3. Ethos and values. Every group has its own culture, its own set of values and norms. Customers expect your Ethos and values to align with theirs and the ethos and values of the group to earn their business.

4. Trustworthiness. "Will you hurt me?" Customers want to know they're safe with you. They're looking to decrease risk, pain and suffering.

5. Social status. Businesses with high social status and high social capital command a considerable amount of respect and prestige. As people, we're drawn to those around us who are exceptional in some way.

Local businesses tend to neglect photos, or they'll simply post unflattering photos that position their business negatively.

Not good.

But customers are absolutely looking for more photos. How do we know that?

They tell us. And Google tells us – just look at your Google My Business Insights.

Poor imagery kills the sale

A recent study from the National Retail Federation in the USA found that 94 percent of customers felt image quality was “very” to “somewhat important” in their buying decision.

Isolate women's responses and that number climbs to 96 percent.

Look at Yelp's top restaurants of 2017 and something interesting stands out. Each of these restaurants have hundreds and thousands of positive reviews and images.

Customers want to see…

★ High quality photos

★ Demand (e.g. lots of customers if you're a service business)

★ Alternate views (e.g. different views of product/business)

★ Topic specific images (e.g. cakes, tables, interiors, etc.)

★ Color changes, where appropriate

★ True to life imagery (e.g. view on model, customer photo of food, etc.)

★ View(s) in a room

The keywords here are quality and variety.

Customers want to see your business from more than one perspective. More photos give them the ability to evaluate consistency.

You'll never be able to take the perfect photo…

If you focus your time and attention on all these specific variables. It's overwhelming and simply too much for the average business.

You still need amazing photos though.

So, what do you do?

You focus on your ideal customers, the customers you'd fight tooth and nail to keep. Then use photography to present your business in a way that wows them.

How do you do that?

You focus on their wants and needs. If you're a fine dining restaurant looking for big spending regulars you show…

★ A pristine environment

★ Influencers who frequent your restaurant

★ A high class image (e.g. dinnerware, table cloth, attire, etc.)

★ Exclusivity markers (e.g. wait list, limited seating/hours)

If you know your customers, you know this is what they expect.

What if you're the owner of a Blues and Jazz cafe, like Blues City Deli and you're looking to attract more customers? With apologies for an example from the USA but the concepts translate well to the UK.

Step #1: Know your audience

You confirm the demographics and psychographics of the customer segments who are (a.) willing to pay and (b.) able to pay.

Then you figure out what makes them tick.

Their desires, goals, fears and frustrations. Their expectations from a Blues Cafe, their reading habits, how they spend their free time etc.

I wanted to know so I referred to a study by the Jazz Audiences Initiative (JAI).

They broke listeners down into six groups:

Research for Amazing Photos

They sorted them by education level:

Research for Amazing Photos

By education status:

Research for Amazing Photos

And marital status:

Research for Amazing Photos

So, with less than an hour's worth of research we know our ideal customer is:

★ A member of at least one out of six groups

★ Highly educated bachelors or above

★ Works full-time (which means discretionary income) or retired

★ Married or partnered

Armed with this research you're ready to…

Step #2: Reject the wrong people

Customers judge, remember?

Your photos don't have to be Smithsonian worthy but they should convey quality. Product, ambience oriented photos aren't about showing off your photography skills, it's about sending a message.

Customers are subconsciously looking for specific cues on:

★ Ingroup/outgroup

★ Social class

★ Ethos and values

★ Trustworthiness

★ Social status

Which is exactly what Blues City Deli does.

Research for Amazing Photos

See what they did there?

The right message is easy to convey if you attract the right audience.

Do the upfront work to attract the right audience and these details mostly take care of themselves. That's the problem though. Most local businesses don't do the upfront work.

So they struggle.

They attract the wrong people who, in turn, repel the right people.

Step #3: Take amazing photos

Remember, you're not looking to win a photojournalism award. You're looking to send a message.

Which is exactly what Blues City Deli does.

They share photos about their history.

Research for Amazing Photos

They convey status, showing they're so good customers are willing to wait.

Research for Amazing Photos

They sell the ambience.

Research for Amazing Photos

By inviting you to listen to Live Blues with them, they're telling you they're part of your ingroup. They're one of you.

Research for Amazing Photos

Something interesting is happening in their photos, can you see it?

No?

Did you notice the similarities between their customers? The style of dress, the attitude, demeanour and presentation?

That's homogeneity.

Take photos of your business; post, share and promote them on your local listings and profiles.

Step #4: Get customers to willingly promote you

How?

How on earth do you get customers to willingly promote your business, product or service?

It's simple.

You make your customers the hero of the story. You share your prestige with them. It's different for every business but there are all kinds of ways this can be done.

You could…

★ Get customers to join in on Live Blues night

★ Run a contest, then promote the winner

★ Brag about specific customers in a case study or testimonial video

★ Ask customers for advice, follow it, then show them that you did

★ Remember (and act on) specific things about your customers (e.g. birthdays, the anniversary of their first visit, bad day or tragic events, etc.)

★ Surprising/random acts of kindness and generosity (done as a habit).

See the secret? It's honour.

When you honour customers you're showing that you cherish them. That the relationship is more important than just "money".

Find a way to honour customers in a way that's meaningful to them and they'll find a way to share it with everyone. It's wonderful because you've given them a way to brag without bragging.

Sure sounds good, but it will backfire

Asking customers to share photos is a terrible idea. What if you train customers to "take pictures" and you make a mistake? You've given them everything they need to hang you.

That is true if you have a bad relationship with your customers.

Mistreat your customers and they'll eagerly wait for the chance to take you down. They'll tell their whole world, anyone, who'll listen about your failure.

If customers are neutral that's far less likely to happen.

Most customers don't write reviews. They read them sure, and most base their buying decisions on them. That much is true.

But the vast majority aren't willing to share their bad experience.

If you have thousands of reviews like the local businesses we've covered they're even less likely to share (though they should). They're less likely to spill the beans on your mistake if you have a good relationship or rapport with them.

Does that mean you should count on that?

No.

But you're far less vulnerable than you've been led to believe. If you're running a wonderful business you can counteract that.

Customers are judgmental, they should be

We're all judgmental, it's a necessary, scientifically proven part of life.

Customers are making judgments about you and your business before they've had a chance to think about it. This first impression is visual and based almost entirely on emotion.

Give customers what they're looking for, meet their wants and needs, and you'll find their judgment swings in your favour.

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https://mylocal.org.uk/online-credibility/reputation-management/how-to-take-amazing-photos/

#online visibility #online credibility #marketing #citations

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hunnybadgerv · 7 years

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30 Day Mass Effect: Andromeda Ryder Challenge

This meme is inspired by a question in the MEFFW FB group. Someone was looking for a Ryder challenge, so I decided that maybe we needed one that dealt more with game events. It is also inspired by several 30-day character challenges that I have seen pop up over the years. I know there was a pre-release 30-day Ryder challenge that went around, but it specifically dealt only with speculative Ryder content. The aim of this one is to incorporate questions directed at a fully/partially played Ryder.

The questions below are meant to be answered as specifically, generally, or tangentially as you like. None of the questions are required by any means; I expanded and offered some direction only as a guide for those who might prefer a little more guidance than a generalized category.

Please, pardon the vagueness of some of the questions, I am trying to limit spoilers as much as possible.

If you’d be up for it, I’ll be following the tag: #30dayMEARyderChallenge. I’d love to see the other Ryders out there in the universe.

And a quick thanks to Liz for her feedback. Really appreciate it.

Day 1: Introduction

Describe your Ryder in 250 characters or less. Now, have your Ryder describe themself in 250 characters or less. Also provide any of the basic biographical information like: full name, age, pronouns, gender, etc. Is there a special significance to the name you chose for your Ryder? Did you also name their sibling and parents? If so, what and why?

Day 2: Physical Status

Briefly describe your Ryder’s physical appearance. What are their vital statistics (e.g., hair color, eye color, skin color, height, weight, body type, origin)? Did you use a specific face claim? If so, who? Are they comfortable with their looks and their body, or did they wish they were different in some way? Do they have any significant scars or other identifying marks? How fit are they? Are they able-bodied or disabled?

Day 3: Psychology

Briefly describe your Ryder’s mental state. How do they handle stress? How do the opening events of Mass Effect: Andromeda affect their mental state in the game? Do they deal with their grief? If so, how? How do they deal with the mantle placed upon their shoulders unexpectedly by their father? Do they chafe beneath the weight, follow in Alec’s footsteps, or blaze their own trail? Are they neurotypical or neurologically atypical? Do they have any mental illnesses or a history with mental illness?

Day 4: Sexuality & Gender

Describe how you think about your Ryder’s sexuality and gender. How would they talk about their sexuality/sexual inclinations or lack thereof? What is their gender? Are they cis, trans, or nonbinary? If they are trans or nonbinary, what is their designation and when did they realize it?

Day 5: Pockets, Gear & Weapons

Did they bring something special with them from the Milky Way or leave everything behind and start fresh? Which is their favorite on-ship outfit choice? Is the choice made for appearances or comfort? What’s in your Ryder’s pockets? Do they always have a weapon on them? Is it always a specific weapon(s)? What do they carry around every day? Why? Which is their preferred armor choice? Why? Do they have something that they always take into combat with them? Why?

Bonus: Does your Ryder use the crafting system? What do they most often craft? Do they name the items? Do they name their weapons?

Day 6: Training History & Past

What is your Ryder’s Training History? Does it affect their profile choices? Also, how did they come by this skill set? What are some notable career moments for them prior to setting out for Andromeda? Did they join the Initiative because their father asked? Did they only sign up after their twin sibling signed up? Did they really want to go to Andromeda or did it take some convincing? What are some other significant events from your Ryder’s past that influence them? Are they running from something too? Did they have any kind of special send off before going into the fridge?

Bonus: Describe the Ryder family background. Does your Ryder’s family history match that presented in-game or does it differ? Share a few important or formative events in your Ryder’s history. How did these events impact and shape them? What is their relationship like with their twin? What impact does that have on them?

Day 7: Combat Approach

Does your Ryder use one specific profile most of the time or do they bounce around between a few of them? Which ones? Why? Do they prefer Milky Way weapons or have they adapted their combat approach to Heleus and Remnant tech? What is their standard weapon loadout? What is their standard ability loadout? What are their most used/favorite abilities? What enemies give them the most trouble?

Bonus: Is your Ryder good at fighting? What kind of combat experience to they have?

Day 8: Field Morality

What do they think about fighting/violence as a solution to problems? When was the first time they killed someone? How did it affect them? Is there an encounter they have nightmares about? When the option is available, do they prefer to kill their enemies or do they try and show mercy? Do they feel proud of their kills or regret them? What is their opinion on torture?

Day 9: Politics

Are they solidly pro-Initiative? Pro-Nexus? Or do they see themselves as neutral? What was the nature of their first outpost on Eos? What are their opinions on some of the major political situations in Heleus? What is their opinion of the heads of the Initiative? Discuss some of the other significant political choices your Ryder made in Andromeda and their candid opinions about those and other events.

Day 10: Personality & Alignment

Does your Ryder tend toward one or two personality responses in game (i.e., logical, emotional, casual, professional)? Are they friendly or distant, maybe flirtatious? Are the inquisitive/curious? Do they always delve deeply into conversational topics with people? What kind of first impression does Ryder give people? Do they have any ticks or unique mannerisms? What are some of their habits? Do they have any odd quirks? Name 5 character strengths and 5 character flaws for your Ryder. How do these affect them in the game? What changes to they undergo over the course of their arrival and exploration of the Heleus Cluster? Do they grow?

Bonus: Where does your Ryder fall on the classis Paragon/Renegade morality scale from the original Mass Effect trilogy? What would their D&D alignment be? Their personality type (such as MBTI, Enneagram, etc.)?

Day 11: Values

How does your Ryder define “good” and “evil”? “Right” and “wrong”? Were these the values they learned from their parents or from other societal institutions around them? Did their definitions change during their time in Andromeda? How so? Do they even consider good/evil or right/wrong in the course of their missions? What are your Ryder’s priorities, both personally and professionally, if there is a difference? What is the first thing they consider when making a decision? Do they think things through or go with their gut?

Day 12: Limits

What drives Ryder once they arrive in the Heleus Cluster? Is there a cause or ideal that they dedicate themselves to? Why do they dedicate themselves to it? Is there something they would sacrifice everything for? Almost everything? What would they not sacrifice? Is there a line that your Ryder would never cross?

Day 13: Canon Choices

What are some of the major choices your Ryder made in game? Why did they make these particular choices? What is the hardest decision they had to make? Which choice was a no-brainer for them?

Day 14: Consequences

Which events in Andromeda had the biggest impact on them? Which of their decisions had the biggest impact on them? Why did these events affect them so strongly? How, if at all, did these events change your Ryder?

Day 15: Contrition

What choice(s) do they regret? What would they do differently, if they could? How do they deal with the situation or its aftermath?

Bonus: Are there any events in game that don’t give your Ryder the chance to act as you think they would? If so, please explain how your Ryder would have approached the situation.

Day 16: Companions

Who is their first friend among the Tempest’s crew? Who is their best friend? Who do they like the least? What is your Ryder’s relationship like with each of the members of the Tempest’s crew: Cora, Drack, Gil, Jaal, Kallo, Lexi, Liam, Peebee, Suvi, Vetra? What do they appreciate most about each? What do they dislike or find most annoying about each? How does your Ryder get along with Captain Dunn? How do they get along with people on the Nexus, in the settlements, in other ports and locations throughout Heleus? Do they have any nicknames or use any terms of endearment for their companions?

Bonus: How do they feel about the situation with their twin? What do they choose to say, or not say, to their twin when they have the chance to talk to them? Do they visit their twin often? Or do they count on Lexi to update them as to their twin’s progress?

Day 17: Courtship & Friendship

What qualities does Ryder find attractive or unattractive in others? Do they have a serious platonic relationship with anyone? Does your Ryder get involved romantically or sexually with anyone? How does it begin? When do they first fall for them? When do they realize it? Do their relationships/friendships last? Do they have any flings? Is there someone they are interested in that they can’t have? Do they use any nicknames or terms of endearment for their partner? What are some activities they enjoy sharing with their partner? Does anyone else on the crew know? How do they find out? How does Ryder feel about them knowing/finding out? Does Ryder try to hide their relationship or keep it under wraps? What do they appreciate most about their partner?

Bonus: What are their previous relationships like? How are their Andromeda relationships like or unlike the others? Do they leave the Milky Way to escape a broken heart or a bad relationship?

Day 18: Conclusion

How did they want their journey in Andromeda to end? How did it actually end? Do they get a happily ever after? What do they do after game’s canon conclusion?

Day 19: Faith

Does your Ryder believe in a higher power? Do they follow a human religion or did they adopt one from another species? How devout are they? How much do they commit to their faith? If they are atheistic or agnostic, how staunch are they?

Day 20: Cabin

How do they decorate their cabin? Do they ascribe to any particular aesthetic—fancy, plain, bright, sleek, modern? Are there any distinct details? Do they collect the model ships? Do they keep any particular snacks hidden away in their space? Do they keep the space hamster? What do they name it? What about the pyjak (if you had that game version)? Do they name it? If so, what?

Day 21: R&R

What does Ryder do with their spare time? What does they do to relax? Or are they a ‘workaholic’? Do they have any hobbies they indulge in? How about any hidden or unhidden talents? Does Ryder enjoy the clubs available in some ports? Do they have a favorite? Does your Ryder drink or are they a teetotaler? If they do drink, how drunk do they get? What are they like when they are drunk.

Day 22: Planets

Which of the planets visited in the Heleus Cluster is Ryder’s favorite? Why? What do they like most about that planet? What do they like the least? Which planet do they dislike visiting? Why? Where would they settle? Why?

Bonus: Describe your Ryder’s opinion of each of the planets visited in Andromeda. Likes? Dislikes? How do they feel about the settlements there? What are some of the things they enjoyed doing there? Events they found tedious?

Day 23: Domestics

How does Ryder handle everyday tasks? When it is their night to cook does the rest of the crew look forward to it or do they cringe? Does Ryder think they have any specialties (in the galley)? How do they sleep? Do they lie on their stomach, back, or side? Do they move around a lot or not at all? Do they have any particular self-care rituals? If so, what?

Day 24: SAM

How did your Ryder feel about Artificial Intelligence before they departed the Milky Way? Does that opinion change after they arrive in Andromeda? How does your Ryder feel about their connection to SAM? How do they deal with concerns about AI in Andromeda? Are they close to SAM? Or does Ryder merely see SAM as a tool to achieve their goals? Does their constant connection to SAM have any effect on their normal behavior? Are there moments they are embarrassed to have shared with SAM? How do their friends/LI feel about the connection, if they are aware of it?

Day 25: Aliens

In general, how does your Ryder feel about aliens? When/how did they meet their first alien? How did they view humanity’s place in galactic society before they left the Milky Way? Has their view changed since arriving in Andromeda? What are their relationships like with the Initiative and non-Initiative factions?

Describe their first contact with the Angara. How do they approach the government on Aya? What is their approach to the Resistance? Do they get along with the leaders of the Angara? What is their relationship like with the Angara? With their leadership? With Jaal? Do they take a consistent approach? Or is their approach tailored to each particular situation? Do they lie to the Angara? Are they always truthful?

Describe their first contact with the Kett. What is their initial opinion of the Kett? Of the Archon? Of other significant figures in the Kett? How does their opinion of the Kett evolve as the story progresses? How do they react to new information about the Kett as it is gathered?

Day 26: Andromeda Initiative

What is Ryder’s opinion on the Initiative? On the events that occurred before their arrival in Andromeda? What do they think of the Nexus? Of the Initiative leadership? Does Ryder make finding the other arcs a priority? What is Ryder’s opinion of the other Pathfinders? What is Ryder’s opinion of the APEX group? What is Ryder’s opinion about and approach with the Exiles? How does Ryder approach and deal with the Krogan? Is Ryder supportive of the Initiative?

Day 27: Vaults & Remnant

Is your Ryder fascinated by the vaults? Or do they see them as a means to an end, a key to planetary viability? Do they enjoy the puzzles and exploration? Or do they find the vaults tedious and deadly? What is their reaction upon entering and exploring the first vault on Eos? Do they have a particular vault that they would like to revisit?

What are their initial thoughts on the Remnant? What are their thoughts about experiments involving the Remnant? Are they fascinated or repulsed?

Day 28: Architects

Which Architect was their first encounter? How did that encounter affect them? Did they see the defeat of the Architects as merely a necessity? Or did they wear it as a badge of honor? Do they have any trophies from their Architect encounters? If so, what? Where do they keep it?

Day 29: Pathfinder

How does your Ryder feel when they find out that their father made them the Pathfinder? Do they feel ready or unprepared? Are they concerned about Cora having been passed over? How do they feel about being thrust into this position? Are they confident or unsure? How do the reaction of the Initiative heads affect their opinion of their own readiness? How do they cope with the stress and weight of the position and the expectation that comes along with it? What is their diplomatic approach, if they have one? What is their focus as pathfinder? What is their goal? Do they follow in their father’s footsteps or forge their own path?

Bonus: Do they have a particular focus when opening up Cryo Pods? Do they do any priority thaws? What is there opinion on people wanting to go back into cryo?

Day 30: Preferences

Name a few of their favorite things. Favorite color? What kinds/flavors of food do they prefer? What kinds of environments do they like to spend time in? What is their favorite type of music? Movies? Books? What is their guilty pleasure?

Bonus 31: Reflections

When Ryder reflects back on the events of Mass Effect: Andromeda consider some of these questions: What is their proudest moment? What is their biggest regret? Is there a trivial moment that stick in their mind? Describe it. What is their best memory with their LI? Their fling? Their partner? Their best friend? What event will they most often tell as a war story? What was the most traumatizing moment?

#Mass Effect #Mass Effect: Andromeda #Pathfinder #Ryder #Character Memes #Character Prompts #30 Day Challenge #30 Day Challenges #30 Day Mass Effect: Andromeda Ryder Challenge #Ryder Challenge #Mass Effect Challenge #Character Development #30dayMEARyderChallenge

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drferox · 7 years

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20 questions with Dr Ferox #3

It’s that time of the week again where I desperately try to churn through a chunk of questions in the vain hope of shrinking my inbox. I will attempt to tag you in your question, but you know what tumblr is like, however if you asked on Anonymous you’ll just have to scroll through to see f your question is here. There’s also a cool cat picture. In no particular order...

@a-floral-ghost asked: What is parvo? I know it's a disease(?) That puppies get but I don't actually know what it is

Parvo in this contest refers to canine parvovirus, a horrendous disease of dogs which is very persistent in the environment but generally well prevented by vaccination. You can read more about it here.

Anonymous asked: Do dogs need to be bathed? I live in a rural area so a lot of people here only give a dog a bath when it's gotten in to something? Is bathing frequently vs infrequently vs never a big issue?

Unless you are targeting a particular skin condition and using a medicated or therapeutic shampoo, most dogs don’t require a bath more than once a week, however many will go months or years without a bath with no problem. Grooming should still be done, because long coats can matt very easily and cause pain, but it’s not strictly necessary that every dog receive a regular bath.

Another Anonymous asked: Why do dogs shake/tap their feet when you scratch them in the right spot

Generally it’s a reflex. However if you already have itchy skin (often infected) and you start rubbing, you make the itch worse and the dog is compelled to scratch.

Yet another anonymous asked: We have an almost two year old female great dane (just over 1 year and 8 months) who is on the small side. She only weighs about 125 pounds and stands about 3 feet at the shoulder. She is my moms pride and joy but she refuses to get her spayed until she is 3 years old. I've read varying info about spaying giant breeds too early or too late. What is the general age a smallish Dane should be fixed? We have never had a giant breed before. Question tax, came for the stories, stayed for the knowlage

While I won’t give specific advice about any animal I cannot examine, at 3 years of age there will be no protective benefit for mammary cancer, though it will still prevent pyometra. Generally for a large, short-lived breed I would spay around skeletal maturity. There is a discussion here, and many of the reblogs are worth reading too.

@ happinessisnotalwaysfun said: It's ferret shed season! Ferrets don't cough up hairballs, and they can kill or cause big bills; but they still lick a lot due to discomfort. Ferretblr has lots of theory methods for helping - vaseline, pumpkin, raw egg, fish oil, ferretone - but no evidence. Is there a best way to help my catweasel digest fur safely? Any evidence, or suggestions?

I would generally use a feline laxative, but raw egg, fish oil and ferretone are probably not doing any harm. There’s not a lot written about this in ferret textbooks, but it does not get as cold down here so perhaps our ferrets are less fluffy. I would avoid vaseline because I generally avoid oil based products for animals, and I would avoid pumpkin because I don’t want to add that much fiber to the short gut of a possessed sock puppet ferret.

@taskmaking asked: I love your blog! I came here because of fantasy biology, stayed for everything else. I have a cockatiel who's pretty old (19ish) and he's flightless and blind apart from light/shadow. It's hard to get him to step up because he thinks your hand is attacking him. Is there anything I could do to make that easier on him?

Bird are not really my forte. Perhaps coupling the step up request with a sound or texture that he cal learn to associate with safety? Being blind is tough on a prey species.

@perryloveslamps said: Not sure what a question tax is but love your blog. So my Doberman/Rat Terrier has 7-9 small 2cm fat polyps that we've had examined by our vet as soon as we find a new one and they always turn out to be fatty lumps. Now this YT Channel I watch (VetRanch) removed a small lump the same size within days of finding it because the Vet "Doesn't like lumps on Boxers." Are different breeds more prone to fat polyps rather than cysts or tumors and visa versa? Thanks so much!

Boxers are colloquially known in the veterinary community as ‘cancer factories’. They just get cancer very easily and very young. In particular they often get Mast Cell Tumors, which are sneaky bastards that can look like anything, and can easily be mistaken for a benign cyst or lipoma. The paranoia is sometimes too much to bear, so it’s not unreasonable to remove every vaguely suspicious lump of a boxer when they’re on the younger side and still have a good heart.

Anonymous asked: if it were at all possible, would you ever treat or study coywolves?

Sure, possibly, if the opportunity presented itself. But they are on the other side of the world and I’d rather be involved in species closer to home, like our own dingo, bilbies, whale sharks, tassie devils or (if one dares to dream) resurrected thylacines.

Anonymous asked: What's your personal opinion on big poodles? Not from a vet point, just what do you think of them?

How very glad I am that you haven’t asked for a veterinary opinion when i have already answered that question.

Generally I think they’re treated a bit too much like toys and not allowed to be dogs by certain owners, particularly the smaller ones that are easier to carry everywhere. Which is a shame because there’s a real, proper dog under all that frou frou if you avoid turning it into a nervous wreck.

A presumably different Anonymous asked: i've wanted to be a vet since before i knew the word but it wasn't until a few years ago that i really fully grasped what it meant. i got into the aquarist hobby several years ago, and two moments really solidified my career choice. The first was when one of my fish fell ill and after a round of treatment, was entirely better. the second was when i tried everything i could think of to save a betta i had and it died anyways. it was horrible, i cried for hours, but i realized: i want this life.

Sorry about your little fish friends. I kept a lot of bettas when I was in high school, they’re certainly addictive and do have personality. For a while I considered moving somewhere tropical to save on heating costs so I could keep more.

Anonymous said: Me and my aunt both have maltese dogs, but they're very different. Ours is a very sturdy boy with thick legs and a body built vaguely like a lhasa, he's somewhere around 6kg. Hers has a very different structure, she is much smaller (around half his weight I think) and lankier, with a very long, thin muzzle. It actually kinda looks like the differences you'd see between the different Poodles, so I was wondering, are there different breeds of Maltese too, or could one of our pups be a mix?

I can only hazard a guess, but I suspect one or both dogs are probably a mix, and I would suspect the larger one. Lots of dogs that are small and fluffy enough just get sold as ‘maltese’ through pet stores because that’s popular.

@ sketchywyvern said: What is your favorite fur color/ pattern on cats?

While it’s hard to beat a bold mackerel tabby, I’m finding the karpati pattern particularly interesting lately.

@2goldensnitches said: Dr have you had to treat budgies before? Mine like it when I give them spinach, kale and clover to eat but are very picky about accepting pellets instead of seed, and they refuse to try fruit at all. I hope it doesn't mean that they'll get future health/dietary problems

It’s very rare for me to see a budgie in normal hours because there’s a clinic with a better bird set up nearby, and most people are unwilling to pay the after hours fee for a budgie. They are likely getting enough vitamins from the green leafy vegetables so I wouldn’t worry about the fruit, and as long as they are eating the pellets and not starving themselves I wouldn’t stress too much.

Anonymous (Anonymouse?) asked: Can pet mice get rabies vaccines? Even if they're of questionable origin, would it even be necessary?

It would be off label use and potentially ineffective. I don’t know of any documented mouse rabies infection that occurred naturally, though I understand it can occur in laboratory conditions. To catch rabies a mammal basically needs to be bitten by an infected animal and survive the bite. The odds of a mouse receiving a deep enough puncture wound and surviving long enough to catch rabies is fairly low.

@badgerface890 asked: Would tail docking fix a dog's problem with obsessive tail chasing? Or would the fixate on the stump or something else?

Depends why the dog is obsessively tail chasing, and I can’t comment specifically on an animal I cannot examine. They may fixate on the stump, they may not be chasing the tail, just running in circles, or there may be a painful neuroma in the tail causing the behavior. There may also be a brain abnormality responsible for the behavior, or a genuine obsessive disorder that would be better treated with medication.

Anonymous asked: I know your opinion about overbred dogs (e.g. pugs and apple-headed chihuahuas), but what about cats? Munchkin cats look incredibly cute, but I can't help but think they have to have some serious joint problems. Is feline selective breeding as problematic as it is with dogs, or it doesn't really affect their quality of life as much?

Anonymous friend, i would dearly like to refer you to the search function of this website. You can even search for munchkin cat to see if this has already been discussed.

Anonymous asked: Hello! I have recently gotten into the habit of feeding the crows that roost near my home ( they seem to thrive well on the dog food mixed with raw chicken egg and sides of fruit I give them) , and I was wondering if there was any advice you could give me to make sure I am feeding them good foods? Thank you!

I’m not sure which country you’re in, but Australian Ravens are the most common ‘crow’ here, and they are mostly carnivorous. Feeding dog food is probably not that bad a balance. Lots of people feed cheap beef mince which is too fatty and deficient in vitamins, causing nutrient deficiency in young birds. You can reduce this by using a low fat mince and mixing it with a insectivore bird rearing mix.

However, it’s generally inadvisable to feed wildlife as it makes them dependent on human support for survival and will change both their behavior and the local ecology. If you’re going to do it anyway I’d rather they be fed something that’s good for them, but question why you feel that wild animals need to be fed in the first place.

@reachyourlimit said: Have you ever encountered a dog with patches of ingrown hairs? My dog has 2 symmetrical patches ~2cm diameter on either side of her tail on her pelvis(?), they've been there for a long time, yet she doesn't care one bit about them. She's been to the vet for them, all she told us to do was keep them clean like I would for ingrown hairs on myself until they finally break the skin, but she'd never seen it before, she even took pictures to show other vets at the clinic later (question tax to come)

They’re reasonably common on the feet, between the toes, of prickly coated dogs like staffordshire bull terriers and shar peis. They can get infected and be uncomfortable, but sometimes don’t bother the dogs at all. It’s odd to have symmetrical patches in a place where the skin isn’t rubbed a lot. It might be dysplasia (which is pretty harmless) instead of ingrown hairs, but if they’re not malignant, not a symptom of metabolic disease and not bothering the dog then it’s of low concern.

@ seriouslyy asked: Do you have any child/puppy behavior resources? A friend's uncle just got a new puppy, and their 6 year old is loving the puppy, chasing her, carrying her around, feeding her treats, and the parents just keep saying "aww look the puppy loves her" when she is clearly stressed and just bit the child. The child is rather spoiled (personal opinion) and the parents are just so excited their daughter is happy, and won't listen to my friend. So i'm hoping outside sources would help them understand.

Hmm, there’s not really a website I tend to refer people to. I usually have handouts in the clinic. ABC’s Catalyst program had some decent videos about understanding dog behaviour that are easy to understand, and you might want to ask @why-animals-do-the-thing for a list of resources. The last think anyone wants is a kid getting bitten.

And finally another Anonymous asked: Do you enjoy running this blog? I was looking at some of your super old post and feel kind of bad that this was supposed to be an escape but kind of became your job.

I have spend a long time avoiding answering this question because I wasn’t totally sure of the answer. I enjoy some parts of this blog, the interesting questions and discussions it generates. I love it when something is drawn based on something I wrote, whether it’s a throwaway comment or a story or a fantasy biology creature.

But I don’t like being treated like a personal Google. I don’t mind clarifying an answer, or discussing a complex topic, but when a question could have very easily been answered b a single, quick Google search it just feel a little...disrespectful I guess. I spend a lot of time on this blog. I’m not keeping up with the questions I get already. I spend even more time in my jobs and I would really, really like to get back to more fiction writing in addition to all the other life stuff I’ve got going on, so it’s really difficult not to be snarky at some of these questions.

But I do like the community. I like what gets created. So I take the good along with the bad.

I adore my Patreon supporters, but this blog doesn’t pay anything like my real jobs. If it did then I could afford to work a few days less per month to write more.

#drferox #questions #long post #blog housekeeping

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solsarin · 3 years

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how many percentage of brain did einstein use

Hello, welcome to solsarin site. We’re glad you chose our site for the information you’ve been looking at. Our goal is to educate and answer your questions in this post we want to find out” ow many percentage of brain did einstein useh” Stay with us📷

Where does the myth originate?

No-one knows for sure. A popular theory has it that the journalist Lowell Thomas helped spread the myth in his preface to Dale Carnegie’s block-buster self-help book How to Win Friends and Influence People. Thomas misquoted the brilliant American psychologist William James as saying that the average person specifically “develops only 10 percent of his latent mental ability.” In fact James had referred more vaguely to our “latent mental energy.” Others have claimed that Einstein attributed his intellectual giftedness to being able to use more than 10 percent of his brain, but this is itself a myth. Another possible source of the 10 percent myth is neurosurgeon Wilder Penfield’s discovery in the 1930s of “silent cortex” – brain areas that appeared to have no function when he stimulated them with electricity. We know today that these areas are functional.

Is Lucy the first movie to use the 10 percent myth as a premise?

No, the 2011 movie Limitless, starring Bradley Cooper was based on the same idea, except the precise figure was placed at 20 percent. Cooper’s character takes a pill that lets him access the full 100 percent. Both the 1991 film Defending Your Life (thanks to A Voice in The Wilderness for flagging this up in the comments) and Flight of the Navigator (1986) include claims that most of us use a fraction of our brains. The myth is also invoked in the TV series Heroes, to explain why some people have special powers.

Does anyone really believe this myth anymore?

Apparently so. For example, in 2012, a survey of school teachers in Britain and The Netherlands found that 48 per cent and 46 per cent, respectively, endorsed the myth. Last year, a US survey by the Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research found that 65 percent of people believed in the myth.

Is there any truth to the myth?

Certainly there is no truth to the idea that we only use 10 percent of our neural matter. Modern brain scans show activity coursing through the entire organ, even when we’re resting. Minor brain damage can have devastating effects – not what you’d expect if we had 90 percent spare capacity. Also, consider the situation when neural tissue representing a limb is rendered redundant by the loss of that limb. Very quickly, neighbouring areas recruit that tissue into new functions, for example to represent other body regions. This shows how readily the brain utilises all available neural tissue.

So why does the myth persist?

For many people, the 10 percent myth sounds both feasible and appealing because they see it in terms of human potential. Many of us believe that we could achieve so much more – learning languages, musical instruments, sporting skills – if only we applied ourselves. It’s easy to see how this morphs into the shorthand idea that we use just 10 percent of our brain’s capacity or potential.

Does it matter that films like Lucy spread the 10 percent myth?

It certainly bothers a lot of neuroscientists. There are so many widely held misunderstandings about the brain that scientists find it extremely unhelpful to have more nonsense spread to millions of movie goers. Other people I’ve spoken to are more optimistic and think that audiences will realize that the claims are not meant to be taken seriously. I have to admit, I enjoyed Limitless despite the daft premise.

📷how many percentage of brain did einstein use

What Became of Albert Einstein’s Brain?

The Man

📷 On April 18, 1955, the great mathematician and physicist Albert Einstein died. He was 76 years old. Although Einstein’s body was cremated, his brain was saved. Dr. Thomas S. Harvey, a pathologist at Princeton Hospital, removed Einstein’s brain on the morning of Einstein’s death. What happened to the brain for years after this is somewhat of a mystery.

The Search

📷 In the mid 1970s, Steven Levy, a reporter for the New Jersey Monthly, hopped into his car and set out to find Einstein’s brain. Mr. Levy published his story in 1978. Mr. Levy discovered that Einstein’s brain was still with Dr. Harvey who was now in Wichita, Kansas. The brain was in two mason jars in a cardboard box that was marked with the words “Costa Cider.” Most of the brain, except for the cerebellum and parts of the cerebral cortex, had been sectioned (sliced).

The Paper

📷 There are several published scientific studies that have examined Einstein’s brain. One of the first papers, titled “On the Brain of a Scientist: Albert Einstein” was published in 1985 in the journal Experimental Neurology (vol. 88, pages 198-204, 1985) and written by Marian C. Diamond, Arnold B. Scheibel, Greer M. Murphy and …Thomas Harvey!

These scientists counted the number of neurons (nerve cells) and glial cells in four areas of Einstein’s brain: area 9 of the cerebral cortex on the right and left hemisphere and area 39 of the cerebral cortex on the right and left hemisphere. Area 9 is located in the frontal lobe (prefrontal cortex) and is thought to be important for planning behavior, attention and memory. Area 39 is located in the parietal lobe and is part of the “association cortex.” Area 39 is thought to be involved with language and several other complex functions. The ratios of neurons to glial cells in Einstein’s brain were compared to those from the brains of 11 men who died at the average age of 64.

📷

how many percentage of brain did einstein use

The Data

📷 The ratios of neurons to glial cells in Einstein’s brain, as compared to those in the 11 normal brains, were smaller in all four areas studied. However, when the numbers were examined more closely with statistics, only one area showed a significant difference – the ratio in the left area 39. In the left area 39, therefore, Einstein’s brain had fewer neurons to glial cells than the normal brains. In other words, there were more glial cells for every neuron in Einstein’s brain.

📷 The Conclusion

The authors concluded that the greater number of glial cells per neuron might indicate the neurons in Einstein’s brain had an increased “metabolic need” – they needed and used more energy. More recently, other researchers have noticed differences in glial cells (e.g., larger astrocytic process) in Einstein’s brain. In this way, perhaps Einstein had better thinking abilities and conceptual skills.

The Problems

📷 Scientists are trained to read published papers carefully and to evaluate the methods, results and conclusions of experiments. Although it is intriguing to use the results of this paper as an indication that Einstein’s genius was related to a particular brain region, it is perhaps a bit too early for such a statement.

First, the “normal” brains that were compared to Einstein’s may not have been the best group for comparison. The average age of these brains was 12 years younger than Einstein’s brain. In fact, the youngest brain in this group was only 47 years old. It is possible that the neuron to glial ratio seen in Einstein’s brain was quite normal for his age and that the younger comparison group just did not show these changes yet. Also, the paper did not describe the background of the comparison group. What was their intelligence and cause of death? Would these factors have anything to do with the observed brain differences?

Second, the “experimental group” had only one subject…Einstein! Additional studies are needed to see if these anatomical differences are found in other people with conceptual and mathematical skills like Einstein.

Third, it appears that only a very small portion of the four areas of each brain was studied. The paper states that “Four to six sections were cut from each block, Einstein’s and the controls?.” However, after staining, only ONE section from each block was studied! There is no indication that this single thin section was obtained from similar regions of area 39 and area 9 from the different brains. It is even unclear how much of each section was counted. Moreover, only the ratio of neurons to glial cells was published. The total number of cells that were counted is not given in the paper. This is important to get an idea of how the experimenters came to their conclusions.

It is important to remember that the areas 9 and 39 make important connections with many other areas of the brain. To assign a particular behavior or personality to a single brain area is too simple. Parts of the brain do not act by themselves. Rather, complex behavior is the result of many areas acting together.

A Second Paper

📷 A second paper (Neuroscience Letters, 1996) describing Einstein’s brain was published in 1996. Einstein’s brain weighed only 1,230 grams, which is less than the average adult male brain (about 1,400 grams). The authors also reported that the thickness of Einstein’s cerebral cortex (area 9) was thinner than that of five control brains. However, the DENSITY of neurons in Einstein’s brain was greater. In other words, Einstein was able to pack more neurons in a given area of cortex.

More Papers and The Future

Another study concerning Einstein’s brain was published in the British medical journal The Lancet (vol. 353, pages 2149-2153) on June 19, 1999. In this paper, the external surface characteristics of Einstein’s brain were compared to those from the brains of 35 men (average age, 57 years old) . Unlike the brain of these 35 men, Einstein’s brain had an unusual pattern of grooves (called sulci) on both right and left parietal lobes. This particular area of the parietal lobe is thought to be important for mathematical abilities and spatial reasoning. Einstein’s brain had a much shorter lateral sulcus that was partially missing. His brain was also 15% wider than the other brains. The researchers think that these unique brain characteristics may have allowed better connections between neurons important for math and spatial reasoning.

In 2012, photographs of the external surface of Einstein’s brain were analzyed and published in the journal Brain. Scientists who studied these photographs noted that compared to other brains, Einstein’s brain had a larger prefrontal cortex and expanded primary somatosensory and motor cortices especially in the face and tongue areas on the left hemisphere. In 2013, photographs through the middle (midsagittal section) of Einstein’s brain were used to compared the size of Einstein’s corpus callosum to that of right-handed, age-matched men and to a younger group of right-handed men. In this study, Einstein’s corpus callosum was found to be thicker in most areas compared to the corpus callosum of age-matched men and thicker in a few areas compared to the corpus callosum in younger men.

Although these results are interesting, it must be remembered that this study had only ONE brain in the experimental group…Albert Einstein’s brain. It remains to be seen if other mathematical geniuses also show these distinguishing brain characteristics. Moreover, the study did not investigate the brain at a microscopic level. In other words, the study says nothing about how neurons in these brains were connected and of course, could not tell if there were differences in the way the neurons functioned.

The importance of these differences is still unknown. There are still many questions about how the brain constructs personality, builds intelligence and forms creativity. Further research using modern brain imaging techniques (MRI/PET) that look at the anatomy and function of the brain in living geniuses may reveal what makes these people such giants.

📷how many percentage of brain did einstein use

Was Einstein’s brain different?

We’re used to talking about neurons when referring to the brain, but we also have what are called glial cells. In Greek, glia means “glue.” Glial cells were given their name because we thought they did little more than just hold the brain together. One kind of glial cell is the star-shaped astrocyte.

In 1985, Diamond’s findings were almost disappointing. Einstein’s brain did not contain more neurons overall than the average person’s.It did, however, contain more astrocytes, in the left inferior parietal area of the brain, a region associated with mathematical thinking.

Since intelligence was assigned to neurons and astrocytes were thought to be little more than “glue,” this finding did not make headline news and was largely ignored.

What did Einstein’s brain actually reveal?

If you insert human astrocytes into the brains of newborn mice, they grow up to be more intelligent. Their learning and memory are significantly sharper. It’s only in the past few years that we’ve come to understand the extraordinary reason why.

We have always assumed that a synapse, the point where two brain cells join to carry information, is made up of two brain cells. We were wrong. A synapse is made of two brain cells — and an astrocyte.

Astrocytes nurture synapses. Not only are they key in synaptic plasticity, but they are plastic themselves. They grow and change. One astrocyte can be in contact with two million synapses, coordinating their activity and plasticity across vast realms of the human brain – – and contributing to our intelligence.

How do astrocytes figure in artificial intelligence?

Artificial intelligence researchers from the University of A Coruña in Spain recently improved neural network performance by using an algorithm that included artificial astrocytes. When a neuron’s activity reached a maximum, the astrocyte was activated. It increased the weight of the neuron’s connections with the neurons of the adjacent layer by 25 percent, simulating what might happen in real life.

How do you increase astrocytes?

If Einstein was a genius because of his astrocytes, can we increase our astrocyte numbers and become geniuses too?

As early as 1966, Diamond and her team demonstrated that putting young rats in a stimulating environment rich with challenge and new experiences increased glial cells.

We now know that this even happens in elderly mice. Putting aged mice in an “enriched environment” increases astrocyte numbers and complexity, which correlates with better cognitive performance.

If you’re wondering, the effect is also seen in humans.

A study published this year followed production workers at a factory in Germany for 17 years. The volume of brain regions associated with executive function and motivation was larger in those who had been exposed to recurrent novelty in their work.This was associated with better cognitive performance at middle age.

📷how many percentage of brain did einstein use

Albert Einstein’s brain

The brain of Albert Einstein has been a subject of much research and speculation. Albert Einstein’s brain was removed within seven and a half hours of his death. His apparent regularities or irregularities in the brain have been used to support various ideas about. correlations in neuroanatomy with general or mathematical intelligence. Studies have suggested an increased number of glial cells in Einstein’s brain.[

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