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dustedmagazine · 3 years

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Listed: His Name Is Alive

While Warren Defever’s name is perhaps less recognizable than that of his band His Name Is Alive, he’s also been connected with a seemingly endless array of other projects: Princess Dragon-Mom, Elvis Hitler, ESP Beetles, Control Panel, and far more. This doesn’t get into his recording and production credits for the likes of Michael Hurley, Iggy and the Stooges, and Mdou Moctar. Forever associated with Michigan’s weirdo-underground music scene, Defever has recently been issuing a series of long-buried recordings as His Name Is Alive. In February, the Disciples label released Hope Is a Candle, the third and final volume in the "Home Recordings" trilogy exploring Defever's teenage tape experimentation as well as A Silver Thread (Home Recordings 1979 - 1990), a four-volume collection of many of Defever’s solo home recordings prior to His Name Is Alive releasing their debut album Livonia on 4AD in 1990. In his review of A Silver Thread, Tim Clarke writes “For a collection of home recordings, what’s most striking about this music is how fully realized and carefully executed it sounds, comparable at times to contemporary artists such as Grouper, Benoît Pioulard and Tim Hecker. This is not the 1980s that I remember.”

Defever gives us his “What Else Is New” list, a set of personal snapshots, memories of a life spent in music, warning the reader that “the descriptions don’t always have an obvious correlation to the video, but welcome to my nightmare brain.”

In The Line of Fire

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I started performing when I was five. My grandfather was a self-taught musician from Saskatchewan in Western Canada and he showed me and my brothers how to play banjo, guitar and fiddle. One of my earliest memories is having a full size 127 lb. accordion placed onto my lap and my grandmother voicing her disappointment when I refused to play. I did learn slide guitar from her later though. I have many, often terrible, memories of performing at square dances with his band and we would play old timey country music, folk songs, polkas and waltzes. There were also gigs at the trailer park, old folks homes and a convent. Although my grandfather believed that popular music died with Hank Williams in 1953, he still found room in his heart for Lawrence Welk and Slim Whitman.

Meet Me By The Water

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By age ten I had a tape recorder and was using it to capture the sounds of nearby lakes, thunderstorms, and my older brothers LP collection played at the wrong speeds. I recently found the cassette, Echo Lake (1983) which features waves crashing onto the beach on the Canadian side of Lake St. Clair but it was recorded right after I got an echo pedal so it’s got a heavy dose of dreamy delay. Tape loops of the next door neighbor raking leaves and shoveling the driveway would be repurposed a few years later as rhythm tracks on the first His Name Is Alive LP, Livonia (4AD, 1990). Detroit in the late 70s and early 80s had totally insane radio and one of the highlights was Met-Ezzthetics, a late night show on WDET hosted by Faruq Z. Bey who also played saxophone in Griot Galaxy. Shortly before his death he played with His Name is Alive and we had a chance to formalize our student-teacher relationship.

Search For Higher Energies

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In high school I was studying Bach Chorale harmonization and counterpoint during the day but recording and touring with the band Elvis Hitler at night. The other guys in band were older but at 16 I was a familiar sight at shitty Detroit punk clubs and Hamtramck dive bars, the nerdy teenager reading a book or doing homework sitting at the bar waiting ’til midnight or 1am for our slot to play our hellbilly hits, “It’s A Long Way From Berlin To Memphis,” and “Hot Rod To Hell.” I was still trying to make sense of the post 1953 music scene and when I met the guy with a giant afro and shiny super hero outfit complete with shiny cape I had no idea he was Rob Tyner of the MC5. We released three records before I was twenty one and played shows and toured with Devo, the Dwarves, the Dead Milkmen, Reverend Horton Heat, the Beat Farmers, Helios Creed, Babes In Toyland, the Cro-Mags, Corrosion of Conformity, the Frogs, the Gories, Pussy Galore, the Unsane and way more I can’t remember I was just a kid. It was some kind of education.

You Don’t Have To Go Home But You Can’t Stay Here

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When I signed with 4AD I thought I was a composer and they let me write my own bio, so I called His Name Is Alive the work of a “fucked up, irresponsible teenage composer.” I had only been writing music for three years. When I heard “Tom Violence” by Sonic Youth I thought for the first time in my life, “I think I could do that.” In 1988 I made a mixtape with Tracy Chapman’s Fast Car, Leadbelly and some of Big Star’s third album and I tried to arrange it like it was an album, then I made my own album in that same shape, it was called I Had Sex With God and I sent it to 4AD. Our first album contained three of the first five pieces of music I had ever written. Within a few years I was playing festivals for contemporary classical composers and new age artists who were thirty or forty years older than me. His Name Is Alive played the Musicas Visuales Festival in Mexico with Harold Budd, Paul Horn and Jorge Reyes. The mayor of the city presented me with a guitar but then dramatically walked out of the theater during our performance realizing he had made a terrible mistake. I remember the surreal moment when from across the room Harold Budd walked in and greeted me as “Mr. Defever.” He had a cold and was sniffling during his set, the audience thought he was crying. I recorded his show and when I got back home to Livonia I added my own guitar to some of his songs and then edited the tapes, looping my favorite parts and editing out the parts I didn’t like, also adding additional layers of reverb and echo. More recently I did a concert in a five hundred year old temple in Japan where the unamplified meditation music never rose above a whisper and the monk had to turn off the furnace because the heat molecules were too loud. The show was recorded and released under the name Mountain Ocean Sun and features Ian Masters and Hitoko Sakai.

Energy Dealer

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Both my parents were born in Canada, my mother in Saskatchewan, my father in Ontario. I have dual citizenship as my father was American and my mother had Canadian citizenship. I spent summers, holidays and weekends in a tiny cottage on Lake St. Clair that did not have a telephone and had curtains instead of doors separating the two rooms. Myrt Fortin who lived next door would receive phone calls for my mom, walk over to our place and yell into the window, “Hey wake up your ma, your dad’s on the phone.” My mom took a lot of naps, so she was always asleep when something important was happening. I remember always getting cut on broken glass while swimming in the lake or getting stabbed by one of the neighbors and having to go wake up my mom to take me to the hospital.

Lord I Don’t Believe You Exist

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When I was ten my parents sat me down and told me it was time that I got a summer job. There were only two businesses in town, a gas station and a hardware store so I walked up to the hardware store and asked the owner for a job and immediately fell to the ground crying. Completely fell apart. He asked me why I wanted to work in hardware. I didn’t know what to say, I was only ten but I knew not to tell the owner that his store was stupid and I didn’t think he could handle the truth. It turned out he also owned the gas station so that didn’t really work out. Later that summer, I began working for the Pickseed Corporation as corn de-tasseling season was just beginning. All the moms would drop off their kids in the church parking lot in Tecumseh, just outside of Windsor, around 4:30am where an unmarked windowless cargo van was waiting that had cinderblocks and 2'x4' boards instead of benches so they could squeeze in the maximum amount of children. There were three job requirements to work in a cornfield, the child (it was only children, no adults) needed to show up with a baseball hat, a thermos with water and a large black plastic garbage bag. I think this was before sunglasses were invented. Upon arriving at the cornfield, we were separated into pickers and checkers, younger kids each taking a row of corn (a row could extend a mile or more) and a slightly older kid would organize and manage several of the younger kids. In the morning we were instructed to poke two arm holes and a head hole into our garbage bags and put it on like a raincoat because the corn was covered in dew and kids wearing wet clothes would walk slower than dry kids. So almost every day there was a point, usually around 11am when the dew would dry and we would be roasted alive from the summer sun coming down on our ridiculous shiny black plastic outfits. We worked from sun up until sun down. I received three dollars and thirty five cents an hour. For all you city folks, corn is planted in alternating rows of types of corn so that when the top part of the plant is removed, or “de-tasseled,” it can seed or cross-pollinate easily. It’s a terrible job with a high turnover rate and every day I would hear the sound of kids in nearby rows that had given up hope, sat down in the middle of the field and crying for hours. The following year, at age 11, I was promoted from picker to checker, and was put in charge of a group of about ten sixteen year old’s.

Sleep It Off

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Mostly I like to record – His Name is Alive has over a hundred releases and I’ve done another fifty records under various names, Control Panel, Warren Michael Defever, ESP BEETLES, ESP SUMMER, Forest People, Infinity People, Jeepers Creepers, Layla al-Akhyaliyya, Mirror Dream, Princess Dragon-Mom, the Dirt Eaters, the Fishcats, the Whales, plus way more I can’t remember probably because the names were so dumb. I’ve recorded about four hundred records for other bands at my house or other studios. I’ve worked on records with Danny Kroha, Ida, Fred Thomas, Elizabeth Mitchell, Wild Belle, Michael Hurley, and when I was a teenager I helped record the first Gories album which was especially unique as I was the junior assistant engineer who helped move their equipment into the dirt floor garage next to the studio where it was decided the acoustics would be way worse. Also, I helped collage about a hundred Destroy All Monsters tapes from the 70s for a couple of their releases which led to remastering a bunch of tapes from the John Sinclair White Panther Party archives. I’ve done remixes for Thurston Moore and Yoko Ono and when Iggy and The Stooges started touring again I got a phone call from Ron Asheton seeing if I would help them record demos for their reunion album with Mike Watt on bass. They wrote the songs together while they were recording in Niagara’s basement sort of simultaneously. Iggy didn’t have a notebook with all his lyric ideas, instead he just sang about whatever happened that day – one song was about the airline losing his luggage, one about ATM machines and another was about reading in a newspaper that Ray Davies of the Kinks had been shot in New Orleans. In the end they weren’t terribly excited by my suggested song titles including “No Shirt” (you know because it’s like “No Fun” plus you know Iggy never wears a shirt) and they didn’t seem to love the mixes that I did that sounded kind of like those crappy Raw Power bootlegs.

Cost Of Living

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Two summers ago I recorded an incredible concert by Mdou Moctar live at Third Man Records in Detroit. They’re wild hypnotic Hendrix style jammers who live in the desert. The band didn’t speak much english but I think I was able to communicate to them how excited I was about their amazing fingerpicking and hot guitar solos after the show by screaming and replaying the best solos over and over again and then screaming the word fuzz and pointing at their fingers. It’s insane and having seen them a few times since then with a different drummer and the addition of a bass player, I’m convinced it’s their best album. It’s wild but it’s still not Tchin-tabaraden wedding wild.

Licked By Lions

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Jonathan Richman walks into Ethan and Gretchen's studio and asks if I can remove all the rugs, take the acoustic treatments off the walls and strike the baffles which normally separate the instruments, drums and amps, so the room will have the most echo possible, he has also invited about ten friends including Johnny Bee Badanjek the drummer from Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels and Mary Cobra from the Detroit Cobras to dance, sing and play percussion in the studio while he records. He has two vocal microphones set up at either end of the room and has brought his own microphones for the drums along with his own desired placement for them. He notices a tamboura near the control room and asks if I know how to play it or if I know how to tune it. Within seconds he’s tuned it and proceeds to sing Indian classical music accompanying himself on tamboura drone for about thirty five minutes. It’s beautiful and very surprising. He asks me if I recorded it, I lie and say no. Later he asks me not to play it for anyone. We record for hours. Some songs are quite long – ten and fifteen minutes, some are medleys of oldies or soft rock hits from the seventies segueing into new songs of his. It’s a confusing session as it’s not clear when songs are starting and ending and he often plays guitar and sings nowhere near a microphone. The distance between him and the microphone seems to have some meaning, there’s some formula to when he chooses to walk away in the middle of a verse but I am unable to determine the secret code. At the end of the session three or four songs are deemed usable, edited and mixed, although, sadly, an attempt at a completely insane and unexpected fuzz guitar solo is left unreleased. (The Harold Budd piece is at the opposite end of this spectrum.)

Calling All Believers

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Shortly after Tecuciztecatl was released, I received an email from Dr. James Beacham at CERN inviting us to perform at a series of concerts that would combine experimental music with experimental science at the Large Hadron Collider in Geneva, Switzerland. He didn’t contact our booking agent, which would be how we generally receive offers for gigs, instead he sent an email to me, which would be how we generally receive crazy messages from our completely insane fans (murderous, delusional, poetic, threatening messages usually). I assumed the invitation was fake or a prank and replied that we would prefer to wait until they had successfully opened a pathway to interspatial dimensions and we’d play on the other side or that if that was unlikely to happen at a convenient time then perhaps we could set up our equipment right on the edge of a mini-black hole and perform as the Earth is being destroyed so we could release the concert film “Live At The End Of The World.” After a few messages back and forth, it was clear that he was legit and I apologized for being such a jerk. Soon I discovered poetry within the language of particle physics as well as a certain beauty in the idea that these scientists have devoted their lives to dreaming, searching and discovering basic principles that connect all things in existence. The song “Calling All Believers” refers to this devotion. “Energy Acceleration” compares the scientists to monastic life in medieval times and mystics trying to find and define the line between this world and the next and at the same time invoking the incredible amounts of energy needed to create the collisions experiments. The Patterns of Light LP was released in 2016 on London London Records and is about interpreting visions of light, trying to find universal truth with whatever tools available, it’s about the search for how everything works, why it works and how it got that way but also about being inspired on a basic level by the way a thing looks and how all your senses take in a thing. A thousand years ago Hildegard Von Bingen was writing about this same thing in letters, songs, medical texts, and had even developed her own language to use in her mystical writings, similar to Magma drummer Christian Vander using his own language for their concept albums or French black metalists Brenoritvrezorkre and Moëvöt.

The Light Inside You

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We get a lot of letters from fans, mostly weirdos though. I think it started when we released Song of Schizophrenia, that sort of connected us to a certain demographic I suspect. Here’s a recent typical message we received. “Growing up in Panama City, Mouth By Mouth and Livonia were like passages to other realms. I drank a ton of cough syrup at the time but those albums helped make life more livable. I was about to go to art school for sculpture and graphic design and the textures I heard on those records had actual shapes to them. Most music I knew at that time was flat or linear. I got them on cassette via mail-order from an ad placed in a bmx magazine. Mouth By Mouth arrived just before going to work at the amusement park and I was able to listen to it twice on the way thanks to the never-ending beach traffic. As luck would have it, I worked on “The Abominable Snowman” ride, basically a tilt-a-whirl inside a dome with lots of fog machine action, blue lights, mirrors, and lots of air conditioning. It took about 10 listens that day before it wasn’t as weird as when I first put it on. Maybe it was my bubblegum flavor/robitussin combo slushie on top of no-doz that pulled it all together, but it was probably a weird ride for a lot of vacationing beach tourists and townies when all they really wanted to hear was “Naughty by Nature” by O.P.P. I had no business running those rides at the age of 17 but I really loved how disorienting that ride could be with all the mirrors, the fog, the cold and for the final 90 seconds the ride would go in reverse. I had a buddy named Kevin that did acid at work and would repeatedly run the mini-train off the tracks and all the riders had to walk back through the woods for about a half mile that summer.”

#dusted magazine #listed #his name is alive #warren defever #warren michael defever #poppy #griot galaxy #faruq z. bey #slim whitman #mdou moctar #sly stone #harold budd #steve wonder #elvis hitler #princess dragon-mom

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dilebe06 · 4 years

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Drama che devo vedere

Number

3 days

38 task force

49 days

Awaken

Across The Ocean To See You

Answer for heaven

Arsenal Military Academy

Arang and the magistrate

Are you human too?

A gentleman dignity

Age Of Legends

Angel’s last mission: love

Ancient Detective

A girl and the three sweethears

Adolescence Medley

A love Story: You Are The Greatest happiness of my life

About is love

Alice in Borderland

A Girl Like Me

Bad Family

Bad thief, good thief

Biblia Koshodou

Bad Buddy

Bloody Monday 2

Bokura No yuki

Boss

Brother Beat

Bridal Mask

Bitter man

Bride of Century

Bloody Romance

Boss and me

Black Dog

Best Mistake

Back to 1989

Beyond Evil

Broker

Bossam: Steal The fate

Boku No Satsui Ga Koi Wo Shita

Blue Birthday

Be Loves In House: I Do

Be Yourself

Bad and Crazy

Bangkok Breaking

Beging Again

Bulgasal

Because of Love

Chuno

Count Your Lucky Star

Class of lies

Cruel Romance

Crime Squad

Can you hear my heart?

Chimera

Crash Landing on You

Crush

Chief kim

Candle in the tomb

Cubic

Cheese In The Trap

Criminal Minds

Choosing Spouse

Cosmetology high

Cambrian Period

Cross Fire

Crime Puzzle

Cheat me, if you can

Delightful girl, choon hyang

Don Quixote

Deam High

D Day

Don’t disturb My Study

Doctor Stranger

Detective Chinatown

Delayed Justice

Destiny’s Love

Defendant

Doctor Prisoner

Duel

DTC

Dokgo Rewind

Deja Vu

Dream Detective

Danger Less Detective

Drawing Sword 3

Death Notify:the Darker

Dreaming Back To The Qing Dinasty

Dalì And The Cocky Prince

Do dream

Distortion Girl

Devil’s diary

Doctor John

Dear my name

Evasive inquari Agency

Empress ki

Extraordinary You

Eagles and Youngster

Emergency Couple

First Romance

Fated To love you

Falling for innocent

Fight for my way

Fly The Jumper

Forever Love

Fairyland Lovers

Falling Into You

Find Me in Your Memory

fall in love

Father Is Strange

For Married Doctress

Flower Of Evil

fantasy Westward Journey

Fake Motion: Takkyu No Osho

F4 Thailand

Futatsu No Spica

Final Life

Falling Into Your Smile

Feel good To die

Goblin

Gold

Guardian

Graceful family

Ghost Doctor

Go Ahead

Good casting

Gu Family Book

Gakeppuchi Hotel

Gap Dong

General’s Lady

Go! Goal! Fighting

Gokkou No Kaidan

Gank Your Heart

Gossip Box

Gekiryuu

Hammer Session

Harvest Villa

Healer

History of the Salaryman

Hito Ni Yasashiko

Hello Dear Ancestor

Hot Blooded Youth

Her private Life

Hyena

Hot Girl

Hunting

Hua Jai Sila

hard Nut!

Hello Debate Opponent

Horimiya

Hi School - love On

High And Crush

Holy Land

He Is Psychometric

High and Low: episode 0

Higambana Keishicho Sasa Nake ka

Here’s My plan

Heart by heart

I do, i do

Ikebukuro West Gate park

Iris

Irish Uppercut

I Cannot Hug You

Iljmae

I Hear Your Voice

In A Class Of Her Own

Introverted Boss

I’m Tee, me Too

Inference Notes

In house marriage honey

In Youth

it’s ok to not be ok

I am the head teacher

Inspector Koo

i need romance

i am the years you are the stars

Jin

Juui Dolittle

just an encore

Just between lovers

Joy of Life

jealousy Incarnate

Jirisan

Juvenile Justice

Kairos

Kazoku No Uta

King 2 Hearts

Kekkon aite Wa Chusen De

Kiss Goblin

King Of Dramas

Kill me, heal Me

Kill It

Ko- One

Kill For Love

keita yamaneko

keita Hatsukoi

Kindapping Game

Liar Game

Lucky Seven

lawless lawyer

love with flaws

Love Lasts forever

Life

Life Of Mars

Love me if you dare

Legend Of Fei

Laa Tah Chon

Lookout

Love Unexpected

Love And The Emperor

Lovely Writer

Love Scenery

Love Crossed

Let me be your knight

Lovers of the red sky

love at night

L.O.R.D

Lie to love

Makete, Katsu

Master of Study

Mikeneko Holmes no Suiri

Monster

Mr. Brain

My girl

My Girlfriend is a gumiho

Melo Is My Nature

May I Blackmail you?

moon lovers

My Holo Love

My Sassy girl

Mad Dog

My Temporary

Moonshine And Valentine

Mr. Temper Abd Nam Jung Gi

Majurat See Nam Pueng

Mr Fox and miss Rose

my dear lady

My secret hotel

My Little princess

master devil do not kiss me

My absolute boyfriend

Midas

My Housband Oh Jak Doo

Miss Devil

Money Flawer

Moon embrancig the sun

My love from the star

Missing You

Miman keisatsu

My lover’s Secret

Miss Hammurabi

Marriage, not Dating

Mystic Pop up bar

Mouse

My Mister

My Nighbour can’t Sleep

Master Of Study

Miss Gu Who Is Silent

My Heroic Husband

My Poseidon

Manner Of Death

My Unfamiliar Family

Memorist

Misaeng

Mine

Moonlight

Medical Examiner Dr. Qin

Magical Space- Time

Marriage Contract

Missing Noir M

Mysterius Love

My Engineer

Meet By Window

Miss Crow With Mr. Lizard

Meet me @1006

Naniwa Shonen

Nihonjin No Shiranai nihongo

Nine:9 Time Time travel

Nirvana in Fire

Nobunaga Concerto

Naked Fireman

Nakuna, Hara- chan

Nighborhood Hero

Noble, My Love

New Face

Nueng Dao Fah Diew

Nobody Know

Once More Heartbeat

Ouran High School Host Club

Ouroboros

Oh My Sweet Liar

Ph My Geum Bi

Oh My Boss

Omotesando Koukou Gasshoubu

Ojiichan wa 25 sai

Oniichan, gacha

Personal Taste

Princeless

Pride

Prosecutor Princess

Protect The Boss

Prison Playbook

Professional Single

Parallel Love

Perfect Couple

Perfect World

Pride And prejudice

Please Feel At Ease Mr Ling

Punch

Pied Piper

Please, Come back Mister

Police University

Player

Pop Out Boy!

Pretty Ugly

Prodigy healer

Qing Qing Zi jin

Queen: love or War

Reply 1988 / 1994 / 1998

Rooftop Prince

Rookie Historian Goo Hae Ryo

Runaway - Aisuru kimino tameni

Rescue

Refresh man

Rakshasa Street

Regenge Note

Rebel: ThiefWo Stole The people Prelude

Reunited Worlds

Racket Boys

Risho hanzai gakusha

Remember: War Of the Sun

Reset

Scent of Woman

School 2013

Shut Up: Flower Boy band

Signal

Stars Falling Form The Sky

Sungkyunkwan Scandal

Sweet Combat

Switch Girl!!!

Search: WWW

Six Flaying Dragons

Smile

Suspicius Partner

Switch: change the world

She was pretty

Spark

Sly and Single again

Something Abount 1 percent

Standing in the time

Start Up

Sirius

Sabpaak Jai Naai Jomying

Secret Royal Agent: Joseon

Sweet First Love

Sisyphus: The Myth

She is One

Sekai Wa 3 De Dekite Iru

Shuttle love Millennium

Solomon’s Perjuty

Simple Man

Special Affair team TEN

Serendepity

Stealth walker

Spy

Shiritsu Bakaleya Koukou

Tantei Gakuen

The Great Show

The Penthouse

The Tale of Nokdu

The Fiery Priest

Touch Your Heart

Tumbling

The World Owes Me A First love

The Scholar Who Walks the Night

The Stoy Of Ming Lan

The King’s Avatar

Take Care Of The Young Lady

Tong: memories

Time beetween dog and wolf

The Secret life of my secretary

The Lies Within

The Sound of your heart

Tokyo Bandwagon

The legend Of Monster

The master’s Sun

The best Hit

The king of Dramas

team bulldong: off duty invastigation

The Wonder Woman

The Privileged

The Best of you in my mind

The romance of tiger and Rose

The Golden Eyes

The K2

Tenchuu yamino Shiokinin

The beauty inside

The Night Of the Comet

the Song Of Glory

The Sweet Girl

Time teaches Me To love

The Universe’s Star

Tomorrow With You

Two Cops

The game: Towards Zero

Two Weeks

Thirty But Seventeen

the love By hypnotic

terius Behind Me

The Sand Princess

The Goddess Of revange

The Sword And Brocade

The Spies Who Love Me

The Emperor: Owner Of The Mask

Twelve Legends

Taxi Driver

The victim’s Game

The World Beetween Us

The Disguiser

The Gifted

The Sleuth Of Ming Dynasty

The Dance Of The Storm

The Imperial Coroner

Time Flies And You Are Here

Tunnel

The Suspicius Housekeeper

The Day Of Becoming You

The Devil Judge

The Road: The Tragedy Of One

The City Of Chaos

The Great Shaman Ga Doo Shim

The Blooms At Ruyi Pavilion

The Bond

The Veil

The Smile Has Left Your Eyes

Under the power

Unexpected heroes

U- prince Series: The Single Lawyer

Umareru

Untouchable

Unexpected

Unforgettable Love

Until We Meet Again

Voice

Vincenzo

Warrior baek Dong Soo

When The Camellia Blooms

Welcome to Waikiki

When i see you again

While you were sleeping

Wanted

WATCHER

Welcome 2 life

When a snail fall in love

Wacko At Law

When We Were Young

White

War

We best Love: N.1 For You

We Best Love: Fighting Mr. 2nd

Why Ru?

Well Dominated Love

You’re all Surrounder

Yong-jiu grocery store

You Are My Hero

Youth Of May

Yong Pal

Yumi’s Cell

#drama che devo vedere #drama #k drama #c drama #j drama #korean drama #chinese drama #japan drama #tell me what you saw #crocodile and the plover bird

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faithpeacehopejoy · 5 years

Text

Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)

Ephesians 6:2 KJV

https://bible.com/bible/1/eph.6.2.KJV

Malachi 3:10

10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.

Jesus Came for the Brokenhearted

By Rick Warren

“He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted” (Luke 4:18 NKJV).

Any idea where the phrase “broken heart” comes from?

It comes from the Bible and is thousands of years old. In Psalm 69:20, David said: “Scorn has broken my heart and has left me helpless” (NIV).

David wrote about it centuries ago, but doctors say it’s a medical reality. When you go through a traumatic event, your brain releases chemicals to deal with it, and some of those chemicals actually weaken the tissue of the heart. It’s called broken heart syndrome.

What causes a broken heart? Here are some of the most common ways our hearts get broken:

We get disappointed because things don’t turn out as we’ve planned.

We’re rejected by someone we love or someone we think loves us.

We resent others by holding on to past hurts.

But here’s some amazing news. It doesn’t matter what you call a broken heart or how you got it; Jesus can help. In fact, in Jesus’ very first sermon, he says it’s one of the reasons he came.

Whether you’ve been let down by disappointment, rejection, or resentment, Jesus came to heal your heart.

Jesus said about the Father, “He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted” (Luke 4:18 NKJV).

If you’ve been hurt, God wants to help. The Bible says in Psalm 147:3, “[God] heals the heartbroken and bandages their wounds” (The Message).

You’re never closer to God than when you’re hurting. He’s here to help.

Will you let him?

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk About It

When you consider the three causes of a broken heart mentioned in today’s devotional, which do you find yourself most susceptible to—and why?

How have you seen God heal broken hearts?

What are some ways God can use you to help others heal from a broken heart?

...He [can be trusted] not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure, but with the temptation He will [always] also provide the way out (the means of escape to a landing place), that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently.

— 1 Corinthians 10:13 (AMPC)

Attitude Is Everything

Adapted from the resource The Power of Being Thoughtful Devotional - by Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer Ministries

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— 1 Corinthians 10:13 (AMPC)

Womens Conference 2019 Guest Mack Brock

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JUNE 15, 2019

Attitude Is Everything

Adapted from the resource The Power of Being Thoughtful Devotional - by Joyce Meyer

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Some of the challenges we face in life may be very difficult ones, but God never allows more temptation to come upon us than we can bear. In fact, with every temptation, He always provides a way out.

The scripture above not only says He provides a way out, but it also says He gives us the strength to bear up under trials with patience. That means we can go through them with a good attitude! Maintaining a good attitude in the midst of something unpleasant is the key to victory, and it enables us to enjoy the journey.

Prayer Starter: Lord, thank You for being with me through all of life’s difficulties. Help me today to keep a good attitude, knowing You are working on my behalf behind the scenes. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

#Jesus #love #life #hope #peace #christian #mind of christ #christlike #joycemeyerministries #dailyhope #praise #prayer #KingdomofGod #fam #friendship

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cheetahsprints · 6 years

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Quicken

Summary: In which Harry and Cisco find mutual comfort in their friendship. And it evolves, as natural as the changing of seasons. Word Count: 2329

“Where are you going?”

“Out.”

He doesn’t make it past the hallway. He stops, leaning against the wall, hand pressed to his mouth. His arms tremble with vexation. It’s all he seems to feel anymore, this roaring in his head.

He’s reminded, like a broken record, that he can’t outsmart DeVoe. There’s options, he’s considering, to raise his own intellect. But at what cost? There are risks involved in any such endeavor, but his brain is his most precious asset. It’s how he built STAR, it’s how he got to this Earth, it’s part of his connection with Cisco.

Cisco. He blinks as Cisco breezes by him. He groans softly and grumbles something inaudible. He’s clutching his head, rubbing at his temple. Harry forgets he’s not the only one with tough days. He’s not the only one who can’t always beat the enemy.

Harry follows him into the workshop. He taps at the keys on the computer. Should he still be working?

He hears Cisco say, “I’m sick of getting mind-whammied in my vibes. I’m sick of Barry jumping down my throat. And Ralph -- ugh.”

“I’m a hair away from ditching this place and chilling on another Earth until this blows over. I’ve been nothing but a punching bag and a babysitter.”

“That’s -- well it’s kind of true. But you don’t have to leave Ramon.”

Cisco flinches at the sound of Harry’s voice. He tried to keep his voice lowered. Cisco glances at him, but he’s caught up in what he’s doing. He’s thankful Iris was there to get Barry off his back. But what if she hadn’t been? Why doesn’t he ever speak up?

He knows why. He doesn’t want to admit it to himself. He acts like a doormat, because he’s afraid. He’s afraid they won’t want him around if they think he’s a stick in the mud. If he starts complaining -- well there’s no putting that back in Pandora’s Box. Barry doesn’t treat him like an equal. Ralph is Barry’s idea, his responsibility, yet he expects everyone else to put Ralph above their own needs. Sure he needs to be protected, he’s a person, they can’t let DeVoe take his powers.

That doesn’t mean Cisco has to sleep on his damp futon and not even beg Barry to take the next shift. Barry should just do it. Cisco barely gets rest, between his nightmares and his vibe abilities exacerbating them. He figures the others don’t catch much Zs either. However, Barry offers to take the next shift like it’s not actually his problem, and he’s doing some great deed for a friend.

And Cisco pats him on the back like the wishy-washy person that he’s been for the last year. Possibly longer. Reverb may have been evil, but Cisco could benefit from taking a few pages out of his book.

“I’m not serious. I’m just. I’m tired, Harry.” Cisco sighs. “Sometimes, I don’t feel like I matter to anyone.”

Harry claps him on the shoulder. He turns Cisco to face him. He loosens the tightness in his expression, allowing Cisco to see the honesty in his next words.

“You matter. To me at least. To Barry, he’s just got his wires crossed.”

Harry continues, “This team would be nothing without you. You’ve gotten them out of more scrapes than I can count, Dibny especially.”

“They see me as suits and tech and convenient breaches.”

“You’re an exceptional human being.” Harry leans forward looking him deep in the eye and says, “You know and I know you ought to start acting like it.”

Cisco bites his lip. He drags his fingers across his throbbing temple. “I. I’m. I don’t know. What if I take charge and they think I’m -”

He inhales. He braces himself on the desk as a wave of nausea hits. It doesn’t bear thinking about, how the team might react. He got enough from his family, always telling him he was too opinionated, too loud, too annoying.

These days, Harry is the only person he can feel like being himself with. That used to be Caitlin, but for reasons unknown they’ve drifted apart. And it used to include Barry to an extent -- but on Cisco’s side things are complicated there.

Harry watches the turmoil flickering behind Cisco’s eyes with great concern. He doesn’t know what he’s doing. He has his own issues he hasn’t worked out. Communicating with people, dealing with his mistakes and failings. On impulse, he grabs a wrench and bangs it repeatedly on the table. Cisco doesn’t even twitch. A small smile pulls at his lips.

“You too huh?”

“One of those days. Fuck that - The whole week has been shit.”

Cisco bites down on his index finger. “I take it the uh visit to your Earth didn’t go so well?”

“I mostly took care of STAR business. I saw Jesse all of three times, the first she didn’t even talk to me. Else, we just rehashed our arguments.”

“I find it hard to believe she really kicked you out -”

“I mean, she made it clear she was sick of my brand of training,” Harry says. “I feel wanted here. Even if I. I suck.”

“Harry!” Cisco chuckles a little and shakes his head. “You don’t.... suck.”

Cisco’s eyes linger on those nice, pink lips for too long. He gulps when he meets Harry’s gaze. Harry notices his direction, but he refrains from commenting. It doesn’t seem like a good time to open that particular door.

“OK, let’s both agree we’re awesome, and anyone who says otherwise can shove it where the sun don’t shine.”

“Without any lube,” Harry remarks.

“Yeah, no, ouch. I’m not that mad.”

They both collapse into giggles. Cisco braces himself on Harry’s shoulder. He quickly pulls his hand away with a small apology. Harry reassures him he doesn’t mind. He near lives for the contact. He spent years avoiding it. Cisco seems instinctive on his boundaries, never coming in close when he’s especially prickly, and offering just the right amount of silent comfort when he’s seething.

He seems to do the same for Cisco, if he’s any judge. He studies the pinched muscles in Cisco’s face, the tightness of his jaw. The headache must still persist. Harry doesn’t know if he’s even stopped to take medicine.

“Why are you pushing yourself so hard?” Harry asks. Cisco sighs and leans on his elbow on the table.

“It’s Barry - I have to - he -”

“You don’t have to do anything. Take a break.”

“But I have to -- DeVoe.”

“Nope, rest. Doctor’s orders.”

Cisco grins. “You’re not that kind of Doctor.”

“And you’re not a bodyguard or a personal assistant, but here we are.”

“I know what I’ll say next time,” Cisco says.

“What?”

“Dammit, Barry. I’m an engineer not a watchdog.”

He must need more sleep. Harry laughs so hard he ends up having to clutch his stomach. Cisco blows air through his lips, and he tries to stifle his laughter. Harry barely stops himself from asking if he can kiss him.

Cisco stops abruptly and squeezes his eyes shut. Harry enters panic mode, but he keeps his external reactions under control.

“What’s wrong? Was it a vibe?”

“No. I’m just. Hungover from DeVoe throwing me out.”

Harry is cautious. He brings Cisco’s head close and applies his lips to his forehead. Nothing untoward, just checking his temperature. Cisco goes rigid. Then he relaxes. Harry decides to seize his moment.

He kisses Cisco’s nose. His face scrunches up adorably. Harry tilts his head and kisses his temple. Harry can’t resist the temptation, and he kisses the softness of his curls. He loops a few strands around his fingers, carefully watching Cisco’s expression. He’s not as tense as he was before, which Harry takes as a good sign.

Cisco’s eyes flutter open. “Thank you.”

Harry whispers, “Anytime.”

They tackle the project together. He can work on his own later. He scrawls some formulas on the board anyway. He’ll get antsy if he doesn’t release some of it from his mind. Cisco raises an eyebrow but doesn’t comment. Harry doesn’t give it a prior thought when he passes Cisco a kiss on the cheek.

In return, Cisco fists his sweater and kisses him on the ear. It’s a weird sensation. He whines through his nose and jerks his head. He never realized he was ticklish there. Cisco is amused by his reaction. The hours pass. He casually wraps his arm around Cisco, and they continue like that, letting it just be. At some point, Cisco leaves and returns with Big Belly. Harry’s eyes are drooping before he knows it.

Harry jerks awake. His heart is pounding. His body is ready for action toward some unseen threat. For a brief moment, he’s back on that battlefield, guns blazing, soldiers shouting. His hands are coated in slick blood. His eyes snap shut and he goes through his breathing exercise. When he allows the world to flood in, the sight makes him stop short.

Cisco’s face is close. Too close. He doesn’t move. Frost might as well have froze him on the spot. His lips look even more enticing and fuller due to the lack of distance. Harry can see clearly his most prominent freckles. He follows them from the middle of his forehead, to his cheek just below his eye, on his left dimple, and finally his neck. A few strands of hair had fallen across his eye and nose. Harry gently brushes them away. He’s so soft and beautiful.

His stomach flips to see him so vulnerably in sleep. He’s only seen it twice before, and at a greater distance. He suddenly smiles in his sleep, highlighting his dimple and freckle. Harry wishes he could kiss him and kiss him forever. Nothing else mattering.

It’s because of Cisco’s gorgeous visage that he initially didn’t realize they are practically holding hands. He sits up and stares dumbly. Cisco’s hand is over his. They’re not holding exactly, but Cisco has his hand cupped just enough to count. It feels like an electric current travels up his arm. Harry inhales noisily, with a slight groan, like he’s been punched in the stomach.

Cisco wakes up. He peers up at Harry through confused, narrow eyes. His pulse jumps like an excited rabbit. He can’t will it to stop, so he basks in Cisco’s rough sleepy haze. One day, he might figure out what he did to deserve to know someone like Cisco.

“Wh - where am I? What Earth... What time...”

He blinks rapidly. He rises from his slumped position. He looks around, then examines Harry closely. He seems to unconsciously squeeze Harry’s hand.

“Earth one. I’m Harry.”

“Yeah. Yeah I know. Sometimes I just... in my dreams... vibing different realities at once --”

“You’ve never mentioned -- that sounds like something we should work on correcting,” Harry breathes. He doesn’t want to raise his voice. Cisco seems on the verge of falling apart.

If he does, Harry will hold him until he puts himself together again. He reaches out hesitantly. Cisco tugs his wrist, and Harry starts to rub his back. Cisco doesn’t let go of his hand. It’s dizzily pleasant. He licks at his dry lips, throat beginning to match.

“How long were we out?” Cisco asks the air. He presses a key on the keyboard and examines the time. “Two hours. Feels like five.”

“My brain isn’t completely online,” Harry supplies. The rest is beneficial, however short-lived. Cisco’s eyes go wide.

He pulls away and types rapidly. “Shit. Shit. Barry needs me to --”

Harry slips his hand up to the back of Cisco’s neck.

“Easy. Calm down.” Harry tilts his head back and hurriedly gives him a chaste kiss. “The world isn’t going to end because you haven’t finished.”

His lips have a direct line to Cisco’s heartstrings. They promptly tie themselves in knots. He gapes helplessly.

Harry’s spine straightens when he recognizes what he’s just done. Cisco just hums. He leans forward, hugs Harry around the middle. His cheek lays against his stomach. Harry’s hand returns to his back. And he would be happy if they could stay like this, in their own secret realm.

Cisco pushes his shirt up, applying kisses to his belly, navel, kissing upward across his abs. His stomach quivers in response. Cisco notices, he drags his fingertips along the same path. Harry growls and tickles Cisco’s sides, his armpits. Cisco squirms and pushes him away.

“That was fine- but please, stop.” Cisco adopts a serious tone, “My brother used to wake me up that way and I -”

“No problem. I’m sorry.”

Cisco smiles and pats him. He looks at his hand. “Damn you are rock solid. When do you even work out?”

“Trade secret.”

Cisco gives him a lop-sided grin. Harry runs his fingers through Cisco’s hair, earning a low noise from his throat. He kisses the freckle on his forehead, and his cheek again, sloppily at each of his dimples. He can’t believe this is real. That this is happening. He must still be asleep. He pinches himself.

“Did you just -”

“Shut up.”

Cisco cups his cheeks and kisses him right on the lips. He drinks in the sensation, Cisco drizzling his kisses on him like syrup.

Falling is dangerous, Cisco thinks as he does this. It feels good, and he wouldn’t have expected Harry’s interests to run alongside his. He thought the best would be Harry seeing him as a true friend. The unseen consequences are worth every moment he can absorb. He’ll store these moments, these talks with Harry, wrap them around him like a blanket when he needs comfort. Unless Harry himself is available.

Harry glides his nose along Cisco’s cheek, tongue flicking out to catch his earlobe. If he’s falling, Harry is right there with him. Neither of them are alone, each other’s parachutes in the vast sky.

#harrisco #fluff #4x14 AU #Mentions of PTSD #Vague nightmares #Kisses #insecurity #self esteem issues #anger issues #appreciation of Cisco's freckles #tickling #my fic

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immija · 3 years

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Question 1: What am I doing now that you like?

Mark: A few things baby. Number one is I like that you’re more organizing your stuff. It’s nice, it looks good and it’ll make you finding things a bit easier. Another thing is I like that you know, you accept my request like for example, we’ll go to Regner’s or when you know mapupuyat ka or mapapagod ka. You know you still accept my request cause I think, you think like “okay si hun nagwork na for this week, ako rin nagwork na buong week, maybe we should go out and enjoy some time with friends.” I also like that you know you found your stride in regards to your business, on what you want to do cause there was a time period when you took some time off cause a lot happened. Yeah, I’m proud of you for getting back on the course and slowly we’re getting to a better place because of your decisions as well, and how you’re planning out the rest of maybe the next 3-4-5 years na working with your brand, the business and all that stuff. And nakakaproud, nakakatuwa na nakikita ko yung passion mo.

Mija: I think I like that you are really motivating yourself to work harder this time given that you have two jobs and even when you feel tired most of the time and even if you don’t really have the time to go out with me, you exert effort to come with me especially at work. And you exert extra effort to have quality time with me kahit 5-10 minutes lang.

Question 2: What is your absolute favorite thing that you have seen me recently.

Mark: Like I said kanina, you’re getting more organized. You’re actually tidying up a bit more, trying to get things in order instead of buying makeup, now they’re drawers, containers because it’ll only help you. I appreciate your turn around like it’s not more focused on what is something that’s going to make me happy right now but then mawawala lang din, so parang supplemental happiness lang. Anything you can use for work, productivity, for betterment, that’s okay. Also like you need to spoil yourself so with the bags and all the makeups, that’s fine. But recently, I noticed you’re kind of turning it around into okay, instead of buying this, I’ll buy something a little bit more helpful to you like the drawers, tables, like you wanting to buy a nice desk chair. That’s the most recent thing I’m glad about.

Mija: Um recently… in the past weeks we’ve been going out to meet up with my family-relatives, you try to put your best foot forward and try to converse with them as much as possible given you’re shy. So I’m glad that you get along with my family. Starting from November, December, January and this recent birth week ko… I’m glad that you’re okay with them and they’re really okay with you. Lol. Hinahanap ka na nga palagi eh. Lol

Question 3: What would you like to see me improve on?

Mark: I guess, you know when I work? I’m laser-focused especially I have 2 jobs now and it’s not even a hundred percent yet. I know that you miss me, you want to cuddle, you want to do this, you want to do stuff with me, and I want to do those too naman eh. But what I would like to see you improve is just taking the time to be with yourself muna so that I can focus muna. Don’t get me wrong hun ha, doesn’t mean you can’t go downstairs, you can’t say hi, you can’t talk to me, that’s okay hun but I can’t go up, I can’t sleep, I can’t do other stuff. Other than that, I can’t think of anything else.

Mija: Improve on… Oh I know. I want you to be less forgetful. Lol! Cause you forget a lot. For example, “hun ah, when you get down don’t forget to take the garbage out” tapos biglang, “okay hun”. Then one minute later. Wala na. It’s out the window. Lol

Question 4: Is there anything that I can do to improve in my walk with God?

Mark: I think just maintaining your daily routine of doing your devo, continuously going to your Dgroup.. I think what you could do to improve is one is continue what you’re doing. It doesn’t actually have to be every day. But then also, like I said you can do it every other day. Give yourself time to process. Cause sometimes you tend to feed yourself too much information and then you get overwhelmed, then you can’t process it cause if you fully understood some thing hun, it would be very easy to put those into words. Which you do. It’s very easy for you to put it into words the things that you know. But the things that you’re learning, medyo hirap ka gaano i-interpret and that could be just because of you know, maybe you don’t have experience in that sort of scenario or where you can use that part of the bible or word of God, but then you know taking a step back and processing it, is only good for you. You don’t need to do it every day. It’s always better to also let your brain rest.

Mija: I think I’d like you to improve on or allot time on reading your bible. Like get start with your devo. But I would have to say when I ask you questions, kaya mo naman. I mean you know what you’re saying. But you know it’s different when you read it by yourself, it’s a whole lot different experience and the learning you get, ng ikaw lang like without my input or outside influence.

Question 5: What characteristics would you like to see removed in me in the next five years?

Mark: Sometimes, bumabalik yung dati mong ugali na demanding ka. Sometimes when you’re angry you tend to act like a spoiled brat. I’m just saying na when any of us are angry baby, panget naman diba talaga. Now you tend to act like a spoiled brat when you’re angry. When I’m angry, I don’t listen. You know, everything just goes swoosh. Spoiled brat isn’t that offensive baby. Ito naman. But very rare times na bumabalik lang, it doesn’t happen every day.

Mija: You drink occasionally and that’s ok. Well you’ve stopped drinking or being alcoholic and smoking.. Hmm but what other things would be… being forgetful. But nothing big of a deal in general.

Question 6: Was there anything I was doing in the beginning of our relationship that you liked but I stopped doing?

Mark: (lksnsjfndakad) hahahaha hindi ata narinig sa record. Lol. I guess, that’s one of the things but it’s not that important you know. I think wala naman.

Mija: Wala naman… I can’t say staying up late cause right now we couldn’t really stay up that late, I mean for example after work you know, unlike before we used to go out a lot. So wala naman. I think we’re that conscious to allot more time for our quality time like setting a date at least once a month so I can’t really answer that specific question.

Question 7: In your opinion, is there something we can do to become more of a team together on a mission achieving our God-given goals? What is our mission statement as a couple?

Mark; Hmm, that’s a good question baby... Well I think our strength is communication. And I think communication is the most important every thing else just comes after that eh. We can communicate our ideals and ideas about you know our goals in our path to walking with God. I guess our mission statement would be always to lift each other up. Ako kasi, my mission is I work hard, I do the best that I can, I try to improve the best that I can so that’s everything I do, and then from that I take all of that and then give it all to you to lift you up which is you do the same in return for me. So that’s what I said, our mission as a couple is to lift each other up.

Mija: Actually, we’ve done this before but it stopped, and that was having our bible study or attending service together on Sundays. For our statement mission, I appreciate the saying “put God in the center of relationship” unlike before we used to have our own judgment like this is my way, this is your way. We were righteous in our own eyes back then but now that we have Him, we are more conscious and cautious and knowing the right judgment based on His Word. It’s really good to have God in our lives… I’m not saying we’re the perfect couple cause we obviously stumble and struggle with a lot of things. But just by maintaining the habit of studying His word to always be reminded is, yeah…

Question 8: On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate our relationship?

Mark: Of course I’d say 10 baby because I think we have a very, very good relationship. No couple is perfect but from my perspective we’re as close to perfect as possible. But we’re not perfect, we have our own problems but I wouldn’t exchange our relationship for anything in the world.

Mija: I think it’s 9. Nine because… Actually, I don’t know why it’s nine. Lol. Cause if I’m gonna think of our problems, it’s normal naman. Lol. But nine kase cause I just feel like it’s nine. Hahaha. Nine because especially while I’m at work and you’re not with me, I would say sana kasama kita, when you drive for me or vice versa. Just the moments we’re apart. When I’m at home and ready to sleep, that’s the time you get here and start with your day. Also given the nature of my job, you know I don’t really work with people of my age, so when things get tough, you’re the only person that comes into mind but I couldn’t tell you stuff right away cause you’re asleep. So, the thing is the time difference.

Question 9: Do you feel appreciated? What things do I do that make you feel that way?

Mark: I like when you cook for me even though sometimes hindi ako nakaka-kain. I like when you leave some for me, when you put food on my plate… I appreciate that a lot. I appreciate that you scratch my back, when you persuade me to get a massage… I also appreciate when you have your dreams. Lol like “baby, bakit ka nangbababae”, and I’m like, “ha, nandito lang ako baby”. Lol. But I appreciate that baby cause I know that was only a dream but she took it to heart like I am that important to her.

Mija: Yes I do feel appreciated and the things are would be one, when you take time to go upstairs and cuddle with me. Second, when you remind me it’s past my bed time, or the simple things like “hun, kumain ka na, ligo ka na”. The simple gentle reminders. Some of the times when I’m already tired from work, you would initiate to do stuff for me like cook dinner. I appreciate that you do things without me having the need to ask you. You are basically my stopwatch to my overwork habit.

Question 10: When do you feel the most connected to me?

Mark: Kanina, when we’re upstairs nagccuddle tayo. Those moments even when we’re not talking, you know just being with each other cause you don’t need words sometimes. You don’t need words to express how you feel. Especially in the morning when you wake up, the thought in my mind’s like, “that’s my baby”… I feel like the luckiest guy in the world. And suddenly you’d be like, “honey, I want a chair”. I’d be like, “okay baby, let’s get you a chair”. Hahaha

Mija: When we’re talking. I feel like I can talk about anything with you, to you… regardless if it’s a good or bad thing. The mere thought that I can say anything out loud to you and address things with you.

Question 11: Is there anything you need/want/desire from me?

Mark: More back scratches and coffee.

Mija: Of course, the quality time but I also know that I cannot give it to you. So quits lang. Sometimes I still want to work after work. Sometimes I want to bug you but instead I do work stuff. So, wala hun. You’re patient, kinder and very generous to me…so nothing I could think of.

Question 12: Anything you want more of/less of?

Mark: I want more quality time even though alanganin sa oras. We can figure it out. Like I said, during the weekends, stop lahat. No work. No anything. Just hangout; then less of… I don’t know. I would say less of fighting kaya lang we don’t fight that often eh so kung maging less pa yun eh di na tayo nagaway. Abnormal na tayo. Lol. So I wouldn’t say less of anything. I’m perfectly fine with the things are they are right now.

Mija: I think I want more time of talking, like this. Lol Kasi ngayon lang tayo nakapag you know, watched a movie, answer these kinds of questions, basically hangout. We used to read to each other, do stuff together, like we really used to own the time to ourselves. For less of… Less of being forgetful? Lol.

Question 13: Is there anything you want that you’re embarrassed to ask for?

Mark: No… I can’t think of anything. Yeah… I’m pretty comfortable with you hun kaya kahit ano man hingiin ko sayo kahit sabihin mo hindi, okay lang. Lol

Mija: That thing happened there the other night. I was over there. I know it’s not that embarrassing but there have been a lot of people asking me the same question, repetitively. I think I get embarrassed to ask because every time when people would ask me, I feel this need to ask you again, or pass the question. I know we have a plan. It just sickens me at times and I’m gonna stop right here.

Question 14: What do I do that frustrates or annoys you?

Mark: Delayed utos mo hun. Lol. Mga last minute. For example may papagawa ka sa akin, “baby pababa nito”. Then babalik na ko sa work then after 5 minutes “baby, pababa nito”. Hindi ba pwedeng sabay-sabay para isang bagsakan. Lol

Mija: Minsan pag paulit ulit joke mo. Basta ang gulo mo kasi hun. Pero minsan nakakatawa naman talaga and ung random dance grooves mo.

Question 15: Is there anything you would like me to apologize for?

Mark: Everything we’ve gone through is for a reason so I don’t expect an apology from you.

Mija: Nothing. Cause you say sorry afterwards.

Question 16: Are you receiving enough affection from me?

Mark: Yeah… sometimes too much. Lol. And I appreciate that, don’t get me wrong, I really like it.

Mija: Yeah.

Question 17. What quality time activities would you like to put on the calendar?

Mark: I guess… medyo homebuddy kasi ako hun, anything we can do at home. But contrary to popular belief hun, I do want to go out sometimes. I do want to drink with you a bit more. You know cause sometimes why I want to go to Regner’s is I want a drinking buddy. Makaksama ko lang uminom. We don’t have to drink a lot, maybe just one bottle, that’s okay. But I’m not telling you to drink. Kahit samahan lang.

Mija: Doing bible study together and breakfast with you.

Question 18: Is there anything else you’d like to discuss?

Mark: Nope… I can’t think of anything right now.

Mija: Do you remember our Myerr-Briggs test? Based on the result, what personality do you see in me that you agree with?

Mark: I think you’re the ENFJ type but I also think you’re more of the ENTJ type. So, it’s a mix of both. Do you agree that I’m a Nurturer? (ISFJ)

Mija: Yeah, especially the start of pandemic. It was that heightened time of your nurturing to me but no to the point that I would take you as my therapist ok.

Mark: Yeah but we’re in a relationship so we should be able to talk about your feelings.

Mija: I think that’s what I needed the most cause it felt like it has gotten distorted last year. Physically and mentally, I’m okay. When I also returned to my bible study I know I can take it in. But it was the application that made it challenging. It was difficult for me to divert my old self to the version that I want to become so I’ve gotten really emotional over it. I also know that being emotional is not a good thing for me. But you being around, mas heightened your nurturing sa emotional and mental health ko. I appreciated you more than ever.

Mark: And you know I think we’re a good match in terms of personality traits because based on what I know about ENTJ and ENFJ, because you’re a commander and a protagonist, they always tend to be alone. Because they’re always at the front. They’re always commanding and like the one in charge. Or the forefront of everything. So nandun ka sa taas. You’re there. But who’s actually there with you. Based on our personality we’re a good match because you may be up there, but your loneliness and your issues, I can- not fix; I’m not saying I can fix them... but I’m your safety net.

Mija: You’re my backbone. You’re my anchor.

Mark: You could be the best commander, you could be like the best protagonist, just the word itself. The people in-charge, they’re always alone you know. They always think about things by themselves. They always take the responsibility of everything for themselves. They usually have issues it’s either mentally, emotionally or something else. But of course, they can’t really show it. I think we’re a good match, cause I can be your anchor as you said.

Mija: You are my love. But I also know that I’m not good at emotions.

Mark: It’s not a bad thing.

Mija: I hate it. One of the reasons also is I think I’m too much of an empath. I feel all these sorts of feelings around me and it can get exhausting at times. That’s why I do the things that I do because that’s what I’m best at. It doesn’t require me to be emotional and you as a partner, one of your characteristics is balance. You just know what to say, when to say, what to do and can make things easier for me.

Mark: Being emotional isn’t always bad. Sometimes it’s very healing. It just depends on the situation and context. If you’re making big decisions, you have to think logically. If someone passed away, malamang you can be emotional about it diba. Like what people say don’t make big decisions when you’re emotional. Don’t say anything bad when you’re angry. Things like that. I think we complement each other very well.

Mija: I love you hun.

Mark: I love you too baby. Happy Valentine’s.

#borehunstalk #valentinesday #questionstoaskyourpartner

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savetopnow · 6 years

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2018-04-02 11 EDUCATION now

EDUCATION

Cathy Jo Nelson

Choose USC-SLIS for your MLIS!

New Standards – Discount Price through SCASL

Happy Thanksgiving – Happy Weeding

Put a positive spin on it

Library Flier

Cool Cat Teacher

Awesome Atlanta Education Conference: STLinATL – July 26-27, 2018

Taking a Break to Focus: Sometimes We Need All Need to Take a Break

7 Ways My Interactive Display is a Key Part of My Student-Centered Classroom

Classroom Earth: Teach Conservation By Going Outside

5 Ideas for Writing with Technology

Mndshift

Turning Kids Into Readers, One Barbershop At A Time

Can the Right Nudge Help Low-income Kids Go Beyond High School?

Why It’s Time to Rethink School Science Fairs

When Pushing Boundaries in Math Education, Where Can Teachers Turn For Help and Camaraderie?

Why Teachers Love Using Those Magical OK Go Videos in Class

Parents Countdown to College

It’s Time for a Wake-Up Call for Parents (and Students) about College

Defanging Social Media

Spring College Visits Aren’t Just for Juniors

How One Student Hacked the College System

The College Selection Dilemma: Big or Small?

Reddit Education

The human brain cell can hold 5 times as much information as the Encyclopedia Britannica Or any other encyclopedia for tat matter. Scientists have yet to settle on a distinctive amount , but the storage capacity of brain in electronic term is thought to be between 3 or 1000 terabytes

Admit Everybody

Physics for You Magazine March 2018

Why healthy school lunches are important for teachers too.

350 Indian Economy Objective Questions and Answers PDF Hindi

Study Hacks Blog

On Analog Social Media

Beyond #DeleteFacebook: More Thoughts on Embracing the Social Internet Over Social Media

On Social Media and Its Discontents

Stephen Hawking’s Radical Thinking

Tim Wu on the Tyranny of Convenience

Teach Thought

School Walls Talk: Leading Through Space Design

What English Sounds Like To Non-English Speakers

TeachThought University Pre-Launch Survey

Advertise With TeachThought: Now Accepting Packages For April 2018

15 Apps & Websites For Teaching Math Online

Teacher Network

Secret Teacher: my school's endless rules do more harm than good

'It opens their eyes': how film is giving young people lessons in life

Grammar schools don’t add any value. So let’s ditch them | Ryan Shorthouse

Secret Teacher: we're setting dyslexic children up to feel like failures

'Allow imaginations to lead': igniting the creative spark in young writers

The Answer Sheet

Stephen Hawking famously said, ‘Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change.’ But did he really say it?

After backlash over plan to cut 13 humanities majors, U-Wisconsin campus drawing up second proposal

12 ideas that help explain what’s wrong with most schooling today

Teachers living at school? Miami pushing plan for educators who can’t afford city’s high rent.

Are private schools really better than public schools? A look at the data.

The Best Education Blog

Curmudgucation: The Testing Thermostat

Janresseger: In Appropriations Bill, Congress Impedes Betsy DeVos’s Plans

Diane Ravitch's Blog: National Education Policy Center is Leaving Facebook

Deborah Meier on Education: To Strengthen Democracy, Invest in Our Public Schools

Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: How Teachers Taught: Patterns of Instruction, 1890-2010

The Principal's Page

You Need More Than the Ability to Take Standardized Tests.

I Don’t Live at School and I’m Sorry You Had to See Me Like This.

Not Every Bad Behavior is Bullying.

Enough Panic. Just Stop It.

Cell Phone Contracts. Do This for Your Child.

eLearning Industry

Free eBook: The Ultimate Guide To Selling Online Courses

Embracing The Modern Workplace

Why You Should Pick A Community-Developed LMS

How To Optimize Graphics For Web-Responsiveness In eLearning Templates

Trends In Education Technology For The Modern Society

#education

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seoullong · 7 years

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Big Changes are Coming

I wanted to keep this a secret for so long, but because I have a plan that I won't deter from, little by little, people are beginning to find out. "WHY ARE YOU BEING SO VAGUE?"

Welp, I guess I'll start explaining:

I AM GOING [to attempt to] MOVE TO KOREA.

"Korea?? ...why?..."

For a while I've been seeking something new. New experiences. New environments. New friendships and relationships. I have sought this since my days in middle school. I wanted to study abroad, but guess what my parents said, and it's not "no"... They said "HELL TO THE NO!" I believe partially due to the costs, but mostly because they believed that a terrorist would kill me on a train or plane (9/11 was still fresh in their brains or something). My childhood friend and her family had invited me to go with them on an all expenses paid trip to Paris. My parents weren't having it.

As I grew older, I saw the JET program as my next big step in life. It was my opportunity to see the world and to experience a culture that I had grown to love dearly. People not familiar with Japanese culture might see me as a Weeb (weeaboo)-- I was the Chairman Assistant and Volunteer Coordinator for an Anime/Japanese Culture Convention for 4 years lol. I began doing research about teaching overseas, I learned of other countries that offered positions for people to teach English in foreign countries. The one that struck my eye the most was South Korea. My love for Korean food and music also steered me into researching about life in Korea.

There are various things I found interesting about Korea, such as it amazing landscape. Where I live, it's as flat as can be. I'm talking paper flat. Have you ever seen a Pekingese dog's face?? THAT FLAT. NO hills. No mountains. Nothing. One would have to drive 2-3 hours out of the city for anything. Korea is beautiful. I'm stunned just by looking at photos. I love nature.

The way that people have a high regard of respect towards their elders was also interesting to me. I have found myself going crazy when I hear the way my students talk to their parents.

I watched a lot of vlogs about life in Korea as a foreigner. The more I watched, the more I felt the NEED to go. I wasn't sure how serious I was about actually moving out of the US, but when I taught myself how to read and write hangul, I knew that I was backing down from this decision.

"AGAIN, why Korea? You can teach in America."

I've been teaching kindergartners and pre kindergartners for the past 6 years. It has its ups and downs, mostly positives, but I'm ready to work in and experience a different educational culture than what I'm used to. I love kids. I love teaching. I have a passion for it. Why not broaden my horizons? Why not take this big step towards learning more about other cultures, children, and educators? Also, **DO YOU KNOW WHO WAS JUST ELECTED AS THE US SECRETARY OF EDUCATION??! ** ...no, thanks. I will watch Devos' demise from afar. This is pretty long for a first blog post. I'll post more later. Thank you for reading. Let me know your thoughts and or questions. My next post will feature other questions I've been asked by friends and family.

See ya, and SeouLong.

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componentplanet · 4 years

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PubMed Leaps Into Pseudoscience, Links 5G, Coronavirus

PubMed is a free life science and biomedical database anyone can search to find papers published on various topics. It’s been free to the public since 1997, and it’s often referenced by people looking for recent medical studies on a given topic. Because it’s a search engine used by both the general public and medical professionals alike, the decisions PubMed makes about which content to surface in response to a query are incredibly important. Generally, the site has been viewed as a reliable way to find genuine medical information rather than pseudoscientific claptrap.

Unfortunately, that’s not as true as it used to be, as evidenced by the recent appearance of this gem: “5G Technology and Induction of Coronavirus in Skin Cells.” The paper is currently online in preprint and awaiting publication.

It makes pretty much exactly the argument you think it does.

It’s not this exact theory, but it’s exactly this stupid.

Rabbit, Meet Hole

We’re going to be talking about credentials a lot in this story, so let’s start with mine. I’m a 19-year veteran of technology reporting who graduated with a political science degree from DePauw University. Jessica Hall, who has written for ET before and has degrees in both biology and mathematics, was gracious enough to help me evaluate both this paper and several others by the various authors we’ll be discussing.

This raises the obvious question: Is an undergrad-level journalist capable of evaluating the deep and sophisticated science of a group of COVID-19 researchers? No. Fortunately, I’m not being asked to. All I have to do is illustrate how an organization that’s given up on safeguarding its own reputation can be used to carry water for conspiracy theorists and the lunatic fringe.

So let’s get started. Here’s the first sentence of the abstract: “In this research, we show that 5G millimeter waves could be absorbed by dermatologic cells acting like antennas, transferred to other cells and play the main role in producing Coronaviruses in biological cells.” (Emphasis added)

If 5G actually played the main role in producing coronavirus, you’d expect the countries with the highest 5G deployments to have the highest cases of COVID-19. The United States is the undisputed world leader in the latter category, yet our 5G mmWave coverage (and that’s the type these authors identify as harmful) is so bad, Verizon just got in trouble for claiming its 5G network is “nationwide” and was forced to change its advertising.

If 5G causes coronavirus, the worst outbreaks of coronavirus should directly correlate to the places where 5G networks exist. They don’t. They generally correlate to cities (with a few exceptions, such as rural Italy) because urban areas have always been at greater risk during pandemics due to population density and, historically speaking, the difficulties of dealing with sewage treatment, disease, and corpse disposal anywhere humans lived in large numbers.

For examples, see: The Antonine Plague, the Plague of Justinian, and the historical spread of the Black Death following its arrival in Constantinople.

Regarding 5G frequencies, the “scientists” claim: “Its[sic] frequencies are above 24 GHz, reaching up to 72 GHz, which is above the extremely high frequency band’s lower boundary.”

This is the kind of fearful wording intended to imply that the reader is in some sort of danger based on “extremely high frequency.” What it actually indicates is that scientists are really bad at naming things. Allow me to introduce you to the glories of the electromagnetic spectrum, as defined by science:

Low Frequency Medium Frequency High Frequency Very High Frequency Ultra High Frequency Super High Frequency Extremely High Frequency Visible Spectrum. Ultraviolet X-ray Gamma Ray

Remember that time you turned on an infrared lamp in your bathroom and it gave you cancer? No? Huh. Must be all the cell phones rotting your brain. The fact that all of the damaging energy known to harm humans is sitting above visible light while everything known not to be harmful is sitting below it, including 5G signals, is surely some mistake.

But this team of sciency folks isn’t just using scary language — they’re blatantly misrepresenting the actual bands that mmWave 5G deployments use. Here they are:

24GHz to 72GHz, you say? Mind pointing out where? Unless COVID-19 can literally travel through time and infect us from the era when 72GHz 5G exists, how can it possibly matter that 5G signals might one day use that frequency band?

This Is What Bad Scientists Think Science Looks Like

This article isn’t so much a scientific paper as a representation of what a moron thinks a scientific paper is. Allow me to quote directly from the authors and/or the semi-sentient Markov chain that stole their identities:

It has been shown that 5G mobile networking technology will affect not only the skin and eyes, but will have adverse systemic effects as well.

In another study, it was argued that 5G technologies cause great harm to human health. Cancer is only one of the many problems. 5G causes 720! (factorial) different diseases in human beings, and can kill everything that lives except some forms of microorganisms (12).

This last was so amazing, I had to check the citation. Here’s the opening sentence from that modest proposal:

The intent of this article is to show that wireless technology is, without remedy other than termination, one of the most devastating environmental and health threats and threats to personal liberty ever created.

Pro Tip: When a scientist declares that the intent of their article is to prove that the only way to safeguard all of humanity, as well as the very principle of liberty, is to destroy all mobile communications technology because there is literally no alternative, that person may have what is sometimes referred to as an “agenda.” (Or a disorder).

Back to the original trainwreck:

The question is whether millimeter waves in 5G technology could contribute in constructing some viruses like COVID-19 within a cell. To reply to this question, we should consider the electronic structure of a DNA and its emitted waves.

With respect — and this bit, I explicitly ran past Ms. Hall — that is not the question. The question is whether any radio wave or signal has been shown to help any type of virus colonize the human body. The answer, up until the torrent of stupidity that is the 5G-coronavirus conspiracy theory, was no. And since the 5G-coronavirus conspiracy theory is literally ascientific bullshit, the answer remains no. Viruses turn human cells into factories to replicate more of themselves. This is literally how viruses work. A virus that requires a radio signal as a vital intermediary (which is what the authors’ claim, given that they identify 5G as “play(ing) the main role”) is a shit virus.

Imagine a bacteria that could only kill you if you like Nickelback. There are not enough Nickelback fans for that to be an effective evolutionary strategy, yet there are somehow far more Nickelback fans in the United States than people living in range of effective 5G service.

It disgusts me, too, but there we are.

Let’s Talk About the Credentials of the Author… and the Publisher

Professor M. Fioranelli: Listed as lead author on the paper, Fioranelli is the EiC of the International Journal of Inflammation, Cancer and Integrative Therapy, which is owned by Omics. Omics has been heavily criticized and the validity of its publications challenged in the United States based on its poor peer review practices, its pay-to-publish fee structure, and its use of scientist’s names in marketing materials without their knowledge and consent. The US NIH demanded in 2013 that OMICS stop claiming to be affiliated with the US government or its employees.

The university he teaches at, Marconi University, has the dubious distinction of being accredited by the ACICS, a US accreditation agency so corrupt, its authority was revoked until Betsy DeVos reinstated it. Since that decision, a USA Today investigation has found that Reagan University, an ACICS-accredited school, has no students, no buildings, no faculty, and no alumni.

Other papers Professor Fioranelli has collaborated on include “A Mathematical Model for the Signal of Death and Emergence of Mind Out of Brain in Izhikevich Neuron Model,” which claims to present evidence that Cartesian duality — namely, that the mind and brain are entirely separate constructs — is scientifically valid. He’s also a credited author in the page-turner coming to a budget TV network near you: “Formation of Neural Circuits in an Expanded Version of Darwin’s Theory: Effects of DNAs in Extra Dimensions and within the Earth’s Core on Neural Networks.”

Sepehri A: Sepehri is also a co-author on the “We’ve proven minds exist after death” paper and the “Extradimensional DNA from the Earth’s Core is making AI want to kill us” paper. Mossimo and Sepehri also collaborated in a horror pitch: “Recovery of Brain in Chick Embryos by Growing Second Heart and Brain,” which is either up for an Ig Nobel or an option for Wes Craven.

Roccia MG: Surprise surprise. This individual also contributed to the “I stink, therefore I still am” deep dive into Descartian dementia.

M Jafferany: First, the good news. M. Jafferany isn’t mentioned on any of the papers above. Now the bad news:

“Awareness of Psychodermatology in Indian Dermatologist.” “Psychodermatology in Iran: A Survey on Knowledge…“

Clinics in Dermatology notes, of psychodermatology: “Although many data have been published, it appears that not enough good statistical evidence exists to support them.”

The idea that stress can contribute to skin problems is not controversial. But psychodermatology typically goes farther from painting stress as a factor and identifies it as something more akin to a primary agent. This latter idea is not well-supported in the scientific literature. (Have you noticed that most of these people seem to be dermatologists yet?)

O Y Olisova: Olisova was lead author on a paper claiming COVID-19 could be treated effectively with Apremilast, a psoriasis medication. Her proof for this? A single asymptomatic patient on Apremilast who didn’t display symptoms of COVID-19. Under this theory of medicine the fact that my grandfather lived to be 90 while smoking like a chimney means cigarettes are safe for everyone. Lung candy, basically. Tasty, tasty, lung candy.

Lomonosov KM: I can’t speak to Lomonsov’s general work with vitiligo patients, though my fiancée thought it sounded like ‘borderline pseudoscience’ and noted that he typically publishes exclusively in Russian and is self-evidently involved in authorial work with those we could charitably describe as on the fringes of the scientific community.

T Lotti: Lotti appears to have also done a reasonable amount of serious work, but she’s signed on to this 5G-coronavirus conspiracy merry-go-round nevertheless. Strangely, she’s also contributed to articles specifically addressing how COVID-19 would impact dermatological clinics and is part of a group of scientists advocating for safe practices and policies that safeguard patients.

None of these authors has the standing or authority to speak to the causes of COVID-19, and the fact that this paper has appeared in the PubMed database or been linked by the NIH is evidence of serious methodological flaws in the approval process. This isn’t science. It’s what people who don’t actually practice the scientific method appear to think it looks like.

Some of this can be excused by the overwhelming nature of the COVID-19 epidemic and the need for all scientific nooks and crannies to be explored, but even a cursory investigation into the history of the organizations and individuals publishing this work demonstrates how profoundly counter-factual it is. If you want serious scientific advice, don’t get it from people who speak and refer to grand, sweeping assumptions as though they were proven scientific fact. And if you run into any AIs near the Earth’s core, make sure to check that they remain in the usual four dimensions.

If you run into any dermatologists pretending they have the qualifications to moonlight as signal engineers and infectious disease experts outside the explicit realm of dermatology, kindly do us all a favor and tell them to shut the fuck up.

Now Read:

5G Conspiracy Theorists Are Now Targeting Engineers Directly

$350 ‘5G BioShield USB Key’ Packs 128MB Storage, Gallons of Snake Oil

Why Do 44% of Republicans Believe Bill Gates Will Use Coronavirus Vaccines to Inject Them With Microchips?

from ExtremeTechExtremeTech https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/313088-pubmed-pseudoscience-5g-coronavirus from Blogger http://componentplanet.blogspot.com/2020/07/pubmed-leaps-into-pseudoscience-links.html

#PubMed Leaps Into Pseudoscience #Links 5G #Coronavirus

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cpdevos · 4 years

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10/15/19 Receiving Rest Series Pt. 2

Hey Everyone!

In part 2 of the "Receiving Rest" series, I will go into how we can receive rest in God's word. I apologize ahead of time for how long these can be, so if you want you can skip to the end to find the main points. BUT, if you have time, I'd encourage you to read through the explanations as well.

Before you start reading, take some time to pray and just block out all distractions. Close your eyes, meditate on God's word, and just be in a quiet space where all your burdens and anxieties can be laid out and cast upon our mighty God, our God of peace.

Romans 15:4 New King James Version (NKJV)

4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the [a]patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.

I discussed in the first devotional of the series what rest looks like and the ultimate source of our rest. Even beyond our physical pains and ever-changing circumstances, Jesus offers us to take up His yoke and grow/work through life under His command. This verse in Romans is actually taken from a passage where Paul is instructing believers to comfort and take on the burdens of their brothers and sisters in Christ, but I will go into that topic further down the series. For now, I will focus on this verse and some other references too.

Resting Actively?

A lot of times, we think of resting as doing something just mindless, like watching TV shows or movies, chilling in bed and scrolling through social media, or even just lying in bed. Those things can actually be healthy to a certain extent, but if they become our sole resting habits or go-to sources of relaxation, it will not provide lasting rest or even true rest. I hope that after reading this, you will find something much more worthwhile investing your time in. Last Tuesday, I was listening to a speaker in the campus ministry I attend, give a message on Psalm 23. That passage has been thrown around a lot and if you've grown up in church, I'm sure Sunday School teachers have preached your ear off and made you memorize the passage. But when the speaker really took the time to analyze everything in those verses and explain how to find comfort in God as our shepherd, I was really encouraged and refreshed in just finding time alone with Jesus. We can't receive the rest that Jesus promises or the peace that He gives if we aren't walking with Him. How can we walk in the paths of the Lord if we aren't submitting to Him daily? Why do we claim He is our protection and our refuge when we often take our problems to other distractions? We need to first, prioritize giving our free times or times of rest to the Lord and being in step with Him. Do you have even half an hour today? Go find somewhere quiet and sit down with the Word. Instead of letting your brain completely shut off, challenge yourself by working through all the goodness that God's word has.

God's Scripture as Rest

In 2 Timothy 3:16, we are reminded that ALL scripture is God-breathed and all we need in learning how to truly live righteous, God-honoring lives, so that we may be crafted for His purpose and glory. In Romans 15:4 however, we are also reminded that the word of God should give us comfort as it is a record of what God has done in the lives of His people and those that decided to follow Him. 1. Paul refers to these "Scriptures" to be the Old Testament, in which we can refer to how leaders like Abraham, Moses, Elijah, etc. were all carried by God's faithful mercy and grace which was shown to them and the Israelites even when they sinned and constantly failed. Today, however, we have the complete story! Old Testament characters were waiting on the greatest promise and salvation to come: Jesus Christ! We not only have the source of life and gift of salvation through the cross, but we can find rest in the New Testament characters as well! Paul, the disciples of Jesus, Stephen (who was stoned), and many others all suffered greatly for their faith but clung to the truth of Christ and the good news of the freedom He provides sinners from the bondage of sin. All throughout the Bible, we can look at these broken and inadequate people who, by putting their faith in God, were able to magnify and exemplify the greatness of God's character even through their situations. As Paul writes, these things were written for us, so that they may be used for our learning.2. What does Paul mean when he writes, "...that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope." ? First, very plainly and straightforwardly, we can see that the Scriptures provide comfort and patience. Now, Paul isn't saying that the Bible itself has patience (the patience...OF the scriptures), but rather that through reading, studying, meditating, and applying the Scriptures to our lives, it bears fruits of patience and endurance. You want to find the best source for how you can find comfort and build patience even in the midst of trials in your life? Well, it should start and end with the Bible (1 Corinthians 10:11) . Secondly, reading the Word of God gives us hope. Paul says that as we dwell in Scripture and gain comfort and patience from it, it may also give us hope. Like I mentioned before, oftentimes, we can identify with Biblical characters who have gone through trials that we are going through, and re-reading stories about God's everlasting goodness to His people and faithful salvation can provide rest for us in the midst of the chaos. Paul mentions this in efforts to encourage believers to use the Scriptures as an avenue to encourage others, which I will also write about in another devo in this series later on.

Finding the Rest in Scripture

So, now that we've identified Scripture as a source for rest and comfort, what should we study and how often should we read it? First, regardless of what situation you're in, joyful/depressed, relaxed/anxious, angry/happy, God's word is something we absolutely MUST delve deep into at all times. In Joshua 1:8, God commands us to ALWAYS keep his law on our lips and to meditate on it day and night. We need to do this so that we may know how to live a life worthy of Jesus' sacrifice. Like that 2 Timothy passage says, the Word of God is God-breathed and inspired, so it has all authority and power from God. Thus, we should really examine that truth and understand its overwhelming importance to us and our lives.

Now, here are some examples of passages or verses to read in your various situations or needs (although, all Scripture is important and powerful, so don't just skip over things to only find what seems fitting):

Anxiety -- Philippians 4:6, Psalms 27:14, Hebrews 6:19-20, Romans 5:5,

Tired -- Matthew 11:28-30, Hebrews 4:9-10, Philippians 4:13, Isaiah 40:29-31

Stressed -- 2 Corinthians 12:7-9, Colossians 3:15, John 14:27, 2 Timothy 2:3-6

Hopeless -- Revelations 21:4, 1 Thessalonians 4:17-18, 5:9-11, John 16:33, Psalms 13

Unloved -- John 3:16, 2 Timothy 4:17-18, 1 Timothy 1:15, Hebrews 2:10-18

There are so many more verses for so many different trials/various struggles in life, but if you want to find that rest, what better way to do that than just actually read the Word! I've noticed that even just going through the Bible, book by book, chapter by chapter, God really always comforts me and gives me so much hope and rest! Even when it seems like a chore to open up His word, it never disappoints. God constantly humbles and amazes me with how His ways are so much greater and grander than my own! Our God is so lovely and so splendid in His perfection and holy ways. Let's find and rekindle that ecstatic passion and love again for the beautiful savior and His overwhelming salvation/grace!

What are some ways that you like to rest? Watch shows? Browse Youtube? Go to the gym? Listen to some music and take a stroll? Share with the group (or someone to keep you accountable) one way you'll push pause on one of these things and instead take time to rest in the comfort and hope found in God's word!

Pray and meditate on Scripture to end,

Moses Koo

#momo #moses

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matteo-pitzalis-blog · 5 years

Text

EDEN

Lo sfondo è nero con ghirigori di vari colori e il titolo è bianco. Musica introduttiva.

Something isn't right today. You don't know what it is. But you do have a feeling. <<

La storia comincia con qualcosa che non va e non sappiamo nulla. Ho solo una scelta da fare e clicco su di essa.

You have this strange and eerie feeling SOMETHING is going to happen, but you have no idea what it is. That is, until.... <<

L’atmosfera è molto misteriosa e incute una forte ansia. Anche qui devo cliccare sulla frase per capire cosa sta succedendo.

That is until your supervisor shows you the lab's new specimen. "We're not sure what it is," he says. "But it can't be human." You take a look. <<

Si viene a scoprire che si sta lavorando su una materia misteriosa e che non è affatto umana. Decido di dare un’occhiata.

You take a look at the specimen and try to conceal your horror. "Are you sure it isn't human?" you ask. Your supervisor just shrugs. "Keep an eye on it," he says. "I'll be back in a few minutes." Then, save for the "specimen" in the holding cell, he leaves you all alone. You feel conflicted. <<

Qui Ashley viene lasciato da solo. Si può percepire una forte tensione, accompagnata da un forte senso di responsabilità e da un conflitto interiore.

The creature in the cage looks like a person to you. Different, perhaps, but either human or so close that it hardly matters. "What's your name?" you ask, hands curled around the bars. The specimen... no the prisoner wearily shakes their head. You decide to rescue the prisoner. << No. It's safer to keep your distance.

Qui ci sono due scelte: bisogna decidere se essere empatici e salvare la creatura o essere indifferenti e mantenersi a distanza. Scelgo la prima opzione.

You whisper to the prisoner, "I'm going to rescue you." The prisoner stares, disbelieving, and asks, "Why would you do this for me?" This person speaks perfect English, albeit with a curious accent you've never heard before. "Because it's the right thing to do," you say. Let's get out of here. <<

La creatura viene salvata ed entrambi cercano di scappare dal laboratorio.

Your supervisor's been careless. He left his cell keys on the table. Your hands are shaking as you fumble with them, searching for the right-numbered one. Aha! We're outta here. <<

Dopo questa frase si sente una musichetta i sottofondo, simile a dei battiti cardiaci, come per segnalare una crescente tensione.

This rescue is going surprisingly well, and it looks like no one's around. You take the prisoner's hand and... and.... <<

La musica non cessa, anzi aumenta il ritmo e la tensione cresce sempre di più, facendo presagire che succederà qualcosa di brutto.

You don't know where the guards came from. They shoot you both dead. What a gruesome end. <<

Si sente un urlo, quasi strozzato e la musica non si ferma. I due fuggitivi vengono uccisi dalle guardie, per le conseguenze della scelta di salvare il prigioniero. L’unico pensiero è stato: “Così finisce la storia?”

You've had the same dream for three nights in a row. (Well, actually, the last three mornings since you're on the night shift.) It never ends quite the same. Maybe you're just THAT depressed your vacation is ending now. Anyway, it's time to get ready. Who do you see in the mirror? I'm a woman. I'm a man. << I'm neither, actually.

Si viene a saper che in realtà è stato tutto un sogno, che va avanti da tre giorni. La musica cessa e vengono presentate tre scelte sulla sessualità del nostro protagonista. Ho deciso che sarà maschio.

I could use a shave, you think. You shower, you groom, you dress, you grab breakfast. Time to face the day. <<

Nulla di particolare. Viene mostrato uno spezzone della routine quotidiana.

You get to work on time like you always do. After all, getting ahead takes making a good impression. Hang up your coat. <<

Secondo spezzone della routine e si scopre che Ashley è uno dei tanti scienziati.

You put away your coat and head for lab A-3. You exchange polite hellos with co-workers on the way, but everybody knows you're not much of a talker. So, what's up? <<

Terzo spezzone di vita quotidiana e convenevoli tra colleghi. Nulla di particolare.

When you get to lab A-3, almost no one is there. You ask an acquaintance named Kyra, "What's going on?" She tells you, "Check B-2. While you were gone, they brought in a real, live alien and everyone wants a look." "Are you sure it's all right?" you ask. She says, "It's fine. I'll cover for you. Besides, Jones is there and he wants to see you." Jones being your supervisor, who's called you "brilliant" before. Go to Lab B-2 <<

Qui la situazione si fa curiosa. Per quale motivo Ashley debba andare nel Laboratorio B-2 e chi sarai mai quell’alieno di cui stanno parlando tutti?

Phones aren't allowed in the basement labs, so you leave yours in your mini-locker. You go to lab B-2, where they keep the most secret of secrets—even for this place. You only earned clearance a week ago and you're eager to see what's inside. You swipe your card through scanner. The door unlocks. You go inside. You notice there's a card reader inside the room as well—likely an added precaution to help keep whatever's in here from escaping. Everyone is "Ooh"ing and "Aaah"ing over the new specimen that's in the cell in the corner. You nudge your way through the crowd and... and.... Oh my God. <<

Atmosfera ricca di suspence, curiosità e stupore. Tutti gli scienziati stanno ammirando l’alieno. Ciò porta la mia curiosità a scoprire di più sulla situazione.

Huddled behind those cold steel bars is the most beautiful creature. Beautiful... and if not human, close enough that it hardly matters. You're absolutely haunted by this creature... no, this person's mournful eyes. The captive is wearing loose gray prison clothes—pants and a short-sleeved shirt. You believe this ethereal being.... Is male. Is female. Is neither. Is MESMERIZING. You'll work out the details later. <<

Parte una musichetta allegra che enfatizza molto l’interesso verso la strana creatura. Inoltre ci sono quattro scelte, scelgo l’ultima in quanto anche io sono ipnotizzato dal prigioniero e decido di lavorare sui dettagli più tardi.

This person is simply beautiful, beautiful beyond reason. You've never seen anything like them before and doubt you will again. "What... how...?" you ask Jones. It's difficult right now to voice coherent thoughts. Luckily, he knows what you mean. "We're calling it Eden," Jones replies. "Agents discovered it three days ago in a field not far from here, captured it and brought it in for study. We believe it's an alien lifeform." "Can they speak?" "It seems physically capable of speech, but we don't know its language. And that's why I wanted to see you." Why me?

La musica continua, mentre l’atmosfera è passata da semplice curiosità del protagonista a un senso di sorpresa sul fatto che la creatura voglia vedere lui.

"Why me?" you ask. "Several of us have tried already, but the creature won't respond. Essentially, it's your turn." As good an answer as any. You kneel in front of Eden's cell. "Hello," you say quietly so as not to frighten them. "You probably don't understand me, but... I'm not here to hurt you." Send them away, whispers a gentle voice in your mind. Please. Send them away. You blink in surprise since it isn't your voice. It must belong to Eden. It sounds.... Exactly like you'd expect. Different somehow. <<

In questo frangente la questione diventa interessante. L’alieno parla, ma con una voce diversa da quanto si aspettava lo scienziato.

Their voice is calming, like autumn rain. You also think that Eden's voice seems.... More ethereal than you expected. << More lyrical than you expected.

Ho scelto la voce eterea, perchè da una sensazione forte di un mistero che vale la pena essere svelato.

Eden's voice is even more ethereal than you expected, and a perfect match for Eden's androgynous beauty. But back to Eden's request. <<

Il fatto che l’alieno fosse androgino fa ipotizzare che possa appartenere ad una specie aliena ermafrodita.

Eden asked you to clear the room. You look back and say, "Eden is telepathic. They asked me to ask everyone else to leave." Silence. The other scientists exchange puzzled looks and mumurs about the brain scans they took and how they were "different" from a human's. "All right," Jones says. "But I want a full report on your findings." Now, it's time to talk to Eden. <<

Con questa scelta posso parlare con Eden, in modo da scoprire tante cose sul suo conto.

You ask Eden: Where are you from? << Why are you here? Why did you pick ME? Eden, how are you feeling? Can you tell me your real name?

5 domande per svelare i misteri di un’interessante specie aliena. Scelgo la prima domanda.

You ask Eden, "Where are you from?" Eden tells you in the gentlest (and weariest) voice you've ever heard, "A world we call Mekkari. It's... quite far from here." Ask more questions. <<

Un pianeta lontano anni luce, magari popolato da tante alieni. Chiedo altre informazioni per soddisfare la sete di sapere.

You ask Eden: Where are you from? (Already asked) Why are you here? Why did you pick ME? Eden, how are you feeling? z<< Can you tell me your real name? NEW: What's Mekkari like? -Or- That's enough questions for now.

Ritorno al punto precedente e chiedo se abbia dei sentimenti come gli umani.

You ask Eden gently, "Eden, how are you feeling?" Eden stares at you for a long time. "You're the first one here to ask me that sincerely," they say softly. Their eyes are shining with tears. "Thank you. I am.... I've been better." Ask more questions? << -Or- That's enough questions for now.

Con questa risposta di Eden si può appurare il fatto che possano provare emozioni simili a quelle degli umani.

You ask Eden: Where are you from? (Already asked) Why are you here? Why did you pick ME? Eden, how are you feeling? (Already asked) Can you tell me your real name? NEW: What's Mekkari like? << -Or- That's enough questions for now.

Ritorno ancora una volta al punto di partenza solo per scoprire come sia fatto il pianeta Mekkari.

You ask, "What's Mekkari like?" Eden gives you a ghost of a smile. "It's a wonderful, wonderful place. Peaceful. Beautiful. I'd really like to go home." Ask more questions? -Or- That's enough questions for now. <<

Dopo questa risposta ho deciso che le domande fossero sufficienti, avendo soddisfatto la mia curiosità.

You and Eden both are silent for a while. You feel sorry for their being held captive like this, but what can YOU do? You're not in charge of anything here. Try to console Eden. << Ask what Eden wants.

Provo un moto di empatia verso l’alieno e decido di consolarlo.

"I wish I could help you," you tell Eden. "I don't have much influence here, but if there's anything I can do to make things better for you...." "I know," Eden says. "You'll try."

Maybe... there's a way? It's just too risky. <<

Qui si presenta una scelta difficile, ma ho deciso di non liberarlo per non rischiare conseguenze simili a quelle accadute nel sogno dopo aver liberato Eden.

You look at Eden again, into those sad, innocent eyes. They aren't making this easy. Okay. Let's do this. You can't. It's just too dangerous. <<

Per quanto Eden provi a cercare di farmi cambiare idea, la paura di venire ucciso realmente ha preso il sopravvento e per quanto voglia liberarlo, ho preferito lasciarlo rinchiuso nella gabbia in cui si trovava.

As much as you want to help Eden... you can't. You're afraid of what it could cost you. "I'm so sorry," you whisper to Eden. Eden smiles sadly. "I know." And that's how it ends. <<

Appare un’immagine della gabbia con dentro Eden e parte una musica triste, sottolineando lo sconforto e il triste destino dell’alieno.

You received the ending: "You Coward.”

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gordonwilliamsweb · 4 years

Text

‘She’s tenacious’

It’s a disease most people have never heard of. It’s difficult to pronounce and impossible to predict.

It’s a disease so rare, medical professionals don’t even know the cause, even though they’ve been studying it for decades.

It’s a disease Kaitlyn Seykora deals with every day. Rhombencephalosynapsis.

From her Eaton Rapids, Michigan, home south of Lansing, the 24-year-old said so little is known about her condition, it’s difficult to even discuss.

“From what I can remember, it’s when one part of your cerebellum is not fused properly where it should be,” Kaitlyn said. “The biggest problem I have with it is my head is constantly moving from side to side.”

It never stops.

“It’s been happening all my life,” she said. “There’s not really anything anyone can do. It’s normal for me now because it’s what I’m used to. For me, the main symptom is the head moving. I’m also finding I don’t have much of a filter. Whatever comes to mind, I say.”

Kaitlyn said she had visited many medical professionals in her life, but no one could find a reason behind her symptoms. She Googled her symptoms. She wandered the Internet far and wide. She suspected rhombencephalosynapsis.

Because the condition is so rare, it’s also rare to find medical professionals able to diagnose and treat the disease.

After enrolling in a research study through the University of Washington, leaders of that group suggested she contact Caleb Bupp, MD, a Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital geneticist. Fortunately, this expert practiced in her home state. Less than two hours from her home.

“Before I saw Dr. Bupp, no one wanted to take me on,” Kaitlyn said.

Finally, an answer

On Jan. 20, 2020, Dr. Bupp officially diagnosed her with rhombencephalosynapsis.

“She has a very rare brain difference that she was born with,” Dr. Bupp said. “Essentially, parts of the brain that typically connect during brain development did not. This condition has long been a mystery to medical professionals as to what causes it. In fact, it is one of the top ‘most wanted’ conditions genetically where there sure seems like there should be a cause to be found, but nothing has come yet.”

Dr. Bupp and Kaitlyn both remain hopeful more answers will come as genetic studies continue to unravel mysteries.

“As the world has gotten smaller and patients, physicians and scientists can connect more easily, we can gather groups of patients with rare conditions unlike ever before,” Dr. Bupp said. “That allows for a better chance to discover things—a cause, an explanation, a treatment, a cure. Rare disease will never go away, but there is more hope than ever.”

Dr. Bupp said the first known genetic cause of rhombencephalosynapsis was recently discovered, but it only pertains to 5% of patients with the rare disease. And not Kaitlyn.

“However, that’s 5% better than before,” he said, sharing how at least 5% of patients with this condition now have an answer. “And that is cause for optimism for the other 95%.”

He praised Kaitlyn and others who perhaps someday will help medical professionals unveil the secrets of mysterious diseases.

“With time, more and more answers will be found,” Dr. Bupp said. “Patients like Kaitlyn are really the brave pioneers of medical science right now—triumphing in uncertainty and providing encouragement and support for others with rare conditions as the future becomes reality.”

In the meantime, Kaitlyn is forging her own reality. She graduated from Grand Valley State University in December, majoring in health communications.

It’s her quest in life, it seems. To understand. And to work through this reality that is her own.

She works in the mail room for the Michigan Department of Treasury. She started as a temp employee there last tax season, and is now full-time.

“It’s crazy,” she said of the tax returns rolling into the mail room during income tax season. Mounds of them. Mountains maybe.

She’s climbed them. Not the mounds of tax returns, but the proverbial mountains.

Speaking of numbers, according to Dr. Bupp, best estimates are that 1 in 250,000 people suffer from rhombencephalosynapsis.

“Symptoms vary wildly, which is not uncommon in rare diseases,” Dr. Bupp said. “That’s part of what makes it so hard—you don’t always know what to expect. In general, the findings you see with this include hair loss, learning difficulties, facial numbness, vision concerns and seizures. However, these are extrapolated from what’s known about this condition, which is not a lot, because of rarity.”

Kaitlyn’s head movement is an “unusual” presentation he said, but not unheard of.

“Perhaps it’s because of the area of the brain that is affected,” he said. “For now, she is doing as well as most patients with rare disease are—there are challenges, but she’s getting along. She is working to build a medical team that can work with her and help her as things move along. Her prognosis is good—she appears to be on the minimally affected side. There is uncertainty though, which is common in rare disease.”

‘People don’t understand’

Sitting in an Eaton Rapids coffee shop, Kaitlyn’s mom, Ann, said symptoms surfaced when Kaitlyn turned 3, although looking back there were a few early indicators.

“At 9 months old, she couldn’t lift her head,” Ann said. “It was always off to the side. She couldn’t walk at 2. At 3, she’d drop to the ground. When she would turn her head too far, she would just fall. She listed to the side. She could almost walk in circles if she didn’t pay attention. She had to keep readjusting her gait.”

Also around age 3, Kaitlyn started moving her head side-to-side. Non-stop. Like a pilot scanning for aircraft under visual flight conditions, or a lifeguard scanning a pool.

Ann begged doctors in Iowa, where the family lived at the time, to find a reason for this. They couldn’t.

Just shy of Kaitlyn’s 5th birthday, after a spinal MRI, Iowa doctors told Ann her daughter suffered from Chiari malformation, a condition in which brain tissue extends into the spinal canal.

“We’ve been asking for years why her head turns,” Ann said. “We were just told it’s nerve damage because she should have had surgery before she was a year old. The head turning didn’t start until age 3.”

The family recently learned that’s a symptom of rhombencephalosynapsis.

“Her fine motor skills have always been an issue,” Ann said, sharing additional symptoms such as throat clearing and anxiety.

Sitting on a black leather couch next to her mom, sunshine streaming through the coffee shop windows, Kaitlyn chimed in: “And a lot of teeth issues. I have horrible teeth. Last year alone I had 15 or more fillings.”

Despite the head turning, Kaitlyn is able to drive. And despite her rare disease, she leads a normal life—playing with her rescue dog, Dice, watching TV and sipping lemonade at the coffee shop.

“People don’t understand rare disease,” her mom said. “They’re afraid they can catch it when they hear the word ‘disease.’ Because of the head turning, a lot of people labeled her as special needs.”

Kaitlyn, however, excelled in school.

“Anything we handed to her she passed with flying colors,” Ann said. “But we would have to fight in school to keep her out of special ed because of the head turning.”

Dice greeted the family when they returned home from the coffee shop on a sunny mid-winter day.

They both pet the pup and fed him chicken treats in front of a sign on the wall that reads: “Be stronger than your strongest excuse.”

That’s what the family believes. It’s what they live. Every day.

“We never let her use (her disease) as an excuse,” Ann said. “Everyone has something. In some people, you can see it. In some people, you can’t. She’s actually lucky she has it on the outside. The people that have it on the inside, people don’t know.”

Kaitlyn is smart. She’s capable. And her family knows it.

“Don’t let people tell you you’re disabled,” Ann said. “You’re only disabled if you believe you are. She’s always found a way to do things. She’s tenacious.”

Ann said there’s no magic pill to change her daughter’s life situation.

“Some of it we have to accept… it is what it is,” she said. “Somebody once asked me if I was mad at God that he gave me a kid with a rare disease. I said, ‘Are you kidding me? I’m fortunate. He trusted me with her.'”

‘She’s tenacious’ published first on https://nootropicspowdersupplier.tumblr.com/

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radioleary-blog · 6 years

Text

When Chuck Norris Got Bullied, He Called Evel Knievel

I simply can’t keep up with all the crazy things the Trump administration has been up to this past week. He’s only been President for two weeks and he has caused more protests than we have seen in this country since the ending of the last episode of ‘The Sopranos.’ Seriously, after eight seasons, how dare they just cut to black as the Sopranos are sitting there in a pizza joint? If I wanted to decide for myself what happens to Tony and Carmella, I wouldn’t have paid for eight years of HBO. I’m certainly not paying for HBO because of the incredible selection of the same dozen movies they run over and over again until you know every line of dialogue between John McClane and Hans Gruber. You know what? Rather than invent examples, I’ll just grab the remote and check what’s on HBO right now. I have the whole package (if you know what I mean), so I’m sure there are some real cinematic masterpieces. Let’s see...okay, here we go. ‘The Princess Diaries’, from 2001. ‘The Bonfire of the Vanities,’1990, followed by ‘Problem Child 2’, 1991. Then ‘King Ralph,’ ‘Sixteen Candles,’ ‘Wall Street,’ ‘Blues Brothers 2000,’ ‘Demolition Man,’ ‘Point Break,’ and ‘Panic Room.’ Wow, cancel all my appointments! I know what I’m doing for the next 18 hours! Screw the Superbowl, I’ll be watching Charlie Sheen before Aids, Wesley Snipes before prison, and Jodie Foster before she came out of the panic room closet. And luckily, I have HBO West, so I get to watch them all over again three hours later in case I missed something the first ten times. Are you kidding me? These are all movies I would gladly pay fifty bucks a month to avoid.

This week Trump pulled more crazy stunts than anyone since Evel Knievel built a rocketship to jump over the Snake River Canyon. And we all know how great that turned out. There are parallels between Evel Knievel and Donald Trump, I guess. Trump wants to build an enormous wall in the desert, Evel Knievel built an enormous ramp in the desert. Of course, the ramp was built to get you across a river, and the wall will be built to stop you from getting across a river, but, whatever. When Evel Knievel appeared somewhere, the crowds would all shout “Evel!”, and whenever Trump appears somewhere, the crowds all shout “Evil!” Kind of similar, but again, whatever. People watched in horror as Evel Knievel’s motorcycle crashed during a jump, on a bus, and people listened in horror as Trump was recorded talking about grabbing pussy, on a bus. Both were consummate showmen, both were thin-skinned, angry, and hated critics. Both were constantly feuding with the media even as they fed off it. But Trump’s approval rating is falling faster than Evel’s rocket-motorcycle fell into that canyon. And that’s as close as Evel Knievel ever came to jumping a shark, yet Donald Trump may have already jumped the shark. Evel Knievel survived that crash on September 8, 1974, simply because he was as badass as they get. It takes a lot more than jumping a mile-wide chasm in a homemade steam-powered rocket-motorcycle and plummeting a thousand feet into a river canyon to kill Evel Knievel. He was old school tough. I watched this guy crash, hitting his landing ramp too fast after jumping 13 double-decker busses in Wembley Stadium, and he hit the ground at 70mph, so hard it would make crash-test dummies weep, tumbling on the tarmac like a sweater in the dryer. He broke his pelvis, collarbone, some ribs and vertebrae. And you know what he did? No, of course you don’t, you’re less than a hundred years old. Well, I’ll tell ya what he did. He got up. He got to his feet, broken pelvis and all, and walked over to the microphone and told the crowd he was retiring. He was in shock, and ABC broadcaster Frank Gifford was begging him on-air to let the paramedics put him on a stretcher and in an ambulance, but Evel Knievel just turned and walked off the Wembley field, saying, “I came in walking, I went out walking!” It does not get more badass than that. Evel Knievel makes Clint Eastwood look like Jay Baruchel. He makes Vin Diesel look like Shia LaBeouf. Over his entire career, he spent more than 3 years in a hospital due to traumatic injuries from his jumps! And although Evel Knievel didn’t actually break "every bone in his body," as legend had it, the truth is he suffered 433 broken bones during his career. He is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the survivor of the most bones broken in a lifetime.

He was so tough, when Chuck Norris got bullied, he called Evel Knievel.

But as I say, I’m having trouble just keeping up with all the blunders of the Trump administration this past week, far more than any other President screwed up in their entire first term. I think in the four years Jimmy Carter was President, the worst thing he ever did was one time he went fishing, and he whacked a rabbit that was trying to climb into his canoe. With a paddle, I mean, he didn’t have it whacked like a mob hit. Ah, simpler times, when presidential scandals were as wholesome as fishin’ and whackin’ rabbits with a paddle. Now it’s all about pussy grabbin’, golden showers, and whackin’ something else entirely.

I just can’t write fast enough to keep up. To write down all of Trump’s bullshit this week, I would have to type faster than a court stenographer taking down the testimony of Busta Rhymes being sued by an auctioneer. (For you old people: Busta Rhymes talks really fast. For you young people: auctioneers talk really fast.) I would have to type faster than Stephen King cranking out schlocky horror novels, although I think Trump is a hell of a lot scarier. Like a Stephen King novel, Trump was elected by states populated by the ‘Children of the Corn,’ and now we’re all in ‘Misery.’ In Ronald Reagan's farewell address from the Oval Office, he called America “the shining city on hill”, but after only two weeks of Trump, it’s starting to look more like just ‘The Shining.’ And President Obama’s term in office is over, so just like in ‘The Shining,’ things get really crazy after the black guy retires.

Speaking of horror movies brought to life, his cabinet picks are all being confirmed, and it looks less like the cabinet of a President, and more like ‘The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.’ Rex Tillerson, former CEO of Exxon/Mobil is now the Secretary of State. The State Department is busy preparing for his arrival by making sure all the bathrooms are just as disgustingly filthy as the bathrooms at every Exxon/Mobil gas station. Diplomats received an inter-office memo instructing them not to flush until further notice, and to no longer worry about their aim. To add authenticity, all of the bathrooms will also be kept locked with only one key for the entire building, and the key will be attached to a hubcap from a late-model Buick LeSabre to make sure no one walks off with it.

So what did Trump do this week? Well, at a Black History Month prayer breakfast, Trump seemed to think the famous orator and abolitionist Frederick Douglass was alive and well. Which may come as a shock to his family, seeing as he died in 1895. Well, not his family, so much, but his descendants might be pretty freaked out to know he walks among the living. Frederick Douglass would probably be a very eloquent zombie. He could probably convince you to agree to let him eat your brains as reparations for slavery. I remember his famous quote, “Those who profess to favor freedom, and yet depreciate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground, so how’s about you let me eat your brains?” Or this insightful quote they taught us in school, “No man can put a chain about the ankle of his fellow man without at last finding the other end fastened about his own neck. Now let me eat your brains, seriously.”

When asked about Douglass, Trump said, “Frederick Douglass is an example of somebody who’s done an amazing job and is getting recognized more and more, I notice.” Yeah, he’s getting recognized more and more, Mr. President, and you noticed. Nothing gets by you, does it? I think he might just win this season of Celebrity Apprentice, if that scheming Harriet Tubman doesn’t call him out in the boardroom for being a lousy project manager. Harriet Tubman was like the Omarosa of the underground railroad, and putting her face on the twenty-dollar bill will only feed her ego and make her even more insufferable to be around. “Let me get the tip, but all I have are twenties...Anybody got change for a ‘me’?” I wondered how any U.S. President could be quite this stupid, then I realized he must have learned everything he knows about black history from his Education Secretary pick, Betsy DeVos. Now, I’m not saying Betsy DeVos is an idiot and far too unqualified to run our nation’s public schools. I’m not saying it, I’m typing it. She knows nothing about our education system.

Betsy DeVos is so stupid, she thinks a ‘scholarship’ is a boat full of smart people.

Betsy DeVos is so stupid, she thinks ‘trigonometry’ is the study of firing guns.

Betsy DeVos is so stupid, she thinks that ‘tuition’ is when a woman gets a hunch about something.

Betsy DeVos is so stupid, she thinks ‘Tufts University’ is where you learn to cut hair.

Betsy DeVos is so stupid, she thinks ‘Tulane University’ is on a highway.

Betsy DeVos is so stupid, she thinks ‘Loyola’ is where they make all those crayons.

Betsy DeVos is so stupid, she thinks a ‘Bachelor of Arts’ is a gay male dancer.

Apart from Trump providing a perfect example of why we actually need Black History Month, he upped the crazy ante at this prayer breakfast when he started ranting about the ratings on his old TV show, from which he was fired for being a racist. "They hired a big, big movie star, Arnold Schwarzenegger, to take my place...The ratings went down the tubes. It's been a total disaster...And I want to just pray for Arnold, if we can, for those ratings." WTF? Somebody tell this guy he’s supposed to be worrying about the really big things now, like war, and comets, and aliens, and climate change, and everything else that can possibly go wrong. But instead he is worrying about his old TV show? Snap out of it, man, you’re on a new reality show now, it’s called ‘Celebrity President.’ And this first season sucks. And your ratings are awful. How the hell did we end up with a President who is in bed with Russia but at war with NBC? Franklin Roosevelt will always be remembered for winning the war against the Nazis and the Japanese, and Donald Trump will always be remembered for losing the war against Saturday Night Live. I think it was a racist thing to do, actually, to pray for Arnold Schwarzenegger’s ratings at a Black History prayer breakfast instead of any number of African-Americans who lost their lives in the past year. Frankly, I think he brought up Schwarzenegger because he knew the only way he could use the n-word was by putting “Schwarzen” in front of it.

And another scary development, two weeks into Trump's presidency and Republicans have given the mentally ill easier access to guns, as they voted to overturn an Obama administration law that blocked people with mental disorders from buying guns. Wow. Talk about playing to your base.

What else. Oh yeah, he threatened to invade Mexico, probably worth mentioning that. Nothing like a military invasion to teach people to respect borders. I guess his next move will be to annex the Sudetenland.

Strangest of all, Trump somehow managed to get into a fight with one of our staunchest allies, Australia. Australia! How do you manage to piss off Australia? For God’s sake, their national motto is “No Worries.” Trump was upset that President Obama had agreed to take 1,200 refugees that Australia had been detaining. Trump called it the “worst deal ever!” The worst deal ever? I don’t think it really approaches the level of worst deal ever, not even on a personal level. I once paid 60 bucks for an eighth of mediocre weed, and that was in the 1990s! I couldn’t even enjoy it because I paid so much. And because it was shitty weed. The Brown Frown.

Worst deal ever? How about when we bought Manhattan from the Indians for 24 bucks? That’s a pretty bad deal. Is it still okay to say Indians? Probably not, unless you’re talking about motorcycles or Cleveland’s baseball team, so, Native Americans it is. Although, for my own education I looked into this, and some people prefer to be called American Indian over Native American. One Lakota man from the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation said recently, "If some Indians want to be called Native Americans or Natives, let them be called that, but I was born an Indian and I shall die an Indian.” That sounds so cool the way he says it. I bet it sounds less impressive when you describe comics that way. “If some Comics want to be called Stand-up Comics or Comedians, let them be called that, but I was born a Hack, and I shall die a Hack.” No, I was wrong, it still sounds pretty cool.

Trump should consider himself very lucky that bad deal went down. Just imagine, if they hadn’t made that bad deal, the Native Americans would have been the real estate developers in Manhattan instead of Donald Trump’s dad. And he never would have gotten rich, and never would have become President. Whoa. It’s a revenge curse! President Trump is our payback for ripping off those Indians! I haven’t seen a revenge curse this bad since Craig T. Nelson built his house on a sacred burial ground in ‘Poltergeist’! Of course, the real difference between Native American real estate developers and Donald Trump is that the Native American casinos don’t go bankrupt.

Hey, here’s a really bad deal, how about all the people who paid to enroll in Trump University? Now that might be the “worst deal ever.” So bad that Trump agreed to pay a 25 million dollar settlement to avoid a trial and charges of fraud. Although, in all fairness to Trump, by paying out that 25 million, he actually did make those students wealthy like he promised, all it took was a class action lawsuit against him. Clever move, Mr. Trump. Bravo.

And that is the week that was.

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