#how false a condition occurs in c++

[dalekowrites]

hellooo it’s me with the bug report for After Dark again!

so funnily enough I tried to play through the bit about crossing the river because of the smoke, and I went through it twice from my last save, trying to emulate the choices I picked to the best of my ability, but I couldn’t get it to loop again so. Maybe my device was just being weird 👍 either way the loop doesn’t affect gameplay other than having to play the same section twice, so it isn’t much of an issue (if it actually does exist at all)

however I���ve screen recorded the later scene jump bit! unfortunately videos cannot be sent through asks so I uploaded the screen recording to a google drive and that’s the link below. I hope you can access it!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xyl0ISyVgB8RLK1zTPA9UubfymhUw4tj/view?usp=drivesdk

as you can see the scene starts with stating that ‘You are outside’ but I highlight the bit where the text changes to when MC is somehow back in the diner. The whole bit after just shows that the MC is in the diner I guess? I’m not sure why I continued playing past that.

OH MY.

TL;DR: the bugfix will be implemented in the next update!

Ok, so. That was an indentation error.

I'm not sure how familiar you are with ChoiceScript, or even just programming languages in general, so sorry if I say anything obvious to you, but I’d really like to explain (to you and anyone else reading) what happened in the simplest way possible!

Basically, certain scenes, actions, or events are enclosed within indents (i.e., every choice is inside an indent). You can think of each indent like a box, and any additional indents inside it are like boxes within boxes.

In that specific scene, there's a variable: the phone can either be on—so the MC can check the time—or dead, meaning the MC has to guess what time it is. In both cases, we're talking about two separate "boxes," each containing the line of dialogue or description that should be shown. In your case, the phone was on, and that was—chronologically—the first indent.

After that comes the second indent (the one for the phone being dead), followed by the rest of the scene. The problem is, instead of placing the continuation of the scene at the regular (lower) level, I accidentally kept it at the same indent level as the second choice, which made it part of that second "box."

Since the game couldn't read the rest of the scene from there, it ended up skipping it entirely and jumping to the wrong scene—specifically, the first scene tied to the next directional choice. So it continued the game as if you'd stayed in the diner!

...this is probably even more difficult to understand than a normal explanation, lol. Let's try a slightly more technical one:

The issue stems from improper indentation, which in ChoiceScript determines scope and control flow. In the bugged scene, there's a conditional block based on the state of a variable (let's pretend, for clarity's sake, that it's a simple *phone_on variable):

If 'phone_on = true', the MC sees the time → first indented block.

If 'phone_on = false', the MC estimates the time → second indented block.

The problem occurred after the second condition: the rest of the scene (which should've been outside both conditionals, at the base indentation level) was mistakenly left at the same indentation level as the second conditional branch. As a result, that portion of the scene was interpreted as part of the 'phone_on = false' block only.

So, when 'phone_on = true', the engine correctly entered the first branch, but then skipped the improperly indented scene continuation, as it was not reachable outside of the second condition. This led to a fall-through to the next scene label, which caused an incorrect scene transition as if you had made a different choice (in this specific instance, staying at the diner instead of leaving).

Anyway!!

This kind of bug is one of the hardest to catch—especially in a project with complex code like After Dark. (Fun fact: about a quarter of the entire word count is just code, and the full text already amounts to the equivalent of 450–700 pages, depending on your formatting! :P) So seriously, you've done me a huge favor—thank you so much!

Can I ask if you're playing as a free reader or a subscriber? And are you only following me on Tumblr, or are you also on Discord / Patreon? Feel free to DM me if you'd rather answer privately!

[webstatus247dristi]

How Custom Alert Thresholds Improve Incident Response Times

In today’s always-on digital world, downtime and performance lags are more than just technical glitches—they’re business risks. Every second a website is down or a service is slow can lead to lost revenue, decreased user satisfaction, and a tarnished reputation. To mitigate these risks, proactive monitoring is essential. But not all monitoring is created equal.

One of the most powerful yet underused features in monitoring platforms is the custom alert threshold. This blog explores what custom thresholds are, why they matter, and how setting them correctly can dramatically improve incident response times.

1. What Are Custom Alert Thresholds?

Custom alert thresholds are personalized conditions you define in your monitoring system that determine when an alert should be triggered. Instead of using default settings (like “alert if downtime exceeds 1 minute”), you configure the system to watch for behaviors specific to your application, infrastructure, or business priorities.

Examples include:

Triggering an alert if server CPU usage exceeds 85% for more than 3 minutes

Alerting if page load time surpasses 2.5 seconds for users in Europe

Notifying if a specific API returns a 500 error more than twice in 60 seconds

These tailored rules ensure alerts are meaningful, timely, and relevant.

2. Why Default Alerts Often Fall Short

Most monitoring platforms come with default alerting rules. While these are a good start, they’re too generic for high-performance systems:

Too sensitive: You get flooded with alerts for minor, non-impactful issues—leading to alert fatigue.

Too slow: Default thresholds may wait too long before notifying you, delaying resolution.

Not contextual: They don’t factor in regional differences, service-level agreements (SLAs), or traffic patterns specific to your business.

As a result, teams either ignore alerts or act too late.

3. How Custom Thresholds Improve Incident Response Times

a) Reduced Alert Noise

Custom thresholds allow you to filter out minor fluctuations and false positives. Your team only receives alerts that indicate real problems, helping them respond faster without distractions.

b) Faster Root Cause Identification

By tying alerts to specific metrics or services (e.g., database latency or regional API failures), teams can pinpoint where the problem lies immediately—saving valuable triage time.

c) Prioritized Responses Based on Severity

With custom thresholds, you can tier alerts by urgency. For instance:

Critical: Response time > 5s for 95% of users

Warning: Error rate increases 10% over 5 minutes This structure helps ops teams focus on the most pressing issues first.

d) Improved Collaboration

Different teams (DevOps, backend, frontend, security) can set and receive alerts relevant to their roles. This reduces cross-team confusion and speeds up coordinated incident response.

e) Better SLA Management

For companies with strict uptime and performance SLAs, custom thresholds ensure you catch issues before they breach contractual limits.

4. Real-World Example: E-commerce During a Flash Sale

Imagine an e-commerce site running a flash sale. Traffic surges from 1,000 to 20,000 users in minutes.

Default monitoring might alert you only after response times exceed 10 seconds globally. But by then, dozens of users may have abandoned their carts.

With custom thresholds:

You set alerts for a response time increase of >2 seconds in any region

You monitor checkout API latency specifically

You alert on inventory update failures

These proactive, specific alerts help your team respond before major fallout occurs.

5. Best Practices for Setting Custom Alert Thresholds

Know Your Baselines: Understand normal system behavior across different times and regions.

Avoid Over-Alerting: Don’t set thresholds too low or aggressive.

Use Historical Data: Look at past incidents to define meaningful trigger points.

Segment by Region or Service: One threshold doesn’t fit all. Monitor regionally or by service group.

Test and Adjust: Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of your alert thresholds.

6. How WebStatus247 Helps

Platforms like WebStatus247 offer powerful custom alerting features:

Set regional and metric-specific thresholds

Get alerts via email, SMS, Slack, or Telegram

Monitor real-time uptime, SSL, cron jobs, and domain status

View threshold-based performance history over time

This ensures fast, efficient incident response and better control over digital performance.

7. Conclusion

Custom alert thresholds are not just a technical preference—they’re a strategic necessity. They empower your teams to react faster, smarter, and with greater focus. In a world where seconds can mean millions, precision monitoring through customized alerts isn’t just nice to have—it’s business-critical.

Make the switch from reactive to proactive. Set smart thresholds. Respond in real time. Keep your users happy—and your operations smooth.

[a-beneficial-union]

I'm updating the Branche's Timelines. There are ten main branches, which were made out of order by Paradox as part of a long abandoned experiment. The odd branches (1, 5, 7, and 9) all diverge from First. Later branches have more subdivisions per post-creation manipulations.

Odd -en names are Ben (amab) and Ren (afab, unnoticed intersex); evens (2, 4, 6, and 8) have Jen and Sphen; Third has Den (Deniel and Aiden). Tenth has Bennet, exclusively. All -ens differ exclusively by events external to them, inter-dimensional shenanigans, and varying expressions of phenotype. Paradox's experiment seems to have focused on them from ages ten to eighteen/twenty, as most branches were designed for -en functionality to sharply decline at the age of eighteen (with Tenth being designed for -ens to unexplainably expire immediately before their eighteenth birthday).

(Bennets are allistic, cishet, he/him guys, are people pleasures, natural leaders, and are slightly masochistic. They have mild-to-moderate BPD and, unlike all other Branches (excluding Third) have a thoroughly supportive social network. He is, again, the control group.)

All -Ens (excluding Tenth's, as they were the control group) are autistic ADHDers (ADHD-C) with cPTSD— expressions of this differ. Excluding Tenth, -ens are aroace and agender.

During their eighteenth year, non-Bennet -ens become idiopathically hypersomnic and anemic. How this is handled causes severe ripples on their timeline. Post-Paradox, after Eon's defeat the EA's fall, dimension hopping allows for the spread of resources (including medimagic/smuggled meds and forewarning on timelines) which circumvents a fair bit of the ripples around the eighteen year mark. Common methods of management are as follows:

Transformation reliance. Most forms are fully abled and can be used to substitute supplement the ‘human’ base form. This entails neglect of the base form and an association with the human body and pain. This is common in Fifth and First.

Omni reliance: The Wreckoning (Eon's war) led to the invention of rehabilitory biomachinery, including false flesh (proxxy treatment for anemia) and Recovery Chambers (periodically reverses damage from functional sleep deprivation per unmedicated IH. This method leads to rapid escalation of Omni conversion, meaning less of the base form belongs to the host. Discontinuation can be dangerous. This is common in dimension hoppers in First.

Medi-magic: This is the most common method in Seventh. Two common potions (Wakerrife and De'nuyab) manage the symptoms and have few side effects. Both are expensive, difficult to obtain, and require constant usage lest a relapse occurs. To try and make access easier, those who pursue this route begin studying their Anodite heritage, medi-magic, and the demihuman communities.

Genetic Editing: Removal of their conditions never works. It is rumoured that the Vulp-en strains of the now near unavoidable Transfer Feature Virus was an attempt at mitigating anemia's effects on oxygen dispersement. (This means that neglecting the consequential needs of transfer features create a double wammy.)

Pharmaceutical care and supplements. This is most common in Ninth and Fifth, or any diverged deci where -en's involvement with the Omnitrix/Plumbers/aliens remains confidential. They are first put on Adderall, eventually Modifinil, and are accidentally given doses much higher than they can handle (as they're absolute lightweights). The sharing of medications across decis is commonplace; Ninth with Seventh and Fifth with First.

(Note: “deci” is short for “decibel” and is their word for “dimension”.

[info-of-pharmaguideline]

How to Determine Hot and Cold Spots in Stability Chamber?

Stability chambers are essential instruments in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and consumer product industries, providing controlled environments for testing product stability over time. A critical aspect of maintaining these controlled environments involves the identification and management of temperature and humidity variations within the chamber, commonly known as hot and cold spots. These variations can significantly impact product stability studies, potentially leading to inaccurate shelf-life predictions and compliance issues. This comprehensive guide explores the methodologies, best practices, and regulatory considerations for identifying and managing hot and cold spots in stability chambers.   Understanding Stability Chambers and Their Critical Role Stability chambers are specialized environmental enclosures designed to maintain precise temperature and humidity conditions for product testing and validation. These chambers allow manufacturers to predict how products will behave under various storage conditions, supporting shelf-life determinations and ensuring product safety throughout their lifecycle. According to regulatory guidelines, stability chambers must maintain temperature within ±2°C and relative humidity within ±5% to comply with standards set by organizations such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the International Council for Harmonization (ICH), and the World Health Organization (WHO).   The reliability of stability testing directly influences product quality assessments, regulatory approvals, and ultimately patient safety. Advanced stability chambers like the CRS ICH Stability Chamber utilize combined temperature and humidification conditioning systems with supply air ducting spanning the chamber ceiling and return air ducts at floor level to promote uniform air circulation. Such design considerations are fundamental to minimizing the temperature and humidity gradients that create hot and cold spots.   Modern stability chambers are capable of maintaining various conditions specified by ICH guidelines, including long-term storage (25°C/60%RH, 30°C/65%RH), intermediate testing (30°C/75%RH), and accelerated conditions (40°C/75%RH). The uniformity of these conditions throughout the chamber is essential for obtaining reliable and reproducible stability data, making the identification of hot and cold spots a standard requirement in stability chamber qualification processes.   The Science Behind Hot and Cold Spots in Stability Chambers Hot and cold spots represent areas within a stability chamber where temperature and humidity deviate significantly from the specified set points. These variations occur due to multiple factors, including airflow patterns, proximity to heating or cooling elements, insulation inconsistencies, door seals, and the influence of external environmental conditions. Even well-designed stability chambers can develop temperature gradients that may compromise the validity of stability studies if left undetected and unmanaged.   The significance of these variations cannot be overstated in pharmaceutical stability testing. Products stored in hot spots may experience accelerated degradation, potentially leading to premature failure or erroneous stability predictions. Conversely, samples positioned in cold spots might show artificially extended stability profiles, creating false confidence in product shelf-life. Either scenario can result in misleading stability data, regulatory compliance issues, and potentially compromised product quality or patient safety.   Temperature mapping studies have revealed that the corners and edges of chambers often exhibit the most significant variations from set points. Additionally, areas near doors, vents, or cooling systems frequently demonstrate temperature fluctuations. Understanding these patterns is essential for optimal product placement within the chamber and for implementing corrective measures to minimize variations where possible. The pharmaceutical industry has established that stability chambers should maintain temperature uniformity within ±2°C and humidity uniformity within ±5% RH throughout the chamber volume to comply with ICH guidelines.   Planning and Preparation for Hot and Cold Spot Determination The determination of hot and cold spots begins with meticulous planning. Before any physical measurements are taken, a comprehensive mapping protocol must be developed to outline the purpose, methodology, acceptance criteria, and expected outcomes of the mapping study. This protocol serves as both a procedural guide and as documentation for regulatory compliance purposes, ensuring that the mapping exercise is conducted systematically and reproducibly.   A well-designed protocol specifies the number and location of temperature and humidity sensors to be deployed within the chamber. The determination of sensor quantity and placement should be based on the chamber's volume, configuration, and intended use. Industry practices typically recommend a minimum of nine sensors for small chambers, with additional sensors added as chamber size increases. These sensors should be strategically positioned to capture potential variations in all three dimensions of the chamber space, with particular attention to corners, areas near doors, and other locations susceptible to temperature fluctuations.   When planning a mapping study, consideration must be given to the duration of the measurement period. Most regulatory guidelines suggest a minimum duration of 24 hours for mapping studies, though longer periods (typically 48-72 hours) are often employed to capture any cyclical variations that might occur over multiple days. The frequency of data acquisition is another critical factor, with readings typically taken at intervals of 1-15 minutes to ensure adequate resolution of temperature and humidity profiles throughout the study period.   Equipment selection and calibration represent crucial elements of the planning phase. Data loggers and sensors must be calibrated against traceable standards and should offer accuracy that exceeds the acceptance criteria for the stability chamber itself. For instance, if the chamber must maintain temperature within ±2°C, the measurement system should ideally have an accuracy of ±0.5°C or better. This level of precision ensures that observed variations represent actual chamber conditions rather than measurement errors or instrument limitations.   Executing a Comprehensive Stability Chamber Mapping Study The execution of a stability chamber mapping study follows a structured methodology designed to provide comprehensive data on temperature and humidity distribution. The process begins with the verification of all measurement equipment, ensuring that data loggers and sensors are properly calibrated and functioning as expected. This verification may include a preliminary test to confirm equipment functionality before the formal mapping study commences, establishing confidence in the measurement system before deploying it throughout the chamber.   Once equipment verification is complete, the chamber should be operated empty to establish baseline conditions. This empty chamber mapping provides valuable information about the inherent temperature and humidity distribution without the influence of product loading. The stability chamber should be set to the desired test conditions and allowed to stabilize before data collection begins. Stability is typically defined as maintaining temperature and humidity within the specified ranges for a minimum of 30 minutes prior to starting the mapping study.   The strategic placement of sensors forms the cornerstone of an effective mapping exercise. Sensors should be positioned in a three-dimensional grid pattern throughout the chamber, with particular attention to corners, areas near doors, vents, and other potential sources of temperature variation. According to standard practices documented in pharmaceutical guidelines, sensors with internal temperature monitoring capabilities are typically placed in layers on all four corners of the chamber and one in the center, while an additional sensor is placed outside the chamber to monitor external conditions.   For humidity mapping, similar principles apply, though humidity sensors are often fewer in number due to their larger size and higher cost. The external logger may also monitor humidity and should be positioned away from heat sources, vents, windows, or other elements that might affect readings. Throughout the mapping period, care must be taken to minimize door openings and other disturbances that could influence the chamber's environmental conditions and introduce artifacts into the mapping data.   Advanced Data Analysis Techniques for Identifying Critical Variations The analysis of stability chamber mapping data involves both statistical evaluation and spatial visualization to identify hot and cold spots accurately. The collected data from each sensor is typically compiled into a comprehensive dataset that allows for the calculation of minimum, maximum, and average values for temperature and humidity at each monitoring point. Statistical parameters such as standard deviation and range provide insights into the variability of conditions at each location over time, helping to characterize the stability of the environmental control system.   Mean Kinetic Temperature (MKT) calculation represents a particularly valuable tool in the analysis of temperature mapping data. MKT is a calculated fixed temperature that simulates the non-linear effects of temperature variations on chemical degradation and provides a single derived temperature value that represents the integrated effect of temperature fluctuations over time. This calculation is especially useful for evaluating the impact of temperature excursions in controlled room temperature (CRT) stability chambers where minor fluctuations may occur.   The formula for MKT, originally developed by J.D. Haynes, applies the Arrhenius equation to account for the logarithmic temperature dependency of chemical reactions. When applying MKT to evaluate Controlled Room Temperature (CRT) Stability Chamber excursions, it is recommended to use not less than 30-days of temperature data for the observation period, which aligns with the USP recommendation for calculating MKT in stability applications. This approach provides a more representative assessment of the chamber's thermal characteristics over an extended period.   Visualization techniques play a crucial role in interpreting mapping data and communicating results effectively. Three-dimensional heat maps or contour plots can illustrate the spatial distribution of temperature and humidity throughout the chamber volume, making it easy to identify hot and cold spots and understand the gradient patterns within the chamber. Software tools specifically designed for stability chamber mapping often provide automated generation of these visualizations, streamlining the analysis process and enhancing the interpretability of complex spatial data.   Regulatory Compliance and Documentation Requirements Thorough documentation represents a cornerstone of stability chamber mapping and qualification. Regulatory agencies require comprehensive records that demonstrate the controlled environment's ability to maintain specified conditions reliably. A complete documentation package for stability chamber mapping typically includes several elements that collectively provide evidence of chamber performance and compliance with regulatory standards, forming the foundation for regulatory submissions and inspections.   The documentation begins with the mapping protocol, which outlines the methodology, acceptance criteria, and procedural details for the mapping study. This protocol should be approved before the study commences and serves as the roadmap for the entire mapping process. Following the execution of the mapping study, a detailed report should be prepared that presents the results, analyzes the data, identifies hot and cold spots, and provides conclusions regarding chamber performance relative to predefined acceptance criteria.   Companies specializing in stability chamber validation, such as Parameter, provide document packages that include minimum, maximum, and average statistics, mean kinetic temperature calculations, detailed graphs, test data, deviations, the executed protocol, and test equipment calibration data with NIST-traceable calibration certificates. This level of documentation comprehensively demonstrates the chamber's performance and compliance with regulatory expectations, providing a defensible record of the mapping exercise for internal quality assurance and external regulatory review.   Handling deviations and excursions constitutes another critical aspect of compliance documentation. A stability chamber Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) must include specific instructions for documenting and investigating temperature or humidity excursions. When conditions deviate from acceptable ranges, a thorough investigation should be conducted to determine the root cause, assess the impact on stored samples, and implement corrective actions to prevent recurrence. This investigative process should be documented in detail, including the rationale for decisions regarding the disposition of affected stability samples.   Strategies for Managing Hot and Cold Spots in Stability Chambers After hot and cold spots have been identified through comprehensive mapping, implementing effective management strategies becomes essential for maintaining uniform conditions throughout the stability chamber. Several approaches can be employed to minimize variations and ensure consistent environmental control, ranging from simple adjustments to sophisticated technological solutions.   Proper air circulation represents a fundamental factor in temperature and humidity uniformity. Advanced stability chambers utilize sophisticated airflow systems to ensure even distribution of conditioned air throughout the chamber volume. For example, the CRS ICH Stability Chamber features supply air ducting running the entire length of the chamber ceiling with return air ducts at floor level on both sides, creating a circulation pattern that promotes uniformity. Regular maintenance of these air handling systems, including cleaning of filters and inspection of ducts, helps maintain optimal air circulation patterns and prevent the development of hot or cold spots due to restricted airflow.   The physical arrangement of products within the chamber can significantly impact temperature and humidity distribution. Based on mapping results, a loading diagram should be developed that specifies where products can be safely placed to avoid identified hot and cold spots. Maintaining adequate space between samples and ensuring that air can flow freely around them helps prevent the creation of microclimates within the chamber. Overloading chambers represents a common cause of temperature non-uniformity and should be avoided through careful capacity planning and adherence to validated loading patterns.   Continuous monitoring systems provide real-time data on chamber conditions, allowing for prompt identification and correction of developing issues before they become significant enough to affect product stability. Many modern stability chambers incorporate multiple temperature and humidity sensors that continuously monitor conditions at various locations within the chamber. These systems often include alarm capabilities that alert personnel when conditions approach or exceed acceptable limits, enabling timely intervention to maintain proper environmental control throughout stability studies.   Periodic requalification of stability chambers ensures ongoing performance and compliance with specifications. Industry best practices suggest conducting a new temperature mapping study following any significant event that might affect chamber performance, including relocation, seasonal changes (approximately every 6 months), or chamber replacement. Additionally, preventative maintenance schedules should be established based on manufacturer recommendations and historical performance data to address potential issues before they impact chamber uniformity.   Advanced Technologies for Enhanced Stability Chamber Monitoring The field of stability chamber monitoring continues to evolve, with emerging technologies offering enhanced capabilities for detecting and managing hot and cold spots. These advanced approaches leverage cutting-edge sensor technology, data analytics, and connectivity to provide unprecedented insight into chamber performance and facilitate proactive management of environmental conditions.   Wireless monitoring systems represent a significant advancement in stability chamber mapping and surveillance. These systems utilize wireless sensors that can be positioned throughout the chamber without complex wiring arrangements, allowing for greater flexibility in sensor placement and facilitating more comprehensive mapping with larger numbers of monitoring points. Wireless technology enables continuous data collection without the physical limitations of wired sensors, providing more detailed spatial resolution when mapping temperature and humidity distributions within stability chambers.   Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modeling has become an invaluable tool for understanding and optimizing airflow patterns within stability chambers. By creating detailed computer simulations of air movement, temperature distribution, and humidity patterns, engineers can identify potential hot and cold spots before they become problematic in actual operation. CFD analysis can guide modifications to chamber design, airflow systems, or product placement strategies to enhance uniformity without extensive physical testing, saving time and resources in the optimization process.   Artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms are increasingly being applied to stability chamber monitoring systems. These technologies can analyze vast amounts of historical performance data to identify patterns and predict potential deviations before they occur. By recognizing subtle changes in chamber behavior that might precede significant excursions, predictive algorithms enable proactive maintenance and adjustments rather than reactive responses to problems after they develop, enhancing the reliability of stability testing environments.   Risk-based approaches to stability chamber management focus resources on the most critical aspects of temperature and humidity control based on product requirements and regulatory considerations. By conducting formal risk assessments that consider factors such as product sensitivity, regulatory requirements, and historical chamber performance, organizations can develop targeted monitoring and maintenance strategies tailored to their specific needs. This approach might include more frequent mapping of high-risk chambers, continuous monitoring of critical areas identified during mapping, or enhanced alarm systems for chambers housing particularly sensitive products.   Best Practices for Ongoing Hot and Cold Spot Management Maintaining consistent environmental conditions in stability chambers requires ongoing attention and adherence to established best practices. Read the full article

[insurancesamadhan0]

Is Your Life Insurance Policy Right for You? How to Spot Mis-selling

Life insurance is meant to provide financial security and peace of mind; act as a safety net against adversity but unfortunately, life insurance mis-selling is something that is far too common these days. This malpractice can turn your safety net into a source of stress and financial loss. With increasing reports of insurance fraud and mis-selling, it's important that you understand how to identify and protect yourself from deceptive sales practices.

Understanding Insurance Mis-selling

Insurance mis-selling occurs when an agent or broker deliberately misleads a customer into purchasing a policy through false promises or misrepresentation of facts. This unethical practice often targets vulnerable individuals, particularly senior citizens, who may not fully understand the complexities of insurance products.

Common Signs of Insurance Mis-selling

1. Pressure Tactics and Rush Decisions

If an agent pressures you to make an immediate decision or claims an offer is "limited time only," this should raise red flags. Legitimate insurance decisions require careful consideration and shouldn't be rushed.

2. Unclear Terms and Conditions

Watch out for situations where:

The agent glosses over important policy details

Documentation is not provided in your preferred language

Key terms are explained verbally but differ from written documents

Premium payment terms and duration are not clearly specified

3. False Promises and Misrepresentation

Be wary of agents who:

Promise guaranteed returns that seem too good to be true

Claim the policy is a short-term investment when it's actually long-term

Assure loans or additional benefits not mentioned in the policy document

Present insurance as a fixed deposit or savings scheme

How to Protect Yourself from Mis-selling

1. Thorough Documentation Review

Always read the policy documents carefully

Pay special attention to the fine print

Request clarification for any terms you don't understand

Never sign blank forms or documents

2. Ask Critical Questions

Before purchasing any policy, make sure you ask the important questions and get clear answers for them:

What is the premium payment term?

What are the exact returns or benefits?

What are the conditions for claim settlement?

What are the exclusions and waiting periods?

What happens if you miss a premium payment?

3. Utilise the Free Look Period

All insurance policies come with a free look period (typically 15-30 days) during which you can:

Review the policy thoroughly

Verify if the features match what was promised

Cancel the policy and get a refund if unsatisfied

Red Flags That Warrant Immediate Attention

Unrealistic Returns: Be sceptical of promises of exceptionally high returns or guaranteed benefits that seem improbable.

Bundled Products: Watch out for situations where multiple policies are bundled together without clear explanation of the individual components.

Hidden Charges: Be alert to any fees or charges not explicitly mentioned during the initial discussion.

Lack of Documentation: Always insist on proper documentation and avoid verbal assurances without written proof.

How Insurance Samadhan Helps You Fight Mis-selling

Insurance Samadhan stands as your trusted partner in tackling life insurance mis-selling complaints. This is how they support their clients:

1. Expert Consultation

The team brings over 100 years of combined insurance industry experience, providing:

Professional policy analysis

Expert evaluation of mis-selling cases

Customised solutions for each unique situation

Clear guidance on available options

2. Transparent Process

With complete transparency, they offer:

Refundable fee structure with INR 500 returned if the case remains unresolved

Clear communication at every stage

Regular updates on case progress

No hidden charges or surprise fees

3. Technology-Driven Solutions

Through Insurance Samadhan’s very own Polifyx App, you get:

Real-time case tracking

Interactive dashboard for case management

Easy document submission

Instant access to case updates

4. Comprehensive Support

Their services include:

Complete case documentation

Direct liaison with insurance companies

Representation at various forums

Post-resolution support

Steps to Take If You've Been Mis-sold a Policy

Gather Evidence:

Collect all policy documents

Note down conversations with agents

Save all communication records

Document any promises made during the sale

File a Complaint:

First approach the insurance company's grievance cell

If unsatisfied, escalate to the Insurance Ombudsman

Seek assistance from consumer protection organisations

Consider professional help from organisations specialising in insurance disputes

Take Preventive Action:

Report fraudulent agents to the insurance company and regulatory authorities

Share your experience to warn others

Stay informed about your rights as a policyholder

Conclusion

Insurance mis-selling can have serious financial consequences, but being well-informed and aware can help you avoid becoming a victim. Remember that a genuine insurance policy should align with your financial goals, risk appetite, and long-term needs. If something doesn't feel right, trust your instincts and seek professional advice.

Don't hesitate to reach out to expert organisations that specialise in resolving insurance disputes. InSa are experts in tackling life insurance mis-selling complaints and can provide valuable guidance and support in addressing the issues and making sure that your rights as a policyholder are protected.

By staying informed and taking appropriate precautions, you can make the right decisions about your insurance needs and protect yourself from fraudulent practices in the insurance market.

[lawyers-law-firms-12345]

Understanding the Personal Injury types and How they're held accountable

Accidents are an unfortunate part of life, and it can happen to anyone at any time. When someone gets injured due to the negligence or wrongful actions of another party, personal injury law comes into play. Personal injury law is designed to provide compensation to victims and hold responsible parties accountable for their actions. We will explore the various types of personal injury cases and how they are held accountable under the law.

Types of Personal Injury Cases

Personal injury cases encompass a wide range of incidents, each with its own unique set of circumstances and legal considerations. Here are some common types of personal injury cases:

a) Car Accidents: Car accidents are among the most common causes of personal injury. They can result from various factors, including reckless driving, distracted driving, drunk driving, or defective vehicles. In such cases, the at-fault driver may be held accountable for the injuries and damages caused.

b) Slip and Fall Accidents: Slip and fall accidents occur when someone slips, trips, or falls due to hazardous conditions on another person's property. Property owners or occupiers may be held liable for injuries if they failed to maintain safe premises or warn visitors about potential dangers.

c) Medical Malpractice: Medical professionals, including doctors, nurses, and hospitals, can be held accountable for injuries resulting from medical negligence or errors. Medical malpractice cases often involve misdiagnosis, surgical errors, medication mistakes, or birth injuries.

d) Product Liability: When a defective or dangerous product causes harm to a consumer, the manufacturer, distributor, or retailer may be held responsible. Product liability cases can involve various products, such as faulty appliances, pharmaceuticals, or vehicles.

e) Dog Bites: Dog owners can be held liable for injuries caused by their pets. Dog bite cases vary by jurisdiction, but in many instances, owners are responsible for the actions of their dogs.

f) Workplace Accidents: Workplace injuries can occur in various settings, from construction sites to office buildings. Workers' compensation laws typically govern these cases, but third-party liability claims may also be pursued if someone other than the employer is at fault.

g) Defamation: Defamation cases involve false statements that harm a person's reputation. These cases can be challenging to prove, as they require demonstrating the false statement's intent and the resulting damages.

h) Nursing Home Abuse: Elderly individuals residing in nursing homes can suffer abuse or neglect. In such cases, both the facility and its staff can be held accountable.

How Personal Injury Cases Are Held Accountable

Accountability in personal injury cases is essential to ensure that victims receive the compensation they deserve and to deter negligent behaviour. Here's how personal injury cases are typically held accountable:

a) Burden of Proof: In a personal injury case, the burden of proof rests on the plaintiff (the injured party) to demonstrate that the defendant (the responsible party) was negligent or acted wrongfully. This requires providing evidence of the defendant's negligence and how it led to the injuries.

b) Settlements: Many personal injury cases are resolved through settlements negotiated between the parties involved. In a settlement, the plaintiff agrees to accept a specific amount of compensation in exchange for dropping the lawsuit. Settlements can be reached at any point during the legal process.

c) Court Proceedings: If a settlement cannot be reached, the case may proceed to court. During the trial, both sides present their evidence and arguments. A judge or jury then determines whether the defendant is liable for the injuries and, if so, the amount of compensation to be awarded.

d) Compensation: If the plaintiff prevails in a personal injury case, they may be entitled to various forms of compensation, including medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and property damage.

e) Statute of Limitations: Personal injury claims must be filed within a specified timeframe known as the statute of limitations. This time frame varies by state and type of case. Failing to file a claim within the statute of limitations can result in the loss of the right to seek compensation.

Conclusion

Personal injury cases play a crucial role in providing justice and compensation to individuals who have suffered harm due to the negligence or wrongful actions of others. Understanding the various types of personal injury cases and the principles that govern them is essential for both victims and those held accountable. If you or a loved one find yourselves in a personal injury situation, it's important to consult with an experienced attorney who can guide you through the legal process and help you seek the compensation you deserve. Remember, accountability is a cornerstone of personal injury law, ensuring that those responsible are held to task for their actions or negligence.

[packersmoversblr]

How to Troubleshoot Motion Detection Problems in Your CCTV System

Motion detection is a crucial feature that enhances the efficiency of CCTV systems by alerting users to potential intrusions or suspicious activities. However, like any technology, CCTV camera can encounter issues that affect their motion detection capabilities. In this article, we will explore common problems related to motion detection in CCTV systems and provide step-by-step troubleshooting tips to ensure your surveillance system remains effective and reliable.

1. Understanding Motion Detection

Before doing the troubleshooting, it's important to have a clear understanding of how motion detection works in CCTV systems. Motion detection relies on changes in the camera's field of view, comparing consecutive frames to identify movement. This process involves pixel analysis, background modeling, and sensitivity settings.

2. Common Motion Detection Problems

a) False Alarms: One of the most prevalent issues is false alarms triggered by non-threatening factors such as moving trees, shadows, or lighting changes.

b) Missed Events: On the flip side, motion detection may fail to trigger when an actual event occurs, which compromises the system's reliability.

c) Erratic Sensitivity: Incorrect sensitivity settings can lead to inconsistent or overly sensitive motion detection, resulting in unnecessary notifications or missed events.

3. Step-by-Step Troubleshooting Guide

a) Check Camera Placement: Ensure that your cameras are appropriately positioned to capture the desired areas and angles without obstructions.

b) Evaluate Lighting Conditions: Poor lighting can affect motion detection. Ensure there is adequate illumination during both day and night.

c) Adjust Sensitivity Settings: Fine-tune sensitivity settings to avoid false alarms without compromising accurate detection.

d) Review Detection Zones: Define specific areas for motion detection to focus on critical zones and reduce false alarms from irrelevant movements.

e) Upgrade Firmware and Software: Keep your CCTV system up to date with the latest firmware and software releases, which often include performance improvements and bug fixes.

f) Inspect Camera Lens and Housing: Dust, dirt, or condensation on the camera lens can impact motion detection. Regularly clean and maintain your cameras.

g) Test Motion Detection: Perform regular tests to ensure that your motion detection settings are functioning correctly.

h) Check Connectivity: A loss of network connectivity can prevent motion detection alerts from being sent. Ensure your cameras are properly connected to the network.

4. Advanced Troubleshooting

a) External Interference: Nearby electronic devices or strong wireless signals can interfere with motion detection. Identify and mitigate potential sources of interference. These troubleshooting is bit technical so it may require to get help from professional CCTV repair and service provider near you to solve the issue.

b) Camera Hardware Issues: If all else fails, consider the possibility of hardware problems. Contact technical support or a professional technician to assess and repair any camera-related issues.

Summary

Good motion detection is essential for CCTV operation, motion detection swiftly identifies threats. Our guide empowers with troubleshooting, maintenance, and settings, enhancing security and peace of mind for your premises.

[w3codeworld]

Java program of decision making by using the if-else statement is a significant piece of programming. We will figure out how to make options utilizing various types of if and if-else statements.

[unwelcome-ozian]

Hey so I am suspecting that we might be a victim of RAMCOA or TBMC. But I’m not sure because a lot of people are saying “oh it can create memories even by looking at the word RAMCOA”, that’s a joke for reference. But you know people are saying that any looking into like that can cause pseudo-memories and make you think you have trauma when you don’t. What do you think, was I just a messed up child or like is this kind of symptoms of programming.

Pretext

I was was definitely abused, at least that’s what people say. A lot of screaming, a lot of derogatory names, a lot of gaslighting, forced overstimulation (we have autism). A lot of emotional maltreatment from both my parents. A few years ago we were diagnosed C-PTSD and DID. But then Covid hit so I haven’t really got treatment, also really expensive and I don’t have money.

As a kid (like 10-11) we would use daydreaming to cope. One of them was vary violent (experimentation, r*pe, torture all around, isolation, generally gory, g*ns) things that a kid that young really shouldn’t be daydreaming about in such vivid detail. I’m not sure if it is, I seemingly don’t understand what’s normal for people. Also I was just informed that we had lots of these kinds of daydream, not just that one. Loads of symbols and representations of thing cats and dogs, colours, I don’t even fully remember because it technically was the old Hostess daydream. We have things that are associated solely with this kind of abuse Sidesystem (at least I’ve been told this is only associated with this kind of abuse) , layers a lot of them, weird hierarchical structure, lots of weird stuff. For a long time I had suspected we had been sexually abused by our old School (Episcopalian if that helps with anything) when we where like in kindergarten. Other things they’re kindly interesting I’m super highly suggestive, hyper focussed on the number 707 (was was also important in that day dream alongside the numbers 606 and 505), hyper focussed on the flowers forget me Nots and lilies-of-the-valley. Also there’s a lot of things with eyes I don’t know what that’s about.

Now jumping to another part that’s sidesystem, that thing freaks me out. To explain, we have a system member that’s constantly watching me that runs a computer. Even he did not know about it, nor The guy who created him (which is scarier). Basically it’s a subsystem of 6 (I think). Only they can go to their inerworld, and it’s weird down there at least from what I was told. Sissel I don’t know how old he is basically covered with eyes(little), Void this dissociated thing, Delta this water creature that’s constantly happy (little), Manx (who i’m not sure if he’s a goat or a human) is like a Persecutor leader who I’m kind of thinking is into the Occult it’s kinda hard to explain, and Gilter Who always reports to manx (little).

There is probably more but this is all I’m gonna put for now. Is there any programming really associated with this kind of concept, are these early signs of this kind of abuse.

I think looking up information regarding past trauma can give people insight, a feeling of not being alone, and perhaps a direction to go in their recovery. That direction can be, “No, that isn’t what occurred.” or “I need to look into this more.”

Everyone has false memories. There is a mistaken belief that memories of trauma are more likely to be "false memories" than are memories of daily life. There is also the mistaken belief that repressed / recovered memories are more likely to be false than are continuous memories, particularly regarding memories of trauma.

Daydreaming (maladaptive) can overlap with certain mental health conditions. One them being dissociative disorders. A lot of people who have maladaptive daydreaming have lived through abuse or trauma, especially as a child.

Ritual abuse has some of the things you mentioned. I can't say if you were ritually abused or not. That is something you and your system will need to sort out.

Ritual abuse-usually involves repeated abuse over an extended period of time. The physical abuse is severe, sometimes including torture and killing. The sexual abuse is usually painful, sadistic and humiliating, intended as a means of gaining dominance over the victim. The psychological abuse is devastating and involves the use of ritual indoctrination. It includes mind control techniques which convey to the victim a profound terror of the cult members and of evil spirits they believe cult members can command. Both during and after the abuse most victims are in a state of terror mind control and dissociation. (ASCA, 2002).

There is also ritualistic abuse –abuse which is perpetrated in a habitualised manner, such as the sexual abuse of a child perpetrated on a daily basis.

Spiritual abuse-sometimes called religious abuse, results when individuals are deceived and or otherwise manipulated in ways that cause detrimental changes to core elements of the self, including one's relationship to God, religious/philosophical beliefs, self-determination, and the capacity to think independently. Though often associated with cultic groups, spiritual abuse may also occur in mainstream denominations when pastors or others misuse their authority or when individuals violate the ethical boundaries of proselytising or other kinds of influence situations.

Mind control-an extreme form of social influence used to indoctrinate an individual in the attitudes and beliefs of a group, usually one that is religious or political in nature.

And lastly the definition of TBMC (programming)-Torture-based mind control programming can be defined as systematic torture that blocks the victim’s capacity for conscious processing (through pain, terror, drugs, illusion, sensory deprivation, sensory over-stimulation, oxygen deprivation, cold, heat, spinning, brain stimulation, and often, near-death), and then employs suggestion and/or conditioning to implant thoughts, directives, and perceptions in the unconscious mind, often in newly-formed trauma-induced dissociated identities, that force the victim to do, feel, think, or perceive things for the purposes of the programmer. The objective is for the victim to follow directives with no conscious awareness, including execution of acts in clear violation of the victim’s volition, moral principles, and spiritual convictions.

Oz

[whentheynameyoujoy]

Yup, Sure Was a Finale

I had an epiphany. The reason why I never re-watched the final two parts of Sozin’s Comet even though I’ve popped in episodes at random many times over the years isn’t that I can’t bear the sadness of seeing one of the best, most engaging narratives out there come to an end.

It’s simply that the finale isn’t all that good.

Some honorable mentions of what was enjoyable.

(+) This

Just this.

(+) The Church of Zutara has another convert

“Are you sure they don’t get together?” Hubster, 2020

(+) The tragedy of Azula

And the fact that it’s acknowledged as such. I hope Zuko will do his best to get her help and have a relationship with her…

(+) Sokka being a big bro

And the whole airship sequence in general. It’s wonderfully paced and plotted, with moments of humor, real stakes, Toph being both badass and a scared crying kid, Sokka strategizing and protecting, Suki saving the day, and non-benders being instrumental in thwarting the bad guy firebender’s plans. Would be shame if Bryke never portrayed them this capable ever again…

And now for the main course.

(-) Blink and its over

The wrap-up feels too quick (hashtag Needs More ROtK-style False Endings). A part of this is due to how fast the story goes from the thick of the action to hastily tying up a bunch of loose ends, but the larger issue is how Book 3’s uneven pacing comes home to roost. After spending half a season on filler episodes that at best subtly flesh out established characters while dancing around a huge lionturtle-shaped hole, and at worst contradict the theme of “no one is born bad” with “you’re a hot mess because your great-grandfathers didn’t get along too well”, the frantic “go go go” rush of the second half screeches to a halt with “they won and everyone was happy because now the right people have power and it will be all good from now on yup nothing more to deal with baiiiii”.

Yes, I know, it’s a kids’ show. But goddamn, this particular kids’ show has proven so many times it can do better than the expected tropiness. Showing the characters in their roles as builders of a new world was the least that could have been done.

Oh well!

(-) Ursa

We’ll never know. There will never be a story that delves into this. Yup. Shall forever remain but an intriguing mystery. Is good, though. Mystery is better than a story where Ursa shares her son’s penchant for forgetfulness. Imagine how embarrassing that would be. Speaking of which…

(-) What does Mai see in this jerkbender?

Look, I like to harp a lot on the mess of inconsistent writing that’s Mai but let’s unpack this scene from her perspective, shall we?

Zuko forgot about her! It totally slipped his mind that the one person who prioritized the safety of his dumb ass was rotting in the worst prison in the Fire Nation—because of him! And she was rotting there long enough after the final Agni Kai for the news of Zuko’s upcoming coronation to spread and her uncle to feel sufficiently secure to release her. But then the coronation scene is attended by every single member of Gaang & Friends that was imprisoned?

So what this tells me is that either a) the invasion force had the ability to break themselves out the whole time and for some reason decided not to exercise it until after the war was over, b) Zuko forgot about them as well and no one thought to remind him there were prisons full of POWs until Mai arrived, or, and that’s even better, c) Zuko took care to free every single resistance fighter while making sure Mai would be the one to stay behind bars.

Never thought I’d say this but Mai? Honey? You deserve so much better.

(-) “What does Katara want?”

Asked no one in the writers’ room ever, apparently.

This is not so much anti Cataang as anti romance stories that pay attention to the needs, opinions, and wants of only one partner in general. Over the previous 60 episodes, Katara actively expressed romantic interest in Aang exactly, wait for it,

Once.

And it got retconned out of relevance by the following two interactions where the possibility of a romantic relationship came up, making the Headband dance pretty easy to reclassify as just one of those examples where Aang “teaches” Katara to have fun (as if one of the main obstacles to her having fun wasn’t him constantly fooling around and offloading his duties). And because the writers not only didn’t succeed in portraying Katara’s internal state of mind, but also failed to root her reluctance to pursue a relationship in outside circumstances that could change, her sudden state of unconfused once Aang steps into the spotlight has a single canonical explanation that as much as approaches coherency.

The fact is, though, that trying to interpret canon Cataang from a Watsonian perspective is an exercise in foolishness. Because there is no Watsonian justification for the ship and never has been. Bryke simply conceived of Katara as nothing but a tropey prize for Aang, never saw her as anything beyond that, and were perfectly happy to go on and immortalize her as a passive broodmare for the rest of her life.

And I fully intend to die mad about it.

(-) Iroh dips

OK, it’s been long apparent that the show doesn’t intend to do anything about Iroh’s complicity in AzulOzai’s regime in any meaningful way, and that his sole motivation for doing anything whatsoever is Zuko whom he views as a replacement son which is supposed to be good for some reason. But the finale has him abandon even that, and instead turns him full-on YOLO, idgaf anymore. It really throws Iroh’s supposed love for Zuko into doubt when his last act in the entire show is to take a half-educated 16-year old with no political savvy or an heir to secure a dynastic continuity and plomp him on the throne of a war-mongering imperialist regime where the entirety of the militarist and ruling class is guaranteed to fight him tooth and nail for power.

(I sure hope Mai’s ready to start popping out babies by tea-time otherwise the whole country is fukd in about a week)

Christ, how hard would it be to have Iroh keep the throne warm for a few years while Zuko is getting ready to succeed him? Not only would it make the whole FN reformation bit quite likelier to occur, it would require Iroh’s hedonistic ass to actually sacrifice something for once. And not having Zuko ascend to power, instead spending some time bettering and educating himself first, would be a wonderful message that no matter what you endured and overcame, you never stop growing. A kids’ show, remember?

(-) The conquering of Ba Sing Se

Gee, I feel so blessed to have my attention diverted from battlefields which actually matter to an old dude vanity project I would have been perfectly happy to assume resolved itself off-screen.

The White Lotus in general just bugs me. I was fine with the individual characters and their overall passivity when they were portrayed as lone dissenters living under circumstances where it wasn’t really possible for any single person to mount a meaningful resistance. But as members of a far-reaching shadowy organization that’s left the real fight to a bunch of kids for 59 episodes straight and didn’t turn up until a perfect opportunity presented itself to take control of the largest city in the world and bask in the spotlight?

Yeah, no.

Similarly to the lionturtle-ex-machina, the White Lotus represents a huge missed opportunity for a season-long storytelling. Here’s just a brief list of what they could have been doing throughout Book 3:

orchestrating a Fire Nation uprising;

gathering those directly persecuted by AzulOzai’s regime to help Zuko keep his hold on power once he’s crowned;

establishing themselves as a viable alternative to Ozai;

sabotaging Fire Nation’s war efforts from the inside;

countering Fire Nation propaganda (Asha Greyjoy’s pinecones, anyone?);

running a supply network to alleviate the suffering of Earth Kingdom citizens.

Instead, they sit on their asses until the time comes to claim personal glory.

You know what, good on Bryke for making me conclude that in comparison, the Freedom Fighters were perfectly unproblematic, actually.

(-) Fire Lord Dead-by-Dawn

Yes, a kids’ show, I know! But ffs, this is the same kids’ show that came up with Long Feng and portrayed courtly intrigue, kingly puppets, secret police, spy networks, and information wars. Was it really too much of me to expect something other than “enlightened despot solves everything”? Especially if said enlightened despot has persisting anger issues, no personal support system, no base of followers, and no political experience whatsoever?

If Zuko’s actually serious about regaining the Fire Nation’s honor (i.e. by dismantling the country’s military machine, decolonizing the Earth Kingdom, paying reparations to everyone and their lemur, and funding any and all cultural restoration projects Aang and the SWT come up with), then there is no way, no way in the universe that he doesn’t face a civil war, deposing, and execution within a month.

One reason why his future as a Fire Lord seems rather bleak is that little’s been shown about the actual subjects of AzulOzai’s regime. While we get a vague reassurance that “no Toph, they’re not born bad” (le shockings), they largely remain a voiceless uniform mass of brainwashed clapping seals. What is their view on the Fire Nation’s crimes? Do they associate their condition with their country’s war-mongering? How will they react when Zuko starts dismantling the country piece by piece to rebuild it, bringing it to economic ruin? What will they do when noble Ozai loyalists come out of the woodwork and begin rounding them up under the banner of “Make the Fire Nation Great Again?”

I have no idea, and Zuko doesn’t either because he’s unironically more qualified to rule the Earth Kingdom than his own people.

You know what would have been better? Fire Lord Iroh, White Lotus pulling the strings to maintain the regime, and Crown Prince/People’s Champion Zuko travelling the Fire Nation with Aang and an army of tutors to promote the new boss, only to realize that absolute monarchy is kinda crap for the people he’s one day supposed to rule and gaining their support by ceding some power to them.

I’d laser holes into my TV due to how much I’d enjoy watching that.

(-) All hail Avatar Rock

Literally and metaphorically. Aang doesn’t sacrifice anything, gets everything, and the clever solution of going about getting said everything is handed to him on a silver platter, requiring no active participation on his part whatsoever.

He doesn’t work to unblock his chakras, spiritually or physically.

He only speaks to his past lives to get a pat on the back and a bow-tied solution he could mindlessly follow.

Energy-bending doesn’t require any sacrifice from him, leaves no lasting marks, and only serves for the narrative to praise him as the rare individual that’s unbendable and thus so very very special.

The most infuriating thing is, however, that Aang is clearly shown as being able to beat Ozai without either the Avatar state, or energy-bending.

And he chooses not to. From this moment on, Aang no longer fights to save the world. He fights to preserve his beliefs, going directly against the instructions of his past lives and effectively reneging on his duties as the Avatar.

Again.

It’s not like you can’t portray Aang’s faithfulness to his spiritual beliefs as the key to beating Ozai and saving the world. But that’s not what the show did. There is no link between Aang sparing Ozai and securing a better future, quite to the contrary—Ozai’s survival ends up being a massive problem for the continuation of Zuko’s rule, and consequently a threat to the world at large. His survival benefits Aang and no one else.

Aang’s spiritual purity and his status as a savior of the world are allowed to coexist only due to a deliberate stroke of a writer’s pen.

And I hate it.

Welp, nothing to do about it now except to bury myself up to my tits in fix-it fics I guess.

[thespoonisvictory]

Please explain why Schlatt is the best character on the SMP.

(Alternatively, I would be really interested in hearing more about your dislike for Quackity's produced lore. Personally, I love it, so I'm really intrigued whenever someone says that they're not fond of it).

as much as I love schlatt, I think I'll answer the quackity question, because I've been meaning to.

first of all, I think I should clarify that I'm definitely biased, because my favorite streamers, outside of the dsmp universe, tend towards semi lore, or, at least, not whatever quackity's doing. I'm used to it, and people tend to not like change lol.

second of all, I really do like quackity's produced lore, but I don't like certain aspects of it, and find myself preferring semi lore in general. I don't think he should stop doing it so much as I think he should use it as an occasional technique rather than conveying near 100% of his story with it. big q is very talented and I commend him for taking such a bold approach, which I think pays off in some ways.

third, to me, semi lore is any lore that breaks the fourth wall in that it isn't trying to be something other than a minecraft stream, it's all in first person, and none of it is prerecorded. for example: most of wilbur's pogtopia streams are semi (or casual) lore to me, because he'll thank subs and joke with schlatt about getting techno a girlfriend, but it's still largely in canon.

anyway, in true jenny nicholson fashion, let's kick off with a numbered list.

1. this post, by patches, explains a bit of why the lore streams can get a bit disconcerting to me. the dsmp have always had a bit of charming awkwardness in their improv, because these are for the most part just Some Guys acting, and under the guise of a stream where it's just a Streamer Playing Minecraft, it fits. but the highly produced nature just- creates such a disparity between the quality of the cinematography and the acting that it's a little weird, y'know?

2. in some cases, semi lore allows for dread to be built in a unique way. during the exile arc, tommy would have lighthearted streamer jokes and bits, shout out subs, pretend like things were normal. he never acknowledges that his situation is messed up, that his condition is getting worse, that things are falling apart. it's a quiet, sinking, horror that creeps along over the course of weeks. it's important to the viewer that we are there every day to see the slow progress, to understand why tommy gets pushed so far down. besides the impracticality of 14 highly produced lore streams, you would lose a lot of the subtlety there.

the smp is such a unique medium in that the stream style itself is so telling. when tommy actively doesn't acknowledge what's happening, it makes the abuse that's occurring seem so much worse. when wilbur drops little hits about his depression or his plans in between lighthearted, ooc jokes, it lulls the audience into a false sense of security.

imagine a version of the 'forming las nevadas' story where quackity does it over the course of four nights. the slow realization of his manipulation tactics disguised by an unassuming stream format, because it's still quackity, joking around and laughing until he approaches the next person and he shifts into his 'persona'. when he finishes the conversation, we watch his face fall, his smile fade, as he walks back to an empty las nevadas. it would build hype, not to mention taking less work, and letting the audience see a bit more of quackity's humanity.

3. I mentioned it before, but it just straight up takes less time. I'm willing to wait, of course, but there's something to be said about the merits of pacing and being able to throw together a lore stream last minute. take, for example, tommy's death. it wouldn't have been nearly as impactful without the rushed, oddly somber flurry of livestreams that came after. jack didn't need a highly produced montage of him standing by tommy's grave as the seasons passed, of his planting flowers everyday. what turned out to be effective was just- him, walking around, coming to terms with his grief, completely silent for periods of time.

it was mourning. plain and simple, with no embellishment or evil villain music, shockingly earnest.

I don't think you could replicate that raw, undone feeling with a prerecorded, pre-produced, semi-movie. it feels like all of a sudden jack's pov was important enough that he had to stream, and there it was.

you could argue that this could be planned beforehand, but I think more often than not, that's a. not really feasible, and b. going to take away from the organic nature.

we all like candid shots, 'authentic' vlogs and influencers. to me, this is just one more extension of that rule.

4. under the same idea, you can make more. we spend more time with the streamers, and therefore the characters, and get to know their more human side. wilbur, for example, is deeply humanized by little things that you just couldn't really fit into a lore stream: his dynamic with niki, all his little moments of hesitation, his banter with tommy and his true love for l'manburg. who c!wilbur is is built up over hours and hours of comments and suggestions and one-off statements, and we just don't have time for that in quackity's lore. the transitions are snappy, filled with beautiful shots, but they don't allow for as much depth of character as that awkward little walk from place to place, that quiet monologue they do to themselves.

it's not impossible for you to do that, as with c!quackity and c!charlie serving as a 'morality pet', but at this risk of repeating myself endlessly, it's more earnest and organic in a sense.

5. last, I just really like multiple povs. one of my favorite bits from s1 is the fundy spy arc, because of how effectively multiple povs are used. streams where wilbur is deeply, deeply distraught over fundy's betrayal but thinks fundy doesn't care, while fundy is deeply, deeply distraught over wilbur's prior treatment of him but thinks he doesn't care. and you could watch both at the same time! quackity's pov isn't as personal when it uses third person, which is a bit sad because I think it's a unique aspect of livestreaming every perspective.

(I'm so sorry if this isn't coherent or makes any sense I'm very brain dead and tired from speedrunning three essays yesterday)

basically, I think quackity's lore style is good for big, grand events, occasionally. it's very cool to watch, definitely builds hype, and can make certain things easier, such as coordinating a bunch of people or doing special effects.

but for building a plot and establishing character dynamics, I really prefer semi/casual lore.

[subbing-for-clones]

The New Apprentice Part 13

Maul x Apprentice Reader

Word Count: 2.8k

WARNINGS: Pretty sure I got the layout wrong for the Sundari palace but I don’t care. Canon typical violence. Divergence from Canon (obviously by now) mentions to smut

PREVIOUS         NEXT          MASTERLIST

     �� Just over a month is all it had taken to gain the complete loyalty of the Mandalorian people. If you were being honest with yourself, you were almost surprised. Not in the fact that Maul had been able to accomplish this but at how quickly he had achieved it. The Death Watch members that had remained as your guard had always wanted the head of Satine but now half of the citizens called for it as well while the other half wanted her in prison for life. A month was all it took to remind the people of their rich history and culture that they had all but forgotten Satine had stolen from them. Farm lands were seeded, armor was being forged again, their religion and martial arts were being taught in the schools once again and everyone felt safer than they had in years. They hadn’t realized what they were missing until they had it again. Once they were on track to total planetary independence once again, they wanted nothing more than for the woman who stole it from them to pay.

    Maul smiled to himself; his people wanted revenge. How could he not oblige even if it didn’t simultaneously serve to accomplish his ulterior motive? It was time. He had sent Kiara down to the prison with a long-distance communicator so she could falsely convince Satine that she was there to aid her. Before she could get her whole message to her old lover, Kiara destroyed the device. All Obi Wan knew was that the only woman he had ever loved was in danger. Although he thought the perpetrators were members of the Death Watch. He remained ignorant of what he was really going to be walking into.

    With Savage out praising Kiara for a job well done, you and your lover were sparring in the court yard just the two of you. Sparring with your lover and Master had become your favorite activity to do together. Well, second favorite you thought as you felt one of the many lovely bruises on the inside of your thigh throb. If you had to describe Maul in a single word it would be passionate. He drew from the well of his hearts more than he probably knew himself. Whether he was making love to you, commanding a room or sparring; every action, every word was embodied by his very soul.

    It wasn’t even about training anymore so much as it was a dance with him. The red of your sabers sparked as they clashed and hissed with his joking mock growls as they slashed through the air. The twinkle in his eye that matched yours was permanent during these moments as your bodies glided around one another. The bond you had nurtured during your time together made anticipating one another’s moves effortless. It made victory or defeat almost impossible. Without intervention the two of you would be locked in this dance for all eternity much like an asteroid floating through space. Yes, that’s what it felt like in this moment; drifting through the universe with him.

    Days had passed since Savage had trained with his brother. Time between his teachings had grown as the responsibilities piled on both of their shoulders. Savage actually appreciated this, it allowed his relationship with his brother to be just that, a brotherly relationship. Not that of Master and apprentice but not quite equals either. That would come in time. Maul hadn’t grown up like Savage did so the idea was still a foreign one and as far as exploring bonds and relationships went, most of that energy was directed towards you.

    It turns out, ruling an entire planet was taxing and time consuming to say the least when done properly. Big surprise. As an attempt to lift some of the weight off of his shoulders Maul had appointed his brother to take the brunt of running the crime syndicates in his name. Savage flourished in his leadership role. He was so intimidating at first glance that no one in the underworld dared question or go against him. Maul only had to be present for the occasional formality and big picture decisions.

    The intervention necessary to end your deadly dance came in the form of an intrusive anticipation of Obi Wan’s arrival. When you stumbled your footing, Maul caught you in one of his strong arms and sheathed his saber with his free hand, breaking the trance the two of you had been in for gods know how long.

“My love, are you alright? I haven’t seen you fumble during that particular form since Dathomir,” he ran his free hand across your cheek and if you had a weaker resolve, you would have sobbed at the way he looked at you in this moment. Genuine adoration and worry gleamed in his golden eyes. He looked into you as if you had hung the stars themselves and commanded every ocean in the galaxy. You steadied yourself and cupped his cheek, mirroring his own actions and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips.

“Yes, Maul I’m alright. I’m just a little distracted I guess. When do you think the Jedi will fall into your trap?” Maul smiled at your lack of patience.

“I’m not sure, the message was only sent out to him during the early hours of this morning. Soon I would imagine. A few days at most, a few hours at the earliest.” You looked off to the side and sneered, “should I ever be captured you wouldn’t wait days to come and find me.”

He actually laughed out loud at this as he pulled you into a tight embrace and you seared the memory of his laughter as deeply into your mind as you could.

“My love I would never had let you out of my sight long enough for us to be parted in the first place,” he cooed into your ear as he pressed kisses into your hair.

    The funny thing about irony is the fact that you can truly only understand the weight of it in hindsight. If he could go back to any minute between your sparing session and that he had a multitude of possible courses of actions that would have altered the current horror he was facing. He should have put you on a ship and sent you away, temporarily or permanently it didn’t matter as long as you were far away from Mandalore that night. You had even mentioned wanting to take a trip with him to a world covered in sand beaches. He should have left with you right then and there when you suggested it. Even if nothing could have been done to alter the course of what had occurred, he wished he had held you a little tighter, kissed you a little longer, told you he loved you one more time before night fell.

    He hadn’t sensed his old master’s presence until it was almost too late. His eyes widened and he ordered you to hide your force signature like he had taught you and to run. Run as fast and as far away as you could. You had never been one to argue with him during emergency situations, you had trusted him to make the right calls when it mattered most. Perhaps he should’ve kept you by his side in that moment. He didn’t know. He wished you had never come back.

    You had felt Maul’s immediate panic the moment you sensed another strong presence, when he told you to run you didn’t hesitate to follow his order. Leaving your lover and his brother, your best friend alone in the throne room to face an unknown foe broke you in a way you had never broken before. You slipped behind the throne and plunged yourself into the hole beneath it that led to an escape tunnel and ran as silently as you could through the hidden passage way that fanned out through the palace.

    You exited the tunnels from behind a tapestry that hung from the stone wall near one of the many side entrances. A ship you didn’t recognize was landing, rather poorly, not far from your location. You did however recognize the Jedi that came running out of it. When his eyes locked with yours you felt his rage radiate from him but his voice remained calm when he spoke.

“So, Maul is behind the coup. Where is Satine and where is your Master?” he held the hilt of his saber in his hands but didn’t ignite it just yet, thumb hovering over the activation button.

“Otherwise occupied at the moment. Your timing is impeccable I must admit,” your hands hovered over your own dual hilts strapped to each leg. Both of you waiting for the other to make an aggressive move, you circled around one another. You couldn’t let Kenobi pass you, not now. Not while your master was dealing with this new threat. You had only heard Maul speak of his former master on two occasions. Both of which had a spark of the emotion you felt through him when he told you to run. If he really was battling the powerful Sith Lord he couldn’t risk Kenobi coming and adding an opponent to the list. The answer to the true question that glinted in your mind would decide the outcome of the night. Did the Jedi fear your Master or his more?

    Both you and the Jedi snapped out of your unblinking stare when a flaring pain ripped through the force. He turned to you, “what in the name of the force was that?”

You gulped in worry of your lover’s condition. You couldn’t run you had to help him. His last order was one you could not follow, “his master is here.”

“Dooku is here?” You actually gave yourself a mere second to scoff at his ignorance, “Dooku was not his master. Dooku is the apprentice he took when you debilitated Maul.”

    Obi Wan stood there in shock. The council had started to suspect that Dooku was in fact not the Master but the apprentice. If the true Master was here, the man who orchestrated the clone war, and Maul was fighting him in this moment; perhaps they could end everything right now. End the war, stop the never-ending meat grinder and save the lives of the clones he cared for; his commander. As if the both of you thought the same thing at once, you took off running back to the throne room together in a temporary alliance but when you arrived it was empty.

    One of the massive windows was shattered and you could hear Maul’s cry pierce through the night. You hesitated, knowing your lover didn’t want you in this fight. To his credit, the Jedi did not hesitate along side you. He leapt through the opening and you watched through wide eyes as he landed between a cloaked figure and Savage, blocking a blow that would have undoubtedly killed the golden Zabrak. As Kenobi engaged with the mysterious figure you searched the courtyard for your lover, the same place the two of you were sparring in this morning. You found him laying crumpled, aftershocks from being electrocuted still caused tremors. You leapt down beside him, worry causing your mental wards to slip. You reached for your beloved Master while Savage and Kenobi battled Sidious. Maul’s eyes widened when they focused on your concerned face.

“You can’t be here. I told you to leave, you have to leave now. You have to be gone already,” he pulled himself to his feet with a groan and pushed you behind him in the same way he had shielded you from Savage in the past, “Go. Now.”

    The cloaked figure force pushed his two attackers into the stone wall, knocking them unconscious from the impact. A light trail of blood followed their wake as they slowly slid to the ground in slouched positionings. The hooded old man turned his attention to Maul, no, to you.

“So this is what you have truly been hiding from me my former apprentice. Not this planet, not the little clubs you have taken over in the underworld; this creature.

“You will not harm her,” Maul ignited his saber once again and kept his body covering you. You crouched behind him, both weapons held in a reverse grip one behind you, at the ready to slash forward and the other shielding your Master’s abdomen. Not unlike the wolf that protects her mate’s throat during a stand-off.

Sidious cackled coldly, “I have no intention to do so,” he pointed his eyes back to you while you narrowed yours at him, “you have great power girl and it is being wasted by your current tutor. He is not a Sith. He is a poor excuse of an assassin who should’ve died long ago. Despite his survival he failed. Do you really think you can learn anything from a man who had to have a witch put him back together piece by fleshy piece?”

    You did not answer. You allowed him to continue his monolog, stalling for time so you could meld with your Master, minds dancing with one another in a sort of battle meditation. If you were to succeed you had to work as one, both extensions of one another. You weren’t ignorant or arrogant enough to deny the utter weight of the power before you. This wasn’t a battle for you to win, this was a battle for you to survive.

    Sidious realized what the two of you were doing and lunged, saber going straight to Maul’s chest. You flicked the wrist of the arm that guarded him and parried his strike allowing Maul to take a step forward to block his Master’s second blade. You spun around him with the weapon you had ready behind your back but were blocked before you could make contact with his throat. Thus began another dance. If you had allowed your mind to wander you would’ve wondered if the sight could have been considered beautiful. A total of five crimson lightsabers swung and clashed in violent sparks leading trails of light in their wake. Ground was given as equally as it was gained, despite the perfect mind meld you were performing with your master and the decades of training between the two of you it seemed like all you could accomplish was to keep up with Sidious.

    Just as the Jedi and the other Night Brother were starting to stir Maul’s concentration was interrupted by concern for his brother the effect was immediate and brutal. You weren’t in position to be able to block Sidious’ swing that took Maul’s good leg at the knee nor the lightning that sprang from his finger-tips. You howled in rage, watching your Master crumple to a smoking pile, barely clinging to life. He wouldn’t survive another hit like that. Sidious turned to sneer at you as if he could read your thoughts. You sheathed your blades and flipped over the top of him just as lightning left his fingers again. You dropped your hilts and stretched both arms in front of you absorbing the energy directed to kill the man you loved. A new kind of rage boiled in your soul, clenching your teeth and flexing your legs to keep you grounded you did not halt or block his blast but rather, absorbed it. Allowing it to fuel you. Your hair billowed around you like you stood in the center of a hurricane; your eyes blown with the power that coursed through your veins. You barley noticed how Savage ran to his brother’s aid while Obi Wan sat frozen equally in awe and in horror.

“That’s it my newest young apprentice, let the hate, the fear and the rage fill you up. Harness it, use it.”

“I will never be yours old man,” you growled with the effort to stay awake, “you will never win this.”

“Why my dear, I’ve already won.”

    Your power had depleted as soon as he spoke, allowing the shocks to reach you with no defense. You could accomplish a great many things with the force but your well wasn’t nearly as deep as Sidious’. Your vision darkened in the corners and slowly seeped until all you could see was the black and feel yourself falling into bony arms. It was seeing you fall that finally snapped Kenobi out of his trance and Maul awoke just in time to see his master absconding with his apprentice, his love, the woman he was to ask to marry him. His defeated cry rang through the air as did his anguish through the force. He tried to give chase behind the Jedi but you and your captor was long gone.

    This was not a battle to win, this was the battle you had to survive and thanks to your sacrifice, for now you, your master, his brother and the Jedi did just that. Survived an encounter with power and death themselves.

Tag list, please let me know if you want to be added or removed:

@the-grey-jedi​

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[egh999]

How prominent is rape culture in the sports industry?

Emily Hocking

SN: 6432761

You see so many cases in the news where big sports stars are being accused of rape, sexual assault, sexual violence, or sexual misconduct and why is this? Are we just seeing more of it due to the athletes’ high profiles? Is there a higher rate of sexual violence in the sports industry? Where does this problem of the prominence of sexual violence in the sports industry stem from?

The social problem of rape culture in the sports industry is one that stems back to the ideals of the ‘male athlete’. Fasting et al. suggest “since men, masculinity and traditional male values heavily dominate most sport organisations this raises the question of whether sports is a particularly risky location for sexual harassment” (2008, p. 2). Rape culture in the sports industry is displayed so often in the media through cases of high-profile athletes. Athletes such as Kobe Bryant and Mike Tyson’s sexual assault cases flooded the media due to their high profiles.

An area of the sports industry in which accusations of sexual violence are very publicly displayed is through football. I know that personally, living in Australia, most of the sexual assault allegations that are reported on through the news and social media are in the sports industry and against AFL or NRL players. Flood and Dyson (2007, p. 37) justify this presence of sexual assault allegations against Australian football players in Australia, stating “Allegations of sexual assault and harassment by rugby league and Australian Football League (AFL) players in 2004 and 2005 put the link between sports and violence against women firmly on the public agenda.” Jarryd Hayne, an ex-rugby star, Adam Heuskes, ex AFL player, all you need to do is search rape and Australian football in the same google search and their names appear. Can this social problem be linked to the ‘brotherhood’ present in sporting teams such as football teams? Regarding college football, Luther (2016) states “Many of these cases involve multiple players. In all, approximately 40 percent of the cases I’ve studied are gang rape allegations involving multiple players. If you add in cases where teammates are witnesses or later accomplices in harassing the woman who reported the violence, that number creeps up to close to 50 percent. This is incredibly high compared to what is known about gang rapes in the overall population.” This links to the idea of brotherhood influencing sexual violence in sport. In football, a team sport, the idea of ‘brotherhood’ is pushed on players by coaches in a ploy to enforce teamwork. Flood and Dyson (2007, p. 41) validate this stating male bonding in sport can be a risk factor for women due to “the codes of mateship and loyalty in tightly knit male groups”. Flood and Dyson (2007, p. 41) consider this loyalty to be dangerous as it may be put above personal integrity. Another contributing factor to this social problem is the fact that organisations are set up to protect the player at the cost of the victim. Armstrong et al. (2018, p. 102) states “organizations often facilitate sexual violence, actively deny allegations, cover up misconduct, and/or punish victims for reporting”.

I believe a prime example of rape culture in the sports industry is through Alen Hadzic and the 2021 Olympics. Alen Hadzic, despite being accused of at least three accounts of sexual assault, was still allowed to represent America at the Olympics and his only conditions were that he was not allowed to stay at the Olympic Village or practice with female teammates, and flew on a separate plane to other athletes, however, he still tried to overrule these conditions. So where is the line? Why was female Olympian Sha’Carri Richardson disqualified for testing positive for marijuana yet American allows a man under investigation for at least three accusations of sexual assault represent them at the Olympics? This is an example of how the accused is being protected by the organisation. Sacks and Segura (2021) report that a teammate said “he’s been protected again and again” regarding Hadzic, demonstrating how the organisation in this case protected the accused instead of the victim. Sacks and Segura also state how other athletes within the Olympic fencing team recognised how “sexual abuse, harassment and male entitlement runs deep within the sports culture”.

So how can sociology explain this social problem? It all leads back to toxic masculinity. Toxic masculinity and the ideals surrounding the ‘male athlete’ have impacted rape culture within the sports industry. Toxic masculinity is based on the idea of male dominance and rape and sexual assault is a way in which males assert their dominance. Haider (2016, p. 558) suggests “if violence is constitutive of masculinity, then violence becomes the mode by which one asserts one’s masculinity”. This touches on the ideal of toxic masculinity that to be a man you must be violent and tough. Sexual violence within the sports industry can then be seen to be a result of these men trying to assert their dominance and prove their masculinity through violence. Messner’s (1990) analysis on masculinity and violence within the sports industry concludes that “a number of feminist analyses have suggested that one of the key elements in the elevation of the male-body-as-superior is the use (or threat) of violence” (p. 204). This whole ‘males as dominant’ idea leads back to the archetypal ‘male athlete’ stigma. At a young age you are taught that boys are better than girls at sport and grew up being shown a predominantly male dominated idea of sport on the television (how often did you see women’s NRL, or AFL compared to men’s NRL or AFL on tv?). This brought forward the idea that the male athlete is more dominant than the female athlete to everyone from a young age. Flood and Dyson (2007, p. 41) also suggest that ‘groupie culture’ can shape the way athletes view women and consent as these ‘groupies’ search for the sexual company of the athletes and due to the behaviour of these women they may shape the idea that all women want them.

And how am I personally implicated in this social problem? Well, at times I have been one to assume that when a big sport star is accused of sexual assault that the woman may be falsely accusing the athlete for money or status. This assumption, I believe, has been brought on both by the opinion of society around me as well as the stigma of victim blaming. I believe this also stems back to Flood and Dyson’s (2007, p. 41) idea of ‘groupie culture’ and where I have seen the way these sports stars are talked about online. The representation of these women in the media, I believe, has also influenced me to believe they may be falsely accusing the athlete of sexual assault.

The big question is how can we create more equal relations with those who are less or not supported by systems? The main way is by removing the stigma of victim blaming and shaming – especially in cases that involve high profile athletes. Bruggen and Grubb (2014, p. 3) state that “reporting rates to the police are exceptionally low and few perpetrators are successfully prosecuted.” These low reporting rates and low rates of prosecution would contribute to the fact less victims are reporting their rape as they are not seeing good results for others and fear for what would happen if they were to report. Victim blaming being used as the main defence of athletes in rape cases is a large reason as to why women are hesitant to come forward. Within sport, victim shaming can occur through the assumption that any girl would want to have sex with a high-profile athlete and therefore the victims must be falsely accusing to get publicity or money. Removing this idea would make victims feel more comfortable coming forward. Better protection for these women when accusing a high-profile athlete is also essential due to the way organisations are set up to protect the accused over the victim. Overall, the main way women will be supported by systems is through removing the concept of toxic masculinity from the sports industry, something that will take a lot of time and effort, but overtime can be accomplished.

References

Armstrong, E, Gleckman-Krut, M & Johnson, L 2018, ‘Silence, Power, and Inequality: An Intersectional Approach to Sexual Violence’, Annual Review of Sociology, pp. 99-122.

Fasting, K, Brackenridge, C & Walseth, K 2008, ‘Consequences of sexual harassment in sport for female athletes’, Journal of Sexual Aggression, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 37-48.

Flood, M & Dyson, S 2007, ‘Sport, athletes, and violence against women’, Academia, pp. 37-46.

Haider, S 2016, ‘The Shooting in Orlando, Terrorism or Toxic Masculinity (or Both?)’, Sage Journals, vol. 19, no. 5, pp. 555-565.

Luther, J 2016, ‘Unsportsmanlike Conduct: College Football and the Politics of Rape’, Not Even Past, viewed 14 September 2021, <https://repositories.lib.utexas.edu/bitstream/handle/2152/82971/Unsportsmanlike%20Conduct_%20College%20Football%20and%20the%20Politics%20of%20Rape%20-%20Not%20Even%20Past.pdf?sequence=2>

Messner, Michael 1990, ‘When bodies are weapons: Masculinity and violence in Sport’, Sage Publications, viewed 14 September 2021, <https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Michael-Messner3/publication/233101368_When_bodies_are_weapons/links/565b199308aefe619b242915/When-bodies-are-weapons.pdf>

Sacks, B & Segura, M 2021, ‘”Protected Again and Again”: How A Fencer Made It To The Tokyo Olympics Despite Sexual Assault Allegations’, Buzzfeed News, viewed 15 September 2021, <https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/briannasacks/olympics-fencers-safesport-abuse>

Van Der Bruggen, M & Grubb, A.R 2014, ‘A review of the literature relating to rape, victim blaming: An analysis of the impact of observer and victim characteristics on attribution of blame in rape cases��, Aggression and Violent Behaviour, vol. 19, no. 5.

[tinyshe]

Story at-a-glance

New York City is implementing vaccine passport rules to enter certain venues, thereby discriminating against minorities and people of color

As of August 2, 2021, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data showed 59% of Americans who had received at least one COVID injection were Caucasian, 16% were Hispanic, 10% Black, 6% Asian and only 1% were Native American or Alaska Native

When a vaccine, like the COVID shot, fails to fully prevent infection, it can promote the creation and transmission of more virulent pathogens

CDC has confirmed fully vaccinated individuals who contract the infection have as high a viral load as unvaccinated individuals who get infected, which proves there’s no difference between the two, in terms of being a transmission risk. If vaccinated individuals can be infected, carry the virus and cause it to mutate, and then transmit it to others, how does proof of vaccination promote public safety?

Would-be totalitarian rulers know how to use fear to induce mass psychosis, where people can no longer think rationally and act out of primal fear. They then offer to restore safety and order, but to do that, everyone must forfeit their personal freedom. The creation of safety through forfeiture of freedom is what vaccine passports are all about

The video above is a 15-minute outtake from Joe Rogan’s podcast episode #1693,1 in which he interviews Evan Hafer, a special forces veteran who founded Black Rifle Coffee Company and hosts the Free Range American podcast.

In this clip, Rogan lets his opinions rip on vaccine passports, COVID “vaccinations” and breakthrough cases. He points out the obvious irony of New York City’s new passport rules. While the democratic leadership claims to want to protect people of color and immigrants, these are the very groups that reject the COVID shots the most.

As of August 2, 2021, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data reported by the Kaiser Family Foundation2 showed 59% of Americans who had received at least one COVID injection were Caucasian, 10% were Black, 16% Hispanic, 6% Asian and only 1% were American Indian or Alaska Native.

So, now New York is actively discriminating against minorities in the name of public safety, and people are actually applauding this as a good thing. “It’s madness,” Rogan exclaims. Meanwhile, science shows us that everything our public health officials are doing is wrong.

Leaky Vaccines Drive Mutations

For example, Rogan cites 2015 research3 showing that nonsterilizing vaccination — meaning when a vaccine fails to fully prevent infection, also known as a leaky vaccine — can promote the creation and transmission of more virulent pathogens. As explained by the authors:4

“There is a theoretical expectation that some types of vaccines could prompt the evolution of more virulent (‘hotter’) pathogens. This idea follows from the notion that natural selection removes pathogen strains that are so ‘hot’ that they kill their hosts and, therefore, themselves.

Vaccines that let the hosts survive but do not prevent the spread of the pathogen relax this selection, allowing the evolution of hotter pathogens to occur. This type of vaccine is often called a leaky vaccine. When vaccines prevent transmission, as is the case for nearly all vaccines used in humans, this type of evolution towards increased virulence is blocked.

But when vaccines leak, allowing at least some pathogen transmission, they could create the ecological conditions that would allow hot strains to emerge and persist.

This theory proved highly controversial when it was first proposed over a decade ago, but here we report experiments with Marek’s disease virus in poultry that show that modern commercial leaky vaccines can have precisely this effect: they allow the onward transmission of strains otherwise too lethal to persist.

Thus, the use of leaky vaccines can facilitate the evolution of pathogen strains that put unvaccinated hosts at greater risk of severe disease.”

The COVID shots, which do not provide you with immune protection against the virus but, rather, only lessen symptoms of infection, are a perfect example of leaky vaccines that can allow the virus to mutate within the mildly ill host, who then transmits the mutated virus to others. In this way, the COVID shots can fuel a never-ending chain of outbreaks.

Vaccine Passports Cannot Protect Public Health

If vaccinated individuals can be infected, carry the virus and transmit it to others, what good is proof of vaccination? Vaccinated people obviously are no less likely to spread the infection than unvaccinated people, so why is the liberty to freely participate in society being removed from the unvaccinated? It’s completely irrational.

Since there is no medical logic behind their use, vaccine passports must have some other unspoken function, and indeed they do. They’re an essential part of a massive control mechanism. Right now, you can’t go places unless you’ve gotten your required one or two doses of COVID injection.

You can be sure that once a third dose is recommended, your passport will become invalid until or unless you get that third booster. This will be repeated once there’s a fourth booster, and a fifth, and anything that gets added after that.

The requirement you must fulfill in order to maintain a valid passport could be literally anything. We also know that these vaccine passports can serve as a platform for all sorts of other interconnected things, such as your personal identification, your medical records, financial records, government assistance, employment records and much more, so restricting your access to restaurants could eventually become the least of your problems.

You might not be able to access your bank account. You might not be let into your job. You might be denied medical attention or government assistance. So, Rogan is correct when he says the vaccine passport is one step away from dictatorship, and history has repeatedly shown that dictatorships cannot thrive. They breed misery and spoil both talent and opportunity.

Do Not Exchange Your Freedoms for a False Sense of Security

Only when people are free to do as they please, when they’re free to express their creativity, do you end up with a superpower and cultural phenomenon as the United States. We are now looking at the end of what was once the United States of America, unless enough people wake up to reality and push back.

An argument vaccine passport pushers like to use is that “spreading a lethal infection isn’t a human right,” therefore, proving you’ve been vaccinated is not an unreasonable request if you want to participate in society. Likewise, they insist that going to restaurants isn’t a human right, nor is airline travel, staying at hotels or going to gyms. CNN anchor Don Lemon doesn’t even think buying groceries falls within the scope of being a human right.

Freedom is the absence of necessity, coercion or constraint in choice or action; unrestricted use; the quality or state of being exempt from something onerous; privilege; liberation from restraint or from the power of another; independence.

The problem with those arguments is that a) COVID-19 isn’t a lethal infection for most people,5 b) it’s an infection that is just as easily spread by vaccinated people,6,7 so both groups confer the same risk, c) outbreaks occur in populations where everyone is fully vaccinated,8 d) there are effective treatments if you do contract the infection,9 e) it’s virtually impossible to eradicate human respiratory viruses that have animal reservoirs, no matter what you do,10 f) discriminating based on vaccination status is no different than discriminating based on other medical conditions, g) it violates the very definition of freedom upon which this Constitutional Republic was built.

What Is Freedom?

What is the definition of freedom? Freedom is “the absence of necessity, coercion or constraint in choice or action; unrestricted use; the quality or state of being exempt from something onerous; privilege; liberation from restraint or from the power of another; independence.”11

If you cannot enter a grocery store without being vaccinated, are you free? If you cannot travel, even if you have the means to do so, are you free? If you cannot eat a meal at a restaurant, even if you can pay for it, are you free?

Some try to sell vaccine passports as something that will grant you these “privileges.” In other words, something that will grant you freedom. But you cannot give freedom by first taking all freedom away.

Freedom is an absence of necessity or coercion. So, a vaccine passport can by definition not grant you freedom because in getting the passport you had to first relinquish the freedom you had originally.

Your whole life, you’ve probably been allowed to go to restaurants, gyms, concerts and grocery stores at will. Right? That was freedom. Now, they’re taking away that basic freedom, saying you can “get it back” if you get the shot and carry proof of vaccination. That’s coercion, which is the opposite of freedom. You cannot give people freedom by first coercing them into give up freedom.

Are We in a Pandemic of the Unvaccinated?

According to the official narrative, we’re now in a “pandemic of the unvaccinated,” with 99% of COVID-19 deaths and 95% of COVID-related hospitalizations occurring among those who have not received the COVID jab. That, however, is absolute propaganda based on profoundly serious manipulation of old data.

To achieve those statistics, the CDC included hospitalization and mortality data from January through June 2021. It does not include more recent data or data related to the Delta variant, which is now the most prevalent strain in circulation. The problem is, the vast majority of the United States population was unvaccinated during that timeframe.

January 1, 2021, only 0.5% of the U.S. population had received a COVID shot. By mid-April, an estimated 31% had received one or more shots,12 and as of June 30, 46.9% were “fully vaccinated.”13 Keep in mind the CDC does not consider you “fully vaccinated” until two weeks after your second dose (in the case of Pfizer or Moderna), which is given six weeks after your first shot.

By using statistics from a time period when the U.S. as a whole was largely unvaccinated, the CDC is now claiming we’re in a “pandemic of the unvaccinated,” in an effort to demonize those who still have not agreed to receive this experimental injection.

When you look at more recent and emerging data, you can see an opposite trend. In Israel, data show half of all COVID-19 infections are now among the fully vaccinated,14 85% to 90% of COVID-related hospitalizations are among the fully vaccinated and the fully vaccinated also account for 95% of severely ill COVID-19 patients.15

In Scotland, official data on hospitalizations and deaths show 87% of those who have died from COVID-19 in the third wave that began in early July 2021 were vaccinated,16 and in the U.S., a CDC investigation of an outbreak in Massachusetts between July 6 through July 25, 2021, revealed 80% of COVID-related hospitalizations were among the fully vaccinated.17,18

The CDC also confirmed that fully vaccinated individuals who contract the infection have as high a viral load in their nasal passages as unvaccinated individuals who get infected, which proves there’s no difference between the two, in terms of being a transmission risk.19

So, again, if vaccination status has no bearing on the potential risk you pose to others, what do we need the passports for? They’re useless, as passengers on Carnival cruise lines recently experienced. There was an outbreak of COVID-19 onboard despite every last person having been “vaccinated.”20 The same thing happened onboard the fully vaccinated HMS Queen Elizabeth, a British Navy flagship.21

Unify for Freedom Under a Banner of Sanity

A couple of days ago, I published an article about mass psychosis,22 an epidemic of madness that occurs when a large portion of society loses touch with reality and descends into delusions.

The psychogenic steps that lead to madness include a panic phase, where the individual is repeatedly frightened and confused by events they cannot explain, followed by a phase of “psychotic insight,” where the individual explains their abnormal experience of the world by inventing an illogical but magical way of seeing reality that eases the panic and gives meaning to the experience.

The technocrats who created and maintain the pandemic narrative, worldwide, know all about how to induce mass psychosis, and what we’re experiencing is by far the biggest psychological operation mankind has ever been put through. They’re using all the known tricks, and it’s working beautifully.

If you’ve been able to see through their machinations, congratulations. The onus is now on you to help others free their minds, which is not an easy task. It’s not even easy to stay sane yourself. Contradictory reports, nonsensical recommendations and blatant lies are deployed intentionally, as it heightens confusion.

The more confused a population is, the greater the state of anxiety, which reduces people’s psychological resilience. As the ability to cope wanes, the greater the chances a mass psychosis will develop. Add isolation to that equation, and the susceptibility of psychosis is further heightened, as people lose contact with positive examples — people who act as role models of rational thinking and behavior.

Once a society is firmly in the grip of mass psychosis — and I believe we’re halfway there already — totalitarians are then free to take the last, decisive step: They can offer a return to order and safety. The price? Your freedom.

You must cede control of all aspects of your life to the rulers, because unless they are granted total control, they won’t be able to create the order and safety everyone craves. Already, we’re hearing this narrative. The creation of safety through forfeiture of freedom is what vaccine passports are all about.

Help Heal the Mass Psychosis

The good news is you can reverse the effects of mass psychosis, but it takes time, effort and patience. First, center yourself and live in such a way as to provide inspiration for others to follow. Next, share and spread the truth — the counternarrative to the propaganda — as far and wide as possible.

Because truth is always more potent than lies, the success of propaganda relies on the censoring of truth. Right now, online censorship and propaganda is off the charts, so you may have to get creative. One tactic is to use humor and ridicule to delegitimize the lies.

At the same time, create parallel structures — businesses, organizations, technologies, movements or creative pursuits — based on sane and rational principles currently lacking in the world around us.

Last but not least, to prevent the descent into totalitarian madness, sane and rational action must be taken by as many people as possible. The ruling technocracy do not sit around hoping and wishing to increase their power and control. No. They are actively taking steps to augment their position. To defend against them, we must be just as active and resolute in our counter-push toward freedom.

from article titled Joe Rogan on Breakthrough Cases and Vaccine Passports

Analysis by Dr. Joseph Mercola August 21, 2021

please note uncensored profanity!!

[g00by3]

hey so my current health teachers mental health cirriculum sucks (i cant spell) so i made a list of most mental health disorders w info on each one. i plan on sending it to her but first i wanna check: is there any edits i should make? is there any misinformation or things i left out? pls let me know!! (paper below the cut):

Mental Health Disorders

Mental health disorders are a range of disorders that alter one's way of thinking, functioning, moods, and behavior. These disorders are often stigmatized but education about definitions and breaking down common misconceptions can help break the stigma. Breaking the stigma can help individuals get help while struggling with any of these disorders.

Trigger Warning for in-depth discussion of mental illness

Depression

Depression is a mental health disorder characterized through constant feeling of sadness, hopelessness, and general loss of interest in hobbies. These feelings impact your day to day life.

Types of depression include:

Major Depression/MDD (Major Depressive Disorder)- The technical term used by health professionals to describe the most common form of depression.

Manic Depression [Bipolar Disorder]- Bipolar Disorder was previously known as manic depression, and the term manic depression is outdated. The term “Bipolar disorder” was released in the DMS-3.

Seasonal Depression/SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)- A mood disorder with a seasonal pattern. The cause is believed to be due to the variation of light exposure in different seasons. Depression in winter is the most common form of SAD.

Psychotic Depression- A disconnect from reality due to a depressive condition, which can involve hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, etc.

Anxiety

GAD or Generalized Anxiety Disorder is a disorder in which a person exhibits excessive anxiety most days, for at least 6 months, about a variety of things. This worrying impairs daily functioning. Anxiety can be related to a plethora of things such as health, social interactions, work/school, etc.

Types of anxiety include:

Panic Disorder- A type of anxiety disorder in which a person has recurring panic attacks. A panic attack are periods of extreme anxiety, often including increased heart rate, sweating, nausea, and other physical reactions.

Social Anxiety- Anxiety towards social or performance situations. People with social anxiety worry about how others will perceive them or their actions, which often causes them to avoid social situations.

Separation Anxiety Disorder- A disorder commonly seen in children (while still possible to occur in adulthood) in which an individual has anxiety about being separated from people they have an attachment towards.

PTSD

A type of anxiety disorder caused by experiencing, or witnessing a traumatic event. PTSD stands for “post-traumatic stress disorder.” In the World Wars it was known as “shell shock” and “combat fatigue” among the soldiers. Can be caused by a variety of things, such as war, death of a loved one, violence, abuse of any kind, natural disasters, car accidents, etc. Not everyone who goes through something traumatic develops PTSD though, as everyone’s brain works and processes things differently. PTSD includes symptoms of nightmares, flashbacks, body memories, etc.

C-PTSD or “Complex-PTSD” is a specific type of PTSD. This disorder occurs when trauma is long-lasting and repeating.

Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are a group of disorders characterized by severe and persistent disturbance in eating behaviors as a way to alter one’s weight and/or physical appearance.

Common types of eating disorders include:

Anorexia Nervosa- Individuals who struggle with this disorder often restrict their calorie or food intake, or carefully manage what they eat as a means to lose weight. Some people may also purge through the use of laxatives or self-induced vomiting, may over-exercise, and/or may binge eat. The distinction between “atypical” and “typical” anorexia is harmful and unnecessary as both are dangerous and cause the same amount of psychological as well as medical damage.

Bulimia Nervosa- A disorder in which an individual binge eats, or consumes large amounts of food in a short period of time, followed by purging.

BED (Binge-Eating Disorder)- A person with this disorder consumes large quantities of food in a small period of time, often to the point of discomfort, and experiences negative emotions in regards to it afterwards. These emotions include shame, guilt, or distress.

EDNOS (Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified)- When an individual meets many, but not all, of the diagnostic criteria of anorexia and bulimia.

DID

DID or Dissociative Identity Disorder is a disorder caused by repeated childhood trauma before the age of 7-9, which is when a child’s ego state is supposed to integrate but is unable to do so due to this disorder. It is described as the presence of two or more dissociative identities, or alters, with amnesia between them. People with this disorder are known as “systems” and alters are all individual identities. Previously known as MPD (Multiple Personality Disorder) until 1994, DID affects approximately 1% of the population worldwide.

OSDD (Otherwise Specified Dissociative Disorder), previously known as DDNOS (Dissociative Disorder Not Otherwise Specified) until the DSM-5’s release in 2013, is a disorder therapists may diagnosis when a patient experiences distressing dissociative symptoms that impair daily functioning, but don’t meet the full criteria for another dissociative disorder. OSDD-1 is a dissociative disorder that serves as a catch-all for individuals with symptoms that do not perfectly align with diagnostic criteria for another dissociative disorder.

The two types of OSDD-1 are:

OSDD-1a- A type of dissociative disorder in which alters are present but less distinguished and cannot “front” (take control of the body), but can passively influence one another. Amnesia is also present.

OSDD-1b- Distinct alters are present, can front, but there is no reported amnesia.

Other types of OSDD are:

OSDD-2- Derealization (feeling as though reality, or one’s surroundings aren’t real) without depersonalization (feeling disconnected from one’s body, thoughts, mind, memories, etc).

OSDD-3, OSDD-4, OSDD-5- Similar to DID symptoms, but due to brainwashing, dissociative trace, Ganser syndrome, etc.

OSDD-6- A dissociative disorder in which symptoms are unclear.

Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is a condition in which extreme mood swings with acute highs and drastic lows occur. This condition was known as manic depression until 1980. A manic episode is when a person with bipolar experiences increased euphoria, motivation, and hyperactivity, a decreased need for sleep, and oftentimes experiences feelings of being “godlike” or invincible. Manic episodes can also lead to impulsive behavior.

There are two types of bipolar disorder:

Bipolar I- At least one manic episode has occurred, with hypomanic and major depressive episodes occurring as well.

Bipolar II- At least one depressive episode and hypomanic episode. but a manic episode has never occurred.

OCD

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a disorder in which a person gets stuck in a pattern of obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are intrusive thoughts that trigger negative feelings that are intense and distressing. Compulsions are behaviors that a person with OCD partakes in to control these intrusive thoughts, or manage their distress. OCD is beyond just wanting to be clean or needing everything to be symmetrical- it is an exhausting disorder that negatively impacts one’s daily life.

ADHD

ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, and is characterized by symptoms of hyperactivity, difficulty paying attention, and impulsivity, all of which impact an individual negatively in two or more settings. ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) was a term used to describe individuals with symptoms of ADHD minus the hyperactivity, but as of the release of the DSM-5, it is an outdated term.

Body Dysmorphia

This is a mental health disorder in which a person fixates on a flaw in their appearance to the point where it is distressing and may cause a person to avoid social situations. Oftentimes this flaw seems minor, or even nonexistent to others, but to a person with body dysmorphia, it is anxiety-inducing.

Gender Dysphoria

Severe psychological distress due to an incongruence between one’s gender identity and their sex assigned at birth. Seen in lots of transgender individuals, but not all.

Psychotic Disorders

A kind of mental health disorder that impacts one’s mind and mode of thinking. These disorders often cause a disconnect from reality.

Types of psychotic disorders include:

Schizophrenia- A person with schizophrenia experiences changes in behavior, hallucinations, and delusions, all lasting longer than 6 months. These symptoms often affect the person in their daily life or relationships.

Schizoaffective Disorder- Symptoms of both schizophrenia and a mood disorder can be an indicator of schizoaffective disorder.

Delusional Disorder- A disorder in which an individual experiences a delusion (a belief that is held, but false) involving a real-life situation that isn’t true. Examples are: being followed, having a disease, and being plotted against. This delusion must be at least one month long. The five primary types of delusions are: mood or atmosphere, perception, memory, ideas, or awareness.

Personality Disorders

A personality disorder is a type of mental health disorder where an unhealthy pattern of thinking, functioning, and behaving occurs. This causes significant problems in an individual's life.

Types of personality disorders include:

BPD (Borderline Personality Disorder)- A mental health disorder with symptoms of: intense fear of abandonment, a pattern of unstable intense relationships, distorted sense of self/identity, dissociation, impulsive and risky behavior, suicidal threats or threats of self-harm, intense mood swings, inappropriate anger, and chronic emptiness.

ASPD (Antisocial Personality Disorder)- A disorder identified by patterns of disregarding or violating other’s emotions or wellbeing. A person with ASPD may not conform to societal norms, may lie or manipulate others, or act impulsively.

NPD (Narcissistic Personality Disorder)- A pattern of demands for admiration and/or a lack of empathy for others. A person with this personality disorder may view themselves as superior, expect to be worshipped or treated as above all else, or feel entitled to whatever their heart desires.

Avoidant Personality Disorder- A disorder characterized by being extremely shy, sensitivity to criticism, poor self-esteem, and feeling anxiety towards the way they are perceived.

OCPD (Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder)- Similar to OCD, as both have obsessions with rituals, habits, and cleanliness, but distinctly different. OCPD is a pattern of absorption in cleanliness, control, perfection, and schedules.

Paranoid Personality Disorder- A disorder in which a person is suspicious of others and their motives, seeing them as evil or bad. A person with this disorder may believe people are out to get them, or hurt them, or lie to them, and may avoid confiding in others due to this paranoia.

Histrionic Personality Disorder- A pattern of attention seeking and strong emotions. A person with this disorder will take extreme measures to be the center of attention, such as alter their appearance or act out.

Schizoid Personality Disorder- A pattern of detachment from social relationships, and difficulty expressing emotion. A person with schizoid personality disorder often chooses to be alone, and doesn’t care what others' views on them are.

Schizotypal Personality Disorder- People with this disorder have a pattern of being uncomfortable in close relationships. have distorted thinking, or eccentric behavior. They may behave in ways that seem strange or believe odd things.

Substance Use Disorder/Drug Addiction

Substance Use Disorder is a disease that impacts a person mentally and physically, and affects nearly 21 million Americans. Drug addiction happens when a person is unable to control their use of a drug due to a variety of reasons, despite the harm it causes.

Conduct Disorder

A serious disorder in which a child/teen displays a pattern of disruptive or violent behavior, and has trouble obeying rules.

SOURCES:

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/depression#types-of-depression

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders/

https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/ptsd/what-is-ptsd

https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-complex-ptsd-2797491

https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/eating-disorders/what-are-eating-disorders

https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/learn/by-eating-disorder/anorexia

https://www.healthline.com/health/bulimia-nervosa

https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/learn/by-eating-disorder/bed

https://www.dpt.nhs.uk/our-services/eating-disorders/what-is-an-eating-disorder/eating-disorder-symptoms/eating-disorder-not-otherwise-specified-ednos-symptoms

https://www.isst-d.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Fact-Sheet-IV-What-Are-the-Dissociative-Disorders_-1.pdf

https://www.healthyplace.com/abuse/dissociative-identity-disorder/dissociative-identity-disorder-did-statistics-and-facts

https://did-research.org/comorbid/dd/osdd_udd/did_osdd

https://plurality-dictionary.fandom.com/wiki/OSDD-1a

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Other_specified_dissociative_disorder

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bipolar-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20355955

https://iocdf.org/about-ocd/

https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/index.html

https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/diagnosis.html

https://www.understood.org/en/learning-thinking-differences/child-learning-disabilities/add-adhd/difference-between-add-adhd

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/body-dysmorphic-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20353938

https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/gender-dysphoria/what-is-gender-dysphoria

https://www.webmd.com/schizophrenia/guide/mental-health-psychotic-disorders

https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/delusions-types

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/personality-disorders/symptoms-causes/syc-20354463

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/borderline-personality-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20370237

https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/personality-disorders/what-are-personality-disorders

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/drug-addiction/symptoms-causes/syc-20365112

https://www.addictioncenter.com/addiction/addiction-statistics/

https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/mental-health-conduct-disorder

also damn if you read all of this, hope ur ok lol

i literally just wrote this for fun in four hrs bc im hyperfixating on researching mental health disorders rn.

[ymiwritesstuff]

My Dear Pet

OK SO.. Uhmm.. how should I explain this.. This is a ROLE REVERSAL AU and well.. just read. Maybe it’ll become clear.

Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure Part 1: Phantom Blood

Dio Brando x Fem!Reader

Summary: Upon arriving to the Joestar mansion with the intention of becoming a part of the family, your eyes immediately notice a certain blonde noble who catches your attention.

Notes: Role reversal AU, Spoilers for part 1, VERY suggestive themes and language

The carriage you are seated in comes to a stop when you finally reach your destination. Looking through the small window you can see the Joestar manor in all it’s glory. This “glorious” sight makes you scoff and you swing the door open, throwing your suitcase on the ground, which catches the attention of the two males in front of you. Under their curious gazes you gracefully jump out of the cramped wagon and land on the ground like an agile cat. Just a small action to prove your superiority.

When your sharp eyes fall on the blue haired boy -which you assume to be Jonathan Joestar-, he looks confused but quickly an expression of realization dawns on his face. “You’re (Name) (Surname), right?” A smug, self-assured grin appears across your lips. At least this noble brat has some manners. Even if he didn’t he’d soon know your name very well. “And you must be Jonathan Joestar,” you say, voice coated with a layer of false kindness. The sight of this pampered boy makes you disgusted. He has no idea how real life works.

“Everyone calls me Jojo. Nice to meet you,” Jonathan turns to the blond boy next to him, who wears an admittedly charming smile on his face. “This is Dio Brando, he’s a member of the Brando household.” The introduction awakened a certain curiosity in you. You had heard of the Brando family more than you had of the Joestars but knew how close the families were. Dio politely took one of your hands in his and gently kissed the back of it, an action which amused you greatly.

“A pleasure to meet you, Ms. (Surname). I hope you enjoy your time here.” The way his strangely sharp eyes looked at you twisted something inside you and made you even more curious about the boy in front of you. “I do believe the pleasure is all mine, Mr. Brando.” You flashed him a smirk which he immediately caught with his amber orbs. That smirk only grew when you noticed a faint wash of pink on his cheeks.

Jonathan’s highly obnoxious remarks of his dog you barely even looked at went unheard as your gaze remained on Dio. There was something.. Alluring about him. He didn’t radiate that same agitating noble boy’s energy as Jojo did, instead, he looked free in a way. The refreshing aura of freedom surrounded him and despite his sharp, cunning eyes the gaze within them was gentle and kind. It was as if he wasn’t meant to be a noble.

Your (E/C) eyes suddenly catch Jonathan’s dog running at you. A vicious snarl creeps on your face and with one swift movement, you mercilessly collide your knee with the snout of the animal. How dare Jonathan let his disgusting mutt get close to you? Danny lets out a whimper and falls to the ground, shaking from the pain. Serves him right. Both of the males gasp in shock and Jonathan is quick to defend his companion.

“What was that for?!” You respond to his pathetic attempt to defy you by glaring at him with eyes that are burning with increasing toxicity. So this was the heir to the Joestars? He was merely a pampered brat, undeserving of the fortune awaiting him. Your goals were absolute and you would not let this fool get in the way of your plans. You would succeed and your hunger for power would not be quenched and you would do anything to ensure your position as the true heir of the Joestars. No matter what.

~

Just as you expected, defeating Jonathan wasn’t going to be easy. However with the help of a few fake rumors and other lies you were able to destroy his chances with Erina and completely obliterate his friendship with Dio. Just a tiny bit of intimidation to make the girl keep her mouth shut and just a small false rumor about Dio stealing her first kiss was all it took. Jojo had no friends anymore and you were more than happy to serve as Dio’s source of comfort, all the while your true nature was hidden behind a facade. Of course Erina told Jonathan the truth but it was too late for the male to repair his friendship with Dio and was devastated to see him call you his beloved.

For all these years you had maintained your innocent sister’s act and you were finally approaching the end. Soon, your father would die due to a sudden illness that was actually caused by your scheme and the family fortune would finally be yours. However you were a fool to think that it would all go smoothly as your dear brother who had caught glimpses of your mischievous eyes and the feigning tone of your voice, found out about your plan to assassinate your father. And upon confronting you about it, his suspicions were proven correct and he set out to find the antidote for the poison.

Damn that Jonathan. You were so close. You had thought that the thugs on that merciless Ogre Street would’ve finally put an end to the nuisance known as Jojo, but just like a bothersome cockroach, he came back unscathed and with your true intentions revealed, was ready to send you behind bars. But luck was on your side and the moment the spikes of the stone mask pierced your skull, you  transcended humanity and obtained that inhuman power you didn’t even know you were longing for.

~

Your lips curl into a smirk that reveals the tiniest portion of your newly acquired fangs as your brainless servants bring yet another human to your lair. This time however, the mortal brought into your impressive throne room of the dark castle was someone you knew far too well. With a single wave of your clawed hand, you dismiss your servants, leaving you alone with the golden haired man.

“Dio.. What a surprise..” Your low, honeyed voice reaches his ears and he lifts his gaze to look at you, wearing an expression that is a mixture of confusion and -quite surprisingly-, fear. Judging by the condition he’s in; filled with bruises and cuts, bringing him here wasn’t an easy task and the thought of him being a feisty little pet amused you.

“(Name).. W-what is going on?” He looks around him, the unknown surroundings coating him in a layer of nervousness and uneasiness. You let out a playful yet highly sinister chuckle that makes every hair in Dio’s body stand up, his amber eyes locked on your new form. Your slow footsteps echo around the open room, your smirk never fading and your (E/C) feasting on the sight of your lover on his knees. He looked like a lost puppy that was begging for assistance.

“Why do you look so frightened, my dear? Does my new appearance intimidate you?” Once you’re in front of him, you lower yourself to his level and gently caress his face with your claws. Dio notices the sharp fangs in your mouth and immediately remembers the events that occurred moments before his capture.

Jonathan had come to him, frantically trying to warn him about you as he found out that you had managed to survive the fire and he didn’t listen. He couldn’t possibly believe such foul talk about his lover, but now understands exactly what his friend was referring to as the (E/C) eyed monster stared at him.

“He.. He tried to tell me.. Jojo-” His monologue is cut short by your hands grabbing a fistful of his hair and tilting his head back. The sight of his exposed neck excites you, however you must resist the urge to taste his delicious blood for just a bit longer.

“Do not mention that name whilst in my presence..” Jonathan had interfered with your plans far too many times and the mere mention of his name was enough to make you want to rip apart the person who dared to let that name slip. However with Dio, it was different. He had shown undying love and devotion to you and it would be a shame if you lost that devotion. However this didn’t mean that your pet’s miscalculation would go unpunished.

“My dear, Dio..” You gently run your hand across his cheek, the other still keeping a firm grip on his soft locks. “You still love me, don’t you? After everything I’ve done for you..” You say, referring to the time when you comforted him about losing his friend which you caused, trying to manipulate him. It didn’t matter what he thought, though. He wasn’t going to escape. You had grown far too attached to the attractive golden haired man and you wouldn’t let him go.

You press your lips against him and notice him kissing you back, which makes you somewhat delighted. However you weren’t stupid and as soon as Dio tries to push you to the ground in an attempt to overpower you and possibly increase his chances of escape, you deny his attempt and he is the one who ends up on the ground, your form hovering above his. Your pet was misbehaving. Adorable.

“Let me make something very clear, my darling..” Your lips find their way dangerously close to his ear as you hold him in place. Under normal circumstances this wouldn’t have been possible but thanks to your new abilities, you were able to physically overpower even someone like Dio. Your hand runs along his chest, gently tracing the flesh under his shirt.

“You belong to me now.. There’s nothing you can do..” Your light touches make Dio’s heart pound faster and something that to you sounds like a moan escapes his lips. You take this as an early sign of submission and look at him with an intense gaze. “Now be a good boy and do as I say and I might heal your wounds..” Your cold hand caresses his face again, however you’re still unsatisfied with the gaze he gives you, as it lacks the submission you were looking for.

Your claws move to his neck and you break the skin, causing the man below you to groan in pain an discomfort. “Who do you belong to, Dio?” You inquire, refusing to stop until those words leave his mouth. He pants and gasps, realizing that there’s no stopping you unless he bends to your will.

“Y-you.. I.. I b-belong.. To you..” He finally says and you retreat your hand from his neck, licking the tiny drops of blood left in your digits. With an amused hum you lower your face to his and kiss him again, savoring the delicious taste of his blood. Dio feels his wounds healing, but knows that any attempt to escape or resist you would only result in more of them. He hates how much he’s enjoying what you’re doing to him.

And you know exactly how much he enjoys your touch and presence when he whimpers and melts under your dangerous touch. You were going to have so much fun with your pet.