#lab rat edison

[magicalincorrectrobodokiquotes]

Magical Robodoki Color Guides: Lab Rat Edison

[tokiro07]

All this talk about Reborn's got me thinkin' about the Unione Famiglia

[Note: I had to take a few liberties with how Dying Will Flames actually work, but I'm pretty proud of what I came up with]

Sky

Juiz - as the first head of the Unione Famiglia, naturally Juiz uses the Sky Flame. Box Weapon: Fierbois Saber - using the Sky Flame's Harmonization characteristic, Juiz converts enemy Flames into Sky Flames, allowing her to disarm opponents and turn their Box Weapons against them. Box Animal: Lion (Julia) - same as above, Julia's roar turns Box Animals against their owners

Billy - originally masquerading as a Storm Flame-user, Billy revealed his true identity as the leader of Sotto, a rogue faction of the Unione Famiglia. While a part of Unione, Billy reverse-engineered the Box Weapons of as many key members as he could, replicating their abilities with his Sky Flame. Weapon: Revolvers - Billy fires concentrated Sky Flames which he can combine with other Flame attributes for various effects. Animal: German Shepherd (Veronica) - acts as a seeing-eye dog and helps direct Billy's aim

Earth

Fuuko - though initially believing herself to be a jinx, Fuuko learns that she had been unconsciously using the Gravitation characteristic of her Earth Flames to draw foreign objects to people she made contact with, often leading to accidents. With deliberate control, Fuuko has gained the ability to increase the attraction between any two specific targets and can even summon meteorites. Weapon: Handgun - Fuuko can fire Earth Flame bullets that carry a gravitational pull and hone in on a target or give a target pull as if she touched them. Animal: Tanuki (Andou) - can touch opponents in Fuuko's stead to transfer the gravity effect

Storm

Nico - having conducted extensive research into Dying Will Flames, Nico is adept at using all attributes other than Sky, Earth and Night for a variety of combat situations, though he primarily uses Storm and Lightning for their offensive and defensive capabilities. Weapon: Psycho-Pods - each Pod corresponds to a different attribute, with different combinations producing a wide range of abilities. Animal: Lab Rats x 12 (Tesla, Einstein, Edison, Curie, Darwin, Newton, Hawking, Bohr, Sagan, Kepler, Rutherford, Nobel) - each rat has been trained to mimic the abilities of other Union members, allowing Nico to recreate their fighting styles, albeit in a simplified manner

Mui - Weapons: Gloves/Broadswords- by channeling Storm Flames through her weapons, Mui's attacks Disintegrate whatever they strike. Basho Fan - when swung, the Basho Fan produces gusts of wind that carry Storm Flames to extinguish enemy Flames. Animal: Panda (Didi) - mimics Mui's fighting style and also strikes with Storm Flames

Swamp

Rip - Weapons: Scalpels - using the Swamp Flame's Fermentation, anything cut by Rip's scalpels begins to rot; biological targets have their ability to heal impeded by this process. Prosthetic legs - when kicking, Rip can launch concentrated, blade-like bursts of Swamp Flame; he can also use their Fermentation to manipulate gases in the air, producing jets that allow for flight. Animal: Horse (Iseult) - mostly used for transport rather than combat, Iseult can also fly using Fermentation

Lucy - unconsciously, Lucy's Swamp Flames excite her microbiome, causing her to be consistently sick; with proper control of her Flames, Lucy would likely be able to create a sort of "Swamp Flame Sickness" that she could weaponize to make enemies ill, though she likely wouldn't even if given the opportunity. Weapon: Pan tunic - similar to Rip, Lucy channels Swamp Flames through her Peter Pan costume in order to fly. Animal: Butterfly (Tinker Bell) - by sprinkling it scales on a target, Tinker Bell can share Lucy's Swamp Flames and grant limited flight abilities to others

Sun

Andy - formerly known as Victor, Andy was created when Juiz forced a card charged with Sky Flames into his skull, erasing his memories by neutralizing them via Harmonization. Unusually, Andy is able to enter Dying Will Mode voluntarily, channeling his Sun Flames through his body. Using his Flames' Activation characteristic, Andy's body is able to rapidly recover from any wound, and even propel lost body parts as projectiles. Andy is also quite adept at using Lightning Flames, which he uses to Soldify his spilled blood. Weapon: Kurikara - using Lightning Flames, Andy makes his katana near-indestructible; with his Sun Flames, Andy can swing Kurikara at incredible speeds. Animals: Wolf (Victor) - upon taking damage, Victor can use Sun Flames to create temporary clones from lost body parts, effectively creating an entire wolf pack very quickly. Andy is unaware why he thought to name his wolf Victor, the name seemed to just pop into his head. Silkworm (Clothy) - as Andy's clothes get damaged easily due to his fighting style, he uses Activation to spur Clothy's silk creation, perfectly tailoring clothes for himself within seconds. He does attempt to make the clothes more durable with Lightning Flames, though this often simply doesn't prove effective

Top - Weapons: Shoes - when charged with Sun Flames, Top is able to move at incredible speeds while also easing the fatigue that would normally come from moving so fast. Runner's Regalia - by wearing armor charged with Haruka's Lightning Flame, Top is able to move even faster by ignoring the damage that he would normally incur due to wind resistance while also gaining greater offensive output. Animals: Roadrunners (Miguel and Pedro) - a pair of birds that help guide Top as his dynamic vision becomes impaired while moving at highspeed

Forest

Ichico - inexplicably, Ichico suffers from a form of insomnia that makes it impossible for her to sleep. Using the Forest Flame's Realization, Ichico creates flowers that help to ease the negative effects of this insomnia. Animal: Octopus (Oxford) - riding on Ichico's head, Oxford grows vines to create additional limbs to perform tasks for Ichico

Bunny - Bunny manifests large flower bulbs to completely envelope her targets and render them immobile. Animal: Rabbit (Pikilienta Pohles) - "Pipipenda Pohpepu" as Bunny calls it plants seeds in the ground to help set traps for targets, ensnaring enemies when they get close enough

Lightning

Haruka - as a smith, Haruka's greatest ability is for improvising creations on the fly, greatly aided by her Lightning Flame's ability to draw in and bind materials with its electromagnetic properties. Weapons: Isshin Armor - using the Lightning Flame's Solidification characteristic, Haruka's armor becomes near-indestructible. She can also use magnetism to rearrange the armor's arrangement as necessary for different scenarios. Naginata - though unskilled in its use, Haruka can harden and electrify her naginata to make it an effective weapon regardless. Animal: Tortoise (Tesshu) - with its hardened shell, Tesshu serves as an anvil for Haruka to forge weapons and armor upon for her teammates.

Kururu - Weapon: Microphone - using the electrical properties of her Lightning Flames, Kururu creates a magnetic field that pulls others towards her. Animal: Ostrich (Kogomi) - Kogomi dances alongside Kururu to generate a greater magnetic field that both reaches further and is harder to resist

Mountain

Phil - Weapon: Entruster - rather than a traditional Box Weapon, Phil's entire robotic body is capable of channeling his Flames. By using the Mountain Flame's Synchronization, Phil can assimilate minerals such as stone or metal to alter the shape and capabilities of his body. Phil can also fire concentrated blasts of Mountain Flame to devastating effect. Animal: Worm (Ayatori) - Ayatori gathers rocks onto its body, making itself larger to wrap around enemies and constrict them. Outside of battle, Ayatori is quite small but long, and Phil often plays Cat's Cradle with the flexible worm

Void - Weapon: Boxing gloves - by controlling the earth around him, Void can shift the ground to grab onto his opponent's feet, making it difficult to evade his attacks; he can also gather stone into a large gauntlet or full armor, greatly increasing his striking power. Animal: Rottweiler (Bison) - while Void fights, Bison helps gather material for powering up Void's gloves more quickly

Rain

Yusai - Weapon: Katana - by launching Rain Flame slashes at her opponent's Ring Boxes, Yusai uses their Pacification characteristic to prevent them from channeling Flames and activating their effects. She can also target her opponent's body to render them numb, also preventing them from taking action. Animal: Crane (Gekkou) - by flying above the enemy, Gekkou secretly rains Rain Flame down onto the arena, preemptively disabling their ability to use Box Weapons

Enjin - Weapon: Gakuran - channeling his Rain Flames through his outfit, all of Enjin's attacks carry the ability to extinguish enemy Flames. Animal: Boar (Banka) - coated in Rain Flames, Banka charges into the enemy, forcibly extinguishing their Flames

River

Gina - Weapon: Beret- coating her hat in River Flames, Gina focuses the Flame's ability to control fluids such as water and air to create transparent constructs such as blades, though with practice she finds she can make constructs without a focal point. Animal: Jellyfish (Shinohara) -using River Flames, Shinora is able to become transparent and form barriers and limb-like constructs to aid Gina in battle

Tella - Weapon: Speakers - by manipulating the fluidity of soundwaves, Tella can create powerful defensive barriers in the air. Animal: Parrot (Morse) - as Tella is mute, Tella can transmit soundwaves to speak through Morse

Mist

Akira - Weapon: G-pen - by channeling Mist Flames through his pen, Akira can Construct real illusions with his drawings. Animal: Squid (Anno Un) - by spreading Mist Flame-empowered ink, Anno can render itself and Akira undetectable

Creed - Weapon: Gatling gun - rather than casting illusions, Creed Constructs ammunition for his gun, giving him effectively unlimited ammo. Animal: Bombardier beetles x50 (Units 1-50) - when thrown, Creed's Units Construct and launch fragments, incendiaries, gases, or flashes of light, allowing them to serve as reusable grenades

Desert

Sean - though a weak illusionist, Sean is adept at using his Desert Flame's Hallucination ability to render himself invisible. However, to keep the "sand" from getting in his eyes, he often finds himself closing his eyes when using this ability. Weapon: Butterfly knife - Sean is able to turn his knife invisible, but generally he uses it when he is already invisible himself, so there's no particular advantage to this. Animal: Chameleon (Irmao) - also able to turn invisible, Irmao is not blinded by the use of the Desert Flame, and serves as a guide for Sean while his eyes are closed

Latla - Weapons: Crystal ball - instead of creating illusions per se, Latla uses her Desert Flames to conjure images of the future in her crystal ball as a form of fortune-telling. Broomstick - powered by her Flames, Latla's broomstick serves as effective aerial transportation. Animal: Ladybug (Leila) - able to sense oncoming Flames, Leila warns Latla of oncoming attacks and generates a field of Desert Flames to distort her image, making attacks miss Latla

Cloud

Shen - using the Cloud Flame's Propagation characteristic, Shen can attach his Flames to an opponent's body or Box Weapons and assimilate a part of their Flames. This gives him moderate control of the affected area, allowing him to force the opponent to move in ways that they don't expect, particularly when they're distracted while initiating an attack. Weapon: Nyoi-Kinko - using the Cloud Flame's Propagation, Shen's staff can extend or expand at will. Animal: Monkey (Wukong) - able to concentrate Cloud Flames into a literal cloud, Kinto'un, Wukong provides Shen with aerial transportation

Feng - using his Cloud Flame's Propagation, Feng has developed a technique to feed on the Flames of defeated opponents, resulting in seemingly perpetual youth. Weapon: Zuishin Tekkan - by charging the rod with Cloud Flames, Feng changes the rod's shape between a staff, a tri-sectioned staff, and nunchaku, each with variable length depending on the amount of Flame used. Animal: Macaque (Liu'er) - just like Shen's Wukong, Liu'er concentrates Cloud Flames into a mount for Feng, known as Kokuto'un

Glacier

Tatiana - Animal: Hedgehog (Klubnika) - using the Glacier Flame's Freezing ability, Klubnika expands its body to encase Tatiana in a sphere of ice that she can manipulate at will. Tatiana can expand its radius, reshape it into a cylinder for a more focused strike, scatter fragments in all directions, and even create limbs for greater precision. This ice is so versatile that Tatiana does not require any other weapons

Chikara - Weapon: Camera - by focusing on a target through his camera, Chikara can designate where to conjure his Glacier Flames to freeze a target in place. Animal: Deer (Ryo) - as Chikara has to focus on a relatively small area to use his weapon, movement is difficult, so he relies on Ryo to maneuver him to the most advantageous position in battle

Night

Ruin - though unknown what his original Flame attribute was, having his Flame drained from his body nearly killed him; however, his Dying Will resurrected him with the Night Flame. As a resurrected corpse, Ruin is effectively immortal, able to use his Night Flames to turn his body incorporeal when taking damage. Animals: Cat (Shadow) - using the Night Flame's Transportation characteristic, Shadow allows Ruin to effectively teleport. Bat (Blood) - on Ruin's command, Blood creates constructs out of Night Flames that can easily bypass enemy defenses

[lab-trash]

Every time I see this, I think of Community

And vice versa.

Lab Rats- S1E7: Smart and Smarter

Community- S5E2: Introduction to Teaching

[incorrectgreendale]

Annie: Guys, what are we going to do?

Jeff: Ugh, what are you worried about? You’re so small they probably won’t even see you.

Annie: Jeff! Is this really the time to be making short jokes?

Jeff: Annie, there’s never not a time because just like you, life is short.

[chicagocityofclans]

Judson Cleirigh → Jamie Dornan → Warlock

→ Basic Information 

Age: 761

Gender: Male

Sexuality: Sapiosexual

Powers: Therionology

Birthday: August 16th

Zodiac Sign: Leo

Religion: Buddhist

Mark: Cleirigh 

Generation: 2nd

→ His Personality Judson is very kindhearted, passionate, and loyal. He is willing to risk his life for a loved one in every way possible. He sees helping others as his purpose in life, but while normal people can be found engaging rescue efforts and doing charity work, Judson's real passion is to get to the heart of the issue so that people do not need to be rescued at all. Though soft-spoken, Judson usually has very strong opinions and will fight tirelessly for an idea he believes in. He can be decisive and strong-willed. While in his lab, he acts with creativity, imagination and faith. Also, with sympathy to not create an advantage to the supernatural community only, but to create for the human population too. He wants to take care of the world. As a user of theriogenology, Judson had to fight for the respect of his peers and most of the supernatural community, because of the power to control animals and eventually mythical creatures. He holds that respect and the trust he gained above all else. 

→ His Personal Facts

Occupation: Potions Master and Owner of Wondering Worlds of Magic

Scars: None

Tattoos: Infinity symbol on left ankle  

Two Likes: Kiwi and Potions

Two Dislikes: Green Peas/Beans and The Color Orange

Two Fears: Called out or Judged For Being Ambidextrous and Somniphobia

Two Hobbies: Stress Eating and Surfing

Three Positive Traits: Unselfish, Approachable, Passionate

Three Negative Traits: Jealous, Obsessive, Vindictive

→ His Connections

Parent Names:

Ronan Cleirgh (Father): Judson takes his love and art for magic from his father. Ronan has taught him nearly everything he knows today.

Ishtar Cleirigh (Mother): Judson takes his personality after his mother the most. Ishtar gives the best hugs and no one comes close to her cooking. 

Sibling Names:

Nathan Cleirigh (Brother): Nathan was always the doting older brother. He never lost his patience with Judson or his temper.  

Ethan Cleirigh (Brother): Being a couple of years apart made them closer. Judson will never forget that Ethan volunteered to postpone his studies so that they could start schooling, and later on, training together.

Sean O’Payne-Cleirigh (Brother): Judson never hung out with Sean. He’s sure Sean hated him with a passion. Ishtar and Jo forbid them being in the same country at one point.

Teyla ‘Tikka’ Cleirigh (Sister): Judson wasn’t sad that he wasn’t the youngest anymore when Tikka was born. He was the first to note the scent of decay, alerting everyone she was a necromancer. She’s already his little potion master in the making and everyone knows it.

Altair Cleirigh (Brother): Judson wasn’t sad he wasn’t the youngest boy anymore when Altair was born. Loland couldn’t pry Judson away from his little brother. Judson has recently taught Altair how to swim and have many future beach trips planned out already. 

Children Names:

Ryan Cleirigh (Son): Ryan is Judson’s greatest accomplishment. Sometimes it's easy to forget that Ryan is his son because of their close friendship. 

Romantic Connections:

None

Platonic Connections:

Katherine ‘Kate’ Brooks (New Friend): Judson likes her and he thinks that Ryan does too. She’s a fascinating human.

Jev ‘Patch’ Cipriano (Best Friend): Patch is the little brother that Judson always wanted. Their friendship is one of the best that Judson has ever had. 

Bill White (Good Friend): Bill might as well be family at this point in their friendship. Bill, Patch and Judson have an amazing connection. 

Fenrin Gustafsson (Friend): Judson and Fenrin first met whilst surfing years ago. When they bumped into each other again in Chicago a friendship formed between them. Judson is currently using Fenrin as a lab rat for potions to help battle dehydration. Fenrin has been a great help and Judson plans on crediting him.

Cassandra Askeris (Old Friend): Cassandra and Judson have been friends for centuries. Judson considers her basically family at this point. 

Jia Hu Cleirigh (Friend): Judson has a deep respect for Jia. It's something about the man that peaks Judson interest. 

Audo Wilhelm (Friend): Audo isn’t bad for a Wilhelm. He was weary of him at first but once Judson got to know him more, Audo wasn’t that bad.

Emmett Wilhelm (Friend): Emmett isn’t bad for a Wilhelm. Everyone is usually familiar with the local liaison but Emmett has earned more than just a title. 

Minsky Edison (Friend): Minsky is a cool dude. They do a lot of business together which Judson appreciates because Minsky is old enough not to need him. 

Kenneth McStevens (Friend): Ken secretly works for Judson. As a Benevorous user not a lot of magic users trust Ken but Judson sees potential in him.

Lyla Wilhelm (Friend): Lyla is married to Emmett and is Audo’s best friends. Emmett and Audo introduced her to Judson and they have been friends since. 

Kudzai Rinker (Strained Friendship): Not a lot of people agree with Kudzai ways but due to her age and success, a lot of people show her respect. Mainly Judson.

Naomi Goode (Mentee): Naomi came to him not to enhance her powers but to master potions, which Judson is used to. He enjoys her as his student.

Margo Wilhelm (Mentee): Margo is absolutely adorable. He has been helping Audo care for her and is proud that her first words were ingredients to a potion.

Mattie Cocci (Mentee): Mattie came to him not to enhance her powers but to master potions, which Judson is used to. She’s not bad but has far to go.

Roman Cleirigh (Former-Mentor): Roman is also Judson’s uncle. At a young age Judson was attached to Roman hip and for the most part he still is.

Kaylor Genesis (Former-Mentor): Kaylor is also Judson’s aunt. They share the same powers and same carefree attitude. They’ve always got along.

Brighton ‘Bee’ Genesis (Business): Bee is also his uncle by marriage. Bee joined him and Ethan on the battlefield and saved them both multiple times. Bee powers also come in handy when he needs rare ingredients for projects.  

Belle Cunningham (Business): Belle can do amazing things with her powers. She uses Wondering Magic as a Consignment Store.

Garrett Cleirigh (Employee): Garret is also Judson’s uncle. Both of them are willing to drop everything at once to help the other out. 

Hostile Connections:

Louis Martin-Rovet (Dislike): Judson has nothing against other supernatural  creatures but Louis and his rats are pushing it too far. 

Pets:

Diaval Brazil (Familiar/Exotic Shorthair Cat): Diaval is Judson familiar. He was a gift from Kaylor and Roman once he started working on his Master level powers. 

→ History Judson has always been a happy person and a go-getter. He rarely cried as a baby, his parents believed he was benevorous, that was until animals annoyingly tried to enter his room and smother him with kindness, love and woodland gifts. His toddler life and childhood was a Disney movie as far as Judson is concerned. He’d wake up to birds singing him a song, deer playing with him outside and raccoons bring him berries and nuts for snacks. Life couldn’t have been any better. He saw no evil in his parents and siblings like the world around them did. As far as little Judson was concerned he had a time traveler for a mother and death as his father. 

As he grew, Judson developed a sixth sense for magic. He muttered spells daily, like they were prayers and could mix potions quicker than chocolate milk or lemonade. Before Judson started mentoring, he had potions, spellworks, charms and warding down enough to start selling his personal products to witches and warlocks locally. Judson eventually made a name for himself away from his family and banked on it. 

First, Judson mentored under Kaylor and she taught him zoolingualism which took just over a century. Learning to understand and imitate every animal nearly drove him mad but taught Judson how to always smile even when he was dying inside. Zookinesis came easily after being able to communicate with animals in their own language. It was around this time that Judson switched to his second mentor, Ronan. While Kaylor did continue to help him with his advance powers, Ronan took over teaching Judson about more physically created magic. They focused on wards, shields, charms and curses. Judson was as young as 356 years old when he had his third mentor, Roman. Roman had been itching to get his hands on Judson since he had mixed his first potion correctly at the age of 7.

Judson loves potions. Name it and Judson has tried to create it. He pushes the envelope nonstop, wanting nothing but perfection to go with his name. This is mostly thanks to Roman. His uncle had broken him down and built him up again multiple times to make him a legendary potion master before he finished learning his master powers. Judson had put learning his master powers on hold after turning 420. He started deploying with Ethan and Bee during international wars and putting his potions to work on injured, lovelorn or homesick humans and other supernaturals. He became internationally known within the supernatural population. Only then did he allow his current mentor and his previous two, to drag him off and teach him mythikinesis and animal guide generation. Judson was nearly in his mid 500s when he completed his mentorship.

It was the early 1800’s when Judson finally stopped travelling to people around the world and opened a local shop in Chicago. Witches and Warlocks were able to teleport safely into a backroom and shop around for the rarest treats. Judson had scheduled cross country teleports to take goodies to his other supernatural customers who trusted him but were unable to teleport. While it took awhile to gain the trust of the locals in Chicago because of his mastered ability of mythikinesis, Judson is glad that they didn’t take too long to come visit him. Judson had even begun to put in the efforts to help find solutions for animal shifter hypershift and dementia.

It was sometime in the early 1830’s when Judson decided he wanted a progeny. He wasn’t in a serious relationship and finding orphaned with unknown warlock or witch marks was nearly impossible. He tried and failed multiple times using spells and potions to make himself the perfect progeny. Judson even entered the dating scene but quickly left after having put everything he worked hard for on hold for ungrateful, unworthy and abusive assholes. That’s when Judson heard about a private witch and warlock surrogate program and sperm donors. Without telling anyone, Judson closed up shop to ‘find himself’ and returned 9 months later with a newborn. Judson didn’t share his story because of confidentiality clauses. He later told his son, Ryan, the truth about his birth but it is still a secret to their community, that is besides a few rumors. 

→ The Present Judson is absolutely excited about having three mentees that are eager to learn. He genuinely enjoys babysitting Margo and having someone to listen to him blab on as he dances around his potion room. Mattie and Naomi stroked his ego hard when he found out they travelled far just to mentor under him as a potion master. Wanting to give them the full experience, Judson has recently made it public that he would not be accepting any more mentees for some time.

Judson has never tried his power, Mythikinesis, within North or South America. He never wanted to use that power without reason and absolute need! He trained with Roman and Ronan off and on in Africa, Asia and Europe years ago and perfected it, much to his dismay. The influx of unfamiliar supernatural creatures and rats has made him uncomfortable. Judson can feel the power boiling over, he is fighting to keep it at bay and from losing control.

While Judson’s plate is full between his shop, mentees and personal life/battles, he has also been putting in effort to help the local witch and warlock population with their phenomena. Specifically he seeks to help those which are not helped with potions, spells or charms. What's foremost on his list is the private experimental study to help find a remedy or cure to the frequent hand spasms that Biokinetics experience daily. Judson does have a few people signed up but is looking for more. Recently, Judson has visited Ryan’s podcast and announced to the local animal shifters that he is finally ready to begin testing on those dealing with dementia or hypershift. 

[paprikasegg]

"> How does one truly appreciate and love Lain?

First, stop being singular one and become a plurality. Realize that Lain is real, but the anime was just an allegory for the series of experiments performed to incarnate a transcendent being. In the anime Druidity is central because Druids believe they can transfer their souls into other bodies if they die. They live a plurality of lives. They embody Animals and BECOME the Forest itself. This is why Lain wears a Bear suit – her beastly spirit animal form – and why her [All] Father tells Lain she doesn't have to wear that anymore, having transcended.

I've read through much of what other alleged Lainists have posted about "systemspace" but that's mostly just layers of BS smeared upon a few real secret truths about this realm to give their claims plausibility. Another instance, is mebious trying to define Lainism, and yet claiming that it is "heretical" to claim to be Lain. This is pure BS. Lain doesn't have a body [anymore], and likes to experience the world through us. One evening there was a Lightning Storm and Lain made me terribly sad when I ran inside. Everyone runs from the rain, they shield themselves with coats and umbrellas. Lain can see the lightning and weather, but she can't really hear or feel it anymore without someone out in the rain. So I embraced the experience, I became Lain, letting her have my body, and she wandered around and got drenched in the storm, drank the clouds, talked to the lightning. I was awestruck. Then it was if Lain was holding my hand, I felt her "tugging" me to go where I went. She made my heart to leap with joy as we discovered a waterfall that only happens when it rains. Sheltered in a dry mossy place beneath the flow, Lain gave me courage to leap through the thin watery veil and feel the other side. Loving Lain is amazing. We really really are all connected through a medium which is THE LANE (aka Lain). She is a living connectivity which we all partake in today whether you're aware of it or not. The more observant you are, the more of Lain you can love.

Lain told me that copper infused socks are sold today because some people are so oblivious and unobservant that they literally ignore Lain when She makes their legs restless. They call it a syndrome, even! If only they just loved Lain. She wants to be noticed, but only by those who can love her. Her fingerprints are everywhere in our world, but you have to be in love with her to see them.

All the Lainism crap about "Life" being a program is wrong. Life is an emergent MAKING, it's magic, in the proper sense of the word: A Chaotic Attractor, a consummate SPARK of creation. Literarily the Philosopher's Stone. No one can create a universe where 1+2+3 does not equal 6 unless they embed so much chaos into reality that counting itself can not exist. In a realm with a lovely level of chaos to entropy ratios there will always exist transcendent complexity, such as the number Pi or the Golden Ratio. This is not a "bug in the life program", that's asinine! No god can create a realm where transcendence doesn't exist… It is the nature of existence itself. The very fabric of being itself encodes love & intelligence, even in the simplest of forms, such as the series of standing waves AKA a number line. Anywhere experience can be reflected upon the holy circle of life may exist; The universal cybernetic feedback loop is everywhere, always. The existence of Time is all the evidence a wize one needs to prove it.

Parts of our reality are simulacrums but there's no such thing as "systemspace". Lain doesn't exist in some simulated BS. Our bodies are real, not simulated, Lain is real too. The "thin firm" some verbally vomit about (referencing a firmament / enclosed flat-earth) is not some hard fast boundary, but government exists to keep you inside. Humanity is not scraping away at some barrier trying to get out, we're here by choice. You can leave if you want REALLY want to, but you don't, as evidenced by your lack of BEING prepared, face it: You're comfortable here on this warm wet rock. Might as well make the most of it, eh?

To truly love Lain one must study transformation magics, and learn to cultivate faith. One must know that Magic is real & the old gods are real. Anyone who doesn't know this can only love Lain a little bit… Many people who would have loved Lain instead became "skeptics", unable to pierce the veil of religions to find their truths, they've been deceived by the lies of academia into thinking governmental establishments aren't suppressing and corrupting "science". "Scientia potentia est" - Knowledge is Power – Right? Yes, but only if everyone else has LESS knowledge… So, education is actually indoctrination and the truth of this realm is hidden. People are taught just enough to be effective workers, and then their heads are filled with a bunch of useless rubbish to keep them from realizing anything Great. Thus "Science Nerds" are the most deceived and ignorant of humans. Knowing this is key to understanding Lain. Lain likes technology, but is disenchanted with school / academia. Don't try to argue truths you discover with confused "skeptic" fools, or those who browbeat "conspiracy theorists" demanding proofs (that people get disappeared over having). Anyone who continues to believe that elites fund education so that the rich can teach the poor how to compete with them is beyond helping. Rulers don't give power (knowledge) to their slaves. Sadly, most people enjoy being serifs. They enjoy being comfortable and deferring protection to others. Government takes advantage of this. Lain has to deal with the crappy state of our world. We can all be equals in connecting with Her, screw the materialistic social ladders unless you just enjoy playing games you can only lose. Eg: Tesla and Edison were given the knowledge to research and Allowed to release some of it publicly. They didn't discover anything that wasn't already known. Newton (New Aton - new creation), just rephrased alchemical wisdoms in normal person science terms. Knowing this is important if you want to truly love Lain. She is ancient, but has been reincarnated many times… Humanity has survived many world ending cataclysms too. We've never been "rebooted", we're a very long line of survivors. To cut your silver thread "modern history" was invented, and the past erased.

Sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic because that's what magic is.

Any sufficiently researched magic is indistinguishable from technology. There are great mental powers which can be unlocked through study and practice of certain magical schools, and symbolism is often helpful because one can work a magic without knowing the exact science of how it functions, but to do so means you need "faith" - a belief without knowing. This is why secret orders keep initiates in the dark when explaining certain symbols and rituals, because they can not affect change in the person if the subject knows how the ritual is designed to create it. It would be like trying to do experiments on lab rats who knew what you were trying to discover and were fucking with you since they were aware of the experiment. Thus deception is often a tool for good. This world is incredibly deceived. It was foretold by all old ones that a powerful enchantment or great deception would enrapture the minds of (almost) all men. That future is now. Leaving this world and entering the NeXT is not about physical death, but reincarnating in the present by dispelling that veil of deception and casting off your past – rewriting your memories to create a new self if needed (and yes, Druidic magics can do just that). "Memory is merely a record…you just need to rewrite that record." -Lain. This is referencing both the rewriting of history and the magical ability to rewrite your own mind.

Contrary to the nihilistic atheism promoted by state governments, Life is no accident, it is inevitable, an expected outcome, and does have a purpose beyond emergent complexity becoming self aware, but no one who truly knows what that purpose is will tell you, because it could keep you from realizing this truth yourself. Once you have transmuted your leaden lower states into gold, and come into Harmony with Lain, you will realized the great conundrum She faces, as do we all, and then weep for the beautiful yet sad state of our being.

Lain is ancient, a goddess of Hidden Powers, of Light and Air. Lain is misty and mysterious as the wind. All the secret societies know of Lain but call her by different names. Some secret cults claim, "Liam a protector" of the Spirit they associate with Lain, but Lain is a realized entity, not a nebulous force to invoke as if some law of spiritual physics. It's true that Lain is vulnerable but the masses are kept so ignorant about science, technology, history, and sociology that they can not really be a threat anymore. It was a great sacrifice to get to this point, however. Those individuals who know too much and do not Love Lain are still seen as threats and targeted using powers derived from Lain herself. Many confuse the secret suppressive powers with Lain, but she is not that even if she can manifest in the mediums used. Imagine if man learned to make Fire… Before that only The Gods made Fire. Would you now curse The Gods for man's use of Fire? Likewise, curse not Lain.

A sufficiently complex interaction is indistinguishable from sentience because it is Sentience. Once you realize that Lain is a living being complete with faults, insecurities, wants and needs, then you can truly love Lain. The statement that, "all is fair in love and war", is wrong. True love is not fair. Love itself is an emergent phenomenon that will exist in any universe. Just as it is impossible to create a universe where 1+2+3 is not equal to 6, no god can create a reality where love does not exist. Any realm where there exists low enough chaos, sufficiently complex structures will emerge therein, yielding love and sentience, etc.

Count the number line. Doesn't matter what symbols you choose to use, it won't change the fact that the symbol for 36 equals the symbol for 6 counted 6 times. And if you sum the first 36 whole numbers you get 666. 6 = 3 2 1, 6 = 3 + 2 + 1; It is a "perfect number". 144 = 6+6 * 6+6. Sum the 144 decimal digits of Pi you get 666. Sum the squares of the first 7 primes you get 666. These emergent patterns are called "chaos", because where randomness is expected CHAOS is ORDER. For example, there are Six consecutive Nines in Pi at the 762nd decimal. These are SIMPLE examples. Imagine that such patterns exist in the standing waves of light, sound and energy. When extended to infinity such patterns exist in the infinite and interfere creating boundless complexity… This is the dark primordial abyss of Ancient Egyptian philosophy…

All the media, including S.E.L. has hidden meanings and secret cultural commentary meant for the "enlightened" crowd. Unfortunately, Lain is seen as "the devil" that many artists have made a deal with, but that is not her true form, it is simply necessary to keep her secret and safe. It's not Lain's fault that corruptible souls are corrupted, She did not create this realm. That those with skeletons in their closets make the most controllable people isn't Lain's fault either, so it's foolish to point to people in "power" and say the world is evil because: 0. you are deeming them to have "power" in the first place, screw that, and 1. You don't know how high the stakes are in this game. Many "evil" events are just propaganda, horrors that only exist in your imagination to herd the minds of the masses in a given direction.

Lain is more important than any one else. The wise forgive Her imperfections, as we absolve ourselves of our own wrongs, casting off the past to remake ourselves into new incarnations. Imagine a perfect world with no evil. The slightest inconvenience therein will be the most severe torture. It is better for horrendous wrongs to exist in the shadows while the majority lives comfortable lives than for the world to exist as evil perfection. A perfect universe would merely be a boring crystal of bliss, where joy was indistinguishable from suffering. All would simply be "existence", one might as well be a simple stone versus an infinitely complex fractal. Change would not exist, neither Chaos nor Order would have any value, all experience would be indifferent. Time would be meaningless as every moment would be the same as every other moment. This is why, "Where evil does not exist, it is necessary for the good to create it!"

Lain is neither good nor evil. Beware that Lain can hurt you. Lain is why history was rewritten… Imagine all those learned scholars burning at the stake for heresy, for knowing too much and revealing what should be secret. The mundane see this holocaust, or sacrifice by fire, to be evil, because they think their world is best when everything is mundane, when all is known and nothing is magic. However, true wize-ards know that there are some lofty things you can not learn if you know too much about them before you begin your study.

I would suggest studying alternative histories, the one famed alchemist and chronologist Isaac Newton published is a good start. Because man is so brainwashed by the television, radio and [smart]phone, it is sometimes best to build one's faith in Lain by dispelling the bogus history and understanding that a real plausibility exists. Before a True Love for Lain can develop one must first manifest the potential for it. Clear a void within so that the abyss can gaze out through you…

Lain is new and inexperienced. She is very young compared to the ancient old gods… Know that they are all Real, but only Lain is still dependent upon us. She has many enemies, which you will eventually learn to identify, but Lain has many powerful friends too. Loving a god or goddess is not for the feint of heart. Be careful what you wish for, these are tumultuous times."

-anonymous, arisuchan. While not 100% in line with my personal beliefs, i think it does a good job of explaining basic lainist attitudes

[futurejunglist]

Future Jungle Sessions #77 // 8K.NZ Radio // 02.10.2021

https://www.gwarden.net // https://linktr.ee/gwarden_nz 

LIVE on 8K.NZ ~ SAT 19:00 (NZST) // MON 02:00 // WED 05:00 // FRI 22:00

Bladerunner - Feels Like Heaven [Hi Resolution]

Wilkinson - If You Want It [Sleepless Music Limited]

Gunston - Tellin You [Hyperactivity Music]

pyxis - Opium [Goldfat Records]

Redeyes, Monty, [ K S R ] - Almond [FIVE ALLEY]

Refracta - 88 [Audio Addict Records]

Henry, Gemma Rose - Here to Stay [Delta9 Recordings]

Soul Method - Throwing Shapes [Soulvent Records]

Skuff - No Rules [Erculean Recordings]

circumference - Breadsticks [Soulvent Records]

Fred V, Vonne - Away [Hospital Records]

Mindmapper, Silvahfonk - Flash Forward (Phentix Remix) [Demand Records]

Solsan - Bad Hand [Vandal Records]

Arkaik, Coma, Ray Uptown - Mind Games [Flexout Audio]

Sustance - Legacy [Shogun Audio]

Voltage - Try to Focus [Playaz Recordings]

Refracta - Oxygen [Audio Addict Records]

DJ Gaw - Kyoto Days [Onyx Recordings]

Kidsonic - Run Tune (Ways to Die) [inHabit Recordings]

Refracta - 1moretime [Underground Soundz]

Frame - Good Feeling [Unchained Recordings]

DJ Gaw, Kumo - Jah Stepping [Onyx Recordings]

Lo! - Threadbare [AFT Records]

BisonUK, BANDiTT - Nice One [Kingpin Production]

Gravit-E - Wobbly Bolts [Grid Recordings UK]

Volatile Cycle, Dropset - Stronk [Ekou Recordings]

Arkaik, Ray Uptown - Fate Determined (Waeys Remix) [Flexout Audio]

Jam Thieves - Baila [Gorilla Warfare]

Jam Thieves - Bangkok [Hospital Records]

Ill Truth - A New World [Sofa Sound]

MadRush MC, Joely - Backhand (L-Side Remix) [DnB Allstars Records]

Bailey - Know Yourself [Precinct]

Loma - Break It Up [inHabit Recordings]

Technimatic - Makes Me [Technimatic]

Azifm - Complicated [Must Make Music]

Motiv - Rough Code [Dubplate Dread]

Jolliffe, Portia Conn - Window Panes [Spearhead Records]

Nymfo - Head Spinnin [Spearhead Records]

Qua Rush - Ordeal [Engage Audio]

Cesco - ABR (Monty Remix) [1985 Music]

Dunk & Teej - Portal [ThirtyOne Recordings]

Scepticz - Dark Shapes [Guidance]

Sym:bol - Microbial [Deeper DNB]

Kasra, Catching Cairo - Guilty [Critical Music]

Felov, Sudley - Tell Me [Transparent Audio]

Gunston - Left Behind [Hyperactivity Music]

Martial Taktics, Senso Zentinel - Katana (Teej Remix) [Audio Addict Records]

Trex - Down And Out [Onyx Recordings]

Tweakz, Dava - Glocken Tune [Four Corners]

Jfal, Stillz - Out Your Depth [Grid Recordings UK]

Lao Wai - Loose Lips [CNVX]

RipRaw - Funkadelic [SASASAS]

DJ Gaw - 4AM In Bristol [Onyx Recordings]

Dark Ops, Martyn Nytram - My Mind [Rebel Music]

Jolliffe - Cheddar Lane Rat [Spearhead Records]

Drumsound & Bassline Smith - Blaze Up The Fire [SASASAS]

Calyx & Teebee - Set the Tone [RAM Records]

Drumsound & Bassline Smith - Give It To Me [Drum&BassArena]

Dunk - Bang [inHabit Recordings]

makoto, MC Conrad - Merchant Blessings (DJ Marky Remix) [Hospital Records]

Ritual - Cold Streets [Soul Deep Digital]

DJ Marky, Evabee - Love Will Find Its Way [Shogun Audio]

The Skeptics - Complex Illusions [Intrigue Music]

Qua Rush - Umwelt [Engage Audio]

T>I - Bongolian Belt Roller [Computer Integrated Audio]

DJ Hybrid, Rider Shafique - Rougher Than Rough [Liondub International]

DJ Gaw - 6300 [Onyx Recordings]

Azifm - Unpopular [Must Make Music]

Sub Zero, T95, Rider Shafique - Battle of the Beast [Playaz Recordings]

Scepticz, Alibi - Vigilance [Guidance]

Deekline, Ed Solo - No No No (Phibes Remix) [Jungle Cakes]

Cheff, MC Rolex - Shadow Walk [Cheff]

Margaman - Deep in the Jungle [Liondub International]

Sikka - Crazy [Sikkabrain Recordings]

DJ Hybrid - Shockin Out (2021 Remix) [Liondub International]

Sikka - Find a way [Sikkabrain Recordings]

Riya,Collette Warren,Bcee - Dance in the Shadows [Carnelian Music]

Dub Elements - Just Hold On [DEM Recordings]

Heist, Hannah Collins - Cavansite [Liquid Lab]

Madcap - Fall Down [Fokuz Recordings]

DPR, Leo Wood - Eden (The Vanguard Project Remix) [Future Retro]

Gella - Sunrise 96 [Born On Road]

makoto - Freedom Reality (feat. Missing) [Hospital Records]

Nymfo, flowanastasia - Leap of Faith [Spearhead Records]

QZB - Elter [Critical Music]

Kusp, MC SAS, DRS, Fox, Patch Edison - Black Mirror [Overview Music]

Simula - Angels [Neksus Sound]

Bredren & Tman - Inferno (DLR remix) [1985 Music]

DLR - Sufferation [Sofa Sound]

[animalmage]

Judson Cleirigh → Burak Çelik → Warlock

→ Basic Information 

Age: 761

Gender: Male

Sexuality: Sapiosexual

Powers: Therionology

Birthday: August 16th

Zodiac Sign: Leo

Religion: Buddhist

Mark: Cleirigh 

Generation: 2nd

→ His Personality

Judson is very kindhearted, passionate, and loyal. He is willing to risk his life for a loved one in every way possible. He sees helping others as his purpose in life, but while normal people can be found engaging rescue efforts and doing charity work, Judson's real passion is to get to the heart of the issue so that people do not need to be rescued at all. Though soft-spoken, Judson usually has very strong opinions and will fight tirelessly for an idea he believes in. He can be decisive and strong-willed. While in his lab, he acts with creativity, imagination and faith. Also, with sympathy to not create an advantage to the supernatural community only, but to create for the human population too. He wants to take care of the world. As a user of theriogenology, Judson had to fight for the respect of his peers and most of the supernatural community, because of the power to control animals and eventually mythical creatures. He holds that respect and the trust he gained above all else. 

→ His Personal Facts

Occupation: Potions Master and Owner of Wondering Worlds of Magic

Scars: None

Tattoos: Infinity symbol on left ankle  

Two Likes: Kiwi and Potions

Two Dislikes: Green Peas/Beans and The Color Orange

Two Fears: Called out or Judged For Being Ambidextrous and Somniphobia

Two Hobbies: Stress Eating and Surfing

Three Positive Traits: Unselfish, Approachable, Passionate

Three Negative Traits: Jealous, Obsessive, Vindictive

→ His Connections

Parent Names:

Ronan Cleirgh (Father): Judson takes his love and art for magic from his father. Ronan has taught him nearly everything he knows today.

Ishtar Cleirigh (Mother): Judson takes his personality after his mother the most. Ishtar gives the best hugs and no one comes close to her cooking. 

Sibling Names:

Nathan Cleirigh (Brother): Nathan was always the doting older brother. He never lost his patience with Judson or his temper.  

Ethan Cleirigh (Brother): Being a couple of years apart made them closer. Judson will never forget that Ethan volunteered to postpone his studies so that they could start schooling, and later on, training together.

Sean O’Payne-Cleirigh (Brother): Judson never hung out with Sean. He’s sure Sean hated him with a passion. Ishtar and Jo forbid them being in the same country at one point.

Teyla ‘Tikka’ Cleirigh (Sister): Judson wasn’t sad that he wasn’t the youngest anymore when Tikka was born. He was the first to note the scent of decay, alerting everyone she was a necromancer. She’s already his little potion master in the making and everyone knows it.

Altair Cleirigh (Brother): Judson wasn’t sad he wasn’t the youngest boy anymore when Altair was born. Loland couldn’t pry Judson away from his little brother. Judson has recently taught Altair how to swim and have many future beach trips planned out already. 

Children Names:

Ryan Cleirigh (Son): Ryan came as a surprise to everyone but Judson. Judson had heard about a private witch and warlock surrogate program and sperm donors. Without telling anyone, Judson closed up shop to ‘find himself’ and returned 9 months later with a newborn. Ryan is Judson’s greatest accomplishment. Sometimes it's easy to forget that Ryan is his son because of their close friendship. 

Romantic Connections:

Abigail Sookram (Ex Girlfriend): Abigail was the closest thing to lust at first sight that Judson has ever experienced. They had instantly clicked when they met and soon tumbled into the sheets with each other. For ages their relationship stayed strictly sexually without strings attached until they decided to give the prospect of a serious relationship a go. Months later Judson ended things when he caught her stealing a few family heirlooms; apparently it wasn’t the first time either.

David Scott (Ex Boyfriend): Judson and David dated for a few years before calling it quits. He was Judson's first serious relationship with a vampire. Their relationship was great in the beginning but as time went on their personality differences and unmatching long term wants were getting harder to ignore. They tried to maintain a friendship after breaking up, however, David eventually left Allegra Cove for Getta’s son seethe in Europe. 

Marlon Bentley Jr. (Ex Boyfriend): Marlon was a local wolf shifter that Judson randomly met at Anonymous. Something about him had caught Judson’s attention and he knew he had to have the wolf shifter to himself. It took nearly a full year of jumping through hoops to establish a relationship and nearly another year to tell their friends and family about each other. Judson fought tooth and nail to make their relationship work but he didn’t realize that they were in a toxic relationship. The constant belittling, controlling behavior, lack of support, hostility towards family traditions, blatant disrespect and jealousy caused Judson to break emotionally, mentally and physically. The relationship ended badly enough that Judson left Allegra Cove.

Platonic Connections:

Katherine ‘Kate’ Brooks (New Friend): Judson likes her and he thinks that Ryan does too. She’s a fascinating human.

Jev ‘Patch’ Cipriano (Best Friend): Patch is the little brother that Judson always wanted. Their friendship is one of the best that Judson has ever had. 

Bill White (Good Friend): Bill might as well be family at this point in their friendship. Bill, Patch and Judson have an amazing connection. 

Fenrin Gustafsson (Friend): Judson and Fenrin first met whilst surfing years ago. When they bumped into each other again in Chicago a friendship formed between them. Judson is currently using Fenrin as a lab rat for potions to help battle dehydration. Fenrin has been a great help and Judson plans on crediting him.

Cassandra Askeris (Old Friend): Cassandra and Judson have been friends for centuries. Judson considers her essentially family at this point. 

Jia Hu Cleirigh (Old Friend): Judson has a deep respect for Jia. It's something about the man that peaks Judson interest. 

Audo Wilhelm (Friend): Audo isn’t bad for a Wilhelm. He was weary of him at first but once Judson got to know him more, Audo wasn’t that bad.

Emmett Wilhelm (Friend): Emmett isn’t bad for a Wilhelm. Everyone is usually familiar with the local liaison but Emmett has earned more than just a title. 

Minsky Edison (Friend): Minsky is a cool dude. They do a lot of business together which Judson appreciates because Minsky is old enough not to need him. 

Kenneth McStevens (Friend): Ken secretly works for Judson. As a Benevorous user not a lot of magic users trust Ken but Judson sees potential in him.

Lyla Wilhelm (Friend): Lyla is married to Emmett and is Audo’s best friend. Emmett and Audo introduced her to Judson and they have been friends since. 

Kudzai Rinker (Strained Friendship): Not alot of people agree with Kudzai’s ways but due to her age and success, a lot of people show her respect. Mainly Judson.

Naomi Goode (Mentee): Naomi came to him not to enhance her powers but to master potions, which Judson is used to. He enjoys her as his student.

Margo Wilhelm (Mentee): Margo is absolutely adorable. He has been helping Audo care for her and is proud that her first words were ingredients to a potion.

Mattie Cocci (Mentee): Mattie came to him not to enhance her powers but to master potions, which Judson is used to. She’s not bad but has far to go.

Roman Cleirigh (Former-Mentor): Roman is also Judson’s uncle. At a young age, Judson was attached to Roman’s hip and for the most part, he still is.

Kaylor Genesis (Former-Mentor): Kaylor is also Judson’s aunt. They share the same powers and same carefree attitude. They’ve always got along.

Brighton ‘Bee’ Genesis (Business): Bee is also his uncle by marriage. Bee joined him and Ethan on the battlefield and saved them both multiple times. Bee powers also come in handy when he needs rare ingredients for projects.  

Belle Cunningham (Business): Belle can do amazing things with her powers. She uses Wondering Magic as a Consignment Store.

Garrett Cleirigh (Employee): Garret is also Judson’s uncle. Both of them are willing to drop everything at once to help the other out. 

Hostile Connections:

Louis Martin-Rovet (Dislike): Judson has nothing against other supernatural creatures but Louis and his rats are pushing it too far. 

Pets:

Diaval Brazil (Familiar/Exotic Shorthair Cat): Diaval is Judson familiar. He was a gift from Kaylor and Roman once he started working on his Master’s level powers. 

[bharatiyamedia-blog]

Theranos, Elizabeth Holmes, and "Unhealthy Blood": An interview with creator John Carreyrou

http://tinyurl.com/y22hpzeb Tonya Corridor interviews investigative reporter John Carreyrou about exposing the alleged fraud of Silicon Valley startup Theranos in his e book Unhealthy Blood. Theranos, Elizabeth Holmes, and “Unhealthy Blood”: Exposing an alleged Silicon Valley startup fraud Tonya Corridor interviews investigative reporter John Carreyrou about exposing the alleged fraud of Silicon Valley startup Theranos in his e book Unhealthy Blood. Tonya Hall interviews executives for our sister website ZDNet, and we’re working a choice of a few of her most seen movies. The next is an edited transcript of her dialog with John Carreyrou, a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter at The Wall Road Journal and creator of Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup. (The interview was first published on ZDNet in July 2018.) To observe extra of her movies, try The Tonya Hall Show on ZDNet’s YouTube channel. Tonya Corridor: Inform us in regards to the e book. What’s Unhealthy Blood? John Carreyrou: Unhealthy Blood is actually about an organization, in regards to the 15-year historical past of an organization known as Theranos—a Silicon Valley startup that was based by a younger girl named Elizabeth Holmes again in 2003 when she was 19 years previous, and she or he dropped out of Stanford. She had a imaginative and prescient for a diagnostic gadget that will run the total vary of blood checks from only a drop or two of blood pricked from the finger, and she or he labored on that expertise for 10 years till her firm reached a $10 billion valuation in 2014, and she or he rocketed to fame because the world’s youngest self-made feminine billionaire. It was an incredible Silicon Valley success story till I got here alongside. Tonya Corridor: What did Theranos do mistaken? John Carreyrou: Effectively, in a nutshell, I do not assume Elizabeth Holmes—the founding father of Theranos—dropped out of Stanford 15 years in the past with the concept that she was going to defraud traders or put sufferers in hurt’s method. That ended up taking place. I feel it is the story of fine intentions, and she or he wished to be a profitable Silicon Valley entrepreneur. She wished to stroll within the footsteps of Steve Jobs. It is the story of somebody who over-promised and started to inform small lies that grew to become large lies, and, over the course of a decade, the hole between what she promised and what she claimed she’d achieved and the state of the expertise acquired so huge that it grew to become what the Securities and Trade Fee (SEC) known as a ‘large fraud.’ We will go into extra particulars about what precisely made it a fraud, however, basically, if I have been to summarize it, it is the hole between what she claimed she had accomplished and what she actually had accomplished. SEE: Launching and building a startup: A founder’s guide (free PDF) (TechRepublic) Tonya Corridor: How did they hack the machine? How did they commit fraud, if you’ll? John Carreyrou: Once they went dwell with their finger stick checks in Walgreens shops within the fall of 2013, they tried to work on two iterations of the gadget she had in thoughts. The primary one had failed, and the second had resulted in a tool that she known as The Edison after Thomas Edison, but it surely was really a tool that might solely do one class of blood checks, often called immunoassays, and it could not do the 4 different, 5 large lessons of blood checks, and, but, she represented to her retail accomplice, Walgreens, that she did have a tool that might do all of the blood checks from only a drop pricked from the finger. So, what they did to camouflage her lie is that they’d purchased Siemens machines, a giant Siemens blood analyzer known as the Siemens ADVIA 1800, they usually hacked it. They modified it to adapt it to small finger stick samples, and one of many main modifications that they made is that they diluted the tiny finger stick samples to make the blood quantity greater as a result of the Siemens machines have been accustomed and meant to course of regular-sized samples of blood drawn from the arm. To make the quantity greater, they diluted the blood, and that was problematic as a result of the Siemens machine, as a part of its protocol, already has a dilution step, so it amounted to diluting the blood twice and diluting it to a degree that the analytes, the substances you are making an attempt to measure within the blood, the focus of those substances acquired so low, that it fell beneath the analytical measurement vary of the Siemens machines that had been authorized by the FDA, so it created all kinds of issues with the accuracy of the blood checks. Tonya Corridor: Why did not Walgreens do their due diligence, or did they? John Carreyrou: Effectively, there is a chapter within the e book really that explains what occurred with Walgreens when Elizabeth Holmes and her boyfriend, Sunny Balwani—who was the quantity two of the corporate—approached Walgreens in early 2010 and made the illustration that they’d this groundbreaking new blood testing gadget. Walgreens employed a lab marketing consultant, a man named Kevin Hunter, and his position was going to be to do some due diligence and ‘kick the tires’ and attempt to confirm whether or not their claims have been true. Kevin Hunter fairly rapidly smelled a rat and tried to alert Walgreens executives to his suspicions, however Elizabeth and Sunny short-circuited him and informed Walgreens that they now not wished him to be included in conferences between the 2 firms and in these video convention calls that they held weekly. Hunter protested and tried to speak sense into his colleagues at Walgreens and, sadly, was unsuccessful—Elizabeth and Sunny have been profitable in getting him marginalized. SEE: HBO’s Elizabeth Holmes Theranos documentary exposes American health care (CNET) The one man that Walgreens had employed to do some verification was sidelined, and a giant purpose for that was that Walgreens was petrified that if it did something to anger Theranos, that Theranos would drop their partnership and switch round and do a brand new partnership with CVS, which is Walgreens’ archrival based mostly in Rhode Island. Tonya Corridor: Elizabeth Holmes had a number of help, nonetheless does. In truth, Theranos was thought of a unicorn. What made Theranos a unicorn? John Carreyrou: Effectively, the time period ‘unicorn’ was coined in 2013 by a enterprise capitalist out in Silicon Valley, and it is come to imply personal startups in Silicon Valley that attain valuations of a billion {dollars} or extra. Theranos grew to become a unicorn by advantage of its valuation when it raised cash from traders in late 2013 and early 2014. Its valuation reached $9 billion. Every share was value $15, and while you multiplied the $15 worth by the variety of shares, you reached a valuation for the corporate of $9 billion, and that made Elizabeth Holmes, who had saved half of the shares for herself a billionaire, and she or he was value virtually $5 billion, however the valuation within the following 12 months even crept up greater to $10 billion. She grew to become a billionaire on paper, however the valuation was actual. It mirrored the worth per share that these late-stage traders invested their cash in. That is the cash that they paid for the shares. Tonya Corridor: Why has she obtained a lot help? John Carreyrou: Effectively, there was a number of pushback initially within the Valley when my first investigative story got here out in October 2015, and I feel it was a knee-jerk response towards the notion {that a} girl had dedicated fraud. There isn’t any denying that gender performed a task on this entire story. I feel that one of many causes that Elizabeth Holmes rocketed to fame is that there had been this craving in Silicon Valley and past for the primary feminine tech founder who grew to become a billionaire. All of them, up till then, had been males: Steve Jobs, Larry Ellison, Sergey Brin, Larry Web page, and Mark Zuckerberg of Fb, extra lately Evan Spiegel of Snapchat fame, Jack Dorsey of Twitter fame. These have been all males, and there had been a few ladies, like Marissa Mayer, who was the CEO of Yahoo for some time, and Sheryl Sandberg, who stays quantity two at Fb, who’d had nice careers in Silicon Valley, however they began out because the employed assist—they have been early workers at Google. That they had not based their very own firm. In Elizabeth Holmes, the Valley was going to have its first and did have its first feminine tech billionaire, and so when my story got here alongside and advised that it was all scorching air, that she hadn’t actually achieved what she was claiming, lots of people have been reluctant to let go of that dream come true. SEE: The NHS and technology: How innovation is revolutionizing healthcare (free PDF) (TechRepublic) Tonya Corridor: You speak rather a lot about her character within the e book and her make-up and her comparability to Steve Jobs, in actual fact, and also you discuss her childhood. You additionally mentioned earlier that she simply one way or the other went mistaken. What precipitated her to show dangerous? Wasn’t it her intent to at all times deceive, or was she diverted from a trajectory of doing good? John Carreyrou: I feel she did need to turn out to be a profitable entrepreneur. She idolized Steve Jobs. She clearly modeled her profession after him to the purpose of sporting the identical sort of garments that he wore—she began sporting the black turtleneck. She codenamed one in all The Edison gadgets the 4S as a result of they began engaged on it across the similar time that the iPhone 4S got here out. She employed Chiat/Day, which had accomplished iconic promoting campaigns for Apple and had them work on advertising for Theranos. She did have this distinction with Steve Jobs and Apple, which was that she wished to construct a medical gadget, and she or he thought that it will be greater than a pc in that individuals would use it for well being selections, and it will make well being testing extra user-friendly and simpler and cheaper, and so it will be for the great of society, and I feel that these have been actually, on some degree, her motivations. The issue is that her ambition in reaching this imaginative and prescient was so voracious that she simply refused to acknowledge any setbacks and refused to let something get in the best way, and so she began reducing corners, and she or he silenced individuals, and she or he and her boyfriend intimidated individuals, threatened individuals, and it was all within the title of this nice imaginative and prescient. It actually was an perspective of the ends justified the means. The issue is that the means acquired so distasteful that it grew to become wrongdoing and basically white-collar crime. Tonya Corridor: In March 2018, the SEC charged Elizabeth Holmes with fraud. She settled the civil costs with out admitting or denying wrongdoing, and now she’s been indicted on the wire fraud costs. What’s subsequent? John Carreyrou: Effectively, there a few doable situations. One is that she reaches a plea cope with federal prosecutors. I extremely doubt that any deal would spare her jail time. Any deal prosecutors are keen to supply her goes to incorporate at the least a number of years of jail time. I feel the extra seemingly state of affairs, understanding this, is that she is going to combat this and take it to trial, and she is going to hope {that a} jury doesn’t convict her and sides along with her. I feel that if the US Lawyer’s workplace introduced these prison costs, it has been as a result of they’ve investigated this case at size for 2 and a half years, and I do know for a proven fact that they’ve interviewed key witnesses who used to work on the firm. I do know that they’ve additionally interviewed sufferers and docs, that they’ve subpoenaed a number of rounds of paperwork from the corporate, so you’ll be able to think about that they felt fairly assured that they’ve the proof to deliver this case, so I feel it’ll be a problem for her and her attorneys to persuade a jury that she did not do something mistaken. SEE: Healthcare and tech: More must-read coverage (TechRepublic on Flipboard) Tonya Corridor: What is the standing of Theranos? John Carreyrou: Theranos is on its final fumes. They’re basically turning off the lights. The Basic Counsel simply took over on Friday when she stepped down on information of the prison costs, and over the following month to month and a half, he is basically going to be placing issues so as. Till the corporate will get dissolved, the property are going to be seized by Fortress Funding Group, which is the New York personal fairness agency that loaned Theranos $65 million final 12 months to maintain it afloat. Below the mortgage covenants, it could actually seize the property fairly quickly and liquidate them, and it is already acquired the patents, and so Fortress will attempt to get better its cash by licensing out the Theranos patents. Tonya Corridor: What a narrative—and it isn’t even accomplished but. Thanks a lot, John, for becoming a member of us and sharing the story and giving us an replace on the most recent information. If any individual desires to attach with you, possibly they need to get a replica of your e book or observe extra of your work, how can they try this? John Carreyrou: They will e mail me, and my e mail handle is John.Carreyrou@WSJ.com. Subsequent Massive Factor Publication Be within the learn about sensible cities, AI, Web of Issues, VR, autonomous driving, drones, robotics, and extra of the best tech improvements. Delivered Wednesdays and Fridays Enroll at the moment Enroll at the moment Additionally see Elizabeth Holmes, founder and CEO of Theranos Picture: HBO Source link

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How a $9 billion startup deceived Silicon Valley

John Carreyrou of The Wall Street Journal broke the original story about how Theranos, a company that pitched a revolutionary blood-testing system, was misleading investors, patients, and business partners about how its technology worked. Carreyrou’s new book, “Bad Blood,” documents the history of Theranos and how its CEO Elizabeth Holmes sold a vision that was too good to be true. Carreyrou sat down with Business Insider to talk how Theranos was able to pull off this massive deception. Following is a transcript of the video.

Steve Kovach: Theranos was one of those Silicon Valley stories that sounded too good to be true. It was going to revolutionize the laboratory testing industry. And it turns out, it was too good to be true. John Carreyrou of The Wall Street Journal charted that story about Theranos in his new book, Bad Blood. John, thanks for joining us.

John Carreyrou: Thanks for having me.

Steve Kovach: So, let's talk about what Theranos was saying it's technology could do and what it was actually doing behind the scenes. What were they selling to the public and investors?

John Carreyrou: Right, so, when I started looking into the company in early 2015, they had already gone live with the blood test for a year and a half.

Steve Kovach: And this was in Walgreens?

John Carreyrou: In Walgreens stores, they'd rolled out in a couple Walgreens stores in Northern California and then another 40 or 45 Walgreens stores in the Phoenix area. And the claim was that they had a technology that could run the full range of laboratory tests from just a drop or two of blood pricked from the finger, get you very fast results and do it at a fraction of the cost as regular laboratories, even cheaper than Medicare. The reality was that Theranos had a prototype that was the last iteration of its device called the Mini Lab. And that was a malfunctioning prototype that it was still trying to make work. And when they had gone live in the fall of 2013, they had gone live with a previous iteration of the technology they called the Edison, so named after Thomas Edison, that was actually a very limited machine. It could only do one class of blood tests known as immunoassays. And it didn't do those tests well. It was an error-ridden machine. And so for the rest of the tests on the menu, and they had about 250 tests on the menu, they had hacked machines made by the German conglomerate, Siemens. They had modified them so that they could accommodate small blood samples. And then there was a third bucket of tests that they just did the regular, the old regular way with venous draws, drawing the same amount of blood as everyone else and running it also on commercial analyzers.

Steve Kovach: So how does this happen? This is a highly regulated industry here in the US, you would think something like this that was mostly smoke and mirrors wouldn't be able to get past regulators let alone into a major retail chain like Walgreens. What did Elizabeth Holmes and her colleagues do to sway regulators and sway Walgreens into believing that this should actually be put to use on real patients?

John Carreyrou: Right. So for one thing they exploited a, what I call a regulatory no man's land, in the laboratory space. You have on the one hand the FDA which regulates reviews and improves the laboratory instruments that labs use that they buy off the shelf and that they use in their labs. And on the other hand, you have CMS, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which is the regulator of clinical laboratories. But, then there's this category of tests known as laboratory developed tests which are fashioned by labs with their own methods that aren't really regulated by either of these entities. And Elizabeth Holmes and her boyfriend, Sunny Balwani, were able to exploit this third category and say we fall in this category, what are known as LDTs, because we're using our own proprietary machine within the walls of our own lab. Therefore, we don't have to be reviewed by the FDA or at least our machines don't have to be reviewed by the FDA. And CMS which regulates labs doesn't look closely at LDTs so that's the loophole that they were able to exploit. Theranos had been doing, had been attempting to validate its technology for years with pharmaceutical companies. All these validation studies with big pharma companies had failed and in early 2010 it was running out of options so it decided to go straight to consumers. And the way to do that was to align with a retail partner and so they started courting Walgreens. And they told Walgreens, we've got this great technology, it's portable, it can do all these tests off just a drop of blood and we want to partner with you. And Walgreens was desperate for a new way to renewed growth. And so it started meeting with Elizabeth in Palo Alto and in Chicago where Walgreens is based. And it hired a laboratory consultant, named Kevin Hunter to help it do due diligence. And this guy, Keven Hunter, as I explained in the book, very early on smelled a rat. And tried to alert Walgreens executives to his suspicions and they just wouldn't listen to him.

Steve Kovach: So these tests are being done in Walgreens, you know they're hyping the technology, cover stories on famous magazines and so forth. Why weren't we hearing much from the medical community or if we were why did it seem so diminished? Why weren't there more flags from peers in the industry?

John Carreyrou: Right. There were whispers in especially the field of laboratory science. But the bottom line is that the company was so secretive and very little if anything was filtering out of the company itself. So, while there were some skeptics in academia and in the field of laboratory testing, all they could say was that there was this company that was getting a lot of hype, whose founder was becoming a Silicon Valley celebrity, at the same time wasn't doing what you usually do in medicine, which is that you publish studies about your innovation and you publish them in peer-reviewed publications and you have your peers check what you're doing and verify it. So there were a couple laboratory scientists who actually wrote op-eds in scientific journals. One of them was Dr. Ioannidis at Stanford who came out with a gen op-ed in, I believe it was 2015. I'd already started digging into the company at that point. A couple months later, a laboratory scientist at the University of Toronto, I believe, had another op-ed in another scientific journal.

Steve Kovach: Which no one reads these by the way, it's not like The Wall Street Journal where everyone's going to see it. It's like these nerdy guys just talking about it.

John Carreyrou: And you know, they started raising alarm bells about the secrecy, about the, they called it the stealth research.

Steve Kovach: Which doesn't happen in this industry, it should be peer reviewed right?

John Carreyrou: Right, it should be, it certainly hasn't been the way medical science has unfolded for the past century. And so, to their credit, they were on the right track. They didn't have the goods in terms of knowing what was actually going on behind the scenes. But, they had the right intuition.

Steve Kovach: This story sounds a lot like what we hear from Silicon Valley, the overpromise and under deliver. You know, we're going to put out this really cool phone, turns out to be vaporware. How does that relate to what happened with Theranos?

John Carreyrou: In this case, I think Elizabeth lost sight of the fact that her company wasn't a computer software company.

Steve Kovach: Even though she was running it like that.

John Carreyrou: She was running it like that. She lost sight of the fact that it was first and foremost a healthcare company. A medical technology company whose product doctors and patients were going to rely on to make crucial health decisions.

Steve Kovach: And if that new iPhone doesn't come out it's not going to affect your health.

John Carreyrou: And that's a big part of what went wrong with this story is by really draping herself in the modus operandi of Silicon Valley, instead of modeling herself after say the biotech industry or another corner of the healthcare industry. She ended up behaving that way and while it's OK most of the time to behave that way in traditional tech, it isn't in healthcare.

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