#might as well boost this since its amy hour

[peachsayshi]

Chapter 13 - Spinning

Tags: Friends with Benefits, Smut, Angst

Summary: You and Gojo are caught up in your feelings and he unintentionally breaks another rule. 

A/N: (18+ / minors and ageless blogs dni) New chapter! This is a bit of a filler chapter but I am working up to some dramatic things (smut and angst coming up!) plus revealing some of the secrets that happened in the timeline 👀 I hope you enjoy it! And as always comments are appreciated ☺️

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Sitting cross legged on your bedroom floor, you proceeded to fold the fresh laundry into perfectly neat piles. Music enveloped your room, the bass from your speaker bouncing off the walls as you mindlessly hummed along to the track that was playing. This is how you were choosing to unwind after a long work week, by organizing and cleaning up your apartment. There was something completely cathartic about resetting your space and you found yourself having plenty of free time on your hands recently.

Gojo has been exceptionally busy. At first there was an itch when you began seeing less of him, the two of you would plan to get together but that consistently kept getting cancelled. Eventually those plans transitioned to you agreeing on catching up with one another once things settled. Now it seems the only time you managed to hear from your friend was with sporadic phone calls and random text messages that he would send you at weird hours. The itch slowly turned into an ache, that familiar knot in your stomach making its presence known more often than usual.

There was something about the way he managed to fill the silence. You always gave him a hard time about talking your ear off but realised that he actually entertained you with some great conversations.

Even though half the time he was talking about ridiculous subject matters…

You had to hand it to Satoru though, he always spoke with such enthusiasm he would make the concept of paint drying seem fascinating.

He was fascinating.

Eight years of friendship have taught you that but you were smart enough not to feed his ego. Despite the two of you being close, Gojo still never fully let you in. You couldn’t deny that you were intrigued by him, curious to know more about the strongest sorcerer who seemed totally unphased by his own title whenever he was around you. You wanted to know more about how he fought off curses and protected people from the evils that seemed to be invisible in your eyes. Although he consistently evaded your questions, he did slowly open up about other things. You particularly loved the way his face let up when he talked about his students and it made you realise that if there was anything Gojo Satoru had committed himself to, it was his role as an instructor to the next generation of sorcerers.

Still, you usually tried to pry information out of him when the two of you would get lost in deep conversation, noticing the way Gojo would drift in his own thoughts whenever the subject seemed to focus on him.

Clearly there was an extent to which the man loved talking about himself.

There was a point when he spoke where you saw his face grow pensive as he brought up an old friend. He referenced him in passing but the way his mouth fell pained you just as much as it seemed to hurt him. Your question was on the tip of your tongue, eager to learn more about the people within his own circle, but Satoru immediately shifted the conversation onto something else.

That wall, much like his infinity, is impenetrable.

Unfortunately, the dynamics were in his favor. You wished that you could conceal your own emotions as easily around him but it was impossible. Gojo had the capability of knowing exactly how you were thinking and feeling at any given second. His incredible perception was his advantage, that��s why he is able to gauge your reactions so well.

You smiled subconsciously to yourself, goosebumps floating up to your shoulders when you realised how much you wanted your arms wrapped around his neck, your body pressing into his chest while breathing that spicy, sweet cologne…

Stop it.

You paused your action, the jeans on your lap in a mid-fold as you froze in place and your brain instantly turned off those dangerous ideas.  

You swallowed your own emotions, your abdomen tight when you realised that you had just spent the last ten minutes having intimate thoughts about Gojo.

You really shouldn’t but there was something about the way he acts around you that made you the slightest bit curious as to what he was thinking and how he was feeling.

How often did you cross his mind and did he even miss you as much as you did him?

At some point the two of you were going to have to stop this little game you were playing. Even though you weren’t seeking it out at the moment, you do want to settle down eventually with somebody you love. Satoru made it perfectly clear where he stood on relationships. He had no desire to get involved with anybody and the concept of marriage was something he completely rejected.

You recalled having a conversation with him about: 

“Are you really telling me that you’re okay living as a bachelor for the rest of your life?”

“Happily, actually…” Gojo replied, while you both continued your heated debate on the prospects of love.

“But why are you so against it?”

"I have my reasons,” he replied with a shrug.

Satoru always seemed to have a reason for everything but he was not willing to share it with you, leaving you in moments like this to analyze the little things he says to try and put the pieces together yourself.

Truthfully, you don’t want to stop as you found yourself fixated on this new…friends with benefits-ship…

Everything about it felt so good that you couldn’t even remember what things were like before you started hooking up.

How could you go back to just being friends after he’s seen you in your most vulnerable state? How were you supposed to pretend that his hands haven’t unraveled you into submission time and time again? How could you sit next to him without thinking about kissing him for hours on end? How were you supposed to listen to him talk without remembering the moments where he would whisper angel in your ear?

How the hell did you manage to keep your hands off him before this even started?

There was always the unspoken fact that you found each other attractive but since this new dynamic has started the two of you were like magnets whenever you were in close proximity to one another.

Well, you were able to keep the barrier because you were in a happily committed relationship with Haru, you interjected and suddenly you found yourself slumping your shoulders.

Haru was in love with you. He gave you the companionship you needed, he filled the silence with mindless conversations and was the one who held you when you needed him. He was the one to swallow your cries with soft kisses, that made you laugh in hysterics when you needed to boost your mood…

Your heart stopped, realizing that you were seeking out what Haru gave you with Gojo. Your gut wrenching at the idea of you using your friend to fill the emotional gap that Haru left. This ache that knotted your insides meant nothing and you were letting your thoughts confuse you into thinking that you were missing Gojo.

All you needed was to get your distraction back.

After all, Gojo is just your friend.

You had no reason to think anything else could come of this and burned any other thought about Satoru from crossing your mind for the rest of the evening.

If you even thought for a second that you might be falling for him, you would cut ties immediately. You weren’t going to put a strain on your friendship because you’re silly ideals were getting in the way of your agreement.

The two of you were just fucking.

Nothing more, nothing less.

***

Gojo studied the woman before him, acknowledging the fact that she is one of the most stunning individuals he had ever laid his eyes on. She was older than him by ten years but if it wasn’t for the age on her online profile, he wouldn’t have been able to tell.

She was tall, meeting his own towering height, give or take a few inches. Her long, pin straight hair flowed to her hips, accentuating her curves and covering her supple breasts. Her face could strike down any man that looked at her with those deep eyes and he was tempted to nibble on her full lips. Seeing her in person made Gojo realize that her price was high for a reason and totally justifiable.

Anyone would pay extra to fuck a goddess.

Somehow, he wound up here thanks to his own frustrations. His desire for you was driving him wild and his own hands weren’t enough to solve this problem. He still respected the rules that were unbroken and knew that as long as he didn’t go too far with Ami, he was fine. He wasn’t going to have sex with her but that didn’t mean that she couldn’t help him out with his current predicament in other ways.

Besides, you did tell him that he was allowed to see other people. However, that didn’t stop his stomach from twisting at the thought of climbing into bed with someone other than you. He couldn’t quite figure out what this awkward sensation was or why he was bothered by his own decision to meet up with Ami in the first place.

Gojo stripped down to his boxers before sitting on the edge of her satin covered mattress. She was admiring him with amusement, the tempting smile on her lips telling him that she was also enjoying what she was seeing.

“You paid for a full hour but said that you might not be here for that long. Did something urgent come up?” she questioned, her voice sensually low and sending a shiver up Gojo’s spine.

My she is dangerous, he thought to himself, knowing full well how this entire experience would go under different circumstances.

The circumstances being, well, you.

“I don’t plan on sticking around too long...” he explained.

“I’ll have to adjust your pay accordingly then,” she replied, taking a few steps forward until she was standing in front of him.

“I don’t mind paying for the full hour,” Gojo teased with a grin, his free hand moving to touch her silky hair as he rubbed it between his fingers.

She smiled, nearly taking his breath away as she brought her finger to the blindfold covering his eyes.

“I don’t like accepting money for free,” she  stated, tracing her touch down his chiseled jawline. “I bet you’re handsome but I am guessing you don’t plan on taking this thing off to show me what you really look like.”

“Yep,” Gojo smiled as Ami proceeded to slide across her bed next to him. "And you guessed right, I’ve got an exceptionally pretty face.”

“Cocky too,” she purred, “there’s a special way I treat guys like you…”

Gojo hummed, switching his position so he was lying back against her pillows. Ami crawled her body over his lean torso, her hands rubbing up and down his thigh as she glanced in his direction.

“Oh, yeah? I would love to see how...” Gojo insisted, his breath growing heavy as she guided her hand all the way to his mouth.

She traced his bottom lip with her thumb, a devious mask highlighting her stunning features as she spoke, “Be a good boy and lie back while I take care of you…”

He fully caved, allowing this sultry siren to take control by touching and teasing his body however she pleased. Gojo usually enjoyed relinquishing his power every now and then but for whatever reason it was taking some effort for him to fully immerse himself with what was happening. Ami straddled his cock, before proceeding to press her mouth against his. Her lips were working fervently over his own as she deepened the kiss, but the spark that he needed just wasn’t igniting.

When Ami flicked her tongue over his, he would only think about the sensation of yours. The taste of you in his mouth lingered like an addictive poison. One that he craved every single time you crossed his mind. The sound of your moans played in his ear and the sweet way you called out his name when he touched you between your legs filtered his brain. He was only brought back to the reality that it wasn’t you pushing your body against his, when Ami wrapped her fingers around his throat. He tried to erase you and focus on the woman before him but was persistently failing.

She could see that something was off from how he was responding to her caresses. “Are you sure you're up for this tonight, baby?” Ami teased, whispering into his mouth as she snagged his bottom lip between her teeth. “You don’t seem ready for me...”

“Fuck…” Gojo grunted out of frustration, knocking his head back as he pressed his fingers to his temple. “It’s not you, I’m just distracted…”

“What’s on your mind?” she continued, stroking his broad chest lovingly to try and coax him out of the daze he was in.

“Not what...who…” he responded shyly, his cheeks blushing ever so slightly by his admittance.

“I see…” she cooed, “Wife? Girlfriend?”

Gojo scoffed, a comical laugh escaping him as he shook his head.

“Definitely not.”

Ami pressed her lips together, her nail doodling along his upper body with random figures as she continued to question her intriguing client.

“Tell me about her…”

Gojo froze, his hands digging into Ami’s thighs upon hearing her bold question, “she’s just a friend. There’s nothing to say...”

“Is she beautiful?”

“She’s gorgeous,” Gojo exhaled, his words passing his lips faster than he could process what he had just said. Ami tracked her hands down between her legs, stroking his boxers as she massaged his length.

“Tell me what she looks like…”

He described you in detail, from your sinfully sweet lips to the beautiful sound of your laughter and how soft your skin felt in his hands. She continued tricking him into revealing the intimate thoughts that swirled in his mind when he thought about you. She heard the way Gojo’s voice wavered as he swelled between her hands, the tip of his cock poking through his underwear as the pre-cum stained the material of his boxers. Ami pulled the clothing away from his hips, hands returning to grip his member as she continued stroking up and down his shaft.

“Do you think about fucking her with the other women you meet?”

“Yes,” Gojo revealed through gritted teeth, swallowing hard as she played with his tip by circling his thumb over the slit of his cock.

“How often?”

“Too often,” the sorcerer hissed, his hips bucking into her hands.

“I bet you wish you were fucking her right now, don’t you?”

She saw how turned on he is and how easily the thought of you brought him close to his release. Ami spread her legs, adjusting her stance until she brought the tip of his cock to her entrance. Gojo hesitated, knowing that he needed to stop what was about to happen. This wasn’t supposed to go this far. He was only here for a quick hand job or blowjob, but he couldn’t suppress a satisfied moan as she slid down to take in his length.

“F-fuck, wai-...”

“Shh, baby, close your eyes and think of your sweet angel…” Ami whispered in his ear, making Gojo roll his blue irises to the back of his head as he relaxed into her touch.

She didn’t speak after that, fulfilling her promise of taking care of him but also ensuring that his focus was solely on the mental image of you. The sound of her skin bouncing up and down his length took over the entire room. The way Ami stated that you were his was enough to send him over the edge and it didn’t take long until he climaxed at the thought, quickly pulling out of her and releasing hot ropes of cum all over her stomach but imagining that it was you the entire time. She immediately cleaned herself up after they finished, before giving Gojo some privacy and allowing him to get himself together.

After he got dressed, he pulled out his phone to transfer the payment. He doubled the amount he was supposed to give, totally aware that she didn’t reach her own release and was disappointed in himself that he couldn’t pleasure the remarkable temptress before him.

He slipped on his boots, his mind racing as the guilt rushed right through him. He hated that broke another rule, especially since this particular one was a boundary you set for your own comfort. He was angry at himself that he disrespected that and was annoyed for crossing the line in the first place.

What the fuck is wrong with me?, he thought to himself.

“I told you I don’t get paid for doing nothing. I don't accept money like that, not even from spoiled rich boys like you,” Ami stated, her words stung but she spoke in such a gentle tone that didn’t offend the sorcerer. She was leaning against the wall as she appeared before him, her body now covered with just a pink robe.

“You got me off but I did nothing to reciprocate. I tell all the other girls to charge double if that happens.”

“How considerate,” she mused before arching her brow in delight at him, “but for the sake of my own conscience I feel like I need to give you something in return…”

Gojo stood up from his seat, smoothing out his clothes before approaching her slowly. Even though he got what he wanted out of this arrangement, he was feeling worse about himself the longer he stayed in this room.

“How about a piece of advice before you leave and we can call it even?” Ami questioned.

“What is it?” the sorcerer wondered, hearing her feet patter against the carpet as she followed his footsteps to her front door.

She paused when she reached for the handle, before tilting her face and directing her full attention towards his covered eyes.

“Tell your friend how you feel or cut off whatever it is you’re doing. If you don’t tell her then you’re fucked, plain and simple.”

“Look, what happened just now doesn’t mean anything…”

She raised her fingers to his lips, stopping him from even attempting to defend what transpired.

“Don’t take this the wrong way but you’re easy to read. I have had clients come here trying to forget their lovers and those who come to see me because they can’t resist their own primative urges. I see the ones who are lonely, who only visit me for companionship and nothing more. Then there are the ones who are like you, who will bury themselves in any cunt they see just to pretend that they aren’t in love with somebody else…”

Gojo clenched his jaw, squeezing his hands together as the heat rose up to his face.

“You don't know what you're talking about. Besides, wanting to fuck somebody and being in love are two very different things.”

“True, except those two things are tangled up in one person when it comes to you…”

Gojo pressed his lips into a thin line, unsure as to why her accusation made him so irritated.

“Awww, don’t get angry, pretty boy. It’s unbecoming for somebody as handsome as you are…” Ami whispered, before kissing him on the cheek as she said her goodbye. “It’s okay, I promise that your secret is safe with me…”

*** 

CHAPTER 14: JEALOUSY

[ftalos]

[Dawn of Calamity] Portalcraft cards: First impressions.

Dawn of Calamity arrives in less than 24 hours and I like how the expansion was presented. We get “anime” cards, that is cards that were originally exclusive to Shadowverse Champions Battle, like Ignis Dragon and Brilliant Fairy, but the set plays out like a regular one instead of being entirely focused on the Switch game, this makes DoC a great way to tie the video game and the smartphone playerbases, as it doesn’t disrupt the aesthetic from the original version. I also love the way they kept the same topic that was meant to be treated in the story without making this one relate to it, in order to avoid a repeat of the previous arc conclusion (It is hard to write while avoiding spoilers), while also giving a breather since Renascent Chronicles was written as an epilogue for previous arcs.

Let’s talk about the cards. This set does not have support for any previous relevant playstyle the meta had before, while still pushing towards making Buff Dragon tier 2 at least as well as wanting for blood to win while activating Vengeance, Wrath and Avarice at the same time. There’s a resurgence of old archetypes such as fairies/bounce, earth rite (with a new keyword nonetheless) and ward haven, being the latter the most promising (Take this with a grain of salt as I just fell in love with Holy Saber and might be a bit biased).

Portalcraft gets a resurgence of its main archetypes too as artifacts and puppets make their return, the former with the imposing legendary Leo used in the anime as a way to have early presence and the latter with a new form of puppet that might cause havoc. Let’s talk about them in more detail under the cut.

Bronze Cards:

Revised experiment: This card is a strong start, a new 0-cost spell that adds the Enhanced Puppet to the hand, a good control tool that works towards the 20-followers destroyed condition, as it will keep being the safest way to get victories with puppets. 4/5.

Megastone Guardian: And now we have this guy, his fanfare is strong as it can be with its stats, but it won’t probably see play because of its cost and a lack of accelerate/crystallize, there’s not too much to talk about this guy, it looks like a pack filler. 0/5.

Young threadmaster: This card is good, not strong nor overpowered but still good and I think it will see play in puppet portal. If string master was still in rotation these two would make a great combo. 3.5/5 Scratch that stringmaster is still in rotation. 4.5/5

Insightful homunculus: This is a card that is neither good nor bad, it works as Starbright Deity/Hamelin did, meaning it requires hand control. It can copy puppets or winning conditions, so keep an eye on her. 2.5/5.

Silver Cards: 

Multiarmed Artifact: Do you know what card Artifact Portal was lacking the most? A 2-drop, so this guy comes in with a good midgame/lategame fanfare and it also has the Artifact trait?! I still want more 2-drops but oh boy isn’t this one good. It’s good in rotation and potentially gamechangin in unlimited with Ralmia and Yuwan. 4.5/5.

Ironwing explorer: Man I miss Icarus. This card is also a good two drop and adds an artifact to the hand, so I expect it to see play at least as a 2-of in future builds, but something better will its place asap. 3.5/5.

False Puppeteer: Portal got really good 2-cost followers this expansion and this one is no exception, it gets you enhanced puppets to your hand on fanfare and evo to up that control, so the deck looks kinda promising. 4/5.

Gold Cards:

Artifact Impulse: The first of the two with a new winning condition for Artifact Portal, if you have 6 or more artifacts with different names destroyed and your opponent has no followers on board, you will deal 6 damage to the enemy leader; and if you don’t, it will summon an artifact to up that count. Convoluted? A bit. Do I like it? A lot. 4.5/5.

Licht, the Gear Magus: A fanfare that adds puppets and if you have 20 or more followers destroyed, all the puppets in your hand get an attack boost + storm. He’s like a more balanced Noah, if you don’t win through him you can, and will, win with Maisha. 4/5.

Legendary Cards: 

Monolith Creator: This card on its own offers a good control tool that will definitely help in case Ward Haven becomes a menace, it also adds a new keyword of Evolution Points used to serve as a finisher, I see her paired with Maisha more than I see her in Evo Portal Builds. 4/5.

Genesis Artifact: If this card had a way to evolve without using evolution points, it would be really broken. By itself it helps a lot towards getting 6 artifacts destroyed before midgame; the artifacts it summons will stop Retreat Sword in its tracks, which is the most important thing I have in mind. Its fanfare adds two storm artifacts to the hand that deal burn damage to the opponent leader if their board is clear. It is versatile and definitely a staple until it rotates out. 4.5/5.

Overall this set has a lot of support for the archetypes that made portal mains fall in love with the class, though a bit on the weak side because this new wave is starting, old cards like Artifact Carrier, Spinaria, Iceschillendrig and threadsnipper will help their respective decks towards the victory. And no, I am not forgetting Absolute Tolerance, that guy is still a staple in every deck.

We still have Machina Portal, Resonance portal and Evo Portal to play with in case the new decks fall short, so let’s just wait and see.

Oh, also, there are two neutral cards that help towards the destroyed followers' playstyle so keep them in mind.

Now I’ll be on stanby until tomorrow to open packs in hopes of getting Sekka and Amy.

[newstfionline]

Tuesday, May 18, 2021

Fire Season Comes Early To California (CNN) Fire weather is coming early to California this year. For the first time since 2014, parts of Northern California are seeing a May “red flag” fire warning due to dry and windy conditions. The warning coverage area extends from Redding in the north to Modesto in the south, and includes portions of the Central Valley and the state capital of Sacramento. The warning also extends to the eastern edges of the Bay Area. A brush fire that started Friday in Pacific Palisades flared up Saturday due to gusty winds, burning more than 1,300 acres and threatening homes in Topanga Canyon. Topanga State Park in the Santa Monica Mountains is about 20 miles west of downtown Los Angeles. The Palisades fire caused about 1,000 people to be evacuated from their homes early Sunday, with other residents on standby to leave.

Pandemic Refugees at the Border (NYT) The Biden administration continues to grapple with swelling numbers of migrants along the southwestern border. Most of them are from Central America, fleeing gang violence and natural disasters. But the past few months have also brought a much different wave of migration that the Biden administration was not prepared to address: pandemic refugees. They are people arriving in ever greater numbers from far-flung countries where the coronavirus has caused unimaginable levels of illness and death and decimated economies and livelihoods. If eking out an existence was challenging in such countries before, in many of them it has now become almost impossible. According to official data released this week, 30 percent of all families encountered along the border in April hailed from countries other than Mexico and the Central American countries of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, compared to just 7.5 percent in April 2019, during the last border surge. The coronavirus pandemic has had far-reaching consequences for the global economy, erasing hundreds of millions of jobs. And it has disproportionately affected developing countries, where it could set back decades of progress, according to economists. About 13,000 migrants have landed in Italy, the gateway to Europe, so far this year, three times as many as in the same period last year. At the U.S.-Mexico border in recent months, agents have stopped people from more than 160 countries, and the geography coincides with the path of the virus’s worst devastation.

The U.S. conversation on Israel is changing, no matter Biden’s stance (Washington Post) In Washington, support for the Palestinian plight is getting louder in Congress. On Friday, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) wrote a widely circulated New York Times op-ed pulling the spotlight away from Hamas’s provocations to the deeper reality of life for millions of Palestinians living under blockade and occupation. He pointed to the havoc unleashed in recent weeks by rampaging mobs of Jewish extremists in Jerusalem, as well as the questionable Israeli legal attempts to forcibly evict the Palestinian residents of a neighborhood in the contested holy city. “None of this excuses the attacks by Hamas, which were an attempt to exploit the unrest in Jerusalem, or the failures of the corrupt and ineffective Palestinian Authority, which recently postponed long-overdue elections,” Sanders wrote. “But the fact of the matter is that Israel remains the one sovereign authority in the land of Israel and Palestine, and rather than preparing for peace and justice, it has been entrenching its unequal and undemocratic control.”      In another era, Sanders would have cut a lonely figure among his colleagues. But he is not alone. A number of Democratic lawmakers, including solidly pro-Israel politicians, issued statements indicating their displeasure with the casualties caused by Israel’s attacks in Gaza. Others were more vocal, accusing Israel of “apartheid.” Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (D-NY) tweeted: “This is happening with the support of the United States....the US vetoed the UN call for a ceasefire. If the Biden admin can’t stand up to an ally, who can it stand up to? How can they credibly claim to stand for human rights?” Jeremy Ben-Ami, president of J Street, a center-left pro-Israel advocacy organization that increasingly reflects the mainstream position of American liberals, said in a briefing with reporters last week that the “diplomatic blank check to the state of Israel” given out by successive U.S. administrations has meant that “Israel has no incentive to end occupation and find a solution to the conflict.”

Mexico City is sinking (Wired) When Darío Solano‐Rojas moved from his hometown of Cuernavaca to Mexico City to study at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, the layout of the metropolis confused him. “What surprised me was that everything was kind of twisted and tilted,” says Solano‐Rojas. “At that time, I didn't know what it was about. I just thought, ‘Oh, well, the city is so much different than my hometown.’” Different, it turned out, in a bad way. Picking up the study of geology at the university, Solano‐Rojas met geophysicist Enrique Cabral-Cano, who was actually researching the surprising reason for that infrastructural chaos: The city was sinking—big time. It’s the result of a geological phenomenon called subsidence, which usually happens when too much water is drawn from underground, and the land above begins to compact. According to new modeling by the two researchers and their colleagues, parts of the city are sinking as much as 20 inches a year. In the next century and a half, they calculate, areas could drop by as much as 65 feet. Spots just outside Mexico City proper could sink 100 feet. That twisting and tilting Solano‐Rojas noticed was just the start of a slow-motion crisis for 9.2 million people in the fastest-sinking city on Earth. And because some parts are slumping dramatically and others aren’t, the infrastructure that spans the two zones is sinking in some areas but staying at the same elevation in others. And that threatens to break roads, metro networks, and sewer systems. “Subsistence by itself may not be a terrible issue,” says Cabral-Cano. “But it's the difference in this subsistence velocity that really puts all civil structures under different stresses.”

Today’s the day: British holidaymakers return to Portugal as travel ban ends (Reuters) Sun-hungry British visitors descended on Portuguese beaches once again on Monday as a four-month long ban on travel between the two countries due to the COVID-19 pandemic ended, in a much-needed boost for the struggling tourism sector. Twenty-two flights from Britain are due to land in Portugal on Monday, with most heading to the southern Algarve region, famous for its beaches and golf courses but nearly deserted as the pandemic kept tourists away. Visitors from Britain must present evidence of a negative coronavirus test taken 72 hours before boarding their flights to Portugal and there is no need to quarantine for COVID-19 when returning home. Back at home, most British people will be free once again to hug, albeit cautiously, drink a pint in their pub, sit down to an indoor meal or visit the cinema after the ending of a series of lockdowns that imposed the strictest ever restrictions in peacetime.

Afghans who helped the US now fear being left behind (AP) He served as an interpreter alongside U.S. soldiers on hundreds of patrols and dozens of firefights in eastern Afghanistan, earning a glowing letter of recommendation from an American platoon commander and a medal of commendation. Still, Ayazudin Hilal was turned down when he applied for one of the scarce special visas that would allow him to relocate to the U.S. with his family. Now, as American and NATO forces prepare to leave the country, he and thousands of others who aided the war effort fear they will be left stranded, facing the prospect of Taliban reprisals. “We are not safe,” the 41-year-old father of six said of Afghan civilians who worked for the U.S. or NATO. “The Taliban is calling us and telling us, ‘Your stepbrother is leaving the country soon, and we will kill all of you guys.’” At least 300 interpreters have been killed in Afghanistan since 2016, and the Taliban have made it clear they will continue to be targeted, said Matt Zeller, a co-founder of No One Left Behind, an organization that advocates on their behalf. He also served in the country as an Army officer. “The Taliban considers them to be literally enemies of Islam,” said Zeller, now a fellow at the Truman National Security Project. “There’s no mercy for them.”

A Desperate India Falls Prey to Covid Scammers (NYT) Within the world’s worst coronavirus outbreak, few treasures are more coveted than an empty oxygen canister. India’s hospitals desperately need the metal cylinders to store and transport the lifesaving gas as patients across the country gasp for breath. So a local charity reacted with outrage when one supplier more than doubled the price, to nearly $200 each. The charity called the police, who discovered what could be one of the most brazen, dangerous scams in a country awash with coronavirus-related fraud and black-market profiteering. The police say the supplier—a business called Varsha Engineering, essentially a scrapyard—had been repainting fire extinguishers and selling them as oxygen canisters. The consequences could be deadly: The less-sturdy fire extinguishers might explode if filled with high-pressure oxygen. A coronavirus second wave has devastated India’s medical system. Hospitals are full. Drugs, vaccines, oxygen and other supplies are running out. Pandemic profiteers are filling the gap. In many cases, the sellers prey on the desperation and grief of families.

Full-blown boycott pushed for Beijing Olympics (AP) Groups alleging human-rights abuses against minorities in China are calling for a full-blown boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, a move likely to ratchet up pressure on the International Olympic Committee, athletes, sponsors and sports federations. A coalition representing Uyghurs, Tibetans, residents of Hong Kong and others issued a statement Monday calling for the boycott, eschewing lesser measures that had been floated like “diplomatic boycotts” and further negotiations with the IOC or China. “The time for talking with the IOC is over,” Lhadon Tethong of the Tibet Action Institute said in an exclusive interview with The Associated Press. “This cannot be games as usual or business as usual; not for the IOC and not for the international community.” The push for a boycott comes a day before a joint hearing in the U.S. Congress focusing on the Beijing Olympics and China’s human-rights record, and just days after the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee said boycotts are ineffective and only hurt athletes.

Grief Mounts as Efforts to Ease Israel-Hamas Fight Falter (NYT) Diplomats and international leaders were unable Sunday to mediate a cease-fire in the latest conflict between Israel and Hamas, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel vowed to continue the fight and the United Nations Security Council failed to agree on a joint response to the worsening bloodshed. The diplomatic wrangling occurred after the fighting, the most intense seen in Gaza and Israel for seven years, entered its deadliest phase yet. At least 42 Palestinians were killed early Sunday morning in an airstrike on several apartments in Gaza City, Palestinian officials said, the conflict’s most lethal episode so far. The number of people in killed in Gaza rose to 197 over the seven days of the conflict, according to Palestinian officials, while the number of Israeli residents killed by Palestinian militants climbed to 11, including one soldier, the Israeli government said.

Israel, Hamas trade fire in Gaza as war rages on (AP) Israel carried out a wave of airstrikes on what it said were militant targets in Gaza, leveling a six-story building, and militants fired dozens of rockets into Israel on Tuesday. Palestinians across the region observed a general strike as the war, now in its second week, showed no signs of abating. The strikes toppled a building that housed libraries and educational centers belonging to the Islamic University. Residents sifted through the rubble, searching for their belongings.

Israel’s aftermath (Foreign Policy) In Israel, the aftermath of days of violence in mixed Arab-Israeli towns has led to a one-sided reaction from state prosecutors: Of the 116 indictments served so far against those arrested last week, all have been against Arab-Israeli citizens, Haaretz reports. Meanwhile, Yair Lapid, whose centrist Yesh Atid party’s chances of forming a coalition government has crumbled since the violence broke out, placed the blame on Netanyahu. If he was in charge, Lapid said on Sunday, no one would have to question “why the fire always breaks out precisely when it’s most convenient for the prime minister.”

Long working hours can be a killer, WHO study shows (Reuters) Working long hours is killing hundreds of thousands of people a year in a worsening trend that may accelerate further due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Organization said on Monday. In the first global study of the loss of life associated with longer working hours, the paper in the journal Environment International showed that 745,000 people died from stroke and heart disease associated with long working hours in 2016. That was an increase of nearly 30% from 2000. “Working 55 hours or more per week is a serious health hazard,” said Maria Neira, director of the WHO’s Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health. The joint study, produced by the WHO and the International Labour Organization, showed that most victims (72%) were men and were middle-aged or older. Often, the deaths occurred much later in life, sometimes decades later, than the shifts worked. It also showed that people living in Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific region were the most affected.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Pluralistic: 18 Mar 2020 (Ethopia's Jack Ma infatuation, Charter's infect-the-world plan, Trumpist firefighters dismiss covid, Flatter Me, aviation bailouts need strings attached, the only way through is together, ventilator sharing, explainers, patents vs respirators, covid stimulus, DIY TP, 1665 plague orders+

Today's links

Ethiopian factory sports Jack Ma quotes: Global trade currents are shifting fast.

Charter orders all workers to keep showing up: Even the 15% of its workforce who could work from home.

MAGA firefighters dismiss coronavirus as Democrat hoax: And/or a Chinese bioweapon.

Flatter Me, a compliments card game: Kickstarting now.

American Airlines blew billions, now it wants a bailout: Socializing losses, privatizing gains.

John Green's mutual aid manifesto: The only way through is together.

How to split a single ventilator for four patients: Peer-reviewed simulations.

Bigoted Republican Congressjerk votes against coronavirus relief because it might cover same-sex partnerships: Rep Andy Biggs wants to send us all to meet Jesus.

Epidemiology and public health in 14 minutes: An epidemiologist and an sf writer make an outstanding science communications team.

3D printed ventilator hero got a patent threat: Human rights vs property rights.

If nothing is for sale, how will covid stimulus work? Can you fix a supply shock with stimulus?

How to make your own toilet paper: A craft for your isolated kiddos.

Plague precautions from 1665: No feasting, but you can tipple in a bar until 9PM.

This day in history: 2005, 2010, 2015, 2019

Colophon: Recent publications, current writing projects, upcoming appearances, current reading

Ethiopian factory sports Jack Ma quotes (permalink)

This pic was taken by researchers from Caribou Data at a textiles factory in Ethiopia. Every curtain on every window bore silk-screened quotes from Jack Ma's book (the name of the factory has been redacted to preserve the owner's privacy).

The researchers told me that 72 hours after Alibaba moved into Rwanda, every coffee farmer using the platform had sold out of their inventory.

It's a potent and visually arresting reminder of how global trade currents are shifting.

Charter orders all workers to keep showing up (permalink)

My local monopoly ISP is Charter. They're terrible in every single way. What's more, my city, Burbank, owns 100GB fiber that runs under my home's foundation slab, but I can't access it because of Charter's deal with the city. In addition to delivering slow-as-molasses connectivity at nosebleed prices (and relentlessly advertising upsells, dozens every week, print and digital), the company is also forcing all workers to show up in person during the pandemic – even those who could work from home.

They basically forced Nick Wheeler, an engineer who complained about this, to resign, calling his short, measured complaint about the policy "irresponsible," accusing him of "inciting fear."

https://techcrunch.com/2020/03/16/charter-coronavirus-work-home/

Charter gives its workers a single annual week's worth of sick-leave. Workers have to use that leave time if they are worried about contracting or transmitting coronavirus. Medical advice for coronavirus infections is to self-isolate for two weeks, though.

Even other telcos (AT&T, Comcast) are asking workers to work from home. Charter CEO Tom Rutledge has doubled down on his infect-the-world policy, because "While back office and management functions can be performed remotely, they are more effective from the office."

Charter is a tremendous beneficiary of public largesse. It gets access to our rights-of-way, something they couldn't hope to afford at market rates. It received billions in tax-cuts (which it squandered on stock buybacks). The company got Net Neutrality dismantled, and is given monopolies wherever it operates.

This largesse is predicated on the idea that Charter views itself as a steward and can be trusted with monopoly self-regulation. If you had any doubt that the company can't be trusted to pour piss out of a boot with instructions printed on the heel, this should dispel it forever.

What I'm saying is, if you ever have a Charter exec in your home, count the spoons before you let him leave.

MAGA firefighters dismiss coronavirus as Democrat hoax (permalink)

"IAFF Union Firefighters for Trump" is a 27,000 member Facebook group of first responders who split from their union over its endorsement of Biden; Trump himself has endorsed the group.

Today, it is full of firefighters and EMTs who say that coronavirus is no big deal.

Some of the group's members are posting evidence to the contrary from their working experience, talking about the devastation they're witnessing firsthand. Their colleagues reply with poop emojis and "Trump2020."

https://www.propublica.org/article/facebook-firefighters-corona#179168

The group is infected with the conspiracy theory that coronvirus is a panic cooked up by Democrats to discredit Trump, or that it's a Chinese bioweapon, an idea that Trump and his Congressional and Senate supporters have tacitly (or explicitly) endorsed.

This is especially worrying as EMTs and firefighters are at high risk of contracting coronovirus. If they don't take the risk seriously, they could spread it to vulnerable people, or reduce emergency capacity while they are quarantined (they also risk their own health).

Group founder Kelly Hallman told Propublica that "There's never been this much hoopla given to the other things. They're doing it to crash the economy and make Trump look bad…If you had to point a finger at why the leftist media and the left in general has a smile on their face about this, it's the Dow. My wife and kids are scared, believing what they're seeing on TV. I'm telling them it's not as bad as the media makes out."

Flatter Me, a compliments card game (permalink)

Flatter Me is Ami Baio's latest kickstarted card-game: "a two-player game for all ages with 250 unique compliments to play with friends, family, and partners."

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/amibaio/flatter-me-a-compliment-battle-card-game

Its creator Ami Baio specialises in games that turn on kindness and connection; her last project was "You Don't Know Me."

https://youthinkyouknowme.cards/

A $20 pledge gets you one Flatter Me deck, $35 gets a two-pack. The cards are also designed to be given as gifts: "given to friends who need a boost, tucked into cards or gift bags, or left for friends to find."

Baio is seeking $12k in pre-orders and is delivers in Oct.

American Airlines blew billions, now it wants a bailout (permalink)

Since 2014, American Airlines has accumulated a $30B debt. It did so while paying its shareholders $15B through stock buybacks, and while raising prices on fliers, nickel-and-diming on bag charges and other extras. Now its industry group – whose members spent 96% of their free cash-flow on buybacks – is seeking a $50B coronavirus bailout, with no strings attached. That's 300% more than the industry got after 9/11.

This is shareholder capitalism working as intended. As Matt Levine writes, "it is optimized to extract money for shareholders when things go well and minimize the amount of shareholder money that is at risk when things go very wrong."

http://link.mail.bloombergbusiness.com/join/4wm/moneystuff-signup

But as Tim Wu writes, bailouts should come with strings attached. The airlines engineered this situation for themselves. If we let them socialized their losses and privatize their gains (again), they'll do it again (again).

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/16/opinion/airlines-bailout.html

"Change fees should be capped at $50 and baggage fees tied to some ratio of costs. The change fees don't just irritate; they are a drag on the broader economy, making the transport system less flexible and discouraging otherwise efficient changes to travel plans."

"We should end the airlines' pursuit of smaller and smaller seats, which are not only uncomfortable and even physically harmful, but also foster in-flight rage and make the job of flight attendants nigh unbearable."

"Finally, we have allowed too much common ownership, permitting large shareholders to take a stake in each of the major airlines, creating incentives to collude instead of compete."

As Naomi Klein has reminded us, the Shock Doctrine (can) cut both ways: the Great Depression catalyzed transformative change and the New Deal. Let's not permit this disaster be seized by the people responsible for it.

https://pluralistic.net/2020/03/17/pluralistic-17-mar-2020/#disaster-socialism

John Green's mutual aid manifesto (permalink)

This video from John Green is a tonic: a reminder that humanity has a shared destiny and that cooperation is the human condition. and that mutual aid is key.

"The only way out is through, and the only way through is together."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dh23nwxpfe8

How to split a single ventilator for four patients (permalink)

In 2008, Greg Neyman and Charlene Babcock Irvin published "A Single Ventilator for Multiple Simulated Patients to Meet Disaster Surge" in the peer-reviewed Society for Academic Emergency Medicine journal.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1197/j.aem.2006.05.009

In this video, Dr Babcock demonstrates how to split a single ventilator to safely and effectively treat up to four patients.

As she points out, there have been no studies of this, but it has been (temporarily) used successfully in the field.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uClq978oohY

Bigoted Republican Congressjerk votes against coronavirus relief because it might cover same-sex partnerships (permalink)

You may not get paid leave during the coronavirus crisis in part because Rep Andy Biggs (R-AZ) voted against it because his homophobia was more salient than his empathy.

https://theintercept.com/2020/03/17/coronavirus-stimulus-bill-andy-biggs/

He claimed (wrongly) that this was novel federal legislation in that it included domestic partnerships.

He was objecting to the provision of assistance to family members, including "biological, foster, or adopted child, a stepchild, a child of a domestic partner."

As Lee Fang writes, "The exact same legislative text around domestic partnerships and committed relationships is found in several bills in Congress, including paid sick leave legislation proposed as far back as 2015."

Biggs also lied and said that he objected to coronavirus relief because it would repeal the Hyde Amendment ("Two provisions that have nothing to do with the coronavirus are basically thrown into this thing. That's par for the course for the left").

The bill does not repeal the Hyde Amendment.

The Republican Party, folks. The party of death and poverty and tragedy and hate. Remember that in November.

Epidemiology and public health in 14 minutes (permalink)

Epidemiologist Dr. Ross Kauffman and sf writer Tobias Buckell teamed up to produce this short video explaining the costs of a runaway coronavirus epidemic to explain the need for drastic measures to their local Ohio town council.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqgINxGQB5w

It's a spectacular piece of science communications: grave without being alarmist, calm and measured, informative and plainspoken. It's a really important piece of video and I hope you'll watch it.

3D printed ventilator hero got a patent threat (permalink)

Remember the heartwarming story of the Italian makers who volunteered to fix their hospital's busted ventilators with 3D printed parts that they designed and produced on the spot?

https://pluralistic.net/2020/03/16/tiktoks-secrets/#3dp-breathfree

It turns out that these makers weren't just saving lives, they were also taking a legal risk. That's because when they asked the manufacturer for help with the project, the manufacturer countered by threatening to sue them for patent infringement.

https://it.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-manca-la-valvola-per-uno-strumento-di-rianimazione-e-noi-la-stampiamo-in-3d-accade-nellospedale-di-chiari-brescia/

The part they printed cost them 1 euro, while replacing the system would cost a reported EUR10,000.

In a heartfelt, and soul-searching post, one of the people behind the project says he won't try to distribute the files he created.

https://www.facebook.com/Ing.Cristian.Fracassi/posts/10222339428782713

I can't help but wonder if he's hoping to mollify the corporation whose threats he ignored to help save lives.

Postscript: If you're pondering the issues of open source/homebrew respirator design, check out this excellent thread on the material constraints and challenges of med-tech.

https://twitter.com/turzaak/status/1239544498553860096

If nothing is for sale, how will covid stimulus work? (permalink)

I'm a believer in Modern Monetary Theory and the idea that state deficit spending is not intrinsically inflationary – only when the state is trying to procure things the private sector wants, so they get into a bidding war.

https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2019/4/16/18251646/modern-monetary-theory-new-moment-explained

In theory, the covid contraction is a great candidate for MMT stimulus. If people are stockpiling cash and thus eliminating their discretionary spending (40% of US GDP!), then the state can procure the discretionary items without triggering inflation.

Or there could be a hybrid, such as distributing vouchers to the public, redeemable for discretionary purchases – instead of bailing out aviation, we could buy people plane tickets, for example.

But that runs into a big problem: there's another reason people aren't making discretionary purchases, which is that those goods and services aren't available (manufacture has been disrupted by social distancing) or aren't safe (flying is incompatible with social distancing).

In this case, it seems to me that stimulus spending runs the risk of being inflationary (when everyone tries to redeem their plane ticket vouchers at once) or useless (people throw away their vouchers). Stimulus + supply shock = ??

That's not to rule out stimulus altogether, but it does suggest that the stimulus needs to be targeted, especially considering the size of the bailout that Wall Street is bandying about: trillions, in a matter of days.

https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/the-coronavirus-calls-for-wartime-economic-thinking

The GOP is calling for a $1,000/person bailout, but as @yvessmith says, this isn't much when it comes to the immediate expenses that affected people need to cover, like rent, mortgage, and, of course, treating covid-related illness without insurance.

https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2020/03/why-sending-1000-checks-to-everyone-wont-solve-the-coronavirus

Maybe, instead, help to cover mortgage and rent, along with anti-eviction/foreclosure rules; help with utilities, expanded food aid, and swift Medicare for All. Then, once the crisis is passed, a big stimulus package – for people, not banks – that gets us buying stuff again?

TBH, I don't know. It's weird to feel skeptical of stimulus, given how valuable demand-side relief would have been over the past decade+. Obviously we don't want another 2008 plute bonanza giveaway, but we also don't want to inject ever more money to chase ever-fewer goods.

How to make your own toilet paper (permalink)

Making toilet paper at home is a pretty on-the-nose craft to try with your covid-isolated kiddos. You need newsprint, leaves/grass (as a cellulosic binder) and baby oil.

https://www.ehow.com/how_4514690_make-toilet-paper.html

Soak the paper until ink is mostly gone, slowly boil with leaves/grass, simmer 1h, bring to boil for 30m, adding water and skimming foam. Remove, ladle out excess water. Mix 4tbsps of baby oil in with pulp. Scoop pulp onto a towel, press with a rolling pin.

Gently beat out lumps with a rubber mallet, add another towel on top. Cover with a board and add weights. Wait 30m. Flip over, remove towel and leave to dry in sun. Cut into strips and use (sparingly).

Plague precautions from 1665 (permalink)

ORDERS CONCEIVED AND PUBLISHED BY THE LORD MAYOR AND ALDERMEN OF THE CITY OF LONDON CONCERNING THE INFECTION OF THE PLAGUE, 1665

https://brucesterling.tumblr.com/post/612917764072636416/orders-conceived-and-published-by-the-lord-mayor

Every parish needs examiners. Refuse duty and you go to prison: "persons of good sort and credit chosen and appointed by the alderman, his deputy, and common council of every ward, by the name of examiners, to continue in that office the space of two months at least."

Examiners must "inquire and learn from time to time what houses in every parish be visited, and what persons be sick, and of what diseases…[I]f they find any person sick of the infection, to give order to the constable that the house be shut up."

Infected homs get 24/7 surveillance two watchmen: "these watchmen have a special care that no person go in or out of such infected houses whereof they have the charge, upon pain of severe punishment."

They'll also get you groceries and lock up your shop.

Women "of honest reputation" are appointed by physicians as "searchers" to inspect the dead and determine cause of death. Searchers are helped by newly appointed "able and discreet chirurgeons," charged with ensuring that "a true report made of the disease."

Nurse-keepers have to be quarantined for 28 days after their patients die.

If plague is found in a house, the whole household is locked in for 28 days. Prior to sequestration, their personal effects have to be aired, treated with fire, and then perfumed. Anyone known to have visited a plague house is locked down for 28 days, along with their household, with the same airing, flaming and perfuming business.

Plague-dead may only be buried after sunset and before sunrise, with no mourners in attendance. No sermons or eulogies allowed. Graves must be 6 feet deep. All funerals are banned. Personal effects of the plague-dead must be destroyed, not given away or sold.

Public notice: "Every house visited be marked with a red cross of a foot long in the middle of the door.. and with these usual printed words… 'Lord, have mercy upon us,' to be set close over the same cross, there to continue until lawful opening of the same house."

Cab drivers can continue as normal, but if they carry someone thought to have plague they have to retire their hackney-coaches for 5-6 days and give them a thorough airing.

[[I sense that this may be a weak spot in the whole plan]]

There's also new sanitation rules requiring regular sweepings and rakings of "filth" from the streets, with all the human waste being dumped far from the city and not in local gardens. Smelly or rotten food-sales are banned.

Cops are charged with sweeping up and punishing beggars, who are banned from the streets.

No live entertainment: "all plays, bear-baitings, games, singing of ballads, buckler-play, or such-like causes of assemblies of people be utterly prohibited."

All restaurants are closed. Feasting is banned.

Bars are OK, but under suspicion, and must close by 9PM. The rule covers "tippling in taverns, ale-houses, coffee-houses, and cellars."

[[Again, this seems like a weak spot]]

This day in history (permalink)

#15yrsago Andre Norton, RIP https://web.archive.org/web/20050318045717/http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/books/03/17/obit.norton.ap/index.html

#15yrsago Orrin Hatch is head of new IP subcommitee https://www.technewsworld.com/story/41548.html

#10yrsago Is the UK record industry arrogant or stupid? https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2010/mar/18/digital-economy-bill-calculated-loss

#10yrsago Entertainment industry sours on term "pirate" — too sexy https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2010/03/piracy-sounds-too-sexy-say-rightsholders/

#10yrsago YouTube: Viacom secretly posted its videos even as they sued us for not taking down Viacom videos https://youtube.googleblog.com/2010/03/broadcast-yourself.html

#10yrsago Michael Lewis's THE BIG SHORT, visiting the econopocalypse through the lens of LIAR'S POKER https://boingboing.net/2010/03/18/michael-lewiss-the-b.html

#5yrsago Insider view of the cash-for-gold ripoff https://www.laphamsquarterly.org/swindle-fraud/we-buy-broken-gold

#5yrsago Terry Pratchett's advice to booksellers https://www.thebookseller.com/blogs/advice-booksellers

#1yrago Facebook's year-old "improvements" to the newsfeed have elevated enraging Fox News posts to the service's dominant form https://www.niemanlab.org/2019/03/one-year-in-facebooks-big-algorithm-change-has-spurred-an-angry-fox-news-dominated-and-very-engaged-news-feed/

#1yrago Electronic Health Records: a murderous, publicly subsidized, $13B/year grift by way of shitty software https://khn.org/news/death-by-a-thousand-clicks/

Colophon (permalink)

Today's top sources: Mitch Wagner (http://mitchwagner.com/blog/), Kottke (https://kottke.org), Laurent Stanevich (https://twitter.com/LairBob), Naked Capitalism (https://www.nakedcapitalism.com), Slashdot (https://slashdot.org).

Currently writing: I've just finished rewrites on a short story, "The Canadian Miracle," for MIT Tech Review. It's a story set in the world of my next novel, "The Lost Cause," a post-GND novel about truth and reconciliation. I've also just completed "Baby Twitter," a piece of design fiction also set in The Lost Cause's prehistory, for a British think-tank. I'm getting geared up to start work on the novel next.

Currently reading: Just started Lauren Beukes's forthcoming Afterland: it's Y the Last Man plus plus, and two chapters in, it's amazeballs. Last month, I finished Andrea Bernstein's "American Oligarchs"; it's a magnificent history of the Kushner and Trump families, showing how they cheated, stole and lied their way into power. I'm getting really into Anna Weiner's memoir about tech, "Uncanny Valley." I just loaded Matt Stoller's "Goliath" onto my underwater MP3 player and I'm listening to it as I swim laps.

Latest podcast: The Masque of the Red Death and Punch Brothers Punch https://craphound.com/podcast/2020/03/16/the-masque-of-the-red-death-and-punch-brothers-punch/

Upcoming books: "Poesy the Monster Slayer" (Jul 2020), a picture book about monsters, bedtime, gender, and kicking ass. Pre-order here: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781626723627?utm_source=socialmedia&utm_medium=socialpost&utm_term=na-poesycorypreorder&utm_content=na-preorder-buynow&utm_campaign=9781626723627

(we're having a launch for it in Burbank on July 11 at Dark Delicacies and you can get me AND Poesy to sign it and Dark Del will ship it to the monster kids in your life in time for the release date).

"Attack Surface": The third Little Brother book, Oct 20, 2020. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250757531

"Little Brother/Homeland": A reissue omnibus edition with a new introduction by Edward Snowden: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250774583

[theliberaltony]

via Politics – FiveThirtyEight

After two early state contests with overwhelmingly white electorates, the Nevada caucuses are the Democratic candidates’ first big test among nonwhite voters. And with Latinos making up nearly 30 percent of the state’s population, they could play a big role in determining the winner.

But which candidates will connect with Latino voters — and whether they can persuade them to turn out in high numbers — remains to be seen. In 2016, Latinos made up 19 percent of the Democratic electorate, which was four percentage points higher than in 2008, but which candidate won among Latino voters was contested.

[Our Latest Forecast: Who Will Win The 2020 Democratic Primary?]

This year, Sen. Bernie Sanders has a clear edge in Nevada overall, according to the FiveThirtyEight primary forecast. He has a 3 in 4 (76 percent) chance of winning the most votes, and the model expects him to finish with 37 percent of the post-realignment vote,1 on average. And strong support among Latinos is probably a big part of that: Sanders consistently polls well among Latino voters and has invested heavily in Latino outreach in Nevada, which experts told us is key for ensuring that his supporters show up to the caucuses.

There’s still room for other candidates to perform well among Latino voters in Nevada, though — even if Sanders wins overall. For instance, even though Biden’s odds of winning the most votes in Nevada are only 1 in 9 (11 percent), a significant chunk of Latino voters still support Biden, according to recent polls. He’ll need to keep them in his corner, too, to avoid another fourth- or fifth-place finish and to bolster his claim that he can bring together a broad coalition of Democratic voters.

Additionally, the state of play in Nevada among Latinos could be more fluid than it looks. Nevada is a weird state to poll and Latino voters can be difficult to survey accurately because of low response rates and language barriers. The efforts other candidates have made in recent weeks — through Spanish-language advertisements and on-the-ground outreach — to court Latino voters could still pay off. And the Nevada caucuses could be an important litmus test for understanding which way Latino voters may be leaning — especially if a sizable number end up breaking for someone other than Sanders. For instance, former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Elizabeth Warren have struggled so far to win over voters of color, so even just a robust showing among Latino voters could be game-changing. Likewise, an overperformance among Latinos could go a long way for philanthropist Tom Steyer, who’s made a big bet on Nevada and South Carolina.

There are a few ways to gauge which candidates might have the strongest support among Latino Democrats in Nevada, but a good starting point is to first look at the polls. We gathered the crosstabs of six Nevada polls conducted in the last 11 days, and Sanders is the only candidate who has consistently had meaningful support among Hispanic or Latino voters. (Pollsters varied in how they categorized Latino and Hispanic respondents. Some treated Hispanic heritage as an ethnicity, which would allow people to identify as both black and Latino, for example, while other pollsters treated Hispanic as its own race, which may lead respondents who identify as both Hispanic and white, black or another race to self-select out of the Hispanic/Latino group. Other pollsters simply asked respondents if they identified as Hispanic or Latino, and are not necessarily weighting to get a sample reflective of Nevada’s overall Latino population.)

Sanders is highly favored by Latino voters in Nevada

Top Democratic candidates’ support among poll respondents who identified as Hispanic or Latino (depending on the poll), in six polls conducted since Feb. 9

Pollster Sanders Biden Steyer Warren Buttigieg Klobuchar Data for Progress 66% 7% 8% 5% 4% 7% WPA Intelligence 50 13 9 11 9 0 Beacon Research* 33 16 18 14 7 3 Univision 33 22 12 6 8 1 Mason-Dixon 31 34 3 6 7 5 Point Blank Political 20 8 29 8 12 4

*Internal poll for the Steyer campaign.

Source: Polls

It wasn’t just Sanders who appealed to Hispanic or Latino voters. Biden and Steyer also had strong support among Hispanic or Latino voters in some of the polls. Warren, Buttigieg and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, on the other hand, are far behind.

But there’s still room for a polling surprise or two. Biden’s losses in Iowa and New Hampshire could make some voters more willing to consider other options. And Sanders has also faced opposition from the state’s largest labor union, which represents thousands of Latino workers. They haven’t endorsed a candidate, but they have openly attacked his Medicare for All plan recently, so it’s possible this could erode some of Sanders’s support.

Other candidates have also stepped up their outreach efforts in the last few weeks, with several trying to speak directly to Nevada’s Latino population via Spanish-language TV ads. According to data from Kantar Media’s Campaign Media Analysis Group, from Jan. 1 through Feb. 18, Steyer has aired 912 Spanish-language TV spots in Nevada-based media markets, nearly double Sanders’s 506. And Warren has aired the largest share of her total TV advertising in Spanish — 479 of her 2,034 Nevada spots have been in Spanish. Two other candidates have made nominal Spanish-language ad buys: Buttigieg has aired 97 spots so far this year, and Klobuchar has aired 62.

Several Democrats are airing Spanish ads in Nevada

The number of Spanish-language TV spots candidates have aired in Nevada-based media markets, as a share of total advertising in the state

Candidate All Airings Spanish-Language Airings Share in Spanish Elizabeth Warren 2,034 479 24% Bernie Sanders 4,015 506 13 Tom Steyer 9,930 912 9 Pete Buttigieg 1,236 97 8 Amy Klobuchar 997 62 6 Joe Biden 1,866 0 0 Michael Bloomberg 69 0 0

Data is from Jan. 1 through Feb. 18, 2020.

Source: Kantar/Campaign media analysis group

Support from Latino voters requires outreach beyond the airwaves, though. “It’s not just about coming in and running an ad saying you support immigration reform — you need to do outreach through a Latino lens,” said Matt Barreto, the co-founder of the polling firm Latino Decisions. “You have to figure out what the challenges are with health care or college affordability from a Latino perspective. That takes time and resources.”

And persuading people to attend a caucus adds another layer of difficulty. The state’s population is relatively transient — only 27 percent of Nevada residents were born in the state — which means that voters may not be familiar with how caucuses work. Caucuses also present a challenge for voters who might not be able to leave their jobs for several hours in the middle of the day to participate. “It’s a process that really excludes low-income communities,” said Cecia Alvarado, the Nevada state director for Mi Familia Vota, a Latino advocacy group. “The guy working in landscaping — he can’t just leave work on a Saturday for the caucus.”

And for first-time voters and immigrants, Alvarado added, even the experience of attending a caucus can be confusing and alienating. “Knowing what to do, where to stand, seeing people going in a bunch of different directions ��� it’s a complex process and if you’re not familiar with it, it’s easy to feel like you don’t belong there,” she said.

That means the candidates with the biggest infrastructure, and a longer presence in the state, have an advantage. This year, the caucuses included an early voting period, which meant that campaigns had more opportunities to persuade Nevadans to participate. “Latino turnout really requires a big investment in on-the-ground resources,” Barreto said. “The campaigns need to be doing extensive voter education and mobilization to get people to the caucus sites.��

And according to research by FiveThirtyEight contributor Joshua Darr,2 Buttigieg and Sanders have invested most heavily in their ground game. They both have the highest number of field offices in Nevada: Buttigieg has 11 and Sanders has 10, mostly concentrated near Las Vegas. Having lots of staff and volunteers can make a difference in persuading voters to participate in the caucuses, so a strong network of field offices and volunteers could, in theory, give a candidate like Buttigieg a boost. It might also help someone like Warren, who has eight field offices across Nevada — more than Biden’s five or Steyer’s three.

Ultimately, though, Sanders and Biden’s opponents will have to contend with the fact that both candidates are simply more familiar to Nevada voters, and popular with Latino voters in particular. A Univision poll also found that 70 percent of Hispanic registered voters had a favorable impression of Sanders, and only 3 percent didn’t know who he was. Biden was similarly well-known, and the percentage of registered voters with a favorable opinion was only slightly lower, at 65 percent. Only 38 percent of Hispanic registered voters, by contrast, had a favorable impression of Buttigieg, and nearly one-quarter weren’t familiar with him — even though Buttigieg has been ramping up his ground game in Nevada since the fall.

There’s also some evidence that Latinos see Sanders — and to a lesser extent, Biden — as the candidate who’s most invested in the issues that matter to them: A Mason-Dixon poll of Latinos conducted for Telemundo found that a plurality (41 percent) of Hispanic likely Democratic caucusgoers said that Sanders is the presidential candidate who has paid the most attention to issues affecting the Latino community, while about one-quarter (24 percent) pointed to Biden. None of the other candidates registered above 5 percent.

And that’s also why Biden — despite his weakened standing after Iowa and New Hampshire — might still be in the best position to give Sanders a run for his money among Latinos. It’s true that Sanders trounced his competition in Latino-heavy precincts in Iowa, according to an analysis by researchers at UCLA. But Latinos also don’t vote as a bloc, and the age composition of this year’s electorate could make a big difference — particularly if turnout is high among young people. The fact that Latino voters tend to be younger is especially helpful to Sanders, who tends to overperform with younger voters overall. That was reflected in the Telemundo poll, which showed that nearly half (43 percent) of Latinos under the age of 50 were in Sanders’s camp. But Biden still has an advantage among older Latinos: 39 percent of Latinos age 50 and older said they supported Biden, while only 23 percent favored Sanders in that Telemundo poll.

It’s also possible that the Latino vote will be divided among the candidates in ways that are hard to anticipate now. And however it shakes out — whether another candidate does manage to match Sanders’s support among Latino voters in Nevada, or Sanders wins even more decisively than the polls suggest — that could be an important bellwether for even more heavily Latino states rapidly coming up on the calendar, like California or Texas, where orders of magnitude more delegates are at stake.

[variety-in-novels-students-blog]

Mental Illness and Authors

First of all, I would like to give a definition of depression cited from the website American Psychiatric Association:

“Depression (major depressive disorder) is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Fortunately, it is also treatable. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease a person’s ability to function at work and at home.

Depression symptoms can vary from mild to severe and can include:

Feeling sad or having a depressed mood

Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed

Changes in appetite — weight loss or gain unrelated to dieting

Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much

Loss of energy or increased fatigue

Increase in purposeless physical activity (e.g., hand-wringing or pacing) or slowed movements and speech (actions observable by others)

Feeling worthless or guilty

Difficulty thinking, concentrating or making decisions

Thoughts of death or suicide

Symptoms must last at least two weeks for a diagnosis of depression.

Also, medical conditions (e.g., thyroid problems, a brain tumor or vitamin deficiency) can mimic symptoms of depression so it is important to rule out general medical causes.

Depression affects an estimated one in 15 adults (6.7%) in any given year. And one in six people (16.6%) will experience depression at some time in their life. Depression can strike at any time, but on average, first appears during the late teens to mid-20s. Women are more likely than men to experience depression. Some studies show that one-third of women will experience a major depressive episode in their lifetime.”

(https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/depression/what-is-depression)

Apart from the above-mentioned definition, there are several interesting facts about depression. One of them is that writing is one of the professions in which people are most likely to suffer from depression. Artists and writers are among the most vulnerable of professionals due to irregular pay and isolation which contribute to the propensity for writers to succumb to depression.

Also novelist Simon Brett, who has acknowledged his own struggles with depression, agreed with the content and symptoms of depression. “You spend long hours sitting on your own," he said. "Writing can be wonderful therapy, but you are digging into yourself, and if you are writing fiction and creating characters, a certain amount of self-examination and self-doubt is inevitable." “Many writers are also introverted, quiet people, and find it stressful to have their work assessed publicly”, Brett added. Simon believes that there are specific points in the novel-writing cycle when authors are particularly vulnerable. "Almost every writer I know goes through the same reaction after a novel is finished – there are 24 hours of euphoria and then all the negative thoughts you have shut out while finishing it come out, and either you get drunk or depressed or get the flu.”

Now I want to name and compare several writers who suffered from depression. Most of the authors wrote down and announced their feelings and moods in their books.

The first one is Sylvia Plath. In one of her books, she writes:

“God, but life is loneliness, despite all the opiates, despite the shrill tinsel gaiety of 'parties' with no purpose, despite the false grinning faces we all wear. And when at last you find someone to whom you feel you can pour out your soul, you stop in shock at the words you utter — they are so rusty, so ugly, so meaningless and feeble from being kept in the small cramped dark inside you so long. Yes, there is joy, fulfillment and companionship — but the loneliness of the soul in its appalling self-consciousness is horrible and overpowering.” — The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath

In these lines, she emphasizes especially on loneliness and the dark inside a human mind. Sylvia Plath's experience of depression was so deeply a part of her work that it's hard to disentangle them. She wrote honestly about the disorder and inner demons, which might were the reasons why she ended her life at the age of 30.

Another person who suffered from depression is the well-known author Tennessee Williams. In his book “The Milk Train Doesn’t Stop Here Anymore”, Williams argues:

“We all live in a house on fire, no fire department to call; no way out, just the upstairs window to look out of while the fire burns the house down with us trapped, locked in it." — The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore

Playwright Williams, who also wrote classics like A Streetcar Named Desire, suffered depression all his life, battled drug and alcohol addiction, and was briefly institutionalized in 1969. In his above-mentioned lines, he highlighted his dilemma, stating that you have no other choice to break out and cannot escape from life, that there is “no way out”.

Also J.K. Rowling was a victim of depression. Rowling's life was not that easy as some may think. She was an unemployed mother with lots of problems and suddenly became a billionaire who writes bestsellers, but she's been frank about the severe depression underlying her experience. In an interview with the Times (UK) in 2000, Rowling declared:

“Depression is the most unpleasant thing I have ever experienced...It is that absence of being able to envisage that you will ever be cheerful again. The absence of hope. That very deadened feeling, which is so very different from feeling sad. Sad hurts but it's a healthy feeling. It is a necessary thing to feel. Depression is very different.“

The most interesting thing is that Rowling wrote her famous series of Harry Potter not in spite of her depression, but due to it. She also created dementors which are perfect symbolism for depression and are a brilliant aid in understanding what it actually feels like to be depressed.

There are several causes, which are not definitively proven, why writers tend to struggle with depression so much. However, there a few speculative guesses.

- Writing is quite often a solitary life. Writers sit in their office or bedroom with their laptop. They invent worlds and characters, while the real world with its real characters continues outside. But they are probably so wrapped up in those fictional worlds and characters that they don’t make the time to meet real people.

- Isolation like that can have a crushing effect on a lot of people. Some people thrive on it, but humans on the whole are a social bunch and need to interact with others. When that isn’t possible, it’s easy to feel that the walls are closing in.

- Lack of sleep, lack of exercise, lack of human contact, and lack of natural light are all factors that can develop into something much more serious.

- Since writing is so hard, it is very easy to get dispirited and to tell yourself that the whole project is hopeless. Especially when you get rejection slips from editors and harsh criticism from reviewers, your family and friends.

Nevertheless, there are lots of ways to beat depression. But most importantly: YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

“- Get in a routine. If you’re depressed, you need a routine. Depression can strip away the structure from your life. One day melts into the next. Setting a gentle daily schedule can help you get back on track.

- Set goals. When you're depressed, you may feel like you can't accomplish anything. That makes you feel worse about yourself. To push back, set daily goals for yourself. This can, for example, be that you are simply doing the dishes.

- Exercise. It temporarily boosts feel-good chemicals called endorphins. It may also have long-term benefits for people with depression. Regular exercise seems to encourage the brain to rewire itself in positive ways.

- Get enough sleep. Depression can make it hard to get enough shut-eye, and too little sleep can make depression worse. What can you do? Start by making some changes to your lifestyle. Go to bed and get up at the same time every day. Try not to nap. Take all the distractions out of your bedroom -- no computer and no TV.”

(https://www.webmd.com/depression/features/natural-treatments#1)

After all, there are many books which deal with depression and are worth reading them, either in the case of an own depression or just to see how a person with depression feels or thinks. Here is a list:

Ø  Shades of blue by Amy Ferris

Ø  Furiously Happy: A Funny Book about Horrible Things by Jenny Lawson

Ø  Feeling good - The New Mood Therapy by David D. Burns

Ø  Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression - and the Unexpected Solutions by Johann Hari

Ø  The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression by Andrew Solomon

Ø  The Happiness Trap: How to Stop Struggling and Start Living by Russ Harris

Ø  The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

Ø  Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Ø  The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick

Ø  Impulse by Ellen Hopkins

Considering our mentioned quote from the introduction’s headline, one must appreciate that people with depression are also humans and not weird people as some might think. Lots of people cannot understand why people with depression behave different; they often want them just to pull themselves togehther. But it is not that easy. Most importantly, depressives deserve the same respect, happiness and fairness as others without depression do. Try to make them smile again - because it can also affect you or your beloved ones. ~ written by admin J

[ouraidengray4]

31 Healthy Snacks for When You Love Fruit but Have a Sweet Tooth

Fruit is never a chore. Nature’s candy ranks up there as one of our favorite things about being people.

However, the same way we won’t just stroll out the front door stark naked, we also don’t have to limit fruit consumption to the way nature intended it.

Tatjana Zlatkovic/Stocksy

Would humanity really be humanity unless we found ways to dip everything in chocolate, make it into pizza, or shove a skewer through it? Of course not.

We found 31 amazing ways to make your fruit snacks a little more… fruity.

Sweet

When dessert puts on its healthy hat.

1. Chocolate kiwi ice pops

Photo: Show Food Chef

On the days when the strawberry/chocolate combo seems a little overdone, you can pull this surprise out of the bag and turn your snack time on its head.

The recipe calls for just three ingredients (kiwi, dark chocolate, and coconut oil), but we love ours with nuts or coconut flakes sprinkled on top.

Easy, delicious, and different.

2. Chocolate-covered fruit

Photo: Chelsey Amer Nutrition

Pick your favorite fruits, dice ’em up, and skewer ’em. Dip them into melted dark chocolate, pop them in the freezer for a few hours, and it’s a job done — you have yourself a cool, sweet treat with minimal work.

3. Vanilla roasted strawberries

Photo: Simply Recipes

This is a Swiss army knife of a sweet option. Get this right and you’ve got a topping for ice cream, oatmeal, and yogurt.

Roasting the strawberries kicks their flavor in the pants and makes it go — plus, it creates a rich syrup that brings an extra zhuzh to whatever the strawberries are sitting atop.

You probably never thought of roasting your strawbs before, but give it a go. It’s a great way to boost their already exceptional taste without adding sugar.

4. Almond butter, banana, and strawberry chia jam sandwich

Photo: Days Like Laura

“We didn’t turn up to a renowned Greatist recipe roundup just to have sandwiches thrown in our faces!”

We know, we know. But hear us out. This one’s a special take on PB&J that pushes all the right buttons.

Swap in almond butter, add some homemade strawberry chia jam, and you have yourself a bomb-ass concoction.

For a quicker recipe, you can also just add some sliced strawberries. The whole-grain bread and strawberries offer a great dose of heart-healthy fiber, the almond butter is rich in protein, and the banana’s packed with potassium.

How can you stay mad at us with all that potassium?

5. One-ingredient banana ice cream

Photo: Garlic Matters

Ice cream doesn’t have to be unhealthy — as long as you define “ice cream” pretty loosely.

Simply peel a few bananas, stick them in the freezer, and let them hang out for a few hours or until they’re solid. Put the frozen ’nanas in the bowl of a food processor and process them until smooth.

Finally, add your choice of mix-ins (if you like). Dark chocolate chips, diced strawberries, and a PB swirl are Greatist favorites.

6. Papaya punch smoothie

Photo: Exploring Healthy Foods

Idina Menzel, eat your heart out — this fruit, veggie, ice, and chia smoothie is the real delivery of frozen perfection.

It’s loaded with papaya, a tropical fruit that has tons of flavor and fiber. Papaya is also relatively low in sugar compared to other fruits, with just 11.3 grams per cup.

Papaya’s got a brand new bag.

7. Summer fruit spring rolls

Photo: Bigger Bolder Baking

There’s no way you’d expect these flavors from spring rolls. Who knew they could taste this sweet?

This inventive take on the sushi restaurant favorite fills classic rice wraps with fresh fruit for a simple, slightly sweet (and super fun) snack.

8. Strawberry Nutella bruschetta

Photo: Simple Vegan Blog

It’s a recipe that rhymes satisfyingly and tastes even better than it sounds.

Strawberries plus Nutella is a classic combo. Just add a slice of toasted whole-grain bread for a fiber-rich, filling snack. You can also sprinkle some chia seeds, honey, or coconut flakes on top for an added flavor boost!

9. Lemon raspberry cheesecake ice pops

Photo: Simply Recipes

The word “cheesecake” might make this recipe sound like a rich dessert, but it clocks in at half the calories of the classic cheesecake. Plus, you can hold it on a stick, so it might already be beating the original.

In this version, “cheesecake” is actually just the sweetened lemony Greek yogurt mixture that gives these pops a creamy texture.

10. Frozen yogurt bites

Photo: I Heart Vegetables

This recipe is an awesome way to get creative with some items you probably already have in your kitchen.

Freeze some Greek yogurt with granola, pop whatever fruit you like on top, and boom! It’s a cute breakfast treat for the next morning!

11. Spicy fruit salad

Photo: Minimalist Baker

If you’ve ever thought of fruit salad as boring, you have to give this recipe a try (you’re also wrong — sorry).

Sprinkle some lime juice and chili powder on top of your favorite fruity mixture for an added kick in flavor and heat.

Can’t take the heat? You don’t have to get out of the kitchen — just try cinnamon instead.

12. Two-ingredient banana chocolate chip ice cream bites

Photo: The Baker Mama

Two of our favorite foods take center stage in this recipe: bananas and chocolate chips. You can’t go wrong here.

Blend up some frozen bananas in a food processor, and then dump in some chips. That’s it. These guys store for 2 to 3 months in the freezer, so feel free to make a giant batch to dip into whenever you feel the munchies.

13. Frozen grapes

Photo: Zen and Spice

This is so simple it barely qualifies as a recipe — it’s more of a recommendation, because, well, these bang.

Buckle up, because here are the steps:

Remove grapes from vine.

Freeze.

Get snackin’.

This easy, naturally sweetened treat is perfect to keep in the freezer for when that sweet tooth comes calling.

14. Vegan blueberry oat bars

Photo: Happy Healthy Mama

These breakfast-on-the-go bars are a healthier twist on blueberry cobbler.

The blogger uses just blueberries, but feel free to throw in some strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries for a mixed-berry version.

15. Pineapple and blueberry fruit salad

Photo: Food Doodles

The key to this recipe is what goes on top (like a great hairdo or a zany hat).

Pineapples and blueberries are awesome, but when you add some lime zest, lime juice, honey, and Greek yogurt on top, you get a next-level treat that’s creamy, zingy, and healthy in equal measure.

16. Cherries Jubilee chocolate chia seed pudding

Photo: Real Food Whole Life

Cherries Jubilee is a classic dessert, but it isn’t exactly the healthiest snack.

This recipe keeps the awesome cherry flavor but adds some healthier substitutes (like cacao) and nutritional bonuses (like chia seeds). Plus, this looks great in a mason jar, so you can seem fancy at all times.

17. Yogurt breakfast parfait with plum compote

Photo: Cake and Whisky

This fall-inspired breakfast has an awesome combination of some pretty underrated fruits and nuts.

Plums, blackberries, and hazelnuts shine in the classic parfait-style snack. And if you’re really in the fall mood, try sprinkling some pumpkin pie spice on top (because you know full well it’s pumpkin spice everything season).

18. Fruit sushi (frushi)

Photo: Dinner at the Zoo

Time to play with your food! (Also, “frushi” is an excellent name. You might want to consider it for a pet in the future.)

This is a super fun snack recipe. Put some sliced kiwi, oranges, and raspberries on top of sushi rice for a fancy treat.

Of course, feel free to improvise — sliced strawberries, mango, or apple would also make a tantalizing topper.

19. Melon salad with chili and mint

Photo: Simply Recipes

No matter your age, making spherical chunks of melon is always a baller move (not sorry — that was great) and a lot of fun to boot. It rolls up just like ice cream.

Chili and mint make this a sophisticated, interesting array of flavors — you’ll never think about melon the same way again.

20. Breakfast yogurt pops

Photo: I Heart Naptime

Tired of your same old yogurt-and-granola breakfast? Try changing up the shape. Yes, it all ends up in the same place, but shapes are fun and ice pops more so.

This recipe takes the classic combo and freezes it into a (very ’grammable) ice pop.

Just make sure to prep these the night before, since they need to sit in the freezer for at least 4 hours.

21. Blueberry coconut protein balls

Photo: One Broad’s Journey

Making a ton of these little protein balls is the perfect way to meal-prep some snacks for the week.

The secret ingredient here is lemon. The combo of lemon juice and lemon zest adds a burst of flavor to the blueberry-coconut one-two punch.

Pop one of these in your cakehole for a kick-ass start to the day.

22. Sesame oat square bars with pear compote

Photo: Cooking Melangery

Oat bars are a great way to save some time in your week — and these are on the fancier side. Make a bunch on Sunday so you’ll be able to grab them on the go during your busy workweek.

Coconut oil binds all the oats together — there’s not an egg in sight, which makes these bars super-duper vegan-friendly.

The recipe includes a homemade pear compote that will satisfy any fruit lover’s craving.

23. Chewy raspberry apple granola bars

Photo: Amy’s Healthy Baking

Granola bars are far from boring when you make them at home. You can customize the flavors however you want, and there’s none of the processed ingredients and preservatives you’d find in store-bought options.

This simple version has just seven ingredients like milk, honey, oil, and cinnamon. Raspberries stand out and do jazz hands as the vibrant, delicious star of the show.

Fruits still have a lot of sugar

While fruits are amazing and can boast a huge range of vital vitamins and minerals, they come with a heavy hit of fructose — a natural sugar, but still a sugar.

If you’re on a sugar-restricted diet or have a condition that can impact your blood sugar levels, such as diabetes, it’s best to eat fruit in moderation and be selective about the fruit you eat.

Some fruits are better than others for people with diabetes — we rounded them up here.

Savory

A mix of flavors is the mark of enlightened kitchen work, so try to switch up your fruit game entirely and get creative.

24. Grilled fruit pizza

Photo: The Chunky Chef

Oh, boy… is pizza not just bae? Well, we’re willing to wager that you haven’t had one with fruit and honey as a topping before. (If you’re one of those who falls on the angrier side of the pineapple-on-pizza debate, this one might not be for you. Or maybe it’ll convert you.)

Just grill up some pizza dough, naan, or tortilla and sprinkle your favorite fruits on top.

25. Strawberry and goat cheese bruschetta

Photo: Homemade Hooplah

We’d eat goat cheese with pretty much anything, but it’s especially good with fruit. The creamy saltiness offsets the sweetness of many fruits beautifully. But strawberries hold the starring role here.

This bruschetta recipe features the gooey combo with a balsamic glaze on top that really brings out the strawberryishness (definitely a word) of the strawberries.

26. Peach quinoa tabbouleh

Photo: Jo Eats

Peaches and quinoa might not seem like a match made in heaven, but this sweet and salty Middle Eastern-inspired dish has other ideas.

Honey, mint, and parsley dance around the peach flavors, adding all kinds of busy mouth sensations. Even as a side or a standalone snack, this intriguing tabbouleh stands all on its own.

27. Honey-lemon toast with figs and pistachios

Photo: Ambitious Kitchen

Getting creative with toast is all the rage these days (thanks, avo toast!).

This honey-fig version is the perfect savory way to eat your fruit. With ricotta slathered on the base, stopping your snack at a single slice is the most difficult thing about this recipe.

28. Creamy cheese fruit pizza

Photo: The Frugal Foodie Mama

Fruity pizza: round two. (Wait, how is there more than one? Where the f*ck are all these fruit pizzas coming from?)

This one features peaches and blackberries, but feel free to make your own version with any fruit-cheese-dough combo.

Get as creative as your brain wants — they broke the seal with pineapples many moons ago. This is just the natural consequence.

29. Mango, avocado, and fresh cilantro salsa

Photo: The Frugal Foodie Mama

You’ve heard that it takes two to tango — well, it can take two fruits to salsa. And, yes, avocado is a fruit.

This two-fruit salsa (yes, avocado is a fruit) is a way to give sweet flavors a savory twist when it’s served alongside classic tortilla chips.

Avocados are brimming with healthy monounsaturated fat and tons of vitamins, including vitamins E and B6.

30. Fig and prosciutto crostini

Photo: Mama’s Gotta Bake

Fresh figs — does it get any better?

Well, when you wrap a fresh fig in a slice of salty prosciutto and stick it on top of some toasted bread, you’ll learn that there’s more to the already mighty fig than meets the eye.

31. Melon, prosciutto, and mozzarella skewers

Photo: The Comfort of Cooking

Here’s another awesome salty-sweet combo (because savory doesn’t mean you need to kick all the sweetness out).

Prosciutto and melon is a classic duo. Add fresh mozzarella, put it on a stick, and things get seriously tasty.

Takeaway

Fruit wears many disguises, and almost all of them are delicious (when put together right).

Whether you’re in the mood for sweetness or a broader experience for your taste buds, you don’t need added sugars. You can use the natural sugars in fruits to bolster the flavor of your meal and take advantage of their natural goodness.

Had your fill of pizzas made of fruit? Fine, here are some desserts made from vegetables (and if you think carrot cake is the limit, you are very much mistaken).

from Greatist Health RSS Feed https://ift.tt/2HZWbKL 31 Healthy Snacks for When You Love Fruit but Have a Sweet Tooth Greatist Health RSS Feed from HEALTH BUZZ https://ift.tt/327t1kl

[bahannah01writes]

How To Apologize

Summary: After remembering that they've forgotten your celebratory dinner… Teamiplier works together to make it up in hope that it isn't too late. [Part I]

The long-awaited sequel to Left Behind is finally here! Wowzie, not gonna lie, wasn't expecting this much love for this story since it was my first time dealing with a few different aspects, so I was so happy to see how much you guys liked it and wanted a continuation of it! Hopefully I didn't make you guys wait too long, if I did, I'm sorry 💙 But, it's here now! So please enjoy!^^

Send in requests!

Check out the masterlist here :)  

Tags: @kourt-kay @bananakid42 @themarkiplierexperience  @let-it-go-and-live-again  @skarletton @totalwhovian @randomboxofsadness@browniebri  @amostpeculiarmademoisellerp  @that-kitty-dork if you want to be on the tagged list,  just message me and it shall be done!

Enjoy!

~~

     “... And that's a wrap!” Kathryn calls, a relieved sigh leaving her lungs- while hanging out with everyone was amazing, after so many hours had their antics lost their charm. Amy is still adorable in her hijinks, though. How couldn't she be?

     Nonetheless, the lot of them were overall glad to be done for the day. It was always exciting to work on a new project, whether it be big or small- it was fun! Time consuming and sometimes difficult, but fun all the same. By the end of the day, everyone would be at least a little bit tired if not exhausted. Mark and Tyler are continuing to laugh about the jokes from the skit, adding onto it with even cringier and sillier jokes making the brunette roll her eyes playfully. Her attention then turns to her fellow ukulele enthusiast who looks lost in thought, lips pursed and brows knitted together, “What are you thinking about?”

     Ethan groans and slides a hair through his blue waves, his hand scratching the back of his neck where it meets the bottom of his hairline, “I feel like we're missing something… Did we have anything planned today?”

     “Other than the shoot?”

     “Yeah… I don't know, maybe there's something at work I needed to take care of,” He assumes, deciding to try and suppress this weird feeling for the moment. Ethan only hopes that whatever it is that was subconsciously nagging at him doesn't result in him being fired. That would a bummer.

     Kathryn thinks it over herself, head leaning to the right as she ponders in case she happened to remember what it was.

     “Guys, let's get some ice cream!” Mark chimes in, throwing his arms around the pair with an enthusiastic grin spread across his expression. Though as soon as those words left his lips, Kathryn’s own smile falls and she realizes what it was that not only Ethan forgot, but that they all forgot.

     “Mark… What time is it?”

     “Ah, let me check,” He pulls himself away and pulls the phone from his pocket, a quick glance tells him the answer, “A little past nine, we've still got enough time to get ice cream.”

     A heavy sigh falls from her lips as she shakes her head, Kathryn’s heart clenching with guilt, “I can't believe we forgot, oh my God…”

     “Forgot what, Kat..?” Amy asks, confused and lost as to what's happening.

     “His dinner party, we missed it. (Y/n)’s dinner party- to celebrate him graduating culinary school and we missed it…” She trails off, her expression dropping with each word as she comes to realize her, no, their mistake.

     All the smiles disappear quickly with her words, put out like a candle from a cold breeze. As if time stopped and their reality simply shattered with this new truth; this new betrayal that they’ve unknowingly committed. Silence falls over them, each not knowing what to say nor do.

     How did they even forget? Tyler was always so great with his planning, Ethan and Amy have phenomenal memories, Kathryn was wonderful with dates, and how could Mark forget anything that involved cake? But he did. They all did, and they’re feeling their guilt weigh on them for being so wrapped up in their work that they managed to forget something so important to one of the dearest friends. A project accidentally took priority over their friend.

     How could they have let this happen?

     “We need to go over there.” Mark breaks the silence and starts to wander back towards his car, only waiting for the other’s to follow him.

     “Are you sure? I want to, but he might be angry and he might not even want to see us,” Ethan points out, eyes cast downward while he speaks and unconsciously biting his lip.

     Tyler sighs but nods all the same, sticking his hands in his pockets, “Ethan might be right. We should try calling him first, at least.”

     “No, because apologizing over the phone doesn’t mean shit when you can do it in person. And I think we may have royally fucked up… We need to go there now,” Mark insists, a shaky hand running through his messy black locks as he shakes his head, visibly frustrated by his obliviousness.

     Amy frowns and walks up, taking Mark’s hand in her own, “I think… We should calm down for a minute and plan on how we should go about apologizing. Besides, (Y/n) may be upset like Ethan said and it might be good to give him his space tonight.”

     A pause follows but nevertheless, Mark exhales heavily and nods in agreement, “You’re right… Tomorrow, we’ll fix this. We have to.”

~~

     Your head hurts.

     The first thing you notice when you wake up is the pounding sensation against your skull, an exasperated groan leaving your lips. Why does your head hurt so much?

     When you open your eyes, you slowly start to take in your surroundings, confusion now entering your mind as you see the mess surrounding you and the almost empty bottle of wine in your hand. “What the..?”

     You try to stand up, stumbling slightly, but eventually finding solid ground despite the growing feeling of nausea in your stomach. You roll your head, neck cracking pleasurably as the tension leaves your neck. Apparently, falling asleep on a hardwood floor is not good for your body- leaves it quite stiff. But then again, that was the least of your worries last night. You remember bits and pieces, although you remember very well that you and your celebration was all forgotten and instead of finding company in your friends, you found it with the celebratory wine and when you were trying to find answer, you found it in the shards of broken plates and glasses. The inner turmoil poured out from you, and like a thunder storm, devastation rained when everything inside had started to come out.

     God...

     You should probably clean up.

     Setting the wine down on the counter, you sluggishly move around to pick up the reminisces of last night. It takes no longer than an hour to have your kitchen and living room fixed up like nothing had ever happened. And to be honest, having a clean house helped to clear your mind as well. The aspirin you took also helped, but cleaning was a good boost to help your mood.

     Are you upset, still? Of course. They left you alone on such an important day- you aren’t going to forgive that so easily. Yet, the moment you pick up your phone and notice the missed calls and texts, you have to hold yourself back from answering them. An odd wave of relief washes over you; so they realized they messed up then? Good. They needed to know and you are not about to explain to them why you’re so upset when the reason should be obvious.

     Instead, you’ll let them boil over for a bit as you allow this hangover to pass. Thankfully, it’s fairly light and with the help of the pain killer your head has been feeling well enough to plug in your headphones and mindlessly listen to music while lying casually on the couch. The music drowns your ears with melodies and soothing voices, your first smile in a while making its way onto your tired expression. You almost fall back asleep but a consistent knocking persists under your music, determined to alert you its existence. A yawn escapes your lungs and you sit up, walking through the previously shard-covered floor and up to the door that you had wished would open all of last night, but only now is it being knocked on. You take a peek through the peephole and automatically a surge of last night’s emotions- primarily anger, return. A scowl forming on your lips when you spot Mark on the other side, a mental debate occurring as to whether or not you should open the door. You turn around and lean against it, pinching the bridge of your nose from frustration.

     “(Y/n)? I could hear you coming to the door… You have every right to be upset, but please let me explain.”

     You scoff and roll your eyes, what’s there to explain? They were too lost in their own world to even think of your big day- simple as that.

     “Go away, Mark. You can’t change what happened.”

     “No, but we were hoping we could direct the future,” Amy’s sweet voice pipes up from the other side of the door, successfully getting your expression to soften. Not that they could tell.

     “Please, (Y/n), we have something that might help.” Kathryn, too… So they all must here, huh? You shake your head and rub the back of your neck, unsure at this point.

     “What is it?”

     “You have to open the door to find out.”

     Or you could look through the peephole again…

     “It’s waiting in the car for you, dude!”

     Dammit.

     Sighing, your hand reaches out to the knob and twisting it painfully slow, still uncertain about whether this is the right thing to do or not. When the door finally opens all the way, their expressions light up with hope and a newfound energy. “Are you ready?” Tyler asks, a slanted smile on his lips as if whatever their way of saying sorry or explaining was something you had to truly prepare for.

     “Let’s just get this over with,” You state blandly, not wanting to hear some poor excuse nor get an insincere gift as an apology.

     Mark and Ethan rush to the car and appear to be checking over something before a flash of golden fur passes your eyes and instantly, a soft smile replaces your cold expression at the scene in front of you.

     Chica not only has a chef hat, but a whole chef uniform as she pounces over to you and greeting you with a million slobbery kisses, you try to hold back a laugh but fail to and kneel down, giving into Chef Chica’s pleas for pets. It isn’t until Kathryn taps your shoulder that you look up to see the giant platter of cupcakes held by Mark and Ethan. With varying amounts of neatness, each cupcake has a letter that when put together spells out a message, an apology.

     Sorry we gave you a RUFF time!

     And once again, despite trying to bite back laughter, it flows into the air after reading the obscenely stupid and punny message. “This is your apology for missing my big day?”

     “We thought that you would’ve liked this better than some sappy apology,” Ethan shrugs, a sheepish smile spreading onto his cheeks, “And since you made us dinner and all, we wanted to make you something in return. It’s not as good as your cooking, but it’s still made with love?”

     Chuckling you shake your head, eyes glancing around to meet all of hopeful eyes and with a slow nod, you admit your defeat, “... Alright, fine, you won me over.”

    “Yes! I swear this won’t ever happen again- promise! Right guys?” A variation of ‘yes’es follow and you only roll your eyes playfully.

     “Good, now I’ll help myself to an apology cupcake if you don’t mind,” You take one of the plate and after removing the wrapper, take a bite.

     It has an… interesting taste?

     “What do you think?” Ethan’s big blue eyes widen as he asks you and you feign a smile, swallowing thickly.

     You are reminded as to why you’re the one with a culinary degree, to say the least.

     “They’re... pretty good, guys! Although, it’s only a little past ten in the morning, how about I make us a proper breakfast?”

      Thankfully they all agreed and the cupcakes could be easily forgotten. Nonetheless, seeing them in your kitchen like last night never happened, remembering how hurt you were and knowing that they felt awful too, yet, being able to smile and laugh with them again is better than any feeling you’ve known before.

     This is how things are supposed to be, and you hope that this is how things continue to be.

 ~~

I really hope you all liked this, if you did, please leave a like, comment, and maybe even reblog! It’s all really appreciated and helps get me motivated <3

[paddy-nic]

Hognesia (Pt. 4), a Sonic Boom fanfic

I. Am. So. Sorry. It shouldn’t take a year for me to finish a story - especially a short like this little thing. So to keep this pre-story drabble to a minimum (since we all hate it when writers do this), I present to you the final installment of Hognesia. Enjoy!

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

The night was quiet. The bugs and noises from the outdoors penetrated the simple hut walls to a point where he thought he was camping. Sonic of course couldn’t sleep after that long day. Not only was it a very interesting and tiring one – waking up with amnesia, learning he can run at super speeds, falling for his ‘old friend’ – he also found it extremely uncomfortable that his ‘old self’ would sleep on the couch with his legs raised above his head! He shifted and turned uncontrollably as he was fed up with trying to force comfort upon himself. “Ugh! The fox said this is how I normally sleep?!” He grunted.

“Pst!” That definitely wasn’t a natural outdoorsy sound.

Sonic’s ears perked up. “Huh?”

“PSST! Sonic, old pal!” The voice came from just out the closest window. Sonic got up to investigate. Before he did though, he found the necessary urge to twist his back to crack it to relieve himself from the tension he was forcing upon his muscles and joints in his attempt at sleep. He staggered over to the window and looked out. “Hey! How are you, uh, friend?”

“Um, who are you?” Sonic asked. The bags under his eyes from the previous sleepless hours were quite prevalent as he looked upon his ‘friend.’

“What?! Sonic, you don’t remember your bestest friend of all time? It’s me! Egg-uh…mond… Edmond!” The man was standing out of a bush and had his arms fully extended in a way of presenting himself.

“Yeah, so I’ve been told I hit my head and lost my memory so can’t say I do. Plus, no one ever mentioned an Edmond…” Sonic blatantly explained.

“Well, it sounds like they aren’t your friends if they didn’t mention your best buddy! Er, who was it that didn’t tell you about me?” He leaned in to limit the distance between him and the hedgehog as if they were talking secretly.

“Amy, Tails, Knu–”

“Oh NO! You didn’t run into those guys did you?” Sonic’s eyes grew in a surprised manner at the sudden interruption that occurred causing him to end his statement abruptly. Edmond seemed very shocked and concerned. “I’m just glad you are safe if that’s the case!”

Sonic’s expression now changed to concern and interest. “Wh-what do you mean?”

“Well… they’re the bad guys Sonic.” Edmond stated. Sonic’s ears dropped back and his face sagged a bit as he stared off slightly. “Yeah, they have been plotting to seize control over this island for years. But you and I have been able to hold them off since then. It seems that,” Edmond gave an exaggerated gasp, “it seems that they may have altered your memory as a diabolical plot to use you against your own knowing will!” Edmond covered his mouth with his hands trying to look as shocked as ever. His face contorted to a comforting demeanor and his mustache drooped down to the sides. He reached out his hand and placed it on Sonic’s shoulder. “Hey, buddy, don’t feel bad. Besides, I have a plan to defeat them once and for all! Meet me at the beach tomorrow at 10am okay?”

Sonic curled his brow and clenched his fists. “You got it…Friend.”

…

Sonic once again found himself on the examiner’s table in Tails’ Workshop. The fox was walking around staring down at a clipboard in his hands and occasionally rubbed his chin in contemplation. “So my initial analysis shows that you have no permanent brain damages but your memory doesn’t seem to be showing any signs of recovering. You say you still don’t recall anything past yesterday when you woke up?” He stopped in front of him.

Sonic was looking bored and answered flatly, “Nope.”

At this time Sticks and Knuckles showed up. “Hey-hey! Tails!!” Knuckles said excitedly. “We were going to go to Hornet Hive on the other side of the island. I was gonna throw rocks at them while she,” Knuckles tossed a fist and thumb in Sticks’ direction “was going to harvest the nest for some of her crazy mumbojumbo supplies.” Sticks did nothing but enthusiastically nod in concurrence to the echidna’s statements. “We wanted to see if you wanted to join us!”

Tails was frozen at their irrational request. “Normally I’d explain how crazy that is, but for now I’m just going to say no.” He went back to looking at his charts.

“Well, what about Sonic! Maybe some adrenaline would be good for his government mind-control condition.” Sticks explained to which Sonic’s eyes grew in confused concern. She kept talking. “What d’you say!”

“Uh, sorry um…wait, I got this.” Sonic said and began to rub his chin in contemplation. Sticks crossed her arms know exactly where this was going. Sonic then snapped and pointed his finger toward the badger. “Stones!”

“Sticks.” She annoyingly corrected him.

“Sticks.” He said instantly to cover his fault. “I was close.” He looked at Tails and shrugged.

“GUYS!” The shrill voice pierced the workshop and caught the attention of each one present. Zooey ran in. “Eggman is attacking the village! He’s got two StrikeBots now!” She exclaimed.

“Two? We scathed by on one with Sonic’s memory as the casualty! Now we have two?” Tails stated sounded concerned. He looked back and saw that Sonic had vanished. “Sonic?”

…

“Ahahahaha!” Eggman cackled from up above another fleeing crowd as he shot lasers from his floating transporter. “Run you furballs RUN!” He then let out another cackle.

Meanwhile, the two StrikeBots were wreaking havoc on the town. They’d swivel and turn with their boosted arms and slam into trees and buildings causing explosions of debris.

Without moments to spare, the gang of heroes showed up, Tails Knuckles Sticks and Amy, all ready to fight. “You got us good with that thing last time Egghead,” Tails took charge with the taunts in his best friend’s absence. “but we know what we’re up against! You won’t catch us off guard this time!”

“Ohohohoh, but that’s where you’re wrong foxy.” At his statement, Sonic jumped up from behind one of the StrikeBots and slammed onto the ground with one knee bent and a hand to brace the impact. He looked up and slowly rose to both his feet.

“What?” Amy stated in perplexity.

“Alright friend. Let’s do this. ATTAAAAACCCCKK!!!” At his command, Sonic jumped up and dove right between the quad. Luckily they all dove out of the way.

The gang scattered; Tails flying up high, Amy diving off into a roll and conjured up her hammer, Sticks and Knuckles ran to the side ready to jump in at the opportune moment. Sonic was naturally quick to follow and charged over at Amy. He came at her at a speed that was much slower than his newfound norm but was easily manageable for his pink foe. She held up her hammer to counter his pounce. “Sonic, what are you doing!”

Simultaneously, one of the StrikeBots swung high toward Tails. It missed and slammed its fist into a large tree that overhung the area. The force busted the trunk and caused the top to plummet. Sonic saw this and immediately curled up and shot himself toward the tree top that was now surely going to cause some hefty damage to the building beneath it. He crashed into it and shattered it into pieces of tiny debris. They rained onto the building causing minuscule damage – nothing compared to what might have happened if he didn’t.

“Huh?” Tails sounded off in perplexity at the sight.

Next, Knuckles and Sticks worked to try and take out the bots. They took one out before so they knew they could. Knuckles picked up Sticks to toss her toward the mechanized beasts. As he threw her, Sonic was quick to intervene. He met her midflight and grabbed her wrists. Twirling her around as he spun naturally, he released her and threw her back into the echidna to catch her fall. He landed and looked over at Amy. The pained look on her face was near torture to him. Their eye contact was short lived as Sonic steeled himself and turned back to the fight, heading toward Knuckles and Sticks.

A StrikeBot then smashed its fist down toward Amy. She dodged and took a heavy swing of her hammer to the machine. It left a hearty dent but didn’t seem to do much else in terms of disabling the mecha. While she was distracted, the other StrikeBot propelled one of its arms toward Amy. In the fray of it all, Sonic bounced from sparing with Knuckles and Sticks and accidentally knocked into the arm of the StrikeBot assaulting Amy causing it to miss.

He flung back in recoil, landing on his back and sliding a bit. He sat up and held his head, shaking off the result of the miscoordination. “Geez Edmond! Watch where you are flinging those things!” He shouted.

“Heh, sorry.” He responded coyly.

The effects wore off quickly and Sonic jumped back in. The fight ensued for a good while. Occasionally something would happen that would either endanger a bystander or possibly cause a large extent of damage and Sonic always seemed to coincidentally keep such events from occurring. This went completely unnoticed with the exception of a quick witted fox.

Worn and tired, Knuckles slowed to a point to get hit by a StrikeBot strong enough to blow him back but nothing more. Tails was flying now with Sticks in his grasps in an attempt to get an aerial advantage. But Sonic was all too fast and lunged at them. “Sticks I’m letting go!” Tails told her in preparation to drop her to lessen anything that might happen with the three’s collision. He did so and she landed next to Knuckles. At that same time, Amy cartwheeled back to them and stood braced with her hammer in hand, huffing with exhaustion. Sonic then collided with Tails in the air and it was then Tails had confirmation of his suspicion as the trusting Sonic gave him to knock him out of the sky was nowhere near his full potential. In fact, it mirrored a simple game of tag that they played many times. Tails landed on his feet next to his friends as Sonic followed.

He stood in front of them and looked down as he got ready for what seemed like a follow-up attack. He looked at their faces. Fear in Sticks’ eyes, confusion in Knuckles’, anticipation in Tails’…and sadness in Amy’s.

“HAHAHA! That’s it Sonic! Now finish them!” Eggman called out with joyous affirmation.

“Just one thing first Edmond.” Sonic gave Amy a grin that she knew all too well. He turned around and quickly leapt toward one of the StrikeBots. He curled into a ball and spin dashed right through the thing’s torso and out its back where the main controls were. His momentum came to an end when he landed sideways on a nearby building and pushed off again to make a second round. This time it was opposite of his previous trajectory and came smashing through the second StrikeBot, controls first and torso second. He seemingly landed in the exact spot in front of Amy Sticks Tails and Knuckles as he was a split second before. The two StrikeBots fidgeted and crashed in an explosion that sent its pieces in all directions.

Sonic turned to Eggman. “You really think just because I don’t remember a thing, I would fall for one of the oldest cliché’s ever?” Sonic continued with a mocking tone. “Oh he lost his memory so I’m going to turn him against his friends!” He then let out a raspberry. “Pffff. Come on Egghead. Besides, I don’t need to remember anything to tell who my friends are, some things are just obvious!”

Eggman smacked his fist on the console of his floating device and let out a growl.

“Not only was Edmond a way too obvious cover EGGMAN… Seriously, what kind of idiot–”

“I am a genius you insubordinate rodent!” Eggman shouted out.

“Sure. Well that’s hard to believe when you come creeping to my window in the middle of the night where as these guys have been with me since the moment I lost my memory. Not only that, they knew more about me –”

Eggman cut off Sonic’s monologueing. “I will not have it!” He shouted. “I was hoping for a victory in a traditional Eggman fashion but I guess I’ll have to resort to Plan C!...or was it D… Oh, anyway!” Quite exaggeratedly he drew his hand in the air with a single finger extended and slammed it into a button releasing a single missile from his personal flying machine.

It caught the heroes by surprise as the missile launched quickly toward them. “Sonic look out!” Amy shouted as she lunged forward and swung her hammer with perfect coordination. It smacked the missile and switched its trajectory to some point high and far. Unfortunately, the momentum of the swing was too strong and Amy couldn’t stop it until after it slammed into the side of Sonic’s head. With the tremendous force of the hit, Sonic was thrown off his feet and landed back unconscious on the ground.

Above the scene, Eggman used his hand to bar the sun’s glare from his eyes as he gazed at the far off missile. “Huh… Kind of heading toward…” He heard a loud explosion followed shortly by a buzz on his radio communicator.

“Uhh boss? We got a problem at the lair.” Orbot called.

“Who dropped a missile here? I thought we were the only one with those!” Cubot was overheard in the background of the transmission.

“Grrrrrr!” Eggman grumbled before turning and floating off. “This doesn’t end you rats!” He retorted in his retreat.

Nearly by a local villager, who happened to be a rat, heard the insult. “Ugh! That is highly offensive!”

In the aftermath of the battle, Sonic was still lying on the ground motionless. “SONIC!” Amy shouted as she ran over to him. The others quickly followed. She propped his head on her lap as his eyes fluttered open.

“Ugggghhh…” He groaned and began rubbing the baseball sized lump on his head. “What happened?”

“Oh no!” Knuckles shouted frantically. “We lost both Sonic AND Memory-Loss-Sonic’s memory!”

“I didn’t lose anything Knucklehead.” Sonic said sitting up, still rubbing the sore spot. “And what memory loss? I remember everything.”

“Everything as in the past couple days everything? Or everything everything?” Tails asked.

“Everything means everything Tails. We were at Meh Burger Eggman attacked, I got hit.” Sonic explained.

The statement first gave some confusion as a lot had happened since the event he mentioned. It was not hard to conclude that he seemingly didn’t recall his state of amnesia. But the rest of their confusion quickly fell to reassurance as smiles beamed on their faces. “Sonic you’re back!” Amy said as she threw her arms around him, giving words to what everyone was thinking. Soon the rest followed suit in a massive bear hug.

“Geez guys, calm down…Back?” He responded, not going to further argue against the affection he was getting.

…

The group hung around to help clean up the mess from the battle. Luckily there was minor damage so it was an easy task. Tails gathered a lot of components from the StrikeBots that he could use for his own personal products and inventions while Knuckles and Amy were compacting the rest into smaller, more easily manageable pieces to get taken off out of the village center.

“And that should do it!” Amy said, wiping her brow with her forearm. She turned and saw Sonic staring, dropped her expression and turned away. Sonic noticed the droopiness that overcame her and walked over.

“H-hey Ames. So uh, crazy fight huh?”

“Yup. How you feeling?” She asked, a bit down but entirely sincere.

“A massive headache but other than that…” He gave her a weak smile. Amy knew she should be happy he had returned to normal – as she very much was! – but it had seemed like the experiences of the past couple days were gone with the return of his normalcy. So many thoughts and emotions were surging through her. Amnesia Sonic had revealed a lot of feelings toward her. How was she to know whether they were legitimate? Was it all just part of the innocence of being without memory for the short time? Or were those feelings still somewhere suppressed for whatever reason in her old friend?

“Look,” Sonic continued. “I can tell you’re acting a little weird and uh…” He blinked awkwardly as Amy looked away. “I just, um.” He stopped. “Thanks.” He gave as much as a smile as his nervousness would allow.

Amy looked up at him. “What?”

“Thanks for being there through that whole mess. Me being, ‘out of it’ and all.” He explained, revealing he did recall it all – even everything in his state of amnesia. Amy’s cheeks instantly became flushed with all the blood rushing to her head and gave their color a test to her namesake. “I know we’re friends and all but…” Now it was Sonic’s turn to blush heavily. His hand shook as it reached out to grab hers. “Maybe you can show me some more old dusty ruins sometime?” His lips quivered and rested in a squiggled nature in a failed attempt to form a confident smile.

Amy looked away sheepishly and smiled in return. “I– I’d really like that…Good to have to you back.”

[samuelfields]

How to write a perfect follow-up email after an interview (3 word-for-word scripts)

The best thing you can do to improve your chances of landing the job: Sending an interview follow-up email.

If you’re in a hurry, here is a quick example of a perfect follow-up email:

Not only does it show you’re courteous, but also that you’re willing to take action for your job.

There’s a bit more to it though: I want to show you a three-step system for following up that goes beyond a single email. When you do this right, it will instantly make you the clear favorite for any job you’re after.

Let’s get started.

Step 1: Collect contact information before you need it

After the interview and before you even consider rushing home to draft that perfect follow-up email, make sure you do one thing: Grab the business cards or contact information of everyone you spoke to.

And I. Mean. EVERYONE.

Was there someone who screened you on the phone before you got the interview? Get their email.

Was there a panel of interviewers? Get all of their contact info.

Did a receptionist escort you to a waiting area and grab you a glass of water before your interview? Grab her business card too.

I can’t think of a single employer who wouldn’t LOVE it if their receptionist told them about the awesome interviewee who emailed them to thank them for helping them that day. They could also be your future coworker, so it’s an easy way to start building a great relationship.

The little details go a long way when it comes to the follow-up.

Step 2: Craft the perfect follow-up (with scripts)

There are two ways you can approach your follow-up email and the pros and cons of each:

Send the hiring manager a physical card or letter

Pros:

Receiving a physical message is incredibly novel in this day and age — and this could set you apart even more from the rest of the applicants.

Cons: It’s not as fast as sending an email — and you’re going to want to send the follow-up as soon as possible after the interview. If they are moving fast, your note may arrive too late.  

Write an email to them

Pros:

It’s quick, easy, and allows you to send to multiple people with one message (pro-tip: write one really great follow-up, then copy and edit it for each person you spoke to).

Cons: It’s more impersonal and there’s also the chance that your message is lost in their inbox or spam folder. Sending the exact same letter to everyone could backfire.

In the end though, it doesn’t matter which method you choose as long as you do it.

When you do, here’s that first script from earlier that you can use to follow up with the interview manager:

The initial follow-up email (send ASAP):

Here’s the email written out so you can copy and paste the template:

Hi [NAME],

Thanks for taking the time to chat today. I especially enjoyed talking about [XYZ].

I really think this is a great fit for both of us. Hope to hear from you soon.

Sincerely,

[YOUR NAME]

This example is for an email — but you can easily use it for a physical card too.

Notice three key things about this email:

It’s a short, simple message. Your follow-up message doesn’t need to be fancy or complicated. In fact, making it too long will either bore the hiring manager or make them think you’re desperate.

It’s specific. Be sure to get specific about the details. Bring up something that you actually enjoyed talking about in the interview. These details will trigger the hiring manager’s memory and help make a great, lasting impression.

It should be sent as quickly as possible. Aim to send your email within two hours of your interview. This will show your enthusiasm, and it’ll be easier for you to remember all the details you should include.

Advanced tip: The best people in every field automate as many areas of their lives as possible. You can actually automate your interview follow-up email, if you want to save some time and ensure it gets sent. You can do this by creating a draft of your follow-up email before you even go to the interview. That way after it’s done, you can simply open the draft, fill in the missing details, and hit “send.” Boom. You’re done and can spend more time focusing on the Big Wins in your life.

Step 3: Follow up

Don’t sweat it and be patient. It may take the hiring manager several days or weeks to interview the other applicants and make a decision.

If you have not heard a response after a few days, you can send another follow-up email to check in.

Use this gentle email template to nudge them along:

The nudge email (after a few days):

Here’s the email written out so you can copy and paste the template:

Hi [NAME],

I just wanted to follow up on the [XYZ] position we chatted about on [DAY OF WEEK]. 

You mentioned getting in touch about potential next steps. Is there anything I can do to help speed this process along?

Thanks,

[YOUR NAME]

Notice how this email is short and gets right to the point. It uses a light touch, but still lets them know you’re interested in the job.

It’s also important that this email doesn’t make the recipient feel guilty for not replying sooner. If you make them feel that way, a follow-up will actually backfire on you and you could lose the opportunity altogether.

The most likely thing is that they’re just busy or your first message got lost in the inbox. This email will grab their attention and bring your interview back to the top of their mind.

After that, wait one more week before sending your next, and final, response.

Advanced tip: Be sure to download a tracking app, such as HubSpot’s email tracking tool, that lets you know exactly when your interviewer opens your follow-up message. The tool notifies you the moment they see your email, so you’ll be able to follow up right then while you’re fresh on their minds. Doing this is key because it’s not disruptive, since they’re already reading your email and saves both you and the interviewer time.

When to call it quits on following up

If you still haven’t heard back a week later, reply to your previous interview follow-up email, saying this:

The bump email (After a week of no-response):

Here’s the email written out so you can copy and paste the template:

Hi [NAME],

I hope you’re doing well. I just wanted to float this email to the top of your inbox — in case you missed it.

Thanks,

[YOUR NAME]

If they’re interested, they’ll get back to you. If they still don’t reply, it’s probably safe to assume they’ve chosen someone else for the role.

If that’s the case, don’t beat yourself up. It happens to everyone at some point. Go back to the job search — and prepare even better next time.

BONUS: The Closing the Loop Technique

As an extra for you, I want to show you a fantastic system to help you:

Stay in touch with VIPs

Transform one-time meetings into long-term relationships

Showcase your value to anyone

This goes beyond your typical follow-up “thanks for your time” email — and answers the question, “How do I make the person I just met want to help me?”

Introducing the Closing the Loop Technique.

This is a series of three emails you send to the person you just met with that’ll almost ensure they’ll want to keep in touch with you.

Here are the emails complete with my breakdown of why they work.

Email #1: Thank you (same day)

Hi Amy,

Just wanted to thank you again for meeting with me earlier. I’m definitely going to get in touch with Susan like you recommended. I’ll keep you in the loop, and of course, please let me know if there’s anything I can do to repay the favor!

John

A few things to note: First, the thank you is simple. No need to spill more ink than you need to.

It also references a specific action item you’re going to follow up on. This shows the person you’re emailing that you were paying attention during the interview.

The email ends with a solid offer from you to help in any way you can — while asking nothing of the recipient.

Email #2: Add value (1 – 2 weeks later)

Hey Amy,

Saw this article in the Wall Street Journal and it reminded me of what you said about productivity tests! No response needed, just thought you might find it interesting.

John

Now we start to shake things up. The person you’re emailing likely wasn’t expecting to ever hear back from you again. They especially weren’t expecting you to send something of value to them.

This can be anything — a blog post, email newsletter, YouTube video — as long as you know they will find it interesting.

How do you know this? Because during your meeting, you listened to what they said and noted the things that piqued their interest.

Pay close attention to the phrase used in the last sentence: “No response needed.” This is music to a busy person’s ears. Think about it: I get 600+ emails / day, and do you know what most of them want? They want something from me. When you can say “No response needed,” and send me something I find fascinating, you’re adding value to my life.

Email #3: Close the loop (2 – 3 weeks later)

Hi Amy,

Wanted to give you an update: I did end up talking to Susan, and you were right — Acme is definitely a fit for me. I’m reaching out to a friend there to learn all I can about Acme before I apply. If there’s anyone else you think I should speak to, please let me know.

Thanks again! I’ll let you know how it goes.

John

Now is when you separate yourself from 99.999% of people by showing the person you’re emailing that you actually took action on what they suggested.

If you give specific names of people and companies, that’ll show you were listening. It’ll also show the person you’re emailing that they were right — which is a major psychological boost for them.

Just like my Briefcase Technique, this system seems simple and obvious — until you use it. Then its true power is revealed.

And it’s incredibly effective. Check out this email I got from a reader who used the Closing the Loop Technique to help him get a job.

Hey Ramit,

One more testimonial to the Closing The Loop technique that you taught last night. I reached out to a prior boss I haven’t seen in 4 to 5 years about a position I heard about at that company. All I had asked for was if I could still use him as a reference and his up-to-date contact info. He responded in less than a half hour. By following up and offering to keep him in the loop, he then responded with an offer for a letter of recommendation and an offer to send a personal email to the hiring manager on my behalf. Holy Crap! It really works…

-Greg H.

For more on this, be sure to check out my five-minute video where I break down this technique.

Why sending a follow-up email is a critical step

It doesn’t matter how good your interview was — you STILL need to send a follow-up email for five reasons:

It leaves a good impression. And impressions are everything when it comes to getting a job.

The hiring manager will remember you. You were likely one of several interviews conducted by the company. Don’t get lost in the fray. There’s no better way to keep you on the hiring manager’s brain than by sending a follow-up email.

You show that you have initiative. When you go out of the way to send an after-interview email, it shows that you’re willing to go above and beyond to make a lasting impression.

The company will see that you’re genuinely interested. The follow-up email is a good way to separate you from the other interviewees who most likely didn’t even think to loop back with them.

Interview follow-up emails work. Your chances of getting the job go way up if you send a follow-up email. Especially if you are neck-and-neck with another candidate.

Imagine you’re in the process of hiring and you have two potential candidates. Both are equally qualified for the role and interviewed well — but only ONE of them sent you a follow-up message thanking you for your time and calling back to some points you made that really made an impact on them.

Who do you think you’re going to pick for the job?

Answer: THE PERSON WHO SENT YOU THE FOLLOW-UP MESSAGE!!

It’s important to also keep in mind that your interviewer’s reputation is on the line.

This is key, so I’m going to say it again.

Your interviewer’s reputation is on the line.

Based on the few minutes they interact with you, your interviewer has to make a lot of important assessments. Do you have the right skills? Will you fit with the company culture? Are you reliable and trustworthy? etc.

It’s like speed-dating on steroids — with one major exception. If they judge you incorrectly, they don’t just risk an awkward second date. They risk their boss questioning their judgment for the rest of their career. And if it doesn’t work out, they have wasted months of time and thousands of dollars. They need to get this right. Not just for YOU but for THEM.

It’s important to keep this in mind when you go into an interview.

Your success is in their best interest. And when you follow up correctly after an interview, you make their job easier by proving you’re a Top Performer who deserves the job.

Interview better than 99% of people

If you REALLY want to dominate your job search even more, I can help you with that.

I recorded a video on mastering the art of interviewing. In it, you’ll learn the mindset and tactics to be a world-class interviewee in just a few hours.

Yours for free, my gift to you. Just sign up below.

How to write a perfect follow-up email after an interview (3 word-for-word scripts) is a post from: I Will Teach You To Be Rich.

from Finance https://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/blog/perfect-interview-follow-up-email/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

[kennethherrerablog]

How to write a perfect follow-up email after an interview (3 word-for-word scripts)

The best thing you can do to improve your chances of landing the job: Sending an interview follow-up email.

If you’re in a hurry, here is a quick example of a perfect follow-up email:

Not only does it show you’re courteous, but also that you’re willing to take action for your job.

There’s a bit more to it though: I want to show you a three-step system for following up that goes beyond a single email. When you do this right, it will instantly make you the clear favorite for any job you’re after.

Let’s get started.

Step 1: Collect contact information before you need it

After the interview and before you even consider rushing home to draft that perfect follow-up email, make sure you do one thing: Grab the business cards or contact information of everyone you spoke to.

And I. Mean. EVERYONE.

Was there someone who screened you on the phone before you got the interview? Get their email.

Was there a panel of interviewers? Get all of their contact info.

Did a receptionist escort you to a waiting area and grab you a glass of water before your interview? Grab her business card too.

I can’t think of a single employer who wouldn’t LOVE it if their receptionist told them about the awesome interviewee who emailed them to thank them for helping them that day. They could also be your future coworker, so it’s an easy way to start building a great relationship.

The little details go a long way when it comes to the follow-up.

Step 2: Craft the perfect follow-up (with scripts)

There are two ways you can approach your follow-up email and the pros and cons of each:

Send the hiring manager a physical card or letter

Pros:

Receiving a physical message is incredibly novel in this day and age — and this could set you apart even more from the rest of the applicants.

Cons: It’s not as fast as sending an email — and you’re going to want to send the follow-up as soon as possible after the interview. If they are moving fast, your note may arrive too late.  

Write an email to them

Pros:

It’s quick, easy, and allows you to send to multiple people with one message (pro-tip: write one really great follow-up, then copy and edit it for each person you spoke to).

Cons: It’s more impersonal and there’s also the chance that your message is lost in their inbox or spam folder. Sending the exact same letter to everyone could backfire.

In the end though, it doesn’t matter which method you choose as long as you do it.

When you do, here’s that first script from earlier that you can use to follow up with the interview manager:

The initial follow-up email (send ASAP):

Here’s the email written out so you can copy and paste the template:

Hi [NAME],

Thanks for taking the time to chat today. I especially enjoyed talking about [XYZ].

I really think this is a great fit for both of us. Hope to hear from you soon.

Sincerely,

[YOUR NAME]

This example is for an email — but you can easily use it for a physical card too.

Notice three key things about this email:

It’s a short, simple message. Your follow-up message doesn’t need to be fancy or complicated. In fact, making it too long will either bore the hiring manager or make them think you’re desperate.

It’s specific. Be sure to get specific about the details. Bring up something that you actually enjoyed talking about in the interview. These details will trigger the hiring manager’s memory and help make a great, lasting impression.

It should be sent as quickly as possible. Aim to send your email within two hours of your interview. This will show your enthusiasm, and it’ll be easier for you to remember all the details you should include.

Advanced tip: The best people in every field automate as many areas of their lives as possible. You can actually automate your interview follow-up email, if you want to save some time and ensure it gets sent. You can do this by creating a draft of your follow-up email before you even go to the interview. That way after it’s done, you can simply open the draft, fill in the missing details, and hit “send.” Boom. You’re done and can spend more time focusing on the Big Wins in your life.

Step 3: Follow up

Don’t sweat it and be patient. It may take the hiring manager several days or weeks to interview the other applicants and make a decision.

If you have not heard a response after a few days, you can send another follow-up email to check in.

Use this gentle email template to nudge them along:

The nudge email (after a few days):

Here’s the email written out so you can copy and paste the template:

Hi [NAME],

I just wanted to follow up on the [XYZ] position we chatted about on [DAY OF WEEK]. 

You mentioned getting in touch about potential next steps. Is there anything I can do to help speed this process along?

Thanks,

[YOUR NAME]

Notice how this email is short and gets right to the point. It uses a light touch, but still lets them know you’re interested in the job.

It’s also important that this email doesn’t make the recipient feel guilty for not replying sooner. If you make them feel that way, a follow-up will actually backfire on you and you could lose the opportunity altogether.

The most likely thing is that they’re just busy or your first message got lost in the inbox. This email will grab their attention and bring your interview back to the top of their mind.

After that, wait one more week before sending your next, and final, response.

Advanced tip: Be sure to download a tracking app, such as HubSpot’s email tracking tool, that lets you know exactly when your interviewer opens your follow-up message. The tool notifies you the moment they see your email, so you’ll be able to follow up right then while you’re fresh on their minds. Doing this is key because it’s not disruptive, since they’re already reading your email and saves both you and the interviewer time.

When to call it quits on following up

If you still haven’t heard back a week later, reply to your previous interview follow-up email, saying this:

The bump email (After a week of no-response):

Here’s the email written out so you can copy and paste the template:

Hi [NAME],

I hope you’re doing well. I just wanted to float this email to the top of your inbox — in case you missed it.

Thanks,

[YOUR NAME]

If they’re interested, they’ll get back to you. If they still don’t reply, it’s probably safe to assume they’ve chosen someone else for the role.

If that’s the case, don’t beat yourself up. It happens to everyone at some point. Go back to the job search — and prepare even better next time.

BONUS: The Closing the Loop Technique

As an extra for you, I want to show you a fantastic system to help you:

Stay in touch with VIPs

Transform one-time meetings into long-term relationships

Showcase your value to anyone

This goes beyond your typical follow-up “thanks for your time” email — and answers the question, “How do I make the person I just met want to help me?”

Introducing the Closing the Loop Technique.

This is a series of three emails you send to the person you just met with that’ll almost ensure they’ll want to keep in touch with you.

Here are the emails complete with my breakdown of why they work.

Email #1: Thank you (same day)

Hi Amy,

Just wanted to thank you again for meeting with me earlier. I’m definitely going to get in touch with Susan like you recommended. I’ll keep you in the loop, and of course, please let me know if there’s anything I can do to repay the favor!

John

A few things to note: First, the thank you is simple. No need to spill more ink than you need to.

It also references a specific action item you’re going to follow up on. This shows the person you’re emailing that you were paying attention during the interview.

The email ends with a solid offer from you to help in any way you can — while asking nothing of the recipient.

Email #2: Add value (1 – 2 weeks later)

Hey Amy,

Saw this article in the Wall Street Journal and it reminded me of what you said about productivity tests! No response needed, just thought you might find it interesting.

John

Now we start to shake things up. The person you’re emailing likely wasn’t expecting to ever hear back from you again. They especially weren’t expecting you to send something of value to them.

This can be anything — a blog post, email newsletter, YouTube video — as long as you know they will find it interesting.

How do you know this? Because during your meeting, you listened to what they said and noted the things that piqued their interest.

Pay close attention to the phrase used in the last sentence: “No response needed.” This is music to a busy person’s ears. Think about it: I get 600+ emails / day, and do you know what most of them want? They want something from me. When you can say “No response needed,” and send me something I find fascinating, you’re adding value to my life.

Email #3: Close the loop (2 – 3 weeks later)

Hi Amy,

Wanted to give you an update: I did end up talking to Susan, and you were right — Acme is definitely a fit for me. I’m reaching out to a friend there to learn all I can about Acme before I apply. If there’s anyone else you think I should speak to, please let me know.

Thanks again! I’ll let you know how it goes.

John

Now is when you separate yourself from 99.999% of people by showing the person you’re emailing that you actually took action on what they suggested.

If you give specific names of people and companies, that’ll show you were listening. It’ll also show the person you’re emailing that they were right — which is a major psychological boost for them.

Just like my Briefcase Technique, this system seems simple and obvious — until you use it. Then its true power is revealed.

And it’s incredibly effective. Check out this email I got from a reader who used the Closing the Loop Technique to help him get a job.

Hey Ramit,

One more testimonial to the Closing The Loop technique that you taught last night. I reached out to a prior boss I haven’t seen in 4 to 5 years about a position I heard about at that company. All I had asked for was if I could still use him as a reference and his up-to-date contact info. He responded in less than a half hour. By following up and offering to keep him in the loop, he then responded with an offer for a letter of recommendation and an offer to send a personal email to the hiring manager on my behalf. Holy Crap! It really works…

-Greg H.

For more on this, be sure to check out my five-minute video where I break down this technique.

Why sending a follow-up email is a critical step

It doesn’t matter how good your interview was — you STILL need to send a follow-up email for five reasons:

It leaves a good impression. And impressions are everything when it comes to getting a job.

The hiring manager will remember you. You were likely one of several interviews conducted by the company. Don’t get lost in the fray. There’s no better way to keep you on the hiring manager’s brain than by sending a follow-up email.

You show that you have initiative. When you go out of the way to send an after-interview email, it shows that you’re willing to go above and beyond to make a lasting impression.

The company will see that you’re genuinely interested. The follow-up email is a good way to separate you from the other interviewees who most likely didn’t even think to loop back with them.

Interview follow-up emails work. Your chances of getting the job go way up if you send a follow-up email. Especially if you are neck-and-neck with another candidate.

Imagine you’re in the process of hiring and you have two potential candidates. Both are equally qualified for the role and interviewed well — but only ONE of them sent you a follow-up message thanking you for your time and calling back to some points you made that really made an impact on them.

Who do you think you’re going to pick for the job?

Answer: THE PERSON WHO SENT YOU THE FOLLOW-UP MESSAGE!!

It’s important to also keep in mind that your interviewer’s reputation is on the line.

This is key, so I’m going to say it again.

Your interviewer’s reputation is on the line.

Based on the few minutes they interact with you, your interviewer has to make a lot of important assessments. Do you have the right skills? Will you fit with the company culture? Are you reliable and trustworthy? etc.

It’s like speed-dating on steroids — with one major exception. If they judge you incorrectly, they don’t just risk an awkward second date. They risk their boss questioning their judgment for the rest of their career. And if it doesn’t work out, they have wasted months of time and thousands of dollars. They need to get this right. Not just for YOU but for THEM.

It’s important to keep this in mind when you go into an interview.

Your success is in their best interest. And when you follow up correctly after an interview, you make their job easier by proving you’re a Top Performer who deserves the job.

Interview better than 99% of people

If you REALLY want to dominate your job search even more, I can help you with that.

I recorded a video on mastering the art of interviewing. In it, you’ll learn the mindset and tactics to be a world-class interviewee in just a few hours.

Yours for free, my gift to you. Just sign up below.

How to write a perfect follow-up email after an interview (3 word-for-word scripts) is a post from: I Will Teach You To Be Rich.

How to write a perfect follow-up email after an interview (3 word-for-word scripts) published first on https://justinbetreviews.tumblr.com/

[paulckrueger]

How to write a perfect follow-up email after an interview (3 word-for-word scripts)

The best thing you can do to improve your chances of landing the job: Sending an interview follow-up email.

If you’re in a hurry, here is a quick example of a perfect follow-up email:

Not only does it show you’re courteous, but also that you’re willing to take action for your job.

There’s a bit more to it though: I want to show you a three-step system for following up that goes beyond a single email. When you do this right, it will instantly make you the clear favorite for any job you’re after.

Let’s get started.

Step 1: Collect contact information before you need it

After the interview and before you even consider rushing home to draft that perfect follow-up email, make sure you do one thing: Grab the business cards or contact information of everyone you spoke to.

And I. Mean. EVERYONE.

Was there someone who screened you on the phone before you got the interview? Get their email.

Was there a panel of interviewers? Get all of their contact info.

Did a receptionist escort you to a waiting area and grab you a glass of water before your interview? Grab her business card too.

I can’t think of a single employer who wouldn’t LOVE it if their receptionist told them about the awesome interviewee who emailed them to thank them for helping them that day. They could also be your future coworker, so it’s an easy way to start building a great relationship.

The little details go a long way when it comes to the follow-up.

Step 2: Craft the perfect follow-up (with scripts)

There are two ways you can approach your follow-up email and the pros and cons of each:

Send the hiring manager a physical card or letter

Pros:

Receiving a physical message is incredibly novel in this day and age — and this could set you apart even more from the rest of the applicants.

Cons: It’s not as fast as sending an email — and you’re going to want to send the follow-up as soon as possible after the interview. If they are moving fast, your note may arrive too late.  

Write an email to them

Pros:

It’s quick, easy, and allows you to send to multiple people with one message (pro-tip: write one really great follow-up, then copy and edit it for each person you spoke to).

Cons: It’s more impersonal and there’s also the chance that your message is lost in their inbox or spam folder. Sending the exact same letter to everyone could backfire.

In the end though, it doesn’t matter which method you choose as long as you do it.

When you do, here’s that first script from earlier that you can use to follow up with the interview manager:

The initial follow-up email (send ASAP):

Here’s the email written out so you can copy and paste the template:

Hi [NAME],

Thanks for taking the time to chat today. I especially enjoyed talking about [XYZ].

I really think this is a great fit for both of us. Hope to hear from you soon.

Sincerely,

[YOUR NAME]

This example is for an email — but you can easily use it for a physical card too.

Notice three key things about this email:

It’s a short, simple message. Your follow-up message doesn’t need to be fancy or complicated. In fact, making it too long will either bore the hiring manager or make them think you’re desperate.

It’s specific. Be sure to get specific about the details. Bring up something that you actually enjoyed talking about in the interview. These details will trigger the hiring manager’s memory and help make a great, lasting impression.

It should be sent as quickly as possible. Aim to send your email within two hours of your interview. This will show your enthusiasm, and it’ll be easier for you to remember all the details you should include.

Advanced tip: The best people in every field automate as many areas of their lives as possible. You can actually automate your interview follow-up email, if you want to save some time and ensure it gets sent. You can do this by creating a draft of your follow-up email before you even go to the interview. That way after it’s done, you can simply open the draft, fill in the missing details, and hit “send.” Boom. You’re done and can spend more time focusing on the Big Wins in your life.

Step 3: Follow up

Don’t sweat it and be patient. It may take the hiring manager several days or weeks to interview the other applicants and make a decision.

If you have not heard a response after a few days, you can send another follow-up email to check in.

Use this gentle email template to nudge them along:

The nudge email (after a few days):

Here’s the email written out so you can copy and paste the template:

Hi [NAME],

I just wanted to follow up on the [XYZ] position we chatted about on [DAY OF WEEK]. 

You mentioned getting in touch about potential next steps. Is there anything I can do to help speed this process along?

Thanks,

[YOUR NAME]

Notice how this email is short and gets right to the point. It uses a light touch, but still lets them know you’re interested in the job.

It’s also important that this email doesn’t make the recipient feel guilty for not replying sooner. If you make them feel that way, a follow-up will actually backfire on you and you could lose the opportunity altogether.

The most likely thing is that they’re just busy or your first message got lost in the inbox. This email will grab their attention and bring your interview back to the top of their mind.

After that, wait one more week before sending your next, and final, response.

Advanced tip: Be sure to download a tracking app, such as HubSpot’s email tracking tool, that lets you know exactly when your interviewer opens your follow-up message. The tool notifies you the moment they see your email, so you’ll be able to follow up right then while you’re fresh on their minds. Doing this is key because it’s not disruptive, since they’re already reading your email and saves both you and the interviewer time.

When to call it quits on following up

If you still haven’t heard back a week later, reply to your previous interview follow-up email, saying this:

The bump email (After a week of no-response):

Here’s the email written out so you can copy and paste the template:

Hi [NAME],

I hope you’re doing well. I just wanted to float this email to the top of your inbox — in case you missed it.

Thanks,

[YOUR NAME]

If they’re interested, they’ll get back to you. If they still don’t reply, it’s probably safe to assume they’ve chosen someone else for the role.

If that’s the case, don’t beat yourself up. It happens to everyone at some point. Go back to the job search — and prepare even better next time.

BONUS: The Closing the Loop Technique

As an extra for you, I want to show you a fantastic system to help you:

Stay in touch with VIPs

Transform one-time meetings into long-term relationships

Showcase your value to anyone

This goes beyond your typical follow-up “thanks for your time” email — and answers the question, “How do I make the person I just met want to help me?”

Introducing the Closing the Loop Technique.

This is a series of three emails you send to the person you just met with that’ll almost ensure they’ll want to keep in touch with you.

Here are the emails complete with my breakdown of why they work.

Email #1: Thank you (same day)

Hi Amy,

Just wanted to thank you again for meeting with me earlier. I’m definitely going to get in touch with Susan like you recommended. I’ll keep you in the loop, and of course, please let me know if there’s anything I can do to repay the favor!

John

A few things to note: First, the thank you is simple. No need to spill more ink than you need to.

It also references a specific action item you’re going to follow up on. This shows the person you’re emailing that you were paying attention during the interview.

The email ends with a solid offer from you to help in any way you can — while asking nothing of the recipient.

Email #2: Add value (1 – 2 weeks later)

Hey Amy,

Saw this article in the Wall Street Journal and it reminded me of what you said about productivity tests! No response needed, just thought you might find it interesting.

John

Now we start to shake things up. The person you’re emailing likely wasn’t expecting to ever hear back from you again. They especially weren’t expecting you to send something of value to them.

This can be anything — a blog post, email newsletter, YouTube video — as long as you know they will find it interesting.

How do you know this? Because during your meeting, you listened to what they said and noted the things that piqued their interest.

Pay close attention to the phrase used in the last sentence: “No response needed.” This is music to a busy person’s ears. Think about it: I get 600+ emails / day, and do you know what most of them want? They want something from me. When you can say “No response needed,” and send me something I find fascinating, you’re adding value to my life.

Email #3: Close the loop (2 – 3 weeks later)

Hi Amy,

Wanted to give you an update: I did end up talking to Susan, and you were right — Acme is definitely a fit for me. I’m reaching out to a friend there to learn all I can about Acme before I apply. If there’s anyone else you think I should speak to, please let me know.

Thanks again! I’ll let you know how it goes.

John

Now is when you separate yourself from 99.999% of people by showing the person you’re emailing that you actually took action on what they suggested.

If you give specific names of people and companies, that’ll show you were listening. It’ll also show the person you’re emailing that they were right — which is a major psychological boost for them.

Just like my Briefcase Technique, this system seems simple and obvious — until you use it. Then its true power is revealed.

And it’s incredibly effective. Check out this email I got from a reader who used the Closing the Loop Technique to help him get a job.

Hey Ramit,

One more testimonial to the Closing The Loop technique that you taught last night. I reached out to a prior boss I haven’t seen in 4 to 5 years about a position I heard about at that company. All I had asked for was if I could still use him as a reference and his up-to-date contact info. He responded in less than a half hour. By following up and offering to keep him in the loop, he then responded with an offer for a letter of recommendation and an offer to send a personal email to the hiring manager on my behalf. Holy Crap! It really works…

-Greg H.

For more on this, be sure to check out my five-minute video where I break down this technique.

Why sending a follow-up email is a critical step

It doesn’t matter how good your interview was — you STILL need to send a follow-up email for five reasons:

It leaves a good impression. And impressions are everything when it comes to getting a job.

The hiring manager will remember you. You were likely one of several interviews conducted by the company. Don’t get lost in the fray. There’s no better way to keep you on the hiring manager’s brain than by sending a follow-up email.

You show that you have initiative. When you go out of the way to send an after-interview email, it shows that you’re willing to go above and beyond to make a lasting impression.

The company will see that you’re genuinely interested. The follow-up email is a good way to separate you from the other interviewees who most likely didn’t even think to loop back with them.

Interview follow-up emails work. Your chances of getting the job go way up if you send a follow-up email. Especially if you are neck-and-neck with another candidate.

Imagine you’re in the process of hiring and you have two potential candidates. Both are equally qualified for the role and interviewed well — but only ONE of them sent you a follow-up message thanking you for your time and calling back to some points you made that really made an impact on them.

Who do you think you’re going to pick for the job?

Answer: THE PERSON WHO SENT YOU THE FOLLOW-UP MESSAGE!!

It’s important to also keep in mind that your interviewer’s reputation is on the line.

This is key, so I’m going to say it again.

Your interviewer’s reputation is on the line.

Based on the few minutes they interact with you, your interviewer has to make a lot of important assessments. Do you have the right skills? Will you fit with the company culture? Are you reliable and trustworthy? etc.

It’s like speed-dating on steroids — with one major exception. If they judge you incorrectly, they don’t just risk an awkward second date. They risk their boss questioning their judgment for the rest of their career. And if it doesn’t work out, they have wasted months of time and thousands of dollars. They need to get this right. Not just for YOU but for THEM.

It’s important to keep this in mind when you go into an interview.

Your success is in their best interest. And when you follow up correctly after an interview, you make their job easier by proving you’re a Top Performer who deserves the job.

Interview better than 99% of people

If you REALLY want to dominate your job search even more, I can help you with that.

I recorded a video on mastering the art of interviewing. In it, you’ll learn the mindset and tactics to be a world-class interviewee in just a few hours.

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How to write a perfect follow-up email after an interview (3 word-for-word scripts) is a post from: I Will Teach You To Be Rich.

from Surety Bond Brokers? Business https://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/blog/perfect-interview-follow-up-email/

[mastcomm]

Coronavirus Anger Boils Over in China and Doctors Plead for Supplies

WUHAN, China — One week into a lockdown, anger and anxiety deepened in the central Chinese province at the center of the coronavirus outbreak on Thursday as a shortage of hospital beds, medical supplies and doctors boiled over into physical confrontations and desperate pleas for help.

In a sign of growing frustration, a relative of a patient infected with the virus beat up a doctor at a hospital in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei Province, the state broadcaster CCTV reported on Thursday, citing the police. The man was accused of pulling and damaging the doctor’s mask and protective clothing — potentially exposing him to the virus — after his father-in-law died in the hospital. The man was later detained.

At the same time, hospitals in the region renewed pleas to the public for help to replenish their supplies, which were fast disappearing. The shortages have become especially severe in Huanggang, a city of seven million not far from Wuhan, where some medical staff members were wearing raincoats and garbage bags as shoe covers to protect against infection, according to Yicai, a financial news site.

On Thursday, Chinese government agencies announced plans to issue subsidies of up to $43 per day to front-line medical workers and to reopen factories to boost production of medical supplies and protective gear.

“We absolutely cannot let Huanggang become a second Wuhan,” Wang Xiaodong, the governor of Hubei Province, said at a news briefing on Wednesday.

On Thursday evening, provincial leaders said at a news briefing that the director of Huanggang’s health committee had been fired.

For many Chinese, such decisive government announcements are too little, too late. Concerns have grown as the death toll from the coronavirus has quickly ticked upward, rising by 38 to hit 170 on Thursday. All but one of those recent deaths have occurred in Hubei Province; the other died in the southwestern province of Sichuan.

Fueling the anger on Thursday was the publication this week of a new paper about the coronavirus in The New England Journal of Medicine by a team of researchers affiliated with, among other places, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Hubei Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Drawing on data from the first 425 confirmed cases in Wuhan, the paper states that “there is evidence that human-to-human transmission has occurred among close contacts since the middle of December 2019.”

Chinese people online were incensed, asking why the government had waited until Jan. 20 to inform the public that the virus was capable of being transmitted from human to human. By Thursday evening, many had seized on the paper as evidence that the authors had purposely withheld valuable information out of academic self-interest.

“I’m about to explode, I need an explanation from the authors!!!!” Wang Liming, a professor at Zhejiang University, wrote in a widely shared social media post that was quickly deleted. “As a researcher with firsthand information, you knew that the virus could be transmitted between humans three weeks before the public did. Did you do what you were supposed to do?”

As China raced to contain the outbreak, countries grappled with how to evacuate their citizens from Wuhan and how to stop the virus from spreading.

After Australia announced a plan to evacuate its citizens in Wuhan to Christmas Island, which has played an important but checkered role in the country’s contentious use of faraway sites to house refugees and other migrants, some questioned the implications of using the island as a quarantine site.

Moving people to Christmas Island is not an “appropriate solution,” Dr. Tony Bartone, the president of the Australian Medical Association, said in a television news interview. He said the government had other, more suitable facilities, such as military sites.

In Japan, a furor erupted over the refusal of some evacuees who had returned to submit to medical testing.

Two of the Japanese citizens who have been evacuated from Wuhan refused to be tested for the coronavirus, leading the prime minister to explain that citizens could not be forced to submit to a medical examination.

Japanese social media users said the travelers, who arrived in Tokyo on Wednesday, were putting the country at risk. Some called them terrorists.

“We tried to persuade the two returnees from Wuhan for many hours” to be tested, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said in Parliament on Thursday, when asked about the government’s treatment of repatriated citizens. “But there is no legally binding force, and that’s a great regret.” Mr. Abe said.

Russia ordered 16 of its approximately 25 crossing points on its 2,600-mile border Chinese border to be closed as of midnight local time as fears about the coronavirus outbreak mounted in Moscow.

“We have to do everything to protect our people,” Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said on Thursday in televised remarks at a cabinet meeting.

Italy has blocked thousands of people from leaving a cruise ship that docked on Thursday at an Italian port, over concerns that someone aboard might have the virus.

According to Italy’s national news agency ANSA, a woman from Hong Kong aboard the Costa Smeralda, a vessel owned by Costa Cruises, had a fever and was experiencing respiratory problems. Both the woman and a man traveling with her, who did not present any symptoms, were being held in isolation in a hospital ward aboard the ship and were tested by infectious disease experts from a hospital in Rome.

In the United States, health officials on Thursday reported the first case of person-to-person transmission of the novel coronavirus in the United States. The patient is the husband of a woman who returned from Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the virus, and was the first reported case in Chicago, officials said at a news briefing.

The United States commerce secretary, Wilbur Ross, said there could be a silver lining in China’s woes because the coronavirus outbreak could prompt employers to move jobs to the United States.

“I don’t want to talk about a victory lap over a very unfortunate, very malignant disease,” Mr. Ross said in an interview on Fox Business. “I think it will help to accelerate the return of jobs to North America. Some to the U.S., probably some to Mexico as well.”

His remarks may be seen as insensitive to a country in crisis, and he has faced such criticism in the past. During the government shutdown in early 2019, Mr. Ross suggested that furloughed workers should take out loans while they went without pay for more than a month.

With the evacuations and lockdown, Wuhan, a typically bustling metropolis, has been transformed into a ghost town. Since the city was effectively sealed off last week, most shops have shut down. The city government has put restrictions on traffic. The lack of transportation options has made it difficult for medical workers and sick residents to get to hospitals.

But most residents of Wuhan are not leaving their homes because they are too scared of catching the virus.

“Local Wuhan residents who aren’t worried about being sick aren’t even going on the streets,” Chen Qiushi, a Beijing-based lawyer and citizen journalist who has been in Wuhan since the lockdown began, said in a video blog posted on Thursday. “The locals are all very scared,” he added. “I’m starting to get scared.”

When Wuhan residents step outside, it’s mostly to go to the supermarkets, food stores and pharmacies that stay open as part of a government effort to sustain the city. Senior officials have promised that residents need not worry about vegetables, fruit or other staples.

While Wuhan residents have been able to buy food, some complained about price increases or expressed fear that a prolonged shutdown might choke off food supplies. And if the shutdown lasts weeks longer, with the rest of China also scrambling to secure food supplies, it could make things more serious, several residents said.

“If we can’t bring in produce, it will become more expensive, or we might even have to close up,” said Zuo Qichao, who was selling piles of cucumbers, turnips and tomatoes. As he spoke, a woman accused him of unfairly raising the turnips’ price.

“Every county, every village around here is now putting up barriers, worried about that disease,” Mr. Zuo said. “Even if the government says it wants food guaranteed, it won’t be easy — all those road checks.”

Amy Qin reported from Beijing, and Christopher Buckley from Wuhan, China. Reporting was contributed by Elaine Yu, Tiffany May, Russell Goldman, Austin Ramzy, Alexandra Stevenson, Motoko Rich, Anton Troianovski, Isabella Kwai, Chris Horton, Makiko Inoue, Daisuke Wakabayashi, Karen Weise, Iliana Magra, Christopher Cameron and Mike Isaac. Research was contributed by Elsie Chen, Zoe Mou, Albee Zhang, Amber Wang, Yiwei Wang and Claire Fu.

from WordPress https://mastcomm.com/coronavirus-anger-boils-over-in-china-and-doctors-plead-for-supplies/

[kacydeneen]

Democratic Debate Guide: Nov. Debate at Tyler Perry Studios

The first four Democratic debates of the 2020 presidential election are in the bag and the fifth will take place on Nov. 20. 

When and How to Watch the 2020 Democratic Presidential Debates

What Past Democratic Debates Have Revealed About Candidates

The Democratic National Committee has approved up to 12 debates, with six scheduled for 2019 and six more set for 2020. 

The Next Debate MSNBC and The Washington Post will co-host the fifth Democratic presidential primary debate in Atlanta, Georgia, on Nov. 20. It will be held at Tyler Perry Studios and all four debate moderators will be women, MSNBC announced. The debate will air from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. live on MSNBC and Radio One. It will also stream on MSNBC.com and the Post's website, as well as across mobile devices via NBC News and the Post's mobile apps and Urban One's digital platforms.

Live Coverage: The First Democratic Debate, Night 1

Previous Debates The New York Times and CNN co-hosted the fourth presidential debatein Westerville, Ohio, at Otterbein University on Oct. 15, with 12 candidates sharing the stage over three hours. It was the second primary debate of the cycle hosted by CNN and the first for the Times in more than a decade, the newspaper reported. 

ABC News' hosted the third debate on Sept. 12 at Texas Southern University in Houston. The debate was harder to qualify for than the first two (more on that below), and that higher threshold combined with a winnowing candidate pool meant this was the first of the 2020 Democratic debates to feature all the highest polling candidates on stage at the same time.

Fact Check: Dems' Missteps on Climate, Wages in Debate

CNN hosted its debate on July 30 and 31 from Detroit, Michigan. Qualifying rules were the same as for the first debate.

The first debate, sponsored by NBC News, MSNBC, and Telemundo, took place on June 26 and June 27 at the Adrienne Arsht Center in Miami, Florida. Watch everything each candidate said on night one and night two. 

The Democrats Who Appear to Have Qualified for MSNBC's November Debate Are

Former Vice President Joe Biden

Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts

Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont

Sen. Kamala Harris of California

South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg

Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey

Entrepreneur Andrew Yang

Billionaire activist Tom Steyer

Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota

Former housing secretary Julián Castro and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii are also part way there, according to an unofficial NBC News tally. They have met fundraising requirements but still need to boost their poll numbers. 

The 12 Democrats Who Qualified for the Fourth Presidential Primary Debate in Ohio Were

Sen. Klobuchar

Sen. Booker

Mayor Buttigieg

Sen. Sanders

Former Vice President Biden

Sen. Warren

Sen. Harris

Entrepreneur Yang

Former Rep. O’Rourke 

Former housing secretary Castro

Billionaire activist Steyer

Rep. Gabbard

Here is a look at top moments from the three-hour debate, where hopefuls sparred under the shadow of the House impeachment inquiry. This was the first debate since Sen. Warren's status rose as a front-runner and after Sen. Sanders had suffered a heart attack. 

The 10 Democrats Who Made the Third Presidential Primary Debate Lineup in Detroit Were

ABC News said the following podium order (left to right) was set by polling averages, with the highest polling candidates closest to the center of the debate stage:

Sen. Klobuchar 

Sen. Booker

South Bend Mayor Buttigieg

Sen. Sanders 

Former Vice President Biden

Sen. Warren

Sen. Harris 

Entrepreneur Yang

Former Rep. O’Rourke

Former HUD Secretary Castro

Here is a look at top moments from the debate, where the top leaders in the polls all shared the stage for the first time. 

The 20 Democrats Who Made the Second Presidential Primary Debate Lineup in Detroit Were

CNN held a live drawing on July 18 to determine the debate order for each night.

The first group of 10 on Tuesday, July 30, were: Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, Mayor Buttigieg, Rep. John Delaney of Maryland, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, Sen. Klobuchar, former Rep. O’Rourke, Rep. Tim Ryan of Ohio, Sen. Sanders, Sen. Warren and Williamson, the author.

The second group of 10 on Wednesday, July 31, were: Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado, former Vice President Biden, Sen. Booker, former HUD Secretary Castro, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, Rep. Gabbard, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Sen. Harris, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and Yang.

Here are a few more things to know about the CNN debate.

Night one included Sanders and Warren, who have each staked out aggressive, progressive policy positions. They did not go after each other as some predicted they might. 

Night two featured a rematch of Harris and Biden. During the first debate, Harris went after Biden over his record on race, in a moment that led the news in the days afterward.

Montana Gov. Steve Bullock made the debate stage for the first time, having secured his spot after Rep. Eric Swalwell of California exited the race.

The 20 Democrats Who Appeared in the First Presidential Primary Debate in Miami Were

The first group of 10 who appeared on Wednesday, June 26: Sen. Booker, Sen. Warren, former Rep. O’Rourke, Sen. Klobuchar, former Rep. Delaney, Rep. Gabbard, former HUD Secretary Castro, Rep. Ryan, New York City Mayor de Blasio and Washington Gov. Inslee.  

NBC News has a full transcript here.

More coverage from night one: 

The second group of 10 who appeared on Thursday, June 27: Sen. Harris, former Vice President Biden, South Bend Mayor Buttigieg, Sen. Sanders, Sen. Gillibrand, Sen. Bennet, Williamson, Rep. Swalwell, Yang and Gov. Hickenlooper of Colorado.

NBC News has a full transcript here.

More coverage from night two:

Three candidates who failed to make the cut for the first debate were Gov. Bullock, Rep. Moulton, and Miramar Mayor Messam. 

Here is more information about all the candidates.

How Candidates Qualified for the First Two Democratic Presidential Primary Debates

In February, the DNC published specific debate guidelines spelling out what  candidates have to do to participate. 

Democratic candidates could qualify for the first and second debates by meeting one of the two following sets of criteria:

Criteria 1- Polling Method: Participants must register 1% or more support in three polls (which may be national polls, or polls in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and/or Nevada) publicly released between Jan. 1, 2019, and 14 days prior to the date of the debate. Qualifying polls will be limited to those sponsored by one or more of the following organizations/institutions: Associated Press, ABC News, CBS News, CNN, Des Moines Register, Fox News, Las Vegas Review Journal, Monmouth University, NBC News, New York Times, National Public Radio (NPR), Quinnipiac University, Reuters, University of New Hampshire, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Washington Post, Winthrop University. Any candidate’s three qualifying polls must be conducted by different organizations, or if by the same organization, must be in different geographical areas.

Criteria 2 - Grassroots Fundraising Method: Candidates may qualify for the debate by demonstrating that the campaign has received donations from at least (1) 65,000 unique donors; and (2) a minimum of 200 unique donors per state in at least 20 U.S. states.  

If more than 20 candidates had qualified, here is how a tiebreaker would have worked, according to NBC News. Candidates who met both the polling and fundraising criteria would get preference. If that still didn't winnow the field, then preference would go to candidates with the highest polling average.    

How Candidates Were Selected for the Third and Fourth Debates

For the third and fourth debates, the DNC essentially doubled the polling and fundraising thresholds set for the first two debates — and required candidates to meet both standards, instead of just one or the other, NBC News reported.

Candidates needed to register at least 2 percent in four major polls conducted this summer and receive donations from at least 130,000 individual donors, including at least 400 in 20 states.

Since only 10 candidates qualified for ABC News' debate under the new standards, they all appeared on stage together for one night. The fourth debate will feature 12 canidates, also on one night. 

How Candidates Qualify for the Fifth Debate

The fifth Democratic presidential primary debate on Nov. 20, to be co-hosted by MSNBC and The Washington Post in Georgia, will become a little tougher for candidates to qualify. 

Candidates must have 165,000 unique donors, with at least 600 of those each coming from at least 20 states. 

Poll requirements will inch up to 3% in at least four national or early state polls. Or, a candidate could hit 5% support in two early state polls. The change would reward a candidate's momentum in Iowa and New Hampshire, The Associated Press reported.

Who Is Moderating the Democratic Debates?

The fifth debate on Nov. 20 will be moderated by Rachel Maddow, host of "The Rachel Maddow Show" on MSNBC; Andrea Mitchell, host of "Andrea Mitchell Reports" on MSNBC and NBC News' chief foreign affairs correspondent; Kristen Welker, NBC News' White House correspondent; and Ashley Parker, a White House reporter for The Washington Post.

Previous Moderators CNN anchors Anderson Cooper and Erin Burnett co-moderated the fourth debate with The New York Times' national editor, Marc Lacey.

ABC News' George Stephanopoulos, David Muir and Linsey Davis and Univision's Jorge Ramos moderated the third debate.

CNN's Dana Bash, Don Lemon and Jake Tapper moderated the second debate on July 30 and 31, the network reported.

There were five moderators for the first debate: "TODAY" co-anchor and NBC News chief legal analyst Savannah Guthrie, "NBC Nightly News" and "Dateline" anchor Lester Holt, "Meet the Press" moderator and NBC News political director Chuck Todd, MSNBC host Rachel Maddow and "Noticias Telemundo" and "NBC Nightly News Saturday" anchor José Diaz-Balart. 

Holt moderated for both hours. Guthrie and Diaz-Balart co-moderated for the first hour, while Todd and Maddow joined Holt for the second hour.

The DNC has said it will have at least one female and non-white moderator at each Democratic presidential debate.

"The DNC is committed to an inclusive and fair debate process," DNC senior adviser Mary Beth Cahill told Refinery29, which first reported the debates would have at least one female moderator. "That means that all 12 DNCsanctioned debates will feature a diverse group of moderators and panelists including women and people of color, ensuring that the conversations reflect the concerns of all Americans."

HuffPost later reported that the debates will also include at least one person of color as a moderator, who could also be the same person as the female moderator. 

Which 2020 Candidates Have Dropped Out of the Race So Far?

Rep. Swalwell

Former Sen. Mike Gravel

Gov. Hickenlooper

Gov. Inslee

Rep. Moulton

Sen. Gillibrand

Mayor de Blasio

Rep. Ryan

Rep. O'Rourke

*Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz both considered running for president but decided against it.

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser. Democratic Debate Guide: Nov. Debate at Tyler Perry Studios published first on Miami News

[dinafbrownil]

Must-Reads Of The Week From Brianna Labuskes

The Friday Breeze

Newsletter editor Brianna Labuskes, who reads everything on health care to compile our daily Morning Briefing, offers the best and most provocative stories for the weekend.

Happy Friday! Yours truly is back from beautiful Vietnam and it seems I missed one or two … ahem … minor news events while traipsing around.

I come bearing no souvenirs but rather two health reminders (one via Sen. Bernie Sanders). Firstly, don’t forget your flu shot — Australia has had an unusually early and severe season, which rarely bodes well for our own. The second comes in the form of a hard-earned lesson from a 2020 candidate: Don’t ignore those heart attack warning signs! (This is especially directed at women, who are dying unnecessarily from cardiac events.)

Now enough mother-henning. (You missed me, didn’t you?) On to the news of the week!

The Supremes are back in action, and a look at the high court’s docket reveals a potentially doozy of a politically charged term (with rulings expected to land as the general election heats up in 2020).

In the health care sphere, a big case to watch is the Louisiana abortion suit. An essentially identical Texas law — which requires doctors performing abortions to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals — was ruled unconstitutional by the court in 2016, but that means little with two new justices appointed by President Donald Trump weighing in.

The New York Times: As the Supreme Court Gets Back to Work, Five Big Cases to Watch

Oral arguments in two other health-related cases were held this week. The justices grappled with the moral and legal complexities of the insanity defense. The case prompted questions such as this one from Justice Stephen Breyer: One defendant kills a victim he thinks is a dog. “The second defendant knows it’s a person but thinks the dog told him to do it,” Breyer said. “They are both crazy. And why does Kansas say one is guilty, the other is not guilty?”

The New York Times: Supreme Court Opens New Term With Argument on Insanity Defense

Tuesday was all about LGBTQ rights. Although most of the justices were divided along ideological lines on whether federal civil rights legislation applies to sexual orientation and gender identification, Justice Neil Gorsuch hinted his vote might be in play. As an avowed believer in textualism, he suggested that the words of Title VII are “really close, really close” to barring employment discrimination for those workers. But don’t go placing bets on the outcome yet. He also noted that he was worried about “the massive social upheaval” that would follow such a Supreme Court ruling.

The New York Times: Supreme Court Considers Whether Civil Rights Act Protects L.G.B.T. Workers

The Friday Breeze

Want a roundup of the must-read stories this week chosen by KHN Newsletter Editor Brianna Labuskes? Sign up for The Friday Breeze today.

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On that note, the 2020 Democratic candidates participated in an LGBTQ forum on the eve of National Coming Out Day. There were a handful of notable moments through the night (including a zinger from Sen. Elizabeth Warren that was met with loud applause), but much of the spotlight was on protesters who demanded the candidates pay attention to violence against black transgender women. “We are hunted,” said one member of the audience.

CNN: Protesters Interrupt CNN LGBTQ Town Hall to Highlight Plight of Black Transgender Women

Elsewhere on the campaign trail this week, controversy over a pregnancy discrimination talking point from Warren’s stump speech prompted women — including Warren rival Sen. Amy Klobuchar — to speak out on social media about their own and their mothers’ experiences.

NBC News: Women Rally in Support of Elizabeth Warren by Sharing Their Own Pregnancy Discrimination Stories

Sanders’ campaign confirmed that the health scare from last week was indeed a heart attack. The 2020 candidate — who promised to return “full blast” to the race — said he hopes people learn from his “dumb” mistake of ignoring the warning signs. In true politician-running-for-office style, he also was able to use the scare as a way to emphasize the importance of his signature policy proposal, “Medicare for All.”

Reuters: Democratic Presidential Hopeful Sanders Says He Was ‘Dumb’ to Ignore Health Warnings

In a sign of what’s to come for Big Pharma, South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, one of the field’s more moderate candidates, released a drug pricing plan that is decidedly not moderate. The move falls in line with a broader sense that there’s an ever-growing appetite among even middle-ground Dems for action to rein in drugmakers.

Stat: Buttigieg Unveils an Aggressive Plan for Lowering Drug Prices

And for you political wonks out there, this was an interesting read on the shifting political dynamics of doctors, who once used to be a sure thing for the GOP.

The Wall Street Journal: Doctors, Once GOP Stalwarts, Now More Likely to Be Democrats

A key ruling on the health law is expected in the next few weeks, but officials (on condition of anonymity,  mind you) said that if the ruling is against the ACA, the Trump administration will ask the court to put any changes on hold — possibly until after the election. The reports further support the idea that the law, which has been, uh, politically fraught (to say the very least) over its entire life span, is at the moment viewed as an Achilles’ heel for Republicans.

The Washington Post: Trump Administration Plans to Delay Any Changes If the ACA Loses in Court

Two other major news items out of the administration this week to pay attention to:

The Associated Press: Trump Signs Proclamation Restricting Visas for Uninsured

The Associated Press: Overhaul Is Proposed for Decades-Old Medicare Fraud Rules

The first teenager’s death in the outbreak of vaping-related lung illnesses drove home this week public health officials’ message that young people are “playing with their lives” when they partake. The number of cases jumped to 1,299 as of Oct. 8, with the number of deaths rising to 26.

The Wall Street Journal: New York City’s First Vaping-Related Death Is a Bronx Teen

Reuters: U.S. Vaping-Related Deaths Rise to 26, Illnesses to 1,299

Although Juul is facing a barrage of lawsuits, one filed this week was notable. It was believed to be the first from school districts, which claim that fighting the vaping epidemic has been a drag on their resources. While some legal experts are dubious about whether the school districts can establish their standing, others aren’t ruling it out.

The New York Times: Juul Is Sued by School Districts That Say Vaping Is a Dangerous Drain on Their Resources

And the ripple effect of the crisis is spreading to life insurance prices.

Bloomberg: Prudential Plans to Boost Life Insurance Prices for Vapers

Time for you to flex your ethical muscles for the week: Should there be boundaries to highly personalized medicine? A pricey drug designed — and named for! — just one patient sparked questions this week about how far researchers should go in the name of curing a single person. Especially when there are thousands of patients out there with rare diseases. Would only the wealthiest subset be given cures? Who would decide which patients deserve limited research hours over others?

The New York Times: Scientists Designed a Drug for Just One Patient. Her Name Is Mila.

And ProPublica shines a light on the practice of drug companies using flashy Facebook ads, cash incentives and other marketing techniques to woo Mexican residents over the border to donate plasma. It’s not as innocuous as it might seem — donating too much plasma can compromise the immune system. (Selling plasma has been banned in Mexico since 1987.)

ProPublica: Pharmaceutical Companies Are Luring Mexicans Across the U.S. Border to Donate Blood Plasma

In the miscellaneous file for the week:

An Ohio doctor is being charged in 25 fentanyl-related deaths. How on earth was such a lapse allowed to occur? The New York Times peels back the curtain on years of lapses and missed warnings in one Columbus intensive care unit.

The New York Times: One Doctor. 25 Deaths. How Could It Have Happened?

During the week of World Mental Health Day, research finds that Americans are starting to internalize all the political rhetoric (and myths) about the connection between mental health and violence. “People want simple solutions: They want to be able to neatly explain things,” said one expert.

Los Angeles Times: Americans Increasingly Fear Violence From People Who Are Mentally Ill

There’s more than one way to keep a community healthy, and that goes beyond doctor’s offices, clinics and hospitals. A growing number of medical professionals are embracing the notion that steady paychecks, stable housing and good food are crucial to supporting their patients before they get sick.

The New York Times: When a Steady Paycheck Is Good Medicine for Communities

In a sad sign of the times, a muppet on “Sesame Street” is going to have a mother struggling with addiction. The storyline is meant to help an ever-increasing number of children affected by the opioid crisis.

Stat: ‘Sesame Street’ Launches Initiative to Help Explain Parental Addiction to Kids

High levels of uranium were found in the blood of Navajo women and babies in a study that underscored the real costs of America’s atomic development. Lawmakers are pushing for legislation that would compensate those who have been exposed.

The Associated Press: US Official: Research Finds Uranium in Navajo Women, Babies

And the Nobel Prizes are given out this week: In medicine, scientists who worked with oxygen and cells were honored. Their work has the potential to be the building blocks for things like cancer treatments.

The Washington Post: Nobel Prize in Medicine Awarded for Discovery of How Cells Sense Oxygen

That’s it from me! It’s good to be back with you guys, and I hope you have a great weekend!

from Updates By Dina https://khn.org/news/friday-breeze-health-care-policy-must-reads-of-the-week-from-brianna-labuskes-october-11-2019/

[paullassiterca]

KetoFast Explained

In the featured JJ Virgin Lifestyle Show podcast, I discuss my KetoFast protocol, which is the topic of my latest book by the same name. KetoFast is the term I coined to describe a protocol that combines three key strategies: a cyclical ketogenic diet, intermittent fasting and cyclical partial fasting.

In this interview, I describe how to implement the KetoFast approach, including the meal timing and the types and amounts of foods you should be adding to your plate.

“KetoFast” is the follow-up to my bestselling book “Fat for Fuel,” and I strongly recommend implementing the strategies laid out in “Fat for Fuel” first (which include daily intermittent fasting and cyclical nutritional ketosis), before you move on to “KetoFast,” in which you add partial fasting to everything you’re already doing.

Why I Wrote ‘KetoFast’

As I explain in this interview, the impetus behind “KetoFast” was two major realizations: First, that water-only fasting is a tremendously beneficial health intervention; and second, that while water-only fasting used to be an ideal strategy, the fact that modern man is so toxic makes it potentially dangerous to do extended water fasts for most.

We’re now surrounded by and exposed to some 80,000 chemicals in our environment, many of which are fat soluble, meaning they accumulate in your fat cells. Meanwhile, fasting effectively drives toxins out of fat cells, which can have devastating results if you’re severely toxic.

What’s more, since you’re not eating, you’re also not providing your body with the nutrients it needs to effectively neutralize and eliminate those released toxins.

My answer to this dilemma was to devise — based on the best scientific evidence I could find — a fasting program that mimics multiday water-only fasting, while supporting your detox pathways and minimizing the risks associated with toxicity.

The KetoFast protocol is also easier to comply with than multiday water fasting, and provides greater benefits because you’re able to do it more frequently. At most, you might do a five-day water fast 12 times a year (once a month). With the KetoFast protocol, you can do 42-hour fasts anywhere between 50 to 100 times a year.

The caveat is you need to have done at least a month of daily intermittent fasting and achieved nutritional ketosis as laid out in “Fat for Fuel” before you move on to KetoFasting. Once you’re metabolically flexible and can burn fat for fuel, the combination of cyclical nutritional ketosis and cyclical fasting is phenomenal for weight loss and optimizing your health and longevity.

Eating Too Frequently Creates Metabolic Dysfunction

In his book “Circadian Code: Lose Weight, Supercharge Your Energy and Sleep Well Every Night,” Satchidananda Panda, Ph.D., cites research showing that 90 percent of people eat across a span of 12 hours a day, and many across even longer timespans. This is a prescription for metabolic disaster, and will radically increase your risk for obesity and chronic degenerative disease over time.

Part of the problem is that when you eat throughout the day your body adapts to burning sugar as its primary fuel, which down-regulates enzymes that utilize and burn your stored fat. If you struggle to lose weight, this may well be a significant part of the problem — your body has simply lost the metabolic flexibility to burn fat for fuel.

The intermittent and partial fasting regimen described in “KetoFast” essentially mimics ancestral eating patterns, allowing your body to work optimally by allowing for periods of breakdown and cleanout, and periods of rebuilding and rejuvenation.

It’s particularly important to avoid snacking or eating a meal close to bedtime. You really want to stop eating at least three hours before you go to sleep, as feeding your body at a time when it does not need the energy fuels the creation of free radicals instead. Essentially, late-night snacking is a prescription for chronic disease and early death as it will impair your mitochondrial function.

Recent research1 shows men who eat supper at least two hours before bedtime have a 26% lower risk of prostate cancer, and women have a 16% lower risk of breast cancer than those who eat dinner closer to bedtime.2,3 This reduction in cancer risk makes sense when you consider the effect late-night eating has on your mitochondria.

Chronic inflammation is a hallmark of cancer, and by feeding your body late at night, the excess free radicals generated in your mitochondria will simply fuel that inflammation. Mitochondrial dysfunction in general has also been shown to be a central problem that allows cancer to occur. To learn more about this, see “The Metabolic Theory of Cancer and the Key to Cancer Prevention and Recovery.”

Benefits of Fasting

The two primary benefits of fasting, in my view, are stem cell activation and autophagy. Stem cells play an important role in longevity as they are instrumental in repairing and rejuvenating your cells and tissues, while autophagy is your body’s innate cleanout process, by which damaged mitochondria, proteins and cells are digested and eliminated.

By upregulating autophagy and mitophagy (autophagy in your mitochondria)4 and boosting stem cells you will lower your risk of most diseases, including cancer5 and neurodegeneration.6

Nutrient composition is important here, and in the book, I provide details on how to optimize the autophagy and stem cell activation processes by eating certain foods (and avoiding others) at the right time. Aside from autophagy and stem cell activation, fasting is known to provide many other health benefits, including:7,8,9,10,11

Releasing ketones into your bloodstream, which help preserve brain function and protect against epileptic seizures, cognitive impairment12 and other neurodegenerative diseases

Boosting production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which stimulates creation of new brain cells and triggers brain chemicals that protect against brain changes associated with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease13,14

Increasing growth hormone by as much as 1,300 percent in women and 2,000 percent in men,15 thereby promoting muscle development and vitality

Lowering insulin and improving your insulin sensitivity; studies have shown intermittent fasting can both prevent and reverse Type 2 diabetes, which is rooted in insulin resistance16,17,18,19

Increasing levels of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine, which helps your body break down fat to be used as fuel and benefits your metabolism20,21,22

Boosting mitochondrial energy efficiency and biosynthesis

Lowering oxidative stress and inflammation23

Improving circulating glucose24 and lipid levels

Reducing blood pressure

Improving metabolic efficiency and body composition, modulating levels of dangerous visceral fat and significantly reducing body weight in obese individuals

Reproducing some of the cardiovascular benefits associated with exercise

Regenerating the pancreas25 and improve pancreatic function, reversing diabetes

Protecting against cardiovascular disease

Reducing low-density lipoprotein and total cholesterol

Improving immune function26

Synchronizing your body’s biological clocks27

Eliminating sugar cravings as your body adapts to burning fat instead of sugar

Increasing longevity — There are a number of mechanisms contributing to this effect. Normalizing insulin sensitivity is a major one, but fasting also inhibits the mTOR pathway, which plays an important part in driving the aging process

Summary of KetoFast Protocol

The following is a summary of my KetoFast protocol, which is, of course, expounded upon in my book. The first step is to compress your daily eating window to six to eight hours for at least four weeks, meaning you eat all of your calories for the day during those six to eight hours, and for the remaining 16 to 18 hours, you’re fasting. This is your base.

Once you’ve followed this intermittent fasting schedule for a month — at which point you’ll have restored your metabolic flexibility to burn fat for fuel — you can move into the second phase, which involves having a single reduced-calorie meal, ideally breakfast, followed by a 24-hour water-only fast, once or twice a week.

This meal will typically be somewhere between 300 and 500 calories. To determine how many calories you should have at this meal, first calculate your lean body mass by subtracting your percent body fat from 100. (So, if you have 20% body fat, you have 80% lean body mass.)

Then multiply that percentage (in this case, 0.8) by your current total body weight to get your lean body mass in pounds (or kilos). Next, multiply your lean body mass in pounds/kilos by 3.5. This is the number of calories you’ll want to eat for that meal.

Nutrient Ratios During KetoFasting

By eating just that one 300- to 500-calorie meal and then fasting for 24 hours, you essentially end up having eaten once in 42 hours. This will effectively allow your body to deplete the glycogen stores in your liver.

Even when you’re intermittently fasting for 16 to 18 hours, you still have plenty of glycogen left, but when you fast for 42 hours, glycogen will be completely depleted, sending autophagy soaring. And, you can do this twice a week! Now, what should these 300 to 500 calories consist of? Ideally:

• Carbs — Less than 10 grams of net carbohydrates (total carbs minus fiber) so as not to replete your glycogen stores. Primarily, your carbs would then be nonstarchy vegetables, seeds or nuts.

• Protein — Half of your personalized daily protein requirement. If you’re younger than 60, a general recommendation for your daily protein requirement would be 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of lean body mass, or 0.5 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass. Let’s say your daily protein requirement is 80 grams. For this meal, you’d cut that in half to 40 grams.

The key here is not just lowering your overall protein intake but rather restricting your intake of branched-chain amino acids such as leucine, found primarily in meat and dairy products.

The reason you want to restrict branched-chain amino acids at this meal is because they activate mTOR and inhibit autophagy — essentially blocking the very cleanout process you’re trying to activate through fasting. You can learn more about mTOR and autophagy in my interview with Dr. Jason Fung.

An ideal form of protein to include in this meal is collagen, which provides great support for your connective tissue. Chlorella is another excellent protein you can include.

• Fat — The remainder of your calories come from healthy fats such as coconut oil, avocado, MCT oil, butter, olive oil and raw nuts.

After Your Fast, Feast!

The day after you’ve completed your 42-hour KetoFast is the perfect time to do hardcore strength training, and to load up on your protein. Immediately after is when you’ll want to eat that grass fed organic steak and/or whey protein, as now you’re in rebuilding mode, so you actually want and need to activate mTOR to build new muscle mass.

As mentioned, mTOR, governs growth and inhibits autophagy. In this way, KetoFasting allows you to really feast twice a week as well, which counters any feelings of deprivation you might have during fasting, and this may significantly improve adherence.

from Articles http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2019/04/21/ketofast-explained.aspx source https://niapurenaturecom.tumblr.com/post/184334522436