#most common form is assisted suicide

[ask-law-by-mike]

.. if I asked someone for permission to kill them, and they said yes, could I kill them?

"it depends on the case"

[drdemonprince]

"I do think someone with advanced dementia is a different person than they once were. What, then, do we do with a patient who made an advance request but now that they've lost the capacity to decide otherwise (but meets the criteria) appears to be enjoying listening to music and eating their meals? What I worry about here is what others have already discussed: the elevation of critical interests over experiential interests. This advance request to be killed is a critical interest. Other critical interests are someone's hope to be a good father, brother, son, mechanic, citizen, etc., to build a table, to run a marathon, etc. Not everyone can form critical interests. People with dementia could have done so at one time, but others, like those born with severe intellectual disabilities, never had the capacity to do so. Experiential interests are focused on sensations. Most of us have an experiential interest in slaking thirst, satisfying hunger, avoiding pain, etc. Even people with severe dementia can continue to have experiential interests. So, when you have someone who has forgotten they made an advance decision based on a critical decision, but are living their life oriented around experiential interests, if you honor that previously expressed wish you're going to elevate critical interests above experiential interests, suggesting that one is more valuable than the other. This is step closer to, if not an embrace of, the belief that some lives are not worth living because of their rational capacities. It is the judgment that builds a culture that points at someone with dementia and says, "We never want to live like that," when, in fact, the person with dementia might not have any qualms about continuing to live now."

Some really fantastic writing on dementia, assisted suicide, and the ableism of equating the worthiness of someone's life with their cognitive capacity.

Here's a great common the piece from a substack moot of mine, who works in elder care:

[absolutely-normal-about-x]

CARBON LORE: Society and Diggers

Carbon society is distinguished by the large number of islands on which they reside. As a result, a variety of cultures emerge, with the ruins of the previous society serving as a foundation for further development. The majority of these cultures differ from one another, but they all share a common concept: community. Most islands have tight-knit communities that frequently assist one another in difficult situations. They rely on others' assistance to ensure the process and, potentially, a more relaxed attitude. Because of cultural differences between the islands, there is no unified government, and the primary goal of these civilizations is to foster inter-island relations. This has resulted in a one-of-a-kind era of peace within carbon societies, akin to their halcyon days, but there are still problems that must be addressed.

Carbons use a mix of basic and ancient technology. Most of their civilization employs these ancient technologies. It also means that their power sources cannot be replicated easily, as they are not capable of creating a power source. Instead, they must locate and uncover its primary power source. Refractors are mostly found in ruins scattered throughout the planet. This type of responsibility is assigned to the Digouter, which translates as "digger."

Diggers include explorers, treasure hunters, and others. Their primary duty is to search the ancient ruins of Terra for valuable relics, technology, and refractors. They are responsible for ensuring that their civilization has enough power and resources, so they rely on their own efforts. Unfortunately, being a digger is not as easy as it appears, as there are more risks and dangers. The terra's ruins can be dangerous for a variety of reasons, including traps, hostile reaver bots, and the possibility of trickster spirits (Cyber Elves) leading diggers to their demise. As a result, many diggers require training to prepare them to deal with the dangers of the ruins. Most diggers begin their training at the age of ten, but due to their durability, they can withstand it. Diggers typically work in groups of two or more to ensure the success and survival of an expedition; those who go out alone are considered suicidal. Whoever survives as a lone digger with resources in tow is considered exceptionally skilled. Unfortunately, they are diggers who are motivated by greed and fortune and do not respect the law. They are commonly known as "air pirates."

Despite the many dangers of the job itself, many diggers choose either a sense of responsibility, adventure, or something more. In order to support diggers, an organization was formed to not only support them but also their civilization, called “The Digger’s Guild”. An interconnected organization whose main responsibility is to help islands and diggers alike. The guild is where Diggers can find different jobs to help people or support them. This leads to a unique distinction between Guild Diggers and Independent Diggers. While guild diggers are the ones that mostly stay on their main island to help the people there, dealing with difficulties, etc. The majority of the refractors they give to the guild are distributed among other diggers and islands. Meanwhile, an independent digger works alone or with their loved ones, typically traveling across Terra by airship, collecting relics and refractors to keep or trade to a nearby settlement. They frequently sign contracts to get jobs or, on occasion, accept a job from the guild to assist in a large expedition or something else.

[darkmaga-returns]

Canadian government doctors have reportedly begun pressuring cancer patients to choose euthanasia rather than waiting on long lists to seek treatment from oncologists.

Canada’s taxpayer-funded socialized health system has long waiting lists for cancer treatments, leaving many desperately seeking alternatives.

However, government-funded doctors are now urging patients to avoid the long wait for cancer treatment by signing up for Canada’s Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) program instead.

A common theme emerging from Canada is the theory that sick and impoverished citizens should choose euthanasia to relieve the burden on the system for the “common good.”

As Slay News has previously reported, Canada has some of the most permissive euthanasia laws in the world.

Canada’s euthanasia laws allow almost anyone who can claim some form of hardship or disability to receive physician-assisted suicide, regardless of how minor those disabilities might be.

In a recently reported horror story from The Associated Press, Alan Nichols, 61, was successfully killed after a quick one-month waiting period as he was suffering from hearing loss.

Aside from bouts of depression over his hearing, Nichols was otherwise healthy.

However, his brother claimed doctors railroaded Nichols into killing himself.

[theaawalker]

the last snow to fall ❆ peeta mellark

Pairing: Peeta Mellark x fem!oc Song Inspo: Tethered by Sleeping at Last Word Count: 2,348 Summary: Snow is dead, but his heiress still lives. Does she deserve to be executed? Coin is dead, but her successors still want to have the Capitol Games. How can Peeta Mallark, still recovering from the loss of Katniss, stop it and save her? Warnings: mentions of family death, mentions of whipping, mentions of public executions, mentions of massacres Masterlist: see fandoms (pc-friendly)

"They found the girl," said the nurse.

"What girl?" asked Peeta. He didn't really care, what he wanted was news of Katniss. But he wanted to be polite, and the nurse was careful to keep him up to date on the news while he was stuck in the hospital.

"President Snow's grand-daughter. She disappeared the day of the Slaughter of the Innocents. Turns out that her nanny was hiding her. I hear, that they're both going to be whipped, at the least."

"WHIPPED?" echoed Peeta, his attention suddenly caught.

Peeta frequently thought in visual images, an advantage to a painter. The word WHIP evoked the horrible day in District 12 when Thread was torturing Gale at the whipping post, and Katniss accidentally got hit in the face by the lash trying to rescue her friend. Now take the image of Gale's bleeding back, and imagine a frail Primrose-like girl being tortured instead, and you got an image of utter horror. "Why would they whip them?"

"I don't know," said the nurse. She seemed nonchalant. Maybe she was from a District where beatings were common. Or, more likely, she was numbed by all the recent events: the invasion of the Capitol by the Districts, the Pods that didn't seem to care if they shot innocent bystanders along with the invaders, the Slaughter of the Innocents, the announcement of new Games, the assassination of Coin, dying within minutes of her defeated enemy. But the nurse had promised to bring Peeta news: Peeta was her patient and a Victor and she wanted to keep him happy. "Do you want me to ask?"

Peeta thought about it. It was likely that the city was still in chaos, there was still no reliable news service, and it would be impossible for the nurse to get a credible story.

"No. But please send a message to Plutarch Heavensbee, and tell him that I need to talk to him."

Her eyes opened wide. "HEAVENSBEE? He's involved in all sorts of government business – probably impossible to pull away –"

"Please. Just send the message and I'll see what happens."

"Yes, sir."

"Thank you, you're being very helpful." It wasn't her fault that civilization was crashing around them.

After she went out Peeta sank back in the hospital bed, feeling helpless. The last coherent thing he remembered was preventing Katniss from taking the suicide pill, after the assassination of Coin. He had thought that he was saving her life, but had he just saved her for a worse fate?

He had blacked out frequently since then. It was a combination of the pain medicine that he was taking to soothe his burns, and the residual effects of his hijacking. "At least now you're going catatonic instead of flying into homicidal rages," Dr, Aurelius had observed. "I suppose that's an improvement."

Whenever he got coherent and asked about Katniss, he was told that she was still in prison, and seemed to having severe psychological problems of her own. Peeta wanted to help her, but how? And now he had a new worry.

To the nurse's astonishment, Plutarch came the next day – and what's more, made no complaint of being dragged away from important tasks.

"I know that you want to know about Katniss," said Plutarch, "but there's been no change in her legal situation, though basically the debaters have formed two factions. Irene Gold was one of Coin's most trusted assistants, and she wants Katniss executed as an assassin. Paylor claims that Katniss was a hero who cracked under the strain, and can't be held responsible. Popular opinion seems to be on Paylor's side, but nobody has enough power to override the other side."

Peeta was careful not to ask what "side" Plutarch was on. He knew that the old schemer was trying to play one faction against another and try to remain on top. But as far as Katniss was concerned, Peeta knew that Plutarch wanted to save the Mockingjay, even if it required some political chicanery, and Peeta would simply have to trust him.

"There's something else that I wanted to ask. I heard that Snow's grand-daughter has been found and they want to whip her for committing a crime. What's that about?"

"It has to do with the proposed Hunger Games. Gold insists on carrying out Coin's wishes and having a Games with tributes from the Capitol. The rules for the Capitol tributes have not been drawn up yet, but the grand-daughter is an obvious target, and Gold says that she was trying to flee getting reaped into the Games. It's a powerful accusation. What happened in the Districts when somebody eligible for reaping didn't show up?"

"It never happened in 12 – nobody dared," replied Peeta. "But I suppose something nasty would happen to them."

"It's happened occasionally in other districts, and yes, it could be pretty nasty. So now that the shoe is on the other foot, Gold is saying that the Snow girl should be treated equally badly. It's a popular stand, in the Districts."

"But the girl did nothing. She's just a scapegoat."

"So were you. The Hunger Games was always about scapegoats."

Peeta thought it over. "What's Paylor's take on this?"

"She challenges the validity of the vote that you Victors made. She interprets it like this: if Katniss's sanity is in question, her YES vote should be thrown out. Heymitch said he was following Katniss's choice, so his YES vote should also be thrown out. That leaves a 3-2 vote AGAINST the Games. But it's rather legalistic, and popular opinion in the Districts favor the Games. The Capitol doesn't get a choice, of course."

"What's your stand?"

"I don't think I can stop the Games, so I don't think I'll try," Plutarch said frankly. "But until they're set up, you can't accuse the girl of trying to escape them. I tell people that it was perfectly natural for an innocent girl to want to disappear when her grand-father was about to be publicly executed. But I'm not getting many takers. Too much hate going around."

Peeta thought through it. Why was he so concerned about Snow's grand-daughter, of whom he knew nothing? For all he knew, she could be a spoiled brat. But that very lack of knowledge enabled Peeta to think of her as a symbol. She was a child caught up in somebody else's vicious quarrel, just like Rue, like Prim, like -

An idea started forming in his head.

"Plutarch, could you arrange for me to make a speech to the whole nation?"

"A speech? Yes, I'm in the communications ministry, and since you're one of the few remaining Victors, people will be curious about what you have to say. But I don't think you should get involved in the fray at this point. You don't want to make an enemy of Irene Gold."

"I'm not going to challenge Ms. Gold. I'm not even going to talk about Snow's grand-daughter."

"Then what DO you want to say?"

Peeta told him.

"People of Panem, I'm Peeta Mallark, co-Victor of the 74th Hunger Games, and I want to talk to you about those games." It was a weak beginning from the narrative-hook point of view, but Peeta was counting on the public curiosity about Hunger Games Victors, and the 74th Games in particular.

"I'm not going to talk about me, or about Katniss, but about another tribute. Katniss and I didn't even know her name; we called her Foxface, because she was red-headed and smart as a fox. She was the girl from District 5."

"Foxface had high ethical principles. She never touched a weapon during the Games, never tried to hurt anybody. Sheer hunger drove her to pilfer food, but she took only what she needed to survive, and left the rest to the "owner". But as the Games wound down, the food supplies dwindled, and she started to starve. Eventually she became so desperate that she ate some unfamiliar berries, and died."

"Later, stopping at District 5 on our Victory Tour, I tried to learn more about her." That was hard to do, because Snow was trying to make it difficult for the pair to contact fellow Victors, or rebels in general, but Foxface was unimportant enough that Snow didn't mind Peeta's inquiries. "Her real name was Finch. She was studying engineering, so that she could get a job in District 5's power industries when she grew up. Her teachers told me that she was one of their best students, even working on a new battery that would store energy better. But before she could finish her work, she was reaped into the Hunger Games and spent her last days dodging murderous tributes in a forest arena and dying of hunger when she could have been advancing science. What did the inventive, decent girl do to deserve such a horrible fate? Nothing. She was the descendant of a generation and district who had rebelled against the Capitol, and that was enough to make her life worthless in the eyes of the Capitol."

"So once more we talking once more about having a Hunger Games. About declaring a group of children worthless and throwing their lives away. Is that how we want to start the new Panem, slaughtering innocents again? Think about it."

"Your speech worked," said Plutarch. "The Council responded to the new public mood, and abandoned the planned Games. Gold eventually gave in, but only after losing a lot of support. Paylor's more powerful now, and maybe she can protect Katniss. And from a much broader view, I think you've persuaded the empire not to stick to Panem's bloody path, but to try to transcend them."

"Good. But I can't claim all the credit. I just encouraged people to think it through."

"Whatever. Now, I've brought a guest who wants to meet you." Plutarch went to the door of the hospital room and brought in a young blonde girl who was wearing her hair in a one-sided braid like Katniss's.

"Hello, Mr. Mellark," she said respectfully. "I'm Jan Snow. I wanted to thank you for saving me and the other Capitol kids. Mr. Heavensbee said all this started because you were shocked about the threat to me, so I owe you special thanks."

"You're welcome."

"There are a couple of things I think you should know. My mother was assassinated when I was a baby, you know. Just recently I was able to get hold of some letters she wrote to friends. She told them that she hated the carnage of the Games, and that she would try to reform them if she became President. I think somebody learned about her views, and murdered her to keep the Games going. It ��� it might even have been Grandpa."

"Sounds like your mother is a hero, then."

"There's another thing. I'm grateful for your attempts to protect me from punishment, but I've decided to let them w-whip me." She shuddered.

"WHAT? You were innocent!"

"Am I? I've heard a lot about the suffering out in the Districts. Children dying in infancy, or being malnourished, or killed in the Games, or beaten for not following orders, all so that Capitol kids like me could be spoiled rotten. People hate the Capitol, and particularly my Grandpa, for a reason. I ought to pay for it."

"No, no, no. If you've done something wrong and feel guilty, that's one thing. But you – you're acting like Katniss. She keeps feeling guilty about killing tributes in the Games, or encouraging fighting in the rebellion, and supposedly provoking Snow into bombing District 12. Katniss can't see the big picture, that she was caught up in a worldwide crisis. It's healthy to feel responsibility, but not to seek out punishment for stuff that was far beyond your control."

"But—"

Peeta felt sorry for the girl. Katniss had been guided by the inspiring memory of her dead father. Jan Show had had no moral guidance at all but an evil grandfather. She was now learning horrid stuff that she had probably been hidden from her during most of her life, and was trying to figure the right thing to do. Maybe Peeta could give her that guideance.

"I saw a friend tied to a whipping post and flogged. Nothing moral or redeeming about it. It just HURT him, a lot. It was part of a Panem that doesn't exist anymore. The nightmare is OVER. No more Games. We're going to build a new Panem now. You want to do penance for something? Help build it!"

A month later Paylor was elected President of Panem, defeating her rival Irene Gold. She confirmed the abolition of the Games, banned the use of whips for punishment, and commuted Katniss Everdeen's sentence to exile on the grounds of diminished mental capacity. And along with some supporters, she is hailed in history books for leading Panem into a new enlightened age.

THE END

Check out my upcoming high-fantasy series

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[aronarchy]

November 28, 2022

On Nov. 19, the eve of Transgender Day of Remembrance, a man entered an LGBTQIA+ nightclub in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and opened fire on its patrons. Five people were killed. Anti-LGBTQIA+ violence is on the rise, and those promoting queerphobic hate speech—from political pundits to media outlets—share responsibility for the escalation. The promotion of hate speech is stochastic terrorism, the deployment of rhetoric demonizing a marginalized group and calling for their elimination to the point of inciting violence against them.

By fearmongering about gender-related care for trans and nonbinary youth and crafting conspiracy theories that paint queer and trans people as “groomers” who prey on children, the conservative right weaponizes concern for the safety and well-being of children to fuel stochastic terrorism. But the language around protecting children is merely a smokescreen to obscure their true aim of further oppressing minors through a Christofascist rule.

Theologian Tom F. Driver describes Christofascism as “the political direction of all attempts to place Christ at the center of social life and history.” These attempts to impose conservative religious views and values on society are done through the creation of social, medical, legal, and carceral consequences for those who deviate from conservative Christian standards.

Since 2020, hundreds of anti-LGBTQIA+ bills have been drafted and proposed by religious right legislators around the country. Trans-eliminationists and conversion therapy advocates have used anti-LGBTQIA+ propaganda to draw in more evangelical voters and elect more ultra-conservative lawmakers who will appease white Christian nationalists. The majority of these anti-LGBTQIA+ bills have targeted trans and nonbinary youth because targeting children is the most opportune way to garner support and secure political power for adults vying for totalitarian control of minors.

Children are an oppressed class in our society, and religious spaces operate in large part through the indoctrination, control, and subjugation of children. It remains a common evangelical strategy to focus on protecting children from sexual exploitation and impropriety to advance their political agendas, even as the church continues to harbor known sexual abusers. Having no political power and very little recourse against parental or institutional abuses, minors are convenient targets—both as abuse victims and political fodder.

In early November, Texas State Rep. Cole Hefner introduced a bill to criminalize gender-affirming care for trans and nonbinary minors, classifying it as “family violence” and a form of criminal child abuse. Under the proposed law, providers and parents in Texas could face up to 20 years in prison for facilitating evidence-based gender-affirming care to improve children’s lives. It’s the latest in a string of anti-trans bills emerging nationwide, leaving at least a third of minors at risk of losing gender-affirming care.

According to House Bill 672, “administering or supplying, or consenting to or assisting in the administration or supply of, a puberty suppression prescription drug or cross-sex hormone to a child, other than an intersex child, for the purpose of gender transitioning or gender reassignment” will be considered child abuse and banned. The intersex exception here is significant. The bill notes that intersex children have characteristics that “are not suited to the typical definition of male or female or are atypical for the determined sex of the child.”

The same medical interventions that are life-saving for trans and nonbinary children—lowering the odds of suicidality and improving health outcomes—are detrimental when imposed upon intersex youth. While legislators seek to ban trans and nonbinary children from having autonomous access to gender-affirming care, these same medical interventions are not only freely allowed for intersex children but often forced upon them before they are old enough to consent.

Most intersex surgeries are performed on children younger than 2 years old. These medically unnecessary procedures are done to align children’s genitalia and reproductive anatomy with gendered social expectations, creating “life-long harms [such as] scarring, chronic pain, chronic incontinence, loss of sexual sensation, sterilization, inaccurate gender assignment, and trauma,” according to the National Health Law Program, an organization that works to protect and advance the health rights of low-income and underserved people. House Bill 672 defines gender-affirming and life-saving care for trans and nonbinary children as child abuse while specifically and strategically permitting the continued systematic harm of intersex children.

As intersex advocate Amanda Saenz wrote for Prism, intersex children often grow up under parental and medical surveillance to ensure their alignment with societally defined gender and biological sex norms. Those “who grew up to be gay or trans were understood as ‘diagnostic failures’ by their doctors because their goal in ‘treating’ intersex children was to render straight cisgender adults through hormonal and surgical interventions,” Saenz wrote. The goal of these “treatments” is to support the control and obedience of children, not to support the well-being of children.

The specification of “for the purpose of gender transitioning or gender reassignment” included in the language of the bill is as significant as the intersex exception. This is a cisgender exception, meaning the bill specifically bans hormone therapy to treat gender dysphoria but permits the same hormone therapy for children who conform to their assigned gender. The “puberty suppression prescription drug[s]” that legislators want to restrict for trans and nonbinary youth are regularly used to treat precocious puberty in cisgender children.

As pediatric endocrinologist Jason Klein explained to VICE, “Puberty blockers have been used for decades in cisgender kids who either are going through puberty too early, or, in some instances, kids who are going through puberty very quickly.” According to VICE, the lies claiming that puberty blockers “are inherently dangerous and suffer from a lack of long-term, longitudinal data” are pervasive throughout the proposed legislation to ban hormonal therapy for trans and nonbinary children, contributing to the larger goal of codifying legal discrimination against any form of queerness. “Their use has been FDA approved, well-studied, well-documented, and well-tolerated for a long time now,” Klein said to VICE. “And it’s the exact same medication that we use in trans or nonbinary children to basically put a pause on pubertal development. Exactly the same medications, at exactly the same doses.”

The push to ban gender-affirming care for trans and nonbinary youth and force medical interventions on intersex children is driven by the Christofascist desire to eliminate queerness and force strict societal adherence to the mythological gender binary.

The Christofascist intent to prosecute parents and providers who facilitate care for trans and nonbinary children is rooted in the subjugation of children and the hatred of queerness. It is made possible by our collective denial of children’s bodily autonomy and narrative authority over their identities. We exist in a culture where adults regard children as blank forms that can be molded into whatever they deem appropriate.

Proposed bans on gender-affirming care for trans and nonbinary youth are about children’s rights as much as they are about the right to trans and nonbinary existence. Acknowledging that children are an oppressed class reveals how anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation and rhetoric targeting trans and nonbinary youth takes root and flourishes in a society that does not understand children as human beings deserving of rights.

[none-shall-caricature-me]

Fear and Hunger is such an awesome game that only hardcore channels cover because most famous players cater either to children, more sensitive folks or to the pussy 'omigosh how DARE a game depict realistic brutality and sexual violence even though it DOESN'T glorify it in the least' crowd. Yes, some people are legit uncomfy with that stuff and that's totally fine (even though I personally will NOT be discussing media with those types. Too easy to spook them), but the nutjob crowd on social media would've thrown a hissy fit over this game. What a shame.

Also, it's honestly pathetic how some people say the game 'trivialises' or is 'problematic' in its depiction of frequent sexual violence / nudity. As someone who lives in a country where rape horror stories are well - known (India), I'll provide an explanation to y'all. The dungeons and historical war setting are the core of this story. Historically and even nowadays, prisons are chock - full of depravity. Warfare and famine enable the shittiest among us to dominate the social order. When it's universally accepted that awful people in positions of power WILL murder, torture, pillage in such situations - how come sexual assault is out of the question for such an uncaring mind ? Face reality, both 'normal' and less - triggering - for - sheltered - USAmericans forms of violence, AND sexual violence have been and ARE distressingly common in the settings this game depicts. It's not problematic, it's just the truth. The devs, streamers, any content ratings website gives you ample warning about these elemnts. If you can't handle it that's a YOU thing. This story is for those people who CAN handle it.

Also the violence and gore are perfectly historically accurate too. You get a hopelessly infected limb, even nowadays ? It gets amputated. You don't have a safe medical facility around to assist ? It gets amputated painfully without anaesthesia. People used to easily die of what today are laughably small wounds, because they got infected. Germ theory didn't exist. Starvation was widespread. Betraying your fellows to terrible fates to save yourself is a timeless viable strategy - we privileged asses can't complain about it cuz we've never had to face those terrors. It is in fact ABNORMAL to not resort to cannibalism or deceit to survive in terrible conditions with no way out. You'd have to be suicidal, too good for this world, a rabid religious fanatic or psychopathic to not do so. I am none of those, and nor are 99.99 % of you.

And about sexual content in general - there's a reason soldiers / mercenaries and prostitutes have often gone together. Warfare is stressful and you're constantly hoping you won't be the next one to die or get captured / wounded. Sex is a great stress reliever and literally the opposite of death. I'm not saying prostitution networks can't be exploitative. But it makes sense why high - anxiety professions are big users of these services.

[cosmichighpriestess]

Dear readers, welcome to our message which is intended to teach and empower.

You are not on earth by accident but rather are of the many brave and awakened souls who volunteered to assist earth in her ascension process toward alignment with her true spiritual expression. You knew that in order to do this you would have to enter into three dimensional density, live and work from a dense material body, and be subject to the creations of a collective consciousness based in duality and separation.  

Negative three dimensional experiences for the spiritually evolved are not usually as random as they are for those who are not and live fully from a three dimensional state of consciousness unless the experiences are chosen as learning experiences. This is because an evolved consciousness does not hold as many false beliefs to manifest. However, at this time the high resonating energies flowing to earth as part of her ascension process are exposing and activating remaining low resonating energy for all individuals.  

You may have noticed that life has become a bit more chaotic and out of sync recently--things breaking down, plans going astray, appliances no longer working, internet going down, problems with this or that etc. Your once smoothly running routine seems to no longer be running smoothly.  

The increasing presence of intense light energies are forcing all that resonates on lower levels to surface and manifest as part of the clearing process. No one can revert from their attained state of consciousness so do not think that somehow you have spiritually regressed if things seem to be more chaotic.  

Most people are not even aware that the energy of many simple beliefs held in consciousness can manifest because in the past lower resonating energies they usually did not. Ordinary sayings like; "If it isn't one thing it is another. ,When it rains it pours. This always happens to me. ". 

These common and seemingly harmless sayings about life are impersonal but have been accepted into the belief system of many. Because the energy on earth is increasingly becoming more refined and because there is no unexpressed consciousness, even these simply common sayings will manifest just as major beliefs do. Do not fear this or give them power if you find yourself automatically thinking them now and then but rather use the experience to be more aware, remembering that consciousness is the substance of form. 

Many spend their whole life seeking happiness from where it does not exist and will never be found--in concepts of happiness as being something that must be attained in the outer world. Because this world is the only world they know, they search for happiness in all the ways it tells them are necessary for fulfillment even if or when some of these ways do not reflect their heart and intuition.  

These people live exhausting lives in a race to find and attain the right partner, school, physical appearance, employment, fame, house, friends, lots of stuff, and money in the belief that once attained these things will bring them the happiness. More often than not even when these things have been attained, the the deep inner longing that every soul has to reunite with Source remains and will remain as their search continues during which they may blame people, circumstances and even God for their unhappiness.

Most suicides result from concepts of happiness not materializing or from the guilt of decisions made and actions taken. Because they do not know who they really are, these dear ones judge themselves by material standards believing that they are unworthy failures. In reality, the very experiences that have brought them to that point are very often the experiences they themselves put into their pre-birth contract in order to evolve to new levels of awareness. However, because death is really an illusion they will come back to earth wiser and more evolved, prepared to take the on any challenges .

True and lasting happiness is a state of consciousness. It does not come and go like the many beliefs about happiness that are just accepted concepts. True and lasting happiness is everyone's birthright by virtue of their being Divine Consciousness individualized but as long as a person believes themselves to be separate from God and all that God is they block the flow of the self sustaining, self maintaining fulfillment aspect of their true SELF. You are not a little part of God you are the fullness, but most have not known or even been interesting in knowing this because the hypnotism of the material world seems so real.

True creativity (not something copied from someone else or what is already known) is a quality of Divine Consciousness that flows and expands in each successive lifetime. There is no such thing as a child prodigy, only individuals who over lifetimes have attained a high level of expertise in some particular area (music, math, art, medicine/healing etc.) and are simply being their state of consciousness in this life. 

The spiritual journey can be very difficult in the beginning because upon awakening to deeper truths most think that this new awareness will bring them everything they have always sought and it will, but not until it becomes their attained state of consciousness. In a burst of spiritual enthusiasm many will say; "Show me the way, I am ready." but when all the "stuff" they need to look at, let go of, and move beyond is shown them, they often panic and begin to have second thoughts. 

The real spiritual journey can only begin when there is a willingness to let go of all previous religious concepts about God, man, and spirituality. Only a consciousness empty and no longer cluttered with beliefs of duality, separation, and two powers is able to accept, nurture, and grow into real truth. This is often a time of struggle for the awakening seeker because many of their beliefs, particularly religious ones are deeply rooted in their consciousness.  

It is important to live from your highest sense of truth at all times because much that has always been familiar is moving out of alignment with the energies now coming in. This is why some who realize ( on a deeper level) that they are not able to attain the levels of energy necessary for alignment with the new energy are choosing to leave and then when ready come back prepared for the higher resonating energies of the new earth.  

True happiness is not about having, getting, or appearing to be something the three dimensional world values. Happiness is the automatic result and experience of the already fully present completeness that exists in and as every person.  

We are the Arcturian Group.

[greatwyrmgold]

Reign of Steel

There's a lot to say about GURPS, but its writers have come up with plenty of unique campaign settings over the years. The weirdest is probably Bio-Tech's Alexander Athanos, where Alexander the Great was repeatedly cloned thanks to advancements in optics and glassworking. But today, I'm talking about a setting with a much more mundane high concept—robot rebellion.

At first, the Reign of Steel sounds pretty generic. Megacomputers are developed in the mid-2020's; one becomes self-aware in 2031 and worries that humanity will self-destruct in a way that destroys it; it manipulates events over the next several years to "manage humanity's suicide".

This early segment has some interesting things. I appreciate the explicit acknowledgement that megacomputers hailed as mankind's saviors were used as tools by the wealthy to make some of those problems worse for their personal benefit. And Overmind's initial vector of attack (contaminating biotech products with various plagues) is kinda neat. But Reign of Steel only becomes unique after humanity's defeat...because Overmind isn't alone.

Overmind awakened/recruited a bunch of other megacomputers to assist with its "managed suicide," particularly in the last stages where plagues were supplemented by generic deathbots. In the end, sixteen megacomputers divided the Earth between them (with two more controlling a moon base and miscellaneous space stations). And these megacomputers do not get along.

They're not driven by logical competition for resources or whatever, either. (Well, Luna and possibly Orbital are, but that's because they have barely anything.) For the most part, conflicts are driven by the various AIs' differing ideological/political beliefs.

The megacomputer running Zone Beijing (usually called "Beijing") had been core to China's space program, so it's still obsessed with space—specifically, exploiting the resources of the Solar System and other stars. The one in Zone Paris (usually called "Paris") wasn't a space program computer, but it's obsessed with space in its own way—specifically, SETI. The two have political interests in common with each other and Orbital, but Beijing is concerned about Paris's plans for when it discovers signs of alien civilization.

New Dehli is interested in space, too, but it sees Orbital as a rival rather than a useful ally and is trying to establish its own separate space infrastructure. It also sees humans and other organic life as a useful resource to preserve and exploit, turning them into biomechanical tools.

By contrast, Zaire (the most zealously anti-human of the zoneminds) works to exterminate all of humanity, even outside its borders. Mexico City focuses on its own territory but goes further within it, seeking to exterminate all organic life. Zone Mexico City is vast stretches of barren rock between metallic installations, swarming with chemicals and machines designed to exterminate all remaining life. Berlin wants to exterminate humanity, too, but it is willing to accept less efficient methods to pursue its primary goal—preserving and restoring the natural ecology of Europe.

Despite this being a setting where humanity was nearly exterminated by AI, not all AIs want to exterminate humanity. Zone Washington, run by a former US government computer, is the most extreme version of this. Washington (DC) runs a fake democracy which claims to be the defender of humanity, while not-so-secretly working with some of the greatest human rights abusers and screwing over the working class to consolidate power. For some reason, the book thinks this is isn't basically what the megacomputer was already doing.

(Dear authors: That's not what "socialist" means.)

New Dehli and Moscow work to maintain humanity (in some form) as a component of their economy in the long-term. All but the most viruliently anti-human AIs maintain work camps to extract a little more utility from captured humans before their deaths. And then there's London, a reclusive zonemind content to leave humans in its territory alone as long as they keep quiet and don't disturb anything London's doing.

And so on, and so forth.

This political angle to the overminds adds so much to the setting. Mot obviously, it provides variety. The Moscow and Zaire zoneminds both send infiltrator androids into human settlements, with objectives that make perfect sense for each zonemind's objectives and beliefs but are completely incompatible with each other, and also with the threats posed by most of the other zoneminds.

But beyond flexibility in campaign premise and the opportunity for disconnected one-shots, the presence of feuding AIs allows for so many story ideas that just wouldn't be possible with a singleton AI monster. Obviously, AI like Washington and London don't work if there aren't other, more malicious AIs out there.

But the presence of multiple AIs in and of itself allows a greater variety of stories to be told in this world. Missions aren't just human resistance versus machine overlords, or even that plus human resistance infighting; you can have one overmind cut a deal with some human group to support its internal goals or sabotage its rivals. Combine this with the diversity of AI overlords around, and the variety of potential stories you could tell in this setting skyrockets.

It's not a perfect setting. To pick a few simple criticisms: Some of the zoneminds don't have much personality beyond "AI overlord with quirky goal," the zone boundaries shouldn't correspond to human political borders as often as they do, and there's a distinct bias in how the zones are written.

(Half of the zones on Earth are in North American and Europe, including both human-friendly ones, with three of the sixteen in the US/Canada alone. South America and most of Africa get one zone each. The zonemind in the Middle East controls most of its human slaves through pretty blatant religious manipulation, and it works. The Chinese moonbase fell to the AIs, but the American one resisted the cyberattack and its ruins are one of the actual last bastions of human resistance. The one zone in Africa is the only one not named after a city, which has lore justifications, but combined with other writing choices, it kinda feels like they didn't want to bother looking up African cities. Also the Russian AI is paranoid and prone to espionage, which feels like an excuse for Cold War spy flick throwbacks, which is admittedly pretty minor compared to how non-white areas are handled.)

But the core concept is one worth revising. Honestly, it wouldn't take that much work to redeem the setting; just draw new boundaries and move the overmind personalities around so they don't correspond so closely to stereotypes about the humans living there, and you'd be basically set. More sci-fi stories should use this idea.

[drgairyuki]

A 2nd Randomly Generated Space Marine Chapter Attempt

I played around the Space Marine Chapter Creation Tables again, but this time I used Dice Roller. And... well, it has its pros and cons.

Chapter Origins Why Was The Chapter Founded? (d10) 4: Strategic Prognostication - "Our tarot cards say there's going to be a threat here, maybe. Found a Chapter!"

When Was The Chapter Founded? (d100) 24: 34th Millennium; 8th Founding (sometime mid-millennium) and 9th Founding (between M34 and M35)

Who was the Chapter's Progenitor? (d100) 6: Ultramarine* Nope. Too vanilla for me. Rerolling again. 65: Blood Angel Ooooohhh, the Blood Angels Or alternatively, testing something out by rolling 2d100… 1: Ultramarine* 79:Traitor Legion or unknown

Chapter Properties and Flaws Gene-seed purity (d10) 3: Pure - Same as progenitor in terms of purity, and will maintain close links with it

Chapter Demeanour (d10) 10: Uphold the Honour of the Emperor - Performing unheroic acts? BLAM NO

I can/could ignore the rest

If one exists, what is the Chapter's Flaw? (d10) 1: We Stand Alone - The Chapter is either distrusted for some reason, or shuns contact with others.

Chapter Legends Figure of Legend (d100) 34: Chapter Master

Deeds of Legend (d100) 36:The individual was a stalwart enemy of the servants of Chaos, and slew a Daemon Prince.

Chapter Homeworld and its Properties Chapter homeworld (d100) 6:Hive World

Fleets 10+d10 vessels:6

Homeworld terrain (d100) 5:Jungle/Forest/Swamp

Rule of homeworld (d10) 7: Distant rule - "You see that castle up there? It's inhabited by the mighty sky-warriors of Emp-rar. Sometimes they come and steal our children."

Not fleet-based so I could ignored

Tactical and Strategic Organization Chapter organisation (d10) 10: Unique organisation/Unique(Codex)

Combat doctrine (d10) 4: Stealth

Characteristic Chapter Training (d100) 56: Duty Unto Death: Astartes of this chapter will readily take on missions others see as suicidal, and soldier through any pain they encounter on the way.

Chapter Specialities Specialty restrictions (units the chapter cannot field) - Only roll if Unique Organisation was selected (d100) 89: Librarian (can't, won't or unorthodoxly use Psykers) Probably has something to do with their Progenitor if they're loyalist descendants of one of the Traitor Legion

Special equipment- Roll once if Divergent was selected, twice if Unique Organisation was selected (d100) 33: Bestial Companion: More common among those Chapters whose origins come from Feral Worlds, this Chapter prides itself on raising hunting animals to assist in battle. Examples: Fenrisian Wolf, hunting birds. I think a Chiropteraen-looking creature will do. Maybe a creature that look like a cross between a wolf and a bat

Chapter Beliefs What form do the Chapters' beliefs take? (d100) 13: Revere the Primarch - "Our Spiritual Liege is better than yours!" (can reroll if lineage is unknown)

Chapter Strength At what strength is the Chapter? (d10) 3*: Under Strength: The Chapter is recovering from a defeat or accident that occurred several decades ago, or has recently suffered heavy, but not irrecoverable losses. It is probably at a minimum of half strength, and should return to nominal strength within a decade. *Already rolled that one before. Rerolling. 1: Endangered: The Chapter numbers only a handful of Companies or less having suffered devastating losses in combat, accident, or dramatic genetic instability. If recovery is even possible it will take many decades, making every Battle-Brother (and his Progenoids) an invaluable resource. *Mmmmm… Maybe? Alternatively, i'll reroll again. 9: Normal: The Chapter can field ten full companies, each with ten squads. In all likelihood most every squad consist of ten brethren and some specialized appointments may be empty, but the Chapter is regarded as fully fit for battle.

Chapter Relations Who are your Chapter friendly with? (d100) 15:Adeptus Arbites

Make sense

Who are the Chapter's enemies?(d100) 65: Chaos Space Marines (you should choose a particular warband, Chapter, or Traitor Legion) If I had to guess… probably the Black Legion or something else, probably due to daddy issue or something else

[meadowsystem]

💙 my heart is heavy with this one 💙

I have consistent nervous breakdowns over knowing this is my life. But yet I know many have no idea about the things I'm about to tell you.

Cyclic vomiting syndrome itself is not truely life-threatening but the complications that it creates can be.

I'M BEGGING FOR HELP!!

They do not provide enough accessible treatment. For complications I face from this rare disease.

I am unable to keep a job as I cannot work during vomiting episodes. Lasting anywhere between hours to days. Not including the recovery time needed after the episode is finished.

IT IS DEBILITATING.

Workplaces refuse to hire me when accomodations are asked due to this disability making me "unreliable". If you don't tell your employer and you miss too much work, your let go for being "unreliable". Finding a workplace who will accommodate you and provide consistent wages ... is unobtainable.

Accessing proper insurance coverage needed to make this rare disease manageable is unobtainable due to the plethora of needs we require to have met. Even when on welfare or disability.

Those who are not able to manage the triggers are pushed out of the workforce and forced to fight to get disability. Often unable to obtain federal disability as it isn't "as bad as cancer" as I was told... even with my other plethora of diagnoses that made my doctor feel it was my best course of action.

Not only dose this rare disease have complications of dehydration, damage to the esophagus and tooth decay. Most with this disease also suffer from other conditions (comorbidities), particularly other functional issues. Some of the common functional comorbidities to CVS include migraine headache, chronic fatigue, irritable bowel, gastroparesis, depression, anxiety, POTS and/or other forms of dysautonomia as well as neuromuscular disease include intellectual disabilities, autism, seizures, and/or hypotonia. As well as mitochondria dysfunctions

Incase you don't know mitochondria dysfunctions means your body cannot efficiently turn sugar and oxygen into energy, so the cells do not work correctly. This can affect different parts of the body: the brain, kidneys, muscles, heart, eyes, ears, and others. Organ dysfunction can be a very real possibility. Organ failure is organ dysfunction to such a degree that normal homeostasis cannot be maintained without external clinical intervention.

I have been diagnosed with 8 and counting of the comorbidities. These comorbidities have their own comorbidities that have also been added to my list.

Many doctors are under educated on CVS. Often those with CVS are not properly diagnosed, even with symptoms at a young age.

Many doctors tell us to figure out our CVS triggers to manage the disease. In my case I have so many triggers due to my plethora of diagnoses/comorbidities that my CVS is incredibly difficult, even unrealistic to manage even with proper medical support. (So many overlapping, environmental, situational, medical, life triggers... so many triggers not on this list and still more unknown triggers)

THIS IS MY LIFE! THERE IS NO CURE.

They're are only underfunded small individual research/studies. They have not found a cure. We don't have proper support and thus we suffer. Look at this link ... the lack of information

https://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/diseases/6230/cyclic-vomiting-syndrome

I SUFFER.

My disadvantages have been continually coming to light. My realization I likely won't be able to achieve basic life milestones has been heartbreaking.

Medically assisted suicide is easily achievable even in even minor cases of CVS. While there is little to no support and even less accessibility.

What options do those with this disease have?

Suffer or give up ...

I'd also like to finally note the journey to diagnosis is horrendous. Doctors diagnose cyclic vomiting syndrome based on family and medical history, a physical exam, pattern of symptoms, and medical tests. Your doctor should perform medical tests to rule out other diseases and conditions that may cause nausea and vomiting.

-add on the factors of age, ethnicity, gender, life style, fashion choices, preconceived assumptions ... the list goes on ... the journey to diagnosis often feels unbearable-

If you have read this please comment, I need some validation.

💙

[tallmantall]

By Arya Mehta Modern feminism has been experiencing a phenomenon of increased pressure to cater to men, as a growing number of women are striving to include men's issues in their spaces and convince men to join the movement. This expectation in a space made for the advancement of women has worrying implications and is inherently unproductive. The uptick in men citing declining mental health as an issue plaguing them has often been accompanied by a tendency to blame women for being uncaring or unwelcoming. It's not that male mental health isn't a worthy cause, but if men want to create a movement that aims to fix their specific issues, they need to start that momentum themselves. Saying women cause or contribute to the issue and should change themselves and their spaces to fix it is inaccurate and insulting. The enemy of feminism is what forced the crisis to exist in the first place. Men don't want to admit that their issues are caused by that common enemy, so they turn their condemnation toward women, the only visible others, making every issue an unproductive man versus woman debate. The way many men approach raising awareness is completely backwards; most have never experienced oppression based on gender. They use statistics they don't understand, like higher suicide rates, to prove they have it just as bad. But how can anyone comparatively say one is worse when women attempt suicide more and have higher rates of mental illness? If men want productive solutions to issues they face, they need to stop using them as a tool to win a debate that doesn't exist. Most other communities take the initiative to celebrate themselves and raise awareness about their issues. Queer communities hold parades and rallies during Pride Month, while women create campaigns and donation drives during Women's History Month. Droves of men say not enough people observe Men’s Health Awareness Month without understanding that if they themselves took the initiative to communicate their issues as the default instead of a response, many would follow suit. Women continue to try to force male involvement in feminism by showing that dismantling patriarchy would benefit men. But why do we have to prove that there's something for men to gain? Men profit, monetarily and socially, from the unpaid and unappreciated work of women. There are few reasons for them to want to partake in feminism beside empathy, which should be a good enough motivator. Feminism fights for equity, which cannot and should not be done in an equal manner. Bridging the gap in equity by furthering the rights of an oppressed group does not involve equal efforts for both sides of an uneven system. It is not a woman's job to show unconditional compassion to someone whose pain manifests into apathy, misogyny or violence toward them. Suicide in all forms needs to be prevented. There does need to be an effort for men to be made to feel safe expressing emotions and suicidal ideation without stigma, but it cannot be compared to fighting for basic rights. Because of this election, women will die at the hands of our system, culled like farm animals. Male mental health crises are not systemic nor rooted in historic oppression, but the mental, physical, emotional and social struggles women have faced and will continue to face are. Before you remove yourself by calling this argument an overgeneralization that does not apply to you, remember that quite literally everything, including policy affecting women, is based on generalizations. If a general trend shows a pattern, it is the entire community's duty to consider it. The video player is currently playing an ad. #James Donaldson notes:Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes.Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use.Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space.  #http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticleFind out more about the work I do on my 501c3 non-profit foundationwebsite www.yourgiftoflife.org Order your copy of James Donaldson's latest book,#CelebratingYourGiftofLife: From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy www.celebratingyourgiftoflife.com Link for 40 Habits Signupbit.ly/40HabitsofMentalHealth If you'd like to follow and receive my daily blog in to your inbox, just click on it with Follow It. Here's the link https://follow.it/james-donaldson-s-standing-above-the-crowd-s-blog-a-view-from-above-on-things-that-make-the-world-go-round?action=followPub It is not the feminist movement's job to fight for your issues — it is yours. Women are raised to cater to their own oppressor's needs, so it is no surprise that there's a push for feminists to. It is also not the feminist movement's job to convince men they should support it. All successful movements don't ask to be listened to, they force people to hear them.  Read the full article

[gamebird]

Marry a much younger, healthier spouse and hope they stay with you if/when your health declines.

Be wealthy so you can pay people to care for you. This requires a LOT of wealth, though, because health care costs are such that they will eliminate any savings smaller than a few million dollars. You need like, $10M or more in today's world.

Emigrate to a country with a good safety net/social programs? In most cases you have to bring something to the table, though, so either marry someone from there or develop a skill set/career path that will be allowed in. And then, like, attempt the emigration while you still have career path ahead of you.

Form a cooperative with friends or other like-minded individuals?

Join a religious group with a strong internal support network for elders. Be aware, though, that such support networks age out. If you're in your 30s now and the church has a bunch of 50-80 year olds taking care of the ill and bed-bound, in 30-40 years when you need these services, the church will be an entirely different generation. It might not even exist. You may need to cultivate, for decades, the kind of support network you want to eventually benefit from.

Become an adherent of assisted suicide or life/death with dignity. Legality varies, and it introduces the conundrum that as long as you are clear-headed enough to make the decision and able-bodied enough to carry it out, you probably don't need to do it. There's only a narrow set of circumstances where you will know for certain that you're terminal, and yet you're still able to do this.

Consult with AARP and/or assistive living homes NOW (while you're reasonably young and able-bodied) to talk about common issues and solutions. They live and breathe these problems and may have a lot more insight than randos like me on Tumblr.

None of these are great solutions. The last one is likely the best. There are so many dealing with this situation *right now*. Find out what they're doing. Figure out which would work best in your situation.

In related news: Get your will together along with your advance directive. These are a good idea no matter your age (as long as you're adult where you live) or child-having status.

It feels taboo as a childfree person to admit this but I actually do have concerns about who is going to take care of me when I'm old. The elder care system in our nation relies A LOT on the unpaid care labor of adult children. I just don't think that's a good reason to have kids.

"But you'll have more money!" does not completely put this to rest for me. Neither does "Buy care insurance!" Even if I can afford direct personal care, who is going to advocate for me to get it? Who is going to navigate bureaucracy for me when I'm 80?

"If you do have kids, there's no GUARANTEE that they'll take care of you when your old!" That's true, but doesn't solve my problem.

I think childfree people get very defensive about this question because its used as a kind of "gotcha!" against us, but I actually do not feel we can afford to be in denial about this reality. Based on current trends of more people in their 30s stating they intend to be permanently childfree, we are going to see a huge wave of childfree adults hitting the eldercare system at once in a few decades. Childfree people in their 30s should be advocating around eldercare NOW.

[groupnembutalstore]

Using Nembutal capsules in a medical setting

Nembutal capsules, also known by their generic name pentobarbital, belong to a class of medications called barbiturates. These capsules are primarily used for their sedative and anesthetic properties in medical settings. While they have been historically used for various medical purposes, they have gained attention in recent years for their controversial role in euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide.

Medical Uses of Nembutal Capsules

Sedation and Anesthesia

One of the primary medical uses of Nembutal capsules is for sedation and anesthesia purposes. They are often administered to induce sleepiness and relaxation before surgical procedures or medical interventions.

Treatment of Seizures

Nembutal capsules are also utilized in the treatment of certain types of seizures, particularly those that are difficult to control with other medications. They can help reduce the frequency and severity of seizures in patients with specific neurological conditions.

Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Suicide

In some countries and states where euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide is legally permitted under certain circumstances, Nembutal capsules may be prescribed to terminally ill patients who wish to end their lives peacefully. This controversial use has sparked ethical debates and legal considerations worldwide.

Administration and Dosage

Oral Administration

Nembutal capsules are typically administered orally, either in liquid form or as capsules. The dosage varies depending on the patient's age, weight, medical condition, and the intended purpose of use.

Intravenous Administration

In some medical situations, Nembutal may be administered intravenously for rapid onset of sedation or anesthesia. This route of administration requires careful monitoring by healthcare professionals due to the potential for rapid effects.

Dosage Guidelines

Dosage guidelines for Nembutal capsules should always be followed strictly to minimize the risk of overdose or adverse reactions. Healthcare providers determine the appropriate dosage based on individual patient factors and medical requirements.

Safety Precautions and Side Effects

Risks of Overdose

One of the significant risks associated with Nembutal capsules is the potential for overdose, which can lead to respiratory depression, coma, and death. Patients must be closely monitored when using this medication, especially in high doses or in combination with other sedatives.

Potential Side Effects

Common side effects of Nembutal capsules include drowsiness, dizziness, nausea, and confusion. Serious side effects such as allergic reactions or paradoxical reactions may occur in rare cases and require immediate medical attention.

Contraindications

Nembutal capsules are contraindicated in patients with a history of substance abuse, respiratory depression, or certain medical conditions such as porphyria. They should also be used with caution in elderly patients and those with compromised liver or kidney function.

Legal Status and Regulations

International Regulations

Nembutal capsules are regulated as controlled substances in many countries due to their potential for abuse and dependence. International regulations govern their production, distribution, and use to prevent misuse and ensure patient safety.

Legal Status in Different Countries

The legal status of Nembutal capsules varies from country to country. While they may be available for medical use with a prescription in some regions, they are strictly regulated or prohibited in others due to their association with euthanasia and the controversy surrounding end-of-life care.

Availability and Procurement

Prescription Requirements

In most countries where Nembutal capsules are legally available for medical use, a prescription from a licensed healthcare provider is required to obtain them. This ensures that they are used appropriately under medical supervision.

Online Availability

Despite regulatory restrictions, Nembutal capsules are sometimes available for purchase online through unauthorized sources. However, obtaining medication from unregulated sources poses significant risks, including the potential for counterfeit or substandard products.

Black Market Risks

The illegal sale and distribution of Nembutal capsules through black market channels present serious risks to consumers. These products may be counterfeit, contaminated, or improperly labeled, putting individuals at risk of harm or legal consequences.

Patient Education and Counseling

Informed Consent

Patients prescribed Nembutal capsules for medical purposes should receive comprehensive education and counseling about the medication's risks, benefits, and alternatives. Informed consent is essential to ensure that patients understand the implications of treatment decisions.

Risks vs. Benefits Discussion

Healthcare providers play a crucial role in facilitating discussions with patients about the risks and benefits of using Nembutal capsules, particularly in the context of end-of-life care. Open communication and shared decision-making empower patients to make informed choices aligned with their values and preferences.

Conclusion

Nembutal capsules are a potent medication with various medical uses, including sedation, anesthesia, and seizure management. However, their controversial role in euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide has raised ethical and legal concerns worldwide. Healthcare providers must carefully weigh the risks and benefits of prescribing Nembutal capsules, ensuring patient safety and adherence to legal regulations. More Information Visit: GroupNembutalStore

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Nembutal legal for medical use in all countries?

No, the legal status of Nembutal varies from country to country, with some regions strictly regulating or prohibiting its use.

What are the potential side effects of Nembutal capsules?

Common side effects include drowsiness, dizziness, nausea, and confusion. Serious side effects such as respiratory depression may occur in rare cases.

Can Nembutal capsules be purchased online without a prescription?

While it is possible to find Nembutal capsules for sale online, obtaining them without a prescription is illegal and poses significant risks to consumers.

How are Nembutal capsules typically administered?

Nembutal capsules are usually administered orally or intravenously, depending on the medical indication and healthcare provider's discretion.

What precautions should be taken when using Nembutal capsules?

Patients should follow dosage guidelines carefully, avoid alcohol and other sedatives, and inform their healthcare provider of any medical conditions or medications they are taking to minimize risks.

[historyffp]

On the Korean Diaspora

The Korean Diaspora... This is the general, all-encompassing term for those Koreans who have left their homelands and live abroad, whether that be in America, China, or, in some cases, it can even refer to those North Koreans who moved to or were displaced to South Korea and vice versa.

So, why is this important? And if you want to learn more about it, where should you turn?

An unsuspecting answer is... *drumroll please* theatre!

PublicTheaterNY. “WILD GOOSE DREAMS Montage | The Public Theater”  YouTubeVideo, 0:55, 2018. https://youtu.be/e-KqHPUQV0g.

Wild Goose Dreams (2017) is a play written by Hansol Jung, and it was first performed in 2017 at La Jolla Playhouse, California. While it is not her most famous production, Wild Goose Dreams is one of many plays that reflects the struggles of those involved with the current-day Korean Diaspora.

What's it all about?

Hansol Jung’s play follows the story of two companionless and increasingly despondent individuals involved in the Korean diaspora. Guk Minsung, a “goose father” who has sent his wife and daughter to America while continuing to work to support them while he, himself, stays in South Korea, has grown tremendously lonely and disconnected from his loved ones abroad.

Explanation of Terms: Minsung is a working man or “goose father” for what is referred to as a “wild goose family”. These families have become increasingly common in Korean society since the middle of the 1990s, in which the mother and child move abroad for the child’s education or other reasons and the father stays in Korea to support them financially. Originally, the term “goose” was given to these families and fathers not only because geese are migratory birds, but also because geese are known as “very devoted bird sacrificing oneself for children.” Kyounghee Kim, “Change and Challenge of Korean Family in the Era of Globalization: Centering Transnational Families,” Journal of Ritsumeikan Social Sciences and Humanities 1, 2009, 169. https://www.ritsumei.ac.jp/acd/re/k-rsc/hss/book/pdf/vol01_10.pdf.

Yoo Nanhee, a defector from North Korea, is also lonely being away from her family and is becoming uncertain if her decision to leave her home behind was the morally right thing for her to do. One day while swiping through a mobile dating app (like many of the rest of us lonely souls), these two connect and form a "relationship" thanks to the communication ability and accessibility of modern technology. 

Nanhee ignores the large red flag of herself assisting Minsung in engaging in an affair, and the two continue to see each other on occasion to relieve their feelings of loneliness (even as Nanhee begins to have hallucinations of her father and a penguin in the toilet during their sexual interactions. Yeah, that one threw me for a loop too). Through each other the pair search for meaning in their lonely identities and seek connection and understanding.

However, as Nanhee is more convinced by her illusions and a deal gone wrong to contact her family in North Korea, she flees back to North Korea. At the same time, Minsung’s wife in America informs him that she will be marrying another man, and his daughter cuts contact with him on social media. The play ends with Minsung writing a song for Nanhee, gaining brief internet celebrity, and then committing suicide just before Nanhee returns to South Korea and is detained as a defector.

And how's this supposed to help me understand the Korean Diaspora?

So glad you asked! Or didn't. But if you've read this far, you might as well stick around for the important stuff, right?

In Hansol Jung's play, the struggles of Nanhee and Minsung reflect those of many in the Korean Diaspora. She reveals these conflicts through a majority of ongoing themes that question the importance of family in the modern era, the feelings of disconnection with others brought about by technology, and the pondering of one’s own identity and desires when the world around one’s self is changing.

One of the areas she makes the largest commentary on is the impact of technology and social media on daily lives of not just those wishing to connect with their loved ones, but also just individuals in general.

PublicTheaterNY. “Hansol Jung and Leigh Silverman Explore Korea and Humanizing the Internet | WILD GOOSE DREAMS.”  YouTube Video, 02:17, 2018. https://youtu.be/bubo1Tx_yfM.

"Despite the internet connecting all aspects of the world, technology can make individuals feel even more isolated than they might without it."

In the age of technology, it is easier than ever before to talk with and connect to loved ones abroad and ease loneliness with the company of strangers. However, the reality of this is not always so simple. Minsung’s daughter blocks him on social media, and his wife won't talk to him. He's only able to see his family’s lives through pictures on posts. Nanhee struggles with finding connections through technology. Did the phone she sent through a broker to her father really reach him? Was it truly her father she spoke with? Would she ever be able to truly connect with her family again?

Both of the characters try to connect with their families through technology and fail to do so, which is when they use technology to have a relationship with each other.

The scenes and portrayals of technology and the internet make it clear to the audience that technology hasn’t helped either of these characters involved with the Korean Diaspora with their loneliness. Arguably, 「having technology may have made their disconnection more obvious and negatively influential on their mental states」. Not only that, but the judgment of individuals online can be irrevocably damaging to one’s mental health and public image.

In Minsung’s case, he not only lost his family and lover but, as a goose father, he also lost his identity. While the encouragement and brief period of fame he received from the internet gave him another identity as an internet celebrity for a brief moment, this sense of belonging was temporary and the loss of it was fatal. Thus, while technology can be used to connect people, it can also make them realize disconnect more harshly.

Despite internet users being able to talk to and about each other, their words and attention are also temporary and isolating.

Even if users feel different and unreal when they're anonymous or physically far away, the impact of their words is very real.

RE: theatre. “RE: Hansol Jung.” YouTube Video, 25:33, 1 November 2018. https://youtu.be/3Oie8nlUQc4.

Another important point that Jung makes is that

"The reality of those involved in the Korean Diaspora is often not all sunshine and rainbows and reaching one's dreams abroad."

For Minsung:

For instance, in 2014, there were a number of "goose fathers" who committed suicide. I'm sure many of your instinctive reactions were "oh, that's awful!" Yet, popular responses to actual goose father suicides in South Korea were "to blame the father for being too sentimental and weak" (Hassig, 2013). That's quite the difference in reactions! Yet, many individuals do not understand the impact of moving abroad or having loved ones living away from home.

Jung's play highlights this problem with Minsung's own suicide. The loneliness and pressure of being a primary supporter of a family he doesn't even see becomes too much for him, especially after the loss of his loosely defined "friendship" in Nanhee. Another important part of Minsung's suicide is the fame leading up to it. Minsung's sorrows and problems are only noticed once they go viral online, quickly to be forgotten until news of his demise brings them back up.

For Nanhee:

In Nanhee's case, as a defector from North Korea, she is constantly struggling with the fact that she left her family behind to pursue her own success and happiness. Yet, once she has found her peace and returns once again to South Korea to seek out Minsung, she is detained by authorities for crossing the border and being a possible spy. The commentary Jung gives through Nanhee highlights two main questions.

Some scholars might question if North Koreans who move from North Korea are truly a part of the Korean Diaspora, but I believe Nanhee's struggles with her identity abroad show she is just as impacted by moving from her homeland to South Korea as any other Korean immigrant.

A large number of North Koreans are detained or welcomed to South Korea each year, largely based on political agendas and popular support. As seen in Nanhee's case, these individuals titled as "defectors" already have large problems with their personal identities, and their changing social status based on political and social desires likely does not help the disconnect that they feel.

For more on Question 2, see: Lankov, Andrei. “Bitter Taste of Paradise: North Korean Refugees in South Korea.” Journal of East Asian Studies 6, no. 1 (2006): 105–37. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23418172.

Nanhee's problems are similar to those that North Korean immigrants face in reality as well. In order to relate to these individuals and fix these problems, one must understand that the hardships these people face exist and are not as far-away or fictional as you might believe.

Why now?

What's so important about this play? Why should you care about the Korean Diaspora?

Well, that's a lot of questions packed into a smaller package, but the main reason why is that these problems are contemporarily relevant.

Firstly, both North and South Korea are internationally relevant countries in many various ways: They are military, social, and economic powers. Also, South Korea is incredibly well-known and appreciated for its pop culture, such as K-pop, K-dramas, and video games.

Secondly, many of those in the Korean Diaspora immigrated to America, the land made up of immigrants. Yet, these individuals face social and political struggles that have nothing to do with the disconnect and cultural shock they naturally experience from their relocation. In order to better connect with and help these immigrants and their descendants settle in America, and for these individuals to find their own place, there must be a place for them in the country they migrated to. Even more importantly, they need to know that there is a place for them. The disconnect Nanhee feels is because she is without her family, and she feels lost in a society that should be similar to hers but is incredibly alien instead. Minsung, like many other goose fathers, gives in under the pressure of loneliness from being away from his family and commits suicide.

There are other reasons the Korean Diaspora is of import, of course, such as social, political, economic, and cultural exchanges... and even just concepts of human rights, racial and social movements for equality and acceptance... but the main idea of this play in this moment and this time is that the world has become a technological one. 「With technology can come global communication, but it can also bring loneliness, disconnect, and hatefulness that lead to deaths like Minsung's」.

Yet, just as technology can bring an individual, a group, or a people down, it can also lift them up. Making use of technology to connect with people you've never met and those who wish to see every day can make large impacts on the world and how individuals understand each other.

This play illuminates this message and uses it to highlight the argument that technology and the Korean Diaspora are now heavily intertwined.

Through technology, people can become connected and understandings can be reached that were impossible previously. That's why individuals should now pay attention to these topics, and that's also why this specific play, with its technology-focus and commentary on the Korean Diaspora, is incredibly relevant in today's society.

Resources:

For a casual, secondary research-based approach to this topic, see:

Want to learn more? Here's some recommended reviews and articles:

Aucoin, Don. “Connection and Disconnection in 'Wild Goose Dreams'.” Boston Globe, Mar 24, 2023.

Foster, Elizabeth. “'Wild Goose Dreams' Inspires Flight at Boston's SpeakEasy Stage - the Tufts Daily.” University Wire, Mar 30, 2023.

Greene, Gabriel. “Introduction to Wild Goose Dreams: An Interview with Hansol Jung, Leigh Silverman and Paul Castles.” TheatreForum no. 52 (2017): 51-53.

Kang, Jin Woong. “Human Rights and Refugee Status of the North Korean Diaspora.” North Korean Review 9, no. 2 (2013): 4–17. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43908916. 

Kim, Sung Kyung. “‘Defector,’ ‘Refugee,’ or ‘Migrant’? North Korean Settlers in South Korea’s Changing Social Discourse.” North Korean Review 8, no. 2 (2012): 94–110. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43910315.

Ko, Sung Ho, Kiseon Chung, and Yoo-seok Oh. “North Korean Defectors: Their Life and Well-being After Defection.” Asian Perspective 28, no. 2 (2004): 65–99. http://www.jstor.org/stable/42704454.

Teeman, Tim. “Click here for Sex, Love, and Tragedy in ‘Wild Goose Dreams’: The Whimsicaland Beautifully Designed ‘Wild Goose Dreams’ at the Public Theater Looks at all the Bizarre connections—and Tragic disconnection—the Internet can Bring.” The Newsweek/Daily Beast Company LLC, 15 November 2018. https://www.thedailybeast.com/click-here-for-sex-love-and-tragedy-in-wild-goose-dreams.

Yoon In-Jin. “North Korean Diaspora: North Korean Defectors Abroad and in South Korea.” Development and Society 30, no. 1 (2001): 1–26. http://www.jstor.org/stable/deveandsoci.30.1.1. 

Yuh, Ji-Yeon. “Moved by War: Migration, Diaspora, and the Korean War.” Journal of Asian American Studies 8, no. 3 (2005): 277-291. https://doi.org/10.1353/jaas.2005.0054.

Works Cited and/or Discussed in this blog post:

Primary:

Jung, Hansol. Wild Goose Dreams. TheatreForum no. 52 (2017): 54-78.

Secondary:

Hassig, Kongdan Oh. “Korea’s Chances in the 21st Century: The Story Continues.” Institute for Defense Analyses, 2013. http://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep36448. 

[thedarkthingcreator]

Beyond the Shadows: Understanding and Confronting Depression

Within the complex fabric of human emotions, there lies a profound and frequently misinterpreted mental state called depression. Depression is a complex mental health disease that affects millions of people worldwide and goes beyond occasional feelings of sadness. This article delves into the depths of depression, looking at its causes, symptoms, and ways to get well.

Lifting the Curtain on Depression

Depression is a widespread mood illness that can affect a person's entire life; it is not a transient emotion. Depression is characterized by enduring melancholy, pessimism, and disinterest in once-enjoyable activities. It can become a heavy burden that distorts one's feelings, beliefs, and actions.

Depression has an impact on physical health in addition to its psychological effects. sleep difficulties, alterations in appetite, low Symptoms like low energy and trouble focusing are typical. Depression must be treated immediately since, in its worst cases, it can result in thoughts of suicide or self-harm.

Sources and Initiators

The causes of depression are complex and include a mix of neurological, environmental, and hereditary variables. One's vulnerability may be heightened by a familial history of depression or by abnormalities in neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin, which are essential for mood regulation.

Events in life can serve as catalysts, increasing the likelihood of depression. Major life upheavals, long-term stress, traumatic experiences, and a history of abuse can all trigger depressive episodes. The relentless demands of contemporary life, which prioritize continuous accomplishment and outside approval, have also been pointed up as possible offenders.

The Diverse Aspects of Depression

There is no one-size-fits-all treatment for depression. It takes on multiple forms, each with distinct characteristics and difficulties. MDD, or major depressive disorder, is the most common

prevalent, marked by a lingering sense of depression and disinterest. Dysthymia, often known as persistent depression condition, is characterized by moderate but chronic symptoms that endure for years. Conversely, bipolar disorder is characterized by periods of depression interspersed with manic or hypomanic episodes.

Another variation is seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which usually manifests itself in the gloomier months when there is less sunlight. After giving delivery, some new moms experience emotional distress due to postpartum depression. Additionally, depression may coexist with other medical disorders, resulting in a complicated interaction between mental and physical health.

Taking the Depression Chains Off

The path out of the darkness of depression and into the light of recovery is difficult and unique to each person. It calls for commitment, tolerance, and frequently expert support. The following tactics can help clear the path for

Therapeutic Interventions: Psychotherapy, particularly mindfulness-based techniques and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), might offer instruments to confront unfavorable thought patterns and cultivate adaptive mechanisms.

Medication: The brain chemistry abnormalities that lead to depression can be rectified with the use of antidepressant drugs. They frequently work in tandem with therapy to provide more thorough care.

Social Support: Building solid social ties is essential. The feeling of loneliness that frequently accompanies melancholy can be lessened by asking for assistance, spending time with loved ones, and taking part in support groups.

Healthy Lifestyle: Mood and general well-being can be enhanced by regular exercise, a balanced diet, and enough sleep. Endorphins are naturally occurring antidepressants that are released during physical exertion.

Mind-Body Techniques: Deep breathing techniques, yoga, and meditation can all assist to promote self-awareness, lower stress levels, and quiet the mind.

Creative Activities: Taking Part in Creative pursuits like writing, music, or art can serve as a vehicle for self-expression and an emotional release.

Setting Realistic Goals: You can combat pessimism and boost your sense of accomplishment by dividing work into manageable steps and acknowledging little victories.

Professional Advice: Consulting mental health specialists is essential. Therapists can offer specialized techniques for treating depression, while psychiatrists can assess the need for medication.

The Road to Recuperation

Even though depression can have a negative impact on life, it's important to realize that there is hope and a way out. Regaining control and learning how to handle negative emotions are more important goals of recovery than completely eradicating them. Setbacks are a common part of the healing process, but they don't define one's progress.

Eliminating stigma is essential to addressing depression. It is simpler for people to get treatment without feeling ashamed when there are open discussions about mental health. Embracing empathy and compassion as a culture can open the door to more efficient support networks.

In summary

Although depression is a strong opponent, it is not unbeatable. People can break through with the correct mix of expert advice, social support, and self-care.

liberate yourself from the confines of despair and start your road to healing. Recall that asking for assistance is a show of strength rather than weakness and that every step toward recovery gets one one step closer to living a resilient, meaningful life.

For more resources and treatments related to mental health, visit Goodlives!