#negative 2014 might be the limit

[phantomrose96]

She’s cooking

[bunnytalksf1]

What is in the water at Williams Racing?

So, it's recently been reported by a couple of outlets (minor) that Logan Sargeant and James Vowles are no longer on speaking terms. At first, these were rumours, but now we have a source: comments from IndyCar driver Marcus Ericsson, who might be a familiar name as he competed in F1 from 2014-19, and was at Sauber for the majority of that time, pairing Leclerc in 2018. He now drives for Andretti Global, and won the Indy500 in 2022.

Ericsson made a few comments about "communication being cut off" and Logan "not having a fun time in that team [Williams]". This doesn't come as a huge shock to me, nor should it to anyone, since Vowles hasn't been hugely complimentary of Sargeant this season, and has been openly attempting to replace him, on top of Sargeant, in his own words "not recieving much feedback" about his driving, something which drivers really do rely on, especially inexperienced ones like Sargeant.

Since even prior to the beginning of the 2024 season, its been pretty widely understood that unless he started delivering miracles, Sargeant would not retain his seat for the 2025 season, and honestly the bottom line is that he just hasn't delivered performances worthy of being in F1 this season. But still, these recent comments are worth talking about, largely because of the implications surrounding the team atmosphere and how Williams treats its drivers.

Let's start at the beginning. Vowles took over as Williams' Team Principal in 2023. Prviously, he was a key figure in Mercedes during the dominant era, with a background in engineering and mathematics, and in 2019 was appointed as Motorsport Strategy Director, not just overseeing strategy as he did previous, but also simulation, driver performance, etc. At 45, he's the sport's youngest team principal at present.

Since its steady decline, Williams has somewhat functioned as a junior team for Mercedes. Of the Mercedes drivers of the last decade (if we discount Schumacher) only Hamilton hasn't driven for them: Rosberg, Bottas, then Russell all came through Williams. Being a feeder team for a factory team is a hard status to shake, especially when the factory team in question is much, much more successful than the junior team. These young talents want to be at the top of the sport, and without retaining talent, a team like Williams struggles to put points on the board with limited resources and mediocre cars, trapping them in a negative feedback loop. Regardless, Williams was once a great team, and Vowles immediately says he wants to restore Williams as their own team, not as a feeder team for Mercedes.

Why is that important? Well, it meant that Vowles was hesitant to sign Mercedes juniors, and at the time, in 2022, Logan Sargeant was competing in his first season of F2, where he partnered Liam Lawson and finished fourth. He'd previously failed to graduate to F2, competing in F3 for three seasons, because of a lack of funds. Williams saved his career. Whether it was Vowles' decision or not, Logan was promoted to F1 in 2023, to partner Albon, with one season of F2 and three seasons of F3 under his belt.

It's sort of agreed, at least amongst Sargeant fans, that he was rushed into F1, to try to establish Williams as its own team with its own functional driver academy who didn't need to take/rely on Mercedes juniors who would eventually graduate. This is partially true: Sargeant only signed with Williams at the end of 2021, and as a result had very little F1 testing experience coming into F1 in 2023. This is more of an issue than having a second shot at F2, and definitely hindered him. Even Vowles himself admitted Sargeant was rushed and spoke about 2023 being a development season for him. He only had one year on his contract, and at the end of 2023, after a painstaking wait for the end of the F2 championship and the possibility of signing Fred Vesti if he won (which he didn't), Vowles re-signed Sargeant for 2024.

Just as a side note, for the most talented drivers, development has proven to not really be a factor. Verstappen had under fifty single seater starts at the time he took his seat in Toro Rosso, and still outperformed the much more experienced Sainz, then proceeded to very quickly catch up to the raw pace and quality of Ricciardo. In his rookie season, Leclerc won F3, F2, then outperformed the much more experienced Ericsson in F1. Hamilton won a race after six starts and out-performed Fernando Alonso. Vettel got into a Red Bull at twenty and immediately dunked on Mark Webber. For the greatest talents, this sport is sink or swim, and regardless of experience level, the prodigies, the future world champions, will always rise to the occasion. But not every driver can be a Verstappen or a Hamilton, and teams developing their own drivers effectively is something that they have to learn to do well as to not destroy their own talent.

So now we come to 2024. Williams lacks pace in both Bahrain and Jeddah, but as we are used to seeing, Albon was head and shoulders above Sargeant. Race three is in Australia. In Australia, Albon crashes out badly in free practice on Friday, and damages his chassis beyond repair. The team doesn't have a spare chassis at the track, and as a result can only run one car for the rest of the weekend. The team (Vowles) then makes the decision to run Albon, in Sargeant's car.

This is a heavy blow. Sargeant is supposed to have a chance to turn himself around this season according to what's been said to the public, and now Vowles is not only showing the fans that Williams Racing has no faith in Sargeant to score points, but to Sargeant himself. He seemed to take it well, but the damage this does to his psyche has to be immense. If your own team doesn't have faith in you to deliver, who else will? Despite three front runners dropping out during the race at Melbourne (Verstappen, Russell and Sainz), Albon finished 11th, failing to secure points. From then on, the two cars were not equal.

Williams is a team that has a smaller budget, and less personnel. It was revealed later on that, like Alpine, they started the season with an overweight car, and had to upgrade parts to bring that weight down. Until after Monaco, Sargeant was competing with a heavier car than Albon.

Meanwhile, mid-season replacement rumours have been swirling since before Miami, for Antonelli replacing Sargeant in Imola, then for Ocon replacing him from Hungary. Whilst Vowles did shut down the idea of Antonelli driving for the team in 2024, he did not rule out a mid-season swap, and according to rumours, this was almost Ocon. The public perception was very much that this was Sargeant's opportunity to prove himself and his worth in F1, and he hasn't been given a fair shake (which I don't agree with, but I digress), and now this: a team principal and his driver not on speaking terms.

Ignoring how bad that is for intra-team communication, it also negatively impacts morale and creates tension. Vowles has always been brutal, throughout his career in Mercedes, and this comes as no surprise to me, but the public image of Williams as friendly, cozy and a family vibe has been shattered throughout 2024 as a result, and this seems to be the final blow.

[alex-richey]

Blog Post #2

Where does the fault of media bias truly lie?

Media bias is rampant in current news, but whose responsibility is it? Rather than pointing the finger at an individual, we must recognize that bias lies at all levels of media production and consumption. When writing a story, a reporter may inadvertently construct a blurred version of it as a result of many things, like personal bias, upbringing, privilege, ignorance, and more. This blurred report then has to pass through editors, who have their own biases. Furthermore, the story often needs to be approved before it's published, adding more potential bias to the story. Finally, once it reaches the public, the readers will all have their own biases as well, and will likely interpret the story differently from other readers. Overall, while it's vital to recognize media bias as a while, it's just as important to recognize how bias might take place at each individual level of news production and consumption.

How does the concentration of media ownership prevent the public from obtaining true information?

As discussed in News for All the People, many news companies are owned by the same companies, limiting media to just a handful of conglomerates. If you want to fact-check an article by reading an article from another company, there’s a chance both companies are owned by the same conglomerate. So, how do you know both articles are reliable if they come from the same parent source? Furthermore, the article notes the difficulty to “preserve a racially diverse and democratic system of news" (Gonzalez and Torres, page 6). With minority representation as low as it is (and much of the existing representation being harmful and reinforcing negative racial stereotypes), one must question the reliability of their news considering the limited sources they can receive it from.

What role does critical theory play when analyzing social media and other media networks?

Critical theory pushes one to think deeper about the role that social media plays in our lives. While many of us use social media without much of a second thought, critical theory would beg questions like "what kinds of power do you gain or lose by using this platform?" To me, this goes hand-in-hand with media literacy skills. While media literacy pushes one to analyze where their media came from, critical theory pushes them to explore how that media will affect them. In other words, while media literacy questions the production of media, critical theory questions the consumption of it.

Why is the study of social media so complex?

Social media is a deeply complex thing in itself, so to understand it, we have to think critically. As described in Social Media: A Critical Introduction, the foundation for a successful critical analysis of social media is critical philosophy because it can bridge the gap between communication studies and critical media studies. Furthermore, how does one define social media? Because “social” can be defined in many ways, it’s important to consider how different definitions may change how we consider their impact on our lives.

Fuchs, C. (2014). Social Media: A Critical Introduction. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781446270066

Gonzalez, J., & Torres, J. (2021). News for all the people. Power and Inequality, 223–231. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315201511-28

[spade-riddles]

Submission: The Bait & Switch Theory

Lately I've been hate-reading a pop culture subreddit. It's not focused on Taylor, but people have been posting about her a lot lately (for obvious reasons). The overall vibe is pretty negative towards Taylor, but I usually skim the comments to see what casual fans are saying.

I want to share some recent comments I've seen (no usernames, and I rewrote some parts so they aren't word-for-word). Warning, you will probably get frustrated reading them. I did. But these are theories from casual listeners, non-swifties, who believe that Taylor really dates men, and they see this situation from a totally different angle than we do. While you read them, see if you have any new ideas about where Taylor might be going with this MH thing. I'll share my own thoughts after the comments. Another warning: this is a very long post-- sorry!

(These are all from a thread discussing a DailyMail article about how Taylor and MH are allegedly writing music together for her next album. I'll come back to my thoughts on this.)

On the subject of Midnights and MH, has anyone else gone back and listened to Question…? with him in mind? It all makes a lot of sense. Bejeweled too (the 1975 call themselves “the band”) and Cardigan.

Also “I swear that it was something/ ‘cause I don’t remember who I was/ Before you painted all my nights/ a color I’ve searched for since” from Question sounds a lot like “Look at this godforsaken mess that you made me/You showed me colors/You know I can't see with anyone else” from Illicit Affairs.

^^ Comment 1. Bolded parts from me.

All of it makes sense in context of falling in love with MH.

Anti-hero? She knew this relationship wouldn't be well received.

Midnight Rain? Joe was "sunshine she was midnight rain. He wanted a bride, she was chasing that fame."

Snow on the Beach? "Weird but fucking beautiful, you wanting me tonight feels impossible."

Labyrinth? "Uh-oh, I'm falling in love again. I thought this plane was going down, how'd you turn it right around?"

The entire album was about MH the entire time and we had no idea.

^^ Comment 2. I bolded the last sentence.

I don't understand how Taylor TOLD US Cardigan "was about" MH while on stage, into a microphone, and people are still denying it.

She wasn't trolling. She was revealing.

Cardigan is about him. And it seems like they weren't ON in 2014 and OFF for the next 8 years. Instead it's looking like they've gone back to each other again and again.

^^ Comment 3. This is the one that was most illuminating to me. Bolded part from me.

I think if they break up soon, she will phase him out and never mention him again.

^^ Comment 4. I'll come back to this one too.

Okay. So. Let's consider some hypotheticals.

Let's say Taylor wants to reintroduce Karlie into her public life. 

Let's say they want the public Kaylor narrative to be as close to real life as possible. Let's also assume that they don't want to out anyone and that there are contracts limiting what they can say about their beards.

Let's say there's someone else Taylor has known since about 2014: MH. A dude with an awful reputation, definitely worse than Karlie's.

Let's say the narrative they want people to believe, one day, is that Karlie is the one that got away from Taylor. They were a couple a decade ago, then they were together on and off, having an illicit affair with each other the entire time they were "in relationships" with JA and JK. And after Taylor and JA broke up, she privately reunited with Karlie and they lived happily ever after.

Let's also assume, maybe incorrectly (idk), that Karlie is the real William Bowery, and that Taylor wants people to know that JA didn't write or produce any of her music. Conveniently, MH is ALSO a musician. They're rumored to have written music together in the past, although we've never heard it, and now they're seen at the studio together.

So I wonder if Taylor and Karlie are limited in what they can say or imply, especially when it comes to the Karlie/JK timeline. Instead, Taylor is briefly introducing MH as her boyfriend and letting everyone speculate about how she's been in love with him for ages and how she cheated on JA with MH for years and how they write music together. She spells out the ENTIRE fucking story for everyone, and they finally start to piece it together. The only part that's wrong is that the story has the name MH where it should say KK.

What if this is a bait and switch? Where MH totally disappears from the picture, never to be mentioned again, but only after she uses him to plant a narrative. We don't get any musical collaboration after all. Maybe MH, being a loose canon, even alludes to faking a relationship with Taylor.

And then 5 seconds later, she switches out MH for KK. They do the exact same things together. KK goes to shows, they go out to dinner, maybe she's seen leaving Electric Lady, or she's seen with an LV bag going into Taylor's building. Maybe TS11 doesn't feature any songs with MH, but William Bowery is still credited even though JA is long gone. And maybe they just let people connect the dots over time. Like a folk tale, where no one really knows for sure what happened between Taylor, Karlie, JA, JK, and MH, but it's generally accepted that Taylor and Karlie have loved each other for a long time. Over the years, people forget some of the details and accept the Kaylor folklore as fact.

I'm so curious as to what you all think.

By the way, I know this is long enough already, but I do just want to say that I don't want to minimize MH's disgusting behaviors. I do believe it's morally wrong to prop up people like MH (and JK), because it lends credibility to dangerous ideas and disguises wolves as sheep. I think this is a line T & K are okay with crossing, and they are probably in a very complicated situation, but I'm not trying to excuse them for their roles here.

[schismusic]

THE DISCOGRAPHY PRINCIPLE, Episode 2: Shellac - or, The Song Remains the Same

The discography principle may be defined as an objective way to determine whether or not you're worthy of calling a band or artist "your favorite" or "one of your favorites". A possible enunciation of it goes as follows:

"Let u ≝ some asshole, B ≝ {b|b is a band}, n ≝ #({x|x is a record by b}); let p = #({y|y is a record by b in u's possession}) = p1 + p2 wherein p1 ≝ number of physical records by b you own in any format and p2 ≝ number of records by b you have downloaded. If p ≥ n ∨ p2 = n (for n → +∞), then ∃b∈B such that b is one of u's favorite bands."

When u = me, this subset of B (which we might call Bf) is comprised of six bands, off the top of my head: Autechre, Godflesh, Shellac, Kraftwerk, Fugazi and Coil, listed in no particular order.

If you want to read the prologue to this series, go here. Otherwise, let's get going.

My first year of high school was a year of exploration. Coming out of high school having exclusively listened to Pink Floyd's entire recorded output (it wasn't yet time to do anything more esoteric and perverted with record, like asking them questions, using them as spaces to be mapped out, springing poetry pieces off of them as if they were trampolines; all of that is stuff that comes the more expert you get at using records and the less respectful of them you become, which isn't necessarily a net negative) I then set out to find out more about the history of rock, sailing all alone. I'm not one of those people who get their passion for music from a relative or their parents, music was my thing and my thing only — that is, mine and the Internet's, because that's what you do in 2013 after all — you hear a name off of somewhere, you look it up on Wikipedia — the page in question usually has citation problems, provided it exists at all — and it becomes your personality for a while.

It went like this with the Mars Volta for me, my next Pink Floyd-level obsession, which consumed my conscious mind for about a full year. In the meantime I went along, getting into Nine Inch Nails (my first paid gig, on the Hesitation Marks tour; it was June 3rd, 2014) and Slint, slowly but steadily going through OndaRock's cute little "milestones" section. I never actually did go through it all the way, even though the records it includes maybe oughta be checked out at one point, but it did spark in me a form of interest in stuff that I normally wouldn't have cared for at that time. One of the names that came out of this was Shellac, a band I frankly checked out exclusively because the OndaRock page for them mentioned physics and odd time signatures. There comes a time in a music listener's journey where playing in five or in seven is simply the most big brained thing you could possibly do, especially if you're a guy who grew up on King Crimson and who thought the fact that Money by Pink Floyd is in 7/8 was hot shit — conveniently ignoring the very fortuitous slide into 6/8 right as David Gilmour is about to start his solo…

So as My Black Ass started I was on board, my own white ass absolutely floored. I was on board the exact second the pick first hit the strings (I was later to find out Steve Albini uses exclusively copper picks and aluminum-neck guitars) and that absolutely fucked-in-the-head sound that these three guys have found a way to conjure. It's a sinewy sound, something that really requires a maximum of four different elements to obtain, and as such has a slew of imitators that never really fit the bill. What we have of Shellac (at least officially) are seven LPs, one of which recorded live and another one limited to a release of 779 copies, three EPs, one or two singles and compilation tracks, and two Peel Sessions — one of which made when the actual John Peel had already been six feet under for about a month. Critically, John Peel as sound engineer (criminally underrated) is probably the only person who could have made justice to Shellac's sound, to a point where some of these songs featured on the 1994 Peel Session might be at their absolute best there.

At Action Park, finally, was a rock record that required of me a form of thought that went beyond simply learning the riffs and calling it a day; more importantly, it was a record whose riffs I could learn. Slint weren't as easy to me (at the time still relatively inexperienced), nor did they feel as genuinely dangerous — and Steve Albini's previous recorded output was absolutely critical in conveying that sense of forbidden. Honestly, if your first band makes songs about all sorts of horrifying violence and your second band is called — ahem — Rapeman, in reference to a Japanese erotic manga, what the fuck can I tell you? Of course everything you lay your hands upon becomes imbued with an air of deep distaste and transgression and genuine fear. Song of the Minerals is the first time I realized that there are people in the world who simply don't care about other people getting hurt and treating themselves so badly they die from it. Il Porno Star is a song that so openly and directly describes the life of somebody involved in the sex industry that it finally, for the first time, made sex workers look and feel real to me, giving them a backstory of sorts. At the same time, Pull the Cup sounded positively lobotomized, and A Minute felt so enraged for no reason at all that it made a lasting impression: anger was liberating, or in John Lydon's words anger was an energy. And best of all — I could play those songs from start to finish. Some dude, his name was Claudio, had made a webpage on the Tiscali provider which he had kept updated up until about the year 2000 and where he collected a number of guitar tabs contributed by various people. The page, amazingly, can still be found online here (as of Feb 20, 2024) and most of the tabs are still accessible.

Surprisingly enough, it didn't take me long before I moved along to Shellac's other records; I was lucky enough to find a copy of Dude Incredible in a store back when it was first released and then a copy of 1000 Hurts at a record fair (both CD only at the time). Those two and At Action Park remain the two Shellac records I've spent the most time with to this day, and again it was very interesting getting to see this band attempt to find a way to move past that absolutely stellar debut and never really doing that, but still writing some very worthwhile songs and albums in the meantime. Upon listening to Dude Incredible it felt like the most complete summa of the band's work, and that was my favourite Shellac record for a while — it probably still is, for different, more sentimental reasons — but in retrospect that wasn't the case at all. Shellac's body of work is pretty interesting in that the single records always feel achingly incomplete once you get to know the rest of their work, but at the same time — as far as the songs they include go — all records include nothing but the very best the band could have put forward at that particular time. When I feel like listening to Shellac again I am, for time reasons, forced to go record by record, especially because it's a very logical way of going through it (see my piece on Autechre), but unlike Autechre you have this thing where all records sort of blur into one another. It surprises many people to know that Steve Albini's dream band to work with is AC/DC. As an avid Shellac listener, it puzzles me that anyone would think otherwise.

At a certain point I stopped feeling that playful horror-movie disgust that Shellac's lyrics kinda toy with and started marvelling at just how insanely sexist some of their stuff is. Obviously, this is the kind of stuff you think of when you're sixteen and devoid of any capability to process parody and irony. I like to posture myself as though I was "in the know", as though Steve Albini's mastermind plan was to kind of lure people into thinking he was a piece of shit, but at the same time it was very easy — scarily so — to get into Prayer to God's protagonist's point of view when he sings the lyrics to the song. In time, I kind of grew to alternately despise it and try to pretend it was being somewhat parodic, until I re-listened to the song and re-read the lyrics and holy shit: it actually was parody all along. Who the fuck sings a song like that and says "make him cry like a woman — no particular woman"? It was that perfect point where the game was revealed all along: the song's protagonist likes to pretend he's a decent person, that he "respects women", but deeply ingrained within him (and fundamentally at odds with what he says he believes in) there remains a profoundly predatorial, territorial and ultimately violent view of romance and sexuality. And all was well once more. It became even better once Steve Albini decided, after the pandemic, to stop posturing as the victim and finally talk about all the stupid bullshit he did and said over the years, to distance himself from all people who ended up essentially embracing right-wing talking points for no reason other than to, supposedly, own the libs. Interviewed by The Guardian, he said something to the effect of "if the stupidest person in the room agrees with you, it's time to ask yourself some questions".

So after a whole year of preparations, in May 2015 Shellac hit Italy and played Catania, Rome and Bologna together with Uzeda — another great band full of great people. I went there with my then-girlfriend, C., and we proceeded to creep the shit out of all the people in the queue when she mentioned she knew how to skin a hare and I asked her to explain how to do that. Fun times were had. Anyway, I knew rationally that there were three people in Shellac (Steve Albini, velocity; Bob Weston, mass; Todd Trainer, time) but until I was there it didn't really hit me. To me, Shellac was the third Steve Albini project, after Big Black and that other band. Then all of a sudden they take the stage, after Uzeda finished up their absolutely blistering hot set which I barely remember at all (despite really enjoying it), and it was bloody fucking murder. I only have a very vague recollection of what happened during the set; bits and pieces, really — me jumping like two meters into the air when the main riff for Dude Incredible hit, the ten-minute spoken word short story that Steve Albini improvises during the silent break in Wingwalker, the little bit called The Defenders of Fun (actually named Killers, and you can find a studio version of it here) they do before that same song, the impromptu Joy Division references during The End of Radio. But the best, most memorable parts of the concert were the very beginning and the very end.

When the gig was about to start, Bob Weston came out of the backstage area and you better believe I straight up jumped him right then and there. It is simply impossible to understate just how much my respect for Bob Weston went up that night. This motherfucker, no joke, stood around and hugged me like he was my long-lost father, we talked for a full twenty minutes and after that he told me "now I'm sorry, but I have to go" and I told him "oh sorry, are you still unloading the last things?" and he very calmly replied "I have to take a shit". Which meant that this dude stayed behind for me and delayed a whole ass toilet trip for twenty! fucking! minutes! to talk to a hyperactive, boundary-overstepping fifteen-year-old who had potentially absolutely nothing worthwhile to say. But this was nothing. When the show ended (the last song they played was The End of Radio, they dragged it out for like a full ten minutes while Steve Albini rambled on for the entire duration of the track — possibly one of the band's best set of lyrics, regardless of the absolutely buttfuck insane improvised bits that were thrown in on that particular night) the last note ringed out for like five full seconds. The sheer sustain these aluminum-neck instruments put out is scary. Then Bob Weston specifically looked at me, I was standing right under the stage in front of him, and handed me his pick. To this day I still keep it within the Dude Incredible CD case, which all three Shellac have signed. To get that signature I pissed off poor Todd Trainer, who really just wanted to get his drum kit off of the stage (Todd, if you're reading this: I'm so sorry. I did not know any better and if that weren't enough I was in a massive rush. If we ever meet again, drink's on me). But another thing I will never forget about that night was their interplay. The perfect, and I hate using this kind of superlatives but there really is no other word for it, absolutely perfect way that they locked into one another and the natural flow of song bits and parts and even just the physical nature of the sound itself. These songs are not as simple as they sound, which was life-altering to me as a musician and as a person.

So apparently Shellac have been teasing a new record for about a year. Sometimes they upload snippets of the vinyl master copy playing, some other times it's small clips from the pressing plant, other times they just play three or four of the songs live, as they have for the past four years or so. Hadn't it been for the pandemic, I think, they would have gotten the record done in time for 2021 — seven years since Dude Incredible, their last studio album. Lately (i.e. since 1000 Hurts) Shellac have released records at a very sluggish pace; some might think it's a matter of ideas slowly running to an end, I for one it's a matter of songwriting quality. Chick New Wave I didn't really like at the time, but I hear they got a couple new ones that they've played to an audience — the titles are The Girl from Outside and the spectacularly-named I Don't Fear Hell and you can hear them one after the other here. And everytime a Shellac record releases, ooh boy, it's a party: these guys' passion project is, very simply, a labor of passion; it actively refuses to play by the market's rules and everytime it's just eight or nine songs that the band felt were strong enough to release. Who cares if people on websites think that it's repetitive and more of the same and cookie-cutter, and anyway almost no one does. We as Shellac enjoyers appreciate that this is just something these three guys do for fun, and if a record comes out of it then all the better for us. Plus, it's new songs for live shows, and that's where the real substance is at. So, let's hope the record comes out soon, and they visit Italy again. I know for a fact I'll be there. Now Todd, about that beer I owed ya…

[forabeatofadrum]

I haven’t seen a tag floating around yet, so I guess I am kicking it off, because I, as usual, have a lot to say lmao.

It is still Kill Your Darlings, thesis edition. I actually wanted to add this one from the post from Saturday, but that already got way too long, so I saved it for today. After all, today’s darling is also super long, so I am putting it under the cut.

But first some stuff about fic writing. I am still poking Kurt and Blaine with a stick in order to hopefully advance with Ljubim te. I woke up missing Ljubljana, as you do, and man, I wanna advance in that one. Apart from that, I might drop one of the AU Please! prompts, because I genuinely have no clue what to do with it, but the other one is almost finished. The deadline is 10 days or so, oh my, but I think I can make it.

And you know what? I miss Matt Christopher Davis. I have so many WIPs, but maybe my MCD fic will be the next thing I focus on, if I have time. (If, lol.) (Thesis, lol.)

Speaking of “thesis lol”, I am very sad if I need to cut this, so I am glad I can save it on my fanfiction blog:

The representation of queer women is limited and the existing representation is not always positive. Something that could be improved is the way the looks of queer women are shown. Ciasullo (2001) distinguishes three types of appearance: 1. the very feminine lipstick lesbian, 2. the ugly butch and 3. the everyday girl. These three types cause the appearance of queer women to be represented in a non-political way, so they lack depth. Instead, they fill a role in the mainstream. The lipstick lesbian was first received candidly, because it removed the previous stereotype of the angry, fighting, butch lesbian who actually wants to be a man deep down (Dhaenens, 2013; Jackson & Gilbertson, 2009), but changed it through lesbian chic them into an object for men to watch. Indeed, queer women are still marketed as fan service for men (Annati & Ramsey, 2022; Diamond, 2005; Jackson & Gilbertson, 2009; Nölke, 2018). The butch is still portrayed as a threat to heterosexuality: she is scary, dominant and not sexy (Ciasullo, 2001). If a butch is portrayed in a more positive way, then being a butch is a phase (Nölke, 2018). Finally, there is the everyday girl. This agrees with what Dow (2001) and McCarthy (2001) write about Ellen. The everyday girl conforms to the heterosexual order, which immediately portrays her as non-political, non-sexual and non-threatening (Hantzis & Lehr, 1994).

Ciasullo (2001) also emphasizes in her article that these three types of appearance create additional problems for women of color. Women of color are more likely to be seen as less attractive because they do not easily conform to white ideals of beauty. That is not the only problem when it comes to ethnic diversity: there is also a skewed picture. Research shows that most queer women are white and that queer women of color are more affected by racist stereotypes (Annati & Ramsey, 2022). This also creates negative consequences for fans of color, because fans adopt the racist ideas (Pande & Moitra, 2017). On the other hand, queer women of color are also presented in a conforming way, namely conforming to white culture (Pande & Moitra, 2017; Yue, 2014). This makes it difficult for fans of color to express their own culture (Stanfill, 2019), because not all cultures benefit greatly from the Western “I’m Coming Out” narrative (Weber & Weeks, 2022).

As indicated earlier, the term 'queer women' is used instead of 'lesbians'. This is because there are more sexual identities than homosexuality. Yet homosexuality is the most common (Bond, 2015; Sender, 2011). Bisexuals and pansexuals are depicted less because they threaten binary ideas about identity. This is why bisexuality is often portrayed as “one or the other” (Allen, 2022). Bisexual women are still portrayed as prone to cheating (Diamond, 2005). Asexuals are almost completely invisible, or they are not taken seriously by the media (Chen, 2020). Most of the characters are cisgender (Nölke, 2018) and trans women who appear in the media are often victims of (sexual) violence (Abbott, 2022).

There has been improvement in recent years, with TV series such as Pose starring trans women of color (Joyrich, 2022), but several articles indicate that there is still much room for improvement and argue for intersectionality (Annati & Ramsey, 2022 ; DeCeuninck & Dhoest, 2016; Rodriguez, 2019; Yue, 2014).

Okay, just like the thing from Saturday, I might be able to save some of this. I definitely have to shorten it, but I don’t know what to cut. In my mind, all of this is super relevant, so it’s hard to cut it down. What do y’all think? Apparently not being able to separate essential information from extra information is an autism thing who knows???

And apart from trimming it, I have to put this under one of these sections: recognition, respect and identification. According to my thesis advisor, I can best put this under recognition and I partially agree and I partially don’t. It might fit better under respect, but I literally just talked to her about it, and she agreed that the line between recognition and respect is very blurry, so I might put it under recognition and hopefully the reader can use Brain Power and think “oh boy, this is also about respect in some ways!”.

And now, the weather: @quizasvivamos @blurglesmurfklaine @coffeegleek @esperantoauthor @otherworldsivelivedin @caramelcoffeeaddict @sillyunicorn @bazzybelle @dragoneggos @raenestee @tectonicduck @nightimedreamersworld @urban-sith @thnxforknowingme @captain-aralias @you-remind-me-of-the-babe @takitalks @justgleekout @cerriddwenluna @tea-brigade @ivelovedhimthroughworse @moodandmist @whogaveyoupermission @bookish-bogwitch @confused-bi-queer @aroace-genderfluid-sheep @ionlydrinkhotwater @1908jmd @special-bc-ur-part-of-it @larkral @chen-chen-chen-again-chen @cutestkilla​ @nausikaaa/@wellbelesbian @artsyunderstudy​ @martsonmars​ @facewithoutheart​ @shrekgogurt @boyinjeans​

[zeedropcrosslister]

eBay vs Mercari: Which Platform is Best for You?

 The resale market is booming, with projections estimating the global secondhand apparel market alone will surpass $350 billion by 2027. As more consumers embrace the circular economy and move away from fast fashion, selling your unwanted items online has become a lucrative opportunity. But with so many platforms to choose from, it can be tough to decide where to start. Two of the most popular options are eBay and Mercari—both well-established, with millions of users and extensive product ranges. So, which one is right for you? Let’s break down the differences between eBay and Mercari to help you make an informed choice.

What is Mercari?

Mercari is a relatively new player in the online reselling space, launching in Japan in 2013 and expanding to the U.S. in 2014. Known for its ease of use, Mercari allows users to quickly list a wide variety of items, from electronics to clothing, with most products being secondhand. It’s often described as an online flea market, making it a popular choice for people looking to declutter and make some extra cash.

What is eBay?

eBay, on the other hand, has been around since 1995 and is one of the original platforms for online selling. It has a massive global reach, enabling sellers to list items both domestically and internationally. Known for its auction-style listings, eBay is a go-to marketplace for both casual sellers and professional resellers looking to flip items for profit. Whether you're selling vintage collectibles, electronics, or everyday items, eBay offers a robust platform with a large buyer base.

Key Features: Mercari vs eBay

Though both platforms are designed for buying and selling, they differ in key areas:

Signing Up & Listing Items

Mercari: Signing up is simple. You just need an email address to get started, and the listing process is straightforward. Input a few details about your item, upload photos, and you’re ready to sell.

eBay: While eBay also allows you to sign up using an email or Facebook account, the listing process is more involved. You’ll need to provide more detailed information about your item, including weight, dimensions, and item specifics. eBay’s desktop version is often preferred for listing, as the mobile app can be challenging to navigate.

Winner: Mercari takes the lead in terms of ease and speed, especially for casual sellers.

Fees

Mercari: Mercari charges a flat 10% commission on sales, along with a $0.30 fee and a 2.9% payment processing charge. There are no listing fees, making it an affordable option for new sellers. However, there are limits on how many listings you can have as a new seller, though these caps increase with more sales.

eBay: eBay allows 200 free listings per month, but after that, it charges a $0.35 insertion fee per listing. The platform also takes a final value fee of 10-12% on most sales. Sellers who list large quantities or higher-value items might benefit from eBay’s Store subscription plans, which offer lower fees and additional perks.

Winner: For beginners, Mercari is generally cheaper. However, for high-volume sellers, eBay’s subscription plans can be more cost-effective.

Seller Protection

Mercari: Mercari tends to favor buyers in disputes, and payments are held until both buyer and seller rate the transaction. While this protects buyers, it may delay access to your earnings.

eBay: eBay has a stricter seller rating system that can impact your account if you receive negative feedback or ship late. However, it does offer a Money Back Guarantee for sellers in case of non-payment or delivery issues.

Winner: It’s a tie here, as both platforms offer buyer-focused protection, but Mercari’s system might cause delays for sellers, while eBay is stricter about seller performance.

Shipping

Mercari: Mercari simplifies the shipping process by offering prepaid, weight-based shipping labels for packages up to 150 lbs. Sellers can also choose to ship on their own, but it requires more manual input for weights and dimensions.

eBay: eBay provides more shipping options, allowing sellers to choose different carriers, shipping classes, and whether to offer international shipping. While this offers more flexibility, it also requires more attention to detail when setting up shipments.

Winner: For simplicity, Mercari is the clear winner. However, more experienced sellers on eBay can leverage its flexibility to optimize shipping costs.

Local Selling

Mercari: In 2021, Mercari introduced Mercari Local, which allows sellers to arrange contact-free local deliveries via Uber. It’s a convenient option for sellers who want to avoid shipping altogether.

eBay: eBay offers local selling through classified ads, but sellers must arrange in-person meetups and handle payment directly with buyers.

Winner: Mercari Local is the more convenient option, making local selling easier and safer through a third-party delivery service.

Customer Support

Mercari: Mercari offers email support and a Help Center, though response times can be slow. In some serious cases, you may be able to contact a representative by phone.

eBay: eBay has more comprehensive customer support, with 24/7 access to phone and email representatives. Its guidelines are also extensive, making it easier to resolve issues.

Winner: eBay offers more accessible support, giving it the edge here.

Pros and Cons: eBay vs Mercari

Mercari Pros:

Simple and fast listing process

Low fees and no listing costs

Prepaid shipping labels make shipping easy

Local selling with Uber delivery

Beginner-friendly

Mercari Cons:

Seller payments can be delayed

Limited seller protection

Listings can get lost in search results quickly

Frequent relisting may be required

eBay Pros:

Massive international customer base

Store subscriptions for professional sellers

Listings stay active until they sell

Accessible customer service with 24/7 support

eBay Cons:

More complex listing process

Higher fees for certain categories

Market saturation means higher competition

Complicated shipping setup

Dropshipping on Mercari: Is It Possible?

While Mercari's policies may seem restrictive regarding dropshipping, the reality is that many successful dropshippers have found ways to thrive on the platform. Here are some tips to help you establish your dropshipping business on Mercari while minimizing risks:

Ship Locally: Mercari prohibits international shipping, so always ensure that you’re shipping items locally. This helps you avoid any potential issues that could arise from violating shipping policies.

Use Original Photos and Descriptions: Avoid using stock photos and copied product descriptions. These can be clear indicators that you’re dropshipping, which could raise red flags for Mercari. Instead, create your own high-quality images and unique product descriptions.

Never Cancel Orders: Frequent cancellations can signal to Mercari that you don’t have the listed products in stock. Always ensure that you can fulfill orders before listing them to maintain a good seller reputation.

Consistent Shipping Address: Use the same address for every order to create consistency. This not only helps you avoid suspicion but also ensures a smoother fulfillment process.

Process Returns Quickly: If a return is necessary, act swiftly to manage it. Ensure that the returned products don’t go back to your supplier's address, which might differ from your listed shipping address. Quick returns help maintain your seller standing.

By following these tips, you can successfully navigate the dropshipping landscape on Mercari while minimizing the risks of account suspension or termination. It’s all about staying compliant with platform policies while effectively managing your listings!

Final Verdict: Is Mercari or eBay Better?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to whether Mercari or eBay is the better platform—it largely depends on your needs as a seller.

Mercari is ideal for beginners who want a simple, low-cost platform with easy listing and shipping. It’s a great choice if you’re looking to quickly sell a few items and prefer a hassle-free experience.

eBay, however, is better suited for experienced sellers or those looking to scale their business internationally. Its larger customer base, professional seller tools, and flexible shipping options make it the go-to platform for high-volume sellers.

Ultimately, many sellers find success by cross-listing their items on both platforms, maximizing their exposure and sales opportunities. Whatever your choice, both Mercari and eBay offer powerful options for getting started in the reselling world.

With ZeeDrop best dropshipping tool, you can confidently list your products on eBay and Mercari, maximizing your exposure and sales potential while simplifying the entire process. Whether you’re a seasoned seller or just starting out, ZeeDrop is your go-to solution for  efficient cross-listing.

[drinkforstayinghydrated]

Herbal tea or Coffee: Which is better for staying hydrated?

When it comes to staying hydrated, many of us reach for our favorite beverages throughout the day. Two popular choices are herbal tea and coffee. But which one is actually better for hydration? Let's dive into the science behind these drinks and explore whether herbal tea is indeed more hydrating than coffee.

Understanding Hydration

Before we compare herbal tea and coffee, it's important to understand what hydration means. Hydration refers to the process of providing your body with adequate fluids to maintain proper bodily functions. Water is the most essential component for hydration, but other beverages can contribute to our daily fluid intake as well.

The Caffeine Factor

One of the key differences between herbal tea and coffee is their caffeine content. Coffee is well-known for its high caffeine levels, while most herbal teas are naturally caffeine-free. This distinction plays a crucial role in how these beverages affect hydration.

Caffeine can act as a mild diuretic, causing increased urination. This has led to the common belief that caffeinated beverages like coffee are dehydrating. However, recent research suggests that this effect is not as significant as once thought, especially for regular coffee drinkers who develop a tolerance to caffeine's diuretic effects.

Herbal Tea: A Hydration Hero?

Herbal teas, also known as tisanes, are made from various plants, herbs, fruits, and spices steeped in hot water. Herbal teas don't have caffeine. They're made from different plants, not the same one as regular tea.

The lack of caffeine in herbal teas means they don't have the potential diuretic effect associated with coffee. This makes herbal tea an excellent choice for hydration. When you drink herbal tea, you're essentially consuming flavored water, which contributes directly to your daily fluid intake without any counterproductive effects.

Moreover, many herbal teas have additional health benefits. For example:

Chamomile tea is known for its calming properties and may improve sleep quality.

Peppermint tea can soothe upset stomachs and ease digestive discomfort.

Ginger tea has anti-inflammatory properties and may help boost the immune system.

Hibiscus tea may help lower blood pressure.

These added benefits make herbal teas not just hydrating, but also potentially beneficial for overall health.

Coffee: Not as Dehydrating as You Might Think

While coffee does contain caffeine, its reputation as a dehydrating beverage may be somewhat exaggerated. Recent studies have shown that moderate coffee consumption doesn't significantly impact hydration status in regular drinkers.

A 2014 study published in PLOS ONE found that when consumed in moderation, coffee — despite its caffeine content — does not lead to dehydration and can contribute to daily fluid requirements similarly to other fluids.

However, it's worth noting that excessive coffee consumption, particularly for those not accustomed to caffeine, may still have a mild diuretic effect. Additionally, adding sugar, cream, or other high-calorie additives to coffee can have negative health impacts unrelated to hydration.

Comparing Hydration Potential

When it comes to pure hydration potential, herbal tea does have an edge over coffee. Here's why:

No Caffeine: Most herbal teas are caffeine-free, eliminating any potential diuretic effects.

Variety of Flavors: The wide range of herbal tea flavors makes it easier for many people to consume more fluids throughout the day.

Hot or Cold: Herbal teas are great! You can drink them hot or cold, whatever you like.

Additional Health Benefits: Many herbal teas offer extra health benefits beyond hydration.

No Added Calories: Unlike coffee, which is often consumed with calorie-rich additives, herbal tea is typically consumed plain.

However, it's important to remember that both herbal tea and coffee can contribute to daily fluid intake. So drink with limitations.

Practical Tips for Staying Hydrated

Whether you prefer herbal tea or coffee, here are some tips to ensure you stay well-hydrated:

Listen to your body: Listen to your body. Drink up when only you're thirsty.

Aim for variety: Include a mix of water, herbal teas, and other beverages in your daily routine.

Be mindful of additives: Avoid adding excessive sugar or cream to your drinks.

Consider timing: If you're sensitive to caffeine, avoid coffee in the late afternoon or evening.

Stay consistent: Regular, moderate consumption of your preferred beverages is key to maintaining hydration.

Conclusion

While herbal tea does have some advantages when it comes to hydration, both herbal tea and coffee can contribute to your daily fluid intake. Herbal tea's lack of caffeine and additional health benefits make it an excellent choice for hydration. However, moderate coffee consumption is not as dehydrating as once believed and can also contribute to daily fluid needs.

Ultimately, the best beverage for hydration is the one you enjoy and will consume regularly. If you love your morning coffee, there's no need to give it up in favor of herbal tea. Instead, consider incorporating a variety of beverages into your daily routine, including water, herbal teas, and moderate amounts of coffee.

Remember, staying hydrated is about more than just the type of beverage you choose. It's about consistent, adequate fluid intake throughout the day. So whether you're sipping on a soothing chamomile tea or enjoying your favorite coffee blend, what matters most is that you're giving your body the fluids it needs to function at its best.

[atomxmedia]

RBI Fines Yes Bank for Improper Charges and Internal Account Practices

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), India’s central bank, has imposed a penalty on Yes Bank for violation of specific banking regulations. The penalty comes after a statutory inspection of Yes Bank’s books during the RBI’s supervisory evaluation for the 2022 financial year (FY22).

Non-Compliance with Minimum Balance Charges

A key area of non-compliance identified by the RBI involved Yes Bank’s practice of levying charges on savings accounts that had zero balance. The RBI guidelines clearly stipulate that banks can only charge customers for banking services if there is a sufficient balance in their accounts. If an account balance reaches zero, the bank is mandated to suspend its services, not incur additional charges.

These guidelines were established in 2014 to protect consumers from excessive fees, particularly those who might unintentionally fall below the minimum balance requirement. The RBI specifically emphasizes that a savings account balance should not turn negative solely due to charges levied for non-maintenance of minimum balance.

Unauthorized Use of Internal Accounts

The RBI also discovered that Yes Bank had opened and operated internal accounts in the names of customers. These accounts were allegedly used for unauthorized purposes, including “parking funds” and “routing transactions.”

Parking funds refers to the practice of temporarily holding excess cash within internal accounts. This can be done for various reasons, such as manipulating financial statements or avoiding regulatory scrutiny. Routing transactions through internal accounts raises concerns about transparency and accountability. It’s unclear whether these internal accounts were linked to actual customers or created fictitiously.

RBI Penalty and Regulatory Action

Yes Bank was not the only bank penalized by the RBI. ICICI Bank, another major Indian private bank, also received a penalty of Rs 1 crore (approximately $125,000 USD) for irregularities in sanctioning a project loan. The RBI’s findings suggest that ICICI Bank approved the loan without proper due diligence on the project’s viability and ability to repay the loan (bankability). Additionally, the bank allegedly allowed the borrower to use budgetary resources to repay the loan, raising concerns about the legitimacy of the entire transaction.

The specific amount of the penalty imposed on Yes Bank was Rs 91 lakh (approximately $113,750 USD). While the financial implications might be limited, the RBI’s action serves as a significant regulatory warning to Yes Bank. It highlights the importance of adhering to established banking norms and prioritizing customer protection.

Impact on Yes Bank and Customers

The RBI’s penalty could potentially damage Yes Bank’s reputation, particularly if details regarding the unauthorized use of internal accounts emerge. Customers might lose trust in the bank’s ability to safeguard their financial information and handle their accounts responsibly.

Yes Bank has yet to publicly comment on the specific nature of the unauthorized internal account activities. However, it’s crucial for the bank to take corrective measures to regain customer confidence. This could involve providing a detailed explanation of the situation, outlining steps taken to prevent future occurrences, and potentially offering compensation to affected customers.

Industry Implications and Regulatory Scrutiny

The RBI’s action against Yes Bank and ICICI Bank sends a strong message to the entire Indian banking industry. It emphasizes the importance of adhering to regulations and ethical practices. This incident is likely to prompt increased scrutiny from the RBI towards other banks, potentially leading to further investigations and penalties for non-compliant practices.

Moving forward, Indian banks need to ensure robust internal controls and compliance procedures are in place to prevent similar incidents. Transparency and accountability are paramount in maintaining customer trust and fostering a healthy banking ecosystem.

Consumer Awareness and Regulatory Action

This incident serves as an important reminder for Indian consumers to be aware of their banking rights and understand the terms and conditions associated with their accounts. Customers should proactively monitor their account statements and challenge any unauthorized charges or activities.

The RBI’s role in ensuring regulatory compliance and protecting consumer interests is critical. This recent action demonstrates the central bank’s commitment to holding banks accountable for their practices. It’s anticipated that the RBI will continue to actively monitor the banking sector and take necessary steps to maintain stability and ethical conduct within the industry.

Read more: Marketing News, Advertising News, PR and Finance News, Digital News

[aboutanancientenquiry]

The Role Of The Persian Ethnography (1.131-40) in Herodotus

Megan Elizabeth Gier The Role Of The Persian Ethnography (1.131-40) In Herodotus, MA thesis, Cornell University, 2014

" ABSTRACT

This thesis explores the role that the Persian ethnography plays in Herodotus' Histories by focusing on the relationship between the Persian characters in the historical narrative and the ethnographic passage describing the Persians (1.131-40). First, the Persian ethnography itself is examined, and then the main Persian characters are assessed. By drawing on key examples from the extensive appendix, which lists the actions of each Persian character, my paper aims to analyze the role that the ethnography plays in the depiction of the individual in Herodotus' text.

When we use the ethnography as a framework for thinking about the Persian characters, a few patterns emerge from the analysis: those who wield absolute power tend to violate Persian customs and are presented unfavorably, while those who largely uphold the Persian values and practices of the ethnographic passage are more favorably depicted by Herodotus. A brief comparison between the network of Persian character-ethnography relationships and that of the Scythians and Egyptians shows that this is a feature unique to the Persians in the Histories."

And the concluding paragraph of the thesis:

"As far as I can tell from such limited data, the wide range of Persian character- ethnography relationships is not present in the case of the Scythians or the Egyptians -- or at least it is not present to the degree that would allow us to characterize it as a general feature of Herodotean ethnography rather than a feature unique to the Persians in the text. What I aimed to demonstrate in this paper is that the Persian ethnography serves a much more complex purpose in Herodotus' text than that of simply presenting interesting customs and beliefs of the Persian people. Since it functions as a framework for thinking about the Persians in Herodotus' narrative, the ethnographic passage is key to the interpretation of the numerous and complex Persian characters, though it is important to remember that attempting to use it as a source of criteria for evaluating the characters is not as straightforward as one might like. The position that the passage occupies between the end of the account of Cyrus' rise to power and the beginning of his increasing departure from the idealized Persians of the ethnography suggests that Herodotus uses the ethnography to highlight the negative transformation of Cyrus caused by his acquisition of power. The fact that Cyrus, Cambyses, Darius, and Xerxes largely contradict the expectations engendered in the reader by the ethnographic description of the Persians, while many Persians of lesser rank like Prexaspes and Artabanus exhibit the positive traits enumerated in the ethnography, points to the link Herodotus draws between the position of autocratic ruler and the atrocities that such power causes. While I certainly don't claim to have exhausted the possible functions of the Persian ethnography in the Histories and I recognize that there is still much that can be said about it, I do hope to have at least shown that it is productive to consider how it operates within the larger context of Herodotus' work."

Megan Gier, University of Illinois, Chicago

[digitalcommunitiesphamphuonglinh]

// Week 10: Social Media Governance //

Navigating the Intersection: Online Harassment, Social Media Governance, and Digital Citizenship

Hey, Tumblr fam! Today, let's dive into a crucial topic that impacts all of us who roam the digital realm: online harassment. 🌐💻 From rude comments to outright threats, online harassment comes in various forms and affects a staggering number of internet users worldwide. But here's the kicker: it's not just a fringe issue anymore. Nope, a recent survey found that a whopping 41% of Americans have personally experienced some form of online harassment. Yikes, right? So, buckle up as we explore the ins and outs of this pervasive problem and its implications for social media governance.

An Examination of Online Harassment and Its Consequences for the Regulation of Social Media

Harassment of any kind, whether verbal or physical, occurs frequently on the internet and affects a large percentage of the population. Consciously targeting specific people or groups with nasty, threatening, or insulting content is a common component (Wolak, Mitchell & Finkelhor, 2007). Abusive behaviour on the internet has traditionally been associated with extreme individuals—"narcissists, psychopaths, and sadists" (Buckels, Trapnell & Paulhus, 2014)—who are either unique or inhabit unusual areas of the web. But now, according to a September study by the Pew Research Centre (PRC) of adults in the US, 41% of those people have been victims of online abuse at least once (Vogels, 2021).

According to Duggan (2017), there are five main forms of harassment: sexual harassment, persistent harassment, physical threats, embarrassing others on purpose, and harsh name-calling. In a similar vein, Lenhart et al. (2016) classify harassment as a whole, including specific behaviours like physical threats and insults. By extension, "cyberbullying" is often used to describe forms of harassment that mostly target young people (Kowalski et al. 2014).

Gender bias is a common feature of cyberbullying. Gender-based harassment disproportionately affects women, non-binary individuals, and other gender minorities. Such harassment manifests in diverse ways, including abusive digital dating practices, non-consensual image sharing, and intimate partner violence (Bailey 2021; Rocha-Silva, Nogueira & Rodrigues 2021). Due to its prevalence in private contacts and the normalisation of gender-based violence, gendered harassment is frequently a reflection of larger societal imbalances and can be difficult to eradicate (World Health Organisation 2021). Furthermore, power imbalances and perseverance might be traits of cyberbullying (Kazerooni et al. 2018). Online harassment takes many forms, including but not limited to flaming, trolling, impersonation, and public shaming (Blackwell et al. 2018). As a group, these actions are aggressive, harmful, and intentionally hurtful; as a result, victims experience mental, emotional, and even bodily suffering (Langos 2014).

Effective measures for social media governance can only be developed by first gaining a thorough understanding of the perceived damages linked to various forms of online harassment. The negative effects of cyberbullying on victims' mental and physical health can be devastating, and in some cases, permanent (Harms 2015). Although the effects of harassment could differ depending on the specific form it takes, the nature of the harassment itself can also have an impact. Persistent harassment can have devastating effects; many victims, particularly women, have spoken out about the constant barrage of unwanted attention they've received while using the internet (Massanari 2017). Harassment, whether individual or perpetrated in groups, can have a multiplicative effect on victims' perceptions of harm (Marwick 2021).

Also, how people experience and perceive the harm caused by cyberbullying depends on their intersecting identities. Disabled people, Black people, and LGBTQ+ persons are disproportionately likely to experience severe and persistent harassment, according to studies (Grey 2011; Fitzgerald et al. 2019). The adverse effects endured by these communities are compounded by misogynoir, online racism, and discrimination, which manifest in the form of violence, stigma, and other detrimental consequences (Lirri 2015; Pskowski 2017).

Given these findings, combating cyberbullying calls for concerted efforts across technology, law, and society. The safety of users, especially those whose identities make them easy targets for harassment, should be the top priority of social media policymakers. Responsible social media administration's essential components include effective moderation regulations, robust reporting procedures, and proactive steps to counteract abuse. Another important step in reducing the frequency and severity of cyberbullying is encouraging positive online behaviours such as empathy, respect, and inclusivity.

Due to the multifaceted character of cyberbullying, social media regulation must extend beyond the realm of content management. Online safety can be improved if lawmakers and social media companies take the time to learn about the complex interplay between digital citizenship and the nuances of cyberbullying. Next, we'll discuss how online harassment affects social media governance and look at some possible solutions to this widespread problem.

Social Media Governance: Why It Matters

An essential part of creating a positive online environment is content moderation, which is how platforms handle infractions of community guidelines and other rules. To sort through the massive amount of user-generated content, content moderation uses a mix of human involvement and algorithmic detection, as pointed out by Gillespie (2018) and Roberts (2019). Although considerable effort has been put into enhancing policies, reporting mechanisms, and moderation approaches (Schoenebeck, Lampe & Triệu 2023), the majority of online platforms continue to struggle to effectively mitigate harassing conduct (Rainie, Anderson & Albright 2017). In addition, according to Vogels (2021), the problem seems to be worsening, since 79% of people who took part in the PRC survey think that social media businesses are only doing a fair or bad job of dealing with cyberbullying and harassment.

Among the many complex issues with content moderation, contextual subtleties must be carefully considered. According to Douek (2020), different cultural and linguistic contexts may have different definitions of harassment. Furthermore, human moderators must review massive amounts of content quickly, which raises ethical questions regarding the safety of these employees who may be exposed to disturbing content (Roberts 2019). Furthermore, concerns about censorship and responsibility arise from the authority that social media platforms have in deciding what kinds of content are acceptable to share (Kaye 2019).

On top of that, there is a wide variety and ever-changing character of online harassment. Vulnerable individuals or groups can be targeted through a variety of tactics, such as hate speech and doxxing (Grey 2020; Marwick 2021). The moderating process is made more difficult when such harassment occurs both publicly in news feeds and privately in direct messages.

Current solutions to online harassment, such as removing content and banning users, are being evaluated for their effectiveness. Despite their effectiveness in responding immediately to flagrant infractions, these methods may fail to tackle systemic problems with conduct or open doors to fairness and responsibility (Goldman 2021). As a result, victims are frequently left out and unable to seek justice or have their harm addressed (Blackwell et al. 2017). The nature of the harassment and the identity of those affected may also affect how effective remedies are (Schoenebeck et al. 2021).

Hence, it is critical to address cyberbullying with more than just taking down content and fining offenders. Goldman (2021) argues for a more complex strategy that takes into account aspects of responsibility, equity, and community engagement by drawing on legal research. Proposed solutions include public apologies and admissions of guilt, although there are questions about the sincerity and efficacy of these measures (Battistella 2014).

Not only does it help with enforcement, but it also validates victims' stories and educates the community (Matias 2019). Nevertheless, the preferred methods of addressing harassment can differ based on the specific kind of harassment experienced and the identities at play. Apologies, for instance, may not be preferred as solutions by certain marginalised groups if they believe that they are not genuine. According to Schoenebeck, Haimson, and Nakamura (2021), this further proves the importance of customised strategies.

Fundamentally, establishing efficient social media governance is critical for cultivating an online environment that promotes constructive interaction and courteous dialogue. Platforms may work towards making the internet a safer and more welcoming place for everyone by tackling the multifaceted problem of cyberbullying and giving a voice to those who have been harassed or victimised.

Social Media Governance, Online Harassment, and the Intersection of Digital Citizenship

Accounting for Harassment Types and Harm in Design and Policy

One of the biggest problems with digital citizenship is the prevalence of harassment and other forms of cyberbullying, which make it difficult to build safe and welcoming communities online. But to solve this problem, we need a sophisticated knowledge of the many kinds of harassment and the many degrees of damage they cause. According to Schoenebeck, Lampe, and Triệu (2023), different sorts of online harassment might lead to different perceptions of harm, thus it is important to categorise these talks accordingly. As an example, while verbal abuse may not seem as terrible as, say, sexually explicit images sent without consent might have serious consequences.

Furthermore, these danger judgements do not hold across all demographic categories. Despite bearing a disproportionate share of the burden of harm, marginalised groups, including women, the elderly, and people of colour, are grossly underrepresented in the halls of power that make tech policy. That is why it is crucial to listen to the people who have been most impacted by cyberbullying (e.g., Benjamin 2019; Noble 2018) before responding effectively. Social media governance practices can be enhanced by adopting victim-centred approaches rather than punitive measures, by incorporating principles of trauma-informed practice and affirmative consent (Im et al. 2021; Tseng et al. 2022).

Expanding Remedies for Reputational Harm

To effectively manage social media platforms, we need more tools to combat the complex kinds of online harassment. A more thorough consideration of reputational injury is being increasingly acknowledged, even though traditional remedies like content removal and user bans are still widely used (Schoenebeck, Lampe & Triệu 2023) In cultures that hold honour in high regard, the effects of relational and reputational forms of harassment—which are frequently disregarded by policy and legal frameworks—can be devastating. Harassment victims may face public shaming or even death for an alleged online violation, which can have a significant impact on their reputations in societies and cultures where honour is highly valued (Maher 2020).

On the other hand, solutions are not necessarily more effective in cases when harassment is more severe. Existing remedies may not be sufficient to offer meaningful redress in circumstances of extreme harm, such as doxxing or non-consensual distribution of sexual images. The trauma experienced by victims may be worsened by the difficulty they encounter in obtaining assistance and navigating the judicial system. Persistent traumatic experiences, also known as re-traumatisation or secondary trauma, can result from being the target of persistent harassment (Levenson 2017). Consequently, to better safeguard users from the most severe types of harassment, social media platforms should investigate novel ways, such as enhanced blocking capabilities and automated reporting systems.

Towards Holistic Social Media Governance

In the end, a comprehensive strategy that recognises the complex interplay between digital citizenship and online abuse is necessary for effective social media regulation. To address the wide variety of ways in which users have been harmed, platforms must move beyond generalisations about harassment. Blackwell et al. (2018) argued that social media sites can help create more secure and equitable online environments by giving a voice to underrepresented groups and giving priority to answers that centre on victims. Systems can be built to assist users in preventing harassment, for instance, by implementing automated reporting systems, elevating blocking methods, and making it easier for users to seek support when needed.

But to do this, present methods of government must be drastically rethought, shifting focus from punitive actions to proactive interventions that tackle systemic inequities. Social media sites can't do their part to prevent cyberbullying and promote good digital citizenship unless they take this comprehensive strategy.

Conclusion

Alright, fellow Tumblr aficionados, we've unpacked the complexities of online harassment and its tangled relationship with social media governance. This isn't just a matter of deleting nasty comments or hitting the block button. No, it's about fostering a culture of empathy, respect, and inclusivity in our digital spaces. By amplifying marginalised voices, prioritising victim-centred responses, and reimagining our approach to governance, we can pave the way for safer, more inclusive online communities. So, let's roll up our sleeves, demand accountability, and work towards a brighter, harassment-free digital future together. 💪✨

Additional Resources:

Towards Digital Platforms and Public Purpose: Final Report of the Democracy and Internet Governance Initiative | Shorenstein Center

Social media companies should stop normalising neo-fascism | Media@LSE

UNESCO brings together stakeholders to discuss the role of social media in promoting peace

References

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Noble, SU 2018, Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism, NYU Press.

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Roberts, ST 2019, Behind the Screen, Yale University Press.

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Tseng, E, Sabet, M, Bellini, R, Harkiran Kaur Sodhi, Ristenpart, T & Dell, N 2022, ‘Care Infrastructures for Digital Security in Intimate Partner Violence’, CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI ’22).

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[divergent-one-1984]

Organized Crime Ring in Astoria, NY, in a neighborhood under the jurisdiction of 114th PRECINCT and in apartment buildings managed by CENTRAL ASTORIA, LLC. I have been the victim of TARGETED COMMUNITY HARASSMENT SINCE SUMMER 2016 because of my race and gender, I am an African American woman (because of a rumor / gossip mill started by staff at NYC DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION while I was employed there from 2014 to 2016 I was made the victim of WORKPLACE MOBBING and TARGETED PSYCHOLOGICALHARASSMENT & TORTURE / EMOTIONAL ABUSE. Due to the illegal access and leaking of private, personal, confidential information by wiretapping / cloning / hacking of personal devices, accounts and illegal surveillance in my residence, etc. This includes leaking of confidential medical information (HPV diagnosis in 2008 (strains that can cause CERVICAL CANCER and an ABORTION I had in 2004) - ONGOING NOISE HARASSMENT - PSYCHOLOGICAL / SUBLIMINAL REFERENCE TO EX SEXUAL PARTNER - KIRK DOLPHY - JUNE 9, 2023 @ 2:22 AM

In addition to the HATE CRIME element to the ongoing stalking and harassment there is a RELIGIOUS Zealotry / Nuttery / Judgmental / FUNDAMENTALISM / EXTREMISM element to my daily harassment as I am being harassed by mostly MUSLIM and LATINO people.

Based on facts / my observation, I would estimate that 9 out of 10 people harassing me on a daily basis are MUSLIM or LATINO, with MUSLIMS ranking number 1 (the majority being MEN and BOYS), MUSLIMS who appear to be from MIDDLE EASTERN / ARAB countries and countries on the ASIAN continent, such as BANGLADESH and PAKISTAN where the majority of the demographic is MUSLIM)

The TARGETED COMMUNITY HARASSMENT I have been enduring since SUMMER 2016 includes an array of tactics including a massive NOISE HARASSMENT and SLEEP DEPRIVATION CAMPAIGN, usually carried out along with other tactics including but not limited to NUMBER and COLOR HARASSMENT to PSYCHOLOGICALLY HARASS me to subliminally reference / remind me about people, places, and things of my life, mostly of a negative nature (both current and historical).

I believe the main factor in me being made a target is because of HPV, in 2008 I was diagnosed with HPV, strains that can cause CERVICAL CANCER.

I believe this confidential medical information was illegally accessed and leaked while I was employed at NYC DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION from SEPTEMBER 2014 to APRIL 2016.

Therefore I believe that some of my ex-sexual partners might be involved in this, ones who are ill informed and ignorant af because HPV is extremely common and I got it from one of my sexual partners so what. Only the most ignorant would do something like this to me for that reason.

I don't mess with people so no one would do something like this to me out of the blue so HPV seems to be the only reason simply because people are judgemental of people with STDs / STIs and if you are ill informed and ignorant generally you might be inclined to make someone the target of ORGANIZED GROUP STALKING for this reason.

Based on the way I have lived my life and been to people in my life there is no other explanation for this being done to me.

So either its a stranger crazy stalker person or its someone I know, who is also a crazy stalker person because I have not done anything to anyone in my life for this to be a proper response.

Also, based on my TARGETED HARASSMENT, PSYCHOLOGICAL / EMOTIONAL ABUSE & TORTURE, the constant attention to my vagina, my menstrual cycle, my physical appearance, my abortion, HPV, basically anything having to do with me being a woman, my sexual past, and my reproductive organs, anything of this nature it seems like it would be likely that a person(s) I had a sexual / romantic past with to be a potential suspect to do this to me.

Also the fact that I am being HARASSED everyday by mostly MUSLIM MEN and BOYS, do I even need to talk about the blatant disregard that religion has for women.

Also I believe many of the MUSLIMS who are harassing me daily are from MIDDLE EASTERN / ARAB / ASIAN countries, many of whom I believe to be not just ANTI-WOMEN but ANTI-BLACK.

BLACK WOMEN are blatantly disrespected all the time by all kinds of people including BLACK MEN, some people more than others.

On JUNE 9, 2023 (6/9/23) at 2:22 AM I was awakened by NOISE HARASSMENT coming from MUSLIM TENANTS above me dropping a heavy object on the floor. I had gone to bed at around 10 PM so I was well into a deep sleep at this point but as usual on many occasions NOISE HARASSMENT tactics are used to impart SLEEP DEPRIVATION.

This incident references KIRK DOLPHY, who is an ex-sexual partner of mine from JUNE 2007 - 2009. Our relationship was Friends with Benefits basically.

I met KIRK DOLPHY in JUNE 2007, at the time he was working for NYC DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. When I began working at NYC DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION in SEPTEMBER 2014, KIRK DOLPHY was still employed there.

As stated previously, KIRK DOLPHY and my relationship was simply sexual and my harassment basically involves a bunch of PERVERTED MUSLIM MEN and BOYS, as well as LATINO MEN and BOYS harassing me about my person, my physical appearance overall, my reproductive and sexual organs, my menstrual cycle, HPV, etc.

NUMBER HARASSMENT basically involves the use of numbers to SUBLIMINALLY / PSYCHOLOGICALLY REFERENCE a person, place, or thing to EMOTIONALLY ABUSE and HARASS a target (see previous posts for more detailed definition of NUMBER HARASSMENT, COLOR HARASSMENT, NOISE HARASSMENT, etc.)

On JUNE 9, 2023 (6/9/23) at 2:22 AM I was awakened by NOISE HARASSMENT coming from MUSLIM TENANTS above me.

NUMBER HARASSMENT will use numbers we see in everyday life to instigate harassment of target, such as time, date, battery life percentage on a device, tv channel, etc.

The number has to have a meaning / reference to a person, place, and / or thing in the targets personal life. My personal, private, and confidential data seems to have been ILLEGALLY ACCESSED (seemingly through mostly my PERSONAL CELL PHONE, DEVICES, INTERNET SEARCHES, EMAIL and SOCIAL MEDIA accounts, and other databases, such as healthcare, financial, or education information can be obtained by someone authorized in their job duties such as a police officer, but abusing authority and power to fraudulently obtain this data outside of the scope of their official job duties to basically dig up "dirt" on target to use against them) and LEAKED

In this particular case:

On JUNE 9, 2023 (6/9/23) at 2:22 AM, if we break down the date and time this incident occurred we have the following with are direct references to KIRK DOLPHY, SEX and MY PERIOD.

KIRK DOLPHY is being referenced because our relationship was based purely on sex.

When we reconnected after I began working at NYC DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION in 2014, we had sex one time in early 2015.

We kind of discussed getting back into our FWB thing after this now about 5 year hiatus (we stopped having sex in 2009 based on my choice), but retained a cool acquaintanceship over the years.

At this time my period was going to start in about a week or so, during a time when I have visual symptoms of this, bloating, swollen breasts, protruding nipples, etc.

It is obvious based on my HARASSMENT over the years that ILLEGAL SURVEILLANCE has been DIRECTED AT and INSIDE my residence, I have also talked about this stuff on my personal cell phone, of which data has been ILLEGALLY EXTRACTED.

You would not know such intimate details like this unless you were seeing me physically in real time and since I rarely leave my apartment and don't talk to anyone anymore due to the RUINED RELATIONSHIPS from this harassment there is no other reasonable explanation.

Since reconnecting in 2014 and having this conversation with KIRK DOLPHY about resuming a FWB thing, I recall discussing a time for us to best hook up (on my PERSONAL CELL PHONE) that would not be around my period and stated the best time would be mid month to maximize pleasure because I felt more sexual at this time due to ovulation, basic biology.

So if we were going to hook up, which could have been more than just once a month, should definitely include some dates around middle of the month, and basically end and beginning of month was out because of my period.

No one at my workplace or in my community would be privy to such information unless they hacked my PERSONAL CELL PHONE having access to historical data, including audio conversations.

So on JUNE 9, 2023 @ 2:22 AM, the MUSLIM TENANTS ABOVE ME WOKE ME UP WITH NOISE OF DROPPING A HEAVY OBJECT ON THE FLOOR.

-JUNE 9 = 6/9 = 69 is a sexual position which KIRK DOLPHY and I talked about on my PERSONAL CELL PHONE, on more than one occasion.

-2:22 AM = 2/22 = FEBRUARY 22

FEBRUARY 22 is KIRK DOLPHY'S BIRTHDAY.

10 minutes later at 2:32 AM someone was driving by my apartment building making LOUD REVVING NOISES WITH THE ENGINE (a frequent occurrence) while I was submitting a NOISE COMPLAINT online to NYPD.

Since it is apparent there is ILLEGAL SURVEILLANCE DIRECTED AT and INSIDE MY RESIDENCE, in addition to my PERSONAL INTERNET AND DEVICES BEING HACKED / CLONED, etc. these HANDLERS / STALKERS knew I was submitting a NOISE COMPLAINT so they were driving by making noise to either deter me from submitting the complaint or reminding me I HAVE NO PRIVACY, or a combination of both I suppose.

Additionally, KIRK DOLPHY is being referenced as it relates to HPV.

Based on a couple factors including the time I was diagnosed, I believe I contracted HPV from WILFRED SHAWN KIRKALDY, however it is a possibility I contracted it from KIRK DOLPHY as well, simply based on the timing of diagnosis.

WILFRED SHAWN KIRKALDY and KIRK DOLPHY were 2 out the 3 sexual partners I had before my HPV diagnosis.

Before my diagnosis in JANUARY 2008, I had 3 sexual partners, which included WILFRED SHAWN KIRKALDY (2nd) and KIRK DOLPHY (3rd).

So its possible any one of my first 3 sexual partners could have passed it to me. I may never know, however I don't care, I am well informed, it is what it is.

I had gone for regular pap exams prior to this and always had normal results.

JANUARY 2008 was the first time I had an abnormal pap smear ever. So the last time I went for an exam should have been the year or so prior because I only ever went / had to go to GYN for annual exams.

Since a person(s) did this to me and HPV is most likely a major contributing factor I am forced to talk about it because I will tell the truth, not the obvious lies and half truths out there about me in order to cover for some very mentally sick people.

SEXUAL PARTNER #1 - I don't think this person had anything to do with instigating this and he will never be named.

SEXUAL PARTNER #2 - WILFRED SHAWN KIRKALDY (2002 - JUNE 2007)

SEXUAL PARTNER #3 - KIRK DOLPHY (JUNE 2007 - 2009, 2015) (I had already been having sex with KIRK for 6 months prior to HPV diagnosis)

HPV DIAGNOSIS (strains that can cause CERVICAL CANCER) - JANUARY 2008 (I told / inquired WILFRED SHAWN KIRKALDY about HPV diagnosis on my PERSONAL CELL PHONE in 2008 after my second opinion diagnosis in SUMMER of 2008.)

SEXUAL PARTNER #4 - I don't think this person had anything to do with instigating this and he will never be named. (however, I DO THINK ASSOCIATES OF HIS MAY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED)

SEXUAL PARTNER #5 - DEVIN ELTON THOMPSON (MAY - JULY 2010, NOVEMBER 2010)

SEXUAL PARTNER #6 - LUIS MARTINEZ (SUMMER - EARLY FALL 2011)

WILFRED SHAWN KIRKALDY and KIRK DOLPHY had sexually promiscuous lifestyles so it is not out of the ordinary to think they could have HPV.

HPV is extremely common and I would think the more partners you expose yourself to the higher the risk of contracting it. This would also include people who have sex with people who have had many sexual partners and / or engaged in high risk behavior.

I only had 1 sexual partner prior to WILFRED SHAWN KIRKALDY. WILFRED had a lot more partners than that and had 4 kids with 4 different women.

I never cheated on WILFRED or anyone for that matter.

I cannot say the same for him, while I never had concrete proof and he claims he didn't I would not put it past him based on his history. If you have never been faithful, I don't think I am the one who is going to make you change all of a sudden if this is how you been moving your whole dating / sex life.

While WILFRED and I were toxically uncoupling from JANUARY 2006 - JUNE 2007 we were still having sex, again I was only having sex with him, I can't say the same for him, I know he had been on some dates, don't know whether or not he was having sex with them. So for these reasons and others I believe I contracted HPV from WILFRED.

I think it may have been dormant / inactive for sometime and became active / presented itself in JANUARY 2008 because of the stress, diminished immunity, weight loss I was going through during our break up.

People can have HPV and not know it because if you are healthy with a robust immune system it usually does not have an affect and clears up on its own, is the medical terminology I have heard used.

Additionally, I had an abortion in APRIL 2004 (WILFRED'S) and I had a nodule, I guess a beningn cyst removed from my CERVIX, this was 4 years before my diagnosis so I don't know if this was HPV related or not.

Also, I had the abortion at a PLANNED PARENTHOOD, not my regular GYN so idk, maybe they just removed it assumed I knew about it and moved on, but as I stated I never had abnormal results, never had anything removed, and only ever went to GYN for regular annual exams, nothing else.

Also, since HPV is so common, especially in the younger years when people are single and having multiple partners, I have heard that GYNs may not address it with patients because they think it will clear up and go away on its own and may never affect the person. They don't want to cause unecessary hysteria.

I only had 2 sexual partners prior to KIRK DOLPHY.

KIRK DOLPHY participated in threesomes and attended sex parties, (neither activity I engaged in) but doesn't matter I am still potentially exposing myself just by having sex with him alone.

So this is just one example of the DAILY HARASSMENT I go through of mostly MUSLIM and LATINO MEN and BOYS STALKING and HARASSING me about people, places and things of my life that I don't care about and that they should not know about.

[niftynightmare]

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Jim Phelps September 22, 2014 Hormones, Meds

High-Dose Thyroid Hormone As a Mood Stabilizer in Bipolar Disorder

This webpage describes the use of thyroid hormone as a treatment for rapid cycling bipolar disorder. If you did not arrive from my main page on Thyroid Hormone and Bipolar Disorder, you could start there for some basics about this hormone and why it is relevant for this illness.

To summarize the information below: several independent research groups have been studying this treatment approach. The results are not conclusive, primarily because we need several more studies to confirm the initial results. Only one so far is a “randomized trial” comparing results versus a placebo treatment. But the results so far are quite promising, and the risk levels appear to be very low, so this approach is worth at least knowing about. For patients who have tried many other approaches, this represents one more alternative. Because the risks appear to be so low, it might even be worth considering early in the usual progression through standard mood stabilizer medication options. More data on its effectiveness would be nice, of course.

This high-dose approach has been described by a research group which has done most of the investigations, in a review article which provides a nifty summary if you are trying to get references to your doctors. Because otherwise your job will be quite difficult in this respect, I have taken the liberty of giving you a direct link to this document, which follows my summary below. All errors in interpretation are my responsibility. (If anyone objects to my having made this paper available in this fashion, please let me know and I will remove the link.)

The Hardest Evidence: a randomized trial

The only randomized trial of this approach was published in early 2014.Stamm Bottom line: high-dose thyroid was better than placebo, but only in women, not in men. And (very satisfying, I’d been nursing this hunch for years) it worked better in women who started the trial with a high TSH. This is hard evidence, because of all the work it took to produce this study with no big money behind it. At the rate it took to get these data, we’ll not likely seen another study like this for quite a while.

Skip to the next section, Who Might Benefit, unless you really want the details of this study.

Here are their results, first for women and men together; then for women only, then men only. Note the remarkable placebo response among the men, wiping out any difference with thyroid. When men’s results are mixed with the women’s, the men’s placebo response limits the “statistical significance” of the results in the overall group (A).

HighDo1

HighDo2

HighDo3

There are plenty of quibbles possible here. First, the sample size is so small, maybe that’s why the results are not more strikingly significant. Imagine what these results might look like if the authors had been able to recruit hundreds of patients, as was done in the (industry-supported) study of quetiapine. Looks to me like the trend here is very strongly positive, just as quetiapine was; the lack of “statistical significance” can be attributed to the small sample size — as long as one presumes that a larger sample would have shown the same pattern of results.

The dosing: 100 mcg daily in week 1, 200 mcg/day in week 2, 300 mcg/day in week three to six. (Really). Patients were all on mood stabilizers, optimized by blood level; over half were also on antidepressants.

Negative effects: of the 31 subjects receiving thyroid, one had mild hyperthyroidism, one got a rash, and one became manic. None had ECG changes, increases in blood pressure, nor weight loss.

Conclusion: at least in women, this strategy has been shown to be superior to placebo in a randomized trial. Based on these new data, but also on some complex thyroid physiology, the authors are much less enthusiastic about the likelihood of response to this treatment in men.

Who might benefit?

Most of the open-trial data on this treatment approach has focused on patients with rapid cycling bipolar disorder. The Berlin randomized trial described above focused on bipolar depression. Treatment-resistant” depression, whether bipolar or unipolar (a very difficult distinction in this group of patients), may also respond to this approach.

What are the risks, and side effects?

Surprisingly, this approach is generally tolerated very well. You would think that people would become hyperthyroid, which would lead to the following symptoms:

heat intolerance (hot when others are comfortable, sweating when no one else is, wearing fewer clothes than others)

loose stool or diarrhea

irregular menses

tremor

feeling “wired” or agitated

increased resting pulse rate

But that does not seem to happen for patients who do well with this approach. Pulse rates to go up, generally about 10-20 beats per minute. Some minor symptoms from the above list were noted by some patients, but not to the point of requiring a treatment change. The researchers note that in patients who do not have bipolar disorder, high-dose thyroid would be expected to produce

substantial levels of these symptoms.

Heart risk

Becoming hyperthyroid on your own, because your thyroid gland is not working properly, has been associated with an increased frequency of an abnormal heart rhythm called “atrial fibrillation”. This is not lethal, but it is uncomfortable. Heart pumping capacity decreases by about half, and people feel quite strange. They often go to the emergency room, where generally this abnormal rhythm can be corrected.

But does taking thyroid hormone cause this same increased frequency of atrial fibrillation? in other words, does it make a difference, when the thyroid hormone comes into your body from the outside, instead of when you make it (due to a hyperthyroid state) from the inside? This is not known. All we can say at this point is that in following the patients who are using this high-dose thyroid approach, the researchers have not seen episodes of atrial fibrillation. Of course, at this point they may not have seen enough patients to catch the few cases which might arise from this treatment, so we cannot yet say that thyroid hormone from the outside is different in this respect.

Bone risk

To reiterate from my Basics page:

Risk #2, Bone: This only applies if you stay on high doses of thyroid treatment, presumably because you and your doctor have decided that the treatment is working really well. If you try the treatment and conclude in a month or two that it is not working, this risk is not an issue. A risk that has been associated with staying hyperthyroid due to an overactive thyroid gland is osteoporosis — loss of calcium in your bones, with a risk of fractures, especially when you get older.

But so far, In a 5-year follow-up of patients being treated with high doses of thyroid hormone for bipolar disorder, this was not a problem. Bone density decreased, because the average age in this study was 50, and we all are going down at that age (so to speak; it’s the voice of experience…). But there was no more bone loss than was seen in people of the same age and gender who were not being treated.Ricken

A massive review of high-dose thyroid treatment and bone density also concluded that the risk is either non-existent or at least lower than that of multiple other common treatments for bipolar disorder.Kelly For more see details of bone risk in thyroid treatment.

Agitation

Once in every 15 or 20 patients or so it seems that even low doses of thyroid hormone cause a feeling of agitation and muscle tension and anxiety. This goes away when the dose is lowered or the thyroid is stopped; it takes about 3-4 days to fade away. Very unpleasant. This is a short-term risk I now warn my patients about. I’ve seen it even when the patient’s TSH is quite high, meaning we’re not seeing this agitation because the thyroid dose is “too high”. For example, one patient has a TSH around 4 and cannot take even one quarter of a 25 mcg T4 pill without getting this agitation thing. I have several patients like that.

A case reportRao describes a patient who had agitation and depression at the same time, associated with being hyperthyroid (symptoms resolved when her own thyroid hormone production was lowered). So it seems that in addition to inducing hyperthyroid symptoms, high doses of thyroid hormone could induce a “mixed state”, or something like it. Unfortunately, mixed states are relatively common in people with rapid cycling, the very ones who might theoretically benefit from the high-dose thyroid strategy. Neverthelss one must keep in mind the possibility that if a person is on the high-dose approach and having “mixed state” symptoms, this could be from the thyroid dose.

Tests to do before starting

Several groups of patients would not be suitable for this treatment approach, and so must be sought before treatment begins. These include:

High thyroid levels (hyperthyroid)

Cardiac history (previous heart attack, severe high blood pressure, previous abnormal rhythms, low cardiac output (“heart failure”))

Pregnancy or breast-feeding

Already low bone density, or age greater than 70, or dementia

The researchers also recommend some procedures which may require modification for use in the real world, as opposed to a research setting. For example, they recommend a measure of bone density (an expensive test) before treatment begins, whereas I think it makes more sense to limit this to women who have other reasons for concern about bone density, or at least those who do so well on the treatment that it will be continued long-term. An electrocardiogram is recommended for patients with a history of heart rhythm problems, and a consultation with an endocrinologist/internist for patients with a history of thyroid abnormalities.

Doses used for starting

Which form: T3 or T4?

As you know (if you don’t, read my Thyroid Basics page), there are two forms of thyroid hormone, T3 (triiodothyronine, liothyronine/Cytomel) and T4 (levothyroxine). Both of them have been used in this “hypermetabolic” treatment of bipolar depression. The randomized trial referred to above used T4. You could assume that because this has been the form which has been more widely used in research (namely the UCLA group and their spin-offs), that is the form which should be considered for this approach in the hands of most average psychiatrists.

However, a remarkable pioneer, Dr. Tammas Kelly, in Colorado, has gathered a huge number of patients that he has treated with the other form, T3. He is carefully analyzed the results achieved with this approach, and published them a well respected psychiatric journal (Journal of Affective Disorders).Kelly He clearly has one of the largest patient samples ever studied with this approach.

While I have generally used T4, following the UCLA approach, Dr. Kelly is strongly in favor of T3. There has never been a direct comparison of the 2 approaches. T3 has some significant advantages. Indeed, a recent large federally funded study found T3 better than lithium for treatment-resistant major depression: same degree of benefit, with less side effects and need to discontinue on that basis.STAR*D

So, which one to use? at this point, it’s rather a toss-up. If you saw Dr. Kelly, he’d give you T3. If you saw me, I’d give you T4, because that’s the one I have more experience with.

T4 doses (the UCLA review description)

Starting Dose(mcg per day) Dose Increase(mcg/day)

Normal thyroid(TSH in the normal range) 100 100/week

“Subclinical” hypothyroidism”(TSH elevated) 25-50 Slow*

Overt hypothyroidism(TSH elevated, T4/T3 low) 25-50 Slow*

*reach euthyroid status in 6-8 weeks

Lab tests during follow-up

In this high-dose approach, think about what will happen to TSH. If you followed the story about TSH lab result interpretation (How is Thyroid Measured?, here), you will understand that high dose thyroid treatment drives TSH down to very low levels, zero or close to zero. When starting this treatment, everyone should be prepared to see the TSH go that low. This should not be a surprise, and it should be accepted as part of the plan.

What about the other lab tests, like the T4 level, or T3 level? In the article linked below, the researchers with the most experience using this approach recommend allowing an increase in T4 up to 150% of the starting T4 level. In a personal communication, one of the researchers talked in terms of “150% of the upper limit of normal“, which is obviously likely a little higher number. As for T3, if we had our good reliable measure of this one hormone, especially one that was cheap, this might be the best marker of all, as it is closer to what might be the important physiological endpoint. The researchers point out that if this one is not elevated, perhaps the patient is not really hyperthyroid?

To summarize this issue: there is no accepted laboratory marker indicating the upper limit of this process if the patient him or herself does not have signs or symptoms of hyperthyroidism. This is still being worked out in research. Obviously what matters is to prevent bad outcomes that might be associated with “too high a dose”. But how can we say what it is too high, except based on bad outcomes or on some understanding of the physiology? (as you’ll see below, not much of the relevant physiology is understood)

Think about it this way: if the patient does not have signs and symptoms of hyperthyroidism, but the laboratory studies are in the “hyperthyroid” range, who is correct — the lab results, or the patient? It is such a person really “hyperthyroid”? Is she or he really at increased risk of atrial fibrillation and decreased bone density?

Remember, these risks were originally recognized in patients who were “naturally hyperthyroid”: they were made hyperthyroid by their own gland, not by someone giving them thyroid hormone. We do not yet know if high-dose thyroid creates the same risks, presuming that the patient is not symptomatic. For now, I think we can summarize by saying that there is no consensus on how to judge how much thyroid hormone is too much. Going to 300 mcg, as used in the randomized trial in Berlin, seems a reasonable upper limit for now. In cases where many other approaches have been tried, going to 400 mcg or even a little higher seems justifiable. I personally will be using “T4 up to 150% of the upper limit of normal”.

If this seems radical, or daring, or even “Western cowboy style” medicine, think about the kinds of risks to which we expose patients when we use a medication that has just been approved by the FDA. How shall we define the upper limits of acceptable treatment? What are the risks of going to that level, or beyond? how much risk are we taking just getting to levels that manufacture has already deemed acceptable? When a medication is new, these are almost completely unknown — perhaps even more unknown than the risks of the thyroid approach discussed here.

How does this work?

Seems like a strange idea, using these high doses. Does anyone know how this ends up having a mood stabilizer effect? Basically, the answer is no. Remember, T3 is the active version of thyroid hormone. The researchers point out that when someone becomes spontaneously hyperthyroid, from their own thyroid gland overproduction, they have increased levels of T3 as well as T4. When T4 thyroid is given as a pill, from the outside, even at high doses, T3 levels are not abnormal. In this respect, the patient is not “hyperthyroid”, at least in the same sense as if TSH went to zero from his or her own thyroid production. Thyroid hormone control is extremely complicated. Using high doses of thyroid is simply bumping a system we don’t understand very well. Unfortunately, this is what similar to the situation we face using nearly any medication for bipolar disorder (although our understanding of the causes of bipolar disorder is improving rapidly).

How to Explain This to Your Doctors

Most primary care physicians and endocrinologists have never heard anything about this high-dose approach. But some physicians have been using thyroid hormone for patients with mood problems for years, without a clear rationale. In their opinion, it just seemed to work and not cause too much trouble. Because there was no research behind this approach, it was thought to be almost irresponsible, at least by some endocrinologists. Therefore, if you are considering high-dose thyroid, you are very likely to run into resistance to the idea from other doctors. You can send them to this webpage, if they will go, but for many doctors you might need to walk in with a review article from a source with very good credentials on this issue. Because you could not easily put your hand on this otherwise, and you are so likely to need it, I offer you a link below to a PDF you can print. (Again, if anyone objects to my having made this available, please let me know and I will take it down and post an explanation of the objection.)

The Article You Will Need to Take to Your Doctors

(updated 11/2014)

Want to know more? Try Dr. Kelly’s 2018 book, The Art and Science of Thyroid Supplementation for the Treatment of Bipolar Depression.

Related posts:

Antidepressants in Bipolar II: What the Experts Do

Do Benzos Treat Depression?

Olanzapine vs. Asenapine

How to Microdose Medications

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