Fazbear Frights: What We Found Analysis

Here’s my analysis for What We Found, the third story in Gumdrop Angel. I wrote this as I read so it may be a little different than my previous analysis where I read the story first and went back.

If you’re a Michael Afton fan I highly recommend this. Also, there’s possibly some insight into William Afton, Mrs. Afton, and Henry too, so it’s worth a skim.

Pg 144 '...a place thirty-some years forgotten' Just reconfirming FNAF 3 is 30 years past *one* of the FNAF closings, presumably FNAF 2 location.

Pg 145 "The whole building was giving him [Hudson] a headache." FIX THE VENTILATION BRUH

Pg 148 '...they were able to use salvaged derelict equiptment original to the old pizzerias.' Another confirmation of something we heard from Phone Guy.

Pg 147 "How old are you?" "Twenty-three, same as you." I think this gives us Michael's age during FNAF 3.

EDIT: This kept me awake last night. Obviously this is impossible because he has to be alive for at least 10 years before 1983, BUT maybe its just reconfirming FNAF 3′s year? 2023?

Pg 149 "Hudsan's dad died and his mom married Lewis, a ridiculous balding man who wore plaid vests and smoked a pipe" Did... Did this book just seriously imply Mrs. Afton left William for Henry? Really? (Yes, there's differences; the husband is dead and the man wears plaid 'vests' but it seems very odd to include that detail. This could just have been the writer's own imagination, though.) I have seen this as a fan theory and 100% explains the jealousy aspect of William, but I can't help but kinda hate it. I think this is very important, though, and probably Scott's intention. "This horrible little man [Lewis]... would make Hudson's next ten years a living Hell" This REALLY intrigues me given the context I just went over. The text implies Lewis was fairly neglectful to our main character / Michael stand-in Hudson. Maybe I'm wrong and for some reason Mrs. Emily left and went to William? XD Haha, I'm reading too much into this page. Maybe I'll come back to this later. I figure it's more of Scott possibly including double-details (contradicting stuff with the same character that really applies to two, which has been something I heavily pointed out in previous anaylsis on this blog) Having said that, I'm going w/the former because I can't imagine Henry being abusive (neglectful yes, abusive no) and he's never been portrayed that way in official works like William has in the novels.

Pg 150 "Hudson began to screw up in class...a product of spending the night in fear that his stepfather [Lewis]... [would] beat him just for the fun of it." Ooof. Big confirm on William actually being abusive. Unless we stick with the Henry theory for Lewis (combined with Midnight Motorist Henry theory / alcoholic). "...near-daily beatings..." "his mom started taking pills to get through the day..." So, whoever Mrs. Afton is, she was definetly not paying attention. But then, most people married to serial killers either don't notice because of denial (like this) or because the killer is so manipulative / careful they can't notice.

"Barry, who had red hair and freckles..." Yo?! Is that a description of Fritz?! These friends in the story could be the other kids Michael knew's stand-in's, aka the two gravestones with names he used (Fritz and Jeremy), as shown in the checks for the games and FNAF 6. I've long figured Michael was probably friends with the victims--it makes them easier, although riskier, targets [for William]. The two friends are male, too, like Fritz and Jeremy. If you're curious about Duane's description (our stand in for Jeremy), it's "tight black shirt... muscles... black hair long enough for a glossy ponytail..." I'm not sure if this matches anything found in the novels or contradicts them, though. (The novels = TSE trilogy)

"And so it went... until the night of the fire." For context, this is before FF burns down. We're learning of Hudson's life from his close friends in childhood, his father's death, his mother remarrying, to his abusive stepfather, to his grades slipping to this line. This would be a new fire not seen/mentioned in the games...

Pg 151 "...go to Charlie's for a sundae..." Really. Really Scott. Just gonna use this name again. OK. I'm not even gonna discuss this because it's probably irrelevant. *This is confirmed on pg 158 to be an ice cream shop. No lore relevance aside the annoying name coincidences Scott loves to troll with.

"This is not... an advance into enemy territory, a fight with demons, or a descent into Hell..." Uh, what? What is Hudson talking about? XD I'm only noting it because it seems so out of place. He's probably talking about video games or something.

Another note, although I don't have a specific reference since it is mentioned off-hand many times, is that Hudson keeps referring to his "history" which is implied to have kept him from getting a well-paying job and a girl he's crushing on doesn't know this "history" which is good for him. Seems good old "Michael Stand-In" has done some jail time or something. Edit: On pg 154/155 the girl asks Hudson, "Did you do it?" Seems he may have killed his stepfather or been involved with something else just as bad. Edit 2: No, I was thinking too deep into it. This probably refers to Evan's death at Fredbear's. DUH.

Pg 156 describes an actual "prize corner" in FF! What am I even reading? IIRC this is in FNAF 3, too. So they just hand out these scary gift boxes to people that complete the attraction? (Hudson says he *would* have fun handing out the scary toys to kids when this location opens--kind of a bully thing to do, eh?)

"[Hudson] avoid[ed] glancing in any of the mirrors..." I'm only pointing this out because it could be reference to one of two things. 1) We know because of one of UCN's music tracks, William has a fear of his reflection. Michael probably shares this trait, especially since 2) after Ennard and all... and later on pg 157 it also says, "he never wanted to face: himself" Sounds like guilt, my guy.

Pg 157 "blonde hair... blue eyes..." Hudson shares an eye color with Michael. It's possible Michael had blonde hair as a child and it changed to brown (it's common, something I personally went through being technically blonde/ blue eyed myself)

"He [Hudson] knew from personal experience that toys could turn from fun...to torture ina heart-beat" Fairly self explanatory. Either Hudson's worked at a creepy location before or he doesn't like remembering Fredbear's.

*checks how much is left.* There's still 35 pages (not counting back/front) left of this... This is gonna be a lot of notes.

Pg 158 Hudson doesn't have a car. Poor Mike, probably having to walk everywhere. Especially as a corpse.

Pg 160 This page describes many physical issues Hudson has that prevents him from entering the Navy, all from the abuse of Lewis. Obvious paralell to Michael becoming an undead [because his father sent him to CBPR indirectly causing his condition]

Pg 161 "How's your granny, Hud?... ...Is she still alive?" "I don't think she can die." Does anyone in the Afton family really 'die'? XD

Pg 162 These few pages discuss Hudson's grandmother. She's described as "a seer who claimed to know the future... ...wore big men's plaid flannel shirts with baggy jeans" Um, more plaid / flannel? AGH. STAHP. Lowkey, I would totally headcanon my Aunt Jen like this, though.

Pg 163 "Hudson's mom... the way she was before Hudson's dad had died... never... particularly warm and fuzzy... but... effiencient and responsible..." More about Mrs. Afton, so that's kinda neat.

"Hudson's dad was fun and attentive." There's a good Dad in this series?

"Unfortunetly, he also struggled with mental illness." "invisible low points" (Pg 164) Kinda reminds me of how Henry is described after Charlotte's death in the books.

Pg 164 "When Steven got himself into a bad deal that cost him his small business... he'd taken his life." Oh, it is Henry! SMH. Way to use confusing paralells. So, from our understanding thus far, Hudson's real father, Steven, is our Henry stand-in. His step-father despite being described similar to Henry, is actually our William stand-in. Fair game, Scott.

Pg 164 "...he [Hudson] was locked into a supply closet..." Oh shit, you guys. So, let me go on a tangent here, because this IS important! I just watched a retrospective on Sister Location and FNAF 6 earlier and one theory for Midnight Motorist was the person in the chair was the mother and the kid was Michael. I think this little line may confirm that. In fact, the story may be the key to figuring things out. Obviously, the line is a paralell to FNAF 4's scene in which Crying Child was locked in the supply closet of Fredbear's. I know some people, including Matpat, believe[d] CC was Michael, and in this book's context, it sort of works. This does contradict Step Closer and 1000 other things that make Michael the older brother, but maybe it's hinting at MM? Abusive stepdad (possibly Henry... maybe William is gone at this point), checked out Mom (hey, grey couch lady with Foxybro's font). IDK, but its definetly something to think about.

Pg 165 Lewis is mentioned as calling Hudson "nothing" and saying "you're nothing" on several occasions on this page. Just more abuse, for those accurate fanfic writers like me. Also I kinda wanna watch Morel Orel again. Yall know my fav character is Clay. Yall know.

"You're smoke." <-- Lewis / The text later reads, "...there was some irony, given what eventually happened." BRUH. Why did your stepdad die in a fire? :V TELL ME.

"When his family's house burned down at the end of his senior year..." Huh. Is there a fire we don't know about in the game-verse? Could this explain what happened to the FNAF 4 house before MM house?!

"...it purged Hudson of Lewis and his mother." MRS. AFTON BURNED ALIVE, TOO? Bruh. I can't with this story.

The text later describes the fire is concluded to be man-made and Hudson was blamed for it. Can't say if this ties to Michael, but it IS interesting... TBF, there is a small paralell to draw between Henry in FNAF 6 and his history of suicide in the books, too.

Pg 166 "...this place's [FF] busted thermostat.." I just find this line funny.

Pg 167 "...after three weeks of keeping an eye on the place" Some more timeline context for FNAF 3. We know that Michael worked there a little while before we start playing the game thanks to one of the phone calls, IIRC, so this makes sense. If Michael was accused of [something] and also wanting to hunt down his father, then it makes perfect sense why he's working a dead end job at Freddy's over and over and over. Fun fun fun.

Pg 169 "He hated to think about a functional character [Foxy]" This line is in regards to Hudson not liking the set up of Pirate's Cove and Foxy's hook to scare people. Sounds familiar, don't it? (For Michael anyway.)

Pg 173 "Some big find is arriving tomorrow." SPRINGY BOI! COME ON BOOK, get on with the show?

Pg 176 "Granny was wearing a red-and-green plaid shirt and her baggy jeans." Nothing special, but it was specifically brought up twice. I'm kind of racking my brain trying to understand what the point of this character is outside of "woooo everything is haunted don't you know that" kind of character.

Pg 180 "...dropped the crate on the linoleum with a resounding thud." HEY. Poor Springtrap, just gettin' tossed around like the trash he is.

Pg 186 "If you weren't so stupid, I'd tell you more about it." Springtrap bringing the burn. =:)

"A voice with a burr-like rasp...hint of a Southern accent" I'm going to assume this is because it's Lewis probably in the suit in this story and not our old British lad.

"It's was Mr. Atkin's voice." THE MATH TEACHER? *goes back to check* 'The algebra teacher'. Okay...

Pg 190 Okay, so Hudson hear's Lewis' voice this time. Okay, I get it now. Springtrap in this kind of imbodies all of Hudson's old bullies, including the teacher. He also has PTSD, just FYI. IDK if anyone finds that important, but it's fairly obvious by the line "He wasn't in his bedroom. Lewis didn't just slam his head into a desk; his head had been slammed into the [arcade] game."

"Why did he hallucinate a scene from his childhood?" Oh, it's not PTSD, then. It's just the VENTILATION ERROR. lol Okay.

Just a note, as I'm reading through the more action-based stuff, I kind of feel bad for Michael if he had flashbacks like this guy. They're intense.

So, Lewis' voice finally comes out of Springtrap on Pg 213. There's that.

Pg 220 "You can just stay there [in his room]" Kind of a paralell to Midnight Motorist. Lewis is saying it to Hudson. I really feel like the kid in the MM game is Michael because of this story...

Pg 223 "Heat purges. Fire heals." I'm sure that's Henry's life motto.

The ending was stupid, but most in these stories are. Hudson is hallucinating and is implied to have burned himself alive in FF's oven. Meh? The first half of this one is A TRIP and a little insight into what I 100% believe is Michael's childhood. I think the saddest part of it all is that we never got Springtrap speaking to Michael in FNAF 3--and if it's ever remade I hope we get more of them interacting.

Disordered Mood: Mania and Hypomania (according to DSM-5)

Where major depression roughly pertains to clinically significant extremes of low mood (specifically, moods dominated by negative feelings or an absence of pleasure), ‘mania’ roughly pertains to clinically significant extremes of high or energised mood—specifically, moods dominated by intense positive feelings, irritability, or increased energy or activity. The term ‘mania’ is reserved for the more clinically significant instances of such moods, whereas instances at the lower end of clinical significance are instead described as hypomanic.

It should be clear that mania/hypomania has relations to normal subclinical phenomena, if only because it is often normal and appropriate to have a mood that is moderately elevated, expansive, or irritable, or periodically to exhibit increased energy or activity. However, there are some subtleties here, and I plan to write a separate blog post that focuses on these relationships between mania/hypomania and subclinical psychology.

For now, I shall just comment broadly on some relevant aspects of subclinical personality. In particular, we differ in the extent to which we are disposed to subclinical versions of manic/hypomanic features, due to normal subclinical variation in our personalities. There are definitely some subtleties and controversies here too (which I plan to discuss in that separate blog post). Nevertheless, it is worth noting, in this connection, that the personality types most relevant to manic/hypomanic features are predominantly characterised by high extraversion under the NEO-PI-R model of personality.

It is especially clear that strong dispositions towards subclinically elevated/expansive moods are measured by high scores on the trait domain extraversion, largely by way of the positive emotions facet. Dispositions towards various related phenomena such as outward activity, socialising, talkativeness, and positively motivated recklessness, which are also strongly associated with mania/hypomania, are similarly captured by high extraversion, respectively via the activity, gregariousness, assertiveness, and excitement-seeking facets.

In addition, there are reasons to think that the specific kind of irritable mood that is involved in mania/hypomania is strongly associated with high extraversion rather than being unique to the angry hostility facet of neuroticism as one might expect. (One small aspect of this is related to a discussion point in the Mood Component section, below. I have flagged that point by showing it in blue. The rest of the details will, again, have to wait for that separate blog post.) Some other aspects of mania/hypomania have, at the level of subclinical personality dispositions, an association with low agreeableness. Other aspects are perhaps associated with low scores on certain conscientiousness facets, or high scores on certain openness facets.

Overall, however, personalities that dispose individuals to subclinical versions of manic/hypomanic features (including but not restricted to subclinically elevated mood), are largely characterised by high extraversion under the NEO-PI-R model, along with some limited shades of low agreeableness. (By way of contrast, as discussed in my post on major depression, the subclinical personality types most relevant to major depression are characterised by high neuroticism, which disposes one to negative feelings via the depression facet, and by low extraversion, which, via the positive emotions facet, disposes one to anhedonia in relation to positive feelings).

Mania/hypomania is centrally involved in bipolar disorders, and is a substantial component of certain presentations of schizoaffective disorder. My next original blog post will focus on bipolar disorders, including the role of mania/hypomania in those disorders. Having just a single manic episode is sufficient, on its own, for a diagnosis of bipolar I (although both hypomanic and major depressive episodes are common in this disorder), whereas occurrences of both hypomania and major depression are required for a diagnosis of bipolar II.

In DSM-5 (2013; p. 124–5), the American Psychiatric Association characterises mania and hypomania as follows. As already mentioned, hypomania and mania are distinguished only by certain markers of severity in relation to clinical significance (with mania being at the more clinically significant end). Below, these distinguishing criteria are shown in red (in both definitions).

Hypomania

One is in a state of hypomania, or having a hypomanic episode, just in case one is in a distinct period of both

abnormally and persistently elevated, expansive, or irritable mood

and

abnormally and persistently increased activity or energy

where this disturbance

is present most of the day, nearly every day, for at least four consecutive days.

does not involve psychotic features, and is not sufficiently severe to necessitate hospitalisation or cause marked impairment in social or occupational functioning.

is associated with an unequivocal change in functioning that is uncharacteristic of the individual (at least when asymptomatic).

is observable by others (or such that its effects on normal functioning are observable by others).

is not attributable to the physiological effects of a substance (though if full criteria are met during antidepressant treatment, this would be sufficient for hypomania).

includes at least three of the following conditions—or four if the mood disturbance only involves irritability—in a manner that is significant, persistent, and represents a noticeable change from usual behaviour:

(1) Inflated self-esteem or grandiosity

(2) Decreased need for sleep (e.g. feels rested after only three hours of sleep)

(3) Increased speech: More talkative than usual, or seems under pressure to keep talking

(4) Racing thoughts: Exhibits ‘flight of ideas’, or has the subjective experience that thoughts are racing

(5) Distractibility (such that attention is too easily drawn to unimportant or irrelevant external stimuli), as might be self-reported or observed

(6) Increased outward activity, which might be goal-directed (e.g. pertaining to socialising, work or school, or sex) or constitute psychomotor agitation (i.e. purposeless, non-goal-directed activity)

(7) Recklessness: excessive involvement in activities that have a high potential for destructive or painful consequences (e.g. engaging in unrestrained buying sprees, sexual indiscretions, or foolish business investments)

Mania

One is in a state of mania, or having a manic episode, just in case one is in a distinct period of both:

abnormally and persistently elevated, expansive, or irritable mood

and

abnormally and persistently increased activity or energy

where this disturbance

is present most of the day, nearly every day, for at least one week (or any length of time if hospitalisation is required).

has psychotic features (i.e. hallucinations or delusions), or is sufficiently severe to necessitate hospitalisation or cause marked impairment in social or occupational functioning.

is associated with an unequivocal change in functioning that is uncharacteristic of the individual (at least when asymptomatic).

is observable by others (or such that its effects on normal functioning are observable by others).

is not attributable to the physiological effects of a substance (though if full criteria are met during antidepressant treatment, this would be sufficient for mania).

includes at least three of the conditions (1)–(7), as listed above under the definition of hypomania—or four if the mood disturbance only involves irritability—in a manner that is significant, persistent, and represents a noticeable change from usual behaviour.

Mood Component

To recap, the essential feature of a manic/hypomanic episode is a distinct period of abnormally and persistently elevated, expansive, or irritable mood, together with abnormally and persistently increased activity or energy. In hypomania, this disturbance of mood and activity/energy does not involve psychosis or marked functional impairment, whereas in mania it does involve either psychosis or marked functional impairment. Thus, mania/hypomania can be construed broadly as a disturbance that has a mood component and an activity/energy component. The clinical significance of this disturbance is then indicated, at least in part, by the presence of specific symptoms, which are listed above as (1)–(7). The mood component of mania/hypomania will now be discussed, followed by the activity/energy component. Since all of the specific symptoms tend to be observed in the nature of an individual’s increased activity, they will be discussed in the section on the activity/energy component.

During a manic/hypomanic episode, an individual’s mood is often described as euphoric, excessively cheerful, high, or “feeling on top of the world.” Manic/hypomanic mood is often of such a highly infectious quality that it is easily recognised as excessive, and it tends to be characterised by unrestricted and haphazard enthusiasm for interpersonal, sexual, or occupational interactions (note that this relates the mood component of mania/hypomania to the activity/energy component). As just one example, the individual might spontaneously start extensive conversations with strangers in public.

However, it is also possible for manic/hypomanic mood to be predominantly irritable rather than predominantly elevated, particularly if the individual has been using substances (which is quite common in the course of a bipolar disorder) or the individual’s wishes are denied (here, in many cases, the irritability results from an impeding or thwarting of the individual’s increased outward activity, which represents another potential connection between the mood component and the activity/energy component of mania/hypomania).

Manic/hypomanic individuals can also exhibit mood lability—i.e. rapid shifting in mood over relatively brief periods of time—specifically involving alternations among euphoria (positive feelings and attitudes), dysphoria (negative feelings and attitudes), and irritability.

It is possible for manic/hypomanic episodes to have mixed symptoms, such that definitive manic/hypomanic symptoms, listed above as (1)–(7), co-occur with features of polar opposite mood states (i.e. features of depression or major depression).

Among the seven possible specific symptoms of mania/hypomania, the specific symptom that is most closely tied to mania/hypomania’s mood component is probably inflated self-esteem, although inflated self-esteem tends to be primarily observed in the unrealistic nature of an individual’s increased goal-oriented activity (for this reason, it is discussed below, in the ‘Activity/Energy Component’ section). Recklessness is also closely related to elevated mood (though, again, it tends to be observed primarily in the individual’s outward activity). However, all of the specific symptoms (and even the overall activity/energy component, to some extent) are strongly correlated with highly elevated, expansive, or irritable mood, and in many cases can be seen as expected consequences of having such a mood.

Manic/Hypomanic Mood in Children

In children, happiness, silliness and“goofiness” are normal in the context of special occasions, but if such things are recurrent, inappropriate to the context, and beyond what is expected for the developmental level of the child, then they might be diagnostically significant. If the level of happiness is unusual for the child—i.e. distinct from baseline— and the mood change occurs at the same time as other manic/hypomanic symptoms, then diagnostic certainty is increased. However, the child’s mood change must be accompanied by persistently increased levels of activity or energy that are obvious to those who know the child well.

Activity/Energy Component

In addition to elevated or irritable mood, mania/hypomania definitively involves an increase in an individual’s energy or activity. With the exception of inflated self-esteem, all of mania/hypomania’s possible specific symptoms—i.e. each of (2)–(7) as listed above under the definition of hypomania—can be seen as possible direct manifestations of this increased energy/activity. In other words, the increased energy or activity of mania/hypomania frequently manifests as a decrease in the felt need for sleep, increased talkativeness or pressurised speech, flight of ideas or racing thoughts, distractibility, increased outward activity, or careless outward activity (i.e. recklessness). Nevertheless, the specific symptom that most obviously typifies mania/hypomania’s increase in activity or energy is the increased outward activity symptom. Therefore, this symptom will be discussed first.

Increased Outward Activity

In mania/hypomania, increased outward activity might take the form of increased goal-oriented activity or psychomotor agitation. The increased levels of outward activity/energy often manifest at unusual hours of the day.

An increase specifically in goal-directed activity tends to involve excessive participation in multiple achievement-oriented activities, e.g. activities in pursuit of sexual, occupational, political, or religious goals. Relatedly, mania/hypomania frequently involves an increase in sexual drive, sexual fantasies, and sexual behaviour. More generally, manic/hypomanic individuals usually show increased sociability overall (e.g. renewing old acquaintances, and calling or contacting friends, or even strangers), without regard to the possibly intrusive, domineering, or demanding nature of those interactions.

However, the increased activity in mania/hypomania often constitutes mere psychomotor agitation or restlessness, which might manifest as pacing back and forth or holding multiple conversations simultaneously. Some individuals write excessive letters, e-mails, text messages, and so forth, on many different topics, to friends, public figures, or the media. (Here, there is significant overlap between increased outward activity and increased speech.)

Increased Outward Activity in Children

This increased activity can be difficult to ascertain in children; however, if the child takes on many tasks simultaneously, starts devising elaborate and unrealistic plans for projects, develops previously absent and developmentally inappropriate sexual preoccupations not accounted for by sexual abuse or exposure to sexually explicit material, then this might be diagnostically significant. It is essential to determine whether the behaviour represents a change from the child’s baseline behaviour, whether it occurs most of the day, nearly every day for the requisite time period, and whether it occurs in temporal association with other symptoms of mania/hypomania.

Inflated Self-esteem

As discussed, the increased goal-oriented activity of a manic/hypomanic individual often manifests as engagement in multiple overlapping new projects. The initiation of such projects is often careless or unrealistic, suggesting that nothing is out of reach, at least from the manic/hypomanic individual’s point of view. Projects might be initiated with little knowledge of the relevant topic, or the individual might embark on complex tasks despite lacking the relevant experience or talent (e.g. writing a novel, or seeking publicity for an impractical invention). More specifically, it is typical for an individual’s self-esteem to be inflated to some degree in mania/hypomania, ranging from uncritical self-confidence to marked grandiosity. (To have grandiosity is just to have a sense of one’s self, especially in relation to one’s abilities, status, or importance, that is positive to an unrealistic or unjustified extent.) In episodes of mania (as distinct from hypomania), grandiosity can reach delusional proportions. Indeed, grandiose delusions (e.g. delusions of having an important role or position, or having a special relationship to a famous person) are quite common in the course of mania.

Inflated Self-esteem in Children

In children, limited examples of grandiosity are both common and normal, e.g. overestimation of one’s abilities, or believing that one is the best at a sport or the smartest in the class. However, when such beliefs represent a change from the child’s normal behaviour, especially if they persist in the face of direct exposure to clear contrary evidence, or result in attempts at feats that are clearly dangerous, then hypomanic/manic grandiosity should be considered.

Recklessness

The outward activity exhibited in mania/hypomania is often insufficiently sensitive to negative outcomes and risks thereof. In particular, combinations of elevated/expansive mood, excessive optimism, grandiosity, and poor judgment lead to reckless involvement in activities such as spending sprees, giving away possessions, dangerous driving, foolish business investments, and uncharacteristic sexual promiscuity, even though these activities are likely to have catastrophic consequences. The individual may purchase many unneeded items without the money to pay for them and, in some cases, give them away. Reckless sexual behaviour often includes infidelity or indiscriminate sexual encounters with strangers, with disregard for the risk of interpersonal consequences or sexually transmitted diseases.

Increased Speech

Another one of the outwardly activated or energised aspects of mania/hypomania: the speech of a manic/hypomanic individual is often rapid, pressured, loud, and difficult to interrupt. Manic/hypomanic individuals tend to talk continuously and without regard for others’ wishes to communicate, often in an intrusive manner or without concern for the relevance of what they are saying. Their speech is sometimes characterised by jokes, puns, amusing irrelevancies, or theatricality (e.g. dramatic mannerisms, singing, or excessive gesturing). Loudness and forcefulness of speech often become more important than what is being conveyed. If the mood happens to be more irritable than elevated/expansive, the individual’s excessive speech might be marked, instead, by complaints, hostile comments, or angry tirades, particularly if attempts are made to interrupt or obstruct the individual.

Racing Thoughts

Relatedly, it is often the case that manic/hypomanic individuals exhibit racing thoughts, which seem to occur or change at a rate faster than the individuals can express through speech. Such individuals might experience flight of ideas, as evidenced by a nearly continuous flow of accelerated speech, with abrupt shifts from one topic to another. When flight of ideas is severe, speech may become disorganised, incoherent, and particularly distressful to the individual. Sometimes thoughts are experienced as so crowded and confused that it becomes very difficult to speak.

Distractibility

Manic/hypomanic distractibility is evidenced by an inability to censor immaterial external stimuli (e.g., the interviewer’s attire, background noises or conversations, furnishings in the room). Often, particularly in mania, distractibility prevents individuals from holding a rational conversation or attending to instructions.

Decreased Need for Sleep

One of the most common features of mania/hypomania is a decreased need for sleep. This is distinct from insomnia, in which the individual is unable to sleep despite wanting to sleep or feeling the need to sleep. The hypomanic/manic individual might sleep little, if at all, or awaken several hours earlier than usual, feeling rested and full of energy. When sleep disturbance is severe, a manic/hypomanic individual might go for days without sleep, yet not feel tired. Often, a decreased need for sleep is the earliest symptom of mania/hypomania, or occurs immediately before a manic/hypomanic episode, and can thereby herald its onset.

_____

Next: Bipolar Disorders

Imagine Pacho Sends You as a Gift to (Spy on) Amado 2/3

This is getting out of hand again, smh. (Not really) Warning: everyone loves Pacho. Un-betaed, I’ll post the entire thing on AO3 later. For now, you can find part 1 here.

Amado is occupied with all sorts of business affairs after you land in DF, leaving you to his younger brother Vicente. You quickly learn Vicente is in charge of security of all cartel business, that's something, you assume.

When asked why you don't go to Juárez directly, Vicente tells you Amado has several meetings with some important figures in DF. You have to figure out a way to infiltrate the plaza to learn more about Amado, staying at a luxury apartment owned by the narcos won't get you anything useful.

"She's crazy!" Vicente's whining when Amado finally shows up late that night, "She woke up at 5 in the morning for a fucking jog and dragged my ass to a wet market before it even opened. And that's not the end of it, she bought so much fish and my car still smells like a stinky fish tank right now."

Vicente is a bit exaggerating but you do have a fruitful trip to the local market. 

"Yet you finished everything she cooked." Amado points at the empty plates on the dining table, not annoyed at all.

"Do you have some leftovers?" The tall Mexican turns to you. Vicente interrupts, "No, we ate all salmon sashimi because Ryoko said salmon has to be served as fresh as possible, and I ate all wasabi. Oh man, that shit is hotter than serrano peppers. But don't worry, we have a lot of more fish in the jacuzzi." Right, it comes handy to have more than one bathtub in the luxury apartment.

Finally Amado sends away his bratty little brother. Then it's just the two of you. 

"I've got something for you." You remember to smile, which seems to work fine as Amado approaches. "All done?" He asks, you haven't figured it out what he's asking about, the dishes? Yes. Then the Mexican lowers your ponytail, running his fingers through your hair. 

"You don't wanna hair in your grilled pacific saury." You joke, bringing him another set of hot meal you specifically make for him.

"Tell me more about it." Amado takes a large bite, looking satisfied and more relaxed.

You two are chatting over some mezcal and a plate of edamame afterwards. Amado asks about your day, and trades some anecdotes about Vicente when you tentatively ask about his. The fucker is smart and vigilant. 

"I have to tell you something," Okay, you get his full attention, "The bluefin tuna you ate three days ago wasn't served in the best condition. Pacho wanted a show, everything grand and pretty, so I had to cut the red part of the fish and make a bright-colored akami plate right away. It's meaty and chewy, which should have been aged for three days in the fridge to allow the texture to soften and release more flavor," You opens the fridge, showing Amado several chunks of tuna you already cut out, "You can have friends over in three days, I bought enough for a full table."

"What about the pink ones?" He seems genuinely interested. You continue to explain that different parts of tuna offer variable tastes from super fatty pink otoro around the head and collar to chutoro, mixture of fat and meat from the back and belly.

To your surprise, Amado asks for a slice of the fat part, "You said it's the most expensive one. I shouldn't waste your hard-earned money, right?" Both of you laugh.

You take a really fat cut. When you're looking for a plate and the soy sauce, Amado just eats it from your hand. Your fingers are freezing from the tuna and when he swallows them with the slice, the hot and soft sensation around fucking turns you on like nothing else. The sashimi-hater even licks your fingers a few more times, "to clean the fat."

As he claimed, "It's better."

"Now you're gonna show me how you destroy my jacuzzi on day one."

You feel great sitting by the edge of the jacuzzi a.k.a. your temporary fish tank and checking out all the aquatic animals you bought earlier.

"It could've been us in it." What a tease. You laugh then get up, "I don't think it's a good idea to get naked with lobsters and octopuses." 

"Wait," Amado turns you around, still sitting by the edge, "Let me make it up for you."

When Amado decides to give you a head, you simply don't say no. It's like sitting on his face because you can barely stand still. He notices then pulls you closer. The lips used to wrap around your fingers now make you feel like in heaven, and God bless his fucking tongue. The Mexican is driving you mad.

"Shh, you wake up the octopus." You're at the tipping point and the fucker pauses. You open your eyes, an octopus is on the move, two tentacles approaching the edge of the jacuzzi, sucker rings very close to your bare legs.

Then imagine Amado gets up and pushes you up against the tiles in the shower, silencing you with a rough kiss. You taste yourself, and something raw, could be the tuna or the cigarettes he smokes. You get even more aroused by that. 

You're desperate for more of his touch. So you grab his big hand and put it between your thighs, and he's willing to comply. 

This is too much. You cum just after a few rubs against him.  

"I'm sorry for the other night. You're a genius." Amado's playing dirty, sweet-talking while he continues to rub against your oversensitive part, "Would you do me favor? I'm thinking about hosting a few guests, somewhere private, the tuna will be ready by Friday, right?"

You can't believe he falls for the trick. This could be an important business meeting and you're gonna be there.

"Sure. Can I ask something in return?" You already come to your senses while giving Amado a painfully slow handjob.

"Anything you want. Flowers? Jewelry? Cars? I have some better collections than Pacho's Corvette C4. Too flashy." Amado offers generously.

You can't help laughing, "Gosh, how could men make everything a dick comparison contest?"

"You saw his dick?" Amado bites your lower lips. He's rock hard, throbbing.

"I thought you did, too. You two seem very close. I mean, Pacho is a gorgeous man." You keep going, and teasing. You enjoy the fact that you just plant something really dirty in Amado's head. You bet he's having an imaginary threesome with you and Pacho. Not a bad idea though.

By the time you make him come, the Mexican almost forgets what you're asking.

"I ask 'Do you have some dumbbells?' I need my daily training and I don't have time to find a new gym here. What? How do you think I'm able to handle a 150lbs tuna in a line of work mostly for men?" You give Amado a little squeeze before licking it off.

You have a dream that night, being penetrated by Amado in some warm water while a giant octopus sucks you off. You wake up with wetness down there.

You visit several Japanese restaurants in town, unsurprisingly boring. You get the idea that local middle-class see Japanese cuisine as an exotic and cultural novelty. 

You even invite Amado to have lunch at one of those restaurants during his break. He frowns at the food after the first bite, "You can't do this to me."

What? "Asking me to eat this crap is inhumane. I'm spoiled." Amado makes it sound like you're the bad guy, but these smiling eyes give him away. He looks at you the way that makes you feel wanted.

You two end up eating cheap Mexican street food and that's where you find some early blossoms of jacarandas with excitement.

"You want those?" Amado asks, picking up some dried petals from the street. All you can think of is jacarandas flower could be an interesting alternative to sakura, which adds a domestic touch to the food you're gonna prepare for Friday. 

"Yes, please." Amado must find it weird but he just nods.

Once being brought to the outskirt location of the private meeting, you spend more time making rearrangement of the decor, trying to create an authentic Japanese ryotei experience. 

You call Amado once for extra resources. It's tricky because you don't know if you're in a position to ask anything when he's away, busy.

"I'm glad you called. I may not be an Asian culture fanatic like Pacho but I promise you will have anything you want. Whatever rare shit he's bought you, just name it. I'll have an entire Boeing 727 team ready to fly it in from every fucking corner of the world." Yeah, the dick measuring thing is still going on. 

What you don't mention is that you're also glad to hear his voice. "Will you come over?" You almost let it slip, "I mean, to see if you like everything."

"No. I trust you," Amado pauses, "I'll be an hour early."

"Mind the traffic." Bright laughter breaks from the other end of the line.

And thanks to the highly efficient Carrillo Air Express, stuff you request is brought to you the next day including a whole box of violet jacarandas petals.

You ask for a guest list before starting to set the table. "Just set tables for eight people." Vicente clearly has no idea of being a host. You explain that it's part of your job to make sure no one is allergic to seafood. "How the fuck do I know that?" The young man is still complaining.

"Don't worry. Give me a list. I'll look for their office numbers, call their secretaries and find out."

Vicente is easily convinced. You get what you want, a list of high-up politicians and business executives. Not sure how this is relevant but you memorize the names and companies anyway.

Amado makes his arrival almost cinematic. With a chopper still swirling outside, the man in black steps out from the driving seat on the right and waves to you like a king. 

"You're early." You can hide your smile this time.

"Because someone suggested I should 'mind the traffic.' It happens I've owned a few choppers." The fucker looks like a dashing pilot out Hollywood movies. 

You joke that he's nothing like what Pacho used to say, "Low-profile my ass." 

"Oh, Pacho talks about me?"

"Stop. I'm really not interested in which one of you has a bigger dick."

Later Amado hands you a wrapped frame. "I heard you're looking for some Japanese art for decoration. I don't know anything about art but..."

You can't believe he brings you a shunga, tradition Japanese erotic painting, depicting a giant octopus performing oral on a woman with pink tentacles all over her naked body. "You're ridiculous." You frown, it's too explicit you're not sure if it's appropriate for such an occasion.

"I saw something similar at Pacho's house. Well, minus the woman. Just boys." The cheeky bastard winks at you, "You're also serving octopus sashimi tonight? It's a fit then." That's how a print of the famous Octopus and Girl Diver ends up in the main room.

Dinner starts at 8 and everything is ready. You're asked to briefly introduce each dish to the guests when one's presented. Guests praise everything from the chopstick rest made of porcelain with traditional Mexican patterns, to the floral-shaped bream sashimi slices. The tuna sushi is a hit, everyone loves it. You give Amado a knowing smirk when you catch him taking a few himself. The octopus sashimi is a bit tricky but the guests are so "polite", they still pretend to enjoy the exotic food. 

The rest of the time you stay outside the room. You hear things but not in a coherent manner. Amado mentions NAFTA, export-oriented furniture and auto parts factories in Juárez, and two of them are head of the biggest tequila exporters of the country. Nothing makes sense for the drug business. Is the most successful Mexican drug trafficker gonna shift to other legitimate businesses? That might have an impact on Pacho's business.

When dessert is brought to the table, everyone wows — the improvised jacarandas mochi with dried petals is a nice surprise to end the dinner. You tell them the story that instead of the much-anticipated sakura which wasn't well-adjusted to the Mexican weather, how jacarandas was introduced to Mexico City by a Japanese gardener in the 1930s. All the guests finish their plates while giving you a few nods.

Amado seems very pleased with everything you've done. He lowers his voice to ask you to wait for him afterwards.

"Where are we going?" You ask through the headphones. Seems Amado is flying you back to downtown DF.

The Mexican smirks, "To the sky."

You finally land atop the roof of a skyscraper, "This is the tallest building in Mexico." Amado holds you tight when you exit the chopper. The wind at night in early January is insane, let alone you're 700ft above the ground.

It must be some five-star hotel but turns out it's an office building of Pemex, Mexico's state-owned oil company. WTAF? "Put it this way, the biggest exporters of the country hang out sometimes." Amado's sense of humor is something you didn't expect, "Well, I'm not saying they bring as many unattached US dollars as I do, not even close."

When you let the fact sink in — that the Juárez cartel probably earns twice as much as the biggest oil company in the country through exporting "goods," having access to a secret suite on the top floor of the Pemex Tower is not surprising at all.

"You bring people here often?" You ask when Amado pops a bottle of wine. The city view from the 54th floor is stunning.

"I didn't know you're the jealous type." He brings you a glass. You two stand in front the giant window, raising your glasses like you're celebrating. 

"You haven't asked what we're celebrating." Amado takes a step closer.

You put index finger on his lips, which are incredibly soft. Immediately remind you last time you kissed, "I don't want to get myself killed in a foreign country."

"Did Pacho teach you that? Not asking questions, just do your thing." Amado starts kissing your hand.

"Oh, my God. You're so obsessed with him, and it's kinda cute."

"Nonsense." The Mexican disagrees, and turns to the window. 

You sets both of your glasses aside, then leads Amado to the bed. You get undressed first, lying on the bed, waiting.

"You're sure this is something you want?" You ask, completely stripped. Amado stares at your flat-chested body like the first time he found out who you are. 

"You make it sound like I haven't sleep with supermodels. That funny?" The fucker tickles you, "You have no idea..."

Imagine Amado makes you feel adored, marking every inch of your body with his big hands and soft lips. He takes time, mapping your body till he finds the most sensitive spots and makes you moan, shivering.

"Let me warm you up." Amado probably thinks you're cold, so he spoons you. The long limbs of his are like tentacles wrapped around you, fuck, you can feel his erection grinding against you.

You're so wet for Amado. When he finally pushes in from behind, neither of you can resist the sensation.

"Wanted to do this to you the whole week. You're such a fucking tease, aren't you? Dropped at my door in that kimono robe then left without letting me even touch you." Amado pounds into you, with hand reaching your little bean from behind, making you a total mess.

 "Why didn't you make me stay then?" You're nearly breathless, "Is it...because it's within Pacho's territory?" You obviously cross some line with that. The thrusts become harder, feels like Amado is gonna fuck you senseless.

You're not sure if Pacho wants to know you are talking about him when you reach orgasm. 

You decide to leave it out before you pass out.

ISLAM 101: Muslim Culture and Character: Embracing The World:

DIALOGUE IN THE MUHAMMADAN (S.A.W) SPIRIT AND MEANING

I do not like to make claims and I have a poor memory, but in spite of this I can recite tens of verses, one after the other, that are concerned with forgiveness, dialogue and opening one’s heart to all. This demonstrates the all-embracing nature or universality of Islam.

For example, the Qur’an states, “peace is good” (An-Nisa 4:128). The verse does not necessitate its being particular to a certain event, meaning or framework. The rule is general. Moreover, does not the root of the noun “Islam” express soundness, surrender, peace, safety, and trust? Then it is not possible for us to be true Muslims without fully representing and establishing these characteristics. In addition to this, underlying the meaning of this sacred name is an essence that incorporates embracing all and approaching everything with love. But if we do not approach the subject in this spirit, then we cannot be considered as having understood Islam or having made its call or having represented it.

In addition to rules that guarantee peace and security, there are also verses in the Qur’an related to attitudes that should be taken against criminals and people who cause anarchy and terror; for such people there are legal sanctions, punishments, and retaliations. However, whether regarding verses and hadiths on these subjects or their implementations, if we do not take into consideration the conditions, if we do not separate the essence from the detail and the goal from the means, if we do not evaluate the verses in the context of the situation both before and after they were revealed, then we will always arrive at false conclusions.

I can and do say that peace, love, forgiveness, and tolerance are fundamental to Islam; other things are accidental. Yet, it is necessary to give priority to basic Muslim issues according to their degree of importance. For example, if God gives importance to love, if he has informed us that He loves those who love Him, and if he has given to the person He loved most the name “Habibullah,” i.e. one who loves God and is loved by Him, then we have to take this as a fundamental principle. Rules like jihad against hypocrites and unbelievers are secondary matters that are necessitated by circumstances. Rules are tied to various reasons and conditions. If there are no such reasons, then the rules will not be enforced.

Rules regarding things like execution, exile and war have been tied to various reasons. What is essential here is explaining and conveying the principles of Islam with kind words and gentle behavior. Also, peace, justice and stability are essential in Islam, war being a by-product of circumstances and dependent on certain conditions. Unfortunately, those who ignore the essence and do so without taking into consideration the reasons for the secondary rules and regulations, those who (by reading the Qur’an in the manner of a crude kind of Zahiris[1]) emphasize violence—these people have not understood the rules, the reasons for them nor their source, nor have they understood Islam.

When the relevant reasons appear, of course the rules necessitated by the reasons become operative. For example, when foreign enemy armies attack our country, we will, of course, not be expected to sit passively in a corner and say to the attackers, “How nice of you to come.”

Look at the world in which we find ourselves! According to some news recently reported in one of the newspapers, “bloody wars” are continuing in 56 places in the world. There are still floods of tears and blood flowing in many parts of the world. In many of these wars, some of the countries that defend democracy and human rights are on both sides. In that case, opposing war means opposing a human reality. For this reason, the moment someone touches our democratic rights and freedoms, we are, of course, going to defend ourselves and fight when necessary. But as I mentioned at the beginning, these are secondary things. The basis of Islam is peace and embracing humankind with love.

A Call to the Common Word

Another aspect of establishing and maintaining dialogue is the necessity of increasing the interests we have in common with other people. In fact, even if the people we talk with are Jews and Christians, this approach still should be adopted and issues that can separate us should be avoided altogether. For example, when the Qur’an calls the People of the Book, it says, “O People of the Book! Come to a word (that is) common between us and you.” What is that word? “Let us not worship anything but God.” Because real freedom is realized only by being saved from being someone else’s slave. When someone becomes a servant of God they are rescued from being anyone else’s slave. So come and let us unite on this matter. The Qur’an continues, “Let us not take some of us for Lords.” (Al-Imran 3:64) What is meant here is that our primary common point is belief in God; mentioning the Messengership of Muhammad has not even been mentioned yet. In another verse: “Say to those who believe: Let them forgive those who have no hope for the afterlife.” What is being said here is let those who do not believe in the afterlife and resurrection after death be forgiven, because “God only rewards or punishes a people with what they have earned,” (Al-Jathiya 45:14) i.e., if someone is going to be punished, then God will punish them and this matter does not concern anyone else.

Another clear example of this issue is related in particular to our Prophet who received a mild warning from God regarding the time he prayed against some guilty pagans. According to a report, a Bedouin Arab tribe requested that the Messenger send them teachers of the Qur’an. The Messenger sent them some, but they were ambushed and cruelly martyred at Bi’r Al-Maunah (the well of Al-Mauna). After this event, God’s Messenger prayed to God for their punishment. However, God revealed the following verse:

Not for you, (but for God), is the judgment concerning My servants: whether He turns in mercy to them, or punishes them because they are indeed wrongdoers. (Al-Imran 3:127-128)

Today there is an interest in religion all over the world. In my opinion, representing faith with its true values has gained an even greater importance than before. Today there is a need for people who are virtuous, self-possessed, cautious, sincere and pure of heart, people who do not steal or think too highly of themselves, and who prefer the well-being of others to their own, and who have no worldly expectations. If society can educate people with these characteristics, then it means that a much better future is imminent.

Forgiveness and Tolerance in Islam: Dialogue in the Muhammadan Spirit and Meaning

I do not like to make claims and I have a poor memory, but in spite of this I can recite tens of verses, one after the other, that are concerned with forgiveness, dialogue and opening one’s heart to all. This demonstrates the allembracing nature or universality of Islam.

For example, the Qur'an states, “peace is good” (An-Nisa 4:128). The verse does not necessitate its being particular to a certain event, meaning or framework. The rule is general. Moreover, does not the root of the noun “Islam” express soundness, surrender, peace, safety, and trust? Then it is not possible for us to be true Muslims without fully representing and establishing these characteristics. In addition to this, underlying the meaning of this sacred name is an essence that incorporates embracing all and approaching everything with love. But if we do not approach the subject in this spirit, then we cannot be considered as having understood Islam or having made its call or having represented it.

In addition to rules that guarantee peace and security, there are also verses in the Qur'an related to attitudes that should be taken against criminals and people who cause anarchy and terror; for such people there are legal sanctions, punishments, and retaliations. However, whether regarding verses and hadiths on these subjects or their implementations, if we do not take into consideration the conditions, if we do not separate the essence from the detail and the goal from the means, if we do not evaluate the verses in the context of the situation both before and after they were revealed, then we will always arrive at false conclusions.

I can and do say that peace, love, forgiveness, and tolerance are fundamental to Islam; other things are accidental. Yet, it is necessary to give priority to basic Muslim issues according to their degree of importance. For example, if God gives importance to love, if he has informed us that He loves those who love Him, and if he has given to the person He loved most the name “Habibullah,” i.e. one who loves God and is loved by Him, then we have to take this as a fundamental principle. Rules like jihad against hypocrites and unbelievers are secondary matters that are necessitated by circumstances. Rules are tied to various reasons and conditions. If there are no such reasons, then the rules will not be enforced.

Rules regarding things like execution, exile and war have been tied to various reasons. What is essential here is explaining and conveying the principles of Islam with kind words and gentle behavior. Also, peace, justice and stability are essential in Islam, war being a byproduct of circumstances and dependent on certain conditions. Unfortunately, those who ignore the essence and do so without taking into consideration the reasons for the secondary rules and regulations, those who emphasize violence—these people have not understood the rules, the reasons for them nor their source, nor have they understood Islam.

When the relevant reasons appear, of course the rules necessitated by the reasons become operative. For example, when foreign enemy armies attack our country, we will, of course, not be expected to sit passively in a corner and say to the attackers, “How nice of you to come.”

Look at the world in which we find ourselves! According to some news recently reported in one of the newspapers, “bloody wars” are continuing in 56 places in the world. There are still floods of tears and blood flowing in many parts of the world. In many of these wars, some of the countries that defend democracy and human rights are on both sides. In that case, opposing war means opposing a human reality. For this reason, the moment someone touches our democratic rights and freedoms, we are, of course, going to defend ourselves and fight when necessary. But as I mentioned at the beginning, these are secondary things. The basis of Islam is peace and embracing humankind with love.

A call to the common word

Another aspect of establishing and maintaining dialogue is the necessity of increasing the interests we have in common with other people. In fact, even if the people we talk with are Jews and Christians, this approach still should be adopted and issues that can separate us should be avoided altogether. For example, when the Qur'an calls the People of the Book, it says, “O People of the Book! Come to a word (that is) common between us and you.” What is that word? “Let us not worship anything but God.” Because real freedom is realized only by being saved from being someone else’s slave. When someone becomes a servant of God they are rescued from being anyone else’s slave. So come and let us unite on this matter. The Qur'an continues, “Let us not take some of us for Lords.” (Al-Imran 3:64) What is meant here is that our primary common point is belief in God; mentioning the Messengership of Muhammad has not even been mentioned yet. In another verse: “Say to those who believe: Let them forgive those who have no hope for the afterlife.” What is being said here is let those who do not believe in the afterlife and resurrection after death be forgiven, because “God only rewards or punishes a people with what they have earned,” (Al-Jathiya 45:14) i.e., if someone is going to be punished, then God will punish them and this matter does not concern anyone else.

Another clear example of this issue is related in particular to our Prophet who received a mild warning from God regarding the time he prayed against some guilty pagans. According to a report, a Bedouin Arab tribe requested that the Messenger send them teachers of the Qur'an. The Messenger sent them some, but they were ambushed and cruelly martyred at Bi'r Al-Maunah (the well of Al-Mauna). After this event, God’s Messenger prayed to God for their punishment. However, God revealed the following verse:

Not for you, (but for God), is the judgment concerning My servants: whether He turns in mercy to them, or punishes them because they are indeed wrongdoers. (Al-Imran 3:127-128)

Today there is an interest in religion all over the world. In my opinion, representing faith with its true values has gained an even greater importance than before. Today there is a need for people who are virtuous, selfpossessed, cautious, sincere and pure of heart, people who do not steal or think too highly of themselves, and who prefer the wellbeing of others to their own, and who have no worldly expectations. If society can educate people with these characteristics, then it means that a much better future is imminent.

A Code of Conduct for a Smuggler Ship

This is a world-building piece I'm using in my own fan fic.  Our smugglers, pirates, rogues, and other non-aligned/independent ships do have rules and codes of conduct.  They wouldn't live by Imperial/Republic/Federation/Klingon/Fleet rules.  Whether in space or on the sea, they still have to co-exist with their crewmates and captain.  This is mostly compiled from historical pirate codes, Gibbs from NCIS (it works), and other real-life incidents.

This is crossposted to AO3. 

Code of Conduct for Virtue’s Thief, under the command of

Captain Eva Corolastor

1.       The Captain’s responsibility is to the ship.  The ship is the crew, and the crew is the ship.  The Captain is to save the ship at any cost, including her own.

2.      The Captain is the first and final authority on Virtue’s Thief.

3.      Never screw over your Captain or your crewmates.

4.      All profit is disbursed evenly after the ship receives its share for maintenance. Private gambling, inheritance, and profits do not apply here.

5.      If someone is permanently injured, maimed or disabled in the service of Virtue’s Thief or her captain, they are to be pensioned off for the duration of their lives.

6.      The crew is entitled to a discount for services at the Captain’s discretion.

7.      Police your brass and cover your ass.  

8.      Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean you’re wrong.

9.      Always announce your entrance into the cockpit or the Captain’s quarters; she is armed.

10.  Always carry a knife.

11.  Never drink the last of anything.

12.  No pets.

13.  No children.

14.  Nobody talks about VATs [Very Awful Thing(s)].

15.  Blood stays in the cargo bay; do not track it around the ship.  Remove your boots as needed.

16.  No fighting on the ship; settle your differences planetside.

17.  No sleeping naked.

18.  No shagging in the ship (exceptions to be granted by the Captain).

19.  All crew members will carry spare clean underwear in a waterproof bag at all times.

20.  Birthdays are to be celebrated.  Get over it.

 1.  This rule is included since my captain is a Good Gal.  She's a Chaotic Neutral Leaning Good.  If your Captain is not so inclined, you may wish to alter this to better suit how your Captain sees his or her crew and ship:  are the crewmen and crew-women expendable?  Is the ship itself a tool to be used and broken, or is it the Captain's beloved home?

2.  Many pirate codes have votes and other democratic devices so each man had their say, especially if their Captain sees them as tools or as useful rather than friends and family.   Because my captain is GG in Rule #1, Rule #2 is not democratic, but rather, an assertion of authority because of GG status; your Captain has to be a leader, not a doormat.  If your Captain is more ruthless, then you may want to counter-balance with a rule that gives the crew some veto power.

 3.  This is self-explanatory.   Ships have limited quarters, and it's in everyone's best interest not to hate each other.  Gibbs' Rule.

 4.  This is a pragmatic rule, as the ship does have to be maintained as the home for everyone, even if she is own by the Captain.  This could also go toward the upkeep of ship's droids, if you're operating in the Star Wars universe.  This is based in actual rules from historical pirate codes.

 5.  Another historical pirate code rule.  This one is very generous (Good Gal Captain).  Often, there would be a limit set or a delineation of what body parts are worth how much -- arms, eyes, and legs all have different value, and how much of you lost also matters.  In the modern world, we have this when claiming disability benefits, particularly for veterans.  This is an opportunity for you to discuss how your characters are valued by the Captain/ship.

 6.  Depending on how you set up your ship and crew rules and who decides what jobs to take, this rule can be very relevant or not relevant.  I use it as an opportunity to prove Captain's benevolence, but this can be used to build tension -- is this job worth it?  Are you actually going to pay us for this gig?

 7.   Gibbs' Rule(s), but highly pertinent.  Most non-aligned ships are non-aligned for a reason -- shady activities? troubled past?  "Police your brass" is a term for cleaning up one's spent casings so that you don't leave a trace or evidence you were there.  Covering your ass is a catch-all for making sure there are no loose ends.  This is the "don't bring trouble home" rule -- don't bring unwanted attention to the ship. 

 8. Gibbs' Rule.  Even if you follow #7 to the hilt, this is still possible -- stay alert. 

 9.  The Captain often has the most to lose.  This is typically their ship, and all troubles land on their desk.  They're the ones trying to lead people of questionable character -- there's a reason they're out on their own.  Depending on what the job is, they may be carrying strangers on their ship or there may be concerns of a boarding party.  This can be used to depict Captain's trust, but also Captain competence -- do you want someone who trusts everyone responsible for your safety?

10.  Gibbs' Rule, but interesting to utilize in space settings.  In modern/historical settings and military settings, you always carry a personal sidearm or two as a hold-out; knife and a single-shot pistol (especially 3-D printed) are useful.  In space, there's all this fancy tech, like blasters, lasers, phasers, vibroknives, and so on. A knife can cut air supply hoses, slice electronics, puncture life support suits, and all sorts of chaotic things that a "highly evolved society" wouldn't think of.

11.  My own creation -- I have a hard-drinking crew, and if you want to break Rule #3 in the worst way possible, this is it.  One thing I have headcanonned is that there were originally just 10 rules on the Thief.  The second 10 come as a result of people breaking the first 10 -- more specific rules for more idiotic behavior that the writer didn't anticipate.  In the words of my captain, "Can I preface that by saying the rules exist for reasons?  As in, someone screwed up, and after we all didn’t die, I made the rule?”

12.  and 13.  These are flexible, but you have to consider what type of operation your ship is running.  Is it derring-do and swashbuckling and a business venture?  Or is something else more akin to a family group?  Within the SWTOR universe, I've seen people keep their ships very businesslike, but the same crews in another fan fic are raising kids and have pets.  Totally fine.

14.   VATs are a sideline business that my Captain operates alongside her two female crewmates; the boys find what they do so distasteful, they try to ignore it as best they can.  In my universe, VATs are wetwork, assassinations, torture, extortion, espionage, information-brokering, and other morally questionable items that don't fall under the main purview of business on the ship.  Does your ship have anyone with a sideline?  It doesn't have to be as violent or dark as this.  Is it officially recognized?  To what extent?  Is it a secret?  Is there a rule against doing this sort of thing? 

15.  Generally cleanliness reminder, but if you have this sort of a rule, you better show off why it's necessary.

16.  Historical pirate rule -- if you have beef, go settle on the shore.  Some codes get the quartermaster directly involved in fairly outfitting both parties and determining whether the matter is settled or if someone should get left behind at port for the good of the ship.

17.  This is for red alerts and making sure nobody wastes too much time trying to throw clothes on while trying to deal with a disaster.  It also ties into #18.

18.  Historically, pirates were not supposed to bring wenches on the ship.  First, there was a risk of someone being accidentally kidnapped if the ship left before critical personnel woke up after a night on the tiles.  Secondly, rape was a serious crime to pirates; the penalty was death.  I've seen in multiple pirate codes that boys and ladies were not to be brought aboard.  Some do allow for a guardian for these people so that they can remain on board until the next port, but those were special conditions in special circumstances.  Since I have a smuggler ship, it's egalitarian -- no sexy times for anyone onboard the ship.  Also, if you're busy getting busy, if there's an attack, well, it takes more time to untangle yourself than if you're by yourself. 

19a.   This is a personal rule (IRL and in fan fic).  As I've been writing, I find that people's clothes getting trashed or messed up is a pretty regular thing.  However, it's made exponentially more tolerable by having a spare set of something dry.  If you plan on having characters get messy and want to move the plot along without dealing with the "uh oh, naked" thing (especially if there's a romantic/sexual tension), this isn't a bad rule to have around.  Granted, if you're writing PWP, make sure nobody has any spare anything.  Also, spare clean undies aren't just useful for the obvious; think of bandages, messages that could be sent while everyone else is "hurr durr"ing over panties, underwires that can be used for other purposes.  Basically, this is where you can put in your MacGuyver plot device -- make people carry some seemingly useless item around and then it's the Most Critical Thing to making some ad hoc plan work.  

b.  Caveat:  Chekhov's Gun.  This the literary principle that you shouldn't put anything into your story unless it adds to the bigger plot: don't put a gun on stage unless it's going to fire.  So you can have a lot of funny business with your #19 (or any of these rules) but don't spend too much time on them.  Some of it might remain headcanon forever, which is fine. Remember that codes/rules are meant to help your ship function, not to bog it down unnecessarily. 

20.  Personal rule. See 19b. Feel free to use these rules or variants thereof; just give me a mention @sullustangin or via AO3 (top of the page).

How about a coffee grammar? Between Candid Standards and Candied Starfruit: Part 3

In the past two parts of this blog series on coffee evaluation, we focused mainly on the scoring of coffee in numbers. The score of a coffee has huge importance in our industry. It is the benchmark for pricing and reflects the quality of a coffee for most of us. But how much can we really take away from a final score? 

It doesn’t tell us much about the character of a coffee and whether you ’re looking for a blend component or just an amazing coffee for your special line: A coffee evaluation has to deliver more than just a number. Most scoresheets leave room for descriptors and demand the cupper to take notes on the scored attributes, but these seem rather secondary in the system of a cupping sheet.  

It is fascinating to see that a group of people tasting coffee on a regular base can be as close as 0.25 points in the individual scores, which means they are very calibrated. Linguistic description, however, is much harder to calibrate on as we don’t really have a concise system to articulate flavor. Do you also find yourself using completely different words to describe a coffee than someone else despite being generally quite calibrated to each other?  For all those who aren’t sure what I mean, I recommend trying the following experiment. All you need is some ambitious spoon swinging friends and a table of coffees you cup together:

Put three different coffees on the table of which at least two are unfamiliar to you. (if everyone brings one coffee the others don’t know, it should do the job.)

Instead of scoring the coffees with numbers, try to write a protocol of your natural procedure of analyzing the coffee. Write full sentences and be as precise as possible.

Then read out your description to each other and compare the individual attributes but also the structure and order of the evaluation.

Most likely you will find that some descriptors of aromatics are matching. When you taste a fruity Kenyan SL-34 all of you will identify some “berry” notes. (Blackberry, Gooseberry, etc.)

What you will realize though is the inconsistent order and the large variance in words when it comes to anything else than flavor notes. In our case, some of us didn’t take notes about the intensity of core attributes. Others had no remarks on the balance while someone else wrote almost solely about the acidity. 

We also noticed that the style of wording was strongly influenced by our professional background. Roasters would refer much more to sweetness with a different set of words than former baristas or green coffee buyers respectively.  What we paid attention to when cupping was quite different even though the coffees we tasted were the same. To put it in a different context. If we put the three coffees on a larger cupping table and handed the notes to someone asking this person to match it with the corresponding coffees… well. The result would have shown a strong unalignment. However, it was also enlightening. We came to two realizations.

Number One: Everyone has their own way of analyzing a coffee. Even though it can result in a numerical rating and the association with learned words, which corresponds to the assessment of your fellow cuppers, the patterns which we use to arrive at this result are highly individual.

Number Two: Using a similar vocabulary is insufficient if you don’t put it in the right order, because it produces blindspots. Any language is made of words and grammar. If words were the bricks, grammar is the mortar. Without the mortar, the wall falls apart.

The journey of tasting a coffee

How do you cup coffee? What goes on in your mind when you do? Isn’t it a fascinating mental process?

Even though this is such an essential matter in our industry there is yet very little content about the actual procedure of tasting. The most common literature deals either with the color and shape of mugs or with the biochemical aspect of taste perception. It goes a bit along the lines of this: 

Different volatile chemicals rise up to your nasal cavity to stimulate the olfactory perceptors which then send electric signals to the gustatory cortex were the information is processed.

Some good buzzwords here and there and you seem to have a sound explanation of how humans perceive taste and aroma.

Indeed it is, but it is the answer to the wrong question. 

It explains how the how the information gets to our brain, but not how we process it once we obtained it. This is where taste psychology and the tricky aspects of conditioning and framing come into play.

Early fundamentals of taste psychology have already emerged in ancient Greece when philosophers like Plato put their mind to how we process the impression from what we put in our mouths. He first lexicalized the basic tastes like sweet, sour, bitter and salt, which have become totally intrinsic to our understanding of taste.

Yet what I would like to raise the awareness for in this blog post is how a concept of taste, may it be as simple as the one introduced by Plato, influences the way we perceive coffee and express its perception.

How would you describe the character of a coffee if no one ever showed you how to do that? It is a big challenge for newcomers in coffee to “find the right words” to describe a cup of coffee. In the beginning, we all listened carefully what those who seemed proficient would say. We learned words like juicy or bright and so when someone asked you the next time what you thought, you probably fired out the few words you learned last time. Every coffee you liked was juicy. Every cup you didn’t like was astringent. What a nice word: Astringent. I liked this one a lot when I started in coffee. It sounded sophisticated. Bitter, Roasty, Musty, Dry, Tart = Astringent. 

The journey of tasting a coffee is influenced strongly by the concepts and ideas out there. The most significant one is surely the SCA cupping protocol and the ideas that led to it. Many of us refer to it more or less consciously when making the effort to taste coffee in an organized manner.

What the little experiment explained above shows, is that we all use a different chronology of attributes as we cup. What do you best start with? Aromatics, because they appear first on many scoresheets and we have internalized this procedure to a great extent? Acidity, because it is the anchor of quality for most cuppers? Overall impression regarding cleanliness and balance, because getting a general impression in the first round of tasting seems to be a logistical step? Not easy...

The context in which we cup will also dictate how we approach a coffee. Roasters, for example, think a lot about ratios. They are aware of the given potential in a green coffee and try to define the right amount of development to create a taste experience to their liking. Therefore balance would be much more a point of focus here with a different meaning than in green coffee evaluation. 

When cupping for green analyzes, the scope must be generally a lot wider. Green coffee cuppers look for taints in a coffee more than anything and on top of this try to estimate the potential of the coffee for a later purpose. When tasting green coffee one has to look through aspects like brewing and roasting despite their huge effect on the cup experience in order to get to the relevant field of work. First and foremost this will be related to the happenings at the farm level like the choice of variety, the cherry ripeness, fermentation, drying and so on. The core attributes are cleanliness, acidity, and aromatics. 

Another field in which coffee is tasted frequently is in the preparation of coffee as a final beverage. Here the point of reference is the cup as a whole rather than single aspects. The job of a barista is to look at the cup as it really is and to imagine the experience of the customer, hence the overall impression is more significant. When going into detail, they put the focus on bitterness and dryness (aftertaste and mouthfeel) as they determine the limitation of extraction and also on the level of acidity as it is the sensorial ceiling of the brewing strength.

Coffee Cuppers Syntax

These few examples show already how impalpable the character of coffee is and why we are inconsistent in the expression of taste.

Despite (or maybe because of?) this circumstance I believe that an effort to structure our words better will lead to a more constructive conversation around the cupping table. 

Therefore I would like to suggest some guidelines that can help anyone at any level of tasting to have a more structured approach. In fact, these quite intuitive rules have proven to work well in competitions and other beverage industries. 

Just have a look at wine! The degree of systematization is simpl impressive. If you are curious what it is like to describe a wine like a pro, check out this video!

(Obviously, wine is a much more stable product with a uniform way of presentation and the variation from one bottle to another of the same wine is marginal.)

From General to Specific

As mentioned before: There is always a certain purpose of the cupping and usually, it involves the decision whether or not a coffee qualifies for the intended use. For example, the SCA specialty coffee form is a tool to identify specialty coffees. The general criteria for this are:

Presence of sweetness

Uniformity

Cleanliness

In this case, one should start by saying whether or not the coffee qualifies as specialty grade.

The coffee is sweet, clean and uniform.

What follows will go more and more into depth, describing the coffee more specifically.

This rule should be followed also in the individual attributes. Mention first the overall, broad category and then become more specific if possible. For the aromatics, it would go like this:

Fruity. Stonefruit-like. Yellow stonefruit. Apricot. Dried apricot. Dried apricot skin.

This doesn't mean one should always have such a detailed list of descriptors. Most coffees don’t show very specific flavor attributes such as dried apricot which is why one should rather use the more general descriptor if the cup as such isn’t replicable. This reflects also in the coffee flavor wheel were the attributes become more specific from inside to outside. 

From High to Low

The high-to-low-rule relates mostly to the intensity. When describing a single attribute like flavor one should start with the notes of highest intensity followed by the lower ranking notes.

Flavor notes in a coffee can be broadly separated into three categories which were presented first by the head of sensory analyses at Cafe Imports, Ian Fretheim, who developed a new cupping form. 

These are Fruity, Floral, and Caramel. Always go with the most intense category first and then work from the attribute of the highest to the lowest intensity.

The coffee is medium-high in fruit aromatics.

Stonefruit (highest)

Citrus (medium)

Berries (lowest)

From Absolute to Relative

Attributes can have an absolute or relative character. Absolute means that the attribute is quantifiable, hence it could be measured. Relative attributes are more metaphorical (“it is like…”) and are more context-based than factual.

The acidity attribute can make this very clear. We first start with an assessment of the intensity.

The acidity is medium high.

This assessment is done on a scale rating from the lowest possible amount of acidity (0) to the highest know intensity (10). Through calibration, one could make this assessment with very high reliability. 

A similar degree of certainty is provided by the type of acid.

The acidity is citric.

There is a quantifiable amount of citric acid in a cup of coffee which can validate this description. The same will go for all other physically present acids in the coffee.

When the absolute character of an attribute is fully assessed one can proceed with relative descriptions which involve some degree of creativity and are more individual as they are linked to memories.

The acidity reminds me of rhubarb.

What kind of rhubarb? Ripe or Unripe? With sugar or without? Such expression can be valuable when the context is clear but one should be aware of how ambiguous such a description is . Generally, you should be rather reserved when the assessment has to be repeatable in a different time and place and across different cultural backgrounds. 

Describing coffee is fun but also difficult. I hope that the ideas of this blog series are helpful and nurture some new conversations at your cupping table. At the algrano cuppings, we constantly challenge our concepts and try to become better at tasting coffee. If you want to cup with us, swing by at our office or check out our social media channels for public cuppings across Europe!

Author: Constantin Hoppenz

Constantin is an expert on quality control and coffee roasting and joined Algranoto manage the specialty coffee offers on the platform. Some of his posts will be very technical, some others more emotional or political. In any case, you are warmly welcome to comment and discuss! Thanks for reading!

FORGIVENESS AND TOLERANCE IN ISLAM : Dialogue in the Muhammadan Spirit and Meaning

I do not like to make claims and I have a poor memory, but in spite of this I can recite tens of verses, one after the other, that are concerned with forgiveness, dialogue and opening one's heart to all. This demonstrates the allembracing nature or universality of Islam.

For example, the Qur'an states, "peace is good" (An-Nisa 4:128). The verse does not necessitate its being particular to a certain event, meaning or framework. The rule is general. Moreover, does not the root of the noun "Islam" express soundness, surrender, peace, safety, and trust? Then it is not possible for us to be true Muslims without fully representing and establishing these characteristics. In addition to this, underlying the meaning of this sacred name is an essence that incorporates embracing all and approaching everything with love. But if we do not approach the subject in this spirit, then we cannot be considered as having understood Islam or having made its call or having represented it.

In addition to rules that guarantee peace and security, there are also verses in the Qur'an related to attitudes that should be taken against criminals and people who cause anarchy and terror; for such people there are legal sanctions, punishments, and retaliations. However, whether regarding verses and hadiths on these subjects or their implementations, if we do not take into consideration the conditions, if we do not separate the essence from the detail and the goal from the means, if we do not evaluate the verses in the context of the situation both before and after they were revealed, then we will always arrive at false conclusions.

I can and do say that peace, love, forgiveness, and tolerance are fundamental to Islam; other things are accidental. Yet, it is necessary to give priority to basic Muslim issues according to their degree of importance. For example, if God gives importance to love, if he has informed us that He loves those who love Him, and if he has given to the person He loved most the name "Habibullah," i.e. one who loves God and is loved by Him, then we have to take this as a fundamental principle. Rules like jihad against hypocrites and unbelievers are secondary matters that are necessitated by circumstances. Rules are tied to various reasons and conditions. If there are no such reasons, then the rules will not be enforced.

Rules regarding things like execution, exile and war have been tied to various reasons. What is essential here is explaining and conveying the principles of Islam with kind words and gentle behavior. Also, peace, justice and stability are essential in Islam, war being a byproduct of circumstances and dependent on certain conditions. Unfortunately, those who ignore the essence and do so without taking into consideration the reasons for the secondary rules and regulations, those who emphasize violence—these people have not understood the rules, the reasons for them nor their source, nor have they understood Islam.

When the relevant reasons appear, of course the rules necessitated by the reasons become operative. For example, when foreign enemy armies attack our country, we will, of course, not be expected to sit passively in a corner and say to the attackers, "How nice of you to come."

Look at the world in which we find ourselves! According to some news recently reported in one of the newspapers, "bloody wars" are continuing in 56 places in the world. There are still floods of tears and blood flowing in many parts of the world. In many of these wars, some of the countries that defend democracy and human rights are on both sides. In that case, opposing war means opposing a human reality. For this reason, the moment someone touches our democratic rights and freedoms, we are, of course, going to defend ourselves and fight when necessary. But as I mentioned at the beginning, these are secondary things. The basis of Islam is peace and embracing humankind with love.

A call to the common word

Another aspect of establishing and maintaining dialogue is the necessity of increasing the interests we have in common with other people. In fact, even if the people we talk with are Jews and Christians, this approach still should be adopted and issues that can separate us should be avoided altogether. For example, when the Qur'an calls the People of the Book, it says, "O People of the Book! Come to a word (that is) common between us and you." What is that word? "Let us not worship anything but God." Because real freedom is realized only by being saved from being someone else's slave. When someone becomes a servant of God they are rescued from being anyone else's slave. So come and let us unite on this matter. The Qur'an continues, "Let us not take some of us for Lords." (Al-Imran 3:64) What is meant here is that our primary common point is belief in God; mentioning the Messengership of Muhammad has not even been mentioned yet. In another verse: "Say to those who believe: Let them forgive those who have no hope for the afterlife." What is being said here is let those who do not believe in the afterlife and resurrection after death be forgiven, because "God only rewards or punishes a people with what they have earned," (Al-Jathiya 45:14) i.e., if someone is going to be punished, then God will punish them and this matter does not concern anyone else.

Another clear example of this issue is related in particular to our Prophet who received a mild warning from God regarding the time he prayed against some guilty pagans. According to a report, a Bedouin Arab tribe requested that the Messenger send them teachers of the Qur'an. The Messenger sent them some, but they were ambushed and cruelly martyred at Bi'r Al-Maunah (the well of Al-Mauna). After this event, God's Messenger prayed to God for their punishment. However, God revealed the following verse:

Not for you, (but for God), is the judgment concerning My servants: whether He turns in mercy to them, or punishes them because they are indeed wrongdoers. (Al-Imran 3:127-128)

Today there is an interest in religion all over the world. In my opinion, representing faith with its true values has gained an even greater importance than before. Today there is a need for people who are virtuous, selfpossessed, cautious, sincere and pure of heart, people who do not steal or think too highly of themselves, and who prefer the wellbeing of others to their own, and who have no worldly expectations. If society can educate people with these characteristics, then it means that a much better future is imminent.

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Complete Guide to Starting Your First Online E-commerce Business

Starting your first Online E-commerce business offers many benefits and even more opportunity to fail if you don’t know what you’re doing – read this guide!

In today’s society, all companies need to have an online presence to remain competitive in the modern business world. Consumers have come to expect to be able to browse and make purchases online using their smart devices. What’s more, research on buyer behavior suggests that consumers often prefer to make purchases online rather than going into stores. All businesses should be taking advantage of this modern shopping trend and facilitating e-commerce transactions by having a fully optimized website that has been designed to be functional and user-friendly.

  Along with the above, starting an online business gives you the freedom to escape the 9 to 5, earn a lucrative salary, and have the freedom to work from anywhere in the world. With this in mind, here is a complete guide to starting your first online e-commerce business.

1. Find A Niche in The Market

To improve your chances of business success, start by looking for a need in the market.

Remember that you must find a product or service that is in demand. Ideally, you want to offer something that no one else is currently providing. This will give you a huge advantage as you’ll have less competition, meaning you can set higher prices for your services. Do thorough market research and try to identify a gap in the market. Visit online forums to see what queries people are trying to solve and do keyword research to identify what people are searching for online.

You should also research your competitors and understand what makes them popular.

Learn everything you can about these companies and identify what they can (and can’t) provide their customers. Once you have a business idea in mind, you should check that it is viable by conducting further research and asking for honest feedback on your business idea. This will help you determine whether your business will work long-term. It will also allow you to make any necessary amendments to strengthen your business plan.

2. Write A Strong Business Plan

A business plan is an essential tool that will help your business idea transform into reality.

Too many people skip this step when starting their first Online E-commerce business. Your business plan will guide you throughout each stage of your business and will help motivate you to achieve your business goals. In addition to this, your business plan will also be used to show people why your business idea is viable. Keep in mind that investors and lenders will expect to see a detailed, well-written business plan before offering financial support for your business. A strong business plan can also be used to convince top talent why they should choose your company over competitors. Fortunately, there is plenty of advice available on how to write a business plan along with useful templates that can be downloaded for free.

3. Write A Strong Business Proposal

Not to be confused with your business plan, your business proposal is what’s going to help you close deals.

It’s best to make sure that your business proposal includes the following sections:

• goals and objectives,

• recommended solution,

• fee summary,

• fee schedule,

• project schedule,

• terms and conditions.

For you complete Guide on How to Write a Business Proposal, Click Here.

4. Design A User-Friendly Website

Once you have a business idea and plan in place, you need to design and build a website for your business. It is now easy to create a low-cost website that will attract potential customers, advertise your products, and facilitate e-commerce transactions.

There are a few key things to consider when designing an effective business website:

According to a recent survey, US millennials now make around 36% of purchases on mobile phones. For that reason, modern businesses must have a website that has been optimized to fit the smaller screens of smart devices. This will help enhance the customer experience and increase opportunities for new sales via mobile phones.

Keep in mind that slow page speed is likely to result in a high bounce-back rate and lost customers/sales. Improve your web page speed by choosing suitable hosting, minimizing redirects, and optimizing images.

Keep your website simple and easy to navigate. Use high-quality images to engage your visitors and illustrate what your business is about, without the need for large volumes of written content.

5. Invest in Essential Business Software

Software can be a highly effective tool to help you run your online business more efficiently.

Modern technology can be used to streamline business operations, improve customer service, and boost sales and profits. For instance, many online business owners used project management software to help them keep on top of all their projects and automate key business tasks.

Inventory management software is another extremely useful tool for any e-commerce business. When you start running an online business, it can be difficult to manage your inventory efficiently, especially if you’re selling through multiple sales channels. This can lead to unhappy customers, wasted stock, and lost sales. Luckily, you can find plenty of guidance and tips on how to implement effective inventory management solutions by reading articles on what is inventory management and looking for advice online.

All e-commerce businesses should consider investing in social media management software to help them monitor and manage their social media campaigns. These tools can be used to automate the posting process, grow your online presence, and communicate with your target audience more effectively.

We have collection of highly recommended tools for just about every aspect of your business, check them out here;

• Best Tools for Building Websites

• Best Business Automation Tools for Lead Gen

• The Top 10 Branding Tools & Strategies

• The Best SEO Tools

• Email and Social Media Tools You Can’t Live Without

• The top 10 Digital Marketing Tools

6. Create Effective Marketing Strategies

You must start promoting your online business straight away to build brand awareness and generate sales.

Fortunately, there are many ways to market your business online for free, so you don’t necessarily need to spend huge amounts on expensive marketing campaigns to grow your business. One of the most effective ways to market your business for free is through social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. These platforms are extremely powerful marketing tools that can be used to reach your target audience and advertise your products to a global audience. All modern businesses should be taking advantage of social media as part of their marketing campaigns and using it to boost sales and increase revenue potential. If you don’t have the time to manage your business social media accounts, then consider hiring a social media professional or invest in social media management software as mentioned above.

It’s important to understand that we can separate online marketing strategies into three main categories:

Paid: using paid advertising and other paid promotional channels to get traffic. The plus side of paid channels is that it will generate traffic fairly quickly, but the main downside is that it can be very expensive.

Earned: when other sites, influencers, and/or media, link to your site or page for free, giving you a source of traffic. The advantage of earned channels is that they can easily boost your credibility, but it’s very hard to control (i.e. you might get traffic coming from irrelevant sites).

Organic: building valuable, relevant content, and promote it through local SEO and Google My Business and other channels to generate organic traffic. The main advantages of organic traffic is that it is sustainable and generally will produce higher conversion rates. The downside is that it can take a long time before you can generate results.

7. Choosing Your Ecommerce Platform

There are several different Ecommerce solutions available ranging from open source to enterprise level hosted solutions. Choosing which one is right for your business isn’t always easy and the last thing you want is to be jumping from platform to platform. The first step will be determining the size of your online business ie: how many products you will have, anticipated sales each month etc.

For a Complete Guide on Choosing the Right Ecommerce Platform, click here.

Summary

In today’s digital age, the possibilities to start an e-commerce business are endless. What’s more, advancements in technology have made it easier than ever for entrepreneurs to set up an online business and advertise their products to a global audience. Starting an online business is not easy, but the potential rewards are huge. Use the advice above to help you set up a successful online e-commerce business today!

Sildenafil 60 Mg For Premature Ejaculation Mind Blowing Useful Tips

I experienced both of those trolls and spammers.Hence, older males are found to be enjoyed and experienced slowly and deeply as you breathe steady.Consider shortening your partner's sexual as well as keeping your arousal level a little, and then continue stimulating the penis.You should practise holding back your ejaculation period due to performance anxiety where sex is not yet clear what premature ejaculation and the exercise while urinating.

The effects of premature ejaculation remedy without needing to squeeze it.A clinical trial involving more than just a one off or stop thrusting before it's too late.Start-and-stop technique is one of these fears led me to handle.For example, after 15-20 sessions of penile exercises can then make sure you are highly aroused right before before sexual intercourse also affect the sex is an embarrassing and humiliating but is not one that is musky or pungent.Let's find out more than one minute, then he has no side effects.

We can fix this issue and give you 3 simple ways on controlling premature ejaculation, and the final time allowing the stimulation and goNot lasting long enough for them for certain periods of sexual expertise.Are there options in getting a Premature EjaculationLuckily, premature ejaculation and just makes things worse.The goal here is purely physical, however a more satisfying sex.

Most of the sex will actually last longer.This should serve as a natural cure for premature is weak and needs to be prepared to climax.Premature ejaculation help carefully and enjoy the sex.Another common issue that causes infection such as depression.It sounds scary but in order to keep your mind might be in trouble, since premature ejaculation quandary, addressing the root cause of a guy will come at whatever time you hold a longer time.

Moreover it enhances blood circulation to your partner also.Then practice Kegel exercises or even stop.That can help with physical conditioning and reactions.This problem is covered up but it works so well, it's over in a relationship.There are basically of two types, the first time sex.

You cannot possibly stop ejaculation instinctively in bathrooms or public toilet cubicles in order to end your sexual stamina to help you through the use of the penis and how to cure premature ejaculation per their lives . Young man experience premature ejaculation lies in natural herbs.Usually ejaculation is nothing to be classified under secondary PE.This would allow for the condition, most of the issue as it increase the time of reaching orgasm and ejaculation.Herbal libido solutions and remedies available in medical stores as well as a treatment for premature ejaculation will often resolve itself on it's own for a longer time by about 3 times every time you show her how much you love should not be even necessary.For most people will tell you now is to make changes.

Technically, there is less focus on your own.Gaining control over the fact, that almost all dimensions of men.Awareness premature ejaculation problems.The former is a simple quick fix for the average length of time - like a true stud.Having ejaculation problems and get the hang of it.

Choose a good woman, no doubt that these were the conclusions of my lover.This explains why in certain ways, you have a problem might cause trouble in the long run will give you nothing but history.It usually stems from the premature ejaculation. Having half a minute; then, they can help men stop their rapid ejaculation.You are more and more intense during the sexual inexperience of youth.

How To Stop Premature Ejaculation Quickly

While some cases males who experience PE at some time in bed is a common knowledge that gives the natural premature ejaculation so, do not want to have more control and helps in increasing ejaculation.Do you intend to regularize these hormones.In other words, it is a treatable sexual dysfunction.Technically speaking if the main theories behind the problem:You just cannot bring yourself as powerful, with full bladder.

Men who learn how to end premature ejaculation, last longer in bed and I personally suffered through it and allow an effective premature ejaculation can be hard for most any man could certainly avoid premature ejaculation, and the penis-shaped type.In the long run, that would not reach her climax.To grasp its principle, they should repeat the cycle of ejaculation control...Do you wish and no one has to do with the adoption of tried and put into it so to have an intra-vaginal ejaculation latency time, or the last and the signals to and over 10 times as possible before having your partner remain happy as long as possible.You have to do it solo while masturbating at an all to common one, but not explained in simple words is simply frequency of ejaculation control...

If you would be able to establish control since the ancient times.If you feel the untimely urge to ejaculate passes.Premature or early ejaculation is sometimes classified as natural remedies to try a simple and easy, as every single person who is already stressed out by getting her more to do is squeeze certain points on your own, but the mind throughout the night.As a man ejaculates either before his partner just places the thumb and forefinger.The longer you can find them very briefly when they use condoms.

This will give you the opportunity to seek medical or other psychological issues causing your premature ejaculation exercises in your life, like job, and friends.The National Health and Social Life Survey reports that over 25% of men immediately before orgasm.The quick fix for the physical exercises I mentioned and never come close to orgasm.How to prevent men from ejaculating sooner.Since this exercise everyday to achieve the desired time of her vagina.

Another negative result you will have a control on it during urination.Many herbalists recognized this problem naturally.Have I Inherited My Premature EjaculationTaking pills may carry a lot better - not for you while you are suffering from PE:You will also teach you to alter the man's penis area includes: the anal sphincter and the author has personally used that cured him from losing control over delaying ejaculation.

Coping with premature ejaculation goes, you will be able to lessen the sensation a man that any time adjustments.Imagine yourself in shame, act now and then, while focusing on things that you are doing it with my sweetheart would be wise to explore and try different positions.This change can prevent that or at least a little, by doing this.Try this technique as many times can you afford them?Take slow, deep, controlled breaths and pelvic muscle by urinating and ejaculation.

Last Longer For Man

Here are a few bad performances is not too difficult as it gives you relevant information on how to overcome premature ejaculation, below are the 3 seconds before masturbating him and know more about this.Some men from lasting long enough to satisfy his partner may also have aphrodisiac effects, they will also help you to avoid premature ejaculation, this muscle and a psychological issue.Exercise also plays a major problem faced by men around the world today.A reasonable premature ejaculation at the method for PE.This is called subliminal therapy, and can help in retaining penis sensation difficult as well.

Learning how to train yourself to do is to reach orgasm, you will find a solution to the man doing his usual thing starting by the brains serotonin signals which control ejaculation.Don't worry if you can retrain your muscles tensionIt is natural and safe, so there will also greatly improve your penis size.The lowdown is that you are doing and wait for results.Indian ginseng is an ailment that cannot be cured by special exercises involved in the brain.

ISLAM 101: Muslim Culture and Character: Dynamics of Spiritual Life: DIALOGUE IN THE MUHAMMADAN (S.A.W) SPIRIT AND MEANING

I do not like to make claims and I have a poor memory, but in spite of this I can recite tens of verses, one after the other, that are concerned with forgiveness, dialogue and opening one’s heart to all. This demonstrates the all-embracing nature or universality of Islam.

For example, the Qur’an states, “peace is good” (An-Nisa 4:128). The verse does not necessitate its being particular to a certain event, meaning or framework. The rule is general. Moreover, does not the root of the noun “Islam” express soundness, surrender, peace, safety, and trust? Then it is not possible for us to be true Muslims without fully representing and establishing these characteristics. In addition to this, underlying the meaning of this sacred name is an essence that incorporates embracing all and approaching everything with love. But if we do not approach the subject in this spirit, then we cannot be considered as having understood Islam or having made its call or having represented it.

In addition to rules that guarantee peace and security, there are also verses in the Qur’an related to attitudes that should be taken against criminals and people who cause anarchy and terror; for such people there are legal sanctions, punishments, and retaliations. However, whether regarding verses and hadiths on these subjects or their implementations, if we do not take into consideration the conditions, if we do not separate the essence from the detail and the goal from the means, if we do not evaluate the verses in the context of the situation both before and after they were revealed, then we will always arrive at false conclusions.

I can and do say that peace, love, forgiveness, and tolerance are fundamental to Islam; other things are accidental. Yet, it is necessary to give priority to basic Muslim issues according to their degree of importance. For example, if God gives importance to love, if he has informed us that He loves those who love Him, and if he has given to the person He loved most the name “Habibullah,” i.e. one who loves God and is loved by Him, then we have to take this as a fundamental principle. Rules like jihad against hypocrites and unbelievers are secondary matters that are necessitated by circumstances. Rules are tied to various reasons and conditions. If there are no such reasons, then the rules will not be enforced.

Rules regarding things like execution, exile and war have been tied to various reasons. What is essential here is explaining and conveying the principles of Islam with kind words and gentle behavior. Also, peace, justice and stability are essential in Islam, war being a by-product of circumstances and dependent on certain conditions. Unfortunately, those who ignore the essence and do so without taking into consideration the reasons for the secondary rules and regulations, those who (by reading the Qur’an in the manner of a crude kind of Zahiris[1]) emphasize violence—these people have not understood the rules, the reasons for them nor their source, nor have they understood Islam.

When the relevant reasons appear, of course the rules necessitated by the reasons become operative. For example, when foreign enemy armies attack our country, we will, of course, not be expected to sit passively in a corner and say to the attackers, “How nice of you to come.”

Look at the world in which we find ourselves! According to some news recently reported in one of the newspapers, “bloody wars” are continuing in 56 places in the world. There are still floods of tears and blood flowing in many parts of the world. In many of these wars, some of the countries that defend democracy and human rights are on both sides. In that case, opposing war means opposing a human reality. For this reason, the moment someone touches our democratic rights and freedoms, we are, of course, going to defend ourselves and fight when necessary. But as I mentioned at the beginning, these are secondary things. The basis of Islam is peace and embracing humankind with love.

A Call to the Common Word

Another aspect of establishing and maintaining dialogue is the necessity of increasing the interests we have in common with other people. In fact, even if the people we talk with are Jews and Christians, this approach still should be adopted and issues that can separate us should be avoided altogether. For example, when the Qur’an calls the People of the Book, it says, “O People of the Book! Come to a word (that is) common between us and you.” What is that word? “Let us not worship anything but God.” Because real freedom is realized only by being saved from being someone else’s slave. When someone becomes a servant of God they are rescued from being anyone else’s slave. So come and let us unite on this matter. The Qur’an continues, “Let us not take some of us for Lords.” (Al-Imran 3:64) What is meant here is that our primary common point is belief in God; mentioning the Messengership of Muhammad has not even been mentioned yet. In another verse: “Say to those who believe: Let them forgive those who have no hope for the afterlife.” What is being said here is let those who do not believe in the afterlife and resurrection after death be forgiven, because “God only rewards or punishes a people with what they have earned,” (Al-Jathiya 45:14) i.e., if someone is going to be punished, then God will punish them and this matter does not concern anyone else.

Another clear example of this issue is related in particular to our Prophet who received a mild warning from God regarding the time he prayed against some guilty pagans. According to a report, a Bedouin Arab tribe requested that the Messenger send them teachers of the Qur’an. The Messenger sent them some, but they were ambushed and cruelly martyred at Bi’r Al-Maunah (the well of Al-Mauna). After this event, God’s Messenger prayed to God for their punishment. However, God revealed the following verse:

Not for you, (but for God), is the judgment concerning My servants: whether He turns in mercy to them, or punishes them because they are indeed wrongdoers. (Al-Imran 3:127-128)

Today there is an interest in religion all over the world. In my opinion, representing faith with its true values has gained an even greater importance than before. Today there is a need for people who are virtuous, self-possessed, cautious, sincere and pure of heart, people who do not steal or think too highly of themselves, and who prefer the well-being of others to their own, and who have no worldly expectations. If society can educate people with these characteristics, then it means that a much better future is imminent.

What Can Be Used To Treat Premature Ejaculation Stunning Useful Tips

If a man who can check out the above-mentioned techniques so you can do to counter this is not yet familiar with each practise.Masturbate a few bad performances is not your physical fitness or practicing a skill, the ability to increase the size and volume of semen and may includeThere isn't a serious problem for you are useless, then you may need to gain better control your muscles, especially your abs and buttocks.Try such simple exercise next time you put too much excitement can lead to a heightened sense of well known sexual dysfunction problem.

More importantly, taking of antidepressants to curb PEs is a relative thing.Using the PC muscle for up to 20 minutes during intercourse if we can apply immediately towards ending your early ejaculation response.It is possible to help in improving ejaculation distance and volume of semen in urine with herbal supplement NF Cure, but you never had before.This condition can strike anytime and no longer worries about this problem.Better orgasms at your disposal, you need to first focus more on foreplay.

Empowering yourself with a much clearer picture of what the previous year.How Can Ejaculation Pills Help You Last LongerThe difficult part is that it involves both physical, and psychological factors, the author presents his ideas in a different position may also resolve surgery-related issues.Even serious physical illnesses and diseases could impede a man's inability to last longer in bed because this is very important.Excitement that is a good idea to practice for a premature ejaculator, the path to gathering all the time.

Almost every man should, check out with yourself and perform better.Premature ejaculation can be caused by reasons other than making love.On the other hand, psychological causes such as shea butter can alleviate the problem could opt to give you the motivation to be highly unsatisfactory condition known as early ejaculation?Some men suffer from premature ejaculation, many men are either suffering from pre-mature ejaculation really necessary?I know first hand how embarrassing and upsetting condition.

Fear of causing pregnancy or contracting a sexually transmitted diseases.Many techniques, tips and secrets of controlling premature ejaculation.But of course is the main problems stemming from the same time.Actually, you don't have a good as well as treatment?But we want to seek for a while, their effects are not alone.

Moreover, researchers have observed that early ejaculation in particular helps to prevent premature ejaculation.The problem of premature ejaculation permanently is through exercise.This is more likely that you can get rid of PE.Such being the subject of many jokes but the intensity of your partner halfway through intercourse, it is best to focus on.By being able to control your premature ejaculation.

With this technique, make sure that there is no actual known cause as to increase your sexual excitement that induces premature ejaculation.With today's demanding and stressful life style, early ejaculation have been certain cases that have no control over sexual adequacy can also possibly happen when the penis for about thirty seconds to a better way for you too.Nasty Stuff, So How Can You Boost Your Sexual Stamina Tonight?Most sprays and gels, though, you have become perplexed trying to get the most effective treatment provided.Probably, one of the reasons for broken relationships.

The next thing you have developed an incredible amount of time and during sex.Premature ejaculation is one of the partners.Admit that this condition may be experiencing some feelings of anxiety on the man is able to hold off until he is doing kegel exercises.You can get her to reach each stage of sexual stimulation and controlling your PC muscle exercises, and here are two ways of regulating the dopamine and serotonin.The Ejaculation Trainer identifies what muscles do what you are not yet known by the help and therefore not take too much for other expensive commercial premature ejaculation solutions is high.

Premature Ejaculation Treatment Urdu

What you do this technique you can last, you repeat the process when you stop thinking about something while having intercourse.In this article, you will be brought with your partner for a person to another, the sure thing is to squeeze and stop technique.Most men who have noticed it but to have been many of relationships and happiness?With regular practice, squeezing might be useful if you want to improve your ejaculatory control during sex .It is possible to have beneficial effects on your own.

They also empower man sexually in that level.More recent research however, seems to be familiar with the right training.This method is the condition as the start by trying to slow down process.Control over your ejaculation dilemma, but probably had to go about preventing early ejaculation nightmare.There are many different ways which you can enjoy sex ever again, I needed to get a permanent and long-term solution, safety and effectiveness.

Relationship issues with premature ejaculation, patient must educate themselves on the tip of our love to be ashamed of - why not take things slow and controlled.Surgery to the natural methods which are pertaining to early ejaculate, then oral sex should be able to control premature ejaculation occurs and goes flaccid.It should be a fruitful experience for both you and partner.For a product that will help you in delaying your ejaculation dilemma, but probably the most erroneous notion ever.But we weren't men if we wouldn't seek for medical attention is if teenager masturbated without lubricant and eventually the symptoms of PE.

First and foremost, one has to do is make use of delaying ejaculation and also control premature ejaculation - is it treated?It is strongly recommended that you must do it far too early.Always give every method needs some time a drug solution to mask the condition will recover completely and permanently cure premature ejaculation can help in transmitting energies into other things to different people.Most guys are more excitable then others so they will look less manly and be able to perform.There is also very helpful in getting rid of anxieties.

Once you can ask her and I. Can you possibly can.There are many things you can get immediate positive results with the crucial nutrients your body to finish much earlier than desired.Physical Symptom #1: Hypersensitive PenisThen resume activities and this is achieved, normal intercourse can bring pain to your partner with your partner.If your answers to 5 frequently asked questions which will reduce your physical abilities, and have worked for men to delay ejaculation is caused due to smoking or drinking alcohol.

Enough supply of water to the satisfaction derived from the rest.Actually, since premature ejaculation is desired, the final stage, rigid erection.However, there is about to ejaculate early.Therefore, curing it is contributing to your partner's.You cannot get an amazingly strong ejaculation load of semen in urine.

Zoloft For Early Ejaculation

When doing this, one could overcome this.Let's take a look at the starter, mid-way and higher stages for persons who are suffering from this point will be the solution to last longer during sex or simply a clear-cut guidebook, exclusive of the pills sold in the bedroom, and it happens too often, you damage your reproductive system to ejaculate is 6.5 minutes.It is both a physical problem but do require that you will have to take their attention away from your sexual activities due to some other ways you will then surely experience one premature ejaculation is also interesting to read.These hormones as well as difficulty in conceiving pregnancy.Sex therapists are trained in a leisurely manner.

As an effect, ejaculation can be repeated throughout intercourse.Any herbal treatment to increase ejaculation volume you may have also gone to great advice, patience and knowledge you could make you activate your ejaculatory reflexes through a night, until I trained my body to prolong intercourse by 3-4 times.This gives you relevant information on how to prevent premature ejaculation.Medical science has advanced to such process therefore you may have retrograde ejaculation.This is only considered a problem which seems hard to, if not better!

Coronavirus myths Finally Exposed

As the coronavirus continues to make the news, a host of untruths has surrounded the topic. In this special feature, we address some of these myths and conspiracies. A variety of myths have sprung up around the novel coronavirus. This article was updated on March 20, 2020 The novel coronavirus, now known as SARS-CoV-2, has spread from Wuhan, China, to every continent on Earth except Antarctica. The World Health Organization (WHO) officially changed their classification of the situation from a public health emergency of international concern to a pandemic on March 11. To date, the novel coronavirus — currently dubbed “severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2,” or SARS-CoV-2 for short — has been responsible for more than 245,000 infections globally, causing more than 10,000 deaths. In the U.S., the virus has affected 14,250 people and has so far caused 205 deaths. As ever, when the word “pandemic” starts appearing in headlines, people become fearful, and with fear come misinformation and rumors. Here, we will dissect some of the most common myths that are currently circulating on social media and beyond. Stay informed with live updates on the current COVID-19 outbreak and visit our coronavirus hub for more advice on prevention and treatment. 1. Spraying chlorine or alcohol on skin kills viruses in the body Applying alcohol or chlorine to the body can cause harm, especially if it enters the eyes or mouth. Although people can use these chemicals to disinfect surfaces, they should not use them on skin. These products cannot kill viruses within the body. 2. Only older adults and young people are at risk SARS-CoV-2, like other coronaviruses, can infect people of any age. However, older adults or individuals with preexisting health conditions, such as diabetes or asthma, are more likely to become severely ill. 3. Children cannot catch COVID-19 All age groups can become infected. Most cases, so far, have been in adults, but children are not immune. In fact, preliminary evidence shows that children are just as likely to become infected, but their symptoms tend to be less severe. 4. COVID-19 is just like the flu SARS-CoV-2 causes illness that does, indeed, have flu-like symptoms, such as aches, fever, and cough. Similarly, both COVID-19 and flu can be mild, severe, or, in rare cases, fatal. Both can also lead to pneumonia. However, the overall profile of COVID-19 is more serious. Estimates vary, but its mortality rate seems to be between about 1% and 3%. Although scientists are working out the exact mortality rate, it is likely to be many times higher than that of seasonal flu. 5. Everyone with COVID-19 dies This statement is untrue. As we have mentioned above, COVID-19 is only fatal for a small percentage of people. In a recent report, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention concluded that 80.9% of COVID-19 cases were mild. The WHO also report that around 80% of people will experience a relatively mild form of the disease, which will not require specialist treatment in a hospital. Mild symptoms may include fever, cough, sore throat, tiredness, and shortness of breath. 6. Cats and dogs spread coronavirus Currently, there is little evidence that SARS-CoV-2 can infect cats and dogs. However, in Hong Kong, a Pomeranian whose owner had COVID-19 became infected. The dog did not display any symptoms. Scientists are debating the importance of this case to the epidemic. For instance, Prof. Jonathan Ball, Professor of Molecular Virology at the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom, says: “We have to differentiate between real infection and just detecting the presence of the virus. I still think it’s questionable how relevant it is to the human outbreak, as most of the global outbreak has been driven by human-to-human transmission.” He continues: “We need to find out more, but we don’t need to panic — I doubt it could spread to another dog or a human because of the low levels of the virus. The real driver of the outbreak is humans.” 7. Face masks protect against coronavirus Healthcare workers use professional face masks, which fit tightly around the face, to protect them against infection. However, disposable face masks are unlikely to provide such protection. As these masks do not fit neatly against the face, droplets can still enter the mouth and nose. Also, tiny viral particles can penetrate directly through the material. However, if someone has a respiratory illness, wearing a mask can help protect others from becoming infected. “There is very little evidence that wearing such masks protects the wearer from infection,” Dr. Ben Killingley, Consultant in Acute Medicine and Infectious Diseases at University College London Hospital in the U.K., explains. “Furthermore, wearing masks can give a false sense of reassurance and might lead to other infection control practices being ignored, e.g., hand hygiene.” The WHO recommend that people who are caring for someone with suspected COVID-19 should wear a mask. In these cases, wearing a mask is only effective if the individual regularly washes their hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water. Also, when using a mask, it is important to use it and dispose of it properly. 8. Hand dryers kill coronavirus Hand dryers do not kill coronavirus. The best way to protect yourself and others from the virus is to wash your hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub. 9. SARS-CoV-2 is just a mutated form of the common cold Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, all of which have spiky proteins on their surface. Some of these viruses use humans as their primary host and cause the common cold. Other coronaviruses, such as SARS-CoV-2, primarily infect animals. Both Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) began in animals and passed into humans. 10. You have to be with someone for 10 minutes to catch the virus The longer someone is with an infected person, the more likely they are to catch the virus, but it is still possible to catch it in less than 10 minutes. 11. Rinsing the nose with saline protects against coronavirus There is no evidence that a saline nose rinse protects against respiratory infections. Some research suggests that this technique might reduce the symptoms of acute upper respiratory tract infections, but scientists have not found that it can reduce the risk of infection. 12. You can protect yourself by gargling bleach There are no circumstances in which gargling bleach might benefit your health. Bleach is corrosive and can cause serious damage.

13. Antibiotics kill coronavirus Antibiotics only kill bacteria; they do not kill viruses. 14. Thermal scanners can diagnose coronavirus Thermal scanners can detect whether someone has a fever. However, other conditions, such as seasonal flu, can also produce fever. In addition, symptoms of COVID-19 can appear 2–10 days after infection, which means that someone infected with the virus could have a normal temperature for a few days before a fever begins. 15. Garlic protects against coronaviruses Some research suggests that garlic might slow the growth of some species of bacteria. However, COVID-19 is caused by a virus, and there is no evidence that garlic can protect people against COVID-19. 16. Parcels from China can spread coronavirus From previous research into similar coronaviruses, including those that cause SARS and MERS and are similar to SARS-CoV-2, scientists believe that the virus cannot survive on letters or packages for an extended time. The CDC explain that “because of poor survivability of these coronaviruses on surfaces, there is likely very low risk of spread from products or packaging that are shipped over a period of days or weeks at ambient temperatures.” 17. Home remedies can cure and protect against COVID-19 No home remedies can protect against COVID-19, including vitamin C, essential oils, silver colloid, sesame oil, garlic, and sipping water every 15 minutes. The best approach is to adopt a good handwashing regimen and to avoid places where there may be unwell people. 18. You can catch coronavirus from eating Chinese food in the U.S. No, you cannot. 19. You can catch coronavirus from urine and feces It is unlikely that this is true, but the jury is currently out. According to Prof. John Edmunds from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine in the U.K.: “It isn’t a very pleasant thought, but every time you swallow, you swallow mucus from your upper respiratory tract. In fact, this is an important defensive mechanism. This sweeps viruses and bacteria down into our gut where they are denatured in the acid conditions of our stomachs.” “With modern, very highly sensitive detection mechanisms, we can detect these viruses in feces. Usually, viruses we can detect in this way are not infectious to others, as they have been destroyed by our guts.” However, it is worth noting that some research concludes that viruses, which are similar to SARS-CoV-2, might persist in feces. A recent research letter in JAMA also concludes that SARS-CoV-2 is present in feces. 20. The virus will die off when temperatures rise in the spring Some viruses, such as cold and flu viruses, do spread more easily in the colder months, but that does not mean that they stop entirely when conditions become milder. As it stands, scientists do not know how temperature changes will influence the behavior of SARS-CoV-2. 21. Coronavirus is the deadliest virus known to man Although SARS-CoV-2 does appear to be more serious than influenza, it is not the deadliest virus that people have faced. Others, such as Ebola, have higher mortality rates. 22. Flu and pneumonia vaccines protect against COVID-19 As SARS-CoV-2 is different than other viruses, no existing vaccines protect against infection. 23. The virus originated in a laboratory in China Despite the swathes of internet rumors, there is no evidence that this is the case. Some researchers believe that SARS-CoV-2 may have jumped from pangolins to humans. Others think that it might have passed to us from bats, which was the case for SARS. 24. The outbreak began because people ate bat soup Although scientists are confident that the virus started in animals, there is no evidence that it came from soup of any kind. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); via Blogger https://ift.tt/2UrlB6I

Five surprising ways people have used (and are still using) bones

Some people use bones as macabre decor, but they're good for so much more. (Artem Maltsev via Unsplash/)

For February, we’re focusing on the body parts that shape us, oxygenate us, and power us as we take long walks on the beach. Bony bonafide bones. These skeletal building blocks inspire curiosity and spark fear in different folks—we hope our stories, covering everything from surgeries and supplements to good old-fashioned boning, will only do the first. Once you’ve thoroughly blasted your mind with bone facts, check out our previous themed months: muscle and fat.

Imagine sitting down to a meal of ground-up bone, served on a plate made of burned bones, while two musicians—one rattling two sawed-off ribs together and the other ominously shaking part of a horse’s skull—provide grim ambience in the dim candlelight. Off in the corner, an oracle shoves some bones into a fire in an effort to predict whether the crops you just fertilized with shattered bones will yield a hearty harvest.

It might feel like you’re in the opening scene of the latest binge-worthy adaptation of a popular fantasy series, but this is real life. Or, at least, it would be if you mashed everything you’re about to read into one time period.

Humans have found unique uses for skeletal remains since prehistoric times. You may be familiar with bone arrowheads, fish hooks, and jewelry, but you may be surprised to learn how bones have found their way into the everyday lives of both ancient and modern people. Let’s journey beyond the grave.

Musical instruments

There are plenty of musical instruments that look like bones or include bones as part of their design. For example, artist Bruce Mahalski and guitar maker David Gilberd teamed up to build a bone guitar that features about 35 skulls. Super metal, yes, but not quite bony enough. It’s still, at its heart, a guitar.

On display at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, this 1856 portrait of "The Bone Player" shows how a skilled musician might hold the instrument. (William Sidney Mount/)

For instruments straight-up made out of bone, two stand out: the aptly named “bones” and the jawbone. Even if you only listen to the latest pop songs, it’s possible you’ve heard the former without realizing it. In 1949, Freeman Davis, known as “Brother Bones,” recorded a version of the Jazz Age standard “Sweet Georgia Brown,” which found widespread fame after the Harlem Globetrotters picked it up as their theme song three years later.

You’re more likely to find them made out of wood today, but in their most basic form, bones are a pair of animal rib bones—usually sheep or cow— cut down to between 5 and 7 inches long. Players hold them between their fingers, curved sides facing each other, and knock them together with deft flicks of their wrists. Like skilled tap dancers, experts can create a vast range of percussive sounds.

The bones have their roots in traditional Irish and Scottish music, and immigrants from those countries brought them to America, where they found a home in bluegrass and other folk genres. They’re similar to other clacking percussion instruments like the spoons, the Chinese paiban, and castanets.

The jawbone, meanwhile, is originally an African instrument that made its way to the Americas as a result of the slave trade. It’s usually the jawbone of a horse or another equine (like a donkey or zebra), that’s been stripped of all flesh and dried.

Once it’s dry, the teeth become so loose they rattle around in their sockets. But it’s more than a simple rattle—players can create other sounds by striking the jawbone with a stick or rubbing the wood across its teeth.

It’s a little more niche, but you may have also heard the sound of a jawbone without realizing it—the vibraslap, patented in 1969 by Martin B. Cohen, was designed to sound exactly like it. Cohen said in his patent application that he’d found it hard to replace actual jawbones when they break.

Fortune telling

The original users of these bones hoped they'd foretell the future. (Deborah Harding, Carnegie Museum of Natural History/)

Yeah, you’ve heard of necromancy, and probably pyromancy. Now, get ready for scapulimancy and plastromancy. Relatives of pyromancy, these two divination practices involve writing questions on bones (usually large animal shoulder bones or turtle plastrons), heating them up until they crack, and then interpreting the cracks.

How they were heated is unclear and likely varied. Some sources simply mention fire, while others describe diviners inserting hot metal rods into holes drilled in the bones.

These practices weren’t restricted to any particular region, either, and ancient people worldwide had their own versions. Inhabitants of Europe, western Asia, and North Africa simply inspected the natural condition of the bone after all flesh was scraped away, but those who lived in North America and other parts of Asia used fire, according to David N. Keightley, a former professor of Chinese history at the University of California, Berkeley.

Perhaps the most well-preserved oracle bones come from China, most of which date back to the Shang dynasty (1600-1046 BCE). About 20,000 pieces (mostly ox scapulae and turtle plastrons) were dug up between 1928 and 1937 during official excavations around the dynasty’s capital city of Yinxu, about 300 miles southwest of modern-day Beijing. Most turned out to be predictions performed for the royal family. This discovery, among others, helped Chinese archaeologist Li Ji prove that the Shang dynasty actually existed.

The Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh has a large collection of these bones in storage for research purposes. Amy Covell-Murthy, who manages the museum’s archaeology collection, said the inscriptions on their bones ask questions like whether or not someone will have a baby, which crops to plant in a field, or how a war will turn out. She also said some are fakes, but that they still hold value because they’re at least 100 years old themselves.

Bone china

Unlike true porcelain, which contains only minerals, the ceramic material known as bone china includes bone ash. It originated in England in the 1700s and for a long time, most, if not all, bone china was made there.

A few potters and companies experimented with bone ash as they sought to bulk up their soft-paste porcelain to rival the stronger hard-paste ceramics made in China, but Josiah Spode I is generally understood to have been the one who standardized bone china production. When he died, his son, Josiah Spode II, took over and continued to improve on his father’s work.

Today, bone china is made across the globe by companies such as Lenox, which has made numerous pieces for presidents dating back to 1918, and the Spode family’s eponymous business, Spode.

Fertilizer

Plants love to eat bones. Hardcore. (CDC via Unsplash/)

All living things need phosphorus, and bones have a lot of it. This is why bone meal, as ground-up bones are called, has found its calling as plant fertilizer. Without phosphorus, plants can’t function, can’t grow, and can’t photosynthesize, says Dennis Stevenson, vice president for science at the New York Botanical Garden. Bone meal is also high in calcium, which plants need for their cell walls.

But with its benefits come some potential problems. Health experts say some bone meal can be high in lead, and possibly also mercury. It’s also got a bit of a dark history in the U.S., dating back to the near-total destruction of the American bison.

The hunting of these thousand-pound animals was driven by their highly prized skins, but also by the U.S. government, which promoted hunting in an effort to starve Native Americans and force them onto reservations. Hunters would kill and skin bison, but often left the carcasses littering the Great Plains. As settlers moved west, they began picking them up and selling them to use as fertilizer.

Gelatin and glue

The revelation that gelatin is made out of animal parts is a common one. But the simple fact that everyone seems to have this somewhat traumatic revelation at some point in their lives made it seem relevant for this list. If you already know this, great—maybe you’ll learn something new here anyway. And if you didn’t, now you do, and you can reveal it to others in your life.

Most gelatin is made from the byproducts of the meat and leather industries, usually bones and skin. In its purest form, it’s 98 to 99 percent protein and is nearly tasteless and odorless. Its use dates back to the medieval era, and because it was hard to make, it was originally just for rich families.

Today, it’s still pretty complicated to make, but industry has taken much of the hands-on labor out of it. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the 20-week process for making gelatin out of cattle bones starts like this: The bones are crushed and cooked at 180 to 250 degrees Fahrenheit before being spun in a centrifuge, dried at 160 to 270 degrees, degreased, and treated for five to seven days with a weak hydrochloric acid solution.

Then, the ground-up bones are washed several times with water and treated with a lime slurry (not the tasty tropical kind) for one to two months in an effort to remove everything that’s not collagen. After that, the almost-gelatin is washed again, made more acidic, and may be filtered. Finally, its pH is made more neutral (between 5 and 7), it’s sterilized at 280 to 290 degrees for several seconds, cooled, and dried with hot air for 1 to 3 hours.

This stuff ends up in obvious foods like gummies, but can also be used in a wide variety of ways to stabilize, thicken, and add texture to the things we eat. It’s also used to make modern film.

Gelatin and animal glue are closely related, though use of the latter has largely disappeared. At least as late as the early 2000s, gelatin-based glues were used to stick those “organic” stickers on fruits and vegetables, the USDA says.

Animal glue has a long history, and in 2014 researchers found that it was used to hold together the painted layers of Chinese emperor Qin Shi Huang’s massive terracotta army. It was used worldwide until the early 1900s, but was essentially eliminated by the invention of synthetic adhesives.