In a January 8, 2024 interview with the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, Dr. Anthony Fauci, former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), discussed the H5N1 influenza research that led to major biosecurity policy changes around "gain-of-function" viral studies. The transcript of this interview was published yesterday (Click here). More details can be found in the interview transcript links below:

• Interview of: Anthony S. Fauci - Part 1
• Interview of: Anthony S. Fauci - Part 2

Here is a summary of Dr. Fauci's comments about the H5N1 influenza virus:
Dr. Fauci noted that H5N1, primarily a virus found in chickens, showed little evidence of human-to-human transmission initially but was notable for its ability to jump from chickens to humans, resulting in a high mortality rate. Significant efforts were made to develop and stockpile vaccines for H5N1 due to its potential threat.
H5N1 was a major concern in the early 2000s due to its potential to evolve into a highly transmissible and deadly pandemic virus. As the director of NIAID, Dr. Fauci and his team were heavily involved in efforts to develop vaccines and study the pathogenesis of H5N1.
Dr. Fauci emphasized that the close proximity of humans to animals in regions like Southeast Asia creates an environment for zoonotic diseases like H5N1 to emerge and spread. He highlighted the importance of monitoring wildlife and understanding the flight patterns of wildfowl to predict and manage the spread of such viruses.
A pivotal moment was the controversial H5N1 "ferret studies" conducted in 2011 by researchers in the Netherlands and the University of Wisconsin. They genetically modified H5N1 to make it transmissible via respiratory droplets between ferrets, raising major biosecurity concerns about the potential for the modified virus to spread in humans if it leaked.
The studies triggered a fierce debate about whether the research should be published, as the knowledge could potentially be misused. This led to a "gain-of-function" research pause by the U.S. government in 2014, halting funding for any research that could make viruses more transmissible or virulent.
According to Fauci, the H5N1 ferret studies were a "wake-up call" for the need for tighter regulation and oversight before conducting such experiments, rather than scrutinizing them post-publication. This initiated a three-year process to develop a more robust policy framework called the P3CO (Potential Pandemic Pathogen Control and Oversight) to regulate "gain-of-function" research on potential pandemic pathogens.
During this time, NIAID's role continued to focus on developing vaccines, therapeutics, and conducting pathogenesis studies under strict regulatory controls for any work that could potentially enhance the pandemic potential of viruses like H5N1. This prompted efforts to develop and stockpile H5N1 vaccines.
Overall, the H5N1 saga highlighted the biosecurity risks of enhancing highly dangerous viral strains while permitting important research under appropriate oversight when benefits outweighed risks. This experience shaped policies governing "gain-of-function" research that were relevant during the COVID-19 pandemic.

I confess I'm relatively new to looking into H5N1, coming to it from the perspective of a Moderna mRNA investor. Undoubtedly what is new to me, is unlikely to be new to many of you!
The following snippets come from this article (https://www.msn.com/en-gb/health/othethe-chicken-and-egg-problem-of-fighting-another-flu-pandemic/ar-BB1no5r5?ocid=msedgntp&pc=DCTS&cvid=00d29daa21a64cb5b10e1dfc6d284213&ei=55).
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1. "the currently stockpiled formulation against the H5N1 bird flu virus requires two shots and a whopping 90 micrograms of antigen, yet provides just middling immunity. "For the U.S. alone, it would take hens laying 900,000 eggs every single day for nine months," Bright said. And that's only if the chickens don't get infected.. there's always the frightening prospect that wild birds could carry the virus into the henhouses needed in vaccine production. "Once those roosters and hens go down, you have no vaccine," Bright [formerly of BARDA] said.
2. "Billions of dollars have been invested into vaccines produced in mammalian and insect cell lines that don't pose the same risks as egg-based shots. "Everyone knows the cell-based vaccines are better, more immunogenic, and offer better production,".. The companies that make the cell-based influenza vaccines, CSL Seqirus and Sanofi, also have billions invested in egg-based production lines that they aren't eager to replace.
3. Pfizer and Moderna are testing seasonal influenza vaccines made with mRNA, and the government is soliciting bids for mRNA pandemic flu vaccines, said David Boucher, director of infectious disease preparedness at HHS' Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response.

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Bright, whose agency invested a billion dollars in a cell-based flu vaccine factory in Holly Springs, North Carolina, said there's "no way in hell we can fight an H5N1 pandemic with an egg-based vaccine." But for now, there's little choice.. the vaccines currently in the national stockpile are not a perfect match for the strain in question. Even with two shots containing six times as much vaccine substance as typical flu shots, the stockpiled vaccines were only partly effective against strains of the virus that circulated when those vaccines were made, Adalja said... Flu vaccine makers are just starting to prepare this fall's shots but, eventually, the federal government could request production be switched to a pandemic-targeted strain.
......
From my Moderna research, a 30May24 Financial Times article (paywall) said "The US government is nearing an agreement to bankroll a late-stage trial of Moderna’s mRNA pandemic bird flu vaccine.. The federal funding from Barda could come as early as next month.. It is expected to total several tens of millions of dollars, and could be accompanied by a commitment to procure doses if the phase-three trials are successful."
Before reading the H5N1_AvianFlu subreddit I had no idea $bn's were being spent on flu vaccines. Serious numbers like that, made me realize say $30-50m on mRNA was pretty cheap.
If of interest, Moderna's H5 candidate is known as mRNA-1018 Pandemic Influenza
A) https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05972174?intr=mRNA-1018&rank=1 Refers to "mRNA-1018 for H5N8", "mRNA-1018 for H5 Only" & "mRNA-1018 for H5 Only-CG", among others.
B) https://www.pharmaceutical-technology.com/data-insights/mrna-1018-moderna-pandemic-influenza-likelihood-of-approval/ "MRNA-1018 is under clinical development by Moderna and currently in Phase II for Pandemic Influenza"
C) https://trials.modernatx.com/study/?id=mRNA-1018-P101 Moderna's own trial details.
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First/Previous
“How’d you think that was going to go?” asked a voice from the other side of the door.
I lay on the bunk and stared at the ceiling; my head throbbed. The place where I’d been grazed stung whenever I touched my fingers to it. A bullet had—by whoever’s grace—scraped my scalp and traced a line from the far corner of my right eyebrow. It'd only been three days and it still caused pain. No doctors came and I was certain there would be infection—if not plain infection, then it could always be the worser: skitterbugs. I ached still. I had never fully recovered, not like how I should have.
The day of anger, as I’d begun to think of it in my mind, had caused no great ruckus beyond a few dead men. Two were Bosses, but who knew if they’d announce that as casually as they’d surely announce my execution. Perhaps they’d string me up alongside thieves. A good thief and a bad. What a riot; I deserved no thieves, of course.
What was I? Some great hero? Some idiot was more likely. I wanted misery to befall those that perpetrated it themselves and there I was, more miserable. Perhaps the wrath in my heart came from some mutation; the demon Mephisto resurrected me (so said the demon) and I’d begun to accept it. It was the reason for my poor state, surely, and the more I thought on it, the more I believed it was true; it felt true right down to my bones. The truth hurt or it was age and I rose from the cot I lay on; I’d been detained in a room beside the one I’d visited Andrew many months prior. They’d starved me, rattled the door to try and frighten me, and they’d wasted water on my head to keep me from good sleep.
I did not respond to the voice from the other side of the door and the object rattled in its frame and the voice came again, this time angrier, “Really? How did you think that was going to go? Crazy bastard! Thought you’d put the hurt on the Bosses? Thought you’d kill us at our worst? First, it’s that explosion. You have something to do with that? No! First, it was Harold’s daughter running off!” The voice on the other side of the door grew with mirth as it did with anger. “I’d seen you around town a bit. Thought the Bosses always liked you. Huh. Boss Harold mentioned you at his parties and said how you were a smart fella’, a good fella’, and there you killed him. Stone cold.” The man which spoke was a jailor that tortured me in those dreamlike days I spent locked in their prison, and he seemed personally affronted. “So first it’s the explosions; steam or dust rose out of cracks in the ground you know—some thought hell was rising up, but the Bosses put those thoughts to bed. God, what’s it with the likes of you? The explosions and now I’ve lost an eye and its because of the skitterbugs. You probably brought that on!” The voice muttered and then the door shook in its frame again, seemingly from a hard kick. I wished I could see the face of the man throwing his tantrum. “Can’t wait to see you hang.”
“So, I’ll hang?” I asked the door. There was a long silence, and I was uncertain if I’d pitched my voice enough for the man on the other side to hear me. I opened my mouth to ask, “So-
“You’ll hang.” The man on other side seemed to knock his knuckles against the surface of the door. “Or you’ll die here.”
“What’s Maron said?”
“Don’t you worry about him.”
“What’s he said?”
“Said you’d probably appreciate the punishment that we’d put on you. Said you’re a sick man. Said you like speaking with devils and people like you only find pleasure in such things.”
“So, I won’t hang?”
“Oh, you’ll hang, sir. You’ll hang if I need to do it myself with no one else. If not that, I’ll be sure to put you under one way or another. Accidents happen.” He chuckled. “Maybe you’d enjoy it, but it doesn’t matter. Whatever enjoyment you find in your tortures won’t compare to what ideas I have.”
A long silence followed, and I watched dust motes dance in the air; the place was stagnant and even a breath caused a shift in their glide. I closed my eyes and tried to remember a better time. I thought of Suzanne. I thought of Gemma. What a time to be alive. I thought of the movies, the books, the musical cartridges that sung of yesteryears. How unlucky I’d been, of course. Something had changed in me though and it was totally refreshing. Perhaps it was in realizing the evils of my brothers was that of a man and not some otherworldly force, or perhaps it was a push that came from years of terrible inconsistencies. All that living in the past and so it was. It didn’t matter—the past. I’d been so busy with it that I’d been in a constant state of unliving. I’d known that always, of course—something new had come.
“You dozing off in there?” asked the jailor.
“Nah.”
“Good. Stay awake or I’ll be forced to stay you awake.”
I’d been reborn with a rage, justified or otherwise, and it was felt all over. It was a wild compulsion. All that time and it had been me that was brought back.
The wound on my head throbbed and I prodded it with a finger and brought the finger away and examined the digit; it was dried well enough, and I did not smell infection nor were there any of the accompanying symptoms of a fever or hallucination. I was me, through and through. For now.
The door banged. I didn’t bother an answer and the door banged again.
“Who’s there?” I asked, surprising myself with the sarcasm.
“Why’d you do it?” asked the jailor.
“You wanna’ ask me about it now?”
“Tell me.” The voice on the other side of the door was serious entirely.
“Bah!” “Bah to you! Why’d you do it?”
“Is there a reason to explain myself? If you knew better the things I knew, would it get you to unlock that door and let me walk free? Would it change your mind even?”
The jailor caught a laugh before responding. “Can’t say it would.”
“So, what’s it that you want? You won’t understand me, and I don’t think I’ve got the energies of persuasion to try.”
“Try.”
“You like the Bosses?”
“They’re okay. Keep me in work anyway. Keep people safe.” I slumped forward onto my knees where I sat and placed my elbows on my knees and watched the crack at the base of the door on the other side of the prison cell. “What’s it matter if they keep you in work? Think they care about you anymore than what you represent?”
“Huh?”
“I mean, you keep riffraff down and they like you for it. I wonder if they know you. You ever get invited to the feasts they hold at the hall? You ever worry about your water rations? You ever wonder why it is that so few of the women or men invited to the hall return? Children too, now that I think of it. They’d call those captured criminals, I know. Those brothers—the sheriff is to blame too—they’re bastards. You know they are.”
“Is that so? What’s that make me? A bastard too?”
“By proxy maybe.” I dryly chuckled. “What’s it matter? What do you want outta’ me anyhow? Some gratification? Some confession—you’ve gotten that already, ain’tcha? Maybe a repentance? Why don’t you call one of those Bosses on down from their throne and have them here on the other side of the door so I can apologize? Or call Lady and I’ll get her to channel some message to the afterlife and I’ll plead for forgiveness. That what you want? Now I’m a bad man and I know it, but it ain’t for the reasons you believe. What you want is belief that there’s a man under the skin of the monster you’ve projected? No, I won’t shoo away your boogeyman for you. It can’t be done, not from me.”
“You talk big for someone in your predicament. I like how you talk so holier. Like you’re talking down on me. I just wanted to know what made you want to go on a mad-killing spree the way you did.”
“Mm.” I cupped my hands together; as it was, my left knee shot off with pain and I tried to massage it to little comfort and stretched it out straight from my body. “When violence keeps you bound, violence is necessary to free yourself. That’s all I’ll say about it. If you hang me, then hang me. Spill my guts out for the birds and put a sack over my head so you won’t be sick by my face.”
“You’re a mouthy pig.”
I listened to the jailor’s footfalls disappear down the hall and finally it was totally quiet and all I could hear was the throb on my head. Lucky or unlucky? No, it wasn’t luck. I’d been marked. I was the payment, and I knew the price. The demon had my soul. Whatever protection it afforded me, I intended on using.
The image of that room continued over in my mind, with the peasantry (that’s what I saw them as then) knelt in front of the Bosses and the wall men, with the intense blood-smell, with the surprise on Maron’s face. Billy’s face. There was still a part of me, however small, that wanted to plead with him to change his ways. That wasn’t the part that welled up in me then though. The piece of me that wanted to see him die was what took over. It hadn’t been Maron that fired his gun; he’d still been fighting with his holster. I’d only taken a step in through the door and a spray of gunfire from one of the wall men’s rifles exploded and I was sure I was dead because I fell, and my vision went white. They should’ve put me down then.
I didn’t come too fully until I had a few goons on me, hauling me upright roughly under my arms. Maron didn’t say anything at first and those wall men took over; they shouted that I was alive still and I felt a hot gun barrel against my cheek.
“Stop!” shouted Maron. The Boss Sheriff stepped forward with his stilted gait and looked me over thoroughly. The gun barrel fell from my cheek, but they held me still; it wasn’t like I planned on fighting. “You got uglier,” said Boss Maron, “Really ugly.” His left eye, afflicted by the skitterbug infestation, had gone dead white with only the faintest trace of an iris; it dribbled pus.
I held his stare to the point that my eyes watered—whether from anger or sorrow or both—and my muscles tightened like an animal threatening to pounce. It was a ridiculous display.
“Lock him up,” said Boss Maron.
So, I was locked up and those uncounted days I was mildly tortured: sleep deprivation, pummeling, and sometimes they spit on me. It could have been worse. I’d seen worse.
The cell was numbingly quiet, and I continued to massage my knee, continued in thinking about how investing so much thought with the past twisted any future of mine into a dismal satire.
I could not tell how long it had been without sunlight and the jailor returned (he was bulbous and fattened and old but very strong—it could be sensed in how he carried himself) pushed through the door this time with a tray of diced potatoes, steamed but cold, and a metal cup of water. He sat them on the floor, stared at the tray there with his one good left eye, and it was like I could read his mind as he looked at the food there. He could destroy it; he jerked from the tray without saying a word to me then disappeared behind the door he closed. The jailor remained there outside.
Pride swelled in me momentarily before I pushed whatever silliness that was and devoured the food and drank the clear water. If it was poison, so be it. If it was poison, then all the problems of the world would disperse.
Again, the jailor pushed in through the door and bent to remove the tray and I was struck by the immediate thought of strangling him. So, I tried and threw myself at the man.
My hands felt the scruff around his throat, and I pressed hard with my fingers on his Adams apple. He’d lurched forward to lift the tray and he immediately came up with force, throwing me off him; my nails raked his cheek as I scrambled for purchase. He took the metal tray in both of his hands and thwapped me across the head—it rang, and I was stunned while he lifted back his right hand in a swing. In the dizziness, I momentarily caught a glimpse of the holster on his left hip and reached out dumbly for the revolver there. A meaty smack could be heard, and I didn’t even feel it when his fist met my face the second time. My head rocked and I fought to look upright, and his hand came again, and I put up my own hand in return; it was pushed away, and he continued at me, muttering epithets he found useful.
Once he was heaving and spitting, he left me on the cot and directly before slamming the door, he mentioned something about violence and how if I liked violence so much that he’d show it to me.
I nursed myself to sitting right-up and though adrenaline kept the pain away, I felt my face bruising already. There was no way for me to inspect the welts his hands had left, but I could guess their places by touch and how they thrummed with my heart.
Two days passed, if I counted them by the visits from the jailor and then Maron made his appearance to me, and I was surprised to see him with a leather eye patch over his left eye; he seemed ill on his feet and the jailor, though the man was there, did not move to stop Maron from entering the room and relieving me of my prison. He and the jailor roped my hands together in front of my pelvis and I didn’t fight.
Boss Maron stank of infection and yellow oozed from beneath his eye patch and he kept his cowboy hat pulled snugly over both his ears and did not speak so jovially—there were no crude jokes at my expense. A warmth radiated off him. The Boss carried my shotgun with him but made no remark on it. He marched me from the prison, and I met daylight, and it burned my eyes while I stared up into the reddish sky. Dust scattered from the nearest portion of wall and caught on the wind till it was carried and disappeared overhead, and I briefly thought how nice it must be to fly.
Golgotha stirred as ever, and people spoke loudly and candidly as I passed them by. Words came my way from passing faces like, “You kissed the devil’s ass!” or, “You sure are a monster, look at you!” and Maron pushed me on with the gun at my back, and I wavered on my legs like I was without any control.
“Is it true?” asked Boss Maron, “Did you kiss the devil’s ass?” He tilted the shotgun casually on his shoulder and kept me ahead of himself. He was taking me to hang—and making a big deal out of it too. “I know how you like to speak to them. The demons. I know how you conspire with them. I told them all how you do. Now they know I was right.”
What a rotten town it was, and it smelled like it. The atrophied muscles and diseased infections of those fine folks emanated in the air, flies buzzed around my head, bloated and doubtlessly happy from whatever corpse they’d sprung from.
“Say somethin’,” said Maron.
“What do you want?” I asked, watching my footfalls, ignoring the screeches of those on the sidelines; he marched me through the runways, past the onlookers which saw me with faces of twisted hatred. The tension was palpable—I could feel the venom off the eyes of those that watched. Blood red eyes which judged carelessly.
“I want you to say it,” said Maron; I felt the nudge of the shotgun at my back again and I stumbled forward, caught myself, carried on, “I want you to admit it to me. You’re like a mutant, ain’tcha? No better than any other monster. I knew it all them years. I seen it.” We took an alley and cretins followed behind; wall men flanked Maron and on either side of the narrow stretch there were faces made even with the wall, pressed there like they were afraid to be involved.
“Whatever you say, brother.”
“Don’t,” hissed Maron, “Don’t even.”
“What?” I spat the word, “Afraid they’ll treat you differently if they all know how close we are?” I felt the gun barrel press against my back, and I yelped out the words, “Hey! He’s my brother! My baby brother!” The barrel jabbed me in the spine, and I spilled forward, catching myself on one of those nearby faces. It was an old woman. She shoved me from her, and I flailed across the ground after trying to catch myself with my bound hands. Dirt met my face and exploded around me. I laughed, blinking through the dust. I spit too. He couldn’t kill me. Whatever black magic there was in me—bequeathed by Mephisto—refused me death. Maron lifted me with the help of his wall men, pinching the coat around my throat with his fist. He shoved me on, and we continued.
“You smell that?” I asked Maron.
“Stop talkin’. You might not be a man, but you’ll die like one,” he said. The wall men around muttered, and we took the way to the front square; already there were looky-loos gathered, throngs of them not at all bashful to see the day’s line-up—it was just me. The platform was emptier and that was good (Frank, Paul, and Matt looked naked without their eldest brother). Those Bosses which remained looked drunk as they did for any other execution. It was a good day for it. Warm. The stink of the crowd was worse and as those gathered parted for my entourage, the warmth of them cloistered us like the blood of a wound.
Even through the vile aroma, the smell of rotted poultry rose like nothing else. “You don’t smell it then?”
The roar, a cacophony of the damned souls stolen, shook the ground and the air changed. A dragon—Leviathan.
Along the wall which old skeletal corpses hung against dried blood stains from hook-chains, men and women scattered the length of the parapets with their weapons. Gunfire came and one of those atop the wall shouted, “Artillery! Dragon! Big guns!”
There was fire in the sky and the creature circled overhead and its wings beat the wind like mad; those organic ropes that hung from its body took on horrid shapes with its movement in the high noon sunlight.
Screams filled the air as the square erupted into panic. I dove into the sickly crowd; among the loudness, the horses which were lined by the big door fought against their ties and bolted across the square. Arms and heads disappeared beneath those dashing hooves, and it was not long before people were trampling people and in a quick glance I saw the Boss platform came down in splinters as the horses rushes it. Blood slickened the feet of many as they rushed to the buildings adjacent the square—what a small protection that’d be against Leviathan. A wall man went stumbling over the wall’s ledge and his body met the ground beneath the hanging corpses and he didn’t get up.
In the wild fray, Maron fired the shotgun into the air, and I briefly thought of where the pellets might fall.
Finally, artillery fire came and put a hole in the creature. It wavered in the air, its head lurched downward like it might pierce the ground and it pulled its long neck back and blew flames across the buildings. The heat was immaculate. Rotted chicken filled my lungs.
“There’s more!” shouted a wall man above, “Running across the field.”
The crowd grew more enamored with escape; there’s no good way to say it—blood frothed around our heels as I was shoved through the avenues of elbows, rocking heads, plunging knees. I pushed on, shielding myself with my bound hands as well as I could. I kept my head as high, and felt scratches reach my throat—doubtlessly those which could not continue—nails and fists came from every direction. In the ephemeral madness, I too screamed and it did not stop until I spilled into an alleyway along the wall nearest the execution chains. I ran and tripped from the crowd, slid, and bit my tongue so thoroughly that my teeth clicked together though the tissue; my breath was knocked from me. My pants were wet from the viscera. Others too had found the opening and barreled past me. I went to my feet and panted thought the pain, through the twinge in my left knee. I took the walls for support and still, those which rushed past nearly knocked me from my feet.
Some poor child—a lean, bony-faced boy—fell in the rush and before I had a moment to reach out, he was gone. Whether he lived or not, I did not stop to know. The crunch of bones as more people spilled into the narrow stretch indicated the worst.
First/Previous
Archive

So I’m a disabled 28 YO male I have cerebral palsy, I thought I had celiac disease for 8 years because of diet issues, now that they’re fixed I’m all set as far as eating what I want
My mother does have celiac disease and she’s carnivore all she eats is meat and she constantly bitches at me about my diet and how I eat all processed junk food or eat bread with 50 ingredients and how I need to eat more clean and healthy
She tells me I’m killing myself with the American diet and all the fake food in our country and I’m always tired and if I keep eating how I am I will die (I smoke a little weed for pain legal here and I’ve been on a tolerance break so I smoke a little and sleep a few hours cuz I don’t sleep good at night sometimes) I understand due to being disabled I don’t have a choice in where or who I live with as I’m on a fixed income
BUT due to cross contamination which I UNDERSTAND I can’t “change my diet” I feel like I’m in a catch 22
She refuses to have flour in the house, I can’t even make schnitzel or a fried pork chop or chicken, if I want sweets I can’t make a real cake or make homemade pasta or real bread without 50 ingredients
My life is boring, I can’t work, we’re too poor for a car, I have no IRL friends because people my age work or have kids or hear I’m disabled so they assume I’m uninteresting and my life has no value so I’m not worth the time in getting to know
I just want to be able to sit in my kitchen and make real food from scratch, like I said pasta, real lasagna, good hearty soul food my life is so shit I just want good food
She wants me to eat cleaner, but won’t let me cook!
I’m sorry if I’m cooking from scratch I want a damn fried pork chop and she wonders why I eat almost all boxed food if it’s Gluten
What I do cook honestly is mostly Japanese rice in a very expensive rice cooker from Japan and Indian curries or stirfrys, meat, if I want anything with flour it has to be “from a box”

May 2024 witnessed a significant intensification of the H5N1 outbreak globally, with new confirmed cases reported across multiple countries. This recap highlights key events and developments during the month, providing insights into the evolving nature of the outbreak.The month saw a concerning expansion of H5N1 cases across different continents, including reported human cases in China, Australia, and the United States. This widespread presence underscores the global nature of the outbreak and the challenges in containment efforts.

👤 Human Cases

Four new confirmed human cases of H5N1 were reported. While these cases involved individuals from various regions, all patients eventually recovered. However, the potential for human-to-human transmission remains a concern.

• On May 22, United States reported a case in a male farm worker in Michigan who recovered.
• On May 23, Australia reported a case in Victoria who recovered. (A child who returned from India in March)
• On May 28, China reported a case in a 33-year-old woman from Guangxi Zhuang who recovered.(Cargo worker from Vietnam, with no local movement in China)
• On May 30, Michigan Health Department reported a farmworker tested positive after contact with infected cows, showing respiratory symptoms post-exposure.

In 2024, WHO reported 11 H5N1 human cases, with 2 fatalities, including a 21-year-old male from Vietnam and a 9-year-old from Cambodia.

🐦 Animal Cases

The detection of H5N1 in poultry and wild birds was reported in many countries. Cross-species transmission was also observed in various animals, including alpacas, cats, and dairy cows, indicating an expanding host range for the virus.

• United States: Positive samples from poultry and wild birds in CO, ID, MI, MN, FL, KS, SD, NM - IA (poultry), PA (poultry), NH (wild birds), MO (poultry), MA (wild birds), ME (wild birds), VA(wild birds), NY (wild birds), OR (wild birds), RI (wild birds), TX (wild birds)
• Brazil: Espírito Santo (wild birds)
• Bulgaria: Plovdiv, Haskovo (poultry)
• Canada: Québec (wild birds), Prince Edward Island (wild birds), Nova Scotia (poultry), Alberta (wild birds), Ontario (wild birds), British Columbia (poultry)
• China: Qinghai (wild birds)
• Germany: Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (poultry), Schleswig-Holstein (poultry), Nordrhein-Westfalen (wild birds)
• Hungary: Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok, Békés (poultry)
• India: Jharkhand, Kerala, Kottayam (poultry)
• Iraq: Sulaymaniyah, Salah al-Din (wild birds)
• Japan: Chiba (poultry)
• Romania: Botoșani (poultry)
• South Africa: Mogale City (poultry)
• South Korea: Gyeongsangbuk-do (poultry)
• Spain: Andalucía (wild birds)
• Taiwan: Tainan City, Changhua County, Taipei City, Chiayi County, Yunlin County (poultry)

🦙 Cross-Species Transmission

Several detections of H5N1 in dairy farms across multiple US states during May:

• Colorado, Kansas, South Dakota, Texas, Idaho, Michigan, New Mexico, Ohio, North Carolina

Cross-species transmission was also observed in various animals, including alpacas and cats, indicating an expanding host range for the virus.

• Alpacas test positive for H5N1 for the first time in Idaho, US
• 4 more cats die of H5N1 in the US
• Domestic Cat in Hungary Dies from H5N1 Avian Influenza
• H5N1 detected in tissue samples of US dairy cow sent to slaughter
• H5N1 found in mice given raw milk from infected dairy cows

🔬 Environmental Detections

Environmental samples, including wastewater and wetlands, tested positive for H5N1 in several states in the United States and Hong Kong. These findings highlight the persistent and widespread environmental contamination associated with the outbreak.

• H5 subtype has been detected in the wastewater of the following states in U.S: Idaho, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Texas.
• In Hong Kong in May, environmental samples in wetlands had tested positive for H5N1.

🚫 Restrictions and Measures

Governments and health authorities implemented various measures to control the outbreak, including entry restrictions, preventive culling, and vaccination campaigns.

• Iraq: Diyala’s Veterinary Hospital responded to nearby bird flu in wild birds with preventive measures.
• Iowa Governor declared state of disaster emergency in Sioux county due to H5N1 outbreak
• South Korea implemented various measures such as entry restrictions in wetlands, preventive culling and vaccination and quarantine measures and control posts in Changnyeong-gun , Jinju City, Hapcheon-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do.
• Macao: Tightened poultry imports from Minnesota, USA, and South Korea.
• Hong Kong: Halted poultry imports from Jharkhand, India; Morrison County, Minnesota, USA; and Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea.
• United States: Banned all poultry product imports from Victoria, Australia.
• Florida Tightened cattle import restrictions.

📉 Economic implications

The outbreak had significant economic implications, including chicken shortages in Jordan and increased futures contracts for US eggs. Vaccine stocks surged, reflecting growing concerns about the spread of the virus.

• Jordan reported chicken shortage due to avian influenza situation.
• Futures contracts for US Eggs jumped 25% since May 23.
• Vaccine stocks surging since early May (NVAX +224%, MRNA +30%, BNTX +12%, PFE +11%, 1M)

🚨 Alerts

• Hong Kong: advised against touching wild birds due to possible H5 mutation.
• Kirkuk, Iraq: Intensified precautions against avian influenza.
• Jordan: Medical professional called for measures to confront avian influenza.
• Thailand: Raised alert after a second H5N1 case in US dairy cows.
• Canada: Expanded surveillance and testing milk for H5N1 amid US dairy cattle outbreak.
• India: issued urgent H5N1 guidelines to States: "Prepare with Oseltamivir, PPE, Masks, etc.

💉 Vaccination

• Finland: Scheduled to begin H5N1 vaccinations for high-risk groups in June.
• US and European nations considering vaccination for exposed workers.
• Gavi’s $2.5 Billion plan targets H5N1 and 20+ Diseases.
• US HHS advanced the plan to produce 4.8 million H5N1 vaccine doses.
• University of Pennsylvania and NIAID announced mRNA vaccine for H5N1.
• EU approved Merck's Avian Flu Vaccine.
• Moderna and Pfizer in talks with the US to develop a avian influenza vaccine.
• US close to deal to bankroll Moderna bird flu vaccine trial

🧬 Genomic Changes

According to CDC, a "notable" mutation (PB2 M631L) in the virus is associated with ‘adaptation to mammalian hosts’.

⚠️ Public Health Risk Assessment

• WHO: Risk to humans is considered low for the general population, but it is considered low to moderate for people in contact with livestock.
• UK Health Security Agency's H5N1 risk statement determined it "at most a very low risk" for general population. The current risk to people in contact with animals infected with this strain in the UK is at most, very low (medium uncertainty).
• U.S. CDC sees low risk for H5N1 bird flu to the U.S. public, but those with close, unprotected exposure to infected birds or contaminated areas are at higher risk.
• Canada: For the general population, the likelihood of human infection with H5N1 from livestock in the next 3 months is very low due to a very low likelihood and level of exposure to infectious virus. At most low for people with higher level of exposure to infectious livestock.
• Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - H5N1 Scenario-Based Risk Assessment: The US cattle outbreak presents a moderate risk of human transmission, ranging between Scenarios 2 and 3.

Despite the mild nature of reported human cases in May, the rapid geographical spread, expanding host range, and persistent environmental contamination raise concerns about the trajectory of the outbreak. The detection of a notable mutation associated with adaptation to mammalian hosts underscores the evolving nature of the virus.Moreover, the virus’s ability to adapt and infect diverse species is concerning, as it increases the risk of further human infections. Sporadic cases of human infection are likely to be reported in the future. Additionally, you can expect potential shortages of poultry and eggs due to culling measures and trade restrictions.Looking ahead, the following measures are expected to be implemented:

• Mass cullings of poultry and other affected animals.
• Trade restrictions on the movement of poultry and eggs.
• Heightened surveillance efforts to monitor the spread of H5N1.
• Movement restrictions in affected areas to reduce the risk of transmission.
• Vaccination campaigns, particularly targeting farm workers and individuals at high risk of exposure.

My name is James, 30 years old, height 184, weight 77.
I feel a little tight on the left side of my throat. There is a symptom of swallowing food and water and feeling pain on the left side of the throat. (Symptoms that hurt when swallowing have been on and off for almost 2 years.) Some days I feel like eating greasy food, such as fried chicken, and there is no pain when swallowing. I used to treat acid reflux disease. I had a throat exam, and I have had a colonoscopy, both small and large, but did not find anything abnormal.
My symptoms are chronic and come and go.
I have noticed that sometimes when I have little rest for 3-4 days, I have a sore throat when I swallow.
But sometimes, after a little rest, there are no symptoms, no symptoms of swallowing and a sore throat.
So I'm not sure about taking a break as well. Because I rested a lot, I still had pain when swallowing and the left side of my throat hurt.
Most recently, at the end of last year, I had a CT scan of my throat, and nothing abnormal was found. At the end of last year, I also had tonsil surgery.
I still feel a slight tightness on the left side of my throat and can swallow normally. But there are still the same symptoms of swallowing and pain on the left side of my throat. Swallowing saliva and water still causes pain on the left side of my neck. Now, if I make a sound in my throat and tilt my head to the left, I feel pain when I make noise.
How should I go about getting treatment? I have always been treated by an ENT doctor (ear, nose and throat specialist).
Now I don't know what kind of treatment to take next. I'm very stressed.

[First] [Previous]

Thank you u/abrachoo for the meme.

Transcription Subject: Takke, Venlil/Unemployed
Date [standardized human time]: February 26, 2137
Nervously, I walked towards the soon-to-be-opened restaurant, ‘The Orangery.’ I have been jobless for a month now, and I might have to go back to living with my parents if I can’t find any work soon. I really have to nail this interview. Relax, you have experience in this line of work, you got this. I checked one last time if my black fur was still neatly combed and clean before I knocked on the door and opened it slowly. “Hello, may I enter?”
“Depends, are you here for the interview?”
“Yes?”
“Good, come in. You’re the first, and I want to keep this quick.” I opened the door fully and saw a tattered-looking venlil, covered in scars from head to toe, sitting at one of the tables. “Are you coming?,” he asked, impatience at my hesitation marrying his tone. I swallowed and made my way over to the table. He idly gestured to the seat as he went over a list. “Name?”
“My name is Takke, but most people call me Tak.” I gave a formal greeting with my tail, expecting him to do the same. The man, however, simply leafed through a stack of papers while searching for something.
“Takke…22 years old…2 years of experience as a waiter and 3 as a cook,” he read from my resume, not paying me any attention. This man clearly has predator disease; I hope he isn’t my boss and is simply HR, although I doubt it.
“Sorry, what is your name, sir?” He continued reading my resume for several more seconds, completely ignoring me.
“Gilt.” After several minutes of awkward silence, he spoke up again, “Do you have a problem with working with humans?”
“Ye-what, why do I need to work with humans? They wouldn’t go to a salad restaurant, right?” I suppose I could if I only have to serve one once in a while, and if they don’t get aggressive.
“I’m no bigot, anyone can eat here…and maybe you could come into contact with a human in other ways,” Gilt said, moving his ears and tail in discomfort.
“Other ways?” I asked with concern.
“Oh, you know, perhaps…a delivery guy! Yes, a delivery guy could be human, you should be able to pick up food, from a delivery man, no matter if he’s a human, venlil or other.”
“To answer your question, mister Gilt, I am open to working with humans,” I half-heartedly lied.
“Good!” he exclaimed, waging his tail slightly. “And now for the final question, how desperate are you?”
“I’m sorry? I don’t follow.”
“How desperate are you for this job?”
This is starting to sound like a…”Quite, sir, to be honest. Why do you-?“
Gilt cut me off before I could finish my sentence, “Good, you’re hired.” He suddenly leaned forward and grabbed my paw for some reason, shaking it vigorously. “Your first day is overmorrow at second claw, you will be oriented then. Here are the keys. And sign this contract.” He quickly pushed a contract towards me. After a quick glance over it’s contents, I signed it, not having much choice but to work for this crazed man. Well, I could always go and live with my mother again, although I’d rather not. It’s not that I don’t love her, but she doesn’t have any sense of privacy, and I’ve gotten quite used to living on my own.
“Thank you mister Gilt, I will not let you down.”
“Yeah, yeah, now let’s move it, I still have to buy a lot of furniture at the thrift store,” he said all while pushing me towards the door, before suddenly pausing to think for a moment. “But only quality furniture of course, because this a legitimate place, with quality furniture,” Gilt said as he resumed pushing me out of the restaurant.
As we exited, a white venlil with blond spots walked up to Gilt. “Hello, I am here for the interview.”
“Go away, we already got someone,” Gilt snapped at the spotted venlil.
“Hi, is this the Orangery?” a second venlil asked, walking up towards Gilt.
“No, go away!”
Transcription Subject: Takke, Venlil waitecook
Date [standardized human time]: February 28, 2137
The Orangery stood on the far edge of the shopping centre, out where people only ever came for a specific store or locale. It stood snug in between a groomer salon and a rare tailor, something that had become more popular lately with the arrival of the humans.
Entering the shop, I was greeted by a strange collection of furniture one could politely call ‘colourful.’ No table was the same, only a few chairs had a matching other counterpart, and when they did, they were not even always placed at the same table. It could have been done as an artistic choice, but I’m not sure it was. On the walls hung framed pictures of green rolling hills, often displaying strange grazing animals that had an uncanny resemblance to a venlil, but quadrupedal and bearing a nose. On the counter —near the entrance— stood a plush version of one of these animals. Weirdly enough this version had its eyes facing more forward than those on the pictures, looking nearly as though it had binocular vision. Another strange detail was that there were several potted plants placed throughout the restaurant. Keeping plants inside is not something usually done in venlil culture, usually reserved to only a couple of species. Gojids and kolshians, most notably.
Passing the strange decorations and furniture, I took a look at the well-stocked bar. What was noticeably, some of the bottles only contained a measly 6% alcohol. Should I be expecting other species too?
The kitchen was fairly normal, the only thing out of place being that the wares were oddly big, as though they were made for a larger species. The most notable proof of this was the apron hanging from a hook. There were 3 words printed on it in a language that I did not recognize. I guessed that it was for a nevok considering the size of it. Why would a nevok be working here, don’t they usually charge much more then other species? Perhaps a takkan, there are not that many bipedal species that are this big. Now I think about it, I have no idea with how many people I’m going to work with, or anything about this company to begin with. I thought as I put on the oversized apron, the bottom hanging so low that it almost became a tripping hazard. I began taking inventory of everything in the kitchen so that I would know where everything was before I would officially start.
The chime above the door must have rung, but I was too focused on taking inventory to process what I heard. A creeping sensation came over me, and I saw a large, looming thing from the corner of my eye. I quickly spun around with a jump and saw that a massive human was standing in the doorframe. I quickly concluded that it was a man, as it was clearly missing the enlarged mammalians human females had, and it definitely had the increased muscle mass that some of the males had. He was even bigger then the humans I had seen and avoided in the streets; he had to have ducked to fit through the doorframe. This must be one of those ‘alpha males’ I have read about. His face bore a matte white mask. It was made out of some thick plastic like it was meant to protect his face, it was featureless, except for small holes around the mouth and 2 larger holes for the eyes, each complete with tinted glass covering.
Those 2 eye holes bore into me; I couldn’t move while he stood there looking at me as I was further backed into a corner, the human blocking both exists. “Sorry that I’m late, the bus had to take a detour due to an accident. I’m Maarten, I’m going to orient you into your new job,” it said with a low grumbling voice, while I stood flabbergasted from what he just said.
“Y-you must be mistaken sir, this is the Orangery, we serve salads. I work for Gilt,” I said, pulling all my courage together to get this predator out of the restaurant.
“I know. Gilt is my business partner, we both own this restaurant. Er, well he’s the one who signed the lease contract, but still.” He stood still for a moment, presumably thinking, but I couldn’t read any emotion from him. Without a tail or ear movement, and the mask obstructed any facial expression the human could possibly make. “Wait, let me guess, Gilt never told you that you would be working with or for a human?”
I gave an ear flick that signed ‘no.’ In return, Maarten dragged a hand over his mask and let out a drawn out sigh.
“Of course he didn’t. Takke was it, right? Could you please hand me my apron? So I can get started on showing you the ropes.” I began to undo the strap on the back as fast as I could, not wanting to be seen as stealing the fake pelt of a predator. “I can’t believe someone from the cooking store at the refugee centre had ordered a bunch of aprons saying ‘Bite the cook.’” At that, he began making a barking noise that my translator told me was laughter. I hastily took off the apron and threw it on the ground like it was on fire. I cursed myself for possibly angering him. He simply grabbed the apron off the ground and took a good look at my name tag that was still attached to the apron. His emotionless mask stared at it for a few moments. “T...A…K? Is that correct?”
“Y-yes, that is what everyone calls me. How did you read that? Almost no one but venlil can read Venlilian.”
“I have been here for months, of course I picked some up. Having to use a visual translator for everything is getting…tiring. Anyway-“ He walked over to a cabinet that hung low enough for him to look onto it with ease and grabbed a venlil-sized apron. “-This one is yours,” he said as he threw it directly into my paws.
“I bought a cookbook and a whole ton of Earth vegetables, that way we can be the only restaurant in town that serves human food. Well, there was this food truck selling burritos, but still. And don’t worry, the salads won’t contain any predatory stuff, that’s illegal. That means, no: meat, milk, cheese [pasteurized milk], honey [insect puke], eggs, or mayonnaise [condiment made from eggs].” I was bewildered by how casually Maarten summed up a list of the most grotesque things one could eat like it was the most normal thing in the world, and unfortunately my translator did its work perfectly in explaining what each item was. I know humans call themselves omnivores, but I didn’t think they meant it this literally. “Actually, I’m not sure if honey is illegal, I have to look that up.”
“I…I thought humans didn’t eat animals any more and only ate lab grown flesh.”
“Only the rich still do. Oh, you mean the eggs and mayonnaise. Don’t worry, the translator messes up on that one.” Oh good, it’s some fake lab-grown eggs like their flesh-food. Maarten leaned against the freezer as he leafed through the cookbook, as he nonchalantly spoke, “The eggs are not fertilized, so their’s no baby bird inside.” What?!
“How can you even tell that they’re unfertilized? And how do you get to the eggs in the first place, do you just grab them out of a nest?” I was getting a bit shaken by the sudden reveal. The humans on television were always portrayed as extremely kind-hearted beings that would never hurt another creature. We were constantly told that they had overcome their predatory nature, and now this one is telling me they still eat other animals eggs like it was nothing. And what was that about drinking milk? From who? Their own? Or is it from cattle? VENLIL?
“No, it’s not like we go hunting for them, we just keep this bird called chicken [nearly flightless predator bird] that we keep as livestock [cattle], they lay eggs when we give them a lot of food.” I’m going to faint, what next, humans actually do want to keep us as cattle? I began supporting myself on the counter to stabilize myself a bit. “Hey, are you alright? Shit, I told you too much, didn’t I?”
“No, I’m fine, that was just a lot to progress,” I half-heartily lied.
“I suppose I treated you too much like a human,” he says with a deep sigh. “If it makes you feel any better, I have not eaten any of those ‘predatory’ foods since I arrived here on Skalga, not even meat. How about this, we’re just going to cook, no more talking about predatory stuff. It’s just you, me, a bunch of vegetables, fruits and knives,” he said, finishing off with an awkward cough.
[Fast-forwarding by 5 hours]
“-the krakotl exterminator kept trying to fly high enough to reach the feline predator, but she kept failing due to the high gravity. Her venlil partner kept telling her to get a ladder, but that only angered her even more,” I said with a hardy laugh. Maarten joined in, his barking laugh sparked only a little fear. His canines were fully exposed too, as I had asked him to take off his mask since it had prevented me from reading any of his emotions. I’m starting to understand those human sympathizers, they’re big and scary looking with their predatory looks and behaviour, but they’re clearly people.
“They’re exterminators, why didn’t they just burn the tree down?”
“Not only was that some holy tree from a group of gojid’s who worship the protector, but they also have new rules. According to that venlil exterminator, they’re no longer allowed to burn human pets. Instead, they have to catch them and bring them back!”
“Bloody [blood covered] hell [punishment afterlife], they’ve turned into some shitty version of animal control.” Maarten’s stomach growled, which startled me for a moment. “I could eat a horse [large prey, grazer]. How about you, shall we eat some of this stuff?” I wish he would stop saying stuff like that.
I grabbed one of the many bowls of salad we had made. The one I choose was one made with a strange yellow scaled fruit called a pineapple. The recipes were in the most part fairly simple, although some things had a finesse to it that I still had to practice. On top of that was remembering the exact combinations and how to make the dressing and the ‘vegan’ mayonnaise. Good thing that Maarten leaves the recipe book here for me to use, even if I have to use a visual translator to read it.
I placed my bowl down at one of the many tables when I saw a piece of paper sticking out of the front door. Someone had slotted it in from outside, and it was now jammed in-between the doorframe and the door itself. Looking closer, it was made from the same paper as they make flyers, and the same size too, however, what was on it was anything but advertising.
It was a collage of photos. All of them had humans on them posing for the camera, most of which held a gun of some sort. What was more shocking was what else was on the photos. Several animals, but all dead, save for the few canine predators sitting besides their owner. I did not recognize the animals, but what was disturbing was that they more often than not looked like people from the Federation. One looked like a male Sulean with a brown fur instead of black and white, and another as well like a sulean but without the antlers. The third looked like a small sivkit, and another photo had a species that looks like a mazic with massive tusks.
I trembled in horror as to what I was seeing, when suddenly it was snatched out of my paws by Maarten as he came up from behind, looming over me. He crumbled the paper up while he grumbled something about Humanity First messing up relations. He was about to throw it into the trash as he suddenly changed his mind and instead stuffed it into his pocket. I didn’t know anymore if I wanted to work for a human. Then again, where else was I going to work?
A/N:
As always I really appreciate comments, it gives a lot more satisfaction than a few up arrows.
A special thanks to u/InstantSquirrelSoup for proofreading. Check out his fic: Arxur Hospitality.
A quick thanks to aMANTEIGAdo for the Liiry fanart
[First] [Previous]

Killer Grips: Anne Maria, Jasmine, Justin, Millie
Screaming Gaffers: Chase, Izzy, MK, Ripper
Episode 12: The Aftermath II: Sky Fall
A familiar riff from an electric guitar began the episode, the letters of the 'TDA Aftermath' logo flashing and sliding into existence exactly as they had six episodes prior. A gleam of light swept across it, and the 'D' popped forward, rotating counterclockwise and snapping like a camera taking a picture.
Clip 1
"I'm sorry, but I have to make my conscience clean again," Brick responded. He then noticed Jasmine looking at the ground with disappointment. “Jasmine, are you feeling-”
“Like you said, it's best that you stay away from the film lot,” Jasmine said with an upset glare. “And more importantly from me. You lied to me, and a long distance apart is what's best right now.”
Brick hung his head in shame. “Understood!” he obeyed dejectedly.
The 'D' retreated briefly, then popped back out again before the next clip was shown.
Clip 2
The footage showed Chef escorting a handcuffed Sky on the red carpet.
"Hold on!" the voice of MK cried out as she ran up to the two. “Leave her and take me!”
“Sure. Whatever,” Chef took the handcuffs off Sky and offered them to MK.
“I was kidding!” MK pushed the cuffs away from her. “Like I'd willingly quit the game. I'm just here to see the loser off.” She looked at the slightly taller girl teasingly. “I'm sure you'll be happily reunited with Trent the Challenge Thrower.”
"As long as I'm not on a team with someone as underhanded as you," Sky retorted as she grabbed the handcuffs and walked past the now miffed girl, "I'll be happy anywhere."
The 'D' repeated its standard motion, retreating briefly before popping back out as a transition to the next clip.
Clip 3
"I promise to get you compensated for your broken arm as soon as possible," Chris whispered to Scott timidly.
“Okay,” Scott looked at Chris suspiciously. “I'll go celebrate with my team, but you guys better provide me with benefits or you and Chef are getting a lawsuit.”
For a fourth and final time, the logo's 'D' performed its transitional sequence.
Clip 4
The split-screen from the previous episode's elimination was shown, the camera panning to the left as Izzy received her award. "Hold on, wha?" Scott stammered in shock. "This has to be a joke, right?"
“No, it isn't,” MK said with a grin, “and you have me to thank for that.”
“You… you backstabbed me?!” Scott said with a bit of shock.
“With four votes to one,” MK cackled. “I just did what you did to your previous alliance. Don't get all hypocritical.”
"Unbelievable!" Scott grumbled before he was grabbed by Chef and carried over the shoulder down the Walk of Shame.
The 'D' was shown again, now as a signal of the recap's end.
(Theme Song)
The Aftermath introduction was replayed, this time cutting to the studio as the audience cheered and applauded. Priya and Damien were already on the host's couch, and the seats on stage left had been filled by Rodney, Sam, Gwen, Eva, and Geoff in the top row, and Topher, Katie, Sadie, and Trent in the bottom.
"Hey, everyone!" Priya opened with a wide smile. "I'm Priya!"
"And I'm Damien!" the nervous wreck added. "Good to have you all with us for another episode of the Aftermath."
"I hope you're all ready for the latest dirt on Total! Drama! Action!" Priya said excitedly as the crowd went wild again.
"There's a lot of love out there, right Priya?" Damien said.
"I know what you mean, Damien," Priya added.
"Sadly, today won't be all about love, considering that we'll be experiencing hate," Damien sighed.
"Considering who'll be joining us, that's a guarantee," Priya said as the camera pulled back enough to show the hanging television above them. "We have not only Scott, but Brick and Sky as well," she said as the screen split to show the devious farmer, cadet, and athlete's faces on the viewing screen and the crowd began to cheer.
"We've also got our season one friends joining us in the VIP section!" Damien announced. Priya held a finger to her ear and got up and walked off. "Say hey to Katie and Sadie!" The camera focused on the two girls as they smiled for the camera. "Rodney!" The country boy grinned. "Sam!" The gamer waved. "Gwen!" The goth gave a slight smirk. "And Topher!" The fanboy shot a finger pistol at the cheers.
Damien clapped and looked back, only to blink in confusion at Priya’s disappearance. "And we've got the guests from the last episode. Trent!" The camera cut to the guitarist as he smiled for the cheering crowd. "Geoff!" The party guy winked at the loud cheers. "And last year's winner, Eva!" She dropped her stoic persona long enough to grin at the camera, causing the crowd to cheer louder than ever.
"You sure know how to milk the camera," Trent said to the muscle woman.
"Not my fault," Eva shrugged. "The fans like me."
“Hi, Trent! We're so happy you're here!” Katie told him admiringly.
This made Sadie mad enough to smack her away. “I won the thumb war to say hi from us!” she argued, Katie sharing a similarly furious expression.
The camera cut back to Damien. "She’s doing that now?! Of all times?!" he whisper-yelled into his earpiece angrily and then changed his tone for the camera. "So there've been a couple of pretty shocking eliminations. Anything you'd like to comment on, Eva?"
"Not specifically," Eva replied.
"Okay," Damien said. "These past few episodes have been intense. We had the prison movie, the hospital drama, the haunted set..."
"...the disaster movie and war flick. Totally top-notch!" Priya finished as she returned to the studio and retook her seat, the audience members cheering.
"I knew these people would be all over those last two," Damien joked. "Glad I wasn’t in this season. I would've been voted out on prison day no matter what."
"I have to agree with you there," Priya admitted as the audience laughed. "I have a strong stomach, but the food would’ve been too much for me."
"For once, I actually feel for Scott. Having to go through all that, and getting his arm busted?" Damien commented. "I wouldn't wish that on anybody!"
"Same here, except for Fabien," Priya uttered with bitterness before moving on. "Coming up, we've got more moments of pain and hits like you've never seen," she said as the cheering began again. "It's time for 'That's Gonna Leave a Mark'!"
The segment's introductory sequence played, unchanged from the previous aftermath: several 'filmstrips' depicting various impacts and injuries to the contestants scrolled across the screen set to a grand theme. The crowd began to laugh as never-before-seen clips began to play, all set to a campy tune.
First was Jasmine stumbling around the hospital set with her arms outstretched, believing she had been blinded. She walked straight into Brick in his quarantine bubble, causing the cadet to roll back, hit the wall, and knock away Jasmine afterwards, much to his guilt.
Next, Scott was shown getting rolled into the ambulance after his injury. As the other castmates watched, the ambulance sped off but the doors swung back open, causing the farmer's stretcher to drop out. It rolled towards the teens, stopping just in front of a manhole before it partially collapsed and Scott slid down into the sewer with a splash.
The third clip was short, showing Chase finished setting up a trap during the war challenge and walking off. Ripper was carrying a couple of nets, and didn't notice the trap Chase set up until he got caught in it.
Fourth was set during the prison challenge, the same clip of Sky getting hit in the head by a bag while pushing the cart for her team playing.
The scene then flashed back to the hosts on their couch. "You can't just ditch me like that on live TV without telling me,” Damien scolded the reality TV fan.
“I saw my clip on the monitor, Damien. It was looking disoriented, and that has never happened before,” Priya defended herself. “Don't you know how embarrassing this would be if I didn't notice?”
“More embarrassing than me hosting solo when we're supposed to be a duo?” Damien argued.
The audience gasped. "So uh, guys? That was one great montage of pain!" Trent said from his seat.
"Oh, uh, it sure was!" Priya said quickly as she and Damien realized they were back live. "Did you all see Scott going down like a can of ham? Talk about brutal, right?"
Footage began on the hanging television as the campy tune resumed, starting with a shot of Chef Hatchet's giant manifesto flying towards the camera. The viewpoint shifted just as a gaping Scott was struck in his right arm, and the scene paused right as he began to fall off the wall he'd been clinging to.
"Yikes," Damien winced as a red circle was drawn around Scott's right arm. "If his favorite dance was the robot, he'll have a hard time doing that now."
The footage unpaused, and the redheaded boy fell across the balance beam in slow motion. "Does this show offer back insurance?" Priya added as the camera zoomed in on the point of impact between the log-like beam and Scott.
"Here's my personal favorite," she said as the scene changed to a clip of a traumatized Brick falling forward. "Brick fainting. This is what panic looks like," Priya said as a red circle was drawn around the cadet's face.
The feed cut back to the studio as the audience applauded and the hanging television cut to static. "How about we check in on Brick and see how he's holding up?" Damien asked the crowd right before the hanging television cut to the room backstage.
Brick was sitting on the couch in the middle of the room eating snacks while Scott sat on a nearby chair and Sky paced back and forth.
"So how are you two feeling about being interviewed in this episode?" Sky asked the two. “I'm personally ready to accept what's coming my way.”
“I'm prepared for it,” Scott answered. Though he still had a sling on his right arm and his bandana was gone, the brand on his forehead was no longer visible. “On one hand, my right arm is still broken, but on the other hand, I don't have no lame brand on my forehead no more. And I have a lot to say when it comes to being interviewed.”
“Thanks for your response, Scott,” Sky said. “What about you, Brick?”
“I'm not going to lie after what happened, so I'm just going to say that I'm worried about the questions I'm going to be asked,” Brick admitted and took a bite of his sandwich and looked at the camera. “And we're being watched right now.”
"The camera's on?!" Sky looked at it with shock as the shot cut back to the studio, the three eliminated castmates still on the hanging screen. “This was supposed to be private!”
A mixture of laughs and cheers came from the audience, and the camera focused in on Priya and Damien as the former said "We're always being recorded, no matter what."
"Before we bring out our first guest," Damien said, "let's take a look at his journey on the show." He looked back up to the other screen, which cut to static and then to a series of clips.
"Brick started out as a strong contender in this season," Priya started over clips of him being shocked by an eel and getting sprinkled by green slime.
"With his usual soft spot," Damien said over a clip of him peeking at MK's voting device.
"But when Chef secretly took him under his wing, making a deal to split the million if they won…" Priya brought up as clips of Chef talking to Brick during the acting challenge played.
"Things got dicey for our cadet," Damien said as a clip of Brick getting his swimsuit eaten by a shark was displayed.
"Fortunately for the rest of the cast, Brick had a thing or two to teach Chef about cooking actual food," Priya commented as clips of Brick making pizza and eating a slice was shown.
"But ultimately, Brick's conscience had something to teach him, too, leading to his dramatic exit," Damien said as clips of Brick talking to Justin and entering the Lame-o-sine were displayed.
The footage cut to static and the scene cut back to the studio, the camera panning back down to the hosts. "Our guest once got bombarded by skunks, is afraid of the dark, though he caught a pepperoni disease," Priya said. "Welcome Brick!"
She looked to the backstage exit where the cadet walked out to applause. "Brick McArthur, ready to execute the interview," he greeted with a salute as he walked over to the guest couch and took a seat.
"So Brick, how are you feeling after everything?" Damien asked.
"Is that a good question to ask?" Priya backpedaled. "He lost out on a million bucks twice."
"That may be factual, but my pride and integrity is still inside me," Brick claimed, making the audience applaud.
“Seriously?” Priya moaned. “That is so forced? Right, everybody?”
“Do we clap if we agree or disagree?” Katie asked Sadie, who simply shrugged.
"Thanks for the support,” Priya cynically mumbled. “I still think that what Brick said sounds like a lie. And you know what we do to liars!"
The shot pulled out and the music turned tense as an anvil swung down from the ceiling on a rope. "That's right," Priya said as the heavy thing came to a rest mere inches above Brick's head. "It's 'Truth or Anvil'!"
A grand tune played over a receding shot of a golden statue of the Lady of Justice. The crowd cheered, and both applause and music came to an abrupt end when a large anvil was dropped on the statue, smashing it to bits.
"Priya, why the sudden change?" Damien asked his girlfriend. "Wasn't it 'Truth or Hammer' last time? Why an anvil?"
"The producers’ thought of adding more drama to the show with an anvil. More Total Drama," Priya emphasized.
"Permission to speak," Brick said with a nervous look upwards, the viewpoint changing to show the anvil dangling precariously on its rope. "That anvil is going to drop on me if I lie?"
"You got it, but please don't lie. We don't want anyone to get injured," Priya said. "So, here's my first question.”
“I am so not cool with this!” Damien protested.
“How do you think I feel?” Brick said. “I'm not hiding anything anymore.”
“Brick, did you think the way you took advantage of your teammates was completely heinous and unforgivable?" Priya ignored the complaints and asked the first question.
"I had no intention of doing any harm, especially to Jasmine," Brick replied. "Chef just intimidated me!"
The anvil slightly dropped, making the audience gasp.
"Can't we just run some footage instead?" Damien suggested.
"How about some never-before-seen footage of Brick's fast moves behind the scenes?" Priya looked back up to the hanging television, which quickly switched from static to Chef in the boys’ trailer.
"While everyone else smelled like a dog park in August, you were wearing spring fresh duds," Priya said as the clip panned out to show Chef walking over to Brick to give him fresh clothes similar to the young man's usual attire.
"Thanks, Chef," Brick told the cook in the clip before the static moved to the next one.
"Chef gave you performance enhancing vitamins and helpful dairy products while everyone else was forced to eat slop," Priya talked over a clip of Chef providing Brick with a cup of vitamins and a carton of milk while Ripper, Millie, and Anne Maria were walking by with their horrible food.
The static changed the scene to Brick getting a therapeutic massage with needles attached to his bare back, sitting on his bunk bed with packages around him, and eating bags of beef jerky. "You received therapeutic massages, packages from home, and beef jerky, and never once felt bad about it," Priya mentioned all the things that Brick did.
The footage cut to Brick in a never before seen confessional. "Do I like winning? Heck yeah! I wanna do whatever it takes to keep racking up the wins! Do I feel bad? Do I look like I feel bad?"
Everyone gasped at all the things that Brick did after the shot cut back to the studio.
"I solemnly swear that I wasn't being two-faced," Brick defended himself. "Don't you have another clip explaining why I said what I said?"
"Okay. Here's what really happened in that confessional," Damien said before the next clip played on the television.
Another confessional was shown, though Brick was holding a script while Chef was watching him.
"Is this necessary, Chef?" Brick questioned Chef, who snarled in response and held a wooden ladle over his head. "I'm going to read. Do I like winning? Heck yeah."
The footage went back to the studio, where Priya was in the middle of a conversation with Brick. “Just do it this once,” Priya begged. “It'll make for great comedy, and the producers will love it!”
“You want me to get hit in the head with an anvil just to please your producers?” Brick repeated with a scowl. “That is not happening!”
“Okay then,” Priya said. “You lying did drive a wedge between you and Jasmine, so I'm not going to push it.”
"We only have time for one question," Damien interrupted.
"And I have the perfect one," Priya informed. "GumbroGordon98 wants to know; Brick, what would you do the next time you and Jasmine see each other again?"
“What I will do is make up for my actions and prove to her that I'll never keep anything from her again," Brick answered. "Not because of love, but because we're friends."
The hosts looked up to the anvil, but it didn't move. "That was not a lie if the anvil didn't pummel you," Damien smiled.
“Speaking of Jasmine, do you think that you two would’ve gotten together had you not worked with Chef all season or not at all?” Priya followed up.
“Excuse me?!” Brick asked in offense.
“Priya!” Damien said warningly. “That is personal info! I told you not to bring that up!”
“I just wanted to know. This is a half-hour show,” Priya said and faced the camera. "And it's time for a small break," Priya said. "We'll see you after these messages." She smiled and the crowd cheered.
The scene faded into the TDA Aftermath logo, and the 'D' popped out at the screen once again.
(Commercial Break)
The episode returned with another flash of the Aftermath logo, and a montage of clips from 'The Chefshank Redemption' began to play. Ripper and Chase were shown putting roaches and moldy pineapple slices into their bowl respectively, and Millie was eating the meal until she threw up. The camera pulled back out from the screen to the studio.
"Did you really leave just to touch up on your makeup?" Damien whispered to Priya.
"There was a pimple, Damien," Priya shot back. “And I took care of it during the commercial at least since you had a problem with me checking my clip during the episode.”
Damien groaned in frustration. "I thought you’d only do this once."
“I’d hate to interrupt your squabble, but the camera is rolling right now!” Eva spoke up.
Damien and Priya gave a wide-eyed stare to the camera. "And we're back," Damien said awkwardly.
"It's time we meet our second guest," Priya said. "But first, let's take a look." The hanging monitor cut to static and then started playing clips. "Scott was his same old antagonistic self this season," Priya said over a shot of Scott squeezing his sweat out of his shirt in the prison challenge.
"He was even picked last for the Gaffers because of his actions," Damien said over a clip of Sky picking him.
"Scott knew that he couldn’t throw the challenges with his rotten reputation, so he decided to mostly stay under the radar and not do anything risky," Priya recapped as Scott was shown getting on the surfboard and later on falling from one of the supports for the lights hanging above the pool and landing painfully on the surfboard.
"Scott formed an alliance with MK," Damien added over Scott and MK planning to vote out Izzy after the acting challenge, "and considering that MK’s as sneaky as him, it was a match made in heaven."
“When his arm got broken in the disaster challenge, Scott made sure to Chris that he wasn’t playing around with suing him after all he’s been put through,” Priya mentioned, clips of Scott being hit on the arm and later on angrily talking to Chris at night being shown.
"When the elimination came, Scott trusted MK to have his back in getting rid of Izzy," Damien said over Scott and MK in the communal bathroom together discussing the vote.
"But in a twist of events, MK chose to backstab Scott instead and take the villain role for herself, leading to his exit," Priya finished as MK's confessional was shown and Scott got thrown into the Lame-o-sine by Chef. The footage cut to static as the shot moved back to the studio, the hanging television retreating into the ceiling as the audience clapped.
"Our next guest got his forehead branded, covered his entire body in honey, and is a big fan of pigs," Damien announced. "Give it up for Scott!"
The audience cheered as Scott came out with his usual smirk and sat on the couch. "I expected there to be people booing me, but I guess I’m much more popular than I thought!" he told the hosts.
"I think it’s because you haven’t done anything as villainous as last season thanks to your early elimination," Priya said.
“Priya, Damien, are there still hard feelings between us?” Scott asked.
"The two of us still don’t like you, but we’re being professional for today," Damien replied. "So how are you feeling now that you've had a few days away from the show?"
"For starters, my dumb brand is gone and the money has been transferred to my family," Scott answered. "I’m happy about all that, but I am disappointed as well. I got duped and tricked and Chef damaged my right arm, and with my forehead, that’s just humiliating."
"That does sound harsh," Damien told him with sympathy. "You’re a wolf that’ll betray people, but what you got was overkill!"
“If you threatened to file a lawsuit against Chris after the arm incident, why didn’t you do so when you involuntarily got your forehead branded?” Priya asked the devious farmer.
"Because it wasn’t as painful as the second situation, and I only threatened to sue them out of bitterness from missing out on the final two," Scott said. "I did deserve to win that season."
"I know twenty-one people, including myself, who will highly disagree with you," Damien said with a knowing look at the camera, making the audience chuckle.
“Whatever. Only my opinion matters,” Scott let the hosts know.
"I think it's time for the questions,” Priya smiled mischievously. “How do you feel about MK after what she did?"
Scott snorted. "That’s the question you’re going to start with?"
Damien cleared his throat. "Don’t know why I didn’t bring this up sooner, but you should try not to lie for once in your life or an anvil's gonna fall on you." The camera followed up to the anvil, once again dangling above the guest couch on a rope.
"I don’t plan to be a pancake today," Scott said after looking at the anvil. "But if you insist, MK is like my equal, only that she’s less effective than me. We did work together to get the case, but that was because nobody wanted to work with either of us."
“And can you blame us at all?” Priya asked dismissively.
“When we started our alliance this season, I personally felt like we were starting to be good friends, and not lovers,” Scott continued. “Despite not always being on the same page, we gained respect for each other, so to have her turn on me like that kinda upset me a lot.”
“I remember you turning on me and our alliance last season,” Damien brought up. “Why did this even upset you?”
“I’m not soulless and sociopathic,” Scott stated. “I’m a jerk for sure, but I do care for the people closest to me, and that includes friends. Thankfully, MK didn’t heartlessly throw our bonding away for no reason. This is a battle for a million dollars, and I kinda respect her for getting me voted out.”
“Who knew you could put your pride aside for once?” Priya chuckled softly.
“Next question,” Damien carried on. “Are you mad at your other teammates for voting you off the show?”
“Absolutely not,” Scott answered. Everyone gasped and waited for the falling anvil... and it never came. "What? I’m not ticked off at them."
"I am also as shocked as the audience," Priya said in exasperation. "They helped MK vote you out and cost you a million bucks!"
"I’m not close to Ripper, Chase, and Izzy at all, so their votes I don’t mind," Scott replied. "They cost themselves the most strategic player on the team is what I’m gonna say."
"Is there anyone you'd like to see get booted out of the game next?” Priya wondered. “You made a lot of enemies."
"Eva’s my biggest rival, and with her already eliminated, I don’t care who gets kicked off next," Scott responded uncaringly. "If anything, I want MK to win this season. She’ll obviously triumph with her big brain."
"A supporter of the baddie? Interesting," MK remarked.
"Here's what I want to know," Damien said. "What's with your general, well, nastiness? Take a look," the television showed a montage of Scott’s unfriendly moments.
"So this is my competition. Eleven wimps I can easily take down."
"Wait, you're talking about Muscle Woman?! Seriously?"
"It's just an owl, Chicken Little."
“I don't know what's more boring. Danger Free's feelings for Wild Girl, or Gamer coddling a bird.”
"Hey Danger-less Damien! Get eating already!"
“If you want to hate the player, hate the game much more.”
"I don't want to get cuffed to anyone. Look at these people!"
"So those jerks left me here to die and without even winning the money."
"I'm up against a girl probably on steroids and a dumb party obsessed dude."
“McLean better be here in the next couple of seconds or I'm bailing."
“Are you kidding me?! Do my strategic skills, whittling skills, and good looks mean nothing to you?”
"Izzy's such a showboat. She's always there to demonstrate how “cool” she is, but can she smash twenty kitchen rats in under a minute? No.”
The footage cut to static and the studio was shown again. "Hey, people say that I wasn’t held enough as a child. Plus, where’s the joy in not grinding people’s gears every once in a while?" Scott said.
"You do have moments where you’re not insulting us, so we usually tolerate you for the most part," Priya said.
"Thanks. Now can we move on? I have nothing else to say," Scott requested heavily.
"Well in that case," Damien said, "it's time for the final guest." The feed on the TV screen started playing the clips of Sky's time on the show.
"Sky started the game as one of the stronger players," Priya said over a clip of Sky running from the monster in the first challenge with Trent.
"She was chosen as one of the team captains," Damien said over a clip of her winning the second challenge. "Unfortunately, her boyfriend, Trent, was the other captain."
"With her becoming friends with Chase," Priya said over a clip of Sky high fiving Chase, "and her focusing more on the competition," her jump off the diving board was shown, along with Trent helping her off the horse, "things got complicated with her and Trent."
"Thankfully, Sky was able to straighten things up or they could've broken up," Damien said over Sky and Trent's conversation after the wild west challenge.
"Sky was able to move on from Trent and focus on her own goals in the contest," Priya said over clips of Sky asserting herself in the alien challenge and pushing the cart for her team in the prison challenge, "but her refusal to be underhanded was her own doing," Sky's confessional about taking a shortcut was shown.
"And she was left without a Gilded Chris," Damien finished as the athlete was shown being escorted to the Lame-o-sine. The monitor was raised once again and the camera cut back to the hosts. "Our last guest loves serial killer movies, accidentally knocked someone out with a crate of oranges, and tranquilized multiple animals."
"She also dumped somebody before the show and hooked up with somebody new," Priya added. "Here's Sky!"
Sky walked onstage to a roaring applause. She waved to the audience before sitting down on the first row of the guest couch on the opposite end of Scott with Brick now seated a row above them.
“Hi everybody!” Sky greeted politely. “Hello Trent!”
“Sup, Sky!” Trent waved to his girlfriend. “Great to see you.”
"Welcome to the show," Priya said with a smile.
"Good job on getting the positions as co-hosts," Sky told Damien and Priya.
“It's not like we were forced into doing it,” Damien said. “It was our own choice… that the producers offered us,” he added the last part quickly.
"Anyway, Sky, let's talk about your time on the show and how it led to you coming here," Priya said to Sky.
"Well, I did have hope that I could make it to the finale this season since I was close to that stage in season 1, but got eliminated because of an auto-elimination challenge," Sky admitted. “Had it not been for that, my chances would have been higher since I usually don't get a lot of votes.”
"So you didn't know that MK plotted to use you and your boyfriend's love dilemma for drama and got your teammates to vote you out because it was resolved?" Damien asked.
"Say what?" Sky balked with shock.
"MK also got Izzy eliminated with help from Scott and is scheming in the background. Who knows who she'll target next?" Priya said dramatically.
"If MK was going to split apart me and Trent, then I am heavily rooting against her!" Sky declared. “In retrospect, I should have picked somebody else for my team.”
"So who inspired you to become who you are today?" Damien wondered.
"Be honest and you'll be fine," Brick whispered to the athlete.
“Unless you want to be shorter than you already are by getting squashed by the anvil,” Scott added.
"Hey, I was supposed to warn her!" Priya complained. “Sky, go on.”
"My sister, Jane, is in the Canadian Olympic team for rhythmic gymnastics," Sky opened up. "She is the first athlete of my family. I've looked up to her and wanted to be an athlete of my own.” She then donned a frown. “Before that, I didn't even know what I wanted to be. I was a lonely kid who didn't know how to talk to people back then until Jane gave me inspiration to become the bold and courageous person I am today."
The audience aww'd at her backstory and some people even cried, with Katie and Sadie being one of them. "That is so beautiful!" Katie cried as she and Sadie wiped off many tears.
“Next question: how do you think that things between you and Trent would've been much worse?” Priya asked next.
“Had I not talked to Trent about him losing on purpose, he'd still be in the game, but he'd continue challenge throwing,” Sky theorized. “It would've led to a fight, we'd break up, and we'd both be hated by the fans.”
“Trent, would you like to back her up on this?” Damien turned to him.
Trent felt surprised at being called on, but he still stood up regardless. “Sky made her point perfectly clear. She doesn't like to cheat or watch other people do the same,” he said. “I'm just glad we were able to open up to each other like rational people and keep our relationship rather than acting like whiny teenagers.”
“Thank you for understanding my views,” Sky smiled at her boyfriend while the audience applauded.
"Speaking of relationships, we would like to talk about Keith," Priya said abruptly.
“Keith?” Sky repeated.
“Yeah. He's the guy you broke up with before you came onto the show,” Damien told her.
"Because he was an absolute jerk," Sky said sarcastically. The anvil dropped, leading to Sky, Scott, and Brick diving out of the way and allowing for the anvil to destroy the couch.
"Did you have to lie? You do know that my arm is still in a sling!" Scott informed her indignantly.
"I didn't know that the anvil believed sarcasm was lying," Sky apologized.
“The anvil's policy is honesty, one hundred percent!” Priya enforced.
"Here's the honest reason we broke up, other than me joining the show. Keith is a reliable guy, but he and I both realized that our relationship wasn't going so smoothly, so we parted on good terms," Sky admitted.
"With that being said, let's get to today's video call with Keith!" Priya announced as the scene panned up to the television.
The static soon went away and showed Sky's ex-boyfriend Keith, who was a medium height Asian boy with black wavy hair and a black collared shirt. He was sitting on his bed inside his room with the wall painted gray and with medals hung on. He gave a wave to the camera and gave a small smile to Sky, who smiled back.
"Nice to see you again, Keith," Sky told him.
"Feeling's mutual, Sky. How are things going with you and your track season?" Keith asked.
"It's going good," Sky responded back. "What about your football season?"
"I'm still scoring the most touchdowns for us and leading the team to victory," Keith said. "Some of my teammates pull through, but the others will eventually have to step up and not leave the work to only a few."
"So Keith, we want to ask you a few questions regarding Sky," Damien piped in.
"I don't have anything to do at the moment, so ask away," Keith allowed.
"We'd like to hear about the breakup from your point of view," Damien explained.
"We broke up because we both kinda felt unhappy in our relationship," Keith responded.
"What do you mean you both felt unhappy?" Priya pressed on.
"With us starting to be on different sports teams and us focusing too hard on wanting to win due to being captains, it made me and Sky drift apart from each other a bit," Keith answered.
“Sorry about that,” Damien expressed his sympathy.
"With Sky about to join the show, we both knew that we had to break up and not stress ourselves," Keith continued. "We've both moved on, and while I'm no longer dating for a while, I'm happy for Sky being with a brand new boyfriend."
"Your support means everything to me," Sky reminded him.
"I have to go now. I just remembered that I have to pump my football again. See you soon," Keith said before the screen turned to static and the camera moved away from the television back to the studio.
“Okay, he is super cute,” Sadie whispered to Katie.
“And not taken!” Katie whispered more gleefully.
"A part of me was wishing that Keith was a sleazebag," Priya said. “A possible heated argument would've made things interesting.”
“That is just wrong, Priya,” Damien shook his head disapprovingly.
“We can either be amicable or toxic, and me and Keith choose the amicable path,” Sky emphasized. “Are there any more questions for me?”
“Just this one,” Damien smiled. “Would you change your gameplay if it meant staying in the game for a longer period of time?”
“And sink to the level of the people I'm highly against? I'd rather quit than sabotage anybody, even if they're my biggest enemies,” Sky answered boldly.
“I also stand by that,” Damien nodded. “To end off the interview, honesty and being straight up will always save your butt.”
"That is all for today's episode!" Priya announced with a smile as the Aftermath theme began to play.
"Join Chris and the cast next time for the most dramatically thrilling episode of Total! Drama! Action! Ever!" Damien pitched in over the applauding audience.
The lights on the stage turned off, and as Damien and Priya began standing up, Priya noticed Damien glaring heavily at her. "Hey, about our…"
Damien grabbed her arm and took her away from the camera. "You and I need to talk, Priya. Now!"
(Roll the Credits)
(Bonus Clip)
Sky was sitting in the green room by herself when Trent walked in and took a seat next to her. "Hey Sky, I have some bad news," he said.
"What could it be?" Sky replied.
“So it seems that Katie and Sadie are now in love with your ex,” Trent claimed. “I overheard them talking about how hot he is.”
“To tell you the truth, Keith isn't into those types of girls,” Sky sighed. “He'll be annoyed out of his mind if he ever meets them.”
“Hopefully it's just a one-time crush and the girls will move onto somebody new,” Trent wished.
“If not, I'll give Keith a big heads up to hide himself for a week," Sky promised.
Eva - 14th
Geoff - 14th
Izzy - RETURNED
Trent - 12th
Sky - 11th
Brick - 10th
Scott - 9th
Killer Grips: Anne Maria, Jasmine, Justin, Millie
Screaming Gaffers: Chase, Izzy, MK, Ripper

First photo: smoked brisket. Served with homemade GF Mac & cheese, homemade fried okra. Second photo: grilled steak, steamed broccoli, homemade potato wedges Third photo: BLT on gf bread Fourth photo: chicken stir fry over white rice. Used GF hoisin sauce. Fifth and sixth photos: GF cakes my wife baked. Seventh photo: jerk rubbed smoked chicken Eighth photo: smoked pork butt Ninth photo: burgers, hot dogs, grilled veggies Tenth photo: green beans, homemade mashed potatoes, homemade pork schnitzel with gf breading and homemade gf gravy.
I worked in restaurants/food service for a decade, and my wife has celiac disease.

I am 14, never really got into hunting but I like firearms. I own chickens and recently a colony of rats have been living under their coop. They are eating entire bags of their food, the bags normal last a month and a half and these rats are devouring them in 1.5 weeks. They also pose a risk of giving my chickens diseases. My dad let me use his air rifle, Binos, and a flir infrared and I was finally able to get one after about 6 hours lol. I started at 9:45 and it’s 3:13 rn. I got him once in the chest/lower abdomen and went closer to end his suffering. I felt a little bad, but I feel better knowing my chickens are safer. I’ll attach a few pics but it is a big ugly Norway rat

DAY: MAY 28 2024
5-28-2024

THE LIGHT OR THE CONTENT? WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT SCREENS AND SLEEP DISRUPTION

Too much screen time impairs sleep for children and adolescents, and it’s largely the content on those screens that keeps them awake. But it remains less clear whether the light from those screens also impairs sleep or whether and how screens directly disrupt adults’ sleep, too. That’s the consensus from 16 leading sleep experts, including two from CU Boulder, who published an exhaustive scientific review today on screen time and sleep in Sleep Health. “There’s a lot of research out there, but the messaging can
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WHAT SHOULD WE FEAR WITH AI IN MEDICINE?

Will the threats associated with artificial intelligence be as bad as some fear? Or will AI be relatively benign? Could the answer be somewhere in between? Perspectives on AI abound. Whether it be in medicine, security or education, new applications in search of an AI advantage continue to grow. This has prompted calls for well-intentioned restraint and regulation or, at the very least, slower growth and proliferation. To alleviate some of that fear, we should consider one area in which
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HOW TO KEEP FRUIT, VEGGIES AND HERBS FRESH FOR LONGER

We all know fresh produce is good for us, but fruit, vegetables and herbs have a tendency to perish quickly if left uneaten. This is because even after harvesting, produce from living plants tends to continue its biological processes. This includes respiration: producing energy from stored carbohydrates, proteins and fats while releasing carbon dioxide and water vapor. (Ever found a sprouting potato in your pantry?) On top of that, fresh produce also spoils easily thanks to various microbes—both harmless and ones that can cause disease, called pathogens. Simply chucking things
5-28-2024

RESEARCHERS EXAMINE BLACK MEN’S PERCEPTIONS OF LABELING AFTER A VIOLENT FIREARM INJURY

The way Black men see themselves after a firearm injury—whether as a survivor or victim—could change over time and have implications on their mental health, according to a Rutgers Health study. The study, published in the Journal of Urban Health, examined the role of racially coded language, sociodemographic and environmental contexts that support labels among Black men who experienced a firearm injury. Rutgers researchers sought to understand how Black men in a hospital-based violence intervention program perceive “survivor” and “victim” labels after experiencing a firearm-related injury. “The self-identification as a
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SCIENTISTS UNCOVER HOW OUR BRAINS TRY TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MUSIC- AND SPEECH-LIKE NOISE

Music and speech are among the most frequent types of sounds we hear. But how do we identify what we think are differences between the two? An international team of researchers mapped out this process through a series of experiments—yielding insights that offer a potential means to optimize therapeutic programs that use music to regain the ability to speak in addressing aphasia. This language disorder afflicts more than one in 300 Americans each year, including Wendy Williams and Bruce Willis. “Although music and speech are different in many ways, ranging
5-28-2024

MENTAL HEALTH BEGINS IN INFANCY, CHILD DEVELOPMENT EXPERTS TELL PARENTS

Did you know babies can get depressed? Andria Goss, associate vice president of clinical and community services at the Erikson Institute, a graduate school for social work, early childhood education and child development programs, said people are astonished when they learn and appreciate that fact. “Babies experience everything as a bodily feeling: If a parent is stressed, depressed and/or anxious, the baby is picking up on that,” she said. “Imagine a mom who has her own stresses and sometimes she’s able to focus on her baby and other times there’s
5-28-2024

NEUROSCIENTISTS USE AI TO SIMULATE HOW THE BRAIN MAKES SENSE OF THE VISUAL WORLD

A research team at Stanford’s Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute has made a major stride in using AI to replicate how the brain organizes sensory information to make sense of the world, opening up new frontiers for virtual neuroscience. Watch the seconds tick by on a clock and, in visual regions of your brain, neighboring groups of angle-selective neurons will fire in sequence as the second hand sweeps around the clock face. These cells form beautiful “pinwheel” maps, with each segment representing a visual perception of a different angle. Other visual
5-28-2024

STUDY SHOWS ORANGE PEEL EXTRACT MAY IMPROVE HEART HEALTH

Orange peels may hold a key to better cardiovascular health, new University of Florida-led research shows. The findings are published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women and people of most racial and ethnic groups, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Recent research has shown that some gut bacteria help develop cardiovascular disease. When they feed on certain nutrients during digestion, gut bacteria produce trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO). Levels of TMAO can help predict future cardiovascular
5-28-2024

A NEW WAY TO CONTROL HIGH BLOOD SUGAR

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disease characterized by pancreatic malfunction and poor production of insulin. Imagine your pancreas is a factory for insulin, a key hormone that keeps your blood sugar level. Inside this factory are tiny assembly lines called pancreatic islets. When these islets get damaged, it’s like a mini-disaster in the factory. The assembly lines malfunction, and they can’t produce enough insulin. This can lead to
5-28-2024

CDC WARNS AGAIN OF SALMONELLA TIED TO BACKYARD POULTRY

Backyard chickens are causing outbreaks of salmonella across the United States, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns. About 109 people in 29 states have gotten sick from salmonella after touching or caring for backyard poultry, the CDC said in a health advisory. Of those, 33 people have been hospitalized, the CDC said. No deaths have been reported. More than 2 in 5 people affected by the outbreak are children younger than 5, the agency added. Backyard poultry can carry salmonella bacteria even if they look healthy and
5-28-2024

CIRCUMCISION MAY REDUCE THE RISK OF HIV INFECTION

A randomized controlled trial comprised of 247 men who have sex with men (MSM) found that voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) can prevent incident HIV infection. These findings suggest that MSM should be included in VMMC guidelines. The study is published in Annals of Internal Medicine. Researchers from China enrolled uncircumcised, HIV-seronegative men aged 18 to 49 years who self-reported predominantly practicing insertive anal intercourse
5-28-2024

SUGAR DOESN’T MAKE KIDS HYPERACTIVE, SUGGESTS NEUROSCIENTIST

It’s a Saturday afternoon at a kids’ birthday party. Hordes of children are swarming between the spread of birthday treats and party games. Half-eaten cupcakes, biscuits and lollies litter the floor, and the kids seem to have gained superhuman speed and bounce-off-the-wall energy. But is sugar to blame? The belief that eating sugary foods and drinks leads to hyperactivity has steadfastly persisted for decades. And parents have curtailed their children’s intake accordingly. Balanced nutrition is critical during childhood. As a neuroscientist who has studied the negative effects of high sugar
5-28-2024

IF YOU CAN’T AFFORD AS MUCH FRESH PRODUCE, ARE CANNED VEGGIES OR FROZEN FRUIT JUST AS GOOD?

The cost of living crisis is affecting how we spend our money. For many people, this means tightening the budget on the weekly supermarket shop. One victim may be fresh fruit and vegetables. Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) suggests Australians were consuming fewer fruit and vegetables in 2022–23 than the year before. The cost of living is likely compounding a problem that exists already—on the whole, Australians don’t eat enough fruit and vegetables. Australian dietary guidelines recommend people aged nine and older should consume two serves of
5-28-2024

PROMISING RESULTS FOR HYPERLIPIDEMIA TREATMENT REDUCE RISK OF CARDIOVASCULAR EVENTS

Research led by Baylor College of Medicine has shown that a new therapy significantly reduces triglyceride levels in individuals with mixed hyperlipidemia—elevations of triglycerides and cholesterol. The results, published in the latest edition of the New England Journal of Medicine, demonstrate how the drug plozasiran works by targeting ApoC3, which is a key regulator of the lipoprotein particles that carry triglyceride and cholesterol remnants versus overall LDL cholesterol levels. “This is a story about elevated triglycerides, which remain a problem in many individuals that I see in my practice,” said
5-28-2024

STATINS ASSOCIATED WITH DECREASED RISK FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AND DEATH, EVEN IN VERY OLD ADULTS

A study of adults aged 60 years and older found that the use of statin therapy as primary cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention was effective for preventing CVD and all-cause mortality, even in adults aged 85 years and older. The study is published in Annals of Internal Medicine. Researchers from the University of Hong Kong used a target trial emulation design to investigate the relationship between statin therapy and CVD risk using electronic health records (EHRs) from the Hong Kong Hospital Authority. The study included adult patients over 60 without preexisting
5-28-2024

SLEEP STUDY FINDS POST-KARAOKE STRESS IS STRENGTHENED BY REM SLEEP

We’re all familiar with the fact that the quality of our sleep has a strong impact on our waking lives. But what you may not know is that sleep stages contribute to how we process life experiences and memories in different ways. Deep sleep, or slow wave sleep (SWS), is associated with memory consolidation, which makes memories longer lasting. Our understanding of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep is less clear: although it is associated with the way we process emotions and how well we remember more emotionally charged experiences, there
5-28-2024

FOR SOME ENDOMETRIOSIS-RELATED OVARIAN CANCERS, TIMING IS EVERYTHING

Two types of endometriosis-related ovarian cancer arise from the same cells but likely at different stages of the menstrual cycle—a nuance that significantly influences treatment response, reports a recent study led by Van Andel Institute and University of British Columbia scientists. The findings, published in the journal Cancer Research, have implications for better understanding and treating a pair of cancer subtypes that together account for up to nearly a
5-28-2024

PRENATAL EXPOSURE TO AIR POLLUTION ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED MENTAL HEALTH RISKS

A baby’s exposure to air pollution while in the womb is associated with the development of certain mental health problems once the infant reaches adolescence, new research has found. The University of Bristol-led study, published in JAMA Network Open on May 28, examined the long-term mental health impact of early-life exposure to air and noise pollution. Growing evidence suggests
5-28-2024

FOUR WAYS VACCINE SKEPTICS MISLEAD ON MEASLES AND MORE

Measles is on the rise in the United States. In the first quarter of this year, the number of cases was about 17 times what it was, on average, during the same period in each of the four years before, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Half of the people infected— mainly children—have been hospitalized. It’s going to get worse, largely because a growing number of parents are deciding not to get their children vaccinated against measles as well as diseases like polio and pertussis. Unvaccinated people,
5-28-2024

CANCER RESEARCHERS DISCOVER OPTIMAL CANCER-KILLING T CELLS

A team of cancer researchers, led by the University of Houston, has discovered a new subset of T cells that may improve the outcome for patients treated with T-cell therapies. T cell-based immunotherapy has tremendous value to fight, and often eliminate, cancer. The strategy activates a patient’s immune system and engineers a patient’s own T cells to recognize, attack and kill cancer cells. In this way, the body’s own T cells become living drugs. While
5-28-2024

AIR POLLUTION DURING PREGNANCY LINKED TO LOW BIRTH WEIGHT, STUDY FINDS

A recent study has uncovered a troubling link between exposure to PM2.5 air pollution during pregnancy and the risk of low birth weight in newborns. This study highlights the significant impact of air quality on prenatal development and emphasizes the urgent need for stricter air pollution controls.
5-28-2024

DEEP LEANING TECHNOLOGY SHOWS POTENTIAL IN PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY

In contrast to traditional cancer treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, photodynamic therapy (PDT) is emerging as a novel
5-28-2024

3 CHILDREN HOSPITALIZED IN PUERTO RICO AFTER LIGHTNING STRIKES BEACH

Did you know: lightning can strike the same place multiple times? For example, the Empire State Building is reportedly struck by lightning roughly 23 times per year. Lightning struck a beach in the northern coastal town of Isabela during inclement weather Monday, injuring three children, one seriously, Puerto Rican police said. The children, whose ages ranged from 7 to 12, were taken to a hospital in the nearby town of Aguadilla, a police statement said. The oldest youngster was listed in serious condition, it said. No further details were released.
5-28-2024

CAFFEINE SHOWN TO AFFECT BRAIN DOPAMINE FUNCTION IN PATIENTS WITH PARKINSON’S DISEASE

The effects of high and low consumption of caffeine on the brain’s dopamine transporter binding in patients diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Regular high caffeine consumption affects dopamine function in patients with Parkinson’s disease, shows a new international study led by the University of Turku and Turku University Hospital in Finland. Caffeine consumption before undergoing diagnostic brain dopamine imaging may also affect the imaging results. The research results were published in the Annals of Neurology on 20 May 2024. Previous research has shown that
5-28-2024

STUDY REVEALS CIRCADIAN CLOCK CAN BE LEVERAGED TO ENHANCE CANCER IMMUNOTHERAPY

STUDY FINDS BLOOD CLOT RISK IS INFLUENCED BY ANGLE AT WHICH PULMONARY VEINS REACH THE HEART

5-28-2024

LIGHT THERAPY INCREASES BRAIN CONNECTIVITY FOLLOWING INJURY, STUDY FINDS

5-28-2024

STUDY SHOWS OVERLOOKED LIPID IS CONNECTED TO ANCIENT CELLULAR PATHWAY WITH LINKS TO CANCER

5-28-2024

RESEARCH IDENTIFIES MECHANISMS FOR SELECTIVE MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS TREATMENT STRATEGY

5-28-2024

CHATBOTS ARE POOR MULTILINGUAL HEALTH CARE CONSULTANTS, STUDY FINDS

5-28-2024

COUNTRIES AT ODDS OVER HOW TO REIGNITE PANDEMIC AGREEMENT

5-28-2024

SILIBININ, AN OLD AND NEW MOLECULE

5-28-2024

NEW REPORT REVEALS FATHERHOOD’S HIDDEN HEART HEALTH TOLL

5-28-2024

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN AUDITORY CUES AFFECT BODY REPRESENTATION AND VICE-VERSA?

5-28-2024

TARGETING ‘MONSTER CANCER CELLS’ COULD REDUCE RECURRENCE RATES AFTER CANCER THERAPY

5-28-2024

RESEARCHERS PROPOSE SURGICAL ALGORITHM FOR NASAL ALAR DEFECTS IN ASIAN PATIENTS

5-28-2024

EFFECTIVE LYMPH NODE TRANSFER EASES ARM SWELLING IN BREAST CANCER PATIENTS

5-28-2024

INVESTIGATING HYPERACTIVATION OF MEMORY CIRCUITS AND ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE RISK

5-28-2024

RESEARCHERS DEVELOP 3D MODEL TO BETTER TREAT NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS

5-28-2024

EXTERNAL VENTRICULAR DRAINAGE TIMING IN TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY MAY RESULT IN BETTER LONG-TERM FUNCTIONAL OUTCOMES

5-28-2024

RESEARCHERS GENETICALLY MODIFY E. COLI BACTERIA WITH PART OF HIV VIRUS IN BID FOR SUCCESSFUL VACCINE

5-28-2024

NEW STUDY SHOWS ABDOMINAL OBESITY AND MUSCLE WEAKNESS IN 8-YEAR-OLDS

5-28-2024

EXTRACORPOREAL SHOCK-WAVE LITHOTRIPSY, ENDOSCOPY BENEFICIAL FOR PANCREATITIS

5-28-2024

CONSIDERABLE VARIATION SEEN IN MORTALITY RATES FOR SUSPECTED SEPSIS

5-28-2024

CONJUGATED EQUINE ESTROGEN MAY INCREASE RISK FOR OVARIAN CANCER

5-28-2024

RISING COSTS OF HEALTH CARE COVERAGE CONTINUE TO PUT FINANCIAL STRAIN ON EVEN THE PRIVATELY INSURED

5-28-2024

RESEARCHERS URGE IMMEDIATE ALCOHOL REGULATION TO CURB VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN, KIDS

5-28-2024

STUDY OF DEADLY AUSTRALIAN JAPANESE ENCEPHALITIS VIRUS STRAIN PROMPTS PUSH FOR NEW VACCINE

5-28-2024

STUDY FINDS TEXT REMINDERS HELP IMPROVE HEALTH CARE WORKERS’ MENTAL HEALTH

5-28-2024

RESEARCHERS DEVELOP MINIMALLY INVASIVE SCAFFOLD DELIVERY SYSTEM USING DYNAMIC THERMOSET POLYURETHANE

5-28-2024

MIGRANTS MUST BE A FOCUS OF CATCH-UP VACCINATION CAMPAIGNS, WARN GLOBAL HEALTH EXPERTS

5-28-2024

SPECIFIC MICROBIAL HALLMARKS IN VAGINA COULD INDICATE GYNECOLOGICAL CANCERS

5-28-2024

PEOPLE COMING OFF ANTIDEPRESSANTS ARE LOOKING FOR HELP ONLINE, UNDERSCORING A GAP IN TRADITIONAL CLINICAL PRACTICES

5-28-2024

CASES OF BACTERIAL DISEASE RISE IN BRAZIL’S FLOODED SOUTH

5-28-2024

MEASLES CASES SURGING AGAIN IN EUROPE: WHO

5-28-2024

ETHICAL APPROACHES TO MITIGATE H5N1 BIRD FLU

5-28-2024

PHARMACISTS PROVE EFFECTIVE, LESS COSTLY CARE OPTION FOR MINOR ILLNESSES

5-28-2024

RESEARCHERS IDENTIFY PROMISING PROTEIN CANDIDATE FOR METABOLIC DISEASE TREATMENT

5-28-2024

NEXT-GEN KNEE TRAINING MODEL HEADS FOR GLOBAL MARKETS

5-28-2024

POTENTIAL FUTURE TARGET FOR TREATING PRIMARY HEADACHE DISORDERS IDENTIFIED

5-28-2024

GENETIC MOSAICISM MORE COMMON THAN THOUGHT, STUDY SHOWS

5-28-2024

NEW SEQUENCING METHOD ANALYZES LUNG MICROBIOMES TO PREDICT MORTALITY IN CHILDREN FOLLOWING BONE MARROW TRANSPLANT

5-28-2024

RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS URGENT NEED TO TACKLE HEALTH CHALLENGES FOR MIGRANTS IN EUROPE

5-28-2024

ONE IN EIGHT PREGNANT PEOPLE HAVE A DISABILITY, BUT REPORT SHOWS GAPS EXIST IN THE PROVISION OF ACCESSIBLE CARE

5-28-2024

BINGE-EATING DISORDER NOT AS TRANSIENT AS PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT

5-28-2024

SAN DIEGO’S BIGGEST MEDICAL PROVIDER IS ALL IN ON ROBOT-ASSISTED SURGERY

5-28-2024

RESEARCHERS REFORMULATE ANTIPSYCHOTIC DRUGS WITH COATING THAT MITIGATES WEIGHT GAIN, BOOSTS SEROTONIN

5-28-2024

STUDY DEMONSTRATES HOW CYTOKINES PRODUCE LONG LASTING HUMORAL IMMUNITY FOLLOWING VACCINATION

5-28-2024

ENGINEERED CAR T CELLS REPRESS SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF ALLERGIC ASTHMA IN MICE FOR A YEAR

5-28-2024

NEW SWEAT MONITORING DEVICE DOESN’T REQUIRE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

5-28-2024

MATHEMATICAL MODEL EXPLOITS CANCER CELL PLASTICITY TO GUIDE ADAPTIVE THERAPY

5-28-2024

RESEARCHERS DISCOVER NOVEL METHOD TO PREDICT EFFECTIVENESS OF MESENCHYMAL STROMAL CELLS FOR CARTILAGE REPAIR

5-28-2024

RESEARCHERS IDENTIFY ‘DEGREES OF KEVIN BACON’ GENE IN WELL-CONNECTED FRUIT FLIES

5-28-2024

STUDY POINTS TO NEW COMBINATION STRATEGY FOR PANCREATIC CANCER

5-28-2024

RESEARCHERS ESTABLISH MICROFLUIDIC CONTROL TECHNOLOGY FOR BLOOD TESTING DEVICES

5-28-2024

PROTEOMIC SIGNATURES MAY INDICATE MRI-ASSESSED LIVER FAT

5-28-2024

RESEARCHERS ESTABLISH MICROFLUIDIC CONTROL TECHNOLOGY FOR BLOOD TESTING DEVICES

5-28-2024

PROTEOMIC SIGNATURES MAY INDICATE MRI-ASSESSED LIVER FAT

His name is Zelda. He’s not my only rooster but he was my youngest. He was a bit strange.. looked like a rooster and didn’t lay eggs, but he also never foamed or crowed. He was a bit random. I’ve had quail die before but I’ve always found them dead, I’ve never actually witnessed one die before. It was so upsetting!
My flock has what I believe is ulcerative enteritis. Zelda is my fourth death this week. I have ordered medication for it that everyone spoke highly of on Facebook so fingers crossed it helps. ❤️ I read the disease is relatively NBD for chickens but pretty deadly for quail.

Many of us that are here are trying to lose weight, and in order to do that we need to be at a calorie deficit, easy right? Well, not so much. We still need to fight this mental battle as our brain is constantly trying to get us to eat.
So, why does a ketogenic diet work so well for many when we are trying to lose weight? It works because it helps us in getting our insulin/insulin resistance under control and thus, getting our hunger hormones to work properly again.
When we are not metabolically healthy, it presents as an energy deficiency in our body. We all know that feeling after finishing a meal rich in carbs; We finished eating and half an hour later we are hungry again and we feel weak/tired.
There are 2 other hormones that are important in balancing energy levels and controlling hunger:
Leptin “satiety” is to regulate the energy balance by suppressing food intake and thus it also indirectly encourages weight loss.
Ghrelin “hunger” the opposite of leptin. With the release of ghrelin, the body send us signals that it is time to absorb new sources of energy into the body (eat).
When insulin spikes and falls all day as a result of eating large amounts of carbs, a vicious cycle is created that disrupts the natural secretion of hormones leptin and ghrelin. This will lead to instability which causes resistance to these hormones (insulin resistance). Prolonged insulin that spikes and falls all day eventually cause an erosion of the production and regulation of insulin by the pancreas. High insulin in the blood over time leads to: obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other diseases and is why you are hungry.
So what is my point? The point is we need to keep our insulin low to get our hunger hormones back in balance and it is why ketogenic diets work so well.
So now that we know insulin spikes is what caused our obesity situation, we can fix our obesity problem by keeping our insulin levels low at all times. The best way to do this is familiarize yourself with the glycemic index. Even if you are not doing keto or in ketosis yet, make sure all the foods you eat are low on the glycemic index. If you eat nothing but a spoon full of 20 grams of raw sugar all day, technically that’s keto, but that will definitely spike your insulin. Additionally, make sure that you are not eating too much protein as that can spike your insulin as well.
When you are finally in ketosis, it is important that the majority of your macro-nutrients come from fat. Yes you should also be getting a lot of protein, but fat is key to keeping your insulin down.
An example of my macro nutrients today: 73% fat, 5% carb, 22% protein. I had ~2200 calories today and have not eaten in 9 hours nor do I even feel hungry right now and I wont eat until tomorrow morning.
Once you get into the rythm of a ketogenic diet, and you get your insulin levels down, how do you know your hunger hormones are working properly again? When you sit down and start eating a huge plate of food; imagine a 16 Oz steak, huge pile of green veggies, and a high fat food like nuts/seeds and maybe some sour cream…. You take 4-5 bites of your steak, eat half your high fat food and veggies, and you feel like you are going to vomit if you take another bite. That's when you know your hunger hormones are working again. You will physically not be able to over-eat because your body's natural responses will stop you.
It took me about 3 months for me to get to this point with my diet, but now, dropping weight is easy as I can go very long times without eating… It took about 2 months for my hunger response to work properly again to stop me from over-eating.
And for anyone interested in what I actually ate today: 2 Fried eggs, 4 cups of coffee total with 6 tablespoons of Half and half total (one cup in the morning, and one after lunch), Salted Macadamia nuts, Smoked/salted Almonds, Walnuts, Pecans, Spinach, Kale, Cheddar cheese, sour cream, chicken thighs, 2 Sausages...

Hey guys i’m new here but i thought it would be cool to talk about my experience. First off im 17 years old and have been diagnosed with chronic idiopathic urticaria for 5 months. But i’ve had the symptoms even since i was 14. I guess i never had the best doctors growing up because i also had a chronic sinus infection for a long time before i was told i had an infection. (which btw was in a foreign country) Which my old doctors would tell me it was just temperature changes or allergy’s when my parents and i would tell them my nose would bleed a lot through out the day. I also have asthma, as i been told by my doctor i have the lungs of a 30 year old. Had it since i was 12. maybe younger. But my whole experience in the medical field has been an ass to be honest and when this chronic idiopathic urticaria started to worsen over time i really lost motives in a lot of things and had to go to therapy it was that bad. It was like each year it progressively got worse and none of the doctors could figure out what it was or what was causing it. But just like my asthma, the trigger ended up being exercise. Any physical excessive movements i made make me have an asthma attack along with hives. And it fucking sucks (excuse my language) because i love sports, i love boxing and it’s now impossible to even hit the bag for 4 minutes without my face swelling up or feeling itchy in the back of my head. I had to quit my boxing gym, had to leave teams, and now i look like a whole bitch for not being able to do anything without nearly dying. Which by the way i’ve had 3 ER visits because of it. 1 of them i nearly died, i could barely breathe to the point i wanted to pass out but i knew passing out would kill me cause the way i was fighting for my breath while conscious was for more than how one would breathe out cold.
Talking with doctors has been hard, i tend to try and put my emotions away when i speak but sometimes i feel as if they don’t understand what im trying to say. I’ve been so strict with my diet, i don’t even eat sugar, sure i’ll enjoy a mc chicken every now and then but im 5’11 and weigh 144. I take supplements, i sleep well, i eat well, i don’t have pets and i don’t smoke or do any drugs. And yet i have to deal with this shitty ass disease and it makes me upset because i feel like i don’t deserve this. You’re telling me i can’t walk 5 minutes without swelling up or having to fight for my breath? For what. I’ve treated my body well for as long as i can remember and this comes outta nowhere and takes away everything. And maybe i’m letting ego talk , maybe im just thinking about it too deeply but i seriously hate it.
But to shed some good light, i heard about a juice fasting. Because to be honest, i was so depressed with the symptoms i was having i was desperate to look for answers, even ordered supplements from across the world to help with my symptoms. Bought plants that i could mix with my tea. Spent 100$’s. Than i came across this juice fasting reddit, the OP talked about how he suffered of hives for a long time and how he’s hive free after just having green juice for 3 months everyday non stop nothing else. and i first i was like… why not? went to my local whole foods and bought everything necessary.
Here’s the recipe he used Ingredients: * 2 bananas * 2 cups frozen or fresh wild blueberries, or 2 ounces pure wild blueberry juice, or 2 tablespoons pure wild blueberry powder * 1 cup tightly packed fresh cilantro * 1 teaspoon barley grass juice powder * 1 teaspoon spirulina * 1 tablespoon Atlantic dulse or 2 dropperfuls Atlantic dulse liquid * 1 orange, juiced * 1⁄2 to 1 cup water, coconut water, or additional fresh-squeezed orange juice (optional) Directions: In a high speed blender, blend all ingredients until smooth. If a thinner consistency is desired, add up to 1 cup of water. Enjoy! Optional: Water, coconut water or fresh orange juice to blend.
I did this for 5 days. And i started feeling fucking good. My hives would still appear, but as each day progressed not only did i feel happier i felt comfortable. That’s something not a lot of us can say huh? and what really confirmed it was i was brave enough to go to the field again, to play soccer with some friends. I PLAYED FOR 2 HOURS WITH TWO 5 MIN BREAKS. NO HIVES. BARELY ANY ASTHMA. I NEVER FELT SO ALIVE. i was so happy i thanked god for giving me the chance to feel again, and ever since i stopped the fasting because i felt bad for not eating my moms food. But i will get back on it because my mom now believe that it was genuinely helping me. Recently we went to the doctor and she said she recommended xoliar, which doesn’t sound bad but drugs are total shit at the end of the day. They’ve made me nothing but miserable whether it was from the therapist or the doctors it’s all just horrible. I will update as today i start the juice diet again and won’t stop until i hit 5 months. >:)
(also random fact, dominos made me break out in hives. and caused shortness of breath. maybe i am allergic to something, but what could it be that it’s in dominos pizza xD)

comment on a recent post worth reading.
Dr Gregor behaves as if he has an eating disorder. If you read his books, or his articles you can see that he obsessed with burning calories, eating as few calories as possibly and absorbing as few calories from the food he eats as possible. He won’t eat bread because the grains are ground up, meaning your body is able to extract more nutrients from it (arguably a form of processing leading to our ability as humans to develop civilization). He touts “deflour” your diet because “ flour will make you sick and obese”, when this is one of the staple ingredients in populations across the world for centuries. The vast majority of what he preaches is about calories. He demonizes food on the sole basis of lack of fiber. Yes, fiber is healthy. But fiber is not the only thing that is healthy
Dr McDougall preaches a starch solution diet, and goes as far as to say fat is not essential for hormone or brain health, which is, if you look at the evidence, straight up false. He argues “god hates women” because adequate estrogen means higher bone mass but also higher incidence of cancer and heart disease and that hence women should aim for lower estrogen and that women just are naturally meant to have weaker bones than men. Bullshit. In fact he claims his diet can even treat osteoporosis (low bone mineral density), which honestly is contradicting himself, when the science clearly states that adequate estrogen is essential for female bone health (hence women’s bone deterioration post menopause. ie. when women produce less estrogen).
Not a doctor, but we then have influencers like Emily Keefe ”Healthy Emmie” touting this nonsense. Spreading claims about humans not needing fat and encouraging extreme levels of volume eating. Honesty it was an absolute red flag to me to watch her recent video of “eat with me” where she prepares a meal of 1 medium sweet potato, 1 small sweet potato, 2 very large zuchinis (easily 900g zucchini total) and what I’d estimate is at least 400g Brussel sprouts, which she steams. She proceeds to eat all these vegetables before even starting the potato, claiming this is the natural way to eat. Of course people would lose weight eating like this, you are physically stretching your stomach to the extreme with extremely low calorie vegetables in extreme amounts before even considering to eat the moderately calorically dense starch. Vegetables are healthy, yes, but eating over a kg of them before even starting anything else? It’s similar to Dr Gregors obsession with eating as little calories as possible. Humans need vegetables (or ideally have some), but humans also need calories. If you look at Emily’s video interviewing McDougall she asks him about hypothalamic ammenhorra, a condition often caused by low energy availability and high stress in women, in which the body does not menstruate (ie. the body thinks we are in a state of stress we can not afford to have children), and “do women need fat to solve this”. This question is quickly dismissed and jumped around with “no no, not a diet problem, just a brain problem, go straight to the brain and solve that there” (similar response to Dr Gregor in a different video).
Dr Neal Barnard is out there claiming similar things again. Recommending that people need absolutely no more than 20-30g of fat a day. If you eat this little fat, yes of course you are going to lose weight, I imagine it would be increibly physiologically challenging to eat an adequate amount of calories by only eating grains, some legumes, fruit and vegetables. Most people would not manage that.
Claims made by these individuals are overwhelmingly unsubstantiated, and when substantiate, substantiated by cherry picked data. Are wholegrains, vegetables and fiber healthy? Yes. That does not mean they are the only and exclusively healthy thing. Is there evidence supporting low fat diets and weight loss. Yes. But there’s evidence supporting high fat diets and weight loss too. Is there evidence suggesting high intake of meat is linked to heart disease, cancer etc? Yes. But these studies do not distinguish between ultra processed meat and high quality mea, moreover I’d suggest there’s some healthy user bias in a lot of the studies. Of course ultra processed McDonals chicken nuggets are not going to be good for human health. Is there evidence suggesting cholesterol is bad? Yes. But it’s entirely outdated and disproven.
These are doctors taking advantage of the general public‘s lacking in ability to read research.

Diversity is a fundamental principle in permaculture that promotes resilience and adaptability. By valuing and incorporating a variety of elements—be it plants, animals, or even ideas and perspectives—we can create robust systems capable of thriving in the face of change. This concept is rooted in the understanding that ecosystems, much like human communities, are stronger and more adaptable when they are diverse.
In a permaculture garden, diversity can be seen in the range of plants and animals coexisting and interacting. Instead of relying on a single crop or species, a diverse garden includes a variety of plants that support each other in numerous ways. For example, planting a mix of vegetables, fruits, herbs, and flowers can enhance soil health, control pests, and improve pollination. This method, known as polyculture, reduces the risk of disease and pest outbreaks that can devastate monocultures.
Animals also play a crucial role in a diverse permaculture system. Chickens, bees, and other livestock can contribute to the ecosystem by providing natural pest control, pollination, and fertilization. Each species brings unique benefits, and their interactions create a balanced and productive environment. For instance, chickens can help manage insect populations, while bees enhance the pollination of flowering plants, boosting overall productivity.
Beyond the garden, embracing diversity within a community fosters a rich exchange of ideas and practices. Different perspectives lead to innovative solutions and a deeper understanding of challenges and opportunities. In permaculture communities, sharing knowledge and experiences can lead to more effective and sustainable practices. Encouraging participation from people.....
https://missalanabliss.wordpress.com/2024/05/30/use-and-value-diversity-embracing-diversity-for-a-resilient-ecosystem/

Right now, Ryuko and Isaac just left New Orleans and... well how do I put this?
Now: Part 50, New Orleans world just ended
Neverland is next. (They gonna meet Peter Pan)
Ryuko and Isaac have sizable magic abilities, here they are:
Ryuko:
-Fira: Casts a fireball
-Sleeperaga: Casts victim into a sleep
-Weakaga: Weakens the hardness and reduces strength on an object or being drastically
-Scutter: Drops a whole army of tiny, biting spiders that attack enemies.
-Curaga: Restores health and removes most status effects, can be cast onto allies too (NEW)
-Ghost Senketsu: Removing the pin from the mint-colored ghost Senketsu glove turns Ryuko into a green ghost, however it does knock her body out and leave her vulnerable to attackers when she uses it.
-Frogsong: Turns victim into a frog and puts them into a deep sleep (NEW)
-Voodoo Strike: Only usable once per day, a voodoo strike allows Ryuko to punch the victim and generate a voodoo doll of them that can easily be killed or tortured into submission. (NEW)
-Summoned Swords: Similar to Vergil's sword summon in DMC, she can generate glowing blue swords above her shoulders and shoot them into enemies, if she claps the swords explode like bombs. She learned it from Merlin after paying him Ishtarmonium when he visited nudist beach.
-Petri-Fiki-Ka: Shoots a petrifying beam, turning a victim to stone. She learned it from Merlin after paying him Ishtarmonium when he visited nudist beach.
Magical Items of Ryuko:
-Christmas Sand: Puts victim to sleep until Christmas (December 25th or January 7th) as long as the day is between January 8th to December 24th, or it it's between December 26th to January 6th. The victim or user will anomalously be protected from any harm however under Christmas sand, so it's impossible to kill someone who is under Christmas sand. Christmas sand will not work on December 25th or January 7th.
-Neutral talisman: If touched once even with gloves, the white voodoo talisman will belong to whoever touches it permanently, turning to their associated colors, thus the neutral talisman is carried in a special small sack. The talisman is neutral right now but if used can allow the summoning of voodoo spirits for a price. However if it's broken and it belongs to a person by a single touch, the voodoo spirits will drag the owner into hell and erase their body and soul from existence. (NEW)
Dimensional links of Ryuko (Once a day associated powers of friends of Ryuko):
-Captain Phoebus: Summons five minute invulnerable heavy plate armor onto Ryuko.
-Experiment-062: For five minutes, Ryuko can summon delicious random foods like hamburgers, hotdogs, frenchfries, pizzas, fried chicken, etc. However anyone or anything that eats said foods will instantly become morbidly obese for 12 hours.
-Experiment-626: Gives Ryuko and additional pair of arms and multiplies her strength by 3,000 but only for five minutes
-Jack Skellington: Turns Ryuko into a living skeleton and allows her to raise a small squad of skeleton knights and warriors from the ground. It lasts until the last skeleton warrior is killed and it doesn't take much to wipe them out.
-Sally: Drops a drop of special serum into Ryuko's mouth, which allows her to choose two other dimensional links to use both at once in the same day.
-Buzz Lightyear: Summons space ranger armor onto Ryuko, with an interstellar flight capable jet pack, laser weaponry, and very powerful armor sans the air helmet. It lasts for ten minutes. (NEW)
-Tiana and Naveen: Allows Ryuko to summon one good, delicious and hearty cajun/creole dish into her hands. Eating it fully restores her and removes all status effects. (NEW)
-Louis the Alligator: Ryuko is given musical knowledge temporarily and a trumpet and can play music with it, any enemy who hears the music will begin to dance to it, losing control. It ends when the song ends which can be from two up to eight minutes depending on the song. (NEW)
-Isaac Francois Le Rothschild: Ryuko's scissorblade glows blue and hot like Isaac's plasma saw, basically turning Ryuko's scissorblade into a lightsaber for seven minutes (NEW)
Isaac Francois Le Rothschild's magic:
-Summoned swords: Similar to Vergil's sword summon in DMC, he can generate glowing blue swords above her shoulders and shoot them into enemies, if she claps the swords explode like bombs. He learned it from Merlin after paying him Ishtarmonium when he visited nudist beach.
-Petri-Fiki-Ka: Shoots a petrifying beam, turning a victim to stone. He learned it from Merlin after paying him Ishtarmonium when he visited nudist beach.
-Frogsong: Turns victim into a frog and puts them into a deep sleep (NEW)
-Curaga: Restores health and removes most status effects, can be cast onto allies too (NEW)
Magical items of Isaac:
-Magical disease book: If the bookmark of it is pointed at an enemy, reading any page correctly and completely will inflict the disease they just read about onto them. The diseases that can be magically cast onto a villain by this book includes Spanish flu, tuberculosis, smallpox, measles, scarlet fever, diphtheria, whooping cough, typhoid fever, malaria, meningitis, syphilis, bubonic plague, food poisoning, leprosy, common cold, rabies, lymphoma, leukemia, testicular cancer, thyroid cancer, brain cancer, stomach cancer, liver cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer, vaginal cancer, penile cancer, heart attack, stroke, seizures, depression, and dementia, it will even bypass victims who are vaccinated for these diseases too, but some of the diseases are contagious so this item is known to be extremely deadly if not used correctly. (NEW)
Dimensional Links of Isaac:
-Buzz Lightyear: Summons space ranger armor onto Isaac, with an interstellar flight capable jet pack, laser weaponry, and very powerful armor sans the air helmet. It lasts for ten minutes. (NEW)
-Tiana and Naveen: Allows Ryuko to summon one good, delicious and hearty cajun/creole dish into his hands. Eating it fully restores her and removes all status effects. (NEW)
-Louis the Alligator: Isaac is given musical knowledge temporarily and a trumpet and can play music with it, any enemy who hears the music will begin to dance to it, losing control. (NEW)
-Ryuko Matoi: Isaac's clothes are mutated into a Senketsu-like uniform and Isaac's speed and strength are greatly amplified for seven minutes. (NEW)

This article is about my meal prep, fitness for me is extremely important being healthy for as long as possible is best to have a good health span, so you can stay very fit and able-bodied if you focus on your health, which is important for traveling the world because you want to be able to see and go to a lot of interesting places that require being fit and if you look at the rest of society today the obesity rate is massive and it's only growing and so the rest of the world is just super fat and they're dying because of diabetes and heart disease.
Health is extremely important fitness, is very important and when it comes to fitness and having a good physique, what they say is diet and exercise well the ratio is 20% exercise and 80% diet.
Diet is much more important than being healthy however, when you're a digital nomad and you're traveling the world eating is a challenge because you're constantly switching places you don't always have food available it's tempting to go out and drink and eat at restaurants, the best way to do a diet is to be consistent when you look at the best dieters which are bodybuilders they are hyper-focused on repetition and what's called meal prepping so my system comes from examining bodybuilders how they eat to stay very lean and low body fat percentage is the main metric to track when you're trying to optimize for health and versatility of travel and so what bodybuilders do is they prepare all their meals in advance and they repeat the same meals over and over again now a system that I've developed to be able to maintain very low body fat while traveling is a system very similar to bodybuilders.
What this entails is on Sundays make that your meal preparation day and make sure that anytime you travel to a new place you always stay for one-week segments this way if you stay for a place in one week you'll prepare all of your meals on Sunday for the entire week and then let's say you travel on a Sunday or Saturday well whenever you move to a new place then you're now still meal prepping always on the same day and you always have your meals ready to go throughout the week so never travel outside of one-week segments, also make sure you always stay in apartments.
The important things about apartments like Airbnb, for example, is that they have refrigerators, especially a freezer you need to freeze your meals the problem with staying in a hotel one they don't have kitchens and they don't have refrigerators, you are unable to meal prep make sure you're always in a place that has a kitchen and a refrigerator. Whenever you go to a new city go to the biggest grocery store
You want to go to places that have everything you're going to want to need and you don't want to spend time searching for markets for special things, so that's that's the groundwork for doing meal prep then you have the actual shopping list, here is the shopping list.
-Broccoli and cauliflower
-A lean healthy meat chicken for ex.
-Nuts so you can do almonds, peanuts you can even do peanut butter.
-Berries strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries.
-Eggs one egg per meal.
-You can have 100% dark chocolate in each meal a few grams.
So that's the shopping list you know meal plan that's it that's your shopping list it never changes this is a scientifically calculated meal plan it is called "low carbohydrates", I like to Uber to my apartment with my 28 meals worth of food and pack them in plastic ziplock bags almost sandwich bags I have 28 of those and I lay them all out my 28 sandwich bags and the reasons and they fit into my tiny backpack if you have a nomad lifestyle the last thing you want to do is go around with 28 containers of tupper ware that is one bag all by itself.
Then you proceed to prepare all of your food at once it takes me roughly 1 hour and if you really want to speed it up for the broccoli and cauliflower you can just buy frozen broccoli and cauliflower so you don't actually need to steam that as well and then you basically just bag everything up and equal portions you put all 28 bags into the refrigerator or the freezer and then what's very very important is throughout the week you eat four of those everyday four bags of each meal and you never eat out at a restaurant ever you only eat those formulas and to drink you can drink black coffee and water that's it no alcohol no juices nothing I know this is very very strict but if you do this and then you can also pair that with some some strength training at the gym you will have a athlete level physique a pro athelte level physisque which is extremely rare in this world and so you do that and then allowed me to keep this going long term is every week once a week you can have what I call a cheat meal I like to do in the morning because you're insulin levels are going to spike if you do it later in the day it will disrupt your sleep cycle, I prefer personally pancakes, french toast or waffles with some ice crea, like to do it on Saturdays the day before my meal prep and I call it my faturday if you do this repeatedly, you will live a much fuller life you will be happier and you will be able to climb those mountains and do those fun and exciting places well into your 80's it just takes super dicipline and it's my sincere hope that more people do it.
Enjoy.