Hi everybody! My wife and I are expecting our first child later this year. We are beyond excited 😊. It is a boy and we were thinking of names. We both really like the name Jaxon. My name is Jason and we both liked that Jaxon is similar to my name (I don't want to name him Junior). I also prefer Jaxon to Jackson as I feel Jackson looks more like a surname and Jackson has more negative historical connection (looking at you Andrew Jackson). Anyway one of my best friends said to spell it with an X is "pretentious" and I saw a recent post on this subreddit a few days ago discuss the negatives associated with unique spellings of names. My partner and I were a little disappointed as we really liked the name Jaxon but want our son to have the happiest life possible and don't want his life to be negatively impacted due to the spelling of his name. I feel a lot of the disdain over unique spelling of names is related to confusion on how to pronounce the name but I feel in this case it is obvious. I was curious what everyone's thoughts on the name are?
I really appreciate any and all feedback, thank you!

I have been racking my mind with this all day. I have a table that I use daily to reference the status of job posts and track candidates available for review. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qaW1FlHVXnxJX22ZIR_aAdlBG90mCrt7/view?usp=sharing
I want a count of how many unique candidates there are in Row C while not counting duplicates (conditional formatted to green to reference more than one instance), and referencing the status of the job post they were submitted to. In column A, the job post is assigned. Candidates can be submitted to multiple job posts. When a job post closes, numerous candidates are removed from the count. The color code from Column A uses Vlookup and conditional formatting to bounce off the K2:L20 range. if the status is closed, i don't want to count it. it gets tricky though when a candidate is listed with a closed job and an open job. In that case, they should be counted...
Can anyone help? Also you can see this was an afterthought. I originally wanted unique candidates only but I will change the box to Available Candidates

I personally am not liking the pregnancy event much. I am currently at day 8, and through the whole thing, it’s been so boring for me, and it feels more like a chore than anything. Another thing that doesn’t help is that I don’t really care about the prices you can get, I don’t like how the pregnant Sim is pretty much out of commission during the pregnancy process (but I guess it does make sense), and I hate how you need so many Sims to get the extra coins; you have to get like 15 Sims doing the same tasks, like really? I don’t want to have to put stuff on hold for something like this, but there was one rug that I liked and thought would look good in the infant room, but it was so big that it just barely fit. Why is a rug made for infant Sims so big? I do have to admit that for the first few days it was kind of fun doing the tasks, but it quickly became a drag for me, and my lack of interest in the available items for the event probably made it worse.
But I do see why people like the pregnancy event and find doing it fun; maybe I just got unlucky with items, and maybe I’m just finding it frustrating because it’s almost the end of the school year for me. I will probably see if I am up to trying it again in a few weeks.

I feel so happy listening to music
Creative forms, outlets are so great
Feeling connected to myself, my body, my surroundings, is like the apex of existence for me
There’s nothing I could ask for or want more than feeling safe and secure in the present moment
There’s needs we have in this world. Necessities, money, shelter, support networks, meaningful relationships
I’m at a point in my life, with myself, that I feel I deserve all of those things
I’m just sitting here writing this. Before I decided to do that, I was sitting in my chair with my eyes closed
I opened my eyes, and looked out the window at the leaves of the trees flowing around with the wind
The worst or darkest things in life are having blockers, or negative internal or external factors to having your needs met and being yourself. Being authentic
The journey I started this year has been the most challenging yet profound and amazing unfolding of my entire existence
Opening myself up, catching up with myself. After being closed off, repressed, surviving, carrying immense weight every day since I was born. It just kept piling up
All things considered, I do think it’s amazing I’ve made it this far. I’m so incredibly grateful to experience this in my life and with myself
What I want for myself is to be healthy and present in my daily life, and connected with all parts of myself. Through love and compassion. Taking care of myself and doing the best I can. Sometimes my best won’t be stellar, and that’s completely fine. I wish I had someone teach or show me these things in life. That’s okay though. I’m here now :)
There are some core things that are so important to me and I care deeply about. One of those is myself, which is unprecedented. It brings me to tears to acknowledge that and feel that
My inner child needs to hear that. It was painful to not have someone look at me and tell me those things growing up. “You are so important to me, and I care deeply about you. I’m going to make sure you are protected and get what you need. I’m capable of doing that, and I’m going to. You can trust me, I’ll show you.”
It’s tragic that people (myself included) are/were taught that in order to get the love and things they need fundamentally, they have to get something external, be someone other than themselves, do something for someone, or that it’s conditional
Toxic positive and negative reinforcement. Core beliefs engrained from childhood that set the worldview, perception, and path of suffering, disconnect, grasping, chasing, self-destruction. Those cycles manifest and perpetuate without knowledge and realization otherwise
If I look this way, if I be that person, if I have this job or this degree, this house, this skill; maybe then I’ll feel good about myself, maybe then I’ll get the love I need from my parents or my friends or other people. Maybe then I’ll love myself and can be myself
What a sad and tragic trap we get caught in
I don’t want to be caught in that anymore in my own life, within my own existence. And I don’t want to be part of setting it or enabling it for others
I want to do the opposite for myself and others
I really want to break the system and the cycles. Do things that don’t make sense if you’re caught up living in it, things that make you ask “how is that even possible?” or think “that doesn’t make sense or add up to my belief system”. Because it all starts with one of those moments of unconditional love, compassion, and generosity

BootTooBig is going dark, too.

We will join the June 12th protest of Reddit's API changes that threaten to significantly and negatively affect all 3rd party Reddit apps, bots, and moderation tools.
Starting June 12th at 00:00 UTC (8:00 pm EDT; 5:00 pm PDT), /boottoobig will switch to private and no new posts will be permitted for at least 48 hours.

• What's going on? On May 31, 2023, Reddit announced that beginning July 1st, they will start charging for currently free API calls ("Application Programming Interface;" how apps communicate with Reddit servers) - only 31 days after the announcement.
  
• Why is that bad? The price of the API calls is exorbitant and would effectively kill 3rd party Reddit apps, many bots, and moderation tools like RES and Toolbox. The app developers would either have to pay this themselves, or would have to pass the costs directly to the users. Further, 31 days' notice about a significant cost and development change is ludicrously short. Industry best practices are 6-18 months for such a notice.
  
• How much money are we talking? The Apollo dev summed it up nicely: "50 million [Reddit API] requests costs $12,000." "I pay Imgur (a site similar to Reddit in user base and media) $166 for the same 50 million API calls." "Apollo made 7 billion requests last month, which would put it at about 1.7 million dollars per month, or 20 million US dollars per year."
  
• But nothing would really happen, right? Oh, you sweet summer child. The following 3rd party apps have already announced they will shut down before July 1st (see any you use?): Apollo, Reddit Is Fun, ReddPlanet, Sync, and Relay to name a few. Additionally, even if a 3rd party app developer decides to pay for API access, NSFW content will be locked to the official Reddit App (In case the comment is deleted, someone asks "Why do you want to restrict NSFW from third party apps?" spez responds: "It’s a constant fight to keep this content at all. We are going to keep it. But the regulatory environment has gotten much stricter about adult content, and as a result we have to be strict / conservative about where it shows up.")
  
• Should Reddit profit for the services they provide? Probably. It's infeasible to expect Reddit-the-business to absorb all server, developer, and infrastructure costs of a running a huge site indefinitely. Without funding, Reddit couldn't support the traffic or our communities. That said, Reddit's approach to communications, the out-of-touch price point, negative interactions with popular app developers, a disastrous, insulting, and outright dishonest CEO AMA, and general unwillingness to come to reasonable agreements detracts from any goodwill toward continuing contributions to the success of their business.
  
• Who else is protesting? Many subreddits, large and small. An incomplete list is available, but include names you might recognize like: /funny, /aww, /gaming, /art, /food, /sports, /history, /unexpected, /android, /apple, /cats, /nasa, /whatisthisthing
  
• Is this an overreaction? No. A blackout is one of the last best remaining options that Reddit users and communities have to make their voices heard.
  
• Will this help? We don't know. The goal is to send a strong message to Reddit and its board that their success cannot be built with disregard to the communities the users have built that gave them that success.
  

Thank you all for your understanding with this. Give us your best boots for the next 24 hours, and we'll see you on the other side, whether that's here or somewhere else...
✌️❤️🥾

Hey there! I'm new to this community (thinking about pursuing a side hustle and wanting to gain more knowledge in the world of pc's and IT) and have been enjoying the many comments and threads in this group, BUT with everything going on, and since we are going dark in a few days, where else can I go that will have lots of good, useable info, that isn't just the random searches on the internet? Thank in advance and hope to see y'all on the other side!

I'm stable atm with no acute kidney or liver damage, but this whole experience has been seriously traumatic. a very complex and circumstantial, post surgical procedure, situation, so please do not make any assumptions against anyone/me but: the doctors fucked up. they didn't double check anything and i guess ignored all my sx that I reiterated clearly, markedly as NEW and/or suddenly worsening.
i thought i was being EXTREMELY thorough researching, informed, and advocating for myself, throughout this entire past month but i didn't push hard enough when it mattered the MOST for my TRUE needs. because i was in so much pain and distressed and putting some "awkwardness" bs before my own needs: a more experienced dr and more thorough help. and more pre procedure questions! but i took the second shot because i didn't know and truly thought it would bring me full relief again since the drs also thought it made the most sense and was a good idea. I didn't know general anesthesia has a lasting effect.
side effects of NSAIDS can MIMIC a flare, and i just got an IV, then injection of the STRONGEST one. I felt like i was fucking dying, then realized that actually was an acute possibility after the second shot a week later (yesterday). was trying to "calm down" what seemed like a worse flare before the weekend to hopefully keep me out of ER - IRONIC
I'm home and lying in bed now recouperating and trying to soothe all my ulcery pains, and completely wiped out. so idk how active in responding I'll be for now, but i HAD to make this post. i do not want anyone else to have to ever suffer unnecessarily from this horrific reaction thinking they're having a really serious flare.
please read both articles to be informed. i wish i had seen this before. if anyone finds out anymore, esp about the platelet dysfunction, i'm def gonna be looking for more info when i'm feeling less effed up
https://www.hopkinslupus.org/lupus-treatment/lupus-medications/nsaids/
https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/ketorolac-oral-route-injection-route/side-effects/drg-20066882?p=1
my symptoms after 2nd shot: (either significanly worsened/repeated/ NEW-but not unusual for lupus or for me- pains / NEW bleeding)
marked *: very acutely flared intensely in preceding hours/evening after 2nd shot & emergency ones better now. resolved at different rates.
achy, muscle aches, flu like sx - bad petechiae spreading (had very tiny few in multiple spots pre-procedure, i told them that my platelets had been normal, so did not mention to rheum before) *livedo reticularus-like 'rash' - very purply, mottled, marbled on legs, but more intense than recent times and spread to arms, chest w/ accompanying sunburn like face flushing *also sudden 2 days prior auditory hallucinations (first initially concerning sx for me, but thought it could be new neuro flare) severe worsening of supposed internal hemmorhoids, with some bleeding - to the point i couldn't sit, stand, walk, lie down without bad rectal pain random/easy bruising hoarseness, thirst, fatigue, *momentary vision weirdness, *momentary headache blue fingernails/toenails *very cold. very cold feet. suddenly hot face to chest *some loss of feeling in feet and slightly hands *cloudy urine, trouble finishing urinating *random stabbing muscle & joint pains *ABD, pelvic, stomach, RUQ, LUQ sharp stabbing pains *mouth ulcer in side of throat - bleeding - wisdom tooth issue suddenly hurting, bleeding *sudden worse joint knee pain with acute tenderness/swelling (never had joint effusion before) chest wall, rib pains, RT side minor chest pains, some costochondritis flare temp above >99 <100 (i usually run 96-97) pain at injection site *mild-mod nausea there's honestly more, but i'll update later. but hopefully you get the point
**i took activated charcoal & zeolite clay immediately when my partner started reading more of the rare side effects and i instantly made the connection
I was up all night trying to avoid going to the ER & ended up going to do my standing order labs this morning instead, and then finally got thru to a really great on call dr who i talked to for quite awhile. my labs looked okay but i will update when i get my dsdna, c3 c4 labs back. (my inflammatory markers are always normal low, only low wbc & monocytes high as abnormal is my typical)
very acute, worrisome symptoms from lastnght are resolved, but I'm unsure the exact immune interactions or lasting effect it could have since my entire situation could be also flare inducing as well. so lots of overlap. the IM dr i spoke with said these things without any prompt which i already had come to that possible conclusion on my own. and to f/u with rheum obviously about those specifics.
feeling the most tender, vulnerable, & also like i physically got put through a meat grinder even moreso now. but honestly am glad (now that i know my major organs are ok) that it was actually diagnostic to figure out some of my chronic symptoms are actually GI related, blood related, ?, etc. i thought some were endometriosis, etc.
just wish i hadn't been taking nsaids before but i thought i was helping my situation and have been in tons of unmanaged pain. trying to alernate things. really wasn't being pretty sparing with them actually. think I'll be sticking with other stuff and the steroids (i was trying to avoid >_<) now.. never taking nsaids again. i know the GI stuff will heal soon esp now that I def won't be taking any ibuprofen or Rx naproxen. good thing i'm already doing a gut healing protocol and already started doing all the barrier repair stuff. which is probably why my first round of abd pains mostly resolved a couple days ago!
more lessons learned. might need to edit this later? too exhausted to reread. had to write this in two sittings. glad my we're living next door to my mom currently, finally hit a point of actually seriously needing like home nurse level help. this journey has been really working on getting over asking for help. def took a long time for my mom to realize how serious this has been for me. but she made dinner i'm gonna finally eat now that i'm not worried bout my kidneys. she's also type I diabetic and been thru a lot. and grown a lot too since we've been here. love her

Age: 27 Sex: Male Race: White/Caucasian Location: USA PMH: None (prior to these issues), now Hypertension, Hearing loss in left ear Current Medications: Amlodipine 10mg, Losartan 25mg Duration of Complaint: 10 months Symptoms: Many, see description. Family History: Heart disease (paternal grandfather, paternal uncle), dementia (maternal grandmother), migraines (mother).
Hey all,
I am a previously healthy 27 year old male, who has been having a strange collection of symptoms since the end of August 2022. I have seen numerous doctors without much success. Prior to the onset of these symptoms, I considered myself perfectly healthy beyond the occasional seasonal illness and stuff like that.
On 26 August 2022, I had an episode of vertigo. This felt very similar to a previous incident of vertigo that I experienced in September of 2019: all of a sudden, I felt like I was falling to the left. There was nothing preceding either of these events, in both cases I was sitting in a chair, reading / on the computer. For the incident in 2019 I went to the hospital, where the ED doc told me I had benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), and gave me some exercises to help relieve the symptoms. In both cases, I did the exercises and took a nap, and the acute symptoms went away by the next morning. Also in both cases, I felt kind of off/unbalanced for a few weeks afterwards. Not to the point where it impacted my motor skills, but I just felt ever so slightly off balance, especially in the dark. This feeling faded back to normal over the course of a couple of weeks.
This is where things changed between the 2019 incident and the incident from last year. Although the acute "spinning" sensation subsided as normal, a number of other symptoms appeared after the vertigo symptoms began to fade. Over the next few weeks, I began to experience a "fuzzy" feeling, as though my head had been stuffed full of cotton, like a moderate brain fog. I felt off balance, my vision seemed blurry, my eyes were constantly either watery or too dry. I had constant itchiness and dull pain in my left ear. Occasionally, I would have a brief (30-60 second) stabbing pain in one ear that would gradually fade back to normal. I started having headaches, especially the feeling that the top of my head was being squeezed, or a stabbing pain behind the eyes. It was hard for me to focus on objects, especially in the middle distance. My eyes felt tight or streched. I would see halos around lights at night. I felt a constant pressure in my ears (especially the left one), to the point where I would clear my ears by equalizing pressure 5-6 times per day, each time would be accompanied by an audible squeal of releasing pressure from the left ear. Perhaps most distinctly, when I would lay down and close my eyes I would have the feeling of falling: a sudden jerk (usually to the left or backwards), before I would immediately feel normal again. This would repeat randomly until I would fall asleep. I would have a "television static" across my vision all the time, when in low light I would sometimes see objects or patterns vibrating.
I went to an ophthalmologist in the middle of September 2022, who noted my eyes looked fine, with some mild signs of hypertensive retinopathy. They also noted that my blood pressure was quite high: around 150/110 when resting, up to 170/120 when not-relaxed. I went to my PCP and was prescribed lisinopril/HCTZ 20mg/25mg. This seemed to help my blood pressure somewhat, but caused me to have constant waves of nausea and gastroparesis such that I went back in November and asked to be moved to a different medication, at which point they started me on Amlodipine 5mg. This did not control my blood pressure, and in December I was moved to Amlodipine 10mg, and then recently Amlodipine 10mg and Losartan 25mg. I have not been on the most recent medication long enough to see any long term changes in BP.
I saw an ENT at the beginning of the year who noted that my ears looked fine, were not infected, and that sometimes pressure in the ear accompanies one sided hearing loss like I have. He recommended that I see a neurologist.
Over the recent months, my symptoms have settled somewhat. I no longer feel brain fog or motion when laying down. However, the following symptoms are still present:
Lots of eye gunk, eyes feel either dry or watery and tired all the time, I am constantly rubbing them. I see astigmatism beams around bright lights, even during the daytime, halos around lights and globes of color around colored lights at night. I have constant floaters across my vision, both small round clear ones and large darker linear or triangular ones. There is a constant "heat haze" or static effect across my whole vision. I have extremely noticeable diplopia (sometimes minor, sometimes severe where the words are 95% offset from the originals), but mostly with light colored writing on dark backgrounds. There is a constant tinnitus, which is fairly loud, and pressure in one or both ears, requiring me to clear them as mentioned before. I still see the vibration when looking at straight lines or patterns in low light. I have random headaches, usually behind my temple or on top of my head, but these tend to go away quickly.
None of this is debilitating, but it sure is very annoying and has tanked my quality of life. No One I have talked to has had any answers for me, even after a number of tests and blood work.
Here is what I have had done and the results:

• Basic Metabolic Panel and CBC with differential (9 September): All Normal
  
• EKG (9 September): Normal
  
• Eye Exam (19 September): Normal, signs of slight hypertensive retinopathy.
  
• Basic Metabolic Panel (22 November): All normal
  
• Urinalysis (23 December): Normal
  
• EKG (23 December): Normal, "t-waves more upright"
  
• Comprehensive Hearing Test (13 January): Moderate Hearing Loss Left Ear, no significant changes from baseline June 2018
  
• Head CT (temporal bone) without Contrast (1 February): Bilateral thinning of the tegmen tympani, otherwise normal.
  
• Basic Metabolic Panel (6 April): Normal
  
• Plasma Renin Activity (6 April) : Normal
  
• Aldosterone (6 April): Normal
  
• Brain MRI with and without Contrast (14 April): Normal except for trace right mastoid effusion and minimal mucosal disease in left sphenoid sinus
  
• Renal Ultrasound (26 April): Normal, renal arteries < 60% stenosis, everything within normal limits.
  

I'm kind of at the end of my rope here. Since I'm an American this has basically bankrupted me, even with my insurance. I'm moving to a new state in 2 weeks, so I haven't been able to make any appointments for anything else, and I don't know what my insurance will be with me changing jobs. The only other thing I have to go on is the ENT recommendation to see a neurologist, particularly one specializing in migraines.
Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

(Oh boy, my mind is all over the place. Hope you can endure my crazed ramblings and make sense of it.) When I watched episode 5 recently(And then someone reacting to it and analyzing it from a different viewpoint) I came to realize something; Cyn's eldritch form had the barricade striping theme despite none of them being disassembly drones at that point in time. Additionally, Cyn was the only active drone with yellow eyes. All the other butlers and maids had white eyes. A strange thing consdiering we know Worker Drones can have all types of colours. And just as importantly, when Uzi possessed Cyn's form her eyes became purple to match Uzi's. When the Absolute Solver presumably activated at the end of the pilot Uzi's face flashed yellow for a moment. I believe the colour of the eyes show the direct intimate influence of one drone to another, accidentally overriding whatever affects the lights.(Or yellow could just be the general colour for error messages.) If all the drones Tessa picked up from the junkyard were undead, and if all zombies had white eyes upon reanimation.(Which could either be the factory default, or a reference to how eyes cloud over after death.) then why do all disassembly drones have yellow eyes? Because Cyn is in each and every one of them. Or atleast, a piece of her programming. As in part 2 Eldritch J had to relearn many of the hologram skills that Cyn had such an aptitute for.(And Eldritch J was far more adept at simulating social behaviour.) It is also possible that Cyn designed the disassembly drone's form, as in episode 5 V's memory self turned into a spooky fleshy drone similar to Uzi during the previous one. V also said in her fight with Uzi "New body, same horrors, huh, Cyn?" which is clearly saying that Cyn had many bodies. And all the disassembly drones shown so far all wore a badge with the letters CYN on them. Cyn also said she had backups of all of them. And I believe the blackholes created after Eldritch J's destruction were condensed data which had been used to rebuild her.
While this is pretty much it for now, I have some other possible implications and ideas I would like to add: Khan Doorman could be a Zombie Drone, as he is the only Worker Drone in recent times that seems to have white eyes. And it is very possible that he had reanimated himself in the past. I have no idea what could have happened though, If a Drone doesn't find a way to die, death always finds them.
The next idea is that Cyn is in pieces, stached away in the many. I don't think the whole Cyn entity exists anymore, but rather has been reduced to less capable pieces of her programming. Just don't trust me on that one.
Lastly, Cyn may have told the truth when she said "They are not broken, we can no longer be thrown out.", as technically speaking undead drones are not a malfunction. They are drones that managed to function despite damage done. And I believe Cyn herself is not locked into the Absolute Solver mode due to an error, I believe she is the absolute solver. And she hasn't fixed by now because she was never broken.
But then again, N's memories are interfered with and incredibly unreliable, so don't just be sceptical about my crazed conspiracy babbling but also what the show tells us. Though I hope it was atleast somewhat thought provoking, and that you were entertained by my ideas and observations. And remember, we're all Cynners, for Cyn is in each and every one of us. Fin~

Introduction

It's widely believed that Canada doesn't really need a comprehensive defence policy. However, recent have clearly demonstrated that Ottawa could no longer rely on the status quo, as an open hostile Russia has been completely but an increasingly aggressive China.
While avoiding direct conformation, the Government of Canada is announcing a compressive package of retaliatory measures that are sent to enter into force within the next 12 months. This invokes proportionate reduction in Chinese diplomatic presence in Canada, as well significantly increased stringency of security screening for Chinese companies operating in Canada.
Ottawa continues to stand its ground on the newly announced immigration measures. However, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada has also outlined a package of additional measures. This involve treating all Chinese nationals coming to Canada as de-facto asylum seekers in terms of security screening. While normally IRCC would do their best to cooperate with Chinese state authorises, when conduction background verifications, and security checks, now the Government of Canada shall suspend all current and future requests, as well as refuse to provide any information about Chinese nationals currently present in Canada or applying for Canadian Temporary or Permanent Residence Visas. Additionally, Canada shall cooperate with its allies to allow Chinese national visas in foil-less visas, as well as damaged or expired travel documents, so long an can provide a verifiable copy if their Chinese nationality.
Notably, current applicants for Permanent Residence in Canada will be eligible to apply for a Open Work and Study Permits in case their experiences in China may not be verified, to compensate for the loss of points on foreign experience with additional time in Canada.
Canada is also waiving quota of family reunification applicants for Chinese nationals, as well as removing income eligibility requirements, allowing Chinese nationality to bring their partners, parents, and grandparents, as well as dependents to Canada as temporary or permanent residents.
Additionally, Canada shall immediately declare a Chinese Ambassador Persona Non-Grata, as well as suspend Canadian non-diplomatic representation in China, including emergency evaluation of the IRCC office in Beijing, as well as a "stand-by" order for all Canadian diplomatic staff in China, eyeing possible retaliation by the PRC's government.
Canada shall also introduce major restrictions on Chinese investment into the country, requiring any investment coming from a Chinese national without TRV or PR status in Canada to be reviewed before approval, with identical requirements introduced for Chinese companies - incorporated in China or majority-Chinese owned - investing into Canada, including equity and public debt.
The Government of Canada also issues an "avoid all travel" advisory to Canadian citizens to the People's Republic, as well as its Special Administrative Regions. Global Affairs Canada is currently recruiting private companies for Canadian citizens and Permanent as well Temporary Residents to immediately return home.
Canadian companies are also advised to immediately suspend their operations in China, as well as disengage with their Chinese suppliers and customers for the fear of possible retaliation.
Furthermore, Ottawa is set to suspend security clearances of Chinese companies acting in the public procurement space, with an immediate revocation of all export permits for Canadian companies to sell to China, when it requires export authorisation. Canadian companies shall also be prohibited from holding or obtaining assets in China or Chinese companies.
Global Affairs Canada has also advised the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that Canada shall considering introducing "external equivalence" when it comes to China and Russia. Any further escalation from the People's Republic shall be met by gradually increasing economic pressure on China, until the country shall face same resections currently experienced by the Russian Federation.
Canada shall also follow through with the Foreign Influence Registration & Monitoring - a document jointly composed by the Canadian Security & Intelligence Service, and FINTRAC - Canada's anti-laundering watchdog. FIRM aims to provide an open source database of foreign nationals an entities who've been suspected or proven to be interfering with Canadian domestic affairs or have employed illegal instruments to influence Canadian decision-makers. An entity or individual listed under FIRM shall be prohibited from acquiring Canadian assets, as well as using Canadian finical system anywhere in the world. Notably, while FIRM limitations kick in immediately when an entity or an individual entity the list, CSIS and FINTRAC still have to prove their case in court, with restrictions maintained until the court rules otherwise.
However, most importantly, Canada is announcing its desire to join AUKUS following closed negations with Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Under the terms of the brokered deal, Canada becomes an immediate member of the trilateral security agreement, with full access to AUKUS' non-nuclear Pillar II component, to foster greater technological and industrial cooperation. Access to Pillar I - pushing nuclear powered submarines - shall be temporary restricted for 2 years, allowing Canada and the original AUKUS members to negotiate both procurement and technology transfer with Canada.
CAUKUS would also see the Agreement's significant expansion of the agreement, including closer alignment of defence & procurement, as well as increased coordination of export controls and industrial strategy development.

Finance Canada has also declared Canada shall increase its defence spending immediately to exceed the 2 per cent target, with full indexing on unspent funds earmarked preciously.

Areas covered by C-AUKUS

The Agreement is largely focusing on allowing Member States to catch up with third countries in critical technologies, while straightening their existing lead in areas where either individual or combined competency of the Member Sates provides for a competitive advantage.
The agreement covers several technologies deemed to be critical for both national security of future competitiveness.
​

GENERAL DEFENCE

Autonomous systems - systems that can perform assigned tasks with our the need for human interference that included uncrewed underwater vehicles, industrial robots, as well transpiration units and weapon systems.
Advanced undersea wireless communication - includes equipment and techniques that ensure underseas communication with low error rates across longer distances, that are often used by submarines and autonomous underwater vehicles. Specific technologies include extremely-low frequency (ELF) communications, as well as transmitting antennas, acoustic, laser, and LED communication, and maritime sound analysis.
Adversarial AI & reverse engineering - developing safeguards for excusing AI and neural networks for present their use by adversaries, including using original data clusters and utilising captured analysis techniques.
Air-independent propulsion - mainly through compact energy generation, mainly used ion underwater autonomous vehicles. Those include developments of hydrogen fuel cells and Stirling engines, to enable longer underwater operability.
Autonomous underwater vehicles that are able to operate over long distances, without human interference limited to basic route planning. Those vehicles are most widely used in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions in addition to anti-submarine warfare.
Electronic warfare utilise electromagnetic spectrum to deny, degrade, disrupt, deceive, or destroy and adversary’s electronic systems or enable forces to operate in contested and degraded environments, such as electronic protection. This involves collection, analysis and processing of electromagnetic signals for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance to support targeting and operational planning . It also includes collection of foreign instrumentation signals intelligence (FISINT). Specific techniques GPS jamming, GPS spoofing, communication jamming, communication masking, and frequency-hopping communication.
Hypersonic detection, tracking, and characterisation for glide vehicles, including trajectory projection and early detection, with land, ship, air, and space-based sensors and algorithms for rapid trajectory analysis.
Sonar and acoustic sensors used to identify and locate underseas objects. Applications for sonar and acoustic sensors include monitoring marine wildlife, and threat detection, identification and targeting for defence.
​

ADVANCED MATERIALS AND MANUFACTURING

Additive manufacturing (including 3D printing) - which is manufacturing physical objects by depositing materials layer by layer according to a digital blueprint or 3D model, regardless of their size or metal structures. Applications for additive manufacturing include rapid prototyping and making custom or small quantity components.
Advanced composite materials include new materials created by combining two or more materials with different properties, without dissolving or blending them into each other. Examples include carbon-fibre-reinforced plastics and laminated materials. Applications include vehicle protection, signature reducing materials, construction materials and wind turbine components.
Advanced explosives and energetic materials - materials with large amounts of stored or potential energy that can produce an explosion. Applications for advanced explosives and energetic materials include mining, civil engineering, manufacturing and defence.
Advanced magnets and superconductors - strong permanent magnets that require no or few critical minerals. Applications include scientific research, smartphones, data storage, health care, power generation and electric motors. While superconductors are materials that have no electrical resistance, ideally at room temperature and pressure that create strong magnetic fields, used for medical imaging, transferring electricity without loss, and hardware for quantum computers.
Advanced protection clothing and equipment serve to protect defence, law enforcement and public safety personnel and defence platforms from physical injury and/or chemical or biological hazards. Such as helmets, fire-retardant fabrics, respirators, and body armour.
Continuous flow chemical synthesis produces fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals using continuous-flow processes, rather than batches. Flow chemistry can make chemicals and pharmaceuticals faster, more consistently and with less wast. Applications for continuous flow chemical synthesis include rapid analysis of chemical reactions, and manufacturing industrial chemicals, agrichemicals and pharmaceuticals.
Coatings Substances are substances applied to surfaces to add useful properties like preventing biofouling, repelling water, reducing visibility to radar, enhancing thermal efficiency - for example in hypersonics - and preventing corrosion.
Critical minerals extraction and processing systems and processes to extract and process critical minerals that includes mining, concentrating minerals, and manufacturing battery-grade chemicals.
High-specification machining processes involve cutting and shaping raw materials into precise components using advanced tools such as, lathes, laser cutting, and water jet cutting. Those are used in aerospace manufacturing and other industries for high-grade precise production.
Nanoscale materials and manufacturing nvolve materials with features smaller than 100 nanometers and the technologies used to produce them. Applications include various fields such as pharmaceuticals, wastewater treatment, data storage, communications, semiconductors, carbon dioxide capture, and nanoscale tracking markers for important materials.
Novel meta-materials - new synthetic materials that have properties that do not occur naturally, such as the ability to bend light or radio waves backwards. Applications for novel metamaterials include energy capture and storage, radio antennae, and adaptive camouflage.
Smart materials that have properties that change in response to external pressures, such as shape memory alloys that change shape when heated and self-healing materials. Applications for smart materials include clothing, body armour, building materials and consumer electronics.
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AI, COMPUTING, COMMUNICATIONS

Advanced data analytics involves systems, processes, and techniques for analysing large volumes of data (known as 'big data') to extract valuable insights with minimal human involvement. It is used in medical diagnosis, acoustic analytics, regulatory compliance, insurance, climate monitoring, infrastructure forecasting, national security.
Advanced integrated circuit design and fabrication focus on creating complex integrated circuits using process nodes below 10 nanometres. This includes designing systems-on-chip (SoC), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), stacked memory on chip, and specialised microprocessors for the defence industry.
Advanced optical communications utilise light to transfer information over optical fibre, such as air or the vacuum of space. Those employ laser technologies and other means to achieve faster, more reliable, efficient, and energy-efficient information transfer. Applications for advanced optical communications include high-speed Earth satellite communications, short-range visible light communications, narrow-beam laser communications, and multi-gigabit broadband and corporate networks.
Advanced radiofrequency communications (including 5G and 6G) use radio waves to transfer information through free space. They employ novel techniques, advanced antennas, and beamforming technologies to achieve faster, more reliable, efficient, and energy-saving communication. Applications include satellites, cellular networks, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, sensor networks, connected vehicles, medical devices, and public safety services.
Artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms and hardware accelerators perform tasks that typically require human intelligence, such as virtual assistants, process automation, virtual and augmented reality, creating realistic video game environments and characters, public transport planning and optimisation, crop and livestock management, and defence. AI hardware accelerators are specialised computer hardware designed to run optimised AI algorithms in smartphones, portable virtual and augmented reality systems, and low-power internet of things (IoT) sensors.
Distributed ledgers are systems that record transactions, contracts, across multiple systems or locations. They eliminate the need for a central authority, making transactions and records more secure against cyber-attacks and fraud. Blockchain is an example of a distributed ledger, and Bitcoin uses it for financial transactions. Applications for distributed ledgers include cryptocurrencies, supply chain verification, product provenance and emissions monitoring, tracking recyclable content, land records, and share trading.
High performance computing refers to computer systems such as supercomputers, that are significantly more powerful than consumer devices such as desktops and laptops that excel at processing large amounts of data and performing complex calculations that are beyond the capabilities of other devices, used in areas such as climate modelling, computational chemistry, and high-quality computer graphics for film and television.
Machine learning that included neural networks and deep learning. Applications for machine learning include computer vision, facial recognition, cybersecurity, media creation, virtual and augmented reality systems, media manipulation (e.g. deepfakes), content recommendation systems, and search engines.
Natural language processing includes speech and text recognition and analysis, refers to systems that enable computers to recognise, understand, and use written and/or spoken language in a manner similar to human communication. NLP is a branch of artificial intelligence. Applications for NLP include predictive text, language translation, virtual assistants and chatbots, summarizing lengthy documents, sentiment analysis, and enhancing the accessibility and inclusivity of technologies.
Protective cyber security include, algorithms and hardware that are designed to enable a cyber security enhancement. Applications of those technologies include but are not limited to: operational technology security, authentication infrastructures, protection of aggregated data sets, protection of AI systems and supply chain security.
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LIFE SCIENCES & HEALTHCARE

Biological manufacturing uses living cells to make useful chemicals or materials, especially in the pharmaceutical sector with fermentation products, biologic medicines such as antibodies and enzyme replacement therapies, and enzymes for environmental remediation and recycling plastics.
Synthetic biology creates biological systems and devices that have useful functions not found in nature. Applications for synthetic biology include creating microorganisms that can clean-up environmental pollutants and recycle plastics, manufacturing animal-free meat and dairy products, and biological computers.
Vaccines and medical countermeasures refer to technologies that allow quickly develop and manufacture vaccines, drugs, biologic products and devices used to diagnose and treat emerging infectious diseases and medical conditions caused by exposure to harmful chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear substances. Applications for vaccines and medical countermeasures include public health emergencies, industrial accidents and defence.
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ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT

Biofuels include fuels produced from biological or organic sources. Examples include biogas and biodiesel derived from plant biomass, and bioethanol from crops such as corn and sugar cane.
Directed energy technologies transfer energy between two points in free space. Applications for directed energy technologies include powering consumer electronics, recharging electric vehicles, powering aerial drones, ground-space energy transfer, wireless sensor networks and internet of things devices, and advanced weapons.
Electric batteries utilise various materials and chemistries (e.g. lithium-ion (Li-ion), nickel metal hydride battery (Ni-MH)) and form factors (e.g. flow batteries for stationary grid storage, polymer electrolytes for vehicles and personal devices). Applications for electric batteries include electrified road and air transport, smartphones and personal electronic devices, medical devices and grid energy storage.
Green, Blue hydrogen and ammonia involve production, storage, distribution and use of hydrogen (H2) and ammonia (NH3) for heat and electricity generation. Hydrogen and ammonia are potential low or zero emission, zero-carbon alternatives to fossil fuels and electric batteries. Applications for hydrogen and ammonia include energy storage and as a fuel source for aviation and marine transport, long distance road transport and heating.
Nuclear energy, including cost-saving nuclear technologies and Small Modular Reactors. Applications include energy production for self-contained and/or remote uses, such as space travel, submarines, scientific research and medical isotope production.
Nuclear waste management aims safely dispose of, or reuse or reprocess radioactive waste products from medical, industrial and research practices, i.e. converting radioactive liquid waste into synthetic rock to minimise leeching, and reprocessing spent radioactive fuel for use in long-life, low-power batteries. Applications include environmental protection and extending the useful life of nuclear material.
Photovoltaics convert solar energy into electricity using layers of semiconductor materials. Applications for photovoltaics include low-emissions power stations, rooftop solar power, spacecraft and personal electronics.
Supercapacitors can store large amounts of energy in small volumes. Supercapacitors store less energy and for shorter durations than rechargeable batteries, but can accumulate and deliver charge much faster than rechargeable batteries, and tolerate many more charge and discharge cycles than rechargeable batteries before performance degrades. Applications for supercapacitors include regenerative braking, smartphones and personal electronic devices, grid energy storage and defence.
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QUANTUM & AI

Post-quantum cryptography is based on mathematical techniques for ensuring that information stays private, authentic, while resisting attacks by both quantum and non-quantum computers. The leading application for post-quantum cryptography is securing online communications against attacks using quantum computers. Because quantum computers can efficiently solve the ‘hard’ mathematical problems we currently rely on to protect online communications.
Quantum communications (including quantum key distribution) allow to communicate quantum information at a distance, including cryptographic keys. Applications for quantum communications include transferring information between quantum computers and sharing cryptographic keys (which are like secret passwords) between distant people in a way that means it is impossible for anyone else to copy.
Quantum computing deploys algorithms that depend directly on quantum mechanical properties and effects to perform computations to solve particular types of problems much faster than existing computers, including problems that are not practical to solve using even the most powerful classical computers imaginable. Applications for quantum computing accurately simulating chemical and biological processes, revealing secret communications, machine learning and efficiently optimising very complex systems.
Quantum sensors utilise quantum mechanical properties and effects for high precision and high sensitivity measurements. Applications for quantum sensors include enhanced imaging, passive navigation, remote sensing, quantum radar, and threat detection for defence.
Photonic sensors use light to detect changes in the environment or in materials. Applications for photonic sensors are broad, ranging from mainstream photography, through to sensors for environments where electrical or chemical based sensors are impractical or unreliable, such as laser based gas sensors to detect explosive materials or flexible photonic sensors embedded inside the human body to monitor bodily processes.
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SPACE, ROBOTICS, TRANSPORTATION

Advanced aircraft engines (including hypersonics) enable greater speed, range, and fuel-efficiency for aerial vehicles. Examples include hypersonic technologies such as ramjet and scramjet engines that allow aircraft and weapons to travel beyond Mach 5.
Advanced robotics are capable of performing complex manual tasks usually performed by humans, including by teaming with humans and/or self-assembling to adapt to new or changed environments, such as industry and manufacturing, defence and public safety, and healthcare and household tasks.
Civil autonomous systems technologies deliver machines that can independently perform tasks under limited direction or guidance by a human operator in passenger and freight transport, un crewed underwater vehicles, industrial robots, public safety and defence.
Drones, swarming and collaborative robots cover air, ground, surface and underwater vehicles and robots that can achieve goals with limited or no human direction, or collaborate to achieve common goals in a self-organising swarm. Applications for drones, swarming and collaborative robots include public safety, environmental monitoring, agriculture, logistics, and defence.
Small satellites are relatively low mass and size, usually mass under 500 kg and no larger than a domestic refrigerator or washing machine. Applications for small satellites include lower-cost earth observation constellations and wide area communications networks.
Space launch systems (including launch vehicles and supporting infrastructure) that are used transport payloads—such as satellites or spacecraft—from the surface of the Earth to space safely, reliably and cost-effectively. Applications for space launch systems include launching defence, commercial, and scientific and research payloads into earth orbit.
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CHALLENGE-BASED INDUSTRIAL COOPERATION

However, some projects may not fall directly within the areas covered by the agreement, thus narrowing the impact of the deal. To ensure the funding streams remain available for the broader array of private and public sector actors, allowing preferential treatment of projects aimed to addressing shared concerns, even if formally falling outside of the scope of original agreement.

• Net Zero Stream - supports reproach, commercialisation, and diffusion for projects that may not necessarily develop new technologies, however result in sizeable reductions on greenhouse emissions, such as CO2 or methane.
• General Competition Consideration commits national governments to maintaining a more diverse of suppliers within the Alliance. This includes providing preferential treatment for procurement and business assistance programmes to companies to preserve more competitive domestic market or reduce market concentration.
• Critical Supply De-Risking mandates mandates governments to use subsidies, defence procurement, and other incentives to nurture within-the-block capacity to compete and effectively replace potentially risky suppliers, in areas that the government deems critical for national security, so long it remains in line with general non-discrimination treatment of supplies from other Member States. By Suppler Chain De-Risking applies to all industries covered by the agreement, as well as industrial equipment, intellectual property, food production, and healthcare.

Forging Closer Alignment

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HARMONISED EXPORT CONTROLS REGIME

Since the agreement covers highly sensitive technologies and contains provisions pertaining to vital public services that may require export controls, the Member Sates agree to fully align their respective regimes. This necessaries a common information-sharing network between national security on trade bodies, with real-time flow of data and maximum transparency. Thus, no party shall grant and export permit to a legal entity for a product, asset - such as intellectual property - or service that have been explicitly denied a similar permit by another Member State, unless otherwise agreed by the parties concerned. All participating jurisdictions also oblige to notify all other Member Sates when issuing export permits, and suspending previously issued authorisations upon a request from another member country for further examination.
With a fully aligned exports regime, signature parties agree to suspend all limitations - unless otherwise agreed - for legal entities that may require a permit for a non third country, focusing on monitoring and sharing information about enemies, assets, products, and services concerned. Proper alignment also allows for for implied exchanges in human and intellectual capital, as well as accumulated expertise in the private sector across the Member Sate companies.
Notably, the export control alignment also applies to the movement of talent across Member States, committing national governments to maintaining a shared regime on both screening of potential human assets, as well as placing restrictions on the movement of potential persons or groups of interest.
This clause largely aims to alleging Member Countries with the United States' ban on American citizens working for Chinese semiconductor enterprises, while also helping member states to identify potential persons of interest in third countries.
​

PROCUREMENT COOPERATION

Despite committing to non-discrimination of foreign companies when it comes to public procurement, both Canada, the United Sates, and the United Kingdom have actively shilled their defence procurement and other sectors deemed important for national security.
However, as all Member States more closely align their export control regimes, the agreement also aims to level the playing filed, which would mainly intel accessing defence contracts and military procurement. Firstly, brings the principle of certification equivalence into play: a company that has obtained security clearance to participate in a defence or critical procurement project in one Member State can use that certificate for bids in all other countries, thus avoiding unnecessary duplication. Other member states however retain the right to request additional clearance or for the company to re-apply under their restive national procedure if the nature of the project involves is more sensitive, focuses on the field the company has not had clearance for, or if there's a reason to believe that company may pose higher security risk in different member state.
The parties also commit to prioritise applications and bids from Small & Medium Sized companies, and jointly support a diverse set of military contractors in every country through joint programmes and cross-border financing. The agreement also obliges defence procurement agencies to expelling security clearance and give the first priority to SMEs, defined as companies with less than 500 employees. National procurement agencies also commit to facilitating innovation delusion across the Member States, including through explicit authorisation for information and technology, as well as human capital sharing, among bidders for contracts.
All Member Sates also commit to facilitate scale-up funding and intellectual property acquisition when it comes to business assistance. Thus, national investment authorities, such as the British Business Bank, US Small Business Administration, Canada Growth Fund, and other business assistance bodies shall treat public investment projects into other Member States on par with their domestic markets, including equal access for companies operating in signature jurisdictions. The agreement also specifically outlines cooperation between the Advanced Research & Innovation Canada, the Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency in the United States, and Advanced Research and Invention Agency in the UK through permitting liberalised flow of human capital, intellectual property, and financial recourses, while committing those agencies to treating projects across member nations equally to their own domestic market.
The agreement also commits Member States at spend at least 5 per cent of their GDP on innovation policy, through public and defence procurement, business assistance, and tex credits.
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R&D FRIEND-SHORING & SHARING

The proposal includes much closer cooperation between the parties when it comes to friend-shoring R&D, and reducing the block's dependence on both foreign expertise and technology. This would see Member Sates granting automatic domestic student status to anyone who is pursuing postgraduate eduction in one or more countries of the block, including the right to work in their field upon graduation in any member country, on the reciprocal basis. The Member Countries take it upon themselves to provide reciprocal access to postgraduate eduction and employment that is equivalent to that of their domestic students to anyone who has received their undergraduate eduction another member state, unless precluded by security concerns.
Additionally, each Member State shall mandate a certain percentage of their post-secondary support to be allocated for a new type of Partnership Scholarships & Grants. PSGs allow to for preferential treatment of research projects that are being conducted by individuals from several Member States jointly, including guaranteed full reimbursement of the research-affiliated costs and support for the cost of living. The programme also provides for funding whenever a postgraduate student decides to complete their eduction or research in more than one Member State. Notably, the programme also provides funding for research internships for current students and graduates, so long the internship takes place either with a company that operates outside of a Member State but remains incorporated within the alliance, or requires travelling to a different Member Sate, with respective costs covered by PSGs. Reattach institutions and private employers are free to apply for funding that shall cover up to 100 per cent of the cost of those kinds of internship, so long they hire a postgraduate student graduating from a Member Country, with the pay grade above the national poverty line. Employment authorisation requirements shall also be waived.
All signatories also guarantee an "immigration backstop" procedure, allowing those who participated in PSGs to obtain the right to remain in at least one the countries of the member states permanently.
PSGs also provide for the "domestic treatment" of research projects across Member Sates, allowing both individuals and research institutions seek funding through the Partnership Scholarships and Grants as well as other public funding channels. The agreement however, explicitly guarantees both researchers and institutions the right to be treated as domestic entries when submitting their applications regardless of which Member Sate they primary reside in.
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SHARED INTELLIGENCE CAPABILITIES

The deal provides for a joint Technology Intelligence & Assessment Centre to be launched by Member States as own standalone institution dedicated to monitoring critical technology development in third countries. TIAC also focuses on developing new intelligence capabilities when it comes to assessing third countries' innovation capabilities, including their capacity for monopolising critical technology fields, as well as the potential for engaging into technological espionage. The Centre is tasked with not only developing offensive capabilities, but also boosting the Member States' ability to detect and remove potential vulnerabilities in critical supply chains and R&D.
The proposal also allows for a more structured approach to communication with the public, through Member Sates agencies directly learning from each other's engagement startles and communicating with both the private sector and individuals on the importance of critical technologies and assets. While also promoting open-source intelligence sharing through joint analytical programmes and cross-departmental collaboration.

Impact on Domestic Politics

Canadian federal politics have been fairly polarised recently, especially following the Liberals' third in the row victory without winning majority in the popular vote. Initial in-action of there government has cause further sliding in Liberal approval ratings, as Canada aimed to secretly negative its entry in AUKUS.
However, the House has seen a rare moment of unity, as the Government present their agreement with Canberra, London, and Washington, following by the foreign influence registry, as well as new defence spending targets. Surprisingly, the latter item has seen the left-leaning NDP also supporting the motion, as Liberals has committed to massively increase spending on veterans and humanitarian assistance.
Public reaction for far has been fairly mixed, as Canadians remain fairly sceptical of an idea of more defence spending, yet much more amenable. Notably, the government had to explicitly rule out the idea of new nuclear capabilities to be located in Quebec, citing the province's long-standing opposition to foreign nuclear deterrence among French Canadians.

Acknowledgements

• https://www.csis.org/analysis/canadian-membership-aukus-time-action
• https://www.csis.org/podcasts/35-west/more-subs-urgency-aukus-canada
• https://www.aei.org/foreign-and-defense-policy/aukus-flawed-by-design/
• https://www.cgai.ca/rethinking_canadas_security_strategy_how_canada_can_graduate_from_the_kids_table
• https://csis-website-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/publication/170628_Obecny_USCanadianDefenseCoop_Web.pdf
• https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/aukus-three-partners-two-pillars-one-problem/

I originally typed out a long, long post that was basically my life story in relation to porn, but didn't want to bore anyone and get to the point sooner. This is still pretty long but I just need to get it out somewhere.
Basically, I have been watching porn since I was maybe 10 or 11. Like many people, it started with googling "boobs" and spiraled out from there. I believe it had a serious impact on my sexual and social development. It didn't help that I was already a shy and anxious kid on the spectrum.
For the longest time I didn't think it was a problem, just "what guys do". That's the thing about this drug, it insidiously disguises itself as something other than a drug, a cultural norm that is automatically expected of guys, and it disgusts me to see how it impacts young boys like it did myself, even moreso now.
Even when I started to believe it wasn't normal, my brain rationalized why it wasn't so bad or why I could have a healthy sex life coexist with it. Just like any addict trying to justify their next fix.
In college, though I improved socially somewhat, porn still had its tendrils tight on me. I got into my first relationship when I was 19 and lost my virginity, and my porn use caused me all kinds of sexual dysfunction. I could never finish in under 30 minutes, my girlfriend would commonly be sore or stop out of boredom and frustration. When our relationship soured (porn wasn't the main cause but certainly didn't help), I used porn as an escape until I worked up the courage to break things off. I'd choose whacking it in the bathroom over being in bed next to her. Not proud of it, believe me.
In college, my tastes got very niche/fetish-based. Things I never thought I'd be into. Like other porn addicts, I always had to keep pushing the boundaries for my next dopamine hit to feel just as good as the last. I hit rock bottom post-breakup. I would have marathon sessions with dozens of tabs open and playing at once(think "gooning"). I turned to discord and chan-sites because for some reason the facade of community resonated with me, especially during the pandemic, when I was the most isolated I'd ever been. There I could scratch the itch, as I could find servers and boards that served my niche. But of course, it was never enough, I'd jump server to server for better variety and more active users.
Unfortunately any community-based platform used for porn will attract people who should not be there. Moderation varied, but servers would quickly become liabilities with poor moderation. Chan sites, as we know, are a crapshoot and can never be trusted. I saw things I never wanted to see or seek out and still do not, that are still burned into my brain and cause me a lot of guilt that I even ventured there in the first place. I knew after than happening on several servers I needed to get off there for good. Many times I'd delete my account and be back days later. I finally managed to get rid of it and only stick to "mainstream" sites, but as we know it's no better, and I've definitely felt the "pull" back to those platforms.
I've since moved to a new city, have a full time job, and am coming up on a year with a woman I adore. She's amazing and sexy inside and out, and we have great physical and emotional chemistry. Yet, I still find myself turning to porn. We are long distance for another year or so, and I see her about once a month, and while the lack of physical intimacy can be frustrating sometimes, it's no excuse. At the minimum, I should be using her pics and videos. She says she doesn't mind and watches herself, though much less as since she started dating me. I wish I could say the same. I PMO and feel like shit every time, cause once that dopamine crashes, the memories of what I've seen and done and how I'm choosing pixels over my partner floods into me and overcomes me with guilt and shame. I haven't gone more than a week and a bit without porn. I've kept rationalizing why it's not bad, but after I indulged this morning, I felt like absolute shit more than I usually do. I need to admit to myself, I'm an addict. And I want to stop - for me and for us.
I don't know where to go from here. I've finally worked up the will to set up content filters and time limits on all devices. I'm in therapy. I don't know if it'll be enough. I still have trouble carrying the guilt around like a damn albatross on my neck. I feel some days as though I deserve more punishment for being such a degenerate, as if the mental torment isn't already enough. I need to learn how to fight off urges at the same time. I am open to any words of wisdom out there, just wanted to vent/put this out there and finally admit the truth to myself.
I will say that I will definitely be teaching my hypothetical future kids the dangers of porn and not just relying on public school sex ed to tech them about the realities of human sexuality. Which is something I did not get, beyond "this is where babies come from". I love my parents and don't hold it against them, at this point this is my responsibility. I think they just were naive to the realities of unrestricted internet and the sudden onset of personal devices and the digital age when I was a kid. After all, the most they grew up with was playboys and VHS tapes. It's just so fucking gross to me how the industry manages to target kids, even if they don't outright say it.

Everything about MCN ( for Goa Campus) MCN was alloted to people who have family income less than 12lpa... For first sem it is alloted based on your bits-at scores and after that every sem , its alloted based on ur cgpa( cummulative) till previous sem. You have to apply for MCN in a website called swd( you will get to know after u join campus )..You need ITR Acknowledgement form and ITR Form NO 1 SAHAJ .. (its for people whose parents arent engaged in agriculture and whose parents are in some kind of govt jobs or some business).. You have to submit these and get it approved.. Criteria for giving MCN ...For the first sem 29 people were awarded 80% scholarship including me.. so like 3% of overal population.. and 59 people got 40% and 25% off each.. so around next 6% of total population.. Now how much did I get for first sem.. first sem tuition fees was like 2,32,000 INR.. from which i got back like 1,85,200 INR..It would be 92,600 INR for 40% and 57,875 INR for 25% so u can get idea from it .. how it happens.. Ok now the Final thing.. CUTOFFS.. MERIT SCHOLARHIP ( everyone is eligible .. NO Documents needed ) 100% - 9.7 - 9.8 CGPA approx & 40% - 9.5 CGPA approx ( might be a little lower in later sems ) 80% - 8.5 CGPA approx & 40% - 7.2-7.5 CGPA approx & 25% - 6-6.5 CGPA approx Also.. there might be a query.. Assume a person has MCN and gets qualified for 40% in MERIT Scholarship .. as MERIT has a higher cutoff..So obviously he has cleared the 80% cutoff for MCN... .. so now what should he get?? So the rule is.. in whatever manner u are getting more money that will be awarded.. so 80%. Also form second year .. it wont be branch specific.. Every branch is considered same and based on cgpa its awarded.. Its unfair iknow.. But it is what it is... So by Now everything has to be clear .. any other queries..?? comment down or dm

Would you call this a stingy act? Date with my girl gone wrong. Short recap: Several years ago (probably around 2008), i and my girl had spent a year together dating at the time, and I was in my final year. We lived as neighbours in the same off-campus student's lodge. The school was located in a rural area, hence no access to good restaurants, supermarkets, malls and other places a couple could go to have fun. So we hardly ever did go out. On some fateful day, we had a break from school, due to public holidays and I decided to go to a nearby town to do a market survey/window shopping of some computer parts (I am a computer enthusiast). She had complained earlier on, that she was quite bored, so I decided to kill two birds with a stone, by asking her to come along with me so that we could have the experience together. Long story short, we went on the survey, which took about two hours plus and by time we were done, we were hungry and exhausted and luckily there was an eatry around that area. I decided that we should go in and have lunch. I made a rough estimate in my mind, that it would probably cost the both of us 5k to have a meal and drinks similar to other eatries which I was accustomed to at the time. But on getting to the checkout, I realised it was almost twice my estimate (at this time I was not working and paying for this meal of almost 10k was to come from my monthly allowance from my parents which was basically 20k). I quickly improvised given the situation i found myself and asked my girl to take her order. She requested for some fried rice and some chicken, while I just requested for a meatpie and drinks to subsidize the cost and then requested for 2 spoons so we could share the rice (Total cost now came down to roughly 6k). The waiter promptly obliged and hence i paid and we proceeded to our seats with the food. She asked if I wasn't going to order food for myself and i replied by telling her that I ordered for two spoons so that we could share (I could have some of her rice and she could have some of my meatpie). I noticed her countenance changed and she didn't like the idea. I asked her why she was upset and she couldn't mention. She commenced eating and I picked up my spoon to dig in to her rice (we always eat together from a plate at home, the difference now is that we are in public) and immediately I put my spoon in she stopped eating and refused to eat the food any further, safe for the few spoons she had eaten before I joined her. I tried to cajoule her to continue eating but she refused and at the end of the day I had to continue eating the food alone. I tried to make things lively on our way home by making one more stop before heading home, where I bought her some novels. (she loved reading romance novels back then) she picked 2 of them but still her countenance didn't really improve much. On getting home and some days later, when she was finally able to talk about it, she opened up and told me that she sees what I did at the eatery of not ordering for 2 plates of food for the both of us as a very stingy act. I tried to explain to her why It had to happen that way but she took it with a pinch of salt. Recently after all this years have passed she reminded me about that incidence again in an unrelated argument and I was shocked that despite my explanation of that event she kept it at the back of her mind as a reason to judge me as a stingy person. Now my question to the ladies (mainly because I am a man and understand that we see things from different perspectives) and anyone patient enough to have gotten to this point: Is this act really a stingy act? And please explain your answers. Probably telling me how you could have handled the eatry situation better if you were in my shoes.

Taking a break from my regularly scheduled grief sad-posting to say this…
Today I finally felt okay enough to pick up my phone and tune in to the outside world for a little bit without spiraling. Obviously I log back into Reddit because I love this platform and my little rat brain can’t resist. I am in a lot of mom subs, so as I’m scrolling I see post after post of moms in these relationships with men who are lazy, incompetent, and abusive. I see so many women complaining about how they are the default parent and about how physically and emotionally exhausted they are etc. I think to myself “well the internet can be a bit of an echo chamber. Surely it just skews negative online and can’t actually be that bad” But then I realize that this is something all of my (straight/bi/have kids with men) friends irl complain about too!
As a young queer girl, I was hesitant to come out as a lesbian because I didn’t want to be painted as the stereotypical man-hating lesbian. I used to say things like “not all men” and claimed not to hate men just because I was a lesbian.
But tbh since becoming a mom and watching all my friends become moms and be subjected to the whims of shitty men, I think they all suck and I wear that evil man-hating lesbian title with pride.
I mean I’m not saying that my relationship was perfect and I absolutely rebuke the notion that lesbians somehow operate in these completely conflict free relationships where two pretty girls prance around in flower fields all day. We have a vast plethora of issues that occur.
What i am saying though, is if I had a man in my house who didn’t cook, clean, child rear, etc, pressuring me for sex when I was 6 weeks postpartum and exclusively breastfeeding, and then being genuinely confused at my lack of willingness to fuck him, I probably would’ve tried to kill myself a lot earlier than I did.
Proof that sexuality isn’t a choice I guess. My heart goes at to y’all.

I test drove a MYLR a few weeks ago and I actually really loved it. I’ve been teetering on placing an order for either a LR or P with white interior, but I have so many “buts” and “ifs” that are holding me back. Especially comparing it against rivals like an Audi Q5 or BMW X3. For reference, my current ride is a ‘22 Alfa Romeo Stelvio. I thought the MY was way nicer driving, better insulated, and just as fun to drive as my Stelvio… which is crazy. I am planning on purchasing for the first time instead of leasing, so it’s a much bigger deal as I really want to keep it for 5 years minimum.
I live in Michigan so we get really hot summers and pretty frigid and snowy winters. Cold weather range is kind of making me uneasy. We all drive very fast here and my normal commute is about 50% highway at 75-85 mph, and usually about 50 miles round trip for work. Nothing crazy. Normally I drive about 350 miles per week give or take. Infrastructure in the metro Detroit suburbs is pretty lackluster for EVs, but an electrician told me I’d be able to install a NEMA 14-50 in my garage, which is great.
So I guess I’m not too worried about every day range. Guess I get more worried about winter considering I’ve read a lot about people losing up to 40% range during fall/winter… which is a lot. So if I decided I wanted to take a road trip during the colder times of the year, even fall where it can dip to the 30’s (F), looks like it takes more planning and some worry.
Another thing holding me back is features. I’ve had Apple CarPlay on all my past vehicles besides 2, so I use it daily. I know at least the Tesla has Apple Music built in, which is definitely nice. But Bluetooth audio definitely isn’t as high quality as wired. Same for voice calls (which I do a lot of in the car - Bluetooth definitely sounds more muffled and low quality vs using CarPlay).
Parking sensors is another one. Not sure how I feel about Tesla vision… I don’t rely on them too much but I love having them for a second set of eyes. A lot of videos I’ve seen show it as hit or miss, but I feel it will be useless in winter time with a lot of snow around whereas the sonar sensors in most other cars at least still works decently, at least in my experience.
Same goes for blind spot monitoring and cross traffic alert - which the MY does not have. It’s very useful in traffic and also busy parking lots (like Costco). I know the MY has the cameras and will steer you back if you start merging into the car next to you, but it still isn’t the same as having an indicator light. I also wish it would at least beep if you put your turn signal on and someone was already in your blind spot, which my last few cars do.
I feel like these are all things I would really miss…
But the idea of owning an EV is super cool. I love the little to no maintenance considering how much luxury cars like Alfa/BMW cost. I love the idea of waking up with a full charge every morning with home charging. I love the look of the MY. I love embracing the future and driving something that is highly advanced and super safe.
I just don’t know what to do. I know I’ll probably get some biased comments, but I guess I just don’t want to make a “mistake”? I know you can always sell…
Anyone have any regrets? Any positives? Been literally having an open tab for weeks now waiting to place an order… which opens a whole other dilemma if I go MYLR or MYP LOL.

I don’t even know where to begin on a post like this as this is my first time posting on subreddits like these. Now, I’m a long term lurker, but as a poster this is my first time. Go easy on me please 👉👈.
What I’m looking for is fairly simple. I’m not picky and I’m fairly chill with whom I’m speaking with. I’m just looking for someone who appreciates dark humor, can give me some dope music recommendations and can contribute to a conversation. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve spoke to someone off Reddit where things fell flat. I’m sure you guys can relate to that as well.
About me: Well I’m a 24 year old guy from the states. I’m a full time college student and a full time employee. I’m studying software engineering and work in construction. As you can imagine with the summer heat approaching it’s hell, which it is, but the pay isn’t bad. I’m in my last year of school starting this august and hopefully will be switching careers coming next year when I graduate.
Hobbies: I’m a pretty simple dude honestly. Outside of work and school my time to focus on my interests are kinda limited. I do enjoy video games and have a few platforms such as a Switch, PS5, and a PC. Honestly I enjoy fighting games and shooters so if you wanna throw hands or beam some bots I’m your guy. Recently been playing a lot rainbow six siege and SF6.
I also enjoy other things such as working out, cooking, woodworking/crafting, watching anime, and going out. I’d definitely consider myself more spontaneous rather than introverted as i definitely can’t sit still for very long. Lastly, I very much so enjoy traveling and have plans to go to Europe next year. Currently debating on just traveling all over for a few weeks or staying in one place and living it up. Definitely want to visit Iceland and Poland though.
I know this was incredibly long, I apologize, but I don’t know how to really do these things! If you read this post entirely tell me a funny joke you’ve heard recently. I’m a fiend for cheesy jokes (:

I've tried writing this countless times, there's just so much to it all I could probably write a 3 part movie script and it's ridiculous.
Wife asked for a separation out of nowhere last May after a girl's night out coming home at 3am, and went from us taliking earlier that day where she assured me everything was alright between us to a monster from there on out. Relationships aren't perfect, neither am I and things had been "off" between us for a bit. No abuse, just what I considered usual rough patch stuff. She had thrown out the D word many times during our marriage over petty things and I would "fix" things even if I had done nothing wrong.
I asked her to go to marriage counseling, she refused and said she had made up her mind and just wanted to be happy, and assured me there was nobody else. That...was a lie I would soon discover she had been carrying on with a guy behind my back, an emotional affair at the very least with sexting and her best friend had been helping hide it and encouraging her.
I won't get into all the crazy stuff that happened, but I did the pick me dance while she verbally and emotionally abused not just me but our kids. Accused me of cheating in front of the kids and told them I was seeing other women, told them I was abandoning them when I drove the 16 hours back home to visit friends and family for support for a week. My oldest daughter and son left while I was away and they were called horrible names by her, and she took our son's things to his friends and threw them all over their lawn.
A month before she was supposed to move out, she tells me she misses me and that she's not that kind of girl and that she told AP it was a mistake and wants to work things out with me. Idiot me still loves her more than anything and agrees. She still wants to move out because we need space from eachother after everything, but tells me and the kids we are going to work on it and go to therapy.
1 therapy session is all we get, and I learn 2 weeks after she moves out that she is still seeing her AP, I snap and contact the AP and tell him I'm divorcing her for adultery and he can have her. She retaliates by filing bogus DV charges, which has my kids calling her crazy and my youngest up till 2am pulling her hair out saying she hates her mom. I had threats via email and text that got the charges dropped.
She has hidden her relationship with the AP since she left until recently, and she's moved in with him and introduced our youngest to him.
She barely sees the kids, has zero involvement in their day to day lives and does nothing to support them. I'm now filing for divorce for a second time after a bunch of games with her wanting to protect AP via a separation agreement where I basically shut my mouth and she signs over the house, and then switching up to not honoring our separation agreement and wanting money out of the house cause she's broke.
I just want this over and to get on with my life, she's dragged the divorce out and has whined to me she's having a hard time and barely sleeps yet lives with her AP! I no longer care about her at all.

I've recently separated from my partner of 6 years, it was amicable, things had stopped working, I could feel her pulling away and decided to sit down with her to discuss where we were going. I felt like there was someone else, she promised that there wasn't but did say she had been speaking to someone online in a foreign country. She had been distant from me for a while and speaking to this person more and more, making excuses to be out of the house so she could message him without me there. Part of what had complicated the break up is that we have a holiday coming up which we have decided to go on as friends. When we were talking about it the other day she mentioned that we can do some exploring of ports on our own which I didn't think anything of at the time. I've only just put together that one of the ports we will be visiting is in the city the guy she had been talking to online lives. I can't get the thought of of my head that she's gonna meet up with the guy she essentially left me for. I'm going to see her in a few days and I don't know how to confront her about it, it's 1am here and I can't sleep with all this racing through my head, it's driving me mad, I don't even know that she's planing on it but I can't get the thought of it out of my mind. I feel sick.