Me and my wife make about $500K per year with salary and bonuses about $330K after taxes. We are mid 40s and have 2 young kids under 4 years old. We live in the LA area in a decent 3/2 house we bought in the pandemic for $1.3MM - we owe $1.1MM on the mortgage. We have about $200K in liquid savings + the equity in the house ~$500K.
But we are struggling and racking up debt. We now have $60K in credit card debt + loans on the cars. We are planning on applying our entire tax return (which is typically large in the $50K range to this debt). We also have a maxxed out 2nd mortgage @ $100K with a high (8%) variable interest rate.
Both of our kids are in pre-schools which is about $3.7K per month. Our car payments total $1K per month and our mortgage is about $7K. I feel like we have good salaries, but we are really just treading water and not building our net worth. Some of the forced savings help but I think it's offset with credit card increases.
We spend about $27K per month. Which I couldn't believe at first, but the math gets you there quickly. Here is a typical month of the top 5 expenses:
Monthly Expenses:

1. Mortgage + 2nd Mortgage: $7,800
2. Kids Educations: $3,700
3. Restaurants / Ordering In: $2,500
4. 401K Contributions: $2,500
5. Groceries: $2,000
6. Home Improvements (averaged): $1,800
7. General Merchandise: $1,370
8. Personal Care: $1100
9. Travel (averaged): $1,000
10. Cars: $1,000
11. Healthcare / Medical: $800
12. Insurance: $500
13. Utilities: $500
14. Entertainment / Gas / Gifts / Home Maintenance / Etc: $930

MONTHLY TOTAL: $25,000
I've been at my company for 16 years and I'm getting bitter that I haven't been made a partner, but I also feel I should be grateful for a $350K salary per year.
I'm considering the following:

1. Quit my salary job and go out on my own in the same field. (I'm confident I can succeed at this but not without a couple years of comparable or below comparable pay).
2. Sell my house and move to a more affordable part of the country. (This means I have to start over in my industry).
3. Try my hand at being a custom spec home builder. I'm senior management at a high end custom home builder.
4. Be grateful for what I have, shut up, and continue to grind / wait for better days.

Any of your ideas or comments would be appreciated.

Hi, I've found so much good info browsing this sub, but I have some questions I haven't found the answers to. I've been accepted to FYE but I don't know what classes to take. I'd appreciate any advice!
I'm truly undecided on major. I'm leaning toward civil, chemical, or mechanical. I'm also interested in biomedical, but I wouldn't choose that as a major -- I would choose something like chem or mech and just take some biomed classes. I don't really enjoy coding (though I have taken some classes and can do it fine), so I won't be choosing ECE, etc. I'm also not into business. I will need to spend 1-2 semesters just figuring out what major I want.
I have 5s on AP tests in Physics 1, Lang, and Chem. I am currently in Calc BC and Physics C. I expect to get good enough scores to get out of Calc 1&2, and Physics 172. I've heard it's wise to take the credit and run, so that's what I'm planning, unless my scores are unexpectedly poor.
I'm pretty disciplined with schoolwork and studying. Although high school hasn't been very challenging, I'm expecting college to kick my ass.
My priorities are: choosing a major; not being tortured by my classes; getting good work experience (I want to do as many internships/co-ops as I can, as soon as I can); getting a dorm with AC; making friends and having fun even though I don't party.
Soooo, finally I get to my questions:
1) I think I want to join an LC (I'm LGBTQ male). Should I choose EPICS or engineering band? I've already decided against doing honors/Goss for various reasons. Which LCs might I enjoy that have dorms with A/C?
2) What FYE courses should I take? If I take AP credit for Chem 115/116, Physics 172, Math 161/162, and Engl 106, what is next? Most people take courses in their major but I don't know what I want. I don't love the idea of taking CS 159 if I won't need it, since I don't enjoy coding all that much. But it's necessary for MechE? I like biology and chemistry, but taking bio or orgo might also be unnecessary. For math, should I just do Calc 3 and linear algebra?
3) What gen ed courses or electives should I take?
4) Have I screwed myself by having credit for almost all the typical first-year courses, yet not knowing what major I want? Are there some courses I can take besides the 131/132 series that will help me with this decision? I'm not great at knowing what I want until I try something out (see: coding).
5) Should I do early start this summer and will that help or make things worse for my decision problems?
6) Is there some type of first-year work experience I can get to help me with this decision? I'm fine with having a part-time job (I do now).
Thank you!

I'm doing an explosion simulation but no matter what I try my explosion is always either a little blurry, transparent, or just looks off. It even gets blocky and turns completely white when I turn the emission strength up. I baked the simulation at a resolution of 330 and even 512 to see if a higher resolution would fix anything, however the errors remained regardless of how detailed the simulation was. I've tried messing around with volumetric shading a little but it always ends up not looking right, even with no nodes enabled. What can I do to make it look right?
Emission strength issue (Cycles)
Transparency (Eevee)
Blurriness around edges (Cycles)

GPT-4 reply:

1. 1959 - Machine learning: Arthur Samuel developed a self-learning checkers program, demonstrating that AI could learn and improve its performance over time.
   
2. 1961 - Assembly line work: The first industrial robot, Unimate, was used in a General Motors factory to perform repetitive tasks, increasing productivity and safety.
   
3. 1964 - Optical character recognition (OCR): AI software for converting printed text into digital text was developed, making data entry more efficient.
   
4. 1970 - Medical diagnosis assistance: AI programs like MYCIN began aiding doctors in diagnosing bacterial infections, improving accuracy and reducing human errors.
   
5. 1976 - Speech recognition: AI systems like Carnegie Mellon's HARPY system understood spoken language, transcribing speech into text more efficiently.
   
6. 1981 - Robotic vacuum cleaners: The first robotic vacuum cleaner, the "Fugure 2000," demonstrated that AI could perform household cleaning tasks.
   
7. 1997 - Chess playing: IBM's Deep Blue defeated world chess champion Garry Kasparov, showcasing AI's ability to outperform humans in strategy games.
   
8. 2002 - Robotic lawn mowing: Robomow introduced automated lawn mowers, enabling efficient and precise lawn maintenance without human intervention.
   
9. 2005 - Autonomous driving: DARPA's Grand Challenge showcased self-driving cars, paving the way for AI to revolutionize transportation.
   
10. 2010 - Image recognition: AI algorithms like AlexNet excelled at classifying images, surpassing human performance in object recognition tasks.
    
11. 2011 - Natural language processing: IBM's Watson defeated Jeopardy! champions, demonstrating AI's capacity for understanding and processing human language.
    
12. 2012 - Automatic translation: Google Translate's AI-driven algorithms significantly improved, providing more accurate translations between languages.
    
13. 2014 - Facial recognition: DeepFace, developed by Facebook, achieved human-level performance in identifying faces, enabling advanced security and identification applications.
    
14. 2015 - Video game playing: AI agents began surpassing human performance in complex games like Dota 2, showcasing their ability to learn and adapt.
    
15. 2016 - Voice assistants: AI-powered voice assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant became widely adopted, offering hands-free assistance in daily tasks.
    
16. 2017 - Medical image analysis: AI systems surpassed human performance in diagnosing diseases from medical images, improving accuracy and speed in healthcare.
    
17. 2018 - Protein folding prediction: DeepMind's AlphaFold demonstrated significant advancements in predicting protein structures, revolutionizing drug discovery and biology.
    
18. 2019 - Text generation: OpenAI's GPT-2 showcased human-like text generation capabilities, automating content creation and summarization tasks.
    
19. 2020 - Autonomous drones: AI-powered drones were developed for precise agricultural monitoring, reducing human labor and increasing efficiency in farming.
    
20. 2021 - Artificial creativity: AI-generated art and music began achieving human-level quality, pushing the boundaries of creative expression.
    
21. 2021 - Robotic surgery: AI-assisted surgical robots like the da Vinci Surgical System achieved human-level precision, enabling minimally invasive procedures with reduced complications.
    
22. 2021 - Drug discovery: AI-driven platforms accelerated drug development, predicting molecule behavior and optimizing drug candidates with greater speed and accuracy.
    
23. 2021 - Fraud detection: AI algorithms outperformed humans in detecting fraudulent transactions, increasing security and reducing financial losses for businesses.
    
24. 2021 - Customer service: AI-powered chatbots provided efficient, 24/7 customer support, resolving inquiries with human-like responsiveness.
    
25. 2021 - News summarization: AI systems excelled at summarizing news articles, providing concise, accurate summaries at a fraction of the time required by humans.
    
26. 2022 - Stock trading: Algorithmic trading systems outperformed human traders, utilizing vast amounts of data to make more informed decisions and execute trades faster.
    
27. 2022 - Robotic exoskeletons: AI-powered exoskeletons enabled disabled individuals to regain mobility, performing movements with human-like precision and responsiveness.
    
28. 2022 - Autonomous shipping: AI-controlled cargo ships demonstrated safe, efficient navigation, reducing the need for human crew and the risk of accidents.
    
29. 2022 - Content moderation: AI algorithms became more effective at identifying and removing harmful content online, reducing the burden on human moderators.
    
30. 2022 - Movie script analysis: AI systems assessed movie scripts for potential success, predicting box office performance with greater accuracy than human experts.
    
31. 2022 - Document review: AI tools outperformed humans in reviewing and categorizing legal documents, increasing efficiency and reducing the risk of human error.
    
32. 2022 - Retail inventory management: AI-powered inventory systems optimized stock levels and predicted demand, enabling more efficient supply chain management.
    
33. 2022 - Waste sorting: AI-assisted robots accurately sorted waste materials, increasing recycling rates and reducing the need for manual labor.
    
34. 2022 - Weather forecasting: AI-driven models enhanced weather predictions, improving accuracy and providing more detailed forecasts than traditional methods.
    
35. 2022 - Human resources: AI-powered tools streamlined recruitment, assessing candidate qualifications and predicting job performance with greater accuracy than human evaluators.
    
36. 2023 - Financial planning: AI-driven financial advisors provided personalized, data-driven advice, outperforming human financial planners in generating optimal investment strategies.
    
37. 2023 - Elderly care: AI-powered robots assisted in elderly care, monitoring health, providing companionship, and performing basic tasks with human-like compassion and skill.
    
38. 2023 - Wildlife monitoring: AI-controlled drones and cameras identified and tracked wildlife populations, enabling more efficient conservation efforts.
    
39. 2023 - Predictive maintenance: AI systems accurately predicted equipment failure, optimizing maintenance schedules and reducing downtime in industrial settings.
    
40. 2023 - Urban planning: AI-driven simulations modeled complex urban systems, enabling more informed decision-making and better resource allocation than human experts alone.
    
41. 2023 - Astrophysics: AI algorithms identified exoplanets and analyzed astronomical data with greater speed and precision than human scientists, advancing our understanding of the universe.
    
42. 2023 - Video editing: AI-powered tools streamlined video editing tasks, automatically selecting and combining clips to create polished, professional videos.
    
43. 2023 - Agriculture: AI-driven farm management systems optimized crop growth, irrigation, and fertilization, increasing efficiency and reducing human labor requirements.
    
44. 2023 - Virtual reality: AI-generated realistic virtual environments provided immersive experiences for training, gaming, and social interaction, surpassing human-created environments in complexity and realism.
    
45. 2023 - Cooking: AI-powered robotic chefs demonstrated human-level culinary skills, preparing meals with precision and creativity.
    
46. 2023 - Scientific research: AI-driven literature analysis and hypothesis generation accelerated scientific discoveries, identifying patterns and connections beyond human cognitive capabilities.
    
47. 2023 - Fashion design: AI-generated fashion designs combined style, function, and trends, creating innovative clothing and accessories at a faster pace than human designers.
    
48. 2023 - Material science: AI algorithms accelerated material discovery and optimization, predicting properties and performance with greater accuracy than human scientists.
    
49. 2023 - Seismic data interpretation: AI systems outperformed humans in interpreting seismic data, enabling more accurate predictions of oil and gas deposits and reducing exploration risks.
    
50. 2023 - Education: AI-driven personalized learning systems adapted to individual students' needs, optimizing educational outcomes and surpassing traditional teaching methods.
    
51. 2024 - Mental health assessment: AI-powered tools accurately assessed mental health conditions, providing more timely and personalized support for individuals in need.
    
52. 2024 - Industrial design: AI systems generated innovative product designs, optimizing functionality and aesthetics while reducing development time.
    
53. 2024 - Cybersecurity: AI-driven threat detection and response systems outperformed human analysts, providing more comprehensive and effective protection against cyberattacks.
    
54. 2024 - Architecture: AI-generated architectural designs optimized space usage, sustainability, and aesthetics, outperforming traditional human-driven design processes.
    
55. 2024 - Sports coaching: AI-powered analysis of athlete performance provided personalized training programs, enhancing performance and injury prevention beyond human coaching capabilities.
    
56. 2024 - 3D modeling: AI-driven tools automated complex 3D modeling tasks, producing high-quality models at a faster pace than human artists.
    
57. 2024 - Marketing: AI-generated marketing campaigns analyzed consumer preferences and trends, creating targeted and effective advertisements that outperformed human-driven strategies.
    
58. 2024 - Music composition: AI-composed music achieved human-level creativity and complexity, expanding the realm of musical possibilities.
    
59. 2024 - Social media management: AI-powered tools optimized content creation, scheduling, and engagement, outperforming human social media managers in efficiency and reach.
    
60. 2024 - Technical support: AI-driven systems provided real-time, personalized technical support, resolving issues more quickly and accurately than human agents.
    
61. 2024 - Language learning: AI-driven language learning platforms provided personalized, immersive experiences, accelerating language acquisition beyond traditional teaching methods.
    
62. 2024 - Transportation management: AI-powered traffic control systems optimized traffic flow and reduced congestion, surpassing human-operated systems in efficiency and effectiveness.
    
63. 2024 - Pharmaceutical manufacturing: AI-driven process optimization in pharmaceutical production increased efficiency, quality, and safety, outperforming traditional human-controlled processes.
    
64. 2025 - Robotic journalism: AI-generated news articles achieved human-level quality, covering a wider range of topics and providing faster updates than human journalists.
    
65. 2025 - E-commerce: AI-powered recommendation engines surpassed human curators in providing personalized product suggestions, increasing customer satisfaction and sales.
    
66. 2025 - Hazardous materials handling: AI-controlled robots safely managed hazardous materials, reducing human exposure and risk in dangerous environments.
    
67. 2025 - Emergency response: AI-driven systems coordinated emergency response efforts, optimizing resource allocation and decision-making in critical situations.
    
68. 2025 - Environmental monitoring: AI-powered systems analyzed environmental data, predicting and mitigating the impact of natural disasters more effectively than human-led efforts.
    
69. 2025 - Robotic nursing: AI-assisted robots provided human-like care in hospitals and healthcare facilities, improving patient outcomes and reducing the burden on human nursing staff.
    
70. 2025 - Quality control: AI-driven inspection systems surpassed human performance in identifying manufacturing defects, increasing overall product quality and reducing waste.
    
71. 2025 - Art restoration: AI-powered tools accurately restored damaged artworks, preserving cultural heritage with greater precision than human restorers.
    
72. 2025 - Construction: AI-assisted robots performed construction tasks with human-like precision, improving efficiency and reducing the risk of accidents on job sites.
    
73. 2025 - Geospatial analysis: AI-driven tools outperformed humans in processing and interpreting geospatial data, supporting more informed decision-making in various fields.
    
74. 2025 - Event planning: AI-powered tools streamlined event management, optimizing logistics and resource allocation more effectively than human planners.
    
75. 2025 - Air traffic control: AI-driven systems managed air traffic with greater efficiency and safety, reducing delays and the risk of accidents.
    
76. 2026 - Medical research: AI algorithms accelerated the analysis of medical data, identifying correlations and patterns beyond human capabilities, and speeding up medical breakthroughs.
    
77. 2026 - Personal fitness coaching: AI-driven fitness apps provided personalized exercise programs and real-time feedback, outperforming human personal trainers in convenience and effectiveness.
    
78. 2026 - Robotic bartending: AI-powered robotic bartenders mixed and served drinks with human-level precision, increasing efficiency and consistency in the hospitality industry.
    
79. 2026 - Genetic analysis: AI systems outperformed humans in interpreting genetic data, enabling more accurate predictions of disease risk and personalized medicine.
    
80. 2026 - Urban farming: AI-driven vertical farming systems optimized crop growth and resource usage, surpassing traditional human-operated farming methods in efficiency and sustainability.
    
81. 2026 - Ocean exploration: AI-powered underwater drones mapped and analyzed ocean depths, providing insights into marine ecosystems and geological features beyond human capabilities.
    
82. 2026 - Biomedical engineering: AI-driven design and optimization of medical devices and prosthetics achieved superior performance and customization compared to traditional human-led approaches.
    
83. 2026 - Public safety: AI-powered surveillance and predictive analytics enhanced public safety efforts, preventing and responding to incidents more effectively than human-led initiatives.
    
84. 2026 - Veterinary diagnostics: AI systems accurately diagnosed animal diseases, improving veterinary care and reducing the need for invasive procedures.
    
85. 2026 - Water management: AI-driven water treatment and distribution systems optimized resource usage and minimized waste, outperforming traditional human-operated systems.
    
86. 2027 - Animation: AI-generated animations achieved human-level quality and expressiveness, reducing the time and labor required for complex animation projects.
    
87. 2027 - Space exploration: AI-powered systems and robots performed space exploration tasks with greater autonomy and efficiency, reducing the need for human intervention in harsh environments.
    
88. 2027 - Supply chain management: AI-driven tools optimized supply chain logistics, predicting demand fluctuations and reducing costs more effectively than human planners.
    
89. 2027 - Forest management: AI-assisted drones and robots monitored and maintained forest health, improving conservation efforts and reducing the need for human labor.
    
90. 2027 - Sentiment analysis: AI algorithms accurately assessed human emotions in text and speech, enabling more effective communication and customer service.
    
91. 2027 - Intellectual property management: AI-powered tools streamlined the patent application process, identifying prior art and generating patent claims more efficiently than human experts.
    
92. 2027 - Archaeological analysis: AI-driven tools deciphered ancient texts and analyzed artifacts with greater speed and accuracy than human archaeologists, uncovering new historical insights.
    
93. 2028 - Industrial inspection: AI-powered robotic systems performed comprehensive inspections of infrastructure and machinery, detecting flaws and predicting failures more accurately than humans.
    
94. 2028 - Interior design: AI-generated interior designs optimized space usage, aesthetics, and functionality, outperforming human designers in efficiency and personalization.
    
95. 2028 - Real estate appraisal: AI-driven tools assessed property values with greater accuracy and speed, reducing the need for manual appraisals.
    
96. 2028 - Human pose estimation: AI algorithms accurately analyzed human body movements in real-time, enabling advanced applications in sports, healthcare, and entertainment.
    
97. 2028 - Art curation: AI-generated art exhibitions combined aesthetics, historical context, and visitor preferences more effectively than human curators, enhancing the museum experience.
    
98. 2028 - Urban sanitation: AI-driven sanitation robots efficiently cleaned and maintained urban environments, reducing the need for human labor and improving public health.
    
99. 2028 - Sleep analysis: AI-powered sleep tracking devices provided personalized recommendations for sleep improvement, surpassing human-led sleep assessments in accuracy and convenience.
    
100. 2028 - Predictive policing: AI-driven tools analyzed crime data to predict and prevent criminal activity, enhancing public safety and resource allocation more effectively than traditional methods.
     
101. 2029 - Astrophotography: AI-driven image processing techniques enhanced astrophotography, achieving higher-quality images and revealing celestial details previously unattainable by human processing methods.
     
102. 2029 - Energy management: AI-powered systems optimized energy consumption and distribution in smart grids, improving efficiency and reducing environmental impact more effectively than human-led efforts.
     
103. 2029 - Telecommunications: AI-driven tools maintained and optimized telecommunications networks, enhancing reliability, and reducing downtime more efficiently than human technicians.
     
104. 2029 - Soil analysis: AI-powered soil sensors and analysis systems provided detailed, real-time information about soil health and composition, surpassing traditional human-operated testing methods.
     
105. 2029 - Sports analytics: AI-driven performance analysis tools provided real-time insights into team dynamics and player performance, improving coaching decisions and strategies more effectively than human analysis.
     
106. 2029 - Robotic caregiving: AI-assisted robots provided human-like care for children and individuals with special needs, offering personalized support, and reducing the burden on human caregivers.
     
107. 2029 - Art valuation: AI-driven systems accurately predicted the value of artworks, streamlining the appraisal process, and reducing subjectivity in the art market.
     
108. 2029 - Political analysis: AI-powered tools analyzed political data and public opinion more efficiently than human analysts, providing more accurate predictions of election outcomes and policy impacts.
     
109. 2029 - Film editing: AI-driven software streamlined film editing tasks, automatically selecting and combining clips to create engaging narratives more efficiently than human editors.
     
110. 2029 - Chemical engineering: AI algorithms accelerated chemical process design and optimization, predicting reaction outcomes and reducing trial-and-error experimentation in comparison to traditional human-led approaches.
     
111. 2030 - Gaming: AI-generated game content and characters provided unique, adaptive gaming experiences, surpassing the capabilities of traditional human-driven game development.
     
112. 2030 - Pest control: AI-powered pest detection and management systems improved agricultural productivity and reduced environmental impact more effectively than human-operated methods.
     
113. 2030 - Speech therapy: AI-driven speech therapy tools provided personalized, real-time feedback and progress tracking, enhancing outcomes more effectively than traditional human-led therapy.
     
114. 2030 - Natural language generation: AI systems composed human-like text across various domains, outperforming human writers in speed, accuracy, and adaptability.
     
115. 2030 - Job matching: AI-powered platforms accurately matched job seekers with relevant opportunities, optimizing the hiring process and reducing the need for human recruiters.
     
116. 2030 - Marine biology: AI-driven analysis of marine ecosystems provided deeper insights into species distribution and behavior, enabling more effective conservation efforts beyond human capabilities.
     
117. 2030 - Earthquake prediction: AI algorithms accurately predicted seismic events by analyzing vast amounts of geological data, outperforming traditional human-led methods.
     
118. 2030 - Online privacy: AI-driven privacy protection tools detected and mitigated online threats, ensuring user privacy and security more effectively than human-operated methods.
     
119. 2030 - DNA synthesis: AI-powered tools optimized DNA synthesis, improving the efficiency and accuracy of gene editing and synthetic biology applications beyond human-led approaches.
     
120. 2030 - Travel planning: AI-generated travel itineraries combined personal preferences, local insights, and real-time data to create customized experiences that surpassed traditional human-led planning.
     
121. 2031 - Space debris tracking: AI-driven systems accurately tracked and predicted the movement of space debris, improving satellite safety and collision avoidance beyond human capabilities.
     
122. 2031 - Wildlife conservation: AI-powered tools analyzed wildlife populations and habitats, enabling more effective conservation efforts and reducing the need for manual monitoring by humans.
     
123. 2031 - Molecular modeling: AI algorithms accurately predicted molecular structures and interactions, speeding up drug discovery and materials science research compared to human-led methods.
     
124. 2031 - Legal document analysis: AI-driven tools streamlined the review and analysis of legal documents, increasing efficiency and reducing errors compared to traditional human-led approaches.
     
125. 2031 - Smart homes: AI-powered systems managed energy consumption, security, and home maintenance more effectively than human-operated methods, improving comfort and sustainability.
     
126. 2031 - Disaster recovery: AI-driven robots and drones performed search and rescue operations in hazardous environments, reducing the risk to human responders and improving recovery outcomes.
     
127. 2031 - Bioinformatics: AI algorithms analyzed vast amounts of biological data, identifying patterns and correlations beyond human capabilities, leading to new discoveries in genetics and molecular biology.
     
128. 2031 - Waste management: AI-powered sorting and recycling systems improved waste management efficiency and reduced environmental impact more effectively than human-operated methods.
     
129. 2031 - Climate modeling: AI-driven climate models provided more accurate predictions of climate change impacts, informing policy decisions and mitigation strategies beyond human-led modeling capabilities.
     
130. 2031 - Talent scouting: AI-powered tools identified and evaluated prospective talent in sports, entertainment, and various industries, reducing human biases and improving selection processes.
     
131. 2032 - Robotic surgery: AI-assisted surgical robots performed complex procedures with greater precision and reduced complications compared to traditional human-led surgeries.
     
132. 2032 - Meteorology: AI-driven weather prediction models provided more accurate and localized forecasts, enhancing public safety and informing decision-making beyond human capabilities.
     
133. 2032 - Customer behavior analysis: AI-powered tools analyzed customer behavior and preferences more effectively than human analysts, enabling more targeted marketing and sales strategies.
     
134. 2032 - Pollution monitoring: AI-driven systems detected and analyzed air and water pollution levels, informing more effective environmental policies and cleanup efforts compared to traditional human-operated methods.
     
135. 2032 - Drone traffic management: AI-powered tools optimized drone flight paths and airspace usage, improving efficiency and reducing the risk of collisions beyond human-led management.
     
136. 2032 - Public health: AI algorithms analyzed vast amounts of health data, identifying disease outbreaks and predicting public health trends more accurately than human-led methods.
     
137. 2032 - Nanotechnology: AI-driven design and synthesis of nanomaterials accelerated advancements in electronics, medicine, and other fields beyond human capabilities.
     
138. 2032 - Personal finance management: AI-powered tools optimized budgeting, investment, and tax planning, providing personalized financial advice more effectively than traditional human advisors.
     
139. 2032 - Digital art: AI-generated visual art achieved human-level creativity and complexity, pushing the boundaries of artistic expression and reducing the time and effort required by human artists.
     
140. 2032 - Scientific peer review: AI-driven systems evaluated the quality and validity of scientific research, streamlining the peer review process and reducing human biases and errors.
     
141. 2033 - Electronic component design: AI-driven tools optimized the design and manufacturing of electronic components, improving performance and efficiency beyond human-led methods.
     
142. 2033 - Aquaculture: AI-powered systems managed fish farming operations, optimizing feeding, water quality, and growth rates more effectively than traditional human-operated methods.
     
143. 2033 - Fashion design: AI-generated fashion designs combined creativity, trend analysis, and customer preferences more effectively than human designers, streamlining the fashion industry.
     
144. 2033 - Music composition: AI-driven systems composed original music pieces in various genres, achieving human-level creativity and expression while reducing the time and effort required by human composers.
     
145. 2033 - Mental health assessment: AI-powered tools accurately assessed and diagnosed mental health conditions, improving access to mental health care and reducing the burden on human professionals.
     
146. 2033 - Materials discovery: AI algorithms accelerated the discovery and optimization of new materials for various applications, reducing the time and cost of experimentation compared to human-led approaches.
     
147. 2033 - Industrial design: AI-driven tools streamlined product design and prototyping, optimizing functionality, aesthetics, and manufacturability beyond human capabilities.
     
148. 2033 - Ecosystem restoration: AI-powered systems analyzed and managed ecosystem restoration projects, improving the efficiency and success rate of efforts to restore degraded environments.
     
149. 2033 - Seismology: AI algorithms analyzed seismic data more effectively than human seismologists, improving our understanding of Earth's geology and natural processes.
     
150. 2033 - Cognitive training: AI-driven cognitive training tools provided personalized and adaptive exercises, enhancing learning and memory more effectively than traditional human-led methods.
     

Hello,
I’m signed with a good agency here in LA for model & talent 5-6months ago. I have been self submitting on casting networks and actors access. I get to audition/self-tape 3-5 times a week. Only booked one music video in these months being signed with my own submissions.
Now, every photographers I meet they say that the agent is not good (there’s a lot of hearsay about my current agent) I feel the same way as well, when I text him he only response to me one word and with mean attitude. He really only handles men based on what I see on his IG. I’m trans and I feel like he doesn’t know what to do with me being the only trans on the roster right now. All the call backs I’ve gotten is all from my submissions. And people that I know in the industry finds it weird that my agent hasn’t sent me somewhere for castings.
I have a 2 year exclusive contract with my current agency. I was transferred to my current agent because my old agent (same agency) moved to New York division so I was passed along with this new one 4 months ago. I’m not sure if he’s even submitting me for breakdowns I don’t see.
How did you get out of your agency? How would you go about my situation?
Thank you!

First three causes are worldwide as experts attest, rest locally specific.

1. POVERTY AND LOW WAGES - exacerbated by high cost of living in COVID's pandemic. 300.000 at mercy of the "poverty line" years, this oil rich land. A man's belly drives him to misdeed, unable to socially progress nor live humanely, all the while stressed.
   
2. FAMILY - a forthright examination pegs this. More attention from authorities is warranted
   
3. MENTAL HEALTH – nary anyone in power brings up its role. Would like a ministry of “mental health and loneliness.” COVID drove Japan that way, a low crime state no less.
   
4. DRUG SMUGGLING – the ONE PERCENT ship in vast amounts as intercepted shipments attest. TT is a transhipment point. They bring the drugs people use and guns young, disadvantaged black males die from, the “law” disproportionally targets, unable to so much as prosecute one of the upper class.
   
5. FAILURE TO FULLY DECRIMINALIZE – i.e. light and heavy, in the class of weed and cocaine respectively. JAIL SHOULD BE EXCLUDED AS A POSSIBILITY FOR USING. Weed simply regulated and casual smoking permitted, cocaine has REHAB and WELFARE open to the vulnerable.
   
6. POOR EDUCATION SYSTEM – “outdated” sufficient appendix too. The British system is DESIGNED TO MAKE FACTORY WORKERS UNWILLING TO THINK FOR THEMSELVES SERVING THE EMPLOYER CLASS. Cuts in education bound to leave their mark in addition. CANADA is the world’s highest proportion of tertiary graduates in a population – brought on by high expenditure. Would like a FINLAND model – school equality; master’s degree for teachers; relaxed atmosphere; no homework (as a school counsellor told me); end of SEA and all standardised tests save for 17 year olds; subsidized day-care.
   
7. HARSH PRISON – as things stand are criminal schools. REHAB must be at the forefront. NORWAY provides living comforts; prisoner education from trade skill to degree; good behaviour rewards that are EARNED; 2 year guard training; what’s more POST RELEASE SOCIAL WELFARE PROGRAMS.
   
8. OVERCROWDED PRISONS – 7 speaks for itself. 5 would reduce the number. Reform the law such that prison is ONLY FOR THE HEAVY CRIMES, ALL minor offenses made non imprisonable – those people released at once. ALTERNATIVES TO PRISON the norm like home detention and scalable fines (size determined by wealth).
   
9. POORLY TRAINED POLICE – end the joke of 6 months. NORWAY’S undergo a journey of three years to a BACHELOR DEGREE. Leadership roles require an extra 2 to a MASTER’S. TTPS’ disregard for assault complaints and tendency for criminality does not need explanation.
   
10. Coast Guard's training must be more robust - make as America's. The US Coast Guard Academy at FOUR years, awarding a Bachelor of Science degree.
    

In short reform.

Preface/TLDR: My arguments below aren't based wholly in some nebulous belief in human goodness.
I accept the shitty realities of human civilisation, even as someone who does try to see the bright side of life.
However, those are by and large evils caused by malicious negligence in some cases, and scrupulous selfish opportunism in other.
Neither of which would be present in a 'kill the normies' plan.
Rich people do not see themselves as a collective in-group, and they are not want to sink God knows how much of their hard earned resources into making an army of Death bots when their collaborators could rat on them at any time and initiate a corporate takeover or monopoly thanks to their no longer existent competition. Or to satisfy some petty personal vendetta. Or get good pr. Or any other number of immediately gratifying selfish reasons that, while screwing over the majority's plans for global genocide, would dramatically improve the life of whoever screwed them over.
Rich people are not known for being cooperative team players.
The 'cull the poores' scenario isn't plausible for solely moral reasons. It is just impossible on a technical and logistical level.
To elaborate...
I'm not denying rich are shitty, and I won't deny some places have it bad, or that some rich people WOULD kill the poor if they could.
I just deny the sheer ludicrous scale of what would be needed to formulate, prepare, and execute a 'kill the normies' plan.
It assumes that...

1. Rich people possess the capability to unite, coordinate, and execute this plan simaltaneously

This first hurdle is what really makes it impossible since, even assuming the other points I'll mention are met, the rich would need to operate a collected unified front with perfect synchronicity and no opportunism backstabbing or short sightedness for the plan to work.
If it isn't synchronized, it gives the human race a chance to see the knife being drawn and do something before the rich try to thrust it into us.
If there's backstabbing, namely infighting, it'd Drain their resources AND give us that moment of realization in one. Assuming the plan isn't just killed in its infancy or that they don't mutual kill each other in some sort of wealthy civil war.
If there's incompetence on their end, say they get sloppy and the CIA finds out about the rich illuminati planning on killing us all. Or they recruit Elon Musk and he decides to betray them all so he can stoke his ego by being remembered in history as the man who saved humanity, or they fuck up and their killer robots/AGI become free before the butchery can begin, then they'll just be fucked.
And that'll be it. The moment we find out they tried and failed to kill us all enough people will be pissed off and willing to throw hands that they won't get another shot.

1. All rich people, without exception, are willing and eager to murder all non rich people.

Rich people are disproportionately evil. They are not universally evil.
This is a statistical reality.
Even if there's only 1% out of them all who have working moral compasses and would not be down for the mass genocide, when we're talking about what would need to be a global conspiracy, that's more than enough for one of them to be recruited into the conspiracy, or otherwise learn of it through other means, and utilize their resources and political power to counteract it.
Even if only, as I pointed out with my Elon Musk example, to assert themselves as the neo messiah/s who saved humanity from the other, evil rich people.

1. Rich people would require the logistics to enact this mass culling.

Hundreds of millions of murder bots don't just pop out of thin air. Unless the rich are using nanotechnology or bioweapons to do the culling, they'd need whole factories producing advanced robots, weapons, munitions, supply chains, ecetera. All of which would be glaringly obvious unless they had some bonkers tech to just completely wipe all evidence of this buildup from the face of the earth. And at that point they might as well use that same tech to just increase their power in the current system and steal from the other rich to become that much richer that much quicker.
Billions of people equals trillions of bullets, trillions of microchips, metrics fucktons of steel and plastic and circuitry and God knows what else. It requires hundreds of factories and dozens of shipping route configurations to transfer materials between them all
And this is all without getting into where the fuck they're storing these murder robots/drones to begin with. You can't exactly hide a fighting force big enough to literally end 90% of the human race in a couple of warehouses. You'd need a whole city's worth of storage at the absolute bare minimum. Assuming they sprang for exclusively compact drones and not the outright terminators lots of people seem to be imagining.

1. Governments would need to do nothing.

I'm not even arguing 'governments will protect the people!' I'm arguing 'If this can be done, the American government and military industrial complex will just do it first.'
Because I can actually buy the American government, for example, hashing out the logistics, the coordination, and enacting the plan with the motive of imperialism and enforcing an authoritarian peace/rule over the planet.
At the least, if the tech existed to just churn out robot armies, en-mass, first world nations would be building up artificial fighting forces with that tech to levels comparable to the rich's secret army of Doom. Armies that would definitely be used to achieve zero casualty precision military campaigns in foreign lands. In regions that had been previously unconquearble due to the death toll, morale tax, and corruption issues in previous attempts at subjugation.
If nothing else, this would be a litmus test and a big red flag to anyone with half a brain and ability to discern the consequences of it.
Especially if it came out that rich people were churning these killer robots out en mass for 'reasons'.
And all this is without asking what happens when some poorer governments who weren't let in on the plan and subverted by the rich (under the logic of 'fuck em, they're poor, who gives a shit') turn out to have secretly squirrels away a few nukes. With which they could enact a forced peace under M.A.D or ruin the days of the perpetrators who caused this shitstorm as a final middle finger.

1. Rich people would actually need to be motivated to do all of this.

Rich people in this scenario are essentially the illuminati, with full control over all governments, the ability to magic up a world ending army out of thin air, and all done in complete cooperation with each other with a single Game of Thrones backstabbing waiting in the rafters.
At that point...why do they need to kill the poor...
Like, what do the actually gain from it?
More land?
More resources?
They can get infinite of both. And could kick anyone they wanted dout of their land at a moment's notice.
To get more money? To rid themselves of the proles?
There are easier ways to do the former now that they basically own the planet from the shadows with their secret army of Doom, and if they kill all the poors then they aren't rich anymore. Their lives literally wouldn't change other than them being on the same level as each other, which when considering all the egomaniacs amongst them...would not end well...
This whole scheme would be more trouble than it'd be worth. Yes, most rich entities are shitty and commit crimes. But, if you'll notice, they haven't exactly been taking over any countries single-handedly as of late. Or trying to overthrow their own nations. Because it's more headache than it's worth. Why risk everything for a plan that wouldn't really personally enrich you all that much.
Cause remember: they all have to share their 'winnings'amongst themselves after rthe normies are dead. And if there's one thing thing the rich hate. It's sharing.

1. They need to be perfectly fair and generous and cordial to each other once all is said and done.

So, 1% of humanity is left alive. All of them rich and whoever else those rich might want to keep around.
They now have to 'divvy the spoils'.
In what world does this not end with them turning on each other at the end so they can 'win more?
They've already illustrated an insanity beyond anything previously demonstrated din the history of the human race. The butchery of the whole species just so they can be the kings of skull mountain.
Except they aren't the kings yet. Oh no, there's still thousands of lesser rich people trying to hog that land and money.
And so, with no more external enemies left to unite them, they'd do what humans have done time and time again in comparable historical situations: turn on one another.
At which point they're liable to just end up wiping each othe Rout.
So even in a scenario where, by some absolute ridiculous miracle they 'win', they've still not won just yet.
And if they've not killed off all the poors. If a few thousand survived through the 8000 separate one-in-a-million chances that occurred throughout the cull of 8 billion, and if the rich deplete themselves enough over their mutual fights with one another, thinking themselves fre eof any other potential threat, then the proles might yet get their win.
So even in the perfect, impossible scenario where they win. The proves have an equal, if not more enjoyable win condition for the aftermath of the global cull.
In conclusion: I don't say this scenario is dumb because I'm a hopeful optimistic who has unwavering faith in human goodness (though I won't deny it either)
It's just not a plausible scenario that's feasible outside of a dystopian sci-fi novel.
If you like theory crafting it, or you enjoy thinking up ways it could happen and debating over them, then you do you.
Just be honest about the fantasy that is this scenario.
It's not going to happen.
And if you really thought it was going to, then you'd be a fool for seeing it coming not actively working on an escape plan so you can be one of the one-in-a-million lucky survivor's who'd slip through the cracks.
That's basically everything I've to say on this.
I await the inevitable responses on how I'm dumb and wrong and I gladly anticipate the voices of those who concur or otherwise have something new to add to the discussion.
(This post is not a personal attack on anyone, just the bad take. It is not meant to insult or denigrate any parties.)

(there is going to be a bit of sensitive topic about bad upbringing, do not read if you are not in a mood for that)
I have just recently found this community and youtube chanel and felt like it is suitable place to vent and maybe seek some piece of advice.
How to start learning social skills as an adult? And is it possible to make such a progress to be like someone extraverted or just so no one will think that I am shy or antisocial? Is it possible to reduce damage done in childhood to function like "normal" person? Story below:
So, I am a female and I'm going to be 21 years old soon. I have never been taught as a child how to socialise and you can probably imagine seeing other kids for the first time when I was 6 years old did not went too well. I made about 4 friendships in my life, 3 of them online.
My parents made every possible parenting mistake they could that did not involve being physically violent. I never really talked about anything personal with my parents. They didn't know my interests or even what kind of music I do like until I was around 19. For a very long time I was afraid of telling anyone my interests because everything I heard was; why won't you do math instead of X, why don't you read other book instead of the one you just picked. Or why are you litening to this kind of music, it is bad etc... I was not allowed to do any physical activities. They were interested only in my grades really.
Right now I have contact with two people; my boyfriend and sometimes my best friend from highschool. It feels underwhelming when I realise it. I always wanted to have friends and talk to people but never knew how. Most of my interactions with others ended up as me being bullied when I was younger. I heard "advices" from my family such as; if you were super good in math, like you would win a national math competition, then everyone would like you (literally these words).
So I always thought that if you will be very well-read and will have many interests then you will know what to say to other people, and they will be absolutelly amazed by your wisdom, and will become your friends. Unfortunatelly this is not true. Most people do not have such profound knowedge to engage in conversations about things I research. I ended up with lot of hobbies but still zero social skill. And I feel I acquired most of my knowedge just because I thought it is necessary to form a relationship of any kind with others.
I can not start a conversation, I don't even know what people talk about. Also it does not help that I am pretty much expressionless and don't hold eye contact. I try to look at other person whenever I remember that it should be done. However when I start talking my eyes just do whatever.
Right now I socialise mostly in college and it is not very bad. I think everyone likes me. However, no one is my friend. I only talk about topics related to our field of research. And I feel like this is the only thing I can talk about. I can give people lectures or tell them about books. But you can't build friendship over it. No one will care for me as a person if I never speak to them about personal things such as everyday life.
​
I think this posts belongs here, not in the thread because it is not about romantic relationship and is also about reversing the damage done in early life.

I had a lot of fun making a potential skillset for Emblem Shez (which you can read here if you want) and made another one for Emblem Arval cuz Three Hopes brainrot never left me. These skills and weapons may be busted or really bad, I just wrote down whatever I thought sounded cool and accurate to the character.
Bond/Engage Skills:
-Bond Skill "Duality": At the start of odd turns, grants unit Def/Res+3. On even turns, grants Atk/Mag+3.
"Duality+ and ++": grants Def/Res+4-5 and Atk/Mag+4-5 [Qi Adept] also grants bonus to adjacent ally with the highest HP [Dragon] also grants Atk/Mag+1-3 on odd turns and Def/Res+1-3 on even turns.
-Bond Skill "Agarthan Arcana": If foe initiates combat, units deals 25% of damage taken to foes and enemies within 2 spaces of foe after combat. Minimum 1 damage. (Inheritable)
-Bond Skill "Cycle Keeper": When units HP drops below 30%, completely fill the engage meter. Has a three turn cooldown.
"Cycle Keeper+, ++, and +++": increases threshold to 30%, 35%, and 40% respectively.
-Engage Skill "Metamorphosis": While engaged, doubles the effects of units personal skill or increases its range by 1 (so Not Quite grants Avo+20, Generosity now applies to allies within 2 spaces, etc.)
-Engage attack "Rite of Souls": Use to attack an opponent within range and heal both unit and adjacent allies for 50% of the damage dealt. If this attack defeats an opponent, unit and adjacent allies are also granted Def/Res+4 for 1 turn. Range 1-2 [Mystical] increases area of effect by 1
Engage Weapons:
-Miasma Δ: Basic black magic. Range 1-3
-Luna Λ: An extremely heavy tome with only a single point of Mt, ignores half of enemy Res. Range 1-2
-Hrotti: A mysterious relic wielded by Emblem Arval, calculates damage using the higher of units Atk or Mag. Range 1-2
Extra Inheritable skills/proficiencies:
-Vigilant Gaze 1-4: grants Hit+10-25 to unit and inflicts Dodge -5-20 on opponent during combat.
-Tome Proficiency
-Staff Proficiency

Hello everyone, I’m stuck at making a decision and I wanted to hear other people’s opinions. Sorry if it reads terribly.
25 year old engaged male on a deployment overseas with the military. No major bills other than my car payment.
Back home I currently work for one of the top 100 fortune 500 companies but doing manual labor making about $22.50/hr. I have amazing benefits atleast from what I know. They will pay 100% tuition to nearly any school, 40 hrs sick, 80 hrs vacation. Retirement. Tons of other benefits. I work 36 hrs a week but get paid for 40. 3 day work week, 12 hrs back to back to back. Hour long drive to work at 4 am, hour long drive back at 6pm. It's rough. My coworkers are cut throat, and will brag about ruining other peoples lives. There is a lot of room for growth in the company, but it’s currently a very toxic work environment. I'm constantly stressed and do not enjoy it. But the job itself is very easy and not physically demanding.
I have a federal opportunity with my unit back home. $25/hr with guaranteed raises but little room for growth. Decent benefits as far as I know, and about the same hour long drive to work. 4 day work week. Some days are 10 hours long but a lot of days if there isn't much work they just do a half day. Still get paid the full day. Extremely healthy work environment but a bit more physically taxing. The biggest problem is that I lose my amazing Tricare healthcare and will have to go with blue cross blue shield which will cost nearly 5x as much, and will have a deductible unlike Tricare, which is amazing.
If i stay with my current position, I could milk my 100% tuition, go to college and get a degree in 4-5 years, while also getting an extra 4 hours off work each week as a benefit to going to school full time, and use my GI bill from the military to also pay me while going to school. Not sure how much that would get me but I know it would be nice.
Maybe the answer is obvious to you, but I'm stuck. Do I stay somewhere and ultimately be unhappy with my job position for the next 4 years possibly? Or do I go somewhere I know I will actually enjoy being? I'm open to any and all criticism/advice/questions/complaints.
Thanks for reading

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The saga is ongoing. Lots of updates. Lots of flowery language. Cheerleading.
I'll post the 32 OP posts in comments so save you all going through the whole thread if you're not MN members. Eta - couldn't add as a comment so here's the longest post ever.
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4756410-he-has-run-off-with-the-kids-advice-needed-and-handhold
The saga is ongoing.
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4756410-he-has-run-off-with-the-kids-advice-needed-and-handhold
He has run off with the kids, advice needed and handhold 32 replies Iamworthit · 05/03/2023 09:30
Posting for traffic. Apologies, its long.
Some might remember my previous threads. Basically I separated from my controlling ex in February. Things moved really quickly. And I managed to find a house. I moved out on Thursday. Instead of taking the kids out whilst I moved to make it less distressing for them which we had previously agreed, he stayed and made me take all my stuff out in front of them, and put it into the front garden. My friend and her children came over to help load her car up with my stuff. As awful as it was I stayed strong for the kids, they were excited about the new house, their new bedrooms and where choosing which toys to bring as well as playing with their friends in the front garden. Once my stuff was out (not much, he refused i take any furniture), he demanded my keys back, demanded the kids go inside, and literally pulled my 4 year old away from me, she was screaming and crying. He slammed the door in my face and shut the curtains. In hindsight I should have called the police then, believe me I realise that now. However i was trying to cause as least stress as possible. Due to previous advice on here I have recorded him on multiple occasions. I recorded the children Thursday morning whilst they were playing whilst I was moving my stuff out. You can see my stuff in the front garden and the kids happy and playing. When he took my daughter off me and put the other two inside and slammed the door on me, I started recording then too. You can clearly see and hear my daughter screaming behind the door , (part frosted glass door) and him pulling her as she's holding onto the front door handle from the inside. You can also hear him say you will see mummy tomorrow. Him and I had agreed that they would come to my new house on Friday morning whilst he goes to work. He has been using my past mental health against me, (see previous threads, I will try to link,) since I told him I wanted to separate, he wanted me to provide him a letter from a medical professional saying im sane 🙄. My cpn is dicharging me next week, so he will have that on paper - i know i dont have to do that but I will send him a copy because i have nothing to hide. On Thursday afternoon he phones me asking when will I be giving him half the child benefit. I tell him I am arranging mediation and we can discuss it there as he keeps ranting at me down the phone. So, Friday morning comes around. I message to double check what time he is dropping them over. I get back one message saying the kids are safe, I'm not taking any calls. He then ignores my texts and calls. I got round to his house and the car is gone, the curtains are drawn. He has done a runner with the kids! I phoned police and social services. As we have only just separated there is no child arrangements order in place. I'm absoloutely heartbroken. I've never known pain like it. They are 1, 4 and 6. They spend the majority of the time with me. Nearly 4 years ago he built and insulated a shed in the bottom of the garden. He has slept out there 99% of the time since. Leaving me to do all night time childcare since then. The girls who are 4 and 6 sleep in the bedroom next to me, the 4 year old wakes almost every night and comes and spends the rest of the night with me. My one year old has been in my bed since birth, what must my poor babies be thinking? He also works part time where I have the children on my own. The 4 and 6 year old are homeschooled. I take them to all activities and clubs and play dates etc. I know this is 100% about control, that he is using the children to try to break me so that his "she's an unstable mother" claims come true. I am 100% confident in my ability to parent my children. I am 100% confident that there is no issue with me, infact I've never felt stronger, my mh has never been better. That's why I knew I had to leave, because I knew I could be a strong single mother to my beautiful babies and I didn't want them witnessing his toxic behaviour any more. I will not have my children growing up thinking his behaviour is acceptable. I have a solicitors appointment Monday morning at 9am. All services have been informed, mediation is booked for 2 weeks time. I have phoned the police 4 times since Friday, who advise its a civil matter. I have spoken to social services who have said I'm doing everything right and have contacted every one I need to. I have even contacted universal credit. I believe part of the reason he has taken the children is because he won't receive the child element of universal credit anymore. He has Been begging for half the child benefit which thankfully is in my name. I was receiving pip due to my previous mental health issues, and he claimed carers element in universal credit. Obviously now I've moved out, and said he isn't my carer since we split, he doesn't get that anymore. He was only having to work part time because of this, despite claiming to be my carer, I was doing the vast majority of child care and household chores, whilst he slept in the shed so his sleep wasn't disturbed.
I have never felt pain like this. Being away from my children and wondering what they must be thinking, why they aren't seeing me, what he's filled their heads with is breaking my heart. I know and I will be strong and get through this short time until the courts decide on child arrangements. I'm also realistic about the fact that he could keep them until that date, in which case it could be at least a month before I see them again. Even when I had pnd 4 years ago, I went to a mbu with my daughter, they knew it was imperative that she be with me. I did end up being sectioned but my medication was adjusted and I made a rapid recovery. I was allowed to leave early from the section and even then all my children were allowed to visit me in the family room next to the unit as everyone knew how important it was they and I have regular contact. I was never a danger to my children, I just felt that I wasn't good enough to be their mother. However I've worked hard on myself, I am fully recovered. I engaged in all therapy, took the medication properly and came off it under their advice. I look after myself because I know that to be a good mother to my kids I need to be good to myself. I since have had my 1 year old and there's been no issues at all. Infact as 'my carer' he never once phoned any services or teams on me with any concerns regarding my mental health in an extremely long time, years, So there is also evidence of this.
I have my furniture being delivered today, the girls Bunk beds and sofa, tables etc. I will make this house a special and safe home for my babies, where they feel respected and loved.
I'm sorry for the huge post. Please if anyone has any more advice on what I can do, Or any questions for the solicitor appointment tomorrow I would so appreciate it. I need all the support and advice I can get. Thankyou
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Iamworthit · 05/03/2023 10:52
NEmama · 05/03/2023 09:46
Stay strong. Are his family involved? Would ex mil speak to him . Awful situation for you op x
Nope, no one is answering or responding. I have absoloutely no idea where they have gone. My guess is he's spoken to a solicitor and they've told him he is legally with in his rights to take the kids as he has parental responsibility and there is no court order in place
Go to post Iamworthit · 05/03/2023 14:48
Dartsplayer · 05/03/2023 14:43
Unfortunately, having gone through the same thing with a family member, this is correct and there is nothing the police can do.
@Iamworthit you need to download a C100 form and submit it to your local family Court for an emergency hearing to have the children returned to your care as soon as possible. This group were invaluable in guiding us through the process from the children being taken to getting a Child Arrangement Order in place. You sound like you are doing everything right
www.facebook.com/groups/488124058749486/?ref=share
Show quote history I have my solicitor appt Tomorrow. Will she do that?
Go to post Iamworthit · 05/03/2023 23:08
CalamityClam · 05/03/2023 10:19
Hold tight. My ex did the same thing. I had to leave without them. The DCs were safe with him even though I knew he was an absolute controlling TWAT - I knew they’d be upset, but I knew they’d be safe. I did everything you’re doing, determined to have it sorted legally so he couldn’t do it again, even if it meant waiting to see them. Believe me, the novelty will soon wear off for him when he realises he’s stuck with the kids and you’re as free as a bird.
It resolved for me quite quickly- within a couple of weeks. We shared care going forward. The DCs are adults now and have a very distant relationship with their dad.
So reassuring to speak to someone who has been through this and there was a positive outcome. I haven't spoken to them at all or seen them since Thursday morning, this is the longest its been. I'm assuming he has gone to his parents over an hour away. The police managed to get hold of him today and will be doing a welfare check tonight or tomorrow. They can't give me his wareabouts. Im terrified my kids are going to forget me, especially the one year old, other than a handful of nights where he agreed to have him for a night or 2 whilst I visited friends/ family, he's always been with me. And what if he turns them against me. I'm so scared they will think I've abandoned them and hate me or forget me. It could be weeks before a court hearing. Can a 1 year old Remember that long. I don't know.
Go to post Iamworthit · 05/03/2023 23:23
Sunriseinwonderland · 05/03/2023 11:27
Take a deep breath and step back OP. My ex pulled this stunt more than once and the judge awarded me full custody and him none because DS was so traumatised by him. It took a while but it was ok. Well done for recording it. Your solicitor will advise you.
How long did he keep your son away from you for? I'm so scared they will forget me x
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Iamworthit · 05/03/2023 23:29
macncheeeesey · 05/03/2023 12:34
He's trying to punish you and unfortunately you have to abide by the system.
He will likely realise how hard it is very soon and won't be able to keep up with the homeschooling and caring for three little ones - especially as you say he sleeps in a shed normally.
Use this time to make the house a home for them. You can apply for an emergency family hearing - I'm sure your solicitor has advised on that.
He's an evil man who is damaging your kids but he won't be able to keep them. You've done everything you need to and informed the right people.
Try to distract yourself and use this time to work on your plan of attack to get them back and get yourself right.
My ex took our DD and wouldn't give her back but did eventually. Police wouldn't get involved after they did one welfare check. I would call them and ask them to do a check and say he is mentally unstable and you're worried about the kids. This will be logged and hopefully will scare him a bit.
I know the feeling, my DD wanted to come back but ex wouldn't let her. When she did some back she was super clingy. She knew what her dad did was wrong.
You've got this and you'll get them back.
I'm sorry you went through this too. How old was your daughter when he did that? How long was she away from you for. I'm scared they will hate me, god knows what he's telling them about why they can't see me
Go to post Iamworthit · 05/03/2023 23:33
liveforsummer · 05/03/2023 12:47
Presumably he was taking care of them while she was sectioned so whilst he may not look after them when she’s gone he clearly can.
He looked after 1 dc then, not 3. He has become increasingly abusive since then
No, he went to work when I was in the mother and baby unit with my 2nd daughter. My mum and mil took it in turns to look after our eldest and he would look after her when not at work. Even when i went away for a couple of kights for my friends wedding my mum came to help him look after the kids
Go to post Iamworthit · 05/03/2023 23:40
Springchicken75 · 05/03/2023 19:36
Op I would also strongly advise you to contact women’s aid after your appointment with the solicitor, they will offer some much needed support and advice.
www.womensaid.org.uk I did this a few weeks ago and I just got an email back with endless other support agencies, solicitors to call.
Go to post Iamworthit · 05/03/2023 23:45
OhmygodDont · 05/03/2023 20:00
Snatches children like some mad man on the street. Or a father having his children for the weekend or maybe even being the resident parent.
With this whole women and men are equal they are aLeo equal parents 🥱. He text saying they were safe and he would not be taking her calls. Police have been called 4! Times and don’t seem to think there is any issue. Op willingly left them on the Thursday.
Im sure op will hear find out more Monday morning but nothing makes her the better or more superior parent in the eyes of the law currently.
The police got back to me today. They are doing a welfare check tonight or tomorrow. I didn't Willingly leave them on Thursday. I left them heartbroken, not wanting to cause any more distress and with a stupid idea he would do the right thing and give them to me the next day as planned.
Go to post Iamworthit · 06/03/2023 05:16
Sami561 · 05/03/2023 20:22
I am so sorry you are going through this OP. The pain is like nothing else.
I have been in the same position as you and, unfortunately, as you have probably found, The Police have no powers if the father has parental rights. They say it is a civil matters for the courts.
All I can say is that this will massively go against him in family court proceedings- it did for my estranged husband. He was banned from having our child overnight for a considerable amount of time until he could prove he was trustworthy again. The courts and professionals also named that he was using our child as a emotional weapon towards me by doing this. Your husband will be viewed in exactly the same way by all involved. He isn't thinking about the children at all, he is thinking about himself and getting one over on you.
Brilliant that you have a solicitors appointment tomorrow, they will give you the advice you need.
Stay strong and get that child arrangements order in place💐
I really hope they do the same. I'm sorry you had to go through this too. It so incredibly cruel and unfair to the children.
Go to post Iamworthit · 06/03/2023 05:46
Kinneddar · 05/03/2023 21:49
Probably because it doesn't meet the criteria. The children are with their Dad, there's nothing to suggest they're at risk. Just because their Mum doesn't know where they are doesn't mean there's anything wrong.
The other thing is the police will look at the history of the family in assessing things. They've been called out before because the OP was threatening self harm. She's still currently under a MH section & despite being told its not a Police matter has phoned numerous times today. Regardless of what anyone here thinks they'll make the assessment based on the information they have, which from the sounds of it possibly doesn't look great for the OP. AND the other thing is, we only know OPs version of events. I'm not saying they're not accurate but we have absolutely no way of knowing
Police don't do a welfare check just because someone wants them to, there has to be grounds.
If for instance they don't turn up at school tomorrow that would have things reassessed.
Even if officers did go out to the house tonight & noone was home they're not going to turn it into a misper enquiry at this stage.
Show quote history The police were never phoned with regards to my mental health. I always went through the proper channels with the perinatal team. Yes I did have the crisis team involved but that was 4 YEARS AGO. I was in a mother and baby unit and the medication they gave me to treat it was to low a dose. I was always with my daughter at the mbu. I got sectioned 4 years ago, and once there, my dd went back to the family home with her dad. My mum and mil also took it turns to stay with them for extra support. My section was supposed to last 28 days. I was released at day 14 due responding so well to the medication. I had been observed with my children by the nurses and Dr's theres (yes I still got to see my kids, and kept breastfeeding her and pumping the whole time) even during that period I have never been away from the kids for this long. Everyone in my care knew I was a brilliant mother, I have documents from being there. I struggling with pnd, and never a harm to my children. We were very much bonded, I just felt absolutely not good enough to be their mother. I have engaged with services at every single point along the way. I since had another baby - the one year old, and I was put under the perinatal mental health team again for precaution, but due to me doing really well during that pregnancy my contact with them was very little and the discharged me a year after birth with a plan to come off my medication, which I have done. Even after all this I'm still strong because I know I have to be there for my kids when I do get them back they will need me more than ever. Yes he was claiming carers allowance. However he hasn't phoned any mental health team in years with any concerns about me. He is trying to gaslight me to say that he has concerns, well than why as he only just raised concerns since I told him I was leaving ? Thankfully this is all fact and documented. My cpn has been phoned by my ex regularly since for the last few weeks since I said I'm leaving. My cpn has received calls from my ex and his family claiming I needed a welfare check. I arranged for my cpn to see me, who agreed that I'm fit and well and will be discharged this week. My cpn told me he said to the mil that they are all wasting his time and to stop calling him. My cpn visited me on Friday when I phoned him to say my ex had taken the children, he came over straight away, and is still satisfied I can be discharged. I've had a traumatic childhood, pnd was almost inevitable I've been told, however I have worked bloody hard on myself and am a credit to my children. Any one else reading this thread in the future who has to go through similar, please do not let posters like this wear you down. I have had PREVIOUS mental health issues. My mental health now is better than its ever been.
Go to post Iamworthit · 06/03/2023 08:55
Thankyou. Omg 8 months your poor baby
Go to post Iamworthit · 06/03/2023 10:28
UPDATE solicitor was great. She will apply for an urgent hearing today. Expensive, but my mum will pay this initial fee. Hopefully be seen by the court today 🙏 With a predicted respond date by Friday from him. I don't know when this means I will get them back, but at least the ball is rolling She will also put in a Prohibited Steps Order to stop him from changing their gp, Registering them for school, or taking them abroad.
Go to post Iamworthit · 06/03/2023 10:38
SchoolTripDrama · 06/03/2023 10:36
Fantastic news, I'm pleased for you.
Also, him doing this, will MASSIVELY negatively affect his chances of getting access in the future, via legal routes. Judges look extremely dimly on parents who pull this stunt
Show quote history Thankyou. I hope this can be resolved ASAP. I think she said she's going to request an urgent live with order too
Go to post Iamworthit · 06/03/2023 13:46
mucky123 · 06/03/2023 13:33
I have no actual knowledge of the Court system in these circumstances or anything helpful to say but I just wanted you to know that I have read the whole thread and I think you are incredibly brave and strong. I think lots of people would have crumpled at this and maybe gone back to him or just broken down. Well done, keep fighting, hope it is all over soon.
Thankyou. Don't get me wrong I've sobbed huge tears of grief this weekend and been full of panic and worry, one thing I will not do is let him break me. My kids need the best version of me right now, and so that's my focus x
Go to post Iamworthit · 06/03/2023 19:25
Another update Not so great. He also did a Prohibited Steps Order. So the judge received them both today. They decided to see us together but the quickest available date is on the 21st of March! I've seen a copy of his order and requests. He wants me to admit I'm unstable. He wants confirmation from mh professionals I'm OK. It looks like he says I can have Supervised contact and calls. So obviously yes I'll take anything I can get, but need solicitor to confirm this. Also made allegations about how "unstable" I am. That I'm a suicide risk, that I've done x,y,z... BUT there's no record of him phoning my gp or cpn or anything, so hopefully that can quash that! He also keeps phoning my cpn telling him he is going for custody or he is giving me the order, or he is hiding away with the kids... So obvious he wants me to crack in front of the cpn. With regards to my cpn he is telling me he is putting my case to the team for discharge tomorrow, there is a chance they won't agree, and with the luck I'm having atm I'm beginning to think that they are going to say they won't discharge me.
Thanks for all the support. I really appreciate everything you ladies have said. I will update tomorrow with any news.
Go to post Iamworthit · 07/03/2023 06:30
Nope not since Thursday morning
Go to post Iamworthit · 07/03/2023 06:46
Scalessayeek · 06/03/2023 22:00
OP I can’t believe how some people are trying to bring you down. I would have completely fallen apart in your situation. You just need someone to see your posts on here to see how centered you are at the moment.
Sending you all the strength and luck in the world!
Thankyou. My kids have never needed more. All his behaviour is doing now is showing me just how controlling he is, and that getting out of that relationship is the best thing for me and the kids long term.
Go to post Iamworthit · 07/03/2023 06:48
P3N · 06/03/2023 19:42
Stay strong OP. You are doing amazing. Have the police got back about the welfare check? Your ex is disgusting trying to use your MH against you.
Yes. They saw the children and reported they aren't in harms way.
Go to post Iamworthit · 07/03/2023 06:54
Iamworthit · 07/03/2023 06:48
Yes. They saw the children and reported they aren't in harms way.
Show quote history Physical harm that Is. I said I'm guessing they are at the grandparents then and his expression told me everything I needed to know. At least they know them. Although they are nearly 80.
Go to post Iamworthit · 08/03/2023 15:57
Whiskeypowers · 08/03/2023 15:47
Hope you are holding up ok @Iamworthit
have you had any updates from the police or your solicitor etc?
No more information from police. He came back last night to his house, was there this morning amd gone this afternoon. I was notified by my friend who lives close by. No idea if the kids are with him. Waiting to hear if I can have Supervised visits before court hearing on 21st. Tonight will be night 7..
Go to post Iamworthit · 08/03/2023 22:08
Hungrycaterpillarsmummy · 08/03/2023 19:19
Just for my own understanding, why do you need supervised visits?
Show quote history I don't. He is claiming I'm mentally unstable and a flight risk because he's a controlling, pathetic excuse of a man. He vanished with the kids and put an application for a Prohibited Steps Order that I can't have the children back until he sees a letter from a medical professional to state otherwise.
Go to post Iamworthit · 08/03/2023 22:10
MaireadMcSweeney · 08/03/2023 19:54
Honestly I would probably do this too, but I don't know how that would impact on the court hearing. Remember now the process has started you can't just pull out and cancel it.
Show quote history This. I can't do anything because it's with solicitors, police and social services.
Go to post Iamworthit · 08/03/2023 22:33
Hi ladies. My cpn came over today. He isn't going to discharge me for another few weeks. This is positive, because it means he can tell the courts/judge that he is having the most recent interactions with me and there for can give an honest and open account of how I am. He phoned My solicitor personally and she agreed this would help my case. He has written a letter for this interim period to say he has no concerns. My solicitor believes if he with holds supervised visits before the court date he will be doing himself no favours at all. My cpn also told me that in his notes he has written that in his professional opinion my ex is mentally unstable (he has been pestering my cpn every few days for the past few weeks, since I told him I wanted to leave, however not once in over 3 years before I wanted to split was he concerned). Also that he is bring coercive, he is controlling, and the fact he sleeps in a shed 🤣🤣!! My cpn has Been brilliant throughout this whole thing. It's a case of playing the long game at the moment, I can't do anything to jeopardise seeing my kids. This is night 7. I last saw them a week ago tomorrow at around 11. I will not let him break me. He is using every tactic he can think of.
Go to post Iamworthit · 09/03/2023 11:33
cpphelp · 09/03/2023 08:03
The update about your CPN is fantastic. You are doing everything right. I think you're amazing, and all of this will be working in your favour. Maybe once all of this is over, they will insist on supervised visits only for him! How's the house coming along? Charity shops and the British heart foundation furniture shops are great for filling up a house xx
Thankyou. Yes my cpn has been great! Every second that goes by is another second without seeing my children, but it's also one second closer to getting them back in My arms.
Today marks a whole week since I last saw, held, played with, cuddled or even talked to my beautiful babies.
Go to post Iamworthit · 13/03/2023 20:34
UPDATE So, I got to see them this weekend!!! Supervised with my mum present at his request, but after 9 long days I finally got to see them, hold them, tell them I love them and they didn't forget me! ❤️ They loved the house, and their new bedroom 🤗 it was magic!
I'm hopeful for more contact this week which solicitor is hoping to negotiate. I'm STILL waiting for my letter from the CPN!. He was told by his manager to go through the NHS solicitors to make the letter water tight so that ex/his solicitors can't pick holes in it, so I'm actually waiting on the NHS solicitors now, its frustrating... They have had a similar case happen before, so want to do as much for me as possible.
However, ex agreed to contact this weekend, both days, due to my CPN speaking on the phone with my solicitor, and informing her I am well, capable, of sound mind, has seen me / spoken to me every few days since ex started with these mind games a month ago.
The kids were very anxious about going back to him, which was heartbreaking, but at the very least they know I'm always here, I have a safe home and I'm going to fight for their right to be with me, their mum.
Thankyou for all your support ladies. The first "urgent" hearing is next week, and then it's dealing with cafcass, social services etc for the next (and hopefully final) hearing in 2 months time where we will find out the child arrangements order.
Still a bloody long way to go till this is sorted, I don't trust that he won't do anything he can to get at me. He is already disputing the kids living with me and now my benefits may be stopped or suspended until this is sorted, which is just another form of him trying to control me.
I will never go back to him. I have lost all respect, faith, trust and any love I had for him is well and truly gone. He was able to hide behind clever words, confuse me, manipulate me and control me for far too long.
I hope the kids will forgive me for this upheaval in their lives, and I hope beyond all hope that they are back with me on a regular basis and that the judge can see him for what he is and that his actions have impacted our children's emotional well being significantly. But, until I have the judges decision, I know I won't take anything for granted. Anything could happen and now I know ex is capable of this, he could be capable of more and throw something else at me.
As always, thanks for checking in on me and your support xxx
Iamworthit · Yesterday 18:44
Hungrycaterpillarsmummy · Yesterday 10:33
@Iamworthit your court case is Tuesday I think? How are you doing? Have you seen your children again?
Hi, nice username, dd2 loves hungry caterpillar!
I saw them once in the week aswell as yesterday and today. All had to be supervised by my mum, despite his solicitor confirming she sent him the letter from my CpN on Tuesday lunchtime, and me also sending him a message to say he now has it. However this letter he so desperately said he needs for me to have unsupervised and overnight visits he hasn't even responded to. I'm presuming he is waiting till court on Tuesday.
Yesterday the girls informed me that daddy left them at a strange woman's house whilst he went to work...
The time has been wonderful and I've really treasured every moment. Yesterday my one year old was in desperate need of a nap, he snuggled up to me in our new king-size bed in our new house and he slept peacefully for well over 2 hours. I feel so blessed to be their mummy and am thrilled at how comfortable they have been when back with me for these times. If anyone reads this in the future going through something similar - they don't forget you. That was my biggest fear, but I have more faith now that the bond between a mother and her children will always be there, no matter what or who stands in the way. Love is love.
So, our new magic house (the girls named it) is empty again for now. I'm just counting down the time until Tuesday afternoon and hoping/praying/wishing/ that the judge sees him for what he is and what he has put the children through. My solicitor is hopeful, but obviously no one knows what's going to happen on the day. I never thought my ex was capable of what he has done, but here we are.
I hope everyone has had a lovely mother's day 💗
Go to post Iamworthit · Today 11:18
Thankyou for all your messages and words of support for tomorrow. The police know everything, they did their welfare check on the children whilst he was staying at his parents house in their old country farm house with the attatched holiday home for them to stay in surrounded by their 40 acres of land. Not in the home where he and I lived with his shed at the bottom of the garden and no doubt chaos in the house where for the first time he is having to do all housework, laundry and cooking. They have been back at his for almost 2 weeks now. I have found a small comfort in them choosing games on their tablets and me getting the notification to approve their choices. The fact that I left with barely anything means they have the majority of their toys there, beds, tv etc and to them it was our home where we all lived together so at least they have familiarity. Cafcass will probably be doing a Section 7 report in which case they will meet with us and the kids in both houses so can make their own assessments from that.
They love our new house and I've explained to them the benefits of two houses, bedrooms, toys, Christmas, birthdays etc. They are being so resilient and brave through it all. I'm hoping for them it's just been a bit of an adventure.
The children filled me in on their day at the 'stranger ladies' house, where there was other children, guinea pigs a cat and a dog. They watched telly and played with the other kids and the animals and they gave dd2 a dress she particularly liked. They were very animated about it. I guess at the very least they had fun, I imagine they've been pretty bored with him. We had to drive past his house and up the road next to ex's house to get to mine yesterday and dd1 proudly pointed out 'that ladies house'. Would you believe it's almost directly behind his house!! For all I know he's been seeing this woman behind my back. She could have been hopping over the fence every night and going into his shed for all I know. I can't believe this is my life right now, you couldn't make it up. But as I've come to learn the hard way I certainly can't trust him, and I won't put anything past him.
Literally just counting down till tomorrow now.
X
Go to post Iamworthit · Today 13:28
I have no idea who she is. I did however do a Facebook search of the local "Andreas" in the area and the kids pointed to who she was and pointed to the children who they recognised. It took all of about 60 seconds to find her. And the kids named the kids correctly to what she had shared publicly on her fb page. There's even a picture of her 'cheers-ing' her primary aged son both of them holding glasses of red wine. I've taken screenshots. Her name isn't on any registered childminder lists.
Go to post Iamworthit · Today 13:29
ThreeLocusts · Today 12:12
Will light a candle for you tonight. You've kept it together amazingly through all this. Here's hoping your kids will be back with you tomorrow.
Thankyou x
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Iamworthit · Today 13:41
Ilovethewild · Today 13:10
Op, stay true to yourself and your children.
don’t get caught up with what ex is doing/seeing/sleeping with. It is irrelevant! You can’t control it and the kids are ok. It will just muddy the waters. As others say it’s another twist from ex to distract you and send you off the rails.
focus on what you can do and what’s in the childrens best interest.
good luck with tomorrow, I hope the kids come home to you asap.
I genuinely don't care what he's up to relationship wise, I've been hoping he'd find someone else for a long time and leave me alone.
What I do care about is him leaving the kids with someone they don't know for whatever reason, when I'm round the corner desperate to see them, and him thinking he can do whatever he likes without any consideration for them, me or my mum who's had to drop everything (shes been brilliant in all this) without question, to supervise time for me to have my own children.
I will definitely be asking for first refusal of child care as some other posters have suggested.
Go to post Iamworthit · Today 13:42
Sunriseinwonderland · Today 13:20
My ex hid him for a month. DS was desperate to see me. My ex is a very wicked man.
Show quote history That's despicable. I'm so sorry x
Go to post Iamworthit · Today 19:19
Tomorrow is an urgent hearing to sort out the interim child arrangements before the first official hearing in May after cafcass have done their reports. It's possible there will be another 2 Hearings after that and this could take anywhere from 6 months up to a year to resolve.
Because he did a runner with the kids first, filed a Prohibited Steps Order to stop them living with me because he is saying I'm mentally unstable.
Best case scenario they return to live with me and the judge sees through his controlling behaviour and that he doesn't have the kids best interests at heart. Worst case scenario it stays as it is.
I suspect he has something else up his sleeve to throw at me tomorrow. Its clear he wants me to suffer as much as possible.

Sorry if this post doesn’t make a lot of sense. I’m still learning.
My Python knowledge is fairly limited, but regardless I’ve been messing around a bit with HuggingFace and creating little chat bot scripts with really low-end models that are available. However I’m extremely interested in Llama-7b. From the looks of it, I could run something comparable to gpt-3 locally.
My computer is pretty mediocre. Ryzen 5 3500, 16GB DDR4 3200mhz with a GTX 1650 Super 4GB. I’ve seen this model run on a Pixel 4 and Raspberry PI, obviously with differing results. At the end of the day I would like to see this running on my computer.
I’m reading all sorts of documentation and it’s not really clicking. There’s tons of different projects and I’m not sure exactly what I’m going for.
What I mean by “Python environment” is basically a way to run this model on my computer, then use Python to play around and add to it (for example, TTS). So when I see a bunch of different languages on github for certain projects, it doesn’t look appealing for my needs. What would I use? Pyllama?
Any help appreciated. I sort of need a ELI5 explanation.

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HAAAAA...

♪ Feel Good Inc. ♪
In 1999 a greasy cartoon character from Stoke-on-Trent, England had a dream: To become the most wealthy and famous musician in the world. His method of doing so, simple: make a deal with Beelzebub for his immortal soul. Doing so would set off a series of events which result in the formation of The Gorillaz, a defining staple of British pop, British punk, alternative, scene, and the music landscape in general, their misadventures spanning just about every medium and platform you could imagine.

Group Feats

• Survive being hit by two missiles, with enough force to wreck their ATV, charred and blackened but otherwise fine.
  
• In a straight drag race, the results go 1: Murdoc, 2: 2-D, 3: Noodle, 4: Russel.
  
• The band evidently owns a device that can turn thoughts into music, "good for sampling". This is what the song in question came out as.
  
• Were once turned giant for a Times Square performance.
  

2-D

Vocals and Keyboard
♪ Skinny Ape ♪
The pretty boy singer, Stuart "Stu-Pot" Pot (original family name Tusspot) had few ambitions in life and even fewer thoughts in his head. He had a knack for music, having worked in his family's music shop, but mostly he occupied his time with zombie movies. That is, until Murdoc Niccals crashed into his life. Literally, crashed a car through the music shop's window and smacked Stu with his front fender. Stu went into a coma, and Murdoc's punishment for the crime was community service, namely taking care of Stu's comatose body until he woke up. Murdoc proceeded exactly the way he'd been before his sentencing and a second car accident knocked Stu up out of his coma. After waking up, Murdoc found out the kid could sing, and so conscripted him into the band. He got the nickname 2-D from the 2 Dents in his head that Murdoc had left, and each accident had "fractured" an eye, leaving them both completely black, giving him a very characteristic inky gaze, even if there's nothing much going on behind it.
Physicals

• Able to dodge pool balls fired from mounted guns, for a while anyways, until they start landing and ground him.
  
• Walks a significant distance through the desert while carrying Noodle on his back.
  
• Gets run over by a bumper car.
  
• A flying car hits him square in the head, he survives but is made comatose, then some time later he's sent flying through a car's windshield at 70 miles an hour, skids on his face for half a mile, and this wakes him up. The only confirmed long-term effect of either of these incidents was that it "fractured" his eyes and "pushed [them] inward", giving them the distinctive all-black look.
  
• Survives a massive explosion that launches him out of a well.
  

Other

• Turns around one part of his body at a time.
  
• It's possible that his blackened eyes inhibit his vision, or at least are some contributing factor to his perpetual clumsiness.
  

Murdoc Niccals

Bass Guitar
♪ Clint Eastwood ♪
The bass player, frontman, and self-proclaimed band leader, Murdoc is a rockstar's rockstar. A greasy, slimy, sleazy, grimy, foul-smelling, foul-tempered, hedonistic, narcissistic, hard-drinking, chain-smoking, womanizing, hip-thrusting, bass licking, Satan-worshipping dirty rag of a human being. Murdoc was the one who came up with the idea of Gorillaz, the one who sold his soul to Satan to make the band a success, and the one who got them their first headquarters, Kong Studios. Despite his near non-stop abuse (only tempered very recently by a stunt involving a demon mobster, the snowy mountains of Patagonia, and a prison break that nearly killed him), Murdoc always contributes to the band's image, their finances, their resources, their security, and sometimes he helps them make music too.
Strength

• Dislocates 2-D's jaw with a single punch.
  
• Hit a man with his bass so hard it permanently imprinted the logo into his neck.
  
• Kicks a hole in a speaker.
  
• Throws a stereo through a tour bus skylight.
  
• Slices zombies in half with a large scythe.
  
• Tosses an indestructible watch hard enough to wreck a spaceship/car.
  
• Deflects pool balls fired from mounted guns with pelvic thrusts, using nothing but some light protective padding.
  

Physicals

• Gets dick grabbed and slammed into the ground by a zombie gorilla hand capable of busting through concrete. Later it seems like one struck him to the ground too, though he's not seen getting up from that either way.
  
• Jumps some dozen feet from a standstill.
  
• Narrowly avoids a fighter plane's machine gun fire, then survives a bomb falling in after him.
  
• Deftly avoids falling fireballs and shrapnel while driving.
  

Other

• Despite any appearance to the contrary, Murdoc is actually very devious and cunning, capable of manipulating those around him to work against their best interest, all while keeping a multi-layered plan to himself.
  
• Murdoc reportedly was the one who made Cyborg Noodle, using spare amounts of the original's DNA. No contradicting story has ever come along to dispute this.
  
• Levitates, seemingly through meditation.
  
• Has a voodoo doll of 2-D, though he could presumably make ones for others.
  
• Carries his own fragrance, Essence Murdoc, which is a substance so toxic that it causes a giant to violently explode when ingested.
  
• Escaped from a Mexican prison using a paper mache dummy and a recording of himself.
  
• Summoned a host of demons and pagan spirits via Satanic ritual while on tour.
  
• Knows some cool car tricks.
  
• Knows some cool piss tricks.
  

Noodle

Guitar and Misc.
♪ DARE ♪
The girl who would come to be named Noodle was raised in a secretive Japanese military division, one which sought to use child soldiers as the perfect infiltration and assassination operatives. Noodle, while trained broadly in the ways of combat, was specialized in the use of audio warfare. Her teacher, however, upon learning that the project was to be scrapped and the trainees to be eliminated, couldn't stand to see her killed, so he wiped her memories with a codephrase so they could be reactivated later and shipped her out in a FedEx box. She wound up on the doorstep of the Kong Studio the very day the band put out an ad for a guitar player (after Murdoc shagged her in one of the studio's bathroom stalls (while she was dating 2-D)), and she immediately passed the audition with flying colors and was added to the lineup. She was named after the only English word she knew at the time, and even after regaining her memories it's stuck. Since then she's become the most compassionate, thoughtful, and consciously concerned member of the band, seeking to use their fame and platform to help better the world.
Skill

• Has been trained in every martial art, including sonic warfare, can play every instrument, and was taught English (among, presumably, other languages), lip-reading, and mechanics.
  
• Sweeps an interviewers' feet out from under them before they can react.
  
• Fights off a group of cultists.
  
• Able to battle using a samurai sword, even while blindfolded.
  
• Leaps over Russel, snatches his wig and slaps him on the back of the head, then pulls his arms out from under him to ground him.
  
  • Contextually this is meant to take place in a video game, but A) there aren't many other instances shown of Noodle's martial prowess and B) even the game characters don't act like they're game characters.
  • In-universe this skit was acted out by the real Noodle and Russel.

Physicals

• Sends a zombie gorilla flying with a jumping bicycle kick.
  
• Lopped off a man's head with one swing of a katana. Though the person in question was a shapeshifter.
  
• Jumps 20 feet into the air after a guitar solo.
  
• Deflects energy weapon fire using an indestructible watch.
  
• Falls several stories from the gigantic Del's chest, then again when a footstep launches her back into the air.
  
• Able to avoid, largely through luck but partially through movement, being shot by two helicopters' machine guns.
  
• Outpaces the multi-story tall Del with continuous forward handsprings.
  

Other

• Packs a collapsible tommy gun while being pursued by pirates, capable of bringing down an older model fighter plane.
  
• Carries some kind of custom submachine gun with a grenade lobber attachment.
  
• Briefly used a flamethrower while clearing zombies out of Kong Studios.
  
• Was able to, through undetermined means, survive this devastating crash and the follow-up bombing.
  
• An accomplished racer, also possibly ran clean through an electrified fence to make it onto the track.
  
• Surprisingly good at chess.
  

Russel Hobbs

Drummer and Mixer
♪ Saturnz Barz ♪
Russel Hobbs was a hip-hop head growing up in New York, who, by strange happenstance, has been dogged by the legions of hell for most of his life. During one particularly tragic incident, he and his friends got caught up in a drive-by shooting, one which left Russel as the only survivor. However, the spirits of his dead friends were nearly immediately sucked into his skull, allowing them to live on through him, and also giving him their combined musical knowledge to make him a veritable encyclopedia on hip-hop and musical composition. Sent to live with his uncle to try and recover from the trauma in the English countryside, Russel was found and then literally gagged and bagged by Murdoc and taken to Kong Studios. And after listening to their demos, he was impressed, and agreed to join the band.
Physicals

• Holds up an alligator while it's in the process of swallowing 2-D.
  
• Shakes and snaps the boards of a pier by walking.
  
• Scratched so hard his records caught fire and melted.
  
• Knocks a punching bag out of the ceiling (after beating on it for a while).
  
• Even while only semi-conscious, helps Noodle fight off a group of cultists.
  

Other

• Russel is a natural conduit for supernatural enemies, making him prone to possession. As a teenager he was possessed by a demon that made him double in size and gave him the strength to throw around other kids.
  
• Russel owns the highly coveted Hip Hop Machine, a tower of equipment which contains every beat known to man, most existing kinds of studio equipment, and the ghosts of several legendary drummers.
  
• Russel actually designed and handbuilt the Geep.
  

Gigantism

• Eating tons upon tons of polluted ocean life and jetsam in his journey to Plastic Beach caused his to grow gigantic. This went away after some starvation, but,
  
• Even post-gigantism, can seemingly switch between the two sizes at will.
  
  • Shown here actively size-shifting.
• Lifts a lifeboat with Noodle inside on his head, seemingly without noticing.
  
• Snacks on giant sharks.
  
• Grabs a sperm whale out of the water and throws it to bring down a fighter plane.
  
• Survived being harpooned, though just barely.
  

Del

Guest Rapper
♪ Rock the House ♪
Russel's closest friend both before and after his tragic death, Del would stick around as a spirit possessing Russel's body, summoned from inside Russel's skull and returns just as easily, his effects disappearing with him. He was used frequently in their first album as a guest rapper. You can see from these examples that Russ spaces out whenever Del is summoned, as Del seemingly can't exist physically while Russel is conscious. In between Gorillaz and Demon Days, the Grim Reaper caught up with Russel and took Del into the afterlife.

• Stomps the ground to send a massive fracture running through it. Whether this was from pure strength or an effect of the summoning of the gravestones from hell is unclear.](https://imgur.com/a/hTGK5T2)
  
• Completely deflects pool balls fired from mounted guns with a still hand.
  
• Strikes with surprising speed, even when massive.
  
• Summons a horde of zombie gorillas, which are capable of busting through concrete.
  
• Being an intangible spirit, capable of easily shifting size.
  
  • Supposedly he grew to over 100 ft.

Cyborg Noodle

Backup Guitarist and Bodyguard
♪ Stylo ♪
After Noodle went missing and was presumed dead following a conspiracy surrounding the El Mañana video, a means to off one of the band's assailants after which she disappeared, Murdoc had an idea for a new album and, short of anyone to help him write or record, created a new guitarist and songwriter to play with him, especially on tour. So, using some remaining piece of Noodle's DNA in an unspecified capacity, he created a robotic duplicate, and decked her out with guns cause that'd be cool.

• Has a shotgun, and is perhaps too eager to use it.
  
• Packs a pair of uzis that tear apart a stone statue.
  
• Has a machine gun built right inside her mouth.
  
• Just generally has enough firepower to blow out a metal door.
  
• Able to still somewhat function with a hole going through her head and a large sea creature living in her body.
  

Ace

Backup Bassist
♪ Tranz ♪
Leader of the notorious criminal organization the Gangreen Gang, Ace was brought in to play bass for the band while Murdoc was incarcerated for unpaid parking tickets and attempting to bribe a judge to get out of it.

• Stabs through a basketball with a switchblade.

Vehicles

♪ 19-2000 ♪
The band have employed and spent millions on a number of different vehicles over their long career. As each has shown to be skilled drivers, any of them can effectively utilize the following.

• The Geep, an all-terrain vehicle with a high top speed and is equipped with a pair of missiles.
  
  • Runs fast enough to drive along a loop-de-loop and jump a wide gap.
  • Reportedly 180 mph speeds were required for the loop, and the gap is described as 200ft wide.
• An armored off-road truck. Interior here.
  
  • The truck in question was stolen from the Namibia military.
• Murdoc personally owns a Winnibego, mostly used for banging chicks.
  
  • Was used to bash a hole in the Kong Studios carpark, the hole in question seen here.
• Noodle personally owns a jetpack.
  
• Murdoc has a yak, named Madge, though she died a few years later.
  
• A Soviet-era submarine.
  
• A small, floating island with a windmill on it, capable of flying well above the cloudline (all told versions of events do state the island is or at least was owned by the band, and they do still have it).
  
  • Reportedly the island is hollowed out and filled with helium, requiring strings to keep it from floating away, though the story is immediately contradicted.
• The Charon, a 220 ft. titanium-based tour bus.
  
  • Buses in a later tour, not confirmed to be the same, could reach speeds of over 200 mph.
• The Stylo Camaro, with nitro. It can evidently transform itself into a shark-like submarine.
  
• A Ford Thunderbird.
  
• A "Fonda" motorcycle, dune buggy, and golf cart.
  
• Possibly scavenged during a zombie apocalypse are a rocket-powered motorcycle, a pickup truck with a mounted machine gun, and a fighter jet.
  
• An RV rigged up for space travel, possibly Murdoc's old Winnibego, that also puts new craters on the moon's surface by doing donuts.
  
• A rocket-powered racecar designed to quickly take them to another galaxy.
  

♪ Tomorrow Comes Today ♪