Astigmatism: Why a Post on How People with the Condition Perceive Lights went Viral

Astigmatism Light in The Internet is responsible for bringing us a great deal of entertaining content. These can range from trendy new dances that make their way into video games, unusual challenges (please stop eating Tide pods), and some truly out there conspiracy theories. We’ve seen everything from how aliens built the pyramids to supposedly haunted areas where grass won’t even grow because the location is haunted by a number of devils and demons. Of course, there’s even more conspiracy theories out there

There have also been images that have fried our brains, led to some intense arguments, and made us question reality. The images in question are of course the dress where people argued over whether or not it was black and blue or white and gold. Later came a shoe where people simply couldn’t agree on whether or not the shoe was blue and gray or pink and white.

The latest image to follow this trend happened when “Unusual Facts” shared a post on social media that shows how people with astigmatism perceive lights versus how normal people see lights:

According to the post, which first surfaced on Twitter, the image on the left is how people with astigmatism perceive lights whereas the one on the right is how normal people see the lights. Many with astigmatism symptoms were quick to chime in. “That’s exactly how I see lights! Nobody believes me!” “Yes! That’s how I see lights!” Others were convinced that the image on the left was how everyone saw lights. “I thought everyone saw lights that way. I had no idea.” Of course Unusual Facts was quick to point out that the image isn’t meant to be a formal diagnosis. This definitely hasn’t stopped people from self-diagnosing though.

What is astigmatism?

Astigmatism is a “refractive error” that causes the person to perceive objects as blurry. The culprit behind the blurry perception? An irregularly shaped cornea. The cornea is the front part of the eye and is transparent in nature. It’s also the curved lens that resides within your eye. As you can tell by the image above, those with astigmatism have a different shaped lens than those with normal vision. For those with normal vision, the eye has a lens and cornea that is round in nature, whereas in those with astigmatism, the cornea and lens are egg-shaped. Obviously, this will distort your view of the world around you.

Rounded corneas and lens will help focus and filter light rays directly onto the retina. This provides the sharp, clear image of lights and objects that those with normal vision (the right image featured above) see. However, light that comes through a cornea that is irregular in shape isn’t refracted or bent properly. This causes your vision to become blurry or distorted. It can also lead to headaches, itchy eyes, and eyestrain. This is because you’re having to focus harder and really work your eyes in order to see the things around you. Your brain can quickly become exhausted from the workload, which can lead to some serious headaches.

It’s often explained as going into a fun house that has all the mirrors that are different sizes and distort your perception. Sometimes you’re obnoxiously tall, others you’re shockingly short, and sometimes you’re much wider or thinner than usual. These heavily distorted views are what those with astigmatism struggle with daily.

While the specific cause of astigmatism isn’t known, many doctors believe that it is hereditary and with you from the time you’re born. Because it can increase or decrease over time, it can be difficult to diagnose. You may have had astigmatism at one point in your life and not known it because the condition has decreased significantly. Or you may feel as if you developed the condition overnight because it’s suddenly increased.

People are commonly born with astigmatism. They often don’t  realize that they see the world differently from others and consider their distorted view to be “normal.” Many with undiagnosed astigmatism insist that they thought that everyone else perceived the world, particularly lights, the same way they do. “What do you mean that not everyone sees the lights as streaky,” seems to be the comment sentiment of the people in the comment section.

However, you can also develop astigmatism after surgery or an eye injury. The surgery doesn’t even necessarily have to be something that directly related to your eyes in order to cause astigmatism either. Surgeries done to the face, head, and brain can all alter your vision but of course you’re at greater risk of developing astigmatism if your eyes have been operated on.

Eye injuries such as a sharp object penetrating your eye can also corrupt your cornea. The object can stretch and distort the fragile lens, forever altering your view of the world.

How is it diagnosed?

Astigmatism test is diagnosed via eye exam. A complete exam, however, will be needed in order to complete the formal diagnosis. In the test, the doctor will conduct a number of tests designed to check both your eye’s refraction and health. Checking the eye’s refraction will tell your doctor how your eyes bend light. Depending on how your eyes are bending the light will determine whether or not you have astigmatism.

The test isn’t painful, but many describe it as boring and uncomfortable. Various instruments are employed and some of them can be irritating. “I hate resting my chin on that cold metal bar while the doctor stares into my eyes, it sucks,” people have said about the exam. Others say they can’t help but tense up when they know the blast of air is coming right for their eye. “Is that really necessary? I hate that so much! I know it’s going to happen but it scares me every time.” And yes, that air test is necessary.

One of the primary tests that your doctor will conduct involves aiming bright lights directly into your eyes. You will view the lights through a series of lenses. This helps your doctor determine which lens will be best suited for your eyes. The light tests will help your doctor put together an accurate prescription that will provide you with clear vision via either eyeglasses or contacts.

How is it treated?

Like the bulk of all other eye conditions, astigmatism is corrected with the use of prescription glasses or contact lenses. These are the two most common forms of correcting the problem. The strength of your prescription will be solely dependent upon how bad your astigmatism is as well as a variety of other factors like your eye’s overall health.

For those with astigmatism, glasses and contacts aren’t the only solution to the problem. Lasik eye surgery can also correct the problem. And unlike glasses or contacts where you will need to go periodically to have your prescription adjusted because your eyes continue to worsen, Lasik is permanent. If the surgery takes, then you will be completely cured of your astigmatism, which means no more trips to the doctor.

Lasik eye surgery is expensive however and it’s not necessarily guaranteed to work. There aren’t very many risks associated with the surgery, but there’s a chance that the surgery might not take. This means that you’ve shelled out a lot of money for no rewards. As far as the risks involved, they’re actually quite low. In rare cases Lasik can worsen or cause astigmatism. The most common risk is dry eyes. This, however, is a temporary condition that corrects itself once the eye fully heals from the surgery. Under and over correction are also risks associated with the surgery but these are easily negated.

Another option is orthokeratology. This method involves fitting a number of rigid contact lenses over the eye in order to reshape the cornea. You’ll wear these fitted lenses for a short period of time before removing them. Typically, you’ll wear them at night and then remove them in the morning. There’s been a lot of success with this method and even those with moderate astigmatism have seen improvements. However, it is a temporary solution. Once you stop wearing the corrective lenses, your vision will return to its normal state.

What if you see lights both ways?

While many were quick to say they saw the image decisively one way or another, others chimed in asking “what if you see stuff both ways?” Many also said that they sometimes saw the streaky, blurred lights but in other situations, the lights appeared “normal.” Some suggested that their view of lights changes based on the time of the day and how many lights are present.

So what exactly does it mean if you see the world around you both ways? Well, simply put it could be mean that you have some level of astigmatism. Just like with all eye issues, there are varying degrees. Some people only need reading glasses a handful of times while others depend on their glasses just to find their way out of bed. The same can be said of people with some degree of astigmatism. You can see evidence of this in the following screen grabs:

Slight astigmatism versus full on astigmatism will determine how you see the lights around you and how often they appear distorted. For those with some level or degree of astigmatism, you’ll see streaky lights from time to time. However, slight astigmatism typically doesn’t require treatment and doesn’t usually affect/hinder vision significantly.

As to why they occur at various times is up for debate. Many suggest that the streaky lights typically occur when tired, stressed, etc. while others argue that it’s the time of day that affects your eyes the most. “Lights look so much brighter at night and because it’s dark, your eyes will see them as streakier. You’re straining a lot harder to see because it’s dark and your eyes are adjusted to the night, but there’s bright lights all around you.” However, many doctors suggest that this slight degree of astigmatism doesn’t require treatment unless it is severely hindering your vision and life.

Doctors also insist that most people have astigmatism in some degree or another. Because it often pairs with other conditions such as nearsightedness and farsightedness, chances are you’re already being treated for the condition without even knowing.

Why did this image create such a stir?

As suggested by the numerous comments and the fact that many can be born with astigmatism, the reason why this post went viral is clear: so many people didn’t even realize that seeing “halos” and “distortions” around lights wasn’t normal. Many just assumed that everyone in the world saw lights the way that they do as evidenced in the screen grabs below:

As you can tell, many people just assumed that the way they saw lights was how the whole world saw lights. Many also asked how this went on for so long without anyone knowing until an image went viral. “How you see lights isn’t something that comes up in everyday conversation. I’m not asking my buddy, ‘hey do the lights look streaky to you’ because I assume he sees the lights the same way I do. I have no reason to ask,” said one of the commenters. And they’re right; why would the topic of distorted lights come up if you assume that everyone around you is seeing the same thing?

Like the dress and shoes, it showed the world that people have different views of the world around them. We get so caught up believing that everyone perceives the world in the same ways as us that we often don’t realize that this isn’t the case. So when something like this comes along, it’s shocking and intriguing.

What are your thoughts?

We want to know whether or not you see the lights as streaky or “normal”. If you do see them as streaky, did you assume that everyone else around you perceived them in the same way or did you know that something was wrong? We also want to know whether or not you’ve been diagnosed with astigmatism if you do see streaky lights. If you haven’t been diagnosed, do you plan to go to the doctor? Let us know in the comment section below!

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Borderlands Fans Rejoice: Borderlands 3 is on its Way!

Borderlands game rumors have been floating around for a while that Gearbox has something Borderlands themed in the works. And arguably, this game was the worst kept secret in all of video game history. Leaks and rumors have been surfacing all over social media for some time now and the company has done little to dissuade the rumors. However, fans weren’t entirely sure exactly what was being developed; they just knew it had to be Borderlands themed.

And fans were right! Last week Gearbox made the official announcement that Borderlands 3 is on its way. This occurred at their panel at PAX East 2019. Here, they finally gave fans a little hint of what was to come. They showcased an elaborate announcer trailer for the game that left fans in awe. The colorful Borderlands 3 trailer is a brief overview of what’s to come in the game. Players saw new and returning characters, new planets, familiar areas, and a small selection of guns that will be available.

At first, the trailer was all we had to work with. It was a great trailer that showed a lot of upcoming features but it left all of us wanting more. Thankfully, Gearbox has stepped forward with a lot more information regarding the game. New details, including the game’s launch and platforms, have also been revealed alongside new screenshots and image comparisons that show the game then versus the game now.

Of course there is still a lot being left to our imaginations, but we’ll cover with you what we know so far. We also suggest heading over to YouTube to watch the official trailer that was introduced at PAX East if you haven’t seen it yet.

When will it be released and what platforms will be available on?

While Gearbox’s panel certainly answered a lot of questions at PAX East, it left just as many unanswered. The biggest one on everyone’s minds was: when is the game coming out? Gearbox was deflected the question numerous times or shrugged it off saying they’ll give more information regarding the release date as it becomes available. Luckily for us, we only had to wait a little over a week before Gearbox gave into its fans.

Shortly after PAX, Gearbox said it would make another announcement regarding the game on April 3. As promised, they delivered. The developers formally announced that the game would launch across all platforms on September 13^th. This means that Xbox One, PS4, and even PC gamers will be able to delve into Borderlands’ growing universe.

However for those who plan to purchase the game for PC, be advised that it will ONLY be available for download through the Epic Store. For those unfamiliar with Epic, it’s the growing rival to Steam. We think it’s a very bold move, pushing Steam and its platform out of the picture. After all, Steam has a large cult following and their store is where many of us go to purchase to our games. However, Gearbox is confident that not only is Epic the right choice for Borderlands 3, but that it’ll also help Epic grow as well.

Borderlands 3 will be also joining a slew of Epic exclusive titles as well: The Division 2, Control, Metro Exodus, as well as three Quantic Dream games. These are just a few of the exclusive titles held by Epic and with the addition of Borderlands, we can only expect those titles to grow.

However, Gearbox was quick to announce that the game won’t be a permanent exclusive title of Epic: “it will eventually come out on other PC stores in April 2020. However if you’re looking to pick up the game as soon as it drops, you’ll have to purchase it through Epic. Otherwise, you’re going to be waiting around 8 months to play the title,” said the publishers.

Many asked if Steam would be among these storefronts, but the developers were very ambiguous. Personally speaking, we feel like it would be a mistake to not include Steam on that list. After all, it’s one of the largest digital storefronts available currently.

What can we expect from the game?

Another important question that came up during both announcements was, “what can we expect from the game?” Developers were quick to chime in: “everything.”

And everything is right. Borderlands 3 will continue to follow the trends of its predecessors by offering fans an insane amount of ridiculous guns. Seriously if you’ve never played the franchise before, you’ll be blown away by the amount of weapons that the devs have stuck into the game. You could honestly use a different weapon every 30 minutes of gameplay and still not go through the entire arsenal. And we’re happy to see that this will be coming back.

Of course it wouldn’t be Borderlands without your choice of vehicles to cause mayhem and wreck shop with. Many that we’re already familiar with such as the Moon Buggy and Stingray will be returning. There of course will be a number of new vehicles that will come with the game, but for now, they’re largely being kept under wraps. “Fans will love what we have in store, trust us.” As far as flying vehicles, something that nearly everyone is talking about, remains a mystery. There are  number of blogs and YouTube videos dedicated to the speculation of whether or not air vehicles will become a part of the Borderlands 3 universe but it remains a mystery for now.

You can also expect the role-playing style storyline progression to remain. This is one of the things that defines and separates the game from others in the genre. “We wanted to great an RPG where people actually felt like they were a part of the world; like they actually felt as if they were their character. So many times in games you still see yourself as a separate entity from your character. With Borderlands, it’s different; you and your character are the same person. And of course we’re going to continue the storyline. Fans love the story of Borderlands and progressing through the line as they go. We wanted to make sure that this key feature stayed,” the developers said.

It’s more than just a revamped edition

Many fans were concerned that it was just going to be the same title, same story, but with better graphics. “I don’t want to drop $60 on a title I’ve already played through and own just for some better rendering,” said many fans.

And luckily for them and us, the game is going to sport a ton of new features that will draw both returning, veteran fans as well as newcomers into the game. Those that are new to the franchise will be able to dive headfirst into the beautifully rendered, captivating game while those that are returning to the series will find both new and old elements to rope them back in.

In addition to many memorable features coming back, the game is also introducing a plethora of new content as well. There will be four new playable characters for fans to choose from when deciding who to play. The image above is a Borderlands 3 leak of the four new characters and thanks to some dedicated folks, we now know more about them.

Moving from left to right, there’s the Siren, the Beastmaster, the Gunner, and last but not least the Assassin. The Beastmaster is completely new to the Borderlands universe. Like the name implies, he’s able to control various beasts in the game. Fans also learned that the Beastmaster is an android called Flak.

However, the Beastmaster isn’t the only new class in the game either. The Gunner is something that hasn’t existed in the realm until now. According to leaks, this badass will ride a mechanical bear into battle and we honestly can’t wait to get our hands on her.

As for the others, it’s not really a surprise since they’ve been in other Borderlands titles. However, they have been altered slightly to make them “fresh.” Those that choose Siren will primarily deal with melee weaponry and hand to hand combat. As far as those who choose the Assassin route, be prepared to have your choice of gadgets that will help you in battle.

In addition to the new characters, players will also be able to participate in what the developers are calling “seamless” co-op play. “So many times in co-op games it’s difficult to journey through the storyline together and the second person almost always feels left out. They often feel like just a side character that’s helping the main character progress through his or her storyline without getting much in return. We wanted to get rid of this. We want our audiences to feel that they’re equally important and just as involved as player one. There won’t be any choppiness to the co-op play either; it’ll all flow smoothly.” And honestly devs? We’re so on board with this. It sucks being the side character!

There will also be new worlds that fans will enjoy exploring. Pandora of course will remain, but you won’t be limited to just it as you have been in the past. Currently there isn’t any available information or theories regarding the planets (if you find any, please let us know in the comment section below so we can update this article).

“This is just the tip of the iceberg though as far as what we have planned for the game. Fans are going to lose their sh!t when they see all the features we have in store for them. Seriously, you guys are going to love it! We can’t reveal all of our secrets but trust us that it’s going to be good,” teased the devs. Thanks for hyping us up even more! Now we really can’t wait to play it.

Oh and there’s also going to be some hot new box art. Because it wouldn’t be a Borderlands title without some killer art.

Things we hope to see in the remastered version

Of course this is just a “personally” speaking list, but we’re sure that many fans will agree with the items we have listed. And as usual, if you have anything that you’d like to see make its way into this remastered version, feel free to let us know in the comment section below. In our excitement, we probably glossed over a lot of things!

Flying vehicles

Since we’re going to be visiting new planets and worlds, it makes sense that flying vehicles would make an appearance and to be honest, it’s something all of us fans have wanted ever since the game’s initial launch. According to leaks, flying vehicles will in fact be in the new game but it’s yet to be confirmed by the devs. All we can do is wait until the game’s release to see whether or not we will be having some truly epic air battles.

The 3^rd Act

During “The Evening at Gearbox” fans were devastated to learn that an entire act had been cut out of the first game. Why it was cut remains a mystery; developers have never confirmed or denied if it was a content issue or a time length issue. However, it does remain a fact that there’s a chunk missing from the game. Many fans feel like Borderlands 3 would be a good time to resurrect the missing act.

Handsome Jack come back!

It’s no secret that Handsome Jack has a cult like following. Of course there are those that absolutely hate the character and want him to be nothing more than a distant memory. However for us, we’d love to see him return in the remastered version. It would be nice to see a familiar smiling face. Rumors are circulating around that he is one of the characters that will be returning to the remastered version, but it remains unconfirmed by the devs.

The ageing of characters

Even though this is a remastered version, we’d like to see some of the characters as they’ve aged and evolved; particularly Tiny Tina. By now, she should be an adult and we’d love to see how she’s both aged and progressed. Of course we know this is definitely a point of contention for many as they want to see the original characters and reconnect with them as they remember, but we think it would be neat to see them as they’ve changed.

Are you excited for Borderlands 3?

We want to start off by asking the obvious: are you excited for the game? We also want to know whether you’re a veteran player of the franchise or somebody who’s new coming into the strange, marvelous world of this title. We’re also curious as to what you’d like to see from the game. Do you agree with the things we listed above that we’d like to see? Why or why not? Do you have your own suggestions of things that you would like to see implemented into the game? Let us know in the comment section below!

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It’s April Fools’ Day: Trust No One!

Whether you’re aware of the date on the calendar or not, today is April Fools’ Day; the day that us gullible folks fear the most. Today is the day when the Internet will be full of pranks and social media accounts will be flooded with hilarious jokes meant to trick people. Even our friends, family, and those closest to us will be going out of their way to try and fool us. You might also have some devious plans in mind to prank your friends and family. In other words, nobody is safe!

However, April Fools’ jokes are largely harmless. They’re meant to instill a quick laugh. Some are as innocuous as Blizzard posting “updates” for World of Warcraft that include changing “assassination” rogues to “sneaky stabby guy” because apparently their audience are children and can’t help themselves when it comes to shortening the assassination rogue title. Others are a little more elaborate in nature. BBC once tricked the nation into believing pasta actually grows on trees in Switzerland. They came out with a whole newscast and everything.

Regardless of how much time is spent coming up with the prank, one thing is for certain: April Fools’ Day will remain a tradition for centuries to come.

The origin of April Fools’ Day

Despite its popularity, the true origins of April Fools’ Day aren’t really known. We can trace its origins back, but there are multiple times in which April 1^st has been a day of pranks so the original date is unknown. We also can’t say for sure what prompted this day out of all of the others available to become the day of jokes.

Some believe that the original April Fools’ Day occurred in 1698, when people in London were tricked into venturing out to see “the Lions get washed.” Many received an invitation that read, “view the annual ceremony of White Lion Washing on Sunday April 1^st. No gratuities should be given to attendants or wardens and admittance is only available through the White Gate.” Ticket in hand, a large crowd gathered outside of the tower around noon in hopes of catching a glimpse of the white lions.  However, it quickly became clear that they had been pranked and the mass went home disappointed. The prank made national headlines.

Others argue that the original April Fools’ dates back to 1381. “You can see evidence of April Fools’ in Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales,” many scholars argue. In particular, they are referring to the passage in “The Nun’s Priest’s Tale” in which Chauntecleer is tricked by a fox on April 1^st. Chauntecleer is a proud rooster in the tale and he dreams of being tricked and eaten by a fox. When he confesses his dream to Pertelote, his favorite wife, she tells him that it is just a dream and not to worry about it. However, Chauntecleer is in fact confronted by a fox. The fox uses the proud rooster’s ego against him and asks him to “crow majestically, just as his father did.” Unable to resist, Chauntecleer does just that and is quickly snapped up by the fox. He eventually escapes, but not before he realizes that he has been tricked.

Other historians weigh in on the matter suggesting that April Fools’ Day dates back to 1582. At this time, France was switching to the Gregorian calendar, previously they had used the Julian calendar. Unfortunately, the news was slow to travel and the switch was failed to be recognized. The start of the new year was now January 1^st instead of the last week of March. People continued to celebrate the last week of March as the start of the new year and April 1^st became a day of hoaxes and jokes at the expense of those who messed up.

Pranks were played during this time and the most popular was to place a paper fish on the back of those that were deemed gullible. The fish was called “poisson d’avril’ or April fish and was meant to symbolize that the person was as easily caught as the fish.

Even corporations are getting in on the fun

April Fools’ pranks aren’t just limited to individuals looking for a laugh either; many corporations are getting in on the action and it’s hilarious. Each year, Blizzard puts together an elaborate video or section of upcoming “features/changes” that they’re making to the game. In the past, these have included all mobs aggroing from a significant distance when mining and some of the “patch notes” have even suggested removing certain classes altogether.

Google even got in the action and introduced an 8-bit version of their Google maps. Using this map system, you could find your destination in the same manner that you were able to find hidden artifacts in the Legends of Zelda or the first Mario games. Even though it was a prank, we gotta admit that we kind of hoped it would have been a feature that we could download and use.

Back when Romney and Santorum were running against each other, Forbes.com put up an article that stated that Romney had dropped out of the race and was no endorsing Santorum. Even though it was only up for half an hour, it shot to the top of Google News and spread through Twitter like wild fire. It was quickly pulled and a retraction was printed, but the damage was done.

The company behind Rock Band also decided to hop aboard the April Fools’ bandwagon. They posted an advertisement for their latest Rock Band game: a board game edition! Here, devoted fans could travel with their favorite game and play it on the go.

Hulu really upped the ante when they took everybody back to the 90s. In 2011, they took everyone back to April 1, 1996. The homepage was slow to load and they advertised  new episodes of NewsRadio, X-Files, and other shows that were popular around this time. And the best part? The refresh speed was that of the 1996 speeds.

Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin, announced in 2011 that he was going to buy Pluto for an amount hat would remain undisclosed. He said that in all of his years with the company that they’ve never owned a planet before. He hoped that this would expand their horizons. Many took him seriously, but others were quick to point out that the announcement took place on April 1^st.

Last minute pranks you can do yourself

For a lot of people, April Fools’ Day is one of those days that you spend months preparing for. It begins with researching some of the best pranks around and planning from there. Or perhaps you’ve come up with your own original idea that you’re sure will go down in the history books. You carefully plan for months and start the preparations for the prank. Then you execute it at precisely the right time and reap the rewards of having pranked your target. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but for some of us we’re all about last minute.

So whether you’re a last minute planner looking for something simple to prank your friends/family with or you completely forgot what day it was, we have a list of some awesome pranks that take hardly any setup and are sure to make you to laugh.

1. Mouse problems

This is one of the easiest pranks to pull. In fact, this has been on our fiancé’s mouse since early this morning. It’ll sit there until he gets home. For this prank, all you need to do is tape a piece of paper over the laser spot on your mouse. This presents the mouse from making a connection with the surface underneath it so it won’t work. You can also take it a step further by writing something hilarious on it.

2. A new Oreo flavor

This one is sure to prank your target! Simply scrape off the icing between the Oreo cookies and replace it with white toothpaste instead. If you’re worried about the minty smell attracting their attention, leave some of the icing behind and opt for a dollop of toothpaste in the middle. This is one surefire way to ruin “milk’s favorite cookie.”

3. Bombs away

If you’ve never seen the effects that Mentos has on Coke, then you’re in for a real (and messy) treat! Following the images above, all you have to do is install a Mentos into the cap and then wait for your soda-loving target to undo the cap. This will plop the candy into the drink and create an obnoxious amount of fizz!

4. Snake in the food

It’s no secret that a ton of people are afraid of snakes making this the perfect prank to try. You can slip a toy snake found in the children’s section of your local Wal-Mart into a pile of produce like above. Hang around closely because when someone goes to grab a head of lettuce, they’re going to freak out! You can also buy a cheap toy snake and hide it in your target’s clothes, food, or any other area that they frequent to give them a good scare.

5. Soap that won’t clean

This super simple prank is one of the most frustrating ones out there and we’re speaking from personal experience! Paint a bar of soap with clear nail polish, allow it to dry, and then leave it out for the victim to use. Regardless of how much they try to lather it up, the soap won’t foam. And because the clear nail polish blends perfectly with the soap, they won’t be able to tell that there’s something wrong with it.

6. Thirsty?

This one might look complicated, but we assure you that it’s easy to do. It’s a little difficult to explain, so we recommend doing a YouTube search on how to set it up. It’s hilarious to watch people struggle with trying to put the glass upright without making a mess.

You can also opt for the “coin in bottle” prank. This is another one that you’ll need to YouTube, but it’s hilarious. We’ve had great success with it in the past and we’re sure that you will too!

7. Chicken soup for the body

Putting a chicken or beef bullion cube into the showerhead is a super easy and hilarious prank to pull on your target. Once they turn the water on and get in, the bullion will start to melt, turning the water stream into a chicken broth. Even if your target has a tendency to let the water run for a good duration before getting in, bullion cubes have a long release time so don’t worry about the chicken broth running out anytime soon.

8. It doesn’t rub the lotion on its skin

Another simple but effective prank. Take your target’s lotion or shower gel and cover it with plastic wrap underneath the cap. You can also use tape. Cut the excess off and watch them try to use it and fail.

April Fools’ faux pas

Of course, not all April Fools’ pranks are created equal. Some go above and beyond while others are simple and instill a quick laugh. However regardless of how much time/effort you put into your prank, there is still a list of things that you should NEVER use as an April Fools’ joke. They’re wildly inappropriate and can cause harm. So steer clear of them and opt for something lighthearted instead.

1. I’m pregnant

Posting a picture of a positive pregnancy test on social media or sending it to your significant other/ex might seem like a funny idea, but it’s really not. Pregnancy will not only freak your loved one out, but if posted on social media, it can be a sore reminder to those who can’t get pregnant or have miscarried. Don’t be that person.

2. We’re breaking up

This is another one that isn’t cool to do. Not only does it cause a state of panic in your loved one, but they might also opt to not take you back after you reveal that it was a prank. Plus, nobody likes to be broken up with; even if it’s a joke so don’t do this.

3. I have an STD

This one is seriously not funny and while it probably goes without saying that you don’t want to pull this kind of prank, the fact that we’ve had it pulled us means that it belongs on the list. STD’s are serious things; they’re with you for the rest of your life and telling your significant other that they now have one is something that is life changing. It’ll completely freak them out and even when you callously yell “April Fools’”, you’ll be the only one laughing.

4. I am in the hospital/was in a wreck/seriously injured/etc.

Another popular prank that many thing is harmless is to post on social media or tell their loved ones that they’ve been seriously injured or involved in a wreck. “I’m in the hospital right now; please keep me in your thoughts” is NOT a post to be made on April Fools’. It’s inappropriate and can cause your friends and family to seriously worry about you. It’s not funny.

5. I cheated on you

Just like the breaking up prank, this is not something you want to do to your significant other. Cheating really hurts; regardless of how long you’ve been in the relationship. And we guarantee that if you use this one against your loved one, they won’t be laughing; even when you tell them it was just a joke.

Do you have any pranks in mind?

We want to know whether or not you have any pranks in the works. Is this day something you’ve been preparing for or are you more of a last minute pranker? Or perhaps you don’t join in on the festivities at all. Either way, let us know why you celebrate the holiday or why you don’t. We also want to hear about the best prank that you’ve pulled and the best one that you’ve had pulled on you. We also want to know whether or not people have pulled the faux pas pranks listed above on you and what your reaction to them were. Let us know in the comment section below and stay vigilant and alert dear readers!

The post It’s April Fools’ Day: Trust No One! appeared first on Ishli.com.

source https://ishli.com/its-april-fools-day-trust-no-one/

How to travel on a budget

Budget travel on the road expenses can really add up, so it is a good idea to have a budget in mind before you even set off. The last thing you want to do is run out of money half way round your trip. It is always a good idea to add a little extra to how much you think you will need to budget for your trip.

It really does not matter how carefully you think you have budgeted, there will always be little things that push your budget over the edge, that extra beer or dessert, that extra night in the fancy boutique hotel, that souvenir that you just know your mum will love when you get back home, all of these little things add up very quickly.

Travelling of course is flexible, some days you will be under budget, and others you will be over, but overall you will want them to roughly balance each other out.

One of the most common mistakes so many backpackers make is to under budget, sometimes quite significantly. So first of all you need to know what the primary costs are going to be when you are travelling, get rough ideas of accommodation costs, food costs, transport costs and extra things such as activities, and secondly you need to decide how exactly you want to travel.

Do you need, or want, to travel on an ultra budget, or can you afford a little bit more luxury? Decide which way of travelling suits you best, and budget accordingly.

Extreme budget travelling. Less than £10 GBP or $15 US a day.

This way is for the extreme hard core backpacker only, or for those with absolutely no money to their name. This will involve sleeping in the cheapest of hostels, camping for a lot of the time, having a travel partner to share costs with and even occasionally sleeping in airports or on overnight trains and coaches to save money on accommodation.

Travel will be local public transport only and in the lowest class available, basically the ones that most locals will be using, there is little room for comfort or amenities here.

Food will be bought at local markets and street stalls or maybe the odd family run cafe, and there will be very little — if any — room for excursions or activities unless they are free. Whilst this way of travelling does allow you to see a lot of the world for a much longer period, and many people who travel this way find that it opens up new avenues for adventure that they would never experience otherwise, it does limit you on where you can go and what you can do.

Travelling on an extreme budget is much easier in very cheap countries

such as Vietnam or parts of Africa for example, than it is in Europe, Japan or Singapore where you will find it almost impossible.

Budget travelling. £10 — £20 GBP or $20 — $35 US a day.

This is the traditional backpacker way and one that many long time backpackers are comfortable with. Many of the principles of extreme budgeting still apply, hostels and budget accommodation will still be the norm, street stalls and small family run cafe’s will be your staple source of food, and public transport will still be used widely. However, this way offers a little more flexibility and will allow you to enjoy your trip a lot more.

Most countries will be able to accommodate this budget to some degree, but you will find it much harder in places like Europe and Australia and will find that your budget doesn’t stretch to much. In certain parts of South and Central America, South East Asia and Africa you can live quite comfortably on this budget, sometimes very comfortably.

On average depending where you are, you will be able to stay in the occasional private room with en suite when the mood takes you, splurge on the occasional nice restaurant or enjoy a few alcoholic drinks, grab a taxi from time to time and enjoy a few activities along the way too.

Mid range budget travelling. £20 — £50 GBP or $30 — $80 US a day.

This way of backpacking is often termed flashpacking. It is still backpacking, just with a little more style and comfort. It involves many of the principles of budget travelling but allows you to stay in nicer boutique hotels, eat out in a wider range of restaurants, travel in more comfort by using first class public transport, taxi’s, or even hiring out a car on occasion.

Activities tend not to be as limited, and you will be able to incorporate a bit of scuba diving, getting your PADI certification, maybe doing an elephant trek or participating in fun activities that are impossible on a tighter budget.

Travelling in some of the cheaper regions such as SE Asia or parts of Central or South America for example can be extremely comfortable on this budget, sometime even downright luxurious, and more developed, and therefore expensive, countries such as Japan or Australia open themselves up to you.

This is often the budget category that you will find many professionals taking a career break using, or long term travellers who have gone back on the road after they have worked a bit more and can afford a few more luxuries than they used to be able to.

Luxury budget travelling. £60+ GBP or $70+ US a day.

Very few of us backpackers get to travel in this way, or at least not for long, and it is often suited to much shorter trips rather than extended hikes around the world. That is unless you are absolutely loaded of course.

This way of travelling usually means luxury hotels or spa resorts, fancy restaurants, hired cars, all the luxuries and mod cons you can want. £60 £100 GBP a day is an absolute minimum, the budget can of course soar to astronomical heights at this level.

The cost is not always completely out of a backpackers budget, if allowances are made for the odd splurge once in a while (perhaps spoiling yourself after a long trek or before flying home for example), then most backpackers can afford at least a few nights in accommodation at this level.

If travelling somewhere like Indonesia or Costa Rica for example, and your bartering skills are good, you can stay in amazing palaces for a few nights for comparatively very little. Staying in these luxury hotels does not mean you are not travelling independently anymore and are somehow now just a tourist, as these hotels are different from the package resorts you can get from travel agents and it is still possible to travel independently as a backpacker would with just a few concessions such as making reservations at hotels, but in style and with a lot of luxury.

The benefits of course are obvious, apart from saving yourself a small fortune on the commission that the travel agents add on to the cost of organizing your trip for you, comfort and luxury can be benefits in their own right. You will have nothing to worry about travelling in this way, and everything can and will be sorted for you, at a cost.

The downside to travelling exclusively in this way of course is that it can often shield you from the culture and the adventure that most backpackers revel in. The only locals you are likely to meet unless you venture out of the hotel are the porters and the hotels staff who are there to serve you. There is absolutely no right or wrong way to travel, how you travel is exactly up to you.

Many backpackers, and I include myself in this number, choose to travel via a combination of these ways.

I quite frequently move in between budget and midrange travelling as needed, quite often on the same trip, but I do count myself on the whole now as a predominantly midrange backpacker.

I have done my time in hostels and impromptu beach side camp sites around the world and still do from time to time, but now I am a little older and have a professional life to come back to, my trips are often in shorter bursts of a month or two and I can afford to splurge a little more. I do budget out of necessity and save money when I can, this allows me to extend my travels for as long as possible, but I also choose a little comfort where I can as well and do not deny myself experiences just to save money.

This is where you will need to discover what level of budgeting you are comfortable with, and to be honest a large part of that will only come with time and experience.

But if you budget a little more than you think you will need, travel within your budget at a level that is comfortable for you and allow for the odd splurge, then you will be able to backpack through any country or region very easily and comfortably. So now that you have an understanding of budgeting basics, what are the things that will crop up during your travels that you will need to budget for?

The post How to travel on a budget appeared first on Ishli.com.

source https://ishli.com/how-to-travel-on-a-budget/

Wow Air Grounds its Planes for Good, Leaving Passengers Stranded

When it comes to flying, it’s typically a positive experience. Sure, it sucks having to get there so long before your scheduled flight and the baggage check/security checks are annoying, but overall it’s a pretty easy experience. You can kill time waiting in the shops, drinking an overpriced margarita, or having a meal at one of the many airline restaurants. And the security checks move quickly.

The absolute worst-case scenarios involved with flying are that your flight gets delayed or your baggage gets lost. They’re minor inconveniences but what we’re getting at is that you know you’re going to make it to your destination one way or another. Even if inclement weather keeps you from landing right away or your plane is temporarily grounded, you know that you’ll get to where you going. You’re only getting left behind if YOU miss YOUR flight; the plane doesn’t just leave its passengers behind. You also don’t have to worry about being stranded in the way that cruisers are if they don’t make it back to the boat in time. There’s always another plane from the airline that can take you to where you’re going.

Unfortunately for Wow Air’s passengers, they were left stranded with no other options.

Ceasing its operations

For those unfamiliar with the company, Wow Air is an Icelandic budget carrier. Its affordability lured many passengers in; after all, flights to Iceland are incredibly expensive. On average, you’re looking of $1,000 and upwards. Wow Air offered flights to and from the same locations for a fraction of that cost, making them incredibly attractive to passengers.

Wow Air was founded in 2011 and became synonymous with affordable trans-Atlantic flights via Iceland. It’s one of many Nordic airline that were responsible for driving down ticket prices with their no-frills service. It’s also a drop in the pool as far as airlines that have suffered problems in the aviation industry. There is a lot of competition and the business models are constantly shifting, leaving the others to adapt or fall behind. Primera Air, who was similar in nature to Wow Air, just closed its doors in October of 2018. February 2019 saw German airline Germania close their doors as well after filing for bankruptcy. British airline Flybmi also grounded its planes.

Unfortunately, the company has not only ceased its operations entirely, but they’ve canceled all of their flights. This has left many stranded on both ends of the Atlantic Ocean. For those who are traveling home from Iceland, they’re stuck trying to find alternative ways of getting back. Others were stuck on the other end of the ocean trying to find a way back to their home in Iceland. And doing so of course isn’t going to be cheap.

On Thursday, the airline announced the closure of their company in a statement that they posted to their website. In the announcement, they told passengers that they needed to book new flights on different airlines. This meant a series of serious inconveniences and headaches for all of those involved. Not only do you have to find a new plane company to take you home, but you’re at the mercy of their flight times. If one isn’t leaving soon, then you’re stuck for a bit. This means either waiting it out or having to fork over more cash for another night in a hotel if the flights are that staggered.

The company did announce that some of its passengers may be eligible for compensation, but that still doesn’t excuse the inconvenience. “A warning would have been nice,” said one of the passengers, “You don’t expect to go on vacation and be stuck there because your airline company suddenly closes its doors. They could have warned us when we were booking our flights that they were ceasing their operations. Now I’m stuck trying to find a hotel to stay the night in and I had to tell my boss that I would be late coming back. The compensation only goes so far, you know?”

Permanently grounded

It’s no secret that the airline company was struggling to stay afloat. Wow Air CEO Skuli Mogensen told RUV, an Icelandic state broadcaster, that he had been dealing with negotiations to save his company. These negotiations were still going on in the early hours of Thursday in Iceland. Mogensen was confident that there was a deal to be struck and many other passengers felt just as confident.

“We really thought we would get an investment deal, it just made sense that we would get one,” Mogensen said to RUV. “We’ve been very open and transparent with our passengers since the beginning, but we didn’t get an investment.”

Despite Mogensen’s alleged transparency, many passengers argue that they didn’t know how poorly the airline company was doing. “I didn’t even know they were struggling! If I had, I certainly would have booked elsewhere,” said one of the frustrated passengers. Others echoed her sentiment, “no one told us just how bad they were off financially. When you hear that a company is looking for an investment but they’re still putting people on flights, you assume everything is okay. You don’t expect the company to shut its doors and leave you stranded somewhere.” Others asked, “if they knew there were in this much danger, why did they even let us on the planes?”

Mogensen confirmed at least 1,000 passengers were affected by his decision. The number is expected to be much, much higher though but remains undisclosed. The CEO also told the press that he didn’t have an exact number when it came to the tickets that had been sold. “I don’t know the exact numbers of figures. I know it’s upward of 1,000 passengers that have been affected, but we don’t know exactly how many,” Mogensen said.

“I am truly sorry to those who have been affected by this decision. It was never my intention to leave anyone stranded or inconvenienced. You guys have supported us and I am sorry to let you down. However, we simply cannot fly if we don’t have an investment. Thank you all for your support and understanding. I’m sorry we haven’t be able to honor our commitments,” said Mogensen.

So as of Thursday, March 28, 2019, Wow Air is no longer in business and their aircraft has been permanently grounded.

Utter chaos

Unsurprisingly, Wow Air’s decision left many of their airports in a state of utter chaos. With the announcement made so quick and unexpectedly, people were scrambling to figure out how they were going to get back home or to their vacation destination. Panic was quick to ensue and of course tempers were at a record high.

Saurabh Aggarwal, who had intended to fly to Reykjavik from Toronto described the airport as being in a state of sheer chaos. “We were given information that was conflicting. It was really, really confusing. Before the flight was officially canceled at 10:55 p.m. Wednesday, we were told that it would be delayed by a few hours. Later, we were told that it would be on time. We were all really confused. Which one was accurate? Which one do we believe?”

In addition to the confusion and inconvenience of being stranded, Aggarwal told the press something even more shocking. “We weren’t given any sort of accommodation and we didn’t get any refunds either. Where was I supposed to go and why did I need to book a hotel on my own dime? This wasn’t my fault! And then to not refund us for the canceled flights? It’s salt in the wound.” Aggarwal’s story isn’t unique either; many passengers claim that they were also denied accommodations and refunds. “If we wanted to stay somewhere other than the airport floor or chair, we would have to pay for it ourselves. How is that right,” asked others.

“We were all really scared and frustrated. We asked several times for our baggage but we were either ignored or dismissed. You have my money and I’m stuck at the airport with no accommodation being offered to me, now you don’t know where my belongings are? We also asked numerous times what was going on and for more information but we were denied that too. It was a state of confusion and panic,” Aggarwal said to CNN. Eventually, bags were returned to their owners, but nobody was offered a refund or a hotel stay for their troubles. “Guess we’re camping out on the floor,” said one passenger.

Everyone was left in a state of confusion. No answers were provided and the passengers couldn’t figure out what was going on. How long were they stuck? Was this temporary? Did they need to find another airline? Unfortunately, they wouldn’t get any answers until Thursday morning. This meant spending the night at the airport in complete confusion. “I got an email on Thursday morning from Wow Air. The email said that they had closed their operations and that all of their flights were canceled. That was all the email said; it didn’t tell us where we would go to get our money back nor did they offer us anything for our troubles. Sure, they apologized but apologies only go so far,” Aggarwal said.

Others took to social media to rip the airline company apart for its lack of communication. “We literally just found out that the company tanked,” Jonathan Koo tweeted while he was holed up at Newark Liberty Airport, “they couldn’t even tell us directly! We had to find out what had happened from Reddit and Twitter! What kind of company does that?” Others were quick to respond to the tweet as well as share it. Their sentiments were the same; the company had definitely screwed them over.

Another passenger talked about the chaos that ensued at the gates while he was waiting in Newark for a flight out. Photos of the crowds also began to make their way around social media.

@Wendlingmike also took to Twitter to voice his frustrations with the company:

“20 minutes before we’re supposed to board and @wowairsupport completely cancels it! While we’re all trying to figure out what we’re going to do, we get an email saying the flight is still happening, it’s just been delayed until 9 pm. But all of the crew has left because the flight was canceled, so who’s going to fly the plane at 9 pm? We’re literally getting our updates from some random guy in the crowd of people and also from Twitter and Reddit. Sad that the company responsible won’t even keep us informed.”

The aftermath

Once the news began to spread of Wow Air’s closing, other airlines stepped up. EasyJet, Icelandair, Wizz Air, Norwegian Air, and XL Airways were just a few of the companies to offer lower rates to that those had been stranded. However, these offers came after many disgruntled passengers had already spent the night on the airport floor in a state of confusion. “It’s nice of them to step up, but it sucks that it’s come so late. It’s not the other airlines’ fault; Wow Air closed so unexpectedly. We didn’t even know what was going on for the most part! And we understand that the other companies have to make money, but I’ve already paid for a flight home. Why do I have to pay again? Even reduced these airfare costs aren’t cheap,” said one of the passengers.

As far as compensation goes, it’s up the air no pun intended. The airline CEO said that passengers who booked through European travel agents as part of a packaged tour would be protected. Those with travel insurance can also file for compensation. But what about the other passengers who were left stranded?

Wow Air said that it MIGHT pay compensation. “Compensation would be in accordance with the Air Passenger Rights that were put in place,” said Wow Air’s CEO. According to this regular, if an airline declares bankruptcy, passengers can make a claim to get reimbursed. They will have to go through the liquidator or administrator however in order to get paid.

Alex Spence, who was one of the passengers left stranded by the airline company when she was due to fly back to Toronto after a stay in Berlin, said that she wasn’t warned ahead of time from the airline. “They just sort of closed and we were left in the dark. Now I have to find a last-minute flight to take me home and that’s going to be expensive,” lamented Spence. “But the worst part? Wow hasn’t even reached out to us! We only know what’s going on thanks to social media.” Alex Spence, like many others, was forced to shell out more money for a return trip after already spending a good chunk on the initial flight that was canceled. And because she now has to stay in a hotel an extra night while she makes other accommodations, she’s spending a small fortune on something that isn’t her fault.

What are your thoughts?

We’d like to know what you would do in this situation. Would you seek alternative flights? How would you react to the news? We also want to know what you think about the passengers’ claims. Do you believe that Wow Air never reached out and they were forced to rely on sources like Twitter and Reddit for news? Do you believe that they were denied accommodation and reimbursement? Or do you believe that in a panic, people have overlooked emails like the one a passenger claims to have received from the airline company? Let us know in the comments below and make sure to research your airline company before hopping aboard!

The post Wow Air Grounds its Planes for Good, Leaving Passengers Stranded appeared first on Ishli.com.

source https://ishli.com/wow-air-grounds-its-planes-for-good-leaving-passengers-stranded/

Diane Downs: A Different Breed of “Mom”

“Diane is the kind of woman who slit your throat then have a peaceful lunch next to your dead body. She wouldn’t even think twice about it or feel a touch of remorse,” Doug Welch, a Lane County detective, told Inside Edition back in 1989.

And for those of you who aren’t familiar with Diane Downs, this statement is right on the money. The woman was incredibly cruel and nothing shy of evil; the crimes she committed were something out of a gruesome horror novel. She attempted to kill all three of her children in order to be with a lover who didn’t like children. They were “obstacles” that were in the way preventing her from being with the man of her dreams. And what do you do with obstacles? Well, you remove them from your path. And in the case of Diane Downs, her children paid the price of “being in the way.”

Of course, there are those, including Diane Downs herself, who argue that she had nothing to do with the death of one of her children as well as the attempted murders on her other children. Despite compelling evidence, Diane maintains her innocence. In light of a documentary releasing soon regarding the woman, we decided to explore both her and her crimes in depth.

Diane Downs, the hopeful mother

Diane Downs seemed like the perfect candidate to be a mother. It was something that she always wanted out of life. She told Inside Edition in 1989 in its first ever episode, that she “wanted nothing more than to have children and to be the perfect mother to them.” Chilling words considering what she actually did to them.

In 1973, Diane married Steve Downs. She was only 17 at the time, but the couple was very much in love. “It felt right; we loved each other unconditionally. This was meant to be,” she said. It wasn’t long before Diane became pregnant either. She was thrilled, but Steve was anything but when she told him that she was pregnant.

In her interview, Diane confessed that Steve was extremely bitter about her pregnancy. “I wasn’t allowed to get pregnant and I did without permission,” Diane lamented. “I’m not going to say that I was forbidden by Steve to get pregnant, but I didn’t consult him first. I wanted children so I decided to get pregnant without seeking his permission first. I knew it would upset him, but I couldn’t help myself. I wanted to be a mother so badly.”

Even though Steve seemed like anything less than the model parent, he argued that it was actually Diane who was the bad parent. He told Inside Edition that Diane was horrible and that she treated the kids like complete garbage. He told Inside Edition that he had always been fair and living to the children; something that Diane wasn’t. “I was good father to the kids. They loved me. They lived in fear of Diane, but they loved being around me.”

During this time, Diane and Steve were parents to Christie and Cheryl. Steve was confident that this was as big as his family would get. For Diane, she wanted more. She’d always dreamed of a big family. “Once again, I took it upon myself to get pregnant without Steve’s permission. I knew he’d be mad, but I wanted one more child. And since he was careful around me because of Christine and Cheryl, I had to get pregnant by someone else.” When Steve found out Diane was pregnant with Danny, who was actually the result of Diane’s affair, Steve was done. He divorced Diane shortly after the birth of Danny.

The divorce rocked Diane hard, but she had her family to help her get through the tough times. She started working as a letter carrier for the local post office. Here, she met and began a relationship with Robert Knickerbocker. Robert was married at the time and was Diane’s co-worker. But as they say, love finds a way.

According to Diane, Robert was not a family man. He despised children and Diane had not one but three of them. If she was to be with Robert, then the kids couldn’t be in the picture. Prosecutors said, “she was desperate to have Robert in her life; so desperate that she decided to off her own children.”

The children were no longer seen as bundles of joy that Diane had wanted for all of her life; instead, they became burdens or “obstacles” that separated her from Robert Knickerbocker. There was no way he’d ever be with her as long as she had the children.

However, Robert maintains that the two did not have a relationship. He insisted that Diane was stalking him, sending him letters all the time, which he either mailed back or threw away. “I didn’t open any of them,” he told authorities. Diane said, however, that Robert had told her that he was leaving his wife for her and that they would be together forever.

Something out of a horror movie

May 19, 1983: Diane Downs took herself and her three young children to Springfield, Oregon’s emergency room. All four of them had suffered gunshot wounds courtesy of a “bushy-haired man” who had attempted to car jack her on an empty stretch of road. Downs claimed she was lucky to escape with just a gunshot wound to the arm, but her children weren’t as lucky. The perp had shot her children indiscriminately as well. Upon arriving, Cheryl, who was the middle child and only 7 at the time, was dead. The other two, Christie was 8 and Danny who was just 3, were barely clinging to life.

When Diane showed up at the hospital with her three children in tote, the scene looked like something out of a horror movie. One child was already dead, and the others were barely alive. Diane had also been shot and her arm was bleeding profusely. Everybody was in a state of panic and medical staff rushed to save the remaining children’s lives as well as to tend to Diane’s wounds.

However as police and the world would later come to find out, the events that transpired were much, much worse.

Luckily, Christie survived the incident. She was asked to testify in court against her mother. It was her testimony that would ultimately seal the deal so to speak and land Diane behind bars.

Christine told a much different story than Diane had. She alleged that they were driving as a family down a desolate road. At some point, Diane simply pulled over and stopped the car. The children were incredibly confused. Diane then got out of the car and made her way to the trunk. She reached in and grabbed a gun. Christie said that they couldn’t see what Diane got out of the trunk originally, but they quickly learned. Diane made her way to the backseat where she stuck the gun inside the window and shot the children. Christie doesn’t remember her mother shooting herself because they were all in a state of panic, but authorities believe that Diane shot herself in the arm shortly after she shot the children.

Things felt “off” at the hospital for authorizes and medical staff

When Diane arrived at the hospital with her children, authorities and medical staff both felt like something was really off. For starters, Diane was extremely calm; especially given her story of how someone tried to carjack her. “She should have been a state of panic, especially since one of her children was dead and the other two were barely alive. You’d expect someone to be a complete mess given her alibi. However, she was eerily calm and detached from the whole thing.” This prompted authorities to attempt to dig a little deeper.

When investigators began questioning Diane, her story changed. At first, Diane told authorities that the man was a stranger. She later said that the man called her by name. Despite the clear evidence that her story changed drastically, she denied that she had ever changed her account. Obviously, this was a huge red flag for authorities.

In addition to the faulty story, the investigators noted that things were “missing” such as physical clues. For starters, there wasn’t a blood spatter on the exterior or interior of the car on the driver’s side. If she had been shot during an attempted car jacking, then there were would definitely be blood in these areas.

There was no other evidence to support her story either. No foreign handprints, etc. What police did find, however, was a .22 caliber pistol in Downs’s possession. This was the same model used to shoot the kids. Both Steve and Robert told authorities that Diane indeed owned the gun in question. Diane, however, neglected to disclose this information to investigators.

“From the moment this began, it was nothing but wrong,” Doug Welch said. “This woman had little to no concern about the welfare of her children. She was cold, detached, and it was clear that she was preoccupied with other things. When your children’s lives are in danger and you’ve just been shot yourself, you aren’t thinking of anything else other than what’s going on in that present moment.”

Due to compelling evidence and her shoddy story, Downs was arrested. She was charged with both murder and attempted murder. After all, one of the children had lost their lives at Diane’s hand. Investigators theorized that Diane wanted to be rid of her kids so that she could be with Robert Knickerbocker. “The only way she could do this as far as she was concerned was to kill them,” said authorities.

When Diane was arrested, she was actually pregnant. The child wasn’t Steve’s or Robert’s. This child however was spared the cruelty of having Diane for a mother and was put up for adoption.

Authorities and the press accused Diane of getting pregnant in an effort to manipulate the public’s opinion. “If she was pregnant, people would look at her differently. They would say, ‘how can a woman who loves being a mother and loves kids so much do this to her children?’,” Jaegar said to 20/20.

Diane of course disputes this.

“I didn’t get pregnant for anyone but myself. I love children and I missed my children so much. I will never see Cheryl again for as long as I live. And I know you can’t replace kids, but you can replicate the effects that they have on you. Kids bring joy to their parents’ lives. They give stability, love, satisfaction, and a reason to both live and be happy. That’s gone. It was taken from me, but children are easy to conceive.”

Diane is sentenced to life in prison

In 1984, Diane was convicted of her crimes and she was sentenced to life in prison. She remains there still to this day and will be there for the rest of her life.

However, Diane didn’t stay in prison for long. Just three years after being put behind bars, the mother made her escape. She climbed the barbed wire fencing and was on the run. She later told authorities and curious press members that she was “looking for the bushy-haired stranger.” She was found just eleven days after her escape. Police found her hiding in the home of the husband of a cellmate.

Inside Edition questioned her about her escape in 1989. She told them, “I wanted revenge so badly for what he’s done to me and my family. I want to kill him. I want to do obscene, horrible things to his body. He ruined my life and the lives of my children. It’s not fair that he gets to live!”

Steve never believed that there was a “bushy-haired man” and that this is all just a ploy to get the world to feel sorry for her. “There are so many people that she destroyed and she doesn’t feel one ounce of regret for it,” Steve told Inside Edition. “She doesn’t regret any of this! She destroyed our children. She ruined them! I don’t think she understands the gravity of her crimes and I don’t think she will ever come to grips with what she’s done. Those three children were innocent and she wrecked them. Completely wrecked them. There’s no recovering for that.”

Upcoming documentary on Diane Downs

Despite overwhelming evidence and her conviction, Downs continues to maintain her innocence to this day. Her story will appear on this week’s 20/20, an ABC original. You can catch the documentary at 9 p.m. eastern time on Friday, March 22, 2019. The documentary promises new material and will headline Diane’s plea of innocence.

“Everyone accuses me of being guilty of murdering my children. They ask why I haven’t shown any remorse but what would it matter? I could sit in here and cry all day and lament but that proves nothing. People are still going to think that I did it. And I can’t just be who I’m not; I can’t be anyone other than myself. And it’s just not me to sit here and cry,” Diane said back in 1989.

“Nobody has to believe me. I know I’m innocent and I can sit here with a clear, free conscience knowing I didn’t shoot my children.” Her sentiment two decades later still hasn’t changed; she still maintains that she’s innocent. And she’s hoping that this documentary will help persuade people.

What are your thoughts?

For starters, we want to know whether or not you think Diane Downs is innocent or guilty. Do you believe she killed her kids or that there was a bushy-haired stranger responsible? Why or why not? We also want to know whether or not you’ll be watching the documentary on her. Let us know in the comment section below!

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