Welcome to a new feature called Eye on the Right, tracking right wing extremism and attempts to hold them accountable.
EDIT: ADDED A TLDR IN PINNED COMMENT
Housekeeping:

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Threats and Security

The Department of Homeland Security released a warning that the nation continues to be threatened by “violent domestic extremists...emboldened” by the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. The bulletin is a noticeable departure from those issued by the Trump administration, which consistently sought to downplay the danger posed by right-wing agitators.

“Information suggests that some ideologically-motivated violent extremists with objections to the exercise of governmental authority and the presidential transition, as well as other perceived grievances fueled by false narratives, could continue to mobilize to incite or commit violence... Long-standing racial and ethnic tension—including opposition to immigration—has driven [domestic violent extremist] attacks, including a 2019 shooting in El Paso, Texas that killed 23 people. DHS is concerned these same drivers to violence will remain through early 2021…

Lawmakers have continued to face threats since Biden’s inauguration, mainly posted online and including plots to attack Congressional members during travel to and from the Capitol during the impeachment trial. A group of 32 lawmakers sent a letter to House Speaker Pelosi and Minority Leader McCarthy on Wednesday requesting more flexibility for using their congressional allowances to further secure their district offices. The letter, led by Rep Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Dean Phillips (D-MN), was also signed by Rep. Fred Upton of Michigan, one of the 10 Republicans who voted to impeach Trump a second time.

"Most Members spend the majority of their time in their Congressional Districts where security is often sparse," the lawmakers write. "Protecting Members in their District is much harder because local law enforcement agencies are stretched and limited, and often don’t have sufficient staffing or money to provide regular protection to Members."

On Friday, acting House Sergeant at Arms Timothy Blodgett advised lawmakers that he created an online portal for House members to make local law enforcement aware of their travel. The Capitol Police will also maintain an increased presence at D.C.-area airports and train stations during times lawmakers travel.

The Defense Department committed approximately 5,000 National Guard troops to remain in D.C. for the foreseeable future. Concurrently, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has requested 500 D.C. National Guard members remain through March 12 for the upcoming impeachment trial. She asked for the troops to be unarmed but equipped with crowd control measures like shields and batons.

Numerous states have ordered their state’s contingent of National Guard back from D.C., including those from Florida, Texas, and Utah. Gov. DeSantis (R-FL) and Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) complained that the troops were vetted prior to the inauguration, with the former calling it “totally inappropriate” and “disrespectful.”

Security officials are also concerned about potential unrest on or around March 4, which is when QAnon conspiracists believe Trump will be inaugurated again. “We are not going to allow any surprises again,” said one Guard member. Others are questioning why their deployments were extended, complaining about the lack of information and the unusual predicament of guarding the Capitol as military members.
Acting chief of the U.S. Capitol Police Yogananda Pittman testified before the House Appropriations Committee on Tuesday, apologizing for the “failings” that contributed to the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. She cited miscommunication, a lack of less-than-lethal weapons, and insufficient manpower. Others who testified at the closed-door hearing included acting D.C. police chief Robert J. Contee III, former Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy, D.C. National Guard Maj. Gen. William Walker, and various law enforcement representatives.

Contee estimated that 850 D.C. police officers were deployed to the Capitol, with 250 assigned to the surrounding area, costing about $8.8 million in the week after the insurrection.
Contee said he was “stunned at the tepid response from Department of the Army, which was reluctant to send the D.C. National Guard to the Capitol” that day.
McCarthy blamed the slow approval of National Guard backup on the lack of intelligence beforehand. “The response time and effectiveness could be greatly improved with a clear, predetermined command and control structure, authorities, rehearsals and integrated plans, and a shared understanding of intelligence assessments of the threat,” McCarthy said.
Acting House sergeant at arms Timothy Blodgett admitted that “there was a failure of preparation,” but strangely boasted that due to the actions of his office and Capitol Police, “every Member and House staff went home without death or serious injury.” Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL) responded after the hearing, saying in an interview that no dead or maimed lawmakers was “a pretty low bar.”

In an interview earlier this week, D.C. National Guard Maj. Gen. William Walker said that Pentagon officials restricted his authority to act autonomously prior to the Jan. 6 attack. The restrictions placed on Walker delayed the arrival of troops to assist Capitol officers. Walker was unable to even call up the 40 soldiers on standby without approval from former Army secretary Ryan McCarthy and former acting defense secretary Christopher C. Miller.

Had he not been restricted, Walker said he could have dispatched members of the D.C. Guard sooner. Asked how quickly troops could have reached the Capitol, which is two miles from the D.C. Guard headquarters at the Armory, Walker said, “With all deliberate speed — I mean, they’re right down the street.”

However, Walker also stated that former Chief of Capitol Police Steven Sund failed to submit a formal request for assistance:

“All he said was, ‘If I call you, will you be able to help?’ ” Walker said. “And I said, ‘Yes, but I need permission. So send a formal request,’ and I never got it, until after the fact.”
The request came, but only at 1:49 p.m. the day of the attempted insurrection. Sund called Walker to say rioters were about to breach the building and the Capitol Police would soon request urgent backup.

“I told him I had to get permission from the secretary of the Army and I would send him all available guardsmen but as soon as I got permission to do so,” Walker said. “I sent a message to the leadership of the Army, letting them know the request that I had received from Chief Sund.”

Extremists involvement

Three members of the Oath Keepers were indicted on a multitude of charges including conspiracy, obstructing an official proceeding, destruction of government property, and unlawful entry on restricted building or grounds. The DOJ’s case is the first evidence of planning among a militia group ahead of the Jan. 6 attack to be filed in court.
Jessica Watkins, 38 from Ohio, Donovan Ray Crowl, 50 from Ohio, and Thomas Caldwell, 65 from Virginia, allegedly began soliciting recruits and coordinating the invasion of the Capitol in November. All three are former military. Caldwell, a retired Navy lieutenant commander, acted as a leader of the operation and organized most of the logistics involved in training and bussing dozens of recruits to D.C. According to the indictment, he recommended a particular hotel because it offered a good base to “hunt at night.”

In a 15-page indictment unsealed Wednesday, prosecutors revealed new allegations, accusing Watkins of contacting recruits on Nov. 9, six days after the election, for a “Basic Training” camp outside Columbus, Ohio, in early January so they would be “fighting fit by innaugeration [sic].” ...Crowl, a former Marine mechanic, attended a training camp in December in North Carolina, while Caldwell hosted Watkins in Northern Virginia

During the insurrection, the three joined other Oath Keepers in communicating on the walkie-talkie app Zello. The FBI obtained recordings of some of the transmissions, such as Watkins stating, “We have a good group. We have about 30-40 of us. We are sticking together and sticking to the plan.”

Watkins posted photos of herself, and with Crowl, on her Parler account and captioned a photo by stating, “Me before forcing entry into the Capitol Building. #stopthesteal2 #stormthecapitol #oathkeepers #ohiomilitia.” Subsequently, she posted a video of herself inside the Capitol captioned, “Yeah. We stormed the Capitol today. Teargassed, the whole, 9. Pushed our way into the Rotunda. Made it into the Senate even. The news is lying (even Fox) about the Historical Events we created today.”

A New York Times investigation has visually located ten other Oath Keepers who accompanied Crowl and Watkins into the Capitol building on Jan. 6. The group can be seen on video from the day marching up the stairs in a military-esque line. Furthermore, following the insurrection, all ten “gathered around the Oath Keepers’ leader, Stewart Rhodes, just 70 feet from the building.”

The Justice Department also indicted two Proud Boys members with conspiracy to interfere with law enforcement, civil disorder, unlawfully entering restricted buildings, and disorderly conduct. Unlike his co-defendant William Pepe (31 y.o. From NY), Dominic Pezzola (43 y.o. From NY) faces a slew of other charges including robbery of personal property of the United States, assaulting or resisting officers, destruction of government property, and physical violence.

It is alleged that Pezzola and Pepe took...actions to remove temporary metal barricades erected by the Capitol Police for the purpose of controlling access to the Capitol Grounds... It is further alleged that Pezzola confronted a Capitol Police officer attempting to control the crowd and ripped away the officer’s riot shield, while the officer was physically engaging with individuals who had gathered unlawfully in the west plaza of the Capitol. Pezzola can be seen on video that has been widely distributed, using that riot shield to smash a window at the U.S. Capitol.

After locating and arresting Pezzola, FBI agents searched his home. They found a thumb drive containing “detailed instructions for making homemade firearms, poisons, and/or explosives.” Prosecutors are asking the court to keep Pezzola in detention until trial, citing his “willingness to attempt to go off the grid” and the “serious danger” he poses to the community.

According to an analysis by CNN, at least eight rioters charged so far are affiliated with the Proud Boys. It is likely more will be charged as investigations develop.
Wall Street Journal Video Investigation: Proud Boys Were Key Instigators in Capitol Riot (not paywalled)

Republican connections

Republican members of Congress have their own links to extremist groups who took part in the insurrection.
According to the New York Times, Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) visited a chapter of the Oath Keepers “a few years” ago and told the group that we’re already in the midst of a civil war, “we just haven’t started shooting at each other yet.” The leader of Stop the Steal claimed Gosar and fellow Arizona Republican Rep. Andy Biggs helped plan and organize Trump’s Jan. 6 rally. Both Gosar and Biggs reportedly sought pardons for their roles in the insurrection from Trump but did not receive them.
Freshman Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) has a history of associating with the Three Percenters, which also had members present in the Capitol on Jan. 6. One of those charged last week, Robert Gieswein, runs a paramilitary training group in Boebert’s home state.

Before the attack, Gieswein gave a media interview in which he echoed anti-Semitic conspiracy theories, the affidavit said, and said his message to Congress was “that they need to get the corrupt politicians out of office. Pelosi, the Clintons . . . every single one of them, Biden, Kamala.”

Another Three Percenter from Texas, Guy Reffitt, was arrested for his part in storming the Capitol - after he allegedly threatened to shoot his children if they turned him in. “If you turn me in, you’re a traitor and you know what happens to traitors … traitors get shot,” his wife recounted to FBI agents.
In December 2019, Boebert posed with members of the Three Percenters in front of the Colorado state Capitol. The year before, Gieswein himself posed in front of Boebert’s Shooters Grill holding a rifle with others flashing the Three Percenters hand gesture. A Colorado chapter of the extremist group even provided security for a campaign event in July 2020, claiming her campaign invited them.
Following the assault on the Michigan capitol by in 2020, Boebert was asked about her thoughts on citizens carrying guns while protesting government actions:

Reporter: Gun-toting militia members in Michigan just stormed the state capitol (on April 30) and unsuccessfully demanded access to the floor of the legislature. Some lawmakers said they were intimidated by the show of firepower. Was that appropriate?

In a preview of events to come, Boebert replied “I don’t see why they’re not allowed to” enter a “public building like that with a firearm.”
More recently, Boebert and other Republicans have made a spectacle over the newly-installed metal detectors to enter the House floor. Some House Republicans threw temper tantrums and berated the very Capitol Police officers who had protected them during the insurrection just days earlier.

“Horse shit!” shouted Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.). “Bullshit!”
“You are creating a problem you do not understand the ramifications of!” Rep. Steve Womack (R-Ark.) warned Capitol Police officers.
“You can’t stop me, I’m on my way to a vote,” said Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas), walking around the magnetometer outside the House chamber.
Rep. Russ Fulcher (R-Idaho) just pushed his way through. He went through the metal detector and set it off, shoved an officer out of his way and walked into the House.

Huffington Post’s Matt Fuller made note of the lawmakers who disregarded the new security measures: Reps. Randy Weber (Texas), Richard Hudson (N.C.), Ralph Norman (S.C.), Scott Perry (Pa.), Jeff Duncan (S.C.), Bob Gibbs (Ohio), Bob Latta (Ohio), Garret Graves (La.), Markwayne Mullin (Okla.), Virginia Foxx (N.C.), Paul Gosar (Ariz.), Bill Huizenga (Mich.), Alex Mooney (W.Va.), Larry Bucshon (Ind.), Debbie Lesko (Ariz.), and Rep. Lauren Boebert (Colo.).
Boebert went a step farther than others, engineering a standoff with guards asking to check her handbag for weapons before entering the building. It is not clear if her bag was ultimately searched but she was allowed entry. She later tweeted: “I am legally permitted to carry my firearm in Washington, D.C., and within the Capitol complex. Metal detectors outside of the House would not have stopped the violence we saw last week — it’s just another political stunt by Speaker (Nancy) Pelosi.”
Following the Republican insubordination, Speaker Pelosi instituted a new rule to impose fines - $5,000 fine for a first offense and $10,000 fine for a second - on lawmakers who refuse to pass through the metal detectors.
While firearms are banned on the House floor, a 1967 regulation exempts members of Congress from a federal law prohibiting guns on the Capitol grounds. Boebert has vociferously objected to the House rule, declaring two days before the insurrection that she “will carry [her] firearm in D.C. and in Congress” to stand up for Second Amendment rights.
It is not known if she ever followed through with carrying a gun onto the House floor in violation of the rules. We do know, however, that at least one Republican member implied he was armed on the floor and at least one attempted to bring a gun through the metal detectors.
Freshman Rep. Madison Cawthorne (R-NC) told a local news outlet that he “was armed” during the insurrection while on the House floor. Hours earlier, Cawthorne spoke to the crowd that rioted in support of Donald Trump: "My friends, I encourage you, continue to make your voice heard, because, do we love Donald Trump?" Cawthorn said.
During the second day of metal detectors in the House, Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) set off the alarms while trying to enter with a concealed gun on his side. Capitol Police did not permit him entry, so Harris tried to persuade fellow Republica Rep. John Katko of New York to take the gun from him. Katko refused, telling Harris he didn’t have a license to carry a gun. Ultimately, Harris left and returned to successfully pass through the detectors.

The Capitol Police are investigating the incident. Additionally, government watchdog The Campaign for Accountability requested a federal investigation into whether Harris broke the law by possessing a weapon not registered in D.C. A spokesperson for Harris said the congressman has a Maryland handgun permit, but did not say if he has registered a gun in D.C.

On Thursday, Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA) and Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA) filed legislation to ban members from carrying guns on Capitol grounds, even in their offices. Speier said the No Congressional Gun Loophole Act is necessary because “the existing exemption for Representatives increases the risk of gun violence for Members, staff, and the public.”

Marjorie Taylor Greene

And now we get to freshman Rep. Majorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), who really could take up an entire post. I’ll keep each point short and provide links for further information.
Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO) announced that she is moving her office after a heated altercation with Marjorie Taylor Greene (hereafter referred to as “MTG”) apparently sparked by the latter’s refusal to wear a mask in the Capitol. "A maskless Marjorie Taylor Greene & her staff berated me in a hallway. She targeted me & others on social media. I'm moving my office away from hers for my team's safety" Bush tweeted Friday.

Bush: "I moved my office because I'm here to do a job for the people of St. Louis. They deserve that. And what I cannot do is continue to look over my shoulder wondering if a white supremacist in Congress by the name of Marjorie Taylor Greene or anyone else, cause there are others, that they are doing something or conspiring against us."

In videos published during her campaign - but recorded in years prior - MTG espouses a multitude of racist ideas:

[She] suggested that Muslims do not belong in government; thinks black people “are held slaves to the Democratic Party”; called George Soros, a Jewish Democratic megadonor, a Nazi; and said she would feel “proud” to see a Confederate monument if she were black because it symbolizes progress made since the Civil War.

In 2019, MTG promoted a conspiracy theory that Ruth Bader Ginsburg had been replaced by a body double in public - part of a QAnon conspiracy that RBG was secretly/dead or incapacitated.
In social media posts from 2018 and 2019, MTG interacted with others calling for the deaths of prominent Democrats, including Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. In Jan. 2019, she liked a Facebook comment that said "a bullet to the head would be quicker" to remove House Speaker Pelosi from office.
MTG wrote on Facebook that the Camp Fire - California’s deadliest and most destructive wildfire - was caused by “lasers” from “space solar generators” run by the Rothschilds.
In 2018, MTG endorsed a deranged conspiracy from the fringes of QAnon that Hillary Clinton murdered a child during a satanic ritual.
MTG called both the Parkland School shooting and Sandy Hook massacre “false flag” operations intended to tighten gun control. She later went on to attack Parkland survivor David Hogg, calling him a coward.
Within a month of the first Q post on 4chan in 2017, MTG began posting videos calling him a “patriot” and publishing articles endorsing the conspiracy.
In 2017, MTG wrote an article and posted a video explaining that she believed the Las Vegas mass shooting was a government-orchestrated plan to strip away Second Amendment rights.

Frequently see 529 Plan questions here. Here's a quick guide.

Do you have kids? Are there children in your life? Were you once a child? If you plan on helping pay for a child’s future education, then you’ll benefit from this complete guide to 529 plans. We’ll cover every detail of 529 plans, from the what/when/why basics to the more complex tax implications and investing ideas.

What is a 529 Plan?

The 529 college savings plan is a tax-advantaged investment account meant specifically for education expenses. As of the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (in 2017), 529 plans can be used for college costs, K-12 public school costs, or private and/or religious school tuition. If you will ever need to pay for your children’s education, then 529 plans are for you.
529 plans are named in a similar fashion as the famous 401(k). That is, the name comes from the specific U.S. tax code where the plan was written into law. It’s in Section 529 of Internal Revenue Code 26. Wow—that’s boring!
But it turns out that 529 plans are strange amalgam of federal rules and state rules. Let’s start breaking that down.

Tax Advantages

Taxes are important! 529 college savings plans provide tax advantages in a manner similar to Roth accounts (i.e. different than traditional 401(k) accounts). In a 529 plan, you pay all your normal taxes today. Your contributions to the 529 plan, therefore, are made with after-tax dollars.
Any investment you make within your 529 plan is then allowed to grow tax-free. Future withdrawals—used for qualified education expenses—are also tax-free. Pay now, save later.
But wait! Those are just the federal income tax benefits. Many individual states offer state tax benefits to people participating in 529 plans. As of this writing, 34 states and Washington D.C. offer these benefits. Of the 16 states not participating, nine of those don’t have any state income tax. The seven remaining states—California, Delaware, Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, New Jersey, and North Carolina—all have state income taxes, yet do not offer income tax benefits to their 529 plan participants. Boo!
This makes 529 plans an oddity. There’s a Federal-level tax advantage that applies to everyone. And then there might be a state-level tax advantage depending on which state you use to setup your plan.

Two Types of 529 Plans

The most common 529 plan is the college savings program. The less common 529 is the prepaid tuition program.
The savings program can be thought of as a parallel to common retirement investing accounts. A person can put money into their 529 plan today. They can invest that money in a few different ways (details further in the article). At a later date, they can then use the full value of their account at any eligible institution—in state or out of state. The value of their 529 plan will be dependent on their investing choices and how those investments perform.
The prepaid program is a little different. This plan is only offered by certain states (currently only 10 are accepting new applicants) and even by some individual colleges/universities. The prepaid program permits citizens to buy tuition credits at today’s tuition rates. Those credits can then be used in the future at in-state universities. However, using these credits outside of the state they were bought in can result in not getting full value.
You don’t choose investments in the prepaid program. You just buy credit’s today that can be redeemed in the future.
The savings program is universal, flexible, and grows based on your investments.
The prepaid program is not offered everywhere, works best at in-state universities, and grows based on how quickly tuition is changing (i.e. the difference between today’s tuition rate and the future tuition rate when you use the credit.)
Example: a prepaid credit would have cost ~$13,000 for one year of tuition in 2000. That credit would have been worth ~$24,000 of value if usd in 2018. (Source)

What are “Qualified Education Expenses?”

You can only spend your 529 plan dollars on “qualified education expenses.” Turns out, just about anything associated with education costs can be paid for using 529 plan funds. Qualified education expenses include:

Tuition
Fees
Books
Supplies
Room and board (as long as the beneficiary attends school at least half-time). Off-campus housing is even covered, as long as it’s less than on-campus housing.

Student loans and student loan interest were added to this list in 2019, but there’s a lifetime limit of $10,000 per person.

How Do You “Invest” Your 529 Plan Funds?

529 savings plans do more that save. Their real power is as a college investment plan. So, how can you “invest” this tax-advantaged money?
There’s a two-part answer to how your 529 plan funds are invested. The first part is that only savings plans can be invested, not prepaid plans. The second part is that it depends on what state you’re in.
For example, let’s look at my state: New York. It offers both age-based options and individual portfolios.
The age-based option places your 529 plan on one of three tracks: aggressive, moderate, or conservative. As your child ages, the portfolio will automatically re-balance based on the track you’ve chosen.
The aggressive option will hold more stocks for longer into your child’s life—higher risk, higher rewards. The conservative option will skew towards bonds and short-term reserves. In all cases, the goal is to provide some level of growth in early years, and some level of stability in later years.
The individual portfolios are similar to the age-based option, but do not automatically re-balance. There are aggressive and conservative and middle-ground choices. Thankfully, you can move funds from one portfolio to another up to twice per year. This allowed rebalancing is how you can achieve the correct risk posture.

Advantages & Disadvantages of Using a 529 Plan

The advantages of using the 529 as a college investing plan are clear. First, there’s the tax-advantaged nature of it, likely saving you tens of thousands of dollars. Another benefit is the aforementioned ease of investing using a low-maintenance, age-based investing accounts. Most states offer them.
Other advantages include the high maximum contribution limit (ranging by state, from a low of $235K to a high of $529K), the reasonable financial aid treatment, and, of course, the flexibility.
If your child doesn’t end up using their 529 plan, you can transfer it to another relative. If you don’t like your state’s 529 offering, you can open an account in a different state. You can even use your 529 plan to pay for primary education at a private school or a religious school.
But the 529 plan isn’t perfect. There are disadvantages too.
For example, the prepaid 529 plan involves a considerable up-front cost—in the realm of $100,000 over four years. That’s a lot of money. Also, your proactive saving today ends up affecting your child’s financial aid package in the future. It feels a bit like a punishment for being responsible. That ain’t right!
Of course, a 529 plan is not a normal investing account. If you don’t use the money for educational purposes, you will face a penalty. And if you want to hand-pick your 529 investments? Well, you can’t do that. Similar to many 401(k) programs, your state’s 529 program probably only offers a few different fund choices.

529 Plan FAQ

Here are some of the most common questions about 529 education savings plans. And I even provide answers!
How do I open a 529 plan?
Virtually all states now have online portals that allow you to open 529 plans from the comfort of your home. A few online forms and email messages is all it takes.
Can I contribute to someone else’s 529?
You sure can! If you have a niece or nephew or grandchild or simply a friend, you can make a third-party contribution to their 529 plan. You don’t have to be their parent, their relative, or the person who opened the account.
Investing in someone else’s knowledge is a terrific gift.
Does a 529 plan affect financial aid?
Short answer: yes, but it’s better than how many other assets affect financial aid.
Longer answer: yes, having a 529 plan will likely reduce the amount of financial aid a student receives. The first $10,000 in a 529 plan is not part of the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) equation. It’s not “counted against you.” After that $10,000, remaining 529 plan funds are counted in the EFC equation, but cap at 5.46% of the parental assets (many other assets are capped higher, e.g. at 20%).
Similarly, 529 plan distributions are not included in the “base year income” calculations in the FAFSA application. This is another benefit in terms of financial aid.
Finally, 529 plan funds owned by non-parents (e.g. grandparents) are not part of the FAFSA EFC equation. This is great! The downside occurs when the non-parent actually withdraws the funds on behalf of the student. At that time, 50% of those funds count as “student income,” thus lowering the student’s eligibility for aid.
Are there contribution limits?
Kinda sorta. It’s a little complicated.
There is no official annual contribution limit into a 529 plan. But, you should know that 529 contributions are considered “completed gifts” in federal tax law, and that those gifts are capped at $15,000 per year in 2020 and 2021.
After $15,000 of contributions in one year, the remainder must be reported to the IRS against the taxpayer’s (not the student’s) lifetime estate and gift tax exemption.
Additionally, each state has the option of limiting the total 529 plan balances for a particular beneficiary. My state (NY) caps this limit at $520,000. That’s easily high enough to pay for 4 years of college at current prices.
Another state-based limit involves how much income tax savings a contributor can claim per year. In New York, for example, only the first $5,000 (or $10,000 if a married couple) are eligible for income tax savings.
Can I use my state’s 529 plan in another state? Do I need to create 529 plans in multiple states?
Yes, you can use your state’s 529 plan in another state. And mostly likely no, you do not need to create 529 plans in multiple states.
First, I recommend scrolling up to the savings program vs. prepaid program description. Savings programs are universal and transferrable. My 529 savings plan could pay for tuition in any other state, and even some other countries.
But prepaid tuition accounts typically have limitations in how they transfer. Prepaid accounts typically apply in full to in-state, state-sponsored schools. They might not apply in full to out-of-state and/or private schools.
What if my kid is Lebron James and doesn’t go to college? Can I get my money back?
It’s a great question. And the answer is yes, there are multiple ways to recoup your money if the beneficiary doesn’t end up using it for education savings.
First, you can avoid all penalties by changing the beneficiary of the funds. You can switch to another qualifying family member. Instead of paying for Lebron’s college, you can switch those funds to his siblings, to a future grandchild, or even to yourself (if you wanted to go back to school).
What if you just want you money back? The contributions that you initially made come back to you tax-free and penalty-free. After all, you already paid taxes on those. Any earnings you’ve made on those contributions are subject to normal income tax, and then a 10% federal penalty tax.
The 10% penalty is waived in certain situations, such as the beneficiary receiving a tax-free scholarship or attending a U.S. military academy.
And remember those state income tax breaks we discussed earlier? Those tax breaks might get recaptured (oh no!) if you end up taking non-qualified distributions from your 529 plan.
Long story short: try to the keep the funds in a 529 plan, especially is someone in your family might benefit from them someday. Otherwise, you’ll pay some taxes and penalties.

That's it! Hope it helped!

Edit: since a couple have messaged me... This is my site. I publish every Friday. Cheers.

[Table] I just set the Guinness World Record for longest distance swim in the ocean on a single breath. I also hold the record for longest freedive under ice on a single breath in speedos and can hold my breath for 22 minutes. Ask me anything! (pt 1/2)

Source
Rows in table: ~90
Note: There may be a few instances of confusion where the question-taker replied to the wrong comment

Questions	Answers
How much did you have to pay Guinness World Records to accept the record? You always hear that they effectively make money off of charging people for records and I'm curious how it worked for you.	Hi there - a normal record takes 12 weeks for pre-approval, but now with Covid has gone up to 16 weeks. I paid for Express pre-approval and believe it was around 700 USD. Same for final approval of the record (it is a lot of paperwork, files and proof and must be ratified by the GWR Record Approval Team. Price for Express Approval is about the same (or it will take 16 weeks). But you can do all records for free if you have all the time in the world. The process is still the same. In my case we needed an Appointed AIDA Freediving Instructor Trainer and various permits for the Marine Park in La Paz, Mexico. The project took about 2 months to set up with all from rescue boat planning, logistics, rope measurement, First-Aid Kit, Safety divers training, Captains drills, evac boat and much more. Drone pilots, test dives and so on. We had great help from Cortez Expeditions in La Paz (a local dive and expedition center) but you can also do all this alone.
Do holding your breath for long periods of time in many years causes permanent/temporary brain damage ?	This is a question that I get a lot - and the short answer is no. The reason why is because the body has several defense mechanisms in place that would prevent damage from occurring when holding your breath voluntarily.
	When you do a breath hold of 3 minutes long, you are not in any danger of damaging your brain, as while you hold your breath plenty of oxygen circulates in your body, even though the concentration slowly declines during the breath hold.
	For the first few minutes, there likely will still be over 90% oxygen in your blood. Damage to the brain due to a lack of oxygen occurs only when the oxygen concentration drops under 50% for 4 minutes or longer, or if the blood flow to the brain is blocked (e.g. blood clot or heart attack).
	Technically, it is a lack of oxygen that does the damage, but a voluntary breath hold will not create this situation. If you learn to push past the contractions of the diaphragm and reach a nirvana like state, the worst possible scenario is a blackout. This is why I strongly advise against doing breath holds in water while alone - to prevent drowning.
	It's puzzling that even some doctors and medical professionals are confused by this and state that if you hold your breath for a few minutes you are killing braincells. It's simply not the case.
What's your training regimen for holding your breath?	You know what - I'll let you in on a sneak peak. ;) I have recorded my last physical workout before the training and uploaded it to my channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsjVPF3NN3Y
	It is a combination of physical training, endurance training and lung flexibility training. Note: I also had to swim for this record.
	BUT the most important part of your training is to learn to STAY RELAXED. I have mastered this as I have been doing this for years, but if you are just starting, you want your mind to go quiet, and imagine a very pleasurable memory so you can stay in the zone and not focus on the clock.
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What is your memory here? (hopefully this isn't too personal a question).	It is not necessarily the same memory. It can be thinking about my old home town Aalborg. Biking up a steep hill with my brother. My sweet grandmother that passed away this year. Go with whatever flows as a positive memory and then focus on living that memory during your breath hold.
Is jumping in icy water comfortable for you now? Or do you still get the shock us normal mortals have?	haha - brilliant question. YES, when I have not trained my body and mind for a while I also get the chills;) But of course I have experience and use my slow breathing to stay calm and in control. However, I just lived nearly 3 months in beautiful warm La Paz, Mexico (training for The 2020 Dive/New Official Guinness World Record) - so coming back to Denmark has been a cold experience...haha - But love the cold dips....so refreshing...try it out;)
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Warm-La paz. Jesus as a Mexican those are the coldest water in Mexico,(The entire peninsula that is), I cant tolerate anything less than cancun.	Must go an see Cancun/Tulum soon...Love Mexico and the people - hope to be back soon for more training and adventures (and ceviche and guacamole;).....jejejejejejeje
Thoughts on Wim Hof? You seem to be in a similar profession :)	I think what he does is very interesting. Cold exposure is a great way to step out of your comfort zone.
	As long as it is done safely, I definitely recommend people to experiment with it.
	There are multiple ways that lead to Rome, and I urge everyone to keep an open mind. Try out what works for you.
	The framework that I created, Breatheology, combines various breathing techniques, including hyperventilation/deep breathing, but also many other ways of breathing.
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Also Wim also swam under a frozen lake in just a Speedo. Not to any significant depth but he did.	That is true - In 2010 we had an Ince Winter in Denmark so I trained and beat the Wim Hof record: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_y8TeORDTY
	Then beat my own record (again) a few years later in Greenland - it is still the current Guinness World Record - maybe a good challenge for you;) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-Mr1RV3Qxc&t=8s
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I saw that. His actual eyeballs froze and he couldn’t see the hole in the ice he was supposed to swim out of. His. Eyeballs. Froze. Edit: https://conradmagazine.com/interview-daredevil-adventurer-iceman-wim-hof/ There’s a video too where he talks about it. I think it was on Stan Lee’s Superhumans.	Here from Denmark - the dive to beat Wim Hof back in 2010 - but my eye balls did not freeze (but my spine was cold - to the "bone" and I had senseless fingers for a year or two after a times;) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_y8TeORDTY
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Terrifying!	Ice diving can be beautiful: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-Mr1RV3Qxc&t=8s
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People not diving into frozen lakes in just speedos is such a weird claim. In Sweden we chop up a hole in the ice and jump in, often naked. Everyone from kids to grannies :P	It is common practice in Denmark too :D (plus I am half Swedish) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JKvSVFHlPY
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we saw your butt	Sorry about that - in Denmark we all swim nakes together - men and women...natural...viking style;)
What do you mean you can hold your breath for 22 minutes? Are you part whale?	Hi there - The 22 min. was the official Guinness World Record - on this category you pre-oxygenize with 100% pure Oxygen. You can read more on the GWR webiste. All humans share The Mammalian Dive Response (MDR) and can learn to hold our breath longer, relax deeper and stay calm in stressful situations.
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I’d watch David Blaine's Ted talk on holding his breath underwater, he goes pretty in depth about how it’s possible.	Yes, David Blaine did a strong performance - big respect, especially considering he is not a professional/experienced freediver. He had great coaching from Kirk Krack & Team . It is not as easy as it looks on live TV. Funny sidenote - a few years ago David Blaine and Lenny Kravits were playing cards and having drinks with a friend of mine in New York - and David Blaine send a text to congratulate me on the 22 min. Guinness World Record;) Pretty cool dude;)
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Kirk and his team are incredible; they are working on Avatar 2 now. We're proud of them!	They do great work, indeed.....trained with Kirk MAAAAAAANY years back in the Norwegian fiords;) Saw him recently....still going strong;)
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It was one of the most interesting TED talks I've ever seen too, still in my memory from ~2 years ago when I watched it	Indeed - many details on his training and fears to overcome. As I mentioned above - A funny sidenote - a few years ago David Blaine and Lenny Kravits were playing cards and having drinks with a friend of mine in New York - and David Blaine send a text to congratulate me on the 22 min. Guinness World Record;) Pretty cool dude;)
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While 22 minutes is ridiculous, that's in freezing water after breathing 100% O2. His air record is a "mere" 8 minutes 40 seconds, if you want something to compare yourself to.	Yes, very correct...now more likely 9-10 min in training - but about half the time - this is correct. There are many disciplins and styles in freediving. Mainly about length, time and depth.
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Do you have any tips for people who want to practice increasing their Lung capacity?	Absolutely - and you CAN increase your lung capacity (contrary to what most doctors/books will tell you) - and you can increase your respiratory capacity. I have written an entire book about it and created The Breatheology Method - merging Modern Science, Ancient Wisdom & Peak Performance - to use in a simple and hectic world - find more info here and feel free to share: https://www.breatheology.com/
	There are many ways to start to get great improvement if you are currently get out of breath fast.
	Breathe through the nose. Not only do the nose hairs clean the air, nitrogen oxide is created when breathing through the nose which helps the blood vessels expand. (See also here)
	Swimming also helps, as the natural resistance of the water exercises all of your respiratory muscles.
	Yoga and breath training exercises that train the diaphragm, the main breathing muscles, are key.
	You can also use breath resistance trainers (where you blow in a piece of equipment and increase the resistance as it gets easier).
	Good luck :)
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Hold your breath until you can't. Repeat. Only next time do a lil more.	Pretty good and simple tip - do it 3-4 times in a row - but never alone in water - full free course here: https://www.breatheology.com/breath-hold-challenge/
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Does it feel noticeably different doing the 100% oxygen in cold water vs air in warm water?	The dives are done in normal temperature - not ice! Here is one dive of 22 min - I know it says icy water somewhere - some journalist must have misunderstood deeply;) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqERqQj-ozc&list=LLBwjNsXVJH9hNuYmkfRA0_g&index=1596
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Yes you can go about twice as long	Can you? Are you guessing or have you actually done this/experimented with your own body. If so that is great but please share proof. Don´t just ramble or write stuff if you don´t know what you are talking about. It might be very midleading to some people!
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I was mostly making a joke based on your numbers, but since you took it seriously and replied as such, yes, I am a free diver and am familiar with the cold water reflex. I find I get maybe 25%-40% more time when I’m submerged in cold water. I haven’t dove with oxygen so I can’t say from experience but I think it’s pretty well understood that it would give one an added benefit. As for proof, I’m not going to upload my dive videos just to validate an off-the-cuff comment, but if you’re curious about my performance stats they’re not hugely impressive, as I’m just a recreational diver. I usually can do around 4 minutes inactive breath holding, and 1-1.5 minutes active swimming/diving. But I’m more of a spear fisherman so it’s not so much about length of time as specific skills related to fishing. Anyways, I wasn’t meaning to offend, I literally was making a one-liner response to what sounded like an inane question. Sorry if I ruffled your feathers with my stupid joke.	It seems like you do some ok dives - just be careful during spearfishing. I think often jokes or "self secure" comments are dangerous (and stupid/unintelligent) because they can be taken as "true" or "facts" by someone who is not well versed. That is why I react - not because I feel personally "offended". Just see too many "keyboard warriors" who have no clue what they are talking about and just add little value to (otherwise) meaningful conversations and topics- like this on in Reddit. Thank you.
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This is your AMA, but other people are allowed to comment here as well. They do not need to share proof to participate.	Anyone can and may respond - I am not saying that (see me answer below). But I know the science - I have walked the talk. So when I see crap or things that are not correct, I call them out. To help and protect others. Is that problematic to you ot do you just "shut up" in life in general when you know things are not right! Now THAT is deeply concerning! So YES - You DO need to prove (send "proof"/article/data) to be listened to and ackowledged - that is common sense....
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But with regular air aren't blood cells already saturated at 99%? For healthy people at least.	Very correct, indeed. But when breathing pure oxygen (100%) - and especially under pressure - like my last official Guinness World Record of 22 minutes that I did in London with Discovery Channel and was crowned "The Ultimate Superhuman" - then you also load your tissue and blood (watery part/diluated). Plus even the venous system. Yet, the CO2 built-up is still the same and quite insane - so you need to be able to tolerate very high loads. So (basically) people who say "ohh..this was so easy since it was done on pure oxigen" have no clue what they are actually are talking about and certainly do not know or understand basic human physiology;)
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I’d rather be famous for something else.	What are you famous for - and if not, what would you rather be famous for? And how are you helping people? I am certainly curious to know ans I think are many other people here on Reddit! With this dive (The 2020 Dive) hundreds of million people worldwide are seing the dive and getting the main message of inspiration and to keep dreaming - even in challenging times of Covid-19/Corona and the like. By bestselling book (now as FREE eBook in 10 languags - plus a FREE online brreath course) has already been downloaded and used for betterhealth & performance during the 2020 corona crisis. I am happy, honored and proud to know that my team and I are helping so many people - just my 2 cents....
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Analbox: I used to be able to do 5-6 minutes in high school if I just floated on my stomach motionless. I could do about ~~250~~ 150 yards on one breath if I was swimming full speed. I almost blacked out and drowned trying to do it though. Your mind panics and eventually you take an involuntary breath even if your still under water. The brain just shuts down without O2. 22 minutes under normal circumstances would cause irreparable brain damage. It’s amazing the ice water makes that big of a difference. I can do like 30 seconds maybe. ________________ reecewagner: Is my cardio just garbage or do some people have a reduced lung capacity? ________________ KakkaKarrot: Part of it is mental. When you start feeling pain, you haven't even started to run out of oxygen yet. Your body prioritizes getting the CO2 out first	Very true - and the body (urge to breathe) responds to high CO2 leads - not low oxigen. This is easy to test/prove. Simply slip a Pulsoximeter on your fingertip. Maybe you get the urge to breathe (and start breathing) after 1 minute. But your oxygen saturation might be still above 90% - so you certainly don´t NEED to breathe. But you feel (THINK) you do - so this is why RELAXATION and Mental Control is numero uno. I have created something I call "Slow Motion Thinking" - it is tremendous aid and is part of the Flow state/mind altering state. Try it for yourself;)
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Holding your breath is 90% mental training.	Maybe 80/20 - who knows....my MentoInstructoFriend Umberto Pelizzari gives this distribution. But yes, largely Mental....which is also why freediving/breathing/breath holding techniques can be used by great benefit by EVERYBODY;) Not just divers, athletes or elite soldiers. Take a look a Breatheology - maybe it makes more sense: https://www.breatheology.com/
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I've trained with Umberto too many years ago! I really miss that training and Sardinia. Umberto was great... Maybe I should go back...	Umberto is - and will always be a Legend. I had dinner with him last year and we talked "deeply" on the development of Freediving, breathing, competitions, health and so on. Always a stellar bloke. Go back and train - he is still in Sardinia/Sardegna;) Santa Teresa Di Gallura (Apnea Academy)
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Sharaghe: How does the freezing water help him here? ________________ MendaciousTrump: The Diving Reflex kicks in.	Correct - MDR - we all have this "inner dolphin" as I call it - and we should train to access/activate it - that is what I do with all people I train. In Rehab, Navy SEALS, Olympian Athletes...not just divers/freedivers....."The key to relaxation is in the exhalation";)
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It slows down your metabolism and rate of oxygen use is my assumption.	Exactly - we can all learn to relax more and use less oxygen - stress less;) https://www.breatheology.com/
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Slows the metabolism so oxygen isn't depleted as quickly.	Correct...and high CO2 tolerance;)
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I’m really curious about this, like how does this logistically work especially when exerting oneself? I’ve tried to go to two minutes and I feel like I’m dying.	The main aspect is about RELAXATION - not what first comes to mind. But trust me on this part. That is also why we put so much emphazise on Relaxation (Imagery/Vizualization) BEFORE learning proper breathing and after that breath holding. You can learn a lot more from our main website and also from my book Breatheology - The art of conscious breathing - it is free for the world to downloand as eBook/PDF. Enjoy;) https://www.breatheology.com/free-ebook-covid-19/
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Hi! I have a reduced lung function due to a lung infection I had two years ago. Do you think I can work with your course, too, to improve my lungs health? Or should I talk to a doctor first regarding any risks?	Always consult with a doctomedical professional. But YES - you can certainly leanr to breathe better and more optimized. We have helped thousands of people with COPD, Asthma, Allergies, Lung Cancer etc...You breathe 20 - 30.000 times per day - so make every breath count! As mentioned - speak with your doc - we do not claim to cure, healt or give diagnostics - but many doctors certainly also don´t know anything about breayhing exercises - even less so advice them! Which is a bloody shame...and I am on a mission to change this - Breatheology will change the world - one breath at a time (we are working with the Danish Navy SEALS, Royal Air Force, Rehabilitation Clinics etc - but still a loooong way to go)....
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How long can you hold your breath if you are walking or running?	I did this a lot in Mexico for the training for my latest Guinness World Record - since I was training a lot alone - so a 3 min walk (holding breath) - lighter work, weith training, stretching etc can be 4 minutes. I have also done a 4 min exhale many years ago - just for fun and curiosity;) Slooooooooooooooow and controlled exhale;) Try it!
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Weird to call the link COVID-19	Why weird - we released the book for FREE (in 10 languages) to the world - as well as a FREE Online breath training for Corona Crisis - semms like a pretty accurate name to me! And we are happy and proud to know we have now helped over 400.000 people (who downloaded the eBook) - soon 500.000 - but I would love to have helped 1 million - or more- always big dreams. Just like my recent 202.0m Guinness World Record is getting this important message out. That breathing CAN help you and that you can take control of your life, health and mental state - with simple breathing exercises. I have not seen the WHO, Hospitals/Doctors or Politicians spread this important information - in the middle of a Pandemic!
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Unless you're a heavy smoker or have lung damage, you can reach 3 -3.5 minutes in a week or two practicing only a few basic techniques, and you'll be able to do it comfortably without hurting or pushing through fear or panic. If you want to go longer than that, then the expert tips starts to matter. But to reiterate; You can comfortably reach 3.5 minutes on pure mechanics.	I always say that the real dive starts when the contractions start - which is usually after a few minutes. Getting past the first minute for beginners is generally about learning how to relax. Without being able to relax and control your mind, you can not overcome the mountain, so to speak ;) After that, it becomes about training CO2 tolerance, which is many benefits
	Absolutely correct - completely agree with this person. Here is our FREE 7-days breath hold challenge - feel free to join and share: https://www.breatheology.com/breath-hold-challenge/
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ooli: I don't think he would have been exerting himself on the 22 minute one. Motionless in cold water after loading up on pure o2. The distance swimming record judging by the youtube video of it probably took like 2-3 mins or something. _______________ righthandofdog: Yeah and using a remarkably efficient swimming motion to optimize distance vs breathhold time.	That is the point - correctly;) My fuel is O2;);)
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I’m a 55 year old who has snorkeled my whole life and scuba certified at 15. Watching you really made me start researching monofins and fin-swimming again, so damn natural.	Excellent - thank you for sharing - I am nearly 50 - and if I can inpsire to take up new sports or forgotten dreams - I am a happier man for it;)
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I'm guessing he is breathing pure oxygen a certain amount of time before the breath-hold (not saying that it isn't impressive!).	Yes - Guinness World Record is on PURE Oxygen (max 30 min pre-breath) - that is what this specific discipline is all about. I was the first to break to magical 20 min barrier - in 2010 I held my breath for 20 min 10 secs (like the year) - in a shark tank - also Storytelling - so people can see sharks are not just out to kill/eat you and also to redefine science (human/diving physiology - and neurology) - See part of the dive HERE (you can also find the 22 min GWR I did on Discovery Channel - just go to out Breatheology Channel on YT): (from my old 2010 TED talk): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9c7tkljd3A
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Yeah this seems physically impossible to me...	Well - we can all find our inner "Superhuman/woman" powers - that is partly why I love doing these records - to inspire but also to prove science wrong (or "update" science on human physiology, anatomy and psychology;)
What made you want to be able to hold your breath for insane amounts of time?	Childhood swimming, traveling the world - becoming a Marine Biologist...plus all the health benefits, feeling strong and now today - blessed to shar emy message witht the world and make people aware of the many benefits of conscious breathing - for Covid-19/Corona, Optimized Health & Performance....Mental calm etc.... more here: https://www.breatheology.com/
How are you not braindead?	Hi Brian, I found my way to your comment - so I can confirm, my brain is still working ;) It's a common misconception that breath holding will cause permanent brain damage. The short answer is that you'll go unconscious when the oxygen levels drop below a certain % (generally around 55%). This is called a black out. In a few minutes, you'll be awake again and your body will stabilize itself. Damage to the brain due to a lack of oxygen occurs only when the oxygen concentration drops under 50% for 4 minutes or longer, or if the blood flow to the brain is blocked (e.g. blood clot or heart attack). Your body goes into blackout to prevent his from happening. Of course, if you are doing breath holding in water, you'll drown. That's why you NEVER want to breath holding in water (even if it is shallow water - like a bath tub) without supervision. I was always accompanied by a professional team in case I would black out.
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you should MAYBE research chronic hypoxia. you’re grossly oversimplifying a pretty complex topic.	Chronic hypoxia is not the same as breath hold training though and is usually caused by a condition such as COPD or sleep apnea.
	The hypoxia that freedivers like me experience and you experience when you hold your breath is a voluntary, temporary condition and balance is restored within a few minutes.
	So far, there are no clear signs that freedivers permanent damage: "Results indicated that the breath-hold divers performed tasks within the average range compared to norms on all tests, suggesting that 1–20 years of repeated exposure to hypoxemia including multiple adverse neurological events did not impact on performance on standard neuropsychological tasks." Source
	Last year, a Nobel Prize was rewarded towards the research of hypoxia and the positive effect is has on cellular level (if done intermittantly - of course). The article can be found here.
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chronic hypoxia is a pretty broad term actually, it’s a bit more subjective than what a quick google search is telling you. in addition you’re characterization of “hypoxia means cells growth” is also disgustingly oversimplified... the research you’re referring to that was awarded**** a nobel prize has implications in aging, cancer, metabolism and more. not just holding your breath.	Take it from someone who has been freediving and holding its breath for over 25 years and have worked with/competed against the top world freedivers - there are many positive benefits to breath holding. That is why I dubbed my TEDx talk Breath Holding is the New Black.
	Science is only starting to catch up what myself and my colleagues have known from own experience. Similar to ancient knowledge such as yoga and pranayama, which are now being scientifically proven as having benefits.
	But thank you for correcting my improper word use (rewarded instead of awarded) and focusing on what matters...
How do us mortals get to your level? How many times did you practice in a day?	The most important qualities are time and patience. Don't go for quick fixes. I see many people use hyperventilation to get to 2 or 3 minutes; but you miss the point as you are not learning how to relax and build CO2 tolerance. You can get started with my free 7-day Breath Hold Challenge
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ok there’s the pitch.	Like I said - in order to improve your breath hold time, you want to train daily. Preferably in the morning. The challenge is simply a little thing I made so you see improvement every day (and for many, a double increase of the breath hold time you started with at Day 1). I can write that out in 7 posts - one for each day - but it is something you just have to do, that's all. No pitch, just a nifty tool ;)
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He actually shared a link above with a free book and a couple videos on it. If you want to learn I'd imagine that's the best place to start.	Indeed - thank you - and here you can see The 2020 Dive;) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZko1wDGaHc&t=22s
What advice would you give to people who want to practice better self control? Are there any particular insights that come from your mental training?	Start holding your breath on a daily basis. Even if it is just half a minute. Of course, on land and in a safe location. Because when you fight the urge to breath, you are fighting against the strongest reflex possible - life itself. Not only do you increase your CO2 tolerance, but you increase your mental resilience. To get started, I have created a 7-day Breath Hold Challenge where I give various tips. I bet you can double your breath hold time in a week. ;)
Oh, this thread is sure to turn out to be a fascinating one! I've *never* been able to understand how a person reaches the level you've reached. Thank you for doing it. I have two questions, I think a lot of others will want to know as well: 1. If we're looking to increase our lung capacity and oxygen efficiency, are there any programs or training regimens you swear by, or would recommend to a beginner? Or was it as simple a matter as "Just try to hold your breath longer and longer each time you swim." 2. Have you tried Wim Hof? If so, what are your thoughts on it, and if not, why not?	Thank you, Ty. In response to question numbero uno - I have created my own learning platform Breatheology and in the main post you can find a link to the free eBook and breath training course. They contain exercises and the background info on how working with your breath can, among other things, increase your vital lung capacity and increase your oxygen uptake.
	I think what Wim does is very interesting, but I have not trained with him or followed his training methods so I cannot comment on them. We both have many records under our respective names, so both approaches have merit. ;)
Is David blaine legitimate?!?	Sure - I think he did a great dive. To perform a new Guinness World Record LIVE on Oprah is no small task. There are many "keyboard warriors/hero" who would probably claim it is "easy" (because you pre-oxigenate) - funny then, they did not do the (or ANY) record them selves;) I even got a text from David Blaine and Lenny Kravits (they were playing cards with a freind of mine in NYC) and he congratulated me and thought it was awesome I had done 22 minutes Guinness World Records - cool dude - nice thing to do;) - here is my dive - soon 1.5 MIO. views;) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqERqQj-ozc&index=391&list=LLuXuRrPCAsP6fweZcU-R-xw
what goes through your mind while you’re not breathing?	I employ different mind control techniques... sometimes I go back to my childhood or people I really care about and focus on the colors, smells and sound. Whatever makes you leave your body mentally. When I do the record attempts, I simply let go in my mind and my body does what it needs to do. I may not even remember doing it when I start breathing again ;) You'll find many of these techniques in my free eBook
	Well - first of all it is no so important WHAT you think about but HOW. I have created a technique I call "Slow Motion Thinking" - so basically slowind down the speed....relaxing more, slowing the metabolism/oxygen consumption. But I also feeel my body/movement/rhythm - and/or go to a different place in time and space. When you enter Flow (we all can learn to do so and have tried it in life) - then time expands or the notion of time disappears. You become what you do - a remarkable feeling.
I understand the more you practice holding your breath the more your body can train itself to work with less. But is freezing cold water tolerance the same concept or is it all mentally trained tolerance?	I would say there is a mental aspect to both breath holding and cold tolerance. But the biochemical aspects are different. Breath holding trains your CO2 tolerance and, when doing longer breath holds, increases your overall level of red blood cells. The claims for cold tolerance training that you can suppress your immune system and prevent inflammation. And even the mental aspects are different, in the sense that cold exposure teaches you to control your sympathetic nervous system, while breath holding teaches you to activate your parasympathetic nervous system. The first is not always a great and safe idea for everyone. As you can imagine, it may not be a grand idea to push a 80-year old lady in an ice cold pool. ;)
Do you prefer cold or hot showers?	All showers are warm ;)
The average television sitcom is about 22 minutes long without commercials. Have you ever tried holding your breath for an entire episode of The Office?	Nope - but Friends;) Try for yourself - here is my dive;) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqERqQj-ozc&index=391&list=LLuXuRrPCAsP6fweZcU-R-xw
Is there anything about you - that you were born with rather than learned - that gives you a physiological advantage in free diving? Is there ANYTHING that can give someone an advantage, or is it purely about discipline and training? Also, as an environmentalist, I’m so grateful for the work that you and others are doing to highlight the importance of 2021 to the planetary crises.	Over the last two decades, I have been a guinea pig for many scientists. We found out that I do have some genes that vary from "normal" people which give me a leg up. But that does not excuse me from training hard and full dedication to achieve mastery. I don't feel different, and the techniques I use can be used by everyone to great effect. :)
[deleted]	In many positive ways (but let us not get into the "wet specifics" of what you can actually do to/with your girlfriend - for 22 minutes....under water...in the Jacuzzi;);););) In general, better breathing also gives you better blood flow - and mind control - so imagine yourself how and when in your sex life that would be of tremendous aid;)
What does your mind do during this time? I have read about Grandmaster chess players losing weight during matches because so many calories/oxygen is going to their brains. I would think you would enter a state of mediation to save that oxygen? That correct?	There are different techniques I use to make myself relaxed and take my mind away from the dive as that is the most important thing.
	The brain uses an enormous amount of oxygen relative to other body parts (20% of the supply). That's why grandmaster chess players lose weight during a multi-day tournament.
	But when breath holding, the body has its own defense mechanism called the Mammalian Dive Response (Diving Reflex). When this kicks in, it reduces the heart rate and restricts the blood transport to the limbs to ensure oxygen transport to the vital organs (including the brain): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diving_reflex
Do you have any friends in the sport that have recovered from COVID? If so, how has it affected their performance?	Yes, good question. I have had several people coming bank and reporting positive results from the breath training/Breatheology Method - but also more than 400.000 people have now downloaded the free ebook and gotten the free online course so it would be disappointing if not so;) Some people are affected weeks and months after - the latest peoson I spoke with (from the Danish Royal Air Force that I also train along the Navy SEALS) said he felt improvements in days after starting the breath training. Even some improvements the same day. Many people do not know simple and basic breathing styles (belly breathing/Ujjayi, slow exhale etc) so thay get a tremendous effect immediately. Also the Mental Aspect (keeping yourself calm and feel you are in control) has been reported as a positive by many people.
Who would win in a fight between you and Wim Hoff?	Why on earth would we do that? But if you talk about "competition" that is another story. I beat his Guinness World Record in 2010 after he held it for 10 years: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_y8TeORDTY
	Then I beat it again (my own) when Discovery Channel made a documentary about my training, record dives and how I help people breathe better worldwide with Breatheology:
	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-Mr1RV3Qxc&t=8s
^{the below is another reply to the original question}
Yes, the WHO could scoop massive amounts of data from such a bout...	Well - I have trained with world leading doctors for decades (and have a PhD in medicine). I already presented a lot of data in my bestselling book (now given free to the world after Corona hit - I saw it as my "duty" to provide help). If only WHO could saw the same. They have failed MISERABLY if you ask me. So have doctors and politicians - I never saw ANY breath training advice, technique - NADA - to stay physically and mentally healthy and fit! A disgrace! Here you go: https://www.breatheology.com/
^{the below is another reply to the original question}
We don't encourage violence	Peaceful breathing - yes;)
When you’re swimming in the ocean, what is the scariest thing you’ve encountered?? What goes through your mind when you can no longer see the bottom of the ocean??	It is not "scary" if you love and respect the animals - not even dangerous - would dive anywhere anyday over walking down the street in a ny major city. I love diving with sharks, killer whales, sea lions, sea turtles etc - one of my biggest passions is to take small exclusive groups out to amazing places - Fiji, Maldives, The Red Sea...and introduce them to safe and fun ways to meet the animals of the ocean - see a few examples here in my Masterclass: https://www.breatheology.com/masterclass/
To someone that can’t imagine getting remotely close to 22 minutes without taking a breath, what’s the best way you can describe what that experience feels like?	A dream, Flow, timeless, being our of your body and/or mind. We can all learn these techniques - basically start with RELAXATION;)

Registering new Address(es), Bank Account and Phone Number as a new Resident

[Table] I am Alex and I run The Pipsqueakery, a 501c3 rodent and rabbit rescue that focuses on special needs small animals (and some large like our capybaras). Ask me anything! (pt 1/2)

Source
Note: only top-level Q&A's were included due to the length of the AMA.

Questions	Answers
Hey Alex, this is more of a general question rather than rodent/rabbits, but last year we found a wild Partridge and took it to 3 different vets (1 that specialized in birds and 2 regular) and no one would help. I wanna know why they rejected to help and do you ever get animals you reject helping?	They rejected it because it was wildlife. Unless you're a wildlife rehabber they couldn't have treated it then given it back to you and typically your average vet doesn't see wildlife because it's not in their base of knowledge and frankly there's no one to pay the bill for wildlife most of the time.
	We also cannot take in wildlife that requires a rehabilitation permit because we are not permitted rehabbers. We can take in captive bred wild rodents and get a permit for them, and we can take in animals that don't require a permit (mice, rats, voles, chipmunks, and groundhogs). However, despite that, we are well connected with rehabbers so if someone calls me with a litter of baby opossums I'll usually tell them to bring it over and I'll transfer to a rehabber within 24 hours. If it's really sick I'll take it to our vet who does do wildlife and they'll see it then transfer to a rehabber.
	Also, we really mostly stick to rodents and rabbits, but if someone contacts me with something else I can usually find a place for it.
I love capybaras. Can you talk about how the laws in your different states impact your ability to care for them? Also, do people surrender them or were these guys captured for being invasive in American ecosystems?	So, we are in Indiana, and Indiana has notoriously lax laws for keeping exotics. We don't have any state restrictions on owning capybaras but we do have to notify our county animal management board about their existence in this county. While permitting is not a problem for us due to Indiana's laws it is an issue that people who want to own capybaras do need to research thoroughly because if they're illegal to own then there's going to be a lot of problems getting them adequate care.
	Ours are surrenders, for the most part they aren't particularly invasive in the US and they certainly wouldn't survive up north in the wild.
Hi Alex! I just wanted to say I've been such a huge fan of all the work that you and Jason do for years now. You both work so incredibly hard, and although I know rescue work is incredibly rewarding, it's also incredibly draining as well. Every time I see an adorable animal being rescued, it warms my heart a thousand times over. You've been instrumental in helping me make sure that my own hamsters receive the best care possible. Truly, I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the incredible work you do. I suppose I should ask a question instead of just fangirling. What has been your craziest hamsterat escape?	Probably the hamster escape where Mia (a chinese hamster) was gone for like 3 weeks and avoided all of our live traps. Eventually we found her in the bedding closet where she had opened a huge bag of bedding, burrowed in and stashed a bunch of food. We finally found her because she was using the guinea pig cage to drink water. We adopted her out shortly after she was found and she lived a great life up in Michigan.
Hi Alex I'm a Patreon supporter and follow you on multiple platforms. Recently I've been so pleased to see Steve coming out of his shell, getting all the pets! What is the highlight of your day at The Pipsqueakery? And how is the new site coming along?	The highlight of every day at The Pipsqueakery is usually going to sleep snuggling whatever animal happens to be in bed that night (usually it's Delilah). Obviously some days there are more exciting things than that, but I like sleep and I don't get enough.
	As for the facility... well the state department of health cashed my check for the septic permit on the 30th, so maybe a tiny bit closer?
Thank you for your dedication and care! As an animal lover it’s exciting to see others turn this passion into a career. I have a special place in my heart for senior rabbits. How do you think we can encourage people to become informed pet owners who are knowledgeable and committed, whether or not an animal is special needs? How do you emotionally and mentally deal with the fact that some animals should not be kept alive at all costs due to suffering and other challenges?	First, I just want to say that at this time this isn't what I would call a career. It's completely unpaid labor that dominates every single part of my life. I hope someday The Pipsqueakery will be in a position to hire because doing this and a day job isn't sustainable but for now I have to work to keep a roof over all of our heads. I only address that because it's a super common misconception.
	As for encouraging others, I always find the best way to educate people is to lead by example. We don't do a ton of adoptions (we work with other rescues for the adoptable animals and take their sanctuary animals), but what we show on social media has an impact.
	As for emotionally and mentally dealing with the heartbreak. Well, two things:
	1. I'm on antidepressants, two of them actually. You can't really be involved in rescue without it impacting your mental health.
	2. You get better at it with time and experience. You learn when to call it quits and give them the gift of a good death and you might cry over it but you learn to move on to caring for the other animals in need because you did everything you could.
How does one help a rabbit pee? Also where can people go to donate?	You express its bladder by pushing on its lower abdomen with a slightly cupped hand. Some are easier to manually pee than others though and there's various positioning and techniques that are used depending on the animal.
	People can find ways to help at thepipsqueakery.org/help. I think that's ok to post here since there's options for non-monetary help too and I'm directly answering a question. Everyone do your independent research before donating to any charity though to make sure they're legit, doing what they say they'll do with the money, and that you're actually donating to who you think you're donating to.
We rescued a baby squirrel that was on our deck. Its eyes were still shut. We assume it was brought by its mother or a predator and the process got interrupted somehow. We did dog formula and eventually transitioned to greens and nuts. The question is, how do we transition to the outside? Is it some form of gradual thing it do we just take them to a tree and let them go?	It really needs to go to a rehabber to have a successful release. They can't typically be released at this time of year, but it needs to be with others of its species so it can learn necessary survival skills. If it doesn't gain those skills before release it won't survive in the wild, and that's just not something we can teach them. If you look up your state Department of Natural Resources website you can usually find a list of rehabbers.
How did you get started? Was there one special critter in need who spoke to you and set you on this path?	That would be a combination of things. Our first syrian hamster, Pipsqueak, passed away after 4 months of having her after being quite sick. In retrospect she probably had an infection called pyometra but we didn't know and didn't have a vet who knew at that point. She passed away during my first week of law school.
	Then, during law school one of the primary extracurriculars I participated in was helping victims of domestic violence get protective order. As you can imagine that's pretty tough work emotionally and you often see repeat clients because the cycle of abuse makes it very likely that their abuser will convince the victim that the abuser has changed and to drop the protective order only to have the cycle repeat. While I never ever fault the victims for these things because there are much greater forces at play it is a reality that is very emotionally draining. So, we started with hamster rescue because with a hamster you can save them, put them in a nice big cage, give them good food and good health care, and keep them safe for the rest of their lives. You can't do that to humans (for obvious reasons) so it gave me an outlet that I wasn't getting elsewhere.
?	Small animal places definitely could we use tons of fleece blankets. In fact im using two right now. One to hold the squirrel I'm feeding and one as a placemat to protect the bed from rabbits.
Hi! Big fan of capybaras here. What is their daily routine?? Do they recognize you as a dog would recognize his owner?? Do they interact with you?? Thank you endlessly for your hard work taking care of animals	They mostly sleep, eat, poop, swim, nap, talk to the other animals, and cause trouble, then repeat every single day. They're smart and they definitely recognize us like a dog would recognize his owner, but they're really really not like a dog so I hesitate to even say that. They do interact with us to some extent. Steve has really come out of his shell over the last 9 months and he enjoys attention. Irwin isn't there yet and wants us to leave him alone.
Can you explain why rats are great pets?	They're smart, they're clean, they're fairly resilient, little kids will have a much harder time dropping them than say a guinea pig or a hamster because rats cling, and they're as domesticated as a dog in a much smaller package. Basically the ideal pet.
	I did not look at your username when I answered this. Hi Ed!
Any need for an 8 year old virtual intern?? My daughter is obsessed.	Alas, not at the moment. I have a really hard time balancing the time and energy it take to coordinate volunteers vs the time volunteers save by doing tasks. However, there are always things she can do to help independently and we have had a lot of people do a lot of cool things to help from all over the world!
So happy to see you on here! What are your long-term plans for the Pipsqueakery?	The hope is to grow it into an organization that can stand on its own two feet by paying salaries and hiring staff. The expansion into other states was somewhat unplanned so I haven't quite figured out how that all works in. For now I'm treating the other locations as foster homes with some independence and focusing on growing our headquarters here by building a facility and working incredibly hard at fundraising so we can reach our goals.
Hi Alex, I follow you on IG and love your organization! Thank you so much for all you do to help support our smaller furry friends! I am a long time fan of guinea pigs specifically (been adopting pairs for 17 years now) and would love to be able to help more beyond just donations. I am moving to NY end of year and would love to get involved with your NJ rescue and help support/volunteefoster - would you be able to advise me on how to do this?	Send an email to [email protected] and let us know you want to get involved. We're taking it easy on new fosters as we get established there so we might not have something for you right away, but get your information to us at that email so we can stay in touch and figure out ways for you to help!
I love rodents and have some myself, and I come up against people all the time who think they’re dirty/dangerous and bad pets/animals. What would you say is the most helpful/constructive thing that can be done to help battle the stigma people hold against rodents in general and also rodents as pets?	Post a lot of cute photos and videos, and a lot of educational information because for the most part they're pretty great. We obviously have some animals here that I don't think are good pets though.
	Anyway, some people just aren't going to change their minds about rodents and we have to just let it go because there's too much other stuff going on.
what is a 501c3?	A 501c3 is a designation by the IRS that indicates that we have registered and all of our money should be going to our stated mission and allows donors to deduct their donations to us from their income taxes.
	I say should because obviously there are shady 501c3 nonprofits out there so everyone should always do their own research before supporting any cause.
Wife and I run a similar rescue (she's a shelter vet) but haven't gotten formal status. How did you go about getting the 503c status and any tips or places that helped?	I'm a lawyer so I did it myself, and if you have the money probably just hire a lawyer to do it for you so you don't miss any steps. Otherwise start by incorporating in your state, writing a mission statement, getting a board of director together, and writing bylaws. Once you have your state incorporation done, get an EIN (it's all online just google get an EIN), and then fill out IRS form 1023 or 1023ez if you're a small rescue.
	Just be aware that registering as a 501c3 comes with very few perks and a lot of responsibility so take your time to decide if it's something that really fits with your goals.
Ooo perfect AmA to run into. So my brother has 2 chinchillas and a huge cage we've been having an argument recently. He's had the 1 chinchilla for a yr give or take. And just got a 2nd one that's alot younger and they fight. Him and his fiancee solution was to separate the top 2 floors from the bottom 2 with something blocking the ramp opening. I told him you should've done like I did with my rats. And that's 2 cages move em closer together a little bit at a time. (I never did the mixing bedding thing) then let em meet etc. Until you know they won't eat each other then same cage. He is sold on the fact that yeah but they aren't rats...so solve the argument do you treat the introduction the same or is my brother just an idiot?	You treat the introduction the same, but I find chinchilla bonding to be much more difficult and less reliable. If they're both males consider getting them neutered.
Thank you so much for your work ❤ I'd like to know how guineapig Cormac who was found dumped in the road and was having seizures is doing? He looked so poorly. Also, if this doesn't bring back bad memories, did Mini die of old age? I was wondering is 7 old age for her breed.	Cormac is doing ok, but he looks objectively really bad right now and sometimes I don't have it in me to post and explain that. He has gained a ton of weight and we have managed to get the thick crust off his skin and it's looking pretty good. Alas, with that thick crust came most of the hair on his face so it would be a lot to explain if I post a picture and for whatever reason no one reads the captions.
	Mini did not die of old age but what exactly killed her is hard to say. Even though she was overall relatively healthy Mini had a lot of issues with repeated stasis and some sort of mass in her nasal cavity that made her snotty. I suspect stasis was the ultimate issue though even though we were treating for that with fluids and handfeeding.
Do you feel there is a bigger need for little critter rescue? It seems like a lot more attention is focused on dog/cat rescue than the little guys.	Yes, for every animal I take in I probably turn 20 away because we simply don't have the space or resources.
How many mice do you see at the Pipsqueakery? I’m a big mouse fan and would like to know more about the mouse population there	We have 43 mice here right now. They all live in 3 big colonies that will eventually be 2 big colony once the males from our last big intake get neutered. They're somewhat adoptable but since mice do so well in large groups we tend to not worry about adopting them out since it's not a lot of work to have a few extra mice.
This is probably asking a lot but how would you describe the stereotypical personalities of the different species you deal with?	Chinchillas: Mischievous
	Guinea pigs: cheerful
	Rabbits: destructors
	Groundhogs: Lazy
	Prairie dogs: hardworking
	Hamsters: introverts
	Rats: loyal
	There are more of course, are you looking for something more in-depth or specific?
Hi Alex! I follow you on Instagram and love seeing all the love and care you give every animal you take in! I was wondering what first got you started rescuing and rehabilitating small animals: was it accidental, or something you’ve always wanted to do? Thank you! 😀	Here's the story:
	Our first syrian hamster, Pipsqueak, passed away after 4 months of having her after being quite sick. We adopted her from a shelter that didn't know her sex or type of hamster much less that she had medical issues. In retrospect she probably had an infection called pyometra but we didn't know and didn't have a vet who knew at that point. She passed away during my first week of law school, and at that point I knew that animals like her, rodents, didn't have a place to go where they would be able to receive adequate care if they were sick because we could barely provide it despite our very valiant attempts and many many vet visits. Then, during law school one of the primary extracurriculars I participated in was helping victims of domestic violence get protective order. As you can imagine that's pretty tough work emotionally and you often see repeat clients because the cycle of abuse makes it very likely that their abuser will convince the victim that the abuser has changed and to drop the protective order only to have the cycle repeat. While I never ever fault the victims for these things because there are much greater forces at play it is a reality that is very emotionally draining. So, we started with hamster rescue because with a hamster you can save them, put them in a nice big cage, give them good food and good health care, and keep them safe for the rest of their lives. You can't do that to humans (for obvious reasons) so it gave me an outlet that I wasn't getting elsewhere.
	As for whether this was something I always wanted to do? Short answer: Nope. Longer answer: I never even really considered myself an animal person. I liked them but I never wanted to be a vet or begged for a puppy and my partner and I even agreed we didn't want pets because it was too much work and responsibility.
Hi Alex! I run Atlantic Critters Rescue in NJ, we are affiliated with HALP and have been excited to support them in merging with The Pipsqueakery. What has been the hardest thing about merging with other rescues? I feel like I have my hands full managing one very small rescue!	I'm really stressed out about keeping track of all the intakes and adoptions, and making sure there's enough money to give the best care to all the animals in all the locations. If I don't think about it too hard it's honestly going pretty smoothly, but if I think about it then OMG the panic. It's a lot to handle honestly and I think it will be ok. I'm sure in someways it's hard for the rescues we are taking over too because most of the decision making power ends up with me and the board which is a big change.
My 4 year old daughter really wants a guinea pig for xmas - my question is: is it true you should always buy a pair so they are more social?	Yes, you should always have at least two, but also unless you're up for constant close supervision possibly consider rats instead of guinea pigs. Guinea pigs are pretty delicate and easily droppable. Rats are much harder to drop since they just kinda hang on. Of course, depending on how you handle it that could all be a non-issue, but I've always thought rats were a much superior pet for a young child.
Wow! Thanks for all you do and for being there to rescue those that need help the most. You state that animal rescue and human rights intersect in your organization's efforts: are most of your critters straight-up rescues (i.e. abandoned, neglected) or are most temporarily rescued (while owner is homeless, financially destitute, etc.) And the critters eventually return home?	The vast majority of out animals are straight up rescues/surrenders. We do occasionally temporarily care for animals for people in those sorts of situations but we can't provide vet care for an animal that isn't surrendered. However, understanding that these things are related very much impacts how we handle those surrenders.
	Often people look at people who surrender their animals with disdain for not being able to keep their animal and it's seen as shirking responsibility. Of course, there are some cases where people just suck but the vast majority of individuals who surrender animals are surrendering them because they want the best for their beloved pet. They're surrendering because they want their animal to get the care they can't afford and frankly they're doing a responsible, brave, and compassionate thing. I like to think that we treat our surrenderers with respect and kindness, and we have some great ongoing relationships with people who have surrendered.
	It also informs our posting on social media, our merch (we try very hard to represent human rights issues in a diverse way with input from people from the groups that are represented), and just out general belief system that the rescue is built on. Animal welfare and human rights are intricately intertwined and if humans are forced to fight for their basic needs then it's very clear (at least to me) that they can't focus on giving their pets the best lives because they just need to keep surviving.
What has been your best experience so far? Animal wise or with other shelters? 💕 fellow Indiana resident here. 💕	That's a really good question that I'm not sure I have a good answer to because almost every experience is a mix of good and bad when it comes to rescue. However, I will say that working with other rescues, particularly EARPS Inc., IHRS, and A Critters Chance, has been a wonderful experience overall. I also think that the relationships I have made with supporters has been wonderful even though that can also be very stressful.
What are your thoughts on people owning single rabbits when there is a growing consensus that they are social animals that need a companion?	In general I think social animals should have companionship from their own species. However, I do think rabbits can successfully be kept as single pets with a dedicated owner who is able to fill their needs, and some rabbits are frankly not very into other rabbits.
	Keeping a guinea pig or a rat without their own species is flat out cruel though.
Is it fun?	Wellllll that depends on how you define fun.
	Parts of it are fun, but a lot of it is paperwork, poop, cleaning, sleep deprivation, death, bills, and people getting angry at you. I don't want to paint animal rescuing in a negative light, but there's a lot of not fun parts of it.
How much is your budget for a new house?	Alas, way way less than that. I mean the Pipsqueakery's facility build is going to cost about $250k to $300k and frankly The Pipsqueakery has more money than us. I would like those budgets a lot though.
Wow this AMA is fantastic!!! I'm a year and a half into running a small fish rescue out of my home. I've read through your comments and 100% relate to shoving all my money and time into rescue efforts. I've had several people surrender fish to me and offer donations, but I feel uncomfortable taking donations when I'm not officially a non-profit. My big question: at what point did you decide to go for the non-profit status? What did you do before that as far as donations, etc.? I'd love to become a non-profit, and my brother is a lawyer who would be willing to help me, but I'm struggling to decide when my rescue is "significant" enough to warrant being an official non-profit.	It's really not about being significant enough, it's about what your particular goals are. There are a lot of responsibilities that come with being a 501c3 and depending on your goals there might not be a lot of reward. I will say though that you shouldn't feel bad about accepting donations as a non-501c3, as long as you're always honest with people you should feel free to fundraise and accept donations to help with your cause.
Do the smaller critters ever ride the capybaras or is that just a reddit thing?	Mostly a reddit thing. I mean I could probably put a rat on Steve, but the rat wouldn't really be interested in riding him around.
	Now in the wild there are some birds that have a symbiotic relationship with capybaras and groom the pests off of them, but that's not really a thing inside our house.
So lucky to have people like you! My question is - do you rescue other small animals that may not be "rodents" like ferrets, for example? Or is that too risky? Me and my husband want to start a ferret rescue at some point!	We do not handle ferrets at our primary location in Bloomington as we have a no predators policy. However, our location in NJ does take ferrets, and if someone asked to surrender a ferret I would arrange to have it surrendered at one of our local sister rescues.
Can rabbits be kept as house pets? We have a small flat and have wanted one for a while but not sure if they get on well with being indoor pets	They should basically always be kept as house pets the same way you would keep a cat! They're really not good as outdoor pets.
[removed]	Patagonian cavies are also called maras. They about 12 to 18 pounds with long legs and pointy ears.
	thepipsqueakery.org/help has lots of ways to help us from donating funds to sending supplies from our Amazon wishlist.
	As for capybaras, I strongly discourage people owning them in almost every case, and I've had a lot of people tell me that following me has cured them of any desire to own one. They're very much wild animals that can be tame, but they are still clearly wild animals. They do get very attached to their owner especially if you keep a single one but honestly I really think they should be kept in at least pairs if at all possible. They're really messy, incredibly strong, and even when they don't mean to hurt someone they can do a lot of accidental damage. If they do want to hurt you, well let's just say I got lucky and have a bruise on my leg so deep that it has been there since February 2020 because Steve got scared at the vet. They need tons of space and the ability to swim in a temperature controlled environment. They don't handle cold well and they're very very expensive to feed. I know there are some people out there who can handle owning one, but I really think the vast majority of people don't know what they're in for with a capybara. Even I don't think I truly knew what I was in for and I have pretty extensive animal experience at this point.
ah hemm.. okay, here it goes. ........... why? Like, i get it. they're living animals, and it's sad to see anything happen to them. But, what was the tipping point that made you go 'okay, i'm setting up a rodent/rabbit rescue!'	I really wish I knew the answer to that. Masochism? Impulsive ADD decision that I can't back out of now? My proclivity towards turning every hobby into work? It's frankly unclear. In fact, I've never even really considered myself an animal person and my partner and I said we wouldn't have pets together because it was too big of a time commitment and responsibility.
	I also swore off going to law school though and then did that too, so probably I just make bad decisions.
	Though the actual tipping point story is a little sweeter than that. Let me go copy and paste it:
	"Our first syrian hamster, Pipsqueak, passed away after 4 months of having her after being quite sick. In retrospect she probably had an infection called pyometra but we didn't know and didn't have a vet who knew at that point. She passed away during my first week of law school.
	Then, during law school one of the primary extracurriculars I participated in was helping victims of domestic violence get protective order. As you can imagine that's pretty tough work emotionally and you often see repeat clients because the cycle of abuse makes it very likely that their abuser will convince the victim that the abuser has changed and to drop the protective order only to have the cycle repeat. While I never ever fault the victims for these things because there are much greater forces at play it is a reality that is very emotionally draining. So, we started with hamster rescue because with a hamster you can save them, put them in a nice big cage, give them good food and good health care, and keep them safe for the rest of their lives. You can't do that to humans (for obvious reasons) so it gave me an outlet that I wasn't getting elsewhere."
As an ex-rabbit owner and ex-rescue/sanctuary volunteefoster, what do you feed your rabbits? I'm always curious about what other people feed their buns.	Oxbow pellets and orchard grass hay. We free feed pellets because all of our rabbits are special needs, many with dental issues, and we use orchard grass because I am deathly allergic to timothy hay.
My daughter has 2 pet rats. We’re pretty sure they picked up mites. Best suggestions to help safely get rid of the mites? Thank you.	Go to a vet for revolution. Technically you can get ivermectin OTC but it's a bit less safe overall and if dosed inappropriately is very unsafe.
Hi Alex! I just want to say that your facebook posts are glorious, and it's been a delight working alongside you (I'm with A Critter's Chance). But I guess that I have to ask a question. Uh....what's your favorite Final Fantasy game?	Final Fantasy VII, but I've never actually played it. That was not my thing. I'm a serious pokemon nerd.
Are electric mouse traps ethical? I'm not letting these things live in my house, but I want to be as compassionate and expedient in their murder as possible.	Not really, but they're better than glue traps or poison. The most effective thing you can do though is first go around the perimeter of your house and seal up every hole with steel wool and caulk (or other sealer of your choice). Then get a couple of life traps and bait them with peanut butter, and evict that mouse. If you don't seal up the entry points first though it doesn't matter how many mice you kill or catch, more will just keep coming in.
Do you have room for 17 million coronavirus infected minks? If so, Denmark would like a word...	No predators allowed at The Pipsqueakery unfortunately.
I was wondering if you had anything that you would tell someone who was considering a similar project?	Don't do it.
	If you're going to ignore me and do it anyway then first start fostering for another rescue and learn how that rescue works.
	Then if you still insist on going out on your own take all your money and throw it out the window because you're going to be paying the expenses out of pocket for years while you get established.
	Also, I would tell them that most of running a rescue isn't animal care, and most of the animal care isn't fun. It can still be very rewarding but it's an incredibly difficult path and I do not recommend it.
A friend of mine also does little critter rescue also based in Indiana, I believe. A handful of weeks ago, she got an assload of rats and mice from a guy who just dumped them on a lawn. Now she's overloaded with baby mice and rats. I don't really have a question. Just wanted to share? Let's put a question mark in there to confuse the bot?	she can reach out to us if she needs help
What are your top 5 animals that are submitted to your facility? And what is your most unusual?	Top 5 by individual animals or by species.
	Most unusual is probably the capybaras. Though one time we had some rescue carpenter bees that I handfed. Those were cool.
How many of the animals are kissable? 95%? 100%? Because they all look extremely cute.	Kissable without getting bit? Maybe 70%. Kissable if you have no regard for your face staying intact? 100%
Hi Alex, I have a Dutch rabbit with pasteurella, and he requires a nebuliser every day. Sometimes, despite his medications, he still ends up uncomfortable and with a snotty nose. With all your experience caring for small animals, do you know of anything I could do to make him more comfortable? :)	Has he done a course of penicillin-g?
What should people know about rabbits before adopting one? Why do they make great pets? With love and respect, a fellow rabbit rescuer :)	That if you don't invest in good care for your rabbit from the start (spaying/neutering, good food, plenty of hay), you'll end up paying much more in vet bills trying to fix it later on. As for why they make great pets, well they're soft and floofy with personality for days.
Hello, thanks for doing this. I have a question, a few years ago I found a very small squirrel struggling on a sidewalk. I tried to nudge it into a patch of leaves but it kept trying to snuggle into my hand. It’s eyes were not open and it was very shaky. I put it under some leaves and left it there. I don’t know what happened to it but I assume either it’s mother returned or it was eaten. What should I have done with that little guy? It was too late in the day to contact any rescue agencies and there aren’t any near me anyways.	Your approach wasn't necessarily wrong. Basically there are two possible approaches. 1. take it home, keep it warm, don't feed it, and get it to a rehabber within 24 hours or 2. Leave it and hope mom comes back. A lot of times mom will come back but obviously there's always the risk that she won't. Some people will do a hybrid of those options and put baby in something to keep it slightly more warm and watch for mom from inside a house and then take it to a rehabber if mom doesn't come back after a certain number of hours. There's really not a perfect answer.
What’s your favorite critter?	Specific animal or species?
	Species is definitely guinea pigs. Specific animal is probably Delilah.
Hi Alex! I just really want to say thank you SO MUCH for all that you guys do at the Pipsqueakery!!! I'm a longtime rabbit butler and have only recently dipped into guinea pigs - my girl is from one of your rescues in NJ who came out of a major hoarding situation. Sadly her sistefriend also from that group passed last week, but I've since learned she's not the first NOR most recent from the group to have gone unexpectedly, which is terrifically sad. I'll be the first to admit that rabbits are my area of 'expertise' so to speak, but I'm being pressured by other pig parents to adopt another companion for her right away... even going so far as to say it's not morally or ethical to have a single. To be fair, I'm still grieving Bubbles and given the mortality rate that seems to be happening in this group, I kinda want to get a feel for if my girl is going to live another month before trying to bring in another friend. What's your perspective on this? Is it okay to keep her single for a little bit or is it completely unethical to keep her alone? Her pen is in one of my rabbits' rooms so she's able to see and "chat" with him and I'm in that room several hours a day.	Longterm, it's completely unethical to keep a guinea pig alone. In the short term, even like a couple of months, it's fine. No rabbit or human will replace the companionship of another guinea pig, but as long as she's getting attention and still eating and drinking then you can take some time to make-up your mind.
ALEX!!!! My sister (she was the idiot) and I drove over 1700 miles to bring you some hamsters! Is Amos still kicking? He was SO CUTE! You are absolutely an amazing human!! Keep up the good work!! ❤️❤️	He is not unfortunately! Thank you so mucb for helping with transport!
Hey Alex!!! I absolutely adore you and Jason and the Pipsqueakery, and I was wondering if any of your long term plans include ever bringing on some more volunteers and/or staff? Helping you guys out would be my dream :)	Yes, definitely. Since we operate out of our home currently volunteers are very limited, and since no one gets paid at all we obviously don't have any staff. I would love for The Pipsqueakery to be in a position to pay staff though because frankly running The Pipsqueakery and working full time isn't sustainable for me.
Hi Alex/Jason, I was wondering if you had any experiences with Patagonian Maras (Cavys)? I work at an animal rescue in Georgia and we have one who’s about as dumb as a box of rocks. If you have any experience with them, how do they compare to their larger cousins the Capybara?	We have two here and they're not the brightest but they do so much better if they have others of their own species. They're much jumpier and faster than capybaras but also significantly less destructive.
	But also, they can be kinda dumb....
How do you fund this? Is it sustainable? A friend of mine would love to start something like this in our area, but as far as I can tell it just seems like a big money sink	Fundraising! I spend a minimum of 20 to 40 hours a week fundraising year round, and during the end of the year (like now) I easily spend 40 to 60 hours a week fundraising. It's a full time job to fundraise and there's lots of skills and knowledge that you actually need to gain to do it well. It takes time and effort to build a base of supporters and nurture those relationships and it's a freaking ton of work.
	Alas, the vast majority of rescues don't have someone with the skills to fundraise efficiently and many many rescuers pay for their rescue out of pocket. Even if you do have the skills you'll still be paying out of your own pocket for years while you start up. We definitely did.
Hi there! I have a sweet 7year old Dutch rabbit who recently got into an accident and lost the use of her hind legs. I’m glad to discover here who you are and really love what you’re doing!Especially after my rabbit’s accident, I found it difficult to know, how little small pets are taken as serious companions. The lack of vet surgery clinics for small pets, the jokes and even the disregard of the love i have for my rabbit— I know this might be an obvious question to you but I’d just like to know your opinion, why do you think that is? And how are you expanding people’s views of small animals? Thank you!	I think it's because they're seen as cheap pets that are easily replaceable and it seems like every single person has a story about the horrific way their childhood small pet died/was killed/was set free in the woods. I mean there have even been a decent number of comments that get quickly automodded here about how this is a worthless thing to be doing.
	I hope that by sharing them online people fall in love with them and their big personalities, and see their value as individual tiny beings. Some people are just going to be assholes no matter what though and you just kinda have to let that go.
Hi Alex, we have had two Degu for the past 5 years (sisters). Unfortunately one of them passed away yesterday. What is your suggestion for ensuring the happiness of the remaining one? We have been ensuring we are playing with her as often as possible and getting lots of attention. We are just unsure if we should get another one to keep her company or not?	oof, that's a hard question. If her health is really good and you intend to keep owning degus in the future I would probably get another one. If her health isn't great I would probably just spoil her rotten for the time she has left.
What do you guys think about coming to rhode island sometime?I would love to visit and volunteer	Well, we never actually get to go anywhere. There are too many animals in our house. But if you mean expanding to RI? I'm not sure. We are only even considering taking over already well established rescues and we won't consider expanding again until at least next September because this is still very much a learning process.

Common Questions Megathread (Others, NY SAFE, Pistol Permits, And More)

This thread will cover some of the frequently asked questions here regarding NY gun laws. If you believe anything should be added or updated, please let me know.
Most of the legal topics addressed in this post are applicable only to those that live outside of New York City. The laws in NYC are different, please see the bottom for more information.

Is X banned by the NY SAFE Act?

The NY SAFE Act bans rifles, pistols, and shotguns from having certain features if conditions are met.
For rifles:
If it is SEMI-AUTOMATIC and has the ability to receive a detachable magazine, it cannot have any of the following features:

Please note: if the magazine is non-detachable (fixed magazine), these features are okay on semi-automatic rifles.
This only applies to semi-automatic rifles. Bolt-action, lever-action, single-shot, etc can have detachable magazines and features.
If it does not have any of the banned features listed above, you can have a detachable magazine on your rifle.
^* ^There ^is ^debate ^on ^what ^makes ^certain ^grips ^{legal/illegal,} ^grips ^that ^do ^not ^"protrude ^beneath ^the ^action" ^are ^believed ^to ^be ^legal, ^such ^as ^the ^Exile ^Machine ^Hammerhead, ^Resurgent ^Arms ^Grip, ^BoAR ^Grip, ^etc.
The photos are just example, variations of each feature will look different.
For shotguns:
If it is SEMI-AUTOMATIC, it cannot have any of the following features:

Folding or telescoping stock
Thumbhole stock
Second handgrip or protruding grip that can be held by non shooting hand
Fixed magazine capacity in excess of seven rounds
An ability to accept a detachable magazine

Please note: Detachable magazines are banned if the shotgun is semi-automatic. Unlike semi-automatic rifles with detachable magazines, semi-automatic shotguns can have pistol grips.
These banned features do not apply to pump-action shotguns. Semi-automatic shotguns that use tubes instead of detachable magazines are NOT exempt from this features ban.
For pistols:
If it is SEMI-AUTOMATIC and has the ability to receive a detachable magazine, it cannot have any of the following features:

Folding or telescoping stock
Thumbhole stock
Second handgrip or protruding grip that can be held by non shooting hand
Capacity to accept a magazine that attaches outside of the pistol grip
Threaded barrel
A shroud that is attached to, or partially or completely encircles, the barrel and that permits the shooter to hold the firearm with the nontrigger hand without being burned
Weight of 50oz or more

Please note: Due to the pistol permit requirements, handguns must be registered on your license before you can take possession. While fixed-mag pistols (such as AAK pistols) may technically be legal under the NY SAFE act, some counties will refuse to register these guns. Always check with your local office before purchasing if you have any questions about legality.
For curios and relics:
Antique/historic guns (guns over 50 years old) have some exemptions from the NY SAFE Act:

Antique/historic guns can be transferred
Even if it classifies as an "assault weapon" (see above) it can still be transferred
If it classifies as an "assault weapon" it needs to be registered. As of 2014, only antique/historic guns are still eligible to be registered. You cannot register an "assault weapon" that is less than 50 years old.
Magazines for antique/historic guns can be over 10 rounds, but they need to be registered.

To register an antique/historic gun or magazine, go here

What is an "Other"?

An "Other" is NOT a rifle, shotgun, pistol, or "Any Other Weapon"/AOW as it does not meet the federal definitions for any of these categories.
Others have three requirements:

The overall length must be 26 inches or longer. For the AR platform, this includes the tip of the buffer to the end of the barrel. Muzzle devices, such as flash hiders and compensators, do not count towards this length requirement unless they are permanently attached (pinned/wielded).
It is designed to be fired with two hands; typically by the use of a vertical grip
It is not designed to be fired from the shoulder; therefore, it cannot have a stock*

By meeting these three requirements, it does not fit any category mentioned above. How?
Legally, rifles and shotguns are defined as being designed to fire from the shoulder. The lack of a stock means it is not designed to be shoulder fired.
Legally, pistols are defined as being designed to be used with one hand. Adding a vertical foregrip means it is designed to be used with both hands.
Being longer than 26" means it is not longer considered to be an Any-Other-Weapon/AOW, which means it does not require a NFA stamp.
Please note: The legality of Others in NY state has been debated and ownership should be taken at your own risk. While they may be considered legal by the ATF and can even be purchased at many NY guns stores, a police officer may be unfamiliar with their legality and may view it as an unregistered "assault weapon" per the NY SAFE Act.
Others MUST not have already been configured as a rifle. You cannot legally convert a rifle into an Other. If you are building your own, it must start off as a lower and not a prebuilt rifle.
It must be a vertical foregrip (perpendicula90° angle), canted or angled foregrips are a no-go.
*Rifle stocks are not permitted on Others. Adding a rifle stock will turn it into a Short-Barrel Rifle (if the barrel is <16") or a unregistered "assault weapon" under the SAFE Act. There are alternatives to having an exposed buffer tube, such as a buffer tube cover or a pistol brace. Care should be taken with pistol braces, while the ATF confirmed they are legal and not considered to be a stock, there is some debate on their legality for others.
Others are not legally classified as rifles, pistols, or shotguns, and therefore, the NY SAFE Act banned features do not apply.

How does the pistol permit process work in New York?

The process is different per county. New York City also has it's own process. Permits that are legal throughout New York State are NOT legal for New York City. You need a NYC permit to possess a handgun in New York City.
Until you have a pistol permit, you CANNOT even touch a pistol. There are exceptions, such as if a certified instructor is present, but for the most part do not count on anyone letting you use one or examine one until you get your permit.
Rules for obtaining a pistol permit:

Must be a New York State resident*
Must be 21 years old
Have no prior felony or serious offense convictions
Be of good moral character

^* ^this ^may ^include ^part ^time ^residents ^as ^well
To my knowledge, the only universal part of the application process is filling out the State of New York Pistol/Revolver License Application (PPB3) forms.
This form requires FOUR character references. They will need to provide their signature. They cannot be family. In some counties they cannot be active law enforcement either.
The process varies by county. Always check with them first to see what you will need. Some of the other steps in the process you may experience:

Required training/safety course. Sometimes it's the local police that provide these courses, other times you need to take a course with a private organization like your local gun store (or even online, if permitted).
Fingerprinting. This may be a state requirement, I'm not sure. Sometimes this is done by the local police, other times it's done by a private organization such as IdentoGO.
Photographs. You may be required to submit your own or have them taken. This is what will be on your permit and in your file.
Character references. In addition to the references in the PPB3 form you may be asked to provide references to the county as well. They may have additional requirements, such as the reference living in the same county or requiring the reference to send in a letter.
An appointment. Some counties allow you to submit everything by mail or online (especially now), others require you to be there in person.

I just got my pistol permit, now what?

Congratulations! You can now legally own a handgun in New York State (but not in New York City, unless it's a NYC permit of course).
The first step is actually buying one. Once you have one picked out and paid for at the local gun store, they cannot release it to you. Yet.
They will provide you with a receipt, you will need to give this to your local permit office. Once they process it, they will add the gun to your pistol permit and give you a coupon that shows they are okay to release the gun to you. Only then are you allowed to take possession of the handgun.
You are not allowed to be in possession of another persons handgun unless it is on your permit or they are currently present. Even if it belongs to your spouse, it needs to be on your permit. If someone leaves a handgun in your possession, you are technically breaking the law by possessing an unregistered handgun. So do not hold onto your buddies pistol because they don't want their SO to find out about it.
Some counties have different types of pistol permits. They may issue special "concealed carry" vs "special use" (unrestricted/restricted) permits. Under New York State, they are legally viewed as the same. While you technically could be okay carrying a handgun with a restricted permit, this is a very bad idea. You may not be charged with a crime, but if it's reported, the judge can still revoke your permit.

What are "lowers" and why do I hear so much about them?

Lower refer to lower receivers. It is one of the most important components as it houses most of your internal parts and holds the gun together. You can use these to build a fixed-mag rifle, a featureless rifle, or an Other as mentioned above.
There are two common types - stripped lowers and 80% lowers. Stripped lowers need to be purchased at a gun store/transferred by an FFL, they cannot be sent directly to your house. They already have a serial number.
80% lowers are unfinished lowers. They require some additional modifications before they can be used. Currently 80% lowers ARE legal in New York, however, there is upcoming legislation that bans them in NY and requires existing ones to be serialized and/or registered.

How do I build my own AR?

Building your own AR can be rewarding, but it's also very intimidating. You will save money and learn a lot more about rifles in the process. Just relax, trust me, it's not as difficult as it sounds. Think of it like an adult Lego set.
For starters, decide on what route you want to take as it will change your requirements.
Do you want to go fixed mag? Using a magazine lock allows you to have features banned under the SAFE Act, but then loading the gun can be a hassle. Good for a range gun, but not recommended for home defense.
Do you want to go featureless? It's more practical, and while it may not look as aesthetically pleasing, you can still swap out magazines. This is important capability for most.
Do you want to go with an Other? See the above guide. You sacrifice using a stock, but you can keep most features and still have detachable magazines. It does carry some slight risk however.
Do your research on what you need based on your preferences. There are many different guides out there. This is the one I referred to.
For the most part, there are two sections -
Upper receiver parts:

Stripped or complete upper receiver
Barrel (must be 16" or above if it's not for an Other)
Gas block and gas tube
Hand guard
Charging handle
Bolt carrier group

Lower receiver parts:

Stripped lower receiver
Lower parts kit w/ trigger assembly
Buffer kit: buffer, buffer tube, buffer spring
Buttstock (OR pistol brace, OR buffer tube cover, etc)

For convenience, there are often kits that have everything you need. For example, buffer kits will have the buffer, buffer tube, and buffer spring together so you do not need to purchase them separately.
Completed uppers generally have the upper receiver, barrel, the hand guard, the gas block and the gas tube. You may need to purchase the charging handle and bolt carrier group separately, although some include these components as well.
The tools you need will vary depending on what you already have and what components you get. At the very least, you will likely need a roll pin punch kit. An armorer's wrench is also a good idea.
There are tons of videos and articles on assembling everything once it comes in.
Be mindful that there are certain parts are illegal to own in NY (Ex: rapid-fire modification devices), however, everything that you need to build a standard AR-15 is perfectly legal to own. As long as it's assembled as one of the three legal configurations mentioned above.

Can I own a gun?

Assuming you are an American citizen and have not been convicted of any crimes you most likely can.
Under federal law, the following people are prohibited from owning firearms:
Anyone

convicted in any court of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year;
who is a fugitive from justice;
who is an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance (as defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act, codified at 21 U.S.C. § 802); Note: this includes weed as well
who has been adjudicated as a mental defective or has been committed to any mental institution;
who is an illegal alien;
who has been discharged from the Armed Forces under dishonorable conditions;
who has renounced his or her United States citizenship;
who is subject to a court order restraining the person from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner or child of the intimate partner; or who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

Under New York State law, the additional people are also banned from owning firearms:

Anyone that is not a citizen of the United States
Has been certified not suitable to possess a long gun by the director or physician in charge of a hospital or institution for mental illness; or
Has been convicted of a felony or “serious offense,” defined to include:
- Illegally using, carrying or possessing a handgun or other dangerous weapon;
- Making or possessing burglar’s instruments;
- Buying or receiving stolen property;
- Unlawful entry into a building;
- Aiding escape from prison;
- Certain kinds of disorderly conduct;
- Certain drug offenses or crimes involving sodomy or rape;
- Child endangerment;
- Certain crimes permitting or promoting prostitution;
- Certain kinds of stalking; and
- Certain violent or threatening crimes committed against a member of the same family or household, including assault, strangulation, menacing, harassment, and trespass.

In New York, you must be 16 to possess a long gun, 18 to buy a long gun, and 21 to apply for a pistol permit. You cannot own a pistol without a permit. There is no permit required for long guns.

Is it true that you can buy guns/ammo/parts on the internet?

Yes! But it's not what you might be thinking.
When you buy a gun or a lower receiver online it cannot be shipped directly to your door. Instead, it must be sent to an FFL/gun store instead. After your purchase, they will need to send a copy of their FFL to the seller. Once it arrives they will determine if it is legal and compliant with NY laws, some will make any modifications if necessary, and they run your background check. If it is a handgun, you will still need to wait for your coupon from the state to pick it up.
You can legally buy ammo and have it shipped to your house, see the ammo thread for a list of vendors that ship to NY.
You can legally buy most gun parts and have them shipped to your house. Lower receivers still need to be sent a FFL/gun store (unless they are 80% lowers). For the most part, everything else is fine to ship to your home.
There are no shipping restrictions are firearm accessories (sights, lasers, flashlights, etc).

I live in New York City, how are guns laws different here than the rest of the state?

NYC gun laws are even stricter than the rest of the state. A New York pistol permit is not valid in New York City unless it is a New York City permit. New York City unrestricted pistol permits are valid for the rest of the state.
Long guns require a NYC Premises Rifle/Shotgun permit. For the process involved in obtaining one, please refer to this post.

If you would like to see anything else added here, please let me know.

Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer. This is not legal advice and should not be taken as such. This is just a Reddit post to provide helpful information. Always consult with a lawyer if you have legal concerns about any of the above.

can you get your permit online in ny video

New York Pistol Permit Course admin 2021-02-05T13:47:04-05:00 THE FIRST ONLINE NEW YORK STATE PISTOL PERMIT COURSE Approved in Chenango, Erie, Hamilton, Niagara, Putnam, and Sullivan Counties Before you can get a driver's license, you have to meet the requirements set by your state. These requirements typically include getting a certain number of hours of driving practice and passing a driving (road) test. It's possible that you won't meet all these requirements by the time your permit expires. [insert:covid-alert] OverviewGetting a learner driver permit is the first step to getting a driver license. To get a learner permit, you mustbe 16 years or olderapply in person at a DMV officePermit typesClass D - Operator permitThis is the most common class of permit that people apply for. The steps on this page outline how to get a Class D Operator permit. If you are an OSCAR user, there should be an “obtaining oversize/overweight permits in NY” link on your main OSCAR page. Click that link and you are in HOOCS. If you do not have the link to HOOCS on your OSCAR account, we may need to enable your account for you to gain access. Please send an email to [email protected] with your USDOT [insert:covid-alert] Getting a permit is the first step to get your driver license. You must be 16 or older and must apply in person at a DMV office. Green Light LawSee information on how to apply for a learner permit under New York State's Green Light Law. Get your permitWhen you apply for a permit, you will need to provide proof of identification and take a written test. Information on what documents are needed for each transaction can be found on the DMV website at dmv.ny.gov. Anyone planning to get a permit, a license or register a car for the first time should If you’re 24 years old or younger, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) requires the completion of a Driver's Ed course in order to obtain your first driver's license. Luckily, you can take Drivers Ed online in Texas. You’ll be able to begin coursework once you turn 14 years old, but must be 15 years old in order to apply for a New York Junior Driver's License. Once you have your New York learner's permit in hand, you're ready to continue your quest to get your driver's license. The next step in the GDL process is to get your NY junior driver's license. For steps and details on how to do so, please visit our NY Teen Driver's License page. New York Gun Permit: State Laws, Rules, Requirements & Online Training New York is one of the states with stringent gun laws. The licensing unit issues permits based on discretion, but you must first meet the New York pistol license law requirements. New York Gun Permit. New York is a May-issue state for the application … Gun Permit New York: Laws, Cost, Restrictions, & FAQs Read More » NY DMV adding new online services: Permit tests, registration for some. Updated Nov 13, Customers can also get information on other online services and make reservations for in-person visits.

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How To: Get In Line, Online - YouTube

Follow the directions in the video to utilize this convenient option from the Texas Department of Public Safety Driver License Division. Driving Academy - 908.525.3609www.cdldrivingacademy.comThis video will show how get your CDL Permit. In order to get your CDL permit you must pass all of the... About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators ... Full Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLALQuK1NDriCKwf1RLdklhQga8ONSVUn--Watch more How to Drive Safely videos: http://www.howcast.com/videos... A study permit authorizes you to study in Canada legally. International students will receive their Study Permits in the form of a paper document which will ... This video features helpful tips on what you will need to know in order to get your drivers permit. This video is part of I Drive Safely's "How to Get Your L... If you are doing a major remodel or a home addition you are going to need a building permit (no doubt about it) But if you haven't hired a #generalcontractor... In this video I will guide step by step on how to schedule an online NY DMV appointment/reservation for your learners permit test. https://dmv.ny.gov/permits Want to register for a DOT Number? We will show you the right way to apply online in order to be compliant with the Department of Transportation(DOT) and ho... In this video you will learn how to obtain a residential building permit from the City of Phoenix Planning and Development Department. The permit and the pl...

New York DMV | Get a learner permit

can you get your permit online in ny

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