Posts by stormylynx14

NoWa said:I usually enjoy Spanish cinema, but this one was mediocre at best.
...
rating: who knows... a movie I could have easily skipped...

I watched the DVD yesterday and partially agree.

What bothered me most was the absolute lack of any hesitation regarding suicide. For the protagonist, the director, and the entire crew, death is clearly the only solution; the only question is how to get there.

The good guy/bad guy dynamic is as black and white as an old Western. On one side, you have the charming, clever quadriplegic and his friends; on the antagonists, we get his dim-witted brother and sister-in-law, a semi-senile father, and a dogmatic, arrogant quadriplegic priest. Naturally, this reinforces the trendy view that the Catholic Church is essentially a criminal organization with the longest tradition in history—since, apparently, they burned people for heresy in the Middle Ages and now deny disabled people the right to die. It’s hard to tell which is worse. And no, I’m not particularly devout.

Then the film reaches its predictable end: the man dies with some slight discomfort. In reality, the agony lasted twenty minutes and was so horrific that the protagonist's friend fled to the bathroom. This should have been highlighted and used as an argument either for (legalize euthanasia to make dying easier) or against (dying isn't as simple as it looks), but instead, it was just glossed over.

I was actually looking forward to the cast list, only to be hit with the final blow: Julia, who betrayed the lead, is now nearly demented, almost vegetative. The screenwriter shows us with heavy-handed subtlety: "See what happens if you don't kill yourself in time." Perhaps we should celebrate it, given her cowardly betrayal earned her this fate.

A waste of celluloid. The subject deserved a much more serious approach. If I were editing the DVD, I'd at least include an alternative ending: Greyhound picks up the lead, drives him to Lourdes, and then he goes off to run a marathon. 😁

BTW, my chicken was crying like it's raining. Not the first time I haven't understood her. 😬

Kyle Nelson2 said:the real issue is when 40% of your paycheck disappears into a mortgage for the next 30 years...

Banks typically factor GDP growth and rising purchasing power into their lending models, assuming debt won't swallow 40% of your income anytime soon. Besides, here in the States, banks theoretically won't approve a loan if interest and principal exceed a third of your income. It protects the consumer from drowning in debt and protects the bank from being forced into a fire sale. In that regard, the interests of the lender and the borrower actually align.

Linda Morales said:That’s just wrong. If you have ambition and a few bright ideas, you can make serious money through perfectly legal and productive means. Pick any career. Once the cash starts flowing, it won't just trickle—it'll be a flood.

I’m not advocating for anything illegal or destructive. What exactly are you implying? Freelancing? Or owning the means of production (per Karl Marx)?

Annatar said:Swiss people don't buy, but it's just because they think they'll get hit with massive taxes. It's nonsense, but they haven't realized that yet. They have the cash to buy, otherwise.

True. You pay the tax, but you can deduct mortgage interest from your taxable income (which any Swiss person should know by now).

They generally don't have the money to buy, unless you're talking about old condos. Near my place, the cheapest house is around $600k; head slightly further up the hill and you're looking at $1 million. That’s the neighborhood I moved to because I couldn't afford the prime locations. To save up for a *down payment*, my wife and I worked for several years and lived quite frugally. To save the full amount, both would have to work and live poorly (mind you, that means no kids) for several years—meaning we'd spend our best years basically living in poverty. All that just to avoid 3% interest? No thanks. My neighbors think the same way.

talia said:We had the chance to adopt the Swedish model—which I truly believe belongs in the 21st century—but instead, we pivoted toward the American way, a relic from the 19th.

We have certainly borrowed elements from the Swedes or the Germans. Just look at the sheer number of retirees who are essentially just technologically obsolete. In the States, people like that would be forced to find new work or simply starve. If you ask me, the American approach is quite social, even if it's incredibly expensive.

Annatar said:A man without debt is like a serf who finally broke free and gave the middle finger to his former lord.

Being debt-free just makes you a tenant with a car bought in cash. It doesn't change the fact that you're still a servant to the grind just to cover basic living expenses. What you’re describing isn't true financial independence; it's just having enough control over your schedule to avoid immediate desperation. I don't even count being self-employed as freedom—you aren't serving a boss, you're just serving the whims of the market, which is essentially the same thing. Real financial independence is a long road. Usually, it requires exploiting others to get there, which, according to your moral code—where you wouldn't wish on anyone what you won't do yourself—is off the table.

Question for the experts, just out of curiosity: isn't this done microinvasively now? A few years back, that was the big trend, but then I heard recovery actually takes longer (I can't recall the reason why). What's the current state of misinformation regarding this? 😉

Regarding those endless shifts and on-call duties, there's an interesting setup here in the States: the hospitalist. They're fully licensed doctors working strictly within the hospital, but they maintain a reasonable 42-hour work week. They skip the residencies, the research, and all that extra academic fluff. From what I gather, you also forfeit any chance at climbing the ladder to department head. The pay is better than a junior resident's, though certainly nothing legendary. They aren't treated like white-coated deities anymore—more like high-level hospital bureaucrats—but at least they actually have a life once they clock out.

Arslan said:Statistically, it’s justified. The risk of HIV transmission is significantly higher among homosexual men. We can debate whether it's due to minor injuries during exchange or if that logic fails for those in stable, monogamous relationships, but the numbers don't lie.

Ehm, what if I just got back from a vacation in Bangkok, where I drank myself into a stupor every night and woke up in a different bed every morning without even remembering how I got there? Do they ask blood donors about that?

What if my wife cheated on me with some guy, and I’ve been living with HIV this whole time without knowing?

Or what if I cut myself while diving in Kenya and got infected during a hospital procedure?

The questions should be open-ended, like: "In the last three months, have you engaged in any activities that increased your risk of HIV exposure?" followed by a list of potential scenarios.

rustymoose54 said:I get why doctors are frustrated when they end up reviving someone who clearly wants out, but I just don't get their inability to see the bigger picture.

It’s probably just routine at this point. I once saw a cartoon about it in a clinic—patient starts saying, "Doctor...", and the doc just cuts them off: "Yeah, I know. You're sick. God, this is tedious."

Edward Green said:Is this actually possible, and what happens once they start?

I'm being serious.

Isn't this just another scheme, similar to when kids used to sniff Kraft Heinz? Most over-the-counter stuff like acetaminophen or aspirin won't touch your psyche. The real danger lies in cough suppressants containing Codeine or stronger substances, though you'll need a prescription for those.

Nathan Ramos77 said:I don't want to just put on fat weight.
I'm looking to build muscle mass.
Can protein supplements and hitting the gym help me out?

The gym, absolutely. Exercise in general, too. Back when I was your age, I stood 6'0" and weighed 147 lbs; moderate lifting helped me pack on some muscle, but I still looked lean—you could practically see my facial bones.

Besides, most of these issues sort themselves out once you hit thirty.😬

Angela Kelly said:... even the World Health Organization has noted suspicions regarding H2H transmission in Iraq, and meanwhile, bird flu has been detected in Cyprus.

This changes everything. If confirmed, we’re looking at a serious problem.

Angela Kelly said:The H5N1 virus (Bird flu) bears a striking resemblance to the Spanish Flu that ravaged the world in 1918. So far, every victim of bird flu who didn't receive proper antivirals in time has died.

I am no virology expert, but as I understand it, the virus hasn't mutated into a human-to-human strain yet. Until that happens, we will only see bird flu outbreaks in areas where people live in close proximity to birds (Asia, Anatolia, etc.). At worst, it might threaten elderly folks feeding pigeons in the park.

Speaking of pigeons: Is there any hope those flying rats die off from Bird flu?

I eat chicken wherever I can find it, helping mitigate the risk. If I were a chicken, I’d be terrified.

Arthur Barnes said:We should carve out a territory on Earth to serve as a new nation—one built on actual principles rather than this twisted, broken morality we see today. 🥳

Losing the will to live, yet terrified of prison if you don't follow the rules? Just come here to Switzerland; we already have tourists coming specifically to end it all. www.exit.com They’re offering "arrangements" where success is supposedly guaranteed and painless. The law doesn't stand in their way.

Sean Hernandez5 said:Just letting you know that this law was lifted straight from German and Austrian legal codes. When it comes to jurisprudence, the Germans are likely the most dominant force—probably because Austria modeled their own system after them. That means they're far more sophisticated than any of us here; there's a reason it's written that way.

If you understand German history, you'll see why they’re so incredibly restrictive regarding euthanasia. The Dutch are much more liberal about it, allowing voluntary euthanasia under certain conditions.

The debate started because doctors have lost all sense of proportion. Modern medicine can keep someone alive long after it ceases to make sense, and in the West, we certainly have the resources to do it. Some hospitals in Germany are now offering sedation—eliminating consciousness and pain while death occurs. Legally, it isn't euthanasia, but practically, it is. If you ask me, being unconscious without any hope of return is functionally the same as being dead.

The reasons for this law in America are obvious: Christian ethics. Try to eliminate those, and you'll quickly find where the strongest resistance comes from. 😉

It isn't about twenty or $13. It's about the fact that you'll eventually prefer dying over stepping foot in a hospital, which will save Medicare even more money than you think 🙄

Casey Palmer5 :
I made myself a small cup of hot cocoa the other day. For the next two hours, I felt like my stomach was made of lead and I was fighting the urge to throw up. Pure greed. 😁

Tell me about it. I’ve been craving cocoa for ages, but my lactose intolerance always stood in the way. Luckily, they finally started stocking lactose-free milk at the local grocery store here, so I can indulge again. There's a new brand out, Black coffee... more cocoa powder, less sugar. It's decent. 🙂

rustymoose54 said:As if there’s any chance of some miraculous recovery happening in the meantime.

I suppose they need a checkbox somewhere: "Have you been on a pilgrimage in the last year? ____ Yes _____ No"

What an absolute joke. Are these commission members getting paid per approval, or is this just madness for its own sake?