Let’s break this down The first one sounds like some political party... the second is just a keyboard smash... and the third feels like some heavy-duty diesel engine! Whatever, it's all a joke. I read through everything everyone posted... but I wanted to ask if anyone actually knows this: - So, I had some bloodwork done the other day and the results were more or less like this—everything looks fine except, obviously, my cholesterol, which is sitting at 6.2. Though, I guess I'm a little worried because a couple of years ago the upper limit was 6, and then those big pharma companies probably lobbied to drop it to 5 just so they could push more meds. Anyway, my triglycerides are 2.9 (they should be under 1.9), and then there's the liver enzymes. Out of the three, my AST and GGT are totally normal—right in the middle of the range—but my ALT is 51, when it’s supposed to be under 44. So now I’m asking you guys... students, ceramicists, auto painters... doctors... even the experts... does this ALT increase (if it's even high, I don't really know) have anything to do with the fact that I have way too much fat clogging up my veins? And one more thing—should I expect my doctor to tell me, YOU NEED TO GO ON A DIET? In case age matters, I'm exactly 30. Oh, and another thing... I've been digging around online and I see the upper limit for ALT is listed as 48 in some places... and 44 in others... why can't they ever agree on something?
Jerry Phillips2 said:@Lisa Kern38 I guess I agree with most of what you said, but you're only looking at one side of things. On the other hand, people used to get sick much younger back then, and they died way earlier. Back then, you could basically do whatever you wanted as long as you were a member of the party, otherwise you ended up behind bars. Those days are gone. And honestly, fraud and corruption? That was always a thing. Nowadays, the worst thing that can happen to you is going bankrupt. But back then, if the wrong people in power didn't like you, they could just have you killed without a second thought. Cigarettes were never healthy, obviously, but people didn't realize that. They thought it made them look more masculine. In reality, they were just rotting from the inside out. I could go on forever, really, but I suppose this is just called progress. Sure, people don't socialize as much anymore, but if that's the price we have to pay, then I guess so.
I wasn't even talking about communism or anything like that... And what's this about people dying young back then???? Where are you getting that from.... today we have thousands of veterans who take their own lives... the age for heart attacks has shifted down by like ten years, so people are having them in their 30s now... and don't even get me started on depression and mental health issues.... murder rates have skyrocketed, and as far as I know, when someone gets killed in their 30s today, they're still considered young... whereas before, you might be facing a death sentence at 12, but today, you're out in a month for good behavior (tell me I'm wrong if I am) I don't see any connection here, quoting you:"Nowadays, the worst thing that can happen to you is going bankrupt, but back then, if the wrong people in power didn't like you, they could just have you killed without a second thought." - what does that have to do with the stuff we're actually complaining about??? And this last part you said:"Sure, people don't socialize as much anymore, but if that's the price we have to pay, then I guess so.....I can't believe you actually think like that.... but whatever.... you just proved my point that everything is going to hell.
Look, man... I don't know everything you've been through in life, and honestly, I don't really care. That might sound harsh, saying I don't care about your past, but it's just how it is. I remember '91 clearly enough, and I know what went down. But look at it this way: someone who was in the war back in '91 had a job to do, just like someone else will have to go to war if God forbid it happens again in the year 2534. Being in the service in '91 or whenever else—well, that's just bad luck, I guess. You get me? You had a duty, and you did it. Now you're sitting here arguing over who's a real veteran and who isn't. It doesn't matter. Kids today don't even know what happened, and the older generation is so buried in debt they couldn't care less. What happened, happened, and we move on. Find a hobby or something. Get busy with something. You’ve made an excuse to obsess over being sick, and that isn't helping. Does this whole life thing even have a point? Who knows. If you love life too much, it'll suck when the day comes that you have to die, and if you don't love it, well, people end up killing themselves. See? Two extremes, both with fatal outcomes. So maybe just find a middle ground. We're all just stuck in this mess. Personally, I'm more worried about how people have turned into wolves toward one another. It feels like we've all drifted apart. Values are totally warped nowadays, and man, imagine what's waiting for kids today. It's scary. They'll probably have it even worse than you, and they aren't even close to seeing a war. You feel me? You're wasting your energy on useless stuff, wondering if someone was a true soldier or a fraud. Only you know what you actually did and if you did it right. Did you do something wrong? If you did, and you regret it, that's fine. If you didn't do anything wrong, that's also fine. See? It works out either way, I guess. So Just enjoy what little life you have left. Don't waste it. If you can't help yourself, try helping someone who needs it more than you do. Karma usually comes around eventually.
Let’s take it step by step... back before everything changed, I guess... back in the day. It used to be totally fine to smoke even in hospitals. I remember when I was just a kid around '85, my old man would take me to the eye doctor for a checkup, and we’d just sit there in the waiting room while everyone smoked like crazy. Back then, you could light up pretty much wherever—on trains, in restaurants, at the dentist, in hospitals, at work, in offices... honestly, everywhere. I bet even a priest would've lit one up during Mass. But now? Now we live in this era of constant nagging about living "healthy." Everything gets under our skin. A red light stays red too long, so we lose it. Some old lady is slow slicing deli meat at the grocery store, and suddenly it's a crisis. Some guy tries to merge into traffic and nobody lets him in, and people lose their minds. Smoking bothers us. Even our own spouses bother us, and vice versa. We don't have time for our kids, yet we act shocked when they start acting out at school. We refuse to hire enough psychologists for schools, so instead, we just slap security guards on the doors. We complain about heavy school curricula, and if a kid's backpack is slightly too heavy, everyone starts whining. Back when I was growing up, I used to lug around a 20-pound bag and walk to school on Saturdays without a peep. I remember walking to class when it was negative 10 degrees outside, and we were actually happy. Nowadays, schools close if it drops below 50. We complain about being buried in debt from loans we took out without even thinking if we could pay them back. We live on credit and then blame the government or someone else, when really, it’s on us. What does the state have to do with our damn loans? We complain about picking the worst parts of Europe because we couldn't manage to grab the best stuff, so we skip vacations for two or three years and then wonder why we're getting sick. Everything bothers us. People have changed; nobody really gives a damn about anyone anymore. We walk down the street avoiding eye contact because nobody wants to see how much of a mess someone else is in. We do everything online instead of walking downtown, grabbing a coffee with friends, and paying bills on the way. Nobody wants their son to be a construction worker because it's "shameful," so then we get annoyed when the kid, who finished some business program, sits at home gambling all day instead of learning a trade that actually puts food on the table. It's pathetic. Our "must-watch" news is just political spending scandals and reality TV shows. We've lost all respect for the elderly and the sick. Some idiot parks right in the disabled spot in front of the bank just to save a minute, even though there's a paid lot 100 yards away. Everyone acts like a saint but would sell their soul for a buck. You want to buy an apartment? You have to hand over the cash before the building is even finished, let alone cleared for use. A dog walking past us on the sidewalk annoys us. Corruption drives us crazy, yet most of us are part of it—everyone has a "connection" to avoid a speeding ticket or a parking fine. We get bitter because we don't have a "connection" at the police station, so we write endless appeals hoping the case just expires. We refuse to admit when we're wrong, so we blame the whole system, only to turn around and criticize that same system later. In this sea of complaining... look where you are with your little "cigarette smoke bothers me" attitude. Maybe just shut up and find your own solution. To quote a friend of mine—we might be few, but we're still pieces of work!
Look, whatever you decide to do, nobody has any right to judge you or sit there dissecting your every move... Just be brave and go for it. You’re the one designing your own life here, so don't expect anyone to come running to bail you out. Honestly, I hope those jerks who eventually try to call you out end up in the deepest pit of hell—and I'll personally make sure to drive a truckload of coal straight to them just to keep things heating up. Hehehehe. Listen, kid, whatever you choose, just stay strong and don't let the comments get under your skin...
p.s. Hey kids, when are we actually going to start using protection?....
Forget all that "follow your heart" crap—your heart isn't going to kill you. And honestly, if you think dying is some quick, easy thing, you're dead wrong. Just stop panicking, man. You're fine. I mean, just stick to the basics: get your blood work done once a year or maybe every two years, and you'll be alright. When was the last time you actually checked your vitals? Or even when was the last time you hit a sportsbook? Now that you've finally gotten a little anxious, maybe try actually taking care of yourself for once. Besides, the odds of anything happening to you at twenty-five are about as likely as a lightning strike hitting me in Chicago. So, yeah, statistically speaking, you're golden. But then again, statistics are like a bikini... they show you everything but don't really tell you what's actually going on.
copperangler15 said:May 11, 2007. A police officer pulled me over, claiming I ran a red light. I know for a fact the light was green when I passed through that intersection, and his entire claim rests on nothing more than his own "visual observation." To make matters worse, the citation itself is a complete mess—the street name and the location of the stop are both entirely incorrect. On top of that, the officer was incredibly rude. Before he even signaled me to pull over, he drove his cruiser aggressively toward my car, practically forcing me off the road. Honestly, I was terrified I’d be pushed right into a ditch. When he slapped me with the ticket—which I refused to sign ($333 + $37; 2 misdemeanors and a 2-month license suspension)—I didn't waste any time. As soon as I got home, I drafted formal appeals against both the citation and the officer's conduct, then mailed them all via certified mail. By Saturday, I received a response from the Police Chief. Predictably, they doubled down on the errors, citing the wrong date and the wrong location again. They claimed to have conducted a thorough review of the file and concluded that my grievances were baseless 😠 because, of course, the officer denies being unprofessional. Since I filed my appeal within the legal timeframe, the case has been forwarded to the local municipal court. From there, I can seek protection of my rights if they are violated, call witnesses, request a confrontation, and present other evidence during the proceedings. Now, here is what I want to know: can an officer actually prove I ran a red light if he didn't pull me over until two intersections later? Especially since he wrote on the ticket that he witnessed the violation personally? There is absolutely no video footage. How should I prepare to go before the judge? This is my first offense ever, and I’ve been driving for over a decade. Regardless of the outcome, I am not paying a dime. I refuse to pay for something I didn't do.
You think you're innocent, and maybe you are, but you know how this works... He’s got the badge and the uniform. He’s got a partner who will back him up. He’s got the official report. It's basically his word against yours. Find a lawyer to give you some advice, but even that’s gonna cost you. Like the old saying goes: don't pick a fight with someone who holds all the cards.