Posts by Gerald Rivera60

Let’s take a closer look at the "exact" sciences, shall we?
Biology focuses on living organisms, yet we still haven't reached a consensus on what life actually is. For instance, science can't simply manufacture life from scratch.
Physics is often just a collection of hypothetical constructs—string theory, parallel universes, extra dimensions...
There is an immense amount of guesswork involved there too.
To be clear, I have nothing against science itself.

Furthermore, modern research approaches the so-called "soul" through an interdisciplinary lens, such as linking various brain activities to mental processes—take Neuroeconomics, for example. It isn't merely a matter of statistics, though there is plenty of it; statistical models are standard tools used in physics and nearly every other scientific field.
... apologies for going off-topic.

bluebison70 said:You’re probably familiar with communication theory:
[Sender: message -> encoding] ----- communication channel --------->[Receiver: decoding -> message]
The message on the left side (from the sender) and the one on the right (received by the listener) don't necessarily have to be identical—even though that’s what the sender is aiming for—but things can go sideways pretty easily. First, maybe the sender doesn't quite know how to properly encode the message using verbal or non-verbal cues. Then, there might be issues during transmission, you know, like background noise or other people interfering. Or, perhaps the receiver's system for decoding those verbal and non-verbal signs isn't fully compatible with the sender's... and that happens for all sorts of reasons, I guess... like lack of knowledge, different life experiences, or just basic personality clashes and differing attitudes.
Because of all that, I suppose it can be really difficult to truly understand someone sometimes...

😂

Honestly, this whole communication thing is getting pretty serious. I once sent my neighbor a non-verbal signal—you know, the middle finger—and she tells me she'll be over right away. She thought I was... well, let's just say she misinterpreted the signal as an invitation because she thought I was feeling particularly enthusiastic. That’s just what happens when people have to deal with non-verbal cues. She clearly didn't decode the message correctly. Ever since humans started communicating, it seems like there's just been an endless string of misunderstandings.

Back in the day, we used to just talk like normal people and everyone understood each other, but now, man, it feels like you have to practically strip someone down just to figure out what they mean, because you can't make sense of them otherwise.

I don't get any of it anymore. I do my encoding, the message travels through the channel, and then you're over there trying to strip everything back to find the truth... and that's supposed to be "communication," provided our neighbors aren't shouting at us or mowing their lawn with a leaf blower in the meantime.

Honestly, this whole communication thing is getting pretty serious. I once sent my neighbor a non-verbal signal—you know, the middle finger—and she tells me she'll be over right away. She thought I was... well, let's just say she misinterpreted the signal as an invitation because she thought I was feeling particularly enthusiastic. That’s just what happens when people have to deal with non-verbal cues. She clearly didn't decode the message correctly. Ever since humans started communicating, it seems like there's just been an endless string of misunderstandings.

Back in the day, we used to just talk like normal people and everyone understood each other, but now, man, it feels like you have to practically strip someone down just to figure out what they mean, because you can't make sense of them otherwise.

I don't get any of it anymore. I do my encoding, the message travels through the channel, and then you're over there trying to strip everything back to find the truth... and that's supposed to be "communication," provided our neighbors aren't shouting at us or mowing their lawn with a leaf blower in the meantime.

Honestly, this whole communication thing is getting pretty serious. I once sent my neighbor a non-verbal signal—you know, the middle finger—and she tells me she'll be over right away. She thought I was... well, let's just say she misinterpreted the signal as an invitation because she thought I was feeling particularly enthusiastic. That’s just what happens when people have to deal with non-verbal cues. She clearly didn't decode the message correctly. Ever since humans started communicating, it seems like there's just been an endless string of misunderstandings.

Back in the day, we used to just talk like normal people and everyone understood each other, but now, man, it feels like you have to practically strip someone down just to figure out what they mean, because you can't make sense of them otherwise.

I don't get any of it anymore. I do my encoding, the message travels through the channel, and then you're over there trying to strip everything back to find the truth... and that's supposed to be "communication," provided our neighbors aren't shouting at us or mowing their lawn with a leaf blower in the meantime.
She definitely misread you... 😁
Unless you two actually sat down and agreed to redefine what the middle finger means,

it seems to me that you're having some trouble encoding the messages you're trying to send in your posts, too.
Or perhaps you're just worried that if you encoded them any more clearly, you'd run into some forum sanctions...

bluebison70 said:
I suppose you might be the dangerous one here. I'm certainly not a child, though maybe I am getting a bit senile. I can't always remember where everything was, so I guess I get a little carried away sometimes. Now I'm feeling uncertain again: what actually counts as an appropriate comment? It's been weighing on me.

Anyway, it’s probably better if I just stay out of your way. I mean, what would my grandson say if I let you delete me right now? Everything belongs to him, really, and I just tend to sneak in and use his things when he isn't home.

I honestly thought this place was pleasant, but I guess life is difficult everywhere. It seems nobody understands anyone else anymore, and there's just no patience left.

I'll keep that in mind—"moderator" (that word makes me think of a liquidator; I think I've started rambling again).

I never said you were a child, just that you act like one...
Appropriate versus inappropriate... for instance, you wouldn't tell someone struggling with depression to "just do drugs" or "end it all" (I'm not saying you wrote those specific things, just using them as examples of what not to do). I'm not some hardcore advocate for political correctness, but still...

bluebison70 said:
I suppose you might be the dangerous one here. I'm certainly not a child, though maybe I am getting a bit senile. I can't always remember where everything was, so I guess I get a little carried away sometimes. Now I'm feeling uncertain again: what actually counts as an appropriate comment? It's been weighing on me.

Anyway, it’s probably better if I just stay out of your way. I mean, what would my grandson say if I let you delete me right now? Everything belongs to him, really, and I just tend to sneak in and use his things when he isn't home.

I honestly thought this place was pleasant, but I guess life is difficult everywhere. It seems nobody understands anyone else anymore, and there's just no patience left.

I'll keep that in mind—"moderator" (that word makes me think of a liquidator; I think I've started rambling again).

Has anyone ever truly understood anyone? I'm being a bit cynical, but if you want to be understood, you have two jobs: A) you have to understand others, and B) you have to make an effort to ensure they understand you.
It’s easy to sit in a corner complaining that no one gets you... But do you get them? Have you actually tried communicating in a way that lands?
Look at communication theory:
[Sender: message -> encoding] ----- communication channel --------->[Receiver: decoding -> message]
The message on the left (sender) and the right (receiver) doesn't necessarily match, even if that's the goal. Problems arise from several places: 1. The sender fails to encode the message correctly using verbal or non-verbal cues; 2. There are transmission issues (noise, distractions, etc.); 3. The receiver's decoding system isn't fully compatible with the sender's due to various factors—ignorance, different life experiences, personality clashes, or differing perspectives.
For all these reasons, true understanding is often elusive.

bluebison70 said:
I suppose you might be the dangerous one here. I'm certainly not a child, though maybe I am getting a bit senile. I can't always remember where everything was, so I guess I get a little carried away sometimes. Now I'm feeling uncertain again: what actually counts as an appropriate comment? It's been weighing on me.

Anyway, it’s probably better if I just stay out of your way. I mean, what would my grandson say if I let you delete me right now? Everything belongs to him, really, and I just tend to sneak in and use his things when he isn't home.

I honestly thought this place was pleasant, but I guess life is difficult everywhere. It seems nobody understands anyone else anymore, and there's just no patience left.

I'll keep that in mind—"moderator" (that word makes me think of a liquidator; I think I've started rambling again).

😂

You’re being ridiculous... acting like a child.
I didn't delete you because of pregnancy talk, but because of that inappropriate comment...
And I’m not exactly some dangerous guy... I’m just a moderator here, nothing more.

I doubt I’ll have any say in who they pick for the "shooter." As for the pain, I'm not worried—I've already had my fair share, and I have Ketorolac and Spasfon on hand.
The connection between diabetes and ESWL isn't clear to me either; I just happened to come across those studies.
The stone is located at the L1-L2 level in the bladder area.

Hello,
My urologist recommended ESWL (Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy) because I have a stone in my ureter, positioned close to the kidney.
The stone is about 6mm, and it’s been sitting in that same spot for months now.
I ended up in the ER three months ago due to the pain, but things have been quiet since then—I only feel it occasionally.

So, here is what I want to know: has anyone actually gone through this procedure?
Specifically, if anyone has experience with ESWL at Mount Sinai... that’s where my appointment is scheduled.
Also, I’ve come across information suggesting that ESWL might increase the risk of diabetes.
http://www.medindia.net/news/view_news_main.asp?x=9339
http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic3024.htm

If that risk is real, why am I being sent for it when I already have diabetes?
I’ve worked hard to stabilize my blood sugar levels. They are actually back to normal now, and I’m off all medication thanks to diet and fitness. I really don't want to end up back on meds.
I assume the risk is lower than the danger of a complete ureteral obstruction, but still...
On the bright side, ESWL seems like a much more tolerable option compared to other methods.

I’m not convinced there is any real cooperation on the streets either... from what I can tell, even in major US cities, people remain divided along ethnic lines.
Any cooperation that does occur is purely driven by shared—and often fleeting—interests.
I suspect you see similar patterns in prison... though in those cases, such alliances tend to stay under the radar.

Since this thread has grown quite large, we’ve decided to follow some users' suggestions and open a dedicated space for discussing how families deal with members living with mental health conditions.
http://www.forum.us/showthread.php?t=265221
Please direct all future discussions on this topic to that new thread.
Thanks.

Here are two links discussing panic disorder treatments (the second one is a full e-article)
http://www.brainexplorer.org/panic/P...reatment.shtml
http://tc.engr.wisc.edu/UER/uer97/author3/index.html

I’m having some doubts about that calculation regarding one-third of the population...
The figure being cited is 14% of all illnesses being mental health disorders.
If you want to verify, just check this link from The Lancet
http://www.thelancet.com/online/focu...lth/collection
And here is another link regarding that "news" item... there isn't any mention of one-third of humanity anywhere.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/81489.php

Those aren't even really analogous examples. According to certain psychologists—specifically those from psychodynamic and related schools of thought—homosexuality involves deep-seated psychological roots. They suggest it triggers defense mechanisms, such as reaction formation, when someone encounters homosexuality. Essentially, you adopt the exact opposite stance as a way to defend yourself against your own impulses.
It’s similar to being excessively polite to someone who is getting under your skin when you aren't allowed to snap at them; the only difference here is that this reaction formation happens almost entirely unconsciously.
That said, I don't believe every homophobe is a latent homosexual. While some certainly are, I suspect the majority simply possess what is known as an authoritarian personality.

I get what you're trying to say here, but this really belongs in a thread about homosexuality (which is why I moved it there).
On the other hand, equating anti-fascism with homophobia just doesn't work for me.

Jose Newman26 said:It happens to me quite a bit when I’m absolutely exhausted. As soon as my head hits the pillow, I drift off almost instantly and start dreaming, but then—out of nowhere—I’ll have this sudden, violent jerk that leaves me feeling totally startled. The weird part is, I can never actually remember what I was dreaming about right before it happened. My husband tells me that I do this all the time; apparently, I even start talking in my sleep, though he can never make heads or tails of what I'm saying.

When you're pushed to the point of exhaustion, muscle tone tends to drop more rapidly, which increases the likelihood of these kinds of physical reactions.

One theory suggests that as we drift off, our muscle tone drops faster than the brain actually settles into sleep. Essentially, those vivid dreams and mental images are just a physiological reaction to that sudden loss of muscle tension.

Susan Garcia said:Maybe you're just slow, which is why you get insulted whenever you chime in... makes sense given the handle.
Most of those people do it because it's fun; if you just ignore them, they lose interest. And let's be real, most of them wouldn't act like that in real life...

🙂 Susan,
Calling someone stupid isn't a great look. It’s a cheap shot.
And as for the username... there's no reason it should mean anything at all.

Susan Garcia said:Maybe you're just slow, which is why you get insulted whenever you chime in... makes sense given the handle.
Most of those people do it because it's fun; if you just ignore them, they lose interest. And let's be real, most of them wouldn't act like that in real life...

... the internet gives certain people a false sense of security. That ability to hide behind an avatar and pretend to be someone else brings out the worst in them.

451 degrees Fahrenheit

It’s interesting that one of the books featured in the film is Mein Kampf... a pointed nod to the book burnings in Nazi Germany.

I’ve cleared out a string of off-topic posts and petty arguments.
Please settle down and get back to the actual subject at hand.

Don't you dare start this thread!!
🙂

Keith Lee2 said:I think IQ exists so we don't have to guess if someone's smart—we can just measure it and clear up any doubt.
Honestly, you usually get a sense of how someone's thinking just by talking to them.
But that vibe is always relative, since we're just comparing people to ourselves.
It’s like, if we knew for a fact someone was 6'7", we wouldn't keep trying to pass them off as a point guard
(using basketball terms here, haha)
So, look, tell me your IQ score and I'll know exactly how much weight your arguments carry.
But since bragging about your IQ is seen as being a total narcis,
I guess we'll just keep struggling to understand each other.😬

Look, if someone I know acts stupidly, there isn't a single test on earth that will convince me they aren't dim-witted. The reverse holds true as well.
In practical terms, that is actually the true measure of intelligence.
An IQ test is just a shortcut. We use it because, for practical reasons, we can't throw people into real-world situations and wait to see how they react just to gather data.
IQ doesn't validate intelligence; behavior in real situations does.
Someone isn't intelligent because they have a high IQ; they have a high IQ because they are intelligent.
IQ is merely an instrument...
Imagine you are driving. Your car is flying down the highway, passing everyone else, and the speedometer reads 25 miles mph. What would you assume? That the speedometer is broken, that you are actually going 25 miles mph, or that the other cars are incredibly slow?

The issue is that, unlike intelligence, the concept of speed is clearly defined and universally accepted. Furthermore, the technical design of a speedometer is far more sophisticated than any intelligence test.

Keith Lee2 said:I think IQ exists so we don't have to guess if someone's smart—we can just measure it and clear up any doubt.
Honestly, you usually get a sense of how someone's thinking just by talking to them.
But that vibe is always relative, since we're just comparing people to ourselves.
It’s like, if we knew for a fact someone was 6'7", we wouldn't keep trying to pass them off as a point guard
(using basketball terms here, haha)
So, look, tell me your IQ score and I'll know exactly how much weight your arguments carry.
But since bragging about your IQ is seen as being a total narcis,
I guess we'll just keep struggling to understand each other.😬

Honestly, I don't know and I don't care. I'd assume I'm above average for the general population, average among academics, and below average among geniuses... 🙂

Paul Jones4 said:What exactly constitutes an IQ?

It’s a fiction—a hypothetical construct designed to explain and describe certain phenomena.
Don't fall into the trap of flawed reasoning.
Just because something is invented doesn't mean it possesses objective reality. That doesn't mean the "fiction" isn't useful, but we shouldn't grant it more status than it deserves.
IQ was created for practical utility, and that's where it ends.