1. If an officer isn't wearing their badge, are they technically off duty? - And if so, I guess does that mean they're only supposed to step in if they happen to stumble onto something crazy? 2. Is a "detention" actually just kidnapping if they don't show a badge or a warrant?
Everything is in flux... or so those old-school philosophers used to say. Basically, everything changes... I used to think Facebook was just a joke, but looking back now, I realize how wrong I was from a marketing perspective... things shift constantly. Everything except this forum. ☕
Ever since I first logged in here, not much has actually changed, even though it really should have. For instance: - Why can't we have a system where you can give points to people's posts, like they do on some other sites (I think Business Insider does something similar)? It would let us distinguish the regulars who actually provide solid arguments from the total trolls over time based on their score. - Why hasn't a Facebook login option been added? Maybe you want to be the last Mohican standing refusing to adapt, but honestly, I think it would be a good move. - There were a few attempts to bring in politicians to answer questions—remember that disastrous attempt to bring in Hillary Clinton?—but I actually think people like that could contribute if they stuck to actual arguments and meaningful debate.
Nicole Clark79 said:Taxation is actually a Constitutional provision in the USA, meaning paying taxes is a requirementfor all American citizens. The fact that Republicans tend to make up a larger portion of the wealthiest segment of our society—and therefore naturally shoulder a bigger tax burden—isn't really an issue with Obama. In the US, there’s still this old-school way of measuring patriotism:
"You're a better American if the amount you write on your tax return is higher."
As for what happens to that tax revenue later on, regardless of which party holds the reins, that isn't an Obama problem; it feels more like a Republican issue, especially since it seems like they'd want to control the purse strings even when they aren't in power. I mean, goodness, nobody is stopping Republicans from getting private health insurance, but any American citizen who can't afford it for whatever reason still has the right to life—according to both the Constitution and, quite importantly, the Bible.
So, does that include the Republicans and those Americans making over $250k a year that Bush gave tax breaks to?
So, is it just me, or does everyone here seem to be turning into a total misanthrope? Or maybe you all just don't see yourselves as part of the general public anymore... I don't know. For example, I really value being picky about who I grab coffee with... and honestly, making that choice is never easy...
Look, what you want and the intentions you have... they're completely legitimate. You’re just looking for something more out of life. You don't want to settle for the same boring routine everyone else seems happy with... But I guess you need some serious guts to actually break out of that cycle... to follow a vision or whatever. And yeah, maybe a little luck helps too, but honestly, I think luck only shows up after you've already found the courage to jump.
So, what’s the move? Are we going to waste time talking about those "unusual" and "interesting" characters—you know, the ones like some tragic little figure who’s clearly missing something? 😁 Or maybe we should dive into someone like Baron Samedi, who actually knew how to drop a high-quality post once in a while... or perhaps talk about Aurora Aurea, if that's even how you spell it...
So, how exactly did you guys go and ban my precious professoress? (Seriously, how many times has she been banned under that nickname now?) It kind of makes me think of all those pathetic, half-alive characters who used to lift my spirits back when I was at my absolute lowest, staring down the barrel of suicide...
professoress, you wannabe Oprah Winfrey, why’d you have to ban her? 😁 where’s unknown? Where did Bob disappear to? walter, just get a divorce already 🙂
James Bond? Did she finally pick some guy to settle down with? 😁
Why is this turning into such a massive cry-baby forum where every other thread starts out like:
"It's my first time posting here (MANDATORY!!). So, listen... you know how ___ (me/my girlfriend) cheated on me with ____ (my buddy, the neighbor, even my dog)? She did it ____ (right in front of me/last night in our bedroom) and then she told me ___ (her, her mom, her best friend, while I just stood there watching) and now I have no clue what to do, because I'm _____ (lost, clueless, head over heels, believing in our future), and I still love her even though she's ____ (an ex-junkie, won't answer my texts when she's out grabbing coffee with that CEO guy, ran off to the beach with three guys)... please help me, but seriously, don't screw with me..."
We used to say "get a life," but now the topics are more like "get a brain"...
In Islam, there's this idea that everyone believes in something... well, unless they’re totally obsessed or dealing with some serious mental health issues, I guess. And honestly, I could probably agree with that for the most part. It seems like humans just have this deep-seated need for purpose, and maybe that's why faith in God emerged—as a way to personify what all that meaning actually feels like.
If you want to understand how belief works—or even how to find help with it—you really have to look at the work of Viktor Frankl and his approach to logotherapy. Seriously, his book *Man's Search for Meaning*, which covers his experiences at Auschwitz, is absolutely essential reading. It's incredibly powerful.
I know there are probably people here who actually know more about this than I do—so feel free to set me straight if I'm off base—but you look at cases like Anne Hathaway, who was a patient of Freud’s, and she dealt with these psychotic episodes, partly because of how religious her upbringing was... And then there’s that whole unexplained case involving Anna Lisa Michael, the one the movie *The Exorcist* was based on, where her family was super religious...
In my opinion, what happens in these communes is just a specific kind of forced socialization. Once you've already had your brain washed by a total lack of structure, authority, or any sense of purpose in life, they just install a different kind of mindset so they can actually function...
Morgan Hernandez5 said:Oh, one more thing... regarding the PPDF—there’s actually a specific subforum dedicated to alternative medicine. It's where people go to talk about and debate all those different ways of healing and holistic treatments, you know? That kind of stuff. And it’s not even against the same people! This whole thread is just trolling. It doesn't even belong here. This belongs in some other section—like a jokes folder or maybe a health tips PDF—but definitely NOT under ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE!!!!
So, what you're actually saying is that if I criticize certain alternative methods mentioned in that PDF, it's basically off-limits? Is that really how this works? So, what you're saying is... we're only allowed to have a discussion if it’s strictly positive? I mean, really? That sounds kind of ridiculous, doesn't it? I guess we're just supposed to sit around and clap for everything? Maybe that's how they want it, but it feels pretty limiting, if you ask me.
Morgan Hernandez5 I guess what they’re saying is... And another thing! Honestly, anyone who actually means well—or even just has a bit of real-world experience or knowledge in alternative circles—is more than welcome here. That’s exactly why this forum turned into such a solid hub for meeting people and connecting with others who live outside the mainstream. This whole site became a community for us because we don't tolerate that typical gatekeeping bullshit anymore. I'm just so incredibly fed up. Honestly, I don't even know where to start. Everything feels like a constant uphill battle lately, and I’m reaching my breaking point. It’s just one thing after another, and frankly, I’m tired of pretending it isn't exhausting. I guess I'm just venting, but man, things are getting ridiculous. Look, we’ve got these self-proclaimed "experts" trying to drive away the actual quality contributors around here. It’s honestly ridiculous. Because of that exact attitude, everyone just flocks to the alternative therapy sub-forums instead. That's why you see more and more people joining those specific threads every single day while the main discussion boards just sit there gathering dust. Let me be clear: if you're posting stuff that doesn't actually help this community grow, or if you're just being hostile and provocative without even bothering to explain your reasoning, you aren't welcome here. Posts like that are going to keep getting deleted or getting people banned. Period.
Maybe we could just start throwing these grades around like they actually mean something, but hey, that’s your call... you always were better at handling this stuff than I am.
Look, I think I’ve made my point. I’ve laid out enough arguments to cover it, and I've already put them all out there... Look, to this so-called "spiritual" forum regular, her entire arsenal of arguments has always just been the same old stuff—handing out digital citations, accusing people of trolling, venting her frustrations... it's always been that kind of nonsense. I mean, I haven't even heard any actual arguments yet...
Look, like I already said, either give me a permanent ban right now or you need to apologize for some of the things you've been saying. Otherwise, someone's gonna have to step in and get you written up.
Alright, let me weigh in on a few different posts here:
- Look, I’m an advocate for alternative stuff—my username pretty much says it all—and I’ve been "into" this since I can remember. But honestly, having spent so much time in these circles, I’ve learned how to spot the difference between people who actually care about healing and those who just see a massive cash cow. Some of these people won't even give you basic advice, even when they know it's wrong and could literally lead to someone dying, just because they don't want to lose a sale. - If I point out that a certain user's "degree" from a place like Mayo Clinic isn't actually a real degree—meaning it's just a piece of paper recognized by that one specific institution and basically worthless anywhere else—that’s not trolling. It’s just a fact. - And if I call someone out and ask them to explain their method—like, what does it actually do, what's the foundation, is there any actual research or clinical data behind it—that isn't trolling either. It's just wanting information. - Or if I point out that a user's stories don't add up—like claiming they patented a drug but keeping it "secret," even though patent filings are public record, or exaggerating the costs of filing a patent by hundreds of thousands of dollars when the real fees are way lower... well, calling out an obvious lie isn't trolling. It's just stating what's happening.
Furthermore: - If I get banned or told I'm just being "frustrated" by the moderators for making these points, then I have a choice: either the moderator gets banned for that kind of bias, or I’ll just take a permanent ban on this site myself.
Edit: I'm not attacking the supplements or liquids people choose to drink. At the end of the day, personal freedom means people can choose how they want to heal, whether it's some herbal tea or whatever... you live, you learn, you deal with the consequences. But, if someone is intentionally kept in the dark, then the person withholding that info is the one responsible.
So, after thinking about this for a long time, I’ve finally decided to file a formal complaint 🙄
Look, the way that specific PDF is being moderated—and I'm talking specifically about the moderator Louis—is, in my opinion, criminally bad. Here is why:
- People (like xy, myself, etc.) who jump into threads within that PDF to try and call out certain so-called "alternative" types for being total scammers get flagged immediately. Moderators can clearly see posts—especially in the cancer treatment threads—where people are posing as doctors. They are intentionally misleading readers who don't realize that a title like "natural medicine practitioner" doesn't actually mean anything official in the US. Any attempt to explain that those titles aren't real medical credentials gets you hit with a strike. - An attempt to start a thread titled "Alternative methods that don't work" (started by Trebor) was shut down. Why? - At the same time, trolling is totally tolerated. You have people who stop talking about alternative methods entirely just to rant about Big Pharma conspiracies and stuff like that... and they get away with it for ages. Instead of getting strikes or bans, those topics should probably be moved to a different PDF along with David Icke and those kinds of discussions.
In my view, the reason for this kind of "moderation" is that the moderator in charge thinks everything "alternative" is trendy. Since my grievance is directed at the moderator, she seems to think all these alternative folks are just wonderful, perfect little people.... So, instead of moderation being objective and unbiased, this Alternative Treatment PDF is turning into a private club ruled by personal feelings. It's a place where expressing your own (strictly negative) opinion on certain topics gets you penalized.
Honestly, if someone isn't capable of being impartial when moderating a PDF, they should just stay away from moderating altogether. I mean, look at Shady over on the Religion board; they never let their own personal beliefs bleed into how they moderate.