Posts by Joseph Watson3

jadesailor14 said:well, there's no proof either way that it's harmful 😉

😂 This is getting ridiculous. It’s not like anyone has actually proven that any substance is perfectly safe—science doesn't work that way. By definition, you can't prove a hypothesis true; you can only fail to disprove it.

A substance gets flagged as carcinogenic if there are enough red flags—basically, if animal or human studies suggest it might be. Sweeteners like aspartame and cyclamate have probably undergone more testing than almost anything else on the market. And yet, there's no evidence. If we followed this line of logic, we could just claim brown sugar is a carcinogen too—I doubt there are enough studies on it to satisfy the skeptics, so why not just label it a carcinogen until someone proves otherwise?

quietpilot87 said:Can you confirm this stuff about the stevia ban (articles, etc.)?
I'm actually curious.

It’s pretty much the same story as any other sweetener. There’s this controversy floating around that isn't exactly rooted in hard facts.

Although unresolved questions remain concerning whether metabolic processes can produce a mutagen from stevia in animals, let alone in humans, the early studies prompted the FDA to ban stevia's use in food in the US pending further research.[11] Singapore and Hong Kong have banned it also.[12] However, more recent data compiled in the safety evaluation released by the World Health Organization in 2006[28] suggest that these policies may be obsolete.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevia#Health_controversy

Stevia comes from the plant of the same name.
You won't find it in standard pharmacies since there's this supposed lack of research regarding its potential side effects.
If you ask me, the entire unhealthy artificial sweetener industry would just collapse if stevia actually took over their market share.
And honestly? There's a good reason for that. Your body doesn't even register stevia as a carbohydrate—so it won't make you gain weight, which is great for diabetics—and it’s completely natural.

And what exactly makes you conclude it isn't harmful? I mean, there is a whole pile of plants out there that are toxic or carcinogenic, right? But I guess stevia is fine simply because it's "natural," while Natrue is considered poison just because it was synthesized...

Stevia is just as controversial regarding safety as artificial sweeteners are, and it's even been banned in certain countries.

Personally, I use Natrue in my coffee because I refuse to buy into the propaganda claiming artificial sweeteners are responsible for almost every evil in the world—from tumors to Alzheimer's—all without any actual evidence. Diabetics consume them in doses exceeding 50g, far beyond the average person, yet we don't see the catastrophic results those internet charlatans scream about in their circular emails, calling things "the most carcinogenic additive ever" or claiming some specific bacteria is being "extracted from corpses!!!"

Nicholas Chavez70 said:We really can't take Hamdi seriously; he phrased things poorly, but at the core, you have a man with virtually no formal education who deeply understands the philosophy of Tesla—the idea of improving life for every single person on Earth, regardless of their social class, skin color, or faith—and honestly, that carries a lot of weight.

This is just another failed experiment from Tesla, nothing more than fertile ground for various fanatics and conspiracy theorists to dig into, and frankly, it has absolutely nothing to do with what you’ve been discussing until now.

The man was actually on a dangerously productive path toward realizing his vision, and it is perfectly natural that certain forces moved to stop him. We are left with the remnants of an old guard—minds that still cling to the delusion that fossil fuels and nuclear energy are the ultimate mothers of progress...

See, this is exactly the kind of conspiracy theorist I'm talking about. 😁

Tesla's wireless energy transfer doesn't work because the laws of physics say so, not because of some shadowy "lobbyists." Honestly, I'd suggest you brush up on classical electrodynamics before you start rambling about "old-school minds"—because so far, you're proving my point by acting just like them.

Nicholas Chavez70 said:Wait, you’re seriously telling me you aren't familiar with his work? I find that hard to believe, truly. http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=703

While his actual notes don't explicitly state it, I can't help but imagine Tesla standing atop Pikes Peak, laughing maniacally while his man-made lightning machine tore through the Colorado night sky. Massive bolts of electricity surged hundreds of feet from the summit of the tower, lashing at the ground below. A strange blue corona quickly wrapped itself around the humming machinery. Millions of volts charged the atmosphere for several moments, but the spectacular show came to a sudden halt when the system failed. All of the windows in Colorado Springs went dark as the local power station's massive generator buckled under the sheer intensity of the load. Yet, even amidst that chaotic discharge, Tesla confirmed that the Earth itself could be used as an electrical conductor, proving several of his theories about the ionosphere's conductivity. During subsequent trials, he managed to successfully light up bulbs from a distance, though the precise details of those specific setups have since vanished into history. In any case, Tesla walked away certain that his vision of providing wireless electricity to the entire world was actually within reach.

No. I’m actually quite familiar with Elon Musk—his work falls directly within my professional field, for what it's worth. And honestly, what does that snippet you just pasted have to do with anything? It’s basically just trying to catch lightning in a bottle. That whole thing is just another one of his failed experiments—perfect breeding ground for fanatics and conspiracy theorists—and it has absolutely nothing to do with what you’ve been talking about until now.

Nicholas Chavez70 said:

I won't even get started on how Hamid used to ramble about catching lightning in a box, claiming we'd have enough electricity to power the entire planet if we just pulled it off. )

It wasn't Hamid who said that, it was actually Nikola Tesla—the idea of providing free energy to the whole world isn't some impossible fantasy, it’s just completely unprofitable for the big energy conglomerates...

Haha, even back in the day—before he got so eccentric that he actually thought he was chatting with Martians—Tesla wasn't quite crazy enough to try and "catch lightning in a box."😁

Alex Murphy7 said:the effectiveness of piracetam—or any other nootropic, really—has never been scientifically proven. In my opinion, they're all pretty much obsolete...
I haven't had a single positive experience with any of them regarding the specific use case we're discussing here—namely, boosting concentration in healthy adults.

One study actually suggested it provides a slight boost to memory in healthy individuals. Beyond that, there’s a mountain of research showing it improves cognitive function in patients dealing with cerebral ischemia, alcoholism, and so on.

Either way, this seems a lot more legitimate to me than ginkgo, lecithin, or those other nonsense supplements sold under the guise of "brain health."

Honestly, most of those "supplements" people rave about are questionable at best—borderline snake oil, really. There are a few legit ones out there, though they don't always fall strictly under the nootropics umbrella. But here’s the kicker: in the States, most things require a prescription just to get through the door. Take Piracetam (Coca-Cola), for instance. It’s a genuine nootropic that actually impacts brain electrical activity, boosts cognitive function, and is even used to help with dyslexia or recovery after a stroke. Yet, for some nonsensical reason, you can't just grab it here without a doctor's note—whereas in America or England, it's sold right off the shelf as a dietary supplement. So, if anyone happens to be heading to the US...

Jamie Kim said:The kids at my university are constantly slamming guarana. They swear by it. Personally, I’m still sticking to good old-fashioned coffee—but honestly, with finals approaching, it's going to be a brutal year. I might have to look into those caffeine tablets.

The active ingredient in guarana is basically the same as in coffee—caffeine—but the absorption rate is where things get interesting. Since they don't hit you the same way, the effects differ. Coffee (in my case, a massive double espresso) hits you fast—you get that sudden caffeine spike, which isn't always ideal. If you overdo it, you aren't getting better focus; you're just getting jittery and irritable. Guarana, on the other hand, releases much more slowly and steadily, which actually makes it better for sustained concentration.

Noah Johnson63 said:I'll need this for the rest of my life. I’m going to keep using it until my nose literally falls off.

No, you'll actually be using it until you damage your mucous membranes so badly that your nose starts bleeding uncontrollably if you so much as scratch it—let alone try to blow it. 😉 I'm not even exaggerating; I've seen it happen, and honestly, my own nose wasn't doing much better while I was using it.

Flonase was my saving grace. Aside from stuff like operil and the rest, I find that corticosteroid sprays—like Flonase—are really the only things that actually work for me, plus you can stick with them much longer. Is it a brilliant idea to use them indefinitely? Who knows. But using them for a few months shouldn't be an issue.

Just keep in mind that corticosteroids need some time to actually kick in—we're talking a few days to a week—so don't go claiming they aren't working just because they don't provide that instant, nose-clearing blast you get from operil.

brightdrifter90 said:This is genuinely unsettling—it feels like something straight out of a horror movie. If this happened to me or anyone close to me, I’d be going public immediately and flagging the authorities. As it stands, there's zero transparency about what actually went down, which is the real problem—other people are still out there at risk of falling into the same trap and losing an organ. That said, I get why the victims might want to stay quiet. Personally, I don't go shopping in San Francisco anymore, especially not at those Chinese shops. 👎

What competition looks like 🤣

A century ago, they were accusing Jews of sacrificing newborns. Fast forward to today, and suddenly Jews are running global conspiracies while Chinese people are harvesting organs in corner shops all over Europe. It really makes you wonder if that theory about the average IQ rising by three points every decade—you know, the Flynn effect—actually aligns with reality. 🤣

Chris Peterson53 said:The same logic applies to you as it does to hiddentrucker16.
In your own post, you’re playing the role of the high-and-mighty judge—labeling others as "losers" and forcing your personal condemnation onto them.
You're passing judgment without even having read all the posts, which means you're judging by the exact same criteria you use to insult those you claim are at the bottom of the "social hierarchy"!
So, tell me—just how low are you actually?

Yeah, I know I was judging you all in that post. It was intentional. Is it really fair to get upset when someone finally uses your own methods against you?

Besides, I have read everything. This entire pile of self-righteous preaching and "well-meaning advice" is hard to escape outside of the religion subforum. Not that I mean everyone—there were actually a few decent responses in there—but specifically you and these other pathetic types:

quiethound45 said:I guess you have a point..
reading that post, it reminds me of those pride parades and all that push for rights..where's the money coming from?..if you want to deal with the consequences of your own choices—it's your call. if someone forced you or pushed you—no... then nobody's stopping you, so just stay quiet and suck it up however you see fit..
it's the same thing with addicts..
who's to blame if they choose to use..if they're making foolish decisions, that's on them..in a few years, there'll just be one less fool out there.🙂

hiddentrucker16 said:This is truly revolting; I’m reading this and honestly can't believe my eyes... the logic follows that we should just purge all the homosexuals, the addicts, and the lunatics... I genuinely cannot fathom it—you have the audacity to call others "parasites of society" when you are clearly the one acting as a drain on it if anyone else thinks like you do. Veronica, I have just one question: where on earth do you think you get the right to act this way?

To me, it looks like a classic case of frustrated, insecure losers who are just itching for an opportunity to look down on someone they deem "lesser" to feel important for a second. They probably occupy the bottom rung of the social ladder in their actual lives—so wouldn't it make sense that they jump at the chance to belittle an addict or anyone else, just to feel a momentary sense of superiority? 😁

George Ramirez11 said:I’m honestly not even sure who I should start quoting first... the one who prioritizes a predator over someone struggling with addiction, or the healthcare worker who clearly couldn't care less—because apparently, addiction isn't a disease, it's just some mindless, shapeless mass of people having a blast... or maybe it's the same person? I've stopped paying attention. I don't know why only 1% of people bother to step up when it's actually this simple. And what would be the point of me confessing? I just wanted to get it out there. It's pretty clear that nobody here (with the exception of those few who actually tried to offer something useful) can help me. I'll admit, I probably titled the thread wrong.
Nobody needs to worry about my child, let alone you guys. I feel my own pain plenty well enough, and my kid is this constant little angel whose pain I feel down to my very soul if they so much as scrape an elbow. God knows what other kind of pain exists.
Do you really think you have it all figured out just because you spend your days handing out tips to junkies? I'm not even going to go there.
I’m not looking for excuses, mostly because I haven't lost my mind—I see zero reason to justify myself to anyone HERE. I don't know why I would. Just because rehab isn't for everyone doesn't mean it's a magic fix; I was told that myself at a rehabilitation center, and I see crowds of people every single day who head straight back to their old habits the moment they walk out the doors. Most of the things you call "excuses" actually end in a question mark, if you'd bother to notice. At the end of the day, it comes down to willpower, and there's really no debate there.
Stay healthy, and I truly DON'T want any of you to see an addict when you look at your own children, because NO ONE is immune to darkness. But I DO want you to learn to think differently, even if it hurts or makes you miserable while your perspective shifts.
I never forced my opinion on anyone. I came here looking for support, and instead, I got pelted with stones. People called me an idiot who refuses to get clean, said I should have my child taken away, wished that my son would look at me with disgust, or hoped I’d drop dead within a year... I'm sorry I even sought you out. You really think you're the first ones to try using insults and aggression?
My only consolation is knowing that you either have no clue what you're talking about or you simply aren't thinking. You certainly don't know anything about me.
Go ahead, keep arguing and feeding each other's stubbornness and stupidity. I'm going to move on and look for help within myself and from people who actually give a damn.
Shame on you. Now you can go back to spitting on the depressed, the anxious, and the potentially suicidal... because I guess they're just more "idiots" who refuse help, right?
P.S. Again, thanks to the exceptions who offered supportive words, links, etc. That’s really all I was looking for. I've cried enough in my life that I'm not going to let some internet posts break me.

My advice? Go check out http://www.samhsa.gov (addiction support resources) and their forums. You'll find plenty of people there with actual lived experience who might actually be able to help you. Around here, all you get is the preaching from small-minded busybodies who haven't a clue what they're talking about, yet are more than happy to sit in judgment.

It makes me wonder, though—what percentage of these idiots would charge addicts double for their meds? And would they dare charge their own smoking buddies double for lung cancer treatments? Or would they force them to sign waivers so the government can just let them suffer away once they've "voluntarily" chosen to smoke?