Alright, I just stepped out onto the balcony to light up a 😁
I don't smoke, but I have my own little ritual... if someone doesn't bring me something to eat, I honestly wouldn't even think about it. I always keep a few liters of water right next to me, so I completely forget that eating is even an option... then eventually, someone knocks on my window to let them in, and only then do I actually grab a bite.🤣
Gerald Rivera60 said:Look... I spend at least 8 hours a day on my computer, plus several more once I get home. And honestly? I don't consider myself an addict. I’d be totally lost without the internet or my laptop, but I’d also be lost without my washing machine—that doesn't make me an addict to laundry. In my opinion, the real litmus test is whether it's functional... as long as it isn't messing up your life, you aren't having issues with work or school, and your social life and relationships are still solid, then spending a ton of time online is perfectly fine.
Fair enough. By that logic, I'm definitely not addicted... even though I haven't stepped foot outside my backyard since Tuesday. I haven't even left this room! I've been online non-stop, and I'm not even gaming. I actually had to head downtown for the first time this morning just because I needed to go to Chase Bank to set up my online banking—which, ironically, is just one more reason why I prefer staying inside.
Gerald Rivera60 said:Every era has its own unique addictions and struggles... that doesn't mean the internet or computers are inherently bad... I honestly think people are blowing this out of proportion. Journalists love to sensationalize things, and some folks just see pathology and problems in everything. I agree that addiction exists and can definitely cause issues, but I also feel like it's often just a symptom of deeper underlying stuff (whether it's financial stress, upbringing, or a lack of better entertainment... it doesn't really matter)
We should probably ask that girl how she actually sent an SMS through her computer... personally, I could use a free service like that myself (unless it's just via email) 😬
You can find plenty of people like that wherever you look... Honestly, the media is just chasing headlines again........
I spend at least five hours a day glued to my computer...
Here’s what my daily routine looks like on school days:
I usually get home from school around 2:05 PM—grab some food—then I’m at my desk by 2:40 PM. I don't head to bed until somewhere between 1:00 and 3:00 AM... then I'm up by 7:30 AM just to check my emails, hop on the forums, and stay on top of things...
The funny thing is, I don't even play games. I don't have a single game installed on this rig... yet somehow, there's still never enough time spent online.
wiredrider2 said:I'm curious about ozone therapy for dental work.
Is it just for minor cavities, or does it work for the bigger stuff too? How does the process actually go down? Do they still use a traditional drill or what?
Has anyone here actually tried it?
LINK TO THE OZONE INFO (don't know the dentist personally, but hey, free advertising) I haven't personally dealt with it.
I'd love to learn more myself—my dad is actually a private practice dentist, so I'll ask him about it.
If you guys have any other questions, fire away. As for me, I work in porcelain dental lab tech.
I was thinking, since New Year's Eve is right around the corner and all... I don't really drink (or smoke, for that matter), so I'd rather not put my liver through any unnecessary stress.
Every single day, the outpatient psychiatric clinic for children and adolescents at Kukuljevićev sees about 15 kids from the Washington, D.C. area struggling with computer addiction. [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif,verdana,geneva]WASHINGTON, D.C.— "Mom, make me a sandwich..." That’s how a 10-year-old girl messaged her mother from her bedroom via computer after spending hours lost in the digital void.
The virtual world is isolating more and more kids, pulling them into a deep sense of solitude and fueling a modern epidemic: screen addiction. It's creating a whole new wave of patients right here in the capital.
Binge-watching and endless scrolling lead to total isolation, neglected responsibilities, insomnia, and depression.
Take Anti, for example. He's 14 years old. For an entire year, he spent every waking hour "slaying" enemies in fantasy video games, completely submerged in a fictional realm. He eventually dropped out of school because he simply couldn't pull himself away from the screen.
The boy speaks rapidly, his thoughts racing so fast they're almost impossible to follow. Parents often bring their children to us due to behavioral issues, but many kids come forward on their own, admitting they live entirely within chats, games, and web surfing. Most of them come from homes dealing with significant parental conflict, says The Washington Post Enes Kušmić, the director of the outpatient clinic.
Treatment involves a mix of individual sessions, group therapy, and counseling for parents. Some kids even require antidepressants because, just like any other addiction, pulling them away from the computer triggers intense withdrawal symptoms. The patients are typically between 8 and 14 years old; currently, the group consists of 12 boys and 3 girls. At Kukuljevićev, treatment can last anywhere from six months to three years.
When we limit their screen time to just one hour a day, they often spiral into fits of rage. Our mission is to help these young people find their way back to the real world, concludes Enes Kušmić. "
I’ve been dealing with psoriasis ever since the war ended. It's been a constant battle for me ever since!
Honestly, I feel like I’ve tried everything under the sun. I even sourced medications from Canada and the USA, but nothing seemed to touch it. Around the time I was nine years old, the symptoms finally cleared up for a while. I followed a specific routine back then, and honestly, I think it’s worth a shot for anyone struggling! For my scalp, I used to apply homemade olive oil (mixed with a few other additives), wrap my head in a plastic grocery bag, let it sit for a bit, and then hop in the tub for about 45 minutes. While you're in the bath, grab a comb and brush in the opposite direction of your hair growth. It might sting the first time, but don't quit. Do it every day. Once you notice things starting to calm down, you can scale it back to every other day. As for my body, here is what worked:
I would slather on this certain cream—I can't recall the exact brand—wrap myself in plastic bags, and just go to sleep like that. In the morning, I'd just shower and call it a day. Once the scaling subsided, I’d apply some herbal extract used for treating warts; I forget the name, but it has this yellow sap. When you apply it to the affected areas, it burns like crazy, but you just have to tough it out. I remember sitting on my bed as a kid, crying because of how much it stung. But after a while, it actually worked.
The condition has flared up again recently, and unfortunately, I don't quite have that same stubborn persistence anymore, though I’m going to try to get back into the routine somehow. Right now, it's mostly on my scalp, a little on my body, and a bit on my eyelids!
Joshua Carter20 said:December 7th at Boogaloo... we've got Flying Shark (Sarajevo), Fat President (Indianapolis), Lost Propellers (Novi Sad), and Nan deSKA hitting the stage.. Invasion $10..all drinks are just 10 bucks.. pretty cool, right?👍 It's actually the freshman blowout for American Studies
jadesailor14, even though I’ve been wearing contacts for three or four years now, I actually have a quick question for you. I just picked up this pair of J&J ones—the same kind you bought for your daughter—and they're my first pair of this specific brand since the others I used to wear were discontinued. Does your daughter only wear them for a couple of weeks at a time, or does she keep them in longer? I’ve been using Complete solution for quite a while now; before that, I used some other brand I can't quite remember, but honestly, I don't see much difference between the two. Overall, I'm happy with my lenses, though my prescription has started creeping up again lately. My doctor mentioned it’s totally normal since I’ve actually grown a few inches recently and my eyes are still adjusting to my changing height.
rustymarlin39, those radiators are absolute moisture killers. They dry out the air so much that your lenses naturally feel drier too, which leads to that irritating sensation. Whenever they start bothering me like that, the best thing to do is just take them out. That’s what I do, because if I don't, I end up constantly rubbing my eyes, and then I run the risk of accidentally popping a lens out.
Lesson 3 Think of it this way: without the vital force known as prana, karma just sits there, dormant. When you combine that dormant karma with prana, you get the spark that ignites the soul. Essentially, the soul is a blend of prana and karma, linked to the Unmanifested Being through prana. You could say prana is the first step in the cosmic dance of creation, while the soul is the second. Prana is the primary expression of cosmic intelligence. By reflecting through karma, prana gains its own unique identity, manifesting as an individual soul. This shows us that our individual soul is really just a limited reflection of the infinite cosmic spirit—that pure, boundless intelligence. Just as prana is the outward expression of the eternal ocean of the Unmanifested Being, the soul is the reflection of cosmic intelligence acting upon karma. This leads us to a pretty profound conclusion: there was a world before this one. There was a day before today and a night before tonight. The cycle of creation and decay is an eternal loop within the infinity of Being. In the natural flow of things, a soul comes into existence because a previous soul created certain karma. That lingering karmic influence acts as the foundation for the current soul. We can basically pinpoint two core realities at the root of existence. First, there’s the eternal reality of Absolute Being. Second, there’s the reality of karma, which, even though it exists within the constantly shifting landscape of relative existence, also possesses an eternal quality through the endless cycle of action, experience, and impression. The "impression" left by an experience within the actor's soul is the most subtle influence of karma. Being is the infinite, eternal ocean of absolute life. Because it is transcendental in nature, it doesn't have specific characteristics or traits. Sure, we experience it, but that experience happens within its own field of transcendental existence—a realm of pure light. In that space, the soul transcends all relative experiences and merges with Being. Once it reaches that state, it ceases to be a conscious, separate soul. This state of absolute existence, devoid of all attributes, is completely beyond the reach of our imagination or any intellectual concepts or logic. The human soul naturally tries to grasp this primal reality, reaching toward the shores of the infinite ocean of absolute wisdom. In its quest to touch the untouchable and understand the transcendental, it moves toward understanding the finer layers of existence, hoping that if it can just grasp the subtlest levels, it might finally understand the true nature of the highest, original source. KARMA OR BEING Being is absolute existence, whereas karma is the mechanism that keeps the cycle of creation, growth, and decay spinning. It’s clear, then, that the essential nature of karma is fundamentally different from the essence of Being, which simply *is*. No amount of karma can ever actually reach the state of Being. Because of how karma operates, the entire world is caught in a perpetual loop of birth and death, creation and dissolution. Since karma is the opposite of Being, any action that breaks the cycle of karma will lead directly to the state of Being. As we’ve discussed, the force of karma creates, sustains, and eventually dismantles the life of both individuals and the universe. That’s why every person and every living thing is subject to its power. Karma maintains life within the relative realm, which is exactly why humans remain separated from the territory of pure Being. The consciousness of transcendental bliss leaves an immediate imprint on the nature of the soul. When returning to the relative field—where time, space, and cause-and-effect keep everything tightly constrained—the soul begins to retain a sense of that limitless state. Through consistent practice, it draws closer and closer to the transcendental. Practicing Transcendental Meditation regularly causes such a powerful infusion of Being into the soul that, even while navigating the daily grind of the relative world, the soul begins to live out the nature of eternal Being. For someone caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life, this has incredible practical value.
I don't know, guys... I'm looking at these sailing school websites. They offer a one or two-week beginner course, then an advanced course to sail solo, and then the skipper certification...
Don't you think it's a bit ambitious to expect someone to be out there sailing solo after just a week? Even getting a driver's license takes way longer than that. 😁
Honestly, forget those big sailing schools—they just drain your wallet and leave you clueless. If anyone's actually serious, there's a new school in San Francisco that works with only two or three students at a time for personalized training. After a course like that, you definitely won't be trying to pilot a sailboat with a motor.
granitecrane said:It’s because the music industry and all those managers are busy cranking out instant pop stars who have to churn out hyper-commercial tracks just so the managers and all those other vultures can line their pockets. These "stars" only last as long as whatever specific genre happens to be trending at the moment. It’s sad, but it’s the truth. That’s why the last decade or so has been flooded with such garbage music. It’s all about the money! There’s zero passion for the art itself. The people who actually have talent don't even stand a chance of getting a major label to pick up their album today, let alone getting airplay on the radio or MTV and in case they somehow do get released, nobody even knows who they are. Nowadays, having actual quality doesn't mean anything; you basically need a massive amount of luck to succeed! The only exception is if you’re already an established name from back in the day, because then labels will keep signing you. But if you're a newcomer? You're looking at a bleak future that honestly might not even exist.
That’s honestly the reality of it. There’s no more artistry or soul left in music; everything is just a commercial product now. People make music for the paycheck, not for the sake of the sound. It's the same story across almost every industry. Everything is disposable... things move fast, trends shift constantly... there's just no heart left in it!😢
The concert is on November 29th (around Thanksgiving)... I’m still on the fence about going, but here’s the ticket info: $33. I caught Stefanovski performing at a factory show and at the Swayze Center about six years ago back when he was still doing the Stefanovski Trio—you remember, with that wild percussionist on the drums?😬 I’ve actually never seen Leb live, though... maybe I should make the trip.🙂 There’s just something about that North American-inspired sound and those 7/8 rhythms that hits different. It’s got real soul!
BEING, THE EQUILIBRIUM OF COSMIC LAW Law implies a set of operating principles. Cosmic law refers to the governing principles of cosmic life—the fundamental rules directing the purpose of all existence and evolution. It represents the operational logic of a cosmic creative intelligence that continuously builds, sustains, and deconstructs the universe. What we observe within the cosmos is the progression of life. Things emerge, grow, reach maturity, and eventually begin to decline. This decay isn't an end, but rather a necessary phase for reshaping and renewal. Change serves as the canvas upon which creation occurs; this constant shifting of life forms defines the state of the universe and fuels its ongoing expansion. Alongside change, there is stability. Life works to sustain itself even as it evolves. You can think of maintenance as the aspect of permanence, while development is the aspect of transformation. To truly grasp this universal law, we have to look at every facet of the cosmos: the emergence of life and matter, their sustenance, their growth, and their ultimate dissolution. PRANA AND BEING Prana is essentially Being taking shape. It is the impulse of the unmanifest seeking to become manifest—the driving force behind abstract existence. Being itself is absolute existence in its unmanifested essence. Its inherent tendency to vibrate and reveal itself is what we call Prana. As Being vibrates, Prana vibrates, and the physical world begins to take form. By adopting a subjective nature, Being becomes Spirit; by adopting an objective nature, it becomes Matter. SPIRIT AND BEING Think of Spirit as a wave moving across the ocean of Being. Just as a sea stirred by the wind rises into waves, the unmanifest, absolute Being—driven by its own nature, Prana—emerges as Spirit. Karma acts as the wind, the force that generates the spiritual waves upon the ocean of unmanifest Being. In other words, Spirit is Prana shaped by the influence of Karma. When you examine Karma, you see that without Spirit (the actor), no action or Karma can exist. This highlights a deep interdependence: it’s hard to say whether Spirit creates Karma or if Karma gives rise to Spirit. The answer to the riddle is that they are a cycle: Spirit is born from Karma and produces Karma, just as Karma is born from Spirit and produces Spirit. It is much like how a seed produces a tree, and that tree, in turn, produces seeds.
