Posts by dustyowl29

Yeah, it’s pretty much a safe bet that Nord Stream went down too...

So, how do they work for everyone else? Personally, they just give me a massive headache—probably because of that vacuum seal thing. Plus, they're way too wide.

Those look way too chunky to me. Honestly, they’re basically just bigger versions of the ones up there.

I use the ones I picked up from CVS. Honestly, I don't really have an issue with earwax buildup, so I can't give you much insight there. But I can definitely recommend these—they're small, and they don't give me those annoying headaches. They come in different sizes, so just make sure you grab the ones that actually fit you. Personally, I wear mine for seven nights before swapping them out. And yeah, I clean my ears, obviously.
https://www.cvs.com/shop/mivolis-colorful-earplugs-172778131.html

So they can actually make some money

Nobody’s exactly lining up to buy Rupees. Sure, maybe some more Yuan—but Rupees? Not a chance.

I've been dealing with lumbar radiculopathy for about 15 years now—it all started when I tried to catch a heavy object mid-fall. Even though I managed to grab it, the sudden jerk sent this massive pain shooting through my lower back and straight down my right leg, which went totally numb. I couldn't even stand up.
Back then, the pain and numbness lingered for two or three months before finally starting to taper off. I did physical therapy and had an EMNG done on my legs, which showed moderate to moderate-severe bilateral radicular lesions at L5 and S1. An MRI at the time didn't show any herniations or protrusions. Up until 2015, I mostly avoided heavy lifting, though if I did push it, I’d get hit with a flare-up lasting a few days before it passed.
I repeated the tests in 2015 after a similar episode triggered by lifting something. I try to be careful, but my job makes it hard to avoid it sometimes.
The symptoms returned again, staying for a good 20 to 30 days—so, more EMNG and MRI work.
X-rays had previously shown scoliosis, lordosis, and kyphosis—basically, my spine is a bit of a structural mess. But hey, whatever.
Here are the findings from 2018–2019:
MRI Lumbar Spine:
Standard MRI slices through the lumbar spine show preserved height of the lumbar vertebral bodies. The physical lordosis of the lumbar segment is preserved.
The posterior IC line is also preserved. Disc signals are normal.
At the L4-L5 and L5-S1 levels, small dorsal herniations are visible, but they aren't compressing the neural foramina in those spots.
Facet joint morphology is preserved.
Spinal cord signal appears normal.

EMNG of the legs:
Patient presents with chronic lower back issues, with pain and numbness radiating into the right leg and occasionally the left.
Neurological exam: Patient can stand on toes and heels, performs squats normally, shows no motor deficits, and reflexes are symmetric and normal.

Electromyography testing of the lower extremities: quadriceps femoris, tibialis anterior, and gastrocnemius muscles were tested bilaterally.
No pathological spontaneous activity was recorded during rest.
During activation, mild chronic neurogenic changes were noted at the L5 level bilaterally—stronger on the right—along with mild to moderate-severe changes at the S1 level bilaterally, also stronger on the right. Neurographic and reflex findings are normal.
The results support radiculopathic changes at the aforementioned levels.

A month ago, I pushed myself too hard at work for ten days straight and ended up in the ER. They gave me an injection and prescribed six more dexamethasone shots, Ibuprofen 800mg (3x daily), and Tramal 100 (3x daily). Without that combo, the pain is absolutely nauseating. This time, the symptoms were worse than ever—I couldn't find a single comfortable position except lying on my back with something under my knees. I didn't sleep at all for the first three nights. By the fourth night, thanks to the combination of Tramal 62 miles 3x daily and the 800mg Ibuprofen, I finally managed to drift off. But the moment I stand up during the day, the back pain hits and my right leg goes numb and stiff.
I'm feeling slightly better after three weeks, but the discomfort is constant, and I have to head back to work. I'm going in for a lumbar X-ray tomorrow, though I'm not expecting much to show up. My next MRI isn't scheduled for another year and three months...

Any ideas, advice, or suggestions?
Thanks.

So, you've got an allergy

I finally scored an appointment for May 16th at the Downtown Center.
Tnx.

Hey everyone, I need an X-ray of my lumbar spine—where in Washington, D.C. can I get this done quickly using a referral?
The local clinic in Brooklyn has its first opening on June 10th, which is a bit too late for me since I'm already scheduled with a physiotherapist on June 2nd.

Does anyone know where I might be able to find an appointment within about three weeks or so?

North Korea has been sitting in total isolation for seventy years now... the USSR and Russia were never truly cut off. Sure, they dealt with sanctions and restrictions, but what we’re seeing with North Korea—it’s basically unprecedented.

@fgzcvijetic

You've got a point there.

Look, Russia has its geniuses and its manufacturing hubs—just like any other nation. But how many true visionaries are actually left in America? A huge number of our brightest minds have already packed up and moved elsewhere in search of a better life. In fact, millions of Russian experts have already fled their home country.
It’s the same pattern we saw with Germany, where so many people jumped across the Atlantic before and during WWII.
That includes guys like Albert Einstein. And Tesla, obviously.

Jessica Rivera37 said:If you really want to grasp the difference between the nominal exchange rate of the ruble and its actual market value, there is no better way than simply observing how things work in the real world. Just track down a local currency exchange kiosk that deals in rubles and take a close look at their daily board. For instance, if you were to check out the rates over in a neighboring area:

Simply look at what they are charging to buy rubles, and you will see the truth right there in front of you. Honestly, Noah Diaz and his crowd can keep telling themselves whatever they want about how strong the ruble is, but the numbers don't lie.

There are just zeros there—which basically means nobody is buying or selling rubles, much like the Danish crown right now...

Yeah, the European Union is headed straight for rock bottom—it'll end up looking like Africa, Mamulica... Honestly, Russia wants to rule the world. You should probably pack your bags and move north right now.
And what exactly do you mean by "cesspool"? Only you would know what that implies..

Morgan Wright5 said:Well, they seem to be so famous for consumer goods that the only product I’ve ever actually heard of is a Jeep. And I think I even have a thermometer at home that was made in the USSR.

Look, my line of work involves machining and industrial equipment—so, basically, everything tagged "Made in the USSR" or whatever is just junk. It’s easily five tiers below anything coming out of Germany, France, or the UK and the US.
To be blunt? Nothing from Russia is any good. Not even the vodka.

You really have to hammer the Detralex for a few weeks at high doses—I’m talking 3 times a day, 2 pills at once.
Personally, I go through 60 tablets over a two-week stretch. It takes a while to actually kick in, but once it does, man, it really delivers over the following two weeks...

Sure, Russians can build turbines for gas plants, but the catch for supplying the European Union was that they had to use top-tier compressors and turbines to meet safety standards. That’s why Western tech was the go-to choice.
They'll probably whip up some turbines of their own eventually—but that power line running from Siberia to China? It won't be using General Electric pumps; it'll likely be some Chinese knockoff.

Noah Diaz said:Where is that iPhone actually made? 😁

They become very significant factors when you start talking about these "sanctions."

It doesn't matter where they are—the boss is in the States.
So, just to set the record straight—Samsung actually produces its gear in Vietnam, not Korea.
Most of the tech we use every day—you know, all that high-end electronics—is actually manufactured halfway across the world in places like China, Singapore, Malaysia, or India.
Cheap raw materials and dirt-cheap labor—we’re talking about three times less expensive than what we're used to here.
So, it looks like Apple is finally planning to pull the plug on their current setup—they’re looking at moving both Foxconn and their entire production line out West. Honestly, it was probably only a matter of time before they started making this kind of move.
Even if Vietnam counts as a Western ally—which is a stretch, let's be honest—China certainly isn't.

It’s kind of funny that Apple hasn't slapped any sanctions on Russia yet. From what I can see, Russian leaders seem pretty obsessed with using iPhones and Apple Watches...
Instead of picking up some Chinese phone or whatever.